CHAPTER 29
A CONFESSION

WARNING: MATURE SCENES AHEAD

CORALINE had never felt more anxious. Her mind liked to deceive her at the worst moments, showing her images of apples that haunted her for days. Sometimes she would wake up to see half-eaten apples covering her bedroom floor, but the second she blinked, they were gone. She couldn't stop thinking about the foam and vomit lingering around the survivors' corpses. A vision like that was difficult to forget.

Michael told her not to worry, though, as if that was so easy. She didn't understand why he was being so nonchalant about it. He told her before that the bonding ceremony made her "third eye stronger," meaning that her visions would be more accurate. If that was the case, then this apple trick was bound to happen, but when?

Over the next two days, Coraline couldn't stop bringing it up. She asked him if there was some kind of symbolism for the apples that she just wasn't grasping, but Michael would tell her that it wasn't worth her getting stressed over. She didn't believe that. The only way he finally got her to shut up was pinning her against a wall in the shower and allowing her to have her way with him. Always the master of control.

Coraline decided that she needed to grin and bear it. She needed to ignore the façades of apples and continue keeping her third eye open to suspicions. It was obvious that Ms. Mead and Ms. Venable had to be involved somehow, since they hadn't been part of the group lying dead on the ground. But they could've also died in another place, if that were the case. She wasn't quite convinced of their innocence.

Late in the afternoon, Coraline decided to take a walk to see what her two superiors were up to. Maybe they would prove her suspicions wrong. As Coraline strode by the kitchens, she was suddenly reminded of the pain throbbing in between her thighs. This Trinity bond was surely going to kill her, and for the sake of her own legs, she hoped these sexual desires could cease for just a day.

Rubbing a hand over her eyes, Coraline rounded the corner of the library and headed for the dining hall. Venable had to be somewhere around there, but what would she ask her? Coraline was no detective, by any means. Her thoughts were quickly interrupted once she heard whispers emerge from the library. She stopped by the entrance, stepping back and pressing her face into the doorframe. Peering over the side, she spotted Gallant and Coco sitting in front of the fire. A wicked smile engulfed Coco's face, and she turned slightly towards the entrance to make sure no one was listening. Coraline hid again, but still lingered by the frame.

"I finally had my second interview with Langdon," she whispered eagerly, "which proves he's been thinking about me all this time. The selections have to be coming soon."

Gallant scoffed, "I'm starting to think we all might just die here from hunger."

"Oh, hush up," Coco snickered. "Don't be jealous that I'm getting into the Sanctuary."

Coraline rolled her eyes. There was no way he'd let in that bottled blonde with no personality.

Apparently, Gallant had the same reaction. He released a short laugh. "And what makes you think that?"

Coco's loud sipping echoed throughout the quiet room, making Coraline cringe. "You know," she whispered.

"What do I know, Coco?"

"Well, I might've had to pull the same shit you did during this second interview." She sipped again, taking a longer time to respond. "Selling my body isn't exactly something I stand for, but ... it was my only way to get into the Sanctuary. I know he's going to pick me now. I just know it."

Gallant couldn't find the words to respond. Neither could Coraline as she stood there, hidden by the door frame, mouth hanging open.

"Maybe I have a special connection with Langdon as well," Coco sneered.

Coraline's body was shaking, and her face had probably flushed a bright red. Michael putting the moves on Gallant was one thing – but fucking Coco? That was an entirely different story. She couldn't believe it. She really couldn't. Steam practically blew from her ears as she began to stomp away. From inside the library, Gallant turned to the entrance and furrowed his brow at the loud noise.

She retraced her steps back upstairs, completely abandoning the dumb idea to interrogate Venable. Coraline's hands formed into fists. She had to pick up her skirt just to make herself go faster. Some of these people felt the need to exclude her, and she finally had one thing that was hers. The one thing that made her heart beat wildly and caused her walls to soften. The one thing that made her believe that maybe devotion could come back to her – if what she felt for Michael was truly that. (She wasn't so sure.) Coco was trying to take that one thing, and Coraline wouldn't let her have it. Over her dead body.

In the back of her mind, Coraline really didn't believe that Coco had sex with Michael. He wouldn't touch her even with a ten-foot pole. Yet, she found her blood pumping at an abnormal pressure. She hadn't been that jealous of Gallant when he claimed that he had sex with Michael before, so why did it all change with Coco? She could only guess that this was yet another side effect of the bond, because her emotions were at an all-time high now.

Coraline pounded her fist against the door of his suite. A minute passed, and she decided that she had been waiting far too long. She was about to punch the next person she saw if she couldn't talk to him right now. Another minute went by. Coraline groaned loudly and shoved her way through the unlocked door, slamming it with her back.

Michael sat at his desk, not bothering to look up as she entered the room. He was on his laptop. Coraline didn't have the time to question just how that was working with the lack of power lines outside, and instead, she stomped forward to the middle of the room, just five feet away from him.

Placing her hands on her hips, Coraline scoffed, "Hello?"

"I have important business to attend to, Coraline," he answered in monotone, "and this isn't your usual hour."

"We need to talk now," she demanded with a pointed finger.

Michael simply chuckled, still typing on his laptop.

Coraline's eyes blazed with anger, fire igniting in her core. She pulled down the top her dress just the slightest bit, allowing more of her chest to spill out, and then trudged forward. She stood right in front of his laptop, towering over him in his chair.

"Do you want to explain yourself?" She implored, venom laced in her tone.

No answer. Michael continued to stare at the bright screen with a furrowed brow.

Coraline's hand shot out, and she slapped the laptop screen shut, leaning over the edge of the desk. Michael looked from her hand on the laptop to her angry, grey eyes. He huffed under his breath and frowned. "Well, that was just rude," he replied.

"Seriously?" Coraline seethed. "That's all you have to say?"

Michael narrowed his stare. "Are you ... looking for something from me?"

"I want a confession," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Did you fuck Coco and select her for the Sanctuary?"

He tried so hard to suppress a laugh, but it all came spilling out like vomit. Amusement danced in Michael's eyes as he chuckled at her, noticing her fury intensify. Her eyes went wide and her whole body shook.

"Are you serious?" He finally asked.

Coraline's eyes darted from his own to the fire on her left. "Obviously," she fumed, "why ... why would you –"

"I don't know, Coraline Rose," he hissed, mouth curling in a sick kind of way. Michael turned away from her for a moment, scooting his chair over to the stack of files that he had moved to the floor. He picked one off the top and opened it lazily. "Why would I fuck Coco?"

Her eyes went wide when she realized how irrational she was being, but for some reason, she couldn't stop it. Her blood pressure was too high. She didn't believe Michael would be attracted to Coco in any way – even if it benefitted him – but a force inside of her wouldn't stop the jealousy from brewing. She was sure that her eyes were turning green as they spoke.

"I ... I don't know," she muttered.

Michael hummed, continuing to look through the manila folder, "And what would you do if I did?"

Coraline's rage burst then. Her stare was no longer green – it had to be full on red. She was burning up. All she saw was bright crimson. Her forehead felt hot, a sheen of sweat covered it. He was ignoring her now, humming away as he threw the manila file to the floor again. Coraline felt the urge to punch him in his pretty, little face, but he might enjoy that. God knows his dick got hard when she almost slapped him once.

She just – she needed to do something. Michael Langdon would not walk over her like this and allow her unwanted jealousy to believe a lie.

Coraline's blood boiled as he finally turned in his chair to face her. Michael smiled, brows lifting as he waited for her to make a move. Without a second thought, her heels clicked forward, and she sat right on top of his left leg. She straddled it gracefully – as graceful as she could in her large, ugly dress – and Michael's hands instinctively gripped her waist, pulling her closer. Coraline dug her nails into his shoulders, but it caused Michael no harm. He smirked at the feeling of her claws puncturing his suit.

She looked right into his eyes, and he grinned at the sight of her stare blazing with madness. Coraline clung to his shoulders, beginning to move back and forth on his thigh. Dominance took over her entire body, and all she wanted was to assert it, even if she believed Coco had been lying. Coraline rode Michael's thigh, licking her lips as his face leaned into her neck, giving into his desire. Coraline could do nothing but moan softly and dig her fingers deeper into him, feeling wetness seep from her inner thighs.

Her lips were drying from her mouth hanging open. She could simply feel his sneer as his hands pressed themselves deeper into her hips, before traveling to her arms. He straightened, grabbing her face and making her stare at his wicked grin as she rode his leg faster. Coraline couldn't even let her eyes roll to the back of her head. He wanted to see her face as she fucked his leg.

"The bond," he inhaled quickly, baring his teeth as he did so. "It's made your skin so much warmer. Every emotion of yours has heightened."

Coraline kept her stare focused on him as he brushed a thumb across her lips. She was tempted to bite on it, but she wouldn't give him the full satisfaction right now. She wanted to stain his pants. She wanted everyone to see who she was, especially Coco and everyone else who thought that the Leader of the Cooperative wanted to fuck them. They were wrong. He wanted to have her. The bonding ceremony made sure of that.

"Answer a question for me," he swallowed hard, slipping a hand underneath her skirt and dragging it down her leg. Coraline bit her lip, close to collapsing as she continued to move up and down. "Do you really believe I would fuck someone as brainless as Coco?"

She didn't have the strength to even reply. It took her a long moment, while Michael watched with fulfillment. She was trying to overpower him, but just this simple act was causing her to cave into his every whim.

"I don't know," she breathed. "Coco would do anything to have her way." Her eyes rolled from side to side, and of course, at that moment, Coco's words reminded her of a certain mean girl from high school. This wasn't the time to be thinking about Heather fucking Beaumont.

"But that's exactly what you want, correct?" He jerked her closer and brushed his lips across her own. His arms tightened around her waist, allowing her wetness to drag all the way to his groin. She moved back and forth, denying him of any kiss as he continued, "That's the reason why you came here. The bond overwhelmed your sense of intuition, making you believe a lie."

She could feel him getting hard in his pants. Coraline grinned then, the same way he would. "And what was the truth behind that lie, sir?"

"You came here –" He paused, biting down on her bottom lip and making her moan. "– So you could have your way with me."

Coraline bit her tongue. True. It was all true. She didn't even have to reply; he already knew.

"You now have a sense of dominance that matches mine." A chuckle rose from his mouth and entered her own. "I like it."

Coraline pursed her lips and wrinkled her nose. "Fuck off," she exhaled, grinding on his lap.

Within seconds, she was climaxing onto his trousers and belt. She finally allowed his lips to smother her own, tongue tangling with hers. He tasted her candy-sweet mouth, unexpectedly shoving two fingers into her folds. The sharp coldness of his rings caused her to shiver. Coraline's mouth leaned away from his. She moved up and down again, muttering in his ear to go faster and faster. Breaths clogged her throat and she kissed the side of his face, right on his sharp cheekbone. His hand was rough and hit her sweet spot. He knew exactly where it was. No one else ever did. His fingers moved in quick circles, causing her to whisper his complete name. Everyone else knew him as Langdon, but only Coraline was allowed to say his full title.

Coraline rocked back and forth. He entered a third finger, pressing deeper into her. Her breath hitched in her throat. She tangled her arms around his neck, hot breaths fanning his cheek. His lips were at her ear as he muttered, "You're so jealous now. It's funny, really, because I'm the only person who could ever make you feel this way." She could practically hear the smirk playing at his lips. "Isn't that right, Coraline Rose?"

True again. Her response came in the form of a soft whimper entering his ear. He was right, and she didn't want to admit it. Her hormones had been all over the place since the bonding ceremony. Coraline could barely keep her hands off him. She was catching feelings, and they were irresistible and difficult to keep at bay. True love is loving the unlovable, her mother's voice echoed in her ear. She moved hard, feeling his fingers curl inside her.

"Do you want me all to yourself?" He asked quieter, yet so much more demanding.

Coraline managed a nod. "Yes," she swallowed hard.

She was trying to be as quiet as possible, even placing her own finger in her mouth, but nothing could stop the loud sigh escaping her lips as she came again, coating his hand. She quivered and shook in his hold. Michael grinned, pressing his mouth to her temples.

Coraline looked down, noticing the stain covering his clothes and hand. She laughed darkly. What a way to mark your territory, her conscious reprimanded.

Michael removed his hand from underneath her dress, glancing to his pants. Coraline stepped up, biting the edge of her fingernail as she tried to suppress a laugh. She had been everywhere. Her orgasm traveled across the length of his trousers, all the way to his belt buckle. The good person inside of Coraline told her that she should help clean it off him, but the sight was just too funny.

"Shit," he muttered, wringing out one of his hands.

Coraline crossed her arms over her chest. "Make sure Coco sees that. It'll be hilarious."

•••

Coraline felt accomplished once evening came. She had been sitting in the library after dinner, Gallant and Coco by her sides, chatting away. Coraline curled her legs under her, playing with the beads of her dress top as Gallant discussed what he thought the Sanctuary would look like.

"Hell if you will ever find out," Coco scoffed his way. "Don't get me wrong – I love you – but I will be the only one seeing that Sanctuary. Except for maybe Dinah. It seems like she has her claws sunk into Langdon."

Coraline looked up from where she had been staring at her nails. She ended up finding a nail filer in the depths of her bathroom, and was currently dragging it across her chipped cuticles. Gallant sent Coco a glare, opening his mouth to speak, but they were all left breathless. The scent of roses wafted through the room.

From the library's entryway, the three survivors spied the head of the Cooperative scowling down at Ms. Venable, who was chastising him with a pointed finger. No doubt that she was complaining about his selection process, but all he had to do was lift a hand to silence her hushed criticisms. However, their whispers alone weren't the only thing that got the survivors to look over.

At the top of his dark pants, there was a vile, gross stain on the fabric. It was so obvious to the three survivors what the stain was – you had to be an idiot not to notice. Gallant's mouth hung open. Coco was speechless – for once. But Coraline was absolutely relishing in it. He hadn't cleaned off his pants. He was teasing all of them, and it was very entertaining for her.

Michael quickly glanced in her direction on the couch. He lifted his brow for a split second, almost too fast to notice. Coraline bit the end of her nail filer, trying to contain her giggles. Both Gallant and Coco knew the Big, Bad Cooperative Leader had to be fucking someone now, but they just needed to figure out who. A sick grin appeared on Coraline's lips.

Outside the premises of the Outpost, Ms. Mead and the Fist wondered if they should be grinning the same way. An empty, horse-drawn carriage arrived at the gates, containing a heavy metal case from the Cooperative. Ms. Mead shared a curious glance with the Fist through their masks. Whatever rested inside the case was either their saving grace or ultimate downfall.

Forbidden fruit could do both.

•••

A/N: AGAIN I PROMISE THERE IS A PLOT

I just recently finished pre-writing this fic and WOW I am so,,,,,,,,,,sad. But also SO EXCITED for y'all to see what's next of this story because I can promise you we goin ✈️ AU!!!!!!! I'm just sad because I am so Attached™️ to Michael and Coraline, but we still have chapters left to hang onto them 💞 I can promise you all that the ending will not involve any dumb Range Rovers!!!! We don't stan!!!!!!!!

Also I am framing this screenshot of my friends actually dragging me to filth on my wall 😩😩😩 Old habits die hard 😔