Chapter 5
Chapter Five
EROS
Now I’m questioning myself. Not about bringing Blair here.
That had to be done. At least for the time being until I can get my head straight.
This had been a knee-jerk reaction, and my anger had been simmering.
That’s never a good thing when it comes to me.
It’s been a long time since I lost my temper, but I know it’s always there, right below the surface, more than ever now.
I watch Blair explore the cabin. There isn’t much to it. That’s what I’m now questioning myself on. I never gave thought to bringing anyone here, especially a female. One that I wanted more than anything else before in my life. It's a very consuming sensation.
“It’s clean, so that’s nice.” Blair runs her hand across the back of the couch that faces the fireplace with a TV over it. “But the food options suck, and there is only one bed.”
“I’ll make a run later.” That’s going to be complicated. I don’t want to leave her alone here. She might try to escape. I can’t have that. I only just found her. I won’t drug her either. Enough has been done to her in that regard. I still want to have words with Damon on that.
“Shall I make a list? I’m vegan.”
“Vegan?” This hellcat is not vegan. I know she can sink her teeth into anything. Blair has bite, and I want it marked on my skin.
“I’m messing with you.” She laughs. “You should see your face.” Her laughter is always full of life. There is a sweetness to it. I don’t think she’d be happy about that observation—no, not my hellcat. “But when you’re out, could you get my cat?”
“You want me to get your cat?” Is she messing with me again?
“Who is going to feed him?”
“Him?” Why does it annoy me that the cat is male? “Don’t you live with people? Parents?”
“I live with people. You can call them parents if you want.” She shrugs. “But they aren’t going to feed my cat. I am actually worried about that. I was joking at first.”
With people? Interesting word choice.
“I’ll handle the cat.”
“I have school too.”
“You’ll skip.”
“I have a vagina appointment.”
“Vagina appointment?” I keep repeating her.
“You know. For my lady parts.” My eyes drop.
I hope she’s sweet as hell there too. Hellcat might be feisty, but scratch the surface, and there is more.
From the small details I do have, if they’re correct, she was trying to help Jax’s girl.
You don’t do that unless you care. “Eyes up here, pervert.” Blair snaps her fingers.
I slowly raise them, not caring if I’m staring at any part of her. She’ll have to get used to it. It’s my new favorite hobby.
“Is there something wrong with it?” I ask.
Blair makes a mock gasp. “You don’t ask a girl such things.”
“I’ll inspect it.”
She locks eyes with me. “Are you joking or serious?”
“Whichever makes you feel more comfortable.”
“I’m in a horror movie. You don’t get comfortable.”
“Blair, the only horror that will happen in this cabin is if someone shows up and tries to take you from me.” Her eyes widen. I keep scaring her. I clench my fist at the sensation that flows through my veins. Is that fucking anxiety? No.
“You’re serious about this wanting-me thing.”
“Why would I lie about such a thing?”
“My track record with Marinos isn’t good.” I nod in understanding. I’ll have to earn her trust.
“I’ll work on that.”
She raises her brows. “You say odd shit.” Blair shakes her head, but I can see she’s fighting a smirk.
“Are you hungry?” I ask. If I want to earn her trust, I need to show her that I can take care of her.
All the food here at the moment is canned and there are a few things in the freezer. I make a trip out here once a month to switch things out and check the place over.
“I don’t know what I am. This is all so strange.” She walks around, dropping down onto the couch. “Part of me wants to go back home, and another is kind of scared to. I can’t explain it.”
“Is there anything I can do?” I rub the top of my skull. I’m not used to being so out of my element. I’m usually not the nurturing type.
Once my cousins figure out that I’ve taken Blair, they’re all going to get a damn kick out of it. They’ll know instantly that I got bit by the Marino love bug. Otherwise, there would be no way Blair got out of that hole. I bet my mom is already starting to plan my wedding.
“I just want a shower, food, and sleep.” She starts to pull at the laces on her boots. “My cat and a phone would be nice too. Doom scroll.” Doom scroll? Not sure what that is, but that’s the second time she’s mentioned the cat. “Grr!” A growl scream leaves her when she can’t get the lace.
“Let me.”
“I have nails and smaller fingers. If I can’t get the knot, then you can't." She turns her hand to inspect her nails. “And I fucking chipped my nail polish at some point.” Blair closes her eyes tightly. Fuck, she is going to cry.
I cross the small living room over to her, dropping down to my knees. Her eyes fly open when I lift one foot and get the knot out and then do the other. When I grip her heel, my other hand wraps around her calf. I pull the boot off but let my hand linger, my fingers stroking her soft skin.
“Are you petting me?”
“Maybe.” Not sure I’d call it that, but okay. I take the other boot off as well.
“Is this what my cat feels when I pet him?” I tighten my hold on her calf. “What, I’m not complaining. It's nice. Maybe a little firmer. Working the fingers into the muscle.” That smirk of hers comes back out.
I start to rub. “Oh God, you’re really massaging me.” Her head drops back, her eyes falling closed. When she lets out a moan, my already hard dick starts to ache, shooting down to my balls.
This female has me in over my head with all the strange and new shit I’m experiencing inside my own body. I grab her other foot and keep going. I’ll take the torture. It’s the least I can do after making her face her own nightmare.
Her fear of the dark. The hole is that way on purpose. You can't hear or see anything. The isolation and unknowing add to the fear and panic. It gets people talking a whole lot quicker.
Not sure how long I rub her, but Blair's breathing evens out. I put her foot down and stand, scooping her up into my arms. Her eyes lazily open.
“You’re real.”
“To many people’s displeasure.”
“Not mine. Your hands work wonders.” I lay her down on the bed. Blair's eyes are already falling closed again. “Is that from torturing people? That you have the stamina to rub for so long?”
“Sleep, Hellcat.” I pull the blanket over her. It’s been a long, stressful day for her, and she needs rest.
“Don’t—”
“I won’t turn off the lamp,” I tell her, flicking it on and then turning off the overhead one. She smiles but doesn't respond. I don’t move. I stand there watching her until her breathing evens out again and I know she’s asleep.
If I had the time, I’d watch her longer, but time is of the essence. I secure every entryway possible. Then I leave a note on the kitchen counter. Hopefully I’ll be back before she wakes.
I tell her not to try and escape. We’re out in the middle of nowhere. At least for walking. She’d have to run a few miles to get to a road or another house. I don’t think she will. It’s still night out, and the moon can’t break through the overhanging trees.
I wanted to be secluded but also close enough to get back into the city if need be.
It’s not until I’m back on the main road that I pull my phone out of the bag and power it on. The second I do, it starts to go off. I almost clear it, thinking it’s Damon, but I see Mac’s name. I answer the call because I could use her help.
“Eros.”
“The hell, bro,” Mac huffs into the phone.
“I need the address to Blair’s home.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Mac asks after she rattles it off to me.
“Can you send me what information you do have on Blair?”
“Yeah, if you can answer a freaking question.”
“I can’t answer you,” I tell her. “Because I’m not sure what I’m doing at this point.”
The line goes quiet for a long moment. “She’s not a threat?” Naomi asks. It’s not surprising. Mac and Naomi are often together.
“I don’t believe so.” I leave off the part that it doesn’t really matter if she is. I know Naomi and Mac are exchanging a silent conversation.
“What do you need from us?” Mac finally asks after a beat.
“Help me get in and out of her building without hangups.”
“Two people live there.” I am getting a sense that these people aren't her parents. If they are, then she doesn’t care for them. Her wanting her cat and saying no one else would feed it spoke volumes.
“They're likely asleep.” I reach into the glove box and pull out my earpieces.
“Floor plan sent. The whole building has a keypad entry. I’ll open the doors for you.”
“Thanks.” I put my foot on the gas. “I need a few other things.”
“Hit me with it.”
“A grocery order I can pick up and any sort of cat stuff that you think I’ll need.” I know they use litter boxes, but that’s about the extent of that.
“Consider it done. I’ll send the location drop.”
“I appreciate this.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Naomi says. “We trust you.”
I trust them too. Each of us is the oldest in our families; well, Mac is an only child, but we were all born close together. The three of us have always operated together. There’s an understanding between us.
Everyone else in the family is going to have a new understanding. My hellcat is completely off-limits.