Page 26 of Purgatory
As soon as I realized what was happening, two things became fact. First, I needed to get a grip on these night terrors again. I hadn’t had a problem with them for a while until she showed up, but now that they had returned, I needed to confront the root of the problem, stop the nightmares in their tracks, before I accidentally hurt someone again. If only I knew where to start dissecting my psyche in order to do so, it wouldmake it so much easier to combat. The only thing that seems to be a common denominator in this whole mess is her. Which brings me to my second and more startling realization: I want this girl. Not simply because she’s a female and I’m a male and I'm beyond sexually frustrated. But because she intrigues me. She’s fearless, energetic, funny, not to mention gorgeous. This girl has some curves that makes a man just want to take a bite out of them. She’s not big, but she’s not a twig either. Like a nice porterhouse steak. Thick and lean and juicy and just fucking perfect. Plus, she didn’t shy away from entering my room to check in on me, even though the guys warned her away from it. My prickly disposition didn’t dissuade her either. She’s got guts, I’ll give her that. And guts... that tenacity? It’s fucking addictive.
So, what the fuck was my problem last night? She felt so good beneath me. So right. Laid out before me like a fucking angel and I was the devil ready to devour her. I nearly did. She seemed to be all for it too if her reactions were anything to go by. But then, it was like my brain was shocked and everything felt off. Wrong. Like I was doing somethingvery badand needed her to leave in a hurry before something worse happened.
Wait... an angel?
A voice in the back of my head warns of the past again. Of things I can’t change. Things I wish never happened. It’s like my psyche is catching something the rest of my brain has been overlooking.
Holy shit.
A thought strikes me like lightening. The mannerisms, the similarities. I can hardly handle anything else right now with all the bullshit going on, but this is a fucking epiphany. No wonder I reacted the way I did. It all makes sense now. But, fuck me, this is even worse than I thought. She looks just likeher.They could be twins for fuck’s sake.
Holy shit is right.
As if my thoughts conjured the angel, herself, there she is. Aly, walking up the pathway from the house, flush faced and gorgeous as ever. I keep to myself, pretending I don’t see her.
It’s one thing to be cautious of her because she’s a stranger in our home, butthisis a mind fuck. It’s like the worst day of my life right in front of me all over again, ready to replay itself like a movie on repeat. Complete with high definition and surround sound. Karma. Shitty ass, no good, ram a curtain rod up my dick and a spatula up my ass, fucking karma.
I turn slightly, peeking back over in her direction, cause my masochistic ass just can’t help itself. She’s wearing the same clothes she arrived in. I make a mental note to add clothing to the guys’ supply runs. Regardless of how I’m feeling, she deserves more than what she has and if we can provide it then we will. Simple as that. I watch her a bit more and find myself tilting my head to the side, squinting my eyes as I take her in.
What the fuck is she doing?
You know those really bad spy movies where the main character is trying to move in the background all stealth-like but is really just drawing more attention to themselves? That’s her right now. Trying to hide behind what couldbarelybecalled a sapling....
Oh, now that’s just sad....
She starts tip-toeing, like Jim Carrey in The Mask, from one ‘tree’ to another. I shake my head and keep my lips pressed tight together to avoid letting out a laugh and giving away my position.
Oh, for Christ’s sake, is she humming the Mission Impossible theme song, now?
She just earned something special for, unknowingly,brightening my day with her feeble efforts so I sit back and appreciate her ineptitude in the moment. Someone should really teach her a thing or two. I’m sitting right here and she hasn’t even noticed me watching her this entire time, so maybe I should do it since I’m, apparently, better at being the sneaky one.
Suddenly, I realize where she’s headed and my heart stops for a second. Shit, I need to stop her before she goes too far. She doesn’t know. Fuck!
Chapter 19
Alessandra
“Raspberries!!!!” Juicy, beautiful, red, deliciously sweet little nuggets. These should be out of season but no, there they are, waiting for me. I run over to them and immediately pluck an orb off of the bush, devouring it. So good. I look back to the house, trying to figure out if I have enough time to double back and get a bowl. Deciding I can’t wait, I pull up my shirt and turn it into a makeshift basket, filling it to the brim with berries.
The boys must not even know these are out here. The bush is huge, absolutely covered with berries just waiting for someone to find them. I know for a fact that if any of them had found it they’d have picked it clean by now. They’re gonna love it when they see…
My ears perk up at a sound. Something like a twig snapping but I pay no mind to it. Too enthralled with my find. Plus, the guys said that the entire property was surrounded by fencing so I shouldn’t have anything to worry about since I never saw or went through any fence posts. I continue plucking. Another twig snaps. Sheesh, the squirrels are everywhere around here.
Fuck off little tree rats...
As I begin to reach my hand out again, a strong arm covers my face while another circles my waist, pinning my arms beneath theirs, and pulls back. My legs splay out, kicking and reaching for whoever is holding me but it’s no use, they’re too strong. I’m trapped.
The person holding me maneuvers us away from the raspberry bushes and behind a large oak tree. They then sink us both down until we’re seated on the forest floor. I take that time to take in my abductor, or at least what I could see of them, well…him. He’s big, like musclesuponmuscles. Like,I don’t need a jack to lift this car, I have these*points to muscles like Gaston*. Looking closer at said muscles, I notice one in particular. A compass rose with a leviathan behind it situated on his bicep. I know that one. I’ve seen that before. On a certain broody asshole. Onhe who shall not be named. I can feel my anger rising within me, turning my ears red.
“Let me go asshole!” I scream. Or at least it would have been a scream if he wasn’t covering my mouth and muffling my words.
“SHHHH, shut the fuck up,” he whispers in my ear and then points to the right. Following with my eyes, I suddenly understand why he’s manhandling me. Zombies, walking dead, lurkers, whatever you want to call them. At least a dozen of them creeping through the forest right next to where the raspberries were. Fuck that was close. On the ground, I look and see my little treasures being squished underfoot, bringing a frown to my face.Now that’s a damn shame...
After a few minutes, the horde is finally far enough away from us to collectively release the breath we were both holding. He lets go of my waist and motions with one finger to his lips to keep quiet. I nod my understanding and he lets go of my face, urging me to follow him. I do and soon enough we’re back at the open field where he was playing fetch with his dog.
“Are you ok?” He turns and surveys my body. Up and down and all around he looks for any damage that might have occurred.
“I’m ok.” I confirm. Then, I take a breath and repeat. “I’m ok.” He nods in return. The look in his eyes is almost that of relief, until the lightness in them shuts down and he turnsdownright manic. The soft, concerned eyes, the placating stance, the fluid worry in his voice, gone in an instant, replaced with furrowed brows, wide eyes and a scowl just on the verge of erupting all over his face. He rises up, standing at his full height and looks down upon me, angling all of his raw emotions towards me.
