Page 92 of Pretty Monsters

"Please stop making noises like that," I whisper. "I just want to take care of you."

We take turns washing each other clean of the grime of violence. Every touch reminds me she's here with me, safe.

"Then take care of me." Her lip trembles, and she stares down at her hand. "It's like I can still feel the arrow leaving my fingers."

Taking her hand, I put it over my heart. "We're alive because of what you did. It probably won't take the guilt away, but Ford would have died if you hadn't done it."

Her hand slides up my chest and wraps around the back of my neck. Needing to reassert control I grab her other hand and looped it around my neck to join the other one. Picking her up, I slide into her.

"This is going to be fast," I warn her.

"Kiss me," she begs.

Our lips meet, and everything else fades away. Years unfold in front of me of the life I could give her if we can manage to survive the trials in front of us. There are so many obstacles we need to navigate, but for the first time in my life I have hope that maybe there's a future for us not bathed in blood.

Despite my initial urge to drive into her hard and fast, one kiss and I want to hold her forever. I'm drowning and I don't want to come up for air.

Her fingers thread through my hair, nails scratching lightly against my scalp. The simple touch sends tingles down my spine. Lifting her, I press her back against the wall.

Raven wraps her leg around my waist. "You promised me fast," she hums.

The earlier urgency snaps back. Lifting her other leg around my waist I pull her down on my erection. The water sluicing over her body leaves her slippery in my hands, and I dig my fingers into her hips to hold her steady and use the wall for leverage.

Raven takes her hands from my hair and clings to my shoulders. We move against each other in a mindless drive to become one. Every time I bury myself in her heat, I feel her muscles squeeze my dick, but the pleasure isn't purely physical. Something inside of me cracks and knits back together. All the empty places inside me fill with warmth, with Raven.

Wordless sounds slip past her lips as I rock her up and down my cock. Watching her unravel in my arms is a thing of beauty. My release barrels through me, and my knees go weak. Together we slip down to the bottom of the tub, boneless and unable to move. Tepid water beats down on us, running in rivulets down her face as she tries to blink water out of her eyes.

Her breath hitches when she looks in my eyes. I lift a shaky hand to brush a sopping strand of hair from her eyes. "I–"

I try to tell her what I feel, but the words won't come. How do you tell someone what they mean to you when all of the words are too generic?

Raven brushes her lips across mine. "I know," she whispers.

"You are everything to me," I try again. Maybe those aren't the words she wants to hear, but they are the only ones that come close to describing this feeling banging around in my chest.

Her answering smile is serene and happy. Making her smile is the greatest achievement of my life, and something I'll never stop trying to cause.

I shut the water off and grab a couple towels. Wrapping a towel around her I start to dry her off. "We should probably get out of here and let Ford clean off. We need to meet with everyone before I get distracted again."

She looks down at the stained carpet, her smile falling. "So I'm back to being a distraction? I know I defied you earlier, but we're all safe. If I hadn't been there–"

I put my finger to her lips. "Shh, I was an idiot before when I thought the only way to keep you safe was to stay away from you. You're right, the only way we get through this is together. I still want you to do as you're told. Most of the time at least, but it's not only about keeping you safe."

She licks her lips. "Then why?"

This time I'm the one that looks down. "Being touched is hard for me, unless I feel like I'm controlling it."

"I understand. I want to give you what you need, and to be honest, I love it," she admits.

We finally exit the bathroom, wrapped in thin scratchy towels. Ford rolls his eyes when he sees us. "Is there any hot water left?"

I smirk at him. "A cold shower won't kill you."

He grumbles something that sounds like, "You fucking suck," on his way to take a shower. Of course the water is probably warm again, but who knows how good the water heater is in a rent by the hour establishment.

Raven and I wait for him to finish his much shorter shower, and grab Shane on our way over to Lucien and Ted's room. I'm surprised to see Amber nestled between Ted and Lucien. Not only because she doesn't seem like the type of girl to be shared, but also because she seemed to be thrown by the secrets Ted has revealed.

Raven doesn't miss the proximity of her new friend to her brother. Her mouth falls open to form a cute "O" shape before she immediately catches herself and closes her mouth. "Hey, Amber," she squeaks, "I thought you were hanging out with Jen."

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