“No one is like you.” I moved down to her thighs, planning to smell every inch of her legs.
But, scars stopped me.
What’s this?
I paused at the scars on her inner thigh.
This isn’t from me.
They were tiny, jagged lines. Small little scratches that had no sense or true symmetry. Just tiny slashes here and there.
Anger rose within me. “Spread your legs open.”
Trembling, she did as I ordered.
“These weren’t here before.” I studied the tiny scars. “What happened, Phoenix? Who did this?”
“W-what do you mean?”
“What the hell is this?” I noticed similar scars on her other thigh. “A pin. No a needle. No. Something else. But why? How?”
What the fuck is going on?
I moved in closer and leaned my head to the side, assessing the angles of the scratches and trying to imagine how they could’ve gotten there. “Maybe, a small, tiny knife. No. Maybe. . .tiny scissors, but really small ones.”
Her legs shook.
The edge of something sharp had cut into the top few layers of skin on her thigh, but had not drawn a lot of blood. Due to that, it suggested that these were self-inflicted. Had someone else done it, more layers would have been cut.
But. . .no. . .She wouldn’t have. . .
Frowning, I gently touched the tender spots around the small bruises, making sure they were healing correctly.
No way she did this. There has to be another explanation.
However, no other logic came.
“There. . .must be another reason.” I tilted my head the other way and compared both. “But the direction suggests. . .”
Damn it.
I snapped my view to her.
She had her gaze on the ceiling. Her breasts bobbed as her chest quickly rose and fell.
“Phoenix.”
She pursed her lips.
My heart broke. “You’ve been cutting yourself?”
She moved her face back to the right.
Rage climbed through me. It was a surge of primal anger that had been backed up behind the wall of control I had built in my mind to protect the world. Yet, my need to protect and possess her was shattering the wall.
Calm down. I have her now. I’ll stop the cutting.
This feeling of possession was new and strange to me, yet it was powerful and real. If I let it take over too much, I could harm her and myself.
This won’t happen again. There’s no need to get angry.
I let out a long breath. “This was why we had to have this discussion. You just don’t understand?”
Suddenly, she lifted her head and peered down at me.
“You’re mine.” I bent down and kissed the scars on one thigh. As soon as my mouth connected with her cut flesh, she loudly moaned. And I knew that she hadn’t intended on it. The sound had come out naturally.
Shocked, I looked up.
Why that reaction? You like it when I kiss your scars?
Her head was back on the bed. Her chest rose and lowered faster like she’d been running.
There’s so many things. . .that we need to unpack.
“This body is mine.” I kissed each scar on the other thigh.
Groaning, she writhed under me.
I gripped Phoenix’s waist harder and kept her in place. “You don’t get to harm any part of my body.”
Sighing, I let her waist go, left the bed, and gazed down at her.
Shock mixed with lust in her eyes. She looked up at me. “A-are we done?”
I wagged my finger at her. “Phoenix, you know what the answer is.”
“I don’t.”
“We’re just beginning.” I dove my hands into my jeans and rearranged my hard dick.
“But. . .maybe we can end now. Save the rest for later.”
“Never that, Phoenix.”
I went over to the closet, opened it, and pulled out my duffle bag. When I turned around, I caught her watching me in fear.
“You’re not going to kill me? You said that.”
“And I meant that.” I headed back and placed the duffle bag on the bed. “On another note, I like this apartment. It’s much better than the hotel room.”
She blinked. “I. . .”
I unzipped the bag. “What?”
She watched me take out the bottle of antiseptic solution and cloth. “I. . .wanted to treat myself.”
“Good. You deserve it. You’re surely worthy of a lot more luxury than this, but it’s a good start.” I poured the solution onto the cloth, moved the shirt away from her collarbone with the c-shaped scar, and then rubbed the liquid over her skin. “But, now it’s my turn to take care of you.”
“Cain. . .” She watched me rub more solution on her neck, shoulder, and breast. “What are you going to do?”
“Finish our discussion.”
“I feel like we’ve talked a whole lot already.”
“That’s the problem.” Putting the cloth down, I took out the duct tape and loops of rope.
Frantic, she began scooting away. “No. No. No.”
“Phoenix.” I gripped her side. “Stay still or this will take all night.”
“W-why are you duct taping me?”
I tore off a strip of the duct tape. “Because you’re going to scream.”