In my mind’s eye, I try to envision my best friend, his dark eyes molten and soft. Not with emotions like care and affection, but lust. Except it’s difficult toseethe fantasy that’s always out of reach.
“I’m taking your consent here and now, because if you want to test your boundaries…” Breath blows over my nape as he presses into my back. His voice drops a few degrees. “Then it has to seem a little real, doesn’t it?”
My head falls forward as I struggle to come up with something to counter the eager twist inside my stomach. I’m happy I didn’t ask Levi directly to do this with me. It’d be different. It’d be whatever version he presents, what he assumes I want.
When it’s Hunter I crave.
“Lunar,” he whispers. “That’s your safe word. You say that, and everything stops.”
His gaming tag. A connection to my surname.
Abruptly, he knocks my feet apart. In my next breath, he has my hands in one of his, held above my head. He slides his other to my hip and pulls me back against him, arching my spine.
“What are your limitations?”
I list a few things that my research brought up, but, given how wide of a variety sex can involve, a few probably got missed. “If there’s something I don’t want or like, I’ll tell you.”
“Good.” A finger traces down my spine, making me arch into the wall. “God, you’re so responsive.”
“Or you’re just good at it.”
“Maybe.” Amusement covers the word before his voice lowers again. “I’ll be here when you least expect it. In your cunt, your dreams, your fucking head, every second of the damn day. I’ll have you begging and needy. I’ll be everywhere and nowhere; right in front of you, and you won’t even know it. When you’re wondering which of the strangers around is me, I’ll be watching you—envisioning you bent over or on your knees.”
God…His words form a picture in my mind. Me by the pool, surrounded by strangers, watched by him and not even knowing it. Every breath, every reaction, catalogued for later. Given his last name is all over this place, he knows the best hiding places. I don’t even have a chance.
“Lunar,” he repeats suddenly. “The second I hear thatLandU, the games end. Say it now.”
“Lunar.”
Even though this isn’t real, his hands slide away, and he backs up a step. His heat disappears, as does the twisting in my stomach. Left in its place is a strange sort of affection. Becausewhile this was only practice for the real acts—and he demanded I say it—he still took it seriously.
“It’s that easy,” he murmurs when I turn around, facing the unnerving purple Xs again and trying to uncover more of my long-time friend beneath it, only to once again see them truly as two separate people. “You’re in control, now and always.”
“Dad! Dad, stop! What the fuck? Let me go!”
The flash ends as quickly as it began, the present knocking the horrific past away, as the situation presented tonight will be nothing like my father’s attempt.
The shadows swallow Hunter as he paces backwards to the door. “You deserve the world, but for now, step into mine. Let me show you what it can be like, and then make your choice.”
His words are strange. What started out sweet sounds like there’s a concealed message within it.
He leaves before I could wonder, the click of the door echoing through the room.
NINE
LEVI
I can still feel her.
Smell her skin.
And I’ve barely touched her.
Butfuck, that resolved years of longing.
After leaving Summer, I spent the afternoon working, as planned, mostly introducing myself to staff before bowing out, since Summer and I had an early start to our day. Spending the remainder with strangers over my girl isn’t my ideal vacation.
Now, I’m enthralled by the candlelight creating the prettiest flush across her skin. Seated across from me, she fiddles with her cloth napkin and scans the dining room, taking in the entire Italian restaurant. She shuffles every so often, and her cheeks flush, making it easy to presume where her thoughts have gone.