21. Phoenix

21

PHOENIX

I storm into the trailer and pause, confused. Where is she? My eyes dart around frantically, scanning every corner for any sign of Tilly. Then, my gaze lands on the half-open bathroom door, and the sour smell of vomit assaults my nostrils.

My heart lurches. She threw up the sedatives. The realization hits me hard, and I swallow the panic that rises in my throat. I should’ve known she’d fight back. Tilly is stronger than she looks, and now she’s gone. My mind races with worry—is she lost, hurt, or worse?

I didn’t think she’d be able to escape, but I prepared for this possibility. I injected a tracker under her skin as insurance. I pull out my phone, open the tracking app, and sure enough, she is only a mile from the carnival. I curse under my breath, imagining all the terrible things that could happen to her out there alone at night.

Without a second thought, I dash out of the trailer and head straight for Nash’s motorcycle. I know he keeps a spare key under the seat, and I’m grateful for him being such a fucking idiot as I fire up the engine. A million thoughts race through my mind as I speed into the night.

I have to find Tilly, and fast. It’s dangerous out here, and she’s alone. My pulse quickens as I imagine all the potential threats lurking in the shadows. But I have to stay calm. She’s close, and I will get to her before anything happens.

I race down the road, my eyes scanning the surroundings for movement. After an eternity, I spot a car pulled over up ahead.

Checking the tracker, it looks like she’s either trying to hitch around or someone is messing with her.

Anger hits me like a lightning bolt as I pull over. There she is, my Tilly, begging some dirtbag in a van for a ride.

“Please,” she pleads. “I’ll do anything. Just get me out of here.”

I clench my jaw, my blood boiling at the thought of what this guy might do to her. Clearing my throat, I leave the shadows and say, “Take a hike, buddy. She’s with me.”

The guy in the van looks me up and down, taking in my stature. He thinks better of arguing and drives off with a scowl, tires spitting gravel.

I turn to Tilly, expecting relief on her face, but instead, she stares at me with wide, frightened eyes. Before I can say a word, she turns and runs toward the woods. My heart sinks as I realize she’s still afraid of me.

I start after her, calling out, “Tilly, wait!”

But she doesn’t stop. The moon illuminates her panicked form as she darts between the trees, and I easily keep pace.

“Tilly, please! I want to talk. I promise I won’t hurt you. You have to understand—I did this for you.”

I yearn for her to turn around, to give me a chance to explain. But she only runs faster, branches snapping under her feet. My throat tightens at the thought of her out here alone, exhausted and frightened. I never wanted her to feel this way.

I have to stop her. This is ridiculous; she’s running from her soul mate. My feet pound against the forest floor, quickly gaining on her. She’s terrified, and that’s my fault, but I must keep her safe.

I’m faster and soon catch up, wrapping my arms around her waist and lifting her off the ground. She kicks and squirms in my arms, and I spin her around, pressing her back against a tree trunk. Her eyes are wild, and her chest heaves as she struggles for breath.

“Shh, Tilly, it’s me. Stop fighting me,” I plead, but she screams, a high-pitched sound that pierces the night.

In a desperate attempt to silence her, I clamp my hand over her mouth. My voice is harsh as I growl, “Don’t make me gag you. Your screams are turning me on. Keep it up, and I’ll fuck you right here, make you scream for a different reason.”

Her eyes widen at my words, and she freezes in my arms. I remove my hand from her mouth, and she takes a shuddering breath. For a moment, we stand there, locked in a silent standoff .

Then, softly, so softly I can barely hear it, she whispers, “Why are you doing this?”

A low sound escapes my throat at her words.

I push away from the tree, stepping back to look at her. My gaze roams over her face, swollen lips, and wild hair. At that moment, I want nothing more than for her to understand.

“You’re mine, Tilly. You’ve been from the moment I saw you,” I say, my voice hoarse. “I need you. You’re my entire world.”

I see the fear, confusion, and desire waging a war within her. I step forward, my hands reaching out to cup her face, my thumbs brushing away the tears from her cheeks.

“Don’t be scared,” I whisper, my voice cracking as I gently kiss her. “I would never hurt you.”

Her body relaxes against mine as I kiss her, and she kisses me back, tentative at first, then with growing hunger. Her hands fist in my shirt, pulling me closer, and I groan, all rational thought disappearing in the heat of the moment.

“God, I need you,” I breathe against her lips, my hands moving desperately over her body.

She whimpers, and I feel her hands tugging at my belt, needing me too. I shove down the voice in my head that tells me I’m taking advantage of her vulnerability.

Instead, I let my obsession take over and lift her against the tree, pressing her back against the rough bark. She wraps her legs around my waist, and I thrust into her, claiming her as mine .

Her head falls back, exposing the long line of her throat, and I suck a mark onto her skin, growling in satisfaction. “You’re mine, and everyone will know it.”

Tilly moans, her hands tight on my shoulders, her body moving with mine. The moment is electric, our connection fiery and all-consuming. My obsession blazes as I punctuate each thrust with a nip of her skin.

I move my hips faster and faster, my hands gripped tightly around her waist. My breath comes in short gasps, and my heart pounds wildly. The tree bark digs into Tilly’s back with each thrust, but she doesn’t notice. Her eyes are shut tight, a mixture of pleasure and pain playing across her face.

“You like that, baby? You like it rough?” I growl, my voice harsh in the quiet of the night.

Tilly nods frantically, her breath coming in short gasps. “Yes, please don’t stop.”

A grin spreads across my face. “Never, baby. I’ll never stop. You’re mine, and I’ll never let you go.”

I lean down, my lips brushing against her ear as I continue to move my hips. “I’d kill for you, Tilly. Any man who even looks at you, I’ll fucking murder him. I’ll rip his heart out with my bare hands.”

Tilly moans at my words, her body trembling against mine. I know she shouldn’t love this dark side of me, but she does. She craves it, needs it as much as I need her.

“That guy in the van, I wanted to tear him limb from limb for even speaking to you,” I confess, my voice hoarse and raw. “But I held back for you. ”

Her hands move to my face, her touch gentle, even as I dominate her body. “It’s crazy, but I want you.”

Her words fuel my obsession, and I groan, my hips moving uncontrollably. “I’m yours, baby. Always and forever. But you’re mine too, and no one will ever take you from me.”

I kiss her then, fiercely, desperately, claiming her lips with the same fervor as I claim her body.

Tilly matches my passion, her kisses fueling the fire burning inside me.

Our bodies move together in perfect sync, our hearts pounding as one. The night air is electric, and the trees seem to dance with the intensity of our desire.

I feel the coil in my abdomen tighten, and my grip on Tilly’s waist becomes bruising as I hold her in place, not wanting this moment to end.

“I’m going to breed you, baby. Mark you as mine forever.” The force of our movements causes the branches above to sway. The moonlight filters through the leaves, dappling Tilly’s skin with silvery light.

My favorite part of fucking her is when she’s wild and helpless, consumed by the same fire that burns within me. I want to consume her, brand her with my touch so deeply that no one will ever be able to take her from me.

“You like the sound of that, don’t you, baby? My cock filling you up, marking you as mine,” I growl, my lips hovering over her ear.

“Yes,” she breathes, her nails digging into my shoulders. “I do.”

She meets my thrusts with her desperate movements, a feverish need in her eyes. Knowing someone could find us like this here in the woods only adds to the thrill.

The coil in my abdomen tightens further, an electric pulse shooting through me with each thrust. I’m close, and I want Tilly to explode with me.

“Come for me, baby,” I command, moving one hand down to rub circles over her clit. “I want to feel you tighten around my cock.”

Tilly whimpers, her body shaking as she teeters on the edge. I thrust harder, needing to feel her fall apart around me.

“That’s it, baby, let go,” I whisper, my lips brushing against hers.

As if on cue, her body shudders, a cry escaping her as she climaxes. The vibrations ripple through me, pushing me over the edge.

“Fuck,” I groan, my hips stuttering as I release inside her. “Oh, God—So fucking perfect?—”

I bury my face in her neck, my teeth scraping her skin as I fight for control. Finally, I surrender to the pleasure, my body shuddering with the force of my release.

For a moment, we stand there, breathless, our hearts pounding in unison. I tighten my grip on Tilly, unwilling to let her go, even as my body begins to slip from its high.

“That’s it, baby,” I murmur, kissing her neck. “All mine.”

Tilly’s chest rises and falls rapidly, her eyes closed as she revels in the aftershocks. I feel a rush of possessiveness as I realize she just gave me everything—her pleasure, her release, her trust .

I stroke my hands up and down her back, soothing her as she comes down from her high. The reality of what just happened begins to sink in, and I feel a surge of protectiveness.

“I know I shouldn’t have taken you like this out here in the open,” I admit. “But I needed you, and I couldn’t wait.”

She turns her face toward me, her eyes shining in the moonlight.

Tilly starts to shake in the aftermath of our passion as if she’s just now realizing what happened. She tries to squirm out of my arms, her eyes darting around like a trapped animal. Her sudden fear scrapes my nerves like a knife, and my mouth flattens into a thin line.

“What the hell are you doing? Get off me!” She slaps my arms, her nails digging into my skin.

I tighten my grip, irritation coursing through me. “Calm down, Tilly. There’s no need for that.”

“No need? You tied me up, drugged me, faked my death, and now you’re manhandling me in the middle of the damn woods! Of course, there’s a need!” She struggles against me, her feet kicking out.

My patience, already thin, snaps. I spin her around and pin her back against my chest, capturing her wrists in one of my hands. “Listen, you little brat,” I growl, my lips close to her ear. “You tried to run away. Do you know how dangerous that is? Anything could have happened to you out here.”

She tries to wriggle free, but I hold her firmly in place. “You need to be punished for this,” I mutter, planting soft kisses along her jaw, hoping to soothe her even as I threaten her. “You must learn that running from me isn’t an option.”

Tilly freezes, and I can feel her tense against me. “Punished? How?” she murmurs.

“I’m going to have to increase security if you’re going to keep trying to escape.” I pull her wrists higher, stretching her body against mine, emphasizing my strength and her vulnerability. “And we’ll have to move you somewhere more secure.”

She makes a frightened sound, and I know she’s picturing a dark, windowless room. I smile at the image. Maybe I will put her in a room like that to teach her a lesson.

“No, please!” She tries to jerk her wrists out of my grasp, turning her head to look at me over her shoulder, her eyes wide and frightened. “You can’t keep me locked up. I’ll go crazy.”

I chuckle, my chest vibrating against her back. “Well, we can’t have that, can we? So, maybe you’ll start behaving and save us both the trouble.”

She sags against me, defeated. “What do you mean by ‘more secure’?” she whispers.

I trail my lips along her neck, loving the way she shivers in response. “I have a place. Underground. No windows, no easy way out.”

“No!” She twists in my arms, renewed panic in her eyes. “You can’t do that. Please, Phoenix, you can’t?—”

I cut her off with a sharp tug on her wrists. “You’re not leaving me a choice, Tilly,” I snarl. “Do you understand? It’s for your own good. ”

She’s quiet for a moment, her breath ragged. Finally, she whispers, “Why do you even want me? I don’t understand. I’m nothing special.”

I bury my face in her hair, inhaling her sweet scent. “Nothing special? Of course, you are. You’re everything to me. But you need to learn that running isn’t an option. You’re mine, and you’re staying put.”

“Okay,” she says, her voice shaking. “Just please don’t take me to that place. I’ll be good. I won’t try to run away again.”

I smile against her hair, victory singing through my veins. “Maybe,” I murmur. “We’ll see.”

She whimpers, her body going lax against mine, and I know she’s accepted her fate, at least for now. I run my hands up and down her arms, soothing her even as I plot out the details of her captivity.

I tighten my hold on her, breathing in the scent of her hair, relishing the feel of her soft body pressed against mine. This little escape attempt of hers was a minor setback, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. Tilly is mine; one day, she’ll willingly accept that fact. Until then, I’ll have to keep her close and safe from the dangers of the world and herself.