Marked Me Like a Bloodstain - 18+

He's so obsessed with me, and boy I understand!

"What's wrong, Manon?"

His hand moved to her wrist, then over the fist clutching the blade and gently pried it out of her fingers.

"Let's put the weapons away, Hmm" he murmured and kissed her temple.

She loosed a breath and screamed at her body to relax into the heat of him behind her.

"Sorry, I got caught up there." She cleared her throat and shook her head, forcing a smile to her lips.

"No kidding." He chuckled and she leaned her head back on his chest, closing her eyes at the sound of his steady heartbeat and let it calm her own.

"I just - I don't - ugh!" She actually stomped her foot and Jake snorted, clearly amused by her inability to speak.

He nosed her hair away from her face and planted his lips on her cheek, pulling back to whisper.

"I'll be fine, Manon. If it comes to a fight, I can hold my own..."

His tone was teasing and Manon turned to smack his chest but he gave a throaty laugh, the sound making her own lips tug up in answer.

"I'm not completely helpless you know."

There was an undercurrent to his words, like he'd had to prove he could fight in the past and she was so curious she felt like she'd burst. He noticed the gleam in her eye and chuckled.

"Let's just say there have been a few close calls where I had no choice but to fight my way out. I'm here. They're not."

She cocked a brow, smiling for real this time. Pressing against him and pushing up on her toes to brush her lips over his.

"Now I'm picturing you with your knuckles bloodied and men lying unconscious at your feet, it's glorious."

"You're twisted." He laughed and she nodded.

"Obviously. If you tell me you can kill a man with nothing but a pencil I might simply expire." She said with a dramatic swooning sigh.

He smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Sadly not, but I'm willing to learn."

"Best not. You'd never get anything done." She winked and tugged at his bottom lip with her teeth before stepping back. Trying to ignore the electricity that flared bright whenever they were near each other, it reminded her of how it felt before a storm. That charged, heavy air that seemed to press down on you, stealing your breath and lifting the hair on the back of your neck. That sense of urgency and knowing that something big was coming. It was hard to push it away, intoxicating and addictive. It seemed to strengthen day by day instead of fade and it left her restless, he felt it too she could tell by the way he mirrored her movements. He'd lean in when she leaned back and she'd do the same. Thankfully his distraction had worked because when Jessy walked in Manon only noticed her when she let out a surprised "Oh!".

"Morning Jess, how are you?" Manon smiled.

Jessys eyes were stuck to Jake who'd turned back to the stove, when her hazel eyes met Manons she mouthed "well done" and a wild giggle bubbled up her throat. She pushed it down and shook her head.

"I'm good, you? I'm guessing this is the elusive Jake I've heard sooo much about?"

Manon narrowed her eyes, she'd put too much emphasis on that last part and by the way she avoided Manon's eyes she knew it. She didn't dare look at Jake when he replied.