Ruthless 18+

46

CHAPTER 46

I enter the house and reach her room; I take her into the bathroom, place her into the tub, and slowly remove her dress. While fixing the water temperature, I took the sponge off the table and dipped it into the water. Iris had her knees into her chest while staring at the wall numbly. I silently run the wet sponge across her arms and shoulder and brush her strands away from her face simultaneously. She looks at me with no sadness in her eyes, only exhaustion. She held my hand and said, "Will you join me?"

My heart sang in symphonies and shock; she wanted me closer to her. Hope glimmered in my lungs; Iris waited for my answer, searching deep into my eyes for any hesitation. I nod as I let the sponge into the tub and move away to remove my clothes, dropping them onto the floor. The warm water kissed my skin as I dipped in; Iris didn't waste time as she pulled my face close and connected us.

Her hands find their way through my hair and around my neck. I gently slid my hands down her back, soothing away the couple of hours that had passed. The water-filled and I reach to close it; Iris leans back, driving me above her. "Iris-."

"I want this, Azrael." She whispers against my lips.

"Are you sure?" She looks into my eyes and nods.

We slowly make out while washing the dirt off, and I burn with every touch my hand placed on her skin. I plant gentle kisses down her neck, and she arches into me. I don't want to do this here, after everything she's been through. I pull the towel from the table, wrap it around her, and do the same to myself.

We went to the room, and she sat down on the bed. I opened a couple more golden lights and stood in front of her. She looks at me with her doll eyes, and I see her, all of her slowly opening up.

I cup her face, pushing the strand of hair behind her ear, "beautiful." She leans into my touch, breathing in my scent.

I tilt her head and bend over to kiss her, her feather lips pressing lightly against mine. I slowly devoured her, moving down her neck. She led my hands to her breasts, and I started massaging them over the towel. I pause momentarily, looking into her eyes, checking for any hesitation. Instead, she looks up at me and pushes down her towel, which falls to her waist. Blood rushes down, and I restrain myself from pushing her onto the bed and wrap my hands around her neck.

They choked her; I saw the bruises so hard across her now fair skin. Iris notices my staring and looks down; what is going on in that head of hers?

"I understand." She says as she pulls the towel up, covering herself. Does she think I don't want to fuck her because of what they did to her? Does she think I see her unattractive now?

"No, you don't." I cup her face, "You are still beautiful," she looks up at me, eyes ready to break some more if it could.

"Even more than before, I see you and not what they did to you." I pause. "The same way you saw me and not what I have done."

"We've come a long way, Iris, and I wanna go further. I have never felt so alive as I did with you in a few months." I squat down on my knees and hold her hand.

"I want you, Iris, Fuck, I desire you, but I don't want to hurt you." I squeeze her hand. "So tell me, what exactly do you want?"

I can feel my heart beating so hard in my ears, and heat spreads across my skin. She looks so deep into my eyes and says, "You."

Everything stopped as she bent over and cupped my face; something human- alive gleamed in her eyes like her touching me brought her back. "I want you, Azrael." She whispers.

Shame, that's what hit me; she wanted me even after I failed her. "I'm sorry."

I lower my head. "For not being there, for allowing this to happen to you, for not coming sooner, and for." Her hand traveled to my shoulder, "You are here now; you were always with me, Azrael." I don't dare look at her; I can't.