16. Chapter 16
Chapter 1 6
STARLET
S taring at my reflection in the steamy mirror after a refreshing shower, I furrow my brow at the sight of my damp hair. Once, I adored its unique color, but now, it only reminds me of Zavier and his professed love for it.
After spending an exhausting three hours convincing Argent that I’ll be alright on my own and urging him to check on Adrian, I called Chloe and asked her if she wanted to have a girls’ day with me. Unsurprisingly, she agreed.
A sudden knock on the door echoes through the silence of the apartment. Giving myself one last glance, I make my way to the front door .
I feel my heart swell with warmth as I open the door and am met with Chloe’s radiant smile, followed by a tight hug. “Hey, Star. You look good,” she exclaims happily. I muster a dry chuckle and reply, “If only I felt as good.” Concern fills her eyes as she takes a seat on the couch. “You still having nightmares?” she asks.
“Yep, but it’s gotten a lot better.” I lie. It hasn’t. The reality is, the nightmares have only intensified, vividly replaying the horror of being tied to a pole in Zavier’s basement. But I choose to keep it to myself, not wanting to burden her further.
“So, what do you want to do today?” Chloe asks, clapping her hands together. I contemplate for a moment before admitting, “Um, I was thinking of getting my hair done.”
Her smile widens in excitement. “Say no more. Maybe we can grab a milkshake at The Diner if you’re up for it?” she suggests as we step out of the door. “Of course. I would love to see everyone,” I respond, mustering a genuine smile.
“I can’t get over how good you look, Star,” Chloe exclaims, her voice filled with awe, as we step into The Diner. I couldn’t bear to look at my old copper hair anymore, so I made the bold decision. Goodbye copper, hello brown.
“Thanks, Chlo. I feel like a different person,” I confess, a genuine smile spreading across my face. It’s incredible how changing my hair color has transformed my entire outlook.
I feel in control. I feel powerful.
As I walk further into the diner, a sudden burst of voices startles me, causing my heart to race. “Surprise!” The entire place is adorned with vibrant balloons, and a massive banner stretches across the top of the front counter, proudly declaring ‘Welcome home Starlet'.
Overwhelmed with joy, tears well up in my eyes as I gaze at the crowd of people who have become like family to me during my time working here. With gratitude in my heart, I scan the room, exchanging smiles with each familiar face.
And then, my eyes meet Argent’s. He stands at the back of the diner, alongside Adrian, Demitri, and Bobby. A breathtaking smile graces his lips, causing my knees to weaken. “It was all his idea,” Chloe whispers into my ear, nudging me forward. Argent planned this? For me? I never would have expected such thoughtfulness from him.
As I approach him, overcome with emotion, I reach out and gently grasp his neck, pulling him closer. Our lips meet in a tender kiss, “Thank you,” I whisper against his mouth. A mischievous smirk dances on his lips, and he pecks me softly before replying, “Anything for you, baby.” Pulling away slightly, I notice his gaze fixated on my new hair color.
My smile falters, and I feel a twinge of regret for the change. But then, he reaches out, delicately tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Your hair looks beautiful, little star,” he murmurs, his words washing over me like a soothing balm. Relief floods through me, and I offer him a shy smile, feeling my cheeks flush with warmth .
After greeting everyone and showing my appreciation, we find our way to a cozy booth. Chloe and I settle beside each other while the three boys take their places across from us.
As we get comfortable, our server's sweet, soft voice captivates my attention. “I’m so happy to see you, Star,” she says, her words tinged with genuine warmth.
“Sage? You’re all grown up.” I state as we lock eyes. She’s one of the sweetest human beings and probably one of the most beautiful humans, inside and out. Chuckling, she offers me a radiant smile.
“Yeah, I’m graduating this year,” she announces, and I’m taken aback. It feels as though I’ve missed so much. The thought fills me with a pang of sadness, but I quickly push it aside.
“Do you know what you want to do after?” I inquire. She returns my question with a warm smile. “I’m going into criminology,” Her answer makes me realize. I haven’t even had the chance to finish my own degree. That asshole took everything from me. After our brief conversation, we all decide to order milkshakes .
My gaze lands on Argent, and a sinister smirk forms on my lips. “Didn’t take you for a milkshake type of man,” I tease, eliciting chuckles from everyone.
His eyes lock with mine, and his tongue glides across his lips as he moistens them before responding, “For you, I’ll be any type of man you want.” His voice drops low, causing my insides to melt as his hand firmly grasps mine.
“Save it for the bedroom, alright?” Demitri interjects, triggering laughter from all of us.
It was great to have seen everyone and spent quality time with the people I cherish the most. I am still in awe that Argent went to such lengths to arrange everything just for me. His ability to surprise me never fails. Showing me a side of him I didn’t know existed.
Sitting at his desk, patiently waiting for him to finish showering, I couldn’t help but snoop through his drawers. Not because I want to see what he’s hiding, but, well—I’m bored.
As I sifted through his drawers, my eyes were met with nothing of interest until I reached the final one. A glimmer of metal caught my attention, drawing me closer.
His knife.
Slowly, I wrap my hand around the handle, retrieving the blade from the drawer. The dim light in the room reflected off the polished metal, creating a mesmerizing play of shadows.
This very knife had left its mark on me. It had been inside me. Memories of that intense night rushed back, igniting a fiery sensation that coursed through my body. Taking a deep breath, I delicately traced my fingertips along the cool surface of the blade.
I want him. I want to have what we did without the overwhelming feeling of being trapped or losing control.
Control.
At that moment, an idea materialized in my mind. That’s what I needed. I needed to be in control. I needed to be the one that decides what happens at my own pace.
Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open, revealing Argent standing there, clad only in a towel that hung low on his hips. His tattoo-covered upper body glistened with water droplets, his damp raven hair framing his face. My breath hitched at the sight of him.
His emerald eyes locked onto mine, freezing in place. He stared at me, his gaze intense, as I sat perched on top of the desk, clutching his knife.
“What are you doing?” he asks, his eyebrow raised in curiosity as he slowly approaches me. I can see the confusion wash over his face as I begin to speak.
“I remember that night so well,” I start, a smirk forming on my lips. “How you… teased me with this little knife of yours.” The room is filled with a tense silence as I lower the knife, the cool metal grazing my stomach.
“Little?” His amusement is evident in his own smirk now forming.
“Mhm,” I respond, my voice laced with a mixture of desire and defiance. The tip of the handle teases between my legs, causing his smirk to falter .
“Star—” he tries to protest, taking a step towards me, but I halt him with a firm command. “Don’t.” He stops in his tracks, standing before me with a mix of anticipation and hesitation in his eyes.
I meet his gaze, slowly pulling my underwear to the side, baring myself to him for the first time in over a year. His eyes immediately drop to the sight before him, his throat visibly bobbing as he swallows hard. He remains motionless, his intense gaze fixed on me.
With my eyes locked on his, I trace the handle of the blade between my legs, gasping as the coolness sends shivers through my sensitive flesh, spreading the wetness.
Without hesitation, I push the knife into myself, my moan strained and desperate. The need for more overwhelms me, and I grip the blade tightly, wincing at the stinging sensation against my fingers. The pace quickens, and the room fills with a symphony of moans, breaking the silence.
“You’re hurting yourself,” he mutters, taking a step closer, but I halt him, placing my free hand firmly on his chest. My eyes momentarily flicker to the blade in my hand, blood trickling down my fingers, but I ignore it.
When my gaze locks back onto him, he falls to his knees, gripping the desk beside me with both hands. His eyes are locked on the mesmerizing sight of his knife sliding effortlessly in and out of me.
“Fuck.” A breathless whisper escapes his lips, his knuckles turning white as he tightly grasps the desk, his desire evident in every strained breath.
With a deliberate slowness, I pull the knife out, holding it out towards him. The gleaming blade catches the dim light, casting an ominous glint.
“ Just a little taste ,” I whisper, fixating my gaze on him. He meets my eyes for one last fleeting moment before his tongue darts out and delicately licks the handle, glistening with my arousal. A deep growl resonates from his chest with each tantalizing taste.
As he rises, his towering figure looms over me as I remain seated on the desk, his eyes dilated, obscuring the once vibrant green hue. Sliding off the polished wooden surface, I place both hands on his chest, steadily guiding him backward until he collapses onto the soft mattress .
I turn and head to his closet, and without having to search for too long, I spot exactly what I was looking for. But my attention is caught by something else. Stacked up in the top of his closet, are a few weapons—guns, all different types.
Why would he have these? I've never seen him with one before. Deciding to let it go, I grasp two of his ties and return to where he lies on the bed. His gaze remains fixed on me, filled with unwavering intensity, as I prowl around the bed, gently taking hold of his arm and securing it to the bedpost above his head and doing the same to his other arm.
“Do you remember what you said to me last time?” I ask, making my way to the desk, my hand closing around his knife.
“Use me... I’m yours,” he responds, causing my heart to quicken its pace. A mischievous smirk adorns my lips as I approach him. Standing before the bed, I gradually lower my underwear down my legs until it falls to the floor before I climb onto the bed, positioning myself on top of him, and as I straddle him, I feel his hard bulge pressing against me .
Swiftly, I release the towel still wrapped around him, freeing his already hard cock. My eyes are immediately drawn to it, igniting a surge of excitement and desire within me. Slowly, I lean forward, our lips barely grazing each other before I gradually lower myself onto him.
A simultaneous gasp escapes our lips as he sinks into me, the euphoric stinging sensation as he stretches me almost sending me over the edge. I carefully place the sharp knife beside his head, its cold metal contrasting against the soft pillow.
My hand remains on top, gripping it tightly as I quicken my pace. Lifting myself slowly before slamming down hard, our moans intertwine, filling the room with a symphony of pleasure.
A warm sensation spreads through my body, ready to explode at any moment.
“You’re doing so good, baby,” he praises between strained moans, his eyes filled with awe as he gazes up at me. One final powerful thrust and he bucks his hips, causing my mouth to fall open and my head to throw back in ecstasy .
Waves of an earth-shattering orgasm ripple through me. White spots cloud my vision as I cling to his chest, my nails digging into the soft flesh.
“That’s it, little star. Keep going.” His unwavering gaze fixated on me. As my high subsides, I feel him pulsating deep inside me. He closes his eyes, releasing an animalistic growl as he spills inside of me and I don’t take my eyes off him.
Watching him squirm beneath me as he comes, has a powerful sensation washing over me, causing a smirk to form on my lips.
Finally, he opens his eyes, locking onto mine as we both struggle to catch our breath. Before any words can be spoken, I grasp his knife once more, lightly grazing the blade against the tender flesh of his chest.
“Who do you belong to?” I ask, teasingly biting my bottom lip.
“You,” he responds in a low, sultry voice, never breaking our intense eye contact. My smile widens at his answer, and I raise the blade, digging it into his chest, causing him to hiss in pleasure and pain.
I am going to mark him, just as he marked me. He is mine, as much as I am his. Blood trickles down his chest, staining the bed, and I lean back, admiring the result of my claim. He lifts his head, his eyes fixated on his new scar, and a mischievous smirk dances across his lips.
“It’s a star,” I proudly declare.
“My little star.” He echoes my sentiment, his gaze locking with mine. Without hesitation, I lean forward, maintaining eye contact as my tongue darts out, delicately licking the trailing blood from his fresh wound. The metallic taste envelops my senses, a strange yet euphoric sensation.
Tossing the knife to the floor, I press my lips against his, savoring the warmth as our tongues entwine, consuming each other. Breaking our kiss momentarily, I whisper against his lips, “Only yours.”