Chapter 13
Blinding rage and monstrous jealousy clash inside me, unleashing a rolling fireball through my veins. Letting out all my frustration, I pull my arm back before smashing my fist into the side of Tyson’s face, and he stumbles back.
One eye is closed, swollen from my hit.
From the corner of my eye, I see Mia waving at me and pleading with me to stop. No, he wants her. He’ll get her when he’s dead.
Desire for her buzzes under my skin. What did she turn me into? I had my fair share of hookups before I started working for my father, but I never wanted more than a quick release. Yet she—this girl, all purple and soft—is my downfall and damnation rolled into one.
Staying away gets harder and harder. Fighting this temptation, which becomes unbearable with every day, exhausts me—it’s a losing battle. The moment I saw her in that outfit made to ravage my insides, I knew where I’d be and what I’d do.
He can touch her after I am done with him, but I’m going to break every bone in his body and stomp on his useless limbs on my way out.
A punch to my cheek jerks my jaw to the side. I snap my attention to the asshole who proved to be a more worthy opponent than I thought.
We exchange fists in a brutal whirlwind, only to retract to take a breather. It’s the most exciting fight I’ve had in a long time. Our bodies crash together, but then, his stepsister pulls me back. He grunts the moment she touches me. I barely contain the rage when I see Mia doing the same to him.
“The fight is over,” Mia announces.
“No,” we both groan.
I guess I am not the only one who needs to let off some steam. And with this asshole, I can give him my all and not be afraid to actually kill him.
“Fine, get yourself killed,” Ivy says, rushing past Tyson.
“Stay out of my fucking business,” he says, and she freezes for a moment.
Mia approaches me, placing her hands on my chest. “That’s enough.”
“No, it’s fucking not.” Not when I walked in and saw her with him. My vision blackens, and I am pumped up once again.
“Please.”
“Look who can talk to me.”
Her eyes widen into two incredulous orbs. She pushes at me, and then she takes off.
I follow her with my eyes to see which direction she goes. Once she reaches the group, I shift my focus back to Tyson. Stepping closer, I taunt him. “Your stepsister… stay away from Mia or…” I let the threat hang in the air.
“If you even consider going near Ivy, you’re dead.”
“You can try, asshole.”
Neither of us stops the fight, continuing to throw punches at each other. The more I try to get rid of the frustration and madness Mia ignites in me, the more I realize I can’t. Yet, I am pushing through.
Kaden and Dane get in the ring on my side and Hunter and Xander on Tyson’s side, pulling us off each other. I try to fight them off, but my energy is depleted like my willpower to stay away from Mia.
“Easy there,” Kaden says after they carry me outside.
“I have to finish the fight.”
“Another time. We’re going home,” he says, and I nod, accepting that I can’t win against my feelings.
“Where is Mia?” I ask, and Dane chuckles.
“She went home with the girls a while ago.”
“And you let them go unsupervised?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“You should have stopped fighting when she asked you to,” he says with a shrug.
If I stopped, I would have been all over her. There’s something clawing at my insides, wanting to get out. Fuck, I don’t think I can keep my need for her contained for much longer.
Once we’re home, we find the girls in the living room. Mia gasps, looking at me.
“He looks worse,” I say.
She stands up and passes me by.
“If you even think of going to him, I’ll fucking kill him.”
She purses her lips, staring me down.
“Try me. Fucking try me right now.” I slump on the couch. Abi moves to the kitchen and returns with an ice pack. I place it on my left cheek, a sound of satisfaction rumbling in my throat.
“Who won?” Celine asks.
“No one, because these three assholes and Xander stopped us.”
“Good,” Bailey says.
Hunter paces and jabs a finger at me. “Fucking tell me you didn’t fight because you have a problem with who my sister wants to date.”
This guy pisses me off. I stand up when he marches right into my face.
“What’s your fucking problem?”
Your sister is my fucking problem. I move past him, needing a shower and some alone time.
“See you tomorrow,” I tell the group, making sure they don’t get any idea to come after me.
Once in my room, I head to the shower. Closing my eyes, the water cascades down my battered body, though I don’t feel a damn thing. Looking in the mirror, it reflects my state—split lip, red cheek, and a bruise forming. I didn’t expect him to be that good. I am almost impressed, but with his background, it shouldn’t surprise me.
I see Mia walking into the bathroom from the corner of my eye.
“Leave.” Before I never give you that chance again.
“You can barely stand, you idiot.”
She undresses, and saliva pools in my mouth.
“I’ll fuck you,” I warn.
She rolls her eyes, always taunting and tantalizing me. No wonder I have no damn control when it comes to her.
“Look at me all shivery… You can’t even fuck yourself in your condition.”
Tiny yet feisty. My lips curl up at this woman, tailored to make me lose my mind.
“Get in, and I’ll show you it’s not an empty threat. I hope you’re not sore.”
“Color me surprised, you care.” She sounds hurt. I want to go back into the ring and take it out on Tyson.
She gets in, and her scent invades my nostrils. My cock hardens, not caring about the state I am in.
She bites back a smile, coming to stand before me. Picking up the shower gel, she pours a bit into her palms, then she places her soft hands on my chest, and my insides roar in delight. She’s magic. That’s what she is, like a princess from some fairyland. Only, she landed in my dark lair.
She washes me gently, and I close my eyes, savoring her touch. My eyes snap open when she wraps her hand around my dick.
“Mia,” I groan low.
“What?” she asks, playing coy.
“Don’t start what you can’t finish.”
“Like you?”
I back her into the shower wall. “If I remember correctly, you came three times.”
A blush paints her soft cheeks, and she moves behind me.
“I should be mad at you. What am I? A damsel you have to fight for her honor?”
“He still can’t date you. Only after he wins.”
“I guess I have to give him a better incentive then.”
In one swift move, I wrap a hand around her throat, backing her into the shower stall. “What was that?”
She opens her mouth, but I slam my lips against hers. It’s a fierce kiss meant to ruin her for all others until she’s addicted to my mouth, craves only my touch, and wants only my cock. That sick part of me wants to punish her for even considering anyone else but me.
When I force my mouth off hers, she has a dazed look on her face.
“You can’t––”
I kiss her again, this time longer, and a small moan breaks free.
“Do you think you can tell me––”
I crash my mouth on hers again, and she pulls at the ends of my hair. Lifting her, I hook her leg over my thigh. Her hot core is so close, heating my blood.
“Stop talking.” I grit my teeth, trying to control myself, which is becoming impossible.
“Make me.”
“Is this tight pussy in need of a hard fucking?”
“Nope, because I don’t want you.”
With that, she slips off me and takes a step to the side, leaving me completely baffled.
“Your cunt just dripped all over my leg.”
“You can say thank you.”
“For fucking what?”
“For giving you material to jerk off to,” she says haughtily.
I stand there like a damn moron, watching her dry herself and dress before she leaves.
I quickly finish my shower, and I step out with water dripping off me. Picking up the towel she used doesn’t help to tame the raw need coursing through my veins.
In my room, I dress and start pacing around. I don’t know for how long, but I can’t sleep or think of anything but her. She’s there in every thought. Fuck it all. I am going to make sure she is in her bedroom, asleep, and not going to find Tyson.
The house is silent as I tiptoe toward her room. I flip the bird at Hunter’s closed door and let myself inside hers.
She’s in bed, typing away on her phone.
“Who are you texting?” If it’s that asshole, I am going to lose my shit.
Startled, she drops her phone and hurries to pick it up off the floor, but I am faster. Mia tries to fight me to get it but with no success.
I see the chat open. She’s asking Tyson how he is. I glare at the text and close the chat.
“Leave now,” she snaps.
“Or what?” I snap right back.
“I’ll scream.”
“You can, but whether that will help remains to be seen.”
She digs a finger into my chest. “What is your problem? You ignored me for a week and now, in one night, you’re all over me.”
“What do you want from me, Mia?”
“Nothing. I took what I wanted.”
I place her phone on her nightstand and move toward the window. Night has always soothed me. It’s easier to hide behind locked doors once night falls, pulling the mask on the pretense I’ve maintained. She’s even better at stripping me bare.
Turning around, she pulls her knees to her chest and rests her chin on them.
“You want me,” I say.
“You want me too,” she rasps. It sounds more like a question when it should be a damn statement.
Silence follows, trapping us in this back-and-forth limbo. I’m done, though. I’m too exhausted to keep fighting a losing battle. The reins to my control have been obliterated, and I wave the white flag, surrendering to my need.
A confession pours out of me. “I don’t like the thought of you being with someone else.”
“You have no claim on me.”
“But you want me to, don’t you?”
“That’s irrelevant,” she says, a sad expression covering her face. I warned her so many times, but here we are.
Her romance books catch my attention. She’s always dreamed about an epic love story. I should have fucking stayed away.
“I want you to stop. That’s all I am asking, for us to be civil.”
“We could have tried that, being friends, but then you came all over my mouth, fingers, and cock. So I guess we can’t be friends any longer.”
“Then what? I have my needs and I want to have someone…”
Her words reverberate in my mind. Give her what she wants, asshole. I need to fucking focus on eliminating the threat, but I don’t even know how to do that.
Fuck her, make her come so many times she loses count—that I can do. But she wants more. Romance, a relationship, and feelings—I am at a loss when it comes to those things. She deserves more than an emotionally stunted man.
A dejected look covers her features.
“You can’t give me that, and it’s okay, Blake, but I need you to stop. Please.”
It’s her plea that guts me. I can’t promise her that, so I keep my mouth shut.
“I need to make sure you’re safe.”
“And then you’ll leave. Got it.”
She rolls out of bed and takes my hand. “We’re not friends or lovers.”
“I can’t be either of those for you.”
It would be a lie when I want her more than a friend, and I can’t be a lover when I’m leaving. It’s pure torment being in her vicinity, but it’s not that I am not used to torture. I can be her protector and have an excuse to be in her presence because this past week has been absolute hell without my silver girl.
“Go to sleep. I’m here.” You’re safe. I’d maim anyone who even thinks of coming close enough to hurt her. I’d lay my life down, gladly dying to protect her.
“I know. Thank you, but this is not a peace offering. I’m just tired tonight,” she says and kisses my cheek.
I fist my hands at my sides. Every fiber of my being yearns to go after her, sink inside of her and forget about everything else but how good she feels. For a few seconds, when I’m inside her, I can imagine she’d accept every dark and twisted part of me.
“Silver, you deserve all sunshine. I am all darkness, baby.”
“You will never know how much I wanted to bring light to you so you’d see how beautifully we’d fit together.”
Leaving me speechless, she gets into bed. I resume my place in the chair at her desk.
“Leave or come here,” she says, patting the spot next to her. “Your body must hurt.”
I look from her to the bed. That’s a terrible idea. But I am weak. If my fucker of a father would have cured me of physical need like he did with physical pain and alcohol, I wouldn’t be in this situation.
It’s impossible to resist her, so I climb into bed with her. She curls onto her side with her back to me. I flick the lamp on, reading from where I last stopped.
Now this is a male character I could relate to. He’s unhinged to the point of stalking the heroine, doing questionable things like threatening every guy who even talks to her. Yet, he’s soft only with her. I want to warn her that it would be the worst idea to let him in. That’s all he needs to burst through her defenses.
Groaning, I see Mia turning to me.
“You don’t approve?” she asks.
“Why do good girls fall for the most terrible guys?”
“They make us feel like we’re the only ones. Deep down, every girl wants the bad guy because he has no limits when it comes to her.”
I snap the book closed, huffing. “Heroes are overrated. Who needs those guys thinking of the greater good? Let’s bring in the bad guys. That’s what this world needs, blood being spilled because some poor fucker looked at the wrong girl.”
She giggles. “Stop with the sarcasm.”
“You don’t seem to have a problem with what these guys do in your books.” Which is dangerous to me. She dents my defenses, making me think she would be okay with someone who is as screwed up as I am. It might sound appealing in theory, but in reality, it’s different. Even fucking now, I can’t just fall asleep with her. That would never happen.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Things I will never have.”
“I’m sure if you want, you can achieve anything. Stop being so hard on yourself, Blake.” She scoots up and says, “Let me bring you something for the pain.”
“Don’t bother.”
“But…”
“I am fine. I don’t feel a thing.”
“You don’t have to act strong with me.”
“I meant that.”
I pull her to my side and stroke her back. Kissing the top of her head, I say, “Go to sleep.”
“You won’t leave?”
“Apparently, only you can leave my bed.”
“I thought you know… not to complicate things.”
I doubt we were ever uncomplicated, considering we started as enemies, each trying to gather information. But when we were together, nothing else seemed as easy or as serene as being with her. Every moment I spent with her—seeing her gorgeous face and hearing her melodious voice—was a moment I spent undisturbed by my inner demons. Her presence alone could back them in a corner. She became my silver lining.
I should leave. My tongue seems to loosen. Of course, my screwed up brain wants to experience that high again, the one only she can bring me to.
I am fucked.
Thoroughly.