Page 76 of Unhinged

I swallow hard. “I’ve worked hard on this degree. I really want to finish it.”

He nods. “Fine, I’ll be with you until you finish.”

“What about the Cartel?” I ask.

“I’ll have to go back and forth. It’s not ideal, but I’ll make it work.” He squeezes my hand. “For you, I’ll make anything work.”

Something heavy squeezes around my heart. Hearing Taren say that makes me feel so many emotions. I’ve always buried my emotions for as long as I can remember. When my parents and sister died, it was as if I died with them. A part of me missing from day-to-day life. I can’t believe how many similarities I share with this man.

Thiago and Matias reappear from the back in fresh clothes free of blood. “The bedroom is all yours,” Thiago announces, smirking at Taren. “You need to clean up before we get to Boston.”

Taren’s jaw clenches. “We both do.” He squeezes my thigh. “And after, Kali and Luna can get clean and dressed.”

I grind my teeth, unsure about leaving my two friends with those monsters. Luna may have feelings for Thiago for some fucked up reason, but Kali is vulnerable, and Matias is a fucking wolf preying on a lamb.

“Are you two going to be okay?” I ask, glancing at the two men staring at my friends as if they’re meat on a plate.

“Yes, we’ll be fine,” Luna replies.

Taren gives Thiago and Matias warning glares. “Behave.”

And then he leads me into the back, where there’s a bedroom and adjoining bathroom.

“Sit down,” he says, nodding at the bed. He pulls his bloodied shirt off and discards it to one side.

I sit and stare up at him. “Are we going to shower?”

He nods. “In a moment. I need to know you’re okay.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

His eyebrows raise. “After what you saw me do to?—”

“I relished it, Taren. I thought that was clear. She deserved everything she got and more.”

He smiles. “Perfect little bird.” He cups my cheeks and sits by my side. “How are you so dark?”

“Life,” I murmur, shrugging.

“Your family’s death wasn’t your fault,” he says.

I clench my jaw. “They were on the way to collect me. They died, and I survived. It’s natural to feel guilty.”

He nods. “It is. I can’t tell you how often I wished Ileana had murdered me with my parents and sister. At least then I wouldn’t have to live with the images of them being tortured, maimed, and then burned.”

I glance at his stomach. “Did Ileana burn you?”

He grinds his teeth and shakes his head. “I went through a stage of self-harm.”

I draw in a deep breath as the burn marks are all over his stomach. He must have hurt himself a lot. “Oh.”

“I’m broken, little bird. Are you sure you want all my rough pieces?”

I look at Taren, really look at him. His body is a map of scars and burns, but his eyes bear the deepest wounds. “I’m not afraid of your rough pieces, Taren,” I whisper. “I’ve got my own.” I reach out, tracing the burns on his stomach with my fingers. “We’re both broken. Maybe together, we’re whole.”

He kisses me then.

Taren’s eyes darken as he softly lifts my hand from his scars and kisses my knuckles. “I’m going to fuck you,” he announces.

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