Sex isn’t something I’m interested in. Not after going through everything that I have. In fact, I’m perfectly content if I never have to see another penis for the rest of my life.
Yet, the way Cage stares up at me now—I wonder if that’s really true .
I hadn’t considered what sex would be like if I chose it, and if it’s something that would feel good.
“Goddamn it!” Silas shouts, startling me damn near out of my skin. Cage cranes his head over his shoulder, glaring at his employee.
“Sorry,” he mutters. “I’ve called every fucking hotel nearby, and all of them are booked. How is that even possible?”
My heart drops, and immediately, my thoughts begin to spiral. I have Legion’s car and could probably sleep in it for the night. It’s not safe, but if I find a parking lot with other cars, maybe no one will notice.
“Th-that’s okay. I can find somewhere else to st—”
“Absolutely not,” Cage interrupts, straightening his spine. “I have a spare bedroom. You can stay with me tonight.”
My mouth flops for a few moments before I raise my hands, finally scrounging up the voice to protest. “N-no. That’s so not necessary. I’ll find—”
“If you’re even considering sleeping somewhere outside, I’m going to have to stop you there. That’s too dangerous.”
A crease forms between my brows. “And staying with a complete stranger isn’t?”
His features relax slightly, and he offers a soft grin.
“Call Legion. He’ll put guards outside my house. The second you scream for help, they’ll come running, and I’ll have a bullet through my brain before I can blink.”
“A bullet? That… that also seems unnecessary.”
He cocks a brow. “Is it?”
An image of my father being ripped apart by pigs flashes through my brain, and I relent, “I guess not. ”
“For what it’s worth, I would never hurt you. I promise not to lay a finger on you.” There’s a pause, and I hear the unspoken words he won’t give voice to.
Unless you ask me to.
A large part of me is glad he didn’t say it. But another part of me is a little disappointed. Maybe because I don’t know that I’ll ever gather the courage to say that I do want him to.
He nods toward me. “Call Legion.”
The black flip phone burns in my back pocket, and I’m tempted to pull it out and do just that. But what if Legion is no better of a man than Cage? If he led me to someone willing to hurt me, then I doubt he’s an upstanding guy, either.
And I’d rather fight one man in a place where I have access to a knife than a man when I'm alone in a car.
Do I feel safe with Cage? No. But not because I think he’ll hurt me.
Only that it’ll hurt when I need to leave.
I don't know why I feel safe with him, just that I do. And if there's one thing I've gotten really good at over the years, it's trusting my gut.
“It’s fine,” I force out. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“How old are you?” I ask, though my voice is breathless with awe as my stare bounces around his home.
“Twenty-seven,” he answers instantly .
I’ve never seen a twenty-seven-year-old own a house like this. It’s beautiful.
The interior is a combination of black stone, veneer wooden panels, and cream walls. Plant life is scattered throughout the open floor plan, complementing the earthy-toned furniture.
The living room is sunken in from the kitchen, two rounded steps leading down to where a massive, circular black couch sits in front of a fireplace, a huge TV mounted above it.
To my left is a sleek kitchen with a huge island in the middle. There, Cage lays the cardboard stack of pizza boxes, left over from a few hours ago. The supreme was my favorite, and I found the cheese too boring. To Silas's dismay, I didn't mind the pineapple on the pizza, though it wouldn't be something I'd order for myself.
“You can have more if you're still hungry,” Cage offers, nodding toward the food.
“I'm full,” I protest. I've never eaten so much in my life, even if it was only four slices.
I grew up eating ketchup sandwiches on stale bread and soup when I was with Francesca. Greasy, fried foods were a luxury I never knew.
His stare slides down my form slowly before returning to mine. By the time he's finished, I'm on fire and shifting on my feet, my thighs clenching from the pulse between them.
“You'll be hungry again soon enough.”