Chapter 21
POV: Gabrielle?
I had a really bad idea.
I mean a horrible idea.
One that would either break me or bring me to life.
And I didn’t know which one yet. Honestly, I didn’t know if I’d ever really know.
But sitting across from Dane, on his couch, in a place I’ve inhabited against my will for probably a week or two now, I felt oddly…comfortable. Like I was getting used to…this?
And that thought stirred inside of my mind.
One I shouldn’t be thinking about. One I knew would probably complicate things even more.
Sleeping with Dane.
There, I said it.
I was thinking about sleeping with him. I’d been thinking about it for a full day now.
The way his arms felt around my naked body. The way his lips felt on mine for an hour. The way he felt inside me.
Because deep down, I knew how fucked this was. I knew how fucked I was for thinking about letting him fuck me, and actually wanting him to.
And the worst part was—I had told myself that there was nothing wrong with me for wanting it—for wanting him. My mind was trying to rationalize it. My mind was trying to make my thoughts seem…normal. When they definitely weren’t.
So, here I was, getting closer and closer to making a life altering decision.
But the longer he stared at me, the easier the decision seemed.
“Belle?” he asked, a smirk forming on his perfect lips as he dragged his thumb across my cheekbone. “Your mind is turning again, I can tell.”
He always could tell.
After all, he watched me enough, studied my patterns, learned my behaviors, and was analyzing me every single second of the day. He practically knew me inside and out. My good. My bad. Everything.
And maybe that’s why I was beginning to feel things for my captor because he seemed to know every part of me in such a short time.
Every instinct, every reaction, every carefully hidden thought.
I could see him reading me like an open book, and somehow, it didn’t scare me.
It unnerved me, yes, but it also stirred something… something I couldn’t quite name.
But there was one thing he didn’t know. One thing I kept buried deep, behind locked doors I didn’t even have a key for—that I was probably just as screwed up as he was.
Impulsive, reckless, terrible with emotions.
A planner, a schemer—like him, in a way I wasn’t ready to admit.
But on top of it all, prideful to a fault, stubborn, and unwilling to bend for anyone—even the person who had me under his control.
And maybe that made me more dangerous than even he realized.
The words spilled from my mouth before I even thought to stop them. “Kiss me.”
He cocked an eyebrow, his lip twitching as he looked me over.
“I mean it. Kiss me!” I said again and this time my heart rate accelerated.
He leaned forward—so close that his mouth was inches away from my ear, his hot breath tickling my skin. “Do you really want that, Belle?”
I shivered from his touch and breath. “Yes.” I didn’t hesitate.
He chuckled, and the sound sent my body into a complete frenzy.
Then his hands were on my waist, dragging me into his lap, and his lips were on mine in a seconds notice—caressing me, kissing me slowly then delving his tongue inside of my mouth.
The feeling was a fit of passion—I didn’t want it to stop.
With each kiss, my body moved closer to his, and into the rock solid of his chest.
I straddled him, without thinking, pressing further into him and feeling him harden beneath me.
He tore his lips away from me, as he felt the friction of our bodies together, and his reaction. His cold eyes traced my face, studying me. “Belle….”
“Dane…” I mimicked, leaning forward and kissing him again.
I leaned in, wanting to press a kiss to his shoulders but he caught me, holding me back. “This is far enough.”
“Far enough?” I asked, laughing but there was no humor to it. “I think I should be able to choose how far I want to go, Dane.”
He smirked, that smug smile playing on his lips, as his hands gripped my waist and held me in place. “Is that so?”
I bucked forward, desperate to close the distance, to feel him pressing against me, the hardness of him grazing my clothed core. “That’s so, Dane.”
“And this is something you want, Belle?” he asked, as he guided my hand up to his cheek.
I bit my lip, forcing back the truth. “I’m just bored and horny and…”
His grip loosened on my shoulders, allowing me free movement. I inched my way back and rolled my hips again.
He groaned but his eyes still stayed on mine. “You’re a shitty liar, Belle.”
“Don’t make me change my mind,” I told him.
“I think you’ve already made up your mind a while ago, Belle.” His fingers dug into my side, holding me in place from moving.
I rolled my eyes from his comment.
But he only doubled down and held my gaze.
Intensity poured through. “Are you thinking about the way I’ll make you moan, Belle?”
He paused, tracking his gaze over me slowly—so slowly.
Then said, “Are you thinking about the way I’ll feel when I’m deep inside of you?”
His smirk ticked at the corner of his lips then he said, “Or are you considering that maybe—once I have you, I might not want to give you back?”
His words sent a chill down my spine.
But they also excited me.
My core wetted, my heart pulsed, and I forgot how to speak as I stared back at him.
“And you still want to?” he asked. And that sly smirk was still on his perfect lips, his chiseled jaw popped as it tensed.
It took me only a second to nod.
That was all it took.
In an instant, he had me pressed against him, my body molded to his as he laced his arms around me. With a single, fluid motion, he lifted me and carried me back down the long hallway.
And this time we didn’t stop at my bedroom doorway.