Molly

Joshua’s arm is across my bare stomach, and I watch the blades of the ceiling fan turn slowly above our heads. It’s been six weeks since we brought down Gavin, since Lara shot him in the back of the head as he tried to choke me to death.

We spent years sneaking in and out of hotel rooms, on and off of trains, going back and forth from France to the U.S. and Canada.

The list is complete.

They’re all dead.

But I’m not satisfied.

It’s not enough.

“You’re awake?” Joshua rises up beside me, that irresistible smile on his face.

Silver hair flops over gray eyes, square chin, square jaw, and full lips.

I love kissing those lips.

I love when they part and show off his straight, white teeth.

I can’t be in love with Joshua.

People like me aren’t allowed to love.

“I was thinking about the wedding.”

“Yeah?” He leans that handsome head on his hand and traces a finger lightly down the center of my forehead. “Give you any ideas?”

I reach up and grip his finger in my fist. “We stood in the shadow of the cathedral, steps away from where the theater used to stand.”

Lara told me as soon as Mark verified both Hudsons were dead, he had the old burned-out husk torn down.

“Okay.” Josh pulls my fist to his lips and kisses it. “But it’s gone. Those days are over.”

“It’s still happening, though. It’s happening here.”

“In this bedroom?” His warm hand covers my breast, and I love the feel of him touching me. It sends heat blazing between my thighs.

I’ve never had a real boyfriend. I’ve never had sex because I cared about someone… Until this happy boy singled me out on the street and decided to pursue me. I don’t even remember when I surrendered. Lara left, and I had to stay with him. One night he asked if he could kiss me, and that kiss blazed into a wildfire.

We stayed in bed making love for two days.

It scared the shit out of me.

I’ve never lost control that way.

Now he plays with me. He knows how to touch me to have me melting into his arms, giving in to the pleasure we find together.

Then he told me his dad was some tech billionaire, and I almost left him.

“Don’t distract me,” I say, catching his hand and threading our fingers together.

He blows air through his lips and sits up in the bed. In this enormous loft apartment that probably costs thousands of dollars a month to rent.

I don’t deserve him.

“Do you know how lucky you are?” He looks down at me, brow furrowed.

“Excuse me?” I sit up, eyes blazing. “What makes me so lucky?”

“You’re lucky Lara got you out of there, took you to France and helped you find a new life. A lot of girls are trapped in the cycle. They never break free, or they end up dead.”

Now he’s talking. “That’s why I have to do this. I escaped. I have to help them escape—all of them.”

He nods. “I can help you. My dad sent me here to find what inspires me.” He grins, and that absolutely unfair dimple pierces his left cheek. “You definitely inspire me.”

My stomach flutters. “What does that mean?”

“It means I want between those sexy legs again.” He rolls forward, dragging me down the mattress and beneath him as his expert mouth covers mine.

I’m wet, and my thighs are already parting. “Wait,” I gasp, lifting my chin. “We can’t have sex again.”

His head pops up, and he frowns. “Why not?”

“Because I wasn’t finished.”

He doesn’t get off me, but he does stop kissing me. Bracing his arms on both side of my face, he watches my mouth. I run my eyes quickly up and down the lines of muscles on his lean arms. Joshua is all lean muscle.

“Well?” He nods briefly. “What else? I’m trying to be patient, but it’s hard. Have you seen your breasts?”

My cheeks grow hot, and I blink down to where his stomach touches mine. “You said you could help me.”

It’s a quiet reminder. I’m not sure I want his help, but I am curious.

“We’ll start a foundation, a safe house. I’ll get dad to fund it, you can run it. We can do community outreach, work with the police and social workers.”

He rattles it off so fast, my head spins.

At the same time, my stomach turns.

Outreach is not what I have in mind.

Still…

“That’s a good place to start.” I nod, thinking. “We’ll need a way to get them on their feet after—”

“After what?”

Shit. I can’t say after I kill the abusers, the pedophiles...

After I cut off their balls and shove them down their throats.

I haven’t been able to shake the asshole on the couch’s words since that night below the tattoo shop. I want tight, thirteen-year-old pussy…

The words have haunted me, plagued me, driven me.

They set my teeth on edge.

They clench my jaw so tight, red floods my vision.

“Where did my girl go? he says softly, leaning down to nuzzle my jaw with his full lips.

Three deep breaths.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale.

It’s how I come back. I learned it when I would kill them with Lara. I had to have a way back to the light. I come back on the last breath.

“I’m here,” I say, exhaling slowly. “I like your idea. I have an idea of my own, but I like yours. It’s good. Like you.”

He smiles and kisses the top of my chest. “Like you,” he says.

It’s his sheltered view of the world.

I’m not good.

And this isn’t over.

* * *

* * *

* * *