I undo the zip on the side of the dress and pull my arms out before closing my eyes. I don’t want to look down at the reminders of what they did, I don’t want to peel back the bandages from the burns and the cuts they marked my skin with. But it doesn’t matter how much I don’t want it, I know I have to.
I stand in the middle of the bathroom in only my underwear for way too long, scared to be open and exposed to anything right now. The house in silent, and I relish in it, allowing the freedom to run through me.
Finally stepping into the shower, I let the water wash over my skin, taking away the pain and the hurt, but knowing as soon as I step out from under the spray all of the feelings will be back tenfold. I’ve learned to lock everything away and perfect the mirage I show people. I’m a master at hiding the true me. Only now I don’t have to do that, I can be myself, the me who has been locked away since her mom left her to fend for herself.
The smell of Luke’s body wash wafts in the air and calms me as if he’s right here, but the thought of him seeing me like this—with no clothes on—has me panicking. Is that why he was staring at me the way he was when I woke up? Does he want to do what all couples are meant to on their wedding night?
My breaths come faster, anxiety working its way up my throat at the thought of him taking it the way my dad and Jonah did.
“No,” a voice in the back of my mind says. “He’s not like them.”
It’s right, but it doesn’t stop the random thoughts coming forth. I question myself even more now that I’m out of the evil house. Part of me wishes I didn't have to face what I’m sure is to come with Luke, but I know I have to. If I want to be a normal person, I have to face it all head on.
I step out of the shower when my skin starts to wrinkle and wrap a dark-gray towel around my body before opening the bathroom door.
I expect Luke to be there, so when he’s not and there’s no clothes for me, I hesitate. I have no idea whose house we’re in or where we are exactly, but I’m guessing by the tidiness and order in this room that we’re in Luke’s house. He did say we were going home. But will this ever be my home? Or just a house?
Taking another deep breath and preparing myself, I walk out of the bathroom and bedroom. Moving down the short hallway, I pass another couple of doors before walking down the stairs.
The front door sits parallel to them with another door off my left, and when I walk into that room, I see it’s a living room with a kitchen attached to the back, separated by a waist-high wall.
Pulling the towel tighter around me before stepping into the kitchen, I take stock of how different this house feels to the one I grew up in. There’s no darkness lurking in the corners here. It’s open and refreshing, and calls to me on a level I never expected.
Stepping forward before opening a cupboard and taking out a tumbler, my shoulders relax. Maybe th
is could become my home.
I turn around and start to fill the glass with water when a door opens and footsteps echo around me.
Spinning around, I prepare myself to see Luke, but when a rough, deep voice calls, “Luke?” I panic, the glass slipping from my fingers and smashing on the tiled floor.
My eyes widen as footsteps near and when a guy with dark hair and dark eyes appears, I don’t know what to do or what to say. He comes to a halt as his gaze scans the length of me, stopping at intervals before he makes it to my eyes.
His mouth opens but he doesn’t manage to get a word out before Luke is barging past him, stepping in front of me and effectively blocking his path.
“It’s okay, Lily, it’s my boss.” My attention is still on the guy only I can’t see him now that Luke’s chest is in the way. “He won’t hurt you.”
“I… I…” I tilt my head back. “I just… didn’t expect it to be anyone but you,” I whisper, looking down at my feet and seeing the glass and water surrounding them. “I broke your glass. I’ll—” I try to spin around to look for something to get it up as I say, “I’ll clean up, I’m sorry, I—”
“Darlin’.” His hands grab my waist, stopping my movement. “It’s okay. I got this.” I swallow and watch him for several seconds, taking in the black t-shirt with MAC SECURITY written on the left over his chest.
His arms wrap around my waist before he picks me up, and I let out a gasp, tensing my muscles as my feet dangle off the floor.
“What are you—”
“There’s glass everywhere,” he explains as I hold onto his shoulders.
He spins us around, but I don’t move my gaze off Luke’s ice-blue eyes as they keep focused on me. His boots crunch over the glass as he walks us past the guy and into the living room.
“Head upstairs and get ready,” he says when he places me back on the floor near the sofa and kisses the top of my head. He pulls back and focuses all his attention on me. “Then we can talk.”
“I…” I look down at the clothes he hands me before my gaze tries to find the guy, but Luke still blocks him. Is he protecting me? Or his boss?
He takes my hand and leads me to the stairs before giving me a reassuring smile. I stand and stare at him, not knowing what to expect, but when he nods and his eyes flash, I know today will be the start of the rest of my life.
LUKE
I wait until I hear the bedroom door close before stomping back into the living room, my anger raging inside me like a living thing.