Page 88 of Dangerous Mission
“Please, please just untie me.”
His hands are quick. Within seconds I’m free and he kisses both of my wrists. Carefully pressing his mouth to my skin. The softness of his touch makes my heart clench.
Then he picks me up and carries me to the bed. Using one hand, he whips the blanket back and he puts me down gently.
Then he climbs in, cocoons me with his body, cradles my head, wraps his legs around me. Scout uses all of him to pull me tight against his warm body. I’m totally surrounded by his strength. “I’m here. You’re safe. No one is going to hurt you.”
Something inside of me splits wide open. I can’t stop the dam from breaking. It makes me feel weak and vulnerable.
“Baby,” he whispers softly. “Cry it out. I’m strong enough to take it.”
“Oh god, Scout,” I breathe.
Stroking my back with his warm hand, he speaks quietly against my temple. “You’re safe.”
He says this over and over again until I’m cried out.
Every ounce, every tear, every terrible thing Adam did pours out of me. I’m limp, exhausted, and covered in sweat when I’m done.
Scout picks me up, carries me to the bathroom and takes us into the shower.
Holding my back to his chest, he undresses me. With careful, gentle touches, he washes me. His large fingers are surprisingly agile as he unbraids my hair to shampoo and condition it.
Some small part of my splintered mind notices thelovely coconut smell of products that were already in the shower.
I don’t even know where my things are. I’m too broken. Too numb to bother. I just let him take care of me.
“Finished,” he says in a husky whisper as he cuts off the water. “Let’s get you dry.”
A few seconds later, I’m wrapped in a gigantic, fluffy towel.
I’m being carried again, gently placed on the bed when I realize he’s still in his clothes. They’re soaked. A trail of water leads from the shower to the bed.
“Aren’t you going to change?”
“I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t go?—”
His pale blue eyes soften, “I’m just going into the bathroom to shed these pants.”
When he comes back, there’s a towel lashed around his waist. Light catches on the ridges of his abs, and highlights the strong contours of his pecs. Below the towel, his legs are strong and…
I force my eyes up and away.
Burn scars.
Tangles and webs of them cover his knees and his shins. And I bet they go up beneath the fabric of the towel.
Chapter Forty-Three
It’s impossible not to flinch when Aria’s gaze hits my legs. I shove away the reaction and focus on her. Which I should have been doing, instead of leaving her unattended with her wrists bound.
That was an asshole move. Irresponsible. She could have been hurt. You never leave your partner bound.
It takes work to keep the anger at myself out of my voice. “What can I get you, babe?”
“Nothing.” She bites at her lip and looks down at the blanket. “I think I just need to sleep.”