Page 29 of The Game
“By blood alone, you fool! He’s been feeding us information with the promise that I will feed his particular tastes!”
Oh, God. The bile is rising, my head spinning even more so now, and I cannot help it; I lurch forward and vomit all over the disgusting floor, blood and my dinner adding to the mess. Dick backs away quickly, freaking out as he points to Teddy.
“Take her back to her dorm! I want her patched up and ready to work tomorrow night, no fucking excuses. And you,” he whirls, pointing a gnarled finger at Daniel. “You clean this shit up, you spoiled fucking idiot.”
He storms out, and with a last look of disgust, Daniel shoves his way out, too. Teddy rushes to me, gripping my biceps and pulling me to him as I begin to shake and hyperventilate. I cannot help but to cling to his hoodie, to his scent, to his comfort as a sob racks my frame.
“Shh, bunny, I got ya.”
It only makes me cry harder, the flood of relief, the feel of his hardened muscles against my body, his warmth and the security he presents. Holding me tightly, he rests his chin on my head.
“I’ve got ya. You’re safe now.”
And I cling to those words as though they’re the last I will ever hear.
CHAPTER16
Alice
Islept curled on the couch next to Teddy while he played video games and drank copious amounts of Red Bull. Every so often, he had awoken me to check whether or not I had a concussion and to coax more pain meds into me.
When I awake this time, the living room is dark, warm, and the soft patter of rain on his window tugs me back toward sleep, if not for his long, nimble fingers gently combing through my hair. He hasn’t shifted, hasn’t moved since the wee hours of the morning, and to wake up so close to him makes my insides flood with a rush of hormones, my body giddy at being touched in a desired way, even if it hurts my heart and makes me miss my twins all the more.
But he’s being so gentle, tracing the shell of my ear with his pointer finger, skimming it down my neck before he picks up another strand and twirls it around his finger like I’ve seen him twirl his knives and fire. It’s so comforting, so reassuring, that I make a noise of pleasure in the back of my throat without meaning to and tense upon hearing it. His answering chuckle shakes me slightly, but it’s good-natured.
“I think I like you more when you’re vulnerable.”
The husky, rumbling tenor of his voice makes my mouth run dry. His words and the rush of images it paints in my mind makes my thighs clench and my cunt ripple, the feeling so striking it frightens me; I haven’t felt it in so long, I don’t know whether to fear it or lean into it, but I can’t deny it feels really fucking good.
“That’s…good?” I rasp, throat hoarse from crying. I moan as soon as I shift my mouth, my jaw flaming to life, puffy and aching.
“I know it’s going to be hard for someone like you, but keep your mouth shut today, got it?”
In answer, I raise my middle finger, eliciting a deep, rumbling laugh from his chest. His fingers continue to sift through my hair, and I catch myself snuggling further into him. It is quiet for a peaceful span of time before he speaks.
“I’ve gotta get going soon, bunny. You’re staying put. There’s Pho in the fridge.”
I move to sit up, my heart jumping into my throat, but he pins me down with a forearm across my chest. Leaning over me, his eyes blaze from the darkness, a stern reprimand in his gaze. Again, my thighs clench, his body so fiery, so strong, but his hands so gentle.
“No, you’re not paying me back. No, you’re not going to work tonight. Yes, I already talked to Dicky Boy and sent him photos of your face. You’re off the hook for a week. How do you wanna celebrate?”
My eyes fly to saucers for a few different reasons, but he quirks his head to the side in warning. My teeth grind against one another instead, which is just as fucking painful, and I wince.
“I photoshopped some pic I found on Google, calm your tits,” he says with a smirk. “And we can celebrate by you getting some rest so you can still come watch my band tomorrow night. I’ll even buy you a milkshake afterwards.”
“Your band?” I ask, reeling now. He frowns and quirks his brow, so I just roll my eyes and keep my mouth shut.
“Yes, my band. I still want a life outside of all that fuckery. Life…life woulda been a lot different if I could have pursued that, so I don’t share it with a lot of people, understand?”
I’m quick to nod, realizing he’s sharing the first real bit of information about himself to me, aside from his snarky comments. This feels meaningful, and it makes me warm inside. One side of his lips quirk up, creating a long laugh line that accentuates his genuine smile, and I do my best to fight my own smile, painful as it is currently.
“Want me to tuck you in?”
My stomach flutters at the offer, at the way he states it; there’s no sass, no snark, only a gentle side to him I’ve not seen yet—another layer to this enigmatic man. Swallowing thickly, I find myself nodding before my dazed mind can keep up, and he shifts, tucking an arm beneath my knees as he pulls me onto his lap. My hands dart up, arms encircling his neck as he chuckles and stands.
The door swishes softly across the carpet as he pushes it open with his knee, bluish light from a neon sign nearby casting his room in an ethereal glow, one I’ve become so accustomed to that it makes me fight back a yawn. He chuckles down at me, never needing to look up and watch where he is walking, at one with the darkness, always. The soft whirring of his computer fan is a droning lullaby that makes my eyes droop, and I inadvertently curl my good cheek into his firm chest, resting it over his steady, thrumming heart.
He pauses, holding me over the bed we made together this morning because he wouldn’t stop bugging me to try calamari with him and we just ended up arguing across the comforter. When his smile blooms, my heart clenches.