Page 100 of Undeniably Enemies

My eyebrows take a nosedive. “And what if I don’t want any of that?”

“You do, so let’s not waste six hours with the back and forth, pretending you don’t want something you do bullshit. You can fight me all you want, but this is happening, Wren, and I know you know that.”

He pulls out of the garage and onto the busy street, cars passing, people walking. I fall quiet for once because I don’t exactly know what he means. Is it just going to be this once like it was that weekend, or is he talking about more? And what is more to Jack? Just sex or…more.

I don’t know what Jack has up his sleeve, but the idea ofgetting lost in some really great sex, even with him, is too good to pass up. Plus, he knows now, and he’s still saying that he wants me. He didn’t use some cringy term like make love to me—not that that’s what we’d ever do with each other—but I think I could use some of his particular brand of rough right now.

We drive in silence, and he parks my car in a spot a few doors down from our building. Before I can get the door open, he’s there, taking my hand and holding it, refusing to let it go.

“You’re a walking contradiction and a total mind fuck.”

He laughs but doesn’t comment as he walks us to my door. I unlock it, and the moment we step inside and he flips the latch, I’m in his arms, his mouth is on mine, and he’s walking us back toward my bedroom. Except he doesn’t stop there. He goes straight for my bathroom, where he finally sets me down.

“We both need a shower,” he explains when I give him a funny look. Opening the glass door, he starts the water and begins to undress. My heart pounds like a drum as he removes his scrub top and pants. He’s impossibly hard, and I lick my lips. I haven’t tasted him, and I want to. First, I go for my toothbrush and mouthwash.

I catch his grin in the reflection of the mirror when he moves in behind me. Much the way he did before, he undoes the elastic from my hair, letting my long tresses tumble only for his hands to catch them. He massages my scalp, and my eyes close, and my body falls back into his.

“Do you trust me, Wren?” he asks, his warm breath tickling my ear. “Do you trust that I care about you so fucking much and that I’d never ever hurt you?”

My eyes snap open, and I stare straight into his. His expression is stoic, giving nothing away. It makes my heart thump painfully.

“Jack.”

“You need to trust me, Wren. Because I want to dosomething with you. Something I think will scare and likely upset you. We’ll do it together. And if we do it right, I believe it will help.”

With that, he undresses me quickly until I’m naked, and he lifts me and brings me straight into the shower. The water is hot and feels good, but before I can enjoy it, even for a second, his lips are back on mine, but he’s not kissing me. Instead he holds me close and forces my graze straight into his.

“I’m going to push your limits, baby. But it’s just us and it’s me and you know,you fucking know, I’d never hurt you in a million years. Not intentionally and never physically. You know this, right?”

I gulp but manage a shaky nod.

His mouth is by my ear again. “You have a safe word, Wren. What is it?”

“Chocolate.” My heart starts to pound so loud blood thrums through my ears.

“Perfect. Use it if you need it but I’m right here with you, not against you.”

With that, he takes my wrists in his hand and raises them above my head as he pushes me back against the marble wall. His weight doesn’t come down on me, but it doesn’t matter.

“Jack!” My voice comes out strained. Startled. Scared.

“I’m here, Wren. I’m just holding your wrists. You feel it? It’s just my hand, and you know I won’t hurt you. Look in my eyes, sweetheart. You can do this with me. We can fight this together. Remember you have a safe word.”

What? My safe word? The fuck?

On my next breath, he pushes against me, pressing his chest flat against mine.

“What are you doing? No. Stop it!” I shout, my voice reverberating off the wall. Panic hits me like a car crash, and I can hardly brace myself against the impact as he flattens me intothe wall with my hands locked above my head. “Oh my god! What the fuck are you doing? Stop!”

“Listen to my voice, sweetheart. Think through what I’m doing. I’m not hurting you. I’m not trying to take from you. I’m simply giving you my weight and holding your wrists. That’s all. You have nothing to be afraid of with me. You know this. Calm yourself down and find me under the panic. Don’t let it take over.”

His hard cock presses into my thigh, but… he’s not rutting or rubbing or trying to fuck me. He’s holding me here, and I can’t… I can’t… “Oh, god. Please, no. You have to stop.”

“Breathe and look at me, Wren.”

I do. It takes me I don’t even know how long, but the command in his voice jerks me into action and I blink and find his blue eyes. There is no heat. No violence. No malice. There’s determination and devotion and admiration and nothing else.

He smiles. “There you are. Your breathing is slowing. I’m so fucking proud of you, Wren. You’re incredible.” He squeezes my wrist tighter “You feel that? It’s my hand on you. No one else’s. It’s just us like this. I’ve got you. Don’t let it win.”

---