The Prince's Gift

Chapter 29.

He dipped down into the water, hovering just in front of me as he pulled my hands away, picking up where they left off as he caressed mud filled hands across my shoulders and the top of my chest and neck. He spun me around slowly so that he could do the same for my back, delicately rubbing more of the soft mud across my now scarred body.

He gently guided my head back to dip my hair into the water, rubbing it tenderly from the top of my scalp to the bottom, gently massaging through each part of my hair as he covered every inch of my head. I sighed in contentment as I felt my body relax beneath his touch. I hadn't allowed myself to remember his touch anymore. It was too painful compared to the harsh ones I only received now. Feeling myself this close to him, I could slowly feel him trying to pull me back to him. Trying to heal me as best he could.

I pulled my head up from the water and scrubbed a little more mud across my face before dunking it to wash it away. Zane's hands moved to rub away the mud across my back and shoulders before turning me to face him, floating his hands across my neck and washing away the dirt before falling to my chest, lower and lower until he was nearly cupping my breasts but trailing down to wash away the dirt from my stomach and hips before circling around my hips, pulling me closer to him as our bodies were flush against each other.

His lips brushed against the shell of my ear before trailing down my jaw and neck. His hands floated down to gently pull my legs up, spreading them to wrap around his waist and without warning, my breath caught tightly in my throat. I jumped, pulling back from his touch and he froze as I tried to reign in my heart as it thudded hard against my chest. I shut my eyes tight as my hand rested against my chest, trying to focus on moving air in and out of my lungs smoothly.

"It's ok Ana." He said quietly, not daring to move closer. "I won't hurt you. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."

"No." I said shortly. Anger filled me at my reaction. I'd let that bastard get inside of my head, scarring my thoughts that any touch I'd feel would be like his. Even feeling the gentle touch of Zane's hands leading me to be near him in that way was haunted by Maddox now. Zane would never hurt me, but my body didn't know that. All I could see was Maddox. My eyes snapped open and fixed on the cave wall in front of me. "It's not your fault Zane. Don't apologize."

"I can't imagine what you've been through Ana. I shouldn't have touched you like that. It was habit. I wasn't thinking." His voice was tight and my eyes moved to looked at him.

His face was pulled into a deep frown and his eyes held pain. So much pain. He'd felt all of mine. He knew I'd been through hell. And it was killing him. "I'll never be able to forgive myself for this Ana. For what you've been through. Not when I could have stopped it."

I moved to stop just in front of him, my hand pulling his dropped gaze to look at mine. His jaw clenched but he let my hands cup his face into my palms, gently tracing down his sculpted cheekbones. After a frozen moment, I slowly pushed the fear filling me down and leaned forward, my lips hovering just above his. His breath caught and I could feel him restraining himself, fighting not to touch me as my mouth floated in front of his, only brushing just slightly against his full lips.

"I love you Zane." I whispered before pressing my lips against his tenderly.

His arms hesitantly snaked around me and I felt the panic surging but I pushed it away, locking it deeply into the pit of my stomach as his hand reached up my back to gently hold the back of my neck as it tangled into my hair.

It's Zane. My Zane. He won't hurt me. He loves me.

I repeated this to myself as I felt his lips begin to mold with mine, deepening the kiss before his lip flicked across the seam of my mouth, asking permission to enter. I granted him entrance and his tongue gently dove in, tangling with mine as the kiss slowly turned deeper, hungry, more passionate.

His free hand gripped into my hip and pulled my closer, his knees pressing between my own to let my legs float around his hips. I let them this time, but as soon as I felt his hardness pressing against me, my throat tightened. I felt my breath quicken and my heart began to bang against my chest, filling my ears with a loud thud until it was all I could hear. My eyes stung with hot tears but I pushed them back. I wanted this. I needed to let Zane heal me, but it was too late. He'd already sensed my change, smelled my tears, heard my heart. He froze instantly, pulling back and letting my legs fall as his grip loosened on the back of my neck.

He gently caressed my cheek and pressed his forehead on mine, breathing deeply as he tried to control his now shallow breath. "Fuck. I'm sorry baby. I got carried away. I'm so sorry. Are you ok?"

I nodded quickly and tried to pull him back in but his grip turned to iron, holding me in place away from him. "I can't do this. I've got to get something between us. I won't do this this way. You're not ready." He said quietly before standing and walking out of the pool.

I felt the sadness filling me, consuming me that I'd let this fear control me. It quickly turned to anger and then fury as my mind began to race.

Maddox will die for ruining me this way.

How could I let him get such a hold on me? How could I let him ruin what was between the two of us here alone, with no one but the magic in the cave to surround us? Zane was already dressed and holding his shirt out for me as I stepped out of the pool. I shivered as I rang my hair out before running my arms through the sleeves as he placed it over me. I quickly buttoned it as I felt the stinging tears return, falling silently down my cheeks as I faced out into the water. My eyes caught my reflection and I wrenched my eyes away. I hated what I saw. Someone broken. Someone ruined.

He'd ruined me, and I'd let him.