Page 78 of Through The Woods

His eyes moved down my body and I shivered until his expression changed. His hands landed on my thighs, softly prying them open. I quickly realized why when he sputtered, “What happened to you, honey?”

I’d known that he would be repulsed; even I could barely stand the sight of them. I was reminded daily that my mistakes had cost me so much more than a college career.

Trying to change the subject, I exclaimed, “I just remembered—I never went back to check on Doc again.”

It was a pathetic diversion and we both knew it.

Charm shook his head. “I had one of the others take care of it. Now, tell me what happened.”

I froze, like an animal caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. The urge to run was overwhelming, but I owed him honesty, even if doing so meant confronting the ghosts of my past.

I swallowed even though my mouth had gone dry. “The night of the fire, I was there. My boyfriend and I were visiting my parents. I’d worked so hard to sober up because I wanted them to be proud of me—” My voice broke off in a strangled sob, but I fought it and regained control.

“Take your time, baby.” Charm was still laying casually on his side, his hands resting on my thighs. The pink and white scars were even more prominent against his tan skin.

I took several deep breaths before continuing, “It was hard, but I did it, and when we were there, it felt like things were back to normal. My boyfriend had never been to California before so we spent the week visiting the beach and our favorite restaurants.

“Our last night there, we went to bed. When I woke up, I was on the front lawn with burns on my legs. My boyfriend got me out of the house just as the entire thing went up. Our room was on the first floor—my parent’s—” I paused again. “My parent’s bedroom was upstairs. The firemen found them on the stairs. The smoke alarm had malfunctioned in the hallway outside their room and the fire spread so fast. They tried to escape, but couldn’t.”

Charm moved over me and wiped the tears from my face. “It’s okay, honey.” He murmured and I shook my head.

“No, it’s not okay. I’m the reason they’re not here right now.” The tears fell faster. I could drown in them, but the grief would remain. I was going to lose him, just like I’d lost them.

His eyes narrowed. “How was it your fault?”

“It was me. I started it. I had a cell phone that my parents had given me as a way to keep in touch and I always kept it plugged in and charging on the bed next to me when I fell asleep. They determined that the fire originated from my phone—it was right next to me. If Clint hadn’t gotten me out of there, I would’ve died with them.”

Charm put all of his weight on one arm and brought the other around my neck, pulling me into his chest. “Was Clint the same boyfriend who beat you?”

I nodded and explained how, after my parent’s deaths and dealing with the pain from the burns, I attempted to OD on blow. I told him how numbness was the only way I’d been able to live with what happened and the way that blow helped lessen the grief, if only temporarily. I confessed that drugs had woven their way through Clint, twisting and taking root until only the addict remained.

Then, I went through everything that happened to me the day I ended up in the woods, culminating with my rescue by Doc and the others.

Charm sat back on the bed. “That fucker’s a dead man. You tell me where he is, Neve. We’ll take care of it. You’re part of my family now, and no one crosses me and lives to tell about it.” His thoughts echoed those of Rooster, Joker, and Doc.

I love you.

The words got hung up in my throat.

He sank to his knees in front of me, running his fingers reverently across my thighs—worshipping that which I’d tried to keep hidden away. “You’re so fucking perfect,” he whispered as his mouth dropped down to my core. My eyelids fluttered closed and my head fell back as I melted against him.

Charm’s tongue lapped at my clit—destroying all rational thought and leaving me lightheaded.

More.

I needed more.

I sat up and took in the sight of his massive hands framing my thighs. It wasn’t his mouth that completely undid me; it was those hands. I’d felt it the first time he held mine under the guise of warming me up. They were daunting; I wouldn’t have been surprised to find out that he’d killed men with them.

That was just it though.

He’d had more than one opportunity to use those hands against me, but never once had he raised them in anger. Those hands had spoon fed me broth, wiped away my tears, and held me lovingly. Even now, his fingertips traced my scars while his mouth fought to bring me pleasure.

For the first time in a year, I ignored the way the scarring looked silver in the sunlight, and pushed Charm onto his back. He looked up at me in surprise as I settled on top of him, yet his hands slipped easily around my waist, holding me steady. I sank down onto him and we each gave a low groan.

I’d spent my entire life running—toward an unattainable goal or just away—but with him, I felt like I could stand still and just breathe. All of the obstacles that had come up against me were no match for my biker. Without words, we settled into a gentle rhythm; and with each thrust, he chased away the demons.

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