Page 33 of Encircled in Darkness
“Good. I don’t want you to.” She kissed me and as much as I wanted to fuck her again, I knew I was rough with her before. Just holding her in my arms was enough to settle the monster, and for once, I felt at peace.
Amaya
James kept his promise and went with me to visit Natalia. Walking in, the tears built in my eyes the same as every time I came to visit her. He pulled me securely into his side and kissed my head as I gathered my composure. I had never brought anyone to see her and for James to be there with me, helping me be strong, meant more than anything else he had done for me.
I introduced them to each other and James, ever the gentlemen, spoke with her like she was awake and able to communicate. My heart opened a little more as he sat next to her and explained.
“Natalia, my name is James. I promise I’ll take care of Amaya and you have my word that I will find who did this to you. I promise I’ll make them pay.” His words were deadly, but his tone was calm. “You never have to worry about Amaya again. I’ll defend her until my dying breath.”
Her hand twitched and he looked at me with wide eyes. I smiled sadly. “Involuntary reflex.”
Pulling me into his lap, we talked with Natalia and I brushed her hair like I did when we were kids. I told her about my new job and how much she would like my boss. I saw James smirk when I told her about all the renovations my landlord was doing to the house and how I wished she could see it.
After a few hours, we left with a promise to be back the following week and James held my hand as the tears flowed while I kissed her goodbye. Every time I left her, it terrified me it would be the last time I saw her. He drove us home, the entire time asking me questions about Natalia and how life was for us after we left the state foster system.
He laughed over our silly misadventures and I could feel his frustration at how we had to struggle. Arriving home, he cooked dinner for us, and we spent the evening on the back porch, the beautiful night air bringing the smell of gardenias and summer into the yard. I mentioned how I wished I had a small pool, and that’s when he confessed he had bought my house after he first saw me.
Ishouldbe freaked out, knowing he was the one improving my home, making it safer, but all it did was fill me with love. He had been taking care of me before I even knew he existed. If that wasn’t love, then what was? I loved James, but I was too scared to admit it out loud, afraid my new life would disappear into thin air. Everything in my life had been tough, and with James, it felt effortless.
Growing into a normal routine became a comfort over the next month. I’d spent a few nights at his apartment, but I preferred to be at my house.His house. That’s the only place that felt like home and he obliged me, spending every night fucking me to sleep and waking up every morning with his head between my legs.
He and I explored each other, his monster and my darkness getting acquainted. He gave my darkness what it craved, and I willingly submitted to the monster. Afterward, he would always hold me tight, reminding me that I was his.
He installed a few cameras outside to monitor the property and set up some computer stuff in the tiny spare bedroom. If he thought they were necessary, I wouldn’t complain. He joked about adding the swimming pool and I had to talk him out of it. As much as I would love one, I wouldn’t let him spend that kind of money. I didn’t want him to think I was after his money, even though he was now paying for my sister’s care. I insisted on paying my own bills, and my nights at Falcon’s Tavern were always tiring but fun.
James would take me to work and sit in the corner, hidden in the dark shadows while I tended to the customers. Hayden tried to complain until James took him into the office for a ‘conversation.’ I watched the closed door, afraid they would fight, but a few minutes later, they walked out laughing and I exhaled the worry.
When I worked, I could feel James’s eyes caressing me with every step and by the end of the evening, all I wanted to do was ride his magnificent cock until I shattered. He never interfered, only observed.
If James had other business to attend to, he left someone to watch me. He introduced me to his associate Skid, who would follow me until they caught the man from my yard. I still didn’t understand why he would target me. The fear of what happened to my sister happening to me was the reason I agreed to having a shadow.
I came to know Skid as Dalton and he was scary sexy. His tattoos made him look menacing, but more than once he brought a toy for Nova and I giggled when he baby talked to her. His dark hair was cropped close on the sides and shaggy on top, and his mesmerizing eyes held secrets that I didn’t want to know. He was on duty tonight because James had a client meeting in Portstill. I had grown used to the sound of his motorcycle and always knew when he arrived and left.
James texted me two hours before we closed, letting me know he wouldn’t be home until after I got off work. I was sad I wouldn’t see him until later, having gone all day without him near me. I had grown used to him always being around and when he wasn’t the bleak abyss grew a little bigger.
The sound of glass breaking behind the bar had me turning. I could see red flowing down her hand, and I jogged to the bar to find Allie had broken a thick glass bottle and sliced the side of her hand open. Hayden ducked under the bar and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her hand to stop the bleeding.
“Amaya. I need you to close so I can take her to the hospital. She’s going to need stitches.” Hayden instructed as he led her out from behind the bar. “Teresa can handle pouring if you think you’ve got the floor.”
“We’ve got this. Take care of her. I’m sorry, Allie.” She smiled sadly and looked paler than usual as Hayden escorted her through the front door.
The bar was an hour away from closing and Teresa leaned over to me as she sprayed bleach on the blood and discarded the broken bottle. “I’m making last call in thirty so we can get out on time. I’ve got to be finished by eleven or my ride will leave me.”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Skid watching the situation unfold and I turned back to Teresa. “No problem. I’ve got a friend who can stay and help me if you have to leave before we’re done. I don’t want Hayden to have to come in early tomorrow.”
She winked and glanced at Skid before she started taking orders. I worked the few tables, wiping down the others and prepped for an early close. Stopping by his table, I let him know what was going on and he smirked, his eyes twinkling as he nodded. He was gorgeous, in a rough and unkempt way, and if I wasn’t head over heels for James, I would take a chance with Dalton. After mentioning how sexy I thought his bike was to James, I was tugged to the parking garage and fucked across the tank of his bike, each thrust of James’s hips against mine letting me know he was marking his territory.Me.
“Last call.” Teresa announced and rang the brass bell behind the bar.
The patrons finished their drinks and with no new orders, Teresa started closing the back of the bar down. I collected glasses and set them in the dishwasher in the kitchen as the last person left. I locked the door and gathered the last of the dirty glasses. Skid sat there, his expression observant, while Teresa secured the last of the liquor up and sprayed the bar down as I reentered the kitchen.
Honk. Honk.
Teresa shouted into the kitchen. “My rides here, doll. I’ll get your friend to lock me out.”
“Goodnight.” I shouted. Swapping the clean glasses for the last tray of dirties.
Ducking out of the kitchen, I checked the bathrooms and restocked quickly. I hated Skid had to stay late and I wanted to get home to wait for James. I had a new set of lingerie that I wanted him to cut off me with his sharp blade before he fucked me stupid. Loving that he fulfilled the more...overwhelmingdesires I had, I bit my lip and squeezed my core, feeling the ache from our vigorous activities last night.
