The songs referenced in this chapter are What's Left Of You by Chord Overstreet and Runnin (Lose It All) by Beyonce. Enjoy XO.

Thursday morning, Leah woke with Quil beside her but not holding her as he usually did. She had dreamed, but the details faded quickly, leaving hazy glimpses of scrambled memories behind. She was unsure how Quil had gotten back inside the locked bedroom but decided it did not matter.

I probably let him back in and just don't remember, she grumbled to herself. She felt surprisingly well-rested and could stand and walk to the bathroom alone.

She and Quil spent the morning together in comfortable silence, having a simple breakfast and watching reruns of some family sitcom from the eighties. That afternoon, Leah asked Quil to drive her to the club to explain her absence to Tom. She was embarrassed to admit she had forgotten all about her shift the night before and hoped he was in a good mood. When she walked into the club and saw him sitting at the bar, he was only one of many who gaped at her in shock. The split on her eyebrow was almost closed, but her left eye and right cheekbone remained a purplish-gray color. The large bruise taking up a good portion of her upper arm was darker than anything else.

Tom stumbled from his barstool and hurried toward her. Co-workers and regulars alike crowded her, asking for details and expressing their concerns. Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to make eye contact with all of them. She began to panic, searching for red rings hidden in the faces of people she knew.

Quil yelled over the crowd, "Hey, folks!" Even Tom turned their focus to Quil as he said, "Can you guys give her a little space? She has been having anxiety attacks since she woke up."

Leah took deep, slow breaths, staring at Quil gratefully while everyone formed a large circle around her and Tom. It was then that she realized her employer had been supporting her by her elbow as she swayed on her feet. Leah sat down in the nearest chair, feeling utterly useless and weak. She explained that she had been attacked near the parking lot on Saturday night and immediately rushed for medical treatment by her friends. All were astounded when she said that she had been almost entirely unconscious until Wednesday morning. One of her security co-workers became angry and stomped toward the back door, lighting a cigarette before he even got outside. The smell from the cigarette hit her, and Quil snickered as she damn near groaned.

She said, "You know, not smoking for days is probably causing half of my anxiety." Damn, I want one. That part of my brain didn't get scrambled, apparently.

Tom said, "Leah, how about we go have a chat, huh?" Tom slid his arm around her shoulders to support her balance as inconspicuous as possible as he led her toward the hallway. He stopped walking as she hesitated and beckoned for Quil to come with her.

Leah asked Tom, "Do you mind? My friend is kind of protective. You can trust him."

Tom smirked at her and motioned for Quil to come along. Leah smiled at Tom gratefully as they sat down in his office, happy to not have so many eyes on her.

Quil held his hand out to shake as he and Tom greeted each other.

Tom smirked at Leah and asked, "This the guy that went home with Chelsea and didn't fuck her?" He roared with laughter as Leah and Quil both gaped at him in shock.

Quil asked, "Is that supposed to be some kind of insult?"

Tom said, "Nah. You did the right thing, kid."

Leah looked over at Quil and cackled at the embarrassment on his face. "Paybacks, Lee," Quil teased her and chuckled as his tension eased.

Turning to Tom, Leah said, "I cannot believe you just did that." He wore the biggest grin she had ever seen on his face and shrugged. Leah asked, "How did you even know about that?"

He sighed as his stern expression resumed and leaned forward onto his desk. He explained, "When Hodie quit and took off, Tricia came to talk to me. She was worried some of the stuff Chelsea had told your friend here might be behind it."

Leah said, "Well, it did not have anything to do with it. Hodie doesn't even know Chelsea told Quil anything."

Tom said, "So? This attack? I assume it has something to do with Hodie taking off?"

Leah dropped her eyes and nodded once, silently giving him all the information she was able to. She worried that he already knew too much. Leah asked, "Have you heard from Hodie?"

Tom said, " Not at all. When I sent him that money, I did tell him where it came from and that if he needed help to contact me. He has been silent since. Have you heard from him?"

Leah said, "No. He sent me a thank you, but nothing since."

Tom said, "I'm worried about this, Leah. Is this person going to come after you again?"

She admitted, "It is definitely a concern."

Quil interjected, "She is never left alone. One of our circle of friends is with her all the time right now. We don't know if this person will attempt anything else, but we don't leave her alone."

Tom said, "I am glad to know she has people who can do that. I saw a few of you here at the Halloween party. Is that the circle?"

"Yep," Quil said and turned to give Leah a smirk. "We all grew up together."

Tom said, "Big guys. Let me know if you are interested in working security." Leah groaned, and Tom asked her, "How is your head feeling? What else is hurt besides the visible?"

She answered, "Okay, at times. Headaches come and go. I have skull fractures and a concussion. I'm always tired. My memory is jacked."

Tom asked, "What do you mean by jacked? Do you remember what this guy looks like?"

Leah said, "I'm not sure who it is. I remember bits and pieces. I don't remember the blows to my face, but I remember my head hitting the wall outside. Some other things with my memory don't quite make sense."

Tom said, "Well, I want to assure you that you still have a job here when you are ready. We can get one of the guys to escort the dancers to their cars until whoever this is fucks off."

Leah said, "I appreciate that, thank you." Tom continued to surprise her with his support and kindness. "You know, it could be a while," Leah said tentatively, knowing full well it was too risky to attract danger to the club that way. Hell, it's dangerous for everyone in this place that I'm even here right now, Leah thought glumly. This was why Hodie begged you to quit. He knew this shit could happen. You fucking sound just like Hodie right now.

Tom reassured her, "Take whatever time you need. I need my best bouncers to have their heads on straight." Tom pulled her into a gentle hug before she left. Leah returned it warmly, feeling incredibly lucky to have not one but two bosses who genuinely cared about her well-being.

The following week passed swiftly, and eventually, her wounds did heal. Despite that, she would still get overwhelmed with feelings of dread that Quil now trusted without question. He would immediately lock her in the house and begin searching for the bastard, only to come up empty-handed every time. It had managed to evade every single one of the Cullens, though random evidence of its presence would be found later.

After the first week, Joy and the pack began to grumble about Quil's constant absence. Because of that, he began spending some nights at home. One of the other pack members would come and sleep at the guest house in his place. Luckily, she had not woken up screaming since the second night there. Her dreams returned to normal, though sometimes Hodie appeared in the wrong place and time. Leah frequently dreamed about having sex with Hodie and Quil. These frustrated her the most, leaving her wanting and lonely although she was never alone.

Though she still had not regained any urge to phase, her wolf remained ever-present, curled up inside of her protectively. She confided in Quil about it, unsure of what to think of its apparent complacency. The wolf did not seem unhappy, though it missed Hodie dreadfully. It only seemed to ever get excited whenever the now-familiar feeling of dread fell over her. While it snapped inside of her protectively, Leah did not feel the burning hot tremors of rage she would have felt before her attack. She hated to admit to herself that when she trembled now, it was usually in fear. More than once, she wondered what the hell this tick had done to her when it somehow scrambled her brain.

By the end of the second week, it was Jacob's turn to guard her. Rather than running, he drove and brought Bella with him. Though Leah missed her little monster terribly, she was not surprised that they had left Sarah with her grandparents for the day. Bella's demands to go and see her siblings had been difficult enough. He had finally relented after she promised him she would not leave Leah's side. Jacob kissed Leah on the cheek in greeting as he hugged her. He went to find Emmett while Bella pulled her into the house and locked the door.

Bella asked how Leah felt about the guest house once they sat comfortably on the couch. She and Jacob had enjoyed using it on occasion to spend time with Emmett and Rose.

Leah admitted, "I am enjoying the quiet. A month ago, being locked inside this long would have been hell. It feels different now, somehow. It is nice to leave my thoughts unguarded for a change. I can think here … about most things, anyway."

Bella asked, "About things like you and Quil?"

Leah eyed her step-sister suspiciously. "There isn't a 'me and Quil,' Bella," Leah said. "There can't be."

Bella said, "I'm not so sure, Leah. He's driving Paul and Embry crazy. He worries about you constantly."

Leah couldn't help the bitter laugh that escaped her. "I still love him," she admitted quietly.

Sympathetically, Bella said, "I know, honey. You never stopped." She pulled Leah's cell phone from her jacket pocket and said, "I figured it was time someone remembered to bring you this."

Leah gaped at her phone for a moment before taking it from Bella.

Bella said, "I charged it again. I didn't read them, but some odd message previews came through. I think you should take a look." Leah nervously turned on her phone and waited for it to load as Bella asked, "So what have you and Quil been doing to pass the time, anyway?"

Leah admitted, "Um, we nap a lot. Not together since the dreams have calmed down. Watch TV. Flirt way too goddamn much. He has been respectful. Well, mostly. He never tries anything, but there are the occasional innuendos. I can see him always hoping, though. I dream about him all the time. It is killing me, Bells. I miss him when he is not around."

Bella asked, "And, Hodie? How do you feel about him now?"

Leah said, "I miss Hodie, too, and I feel so fucking guilty. Sometimes, when Quil is around, it is as if I just forget about Hodie. I don't know where Hodie is or if he has found his own … distractions." Leah sighed heavily, the idea of Hodie with someone else unimaginable. She said, "When he took off, he told me he didn't want me to wait around, missing out on life. He said he didn't want to have a reason to fight when I finally saw him again. He was talking about Quil."

Incredulously, Bella asked, "Like, basically telling you it was okay to have sex with Quil?"

Leah said, "That was how I took it. I promised him I would never cheat. I think he broke up with me because he was afraid I would. He knows how much I care about Quil."

Bella said, "I don't know if I should say anything, but ... Quil hasn't seen or talked to Claire in weeks. Did you know? He is still trying to break the imprint."

Leah's phone buzzed in her hand, and she glanced down at the influx of messages. She began to open them, scrolling through, and gasped at the sight of text from Hodie. She had been sure he had already changed numbers and wondered if he was using multiple sim cards now. Opening the message caused her to burst into tears as she found a picture of herself, broken and bloody on the ground, captioned, Say goodbye.

The response from Hodie had been short and full of rage as he threatened, I will see you die one day and piss on your ashes. There had been no more attempts at communication.

Through a broken sob, Leah said, "Oh my god, Bella. I think he thinks I'm dead." She quickly showed Bella the messages.

Bella said, "Try to call him!"

Leah asked, "What if he just thinks it is this fucker with my phone and won't answer?"

Bella suggested, "Send him a picture, so he knows it is you. Show him you are alive."

Leah turned on her camera to record herself instead and wiped her tears. "I want you to know I'm alive. I'm healing. I'm currently safe. I hope you are safe, wherever you are. I love and miss you. If you get this... Come home," Leah said. She immediately sent it to Hodie and set her phone aside, uncaring of anything else in the messages.

Bella said, "I hope he sees it soon, Sis."

Leah said, "Me, too."

"You know," Bella said and paused, looking very unsure of what she would say next, "Jake and I were lucky. Most of the imprints have been difficult in comparison. I'm not so certain the purpose is necessarily romantic anymore."

Leah asked, "Why do you say that?"

Bella said. "Because of all of this. Because of everything. Jacob's imprint created ties to the Cullens, which has benefited the whole pack. Rachel got Paul to settle down, and he wouldn't have his bar without her support. Kim has helped mature Jared a great deal. Embry has the home life he wanted growing up. Quil's imprint pushed everything out into the open and reconnected you and Sam in a way, sort of creating more peace among the pack. Maybe your imprint on Hodie is because it would connect him to Emmett. Maybe it was to find a solution for him so he could finally stop running."

Doubtfully, Leah said, "I don't know, Bella. Doesn't all of that prove what they are supposed to be for us? That they are supposed to balance us, bring us happiness? Make us better people?"

Softly, Bella said, "People can do that for you without it being a romantic relationship."

Leah said, "Quil and I could keep our friendship without being romantic, too. When did you get so pro-Quil all of a sudden?"

Bella said, "That's not what I'm doing. I want you to be happy no matter who you choose to be with. They both love you, Leah. I have witnessed that first-hand. I do, however, know what it is like for someone I love to run off thinking they are protecting me. When I finally opened my eyes, the person meant for me was right in front of me."

Leah said, "That already happened for me, Bella. Quil dumped me and ignored me for months. Then I found Hodie."

Sincerely, Bella said, "And Hodie is great. But, the roles are sort of reversed now, aren't they?"

Leah nodded, having to admit that it was true.

Bella said, "In the end, I think something important is going to happen. And the one you choose will be the one who shows up."

Leah asked, "What if they both show up? What if neither one do?"

Bella squeezed Leah's hand and said, "We'll cross that bridge when you get there."

"Mary Alice Brandon Whitlock Cullen!"

Leah and Bella glanced at each other warily as someone knocked on the door. Leah stood and opened it as a grinning Alice walked in toting garment bags. Leah bit back a laugh as Rose stomped in behind her, huffing in aggravation despite her lack of need for oxygen.

Rose asked, "What the hell are you doing, Alice?"

"I am taking advantage of a rare opportunity of having my future bride and maid-of-honor together alone," Alice said before turning to Leah. "I have dresses for you to try on. I also have a dress for you to try on for your mom and Charlie's wedding."

Leah said, "I don't even know if it is safe for me to go now."

Alice said, "Luckily for you, it is happening at Jake and Bella's. Your trusty vampire allies are going to guard you all that night."

Rose put her hand on her hip and said, "We are?"

"Yes," Alice chirped as she began unzipping the garment bags. "And so far, I have had no warnings about anything going wrong."

Joking, Leah asked, "Ali, did you have any warnings about Hodie running off on me?" The smile fell from Alice's face as she turned toward Leah guiltily. Leah gaped at her for a moment as her temper flared.

She knew he was going to leave? Leah asked, "Did you know this vamp was going to come after me, too?"

Alice gaped in surprise and said, "Of course not. It wasn't like that at all."

Leah asked, "How was it, Ali? What did you see that you didn't warn me about?"

Alice said, "I saw you arguing about trying to keep each other safe. And I saw him get on a plane and fly somewhere, just to turn around and come back. I honestly thought he would be here by now, but he must have changed his decision. When I try to focus on you, I don't get much. You know I have a hard time seeing things when I focus on the pack. I'm only able to see how those decisions will interfere in Bella's life most of the time. My visions also depend on the decisions people make after they've set their minds on following a certain course."

Leah asked, "You knew we would fight, but not about what, why, or when?"

Alice said, "Essentially. I knew he would travel somewhere and come right back, which isn't exactly unusual. I didn't know all of this would happen, Leah. I wouldn't just leave you in the dark like that. I learned that lesson when we left Bella behind. If I had intervened when I should have, my brother would still exist."

Leah asked, "Can you at least tell me if he is safe?"

Alice said, "He is alive, but he hasn't made any significant decisions in a while. He just keeps moving, so not much has come to me."

Leah instantly began to calm and pulled the tiny vampire against her for a hug. "Come on," Leah said and rolled her eyes. "You finally get to play wolf-barbie. Thank you again for all the clothes, by the way. They are kind of perfect."

Rose grumbled, "Fucking team Alice. Blows my mind." She rolled her eyes and plopped down on the couch opposite Bella as Leah helped Alice carry the garment bags to the bedroom.

After far too long making comparisons, Alice finally left with all the garments in tow. Bella insisted on utilizing the guest house kitchen to make supper for Leah and Quil. Leah wrapped herself in a blanket and curled up on the couch while Bella cooked. She listened as Bella updated her on how things were going at home. Sue and Charlie's wedding was less than two weeks away, and Bella worried needlessly about getting all the food prepared in time. Leah was able to calm her fears somewhat and distracted her by asking for the pack gossip she had missed out on.

Jacob came inside later, followed by Quil with his guitar and amp in hand. Leah grinned at the sight, having not seen Quil play in quite a long time. It had been one of the things that attracted her to him in the first place.

Quil smiled back at Leah as he set them down and said, "I gotta get some practice in at some point."

Jacob laughed and said, "Yeah, you do."

Quil teased, "Please. Like you practice?"

As she prepared to leave, Bella said, "He has been."

Jacob said, "Yes, I have been. It's been almost a year, and I sounded terrible."

Leah asked, "Are you guys going to play something at the wedding?"

Proudly, Quil said, "Of course. Charlie and Sue love it."

Jacob said, "A regular Fuck Thanksgiving with just a little more dancing is their reception plan."

"That's what they said they wanted," Leah concurred and laughed as Bella bent down to hug her goodbye.

Jacob and Bella left shortly after, and Leah pulled the ready-made supper out of the oven. She took plates out of the cabinet and dished food up for them. Quil walked over to grab drinks and silverware as she carefully sat their plates on the table.

Quil chuckled and asked, "Did Bella cook while she was here?"

Leah admitted, "Of course. Are you surprised?"

Quil said, "Not really, no, but I know it's going to be good."

Leah teased, "Better than your cooking?"

"And yours," he teased back as he opened his can of soda.

They sat down to eat together, chatting about how things were going at the garage. When they were finished, Leah nodded at his guitar and grinned.

She grinned and said, "I'll clean this shit up. You should practice."

Quil asked, "Are you sure?"

Leah teased, "Please. I can do this. Go over there and miss some chords so I can laugh at your dumb ass."

Quil gave her a brilliant smile and moved over to the couch. Leah grew distracted numerous times as she cleaned and would stop to watch him. By the time she washed the dishes, he had played through the song twice. She did not recognize it, but Leah was sure to have the tune stuck in her head for days.

Leah leaned against the counter to listen a while longer. Again and again, her eyes drifted back to his hands. The dexterity in his large fingers never failed to impress her. Once upon a time, she had curiously wondered what else those hands were capable of. After learning what that was, she had wanted them on her all of the time. She knew the feeling of his rough fingertips on her skin by heart. The sound of them sliding across the strings made her shiver with an ache so familiar it nearly drove her mad.

Becoming flushed as she watched him, Leah needed a distraction and excused herself from the room. She gathered clean clothes and hoped a quick shower would clear her mind. However, the usually relaxing water was no match against the sound of him playing through the bathroom wall. The combination made her thoughts almost impossible to ignore. Leah dried off and dressed quickly. She crept toward the bedroom, tossing Quil a quick goodnight as she walked past.

"Lee, wait," he called out as his playing stopped abruptly.

Leah put on the calmest face she could manage and asked, "What's up?"

Quil asked, "Your mom and Charlie's wedding? Was Hodie supposed to be your date?"

Leah frowned, looking away from him. He was supposed to be, anyway. Or at least implied that he wanted to be. Leah said, "We talked about it once but never made any official plans. Even if we had, I doubt he'd come back for it now."

Quil gave her a sympathetic smile and stood. "Well, then you're going to have to teach me how to dance a little bit," Quil said.

Leah scoffed in surprise. "Planning to be my dance partner, Ateara? I don't know …" Leah teased, looking at his feet doubtfully. "What are you wanting to learn?"

Jokingly, he said, "How to not look like an idiot is the main thing." He took out his cell phone and pulled up his playlist. She was surprised as a romantic country song poured from the speaker. Quil's music interest was eclectic at best, but somehow she never pegged him as a country fan. "Come here," Quil said and moved the coffee table out of the way to create a more open space.

Leah asked, "Right now?" Chuckling, she shook her head as she made her way to his side. She grabbed his left hand in her right and placed the other on his shoulder. Leah took a deep breath as his large right hand spanned her hip and laughed nervously.

Leah instructed, "This is a simple box-step. Put your feet like this." After a few tries, Quil got the hang of the pattern and began to lead her around the living room.

Suspiciously, Leah asked, "Have you done this? Was this a bullshit instruction?"

"No, no," Quil insisted and laughed. "You've seen me dance. It's terrible."

Leah said, "Well, you aren't doing so terrible at the moment."

Quil winked at her and said, "You're a good instructor, I guess."

She hummed doubtfully, bringing them to a stop as she suggested, "Let's try this, then." Leah showed him several simple dances that he picked up on with ease. Eventually, he began to lead them around the room again. Quil had not stopped grinning throughout the so-called lesson. Whether he was smiling with pride or at how ridiculously easy the steps were, she did not know. What Leah was sure of was that his large, warm hands were on her.

Somehow, as Quil fought to pay attention to his steps, the hand on her waist seemed to have a mind all its own. His right hand rose along her torso, his thumb grazing dangerously close to the underside of her breast. Slowly, his hand would glide back down her side. As he neared her waist, his fingers slid to her back and changed direction just before reaching the lowest point of her back. Oblivious to the slight trembling of his touch, Leah was becoming lost in the moment. She would have closed her eyes if not so afraid Quil might stumble and step on her foot. Quil suddenly dipped Leah backward, making her giggle as her sock-covered feet slid on the floor between his legs. He wrapped his other arm around her waist to stop them both from toppling over. He held her there, laughing while she remained suspended in his arms. Leah looked into his eyes as a heavy silence settled between them. The grin had not left his face, but the hunger behind his soft green eyes made her pulse quicken. Leah knew there was no way to hide it from Quil as she was flooded with warmth and desire pooled between her legs.

Quil did not tease or antagonize her now. He did not acknowledge the changes she knew he could sense in her. He stood Leah back up carefully and silently resumed their dance as another song began. Leah did not recognize the tune, but the lyrics were moving. The singer declared his unconditional love for someone who saw themselves only by their flaws and kept pushing away his affection. Leah did not doubt why the song was in his playlist, and the undeniable attraction she had for her former lover quickly mingled among waves of guilt and regret. His movements became slower, more deliberate as he kept his eyes trained on hers. Quil leaned in and lowered his forehead to hers. The tips of their noses almost touched as he pulled her closer. Leah began to pull back but not away as they continued to move.

"Leelee," Quil whispered as he let go of her hand and raised his own to trail his fingertips along her jaw. He asked, "Don't quit yet, okay?" He lifted his head to look back into her eyes and asked, "Just finish this last one with me?" Leah nodded silently, and Quil lowered his forehead back to hers. They danced in total silence, and Leah finally closed her eyes, hoping to hide the flood of emotion behind them.

If I'm ever going to keep myself grounded, he can't know how much this shit hurts me. Leah pulled away from Quil as the song ended and forced a smile at him. "Seems you'll do just fine at the wedding," Leah said as she stepped away from Quil. He watched her walk away and resumed his seat on the couch as Leah shut the door behind her. She grabbed her phone from the bed where she left it, hoping that maybe Hodie had seen the video she sent by now. Disappointed by his silence, Leah tossed it onto the nightstand and crawled into bed. Despite the guilt that came with it, Leah listened intently as the guitar playing resumed from the next room and longed for him to come to lay by her side.

Leah silently hoped that Hodie would return soon and somehow save her from herself. Leah was unsure how much longer she could keep ignoring her feelings with no word from Hodie and Quil so fucking close by. Leah eventually dozed off to the sound of an Amber Run song she knew Quil played by heart just for her.

Leah found herself back on the cliffside, out of breath from dancing her frustrations away. When she realized where she was, she was surprised to find herself wearing a sleeveless nightshirt and underwear. Why even bother to dress when Leah would just have to run through the woods again soon? It was not as if anyone knew where she was. Leah reached down to peel off her clothing, tossing the items to the ground at her side. She quickly scrolled through her music list, looking for the song she craved.

These four lonely walls have changed the way I feel

Her heart silently broke as the music began, letting the hurt roll through her like the heat of her temper as her limbs came alive.

Nothing else matters now you're not here, so where are you?

I'm calling you. I'm missing you.

Leah choked back a sob at the thought of Hodie. He seemed so far away, so very untouchable. Untraceable. Her movements increased with the tempo as she lost sight of the world around her. All that mattered was her heartache and the lyrics that almost seemed written for her.

Suddenly, Leah was not dancing there alone. She could feel his eyes on her from the creek below, watching her in absolute silence.

As the lyrics changed, they seemed to pour from not just the music but Quil himself. He waited in awe, watching her dancing with open wonder, love behind his eyes, and his heart on his sleeve. As the song neared its end, Quil ran around the side of the cliff edge and climbed to the top. Quil held out his arms, and Leah darted into them without thinking twice. She was panting from dancing, and Quil grinned at her happily.

He said, "You look too fucking beautiful when you dance, do you know that?"

Leah laughed and said, "So you keep saying." It amazed her how easily he could lift her spirits in the beginning. Back when they had no obligations aside from their secrecy.

Quil slowly lowered his mouth to hers, his kiss feather-light and full of longing. Leah deepened the kiss as his hands separated, one going into her hair and the other sliding across her buttocks. There, on the cold hard slab of rock that had become her private stage, Leah laid down as Quil climbed over her. His mouth began devouring her flesh, licking and sucking along her throat and chest as his warm hands caressed her breasts. He gently pinched her nipples, rolling them between his fingers. The mixture of pleasure and pain shot straight to her sex as her hands slipped into his shorts. Leah pushed them away eagerly and reached between them to stroke his erection.

"I want you," she panted under him, her legs spread wide and squirming with a need she could barely control. Quil lifted her hips, and Leah positioned him before he slowly pushed into her. She moaned as his thick member stretched her walls. Biting down on her neck, Quil pulled out somewhat before slamming home. Leah bit down on her lip to keep from screaming as the head of his cock came to rest against her cervix. The heat of his body bloomed inside of her, spreading through her limbs and making her lightheaded. His touch became almost frantic, kneading her flesh painfully as he pounded into her. He reached between them to rub against her clit and watched her eyes roll back as she climbed ever higher. Leah screamed as she came, shuddering violently underneath him. Quil's thrusts were relentless as she rode out her orgasm. Quil pushed one of her legs up between them, changing the angle and depth of his thrusts. Leah was immediately climbing again, and she lowered her hand to her sex. She stroked herself steadily, waiting for the moment she knew he was nearing his release. As his arms began to tremble on either side of her, Leah knew he was getting close. She picked up the pace with her hand, sending herself over the edge a second time. Quil grunted loudly with each remaining thrust while he poured himself inside her.

The sound of knocking startled Leah, and she opened her eyes. She was surprised to find herself naked, her clothing in a pile on the floor. One of her hands held her breast while the other was pressed to her sex, her fingers buried deep inside of her as the last wave of an orgasm slowly faded.

God damn, I need to get laid. Soon. Leah pulled the sheets over herself quickly as the door swung open, revealing a groggy, suspicious Quil.

After a moment, he smirked and asked, "You alright?"

Yes. Wonderful. A girl can't even get off in her sleep around here. "I'm fine," she lied as she tried to control her heavy breathing. "I was dreaming. Sorry if I woke you," she grumbled.

"I'm not," he said mischievously and glanced toward her sex. "Next time, holler for me before you get off, and I'll come to give you a hand."

Leah groaned in embarrassment and threw one of her pillows at him. Quil chuckled and yanked the door shut so that the pillow collided with the back of the door instead. Leah rolled to her stomach. She pulled the other pillow over the back of her head to drown out the chuckling she could still hear as he walked back to his bedroom.

Leah both relished and loathed how very much she wanted his touch. She damn near hated how much she missed what he felt like inside of her. Maybe it's time I got my happy ass back to the reservation where we don't have so much time together alone. She was healed now. The bastard hadn't been caught yet, but at least she was in a position to protect herself again. She was also itching to get back to work at both the garage and the club.

Leah knew that eventually, something had to give. She just hoped that the something that gave wasn't going to end up being her.