Page 62 of Rescue Us

She took a breath, looking up at the ceiling. With some maneuvering, she pulled her t-shirt up her torso and over her head before throwing it to the floor behind her.

Her breasts were full, her nipples hard. She was small around the middle with a slender figure.

Reaching out, I brushed my thumb over her nipple.

Her breath caught, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

I just need a second,she signed, her fingers moving over the words slowly, almost like she was hesitating or didn’t want me to actually see her completely.

“I’ll sit here and look away. You let me know when you’re ready for me to see you.” I kept my head turned, waiting for her permission to look at her.

Ainsley shifted on the bed, her bottoms coming into my line of sight. They landed on the floor in front of me, forcing all air from my lungs.

Before I could look at her, I slid out of my pants and waited.

***

(Ainsley)

Cyrus sat on the edgeof the bed, completely naked, and waited.

The fact that as soon as I stripped for him and he never looked like I assumed he would, made this respect I had for him grow even more.

I moved to my knees, shuffling closer to him. When my front pressed up against the side of his arm, I leaned forward and placed a soft peck on his shoulder.

Cupping his jaw, I turned his head to face me. To look at me. To see me for me. In all of my broken, scarred beauty.

His dark eyes roamed down the length of me, his jaw clenching the lower his gaze went. “What happened?” he bit out.

I knew he was seeing things I had never shown anyone. He was seeing parts of me that had been hidden ever since I woke up in that hospital bed nearly two years ago.

My throat went dry, unable to figure out how to tell him what happened to me.I haven’t always worked at The Dove Project. I was first brought there nearly two years ago as a survivor.

“Did they get theirs?” Cyrus all but growled.

My eyes widened at the rage seeping off of him. I shook my head.Not all of them. Some escaped. Some were caught and ended up in jail. Some were shot and killed on the spot. Some played it off like they were victims too. I want to tell you more. I want to tell you everything. But right now, I just want to feel you. I want to feel normal, Cyrus. Just for a little bit at least. But I also want you to know that I can’t feel much anymore. Not physically.

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