Page 52 of Bred

Staggering to my feet, I lean against a tree to steady myself. Black spots coat my vision. Blinking some of it away, I'm staring at the edge of a cliff. No, I'monthe cliff. Scooting closer to the edge, I can’t see anything because of the heavy snowfall and the thick fog wafting up from the water. I’m standing near the edge of a waterfall that’s clouded by fog.

My heart beats rapidly. My teeth chatter as I hold my trembling body. From fear and the cold, it shakes violently against the breeze wafting from the rushing water.

I need to get off this cliff.

Looking around the mountain side, it's steep in the direction I just came from. If I stay on the hillside, maybe I can gradually make my way down and follow the river. Eyeing the mountain and feeling the cold seeping into my bones, I know my situation is dire. It won't be long before hypothermia sets in. A blurry glance at my bloodied feet that I no longer feel tells me it more than likely already has. It takes everything I have to push my legs further but when I hear an engine, the fear sends them into overdrive. Darting through the trees, I stumble on with no feeling in my feet and legs.

“Baby girl, you should know I’ll always find you. There’s nowhere you can run that you can hide from me.” His voice echoes loudly somewhere nearby. “You’re mine and you need to start accepting that.”

A gasp leaves me.Oh God, no.Stumbling backwards, I run the other way quickly making it back to the edge of the cliff. Tears flow and a choked sob escapes me when his voice cuts through from behind me.

"You have to stop running from me, love."

“You messed with my birth control!” I shout. “Is there a line that you won’t cross?” I ask incredulously.

“No, there isn’t.” He says from behind me.

Turning around I meet his angry and yet concerned gaze. His stony look takes in my body as he releases a sharp breath. "You're willing to risk your life in these temperatures rather than be with me?"

"You’ve manipulated everything to get your way so yes, if it means risking my freedom!” I yell at him with venom in my voice.

When I take a step back his eyes narrow on me.

He glances behind me, his eyes widening slightly as they take in my close proximity to the edge of the cliff. "Please, stop." His thick voice cracks, holding his hands up. "I just want to take care of you, to love you. Why won't you let me?"

"You don't love me, you're just obsessed!" Shaking my head at him, I back up another step to the ledge.

"Angel, if you go over that ledge, I'll just follow you. There would be nothing left in this life without you in it. So, if I have to end my existence to spend eternity with you in another life, then so be it."

"You're fucking crazy!" I stare at him in shock. Tears trail down my face and my knees threaten to give out on me. Carefully, he takes slow and steady movements towards me like I’m a wounded animal. Looking over my shoulder, I contemplate one last time as I stare down into the dark abyss below.

Is this worth my life? And the baby I’m possibly carrying?

“You’re not thinking clearly.” Another hesitant step closer.

“You got me pregnant on purpose.” I state, astonished at the lengths he’s gone to. The man I fell hard and fast for has manipulated me at every turn. More than I ever realized. He had me so spun up in his web, there was never going to be a way out for me. It was always a trap. A trap that will keep me tied to him forever. This man desperately wants me tied to him in all ways and I find that I somehow both love and hate it.

He’s quiet for a moment then with a resolute nod, simply says, “Yes.”

“You want to cage me.”

There’s a nod of his chin, but his face softens. “Yeah, I want to cage you by my side for all of eternity.” He says softly. “But Angel, I want to give you everything. See you spread your wings and soar. I want to be the lucky bastard by your side as you do it. I want to see that light shine so brightly that when it’s too dark for me, you call me home. Back into your arms.” He brushes the hair away from my face. “Let me take care of you,” he places a kiss on my forehead. “Worship you, the Angel that brought the Devil to his knees.” A kiss to my cheek. “Let me love you baby girl.” He kisses my lips tenderly.

Never has anyone cared before or looked at me remotely the same way he does. He wants to devour me, own me. And fuck me if it doesn’t do something to me. He’s overwhelming, possessive, obsessive. Do I want to kick him in the balls? Absofuckinglutely. Do I want to drown in him and the feeling that he gives me that I’ve always craved? A love bordering on insanity?

Yes. I must be crazy because it’s exactly what I want. To feel so undoubtedly loved and cherished that I’m all he sees.

Isn’t that what he’s been doing?

So why am I fighting him? Fighting what’s between us?

A small smile plays across my lips as I step back to look up at him but my foot slips off the rocky edge and my balance is lost. A scream rips from my lungs echoing across the canyon. My stomach sinks to its depths at the unexpected fall. My arms flail through the air as I reflexively reach for anything to grab onto.

"No!" He screams, lunging for me.

My hand slides through the snow, desperately trying to find a grip. At the last second, my fingers find the rocky mountain edge stopping my fall. My body dangles over the steep cliff as sobs take over and my vision is blurred from the tears. I frantically hold on but my hand is slipping.

A scream tears out of me just as my fingers slip from the edge but a hand snatches mine, stopping my fall.