Page 19 of The Runaway

“I didn’t know shit like that still happened…” Pursing my lips thinly, I rubbed my face with both my hands before shuffling out of the room. Jacob’s apartment was cold and dark without him there to brighten it, and the carpet was prickly against my toes even though my socks.At least he hadn’t tried to take them off.

No matter what anyone said, there was no redemption from not having toenails. It was like not having eyebrows. Once seen, it could never be ignored.

Snatching my dress off the floor, I stepped into the opening for my head to pull. Dresses were the easier clothing to get on— and pants, of course— and I shook my head viciously to free my hair. Staring at some distant point on the tile that only I could see, I silently debated just walking out. Jacob promised to help me with my American phone, but did I really want to be here right now?

Gently, Jacob wrapped his arms around me from behind, and my eyelids fluttered closed as he kissed my neck feather light. Leaning back against his chest, I covered his hands with mine to huff a sigh. Putting my dress back on changedeverything— the way I felt— the way he felt against me— the way he touched me. Suddenly, he wasn’t so tentative, and I wasn’t so tense as my heart rate dropped to a more stable level.

“I’m sorry. I wish I was comfortable with it, but I’m not. You understand, Joci— there’s no forcing that.” His murmur in my ear eased some of the tension thrumming through me shoulders, and I nodded mutely. Ducking his face into my neck, he inhaled a sharp breath short from regret and the weight of his inability.

“… Truly, this is going better than I thought. So, you have no problem to be sorry for, Jacob.” Straight teeth grazed my pulse point, and I bit my bottom lip as Jacob’s hand glided down my front. Gasping when he cupped my mound, I flexed my palm over his. Experimentally, he gathered up my skirt, waiting for even the slightest hesitation on my side. Tilting my head, my lips tingled as his hovered just above them, barely touching. This time, there was no desperation, no frenzy in his soft kiss, and I hiccupped a shallow breath.

“Is this wrong?” Mumbling so quietly, Jacob’s stubble tickled my chin when I shook my head. His probing fingers found my clit easily, and emotion roiled in my chest as I spread my legs a little wider. Circling my sensitive nub with one hand, the other groped my breast outside my dress. Fog descended on my mind, growing thicker when he captured my lips more firmly.

Reaching behind me to rub the crotch of his pants, I opened my mouth to moan in invitation. My abdomen tightened when he spread my folds, his tongue dancing with mine as the atmosphere settled heavily on us. Shuffling to pin me against the counter, Jacob reached into my dress to palm my breasts. His bulge radiated heat through his work pants, and I unfastened the zipper as he thrust into my hand.

Hot, harsh pants dried my cheek when Jacob pulled back, and I twisted to pump his cock. Lifting me onto the counter, he worked his hand between my legs to slide two fingers between my folds. Tangling my free hand in his shirt, I drew his mouth to mine as the fear and hesitation dissolved under the heat of us, together. My core pulsed to the erratic, rapid beat of my heart, and he slipped his digits past my entrance.

Clenching around them, I sucked in a loud breath, squeezing his cock as Jacob gasped into my mouth. His breath in my lungs flooded my system, and he held the back of my head to deepen the kiss. Tingles skittered just under my skin as he thrust into my hand, his head brushing my thigh.

My juices eased his fingers, their curling and twisting so slow butprofound, and Jacob’s grunt clogged my throat when I swiped my thumb over his tip. Tiny tears leaked from my eyes when he exited me, and I flopped my head back to wheeze for air. The atmosphere was so thick that I could see it through my bleary gaze and stinging lids. Parting my folds side, the cold sent a shiver up my spine, and his free hand found its way to my lower back to scoot me off the counter.

I ground my teeth as Jacob poised himself at my entrance, and he braced his hand on the cabinet overhead to blow out a hard breath through flared nostrils. He disappeared from the very edge of my vision, and my heart nearly stopped as anticipation rampaged through me.

Hard, smooth flesh stretched my inner walls when Jacob inched into my channel. The instant, insanely potenteuphoriathat surged up from my core slammed into my lungs, and I moaned softly. He felt so big, so hard, sowonderful, and my thighs trembled as they struggled to cling to his waist.

“Fuck— fuck…” Jacob’s guttural slur rose goosebumps under my dress, and my scars quivered as tension coiled in my abdomen. His hips pressed against mine before he breathed again, his inhale sucking the heat from my neck as colorful spots assaulted my eyes.

“Don’t stop—”My native tongue slipped out, and Jacob panted furiously against my neck. I couldn’t even think enough to make English words, but, as always, heknew.He knew what I wanted, and I gripped the edge of the counter to roll my hips against his eagerly. “More, Jacob… do it— do it…!”

Pulling back, Jacob left meshiveringwith need, and I hiccupped a breath when he thrust with a low grunt. His cock stretched me walls, the pleasure firing off to overwhelm my mind as I drew closer and closer. Each labored breath, each twitch of his cheek or lips, each tiny, strained sound that graced my ears— I felt itall.

For the first time, I wasn’t scared of my dress riding up, of him pulling down the neckline to expose my breasts— ofexposing myself.And that feeling was freedom. This moment was freedom, and not even Aleksander Makovich could give it to me.

Rolling my hips to the slow, savoring beat of his, my tears became dense as they dripped into my hair and ear. Undulating around him, the physical pleasure of him inside me disappeared. Jacob lifted his head, his lips trailing up my jaw to find mine and steal the stale breath lingering behind them. He wrapped his arms around me fully to turn us, leaning against the counter to thrust into my channel.

“Jacob— Jacob—” The roughness of his pants scraped my inner thighs, but the burn only added to the barrage of sensations that coiled in my belly. His tongue danced with mine, the taste of him coating the roof of my mouth and dripping down my throat. Holding his shirt in white-knuckle fists, I clamped down on his cock as rapture overwhelmed me. Mine was an implosion of my soul, the powerful waves surging through me lifting me up from the depths of despair that I was too used to.

“Fuck…yes-s— cum just like that, Joci.” Rasping his encouragement, Jacob tore his head back to pant as he growled deep in his chest. The reverberations rattled my bones and all the metal holding them together, and I whimpered pathetically. “Damn— damn… fuck…”

“Don’t stop—” Somehow, I managed to spout out some English, and Jacob shook his head hastily. “Please… please don’t stop…”

“Hey— hey— don’t cry.” My lower lip trembled violently, and Jacob reached to wipe my eyes and cup my cheek. He smiled that warm, beautiful smile that drew me to him so easily. “Come on. I’m gonna turn into a jerk if you cry.”

“… I wish I could hug you.” My confession widened Jacob’s eyes a little, but his smile never drooped. Instead, he straightened from against the counter to saunter towards his room with a promise sparkling in his eye.

20

Jacob

“You’re not hurting, right? How’s your shoulders?” Glancing up from Joci’s new, entirely English phone, I pursed my lips thinly as she shook her head. Sprawled out on my bed, she looked so fitting there— like she belonged. “I’m done with your phone. Do you want to call me on it?”

“I can’t message you.” Sitting up, she smiled guiltily, and I held out her phone in it’s shiny, metallic-flecked case. “I should’ve tried harder in class.”

“My number is the only on in there. You’ll be fine.” Joci snatched the device with a snooty look, and I sat back to hold myself on my arms. I was lucky my phone screen didn’t crack when I dropped mine on the tiled kitchen floor.To be honest, I’m lucky I didn’t pass out.

Not only was she tortured, butdoctorsleft her that way? Russian doctors didn’t have a good reputation, but for fuck’s sake… fix Joci but not make her pretty? And what was that shit about half her fucking organs being taken out? Why? Was it some sort of screwed up preventative measure, or was she really torn from the inside out? If she was in such a bad condition, how did she hold out for so long?

I had a feeling I knew the answer to that last question, but I simply shook my head viciously to clear my thoughts. Joci would probably never tell me specifics, and that was perfectly a-o-fucking-kay with me.