Page 44 of Bound By Obsession

Suddenly, arms crash around me like a steel band. I’m hauled against the tide, a willing and warm body forcing me upwards. Breaking the surface, a gasping rush of air hits my chest, causing me to splutter and cough. The frigid air stings even more now, but it’s real. The air, the pain, the world—it’s all still there, waiting for me. And somehow, I’m still in it.

I’m dragged back toward the shore, my savior saving my heavy and shaking legs from failing me. I can’t stop shivering, the cold water drilled into me, all the way to the bone. The numbness isn’t gone, not entirely, but it’s been pushed back by something stronger. Someone that won’t let me go, not yet.

“How many times am I going to have to drag one of you out of the fucking water?!” A gruff growl filters into my ears, a hard hand slamming into my chest. I splutter up water, the burn of the salt in my throat causing me to heave long after there’s nothing left. I collapse onto the sand, staring up at the sky as the moon peeks out again from behind the clouds. Blocking my view, a head of long hair drips onto my face, Huxley’s face hidden by shadow.

“I swear to fucking everything, the next time we take a vacation, it’s going to be far, far away from the sea,” he’s rambling whilst checking me over. Once deeming me alive, Huxley eases me upright. “Wyatt, what the hell?!”

“I-” my throat is still raw, my body shivering beyond reason. I’m near enough naked, relying on my arms wrapping around myself. A towel is lowered over my back, more bodies appearing in the night. Dax throws my arm over his shoulder to lift me up, saying nothing in that silent, reassuring way he always is. Axel has a second towel that he wraps around my midsection. That rising panic from before grips me in its hold firmly now.

“I-I don’t want…A-Avery to-”

“Relax,” Axel rubs my back. “She didn’t spot you out the window like the rest of us did. Garrett is on distraction duty.” My teeth clench together to stop from juddering. I want to push myself free, to insist I’ll walk myself back but it’s useless. I’m too weak and shaken from what I nearly did, from what I nearly put Rachel through, to not lean into their hold.

Huxley shoots me a look, one that’s sharp enough to slice through the fog still swirling in my head. “You’re lucky Axel raised some suspicion about your mood a while ago.” His voice is tight, not with anger, but with fear masked as frustration. I don’t blame him. Hell, I don’t even have the strength to argue. The guilt sits heavy in my chest, thicker than the cold in my bones.

They came for me. My brothers, my men holding me up when I can’t stand on my own. And instead of feeling grateful, I feel hollow. How many more times will they have to pull me back from the edge? Dax’s grip tightens around my arm, as if sensing the darkness creeping back in, but Axel’s steady voice cuts through.

“I’m sorry, Wyatt,” he murmurs. “You reached out to me earlier and I shot you down. We’re all battling our demons, but you’re never alone. We’ve got you.”

And for the first time, I might just let myself believe him. Maybe I don’t have to fight this alone. Maybe, just maybe, I’m worth saving.

“Seriously, Peach, this is not what I thought you meant by a morning workout,” Garrett grumbles, lagging behind. I barely contain my laugh, wondering how he would even have another round of sex in him. Since the guys ditched us last night, Garrett had the job of filling in for three others. There’s a delicious ache between my legs as I continue on, jogging along the dirt path. We cut left just before the road, heading into the forest that surrounds the beach house.

The sun filters through the dense canopy above, dappling the dirt path with patches of soft light as I jog ahead, the salty tang of the ocean still lingering faintly on the air. Pines and firs tower overhead, their branches woven together, forming a natural ceiling that casts the trail in cool shade. A layer of pine needles crunches softly beneath my feet, and the earthy scent of dampsoil and moss fills my lungs with each deep breath. It’s peaceful out here, the only sounds are the rhythmic thud of my sneakers against the path and Garrett’s trailing behind.

“Come on, slowpoke. One more lap around to the beach and I’ll make you lunch.”

“One...more,” Garrett gasps in desperation. No one said entertaining me would always be wine and card games by the fire. In fact, coming here on the back of grueling back-to-back ballet practices and a showcase, I’ve never felt so unfit. There’s a type of adrenaline only the burn of my limbs can provide and I didn’t realize until this morning how much I’ve missed it.

“How do you manage with early morning basketball practices?”

“Well, I normally wake to Axel jerking me off,” he calls out, his voice tinged with a mix of amusement and exhaustion. I bite back a laugh, glancing over my shoulder, dragging his feet through the fallen needles. His hair is still messy from last night, and he has that disheveled look that comes from too many hours tangled in bed with me. If it weren’t for the fact we need to get our fitness levels up before heading back to campus, I’d almost feel guilty for dragging him out here. Almost.

“Thought you had more stamina than this,” I tease, picking up the pace. In a flash, a six foot three man in crumpled clothes rushes past me with his arms pumping furiously.

“I’ll show you stamina.”

We leave the wider dirt path and head into a narrower trail that winds deeper into the forest, a slight incline leading us towards the metal fence edging the territory. The thick trunks of the trees loom closer now, the dampness soaking up the morning mist. It’s cooler here, the air fresher, and the sound of the beach looms ahead of us.

Garrett slows near a boulder, leaning back to catch his breath. Despite my reservations about stopping a run halfwaythrough, I take the bait and come to a stop in between his open legs.

“It’s confirmed,” Garrett sighs, wistfully looking over my shoulder. “You’re trying to kill me.”

“I would never try to kill you,” I tilt my head to the side, brushing his messy hair back with my fingers. “If you weren’t around, who would do that incredible thing you do with your tongue?” Garrett’s grin is blinding, his hands sliding over my hips.

“Oh Peachy, it pays to be gay sometimes.” My laughter causes some birds to flee a tree nearby. Raising a brow, I toy with my tongue between my teeth.

“I’d love to see what else Axel has been teaching you.”

“Some secrets I’ll have to take to the grave.”

“What a waste,” I sigh. Lowering my hands to settle on Garrett, I lean into him, the heat radiating off his sweaty body. His T-shirt is starting to cling to his chest, not that I’m looking. Something tells me he wouldn’t want that. Instead, I wait for our breaths to mingle, our lips to brush and then I push away from him. “But since there’s no chance of you getting me off again this morning, we can finish our run.”

I’m gone before Garrett’s rumbling curses can reach me, only glancing back to check he’s following. He is, and I just about resist the urge to call him a good boy. It’d be difficult to run with an erection. Breaching the tree line, I follow the fence to the edge of the ocean. The wind whips through my ponytail, my lycra tank top and leggings clinging to my body and the compass bracelet circling my wrist. A few months ago, I would have hid behind a baggy hoodie. A few months ago, I didn’t have the endless affection of four men who fill me with confidence.

My legs are already burning but I push on, savoring the feeling of my muscles working, the sharpness of the air filling my lungs. This is true freedom, or the most I can have anyway. I’dbuilt up so much anxiety about Christmas, and now it’s passed, I need to focus on what’s next. Returning to Waversea refreshed and ready for the pressure of classes and exams. I’m done being a bystander in my own life. It’s time to take back control.

Garrett gives me a playful shove as he catches up, breathing heavily. His shoulders have curled inwards as if he’s fighting to stay upright. The sound of the waves encases us, faint but steady, a reminder that the world is still there, waiting for us to return. But not yet. For now, it’s just us, the beach ahead, and the rhythm of our feet moving in sync, carrying us forward.

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