Over.
The word sounded better than dead. Better than killed.
Over meant he couldn’t touch me again.
Over meant I’d survived.
“You’ve been through hell. And not just the past few days, but for the past several years. You survived things you never should have had to endure. You probably never allowed yourself to come to terms with that. To allow yourself to grieve everything Victor stole from you. He had you so petrified of showing anything remotely resembling emotion because he’d use it against you. Am I right?”
I gave him a subtle nod.
“Then let yourself feel, Ariana. You’ve had to be so fucking strong for so fucking long. And I hate you had to go through this.” He pushed a tendril of hair behind my ear. “But you don’t have to hide anymore. Not from me. You can let yourself fall apart. And I swear I’ll be here to help you put yourself back together.”
For a moment, I simply stared at him.
At the man who risked so much for me.
At the man who’d lost so much because of me.
It only made the hollow ache inside me become more prominent.
I didn’t want to feel this way anymore. I wanted to feel something else.
Anything else.
Grasping the back of his head, I crushed my lips against his.
He sucked in a sharp breath, but didn’t immediately kiss me back. Instead, he remained motionless as water continued to soak us.
“Please, Henry,” I begged against his lips. “I need you.”
Truer words had never been spoken.
Right now, I needed Henry more than I’d needed anything else before in my life.
Needed to feel something other than the guilt and horror and the phantom blood on my skin.
Needed something to take away the pain and torment I’d been living with every damn day of the past ten years.
And Henry was the only person who could do that.
“Please,” I whispered again when he remained unmoving. “I need to know you still love me after what I’ve done.”
He clutched my face, his green eyes blazing. “I could never stop loving you, Ariana.”
He pressed his lips to mine, and I sighed into him, feeling momentary relief. But Henry tried to be soft and gentle. Gentle wouldn’t make me forget.
I gripped his t-shirt and kissed him harder, our exchange growing frantic. Henry met my desperation, as if sensing this was what I needed and giving it to me. His hold on me tightened as he pushed me against the wall, his kiss consuming me, the weight of his body pinning me to the tile almost too much, yet not enough at the same time.
I needed more than his kiss.
I needed all of him consuming all of me.
So I reached for his jeans, my fingers fumbling at the button. But before I could get a good grip on it, he caught my wrist and tore his mouth from mine.
“Ariana,” he panted, his fiery eyes searing me. “You’ve been through a lot today. We don’t have to do this.”
“But I need this. I need you.” My voice broke, and I fought to push down the emotions bubbling to the surface once more. “I just… I want to feel something other than what I do right now. I want to forget. Even if it’s only for a little while. Please, Henry.” I hoisted myself onto my toes, my mouth hovering over his. “Help me forget.”
