Frostbitten #2
Marin nods and finishes the last bite of the food I bring to her mouth. I grip the plate tighter than necessary as I stand up. Just as I turn my back on her, she attempts to stand again, but she sways and catches herself on the arm of the couch right when I look over my shoulder.
“I should try to,” she mumbles, presses a hand to her temple and sits back on the couch, “I feel lightheaded.”
“You’ve been unconscious for a while, probably dehydrated too. You need to rest.” I remind her and bring the empty plate to the small sink.
Then, I turn around and return to her side, sitting on the coffee table again.
Marin showcases more of her stubborn side as she tries to stand again, completely unaware of the imaginary line on the floor she’s not allowed to cross.
“I don’t want to be a problem. It’s already a lot that you saved me and brought me to safety. ”
“You aren’t a problem,” I lie to her face and force a smile.
The truth is that she is a problem. Every guest I’ve had before was a somewhat ordinary person and nobody batted an eye when the search parties failed to find them. But a photojournalist? Yeah, she could be important enough for people to look for her.
Marin flashes me a grateful smile and tries to stand again. This time, she gets halfway up before her knees give in and I’m standing in the blink of an eye to catch her before she drops on the couch. “Let me help,” I whisper and tighten my hold around her.
She fits in my arms perfectly. Not like any other guest I had before, but in a way I can’t explain fully. It’s almost like she was made for me to hold and keep.
Keep. The word echoes in my mind, growing louder with each repeat. I’ve never truly kept anyone the way I want to keep Marin. Yes, I want to play around a little, see how far I can push her until she shatters, but I don’t want to discard her after I’m done.
As a matter of fact, I want to keep listening to this beautiful blue eyed creature breathe. Marin doesn’t set off that urge deep in my gut that craves to hear the last breath—with her, it craves to hear more. The monster inside me craves more of her in all the ways I’ve never wanted anyone before.
I want, no, I need her to live. And I need her to live only for me, nobody else.
Still holding her, I lean closer to run my nose over the skin of her neck and inhale her scent. This is what my future smells like—every second, minute, hour, days, weeks, months and years to come, whatever time she has left to live, it’s all mine and I don’t plan on sharing it with anyone.
“This is awkward,” Marin mutters and lets out a soft laugh. “But I don’t think I asked for your name. I’m Marin, by the way.”
I want to say that I know, but instead, I carefully set her back on the couch and look down at her. The corner of my mouth twitches, but I suppress the smile as I offer her my hand and answer, “Matthias.”
Of course, I won’t give her my real name. While not many travel up here in the mountains, there are a few, like the maintenance guys, who know me by name. If Marin happens to slip through my fingers somehow, the last thing I need is for her to return home and scream my name at the law enforcement.
“Oh, wow, that’s such a unique name,” Marin answers as she places her hand in mine.
Fuck me to hell and back, even her skin feels too soft to be true. I can only imagine how good it’d feel to run my fingertips over it after I’m done playing with her. Just thinking of the beautiful scars I could give her gets me so hard I have to sit down to hide my excitement.
I don’t let go of her hand, though. In fact, I tighten my hold around it as I look into those captivating eyes and my mind works overtime conjuring up the scenarios of the fun we could have together.
She comes across so damn pure, but deep down, I have a suspicion that she is nowhere as innocent as she pretends to be. Somewhere in there is hiding a little, filthy freak who’s begging to be let out to play.
And I happen to be the very man who’s more than excited to release that little hellflame from its shackles.
“So, Marin,” I start and flash her a smile. “Tell me more about yourself. Got any friends, family, a boyfriend, perhaps?”
Awesome job, Theo, you bonehead, couldn’t make yourself more obvious, could you?
Her cheeks instantly turn bright pink, a color that suits her so well, I’d love to see it more often.
Marin shifts on the couch and clears her throat before she mutters.
“Uh, a boyfriend? No, I don’t have one,” she answers and laughs uncomfortably.
“As for friends, yeah, I suppose I have some. Not family, though, I’m an only child and my parents have already passed away, so I’m pretty much on my own. ”
Perfect. Perfect. Fucking perfect.
Not only is Marin awfully trusting, but she’s the perfect little thing for me. Single, friends she questions and no family at all? Fuck, am I one lucky bastard.
Her eyes dart everywhere but at me as she mutters, “I suppose it’s useless to ask you the same question, huh? I mean, you already told me you live here alone, well, except for the cat you mentioned.”
“Mhm,” I hum and grip her hand a little tighter, pulling Marin closer to me. “But not for long.”
Her eyes widen and meet mine and the sound of her breath hitching has to be the most beautiful sound I’ve heard in my life. “Wh- what do you mean?” She whispers and her bottom lip trembles enough for me to notice the first telltales of genuine, raw fear.
I lean just a fraction closer to her and whisper, “you’re not leaving, Marin. Not now, not ever.”