TRADING MY CHEATING HUSBAND FOR THE LYCAN KING novel Chapter 18

CHAPTER 13: HELP ME FORGET–2

Knox goes very still. When he speaks, his voice is lethal.

“That’s still hitting you.”

“It’s not-”

“It is.” His arms tighten around me. “Every time he put his hands on you in anger, every time he made you afraid, every time you had to make excuses for bruises, that’s abuse, Ember.”

The words hit me like acid. Abuse.

“He was just stressed, I hear myself say, automatic. “The pack, the treaty, hiding who he really was probabaly–it was a lot of pressure.”

“I don’t give a fuck how stressed he was.” Knox’s voice is pure ice. “He had no right to touch you like that. Ever.”

Something dark and murderous settles in his expression. His eyes flash gold again, wolf rising to the surface.

“I should have killed him,” he says quietly. “I should have crushed his throat when I had the chance.”

“Knox-”

“Tell me everywhere he hurt you.” His voice drops to something dangerous. “Show me the bruises, every mark, every time he made you bleed. I’ll make sure he pays for all of it.” “Stop.” The word comes out sharper than I intend. “Just stop. I don’t want to talk about it.” He opens his mouth to argue but I cut him off.

“I said I don’t want to talk about it!” My voice breaks. “Please. Just–stop.”

Knox goes quiet. But something flickers across his face–pity mixed with hurt–and it makes guilt twist in my stomach.

“I’m sorry,” I say immediately, softer now. “I didn’t mean to snap. I just-“I take a shaky breath. “I really don’t want to talk about Gale right now. I don’t want to think about him or what he did or didn’t do. I just want to forget.”

Knox studies me for a long moment. Then he nods slowly, jaw tight.

“Thank you,” I whisper, and my voice breaks on the words. “For back there. For everything. For

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CHAPTER 13: HELP ME FORGET–2

“So let me run!” The words tear out of me. “Isn’t that what this whole arrangement is for? We’re not here to process our trauma or cry about our fucking problems. We have six days left and I don’t want to spend them falling apart.” My voice cracks, getting more desperate. Please, Knox. Help me forget everything except you. Make it so I can’t think, can’t remember, can’t feel anything but this.”

He stands, lifting me easily. My legs wrap around his waist as he carries me out of the elevator and into the penthouse.

“What about the dinner?” I manage.

“We’ll make it.” His mouth finds my neck. “But first, I’m going to fuck every memory of him out of your head until the only name you remember is mine.”

He kicks the bedroom door open and lays me on the bed with surprising gentleness.

“Six hours,” he repeats, crawling over me. “And I plan to use every single minute.”

His mouth crashes onto mine and I let myself fall.

There’s only Knox and the way he makes me feel like I’m worth something.

Like I’m worth everything.

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