Silent Storm [ManxMan]

Chapter 15 ~ A taste of... you?

"Everyone is down on pain, because they forget something important about it: Pain is for the living. Only the dead don't feel it."

- Jim Butcher

[River's POV]

"Wow that has to be the cheesiest line I've ever heard." I said and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips. Midas just shrugged his shoulders and gave me a cocky smile which caused my heart to do a double take. I stopped laughing and stared at him in wonder.

How the hell could a man look so at ease and confident, not to mention so fucking desirable? I wasn't even attracted to men... Or so I thought...

"You're thinking aloud just so you know." Midas said, his smile morphing into a full blown grin as he stared down at me.

Good god I would never hear the end of this.

"Well I didn't mean to so don't let it get to your head." I muttered as I turned away from his amused appearance.

Thank God for the fact that I didn't blush so easily and thank God that Gabriel and the others had returned to their own room to eat their breakfast. It would not have been fun for me if they'd heard that.

I pulled on a shirt that happened to lie draped over one of the kitchen chairs and sighed as the thin material brushed against my cold skin.

Damn my messy mind... now I couldn't even think silently.

"Aww don't be embarrassed princess. I find you quite interesting too you know." Midas cooed at me and I contemplated slamming my fist in his face.

Was it worth it? Nah, probably not.

"Just remember to tell me when you feel ready to sleep with me." Midas said and I could hear the smirk in his voice.

Okay it was worth it.

I whipped around and my fist was flying towards his face in a matter of seconds. He sidestepped my attack but I had expected that and without missing a beat I lounged myself at him. Of course the only problem was that he had expected that.

He caught me by the throat and I hissed at the uncomfortable feeling of his fingers pressing against my windpipe. He was strong.

It didn't matter how many times people held you in a chokehold... it was always going to be awful not being able to breathe properly.

I gripped the hand he had around my throat, trying to pry his fingers away but he just smiled, swung me around and slammed me down against the floor.

Air whooshed out from my lungs when my back connected with the hard surface and I grimaced at the pain.

You probably think that pain doesn't bother someone like me but you're wrong. Pain bothers us all. Though pain hurts like a bitch it can be good too and it usually is. Pain tells you that you're alive and that's all that matters. If you can't feel pain you might as well give up because life without pain is not life at all.

I returned my focus to the situation at hand when I felt Midas wedge his knee between my legs. I couldn't do anything other than watch as he settled himself on top of me because he had too tight a grip around my throat. If I moved he would only press down further and I actually prefer being able to breathe.

"Calm?" Midas asked as he raised an eyebrow at me in amusement and I grimaced once more. Fuck him. Did he even realize that he was almost crushing my windpipe? He probably didn't care but I sure as hell did.