Hold Me Close (Edited Version)

Chapter 10

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice sounding hollow in my own head. I pushed Connor back outside so my dad wouldn't hear us. I closed the door and turned back to him, wanting an explanation.

He shrugged. "I was in the neighborhood," he said. "I haven't seen you in a while and I missed you."

"You can't be here," I said, hoping to get rid of him as soon as possible. "You need to leave."

Connor slung an arm over my shoulders and I wanted to vomit as he spoke close to my ear with soft words. "Aw, but I just got here. I want to see you," he murmured, smiling at me.

I kept my voice steady. "At this hour? It's almost midnight," I insisted.

Chuckling, Connor dropped his arm so he could slip it around my waist. "Well, our late night dates were always my favorite, you know?"

I shivered with disgust and managed to squirm my way out of his arms and put a few steps of distance between us. His eyes darted to the distance, but he thankfully didn't mention it. I glanced at the front door, weighing my options. "Please, leave," I begged. "I don't want to be with you anymore."

His smile dropped a little and he tilted his head. "Excuse me? I didn't just hear that, did I?" he asked.

My throat bobbed with fear as I tried to repeat myself. "I don't want to be with you-" I started, but Connor wouldn't let me finish the full sentence.

He stepped towards me and grabbed my arm. "You need me. You know you can't control your urges for pain without me," he said. He chuckled and leaned close to my ear. "Or did you already find someone else to use?" he whispered.

"I don't have those urges anymore," I said, but Ryan's face flashed through my mind and I hesitated to continue.

Connor saw this and grinned. "You have. So, how far have you guys gone? Has he already done you?" he asked.

I yanked my arm away. "Don't be vulgar," I said, doing what I had to keep him tame. "There's no one. I didn't mean it when I said I didn't want to be with you. I... I'm sorry," I told him.

He smiled and tapped his lips. "Can you make it up?" he asked. I tried to protest, but he frowned and his eyes grew dark. It was a warning. I swallowed nervously and got on my tip toes to press a kiss to his cheek. He saw it coming and pushed me against the front door, forcing his lips on mine with a hand on my ass. I slipped on the front door mat and gripped his shirt to keep from falling, pulling back only to meet the door behind me. Connor kissed me deeply for several agonizing second before pulling away and saying into my ear, "Wanna have a late night date?"

I felt my heart speed up at the reminder of the late night dates we'd had before and I shoved him away. "No!" I said. Immediately, I saw my mistake and tried to fix it before I angered Connor. "I mean, not right now. I have things to do and I'm really tired," I said hurriedly. "Maybe some other time."

I had always had a strong sense of being and I didn't like to be seen as weak, but Connor was the only person who I just couldn't stand up to. From the beginning, he'd had me under his finger. He had seen my broken part and mending them with himself tied into the seams. Whenever I tried to pull him from me, he did something to terrify me. He kept me so that I scared of him, and I knew this, but I couldn't seem to confront him either.

Connor frowned, and for a moment, I thought he wasn't going to let it go. But then, he relaxed into a smile. "Alright. Because it's what my angel wants," he said, rubbing his thumb over my cheek. "I'll be back to pick you up for school on Monday, okay?"

I wanted to tell him that I could walk, but I knew better. That would've been strike two. I was already pushing it and I didn't want to ever see him mad again. "Okay," I said quietly. "See you Monday."