Page 4 of Savage Desire (The Savage Six #2)

4

POLARIS

“ T ell me what you like, Polaris?” I can’t see him, but I would know that voice anywhere. Wylder. “Tell me, Polaris. Don’t make me ask again.”

I shiver, shaking my head frantically as I stutter. “I-I-I don’t kn-know,” I rattle, teeth chattering as desire wreaks havoc over my body.

“We can’t give it to you if you don’t tell us,” he insists as a fingertip ghosts over my thigh, forcing my legs to squeeze shut as I bite back the need flooding my veins.

“W-W-We?”

“She obviously doesn’t want it, Wylder,” Lincoln states, disappointment in his tone, and I shake my head more frantically as hysteria gets the better of me.

“I-I p-promise. I j-just d-don’t know.”

They have to believe me, they have to. Otherwise, I think I just might self combust.

“Guys, you’re forgetting the most important fact.”

Is that… Tatum? Hands spread over my thighs, fingertips digging into my bare flesh as they pry my legs apart, and a cool breeze brushes over my exposed pussy.

“How is she going to know what she likes if we haven’t given her a sample of it yet?” I nod in agreement with Tatum, hoping he can see me despite my inability to see him.

That’s it. That’s exactly it.

“He’s right, Linc. Just because you took her virginity doesn’t mean she has any idea of the other ways we can bring her to climax,” Wylder states, and although I’m still blind to them, I know he’s smiling right now.

“I have an idea.”

Oh, fuck… Asher too?

Dead.

D.E.A.D.

Sign the death certificate now and cremate me on the spot.

I can’t survive this, but despite the raging inferno at my core, I strain, desperate to hear his next words.

“What’s the idea?” I’m not entirely sure if the question comes from me or someone else, but when I feel the breath against my cheek, I brace, ready for impact.

“Let’s see how well she takes all of us.”

I dart upright in bed, hand pressed against my chest as I struggle to calm my ragged breathing.

What in the holy fuck was that, and why do I hate the fact that I’m awake right now?

Slumping back against my headboard, I take a deep breath before I pry my eyes open and succumb to the fact that I’m no longer dreaming. At least I managed to sleep, I guess. My eyes latch on to the sun rays bursting through my window and I sigh, the sound almost content until I freeze, recalling the fact that I specifically left my curtains closed today.

I wanted to hide away from everyone and everything, sunlight included, yet they’re open.

Rubbing my lips together nervously, I frown, when the outline of a shadow catches my attention out of the corner of my eye.

Startled, I whip my head around to find Tatum sitting at the foot of my bed. There’s a soft smile on his lips, one that makes my stomach clench as butterflies threaten to take off inside of me.

Don’t fall for it, Polaris. It’s not your fault they sent the sweet one.

Keeping my movements slow and measured, I sit up straighter, my gaze fixed on the new addition to my room. Clearing my throat, I point at the closed door behind him.

“My door was locked,” I state, the words lamer than I intend as he nods.

“It was.”

Was. Noted.

“From the inside,” I add, trying to process how the hell he’s in here right now.

“I’m aware,” he says with a shrug, making my pulse quicken.

He broke in. He’s aware he broke in, and… he doesn’t seem to mind.

Taking a deep breath, I try to remain calm, which is annoyingly easier in his presence since he seems to be able to do that to me.

Dammit.

Pursing my lips, I nod, refusing to let myself get distracted by his warm presence. “Well, this seems very… un-Tatum-like,” I mumble, and he cocks a brow at me instantly.

“You don’t know me.”

His words remain calm and soft, but the harsh reality of the fact that I indeed don’t know him as well as I think I do still cuts me in a way I can’t describe.

“You’re right, I don’t,” I agree with a nod. “I shouldn’t make assumptions, but you shouldn’t break into my room,” I add, staring at him intently for an acknowledgment that he shouldn’t be in here right now, but he ignores the hint, running his hands over his denim-clad thighs as he tilts his head at me.

“Are you doing okay? We were concerned when we didn’t see you for breakfast, and when you didn’t show up for lunch, we decided we needed to check in on you,” he explains, and I frown.

“Lunch? What time is it?” I fumble around for my cell phone, but a sudden hand around my ankle makes me freeze.

“The time is irrelevant. Are you okay?”

My gaze latches onto his once more and I gulp, a sudden reminder of the dream I was having reigniting from a simple touch.

“I’m fine,” I whisper, struggling to breathe with his hand on me. He cocks a brow, refusing to fall for my crap. “That’s a lie.”

“Hands down, the worst one you’ve told,” he agrees with a small curl to his lips, and the tension building in my shoulders eases.

“Don’t judge me.”

“I’m not.”

I don’t just mean now, I mean last night too, and judging by the way he smiles at me, he knows it as well.

Clearing my throat, he removes his hand from my ankle, the loss I feel instantly bubbling inside me. “Why are you here, Tatum?”

“We were concerned,” he says again, casually lacing his fingers together in his lap.

“Concerned, or mad at me?”

“Mad?” His brows furrow in confusion and I shake my head, a small scoff parting my lips.

“Don’t play coy. We both know last night was more of a mess than any of us were ready for.” My gaze falls to my lap, embarrassment getting the better of me under his intense stare.

“I didn’t see a mess, Polaris. I saw a lot of confusion on all parts,” he murmurs, cajoling me, and I huff, refusing to believe that for one second.

“Speak for yourself. The entire thing went from embarrassing to gut-wrenching all at once,” I grumble, and his hand is back at my ankle a moment later, instantly easing the despair threatening to overwhelm me.

“But now you’re a sigil-free witch, Polaris. No matter which way you look at it, that’s fantastic news.”

“Yeah,” I mutter in agreement, still unable to lift my eyes to his. Instead, I focus on his fingers curled around my ankle.

“Have you tried anything yet?”

“Anything?” I repeat, looking up at him through my lashes with my head still tilted down, and he nods eagerly.

“Magic,” he offers in explanation, and I shake my head. “That’s okay. As long as you’re okay, that’s all we were worried about,” he insists, repeating his concerns from earlier, but there’s still something holding me back.

“Who does we entail?” I ask, forcing myself to lift my chin off my chest as I stare deep into his eyes.

“Me, Minnie, Asher, Wylder, and Lincoln. Your friend Bryony too, if we’re being honest. She says she gave you the coin?”

I sense the immediate change in direction, as though there’s a lie mingled among his words, but I follow his lead and nod. “She did.”

Instinctively, my hand slips under my pillow, finding the familiar beacon of calm. Curling my fingers around the coin, I tighten my fist around it as I settle my hand in my lap.

“It means a lot to you.” It’s a statement from him, not a question, one that I can’t deny. All I can do is gulp nervously as I wait for him to try and snatch it away, just like Lincoln did. “Mine means a lot to me too,” he states, making me frown, but before I can find a way to ask, he stuffs his free hand into his pocket and retrieves an identical one to mine.

My heart thunders in my chest and I have to double check mine is still in my grasp as he shows me his. “How?” I rasp, emotions clogging my throat as he shrugs.

“It was my father’s, or so I believe, some things are a little hazy, buried in the pain that comes along with the memories of that time, but I’ve had it with me every day since the night my world collapsed,” he explains, and my heart wrenches for him.

He holds a coin, just as I do, but he has the misfortune of remembering the circumstances and what exactly it is he’s missing out on, while I remember… nothing.

Desperate to change the subject away from the vulnerability growing thick in the air and feeding my delicate emotions, I clear my throat. “What does it mean if you have a coin, Tatum?”

“They’re passed down through the generations,” he offers, not really giving me anything else than what I’ve worked out for myself.

“Why?” I push, earning another shrug, but the way he averts his stare for the first time since he walked in here has my back stiffening. “You’re lying.”

His eyes dart back to mine, his pupils dilating just a fraction as he slowly shakes his head. “No, I’m holding my cards close to my chest. Well, my coin in this case. I don’t know if I can trust you,” he admits, the truth in his words cutting deeper than they should.

I shouldn’t care that he doesn’t trust me, I shouldn’t care that he doesn’t believe in me, I shouldn’t care about anything, but I do.

“Ditto,” I bite, the disappointment thick in my tone.

Silence cascades over us, but his hand doesn’t move as he gently brushes his thumb over my skin.

“So where does this leave us?” he asks, and I tighten my fist around my coin as I desperately try to find the answer, but there isn’t one.

“As lost as we were before,” I admit, hating how true it is.

He shuffles closer, his fingers tightening around my leg as his eyes widen on a plea. “We don’t have to be lost alone, Polaris.”

My gut twists at his words, hope blossoming deep inside of me, but I can’t forget his words from moments ago.

“But you don’t trust me.”

“Do you trust me?” he retorts, giving me a pointed look.

I gape at him for a beat before I sigh. “I don’t know you.”

“Exactly, but you could get to know me,” he insists, and my bottom lip wobbles despite my best efforts to act as unfazed as possible.

“I thought that’s what we were working toward,” I mumble, brushing a loose tendril of hair back off my face.

“We were,” he states, his hand clasping tighter now. “We are,” he corrects, stretching his free hand in my direction. “Pinky swear it with me.”

I frown at him, staring at his little finger as he waves it at me insistently. “What?”

“Pinky swear,” he repeats, curling his finger around mine tightly. “You can’t break it,” he states.

“Why?” I ask as he peers deep into my eyes, leaving me exposed before him.

“Because it will break my heart.”

I gulp as I nod, not entirely sure what it is I’m agreeing to, but it seems with him, I’m willing to agree to anything.

After a few moments, he smiles, releasing my little finger from his as he unfortunately lets go of my ankle too.

“What now?”

“Now, we eat because it’s dinner time and you’ve slept the day away,” he states, rising from the bed, and I instantly shake my head.

“I don’t want to go anywhere,” I blurt, but he ignores me as he heads to the door. He opens it like it’s his room to reveal Bryony on the other side with what looks like a pizza box in her hands. She offers me a reassuring smile as she steps over the threshold, kicking her shoes off as she nears my bed.

I have no idea what’s going on until Tatum is hovering over me, fists coiled on either side of me as he stares straight into my eyes again.

“See you tomorrow,” he murmurs, another statement that leaves no room for argument.

Despite the nerves bundling tight inside of me, I nod. “Tomorrow.”

He taps his cheek and I instantly sink my teeth into my bottom lip as my face heats. He angles his head, waiting patiently, and before I can think twice about it, I cut the distance, pressing my lips against his soft skin for the briefest second before he’s gone.

It’s like a whirlwind; one moment he’s there, the next he’s not, and the door is closed behind him. If Bryony wasn’t sitting beside me with a gaping grin on her face, I would have believed it was all in my head.

“Girl, why do I get the feeling you’re entwined in a whole heap of trouble?” she asks as she opens the box to reveal a Margherita pizza, and I sigh, unable to hide from the truth.

“Because I am.”