Incapable

by Marie Skye

  “He’s a good man.” He kissed the top of my head.

  A few weeks went by and things seemingly started to get back to normal. We returned to work, and I stayed on with Grayson’s company and lived our day-to-day lives, but that was it. There was no sex. We would cuddle, but there was no actual physical intimacy.

  Weeks had gone by, and I was beginning to go out of my mind. I didn’t think he would ever cheat on me, but at this point, maybe he was. I finally snapped one night when we were home having another boring dinner, after being turned down the previous night.

  “Are you fucking someone else?”

  He slowly turned toward me. “Why the fuck would you ever say that?”

  I stood up so fast my chair fell over. “You didn’t answer the question!”

  “No, I’m not fucking someone else. Why would you think I’m fucking someone else, Emmalin?” I stormed out of the kitchen, but he grabbed my arm and forced me to face him. “What’s gotten into you?”

  “You haven’t touched me in weeks, and every time I try, you turn me down.”

  He ran his hand through his hair. “I’m not trying to turn you down, Emmalin, believe me.”

  I threw my hands up. “Then what? There’s someone else?”

  He closed the distance between us.

  “Baby, there’s no one else. Just you, I swear. Just you.” He closed his eyes tight. “I want nothing more than to fuck you, trust me.”

  I looked at him in confusion.

  “If I fuck you, it’s going to open another side of me, and I’m going to unleash that. I’d hurt you, and I don’t know if I’d be able to stop myself. I don’t want that to destroy us,” he whispered.

  As anguished as he sounded, my body had a different reaction.

  “Do it.”

  “Fuck, Emmalin. Stop it.”

  I stepped forward. “Grayson, do it. I want it.”

  He grabbed my wrists. “Are you not listening to me?”

  “You own my body, remember? You own my soul. You can’t hurt me. I promise to stop you if it becomes too much.”

  He let out a moan, and I felt his erection digging into my belly.

  “What’s your safeword?”

  “Attic,” I whispered. We were both breathing heavy. We both wanted this.

  “Are you scared?” He nipped my ear, and I swore I almost passed out on the spot.

  “No.”

  “You should be.” He ripped the buttons to my blouse and it fell to the floor. “Up against the wall.” He continued ripping my clothes off. “You made me very angry, you know that? You left me, and that fucking gutted me.” I heard him undo his belt and I started to turn around. “You have no idea what that did to me. Eyes forward! I didn’t tell you to turn around.”

  I whirled back around in anticipation, breathing heavily as he grabbed my hair tightly.

  “How long did you go for, Emmalin?” Before I could speak, he landed a lash with the belt on my backside. “Didn’t answer quickly enough.” He hit me again, harder, and I screamed. “I asked you a fucking a question!” He had landed three more blows before I managed to speak.

  “Five.”

  “I can’t hear you.”

  “Five! Five days.” I was panting hard and tears were streaming down my face. Before he could deliver another blow, I bolted. I was fast, but not as fast as him, since he landed on me quickly and we both crashed hard to the floor.

  “I was hoping you would run.” He flipped me over to where I was on my back, and I yelped from the pain. “I like when you fight, I’ll give you that. You want me to stop?”

  “Go fuck yourself!”

  He smiled at me menacingly. “Still needs to be taught a lesson.” He ripped my panties off, and I screamed as he bit down on a nipple and pinned my arms to the side to keep me from flailing.

  “Fuck you, Grayson.” I was panting.

  “No, fuck you.” He slammed into me violently, and my eyes rolled into the back of my head. “You’re fucking drenched.”

  I wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him closer as he began fucking me with purpose, his thrusts becoming erratic.

  “Don’t stop,” I whispered against his lips, feeling myself getting close.

  His features were strained. “I fucking love you, Emmalin. I’ll always love you.”

  That was my undoing. I needed him. I gasped as my orgasm powered through me with such force, I felt like I was floating. Grayson chased his own as a guttural sound escaped his lips, and he collapsed over me, completely spent.

  We lay there, sated.

  “Emmalin?”

  “Hmm.”

  “Are you okay?”

  I smiled without opening my eyes. “That was perfect.”

  Four months later

  We were surrounded by families and children of all ages. I didn’t know how Grayson managed to exclusively rent out one of the world’s most famous theme parks for five days, but he did. Tyler and Molly were even here helping with sign-in, as well as Grayson’s niece and nephew.

  He was making their dreams come true, even if it was just for a few days. He was giving them something, and I respected that. How could I not love him? I looked around the lobby, making sure I had all my stuff.

  “Hey, you,” Grayson said. “I’ll check us in. You doing okay?”

  I smiled. “I’m perfect. Everything looks great.”

  He looked around at all the chaos in the hotel lobby. “Yeah, it’s hell right now, but it’s worth it.” He placed a kiss on my cheek and joined Tyler at the check-in desk.

  I walked over to admire a painting on the wall then looked out at everyone. They all seemed excited. Aside from the families, there were lots of press and sponsors here.

  I happened to glance toward the water fountain at a well-dressed man in a suit. As our eyes met, the blood drained from my face and I stopped breathing. I could recognize those eyes anywhere. I’d seen those eyes many times. They were the very same ones that haunted my dreams.

  Those were the eyes of my stepfather…

  “You mind telling me where you were those five days? Your hiding skills were spectacular. I wanted to give you space, that’s what Tyler told me to do, but I just couldn’t.”

  She looked up at me. “You talked to Tyler?”

  I nodded. “Talked to Tyler, threatened Caleb,” I shrugged. “I just wanted you back.”

  She turned to face me. "I committed a crime, Grayson."

  I shook my head and held her face in both my hands. "Listen to me. It was self-defense. There's a difference. You were a child, Emmalin; you have to understand that. A victim. He was a sick fuck who thrived on raping his daughter every chance he got. He was a coward and a monster. You didn't do anything wrong. Don't let what he did to you consume you. I only wish I was there." I wiped the tears that spilled down her cheeks.

  She gave me a half smile. “You sound like Tyler.”

  "Yeah, well, maybe Tyler isn't so bad." Ever since I found out what Tyler did for her, my outlook on him completely changed. He saved her, something I could never repay him for. On the third day that Emmalin was missing, I met with Tyler again, shook his hand, and offered to put him on my payroll along with an apartment. To me, saving Emmalin's life earned the utmost respect.

  She snuggled in closer and took a deep breath. "I wandered around at first, not too sure where to go. You practically own half the city." She briefly hesitated before continuing. "Chace gave me the keys to his apartment just outside the city."

  I froze. “You went and saw Chace? Chace knew where you were this entire time?”

  "You can't be mad at him. He helped me. He talked to me. My original plan was to leave the city altogether. To leave you. He told me to take some time and to think. Just to give it a few days, and if I still wanted to leave after, then he wouldn't say anything. He didn't ask questions. He just left me alone, and I appreciated that. It's what I needed."

  Fine. I could live with that. It didn’t mean I wasn’t going to kill th
e bastard.

  As soon as Emmalin was asleep, I headed to Chace's apartment with a bottle of Macallan 1964. When he opened the door, his eyes landed on it and instantly gleamed.

  “Holy shit. Do my eyes deceive me? Is the pope here?” He stepped back, welcoming me in, and I headed to the bar, taking out two glasses.

  "Think of it as a treat, old friend." I poured us both two fingers and watched as he smelled his before taking a swallow.

  “Damn, that shit is good.”

  I nodded, following suit. "One of the best. I just wanted to drop that off before heading back. Emmalin fell asleep, but I don’t want to be gone too long in case she wakes up."

  He leaned against the bar. “How is she?”

  “She’s good. She’ll do better, especially once some counseling is done.”

  Chace nodded. “Well, I’m glad she’s back. You’re good for each other.”

  “I agree.” I downed the rest of my drink before starting for the door.

  “Oh and, Chase.” I turned around and punched him square in the jaw. Caught completely off guard, he staggered back and fell on his ass. Damn, that felt good. “You may be like a brother to me, but hide her from me again, and I’ll fucking kill you.”

  X Ambassadors- Litost

  Ruelle – Take it All

  Andrew Belle – The Enemy

  Nick Jonas – Jealous

  X Ambassadors- Loveless

  Superhumanoids – Come Say Hello

  Maroon 5 – Coming Back For You

  Kelly Clarkson – Run Run Run

  Meg Myers – Monster

  JoJo – Save My Soul

  Halsey – New Americana

  Johnnyswim –Over

  Too Far Moon – Till My Heart Stops

  The Weeknd – Prisoner

  Sohn- Lessons

  Meg Myers - Desire

  The Fray – Little House

  Writing this novel was either going to be the worst thing I’ve ever done or the best thing I’ve ever done. I was conflicted, and I had nights where I wanted to hit the delete button and just forget the whole damn thing. But alas it’s done, and here it is. I told myself that if at least 10 people liked it, then I did my job. Writing isn’t easy. Getting your story told isn’t easy. Anyone can put pen to paper, but to actually complete the work, takes skills. I have a new found respect for ALL authors.

  To those that offered advice when I couldn’t make up my damn mind, even when your final words were ‘It’s ultimately your decision.’ Thank you.

  Here’s to me driving you all crazy again in book two.