Page 17 of Wild Life

I turned with my back under the water and pumped myself in my fist, squeezing harder than usual to offset the ache. Wetness was already leaking from the tip, greedy to escape, slicking my hand as I worked myself.

Damn her wide eyes, full of terror that I’d hurt her.

Damn her rapid pulse, fragile as butterfly wings under my fingers.

Damn her soft body rubbing against mine with every frenzied breath.

And damn me for wanting to pin her down and sink my tongue into the mysterious V between her legs like in one of the many romance books from my trunk.

Intensity flooded my shaft as I thrust with a ferocity I had never experienced before. I clutched at the rock wall, bracing myself as I stood there, hunched over, grunting like the barbaric beast I was. My hips moved as my fist worked with urgency. White light flashed, and a tremor ripped through me.

“Fuck,” I groaned as liquid warmth jetted out and onto my abused hand.

I gripped the wall, catching my breath. Instead of relief, I was hungry for more.

“Son of a bitch.” I turned back, standing under the stream of water with my still-erect cock, and washed away the evidence of my greed.

Chapter 9

Swallow the Mystery Meat

Maris

The last bits of sunlight in the sky were hanging on by a thread by the time I had found my way back to the hut. Unfortunately, my search for the beach would have to wait another day.

Since we had been close to shore on the boat, I assumed I was still near Fiji, which meant this island was somewhere in the South Pacific. I was certain because the nearest continent to our last vessel location had been a two-week boat ride away. Judging from the newly raised stubble on my legs, which I’d shaved the last night on the boat, I hadn’t been missing for more than two days, at best.

A deep heaviness filled my stomach. Perhaps it was too optimistic to assume that everyone had survived, but I couldn’t let my theories turn down that dark alley of dread. I had to keep faith alive that they were all safe and searching for each other—searching for me.

I filled my lungs with breath, recharging my hope.They are fine.I needed to make it to a beach. I could send a signal from shore for any boats or airplanes passing by. Smoke signal would be the best way since it could be spotted from far distances. Once rescued, I could contact the university to find out the whereabouts of Eli, Malcom, Fran, and the rest of the crew.

For all I knew, they were wandering this godforsaken place just as I was, hoping to make it to the coast, too.

Glowing embers flicked to life in front of me, igniting flames that climbed the air like vines, reaching for the sky. I watched the fire dance as Cryptid pushed wood about with a long metal rod. The pig was off to the side, happily chowing down on his dinner, scraps of unidentifiable fruit and vegetables flying in every direction around him.

A crawling sensation tickled the hairs on my arm.Slap.The local mosquitoes must have sent out a newsletter to inform each other that fresh meat was now available on the menu. My skin was covered in red welts, some from the bites themselves and others from my incessant lashes meant to murder the damn heathens.

Slap. Slap.

Cryptid turned his head in my direction, studying my fingernails scraping my forearm. Until now, he had refused to acknowledge my existence. He knew I had returned to the hut, but failed to spare me a side glance when I’d tripped over an uplifted root or offer me a disgruntled groan when I had accidentally spilled some of the rainwater from the barrel trying to pour myself a drink.

It amazed me how he could act like he hadn’t almost killed me in the jungle. Okay…killedsounded dramatic, but for a moment back there, I had been convinced he was going to skin me alive and feed me to the black-and-beige furball wheezing next to me that sounded like it had food lodged inside its nostrils.

I certainly couldn’t forget it. My skin heated when I remembered how he had looked at me like I was his for the taking. I had never experienced that type of fear. Not even when our car had skidded on the highway, killing my parents, had I been so scared. Perhaps the most confusing part was how that fear had morphed into excitement. Like a thrill I had wanted to continue. It must have been what cliff divers and rollercoaster junkies experienced when dopamine took over their brains.

He was angry, like he couldn’t stand me more than before. Earlier, I had caught him stealing glances at me when he assumed I wasn’t paying attention, but not anymore. One thing I knew for sure, he was like every other man in the world, sending mixed signals and confusing the hell out of women. However, if Eli had been here, he would have argued that I was the one who was an expert at sending out mixed signals.

Cryptid’s thick fingers, the same ones that had gripped me, picked up a lush frond of leaves and tossed it into the fire.

I broke the silence between us. “What was that?”

More cold shoulder.

A citrusy aroma filled the air. The leaves must’ve been something to ward off mosquitoes, because the little fuckers no longer helped themselves to my blood.

I bit back a victorious smile. He could play a badass all he wanted, but I was still visible to him.

A wet nose nudged my side, knocking me onto my haunches. The pig snorted playfully before rubbing his head on my lap, begging me to pet him.

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