I snicker to myself at the memory. I adored the ground he walked on, and I still do. I know he doesn’t have emotions, but he shows that he cares about me in different ways.
My fixation on him has only grown since he has brought this newfound darkness out of me. We thrive in it together as it intertwines around us, causing a sense of codependency.
He knows he has complete control over me, and he revels in it. AJ has always had that aura surrounding him where people flock to be near him, so it comes as no surprise that he leads our little group and makes all the plans.
Gripping my waist from behind, I jump and yelp at the unexpected touch. The smell of him intoxicates me, cedar andsaffron mixed together. I smile and melt into him as he brings me into his hard chest. He pecks me on the head and turns me around to face him.
“What do you think about the new girl?” he asks me, searching my eyes.
“She is certainly your type,” I answer as I look up at him, biting my lip.
“You know it’s different. You’re the only one for me, Georgia. I just have to let my darkness out at times. If I hold it in…” He rubs his hands over his face. “The little family we’ve made…”
He doesn’t finish that sentence as he stares out into the wilderness.
“You’re undoubtedly the villain in my story, in the best way, and I know you have to let the dark needs you have come to the surface,” I say softly, enraptured by this man.
He chuckles, and his eyes darken possessively. “Always remember if you ever try to leave me, I’ll find you, and what you see me do to these women will be nothing compared to what I will do to you.”
I shudder in his arms at the mere thought, and I brush his hair out of his face. “You don’t ever have to worry about that.”
CHAPTER
TWENTY
Waking up from a long nap and leaning over, I check Ryan’s Garmin watch.
5 o’clock?! Blinking a few times, I reread it to be sure.
Ryan isn’t beside me, but he must be outside because I see a fire going.
Stretching my arms above my head, I hobble out of the tent.
Spotting Ryan kindling the fire in his chair, I walk over to him and sit in his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck and soaking in his body heat.
“Hello, sleepy head,” he murmurs.
“How long have you been up?” I ask.
“About an hour or so.”
“What have you been doing?”
Bashfully, he pulls something out from beside him, and I gawk at him. It’s one of my smut books.
“No way! For someone who always gives me shit about them, you had no problem picking it up and reading it?!
“Hear me out, I can’t stop, and it’s giving me a lot of pointers on what you are into. I’m at the part where she’s getting railed in an alleyway.”
“How are you already that far?” I ask incredulously.
“I haven’t even put it down to go to the bathroom, which, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be right back.”
I dissolve into laughter as I watch him run over to the tree line.
I’m throwing another log into the fire when I see something that shouldn’t be there.
Pushing the logs around with a stick, my eyes narrow in concentration on what appears to be bones.
