Page 43 of Corrupt Vows

More satiated than ever before, I slip into a doze only to jolt awake with the sound of screeching tires ringing in my ears.

I can’t risk having a nightmare with Serenity in my arms. The number of things I’ve broken in my sleep are too great, so I slowly extract myself from her grasp and stumble into the closet for a pair of sweats.

Her tiny frame barely makes a bump in the bed, but her slow and steady breathing assures me she’s sleeping soundly. I leave the room and walk down the hall in the dark until I reach the living room. The city skyline filtering in through the windows illuminates the space enough for me to pour a glass of whiskey, pull on my pants, and plop onto the couch without turning on a light.

After a few sips, my eyes get heavy, but a chill runs over my flesh.

I’d much rather be curled up with my curvypiccola principessa, but the thought of her big, vulnerable eyes looking up at me with so much trust keeps me firmly on the couch. I drain my glass, decide getting up for another isn’t worth it, and slip into a light sleep.

The glass slips from my fingers and lands on the thick rug with a muted thump. I jerk awake and wipe the fear sweat from my brow as I attune my senses to the bedroom down the hall. Serenity’s light snores ease the band around my chest.

I stand, pour another glass, and bring the bottle of whiskey to the coffee table on my way back to the couch. Two refills later, I set down my empty glass, stand, and stride to the window. The glow of the city and the smog hide the stars, but the sun won’t rise for several more hours. I stretch and decide to drink some water, but curse as my feet carry me down the hall. I turn and stomp to the kitchen. The fridge light blinds me. I snatch two water bottles, place one on the coffee table, and stalk into the bedroom, telling myself to look but not touch.

Her brows scrunch as she rolls toward me, but she doesn’t open her eyes. I place the water on the bedside table and retrieve the ibuprofen from the bathroom in case she needs some when she wakes.

When the urge to brush her hair away from her face becomes too great, I leave the room and pour another whiskey before draining it and the water. I lean back on the couch and watch the city until my exhaustion catches up with me.

My nightmares begin the moment I close my eyes. Tires screech. Metal crunches. The smell of gasoline fills my nostrils. My mother’s desperate last words as she pleads for me to rescue Nat. The seatbelt cutting into my chest. Pain. Natalie’s tiny little infant arms dangling from her upturned seat. The snap of bone as I unbuckle her and she falls on top of me. Smoke. Glass.

We won’t make it. I crawl faster and harder, but safety is too far away.

I snap awake and meet Serenity’s rich chocolate eyes. The first rays of sunlight streak along the wall behind her. I stay frozen, deceptively lounging on the couch as I push my nightmare to the back of my mind and regulate my breathing.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

I close my eyes, inhale through my nose, and savor her clean, feminine scent.

“That’s my line,principessa,” I say before smirking and opening my eyes.

The sight of her wearing my shirt steals my breath. I hook an arm around the back of her leg and pull her to me. She squeaks and falls into my lap.

I wrap my arms around her and fill my fist with her hair. She wriggles her arms free and brings her hands to my chest. At first, I think she’s following the designs of my tattoos, but then I realize she’s tracing the scars hidden underneath.

“Why are you out here and not in the bed?” she asks.

“Couldn’t sleep.”

She stills, and for a long moment, an awkward silence descends.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Her question catches me off guard. I pull her head back and tighten my arm around her.

“No, you didn’t.”

She takes a shuddering breath and studies my expression with worried eyes. I slide my hand down her back and cup her ass through my shirt.

“You wouldn’t have gotten a wink of sleep if I’d stayed in that bed with you,” I growl.

She stiffens and huffs a throatyoh.

I can’t resist.

Her gasp as I shift her on top of me and tilt my hips to grind my hard cock against her curves wakes the beast lurking in my soul. I smirk and nip her bottom lip.

“Are you too sore?” I ask.

Her breath washes over my lips.

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