Page 76 of Unforgivable

"And for you," I say.

He shakes his head. "Not for me. I thought I could... but I can't do that to you, Lyri. Not after that night. Not after what I did."

A very inappropriate laugh escapes me. His eyes return to me, shining with curiosity.

"I don't give a shit about what you did to me that night, Rhet."

He just blinks, waiting.

I amend my statement, "I remember you. You were... scary, but not cruel. I remember that much. You weren't cruel..." I pause, taking a breath, "some of them were, Rhet."

"I know," he says softly. Remembered anger swirls with guilt in his eyes. "Lyri, Angel, forgive me? Hate me, don't accept me, but forgive me?"

I think long and hard. This isn't easy for me. It's not a decision that I want to make for the wrong reasons or because I'm emotional. I want to be sure.

It feels like it happened ages ago. My plan that night so long ago never included what to do if I was caught. It didn't even occur to me to worry about being found out. Shit, I was so stupid.

I don't know if I will ever be able to forget... to put everything behind me. The pain... I was stripped and dragged into the forest and chained in silver. I was already in such pain, such fear, that Rhet only registered through the agony because of those burning blue eyes. Sometimes I wish I had died, that I could have welcomed the darkness and just forgotten everything.

But I didn't die. I survived because Rhet saved me. Thjis and Ezra... it wasn't their idea to go there that night. They would have stayed home on the ranch that night, never knowing that a female was being torn apart in the forest. Their lives would have continued in ignorance while mine was snuffed out. Rhet prevented that from happening. Right or wrong, he's the one I truly owe my life to.

"I forgive you."

He walks to the bed and kneels next to me, taking my hands in his. "Are you sure you forgive me?"

"Yes," I tell him, simply. "You hurt me, but you also saved my life. Tell me, Rhet, would you ever have taken a female against her will under other circumstances?"

"Never," he replies promptly.

"I believe you. And," I take a deep breath. "I don't hate you. And... I want you to be a part of this... deal. It's something I've already decided."

He looks at me steadily. He's like me, this male, always thinking, planning. Rhet is the brother who will do the unpleasant thing for the good of his family. I can respect that.

"Later?"

I shake my head at him. "Now. I don't want to wait anymore."

His face breaks into a smile. "Tell me if I'm scaring you. Any time you want, I'll stop."

“Leave the lights on?” I whisper. I tug at his hands. It's time.

Our mouths meld together. His hands are calloused, not as gentle as Thjis, but somehow he still touches me with care. Rhet seems intent on exploring every inch of my body, and I let him. Every touch, every caress, melts away some of those deep-seated fears that I am somehow just undesirable. As my passion grows, he becomes almost out-of-control.

"This way," he grunts out, laying me down so that he's pressed against my back. I wiggle against him, a little confused at the odd position. It's like he's spooning me, but his thick flesh is jutting up into my backside.

"So you don't remember... my eyes," he whispers in my ear.

My heart flips over. He's afraid that I'll be frightened. My sweet alpha-male.

He thrusts. I gasp. He's a big male. I know he's trying to be gentle, but it's so deep and thick, even the arousal I feel doesn't stop it from feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"It's so huge, Rhet," I warn him.

"Am I hurting you, Angel?" he asks me, panting into my shoulder.

"N-not really?"

"I'll wait. Fuck, I'll wait for you. Maybe... maybe we should stop?"

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