His hand squeezes around mine and he tugs me to him. Bliss. All I know is this is bliss. My heart, so broken and bloody, is rapidly healing with every second in his presence. I blink a few times to let the tears escape and he comes back into view.
“Thank God,” he murmurs and pulls me until our faces are inches apart. “I’ve been going out of my fucking mind worrying about you. God I’ve missed you.”
I drop my lips to his and kiss him tenderly. His lips aren’t soft like usual, they’re cracked and dry but they’re perfection to me. I’ve missed them so much. We remain barely touching—simply inhaling one other. He’s hurt and I’m afraid I’ll make it worse if I even move. But then his fingers thread into my hair and he palms the back of my skull, pulling me closer. The hunger—the all-consuming urgency—explodes through him and I fall into him. Just like each and every time. I can’t help but get swept up in the incredible hurricane that is him. He pulls me into the eye of his storm where it’s safe and calm. War loves me with the gentleness no other can give to me while the chaos ensues around us.
When I let out a happy sigh, his tongue dives into my mouth and he tastes me as if I’m the most delectable thing he’s ever had the pleasure of tasting. I slide my fingers over his cheek that’s sporting a few days’ worth of scruff and kiss him deeper. His mouth has a way of wiping away all the hurt and pain, and instead filling me with hope and love.
When we part, my face is cupped in his hands and he holds it a few inches from his, his eyes flitting all over me. “I need you closer,” he murmurs against my lips. “Get into the bed with me.”
I kick off my tennis shoes and delicately climb in next to him. His arm wraps around my back as he hugs me to him.
“I’m afraid to touch you,” I murmur, my fingertips delicately dancing along his flesh as if he might disappear at any moment. “War, I thought you were dead and that…that…” I shudder in his arms.
He strokes my hair and presses a kiss to my forehead. “Shhh. I’m here, Bay, and I’m not going anywhere. As long as you’re here, I’ll make it through this. How did you get away from him? What did he do to you?”
More tears spill out and I shudder in his arms. “He hurt me…again, but he’s gone. Don’t worry about me. We’re together now.”
I tilt my head up to look at him. His stormy blue eyes are devouring my appearance. I hope he can’t see the horrible memories of what Gabe did inside my head. If he knew that Gabe raped me, he’d probably be disgusted. I’d become tainted in his eyes. Filthy. Like the infectious bacteria he so ferociously avoids. I want to enjoy this moment. I know it’s a conversation we need to have. But I can’t put those images in his mind. I can’t bear the thought of rehashing the events of the last two days right now. Not when I just managed to escape.
When I find his eyes in the darkness, they are looking at me studiously. He sighs and nods slowly. “Okay,” he whispers as if he recognizes the fact that any questions he dares to ask should be asked with caution. Because he isn’t going to like the answers. “You’re safe now, beautiful. When I get out of here, we can go back home where I’m never letting you go.”
Home.
War is my home.
“My mom died,” I tell him, my chin quivering. “This whole time she’s been dead, and I never knew. I went to her gravesite. God, I miss her.”
He hugs me to him. “I’m so sorry. Detective Stark told me. I fucking hate that for you.”
Our lips meet for a moment and he kisses me while his thumb swipes away my tears.
“Brandon told me you’d died,” I choke out. “I was dead inside. My heart died right along with you.”
My sobs overwhelm me and he holds me tight against his side.
“Shhh,” he coos. “I never went anywhere, Bay.”
“He’s not the same person,” I hiss out, my lip wobbling wildly. “I was happy when he saved me but then I wasn’t. I don’t love him. Not anymore. But it’s more than that, War, he’s unhinged. He has these elaborate ideas about us being together. I watched him shove Gabe to his death in that cellar. His eyes were hate-filled… I’m afraid he’ll never cope with you and I being together, which is why he lied. And I think he has something to with my dad being missing.”
His brows furrow together and he frowns. “Yeah, I started getting a feeling when talking to Stark and it wasn’t a good one. Jesus, Baylee,” he says and drops a kiss to the top of my head, his hands around my face trembling. “We’ll call her in the morning. She can deal with Brandon. You’re safe with me now.”