Page 178 of Pucking Obsessed

Plus, when I’ve wobbled, as my ankle has risked giving way, Grayson has skated closer to me, covering my weakness from the rival players.

Despite the agony in my ankle, the exhaustion, and the pressure, there’s still nowhere that I’d rather be than on the ice.

I feel freest here.

After the terror of last night, I need to feel like I’m in control again. And I’m in control here on the rink because I’m flying above the world.

I’m skating so fast that I can never be caught by the monsters of my past…or the ones of last night, when they clawed into my present.

When Eden staggered through the gates of the mansion out to the car, supporting D’Angelo, his arm was soaked in blood.

My stomach swooped. My chest was tight. Bile rose up my throat.

Eden carried into the Room, bruised and bloodied and not moving… Sitting with him for hours afterwards, holding him in my arms… Having no idea whether my brother was dead or alive…

Stuck in the flashback to my childhood at the sight of the blood on my brother, I shook.

I don’t remember the journey home.

The next thing I do remember, was being warm in bed with Robyn spooning me. She was stroking my arms like she needed the touch as much as I did.

I watched Eden helping D’Angelo to remove his shirt. D’Angelo’s face was shuttered, and he was biting his lip to try and not make a sound.

He was ashen.

But I knew what someone looked like who’d taken a beating.

D’Angelo flinched, no matter how gently Eden removed his shirt. His shoulders were still like he was afraid to move them.

D’Angelo scanned the bed, as if to check that I was asleep. I hurriedly closed my eyes and slowed my breathing. I waited a minute, before opening my eyes again.

Then I bit my lip to hold back the gasp.

D’Angelo’s back was turned to me, as he started to follow Eden out into the corridor.

His back was a nightmare of bruises, abrasions, and cuts.

Had Heine never used a whip before?How dare he hit my Sir?

The whip had been wielded inexpertly with lashes crossing, which had broken skin. It had also struck dangerously close to D’Angelo’s kidneys, which could have caused long-term damage.

The bloody bastard hadn’t known how to do it without causing serious damage.

Even Blythe, who’d often left me black and blue, had known what parts of my back were safe to strike or not.

My eyes smarted with tears.

Horrified, I struggled up onto my elbows.

“Clean and disinfect his back, Dee.” I was desperate to do it myself. Fuck Heine for drugging me so that I couldn’t care for my boyfriend. Finally, I understood D’Angelo’s need to give me aftercare. I longed to be the one to soothe him now. It hurt to watch Eden lead him away to the bathroom instead. At least I’d been whipped enough to know what helped. I didn’t care that D’Angelo probably knew it already from the dom’s point of view. I needed to feel like I was helping. “Apply an ice pack. Then use aloe vera and arnica.”

Eden glanced over his shoulder and nodded.

“And make sure that you disinfect and bandage the scratches on your wrist as well, bro.”

D’Angelo carefully turned back to me with a grimace. “Pretending to sleep, huh? Feeling well enough to be a bad boy, cucciolo?”

Bad boy?

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