Oliver
My Dollface. Lyra Sloane. She doesn’t know it yet, but I will map her out nerve by nerve until my name lives under her skin.
The blackout wasn’t supposed to go like that.
I wanted to watch. I wanted to savor. The second she stepped onto the balcony alone, my body and mind split apart.
I followed without thinking and couldn’t break free from her orbit.
Taking her the way I did when the lights lowered wasn’t the plan either.
I’m learning my carefully curated ideas don’t survive her.
I almost lost it when some guy found her in the dark and brushed her hand.
I snapped.
I don’t snap.
Ever.
I shouldn’t be mad. I was the one who kissed her.
To bite her lip until she gasped. I pressed her into stone and ground her pussy against my dick.
Still, I’m furious. She was there, waiting, willing, ready for anyone.
That thought burns hotter than anything I’ve known in my life.
I want to shake sense into her. I want to carve the rules into her skin so she never forgets.
Catching her hidden in that corner of the library sealed it.
She saw me before I intended. I would’ve eased her into the bubble I live in.
I would’ve fed her the dark in careful sips.
Amelia English turned that to ash, and for one moment, cutting out her oxygen for good didn’t seem like a bad thing.
But then Lyra would have for sure run off if I killed someone in front of her.
I leave Lyra on the shower tiles and force my breath into a steady rhythm.
Her mind will spin through fear, then heat, and finally denial.
Naked, wet, bare for me, she was almost my undoing.
She’s stunning; words failed me when she reluctantly wrapped her lips around my cock.
Her slim curves. Long blonde hair plastered to her skin.
The flush on her cheeks. Those bright-green eyes.
Her cunt squeezed my fingers, dripping down my hand.
However, if I stayed one second longer, I would have snapped.
I felt it rising—the loss of control. I kept my thumb on her pulse and eased when the rhythm got ragged.
Touching her is electric and dangerous, something I need to watch.
One slip could hurt Lyra so badly that she could never come back from it.
That scar on her stomach gave me pause. Raised and pale against perfect skin.
Who touched her? Who hurt her? I know she was in the hospital for five days thanks to Archer, a hacker and friend.
I made him dig up everything on her he could get his hands on as soon as I got home from our run-in at the cliff, which I’m now calling our first date.
Whoever it was that hurt her has already signed a death warrant.
I grab her towel and quickly dry off before dressing and leaving the empty bathroom, the only sounds being the water and Lyra’s quiet sniffs.
As much as I want to stay and carry her back to her room, I have another stop to make.
I need to get this tension out of my body.
I knock once and lean on the doorframe. I know what her face will do before she opens the door. Irritation, then a greedy shine. Her lips part like she’s been waiting all week. “Come in,” she breathes out, stepping back.
I step inside. Her perfume is thick and gives me an immediate headache. I swallow a wince. It isn’t Lyra. Lyra smells like warm skin, coconut, and fear. Serena smells like desperation, but I look past it.
“I don’t have long.” I take off my jacket, throwing it to the side.
Serena mistakes my clipped tone for dominance. Her eyes light up, voice turning breathy. “Then let’s not waste a second.” She’s already sliding the straps of her bra down her arms.
“On the bed. Arms up to the headboard.”
I walk out fifteen minutes later with Lyra sitting at the center of every thought in my head. I got what I needed. I walk out of the building, typing out a quick text to Archer.
Me:
Activate tracker.
Archer:
You got it, boss.
Me:
I’m not your fucking boss.
Archer:
Sure, you aren’t.
Me:
I fucking hate you.
Archer:
Just fucking around. I’m bored, and the tracker is already activated. So, who is it for? The girl?
Me:
Yes. Just got her school file and info.
Archer:
Good. Getting into the school records is a pain in the ass. Send it all over. I'll add it to her file.
I make my way to Lyra’s car, clicking the unlock button I had copied.
Slipping inside, I'm assaulted by the scent of coconuts.
Warmth in a cold, depressing town. It's everywhere.
My chest loosens as I breathe her in. I open the center console, pop the liner out, and slide the slim tracker she will never notice inside.
Perfect.
Straightening, I shut the door, locking it before walking back to my room. No matter where she runs…I’ll know.
I slide my phone out once more, adding in my Dollface’s name.
Me:
Miss me already?
Me:
Or are you pretending you're not staring at your phone?
I watch the bubbles pop up then disappear. A slow smile forms on my lips. I like knowing I’ll be on her mind before she closes her eyes.
Me:
Sweet dreams, Dollface.
Now to see what comes next.