“It is, Sophie. You have no idea how badly I want to keep you. How badly it hurt me to think of you leaving today.” Hearing him say that makes me feel a little better, at least he still wants me here, at least he feels somewhat of the way I do.
“I don’t want to leave either.” I drop my gaze to the comforter.
“It’s okay, you deserve better...better than me.” I can’t help but frown at his response. He has no idea how wrong he is. With him I am safe, from my father’s rage, from the clutches of evil. It doesn’t even bother me as much as I know it should that he kills people. The best thing that ever happened to me was having him walk into my cell.
“Don’t say that.” I look up at him and see the sadness in his gaze.
“I’m going to shower, and then I’ll crawl into bed with you.” I listen as the shower turns on and a few minutes later a still somewhat drunk Roman appears in the doorway wearing nothing but a pair of low hanging shorts. My need for him overrules all my other thoughts. I can feel my arousal in my panties and when he slides under the blankets next to me and pulls me closer the wetness only grows.
Normally I just lay my head on his chest and cuddle into his side, but tonight I have other ideas. If I’m going to be leaving soon then I want to make the best of what little time we have left.
I lift my head and press my lips against his. He tastes like minty toothpaste with a hint of leftover whiskey. Deepening the kiss, I drag my tongue over his bottom lip, nudging him to let me in. His lips part and our tongues meet. He strokes my tongue with his gently, caressing me, making the heat in my womb bloom. Following my body’s instinct I press up onto my hands and knees, throwing a leg over his body to straddle him.
I feel his erection pressed up against my thigh, but when I start moving Roman grabs my hips, gripping them hard enough to stop my movements.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, confused. I can feel how much he wants me, and clearly, I want him, so I don’t understand what the problem is.
“Let’s just go to sleep okay?”
“Why? Did I do something wrong?” I pout, rejection slamming into me. I know I’m inexperienced, but I thought I was doing okay. Our first time was days ago, and I’m ready to do it again.
“No…you didn’t do anything.” He lifts my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “I just…I can’t do this right now. It has nothing to do with you. Your safety is the most important thing for me, and in my current state, it would be too easy to lose control.”
“You didn’t lose control last time, plus I trust you.” I shouldn’t trust him. Not when he’s taking these drugs that mess with his mind, but I could never picture him hurting me. I want to argue with him, tell him to stop taking the stupid pills and then he won’t have to worry anymore, but I won’t. There’s no point.
“Last time I wasn’t as high as I am now. It’s not safe, and I don’t have the patience to argue with you. Just go to sleep Sophie.”
Defeated, I slump down next to him and re-adjust the blanket on top of me. It takes me a long time to drift off to sleep, but with Roman’s arm holding me tightly against him, I finally do.
31
Roman
A blood curdling scream rips me from my dreamless sleep. My eyes fly open, but it takes me a few moments to register the mass chaos taking place around me. My chest rises and falls rapidly as I take in my surroundings. I’m in my bedroom, the only light coming from the night, making it hard to see.
My still drug hazed mind makes me slower than usual...my mind is whirling when a fist connects with my jaw. My head snaps back as pain shoots through my cheek. I stagger back a step, but then another scream just as loud and frightened as the last one pierces my ears.
At the sound I find my footing again, and everything becomes crystal clear inside my mind. I whip my gaze around the room, finding two guys in the bedroom. One is standing in front of me, the one that just punched me in the face. While the other one is standing a few feet away, maintaining a tight grip on Sophie.
Sophie!
The guy swings at me again, but this time, I see his fist coming. I duck to the side, twist and jab him in the gut. He bends over and I take this opportunity to follow up with a right hook. He goes from bending over to bending backwards in half a second. His whole body contorts in pain before he crumbles to the floor like the sack of shit he is.
I want to kick the shit out of him next, but my focus turns to Sophie first. The other guy is attempting to pull her toward the door, and there is no way in hell I’m letting him get away with her. A low whimper meets my ears and I lose it. My limbs move with inhuman speed. He only takes a single step in the time it takes me to cross the entire room.
Fire pumps in my veins and all I can think about is saving Sophie, protecting her no matter what.
A feral growl slips past my gritted teeth and the intruder lets go of her. She sags to the floor, and I grab her arms and pull her behind me while my other hand is already on the piece of shit’s throat. I squeeze hard, my hands shaking when I realize who is standing a few inches before me.
Andi? What the hell?
“What the fuck are you doing?” I yell directly into his face, uncontrolled anger coursing through my veins.
“They offered me a hundred grand. A hundred fucking grand! I couldn’t pass up the offer. I wasn’t going to hurt her, not really. I swear.”
Money? He did this for money? It takes me a moment to piece the puzzle together. I’ve known him since we were teenagers, we’ve been friends for years, and this asshole fucked me over for money?
My hand tightens around his throat as I slam him against the wall, watching as his head bounces off it. “How many are in the house?”
Anger, it’s all I feel. Anger for trusting this fucker—for inviting him into my home—only for him to touch what isn’t his.
“Just me and him,” he wheezes, looking at the guy on the floor. I loosen my grip a little, just enough so he can talk. “I thought we could take you if you were drunk.”
“Take me to do what?” I snarl.
“We were just going to knock you out and take her. That’s what they wanted. They just wanted the girl back. I wasn’t going to hurt her. You believe me, don’t you?”
My anger reaches a new high as I listen to his words. I want to throttle him, snap his neck, and spill his blood all over the fucking floor. Stupid. I’m so fucking stupid.
Sophie starts to sob behind me, and I grit my teeth harder, knowing she needs me right now and I won’t be able to do all those fucking things to him. I’ll have to interrogate him later, and that’s when I’ll get my payback, my revenge.
With one hand still on his throat, I hold him in place while pounding my fist into his face. My fist connects with his nose, and blood sprays from the wound. I hit him again, and again stoking the fire deep in my veins. I watch his eyes roll back into his head and feel his body go limp.
Releasing him with a push, he falls backward and hits the floor with a loud thump. I feel murderous rage, but I force it down, swallow it down deep. I can’t act out in violence right now, no matter how badly I want too.
I twist around and Sophie falls into my arms immediately, burying her face into my chest while wrapping her thin arms around my middle. I hold her as tight as I can without squishing her. Kissing the top of her head and rubbing her back, I try to calm her down, but she still cries and sobs uncontrollably.