by Coralee June
I left Huxley sleeping on Maverick’s bed. He seemed so content and relaxed, I didn't have the heart to move him, but I also couldn't lie still much longer. I needed to keep moving to keep my muscles warm. Maverick said I'd experience stiffness, but I didn't expect it to be so debilitating.
Sometime during my nap, Kemper set out a long, tan dress in a light material on the edge of the bed. It exposed my shoulders and dipped low between my cleavage. The dress was gorgeous, but it was the lingerie that made me pause. Black lace that wrapped around my body delicately. It fit perfectly, curving around my breasts, lifting them up while fitting loosely around my back. Kemper obviously put some thought into selecting it, and I pictured him picking up the small material while imagining me in it.
I showered and spent thirty minutes working the tangles out of my hair before slipping the outfit on. The dress was surprisingly comfortable, but also sexy. I liked how Kemper found a way to meet my needs while adding his own spin on it. Kemper was rebellious in the best ways, and I couldn't wait to tease him in this dress.
Feeling refreshed and renewed by the beautiful dress and shower, I made my way downstairs. Jacob was sitting on the bottom step, hunched over and observing a groove in the tile by his feet. He seemed lost in his thoughts, oblivious to the world.
"Hey," I called out softly.
Jacob turned around and looked at me with a forced, but flirty, smile. It wasn't until he really took the moment to see me, that I noticed the heat in his gaze. When we first met, I thought Jacob was confident—in an endearing way. He knew that he commanded my attention—and the attention of every other female in Dormas. With his full lips and sexy smile, it was impossible not to be pulled towards him.
But this journey had taught me that Jacob was actually incredibly insecure. He secluded himself when he felt like his place in his family was threatened, and I didn't want to be another person he felt like he needed to hide from.
"Where have you been hiding?"
"If I'd known you were wearing that, I wouldn't have spent the day at the beach," he joked while standing and walking up two steps to be eye level with me. He grabbed my hand and kissed my lips. I frowned a bit. He was at the beach all day? Did he not want to be around me?
"Can we talk?" I asked as he kissed my neck. Slowly, he pulled away, and I tried not to feel doubt. This wouldn't work if I allowed insecurities to take over. I needed to borrow Jacob's confidence and own my power with them.
"Sure, but I want to show you something first." He entwined his fingers with mine and started walking downstairs, pulling me towards the door where Cyler was standing with his arms crossed. His dark eyes and hardened expression made me nervous.
"You sure about this?" Cyler asked. He was in fierce Dormas leader mode, and I wondered what was going on.
"Positive. Dominique ensured that it would be safe. Cavil put word out that no one is to bother us until he returns. I also made sure to find a secluded path. "
"Do you have a comm-watch?"
"Yes."
"Did you pack her food? She didn't eat earlier," Cyler said. It felt like an interrogation, and I was left to watch their words zoom back and forth between each other.
"Taken care of," Kemper interrupted. He waltzed over while biting his lip, and I took a brief moment to enjoy his reaction to me. Kemper might be sweet, but there was nothing shy about the way his eyes roamed my shoulders and hips. It was empowering to see his attraction to me slip through the cracks of his expression. I winked, and his eyebrows shot up in shock for a brief moment, which made me blush. I knew that he was picturing me in the lacy lingerie he picked out, and in that moment, I wanted to show him what it looked like live and in person.
Kemper handed a basket to Jacob but kept his eyes on me. He leaned forward. "God, you look delicious," he whispered in my ear before pulling something from his pocket and slipping his hands around my neck. "Hold her hair up, will you?" he asked Cyler who graciously lifted my thick curls from my neck while Kemper fastened a chain around me.
I looked down and saw an iridescent shell shimmering and dangling on a dainty silver chain.
"It’s an abalone shiva shell, they're common here," he explained sheepishly while trailing his fingers down the chain before picking up the pendant. He rested his hand on my chest. "It looks beautiful on you," he whispered before dropping it and pulling away.
"One hour," Cyler interrupted. "I want you back in one hour, Jacob. No excuses. If anyone so much as breathes in her direction, you come back to the lab."
"Relax—"
"Don't tell me to relax when just days ago she was being tortured. I'm letting you do this because I agree that she needs it, but that doesn't mean I won't be worrying until you return."
I looked to Jacob who wore an easygoing mask. It was strange seeing him so nonchalant when just days ago he was willing to burn down Ethros to save me. "See you later, Cyler. I'll keep her safe." He guided me outside, and as we walked past Cy, he brushed his hand over my arm, causing me to shiver at his touch.
"Where are we going?" I asked as we exited the security clearance where one of the Ethros guards slept. Outside, the sky was pitch black, the street only illuminated by the moon and dim streetlights.
"I'm taking you on a date, Ash," Jacob said while letting go of my fingers and holding out his arm for me to take. I couldn't help it—I giggled.
"A date?" I asked while wrapping around him. The wind picked up, blowing salty air around us.
"Yeah, you know. Those things couples go on. Usually to someplace romantic. Also involves awkward conversation and food you both are too nervous to eat," Jacob said with a laugh as we walked. It was late, and only a few soldiers patrolled the streets. I braced myself for their cruel stares, but none seemed to notice me. It was almost as if, when Cavil left, he took the extreme views of Ethros with him.
"Why?" I asked.
"We kind of skipped this part. We haven't had time to date or ease into this. I..." Jacob trailed off while scratching the back of his neck with his free hand. "I felt bad about how our first kiss played out. I wanted to impress you. Take you someplace special and treat you like a princess, then kiss you goodnight like a goddamn gentleman. I was feeling desperate. After not seeing you for a couple days, then thinking the worst, I just couldn't hold back."
I smiled to myself. Neither could Maverick.
"Jacob, I don't regret anything that happened in the lab. I'm excited for our date, but more so, I'm just happy to be out of the unknown. It feels good to know the feelings are mutual."
“Of course they’re mutual!” Jacob exclaimed. “I just wanted to remind you that I’m not always the overprotective asshole you saw when we first got here. I’m the handsome, flirty one in the group. If we have any hope of wooing you, it’s coming from me,” he said with a chuckle, and I giggled in response.
We continued to walk until the road dipped and it was sand beneath our shoes instead of brick. I removed the black sandals Kemper got me and walked towards the shore line. It was dark, but the moon reflected in the water, and the sounds of the waves relaxed me.
"I was thinking today that you've probably never seen the ocean before this. Figured it would be a shame to be on an island and not enjoy the beach," Jacob explained while sitting down in the sand and pulling me on his lap.
"Thank you, Jacob."
We sat there for a moment just enjoying each other's company. The sound of the ocean relaxed us while we ate the dinner Kemper prepared. Despite Jacob's description of dates, there was no awkwardness. Kemper packed a small lantern, and we watched each other, the soft light dancing across our pleased expressions. The silence between us wasn't full of tension. We were completely comfortable.
Once done eating, Jacob cleaned up our food and stood. In one swift movement, he pulled his shirt over his shoulders and unbuttoned his pants. My mouth gaped open as he shoved them over his long legs until they were in a pile at his feet. I swallowed. Jacob looked completely confident in the soft light of the lantern. I trac
ed each dip and groove of his muscles with my gaze. He brushed his hand over his abs, and I couldn't help but lick my lips and wish he would lose his underwear, too.
"Want to go for a swim?" he asked in a husky voice, the playful tone of before now completely gone. I looked down at my tan dress and smiled mischievously.
"Did you bring me out here just to see me naked, Jacob?"
"Maybe? But don’t take off everything . I don't want to risk anyone else seeing that perfect body of yours. "
I stood and slipped the thin straps from my shoulders, the soft tan material fell to the ground.
"Remind me to thank Kemper," Jacob whispered while eyeing the black lacy material covering my breasts. He walked closer and circled around me, drinking in every inch of my appearance. Once behind me, he ran his fingers down my arms and placed his hand on my stomach. His wide-spread fingers covered my exposed skin, teasing me.
"I thought you were going to take me home and kiss me goodnight like a 'goddamn gentleman'," I teased while trying to hide the smoky sound in my voice. Jacob leaned closer, and his lips hovered over the sensitive skin on my neck.
"I have every intention of being a gentleman. But you see, Ash, I'm attracted to you in ways I can't even explain," Jacob groaned while circling me until we faced one another. "Under normal circumstances, I'm a patient man. But I don't think I can wait until we say goodnight to kiss you."
Jacob took his hand and placed it under my chin then angled my face so that I was looking up at him. With his other hand, he pulled me closer and sweetly kissed my lips.
He broke away with a smile, then said, "However, even more than that, I want to see your face when your feet touch this cold-as-hell water for the first time," he joked. "Race you to the shore line!" he yelled before dropping his hands from my side and sprinting for the water.
I stood there for a moment smiling like a fool before running after him. My feet sunk into the sand and my muscles still ached, but the sound of his laughter and the crashing waves spurred me further.
"You got a head start!" I accused while struggling through the sand. I enjoyed feeling playful and free.
"I had to run ahead of you! If I ran behind you, I'd be stuck staring at that gorgeous ass of yours, then neither of us would get to swim in the ocean."
I laughed and crept further just as my wrist, where my fetter was clasped, buzzed. I ignored it, letting my feet touch the chilly water. The wet sand beneath my feet felt so soft and soothing. I dug my toes in the sand with a sigh. Suddenly, my fetter began burning hotter. It crackled with energy as I yelped in pain.
"Ash, are you okay?" I heard Jacob yell.
I took another step and the burning intensified. Each time I ventured farther, it sent red hot, fiery pain shooting up my arm. This wasn't like the electricity I endured earlier. This was a warning of something much more painful. A warning that I was drifting too far. I saw a large rock sticking out of the water and wondered if I could go to it.
One more step.
I'm not sure why I did it. I guess in some ways, I wanted to know what the boundaries were. Knowing how far I could go, made it more real somehow. So, ever so slowly, I inched further as the pain grew to an inferno. It shot heat up and down my arms, attacking my nerves, forcing me to yelp and hiss. I looked up, the rock was only two more steps away, I could make it. I knew I could. I could break the barrier the fetter had on me. I could free myself.
Before I could test my theory, two arms wrapped around my middle and dragged me back to shore. The intense hurt dissolved as we moved out of the water, and completely disappeared once back at the spot where we ate.
"What happened?" Jacob gasped while roaming his hands all over my body. I sat in the sand feeling hollow and empty.
"See that rock?" I asked while pointing. It was still too dark, but I knew where it was. It wasn’t particularly special or memorable, but it would haunt me.
"I don't see it, did you cut yourself? Step on something?" Jacob asked. He explored my feet, searching for injuries, when I responded.
"That’s the boundary," I said in an icy cool tone that lacked the warm flirtatiousness we shared earlier. "That’s as far as the fetter will let me go." Jacob went rigid as I explained the source of my pain. Every muscle flexed .
After a long pause, he released my foot then crawled on top of me. Using his arms and legs to trap me beneath him, he shifted so that he hovered over me, and I lay down in the sand, not caring that its gritty, salty specks were getting in my curls. He took my hand, which was clutching the necklace Kemper got me, and pushed it to his chest.
"You feel that, Ash?" he asked softly. His heart pounded beneath my touch.
"Yes."
"That’s your boundary," he said. I thought back to the rock, veiled in the darkness of the night. It stuck out of the ocean, marking how stuck I was. I felt his heart beating again and closed my eyes. "Do you hear me? Say it, Ash," he urged.
"Home is wherever you are," I whispered, remembering the inscription on the bracelet they got me for my birthday. I was in such a hurry to leave, that I left it behind, and now I wished I had it to cover up the ugliness of the fetter.
“That’s right, Ash, I’m your boundary. Not some fucking rock. You’re tied to me, okay?”
“I’m tied to you,” I replied. I understood and appreciated the sentiment, but realizing how tethered we all were made the reality of that rock feel like it wasn’t out in the ocean, it was sitting on my chest, suffocating me.
We both walked back in a daze. I hated that our date felt ruined by my fetter. I wanted to shake off the fear and disappointment I felt, but the invisible boundary around Ethros seemed smaller now. The entire province felt like my basement bedroom at the Stonewell’s.
At the door, before we walked inside, Jacob gently kissed my lips. We both smiled when our lips touched, making our teeth clash a bit before pulling away with mutual chuckles. "You're quite the gentleman, Jacob."
"I try," he replied with a laugh before opening the door for me. The moment Maverick saw us, he pushed Cyler's tense frame aside and ran towards me. "Are you okay?" he asked .
"Yeah, why?" I asked while looking around the room.
"We felt your fetter. What the fuck happened?" Jules asked. She was leaning against a lab table with her arms crossed over her chest. Her cheeks were red, as if she'd been running, and her usually sleek hair was unraveling from the tight bun on top her head.
"Oh," I mumbled before touching my fingers to my lips. "I was swimming. The fetter wouldn't let me go in the ocean. I wanted to see how far the boundary was," I explained with a frown. "You felt that?" I asked in shock. I knew we were tethered together now, thanks to Maverick’s stupid plan, but it slipped my mind in the moment.
"Yeah, and it fucking hurt," Jules complained while rubbing the skin around her fetter.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't think."
"No. You didn't. In case you didn't know, we're all connected now. So you can't do stupid shit like testing boundaries and pissing off Ethros soldiers," Jules yelled.
I looked back to Maverick who was frowning. I knew it was foolish, but now I felt selfish.
"I didn't mean to hurt you," I whispered. I felt a warm palm cup my hand, and Jacob swarmed to my side.
"Okay, thank you, Jules," he said sarcastically while rolling his eyes. "Ash has had a hard couple of days. I think she should rest," he added before pulling me away from Maverick and up the stairs.
"No more leaving the lab," Maverick called behind us, making me pause. I slowly looked over my shoulder while Jacob tried pulling me further.
"No more leaving Ethros, you mean," I said softly before following Jacob upstairs.
Chapter Fifteen
The next day, Patrick woke me up with breakfast in bed and forced me to get dressed and sit downstairs with him. Huxley and Cyler were visiting Josiah at the Ethros prison. Even though I wanted to go with them, they said that it would be better if I stayed behind until they knew which soldiers were keeping gu
ard. We all wanted to avoid another situation like what happened last time, and I didn’t doubt that if Blan or Webb threatened me, Huxley would end them.
Jules disappeared at early sunrise and hadn’t returned since. I briefly worried if she was okay but knew that she was more headstrong than Maverick and Cyler combined. Worrying or chasing after her would just push her further away. We might have developed a camaraderie of sorts, but that didn’t mean I had a right to tell her what to do.
"Favorite color?" Patrick asked. We were sitting on the leather couches while playing a game where we each took turns asking each other questions. So far, I'd learned that Patrick's first kiss was a girl that was now married to a man in Saberus, his favorite dessert was apple pie, and he once wanted to be a farmer before being assigned a job at the mines.
"Blue," I replied with a yawn while settling back into the couch. I looked over at Maverick who was once again hunched over and wholly absorbed in his work. The bickering between him and Allaire had stopped. It seemed the carefree lab assistant had retreated in on himself. They worked in quiet politeness, but there was a distance between them. Kemper sat nearby looking over a fetter, only speaking to let out a curse when it zapped him.
"Do you want kids one day?" I asked lazily, but Patrick's bright eyes made me regret the forward question. For the most part, we had kept the questions generalized to avoid deep conversation. We were all exhausted from the intensity of our time in Ethros, and mindless fun was just what we needed. But of course, I dived right in and opened up the potential for feelings again.
"Why? Are you already planning our future together?" he asked with a smirk while massaging my thigh. He kept his eyes on the others as his hand drifted higher. He pressed into my sore muscles with his thumb, and I suppressed a moan as his hand disappeared under the slit in my dress. His eyes flickered to Kemper, who still was absorbed in his work, and a small sound escaped the barriers of my lips.
"I actually don't want kids," he finally replied before pulling his hand away and peering at me mischievously.
