by Katie Ball
Taking that as a sign, he deepened the kiss. Tongue delving between my lips, finding my own. Meeting in a fervent dance. Pushing me up against the shelving now. Hands moving down my body, tightly digging into my curves. Pulling me against his glorious body. I couldn’t help but whimper when I felt his hardening cock against my stomach.
Forgetting everything else. Overwhelmed with red hot lust that roared within me. Needing him. Starving for him. I don’t know what had come over me. This was fuelled by emotion. Giving into our natural instincts. Nothing else mattered but us. Clawing at his clothing, needing it gone.
“Hazel…fuck.” He groaned against my bruised lips. There would be no denying this now. Trying to convince him I didn’t feel this. That I wasn’t interested. It would be pointless after this earth-shattering kiss.
Fuck me…the way his lips moved with mine was perfection. Heaven and hell meeting in the middle. A destructive explosion that neither of us could ignore.
Wanting more.
Greedy for all of him.
I was ravenous for him.
“Still…not…interested.” He grumbled between fierce kisses. I couldn’t lie, not right now. Not while he drove me to the brink of madness. Crazed with feral lust.
“Not interested.” Somehow, the words tumbled out but even I didn’t believe them. He growled in frustration at my stubbornness. Wishing I would cave. That I would just admit how much I wanted this.
His hands suddenly tore open my jeans, pushing his way past my panties, finding my slick folds. His fingers dipping inside of me, stirring up pleasure. Making my legs shake. Gasping for air as he created delicious strokes with those talented fingers.
“You going to lie to me again Hazel?” Mumbling against my lips. My eyes fluttered shut as he continued to caress me. I should tell him to stop. I’m at work, I shouldn’t be doing this…but for the first time in my life, I wanted this. I wanted a man to touch me like this. To show me pleasure. To make me pant with desire.
“Oh god.” Nibbling on my neck as he continued to finger me against the drinks shelf.
“You can’t lie to me Hazel. Your eyes are too expressive. They tell me all I need to know.” Damn my eyes. “And your body…you call to me. Pull me in. Telling me just what you need.”
He didn’t even know me and yet, he did know me.
“I want you to come over my fingers Hazel. Then I want you to come over my cock.” Shivering from his demanding words. I would give him whatever he wanted. He could have all of me if he wanted.
I was already so close, more than ready to come apart for this commanding King.
But everything was brought to a halt as his phone started ringing. Destroying this moment between us. Leaning his forehead against mine. Both of us out of breath like we had hiked for miles. Coming back down to earth. His eyes met mine and he cursed under his breath.
I expected his touch to leave me, but he stayed right where he was. His fingers in between my legs, dipped within my core. A wicked look in his eyes.
He wasn’t going to…
Answering his phone. He didn’t put any space between us though. Keeping me pinned between his stunning body and the metal shelving. His fingers started to move then, not about to leave me teetering on the edge of ecstasy. He growled at whoever had interrupted this moment.
“You sure? …I’ll meet you there.” Slipping his phone back into his pocket.
“I need you to come, love. I need to watch you spiral out of control for me.” Giving him just what he asked for. A few more wonderful strokes and I was crying out for him. He covered my cries of pleasure with his lips. Kissing me, breathing in my moans, devouring them as if he needed them to survive. My hands gripped onto him for dear life, he was the only thing keeping me standing right now. Without his hold on me, I would have collapsed to the floor.
“You’re so beautiful Hazel.” I felt like I was floating in the clouds right now. Not wanting this feeling to end. Wanting him to stay right here with me.
Lifting his fingers to his lips then, sucking off my glistening juices. Groaning from the sheer taste of me. I gulped as I watched him. Mesmerised by him.
“Your safe for tonight Hazel…but this is far from over.” A shiver ran down my spine. Liking how that sounded way too much. Enjoying the feel of his teasing breath of my lips, taunting me. Wishing to feel them once more.
“I think you have somewhere else to be Talon.” Unfortunately.
He gave me one of those sinful grins. The kind that promised wicked things.
“For now, but when I’m done, I’ll be coming back for you, love. Have no doubt in that.” Leaving me with one gentle, sweet kiss to my cheek, making my breath hitch. It was a promise. One I could tell he intended to deliver on when he could.
With that, he left. Stomping out of here, going to deal with whatever had come up. He took the warmth with him, leaving me with a sudden chill.
What the hell was happening?
That biker King had burrowed beneath my skin. Found a way inside of me. Intertwining himself deep within my soul. I was in way over my head.
I should run. Put some much-needed distance between me and Talon.
Yet, I stayed.
Excited at the prospect of him returning to me. Coming back to get me. That thought alone had me panting with need for him.
There was no way I was sleeping tonight.
That I was sure of.
Chapter Five
The next few days were quiet. I heard nothing from the Kings of Chaos, not a whisper from any of them. Part of me was grateful. Gave me a chance to get a handle of these feelings running through me. At the same time, I was frustrated. Willing him to reappear. Wishing that he would come back to me and finish what he started. I couldn’t get that damn mind-blowing kiss out of my head. It was on a constant loop in my brain, torturing me over and over again.
Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. Maybe he hadn’t been honest. Maybe all he wanted was to make sure Olly wasn’t hiding out there.
Yeah, that was more than likely. I was a fool to believe that it had anything to do with me. Why would a man like Talon want a woman like me? I was a hot mess, and he didn’t even know about my past. Didn’t know what I was running from.
Maybe it was a good thing he had gone quiet. Shown me that I was reading way too much into it. Maybe the kiss hadn’t had the same effect on him as it had on me. Or the way he touched me and brought me pleasure, maybe that did nothing for him either. Figuring out that I wasn’t the one for him. Bored of me before we even really began.
Sighing to myself. How pathetic was I? Pining after a man that was way out of my league.
Though maybe his disappearance had something to do with Olly. That was why he was at the bar in the first place. Olly hadn’t been seen in over a week. Was it possible that the Kings had caught up with him? Or maybe it was someone else. Torch maybe?
Pulling up to work, I wasn’t ready for this. I just wanted to go crawl back into bed and get some more sleep. The wine last night had worked a treat, knocked me out. First time, in a long time that i’ve had eight hours solid sleep. Still didn’t feel any better when I woke up this morning.
Climbing out of my car, I was met with a chill. Rushing over my face, making me pull my jacket tighter around me. The season was changing, summer shifting into autumn. It was only going to get colder.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I felt eyes on me. Ice settling between my shoulder blades. Fear and panic tainted my senses, I was being watched. At least that’s how it felt.
Quickly glancing around, I couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. Not a soul out here. I was obviously being paranoid. I would know if the monster from my past was lurking nearby. He would have made himself known by now.
It must just be my mind messing with me.
It was nothing.
Hurrying towards the bar, needing to get out of the cold. Jane and Zach were chatting away, drinking coffee and gossiping about something. My eyes
darted to the bright pink box sat on the end of the bar.
“What the hell is that?” Capturing their attention as I pointed at the package.
“All for you, you must have an admirer. Maybe the biker King.” For me? Frowning at Jane and then at the mysterious package. There was no way this was from Talon. He wasn’t interested, he had made that very clear with his absence this past week.
“It’s probably a mistake.” Checking it out, searching for any hints as to who sent this. It looked lavish, expensive, with fancy silk ribbon wrapped around it in a perfect bow.
What the hell was this?
I certainly hadn’t ordered anything.
Untying the bow, I moved it away from the box. I felt the others edge closer to get a better look. Cutting through the tape that sealed up the box. When I lifted the lid off, I was hit by this awful smell. Like something rotting…almost like something had curled up and died. Scrunching up my nose, I pushed the tissue paper aside. Revealing what was inside.
The world stopped.
Terror slammed into me, tearing at my chest, holding me down, crushing me with the weight of it. My mouth was bone dry, unable to breath. Lungs tightening with fear. I couldn’t hear anything. All I could see was this. Like the world had faded to black around me, leaving nothing but this.
The horror of it hit me then. Registering in my mind. Realising what the hell I was staring at.
A single picture of me.
It was from outside the coffee shop the other day. I had no idea it had been taken. No, they had made sure to stay out of sight.
That wasn’t the worst part.
Someone had put red crosses over my eyes. Used a red pen and scribbled them out, tearing up the paper.
But again…that wasn’t the worst part.
A little box was beckoning me to open it.
The smell, it was coming from there. Emanating from it. Biting down on my jaw, taking a deep breath. I opened it. Sickness rose within me, yanking at my insides. Twisting and turning my stomach, disgusted at what I was seeing.
Inside was the source of that smell.
It was a dead rat…it had been decapitated. A message written in blood on the lid.
Found you.
Your next.
My blood ran cold. The threat was clear. There could be no doubt, it was him. He had found me once again.
This was new though. Out of character for him. He was playing with me, toying with me, messing with my mind.
My head was spinning out of control. Letting the box drop from my grip.
Shocked…scared…sickened.
Having to hold onto a nearby table for support, afraid my legs might give out. Panic eating away at me, making it harder to catch my breath. I felt unsteady, like at any moment I might faint.
He was here. He knew where I was. Taking pictures of me, sending threats, warnings of what was to come. He was changing up his tactics. No more just rushing in and trying to take me by force. No, he wanted to torture me. Make me suffer, torment me while he had his fun. The sick bastard.
“Hazel?” A voice called to me. A gentle touch on my arm made me flinch, snapping me out of it. Jane held her hands up, showing me, I had nothing to fear from her. Her ocean blue eyes wide with worry. Wanting to reassure me, letting me know that I was safe.
But I wasn’t, not if he was out there. I would never be safe.
“Hazel, it’s going to be ok.” She didn’t know what was hunting me down. Hiding out there somewhere, watching…waiting. She didn’t know the monster that was on my trail, that could walk through that door at any second.
“We should call the police.” Zach put the lid back on the box, wanting to shut it away. Not wanting me to see the contents anymore. It was too late though, I had seen it once, that was all it took. I would never be able to forget any of it, every little detail was engrained in my mind.
Shaking my head at him.
“No police. They won’t help, they never have.” Neither of them agreed with me. They both wanted to argue but I suddenly remembered the eyes on me earlier. The feeling of someone watching me. It wasn’t paranoia. No, it was him. He had been out there. Could still be out there?
“Lock the doors.” Desperate to create some kind of barrier, needing to keep him away from me.
Zach frowned at me, wondering what was going on in my head right now. He went to question me, but I just yelled at him.
“Lock the doors!” Springing into action, he raced for the doors, sliding the locks into place. Keeping the monster out, for now.
“You’re going to be ok Hazel. We won’t let anyone hurt you.” I knew Jane meant well but I knew she couldn’t protect me, not from him. He wouldn’t hesitate in hurting anyone that got in his way.
“I have to go. I have to run while I still can.” It was my only choice. I had known this day would come. He would find me once again and that was it. This had been my life for the last seven years. Always hiding…always running, that would never change.
“Just stop for a second, just breathe. Talk to us, we can figure this out. You said no police, why?” Jane wanted more information, but I didn’t have time. I had to get moving. Get my bag and run, while I still could.
Jane wasn’t going to let me though. No, she gently guided me over to a table, urging me to sit down. My mind was trying to figure out the best route out of town to take. Where would I go next? Maybe head north?
A glass of whiskey was placed in front of me, I didn’t even notice Zach move. Shock was making it hard to keep up, to focus on the world around me. All I could think about was how to get as far away from him as possible.
“Hazel?” Bringing me back to the present.
“They won’t help, they can’t. I’ve tried going to them and they did nothing.” After building up the courage to speak out, they just shut me down. Tried to make it seem like I was lying, just trying to cause trouble. In the end, it only made things worse.
“This has happened before?” Gesturing to the package, wondering if this was a regular occurrence.
“Not that.” That was new. I had a feeling this was just the beginning.
“So, what then?” Would it change their opinion of me? Would they think the same as the police? A little drama queen looking to start trouble. If only they knew the true horrors, I faced in that house with him.
“You know who this is from?”
“It’s from my stepfather. I can’t talk about it. Just…all you need to know is he hurt me for a very long time.” Jane’s eyes narrowed on me. Growing tense as she read between the lines.
“Did he…” Not able to say it, she didn’t need to, I knew what she was asking.
“Yes.” My eyes dropped down to my hands. Ashamed of my past, disgusted with the way he treated me. I was so weak. There had been nothing I could do to stop him. No way to fight him off.
“Fuck.” Realising the truth of my past, things I had kept hidden. Things I never spoke about. Keeping it all to myself, not wanting anyone to know. Humiliated by my own weakness.
“I’ve been running for so long. Never staying in one place in case he found me.” Now, I would have to start running again. Fleeing from the demon that was chasing after me.
“Well, you’re not running anymore Hazel, I won’t let you.” If only it was that simple.
“You don’t understand. His dangerous and he won’t stop. I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.” And they would get hurt if they got in his way. He would show them no mercy.
“You’re not going anywhere. You have friends here. People that consider you family, let us help you.” I knew she meant well but it wouldn’t matter in the end.
Unable to sit still anymore. I shot to my feet, pacing back and forth, driven by my fear. Panic at what would happen if I didn’t get moving soon.
“No one can help me Jane.” I was on my own with this, I always had been.
“There is someone you could ask.” Pausing to stare at her in confusion. Who?
“
There’s no one.” Coming over to me then. Her hands held on tightly to mine, gaining my focus.
“That biker King of yours.” My body froze up. Disbelief clouding my mind, she couldn’t be serious. No, just no. He wouldn’t even care. He had made it very clear he wasn’t bothered about me. It had just been about finding Olly, nothing else. I certainly wasn’t about to go dump my shit at his doorstep.
“No, not happening.” The answer was simple. Do the same thing I had been doing for the past seven years. Get the hell out of town, run and don’t look back. That was what I needed to do.
“Look, think about it. You’re a part of this town, they would protect you, dealing with him in the process. The one thing I know about the Kings of Chaos is they hate men who abuse women and children.” Even if that was true, I was not going to pull him or his club into my troubles.
“No, I’m not involving them.” Part of me longed for him to come through the door and tell me that he would keep me safe. That he would protect me from my stepfather.
That wasn’t going to happen though, it was a silly fantasy.
My mind stirred up images of Talon. Dragging me against his powerful body, wrapping his arms around me, clutching me to him. Cradling me…protecting me. Letting me know I was safe with him. That he would deal with my stepfather. That he wouldn’t ever let that monster hurt me again.
I could dream.
“They can help.” They couldn’t help me. This was my mess to deal with, I wouldn’t taint anyone else with this darkness.
“My answer is no.” There was nothing she could say to change my mind.
“Fine…just take a breath Hazel. Why don’t you finish your drink? I need to use the ladies quickly. Then we can figure out a plan.” She hurried off. I did as I was told, necking the rest of the whiskey. I hated the stuff, but I still drank it, needing something.
Glancing at Zach, he was silently watching me. Guarding the door by the looks of it. Was that to keep people out? Or keeping me here?
None of it mattered anyway, I was in my own head. Feeling like I’m drowning with no way out. The water filling my lungs, pushing me down, holding me under the surface. No one was coming to save me.