Free Her Black Heart (The Dark Amulet Series Book 2) by A.J. Norris Page B

sides from falling away and completely baring her breasts to him.
    Aza moved backward. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
    She sighed and faced the door. “You didn’t.”
    His eyes widened. “No?”
    “No. But I don’t get why you’re allowed to touch me, but I can’t get near you.” Her hand gripped the doorknob.
    “That’s not true, you can get near me.”
    She opened the door into the bedroom and said over her shoulder, “Yeah, just not touch you.”
    He followed her out, close to her heels, stalking her like prey. “Why do you want to touch me?”
    “Why not?”
    Aza drew his head back. What did this mean? Julia confused him. First she insulted him, probably more than once, he just didn’t know how many times, and secondly, she seemed genuinely remorseful. He squeezed his eyes shut. His mind was cluttered with all this stuff and the things he once knew to be true about himself. Now he wasn’t sure who or what he really was. He was definitely not human with the way he’d growled earlier, but somehow was not a demon either. At least he didn’t think so. He sat down on the bed and leaned over, propping his chin on his palm with an elbow on a thigh. When he glanced at her, Julia hadn’t fixed the front of her robe. It still hung open above the belt, loosely tied at the waist.
    “I asked you a question. Why not?”
    He sighed heavily. “Because I don’t like it.”
    “Why? What’s wrong with you?” She spoke softer, “I mean, what happened to you?”
    “Nothing I want to talk about.”
    No…what?
    He’d admitted something had happened? Where did that come from?
    “I won’t judge you.”
    “Why would you judge me?”
    Julia blew out a breath. Some loose strands of hair not pinned up on the top of her head floated around her face. He hardened again. This was becoming a real burden. Not enough to want goat legs back or anything, though.
    “Julia…nothing happened.”
    No, just been tortured and groped against my will.
    “Where I come from, no one touches you.”
    Not unless they intend to hurt you.
    “No one? How can you stand it? Everyone needs a little contact. I’d go crazy.” She shuddered and sat beside him on the bed.
    “You’re not me.” He scooted over to put more distance between their thighs.
    “So you’ve never been touched?”
    “I didn’t say that.”
    “Okaaay, then what’s the issue, exactly?”
    “You’re not going to leave me alone about this, are you?”
    “Nope. If we’re going to working together, then I have the right to know.”
    He didn’t think her logic was sound, but felt compelled to answer anyway. “The only time I’ve been touched has been to inflict pain or…or…” Aza took a deep breath.
    “Were you raped?”
    “No!” He shot off the bed.
    “Sorry. Easy. I didn’t—”
    He glowered at her. “I. Have. Not. Been. Raped.”
    “Okay. Okay.”
    He paced the floor in front of the bed. “It’s just that I’ve never known a gentle hand. Torture and pain are all I know.”
    “Oh my God, never even been hugged before. Not even from your mother?”
    “I don’t have a mother. And I…” He couldn’t tell her about the hug from Deus. How devastated he was when it had been taken away from him. The emptiness he felt and never wanted to feel again.
    “There’s more?” He looked at the floor and nodded, but couldn’t meet her eyes. “Aza, look at me.” After several moments, he looked up. “What if I don’t touch you, but you touch me? Would that be okay?”
    Why does she want this?
    More importantly, why did he?
    “Julia, I’m,” he sighed, “I’m a monster, a demon.”
    “That’s okay, so am I.”
    He shook his head. “No, you’re not.”
    “Yeah, I am. I killed my best friend, and I’m not sure I feel badly about it. See? Monster.”
    Aza groaned quietly. “So you think a demon touching you would be a good thing? This will clean your slate, absolve you of your crimes? Your need for remorse?”
    “No. Nothing like that.