Page 12 of Scarred Bride

I lift the edge of the blanket and draw it over him.

Heath rolls onto his side, taking me into his arms, and tucks my head beneath his jaw like all those times when we were kids and something bothered or frightened me.

I gulp down a sob and bury my face against his chest, breathing in the scent of him that I missed so, so much.

Chapter V

Serenity

The heat emanating from the fire warms my bare skin from behind, and from the front, Heath’s body keeps me toasty.

This moment feels surreal. I never thought I’d ever see Heath or any of the Connollys again. Even though I’ve always kept tabs on them. Heath because I cared, and his brothers because they’ve always felt like family to me.

More family than Nathaneverhas been.

From early days, my brother has been difficult. He’s always been able to find the tiny crack in my shell to pry apart and slip a sharp blade inside. He knows how to wound with words better than anyone I’ve ever met. And believe me, I’ve spent time around some major assholes.

Especially after Dad turned on the Connollys.

I skip off the dark path of my thoughts. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I’m not scared.

Heath can protect me from the world. Being locked in his arms means he’s willing to do just that.

I might not be afraid of the world at this very moment, but I am afraid of what’s to come. After this is all over and the Stepanovs are off my tail, I know Heath will walk out of my life without a backward glance.

For now, he’s here with me.

He got me away from those who would hurt me.

I’m not a fool. I know the sex was only that—raw lust. Heath doesn’t have feelings for me. If all I get is a few more minutes to spend in his company, I’ll take it. I missed him so damn much.

His body pressing against my naked flesh has my body stirring all over again. God, I’ve never had sex like this before. So raw and primal and completely, utterly excellent. My lower belly flutters with the pent-up desire I’ve been locking up all these years. Now that Heath has flung that door wide open, I don’t know how to stop these feelings of desire.

Suddenly I realize that the emotions I experienced for Heath as a teenager are much, much different now. Back then, I loved how he looked and talked and walked. I couldn’t wait to see him again.

After all this time, my feelings have become just as raw and primal as the sex was.

I’m sure everything I’m experiencing is tangled up with fear. After all, my brother barged into my apartment to tell me he’s sold me to the mobsters he owes money to.

I open my eyes and my gaze meets the warm wall of muscle in front of me. I drink in the inked lines of tattoos marking every free inch of Heath’s skin. I know he’d never get ink for no reason, and each and every line means something to him.

His blond hair swoops over his forehead, and his eyes are closed, but I sense he’s not asleep. I take the opportunity to memorize his rugged features, imprinting the new, more manly look of him on my brain.

I might have always known where he lives in this city—that’s how I found him tonight. But that doesn’t mean I’ve set eyes on him.

Now that we’ve slept together, things are even more complicated. Have I hopped from the frying pan into the…fire?

I have no idea what to do now that I’ve embedded myself back into Heath’s life, but it’s coming with some regrets. I’m not stupid—I know men don’t view sex the same way women do. To them, it’s release and nothing more.

And him lying beside me is only the physical need for rest.

Thoughts swirl in my head like a stiff January wind sweeping up trash on the Detroit streets and sending it flying into the gutters. Maybe now that I’m away from my hometown, I can take things from here. The Stepanovs will have a harder time tracking me down. I can slip over the state line and keep on trucking until my current life is nothing but a speck in a rearview mirror.

Heath says the Stepanovs have long arms and will hunt me down. But we can’t stay here in this charming, cozy cabin forever even if it does fill my girly heart with glee.

What will he want to do now?

He must have some plan but I doubt he’ll share it with the enemy’s daughter.

---