no turning back

• sixteen •

elijah

She smelled like fresh-cut flowers on a warm spring day. Fucking heaven on earth. A quiver rippled down her body as I pressed a kiss to her neck.

I lazily dragged my tongue from her collarbone to her ear lobe, which I nibbled with my front teeth. Gladys gasped softly again. She felt so incredible that I nearly forgot how furious I was.

Nearly.

"Answer me, sweetheart," I purred into her ear. My fingers sank into the plushy cradle of her hips. "Or must I coax the truth out of you?"

My cock twitched against the fullness of her perfect ass. I nuzzled my nose into her hair, smelling the scent of her shampoo.

Fuck, I missed her so damn much.

This moment was surreal. She was here, in my arms, after all of this time. It felt like I was finally home.

Until she turned her little self in my arms and whipped her palm across my face. Although the blow caught me off guard, I instinctively plucked her hand out of the air before pinning both hands to her sides.

I glowered down into her eyes. The wide hazels seemed more whiskey brown than forest green compared to my memories. Pain had a way of darkening things over time.

"I'm sorry," she breathed. Then, her brows drew together, a blush coating her cheeks in the fluorescent glow of the parking lamps. "Wait. No, I'm not."

"You will be when I spank that ass red," I said with a sinister grin.

"Um, who is that?" the other girl asked. She was going to be a nuisance, I could tell already.

Gladys startled as though she had forgotten we were in public and not alone. "Shit," she muttered under her breath.

I grabbed her jaw and directed her face back to mine. My gaze rolled down to her pink lips.

"Don't even think about it," she said through gritted teeth.

I chuckled. "Or what?"

"I'll bite you."

"Kinky."

She thrashed in my arms with a groan. "Let me go! What are you even doing here?"

"Why do you think?" I asked, releasing my grip on her hips so I could throw her over my shoulder.

"Elijah!" she hissed, smacking her palms against my shoulder blades. "Put me down!"

I spanked her bottom once, hard. She tensed but reached down to smack my ass. Her arm was too short, though, so she slapped the base of my spine instead.

"You're coming with me," I said and walked over to the SUV I'd driven from Arkansas.

"Likely story, asshole!"

"Hey, where are you taking her?" the other girl demanded.

Ignoring her, I opened the back door and stuffed Gladys inside. I pointed a finger at her.

"Stay in here," I threatened before slamming the door shut.

"Hey!" the girl shouted.

"Do you want to get hurt?" Raman hissed. "Shut up."

I turned to face the lovebirds and directed a menacing smirk at the girl. "Hello. I don't believe we've met."