Page 55 of Quiet Obsession
“You need an outlet for the choking anger, not a place to hide.” He tugs me closer as if he can’t stand the distance. “I’ll teach you how to offload rage with your fists.”
Warmth blooms behind my ribs at the idea. Back at home, I spent countless nights screaming into my pillow and tearing my hair out. Countless mornings running around the block until my lungs burned. None of it helped for long. Both outlets were just temporary fixes. Nothing more than cheap band-aids covering my anxiety and humiliation. I’d be lying if I said driving my fists into Evan’s face didn’t cross my mind.
It did... many times.
I imagined shoving Evan back, kicking, clawing, beating him up until he bled, but the sad truth is, I couldn’t cause any damage. He’d overpower me without breaking a sweat.
Creed smirks, dark and knowing, as he drags me even closer, the heat and scent of his body soothing the fear I was sprinting from not five minutes ago.
“Jackpot,” he says, curling a loose lock of my hair behind my ear. “Isn’t it, Millie Baby?”
He doesn’t wait for a reply, either aware he won’t get one, or too impatient to waste time trying to coax out words. He takes me across the room and pushes me onto a bench.
“No gloves.” Taking a knee before me, he drapes two knuckle wraps across my thigh. “Give me your hand.”
He makes quick work of wrapping my right hand, his fingers moving fast like he’s done this a hundred times. He probably has.
I squirm in place, the silence between us loaded, screaming with something I don’t dare name. My eyes wander down his chest, to the moths inked over his hard stomach, that ridiculously defined six-pack of corded muscle I’m dying to feel beneath my fingertips. I’ve never seen a man this ripped. Evan was a hockey player. He was muscular, but in a bulky, overdrawn way.
“You look like you want to lick me, baby,” he says, a ghost of a smile dancing over his full lips. “I won’t stop you.”
My eyes snap to his. They’re dark brown with a few golden flecks catching the overhead lights.
“Keep staring. You’re doing wonders for my ego.”
As if a man who looks like him needs his ego stroked. He’s the undefeated cage-fight champion. Ripped, hot, dangerous. I bet he has a whole fan club on campus.
Once he’s done wrapping my other hand, he points toward a medium-sized bag and takes a stance behind me.
“Let’s see what you’ve got. Hands in fists. Thumbs out,always. Otherwise, you’ll break them.”
I follow his instructions, balling my fingers as hard as I can.
Creed immediately takes my fists in his. “Loosen up a little.”
He moves my arms higher, tucks my elbows a fraction, then his knee slides between mine and my pulse riots, goosebumps rising along my arms.
Noah did that last night... it was different, we were face to face, his thigh was higher, but my body remembers, and arousal dampens my panties.
“Feet shoulder-width apart,” Creed says, his voice lower now, breath ghosting the shell of my ear.
My body ignites at the contact. I’m acutely aware how close he is, his chest flush with my back, his towering body crowding,cocooningme from behind and I’m suddenly lost in the feel of him.
My hands shake a little and abdomen cramps with desire.
“Ready?” he asks, still holding my fists. “Like this.” He steers my right hook, connects it with the punching bag then pulls it back into position. “Try it.”
He steps away and I shake offthe needy lust he ignited before steering my first punch. It lands with a pathetic, dull thud. I haven’t put much force behind it, but a jolt sings up my shoulder.
“Harder,” Creed instructs.
I hit again, pushing more weight behind the swing. This time it’s not just a jolt but real pain screaming throughmy knuckles. An ounce of the pent-up emotions I’ve bottled up for months evaporates, making me smile.
I hit again, and again, and it hurts so good.
Evan’s face flashes before my eyes.
Sweat mists my hairline, my breath comes out in little pants, but I don’t stop. Every punch lands harder, faster, and I start throwing both fists. Pain, fear, and anger mix until my vision tunnels and the bag swinging back and forth is all I see. All I hear is the thud. My chest heaves but I feel so fuckingalive.
