Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 205(@200wpm)___ 164(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 205(@200wpm)___ 164(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
I tried to avoid looking at Ice, but as the silence dragged on, I had to. His cold green gaze moved over my body, his expression growing more and more thunderous as the seconds ticked by.
“How much of this is from you getting knocked around when your car got pushed around?”
“I don’t know.” My voice sounded small and unsure. I had no idea how to deal with this. I wasn’t what I’d consider a strong woman. At least not when faced with evidence of this abuse.
“I’m guessing not much since what I can see looks like the bruising has mostly turned purple with no red, so at least a couple days old.” He lifted me off his lap so I stood beside the bed. “Take the rest of it off, Dawn.”
“What?” I squeaked out my question. I’d never been naked in front of a man in my life! And I was supposed to do this now? When instead of seeing me as a woman he wanted to have sex with, this man who’d just given me the most intense pleasure of my life wanted me naked so he could see me as a victim? To see my humiliation? “No!”
“Dawn, I’m going to see you naked eventually. I confess, this isn’t exactly what I had in mind, but I’m gonna see the rest of the damage that bastard did. Then we’ll decide what to do from there.”
“What do you mean, decide what to do?”
“Honey, some of these bruises look like they’re over something important. You need a doc to look you over.”
“Well, we don’t have one here.”
“No, but your club has one. So does mine. Bane does as well. If nothing else, one of them needs to have a look and decide if you need more direct medical care.”
“And have them go straight to my father? No, Ice. No fucking way.”
“How about this -- Mama’s our club doc. She was a surgeon in another life, or so my dad tells me. She has her own secrets to keep so she’ll understand. I can hook you up on Facetime with her and the two of you can talk privately.”
My instinct was to shake my head and deny him, but I figured he’d just keep at me until he got what he wanted. “Fine. But I want your word and hers that no one will go to my father with this. I’ll take care of David on my own.”
“You don’t really expect me to let this go. Do you?”
“You? Why would you care as long as he doesn’t hurt me again?”
He pulled me closer to him, so I was standing between his legs with his hands on my hips. “Honey. Do you honestly think I’d share something with you as intimate as what we just did if I didn’t intend to keep you?”
That shocked me. “Keep me? What does that mean?”
“You know what it means. You’re the daughter of another MC president. A very dangerous one. I’m not stupid enough to let something like that just happen. Your father would have my balls, and he’d make me cut them off myself. I didn’t set out to find you with the intention of makin’ you mine, but the second I saw you I knew it was only a matter of time.”
I looked up at him. Even sitting on the bed in front of me, he still seemed to loom over me. Maybe it was because Ice was so larger than life. My hero. Literally. All I knew was the thought of belonging to this man was as intimidating as it was thrilling.
“But my father --”
“Will respect my claim if I do right by you. That includes finding this bastard and makin’ sure he pays for what he did.”
I bit my lip, looking away from him. I didn’t want to agree. Didn’t want anyone to see me like this, least of all Ice. Even now, I covered up my breasts with my arms over my chest, but Ice gently grasped my wrist.
“No, Dawn. Don’t cover yourself from me. I’m the man who gets to see every part of you, no matter what. We don’t hide from each other.”
“That’s easy for you. You’re not the one standing here battered and broken.” I couldn’t keep the sob out of my voice or the tears from tracking down my cheeks. “I’ve never been so humiliated in my life.” My voice was a mere whisper of sound. I was surprised he heard me, but Ice grasped my chin firmly but gently and forced me to look at him.
“I’m not judging you if that’s what you think. I’m sitting here plotting how best to keep that fucker alive long enough to make him hurt like he hurt you.”
With a sigh, I nodded. “OK. But I’m not promising to go to the doctor or hospital. No matter what she says. I’m not getting the police involved.”