Page 150 of The Elusive Billionaire

“You’re tired,” he whispers. “But he put his hands on you, Monroe. I want to throw you in the shower and scrub your skin raw to remove his filthy germs from your body, but I don’t want to hurt you. So instead, we’re going to get in this tub so I can clean you, and then I’ll put you to bed.”

“Greyson.”

“Please.” His voice is pitched low, and I realize he needs this. His hands tremble as he tips the bubble bath upside down and squeezes the light pink liquid into the stream of water. The scent of roses floods my nostrils. “Let me take care of you, at least for tonight.”

He doesn’t look at me, opting instead to watch the bubbles form in the water. “I know you can handle yourself, sweetheart. Hell, if you can handle me, you can handle anything, but I can’t get the image of your bruised arms out of my mind. I need to take care of you tonight. I need to feel your body and know that while he marred your skin, he didn’t break you.”

I’m overcome with emotion. His raw honesty, the guilt he’s taking on as though it’s his cross to bear, is more than I know what to do with.

“Please, Savvy.”

“Okay.” It’s the only word I can form, and his shoulders relax with my acceptance.

I track his movements as his hands lift my T-shirt over my head, his fingers trailing along the outline of my bra before he removes that too. His eyes flash when he skims over the bruising on my right arm before reaching for the button of my skirt and slowly lowering it down my legs.

He falls to his knees and gently lifts one leg, then the other, and tosses the skirt to the side, but his thumb hovers over my tattoo.

The intimacy of the moment causes my knees to tremble. He sees it—he sees everything—and he holds me steady with both hands.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask.

He leans forward and presses a whisper of a kiss over the tattoo. “Ace always knew what he was doing. He cared about you, Savvy. And I’ve finally gotten my head out of my ass to see why.”

“Are you upset? About your coin and my tattoo?” I whisper.

“No.” It spills from his lips like a wish. “The purpose of my coin is to ground me. He knew what he was doing grounding me to you.”

“He was a good man. I’m grateful I got to know him.”

Grey swallows hard. “Me too.” He lifts his gaze away from my tattoo and meets my eye. “Do you want to leave your panties on?” I’ve never heard him this gentle, this…shattered. I honestly didn’t know he had it in him.

“Leave them…on? In the bath?”

He’s staring intently at my face, studying my reaction, waiting for my consent.

“Yes, Sav. He abused you today. If you’re more comfortable leaving your panties on, I support that.”

“Riley overpowered me today, Grey, don’t get it twisted. He didn’t abuse me because I’m not a victim.” I slip my fingers into the tiny strings at my hips and push them down my thighs until they pool at my feet.

Grey doesn’t break eye contact as he stands. When we’re chest to chest, he takes me by the hand and helps me into the hot water. The scent of roses will forever be a direct link to this memory for me—the day he laid all his weapons at my feetand offered me his hand—a symbolic gesture of teamwork. He doesn’t release my hand until I’m seated, then he shuts off the faucet and smiles.

“Relax.” He could work in a spa using this new tone of his. “I’ll be right back.”

The walls shrink in around me. “I—I thought you were getting in?” I curl my knees up and wrap my arms around them.

Why is he leaving? Why don’t I want to be alone?

I said I wasn’t a victim, and I’m not—not anymore. But sometimes vulnerability breeds fragility, and Greyson is the kryptonite to all my protective layers.

“I am, sweetheart. Just give me a moment to collect some things. Lie back and relax. I’ll be back in less than five minutes.”

Being vulnerable has always made me feel weak in the past, and I’ve hated every second of it. But somehow, here with Grey, it’s not hitting like a weakness. Instead, it heals like a stitch in the fabric of my story, and he’s the one holding the needle.

“Okay.” My chin falls to my knees, and I inhale the calming scent of the bubbles. His footsteps retreat, and the events of the day all crash into me at once. It’s as though he’d been warding off the negative energy, and with some separation, it dares attack.

Focus on breathing, Sav. In for four, hold for four, out for four, repeat.

A pop has me jolting, causing water to slosh around in the tub. “Sorry, sweetheart. Did you fall asleep?”