Page 50 of Assassin's Mark
“Roslyn.”
The blow was almost as hard as thinking Levi had done it. No matter how muchof a jerk my only parent was, I still, deep down, wanted to believe he wouldn’t hurt me, wouldn’t humiliate me. I couldn’t resist a denial. “No.”
Eli didn’t say anything else. Neither did Levi; he simply held me tighter. That was when I knew it was true.
“Why?” I whispered against the soft cotton of Levi’s shirt.
I felt a hitch in his chest as he went to speak, then stopped himself. But I neededto know.
“Tell me, Levi.”
His sigh felt cool against my tear-wet cheeks. “My bet? It’s more alibi building. A plausible reason for your disappearance that isn’t criminal. You return home, and it’s all a spontaneous, youthful fling.”
The current beneath his words told me there was more. “And if I don’t return home?”
Levi’s pecs pushed against me as he sucked in a breath. “Then he can pointthe finger at a third party. The jilted fiancé.”
I fisted my hand in the material at the base of his spine, forcing back a denial at the wordfiancé. Levi knew the truth about that by now; I didn’t have to point it out. And really, did it matter anymore? Did anything?
“I don’t know who I am anymore,” I whispered.
“You’re Abby. You’re strong. You’re…”
I wanted to hear that last word, hear whatwas in his mind, how he truly saw me. This man had been the catalyst that had thrown me out of the only life I’d known, shoved me into circumstances I could never have foreseen. He’d slept with me, fought with me, fed me…forced me. How could he see me as strong?Ididn’t see me as strong. But I wanted to believe he did. I wanted it with everything inside me.
“All those people…” Even if they hadblurred out the most private parts of the images, so many people had seen them, surmised what was blocked out, peeked into a part of me they now thought was the truth, whether it was or not. “I can never face them again.” Nor could I go back home. Even if my father hadn’t done the things I now knew he’d done, nothing would ever be the same. And what good was I as a hostess when all the guests hadseen me naked?
Levi didn’t answer, and a part of me was grateful. There was no easy answer. My life was in pieces, and superglue wasn’t going to put them back together. I was beginning to think nothing could.
And then Levi’s hand went from my back to my thigh, scooted me that much closer to him, and desire flashed from his touch to my core. It could be the end of the world, and still, Levi’stouch would set me on fire.
Maybe there was one small part of me that didn’t need to be put back together.
I gathered my legs beneath me, shifted until I could straddle Levi’s lap. His eyes were dark, troubled, his face drawn—for me? I tried hard not to believe it; the Levi who’d held me and rocked me was an anomaly, a glitch in time, though one I didn’t want to see disappear. So I closed myeyes and put my mouth on his.
The kiss was hot, deep. It went on and on until finally I had to surface for air. Levi breathed heavily beneath me.
“Abby?”
I didn’t want to talk anymore, or think, or worry; I wanted to forget. For just a little while, I wanted it all to go away. Levi was good at that.
“Abb—”
I settled a finger against those full lips. “Levi…don’t. Just don’t.” I stroked overthe supple skin, over the rasp of stubble on his chin, down to the throbbing pulse in his throat. “Don’t say anything but yes.”
Levi shifted his hips, and a solid ridge rubbed against my core. Sparks of desires shot through me. When he grasped the back of my neck and pulled me close, I let him. Warm breath bathed my mouth, and it was hunger that darkened his eyes now. Pure, hot, beautiful hunger.
I ran the tip of my tongue over his bottom lip and met his eyes. Lifted an eyebrow in inquiry.
Levi slid his hand from my nape to my breast, cupping me in his palm. “Yes, little bird.”
