The Healing Touch - Apryl Baker Page 0,80
mulish look creeping into her expression.
“Do you love me?”
“Yes, D. You know I love you. You ran when you realized it, remember?”
“I know I screwed up, but when don’t I screw things up? I’m not asking you to marry me tomorrow, just before the year is out. Is that enough time for you to wrap your head around this?”
“You make it sound like I don’t have a choice.”
“You don’t.” He nipped her ear. “I told you I like control, and in this, I’m not giving you a choice. I love you, you love me, and we are going to have our happily ever after, even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming into it.”
She laughed. “Bossy man.”
“Yes, but I am your man.”
“And if I don’t want you?”
“I think I can convince you otherwise.” He gave her a devilish grin.
“But not tonight.” She smiled shyly up at him. “I don’t think I have it in me to resist. Besides, you promised no sex for two weeks, remember?”
Fuck. She was back to that shit? He was about to argue when she turned, and he caught the deep bruising around her neck. He kicked himself and his dick. She was in pain and didn’t need him trying to seduce her or get her to agree to marry him with sexual warfare.
“Tell you what. Why don’t we get some sleep and continue this conversation when we get back to LA?”
“Sounds like a plan.” She snuggled into him, and he lay there while she fell asleep, thanking God again tonight for the biggest blessing he’d ever been given.
Chapter Nineteen
She slept most of the train ride from Charleston to LA, and for that, Dimitri was grateful. She hadn’t wanted to take the pain pills the hospital had prescribed for her, but the very nasty blow she’d taken to her cheek and eye all but vibrated with pain. Not to mention the stab wound in her leg. She needed the medicine. And the sleep they caused. Her body healed better when she slept. Even the doctor told her that, so Dimitri was having none of her protests.
He’d also tipped the kitchen car well to bring them their meals. His woman wasn’t able to handle the crowded dining car. She was a little embarrassed of how she looked, but she needn’t have been. Those wounds were badges of honor. She’d held her own against crazy and walked away the winner.
Dimitri wished he could settle her fears about inheriting her father’s love of brutality as easily as he could calm her panic. That was, unfortunately, something she’d have to come to terms with herself. He didn’t believe Becca was anything like the man who’d raised her. Or didn’t. From what she’d told him, Dallas Rhodes only paid her any attention when he needed food or his wounds patched up.
Eventually, he hoped she’d realize the difference between a bruiser and survivor. He’d do everything in his power to help her, but most of that was going to be a battle in her own head.
He checked his email and set up his ads for his book release. It was the last book he’d written before his spinal cord injury. Not a single word had been written since. Hell, he didn’t even think he’d done much by way of revisions. Even Becca told him it could be better. He only hoped people would forgive him for one less than stellar release. Part of him wanted to pull it back and apologize, but he knew nothing else would be forthcoming from him. His depression had silenced his words.
“Hey.”
Her sleepy voice interrupted his musings.
“Evening, sleepyhead.”
“What time is it?”
“Around nine p.m. We should be arriving soon. You hungry, Krasivaya?”
“No more train food.” She tried to laugh but winced instead. “We should call Uber or a taxi to have them waiting.”
“Already taken care of. Mason’s meeting us at the station.”
“The flirty one from the phone.”
“The fucker better not flirt with you,” he said darkly.
She laughed, and pain scrunched up her face. “Please don’t make me laugh.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Did you call the others beautiful too?”
Ah, she’d looked up what Krasivaya meant. He knew she’d get around to it eventually.
“I’ve told women they were beautiful, but I never called them that. I reserved that term of endearment only for you.”
“You’d never called me that before, and I wasn’t sure if it was something you used when you were trying to seduce one of your weekly flavors.”
“I never called any of them anything except their names and sometimes