Free Beautiful Broken by Nazarea Andrews Page B

can't stop.
     
     
    Dane
    I can hear her crying, her sobs shredding through me like sharp knives. I don't even know what to do with her quiet words. You keep the nightmares away .
    I'm not good at this. I've been broken and breaking things for years. The best—smartest—thing to do would be to call Atti and have him come take care of her.
    But I want to be strong for her.
    That's the thing—I know I can't be, but it doesn't stop the want to be better for Scout. I shake my head and open the door, dropping clothes on the counter. In the foggy mirror, I can see the shape of her, huddled on the floor of the big shower. "Are you okay?" I ask.
    She sniffles. "I'll be out in a minute."
    It's a clear request for space, so I back away, reluctantly giving it to her. Pull on a pair of faded flannel pants that I wear when Dad comes to town, and sit on her bed.
    Scout comes in a few minutes later, wrapped in the scent of oranges and soap and wearing a shirt three sizes too big.
    My shirt looks amazing on her.
    "Do you want to sleep here or my room?" I ask.
    Her eyes widen. She might ask—almost opens her mouth to ask—but then she shakes her head and says, "Yours."
    I nod and switch off her lamp, leading the way down the hall. I let her crawl into bed, tucking the blankets around her when she shivers, then slip in on my side and hit the lights. "Dane?" she whispers in the dark.
    "We'll talk in the morning, Scout. Go to sleep."
    There aren't any more nightmares. For either of us.
     
    I grab the OJ, a muffin, and my laptop, and pad back to my bedroom. Scout is curled up on her side, soft and innocent while sleeping. I put the muffin and OJ down and settle against my headboard, half-watching her while I search listings at local dealerships.
    I don't have long to wait. Within twenty minutes, she's twisting, stretching like a lazy cat before she rolls on her back and peers at me. "What are you doing?" she asks, her voice hoarse.
    "Looking at cars." I hand her the juice, which she sips before setting it on the table and leaning against my arm. "Bubba's has a few little cars that would be good for you. Good safety ratings."
    "What time is it? I guarantee it’s too early for you to be talking about safety ratings."
    I grin. "It's just after nine." She looks up at me, startled, and I kiss her forehead. "I took the day off."
    Which means in about thirty minutes, I'll be fielding a furious phone call. But for now...I close the laptop and wrap my arms around her, pulling her tighter to my side. "When do you see your therapist?"
    "Friday." Two days.
    I nod. Clear my throat. "Scout, I can't deal with those nightmares. I can't see you like that."
    She curls in on herself and I curse. Drag her onto my lap so she's straddling me and force her to meet my gaze.
    "Seeing you like that killed me, Ittybitty. I can't handle it—and there is an alternative."
    I take a deep breath. I'm gambling. "I want you to stay with me, while you’re here."
    She freezes, stiff in my arms. I rub her arms, staring into her eyes.
    "This is a safe place, Scout. I'm not asking for you to screw me—I want to help you."
    She takes a shuddering breath and blinks. A tear breaks free, trailing down her cheek.
    "You don't want me?"
    I shift her, and her eyes dilate as she hits my erection. I hiss—I can feel the heat of her through her thin panties, and it's not enough. I grip her hips, pulling her tight against me, thrusting against her hot core. She whimpers, her head falling forward to rest in the crook of my shoulder. I nip at her earlobe. Suck it softly and whisper, "What do you think, Ittybitty? Does this—" I grind her hips into me. "—feel like rejection?"
    She gasps, and I shove my hands into the soft silk of her hair, bringing her mouth to mine. Her lips part, and her tongue darts out, rubbing against mine. She sucks my bottom lip into her mouth. I groan.
    Scout smiles, a saucy mischievous grin that makes me want to tie her to my bed and lick her until she's