Page 226 of Barinov

“Cade…” she gasps as Lex drives in deeper. Beads of sweat glisten on his chest in the afternoon sun as he moves faster, a broken rhythm that tells me he’s ready to explode.

“Cade…” she gasps again, her eyes rolling back into her head.

“I see you, sweetheart,” I whisper. My voice is raw as I paint the curve of her collarbone in a streak of pure white light.

“I see you.”

The room disappears. The only thing left is the sound of their bodies, the creak of the wood, and the frantic slide of my brush. I lose track of time, of the paint splattering all over my knuckles, and even the agony of my own aching erection.

I translate their souls onto this canvas with every stroke. I wash away every nightmare. Every memory of our girl trapped with that monster in Eden.

Every scream that’s been ricocheting in my head for months.

I force myself to wash it all away.

Bella lets out a final cry when her body clamps down around Lex as he drives into her one last time. He lets out a low groan, pouring himself into her.

My brush drags down the canvas as silence descends on the studio. Shattered only by the sound of our ragged, desperate breathing. I step back, drop my arms, and set the palette down.

“Well…” I whisper. “It’s done.”

Lex slowly pulls out of Bella, both of them slick with sweat. They walk up slowly behind me. Bella’s lips part and tears well instantly in her eyes when she glances down at the wet canvas.

The painting staring back at the three of us is raw. It’s messy. A storm of black and midnight blue clawing at the edges of the canvas like a living nightmare that’s trying to swallow us whole. It’s the darkness of everything she’s survived.

Everything we’ve survived.

But right in the center, slicing through the shadows, is a blinding and brilliant explosion of crimson and white light. It singes through the canvas and wraps around their two intertwined bodies, utterly drowning out the darkness with their love.

“Cade,” Bella breathes, her voice breaking as she looks up at me. “This is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever painted.”

“Yeah,” Lex mutters, his voice rough as he wraps an arm around her waist. He keeps his eyes focused on the canvas for a moment or two before a slow, amused grin suddenly tugs at the corner of his mouth. “But babe… you sure you want to turn this in?”

“What do you mean?” I ask as my breath finally evens out.

“I mean you really want your professor seeing my bare ass painted in high-definition brush strokes?”

I rub the back of my neck, a sheepish laugh escaping me. “I can always paint a different one for the critique.”

“No way,” Bella says instantly. Her jaw is set with a fierce, stubborn pride as she looks between the two of us. “It’s absolutely perfect, Cade. You’re turning this in. Everyone needs to see how incredible you are.”

Lex chuckles, pulling her against his side and kissing the top of her head. “Fine. If our girl wants to show off my assets to the entire Wexley Art Department, who am I to stop her?”

Bella rolls her eyes and steps out of Lex’s grip. Her playful gaze locks on mine as she reaches out to pluck the paintbrush from my fingers.

“What are you—” I start, but am instantly hushed by wet bristles shoved gently against my lips.

“Shhh,” Bella hushes, a wicked little spark in her eyes. “It’s my turn to paint.”

She spins quickly back to Lex and runs the paintbrush down the hard ridges of his abs. The black on the brush mixes with the beads of sweat still running down his chest, leaving a dark and messy trail in its wake.

Stepping in behind her, I press my chest against her back and lock my fingers around her bare waist.

My lips brush against the shell of her ear. “You’ll ruin the brush, sweetheart.”

“I’ll buy you more,” Lex grunts, winking down at me as he watches us.

Bella tilts her head back to look at me. “Take off your shirt, Cade.”