Page 24 of Roxanne

I nod. He might be a cold-hearted son of a bastard, but he cares in his own way.

He leaves, and as soon as he walks out, I lock the door and turn back to Roxy, who’s still just lying there, staring at the wall.

“Come on, Little Sinner. Look at me,” I whisper, stroking her cheek. She looks at me, blinking, but her gaze is far away. When she doesn’t come back to me, I climb into bed with her, tucking us in under the covers. I gather her limp form in my arms and pull her in close to me.

I’ll hold her close until her demons release her, and she returns to me.

* * *

Roxy

I must have fallen asleep because when I wake up, I’m wrapped up in Storm’s arms. My mind is foggy, and I can’t remember how I got into this position. As I rub the sleep from my eyes, the memories come back all at once.

My brother was here. He dropped a bomb…then left. No, Storm made him leave.

And he went without argument or trying to murder Storm. I hoped after my kidnapping, Will just assumed I was traumatized and that's why I was hanging all over Storm.

“You’re thinking too loud, Little Sinner,” Storm’s grumbly sleep voice says, his lips brushing against my ear.

“He didn’t maim you?” I ask, and Storm chuckles.

“The day I met him, he made me a promise. He said if I hurt you, he’d kill me. I never had any intention of hurting you. Still don’t.” He bites my neck, “At least not emotionally.”

A shiver travels over my skin where his lips and teeth scrape my skin. “Just physically?”

“Just to bring you pleasure,” he adds, and I nod.

“Show me,” I whisper, rolling in his arms to face him. I need the connection. I need to feel wanted by Storm. I need Storm to show me with his body that he wants me. That he needs me as badly as I need him.

A tear falls down my cheek as pain fills my chest. I think about the first time I pushed Storm away. The first time I denied what I felt for him.

“You’re so beautiful,” Storm whispers, and I roll my eyes. Tonight is my senior prom. I dressed up for the first time since Papa came home to raise me for the last three years of my childhood.

My dress is floor length and black. It’s covered in sequins and has a slit up to my hip, but there's a lace cover that hits my mid-thigh, so I’m not flashing any ass.

My heels are three-inch high satin black platforms. The chunky heel is sturdy, so I don’t feel like I’ll tumble to my death at any second, and I’m wearing a black choker with beads that dangle in swoops. The left side of my hair has three French braids that pull the hair back, and the rest is down and curled.

Storm is my escort for the night. I have a date. Granted, he’s just a friend who has exactly zero interest in women, but he’s a date nonetheless. Try telling that to Storm and Will, who never let me out of their sight for long.

“Shut up…” I grumble, as I spin around to tell him off some more, but instead, my jaw drops to the fucking floor. Sweet hells, that man is fine as fuck.

The three-piece suit he’s wearing is insane. Deep emerald so dark it’s almost black and makes his brown eyes shine like fucking Amber. The dark lashes that frame his eyes are criminal. I’d have to pay at least three hundred bucks to make my lashes look that good, and he gets them for free. He’s tall, fit, and delicious.

My eyes narrow, and an aching cavern opens up in my chest. He left me behind…

“You look hideous. Green is not your color,” I hiss at him, my words spewing venom like a snake possessed me. He pauses for a single second, something in his eyes tells me he knows what I’m doing. Why I’ve just switched from harmless sass to vicious cruelty.

“You look beautiful in every color, Little Sinner. But black makes you look downright dangerous.” Storm smirks. Whenever he looks at me, there’s this level of care or concern. I watch as that look turns to…a challenge. “You should take it off, I bet it would look even better off of you.”

“And you should fuck off. Why are you even here? No one wants you here. Not me, not Papa. The only one who can even tolerate you is Will, and he’s off on some assignment.” I spin away from him and reach for my small clutch.

“And miss seeing you in a skin-tight gown? This view is worth missing whatever the fuck Will is doing.” The doorbell rings, and I shove past Storm and head downstairs. Papa beats me to open the door.

Poor Daniel is shaking as he looks up at my strong and intimidating father. I push him aside, and he grumbles something about teenage boys and hormones.

“Ignore him, he didn’t get the memo that he’s more your type than I am,” I chuckle, and Daniel’s cheeks flame red. One glance at my father's shocked face has me nearly doubling over in laughter. “That face is worth it,” I snort, and Papa shakes his head.

“You look like a princess,” Papa says with a gentle smile and that same old look of guilt in his eyes. It never fades. Not since he left me with Eli. I look away from his eyes.

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