Chapter 27
Twenty-seven
Henry
My phone goes off as I’m giving Huey more water.
Scratching him between the ears with one hand as he drinks from the bowl, I use my other to grab the fussing device from the counter.
Rolling my eyes, I bite the inside of my cheeks as my phone says Travis’s name on repeat.
I wonder if this means he’s met Raf. I’m kind of hoping it does.
No, not kinda. I really hope he did. I smile at the thought of Raf telling him about what he did to me in the shower earlier and how we used the cage we ordered.
I tug and twist at my lip as I remember the praises he whispered in my ear as I fell apart in the water.
Rafael’s sounds come through next. All the ones he made an hour before that, when I rubbed my lace-covered ass over the metal preventing his cock from growing as much as it normally would.
He was a blubbering mess, and I was close to coming from the sounds alone.
Then he shoved his fingers inside me and tugged me through the thin fabric of my panties.
“This is for you,” he said. “You always get the most out of this. It’s how you like it. How we both like it.”
Everything he said and did tore me apart piece by piece.
I was slouched over on the floor trying to remember how to move, and then he shattered my brain more when bent down behind me to eat my ass.
That man feasted like someone who hadn’t eaten in days.
He was so fucking starved for me. He always is.
It almost doesn’t feel real. Maybe I could believe it more if Travis saw us. If someone else saw us.
Five minutes after the ringing stops, Travis calls again. Then again. I sigh, straightening my back, and Huey watches me as I pace the kitchen. Should I answer? Before I can wonder if Rafael has the key yet, a text alert pops up, and I hit the screen to have my phone read it out loud to me.
Travis: Some asshole showed up to my house and shoved me around. Please tell me you aren’t seeing him?
What’s it to him? He doesn’t want me. Does that mean no one else should.
Travis: The guy’s no good. I can tell. You shouldn’t be trusting just anyone to go rummaging in your house and in your things.
The only person I never should have trusted is him.
My anger starts to get the best of me, and then realization dawns on me.
Raf got the key. I breathe a sigh of relief, pressing a hand to my chest and loving how much lighter it feels there.
He got the key and I no longer have to worry about Travis barging in whenever he feels like it.
Travis: Please answer, baby. I’m only calling because I’m worried about you. Whoever this guy is, he’s probably using you.
My chest tightens and I dig my nails into the counter.
If that was the case, why even bother going through all this trouble for me?
Why trust me with his pig and keep coming back after already getting what Travis probably thinks is the only thing he’s after.
He’s wrong. I shut my eyes, tugging at my hair so hard I’m focusing on the pain more than his words. He’s wrong. He’s always been wrong.
My phone rings again, and as I’m about to shut it off, my best friend’s name fills the space around me. I quickly answer, spinning around to rest my backside against the counter.
“Hello.”
“Henry?”
“Yeah? Is everything okay?” I say, trying to steady my breathing.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I got a weird call from Travis. The man sounds off his rocker. He kept going on about some dangerous stalker inside your house.”
I laugh, rolling my eyes so hard I almost give myself a headache. “Yeah, off his rocker is one way to describe him.”
“So then, it’s not true? There’s no stalking I need to worry about?”
“I’m fine and there’s no stalker. Only Raf.”
“Wait . . . as in the ‘see for me’ guy?”
A chuckle escapes my lips. “Be My Eyes, but yes.”
“Same difference.”
“Yeah, except I’m pretty sure that’s a movie.”
“Eh, not that I’m ever able to keep track of them. Gage is always making me watch so many damn movies with him every night before bed.”
“Sounds like a good way to wind down after a long day to me.”
“Sure, until one guy with a chainsaw who wears people’s faces is chasing everyone up and down the road.”
I laugh harder. “And my statement remains.”
“Yeah, yeah, enough about movies and how much therapy I might need from the last one my fiancé made me see. Tell me all about Raf and how Travis knows about him.”
I get into all the nitty-gritty details about what Rafael and I have been getting up to in my cabin before telling her about Travis using my spare key without me knowing.
“Oh, please tell me Mr. Be My Eyes guy put him in his place?”
“I’m not sure yet, but I’ll find out soon enough. He’s been gone a while so it shouldn’t be long before he’s back.”
Huey snorts, nudging at my foot, and I give him some scratches.
“Is that his pet pig?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll be damned. Already being trusted with his precious baby.”
I stop myself from telling her maybe because that’s what I am to him.
A man can dream. I adjust my pants, hating how clothes add to the discomfort of the cage.
Then remembering why I’m in this predicament has my hole twitching and cool tingles nipping at my skin.
You’re on the phone with your friend, pervert.
Now is not the time. “Yeah, but probably because he didn’t plan to be gone long. ”
“So how long has he been staying?”
“I think this will only be the second night, or maybe the third. I honestly can’t remember.” I roll myself back on the heels of my feet.
“Yeah, we are going to need to plan a coffee date when we both get back. I need to know everything.”
“Not sure you want to know about everything.”
“Oh, but I do.”
A loud knock nearly sends my feet off the ground, and I slowly make my way to the door once Rafael’s voice cuts through it.
“Is that him?” Something sparks in her voice.
“Yeah. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Don’t forget to take cute pictures so you can send them to me when I need to make those wedding invitations.”
“Bye,” I say snidely.
“Bye, sweet pea. Stay warm over there, and don’t forget that the most effective way to regulate your temperature is skin to skin.”
Choking on a laugh, I end the call and move more quickly to the front of the house than I have in a long time. “Hi,” I say as I yank the door open.
“Hola, dulce. Look what I have.” He presses the cold key to the little skin revealed above the top of my shirt and my breaths stutter.
“You . . . you got the spare.”
“I did, but you don’t seem to be surprised by that,” he says, stepping around me, his shoulder lightly brushing mine.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d succeeded, but I was holding onto hope that you had after my ex rage texted me.”
“Rage texting, huh?” His tone shifts.
“Yeah.” I turn around and the door shuts behind me. “He kept asking who you were and saying I shouldn’t trust you.”
“Of course he did. Someone’s sounding jealous.”
“I doubt it,” I mutter. “I think he was just hoping I’d be here sulking over him while he was living it up with his new boyfriend.”
“They were fighting when I left, so I doubt they’re living anything up.”
“They were fighting?”
“Yeah. The new guy didn’t take too fondly to Travis caring so much about who you give your spare key to.”
“He doesn’t care. He’s just being Travis.
It doesn’t mean anything. We aren’t even together anymore and he’s still trying to find a reason to blame me for his unhappiness.
” And I’m sure he’ll eventually tell me about how all this is causing a rift in his other relationship, when all he was doing was trying to be charitable because he views me as so fucking helpless.
He didn’t want to be there for me anymore, but according to him no one else should be either.
“Do you want him to?” There’s a tightness in Raf’s voice. I don’t like it there. I don’t like that while he’s asking me this question and waiting with bated breath for the answer because he’s worried I’ll say the wrong thing.
“No.” I grab onto his hand as he pulls it away from me. “No, I want nothing from him anymore.”
“You sure?”
I squeeze his fingers. “I’m sure. What I want is this, right here. Every day. The way I feel when I’m around you is probably only something an unhinged person should.”
“Then at least we’re on the same page. And if there was another man who you were giving your key to so they could get your mail, I’d definitely care.”
“I guess you better hold onto it then, to make sure I never can.”
“I think you’re onto something.” His hand tugs away from mine and seconds later is resting against my cheek as he pulls me closer to him.
“I know it’s probably too soon, but I think . . .” I suck my teeth. “I think I could fall in love with you before the new year.”
The heavy breath he releases has my throat tightening, and his fingers trail down to my chin, his warm breath heating my quivering lips. “I’ve been falling for you this whole time, Honey, and if you’re not going to hold on to anything to keep you from falling faster, then I won’t either.”
I smile, brushing my lips over his, forgetting all my earlier problems. They don’t matter. He doesn’t have to worry about me caring about anything other than taking him to the bedroom where I plan for us to fall and fly together.