Page 17 of Insatiable

I manage to shove myself away from his grasp as he tries to kiss me, falling back a few steps and catching my breath. I’m thankful the cobble path to the gate is far from the manor as I begin to raise my voice. “You need to stop! You’re sick. You can’t do this with me!”

“You want me!” he rushes out.

I stare at him, shaking my head.

“You want me, and you deny it. You love—”

“I don’t.”

He glares at me, eyes watering, until they aren’t on me any longer.

“Who the fuck are you?” Chris snaps, his rage building. His eyes flicker between me and the person now standing behind me. “Who is he, Stacey?”

I know who it is without the need to turn. I can sense him; I can always feel when he’s nearby. The faint smell of spice, smoke and mint from the hoodie I’ve slept in only confirms it.

Kade snakes his arm around my waist, already making me feel safer. His other hand is wrapped around the neck of a beer bottle, a joint between his fingers.

He blows a cloud of toxic smoke towards Chris.

His arm tightens around me, his hand fisting the material of my dress at my hip. In a deep, threatening tone, Kade says, very slowly, “Walk away before I make you one sorry motherfucker.”

“Who are you?” Chris asks again, one of his hands slipping from the poles of the gate.

“Just go,” I beg him as Kade lowers his chin to my shoulder, inhaling deeply.

Chris will most likely come for me when I get home. He’s big and bad around me, but I watch the sliver of fear in his eyes as they shift to Kade again.

“She’s not yours.”

Kade chuckles. “She’s not yours either. Clearly.” He points behind Chris. “Leave.”

Chris pushes himself from the gate and spits on the ground before getting back into the car he certainly shouldn’t be driving.

I breathe, closing my eyes as the lights start to vanish in the foggy driveway. Kade hasn’t released me, but I haven’t moved away either. My core twists with a deep sensation I haven’t felt for a while as he brings his mouth to my ear, whispering, “Who was your friend, Freckles?”

“No one,” I manage to answer, holding in a gasp as the tip of his nose traces the shell of my ear.

As I tilt my head to give him better access, my chest heaves as the delicate yet powerful touch travels to the sensitive area of my neck that has my inner walls pulsing. He knows what he’s doing, tempting me, teasing me. “No… No one.”

He takes another draw of his joint, then has a swig of his beer, still holding me to him. “You sure? Wasn’t that who you were apparently close to fucking earlier?”

“No.”

Kade hums, the rumbling sound vibrating against my back. “He doesn’t seem your type. Far too young.” He lowers his voice. “You prefer your quick fucks older, don’t you?”

I don’t reply, concentrating on my unsteady breaths and the heat coiling around my spine.

When Kade’s fingers tug at my chin, forcing me to look at him over my shoulder, I lick away the metallic taste on my lips, trying to hide any evidence of Chris hitting my face against the gate.

So close. His mouth is so close to mine. If I tilt my head, our lips will collide.

When he turns my body to face him, his eyes are burning into my soul. He backs me up against the gate with a palm on my chest then moves it to my throat, holding me in place. My pulse is hammering against his hand, and as he squeezes slightly, a whimper slips from my mouth.

My entire body is on fire with his touch. The total opposite of when Chris tries to manhandle me.

His pupils dilate under the moonlight.

He releases my throat and grasps a handful of hair, roughly tugging it to tip my head back. “Is that what you want? A quick fuck?”

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