AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 5
My eyes blinked asthe last dredges of sleep were erased, a slight ache in my head causing my vision to blur before it finally cleared. Slowly, I rose to a sitting position, pushing away the obsidian coverlet blanketed over my body as I slid my legs across the matching silken sheets. A slight chill clung to the air in the room, and I shivered, rubbing the skin on my arms before I stood. Unsteady, I wobbled before finding my balance, careful of the sling that held my left arm.
My breath released in a gasp as I noticed my surroundings. A roaring fire in a stone hearth to chase away the chill in the room. The massive king-size bed. Dark wooden furnishings. A deep crimson rug, thick and plush.The Phantom’s Lair.
Benny!
Soft music, muffled from the closed door ahead, soothed the wounded balm of my spirit. Every part of me ached but I didn’t dwell on the pain.
Moving forward, I winced with each step, but nothing would have stopped me from reaching the man who haunted my every waking moment.
The weariness in my bones threatened to overtake me as my vision blurred and the edges darkened. I panted as I reached the cold stone wall to the left of the door, determined not to pass out. Another few feet, and I would be able to twist the handle.
My back met the wall as I sucked air into my lungs, and my eyes closed, replacing the depleted energy of walking this far. For a moment, I couldn’t remember what happened before I woke up. It took a few minutes to recall Carlo, his attempted kidnapping, and the cab crashing before I managed to escape him. I remembered the hospital and taking an Uber home.
Blowing out a breath, I blinked, startled when my eyes opened, and I found the door open. Filling the space, my demon of the night stood, taking up nearly every inch inside the frame. His head nearly touched the top.
My eyes widened as I took in his appearance, somehow more menacing and seductive than I remembered. Broad shoulders were covered in a loose-fitting black t-shirt, the long sleeves pushed up to his elbows, revealing the corded muscles in his arms. The onyx lines of his tattoos show the quality of the ink on his bare skin. Dark denim covered his lower body, covering the powerful thighs and strong legs I’d seen at the hotel.
The hotel.
A blush rose from my neck into my cheeks as I remembered how Benny claimed me, taking my virginity and confessing his love. The same love that fluttered in my heart as my gaze lifted, traveling up to meet two silvery eyes. The right sparkled as brilliantly as a star. The left, duller in comparison, remained hidden behind the bone-white death’s head mask he wore.
Ah. The man before me had many personas. I didn’t have to guess to know that my demon of the night now stood before me.
A thick strand of dark hair draped over the right side of his forehead as if in defiance. By his stiff posture, I knew he wondered what my reaction would be. After all, we didn’t part under happy circumstances.
He opened his mouth but closed it, swallowing without saying a word. The fact that he could be rendered speechless surprised me. I didn’t have a clue why I remained silent, pressed to the wall as if it could save me from the conversation we needed to have or the contract with mynonnothat would cause friction when I demanded that he disclose the reason behind it.
The uncovered right side of his face betrayed no emotion. Not even a twitch of his full lips. The smooth, unmarked perfection of his features drew my eye. A harsh, striking jawline that ticked twice under my perusal. The straight nose, half hidden by his mask. Scruff from a light beard. The unblemished skin such a stark contrast to the left side of his face.
During this examination, I grew lightheaded. My body swayed. My stomach tightened as I shivered despite the warmth in the room.
The Phantom took a step forward but stopped when I pushed from the wall, moving away from him instead of closer despite my reaction and the unmistakable desire thrumming through my body. A frown briefly tugged his mouth downward. When he finally spoke, I heard the concern he didn’t bother to disguise. “Are you okay?”
In the silvery depths of his eyes, I thought I saw a black shadow briefly cross over, and I gasped. “What happened to you?”
“What do you mean,cara mia?”
There. The shadow blacked out the silver a second time. “I can see it.”
“Bianca?” The surprise in his voice didn’t deter me.
Something about Benny was different.
“I guess it doesn’t matter right now.” I sighed, stumbling as I turned toward the bed. Standing took a toll. Perhaps I hadn’t recovered enough yet from the crash and my injuries.
Without a word, Benny scooped under my knees, lifting me into his arms. He strode toward the bed with purpose.
My back met the mattress as he gently placed me on the sheets, pulling up the coverlet.
“You’re cold,” he murmured.
I thought he would back away, but he sank next to me, picking up one of my hands as he began to rub soft circles into my skin. His large, warm hands provided an extra layer of heat.
