Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
“That I’m safe. That we have each other. That nothing can get inside our safe place. You are letting him inside it, when someone else can do it instead.”
“You want me to step back, let the police throw some sort of paper at him that says to leave you alone, and trust that you will be okay?”
“Yes. I am. And then you take me to bed every night and remind me that I am okay. Save your energy for being with me in my time of need and not out fighting the battles instead.”
She looks so raw and vulnerable. And I can’t believe she’s actually asking me to forfeit control and her protection, to hand it over to someone else. How can I do that?
“I’m calling Sirius on you. On what you want to do to protect me. Don’t give in to him; give in to me. Let someone else do the outside work. Protect what’s in your home. Us. Me.” Dropping my forehead to hers, I close my eyes and grip onto the thickness of her hips.
“That is me protecting what’s inside our house. You’re my home, and I can’t stand the idea that anyone could ever try to take it from me again.”
She cups my face, her hands so fucking smooth, soft, delicate, and warm.
“Protecting me is compromising with me. Protecting me is taking me upstairs where we are safe and showing me who I belong to. Replacing those cruel words he said with your words. Drowning him out with you.”
“You don’t believe the cruel things he was saying about your body, do you? That’s not true. You’re fucking perfect, baby.”
“I don’t. But I do like it when you remind me. And I mean really, really remind me of just what my body is to you. How much you love it. How badly you want it.” She backs up and starts to undress, pulling her long shirt over her head, leaving her bare except for the lace panties she wears.
“Look at you.”
“Touch me in all the places that belong to you,” she keeps saying, taunting me with her weapons—her seduction and her body.
“All of you. It all belongs to me.”
“Why don’t you take me upstairs, make me tremble under your touch. Make my pussy and ass ache from your reminder,” she responds, turning and looking over her shoulder. I look at every dip, roll, dent, and curve of that body, and I get it. I see why men want her. Hanna has everything I fear being ripped away from me.
Without another word, she heads to the stairs, and I watch, mesmerized, as if I’m watching a goddess ascend the fucking steps. Because I am. But I won’t just let this go. Tonight, I will give her what she wants, but there is no world where I just forfeit her protection and safety. But for now. I will give her what she needs.
The escape.
Chapter Four
Hanna
I would be lying, as I take each step up toward the bedroom, if I said another man harassing me hasn’t triggered emotions from my past. I’d also be lying if I said I haven’t been afraid to tell Theo. But there came a point where I wanted to reclaim my own strength, and Colton was just a bother, someone I believed would leave me alone after my silence.
But now he’s been contacting Brenda and me.
I admit it wasn’t right to hide it from Theo. But my fiancé isn’t like other men. He is programmed to protect. At all costs. A cost that one day could take him from me forever. I won’t let that happen.
My skin prickles. I’m aware of him behind me, matching the strides and steadiness of my steps. Both of us are trying to forget what happened back there.
Tomorrow is Christmas.
We’re in our bubble.
Can’t we just have that?
“Stop there.” Now, at the top of the stairs, I halt. “Lose the panties and hand them to me, pretty baby.”
With a trembly hesitation of my hands, I place my thumbs under the band of my panties and start to shimmy out of them.
“Such a beautiful ass. I can’t wait to fuck it.”
Smiling, my stomach does a flip. “What are you going to do tonight?”
“I have plans,” he responds. “Hand me the panties like a good girl.”
Turning, I watch in wonderment as he takes them, brings them to his nose, and inhales deeply.
“Fucking hell. You’re so wet.”
“Looking at you and the way you want me does that to me. I’ve never felt more desirable and wanted by anyone. That look could kill me, Theo. It nearly does every time.”
“I’ve never seen such a fucking beautiful person in my life.”
“Never stop looking at me like that,” I beg.
“I never could. Now, to the bedroom. I have a lot to do before we sleep.”
“Like?”
“You.” Winking, he starts walking, picking up speed, and I giggle, moving to the bedroom ahead of him.