Send a Prayer Up Above

Chapter 10

I was panting hard, unsure what to do.

"S-Sorry, you gave me the key and I—" Jude stammered, stunned.

"Come in." Kylo interrupted as if he didn't have me manhandled under him on the kitchen table. I wriggled and he placed his vast hand in between my shoulder blades, pushing my chest flat against the cold surface. I grimaced. When he had me like this, his hips were digging into my . . . behind at an angle that made me think of inappropriate things. And he pressed himself harder against me as Jude's eyes traveled on mine. "You can leave the bags there."

"Leth meh goh!" I barked, cheek smashed against marble. Panicked more about how his hips felt against me than his control over me in front of Jude. I felt him push me forward the counter and I let out a small shriek and it wasn't entirely because of the hard edges of the counter grinding against my hipbones.

Kylo tightened his grip on my hand behind my back, and I felt his hot breath as he leaned in to ask, "do you understand, Rey?"

Jude's eyes were locked in mine, drowning in palpable worry. It's not what you think, I wanted to say. But I knew this just confirmed to Jude exactly how I was paying my debt off.

"Burninhellyoufuck!" I roared, but I had to admit that the fact that he was pressing my cheek against the island, made the insult sound muffled and weak.

"I don't mind doing this all day, Rey." He breathed against my back as he pressed his mouth back against it. I felt his teeth nipping the skin through the thin fabric of my shirt as he said, "in fact, please, keep up your futile resistance."

And I could swear I felt him smile a sinister grin.

"Fineh, yesh!" I shout-mumbled.

"You disappoint me, scavenger." He chuckled darkly.

"We have company, monster."

Kylo released me. I straightened myself swiftly and righted my clothing, avoiding Jude's eyes. Somehow I felt guilty.

"I'll help you with those," I said and took a step to go pick up the groceries, but Kylo stopped me by my arm.

"No, it's his job."

"Well I, too, work for you, don't I?" I sneered. I just wanted Jude out of the apartment. Stat.

I could tell he was pleased with that statement. "Fair enough."

I twisted my arm from his hold and walked over to Jude to pick up a few bags off the floor. I kept looking at my legs, I didn't dare to face his pity. Kylo sat down on the couch in the living room and started typing away on his laptop.

"It's not what you think," I whispered to Jude as we set the bags on the counter.

"What is it then?" Jude asked. His blue eyes were bright and too observant for his own good.

Silence. I don't know. I suppose . . . I suppose in a way it was exactly how it looked. I gave an angry glare at Kylo's focused face and absently thought that his good looks were wasted on that demon. I used to think he deserved to look as beautiful as he did, looking up at him in the dim of his bedroom, moon playing with his soft shadows and inviting lips. His touch filled every aching corner with warmth within me and I was addicted.

Now he was all ragged edges and sharp bones and cold eyes.

"I know you're not just his whore, Rey." He whispered. My name from his lips startled me.

I placed a salsa jar onto the counter from the bag. "What do you mean?"

He glanced at the side of my upper body and tilted his chin. "He got you marked." I was about to ask when he continued, "Your shirt lifted when Kylo . . . pushed you down on the counter."