Making sure the door was securely locked so he’d have a fighting chance of catching her if she tried to escape, he told her, “Okay, then I won’t.”
He moved next to her and began slowly raising her top so he could see the damage Allerton had inflicted on her.
“Gavin, I’m not in the mood to have sex right now.”
He stopped, her top rolled under her breasts, and gaped down at her. “You’re kidding, right?”
The last thing on his mind was sex. She was a hot mess, with her hair disheveled, hanging loosely around a face covered in bruises, highlighted by lips that were puffy and split. Ginny looked like the feminine version of Edward Scissorhands.
Perplexed at what he was doing, she frowned at him. “Then why are you taking my top off?”
“I want to make sure we don’t need to take you to the doctor.”
“I look that bad?”
“Let’s see how much damage we’re dealing with.”
“I don’t feel as sore.” Ginny experimentally raised her arms in the air, acquiescing for him to continue removing her clothes.
Making sure he kept his body blocking the mirror above the dresser, Reaper slowly rolled her shirt over her breasts, then helped her slip each arm out. Casting the top aside, Reaper had a full view of the bruises marring her body.
“Can you turn around? I want to see your back.”
Gradually turning, Ginny exposed her back and shoulders. Bruises covered her skin. However, expecting them to be black and purple he was relieved to see they were already turning a muted brown and yellow. Either Ginny was an extremely fast healer, or Greer’s touchy-feely behavior saved her a couple of weeks of recuperating.
“Greer healed me, didn’t he?” Ginny prodded him when he remained silent and unhooked her bra. Going to the bed, she sat down to remove her shoes.
“I was so aggravated with his craziness that I didn’t realize what he was doing until after we left.” Lifting up off the bed, she started pulling her jeans down, grimacing when she bent down to get them over her knees.
“Greer makes it a habit of irritating everyone.” Reaper knelt down and helped peel her jeans off. Then, lifting Ginny back in his arms, he carried her into his bathroom.
Setting her down, he filled the tub with warm water, then grabbed Epson salt, towels, and washcloths from the closet.
“He does it to make people keep their distance from him, or that they won’t notice what he’s doing.”
Generously pouring the salt into the tub, Reaper shot a quick text to Nickel before removing his own clothing. He swirled his hand in the water to check the temperature before lifting Ginny back into his arms and depositing her into the tub.
Ginny gave a moan of pleasure, luxuriating in the warmth.
Stepping into the tub behind her, he sat down and grabbed the washcloth he had hung over the side. “If Greer’s only pretending to be an asshole, he’s got it down pat.” Reaper gave his own sigh, relaxing back in the tub. “He isn’t the only one good at pretending.”
Reaper watched the line of Ginny’s spine go straight. “Do you mean me?”
His lips twitched as he gently wet the two cloths in the water, then laid them over her shoulders. “You could have given me an inkling that Agent Collins wasn’t as shady as he was pretending to be, or that your plan was to incriminate Allerton and it was never about helping him find the artifact to get him off your back.”
“I wanted to. A couple of times, I almost did.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I’m sorry, but you kind of suck at pretending,” she said apologetically. “You don’t hide when you dislike someone, and in front of Allerton you made it plain that you disliked and distrusted Agent Collins.”
“In other words, I helped the plan by being kept in the dark?”
“Yes. Are you mad at me?”
“No. You did what you felt you had to do to stop Allerton, regardless of your feelings for me. You trusted me that I could handle my own shit, while you took care of what you needed to.”
“I thought you would be angry with me.”
“Nymph.” Reaper took one of the cloths, dipping it into the warm water before replacing it back over her shoulder, then did the same to the other one. “How am I supposed to be mad at you when you’re covered in bruises?” Reaper leaned forward to place a feather-light kiss over one particularly yellow bruise. “I’ve been in your position when I was in the service; most of us in the club have been. You share what you can when you’re on a mission. You went in, determined to beat Allerton. You did. Don’t apologize for that, not to me or anyone else.”
“I love you, Gavin.”
Reaper squeezed his eyes shut, throwing himself in front of the steel door in his heart where the last part of Gavin’s soul lay entombed, barricaded inside.
“You want me to wash your hair?” he asked thickly.
“Yes, please.”
Wetting her hair with the sprayer, Reaper lathered her hair with shampoo. Massaging her scalp as he worked the shampoo through her hair, he saw goosebumps rising along her skin. Leaning forward, he pointing the nozzle down to gently spray the warm water over her before he resumed washing her hair.
Finishing washing them both up, he got out of the tub and grabbed the towels from the towel warmer. Helping Ginny to her feet, he wrapped the towel around her before lifting her up and out of the tub. Ginny stood quietly and let him dry her off.
Sweeping her back into his arms, he carried her to the chair in his bedroom.
“Gavin, I’m not helpless. I can walk.”
“I like taking care of you.” Picking up his brush, he started brushing the tangles out of her hair.
“I’m going to need some clothes if we’re staying here. After my hair is dry, we can drive to Silas’s house and get them.”
“Silas is packing your things. He and Moses are going to drop them off in the morning along with Suki.”
Ginny looked at him from over her shoulder. “When was that decided?”
“When we were waiting for Viper,” he told her unapologetically.
“What’s wrong with me going there?”
“Safer for your brothers if we make it plain where we’ll be living.” Reaper hid his anxiety that she wouldn’t want to stay if he gave Ginny the opportunity. “We were just saving you the trouble. I didn’t know if you wanted him or any of your other brothers to see you in the condition you’re in.”
“Aw … that was sweet of you. Thank you.” Ginny looked toward the mirror, which was across the room, but she wasn’t able to see her reflection. “I look that bad?”
“Not now.”
“What about Trudy? I want to see her and explain—”
“She and Dalton are coming in the morning for breakfast. I told her you needed to rest tonight. I’ll be right back. I’m going to get my blow dryer.”
Striding into the bathroom, he took the blow dryer out from under the sink and when he came back into the bedroom, he found Ginny standing in front of the mirror.
“Thank you for thinking about my brothers and them seeing me this way. I’ll ask Jewell if I can borrow some makeup before they come over tomorrow.”