CHAPTER 041 : HandsIn The Air Hervoicescrapessomethingsharpinme.Ofcourseshesthrilled.
SloaneandSerenacouldntbemoredifferent.
Althoughtheyrebothopinionated,Sloanethinksbeforeshespeaks.Shesoftensecretiveaboutherdeepestfeelings,this!knowalltoowell.ButSerenasayswhateverthehellcrosseshermind.Nofilter.Nohesitation.Itslikeshesallergictosilence.Everythoughtbecomesasoundbite.
Itsnowonderwevenevergottenalong.
Especiallybackwhentheylivedtogether.Thatapartmentwasaminefield,Sloanewouldbeinthekitchenquietlystirringtea,tryingtodecompressfromalongday,andSerenawouldburstinlike astorm,unloadingwhateverdramasheddraggedhome.Irememberthosenightsalltoowell.Mesittingonthecouch.Serenarantingfromacrosstheroom.Sloanegivingmethatsilentlookequalpartsexhaustedandapologeticlikeshewishedshecoulddisappear.
Inevertold herthis,butsometimesIwishedwebothcould.
Look,Isay,loweringmyvoice.Mybrotherstoleherfromme,andyouregoingtohelpmegetherback.
Yourbrother? Itsalongstory.
Thendontbothertellingit.Imnot helpingyou.
YoudontknowKnox.Hesnotrightforher.Hesdangerous.Tiedupwiththekindofpeoplewhodontaskforthings.Mafia.Gangs.Sloanesgoingtoendup introublejustbybeingaroundhim.
Silencestretchesontheother end.
Youbetternotbelyingtome,shesaysfinally.
Imnot.IcareaboutSloane.Ineedyourhelp.
A sigh.Fine.Illtalktoher.
Thankyou.
Shehangsupwithoutsayinggoodbye.
IpulluptoSloanesapartmentbuildingandkilltheengine.MyhandshoveroverthekeysonmyringuntilIfindittheoneshegavemeyearsago,withatinyfadedtagthatreadsforemergencies.
Thisisanemergency.
Iheadup,locatingherapartmentnumberbyinstinct.Inside,theapartmentsmellsfaintlyoflavenderandher.Thatfloral,freshscentthatclingstohersweaters,herpillows,herhairwhenshehugsme.Istepintothe livingroomandsetthegearonthecouch,thenwalktoward herbedroom.
IthitsmealloveragainhowmuchImissher.

Iopenherclosetandburymynoseinoneoftheshirtsstillhanging.Itsmellslikehershampoo.Alittlelikewarmth.Likehome.
Thedrawersaretoo tidy.Everythingfoldedtoocarefully.Ineedsomethingwithalittlemoreof herscent.Ifindthebinshekeepsherlaundryinoverflowing,notyetdone.
Icrouch.Myhandshoverforamoment.
AndthenIstartpickingthroughit.
ThefirstpieceIfindisapairofpanties.Obviouslyworn.Iraiseittomyfaceandbreatheherin.
Myfingersgriptighter.Ifindmoreandpocketthem.
ThenIstraightenandmove backtothelivingroom.
Timetoinstallthosecameras.
Oneinthebedroom,Isayaloud.Oneinthelivingroom.Oneinthebathroom.Andoneinthekitchen.
Eachonegoesineasily.Hidden.Perfectlyangled.Myhandsaresteadynow.Purposeful.
WhenIfinish,Ilookaround,heartracing.
Illseeyousoon,Sloane,Imurmurtotheemptyapartment.
Ill helpyouthroughthis…whateverthisiswithmybrother.Andthenyoullrememberwhoyoureallybelongto.
Ipickuptheemptyboxandwalktothedoor.
ThatswhenIhearit.
CHAPTER041:HandsInTheAir Voices,Familiar.Toofamiliar.
Sloane.AndKnox.
No.No,no,no.
Myheartdrops.Mychesttightens,breathhitchinginmythroat.Whatisshedoinghome thisearly?Shessupposedtobegoneuntilevening.
Idontthink.Ijustmove.
Boxstillinmyhand,Idarttowardherbedroom,droppingtheboxbehind thedresserasIslipintothecloset.Iclosethedoorjustenoughtoleaveasliverofair.Mybreathisshallow.Controlled.

Follow new episodes on the CrushnovelS.Com

Fromthenarrowcrack,Ihearthedooropen.
Sothisiswhereyoulive?Knoxasks,hisvoicetoocomfortable,tooathomeinherspace.
Yup.Iknowwhatyouthink.Itsupsidedown.
Nope.Ithinkitssmall.
Areyoubrokeshamingme? Itsjustanobservation,hesays,thatsmugedgecurlingaroundeachsyllable.Youbroughtmeintoyourabodetogetintomypants.IthinkIhavethe righttospeakfreely.
Shelaughs.
God,shelaughs.
Anditstabsme.Rightinthecenterofmychest.
Herlaughwasmine.Allthoselatenights watchingdumbromcomsanddrinkingcheapwine.Thewayshedfallagainstmelaughing,cheeksred,eyesshining.Andnowitshis.Allofherishis.
Icanheartheirfootsteps,closernow.Mymuscleslockup.
Theyreinthebedroom.
Iseethemthroughthegap.Knoxshandisaroundherneck,notchoking,butguiding,dominant.Hepusheshertowardthebed,andshessmiling,lettinghim.
No.No.No.
Shesnotevenmissingme.Shesnotgrieving.Shesbeenfuck,shesbeenenchanted,bewitched,manipulatedbyhim.
Butshedoesntlooklikeavictim.Shelooks… Happy.
Knoxreleasesherneckandstepsback,voicecoolandcommanding.
Takeoffyourclothes,Bunny.
Bunny.
Shedoesnthesitate.Notforasecond.Herfingersfindthehemofhertop,andshepeelsitoffinonesmoothmotion.Herbrafollows.Herjeans.Panties.
Layerbylayer,sheundressesforhim.Theresnoshynessinhermovements,onlydesire.Willingness.Trust.

AndallIcandoiswatch.
Myjawclenches.Myfistscurlintotight,shakingknots.Ishouldntbehardrightnow,butIam.Thattraitorouspartofmewakesupatthesightofhernakedness.
Kneel.Handsintheair.
Shedropstoherknees.
Her postureis perfect,backstraight,handsliftedlikeanoffering.Hereyesarewide,fixedonhim.Shelooksupathimlikehehungthefuckingmoon.
Knoxpullssomethingfromhispocket.
Handcuffs.
Hestepsforwardandbindsher wriststogether.
Ivenever seenherlikethis.Neverseenhersubmittoanyone.ShewaskindofabullytothegirlsIhungaroundwith incollege.
Andsomethinginsidemeburns.
Shewasmine.
CHAPTER041:HandsInTheAir Shestillis.
ImakeasoundbeforeIcanstopmyself.Agrunt.Asharpinhale.Somethingsmall,butnotsmallenough.
Knoxfreezes.
Hisheadturns.
Issomethingwrong?Sloaneasks,hervoicelow,breathless.
Hedoesntanswer.
Hisgazestaysonthecloset.
And thenhestartswalkingtowardit.
Stepbystep.