I took in a breath and said words that I never imagined I would say. If Machine could open up to me and bear his soul, I needed to do the same. I needed to give him something, even if I couldn’t give him everything.
“The night my sister was taken, I was on my way home from work when two of Ricci’s men jumped me and…” I looked down, unable to meet Machine’s gaze. “They raped me. Nellie found me on the ground that night and got me checked out.”
I could tell all the pieces were coming together in Machine’s mind. Why I lived with Nellie, and why I worked at the women’s shelter.
“When I got home, my sister had been taken. Apparently, it was supposed to be me.”
“What do you mean?” Machine asked, his jaw clenching.
“My dad was very much in over his head in debt and owed Ricci and the Mob money. In exchange for paying off his debts…”
“They would take you?” he finished.
I nodded. He let out a curse in Italian. He wrapped his arms around me and placed his face in the crook of my neck, breathing me in. Tears fell from my eyes as we both held on to each other like we were each other’s lifeline. After several minutes had passed, Machine broke away from the hug.
“I take it that’s when you started to train?”
I nodded. “That’s when Badger was born. Well, kinda. That’s where the makings of her were created.”
Machine placed a hand on my thigh. “Most badass chick I’ve ever met.”
I smiled. “And don’t you ever forget it.”
“Never,” he whispered, giving me a tender kiss.
THIRTY-SEVEN
BADGER
After we’d shared our trauma, we lay in bed holding each other. Not saying a word. We didn’t need to. We knew that the foundation of us had changed after our exchange. Afterward, I’d cleaned his room while he showered.
Now I stood in the kitchen getting a glass of water, looking at the man I couldn’t shake. He was beautifully rugged, and now that I had witnessed this softer side of him, I knew I was done for.
Machine sat in the armchair across from the fireplace. He had been quiet since after his shower. Although his hair was a little longer than I was used to, he was still sexy as hell. The scar on his face was highlighted by the flicker of the flames while Lucy lay at his feet, fast asleep.
I walked over to him with the glass in my hand and handed it to him silently. He accepted it without a word, took a sip, and set it on the side table. He patted his lap, inviting me to come sit. I frowned dubiously. He was so large that I thought for sure we would break the piece of furniture if I sat down. As if reading my mind, he let out a sigh and stood up, towering over me. I placed a hand on his chest.
“Before I go, is there anything you need?” I whispered. I didn’t want to go, but I wasn’t sure I could handle staying.
He lowered his forehead to mine and wrapped his arms around me. “I need you. Please stay.”
His words were so vulnerable that I couldn’t find it in me to deny him.
“Okay,” I whispered.
Machine pulled back and searched my eyes before crashing his lips to mine. The darkness we’d shared hadn’t dimmed my burning need for him. I moaned as his tongue invaded my mouth, moving the way he knew I liked. He moved his hands down and cupped my ass, giving it a swat.
“Bedroom. Now, Bunny,” he growled against my lips.
I smiled, then turned and sauntered to the bedroom, slowly peeling off my clothes as I went. Machine walked a few paces behind me, enjoying the show. As we entered, I felt Machine press up behind me, with only his sweatpants between us. He reached around me and began to knead my breasts, making me arch into him. I moaned as he pinched my pebbled nipples, savoring the way his rough hands felt on my skin.
“Lie on your back on the bed. I want to try something with you,” he whispered in my ear.
I swallowed and pushed down my anxiety. I was safe with him. I would always be safe with him. I did as I was told, lying down on the plush mattress.
“Stay there, I will be right back.”
Before I could protest, Machine went into his walk-in closet and came out with something that resembled a motor with a pole coming out the front.
