Page 28 of Burn for Me

Night was quickly drawing in, bitter wind sneaking in through the old wooden window frames and creeping around the main room. Dried wood filled the basket near the fire, and I piled some kindling into the grate before adding the aged logs. The strike of the match and the smokey scentof the burning sulphur was like a tonic that soothed me. Fire had destroyed so much, yet it had also brought me my fortune. What other job would someone like me get that didn’t require me to wallow in other’s pity every fucking day?

The door opened with a scraping sound, and there my pet stood, shivering on the porch.

Laura hesitated on the threshold, glaring at me. Clearly, her afternoon of freedom hadn’t tempered her hatred much. Undeniable heat rolled between us on the boat. Her desire had hung heavy in the air and knowing she would have let me touch her had I wanted to was like a drug. The high had hit me without even having slid a hand under her top.

Grabbing a thick woollen blanket, I strode towards her. She didn’t flinch when I wrapped the warm cloth around her shoulders and ushered her to the chair by the fire. Landing heavily in the chair, she stared into the quickening fire, the yellow reflected in those big, pretty eyes. Eyes that were rimmed red. Clean tracks marked her cheeks where tears had travelled through dirt.

My ember had had a tough afternoon indeed.

Cuts intersected on her feet, leaving them a bloodied mess. Anger filled me at the sight of them, leaving me wanting to go out and burn every stick and stone that had caused them.

Laura didn’t move when I sidled to the kitchen and made a shake, grabbing a first aid kit and a basin of warm, soapy water. The drink sat limp in her hand, condensation pooling against her thigh as I gently pulled her feet into the basin. Kneeling before her, I gently cleaned her feet, washing away blood and grime. There was no fight left in her.

Ihoped she hadn’t given up. The fire in her was what roused me.

Heat from the hearth seared at my skin while my fingers slid over her broken flesh. I needed to move back and relieve the intense warmth, but I didn’t. Holding her in my hands felt like home for the first time since I’d lost them all. Taking her wasn’t right, but having her was everything.

After a few minutes of silence, I took her feet from the basin and set them in the centre of a warm towel. She took a sip of the shake and sighed. Sweeping antiseptic over the cleaned cuts didn’t even break her from her stupor, nor did wrapping her feet in bandages.

It’ll be okay.

I wanted to reassure her, but my words were caged behind my melted lips.

Pink filled her cheeks as she thawed in the cosy room. I cleaned away the basin and medical supplies before grabbing the bags of goodies and handing them to her.

Her eyebrows knitted at the set of navy blue shopping bags.

Opening them up, she peeked inside, before pulling out the items. Toiletries, perfume, underwear, socks and a few sets of clothing piled up on the arm of the seat.

She held up a box of tampons before handing them back over.

‘You can keep those for your next victim.’

I took them, arching a brow. I may not have spent a lot of time around women since hitting adulthood, but I knew damn well what periods were.

With a roll of her eyes, she pulled up her sleeve, showing me a tiny lump on her inner arm. ‘I have the implant. Onesliver of a blessing about this whole mess is that you won’t be able to knock me up.’

I blinked at her. I hadn’t had any intention of getting her pregnant. Neither had I considered the possibility. Glancing down at her soft stomach, a bolt of need hit me. Imagining her swollen and full with my child gave me a delicious rush. She’d need me.

Laura tucked her arm back into the sleeve as I stood there, salivating over the idea of giving her a part of me she couldn’t remove. Growing something together. Her and I, connected, forever.

My dick grew hard and the sensation of possession drew over me like a quilt. I could rip the implant out and fill her with my cum again and again until it seeped out of her.

Her eyes slid to the fire when she saw the expression on my face, her body closing off.

‘Thank you for the things,’ she said, turning away from me.

Blood coursed through my veins, demanding I rip off the blanket and sink inside her right there on the floor. Nails dug into my palm as I fought off the urge.

Not yet.

A little longer.

Tearing myself away from her, I forced myself into the tiny kitchen. Inhaling deeply through my nostrils, I pushed the overwhelming need back down. It was getting harder and harder to avoid giving in.

Slipping my mask from my mouth, I sloshed cold tap water over my face. Why did Laura affect me so thoroughly? It was like being near her sent my veins into a bubbling fizz, my heart feeling ready to explode.Everything feeling ready to explode.

It had to be down to loneliness. Years of only being needed to clean up other people's mess, but never wanted. Not that Laura wanted me. Not yet. But she needed me. For food, shelter and to stave off the isolation.

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