Chapter 23
Sofia
Stretching, my body ached deliciously, and a small smile tugged at my lips at the memory of Miles devouring my pussy. How different things could have been if he hadn’t gotten to me before the pills took effect.
A pang of remorse rushed through me at the memory of swallowing the pills with the vodka.
What had I been thinking? In the clear light of day, I knew I didn’t want to die, but in that moment, I wanted everything to stop.
I just wanted the crazy carousel of my life to stop turning for a few minutes so I could breathe freely.
It had been an impulsive decision. With each pill I shoved into my mouth, relief that it would soon be over consumed me, but lying here now with the ache between my legs, and my heart thrumming against my ribs, I was damn grateful that I was alive and breathing.
Allowing my eyes to flutter open, I blinked the sleep away.
I’d fallen asleep with Miles curled around me, our naked bodies pressed together, and believing things would be different from here on out.
My heart dropped to my stomach at the vacant space next to me.
Despite being glad that I hadn’t succeeded in killing myself, I wasn’t sure if I could take his rejection a second time.
Not when my feelings for him were stronger than ever.
The soft, tap, tap, tapping of the computer keyboard reached my ears, and I shifted to face where the computer was on the other side of the bunker. Miles was sitting at the desk, clothed, and his brows furrowed in concentration as his fingers flew over the keyboard.
I watched him for a few minutes, hesitant to move from the bed in case I was met with a cold shoulder. My mind flipped through the images of last night. The way his abs rolled when he thrust into me. The tingles his lips left in their wake as he kissed my body. His pierced nipples.
The typing stopped, and Miles lifted his head, catching me staring at him. “I’m having a hard enough time concentrating when I know you’re naked under those sheets, Jailbait. Staring at me like that isn’t helping.”
The usual bite to his tone was missing, and his mouth lifted on one side into a small, affectionate grin. The tension gathering in my body unfurled fractionally. Maybe things would be different after all.
I pulled myself into a sitting position, careful to keep the sheets covering my breasts. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to get us the fuck out of here,” he replied, quickly adding, “Not because I don’t want to be locked in here with you. I would just rather we were locked away at home so I can fuck you in every room.”
Fucked in every room of the house?
Yes, please.
Before I could tell him that I was completely on board with the suggestion, he resumed typing. “Are you feeling okay today?” he asked.
“You mean, do you need to hide all the sharp objects and medication?” I joked, trying to make light of the situation, when guilt smashed into me at hearing the concern in his voice. “I’m afraid you’ll have to put up with me for another day.”
He abruptly stood, and in four long strides, he was by my side, perched on the bed with my chin grasped between his thumb and finger. “Don’t do that, Sofe. Don’t joke. You have no idea how fucking scared I was last night. I thought I was going to lose you.”
The pain in his eyes gutted me, and I reached out to cup his cheek. “I’m sorry I put you through that. And I’m sorry for making light of it, I just don’t want you to worry. I’m good, in fact, I feel better than ever.”
He pressed his forehead against mine, his dark orbs staring into my soul. “I told you last night, you're not the one who needs to apologize. I should never have treated you the way I have been. I'm so fucking sorry, Sofe. Can you forgive me?”
I cupped his cheek. “There's nothing to forgive, Miles.”
His eyes shuttered close as he nuzzled against my palm. When they opened again, they were filled with relief. “Promise me you’ll never hurt yourself again. Promise that if things get too much, you’ll talk to me.”
“I promise,” I whispered, knowing that it was a promise I would never break.
For several tense beats, he didn’t move, but held my stare as if he was reassuring himself that he could trust my promise. When a few more seconds passed, he brushed his lips against mine in a chaste kiss before pulling away. “Thank you.”
Much to my disappointment, Miles didn’t fuck me again. He returned to the computer, telling me he was determined to figure out a way past the security system his friend, Ash, had put in place, and get us the hell out of the bunker.
I occupied myself by making breakfast for us both out of the variety of canned foods stored in the kitchenette, which, surprisingly, didn’t turn out to be terrible.
After, I tidied up, made the bed, and showered, all the while Miles continued to tap away at the computer, muttering curses and threatening to skin both Ash and Kai alive for their devious plan.
While I didn’t mind being locked in the bunker—after all, it had done what Kai had intended, even if I had almost ended my life in the process—I was more than ready to go home. At least then, I’d have things to keep me occupied.
Hour after hour passed, and despite trying my hardest to not let my boredom show, Miles picked up on it.
He stood, his spine cracking when he stretched, and walked over to where I sat on the couch, attempting, but failing, to read a book on business management that I’d found lying around the bunker.
“You’re bored,” he stated, taking the book from my hand and chucking it on the table in front of the couch.
“No, I’m fine.”
“Liar.” He raised a brow, staring at me until I broke into a smile.
“Okay, maybe I’m a little bit bored. But I don’t want to disturb you from what you’re doing.”
“I need a break. I don’t know what the fuck Ash has done, but I’m getting nowhere with bypassing his security.
” He smirked at the blank expression no doubt written on my face.
I knew how to work a computer, but opening a tab in incognito mode was as far as my tech knowledge went. “Do you want to play a game?” he added.
“A game?”
“Yeah, you know. Something two or more people do for fun.”
I threw the cushion that was next to me on the couch, which he caught with ease. “I know what a game is, I just didn’t expect you to say you wanted to play. What game did you have in mind, hide and seek?”
He snorted. “Funny. Know how to play chess?”
Before I could answer, he crossed the small space to a cupboard and pulled out a box. Bringing it over to the table, he placed it down and pulled the lid off to reveal a folded board and a bunch of chess pieces.
I couldn’t stop the giggle from breaking free. “Why on earth is there a chessboard in this bunker? I can’t really imagine you and Kai hiding in here playing a game of chess while you’re under attack.”
Miles started pulling the pieces out and setting the board up.
“Kai wouldn’t have the first clue how to play.
It was Theo’s idea. He and Danny had to hide out in a safehouse a few years ago.
They were stuck in there for a whole week, and they nearly killed each other out of boredom.
When Theo got out, he vowed to make sure there was a chessboard in every one of our safehouses in case he ever got stuck in one again. ”
My jaw hung open, and I questioned whether I’d imagined what he’d said. He’d never spoken openly about Theo like that, at least, not to me. Whenever his name was mentioned, Miles usually shut down.
As if catching himself, a flash of regret crept over his face before it disappeared again. Deciding not to make a big deal out of it, I shuffled forward to lean over the table.
“I know how to play. But I should warn you, I happen to be really good at it.”
He sat down next to me. “Is that so?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, it just so happens, I’m undefeated. How about we make it interesting?” he said, his eyes darkening with wicked intent.
Butterflies flittered in my belly. “What did you have in mind?”
His lips lifted into a suggestive grin. “If you win, we spend the rest of the day doing whatever you want.”
“And if you win, we have to do whatever you want?” I replied, my mind already running wild with ideas.
I was normally competitive at games, Rafe was too. Maybe it was a twin thing. Whatever game we played against each other, we were both determined to beat the other. Now though, I’d happily lose if it meant spending the rest of the day at the mercy of Miles.
“Correct. You in?”
Of course I was in. But before I agreed, an idea popped into my head. This could be an opportunity to get information from him. There was so much I wanted to know about Miles, questions I’d never asked because I knew I wouldn’t get answers.
Sure, with the way things had shifted between us, maybe he would be receptive to me wanting to get to know him, but why not have a little fun along the way?
“I’m in, but I’d like to add my own terms.”
His brow quirked. “Go on.”
“Every time I knock one of your pieces out, I get to ask you something, and you have to answer. No bullshit questions either, like what’s your favorite color or what food do you hate. Real questions.”
I held my breath waiting for his answer as he ran a thumb over his lip. Convinced he was going to say no, I refused to look away from his penetrating stare as he thought it over.
“Deal,” he said, taking me by surprise. “But I get to ask you something every time I take one of your pieces.”
I held my hand out for him to shake. “Deal. I’ll be white.”
He shook my hand. “I’m always black, anyway.”
“Huh, like your soul,” I replied, grinning sweetly at him.
Still clasping my hand, he pulled me toward him, my chest colliding with his, and our mouths almost meeting. “You want to hope you win, Jailbait. Otherwise, you’re going to spend the rest of the evening over my knee getting your fine ass tanned.”