“You belong to me, beautiful. Don’t ever forget that. I don’t know what gave you the balls to fuck with me and think you could get away with it.” Damon’s hand left my mouth, and I gasped, staring at Blake sleeping peacefully on the opposite end of the mattress.
He pushed his erection into my backside while squeezing my breast to the point of pain. “You feel that?” he whispered harshly. When I didn’t respond, he pushed into me harder. “Do you?”
“Yes,” I replied, barely audible, scared Blake would wake up and see what was happening.
“You’re going to feel it. Trust me.” He turned me to my back and settled his full weight on top of me.
“Don’t do this,” I cried, frantically turning my head to look at Blake. I stared at his even breathing, not understanding how he was sleeping through this.
“Help me.” I don’t even know if the words left my mouth as a tear escaped the corner of my eye and fell into my hairline.
Damon jerked my tank up, exposing my breasts. There was a crazed look in his eyes as he lowered his head and bit down on my nipple.
My back bowed, and I screamed, “No!” Slapping him on the head. “Get the fuck off me!”
“Angel? Angel!” Blake’s voice broke through my cries, but his body still lay beside me calm and motionless.
Damon’s hand grabbed my chin and pulled my focus back to him. “Look at me! Look at me!” But the voice wasn’t his. It was Blake’s.
I pushed against him, trying to get up. He grabbed me by the shoulders, shaking me. “Angel, wake up! Open your eyes!”
Breaking free of his hold, I scooted haphazardly on the bed, slamming my back to the headboard and drawing my knees in. My eyes darted around, trying to focus.
The lamp on the bedside table clicked and Blake’s concerned face illuminated as he squatted over me and cupped my face in his hands. “Do you see me? It’s just me.” His eyes were wild as they bore into mine.
My head bobbed up and down quickly. I did see him, but I was still so confused. I looked around the room trying to force reality to sink in. Dusk was peeking through the blinds and the day was about to make itself known. Jace was gone, so that really happened, but everything else was still intact. The rest was just a dream. We were alone.
Oh no. I sunk my head between my knees and wept, mortified Blake had seen this.
“It’s me, baby. Look at me.” He tilted my head back to focus on him. “There you are.” He scooped me onto his lap. “I couldn’t get you to come back to me. Jesus Christ, where were you? How often does this happen?” Blake rocked me in his arms, smoothing his hands down my back. He pulled my hair over my shoulder and searched my eyes. “Angel?”
I shook out my hands and rubbed my temples. “Give me a second.” I sucked in a ragged breath through my nose and blew it out my mouth slowly, counting to ten. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“Hey, don’t you dare.” He put his finger under my chin and lifted my gaze. “It’s me. Don’t ever hide from me. Tell me what that was. Does this happen all the time?”
“It used to.” I looked away. “It hasn’t happened since . . .” I looked back into his icy blue pools. “Since you.” I shrugged and looked away again, tucking my hair behind my ear. “I should’ve known . . . being here . . . I shouldn’t have let you see that. I’m sorry.”
“Are you kidding me? Evangelina, I need to know these things.” A territorial fierceness coated his eyes. “I don’t want you sleeping without me anymore. What if I wasn’t with you?”
I scoffed. “I’m used to this, Blake. Why do you think I live alone? Why I spent all my time before you alone? I told you. What I live with isn’t pretty.”
Recognition of the deep-rootedness of my issues shown in his eyes. I secretly prayed he’d have the sense not to press. Not here. Not now.
His jaw clenched with determination. “We’re going to fix it.”
I pushed out a condescending snort of a laugh. “There’s no fixing me, Blake.”
“Bullshit, Eva. I am going to fix it. Do you trust me?”
The million dollar question. Of course I trusted him, but this was out of the realm of his control and he needed to accept that. Knowing how relentless he was when he was determined, I knew I had to agree or he wouldn’t let up.
“I do trust you.”
“When we get home, you need to open up to me. I want to know exactly what’s happened so I can help you. No more secrets. Okay?”
I found myself agreeing before I could think better of it. “Okay.”
His hold loosened as he relaxed a little. “Good. You’re sleeping with me from now on. No exceptions.”
“I don’t need a babysitter, Blake,” I muttered. “I’ll be fine once we’re home.”
“I’m not babysitting. I’m protecting my investment.” He winked, lightening the mood.