Caroline*****Warm. So warm. I sighed and moved underneath the sheets but found my body heavier than I expected. Thinking it would maybe be better on my side, I attempted to roll over. A hand clasped my breast, fingers tensing around my nipple."Stalker," I moaned with a small smile.The body spooned against me closer. "Only sometimes," purred a female voice.My eyes shot open. When I turned my head, I found myself looking into a pimply woman's face, her hair a mess around her head. I jumped up realizing that Valentina was in my bed. Her hands fell away from me as she slowly sat up."What are you doing?" I rasped, pulling the sheets up to my neck. "What are you doing here?""I just wanted to cuddle," she said, dipping her head demurely."You have a girlfriend. My cousin. What the fuck, Valentina?"It felt like her hands were still on me, burning me with their dirty touch. I felt disgusted."You touched me," I whispered."Don't be stupid." She rolled her eyes. "You turned and my hand
Caroline*****My hands smoothed over the soft cotton short-sleeve shirt and distressed jeans I wore. The weather would be reaching the low seventies today, so I didn't have to wear a sweater today. I draped a light leather jacket over my shoulders just in case and grabbed my backpack.Freya had left for work already and I was confident that Valentina wasn't here, since she was always gone during the week. I poured some coffee into a thermos and doused it with half and half. I grabbed a bar from the pantry and turned to leave. My earbuds were already in my ears, blasting some nostalgic Parachute songs, so I didn't hear the presence of another enter the room behind me.When I turned to leave, I was blocked by a bright yellow hoodie in my path. I fell back a step and put a hand over my heart. Valentina snickered as I plucked the ear buds out of my ears. Knowing we were alone in the house unnerved me."Didn't mean to scare you there, Caroline."I backtracked a step to put space between u
Marshall*****The jet touched down late Sunday night. After a series of technical issues, we arrived hours later than expected. I'd only calmed slightly from my earlier panic. It was too painful to consider what I might find when I went to her home. If she was gone, I'd know.Nuel and I split ways at the airport. He left directly for the warehouses and I left for her house. I sped as quickly as I could but it was still nearly midnight when I parked down by the playground. My heart crawled into my throat as I hiked up to her house. Her bedroom window was illuminated. I crept underneath it to peek through a misalignment in the blinds. She was lying in bed, the blue light of her screen glowing on her face.For the first time in hours, I relaxed. I sat there for a long time and just watched her. I was completely exhausted. I hadn't slept well all weekend and the added stress of her possible kidnapping, rape, and murder didn't help.It was much later when she put her phone down and left h
Caroline*****This feeling was like being on fire with a fire-resistant cape on. My skin burned as bright orange embers on the verge of catching. It was all the deep-bone melting heat without any of the pain, the injury, the scarring.Scalding water tumbled down my naked body. I'd never stood naked in front of a man before. My hands itched to cover myself but I focused on bathing myself. I wanted Marshall like a drug. I secretly hoped I pushed him too far. He didn't think I was ready, but I'd waited for what felt like forever to experience this. For years, other people my age coupled up, found love, reveled in freeing their sexuality. I waited! Waited to meet someone I wanted to do those things with. Someone who didn't think I was a freak or a nerd. I never met anyone who made me want more until Marshall. He took one look at me and set my world ablaze. And I was dancing in the flames.You don't know who you're seducing. His words rang through my skull repeatedly. He wasn't wrong.I d
Caroline*****An obnoxious alarm penetrated the veil of sleep curtained across my mind. I groaned, my consciousness awakening and my dreamworld collapsing. The bed shifted around me, like someone else was here. For a moment, I believed it was Valentina and that I was back in my bed at Freya's.I flew up and looked around. This wasn't room, though. My eyes followed the rumpled sheets to where a shirtless Marshall stood, stretching. He turned to face me and his ruffled hair, overgrown beard, and piercing eyes brought back the memory of yesterday. I took my time checking out his broad chest and muscular abdomen. His beauty was ethereal, almost blinding, and all-encompassing.He rounded the bed to my side and I shrank down into the covers. His mouth peeled back in a half-smile, amused."You can't hide or escape from me, angel," he said in his oaky morning voice. "Here I'd thought you'd learned."My cheeks flamed while I still attempted to bury myself under the sheets. Maybe if I went dee
Marshall*****There was much I needed to do today. Once my angel was set up on the outdoor sofa with her school books, I returned to the bedroom to prepare for the day ahead. I changed into a black suit and gelled back my hair. I strapped myself with two pistols, one in my waist belt and another over my shoulder. While I would be stopping at the office to get some files, I had other business things to tend to that I would never attend without my weapons.Such as taking care of the bitch who hurt my angel.I growled at my reflection in the full-length mirror against the wall. My face and posture remained the same, slightly hunched with an aggressive edge. There was something different in my eyes though. A clarity I'd never seen before.Shaking my head, I left the room and trotted back down to the back porch where I'd left angel. She was curled up between some pillows with a textbook fanned across her lap. She instantly smiled at seeing me. I still couldn't fathom her little break earl
Caroline*****I couldn't believe it. Marshall hadn't responded to my call or text message. I didn't want to be annoying but I had to be at work in an hour and he was nowhere to be found. Groaning, I pulled on my work clothes from yesterday and attempted to call Freya again. Yet again, it went straight to voicemail.I couldn't blame her for being upset with me—I had gone completely AWOL last night. Knowing how worried she got, I was certain my disappearance pissed her off. I should've told her I was somewhere safe. Even if I was beyond angry that she did nothing about Valentina. How could she be with someone who was like that?But I knew this situation was my fault. I let Marshall bring me here. I trusted him to be back. I knew better than to rely on anyone at this point, but I just thought he would come through for me. Now I know.This left my stupid ass with only one option. Sighing, I pulled up Greg's contact and sent him a text.CAROLINE: Hey, can I be shitty and ask for a favor?
Caroline*****The rest of my shift blinked by. I didn't even realize it was time to go until the next employee came in. I quickly packed my backpack and scrambled out of the chair. My thoughts were in a nervous clutter. I'd spent the last hour of my shift pretending to study while I stole glances at my stalker from where he stood outside.Marshall was just very distracting to begin with. He didn't need to say or do anything. Just stand there and glare out at the world. I could tell people pulling into the gas pumps were wary of him. Some are very obviously admiring. His face remained ever neutral through it all, eyes cooly roaming the vicinity.I had to be firm with him to get my way. I needed to see Freya and get more clothes. All my stuff was still at her house. He may not give me the choice of where to sleep, but I needed my shit. None of it was valuable or even sentimental—but God knew what Valentina would steal if I didn't get everything."Is that guy waiting on you?"My neck sh
Caroline*****My eyes were physically out of tears. They felt heavy and almost itchy from their dryness. I wished I could just close my eyes and rest them, but sleep was impossible.I glanced over at Uncle Sam, who was sitting in the driver's seat. He was staring at the road and didn't respond to my lingering gaze. We hadn't spoken much since he picked me up at the foot of Marshall's driveway. It certainly wasn't out of lack of interest on my part.I had so many questions about Marshall, about the FBI, about Freya's murder and my parents' death, and Sam's role in all of this. I just didn't have the heart to ask anymore. Only hours ago, Sam picked me up and brought me to a discreet FBI checkpoint in town where I was told by agents that Marshall was the leader of the Persian mafia. They'd been trying to catch him on drug charges for years now but had been unsuccessful in penetrating his ring. They told me it was extremely likely he was responsible for the death of my parents and tha
Marshall*****I was still in the depths of sleep when the shrill ring of my cell phone pierced through my dreams of a beautiful blonde girl with kind eyes.Sighing, my hand extended to the nightstand where my phone was plugged in. I popped the cord out and sat up. I saw it was Nuel and cursed, shoving the sheets off of me."What?" I answered. My eyes flicked to the lump on the other side of the bed. Caroline remained peacefully asleep. I reached over to caress the curve of her side before stopping myself. I didn't want to wake her, especially given how late I'd kept her up.My fiancé. I still couldn’t believe she said yes, that it was official. I never once in my life imagined I would get married—certainly not of my own volition. She was the only person I knew capable of changing my mind. I was a stubborn fucker. But I also wasn’t willing to lose her.I'd have to make time today to get her a ring. I wanted to get her something special and meaningful. But also something fucking hug
Caroline*****The first thing I noticed was the lingering soreness of my thighs and pelvis. Grimacing, I stretched through the pain.My right hand searched through the sheets. Finding only coolness, I leaned over and reached further. The emptiness struck me and I frowned. My eyes reluctantly peeled open to look around. Marshall wasn't in bed. His side was stone cold, as though he hadn't been here for a while. I didn't hear him moving around in the bathroom either. I sat up and instantly gasped at the spasm of pain in my thighs. Gritting my teeth, I threw the covers off of me. My breath caught.My abdomen and thighs were littered with hickeys and bruises. The man did a toll on my body last night. As soon as I agreed to marry him, it was like a switch flipped. He took me again in the bed a few times, then against the vanity in the bathroom, and twice more in the kitchen. I couldn't escape his massive cock or greedy fingers or ravenous lips. And because I was a little fucked in the
Caroline*****His words hung between us like a wall of cracked glass. Marry me.I stared up into Marshall's impermeable black eyes. I never felt so distant from him. Yet, at the same time, he offered me more insight into his mind than he ever had.Some kind of emotional block held him back. He could admit to caring for me, but he wouldn't allow himself to call it 'love.' He was a tortured soul. I knew that early on. Our dynamic was fucked from the start. I was desperate to feel loved and wanted by someone. I was tired of feeling like a burden to those I loved. Marshall made me feel the way I always wanted to: wanted, desirable, sexy, trustworthy, worthy.So, could I really hate him?I couldn't. I was sick in the head for loving him and wanting to be with him, even when I knew he may never admit to loving me. But I would never pass up the opportunity to be with him. Nevertheless, I wasn't going to concede to his demands so easily."Marriage isn't something to casually throw aroun
Caroline*****"You think?" I challenged her.My angel blinked up at me through her big, doe-shaped hazel eyes. Her lips parted in surprise.Leaning down, I stole another breath-taking kiss from her sweet mouth. I tweaked her nipple between two fingers and earned a small cry from her. My cock was already turning stiff again. "Marsh," she whined. "Tell me," I said, leaning over her so I could peer directly down into her eyes. "Do you love me or not?"She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. As it tugged free, the pink skin was glossy with her saliva. I stared helplessly at them. "You know I do," she whispered.My hand rubbed circles into her hip. We stared at each other without looking away, the air thick between us. "I have known for a while now," I told her. "The way you look at me . . . the way you touch me…" I rubbed my hand over the top of her thigh before tracing down to her warmth. Her curls tickled at my fingertips. I strummed my fingers through her slippery folds. Some o
Caroline*****My stomach fluttered like one giant net filled with butterflies.Marshall's intense eyes focused directly on the walls ahead. His face was neutral but I could sense the tension coiled in his muscles as they carried me. I leaned into his chest with a small sigh. The fact that I was here, in his arms and in his house, partly surprised me. He knew about Greg but he was still here. He still wanted me. And as far as I could tell, he had no plans to murder me or Greg. Maybe he does love me, I mused. Despite the signs of his dedication and affection for me and my welfare, I knew I'd never believe it unless he directly said it. I often speculated on it all day and night but I never allowed myself to believe it. Just in case he didn't. "How old were you when you lost your virginity?" I asked him. Marshall's unrelenting glare briefly broke form to glance down at me. "Thirteen." I couldn't help but choke on my next breath. 13?! I was fantasizing about Edward Cullen and po
Marshall ***** Gold digger! Sugar daddies!! I wanted immediately to throttle this bitch. There was not a goddamn plane in all the worldly dimensions in which I would share my angel's sweet and supple skin. Caroline tightened her grip on my hand as I did an about-face. A thin girl with freckles and red hair glared at me with a smirk. "Name," I said. Her eyes flashed with interest. "Oh, did I say something you—" "Give me your fucking name," I growled. "A-Ally," she stuttered, blinking hard. "Ally what? Full goddamn name." "Ally Sa-Samson, sir." "Okay, Ally Samson—" Pressure on my arm drew my attention down to Caroline. Her eyes were wide, pleading. "Just ignore her," she said. "She's Greg's ex-girlfriend and she's convinced I'm trying to—" "THEY MADE OUT." Ally's face flushed crimson. Caroline ducked her face, letting out a muffled cry. I studied her closer and deciphered her body language. "Who made out?" I asked the girl in a clipped tone. "Caroline a-and Greg." I t
Caroline*****My entire body felt like jello.Partly because Marshall fingered the hell out of me this morning. But mostly because I was about to step into the gates of adulthood.My high school career ended today.Tomorrow, I could get a full-time job. I could apply to college. I could get knocked up and have a baby.Just kidding.I could barely take care of myself, much less a whole ass other person.Still, the looming thoughts about losing my v-card tonight made my overthinking brain consider all the repercussions.Sex was pleasure but also STIs and pregnancy and pain. Or so I'd heard.I wasn't afraid to lose my virginity. There was no other person on the planet I wanted near my body but Marshall Brown. I think my behavior over the last few weeks made that more than apparent.Jesus, I'm embarrassed.Some of it I blamed on hormones. I couldn't help that being near him made all logic and rational sense fly out of my metaphorical and literal core.His presence absorbed every fiber of
Caroline *****I didn't realize we were already outside until Marshall firmly stopped me on the curb.He reached around me to open the car door.My focus was so scattered from all the sexual tension and desire that I failed to take in the vehicle.Only as I gathered my dress to slide through the door did I notice the vehicle's shape was strange—unusually long and polished perfectly.My hands flew to my mouth."A limo?" I gasped. My eyes jumped to Marshall's smug expression."Only the best for my angel," he said.My face scrunched in what I knew was about to be an all-out ugly cry. I'd never been in a limo. Hell, I'd never even been in the general vicinity of one.Sniffling, I ducked my head and slipped into the back of the limo.The interior was all black leather. A disco ball spun from the ceiling and some kind of upbeat jazz blared through the speakers. Grinning, I settled onto a seat. Across from my legs was a silver bucket nestled into the back of the seat. I reached over to pu