ROTTEN LOVE - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

Exiting the room took longer than expected. It's late evening and there is nothing left to do.
The nerves for tomorrow consume me.
There is an excitement of possibly reuniting with my brother and Maddox present. I'll be back with my boys and my body knows it.
I make it downstairs and run into beta Max.
"Oh, hello, can you tell me where Zain's at," I look at Max's scrunched eyebrows. He seems displeased.
"Luna, Zain should be in the fields. I would escort you but I got to get some security details for tomorrow in order," he practically dismisses me.
I give him a hesitant smile, "No problem. I know where that's at."
He doesn't wait for a response, and leaves. I don't take offense to it and take his eagerness as stress.
I walk out of the compound and toward the training fields. It's not far but the distance has managed to coat my skin with light sweat.
As I approach the fields, I hear the grunting. When they get in sight, I see Zain in a pit of females.
His chest was bare. His arms crossed in dissatisfaction. The females fight around him and he walks around monitoring.
He is the very image of authority. The scene somewhat makes me breathless. I forget how much power this man radiates.
"Stop," he roars. He walks toward a dark-haired female.
Everyone instantly stops moving. I realize not only is he bare from the hip up but there are a bunch of sweaty, breathless, well-shaped females eyeing him.
Some hardly wear any real tops. They rock the sports bra look. A slight feeling of uneasiness takes over.
Zain gets to the female and touches her shoulder. The feeling turns to something darker as his large hands slightly caress her arms.
"Many of you are pulling your punches. You are not following through. Throw a fist," he orders the female and she does with such precision.
"Your body should follow. Allow for the force to come from not only your arm but from your core and your upper body strength. Move with it," he moves her shoulder as she throws another punch.
His other hand rests in her abdomen reminding her to stay tight. I bite my lip at a sense of frustration.
The punch does seem faster but I don't care.
I get closer and his attention for the first time jumps to me. A slight smile grazes his face. I don't return it.
He releases the female, "You are dismissed. Go look for Max. He will assign everyone their roles for tomorrow."
They all nod and leave. However, I notice the glares as they leave the fields. I am not their favorite person, that much is clear.
He bends to get his water bottle and the bobbing of his throat as he chugs it down has me questioning why I am upset. He takes a long sip and stares at me.
I look away and cross my arms.
"I was going to look for you after this," he says somewhat out of breath.
I don't respond.
He raises an eyebrow and tosses the bottle on the floor. "Are you mad at me?"
He walks towards me at what seems like a slow predatory pace. My heart fumbles but I keep my arms crossed.
"There is nothing to be mad about," I defend myself.
He makes it to the front of me, "And yet, my mate is."
I don't let the smile that wants to come show. Hearing the word mate after being together hits differently, I admit.
"Do you do all the training?"
He raises a brow, "I monitor from time to time. Maddie is in charge of the females but I have taken over since her absence. I can't let them slack."
I roll my eyes, "I'm sure they appreciate the hands-on approach."
He chuckles, "Jealousy suits you."
"What is there to be jealous about," I deny.
He smirks, "Exactly my thought, mate." He uncrosses my arms and places my hands on him.
I lift my chin as his hands cup my face, "because last time I checked, it was you who I plunged into earlier today."
My heart races. He gets closer, "It was you who took every last bit of me, you who came undone under me, and you who I will taste as soon as I get your ass in that compound. So, mate," he kisses down my neck slowly, dragging out his tongue.
I hold tight to him. I notice his abs flex under my hands and there is this intense heat building.
I extend my neck as he comes back up. He kisses me and I respond. He is slow and meticulous.
He pulls away, "there is nothing to be jealous about. You are the only one I see. The only one I want and have ever wanted."
I couldn't help the smile. I jump up, my arms wrapping around his neck. He catches my legs as I wrap myself around his torso. His hand smacks my ass and I peck him.
"I loathe you," I smile at him.
He places his hand behind my neck and kisses me. "We can waste time lying to each other or I can take you upstairs and make up for lost time."
It does not go unnoticed that I have done a complete 180 with this man. The trust has not been rebuilt. Nor have I given my forgiveness but I have ceded staying away from him. It's my fault for acting on my carnal impulses.
Now, I can only hope Zain no longer puts me in danger. Most importantly, I wish he would protect my people because that's all I was made for.
It's all I know how to do and I'm starting to realize that I would rather have that role than not have them in my life.
So for now, at least for the remainder of the day, I will pretend that we are a normal couple. Because tomorrow I have a feeling that something will change my perspective again.
Either about Zain, Maddox, or Marisa but there is this impeding feeling that I am being set up for something sinister. I would much rather die than be used against any of them.
I've said my peace with Marisa and I will create peace in Zain's arms tonight to power me for tomorrow.
I give Zain my best-thinking face before pecking him, "Upstairs it is."
His eyes glint with mischievous intent and my body hummed with anticipation.
For having added weight, he walked with ease. He did not break a sweat as he made it to his room. He throws me on the bed and I laugh as my back springs up from the mattress.
He settles in between my legs. There is a sense of familiarity despite never having any true history with Zain. Our bodies simply mold to each other.
I smile at him, "You are quite smelly."
He looks down at his chest and then meets my eyes. He shakes his head yes as if coming up with an unknown decision.
Before I get to ask, I feel the absence of his weight. Then a quick tug at my ankles. I yelp at the unexpectedness. Only to laugh as I get flung over his shoulders.
"Where are we going," I protest, lightly banging his upper back.
He slaps my backside, "to the shower. Someone pointed out I have an odor."
"You not me," I argue.
He sets me down on his restroom floor and he runs the shower. He disposes of his bottoms and raises an eyebrow at me. I reluctantly raise my arms as he lifts his shirt off me.
I become bare to him in an instant. He looks at me with such praise that it sets my skin on fire.
His hand makes it behind my back and I follow his lead. His skin against mine feels so good that I practically melt when he sets his lips on me.
I don't realize that he guides me into the shower until hot water pelts my skin. I break from him enough to see his blue eyes. There is tenderness in them.
He grabs a bottle of shampoo and lathers it into my hair in soft circular motions. I close my eyes and allow his hands to do what they want. I allow him to take care of me.
When he finishes, I do the same to him. The action is so simple and domestic but the impact is great. There is such want in his eyes, in my eyes, yet he manages to only tend to me.
To worship and clean my body as if it's his. When we are both satisfied, he turns off the shower and hands me a towel. Then gets another to towel dry my hair.
"I might forget that I have hands if you keep treating me like this." I smile into his chest, smelling his scent.
"That's not a problem as long as they are in mine."
I don't give him an answer but smile. We trod back to his room and he flings his armory door open.
"So will it be a shirt, shorts, a shirt and shorts? What will my mate like to wear of mine?"
"I don't want anything of yours," I say delicately. He snaps his attention from his clothes to me only to become rigid.
I remove the towel wrapped around me, "it's not like we will need them." I sit myself on the edge of the bed, "or will I?"
He walks to me, only to pick me up so that I straddle him as he sits on the edge.
His hands tangle in my hair, "there is nothing more I want than to be buried in you once again."
He kisses me hard. His hand tugged my hair as he pulled me closer. I moan in his mouth as a familiar presence is felt at my entrance.
He says on my lips, "But I want to talk to you."
It's as if I have been splashed with cold water. There is nothing more embarrassing than being denied. I make to get up from him but he holds me tight.
His hands coming down to rest on my ass. He gives me a tight squeeze and some of the embarrassment disappears as he leads my hand down to his very erect member.
"Never doubt yourself. You feel this," he moves my hand up and down him. I elicit a low growl from him as I squeeze.
"Only you get me this hard, Helena. I want to get lost in you so bad right now," he leans his forehead against mine.
"But," I whisper as I move my hand again against him. A low rumble makes my whole body shake.
Zain lifts his head from mine and looks at me with those darker stormy eyes. His sanity is hanging by a thread.
"But I want more than your body. I'll have that for the rest of my life. Now, I want to talk, to get to know my mate better."
"You can always get to know me better later. You did say we have all our lives." I move my hand some more.
He breathes in deeply, "You are so unfair... I don't want you to fuck me right now because you think tomorrow will be our end."
I quickly stop my movements and look at him in shock. He simply smiles and pecks my lips.
"Helena, tomorrow will not be our end. You do not need to savor this moment. You don't have to engrave tonight in your memory. Whatever tomorrow will bring, I won't leave your side," he kisses my cheek.
My heart speeds at how quickly he reads me.
A shiver runs down my spine as my real fear comes forward. "They're mine to protect. I love them."
I don't have to clarify who they are. He knows. He stays quiet for a second before saying, "I know, but you love me too."
I do. But I'm not sure it's enough.
"What if they make me choose?" I quiver. The real fear coming to the surface.
Because although I love Zain, I think I know the answer. The answer that will doom me and him.
"The important thing is that I will always choose you. Even if you don't, I will. We will not part," he whispers to me.
His words are a mantra to me. They make me feel assured. He kisses me again slowly then stands to place me on the bed gently.
He walks to his closet and waits. I sigh, "a shirt will do."
He gives me a nod when a knock on the door is heard. He looks confused but I flinch at the precise hard thumps.
He walks to his door, and I grab the towel off the floor to wrap it around myself.
I rush to his side as he swings it open. Surprise crosses his features while I shrug innocently. Marisa is with Adam.