Page 38 of Twisted

She clung to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his tapered waist, anchoring herself to the one person in this world, besides the three villains, who knew the truth. At least, just the tip of the truth-iceberg, in her case. There was still so much more, so much that had led up to those days locked away with Randy, and so much afterward that it made her sick to her stomach. How could anyone in their right mind want her after all of that?

But Jaeger was there in her grasp, and so she drank him in greedily, desperate for anyone to hear her side, her secrets, desperate to be loved despite them all.

“I hear ya, Mais. I got ya,” he urged, holding her together as she finally fell apart.

12

Jaeger

Present Day

They stood in the scalding flow of water together, Maisie’s sniffles almost drowned out by the hiss and spit of the shower head. She was lethargic. She’d have put up more of a fight if she wasn’t so drained, but Jaeger wasn’t about to let her out of his sight again. He reached over her shoulder, leaning in but being cautious not to allow his slick body to slide against hers. Adjusting the shower head, the spray now hit Maisie more equally, and through a sniffle she let out a sigh.

His eyes wandered all over her backside, his cock throbbing and aching again. He knew he’d never get his fill of her, and the way he stood fully erect after so many instances of sex today was proof of that. Her skin glowed in the soft lighting of his bathroom, and when slicked with moisture, it took on an even more ethereal golden hue. Where her spine resided was a slight dip in her back, leading down to the rounded curve of her perfect ass. He bit his cheek at his new favorite sight—besides her eyes, of course. Those were his number one.

Her long hair had turned black and heavy with the weight of the water, and when she turned her head slightly to peek over her shoulder and flick her swollen eyes up to his, he nearly melted then and there. She was so full of sorrow and need this night as her truth had rushed forth. He kept his mind from what she’d told him, compartmentalizing until he could let his rage out later. Lucky for Randy, he was dead. Lucky for Carter, he was also dead.

As for Linds…

Jaeger leaned forward, trapping her body between his and the wall as he splayed his palms over the dewy tiles. Tilting her chin up, she kept her eyes on his, but that poor porcelain doll face of hers was so lost, so anguished. Leaning further in and down, he rested his forehead against hers, surprised when she let him. She was always so skittish, but now he understood why. And for all she’d told him tonight, he had a sinking feeling there was still so much more darkness in her soul that needed to be coaxed out and freed.

She needed him. She needed a demon slayer. Needed a man strong enough to see her past and love her despite it, needed a man who ran toward danger instead of fleeing like most. Jaeger knew he could and would be that man for her. He would keep her flighty tendencies in line, would allow her to rage and lash out as she healed, would bring her back down a few notches with a strong, loving hand, and would meet her rebuffs with a showering of affection.

He knew she lovedBeauty and the Beast. He knew she liked Nutella on a spoon and a bowl of buttery popcorn topped with parmesan cheese. He even knew her favorite kind of ice cream—mint chocolate chip. He thought it was disgusting, but he’d not say anything about that. He’d studied her before he’d come for her, and all of her quirks and likes and dislikes made her who she was to him; an innocent woman the world had tossed around like a battered soccer ball. She would heal in time, but they had much to do before they could sit back and breathe easy.

As for tonight, it was just going to be them and nothing else in the world.

Reaching up, he pressed his thumb to her bottom lip, aching to slip it between her teeth and swirl it along her tongue, but he had to refrain. She needed a break from his advances, and he was willing to give her that. Her eyes wavered with more tears, balancing between fear and despair.

He smirked, removing his hand.

“I still scare ya, huh?”

Mutely, she clamped her jaw and nodded.

“I’m here for ya, Mais. Here to help, here for the long run. Know you don’t understand it, but someday you will. And I’ll never raise my hand to ya, hurt ya like they did. I promise.”

“Why…” she croaked, clearing her throat. “Why were ya at that party? Did you…know them?” she whispered, her brows tilting up in the middle, her cheeks and eye lashes capturing the mist of the shower, making it look like diamonds danced on her priceless face.

He frowned. He couldn’t tell her he was Lindsay’s brother—not yet. Not until after this storm had settled, not until he’d had time alone to think on what he was going to do. Because—believe it or not—Jaeger knew he had to change his plans, now. Linds was guilty, had scarred his woman, and Jaeger couldn’t let that go unpunished.

“Yeah, doll, I knew ‘em. But enough about that, alright?” he said, the tone of his voice cutting off room for anymore questions. Her eyes watered more, but she nodded. To distract her, he leaned away and reached for his loofah and body wash.

Sudsing up the loofa, he heard her little snort.

“Shea butter body wash?” she asked, a note of incredulity to her angelic voice. His eyes finding hers, he smirked, holding the foaming poof between his big, tattooed hands.

“Surprised?” he teased. A small smile lifted her ruby lips, and she shrugged, an air of sassiness about her—the very same attitude he’d seen the first night he saw her. It made his cock bob with a surge of desire.

“You’re just this big, scary man…and you have a loofa and moisturizing body wash,” she said, stifling a laugh. Answering her with a smirk, he made a motion for her to turn around. Crimson bled across her cheeks like spilled wine on a tablecloth, and that fear shrank her pupils to pinpoints, but she obeyed.

“I am a big, scary man,” he agreed when she faced the tiles again. “But I can be your big, scary man if ya let me,” he whispered, leaning in so his chest met her shoulders, his lips at her ear. She shuddered in response, and over her shoulder his gaze found her hardened nipples, such a luscious shade of deep pink, and so small and dainty.

Wrapping her in a bear hug from behind, he clasped the loofa again in front of her, sudsing it more and bringing it to her flat stomach. Lurching away on contact, her backside became fully pressed to his front, and she let out a whimper of fright. Trapped. She felt trapped, he remembered.

“Let me show ya, Mais, what it would be like to be with me,” he urged gently, cleansing her front but being clinical about it. He felt her relax. Taking his time, his strong hands gentle as could be, he washed her from head to toe, as reverent as a saint. And when they were done, he wrapped her in his most fluffy towel and carried her to his bed.

“Stay,” he said, naked as can be as he stalked back to the bathroom to retrieve his first aid kit. When he returned, she was shivering, the droplets of water from her long hair dripping down her chest and disappearing into her cleavage. Dropping to his knees, he popped the top on the lid and rummaged around, finding a nasty pair of long tweezers with pointed ends meant for digging things out of skin.

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