"I know. I'm a possessive man when it comes to you, Anna. It's good that you aren't touchy-feely. That would drive me to murder."
Her lips tilt. Not quite a smile, but it's something. She thinks I'm joking. I'm not. I would kill anyone who got too familiar with her. Like I will kill Grieves. I've got something else in mind for Samuels.
"You can't want me anymore. Not now. After he touched me."
"You're wrong. I will always want you."
"But I'm dirty."
Fucking Grieves. He's going to take a long time to die and hate every fucking minute of it.
"You are not dirty."
She just looks at me.
"I'll wash his touch away," I promise her.
Chapter 29
CIAN
"You can't. Soap and water won't clean it," she tells me, distressed. "I tried. It's like ants crawling all over my skin."
Fuck this.
I tug at the hem of my t-shirt she's wearing and ask permission with my eyes. She looks away, but she shrugs and doesn't stop me removing it.
She's not wearing anything underneath. Not even her panties.
Her left breast has dark red finger size splotches on it. So do her upper arms. They'll be purple by tomorrow.
Fury surges through me. I know where every mark comes from because of her meticulous recitation of events.
"You are so beautiful."
Her head snaps around her eyes searching mine. "Still?"
"I hate seeing these bruises mar your soft skin, but they don't make you any less gorgeous." I maneuver her body so she's straddling my thighs. "Do you want me to take my clothes off too?"
She shrugs again.
I’m taking that to mean yes. It's easy to get my jacket and shirt off, but I have to shove first one side of my trousers and boxers down and then the other, while I hold her to me with one arm so she doesn't slide off my lap. I don't know why, but it feels imperative to keep her exactly where she is.
Despite my rage, her nudity affects me as it always does and my cock stands up hard between us.
Now that we are both naked, I pull her forward so her pussy touches my hardon.
She doesn't react, just looks at me, like she's waiting for me to reject her.
That's not going to happen.
I gently cup her tits. The difference in her usual reaction to my touch is obvious right away. She remains tense, her eyes locked on mine totally focused.
"These belong to me."
She cocks her head to one side. "Do they?" She's not teasing. Her expression is questioning, her tone completely serious.
"Yes," I growl.