Page 30 of Defending Mateo
“Wash real good between those legs, one four zero, I bet you're a sticky mess down there with how many times we made you come,” Henry continued, like he really wanted to get a fist to the face.
In the shower, Ally trembled as she ran the loofah dripping with body wash over her skin. Her fear stoked the fires of his rage, and he’d pushed off the wall before he even realized what he was doing, consumed by the need to slam his fists into Henry over and over again, until that rage abated a little and he was able to think clearly again.
While Henry was too engrossed in watching Ally, she must have noticed him moving, sensed the reason why, because her eyes grew round and she gave a small shake of her head.
How the hell was his girl, who was about to be sold to some monster, able to keep a clearer head than he was?
Catching the head shake, Henry glanced over his shoulder, saw Mateo had straightened, and shot him a grin, like they were two buddies enjoying a show. Only they weren't friends, weren't colleagues either, and Mateo spent a whole lot more time daydreaming about how good it would feel to beat every single man here to a bloody pulp than he probably should.
“Hurry up,” he snapped at Ally, pretending that was why he’d moved, to grab a towel and get her moving faster. Actually, he would have liked for her to be able to enjoy this moment, take her time, scrub herself down while she had warm water and no audience, but then Henry had come in and ruined that. Now he just wanted the photoshoot done, her file uploaded to the website, and her purchased and collected, so he could get her out and safe.
Whimpering, Ally stepped under the spray. Henry ran the tip of his tongue along his bottom lip as he watched all the soapy suds run down her body, and Mateo was grateful that, at least now that Ally was being listed for sale, she was no longer allowedto be touched or played with by any of the guys here. It meant he wouldn't be able to get any alone time with her, but at least she’d be safe from the others.
After quickly working shampoo through her hair and rinsing it, she applied conditioner and combed it through her hair, then Ally rinsed it off, too, and turned to shut off the water. Mateo stepped up before Henry could get close to her and shoved the towel into her hands.
“Go and get the room set up,” he told Henry, who opened his mouth to complain, but shut it again when Mateo shot daggers at him. “Unless you want me to choose the outfits?”
Eyes brightening, Henry shook his head. “Nope, I love choosing what to dress them in.”
Tension easing once the other man left the bathroom, he focused his attention on his girl again. “You're doing so well, baby,” he murmured. “You need to do your makeup and hair. The blow dryer is on the vanity and makeup is there too. Photoshoot isn’t going to be fun, little mouse. There’s nothing I can do to stop that from happening. You're going to be given various outfits to put on and have to pose in positions that will make you uncomfortable. And …” He trailed off, not wanting to tell her the final piece of information.
“And what?” she asked softly as she rubbed the towel over her body.
“And the arousal gel is going to be used,” he said on a sigh.
Freezing, her gaze snapped to meet his. “Why?”
“Because it will make you all … glistening … down there, and it’ll make some of the posing look more enticing because you’ll be all needy, and more likely to be willing to touch yourself, play with yourself because you're desperate.”
“I hate this,” she whispered with the same weariness he felt.
“I know, little mouse, I do too. I never wanted to bring you into my world. I should have been stronger, should have keptmy distance from you. Instead, I was weak and selfish. I couldn’t stay away from you. You were everything I didn't want, and everything I needed. You saved me, stopped me from completely losing myself to the emptiness, and in return, I've destroyed your life.”
For the first time in twenty years, since he was a terrified, injured fourteen-year-old, sitting on the side of a mountain, watching his family walk away from him, tears blurred his vision.
Crying was useless.
Hadn't saved him that night two decades ago.
Wouldn't save Ally now.
But half a lifetime’s worth of emotion was suddenly bubbling to the surface. Terrible timing. His girl needed him to be strong, and he needed to hold it together. He had to make sure he got the information Prey needed to get Ally out, and then find something to topple Azure, sending it crashing to the ground.
A small hand landed on his bicep, and he stared at it in wonder. He was responsible for Ally being here, he knew she hated him for not doing everything he could to get her out, even if she had loved him at one time, yet she was reaching out to offer comfort to him.
“You saved me, too, Mateo,” she said softly. “I was lost and alone, I felt ugly, unworthy, and unwanted. You changed that. You made me feel seen, you made me feel beautiful, you made me feel like you needed me to breathe.”
“I did, baby,” he assured her, lifting his hand to palm her cheek. “I do.”
“You swear you’ll make sure your colleagues come for me? You won't leave me hanging?”
“Never, little mouse. I’d rather die.”
Ally nodded, then her hand disappeared, and she stepped over to the vanity to pick up the hair dryer. For the next severalminutes, the sound of hot hair blowing against her hair was the only sound in the room. He watched as she dried and styled her hair, then set down the dryer and began to apply makeup. She’d never been one to wear a lot, opting for a more natural look when they went out on dates, and she did the same now. The little makeup enhanced her beauty, without making her look too made up.
When she was done, she curled her delicate fingers into fists, and he could see her gathering reserves of strength. She wasn't the only one.
Together they walked back into the room, where Henry was waiting, the tube of arousal gel in his hand. He grinned at Ally when he saw her.
