ZEKE by Kelly Gendron Page B

grin again up at him.
    “Roll over,” he sternly says, and I laugh but obey. He wraps his arm around me and pulls my body against his.
    “Ow,” I wiggle my ass, feeling his erection. “Impressive,” I tease.
    His arm tightens around me. “Go to sleep, Lurlene,” he growls into my ear.
    Rule number three, broken.
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

     
    My body hits the linoleum. My back recoils from the sharp splinters of pain and fear that spikes through me. I try to sit up, place my palms on the cool floor, and push my heels. My socks skid on the surface. I can’t get a grip on the slippery floor. Face beet red and scary as ever, the monster bends down over me. I scramble to get away. My heart beats hard in my naked chest. His large hand stretches out and grabs my shoulder.
    “Stay still,” he grunts, perspiration dripping from his forehead. I feel a bead of his violence drip onto my face.
    His fingers, like sharp claws, dig deeper into my flesh.
    “Fuck you,” I scream, knowing those are the worst two words in the world you can say to anyone. Slate got his mouth washed out with soap for saying them to Jax. I think Dad would be okay with me saying them to this monster, though. I wish Dad were here right now.
    But he’s not. I’m all alone here. It’s just me.
    Lightning, I need to be like lightning.
    “It’s going to hurt more if you fight me,” the monster says as he reaches for my boxers.
    “What are you doin’?” I try to push his hand away, struggling to break free.
    He’s strong, though. His fingers spear deeper into my shoulder. His big, hard body lands on me, and I feel something, something I don’t want to feel. I lift my hand, and with everything that I have, I strike him under the chin with the pad of my small hand. His body arches, and I lift my knee, making direct contact in the very place that I didn’t want to feel against me. I knee him again and again in the balls. His body retreats with a loud groan.
    His guard down, I grab his bent head and lay my body into my hands. I smash his face into the hard linoleum floor. I struggle to my feet. He rolls over onto his back. Ready to bolt, I lift my foot, but before I take my first step, he grabs my ankle ...
     
    I jolt awake. Sit up and punch my chest. The air fills my lungs. “I’m safe,” I say, remembering that I’m home. “I’m where I belong.” I take a deep breath. “It’s just a dream.” I open my eyes to my bedroom and take another shaky breath. “I have come back again to where I belong; not an enchanted place, but the walls are strong.”
    The sun streams through the crack in my long, dark curtains. It’s still daylight. I scrub a hand over my face. What a fucking morning. After Lurlene had dropped me off, Rayna showed up at the apartment. The chick had this brilliant idea to lock herself in the basement with Slate. She plans to help get him clean by holding him hostage for a few days down there. Surprisingly, Jax went along with it. Jax and I carried Slate’s flaccid body down to the basement and then boarded up the doors.
    After all that craziness, I decided to lay down for a bit and try to catch up on some zzz’s. It’s difficult to sleep next to a girl who you can’t get out of either of your heads. Last night, I didn’t sleep a wink. I wanted to remember every feeling of having Lurlene in my arms. The way she smelled, the soft tickle of her hair upon my face, her lush ass pressed against my cock. And the sounds, those cute little noises she made when she slept, were like a lullaby keeping me awake all night.
    Then there was the boner.
    Fuck, I reach down into my boxers and rub my blue balls. The woman is killing me. I shake my head. I can’t believe she thought that I didn’t want to fuck her. I guess that I kinda get it. It’s not as if I’ve used any of my moves on her. I’ve made no effort to try to get into her pants. If anything, I’ve struggled not to. She’s right. She scares me. I’m afraid of