Page 101 of Vengeful Guard

When I’m done, and she hasn’t moved yet, I go to her.

“Here, let me, okay?”

I undress her slowly, throwing each item into the corner. These are not salvageable, and she doesn’t need to look at them ever again, so I’ll dispose of them right after I get her in that shower and clean her off.

Paige looks down at her naked body, and everything seems to be hitting her. She starts to rub at the blood on her skin, her father’s blood, most likely trying to it clean off, to clean off the horrors of the night that are catching up to her.

Her body starts shaking all over, as if she has no control over it. Her movements to get the blood off her get frantic as she starts whimpering.

“Come on, princess, let me help you with that.”

I get her under the water, uncaring that I’m getting soaked by the shower’s spray. And as I wash her hair, soaping up her body, there is no urge in me to touch her inappropriately, to do anything other than taking care of her, making sure she’s safe, she’s no longer hurting.

I have never been in this position before, where I have a very beautiful, very naked woman before me and have no desire whatsoever to take her. It worries me that maybe my feelings for Paige are even deeper than I already suspected.

This need to protect her, to see her happy, safe, is so much stronger than I ever knew possible.

I already knew I was in trouble. This just brings it closer to home. And it’s unfortunate because even if I decided to ignore my previous resolve to stay away from women, she could never be the one woman for me.

And now that this happened, my resolve is stronger than ever.

Tears stream down her face as she stands in the shower and lets me wash her, and I’m afraid she might never speak again. Has Paige finally found her breaking point?

Have I broken her?

After washing her twice and making sure the water’s running clean off her body, instead of the pink it was when we started, I get her out and start toweling her off.

“Kael?” Her voice is small and weak.

“Hmm?”

“Will you stay with me? Hold me for just a while?”

I look down at her, my heart aching.

I shouldn’t, I know that. I’m already in too deep with her.

But there’s no way I can say no to her. Not here, not now. And deep down, I fear not ever. “Of course, I will, princess.”

She sways toward me, and I dry off her hair, tossing the towel and putting a robe around her, cinching it tightly.

I undress down to my boxers, my clothes wet, and I slide into bed as she crawls in.

She turns on her side, and I throw an arm around her waist, pulling her close to me, needing her warmth to make sure she’s really here, really safe.

“Do you think he’ll die?” Her voice is barely above a breath.

“Nah.” I tighten my arm around her. “Patrick’s too stubborn to die.”

She lets out an almost-hysterical giggle and snuggles more tightly against me.

I wrap her in my arms, wanting her closer, and she hums.

I kiss the crown of her head. “Try and get some rest, okay? When you wake up, we’ll go back to the hospital, check on your da.”

“Thank you, Kael,”

“There’s nothing to thank me for.” In fact, if I were man enough, I’d be apologizing to you. To all of you.

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