Chapter 74

Chapter Seventy-Four

Fuck! Don’t say that! Take it back, Beauty!

Y ou don’t know what powers you’re invoking with your words.

Gasping, I sink to my knees and involuntarily let go of you because that kick hit home. I have to hand it to you. I didn’t see that coming. But that doesn’t change that you won’t get far because I can’t let you go. You belong to me!

Now that you are standing in front of me again, I can feel and perceive your smell, closeness, and warmth. I realize I am nothing without you. I’ve realized it over the last few days. I can’t be without you, and your daughter is not enough for me as a substitute. You are the only real one I want and need. You have to like me just as much. Love me! You simply have to!

I quickly pick myself up again. You’ve run out the back door and will be heading to your car. So I yank open my front door to catch you there so you don’t get away from me. I won’t let you go!

But unlike what I thought, you ran into your house. I see a dark shadow scurrying past the windows. I push my bike behind your car so that if you do get away, you won’t get far, and I won’t miss you. Then, I gain access to your house via the porch door. It’s easy to pick this lock. You really should get it changed, Beauty. But don’t worry, when we’ve made up, I’ll be there, and you won’t have to worry about anyone trespassing. I’ll look after you. Always .

I listen in the dark to find out where you are. Then I hear you scurrying through the hallway in my direction. All I have to do is stand behind the swinging door and you practically run into my arms. And just as I predicted, you sneak through the door, making it easy for me to grab you from behind and press you firmly against me, exactly where you belong, in my arms.

“LET ME GO!” you scream and flail your hands and feet around in an attempt to free yourself from me.

But why are you doing this? You love me! You don’t need to be afraid of me!

“Why are you resisting me and your feelings for me so much? All this time? You know I’m the only one who can give you what you need. I love you, Beauty, and I won’t stop loving you. I won’t touch June again. I swear it! I will think of her as my daughter. She will understand. She’ll realize that we’re perfect for each other,” I tell you as you continue to fight me with everything you’ve got.

But suddenly, you stop and look up at me over your shoulder. I would love to kiss you now and bend over the counter to fuck you again from behind as hard as you like. In my mind, I can see my hand coming down hard on your sexy ass cheek repeatedly, as you moan louder and louder. Fuck! I’m so hard because of you!

“You… you assaulted my daughter? You slept with her and imagined it was me? You… you sick, perverted asshole! Touch her even once more or come near her, and I…”

“You what? What are you going to do then, Beauty, huh? Don’t threaten me! Because that makes me angry, I don’t want to be angry with you anymore. I have been for the last few days, and you’ve seen what it’s made me do!” I shake my head because I don’t want to imagine what doing something to you is like.

I would never do anything to you! At least I’m pulling myself together not to. But you don’t make it easy for me, Beauty!

Silent sobs take hold of your petite body. But I don’t want you to cry because of me. Your body should vibrate with laughter or tremble with ecstasy and nothing else. But you’re not rubbing against me with excitement. Your body is shaking with fear, and you’re crying almost silently, just like you used to.

Am I really the monster you make me out to be? What you see in me?

“Beauty…” I whisper and turn you to face me to kiss and hold you.

I don’t want you to be afraid of me. My embrace should give you support and not instill fear, damn it! Your trembling increases, which makes me angry because I’ve done nothing to you.

“You let your husband beat you up for years, but now you’re afraid of my hug? That’s what I call irony… Damn it, Beauty. I’ve done nothing to you! I treated you like a queen! So why are you so afraid of me?” I get louder and louder because I simply can’t control myself anymore.

My fingers dig into your upper arms, and I stare you down, making you fucking answer me. Your sobs increase, and your beautiful eyes widen even more. You look at me the way you looked at your husband before I kicked him out. Fuck !

“Don’t look at me like that, Beauty!” I yell, shaking you lightly so you’ll finally come to your senses.

I’m not the enemy or the bad guy here. He was the pig who beat you up for years. Why are you more afraid of me now than you are of him? It just doesn’t make sense to me.

“Please, Ezra. Please… don’t hurt me. Leave June and me alone. Please. If you love me, you’ll let us go,” you whisper, so full of panic that I can barely hear you.

“Did you beg him like that, too?” I shout angrily, barely able to control myself. “You belong to me! I can’t let you go! Never! I love you, and you love me too! You left your husband for me! We will be happy. I promise you, Beauty. But you’ll have to meet me halfway, okay?” I press out angrily through clenched teeth.

I don’t want to hurt you. Please don’t make me do it and say you love me! SAY IT!!!, I scream at you in my mind so that you finally understand and tell me what I want to hear, what you’ve been trying to say to me all along. You love me…

“Okay. I’ll… stay with you. But please… you’re hurting me, Ezra,” you cry, and I immediately loosen my grip on your arms because I don’t want to be like him.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt you. Promise me you won’t run away? Let’s talk, baby, okay? Sort everything out,” I reply in a calm voice.

My insides still feel like a ticking time bomb, but I want to believe you. I want everything to be okay again. And above all, I want to make up with you… Fuck, do you realize how badly I want to make up with you, baby? My cock has been screaming for you for days. No matter how many times I’ve fucked your daughter, she’s not you. I need you!

You nod, and I notice you relax. Relieved, I breathe and press a gentle kiss to the corner of your mouth, slowly loosening my grip and letting go of you.

Everything is going to be okay. We can do this! We are strong.

Satisfied, I nod and keep a little more distance so that you can see that I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to talk, to finally hold you in my arms again. To finally be able to kiss and taste you again. I’ve almost forgotten what that’s like. This is not how it’s supposed to be, Beauty!

“Come on, let’s sit down and work through everything that's come between us,” I say, reaching for the keys you’re nervously twisting in your fingers.

You tense up briefly, giving me pause, but then you hand me your keys, nod, and walk to your kitchen table. I want to switch on the light because we’re still standing in your dark kitchen, but you run toward the front door when I turn back to you.

“Fuck, Beauty!” I growl and sprint after you.

You mustn’t run away from me! But above all, I mustn’t let you get away.

I cut you off at the front door. Like an agile rabbit, you dash and run up the stairs. I take two steps at a time to follow you. You’re fast, baby. But not fast enough. Sorry…

At the top of the stairs, I finally get hold of you again, grab you by the arm, and turn you around to face me. Unexpectedly, you ram your elbow against my nose as I turn. I didn’t see that punch coming either. I’m impressed, baby. This is the second time you’ve caught me stone cold, something many guys from my club don’t manage to do even once. But maybe I don’t give you enough credit.

Unfortunately, your punch causes me to let go of you momentarily, and you stagger on the landing until you lose your balance and fall. My hand snaps forward to stop you from falling, but I reach into the void and watch you fall. Your petite body hits the hard steps again and again. Your screams eventually fall silent until you hit the marble floor downstairs in the hallway with a thud. Blood immediately oozes from your skull. NO! No! No! No! NOOOOO! Not you!

I run down the stairs and fall to my knees when I reach you. I wipe your curls out of your beautiful face. You are not dead! You can’t be dead; I pray in a continuous loop as I check your pulse. NO!

My heart skips a beat. You… I…

A scream escapes my throat, and I take you in my arms because I can’t just leave you there. You belong to me!

I don’t know how long I sit on the floor and just hold you in my arms—cradling you like a small, sleeping child. I look down at your beautiful face. You look so peaceful. You’re happy now. I will not leave you here. I will take you with me because you’re mine, baby!

Forgive me, Beauty. I couldn’t save you from my darkness either… I’ll never forgive myself for that!