Page 79 of Tainted Obsession 1

Finally, her eyes flutter open. They’re dark with pain and lingering fear.

I cup her nape, holding her close.

“Don’t be afraid.” It’s meant to be a reassurance, but the words come out as a rough plea.

“You…” Her chest convulses. She breathes and tries again. “I can’t…”

Tears spill down her cheeks, mingling with the water.

I shush her again, and she goes still and quiet.

But she isn’t soothed. Her eyes are dull, detached.

My stomach lurches, nausea rolling through me. This is all wrong. She’s supposed to look at me like I’m her salvation. Like I’m her everything.

But she just looks…broken.

“I need to make sure you’re not injured,” I say, keeping my cadence slow so that I don’t spook her.

I cover her tight fists with my hands and encourage her fingers to unfurl. She doesn’t resist as I carefully peel the ruined dress off her to check her over.

A shadow of my murderous rage tightens my jaw when I take in the bruises forming on her arms, but I force myself to remain calm. Any show of anger or aggression might terrify her. Her disassociation is terrible enough.

When I’m satisfied that her body is otherwise unharmed, I pick her up and turn off the shower. I wrap her in a plush whitetowel and carry her to the bed, my sodden pants leaving a wet trail on the floor.

I won’t strip them off just yet. She doesn’t need to see a naked man after what she just endured.

I lay her down on the bed and tuck her under the duvet. Her eyes are closed again, but I know she isn’t sleeping. She’s drifting somewhere blank and quiet, her mind refusing to process the night’s awful events.

Satisfied that she isn’t watching me, I quickly take off my pants, dry off, and put on a pair of black sweatpants. I get into bed with her.

She doesn’t struggle or tense when I pull her into my arms. She’s limp like a lifeless doll.

I want to roar out my frustration and fury, to release some of the volatile emotions that are tearing me up inside.

Instead, I caress her gently, soothing her with light strokes of my fingers over her soft skin. After a while, her breathing evens out, exhaustion pulling her down into sleep.

I lay awake until the sun comes up, tormented by my fear that she’ll never look at me as her savior ever again.

Chapter 30

Massimo

Not long after dawn, Evelyn stirs in my arms. She twitches and lets out a soft whine.

I shake her gently, waking her before she relives the nightmare in her sleep.

“You’re safe,” I promise, kissing her temple.

She shivers and curls into a tight ball, protecting herself.

From me?

“I will never hurt you,” I swear, ragged and desperate. “Look at me.”

She peeks up at me, her eyes cautious.

“I’ve got you.”