Page 23 of King of Ruin

I enter the room to find Maddie sound asleep on my bed.

For a moment, I just look at her. Her face is so innocent, her blonde hair streaming out over my pillow.

Her hands are folded on her stomach, her perfect tits peeking out from the top of her dress, her long legs on full display.

I reach out and touch her cheek, the velvet of her skin sliding under the rougher pad of my thumb.

Her eyes blink open, her brow creasing as she stares in my direction. Does she not know who I am? “It’s me, Maddie. Roman. I thought you’d want to brush your teeth.”

“Roman?”

I reach for her hand and brush my thumb over the back of hers. I’ve always been good with the particulars of caring for people. Especially women. Their clothes, their products. I can look at a woman, know her size. See her skin and understand which tones would complement her.

I spent my childhood helping my mother hide her alcohol abuse. Cleaning her up, painting her face. I know how to do care…

“That’s right. It’s me.” I pull her up from the bed. “Want to wash your face and put on something more comfortable for sleeping?”

I let go and she wobbles on her feet.

Not bothering to pretend she should go on her own, I sweep her into my arms and carry her into the bathroom.

Reaching into a drawer, I pull out a carefully packaged satchel with a new hairbrush, toothbrush, and basic necessities like deodorant, shampoo, and conditioner. I keep them for the female guests I occasionally have stay.

I say occasionally, because I frequently don’t like the complication of even casual relationships.

“You just have all these things ready to go?” She fingers the small bag.

I chuckle. “I like to be prepared.” Then I pull out the toothbrush and apply toothpaste, handing it to her. She starts to brush her teeth, and I leave the bathroom to fetch her a T-shirt.

Coming back in, I grab her free hand, placing the shirt in her open palm. She takes it and lifts it to her nose. “It smells like you.”

Another person who loves the details. “Does it?”

“You’re very good at this,” she holds the shirt close to her face. “Taking care of me. You do this often?”

I laugh off her words. “Not often. I’m just organized. What about you? How often do you have male guests?”

“I’ve never had one.”

I stare at her, all the laughter gone. Some deep ache settles in the pit of my stomach, tightening my balls. “But you said that you’ve never slept away from home.”

“I haven’t.”

I suck in a breath, realizing the truth. She’s a virgin.

I just got done saying how I don’t like taking care of women. I don’t. But Maddie has been pulling at something deep all night.

I watch a blush stain her cheeks as she turns back to the sink. “I’ve got it from here. Thank you.”

But I don’t go. Instead, I touch her hand, the heat of her skin practically searing me. She’s a virgin. A complete innocent. It pulls at me like a moth to a flame. I don’t even know why. It’s notsomething I’ve ever even considered, never articulated I wanted. But it makes her even more…special. Unique. Mine…

Her chin is tucked, her cheeks the sort of pink that makes me want to kiss every inch of her. I cannot afford to catch any kind of feelings now.

I’ve got a plan and she is just one tiny piece. I can’t let that thought go. She is a means to an end.

She washes her face, the water glistening on her pale skin. Silently, I hand her a towel, our fingers brush, making me clench even tighter.

“Roman?” she turns to face me, her skin glowing after she’s washed it.

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