“You alive?” Her voice, teasing and sultry.
“Define alive,” I said, leaning back on the couch. She chuckled.
“Still with the smart mouth, I see. Good. I was getting worried you no longer enjoyed our little meetings.”
She paused for a moment before continuing, “I miss you.” I rolled my eyes and let the silence hang long enough to taste her discomfort. She was a means to an end. If she was catching feelings, then that was her problem, not mine. But she didn’t falter.
“I have a surprise for you,” she added. “Something you’ll like. Thought maybe you’d come see me.” I stared at the wall. I didn’t trust her. Not even close. But curiosity? That was a disease I’d never shaken.
“Fine,” I said, “Be there soon.” Pocketing the phone. I wasn’t doing this for her. But she was a distraction; it had been a fair while since I’d seen her, and money was running low. I grabbed my jacket and left without locking the door, clinging to the notion that she may turn up.
The taxi slowed in front of Selene’s townhouse; I stepped out stiffly, wincing as I adjusted my jacket. She must have been watching for me as the front door was already open by the time I got there. An impatient look etched across her face, offering her a half-hearted smile as I approached. She didn’t say a word, just stepped forward and grabbed the front of my jacket, kissing me forcefully. It was the kind of kiss that came with claws—hard and deep, all hunger and control. A hint of wine on her lips, her hands curled into my shirt, pulling me through the door like I was already hers for the taking. I pushed her back just enough to breathe, just enough to see her eyes flicker in irritation at the break in momentum.
“What’s the surprise?” I asked, mid-breath. My hands stayed on her hips, steady and unmoved. She tilted her head, lips curling into something wicked.
“You’ve got to deliver first.” She leaned in again, running her fingers over my chest, “Earn it.”
I exhaled sharply through my nose, a cocky smirk finding its way onto my face. “That's how we’re playing it now?” My fingers slid up her spine, slow and sure, until my mouth found the side of her neck. I felt her breath catch. A wide smile spread on her face as I led her off towards her bedroom—my mouth on her skin and her laughter low in my ear.
The bedroom was dimly lit, curtains drawn tight against the outside world. Clothes fell away in silence, neither rushed nor gentle. Only offering a raise of her eyebrow when the remnants of my beating still lingered on my skin. Our bodies met with a kind of ferocity that didn’t ask for permission. Her fingers threaded through my hair, tugging me closer to her as I guided her to the bed. She straddled me, a slow drag of her manicured nails down my chest, ignoring my fading bruises. Her eyes locked with mine like she was waiting for me to flinch as she ran them over my scar.
I didn’t; instead, I pushed myself up on the bed to meet her gaze, switching our positioning in one fell swoop. Selene bit down on her lip as my hands traced down her body, gripping her upper thigh as I leaned in, kissing her neck. Her mouth seeking answers in the heat between us. But I wasn’t giving anything away.
I stared at the ceiling, heart still racing, but Selene was already up and moving, throwing on her silk robe with subtle grace. She didn’t say much, just gave me a sly glance over her shoulder as she motioned for me to follow. I dragged my aching body from the sheets, my curiosity piqued, slipping my shirt back on with slow, stiff movements. We moved through the house in silence; her bare feet padded softly on the tiled floors until she reached the door to the garage and keyed in a code. The lock hissed open with a mechanical click, the lights flickering on automatically. There it was. A sleek black car. Matte finish, chrome accents, brand spanking new. Aggressive, low to theground. It looked like something out of a film. I froze, a dull throb building behind my temples.
“You’re kidding,” my eyes locking on the black beast in front of me, “You’re actually fucking kidding.” She stepped past me, bare shoulder brushing mine.
“It’s yours,” she said, voice honeyed. “No strings… well, not many.”
My eyes lingered on the car, unaware my mouth had parted slightly in shock.
“You’re serious?”
She turned toward me with a devilish grin. “You need to be able to get around. See me. Handle business. It’s practical.” She stepped in close, resting her hands on my chest, the silk of her robe brushing my arms.
“I take care of what’s mine.” That word triggered. Mine. Settled into my chest like a slow-growing fire, I didn’t move. Didn’t speak. She leaned in, her lips finding the curve of my neck. Soft and precise. Her breath was warm as she whispered, “It suits you.”
My hands twitched at my sides, the tension in my jaw pulsing. She kissed along my collarbone, her fingers gently tracing down my side, a calculated show of affection. “Take the keys,” she whispered. “Make it easy on both of us.”
But that’s when it snapped. I grabbed her wrists and pushed her back, not hard, but enough to make her stumble a step. “I’m not a fucking pet you own, Selene.”
Her eyes widened, not in fear but in amusement. “You think I’m doing this to own you?” she said, voice smooth, dangerous. “That ship’s already sailed baby.”
“You don’t own me,” I snarled, anger spilling onto my face. “You bought a car, not my fucking soul.”
She tilted her head, smile returning, but now with something colder behind it. “You’re cute when you pretend you still have options.”
I stared at her, “I’m not going to play this game with you.”
“You already are,” she said quietly, stepping close again. “I own you, whether you like it or not. You can fight it. Run. But you’ll always come back.” Her finger dragged along my jaw, possessive and slow. “Because you need me. You don’t have a choice.”
The car behind her shimmered under the garage lights, silent and waiting, as if it understood exactly how this would end. My fists clenched at my sides. Every part of me burned to walk away. But the road wasn’t clear anymore. And Selene knew it.
The engine purred all the way through the city, a deep, low growl that felt too smooth for someone like me. My fingers tightened around the wheel every time I caught my reflection in the rear-view mirror, sitting in this beast as if I belonged in it. Like I’d earned it. But I hadn’t.
Selene’s perfume still clung to my skin, sweet and suffocating, a reminder of every twisted string she’d wrapped around my ribs. I hadn’t even wanted to drive the damn thing. But the second she dropped the keys into my hand, smiling like she’d won some silent war.
By the time I pulled up to the flat, the rain had started again. Soft at first, then heavier, washing down the windshield in long, blurry streaks. I sat there in silence. Engine running. Lights off. My stomach churned, and I couldn’t tell if it was from the guilt or the helpless sense of inevitability that came with Selene’s so-called gifts. That woman didn’t give anything without a leash attached. Even her kisses tasted like ownership. I leaned my head back against the seat, eyes drifting shut for a moment.
