Page 65 of Brutal Ice

Her breath heaved in and out.

He didn’t let her go.

“You were screaming,” he said, and his voice was off. Ragged at the edges. “I thought someone might have gotten past me. Gotten to you.” His hold tightened, but then he released her. “Just a bad dream.” He rose.

Her hand flew out to curl around his wrist. “I was in the trunk again. I was screaming, and you weren’t there.”

“I’m right here.”

He was. Standing beside the bed. Wearing battered jeans that hung low on his hips. Showing off his muscular abs. His powerful chest. Looking dangerous and sexy and strong. And she was still shaking.

“I have the same dream every few nights.” Her brother had come into her room the first night, absolutely terrified because of her dreams. He’d had a baseball bat in his hands because he’d been sure an intruder was there. “Sometimes, I wonder if I’ll have the same nightmare forever.”

Maybe she should talk to the psychiatrist Micah had mentioned. Dr. Barnes. But she’d never been comfortable baring her soul to anyone. She didn’t talk freely with most people. Didn’t share her inner thoughts.

Except with Royal. Maybe because he’d already seen her at her breaking point? With him, she could talk. With him, she could let down all the walls that she usually kept around herself.

“Violet.” Her name slipped from him like a soft, savage growl. One that oddly comforted her. “You have to remember that nightmares can’t hurt you.”

“No, they can’t. But psychotic serial killers can.” She was still holding his wrist. She should let go. “Sorry.” Violet cleared her throat. “I’ll be fine now. Really.” Not at all. She was lying to him just like she did to so many others. “Sorry if I woke you up.” Her hand fell back to the bed.

“Two things,” he rasped. “First, don’t ever apologize to me because you’re scared. When you get scared, you call for me. I will be there immediately.”

She found herself tugging up the covers. Clothes had been brought over for her—or, rather, they’d been waiting at the top of the stairs in a suitcase for her. Everything perfectly in her size. But then again, the man had said that he even knew what bra size she wore, so she could hardly feel too much shock that he’d gotten garments that fit her.

She’d put on a soft, silken black gown. One that dipped a little low in the front and skimmed the tops of her thighs. Suddenly too aware of the gown’s dipping neckline, Violet pulled the covers up to her chest.

Royal sat back down on the bed. He caged her between his hands as they pressed into the mattress.

“Second thing,” he rumbled. “You didn’t wake me up. I was in the bedroom right next door. Thinking about you. Remembering how close to heaven I got when you put that sweet mouth of yours on me.”

Her mouth dropped open.

“I should walk away right now,” Royal continued in his deep, dark voice. “You’re good. Too damn good for someone like me. And I shouldn’t take advantage of you after you’ve had a nightmare. Fuck. I should not be here.” But he was leaning toward her.

She was inching her head toward him.

“Tell me to leave,” he ordered. “Tell me.”

He gave lots of orders. Something she’d noticed about him. Maybe it was time for her to give a few orders of her own. “Kiss me,” she told him.

He sucked in a breath. “Violet.”

“Kiss me,” she demanded once more.

And he did.

His mouth took hers. Her lips were open, waiting, and so ready for him. His tongue thrust inside, and desire blazed through her. Royal kissed with skill. Drugging passion. With a consuming possession that she could not ignore. Every cell in her body felt his kiss. She yearned and needed and wanted more.

When Royal kissed her, when Royal touched her, when Royal gave that delicious growl in his throat that told her he wanted her, Violet wasn’t afraid. She forgot her hell and focused on the heaven she felt with him.

Passion.

Pleasure.

A desire that made her want to do every wicked thing with him that she could imagine…and all the wicked things she knew he would do so very perfectly.

But he pulled back. He nipped her lower lip, a sensual bite, then slid back a bit.

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