uttered it, she could feel his body start to curl and tense. His arms shook, as his head arched back. A long, otherworldly moan passed from his throat, as his head shot back quickly. He released, sending shots of quivers down her spine.
After a long moment, he began to kiss her again, as he slowly eased out. He found her hand in the mess of blankets and pillows and placed it to his face. She curled up against the expanse of his chest, as the two looked once more at each other.
In that moment of sweet exhaustion, Alice knew that her fight was over. She had been the victor. What lay before her was for her and Micah to decide. They could go all in, fearlessly defending what was built in this bedroom and in the spaces of their lives. Or she could tap out.
Read on for an excerpt from the sizzling sequel!
Available Now!
The ground is cold, gravelly, and wet. I think it’s raining. It’s got to be raining. I mean, why else would my hair be soaking wet, clinging to the rocks and shards of glass on the ground? I try to lift my head, to shake it out from the grime, but I cannot. I am pushed back down again. Or do I lay it back down? It’s hard to tell. Everything is so dark, so cold. I am surprised I can feel at all.
There’s a laugh in the distance. It’s so low that it shakes every bit of my body, echoing in my ears, vibrating my insides. In an instant, I’m aware of a hulking shadow over me, eyeing my ring with a look that tells me I am not getting away anytime soon. His eyes flame with lust. He falls on top of me, weighing down my hips with his thighs. He pushes my face further into the ground. I’m crying—or, at least, I’m trying to cry, but every time I try to make a sound, I feel a sharp blow, followed by a rush of blood filling my mouth.
He pins my hand and yanks the ring from my finger. He smiles through yellowed teeth, breathing heavily on me, his breath stinking of cheap beer and stale cigarettes. There’s something else in his eyes—pity, remorse, regret—I don’t know—I might be imagining it.
He gets up and leaves me lying in the alley. I know this dream. I’ve had it a hundred times. He gets up, turns the corner, and runs off with my ring. Every time it’s the same thing, replaying like a Vine video—
—but tonight is different. Tonight, he doesn’t run off. Instead, another figure joins him—taller, slimmer, an imposing body sucking the light from the streetlamp behind him. This new figure slowly walks up to me. I try to sit up and look at him, but a pain in my side, probably a cracked rib, makes my arms weak, and I fall again into a puddle. The second man kneels before me and lifts my head with his gloved hand. My heart leaps. For the first time, I may have someone to save me. I may have hope yet.
He removes his hood, and I glimpse scars on his face and black tribal tattoos that line the curves of his neck. His brown eyes flicker red and gold as they stare me down. I press my head back down onto the ground, away from him. He’s not supposed to be here.
At this moment, all I want in the world is to get away from Micah.
***
Alice stretched her arms out wide and attempted to bring air back into her body. Her breath hitched, as she quickly sat up, grabbing at the edges of her pillows and kicking off the remains of her comforter and sheets. Her gray tank top was damp with sweat, her strawberry-blonde hair forming knots from the tossing and turning. She ran her fingers through the pieces as she contemplated just what she had finished dreaming. Micah’s unannounced presence was something completely new to the dream narrative she had become so familiar with. Yet, while she felt she should be soothed, there was something undeniably sinister to his appearance.
She looked out towards the yard. Orange and red fading sunlight lingered at the very edge of her windows. The white curtains lifted gently in the air as the wind whispered in. Alice
After a long moment, he began to kiss her again, as he slowly eased out. He found her hand in the mess of blankets and pillows and placed it to his face. She curled up against the expanse of his chest, as the two looked once more at each other.
In that moment of sweet exhaustion, Alice knew that her fight was over. She had been the victor. What lay before her was for her and Micah to decide. They could go all in, fearlessly defending what was built in this bedroom and in the spaces of their lives. Or she could tap out.
Read on for an excerpt from the sizzling sequel!
Available Now!
The ground is cold, gravelly, and wet. I think it’s raining. It’s got to be raining. I mean, why else would my hair be soaking wet, clinging to the rocks and shards of glass on the ground? I try to lift my head, to shake it out from the grime, but I cannot. I am pushed back down again. Or do I lay it back down? It’s hard to tell. Everything is so dark, so cold. I am surprised I can feel at all.
There’s a laugh in the distance. It’s so low that it shakes every bit of my body, echoing in my ears, vibrating my insides. In an instant, I’m aware of a hulking shadow over me, eyeing my ring with a look that tells me I am not getting away anytime soon. His eyes flame with lust. He falls on top of me, weighing down my hips with his thighs. He pushes my face further into the ground. I’m crying—or, at least, I’m trying to cry, but every time I try to make a sound, I feel a sharp blow, followed by a rush of blood filling my mouth.
He pins my hand and yanks the ring from my finger. He smiles through yellowed teeth, breathing heavily on me, his breath stinking of cheap beer and stale cigarettes. There’s something else in his eyes—pity, remorse, regret—I don’t know—I might be imagining it.
He gets up and leaves me lying in the alley. I know this dream. I’ve had it a hundred times. He gets up, turns the corner, and runs off with my ring. Every time it’s the same thing, replaying like a Vine video—
—but tonight is different. Tonight, he doesn’t run off. Instead, another figure joins him—taller, slimmer, an imposing body sucking the light from the streetlamp behind him. This new figure slowly walks up to me. I try to sit up and look at him, but a pain in my side, probably a cracked rib, makes my arms weak, and I fall again into a puddle. The second man kneels before me and lifts my head with his gloved hand. My heart leaps. For the first time, I may have someone to save me. I may have hope yet.
He removes his hood, and I glimpse scars on his face and black tribal tattoos that line the curves of his neck. His brown eyes flicker red and gold as they stare me down. I press my head back down onto the ground, away from him. He’s not supposed to be here.
At this moment, all I want in the world is to get away from Micah.
***
Alice stretched her arms out wide and attempted to bring air back into her body. Her breath hitched, as she quickly sat up, grabbing at the edges of her pillows and kicking off the remains of her comforter and sheets. Her gray tank top was damp with sweat, her strawberry-blonde hair forming knots from the tossing and turning. She ran her fingers through the pieces as she contemplated just what she had finished dreaming. Micah’s unannounced presence was something completely new to the dream narrative she had become so familiar with. Yet, while she felt she should be soothed, there was something undeniably sinister to his appearance.
She looked out towards the yard. Orange and red fading sunlight lingered at the very edge of her windows. The white curtains lifted gently in the air as the wind whispered in. Alice
Similar Books
