Page 59 of Unbinding the Demon
“Alright, let’s get this shit over with then,” William said as he got off the couch.
We hugged Lacey and William goodbye, and I stared with frightened, teary eyes out the foyer window as Lacey’s car rolled back down the driveway. Ashton held me from behind in a comforting embrace, and I held Pepper Paws tightly in my arms.
The fire crackled, and the wind howled with an eerie timbre. I had spent the last hour pacing back and forth while anxiously glancing out the windows, trying my best to explain what happened to Ashton. The only part I left out was when that girl called out my name. My body was still shaking like a leaf, and I was crying on and off. I couldn’t bring myself to say that bit out loud just yet. It would only make everything so much more real. And that she wanted me specifically was downright terrifying.
“No one’s out there. You can stop checking,” Ashton said from the couch, as I peeked out the window for the millionth time. “Now, come here.” He held out his hand, beckoning me to him. The warm light from the fire reflected in his amber eyes, making them look like two citrine gems as they stared at me.
“You probably think we’re crazy, don’t you?” I asked through my sobs in a faint voice.
He got up and walked over to me. “No, I don’t. I believe everything you’ve told me.” He swooped me up and carried me back to the couch, hugging me on his lap.
“She wanted me... She called out my name and told me that ‘the father’ was waiting for me.” I sobbed into his chest, unable to hold it in any longer.
“I know, I know,” he breathed as he brushed my tears away. I furrowed my brows in confusion because I knew I hadn’t told him that yet. “You already told me,” he quickly added.
Huh? I guess I must have told him while everything was still a panicked blur.
We stayed quiet for a while, with him kissing my head and caressing my arm. I was still terrified, but felt far more secure in his embrace.
“I want you to stay here.” His deep voice broke through the silence.
I looked up into his loving gaze with my teary eyes. “I already am?”
“No, I mean I want you to live here, in this house, with me.” He brushed my hair behind my ear. “I want to be able to protect you and keep you safe.”
Wait a minute... Does he seriously want me to move in with him?
It would be a huge step in our relationship that I wasn’t quite sure we were ready for. My feelings for him were very strong; however, we’d only been together for a measly month and a half. Plus, what about William and Lacey, or Pepper Paws? But could I really go back to that house and sleep soundly at night after what had just happened? Definitely not.
“Well, um, what about Pepper Paws?” I asked while fidgeting with a lock of his raven hair.
“He can live here, too. I know Belzar’s a bit intimidating, but he’d never hurt your cat, if that’s what you’re worried about,” he reassured, while looking down at me.
I glanced over at Pepper Paws and Esquire. They were huddled together in the far corner near some books. “I don’t know. This is a pretty big step to take, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I do. But it’s a big step that I want to take with you, eventually. These circumstances have just hastened the timing on it, that’s all.” He brought my hand up to his mouth and gave it a kiss.
My heart rate quickened with both excitement and anxiety. I had never lived with a significant other before, but I had also never been with someone who took our relationship so seriously. I wasn’t sure how Lacey and William would react, but I decided to take the plunge. “Okay, I’ll move in with you.” I smiled up at him.
An almost wicked-looking grin stretched across his lips. The firelight danced over his features, making me feel as though I had just made a deal with the devil. “Excellent. We’ll gather some of your things in the morning.” He gave me a lingering kiss, then held me tighter against his chest. His soft hair fell over his shoulder and enveloped me like a midnight cloak. I still thought it was way too soon for such a commitment, but I trusted it would all work out. “Sleep,” he said in a soft voice. My eyes became too heavy to keep open, and I fell asleep while still sitting wrapped up in his arms.
24. Interrogation
“Oh, Gwendolyn. It’s time to wake up, my sweet little Buttercup.”
The sound of Ashton’s deep voice cooing to me, plus the feeling of his warm hand stroking my hair, roused me from my peaceful slumber. My eyes fluttered open to the sight of his handsome face smiling over at me. He was shirtless and propped up on his forearm, causing his muscular tattooed biceps to flex deliciously. A soft beam of sunlight poured in through the window and onto the back of his head, casting a warm, halo-like glow over his flowing hair. His golden eyes twinkled with love, matching the golden rays of the morning sun that illuminated the room. It was a look that seemed to make all the terrors from the night before melt away.
“Good morning.” I smiled back at him with a warm feeling in my heart, and then yawned, my eyelids still heavy.
“Good morning, Buttercup.” He leaned in and placed a tender kiss on my lips. “Now, as much as I’d love to ravish you this morning, William and Lacey are still here, and we have important business to attend to.” He nuzzled into the crevice of my neck and placed a warm and strangely tingly kiss on the scar, making me suddenly grow all hot and bothered.
Well, that was weird...
He sat up and turned to place his feet on the floor. His long black hair cascaded down his muscular, tattooed back like an obsidian waterfall. A few strands gently fell in front of his face as he leaned forward to stand and then stretched up to his towering height.
Even though I’d seen him many times before, I still couldn’t help but gawk at his masculinity like a blushing virgin seeing a man for the first time. I was taken by surprise by my heightened attraction to him. The way his muscular frame appeared in the golden light made him seem like a heavenly being. My breath hitched in my chest and butterflies fluttered around in my stomach as I stared. He noticed I was checking him out, and a smug, devilish grin lit up his face, reminding me that this man was no angel.
“Like what you see?” he smirked, his brow raised in a show of confidence.
