9. Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Declan
Declan
S avannah sits at the table, pushing her food around her plate, not really eating much of it. Given her already excessive thinness, it is essential for her to have a good meal. My body is overcome with a feeling of protectiveness, and I have the urge to take care of her, to give her what she needs. Shaking my head to clear the strange thoughts, I continue to observe her. She’s watching everyone else around the dining table. Despite calming after our earlier exchange, the fear and panic are still evident in her appearance. I don’t know what happened to this woman in her past, but whatever it was, it must have been bad. It has shattered her. She’s a shell of a woman. Skittish, afraid, panicky, and very overprotective of her little girl. She’s clearly terrified that someone is going to hurt them.
As I watch her and try to figure her out, I wonder what’s happened to her to make her like this, and more importantly, who the fuck hurt them? With a firm grip, I squeeze my hands into fists, draining them of all warmth and color. I try to suppress my anger, concerned that Savannah will become even more fearful if she senses my fury. As an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness floods my system, all I can think of is who do I need to eliminate? I want to wrap her and this child up in bubble wrap and keep them safe from the horrible things they’ve been through.
Kenzi, the little girl, has forgotten the traumatic scene her mother caused upon arrival, but even she couldn’t escape the flood of emotions triggered by Mason’s presence. As we entered, she timidly positioned herself behind my mother, burying her face in the soft fabric of her pant leg. The room was filled with a tense silence, broken only by Mason’s gentle voice as he attempted to engage Kenzi. She responded by shaking her head, a silent plea for him to understand her fear. A fear that seemed to be triggered by him and not myself, which puzzles me even further. Determined to win her trust, Mason lowered himself to the floor, bringing himself down to her level. In stark contrast to earlier, the room is now filled with the faint sound of plastic toys clashing and muffled laughter, as the little girl slowly begins to let her guard down.
She’s smiling and laughing freely with my brother. Mason has always been great with kids. She’s a beautiful child who looks like a miniature version of her mother. Both are gorgeous, almost so perfect looking that they resemble little dolls. I don’t think I’ve ever seen two more flawless-looking people. Despite their perfect appearances, it’s obvious they are scarred on the inside.
For some reason, the urge to be the one who protects them and puts their broken pieces back together is hard to resist. There’s a primal urge running through me that is foreign to me. Something’s telling me these two are mine. Mine to protect and keep safe from whatever they’re running from. The instinct is so strong that I’m struggling not to walk over and hold the woman close to me.
After Lisa, I made a pact with myself that women were off-limits for me. This woman has a child, and losing another child would rip me to shreds. Accepting that a family isn’t in the cards for me, I push the thoughts out of my mind, even though I’m feeling almost feral over them.
After we awkwardly make it through dinner, there is a brief pause before Savannah finally speaks, breaking the tension.
“Kate, thank you so much for having us for dinner and again, I’m so sorry for my reaction to your sons when I first got here.”
Her eyes don’t meet my mom’s. Instead, she keeps them aimed at the floor as if she’s ashamed of her actions. We all know her reaction was out of fear and not her fault. No apology is necessary, but I think we are all walking on eggshells and trying not to do anything that might trigger her to have another panic attack.
“Savannah, you don’t need to apologize, sweetheart. If you ever need to talk about it, I’m here to listen.” My mom wraps the small woman in her arms, giving her the motherly love she’s so good at dispensing.
“Kenzi, let’s get home and get ready for bed,” Savannah says sounding defeated.
Kenzi doesn’t want to leave, but her mother gets her jacket on her and gets her loaded into the car. It’s all I can do to let them both leave. Knowing I have to let them go, I clench my jaw and hold myself back. The urge to grab them and hold on tight is hard to fight, but I would look like an idiot if I reacted the way I feel like doing.
Once they are outside in the driveway, I discreetly pull Mason aside, away from prying eyes. “Stay here with Mom for a few minutes and keep her busy. Tell her I have to run.”
Mason spears me with a knowing look, before he gives me a quick nod; thankfully, he doesn’t ask any questions. The tension between me and this woman was clear to everyone in the room. The same thing happened this morning when I met Mason at the diner. He’s aware of the magnetic connection between Savannah and me. I can’t put it into words, but my instinct tells me to follow her and ensure her safe return home.
Once the girls are in their car and have pulled out of Mom’s driveway, I climb into my truck. Being an old vehicle my truck is loud so I try to give her a head start. Staying far enough behind that Savannah won’t notice me, I follow her up the winding mountain roads to the little cabin at the top. It’s small but cozy and has been maintained well. It’s the place that holds some of the worst memories of my life and after I built the new place, I rented this one out. Savannah pulls up and stops her car, getting out and going around to get Kenzi. She hastily scoops up the little girl out of the car and rushes inside, her tear-streaked face glistening under the moonlight.
As I gaze upon her and that little girl, a possessive feeling engulfs me, screaming in my mind. It’s as if every fiber of my being declares, “MINE!” This overwhelming sensation is even stronger now and I can’t deny the conviction that this woman and child will be mine. The sight of them ignites a fierce desire within me, a burning need to shield them from harm, to ease their fears and heal their pain. Despite my attempts to resist, deep down, I know I’ll be the one who will go to any lengths to ensure their safety, even if it means setting the world on fire.
Frustrated, I shake my head, close my eyes tightly, and release a heavy sigh. Why me? Fear slithers over me, making me second-guess if I can do this. I try to reason with myself in an attempt ignore the pull I feel towards Savannah. To go on with my life the way it is, living alone in the cabin, working under the trees, and avoiding other people, means no one can get close enough to hurt me again. But suddenly, that doesn’t feel right anymore.
The sharp, throbbing pain I feel in my chest serves as a constant reminder of why I choose to keep my distance from others. As I park my old, battered truck in my gravel driveway, the engine sputters and emits a cloud of dark smoke. Then, I make my way back to the small, weathered cabin, its wooden exterior creaking with each step I take.
Peering through the dusty windows from the porch, I strain my eyes to glimpse the dimly lit interior, hoping to catch a familiar sight or sound, anything that will bring me peace. There’s no way I’ll sleep tonight, knowing that Savannah is upset by the mere presence of Mason and me. Maybe it’s because we are male, but I also get the sense that it’s something about Mase’s uniform. And that leaves me wondering what led her to the small town of Magnolia Falls.
As I stand there on her porch, I weigh my options, trying to figure out if I can turn my back on her, despite knowing she’s in such pain. There might also be danger from whatever or whoever she’s running from.
From my vantage point, I observe Savannah tucking the little girl into bed and then walking into her own room. I have to move to different sides of the house to see into the other rooms. She’s talking to someone on the phone, but all I can hear is her muffled voice. Unable to make out the words, I wait patiently until she hangs up.
Wondering who she was talking to, an intrusive thought enters my mind that it could be a man. A boyfriend, husband, or fuck buddy. She has a child, so she’s got some man somewhere. The thought has me clenching my fists as anger slithers over my skin. I try and fail to calm myself. My mind knows my reaction doesn’t make sense, but I also can’t control it.
She undresses, throwing her clothes into a hamper near the closet, and walks towards the ensuite.
Witnessing her undressed state engorges me painfully. Arousal I haven’t experienced in a while, in fact, ever since encountering my fiancé with my father, overwhelms me. Every sexual thought usually triggers the haunting image, causing a nauseating sensation within me. Yet, at this moment, all that consumes my mind is the enchanting beauty of the woman before me. That, and a feral urge to fuck her and eat her alive.
Blinking and shaking my head to bring myself back to reality, I wait for Savannah to come out of the shower. When she does, she’s wrapped in a towel. After pulling out a large T-shirt to sleep in, she drops the towel to the floor, and again I am inundated with images of her plump ass and those voluptuous thighs that I want wrapped around my head as I eat her juicy pussy. Her breasts are full and match her proportions perfectly. She’s thin and needs to gain a few pounds, but that doesn’t take away from her beauty.
The mere sight of her forces me to reach down and adjust myself, attempting to relieve the throbbing pain in my cock. It doesn’t help. Needing relief, I unbutton my pants and let my long, plump dick loose. The girth is big enough that my hand doesn’t wrap all the way around it. Women have always told me it’s larger than most, but over the last two years, I haven’t had any desire to use it, but now it’s harder than I’ve ever felt before. Running my hand down the length doesn’t even begin to relieve the ache. Despite not having fucked a woman in over two years, I want to walk in that cabin and fuck Savannah against a wall until she can’t walk for days.
As I watch her dress for bed, I continue to jerk off my hard cock and imagine being inside her. She has a small patch of neatly trimmed hair over her pussy, and when she gets into bed, I know she has nothing on under the shirt. Imagining going into the house and fucking her while she’s asleep almost makes me come, but I hold back, wanting the pleasure I haven’t felt in so long to last. Precum is leaking from the tip of my cock, and I slide my hand to the end, gathering the wetness and using it to lube up. I can’t believe the tiny woman in that house has made me this hard. I know I should avoid her like the plague, but my cock clearly hasn’t gotten the memo, so I continue. Sliding my hand up and down my length, I imagine driving it between her legs, pushing my way into her tight, wet heat. Cupping my balls with my free hand, I imagine taking control of Savannah, making every decision for her. Complete control wouldn’t allow her to do what Lisa did to me. I’d always know where she was and what she was doing. Picking out her clothes and what she’d eat each day would become routine for us. I wouldn’t only want to control her; I’d want to take care of her every need.
Control has never been something I’ve wanted before, but I want to possess this woman completely. I grip my throbbing member firmly, my hand sliding down its length with increasing speed. Each breath I take quickens, matching the pounding rhythm of my heart.
Sweat covers my skin. A tightening in my lower stomach signals my release as cum sprays from the end of my throbbing cock. Aiming it towards Savannah’s bedroom window, I paint it milky white with my seed. The feral need to mark her as mine takes over.
Shoving my still-erect cock back in my pants, I reach up and write on the window. MINE. It’s an obvious message of ownership. Everyone will soon know who Savannah belongs to.