Page 45 of Under Pressure

As Delta got back home, he flicked off the lights, determined to find sleep. Falling down on the cool, dark sheets of his bed, he stared at the ceiling. The entire house was silent. His mind was anything but. Lying on his back, he was too damn awake.

He had one thing on his mind.

The memory of Kendra on that hotel bed, her back arching underneath him, pleading.

Closing his eyes, he felt a rush of unwanted emotion that he fought hard to keep under control. There was something so different about the way she’d felt, so much softer. Squishier, even, like she’d gained a few pounds. He fucking liked that—really liked that. He loved feeling those new curves. As he ruminated, he found himself shutting his eyes slowly. The last thought before he drifted was that one day, he had to tell Kendra the truth.

He fell into a semi-comatose state, like a drunken sailor without the booze, and that was exactly why it took him a little longer than usual to come to his senses when he heard a scratching noise emanating from down the hallway in his house—near the kitchen. Groggy as fuck, he took a second or two to snap back to reality. The scratching persisted, barely audible, so he jumped off his bed, rubbing his hands on his face to wake up. He reached to his side table, gulping water to help.

Listening, he crept out of his room—just enough to see all the way down the hallway into his kitchen, where the side door was situated. He realized that someone was breaking in. Through the door came a female frame. Then he saw it—a glint of blonde hair as she quietly shut the door, creeping low along the kitchen. Well, look who came to play, he thought as his heart raced.

Kendra hadn’t stepped foot on his property since that one night she’d slept over…a year ago.

He slipped back into his bedroom, hiding back against the wall. Since his entire house was silent and dark, he had full advantage, not that he needed it. Behind his bedroom door, he waited and waited as he listened to her approach, hating all the shit he was feeling. Here she was, breaking in, which he was both giddy with anticipation and abjectly furious about.

She was good. He’d have to give her that. If he didn’t know what he was doing, he may have been surprised as she crept around the corner, treading into his bedroom. She looked left and right, obviously there to assess. Looking at his bed and obviously realizing that he wasn’t in it, an enraged grunt escaped her lips.

“I fucking knew it!” she spat, her hurt showing. “Deserter.”

The accusation rushing his senses. He slammed the door and shoved her down on the bed. She yelped, struck her fists out and connected with his jaw, driving pain up his face. Damn, she hit hard. Feverish, he pinned her down, subduing her wild movements. With a sadistic grin, he stared down on her until she gave up, realizing she couldn’t win. He was too strong, too big and far too determined.

“Knew what?” he demanded, enjoying how she writhed under his grasp.

“Fuck you.”

He pushed down harder, driving more weight onto her wrists to get her attention and send a clear message.

“Why the fuck are you here?” Delta questioned.

“I think that much is damn clear.”

Wincing in probable pain, she sucked at her teeth, but she stopped fighting back. He let up a bit but stayed firmly in control of her, waiting for her next move. But then he saw something bleed across her face that he didn’t expect.

Hopelessness.

Stunned, he released her right away and edged back. That wasn’t the Kendra he knew. As he was gazing down on her, she gradually caught her breath and rubbed her freed wrists. She tilted her chin up to him, fire in her eyes and angry as all hell.

“Who is she?”

“She calls herself Sky,” he replied slowly, but Kendra cut in.

“Sky?” she snapped, pushing her agenda. “Are you fucking her?”

“No,” he said, categorically.

It apparently wasn’t good enough. Kendra sprung up on his bed, shooting a condemning look, unmistakable tears in her reddening eyes only enhancing the piercing marine blue of her irises.

“Why do you keep lying to me? Why can’t you tell me the truth?”

“I told you from the beginning—” he started, but Kendra cut him off once again.

“What? That you are the fucking worst?” She jumped up and shoved his chest. “Why do you keep luring me in just to push me away? I never wanted this.”

Never. The word hit him hard, and he felt a darkness come over him. How could she say never when she was right in front of him—in his room? She moved to leave, but he stepped in front of her.

“Let me go.” She heaved at him again, but he caught her wrists, yanking her into him.

“Like hell.”

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