Page 16 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

Power?I couldn’t even fathom it.

A loud knock sounded on the door, interrupting their steadfast stares and making me jump.

With a grumble, Dimitri peeled off to answer it while I cowered back.

“It’s just the doctor,” Marco soothed, but it didn’t make me feel any better.

five

MARCO

My heart twistedin my chest as my eyes tracked over the dark pattern of bruises marring Kitania’s porcelain skin. The deep purples and sickly yellows stood out in stark relief, mottled reminders of the vile abuse she’d suffered at the hands of those bastard Valentinos. Each flinch and whimper as Doc examined her gouged me like a fuckin’ blade to the gut.

Her wide blue eyes were glassy with unshed tears, a ghostly pallor leeching the color from her delicate features.

I wanted nothing more than to tear out of here, hunt those motherfuckers down and make them pay in blood for every mark on my Omega. But I wrestled the dark urges down. Kitania needed me here, now. My fury could wait. Her healing and sense of safety had to come first.

As Dimitri stepped away to speak privately with the doctor, I gently guided Kitania to the guest quarters we’d prepared for her. But instead of the relief or comfort I hoped having her own space would provide, she grew more uneasy, nervously hoveringin the doorway of her new room. Her gaze remained downcast as she mumbled an apology, hands twisting together until I worried she’d make her skin raw.

“I’m sorry. I… I just don’t want to mess anything up,” she finally confessed in a small, strained voice, tugging anxiously at her stringy dark tresses. “I’m so filthy, I’m worried I’ll ruin something…”

Despite the dirt and grime clinging to her, in that moment, she took my breath away. This girl, this Omega, was tragically beautiful. A deep ache stirred in my chest. I yearned to wrap her up, to soothe her fears and insecurities. But that would take time and right now, I was preciously short on that commodity.

“Shhh, you have nothing to apologize for, Angel,” I murmured. “This is your space now. Nothing you could ever do would ruin it, okay?”

She nodded timidly, but relaxed just a fraction. “Okay.”

The vulnerability threading through her tone fucking wrecked me. Swallowing hard against the lump in my throat, I took a careful step closer, aching to gather her into my arms but knowing she needed me to move slowly. To telegraph my intentions.

Tenderly, I reached out. The pads of my fingertips lightly skimmed along her delicate jaw as I tilted her chin until her pooling gaze reluctantly met mine. Those haunted blue depths nearly stopped my fucking heart.

“Kitania,” I whispered. Wrapping my tongue around the syllables of her name for the first time was as close to a religious experience as I’d ever had. I allowed the full force of my sincerity to bleed into each word, willing her to believe me. “It’s just stuff, Angel. None of it means a damn thing compared to you.”

I smoothed my thumb over the apple of her cheek, marveling at the softness of her skin.

She released a shuddering breath and gave a jerky nod as a single crystalline tear slipped free. I caught it, brushing the moisture away, wishing like fuck I could erase the pain it represented just as easily.

I laced my fingers gently through hers, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Come with me.”

I tugged her further into the bedroom suite, guiding her towards the lavish bathroom. Her breath caught at the sight. The space was utterly massive, done in sleek black marble with accents of brushed steel. An oversized glass shower occupied one corner, while a cavernous soaking tub took center stage.

My Omega’s eyes went wide, darting between the opulent fixtures as if she couldn’t quite believe this level of luxury. And fuck if that didn’t make me want to give her everything. I’d figure out how to steal the damn moon from the sky if she asked for it.

I gave her a moment to absorb the splendor, my chest swelling with pride at being able to provide this for her after she’d spent so long in squalor.

Releasing her hand, I crossed to the deep tub and twisted the knobs, letting the water flow and testing it until it was the perfect temperature. The bath filled while I retrieved a plush towel from the linen closet and set it within reach, hanging it on the heated towel rack.

Next, I tossed a bath bomb in, watching it fizz, the fragrant golden orb releasing an intoxicating fusion of cocoa butter and vanilla into the air that complimented her sweet signature. Bubbles bloomed across the surface, making the water look warm and welcoming.

I turned back to find Kitania lingering in the doorway, her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. She chewed her lower lip, seeming so damn unsure.

“Should I, um…” She averted her gaze, one trembling hand lifting to slip the tattered strap of her nightgown down her shoulder.

The breath caught in my throat as I realized her intention to disrobe. The implication that baring herself to me was simply expected nearly killed me. It didn’t matter who you were, modesty was a right, not a fucking privilege.

“Stop, Angel.” I quickly closed the distance between us, voice gentle but firm. Cupping her jaw, I tilted her chin up until she met my gaze, hoping she could read my genuineness. “You don’t owe me anything, understand? Not a single fuckin’ thing.”

Her lashes fluttered, those icy blue depths searching my face with a flicker of confusion. As if the very concept of bodily autonomy was unfamiliar.

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