Page 112 of Brutal Obsession

A shiver pules over me. I don’t want to be alone with myself right now.

Why would anyone else want to be?

Cian mops my face once more, and when my vision clears, I catch his eyes with mine. He stares at me like the sight hurts him.

It hurts me too.

Fear and dysmorphic shame are strangling the life out of me, but the pain stops. It can’t reach me when Cian’s eyes are on mine.

“What is it?” His voice is urgent. “What do you need?—”

“A doctor examined me, right?” At his cautious nod, I wet my dry lips and gather my courage. “Did they check to see if…did Enzo…could the doctor tell if he did anything else to me while I was asleep?”

Comprehension dawns on Cian’s face. His eyes squeeze shut before he opens them and grabs both of my hands. “Honey, no. There’s no reason at all to suspect that anyone touched you in that way. I promise.”

A trickle of relief washes the worst of my fears away. Enzo still violated me, but at least not likethat.

I inflate my lungs and summon my courage again. “Make love to me.”

At first, he gawks as if I asked him to round up some friends for a quick orgy. Then, his expression softens. “Harper,” he says in a tender tone.

“Please?” My voice sounds all wrong, like a stranger is speaking through my mouth.

Maybe I’ll never sound like myself ever again.

Oh, god.

“You’re in no condition for that.” Cian shakes his head, frustration clear in the tightness around his eyes. “After what I…you and me…I can’t. It would be wrong.”

Cian’s words throw me down like a porcelain dinner plate. My heart shatters.

He’s saying that after what just happened, we’re over?

He’s not interested in me anymore?

I knew our dynamic would end. God knows, though, that this is nothow I ever envisioned it happening. I didn’t expect things to end this soon, and I sure asfuckdidn’t expect this much hurt.

This is like the moon falling out of the sky, like stars going black.

A guarantee of dark nights to come.

I managed to stop crying a second ago, but now I’m breaking down all over again.

Pretty soon, I’ll dehydrate myself from crying alone.

Cian’s rejection lays waste to what’s left of me.

“Harper?” Concern softens his tone even more. “What is it? Do you need a doctor?”

“I’m contaminated.” Sobs shake my chest with pain.

He stills. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s true.” I hiccup.

The shame isimmense.I hook my arm over my eyes and stuff my puffy face into the bend of my elbow to hide.

“You’re not making sense?—”

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