Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Deal
Madison
Unknown:
Have you missed me darlin
Istare down at my phone screen, lip pulled between my teeth. I’m biting it so hard, I taste blood, but I can’t stop. My heart is pounding in my chest so hard, I can feel it in my ear drums.
Have I? Have I missed him?
It’s been an entire week of nothing from him. I thought he’d given up… maybe forgotten about me or something.
But no.
Here he is.
And I think I might be excited about it.
Shit.
I swallow down the saliva pooling on my tongue and nearly choke on it as another text comes through.
Unknown:
I want to bite your lip like that
Would you let me
Please tell me you would
Oh… Oh, God…
He can see me…
My heart rate kicks up—as does my breathing—and I slowly lift my chin and look around my room. My curtains are pulled back to let the daylight in, and that’s where I focus my gaze. I narrow my eyes as I stand, even as the chug of my heart threatens to choke me.
Phone in hand, I press call and hold it to my ear as I slowly make my way toward the glass pane separating me from my nightmare.
The line clicks.
Silence.
And then, a breath that makes me shiver.
“Hello, little mouse.”
“What do you want?” I croak, clearing my throat at the end to try and sound braver than I feel.
“You,” is all he says.
I blink once. Twice. Pull my lip back between my teeth as I contemplate his answer. “Why?”
“Because you’re perfect.”
I can’t help the unattractive snort that escapes me. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough. But fair. Tell me about you, Madison. Tell me things I should know.”
The hand I’ve pressed against the glass of the window shakes slightly as I stare out at the tree in front of me.
Is he sitting in this tree? Looking at me as I look at him?
What would I do if he was?
“Why should I? I don’t know you,” I say. “And you’re stalking me,” I add breathily as an afterthought.
“Stalking, huh?” Static says, accent thick enough to make goosebumps burn their way down my arms. “Is that what you call tryin’ to get to know someone?”
“Is this what you call trying to get to know someone?” I repeat incredulously.
“Yes.”
“What a way of doing it,” I mutter, shaking my head, but my lips twitch of their own volition.
“I wanna know you, Madison. All your good and bad, deep and dark. Give it to me.” Static’s voice is low and gravelly, and it makes me shiver.
I have no idea who this man really is, but… I think I want that too.
Someone to know me… the real me.
I swallow thickly.
“This is crazy… You’re my…” I clench my fingers tight around my phone and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to find some grasp of common sense because the words he is saying sound way too good to be true—and I’m falling for it.
“You’re my stalker,” I finish with a heaving breath, chest aching from the strain.
“Mmm,” he hums, and I shiver.
The line is silent for a few minutes as we just listen to the sound of each other’s breathing.
And then he says, “I’m your stalker, your nightmare. You’re my rapture, my most delicious treat, and I miss you…”
I break out into a full body shiver that’s so violent, I nearly drop my phone.
“Come to me, my mouse. Come play with me again. One last time.”
“W-what?” I stutter, unsure I heard him correctly.
“You heard me, darlin’.”
“Static…”
“Yeeessss,” he hisses low and slow in my ear. “Say it again.”
I swallow. “S-sta-static.” It’s a mere whisper, but it’s good enough for him, it seems.
“Fuck. That’s a good boy. You’re so good when you want to be, aren’t you?
Which is all the time, I bet. You look like you always wanna be good, but you can’t help but be a little selfish sometimes, isn’t that right?
” I move away from the window and yank the curtains closed, my face flushing hot at the rush of truth coming from Static’s lips.
“You wanna put yourself first and give yourself everything you want while you listen so prettily… Mmm, yes, I can see it now.”
“P-please st-stop…” I beg him, hand over my burning face, but it’s no use. My dick is getting hard, and I’m pretty sure he knows it.
“Why, darlin’? You love it, don’t you?”
“No,” I argue fruitlessly.
“Show me,” he demands softly, and I whimper.
“Mmm, yeah. Do that again, treat.”
I choke back a sob as I reach into the waistband of my sweatpants and wrap my fingers around my now straining erection. It feels so good to touch it, I can’t help but gasp at the immediate contact.
“Good boy, Madison. That’s so good of you. Now, I want you to wrap your fingers around yourself and stroke. Hard and fast. I want you to come for me, and I want it to hurt.”
“Wh-what?” I ask on a stutter, unsure I heard him correctly, even as my fingers move to obey.
“You heard me, darlin’. Now, do it. And turn a little to the left so I can have a better view.”
I obey Static on instinct, turning and wrapping my fingers around myself tightly. My phone is clenched in my fingers so hard they ache, but I welcome the burn as I start to stroke myself mindlessly, head tossed back between my shoulders, eyes hazy as I stare at the wall in front of me.
My mouth falls slack as I listen to the heavy sound of Static’s breath in my ear increase in speed.
“A-are you…”
“Mmm… You’re so good. C’mon, darlin’, faster. Let’s come together.”
“Together?” I squeak, equally surprised and turned on at the turn of events.
“Yes. I can feel it. So close. C’mon, yes.” And that’s when I learn one thing about Static that no one else does.
When he’s about to come, his accent gets so thick, it’s barely understandable.
“Fuck, that’s it, treat. Come for me.”
“Oh, God, Static!”
“Say my name, darlin’. Fuck.”
Heat bursts from my groin, and a hot wetness soaks the inside of my pants. I stroke myself through the aftershocks until I’m trembling and my knees feel weak.
“Damn, you’re so good,” Static says breathily through the line, and I startle, having nearly forgotten everything that just occurred.
My eyes widen, and ice fills my veins. “I… I can’t…”
“Darlin’—”
“I’m sorry.” And I hang up, tossing my phone on the bed before dropping face first onto it with a groan.
What the hell is wrong with me?
What was that?
Even with my face covered, I can feel the room spinning and my stomach clenching with the need to vomit. My clothes stick to the front of me uncomfortably, and I itch to take them off, but I can’t move.
Blood rushes in my ears, and the sound of my heart thumping fills my head until it’s the only thing I can feel. I roll over onto my back with a gasping breath to stare up at the spinning ceiling, not seeing anything but dark spots as they dance in front of my eyes.
What did I just do?
And…
And why did I like it so much?
God, help me, I’m so messed up.
Static has texted me numerous times over the last few days, and I’ve managed to ignore every single one.
I’m honestly not sure how when I clearly show no signs of self-control, but I’ve been trying to surround myself with my roommates constantly, so I have an excuse not to look at my phone. And then, by the time I go to bed, I’m so exhausted, I just pass out.
It seems to be working so far.
“So, what’s up with you, man?”
Or I thought it was.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not like we don’t mind the company,” Lenny says, shaking his head with a laugh as he plays GTA on the T.V. “But you’ve been hanging around more than ever before so…”
“So, what’s up?” Collin interrupts, and my face turns red. I didn’t know I was being so transparent.
“Oh, give him a break,” Kane says, slapping me on the shoulder as he takes a seat beside me, his own take-out container in hand. We got Indian food tonight, which I’ve never had before, but I freaking love chicken tikka masala.
“I just, I, uh…” I trail off, uncertain of how to explain myself.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Kane assures me before taking a bite of his food. It smells spicy.
“I-I feel like I do. I’ve just. Well. You all know I’ve never done this before, and I guess I’m still just trying to… I don’t know, find my way? Figure out what’s best? I didn’t want to be too anti-social, but homework is too consuming. But if I’m being too much, p-please just let m-me know—”
“Nonsense!” Lenny says, throwing his hand in the air to clap mine. “We love havin’ you around, little dude.”
“Gee, thanks,” I mutter, face flushing bright red at the ridiculous nickname.
“For fuck’s sake, Len, leave him alone.”
“Sorry, sorry.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Kane rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling, and I feel myself smiling, too—until my phone starts buzzing.
My smile falls, but I ignore the ringing until it becomes impossible because everyone else starts to notice it as well.
“Yo, who’s callin’ you? They’re persistent.”
“Probably just my mom,” I mutter, face flushing with the lie.
“I didn’t think you were talking to them,” Kane says, casually calling me out.
“I don’t, but she’s just… well…”
“Hmm, yeah, I get that,” he says with a soft smile just as the vibration ceases for the second time. I breathe a little easier thinking it’s finally over—until it starts all over.
I nearly groan aloud.
“Might wanna get that—must be important,” he says, never taking his eyes off me.
“Must be,” I murmur in return. “I’ll be right back.” And then, I push to my feet but don’t pull my phone out of my pocket until I’ve locked myself in the bathroom on the main floor and have the sink water running to muffle some of the conversation about to occur.
“What do you want?” I snap.
“My mouse is feisty tonight. I love it,” Static drawls lazily, and I hate the way my body breaks out in chills.
“There’s nothing to—” I start to argue before I stop, realizing it’s pointless with him. With a sigh, I start again, calmer this time. “What do you want, Static?”
“Ohh, I like this side of you, darlin’. You sound so good… What’s gotten into you?”
My molars lock together in irritation. “I’m just tired of the games. Tired in general. So, if you could please just answer my question.”
There’s a long pause. Long enough I think he’s hung up, but when I pull the phone from my ear, I notice it’s still connected. He starts talking before it’s back against my ear.
“You love the games, my little prize. Because you want to be won.”
I blow out a breath of irritation. “What does that even mean?”
“Soon,” is all he says. Then, “I have a proposition for you.”
“A proposition,” I deadpan.
“Yes.”
“And what would that be?” I don’t even know why I’m indulging in my stalker’s fantasies right now. This is absolutely crazy… but curiosity killed the cat, as they say…
There’s a long pause again, where all I can hear is Static’s unsteady breathing. It makes me feel better knowing he’s feeling just as unsettled as I am. “Come see me at Mayhem again.”
My blood runs cold. “What?”
“I want you at Mayhem again. Back where we first met. I want the chase, the catch, the time with you… Will you give that to me?”
“Why the hell would I do that? I don’t even know you!
” I don’t realize I’m shouting until there’s a knock on the door.
“Hold on. Just a sec,” I tell whoever knocked before turning around and spitting into the phone.
“I don’t know you, you freaking psycho. And you expect me to just make myself that vulnerable again? You’re out of your mind!”
“So… if you knew me a bit better, you’d consider it?”
“Well, it would certainly make it less terrifying!” I shout. I mean, who does this man think he is? The gall.
“Deal.”
What.
“Wait, what?”
“I’ll tell you about myself, and in exchange, you come back to Mayhem for me.”
“That’s what you want?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t want… like… anything else from me…” I trail off, eyes squinting as I process his words.
“I want everything, darlin’. But if you give me Mayhem again, I’ll take it.”
“And you’ll leave me alone after,” I clarify.
“If that’s what you want,” he drawls lowly.
“Oh, it’s what I want.” I solidify the deal before I can even think about it.
“Then, it’s settled.”
“All right.”
A deep chuckle resounds through the line, and it’s the cockiness of it that makes me spit the words out without thinking.
“Wanna start now?”