Page 62 of The Cult

“I can do that.” Sterling nodded decisively. “What else?”

“That’s it for now.”

First things first: I needed to get to Abel.

Twenty-Six: Abel

The night was winding down and still I was wide awake. I blamed Tobias and all the ways he’d disrupted the organized chaos within the walls of The Creed, and how his touches kept me craving more. He’d been the center of my thoughts when I was awake and the subject of my dreams when I was asleep. Our barracks somehow felt empty these past few days, even though nothing had changed.

I tossed back my blanket and sat up. I was ashamed to admit that I’d been waiting all day for Tobias to make his appearance. Being in his presence was the only bright side of being isolated from everyone I loved, no matter how fucked up our relationship had become since we’d reunited. I leaned my back against the cool cement wall, thinking about the hurt in his eyes the last time we saw each other. I wished there was a way I could ease his pain—make him smile, forget his sorrow and whatever else was bothering him, even if it was temporary—but I had my own problem. One that was bigger than me. I banged my head softly against the wall to ground myself and regain my focus.

My family was relying on me. The guys were depending on me. I would never let them down.

The clock struck midnight, so I closed my eyes, picturing Tobias. I imagined him stripping down seductively, putting on a show while undressing until he was in nothing but his underwear. He licked his palm and snaked his veiny hand underneath his boxer, his inviting mismatched brown and hazel eyes never leaving mine. Tobias’s forearm muscles flexed as he gripped his shaft.

My cock perked up; my balls tingled. I could use a quick release right now—jacking off never failed to put me to sleep. I rubbed my cock through my briefs. “Mmmm,” I moaned, sliding my palm over the fabric of my underwear, the sleek tip of my dick poking out of the waistband. I cupped my balls, massaging my taint. This was exactly what I needed. I hooked my thumb under the waistband, but before I had the chance to free my dick, my attention drifted to the soft shuffling of feet coming from the hallway.

Fucking guards. “Damn it,” I muttered. I quietly jumped from my bunk and headed to the door. The other guys had been out for hours and I didn’t want to wake them.

The strides halted in front of the ajar door. Anticipation surged through my veins at the prospect of Tobias stopping by, but it was immediately replaced by dread when I remembered the last creepy encounter with Napoleon. My skin crawled at the reminder of his unwelcome perusal. Please be Tobias.

The metal door creaked when I pulled it open; I paused before checking my friends’ bunks to see if they’d awakened. Thankfully, they were knocked. I lifted the heavy door from the ground while pulling it open at the same time to minimize the scraping.

Unexplainable warmth burrowed in my chest when Tobias greeted me. He stood outside our room expectantly. It was as if he knew I’d be waiting for him this late. “You came,” I whispered through the ball of emotions lodged in my windpipe. My heart filled with joy and I couldn’t help but smile. It was all I could do to stop my pathetic ass from rushing to wrap my arms around him.

“Jesus!” He blew out a breath when his eyes found my stiffy.

“Oh shit.” I covered my crotch in a lame attempt to hide my boner from him, but it was too late.

Tobias and I locked eyes and, for the briefest moment, he flashed a similar gaze my parents used to share. He snapped his head down but not before his lips mouthed, “Fuck!” He turned his back to me, shaking his head as he headed toward the exit. “Let’s go outside,” he said.

“Okay. Give me a sec.” I tiptoed to my bunk, pulled my tank top over my head, and slid into my pants. I laced my boots, my hands shaking with anticipation. Excitement filled my senses, reels of our previous encounters flooding my thoughts. “Where are we going?” I asked when I returned to him.

“Just follow me.” He strode toward the exit like he was in a hurry to get the fuck out.

I dashed behind him discreetly to avoid betraying our presence. It was surprising how eager I was to be outside with him. Old me would’ve been apprehensive about the consequences of being caught, but standing behind Tobias drowned out all my worries. I won’t let anyone hurt you, he told me once. I believed him. My trust for him fueled my every step. “So, where’re we headed?” I asked again, elbowing him when we were side by side.

He glanced my way with raised eyebrows and a tight jaw. “We need to talk.”

“Okay …” The way he uttered those words didn’t exactly sound like he’d be up for another round of fun. “Talk about what?”

Tobias peered behind us before unlocking the door with his key. “Not here,” he said. “Anywhere but this godforsaken place.” He gently closed it behind us.

The night was cool and damp, a summer storm rolling in from the west. We crept out of the woods, the same way we did when he took me out for the first time. Only this time, we didn’t stop. We continued walking, passing through unkempt pathways, sometimes hopping over large fallen trees.

“Brrr, it’s cold.” My teeth ground as I shivered. My tolerance to temperatures below fifty degrees was nonexistent. “It’s supposed to be fucking summer,” I whined, not caring if it made me sound like a wimp. I was built like a brick, but I still hated the cold.

Tobias stopped walking and turned around to face me. His features were under the shadow of a tree so I couldn’t read his expression. “Are those the only clothes you have?”

“This tank top is all we get,” I answered, rubbing my arms for warmth.

“It’s not even that cold.” Tobias stepped closer, pulling his shirt over his head, mirroring my earlier imagination. I could never get tired of staring at his impressive chest and seductive tattoos. I wanted to run my tongue over every inch of his skin. If he’d let me, I’d worship on my knees. “Wear this,” he said with a slight hesitation. Tobias tossed his shirt to me, which I caught before it landed on the ground.

“What about you? Aren’t you cold?” I asked. It took everything I had to not sniff his shirt like a perv.

“I’m used to the cold,” he said, turning his back on me. “Put that on.”

I did what I was told and trekked behind him. Following allowed me to ogle his ass, back, and shoulders. Even though we moved through the shadows, I couldn’t miss his deliciously muscular physique. For as long as I could remember, he’d always been in great shape. Muscles like those required a lot of work. I wondered what he did for a living. Dad once told me that Tobias worked odd jobs. Whatever work that was, it must pay him well, because I remembered his big house next to a giant barn that sat in an apple orchard, in the middle of nowhere, where he married his wife.

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