Page 177 of Unwrapping Deviance

Every inch blazes raw and red, and so tender I almost cry at the sight.

“Fuck, baby, why?” I reach for her, but stop, too scared of hurting her.

“I can smell them,” she chokes out, unfocused gaze staring at my chest. “I can smell ... it’s on my skin.” A sound like a sob, but guttural escapes her throat. “I can smellthem. Their blood. The way they smelled. I can feel their hands...”

I don’t let her finish. I don’t let my brain think. I grab her and pull her into my chest. I crush her.

“I’m sorry.” I croak into her temple. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

Her small nails dig into my shoulder blades as she clings to me. Her tears burn my chest.

“I keep rubbing and rinsing and I can’t...” she chokes and coughs. “I need you. Please, Christian.” Her chin tips up until all I can see is her big eyes pleading up at me. “I need to forget them.”

I don’t know what Daniel would say. I don’t know if he’d tell me to give her time to heal or whatever she needs. Maybe I’m supposed to let her process what she’s been through, but she needs me.

Sheneedsme.

I snap off the shower and reach for a towel. I drag the fabric around her and lightly rub her dry. I run a much hastier towelover myself before I toss the damp fabric aside and scoop her up into my arms.

The bed we woke up in only that morning lies exactly as we’d left it. Like the last several horrific hours never happened. It makes me want to burn it. Burn the whole damn house. The town. Fuck all of it.

But I turn my attention to the shivering figure nestled against my chest. I lie her down.

A tear streaks down her temple to vanish into her hairline. Her chin quivers.

“I was so scared,” she squeaks.

Clenched jaw on the verge of shattering, I crawl over her. Enveloping her in my arms, crushing her so close I know I’m hurting her, but she makes no protest.

“They will never touch you again,” I vow darkly into her ear.

“Love me, Christian. I need to feel you.”

I lift my head and meet her gaze, meet the determination and desperation glistening across the pale surface of her eyes.

“I do love you, sweetheart. I fucking love you so much.”

I know it’s not what she meant, but I don’t give a shit. I almost lost her. Worrying about timing and whatever else the fuck isn’t my concern right now.

I wait to hear excuses about the curse and it being a bad idea but Mira makes a choking sound I think is laughter. “When I was hiding in that cellar, waiting for Dirk to find me, all I thought about was how I would never see you and Daniel again. I hated myself for not telling you both how much I love you. TellingyouI love you. Fuck the curse. Fuck it. I almost lost you and I let some broken thing in my head keep me from telling you how much you mean to—”

I kiss her. Gently. It’s not easy. I know I have to be careful with her, but I also need to squeeze and devour her until she’s a part of me always.

“Never leaving you,” I breathe in between frustratingly slow sips of her mouth. “Mine. Forever.”

I kiss her with care, ignoring her insistence for more. Ignoring her urging little tugs on my hair.

“My way,” I tell her softly. “We’re not rushing. I’m going to take my time erasing everything but me off your skin.”

Her darkened eyes watch me hungrily as I descend down the smooth column of her throat. I kiss, lick and suck my way across every bruise, every freckle. I trace her skin with my fingers, circle her rosy nipples with my thumb. My tongue. I suck them into my mouth and nip with my teeth until my sweet brat thrashes under me. Until her fingers tighten in my hair and her breath is warm pants in my ear.

“I love you,” I tell her again, needing her to know it. Needing her to have no fucking doubt.

“I love you, too,” she rasps, hooded eyes dark with pleasure as I follow the valley of her belly to the sweet folds of her lips. “God, I love you so much, Christian.”

My grin pokes up the corner of my lips as I run my tongue over her clit. “Because I’m licking your pretty pussy?”

Mira chuckles thickly. “Yes, but because you yell at me.”

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