Page 50 of A Hurt So Good

“You ready?” I startle and snap my eyes open to see Harlon holding up a towel. I nod and stand, letting him wrap me up in it. I tell him I need a tampon, and instead of letting him do that, too, I usher him out of my bathroom. I dried myself and got dressed before heading back into my room to find him sitting on the bed with a platter in the middle.

“What is all this?”

“Fruits that help with cramps.”

“Are you the king of cramps now?” he chuckles and shakes his head.

“No, but I do know things. Come on,” he says, motioning to the bed. I walk over and sit on the edge, grabbing some grapes and popping them into my mouth.

“These are good,” I tell him, shoving one into his mouth.

“I scared you in there. What were you thinking about?”

“My dad. Some days, I can still feel the way his eyes burned me at the trial.”

“I’m sure that’s hard to forget,” he says, grabbing some of the fruit and putting it in his mouth. Just as I’m about to say more, the door opens, and War comes stalking in. He’s wearing his signature scowl, which doesn’t surprise me.

“Do you ever look happy?” I ask him teasingly.

“When you’re riding my face, I do.”

“I’ll take it,” I say with a little laugh. He walks over and climbs on the bed behind me, grabbing some fruit, too.

“What are you guys doing?”

“She had cramps. I fixed her,” Har tells him.

“You’re right. The warm bath and the orgasm did wonders,” I wink at him.

“I told you.”

“Are you a goddamn woman now, Harlon?” War snaps at him. I reach over and slap at him.

“He was amazing. Leave him alone.”

“You know what I was just thinking?” Harlon asks.

“What?”

“That you’re the first girl I’ve seen actually touch War, and he not lose his shit.” Now, I turn my attention to War, a little surprised by that fact.

“Why didn’t you let anyone touch you?”

“I didn’t like it. It reminded me of my mom.”

“And I don’t?” He shakes his head as I smile big. Then I move toward him, crawling across the bed.

“Aww, War, you like it when I touch you?” I ask him teasingly as I climb on him and start touching him everywhere. Harlon laughs at us being playful, and even War cracks a smile. I keep going, touching and teasing him while laughing.

“Come on, Harlon. Grab him,” I tell him. Harlon doesn’t move to go after him just laughs harder. That’s when War moves. He grabs me and flips me in one move, so I’m under him now. He grabs both my hands as I wiggle and try to break free, the laughter still coming out of me. Pulling both my hands above my head, he holds them in one of his.

“Let me go!” I squeal as I buck my hips and try to get free. War just grins at me and lowers his hand to my stomach. That’s when I freeze. Where Harlon is kind, War is harsh. So when he slides my shirt up and looks down at the scars, I suck in a breath.

“That’s new,” War says, looking at the one that’s scabbed over. He doesn’t bring his eyes back to mine, and that unnerves me a little. His free hand slides over it as Harlon watches. Then he picks at the scab and pulls it off. I wince, a slight pain following.

“What are you doing?” Harlon asks now. War doesn’t answer him. I look down to see the blood rising to the surface when he leans down and licks it off. I take a shuddering breath when heraises his head and brings his lips to mine. His kiss is brutal. It’s almost as if he’s angry and taking it out on my mouth. Nevertheless, I let him and kiss him back. When he pulls back, he’s breathless. He releases my hands, and we both sit up as I tug my shirt back down.

“The only fucking marks that should be on your body are mine or my brothers. If I see another cut, another drop of blood, I will really make you bleed, little bird.” His eyes are fierce and full of rage. His body trembles with too much energy. I open my mouth to say something back to him, but what? What the hell do I say?

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