Bounty Hunter

Zinnia

My eyes gently fluttered open to an annoying beeping noise and voices that sounded like echoes in a haunted house. I go to sit upright and take in my surroundings, but I am abruptly stopped, one by the terrible ache in my head and my body, and two by strong rough hands holding me back in place.

I look in the direction of the annoying beeping sound. Above me, stood a woman in a white coat, holding a huge needle which she pierced through the intravenous fluid, instantly making my body weak, but at the same time, relieving me of any pain I felt.

My eyelids are suddenly heavy. I am barely able to see the woman retreat and mumble something to the owner of the big and rough hands holding me. Then, a shadow hovers over me. The face of the man who was once my stalker comes into view.

He leans forward and presses his lips to my forehead, then caresses my hair and pulls back, making me miss his warmth and smell that engulfs my nostrils.

This time, I don’t fight back the sleep that washes over me. My stalker whispers next to me and I go to sleep at the sound of his voice.

*****

“Bring that fucker to me alive!” I gasped as an angry voice resonated through the room, my heart pounding in my chest from being so abruptly woken up. I take in my surroundings. The room was beige. Simple and plain, aside from the painting that rested on the wall adjacent to me.

To my left, big floor-to-ceiling glass covers the wall. And there he stood, shirtless and wearing grey joggers that hung low around his waistline with one of his hands tucked in the pockets while the other held his phone to his ear.

“I don’t bloody care! Bring him to me unscathed. Not a single bruise should be found on his body. I want him here in the next thirty minutes.”

I hear Reed say before he ends the call. From here, I could see how tense he was from the veins and muscles on his neck sticking out. I stuck out my index finger which had a pulse monitor on it. My throat was as dry as the dessert when I called out to him.

“Reed,”

From where he stood, I wondered if he could hear me. Relieve washes over me when he turned and took long strides towards me.

“You’re awake,” he whispered, sitting next to me and caressing my hair.

“Water,” I groggily called out. Reed separates from me momentarily and no later than five seconds, he’s helping me sit upright and feeding me water. The chilled water journeying down my throat almost feels as good as Reed’s thick cock forcing its way past my throat.

My cheeks flushed a bright shade of crimson. I peered up at him through my lashes. His eyes are already on me, staring at me intently as though he could read the nasty thoughts of him running through my mind.

A smirk appeared on Reed’s plump lips before he got on his feet to dispose of the now-empty bottle. I cleared my throat and adjusted the cover over my leg.

“What happened,” I inquired, changing the topic.

Reed was taking back his spot next to me before he spoke up. “We got into an accident,” he said.

I was suddenly hit by a wave of memories, making me flinch. I remember Reed saying our car had been tampered with, Hermine whispering something to her and Alex… oh my God, Alex!

“Where’s Alex?” a wave of panic rushed through my body as Reed bowed his head. His gaze was back on me, expressionless. I stared at him, begging him to say something – anything.

“Reed, where the hell is Alex,” I asked more forcefully this time, my heart throbbing against my ribcage.

He crests his forehead, rubbing the spot between his brows. “She’s okay. Somewhere downstairs with Hermine,”

Instant relief clads me and I let out the heavy breath I was holding.

Reed takes my hand in his and kisses the back. “I’m sorry, this was all my fault. I put you at risk. I thought I lost you, Zinnia. You were not moving, and I.. I…”

“Hey, shhhh, it’s okay. I’m here now. I am safe” I cajoled, releasing my hand from his to hold his face.

“I know you saved me. You will never allow any harm befall me,” I encouraged, hoping to alleviate some of the guilt he was feeling.

“You wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place f it wasn’t for me,” he contradicted.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“But I’m okay now, Reed. I’m fine,”

“You don’t get it. Because of me, you are not the target of very dangerous men. They will stop at nothing until they have you, just to get back at me,”

I frowned. Not only was he going out of topic, but he seemed to be over exaggerating. I had no idea what he was talking about.

“Is this because of Roman? I mean I could sense some hostility between you two, but to think he would go as far as hurting me just to get to you? Come on, Reed. Don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic?”

“Oh, Zinnia. It’s more than just hostility. That man and everyone in that room are fucking assholes. There are perverts. They feed off naïve and helpless girls like you. And knowing that you’re my girl, Jesus, Zinnia, they would share you amongst themselves,” he roared angrily, his eyes getting darker with each passing second. He got off the chair and put some distance between us.

Rage boiled into my body, itching against my skin like a nasty pimple. “Reed, I am not some naïve girl who needs saving. Need I remind you, before you fucking crept into my life and began stalking me, I was doing just fine, just as I have since I fucking left the system.”

“You don’t understand the gravity of the situation. I have no doubts you can take care of yourself. But not when it comes to those men. To them, you’re an easy target. A prey,”

I sighed and let his words settle in. “Was I an easy target for you, Reed?” I asked in a quiet tone. The room quieted down.

“No, Zinnia, no-”

“Those men you’re describing as assholes picking on naïve and helpless women like me, you’re no different from them. You stalked me. Forced yourself on me. You’re simply describing yourself, Reed,”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. You knew from day one how fucked up I am yet you let me fuck you senseless,”

“I didn’t let you fuck me. You coerced me!” I fired back

“Yet you came. I made your fantasies come to life,”

“Fuck you, Reed! Consensual Non Consent is still rape you fucking asshole. Since you’re a fucking tech genius, why don’t you look that up on the net? You’re not different from them, Reed. If anything, you’re worse,” I clapped back. I was well aware of how ungrateful and foolish I sounded right now, but I was furious at him for calling me naïve and thinking I needed him to protect me from the big bad boogey man lurking behind my curtains.

Reed approached me at full speed. I could feel the extent of his rage radiating off his body. His hands were fisted in a knot, almost turning white.

“You asked for it, Zinnia. You fucking asked for it. Mark my words, you will never, ever step foot out of this building. I will show you just how evil I can be,” and with that, he stormed out.

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