Chapter Three ~ Kessi
Kessi’s stomach woke her up before anything else. It was growling, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten in two days, and the house was filled with the smells of bacon and eggs and pancakes on the griddle. The pain in her eyes and her head was fierce, but slightly numb too, more than it had been the day before. A foggy memory floated back from the night before of Chasan waking her up to give her a pain pill, and Chasan and Fenix talking in hushed voices in the kitchen, but none of it was firm enough to recall entirely.
She was just about to drift off to sleep when she heard Hanna giggle from the kitchen, and then the sound of bacon frying was too much to ignore. Plus, Kessi wasn’t entirely comfortable with Chasan hanging out with her daughter, especially considering she hadn’t been awake to introduce them. She shuffled into the kitchen and saw her mop-headed daughter finishing her homework and laughing as Chasan flipped pancakes at the stove.
“What are you kids doing in here?”
They both turned around and grinned at her, but Hanna’s face dropped when she saw how much worse Kessi looked than she had the day before. Her bruises were setting in, and she knew she had to look awful. Hanna’s face scrunched up like she was about to cry.
“Mom… why won’t you tell me what happened?”
Kessi didn’t know what to say, but Chasan came over with a plate of food and sat down next to Hanna at the table. “Someone did a bad thing to your mom, Hanna. But we’re going to find them and make sure they never have the chance to do it to someone else. You’ll both be safe, I promise.”
Hanna nodded and nuzzled her head into Kessi’s hip. Kessi sighed and mouthed “thank you” to Chasan, who smiled and got up to retrieve Kessi her own plate. They sat together and ate the rest of their breakfast in silence, but Kessi caught Hanna smiling at Chasan, and he’d make a goofy face back. For a brief second, Kessi forgot what was actually going on, and she let herself be happy.
* * *
The next week passed just like that; Kessi getting as much rest as she could while Chasan took Hanna to school, grocery shopped, fixed things around the house, and basically did everything Kessi was too sore to do herself. Every so often, Fenix would come over and he and Chasan would go outside and talk, or have a hushed conversation while Chasan was making dinner. But every time Kessi would try to join in, Fenix would change the subject.
When Friday rolled around, Marnie offered to take Hanna for the night so Chasan could have an evening off. She was starting to soften to Chasan, but she still side-eyed him every chance she got. Kessi appreciated her best friend’s protectiveness, but Chasan had more than proven himself since he’d basically moved in to protect her and her daughter. Even with Marnie, there was no way she would have survived the last week with Chasan’s help.
Once Hanna had scuttled off with Marnie, Chasan cooked he and Kessi dinner, and then got her settled in front of the TV. He started poking through the DVD collection that was scattered across their bookshelves, and said with a laugh, “Do you have anything that isn’t animated or free of profanity?”
Kessi looked up from her pillow on the couch with a smile. “I have a DVD of The Breakfast Club somewhere, but I haven’t the slightest clue where it is. Probably in a box in my bedroom closet. The perils of having a six-year-old.”
“Up, it is then?” Chasan said he collapsed down on the couch next to her.
They watched movie after movie, and Kessi pretended not to notice as Chasan inched closer and closer to her, until he was gently resting up against her side. She turned and found herself staring into his ocean-blue eyes. He reached up and pushed a strand of hair away from her face with a sly smile. But Kessi’s nerves took hold, and she was afraid of what the gentleness of his touch meant.
"Stop," she said, and took hold of his hand before it could touch her cheek. She felt herself begin to blush at just the closeness of his skin to her own, and she couldn’t help but feel a little foolish. She bit her lip lightly as she looked deep into his eyes. "I like you, Chasan. I do. Against my better judgment, I’ve come to like you a lot."
His eyes crinkled in a smile as his eyebrows arched, and Kessi suddenly noticed he was missing a bit of his right eyebrow, as if it had been swept away by a magic wand. "I feel a but coming."
"But… my life is a mess. I have Hanna to think about, and you… You are a Skull. Your life is dangerous, unpredictable. Who the hell knows when what happened to me could happen to you, but worse? Your life is a bigger mess than…”
He cut her off by leaning in, and planting a kiss on her like nothing she had ever known, slow and deep and more intense than anything she’d experience in her life. Her body melted, warmth mingled low in the pit of her stomach, and mists of desired clouded her vision. Must stop, she thought. But she couldn’t.
Chasan groaned as he leaned into her and gently squeezed her breast, letting his fingers drift across her nipple. "Kessi, your mess and my mess… Maybe if we bring them together, we can figure out how to sort both our lives.”
She laughed with a smile, her face still sore and prone to aching when she smiled. Chasan saw her pain, and ran a hand up under t-shirt, and along her side, to try and distract her. "Are you sure?" she whispered.
"I’m sure, Kessi. I’ve been sure since the first moment I saw you.”
He leaned over and slowly unbuttoned her shirt. As he slid it off, his mouth traced a gentle voyage from under her breast and down her stomach, stopping just above her jeans. Chasan tugged them down slowly and she raised her hips so he could slide them off; her heart raced as the chilly air drifted across her bare skin. Chasan moaned against her skin and spread her thighs apart until he could take in every inch of her exposed body.
She closed her eyes as he exhaled against her, his beard brushing against the delicate skin on the insides of her legs. Chasan began to tease Kessi’s opening, first with his long finger, then his full lips. She grabbed hold of the cushions of the couch to keep herself steady as his tongue explored her slit, sucking and tasting and softly biting until desire boiled up in a sudden intense wave. Every inch of her cried out for more and her hips rose to meet each lap of his expert tongue.
Chasan’s teeth scraped across the delicate skin of her stomach and she whimpered, a shiver overtaking her entire body. He sighed and rumbled, and he grabbed hold of her ass to lift her from the couch, his strong fingers powerful as he massaged her ass. She cried out as he went back to teasing the sensitive skin at the top of her warmth, and her body went stiff as his long, brilliant finger forced into her. Her breath escaped uneven and frantic, and she ran her hand through the thick scruff of his hair, wanting more.
But he pulled away, and went back to a tender flicking of his tongue as Kessi groaned and writhed in frustration, which only made Chasan ease a finger deeper inside of her. She flushed a deep crimson as her whole body spasmed under his touch, and began grabbing absent-mindedly at her stomach and breasts, any part of her that would ease the wanting that drove her wild, and deeper into Chasan’s touch.
"Chasan, please."
Chasan smiled up at her. "Please? Please, what?" He nibbled at her clit and she jumped, pulling at his hair.
Her cheeks burned deeper and she couldn't speak as he added a second finger and pressed inside of her, his mouth diligent until the heaviness formed and Kessi reached the precipice. She couldn't take a breath, couldn't see anything but Chasan’s eyes looking up at her; she surrendered to the sensations as the pushed her over the edge. With one last thrust of his fingers, Kessi wept out and was immobilized as her muscles pulled Chasan ever closer. Everything in the room went hazy around the edges except for the exquisite torture of his fingers inside of her. She took a deep breath, and only after putting all of her focus on separating the feel of his skin against her own, was she able to open her eyes.
Chasan sat on the floor beside her, letting his fingers lazily trace shapes in the sparkling remnants of perspiration. She lifted a shuddering hand to try and wipe away the sweat from her brow, but the touch of her fingers to her forehead only reminded her of the pain.
Chasan leaned forward and let his lips drift across her shoulder, his voice gruff. "You’re gorgeous, Kessi Lloyd. Gorgeous."
She laughed softly, “Oh, I’m sure. I still look like I’ve gone ten rounds with a prize fighter.”
He gently put a finger to her lips and shushed her. “You’re gorgeous.”
His stare enthralled her, and in his presence, everything felt unhurried and wistful. She felt safe, and comfortable. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she was in the presence of a man who would never hurt her. She knew it in the deepest part of her. All at once, she knew she wanted to feel the weight of him on top of her, feel the warmth of his skin against her own. Kessi reached over and ruffled her fingers through his thick, blonde hair and pulled him closer so she could feel his soft lips on hers. Chasan groaned into her mouth in response.
“I’m sorry, did I rush?” Kessi said as she pulled away.
With a sly smile, Chasan stood up and stripped away his shirt, then slide out of his jeans. Kessi took in the sight of him, all muscle and strength, covered in tattoos from shoulders to his feet. He was beautiful, rough and gentle at the same time, and Kessi made it her mission to trace every pattern on his body, and learn the story behind every marking.
Chasan gentle straddled Kessi on the couch, and she sucked in a breath as his rigid cock pressed against her, drifting across her soft skin. Her hips rose to meet him again, and she let her hands drift up and down his strong sides. Chasan’s scruffy cheek fell against her shoulder, his breathing becoming more and more haggard. But he didn't budge, didn't try to fuck her, even though it was what she wanted. She couldn't breathe in anticipation, couldn't wait to touch him, so she reached down and took his length in her hand.
Chasan went stiff, the sinewy muscles in his chest tightening, as Kessi wrapped her hand around his cock in deliberate, methodical strokes. She swallowed whatever nervousness still gripped her as Chasan moaned again, followed by a muttered cry to the gods for mercy. His cock was heavy and warm against her flesh, a delicious torment as she directed him to the glassy dampness at her core and tempted the head around and over the flesh of her pussy, still reeling from her orgasm. Kessi sighed and leaned into him, relishing the silky rod in her hand, and she used the head of him to pleasure herself until Chasan moaned again, and his hands dug into sides of the couch next to her shoulders.
Chasan smiled down at Kessi, his hazel eyes glittering with mischief. "You're killing me, beautiful," he said, his curved, perfect lips arched into an exasperated grin.
"You want me to wait all night for you to make your move?" she asked with a laugh. She caressed him again, a little firmer, and his hips lurched forward, his massive length gliding against her palm. Chasan turned her head so he could kiss her again, softly, gently, careful not to hurt her and Kessi’s heart melt at every touch. She reached down to run her hand along his rigid length once more, but Chasan was one step ahead of her.
He made a coarse, frantic noise, and his arms wrapped tight her. Chasan slipped inside of her and she gulped at the unexpected fullness as his cock took up every inch of her. He filled her up more and more until she trembled and rocked against his muscular body, until her core collapsed and she couldn't move another inch. But still, he pressed on, until their stomachs drifted across each other. Total pleasure set her aglow from inside out, and she could barely control herself at the feeling of him pulsing inside of her. Chasan held on to her knees and spread her wider, as she locked her heels around his waist, desperate to keep him buried inside of her.
Chasan kissed her softly as he began moving, a balanced thrust that pulled his length from her in trembling anguish as her muscles desperately struggled to hold on to him, then plowed so deeply into her that she twisted and wailed and grasped on to his skin just to give herself purchase on the earth. Kessi wanted to be joined to Chasan, be one with him forever.
Chasan felt her need and his thrusts became quicker, grew fitful and unrestrained until the echo of their bodies meeting filled the room. She cried out, and she tried desperately to meet each of Chasan’s thrusts as his hips crushed into her. Kessi was so close, almost there and with one last blinding thrust, he pushed her straight over the edge for a second time.
Then, Chasan made a sexy, fierce sound as he jerked on top of me, his hands digging into my ass as I moaned and pushed my hips into him. And then he was tranquil, except for the soothing sound of his soft breathing. Kessi tried to blink away the stars from her vision, tried to remember what it meant to be a human being.
But she could worry about all of that tomorrow.