His words had crippled me and I had to look down. My chest ached, my stomach had only held it together because his hand was on it. Acid burned and lined my throat and esophagus. I took a deep breath slowly to steady myself before I looked up athim.
“I’m going to tell you something else, Ryan Hudson…I love you. And I’m going to show you what it’s like to beloved.”
Russell smiled and patted my stomach a few times before he took a step back. I quickly rubbed at my eyes with the backs of my hands before any tears spilledout.
“I don’t know what to say to any of this,Russell.”
“Don’t overthink. I know that despite me telling you that, you probably will. We will talk more tomorrow, but for now, I’d like for you to drive home while you’re stillalert.”
I nodded and moved out of the way when Russell reached for the door handle. He walked outside with me and down his driveway to mySUV.
“When you get home, I’d like for you to textme.”
“Okay, I will,” I said as I opened my door and gotin.
“Not after you get settled or change, but the moment both of your feet are firmly inside.” Russell stood between the open door and the frame of mySUV.
“Ipromise.”
I pulled the seatbelt across my body and clicked it into place. Russell took hold of the belt across my body and tugged on it until the lap belt portiontightened.
“I’m very proud of you, Ryan. Drive carefully andtext—”
“As soon as my feet are in the house. I won’tforget.”
“Goodnight, Ryan,” Russell said as he closed my cardoor.
Ryan: I’mhome.
Russell: Good. Is your home secured for thenight?
I frowned at the screen on my phone and then looked toward the dark kitchen and then looked toward the dark hallway where my bedroom was. What did hemean?
Ryan: What do youmean?
Russell: Your doors. Are your doors locked up for the night? Security system armed, if you haveone?
Was he concerned or worried about mysafety?
Ryan: The doors are locked. I don’t have a securitysystem.
Russell: Change your clothes and sit down and relax for a little while. Drink somewater.
“Okay,” I said as I typed it to him and hitsend.
I went to my room and changed from my jeans to a pair of shorts to sleep in. I pulled off my button-down shirt and instantly felt the cool air on my arms. I started to pull off Russell’s t-shirt but stopped when the cold air hit the small of my back and spread rapidly to my sides and then stomach. I let go of the neckline of the t-shirt behind my neck and pulled the hem of it back down. It was already warm and felt good. No harm in sleeping in it. I’ll wash it in the morning forhim.
Despite feeling cold and physically and mentally exhausted, my head was too full to sleep. I sent Sadie a text to see if she was still awake. I needed to talk to someone who knew and understood Russell so I could figure out what all of that meant. When she sent back the text saying that she was still up, I called her and told her all about myevening.
“Wow, that sounds hot, Ry. And he marked you. It doesn’t get much hotter thanthat.”
“What does that mean exactly?” I asked. I had been genuinely lost on this phrase of marking or being marked. Daniel and Jeanine both made mention of ittonight.
“Think about what you told me he said to you while he was pressed against you,” Sadie paused, giving me some time tothink.
“He said I was his. Did that mean,hishis for good, or his for the moment? How do I know if he’s just talking about being his in the session, or if he’s just toying withme?”
“No, Ryan, he’s not going to toy withyou.”
