Page 3 of Straightjacket

His hand trails from my cheek towards my throat, then he pulls me down onto his solid frame. I don’t miss the sharp hiss through his teeth from the pain, but he quickly brushes it off, gripping my jaw tightly. Even in the dark, I can feel his gaze on me. It spreads like a wildfire across my flesh. Gently, he runs his nose across my cheek to reach my ear where his warm breath lingers. “I got us into this mess, and I’ll get us out of it. And no matter what happens, you know I’ll always find you, there’s nowhere that you’ll be able to run to, where I won’t catch you.”

His words ring true and mine seem to fail me, so I choose to simply nod instead. Accepting, and truthfully believing that this man will always catch me.

Softly, he places a gentle kiss just underneath my ear. “Not even death could take you from me, little demon. I don’t fucking share.”

God, even in the worst situations he never fails to make me laugh.

“You’re a brute.” I tease, causing him to grin against my skin, then he plants another kiss on my throat.

“I am, and if I wasn’t inconveniently shot, I’d absolutely rail the fuck outta you right now.”

I scoff, even though I know I’d never be able to turn him down. “Is there ever a time where you don’t think with your dick?”

“Yeah, when you make me fold laundry.” He says so matter of factly. “Though, there was that time when you ended up headfirst in the dryer, and somehow my dick slipped inside your ass.”

Wicked visions of that evening spill across my mind, and as much as I’d like to stay inside that memory, the jostling of the van rips me back into reality.

“I don’t really think now is the best time to discuss that.” I whisper, a wobble present in my voice because I know what’s coming. Our precious bubble we’ve created in this van is going to pop. The severity of our situation is going to smack us in the face like a brick, and I’m not ready.

Silas must feel my fear, because he somehow manages to pull himself up through grunting breaths and sits against the side of the van.

“Come here, baby.” He demands, a hushed softness to his tone.

“But you’re hurt?”

“It’s not too bad now and anyway, I could lose a fucking limb before I fail to comfort you.”

There’s a shard of light that slips through one of the front windows. The bright white beam slashes across Silas's face, leaving me breathless. His eyes glow beneath the light as he stares at me in the darkness. Not even the intrusion falters his gaze.

“Come to me, little demon.”

That simple pet name that I’ve had from the very beginning has me crawling the short distance between us, until I’m settled between his parted legs. Instantly, like the feeling of home, I mold into his body, his firm arms wrapping around my shoulders to smother me. I tuck my head underneath his chin and inhale his signature scent. The familiar smell wraps around my lungs like a weighted blanket, easing the ache just slightly that lingers there.

“I know you’re scared, baby, I am too. But I’ll always be more scared of losing you. No matter what, it’s you and me until the end, yeah?” He says with such softness, but I can hear that fear behind it all. It’s louder than anything I’ve ever heard before.

Gripping onto him to stop myself from drifting out to sea, I nod against his chest. “Until the end,” I whisper as my eyes begin to grow heavy. “I love you.”

Silas tightens his hold. “And I’ll always love you more.” He murmurs, then I allow myself a moment of peace, just to rest my eyes. And hopefully when I wake up, we’ll be back at the manor.

Silas, where are we?

Where’s Iris? Why isn’t she here?

Something isn’t right. Silas, we need to wake up.

SILAS!

Bright lights burn into my fucking eyeballs every time that I try to pry my eyelids open, and I’m fully convinced that my heart is ready to rip through my chest.

I’ll be pissed if I die of a heart failure. My little demon would haunt me well into the afterlife and never let me live that down. Speaking of my little demon, where the fuck is she? Where am I?

The sound of monotone beeping rings through my ears, and it feels like someone is ramming screwdrivers in there. I desperately want to cover my ears but the moment I try to move my hands; they’re yanked back into place. Metal clangs against metal as I shake the handcuffs that are fastened tightly around my wrists. With every tug, blood blooms underneath my skin.

No, no… I can’t be trapped like this. Not again.

Fear threatens to consume me whole. I can feel its deformed jaws eager to wrap around me.

Stay with me, Silas. We can’t let this break us down. Iris needs us.