Page 103 of Coerced

“Sex, yes. Cherishing, no. Nothing even close.”

My eyebrows flew up.

“You say ‘sex’ like it’s disgusting.”

“When you’re forced into it with no choice about who it’s with, itisdisgusting,” he growled. “That’s why I can’t stand being touched.”

My eyes flew open.

“Kerry—”

“Demons ain’t too much about consent. I never wanna have sex again. Idowanna try to cherish her, though.”

How much this kid has suffered!

“Kerry, you’re a victim of every kind of abuse. You need to talk to a counselor or something, someone who can actually help you. Notme.”

“I talk to Warden and Jax a lot.” He nosed the car into the motel parking lot. “My friend, Chessie Catt, helps me sometimes. And my angel knows everything. It seemed right to tell her.”

“Is she aware of your scars?”

“I told you she came to heal me after the exorcism, when the wardens had me stripped down to my boxers. And she healed the worst of the scarring on my back and I’ve taken my shirt off like a dozen times for her to fix one thing or another. She said—”

He stopped talking and his knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel.

“What did she say?” I asked.

“My choices are all that matter. That’s all I’m responsible for, not stuff I was forced to do.”

He glanced at me, his eyes pained and questioning, as if he wanted me to confirm that.

“She’s right,” I told him. “Why would a slave be responsible for the actions of his master? Likewise, why would a slave allow his master to continue to control him after he was freed?”

“Hmm.” He put the car in park, then dropped his head. “I guess it may not even matter anymore. We were taking it one day at a time. I dunno what’ll happen when I get her back. She may not want me in her life anymore.”

“I doubt that.” One side of my mouth went up. “Very much. She probably wants to get back to you as much as you want to find her.”

“Maybe.” He turned his face to look out the window. “Still, I wouldn’t blame her for kicking me to the curb. I’ve always known I’m too broken for someone like her.”

“That’s why you two work so well together as a couple,” I disagreed. “She’s a healer. Repairing the broken is what she does.”

Surprise flared in his eyes, and I nodded.

More food for thought.

When he reached up to switch off the ignition and pull the key, I caught sight of a jagged white scar on his wrist. A wave of shame hit me right as he looked over.

“You look sick.” He sighed. “I understand. I don’t want pity, and it’s okay if you don’t wanna be my fr—”

“No, youdon’tunderstand,” I interrupted. “I’m sickened by what you went through and for how long. And because I used to think— Look, I didn’t know you then, and over at the college, all we heard were rumors. I wasproudbecause only a warrior could be so strong to endure that for a decade and be able to survive the exorcism. I never once thought about what you were forced to endure, and now it sickens me that I could think that.”

“Aw, don’t worry about that crap.” He waved a hand in dismissal. “But, uh, not everybody needs to know what we were talking about.”

“I won’t tell your secrets. And I’m glad we’re getting to know each other. I want to be friends.”

“Are you being sentimental?” He tilted his head and stared at me with earnest eyes.

“Maybe a little.” I smiled and got out of the car.

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