Page 22 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 3

“I’m okay. I’ll wash up,” I muttered, needing to be alone to collect myself.

“Okay baby. I’m gonna get you ginger ale and some toast.”

I closed my eyes and hung my head. She was too good to me. Here I was a six-foot-two man, billionaire for chrissake. I handled horrible people and assholes every day, and now I’ve been reduced to a simpering weakling who couldn’t even bring himself to leave the comfort and safety of Julianne’s home. The flashbacks were plaguing my days and my nights. Sometimes I’dwake up in a cold sweat thinking I was still there, that woman still abusing me.

It was fucked up.

All of it.

After a few minutes of breathing, I found an unopened toothbrush and toothpaste in one of the vanity drawers Jules left for guests. I scrubbed my teeth and mouth, trying to cleanse away the nastiness I couldn’t shake. The doctor and counselor had warned me that some difficult memories might affect me and gave me some information on therapists in the area that specialized in sexual assault.

I’d blown them both off, thinking I’d get past this. It’s not like Bianca had been able to make me penetrate her, but she tried to make it happen. Tried to get Julianne to leave me. But my wife was not one to be swayed so easily. Her intelligence and quick action lifted her up to goddess status in my mind. I just needed to get my head back in the game, back on the things that really mattered.

Julianne. Our marriage. And seeing Bianca brought to justice for her crimes.

And then, of course, there was Brenden. He’d tried to call several times after what happened. Neither one of us answered any of his requests, nor did we listen to his voicemails.

The man was dead to me.

He and his wife could fall off the face of the Earth, and I’d be one happy man. It’s sad, especially after so many years of being as close as brothers, but it was true.

Brenden Myers could fuck right off.

I left the bathroom to find Lee and my lawyer gone. “Did they leave?” I called out, making my way to the kitchen.

“Yeah, I asked them to go. You need your rest,” Julianne said, placing lightly buttered toast and a tall glass of ice with ginger ale on the counter. For some reason my wife believedthat ginger ale and bread cured all ailments. She wasn’t exactly wrong; it had worked on my stomach more often than not the last few days, but it was still irritating.

“I’ve done nothing but lounge around and sleep.”

“And have nightmares and moments where you go ghost white when you have a memory, or the alternative, vomiting up everything you’ve eaten that day. I’m worried, Gio. I think you need to talk to someone.”

I sipped on the soda and took a bite of the toast, mulling through what she’d shared.

“It’s stupid. I’m a grown ass man…” I was about to go into all the ways I should easily be able to handle a difficult experience.

“You were sexually assaulted. You think because you’re a man you’re somehow exempt from having strong uncomfortable feelings about what happened?”

I clenched my teeth together and groaned. “Jules, this will pass.”

“Maybe. But I still think you need to discuss it with a professional. They’ll help you work through those flashbacks and hopefully find more positive ways to deal with them. I’ll say it again: I’m worried about you, Gio.”

I pushed my chair back and slapped my thighs. “Come here, baby.”

Julianne slumped against the counter, thinking I was once again going to change the subject. Still, she came around, straddled my thighs and wrapped her arms around my neck, a cute little pout firmly in place.

“I’ll see a therapist,” I sighed.

“Really?” She smiled huge, and I knew it was the right thing to say to make her happy. It was also the best plan of attack for me too. Something had to give. Who knows, maybe therapy would fix it or at the very least, put a bandage over the worst of it so I could function like a normal member of society?

“Really. If it means that much to you, I will give it a go. I can’t promise it's going to work, but I’m uncomfortable enough with the aftermath, I need to do something. I haven’t wanted to leave our sanctuary here, and the vomiting isn’t healthy.”

She ran her fingers through my hair the way she knew I liked, her nails scratching along my scalp. “I love you, Gio. And I’m proud of you.”

I cupped her juicy ass, grinding against her. We hadn’t made love since I got home from the hospital because my head’s been all over the place. For the first time, my dick was taking notice of my very attractive wife, sitting on my lap.

Her eyes widened and then turned hazy with lust. “Are you sure you’re ready?” She licked her lips like a cat ready to drink all the cream.

I stood up with her and planted her ass on the sturdy kitchen table. “Am I ready to fuck my wife hard until she screams her pleasure for the whole building to hear?”

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