Brief

Chapter 33 - Brief Blow

Mike pulled Lexi's door shut. The latch clicked softly.

Inside, Lexi lay curled beneath the blankets, wrapped in them. Her breathing rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm.

Mike pulled Lexi's door shut. The latch clicked softly.

Inside, Lexi lay curled beneath the blankets, still wrapped in the hotel sheet. Her breathing rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm.

Before leaving, she had brushed Lexi's hair away from her face, then stood there for a moment, watching her sleep.

Mike and Emma walked back down the hall without speaking.

They sat on the living room sofa. Emma took the far end, curling into herself with her shoulders drawn tight. Mike sat beside her, leaving a gap between them.

Emma had changed into soft pajamas.

Neither spoke.

A car rolled past outside. Its headlights slid briefly across the curtains before fading.

Mike glanced at her. "She's going to be okay," he said quietly.

Emma swallowed. "I know."

But her voice didn't sound like she believed it.

Emma stared at her hands. "I should have kept better track of her," she said.

Her voice cracked on the words. "I knew she was going out. I should have asked more questions. I should have gone with her or made her stay home."

She rubbed her palms together over and over. "This is my fault. If I had been a better mother, none of this would have happened."

Mike turned to her. "You can't blame yourself for what they did. You didn't know. You came as soon as you found out."

Emma shook her head.

Tears slid down her cheeks. "I keep seeing her on that bed. I keep thinking about how scared she must have been."

Mike reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder. "You didn't fail her; in fact, you got her out of there. That's what matters."

Emma looked at him.

Her eyes were red and wet. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For everything. For finding her. For fighting those men. For bringing us home." She shifted closer on the sofa until their sides almost touched.

She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him.

Mike hugged her back, his hands resting on her back. He felt her warmth through their clothes and the slight hitch in her breath against his chest.

Something inside him stirred without warning.

The Seducer's touch activated on its own. A low heat spread through his palms where they rested on her.

He shifted one hand lower along her spine, finding the soft spot just above her waist. His fingers pressed there with slow, deliberate pressure.

Emma's body reacted at once.

The tension in her shoulders eased. Her grip tightened around him as her breathing changed.

Mike lifted a hand to the side of her neck, his thumb brushing beneath her ear. Emma leaned into his touch, her eyes half-closed. She pressed closer, the space between them slowly disappearing.

He leaned down and kissed her.

Emma did not pull away; her lips stayed soft under his. After a second, she began to move them in answer, slow and careful at first, then with more need.

Her hands slid up to his shoulders, and the kiss deepened. Mike kept one hand on the spot at her waist and the other at her neck, guiding the pressure that kept her focused on him instead of the night's pain.

They stayed like that for a long moment.

She shifted until she was half in his lap, her body turned toward him.

Mike's hands moved gently, finding the places that made her relax into him— the curve of her hip, the soft skin under her arm, the base of her spine.

Each touch pulled another quiet sound from her and pushed the last of her tears away.

Emma's hands moved to his belt. She opened it with unsteady fingers and pushed the fabric down.

She slid off the sofa onto her knees in front of him. Her eyes met his for a moment, dark with the desire his touch had stirred.

She leaned forward and took him into her mouth.

Mike rested one hand in her hair. The other stayed on her shoulder, thumb stroking the skin there in the same steady rhythm that kept the Seducer's effect strong. Emma moved with growing confidence, her lips and tongue working him while her hands braced on his thighs.

She kept going, focused and eager, the earlier guilt burned away by the heat he had woken in her. Mike's breathing turned rough, and his fingers tightened in her hair as the pleasure built.

The front door opened, followed by the rattle of keys and footsteps in the entryway. Emma quickly pulled away and straightened her clothes while Mike adjusted his pants and fastened his belt.

Neither said a word as they hurried to compose themselves.

By the time Emma's husband walked into the living room, they were sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, a careful space between them as they tried to appear completely normal.

His face tightened with worry. "I got your messages. Where is she? Is she okay?"

Emma stood. "She's upstairs. She's sleeping."

"Where did you find her?"

"At a hotel near the club." Emma swallowed. "Two men had her. Mike got her out, and police have them now."

He listened in silence, his hands tightening into fists. Color rose in his face. "Those bastards. I'll kill them." He started toward the hallway, then stopped and looked back at her. "Is she hurt? Did they—"

"She's shaken," Emma said. "But she's okay. Nothing worse happened. She's home and safe now."

He looked at Mike, the anger in his face giving way to something heavier. "You must be Mike?"

Mike nodded.

He took a breath. "Thank you. Really. Thank you for bringing her home."

Mike gave a small nod. "She just needs her family right now."

Her husband nodded. "I'll be there."

Mike walked toward the door.

Emma followed him into the entryway. She touched his arm lightly. "Thank you again," she said, her voice low so her husband would not hear every word. "For all of it."

Mike gave her a short nod. "Get some rest and take care." He opened the door and stepped outside.

As he walked down the front path, a soft chime sounded in his mind. A system window appeared in front of his vision.

Quest complete: 40%

Deadline: 13 days remaining

Mike dismissed the window without a thought and kept walking toward the street.

Read up to Chapter 45 on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/KDaddy935?vanity=user.