Page 117 of Afflicted

She nods. “Yeah, I am. As long as you are, I am too.”

I cradle her head, sinking my fingers into her hair. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you all night.”

“Me too.” She leans her forehead against mine. “I had a dream you were in my bed, and you were rubbing my back. It was so nice.” She kisses me again, her teeth catching my lip. “I just want your hands on me.”

She fumbles with my buttons, pushing the shirt from my shoulders before dragging me against her. She plants tiny kisses along my collarbone, flooding my body with sweetness. When she gazes up at me with her big eyes, I know this is dangerous. I know we’re behind a locked door, and it doesn’t make me feel even a little better.

But something’s wrong. I pull back, frowning at her, trying to place that smell.

“Silas?” She raises her eyebrow, shifting against the counter. The tiniest fluttering of her eyelids tells me that she’s in pain.

I clasp her jaw in my hands. “Angel, what’s wrong? Are you sore?”

“Not from you, really.” Her lower lip wobbles, and her eyes shine with tears. “I’m fine, really. I just want you.”

She kisses me again, but even as she does, she begins to cry. That smell, it’s… sterile. Medicinal. Something acrid covering her scent.

“Angel, please, talk to me. What’s happened?”

She takes a deep breath, her eyes clenching closed and a cascade of tears spilling over her lashes. “They did an examination.”

“An examination?”

She tips her head back to look at me, and nods. “A gynecological exam. They said they need to see if… if I was OK.”

Panic pools in the pit of my stomach. “They examined you internally?”

“Yeah. It was… It was so uncomfortable. I just wanted you, the whole time. I just wanted you to be there to hold my hand. I didn’t understand why they were doing it, and they wouldn’t tell me…” She trails off, wrapping her arms around my waist and crying softly.

The whirring feeling in my stomach won’t stop. Why the fuck would they be examining her?

Her fingers claw at the back of my neck suddenly, and she draws me down to her, kissing me hungrily as she shoves a hand into my trousers.

“Juliet,” I grit out against her mouth. “What are you doing?”

“I missed you, so much.” She presses her face to the side of my neck as she tries to pump me with her hand. “I just, I need-”

“Juliet, stop.” I pull her hand away from me gently, and she slumps against me, crying. “I’m right here, angel. Right here.” I put her hand against my chest.

“I need to feel you,” she murmurs, pressing a hand to her eye. “I just, I don’t know what to do. I don’t know… I don’t know what’s happening.”

“You’re upset, and you want to push it away.” I encircle her with my arms, kissing her temple. “It’s OK to be scared. It’s over now. I’m here.”

Three loud thumps against the door make us both jump, and I crush her against me.

“Out, right now.” Sam’s voice is sharp and clear. “Silas, I know you’re in there.”

Fuck. Juliet’s wide eyes gaze up at me, more and more tears pouring over her lashes. She shakes her head, clasping my face in her hands.

“Silas-”

“It’s OK.” I stroke her hair, and place a kiss on her forehead.

“Silas!” Sam’s voice is edged with irritation.

“Just give us a minute!” I bellow over my shoulder. She’s so eager to see me suffer she can’t even give me a second to get dressed.

Juliet is shaking so hard she can barely stay upright, leaning heavily on the counter as she watches me pull my shirt on and button it up. Loud sobs start to break from her throat, and by the time I unlock the bathroom door, she’s near hysterical. Sam eyes us both as we step into the corridor, one hand on her hip.

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