Page 8 of Drowning

Damon and I ended things.

I know he's fixated on me and refuses to let go. He has threatened to kill me if I leave, and I believe him. His obsession has only gotten worse over time, and now it's just fucking scary.

I'm not sure what made him reconsider letting me go, and I'm too afraid to fucking ask now, especially after what happened on the job last night. I know it was Damon inside that house, shooting at us.

After last night, when he snatched me away from Kane, Damon took me to the side lot, where he proceeded to remind me how much he loved me and that he'd kill anyone who tried to take me away from him. When I tried to walk away, he grabbedmy throat and threw me to the ground, giving me a few kicks in the ribs to remind me who was in charge.

As he beat me, I blurted out, "I want to leave." He paused and looked at me as if I had slapped him across the face, then helped me up and gave me a deadly, chilling look that I still cannot get out of my head.

I was determined to break free from the chains of fear and control that had wrapped themselves around me. When I told him I wanted out again, he laughed and nodded before walking away. He never spoke to me again after that, and the fact that he let me go so easily made me even more afraid of what he had planned. I knew there was something, but I had no idea what or when.

So, now I'm sticking around at the bar until my brother goes home; it's the safest option for me.

My legs are numb from the journey, and my head is spinning as I lie on the couch in the back room. Despite the bitter burn of each sip, I keep drinking from the bottle of whiskey, wanting to be numb so I don't have to feel the physical and emotional pain I'm suffering through.

Suddenly, I feel uneasy, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Despite the fact that the room is spinning, I sit up and push through the discomfort to get to my feet.

Swinging open the door, I stumble down the hall in search of Eli, but instead run into Seven, as we have so many times before. He holds me tightly, keeping me steady.

"Where is my brother?" I can hear the slurred words coming from my mouth, but I smile regardless.

"He ran upstairs with Ace and Nova." Seven smiles, wiggling his brows.

"Ah, gotcha." I nod along with the beat of 'Body to Body' playing through the speakers.

"Where are you heading, Princess?" He shouts above the music, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine.

"Dance with me," I blurted out, eager to forget what had happened last night.

He appears surprised at first, but a smile spreads across his face as he leads me to the dance floor and twirls me around, my ass fitting perfectly against his groin. I can feel his already hard cock against me, and as his hands grip my hips, all of my worries melt away. I feel the thrill of his touch deep within my being.

Fuck, I'm in trouble.

As we dance, thoughts of Damon and my brother fade away, and I concentrate solely on the sense of liberation and excitement of being close to Seven. The music pulses through me, and I close my eyes to immerse myself in the moment. I can tell he feels it as well, and I enjoy knowing that I am eliciting a similar reaction from him.

My body moves seductively, and I roll my hips, eliciting a growl from his lips that sends a jolt right into my ear.

"I left him," I suddenly whisper.

Seven's eyes brighten, slightly widening as we continue to dance.

"Now kiss me like you've been wanting to, Seven," I taunt, hoping he will take the initiative.

"You're drunk, Princess. I can't do that." He offers a smile, but it's not good enough.

I want him, and resisting temptation will be impossible.

I move away from him and lace my fingers with his, guiding him to the back room. When we are inside and the door is closed, I push Seven against it and kiss him, asserting control over what I want.

But he pulls his mouth away from mine and holds my face in his tattooed hands. "Emerson, baby, we can't do this. You're... too drunk, and I don't want to take advantage."

"I'm drunk, yeah, but I know that I want this, Seven. I've wanted this for so fucking long now, but we never had the chance. I'm free now, and I know what I want."

He smiles, his lips curling deviously, making his deep blue eyes glisten under the LED lighting. "Then be a good girl and kiss me. Take what you want, Princess."

The moment he gives me permission, I lose it. I push him toward the couch, pulling on his clothes to get them off. He manages to pull down my leggings, but when he reaches for my sweatshirt, I stop him, my gaze sweeping over the tattoos that cover almost every inch of his naked, sculpted body. He gently pushes me onto the couch and stands there, staring at me sternly.

"Take it off, Princess. I want to see you—all of you." He stares at my naked lower half, his gaze drawn to the ring pierced through my clit, his mouth watering.

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