Page 117 of Under Your Scars

My cock is straining against my pants-shaped prison. I feel her shift behind me and then tug on the back of my belt. “Christian,pleasetouch me.”

I still make no move to touch her. Something shifts in the air, and she suddenly shatters.

She tucks her knees up to her chest and lets tears fall down her cheeks. Her breath is coming out so uneven and frantic I’m afraid she’s going to pass out. “Elena, you’re trembling.”

“I knew you wouldn’t want me anymore.”

My heart shatters in my ribcage at how defeated and humiliated she sounds.

She thinks I don’t want her because she was raped. Because she thinks she’s dirty. But nothing could be further from the truth and that’s what I tried to prove to her just now.

“Look at me.”

She shakes her head and makes a very obvious effort to do anything but that, to the point where she turns on the bed to face away from me completely.

I sigh. “I will always want you. I’ve wanted you every day from the moment we met. That will never change.” I get off the bed and circle around the mattress to kneel on the floor in front of her. “I think every day about burying myself inside you and filling you with my love again. I think about chasing away all the memories of what they did to you. I want to erase them from your head. I want to replace the fear they made you feel with the desire I make you feel. Idowant you, and you know better than anyone that I will give you whatever you want.” I reach up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I just don’t want to hurt you in the process.”

My throat burns. I wish I knew how to help her.

I gather her clothes from the floor and help her get dressed. We leave the bedroom and go back to our seats, only this time, Elena takes the seat next to mine and rests her cheek on my shoulder.

We sit in silence until we land.

CHAPTER 33

THE SILENCER

When we pull into the long driveway of Elena’s parent’s house, I begin to sweat.

This is going to be an entirely different setting than the last time I saw her parents, and I don’t really know what to expect. I want her family to like me. Not just because of who I am and what my money can give Elena, but because they see how much I cherish her. I want them to know in their hearts that she’s the most important thing in my life. I want them to know I’m devoted to making her happy.

I park the SUV in front of the house and take a deep breath as I look it over.

Two stories. Gray brick. Two car garage. Large front porch. The house is sitting on a big plot of land, with a fancy gate and expensive fences surrounding it. Their closest neighbors are half a mile away. Big oak trees dot the land around the house, and I can see a pond a short distance away.

The house is…warm. Inviting. Elena told me she grew up comfortable, and I suppose I can admit I’m a little jaded when it comes to money, because her idea of comfortable and my idea of comfortable are two very different things.

I step out of the vehicle and circle the front end of the car to open Elena’s door for her. She slides out of her seat, and I can tell just from her energy that she’s elated to be home.

Elena leads me up the small steps, up to the porch and then through the front door. She doesn’t knock. It’s unlocked. I scoff. Nobody in Meridian City would leave their front door unlocked. Not even me, and I have 24/7 security.

Elena walks inside without a second thought, but I find myself lingering in the doorway like a vampire that hasn’t been invited in.

“Stop being weird,” Elena says, and I cautiously take a step through the threshold. She leads us further into the house.

“Ellie!” Bethany squeals when she sees her daughter, leaving her spot at the stovetop to capture Elena in a big hug.

Her mother turns to me. “Christian!” she exclaims, squeezing me into an equally tight hug. I wrap my arms around her shoulders to hug her back. “I’m so glad you could come.” She looks me over and tugs on my shirt. “And look how handsome you are. You shine up like a new penny.”

“Thank you for having me, Mrs. Young.”

“Bethany,” she corrects in her thick southern accent, and I give her a nod.

I watch Elena carefully as she steps towards her brother. She twitches once, and slowly pulls him into an embrace, and I see Travis’ lip quiver as he hugs her back. What a relief it must be for her family, to know that she has been healing since they last saw her.

She lets go of her brother and I shake his hand, introducing myself, and Elena skips over to her dad and throws herself in his arms. “Hi sweetheart,” he says, a big smile painted across his face. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, dad.”