FORBIDDEN: The Stowaway PART ONE

Chapter Ten - Riggs

We're sitting by the fire. She's curled up in the armchair while I'm sitting on the couch with my legs wide apart and a beer in hand.

Itching for another taste of her.

I clear my throat, looking at her watching the fire. There's enough heat radiating that I'm breaking a sweat.

"You want a drink?"

"No."

She's been cold all damn day.

Saddened.

Upset.

Scared.

I live off the fear.

Feed on it.

But with her.

I want to take it away.

All of it.

Bury it deep and see that smile again.

That spunk.

Sass.

Woman's so sassy it cracks me up.

Right now, she's worried.

I don't think she believed we were going to kill her come Friday. She thought we'd let her go.

Crew has other plans for her.

But I'm letting her go.

She's not dying on my watch.

There's this itch in me. This protectiveness.

She's my responsibility and I'll make sure she gets out of this alive.

Satisfied, too.

Although there's a darkness inside her. Just like me. And soon I'm going to let it free.

I clear my throat, fixing myself on the couch and wipe my brow. "You feeling better?"

"Peachy."

"Your shoulder okay?"

Her gaze meets mine, no emotion to it. No smirk or sass wrapped around her words. They've broken her. "Does it matter?"

I want to walk over there and kiss her, take all her pain away.

Inhale it.

Consume it.

Let her smile again. Just for a second.

I inhale sharply before I reply and almost regret it as soon as I do. "Matters to me, sunshine."

"It shouldn't. I don't matter to many people."

I want to distract her. Take her away from this sadness.

I just don't know how.

I was never good at relationships. Always used the chicks I was with. Cheated. Lied. Did anything but be that perfect boyfriend.

Shit, I don't even think I've had a real girlfriend before. Just a bunch of women I continued to fuck until I didn't. I used them to relieve the darkness this life brings me. This hatred I have. This vomit I absorb. But a relationship, no, I never really had that.

I might've had one with Natalia, but that was short-lived.

Zay is the type of girl you make love to and stay with forever.

Little bit of good. Little bit of bad.

"You in school?"

She nods, nothing more.

"What're you studying?"

She sighs, rolling her eyes to me. "Does it matter?"

I nod, leaning forward, and tapping her knee. "Tell me."