The Temple Twins by Emily Shore

Author:Emily Shore [Shore, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing, Inc.

27

Learning to Fly

* * *

Bliss

He wears no bandages when he comes. Medical drones would have warned him he needs rest. His appearance confirms it between the inflamed patches of skin still healing from the procedure to the fatigue wilting his lids and wearing down his shoulders like heavy nightmares.

“Bliss.” He speaks my name. Just the one word before approaching me, hand reaching out to cup my cheek. For the first time, I try being real with him. The first time I feel I can be real with anyone. So, I flinch. Not horribly so but enough to cause him to pause.

He isn’t offended. Instead, he smiles. Training his eyes on mine, he dips his chin lower, eyes begging permission, and I purse my lips and inhale. And let it out. So many times, I’ve held my breath, banished my senses to the furthest regions of my mind. A double-sided coin. No one is allowed to feel in the Temple. Their bodies are not their own. Only the client may enjoy anything. And…if they can’t feel, then the clients can never really touch them.

But I let Luc touch me.

Against my cheek, his palm is tender, but I sense the strength within his hand. The same strength he used in the arena. For me. But without the violence. No aggression. No dominance. No violence. In his eyes, I find no lust, no desire. Something else. His eyes perceive more than what I am on the surface. They are sugar-dipped spears, penetrating past Yin, past the faux Swan, past the tutu girl with pigtails and every other guise I’ve ever worn and—most of all—past the mountain of flesh and bone. It’s almost painful—the way he looks at me. It’s why my cheeks ache from the subtle tears that descend their agile slopes.

I try to pull away, but Luc summons me, “Bliss, no. Talk to me. What’s going on? What are you feeling?”

I lick my lips, gaze at him. “Why does it matter to you what I feel, Luc? You got what you wanted. You saw who I am. Isn’t that enough?”

Luc shakes his head. What more could he want from me? My lips part to speak.

Suddenly, he touches his fingers to my mouth to stop me. “I won’t let anyone hurt you again, do you see? They can’t touch you anymore.”

“You’re the only client now,” I murmur against his fingers.

“Never a client,” Luc denies. “You’re not a performer. You’re not a spectacle. You’re not a tool for anyone’s purpose or pleasure. You’re a beautiful young woman, and no one reserves the right to treat you like manure. And that includes you, Bliss. Don’t stop being real with me. Please be Bliss. I promise you I will remain simply…Luc.” He removes his hand from my mouth, then places it on his chest.

“I-I…” Struggling to get the words out, I almost choke on them because the truth feels like a thousand shards of Temple glass pricking me on their way out of my throat. Lies taste better, easier to swallow.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.