by Cindy Pike
“I snapped at you and I shouldn’t have. I’ll try not to do that again, but I need you to understand this, Nora. That situation had all the hairs on my body standing on edge. It didn’t sound right; Cain wouldn’t act like that for no reason just because of what happened earlier at Owen’s. He sensed a threat, something he’s conditioned to always be vigilant for, and he responded how he’s been trained to.” Silas dips his head so his mouth is next to my ear, when he whispers the next part it sends a cold shiver down my spine. “Like him, I was trying to keep you safe and my attention was on our surroundings, searching for any possible threats. In instances like that I need you to listen, that might literally be the difference between life and death. I’ll be a dick to you if that’s what I have to do to make sure you’re safe. That’s always going to be my top priority when it comes to you. So, I’m going to ask that you listen when I tell you things like that, and you have a little patience and understanding for me too, Doll. Mostly, I want you to know I’m not doing it to be an ass, and that it comes from a good place.” Damn it, all of those are good points. I relax into him and let out a shaky breath. My feelings of unease at our positions forgotten for the time being.
“Okay, Si. I’ll try and give you that, just know I’m human and I fuck up too.” Silas kisses my neck just under my ear.
“I wouldn’t want you any other way, Doll.” Then he playfully smacks my ass and goes down the hallway toward his room. I stand frozen in shock and lust as he calls over his shoulder, “Gonna change, be back out in a second.” He doesn’t bother shutting his door as he slips his work boots off with the toe of the opposite one in turn, while reaching up and behind his head, grabbing a handful of his t-shirt to pull it up and off. My eyes soak up his impressive back until he moves out of sight; I close my eyes, picturing the image he just gave me in my mind’s eye. I turn toward the fridge to collect things for us to have lunch. I get all the stuff for sandwiches and put it on the counter before I grab some plates and a bag of my favorite jalapeño chips. Smearing my whole wheat bread with mustard and mayo I hum Cold-Blooded by Zayde Wolf to myself. It’s always brought a sense of power to me and I feel like I need some of that right now. Next, I slice some cheese and then put that and salami on the same piece of bread, topping it off with some tomatoes, lettuce, and chips. I put another piece of bread on top and move to the dining table as Silas comes back out in a less polished version of what he wore to the police station, minus his socks, shoes, and the leather arm band he had on earlier. There’s a hole in one of the knees of his black jeans and a few rips along one of his pecs in his faded black t-shirt. I sit and take a bite of all the yummy deliciousness in front of me (mentally and from my sandwich) as he begins making his sandwich. He gets the bread and slaps some cheese, ham, and ketchup (making it completely uneatable) on it then closes it with the other piece of bread and moves to sit next to me at the table.
I scrunch my nose as some of the ketchup drips out of the sides of his sandwich, “I don’t know how you can stand ketchup, let alone so much of it.” I tease him. He just gives me a smirk and swipes his finger in the ketchup on his plate, sticking it in his mouth to clean it off. “Ugh…” I roll my eyes and take another bite.
“I talked to Heath and until we can catch whoever killed Bishop, we don’t think it’s a good idea for you to stay at his place.” Silas says nonchalantly. “It’s pretty obvious someone is trying to get a rise out of him and we don’t want you caught in the middle.”
“Okay, but does that mean I can’t hang out with him?” If that’s the case, I won’t be happy at all.
“No, we couldn’t keep him from you even if we thought you being around him was a bad idea.” I raise my brow at that but Silas is too focused on his ‘food’ to notice.
“What’s he taking care of right now?” I blurt out, my eyes get big and I feel my face blush. “I don’t know why I asked that, if he wanted me to know he would’ve told me.” I rush saying so Silas doesn’t feel like I’m putting him on the spot.
“It’s not his to tell you, it’s mine.” He drops on me after he finishes chewing the food in his mouth. He shoves the last bit of sandwich in his mouth, how he’s already done before me and I’ve still got one third of my sandwich left baffles me. “You want something to drink?” Silas pushes back from the table as he asks me and heads toward the fridge.
“Just a water please.” I wait for him to get my water and his almond milk and sit back down.
“He went to take my ex to her place, after she showed up at his loft. I’m trying to get an order of protection against her, so I didn’t want to go over there and deal with her myself.” Crickets, I have no response for the information he just plopped on my lap. “She’s obsessed and doesn’t know the meaning of, we’re over. She’s still coming to King’s and my place and the other’s. I suspect she came here first and when I wasn’t home, she started making the rounds to all the guys’ places. It’s been months, the cunt still doesn’t know how to catch a hint.” I finally have something to say about that.
“Now it makes sense. I have to confess something, before I went to stay at my apartment alone after freaking out, I overheard you talking on the phone about wanting someone gone. I was already in a bad place in my head, and hearing that tipped me over the edge. It was wrong of me and I am so sorry, I’m sorry you have to deal with her behavior and inability to let you go.” I feel lighter now that I’ve gotten the weight off thinking Silas was talking about me when I was eavesdropping on him. Silas closes his eyes and inhales a big breath, holding it in.
“That wasn’t for you, but since you did hear it, you should’ve asked instead of assuming. We all could’ve been saved a lot of grief and you could’ve avoided those days of depression by yourself.” Silas is mad and his voice is like ice as he berates me. I hang my head in shame, suddenly Silas has my chair pulled back, and is on his knees in front of me. His arms wrap around me holding me close. “You could have, but I believe you still would’ve left and stayed away from us until you were ready to come back. Regardless of if you heard me or not. So, don’t beat yourself up over it. It happened, learn from it and let’s move the fuck on.” I feel his voice rumble in his chest as he says the words I need to hear.
“What happened between you two?” Since I’m being nosey I might as well do it properly. He moves back to his chair and takes a deep drink of his almond milk while he thinks.
“She fucked up and showed me her crazy. She got possessive and not in a healthy way. It’s okay to know someone is yours and you’re theirs. Her jealously was way out there and she thought I was sleeping with any woman I so much as fucking looked at. I’m not a cheater, I never have and never would. Making someone feel like they’re not worthy or that I don’t respect them enough to call things off before it got to that is not my thing.” Silas shocks the shit out of me with that statement. Not because I think he’s the cheating type, but because of how deep it is.
“That’s some deep stuff for a gear head.” I tease him, a smile spreading on my face. He just grins back and bumps his body into mine softly.
“Cute.”
‘”Huh?” I don’t know what cute has to do with anything. He just continues to smile as he stands, and grabs his plate and glass, taking them over to the sink, while not rinsing it or putting either in the dishwasher I might add (the horror). He lets out a sharp whistle, the dogs come running as Silas opens the back door to let them out. I guess I’m not going to get an answer to my question. I finish the last bite of my sandwich and take my dishes to the sink, intending to rinse them and put them in the dishwasher, unlike Silas. Before I can, he snags my hands and leads me to couch in the living room.
“Pick a movie, I’m going to make some kettle corn and get some drinks, do you want more water or something else?” Silas bosses me. Warming up to the idea of cuddling with Silas on the couch I give in without much of a fight, or any.
“Just water.” I absent mindedly say as I peruse his collection of DVD’s.
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“If you don’t find what you want there, we can rent something off the tv.” He calls to me with his head in the fridge getting our drinks after I hear the pop of our kettle corn in the microwave. He has a vast collection of movies, some that seriously surprise me, like She’s All That, and a few others along that line. Deciding to mess with him for not answering my question I pick a chick flick and put it in the DVD player. Silas comes back with a big bowl of kettle corn and two water bottles, settling himself on the couch as I move to sit next to him, slipping my shoes off. He wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer, kissing the top of my head before he hits play on the remote. The screen queues up the movie and I feel Silas shaking with silent laughter at my choice. I smile to myself and dig into the popcorn bowl. I love myself a little sweet with a little bit of salty.
After the movie, Silas gets up to let the dogs in. “I’ve got shit to do in the garage, while I’m out there, Cain stays in here with you. You know where I am if you need me.” He says the last part as he’s heading out the door, Gretta slipping out with him. I look down at Cain and give him a scratch behind his ear.
“Looks like it’s just you and me buddy.” Since I’ve got the time, I might as well do some schoolwork. I’ve managed to get caught up on the things I got behind on while I was healing. I even got ahead on a couple of assignments.
2 Tell No One
Don’t You Cry For Me by Cobi
I’m being lifted by a pair of strong arms, as I breathe in Silas’ leather smell, he must have taken a shower because the engine grease smell that usually clings to him after being in the garage is absent. His steady gait lulls me back to just this side of consciousness, as he carries me down the hall to his bedroom.
He sets me on my feet next to the bed, with his hands on my hips making sure I’m steady. “Nora, you good?” Making an unintelligible noise I peel my eyes open and stare up into his handsome face, almost drowning in his ice blue eyes. “Doll, I need you to wake up enough so you can get ready for bed.” He tries to coax me into a more awake state. I guess all the recent events have caught up with me, I’m drained and can’t fulfill his request. With a sleepy moan, I lean forward and plant my forehead in the middle of his chest, holding on to each side of his t-shirt in my fists. I can feel his chuckle as he eases me down onto the bed. My ass hits the bed and I let go of his shirt.
“Okay, Doll. Just sit here and I’ll get you ready.” Silas lifts my shirt over my head and tosses it behind him then kneels down to remove my shoes. “Come on, up so we can get your pants off.” There’s no sexual innuendo in his voice, but my brain isn’t firing at full capacity, and I don’t have the inhibitions I’d normally have if I were fully awake. He slides my shoes off as I have a serious case of word vomit.
“It’s about time you got my clothes off, Si.” My voice comes out only slightly slurred and huskier than normal, from both my grogginess and the arousal his words ignited in me. I’m standing with my pants down to my knees and Silas on his in front of me. He quickly drags my jeans down and off, before his hands travel like a light breeze up the backs of my thighs, over my ass to my hips, where he grips me tightly.
“Nora, you can’t say shit like that.” Silas growls out, resting his head on my lower stomach. Being still mostly asleep, I move his hands from my hips up to my breasts and squeeze them with my hands over his. Silas surges up and locks his lips to mine, starting a brutal game of who’s in control between our mouths.
He tastes like mint toothpaste and I love it. Before I know what is happening my back hits the bed and Silas slips his hips between my thighs so my hips are cradling his. I wrap my legs around his lower back lining up his pelvis with mine and a long low growl vibrates from his chest to mine and down until I feel it in my pussy. I moan out the pleasure caused by those vibrations.
“Fuck, please don’t regret this later.” Silas says against my lips then takes my bottom one into his mouth and bites down on it. The pain from that is like someone flipping a switch and I’m thrown into my past with Jason on top of me holding me down as he draws blood from my lip. I try to push him off me as a scream gets ripped from my chest.
“No!” I can hear the panic in my voice as Silas immediately moves off from me with his hands up, he slowly backs away from me. My breathing is rushing in and out of my lungs, since I’m fully awake now, so quickly I’m on the brink of hyperventilating. I scramble up the bed until my back slams into a hard surface, stopping my escape. Silas has made it to the foot of the bed and he slowly moves to the open bedroom door, flicking the light switch from dim to bright.
“It’s me, Doll. I’m not going to hurt you, I’m not Jason.” He is trying to bring me back to the present, but I’m still caught in my past. Slowly he approaches the bottom of the bed then lowers himself down until he’s on his knees with his elbows resting on the foot of the bed. That’s when he starts singing Don’t You Cry For Me by Cobi only then do I start to come back into the present. It’s then I notice my cheeks are wet with my own tears. His voice is lower than the actual song and he’s made it slower, with not so much bounce in it like the real version. It’s the voice of an angel. This cold looking man that always says whatever he wants, has the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard, it’s better than Flynn’s by a mile and Flynn can fucking sing. My body relaxes away from the wall and Silas keeps singing as he crawls his way up to me. I open my arms to him and he gathers me onto his lap, holding me tightly against his solid frame.
“I’m so sorry, Nora. Fuck, am I sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed and taken things so fast like that.” Silas rocks me back and forth as he keeps apologizing. Finally, I can’t take any more of it and I shut him up the only way I can think of. With both my hands, one on each side of his head, I bring my mouth to his and run my tongue along his lower lip then up and over the top one. Silas gets statue still and his eyes become intense on mine.
I pull back and my eyes flick back and forth between his, “I’m okay now, Silas. This sort of thing is bound to happen. It’s partly why I’ve never taken any interest in anyone since…” Saying his name is difficult for me due to the fear it still holds over me. I swallow and try again, “Since, Jason.” Whew, I did it and nothing horrible happened to me, it’s just a name. It’s just a stupid fucking name. Some of the intensity leaves his eyes as the rest of his body melts away the tension in it.
“Come on, Doll, let’s finish getting ready for bed.” Silas eases me off his lap to stand beside the bed. As I go to move to the master bath, he stitches a piece of my soul back together. “Nora, you can use me to explore that area when you’re ready. I will never take things farther than you are ready for and all you have to do is say no or stop, I don’t care how far we’ve gone. I’ll fucking stop.” I’m at such a loss for words, I nod my head and enter the bathroom to brush my teeth on autopilot from the shock. You’d think he’d be the kind of guy to take things first and ask later. Apparently not, warmth starts to spread from the center of my chest outward.
When I get back to the bedroom with a hair tie and my comb in hand, Silas has his arms up with his hands behind his head and the sheets down around his waist. His eyes are closed and he looks like he’s thinking hard about something, or like he’s hurt.
“Are you okay, Si?” It’s a bit concerning, since I don’t think I was gone long enough for him to get hurt. His eyes snap open and peruse me from top to bottom before he answers. I hold my hair items up, silently asking him to braid my hair. He gets up from the bed in just a pair of black boxers (hello thigh muscles) and takes them, moving to just behind me running the comb through my hair getting the snarls out before he starts on a French braid (my preferred way to wear it for bed) keeping it tight but not so much it’ll give me a headache.
“Just trying to get rid of my hard on, think you could help by putting a shirt on or something, Doll?” Oops, I didn’t think of the after effects of our… What would someone call that? It wasn’t a sexual encounter, exactly. Ugh… whatever, I’m goi
ng to call it a make out session.
“Shit, I’m sorry Silas” He cuts me off.
“No, don’t you dare apologize for any of that. I’m grown enough, and man enough to be able to deal with my cock getting hard, with no happy ending. Now go put something on then come back to me.” Silas lays it out for me, is it wrong that knowing he’s hard from the little that just happened between us gives me happiness? Yes? Well, I already know I’m messed up mentally so it’s right up my alley. I turn to the closet, going in and I quickly grab the first thing my hand touches, it just so happens to be one of Silas’ black tees. I pull it over my head and it hits me midthigh. Then I tuck my hands in the sleeves and take my bra off without exposing myself to him. I slip my arms back into the holes and drop my bra into the hamper on my way out. Silas groans and scrapes his hands down his face.
“I’m not complaining, but seeing you in my tee isn’t going to do anything for my dick but keep it hard. Get your ass over here so I can at least cover you with the damn blanket.” I move my ass to the bed not wanting to cause him anymore discomfort than I already have. He lifts the blanket and I get a quick flash of the bulge in his black boxers; I climb in and he pulls me so I’m nearly on top of him just off to one side. Arranging me how he wants me, I settle in with my head on his shoulder, one arm around his torso and my leg entwined with both of his. He’s got his arm under me, wrapped around my back with that hand resting on my hip, rubbing random patterns along it. His other hand is stroking along my forearm over his stomach.
“Tell me something about you, something you wouldn’t tell another soul.” I don’t know where that came from but I said it so… Silas sighs, making a noise in the back of his throat that I feel in his chest. Oh, rumbly, very nice.