Page 101 of Bound in Darkness

He pushes the head against my opening, sliding the tip inside, and I moan again, my hands grabbing onto him. He whistles as he continues sliding deeper. “So fucking wet for me. And goddamn, your pussy is so damn tight.”

I whimper, the fullness making my head spin. I had no idea sex could feel this damn good, but now that I’ve experienced this with Chase, I never want to stop.

I’m insatiable.

He slides to the hilt, and we moan loudly in unison. He pauses, allowing me to adjust to his size, cupping my face and kissing me like he’s starving.

“You’re my personal heaven, angel.” His knuckles graze my cheekbone, his touch and eyes worshipping me. “You were made forme.”

“Hell, yes.” Tears of happiness spring to my eyes. I’m so damn euphoric I’m speechless, despite all the thoughts circling inside my head.

For the first time in weeks, since that moment we were together in the attic of that gothic hellhole, I feel complete. “We were made for each other. You’reitfor me, Chase.”

The smile on his face as he begins moving inside me is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. More beautiful than any sunrise or sunset. It’s perfection.

“I love you, Kenz,” he whispers as he thrusts deep inside me. “So goddamn much.”

I hug him as tightly as I can, arching my hips up to meet him. “I love you, Chase. More than I can ever express.”

56

MACKENZIE

One week has passed since I freaked out in Chase’s therapist’s office. The traumatic memories haunt me during the day, and on the off chance I can repress them, they manifest themselves in the form of horrific nightmares that have me screaming, thrashing, and kicking in the middle of the night.

Like he has a sixth sense, Chase is always there, gathering me in his arms and pulling me from the depths of despair every time it happens. My parents have yet to come to my room, and I’m fairly certain I haven’t woken them because Chase manages to get me calmed down and under control before I do.

It’s been four weeks since we escaped, and not much has changed. Every time I think about going outside, memories of the abduction assault my senses, leaving me a quivering mess, verging on hysteria. I can’t seem to move past it, even though I want to.

I’m not living, I’m existing. And I’m fearful Chase is holding back, not going outside and not pushing me to do so, because he doesn’t want to pressure me.

It fills me with guilt, making me feel as though I’m impeding his healing.

Sitting in the chair in front of Chase’s bedroom window while he showers, I stare at the treehouse in the backyard, remembering all the times Gavin and I used to hang out in there. Even when we were teens, we’d still go out there and talk, telling each other things we didn’t want our parents to hear.

Like when he fell in love for the first time, or I had a crush on Matt Amsley in sixth grade.

A smile forms on my lips as I remember Gavin looking at me in disbelief after I told him about Matt.“How in the world could Matt like you? Is he deaf? Has he heard that high-pitched scream that sounds like a dog whistle whenever you’re scared?”

“Like you have room to talk,” I sputtered out, laughing until the tears rolled down my face. “Has Stephanie seen those feet? You have the longest toes I’ve ever seen. They look more like fingers.”

Gavin laughed, pulling off his shoe and sock and trying to spear me with his toenails as I shrieked. He put his hands over his ears, mimicking the Gentleman from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, “Hush.”

Chase’s hands slide over my shoulders, pulling me from my reverie. “Whatcha thinking about?”

Turning my head, I look up at him with a smile. “I was looking at the treehouse. Gavin and I used to spend a ton of time in it. After he passed away, I used to cry whenever I looked at it, missing him. I avoided going anywhere near it.” I suck in a breath. “But I didn’t cry. I smiled as I reminisced about old times.”

Chase’s smile grows as he massages my shoulders. “That’s a sign of healing, Kenz.”

I beam at him. “I know. You seem to help me with that.”

He nods toward the treehouse. “What do you say we go out there?”

My chest tightens as the anxiety hardens my stomach.

Turning my head, I stare at it for several long beats, feeling my courage rise.

Chase will be with you. You can do this.

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