Valiant

Page 39

“Baylee,” he says, his voice pained. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

I shrug, even though the thought hurts. It hurts so bad.

Jack doesn’t know I had to change my name and move, or that I’m worried York has found me again. I can’t tell him that. Not right now.

“Did he get locked up?” Jack asks, his voice so tight I feel bad for him.

I shrug. “I don’t know, I just know he’s gone.”

“He know where you are?”

I look to him. “No, Jack, it’s fine. I’m okay now.”

He studies me, but doesn’t push. “What’s his name?”

“Jack ...”

“I want to make sure he never comes near you again, Baylee.”

“I promise you, he’s gone and won’t come back, please ...”

He must see something in my eyes, because he stops pushing, and in a soft voice, softer than I’ve ever heard, he says, “Show me.”

I stare at him. “Show you?”

“The scars. The things that make you think you’re not worthy. Show me.”

I flinch. “No.”

“Show me, Baylee,” he says, reaching over and stroking my cheek. “Show me, because I want to show you, here and now, there is nothing you can show me, or tell me, that’ll ever make me think you’re not the most incredible, beautiful, woman I’ve ever met.”

My bottom lip trembles, but I find my fingers going to the hem of my shirt. Slowly, I move backwards and lift it over my head. Then I push to my feet, and with trembling fingers, I unbutton my shorts and shimmy them down my thighs. Fear is lodged in my chest, my heart is racing, and I’m shaking all over. I know how ugly these scars are. I know.

Jack is on his knees before me, and I glance down at him as his eyes fall to the jagged, ugly, purple scars that have utterly destroyed the lower half of my body. He stares at them for so long I’m terrified that he’s disgusted, but after a few minutes he stretches his hand out and his finger grazes one of them. I shudder beneath his touch, but I don’t move or say anything.

He traces every scar with his finger, and then he leans in, placing his hands on my hips, and he presses his lips to them. Tears burst forth and roll down my cheeks, as his mouth moves across my body, gently tracing every single flaw. He kisses every scar, and then looks up at me, those eyes shining under the moonlight. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he says, his voice husky and low, “and I never, not for a single second, want to hear you tell me you’re not.”

My knees start shaking and Jack gently pulls me down, removing his hands from my hips and cupping my cheeks. Then he leans forward, and he kisses me. I realise in that moment, Diesel was wrong. It isn’t just the girl for every man. There is a man for every girl. And in that moment, I feel it with every single piece of my being.

Jack is that man for me.

The one that’ll save me.

The one that was sent to me.

The one that’ll change everything.

Jack is that man.

God.

Jack is that man.

 

 

CHAPTER 22


NOW – BAYLEE


Jack’s mouth moves over mine, and for a moment, I’m hesitant. Not because I don’t want it, no, because I’m scared. I’m terrified. It’s been so long since someone has been with me purely because they want to be with me, not because it’s being forced upon me. I trust Jack, wholeheartedly, and because of that, I pull my mouth from his, take a staggering breath, and exhale.

I’m okay.

I can do this.

“We don’t have to do anything,” he says, running a thumb over my bottom lip. “I mean that. If I can just taste your lips all night long, that’ll be more than enough for me. I swear it.”

I meet his eyes, and my body trembles. I want him. I do. I want to remember what it feels like to be normal, to have someone be kind and gentle with me. I want this with him, I can’t fight it anymore. Maybe he will see what I am down the track, maybe my weakness will affect him, but right here, right now, in this moment, I just want him.

“I want it,” I whisper. “Just ... go easy on me.”

He nods, bringing his mouth closer again until our lips connect once more. Kissing him is like coming home. I swear, it’s like heaven. His lips are soft, the stubble on his jaw rough, the combination intoxicating. His tongue dances with mine, and his hands tangle in my hair, softly. The kiss is deep, it’s long, and it’s perfect. So damned perfect.

Slowly, Jack lays me back on the sand. He positions himself over me, his body hard in every single place it touches mine. I shiver beneath him, gazing up into his eyes, his hair falls messily over his forehead and the moonlight seems to be shining down on him, as if we were meant to be right here, in this exact moment. He reaches down, cupping my head in his hands, letting some of his weight rest on me as he leans in, brushing his lips across my forehead, then my cheeks, then once more over my lips.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmurs, nuzzling my neck, making my skin prickle in the best way.

My body heats, seemingly from the core out. I can feel him, every part of him, and I want him. I truly want him. I reach up, tangling my fingers in his hair, it’s thick, and soft, and just makes him that much more perfect. I press my heels into the sand and arch my hips up, gasping as he rotates against me.

“God, you’re driving me wild,” he growls, kissing me more fiercely, nipping at my bottom lip.

“I want this, Jack,” I breathe. “I want it.”

“Slowly, baby.”

He pushes up again, running a finger down my belly, over my scars, and to my panties. He hooks his finger in them and gently guides them down as he moves off my body. Heat rises in my cheeks as he stares down at me, bare from the breasts down. The hunger in his eyes has my body coming alive again. He takes the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head. Sitting there, on his knees, in just a pair of jeans, he’s the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

“You’re perfect,” I say, my eyes travelling down the ridges of his body, over his muscles, and to the V that dips into his jeans.

“As are you,” he says, his voice husky.

He leans forward, taking my knees carefully and propping my feet up, so I’m spread bare before him. My heart hammers as he reaches between my legs, sliding his finger through my sex. He makes a throaty sound, and I whimper. God. That feels incredible. So gentle. So soft. So kind.

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