Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 100680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“You don’t think your life has meaning?”
“I was told continuously that it didn’t. My dad’s favorite thing to say to me was that he wished I’d never been born. That he should have smothered me as a child. Or that it was the one time he wished he’d worn a condom.”
“That mother-fucking bastard.” His face filled with fury. “I’m definitely having fucking words with him.”
“He’s not worth it.”
“Protecting you is always worth it.”
“I’m not in danger from him anymore. You don’t have to worry. I ran from him as soon as I could. I had some money saved, but I also stole some of his cash, which I know would’ve pissed him off. I changed my last name and I cut ties off from them. They’re all dead to me and that’s the way it will stay.”
Reaching out, he cupped the side of her face. “You are not worthless, useless, or anything else that fucker said to you. Understand me?”
“I know I’m not.”
“I’m going to tell you how amazing, wonderful, and beautiful you are every day until I wipe out those words from your mind.”
“You’re an amazing man, Maxim Malone.”
“Nope. Just your man.” His face softened. “You never told me why you’re so scared of small, dark spaces.”
She glanced away. Shoot. She hadn’t told him because she didn’t really want to talk about it. She could feel herself starting to shake.
“Baby? Hey, stop. No one is going to hurt you again. I’m here now. I’m going to take care of you.”
She swallowed heavily. “There was a small storage closet under the stairs in our place. It could fit a few boxes. And one scrawny kid.”
“Jesus fucking Christ,” he said, sounding horrified. “He locked you in there?”
“My mom took off when I was young and I guess he didn’t want to bother with me when he had to go out and the boys were at school. So he’d lock me in there with a bottle of water, a box of crackers, and an old container in case I had to pee. No one could hear me if I started crying or yelling. When my brothers had to look after me, they’d do the same. But they did it to torture me.”
“Fucking hell. Those fucking bastards. I’ll kill them all.” He drew her close to him, hugging her with one arm. And she knew she shouldn’t let him. He was going to hurt himself.
But it felt so good.
“I’m sorry. So sorry that happened to you.”
She was too.
“Come here, baby.”
“I am here.”
“No, I mean, get your lips on mine. Right now.”
“I can’t do that without hurting you.”
“Don’t fucking care if you hurt me.”
“Well, I care, Maxim Malone,” she huffed at him.
“Want your lips. Now.”
She glared at him. Then she grabbed the headboard on either side of his head and leaned into him. He wrapped his hand around the back of her head and held her there as he kissed the hell out of her.
When he let her go, she sat back, feeling flustered and hot. She wanted more, but she knew he wasn’t up to more.
He groaned.
“Oh no, you’re in pain. I hurt you! Where does it hurt?”
“It’s all right, baby. It’s the sort of pain that will go away.”
“Maxim.”
“I’m all right,” he told her.
He wasn’t, though. And she couldn’t work it out. Was it his side? His ribs? His bruises?
“Got to go to the bathroom,” he muttered.
“I still think I should find you something to pee into,” she said worriedly. “You’re going to hurt yourself moving around too soon.”
“I’m not peeing into a damn bowl, Rainbow. Hard limit.”
She sighed and helped him sit up. As he stood, his hard cock brushed against her and she jumped, then glanced down at it.
“Oh.”
“Just ignore that. It will go down. Seems he just gets excited whenever he’s around you.”
“You refer to your dick as a ‘he’?”
“It’s a guy thing.”
“It must be,” she muttered as she hovered around him while he moved to the bathroom. “I’ve never called my . . . my . . . well, that anything.”
“Yeah? We can change that if you want.” He gave her a wicked grin.
“I don’t think we need to do that,” she said hastily.
Leaning in, he kissed her. Then he groaned. “Damn it. I’ll be back.”
She stood outside the door as he walked into the bathroom. Then she realized she should give him some privacy. Except . . . she had a question.
“Can you pee with an erection?”
“I’m trying my hardest to get rid of it,” he replied.
Her eyes widened. “You are?” Her voice was high-pitched as she wondered exactly how he was getting rid of it.
“Not like that!” he replied, amusement in his voice. “Seriously, baby. Do you think I’m in here rubbing one out with a stitched-up hole in my side and you standing on the other side of the door?”