Page 182 of Making Choices

I want to cut.

I need to cut.

Bleeding out is the only remedy.

“Look at me.” Slash’s voice sounds like it’s at the end of a tunnel. His concern is a dagger to the heart. The agony makes me whimper. “I’m not bloody kiddin’, Cherub. Open your fuckin’ eyes and look at me.” When I shake my head in refusal, a hand closes around my neck. I sag into the tight grip, allow it to keep me upright when my knees try to buckle. As he tightens his fingers, Slash croons, “Come on, duchess. Open your eyes for me.”

Another head shake.

My breath hitches when my airway is limited further.

The need to bleed begins to fade as my head spins.

“Ain’t negotiable, duchess.”

The timbre of Slash’s voice sends a shiver down my spine. It helps counteract the burn enough for me to begin to fight off the urge to bleed out. Slowly, the feeling recedes. Once I’m in control, I open my eyes and Slash offers me a small smile. He presses his mouth to my forehead, his lips brush over my skin like the finest paintbrush as he murmurs, “Good girl.”

It’s hard to describe the reaction my psyche has to those two words.

They bring me all the way back into my body.

Remind me how much I owe him.

How much Slash loves me.

How hard he tries to protect me from Zeke’s worst.

I’m instantly hit with remorse.

“I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”

Maintaining his hold on my throat, Slash shrugs.

“Better me than Venom... pretty sure you woulda stabbed him, so a tongue lashin’ ain’t so bad.” A single giggle slips from my lips before it morphs into a sob. “Fuckin’ hell.” Slash uses his grip to pull me forward before he engulfs me in a hug that shouldn’t work considering our positioning on the stairs. He holds me tight as trembling wracks through me from head to toe. “Shit ain’t gonna get easy any time soon, but I can promise you it will get easier eventually.”

I wipe my nose with the back of my shaky hand. “What kind of pep talk is that?”

“Not a pep talk. A promise.”

Thinking back to the last promise I received, I stiffen. “No more promises.”

“Why?”

“No one keeps them.”

“Duchess, that’s not true.”

As I’m extricating myself from his embrace, I say, “It is. You know it is. I know it is. So, let’s just cut out the bullshit. No more promises. Just actions.”

“Fine.” As much as I can see he wants to disagree, Slash concedes my point. “If it’s actions you want, then it’s actions you’ll get.”

“Good.”

He lifts his eyebrows. “So you’ll go back to bed, then?”

“Not sure how you decided that was the best segue?” He shrugs at my question. “I’m not going back to bed. Zeke might be shutting me out—which I probably should’ve expected to be honest—but that doesn’t mean I’m completely useless. I can work with Gabriel on the legal defence. Help your Mumma with the fallout from her resurrection. Deal with the basketball federation for Sander. Force Nads into therapy.”

“Or—” My argument is interrupted by a mildly amused Hunter. “—you two can get your arses downstairs and sit in on the big reveal.”

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