Page 12 of Love Me in the Dark

I don’t, but I go slowly, easing my way back before pushing forward again. Slowly she relaxes, and soon she’s moving with me, like her body knows what to do on its own.

I lift my head and watch her face, the way her mouth falls open and the flush that builds on her cheeks. And when I grind against her clit, her eyes fly open and meet mine, hazy with pleasure, the way mine probably are.

“Come for me,” she whispers, gazing up at me. “Come with me.”

I don’t think I can help it, moving faster, leaning down for a deep, hot kiss as the pressure builds and the tingle at the base of my spine turns into something stronger.

Her high-pitched moans are lost in my mouth before she tightens around me, holding me in place before that fluttering starts again, like a million tiny fingers massaging my cock until I can’t do anything but let go while still inside her.

That might have been the biggest mistake I’ve ever made, but I can’t say I’ll ever regret it. Not when the rush passes, and we’re in each other’s arms, and everything feels right for the first time in as long as I can remember. Everything makes sense. There’s no reason it should, but it does. This is where I’m meant to be. This is who I’m meant to be with.

And when she looks up at me with her mouth curved in a soft smile, I know she feels the same. She doesn’t have to say a word.

“I need you to do something for me.” I pull out and already feel the loss of her. I already want to be back inside.

“What is that?”

“I need you to trust me.”

“I do.”

“No, listen to me. You’re going to have to play along. I can’t let anybody know I’m on your side and that… I’m going to protect you.”

She gasps, her eyes widening. “You are?”

“I’m going to find a way. I just need you to remember that whatever I do or say, I’m on your side. Okay?”

I was wrong. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, here and now. Because the hope written all over her flushed face means I can’t possibly let her down. “Okay.”

7

LEONA

This has to be the longest day of my life, even longer than when I was in the cell. Because now I know what’s going to happen. Now I know that once it’s dark and everybody’s winding down for the night, the delivery happens.

Henry has left me alone, but I think that’s because Elijah has kept him out of here after tying me to the bed again. I hear them talking downstairs, and even though I can’t make out the words, it’s obvious there’s a lot of tension.

I wish he had told me more about what to expect. He says he’s on my side but is he really? I have to believe him. I have to trust him, but I think it would be easier if I at least had a clue about what’s going to happen next. He wouldn’t say. He only made sure I got cleaned up after we had sex, then left me here so it would look like nothing happened when his dad and little brother got back from church.

The only thing I can do to escape my dread is to sleep and pretend none of it’s happening. That’s why it comes as such a surprise when the bedroom door opens, and I find myself in near darkness. I slept most of the day away.

And now, Rebecca stands at the foot of the bed, sneering down at me the way she does at everybody. I can’t believe I ever thought she was good, decent. My savior. What a joke.

“Here.” She tosses a duffel bag onto the bed.

“What’s this?”

She only snickers and rolls her eyes. “Get up and get in the shower. We have to get you ready.”

“Ready for what?” Because I’m not supposed to know, am I? She doesn’t have a clue that Elijah already told me.

Part of me wants to hear it coming from her. I want her to look me in the eye and tell me what she has planned.

“You’ll see.” My god, she is so sinister. Almost like she likes this, like she’s been looking forward to it. “Now get up and get in the shower. You’re going to shave yourself all over and make sure you’re clean.”

I don’t want to think about how many times she’s done this before as I take the bag and get out of bed, dragging my feet to the bathroom.

“Move. We’re on a schedule here.” She even gives me a little shove, and I stumble into the tiled room.