Page 67 of The Woman

“What for?”

Without warning, I scoop her up and throw her over my shoulder, and the sound of her squeal fills the air.

“What are you doing?” she shrieks.

Avery grips tight around my waist from her position upside-down, and lets out another little squeal when I begin moving.

I ignore the question, knowing it will only rile her up further, and walk across the room and down the hallway toward my bedroom, then finally into my bathroom. The whole time, Avery demands to know what I’m doing and where I’m taking her.

Bringing her upright, I slide her down my body until she’s steady on her feet. I can see from the fire lit in her eyes that she’s about to chastise me somehow. But then her gaze catches on the area around us, and she remains silent, choosing to look around instead.

“You did this for me?”

I gesture to the bath after a single nod. “Get in while it’s still hot.”

Wordlessly, she begins undressing, and I don’t hold back from watching every second of it. It’s a far cry from mere weeks ago when I’d force myself to avert my eyes whenever I saw a sliver of her skin and enjoyed it.

She’s sexy and voluptuous. A dream I didn’t know I had.

Right before stepping in, she glances at me over her shoulder, noticing I haven’t moved an inch from where I put her down.

“Are you not joining me?”

“Do you want me to?”

Walking back over to me, her hands lift to play with the top button of my shirt before she pops it through the hole.

“Yes.”

She moves to the next one and the one after. I let her continue with each one until my whole shirt is unbuttoned and sliding off my shoulders. My belt is next, but once she has it opened, she steps backward toward the bath, leaving me to take my pants off.

With my eyes fixed on hers, I undo the button, slide down the zipper, and let them drop to the floor. Then, slowly, I walk toward her. She only drops her eyes to my erection once before returning to my face, but I don’t miss the lust that flashes in her violet eyes.

I step into the hot water and settle at one end, indicating for her to sit in front of me, leaning her back against my chest. The bubbles move this way and that with the disturbed water, but once we’re both settled, they crowd in, clinging to our skin.

Avery watches a couple of the candles lining the counter, gently caressing my thigh under the water.

“I’ve never had a bath before. It’s always only been showers.”

“Really?”

It’s another reminder of the world we live in. One where she grew up hidden, not only behind walls but also hidden behind a fake exterior. She lived a strictly structured life based around learning to please a man, while I grew up with my father, grandfather, and other relatives, along with the prospect of working for my family.

What would happen if WOUNs were to be set free?

What would happen if they lived a life just like a man?

I admit that it’s something I simply cannot fathom because I don’t have enough experience with other women, let alone other WOUNs.

I reach for the washcloth and dip it into the water.

“How many others like you were at the facility that you know of?”

“I only knew the ones in my wing. When I left, there were three others, all younger than me. Two others were picked before I was, and another one was found out, then changed.”

My hand freezes on its path down her arm. Shit. That’s a lot more than I imagined, and that was only in her wing. I’m sure there would be more in the other sections and in other facilities.

Just how many are out there living secretly?

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