Page 69 of Hidden But Not Safe

There was a tremor in his hand as the steam from the room faded away.

Chapter 21

The outfit Naz had chosen looked as ridiculous on him as he’d thought it would. Pink wasn’t his color, especially hugging his thighs, but somehow the white polo shirt looked even worse. It was too tight, like a vase holding up his neck, and the sleeves strangled his arms high on his shoulders.

Meg’s shower was still running when he approached the bathroom door. Mixed with the water weren’t sexy gasps or moans. The sound was more like a sob.

Naz pushed inside.

Meg had sunk down in the tub, the water pounding over her head as her hand worked furiously between her legs.

Her head fell back out of the spray, thumping on the rim of the tub as she let out another of those wet sobs. Water mixed with tears ran down her face. Her jaw was clenched so tightly it looked like it could snap.

Bloodshot eyes focused on him, and her hand fell away from her thighs, thumping against the tub wall as well.

“I can’t come,” Meg whined. “That always fucking happens, but it feels different this time. Like I don’t really want to come because this body isn’t even fucking mine.” Her arms crossed, and her nails drew red marks on her skin, as if she were trying to scratch it off.

Naz turned off the shower before grabbing her hands and pulling them away. He looked into her crying eyes, waiting for them to focus on him.

“Meg,” he said.

She took a hitching breath. Then another, not even releasing the first one before dragging in the second.

“Meg,” he said again.

Her breath shuddered out, and she shifted forward, her wet hair cascading over his shoulder as she tucked in against his neck, making the collar there feel even tighter. He turned her hands in his while she rested against him, studying the wrinkled flesh of her fingers.

Her breathing didn’t slow. If anything, it sped up.

“I know I’m not going to die of frustration. I’m so tired, but I’m wired at the same time.” She rubbed her damp nose against his skin above his collar. “You smell good,” she mumbled. “Like soap.”

A shudder ran through her body, and she gasped, her hips trying to arch toward him but blocked by the side of the tub. Her body slid, and he steadied her. She shivered and let out a shaky laugh ending in a sob. “I hate this. I wish I knew when it’d end.”

Her shivering didn’t stop. He’d left the door open, and all the steam was gone. Her hands felt cold, along with her wet hair soaking the polo shirt. The hot water had probably run out before he’d turned it off.

He put her hands on his shoulders, and she didn’t waste any time clinging to him, freeing up his hands to reach for the towel. The squeak of the bar sounded loud in his ears as he dragged the towel down. He wrapped her in it and lifted her out of the tub.

The clothes he’d found were laid out on the bed, but he placed her there anyway, not caring that she was soaking into everything. He crawled on next to her, careful not to lie on his bad side. Her back pinned down the towel, but he used the edges to wipe at the drops along her neck.

Meg moaned, her chest arching toward him. He jerked away before her breasts reached his hand, releasing the towel and watching the way it unwrapped from around her chest because of her writhing.

Her nipples had become tightened points. Her fingers closed around them, twisting so hard it was like she wanted to rip them off, but it made her moan again, her body arching. Sweat pebbled on her upper lip, mixing with the dampness from her shower. At least her shivering had gone away.

One of her hands moved between her legs, starting to rub her clit aggressively, like she hated her clit and wanted to scratch it off.

After a few strokes, she let her hands fall away. Her lip jutted out in a frustrated pout. “Fuck it. I’m not going to come. Not worth the finger cramps. And my right wrist kind of hurts.”

That had been the one she was favoring in the warehouse. It was also the arm with the blossoming bruise.

Naz didn’t remember what Julio had done to her, but that was probably for the best. He couldn’t kill him again.

Meg shifted along the towel, and she shuddered, the pout disappearing as her teeth sank into her lip.

“Death by horniness. Julio got me good. That’s what a slut like me deserves.” She made a choked sound in her throat. Her legs rubbed together, trying to squeeze. “Fuck. My whole body is one needy nerve. I wish I could fuck myself. Any of the drawers have a vibrator?” she asked hopefully.

At his headshake, she forced her legs to open, shifting them wide. The musky scent of her reached toward him.

Her eyes closed as she breathed out, her body shuddering. She clenched her jaw against it, her hands turning to fist the comforter.

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