I reached out to paint words on his chest out of habit more than the need to right now. What's on your mind?
"Hmm." His thumbs trailed up my thighs, making my shirt ride higher up my flesh and revealing a criss-cross of scars. He caressed each one of them with intent and my heart swelled as each searing memory was eased by this new one.
"We've got a problem," he said, looking up at me. "We didn't use contraception when we..."
Had sex? I wrote on his chest and he laughed.
"Yeah. So do you want me to get you the morning after pill? I can head out this morning? Or I could get the details of the doctor who's coming today and see if they can bring it? Only if you want to though, it’s your body."
My stomach writhed at the mention of the doctor and I dropped his gaze, lifting my hand to my mouth and biting down on my thumb.
"What is it?" Nicoli asked, concern in his tone as he pulled me closer.
The only people who had ever tended to my wounds were The Five when they'd cut me too deep or come close to breaking bones. They'd splash alcohol on my wounds, stitching them roughly until I was screaming all over again. The idea of a doctor coming here terrified me.
I'm not hurt, I wrote, hating that I couldn't use my voice as the thought of this made my throat close up and my pulse hammer.
"I know, baby doll. They'll just check you over, that's all."
I shook my head, panic seizing me again as I moved to get off of him, but he grabbed hold of me, not letting me go. He caught my chin, making me look at him and a ragged breath left my lips as I met his gaze.
"No one is going to hurt you," he promised, the air electric with his powerful words. "I swear it on everything I am. I will never let anyone hurt you again. I can stay with you if you want me to, but you really have to see them, Winter, they're just going to make sure you're okay."
My chest heaved, but slowly my breaths evened out. I trusted him. And if he swore no one was going to hurt me, then I had to believe him.
Nicoli rubbed his nose against mine. “Wanna explore Frankie’s apartment together?”
I nodded, laughing as I slid off of his lap, glad to have something to distract me.
The place seemed to have endless doors and we soon walked through another lounge which felt more like a boudoir with its black leather seats and monochrome paintings of naked women on the walls. Beyond that was more bedrooms and we found Frankie’s, guessing it was his because it was massive, the entire back wall of windows looking out over Sinners Bay. There was a roll of cash sitting on the nightstand and a pair of handcuffs hanging from a metal ring in the bedpost which looked specially fitted.
“Kinky fucker,” Nicoli muttered and I snorted as we headed out the door again.
A black door at the end of the corridor drew my attention and I padded toward it, twisting the handle and pushing it wide. I stopped breathing as I stepped into the room, my jaw actually dropping.
The walls were black and at the centre of the space was a long wooden table with a hole at the top of it that looked like it was meant to put your face into. Beyond that was a tall metal rack with chains hanging from it and to the side of that was a perfectly made bed contained within an iron cage. On the walls were hooks with all manner of things hanging from them, whips, paddles, belts, shackles, riding crops.
I backed up and my shoulder hit Nicoli’s firm chest. He reached out, closing his hands around my eyes and pulling me backwards.
I laughed, swatting his arm. “Your brother isn’t just kinky, he’s an animal.”
“You think you know a guy,” Nicoli murmured in amusement as he looked around the room. “And then you realise he likes to be tied to a bed with a ball gag in his mouth and have his ass whipped while listening to The Macarena.”
A surprised laugh spilled from my lips as I stared at all of the things in the room with more than a little shock. “You think he likes having this done to him? I’d have