Page 24 of Safe Word
“Kan . . . non.” My voice shattered around his name before I said it over and over like a mantra and a prayer. “Kannon. Kannon. Kannon,” I whispered as I held onto him for dear life.
“I got you, baby.”
“Don’t let me go.”
“I won’t.”
I believed him.
We collapsed into each other, falling over on the floor, then laughing like we were high. Damp clunks of my hair stuck to the sides of my face until Kannon reached over and swept them away. I kissed his cheek just to touch him again and because hewas so adorable. He kissed my forehead then took my hand and helped me up.
We showered together. Well, mostly, he held me up against his body and let the hot water soothe my sore muscles. When my legs could hold me, he stood behind me and used my peaches and cream shampoo to give me a heavenly scalp massage. I closed my eyes while he washed and conditioned my hair like it was just something we did all the time.
While his gentle fingers rinsed the conditioner out, I burst out crying for no good reason other than being overwhelmed with gratefulness for the way he cared for me. I couldn’t remember when someone had done anything for me without the presence of cameras and reporters. Kannon didn’t ask anything of me, but what he gave me was everything.
“Carrie, what’s wrong, baby?” he asked, cupping my face and tilting my head back so he could look into my eyes.
“Nothing,” I lied.
“It’s not nothing. You’re crying.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re lying, Carteay. What’s wrong?”
“I’m probably just tired or something. It’s nothing,” I said, snatching away and putting my head under the water, hoping to hide my tears.
“Is it Cyrus?” he asked. When I didn’t respond, he pressed. “Talk to me.”
“Kannon, please.”
“Don’t do that to me, Carteay. Don’t shut me out, baby.”
“Kannon, just drop it!”
He didn’t respond. That was my cue to turn around and finish my shower. I gasped when Kannon’s chest hit my back. The palm of his hand was on my throat in an instant. My pulse hammered against the base of his hand as his grip on my neck tightened.
“Carteay, you are mine to care for, fuck, and protect. I need you to tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it.”
“You can’t fix everything, Kannon.”
“Try me,” he countered. “I can help you.”
I shook my head. I refused to let the words leave my mouth. I refused to drag Kannon into my messy life. He had already done and been more than enough.
“Kannon!” I shrieked when he turned me and used his hold on my neck to press my face against the wall.
He put his mouth close to my ear before he spoke. “The only thing I want to hear coming out of your mouth is the answer to my question, Carrie.”
“I told you it was nothing.”
Kannon used his knee to separate my thighs before pushing his dick into my already aching tunnel. I whimpered and threw my head back against his chest. He held me in place with his hand on my throat.
“I don’t like this shit, Carteay. Don’t shut down on me,” he said, kissing my shoulder and anchoring my body to him with a hand on my hip.
“I’m not.”
“Well talk,” he demanded, pounding into me a little harder.
