Page 67 of Black Bird

He settled on the meatball subs Rhaena had brought over that night he’d first tried human food. He never did finish that damn sandwich. He tried her phone one more time before heading home to try and see if she wanted him to stop by her place first. When she didn’t answer that time either, he got nervous and raced back to his apartment. The bag of subs nearly flattened in his arm when he unlocked the door, and when he opened it, he didn’t see her anywhere. The kitchen had been tidied up, all the files stacked on top of the laptop she’d closed and tucked to the far side of the kitchen table. The snacks he’d stolen from Rhaena’s house were arranged in containers on the counter and nestled beside his microwave. He wondered if she’d noticed the thing was never plugged in or even used.

Athan set the bag and his helmet on the kitchen table, reaching for his gun, and locking the door. “Sarah …” he called. No answer. He slid the gun from his holster and cocked it, moving further into the living room. Poe was in his cage, seemingly content … and quiet, for once. A toilet flushed and he rounded the corner into the hallway by his bedroom and Sarah came creeping out. She screamed and grabbed her chest when she saw him, and he lowered his gun. “Shit … Sarah!”

“Damn! Were you gonna shoot me?” She panted, bending over and pressing her palms to her knees. “Jesus, you ‘bout gave me a heart attack …”

“I called. You didn’t answer, I thought—I thought something …”

“It’s dead. I don’t have a charger.” She chuckled, straightening herself. Their eyes met and he couldn’t help but smile back at her … just a little. “What smells good?”

“I stopped and got subs. I didn’t know what you liked.” He turned and walked back to the living room, laying his gun on top of Poe’s cage, and shrugging off his jacket. He couldn’t stand to look at her longer than a few minutes in those clothes. This was madness. He ran both hands through his hair and plopped down onto the couch, leaning back and resting his head against the leather. Sarah stepped over to the bird cage and Poe moved to nip at her fingers as she poked them through. He watched her.

“Is this your service weapon?” she asked, looking at the Glock.

“Yes.”

“Can I hold it?” Her hand moved to pick it up and he leaned forward in panic.

“Sarah … don’t—” Too late. She lifted it off the cage, and to his surprise knew how to hold it safely. Her finger rested on the side of the barrel, and she turned it back and forth holding the end away from her. “Bring that here, please.”

“Kay.” She smirked, walking toward him slowly and holding it at her hip. She stood just past his knees and moved it just out of his reach. “You ever shoot anybody with it?”

He swallowed, not knowing how to answer. “I have, yes. Not because I wanted to.” He held his hand out. “Give it here.”

“Come on, it’s just us. Nobody’s here for you to get in trouble.”

“That’s hardly the point.” She locked eyes with him, and he nearly lost his breath. It got worse the minute she pressed her fingertips to his chest and eased him back, climbing into his lap and resting a tattooed thigh on each side. He wasn’t sure where to put his hands, respectfully. “What are you doing …”

Jesus Christ, he was gonna lose it …

She pointed the gun toward the ceiling and brought it to her mouth, running her tongue up the sides before grazing the end of the barrel down the front of her shirt. His breathing hitched. “I’m just wondering what something as dangerous and forbidden as you must feel like …” Sarah teased, those big hazel eyes never leaving his. Her nipples hardened underneath that white t-shirt and his throat burned. The whispers in his head started raging.

“That’s chambered. Please don’t—”

“If you really aren’t enjoying this, Kane … then feel free to stop me at any time. I won’t be mad.” She moved it lower, the material on the waistline of those boxers wrinkling as it skitted over them.

“It’s not about you being mad … it’s about you being safe.” He choked, his breathing getting quicker every second he watched her. “This … isn’t safe.” He moved his hand over hers, making a sad attempt to stop her, but she leaned forward, raising herself over him.

“I thought you said I was safe withyou,” she whispered, her lips a breath away from his. It was very clear where this was going. He should stop it. She still didn’t know what he’d done. He should stop this … He shou—

“Sarah …” Athan’s plea was barely audible as she slipped the barrel up the leg of those shorts, and he could feel the heat of her body over his hand. She moved down onto it slowly and closed her eyes, raising herself and sinking back lower … low enough that her slick warm cunt touched his skin. He didn’t know what to do with himself. The restriction of his jeans was straining against his cock every time she moved or released a sharp breath. “Christ …” he whispered, holding her lower back as she leaned backward, moving her hand, and his with it, while the barrel slid in and out of her. She was soaking wet.

“Look at it,” she whispered, moving the gun faster. Her other hand reached down, and she lifted the leg of her shorts enough that when he felt able to tear his eyes from hers, he could see her stretching around the glistening metal. Athan was about to tear a hole through his bottom lip. He could barely catch his breath. She grabbed his wrist and moved it with her, riding it faster and breathing heavier.

He couldn’t control himself anymore. His hips rolled beneath her, pushing against their hands and he leaned forward, realizing then that he’d found himself doing itforher. She took both hands off the gun, leaving him with it, and crossed her arms in front of her to pull her shirt over her head. It hit the floor behind her. “What do you want me to do …” he asked breathlessly, pulling his arm around her back and bringing her closer.Fuck, she was beautiful.Every inch of her was so goddamn beautiful.

“I wantyouto fuck me with it.” Her arms reached around his neck, and he dropped his mouth to hers … right over that lightly bruised mark he’d left. His heart was going to explode. It thrashed against his ribs and when she let her head fall back, he did exactly as she asked. Her scent got stronger and the sound of his gun filling her up was nothing compared to the moans that started leaving her throat. She fisted his hair, and he plunged the barrel in and out of her. He died not kissing her on that open mouth but didn’t hesitate to slide his tongue across that spot on her neck. He knew what it would do to her. Knew, only because of what it did to him every time Dahlia touched him there. Sarah’s breath caught and she arched into him. Her body started shaking around him and he moved his mouth to her ear while he continued to fuck her harder with his weapon. She whimpered every time it went deeper.

“Come, Sarah …” he whispered, barely able to stop himself from doing the same. His dick hurt. He couldn’t stop pressing against her. He could feel her tighten around the barrel and she nearly screamed when she came all over his hand. He bit down on her ear lobe, and she shook violently, gripping his hair hard enough to hurt. Athan relished in it, sliding the barrel out of her and sitting it next to him on the couch. He made sure she watched him bring his thumb up to his mouth and when he tasted her, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to keep himself from taking the rest straight from between her thighs. He let her press her forehead against his, both of them panting against each other while she calmed down.

Sarah’s hands slid out of his hair and down each side of his face. “Well …” She smiled lazily. “That was reckless.” For the first time in … he couldn’t remember when, he had no idea what to do. He knew what hewantedto do … but there wasn’t any chance of coming back from the place they’d just gone—and she was sitting half naked in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her warm body and figured that was safe enough to keep his hands from going anywhere else. Her lips brushed against his and he pulled back. It felt horrible to reject her. Even more so when she looked at him and those eyes were pleading … confused. He couldn’t blame her.

“Please …” he whispered, his voice shaking. “You can’t.”

“Why?” She frowned, brushing his hair back away from his brow.

“If I let you, I won’t be able to stop myself.”

“I don’t want you to … Athan, I swear, if I’m reading you all wrong, I’m gonna die of fucking shame. I thought …” She shook her head slowly and drew her brows together. He couldn’t stand it.

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