Chapter Thirteen #4
“I’m so angry with you, little bird. How dare you not take care of yourself?
You’re hurting what is mine, and I won’t abide by that.
I’ve had to watch you for days. Starving yourself, Raven?
That is so childish. Why are you punishing yourself?
” His tone is harsh but his touch is so gentle and loving.
When I’m nude, he has me in the rising warm water, directing me so he can wash all of me, expertly , I might add.
His soapy fingers trail over my nipples, teasing, pinching, pulling until my thighs are shaking.
He goes down to my navel, fingering it clean, and then down to the apex of my sex, cleaning me in and out, never going deeper than a knuckle.
I’m a quivering, needy mess by the time he’s finished.
When my hair is washed and conditioned, he grabs my hairbrush and begins brushing out the tangles.
I tap on my neck, where this weird bump is underneath the skin.
He massages circles into it with his strong thumb and then he kisses the little scar. A new scar he gave me. The only one I will ever like.
“You disappeared on me, Raven. I won’t abide by that, either.
I did what I had to do. You are allowed to fly, little bird.
You can go anywhere in the world, you are no longer in my cage, but I need to know you’re safe.
I need to be there in the blink of an eye if anything ever goes wrong. Do you understand me?”
I lean into his touch, hot tears slipping free.
This should scare me. I should be disgusted.
I should scratch out his eyeballs. But the thought that he was scared, worried about not being able to find me, my god, it makes my demons come alive.
He’s been as crazy for me as I’ve been for him this whole time?
I can’t handle it. When he pulls away from me, I tug him back, pulling him close.
He stands, and I almost cry out in anger at the rejection, but he comes back with a towel, careful with my IV, he lifts me in bridal style, directs me to grab the IV pole and then sits me on the bathroom counter, dries my hair and then brushes my teeth for me .
After he inspects my tongue, his thumb lingering on my bottom lip, he picks me up again, sets me down on my bed, I pull him close to kiss him.
My want, my need for Damon, has been planted, rooted, and twisted so deeply inside of me, that when he leans into my kiss, and his lips trap mine, it is everything and more.
Damon Archer tastes like cinnamon and kissing him feels like every atom of your being is imploding and my heart caves and constricts in my chest. I inaudibly moan into his mouth, gasping, needing more and he gives it, teeth, tongue, lips, it’s raw and all-consuming and if he asked for my soul, I’d give it so willingly, because he already has my heart and my mind.
I can feel him thickening underneath me when he pulls me closer into his arms, my towel loosens and drops around us.
I don’t care. I want this. Him. Now. Forever.
He tugs his lips away from me and I almost whine at the loss of him. “Raven, little bird. Wait. ”
I look into his silver hooded eyes, pupils blown out with lust.
“I won’t take you like this. As much as I want to, you’re weak and I’ll hurt you.”
I shake my head, pulling his lips back to me. Desperate.
“Raven, Raven, listen, please, Amourette.” Little love.
He pulls my arms off of him from the crease in my elbows and I tug the towel back up around me, and get off of his lap, to which he hisses when he sees my pussy.
“You have no idea how badly I want to take you, Raven. I want to fuck you every way to Sunday and back again… twice . I want to fuck you so hard you forget your name and I forget how to breathe. But your body… you’ve been mistreating yourself. Come here, look.”
He tugs at me, pulling the IV pole along as he makes me stand in front of the full-length mirror hanging in my closet and points to my face.
My chapped lips, my cheekbones, down to ribcage, his fingers falling to my hip bones and last he turns me sideways and counts the vertebras that are protruding.
Not in a healthy way. In a sickly way that proves I’ve been starving myself, eating my sleeping pills instead of food so I don’t have to feel anything.
My punishment to myself for hurting Jonas.
“You were doing so good, Raven. What happened?”
I look away from the mirror, from his gaze, ashamed. He kisses my temple and guides me back to my bed.
“I’m going to order you some soup, okay? You need to eat. You need to take care of yourself, because quite frankly, pretty girl, I know what you’re planning.”
My eyes snap to his. I don’t want to eat. I deserve to waste away into nothing. I am nothing.
“You’re going to need your strength for what you’re about to do. Do you hear me?”
I turn my head away but he turns my head by the chin with his thumb before I can.
“I’ve been doing research of my own. The Prescott’s and other members of the Syndicate?
They only gather all together during big family events.
Christenings, weddings… funerals . If you want to get to Tyler Prescott, keep your little show of hurting for just a little while longer but do not starve yourself.
Do you hear me? You will no longer neglect yourself.
Shave your pussy, don’t shave your pussy, gain all your weight back or don’t.
But you will not let this ,” he points to my weakened body and then taps my temple, “ever happen again.” He bends and kisses my lips, “Do you understand?”
I nod.
“Good girl. I have to go now. As much as I don’t want to leave you, they all saw me come in. If I never leave, they’ll ask questions and think me an inappropriate doctor.”
I almost snort, my smile brushes against his lips. My first smile in over a week. Maybe longer. I can’t remember. My days have fused together in my self-punishment.
“That’s my girl. Eat the soup, only take half of the pill because you’ll have to wean yourself off of them all over again.
Yes, I know about that, too, and get some rest. Fuck your classes tomorrow, I’ll send your teachers an excuse of absence.
Remember, I’m always watching. I’ll know if you disobey.
So be my good girl or you won’t like the consequences. ”
His timbre and his words remind me so much of Maverick I almost feel guilty.
After watching me dress in an old RMU sweatshirt and white cotton panties.
“I love these, by the way.” He says, poking at my slit.
Damon kisses me one last time, removing the needle to the empty IV bag carefully, and then walks out of my room, taking the pole with him.
_______
Half an hour later, a slight knock comes at my door and before I can pull on some pants to answer the delivery person with my soup, none other than motherfucking Chase strides in, kicking his expensive sneakers off, wearing black sweatpants and a too tight Henley showcasing his muscles.
Damon must’ve left the door unlocked. I tense and go to my drawer for some sweatpants.
“Don’t bother, Spooks. Just get in bed and eat the fucking soup.
” His voice is thick as I bend to climb into my bed I hear him inhale.
He hands me the container of soup and instead of leaving me be, he slides into bed with me, over the comforter and grabs the remote to turn on the TV.
When I look over at him he flashes me one of those creepy perfect smiles and clicks on some documentary about a football player.
“Doctors orders.”
I arch an eyebrow as I open the container and a burst of the most delicious chicken noodle soup I’ve ever smelled hits my nostrils. My mouth waters instantly. But I hesitate. I don’t want to puke again.
“It’s not fucking poisoned, Spooks, goddammit, look.
” He shoves the spoon into the soup and then into his mouth aggressively swallowing it down.
He hands me the spoon but I look at it. He rolls his eyes.
“I don’t eat pussy unless I really like the girl, and it’s been a really long time that I’ve actually liked someone.
So, it’s safe. There’s no herpes on it, I promise. ”
I scrunch up my nose. That thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. I throw the spoon across the room. Wash it, bitch .
He blinks at me. “You’re fucking infuriating. I can’t believe I got put on babysitting duty. I could be upstairs getting laid right now. Cecilia is always hot and willing and readily available for me to sink my cock into her. Any hole me or Jonas want.”
I point at the spoon, not letting him get to me.
Besides, I’m happy for Jonas. Cecilia is a good match for him.
She’s not planning murder or nefarious things, I think.
Chase gets up with a sigh, grabs the spoon and goes to my bathroom to wash it, coming back to me with an annoyed look on his face and hands it to me, settling back in my bed.
I smile the most sarcastic smile I can muster at him as a thanks.
“You’re welcome.” He grumbles.
The soup is delicious and so warm, it reminds me of when the snow would fall so heavily Axel and I would be trapped inside the mansion for days and Galvina, our head chef, would make us stew to eat after playing outside in the snow. I get six bites in when I hear, “Give me some.”
I cover the soup and pull it toward me.
“Quit being a fat hog-“ I scoot away from him. He clears his throat and looks down. Is Chase Prescott sorry ? “Can I please have some more of your soup?”
I shake my head.
“Please? ”
I shake my head again, covering it with the lid and jump out of bed when he tries to reach for it and he follows me.
I fake holding it up over my head and when he reaches for it, because he’s a six-foot-four All American Quarterback much like Axel, and that would be stupid, I put it behind my back without thinking.
He bends to grab it, a smile on both our faces and suddenly he’s all too close, his face in mine, hands around my hips to grab the soup.
My chest is heaving when he pulls me close by my hips, and the room is too small when he stands to his full height, his own chest heaving, blue eyes flicking from my lips to my eyes.
There’s an intensity crackling between us, filling the room and for a moment, I can see how he could be charming…
if he weren’t an asshole. I thrust the soup at him and walk to the door, opening it.
Angrily, he sets the soup down on my end table, slips his shoes on and walks out of my door. I slam it shut and lock it behind him as Damon’s voice rings in my ears.
“The Prescott’s and other members of the Syndicate… only gather for big events… christenings, weddings… funerals…”
I know Damon is right. I have to get my energy back up. I need to be able to get through everything I’m about to go through. Mentally… physically… I have to be strong. I’m not getting the answers I need here.
I’m going to have to find them with nothing but brute strength and cunning plans.