Unbroken

I shivered every time.

These men—

These men were going to be the death of me.

My pussy throbbed every time. Empty—so very, very empty.

By the time we waded out of the waters, I was breathless, panting, practically falling against his side. He wrapped his arm around me, laughing as I dropped down to the ground, utterly exhausted.

Hunter was grinning when I finally raised my head up.

“You look like a drowned rat,” he said.

“She’s not the most formidable swimmer,” Leo noted, wrapping his arm around me to pull me back up.

Before I knew it, he hauled my body over his shoulder, carrying me in the direction of the cabin. “Time to wash up, sweetness.”

“Put me down, Leo!”

“Nope.”

“Help,” I called out to Hunter, but he wasn’t looking back at me. He lit up another smoke, his gaze trapped on the water.

Leo left wet footprints throughout the cabin, leading all the way up the stairs and to the bathroom where he finally let me down. We were both sun-kissed, cheeks flushed, soaked and covered in dirt.

“You’ve got it all over your face,” he laughed, swiping at my nose with his finger.

I turned away from him, glancing quickly at the mirror. He was right. I had wet dirt everywhere. He moved around me, and I watched from the corner of my eye as he turned the shower on, adjusting the temperature. His back was turned to me, and my eyes grazed over every inch of exposed skin, at his taut muscles, at them flexing with every movement.

“There you go,” he murmured. “Get in.”

I nodded, eyeing the floor as he turned back to me. He didn’t move for a few moments, his gaze lingering hot on my skin. I felt suddenly aware of the shitty bra I was in, of the PJ shorts plastered to my lower body. My body heated when he stepped toward me, his hand resting on my hip. More like swallowing it, actually. His hand was big, and his touch burned into my skin. It took an extraordinary amount of courage to look up and face him, to see the heat in his eyes as he peered back at me, a soft smile curling his plump lips.

“Don’t be shy,” he whispered. “I’ve seen you in less.”

My smack was more symbolic as I brushed my fingers along his bare shoulder, rolling my eyes. “Did you lure me up here, Leo?”

“My intentions are noble,” he lightly refuted, blue gaze intensifying. “How could you think so little of me?”

“Because you’ve always been so gentlemanly,” I played along.

Leo’s smile widened. “You know I have been.”

“Uh-huh.”

To be fair, Leowasa gentleman. He had to be growing up in that household, surrounded by so many expectations. He was so guarded about his father, about his life at home, I couldn’t help but feel like he was shielding me from knowing too much—

But I knew enough.

Had enough pieces to the puzzle to know his father was a very dangerous man.

To know that Leo was tormented by whatever went on.

He wouldn’t tell me his secrets. He was protecting me from them. I sensed his unease, his misery—

But not here. Not as he stood before me, eyes glowing, face serene. Here, it was just us.

“You gonna leave, or are you waiting for me to invite you in?” I teased, but it was sort of serious, wasn’t it? I was testing him, seeking a reaction.