by Emma Vikes
Fear suddenly hummed in my veins, knowing how deadly that could be if handled wrongly. I wanted to call out to him and ask him who it was for, but I didn’t even know who he was. He had thought I was one of the folks visiting the hospital and not someone who worked here, which got me off the hook with him.
I scurried and turned into another hallway, trying to keep sight of him as I hid behind the walls. He had stopped in the middle of the hallway and pulled out his phone and started talking to someone. He seemed almost frantic.
My heart beat rapidly as I made a bee-line to the corridor that would lead me to security when I spotted another stranger decked in a staff uniform.
I willed myself to calm down as I walked past him, acting like I was an innocent passerby but I overheard their conversation. “We have to find him. We have to do this quick, Jeff. Boss would be mad if we fail on this. We can do this subtly or tear this place apart and kill innocent lives. The blood of one hundred spilled because of one, if we can’t find his damn room.”
My heart hammered in my chest as I changed course, rushing back to Wes’ hallway. We needed to get out of here. I wasn’t sure who the target of these people was but there was someone in this hospital that they wanted to kill. I could tip off Paul as soon as I got Wes and myself out of here.
“Jasmine?”
Wes had changed into the clothes I brought him which was a good thing because we needed to get out of here as fast as we could.
“Wes, listen to me. We need to get out of here.”
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I pushed him lightly so he could sit down. His hand was still hooked on his IV. I stopped it before removing the needle on his hand, covering his mouth to stop him from yelping at the sudden action. “What was that for? Jasmine, what’s going on?”
I didn’t know how I could explain all of this to him. I was dizzy with fear for the both of us and for everyone in the hospital. The rush of protectiveness I felt for him was overwhelming.
“I’m not sure, Wes. I just… we need to get out of here. I bumped into a guy carrying a vial of potassium. He doesn’t work here. I overheard another one talking on his phone about finding their target here. If they don’t, they’ll kill other people. I can’t risk the two of us.”
Wes nodded grimly as we both moved out of the room, our hands clasped tightly together.
“Keep your head down.”
The last thing I needed were people I worked with spotting us. I knew it was selfish of me to rush out of there, only saving my ass and Wes’. But I could call Paul when we got to the car. There was just this sudden trigger inside of me that urged me to get Wes out of there. If those guys were looking for a target, the probability that it was Wes was very likely since he was a stranger in this hospital and in this town, just like those people were.
We managed to get out of the place undetected. Thank god that everyone seemed to be busy milling on their own business. No one seemed to notice the two of us scurrying to the back exit. It was only when we reached outside that I could finally breathe.
But then again, I was wrong.
Up ahead, just as we were a few feet from my car, someone spotted the two of us and recognition seemed to flicker in his eyes. He whipped his gun out, running in our direction.
I tugged at Wes, who still didn’t seem to understand how dire the situation was, and forced him to run to my car. The moment we were both inside, I backed out of the parking space as quickly as I could. The guy who had spotted us was still chasing after us. I gunned my car out of the parking lot, uncaring of the whistle of the security guard.
I had to get us out of here.
Something hit my car, shattering the back window. Wes’ eyes widened with fear as he turned his head around. I checked the rearview mirror and spotted the guy, kneeling on the ground, a gun in his hand. Neither of us heard it go off. He must’ve used a silencer. Abruptly, he stood up, as if realizing what he had just done or that we were getting away because he tore through the parking lot and climbed on a motorcycle.
It had been a long time since I’d prayed but I mouthed prayers under my breath as I tore through the highway, overtaking cars just so we could get away. Neither of us spoke as I drove, entering the freeway that wouldn’t lead us back to my house. I needed to take that precaution.
“He’s not following us anymore, Jasmine.”
Wes’ quiet voice broke me out of my trance and brought me back to the present. I stopped the car at the side of the road, putting it in park and I buried my face in my hands. I still needed to call Paul and inform him of what happened. If only I could calm down first.
Warm hands suddenly enveloped mine and forced me to turn to the side. Wes’ eyes bore into mine. The confusion was clear on his face but I knew it mirrored in mine too, alongside the fear of what just happened. “Jasmine, we’re safe now. You got us out of there safe.”
All I could do was give him a mere nod, my veins still tingling with the remnants of adrenaline and fear. I felt one of his hands let go of mine and it was suddenly cupping my face gently. His blue-green eyes were unreadable as he slowly leaned in, his lips pressing on mine. This probably wasn’t the best moment for a kiss, but when our lips touched, something exploded inside of me.
The fear that I felt earlier, the adrenaline that was rushing through my body, transformed and gave life to the fire that fueled my desire for him. My dream suddenly came to mind again, the way he had pressed his lips on my body, the heat of his skin, the selfish desire that blossomed from the pit of my stomach and seeped into the kiss.
We clung onto each other, the lust fueling the kiss even further until we didn’t have much of a choice. We pulled apart because of the lack of oxygen. My eyes widened, realizing what just happened between the two of us. “What was…”
Wes leaned away from me, his cheeks tinged red. “Seeing you driving like that turned me on.”
My eyes fell to his crotch and it was only then that I noticed he was straining against the denim. I gulped and turned away, wondering how our situation had veered in this direction.
“I have to call Paul.”
A low growl came out of Wes and I turned to look at him again. His eyes were still rimmed with dark desire and it filled the entire car. “What happened, Jasmine?”
I pushed back my hair and inhaled sharply. “Two guys were looking for a target. I didn’t know them. Norwynne is a small town, Wes. We know everyone here which is why your arrival caused quite a stir. If they were looking for someone, Wes, it was probably you.”
It was as if my words were made out of icy water because cold realization contorted Wes’ face as it all made sudden sense to him. My heart went out for him, for a man who had no idea what had happened to him or who he was. A man robbed of his childhood, his dreams, and the life he had led.
Gingerly, I placed a hand on his cheek and he leaned in to my touch. I had to ignore the spark of current that went through us. “They’re looking for you, Wes, and we will figure out why.”
Chapter 4
Wes
The fog made it harder for me to see and the flashlight I had in my hands was of no help either. I tried to look around, searching for a particular face, to figure out where I was. What surprised me was that my heart wasn’t hammering in my chest in fear. I was calm and collected as I aimed the flashlight to give me some semblance of light.
My foot hit something soft and wet. I aimed my flashlight at it and my eyes widened in shock. It was only then that I realized that it wasn’t an object but a dead human. Blank eyes stared back at me and I could imagine the fear that had flashed through them. He had drowned in his own blood, a dark red ocean beneath him. But it wasn’t the dead body that paralyzed me. He was a teen boy, and the innocence of youth had slowly seeped from wherever his wound was.
Footsteps snapped me back to attention and made me jerk around. There was someone in front of me, his face blanketed by the fog. “You came back.”
His words felt like a torrent of harsh
ice. My jaw clenched as I remained rooted to the spot. I wanted him to take a step forward so I could see the face hiding behind the fog. “What did you do?”
He snickered, the sound dark and unsettling. “I’m not the one that did that. Think clearly. Whose hands was it that pierced that boy’s chest?”
I took a step back, the disbelief looming from my chest and taking control of my body. “You’re lying. I’m not…I couldn’t have killed that boy.”
The rotting smell of flesh suddenly filled the room and as I backed away, my foot caught onto something and I fell. When I turned my head to the side, the blank face of the teen stared back at me in dark surprise. His face was contorted in pain, his mouth forming a word that had probably meant to beg his attacker to stop. I thought of the chilling words that the person above me said: that I was the one who pierced him.
As if suddenly alive with a dark vengeance, the dead boy’s eyes slowly turned black but the anger and pain radiated through them. “You killed me.”
I staggered to get up, backing away in fear. The dead boy’s action was slow and lethargic, like a zombie reanimating. “You…killed…me.”
“I didn’t…I’m not…I’m not a killer!”
“I’m not a killer!”
“No!”
“Wes!”
A bright light suddenly filled the room, the fog dissipating as I sprang into a seating position on the bed. Cold beads of sweat ran down my back and face as I panted and stared blankly at the open space before me. Jasmine rushed to my side, the concern obvious by her movements. She sat beside me on the bed.
After the incident at the hospital earlier, Jasmine had driven us straight to her house. We barely spoke to each other once we got there. We had dinner together, not speaking about what had happened, but it danced at the edge of our thoughts. Later, she led me to a spare bedroom where I could sleep.
“Wes. It was just a nightmare.” Her voice felt like honey to my ears, soothing and gentle. She placed a hand on my bare shoulder, the touch sending sparks to my stomach and to my groin.
I was still breathing hard, a hand on the side of my head. It wasn’t throbbing but I desperately wanted to erase the image of the blank dark eyes of the dead boy that kept flashing in my mind. I repeated the words that Jasmine had said to me. “It was just a nightmare.”
Except, it felt so real.
Her hand smoothly touched my collar bone, her thumb absentmindedly stroking the sensitive flesh. Her close proximity to me, the smell of her, eased my buzzing nerves. Slowly, Jasmine leaned in closer to me until her head rested on my shoulder, her hand dropping near mine. I fought the urge to interlace our hands together but we stayed in that position for a moment, letting the electricity spark and sizzle at the point where our skin met.
“I should let you go back to sleep,” Jasmine murmured, slowly standing up. The instant that her warmth left me, I grabbed her hand and tugged her, encouraging her to sit back on the bed with me. The touch of our hands brought me back to the kiss shared in her car.
“Stay,” I whispered to her, my breath on her back. I watched, transfixed, as she shivered in delight when my breath touched her skin and she turned her head to look at me. Her brown eyes were darkened with the same desire that I felt for her, the same desire I’d seen in the car earlier. “Make the nightmares go away.”
“Wes, I…”
Her words disappeared as I devoured her mouth with hot passion. I didn’t want to think about the nightmare I just had or the guys who probably wanted to kill me. This entire day had been a nightmare and the only silver lining had been the kiss I shared with her. I pulled away from her and rested my forehead against hers and whispered, “Make me forget, Jasmine.”
Hesitation flashed in her eyes. My hands touched her shoulder blades, memorizing every detail. My fingers brushed against her collar bone as one of her sleeves fell down the side, exposing her luscious skin. She shivered under my touch and slowly, I grazed my hand to her neck and then traced her jaw, my thumb briefly caressing her lips.
“I want you,” I murmured the three words, leaning closer to her and capturing her lips with mine, my arms pulling her closer to me. “I need you.”
Jasmine’s mouth met mine and we fell back onto the bed. She lay on top of me, kissing me with an urgency I didn’t know she felt. She pulled me closer to her as if she wanted our bodies to mold together, for us to become one. I left her mouth to kiss her neck and suck it, wanting to leave my mark on her so that the world would know that she was mine tonight. I removed her shirt and sucked in a breath when I saw that she wore nothing beneath it.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” I whispered. My mouth latched onto her breast, sucking and grazing the hardened nipple with my teeth while my hand massaged her other breast. Slowly, my free hand wandered down her body and cupped her heated pussy. She gasped when I inserted a finger inside of her.
God, she was so hot.
My lips kissed her fevered skin. I rolled her onto her back and kissed her body as I lowered myself until my head was level with her pussy. I spread her legs apart, sucking a breath as I stared at her glistening wetness. I felt a hand on my cheek and I looked up, meeting brown eyes that were dark with lust. “Do what you want to me, Wes. Do what you think would make you forget.”
What we were already doing made me forget the rest of the world. I licked the folds of her pussy, relishing the sweet taste of her. I listened to the soft moans coming from her mouth, her reaction to the pleasure I was giving her. I inserted another finger inside of her, and my mouth sucked on her clit, teeth grazing the sensitive bud. Jasmine was a mess above me, moaning and whispering my name over and over again, gripping my hair and tugging at me.
“Oh fuck, Wes, yes! Yeeess!”
When she came, I let her juice coat my entire mouth before I brought myself up and gently kissed her mouth. “You like how you taste, Jasmine?”
“Fuck me,” she whimpered beneath me, “fuck me hard and rough.”
Before I could ram my dick in her pussy, she patted my shoulder and I pulled away from her. She opened the side drawer near the bed and tossed me the condom. “Put that on and then fuck me senseless.”
I chuckled and quickly rolled the latex onto my hard dick. I climbed on top of her again and she placed both of her hands on my face. She kissed me roughly, biting my bottom lip and dragging it down as her head fell on the bed. “Fuck me now, Wes.”
She didn’t need to tell me again. I rammed my hard cock inside of her and her mouth formed an ‘o’ as I let her adjust to my size. Then I pummeled into her hard and her soft moans were gone. Now, she was screaming my name, the name I wanted her to call me, over and over, her nails digging into my back.
She came first; shivering beneath me as she did. I followed her soon after, grunting as I made my release into the rubber that sheathed me.
I fell on the bed beside her, removing the condom and tossing it aside on the floor. Jasmine leaned into me and I wrapped my arms around her. We were both sweaty and tired but a comforting bliss buzzed throughout us.
She placed a soft kiss on my chest. “Still want me to stay?”
I nodded and kissed the top of hers. “Maybe you’ll make the nightmares go away.”
Chapter 5
Jasmine
I stared blankly at the cup of coffee in front of me, watching as the steam rose from the hot cup. Wes was sleeping inside the spare room of my bungalow house.
This house used to be home to four people; one happy family until my father died and my mother followed, and then I lost my brother. I was the only occupant of this three-bedroom house; no one would mind that I brought Wes here with me. Nor would anyone mind the screaming that had reverberated throughout the house as he fucked me without holding anything back, filling me with his huge dick and screwing me the way no one ever had.
My pussy was still throbbing, the pleasure vibrating throughout my body and making me giddy. I felt light with satisfaction, but my heart was heavy with guilt. I’d
only meant to comfort him after hearing him shout restlessly since my room was right beside his. He sounded terrified by his nightmare, and there was a kind of grief that surrounded him that I didn’t understand.
His past might be a cruel reality. More so than his current predicament, whatever it was.
Still, whatever it was and whatever nightmare he was having, it didn’t mean that I should’ve spread my legs for him. I wasn’t sure where the thin line between sex and comfort blurred. But I knew that I had desperately wanted to have him inside me, almost since I had first met him. Last night, the desire had taken control over any rational thoughts I had had and didn’t even permit me from stopping myself.
I want you. I need you.
Those words felt like a sharp knife cutting through whatever defenses I had built. Every rational thought I had and every excuse I could’ve come up with were thrown out of the window when I crashed my lips on his and melted into him. If I was given a chance to redo last night, I would do the same thing, even if it meant that I was treading in dangerous waters.
Bright, white light suddenly filled my dark kitchen. It was my phone. Paul was calling. I chewed on my bottom lip. I had wanted to inform him about what happened in the hospital yesterday. About the men that I had encountered and the theory I had of why they were there and who they wanted to kill. But I couldn’t tell Paul all of those things. I had realized that yesterday.
Telling him meant including the local police in this. Wes didn’t have any memories of who he was or what he had done, or if and why he was the target of those men. Wes could have been partners with those men. Maybe he had done something that led him to being beaten up and shot by his own people. That could be why he was being hunted. On the other hand, he could easily be an innocent person who got caught up with them. Maybe he had been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
