Chapter Twenty-One
Alexander slida hip onto the bed and watched Elizabeth sleep. Her screams echoed in his ears, and every time he closed his eyes, he saw her as she’d been last night. Bloodied, half-incoherent, and terrified. Her brows pinched together in slumber, and when she mewled and twitched, he ran a hand over her back. “Shhh, Elizabeth. You’resafe.”
A little gasp punctuated her shudder, and her eyelids fluttered open. “Alexander.”
The single word held such need he had to stifle his possessive growl as he gathered her against him, careful to avoid her injured arm. “I’m here,chérie. Just anightmare.”
Nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming emotion of falling in love. After so many conquests in his youth, then so long without findinganyonewho held his interest for more than a few hours, his overwhelming desire toknowthis woman, to hear her stories, to learn her quirks staggeredhim.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Alexander rubbed her back in gentle circles until she stoppedtrembling.
“I want this to all go away,” she murmured against his neck. “Everything butyou.”
Mine.
The single word roared through his thoughts, and he couldn’t help himself. “I love you, Elizabeth,” hewhispered.
Her arm tightened around his waist, but she didn’t respond, and Alexander cursed himself for not being able to hold back. She wasn’t ready for love yet—she’d all but confirmed it last night. Easing her back, Alexander searched her gaze. “Nicholas will be here soon. Then Ben and the prosecutor. I wish we could delay until tomorrow, but Ben wants to have everything filed by tonight. Would you like to get dressed? Or receive themhere?”
Elizabeth chewed on her lip for a moment, uncertainty swimming in her eyes. “Help meshower?”
The mere thought of Elizabeth’s naked body sent his cock straight to attention, but he focused on the purple swelling above her eye and got himself under control. “Ofcourse.”
Soon, steam swirled through the marble bath, and as Alexander helped Elizabeth off with her shirt, he grimaced at the mottled bruises that covered her leftside.
“I’m okay,” she said as she drew the backs of her fingers over his cheek. “Really. Nothing’s broken. Bruises fade. This—” she gestured to the gash on her forehead, “—is going to scar. But I was lucky.” A single tear spilled over as she glanced down at her feet. When Elizabeth met his gaze again, her dark blue eyes carried a deeper hue. “You saved my life, Alexander. He would have killed me. Thankyou.”
As she levered up on her toes to kiss him, Alexander realized he’d do anything, spend any amount of money, change anything about himself or his lifestyle to make sure Elizabeth wassafe.
Before he made a proper idiot of himself and told her he loved her again, he stripped off his clothes and then stepped into theshower.
Angling the four shower heads to avoid Elizabeth’s stitches, he watched her intently for any signs of distress. She sighed as the hot water cascaded over her breasts, and then let her hands trail down hersides.
Shite.
Her naked body drove him mad, and on the heels of nearly losing her, Alexander’s need to claim almost overwhelmed him. With a breathy moan, Elizabeth reached for him, and he couldn’t mistake the glint in hereyes.
“You’re injured, Elizabeth.No.”
“Terrance cleared me. Please.” She angled her hips to press against his erection. “You’ll begentle.”
“I can’t,” he managed, his voice rough and strained. “Not the way I feel right now. Seeing you like this…” Alexander tucked a blood-stained lock of hair behind her ear. “I couldn’t begentle.”
“Try.” Elizabeth retreated until her back pressed against the shower wall, then spilled some of his soap into her hands and started caressing her breasts in slow, maddeningcircles.
Unable to ignore his throbbing cock, he growled at her, “Stay here and keep playing withyourself.”
She nodded, and he skidded on the wet floor as he ran into the bedroom to snatch a condom from the nightstanddrawer.
When he returned, Elizabeth’s head rested against the wall, her eyes closed, tiny sounds of pleasure escaping her partedlips.
She’sperfect.
As he stepped back into the shower, he twisted one of the shower heads to send hot water sluicing over those perfect breasts. Elizabeth opened her eyes with a smile. “Tell me what todo.”
My God. His woman wanted to play, as injured as she was. Fine. He’d give her what she wanted. Despite his words, hewasgentle, circling her wrists with a firm grip and holding them at her sides. Nipping down her right shoulder, he kissed a trail to her breast, then took one pert nipple in his mouth. With an arch of her back, Elizabeth moaned, then started to tremble under hisministrations.
Angling her so the water wouldn’t drown him, Alexander sank to his knees. Laving his tongue over her bare lower lips, he tasted her arousal, and when he found her clit, she whimpered, “Oh God.More.”
