Page 34 of Darkness

“What key entry do you want?” Miles asks. He takes a moment and looks over at Autumn-Rose, then turns to me with a smile.

“Take her finger print. Two cameras on the windows, one on the door, one on the stairs coming up to her place, and-” I stop and turn to Autumn-Rose when she coughs. “Scared scale one to ten? How scared are you of whoever it is finding you?”

“I can’t afford all that. And a ten, a very high ten.” Frightened, that’s all I see in her. A shiver in her voice, and she bites on her lower lip.

“Do you trust me?” She gives me a nod, and I turn back to Miles. “One on the roof, and the front door, but make sure thatno one can see that one. Add my print on the system, and send me all the information so I can get it on our cells.” Whoever it is she’s hiding from won’t get past my system, I’m glad she is willing to put her trust into me.

“Face recognition?” Miles asks, and I look over my shoulder and I see her panicking.

“Not yet. I’ll be here when you come. Call me when you’re on your way.” Miles says bye to Autumn-Rose. I know I didn’t introduce them, but at the moment she’s not ready to meet my whole family, especially when I keep them at a distance myself.

I turn back to face her, walking over to her. I wrap my arms around her and she finally relaxes into my arms for the first time since the conversation started.

“Let’s get to bed.” I pick her up and she wraps her legs around my waist. If this is her way of saying we get to play one more time before bed, I’m more than happy to make her scream my name a few more times.

And this conversation can wait for when she’s ready. I will start pushing if I get nothing from her in the next two days. About my past, I have no idea where to even fucking start. But I know I’m going to have to give answers to get answers from her.

Fourteen

Autumn-Rose

I stareat the empty space next to me. When did he leave? I didn’t want to wake up without him here. I move over to the side he was sleeping on, and the pillow smells like him. Fresh, woody, cedar like I’m walking in the forest and I have to say I do like smelling him on my bed.

Finally getting out of bed, as much as I want to stay, I can’t. I have a lesson with Poppy in two hours, so I need something to eat. Grabbing a sweatshirt, I make my way to the kitchen. I stop in my tracks when I see Cain sitting on the couch on the cell.

“Well, tell him he can fucking wait. I’m not going back there because he wants to be a fucking baby… Well tell him if he wants to bark like a dog, I’ll treat him like one too.” Who is he talking about? I knew there was a bad energy around him the moment I saw him, but yet it pulled me towards him, almost as if I didn’t have a choice but to go to him. “I’ll be over as soon as Miles gets here. Anything from the laptop?” I get myself some water and turn back to watch Cain as he gets up and walks over to me. “I’ll be over soon,” he ends the call, putting his cell on the kitchen counter, places his hands on my hips, and leans in for a kiss.

“Good morning,” I say as he pulls away from me.

“Morning.” He grabs my bottle of water and drinks some of it, running his hand through his hair. “What time do you have to work?” he asks.

“Can I ask a quick question? It’s been bugging me since last night.” Cain lifts me up a little and sits me on the counter, and gives me a nod. “Is your name Cain Cain?” Cain looks around the apartment, I’m not sure what he’s looking for, but he turns back at me. “No, my first name is Cain. You don’t need to worry about my last name.”

My mouth opens, but no words come out because I’m not sure what to say to him about not telling me his last name. Is he hiding from someone? He doesn’t give out the energy of fearing anyone. “What time do you start work?” he asks again.

“I have a lesson with Poppy first, then a meeting with a couple for their wedding. They want gothic style flowers. You have a busy day?” I ask him. I move my hands over his arms, taking my time looking over the tattoos which are covering every part of his skin. I’m not sure which one I like the most. The eagle face with paint splashes on his biceps is stunning. Continuing to look at his arms, I look at the very realistic scorpion tattoo, which is half on his hand and half on his wrist, as if it’s moving on his arm. “That’s so cool.”

“I think you need at least half a day to look at all the details in my tattoos.” Cain moves his hand up and down my thighs. He stops as he brings up my shorts a little. “Fuck, you really do bruise like a peach.” I look down at my inner thighs and see marks from where he was holding my legs open last night. “Going to enjoy seeing my marks all over you. And to answer your question, yes, I do have a busy day.”

“Is all of your chest covered in tattoos?” I ask, wanting to see what he has under this t-shirt.

“It is.” He pulls away from me, and I watch him walking to the couch and fuck, he’s got a strong broad back. “What timedo you have to leave?” He sits down and looks out the window before turning back to me.

“About an hour. How do you know Logan? You were there when I was teaching Poppy and talking to him.” I get off the counter and walk over to him, and sit next to him, but he turns his face towards me with a little chuckle. Not sure what’s so funny, but he doesn’t look happy either.

“You’re not having breakfast?” he asks, and he doesn’t sound happy with it either. “You need breakfast,” he tells me as he walks off into the kitchen to see what I have. Not a lot, I can already tell him that without looking. “Omelet?” He asks me, placing a few things on the counter.

“Sure.” He cooks too. What can this man not do? There has to be something wrong with him.

“Logan is my half-brother, and neither one of us is happy about it. He wishes I was never there, and I feel the same. But to keep mom happy, we both tolerate each other.” He doesn’t look towards me as he gets to making me breakfast, but all I can think about is what he just said and what it all means. Do I have more questions, yes? But I think I need to wait for him to tell me in his own time. Pouring the eggs into the frying pan, he finally looks up at me. “I would appreciate it if you don’t mention us to them, or my mom. I don’t need her banging on my door.” I watch him walk around my kitchen as if he knows where everything is, but not telling them is fine with me. I don’t want them asking me questions about Cain, which they should be asking him.

Walking over to him, I wrap my arms around his waist, and he looks down at me and comes closer to kiss me. He pushes me back a little and, not letting me go, he flips the omelet over. “If you didn’t need to eat, I’d be eating you this morning. But I don’t want you getting light-headed on me, when I have a lot planned for us tonight. Most of it involves you screaming my name.” Hepulls away from me, and plates up my breakfast, then he points for me to sit on the bar stool and I do as I’m told.

I go to talk but stop when his cell rings. “Hello…you know where to come. Why the fuck you calling me to tell me? Miles, I swear to God.” Putting the cell down, he walks over to the door and opens it, and I wait for Miles to walk in. I never asked how he knows Miles, but I’m hoping he will open up about his life with me when he’s ready, because he looks like a man who doesn’t like to share his world, and keeps everything close to his chest.

“Morning.” I smile at Miles, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I called because I didn’t want to walk in on you two fucking. Fucked up thing. I’ve seen it twice. Don’t need to see it for a third time.” I press my lips together with how easily Miles just said that, not thinking his new…I stop because I don’t know what I am. Fuck buddy, girlfriend, a fling.

“If you knock, then you wouldn’t, would you? Lost count how many times I’ve walked in on you three. The little one is still safe at the moment.” Cain closes the door, and hands Miles some coffee, then places a mug in front of me. “Eat up,” he tells me, realizing I’m busy watching them talking.

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