Page 117 of Exposed

King shakes his head. “Evie met us at the office. She offered to clean up the cuts and bandage them, but I was so fucking done, I just wanted to get out of there. She sent me home with supplies. I’ll get it done after I shower.”

That’s right. He told me that Micah’s wife is a doctor.

“I can’t believe Dex did this,” I say.

King shakes his head. “Rand did this, but he had to tie me up to do it, because he’s a pussy of a man. Your brother just gave the order.”

I gently press the ice to his bottom lip. “That, I can believe.”

“I’ll be fine. I just need a day,” King says.

“You look like you could use a week,” Rocco says. “You sure you’re good before I leave?”

King waves him off. “If today proves anything, it’s that Carter is paranoid. He doesn’t trust anyone. Thanks for looking after Goldie today.”

“No problem. I’ll be around if you need me.” Rocco looks to me. “Fun day, Goldie. I’ll see you this weekend.”

I can’t think about the weekend.

I follow him to the door, lock it behind him, and move into action.

“Let me get you a wet rag for your face. You have dry blood on your lip.”

He shakes his head and slowly pushes to his feet, holding his side. That’s when I see a bruise below his ribcage. “I’m going to shower.”

“Maybe you should rest for a while.”

He shakes his head as he moves gingerly to the bathroom and rips open his belt. “I’m fine. Or else, I will be.”

I follow him into the bathroom and start the shower to warm up. King toes off his shoes and bends to reach his socks, but I drop to his feet faster. “Don’t. Let me do it for you.”

“Baby, you don’t have to take care of me.”

“Stop it. You can barely move.”

His voice is low and tight. “I’ve had worse.”

I toss one sock to the side and reach for the other one. “If you’ve had worse than this, then I don’t want to know.”

When I stand, he pushes his trousers and underwear to the floor. I get a good look at him. Bruises are forming on his thigh and hip in addition to everywhere else. And when I take in all of him, I take in all of him.

He might be battered, but his cock is not relaxed.

“They can beat the shit out of me, but you can still make me hard as a rock, baby.”

I look up at him and shake my head. “You’re impossible.”

He leans in and presses his lips to my forehead. “For you, I am.”

I look up as I reach for the hem of my shirt. It barely touches the floor when I reach for my bra. “You didn’t need to get beat up to get this kind of attention from me. I’ll happily shower with you anytime you want.”

He steps in the shower and turns to reach for my hand.

I go to him—straight into his arms where he pulls me tight to his chest.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

He shifts us into the hot water. “There’s only one way you can hurt me, Goldie. Only one way, and it’s not this. I can wrap you up in my arms for eternity, and you’d be nothing but a healing force.”

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