Chapter 5 Hot In the Tub

• Amanda
• Damian couldn’t persuade me to go to the hospital, so he brought me home instead. My body was still burning with fever, weak and trembling under the weight of exhaustion. The moment he set me down on the bed, I turned away from him, rejecting even his presence.
• “You need to cool down,” Damian said, his voice low but firm. He disappeared for a moment and returned with a bowl of ice water and a damp cloth. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he reached forward and placed the cloth on my forehead, his fingers grazing my heated skin.
• I flinched. “I can do it myself.”
• Damian ignored my protest. He dipped the cloth into the ice water again and pressed it against my neck. I bit my lip, fighting the sensation of his touch.
• “You’re too stubborn for your own good,” he muttered, his hands steady as he continued to work.
• I tried to push his hands away, but I was too weak. “You don’t have to do this.”
• “I do,” he said simply. “You’re my wife.”
• I scoffed. “Since when has that ever mattered to you?”
• Damian paused for a fraction of a second before exhaling sharply. Instead of answering, he reached for the hem of my shirt.
• My eyes widened as he tugged it up. “What are you doing?”
• “The best way to lower a fever is to cool your body down,” he said. “You’re soaked in sweat, and if I don’t bring your temperature down, it could get worse.”
• “I said I can do it myself,” I muttered, grabbing at the fabric.
• Damian’s grip tightened. “You can barely sit up, Amanda.” His voice held an edge of frustration, but beneath it, there was something else—concern.
• His hands were firm yet gentle as he helped me remove my shirt, leaving me in only my undergarments. My breath hitched, my fever making me dizzy, disoriented. I knew I should push him away, resist, but the warmth of his hands against my bare skin sent a shiver through me that had nothing to do with my illness.
• Damian reached for my shorts next, unbuttoning them with ease. I let out a small sound of protest, but he ignored it, sliding the fabric down my legs, leaving me in only my bra and underwear.
• I swallowed hard, my body betraying me with the way my skin tingled under his touch. I had spent so long trying to distance myself from him, from the man who had hurt me over and over again, yet here I was, vulnerable before him once more.
• Without a word, Damian lifted me into his arms and carried me to the bathroom. The large bathtub gleamed under the dim light, and he reached over to turn on the faucet, letting the cold water fill the tub.
• “You don’t have to do this,” I whispered again, my voice barely audible.
• Damian met my gaze. “I do.”
• He set me down gently, his fingers trailing down my arms as he steadied me in the cool water. I gasped at the temperature, my body instinctively jerking away. Damian held me still, his grip firm but not forceful.
• “Relax,” he murmured. “It’ll help.”
• I shivered, my body half-submerged. Damian’s hands slid up my arms, over my shoulders, his touch lingering longer than necessary. My breathing became shallow as he reached for the clasp of my bra, his fingers grazing the delicate fabric.
• My lips parted. “Damian—”
• His name was barely a whisper before his hands were on my skin, peeling away the last barrier between us. The cool air mixed with the icy water, sending a shock through my body, but nothing compared to the heat that sparked in my core at his touch.
• Damian moved behind me, his hands skimming down my spine, over my ribs, until they rested on my waist. He pulled me back against him, his chest pressing against my damp skin. I closed my eyes, torn between the need to resist and the overwhelming sensation of him against me.
• His lips brushed against my shoulder, his breath warm despite the chill of the water. “Tell me to stop,” he murmured, his voice husky.
• My heart pounded. I should say it. I should push him away. But instead, I let my head fall back against his shoulder, my body surrendering to the inevitable.
• Damian’s hands roamed lower, his touch igniting every nerve in my body. A shudder ran through me as his fingers explored me, teasing, pressing, claiming me in a way that made me gasp.
• “You’re still mine,” he growled against my skin, his mouth trailing down my neck. “No matter what you say.”
• I whimpered, my body betraying me as he continued his slow, torturous assault. The cold water did little to cool the fire raging between us, and as Damian’s lips found mine, I knew I was lost. His hands found their way into my wet core; he rubbed until I moaned out his name. One finger slid into me, and I gasped. Damian started to thrust his finger inside me, finger-fucking me as his other hand found my nipple and pinched it while I trembled.
• Time blurred as he guided me into a feverish haze, our bodies moving in tandem. Every touch, every kiss, every whispered word left me breathless. I hated him. I loved him. I couldn’t escape him.
• And for the moment, I didn’t want to.
• But then, a sharp ringing cut through the silence.
• Damian stilled.
• My eyes fluttered open, my dazed mind slowly registering the sound. I turned my head slightly, just enough to see the screen illuminating the bathroom counter. My stomach twisted as the caller ID flashed in bold letters.
• Maya.
• The spell was broken. My breath hitched as reality came crashing down. Damian released me, his body tensing as he reached for the phone. My chest tightened, a fresh wave of nausea washing over me.
• Of course. It’s always her.
• Without another word, I pushed myself away, the water sloshing as I stood, my limbs trembling. Damian looked at me, his expression cold, but I didn’t wait for him to speak. I stepped out of the tub, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around myself as I walked out of the bathroom without looking back.
• I was done being his fool.
• This time, I wouldn’t let him break me again.