Lucas surprised me by leaning down and brushing his lips over mine. “Still, it’s my fault.”
I didn’t respond. “Please, will you lie with me for a while?” I didn’t want to break this up between us just yet, knowing the moment he walked out of that door, he wasn’t going to be the same Lucas that had just given me the best sex of my life.
Lucas’s mouth worked, and for a moment I thought he was going to leave, but he rose from the bed and stripped off the rest of his clothing before climbing in next to me. “Just for a little while.”
I stripped off the robe and dived under the covers, not wasting any time snuggling against his shoulder, suddenly exhausted. Lucas hesitated before I felt his arm slide around me, pulling me against his sweaty, delicious body. “Tell me you aren’t afraid of me.”
Surprised by his words, I moved to where I could meet his gaze. “Do you really think I am?”
Lucas didn’t smile. “I need to know.”
Figuring I didn’t need to lie to him, I propped myself up on his chest.
“You did scare me at first,” I admitted, wanting nothing more than to kiss the worry off his face. “But it’s only because I’ve never—I mean I haven’t done things like that before.”
He let out a long breath. “I know.”
My face burned at the admission, wishing I could have told him that I wasn’t scared in the slightest. Not having air in my lungs had scared me at first, but then something had changed, and it was pleasure.
All pleasure.
Of course, I wouldn’t let just anyone do that to me. I trusted Lucas. Heaven help me, I trusted him.
Lucas pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Rest, Leda.”
“So, you aren’t mad at me any longer?” I asked.
His lips lifted into a grin. “Oh, don’t think that this keeps me from being fucking pissed at what you did, but I think you have suffered through your punishment enough.”
I ducked my head so he wouldn’t see my smile, feeling his warmth seep through my skin. Maybe he was still upset with me, but I didn’t think that Lucas was actually mad at me.
Chapter 23
Lucas
I combed my fingers through Leda’s hair as she slept next to me, knowing I should get up soon.
Leda murmured in her sleep. The best part about her whispered words was that she said my name like she cared, like whatever dream she was having was the best one she had ever had.
I couldn’t help it. I loved the fact that she was dreaming about me. After what we had done hours ago, I hoped that she wouldn’t be looking for ways to escape again. Some of the sexual things I had introduced to her were hard for her to understand at first. But after she had slapped me that night, I knew that there were untapped potentials within Leda.
She had her own monsters inside, just like me, and all she needed was an excuse to let them out.
I was going to be the one to break those out slowly. I would never hurt her. It was probably hard for her to understand that, but I never wanted to see a bruise on her body.
Seeing her wrists rubbed raw had boiled my anger. Even though she had told me that it wasn’t because of me, I felt like it was.
And then that bruise Adrian left on her body.
The motherfucker would pay for what he did.
Drawing in a breath, I stared up at the ceiling, wishing I could make myself move from this spot. When was the last time I had actually wished to stay in bed with a partner like this: nothing but just the two of us, the chance to lie beside her, and the feeling of her hand on my heart like she owned it.
Maybe she did. Maybe Leda did own every fucking piece of my body, scars and all.
If only she knew who or what she was lying beside.
I shook out of the thought. What was done was done. Soon she would find out everything, and I had to be prepared for it.