Page 100 of Anywhere

I looked over at Rhys. He still looked like the arrogant ass, but I could feel his confusion now, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t want my own fucking feelings, let alone his.

“Rook, ya were wantin’ fir me ta be honest wit what’s going on. I’ma no’ gonna lie.” He put his hands on his hips, and I knew that even though I couldn’t see them, he had an endless number of weapons strapped to his body. I fucking loved it. The possessive asshole in me was going to make him understand who exactly he belonged to now.

“Last night, when ya and Elewyen were fuckin’—which may have just screwed up our triad, by da way, since she was supposed ta remain a virgin until ceremony for da full power ta take effect.” Rhys rubbed his face. “Shite, what if da spirits force us ta choose anotha? Just anotha issue.”

“Relax. We didn’t have sex,” I said, interrupting him before he could get spinning his tires.

“What?”

“You heard me. We didn’t have sex. We did a lot of other stuff, but no sex. Even if I was stupid enough to do that, Elewyen wasn’t ready for that step. I was fucking tempted to just take it, trust me. Point is, she is still a pure virgin.” I cracked my neck. “By the way, I don’t like me as the nice guy, Rhys, and I’m really fucking sick of you making me be this better person. Being the fucking number one sucks and I really hate that you’re acting like I normally would. I’m the one that is all over the place and can’t make a decision and I miss it.” I looked over at the confusion on his face. “I know that sounded stupid.”

I let out a yell of frustration.

“Point is I’m not the better person. Do you understand that? I’m the asshole. I’ve always been the asshole, and I take what I want, do what I want, change my mind a million times, but I do what the fuck I want. And I don’t normally compromise over shit. And that now includes you. Think of that what you will, but I’ve allowed you to be wishy-washy since I claimed you as mine, ‘cause I felt I owed you that for all the crap I did before coming here, but I’m not sharing any part of you with anyone but our third. Not your mind, your heart, or even your conflicted soul.” I stood up straight and rolled my shoulders. “Call me greedy, but I want it all.”

“Aye, I know,” he said and rolled out his shoulders.

I ground my teeth together as other ideas began to claw their way to the front of my mind.

“But do you really?”

“Look, da point was dat, regardless of if ya had sex or no, when ya were doin’ whatever, I could feel ya like ya were part of me. I ended up passin’ out on da bathroom floor, and the entire time that I was enjoyin’ myself wit more pleasure than I’ve ever had in me life, all I could tink was dat I’ma fuckin’ prick for not bein’ able to close da door fully on my past. I worry constantly about dose I’ma gonna leave behind.” He rubbed his face. “Mari, I mean Mari, dare be no point in me pretended it be a bunch of people.”

“So, what are you saying? Do you want to find a way to stop the building connection and go back to craving one another like wild animals for the rest of our lives? Because I felt you too,” I said and remembered distinctly what it was like when the link happened and how I could still feel him now. “I could feel your skin on mine, the smell of your soap in my nose, your hands on my body, your hard cock in my hand.”

I marched towards him, and he straightened his spine. His glare matched as my own. We stood with our chests almost touching. Our bodies were equal in size, and it didn’t matter if I’d orgasmed a thousand times last night, I wanted him now. I wanted him in any position I could get him in and command him to hand himself fully over to me.

Thoughts I never thought I’d ever have. I never wanted the stupid triad or the responsibility that went along with it, but the second I met Rhys, the shift in my chest happened, and I would be fucking damned if he was getting away easily now.

“Naw, I’ma no sayin’ I want dis to end. I’m sayin’, I need ya ta hurt me. I need ya ta take control, and I need ta taste ya for real. I crave da pain, Rook. I need it as I need ya, and I know ya can give it ta me.” His eyes ventured down between our bodies to where I was hard, and he licked his lips. “I’ma sayin’ dat I need us to complete da first ritual ceremony, I need ya ta be da number one who will make me follow ya ta da ends of da earth and back again. I need ta feel dat dis is where I’m meant ta be.”

I wrapped my hands around his neck and linked my fingers together, pulling Rhys until our noses touched.

“Do you know what you’re really asking of me? Because I like to give a lot of pain. I like to hear someone scream, knowing it’s my hand that’s causing it,” I growled out.

The darker part of me was peeking out, taking control. It was the part of myself that I could never wholly embrace with anyone, for fear of scaring them or hurting them too much. But I craved it. I craved it like I would crave water in a desert or air to breathe.

“Aye, I know what I be askin’ of ya. I know dat ya like it, and I fuckin’ love it.”

I shuddered.

“Maybe we be findin’ out why we were paired,” Rhys said.

I couldn’t agree more with that statement. No one had been able to take my brand of sex, and I always had to hold part of myself back. The binding spell flared between us and I couldn’t help wondering if he might be the one who could finally take all of me.

“Do you consent to no consent? Do you consent to no safe words and no limits? You will become my toy in the bedroom to use as I want. I need you to be clear. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Me only limits are no permanent maimin’ me or killin’ me,” Rhys said.

His hand found my waist, and the connection went crazy between us. Just like last night, I was able to feel his body as part of my own. The pleasure was doubled, and the intensity ramped up to a whole new level with him in the room.

“Very well then. You’re mine. I don’t give a fuck what confusion or uncertainty you have left.”

He made to look away, and I gripped his chin hard in my hand, my finger pressing into his skin until he looked me in the eye again.

“Understand this, Rhys. You were always mine. We just didn’t know it until the ritual. Now that we do, I’m not letting you go. Not now, not ever. I don’t even give a fuck if that’s what you decide you want. You will have to kill me to be free.”

I wrapped my hand around his throat, and he sucked in a gasp that ended with a moan as I squeezed.