Page 96 of Promise Me Forever

I dip my hand into the bath water and check the temperature. Shaking off the bubbles, I tell her it’s perfect and turn off the taps.

As I help her undress, I notice that she was wearing one of the outfits she used to wear to the office. “I had a job interview,” she says, looking down at the pile of soiled clothes. “I’ll have to burn those now.”

A job interview? Fuck. She really was thinking of leaving. But what could I expect after the way I behaved?

There’s a purple mark on her ribs, and she’s holding her hand to her side as though it’s tender. “I think I broke his nose. Then the other guy slammed me into the door and kicked me when I was down. I thought… Well, I thought it was going to be a lotworse, but after that, they drugged me. When I woke up, I was there, in that place. In the dark. They said it was something to do with you.”

My fury burns hot once more. “Me? They said that?”

She swallows. “They said that it was the man in my life they were interested in.” A shudder runs through her, and I pull her to me. My hands skim the bare skin of her shoulders, and her naked body melts into my embrace. I hate that for a single second she thought I’d ever allow anything like that to happen to her because of me, but her basically telling me I’m the only one who holds the title of “the man in her life” takes a little of the edge off. “It wasn’t me, mi rosa. Chad owed them some money.”

“Chad? But he’s … we’re …”

“I think he’s been telling people you were getting back together.”

She blinks up at me, her eyes wet with tears. “We’re not. You know that, right?”

I press a kiss on her forehead. “Yeah, I know that, baby.” Because you’re fucking mine. I don’t add that last part—for now. Her body’s still trembling, and I need to get her into the hot bath and take care of her, but we’ll get there.

“I was so scared, Drake,” she whispers.

“I know, baby. So was I. But it’s okay. You’re here with me now. You’re safe.”

I take her hand and help her into the bathtub. She sinks into the bubbles with a sigh and then submerges herself in the water completely. A few seconds later, she pops back up with a gasp. “That felt good.”

I perch on the edge of the tub. “You need anything else? I ordered some takeout, but it won’t be here for a while. Has to come all the way from Brooklyn.”

Her eyes light up. “You didn’t! You ordered Mario’s?” The childish gleam of delight on her face gives me hope.

“He’s even sending me some uncooked donut balls that can be deep-fried piping hot for you.”

Her mouth drops open. “He is not!”

“He sure is.”

“But he never does that. I mean, I know. I’ve asked.”

The sparkle in her eyes warms my heart. She’s so fucking beautiful, inside and out. Kidnapped, tied up, and slapped around, but she’s willing to accept that the world is a good place because of exploding donut balls.

I shrug. “I guess you just never asked him the right way.” By the right way, I mean a five thousand buck tip. Mario drives a hard bargain, but I’d pay him five million to see the smile on Amelia’s face right now. It would be worth every cent.

“Wow. Have I ever told you that I love you, Drake James?” She laughs, but then she freezes. She used to tell me that she loved me all the time. I never took it for granted and it always felt special, but our time apart taught me exactly how special it was. I hate the way she’s looking at me now, as though she thinks she made a mistake.

“You have,” I reply quickly. “But I can never hear it enough. I love you too, mi rosa, and whenever you’re ready, we can talk things through.”

She nods and casts her eyes down at the water. When she looks back up, her smile is back. “If we have an hour to wait until food, would you maybe like to get in here with me? It’s big enough for two.”

I tilt my head and study her features. Is she deflecting? Asking me to get in with her because she wants to avoid a difficult conversation? She knows that her naked body against mine is the surest way to distract me, even if we don’t have sex.

“Please?” she whispers, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

Fuck, how could I have been so stupid? She wants to be held. She wants to be reassured. Of course she fucking does—she was just held hostage for a whole day.

“Whatever you need, baby.” Hurriedly, I undress and slide into the space behind her. I drape her wet hair over her shoulder, wrap my arms around her, and let her settle. She sighs, her body relaxing into mine.

“How are you doing?” I ask.

“I’m okay, I think. Maybe it will hit me tomorrow or the next day, but for now, I’m just grateful and relieved. Is that weird?”

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