15. fifteen

He loosens his grip on me, and my chest heaves as I try to suck in air. My chest continues to heavily rise and fall with fear flowing through my veins.

A different fear…

Not the one I've grown accustomed to.

"Your fucking name!" His hot breath wafts over my face as he shouts the words, repeating himself.

"Lu…Lucia." I push the word from my trembling lips.

His hand tightens around my throat again, and he uses his grip to further angle my face up toward his. He doesn't speak a word, and he doesn't have to. I know exactly what his next question is.

"Saltillo." My name comes out like a grunt as I force the whisper through his tight hold.

"Jesus fucking Christ," he snarls and abruptly releases his hold on me and begins to back away. "Lucia fucking Saltillo? You didn't think to say anything? Or ask to be taken back home to your fami?—"

"He's not my fucking family." I choke on my words—this fear feels familiar—as tears begin to flood my eyes, "I don't ever want to fucking go back to Hector."

Following him across the room, I firmly grip the front of his shirt and pull myself into him. Staring up his chest, I plead, "Please don't send me back to him."

"He did this to you?" His voice is so angry that he nearly sounds evil. "Your own fucking husband?"

His words shoot through me like daggers. While I never loved Hector, and always knew that our marriage was going to be one of convenience, it's the thought of someone willingly treating their wife like that.

Fuck…

No one should treat another human being like that.

"Yes," I answer as my face falls into his chest and tears begin to roll down my face.

"Little lamb," he breathes, and his arm wraps around me to pull me tighter as the other tips my chin back up to him. "He will pay for what he did to you."

He softly cups my jaw with his rough hands, and the pad of his thumb wipes away the tears rolling down my cheek. "They all will."

Staring into his eyes, his thumb continues to lightly graze over my cheek. Completely unwavering, our eyes are locked on each other as he keeps holding me close to his body.

My chest rises and falls, and my breasts slide up and down his body with every breath, which causes my T-shirt-covered nipples to drag against his body. A tingle runs down my spine, surprising me when it flutters through my pussy.

Such a foreign sensation…

…one I truly didn't think I'd ever feel again.

One I want to enjoy again…

Using my grip on the front of his shirt, I pull myself up onto my toes and crash my lips into his. He is still and completely non-reactive, and my heart begins to race faster as my fear-laced excitement begins to turn into embarrassment.

I pull back a little; about to drop to my heels and retreat to the bedroom to hide from my humiliation. A light grumble rises from his chest and vibrates against my lips as his fingers slide along my jaw and into my hair. They tangle in my locks, and he presses into our kiss. Just like the rest of him, there is nothing soft or gentle about it. His tongue pushes between my lips and plunders my mouth, exploring every inch aggressively. The hand on my back slides under my shirt, and I moan into his mouth when he drags it down the bare skin of my back.

Without breaking our breathless kiss, his arm squeezes around me, and he lifts me into the air. I squeak when he drops me onto the counter and steps between my thighs.

Between my thighs…

Using his grip on my hair, he tips my head to the side as he pulls back from our kiss. My chest heaves as I try to catch my breath. His lips, tongue, and teeth begin to travel down my neck., and he leaves a trail of wet kisses and light bites as he makes his way to my shoulder.

…All those faceless men.

His large hands palm my ass, roughly kneading my cheeks as he sucks my lower lips into his mouth. Squeezing them both painfully hard, he drags me along the counter and presses his tongue back into my mouth. He pulls me closer to him until I feel his hardened length pressed against my pussy.

Holding me tightly against him, he continues to claim my mouth as he grinds himself against me.

There's always another one…

His fingertips dig into my ass and drag down my thighs, and my heart is pounding so hard and fast I think it's going to burst free.

Man after man…

Placing my hands on his chest, I push him back enough to whimper, "Stop. I can't."

He immediately releases his tight hold and takes a small step backward, leaving his hands lightly resting on my thighs. He stares down at me with hunger in his eyes—needing me but forcing himself to stop. His loud, heavy breaths fill the room as he catches his breath.

"I would never hurt you, little lamb." His voice is a stark contrast to his demeanor, and so tender as he steps further from me while shaking his head. "Never."

"I can't." I slide off the counter and pull the T-shirt down to cover myself as I word-vomit reasons he isn't asking for. "I'm not ready. I just can't...It's probably not even safe for you to…I don't even know your name."