His weight is careful over me. His hand moves to my hair, then stops like he remembers he does not get automatic tenderness.
I hate that.
I also love it.
I touch his wrist and place his hand against my cheek.
His eyes close.
That almost hurts more than everything else. For one fragile second, I believe we might survive ourselves.
Then my phone buzzes on the nightstand.
The sound slices the room open.
My body goes cold so fast he feels it.
He lifts his head. “Lady.”
I reach for the phone before he can stop me.
Another anonymous account.
Another comment under my post.
He chose Cherry first.
Then another notification. A gossip page reposting the hallway image again with a poll.
DID LADY NYX SETTLE FOR A CRIMINAL?
Then the comments.
Why did she think a low-life biker would be faithful?
My stomach turns.
All the heat drains out of my skin.
Shady sees my face and reaches for the phone. He sees the post.
I pull it back.
“No.”
His hand freezes.
I sit up, clutching the sheet to my chest. I feel naked in a way sex did not make me. Sex was choice. This is exposure. This is Carmen in my bedroom without needing a key.
“Baby,” he says carefully.
“Don’t.”
He sits up too. “Look at me.”
I do.
That is the problem.
