Page 74 of The Wicked Love

She stops by her bed, her body trying to collapse in on itself. Her voice shakes. “I-I can f-feel him right n-now. I-I can f-feel where he t-touched me. And I f-feel so small, so damaged, so ugly. Please stop looking at me. I can’t bear to feel that.”

She is broken, and I am breaking right beside her. I take a step toward her and then another. I walk around her, facing her.

Her eyes are still glued shut.

“Becca, I’m going to take your hand, okay? Do you trust me?”

She nods her head.

I wrap my hand around the tight fist she’s formed. Gently, I pull her fingers away from her palm. Bleeding red half-circles are left in their wake. The air is smacked out of my lungs.

My girl. My broken, hurting girl.

I lead her to the giant mirror that leans against the wall by her closet, positioning her directly in front of it. “Becca, when I tell you, will you open your eyes?”

She nods her head.

I move, standing beside her. “Open.”

She hesitates and then opens her eyes. Realizing she’s in front of the mirror, she looks away immediately, her eyes slamming shut.

I’m scared this isn’t going to work, that it’s going to send her running. But I want to try.

Placing my hands on either side of her jaw, I turn her head back to the mirror, asking, “Where? Where do you feel him?”

Her eyes fly to mine, shock etched in her features. She shakes her head.

“Try, please,” I beg her.

She takes a shaky, long breath. “I feel his hands on my throat.”

I ignore the anger that tries to burst free.

“Promise me. Keep your eyes open, watching in the mirror always, okay?” I ask her as I walk behind her.

She nods her head. “Okay, I promise.”

Steadily, I lower my mouth to her neck, kissing her softly. I cover her in kisses, moving my tongue and lips around her neck until I can feel her heart start to race and her shoulders relax.

Between kisses, I ask, “Where else do you feel him?”

She clears her throat. “His hands hold my hips.”

I find her gaze in the mirror, watching as I run my tongue along her jaw. “Keep your eyes open.”

She nods.

I do the one thing that I will only ever do for Becca Chambers.

I kneel.

My lips find her hip bone, and I nip at the skin, my need growing after she moans.

My kisses continue to worship her, to claim her, and I sneak glances every now and then at her face, at her eyes watching me in the mirror.

“Where?” I ask her, getting close to my limit of willpower.

She smirks in the mirror and licks her lips. “Everywhere.”