Page 62 of Come Fill Me

Did he think it was easy for her to watch him flirting withthe other women? To wait for him at night, wondering what girl he was with when he didn’t come to her? Imagining what he and that woman were doing? How they played together and laughed? How they loved?

She dug her nails into the palms of her hands, wanting that pain rather than the intense sorrow and frustration coursing through her. “The only thing I want you to do for me, Jacob, is to give me a chance so I can convince you to love me.”

He regarded her, finally. The pain on his face was identical to what she felt.

“Please,” she whispered, crossing the room to him. More than anything, she wanted to sag against his strong body but didn’t dare, not wanting to force his hand, to make him run from her. “Tell me what I have to do, and I’ll do it. I’ll be whatever you want. I’ll change. Do you want me to laugh more? I can do that. Do you want me to cut my hair or dye it so it matches her color? If I dress differently, will that help?”

He stared at her, his expression troubled.

“Just tell me,” she cried.

“Kele, please.” Jacob edged away, his back hitting the door as he tried to maintain physical distance.

The emotional divide was even worse, stretching between them. Pitiless and cruel.

“You’re fine just the way you are,” he said, sounding as he did when he complimented a child for good behavior or one of the elderly women on how she looked that day. Kind, yet disconnected. “You’re beautiful. Don’t change a thing about yourself. Not for me or any other man. You need someone who’ll appreciate your love. I can think of a dozen guys here who’d jump at the chance to be with you.”

He wanted to give her away to someone else? A tear rolled down the side of Kele’s mouth to her chin, dripping from it onto her torso.

Jacob parted his lips to speak then closed them as though he hadn’t a clue what to say.

For one foolish moment, she hoped he’d catch one of her tears on his fingertip, bringing it to his mouth, tasting its salty flavor, then tell her he’d been joking. She was his. To prove it, he’d enfold her in his arms, promising to be with her always.

A silly dream, she knew, when reality was far harsher. He pretended not to notice her weeping and reached behind himself for the doorknob.

“We’ll always be friends,” he assured. “You need help with anything you can come to me. No problem. I’ll be there for you, Kele. Count on it. Okay?”

It wasn’t. Not that it mattered. Jacob didn’t give her a chance to answer before he slipped out of her room, closing the door.

Kele remained where she was, crying quietly, not knowing what to do. She’d lost her mother to cancer and her father to the clan’s many conflicts when she was a young girl. She’d poured all of her love, her entire future into Jacob.

He wanted to be friends. Because he was already in love with someone else.

Nausea overwhelmed Kele. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she bent at the waist and swallowed repeatedly. She imagined the coming days, watching him and Liz in this compound, going about their lives, spending their evenings together despite what Zeke had claimed.

Jacob would have his way as he always did. He’d steal moments with Liz if that was what it took. He’d mount her, pounding his cock into her cunt, her cries of delight mingling with his huffs of pleasure.

Zeke might not be aware of what they were doing, but Kele would know. She’d see it on their faces, in their eyes. Her body shook with the unbearable thought of what the approachinghours would bring. She couldn’t stand the thought of them being together. It wouldn’t be possible for her to live through their joy.

The urge to do something, to run, overwhelmed Kele. She slipped on her tee and left her room, fingering tears from her eyes as she bolted down the hall. To her relief, her moccasins quieted her footfalls. She didn’t want the others to hear her, to question where she was going, what she’d do.

On and on she ran through the stronghold, gulping air as she approached the tunnel’s door. Ike was there, his back to her, an assault rifle at his side as he guarded the entrance against attack.

An unnecessary precaution Zeke had put into place since bringing Liz here. Already, she’d brought the clan nothing but problems. Even if an intruder discovered the tunnel’s entrance and wandered down it, he’d never get past the metal door, not even with a blowtorch or explosives. The alloy was from the Others—impenetrable.

The same as Jacob’s heart.

Kele sucked in several deep breaths, hoping to calm herself. When she could trust how she looked and behaved, she approached Ike.

He turned at her hand on his arm. “Oh, hey, Kele.”

His broad face widened even more with his smile. He was one of the guys Jacob wanted her to focus on so he could be with Liz.

“Didn’t hear you,” he said, his smile catching. He studied her more closely. “You okay?”

She had to get out of here. She couldn’t breathe. Think. “Sure.”

“You look like you’ve been crying.”

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