Page 65 of Psychological War

“Thank you.”

What?

I don’t think I could have looked at her fast enough. Or have been more confused than I was.

“Thank you,” she repeated. “You saved me from Matteo again, which means you saved him. You’re training him and I don’t know how you can really train a four-year-old, but thank you.”

“Dimitri doesn’t trust me.”

“Dimitri will do anything I tell him to. But I don’t plan on telling him this. If Tobias needs this to feel safe, then thank you. And you have my permission if that’s what you need.”

Nodding my head in agreement, I knew that I would continue to show Tobias how to defend himself. Even though he was four years old, he was learning how to get out of situations. I would do anything for that little boy. Even if none of them knew.

***

Aziza was wasted and began to show Mila how to dance like a stripper. I tried sipping on the wine. But I hated the taste, and I needed to be aware of any possible danger.

“Oh my god, I love this song!” Mila belted out. I honestly have no idea how Tobias hadn’t woken up from how loud they were being. I also had no idea what song was playing, but the moment the beat dropped I jumped onto the coffee table.

“Yes!” Aziza giggled. “Throw that ass back, bitch!” Doing as she said. I swung my hips around, letting the music flow through me. I let the song distract me long enough to forget who I was or what I was supposed to be doing. I moved my body in ways I remembered Aziza showing me. I let myself feel loose and it felt amazing.

When the song ended all of us barely stopped dancing as we began to laugh. I don’t even know what made us laugh, but it felt good. It finally felt like I had a place, like someone besides Aziza who I grew up with understood me.

That was until I saw someone—not just someone, but three someone's standing in the front door entrance. I barely had time to stop moving before I locked eyes with Zane. I could feel the heat between us. It felt powerful, like I was standing on top of the world.

I didn’t have time to process what was happening or let my brain catch up before Zane stalked towards me. The moment his shoulder hit my stomach I was lifted off the table. I barely even heard someone mutter, “Oh fuck.” I had no idea who said that before Zane ran up the stairs, two at a time. I knew I was a small person but carrying me like this and running should’ve been difficult, but for him it wasn’t. Before I knew it, he’d kicked my bedroom door closed and I was sliding down his front.

Both of our breathing was labored, panting before anything even began.

“You don’t understand what you do to me.” His voice was husky. Low and full of sexual energy that I didn’t know if I could handle at all. The look on his face told me all and if I made one wrong move, he would attack me like an animal.

That still didn’t stop me from backing away until I hit my bed with the back of my knees. I scanned Zane’s body, his solid muscles straining against his long-sleeved Henley, his jeans tight in the right places. A rose mixed with a skull rested perfectly on his hand. I don’t know why my eyes were drawn to that, but I couldn’t pull my eyes away. Something was so different about it, but I’d seen that hand before. I’d seen that tattoo before.

I hadn’t realized I was biting my lips until I tasted the metal. Or the fact that I was eye fucking him until my eyes finally made it back up to Zane’s face. He almost appeared angry, but angry about what I had no idea. My thighs squeezed together. I could feel the wetness leaking into my panties now.

“Undress,” he ordered.

I, the girl who never listened to anyone, couldn’t have gotten undressed quick enough.

“Leave the heels on.” Again he ordered. I was about to combust here in front of him with that tone. Earlier I had decided to put my high-heeled, ankle boots on, and now I was glad I did.

I didn’t want to listen to him, yet I did. My body was not in tune with my head, because I told myself I wouldn’t listen to him, that I was in charge, yet my hand tugged my tight shirt over my head. Reaching for my leggings I peeled them over the heeled boots I always wore.

“Fuck,” Zane muttered, reaching into his pants to adjust himself.

Unhooking my bra I let it drop onto the floor, before tossing my panties to the side as well.

I shifted on my feet suddenly feeling uncomfortable with standing here completely naked in front of him. Every time we had sex it was dark, and it had been fast, in the moment type of stuff. But now I was standing here, naked, with scars in full view.

“Come here.” That voice again. The moment I was about to take a step towards him he said, “Crawl.”

Holy fuck.

My body shivered. I didn’t think as I slowly slid down to my hands and knees. I felt degraded, and I was surprised by the way my body reacted to it. I didn’t want to think about the scars littering my body and the way he could see them.

I ignored the ping in my gut that I looked hideous and I crawled to him. Stopping in front of him, I sat back on my knees, knowing that he most likely didn’t want me to stand.

He stared down at me, as though he didn’t know what he wanted to do just yet. It felt like the longest time before he reached down and cupped my cheek, stroking my jaw with his thumb while his other hand reached for his pants and began unbuttoning the top and pulling the zipper down. I wanted to look at what he was doing, but I couldn’t pull my eyes away from him. We both stared at each other as he pulled himself out from his pants.

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