Page 47 of Wallflower

I kiss her again. This time without restraint. I curl my arms around her, crushing her to me as my tongue invades her mouth. Rosie cries out, the sound muffled between our lips as she writhes against me, willingly suffering through the agony to please me.

When we part, my chest is heaving, pants straining. I know she can feel my need for her brushing against the smiley face crudely painted on her abdomen.

Later.

I can wait.

I’m not even supposed to be in here.

“I want to patch you up, but it’ll have to be after they move you to a different room, I’m sorry, Rosie.”

“Okay,” she whispers, deflating before my eyes.

Turning to the mirror, I approach. Rose’s blood stains my face and shirt. Shit. I can’t walk through the halls like this. Removing the dark tank top, I wipe my face until it’s clean, then flip it inside out. “It shouldn’t be too much longer. Maximus will want you in peak condition and dressed to the nines when your buyer returns.” Sliding my shirt back on, I turn to face her again. “Don’t worry, we’ll be gone by then. But you should get treatment very soon.”

Her eyes fall shut, not bothering with a response.

I peck her on the cheek, careful not to get any more blood on me before I head to my own room. “Get some rest, pretty girl. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

An orange the size of a softball flies at me once the door is cracked open enough. I jerk back just in time, the air from the moving projectile grazing my cheek, sending the incessant hairs that won’t stay in place fluttering into my eye. “Ahh! Fuck!” I snarl as the tips poke my cornea, tears welling in my eye.

“Did I get you, motherfucker?” Shantel hollers from inside the room.

“No! My hair poked me in the fucking eye,” I grumble, strolling down the hall to retrieve the rolling fruit.

“Serves you right! What were you thinking not checking in?” Shantel’s apple green eyes match the colour in her short, leaf-printed tennis dress as she stares me down.

I cautiously enter the room, quickly looking for any more possible fruit-weapons, as a look promising violence is painted on her face. Usually, this shit would have me harder than a rock. Who does she think she is, throwing fruit at me? It’s our game. It always has been. I push her, she fights back, and we fuck it out of our system.

Now?

My dick’s as limp as soggy spaghetti.

“On today of all days,” she growls, fear laced through her annoyance.

“I’m sorry, things got away from me. The meeting ran long, but I’ve got a way in.” Shutting the door behind me, I move across the room to the desk, placing the shopping bags down upon it. “I made it seem like one of his girls interests me, we agreed I could try the milk before purchasing the cow.”

“Do you have to say it like that?”

I’m not about to tell my slightly infatuated head of security that I almost dropped to my knees before the most enrapturing woman I’d ever laid eyes on. I wouldn’t put it past Shantel to have Rose eliminatedaccidentally. She’s slightly off-kilter. It’s what makes her good at her job, and why we get along so well. She’s willing to take the risks that others are not.

“How else should I word it?” I snap. “Maximus is going to let me repeatedly defile this abducted woman while I’m on the islands looking forRip.And when Ikillhim, I can have her as consolation. If I fail, her price is astronomical. So I need to drag this out, break this woman over and over as I worm my way into his operation. All while hunting myself. It’s brilliant and disgusting.”

Shantel levels me with a look. “You’re so convincing I almost believed you.”

Smiling sweetly, I reply, “Thanks, I’ve been practicing.”

She saunters over to me, placing her palms on my chest. I hate the sensation, the entitlement, like she’s somehow allowed to touch me because of our complicated relationship. She’s not, neither is anyone else, not unless I explicitly say. I’d break her fucking fingers if she wasn’t my best friend’s sister. “Don’t lose sight of the goal when you’re in there. I know how you get when the begging starts.” She looks up at me. Her short and petit form trying to exude authority as long dark caramel waves frame her pretty face, curling around under her small tits. Both ears are lined with piercings. They glint in the late afternoon light streaming through the glass balcony doors.

My eyes roll back as a sliver of pleasure digs itself beneath my skin. No doubt, Shantel thinks I’m remembering the vision of her pleading, tear-streaked face. But I’m not. I’ve been thrown back into that room with Rose. The smell of her blood invading my fucking brain as I fight the urge to impale her on my cock. I could have shattered her in seconds with her all charged up like that. I know it.

However, I need to exercise restraint this time. Edge myself and make the build euphoric. Because when that spitfire breaks, oh…it will be a sight to behold. Nothing may ever compare to it again.

Shantel’s fingers start to work the top button of my breezy black shirt, yanking me out of my thoughts. Rose’s blood still colours my chest, and I don’t want to deal with the jealousy that will awaken in the woman currently fogging up the air with her lust.

Placing my hands over hers, I stop her movements. Gently, I remove her touch. “I have so much work to do. The meet is less than a week away.”

Mouth forming into a thin line, she takes a step back, my head of security snapping to attention. Gesturing to the bags, I quickly relay what items are for who, and direct her to stop forice cream. Kyle will be elated, but Bucky will be annoyed with me for pissing off his sister.