Page 67 of Consume Me

A confession pours out of me. “I don’t like the thought of you being with someone else.”

“You have no claim on me.”

“But you want me to, don’t you?”

“That’s irrelevant,” she says, a sad expression covering her face. I warned her so many times, but here we are.

Her romance books catch my attention. She’s always dreamed about an epic love story. I should have fucking stayed away.

“I want you to stop. That’s all I am asking, for us to be civil.”

“We could have tried that, being friends, but then you came all over my mouth, fingers, and cock. So I guess we can’t be friends any longer.”

“Then what? I have my needs and I want to have someone…”

Her words reverberate in my mind.Give her what she wants, asshole.I need to fucking focus on eliminating the threat, but I don’t even know how to do that.

Fuck her, make her come so many times she loses count—that I can do. But she wants more. Romance, a relationship,and feelings—I am at a loss when it comes to those things. She deserves more than an emotionally stunted man.

A dejected look covers her features.

“You can’t give me that, and it’s okay, Blake, but I need you to stop. Please.”

It’s her plea that guts me. I can’t promise her that, so I keep my mouth shut.

“I need to make sure you’re safe.”

“And then you’ll leave. Got it.”

She rolls out of bed and takes my hand. “We’re not friends or lovers.”

“I can’t be either of those for you.”

It would be a lie when I want her more than a friend, and I can’t be a lover when I’m leaving. It’s pure torment being in her vicinity, but it’s not that I am not used to torture. I can be her protector and have an excuse to be in her presence because this past week has been absolute hell without my silver girl.

“Go to sleep. I’m here.”You’re safe.I’d maim anyone who even thinks of coming close enough to hurt her. I’d lay my life down, gladly dying to protect her.

“I know. Thank you, but this is not a peace offering. I’m just tired tonight,” she says and kisses my cheek.

I fist my hands at my sides. Every fiber of my being yearns to go after her, sink inside of her and forget about everything else but how good she feels. For a few seconds, when I’m inside her, I can imagine she’d accept every dark and twisted part of me.

“Silver, you deserve all sunshine. I am all darkness, baby.”

“You will never know how much I wanted to bring light to you so you’d see how beautifully we’d fit together.”

Leaving me speechless, she gets into bed. I resume my place in the chair at her desk.

“Leave or come here,” she says, patting the spot next to her. “Your body must hurt.”

I look from her to the bed. That’s a terrible idea. But I am weak. If my fucker of a father would have cured me of physical need like he did with physical pain and alcohol, I wouldn’t be in this situation.

It’s impossible to resist her, so I climb into bed with her. She curls onto her side with her back to me. I flick the lamp on, reading from where I last stopped.

Nowthisis a male character I could relate to. He’s unhinged to the point of stalking the heroine, doing questionable things like threatening every guy who even talks to her. Yet, he’s soft only with her. I want to warn her that it would be the worst idea to let him in. That’s all he needs to burst through her defenses.

Groaning, I see Mia turning to me.

“You don’t approve?” she asks.

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