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"Don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s the holared "You think I’m a beast?" Fuck, what else did she think of et her back?
She ca erous and protect those you love fiercely You should be proud To ht in some stupid shiny armour You’re the monster who no one can tame but the woman he loves" Shea few rabbed her shoulders, turning her to faceto share a part of myself she didn’t know, I murmured, "Do you know the moment I fell for you? The exactwith overpowering love "No"
I let ht I knew I’d found the one The woraine away in the conservatory You didn’t have to do that--you should’ve hated me for what I’d done to you But you offered to soothe ers even while I was a fking bastard"
She sighed, raising her hand to rest overive into the overwhel confusion inside I wanted you soI cared, you’d be kinder, gentler" Her eyes shadowed, reht played out The police arriving My drinking The ht irl I was before I was sold to you"
I bristled "Don’t use that word You weren’t sold Fate just brought us together a little unconventionally"
Linking ers with hers, I said, "Come on Let me show you the island"
Tess stood on tiptoes and kissed my cheek "I’d love that"
We traversed the small jetty, only for Tess to freeze as a loud boom echoed from the centre of the island Birds flurried froers turned to pinpricks of ice in
The noise was a backfire on the generator Francothe house for us
Tess lost all colour "No," she breathed
I shook her, looking deep into her vacant eyes "It’s okay Juste le générateur" Just the generator
She didn’t respond Her hosts she battled with every night swarlowed like black horror in her eyes
Grabbing her cheeks, I snapped, "Tess Stop!" Her panic attacks had to fking end This one was so similar Almost identical to the way she looked in my office when she’d been taken
The last tiet her to return to athered her close, willing rab onto the present, dragging herself frohtmares
Her slack lips suddenly responded belowaway fro out and quivery but she nodded "Yes" Tears welled in her eyes "Q, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to--"
The way she trembled pissed me off but worse, it made me remember Remember why she’d had the panic attack inbastards who’d come to steal her--somehow she’d known There was no way anyone could be on this island, so the only other conclusion was an overload--a complete borade-A assle
Tess pushed et so her shoulders again "I didn’t think I’ idiot"
She blinked "Think about what?"
I’d been so stupid "Being here--in a completely new place The last time that happened--" I couldn’t finish I wouldn’t re--it lived in her s, itched her skin with ht you somewhere so far fro my hands on her shoulders "That’s what you think? Q, it wasn’t the office that upset me It isn’t a new place I’m afraid of It was them I knew Somehow I knew"
"And now? Do you sense them here? Are you afraid?" I wanted to yell at her to never be afraid again--unless it was of htly controlled
"This wasn’t a full attack--just a memory"
I would’ve killed for her to ad soer againstMy instincts knew evil was close by that day I should’ve listened instead of brushing thenored my sixth sense And I prolowered around the island, seeing threats where there were none, suspicious of the swaying pal I didn’t believe her--now I suspected everything and everyone
Maybe it’s the fking captain I glanced over my shoulder At the end of the jetty, Bill had on a headset talking through the radio He looked innocent enough If he wasn’t, I would break his neck in a second
Yet ed into the darkness to be with uilt layered more rocks in my chest I looked back at Tess "That day in the office I should neverI was an idiot to leave…I’ll never be able to tell you how sor--"
Tess’s residual fear morphed into hot teo of your guilt, Q" Cupping my chin, she ran a thumb over a thicker cut that’d needed stitches She lacerated my heart just like she laceratedinto her touch I felt like a wild ani himself be soothed "I love you, esclave, but you’re a hypocrite"
She cocked her head, squinting in the sunlight "I don’t knohat you’re talking about" Trying to change the subject, she said, "Can we go? I’ to see the island and explore" Her eyes sparkled with forcedsubjects away frorowl "Don’t try to hide what just happened" Leaning closer, I ran ently over her ear and down her throat She shivered as I gently peeled the bandage away froht of the angry ‘Q’ branded into her skin for life Eventually it would heal to a delectable silver and everyone would know she belonged totome a headache, so stop it"
She winced as the air touched her sore neck "Fine" The air grew static as her anger sprang from nowhere Her temper fed mine
"Fine," I snapped "Oh, and this?" I rolled up the bandage, shoving it in my pocket "It stays off I want to see the ain"