Chapter 27
The Prey
G rogginess clings to me like a second skin as I stir, the soft glow of my phone piercing the darkness. My hand fumbles for it, heavy with sleep. The screen illuminates with a text.
Valentine: I need to see you, Pet.
I read the words over and over, a smile spreading across my face.
Since I woke up in Jack’s apartment a few days ago, there have been very few moments where I haven’t thought about Valentine—about missing class, and… missing him. But I never considered contacting him. I’m not sure why, maybe because I haven’t wanted to link what we did in the bar’s bathroom with Michael’s attack.
Rationally, I know the two events are as interlinked as can be. Yet, I also want to deny it with every fiber of my being. Because where one brought me pleasure beyond belief—not just the kind that comes with a release, but something deeper, something more potent—the other took me away from Valentine.
It’s not even the pain that bothers me. Not seeing him feels like the worst kind of punishment, which is beyond cruel.
I ’m wide awake now, every nerve electrified by the thought of him wanting—no, needing —to see me. Ignoring the pain from Michael’s brutal attack, I swing my legs off the side of the bed in Jack’s spare room and get dressed in the brand new clothes Carolina brought me earlier tonight.
After her meeting with Valentine, she stopped by. To say it was hard not to pump her for information about him is the world’s biggest understatement.
As I pull the sweater over my head, the fabric brushes against the stitches in my scalp, eliciting a sharp gasp. Each movement sends a jolt of pain through my body, but there’s no time to dwell on the pain.
Slipping on my ankle boots, the cold leather sends a shiver up my spine. My heart races, anticipation building with every passing second.
I stand, wincing as the pain shoots through me, but I refuse to let it hold me back. Valentine is waiting, and nothing will keep me from him. With a deep breath, I steel myself for the encounter that awaits.
My fingers tremble as I reply to his message, the words barely enough to convey the urgency I feel.
Me: I need to see you, too. Now?
While I wait for Valentine’s reply, I grab some of the cash I know Jack hides in the ice tray in his freezer. I don’t take a lot, a few hundred bucks at most. Since Carolina also brought me my things, I have my purse and credit cards. Just not cash, and I’ll need some for a cab to get to wherever Valentine lives.
Just as I slip my coat on, letting the leather embrace me, my phone buzzes in my back pocket. The address Valentine has sent me is in Brooklyn. Okay, a cab it is. After getting my handbag, I sling it over my shoulder, and then I tiptoe out of Jack’s apartment, my steps barely audible as I slip out.
Reaching the lobby, I’m greeted by the doorman. “Good morning Miss,” he says, gesturing his head.
“Hi,” I reply, curtly.
He looks outside before turning his attention back on me. “Umm… are you going outside now? I could call you a car, or—”
Forcing a smile, I interrupt him. “No, thank you. I’m fine. I’m just going home.”
He pales. “Does Mr. Jack know?”
This is exactly why I don’t want him to call me a car. These people are loyal to my brother, and I don’t want him to know where I’m going. “Sure,” I lie. “If you want to call him, I’ll wait here.”
The man gives me a relieved smile, and I feel bad for lying to him. Yet not bad enough not to run the moment he turns his back on me. Each step hurts, but I don’t care. I don’t slow down until I’ve put enough distance between us.
By now, I’m breathing heavily, and every inch of my body aches. The biting wind outside claws at my face, sending a shiver down my spine. The deserted streets are coated in a layer of frost, the city’s heartbeat nearly silent beneath the January chill.
With no cabs in sight, I’m left to my own devices, my feet carrying me toward the mysterious loft in Brooklyn. Each step resonates with a quiet determination, the pain in my ribs a muted symphony beneath my skin.
As I traverse the city, the darkness seems to close in around me, the shadows whispering secrets of their own. My heart pounds in my chest, the anticipation of seeing Valentine again a relentless drumbeat in my ears.
The cold air nips at my exposed skin, as the icy wind whistles through the concrete canyons, its mournful song echoing in my ears. Right now, as I walk alone, the city feels like a living, breathing entity, its heartbeat pulsating in time with my own.
Chin tucked into my coat, each breath I exhale mists before me, dissipating into the frigid air. My boots crunch against the remnants of icy slush, the sound echoing in the eerily quiet streets. The cold gnaws at my bones, seemingly sinking through my skin, and my fingers ache inside my pockets.
But with each step, I draw closer to him, the magnetic pull of his presence growing stronger. The pain in my body fades to a dull roar, drowned out by the thunderous rhythm of my heart.
As I cross the Brooklyn Bridge, the wind howls through the cables, it’s wailing a warning I choose not to heed. My thoughts swirl, as frigid as the air around me.
My phone buzzes halfway across the bridge.
Valentine: Your time is almost up, Pet.
Even though he never gave me a deadline, I quicken my pace, ignoring the way the wind slices through my jacket as if it’s made of tissue paper. My heart races, fueled by a potent need to prove myself.
As I finally reach the loft, my body trembles uncontrollably. I grab my phone, meaning to text him, but as I look up I realize there’s no need. I’d recognize the silhouette leaning against the building anywhere.
“Valentine,” I gasp. Without a second thought, I rush toward him, my heart pounding in my chest.
Our bodies collide, and I wrap my arms around his back while breathing him in—musk, leather, and something indescribably Valentine. Relief washes over me like a tidal wave, and I feel grounded, safe in his arms.
With my face pressed against his chest, I murmur, “I’ve missed you.” All too quickly, he unwinds my arms and takes a step back from me.
He looks different tonight, dressed down in jeans and a dark shirt. The change is surprising, yet it suits him.
The warmth of the loft envelops me as he leads me inside, a stark contrast to the freezing cold outside. Valentine shuts the door with a firm click, his gaze sweeping over me, taking in every detail.
His voice, sharp and growling, pierces the air. “Why the fuck did you walk? You should have asked me to pick you up.” His words, a potent mix of anger and care, catch me off guard.
I flinch, but not from fear. For the first time, I see a glimmer of something more than control and dominance in Valentine’s eyes. It’s disorienting, and I can’t help but feel a rush of relief as I fully realize that I’m not the only one who cares.
My heart races, and I’m unable to form coherent thoughts. My sole focus is on the overwhelming sensation of being near him, close enough to fee l his breath, to inhale his scent.
“I had to see you,” I reply. “There were no cabs around, and I—”
Valentine cuts me off with an angry scoff. “So you decided to walk the streets of New York alone in the middle of the night. What were you thinking?”
“I c-couldn’t wait.” I force the words through my chattering teeth.
His expression softens, and the amber ring around his left iris looks like it’s pulsating. It’s probably just a play of the light as he moves closer. “You walked all the way from Jack’s place to mine just to see me?” His voice is smooth like velvet.
“How did you…” Shaking my head, I trail off. Of course, my sister-in-law would have told him where I’ve been, and probably also why. “Carolina told you everything, didn’t she?” I ask, needing to know for sure.
“She did,” he growls. “Are you okay?”
“I am now,” I breathe.
“I don’t believe you,” he says. Then, before I can argue that I am better, he adds, “Strip for me.”
His command sends a shiver down my spine, the air in the room thick with tension. I don’t even consider disobeying. My fingers move on their own, wasting no time shedding my layers of clothing one by one until I stand in front of him, completely naked.
The scars from Michael’s many brutal attacks are all laid bare. Valentine’s dark eyes bore into mine as I stand before him, completely exposed and vulnerable. His gaze is intense, almost predatory, yet there’s a tenderness that I hadn’t expected.
He takes a step closer, the heat of his body radiating against my bare skin. I shiver as his fingers trace a path along my collarbone, down to the bruises that mar my torso. Then he moves behind me, and I whimper as I feel his lips on the stitches on the back of my head.
Rather than lingering, he steps in front of me again. My heart races as he presses his lips to the first bruise, the contact of his soft lips and the scruff on his chin makes me moan. He kisses each bruise, each mark, with reverence.
As he works his way down my body, he kneels before me, his dark eyes n ever leaving mine. Needing to touch him, I run my fingers through his hair, the soft strands a stark contrast to the hard planes of his face.
Valentine’s touch becomes more insistent as he reaches my inner thighs, his fingers tracing the delicate skin. He chuckles darkly as he finds me wet and ready for him.
“You want this, don’t you?” he murmurs, his breath hot against my sensitive flesh. “You want me to make you forget everything but the feel of my hands on your body.”
“Yes. That’s what I want.”
Valentine turns his head to the side, noticing the tattoo on my left thigh. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you, Pet?” he rasps, licking the intricate design before blowing on the wet patch he created.
The coldness that follows makes me tremble, like it’s reminding my body that I’m still freezing from my walk. Valentine notices my shaking, and without a word, he stands and scoops me up as if I weigh nothing. I feel so small, so fragile in his strong embrace. But also safe.
He carries me into his bedroom, and without letting me go, he pulls back the sheets, revealing the cool, inviting darkness of his bed. My heart pounds in my chest, my breath coming in shallow gasps as he lays me down gently.
I soak up every movement as he undresses, his strong, muscular body on full display. He moves with a grace that seems almost otherworldly, his every action calculated and precise. As he climbs into bed beside me, I feel the warmth of his skin against mine, the heat radiating from his body like a furnace.
His arms wrap around me, holding me tight as if he’s trying to protect me from the world outside. I feel the dam inside me break, and before I know it, I’m sobbing uncontrollably. The tears stream down my face, my body shaking with the force of my emotions. Valentine holds me tighter, not saying a word, but his presence is enough to comfort me.
After only God knows how long, my sobs begin to fade. Valentine untangles himself and sits up, leaning back against the wall. He looks down at me, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that takes my breath away.
“Take me in your mouth,” he commands, pointing at his erection. The on e I felt digging into me while we cuddled. I obey without hesitation, moving between his legs and taking his hardness into my mouth while resting my head on his stomach.
The familiar weight of him on my tongue, the taste of his skin… it soothes me in a way that words never could. His cock is like a pacifier, grounding me, calming my frayed nerves. I can taste the salt on my tongue, feel the hardness of him against my lips.
Valentine lets out a deep groan as his fingers trace a path down my spine, sending a shiver up my body. I feel myself growing wet yet again, my desire for him overwhelming. I want to please him, to give myself to him completely.
As I suckle on Valentine’s cock, his taste floods my senses, filling me with a sense of belonging I’ve never known before. My body trembles from the intensity of the emotions coursing through me.
I feel myself slipping away, my mind succumbing to the hazy fog of sleep. My body sags against Valentine’s, and I cling to him, desperate to maintain this connection. I don’t remember ever feeling so safe, so cherished.
The Hunter
I wait until my little pet is fast asleep before I climb out of bed. It’s surprising how little I want to move. Not just because I love the feel of her lips wrapped around my cock. No, that’s almost the least of it.
I like the way her hair feels between my fingers. Having her here with me is making me feel… calm in a way that’s completely devoid of the usual coldness that lingers in every crevice of my mind.
But with Ruby here, there are things I have to do. I systematically go through my apartment, removing all traces of my alter ego; the Hunter.
Once everything she doesn’t need to see is hidden, I send an email to the dean of Holloway University, informing her that I’ve come down with a case of food poisoning and won’t be able to teach tomorrow.
Nat urally, I don’t get a reply. Not that it matters. She’ll see my email in the morning, and with my spotless record, there’s no reason for her to question me.
Quietly, I slip back into bed again, guiding my now flaccid cock back into Ruby’s hot, wet mouth, and within seconds, I’m hard again. God, it feels amazing. Especially when her tongue snakes around my tip.
I bite back a groan, not wanting to wake her up. As I try not to focus on the sensation, I ponder what to do tomorrow. I have my pet all to myself, and I think it’s time to find out if she’s ready to give herself over to me willingly. Maybe it’s even time for a different game—one I’ve never played before, but one Ruby’s inspired.
Breaking someone and making them loyal is easy enough, and since she never told Michael who gave her the bite mark, it’s a safe assumption I’ve achieved that. It’s not enough, though. With Ruby, I want more. I want to push the limits, both hers and mine. Twist them into obliteration and see where that leaves us.