Elliott's chest rises and falls quicker now.
"Give her the water. She needs to calm down for this." The woman's voice is harsher this time.
The man reaches behind the camera, coming back into frame to kneel down on the mattress with a glass of water in his hand, "Here you go, sweetness. You are just thirsty, this will help." He grabs the back of her neck and she winces, trying to slam her lips shut but she is so small and fragile that her arms aren't strong enough to push him away. He slips the rim of the cup between her lips and starts to pour the liquid into her mouth. She begins to cough and choke it down but he doesn't stop. "Shh, it's fine. You know you do so much better when you’ve had your water."
Her fight starts to dwindle as he pulls away the now empty glass, setting it on the floor. Her body goes limp and her eyes close as he lays her down in front of him.
"Don't worry, sweetness. Daddy is here now." His hands land on her legs and I slam the laptop closed.
Marcus and I look at each other and I can’t tell who is simmering the most with murderous rage.
27
Elliott
This wasbullshit.
I’ve been sitting here reading the same sentence for what feels like forever. But all that keeps playing in the back of my mind is what are they looking at? What did they find in the Everton files?
The door handle turns and I jump, sitting up, and setting my book down without even saving the page I was on. I need to know what the hell they found.
"Hunter? What did you—" I call out as the door begins to slowly open, honey-colored eyes land on me. "Kameron?" I breathe out.
"Hey, gorgeous." A small smile forms on his lips as he slides his hands in his pant pockets.
Tears blur my vision and I don't even realize my feet start running until I wrap my arms around his neck and he pullsme into his embrace. His warmth takes me over and the tears become sobs. "Kameron!"
He curls down into me, his face nuzzling my neck as he breathes me in, "Fuck, I've missed you." He mumbles.
I don't want to leave this moment but he pulls away to look down at me, his forehead resting on my own. His thumb comes to my cheek and swipes away the stream of tears that have coated them. I’m not sure if they are from happiness, relief, or reality hitting me all over again.
"How are you feeling?" He grabs my hand in his as he walks to the couch, sitting us both down before he slides in closer to me. "I can't imagine how you have been feeling. I am so sorry, Elliott. I will never be able to forgive myself for not getting you out before—"
"Kameron, it wasn't your fault."
"I didn't get there in time. Itismy fault." He lets my hand fall from his, turning away and resting his head into his hands.
"You didn't know what he was going to do. I didn't know."
"I knew it was bad." He inhales a deep breath, "I knew he was going to do something fucked up, but I tried Elliott…" He drops to his knees on the floor in front of me, grabbing my hands back in his. "I tried to get you out in time. You have to believe that."
"Kam, I know." I lift a hand to cup his face and he leans into it. Only now do I see how his eyes are glossy and a tear rolls down his cheek. His eyes lift, darting between mine. "I believe you." I whisper to him. He moves closer, settling in between my thighs.He waits a moment, like he is gauging if I am okay with his closeness. How could I not be? Even after everything, he makes me feel safe.
He leans in hovering inches from my lips, and I can't help but breathe out his name.
"Is this okay? I don't want to go too fast. I know—"
I slam my lips onto his before he can finish his sentence. I don't want him to think of me as this fragile little thing. I don't want what Samuel did to me to define who I am.
"Fuck, I've missed the way you taste." He growls into my mouth, pushing my legs further apart so that his hips meet my groin, his hands still cupping my cheeks. His tongue slides across my lips asking for entrance. I part them and his tongue lands on mine. He deepens the kiss, his minty taste spreads across my taste buds and I moan into his mouth. I want more of him. His rosewood scent swirls in the air and it's all so much at once.
His hips grind into me, "You drive me crazy, El."
The sound of this new nickname has me falling into him even more. I can't get enough of him. There is no space between us yet I need him closer.
"Ahem—"
I jump out of Kameron's embrace with a yelp. Kameron turns to look over his shoulder, then looks back at me, giving me a soft kiss on my lips before standing. With Kameron's tall and wide frame, I can't see who walked in, so I lean to the side landingon my elbow with a thump. Green eyes land on mine, void of expression.
