59: Ada's POV

I was standing in the wall, Darius' cum leaking down the inside part of my thigh, in absolute shock.

He had cum, moaning my name and holding me so close to his body that I swear his heartbeat became my own. And then he had pulled out of me, set me down on the ground, pulled up his pants and left. Just... left. I was in the middle of the hall, completely naked aside from the metal belt around my waist. Tears pricked my eyes. What the fuck? I looked around. We were in the hall outside my room and the wall he'd pinned me to had been the one with my door. I thought we were past any chasteness. Hell, I'd just told him I was his even with all the issues he'd made for us.

And he just left me?

I wrapped my arms around my body, covering my breasts and turned the knob to my door. It opened and I stepped into the room. Nik was waiting on the couch in front of the fire, a book in his lap. He was out of his suit and in his usual gray sweatpants and black t-shirt. When he looked up from his book, the small smile that had been on his face disappeared. Rage replaced the contentment that had been on his face. Nik climbed to his feet, face flat. As he made his way over to me, a sob wracked through my chest.

His hand connected with the door behind me, shoving it closed. It slammed and I heard the lock click shut, most likely by magick. Nik wrapped his arms around me and placed a soft kiss on the top of my head, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Darius," his name came out as a choked breath as tears spilled freely, "He just--" I shook my head, burying my face in Nik's neck, "He fucked me against the wall right out there and just *left.*"

Nik pulled back, grabbing both of my cheeks with his hands. Silver eyes met mine and I gasped. His upper lip was pulled back in a snarl, "I will have words with my brother in the morning," his eyes returned to black as his thumb wiped a tear from my cheek, "For now, let's get you in the bath."

When he bent down and scooped me up into his arms, I simply relaxed against him and tossed an arm around his neck. Nik walked gracefully into my bathroom, not struggling in the slightest beneath my added weight. His shadows unfurled from him, turning on the water spigot. He set me on my feet gently as hot water steamed up from the large bath. I stood silently as he carefully removed the cut strips of fabric from around my neck and breasts, tossing them into a nearby trashcan. His fingers grasped the metal belt, following the length of it around to my back where the clasp was. His face was close to mine, his eyes locked with mine, as he undid the belt and dropped it on the counter. He motioned at my feet and I stepped out of my shoes.

I did as I was instructed, kicking the shoes across the room. Wordlessly, as steam began to spill out of the bathtub and fill the bathroom, Nik pulled his t-shirt off and stepped out of his sweatpants and boxers. I glanced down at his body. His bare chest glistened with the steam, the darkening light in the bathroom casting shadows against his abdomen that made his muscles appear even more toned than they actually were. His shoulders were back, his arms taut with tension as his own eyes watched me softly. His legs were slender, but proportional with the rest of his body. Muscles flexed in them as he took a step toward me.

He stepped by me, grasping my hand and dragging me toward the tub. I followed him into the hot water, reveling in the instant release of tension in my muscles. Nik pulled me toward him and then dunked his head under the water. When he emerged, his oil-slick hair was slicked back on his head and water dripped from every curve of his face. His onyx eyes glistened as I stared at him, a smirk emerging on his perfectly kissable lips.

I sank down to my shoulders in the water and let out a soft moan. His eyes sparked, but he made no move to touch me any further. After a few minutes, he pointed at the braid that was draping over my shoulders, "May I?" when I nodded, he moved forward and slowly undid my brain. As he undid the last pleat, his fingertips roamed over my scalp and gently massaged, "Would you be comfortable with me washing you?"

The question made me freeze. My eyes, which I hadn't even noticed had closed, opened slowly. His hands were still working my scalp, his own gaze locked on his task. I simply nodded, not even sure he could see me. But within moments, a shadow was carrying over a bottle with a sparkling purple liquid. When he opened it, it smelled of honey and lilacs. He poured some onto his right hand and set the bottle back into the shadow. With great tenderness, he wrapped his left arm around my waist and lifted me. My buttocks rested against his bent knee, which put me at the perfect height for most of my upper body to be out of the water.

I looked down at my skin and gasped. Over my breasts and shoulders were purple and black bruises-- and occasional puncture wounds. My fingers grazed over my neck and I felt some swelling there, which told me the same wounds were there as well. Nik nodded slowly, "I have some herbs in this to help with the bruising," his voice was low as his hands began working on my neck and shoulders.

A thick lathering of bubbles soon coated most of my arms as well, and I found myself leaning each body part he gently massaged further into him. He would add more pressure as the pain from the initial touch subsided. By the time he reached my breasts, a slow heat had already worked its way through my body and to my core. I could feel his cock as it hardened and tried to ignore it. As his hands kneaded the tender skin of my breasts, my breath came out in soft sighs and gasps. My eyelids fluttered shut and my head lolled back as his fingers massaged my swollen, bruised nipples. The sensation-- both pleasant and unpleasant-- was just enough to distract me from what Darius had done.

I was solely focused on Nik's fingertips, my hips beginning to rock lightly. His face was unreadable when I looked at it. I pulled my right leg up to my chest and turned on his leg before dropping it. I straddled his thigh and pressed my chest close to his. He stilled as my hands ran up his damp chest, my lips placing gentle kisses on his collar bones and neck. His hands gripped my waist loosely as I continued to rock my hips, rubbing my clit on his thigh. I dropped my hand beneath the water quietly.

His lips quivered as my fingers wrapped around his thick shaft. Before I could pump my hand even once, his hand was pulling mine from him, "Not right now. This isn't about me," he lifted me off his leg, "You've had a rough few days. If what you need--" he paused, "If what you want is release, and you want *me* to give it to you," he sucked in a deep breath as those onyx eyes locked on mine, "Then I will give it to you. But let me finish taking care of you."

Fresh tears pricked my eyes. I sank back down to my shoulders in the water. Nik grabbed more soap from the bottle within the shadow and started lathering it up. As his hands sank into my hair, I gripped his thighs beneath the water for stabilzation. Did I want release? Was I just using him as a distraction or was he what I wanted? I mean, I was comfortable with Nik. *Weirdly* comfortable. And I'd admit that I was so relieved to see him in my room after what Darius had done. He'd been the only one to reach out and comfort me on several occasions. He was sweet to me. Deadly to others, lethal even. But here, in my bathroom, he was washing my hair and trying to comfort me after I was tossed aside by another man-- his brother, no less.

And he smelled so good and felt so perfect against me. I almost purred thinking of the way he could make my blood thrum through my body with simple touches and looks. Oh, I wanted him. But right now? Maybe it was best that I let him simply take care of me. He was being kind enough to see what I needed and prioritize it over what both of us clearly wanted. So perhaps I should give him the courtesy of letting--

"What are you doing?" the question was barked from the corner of the room, the voice a low and deep snarl that made my heart skip a beat and my eyes widen in fear.

Nik simply continued working the soap through my hair, shrugging, "Taking care of what you seem so hellbent on ruining, older brother."