“I think he might be right. I always thought what you saw had something to do with your father. I figured that’s why he kept you so isolated and only let Dr. Shepard ever see you, but I think as years went on he was confident you wouldn’t remember.” She swings her attention to me now. “I will get you that key on one condition.”
I tense, not liking being given any conditions. “What’s that?”
“You keep my girl out of this, and don’t let anything happen to her.”
That was the easiest condition I’ve ever heard. “I promise, no one will fucking hurt her. I would die before I let anything happen to her.”
“Oh god, don’t say that,” Emily says, clearly upset at the thought.
“Nothing is going to happen to either of us, baby.” I look back to Rosa. “Be careful getting that key. Don’t do it if something doesn’t feel right, or if it isn’t safe to do so. If you can’t get it I will find another way.”
She nods. “Well, young man, I may have underestimated you. I think if anyone is a match for him, it might just be you.”
We aren’t a match because I know I will win this time. I have no choice but to conquer – for all those girls and everything the motherfucker has done to Emily.
Chapter 18
Emily
Standing in front of my dresser with the massive mirror attached to it, I lean in and stare at my reflection. It’s something I do often, since getting my sight back. I check to see what I look like in the morning when I first wake up, then again after my shower, after I workout, eat, laugh and cry. Pretty much anytime I do something throughout the day I check to see what I look like after, for no reason in particular, mainly just because I’m curious. But right now, as I look myself over, my stomach twists painfully at my reflection, because, for the first time, I realize how much I look like my father. A man who has brought so much harm and has caused so many people pain. Our eyes are the same ice blue color, our hair the same light brown, even my heart-shaped face matches his. It makes me wonder how Ryder can even stand to be around me, considering how much he hates my father. Or how Rosa can love me as much as she does after the amount of grief he has caused her over the years. My heart is still heavy since leaving her house earlier, knowing she endured it all just for me.
As if I somehow summoned him with my thoughts, I sense Ryder’s eyes on me. I can tell he’s watching me from my bedroom doorway. “I look just like him,” I whisper, telling him my thoughts as I continue to stare at myself.
I hear him move from the door and my gaze meets his in the mirror as he comes to stand behind me. His green eyes are hard and intense. “You look nothing like him.”
“Yes, I do,” I argue quietly, hating that it’s the truth.
His strong arms come around me and he pulls me back against him. One arm stays wrapped around my waist while the other comes across my chest, his hand wrapping delicately around my throat while he keeps me faced to the mirror. His possessive hold has my heart rate accelerating and my body flooding with warmth; I have felt nothing but cold since leaving Rosa’s.
“Look, baby,” he whispers in my ear, his eyes staying locked on mine in the mirror. “Really look at yourself. Your eye color may be similar, but when you look into yours there’s warmth and beauty. Your hair may be similar in color, but yours is long, beautiful and it smells really fucking good.”
My lips twitch. “You don’t think his smells good?” I tease lightheartedly.
“I don’t give a fuck what his smells like. I’m telling you, Em, when I look at you I don’t see him.” His sincere words have relief flooding me, and my throat burning with emotion. “You are the polar opposite of him. He’s a sadistic son of a bitch, and you, baby, don’t have a calculated bone in this beautiful body of yours. You are absolute fucking perfection and I am going to show you right now.” He sweeps my hair to the side and rains soft kisses down my neck as his hands move to my shoulders, sliding down the straps of my sundress.
Anticipation hums though me because I know what’s about to happen and I’m ready for this. I’m ready for his touch. I’m ready to let go of the past, and look to the future. I want to feel only him in this moment, and let him take away all the bad, even if it’s just for a short time.
My dress slips easily from my body and pools at my feet, leaving me only in a pair of hot pink, lace panties. The cool air in the room hits my overheated flesh and my nipples instantly strain for his touch. A low animalistic growl erupts from his chest as I stand bared to him in the mirror. “Look how fucking pretty you are, Em.”
He steps back briefly only to rid himself of his shirt then he comes up flush against me again. The heat from his hard, bare body warms me from the inside out. His intense green eyes burn bright with lust as his arms come around me once again. My tummy quivers as his hands splay against my bare skin before moving up and cupping my swollen, achy breasts. I drop my head back on his chest with a moan while I raise my arms and link them around his neck. He presses a kiss to the corner of my eye before staring back at our reflection.
“I’m going to show you how perfect you are. It’s the only thing I ever regretted about your disability. I didn’t give a shit that you couldn’t see me, but I fucking hated that you weren’t able to see how beautiful you are.” His words embrace my soul, washing away some of the damage and insecurities my mother has left on me. It’s something he’s always been good at; he’s always made me feel beautiful.
“We look beautiful together,” I whisper truthfully, my gaze locking with his in the mirror.
“Yeah, baby, we’re fucking perfect together.”
I whimper as he begins tugging and rolling my sensitive nipples between his thumb and forefinger. I thrust back against him, my ass connecting with his erection as I try to seek relief for the burning ache igniting between my legs. I feel his growl vibrate against my back seconds before both of his hands move to my left hip and he tears my panties from my body.
I gasp, not expecting the aggressive act, but it quickly trails off to another loud moan as his fingers find my wet, aching flesh. My eyes train on his hand in the mirror as he spreads me open, baring my most intimate part. I should be embarrassed, but I’m so turned on that when the cool air from the room whispers across my throbbing clit, it almost makes me explode.
“Such a pretty pussy.” His rough voice is like sandpaper in my ear, and it sends shivers along every nerve ending in my body. “I fucking love that you’re bare here, baby, nothing hiding your perfection from me.” Keeping me open with one hand, he uses the middle finger from his other hand to slide down my wet center, skimming over my clit. A fiery whimper escapes past my lips, seconds before he slips it deep inside of me.
“Oh god!” My arms drop from around his neck and I fall forward, bracing my hands on the dresser in front of me.
His low groan fills the air around us. “So fucking tight.”
I thrust my back against him, needing more, feeling so close. “Ryder, please!” I beg, wanting to be put out of this sweet misery. Instead of giving me what I desperately plead for, he slips his finger out of me. “No, no, no,” I whimper in disappointment.
“Shhh. You aren’t coming on my finger, baby, not this time.” Our gazes meet in the mirror and he gives me a dirty grin. “This time you’re going to come on my tongue.”
Grasping my hips firmly, he kicks my feet apart to widen my stance then drops down on the floor behind me. I feel him turn before his head comes between my legs, and his mouth immediately latches on to me. I cry out at the sweet ecstasy and my knees almost give out from under me, but Ryder cups my ass to keep me upright. His groan vibrates against my clit and reverberates through my entire body. His tongue slowly gliding through me, exploring skillfully, bringing me to highs I’ve only ever experienced with him.