His to Own (His to Own #1)

by Autumn Winchester

  Once I was sitting on the bed, my legs out in front of me and shoes off, she made use of my lap as a pillow.

  “Making sure I won’t leave?” I joked, but not upset at all. I didn’t want to go anywhere else.

  “I can move,” she answered with a yawn.

  “Stay,” I shushed, laying my hand over the top of her head to keep her in place. “I don’t mind.”

  “Good,” she said, a smile in her voice.

  “Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake,” I said, running my hand through her hair, loving that she was comfortable enough with me. She melted into my lap more, if it was possible, as she fell asleep.

  Chapter 20

  Avidya

  I found myself laying atop Zachariah’s chest, his heart beating against my ear as he breathed in and out. I think he was asleep, but it was hard to tell with my eyes still closed, basking in the moment. He stayed, even though I expected him to slip away after I fell asleep.

  One hand was tangled in my hair at the nape of my neck, almost like he was holding me to him so I didn’t run away. I wouldn’t have noticed, as whatever he had given me clearly knocked me out for the count. He could have taken advantage of me, and I wouldn’t have known any wiser.

  I knew I should be running, but I didn’t want to. Zachariah made me feel things that I have never felt before. He made me question myself, too.

  I knew he was not one of the nice guys; he could be deadly if needed to be. He treated me better than anyone else ever had so far. I wasn’t sure why, but I wasn’t going to question it. For now, I’d just enjoy the kindness he showed.

  I must have dozed back off, as I jumped awake as his cell phone began to ring through the room. I was laying almost all the way on him, my legs tangled between his. I could feel his cock hard against my knee, but he made no move to do anything about it either way.

  “Sorry,” he muttered to me before answering his phone. His hand went back to my hair, nearly luring me back to sleep as he listened to whoever had called. I had expected him to leave to take the phone call somewhere more private.

  “Yes. . . . No, of course not! . . Maybe . . . Don’t, please. I can handle it . . . . fine,” the last word was spoken on a sigh like he had given in. “Give me half an hour.” Then he hung up, letting his hand flop down on the bed beside him.

  “Do I need to move?” I asked out, my voice husky from sleep.

  “I don’t want you to,” was his answer. “I quite enjoy you here, using me a pillow.”

  “I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not,” I said, smirking. I lifted my face to see his better.

  “I may just have you sleep with me every night. Screw waiting,” he said, wrapping both arms around me, being mindful that I was still sore.

  I was okay unless I moved. Right now, I didn’t want to move from his hold. He made me feel safe. Protected from the world.

  “My sister-in-law is coming by in a few,” Zachariah sighed out. “She never takes ‘no’ for an answer.”

  “Okay,” I said, but still didn’t move. I was afraid to move, knowing that pain would follow. I could feel my own heart beat in all my bruises.

  “I forgot to warn you,” he grimaced. “The pain med I gave you can cause nausea.”

  “Now you tell me,” I joked, rolling my eyes at him. I felt perfectly fine, other than the slight pain. “I’ll be okay.” I then pressed a light kiss to the underside of his chin, feeling the hair against my lips.

  “There’s a trash can on the side of the bed. It won’t hit till you sit or stand up,” he said in a way of apology. “I don’t know what your mom gave you, and I didn’t want to make you overdose,” he trailed off.

  “You worry too much,” I yawned.

  “I have had experience with that med,” he said. “But yes, I’ll always worry about you.”

  Kissing his chest, I pushed my way from him and rolling over so I could swing my legs over the side. If he was to have company, I should at least brush my hair.

  Once I was sitting, I only felt slightly dizzy, and nothing at all that I couldn’t handle. I could feel Zachariah’s eyes on me. I was going to prove him wrong.

  Well, I had planned to prove him wrong until I stood, and my stomach did somersaults. I couldn’t have been more pleased that the trash can was just in reach as I fell down into a sitting position on the floor as I heaved.

  Zachariah was quick to kneel down beside me, holding my hair back from my face as everything and possibly more, came up and out.

  It was worse than being sick with the flu! I couldn’t believe he thought that giving me anything like this was okay at all, even it if helped the pain. Stupid man, I thought.

  “I warned you,” he spoke after I quit gagging, spitting out the taste as much as I could.

  “Shut up,” I mumbled before groaning. The pain in my ribs only ignited more as I threw up.

  “Well . . .” he trailed off. If I had had enough energy, I would have smacked him. Just the thought made me tired. “Are you okay to stand?”

  “I think so,” I answered, feeling like I was even more tired as the seconds passed. “It hurts.”

  “I know, honey,” Zachariah said. “Let me take care of you, okay.”

  “No more meds,” I said, giving him the best of a glare as I could as his soft look.

  “At least not those,” he compromised. “I’ll have Violet get you something a bit weaker. I only have the strong stuff here.”

  “Get hurt a lot?” I asked as he gently lifted me into his arms. I rested my head on his shoulder, too weak to fight him. Truthfully, I don’t think I would have fought him anyway. I liked being in his arms.

  “You could say that,” he said, standing easily with me and walking to the bathroom. There, he helped me to stand, using the counter for support. He didn’t expand on why he was hurt, which might have been a good thing at the moment. My mind was fuzzy, and thinking of what he had to go through wouldn’t help me any. One day soon, I’d bug him about it.

  “Do you want a bath?” he asked after I used the toilet. He did turn his back to me, but I didn’t really care at the moment.

  “No,” I answered. I did, God did I, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to take one on my own at the moment with being so weak. Maybe after a short nap.

  “Okay,” he said as though he could read my mind. “Let me wash your face before we go downstairs.”

  With a warm wash cloth, he gently wiped my face off, clearing away the sweat that had collected. Once done, he handed me some mouthwash so I could get the bad taste out of my mouth. When I finished, he shot me a small smile before picking me up as he had before. I wrapped my arms around his neck, letting my eyes drift closed. At least the nausea had passed quickly but left me feeling dazed and tired.

  “What did you give her?” a female voice screeched as Zachariah stepped off the stairs onto the landing.

  “Dextromethorphan,” he answered grouchily.

  “Seriously! You idiot!” she yelled, following Zachariah toward the living room. Her screeching made me clench my eyes shut tight as her voice rang in my ears.

  “Would you keep it down?” he seethed, setting me down on the couch and wrapping a blanket around my body. I opened my eyes lazily, seeing a woman that I had seen at the church more often than I could remember.

  Her light brown hair was in soft wide ringlets over her shoulders, slightly pinned back from her heart shaped face. Her dull blue eyes were filled with disbelief as she looked at me as I lounged on the couch in a home that was not mine.

  “Avidya Ray,” she said in awe before shooting Zachariah a look filled with questions and anger.

  “Violet,” I muttered in greeting as a wave of dizziness washed over me once more.

  “You two know one another?” Zachariah asked, shocked.

  “Yes,” Violet answered, softer now. “I go to her father’s church. But that doesn’t explain why she is here, on your couch, about to pass out with drugs in her system.”

  “I’m here willin
gly,” I slurred, keeping my eyes closed. It helped to not let the dizziness take so much control.

  “That’s a relief,” she said, generally relieved. “That still doesn’t answer my questions.”

  “I have a bunch of them myself,” I muttered, my thoughts turning into words without my say. “Sorry, just ignore me over here.”

  “No wonder why mom called me to come by,” Violet said. I could almost hear her eyes roll. “Now, shoo.”

  “What? No!” Zachariah said, shocked.

  “He stays,” I muttered, opening my eyes to look at her. I trusted her more than her parents, as we have talked a few times in a friendly manner, but I didn’t want Zachariah to leave me alone. He’d already seen me at my worst. I had nothing left to hide.

  “Fine, suit yourself,” Violet replied hotly. Turning to me, she soothed her voice. “I’m the family doctor. I just want to check you over really quick and get you some better pain meds.”

  “No more meds,” I said. I would be fine.

  “If you say so,” she said, coming to kneel down beside me on the couch. “I still want to check you over, though. Just to make sure everything is okay.”

  “It is,” I said, pleading with Zachariah to do something.

  “She’ll be quick,” he said, not stopping her. “I’m sure my father had something to do with her doing a house call here just for you.”

  “Why?” I asked tiredly.

  “Because you are Avidya Ray,” Violet answered. “You were kidnapped, and then what looks like to be manhandled, I need to check you over. Please.”

  “Okay,” I said, still confused. Why was I so important? Why did everyone know me, but yet I did not?

  “Thank you,” she said before gently undoing the wrap on my arm. Somehow, she was quick in looking me over from head to toe. She was gentle as the first few times her skin touched mine, I couldn’t help from flinching from her touch. I didn’t mean to, but my body did it anyhow.

  “I don’t think anything is broken, as your breathing is fine. So is your range of motion,” she concluded. “I do have some painkillers, a light dose of oxycodone, that will only help with the pain. No side effects like the ones you are currently experiencing. Once you get some more sleep, the dizziness and lightheadedness will pass. Zach was not thinking when he gave you what he did.”

  “It was the weakest I had out of everything,” Zachariah defended, no longer upset at this woman. “So why are you here?”

  “Julia called, concerned because you hadn’t called her,” Violet answered. “She was worried. So, she asked me to stop by.”

  “Nothing I can’t handle,” Zachariah muttered.

  “She cares,” Violet said with care.

  “I’m surprised you haven’t asked why she’s here,” he said, letting me lean against his side as he made himself comfortable next to me.

  “She can hear you. Just because my eyes don’t want to stay opened, doesn’t mean I don’t have working ears,” I said, my voice surprisingly clear.

  “Sorry,” Zachariah laughed, shaking me in the process.

  “I got the short version,” Violet said. “And that’s enough for me know for now. I’ll let you two be. Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything.”

  “I think I can handle this old man here,” I mumbled out.

  “Another side effect,” Zachariah laughed out. “And I’m not old.”

  “Older than her,” Violet joked. “I hope to see you again soon, but not on my doctor watch, Avidya. I think we will get along wonderfully.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” Zachariah groaned out.

  Violet left, leaving a bottle of pills in the kitchen for me, if I decided I needed something to take the edge off the pain. Zachariah turned the TV on, letting me stay in his arms as he kept one wrapped around me.

  “I feel safe here,” I mumbled out as I began to doze off.

  “Good,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “I’ll make sure you stay that way.”

  “Promise?” I asked, nearly asleep.

  “Promise till my heart stops beating.”

  Chapter 21

  Avidya

  When I woke later, I was alone in Zachariah’s bed with the comforter over the top of me. I vaguely remembered him bringing me up, before getting in himself. He had muttered something about broken promises as I curled up beside him, basically pinning him to the bed in my sleep filled haze. I had never slept better, and I wasn’t exactly ready to get up and start the day either.

  What was my life going to be like now? Would I really be able to get the things that mom had told me about? And if so, would I like what I found in the boxes? Would I find out who father really was? What about the family I would be marrying into soon enough?

  Opening my eyes, I took a look around the room. It was just like the one that Zachariah had originally given to me with the layout and furniture style. The only difference was the window that looked out over the backyard and the doors that opened out into the balcony.

  I could see myself falling in love with this house easily, along with the man that owned it. It was simple, clean, but had a lot of history with the original parts that could be saved. It felt like a home, so unlike the place I grew up in. I wasn’t sure why that was, and I didn’t dwell on it as I pushed my way from the bed and towards the bathroom.

  After brushing my hair and teeth, I padded downstairs, still sore and tired. I still wore the same clothes that Zachariah had picked out yesterday for me, too lazy to change. Once downstairs, I heard his voice from where his office was and made my way in that direction. I had yet to really figure out what he did, or who he really was. I felt like I needed to know before I got in too deep if I haven’t already.

  As he spotted me in the doorway, Zachariah gave me a captivating smile and a hand motion to go to him. He had his phone stuck to his ear as he talked to whomever. He sat there, relaxed, glancing from the computer screen that sat upon his desk, to me as I made my way over. I didn’t want to bother him if he was working, but I craved his touch. Craved to be held in his arms again.

  “Hang on a sec, Melio,” Zachariah said, putting the phone on mute and turning his full attention to me. “I should be done soon. Did you sleep well? How’s your pain?”

  “It’s fine,” I answered, twisting my hands in front of me as I looked between him and the floor.

  “Sit,” he patted his lap before opening his arms, giving me room to have a place on his lap. The way he spoke, I knew it wasn’t a demand, but an option. An option I gladly took.

  Once I was in his lap, my legs over the side and feet dangling over the arm and my head against his shoulder, he returned to his phone call. One arm wound around me, holding me against his chest. His presence alone made me feel more at home. I never wanted to leave, let alone leave his lap.

  It was strange, though. My father never liked anyone overhearing his phone calls. I knew if he was on the phone, I made sure to stay out of hearing range. It wasn’t often as the years went by that I even tolerated his presence in my life. Father became . . . different with each passing year. Now, with Zachariah, I felt safe, like an equal.

  “There has to be another source,” Zachariah said, not upset but in a different way that I wasn’t used to hearing from him. He was all business.

  “But who? . . . . I see . . . No. . . . What if we did that? What are the stakes? . . . . Na, that’s too high, not worth the risk of any of us at the moment. There will be another way to drag them out. . . .”

  I was lost, but that was to be expected. I didn’t mind, though. Zachariah’s scent was strong right at the base of his chin and neck, and I couldn’t help but breath him in. He was addicting. I knew addictions were never a good thing as God’s words rang through my mind. Addictions were all consuming, and a struggle every day for most people. I had never had an addiction until now.

  Zachariah was my addiction, and I would gladly bathe in him for the rest of my living days.

  My lips on their own
accord softly kissed his neck, just barely touching him. It was enough for him to freeze mid-sentence before continuing on. The second time, I let my lips linger, a tad bit harder against his skin, feeling him as he relaxed under me.

  What was wrong with me? This was never something I would do, was it? Why wasn’t he stopping me?

  I didn’t stop, putting my lips right up to the underside of his chin, leaving opened mouth kisses in its wake. I couldn’t help but smile, feeling pleased that I could cause a reaction out of him. Maybe I did have more power than I originally thought.