Chapter Ten #3
I swallow, my eyes darting around the room, looking for anything I could use to defend myself against him.
He leans in further, and I know it’s futile.
I know that he could snap my neck right now if he wanted to.
But he doesn’t. He waits. He’s still panting, still unbalanced from my brief assault.
A warmth glows, and I fight the urge my lips have to tilt upward.
Am I enjoying this? I didn’t enjoy being tasered at all, but the chase, the height difference, the feeling of helplessness.
Do all bodies react like this when they’re about to die?
Probably not. I’m really starting to think there might be something wrong with me.
“Fine. But I’m getting the taser back,” I say, shifting toward the bookcase.
“No more tasers.” His hands palm the wall as he leans down, his nose an inch from mine. His corded forearms cage me in, my back against the wall, and I know resistance is unavailing. Part of me likes that it is. At least I can pretend he’s forcing me to stay this close to him.
“This is my hostage situation. I’ll hold my taser if I want to.”
“No.”
“What do you mean no ?”
He grabs my wrist and drags me toward the couch. Despite my protest, he pulls me down onto him. He spins me around and pulls me onto his lap so my back is on his chest. I poke the spot where the taser hit him in the hopes he might release me, but all it does is make his abs clench.
He twists and swings his legs up so he’s lying down on the couch, his head on the armrest. His thighs squeeze me tightly so I can’t shift, and all I can do is twist so at least I can look up at him from my stomach.
From this angle I can feel every contour, every muscle, every hard thing about him.
My cheek rests on his chest, my breasts on his stomach.
His heart beats so calmly it's unnerving .
I feel his dick between his sweatpants throbbing into my stomach.
Holy hell.
I blush furiously and try to stay as still as possible.
“Now that we’re comfortable.”
His legs bend so his feet cross under my ass, and he pulls me in further so I’m basically thrust against him. Fucking pervert.
“Let’s talk.”
“Who said I was comfortable?” I spit back, digging my nails between his ribs.
His hands move from my back to grab each wrist.
He hoists me up so quickly that our lips are almost touching. “I will restrain you, Olivia. But I know you like to be the one tying someone up, so you’ll get that one for free. But I will gag you if you don’t behave, understand?”
My mouth waters, and my eyes can’t stop themselves. I dare to look down at his lips; the filth that comes out of them has my body singing. It’s like we’re drawn to each other in a way that I just can’t explain. It’s more than physical. It’s chemical...emotional.
I nod.
“Good. Now slide back down and get comfortable.”
He releases my wrists, and I do what he says. He is silent for a moment as I wriggle into position. Once I’ve settled, my cheek is back against his chest, and my left arm is hanging loose by the side of the couch. I sigh and close my eyes. Might as well lean into whatever this is.
While he runs the fingers of one hand down my back, he sweeps my hair out of the way and uses his other hand to stroke my head.
If I hadn’t already closed my eyes I would do so now.
The way his deft fingers delicately run through the strands of my hair is heavenly.
Had I not just been tasered by this man, I would strongly suspect that this is what a real relationship could be like.
Afternoons on the couch, cuddling, kissing, rough fingers teasing each other until eventually neither of us can take any more, and we tumble into bed.
Maybe I’m just touch-starved. That’s a thing right?
I haven’t had a relationship in so long, but I haven’t been held like this either.
Not even a hug. This job is so isolating sometimes.
It’s weird to think how little I’m physically around people.
And now that it’s just me and Danny, it’s hard not to feel a certain level of relief at being held by this man who, despite his obvious flaws, could protect me if he chose to.
“That embarrassing story I told you. About the man and the wife who were propositioning me. My father had given them the okay to pursue me. He’d told me what they wanted, and he didn’t outright say it, but I knew the expectation was that I would agree without question.
In addition to that, something had transpired a few days after.
Something had happened while I was on a job that put into question a lot of my own behavior, which ultimately led me to make some changes in my life. ”
I try to shift but he holds me tighter, continuing to stroke my hair. I’m desperate to look at his face, but I let him keep me pinned down.
“That’s awful. Your father should never have put you in that position.”
“It was no worse than I deserved.” He sighs.
“That’s not true. No one deserves to be treated like that.”
He ignores my comment and continues, “When I saw you for the first time, you were unbelievably kind to someone who spilled your drink all over you.”
I remember that. It was Jenny’s first day.
“You told them not to worry and said something about dog poo and a client or an ex who I instantly wanted to dismember.”
I smiled but stayed quiet, my fingers beginning to stroke along his ribs.
“You were kind and funny, with a gentleness that I’d never seen before from anyone. Kindness is not common in my line of work, and you...intrigued me. ”
He pauses for a moment, but when I don’t respond, he continues.
“So I started going to Squeeze the Day, drinking their god-awful coffee, to prove to myself that you couldn’t have been as kind as you were that day. There had to be a fault or a flaw that would prove me right.”
“Why would you want to be proved right?” I murmur. The weight of his hand on my back and the other running through the strands of my hair felt glorious. Like stepping into a warm bath or curling up under a blanket on the couch.
“Because then I wouldn’t have to obsess over you anymore. I could move on. Stop drinking that piss water they call coffee and just get on with my life.”
“I’m not perfect. I have flaws.”
“Olivia.” He laughs. “I know you have flaws. You just fucking tasered me after chaining me up in your basement.”
I chuckle as tears prick at my eyes, threatening to spill.
I don’t understand where this emotion has come from.
Austin continues rubbing my back, petting me like a cat curled up on his lap.
The thump of his heart beneath me creates a rhythm my breath falls in sync with. My whole body aches to align with his.
“I thought you were sunshine incarnate. But you have a dark side, which is equally enticing. I watched you for two years, Killer, and I didn’t learn half of what I learned from living in your basement.”
His legs loosen from caging me in, and I shift so I can look at him.
“So you’re not going to hurt me?” I already know the answer. At least, I hope I do. But I feel the need to ask it all the same.
“No, Killer. I’m not going to hurt you, not now or ever.”
“I still don’t believe you. I’m just...me. I don’t think I merit this kind of fascination.”
“Well, we’ll work on that then, won’t we?” He smiles before booping my nose with his fingertip .
He shifts, and all of a sudden, I feel cold without him.
I’m sitting upright, facing him on the couch, and my heart begins to race. I think he’s going to kiss me. I lean in as he holds my hand, running his thumb over my knuckles.
“I’ve got to go and sort some things out. We’ll talk soon, okay? Think about what I’ve said.”
“I . . . wait, what? Where are you going?”
“I have a business to run, employees to manage. As you may have heard from Luca, they’re needy fuckers.”
I roll my eyes, and he smirks. Drawing my hand to his mouth, he presses a brief kiss to my knuckles. “I’ll see you later, Killer. Ice that leg for me.”
And with that, he strolls right out the front door, no shirt and all, and I’m left dumbstruck.