“I just wanna help you,” he says softly.
A tear slides down my cheek, and he takes a step to me, closing the space between us. “Taylor, baby. Talk to me.” He reaches up and rubs it away with his thumb.
I wrap my arms around myself once again. My head starts to ache again as I think about last night. “I don’t want you to see me,” I whisper as my chest tightens.
I take the chance to look up at him and his brows are pulled together, that frown still on his face. “I don’t understand.” He shakes his head once.
I drop my head to look down at his sweatpants that are so long for me, they cover up my shoes. “I saw how you looked at me.” A knot forms in my throat. “When you saw me in the alley last night.” I swallow thickly. “I’m ashamed,” I whisper as another tear runs down my face.
Two strong arms wrap around my shoulders at that next moment, pulling my body into his. A sob escapes me causing my body to shake. He bends his head down to mine. He moves one hand to hold my head against his chest while the other strong hand runs up and down my back. “I’m so sorry, baby,” he says with a heavy sigh and another sob comes out of me.
I don’t know why he’s apologizing; it’s not his fault those guys jumped me. “I’m so sorry, Case,” I cry, soaking his white shirt with my tears. “I tried … I tried to get away.” My body failed me. I just wasn’t strong enough. And at one point, I had even given up.
“Oh, baby.” He tightens his arms around me as his chest rises and falls quickly. I suck in a breath from the pain his arms are causing my body. I’m still so sore.
He pulls away from me quickly and grabs my hand. He pulls me over to the tub and he sits down on the side of it as he places his hands on either side of my face. “Listen to me, Taylor.” His voice is rough with emotion. Hate heats his dark blue eyes, and it just makes me cry harder. “There is nothing for you to be ashamed of. You did nothing wrong. Do you understand?” he demands. “Nothing!”
“But …”
“But nothing!” he snaps interrupting me. I suck in another deep breath trying to calm my racing heart and stop the tears that continue to fall. “You did nothing wrong,” he repeats. “If you want me to leave so you can take a bath by yourself, then I will understand. But ask me to leave because you’re mad at me, not because you are ashamed of yourself.” His hand falls from my face, and he lets out a long sigh.
“Why would I be mad at you?” I ask through the tears.
He sighs heavily as he runs a hand through his dark hair. “Because it’s my fault. I should have never yelled at you.” He stands quickly and gives me his back as he turns to face the door. “I should have never let you go outside …”
I grab his hand, and he turns to face me. “It wasn’t your fault,” I say shaking my head and it intensifies my headache. “Case, you saved me,” I say reaching up and place my hand on his wet shirt. My tears have it clinging to his chest, and I can see his strained muscles through it.
“You wouldn’t have needed to be saved if I hadn’t put you in danger,” he growls through gritted teeth.
“I should have never asked about Rachel,” I say in all honesty. “What you did in the past is none of my business.” He keeps telling me that, but I just can’t keep from asking.
He reaches up and runs a hand over his unshaven face, and I feel my body start to relax. I love that sound. “After you’re done with your bath, I will tell you all about Rachel.” He turns to leave the bathroom, and I find myself reaching out for him again. Needing him to be with me. Needing him to calm me. That is why I left Seven Deadly Sins, to be alone with him. I pushed him away just yesterday and look what happened. I need him by me.
“Please stay?” I beg softly.
He turns to face me. His face wearing mixed emotions. “You don’t want me…”
“I do,” I interrupt him. He stands there, his dark blue eyes looking down into mine. I quickly wipe what tears I have left off my face and take a deep breath. With my heart still pounding against my chest, I reach down, grab the hem of his shirt, and pull it up and off. I let it fall to the floor and I bite the inside of my cheek as his eyes drop to my breasts. They fall lower to my stomach and then trace the bruise on my right side. I watch nervously as his eyes take in every inch of me. His jaw twitches, and his Adam's apple bobs as he swallows thickly. He fists his hands down by his side, and I feel that knot in my throat return. It’s as if he’s seeing me again for the first time naked, but only this time, he doesn’t like what he sees. I know I’m ugly. I have bruises and scratches all over me. And my legs look even worse than my upper half.
“I know.” I speak when he just stands there looking down at me. “I look hideous,” I whisper only imagining what he must be thinking.
His dark blue eyes lift to meet mine. “No!” He shakes his head. “You look like a woman who I almost lost.” He closes the few spaces between us. “And you look like a woman who is giving a man another chance when he doesn’t deserve it.” His eyes search mine as he runs his hand through my messy hair. “I won’t let you down again, Taylor. I promise you. I would die before I let anything else happen to you.” Then he lowers his lips down to mine giving me a soft kiss on my lips, making tears sting my eyes for another reason.
***
Case stayed in the bathroom and helped me out of his sweatpants. He helped me into the tub, and before I could even ask what he was doing, he started undressing. I scooted forward for him to get in behind me. With a sigh, I laid my back against his muscular chest. I closed my eyes and silently thanked him for getting the suite. I’m not sure all the other rooms came with a tub big enough for the both of us.
His muscles flex against my back as I feel him shift. Moments later, I hear the sound of him pouring something into his hand. I let out a long sigh when I feel his hands on my upper arms rubbing soap on my skin, careful on the bruised areas.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
“For what?” His chest vibrates with his deep voice.
“For everything you’ve done for me.” I think back now to the very first time I saw him in Seven Deadly Sins that first night with my brother. Who knew someone who seemed like a monster could be so caring.
“No need to thank me.” He removes his hands, and I hear him putting more soap on his hands. Moments later, he’s rubbing my shoulders. A moan escapes my lips. “I’m sorry what I said about Rachel.”
My eyes spring open, and I look at the black tiled wall in front of me. I wanted to enjoy this bath, but I do want to know more about Rachel.
I shrug as if it doesn’t bother me. But it does and he knows it. “I was dumb to think you really had rules in the first place,” I say honestly. He may have saved my life, but he still lied to me.
“Taylor.” He sighs. “I do have rules. They have just never applied to Rachel.”
“Because she’s special,” I say matter-of-factly. His hands dig deeper into my shoulders as he massages them with the soap. I refuse to moan while we talk about Rachel.
“No,” he says softly. “She’s not special, just different. Brecken and I knew her long before we opened the club.”
I hold my left hand up to stop him. “She told me all that I needed to know.” Just thinking about her sleeping with him has my body breaking out in hives.
“What all did she say?” He moves his hands down to my upper arms, and I feel my body turn to jelly. God, his hands are amazing.
I sigh, and it sounds sexual. I feel his chest move as he chuckles lightly. Think, Taylor. Rachel … “Well, to be honest it was weird. She had guessed that we were sleeping together before our shift even started. And then Blane showed up…”
“Blane was at the club?” he interrupts me in surprise, and I frown as he quits massaging my arms.
I move them in an attempt for him to keep going. Thankfully, he does. “Uh-huh,” I mumble. “Savannah was helping me get dressed for work in my bedroom when the news came on and I freaked out when they showed that Rox guy in handcuffs. I just bolted out of the house after you didn’t answer my call. Well, I guess she told him about it, and he came up to the club to check on me. Rachel ran into us in the hallway and she laid it on thick for him right there, letting him know just how much she wanted him. I told her he was taken and then he introduced himself. She started acting weird.”