CHAPTER6
Luke
Bright light assaults my eyes, forcing me to plop an arm over my face to shut it out. By the look of it, it’s far later in the day than it should be. I’m usually up much earlier, waking with the faint rays of the sun. You can catch people off guard so much easier when you’re up before them.
Groaning, I sit up and sway as pain assaults my senses. And that’s when everything hits. It’s not in full memory, more like a strip of film in an 8mm projector, only going way faster than it should. I can pick up on bits and pieces, but most of it is a blur.
The only thing I remember with any bit of clarity is the pain in my hand caused by Shrinky Dink. Looking down, I stare at the mottled skin that’s puffed up around the splints and grin. I don’t remember leaving last night, but I didn’t ask them to stop at any point. I must be in.
If all it took was a busted-up hand and hungover memories, then that’s good enough for me. Reaching down for my phone, I frown at the myriad of texts. No one ever texts me, let alone this much.
They’re all from the dean. Skimming through, I fill in the other bits and pieces of my night that were missing, including Mistress Bitch’s handling of me. I can’t fault her. In the bright light and clarity of the day, it makes sense that she’d want my ass. Everyone else does.
The recriminations and self-doubt start to creep up as I look at myself in the mirror hanging on the wall across from me. Every day, I look at myself, checking to see if the internal damage is starting to show or not. And today, I look exactly the same.
There are bruises that weren’t there before. My eyes have bags under them, but I still look normal. I still look like me. Each time I hazard a glance at the mirror, I worry the reflection will show some demon, some nameless entity that resides where my soul should be.
Last night was far more than what I bargained for. I thought I was safe, cocooned in the surety of resilience, but I wasn’t. I was cracked open and poured out for all to see. Rubbing my chest, I close my eyes and force those thoughts and feelings away from the surface and back into the pits of my psyche where they belong, where ghosts of my past can feed on them and be nourished.
Today is a new day, and there are far more pleasant things to think about. Today is the first day at my new job. Today is the first day I’ll be able to hunt down my little rabbit, the girl with the blue eyes that flitted in and out of my initiation, and force her to be mine. Now that we’re both in this cadre of undesirables, she won’t be able to slip through my fingers again. And if she tries, I’ll have ways of chaining her to my side.
Just the very thought of throwing her to the floor and fucking her sends a zip of arousal through my cock, but instead of just the pleasure of arousal, it also comes with the bite of pain. Wincing, I look down at my dick and examine it from all angles. Nothing appears to be broken or bruised.
My balls feel like they’ve been slammed in between a car door, but there are no outside markers of any trauma. Just like Ryker, these assholes were able to come in, hurt me, then walk off without leaving much evidence of their wrongdoing. But it’s okay. I’m now one of them, able to also be a shadow, leaving mayhem and destruction in my wake.
Slipping off the bed, I throw on some clothes and head toward the dean’s office. I’m supposed to start work today anyway, so I might as well get this meeting over with. In his texts, he never said I wasn’t in The Society, so I feel safe in assuming that I’m actually in.
Besides, just because they chose to end early doesn’t mean it’s my fault. I could have taken the rest of the guys, but now, we’ll never know. My phone buzzes in my hand, and I glance back down, noting one more message from the dean. It contains links to the apps used to track the submissives.
A wide grin splits my face as I pick up speed and jog toward his office. I’m officially in, and I’m one step closer to finding my blue-eyed rabbit. After I download the app, I start to skim through the faces, focusing on the eyes. That’s what will help me identify her the fastest. No one else has that same shade as she does.
I’m so consumed with finding her that I make it to the dean’s building without realizing just how far I walked. The air conditioner blasts against me as I open the door, giving me a slight respite from the heat. Though we’re in upstate New York, the days seem perfectly capable of roasting me alive.
It’s nothing like Florida, though. New York doesn’t have the same struggle with humidity. No matter how hot it’s gotten up here, I still don’t feel like I’m swimming through the muggy heat to get anywhere. I wonder if this will help me increase my running speed?
Down in the swamps, it was a struggle to catch my breath sometimes, but up here, the air is thinner, cleaner. I wouldn't be surprised if it shaved some time off of my earlier records.
Tucking my phone in my pants pocket, I follow the signs to Dean Anderson’s office and pause as I walk through the massive door. The small lobby inside sports a large desk, a water cooler, and some chairs. Despite the bright lights illuminating the place, the dark woodwork gives it that ominous, waiting-for-the-principal feel.
How laughable.
As the door clicks behind me, the woman at the desk shoots her head up, her lips poised as if preparing to greet me, and that’s when I see her eyes. It’s her. My rabbit. Arousal and anger flood my body as I stare at her, taking in the quiver of her lips.
Now that her mask no longer conceals her face, I know her instantly. The eyes teased at my memories, making me think I was going insane, but I wasn’t. It’s her. Here at Loftry of all places. The absolute last place I’d expect to find her.
Is this some sort of twisted joke? A prank being pulled on me from the cosmos? Once more, I study her face, making sure I’m not missing some vital detail that proves she’s not the figment of my longing made into flesh.
Those eyes, her full lips, the way her shoulders slope, the graceful sweep of her collarbones. Though she’s filled out a bit since I first saw her, it’s undoubtedly her, the girl I longed for in Malum. The one I had plans for once I could figure out how to claim her without getting Ryker involved.
I avoided her, purposely stayed away. If Ryker knew I wanted her, she’d be dead by now. Or worse, she’d be damaged like me, a soulless corpse that walks about looking for love, longing for sensation. I fucked the other girls, taking them as roughly as I could; that way, my own personal monster knew I had no plans for them.
The longing I felt for her was like a tidal wave. I allowed myself to watch her dance, but only because other girls were on stage with her. I longed to reach out, to touch her, to see if she was actually real, but I never got the chance. She was gone before I even had the ability to plan on how to capture her safely.
She’s frightened of me. Every tremble of her lips, every vibration of her hands tells me as clearly as if she were speaking just how terrified she is. As she should be. No one runs from me. No one is allowed to escape once I have them in my sights. She should have stayed at Malum, where I could watch her, study her, and be near her presence in the safest way I could.
She’s the one girl I masturbated to night after night. When I heard she’d been bought, I went to the guy, prepared to make him an offer - either the girl or his life. From there, I would have figured out where to stash her. But I never got the chance. She was already gone. Slipped out into the night, never to be seen again.
I searched for her, though, not as extensively as I wanted to. If Ryker knew she sparked my interest, she would have never made it out of Ashen Springs alive. Knowing him, he would have pitted us against each other, made us vie for his affections.
Deep down, I know I would have killed her. I was so entrenched, so beholden to Ryker, that I would have done anything to get his approval. It’s sickening how wrapped up I became in my quest for his love. Love that I never would have gotten. But now, I’m free. I can have this morsel if I want to. I can take her, claim her, own her, and not have to worry about Ryker using her against me.
Her hand flutters down to the desk, no doubt to alert the dean that I’m here, but I don't want him to know. Not yet. Not until I’ve tasted this little rabbit and made it perfectly clear that she’s now mine. Reaching behind me, I slide my fingers along the knob and go up, smiling as my nails scratch against the deadbolt.
My eyes never leave hers as I turn the lock with an ominous click. Once more, her hand makes a sudden movement, and I shake my head, stalking toward her. Her eyes widen even more. Her breath comes in rapid gasps, as if my very presence steals her air.
I stare at her perfect lips, imagining myself delving into her mouth and tasting her. Would I be able to taste the fear on her tongue? Would she even let me in? Or would she try to fight? No time like the present to find out.
Her eyes follow me as I make my way around the desk, and her fingers hover over the intercom button next to the phone. Whoever she’s trying to contact, it won’t do her any good. She’s mine now. The only thing that will mess this up is if she’s already claimed by another Dominant.
Granted, I wouldn't let that stop me. It would just be another hurdle I’d have to overcome. Anyone can be bought off at a high enough price. Or I could just threaten the life of someone they care about. I’m good at things like that. No. At this point in the game, nothing is going to stop me from claiming what’s mine.