Beneath These Scars (Beneath #4)

His words pierced the shield I was desperately trying to throw up between us. How long had it been since someone shouldered my burden? How long since I’d let myself just break?

The sniffles started again, and the tears welled up and spilled over my lids onto Titan’s solid shoulder.

Just for today.

I let myself break.

And he held me, lowering us both to the floor and pulling me into his lap, until I’d cried all my tears.





LUCAS CARRIED ME FROM THE shower to the bed in the guest room after toweling us both dry. He said nothing as he laid me on the soft sheets. He followed me down, wrapping his big body around mine.

Cocooned in the strength and warmth of Lucas Titan, my solid walls shook and crumbled further.

Everything’s gone.

I could’ve died.

The two thoughts played on shuffle in my brain. No more tears fell, but my body still shuddered.

Lucas’s arms tightened around me. “Stop thinking about it.”

I huffed out a breath. “That’s impossible.”

Something pressed against my hair, and if it were anyone but Lucas wrapped around me, I might have thought he’d kissed my head.

“Nothing’s impossible.”

“Maybe not for you,” I said, sucking in a breath as warm, full lips touched my shoulder.

“For you either. Not anymore.”

I snuggled back into him, pausing only a moment when I felt his erection against my ass.

That’s one way to forget.

“Kiss me again,” I said, turning my face toward his. “Make me forget.”

Lucas wasted no time capturing my lips and taking my mouth. Flares of heat shot through me, pooling between my legs with every moment of the deep, drugging kiss.

Until he pulled away and rolled off the bed.

I reached out and grabbed his hand. “Don’t go.”

His eyes snapped to mine. “I wasn’t leaving.”

“Then what—?” I let the question trail off.

“Condom.”

“Oh.” I breathed out a sigh. “Yeah.”

My attention followed Lucas’s sculpted ass to the door between the bedrooms, the one that had been locked from my side. He unbolted it and pulled the door open. He was gone only a moment, but I barely noticed as I fixated on that open door. It was as if I’d just discovered a crack in the wall between us.

Lucas returned before I could think on it anymore. He tossed the condom to the bed before lowering himself over me and finding my mouth again.

For the first time, it wasn’t pure lust charging between our bodies like lightning strikes. The passion and the hunger were there, but they were softened by something else. Something I hadn’t expected to find in bed with Lucas.

My thoughts fell away as his hand skimmed up my body to cup my breast and toy with the nipple. Heat once against pooled between my legs, and I lifted my hips to press against him.

I needed him. Inside me. Now.

I opened my mouth to say something—anything—that would get me what I craved, but Lucas was ahead of me. His lips dragged down my chest, down the slope of my breast to catch my nipple and tug before he knelt and grabbed the condom. With quick, efficient movements, he ripped open the package and rolled the condom on before lowering a knee between my legs and pressing my thighs apart.

His fingers found my center, slipped through my slickness, and plunged inside. Those clever fingers—and thumb—brought me to the edge before his other knee slid between my legs and he positioned himself above me, his cock nudging against my entrance.

Lucas’s eyes met mine as he slowly, inch by delicious inch, slid inside.

He consumed me. With every thrust and retreat, he unraveled me. My mind was hazy, recognizing nothing but the pleasure ripping through my body as his fingers found my clit.

“I’m—” I couldn’t even get the words out before the coils holding me together snapped and my orgasm broke free.

Lucas kept his steady rhythm, using his cock and fingers, until I couldn’t take it anymore. His groan broke the silence of the room as he emptied himself inside me. Falling to his forearms above me, he breathed into my ear.

“Nothing is impossible, my gorgeous girl.”

His meaning hit me, and I couldn’t raise the energy to respond. Drunk with the aftermath of my orgasm, I lay there, my mind blank for a few minutes longer.

When Lucas pulled away and headed to the bathroom to dispose of the condom, reality once again intruded. But the tears stayed away. I might be a little ragged around the edges, but I no longer felt like I was going to shatter into tiny pieces.

Had Lucas Titan just comforted me?

His words echoed in my mind. Let me hold you together.

Had he really meant it?

I yawned, exhaustion enveloping me. Maybe I’ll take a quick nap . . .

My eyes slid closed as the heaviness of sleep dragged me under moments later.





HANDS BRACED ON THE COUNTER in my guest bathroom, I stared at myself in the mirror.