The Cunning (18+)

62

Madison opened her eyes when she heard the bedroom door click shut. Jase was trying his best to be quiet. He stripped down to his boxers, the dim yellow light from the lamp creating shadows across his abs. He opened the wardrobe and pulled on his standard grey sweats, only realising she was awake when he turned around after pulling them on.

"Why are you up?" he asked.

"You woke me," she whispered.

"Sorry."

She could feel the detachment had returned and swallowed. The last time he grew detached, he'd been awful to her. "Where have you been?" she asked after a brief pause.

Jase shook his head. "Don't worry about it," he mumbled, taking a joint he'd rolled from behind his ear. Madison pushed the duvet back, standing up and narrowing her eyes.

"What are you doing?" he asked, stepping past her and sitting on the edge of the bed. Madison turned, still scrutinising him. She knew that look, the body language. She'd seen it before, in her dad, the night he'd come home with a gash on his face. And a handful of other times. He'd always answered her questions by telling her he'd done what was necessary.

"You killed someone tonight, didn't you?" she said, cutting to the chase, wondering if Jase had done something awful that he thought was necessary too. Her accusation threw him, the detachment wavered for a second, a nervous laugh slipped. He wasn't used to being so easily read.

"What?"

She placed her hand gently under his jaw, lifting his face. "You've got that look in your eyes," she said. He didn't respond. Madison lowered her voice. "Who did you kill, Jase?"

Jase's heart thumped, a fist hitting his ribcage with every beat. It was all well and good keeping everything to himself, even telling Sam wasn't a big deal because he understood, but admitting everything to Madison? That was a whole different kettle of fish. He wasn't sure letting her know the lengths he would go for her was the wisest move. Madison tilted her head, waiting.

"Peter," he replied.

She didn't give him much of a reaction.

"How did you kill him?" Her voice was too soft considering the subject matter. Empty in regards to any emotion synonymous with sympathy. Not that Jase had expected sympathy, he knew her better than that by now.

"I shot him," he said. Her expression remained passive, with no hint of what her thoughts may be.

"Did he beg?" she asked, moving a curl out of his eye.

Jase nodded, recalling Peter's snivelling and pleading and pathetic bargaining. He was unsure of the responses he should be giving, unsure what reaction he was receiving. Then he saw it, that nearly imperceptible glint, the shadow of a smile. The one he'd spotted when he'd stopped Benny from cutting her. Working with a mind of their own, his hands reached up, brushing her bare outer thighs, gently pulling her closer.

"Did he cry?" she whispered, placing a knee on each side of his lap, her arms draped lazily around his neck. Jase nodded again, looking up at her and she cocked her head, aware that his hands were now gliding up, under the t-shirt she was wearing, holding her waist. He stopped. "Why did you kill him, Jase?" Her tone was flirtatious, teasing, almost. Because she knew the answer.

He pulled her down so they were face to face, their hips pressed together. Madison could feel the effect she was having on him. Thrill surged through her, a titillating rush of power and arousal.

Jase licked his lips, his grip on her waist tightening a fraction. His voice dropped now, all rough and delicious. Goosebumps formed on her skin before he even spoke.

"You know why," he replied. There it was again, the rush.

Madison giggled. "Because I belong to you?" she mocked.

Now Jase smiled, full of darkness. "Yes, you do."

Madison laughed fully, tipping her head back, and Jase knew she was no longer the victim between them.

"You're so cold." She shuddered theatrically, her voice laced with playfulness as if discussing a harmless joke and not a murder.

"I can be," he agreed, "And I think you can be too."

Madison bit her lip, suppressing the devilish grin, humming her acknowledgement of her own deeply buried savageness. Jase's attention was drawn once more to her lips. To the fullness of them, the echo of their last kiss burning away at his own.

It was unclear who moved first but in the next moment, Madison was sighing into his mouth, meeting him with equal measures of need and lust.

Jase lifted her, laying her on the bed beneath him. Her legs wrapped around his middle, drawing him in as her fingers explored his upper body, caressing every dip and curve of his muscles. They broke away momentarily, Jase helped pull her t-shirt off before reaching behind her as she arched her back, squeezing the clasp of her bra and allowing it to snap open.

With her legs, Madison pulled him close again, sealing the space between them. She dragged her nails over his back, lifting her hips towards him, a movement both unfamiliar and natural.

He met every inch of her body with soft damp kisses, down to the waistband of her underwear, from hip bone to hip bone. Then back up, between her breasts and to her lips.

"Are you okay?" he asked, a question too tender for the Jase she was accustomed to. Madison couldn't string together a sentence with all the hormones pumping through her, replying by tugging his joggers out and slipping her hand in. Jase groaned, pressing himself into her cold palm and feeling her smile against his mouth.

She was desperate to remove the flimsy fabrics separating their bare skin, but he wouldn't allow that to happen yet, though his hands grew eager.

Again, Madison pushed her hips forward as he traced over the silky material between her legs, dampened with want. A husky grumble vibrated from him, into her and Madison pulled back suddenly, her face awash with fear and apprehension. Jase halted in his tracks, holding his breath and bracing himself for her to retreat.

"I've heard people say it hurts. Will it hurt?" she questioned, nibbling the lip that had been between his teeth seconds ago.

Jase smiled, kissing gently along her jawline, to her earlobe, whispering,

"Believe it or not, I can be quite gentle and attentive."