Page 110 of Lifebound

Finally, I fell down—floated to the sides light as a feather. Finally, my body didn’t feel like it wanted to burst into a million pieces. Instead, it was calm.

Finally, my heart didn’t feel like it was inside a tightening fist but was free to beat as fast as she could.

And finally, I opened my eyes.

Rune was right there at the corner, lips parted and eyes wide open as he looked at me, breathing almost as fast I was. His hands were around the bars of his cage, and they’d moved. They’d warped to the sides where he’d grabbed them, the golden paint completely chipped like he’d ruined them with his bare hands.

He’d seen me.

Rune had seen me, and right now that wasn’t a bad thing at all—it was the most wonderful thing in the world for me. Just like in my imagination, he’d stood there and watched me touching myself while I called out to his name. He’d nearly broken those bars with his hands because of it, too.

I wondered, was he hard? It was too dark to see.

I wondered, if I asked him now if he wanted me, would he say yes?

My mouth remained shut because I wasn’t sure that would be the answer, and I didn’t think I was ready to hear anotherno.So, I slid to the side and lay down on the couch, my breathing slowly returning to normal, my heartbeat already calmed down. I held his eyes for as long as I could, and I committed every inch of his face to memory over and over again because I never wanted to forget him. No matter what happened tomorrow or next week or next year, I never wanted to forget this man.

That’s how I fell asleep.

thirty

The soundof the door of the cage opening pulled me awake. I sat up, heart already galloping in my chest, to find two incubi coming toward me to possibly to drag me out.

Behind them, I could see Rogue standing near Rune and another incubus.

Rune who was looking at me as calmly as ever.

“What…what…”

“Come, Wildcat. Lorei insists we join his party.”

His voice pierced through the air and shocked my brain awake all the way. I was on my feet before the incubi, both smiling at me while they licked their lips, came close.

“Don’t touch me,” I whispered, still a little disoriented.

“Leave her, boys,” said Rogue from outside the cage, and the men didn’t argue. They stepped to the side to let me through, but to my horror, while I passed, they sniffed the air.

Theysniffed the airlike they could smell something on me, and then one of them moaned. The other growled.

Memories rushed back to me—holy shit, I’d touched myself in that cage.

I’d touched myself while Rune had watched.

My cheeks all but melted. Everything around me became blurry.

“Can’t we have her for a little bit? Can’t you ask Lorei?” one of them asked from behind me.

“She smellsso delicious…” the other.

I practically ran all the way out of the cage and to Rune, and I couldn’t even look him in the eye.

My God, what the hell had I done—again? What the fuck was wrong with me? Had I really dry humped the armrest of that couch and then spread my legs and stuck my fingers inside myself while I called out his name?!

Knowing he was watching.

Hopinghe was watching.

How in the world was I ever going to look at him again?

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