Page 19

James

T ucking my cock away, I scooped Willow into my arms, doing my bestto avoid the scrapes marring her body.

Exhausted, she buried her face against my chest, a contented sighescaping her as I started the trek back through the forest to the waiting car, more than relieved that I’d found her.

There were moments when I was stalking through the dark woodswhere I didn’t think I’d be able to track her down, she’d managed to get further than I thought she would. But I had years of training on my side. Hunting my prey was my specialty, and my mouse wasn’t going to escape my clutches.

Not once I’d made my mind up that I was going to keep her.

Acceptance was a funny thing. As a rule, humans didn’t like change,and often spent more time resisting it than just accepting it. But that moment when you realized you had no choice but to accept your fate, a weight was lifted.

You could breathe again.

And that was what happened when Willow disappeared into thedarkness. Instead of the sweet relief of knowing I’d never have to see her again, barbed wire wrapped around my heart, squeezing until it pierced the useless organ.

I slid behind the wheel, telling myself that all I needed to do was putthe car in drive and get the fuck out of there, but the wire tightened until I couldn’t breathe. Until all I could do was accept my fate.

Accept that Willow was mine.

Accept that I was falling for her.

Accept that I would risk everything, including Legion, if it meant Icould keep her.

It would result in a war against my father. He’d made it clear thatWillow’s life was at risk once she’d had my child, but I wasn’t going to let him take another person away from me.He’d taken Shona, taken the best parts of my mom away, andtried his hardest to take Keira away from me. I’d be damned if I was going to let him take Willow too.

Reaching the car, I managed to open the passenger door andlowered Willow into the seat. She didn’t stir. As I reached across to strap her in, my eyes roamed over her bare arms and legs, taking in the countless scratches and dirt coating her porcelain skin.

She was a mess, but fuck me, she was beautiful. I’d never let myselfacknowledge it before.

Sure, she’d grabbed my attention when she scurried into the room allthose weeks ago clutching my drink, but that was because of how timid and submissive she was. She’d managed to keep most of her face hidden, so it wasn’t her looks that drew me to her. And in the weeks that had passed, I’d looked at her, but I hadn’t really seenher.

But staring down at her then, my cold heart filled with warmth, afeeling solely reserved for Billie and Kiera as I took her delicate features in.

Thick black lashes rested on high cheekbones, and even in sleep, afrown pulled between her mousey-brown brows. A light dusting of freckles covered her nose, and her lips, her perfectly soft lips, formed the shape of a heart.

She was my perfect mouse.

Moving her hair to one side, I pulled the collar out of my jacket pocketand gently placed it around her throat again.

Back where it belonged.

Unable to resist, I brushed my lips against hers before shutting herdoor and marching around the car to the driver’s side, throwing the key to her collar into the woods, a sense of calm filling me now that I had Willow back.

How could I have ever considered letting her go?

Noting goosebumps had taken over Willow’s arms, I turned theheater up and floored the gas so I could get her home and cleaned up. For the rest of the journey, my gaze kept wandering over to her in the seat next to me, almost as if I needed the reassurance that she was still there.

When I finally brought the car to a stop outside the house, Edith waswaiting with the front door open. I quickly hopped out and dashed around to Willow’s side, and lifted her into my arms. She mumbled something incoherent, her lashes fluttering before she rested her head against my chest once more.

Edith, usually so stoic, watched me with her brows furrowed as Icarried Willow up the three stone steps to the front door.

“Welcome home, Mr. Carter,”she said, failing to hide the curiosity inher tone, especially when she saw Willow’s battered body.

“I want Willow’s belongings moved to my bedroom in the morning,”Isnapped, stomping past her. I didn’t like my staff prying into my business.

“Of course,”she replied, her stern tone falling back into place.

Carrying Willow up to my bedroom, and into the ensuite, I lightlyshook her.“Mouse. I need you to wake up.”

Her lids fluttered open, wide and worried blue and green eyes metmine.

“Where are we?”she said, her throat scratchy, no doubt sore fromscreaming so loudly as I fucked her ass.

Fuck, that had been incredible.

“Home. You need to shower, you’re filthy.”

Setting her on her feet, I pulled her torn dress over her head andreached around to unclasp her bra. Standing naked before me, her hand lifted to her throat where she fingered the collar.“You put it back on.”

My lips twitched into a smirk.“Of course I did. And I got rid of the key.I meant what I said, Mouse. I won’t let you go a second time.”

To my surprise, her body relaxed, and a small, coysmile played on her mouth.

Stripping out of my clothes, Willow’s heated gaze dropped to mychest and abs, and she swallowed. My mouse liked what she saw.

“Get in,”I ordered, ignoring my hardening cock, and taking her handto help her into the double shower. Only then did I notice she wasn’t able to put weight on both her feet.“Are you hurt?”

“I…I twisted my ankle in the woods,”she replied softly.

I muttered a curse. I should never have made her get out of the damncar.“I’ll get a doctor out to check it tomorrow.”

“There’s no need, it doesn’t hurt-”

I grabbed her jaw, holding her chin still as I narrowed my eyes on her.She should have known by now that I didn’t like backchat.“Don’t argue with me, Willow. I won’t hesitate to spank your ass to remind you who’s in charge.”

Before she could apologize, I leaned forward and placed a delicatekiss on her lips, only allowing it to be a chaste kiss, otherwise, it wouldn’t have been long until I was fucking her against the tiled wall.

But Willow’s body had been abused enough for one night. Sheneeded rest.

“Turn around,”I said, dropping her jaw.

Dutifully, she obeyed. Grabbing the shampoo, I lathered it intoWillow’s hair, before moving her back under the stream of water. The dirt and dried blood coating her body began to wash away, and she closed her eyes, a look of peace crossing her face.

I pulled her body back against mine, my solid cock pressing againsther ass, the memory of breaching her tight hole making my cock jump.

Without doubt, I’d be fucking her ass again. In fact, I’d go one stepbetter and find something to shove into her mouth and her cunt while I fucked her ass, stuff her good and proper.

Taking a step back before I gave into the carnal urge that was racingthrough my body, I grabbed the sponge and began running it over her. She didn’t make a sound as I cleaned her up, but when I ran the sponge over the scars covering her back, her body tensed.

Fury began to boil under the surface of my skin. Putting thesponge on the shelf, I ran my fingers over her scarred skin, Willow’s breathing increasing as if my gentle touch was causing her pain.

“Was it just Milligan who whipped you?”I growled, my voice full ofvenom despite the softness in my touch on her back.

She hesitated, but when she spoke, the fear was unmissable.“Yes.”

I reached for her hip, slowly turning her around to face me. Tearsshimmered in her eyes, and despite knowing I’d been responsible for her tears over the past few weeks, I hated seeing them there now.

“She’ll never hurt you again,”I replied, holding her gaze, hoping sheknew how fucking serious I was.

She gave me a small smile in response, but her despondent look toldme she didn’t believe me.

Maybe she would when I followed through on my promise to serveher the hearts of those who hurt her on a golden platter. I didn’t give a damn if Milligan was a member of Legion. She’d pay for what she’d done.

I nodded once before grabbing the sponge and began cleaning thefront of her body, my cock growing impossibly hard as I ran the sponge over her tits, her nipples erect and begging to be sucked.

She watched my every move like I was a predator waiting to claim itsprey at any second, a mix of fear and apprehension filling her different-colored orbs.

When she was clean, her gaze dropped to my cock standing toattention between us. She sucked in a breath, her eyes coming back to meet mine, worry pulling between her brows.

“You’re off the hook tonight, Mouse,”I said, tugging her lip free fromwhere she’d clamped it between her teeth.“It’s been a long day, you need your rest.”

Relief seemed to seep from her body, even if disappointmentflashed through her eyes. I turned the shower off and stepped out before I could give in to the ache in my balls, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her before hoisting her into my arms.

Surprise flashed on her face as I carried her into my bedroom, almostas if she didn’t believe what was happening right then was real. I sat her on my bed, ordering her to dry off as I headed back to the bathroom to dry myself.

I returned a few minutes later to find her still sitting with the towelwrapped around her, but her entire body was rigid, and her hands fidgeted as if she didn’t know what to do next.

“Get in the bed, Mouse,”I instructed, walking around to the other sideand pulling the covers back.

Nervously, she let the towel drop and slid in next to me, her body stilltense. I tugged the covers over us, and pulled her into my arms, moving her so her back was to my chest.“Sleep, Willow. You’ll feel better tomorrow.”

I buried my nose in her hair, inhaling deeply and sending bloodrushing to my cock as honey and vanilla filled my senses.

“Don’t you want me to go to my room?”she said tentatively.

I kissed the top of her head.“This is your room, Mouse. Fromnow on, you sleep next to me.”