Page 73 of Hunt Me

“Archie,” I beg aloud, unsure how clear my words are or how loud. But I don’t care. “Please, I need you. Fuck, make me yours.”

He rumbles something against my neck as I reach my arm around and slide my fingers through his hair, turning my head slightly so he can kiss me as he starts to jerk me fast and hard. And he doesn’t hold back. He fucks my mouth with his tongue in time with the way his fist shuttles up and down my cock, and when I feel the sparks of orgasm flaring to life, it’s on a loud moan.

My body shakes so hard my teeth rattle, and the world tilts as I spill onto the dirt, christening the earth here with something that feels a little bit like making love. Different, yes. Feral, and needy, and wild. And very much us.

When I finally come down from the high, Archie pulls his lips away from mine, and my eyelids flutter open, my gaze meeting his. His pupils are blown out, his eyes dark and needy.

I want to give him everything he wants. Without reservation and no hesitation. I am his, and I need him to know that. Pulling up my pants, I turn to face him, touching his cheek gently. He leans into it like a cat, and I stroke his jaw.

‘Want back home?’ I ask, and he nods. I’m not surprised. I know he feels safest in his basement room.

He stares down at his messy hand with the smallest wrinkle in his nose, so I bring it up to my shirt, wiping it off. I know he doesn’t like the feel of drying cum on his skin.

‘Bring me home,’ I sign when his hand is clean.

He gives me a look that I know now is gratitude, and he kisses the shit out of me, making my toes curl. ‘You want stay longer?’ he signs between us.

I shake my head. ‘No. Want you and bed now.’

He sighs, all the tension in his body gone, and he turns to lead the way back, keeping close to me. My legs are slightly unsteady from the orgasm and the adrenaline that surged through my system as he chased me down, but on his arm, I don’t lose my footing.

The euphoria of everything has settled by the time we get into the house, and I’m a little less unnerved when we find Milo home, sitting at the kitchen table with his laptop, surrounded by small sample packs of dried cat food. My eyes catch on his laptop screen, and I see a page open to a familiar man’s social media photo album.

He quickly closes the laptop before I can get a good look and stares at me.

‘What are you working on?’ I manage to ask, feeling my cheeks heat for snooping.

He stares at me and says nothing as he pries open a large plastic bag and places some zip ties inside. Then he reaches for the duct tape and a slip of fabric.

I glance over at Archie, who is drying his hands off, and then back to Milo, who is still watching me.

‘Steal,’ he signs, and I open my mouth to ask what he means, but Archie is pulling me toward his room.

‘What was that?’ I ask when our backs are turned and he can’t see me.

‘Don’t worry about it. Milo is weird. Just ignore.’

That makes me laugh as our feet carry us into the basement. I mean, yeah, but Percy and Archie aren’t the epitome of normal either. They’re enigmas. I don’t understand them at all, and I’m pretty sure Milo was putting together some kind of kidnapper kit. I should probably be worried, but I can’t bring myself to care.

A light flickers on, snapping me out of my thoughts, and Archie points to the bed.

‘Lay down. Rest.’

‘I don’t want to rest. All I’ve done is rest.’

He gives me a look. ‘I don’t care. You need to heal. Bed. Now.’

The way he says it has my heart thundering in my chest, and after a short forever of debating whether or not I want to be defiant, I shuffle to the bed and climb under the still-messy covers I left a few hours ago.

He stares at me as I get comfortable against his pillows, his head cocked to the side, and he wets his lips like he’s making another decision. ‘Clothes off,’ he finally signs.

I bite my bottom lip and do as he says, letting him help me pull my pants off.

My heart gives another hard thud, and I wriggle out of the linen pajama pants I took out of his drawer and the threadbare T-shirt with no tags. When I’m completely naked except for my panties, he nods.

‘I need to shower, then I will join you. Rest,’ he tells me again, and I feel my eyes closing. I needed the chase, but it did me in, and while all I want is to stay awake and bring him pleasure, I don’t think I can.

But Archie seems to get that. Instead of walking to the bathroom, he crosses the space between us, pushes hair back from my forehead, then lays a kiss to the corner of my mouth. I feel breath on my cheeks like maybe he’s spoken. Or maybe it’s just a sigh.