78. Cohen

78

COHEN

T he moment I stepped foot on the circular driveway, I knew something was off. And it had nothing to do with the bag of body parts currently slung over my shoulder. Or the bloodied bone saw Casper was holding up like he'd just hit the jackpot with one of those light-up claw machines and that rusty power tool was his prize.

This shit was the norm for us.

No, this was something else. Something that hit me like a punch to the gut when my glare landed on the back bumper before skidding across to the door. Which I now noticed was swaying when a gust of wind swiped past us. I didn't bother saying a word to either of ?em as I shoved the industrial-sized trash bag against Donnie's chest and took off at a full run. My boots sending up a cloud of dirt and sand at the same time my clenched fists swished back and forth at my sides.

I could hear the guys trudging towards the van behind me. Probably doing what I didn't and peering inside.

Thing was I didn't have to check shit to know that Emily was gone. I could feel it. I also didn't have to guess where she was headed. Her footprints in the mud did that for me.

I was equal parts pissed the fuck off and turned the fuck on as I pushed saplings aside and stomped across carefully manicured flower beds. Pounded grass into the dirt and maneuvered around trees. In search of my little runaway bride. Couldn't say for sure when I'd come to that conclusion. But I had. She was gonna marry me. As soon as I caught up with her.

Maybe it was the very real possibility of her getting away. Or maybe nothing had changed since I decided she was mine back in college. Whatever it was, I knew I wasn't letting her go. Even if it drove us both mad.

I was certain it would.

It didn't take me long to spot her. My little pet was anything but quiet as she tripped over dried brush and stumbled across fallen branches. And fuck if she didn't look edible with her chest heaving. Her damp hair clinging to her face and the hint of red smeared across her cheek.

I could smell it. Her blood. I could taste it too. It didn't matter how unlikely it was at a distance. It didn't make it any less true. Sensory memory. The spark of something familiar that had your brain tricking you into believing it was actually there. The neuroreceptors in my parietal lobe were stimulated to the point saliva was pooling in my mouth. My jaw clenched and my zipper chaffing with each step I took closer to my prize.

One side of my face curled into the lopsided grin that had become my regular as I slipped out from behind the tree and gave chase.

Emily froze. Peering up like one of those antelopes in a nature documentary seconds before the lion was set to appear and snap its jaw around the creature's throat. It wasn't all that far from the truth either. Not when I closed the distance and pounced. The force of my body slamming into hers sent Emily toppling sideways and crashing onto her back. Then had my little pet staring up at me again. Her eyes wide and panicked. Just the way I liked them when I was propped up on top of her.

"Tag. You're it," I grunted against her ear, lowering my face to that spot where her neck curved into her shoulder before suckling on the salt that collected and dried there.

She shoved at my chest, pounding her tiny fists against my arms and torso as I yanked the hem of her dress up around her stomach. Using one hand to release my zipper. Pull my cock free and sink into her tight cunt. Which was weeping for me to claim it.

Two quick thrusts and she'd stopped fighting me altogether. Her head tipping back and her fingers closing around my shirt and tugging me forward. Clumps of dirt and gravel scuffed against my knees with each drive of my hips, the overgrown grass pricking the undersides of my hands as I braced myself on the ground and fucked my little pet into submission.

I could feel that too. The moment she gave in and accepted her fate. The moment she realized it was so much more satisfying to fuck me than fight me. And then her leg was wrapping around my ass, holding me in place while I held her down.

This was what she needed. What would make sure she wouldn't try running again. This and the ring I was gonna nail to her finger if I had to.