Page 55 of Tainted

And she no longer denied the pulsing knot brewing in her stomach.

“Good girl.”

The hem of her shirt rose during the scuffle, exposing the intricate design of tulips draped in lavender that covered her side. I could’ve resisted but didn’t want to, so I kissed the flowers, forcing Zara’s words to become more breathy than she would’ve liked.

“K-k-kenyon,” but the sound of my voice and lips touching her stomach was too much to bear.

“That’s the wrong way to get me to stop Zara Nicole.” Her skin felt just as soft as it looked peeking under her shirt. “That stuttering shit does something to me.”

Usually, I was better at concealing mine, but not tonight. She was here, in my home, in my bed. It felt right that I got to have Zara because, soon enough, we’d be back in the real world.

My lips kissed her again, creating a trail to the brown morsel of chocolate I put in my mouth.

“Kenyon, p-please,” she begged, shuddering from my kisses that had progressed to much more.

“Please, what?” When Zara didn’t answer, I gently tugged at her nipple between my teeth, “Tell me.”

She tried because she was so ambitious and determined that she refused to throw in the towel. Only she wasn’t in control, leaning into my body for leverage while moaning.

“I-I um. I need to shower, Keyes.”

That was the last thing I wanted to fuckin’ hear, but somehow, I made myself responsible for her every whim anddesire, so I freed her nipple, adjusting her t-shirt to its original fit.

“Call me Keyes again, and I’m putting your ass out.”

“I don’t understand why it bothers you anyway. Everybody calls you Keyes.”

“The same reasonZara Nicolebothers you.”

I wasn’t the only one who was mysterious. She was, too, which is why she changed the subject.

“Do you have something I can sleep in? I didn’t plan for a sleepover.”

“You’ve already gone through my shit. Help yourself.”

She walked into the closet with her toes pointed like she was on stage. I was too busy focusing on the muscles in Zara’s calves to tell her she couldn’t sleep in a six-hundred-dollar Marni t-shirt. That’s what Zara wanted, so I didn’t argue when she walked into the bathroom to change.

It took me longer than usual to fall asleep because Zara was all over the damn bed. Syd was the only woman I’d shared mine with, and she slept like a pretty princess in one spot, unlike my guest tonight.

“If you move again, I’m kicking your ass out,” I groaned.

The wrinkles on my forehead vanished when I rolled over to her, mumbling in her sleep, her voice filled with fear.

“Zara,” I whispered, shaking her shoulder gently. “Hey, wake up.”

I shook her harder this time, her eyes flew open, wild and unfocused, She looked around the room disoriented and terrified.

“You’re safe, Babygirl,” I said quickly, trying to ground her. “It’s just a dream.”

But instead of calming down, she stumbled her way to the bathroom. The door slammed shut, and I heard the water startrunning. Whatever was going on in her head wasn’t just a simple nightmare.

After a moment, I got up and walked to the bathroom, knocking lightly. “Zara Nicole.”

There was no answer, just more loud, shallow breaths.

“You can’t hide in the bathroom all night. What if I need to piss?”

Still nothing, so I turned the knob and stepped inside. Zara was sitting on the floor with her knees drawn to her chest. She looked so small and vulnerable, a far cry from the confident woman who kept me on my toes.

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