Page 10

Chapter Ten

EMBER

I can’t stop thinking about the skull-faced weirdo on the dance floor—who I’m not even sure I can call a weirdo anymore. I was so fucking turned on. I’m still turned on, so much that I’m desperate to scratch the burning itch pulsing through me. Maybe it’s the alcohol that’s heightened it, but maybe not. I don’t know, but I do know I’m ready to be home alone.

“How much did you have to drink?” Josh’s voice starts to grate on my nerves. “You seem really drunk. Did he spike your drink?” I roll my eyes while he steadies me when the train comes to a stop.

“He didn’t spike my drink,” I reply, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. “He only bought me one. I bought the others.”

“Good God,” Josh grunts. “You probably spent forty dollars on drinks.” He holds my arm as he helps me up, shaking his head. “I’ll give you the money back.”

Gritting my teeth, I rip my arm away from him. “I don’t want your fucking money, Josh. You always treat me like a charity case, and that’s not what I am.”

He falls silent, and then he catches me as I stumble forward. My cheeks redden with embarrassment, and I look away from him.

“I don’t know why you stick around,” I mutter, my words slurring slightly as we head up to the exit. “I’m sure I’m annoying as hell.”

“You’re not annoying,” Josh chuckles. “Frustrating, maybe, but not annoying. Life isn’t cut and dried, you know?” He smiles down at me, his eyes warm and his gaze softening. “I just wish you’d realize that you’re special, Em.”

I snort, shaking my head. “Oh my God. I'm really not. Just shut up.”

We both crack up into laughter, as we exit the train station into the coolness of the night. For some reason, when I’m with Josh, I don’t fear what might be lurking in the dark shadows. There was a time that I actually thought that meant there was something more between us, but then I realized that he was just safe—like a brother or something.

“You should call in sick to work tomorrow,” Josh says carefully. “You’re going to need to sleep this off.”

“Nah,” I shake my head. “That’ll never fly with Rich now that Megan isn’t working all the time like she was before.”

“Right,” Josh sighs. “Well, I have to interview a couple of guys. They’ll probably start around the same time you do. I’m trying to get a good feel of them. I don’t want to hire anyone who’s going to give either of us problems.” There’s a sudden hardness to his tone, and I consider it, but then don’t think any further as we reach my apartment building.

Josh punches in the code for me. “I’m going to walk you all the way up.”

“Why?”

“To make sure you don’t end up sleeping in the hallway or something,” he replies flatly, dragging me inside. I let him lead me, but I trail behind him, my mind wandering to the skull-faced man. My pussy aches, as I recall the way his touch brushed against my underwear. It was strikingly soft and gentle.

I bite down on my lower lip, tripping over a step.

“Jesus, Em,” Josh grunts, catching me. “You need to get to bed.” He huffs with annoyance as we finally reach my apartment door. He pulls out his set of keys and unlocks it with the spare he has. He pushes the door open and helps me inside, before leading me to the bedroom.

“Do you need any help?”

I stagger away from him, my breath hitching as my eyes land on the broken frame sitting on my nightstand. “Sorry… What?”

“Never mind,” he mutters, stepping behind me and tugging on the zipper at the top of my dress. “I’ll just help you, then.”

I can’t pull my eyes away from the picture of my mom and I. It had fallen off the nightstand and busted one day when I was cleaning. I hadn’t gotten a frame for it yet, and so I’d just stuck it in a box under my bed. I’m certain I didn’t set it on the nightstand.

“Em?” Josh tugs my dress down off my shoulders. “You okay?”

I blink a few times, trying to process everything. “Uh, yeah. Yeah. I’m fine. I got it.” I grab the straps on my arms, and then shoo him out. “You’re good. I’m home safe now. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“Are you sure?”

I turn to face him, noticing the genuine concern etched in his expression. “Yeah, I’m just super tired right now. I got it.”

“Let me at least get you something to change into.” He turns to my dresser and pulls out an oversized T-shirt. “Here. I’ll lock up behind me on the way out.”

“Deadbolt, too,” I say as I take the shirt from him, still holding my dress up with one hand.

“I always lock the deadbolt,” he says flatly. “You need a hell of a lot more than that, but whatever. I’ll feel better when you’re out of this shithole.”

“I know, and I will be soon,” I say, forcing a smile.

“Right.” He sighs, and then heads for the exit of my apartment. I drop my dress and unhook my strapless bra, letting it all fall to the floor. I pull the T-shirt over my head and go straight for my bed, trying not to look at the picture frame as I slip by it.

Maybe I put it there. But even in my drunken state of mind, I know that’s not the truth. I didn’t put it there. I know I didn’t. I hear Josh turn the deadbolt, right as I close my eyes, and I am suddenly aware of my solitude. My skin crawls with goosebumps as I consider someone’s having been in my apartment… but who?

I know the answer already. Skull-face.

My pussy comes to life, and I’m met with the memory of his thick cock pressed into me. A small whimper escapes my lips as I slide my hand down my abdomen. I’m not someone who regularly entertains my fantasies, but I’m so turned on right now.

I slide my fingers under my underwear, keeping my eyes shut to avoid staring into the pitch black. I try to imagine his lips on my skin, even though I don’t know what he looks like. It wouldn’t matter. I’d take him regardless. His voice was commanding, even with the mask muffling it.

I flick my clit, and let out a moan that fills the silence. My back arches as arousal pours through my body, swelling between my legs.

That’s when I hear the creak of my closet door.

Fear tremors through my body, but I justify it as the old apartment making noises. I’m so close to coming that I don’t want to stop, and I pick up my pace, driving a finger inside of myself.

“You couldn’t wait for me could you.”

A whisper makes me freeze, and my eyes flutter open to take in the sight of a tall, broad shadow lingering at the foot of my bed. I see the skull-face in the small amount of light glinting off the grayish hue.

“How…” I can’t even get the words out as he flips the covers off the bed.

“Shut up,” he whispers, his voice hard. “Roll over onto your stomach.” The tone of his whisper is heady with lust and desire.

And I do what he says.

My heart thuds with nervous anticipation of what's to come. Face down in the pillow, I feel his weight at the end of my bed. Warm, heavy hands grab my thighs, and pull my ass into the air. The cool air causes me to tremble, and he chuckles as he slaps my left cheek with a force that causes me to cry out.

“Look at you,” he sneers. “Ass in the air, begging for me to do what I want with you. Why aren’t you desperate for the other men? Huh?”

“I… I don’t know,” I answer breathlessly as he spreads me open. It’s a fucking good question, and I can’t answer it. I really don’t know why. All I know is I want him to do whatever he wants—even if I have no idea why.

Kink unlocked.

He glides his fingers from back to front, diving them into my pussy as he reaches it. I squeeze my eyes shut and pant at the fullness, realizing he’s already stretching me with two or three fingers.

“I’m twice this size,” he groans, pressing deeper into me, and I can't hold back a moan as my body responds to him. My hips instinctively arch toward his hand, craving more. “But I’m afraid that once I fuck you, baby, it’s over for both of us.”

I whimper as I feel his hot, warm, and wet tongue circle my ass. “ Oh God, ” I moan out. He grunts as he drops lower, covering me with his tongue. I nearly fall right over the edge, and he grips my thighs tighter, burying his face between my legs. I rock back, pressing myself against him, writhing to work myself to the orgasm I’m now desperate for.

The stranger drops his hand from my pussy and then wraps his arms around my thighs, lifting my entire body into the air and causing me to straddle his face. I gasp in surprise, realizing how exposed I am. However, his mouth on my clit causes the nerves to dissipate. He sucks so hard that I cry out, and I finally explode, my orgasm rolling through my body in waves and making my legs shake uncontrollably.

“Oh fuck, ” he growls into me, lapping up every drop my body gives him.

I squeeze my eyes shut, a mixture of regret and embarrassment flooding through my body as the high recedes. What the hell am I doing? He broke into my apartment. A jolt of fear sends my heart racing and I try to wriggle free from his grasp.

“What’s wrong?” he chuckles, dropping my legs down to the bed. I can barely hear his voice over the ringing in my ears, and I scramble away from him. When I make it to my headboard, I stop, turning to face him and pulling my knees to my chest.

“Why the fuck are you in my apartment?” I demand, a chill running down my spine as my eyes land on the skull mask, already back in place.

“Really?” he retorts, his voice muffled once again.

I wrap my arms around my knees tighter, a burst of new fear hitting me as he comes toward me, his large figure looming over my head. His hand juts out before I can stop him, wrapping around my chin so tightly I whimper.

“For a woman who just willingly put her ass in the air for me and got the best orgasm of her life, you sure aren’t acting very thankful,” he sneers arrogance dripping from his voice, his fingers digging into my skin.

“Get the fuck out of my apartment,” I match his tone, spitting venom despite the fear pulsing in my veins. “ Now. ”

He bursts into a fit of laughter, and then drops my chin. He gets to his feet and starts for the door, but pauses at the threshold of my bedroom, glancing back.

“You’ll never get rid of me, little darling. From now until death, I’ll be the last thing you see when you close your eyes.”

“I'm not your darling,” I snipe out with anger.

With that, he disappears, stopping only to lock the door behind him, gifting me a mocking laugh before he leaves. My skin crawls as I hear the deadbolt turn, and I know it’s imperative that I change the fucking locks.

ASAP.