Enzo
The soft, tender skin of Sera's back was red, and welts had risen where
Luigi's belt had struck her, mostly on her right side, from her shoulder blade down to her hip. And since I'd already killed the man responsible, all I could do was stand there and vibrate with rage that anyone would do this to her. He had no fucking right. Sera was not his. And the only thing that made me feel the slightest bit better was knowing that now she never would be.
With effort, I tore my eyes away from her abused skin. The water in the tub was getting too high, so I walked over and shut it off. Then I found some Epsom salts under the sink and poured some into the hot water. There were no open wounds on her that I saw, just bruised skin with raised welts, so it should be okay. When I was done, I held out my hand. "Come on."
She eyed it like I was holding a snake poised to strike, and as the light struck her face just right, I thought I saw purplish bruising around her eye. After a moment, she took my hand and allowed me to help her into the bath. Carefully, she lowered herself into the tub, letting out a hiss when the water touched her back.
"Is it too hot?"
"No." She shook her head and eased herself further down into the tub until she was fully submerged. "Is Luca angry with me for stealing his father's phone?"
"No," I told her. "Not at all. We're hoping there will be something on it that will help us justify his murder and clear your name."
My cock swelled watching the water dance over her bare breasts, but I ignored it. I wasn't a total monster. Walking over to the medicine cabinet, I grabbed her a couple of Advil and the bottled water Lisa always left on the bathroom counter.
She glanced at me sideways when I held them out to her. "Stop looking at me like that."
I squatted down beside the tub until we were nearly face to face. She most definitely had a black eye. From Luigi, I would assume. And there was a small cut on her cheekbone. "Like what?"
"Like you feel sorry for me. I've had worse." She took the pills and water from me and swallowed them down. "Thank you."
My blood began to boil at her casual admission. "I didn't see marks on you like this when I took you from Mexico."
A haunted look passed over her perfect face, there and gone within a few beats of my heart as she handed the water back to me. "I'm not talking about that."
"Then what?"
"Why the hell do you think I wanted to get away from my father so badly?
Slowly, I rose to my feet and set the bottle back on the counter in case she needed it. Through clenched teeth, I asked her, "What exactly has your father done to you, Sera?"
She stared at the wall in front of her. "He's done a lot of things. None of which I want to go into detail about."
"He hurt you when I sent you back." It wasn't a question. I knew now who had given her the shiner.
She looked at me then, her light eyes darkened with memories. "Yes," she said simply. "And then he sold me off to Luigi, for a discounted price, I'm sure, since I'm now damaged goods. Which was my own choice," she was quick to add. "At least the first time. I don't blame you for that."
I stared down at this woman that I was foolish enough to think I could live without. "You're not damaged."
She didn't respond, but I could tell by the look on her face she was less than convinced. She sighed heavily. "So what happens now?"
The urge to commit a second murder that night was still strong within me, but I couldn't leave her. Not right now. "You're going to need to stay here again for a while."
"Until you can ship me back to my father again?"
"I'm not going to do that."
"What are you going to do then? Find me a new husband yourself?"
"No, Sera."
She looked up at me. "So I'm a prisoner here until when?"
"You're not a prisoner. But you need to stay here so we can keep you safe. Luigi's men think you killed him and escaped out the window. And we need to keep it that way. Just for now. Until we can be sure there won't be any retaliation for his death."
She looked back at the wall. "I would have. Eventually. He was a bastard."
I smiled a little for the first time in a long time. My bloodthirsty little warrior. There was no doubt in my mind she was telling the truth.
In the next second, she wiped the smile right off my face. "I need you to leave now. I don't want to talk to you anymore."
"That's just too fucking bad, baby, because I'm staying right here." I cocked my head, contemplating her profile as a thought occurred to me. "Are you planning to kill me, too?"
She looked away.
"I'm a bastard, too. I'm the son of a bitch who made you promises I didn't keep. Who sent you back to your abusive father so he could sell you off to an abusive husband." I squatted next to her again so I could brush her cheek with the backs of my fingers. Just a soft touch. But it was enough to get a reaction from both of us. The light glinted off her silver nose ring as her nostrils flared slightly on a sharp inhale of breath. "What are you going to do to me, baby girl?"
She turned her head, and her eyes clashed with mine. Damp tendrils of pink hair curled around her face, sticking to her temples. Her cheeks, neck, and chest were flushed red from the heat of the bath water, and her eyes were bright and still slightly glazed over with pain.
"Are you going to kill me, too?" I asked her again.
I watched as tears filled her eyes.
"I would understand if you did," I told her, and I meant it. My only regret would be that I would no longer get to touch her soft skin, or hear the music of her laugh, something I haven't heard in quite a long time. I'd never again get to watch as her back arched with pleasure. Never hear the sounds she made when she was close to orgasm. Those things, I would miss too much.