Page 99 of Unbroken

When we pulled away, we were both breathless once again. “God, this is horrible,” he said, and I drew back even further. Or as far as I could with his firm grip still keeping me in place against him.

He kissed away the divot of confusion between my brows and peered down at me. “I’m so addicted to you already.”

Happily surprised by his admission, I laughed and brushed my nose against his. “I’ll help you feed your addiction whenever you want.”

He groaned and licked at my mouth as I scraped my nails down his cheek. I peeled myself away from him, and we both chuckled at the mess we’d made. I looked down at his chest and found humor-filled eyes staring back at me.

“Shower with me?” I asked only a second before he wrapped his arms around me and swung me off the bed. I giggled—actually, fucking giggled—as he ushered us into the bathroom.

Pure, undiluted happiness coursed through me. And I tried to push away the intrusive thoughts that urged me to remember that happiness was precarious and could be temporary. That it could all be taken away in a moment.

Those thoughts were incessant and easy to get sucked into. Especially with the news about my case.

But I didn’t want to dwell on that. So, I focused on the warmth of the water, and Devon, as we stepped into my tiny shower and under the spray.

Devon positioned me under the spray and cupped my cheeks, making sure I was looking at him before he said, “If you ever have those thoughts again, like you want to go for a drive…tell me. I know that’s a big ask, but I’m here. And I always will be. No preconceptions, no judgment. Because I can’t lose you again. That may be selfish, but fuck, Blake. The world is so much better with you in it.”

FORTY-THREE

Blakely

There wassomething off about the man sitting across from me. It wasn’t anything obvious, but I could still sense it.

Or at least I thought I did until he gave me a soft, reassuring smile that made me question myself.

Dr. Mann sat back in his dark leather chair, one leg crossed over the other knee and his elbows braced on the arms. His light-brown hair was swept out of his face as usual, and his white shirt was impeccable.

“I am genuinely glad that you feel like you’re doing better, but I can’t say that I’m not at least a little concerned, Blakely.”

I inclined my head and took a deep breath. Somehow, my mother had managed to find Dr. Mann and contact him to relay her concerns about the state of my mental health. Because I intentionally didn’t return her numerous phone calls.

I should have been more surprised that she’d found him. She called his office with faux concern and urged him to schedule an emergency appointment. His assistant, Megan, had called me a few minutes after I’d woken up in Devon’s arms. Thankfully,they hadn’t confirmed or denied that I was a patient, but Megan thought it wise to fill me in on the earlier phone call.

Tato had found his way into the bed and snuggled directly between us all night. But even with the dog between us, Devon managed to touch me.

I’d woken up feeling lighter. My emotions were still sharp and raw, but not as potent.

And I wanted to linger in those moments. With the sun dancing from between the curtains and the cool early morning breeze pushing through my broken patio door.

My eyes fluttered open, and the first image I was greeted with was Devon’s smiling face. My sleepy smile was automatic.

Warmth flooded through me, and it felt like Devon might be helping heal parts of myself that I didn’t even realize needed to be healed. His care, his comfort, and his protectiveness were exactly what I needed.

I would have stayed there as long as I could have if not for the obnoxious interruption of my vibrating phone.

I had already planned to call his office later that day, but they beat me to it. And I was immediately annoyed. Thankfully Megan had no problem telling me what—or better yet,who—had prompted her early morning phone call.

And my annoyance hadn’t ebbed in the forty-five minutes I’d been sitting across from him. We’d discussed my call with Detective Wilcrest and then my call with my mom. I’d told him about my less-than-stellar reaction, and we’d talked aboutwhyI reacted that way, too, although I already had a good idea of why.

I’d finally felt some semblance of normalcy. It started when they arrested Nick and had been one of the driving factors for why I’d moved back. And when they’d told me he too was little more than a pawn in this sick game, my idea of safety came crumbling down.

It was all an illusion. A very real, very poignant figment of my imagination.

And although I had a difficult time admitting it out loud, Iwas scared that I’d never even have an illusion of safety again. I should have known when Nick Hammond confessed that it was too good to be true.

“Blakely?” Dr. Mann asked, drawing me from my thoughts, and it took me a second to realize he was expecting me to speak.

“I don’t know what to say. It was horrible. I thought my world was ending, but it didn’t. I could feel myself slipping back into that dark place, and I guess I did, but only for a little while. It was easier to pull myself out of it, especially with—” My words faltered. I hadn’t told Dr. Mann the extent of our relationship. It felt too precious and sacred to share, but I knew that wasn’t helpful.

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