Page 146 of Wicked Nightmare

"Cam, please—"

"Say it again."

"Please." Her voice cracked and it was the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard. Lakey didn't beg. Not for anyone. But she begged for me.

The rage and pain started to ebb, my grip on her throat loosening. Her presence beneath me became a lifeline, pulling me back from the edge.

"I've got you," she murmured, her fingers tracing the scars on my back.

I shuddered, burying my face in her neck. "Fuck, Lakes," I breathed, my movements becoming less frantic, more deliberate. Rolling my hips now instead of slamming, finding a rhythm that was less about escape and more about connection. "I could have killed you."

"But you didn't." She arched into me, a soft moan escaping her lips. "That's it, baby. Let it all out."

I lifted my head, meeting her gaze. Those light blue eyes that could go from innocent to murderous in a heartbeat were now filled with nothing but warmth and understanding. It was a look reserved only for me.

"You're too good to me," I muttered, pressing a surprisingly gentle kiss to her lips.

Lakey snorted, nipping at my lower lip. "I'm not good at all, Cam. You know that better than anyone."

I couldn't help but chuckle, even as I felt the tension building in my core. "Guess that makes us perfect for each other, huh?"

Her answer was cut off by a gasp as I hit the right angle. I could feel her tightening around me, her nails digging into my shoulders, her thighs trembling against my ribs.

"Fuck, I'm close," I picked up the pace again. Harder now, deeper, chasing it, needing the release.

Lakey's eyes locked with mine, a grin spreading across her face. "Then let go, baby. Give it to me. I've got you."

Those words, coupled with the sight of her beneath me, flushed and wrecked and still smiling, pushed me over the edge. I came with a shout, my entire body shuddering as the pleasure ripped through me, whiting out the memories, the pain, the screaming in my head. All of it gone, replaced by the pulse of her around me. Through the haze, I felt Lakey follow, her body arching off the bed as she cried out my name, her pussy clenching around me in waves that milked every last drop until I was spent, hollowed out, empty of everything but her.

I collapsed onto her, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The chaos in my mind had quieted to a dull whisper, leaving behind an eerie calm. We lay there, tangled in each other, as the minutes ticked by. The silence wasn't uncomfortable. It never was with us. It was a security blanket, wrapping us up in our own little world.

I traced lazy patterns on her skin, connecting the scars that marred her body. Each one told a story. My fingers lingered on the tattoo on her wrist, surrounded by those cheesy little hearts. My tattoo.

"You ever regret this?" I murmured, tapping the ink.

Lakey's laugh was soft but sharp. "What, permanently marking myself as property of Cam Axley? Not for a second, baby."

I snorted, burying my face in her hair. "You're fucking insane, you know that?"

"Says the guy who just tried to fuck his demons away," she retorted, but there was no bite to it. Her fingers went through my hair, gently scratching my scalp.

Truth is, Lakey knew me better than anyone else ever did. She knew the monsters I fought, and she never once flinched. Maybe that's what terrified me the most. That one day she'd hate what she saw and walk away from me.

It terrified me to know that I'd never let her.

"I love you, you know," I finally said.

Lakey smiled, her eyes taking on that soft glow that came only when she heard those words fall from my lips. "I know, dumbass. And I love you too."

We lay there for a while longer, just enjoying each other's company, until the real world came knocking. Grudgingly, we disentangled ourselves and started getting dressed. Kyle was probably freaking out wondering if I'd killed her in my rage.

I sat on the edge of the bed, pulling on my shirt as Lakey fixed her hair in the mirror. For some reason, I felt this burning need to apologize. A need I'd never felt before. She was everything and if I lost her...

"Lakey," I said, hesitant. "About everything that happened..."

She turned around, light blue eyes boring into mine. "Cam. You don't ever need to apologize for who you are. I've seen it all and I'm still here."

I rubbed the back of my neck, uncomfortable with her intensity. "Even when I'm an asshole?"