The Billionaire’s Bride by L. Steele

43

Baron

The elevator doors close behind Edward. Silence descends in the room. I pull my hand from between Ava’s grasp and stand. "I am going to bed."

I begin walking in the direction of my bedroom, when she calls out, "That’s it?" Her voice is incredulous, "That’s all you have to say about what just happened?"

I tilt my head, "Well, that was a surprise. I hadn’t expected to reveal my background quite that way... But now you know."

"What happened wasn’t either of you guys’ fault." Her voice grows closer as she walks up to me. "You know that, right?"

I raise a shoulder, "Doesn’t matter whose fault it was or wasn’t; it happened."

"And you are not responsible for it."

"Maybe so," I rub the back of my neck, "but surely, I could have done something to prevent it."

"Like what?" She reaches me, presses her palm against my back, "You were kids, and you had been kidnapped and—"

"Spare me the details." I drag my fingers through my hair, "I was there, remember?"

I move away from her, pushing open the door to my bedroom, "Goodnight, Ava. Get some rest."

I turn to close the door, getting a glimpse of the hurt on her face. Her features are ashen, those big green eyes wide with hurt and…empathy. Shit, this is why I hadn’t been able to tell her what had happened. This is exactly why I had refused to tell anyone else about the incident. I don’t need anyone’s sympathy. Certainly, don’t need them telling me how sorry they are.

Shit happens. You deal with it… Or not, as the case may be. Either way, you move on. As I had.

I had left for the army, and while the rest of the Seven may think it was a way of escaping what had happened, and perhaps it was, it had been my way of dealing with the shit-show of cards that I had been dealt. Besides, I had come back, right? I have faced the music, so to speak. Hell, I’ve even buried my differences with Edward…

So why the hell can’t I let this woman, who means so much to me, in? Why is it so difficult for me to take that final step and allow her into my life completely?

I close the door gently, shutting out the sight of those gorgeous green eyes. My heart squeezes in my chest and I ignore it. I strip as I head to the bathroom, stand under the shower. Not that it helps. I need more.

I. Need. Her. Need to bury myself in her sweet core and forget about the world for a while. I need to wrap myself around her curves, draw in her scent, lick her lips and taste her cries as she comes. I need to bite down on the tender skin where her neck meets her shoulder, and mark her as mine. My dick throbs as the blood rushes to my groin. But I refuse to jerk myself off. I hurt her. Again. I deserve to live with the discomfort. It is the least I can do.

I switch off the shower, dry myself on the way out of the bathroom. Dropping the towel, I climb under the sheets.

I close my eyes, and instantly, the sound of my screams fills my ears.

"Don’t hurt me." I cough. "Please don’t." I throw up hands to protect my face, even as the vicious kicks continue—in my side, in my stomach, on my other side. Pain rips up my spine and I gasp for air.

"Stop." Edward voice sounds behind me, "Stop beating him. I’ll do it. I’ll do as you say."

The blows stop and I slump against the floor. My back aches, my shoulder screams in pain. My entire body is one throbbing mass of hurt.

Hands grip my pants and someone pulls them off of me, along with my briefs. Someone else pulls off my shirt. The cool air hits me and goosebumps pop on my fevered skin. I want to cover myself, want to draw into myself and pretend I am not here. But I can’t. I won’t. I will survive this. I will do what is needed to come out of this alive. I will do what is needed to keep myself and Edward in one piece. Edward, I need to get to him. I push myself up to my hands and knees, beginning to crawl toward him.

Laughter follows me. "Look at him go," a voice yells. I jerk my head around and glare at the masked man with the gray eyes. I memorize the shape of his eyes, his height, the width of his shoulders. If I get out of here alive, I am going to hunt down these monsters and kill them. I am going to make them pay for this.

"What are you looking at, you piece of shit?" He takes a step toward me and I scramble away. I crawl as fast as I can until I reach Edward. "Ed," I grip his shoulder, "Ed, you okay?"

"Baron," he blinks rapidly, "Baron… I am so sorry."

"I am sorry too, Ed."

"Enough." Someone kicks my thigh from behind and I fall onto my side. He kicks me in the stomach and I groan, double over.

"Stop," I pant, "please, stop."

Behind me, I hear Edward growl, "Stop hurting him, you prick."

"Insult me, will you?" The man steps around me, and kicks Ed in his side. Edward groans, throws his hands up to protect himself. Shit, shit, shit. "Stop," I yell, "we’ll do as you say. Stop hitting him, you bastard."

Something—someone kicks me in the side. Pain explodes up my spine. "When will you two learn to stop speaking, and do as you are told?" Another kick to my already bruised ribs, and I cry out. Another to my legs, my arms. Someone plants his foot in my stomach and my entire body bucks.

"Stop," I howl, "don’t hurt me."

"Baron?"

"Stop it," I cry. "Stop."

"Baron!"

Something closes around my neck. Someone’s hands. My breath traps in my chest. I can’t breathe; my lungs burn. I lunge toward my tormentor. I swoop out and my fingers brush something. I grab hold of an arm, tug. The breeze rushes over me as he stumbles and falls, his hold on me loosening. Instantly, I am on him. I reach for the direction of his face, wrap my fingers around his neck, begin to squeeze. I am going to kill you. Kill you.

"Baron, stop! You’re hurting me."

I snap my eyes open, and meet her wide green ones. My fingers are around her neck, squeezing down, as I lean over her, straddling her on my bed. She coughs, digging her fingers into my palms, "Stop," she gurgles, ”stop it."

I loosen my hold and she draws in a breath, coughing. Tears run down her cheeks. I bend and lick them up. She gasps. Her chest rises and falls. I peer into her features as I press my thumb into the pulse that flitters at the base of her throat.

"What are you doing here, Ava?" I lower my voice to a hush and she pants.

"I… I…"

"Couldn’t keep away, could you?" I drag my palm down to her breast, squeeze.

A moan spills from her lips. "I… I heard you scream, came in to check, and saw that you were caught up in a nightmare."

"You shouldn’t have come." I rub my thumb across the nipple outlined against the cotton of her camisole. "You should have known that once I get you in my bed, I am not letting you go."

She stops struggling, glances up at me.

"Or maybe that’s what you wanted, hmm? You wanted to catch me at my most vulnerable, so you could slip past my defenses?"

"Baron." She swallows, "Th...that's not true."

"Oh?" I drag my fingers up her throat to notch them under her chin. I push up and she lifts her head, holding my gaze.

"I… I came to help. I know you have flashbacks from the incident, and now I understand what happened to you."

"Do you?" I tilt my head. "Do you really understand how it is to have been through what I have?"

"I…" Her lips tremble, "I can’t claim to know how that feels. Whatever happened to you was terrible and completely wrong. And I have not the tiniest inkling of how it is to live with it. But…if I can help ease the burden somewhat."

"And how would you do that?" I lower my lips until my mouth is positioned just above hers. "How would you, as you say, lessen the pain of what happened, little Eve?"

"With my body…" she gulps. "With my body, I thee worship. With my heart, I will ease your sorrow. With my soul… I… I’ll share your grief. With my hands I will soothe the loss of the little boy you once were. With my cunt, I’ll… I’ll welcome you into me so you never feel alone again."

My breathing grows ragged. My chest tightens, my throat hurts, and a burning sensation crawls up my spine. "Is that right?" I choke out. "Is that how you mean to sacrifice yourself for me?"

"It’s not a sacrifice, if it’s what I want to do," she murmurs. She reaches up to cup my cheek, "I want to ease your agony, in any way I can, Baron. That is," she peers up at me from under her eyelashes, "if you’ll let me."

Bloody fuck, this woman... She guts me. How can someone so young and so beautiful be this… Profound, this intense, this ardent in her intentions. Her green eyes gaze up at me like I am the center of the world. My heart stutters and my groin hardens. In all my life, I have never felt this…connected…this vulnerable…yet this powerful. I want her. I have needed her since the moment I saw her. And now she is in my bed, in my space. With nothing and no-one standing between us. It’s time…she finds out what it means to be owned by a man who is never going to let go of her again.

I hook my finger in the center of her camisole and tug.