Page 75 of The Fox

The beat of a breath passes before the world starts to burn, hotter than the dying embers from a raging inferno.

CHAPTER 51

Amelia---What Have I Done?

He braces, readying himself for what I am about to inflict, and my heart fucking shatters at the sight. A sob catches in my throat, and all I want to do is toss the ring to the ground.Turn it off, Amelia. Turn off any feelings. I can’t. I cannot stop this tidal wave pounding against my barriers. I cannot stop them.I want to cover this man with my body. Emotion bubbles at my throat, and the instant my father’s ring touches his skin, the dam breaks.

No. I am hurting the one person who I love most. Gods. Fuck. How dare I?

I will never forget the way the air has changed. The way his face clenches in on itself and how his jaw becomes locked, the refusal to emit any reaction etched across it.

The demons laugh at my pain. They bask in my devastation. I am weak, nothing more than a sad excuse of a lover. I am no better than those who came before me.

Rhodes has his jaw clenched so tightly, there will likely be cracks along that magnificent smile. He is containing every scream I couldn’t that night. He is stronger than I am.

I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. What have I done?

I count to three, fling the tongs away, apologies flying from my lips between sobs. My whimpers are the only thing I can hear. I fall to my knees, burying my face in my hands and double over, touching my forehead to the floor.

My ears are full of my own sorrow, brought forth by my own doing.

Monster.

CHAPTER 52

Rhodes---Resolution

The first thing I hear are the broken sobs of Amelia.

Every inch of my body is on fire, an inferno of pain simmering on my bones. My chest is the focal point, the source of heat burning me from the inside out.The brand.

Amelia did it. Mykochaniedid the unthinkable. She gathered enough strength to fight her demons one last time, banishing them back to the deepest shadows. I groan as I pull my hands from behind my back, stretching them before attempting to push myself up.Fuck.How Amelia survived this six times over is beyond me.

My whole body is tense and as I straighten, I find that breathing is difficult because of the sheer pain I’m in. Another whimper breaks free, and I turn my head, finding Amelia curled up against the wall of the island, distraught. Ignoring my body, I look down at my chest to find the burn still angry red. It’ll be a while before it calms down, and I slide from the countertop, snagging both the bandage and tubes of vaseline and antibiotic ointment I’d set aside prior. Ripping the bandage from the package, I take the strip out, putting a generous amount of both ointments on it. I gingerly place it on the brand, wincing as the small square on the bandage comes into contact with the blistered flesh.

I spin, slowly walking to Amelia before sitting down beside her, pulling her between my legs. I lock her into place with my legs around hers and my arms holding her.

“Baby,” I whisper into her hair, running my palm down her back. “I need you to breathe for me, okay? I am alright.” The only answer I get from her is a wail, her hands clutching my biceps feverishly. “Shhh, you are okay. Shhhh, shhhh. You did such a good job, pretty girl. So brave. So strong.”

I feel her mumble into my bicep, her lips cracked from her tears. I can’t make out what she’s saying, but I know that whatever it is, it isn’t the truth.

“No, no, Amelia. Whatever you are saying about yourself right now, I will not have it.” She lifts her head, and I see the devastation on it. The bottom of her face is covered with snot and tears. Her eyes are horribly puffy from sobbing for however long I had been passed out, and it is as if she will resume crying at the drop of a hat.

“I branded you, Rhodes. Ihurtyou.” I drop my palm at the side of her face, resting it there and Amelia leans into my touch. “The one thing I swore I would never do, I did to…to…toyou.”

“Kochanie. I asked you to. All you did was tie me to you in the most hauntingly beautiful, albeit painful, way we had. I now match you. I am so incredibly proud to call you mine. Gods, I would gladly suffer that searing death, over and over again, if it meant that I can call you mine forever.”

Her hand moves to my chest, her fingers hesitating at the bandage covering where she’s branded me before a single fingertip caresses the covering. She takes a deep breath, glancing up at me before slowly leaning in and placing her lips there. It is as if she is a mother kissing a boo-boo on a child, and my heart warms. I am sure there are a million emotions running through that gorgeous head of hers, and all I can do is sit here with her as she processes.

“Do you need anything? Here,” she rises from the ground, those grey eyes anxiously looking for something to do, “let me get you some pain relief. I can do that. Yes, let me grab that.”

I move to grab her hand, but my goddess is too quick and evades me. She is quick, even in her distraught state. I hear the cabinet doors shut and I force my body to stand, bracing all my weight onto my palms as I watch her. “How did you survive that five more times?”

Amelia stills, her hand in mid air. “I almost didn’t.” Her motions resume and I sigh. “I can’t do that again, Rhodes.” Her back is still turned to me and I know that she is exhausted. It’ll be days before I see her smile again, but having her free of the memories that haunted her steps will be worth it.

“I’ll bury the ring. It won’t see the light of day.”

“Thank you,” she quips quietly as Lennon hops onto the counter next to Amelia, wanting attention. Pulling him into her arms, Amelia curls into him and it brings a smile to my face. “I’m sorry.” I’m not, I think to myself, as I walk toward her and glance at the oven clock.

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