Page 207 of Barbi and the Villain

That is enough to help expedite my healing and allow me to bite into his flesh more thoroughly.

His blood flows into my mouth, and as I gain more strength, I pull his hand closer, wrapping my lips around his wrist and drinking greedily.

He stares at me with an odd look in his eyes. There’s anguish but also something else.

“Where…were…you?” I ask once my throat has healed enough that I can speak. “I waited…for you…Nyk. I waited…”

“I am here now, Barbs,” he murmurs.

“Why… Why did you not come to me?” I swallow down against the wave of pain that hits me—yet this time it’s not physical. As my body starts to mend, the pain that remains behind is entirely on the inside. “I called…for you,” I croak.

“I came as soon as I could, Barbs.” His lips flatten.

“I called for you,” I repeat, breaking down in sobs as I curl into a fetal position.

He stares at me, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down.

“I was at the Jubal palace and they have runes around the place that inhibit powers. I am so sorry, Barbs,” he explains, his voice tinged with regret.

I avert my gaze, shutting my eyes as a shudder goes down my back.

“If you hadn’t come…” I whisper. “If you’d been a few minutes late, they would have…” My voice breaks as I imagine what could have happened. “And I was powerless to stop them. They would have raped me and I couldn’t even move to defend myself,” I cry out.

“Barbs,” he murmurs my name in a soft voice. “I am so sorry, sweet thing. I am so fucking sorry.”

“You weren’t here, Nyk,” I continue. “You promised me… You promised you would protect me and…” I choke on my sobs as I bring my hands to shield my face.

I feel dirty, tired, and utterly heartbroken for an ineffable reason.

He couldn’t come. I understand that. But it doesn’t make the heartache any less. It doesn’t take away from my pain, my terror, and my now-dying expectations of him.

“I waited for you…” I whisper like a broken record.

Guilt flashes across his face and he leans in to lay a kiss on my forehead.

“I will make it up to you, I swear,” he says.

“I don’t think you can…” I slowly look up, regarding him with the broken shards of my innocence.

32

He doesn’t speak as he gathers me in his arms and treks across the grassland to the lighthouse. He walks slowly, taking one stair at a time until he reaches the third floor of the lighthouse.

“The dogs…” I croak.

“They are fine. You, are not,” he states in a tight voice.

I don’t have the energy to argue, so I let him take me to our room.

He pushes the door open, but instead of placing me on the bed, he takes me to the bathroom, closing the door behind us. He deposits me on the floor of the shower stall. Discarding his clothes until he remains in his underpants, he steps inside the stall with me and crouches down in front of me.

“Barbs,” he murmurs my name softly.

I bring my knees to my chest, trembling from the residual adrenaline. My physical wounds have healed. The ones that cut me deep in my soul, however, are bleeding invisible blood.

“May I undress you?”

I slowly glance up, meeting his gaze.

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