Page 114 of The Young & the Sinner

Mason

My heart was still poundinghard inside my chest, even with her in my arms.

I tried to remember everything I had said or done that would scare her, but perhaps I was too far in my head to take the care and consideration she needed.

I was a bastard.

Her small voice, asking me not to enter her, still rang clearly in my mind. I never wanted to hear that quiet distress I heard in her voice ever again.

And I won’t.

I would make sure of it.

I didn’t know if this was the right decision, to stop fighting my feelings for her. A part of me felt guilty for even daring to hold an angel in my arms, but the other part of me—the bigger part—was ecstatic she was here.

The thought of her going to other men… no, not other men, but boys, to teach her all about pleasure was enough to make me want to ram my fist into a wall.

I didn’t want anyone to touch her.

My arms tightened around her unconsciously, and she wiggled a little against me, peeking up at me beneath her eyelashes.

I met those chocolate-colored eyes of hers, feeling myself swaying a bit. She had the kind I could easily get lost in.

So fucking precious.

I had the world’s greatest treasure in my arms.

When she offered a small, shy smile, it took everything in me not to capture her lips with mine and devour her whole.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry about her question. I frowned instead. “I think I should be asking you that. Did I scare you?”

She shook her head, and the relief that coursed through me was so strong, I was almost shaking with it

“Thank fuck.”

She cupped my cheek and brought my eyes back to her. “Nothing about you scares me, Mason. I was just a little bit lost in my thoughts there, that’s all. I’m sorry for freaking you out.”

“Hey, don’t ever apologize to me for voicing feelings. I want to know everything. And I would never be angry with you for asking me to stop. I would rather cut off my own arm than ever make you feel the same way Lorenzo made you feel.”

She smiled again, this one bigger than the last. “I know that. Thank you. I just…”

She trailed off and looked down. And I got the feeling she was ashamed about something. I lifted her chin until she looked at me once more. Where I could see those expressive eyes of hers.

“What is it?”

“Sorry. I just wish I wasn’t so broken up over what happened this summer.”

Anger coursed through me, and I wanted to beat the shit out of Lorenzo once again. The bastard deserved to rot at whatever hellhole they were keeping him in. And I was going to fuck his life up. That was a promise.

“Listen to me, sweetheart. I wished you never had to experience that. It kills me just thinking about all you went through before Max and I showed up at the house. But it happened. It just doesn’t have to define you. One day, you’re going to heal. You won’t be so broken up about it anymore. You’re going to enjoy a nice and intimate life, and everything will be okay.”

And if I had anything to say about it, that life would be shared with me.

I caught one of her toothy grins before she leaned in close and captured my mouth with hers. I held still, letting her control the kiss the way she wanted. She didn’t take it any further than the hard press of her lips against mine, and when she pulled away, her eyes were a little glazed. I loved my effect on her.

“Can I clean you up?” I asked quietly. Perhaps what we had done before was a little too much for her. And what she needed was aftercare. I might be able to offer that to her. Though, I didn’t have a lot of experience with it.

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