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Marcus

Stop thinking about the kiss. Stop thinking about the kiss.

Stop. Thinking. About. The. Kiss.

But how am I supposed to do that when she’s wearing nothing but a sports bra and leggings?

She discarded her jacket after the last round of moves I had her do on the mat.

I had to restrain my dick from springing to life.

We’re finishing this session with her taking out the last of her strength on the punching bag.

My eyes are in a trance as I watch Elliott’s mouth, taking in every grunt and groan she lets out as we train.

She is all consumed by the combo hits I’ve been yelling at her.

Her eyes have a fire in them as she tries to keep up.

I’m still getting used to the way her eyes hypnotize me even more than they did before.

She was always beautiful, I never denied that, but with this new color she looked like she would ruin me.

Sweat rolls down her forehead as she hits the bag and I let my eyes wander.

Stop being weird.

I snap my gaze back to her lips and the kiss flashes in my mind again.

We haven’t talked about it and it was eating me alive to bring it up.

“Again.” I shout over the blaring music.

She swings again, harder this time.

“Kick, jab, jab. Go, four reps.” I command.

She inhales deeply and I see her getting tired, but she does it anyway. She finishes the set with a growl and drops her wrapped fist to her side, her head falling back as she takes in deep breaths.

I cut the music, placing my hand on her shoulder and quickly regretting it, “Good job today.” I retract my hand, the heat from her skin still lingering on my fingertips.

“Thanks.” She plops on the mat.

I grab her water and hand it to her, “How do you feel?”

“Tired as fuck.” She takes a gulp.

“Woah there, language.” I look at her shocked. “So new hair equals potty mouth Elliott?”

She glares at me as I indulge in the sight of her swallowing the water, “New hair means I’m letting myself be me.”

“Good to hear.” I take a drink of my own water.

“I have you to thank, really.” She stands up, “You gave me the dye. ”

“I didn’t make you use it though. That was you, your choice.”

“Still. Thank you.” She takes a deep breath, giving me a smile that makes my chest ache. “I don’t know how to describe it, but it helped me. I see him in one less place now. I don’t see Eden anymore. I see Elliott.”

“Good.” I fumble with my water bottle, her eyes looking straight into my soul again. “I’m glad something I did actually helped you.”

“Not a full cure but it means a lot, to move a step forward.”

She doesn't usually stay to have conversations with me after our sessions, and for some reason I didn’t want it to end. The pull to her seems to have my feet planted in place while the voice whispers to step closer, to comfort her more.

“Well, I’ll see you later.” She says still standing in place. “Same time tomorrow?” She jokes, knowing damn well that we train every morning nowadays.

“Of course.” I chuckle.

We stand there for a moment in silence, neither of us moving but both of our gazes keep crossing paths.

She claps her hands, “Okay…well…see you around the house.” She turns to leave but my feet follow her, grabbing her shoulder and spinning her back around.

“Are we not gonna talk about it?”

“What?” Her eyes widen and her chest raises at my sudden closeness.

“The kiss.” I step closer .

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Do you not?” I rebut.

She tilts her head at me, “I’m not the one that ran away.”

Shit, she has a point. I ran. I left her in my room without a word and I didn’t even join Hunter and her for dinner or anything.

I needed to process. I needed to figure out what the fuck was going on.

Why did she have this pull on me? Why was it that when she kissed me, I felt the piece of me I’ve been missing my whole life?

Fuck, it was all messed up.

“What did you mean the other day when you said ‘you wanted to take control to heal’?”

“What?” She queries. Confused by the change in topic.

“You said you wanted to own someone like they tried to own you. What did you mean?”

“Marcus.” Her eyes glare at me now and she takes a step back from me, “Don’t.”

I know exactly what she meant that day. I haven’t been able to get it out of my head since she said it. I just wanted to hear her say it to me again. I wanted to know I wasn’t going crazy, and that she really wanted it.

“Tell me.” I close the distance.

“No.” She pulls her wrist out of my hold and turns to leave again.

I drop to my knees. My brain scrambles to understand what the fuck I am doing .

I was used to being on my knees for Kameron and Hunter, but for her? I never thought I would want to crawl to a woman more in my entire life. She had me aching for her touch while simultaneously wondering what it would feel like to wrap my fingers around her neck and pin her down on this floor.

She stops in her tracks at the sound of me hitting the floor and turns to look down at me.

"I can give you what you need. Just tell me what it is."

I sound fucking pathetic.

"What I need?" Her words were serious, and my chest aches even more. “You can’t even stay for a kiss. You left me standing there.”

"Let me show you, let me make it up to you.” I shut my eyes tight as I scooted closer to her on my knees, " Please."

What the fuck am I doing? Was I really begging for this? After I made myself stay at arms length for this long?

Her eyes burn into mine as she takes in my words.

"No," is all she says, turning away.

I snatch her wrist again, pulling her back and wrapping my arms around her hips so she won't be able to leave again.

"This is what I want.” I breathe the words out as she towers over me. "Let me give you this.”

"And what are you giving me?"

"Use me." Her eyes widen and she sucks in a breath. “Own me like they tried to own you.”

“Marcus, this isn’t funny. ”

“I’m not laughing, Elliott.”

“You can’t be serious?”

“Oh, but I am.” I gesture to myself, “I am quite literally begging for you to take me seriously.”

“Why would you want me to do that?”

“Because you said it would help you.”

She softly shakes her head, “You’ve already helped me.”

I take in a deep breath, “What if I said I liked it?” Her eyebrows raise, “That I like you being in control?”

She squeezes her thighs together and I know I’ve got her now. As much as she wants to deny it, she wants to do this just as much as I need her to.

She shakes her head, “I can’t, Marcus.”

“You can. You have my consent. I’m a big boy, I can take it.” I grab her hand and bring it to my neck, “Use me, princess.”

Her eyes hood and she takes a step closer, taking in the sight of me on my knees. Her hand applies soft pressure on my throat, causing me to whimper in return. She must like it because she puts more pressure on my neck encouraging me to do it again.

I smile as her lips part at the sounds I make for her, “See, you’re enjoying this.”