Open Wounds (Damaged Souls Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

“I’ll never be free. At least this way I have control of my pain.” Lexi continued, eyes wide and glassy with fresh tears.
    “But you don’t need to cut. You can paint or talk to me. I’m here for you, just like you are for me.” Sloan said sighing deeply, already exhausted from the emotional events of the day and it was only afternoon.
    “Hell, you’re lucky I didn’t cut ‘Open for Business’ on my legs. Or maybe I should tattoo ‘Abuse Me’ on my forehead. Because apparently that’s all I’m good for. So painting didn’t feel sufficient enough, and you were a little tied up in choking the man to death, to stop and talk.” Lexi laughed without humor.
    “It’s not funny Alexis.” Sloan scolded.
    “No, it’s not,” Lexi said, pulling her face away from Sloan’s warm, rough hands. “But it’s all I’ve got right now, to keep from going insane.”
    Sloan understood all too well the type of demons that were chasing Lexi. They dogged his every step. And sometimes laughing and joking at the ridiculousness your life had become, was the only thing a person had to cope.
    So Sloan nodded his head somberly in understanding. He reached over and smoothly eased the knife from her fingers and tossed it into the nearby sink. He let down the lid on the toilet and gently scooped Lexi into his arms, lifting her up and placing her on the toilet. He rummaged through the cabinet under the sink for some antiseptic to clean her wounds.
    “Do you usually go to the hospital to get stitched up after you’ve cut?” Sloan asked as he found the peroxide and bag of first aid items.
    “No. Not unless I’ve cut too deep, which I didn’t. I usually just bandage them up myself. That’s why I have that first aid bag.” Lexi nodded to the bag in his hands. “That’s the life of a cutter. We can’t very well walk around bleeding all over the place, now can we?” Lexi said looking down at Sloan as he crouched in front of her.
    Sloan shook his head sadly, then reached over to grab a clean towel from the basket of towels Lexi had sitting next to the shower. He held the towel under one thigh, as he poured peroxide over her fresh cuts. She hissed a little between her teeth, as the antiseptic cleaned the germs from her wounds.
    After doing the same to the other leg, Sloan dabbed the area dry, and then blew on her torn skin until it was dry enough for the giant Band-Aid pads to stick to her skin. Once she was all cleaned up and bandaged, Sloan kissed each thigh tenderly. The caring gesture brought fresh tears to Lexi’s eyes, as she looked down at him.
    Sloan sat back on his haunches and looked up at her. Reaching up, he caught a few tears with his thumb and with both hands he grabbed hers, clutching them tightly. He stroked her knuckles with his thumbs, gathering his thoughts before he spoke.
    “Alexis, the next time you feel the urge to cut, and painting isn’t enough to ease the need, please come talk to me. No matter what I’m doing.” Sloan pleaded, looking up at her with so many emotions in his is crystal clear blue-gray eyes she couldn’t tell exactly what he was feeling. “We can get through this together.”
    “Okay.” Lexi nodded her head in agreement, trying once again to hold back tears.
    “And in a couple of days when your cuts have healed a little, I’m going to teach you some self-defense,” Sloan stated matter-of-factly, squeezing her hands tighter. “If these assholes are gonna keep finding you, then you’re not going to be defenseless if I have anything to fucking say about it.” He finished vehemently.
    “Thank you, Sloan. Thank you for everything.” The tears that threatened, finally fell. And seeing her eyes sparkle emerald with tears, Sloan sat up straight and gathered her in his arms. “And I’m so sorry for scaring you. I let it control me.” Lexi hiccupped into his silky hair that brushed against her lips.
    “It’s alright, Princess. We’ll get through this together. But maybe you