Page 77 of Demons in My Bed
“Slade,” I breathed.
“You taste better than I dreamed,” he murmured.
“Promise me I won’t lose you. Promise me,” I demanded, grabbing his face with my hands so I could look into his eyes. The fear of something going wrong, of this blowing up in my face, of not having Slade in my life anymore... I couldn’t cope with that.
“I swear it, Palmer. You’re stuck with me.” I nodded, and he tucked some of my hair behind my ears. “Come on, let me get you back. You have an early class tomorrow.” My brain was foggy and my body needy as he led me back to the car.
That night set me on a path that I should’ve seen coming. All of the feelings of doom, loss, dread, and just general badness... I ignored them.
For months after that, Slade and I had this secret relationship. We’d train together and then go out—that wasn’t different. Over time though, I’d sleep over at his place. We’d watch movies and make out. He knew I was a virgin and he never pushed me.
My routines were changing. I went from being attached to Hunter all the time to barely seeing him, and that was hard for someone who valued structure. So any chance I had to see my best friend, I greedily took.
At first, it didn’t seem to bother Slade, but after the fourth or fifth time of me not being able to spend the night because I had plans with Hunter, he started acting pissy. I wasn’t sure exactly when it happened, but I began to dread telling him that I was going to hang out with Hunter. He’d get quiet and it made me uncomfortable, though he never actually wanted to talk to me about what the problem was.
A few weeks later came the night of my eighteenth birthday. Hunter was away on another assignment, and I was spending the evening with Slade. Tonight was an important night. I was ready to have sex with him. I’d gone into town last week and bought some lacy lingerie, hoping that he’d like it. Slade was so important to me, and I wanted him to know.
I was waiting out front of my building, wearing a sexy black dress I’d bought that paired great with the lace I had on underneath. My phone started ringing, and I smiled when Hunter’s face popped up, immediately connecting the video call.
“Happy birthday, beautiful! Daaamn, look at you. Are you going out tonight?”
I felt myself blush. “Maybe I am,” I teased.
“Wish I was there. Eighteen is a big one. I’ll be home next week though, and I’ll take you out for a birthday dinner then. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect.” I glanced past my screen and found Slade glaring at me. Shit. “Hey, Hunt, I gotta go. Thanks for the call.”
I hit end and stuffed my phone in my bag, happy to see Slade. He was dressed in a black suit with a black shirt underneath and a matching black tie. He looked delicious.
“Hey, handsome,” I greeted my boyfriend, stepping closer so I could wrap my arms around him. His body was rigid, but I hugged him anyway and murmured, “Hunter called to say happy birthday.”
The muscles in his back rippled. “Yeah. I heard. And he wants to take you out on a date next week and he thinks you’re beautiful. Am I missing anything, Palmer?”
I jerked back and stared up at him in confusion. “What? No. That’s not—”
“Do you love him?” he demanded, crowding me against the wall. My heartbeat was racing like a hunted rabbit as he completely invaded my space.
“Of course I love him. He’s my family, Slade. You’re being ridiculous and acting jealous for no reason!” I couldn’t believe he was behaving the way he was.
His eyes trailed down my body, taking in my outfit. The sharp glint in his eye told me he wasn’t done yet, and I braced myself for whatever his next accusation was going to be. “Is that why you wore this dress? Because you knew he’d video call you?”
I shoved his chest, a flare of anger finally flickering to life as the hurt, confusion, and fear settled. “Back up!” I needed him to take a step away from me. I was two seconds away from going into fight or flight mode, and knowing me, it was going to be a fight. I felt cornered, like he was deliberately trying to intimidate me. “Why are you acting like this?”
“I don’t share, Palmer. I can’t help but feel like I’m having to share you with another man. I don’t fucking like it and I won’t tolerate it,” he snapped, slamming his hand against the wall.
“I’ve told you a hundred times, he’s like my brother. I’m allowed to have other people in my life, Slade!”
My mind was spinning, and nothing was making sense. He hadn’t been like this when we first met, or when we’d first started training together, or going out... Why was he doing this?
“He wants you!” His nostrils flared and his jaw jumped. He looked utterly deranged, and my throat tightened as I accepted that I was looking at a stranger. Clearly unable to stop himself, he kept going. “I know he wants you! He wants to fuck you—”
I didn’t think. I just reacted. My palm landed hard against his cheek, shutting him up. We were both so stunned that we just stared at each other. I watched Slade’s eyes go from shocked to dark and scary in the blink of an eye. A flash of red drew my focus, and I watched as a line of blood ran from the corner of his lip down his chin. I’d made him bleed.
“I think you should go, Slade.” I swallowed the urge to apologize, to ask if he was okay. Because I wasn’t. He’d hurt me more than he knew.
“That’s not happening.” He stepped out of my path, giving me a view of his car that he’d parked along the street. “Get in the car.”
I shook my head, trying to stifle the tears that were wanting to fall. “No.”
