Page 51 of Point Proven
Shaking my head, I folded my arms beneath him as I hauled him to my chest. Legs dangling, I carried him toward the bed.
“No… It… It doesn’t matter, but I would’ve liked to have known. I would’ve… Fuck, I would’ve taken longer to prep you so you didn’t bleed.”
“What’s a little blood?” he crooned, exhaustion prevalent in his voice as he tucked his face into my neck.
“Are you… hurting?”
Gently laying him on the bed, I propped his head on a pillow before taking a step back. I needed a towel to clean him, but if I hurt him…
“Hurting?” He looked up at me, his olive irises seeming more… blue? “I mean… I’m sore, but nothing a little cream can’t fix.”
Huffing, I plastered a hand on my hip. “God, just how young are you? Cream?”
“Preparation H?” He lifted a brow. “I’m twenty.”
Twenty.
Twenty.
I fucked…
Oh, fuck. Fuck, goddamn motherfucking me.
“Well,” he continued, “freshly twenty. My birthday was last month.”
Attempting to swallow the dryness in my mouth, it caught in my throat as I grabbed the headboard to keep myself from collapsing. Wood groaned, the weight of my stupidity colliding all at once.
His brows furrowed in confusion. “Are you… Are you okay?”
“Yeah…” Avoiding his gaze, I pushed strands of hair behind my ear to keep myself from fucking losing it.
“I’m sorry if I said something wrong or if I… if uh, it wasn’t good… I’m also sorry if my age is a problem. I should’ve disclosed it,clearly,considering your reaction. I guess I just… uh, don’t really think about it? Because of my… title and everything? If that makes sense? Oh God, I’m sorry if it doesn’t make sense. I just… I mean, a lot of people tell me that I seem older than I am, so I don’t really… Think about it?” Rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, he loosened a breath. “That sounded fucking stupid?—”
“You’re… You’re okay.” Exhaling, I bent down until my eyes were level with his. Brushing locks of red from his face, I couldn’t stop my thumb from swiping over his cheek. “You were amazing, and you didn’t do anything wrong. Is… Is it a shock? Yes, but I don’t regret it, because that was the best sex I’ve ever fucking had, beautiful. But… I’m not close to you in age at all.”
He bit his bottom lip, nodding. “I understand. It’s alright.” Clearing his throat, he shifted, pushing himself to stand as he slipped from my touch. “I’m uh… I’m going to rinse off and stuff, but… Thanks for stopping by? And for giving me advice for the next time I have sex with a man. Of disclosing my age and experience… and all.”
“Wait, that’s not what I was saying, Levander. I meant?—”
“No, truly. It’s okay.” Offering me a half-hearted smile, he stopped in the doorway of the bathroom, the numerous scars covering his pallid skin illuminated. “I hope you uh… get some rest before tomorrow, since we have a lot to handle. But thank you, Matthew. Thank you for being my first.”
Opening my mouth to offer to help, he shut the door with a click. Blowing out a steady stream of air, I lingered for a second, long enough to hear the water turn on. With nothing left to do, I headed to the front, snatched my shirt and jacket, and exited with a deepened weight on my shoulders.
I needed to fucking talk to Thorne.
CHAPTER TWENTY
THORNE
Tossing the damp towel over the shower, I peered around the bathroom door. Curled up just as I’d left him, Oren’s chest rose and fell with steady breaths. Where he usually took care of me after we explored one another, I’d changed the pace this time around, given I’d throat fucked the ever-living shit out of him.
I could still see the image of him taking every inch of me in the back of my mind. The way his cerulean gaze welled up with tears, the desperation that lined his irises, and the pure hunger he harbored as he dug his nails into my thighs.
Glancing down, a smirk graced my lips as my attention landed on the marks he’d left on me—bloodied crescent moons indicative of just how ruthless I had been. My length twitched at the thought, a huffed curse joining it as I shook my head. Palming myself once over my sweats, I attempted to coerce my inner demons back into their home, buthewas just that goddamn irresistible.
Oren fucking Valens.
My love. My life. My dove. My always.
