Page 113 of Brutal Obsession

“You don’t…”

“I don’twhat?” His fingertips ghost my forearm. “Look at me.”

“You don’t…want meanymore…after what Enzo did to me.” The words come out pitchy, breathless, and pathetic.

Even to me.

Of course Cian’s not interested in sleeping with me again.

Even if he were, he’s in no condition for it. He just rescued me from God knows how much peril. I don’t evenrememberour escape, but given the circumstances, it’s a miracle we’re both in one piece.

Cian glares and rakes his hands through his hair while pacing back and forth beside the bed.

I know asking for sex is ridiculous, but there’s something wrong with me. I can’t calm down.

I don’t care if my request is unreasonable.

I’m desperate to know that I’m okay, that I’m stillmyself, and Cian’s the only person who can help me prove it. He was the last one to see mealive. Finn and Riley saw me breathing, but Cian was the last one to seeme,the real, unhidden me, alive and well. Crazy as it seems, he might be the only person who can make me believe I’m still that person.

The truest version of who I am.

But I’ll never find out.

Because Cian doesn’t want to do this with me anymore?—

Cian stops pacing and hits me with a dark scowl. “When the fuck did I say that?”

He lunges, pinning my arms down at my sides with stunning speed and hulking over me on this giant mattress with a mix of incredulity, anger, and fear on his face.

My heart leaps at our sudden proximity, but there’s panic mixed in. Because my wrists… Cian’s restraining them with his hands, and I don’t want to think about the last time someone tied me down.

Though I fight the reaction, my body begins to tremble.

Hurt twists his features, and he releases me like my skin burned him. He removes himself from the bed and turns away. “I’ll let you sleep.”

That faraway tone in his voice further crushes my already broken heart.

Cian’s leaving. He’s already at the door when I dredge up the words.

“Please don’t go…” My lip quivers. This is fucking rock bottom. “I won’t…I won’t ask you to…touch me again, so please stay? I don’t want to be alone.”

Cian hesitates at the threshold. The muscles in his broad back tighten and release before he shuts the door.

The bleak expression on his face devastates me. “How could you ever believe that anything in this world could ever make me not want to touch you?It’s me. Don’t you see that? It’s my fault that you’re like this. Enzo got to you because of my failure.Myweakness.”

“W-what?”

“How can you ask me to…after I…” He drags a heavy hand down his face. “How can you wantme…after everything I put you through?”

Cian thinks that I…don’t wanthim?

He thinks the kidnapping ishis fault?

I’m gobsmacked.

“What are you saying?” My face scrunches together in disbelief and confusion. But Cian doesn’t explain any further. It’s like he can’t. He’s in too much pain, trapped under too much shame.

I know what that’s like.

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