Page 35 of Knight’s Retribution

“Rocco…”

“Don’t feel sorry for me, Ky. I deserved to suffer. It’s my fault you’re here.”

His words sliced through her. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know what they were planning.”

He moved back to Ky and, ignoring her denial, reached out his hand. “Let’s get you in the tub.”

“Will you…will you show me your wings first?” she asked before she knew the words were coming.

He paused. “Of course.”

One moment there was nothing there, the next white wings arched high above his shoulders.

She gasped, blinking up at his breathtaking wings. Oh my god. They were huge, and the feathers were the purest white. “May I…can I touch them?”

A muscle in his jaw jumped, and he nodded, moving closer and turning so he was within reach. They weren’t just white, the tips were silver like glittery silver flecks. She reached out and brushed her hand down one side.

Rocco shuddered.

“You can feel that?”

“Yes,” he said hoarsely.

“What does it feel like?” She did it again, and that big body shuddered a second time.

“Good, pumpkin, really fucking good.”

She pulled her hand back, curling her fingers into a fist. She wanted to keep stroking their softness, but she didn’t want to tease him, or make him think she was ready for something she wasn’t. “They’re…I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”

He drew in a rough breath and turned back to her. “I have.”

His gaze dipped to hers, and she found it hard to hold his eyes. She looked down…and that’s when she saw the scar on his arm. “Oh my god, you did, you cut it out.” Her eyes sliced back to his. “You cut out your angel’s brand so you could come here?”

He nodded, that muscle jumping in his jaw again. “Yeah. I would have done anything to get to you.”

Her eyes stung, and she bit her lip when she felt it tremble.

Rocco’s colossal body shifted, and he made a rough sound. “I need to lift you again, baby.”

She nodded, and he scooped her up, carrying her down the steps and into the deep, warm water. And instantly, goddamn it, that feeling of panic returned.

She stiffened in his arms, and her teeth started chattering despite the warm water.

“Ky…”

“I’m okay.”

But then the panic grew more intense, and before she knew she was going to do it, she shoved at him.

He quickly released her, setting her on one of the steps, and his sharp, pained breath sliced her down the middle.

“Talk to me, Ky. Tell me what you need.”

Hopelessness filled her, fear. She squeezed her eyes closed. “When you touch me, I-I feel…his hands, I…I can’t stand to be touched.”

“It’s all right,” Rocco choked out.

A sob tried to crawl up her throat. “It’s not you. He…he never stopped touching me, he was always touching me.” The thought of his hands, anyone’s hands on her right then made her feel physically ill. She was broken. Diemos had broken her.