Chapter Seven
He rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “I thought you were dead, baby. My whole world fell apart. I knew I couldn’t be around other people. I was strung so fucking tight. The grief was like a dark cloud I couldn’t fight or get away from.”
“I know what you mean. When I was told you had left because you thought I had died, I wanted to die, too. If it weren’t for Ryker coming to me, I’d probably be gone. I’m ashamed to say that death was the only way I’d make the pain go away. But he gave me hope.”
“God, baby, I’m so fucking sorry.”
She reached for his face. “Why? You did nothing wrong.”
“I feel like I did. I feel like I left you even though I saw you go into your home and then the explosion. We were told there was a body, and it was burnt beyond recognition. I went crazy. They had to keep sedating me. My team got me back to the States, but then I bought a truck and took off. I picked up supplies before going up the mountain. I worked every day until I would collapse in exhaustion. All the work made me stronger, and it was the only way I could sleep besides alcohol, but I still dreamed of you every night.”
“Me, too.”
“Tell me about that day,” he said. “Was it Fatin?”
She nodded and teared up. “The bomb was meant for me. But it took my little brother.”
“That was because of us, wasn’t it?”
“That is what I was told.”
“I’m so sorry about your brother.”
She tucked her face against his neck and just breathed him in. She had spent months crying for her brother, and she would always miss him, but she didn’t want her grief to ruin their reunion. It was too precious of an event, and she wanted to remember it with happiness and not sorrow.
“You saw me go into my home, but after saying a few words to my brother, I went out the back to get the laundry, and the explosion threw me.”
She could see the concern in his face instantly.
“You got hurt?”
She nodded. “Yes, but my cousin was there, and she dragged me to her place. My aunt took care of me. There was a point that I had given up, and they sat with me twenty-four hours a day.”
“And that’s when Ryker came, right?”
She nodded.
“How bad were you hurt?”
“I broke my right arm in two places, had some shrapnel in my back, and burns. I got off really well, considering.”
“Fuck, baby. I should have been the one to take care of you.”
She twisted around until she faced him, sliding her legs on either side of his hips, and slipped her arms around his neck. “Don’t. Please don’t waste time with regrets. It happened this way for a reason, and we might never know why, but we just have to be thankful we got back to each other.”
“You’re right, baby.” He bent and kissed her for a long time before he rested his hands under her ass and lifted her. “Line my cock up.”
She did what he asked, and he immediately lowered her onto his pulsing erection. They both groaned as he slid deep inside of her until he could go no farther. Her nails dug into his shoulders as he lifted her and then let gravity pull her down.
“I can’t take it, Drake. Make the ache go away.”
He pulled her tighter against his body. “I’ll make you feel better.”
He started thrusting, making water slosh over the side of the tub, but neither of them noticed.
It only took a few minutes before their bodies were demanding fulfillment and crying out for each other.
“I want you to come for me, baby.”