9. Comfort
NINE
COMFORT
ADDICTED: SIMPLE PLAN
DOMINIC
A few stars flicker just beyond the towering trees encircling the cabin, yet the few I can see glow brighter than any I’ve encountered in ages. The air is crisp and invigorating, filling my lungs with each breath and stinging my chest with its chill.
I lean against the car parked behind the cabin, puffing on a heavily laced joint. The drugs numb my lips and tongue, while warmth spreads through my core. I watch as the tendrils of smoke escape my mouth, merging with my exhaled breath and drifting upward into the dark expanse of the sky.
While everyone else is inside, unpacking and fortifying the cabin with weapons and traps in case we’re discovered, I embrace the cold, relishing the shock that reminds me I am profoundly alive.
I’ve never been on the run before—not like Cali has—and the gnawing paranoia that someone might be watching us threatens to unravel me. Yet, knowing she’s safe and with us alleviates some of the anxiety clawing at me, even though I’m acutely aware that everything could shift in an instant.
I glance down at my cast; the memories of the accident surge back, threatening to bring me to my knees. The relentless replay of how I lost Cali and how I let her down fills me with a heavy shame and deep regret, and I feel fucking powerless to stop it.
The uncertainty of what lies ahead transforms me into a jumbled mess, yet I know this is necessary. We must see this through to the end so we can finally begin to heal—every one of us. Cali seeks closure and vengeance, just as Ash, Killian, and I do. Our fathers must pay for their sins. Though I was initially against it, I’m resolved now. I'm dying to feel my father's heart stop beating beneath my hands and to watch every shadow of life fade from his eyes as I exact my revenge. And when he’s gone, I want to experience safety for the first time, liberated from the fear of glancing over my shoulder for his next cruel intentions.
I take one final drag from the joint, dropping it onto the frosty ground and extinguishing it beneath my shoe. I look up, trying to spot the glimmers of stars peeking through the trees. Just then, the cabin door creaks open, slamming shut as it hits the frame, followed by light footsteps growing closer. Without turning around, I feel a smile breaking through the frown on my lips, inhaling Calista’s fresh, clean scent before I even see her face.
"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" she asks, stepping in front of me, arms crossed over her chest, her wet hair framing her face as she hugs herself for warmth.
I pull her into my embrace, pressing my face against her chest, feeling the steady thump of her heart against my cheek. I breathe deeply, imprinting her scent into my memory, determined never to forget what she smells like.
"I needed some fresh air," I admit, knowing it’s unnecessary to burden her with my struggles when she’s endured so much herself and there’s nothing I could do to shield her from it.
"I’m sorry about your leg, but damn, Dom, I’m so fucking glad you’re okay after that crash. I thought you were dead, and you were all I could think about—even when I was chained in that basement, and Gunnar..." Her voice trails off, and I notice the emptiness in her usually bright eyes as she stares up at the dark sky, trying to bury the memories of her torment deep within her mind.
Right away, I sense that something unspeakable happened to her in that basement, and my blood boils at the thought. All I can do is hold her tighter, hoping my silent affection offers her some comfort, at least for now.
"Look at me, Calista," I demand in a firm tone, compelling her to meet my gaze. "None of this was your fault. Do you understand?"
I gently cup her cheek, brushing my thumb across her pouty bottom lip, noticing the tears welling in her eyes that she’s desperately trying to hold back.
"Dom, you don’t know?—"
I cut her off, my hand instinctively finding her throat, craving the sight of her surrendering to the intensity of the moment. I can see her eyes fluttering with conflicted emotions as I tighten my grip just enough for her to feel the weight of my words. Her hands slide down my sides, and her fingers hook into my belt loops, tugging me closer, seeking the comfort she craves.
"You can always talk to me, but even when you don’t want to, I’m always here," I remind her, uncertain if she remembers everything I told her before the crash.
Instead of responding, she leans in and kisses me. For a brief moment, I hesitate, reluctant to take advantage of her vulnerability. But she presses on, deepening the kiss, hunger radiating from her. So I yield, letting my tongue intertwine with hers, pouring all the urgency of my desire into the kiss, reminding her just how profoundly I want her.
The world around us fades into a blur as I lose myself in the intoxicating heat of her body pressed against mine. The chill in the air is replaced with a fire ignited by our shared longing, and everything else—the weight of our pasts, the looming danger, the scars that mark our souls—fades away, if only for a heartbeat.
When we finally pull apart, her breath mingles with mine, and I catch a glimpse of her vulnerability—it’s like silent whispers waiting to be heard, memories just beneath the surface. I trace her lips with my thumb, and the moment hangs between us, thick with unspoken words and unresolved pain.
Silence settles around us, the darkness pressing in with its weight. I can hear the crackling of the fire inside the cabin, faint voices mingling with the faint rustling of leaves. For a moment, I consider the risk we’re about to take—the danger that lies at the end of this road—but not for long. Cali stands before me, filled with conviction, and the prospect of retribution becomes more of a necessity than a choice.
"Do you want me as much as I want you right now?" she asks with a sultry tone, biting her bottom lip like she knows I go fucking feral for.
I nod, pulling her back towards me, my hands on her waist as I gaze at her fiercely. No more games. No more pretending that we can escape these feelings. There's something brewing between us, and not even the bullshit she's been through lately can change that. But would it be wrong of me to pursue her?
As we stand there, surrounded by the stillness of the night, I can sense the electric energy starting to hum between us again. This time, it carries the weight of purpose. It’s not just about our desire for vengeance. It’s about claiming our lives back from the arms of our pasts, about breaking the grotesque patterns of family legacy that have haunted both of us for too long.
“But real quick, I need you to know that whatever happens in there... I won’t let anything happen to you,” I say, my voice a low growl filled with sincerity.
Calista takes a step back and looks at me with an intensity that sends shivers down my spine. “I won’t let anything happen to you, either,” she insists, reclaiming her strength right there before my eyes.
“Then we’re on the same page,” I reply, the corner of my mouth lifting slightly despite the gravity of our mission.
Without another word spoken, Cali reaches between us and begins to undo my pants, her eyes remaining locked on mine while her lips curl into a sexy smirk that makes my cock hard, twitching against her palm as she slides her hand down my pants, cupping my shaft.
"What are you doing, pretty girl?" I ask, my brow raised in curiosity.
She drops to her knees on the cold ground, completely unfazed as she pulls my dick out and begins stroking, never taking her eyes off mine. Her tongue darts out to lick her lips, and I can feel drool dripping from mine as I anticipate what she's about to do next.
"I'm going to take care of you, Dominic," she purrs, swirling her tongue around the piercing in the head of my dick, making my entire body shudder from the sensation.
A groan escapes my lips, a raw sound of desire that echoes into the still night. I grip the back of her head, my fingers tangling in her damp hair as I guide her just the way I want her.
“You’re so fucking good at this,” I murmur, my breath coming in sharp bursts, the flicker of passion cutting through the chill of the air.
She looks up at me, her eyes glimmering with mischief and determination. There’s an intensity in her gaze that ignites a fire within me, making me forget the looming danger, even if it's just for right now. Her hand continues its deft movements, pumping me slowly as she takes me deeper into her mouth, lips trailing hot and wet along my shaft.
As I lose myself in the sensation, I feel the weight of the world above us—a heavy mantle of uncertainty and turmoil just a breath away. But in this moment, beneath the stars and lost in the depths of desire, I can’t think of anything else besides the way she makes me feel. With Calista, the past seems to dim, the future a fuzzy blur, and all that exists is the delicious friction between us and the desperate need fueling my veins.
“Cali, I—” I begin, but the words melt into a strangled gasp as her tongue flicks expertly around the head, sending electric shocks straight through my core.
I can’t help but thrust ever so slightly, the primal need to bury myself deep in her mouth overcoming any reservation I might have had.
“Shit!” I curse softly, the pleasure spiraling out of control.
With increasing confidence, she begins to pick up the pace, bobbing her head as she takes more of me, combining the perfect rhythm of suction with the tantalizing warmth of her mouth. Each movement is deliberate and calculated, and she watches me with a hunger that sends my mind into a fucking frenzy.
I feel myself teetering on the edge, my body rigid with restraint as I grapple with the need to pull her closer to fully claim her willing lips.
“You’ll be the fucking death of me, you know that?” I say, my voice low and dangerous, barely concealing the urgency clawing at my sanity.
She pulls back for a breath, a wicked smile dancing on her lips. “If it’s a choice between death and this, I’ll take my chances,” she replies, her tone teasing but the fire behind her unyielding.
Without skipping a beat, she goes back to work, the heat of her mouth electrifying every nerve ending in my body. It’s impossible to hold back now; the pleasure is spiraling beyond my control. The mix of the biting cold against my overheated skin sends shivers cascading down my spine, heightening every sensation as she pushes me closer to that precipice. My fingers tighten in her hair, holding her there as my hips gently thrust in sync with her rhythm.
The cabin looms behind us, the faint echoes of laughter and commotion inside remaining a distant memory. In this moment, there’s nothing but the two of us and the connection that binds us closer than any danger lurking in the shadows. The very idea of it sends a thrill through me, and I can’t help but feel that this is our rebellion—a statement against the chaos that sought to tear us apart.
With one last flick of her tongue, I feel the dam breaking inside me. “Calista, I’m—” I gasp, my voice breaking apart as pleasure crashes down like a tidal wave, washing away any vestige of restraint. I can’t help myself; I lean back against the car, giving in completely as she takes me to the edge and pushes me into bliss.
She grips my thighs as I come, and I’m lost in the sensation, spilling into her mouth, finding both release and an awakening that catches me off guard. I cry out into the night sky, the sound mingling with the rustling leaves, a raw testament to our shared defiance against fate.
She swallows every drop I spill into her mouth, my cum trickling down her throat as I pump a few more times, making sure I give her everything I have so the taste of me lingers on her tongue long after we're finished.
As I come back down, breathless and disoriented, I find her watching me, eyes sparkling with triumph, lips glistening under the faint starlight.
“I guess that answers my question,” she teases, a playful lilt to her words that brings a smile to my face.
I pull her up to her feet, wrapping my arms around her waist, my body still buzzing from what just transpired. “Your questions might just get you into trouble,” I reply, my voice teasing yet holding all the gravity of what lies ahead.
“Then let’s get in trouble together,” she says, her eyes glinting with a determination that matches my own. And just like that, the night deepens with our resolve.
We turn toward the cabin, energized by the fiery exchange, ready to face whatever awaits inside. It’s time to stake our claim, time to forge a path through the darkness that’s shadowed our lives for too long. As we step inside, a renewed sense of strength courses through me.
We are more than just the scars of our past—we are warriors, unyielding in the face of our destinies. Together, we’ll extinguish the shadows and embrace whatever fierce light may follow.