Page 88 of The Vigilant

I didn’t know what was worse: knowing that she’d been sleeping in my bed since the attack or that that bed had only been a couple of feet away from where I’d been lying. No, the worst was that I’d still demanded she stay.

I stepped into the cold stream, the water exploding off my skin like popcorn kernels into spitting oil. The icy spray pelted me until the only thing I should’ve felt was numb. Instead, it was the magma pumping through my veins that took center stage.

Two weeks.The date Mara sent Rob was two weeks from now. Two weeks that I’d have to spend here, in close quarters with Sutton.

Fuck, I wasn’t going to survive.Not without some relief.

My exhale carried with it all the weight of resignation as I braced my left hand on the side of the shower and, with the other, fisted my erection, the metal of my piercings hot as I began to stroke.

The groan that erupted from my chest was like the molten spring of lava finally breaking through the rock-solid crust of the earth.

God, I needed release. The memories of that night—of my fingers in her cunt—were hard enough to keep at bay, but the way she’d taken care of me the last two days…I watched herwhen she thought I was sleeping. I watched her read my books and patch my jacket. I tortured myself by letting her change my bandage. I savored the way she’d cooked for me tonight even though she hated it.

She wanted to take care of me, and no one…fuck.

My grip stroked tight along my length, the piercings adding another layer to my torture.

I didn’t know what was worse, her begging to take care of me or her begging me to take care of her. God, it was all I wanted. To be there for whatever she needed. To possess her in every fucking way.To be her Daddy.

I panted, the air from my chest spraying off the water that ran down my face and collected on my lips. Pleasure bubbled along my spine. Hot and full and heavy as it sank lower and lower and?—

I went rigid at the sound—the catch of her breath.

Sutton.

I froze, my teeth locking as I turned my head just enough to confirm that I wasn’t actually going insane and she was standing in the bathroom behind me.

I didn’t have to turn far to catch her reflection in the vanity mirror. The flush in her cheeks. That fucking invitation in her parted lips.

“What are you doing?” I demanded raggedly, my cock pulsing in my grip.

Fuck, that was the wrong thing to say.

“Checking on you.” She took a step closer.

Yeah, my back was to her, but there was no curtain or glass door behind me—nothing but the unobstructed view of a man jacking himself off in the shower.

“Get out,” I barked.

“I thought you could use some help washing your back,” she quipped, but her voice was anything but quippy. And her suggestion was anything but an offer of help.

I brought my head back and forced out an exhale, my vision wobbling. I was so fucking on edge—needed this release so fucking bad. God, the only thing I could see perfectly fucking clear was my angry cock about to split my fucking fist.

Every nanosecond was torture. Every drop of water on my skin. On the metal ends of my piercings. On the purpled, fat tip. I felt them all like a fucking whip to wounded flesh.

“I don’t,” I found the strength to croak, my shoulder muscles spasming as I pictured her hands on me.

“Like you didn’t need help with your coffee earlier this morning?”

I couldn’t hear her moving, but I knew her voice was closer this time. Close enough that the husk of her tone felt like those pointed nails of hers straight down my spine.

“Sutton.” I let out a strained groan, my body tightened like a string about to snap as I tried to hold my need at bay. “You need to leave.”Fuck.Before I could stop myself, I gave my cock one hard and fast pump to appease it.

I’d been so fucking close—and so fucking horny for days. High on pain meds and then drugged on sleep meds and so close to her…a more perfect recipe for disaster didn’t exist.

“And if I don’t?”

My jaw wrenched so tight, I swore I was going to push my teeth into my skull. I needed her to go. I needed to be alone. Needed this release.

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