Iwas flat on my back in my bed, and Lili was asleep on top of me.
I breathed her in.
Safe. Warm. And so damn sweet.
Her red brown hair was everywhere. I stroked between my fingers.
We’d gone to bed late last night, so I wasn’t surprised we’d slept in. She made a cute noise, and snuggled in close to my chest. She was wearing one of my T-shirts and a new pair of silky panties. The shirt had ridden up, leaving her legs and ass bare.
She’d spent time with Ava-Jane and the other women at Landon’s clinic last night while he’d checked them over.
I knew they’d need a truckload of therapy to recover from the abuse they’d suffered. They’d all come for modeling jobs, and ended up being trafficked into hell.
None had wanted the police involved, or their names splashed across the news. The way sexual assault victims were treated, I couldn’t blame them. None of them were fired up to relive every vile thing done to them in court.
Landon had promised to get them the help they needed. Bastian had promised to help them financially through one of his charities.
As midnight had neared, Lili had been exhausted and falling asleep. I’d forced her to leave Ava-Jane, and go to bed. The women were all staying the night at the Avernus.
When we’d gotten back to the villa, Lili had brushed her teeth and changed like a robot, then collapsed into bed.
I stared at the ceiling. She’d killed a man for me.
Despite my best efforts, she’d been dragged into the darkness.
She’d watched me kill.
She’d given me permission to end Goodyear.
With another cute sound, she stirred and lifted her head. Then she shot me a happy, sleepy smile. “Morning.”
“Good morning, sunshine.”
She nuzzled my cheek. “Your comfy bed. I have no idea how I got up here.”
“You like to snuggle.”
“I like to snuggle you. How’s your gunshot wound?” She tried to look at my arm.
“It’s just a graze and it’s fine.” I’d actually forgotten about it.
“I’m putting a clean bandage on it later.”
“We’ll see.”
“We will.” She kissed me.
She kept it light and sweet, but my hands clenched on her panty-clad ass. I didn’t want sweet right now. The events of yesterday were too close to the surface. The terror I’d felt knowing that Goodyear’s team were closing in, and that I had to protect her, would take a long time to fade.
I needed her.
“Lili—”
She kissed me again.
I kissed her back.
Things turned heated fast.
