Please let me stay with you. I need to..." She needed him specifically, but didn't think he'd respond well to that. "I need to be with someone."
"Then Phury's more what you're looking for."
"No, he's not." She wanted the male in front of her. For all his brutality, she trusted him instinctually.
Zsadist ran his hand over his head. A number of times. Then his chest expanded.
"Don't make me go," she whispered.
When he cursed, she exhaled in relief, figuring that was as close to a yes as she was going to get.
"I have to put some pants on," he muttered.
Bella stepped inside and closed the door, lowering her eyes for only a moment. When she looked up again, he'd turned away and was pulling a pair of black nylon sweats up his thighs.
His back, with its streaks of scars, flexed as he bent over. Seeing the cruel pattern, she was struck with the need to know exactly what he'd been through. All of it. Each and every lash. She'd heard the rumors about him; she wanted his truth.
He'd survived what had been done to him. Maybe so could she.
He turned around. "Have you eaten?"
"Yes, Phury brought me food."
A flicker of expression passed over his face, but it was gone so fast she couldn't read it.
"Are you in pain?"
"Not particularly."
He walked over to the bed and plumped up the pillows. Then he stood to one side, looking down at the floor.
"Get in."
As she came forward she wanted to throw her arms around him, and he stiffened, as though he'd read her mind. God, she knew he didn't like to be touched, had learned that the hard way. But she wanted to get close anyway.
Please look at me, she thought.
She was just about to ask him to when she noticed he had something around his throat.
"My necklace," she breathed. "You're wearing my necklace."
She reached out to it, but he flinched away. With a quick movement he took off the fragile gold chain with its little diamonds and dropped the thing in her hand.
"Here. Take it back."
She looked down. Diamonds by the Yard. By Tiffany. She'd worn it for years... her staple piece of jewelry. The thing had been so much a part of her, she'd always felt naked without it on. Now the fragile links seemed totally foreign to her.
It was warm, she thought, fingering a diamond. Warm from his skin.
"I want you to keep it," she blurted.
"No."
"But - "
"Enough with the talk. Get in or get out of here."
She put the necklace into the pocket of the robe and glanced at him. His eyes were locked on the floor, and as he breathed his nipple rings caught the light.
Look at me, she thought.
Except he didn't, so she got into the bed. When he leaned down she scootched over to make room for him, but all he did was pull the covers over her and then go back to the corner, to the pallet on the floor.
Bella stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. Then she grabbed a pillow, slid out of the bed, and went over to him.
"What are you doing?" His voice was high. Alarmed.
She dropped her pillow and lay down, easing onto the floor beside his big body. His scent was so much stronger now, smelling of evergreen and distilled male power. Seeking the heat of him, she inched closer until her forehead hit the back of his arm. He was so hard, like a stone wall, but he was warm, and her body relaxed. Next to him she was able to feel the weight of her own bones, the hard floor underneath her, the currents in the room as the heat came on. Through his presence, she connected to the world around her again.
More. Closer.
She pushed herself forward until she was flush against the side of him, from breast to heel.
He shifted away with a jerk, moving back until he hit the wall.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, pushing herself up to him again. "I need this from you. My body needs" - you - "something warm."
Abruptly he leaped to his feet.
Oh, no. He was going to kick her out -
"Come on," he said gruffly. "We're going to the bed. I can't stand the idea of you on the floor."
Whoever said you couldn't sell something twice had never met the Omega.
O rolled over onto his stomach and propped his body up on weak arms. The retching was easier like this. Gravity helped.
As he gagged, he remembered the first little deal he'd