Page 59 of Diamonds in the Mud

“It grows back.” He opened his eyes and looked at me.

Without answering, I grabbed a washcloth and got it wet. Then I took my time cleaning the blood from his hair and skin.

When I was done, I used a few more strips of tape to hold the bandages more tightly over the spot.

“It’s as best as I can get,” I admitted. Then I leaned down and brushed my lips over his.

He chuckled, then lifted his hands and gently ran them over some of my cuts. “Are you okay?”

I nodded. “Cuts. Bruises.” I smiled. “My front window is being replaced tomorrow. I’ll need a new sofa and lamp.”

He cupped my face. “I wanted to strangle the crazy bitch.”

I nodded. “I’ll pay her back.”

He shook his head. “You can’t. She only mentioned it to me. She’ll know⁠—”

“I assume she told you at the bar?” I broke in. He nodded slowly as I smiled. “Everyone in town probably knows by now. I’ll wait until the rumor hits me, then seek my revenge.” I rubbed my hands together and laughed, causing him to smile. “Besides, I owe her for this.” I touched the bandage on his head. “Tell me we don’t have to stay in this bathroom all night.”

He stood up, then surprised me by lifting me into his arms and carrying me through the dark rooms. He nudged open a door and walked through it.

When he flipped on a low light and set me down on a small bed, I realized this was a safe room. There were no windows, only a computer on a small table, a lamp, and a twin-sized bed.

“We’re good in here.” He smiled as he removed his coat before reaching for my sneakers.

I toed my shoes off before he could help and then whipped my shirt over my head.

He hissed and moved to sit next to me, his eyes running over the cuts and bruises that covered my arms and chest. He cursed under his breath.

“I’m good,” I assured him. “Believe it or not, I used to get worse playing softball.”

“Yeah.” Jameson smiled. “I’m a huge baseball nut. I pitched my school team all the way to state champs.”

“We’ll have to start a team.” I laughed before pulling him towards me for another kiss.

I matched his speed and desire as our needs pushed us forward. Clothes hit the floor as our hands ran over one another.

I felt as if I couldn’t get enough of him. Felt as if I could take forever exploring, enjoying, wanting.

I felt so much when he laid me down on the bed. My heart surged as I wrapped my legs around his hips.

The way he moved his mouth over me sent shivers to my very core. His fingers slipped deep inside me while his tongue circled my nipples, making me ache deep down.

This time, when he slid inside me, I felt something I’d never felt before. Something primitive, something that transcended all time and space.

Had I ever felt like this before? My mind burst along with my body when I felt our release together. I’d never felt so in sync with anyone before.

“Rayne,” he murmured, his voice soft in the quiet of the night. “We need to talk about us. I don’t know what this is,” he said into my hair as his breathing slowed, “but I’ll be damned if anyone, including your father, is going to stop us from exploring it further.”

I smiled as my hands slowly ran over his shoulders. “Agreed.” I turned to face him, my heart quickening at the seriousness in his tone. “It’s not going to be easy, but we can’t keep pretending that this isn’t real.”

While the darkness of the room enveloped us, a shroud of secrecy seemed fitting for our clandestine conversation. Jameson’s presence beside me was both comforting and electrifying, his warmth seeping into my skin as we lay tangled in the sheets.

He reached out, his hand finding mine in the darkness, our fingers intertwining as if seeking reassurance. “I want to be with you. More than anything. But you know the risks. My job, the danger... we can’t let anyone know about us.”

I nodded, understanding the weight of his words. “I know. And I want to be with you too. But it’s not just about hiding our relationship. It’s about what could happen if you’re discovered. The Reapers, to my knowledge, don’t dally in murder. That doesn’t mean they won’t if you’re exposed because of me.”

“Felix has pretty much told me to end this. Now that there is a lot of attention on you after today, I think he’s scared you’ll come after them harder,” he said with a slight sigh.