The Villain

23. Chokehold

South

I wake as he shifts away from me. I watch him resettle in his sleep to be more comfortable. On his belly with his head propped on his arm. We’re sideways on the bed and his feet are hanging off the side. The sight of it amuses me as I sit up.

I let out a choppy sigh when I realize I’m clearing my throat over and over. There’s no way he’s going to sleep through it.

I ease out of bed and flip the blankets over until he’s covered before I go into the kitchen.

The pleasant ache of a body well used pleases me as I make myself a tea and settle on the couch. Tera must have found one of my spare blankets at some point because one is spread along the back of the couch. I never noticed it. I take advantage and cover myself to scroll through my phone and play one of my games.

At four thirty I text Tera a happy birthday and tell her not to worry about seeing me today. She has a different path to walk for her birthday and I’m pleased she isn’t alone for it.

“What are you doing, baby?”

I glance up to the figure lurking in the shadows. Shade has his monstrous tone going.

I shake the phone to show him.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” He takes a few steps forward, revealing the harsh set of his features in the light.

He’s upset. My brow furrows as I point to the tea and then my throat.

He takes it in but doesn’t say anything.

Hmm. My statue is in a mood this morning. I would have thought he’d be relaxed after last night.

I set the phone aside and fling the covering back, holding my arms open for him to join me.

The hesitation makes my frown start to show. When my lips start to curve down he approaches me.

His mask is back on as he crawls between my legs and rests on top of me face down. He’s in a pair of pajamas so it doesn’t feel sexual. He needs something else but I’m not sure what it is. More sleep, I’m sure.

His head rests over my chest and I pull the blanket over us both. I tilt my head until my cheek rests against his hair and stroke my hand over his back. I pull the phone to me and open it to show Shade the text I sent to Tera.

He nods but doesn’t say anything.

I toss the phone aside and wrap both legs around him, running my fingers through his hair. I’ll wait him out. In the meantime I’ll enjoy having him pressed all over me.

“I’ve always wanted someone to sleep next to. To wake up to.”

I pick up the phone to carry the conversation forward.

“You’re upset I got out of bed?”

He doesn’t answer and I don’t stop running my hand through his hair. He’s thinking way too hard to be asleep. I reposition the pillow behind me and settle back again to get comfortable. I get the feeling we’ll be here for a while. I curse silently as the throat clearing starts again and take a sip of tea.

When that turns awkward I tap his shoulder to get him to sit up a little. He does, watching me readjust until I’m sitting straighter and I gesture him back to me.

“Your throat. You keep clearing it. Is that why you’re out here?”

I nod and crook my finger to him again.

When he resettles against me I type him a new message.

“I wanted you to sleep late today. I want to see it happen.”

He scoffs as he reads.

“I don’t know what I thought you were doing,” he mutters. “I just woke up and you were gone. I flipped out.”

I nod to keep him talking.

“I’m fucked up, baby. If you hadn’t noticed.”

I huff a silent laugh and shake my head as I type.

“You’re perfect.”

“No. I’m possessive and needy. I’m never letting you go.”

It doesn’t sound like a problem to me. Now, why is he upset about it?

“You’re fine with it now but it’s going to get to a point where you want to walk away. I don’t know how to stop it and I’m bracing for it.”

“I’ll never walk away.”

“You say that,” he sits up to meet my eyes. He looks so serious and frustrated. As if I’m not understanding what he’s talking about. Maybe I don’t, but that fact won’t change. I will never walk away from him.

I lean forward and press a hard kiss to his lips, surprising him.

“You’re mine.”

“I am,” he admits with a clenched jaw. His eyes trail over my naked torso and a slow smirk lifts his lips. “And you’re mine.”

I nod slowly with a raised brow. Now he’s getting it.

“You don’t understand yet but you will,” he tells me in a severe tone that I guess is supposed to be menacing.

Instead of rolling my eyes I pull his head back to my chest and settle in for the long haul. I can text it, mail it, say it, or have it written in the sky. He won’t learn until I’ve passed whatever game he thinks I’m going to fail.

I’m thinking this is the big one. The all or nothing game that everyone else has fucked up. Some more than once I’m sure.

He wants someone who won’t let go when he loses his shit. I want a picture of his face when he realizes that I’m going to win this one.

He falls asleep pretty quickly afterwards. His weight becoming an unwieldy block that makes me hiss out a laugh. No matter how many times I clear my throat he remains asleep, which is impressive. I spend my time running my hands over him and making a plan for the day.

When he wakes again it’s ten and I need to pee.

“Good morning,” he mumbles, perfectly content now that he’s had his little moment of panic.

“Bathroom,” I hiss back and he glances up, startled.

“Shit, sorry baby,” He straightens quickly while I silently laugh.

I lean close to press a lingering kiss on his lips to show him I’m not upset about it and go to the restroom.

By the time I’m back he’s relaxed on the couch in the same pose he had yesterday. Despite his body’s loose sprawl his face is tense as he waits for whatever reaction he’s expecting to his meltdown.

I straddle his lap and wrap my arms over his shoulders.

“Phone?” I try out the word and end up clearing my throat.

“You should have woken me up,” he glares and I press a kiss to his scowling lips.

“Phone. A tea. Relaxing day.”

He looks at me in disbelief. I settle my weight on his thighs and lean back to watch his expression.

“I need to tell you something.”

He sounds very serious right now. He’s not relaxing at all.

His hands slide up to my wrists and pull my hands from around his neck into my lap, holding them there. I raise a brow at the move, not exactly pleased about it but interested to see where this is going.

It isn’t until my eyes meet his that I hear the distinct sound of handcuffs being fastened. The weight of the metal is warm from his body. How long was he hiding them? The grated sound comes again and the weight becomes heavier as he tugs his arm. Showing me that I’m handcuffed to him.

Interesting. But it doesn’t tell me what he needs from me. Obviously he thinks I’m about to run.

When I don’t have a reaction to the dramatics he leans back with a sigh and rubs a hand over his face.

“I just want to make sure you stick around for the whole thing.”

I nod placidly and run my fingers over his lips. His eyes flick to mine, almost disbelieving but not quite.

“You’ve seen my, I guess business is the best way to say it.”

His kill list. I nod as I follow along. He’s so warm when I touch his cheek. He has a red imprint where his face was nestled into my chest.

“I’m not the only one.”

He pauses as if I’m supposed to fall apart with dramatics. I’m just trying to be patient so he’ll get to the point.

“I got paid for it.”

My lack of reaction is beginning to irritate him.

“And the team I was with are the same.”

That’s hard to believe. I can’t picture them as an effective team in any capacity. Has Shade been keeping them alive?

“My dad is my boss .”

His tone has turned cautious now and I smirk at him. None of these reveals mean anything to me. He quit and they can respect it.

“That means that my quitting may have consequences.”

Because no one listens to a word he says. I nod.

“For you .”

I start shaking my head as I sigh. I don’t even know where the sound came from but it expresses my frustration better than anything else.

“I’ll deal with it,” I tell him patiently.

“Evie, they are dangerous and I don’t want them anywhere near you.” His angry tone is very forbidding. “They think I’m a leak but they haven’t found any evidence of it so I’m not on a list. I guess I’m lucky they’re suck ups or I would have had to kill them years ago.”

My eyes narrow on him as my fingers trace his cheekbone. It’s not hard to figure out that the team was supposed to be keeping tabs on him for Matthias. The leak information is a twist I don’t like.

“I’m not a fucking leak,” his teeth grind as he says it and I shake my head with a frown. Yeah, he probably told Tera everything and now he’s telling me so technically he’s wrong. But there isn’t a chance in hell either one of us would talk. So, if it isn’t us, who’s the leak? Or is there one at all? It could be an easy excuse to get rid of Shade at any time.

I wonder how mad he would be if I walked up to one of them and asked at knife point. Not exactly keeping his secret but oh so tempting. They couldn’t blab if they were dead.

First things first he needs his own phone. I can start getting a bit of info from Tera so I can figure out how to proceed. Wholesale slaughter is always an option but I find myself wanting to spend my time with Shade instead. It’s odd but acceptable. Besides, it’s Tera’s birthday and I don’t want to bother her when she has a surprise waiting from her men. They won’t come after him here. And if they do I’ll kill them on the lawn.

Shade’s face is starting to close up and I kiss the tip of his nose.

“I don’t want you worrying about this.” I run my hand through his hair as his lips part in surprise.

“You… what ?”

“They can respect your decision to leave or suffer the consequences. Now help me get dressed so we can get you a phone.” I pull my hand up, tugging his along with it and smirk. “I’ve never gotten dressed with handcuffs on before so you’ll have to guide me.”

His eyes seem to glaze over as he gapes at me. I’m watching his brain reboot in real time. I glance back and try to snag my phone but he catches me before I can reach it. His expression has become bewildered, which is still a picture worthy look but I wanted the other face first.

“I can always take them off,” he says in irritation.

“Or,” I lean my weight into him, pressing the apex of my thighs against his suddenly interested cock. I nibble on his neck with barely there bites and grind over him.

“Or?” He asks and presses his face into my shoulder. His hips rise to meet mine and I smile.

“You could leave them on all day. I don’t mind public displays of affection from you.”

He chokes on whatever he was about to say and starts laughing.

I reach between us and slide my fingers into his pants, cupping him against me as I grind. The laughter stops as his teeth bite into my shoulder hard enough to have me gasping. His hips rear up, lifting me and his other hand yanks his pants down far enough to free his erection.

I take the open invitation for what it is and slide him inside me to rock over him.

“Tea first,” I pant against his ear as he groans. “If you’re good I’ll make you cum in the truck. Then phone.”

I lose my breath as he starts meeting me, bouncing me in his lap. I brace myself on my knees, letting him work himself inside me as roughly as we both want.

“Evie,” he moans as his teeth let me go. His head lolls back, his eyes squeezed shut as he moves.

“Shh,” I whisper against his lips and start languidly rolling my hips to change the angle and tempo to a more relaxed pace. “You’ll cum soon. I can’t leave you wanting when you need it this much, can I?”

His eyes open to watch my face as I move. He leans up to press a kiss to my lips and joins me in the unhurried pleasure.

“A phone,” I whisper and pant as I strain to hold off so I can tease him for a little bit longer. I can feel a heavy pulse starting up in my clit, the need to cum rising but I want this for him just as much as I want it for myself. “Then I can fuck you in the truck.”

“Shit,” he chokes and tries to take over. I’m not having it. I keep my position and meet his hungry gaze flatly.

“Be good, statue. Or you won’t cum at all. And neither will I. Is that what you want instead? For both of us to be pissed off and horny with no end in sight?”

“Fuck, no,” he snaps and grabs my hip in a punishing grip. Every time I shift to take him inside me his fingers loosen but when I slowly pull back they tighten to try and keep me close.

“Then relax and let me take care of you,” I raise a brow, the pulse in my clit warming. I’m close.

He tries. Watching his face fill with strain as he presses himself back into the couch is beautiful. The slight grimace of pleasure he gets at my movements. His thighs are straining to hold himself still. His hard breaths heating my neck as I move.

Somehow he hardens even more inside me and I give him a kiss for it.

“Is it painful again?”

He nods in a jerky motion, his teeth grinding.

“You need to cum?”

“Yes,” he gasps and presses his head back into the cushions. The pain filled expression is so sweet.

“Say please.”

He doesn’t hesitate. “Please!”

“Cum for me. Move how you want.”

He breaks with a speed that I can only marvel at. His hands grip my hips lifting me until he can slam into me without my interference. His lips crash into mine, his tongue delving deep as he moans in halting breaths. He’s only withdrawing an inch before he slams back home again.

I cum with a soft sound and his hips bounce to prolong it as his breath gets choppy.

“Oh fuck, yes. I can feel you cuming. Fuck.”

The last word ends on a loud groan as he empties inside me. His hands clamp me to him as his legs shake with the force of it. He loses his breath and then starts panting, his entire body clenched beneath me for a moment before he drops back down, taking me with him.

He keeps muttering curses under his breath and kissing the side of my neck. When his arms wrap around me I don’t protest. Even when it brings one arm awkwardly with his. I’m too content to be bothered.

We catch our breath, still joined as I press gentle kisses up his throat. His head has dropped back and he seems ready to pass out. I lean back to kiss along his jaw.

“Or we could stay here. I can have you next to me watching anime instead of wondering what it would be like.”

He gives me a groggy look that pulls a smile from me. A different smile than I’ve felt before. Not intense or feral, just a little smug and pleased with him.

“Let’s stay home,” he says in a raspy tone.

I nod, accepting his decision easily, and pull the blanket back around us. When I move to get off his lap his arms tighten.

“Not yet,” his voice turns sleepy suddenly. I glance up to see him almost asleep. It makes my eyebrows rise in surprise.

“Whatever you need,” I whisper and settle again, tilting my head to rest next to his as his breathing evens out and he’s asleep again.

The day passes that way. He sleeps for thirty minutes and wakes up, startled that he fell asleep. He keeps apologizing about the cuffs because it left a bruise over my wrist from holding my arm so awkwardly. It’s ridiculous and satisfying at the same time. If I had a problem with it I would have woken him up.

He’s gentle for a little while after that. Taking the cuffs off and massaging my arm while I watch in confusion. I don’t need the emotional hand holding but the massage is nice and he’s being sweet. I can let him have this.

I also see where he hides the cuffs so I can take advantage later.

We stay on the couch for the most part. Arguing about which anime to watch.

In between shows we eat and stay close. Snuggling I guess. Whatever it is, I’m ok with it. He’s more relaxed than I’ve ever seen and enjoying himself. He watches tv and I watch him. Learning every nuance of expression to file away.

If I leave or stop touching him he gets a stillness that bothers me. A more subtle version of his statue posture. As if he’s holding his breath until I come back. My eyes narrow over it every time.

He’s convinced I’m going to leave.

I just bought a damn house to be in the same town as him and Tera. He’s currently living in it. What more does he need?

When his cheeks gain the slightest bit of blush I know he’s aroused. I have no idea what causes it most of the time. He’ll glance in my direction for a split second and pretend that nothing is going on as his face reddens. It’s very slight, barely there. It’s quickly becoming my favorite expression. I just thought relaxed and happy were the best.

The first time it happens I wait for him to make a move. It’s obvious what the look is about because the blanket is draped over his lap and beginning to tent. He doesn’t do a thing about it and after a few minutes it subsides. The second time it’s the same thing.

The third time I don’t wait for him to initiate something. He’s obviously been trained to deny himself and I’m breaking him of it now.

I’m leaning against the armrest, fiddling with my phone when it starts again. He keeps his attention trained on the tv as I raise a brow and set the phone aside. When I take my legs out of his lap a frown starts until I slide over the cushion to rest my head on his shoulder. He seems pleased at the sudden affection and shifts to drape his arm over my shoulders, kissing my temple with a smile.

“Hi,” he says as if we haven’t been next to each other all day.

“Hi.” I move my hand down into the cushion and grip the cuffs he hid earlier.

He shifts lower on the couch until he’s slouching next to me, perfectly relaxed now. I watch as he brings an arm behind his head to prop himself up a little.

I shift my body, grabbing his arm at my waist to bring his hand to my breast.

His face turns toward me in surprise, his eyes brightening as if I gave him a gift.

I press my lips to his in a gentle kiss as his fingers tweak my nipple, reaching up to grab his other hand. It’s an awkward twist to yank his hand away and force it to join his other arm.

“Am I sitting still?” He taunts me with a smirk. He gets into the position perfectly.

“Lay down,” I move back, keeping the cuffs hidden.

His eyes narrow on my naked body as he shifts to lie on his back. He keeps his hands clasped above his head. So perfect. I almost don’t need the cuffs.

“Baby,” he licks his lower lip, eyeing every inch of my body.

I smile as I lean forward and cuff his wrists together. I tighten them down until they’re uncomfortably snug while I stare into his eyes.

He blinks in surprise as his pupils blow. He sucks in a sharp breath and tilts his head to see his hands.

“Stay,” I raise a brow as I leave the room.

The toolbox in the kitchen is full of knives as well as tools. I need to hide them in various places in the house at some point. I pick a stiletto and walk back into the living room. He hasn’t moved at all. The only way I know he hasn’t fallen back asleep is how hard he’s breathing as he waits for me.

When I stand next to him again he’s too focused on my breasts to see the knife. His hands are clenched around a cushion to keep still.

I yank the blanket off of him and grab the elastic of his pants, roughly pulling him up. A few quick slashes and the material parts underneath the band. His eyes narrow when I slow to cut through the elastic and he sees the knife.

“Evie,” he mutters in a warning tone. Despite his obvious caution his erection twitches with interest.

“You’ve been sitting over here all shy about making a move. You’re punishing yourself and I’m not having it.”

I slice down the leg of his pants. The move is fast but I’m practiced enough with knives there’s no risk to him. Not that I’ll tell him that. I cut through the other pant leg until I can grip the fabric in one hand and wrench it off him.

He’s fully erect in that painful, throbbing way I’m becoming addicted to. I straddle his lap, leaving one foot on the floor. The knife gets set on his chest, pointing toward his throat, as I position him to enter me.

I slide down him until I have the head inside and stop. I take the knife and hide it behind the couch cushion so I have less of a distraction.

My hips shift, barely taking him inside.

“Evie,” he grits out, watching himself hardly enter me before withdrawing again. The ridge of his head escapes and slowly goes back inside. The tease leaves me wet and needing more.

“When you need me, you say something,” I mutter, moving my hands to his abs so I can push his shirt up. I watch the muscles jump as he pants unevenly.

“I need you,” he immediately gives in. As if that’s going to stop this lesson.

“You have needed me. And said nothing,” I drag my nails over his spasming stomach. His abs tighten after the motion as he groans.

I lose the lesson as I rock over him, watching his eyelashes flutter as he strains to watch. His hands are above his head but he’s pulling them apart, digging the metal deeper into his wrists. Unlike him, I don’t mind him getting bruised up.

“Tell me what you need,” I pant out, moving faster but refusing to take more of him inside me.

“You,” he strains out through gritted teeth. “Now.”

I stop moving and brace myself over him to meet his eyes.

“You have me now. What else, statue? Do you want me to stop?”

I shift as if I’m going to move off him.

“ No! ” He barks, that monstrous tone wrenching out of him. “I want you to fuck me until I fill you up. So hard that you’re bruised.”

I lose my breath at the insistence. I’m no longer in control, even though he’s cuffed and unmoving beneath me.

His greedy eyes trail down my body as I wait above him.

“And you want it too. You’re soaking me. Come on baby. Take it all.”

“Such a tease,” I pant and drop down on him as hard as he wants.

The first full entry makes us both tense up. And then I’m moving without any further thought. He groans and talks through it in that dark tone, luring me in like I did to him. I’m bested at my own game and I couldn’t be happier.

I can feel him bottoming out as I bounce, my palms braced on his chest. I bite my lip hard enough to draw blood.

“Come on, baby. Harder ,” he snaps, watching my body move with a feral grin that usually rests on my lips. The sight of it has an orgasm riding me out of nowhere.

My back arches with the painful pleasure of it.

“Keep going,” he leans up to keep our gazes locked. “Don’t fucking stop.”

My nails dig in as I obey.

Choked noises come out of my throat as the orgasm shifts like a wave inside me. The attention goes to my clit and back inside, leaving me gaping at the intensity.

“Don’t stop,” he chokes out, his head falling back as his arms jerk. The metal of the cuffs creaks as he strains. He lets out a sharp grunt that turns into a long moan.

I keep going, prolonging it for both of us until I can’t move anymore. I collapse over him, both of us covered in sweat.

“I,” his voice trails away as his head rolls and he loses whatever he was about to say.

I kiss along his throat, drugged by the feel of him. He softens and I’m able to get up on trembling legs. He watches me with a monstrous look as if I’m the prey for once. I lean down to kiss my monster. He bites my tongue, hard enough to be a threat without drawing blood, and grins when I slowly pull away.

I go into the bedroom to catch my breath and clean up, bringing a cloth back to clean him too.

He’s still sprawled in the same position, watching me take care of him. His expression eases from darkly smug to gentle pleasure, the monster fading back to let Shade out.

The keys he left on the table get used but he leaves his arms where they are. It’s me doing the tender rub down this time. Something I’m not experienced with but enjoy thoroughly. No wonder he wanted to do it earlier.

“You have a high sex drive. So do I. We’re evenly matched everywhere,” I tell him softly. His eyes go to my face as his brows furrow.

“Are you sore?”

The concern after the insistence that I bruise myself on him makes my head tilt in confusion.

“Perfectly sore,” I tell him with a smirk. “Now scoot over and let me rest for a minute.”

He resumes his position on the couch and I flip the blanket over his bare lap, my lips twitching with humor. If he likes to be covered I’m going to have to buy a lot of blankets for this house. And more pajamas to cut off him.

I settle on the cushion, slightly propped up to let me breathe easier, and drape my legs over his lap. He watches me with a lazy expression of contentment as I fall asleep.

I wake once when my text chime goes off and watch as he answers it as if it’s his phone. It makes me smirk as he gives a light laugh at whatever he sees. Then I fall back asleep.

A hard body gently covers mine and I open my eyes to Shade watching me. He’s already settled between my thighs, his cock already at the painful hardness I like.

“Can you take me again?” He asks in a hushed tone of concern.

“C’mere,” I whisper and wrap my arms around his neck.

He’s slow with it, bringing us both into a straining state and refusing to let us fall over the finish line. We’re both sweating as he starts getting faster again, getting closer and then slows almost to the point of stopping.

“Enjoying yourself?” I pant.

“Yes,” the pained sound of his voice makes it a lie.

“Let me feel you fill me up.”

His lips slam over mine in a harsh kiss to shut me up.

My fingers slide into his hair and pull him back. He moans, a heady sound and his hips buck.

“Evie,” his voice strains.

“Come on statue, let go,” I urge him. “It’s ok.”

“Fuck.” His cock begins to piston inside me as he starts to curse. Begging and demanding and then praising me as I cum, clenching over him. He picks up more speed and finishes with a gasp.

“Evie, I love you.”

His body goes boneless, pouring over me as I take it in.

“You’re mine .” The harsh grate of my voice is barely there as I stare, wide-eyed at the ceiling.

I’ll never let him go now. Even if he begs me.