Page 21 of Destined By Dragonblood
Regardless of his attempts at coercion, she’d told her parents of the assault, and blinded by their faith, they didn’t believe her. Not realizing others outside the church would have listened and advocated for her, Ashley had chosen to keep quiet and count down the days until she was old enough to leave what she realized a few years later was a cult.
The man hadn’t physically come after her again before graduation, and she’d escaped without further trauma. However, twice in the following year, he’d managed to get in contact with her through different social media platforms. She’d finally deleted her online presence and changed her cell number.
Still, the effects of the assault lingered, the reasons for her hard limits. Physical arousal hadn’t been possible until I’d gifted her the pain she required to lower her mental defenses, and anytime someone of the opposite sex intentionally touched her without permission, she had flashbacks of what she had survived. Thus, the reason for the no skin-on-skin limit.
The traumatizing tale had me cringing, raging to rip that fucker’s head from his body. I longed to hold her again, erase the memories of how he’d hurt her, but I sat, empty glass on the coffee table, hands on my thighs.
“I’m sorry for spewing all this shit on you,” she whispered, rubbing over her arms, gaze on her lap.
“Don’t be,” I said, my tone low. “I’m here for you, Ashley—no matter what for or when, okay?”
A tentative smile curved her lips, and she nodded. “Thank you. You’re one of the few people I trust.”
I didn’t need to imagine why.
She retrieved a pillow and blanket from the linen closet, bringing them to me where I remained seated. “Can I get you anything before I try to get some sleep?”
“I’m good, but thank you.”
She nodded and straightened her fleece top. “See you in the morning.” Ashley slipped back down the hallway, arms wrapped around her center, shoulders hunched in on herself.
I lounged on the couch as promised, reliving her story and searching through my feelings. What she’d told me intensified the growing attraction and desire for connection even more.
There was no way I could let Ashley go. If that meant another broken heart, so be it.
She needed me as much as I did her, and I was willing to sacrifice whatever was necessary to help us both feel whole again.
Chapter 6
Dolyn
The Mercedes out front of Ashley’s condo hadn’t been there when I’d left the night before once she’d locked herself away after getting home from work.
I eyed the dark, sleek car, evidence of its owner’s wealth, wondering who visited at so early of an hour. The sun had barely crested the horizon, and I waited in cloaked form for her to leave for Manhattan.
Sleep had eluded me the night before thanks to my inner beast, who’d grown restless again. He had begged for the chance to submit our physical form to pain once more, lamenting the loss of bruises and aches from ass to thighs from Vanni’s cane.
My human skin grew itchy as well, and I moved from where I leaned against a light post across from Ashley’s condo. A short walk landed me beside the Mercedes, and I perched my bare ass on the cold metal of its hood facing her front door, arms and ankles crossed.
Part of me hoped whoever owned the car visited someone on the street other than my female, but I doubted it. Why park directly in front of her door otherwise?
My insides twisted into a knot that caused my forehead to furrow.
Inner dragon thoroughly muzzled thanks to his grumbling since I’d crawled into bed last night, I waited for Ashley. A trash truck approached and grew louder with every stop closer, deepening my frown. The stench of garbage wafted like putrid fumes as the truck idled beside the Mercedes. Two guys hopped off the back to grab bags left on either side of the road, completely ignorant of the naked, cloaked shifter feet away.
I snorted at their weakness, the lesser blood flowing through their veins making them impervious to the dangerous predator who could incinerate their bodies with a mere wisp of dragon flame.
Eventually, the truck turned off Walnut Street, the air clearing and sounds fading.
Dogs barked.
A baby shrieked while being buckled into its car seat off to my right.
The vehicle beneath me beeped twice, and the engine turned on thanks to a remote start.
My focus glued to Ashley’s closed blinds and the front door, uncaring of the car warming up under my ass or how the neighborhood woke around me.
She was running later than usual.
