hapter 17 Love Turned to Ice


    As she felt the hem of her dress being pushed up, Lily trembled–every nerve in her body recoiling in


    rm.


    Over two years ago, when John still couldn’t walk, she had stood by him.


    He was crippled and mocked, and she had defended him… only to be dragged off by a group of vile old men who nearly seeded in viting her.


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    The police had arrived just in time to stop them.


    But the trauma ran deep. Those men had been deranged, and the incident leftsting scars on her soul.


    At her worst, she couldn’t even stand being near men. The slightest approach would make her tremble uncontrobly.


    John had always been sensitive to her pain. Even after he regained the ability to walk, even when desire burned between them, he never crossed that line. They’d always lived in separate rooms.


    He’d once said he would cherish her properly. That they’d only truly be husband and wife <i>after </i>they were married.


    She had loved him deeply back then. But even at the height of her love, they had never taken that final


    step.


    And now, as far as she was concerned, he belonged to Elsa. How could she ever willingly give herself to him?


    “John, I don’t love you anymore. If you want to lose your mind, go to Elsa. You have no right to do this to me! Let go! Don’t touch me! I don’t love you anymore–you can’t do this!”


    I <i>don’t </i><i>love </i><i>you </i><i>anymore</i>…


    That sentence snapped thest fragile thread of reason in John’s mind.


    His kisses were already rough–now they turned savage, desperate.


    His overwhelming possessiveness left Lily panicked andpletely lost.


    She tried to reason with him.


    But his mouth clung to hers, crushing her voice into silence.


    She tried to pull away.


    But he was far too strong. He pinned both her wrists easily, her struggling body no match for him.


    In panic, she bit him.


    Blood filled their mouths–but he didn’t stop. His obsession had devoured him.


    Chapter 17 Love Turned to Ice


    Suddenly, he flipped her body over, forcing her to face away from him.


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    His hands grew more invasive, his intent clear–he wanted to cross that final boundary and make her his.


    That thought made Lily go cold.


    Ice-cold.


    Especially when she remembered the sound of Elsa moaning over the phone earlier that night.


    She felt as though her body had been trapped in a snowstorm of endless frost.


    Frozen winds shed her skin like knives.


    Her entire soul was encased in ice.


    She trembled harder than ever before, shaking like a leaf.


    “Don’t touch me!”


    Pinned beneath him, Lily couldn’t even move.


    Then she heard the sound of a belt unbuckling.


    The sharp click made her blood turn to rust in her throat. Her voice rasped like gravel under tires.


    Lily had never liked crying.


    Ever since the Ginger family led others to bully her over four years ago, she’d learned tears were useless.


    Crying never solved anything.


    It never rescued her from despair.


    If anything, her tears only fed theughter of those who tormented her, made them even bolder in their cruelty.


    But right now, hatred, humiliation, and helplessness overwhelmed her–and tears spilled despite her will.


    John loosened his grip on her wrists. As his hand brushed her cheek, he felt unmistakable wetness.


    His entire body froze.


    Did she truly not want him… that much?


    The realization hit him hard.


    Fury, disbelief, and shame swallowed him whole.


    He grabbed her chin, turning her face toward him, intending to kiss away her tears.


    But before he could lean in, her voice–raw and broken–cut through the haze.


    “John, if you force yourself on me against my will… how are you any different from the men who hurt me before<b>? </b>You have no right.”


    “Lily!”


    He hadn’t expected her topare him to those revolting men.


    Even with the fire still burning inside him, he stopped cold.


    She was finally free.


    She scrambled to fix her sleepdress, then curled into the corner of the bed, shrinking into herself, eyes wary and distant.


    She looked like a hedgehog–spiked and defensive, bracing for more pain.


    John couldn’t stop the image from rising in his mind: her years ago, terrified and trembling, right after those old men tried to hurt her. The police had found her, disoriented and panicked, just like this.


    And tonight–she had nearly fallen into another nightmare.


    She had leapt from a second–story window just to escape a fate worse than death.


    She was terrified. She was broken.


    And he–driven by jealousy–had nearly forced himself on her too.


    “Lily, I shouldn’t have done that to you.”


    He stepped closer, trying to pull her into his arms.


    But she flinched back with raw instinct, scooting away.


    Even with her back pressed to the wall, she still fought to retreat from him.


    Her beautiful eyes, always soft and bright, were now filled with hatred.


    That hatred burned him–scorched his chest and stole his breath.


    He stood stunned for a moment.


    But then, slowly, he stepped forward again and gently gathered her trembling form into his arms.