Damaged and the Knight (Damaged #2)

The bus stopped a few yards away, but I wasn’t getting on it. Even if I wanted to run away, Judd blocked my exit.

“You promised you’d try not to hurt me,” I said, turning towards the Harley. “You promised, but you lied. I’ll sleep at your place for Cooper and Vaughn. I don’t trust you though. I don’t trust anything you tell me.”

Judd opened his mouth then likely decided he’d won and might as well keep his thoughts to himself. As the bus drove away, he climbed on his Harley and waited for me to join him. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I tried not to enjoy the feel of him. It was a losing proposition.

The ride to his place was a short one. We were soon leaving the parking garage to go up to his condo. I stood away from him and he pretended not to care. When I glanced at him though, I saw his jaw was tight with tension. Did he really expect me to welcome him home with open arms and legs? I would have, if he’d called just once or even sent a short message. Instead, he did nothing.

Pearl walked towards me then looked at Judd and meowed angrily.

“I was working,” he muttered as if he was the victim of us needy bitches. “Do you want something to eat or drink, Tawny?”

“No, I need a shower.”

“Shit,” he said, wiping the back of his neck. “I’ve been riding all day and need to get cleaned up too.”

Walking to his bedroom, I dropped my bag and opened his dresser to grab a tee. Once in the bathroom, I slammed and locked the door. No way was I sharing a shower with him.

Scrubbing off a long day of work, exhaustion, and depression, I worked to make sense of my feelings, but they were too painful and jumbled up.

When I returned to the bedroom wearing a towel around my hair and his shirt, Judd was sitting in the chair, staring at his hands. He looked up and I saw how his feelings were jumbled up too. I think he wanted to be angry and feel sorry for himself. I could imagine what he was thinking. He was working, dammit! I was being a bitchy baby. He wasn’t wrong. I was wrong. Couldn’t we just fuck and make everything better?

I also saw longing and hurt around the edges of his irritation as he passed me to shower. Ignoring how he left the bathroom door open, I curled up in bed and pet a cranky Pearl.

“I know how you feel,” I whispered to her.

The shower ran for a long time and I had nearly dozed off when he appeared nude. Closing my eyes, I ignored him as he climbed into bed and rested away from me. I figured he was still throwing a fit about me throwing a fit. Then, I felt his hand run down my back. Just once, as if he needed to feel me before he could sleep. Minutes later, I heard his breathing change.

With Pearl’s purring and Judd’s steady breathing, I dozed off and dreamed of Judd in my arms. Soon, I awoke to a room smelling of him and glanced over my shoulder to find him still asleep. The clock showed only a few hours had passed, but my feelings had shifted in that time.

Emptied out of everything good when Judd discarded me, I was quickly left with only suffering. The last few painful days left me feeling like a loser who lost the man she wanted. I was also angry at him. Yet, I hadn’t lost him and he was resting inches from me. Missing him so much, I thought I’d never have another chance.

Turning over, I studied his relaxed face and wondered how he could be so cold to not even text me. I wished to understand, but my heart hurt too much to care about facts. I only wanted to feel like I did before he left town.

Stripping out of his shirt, I straddled Judd and kissed his lax lips. Startled, he flinched then his arms were immediately around me.

“I want you,” I said against his lips.

“Angel,” he moaned as I stroked his already hard cock.

“Tell me you want me.”

“More than anything. I know you don’t believe that, but it’s true.”

“Show me,” I said as he entered me. “Show me how much you missed me. Make me feel beautiful, instead of ugly.”

Judd stared at me and all of those walls fell. I saw the pain he felt at hurting me. There was so much guilt in his expression and I wished to forgive him everything. Yet, he hurt me so much and I needed him to help me be strong again.

Arms wound around me tightly, Judd kissed me hard, tugging at my lips with his teeth when I pulled away. My hips worked feverishly to find pleasure. With enough bliss, maybe the pain of the last week might fade away. I felt like I might never find relief until Judd’s kiss softened and his hands stopped gripping me as if keeping me from running away. Stroking my back, he relaxed me just enough to orgasm.