Page 27 of Blood (A Killer’s Love #4)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Samantha

The beating of my heart is so loud that Kaleb can probably hear it, even at this distance.

My legs tremble. What the fuck are we doing? I’m standing opposite our family’s cabin with a man the world sees as my brother, his taste still in my mouth.

I lick my swollen lips. I don’t think I’ll ever forget his taste.

Clouds of cold air collect in front of my face, but I don’t feel the bite of the night. My body is still ignited from what we did in the car.

I frown, watching Kaleb mess in the trunk.

His eyes meet mine, and my heart stops. The loving, playful man I know disappears in an instant. A darkness washes over and settles on his face before he slides a white hockey mask over his head.

What is he doing? I thought the scarecrow masks that appear all over town on Halloween were creepy, but this one makes my skin crawl.

Kaleb takes a step in my direction.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

My feet move on their own, stepping backward away from the soulless gray eyes watching me.

I don’t know who this is, but it isn’t my Kaleb. I look at the house on the other side of the car. He’d catch me before I even made it to the door.

So I do the only thing I can.

I do what he wants.

I turn and run.

Tree branches block my way, forcing me to duck and weave. The wind attacks my face, arms, and legs, but I’m almost too hot to really care. My ankle slips, causing me to hiss. These shoes were not made to run in!

My pulse beats strongly in every part of my body; my fast-pumping legs, my throat, my ears but nothing compares to the way my clit pulses.

With fear and uncertainty fueling my body, I have never been more aware of my nether regions.

Giving Kaleb pleasure left me wet, but I can feel excitement drip from my core as I bend to hoist myself over a thick, bent branch.

Spinning back, I expect to see him chasing me, but I don’t. Skidding to a stop, I gulp in air, enjoying the burn it brings. The roar in my ears blocks out all other sounds. My hair whips while I frantically look for him. Then I see it, a flash of white in the darkness.

Images of what will happen when he catches me excite and terrify me. My body is made up of equal parts wanting to be caught and wanting to outrun him until we both come to our senses.

Flight wins.

Pivoting to the left, I head to the water. The trees thin out quickly. The large lake reflects the moon, lighting up the area. Better than a dark forest.

Rushing forward, I jump down the soil bank. Losing my balance, I land on my hands and knees. Throwing myself into the bank of soil, I duck down. The water’s edge moves just a few feet away.

I press myself against the bank, hiding me from view as I hear twigs snap above me. My breaths sound obnoxiously loud, a beacon to my position. My hands shake as I cover my mouth.

My knees are jelly, and my whole body trembles in anticipation.

I expect him to call out and taunt me, but Kaleb hunts me in silence. The soil near my head crumbles down.

He’s above me.

My eyes widen, and my stomach drops. He won’t do anything bad, right? This is Kaleb.

A deep chuckle echoes in the night.

I hear him jump down behind me, then feel the sand under my feet sink with the added weight.

Wide-eyed, I turn to face him head-on, but the gray eyes glaring down are those of a stranger. This may be Kaleb, but he’s not my Kaleb, I remind myself.

I scream as he reaches for me. Spinning, I bolt forward, the soft sand crumbles beneath my wedges, slowing me down.

Falling forward, I claw my fingers into the ground and push myself up, propelling farther along the shore.

I barely have my balance back when a huge body slams into me from behind. The weight and force send us both into the shallow water.

My body splays as we land.

Freezing-cold water surrounds me as his weight pushes me under.

Kaleb yanks me out with a hand gripping the back of my dress. I gasp for air. My hair flies around with the force of being lifted, and the drenched strands whip me in the face, heavy with water.

My body plunges into the water again. The hand on my back holds me down as I fight. I slap the surface of the water, kicking out my legs.

He’s going to kill me!

I manage to make contact and hear him grunt. The hold on me disappears long enough for me to gasp for air. Pushing up with what little strength I have, I run, wading through the water.

Heavy waves push at my side, helping me leave.

With the dock in sight, I give my all.

Changing my direction, I head straight for the shore rather than diagonal. I try to leave the water, but I’m not quick enough.

Kaleb is on me in seconds.

“We aren’t finished,” he hisses in my ear, pulling my head back against his shoulder.

His right hand roams up the front of my body, the soaked dress doing nothing to hide me. It’s practically a second skin at this point.

Kaleb’s fingers are harsh and rough as he squeezes my breast.

My whimper of pain makes him chuckle. The hand in my hair drops to my waist.

He easily lifts me, my back into his chest. I expect him to carry me toward the house, but he doesn’t. Pivoting left, he heads deeper into the freezing-cold lake.

I land with a splash as he throws me into the shoulder-height water. Cold liquid floods my nose and mouth.

My eyes burn. Kaleb’s large, blurry body wades toward me. Half his chest is still out in the night air. His blue shirt is now deep in color and stuck to him like glue.

The coldness zaps my body of all energy, and I begin to sink back below the water. Coughing, I suck in air desperately as I’m pulled to the surface. He moves me as if I weight nothing, positioning me how he wants.

I’m completely at his mercy.

Face down in the water, I struggle to break free.

Strong fingers tug my panties down to mid-thigh. My chest burns, begging for air. My dress is pushed up over my hips.

I open my mouth in a scream as he rams his cock inside me. One harsh thrust and he fills my body—no warning, no foreplay.

That chase was our foreplay, and we both know it.

Kaleb pulls my head above the surface long enough for me to suck in a few breaths. His hips are relentless and brutal in their attack.

I love every bit of it.

My inner muscles squeeze and grip, desperate to keep him inside.

His left hand anchors to my waist, pulling me back against him as hard as he can. His right never leaves my hair.

I’m torn between crying out for him to stop and coming, while he seems torn between fucking me or letting me live.

The idea that this could be it only spurs me on.

I drag in another lung full of air, before I’m dunked again. Only this time, he doesn’t pull me up like before. My body flails with the need for oxygen.

I can’t breathe.

I scream into the water. Kaleb fucks me harder. His roar of pleasure breaks through the water barrier.

Both of Kaleb’s hands move to my shoulders as he pounds my pussy. An orgasm rips through me. His hips never stop as he empties himself inside me.

Throwing my head back, I gulp water and air, desperate to live.

Coughs shake my body, adding to my struggles. Spitting water out, I cough over and over.

The man behind me continues fucking me, his hips slowing until finally he’s empty.

“You’re fucking perfect,” he pants.

I cry out as he leaves my body. Sore and exhausted, I struggle to get my feet under me.

Peering over my shoulder, I watch as he removes the mask, and my Kaleb returns.

Large hands cup my cheeks, and firm lips press soft, sweet kisses to my face.

“You’re fucking perfect,” he repeats softly.

I shiver, our panted breaths mix. Leaning up on my tiptoes, I hesitantly press my lips to his.

His lips spread underneath mine. Sharing a smile, I close my eyes.

All my fight is gone. My lips move against his, my tongue submitting to him.