Page 64 of Lie with Me
“Kayne?” I hear Ellie’s voice echo in the background.
“I gotta go,” he says menacingly, as if he’s threatening me right through the phone.
Click.
I exhale the breath I have been holding for the last five minutes and smash my fist against my forehead. What a fucking mess.
I go back inside and take in the sight of a peacefully sleeping Tara. It instantly calms me. I crawl onto the bed next to her and pull her into my arms, careful not to hurt her. I stare at the ceiling most of the night strategizing, talking myself out of a mask and fully loaded sniper rifle ten times over.
I WAKE UP EARLY, INCJ’s arms. I feel safe, exactly where I’m meant to be.
My ribs still hurt, but not nearly as much as last night. I thank God for small favors. I roll over to face him, digging my nose into his neck. He smells good, like aftershave or cologne of some sort. Clean. I just lie there inhaling him, getting high off his scent.
“You better quit that,” he murmurs sleepily. “I promised Philly I’d stay away from you last night. All bets are off this morning.” He slides his hand down around to my ass and pokes his erection into my thigh.
Is that why he wouldn’t touch me? Because of Philly?
“I told you I needed you last night. Nothing’s changed.” I suck on his neck lightly, the stubble from his five o’clock shadow tickling my skin.
CJ pops his eyes open, the dark brown turning to cognac in the bright morning sun.
“I don’t want to end up hurting you more.” He places his hand over my rib.
I shake my head. “The only way you can possibly hurt me more is if you reject me.”
“I could never reject you.”
That’s all I need to hear. I lift my head and shove my tongue right between his lips, kissing him like the desperate woman Iam. Like the needy, wanton, emotionally-impoverished beggar I’ve become.
He kisses me back with equal vigor, grabbing my hips and moaning into my mouth, reducing us to two starving vagabonds finally indulging in a seven-course meal.
“Up,” he spontaneously announces, dragging me out of bed.
“Where are we going?” I lock my arms around his neck, trying to climb up his body.
“Into the shower,” he mumbles between famished kisses, pulling me off the ground.
“Why?” I wrap my legs around his waist and fuse my mouth to his, our tongues playing a wild game of cat and mouse.
“To abolish our sins.” He walks us into the bathroom and drops me gently onto the floor. With quick, provisioned movements, he turns the shower on and then strips me of all my clothes. His are gone a moment later. After we’re both naked, he inspects me with his hands, running his fingertips over the bruised skin on my side and the black and blue mark on my face.
“I’m going to kill him, Tara.” He kisses my cheek. “Over and over again.”
“I didn’t know you could die more than once.” I close my eyes, relishing his touch.
“That’s the misconception about death. You can die multiple times, in multiple ways, and I plan to make him suffer.” He hums darkly, touching me so tenderly I feel the affection in the deepest, most inner part of my soul. A place no one has ever reached before.
I nearly tackle him, overcome with need and an abundance of emotion.
“Please, I need you,” I beg him. “Just you, only you.” I’m talking crazy, drunk with desire and distress.
Before I know it, a stream of hot water is soaking my hair and a barrage of even hotter kisses are searing my skin. I’m alight with need, my body pleading, and my clit pulsing justfrom CJ’s sheer proximity.
Everything happens so fast and moves so quickly as I’m swept right off my feet and pinned to the wall.
“You’re on the pill, right?”
I nod zealously. “And I’m clean. I swear. I would never . . .”
