Page 23 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

His eyes don’t hold the same type of hunger they normally do—they holdpainandanger. Those dark brows draw together as he notices all the weight I’ve lost. The electricity of his gaze is hard to ignore as he takes in every bruise and bug bite that cover my body. Tracking the marks like a constellation and guiding him up to my neck where the worst of the bruising is.

“Geraldo is as good as dead,” he growls while softly tracing the fingerprints blotting the column of my neck. His fingers strum along the dip between my collarbones.Ohno! My raven necklace is gone.Was I wearing it the night of my graduation dinner?Hopefully, I left it at home.

I reach out and wrap my hand around his. “Do you understand now,whyI want to help so badly? Think about Selena and all the other women who he’s done this to. Who hecontinuesto do this to. I want to help, Liam. In any way I can. And if that means me going away with Diego for a little while to convince his uncle that he got what he wanted—then so be it. That’s when you attack. When his guard is down again. And make sure you make him fucking suffer.”

Shimmying out of my thong, I step into the shower and leave Liam standing there. He runs a shaky hand over his face and through his unruly hair, inhaling roughly.

My heart breaks for him. He looks so fucking broken. In a matter of just two weeks, I’ve changed dramatically. I’m not the same Maddy I was before, and I’m not sure I ever will be again. It couldn’t possibly be easy for him to process all of this. To see the evidence of abuse all over my body.

Liam removes his clothing in record time and steps under the hot stream of water. Circling his arms around me from behind, he tugs me flush against the hard surface of his body.

“I can’t lose you again, Madison,” he whispers into my ear.

“You won’t.”

“Then why does it feel like I am?” He grabs the shampoo and starts massaging it into my hair. The pressure of those strong fingers against my scalp feels amazing.Heavenly. My eyes close with a sense of calmness washing over me.

“Because you know that I’ll always help everyone I can. That’s why I wanted to become a nurse, to help people.”

“Wanted?” He spins me around and cradles my head back to rinse the suds out.

“I’m not sure what I want anymore,” I sigh, pushing past him and grabbing the conditioner. We trade places as he washes his hair and then rinses it.

I close my eyes again, lathering the coconut-scented conditioner through my hair. The smell reminds me of piña-coladas…and the beach. Which makes my thoughts go to the ocean.

Ocean Eyespierce mine behind my lids.

Fuck.Why am I so enamored with him? I’m reunited with Liam. Safe in his arms. I shouldn’t be thinking about another man.Especially the one who brought me into this mess in the first place.

“Do you still want me?” Calloused hands slide down over my waist and grip my hips. My eyelids slam open as Liam pulls me closer to him. His handsome face is filled with worry, making my stomach fill with butterflies.

“Of course I do. I just need some sleep and time to process everything. That’s all.” I wrap my arms around him reassuringly and lay my head on his chest. The hot water pours over us, soothing my aching muscles. I let out a shaky breath and tighten my grip around his tense frame.

He is my home.

I love him.

And I’m going to show him exactly how much.

Determined hands glide from around his waist to his perfect set of abs. I skim them up and over his pierced nipples, giving each ring a gentle tug. A hiss slips out between his teeth. My palms fall flat over the ravens that sit on each of his pecs. His heart beats rapidly against my hand. Always so scarily in sync with my own. Leaning down, he captures my lips in a sweet kiss. Water sprinkles down over us from the rain showerhead.

It’s gentle. And soft.

That isn't going to do.That’s not us. We are always wild and crazy for each other.Reckless even. I don’t want orneedhim to be gentle with me right now.

I slide my tongue along his bottom lip, before sucking hard and dragging it over my teeth. The metallic taste of blood from his split lip coats my mouth, followed by a hint of whiskey and smoke.

Our tongues dance wildly as we devour each other. Each of us clawing and desperate, trying to gain control. He releases a pained groan as I clasp his chin between my fingers.

Shit. I forgot about his jaw.Diego got him good.

“Fuck, baby. I missed you so much,” Liam moans into my mouth.

Fiery kisses trail across my neck as he runs a hand down the curve of my spine. Traveling lower, he grabs a handful of my ass, drawing me even closer to his body. There is virtually no space left between us. The friction of our skin makes me come alive again. I gasp, tilting my head back to give him better access to latch on.

The hard length of him sits between us, pressing against my heated skin, just begging to be stroked. Dropping my hand, I grip him, sliding slowly from base to tip. My thumb rubs a circle over the sensitive head of his cock. Liam nips my neck and bucks his hips into me.

Rapacious fingers thread through my hair and grip it firmly. He tugs my head back even more and latches on to my neck, alternating between biting and sucking. I close my eyes and revel in the feeling of him becoming unhinged. He’s replacing the bruises that caused pain and fear, with those of love and devotion.

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