Page 34 of Endure the Pain

I shut off the water and got out. After drying my body and wrapping a towel around myself, I walked over to the mirror above the sink. My eyes were immediately drawn to my neck. More bruises. My gaze moved up to my face. From my temple to my ear was also black and purple from where he had hit me.

After combing my wet hair, I left the bathroom in search of some comfy PJs. Both Jamie and Louie were sitting on my couch talking quietly as I entered. Like mine had been, their eyes were drawn to my neck.

Jamie’s head dropped down, eyes closed, and he took a deep breath. “Christ, Maura,” he cursed, slowly getting to his feet, intending to come to me.

I held a hand up to stop him. “Don’t,” I pleaded, and he stayed where he was. “I need you to listen and Ineedyou to not get angry until I’m done telling you everything. I don’t have it…I just need…”

“Just tell me,” he said, calmly.

I began telling him—them everything. Every. Single. Detail. As I went over how roughly Dustin had touched me and how it made me feel—the memories it conjured—Jamie’s knuckles turned white from how tightly closedhis fists were. Louie stood and put a hand on Jamie’s shoulder, looking equally enraged.

“I want to see.” Jamie’s voice rumbled. A clear sign that he was straining to keep his fury at bay.

I was having déjà vu. I felt seventeen again, getting ready to show Jamie what Zack and Tyson had done to me. I glanced at Louie, hating that another man I cared for would see my body in such a state. I could ask him to leave, but how could I pass up this chance to see if he could accept all of me?

It was easier now to find the same strength than when I'd been seventeen. I opened my towel, watching Louie’s reaction intently. His eyes dropped to my breasts, assessing and absorbing every dark mark with a clenched jaw.

Jamie stalked away and I closed my towel tightly around myself. He gave us his back as he stood in front of our dresser where I had a vase full of yellow and pink tulips and Jamie’s framed pictures of the three of us on the top of it. His body was stiff, and he roughly ran his hands through his hair.

Then his control snapped.

He sent everything I had on the dresser crashing to the floor and slammed his fists down on the top of it. Ididn’t even flinch as I witnessed his rage because it was what I was feeling on the inside.

Louie moved over to me slowly and cautiously brushed the tips of his fingers along my arm. I knew he wanted to hug but was leaving it up to me. I stepped closer to him and bound my arms around his waist. His palms flattened in the center of my back before one slid up behind my neck. I laid my head over his heart and the stressful weight from today seemed to slowly fade.

“He’s not mad at you,” Louie said.

I knew that.

Jamie whirled around. Seeing me in Louie’s arms didn’t faze him. “I’m not mad at you, baby. I’m pissed off that I can’t kill him. I want to make him pay for not only touching you but for hurting you. Fuck, he more than just hurt you. I can see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice. I can’t stand seeing you this way.”

“I don’t need you to get revenge for me,” I said, stepping out of Louie’s arms.

“Then what do you need?” he asked, desperation underscoring his words as if my answer would put him out of his misery.

“Love me,” I replied. “Hold me like you don’t want to let go. Touch me until all I can remember is your touch.Make me feel desired—that no matter how damaged or scarred I get, you will always want me.”

Jamie came to me in a few long strides. His hands cupped the back of my neck to pull me close and he kissed me. He poured everything into that kiss. His rage. His desperation. His love. I felt it all as his lips danced with mine.

Breaking away, he rested his forehead against mine. “You are not damaged, Maura. If I have to spend the rest of my life proving that to you, I will.” His eyes shifted to Louie behind me. “You want to help me show her how fucking perfect she is?”

Louie didn’t respond and I was preparing myself for him to find any excuse to leave. Then hands smoothed over my hips from behind and lips brushed my ear. “I can do that.” The caress of Louie’s voice in my ear made my heart speed up. Jamie dropped his hands from my neck and Louie spun me around to face him. “I tried to be a good friend, but I can’t seem to let you go.” His fingers flexed around my hips. “So if you’ll have me, I’m here.”

I grabbed the lapels of his suit jacket, pulled him down to my level, and kissed the hell out of him. Without missing a beat, he took charge, pushing his tongue past my lips. His assertiveness made me brace for the panic that I thought was coming, like it always did unless it wasJamie kissing me, but it never came. I felt comfortable. I felt safe. I felt so fucking turned on. The combination of it all made me mad with joy. I slid my hands up and snaked my fingers into his golden hair. I took back control of our kiss and gave back as good as he had given me.

Jamie stepped closer, sandwiching me between them. His hands grazed my breast as he grabbed at my towel. With a swift yank that caused me to gasp against Louie’s lips, Jamie tossed my towel to the floor. Jamie’s pelvis molded to my backside and his fingers trailed softly over my sore ribs, getting to work at erasing Dustin’s phantom touch. He pressed his lips to my shoulder as his hands glided in different directions. One slid up to cup one of my tender breasts and the other dove between my legs. He skillfully strummed my clit as if I were an instrument, coaxing musical moans from me that Louie swallowed.

It wasn’t long before Jamie’s vigorous strokes drove me insane. My head lolled back onto Jamie’s shoulder with a groan. I dropped one of my hands from Louie’s hair and hooked my arm behind Jamie’s neck. Louie’s eyes roamed over every inch of my body. He regarded me with awe and lust, but as he took in my bruises once more, the slightest hint of sadness seeped in.

He leaned forward and brushed his lips over my neck with gentle kisses before moving down to the tops of my breasts. He kissed every mark before he knelt in front of me. Jamie moved his hand from between my legs to my hip. Louie stared up at Jamie. A look passed between them and they surprised me by lifting me enough for Louie to hook my legs over his shoulders. His hands cupped my ass, tilting my hips up as an offering to him before he swiped his tongue along my seam. I whimpered and my hips bucked. My hand that was still latched onto his hair fisted when his tongue plunged into my core and he began fucking me with his tongue.

Jamie’s hand that had been cupping my breast moved to my chin. He turned my head to the side and his lips captured mine. While Jamie devoured my mouth, Louie’s sinful tongue moved to my clit. It didn’t take long before I was on the edge of release. I moaned loudly, spewed obscenities, and pleaded for him to keep going. And oh boy, did he.

Jamie watched my face as my whole body exploded from my orgasm. Whatever he saw on my face, he must have liked, because his breathing picked up.

Louie kept his tongue on my clit until it stopped pulsating. He unhooked my legs with a smug smile and a naughty gleam in his eye. “You coming undone on my tongue is the hottest fucking thing, beautiful.”

“You should see her face when she does. Her eyes dilate, cheeks flush, and she lets out these breathy little moans,” Jamie said and fluidly scooped me into his arms and carried me over to the bed. He laid me down and began shedding his clothes. Louie did the same and I watched, thoroughly enjoying the view.