Page 20 of Bleeding Blackheart

Her small body shivers, and I know she’s cold. “Montana, it’ll probably help you fall asleep faster. And I won’t bite. As long as you behave.”

She huffs and pulls my arm forward with hers. “Fine. But I hate you.”

I slide close to her, positioning my head over hers with hers under my chin, leaving just enough space for my crotch not to touch her ass. “I hate you more, little fox.”I rest my arm on her side, trying not to crush her while I convince myself that my words are true.

I wake up at two a.m. with a raging hard on and Montana’s ass pressed against my dick. Fuck my life. She’s asleep, and I want to relieve myself, but there’s no way in hell I can use my right hand when it’s handcuffed to hers. And if I remove the cuffs, she’ll wake up and see what I’m up to.

Maybe I can leave my arm on her side and lay face down on the mattress, grinding until I get relief. It’s desperate, but it should work nonetheless. I get ready to turn my body in the position I need when she somehow faces me with our interlocked wrists pressed between our chests, and she rests her head on my shoulder.

Fuck. This fucking sucks. Her soft breath tickles my chest through my shirt, and she wiggles against me like she’s trying to get closer. I almost laugh, wondering how she’d react if she saw herself right now. But I’m distracted when she starts shaking again.

She starts shaking like she did earlier today during her nap, and her tiny little wrist rattles against mine. “Montana?” I whisper, trying to get her out of whatever spell is about to start.

But she just keeps shaking until she starts screaming, and she yanks my wrist so hard that it burns against the cuff I have on.

“Montana!” I yell this time, trying harder to get her to calm down. But she just starts kicking and screaming. I almost consider slapping her again, but I’d rather not get in the habit of that. And, she’s moving too damn much.

Instead I just wrangle her with my loose arm, pressing her back to my chest while I squeeze her as tight as I can. She vibrates in my grip, wailing in my ear with her eyes shut, and then eventually her screams turn into tears.

I hold her while she cries, only to try to ease her back to sleep.

I’m going to be doing all the driving in the morning, and I need as much rest as I can get. I’m used to sleeping in on Saturday mornings, but instead, I’ll be getting up at seven a.m. to haul my prisoner to Arizona and get what she promised me.

For whatever reason, I start singing. Just some old lullaby my grandmother used to sing to me. It’s one I used when I first got Willow to get her to settle down at night while I’d brush her mane. It seems to soothe Montana just the same.

Her cries quiet down, and her body stops trembling after a few minutes. I keep her arms tucked in mine just in case she might wake up and smack me, but her eyes stay shut. I ease off her slowly, but when ten minutes pass, she starts to shiver again, and I tuck her head back under mine to keep her warm.

This time I sing the lullaby to myself, and before I know it, I’ve drifted off to sleep.

9

Montana

Seven nights ago

“Ican’t believe I’m thirty, Tana. And you’re still in your twenties,” Charlotte drawls over her third glass of wine. I’m the first one to arrive at the party, and she’s already getting slammed.

I stand behind her and help zip up her black dress that’s identical to mine. She wanted me to match her, and I couldn’t decline. I’d do anything for her. We’ve been friends since I was ten.

I toss my dark brown waves over my shoulder that dust my hips and pick up her hair brush to smooth out her straight blonde hair. “I’m nearly thirty, Lottie. And turning thirty is a good thing. You’re going to have some of the best experiences of your life soon.”

Her blue eyes meet mine in the mirror and she sighs. “I’m doing nothing with my life. Bailey broke up with melast week, and I’ve been living off ice cream and pizza since. I’ve gained fifteen pounds, Montana Elizabeth. Fifteen!”

I laugh in her ear and wrap my arms around her fair shoulders. “It’s water weight, baby.”

She frowns. “Still. I’m single and alone.”

I stand up and work on getting her hair in a fishtail braid. “At least you’re not a virgin.”

I had a steady boyfriend in high school, but he moved away senior year. I liked him a lot. Maybe even loved him. But we didn’t get past second base.

I’ve been on dates and fooled around with guy friends here and there over the years, but I haven’t had anything serious since.

Charlotte stands up and sits me down in her chair, putting flowers in my hair. “That’s because you only entertain losers. You need to give a hot guy a chance. Maybe you’ll get laid tonight.”

The hot guys she’s referring to are her asshole friends who want nothing more than to add another notch to their belts. I want a nice guy. A romantic guy who’s patient and will take his time with me. Not an animal who’s aggressive and uncontrolled.

“I’m not fucking any of your friends, Charlotte Jeannie. They’re pricks. I’d rather be alone.”

---