Page 51 of Unlocked Desire: Vol One
He pulls open a drawer, and I see the metallic gleam of a blade. He turns to me and smiles. “This is poetic in a weird, fucked up way.”
My heart stops. Is he going to kill me? As if he senses my fear, he offers a sad smile. “This isn’t for you, Little Bird.” He stabs the blade into the area on his left arm bare of tattoos. “This is for us.”
I watch in horror and fascination as Vance carves letters along his arm. I step closer as a sick fascination with this man takes root and grows wildly inside me. Glancing down, I see what he’s carved into his flesh. There, staring back at me, are eight letters… CLARISSA.
He turns his face to me, a look of pure desperation and need shadowing his eyes. He’s letting his guard down, standing before me naked, exposing the deepest parts of his soul, letting me see the man and the monster. I’ve never had another person look at me the way he does. As if I’m his world.
Vance makes me feel like I matter, even if his methods are unconventional. Usually, a girl gets flowers and chocolate, not a man mutilating his arm with her name.
With my name.
Vance lifts his arm, and trails of blood drip onto the white marble floor. “There.” He places the bloody knife on the counter and looks at me. “This is pretty permanent, don’t you think? When I say you belong to me, it’s not one-sided. I’m yours, and only yours.
I nod, unsure of what to do or say.
Vance leaves me to my thoughts as he turns on the bathtub's tap, searching for the right temperature. “You want bubbles?”
“You have bubbles?”
“Probably not, but I can get someone to deliver some for the next time.” I like how he says, “next time,” as if I’m going to be a fixture. “I intended to plan this better, but then that guy at the club fucked up my plans, so I have nothing for you, but I’ll fix that. The only thing I could get here on time was the food.”
I smile, thinking how contradictory this man is. “You’re a little squishy, aren’t you?”
“No, Little Bird. Not much about me is soft. The only person who sees this is you. Only you.”
Vance offers his hand, and I take it before stepping into the tub. The carving on his arm doesn’t faze him. He wraps it in a towel before he takes a washcloth and works on my skin, being careful around my back to not cause me any discomfort.
“Does it hurt?”
I sigh, leaning into his touch. “No, it feels wonderful.”
Vance pours shampoo into his hands and gives me an apologetic smile. “It’s probably not what you’re used to.”
His hands glide in my hair as he makes suds while massaging my scalp. My heart constricts at his gentle touch, and a tear slips down my cheek.
Vance stops what he’s doing. Panic flashes in his eyes as he stares at me. “Did I hurt you? I’m sorry. I can stop.”
“No, no, it’s not that. You’re being so gentle and loving. It’s… I’ve never had anyone take care of me.”
“Not even when you were a child?”
“No. My parents died in a car crash when I was three. I’ve been in the system my whole life. No foster parent took the time to ensure I knew I was important. No one has until you.”
“You are important,” Vance says before he continues to wash my hair. “I’m going to make sure you never forget it.”
I smile at his sweet words and revel in his tender touch.
Vance removes the shower head attached to the tub, checking the water pressure before he sprays it on my head, washing away the soap and all the pain I’ve been harboring.
“Your hair is so beautiful,” he says, his hands gentle in my hair. “It was the first thing I noticed about you. This gorgeous black hair. You looked like a Raven.”
I chuckle. “Is that why you call me Little Bird?”
“Yes, my little bird. My raven.”
I turn to face him, and his eyes are softer than I’ve ever seen them. “That’s kinda poetic.”
He smiles and places a soft kiss on my head. “Your poetry.”