And then I didn’t.
Charles Beacon didn’t know loss, but he would.
The thoughts of my plans for Enissa eased my frustration. She didn’t know what I was capable of. She didn’t know I could be evil or I could be kind.
Rising from my place, I twisted to see my home. The light was on in the bedroom and while I couldn’t be certain, I thought I saw a shadow in the window. A silhouette of her looking down on me. Although, I wasn’t for sure, I thought I might as well make it fun for me.
Therefore, I lifted the shirt from my body and tossed it to the sand. From this distance she couldn’t see my scars or my tattoos, but she could see my body.
A body I knew was fit because I worked out every day. It was how I kept the demons in my head at bay. Stretching, I decided to cool off by going for a swim.
I would go to bed beside her soon enough. For now, I’d swim in the clear blue sea and think of what it would be like to have her in this water wrapped around me.
She would submit.
In time, she would be mine.
7
Enissa
Dreams.
We all had them at some point in our lives. Sometimes during sleep mine decided to take over, feeling more real than a dream should be. More raw, open, and exposed.
For example, the heat coming from my back was attached to something very hard. An arm around my waist like a vise not allowing me much movement, connecting me to a body. The smell of the ocean, beach, and sandalwood made me feel as if I was right on the beach. Then the feel of the rise and fall of someone’s breath, then the slight inhalation of breaths moving my hair all rolled together.
Comfort. Peace. This moment felt exactly those.
Lately, so much worry ran through my mind all the time, and there was no downtime to relax and breathe. Between my mother’s sickness and this deal, it felt as though my life was in a tailspin, and I’d been unable to catch my breath.
That was why I didn’t make a movement or sound when my eyes fluttered open. For just a moment, I wanted to be in the fantasy.
Garrett was behind me, and he was strong, warm, and comforting. Even though it was merely the briefest of blips in time, I needed to feel that to give me strength to get through. I needed to pull from him even if he wasn’t planning on giving it.
Fear of the unknown could be crippling. I hadn’t the slightest clue what would come next, but I had to remain strong.
On my right side, the light beamed in the room. One window was open wide, giving a nice breeze and allowing the sounds of the ocean’s waves into the space. I watched as the water came upon the shore, then went back down. Over and over again it repeated itself, never stopping, never lulling.
It was constant. Something that I could clutch on to while here.
I watched Garrett last night from the window of his bedroom, eating his dessert and then taking his shirt off. It was dark, but there was just enough light to see the planes and angles of his defined body. I shouldn’t have looked. He angered me, but I couldn’t resist the pull to watch him.
As he moved off to the water, I could only see a speck out that far. At that point, I stopped.
Showering did nothing to help the conflicted feelings inside of me. Garrett said he was going to break me. To me, that was a bad thing. But if he were so bad, then why did he make me a fancy dinner and put it out on the beach? Actions spoke louder than words, and his actions didn’t scream he would hurt me.
He’d been nothing but kind to me, and I didn’t know which way to take that. Good or bad.
A hand drifted up and cupped my breast, rolling my nipple. My body electrified as he continued, then groaned in my hair. His hard length pressed into my back, and my traitorous body wanted him. Just to forget what a mess my life had become and get lost in a man would be a release.
His other arm under me moved, and his fingers crept down my stomach. Desire rolled around my body. It felt so good, and I just wanted to escape for a little while. Maybe feel something other than scared, pissed off, or stressed.
Something told me Garrett knew what he was doing, and judging from his hands he did.
My eyes closed as I soaked in the feel of this hands on my body, drinking in every second like a woman who’d been in the desert for years. Keep dreaming, I told myself, and don’t wake up because this moment was good, too good.
I didn’t want it to stop. Need built inside of me like never before.
His fingers hit the target, and I leapt from the bed, surprising myself at my quickness.
Ecstasy hit and boom, so did reality. Yes. Like a crazy cartoon character who just had a horn the size of Texas blown in her ear. Racing to the bathroom, I didn’t look back, shutting the door and leaning my back against it.
What in the fuck was the matter with me?
This man was holding me captive on this beach, all the while taking direction from Mr. Beacon who wanted God knew what from me.
My mind was seriously jacked up.
The worst part, I liked it.
Never would I admit it to a single soul. But it felt so good to have a strong man who knew what he was doing touch me.
It had been a long time since one knew directly how to find the spot to arouse me. Garrett had no trouble at all.
He was the bad guy. He was working for Mr. Beacon.
This was not some romantic idealization, and I was not sleeping with Garrett whoever-he-was.
I went to the sink, washed my face, brushed my teeth, combed my hair, and did my business. Promptly, I focused on getting my shit together. Garrett might have held the power over my body momentarily, but the war of my heart and mind would be the victory I would claim. Without missing a beat, I flung the door open, and I didn’t even look at the bed as I marched out of the room and down the stairs.
He could’ve been asleep for all I knew, but with Garrett there was no doubt he was wide awake just waiting for me to come out. That wasn’t happening. I would not give him the opportunity to weaken my defenses, traitorous body be damned.
Head high, I needed coffee and set off to do just that. In the kitchen, I remained on my mission, scooping in the grounds, adding water, and hitting the button. I focused on the task in front of me. Get caffeine, and my head would clear.
There was a phone off to the side of the kitchen, and I darted there, picking it up and hearing no dial tone.
Dammit.
Disappointment flooded me. Was Mr. Beacon following through on his side and getting my mom help? Were my parents alright? It was killing me not to know if all of this was for nothing. If I could hear my mom’s voice, I knew it would help me endure whatever came next from Garrett.
“Doesn’t work, kitten.” I jumped out of my skin, turning so fast the phone cord hit me in the back. Garrett stood there in gray and white board shorts and nothing else. His tattoos were truly works of art and seemed to enhance his body lines. I forced my eyes not to trail down his chest, setting them only to his. It was painful not to look.
“I want to call my mom.”
His head shook. “No can do. You have to earn those.”
What the hell? Was he punishing me? I didn’t ask him for the orgasm, so I shouldn’t have to return the favor. “Earn them? What do you mean? I get a minimum of one call a month. I haven’t even had a call to let them know I arrived safely.” The terms never laid out when my call would happen, but surely he understood I needed to touch base with my family.