Page 53 of Grace

In the room, I pulled off his pants. It took him several minutes before he could lie down on his back. I snuggled up to him carefully and laid my head on his chest. His skin was burning, and his body was covered in a thin layer of sweat. He convulsed in pain as his heart raced beneath my trembling, cold palm.

“Just relax. I’ll be here with you,” I whispered against his bare skin.

Deep down, I felt sorry for him, and I wanted to repay his kindness for the time when I had been sick and he had cared for me.

Chase put his arm around me, pressed my shoulder, and kissed my hair. He fell asleep first, breathing softly in my ear while Poppy lay down at our feet.

That night, I had the most beautiful dream since I’d been a prisoner… In my dream, all three of us were free and slept in a sunlit room.

1 month later

“I can’t anymore, Grace. But…” He raked his fingers over his thick, dark hair. Since the fight with his brother, he seemed to be under a lot of pressure, as if a shadow was following him around, waiting for him to make a mistake.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied, shaking.

Then, he saw Poppy. For a long time, he just watched her, then stepped beside her and lifted her up by his fur.

Poppy meowed desperately.

“What are you planning to do, Chase?” I took a timid step toward him. He looked at me, bloodlust in his dark eyes.

“Chase,” I begged. I begged him not to hurt her, but he…

Poppy’s bones cracked loudly when he broke her neck, then tossed her on the ground.

I screamed and buried my face in my hands, then collapsed on the ground.

“I hate you!” I screamed.

From that day on, I could never look at him the same way as before. I had no love or pity for him, only pure hate.

Because Chase Baker had lied to me. He’d told me that he wasn’t able to hurt me anymore. But he was.

“Take off your clothes, Grace,” he commanded.

I unfastened the small buttons of my shirt, crying. As soon as it fell to the ground, I covered my breasts with my hands.

“Take your hands away and take off your panties, too!” he grumbled.

Chase was standing in front of me half-naked, his veins full of adrenaline mixed with anger. His muscles tensed, his Adam’s apple moved up and down, and he clenched his jaw and wrapped his fingers around the leather strap.

The musty air filled with anger, fear, and hate.

I pressed my panties down, trembling, then stepped out of them slowly.

“Turn around!” His voice was shaking.

“You don’t have to do this!” I whispered, looking deep into his eyes. “Chase, please, don’t!” I begged.

Chase crossed the distance between us with two long steps. When his bare skin touched mine, I shuddered. He cupped my face in his warm, sweaty palms and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye.

“I’m sorry, Grace.”

The words shattered me. I broke into sobs.

Chase leaned his forehead against mine while cupping my face with his other hand, too. My nose was filled with the rich, raw smell of leather. My nostrils flared, and my whole body tensed up.

“This is going to be the last one, I promise. I’m never gonna hurt you again,” he whispered against my mouth.