Page 53 of Pope's Penance

The heavy thud of Pope’s feet smacking against the hardwood sends panic rushing through me.

Without any other option, I duck down on the other side of the island counter and cover my mouth so he can’t hear my loud ass breaths.Desire swells under my skin as his steps get closer.

Do I want him to catch me?I don’t know.

Will I let him catch me?I don’t know that either.

He steps into the kitchen just as my eyes drop closed and his betrayal plays out behind them.Arousal still burns under my skin, but rage scorches my heart.

The plates of food I had cooked earlier catch my eye.

With a snarl, I jump to my feet and dig my hand into the meatloaf.“Cheating bastard.”

Pope freezes in place, naked as the day he was born.

I have to fight to keep my eyes from dropping to that thick dick hanging between his thighs.That only makes me angrier, so I pull my arm back and release the fistful of meat.

The idiot doesn’t even move.He lets it smack him right in his tattooed chest.

Holy crap, that felt good.

I don’t give him time to recover.I grab the spoon from the mashed potatoes and sling a spoonful in his direction.

“Ah, come on!Not the fucking hair,” he whines, shaking the chunks out.

He narrows his eyes, and then he’s stalking toward me.

Quickly, I grab the tray of meatloaf as I back around the island.“That’s the least you deserve.”

“There’s that fire,” he says with a laugh.

I lob another chunk of ketchup-covered meat his way and snarl, “Come any closer and I’ll burn the hell out of you.”

“Oh, baby, I’m counting on it.”

His eyes keep dropping to my breasts and licking his lips.It’s ridiculous that I feel that shit between my thighs.

“Fucking psycho,” I mutter, tossing the entire tray at him and sprinting out of the kitchen.

“No need to be mean,” he yells as he lumbers after me.

I swing myself around the banister and race up the stairs.Needing to slow him down, I slide the torn blouse off my shoulders and drop it before reaching for the button of my jeans.Maybe if he sees the trail of clothes going one way, he’ll follow, hoping it’ll lead to me.

My body twinges every once in a while as old wounds open up, but I push through it as I strip off my jeans.I toss them in the opposite direction of his bedroom.

Is it wise to risk him catching me in a room with a bed and both of us naked?Abso-freaking-lutely.

Shit.No.No, it’s not.

I tilt my head, listening for anything to give away his location, but he’s being quieter than he was earlier.

Anticipation licks up my spine as I glance around his room, trying to figure out the best place to hide.

Pope will find me.That’s a given.

What happens after that will be on my terms.Will fucking him solve anything?Nope.But it will get me the fuck out of my head, and right now, there’s nothing I want more than that.

Pope is so used to being in control of everything, including sex.In the past, I had no issue submitting to him because I trusted him with everything inside me.

---