Bent, Not Broken(16)

“Why are you in my bed and not your own?”

“Do you remember what happened last night?” he asked.

Amy thought about last night and her heart started to pound. “You’re not going anywhere?”

“No, I’m not. I’m not going anywhere and I’m going to stay here until you’re completely comfortable with me. This is the bed I’ll sleep in. I’ll be there to meet you after work.”

“You’re not going to back away?”

“No, not even if you beg me to.”

Amy licked her lip, pulling away from him a little. Reese stopped her from moving by tightening his hand on her waist. Should she call him Reese or Joker? She didn’t know what to think.

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

“You’re not running from me.”

“I’m not going to run, but you’ve got to admit this is pretty damn confusing.” She moved off the bed, making her way toward the bathroom.

“It’s not confusing, baby.” He moved toward the edge of the mattress, sitting up. She couldn’t help but glance down. His penis pressed against the front of his boxer briefs. Amy swallowed past the lump in her throat. He was huge.

“I need to use the bathroom.” Opening her bathroom door, she sat on the toilet, and her thoughts returned to Reese. “Stop it,” she said, scolding her mind.

She squealed when he knocked on the bathroom door, her nerves running wild.

“Yeah?” she said, clearing her throat after the words left her. Her face felt bright red at the fact Reese could come in and see her on the toilet.

“Can I come in?”

“No.” she said right away. “Hold on.” She finished going, flushed the toilet, and washed her hands. She opened the door and saw Reese leaning against the frame, his arms crossed over his chest.

He grabbed her hands in his in the next second. “You’re going to be mine. I’m not going to leave here until you’re by my side on the back of my bike.” He gripped her hands even tighter. “I’m not expecting you to be all right with this straight away, but with time, I want us to be more.” His thumbs stroked across her skin. “Nothing you can do or say is going to push me away. I know what happened to you. I know what Bruce did to you. Look into my eyes, Amy.”

She did as he ordered, unable to look away from him.

“Everything with us is real. I love you, baby.” He placed one of her hands over his heart. “You’re in here and nothing is going to push you away. Tell me you understand.”

“I understand.”

He pressed a kiss to her lips. “No pressure, no pushing, we’ll take our time together.”

She smiled as he pulled away.

“You’re gorgeous even when you’re embarrassed.” He chuckled, leaving her alone.

Turning and staring at her reflection, she blew out a breath.

It’s all going to be okay. She wanted to be with Reese and if that meant learning to accept him and the club then she would.

“You can do this, Amy. He’s gone and nothing is ever going to happen to you again.”

She found her hand shaking. This is what she hated the most. One part of her wanted to give herself over to Reese, to have what she’d witnessed that night all those years ago with the other woman. She wanted to give in and to know what it was like to be kissed, loved, and desired. However, another part of her was scared. All she’d ever known was fear and pain. Her mother and her therapist promised it would take time, but she’d be able to live normally. How could being frightened of everything in life be living normally? So far, she hadn’t been able to allow herself to experience new things, and she knew it was because of fear.

Fisting her hand, she was determined to ignore that inner fear and try. The bastard who was supposed to love and protect her would no longer be allowed to rule her. Her father was dead and she would learn to live life to the fullest.





Amy was afraid of what she was about to do, not because she feared Joker, but because she was afraid of taking this first step toward her new future. The reality was that she could hide in the past forever, never being able to live her life fully because she worried she’d always be afraid. She thought about Joker, about him lying beside her in bed all night, holding her, and just being there for her. He had killed her father, the man who hurt and tormented her for far too many years. She hated him, hated that he still had this kind of control over her. Why should he dictate how she loved or was loved? Why should he control who she gave herself to?

She stared at herself in the mirror; her long dark hair was messy around her face, and light blue eyes. She had never thought of herself as pretty, never even thought she could truly be loved by someone. That was all thanks to her father, and what he had taken from her all those years ago. He hadn’t just taken her innocence, but her self-confidence, too.