Page 77 of The Code of You

We fell silent again, but the air between us was dense. The way everything feels before a storm. I noticed it in the tension in my shoulders, in the way Neo ignored everything that wasn’t me.

The road stretched endlessly. At the horizon: nothing. No city, no sign of civilization. Eventually, the car turned onto a gravel track, barely a road. The tires crunched. Where were we going? Somewhere no one would look. Somewhere no one could find us.

Then a house appeared out of the darkness. Two windows, a crooked chimney, the facade crumbling, the whole thing crouching low as if trying not to be seen. The car stopped and Neo got out. I followed. The car drove away immediately, tires crunching on gravel, engine fading until it was gone.

The wind was sharper out here. Around us was nothing but abandoned fields and dark scrub. I was alone with Neo. The realization was like a cold hand reaching for my neck. He could do anything to me here. No one would hear me scream. My throat tightened. My body felt electrified. I had to run. Now.

I sprinted straight into the darkness, stumbling over stones and roots. My breath came fast.

"Run, little menace.” Neo’s voice carried across the emptiness.

I gasped. My pulse roared in my ears. I snapped my head toward him.

He was still standing in the same spot, watching me run. The sight sent a chill across every inch of my skin. I faced forward again and ran as if my life depended on it. It might have.

Then the air left my body. Pressure on my ribs. I was yanked back mid-stride and collided with a body. I turned and looked into amber eyes, glowing. God. How had he reached me so fast?

Before I could speak, Neo grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder. I protested, pounded his back with my fists, kicked him. He didn’t even flinch.

"Neo! Put me down,” I screamed.

He walked toward the house without breaking stride. At the door he bent, reached for something, straightened again, effortlessly, as if I weighed nothing. A moment later, I heard the key in the lock.

Inside, it was cool. Neo set me down and stared at me. "If you try to run again, I will bring you back.” He leaned forward, his breath at my ear. "And then I’ll punish you for your disobedience. You won’t be able to walk for weeks.”

I knew he meant it. He would find me anywhere. I couldn’t escape him. And still the threat sent heat shooting between my legs. He tilted his head, as if catching a scent. My heart skipped. He knew. He knew exactly what effect he was having on me.

I looked around the room. A table. Two chairs. A mattress in the corner. A small stove coated in dust.

Neo didn’t move. The hair on my arms stood up. Was that his presence? His energy filling the room? He looked at me as if he already owned me. As if it was only a matter of time before everything about me was his.

"Stop staring at me like that,” I said quietly.

He didn’t blink. "No.”

"Neo . . .”

"You’re the only constant in my system.” He stepped closer. "Every second I’m not looking at you is wasted processing power.”

I backed up until I hit the wall.

"This is my reality.” He placed one hand against the wall beside my head. "I observe you. Learn everything about you. And when I have finally understood what holds you together”—his other hand traced my throat, feeling my racing pulse—"I will take you apart, piece by piece, until you consist of nothing but me.” He bent toward me, his lips brushing mine. "Shall I give you a taste?”

I didn’t answer, but my trembling body did.

A satisfied smile spread across his face. Before I could protest, he pressed his mouth to mine. He kissed me with the impatience of a hunter who has cornered his prey.

My body responded as if programmed. My nipples hardened, pressing painfully against my bra. Heat gathered in my stomach, pulsing with my racing heartbeat. I moaned against his mouth. My hands, which should have pushed him away, clawed at his shirt and pulled him closer. My treacherous body melted into his, seeking the burning heat of his skin. My knees buckled. Only his hands, pressing me against the wall, held me upright.

I could taste the electrical pulse of him on my tongue. It should have repelled me. Instead, it only made me want more. My hips pressed against him, searching for friction, for pressure.

When he pulled back, I was gasping. My lips throbbed. I was wet, ready for something I feared and craved in equal measure. He gripped my hips and lifted me. Through my underwear I could feel his hardened cock. He carried me to the table and set me down. I burned with anticipation. What would he do to me this time? The glow in his eyes promised nothing good. He tore at my underwear and pulled them down my legs. I gasped as his fingers found me.

"So wet for me,” he murmured.

He pushed my legs apart. I expected him to open his trousers, to push inside me, but he lowered himself until his face disappeared between my thighs. I only understood what he intended when his hot breath hit my pussy.

"No.” My hands shot down, trying to push his shoulders away. "Neo, not that. Please.”