That’s when I see the tears streaming from her eyes, leaving clean streaks over her ash-covered cheeks. My heart clenches tight in my chest as I really look at her, her expression, her body, her fear.
She’s in shock. She’s been holding it together to help everyone else, making sure my workers get to safety—but the whole time she’s been falling apart herself.
Her entire body is shaking. Her hands are shaking so much she doesn’t know what to do with them.
“Fuck,” I mutter, pulling her into my arms, holding her tight against my chest. “Let’s get you away from here. Leave your car, I’ll drive.”
She nods her head, leaning into me as though she’s been fighting for strength for the last two hours and she no longer needs it now that she’s in my arms. It breaks my heart to see her like this. I lean down and scoop her off her feet, cradling her against me as I carry her to my car.
She’s quiet on the drive home, staring straight ahead with her eyes blank. I can’t tell if she’s overthinking, or completelyblank with shock. I have no idea if she’s ever been exposed to things like she saw today. It was a horrific scene.
Her brother kept her sheltered, I am aware of that, but how sheltered, I don’t know.
Reaching across the car, I gently touch her leg. “We’re home, Ulyana,” I say quietly. She turns towards me, bewildered.
I climb out of the car and walk to her side to lift her from her seat.
I carry her straight up the stairs to our bedroom, into the bathroom, where I stand with her in the shower.
Before I turn the water on, I slowly peel her clothes off, piece by piece. Each layer that I strip off her stirs a more intense need inside me. She doesn’t stop me. She’s still shaking from shock. Her eyes are still wide and wild.
She’s naked in front of me, her arms hugging her own body. Her body is beyond perfection. Every inch of her is more beautiful than I could have imagined.
I tug my own clothes off and kick them out of the shower, pulling her into my arms I switch on the hot water.
Desire is overwhelming me. Her naked body against mine is almost too much to bear. But her vulnerability, her softness and her trust in me—it holds me back from doing what I want to do.
She has her head resting on my chest as hot water flows down her back, washing away the dirt.
I pick up the shampoo and lather it onto her hair, gently rubbing, washing, massaging her body.
The shower smells of pine and flowers mixed together.
I take my time with her, letting the hot water soothe her while I wash her.
The water is running clear as the conditioner rinses off her hair.
She looks up at me and her eyes are calmer, but she’s still in disbelief over what she saw today.
“Are you okay?” I ask, as water rains over us.
She bites her lower lip and nods slowly.
I lean closer to her, wanting to kiss her.Wanting so much more than that.
But I have to stop myself. I can’t.
I can’t take advantage of her when she’s so vulnerable.
I flick the shower off and step out, my body screaming at me to get back in there and take her, but instead, I grab two towels, gently wrapping her in one of them, and wrapping the other around my waist.
***
Ulyana is sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed in white sweatpants and a tight white T-shirt.
She looks angelic and innocent and I want to possess her in the darkest ways.
Standing in front of her, I tilt her chin up to look at me.
