Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
SKULL
Ishove the pillow over my head and scream. The heavy metal music vibrates the walls, complimenting the rattle of the windows from the thunderstorm raging outside.
“That’s it!” I throw the pillow and grab my tartan, wrapping it quickly around my hips before storming out of my apartment.
I catch a glance at the clock in my kitchen, flashing the time at me.
It isn’t even morning yet. It’s still yesterday!
I run down the stairs barefoot as the music grows louder still. I thought these walls were soundproof. I lift my hand to bang on the door, then growl when I realize there’s no way the lass can hear me out here cause of the racket she’s got playing.
“Christ,” I try the door handle, but it’s locked, and I bang on the bastard a few more times before losing my shite.
Taking a deep breath, I step back, ready to kick the fucking door down. I lift my foot, ready to make an impact with the wood, when the feckin thing flies open. Ivy’s eyes bulge out of her head when she sees first my foot and then my nuts in her face.
“AHHH!” She screams, covering her eyes, and I try desperately not to fall on top of her from my momentum to break the door.
“I’m sorry, Lass!” I steady myself on my feet and brace myself on my thighs, making sure that my kilt is covering my arse again.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” she yells over the music.
I look into her apartment, expecting to find a party going on. Instead, I find every light she owns on, and a bundle of blankets and pillows in a corner of the hallway between her bedroom and the kitchen. There’s a knife on the floor next to them.
“Lass, what’s going on here?” I yell over the music before finding the speaker and turning it down to a reasonable level.
“I’m sorry.” She bites her thumbnail, looking everywhere but at me.
That’s when I notice the tears streaming down her face, the slight shake of her hands, and the panic filling her eyes that breaks my feckin heart.
“Who hurt you?” I whisper but she still jumps as if I’ve screamed the words at her.
“Nooo, no one.” Like bloody hell, I believe her, but now is not the time to push.
“I won’t meddle in your trauma until you’re ready to confide in me, but I need to at least know the triggers. What set this off?” I circle my hand over my head to indicate the room and the reason her electric bills will be higher than her rent.
The windows rattle from another lighting strike, and she screeches one single word before dropping into the corner with the blankets and curling up into a ball.
“Storm.” Her face disappears into her chest, and she starts to rock.
I sigh heavily.
This gorgeous woman has been hurt in some form and is doing her best to survive it alone. That is not acceptable, and it fucking stops now.
“Ivy, stand up.” She doesn’t even seem to hear me.
I look around again trying to reason out the environment she’s trying to feel safe in.
The lights.
I go around turning them off one by one until I finally get her attention. She starts to whimper, but she’s looking at me. When the hallway light is the only one left on, I stare at the bulb hanging above her head before glancing down at her on the floor.
“I said get up, Ivy.” She trembles as she gets to her feet in front of me.
“I need you to trust me. I know you’re scared, Lass, but you’re not alone anymore. I want you to raise your arm, grab the pull for the light, and shut it off.” Her eyes widen and sparkle through her tears.
“I can’t,” It’s more of a plea than an answer.
“We’ll do it together,” I nod at her and reach out, touching her shoulder gently before running the tips of my finger down until I have hers trapped in my palm.
Her head shakes as I move our limbs up and over her head, then mine. I wrap our fingers around the pull string.
“On the count of three. I’m not gonna leave. Well, face your monster together.” I step closer and place my hand on her back to support her if she faints.
“One,” I whisper, holding her hand a little tighter.
“Two.” She stops breathing and buries her face into my bare chest with a small cry.
“Three.” The apartment fills with shadows, and the darkness around us pulses with the storm outside.
“Look at me,” I drop my face so that when she’s brave enough to do so, she can see it clearly.
“Ivy.” I rub her back, but she just shivers and cries in my arms.
“IVY,” I let the growl of my annoyance into my voice, and she finally responded.
Her head moves, and her eyes open.
“I’m taking you to bed.” The panic in her eyes turns to lust for a split second, and my dick jumps under my kilt.
“I promised not to leave you but that’s not what I meant,” I smirk at the disappointment she shows.
“Tease.” I chuckle at her words and start to think she’s calmed down enough to talk about the issue until Mother Nature reminds us both that I can’t control the weather.
“Alright, that’s enough of that. Let’s lay down, and we’ll discuss this in the morning.” I lift her into my arms, and other than the yelp of surprise, she doesn’t protest, which makes my cock way too fucking happy.
I need to get that under control cause once I lay down with her, there is no way I’ll be able to hide it.