This girl. She’d been hurt and threatened by my ex-wife and her sleazeball boyfriend, and she was asking if I was okay. She was too good for me. “I’m great. I have everything I want right here in my arms.”
Juliette’s smile beamed even brighter as she rolled her hips against me. “Do we have a few minutes before we have to get up?”
“We can have a lot of time if you stay home today.”
“I need to go to work. There’s no reason to stay home.”
“You were assaulted last night. You were in the hospital.”
“I was barely assaulted. I was pushed. Then I was the one who knocked Kayla down. Anyway, you’re the one with a bruise on your face. I’m fine.”
“You’re amazing, Juls. I had no doubt you’d fight to protect me or yourself. But I really hate to hear you sound happy about what happened last night. I’m so furious you were in danger, I can’t even breathe at the thought of Kayla or Leo getting their hands on you when I’m not there.”
“I’m okay, Dylan, I promise. The police have our reports. They won’t get away with anything else.”
“We’re going to file for restraining orders, but that won’t stop them. I need you to promise me you’ll be careful. Avoid going anywhere by yourself for a little while. I’m going to call Beth today, too. Her husband, Sledge, is a firefighter at Station 7. She’s the one I told you about, the reason for the kickball game. She’s also a computer genius. If there’s any dirt that we can use against Kayla and Leo, she’ll find it.”
“I’m fine with that. I usually just go to work and back home anyway. You’re sure Beth won’t mind?”
“When I tell her they threatened you, I won’t be able to stop her. I may even have to rein her in.”
Juliette let out a small, warm laugh, lightening the cloud of tension pressing down on me. “Then I’ll be safe.” She smiled as she leaned in and planted her lips firmly against mine. “So…” she said, reaching her hand between us to palm my dick, which was already half hard, because I couldn’t help myself when she was sprawled over me, even with thoughts of last night swirling through my mind.
“I’ll take care of you, baby. I can’t say no to you. But you need to be quick if you insist on going to work.”
“I am going to work, but I’ll have no problem being quick. I need you.”
I couldn’t deny Juliette anything. I rolled her on to her back and made my way down her body, gripping the hem of my t-shirt that she was wearing, but her hands landed on mine, stopping me.
I snapped my head up to look at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I… Just… Can I leave it on?”
What the hell? She was never reluctant to be naked with me. Realization dawned, hot and furious. “I know you’re bruised, baby. I promise not to freak out.”
“Okay,” she said hesitantly, releasing my hands. Her uncertainty pissed me off. Was it worse than I imagined?
I gently lifted her shirt. “Fuck.” My heart clenched at the purple and black bruises marring her beautiful skin.
“You promised not to freak out.”
“I know. But look at you.”
“It looks worse than it feels. I have bruises all the time.”
I sure hoped it looked worse than it felt, because it looked awful. I knelt next to her and as softly as possible, I kissed the bruise spreading out over her hip.
“Roll over, baby,” I whispered through a tight throat.
She did, and I growled and bit back the curse that almost came out, because I’d made her a promise, but I couldn’t hold it all back.
“I’m fine.”
I ignored her because nothing about this was fine, and continued kissing the bruise spanning across her back where Kayla had pushed her into the shelf.
Juliette rolled back over and grabbed my dick. “Forget about it. I need you.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”