I finally find the door we came through last night, proud of myself for making sense of my surroundings in my previous drunken state. I try the handle, groaning in frustration when it doesn't budge. There's no lock, so that means I need a fucking code.
"Open the fucking door."
He closes the distance quickly, his hand capturing my throat sending a wave of heat across my body, "I will see that you get home safely, if you insist on leaving. We can do that the easy way or the hard way."
My hands shake at my sides as my eyes land on the brutal teeth imprint I left on him last night peeking out from under the collar of his shirt, and the scratches lining his neck. I know they cover his chest too.
He releases my throat, shaking his head softly. His dark hair unkempt only adding to his appeal. He cups my cheek, dragging his thumb across my lips lightly. His hazel eyes unrelenting against mine. "I am not a gentle person by nature doll. That's not a side of me I ever want you to see so do not force my hand. You don't revel in pain, I do."
He leans in his lips finding mine, kissing me softly as if that threat never happened. As if he isn't a monster, forcing a moan from my lips as my body presses into his. Betraying me.His hand trails down my chest his finger teasing my taunt nipple, shaking me out from under his spell.
You can't.
I pull away, "Take me to my friend, you aren't coming anywhere near my house." He takes a deep breath before shoving away from me. I watch as his jaw ticks when he jerks a cellphone from the kitchen counter, making a call.
"Hock, the girl from last night where is she?" He keeps his phone pressed tightly to his ear nestled between his head and his shoulder as he loads his pockets.Awkwardness swarms me as he leaves the room heading quickly down the hallway and into a room with another keypad. Despite my desire to be away from him I can't help but to feel grateful as he reemerges quickly. That is until I see the gun tucked into the back of his pants.
"Did you have that last night?" I ask interrupting his conversation, he pauses lowering the phone. I can hear the person on the other end speaking before he ends the call abruptly. "No, didn't see a point."
The Noè standing before me is miles away from the tender man that looked into my eyes last night with such admiration. He radiates confidence and authority. It's impossible to not feel smaller than I am in his suffocating presence.
Or maybe you're just that small.
"Your friend is with her boyfriend. Hock dropped her off there early this morning." I nod, that's exactly where she would go, even though it's stupid.
"Then just take me to the bar we were at last night, I need to get my phone." I order him, unsure of the limit of my leniency with him. A dark, stupid part of me wants to test that line. I want a reaction from him, the thrill that would accompany it. He sighs walking past me and punching in the code for the door, his arm brushing against my skin as he passes me. How can such a simple touch make my body react so intensely? A hint of disappointment fills me when he walks to a car instead of the bike. I run my fingers down the seat, last night seems like a lifetime ago.
I didn't die. Nobody did.Nobody from a nuclear blast anyway.
"It's pouring doll. Your body will look much less appealing smeared across the pavement." He smirks, opening the door for me. I scoff, never has vehicular manslaughter sounded so fucking appealing.I can't help but to relax into the heated seats of his car, the inside all perfectly polished leather. It smells distinctly like him, amber wood and bergamot. Smells I came to love when I used to camp in an alley outside a perfume shop, always sneaking into the dumpster for the old bottles until they started smashing them. I lean my head against the window as he backs from the garage, rain splattering across the window.Reaching forward I turn on the radio, I don't even care what plays anything is better than silence.
****
Love Me Dead by Ludo
The ride back to the bar takes far longer than it should, probably because we aren't moving at a hundred some odd miles an hour. I don't dare look at him, feeling just as naked as I did this morning when I woke up in his arms.That doesn't stop him from staring at me every chance he gets. His hazel eyes burning me as effectively as an open flame as if its going to force me into speaking with him.
There's nothing to say.
Once we pull into the back alley of the bar I all but try to jump from the car until Noè wraps a hand around my wrist, "I get you're disappointed that we both didn't end up dead last night, but I won't tolerate you leaping from moving vehicles."
I jerk my wrist away, opening my mouth to say something bitchy but he cuts me off before I get the chance.
"It would serve you well to remember who I am in here. Stay close, I don't want to see you speaking to my men.”
"You don't own me Noè, we hooked up that's it." My voice comes out weak and uncertain and that makes me really fucking angry.
He smirks, "There's something about you I'm quite fond of. And when I see something I like-" His hand jerks to the back of my neck pulling me face to face with him,"-I take it little doll. Don't make me regret being kind to you and don't mistake my kindness for weakness."
I nod my head, squeezing my eyes shut tightly as he runs his lips across mine. The impulse to press into him makes me clench my fists, digging my nails into my palms.
"Can I just stay in the car? I really just need my phone." Suddenly conscious of the fact that I might have morning breath, since I refused his offer to use his mouthwash.
Good maybe he'll fuck off.
He just scoffs, shaking his head as he opens his door "Leave you alone, unprotected in the back alley of a well-known front for the Italian mafia? No doll, you can't just stay in the car."
I let my head slump back against the headrest as he walks to my side. It's crazy how drastically the atmosphere can change when someone like Noè steps out of it. My breath comes easier, my core doesn't ache, and my palms aren't clammy.