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“You’re okay now, firefly. I’d never hurt you. You’re home.”
Home.That’s what this feels like. I’m home now.
CHAPTERTHREE
BREWER
My angel doesn’t fight me as I carry her into my cabin. In fact, she sighs so sweetly and relaxes ever so much, melting even more into my embrace. I know she feels it too. She’s right where she belongs.
As much as I don’t want to set her down, I know I have to clean her up and tuck her into bed so she can rest and recover. I have a million questions, but they’ll have to wait. Right now, I need to take care of my woman.
I start to set her down, but she fists my shirt, clinging to me and burying her face into the side of my neck. Fuck, so many emotions slam into me at that simple gesture. She needs me. She wants me. She trusts me to protect her. I don’t ever want to let her go, but the sooner I tend to her wounds, the sooner she can be back in my arms.
“I’ve got you, firefly. I’m not going anywhere,” I whisper as I gently set her down on the floor.
She hisses and stumbles backward. I grab her shoulders to steady her, then look her over for any obvious injuries I missed that would make her fall. It’s then I notice she’s not wearing any shoes. Her delicate feet are all torn up from running barefoot in the woods.
I immediately scoop her back up and head toward the bathroom. I can’t imagine what would make her hike up the mountain for nearly three-quarters of a mile without shoes on, but I vow to protect her and make sure she’s never put in that position again.
Rolling my shoulders back, I try easing some of the tension in my muscles. Everything in me wants to demand answers, to get the names of every person who is responsible for her cuts and bruises, and break each one of their fingers one by one.
My woman doesn’t need to see that side of me right now, though. She needs a warm bath, a warm meal, and a warm bed. There will be time to discuss retribution later, after she’s had some rest.
Carefully setting her down on the edge of the tub, I grab a washcloth, wetting it down before kneeling in front of her. She doesn’t say anything as I take one of her little feet in my hands and begin gently cleaning up the dirt and cuts littered over her skin. Each one angers me, but I take calming breaths, knowing my firefly needs me to be gentle with her.
After I'm done, I look up into her eyes, which I notice for the first time are light green, almost teal color. Her brow is furrowed and she's chewing on the corner of her lips nervously. She looks between where I'm still holding her foot and my eyes, then takes a deep breath.
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Because you’re mine.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. It’s the truth, but I know it might be overwhelming and intense to say to someone after only knowing them for fifteen minutes.
She smiles softly as more tears gather in her eyes. I can’t look away from her, and I don’t want to. Ever.
“What’s your name?” she finally asks. God, her voice. Thick and sweet like honey.
“Brewer.”
Her smile turns into a grin, making her teal eyes sparkle. Jesus, I can't breathe. All the blood in my body changes course and heads straight for my dick, which is now throbbing painfully in my jeans.
Down, boy.
I swear the damn thing hasn’t risen to the occasion in years, and now he’s angry and hard as a fucking rock.
“Brewer,” she repeats with a playfulness in her voice that does nothing to help my current condition. “It fits.”
I can’t help but return her smile, rusty as it may be.
“What’s your name?”
"I like Firefly," she whispers.
That hits me deep. If I didn't already know I was keeping her forever, that would have done it. I want to know her real name, of course, but for now, I'm content knowing she likes my name for her. If she wants a new identity, I can give her that. As long as she's mine, I don't give a fuck what her name is.
“Me, too.”
We share another lingering look, but then my eyes drop down to her arms, which are covered in little scratches from running through the woods. “Let’s get you in the bath, Firefly. You can clean up and relax your muscles. You must be sore.”
She nods, but then her brows furrow as she looks at me with anxiety swimming in her beautiful teal eyes. I realize how she might have interpreted my statement. As much as I want to strip her bare and worship her gorgeous body, I also want her to be comfortable and feel safe. It’s understandable for her not to want a stranger to see her naked. Though, we’re not really strangers, are we?
