“No, thank you,” she whispers. “For saving my life.”
My eyes go to hers and I expect to see at least an ounce of causticness but there’s zero. This morning really did a whole number on her. “Were you scared back there?” I ask and her cheeks turn a darker hue.
“Yes, I’ve never been more scared in my life. My heart is still pounding.”
Closing my eyes in anger for what they did to her, I say, “Never be scared when I’m around. I will always protect you with my life.”
Meadow lets out a surprised little, sound but she doesn’t respond, pushing her face into the dog’s fur instead. Lifting her legs, she eases into the seat and looks out the window. The scenery is slowly changing as we drive, going from skyscrapers and million dollar mansions to more modest and rural.
I appreciate it but Meadow turns her nose up, like it’s not up to her standard and I shake my head. This will do her good; teach her that there is more to life than materialism and wealth. Hopefully she will eventually learn to accept it and at the thought of her turning into the little woods nymph, I’ve always imagined she secretly is, I want to groan.
There’s a calling in me that always calls for the wild and I want her to hear that call too and respond, not run away from it. I turn to the side when her lids flutter and I can tell she’s tired from her adrenaline rush.
“Sleep,” I say but she shakes her head, bravely doing her best to stay awake. Reaching my hand to the backseat, I dig around but the shoulder is still killing me...
“What are you doing?” she asks with surprised eyes. “Would you stop moving that shoulder around?”
Sweet of her. But I’ve easily managed harder stuff than flesh wounds, my body used to damage and it has learned to take it.
“Trying to get you my jacket,” I rasp when my fingers finally clasp around it and I pull it over to the front, draping it over her knees. “Now sleep and no more protests. You’re tired, you need to rest.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she mutters but I throw her a sharp look and she cowers. Good. The sooner she learns the better. Out in the wild, there will be no mouthing back at me. Tilting her head to the side, she closes her eyes, pleasing me and it doesn’t take long until she’s fallen asleep.
Her breaths fill the car like a lullaby and the smell of her is intense in the small space. I inhale it openly, realizing I’ve never been able to do that before. Before it was all about acting professional, doing my job and nothing else.
Now everything has changed. She is under my rule and control now and I straighten in my seat when I feel electricity ripple through my veins and I grind my jaw, stretching my neck.
Meadow is going to learn what kind of a man I really am. The one I’ve kept hidden, but I can already feel him make his way up to the surface and normally I would have pushed him down. Now I don’t have to and fuck...it feels good. No more pretending, no more holding back.
And it’s for the better, the feral side of me was already getting sick of the act. Sick of not being able to sink my claws and teeth into Meadow and make her submit to me. But I don’t want her to give in because I have some inferiority complex.
I want her to give in because she will be thoroughly taken care of, thoroughly protected and if things go my way, thoroughly well fucked. Trying to keep my eye on the road, I can’t help but to glance with the other one at Meadow.
Previously I always had to steal my glances, look at her in secret but now I don’t have to and I don’t have to hide the way her appearance riles me up. Makes the blood pump a little harder, makes the breaths turn more ragged and I trace the outlines of her mouth with my gaze.
It’s covered in a sharp pink lipstick but soon the wild will wipe all that off, reveal her bare self to me, her true self. Just like I will reveal mine. I want her to taste what true freedom means and I want her to learn what it means to be mine.
Because truth is...
I’m never going back again. I’m staying. That old life is over and I’m eager to start my new one. Together with Meadow. But hell, did it really have to take us getting ambushed for me to finally return to my real territory?
Meadow murmurs something in her sleep, her lashes fluttering but she doesn’t wake up, which mean that when she does, she’ll probably have a shock. I didn’t tell her exactly where we’re going, just that we’re going to my place but I have a feeling she expects it to involve central heating, weighted blankets and a spa center a stone’s throw away.
It couldn’t be further from the truth. The place is isolated, no neighbors close by but walk two hours by foot and a picturesque, small town can be reached.
I blink when we pass a faded, wooden sign sayingWelcome To Fates Fallsand it feels good being home. Deep, murky woods and the smell of the lakes and mountains seeps through my window. The sky here always seems to be on the grey side rather than the blue and a slow fog is rolling in.
It’s thin, soothing and sleep inducing and for a second my head drops and I drowse off...
“Dom!”
The girly squeal makes me jerk and I push a little on the breaks, noticing that Meadow has gripped the steering wheel. She’s fully awake and both she and the dog are staring at me.
“You almost fell asleep,” she murmurs, glancing at me with wary, grey eyes, “it’s the shoulder isn’t it? You’re in pain?”
“I’ll be fine. I just need a sturdy meal and a good night’s sleep.”
“Right, but you’re still going to have to be able to drive a long way.” She peeks out the window, shuddering, “I mean, we’re in the middle of nowhere...”