Patriot (Hades Abyss MC 6) - Harley Wylde Page 0,23
release, my cock hadn’t softened.
“Ronan.”
My body locked up tight and I turned my head, opening my eyes. I’d hoped it was only my imagination, but no. MaryAnne was standing in the bathroom, staring at me with wide eyes. Fuck!
“You shouldn’t be in here, MaryAnne.”
She shifted from foot to foot, wringing her hands in front of her. “Since you said I was officially yours now, I thought… I mean… Do you want me to share the same room with you?”
“I’ve told you that I’ll never ask for more than you’re willing to give, Little Bit.”
Her cheeks turned pink. “I liked sleeping in your arms.”
Yeah, I’d liked that too. A little too much.
“I’m not sure you’d like it tonight.” I looked down at my cock. If anything, it had gotten even harder with her standing so close.
“I’ve seen naked men before,” she said. “I know what happens when a man gets turned-on. You won’t shock me.”
“Dammit, MaryAnne! You weren’t given a choice! You have one now. I won’t force you to be around me while I’m like this. You’re not obligated to share my bed and feel my cock digging into you all night, because it’s not going to get soft anytime soon. If anything, having you next to me will only make it worse.”
She moved closer, pressing a hand to the glass door. “Were you picturing me while you…”
“Yeah. I was,” I admitted, not wanting to lie to her.
“Then you should at least know what to picture. I know you saw me naked that first day, when you came to the hospital to get me, but you didn’t look. Not really.”
She reached for the hem of her shirt and I nearly choked on my tongue as she pulled it over her head and let it drop to the floor, then shimmied out of her pants. She wore plain white panties but fuck if they weren’t sexy on her. She removed those too, then opened the shower door. She shivered as the cold water hit her and I reached for the knob, turning up the temperature.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
She held her arms out. “Look at me, Ronan. Really look. My body isn’t perfect. What they did to me took its toll.”
I knew I shouldn’t look, but I couldn’t seem to help myself. My gaze skimmed over her breasts. Plump with pretty pink nipples. As I looked closer, I saw what she’d meant about not being perfect. There were silvery lines that marred her skin. Scars, most likely from a knife. There were more across her stomach and all the way down to her pubic bone. When she turned, I saw the brand on her right ass cheek. I knew that symbol. I’d seen it on a finger I’d cut off in the last year.
I growled and reached for her, lightly touching the scarred, puckered flesh. “I wish I could kill him all over again.”
Her back tensed and she looked at me over her shoulder. “What?”
I took a breath and knew I needed to tell her. Confess what I’d done. “I’ve spent the last year tracking down every man identified as one of your rapists. I’ve slaughtered them. Slowly. Made them suffer, beg, cry. The man who left this mark is gone. I saw that symbol on his ring when I cut his fingers off.”
She turned to face me, her eyes wet with tears. “You’ve been tracking them down and killing them? All of them?”
“Any that were recognized with the software Wizard has. He used it on the videos the hospital had of you. They recorded a lot of what happened.” I held her gaze. “I’ve done everything I can to wipe every last one of them from the earth. There are only two I haven’t been able to kill because they live too far away. One moved to Montana and another out to California. I’ve put the word out I want their heads.”
She threw herself against me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “I knew you were my knight in shining armor.”
“Don’t make me out to be something I’m not, Little Bit. I have blood on my hands. A lot of it. I’ve done bad things. But I will fucking die before I let anyone go unpunished who dared to cause you pain.” I put my arms around her, holding her close. “I want you to feel safe, MaryAnne. To know you can leave the compound without fear any of those men will come for you.”
“I always feel safe with