Anointed

by Charity B.

  I know he’s playing around, but the fear that Zeb won’t be able to touch me once he finds out burrows into my thoughts.

  Sammy hits his arm and grimaces. Gross, that’s my sister.

  Benji snickers as he pushes his sunglasses up on his head and points behind us. “Finally, they’re back. I’m parched.”

  Kaila and Zeke pull up behind us in Kaila’s car. She gets out and skips over to me while Ezekiel has his hands full with sodas and burgers from Jay Henry’s Barbeque.

  “God! It’s fucking hot! I really hoped he’d be out by the time we got back,” she complains.

  Benji and Samuel attack Ezekiel for their food, making quick work of the wrappers once they get back to the hood of Benji’s car. Learning to drive was one of the first things Benji did after the raid.

  Kaila wraps her arm around my shoulder. “What’s wrong? You’re finally getting to see your knight in an orange jumpsuit.”

  I roll my eyes. “That’s not what he wore.” She nudges my shoulder as I look down at my clothes. “What if he hates them?”

  Looping her arm through mine, she leads me to where Zeke has joined the other boys, inhaling their food.

  “Then he’s blind and stupid. Not only do I have impeccable fashion sense, but your legs are rockin’ out those shorts.”

  She reaches out to stick a fry in her mouth as Zeke leans over, biting half of it off. Ezekiel has really changed since leaving the Anointed Land. At first, he really struggled. We were never close enough for him to feel comfortable talking to me, but Benji was the friend he needed when his brother couldn’t be there. He hit it off with Kaila right away. They flirted shamelessly, though it wasn’t until Kaila broke up with Brently, when he took the job in Houston that they acted upon it.

  I try to eat a fry, and my stomach flips like the pages in a book. I still don’t like this food.

  Every time I’ve seen Zeb, it’s been formal. We can’t touch or kiss, and I spend the whole time catching him up on what everyone’s doing while he assures me he’s fine in that place. I hear all these scary stories about prison; I often wake up from nightmares, drenched in sweat.

  I was a little upset with him when he chose to take the deal he did. He could have had three months with a year’s probation. Ultimately, I understand why he wants to put this all behind him as quickly as possible.

  Benji dips his fry in the sauce on Sammy’s burger, which earns him a flirty glare. “I was thinking we could all get matching shirts for when we go to Disney World. That way if we get split up, we can easily find each other.”

  Kaila pokes a fry at his face. “Yeah, that’s not happening. Stop reading mommy blogs.”

  She got both Benji and Samuel addicted to Disney movies, and when Benji found that there was a place dedicated to them, he shoved the laptop in all of our faces, telling us we had no choice in going. We just had to wait for Zeb to get released.

  Sucking my soda through a straw, I look up to Ezekiel. His eyes widen, and he jumps off Benji’s car. “Zeb!”

  I spin around to see Zebadiah grinning at us through the gates. There is a beeping noise when the wire door slides open, allowing him to walk through. Once his feet hit the pavement of the street, mine break into a run, as if leading me to him before my mind can catch up.

  Our bodies crash together and our mouths meet. He drops his bag as his hands slide over the denim on my butt, picking me up to wrap my legs around him. He breaks our kiss to move his eyes down my body.

  “You look…”

  I bite my lip, feeling my ears get hot. “I know it’s revealing, but I promise it’s what’s normal here. Kaila says that—”

  “You look fucking beautiful, Laur.”

  He kisses me again, keeping his lips against mine as he carries me to the others. They are all brimming, even Kaila.

  “Brother,” Zeke says. He makes his way toward us, and Zeb puts me down to embrace him in a hug.

  “So, what now?” Zeb asks.

  “Now, we party,” Kaila answers, holding up her soda.

  Zeb’s left eyebrow raises in a mix of humor and horror as he listens to Kaila and Zeke sing their tone-deaf duet.

  Keeping his bewildered expression on them, he leans over to whisper in my ear, “What on earth are they singing?”

  His hand grips my thigh at the sensation of the car rolling to stop at a light. I know the bus that took him to prison freaked him out a bit, and this is the first time he’s been in a vehicle since then.

  “Cardi B.”

  “I don’t think I like Cardaby music.”

  I laugh and kiss his cheek. “I don’t either.”

  The drive back is long, so to get his mind off the car, I suggest, “Hey, let’s play the alphabet game.”

  Zeke turns down the music. “Okay.” He points to a highway sign. “Aydelotte, 210 miles, A.”

  The game seems to do the trick because by the time we get to L, Zeb’s hand subtly begins to creep up my leg. Goosebumps rise along my skin while he traces his fingers over my thigh. My heart knows he’s touching me because it beats twice as hard.

  There have been nights when the thought of his kiss, the desire for his touch, and the need to have him with me have been too much. The ache between my legs would become so maddening, I would find my fingers roaming, rubbing my most sacred place. I would close my eyes and will my memory to hurl me back into his arms. My fingers would become his, then when the pleasure came to its peak and shattered every cell of my body, I would cry because he was never there when I opened my eyes.

  His fingertips caress the hem of my shorts before sliding beneath them. I look up at him, and he’s already watching me. His blue eyes blaze as they explore my exposed body. He licks his lips, his nostrils flaring the moment he lightly touches the fabric of my panties. I find my gaze traveling to his lap where his erection is evident in his trousers. I fight my nearly twitching hand to reach out and touch it. I will tell him about Jacob, but I want it to be when we’re alone. For the moment, I’m just going to revel in being able to be next to him again.

  My breath comes out shaky as Kaila says, “Weatherford, 40 miles, W. We’re kicking yawl’s asses.” I suddenly realize that we’re in the car with other people. She looks in the rearview mirror. “Are you okay, Laur? You look flushed.”

  My ears burn and my laugh is awkward. “Oh yes.” Embarrassed that I let him touch me this close to them has me taking his hand from my shorts and lacing my fingers between his. “I’m just ready to be home.” I look at him, moving my eyes to the front seat to convey why I stopped him. His smirk has me pushing my legs together.

  The last thirty minutes are painful, and the bulge in Zebadiah’s pants has yet to go down. When we pass the Hobart city sign, he sighs a relieved breath and tightens his hold on my hand. The car has barely stopped in our driveway when he pushes open the door, pulling me from the seat hard enough to snap my head back. Zeke and Kaila open the trunk as Zeb leads me to the door.

  “Uh, you gonna help with the luggage?” Zeke calls after us.

  I pull out my house key and Zeb calls over his shoulder, “Just leave it in the living room. I’ll get it later.”

  Zeke scoffs as I unlock the door. “I’m not your Apostle anymore, so you better get used to doing stuff for yourself.”

  Ignoring him, he leads me into the house, seemingly on a mission until he stops at the staircase.

  “Where’s your room?” he asks in an almost exasperated tone.

  While I’m eager, too, his desperation to get me alone has me nervous. I bite my lip and take him up the loudly creaking stairs to my room at the end of the hall. I turn on the light, shutting the door behind us. Taking a deep breath, I turn around, and he instantly brings his arms around me, hugging me tight until he picks me up, allowing my legs to wrap around him.

  “I missed you terribly,” I whisper.

  His lips trail kisses up my neck as he carries me to my bed. Laying me down, he digs his nose in my hair, inhaling before he murmurs, “You
were how I made it through in there, Laur. I would count down the hours to lights out so I could finally close my eyes and be with you.”

  I hold his face in my hands and trace my fingers over his shut lids. “You don’t have to close your eyes anymore.”

  Wrapping my arms around his neck, I put my lips softly to his. Now that I have him alone, I should tell him. I know I should, but as I try to force out the words, they get stuck before they can fall off my tongue. I want him to be the last person to fill my body, and if I tell him, it may not happen. I’ve dreamed and ached for this. I need to feel him one more time.

  He devours my kiss, pushing up my shirt, and I let out a harsh breath when he lifts it over my head. His Adam’s apple bobs with his swallow as he looks at me in my tan, lace bra.

  “Wow…” He lightly touches over the fabric, running his fingers beneath the strap. “I like this.”

  Soft kisses are placed along the faint scar from the night we exchanged our blood. Inhaling deeply, my chest rises when his thumb slides beneath the lace of my bra, rubbing over my hardened nipple. Not bothering to remove the lingerie, he tugs the cups down, baring my breasts to him. I want his mouth on me so badly, I find myself arching my back to get closer to his lips.

  He’s wearing an amused expression as his tongue darts out and traces around my nipple. When he sucks the nub in between his lips, I whimper, grasping at the back of his neck. I need to feel his skin against mine. Moving my hands down his back, I push up his shirt. He leans back to pull it off, and I lick my lips watching the cluster of muscles on his stomach flex. His arms are large as they rise above his head. I undo my bra, leaving nothing between us when he kisses me hard.

  Trailing down my ribs, his fingers find the button on my shorts, undoing them before he pushes them down and off my legs. He touches over the fabric of my panties as a shaky breath releases from his lips. I have a pang of fear that this will hurt. I’ve felt nothing more than my finger since what happened between me and Jacob. It doesn’t matter. The pain will be worth it, to feel that close to him again.

  “Your pretty undergarments are wet.”

  Flushing from embarrassment, I push my palms against his shoulders to roll him on his back, and he allows me. I lift my leg over his hip, feeling his hardness beneath his pants. I kiss his stomach, placing my mouth to his scar like he did mine. His muscles rise beneath my lips as I make my way back up to his mouth, rocking against him.

  I want to show him how much I desire him and love him. My heart tells me to not be scared. He will love me regardless of what happened. Yet my mind wonders how he could ever see me the same way.

  He looks between my open legs and grabs my hips, moving me up his torso. I let out a squeal when he puts his arms beneath my thighs, scooting himself beneath me until the lace of my panties touches his lips. As far as I know, the rips and tears are all healed, so I try to slow my heart with the knowledge he shouldn’t be able to tell.

  My pulse pounds at his close proximity, and I moan when he tugs the fabric to the side. I look down at him as his tongue traces my wet entrance.

  “If anything is Godly, it’s this.” Even with knowing it’s not blasphemous, his comment is still shocking, turning my ears red. I’m embarrassed by the giggle that falls from my mouth. He lifts me by pushing up my ass, allowing his fingers to make their way inside me. He moans against me, the vibrations of his lips pushing a whimper from mine. I lift my body on and off his fingers while his tongue licks around them. “Does it still hurt?” My stomach drops until he adds, “Where they closed you?”

  He gently touches over the area that was damaged, and I shake my head. “No.”

  “I’m sorry, Laur. I can’t believe I let that happen,” he whispers between licks. He softly presses his lips to my clit, kissing it gently. “I should have never left you. Do you forgive me?”

  His tongue has perfect pressure as he pushes it against my clit in fast pulses, his fingers pumping in and out of me so fast I hear the evidence of my wetness.

  “Forgiveness is…” I moan out my response and reach down to grip his hair. “Unnecessary. I never blamed you for that.”

  Gasping, I hang on to the headboard as I thrust against his mouth and tingles overtake my body. The tightness builds until it can no longer hold it, and still, he goes faster.

  “Zeb! Oh, yes, keep going.” Tears fall down my face from the elation of finally being with him again. I burn with euphoria, murmuring his name, bursting from the inside out. It feels like it lasts forever until slowly, I lower from my high. I sigh as I move myself down his body to sit on his stomach and kiss his wet, grinning mouth.

  He fists my hair while his other hand goes behind my ass to undo his trousers. I’m nearly panting with the need for him to be inside me. Our mouths refuse to separate as I pull off my modern undergarment and he kicks off his.

  His hands spread my ass cheeks to lift me, and I feel the tip of his cock poking against my sensitive entrance.

  He smiles and his body jerks. I’m instantly stretched full, and I moan, digging my nails into his shoulders as I rock myself to adjust. It doesn’t hurt, but I’m stretched so tight, he has to thrust a few times to get all the way in.

  Having a man inside my body again flips a switch in my mind. Memories of Jacob flash behind my eyes, and my chest constricts in fear, my body reminiscing the pain. The hate on his face, the excruciating desire to die…

  Burn in the abyss, Philistine bitch.

  Terror overtakes me, bringing me back to the moment when I knew nobody was going to save me.

  I can’t scream.

  I can’t breathe.

  I’m sobbing before I realize the tears are falling.

  “Laurel Ann…” He wipes his hands across my cheeks, and when I open my eyes, his bright, baby blues bring me back to him. “What’s wrong?”

  He’s not thrusting hard, just little pumps, and I caress his cheek. I can’t wait. I have to tell him. He deserves to know.

  “Zeb…” This is so hard to say. I’ve never had to repeat this before, and telling him puts my heart at stake. “I have to tell you something.”

  He stops moving while I slowly rock on top of him. I wish I could feel this with him forever. The pleasure mixed with my fear and anxiety forces tears to trace down my cheeks.

  “You can tell me anything, Laur.”

  I can’t stop my sob. “I hope so.”

  He sits up to hold my face, brushing my hair back. “What’s going on?”

  Sliding my body up and down his, I don’t look at him. “D-during the raid…” I ride him faster, and I don’t know if it’s to make this easier on him or me. “Jacob came into the holding room.” Rolling my hips, I squeeze his hard biceps and finally raise my eyes to the fury already burning in his. He lies still, aside from his chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. I don’t need to say it. I’m sure he already knows from the ticking in his jaw, and I break. “I’m so, sorry.” I fall against his chest, crying harder when he wraps his arms around me. “I tried to stop him, I swear.”

  Since I’m shaking with my sobs, it takes me a minute to realize he’s shaking, too. His arms are squeezing me tight, and another flood gushes from my eyes. Now that I’ve said it, I can’t seem to stop crying.

  He doesn’t say a word. He just holds me as our bodies remain connected. Finally, I lift my head to look at him. His cheeks and eyes are wet with tears, but his jaw is clenched, and a vein is straining in his neck. “I’m going to kill him,” he whispers. “I’m going to cut him open, throat to stomach and leave his intestines to fertilize the earth.” His face goes blank for a second before the blue in his eyes goes dark. “You were still closed during the raid.”

  I can’t seem to get enough air to speak, so I nod. He grabs my arms to lift me off of him, making what he just said really sink in.

  “No!” I scream as I use all my strength to push him back down. “Don’t leave me. Don’t ever leave me again.”

  He pulls me to his chest, wrapping his
arms around me and rubbing the healed soul cleansing scars on my back. “Shhh. I won’t leave, I promise.”

  His words calm me as I murmur against his chest. “I don’t want you to kill him. There are eyes on the compound, and if you got caught, I’d never see you again.” I take a deep breath and press my hands against his chest to push myself up. Rolling my hips again, I push him deeper into me. “Don’t let him or that place take anymore from us, please. I want to move on with you and Kaila, Sammy, Benji, and Zeke. I want to start fresh. Promise me.”

  His expression sways between fury and contemplation until finally he leans forward to kiss me. “I promise,” he says against my lips. His body moves inside mine before he flips me over to my back, pushing in hard.

  As my fingers trace over his eyes and cheeks, he smiles a sad smile. For the first time, we can truly be together. “I love you, Zebadiah Fitch.”

  He presses his forehead to mine. “I love you, Laurel Ann Henderson. And I always will.”

  “Quit being a baby, let us see. We have a plane to catch,” Kaila spouts as she smokes her cigarette.

  Ezekiel laughs when Zeb walks down the stairs, yet my breath gets caught in my throat at his reveal.

  “I look ridiculous,” he grimaces.

  I have to disagree. Those jeans are hanging low on his hips, and that tee shirt is hugging him everywhere it needs to be.

  “Uh, no. You look hot,” Kaila says, and Zeke gives her a shocked look that makes me giggle.

  “Do you have anything else?” Zeb says as he tugs on the waistband of his jeans. “They’re heavy.”

  I walk up to him and hug his waist. Our bodies never separated once last night. We tasted every inch of each other and drank one another’s tears. Whispers of ‘I love you’ and ‘I’ll always stay’ filled the moments of silence. I feel ashamed that I ever doubted him.

  I lick my lips as I stand on the tips of my toes to kiss him. Seeing him like this is making me tingly all over.

  “Kaila’s right.” My cheeks burn, and I can’t make myself look at him when I say, “you look hot.”