Page 120 of The Billionaire's Bride

"Stop," I pant, "please, stop."

Behind me, I hear Edward growl, "Stop hurting him, you prick."

"Insult me, will you?" The man steps around me, and kicks Ed in his side. Edward groans, throws his hands up to protect himself. Shit, shit, shit. "Stop," I yell, "we’ll do as you say. Stop hitting him, you bastard."

Something—someone kicks me in the side. Pain explodes up my spine. "When will you two learn to stop speaking, and do as you are told?" Another kick to my already bruised ribs, and I cry out. Another to my legs, my arms. Someone plants his foot in my stomach and my entire body bucks.

"Stop," I howl, "don’t hurt me."

"Baron?"

"Stop it," I cry. "Stop."

"Baron!"

Something closes around my neck. Someone’s hands. My breath traps in my chest. I can’t breathe; my lungs burn. I lunge toward my tormentor. I swoop out and my fingers brush something. I grab hold of an arm, tug. The breeze rushes over me as he stumbles and falls, his hold on me loosening. Instantly, I am on him. I reach for the direction of his face, wrap my fingers around his neck, begin to squeeze.I am going to kill you. Kill you.

"Baron, stop! You’re hurting me."

I snap my eyes open, and meet her wide green ones. My fingers are around her neck, squeezing down, as I lean over her, straddling her on my bed. She coughs, digging her fingers into my palms, "Stop," she gurgles, ”stop it."

I loosen my hold and she draws in a breath, coughing. Tears run down her cheeks. I bend and lick them up. She gasps. Her chest rises and falls. I peer into her features as I press my thumb into the pulse that flitters at the base of her throat.

"What are you doing here, Ava?" I lower my voice to a hush and she pants.

"I… I…"

"Couldn’t keep away, could you?" I drag my palm down to her breast, squeeze.

A moan spills from her lips. "I… I heard you scream, came in to check, and saw that you were caught up in a nightmare."

"You shouldn’t have come." I rub my thumb across the nipple outlined against the cotton of her camisole. "You should have known that once I get you in my bed, I am not letting you go."

She stops struggling, glances up at me.

"Or maybe that’s what you wanted, hmm? You wanted to catch me at my most vulnerable, so you could slip past my defenses?"

"Baron." She swallows, "Th...that's not true."

"Oh?" I drag my fingers up her throat to notch them under her chin. I push up and she lifts her head, holding my gaze.

"I… I came to help. I know you have flashbacks from the incident, and now I understand what happened to you."

"Do you?" I tilt my head. "Do you really understand how it is to have been through what I have?"

"I…" Her lips tremble, "I can’t claim to know how that feels. Whatever happened to you was terrible and completely wrong. And I have not the tiniest inkling of how it is to live with it. But…if I can help ease the burden somewhat."

"And how would you do that?" I lower my lips until my mouth is positioned just above hers. "How would you, as you say, lessen the pain of what happened, little Eve?"

"With my body…" she gulps. "With my body, I thee worship. With my heart, I will ease your sorrow. With my soul… I… I’ll share your grief. With my hands I will soothe the loss of the little boy you once were. With my cunt, I’ll… I’ll welcome you into me so you never feel alone again."

My breathing grows ragged. My chest tightens, my throat hurts, and a burning sensation crawls up my spine. "Is that right?" I choke out. "Is that how you mean to sacrifice yourself for me?"

"It’s not a sacrifice, if it’s what I want to do," she murmurs. She reaches up to cup my cheek, "I want to ease your agony, in any way I can, Baron. That is," she peers up at me from under her eyelashes, "if you’ll let me."

Bloody fuck, this woman... She guts me. How can someone so young and so beautiful be this… Profound, this intense, this ardent in her intentions. Her green eyes gaze up at me like I am the center of the world. My heart stutters and my groin hardens. In all my life, I have never felt this…connected…this vulnerable…yet this powerful. I want her. I have needed her since the moment I saw her. And now she is in my bed, in my space. With nothing and no-one standing between us. It’s time…she finds out what it means to be owned by a man who is never going to let go of her again.

I hook my finger in the center of her camisole and tug.