Page 16 of Spelled By Truth and Tresses

Why did he encourage me to use his body and then deny me? I fucking hated that I wanted him, but loved that I had him, if only for a moment. How I felt about him made no sense, but I needed it like a plant needed water.

I blushed, sure my cheeks were bright red. He reached over the small space between us and took my hands in his. I flinched, but let him do it. He looked at me and the fine wrinkles around his eyes crinkled, his resulting smile completely genuine. “You flinched.”

I swallowed hard, then straightened my spine. “I guess I did.”

He closed his eyes. “Close your eyes and let me in.”

I wanted to refuse, but my curiosity was too great. My eyes squeezed closed, colors I could not name swirled behind my lids, as I inhaled slowly through my nose and tried to open my mind, but a big part of me felt like it was one big joke and I would end up being the punchline.

“I would never intentionally embarrass you.” He said as if he could read my thoughts, rubbed his palm against my lower back. “Well, not until you beg me to.”

I pursed my lips.

“Keep your mind open and settle your thoughts,” he ordered, his deep baritone a silky caress.

My thoughts drifted like clouds in the darkness behind my eyelids. I breathed in deeply through my nose, then exhaled through my mouth. I’ve always found rain of any form relaxing. Thunder boomed. I opened my eyes in time to see a flash of lightning crack through the sky.

“Stay with me.” He said, and I closed my eyes again. I wasn’t sure what we were doing, but I let my mind drift. His grip on my hands was strong. Feeling my hands in his sent a warm tingle up my arms. One by one, those tingles turned into shockwaves, like a whole-body orgasm. .

“Open your eyes.”

My eyelids fluttered open. We were sitting on a hardwood floor in a modern house. My eyes widened. “What the….”

He squeezed my hands tighter. “Don’t panic.”

“This. Is. Not. Normal.” I looked around. “What is this place?”

“Your subconscious.”

My hands trembled. “Sorry, did you just say you’re in my mind?”

He nodded.

I looked side to side, not wanting to move because of how freaked out I was.

“Does this room look familiar?” Jax asked.

I shook my head. At least, I couldn’t remember it. “No.”

My heart lodged itself in my throat, then the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. We were being watched. Whatever was happening, I needed it to stop.

“Let’s go back,” I begged. “Please.”

But it was too late. We heard footsteps coming from outside of the living area we were in, followed by a man’s voice. Our eyes met, then the door flew open. In walked a man who I quickly recognized.

“Is…is that you?” I asked Jax.

Jax’s double didn’t react to my voice. Over on the sofa, I saw a blonde woman lounging against the arm rest and reading. How did we not notice her before? Goosebumps pebbled my skin. Something about her was familiar. It was as if only a small portion of the room was focused. A defined circle ringed Jax and me, the rest of the room blurred on the fringes.

“That’s me.” I gasped. Jax tensed beside me, then stepped away.

Then Jax’s double did something I don’t remember happening. He crouched in front of the sofa and looked into my eyes, then told me to go to sleep. It was as if he had compelled me, the dream-like version of myself. Her head fell back and her body slumped to the cushions.

“When the dead speak, heed their words. It will save your life someday,” Jax’s double whispered. My ears strained as I struggled to catch every word.

Before I could see what was about to happen, the room spun like multicolored galaxies, then we slammed onto the unforgiving floor of the tower.

“What happened!?” I shrieked.

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