Wait For You

Chapter 13: Unchanging Charms, The Clarifying Alarms

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧𝐧 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐫𝐨𝐞

"Love you too, Cassie," I reply and cut the call.

Adonis still isn't done with his workout, I perch on the bar stool at the breakfast bar. I need a distraction. The adrenaline is wearing off and I'm crashing, spiraling out of control. My trembling hands come into my blurry vision, the cuts covering them make me want to scream. My lungs are burning as I frantically try to catch my breath.

What the fuck is happening to me? What did he do to me? Why are there so many cuts?

I stumble off the barstool, needing to get to the bathroom. On wobbly legs, I head towards the first door I can just about make out. The closer I get, the more it feels like the air is sucked from my body.

He sits at the desk, with his laptop open and with his music in his ears. He lifts his head when I approach, and when his boldly handsome face with those heartbreaking eyes looks at me, my insides shudder uncontrollably.

His smooth black hair gleams in the soft hotel room lighting, and with those comfortable sweatpants and tight t-shirts, he exudes pure raw masculinity. The sight of his full mouth opens up a ravenous hunger inside me and I just hurt with the physical pain of wanting that mouth on me. His arms were on me. His voice, tells me it's all going to be all right. Because every second that passes by, I loathe myself more and more for what I did.

Close to exploding with all my emotions, I jump on his lap, then take off his earphones and slip them briefly over my head so I can listen to what he is hearing. A crazy wild rock song bashes into my ears and I frown in confusion.

He watches me with darkened brown eyes that go half-mast as he leans to kiss my nose, cradling my jaw as his thumb runs sensually across my mouth. My stomach cramps, and I fear that Adonis can see the fear and self-loathing that I am tramping down inside me.

Dropping his headphones onto the desk, I ease to my feet and hurry to the bathroom, feeling so violated I wash my teeth and add Scope until my mouth feels swollen. I barely take a step out of the bath when I suddenly need to return and thoroughly do it all again. For the awful sensation across my skin, I swear I could have a live scorpion crawling up my cheek, and the sensation is eating at me.

Finally, I came back out. My mouth is minty fresh and even my lips feel numb with cleanness.

He has set his headphones aside. His full attention is on me, his dark eyebrows furrow as he tracks my return. He seems confused and slightly distrustful.

The sight of him makes me emotional, and I'm afraid I'm going to break down at any second. I hate that I feel like I don't deserve him anymore, even when all I wanted was to keep him safe and uninvolved.

I've never wanted to take care of someone in my life like I want to love and take care of him.

A painful lump builds inside my throat.

"Donny," I say thickly, my heart pounding because I don't know how I'll cope if he questions me about tonight. "Would you hold me for a bit?"

I desperately want my special place in his arms, the place I fit in like nowhere else. He makes the perfect nook for me, engulfing me like a nest and warmer than anything. I want it so bad, my heart aches in my chest.

I wait, shaking a little, and I think he notices and relents.

"Come here," he says softly, shoving his chair back as he extends out his arm, eagerly snuggling into his engulfing male hug. He chuckles when I squirm to get closer, and I'm acting so needy that his dimples take a peek, which seems to delight him.