Hey guys, so this is the updated chapter. Thank you so much for sticking with me. For those of you who have read the updated chapters, you may find that the feel is very much different from before. This chapter is even more different. I wanted to show yall the depth of emotion and chemistry between my two beloved characters. Please enjoy :)
-crazymeltzar
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"Woah girl," breath Dani, her eye shining as she looked at me. "That was freaking awesome!!!"
I raised an eyebrow, munching on the sandwich that Sister Suzanne had made for us.
"What's so awesome?" I asked, licking my fingers.
Dani rolled her eyes and placed a hand on my arm.
"Seriously Elle," she said, exasperated. "News flash, Jason Lambert practically saved you precious book!"
I tilted my head to the side confused.
"I thought Marcus saved my book?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Of course he did," Dani said, waving my comment off, but the pride was evident in her voice. "But it was Jason who asked him to so technically it was Jason who saved your book."
"Oh.I hadn't thought of it like that," I murmured, tapping my chin at the possibility that indeed that the most popular and sought after guy in school had even bothered to retrieve my book. I frowned. The idea was so utterly ridiculous that I couldn't help but stare at Dani in confusion.
Letting a loud, exasperated sigh, Dani rolled her eyes at me making Tyler who was observing us burst out into laughter. I scowled at him and devoured the rest of the sandwich before helping out Sister Suzanne in the kitchen. She smiled warmly at me and pulled me into a hug. Sister Suzanne was really beautiful. Her brown hair, although streaked with grey was thick and luxurious. Her intelligent eyes were a murky kind of brown and she moved with the grace of a dancer.
"How's school, Elle?" She asked as she passed me the wet plates for me to dry.
"It was...eventful..." I replied, wiping the plates meticulously.
"Really?"she asked, looking at me from the corner of her eye.
I just sent her a small smile and continued to dry the plates. She laughed and shook her head before gasping. I turned to face her and saw her gaze home in on my injured knuckles.
"What happened?"
I winced as she shrieked and went to the cupboard to get the medical kit.
"It's just a scratch," I mumbled as she cleaned the already healing wound.
"You're still going to that violent place aren't you Elle?" she asked,eyeing me with a mixture of frustration and worry.
I turned away sheepishly and nodded.
"Ow!"I cried as she smacked me on the back of my head, a scowl on her face.
She objected to me going to the Fighting Ring but didn't stop me from actually going there. She knew how important it was to me, how it kept me at peace, even though it was a violent sport. I sighed and rubbed her arm in reassurance.
"It's fine. I'm fine," I said, trying to reassure her. I saw her tense shoulders relax slightly as she placed my raw knuckles to her cheek.
"I just don't like seeing you hurt Elle. That witch you stay with is already enough to make my blood boil and my hair turn grey from worrying about you," she whispered, her voice rough with emotion.
My heart skipped a beat as I gathered her into a protective hug, trying to reassure her without words. Sister Suzanne was always worried about me but no matter how many times I came back with an injury, she would never stop me from going back to the Ring. She understood the reason why I had to go back and I was grateful to have her with me.
......
The night was young yet the Ring was unusually quiet. Only the sound of the murmuring of the regular patrons with the occasional clinking of glasses against each other could be heard. That night, no fights were scheduled and so there I was, in the locker room, working out some stress. Gary had put me up on another gruelling training regime but as usual, I had no complains what so ever.
I was tasked to clock as much kicks and punches as I could in five minutes. Already sweat was running down the sides of my face and my chest was heaving with exertion as I pushed my limbs to move faster and harder.
Gary knew that no one in the Ring could match up to my strength except myself. Which was why my training was usually done in the solitude of the locker/training room. I had a self-imposed drive to best myself that allowed me to push beyond the boundaries of what I thought were my limits.
"Stop!"
My fists instantly froze before they could make the final impact on the punching bag. I watched in slow motion as the bag swung back towards me, nudging a teasing touch to my taped knuckles. My lungs burned as I gulped in breaths of air, beads of sweat trickling down my forehead and into my eyes. I swiped a hand over my forehead as I forced myself not to bend over as my heart pumped vigorously in my chest.
"Four hundred and five kicks and punches," Gary said. "Not bad but you could do better."
I nodded and took in a deep breath, trying to get my breathing under control. The scent of the purified air in the room chilled the heat in my lungs slightly, a soothing balm against its blistering rasp.
I grabbed the water bottle from the bench and lifted my mask to take a swing from it. The cool feeling of water down my parched throat had me sighing in pleasure at the soothing feeling.
"Alright,take ten. We'll continue after that," Gary said, petting my head."Good work."
I smiled up at him.
"Thanks."
I took the towel beside me and wiped the sweat off my face. My heart was still pounding as I sat with my face in my hands. I felt calm, my mind still with only the ripples of the remaining adrenaline coursing through my veins. It was such a wonderful feeling. I had learnt earlier on when I joined the Ring that emotion was not necessarily the weakness I thought it to be.
Living in a world where each and every weakness could be exploited against me, I had learnt to seal my emotions behind a wall of ice, determined that no one would ever get past my defences again. But Gary had thawed a fraction of the ice, unleashing the rage that was sealed within me.
The turbulent emotions when uncontrolled could destroy me and everyone else around me. I was afraid what would happen but he had thought me to bend the rage, make it a weapon that would be my second defence. To make what I thought was a weakness into my strength.
I took in the feel of the cold mask against my hands. I always insisted that I should train with my mask on. It gave me a sense of security,of confidence and power but most of all, it gave me the courage to be who I wanted to be, to do what I wanted to do. A false sense of freedom, but I was desperate enough to cling to it.
I stretched my arms above my head and groaned as my muscles protested at the movement. I did not have enough power now but one day, I vowed, I would fight to gain and keep my freedom. It was a dream that I was determined not to relinquish for it was the only source of hope and purpose I had for myself.
I glanced at the burly man who was talking to Susan at the bar counter and felt a small smile make its way to my face. I owed everything I had now to Gary. He gave me a reason, made me realise that I could fight for freedom.
It was because of my fateful meeting with him that I could realise my strength and build my confidence. Because of him,I was driven to seek strength and power for myself. I could offer him and the people of the Ring nothing, all I could do to show my gratitude was to fight for them, to bring them glory and keep them safe.
My heart leapt as I thought about the people in my life that cared about me. Though my father and mother were no longer with me, the presence of these people were enough to keep me going a little longer. They were the fuel that kept the fire blazing in me, even if I was encased in ice, the fire no matter how small was a source of hope for me.
I looked down at my knuckles that were wrapped up in white tape. It was to keep them from bruising and bleeding again. I opened my fist, one finger at a time. A miracle was given to me, and I would be forever grateful.
"Hey."
My whole body tensed as the velvet voice that floated into the room caressed my senses. It was only at that moment did I sense his aura.It was a dark yet sensual aura that curled and twisted around me with a strangely familiar touch. I curled my fingers into my fists as I suppressed a shudder and forced myself to lift my head to face the owner of the voice.
Havoc was standing at the threshold of the changing room, a bag slung over his shoulders. He was wearing a white tee shirt with jeans, his sandy,golden hair slightly tussled. His mask fit snugly on his face,giving no hint of who he was away and strangely, I felt a feeling akin to that of being disappointed. I blinked and cleared my throat softly as I caught myself just standing there staring at him. I blushed slightly under my mask.
"Hi,"I greeted softly.
I saw his gaze revert to my taped knuckles and I directed mine to his forehead. It looked like his wound was healing nicely. Unexpectedly,I walked over to him slowly and tentatively reached out to smooth a finger over his wound. I could still feel a slight bump and I frowned beneath my mask. Immediately I reach around for my own bag and brought out a home made ointment I frequently used to treat my own wounds.
Straddling the bench, I gestured for him to sit opposite me. I watched as his eyes bore into mine for a fraction longer than necessary, making my cheeks burn under the intense attention. I tore my gaze away from him, and cleared my throat.
The rusting of clothes could be heard as he placed his bag down and sat down right in front of me, our knees touching each other. My head jerked up and I was instantly staring straight into the most amazing sapphire blue eyes I had ever seen.The feeling of his knees against mine was innocent enough, yet it felt strangely intimate.
I gulped softly as I continued to look into the eyes that looked at me with unnerving focus. It was like I was falling into an endless pool,drowning in an intensity that threatened to sweep me away. Mustering all the discipline I could, I pulled my attention away from his gorgeous eyes and to the wound on his forehead.
Gingerly, I peeled away the large plaster at his forehead and sucked in a breath. The wound, though partially healed, was black and blue. I frowned. It made no sense to me but I knew I could not see this man hurt any longer. Dipping my fingers into the small tub, I coated my index finger with the ointment. The sweet scent of vanilla filled the room as I rubber the ointment softly against his wound, taking extra care to be gently.
I jumped slightly as I felt the warmth of his hands against my thighs and glanced down to find that his eyes were closed, his head leaned forward towards me. My heart instantly gripped with tenderness for the man before me and I felt my hand move on their own violation to cup his face as I continued to rub the ointment into his skin,humming a soft tune. Even after I had finished my ministrations, we continued to stay in that position; his hands on my thighs as I leaned the side of my face against his gently.
The silence around us was comfortable and the heat from his body, warmed my chilled body. After a while, I shifted slightly away from him, and he sat up straight his eyes locking with mine once more.
A small smile made its way to my face and I could see his eyes light up as well. The unusual moment we had together was something I did not want to dwell too much on, instead I took my time to study his beautiful profile and was struck again by his masculine beauty.
Touching his wound one last time, I stood up and walked towards the punching bag, my back towards him. I ran my taped knuckles against the rough and worn surface of the bag, collecting myself once more. I could feel his eyes bored down my back and I flushed. I was not used to so much attention in such a confined space.
"Why do you come here?" I asked abruptly to break the silence. My question was met with silence for a moment before I heard the rustling of material against the bench.
"I just wanted a little escape that's all," he answered, his voice holding a cadence that had me frowning.
I tapped the punching bag, making it rock gently, as I felt butterflies take flight in my stomach.
"Is coming here really an escape to you?" I asked softly, keeping my eyes locked on the punching bag.
"Well,yeah. Nobody would expect me to come here so I don't have to worry about any disturbance," he said in a distracted voice.
I frowned deeper and turned to face him. He was seated on the bench and was pulling out some tape to wrap around his knuckles.
"Why would anyone want to disturb you?" I asked, before I could stop myself, the need to know what had caused him distressed weighing heavily on my conscience.
I saw him shift uncomfortably in his seat, still wrapping the tape around his knuckles. I cleared my throat, embarrassed and disappointed that I had caused him to feel uncomfortable. I immediately walked towards him and ran my finger tips along the side of his mask, tilting his face up to me.
"Hey,you don't have to tell me if you don't want to you know?" I assured softly, giving a small smile I knew he couldn't see and turned my attention back to the punching bag.
I understood how he felt. I didn't like explaining myself to someone,especially to someone I was not familiar with. That thought had a strange pang shoot through my chest but I ignored it, focusing all my attention to my next set.
I pulled my arm back and punched the bag hard. The rough contact had lightning forking though my veins, jolting me senses and rousing my fighting spirit. Ablaze with the heat slowly coming to life within me, I circled the bag bouncing slightly on the balls of my feet.
I eyed the bag, letting the calm fire seep into my veins. I punched the bag again, harder and harder. I willed my arms to move faster as I picked up momentum. With each punch, I channelled more and more fine honed anger into the attacks and with each contact with the bag, I felt, the anger dissipate, being replaced by an ice cold calm that held back the raging beast within me.
I then gathered up all the tension that I kept bottled up inside of me,allowing the cold calm to seep away, thawing the ice with me and let lose. This time I used my legs to kick the bag. I landed hit after hit after hit on the bag, letting the all consuming anger to engulf me. The pain that I felt a moment ago disappeared and before long, I was immersed in the comforting lull of my movements.
After a while, I became aware of how tired I had become and stopped, my chest heaving with the exertion. I raked my hand through my hair,pushing the wayward strands away from my face. The movement had me accidentally slipping the rubber band off in the process. My hair fell around my face as I bent to pick it up, the strands tickling my neck. I flipped my hair back and sighed, satisfied with my brief workout.
I turned towards the bench and saw Havoc looking at me, his hands wrung together as he sloughed down on the bench. I looked away immediately and blushed under my mask. How could I have forgotten about him sitting there? I must look like a mess right now.
Suddenly,I could feel his body heat as he stood close to me. I gulped,continuing to look resolutely at the floor, my hair a curtain around me face. I was still panting slightly and I knew that my hair probably looked like a rat's nest, the strands tangled together. It was just too embarrassing to look him the eyes now.
I jerked slightly as his big hands suddenly cupped the sides of my head, his finger threading through my hair. He tugged gently on my hair and I was forced to tilt my head up to face him. When our eyes met, my heart almost jumped out of my chest. The heated expression in his eyes had my lips drying up and my blood roaring in my ears.
His hands started a slow massage on my scalp and I was helpless to do anything but stand in submission to the pleasure he gave me. My eyes slid close and I felt my body sway towards his on its own. My head was tilted back as I leaned my weight slightly on him, my hands resting on the broad planes of his chest.
His clever fingers threaded through my hair as he increased the pressure against my scalp. An involuntary moan escaped my lips as he eased the slight pounding in my head. After a while, I felt his hands slip away from cupping my head, and I opened my eyes slowly to find him staring at me, his face inches away from mine. It was then that I realised that he was holding me up against his body, supporting my weight against him. My face burned but I could not muster the strength to pull away, the contact so familiar , his strength a comfort I surprising yearned for.
"Do you want to use the bag?" I asked softly. Even as I asked him the question, I spread my fingers to span his amazing chest, the feel of his hard body against mine foreign yet...not unwelcome.
"Sure.Why not?" he replied but neither of us made a move to pull apart from one another. Instead, we stared into each others eyes for a moment longer, the heat of his hand at the small of my back burning through the thing shirt I wore.
Reluctantly,I gathered my discipline and pulled away from him, stepping away so to give him room. The moment I left the solace of his body, I felt emptiness still its way into my soul and I gulped, afraid of the visceral need I had for him.
He looked at me for a moment before cracking his knuckles, making his way to stand in front of the bag. I felt a small smile play on my lips as he gave the bag a punch or two. It swung wildly causing him to side step away from the bag. I stifled a giggle. It was obvious he knew how to use a bag but the punching bag in the room was no longer like others. Instead of only sand in the bag, there were metal balls mixed in with the sand, giving the bag a different equilibrium.
"Let me show you how to use this bag,"I said, standing up while rolling up my short sleeves at the same time, exposing my arms. I quickly tied my hair up in a messy hair-do and stepped up to the bag.
"Nice tattoo," he commented.
I looked at him, confused for a moment before realising that he was talking about the phoenix tattoo on my arm. You could only see its head and tail 'cause it stretched all the way from my left arm,down my back and to my right arm. Its massive beak was open and its eyes were fire red, burning with anger, reflecting the deep rage within me.
I blushed and pulled my sleeves back down. I got that tattoo two years ago when Samantha introduced me to a friend of hers. I saw the woman's ink on her arm and knew it was the exactly thing I was looking for. I told Samantha it was just a whim, but why I really wanted the tattoo was to cover the scars that ran from my arms to my back. There was a point in time where Fiona would love to pour boiling water down my back. Or anywhere in fact. I couldn't fight her. Not when she had her hired men to hold me down.
I gulped and winced at the memory. I did not like dragging up the memories and immediate squashed it down before it could take root again. I refused to regret my choice for I had turned something ugly into something beautiful and majestic. Not to mention the feeling I got from hiding something of that magnitude from Fiona and other people. I never showed it, not even to Dani and Tyler. It was my very own secret.
"Thanks,"I mumbled, looking away from him.
For some reason, I didn't like that he had seen my tattoo. I didn't like it because it felt like he had seen past my tattoos to the scars. The horrid, ugly scars...
Havoc suddenly stepped towards me and pushed up my sleeves roughly. I gasped at the sudden contact and jerked back from him, my eyes wide with shock but he ignored me and bent to get a better look at my tattoo. He whistled and clicked his tongue appreciatively. I felt my face burn. Wanting space in between us, I threw a kick at him which he easily dodged, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
I stared at him, unsure how to react. I cradled my exposed arm nearer to me, my eyes burning with an unfamiliar emotion. I watched curiously as his eyes softened. Slowly he reached out his hand, as if not to startle me, and wrapped his long, elegant fingers around my wrist. He then gently tugged me closer to him. Mesmerised as I was by his turbulent blue eyes, my body moved on its own accord. I felt his fingers skim up my arm to rest on my elbow. He leaned down, pressing the side of his face against mine.
I felt my eyes slid shut as his warmth stole into me and I breath in his masculine scent, filling my lungs with his scent, imprinting it to memory. One of his hands slid from my arm and down to my back,dragging me closer so that I was pressed up against his hard body. My heart was pounding hard in my body, the visceral need with me growing with every passing second.
It made to no sense to me yet I needed this, this contact with him. I had never shared such intimate skin privileges with anyone yet with him it just felt natural, like we had known each other forever. His touch calmed me and he rubbed my back,as if to comfort me.
"Your tattoo is very beautiful," he whispered into my ear and I felt a curious burning behind me eyes.
"Thank you," I whispered back, tilting my head to press closer to him.
This time it was he who pulled away but not before he ran his knuckles down the column of my exposed throat. The light contact made me shiver and I gripped his arm tighter. I could tell he was smiling at me from under his mask and I smiled back, stepping to turn back to face the punching bag.
My heart was thumping wildly in my chest and my soul burned. It was an unfamiliar burn, one that left me feeling more pumped than before. I left my sleeves rolled up. I didn't know why, but for some unknown reason, I liked that his attention was so focused on me.
"The most important thing when you're using this bag it to feel the flow. Once you hit it, the metal balls within will shift the equilibrium. The metal balls shift themselves as the sand within the bag shifts past each other. Because of this, the bag will swing harder and sometimes at an unexpected angle," I explained to him,wanting to bring his attention back to the task at hand.
"When you hit it, use the momentum of its swing to give you leverage on your attacks. Example." I punched the bag and it rock to the back.As the bag came swinging towards me, I angled my body away from the bag to land a kick, making it swing the opposite side.
"It allows you to work on not only the strength of the attacks but also the speed. Why don't you give it a try now," I said, stepping back to give him some room.
He nodded and I watched as he took in a deep breath before kicking the bag. I had to admit, he had raw power. He then followed my demonstration and kicked the bag, making it swing the opposite side.I nodded and urged him on to continue.
"Kick faster," I urged and watched his muscles works as he landed ferocious kicks on the bag.
"Now switch from your arms to your legs as fast as you can," I instructed calmly, standing still, my eyes fixed on him, observing his form and progress in using the bag
I saw his eyes narrow in concentration as he tried to kick and punch the bag without being hit. I nodded impressed that he was able to read the flow of the bag so well but soon, I saw him falter and the bag knocked him to the ground. He fell with a thud, his chest heaving.
"That wasn't half bad," I complemented, offering him a hand.
He took it and I pulled him up, clasping him on the back.
"Thanks,"he panted, pushing a hand through his sweat slicked hair.
I smiled to myself and observed, amused, as he eyed the bag with a steely kind of determination, obviously upset that he could not use the bag as well as he thought he could. His chest was still heaving from the exertion and he was standing with his hands on his hips.
I studied his profile and to my utter surprise, I found him absolutely beautiful. He had the kind of beauty that was not only masculine but exuded a dark sensuality that wrapped around him like a second skin.
I was unnerved by my fascination in him but could no more stop the visceral need within me to be near to him than to stop my heart from beating in my chest. I did not know what to make of the shifting within me.
It was a metallurgical process that had started somewhere within my core and was slowly spreading throughout my soul, encasing the ice with something all together foreign. Yet I didn't reject it.
The sudden feel of scalding heat against my neck snapped me out of my reverie and I jerked against the touch. Instantly, strong fingers wrapped gently around my neck, the thumb sliding against the exposed skin of my jaw line, tilting my head up so that I was looking into the most mesmerising ocean of sapphires.
My heart thundered in my chest as I allowed myself that one moment to drown into his eyes, to loose myself in his heat. My body swayed automatically towards his, my palms resting against his shoulders.The blood roaring in my ears drowned out everything around me,allowing my senses to tune only towards the man before me. I ran my hand gently down his chest, right above his heart and found that his heart was beating at the exact rhythm as mine. I gulped, suddenly afraid of the magnitude of my discovery.
"Angel."
I instantly jerked out of Havoc's hold and took a few steps back,confused and afraid of my reaction to him. My hand instantly reached to the spot where his hand had branded my neck, a slow blush burning across my face and neck.
Too embarrassed and confused to face him, I turned to face Gary who was standing with a can of soda in his hand and a stopwatch in another. He looked at me with a mixture of concern and trepidation and I understood why. I had never allowed anyone that close to me as I had for Havoc. I too was bewildered but decided that it was something I could dwell on later.
As if hearing my thoughts, Gary cleared his throat and gestured to the bag.
"Ready for another thirty?" He asked, swinging the stopwatch around.
I nodded slowly and took in a deep breath to regain my equilibrium.From the corner of my eyes, I notice that Havoc had already taken a seat on the bench, wiping his sweat with his towel. His shoulders were slightly tensed and I instantly knew that he too needed some space and time to assimilate what had just transpired between us. I stretched my arms and jogged on the spot, warming myself up. At least I was not the only one affected by our unusual behaviour.
"Ready...Go!"
At the signal, I punched and kicked the bag, directing my focus solely on demolishing the thing in front of me. I relaxed my mind and let my muscles flow with ease. I commanded my body to work faster and pushed myself to the limit. The rough and vigorous work out did its job,ebbing away my worries and stress.
The practised movements were a comforting lull, allowing me to clear my head a little. And just as Gary reach to press the timer, I spun on the balls of my feet, my other leg curled slightly as I used my hip muscles to pull my leg along the motion. The kick landed with a solid thud just as the click of the timer could be heard.
"Six hundred and fifteen. Good job," Gary said, smiling at me, his eyes twinkling with undisguised pride.
I blushed slightly and nodded in thanks, gesturing for him to proceed with the next set. I spent the next half an hour punching and kicking the bag, honing my speed and agility while practising to keep my power under check.
"And...stop.Six hundred and eighty! It's a new record!" Gary cried, slinging his arm around my shoulder, ruffling my hair a little.
"You mean she did six hundred and eighty kicks and punches in that short amount of time?" asked a voice.
Gary turned around with me tucked under his arm and nodded to Havoc who was staring eyes wide at me. I was panting heavily and the tape that I had wrapped around my knuckles was torn with the constant contact with the bag.
"Woah."Was all he said, still staring at me in awe.
I blushed and looked away.
"Woah is right kiddo," Gary said, nodding proudly. "Angel, take a break before you go. You did a great job today."
I smiled as Gary ruffled my hair some more, making it messier than ever. The small gesture of affection left me feeling all warm inside.Though I knew that I had people who cared about me, to be shown that one cared was a gift beyond measure.
Tugging Gary's sleeve hesitantly, I slowly allowed my arms to curl around his waist as I leaned tentatively against his massive chest. I felt him tense for a moment before his strong arms wrapped around me.
"Thank you,"I said softly. It was words of gratitude for so many things that he had gifted to me.
The smile on his face widened and ruffled my hair. I swatted at his hands, jerking away my head and scowling at him from under my mask.Gary grinned at me and I was stuck by the childish desire to stick my tongue out at him.
I suppressed the need and instead tried valiantly to straighten my hair out out. I growled low under my breath as my fingers caught in the infernal knots. Damn.. I heard Gary laugh at me before the door clicked shut behind him.
"Hey.I'll do it."
Surprised,I turned to face Havoc who was holding out a hand to me. My hands froze on my head as my eyes widened incredulously at him. Too stunned to respond, I could only stare stupidly at him.
I watched at the cobalt blue of his eyes glowed at me, his stare so intense and focused it made my heart beat erratically in my chest. Swallowing the sudden lump in my throat, I turned slowly towards him.
"I'll straighten your hair," he repeated, his velvet voice wrapping around me. He patted the spot in front of him. "Come."
I hesitated for a moment, looking at him through the safety of my mask.His eyes blazed at me and I felt the familiar warmth coursing through me. He did nothing else, said nothing else, allowing he silence to fill the space between us but never once did he look away from me.
My body trembled as I fought the need to go to him. I was still anxious about my reaction to him, but the chemistry and attraction between us undeniable, threatening to break down the very ice that I had built around myself.
I watched as his eyes softened, clearly noticing my anxiety and I found my heart curiously melting in reaction. Taking in a deep breath, I took a leap of faith, trusting my instincts that told me he could be trusted and sat myself down before him, my back facing him.
My body continued to tremble and I twisted my fingers together and chewed my lip, uncharacteristically nervous. I could feel the heat from his body radiating of him and seeping into my cold body. I second guessed my decision yet sitting so close to him brought me such a strange feeling of comfort.
Just as I talked myself into walking away from him, he suddenly grabbed onto my waist and dragged me onto his lap making me gasp loudly in surprise. I held myself stiff for a minute, the feeling of his hands that branded my waist causing my brain to have a moment of meltdown.
Slowly he slid his hands up my back and I arched in reaction, my head leaned slightly backwards. My body burned under his touch and I felt the cool surface of his mask press against the column of my throat. I instinctively tilted my head more to the side, exposing more of my throat to his touch.
I felt his strong fingers closed around my neck and strangely, I lay placidly against him, my head on his shoulder. He began a slow message on my neck and I arched more into his touch, fighting to suppress a moan as his clever fingers eased the strain in my neck. My eyes slowly slid shut, the pressure on my neck soothing.
"Lean a little forward baby," I heard him say, his voice low and husky.
Too much in a trance, I followed his order and soon felt his fingers treading though the mess of my hair. The gentle tugs and the soothing caress of his fingers against my scalp had me melting against him again. We were quiet as he worked on my hair, the silence and the sensations lulling me into a sleepy state. After a while, I realised that my head was already on his shoulder, his arms around my middle.His face was buried against the side of my neck, his breathing deep and even. I realised that he had fallen asleep too.
I took the opportunity to savour the feeling of his hard body pressed deliciously against my back, even as my face was a flame with embarrassment. My throat clogged with emotion as I realised that I actually felt safe in his arms, that I felt like I truly belonged.
The visceral feeling that had blossomed within me shook me to the core and I felt tears burn behind my eyes. I was so afraid yet I knew that whatever this was, it was a miracle. After allowing myself another few minutes of luxury, I slowly shifted in his arms and tugged at his arm gently.
I heard him muffle a yawn, his face still pressed against my neck and his arms tightened around me, refusing to let me go. A small smile flittered across my face.
"Havoc,"I whispered his name, my fingers trailing absently on his arm. "I have to go. It's getting late."
Slowly,he lifted his head and looked down at me. Our eyes met and I could see the heat in his eyes. My heart thundered in my chest. My hand slowly reached to trail against the side of his mask, as if I was touching his face. I didn't know why but it felt like I had known him for such a long time.
"I must go," I repeated, though I was reluctant to leave the safe haven of his arm.
He continued to look at me silently for a few more minutes before his arms fell away. Feeling strangely bereft, I slid of his lap and reached to grab my duffel bag. I turned around to face him and found him looking at me. Instantly, the familiar blush set across my face but I boldly reached out to brush the hair that had fallen across his mask.
"Thank you," I whispered. I wasn't thanking him only for straightening my hair but for giving me something I never thought I would ever have again.
"No problem," he said and I could hear the smile in his voice.
Leaning down, I bumped my mask lightly against his and he instantly reached out to grab my arms, holding me close to him. I allowed myself to to close my eyes, leaning against him for another moment longer, my hands gripping the front of his shirt. I savoured the feeling of having him near me, his heat seeping into the coldness of my bones.After a while, I pulled away, sighing softly.
"I really have to go home, Havoc," I whispered and touched the wound on his head gently. "Take care."
I straightened up and gave him one last look before walking out the room. It might sound strange, but every step I took felt like a cut to my heart. It was a struggle to walk away when all I wanted to do was throw all my worries aside and loose myself in the feeling of security he gave. And yet when I stepped into the cold night, the wind biting into my arms, I felt my soul soar above the heavens as.
I sighed. I didn't know what the feeling in me was but it warmed me like nothing had in a long time. It made me feel a feeling of pure happiness after years of feeling loss, hurt and anger. Strong emotions that threatened to shake the very foundations of the ice that protected me. Emotions that fueled the warmth within me as I replayed the few hours I had spent in the company of that mysterious masked man.
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Hope you enjoyed!