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“Alright, come on.” Holding out my hand for her to take, she stood and stepped back.

Staring at the ground, she let the dress slip off and pool around her ankles. Stepping out of the silk puddle, she let her fingers twine around my hand and climbed into the shower.

The moment her fingers touched mine a warmth spread through my gut. My heart hammered in my chest, muscles twitching with need.

The water sizzled over her skin as it ran down her body, washing away the brown dirt stains from the night before. I watched the water break off into thin streams, dripping off her pebbled nipples, and following the curves of her body.

Letting the water wash over her face, Ivy rested her forearms against the tiles, lowering her head. “Thank you, I needed this.”

I was never really a full-blown gentleman, I never really got close enough to someone to even try. But I couldn't look away from her even if I tried, she was mesmerizing. My dick jumped as the water rolled over her ass, turning into droplets as they fell off her cheeks and splashed onto the floor.

Clearing my throat, I grabbed a facecloth from under the sink and lathered it up with the bar of soap. Pausing, I was stunned by what I saw. “Did they do this?”

The closer I looked at her the more I noticed the discolorations on her skin. Her entire body was spotted in bruises from her mid-back to her ankles. All the bruises varied in size, some lighter than others.

I hadn't seen them before, but in here, with the harsh blast of bright bulbs . . . Nothing was hidden.

“Some, I'm sure, are from them . . . But not all.” Closing her eyes, she held her face directly in the water. She spoke low so I almost couldn't hear her. Her voice trickled with an uncertainty of what to say.

Rubbing light circles over her back, I washed her body, exploring and taking her in. There was a level of shock that coated my brain with all the damage to her flesh. Thin, long scars riddled her back, so light that I might have missed them if I wasn't examining her so closely.

Fingertip shaped bruises wrapped her biceps, and her hips. Even her inner thighs were spotted with the same pattern. Looking closer, my mouth dropped open. “Are those bite marks?”

Snapping her head up, she whipped her face in my direction. “Stop looking at me. I don't want your questions, I don't want to talk about it, just hurry up so I can get out.”

Spitfulls of water spurted out and hit my chest as it splashed off her shoulders. “Ivy, who did this to you?”

“Does it matter?” Cocking her jaw, her lips pursed tight. “I'm done, can I have a towel?”

“No, tell me who did this?”

I knew who did that to her, but I wanted to confirm the suspicion. Remo.

That rat bastard had harmed her, he put his hands on her in a way no man should ever touch a woman. A deep seeded rage scorched my insides, forcing the blood in my veins to boil.

I'm going to kill him.

I might be an evil soul who didn't take shit. I might lay a motherfucker out right for even glancing at me the wrong way.

But I would never do something like that. You don't inflict pain to show dominance, and never to get what you wanted from a woman.

That . . . That was a bad man.

“Why? Are you going to go rough him up?” Holding up her hand, her palm was firm as it pushed against my chest. “Or maybe you'll just kill him?” Shrugging her shoulders, she crossed her arms. “Right? You're a bad man, go kill him, then come back and kill me too. That's what you guys do, isn't it?”

My chest began to fill with steam, her heated words making me want to grab her and kiss her, and show her how bad I really could be.

“Do you want me to kill him?”

Ivy stood frozen, her eyes trying to read my face to see if I was being serious. Her tits began to lift rapidly, nostrils flaring as she breathed in hard quick breaths. “Fuck you.” Stepping into the shower, I grabbed her arms with force. “What are you doing, Dante?”

She tried to move away, but she only backed herself against the wall. A level of fear settled over her expression, brows shooting up, eyes open wide.

“Do you want me to?”

“What?”

“Kill him.” Digging my fingers into her hair at the base of her neck, I grabbed her roots hard. “Say the word, Ivy, and it's done. I won't stand for that shit.”