Page 4 of Only Everything
She pulled the covers back, climbing under my blankets and holding around me. Her body was trembling. She was shaking so badly that it drew me from the grogginess that kept trying to pull me under.
“I have an aunt in Virginia. I don’t know her but?—”
My head reared back as I pried her away so that I could look over at her. “What are you talking about? You’re notthinking of leaving…are you?”
“I can’t take anymore?—”
I sat up, flipping on my bedside lamp as protectiveness merged with rage. My eyes weren’t even adjusted as my hands began inspecting.
“If that motherfucker?—”
“Shh, Reid, please. You have to be quiet. If he hears you—if he comes?—”
Blinking hard, I willed her into focus, scanning her face, turning her head back and forth so I could see the sides of her cheeks and neck. I moved further down, pulling back the collar on her tee. She practically lived in oversized shirts, but this one was mine. It was more fitted than the others. It had my hands slowing and me swallowing hard as I realized just how tight it was against her with how she was laying. I could see her curves and the shape of her breasts. The shirt was so short, I could even see the pale pink panties covering the one thing I tried not to think about.
“Fuck. I…I don’t see anything. You can’t leave, Taur. I won’t let him hurt you anymore.”
“You already said that months ago. It’s not your fault this keeps happening. He’s not getting better; he’s getting worse. You had plans for your future, and you’ve already delayed them time and time again. It’s making Daddy…it’s—You have to leave, Reid. I’m in my senior year now. I can finish school in Virginia. I’ll be safer there.”
“Fuck that. I’m not going to leave you to run off to some stranger’s house, nor am I going to leave my mom here unprotected with that piece of shit. I’m going to confront him. This has to stop.”
“Confront him? Reid, please, you can’t. Think about your mom. She doesn’t deserve this. …Think about me. He’ll kick you out for sure, and then we’re both trapped here without you anyway. He’s desperate for a reason now that you’ve been out of school. He doesn’t care that you’ve been working. Don’t give him an excuse.”
“You have no idea what you’re asking me. I’m on the verge of killing him. I can’t—I fucking won’t sit by anymore?—”
“I think I have a plan.”
Seconds passed and I nodded, focusing back on her. “Where did he hurt you?”
The tears filled Tauren’s eyes, but they didn’t fall. She reached for the hem of the shirt, slowly easing it up. My heart was racing. My breaths turned deep. I tried keeping the lust at bay with the amount of fury filling me but seeing her lift her shirt made it impossible. My mind knew that it was wrong, but my hands didn’t listen. Neither did the guilt. The pale blue cotton stopped at the underside of her breasts, and she rubbed her fingers over the upper and inner portion of her ribs.
Lowering, my eyes strained, and I shook my head.
“It’s slightly red.” My fingers eased over the two welts I could make out. “I don’t see any bruising.”
“I guess I got lucky this time.”
Tauren’s lips were parted, and her lids were dropping as she stared up at me hovering above. I laid back down beside her, but my hand didn’t move. Was I still tracing over her skin? Moving to brush against the underside of her breast. Fuck, I was, and I couldn’t stop as I kept her stare. When Tauren’s legs drew up with her knees bent, I had to stop myself from reaching down to touch her.
“What happened? Why did he hurt you?”
“I…don’t remember anymore.” She reached up, grabbing my hand to slide under her shirt so that I’d be over her breast. “Reid…please.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“I do. Reid.”
My fingers flexed but they didn’t move—not out of her shirt but not reaching in to tease her nipple either. I held still.
“You’re upset.”
“And I want you to make me better.”
“You don’t want that. You don’t…want me.”
Tauren bit against her bottom lip, turning on her side to face me. She lifted, easing in to press her lips against mine, only to pull back but stay close.
“I do want you.” Fingers grasped around my cock through my boxers. I moaned, moving forward, bringing my face closer to hers. “It’s always been us, Reid. It’ll always be us.”
