𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐘 | 𝙅𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙥𝙝 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙨

Chapter 20

Stop looking at me with those eyes
Like I could disappear and you wouldn't care why
Now I'm fucked up and I'm missing you
He'll never be like you

Never Be Like You - Flume, Kai

A moan escapes my mouth when Joseph grazes his teeth across my neck.

I don't know how long we've gone at this, but I'm straddling over his lap and God, his teeth against my skin felt better than I expected. I didn't think I'd be one for biting or hickeys, but it's obvious that he's proving me wrong.

My fingers are tangled deep into his hair as he goes to town on my neck, and it's like all sane thoughts are gone in my head. His hands are placed on my ass and waist, squeezing whenever I made a sound as if he was content about it.

My brain is melting as he removes his mouth from my neck, his hand roughly grabbing my jaw as he jerks my head back in his direction. My breath shudders when I look into his eye to see a flicker of satisfaction, and he gently tilts my head to stare at his own creation.

"Maybe I should become an artist." He hums, smirking proudly. I hiss softly at the feeling of his finger poking the raw skin, and he places a soft kiss on the bruise as a way to apologize for the pain.

Joseph pulls my head back towards his, connecting our lips once again in a much gentler way this time.

It was as if his lips were wine - a taste of scarlet madness that pulled me in slowly. And I wanted them, the bite, the kick it sends to my heart. Our lips molded together in a touch of lingering affection, and it was then that I realized; it wasn't wine. It was blood - and the taste of my own.

My brows furrowed, my fingers pulling lightly at the brown curls as we kiss in a ravenous fashion. Joseph leaning as close to me as he could, clothes being the only barrier stopping us from touching skin-to-skin. I could smell the contrast between his cologne, the strong cigarette smoke and my own perfume, the sickeningly sweet strawberry scent sticking to my skin.

His hands are trailing around, leaving burning paths across my body before ending up at my nape, just right at the top of my dress zipper. I feel him grab the small zip-pull, slowly pulling it down and opening the back of my dress...

The touch triggers something in me as I freeze up. I pull away, and everything comes back to me again. I shouldn't be doing this. I can't be doing this. What was even the time?! My eyes are wide as I start panicking, and Joseph looks at me with utmost confusion in his face.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asks, moving his hand down to my waist and squeezing softly for reassurance. I push myself off of him, gulping as I run a hand through my hair to try and fix it. "Maddy, what are you doing?"

The worry in his voice almost breaks my heart, but I take a quick peek at the clock and I can already hear Maman yelling at me. "Sorry Jo, I can't-"

"Can't what, Madeline? You can't just stop and not tell me why!" Joseph protested, getting up as well and grabbing me by my wrist. I rip myself away from his grasp, my eyes full of remorse as I speed out to the entree.

Before I can open the front door, Joseph stops me, grabbing me again. His expression is filled with confusion, anger and disappointment. I chew on my lower lip, contemplating my decisions as he pleads for an explanation.

"Joseph, I... I just can't." I manage to murmur, and it sends him to an even more confused state. His voice is broken as he yells at me, and I can't even find a way to respond. "So what? You just can't and now I have to act as if all of this was nothing? Madeline, you're the one with the fucked-up signals!"