Justin POV:
I laid her on the mattress, tucking the blanket around her like it mattered. She didn’t fight, didn’t pull away. But she didn’t reach for either.
I sat beside her, my elbows on my knees, head in my hands. Breathing hurt. Thinking hurt worse.
"Baby, I don’t know how to do this," I whispered, voice raw. "They want to... They want to force you. And I can’t. I can’t fucking do that to you."
She didn’t react.
I lifted my head, staring at the cara. Let them see. Let them hear.
"I love her," I rasped. "You sick bastards. You think this is data, but this is my fucking heart. And you’ve broken her."
June stirred at the sound of my voice, but only barely.
I turned back to her, brushing my fingers down her arm. "Hey," I murmured. "Can you hear ? It’s . Justin. Your idiot boyfriend. The one who can’t dance and burns toast every damn morning."
Nothing.
My chest felt like it was being crushed from the inside.
Maybe... maybe touch will help.
Not what they want. Not sex. But touch. The right touch.
I laid down beside her, gently pulling her into my arms. Her head rested under my chin, her cold cheek pressed to my chest.
"Shhh," I breathed into her hair. "I’m here. I’ve got you."
My voice cracked. "God, please co back to ."
She didn’t move. But her breathing evened out, just a little.
Above us, the red light kept blinking.
I didn’t care.
Let them watch.
This part? This was just for her.
*********
I lay there for what felt like hours, just holding her.
Her breathing was slow, shallow, like she barely rembered how to do it. Her body limp in my arms, light as paper, bones sharp under skin. Every part of ached at how fragile she felt, how gone she was behind those empty eyes.
The cara light on the wall glowed, blinking steadily. Watching. Always watching. I forced myself not to look at it. This wasn’t for them. Couldn’t be.
"June," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. "It’s . It’s just , baby."
No flicker. No recognition.
My chest hurt so bad I thought it might crack open.
I shifted, propping myself on one elbow to see her face. My hand hovered over her cheek for a second—terrified she’d flinch again. But she didn’t move. Just stared past , eyes glazed.
Slowly, gently, I let my thumb brush her cheekbone. Her skin was cold, clammy. Bruises like fingerprints shadowed her neck. My own throat tightened.
"You’re safe now," I lied again. Maybe lies were all I had left. "It’s just . Rember? Your idiot who can’t stop burning eggs?"
Nothing.
I swallowed hard, forcing my voice to steady.
"They want to... do sothing. You know that, right?" I confessed, my words shaking. "But I’m not going to hurt you, angel. I swear to God, I’m not."
She didn’t look at . Her gaze wandered—like she was watching shadows move across the ceiling. My stomach twisted.
I took a slow breath. Take it slow, Justin. Slow.
My hand slid down, brushing her hair off her face, tracing along the side of her neck. I felt her swallow—small, reflexive—but still no sign that it was her inside.
"You rember the first ti I touched you like this?" I murmured, letting my fingers drift lower, ghosting over her collarbone. "You called an asshole. Said I moved too fast."
I huffed a laugh that didn’t sound like one.
"You were right."
Her skin prickled under my touch—goosebumps trailing in my wake. That tiny reaction was enough to keep breathing.
I kept my voice low, warm. "You used to tease about how hot my hands were. Said it was unfair. That every ti I touched you, it felt like burning."
My fingers brushed lower, following the curve of her shoulder, down the inside of her arm. I didn’t grip. Didn’t force. Just touched—light, gentle, like she might break.
"Co back to , June," I whispered. "Just... look at ."
For a mont, I thought I saw sothing. Her eyelids fluttered, the faintest crease in her brow. But then it was gone—like a ripple over still water.
My heart clenched.
I moved closer, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. Her hair slled of sweat, tal, and antiseptic. Not June’s scent. But I kissed her anyway.
"Shhh," I murmured, my lips against her skin. "It’s just . Nobody else. Just us."
I let my hand slide lower, over her ribs, pausing at the edge of the thin hospital shirt they’d left her in.
My pulse thundered in my ears.
If she pulls away, you stop. If she trembles, you stop.
I lifted the hem slowly, giving her ti to react. She didn’t move. Just watched the ceiling, eyes dull.
"Baby," I breathed, my voice cracking, "please... if you’re in there... show . Anything. Blink. Squeeze my hand. Anything."
Silence.
The shirt slid up, over bruises and needle marks. My vision blurred for a second with rage and heartbreak. I swallowed it down.
Focus on her.
I leaned down, brushing my lips over her shoulder, then her collarbone. Soft, slow kisses—like a prayer whispered into her skin.
"You used to go crazy when I kissed you here," I murmured, my mouth hovering over the hollow of her throat. "Said it made your knees weak."
She didn’t even blink.
My voice dropped to a raw whisper. "Please, angel. Co back to . I don’t care what they see. I just... I need you."
My hand trembled as I brushed the curve of her breast through the fabric. No squeezing, no claim. Just touch. Warm. Familiar.
Her breath caught—tiny, barely there. But I felt it. Felt it.
"June?" I whispered, hope clawing up my chest. "Baby?"
Nothing. But her chest rose faster, her breathing just a notch quicker.
Encouraged, I pressed a kiss over her heart, listening to it beat slow and hollow under my lips. "It’s , June. Your monster. Your Justin."
My thumb brushed over her nipple, so lightly it was barely a touch. Her breath stuttered.
There. There you are.
I lifted my head, searching her face. For a second—one fleeting heartbeat—I saw her eyes focus on . Just a flicker. Recognition. June.
Then it vanished.
Gone.
My heart broke all over again.
"It’s okay," I whispered, swallowing back tears. "I’m not going anywhere. I’ll keep trying. Even if it takes forever."
I kissed my way up her chest, to her throat, to her jaw. Soft, reverent. Begging.
My hand cupped her face, thumb brushing her cheek. "I love you," I breathed. "And I’m not going to let them have you."
Above us, the red light kept blinking.
They were waiting for a show. Waiting for to lose myself. To fuck her into compliance.
But I wouldn’t.
This isn’t for them. This is for her.
I laid my forehead against hers, closing my eyes.
"Please, angel. Co back. Even if it’s just for a second. I’m right here. I’ve got you."
And in the silence that followed, my heart beat for both of us.
I had to remind myself to breathe.
Every second felt like standing on glass, terrified it might crack under and shatter what tiny, broken piece of her was still left.
Gentle. Gentle, Justin.
Sothing I never was. Sothing June deserved more than anything.
I brushed my lips across her cheek first. Not a kiss—just a whisper of warmth. Testing. Praying.
She didn’t move.
So I did it again, slower this ti. Letting her feel the heat of , the intent: This is . Just .
"June..." I whispered, my breath skimming her skin. "Look at , baby. Just look."
Nothing.
But her breathing... it wasn’t as hollow as before. It stuttered every ti my mouth touched her. Tiny tremors ran through her shoulders, like her body rembered even if her mind didn’t.
I shifted, turning her gently so she faced more.
My palms cupped her face. I kept my thumbs moving, brushing soft circles over her cheekbones, like she was sothing breakable.
She is, my mind snarled. They broke her.
I shoved the rage down. Gentle.
"You always liked my mouth," I rasped, voice rough. "Said it made you forget everything else. Said it felt like burning."
I leaned in, brushing my lips across hers.
Just once.
She inhaled sharply, like the ghost of mory scraped across her nerves. But still, no focus in her gaze.
Another kiss—this ti a little firr, just enough to press into her softness. I didn’t demand. Didn’t part her lips. Just held my mouth there, breathing her air.
"Please, baby," I murmured against her lips. "If you’re in there, give sothing. Blink. Nod. Anything."
She trembled, eyelids fluttering—like a bird beating helpless wings against a cage.
I pulled back to look at her. Her pupils were huge, swallowing color, but unfocused.
"Shhh," I soothed, like talking to sothing wild. "I’m not going to hurt you. I could never hurt you."
My hand slid down, over the hollow of her throat. Her pulse fluttered under my thumb—fast. Not fear, maybe. Or maybe it was. I didn’t care. At least it was alive.
"I need you to say yes, June," I whispered, my lips grazing her jaw. "Not to them. To . Say yes to ."
Nothing.
So I kissed her jaw again, open-mouthed, letting my breath spill hot against her neck.
"Please, baby. I’m right here. It’s still ."
She shifted. The tiniest motion—but it made my pulse slam through like a hamr.
Move slow, I reminded myself. Don’t scare her.
My hands moved to her hips. Light, barely holding.
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