“Stop it,” she smacked the desk on instinct and stood. “Don’t you dare fucking talk to me like that! I’m your, your” she searched for the right words.
“My what B? My girlfriend? Lover? Fuck buddy? Tell me. I’m dying to know. You don’t have a hell of a lot of options here that leave you breathing by the end of the day.”
“So that’s it then? I choose not to be with you and you kill me? Whatever happened to never hurting me?”
“Whatever happened to not lying to me?”
“You’re never going to let that go, are you? What do you want from me? An apology. Fine, I was wrong. If I could go back and do it different I would, but I didn’t know how to tell you. If you haven’t noticed, you’re a little terrifying. I thought it better I take my chances.”
“You thought wrong. Do you know how you made me look? For someone who cares so much about impressions you sure threw me under the bus. I look like a fucking imbecile. How am I supposed to make that right, huh?”
“You think killing me is going to make you look better?” she asked and began pacing the room, unable to stand still any longer.
“I’m not going to kill you. That’s not an option for me. If I wanted you dead you would be, you should know that.”
“What are you going to do then? Continue to fuck with me? How is that going to make things better?”
“It’s better already. It got you on the phone with me didn’t it?”
For a brief moment Annie heard the hopeful tone to his voice and she paused her steps. He actually thought this was going to work. That he could mess with her mind so she wouldn’t forget about him, would maybe go back to him, but she’d thought long and hard about just that. There was no going back. Whatever they had was gone. A mixture of her lies, coming home to Keith, spending the past week realizing she had been dancing with the devil. It all made her truly believe she made the right choice. “Yes Brax, I called you. To tell you to leave me alone. Let me go. It’s over. You didn’t accept it in New York and you’re not accepting it now, but please just let it be. I have a family. A life. This is how it needs to be.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why? Why not?”
“Because I fucking love you. And I hate you. All at the same time. I won’t live without you. I need you to make a choice. Come home to me willingly or watch me force you. It’s up to you.”
“I am home Brax. I need you to understand that.” It may have been harsh to tell him, but it’s what he needed to hear. She couldn’t play with him anymore; had to push him away. Just like she tried to do from the very beginning.
“No. You understand me.” His voice was low, cold. She could practically feel it through the phone, chilling her to the core, and goosebumps raced down her arms. “I’m going to ruin you. When I’m done you will have nothing left.”
“Is that supposed to make me change my mind?”
“I’m just telling you the truth sweetheart.” The way he said the endearment let her know he thought she was anything but sweet.
“That’s how you want me then? Forced into being with you?”
“I’ll take you anyway I can get you.”
“Wow, you’re starting to sound pathetic again.” It was a bold thing to say, he didn’t react well to it the first time, but her voice had taken on a mind of it’s own. It wasn’t going to let him bully her around without a fight.
“Watch your mouth.”
“Why? What’s the point? What are you going to do about it? I know you’re in New York Brax. I know what happened with Cole, and I know you have some fucking minion out here carrying out your dirty work. I’m sick of it.”
The line went quiet. Brax’s loud breaths the only indicator the call hadn’t dropped. Annie brought a hand to her mouth, shocked she was brave enough to be so forthright. She didn’t speak again though, gave him time to let her words sink in. It was ballsy to taunt him, but she wasn’t living under a rock. The news reported on the Emmo everyday. It’s what Brax tried to avoid at all costs. He always told her they worked better under the radar, but now they were anything but. He had to be out there doing damage control. He had to, she reassured herself, although now her stupid mouth may have just changed that.
“You don’t know shit,” he growled before the line went dead.
She brought the phone down from her ear and had to wipe it free of the sweat droplets pooling on the screen. She knew she had made a mistake. If it were possible to make him more upset, it was just accomplished. She was so stupid.
Annie practically jogged over to her purse, still sitting on her desk and reached in for the pack of cigarettes. She’d been trying to cut back, but that would have to wait for another day. This was an emergency. With shaky hands she pulled one from the pack, along with her yellow lighter, and walked out to her private outdoor patio.
Normally she would sit down to smoke, would relax in the plush furniture under the awning and let the nicotine calm her nerves, but she was too jittery to sit, could barely stand still. Bringing the cigarette to her mouth she fiddled with the lighter trying to get a flame, but it was like the world was against her. She tried a second time and then a third and finally the lighter sparked alive. The cigarette fizzled as it lit and she inhaled deep.
Pulling the filter away from her lips, she blew out the smoke and immediately went back for more, but the Camel was suddenly ripped away. Spinning around she almost tripped and caught hold of the banister to steady herself before focusing on the man standing before her. Dark eyes, bulging arms and tattoos for days. Her heart plummeted at the site. He glared at her as he stole the drag she eminently needed for herself and then flicked it over the ledge.
“You’re smoking now? What ever will people think?”
She had nothing to say. No words of response. She was stunned speechless. Like a man on a mission he stormed forward, grasping her shoulders and pushed hard enough to make her fall back. Her feet lifted from the ground and she was shoved upward, freefalling backward off the banister’s edge. She screamed and reached forward, franticly searching for anything to save her. One of her hands found his forearm and the other held tight to his shirt. The thin material stretched forward, but she still held on as best she could, her fist balled up tight.
“Brax!” she yelled. “Stop it. Stop it. Please!” Tears formed in her eyes as she hung back, her arm muscles struggling to keep their hold.
“Shut up. Shut the fuck up.” He yanked her hand from his shirt, threatening her further, but held her in place. “You told me earlier to let you go. How do you feel about those words now?”
“Please Brax. Please. Pull me up.” How she was able to form a sentence she didn’t know. Somehow self-preservation kicked in and gave her the ability to speak and beg for her life. “Don’t do this. You don’t want to do this.”
“But I do B. I really fucking do. See, now you know how I feel. Holding on to save what you care about most. I bet you don’t care that you’re the pathetic one now, begging me to keep you when I could just as easily let you go.”
He released his hold for a half second and she fell back further with another scream before he grabbed her again and took a retreating step, taking her with him to safety. Back on her own two feet her knees buckled and her legs went limp, but Brax kept her pressed tight against him.
“I’ll never be ready to drop you. Do you hear me? I’d die without you. If you fell from that balcony, I’d jump right after you. Self preservation might be what you care about most, but not me. You’re my everything B. I don’t even remember what it was like without you. Well that’s not true, I remember, I just don’t want to think about it because every time I do it reminds me of what I was missing. Don’t ask me again to let you go, because I can’t. You won’t drop me either. I will hold on to you so tight we’ll both go down.”
A soft sob escaped her mouth as her heart continued to beat frantically in her chest. It was too much. He was too much. She wanted to push him, hit him and hold him all at th
e same time. That’s what he did to her. Common sense told her to stay away from him, to run for her life, but then there was the rest of her, she was drawn to him like a bee to honey. Her emotions ripped her apart from the inside and she could no longer fight back the tears.
Resting both palms on her cheeks, he tilted her head up. “Look at me. Don’t cry babe,” he wiped the stray tears away with the sides of his thumbs. “No matter what you think, I’ve been here all along. You’re what’s most important. Not the Emmo. Not my job. Nothing. I’d never trust someone to do my work when it comes to you. Never. Do you hear me?”
It was a rhetorical question, but Annie still shook her head yes.
“You fucked up. That’s true, but I’m here to make it right. I won’t leave until it is, not unless you’re leaving with me. Don’t fight me. Not anymore. I’m here to win and I always win. It won’t be any different this time. You may have made your choice, but I’ve made mine too.”
Brax nuzzled into her neck and draped light kisses from the crook and up toward her lobe. She’d forgotten what he felt like, how much she craved him, could no longer focus on anything but the feel of his lips on her. The world fell away like it always did. On instinct she held him tighter, squeezed her arms around his back like he was her sole lifeline.
“I missed you so much. I missed your smell, your soft skin. It’s been killing me staying away from you.” He lifted a grip-full of her pony tail to his nose and breathed in deep, savoring the scent. The tug against her scalp sent heat radiating throughout her entire body and lit her libido on fire.
“Oh god,” she quietly moaned, not realizing her words were expressed audibly.
Maybe it had to do with her near death experience, but she suddenly wanted him, needed him more than anything. Sensing what she wanted he pulled back on her hair once more, this time rough and forceful. Her eyes sprung open to meet his and they stared at each other. Let their looks say everything their words weren’t able to express: love, lust, hatred, anger, hurt, belonging and a million other feelings too complex to voice.
Brax made the first move, crashing his mouth down on hers before plunging in his tongue. He took from her like he was making up for lost time and she gave it to him willingly, craving his dominance, wanting him to punish her with his kiss. Rubbing her hands up and down his biceps, she let her nails dig in. He didn’t notice, or if he did, it only made him want her more.
Dropping a hand down low, he squeezed deep into the flesh of her ass while grinded his hard cock against her, teasing her with what she’d been missing. She wanted to crawl up his body and feel it first hand. Wanted him to sink deep inside and own her like only he could, but just as fast as it started, it stopped. He pulled away and pushed back a step, looking cool and composed; a direct contrast to her current state. She faintly registered the sound of sirens in the distance, getting louder and louder and slowly the world blurred back into focus.
“That’s my cue. I have to go. See you around B.” He gave her one last hug, placing a kiss to her forehead and then turned and left. Walked right out as if his earlier presence was just a mirage formed from her parched desire.
Annie stood on the patio in shock, unable to move. It was as if their weeks apart only made their bond that much stronger. He was going to ruin her life. She knew that with confidence because as long as he was around, she wouldn’t be able to deny him. She could try all she wanted, but her will power wasn’t strong enough.
“Miss,” she heard called out, and turned to see a white haired officer on the ground level beneath her. “Are you alright? We had a disturbance call from a tenant. Someone said they heard screaming.”
“I’m okay officer,” she called down. “The floor’s just wet up here. I tripped and must have screamed.”
He didn’t look like he believed her. “Well all the same, I want to come up and have a look around.”
“That’s really not necessary. I’m fine.”
He seemed reluctant to leave, looked around from side to side in thought, but then nodded his compliance and meandered back to his car.
Annie stood against the banister and watched him drive off, turning the corner and disappearing from sight. She couldn’t help but think to herself, if she were really in trouble, that old man wouldn’t have been able to save her. They would have had to send the entire police department to take down Brax. If she wanted to be saved she’d have to do it herself, but she wasn’t sure if that’s what she wanted anymore. She wanted Keith, she knew that. She wanted his normalcy, his comfort, but there was something about Brax that comforted her too. He was the only one she could ever truly be herself around, which was ironic since all she ever did was lie to him, but it almost felt like her lies were really truths. When they were together she felt like someone else entirely. She wasn’t Annie, she wasn’t married, she wasn’t from this crazy family who judged her for everything she did. She was just her. She was B. And on that note, she really needed another cigarette.
Going inside she pulled her last smoke from the pack when her phone chimed the sound of a text.
Braxton Cage:
I miss you already. Tell me you miss me too. 11:42am
I miss you.
Did you think about me? After you left New York? You’re all I can think about.
Everyday.
Because of all the shit I put you through?
Yes. And because I missed you. I wanted to call you. So many times.
Why didn’t you?
Because I was scared. I thought you hated me.
I did. I was angry. I still am.
I know. 11:46am
WEDNESDAY
Braxton Cage:
Where are you? 9:38am
Why?
Your car’s at your house, but you’re not there.
It’s creepy you know that.
Where are you?
Why?
I want to see you.
I don’t think that’s a good idea.
I don’t care. Where are you?
I’m at the court house to testify for a trial. Keith dropped me off. 9:41am
THURSDAY
Braxton Cage:
I can’t stop thinking about you. 6:52pm
Remember when we went to the shooting range and you couldn’t shoot worth a damn?
I think that was our only real date.
We even had dinner together if you count the pizza.
And I came all over your tits.
I want another date.
Please stop texting. He’s here.
I don’t give a fuck about him.
Do you give a fuck about me?
I could ask you the same question.
You know I do.
Prove it. I want a date. A real one. And I want to fuck you at the end.
You can’t text me shit like that! Please stop.
No. Go in another fucking room. I’m going to text you whatever the fuck I want to text you.
Fine. I’m in another room.
Good. Call me. I want to hear your voice.
Not sure why it’s taking so long, but let me put it to you this way. I’m out front of your house right now. You call or I’m knocking on your door. 7:18pm
FRIDAY
Braxton Cage:
I loved talking to you last night. What are you doing? 2:15pm
Nothing. At home.
Alone?
Yes.
You’re not coming over. Don’t ask. Keith said he might be home early today.
Wasn’t going to. I’m bored. Want to play truth or dare?
Really?
It’s how we first met. I thought it’d be fun.
Fine.
Truth.
In the past month, how many times have you fucked yourself to the thought of me?
Don’t lie.
Don’t flatter yourself.
Tell me.
A couple times.
Today?
Yes.
Fuuuuck. Send me pics next time. Tomorr
ow. Or I can just fuck you myself.
Not tomorrow.
When?
Truth or dare Brax?
Truth.
Are you really going to let me do this? Keep you both?
For a little. Yes. T or D?
Truth.
What’s your sexual fantasy? The one thing you’ve wanted to do but never have? I’m horny as fuck right now if you can’t tell. Make it good.
HURRY
I’m thinking!
Um. I don’t know. We’ve done everything already! Fuck someone with a huge cock, check. Fuck in public, check. Have an affair with a stranger, check. Fuck a mobster, check. Kinky rape sex, sort of check.
You wanted to fuck a mobster before me?
Not necessarily, but knowing what I know now it would have definitely been on the fantasy list.
And kinky rape sex? If I knew that was on the fantasy list I would have went through with it at my loft.
I was talking about the party.
No. The party was from my fantasy list. I get to keep that one. It may have ended bad, but at the time it ranked number one hottest thing I’ve ever done.
What out ranks it now?
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