Dion wasn’t the only one riding the adrenaline train.
As far as I was concerned, I was the fucking conductor right now.
The knowledge that some asshole purposely planted an explosive, thus blowing my shop sky high wasn’t setting well with me. And it wasn’t about the business. I was insured. Sex toys and pornos could be replaced.
Ember and Pita, had they been there, were not replaceable.
Innocent people were not replaceable.
And those people belonged to me.
But I was at a total loss right now. I was a PI for fuck’s sake. I wasn’t into crime or any heinous shit. Sure, I ran into the occasional idiot, but I had a hard time believing I pissed someone off enough to try and kill me.
So, when Dion sunk his fingers into my skin and I felt his tremble, I didn’t fight him.
I would give him what he needed tonight.
Because he was thinking of what ifs just as I was.
Tonight, Dion needed to know I was safe and I was his. God’s honest, I needed the same.
As we silently undress each other, it was clumsy and rushed. When my clothes wouldn’t come off the old-fashioned way, Dion tore them off. Another time I’d find that hot. Right now, I was too desperate to mention it.
“Hands and knees,” he says guiding me forward. Without protest, I crawl on to his bed and assume the position.
Behind me, I felt him grappling for some modicum of control. Knowing full well when emotions ran in the red like this, he wouldn’t find what he was looking for, I say, “You need to fuck me, Dion.”
With a low growl, he spends a moment rubbing between my legs before lining up and slamming home. The force of his thrusts was so powerful, I braced on my forearms to absorb the impact. Closing my eyes, I push all thoughts of bombs, bad guys and death away. The bad would not destroy the good. I refused to let it.
Fisting my hair, he continues to pound me in the best possible way. “No one is taking you from me, Mercy.”
“I’m okay,” I whisper but I had a feeling even if I yelled he wouldn’t have heard.
“Waited my whole life,” he grates out. “So, small, so precious. So, God damn brave.”
Wiggling free, I launch forward and flip onto my back. Opening my arms, I ask him to, “Come home, Dion.”
Wearing a savage expression, he makes his way to me, covers my body with his own and links our fingers together. “Look at me,” he demands.
Doing as I’m told, he tightens his grip, presses his forehead to mine and whispers, “I fucking adore you, Mercy.”
The hitch in my breathing gave me away. Speechless and pliant, it was on the tip of my tongue to say it back when he took his hands back using them to spread me open. Sliding inside of me, I watch Dion lose himself.
In perfect rhythm, he masters my body and I wondered how I ever lived without him. With his hands splayed under my ass, he starts fucking me slower, deeper and not once did his eyes leave mine.
So when he says, “I love a good scotch, working with my hands and having Roger as a friend. For me to say I simply love you would be a lie. Because I could live without liquor, projects and even my brother. I wouldn’t survive losing you. Your smile, voice, hair, hands, feet, pussy, I adore every-fucking-thing about you. I’ve loved a lot of shit in my life but never, not once, have I had anything to adore. Anything that was mine alone. You have my complete adoration,” I let the tears fall.
Wrapping his body around mine, our mouths met and the frenzy inside of us took over.
We came together, coating each other with evidence of our union. Rolling me with him, I found my place on Dion’s chest and burrowed in. Strong arms held me, protected me, adored me. As I began to drift, I heard him say, “Please adore me too, Mercy.”
If I said anything, I didn’t remember what it was.
I woke up to Ember staring at me. Not that this was unusual because she had a habit of sneaking into my room. But I wasn’t in my room, I was in Dion’s.
“Morning sleepyhead,” she says tickling my arm.
“Good morning, stalker. How’d you get in here?”
Instead of answering, she takes my hand and squeezes. “Are you okay?” I ask.
“Since you’re good, I wanted to say goodbye. I’m going to Arizona.”
Sitting up, I blurt, “Our building just exploded, Ember. I’m far from good. You’re leaving? Now?”
“Like I said, you’re good.”
“You’re the dildo slinger of the Midwest! We’ll get a new place, you can’t just leave!”
“Honey,” she says gently. “Listen to me. You’re good. You don’t need me.”
“I will always need you,” I grate out. “What’s going on?”
“Let me go fuck up my life for a while so we can add role reversal to our resumes.”
It hits me like a battering ram that all this time Ember stayed by my side because I wasn’t okay. She had put her life on hold while I got mine together. Smiling at her I say, “Yeah, you’re right. You need to go catch an STD or something.”
Tackling me to the mattress, she buries her face into my neck assuring me, “You are more than good, Mercy. I’d even say you’re fucking there. He loves you and that is all I ever wanted for you.”
Hugging her tight because I’ll miss Ember like crazy, I explain, “He doesn’t love, Em. He adores me.”
Sitting up and wiping her eyes, she smiles and says, “So do I, Mercy.”
“Well, I am adorable,” I say through the tears.
“And not modest in the least,” she jokes. “Your caveman is prowling around the kitchen waiting for you.”
“He’s so hot when he’s cagey.”
“It’s coming up,” she reminds me. “Tell him, take him with you, show him, Mercy.”
“Em –”
“He adores you,” she whispers. “Don’t fuck it up by shutting down.”
Then my best friend kisses me on the forehead and closes the door behind her.
Though I did hear her threaten Dion to, “Find the motherfucker who blew up my dicks and make sure he chokes on them.”
Which was Ember’s way of saying, I approve.