Pain & Gain

Chapter 13 (part 2)

"Marshall please calm down." I say, watching him pace.

"Stop." He snaps, the intensity in his voice making me jolt. "Don't tell me to calm down."

I bite my tongue. He breathes heavily through his nose, sounding like a bull getting ready to charge. My feeling of safety from a little under an hour ago is completely gone. A dark, unwelcome fear creeping to steal its place. I'm scared to move, paralyzed by his lack of control fueled by his temper. I have to go, get out of here just for an hour. I have to give him time to calm down, for the sake of our child and myself I can't be here when the time bomb goes off.
I slowly unfold my legs from their crossed position, watching him closely and scanning for any signs of rupture. Both legs are unfolded now dangling over the edge of the bed. He doesn't seem to have noticed the change, maybe I'll be able to go without him noticing at all.
I press my feet on the floor and Marshall stands with his back to me, leaning on the wall. I stand from the bed and he doesn't move. I begin to walk towards the door but Marshall's hand extends and grabs my arm. I gasp as he pulls me back, pulling me fully against his body. Preventing me from my near escape.

"Where are you going." He says as more of a statement than a question.

"Marshall I need you to calm down." I whisper, crossing my arms across my stomach. For some reason I feel the need to cover it.

"I'm nowhere near calm." He snarls, flattening his hands against the walls, on either side of me much like he has before. "I can't calm down."

"Talk to me." I say, trying to mask the shaking in my voice. "What can I do?"

Marshall's chest huffs out air and I'm lost again. I search his face for any signs of relief but for the first time I think ever, he can't meet my eyes. I put my hands on his angry shoulders, feeling the heat beneath my palms. Slowly I drag my hands down his torso, feeling his tortured breath all the way down to the waistband of his joggers.

"I hate him so much." He says with a little less hostility than before. "I try to protect you but I can't."

I don't say anything, fearing that the slightest thing may set him off. I hook my fingers in the band of his pants, preparing to ease them down. I pause between every motion, waiting for any sign of disapproval or anger towards me. Determining that everything I'm doing is alright, I continue to undress him exposing his boxers now. I wait, and once I've deemed it safe I let my hands wander over them.

"I know what you're doing." He says, nails digging into the wall.

"You always do..." I say softly.

Marshall meets my eyes for the first time tonight and I slide my hand beneath his boxers, feeling him. Trying to erase all of the built up anger. I go to pull them down and I look at him for permission. Marshall nods and I comply, just enough to expose him. I feel him getting hard, pleasure-banging on the wall occasionally. It's working, he's beginning to forget.

"Stop." He demands, not doing anything to stop what is going on.

His body betrays him, leaning closer to me. He grunts once now taking my hips with one hand, the other still secure against the wall. His fingers sink into my skin and a weak moan escapes his mouth.

"Rachel stop." He says more aggressively, taking my wrist and pinning it against the wall beside my face. I gasp, his lips only a centimeter away from mine. "Are you trying to seduce me?" He asks, now aware of my game.

I stay quiet, my breathing at the speed of light. His eyes glance down at my chest.

"Are you?" He asks again, clearly not in the joking mood.