Page 78 of Malachi
“Yes, we are family by love,” Eden interjected, moving to stand with Delilah. Her willingness to step in like that floored me, but her words… her words moved me. I was not moveable. I was a mountain, unbending to the wind. Yet here I stood, moved and shaken by this small thing I called a wife. This small woman was changing me. Little by little and day by day.
Naomi simply nodded, standing and embracing the women one by one.
The night went on, all of us agreeing to the plan, and all its contingencies that we could come up with. Before long, it was time for everyone to leave.
The wind whipped around outside of the pole barn as we watched everyone leave. Eden stood behind me, cleaning up the last of the sandwich mess. As the sky began to open up, the thunder rolling across the gathered clouds, cleanup was the last thing on my mind. What I wanted — no, what Ineeded—was to take my wife. Now.
CHAPTER20
EDEN
The wind howled around the pole barn as I quickly cleaned up the tray of food. If I left it out, the mice would be awful. I carried the tray back to the UTV, passing by Malachi’s unmoving form as I did. He was staring out into the night sky, not speaking, not moving a muscle. As I turned to go back into the pole barn, his gaze stopped me in my tracks.
His eyes bore into mine with a ferocity that stopped my breath and made my heart race.
“Malachi?” I questioned, feeling nervous and excited in the same breath.
“Little bird,” he muttered, the corner of his lips turning just a little in the way that told me exactly what was on his mind.
“So, not Malachi?” I teased, wanting to bait him further. This side of him was exactly what I needed after that meeting. There was too much to think about, too many worries rolling around in my brain. I didn’t want to think. I wanted to act. To run. To submit. More than I wanted air in my lungs.
“No, not Malachi, little bird. Call me by my name,” he urged, taking one step towards me. He walked slowly, stalking me as a predator stalks his prey. That’s what I was here. Prey. And I had never wanted to be anything more in my life.
I wasn’t afraid anymore. Not in the slightest. I had seen the Beast in all his glory, reveled in his pleasure and pain, submitted to his Dominance.
“Hmm… not Malachi, so whatever could it be?” I teased, toying with him just as he toyed with me. “Daddy?” I tried out, holding back the giggle that threatened to spill past my lips at the word.
His hand gripped my arm as he circled me, spinning me on my heel around to face him. I gasped, my eyes wide with lust as he sneered at me.
“I am not now, nor will I ever beDaddy,” he spat out at me.
“I dunno. Daddy fits pretty well, don’t you think?” I teased, throwing all caution to the wind.
“Say it one more time, little bird, and see what happens,” he chided through gritted teeth.
“Daddy.” I knew it wasn’t wise, but fuck me, I didn’t care. He roared with wild abandon, pulling me to him until not even air could escape between our two bodies. His hands held me tightly, his fingers digging into my skin hard enough to make me groan with delight.
“If you know what’s good for you,” he leered, running his nose along the line of my neck as he bent me backwards, “you’ll run.”
That was the word, the word that ignited every passion inside of me. His teeth scraped against the skin covering my beating pulse before he abruptly released me, shoving me backwards with just enough force to almost knock me over. I stumbled back two paces before righting my balance again. I had enough time for two shallow, panted breaths before he roared again, springing me forward into action.
I turned on my heel and ran.
I ran around the pole barn, the opposite way from where we had come. I knew the line of Zeke’s property now, and I skirted it as I ran. The tall grass whipped at my calves as I ran, pushing me to move faster, to sprint further with every step.
He was quick on my heels. I could hear him. It only made me run faster. Making a quick dodge to the right, I headed back into our property, and into the thickly wooded land that we owned. I ran as fast and as hard as I could, making my way back to the glen that I loved so dearly.
He knew I would run there. We both did. And I didn’t care. I wanted him to catch me, after all. Just not yet. My mind raced, reminding me of my way back as clear as if it were daylight.
Stumbling over a pile of small fallen branches, I lay there, quiet and still, as I listened for any sound of him.
I heard nothing.
Nothing but the quiet stillness of the night.
No cracking of branches. No rustling of grass.
Slowly, I stood, tiptoeing my way out of the brush and leaping back into a sprint.
