Page 40 of Penance

I laugh then, like really laugh. Tears gather in my eyes as I wheeze through my crushed windpipe.

“He works forme. He doesn’t take orders fromyou,you fucking idiot,” I force the words through my teeth, feeling bruises starting to form, blood gathering beneath the skin.

Max turns back to me, a look of disgust on his face, I only grin harder, my dimples practically splitting my cheeks open.

“We’re good in here, Rubble, thank you,” I tell my silent guard roughly.

He nods once, turning away, footsteps silent. He could be tucked away in the shadows just outside the archway for all I know, he likely is, he’s very good at guarding from the shadows.

“Do you have a point to prove, Max?”

His grip tightens until I can’t breathe at all, his fingers compressing my airway. Oxygen screaming inside my lungs to be set free, let alone heave any in. Yet, my smile doesn’t falter, all toothy and white, my lips stained red. My eyes glassy as they fill with moisture, but I refuse to give in. Even as my head spins, my mind whirling with memories of a sombre little boy with magical smiles and a comforting voice. I don’t bring my arm up, I let it hang there, not fighting. My other still tucked up tight to my chest. My vision splatters with white, the edges blurring, my vision tunnelling. Angry blue-green eyes plead with me to struggle and although every inch of me wants to give in and do just that, I don’t.

I will win this, even if it ends with me passing out.

As petty as that sounds, this is all about making a point.

I’m the fucking alpha, not this dickhead.

Just as my eyelids start to flutter and my mind wanders, my body drifting along in the waves, weightless and free. My throat is freed, my lungs automatically sucking in lungful’s of sweet air, choking on the feeling as it burns my insides. I double over as Max steps back, distancing himself from me. My good hand splayed over my thigh, still coughing and spluttering but grinning from ear to ear like the Cheshire fucking cat.

“I feel like we’re in a stalemate, Maxi,” I wheeze out.

Choking on my laughter as I start to straighten, groaning as my head spins.

“You wanna fight for your boys? ‘Cause I think I’ve already won,” I shrug, his eyes narrowing on me so hard his eyes are nothing more than slits. “They’ll follow me fuckinganywhere,and I know how much you don’t like to share,” I gloat as I step into him.

I give him credit; he doesn’t move away from me. I trace my index finger down the centre of his chest. My clawed nail lightly scratching over his white t-shirt, snagging the thin fabric. Just as I hit his sternum, my eyes still locked firmly on his, he seizes my hand, his fingers tightly wrapping around my slim wrist. I smirk, swallowing down every old feeling I had for the disturbing little boy down the street. He leans in, his head beside mine.

“Wherever I go,theygo,” he spits, his lips brushing over the shell of my ear. “If I wanted to take them away from you I could,” his bellicose words strike me like a knife to the chest, forcing me to suck in a sharp breath, angering my aching lungs.

I didn’t want to let his words affect me, but that struck me out of nowhere. That’s my biggest fear, isn’t it? Myonlyfear. What if they leave me, choose someone else, even Max, over me? What if he does take them away from me, they’ve been a trio for ten fucking years. Kacey, Huxley and I have been fucking for all of five fucking minutes.

How can I get them to stay with me?

I feel the frown hit my face before I can help it. Max draws back, cocky smirk firmly in place as he thumbs my bottom lip. I swat him away but he just chuckles, tugging on it harder, his thumb grazing across my bottom teeth. I gnash my jaw as he withdraws his thumb, growling with my new rasp. My throat feels like I’ve swallowed razor blades.

“Aww, don’t be like that, Princess,” he mock pouts, that evil glint in his devil eyes as he swiftly runs his gaze up my body.

Sneering like he finds me severely lacking.

“When the novelty of shared pussy wears off, maybe they’ll keep you on the backburner for weekends or summink’.”

He shrugs loosely, and I don’t think, I just move.

My good hand comes up, the back of it connecting with his cheek so hard, the sound echoes in the silent room, his head whipping to his left. My breathing ragged, I stare at the side of his face, his jaw working as he turns back to face me. The imprint of my knuckles blooming cherry red on his cheekbone, every part of my hand slowly appearing brightly on his pale skin. Anger blossoms inside me, taking root, spreading through my veins like wildfire, unstoppable and unpredictable.

Danger flashes in his eyes just before he rushes me. Slamming me back into the windows, his nose touching my own, his gaze flickering between my eyes. His chest heaving, brushing against my nipples with every breath he pants. I hold his gaze, the demon in me desperate to be released, to face off against the devil in him.

His hands aggressively stroke up my sides. Squeezing too tight, my black vest top the only thing separating skin to skin contact. His heat sears through the flimsy fabric. His grip firm and unyielding, like he’ll never let me go, lock and fucking key but we’re two parts of the same lock. There is no key, the key would be our salvation and that’s just not what we’re about, we’re pure chaotic destruction, me and Max. To the bitter motherfucking end.

We crash together, teeth colliding, lips melding as though they’ve never been apart. His tongue instantly sliding into my mouth, hands gliding effortlessly beneath my top. Max’s knee locked between my thighs, hot, heavy hands running over my flesh, grabbing, and groping every inch he can access. Palms running up my stomach, his thumbs flick over my pierced nipples. A groan escaping me, he swallows the sound as though it were his own, my fingers sliding into his hair, tugging on the roots, hauling him closer.

I nip at his lips, bottom then top, mauling his mouth like a savage animal. He attacks my throat, suckling on the newly forming bruises made by his rough hands. My head drops back against the glass, his mouth working down my throat to my chest. My top sharply tugged down, the fabric snagging beneath my clutched hand, exposing my breasts. Nipples turning to granite as the cool air washes over them.

“Fuck, you have perfect tits,” he purrs, his lips immediately latching onto one as if he just can’t help himself.

His teeth tugging the metal bar through my nipple as he massages and plucks on the other. A hand planted on my lower back, he arches me away from the window, drawing me flush against his muscular body. My head still resting against the glass, I groan long and low. My fingers still tangled in his mess of raven hair, drawing his head closer as he feasts on my breasts. Minding the wounded hand still clutched to my chest, he moves from one to the other, heat rushing through me at his less than careful attention.

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