Chapter 8

8

Juno

When we wake up at the stream, a storm is moving in and we run for the cabin, closing ourselves inside just before it pours. And for two days after that, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. Caleb works on his book, typing sounds coming from his office. When he’s not in his office, he follows me around. Observing, taking notes in his notebook.

I put on music and dance for him. I cook. I pick a biography from his shelf and read it in the window, combing through the words while water patters softly on the pane. And he sits there, watching me in that intense way, his pen scratching on the paper. Sometimes he whispers the notes as he takes them, but I pretend not to hear. They seem private.

Scratches her knee.

Mutters at the author.

Can’t get comfortable in her seat.

Thirty-one breaths in a minute.

An hour since I’ve been in her pussy.

Two hours.

I’m starting to think Caleb is obsessed with me and it teaches me about the newly discovered darkness inside of me…because I love it. I love his obsession. When he stares at me with madness lurking in his eyes, my body blooms like a rose. I can barely breathe. We have sex like starved animals every single time. He throws me facedown over the kitchen table or barges into my shower, impaling me against the tile and grunting brokenly into my neck, taking me in maelstrom of biting and scratching and dirty words.

Our lovemaking is such an emotional upheaval that we fall asleep afterward every time, our limbs tangled together, his strong arms wrapped around me possessively. We lose track of time. It has no meaning. There is no day or night, there is only the last time he was inside me. The next time he’ll be inside me. What he’ll say. How rough he’ll be. If we’ll leave marks.

He’s typing in his office now with his back to the doorway. He’s shirtless.

Nail marks decorate his back in dramatic red slashes.

The considerable muscles in his shoulders stiffen with awareness. His head turns ever so slightly to one side and I sense him holding his breath. I’m obsessed with him, too. I know it in that moment. The reason I know he’s always following me, always staring at me, is because I’m doing the same to him. Memorizing him from the shadows. Waiting for him to come out and play. To throw me down like a plaything and vaporize my will.

The rain is coming down hard on the roof now, so I almost don’t hear what he says.

“I love you.” His voice is gruff, the line of his jaw flexing. “Like a goddamn fanatic. It claws deeper with every breath out of your mouth.” I’m grateful when he pauses so I can attempt to calm my racing heart. But then, “This book has become about you. You are the wife. I’m the man. And he’s slowly going crazy with need for her. He’s obsessed, the way I am with you. So obsessed he might drop dead of misery if she leaves.”

Tears burn in my eyes. My pulse riots.

I can’t barely speak through the emotion packed into my throat.

He loves me. I love him, too. And that means…I have to tell him everything. He doesn’t even know my real name or where I came from. He thinks my name is Sarah, for god sakes. Suddenly, I can’t stand the lies. They lie between us like a trench of fire.

“Caleb—”

There’s a loud knock at the door. “Hello?” calls a man’s voice.

Followed by another knock.

I brace to run. It’s an immediate reaction. I have to flee. They’ve found me. I hear the authority in the man’s voice and I know. I know the truth has arrived before I could say it out loud. No, this can’t be happening. Not when he’s just told me he loves me. Now he’s going to know I’ve been lying all along. That he’s in love with a lie.

My heart climbs into my throat and I choke it down, trying desperately to keep my features schooled. It’s dim in the room, the storm painting the house in gloom, and I use it to my advantage, sinking back into a shadow.

Caleb turns in his chair with a frown. Neither one of us moves for a long, tense moment.

Then he rises, muscles shifting, chasing each other across his shoulders, his ruthlessly tight abdomen. “I’ll go see who it is.” He stops in front of me, tips my chin up. “Go wait in the bedroom. I don’t want another man looking at you.”

Even in my state of panic and despair, desire trickles through me.

He sees it. Recognizes his own creation.

“When he leaves, it’s going to be extra rough.” He grips me between the legs. “You drew him here with this pussy. I know you did.”

Wetness rushes toward his palm, my core clenching eagerly. “No.”

He squeezes tighter, his teeth flashing. “Yes. Go to the bedroom and lock the fucking door. I might have to kill him if he tries to get past me. He wants what’s mine.”

I moan, melting back against the wall. Every time I think we’ve hit a new level of this obsession, it sinks deeper and so do I. God help me, so do I. “Don’t go. He’ll leave. Come to the bedroom with me. Caleb, please.”

“You think I’m going to turn my back when there’s another man sniffing around you?” He yanks down my panties and shoves two fingers into my sex, capturing my cries with his mouth. “Do as you’re told, girl, and be ready to fuck when I get back.”

Oh God, oh God, I have to tell him everything, but his eyes are black with jealousy, possessiveness. Madness. He won’t hear a word I say. He’s a mate preparing to rip the throat out of a challenger. So I simply nod. “I will.”

“Lock the door and hide in the closet.”

“Yes. I will.”

He slides his fingers out of me, sucking them with a groan as he turns from the office doorway. And I go in the opposite direction, hurrying down the hallway and closing the bedroom door, locking it. But I don’t go to the closet. I wait, listening, my ear to the crack.

It’s so much worse than I could have imagined.

The front door of the house creaks open.

“Afternoon. Are you Caleb Daniels?”

Caleb doesn’t respond, but I picture him nodding.

Picture him holding his rifle just out of sight.

“I’m Officer Torres,” the man says, sounding slightly wary of my man. As he should be. “And this is Sarah Horner. Found her out in the woods while we were looking for someone else. Says she’s supposed to start an internship for you but had some trouble finding the place.”

“Hi, Mr. Daniels,” Sarah sniffs, sounding sick. “I guess I got turned around…a-and there was no cell service. I’m a little worse for the wear after camping for three days, but—”

“Who were you looking for in the woods?” Caleb asks.

Officer Torres laughs. “Escaped mental patient. Young girl named Juno took off, jumped the fence of the facility about eight miles north. I’ve got a picture here…”

I cram my knuckles to my mouth, a sob wrenching up my throat as I back toward the window. Have to run. I have to run or the police officer is going to take me back. And I can’t be locked up again. I won’t scream until I’m hoarse that I don’t need medication only to be held down and have it administered. I refuse to feel my thoughts lose their edge and my limbs turn lethargic. To be propped in a corner so I can stare into space.

I’ve discovered life again, here with Caleb. Far richer than the one I lived even before the facility. I’m teeming with energy and life and feeling. I can’t let them take it away. And Caleb loves me, but…I knew the moment I met him he wasn’t a man people lie to. What if he’s so betrayed, he lets them take me? I can’t chance it. I can’t.

Shaking, I shove my feet into my sneakers and move quietly as possible to the window, sliding it up and climbing out into the rain. I’m wearing nothing but the gray and white silk nightie Caleb bought me, so I reach back in and grab a blanket. I wrap it around me and run full speed into the woods, out of view of the front of the house. I escaped once and I can do it again, right? The farther I get, the more my heart starts to rebel. Screeching at me to go back.

Sobbing brokenly, I ignore it and keep sprinting.

Caleb, I’m sorry.

* * *

Caleb

Juno.

My obsession has a name now.

I want these people to leave so I can get back to her. NOW.

No more waiting to have to truth out. She has to know by now there’s no reason to hide from me. That even if she did belong in an institution, she would be mine. Mind, heart, body, soul. Every part of her is cherished by me.

The cop holds up a picture of my princess and I almost lunge for his throat. Simply for having her likeness in his pocket. Having any part of her. But the picture freezes me in place, turns my blood to ice. It’s Juno in the picture, but the life is missing from her eyes. They’re rimmed in black and she can barely keep them open. Her shoulders are slumped, her hair in disarray. What did they do to you there, princess?

I suddenly want to hold her so badly, I could roar this house down.

They will pay. Whoever hurt her will pay.

“I no longer require your services,” I say to the woman, but my eyes are still on the photograph. “And I haven’t seen the girl.”

He eyes me closely but flinches and averts his eyes when I stare back coldly.

This man was out looking for Juno.

If he found her, I know what would have happened.

He’d covet what’s mine. Take her. Steal her from me.

And yes, I could kill him for something he hasn’t done yet. Does he smell her in the back bedroom? Does he know I’ve got a treasure and want it for himself?

Madness boils in my head, my back teeth grinding.

If he makes a move to get past me, he won’t make it two steps in her direction.

“Don’t need my services?” the woman is screeching. “I just spent three nights—”

“Is that all?” I cut her off, my voice quiet. Lethal.

“Yes,” the officer says wisely, guiding the woman away. “My car is parked down on the main road. Quite a hike, but…I’ll make sure she gets home.”

“Good.”

I close the door and force myself to wait. Wait for them to move out of sight before I go tearing through the house, already unzipping my pants. I want to be inside of her when she tells me everything. Want her to feel my ownership, my love, the way I burn for her, so there isn’t a doubt in her beautiful head that she is safe, in the right place, home.

“Open the door,” I bark, trying the handle. “They’re gone.”

When there’s no answer, no sound of the closet opening, a prickle of terror runs up my arms. I don’t wait. I step back and kick the door in.

Not here. She’s not here.

The closet is empty.

Open window.

She’s…gone out the fucking window?

“Juno,” I bellow, sprinting to the opening and throwing myself through it, landing on the ground in a crouch, my eyes scanning every direction for some sign of her. Anguish stabs me through the eyes, rips holes in my chest and I stumble in the rain, my breath sawing in and out of my lungs. “Juno, where are you?”

Footprints.

In her size.

Hope seizes my chest and I follow them, picking up speed once I’ve found her trail. The rain is turning the dirt to mud, though, so I have to hurry. I race through the trees, trying to find her roses and sugar scent in the air, croaking her name when I can’t. No, this isn’t happening. I haven’t lost her. I can’t lose her. I need her. I need her. Was I too much? Did I scare her when I explained how deep my obsession ran?

The possibility chokes me, but I carry on, jumping over downed trees and splashing through the stream, calling her name until I’m hoarse—

A flash of gray up ahead.

She’s there.

“Juno!” I shout, crazed, relieved, miserable. “Please.Stop.”

Is it my imagination or does she run faster?

My heart cracks at the possibility. I cry out hoarsely.

Too bad, though. Too bad. Even if she doesn’t want me anymore, I’m still keeping her. Does she think I’m optional? I’m fucking not. I’m permanent, I’m her life now and I’m bringing her home.

It doesn’t take me long to catch up and wrap my arms around her from behind. Our speed causes us to go down, but I turn my body to bear the brunt of the fall. She’s sprawled on top of me, soaked from the rain, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” she sobs, trying to scramble her way out of my hold. “I’m sorry I lied. But please, please don’t let them take me back!”

“Listen to yourself!” I grab to fistfuls of her hair, drag her face to mine and press our foreheads together. “Do you think I’d let anyone take you away from me? Do you think I wouldn’t kill anyone who tried?”

“I…I…”

“I’ve known you weren’t Sarah since the beginning,” I growl. “I pretended to believe it so I could keep you with me. I couldn’t stand the idea of you leaving, even after you’d only been in my home for one goddamn minute. We both lied. But that’s over. It’s over. No more lies between us. You’re going to come home and let me fucking love you, Juno. Forever. Longer than forever. Is that clear?”

Face crumpling, she throws herself into my arms, crying into the crook of my neck. “She lied so they would keep me. She told them I attacked her with scissors, that I’d done it before, but she did it to herself. I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t.”

“I know you wouldn’t, princess.” I rock her side to side, my heart squeezing in my chest. “You don’t have to convince me. I know you.”

“And I thought when I turned eighteen, they’d have to let me go. But they didn’t. I fought and fought, but they tuned me out.” She’s trembling in my arms, so I hold her tighter, as tight as I can. “You’re just part of a chorus of shouting and nothing gets through. Oh God, it was awful. Please don’t let them find me, Caleb.”

“Never. We’ll move farther away. We’ll go as far as possible. I won’t have you scared, princess. I wouldn’t be able to stand it.”

She lifts her head, swipes the tears out of her eyes. “I love you, too,” she whispers. “I was so worried I wouldn’t get t-to tell you.”

A sense of completion rocks me to the core. She loves me.

She’s mine.Mine to protect and pleasure and worship.

I’m never ever letting her go. Never letting her out of my sight again.

Desperation snares me in its trap, a ferocious need to possess turns my blood to fire, and I turn, throwing my girl down onto the forest floor, my fingers dragging down my zipper to spring my cock from its prison. “Did I or did I not tell you to be ready to fuck when I came back, girl?”

With a whimper, she opens her thighs.