Page 30 of I'm Not in Love (I Promise)

“Snacks too.” He waves an empty chip bag. “Brand name, not that generic shit.”

I grind my teeth but keep quiet. Leon’s in the living room working on his computer, doing who knows what. There’s code of some sort on the screen, but nothing I can read.

“The king is out of meds and snacks. Feel like getting out of the house?”

He leans back and scrubs his hand over his face. “I should. I’m going crazy in here with him. But one of us should stay in case he needs us.”

Or a certain someone finds out where we live and comes to end us.

“Got any connections for painkillers?” I ask.

“Maybe… but I don’t want to poke around too much right now. Is it the worst idea to take him to a hospital? He’s stable now. We could go a few towns over. Say it was a hunting accident.”

It’s not a terrible idea. “Still risky,” I say. “I’ll see what I can do first.”

He doesn’t have to say anything, I already know what he’s thinking. “Meaning, you’re going to involve her?”

Ignoring him, I peek my head in Jasper’s room. “I’ll be back. If you need anything yell at the grumpy bastard in the living room.”

I hop in my car as the last of the sun’s light dissipates. Dusk always has a way of hiding things in plain sight, so I pay extra attention to my surroundings.

Me: You up for a little breaking and entering again?

Blake: I haven’t heard from you in days and that’s what you text me…

I grin and head toward her house.

Me: Missed me, Angel?

I make it halfway there when she responds.

Blake: What do you need now?

Me: Be there in a minute, meet me outside.

As I reach her driveway, I pull my mask over my head. It would be nice to know that I can fully trust Blake. She hasn’t called the cops yet, but I haven’t shown her how unhinged I can be. She’s seen a taste of my dark side but will she stay when I show her exactly who I am?

I go to the passenger side and open the door for her. When she sees me, she rolls her lip between her teeth, hesitating at the entrance. Can’t blame her. Any sane person wouldn’t willingly offer herself to a masked man who held her at gunpoint. I wait a moment, watching resignation bloom on her face, and smile beneath my mask. She’s starting to trust me.

I drink her in as she walks to my car. The way her full hips sway in her tight high-waisted leggings. How her tits barely fit in her crop top, making it ride up as she walks. My palms itch to wrap around that sliver of exposed skin. To mark every inch of her as mine.

She slows her steps as if she can read my mind. That won’t do. I meet her halfway and wrap my hands around her waist,drawing her closer, eliminating the space between us. She fits so perfectly against my chest, her head just reaching the bottom of my chin. The hitch in her breath makes me instantly hard. I know it’s fucked up but I love that I make her nervous.

“Did you wear this tiny shirt just for me?” I slide my hand up her back until I reach the edge of her shirt and slip the tips of my fingers under the fabric. She’s so soft against my calloused fingers.

“N-no,” she stammers as my fingers glide higher, reaching the clips of her bra. I stop and relish the way her body responds.

I wrap my fist into her wild hair and tug, tilting her head until she’s looking into my eyes. Her gasp is music to my ears. “Yes you did. Everything you wear, everything you do, is for me, Blake. Because you’re mine. This body is mine. Every inch of your soft, perfect skin belongs to me.”

Her tongue darts out to wet her lips and her eyes burn with smoky heat. She blinks and gives me a shove. “Get fucked, Freddy. I’m going back inside.”

“The hell you are,” I say, circling her wrist and tugging her back to me. “Get in the car.”

She scoffs and shakes her head. “You know for someone as crazy and possessive as you seem to be, you’re really giving me nothing in return. You want me? My body? But won’t even tell me your name. Even Ethan?—”

“Don’t say it.” I grind my teeth. I can’t stand hearing that fucker’s name from her lips. “Don’t say his name.”

She cocks her hip and smirks. “Ethan wouldn’t be such a coward.” I feel my blood boil.

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