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“You’re free to go, Clara,” the doctor says, handing me my discharge papers.
It’s been a week since the kidnapping, and I am finally going home. Or should I say to Damon’s place, since he insisted on taking care of me. Not that I really mind him waiting on me hand and foot…it might be fun.
“You ready, Sunshine?” Damon asks from the door. When our eyes meet, that familiar pull I have toward him hits me, and I wonder if it will ever go away. He never left my side while I was in this room. He stayed every night and only left when JJ or Liam was here. And even then, he only went home to shower and change. I asked if he needed to go to work, and every time, he just kissed me and told me that I was more important than work. That was all well and good, but the man needed his job.
“I’m ready.” I stand up from my seat on the bed and turn, taking one last look to make sure I didn’t forget anything, and then we head outside. I never thought to spend a week in a hospital, and I sincerely hope I never have to do it again. The food is atrocious, and I had to get Liam and JJ to sneak me in some regular outside-world food before I starved to death.
“Your head okay?” Damon asks as he helps me into his SUV. He closes my door and runs around the front, getting in on his side. “You promise you’ll tell me if it isn’t?” he repeats as his fingers trace my shaved hairline.
“Damon, I’m fine. The doctor said that, after a week, the swelling is gone, and the concussion symptoms are almost nonexistent. I’m okay.” I take his hand in mine as he drives us out of the parking lot. We ride in silence, and it’s not until we reach his front door that he says something.
“Did you mean it?” he whispers as he turns to face me, his back to the door.
“Mean what?” I ask, confused.
“When the bastard had that gun to your head, and you looked at me. You told me you loved me. Did you mean it?” His voice is stern, almost predatory.
“Of course, I meant it,” I say, taking the keys from his hands, then pushing him out of the way so I can open the door. Once we’re locked inside, I turn to him.
“Do you know what I was thinking about when I was in that basement?” He shakes his head, his eyes lowering to the floor.
“I was thinking about you.” His eyes snap to mine, his expression alarmed.
“I was wondering if you were looking for me. If you were worried about me.”
He takes three long strides until he’s face-to-face with me. “Clara, of course, I was worried about you. The thought of someone hurting you…” The emotions well up in him, and I clasp my hands on either side of his face.
“I love you, Damon. I’ve loved you since the moment you left me in that supply closet all those months ago.” His eyes meet mine, and the relief in his gaze makes me smile as his forehead bows to touch mine.
“God, I love you so much, Clara. I never thought I would be the type of man capable of loving someone, but with you? It’s like breathing. Necessary for me to live.”
I don’t think, I just throw myself at him, my lips finding his as he kisses me with all the emotion that’s been pent-up for the last week.
“Baby…” he mutters against my lips. “Are you sure we should be doing this?” he asks as if not doing this is an option.
I distance myself from him a bit, letting him look me up and down before I trace the edge of my loose sweater. “If we don’t do this…” I start, pulling the top over my head and dropping it to the floor.
His eyes leave mine and drift to my exposed stomach then trail up toward my red lace bra. “Then I will make tonight very…very painful for you.” He swallows audibly as my fingers find the button of my jeans, and I slowly push them down my hips, exposing my matching red lace panties.
“Clara.” His tone shifts, sounding agonized, as if standing there not touching me causes him real pain. My fingers trail from between my breasts and move down toward the edge of my panties. I tease the scalloped edge, letting him get a peek before I pull away. When I notice that he still hasn’t moved, I step closer.
“I promise you,” I whisper against his chest, my lips lightly kissing over his defined muscles. “I am fine.”
He grumbles instead of using his words, so I continue kissing up his chest and across his jaw before biting the lobe of his ear.
“Damon, please,” I beg. “I need this. I need you to take away the memory of what he wanted to do to me.” It’s like that snaps him back to reality, and his hands grasp my hips and lift me as if I weigh nothing.
“Lock those legs, Sunshine.” Our mouths fuse as he makes his way toward the bedroom.
“I will do anything for you. Don’t you understand that?” My face cuddles the side of his neck, my fingers digging into his hair, pulling him closer.
He steps through the doorway and saunters over to the bed. He gently lowers me onto the sheets as he stands, staring down at me. “You are so goddamn beautiful,” he mutters, his fingers tracing every inch of my skin. I can feel the goosebumps cascading over my body, and I writhe, needing more than just his fingertips.
“What do you need, gorgeous?” he whispers, bending down and taking my lips in a soft kiss.
“I need you to make love to me.” My voice is small, almost a whisper, but he hears me, and a huge smile crosses his face. All I hear is a murmured, “mine” as he takes my lips in a punishing kiss that sends all my dark memories fading to the background.
EPILOGUE
