Page 43 of Don't Puck Up

The hand around my mouth stayed tight, but the one around my shoulders loosened. He moved his hand to his face.

I tried to dart away, but before I could move, red light lit up the room.

“Kam, it’s me. You’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispered, and I sagged against him.

I sobbed and spun in his arms. Without thinking, I punched him as hard as I could, socking him in the gut.

“Oof,” he grunted as I cried out, a shock of pain sliding from my thumb straight up my arm. “Sweet thing, what happened? Are you okay?” he asked and reached for the light switch and turned it on.

Momentarily blinded by the light, I blinked waiting for my eyes to adjust to the sudden onslaught. “I hurt my hand,” I hissed cradling it against my chest.

V took my hand and gently peeled my fingers open. With warm fingers, he massaged my thumb and palm, soothing the ache. “You punched me with your thumb inside your fist. You could have broken it,” he chastised gently and brought our joined hands up to his face. He exhaled and pressed my hand against his mask as if he were kissing me, then lowered it again.

V closed my hand into a fist again and rested my thumb outside. “That’s how you punch. All your power is in your hips.”

“You scared the living shit out of me,” I breathed.

He drew me closer, wrapping me in his strong arms. I was warm and safe in his embrace. I slid my hands under his trench coat, trying to get closer, and buried my face against his chest. He ran his fingers through my thick waves and lifted my chin, drawing my face up to his. He’d turned the lights on the mask off when he was holding me, and when I was looking into the mask that had inspired so much trust and ecstasy, I could see his eyes through the mesh.

“I’m sorry. You weren’t supposed to hear me closing the door,” he explained apologetically. “I was going to surprise you like I normally do.” His voice was a low rumble. He trailed his hand down my back to my ass and pulled me closer.

The erection he had pressed against my belly had me moaning. My heart beat harder for an entirely new reason. I was like Pavlov’s dog. That mask had conditioned me to be turned on in a matter of moments. I licked my lips, and V groaned.

“God, what you do to me.” He palmed my ass, kneading it and dipping his fingers lower to between my legs with every move. “But there’s something else I want to show you. Show me somewhere there’s a bit more room.”

I led him through the house to the living room. He shifted the coffee table so there was a larger open space between the sofas and the fireplace. “I’m going to hold you again like I did, but I’m going to teach you how to break out of it. Is that okay?”

I nodded, and he ran the backs of his fingers down my cheek. “If another man lays a hand on you, you put him down. Get your mouth uncovered so you can scream, and put him the fuck down.”

He wrapped his right arm around my shoulders again and held his left hand near my mouth but not covering it. “First, get your hand underneath my left hand.” I did what he said, and he replied, “Good. Now lift your elbow, hard and fast. Push his arm away. As you’re doing that, step out to the left and drop your weight.” I did it, but all I did was walk into a headlock.

He chuckled and let me go. “Like this.” In a move that looked like a scripted fight scene, he stepped out wide, brought his left elbow up and fist out and dropped his right arm down, striking back. “That’s moving into a back stance. You drop your weight and push up so you get out of the hold on your face. With your right hand, you disable. Go for the nuts. They’re fair game.”

“Okay, I think I’ve got it.”

He held me tighter, and I tried the move, failing miserably again. “Move faster. The aim is to take him by surprise. If he’s anticipating your move, he’ll step with you.”

I tried over and over until I got my hand up and under his. I immediately dropped down and struck out. If V hadn’t jumped backward, I would have landed a fist straight into his jewels.

“Well done, sweet thing. You did it, and now that he’s preoccupied, make sure he can’t get up. Stomp down on his knee and break it.” He showed me where to hit for maximum effect and added, “Of course, I’d really appreciate it if you looked for the mask first.”

I grinned and assured him I wouldn’t punch him in the nuts or break his leg. I couldn’t see his face, but I knew from his eyes that he was smiling. The knowledge had warmth spreading through me. I’d made him smile. He was proud of me, and that made me proud too.

fourteen

Kamirah

My cell phone started vibrating and I answered it. “Hey, hon.”

“Hey, baby. Were you asleep? I messaged you half an hour ago.”

“Sorry, I was dealing with an intruder.”

“What?” he asked, horrified and I was torn between smiling and hating myself for worrying him.

“Switch to video call. I promise you, everything’s okay.”

We did, and the moment Chris saw V standing behind me, he breathed on a laugh, “Oh, thank fuck.”