Chapter 5: The Monster Inside Me (Insecure Insecurities)
Theme Songs: Evanescence: Bring Me to Life and Jessie J: Nobody's Perfect
Calloused hands slid over smooth, bronze skin, leaving fiery trails of passion in their wake. A gasp emitted from swollen lips as a hungry mouth attacked an exposed slim neck. "You're such an aphrodisiac," a husky voice uttered into an ear. A breathy moan. "Then drink me in," a yearning voice replied and the owner of the husky voice proceeded to drink his fill.
Tempt woke up with a start and quickly glanced around the room. "Aw hell," she whispered. Running a hand through her amber hair, she tiredly got up to go to the bathroom. She looked at the clock. "Damn. Of course I would wake up at three o'clock in the morning." Once in the bathroom she splashed cool water on her face and looked in the mirror. Dark circles embraced her lower lids. "Man, I look like crap," she grimaced and pulled at her slightly sunken cheeks. Tempt sighed and prepared for the day like she would any other.
An hour later, she sat at the kitchen table nursing a cup of coffee. Having nothing else to do, she thought back to her dream the night before. It felt so real, and so good. I wonder who that man was. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it almost sounded like—." Her thoughts were interrupted by light footsteps only her trained ears would be able to pick up. She peeked around the corner and just to be on the safe side, she grabbed a knife from the holder on the counter and waited by the corner for the sneak to make their way around the corner.
A foot emerged from the shadows. Tempt lifted her knife and with a battle cry prepared to slice the perpetrator across the chest. A firm hand caught her by the wrist and held its grip as Tempt fought for control. "Tempt," a stern voice said. "It's me, Slade." She immediately stopped fighting and let out a breath of relief. "Wooh, thank God, Slade. I thought I was going to die for a second." Slade rolled his eyes. "This coming from a retired assassin. What shall I ever do if I need your help?" Tempt snorted. "Run for your life? I'll be running away."
Slade shook his head. "Lovely to know I can count on you," he remarked dully. Tempt honored him with a cheeky grin. "I know right?" She poured another cup of coffee and offered it to him. "What are we doing today?" she asked him and sat back in her seat, folding her long legs underneath her. Slade leaned against the counter and sipped his black caffeine through his mouth slit. He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm relaxing. Why don't you amuse yourself?" Tempt gave him a deadpan look. "What, am I supposed to just sit here and play with my toes?"
Slade set his mug on the counter. "I'm sure if you made noises and voices to go with them you wouldn't get bored." Tempt rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hmph, fat chance. I'd have better luck pleasuring myself. How about we go out today, hm? You look like you could use some sun." "And you look like you could use less of it," Slade retorted and put his mug in the sink. Tempt frowned, her amber eyes narrowed in a strict glare. "I resent that. But like I said, you could afford some time outside."
Slade looked away. "I don't want to." Tempt stomped over to stand in front of him. "Does it look like I give a rat's ass?" she snapped. "We're going out and that's final. I'm tired of being cooped up in here and going on missions. Today is a day for deep relaxation. We can go to the beach." Slade's head snapped down to look her in the eyes. "I think not. I don't do the beach." Tempt smirked and placed her hand on his arm. "Come on," she cutely whined, "I bet you've got a nice bum for a pair of trunks. I'll even buy you a pair if you don't have any." "I said no," Slade stubbornly refused. Tempt turned around and pouted. "You hate me don't you? I knew it; you hate me. That's why you're keeping me locked in this place while you busily pleasure yourself all day," she cried into her hands.
"What are you going on about, you idiot?" Slade snapped. "You don't love me!" Tempt shouted dramatically and wept fake tears. "Of course I don't. I barely know you. Now shut up before you give me a migraine. I'll go with you to the beach. Are you happy now?" Tempt squealed and gave him a giant hug. "Yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Slade. I promise you won't regret it!" Slade glared down at me and seethed through clenched teeth. "Get off." I snapped my arms back to my sides and offered him an apologetic smile. "Sorry," I chuckled and rubbed the back of my head. "I'll just…go get ready. Be ready in twenty minutes," I said and ran off to pack my things.
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Within an hour we were pulling into the parking lot of the local beach. Since I banned from driving our car ever again I was forced to sit in the passenger seat. Slade cut off the ignition and leaned back into this seat to glare out the window shield. I raised an eyebrow. "Oi, old man, what's up with you?" His eyebrow twitched, presumably at my nickname for him. "I'm not getting out," he stated. "What? Why not?" I asked and opened the back door to stretch my cramped legs. "I'm just not getting out," he pigheadedly responded.
Huffing, I barged over to his side of the car and leaned in. "Why, Slade?" I pressed. He turned away and proceeded to ignore my demands. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. "Slade! Why? Do you not have anything to wear? Do you not know how to swim or something?" "Of course not," he snapped, "That'd be a stupid reason for someone to stay in the car." Biting my lip, I thought about why he'd refuse to get out of the car and come down to the beach. I stared curiously at him and a flashback of the night I pulled off his mask hit me. "Slade…are you…ashamed of the way you look?" I asked him hesitantly.
His head snapped back at me and I could almost feel the heat of the rage his eyes held as he looked at me. "No," he snapped, almost as if he was trying to convince himself of it, but I could tell from the change in his voice that I had guessed right. "Slade, you don't have to feel ashamed. You're look amazing, I promise you. Those scars mean nothing, except for the fact that you hit rough patch in life and lived through it to tell the story. It's a mark of bravery and strength." I gently took hold of his chin and coaxed him to look at me. "I promise you, Slade. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you." A pregnant silence followed, and he slowly brought his hand up to his face and took off the mask. I smiled softly at him. "There, that's better, isn't it?" I asked him not really expecting an answer. "Now, come on. There's a whole beach out there waiting for us!" I exclaimed and waited for him to get out of the car so I could hand him our things.
Once on the beach, we set up our towels and giant umbrella I had bought at the boardwalk beach store. I stood up to survey our surroundings and put my hand up to shield my face from the blaring sun. "This is nice, isn't it?" I asked, not really speaking to anyone in particular. "I suppose," he said quietly and looked around, somewhat nervous. I chuckled. He looks so out of his element. So cute. I laid my hand on his shoulder. "Relax, hun. Just sit back and enjoy the sun or go swim a little. After you rub sunscreen on my back, that is," I mentioned the last part with a small smirk.
He took the tan bottle of sunscreen and waited for me to pull off my oversized shirt, so he could get to my back. I could feel his eyes roaming down my body once I took the shirt off to expose my toned stomach and well-endowed chest. His eyes lingered on my legs for just a second longer than I bet he wanted them to. "Careful, tiger," I teased, "You don't want to let the flies zoom in, do you?" His cheeks flushed the slightest of reds and I chuckled, amused. I sat in front of him with my legs crossed Indian style.
The second I felt his lotion-covered hands touch my back I shivered and closed my eyes. I held in my content moan of pleasure as he slid his hands up and down my back, dipping slightly into my lower back, rubbing small circles. He has experienced hands, I thought. "That feels nice," I whispered. A slightly deeper press on my back was his only response. "You've done this before, haven't you?" I concluded. He said nothing. "Come on, old man, no one else is even paying attention to us and you know I have no one to tell anything to but you, so spill. Open up a little." I heard him shuffle to his feet and the bottle of the sunscreen touched my arm. "Here," he quietly said and walked off to silently explore. I sighed. He didn't even bother to take off his shirt. He is so new.