“Rest and food are what you need now,” Mercy continued. “After everything you did, you deserve to take it easy.”
“I didn’t do anything.” In fact, she’d failed. She’d wanted to be the one to protect Adrian. Instead, he’d been the one to kill the General and rescue her. She frowned and shifted in the bed, ignoring the stiff muscles that groaned when she moved.
“That’s not true.” Mercy straightened the blankets, making sure they covered her patient. “You single-handedly blew the control station to the Gate. Adrian’s told everyone how you tricked the General and risked your life.”
Charity laughed, but the sound was bitter. “I didn’t do anything. I led you all into a trap. I was nothing but an unwilling pawn in my father’s game of manipulation.”
“Whatever his intention, he didn’t get what he bargained for,” Mercy continued in her practical way. “I have to go. I have a lot of patients to see. I’ll check in on you again later. In the meantime, I’ll get someone to bring you some food now that you’re awake. Don’t eat too much too fast. Take it slow until you see how your stomach is going to be.”
Feeling ungrateful and churlish, Charity proffered a smile. “Thank you. For everything.”
“You’re welcome.” Mercy strode to the door, her movements swift and economical. “I’m just glad you’re awake and feeling better.”
When the door closed, Charity released a sigh. She felt sticky and sweaty after three days in bed and what had come before. Her eyes came to rest on two doors set in the far wall. One had to be a closet. The other might be a bathroom. The thought of being clean was too much of a lure for her to resist.
Gathering her strength, she sat up and swung her legs around to the side of the mattress. Her head swam and her arms and legs trembled. Taking a moment, she rested until the world stopped moving. She lowered her feet to the floor and stood. She wavered, but clung to the bedpost for support.
So far so good. The other side of the room seemed so far away when, in reality, it was only a few steps. “You can do this,” she told herself. Ignoring the scream of pain that went down her back and legs, she started the slow journey across the room. One foot at a time.
Sweat trickled down her back, making the garment she was wearing stick to her. She glanced down and noted she was wearing a large T-shirt that fell to her thighs. It left a lot of leg showing, but covered everything important. Not that it mattered considering she was alone.
Two more steps.
She stumbled and grabbed the handle of the first door to keep from landing headfirst into the wall. Steadying herself, she turned the knob and pulled it open. Closet. It was empty except for a couple of boxes and some clothing.
Closing it, she moved a few more steps to the second door. Holding her breath, she opened it. Her breath came out in a rush of pleasure. A claw-foot bathtub beckoned her into the room. The freestanding tub wasn’t overly large, but that didn’t matter.
She hoped the water was working. With all the fighting, it was hard to say if any of the city utilities had been damaged. Muttering a prayer, she twisted one of the taps and was rewarded with a gush. “Yes.” Who would have thought that the prospect of taking a bath would be so exciting? Now, she just had to figure out how to contort her bruised body in order to get the plug in.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Charity startled and jerked around to face the voice. Her body protested and her knees buckled. Adrian surged forward and caught her just before she ended up in a heap on the floor. Having his arms around her was heaven, but it didn’t last long. He quickly deposited her on the top of the vanity, put his hands on his hips and glared at her.
He looked so vital, so alive, so...male. All Charity could do was stare at him and soak in every square inch. He looked tough and hard, an imposing male figure. His jaw was clenched tight and she could see a small tic pulsing below his left eye.
He was wearing dark pants, a dark shirt and combat boots. She’d never seen him wear anything but black, but it suited him. The shirt clung to his broad shoulders and muscled chest. It was tucked into the waistband of his pants, which brought her gaze lower to the hard bulge that was outlined against the fabric.
“I asked you what you were doing.” His voice was low and even, giving her no indication of what he was thinking.
She sighed and raked a hand through her tangled curls. “I wanted a bath.”
Adrian swore under his breath. He stared at her, the corners of his pale blue eyes crinkling slightly. She thought he might be trying not to smile, but she couldn’t be certain. “You wanted a bath,” he repeated. “I brought you something to eat because Mercy said you were awake. I didn’t expect to find you gone.”
Beneath his words, she thought she heard the slightest thread of concern. Or maybe she was hearing what she wanted to hear. “Thank you for the food,” she began, not quite knowing what to say to him. She felt grungy and disheveled and he looked good enough to eat. It put her at a definite disadvantage.
When he didn’t leave, she gave him a hint. “I’m fine.”
His lips tightened and he frowned. “I want to talk to you.”
She had no idea what he wanted from her. “Okay,” she agreed. “As soon as I have my bath.” No way was she doing anything until she was clean.
Adrian nodded and turned away from her. Instead of heading to the door as she expected, he went to the side of the tub, popped the plug in and adjusted the water temperature. While she sat on the counter with her mouth hanging open, he rummaged around and found a thick facecloth and towel, setting them beside the tub.
She finally found her voice when he took a step toward her. “Thanks. I can take it from here.”
He shook his head. “I’m not taking any chances that you’ll hurt yourself. You’re already black and blue.” He reached for the hem of her shirt and she batted his hands away.
“I said I could do it.” She wasn’t about to let him strip her naked and put her in the tub. In spite of her injuries, her body responded to Adrian’s nearness. Her nipples puckered tight, pressing against the thin fabric of the shirt she was wearing. What seemed adequate coverage just minutes ago was now not nearly enough. She crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring the damp, swollen feeling between her thighs.
He cocked one eyebrow at her. “I’ve seen you naked.”
Charity could feel the heat climbing up her cheeks. “That’s beside the point,” she snapped.
The mood of the room changed, becoming more ominous. Adrian was angry. “It’s because of what he said, isn’t it?”
Okay, now she was totally lost and the water was licking at the edges of the tub. “Uh, you better shut off the water.”
Adrian whirled around and flicked off the taps, testing the water with his other hand. He grunted in approval. “It’s good. Hot enough to help your sore muscles, but not hot enough to burn your skin.”
Through with talking, he lifted her off the counter and grabbed the hem of her shirt, tugging it over her head and tossing it aside. Totally nude, she thought about trying to cover her body, but it was a useless endeavor. Besides which, he was right. He’d already seen her naked.
It was harder than she thought to climb into the tub. Adrian offered her his arm and strength as she carefully lowered herself into the hot water. She clenched her teeth as her muscles protested and her skin screamed that it was too hot.
“Give it a minute,” he murmured. “It will start to feel better.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. The bandage on her arm might get wet but it was worth it to be clean again. Sighing, she embraced the heat, while desperately trying to forget that Adrian was kneeling next to the tub watching her.
Charity could feel his gaze on her as it traveled to her breasts and then lower. Her nipples, already tight buds, seem to pucker even more under his stare
. And she’d been wet between her legs before she’d set foot in the tub. Her outer folds were swollen and hot. Her channel pulsed.
Swallowing hard, she put her mind to other things than her body’s arousal. What Adrian had said echoed in her brain. She opened her eyes. “What did you mean when you said it’s because of what he said? What who said?”
His expression grew even more guarded than usual. His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. Charity grabbed the facecloth from the side of the tub, opened it and covered her breasts. It wasn’t much, but at least she didn’t feel quite so exposed.
“More machine than man,” he grated out. “A cold calculating killer.” Adrian’s wintry blue gaze became colder. “It finally dawned on you what kind of man I am. Who exactly you gave yourself to. The monster I truly am.”
Charity couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Beneath the anger she could sense his vulnerability. Of everything she’d ever believed in her life, she never would have thought that Adrian would care what she, or anyone else, thought of him one way or the other. That would imply he had feelings for her. That she mattered in some way.
Her stomach dropped and that nasty emotion, hope, stirred once again. Adrian could have been carved from stone for all the life he showed. He was totally motionless, not even blinking as he watched her.
“You’re an Alpha,” she began. “You have talents and skills that normal men don’t have.”
“I’m a freak, you mean?” His voice was tinged with bitterness.
She sat forward, ignoring the protests of her battered body and the plop of the facecloth as it fell into the water. “That’s not what I mean.” She scowled. “You’re smart and strong and loyal.” Reaching out, she put her hand against his cheekbone. “You kill, but only to protect yourself and those under your care. You’re a good man, Adrian.” He closed his eyes for a second and released a pent-up sigh. When he opened them again, his blue eyes were much warmer.
“You’re not ashamed you slept with me?”
She shook her head. “Of course not.”
The corners of his mouth turned up in a sexy male grin. “Good. Then you won’t mind doing it again.”
Charity’s mouth fell open. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He’d believed she’d betrayed him. Hadn’t he? She was totally confused by the heat in his gaze and the softening in his expression as he shifted closer, cupping the back of her head with one large palm. He lowered his head until their lips grazed, barely touching.
She shouldn’t do this. Not until they’d talked about what happened. But logic had no place in her world. Not at this moment. Her body yearned to be close to his. Her heartbeat sped up and every cell in her body was cheering. She wanted this man. She had no idea what the future held for them, but she wanted him. Right here. Right now.
She lifted her arm to wrap around his neck and moaned as it protested. Sweat broke out on her brow.
Adrian lifted his mouth from hers. “Let me take care of you.” Desire was evident in every hard line of his face, but there was something more. If she had to put a name to it, she’d say it was tenderness.
Charity nodded and relaxed against the side of the tub, willing to let Adrian do whatever he wanted.
Unexpected emotion welled up inside Adrian as he lowered his lips toward Charity’s. She hadn’t turned him away, hadn’t scorned him for who and what he was. It was one thing to know something about a man, another thing to get a graphic demonstration of it. She’d watched him casually kill her father and toss his body aside as though it was nothing.
And it hadn’t been nothing. It was the fulfillment of a pledge to himself and the Alphas that had died all those years ago. But mostly, it had been the quickest way to secure Charity’s safety and get to her. At that moment, nothing else had mattered. All the years of craving vengeance and retribution had fallen aside in the face of Charity’s injuries.
He was conscious of the fact that she was still hurt. Mercy had cautioned him to be gentle with her, knowing that when he went to Charity, he wouldn’t be able to resist touching her.
Their mouths touched and that simple connection fired his blood. His cock was hard and thick, had been from the moment he’d stepped into the bathroom and seen her leaning over the tub. Her long legs were bare and he’d caught a glimpse of the curve of her ass from beneath the thin fabric of her shirt.
Now she was totally naked, wet and welcoming. It was more than he’d hoped for, but not everything he wanted. It was a start. He wanted her love and devotion and he’d get it no matter what he had to do. She was his new plan, his new goal.
Charity was his and he wasn’t letting her go.
That gave him something to work with. If he tightened their physical bonds, it would help forge their emotional ones. He spanned her slender neck with his hand, feeling the flutter of her pulse as he fingered her soft skin.
She shifted restlessly, making a sexy little sound deep in her throat. The water lapped dangerously against the sides of the tub. His balls tightened at the sound. Once again, he was astounded by her generosity. She held nothing back when they were together like this. From the moment they’d met, something had sparked between them and it had only grown with time.
He stroked his tongue past her lips, exploring every crevice of her mouth, touching her teeth, and nipping on her bottom lip as he withdrew. He leaned back and smiled at the sensual picture she made sprawled out in the tub, her eyes closed, her lips moist and rosy. Her breasts rose above the waterline, her nipples tight buds just begging to be tasted. Her legs were splayed in open invitation.
Adrian took a deep breath, reached down into the tub and drew out the facecloth. A bar of soap sat on a ledge inset into the wall. He picked it up and worked up a thick lather on the cloth. Charity’s eyes fluttered open. He could sense her confusion.
“You wanted a bath, remember?” Starting at her face, he carefully washed her skin, cleaning away any remnants of sweat, blood and dirt. He trailed the cloth over her neck and down her torso, taking special care to wash around her nipples, never touching them.
Her breath caught in her throat and she arched up. The zipper of his pants threatened to burst as his cock shoved against it, demanding release. He hurt as he’d never hurt in his life, but it didn’t matter. Taking care of Charity in this way filled a need within him that went deeper than the physical.
He continued downward, washing her hips, her legs and even her feet. When he was done, he helped her to sit up and very gently washed her back. Bruises were evident over her entire body, many a garish shade of yellow and purple.
Anger threatened to bubble up but he swallowed it back. Charity was safe and alive and that was all that mattered. Could have beens. Might have beens. None of that mattered now.
When she was settled back against the side of the tub, he dropped the wet cloth and picked up the bar of soap, rubbing it through his hands until they were covered in white bubbles.
This time he went straight for her breasts, cupping them, sliding his hands over the firm mounds. Charity moaned, a sound like music to his ears.
“Adrian.” His name was a breathy groan as he tweaked her elongated nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. The soap made his fingers slippery, keeping the pressure light.
She licked her bottom lip before capturing it between her teeth. The steam had turned her hair into a riot of curls, which bounced around her shoulders. Her brown eyes were liquid with pleasure. Her cheeks were rosy and the smattering of freckles on her nose absolutely adorable. The scar on her left cheek was a stark reminder that she hadn’t had an easy life. But she was a survivor, like him. She was smart and intelligent and brave and his.
Adrian couldn’t wait any longer. He wanted to feel her tight pussy wrap around his fingers and squeeze tight. His cock protested, but he ignored it. She wasn’t up to that yet. But when she was...
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br /> Putting that thought aside, he concentrated solely on Charity. He trailed his hands down her torso and over her hips. She spread her thighs without prompting. Growling his approval, he parted her wet folds, teasing the nub of nerves at the top.
Charity’s hips pushed upward as he caught her swollen clit between two of his fingers and tugged gently. Her fingers gripped the sides of the porcelain tub so tight, her knuckles turned white.
She was too tired and bruised for prolonged play of any kind, but Adrian wanted to bring her to orgasm. Easing his other hand between her thighs, he inserted two fingers into her tight channel and pushed. Her pussy rippled around him. His cock pulsed hard and his balls ached with pressure.
Beneath the scent of the soap, he could smell the healing salve Mercy had used on Charity. It was a stark reminder that he’d almost lost her. But they were both very much alive. She’d been aroused when he’d picked her up to put her in the tub. There was no disguising that particular perfume. Hot and spicy and juicy, it had tempted him. He wanted to eat her until she came. He licked his lips in anticipation. Next time, he promised himself.
He worked his fingers back to her opening and then surged forward. At the same time, he plucked at her clit and leaned forward, blowing on her wet nipples.
Charity came hard. Her torso bowed out of the water and then went splashing back down. Water rushed over the edge of the tub, soaking his pants, as her pussy contracted around his fingers. He touched and petted her, prolonging her pleasure as long as possible.
Easing his fingers out of her moist core, he smiled in spite of the pain he was in. She lolled in the water like some mythical water nymph. Her eyes were closed, her breathing deep.
He pulled the plug and the water started to drain. That roused her from her semi-sleep state. She blinked at him. “You didn’t...” She motioned to his erection.
“No, I didn’t.” He reached into the tub and lifted her out. He released her legs, steadying her until she could stand on her own. Then he picked up the towel and swiftly dried her, being careful of her bruises and her wound. She shivered and goose bumps covered her arms.
Alpha’s Revenge Page 11
