Page 39 of His Obsession
Jake took my hand as he did before, and I held on tight as we navigated the wild sea of bodies towards the door.
The entire ride back home, I sat with my mind racing, going back and forth until I finally asked him. “So, what did you have to do there?”
A loud sigh came from his mouth, and he rubbed his hand over his face. “I’m not doing this with you, Liz.”
Why did everyone get irritated with me when I asked a simple question?
“Why can’t anyone answer a single fucking question? Why does there have to be such a fight about it?”
Jake refused to react, which left me peeved. My body was humming with energy and intoxication, and I no longer wanted to hear him speak. He would only aggravate me more.
The rest of the ride back home was silent and quick. Jake didn’t take my previous advice and drove like a damn maniac.
Even if I wanted him to answer or hold a conversation with me, I don’t think I could… you know, fear of fiery death and all. The black gates of hell opened wide, waiting to swallow me whole as Jake pulled into the driveway, not getting out. I pried my stiff fingers from theoh-shit-barand flexed away from the pain.
“Thanks, Jake,” I said, purposely sounding ungrateful.
“Yep.”
He didn’t care.
I stepped out, and he took off the moment Alek stepped out the front door. This odd situation reminded me of when I was a teen, and my foster parents couldn’t trust me. I would walk around a corner, and there they would be, continually observing my every move.
“Did you learn anything?” Alek asked with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Touch me and find out.” I fluttered my lashes, tempting him. The liquid courage was in full effect, and I was letting it take over without a care in the world.
He broke into a smile and followed me through the door. “Don’t tempt me.” His voice closed in behind me.
“But maybe that’s exactly what I need to do.” I stopped in my tracks, turned around, and crashed my lips to his. I didn’t know where I was going to take this, but I needed to do it. I needed to get him out of my system so I could focus on more important things than what was between his legs and mine.
I thread my fingers through his hair, pulling his lips closer to mine, and savored the scotch on his tongue. The need to get closer ached in my core.
Alek took what he wanted. He pushed me hard against the wall and ran his hands down my body, stopping between my legs. I stiffened instantly, remembering I was sweaty and gross and needed a shower.
I broke the kiss and gave him a little push away from me. “I forgot, I need a shower,” I said, through heaving breaths of air. I placed a chaste kiss on his lips and turned, bolting up the stairs, leaving Alek to wonder what the fuck just happened.
My shower was scalding, turning my skin pink. My muscles loosened as the heat soothed the ache, forcing them to surrender. The mirror told me secrets I already knew and showed me a face I had forgotten throughout the night. My cheek had turned a deep magnificent purple, like amethyst or a Mascara Lily.
That was the beauty and the evil of bruises. It was something that hurt so bad when you got them, but then they turned into this beautiful mixture of color that left you fascinated with its design. Then when the shock wore off and the bruise turned green and ugly, it’d stress you all over again, reigniting the trauma.
I toweled my hair so it wouldn’t drip over the floors as I put on my silk nightgown. I had debated sleeping naked like I usually did, but with Alek being right down the hall and what I just did to him, I decided not to risk it. I threw my towel on the floor and crawled in the cold sheets. A soft knock sounded at the door as I pulled the comforter over my legs, confirming I made the right choice.
“Come in.”
The door opened slowly, and Alek came and sat next to me. “I need to be in the office a little earlier tomorrow. Did you want to ride with me or have Tonk pick you up?” His fingers brushed mine as he placed a hand on my hip, leaning over. It was refreshing, him giving me a choice instead of dictating.
“I can go in with you. What time?” The thought of being alone in his house made me feel anxious. I was grateful that Jake had stayed, even though I slept the day away.
“I want to be there around five,” he said.
My eyes bugged out. “Damn, no rest for the wicked.” I harassed, my comment making him grin. “I’ll go with you.”
“Okay.”
“Hey, Alek,” I whispered, “thanks for letting me go see Lucy tonight.” I hated the words “letting me”—it implied he had control over my actions, and I refused to accept that.
He wrapped his large hand around the side of my neck, his eyes roaming over my cheek. “It looks worse than it is,” I said, wanting to ease his worry.