Page 71 of Love Bites Extra Hard

She lowered her cheek to my chest.

She wasn’t agreeing to stop arguing with me, but shewasputting her weapons down for the time being. And that was more than enough for now.

I carried her back into the shower.

“How’s the water?” I asked her, ignoring the sting of it against my skin.

“Cold.” She reached out and adjusted it.

Thankfully, the temperature raised to a manageable lukewarm.

Her eyes closed as the water rolled over us. Neither of us spoke or moved as we waited for the dried blood to soften.

Finally, she murmured, “I’m still furious with you, and I’m not letting go of the way you kept the truth from me. But thank you for saving my life.”

Some of the tension in my chest eased, just a little. “Thank you for not dying on me.”

I grabbed the bar of soap nearby, and rubbed it between my hands before I ran one slowly over her back. She sighed as I cleaned her skin.

“You need to feed,” I said, still rubbing her back.

“I don’t want to feed from you.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“That’s rich, coming from you.”

“I didn’t lie.”

“You misled me. Repeatedly.”

I made a noise of disagreement.

“You let me think I could end up fated with the unmated guys if I met them.”

“I would’ve had to kill them if they flirted with you.”

“That was literally misleading. And you told me that you would throw anyone who hit on your mate out the window, which clearly insinuated that I wasn’t your mate. Not to mention all the times I said we were just casual, and you didn’t correct me. Or all the timesyousaid we were casual. I recall something aboutcasual biting.” She lifted her narrowed eyes to mine.

I eased her chest away from mine, letting the water run over our skin as I grabbed the soap again.

She stole it from me. “You don’t get to touch my tits anymore.”

“I was going to take whatever you were willing to give me, Ave. Wewerecasual, because you weren’t committed to me, and I didn’t expect you to be.”

“You said you would let me go back to Vamp Manor.”

“I would’ve,” I growled.

“Would’ve?”

“Yes, I would’ve. Before I fell in love with you, and before I almost watched you die. Now, I’m not letting you go.” I grabbed the soap back and scrubbed the bar over my chest. “And Iamgoing to wash your tits, because you can’t see your own wounds. When you’re fully healed and I have the physical proof that you’re okay, I’ll respect the distance you want to put between us.”

She glared at me, but didn’t argue as I set her down on her feet and began slowly cleaning her skin.

Her legs shook, so I set a hand on her back for support. She gritted her teeth against the pain, but finally grabbed my arm to hold herself up.

“How did you see this playing out?” she asked, her jaw still clenched. “You must’ve had a plan.”

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