Page 12 of His Innocent Muse

“Stop or you’ll—Lucy!” She freezes. “Stop.”

“Okay,” she whispers, letting the shirt hang limp in her grip.

I take a moment to compose myself and step back. “I didn’t mean to raise my voice. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, no, it’s alright. I was stupid to—”

“Don’t,” I growl, “call yourself stupid ever again.”

“Yes…sir.”

Sir. My knees nearly give. I let my head fall back and stare straight into the light, willing my cock to behave. Maybe if I’m struck blind, it’d make this easier. Alternately, I could fling myself from the window, I suppose. Ultimately, the realization that blind or dead I wouldn’t be able to protect her has me blinking and rubbing my eyes. I position her by her shoulders, closer to the sink.

We don’t speak the entire time I slowly clean the span of her back, nor while I’m applying pain cream with as little contact as possible. The silence is deafening. I’m almost sure she can hear my heart racing.

The cream begins working immediately, her posture shifting. “Th-thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” My hand hovers above her shoulder before I let it fall to my side and take a large step back. “You’ll sleep here. There are T-shirts in the third drawer down. I’ll make sure your new clothes are here before you wake up.”

I spin on my heel and head toward the elevator.

“W-wait!”

I don’t.

She’s beside me by the time I press the button, covering her chest with her shirt.

“You’re leaving me here? Alone?”

I crack my neck. “Yes. It’s perfectly safe.”

Why isn’t it here yet? I burn holes in the shiny metal with my gaze.

I’m having a faster motor installed on this thing tomorrow. This is ridiculous. It’s been a solid six seconds.

She fidgets, but I don’t look, sighing instead. “I promise, Lucy. It’s safe. The only one who ever comes up here is me.”

“Will you?”

“Complete sentences, please. Will I what?”

“Come up here. Sorry—will you come up here while I’m here?”

My heart thuds. Why does she have to listen so well? And with absolutely no sass, just pure obedience. The door opens, finally, and I step through, facing her against my better judgment. Tears sparkle on her flushed cheeks, and her bottom lip is being chewed to within an inch of its life.

I see it, plain as day. Staring at me, mocking me. She needs to be soothed. Petted while those tears fall for a good reason. Protected while giving up the very essence of her soul. Cherished for the surrender. Shown what it means to have an all-consuming love, and goddammit, I’m the only man for the job. But I wouldn’t even if she weren’t eighteen. I can’t, not again.

She steps over the threshold, and I practically leap against the back wall. Her brow scrunches, head tilting.

“What did I do?”

“Nothing at all.” I cough lightly, focused on fixing my cuffs.

“Then why are you—” She takes a step closer and I lose it.

“Stop. Stop right there. Just…stop.”

She complies, heartbreaking confusion twisting her beautiful features. “Okay. S-sorry.”

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