Thank fuck he’s dead.
Asshole.
When the blanket is draped across the ground, the dagger hidden beneath some leaves, I turn to face the door, waiting for Ansel to appear. He takes a while. Far too long. He really needs to do better with his kidnapping victims. He can’t leave them alone this long.
I should teach him a lesson. Maybe that’ll get it through his head not to be so reckless.
I roll my lips between my teeth and debate it. He’ll be so mad, and I don’t want to upset him, but really, he needs to be more careful.
You’re too much like your father.
“No, I’m not,” I mutter. “Nothing like him. I won’t hurt him, just a lesson. An important one.”
I wrestle with it for a moment, and when he doesn’t make an appearance, I decide I have to.
Within seconds, I’m in the woods, blending in with the surroundings. It would be better if I covered myself with dirt so the moonlight can’t catch on my skin, but I don’t want to go that far. I just want to hide for a minute.
Let him come to the realization that Icouldescape if I wanted to.
The door opens a moment later, and Ansel steps outside, his gaze swiveling around trying to find me.
He can’t, obviously. I’m behind a tree, peering out, watching.
My cock is incredibly hard, like I’m on the hunt. Primal. Feral.
“Shit,” I hear Ansel mutter as he strides forward quickly, almost tripping on a branch. “Shit. There’s no way he’s gone. No fucking way.”
My fingers dig into the bark of the tree.Just thirty more seconds,I tell myself. I don’t want him upset. Just a small amount of panic.
Just so he knows that feeling and is more diligent about watching over me.
“Brad!” I hear him call out, desperation in his voice. “Brad! Come back here, you little shit!”
I grind my teeth at that but hold on. Twenty more seconds. Not too soon.
“Oh my god, I’m a dead man.” He pulls at his hair, his eyes wide with terror. “I’m so fucking dead.”
He rushes forward, and that’s when I step out, grabbing on to him.
He screams and kicks at me, but when he realizes it’s me, he sags in relief. I hold him close, savoring the feel of him.
“What the fuck!” he wheezes. “Where were you?”
“I just did a quick perimeter check,” I lie.
“Oh my god. Next time, tell me. Don’t go wandering without me.”
He turns in my arms and my fingers tighten against him.
“Next time, come out quicker. You shouldn’t leave your victims alone for so long. We’ve been over this.”
He steps back and my hands fall to my sides, my fingers curling into my palms as I struggle not to reach out for him.
“Oh my god, were you, like, teaching me a lesson? Was this some kind of mentor bullshit?”
I say nothing, impressed that he can read my intentions so well.
“You were.” He shoves me in the chest, and I take a small step back, giving him this win. “Don’t fuck with me. I mean it. I have a lot on the line. I won’t be messed with.”
