AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He shut his eyes and sighed. “Lillian, what do you need?” He opened his eyes and his gaze collided with hers. “What do you need from me?”
“I am sorry to come to you like this,” she said. Her voice wobbled and her lips trembled. “I didn’t know where else to go. I had nowhere to turn.” Her eyes grew wide and panicked, her gaze darted around the room as though she wasn’t sure how she’d ended up here or why. “Perhaps this was a mistake.”
“No.” His short outburst had her gaze darting back to him, and her eyes widened even further.
Ah bloody hell. He couldn’t keep his distance, not when she was standing there trembling in fear. He closed the distance before she could so much as shriek in dismay. When he was close enough to smell the familiar, heavenly scent of oranges and vanilla, he reached for her, tugging her into his arms with all the gentleness that an overgrown beast like him could manage.
She tensed at the contact, her body stiff against his. He’d never had a chance to dress and he held her to his bare chest, no doubt shocking her senseless. But he hadn’t the words to comfort her. He was a physical man, and right now that was all he could do to show her she was safe.
After a long pause, she started to ease against him. Her muscles softening and her cheek resting against the hard planes of his chest. Her breath came in soft, hot puffs against his skin as she slowly gave in to the comfort he offered.
“You are safe here, Lillian,” he murmured.
Her soft sob had him shutting his eyes against a ripple of rage at whoever had done this to her. He slowly wrapped his arms around her back, pressing her closer and she sobbed again, burrowing into him like a child.
He tried not to notice the heat of her skin or the soft crush of her curves against him. He willed his swollen cock to behave. She was not his to have, but she was his to protect. She was here, and he would save her from whatever it was that terrified her so.
“You are safe,” he said again, and this time her soft hands—those gentle, tender hands that had eased his pain all those years ago—they uncurled against his chest and pressed against his ribcage, just over his heart.
His heart.
She was his heart. She always had been and she always would be.
He held her tighter and muttered promises he wasn’t sure how he’d keep. But he would. He would keep her safe from everyone...especially himself.
