Page 69 of Curses and Cures

Lifting my gaze back up to meet hers, I say fiercely, “No one will ever hurt you again.Never.”

She nods. “I believe you.”

Then, when I don’t fill the silence, when I keep my gaze fixed on her body, she brushes her shaking fingers gently against my arm.

“Is there anything else you feel when you look at me?” she asks softly.

I resist the urge to palm her breasts, to soothe her, to replace the hurt with something else. I wish I could remove every last memory of that bastard's hands on her. Truth be known, it's taking everything in me not to carry her back into the bedroom and fuck her pain away.

“Lorcan?” The vulnerability in her eyes cuts me up, and I force myself to swallow back the lump in my throat as I cup her cheek in my palm.

“I see a strong woman. I see someone who’s lived through trauma and survived. I see grace, beauty, power. I see intelligence and kindness. I see a woman I want to fuck,” I admit.

“You do?”

“You think I don’t? Fuck, Cyn, I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”

“Good,” she whispers and the smile she gives me makes my cock jerk in my pants and my heart swell with love.

"Let me help you into the bath," I say, reaching for her hand because, despite what I’ve just said, there’s no way I’m going to fuck Cyn until she’s ready, both physically, mentally and emotionally. And by fuck I mean make love.

She nods, sliding her hand into mine so that I can keep her steady as she steps into the bath. I don’t let go until she’s fully submerged, a strange sound parting her lips, somewhere between a hiss and a groan as the water gently sloshes around her.

"Is it too hot?"

"It's fine," she replies, her voice no more than a wisp of smoke.

"Then I'll wait outside, let you enjoy your bath in peace," I say, but she reaches for me, her fingers grazing my forearm.

"Don't go.Stay."

“Cyn–”

“Please, Lorcan,” she whispers.

How can I deny her? She could ask anything of me and I’d give it to her.

"Faith told me that she used to dream about laying in a warm bath. Such a simple need, and he took that from her too," Cyn says softly, her eyes glazing over a little as she goes to some faraway place. I see her shutting down right before my eyes and I can’t let her go.

Kneeling beside the tub, I take her hand in mine, drawing circles on her palm with my thumb, trying to keep her in the present with soft touches.

“She was so brave,” Cyn adds, her voice filled with sorrow.

Right now I don't know how to respond without admitting that Arden and I didn't try to help her friend when we had the opportunity to do so. I don't want to hurt Cyn anymore than she already is, and selfishly I don't want her to hate me.

I will tell her, just not yet.

"Do you want me to wash your hair?" I ask, forcing the self-loathing deep inside.

She nods, grasping onto the side of the tub and lowering her upper body beneath the water, I reach over and cup the back of her head, helping her to wet her hair. Water droplets slide over her skin as she sits back up and I grab the shampoo, squeezing some into my hand, the scent of peaches filling the air.

"Is this okay?" I ask, gently massaging the shampoo into her scalp in a slow circular motion.

"Yes," she whispers, closing her eyes, her face relaxing into an expression of serenity as the foamy white bubbles cling to her strands.

Christ, she's so fucking beautiful.

I want to kiss her, this sudden overwhelming urge begging me to press my lips against her bare skin. But I restrain myself, determined to show her that I’m not ruled by my lust, that I can be her place of safety for as long as she needs it. So I turn on the shower attachment and rinse her hair free of suds instead. When I'm done, I grab the body wash resting on the ledge next to the bath.

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