For Everything (10 page)

“I agree,” his fingers stroked her shoulder, “you were seventeen, your parents had just died. What happened next?”

Her body shuddered. “They arrested him, but he made bail and came looking for me. He dragged me back to my parent’s house.”

“What happened there?” He pulled her tighter against his side.

“The house was empty. It was unusual I knew he was going to hurt me.” She cleared her throat rubbing her head. She hated remembering.

“He did!” He traced the scars on her breasts.

“He told me I had to drop the charges. He wasn’t going to jail because of me.” She took another deep breath. “He hit me and I fell. I must have hit my head or something, because when I woke up my hands were tied to my bed, and I was naked.”

His eyes widened, his fingers clenching beneath his ear where he leaned on it, the color receding from them. “Did he have sex with you?”

She shook her head no.

“He did this to you.” His hand brushed over the scars by her nipples.

“He said no man wanted me, this was my punishment for trying to leave him - no one gets out, no one leaves.” She gulped, her eyes closing. “He cut me with his knife.”

“Cut you?” Clay asked.

“He sliced my skin, laughed as I bled. When I tried to fight back he hit me,” she whispered.

He watched her face as she spoke, his fingers shaking with his anger as they brushed over her nipples.

“When I came to I was on my stomach, he was cutting my back. He joked about how pretty my skin looked with my blood dripping down it.” She shifted again, turning her head away from him, trying to hide her tears.

He stopped her, brushing his hand over her cheek  catching her tears. “And?”

“I tried to fight back, so he cut me deeper,” she whispered.

He skimmed his hand down her body spreading her legs he traced the scars on the sides of her pussy. “Here,” Clay whispered.

Lily nodded.

He lowered his mouth, brushing her stomach with his lips.

She watched him. “I don’t know how long I was there, but it was dark, there was a terrible storm. I managed to slide my hands loose, tried to sneak out.”

“What happened next?” he whispered.

“I made it to the stairs, but he caught me. He punched me. Knocked me down the stairs. He followed,” she hesitated, gasping for breath as the images ran across her mind. She glanced up at the ceiling. “I kicked him, he laughed… came at me, and I… I…,”

“You what?” Clay asked.

Her fingers clenched tightly, eyes closing she whispered, “I grabbed the knife he dropped and stabbed him.”

“Where?” His fingers stroked her breast.

She shuddered, “In the chest. He fell and I ran, someone called the police, they came.”

“Was he arrested?” he slid his fingers to her hand, gently unclenching her fist.

“Yes,” she said, “but he made bail.”

He closed his eyes, squeezing tightly. “Then what?”

“I went to a motel, my parents had money. The money was mine.” She watched him entwine his finger with hers.

“And,” he prompted, pulling her hand onto her abdomen, entangled with his.

“Two days before the trial he found me, said if I testified against him, he would kill me,” Lily murmured, her voice cracking as her fingers gripped his.

His head shot up, his eyes dark, glowing with anger.

She met his eyes. “I went to my trustees the next day, asked for an advance so I could get my life together, they gave me $10,000, I packed what I had and left town.”

“You left?” he asked, picking her hand up and kissing her fingers.

“I ran away.” She turned her head, staring out the window again.

“What happened to the trial?” he asked.

“I am not sure,” she whispered.

“Who was it Lily?” Clay sucked the tip of her finger into his mouth.

She squeezed her eyes closed. “I can’t tell you.”

He leaned down, brushing her lips with his. “Why not? I want to know.”

“I can’t,” she cried, pulling her fingers away clenching them into a fist. “Please don’t ask me to.”

“Lily, love,” he caught her hand again. “He can’t hurt you anymore, I won’t let him, but I need to know who he is.”

She shook her head, sobs ripping from her throat.

He didn’t say a word, just pulled her into his arms. He kissed her lips, cradling her in his arms as she cried.

Chapter 14

Clay lay holding Lily, his mind whirling, furious. How do you abuse and steal from a grief stricken teenager?

He stroked her arm, soft feathery strokes, watching her sleep. She had been a kid, suffering through one of the hardest moments of her life and this man, whoever he was, took over, for what? The money her parents had. He struggled with the knowledge.

Her scars embarrassed her, she did all she could to hide them. Afraid of how others might react, what they would say. He hated it.

She didn’t need to be embarrassed. She didn’t need to hide. Lily was beautiful. Her scars couldn’t diminish that. Not only was Lily physically beautiful, she was beautiful inside.

He had noticed she loved to take pictures, but hid from being in any. He understood now, she didn’t want the man who hurt her to find her. She was still very much afraid, and hid so he couldn’t find her, which was why she didn’t go out much, stuck to her apartment and work.

He hated that even more. He didn’t want her to be afraid to do things, to enjoy life. He didn’t want her hiding herself away living in fear, spending her life as a wallflower.

He had to find a way to free her of her fear so he could claim her for his own. Clay wanted Lily in his life forever, as his wife. He wanted children, but if she couldn’t have any then they would adopt, because he didn’t want to raise a child with anyone else.

****

Clay climbed out of the bed, walking into the living room. He picked up his phone calling the head of his security company, it was late, but Jacob would take his call.

“Clay, its four a.m., is something wrong?” Jacob asked sleepily.

Clay ran his fingers through his hair, “Jacob, I’m sorry, but this couldn’t wait. I need a favor quickly and quietly.”

“Ok,” Jacob replied, concern coloring his voice, it was unlike Clay to bother anyone at this hour, “what’s this about?”

“Lily,” Clay walked over to the bedroom, making sure she still slept. He picked up her purse, walking back into the living room.

Jacob laughed lightly on the other end, “Lily is a sweetheart. I like her. Did something happen to her?”

Clay sat on the couch, going through Lily’s purse, “Jacob, I conned Lily into coming with me for this week. She wasn’t my girlfriend, but I wanted her to be.”

Jacob laughed a little harder. Everyone had wondered how Clay had gotten Lily to agree. “We all know you are crazy about her and have been for quite a while.”

“Yeah,” Clay cleared his throat, “I need you to check into Lily.”

“Check into Lily!” Jacob gasped, “why?”

Clay pulled her wallet out of her purse, finding her drivers license and taking it out. “Jacob, someone hurt her.”

“What do you mean someone hurt her?” Jacob questioned.

Clay took a deep breath. Standing, he walked back over to the room checking to make sure she still slept. “Jacob, someone attacked her, it was very violent. I need to find out who it was. There should be a police report.”

“Oh, man!” Jacob muttered, “Seriously?”

“Yeah, seriously,” Clay ran his fingers over the edge of her driver’s license.

“Clay,” Jacob hesitated, “She might get angry.”

“I know,” Clay stood, began to pace, “but I want a lifetime with Lily, and I can never have her as long as she is afraid of him.”

“Okay,” Jacob said, “I will do all I can to find out as quickly as I can.”

Clay held her license up. “Her full name is Lily Elizabeth Travis. I’ll send you a picture of her license.”

“Okay, send it over,” Jacob said.

Clay sat back down on the couch. “Thank you. Jacob, this is just between me and you.”

He hung up his phone, took a picture of Lily’s license, and sent the picture to Jacob. He put her stuff back in her purse. Walking into the room, he placed her purse back on the dresser, climbing into bed he pulled her tightly into his arms.

Chapter 15

Lily woke slowly, the body next to hers offering warmth, security. She leaned up on an elbow inspecting him. He was gorgeous. Her eyes drank him up, from his dark hair, to his strong hands. His hands fascinated her. They were strong, yet gentle, a contradiction.

When he touched her, those hands made magic happen in her body. She smiled. She would never forget him. She wished she had met him years ago, before Jason, so she might have had a chance with him. He was the type of man a woman loved.

Her eyes roved over him. She loved his chest. He barely had any hair, just a smattering around his nipples and a line that ran down from his belly button. Her eyes couldn’t follow the dark trail below the covers, afraid to move them and wake him up.

Her eyes continued to travel over him, captivated as the covers over his waist moved, his cock growing beneath. She wondered if he was dreaming, and glanced up at him.

He smiled at her expression, whispering, “It’s because of you.”

“Me?” she asked, her eyes widening.

“I sensed your eyes.” His fingers caressed her lips. “I responded.”

“You responded,” she murmured, “you weren’t dreaming.”

He laughed. “No, I wasn’t dreaming. I was responding to you.”

“To me,” she whispered, her lips parting, she wanted to believe him.

“Yes, to you.” His fingers pushed through her hair, pulling her lips down to his. “Kiss me.”

Her eyes flared as she settled her lips on his, moving slowly.

He followed her lead, he made no other move letting her needs, and desire set the pace.

Her tongue flicked over his lips learning them by touch and taste. She moved her lips back and forth before sucking his lip between hers. Her tongue pushed against his lips,  and glided into his mouth.

She pushed her mouth harder against his, stroking his tongue, pleased when he moved his to duel with hers. Her hands came up to frame his face, pulling her lips from his, she stared into his eyes.

“Go ahead,” he whispered, “whatever you want.”

Her eyes flared, sliding her body on top of his, his arousal pressing against her stomach. She kissed his face, eyes, nose, and ear; sucking the lobe before tracing it with her tongue.

She moved down his neck, her tongue tracing the cords, loving the salty taste of his skin. She moved down his body, her thighs straddling his as she played with his chest, her fingers brushing over his nipples.

Her lips followed. She kissed, licking each inch of his chest. He fisted his hands, arching his neck, letting her have her way, groaning as her lips touched his nipple.

She flicked her tongue over his nipple, sucking before moving to his other nipple. She laved his nipple as her fingers glided up and down his sides.

She moved her body down his legs her mouth skimming over his stomach, the muscles clenching beneath her lips. She glanced up at him, his eyes closed, his breathing harsh as his cock jerked below her breasts.

She kissed her way over his stomach, leaving a moist trail along his waist, before laving his naval. She traced the trail beneath his naval with her tongue, ending at the base of his cock. Her cheek brushed the silky smooth skin. Turning her head, she flicked her tongue over the skin.

Clay groaned, clenching his teeth together as her lips teased their way down his thighs, licking and sucking his skin into her mouth.

She worked her way to his feet, her breasts brushing against his skin as she tasted and touched. She straddled his thighs, wrapping her fingers around his cock. She stroked him with one hand while running her fingers over his head with the other, rubbing the drop of pre-come into his silky skin. He released a strangled groan, arching his neck. He wanted to surge against her hands, to move, but she was on his legs. “Lily, you’re driving me nuts. I don’t know how much more I can take.”

Her brows shot up, she licked her lips.

“I want you.” His fingers brushed over her thighs. “I want to be inside of you.”

Her eyes widened, moving up she straddled his hips.

He slipped his fingers between her pussy lips, “Do you feel how wet and slippery you are for me, Lily?”

“Yes.” She moved against his fingers.

He bent his knees. “A little higher, lean against my legs.” He arched his neck, his hands resting on her hips. “Now, take me, show me the way.”

She circled his cock, guiding him between her pussy lips to her opening. She slid down just a little and his head pushed in, her eyes closing. She loved the sensation of him entering her body.

“Now, slide down.” He gritted his teeth. He had moved and controlled the motion so far, this time was hers.