Knox
I put Danni straightinto the large tub of my personal bathroom. She’s still wearing the dress I tore to shreds, and I can’t help but stare at her stiff nipples that peek through the sheer fabric when the water hits her skin.
Danni lets out a cute little yelp in surprise and narrows her eyes.
“What the fuck are you doing?!” she yells, but she doesn’t move. I know how achy her body must be feeling after the little show she put on for the thirsty creatures that lurk outside. It’s hard work having your energy siphoned over and over again to please the humans well enough for feeding. No matter how good I can make her feel, it won’t stop the exhaustion that follows.
“Aftercare is important.” I fold my arms across my chest as I take her in.
Disheveled, wet, and dare I say it, content.
“Why the hell would you put me in here with all of my clothes on?” She stands up in the tub and fumbles behind her for the zipper she can’t quite reach.
“I thought I’d save your modesty.” I turn my back to her and put my balled fist in my mouth as my cock strains for her. If I see her fully naked, I don’t think I can stop the bond this time. It was bad enough out there on the stage, seeing the desire swirl in her emerald eyes, watching her pant with need for me.
“Knox, turn the fuck around,” she huffs.
The bond inside of me loves it when she tells me what to do. But I have to keep control and remind myself that this is all temporary. A mate bond isn’t going to help me once she finally escapes.
“No.” That one word cracks when I speak it.
“Knox? What’s wrong?” Her voice is soft.
Just like the skin on the inside of her thighs…
“I can’t see you naked.”
Because if I do, I’ll fuck you into oblivion and blow this entire thing out of the water.
“Don’t be stupid, you just—we just—I can’t get the zipper down.” She sounds disappointed and it makes me want to beat my hands bloody against the wall.
Yes, we shared something intimate out there, but does that mean her mind has changed about me? No, it can’t be. She can’t fucking fall for me. She needs to get out of here.
“Don’t you have super spider senses or something? If seeing me naked disgusts you so much then just close your eyes and—”
“Disgusts me?” I whirl on the spot.
Damn it all. I close the space between us in two short strides and grab the front of her dress and rip it in two. I chuck the fabric either side of the tub and try not to look down.
“What the hell? Why would you do that?” Her arms come up to cover herself and I find myself grabbing her wrists and pinningthem to her sides. She winces from the pain so I ease my grip a little.
Danni’s eyes swirl with an emotion I’ve never seen before. Well, I’ve seen it before, just not on her. She almost always looks like she’s going to murder me in my sleep; I like it, it keeps me on my toes. After centuries of monotony, she’s a welcomed breath of fresh air. But this look, this look right here…
Fuck. She cares for me. No, no, no! This can’t happen. She has to hate me.
“I do a lot of things just because I can, so get used to it.” I pour as much venom into my voice as I can, but I don’t think she’s buying it. Instead, she looks at me like I’m a puzzle to solve.
“I don’t think that’s true at all. You’re cold and calculated. Impulsivity isn’t your thing.”
What is this woman, a psychic?
“What’s really going on with you?” she asks, softer.
I want to tear my skin from my bones. Even though she is the one standing naked in the cold bathroom, I’m more vulnerable than I’ve ever felt before. I want to tell her the truth, to confide in someone who is going through the exact same thing as I am and seek solace and comfort in her. But I can’t. Women like vulnerability. And this particular woman isn’t allowed to like me. Not if she wants to survive.
“I was bored and wanted to.” I build a wall in my head, one so strong that I know all of the emotions I feel for her will never manage to escape. I need to bury this.
“I don’t believe that. I think you’re feeling the effects of the bond the same as me right now. I think that you’re scared to look down at me in case you lose control.”
