14. Chloe
Chloe
“ I don’t like it,” Zack grunts as I step back into the living room wearing an oversized gray t-shirt and hoody.
I’ve finally taken the habit off my head, and it’s nice to have my hair free again. It’s in my pocket along with the rosary.
“Seriously? The guy’s twice my size, nothing of his fits, and I am definitely not going to wear a predator’s boxers. Anyway, I wouldn’t have to wear this if you hadn’t ruined my clothes in the first place.” I jab Zack in the sternum, and he growls at me.
My heart races whenever I’m this close to him. I know I should stay away, but every time I see him, my body is drawn to his. Even when I was changing, all I could think about was what he was doing in here, how he was feeling, and who Kat might be.
Stepping around him, I head to the sink for a glass of water. I can feel him silently watching me again.
When he miraculously found me in the woods and blurted out that he’s obsessed with me, I assumed that was the drugs talking. But he really is obsessed. And I love that.
As I reach up into a cupboard for a glass, I make sure to really stretch for it. My clothes ride up, showing off the tiniest slither of cheek. It’s enough to make him feral.
I bite back my smile as I hear him stomp over here. He presses into me, lips at my ear. “What do you think you’re playing at?”
“I’m thirsty,” I reply innocently.
His heavy breaths heat my skin as I choose a glass and fill it with water from the faucet. I almost drop it from how much I’m shaking. It’s like having a beast at my back. One that I’m willing to let devour me.
Slowly I turn and smile up at him as I bring the glass to my lips. Before it makes contact, he grabs my wrist.
“Do not drink that.” He’s looking at it like it’s poisoned or something.
“It came straight from the faucet, so I think I’ll be safe. All I’ve drank tonight is beer and your come. You can’t stop me from hydrating.” I scowl at him.
Plucking the glass from my hand, he says in a low tone that makes my toes curl, “I can if another man’s lips have been on it.”
“You watched me down that guy’s beer earlier.”
He leans in close, grabbing my face. “And I hated every second of it. This dirty mouth, these pouty cock-sucking lips, this throat so eager to gobble down my come are all mine, little sinner. I can tolerate another man’s eyes on you because it makes you so fucking wet being watched under my command.
But I do not like to share my toys. I’d rather break you so badly I could never play with you again than let another man touch you. ”
I gulp loudly as he brings the glass to his lips, and drinks. But he doesn’t swallow. Holding the water in his mouth, he grabs my chin and tilts my head back.
Willingly, I part my lips and let him press his mouth to mine. He spits the water in, and I swallow it down eagerly. Kissing him, feasting on him, before he retreats.
“More,” I insist, and he continues nourishing me like it until the glass is empty.
We hold each other’s gaze in another quiet standoff. I can feel that he has something to say, but he lets me go and steps away.
I’m not sure if he’s pleased or disgusted with me.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“You still need to change.”
“That’s what you want me to do. What about what I want or need? You’ve left me soaking wet, freezing cold, covered in blood, in come—” I list each one off on my fingers.
He sighs. “I’m starting to think I kidnapped a princess not a nun from how high maintenance you are. Go on then, what is it you so desperately need?”
“A shower.”
He blinks a few times. “A shower?”
“There’s still blood in my hair, and I feel disgusting. Let me have a shower before we move on.”
Turning his back to me, he heads to the bedroom. “There’s no time for that.”
I follow him through and walk directly to the bathroom.
“Chloe,” he snaps. “I said there’s no time.”
He’s not going to tell me what he’s in such a rush for, but I’m determined to get him to bend to me in other ways, even if it’s just the tiniest fraction. First up is seeing if he’ll put one of my needs first.
I take my belongings out of the pocket and place them on top of the dresser next to me, then I pull the shirt off over my head and toss it at him.
I’m more nervous than I thought I’d be. He’s done the most intimate things to me, but this is the first time he’s seeing me naked.
His eyes are glued to my breasts.
“I’m having a shower. You’re welcome to join me if you like.”
Why the hell did I add that last part?
I could have had a moment to clear my head, but nope all I want is to see how he’ll react to me pushing his buttons.
Am I obsessed with him like he is me?
My thoughts start to spiral as I fiddle with the shower and get the hot water running.
“Make it quick.”
I jump as Zack comes into the bathroom. He looks irritated, but not exactly angry.
Stepping back, I give him room to undress.
He starts with his shoes. Kicking them off into the corner.
Then he shrugs out of his jacket and hangs it on the door.
Next to go is his shirt. It’s an agonizingly long wait for him to undo each button.
It dawns on me that this is the first time I’m going to be seeing him naked as well. I wish I could take a picture to treasure the moment forever.
When I see his bare skin, I can barely hide my shocked gasp. A huge black inverted cross is tattooed down his chest and across his stomach.
Without thinking, I trace my fingertips down the length of it all the way to his belly button. He shudders.
It’s blasphemous. It’s wrong. It’s incredibly hot.
Zack truly is something otherworldly. He’s the serpent ready to show me what it means to be human, and I’m more than willing to take a bite of everything he has to offer me.
This has to be a sign that right here with Zack is where I belong.
My mouth waters as I stare at the tattoo and then at his nipples, at the shiny silver bars running through them, matching his eyebrow piercing.
I can’t help myself, and I touch one of them. He groans as I gently play with it, his jeans tenting right in front of my eyes. “Careful, little sinner,” he warns, and I stop.
Once he finishes undressing, he takes hold of my hand and pulls me with him into the shower. He positions me near the water and stands a few steps away with his arms folded. “Go on then, have your shower.”
I enjoy the way he watches me as I tip my head back under the water, and I particularly like the way his fists clench and his cock twitches. I’m in control here.
Hiding my smile, I inspect the bottles of soap and shampoo on the rack. “This stuff is going to wreck my hair,” I mumble picking up a two-in-one bottle of hair and body wash. Pine-scented. Does Zack use cinnamon-scented products? Is that why he smells so good?
I squeeze a dollop out onto my hand and begrudgingly massage it onto my scalp.
“Not good enough for your standards?” Zack asks as he observes the motions my hands make with a weirdly intense interest.
“I had products that helped maintain curls, but I had to leave them behind.” I leave out the part about how I got those things by being a good girl for one of the older Fathers.
A single word hangs between us. Why?
Zack is desperate to know my past, my truths. To me, it’s all still fresh. An open wound that I want to leave untouched so it can heal.
“Why are you still here?” he asks after I’ve finished washing.
Flattening my palm over his heart, I ask, “Why are you so eager to keep moving?”
“Chloe…” He looks torn up about something.
Before he shuts me out, I say, “I’ve spent my life not belonging anywhere. All I’ve done is question the world and my existence in it, but right here with you it feels right.”
“Even after what I’ve put you through?”
I’ve always craved something more, something forbidden. No matter how many times the Fathers tried to show me how wrong that was, I knew that somewhere out there in the world there’d be someone who understands me.
Sex isn’t sinful. What the Fathers did to me is. The way Zack forced me into it is. But the way my body responds isn’t. I can’t control it, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
With this man who’s as equally damaged as I am, I get to finally explore my dark desires without guilt or consequence.
We’ve only known each other for a few hours, yet I’ve never felt safer than I have here naked and under the watch of a killer.
“It’s because of what you put me through that I want to stay.”
Zack steals my breath as he wraps his arms around me, our wet bodies sliding together, becoming one and the same. Leaning into his chest, I listen to his rapid heart beats.
Safe.
I’m safe .
He carefully takes hold of my chin and guides me to look up at him.
“Chloe…” His raspy voice breaks. His blue eyes shine with vulnerability. “Can I kiss you?”
He’s asking and not taking?
I nod, and he plants a delicate kiss on my lips. It breaks my heart. This is everything I’ve been deprived of. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kiss him back.
Pressing my body to his, my nipples graze his chest, making us both whimper.
I place one hand between us, breaking that skin-to-skin contact, so I can find one of his piercings and run my thumb over it.
“Fuck,” he gasps. I force my tongue deeper inside his mouth, claiming him, and he grabs me by the ass, lifting me so I have to wrap my legs around his hips.
That deliciously sinful taste of him has my body melting into his once more. Being able to feel the heat of his skin against mine has me feeling like I’m ascending. I don’t want this moment to ever end.
I need him so badly.
He slams us against the tiles, softening the blow with his hand. Then he stops moving. His breaths ragged. His eyes wide with fear. “What am I doing?”
I tap him on the forehead. “Whatever’s going on in here, ignore it. Focus on me. I’m all that matters now.” I repeat his words back to him, and he closes his eyes.
Grinding my body against his, the underside of his cock glides over my pussy. The slick feel is unreal.
“Zack, give me more. Give me all of you.”
His body shivers, and he tightens his hold on me. Something hot splashes against my pussy and up to my stomach. I peer down in time to see come shooting out of his cock that’s wedged between us.
“I can’t do this—” He sets me on my feet and pulls away. Slamming the bathroom door closed behind him, he leaves me alone in the shower.
What just happened?
Once I center myself, and stop the pain from breaking out of my chest, I clean myself off again and get dry.
The strong scent of gasoline hits me when I open the door.
Zack’s waiting for me in the bedroom. He’s already dressed. His hair is still damp, and under his jacket, his bare chest glistens with water droplets.
“Put this on.” I take his shirt from him. It’s still warm as my fingertips brush over the fabric. He shoots me a warning look as he steps past me, and I rush to put it on.
His rich musky scent seeps into my skin, warming me to my core.
When he comes back into the room, he has a lighter in one hand and his bag over his shoulder. That’s not what holds my attention, though. It’s the way he’s looking at me that has me blushing. It’s possessive. A complete contradiction to the way he just acted.
Taking the rosary from the dresser, he drapes them over my head, letting the beads and cross rest between my breasts. Then he looks at the habit and tosses it aside.
“You don’t like me wearing it?” I ask, confused since he’s the one who put it back on me earlier.
“Your hair is pretty,” he mumbles grumpily as he rubs the back of his neck.
“I’m right. There is some light in you.”
He rolls his eyes and holds out his hand. “It’s time to go. ”
I take it, and that connection I’ve been feeling between us all night fuses into place.
A sad smile ghosts his lips as he looks at our hands. “If only you had run into my life sooner.”
I don’t know exactly what he means, but it’s like my heart understands as it aches for him.
Leading us out of the room, he flicks his lighter on and tosses it onto the floor next to the body. A small fire starts to spread. We’re gone before it can consume us as well.