Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 60768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
I cup his face and look straight into his eyes. “Come for me, good boy. Fill me up.”
He buries himself deep and comes with a broken groan, hips jerking as he spills inside me, pulse after pulse of heat. I hold him through it, kissing him softly while he shudders and moans.
When he finally collapses on top of me, I wrap my arms and legs around him, keeping him close. His weight feels perfect, grounding. We stay like that for a long time, breathing together, hearts slowing in sync.
Eventually he lifts his head and looks at me, eyes soft and wondering. “That was… fuck, Orchid. You’re incredible.”
I smile and brush a damp strand of hair off his forehead. “You were a very good boy.”
He laughs softly, the sound warm and real, and kisses me again, slow and sweet.
We fall asleep tangled together, his arm around my waist, my head on his chest. For the first time in years I feel something close to peace.
But even as I drift off, a small voice in the back of my mind whispers that tomorrow everything will change.
Because no matter how good this feels, the real world is still waiting outside that door.
And the secrets I’m keeping could destroy us both.
TWENTY-ONE
POE
The morning light filters through the blinds, soft and golden, and for the first few seconds after I wake up I feel lighter than I have in weeks. Happier than I should, considering everything. My body is still warm from last night, muscles loose in that satisfied, well-used way. The scent of Orchid is still on the sheets, on my skin, on my tongue. I reach out instinctively, expecting to find her curled against me, but the bed is empty.
Reality slams back in fast.
She’s gone. Of course she is. The enforcer doesn’t linger in the prisoner’s bed after she lets herself be vulnerable. I sit up, rubbing a hand over my face, and the weight of the situation crashes down again. Enley is still out there. Serafina is waiting for that hack. The team is closing in, but they’re not here yet. And Orchid… I have no idea where we stand after last night. I want to trust her. The way she took control, the way she looked at me when she called me her good boy, the way she fell apart in my arms, it felt real. But she’s still the woman keeping me here. Still the one with the power to hurt Enley if I step out of line.
I need to talk to Ozzy again. I need to know how close they are to finding my sister. And I need to figure out if I can trust Orchid with any of this, or if last night was just another layer of the game we’re both playing.
I pull on a pair of sweatpants and head downstairs. The house smells like fresh coffee. When I step into the kitchen, Orchid’s already there, leaning against the counter in leggings and a loose tank top, hair still messy from sleep. She looks beautiful in the morning light, but her expression is tight, guarded. The mask is back in place.
Outside, loud music and laughter drift through the open window. Another party. Tammy and Mark are at it again, voices carrying over the fence, kids screaming, grill already smoking. Orchid’s jaw clenches as she stares out the window.
“They cannot be serious,” she mutters. “It’s barely nine in the morning and they’re already throwing another cookout.”
I pour myself a cup of coffee, trying to keep my tone light. “Looks like the neighborhood never sleeps.”
She turns to me, eyes sharp. “We are not going. You need to work on the hack today. Serafina is expecting progress.”
I nod, taking a sip. “Yeah. I know. I’ll get on it after this.”
The coffee is strong and bitter, exactly what I need to clear my head. We stand in silence for a moment, the noise from next door growing louder. Then there’s a loud knock at the front door.
Orchid sighs like the weight of the world is on her shoulders and goes to answer it. I stay in the kitchen, listening.
Tammy’s bright voice rings out immediately. “Good morning, lovebirds! We saw your car in the driveway and figured you were up. We’re doing a big cookout today. Burgers, brats, corn on the cob, the works. You two have to come over. No excuses this time!”
Orchid’s reply is polite but firm. “Thank you, but we have a lot of work to do today. Maybe next time.”
There’s a pause, then the sound of footsteps. Tammy has clearly barged right in. “Oh, come on, Orchid! You can’t hide in here all weekend. Life’s too short. Mark’s already firing up the grill and the kids are asking about you two. You’re the cool new couple on the block. We’re not taking no for an answer.”