Tainted Black by Shanora Williams (12)

 

Fifteen

 

 

 

Funny, she thought I was fucking around about making her mine ‘til the sun went down.

I watched as she passed by me, connecting her phone to the stereo system. Her hips swayed as she hummed to a song stuck in her head, and once the music filled the room, her back straightened, and she turned my way.

The only piece of clothing she wore was the white dress that covered that sexy ass bathing suit. The bathing suit had been put aside a long time ago. The sun was now setting, and she started a slow dance to Own It by Drake.

The tune was fitting, slow at first and then it would pick up. Lifting my hand, I gestured for her to come to me with my forefinger. With a coy smile sweeping across her lips, she strode my way, breasts bouncing beneath the see-through dress with each slow yet deliberate step.

Stepping between my legs, she climbed on my lap, adjusting her perfectly round ass on the center. She swung her hair aside and her arms hooked over my shoulders, fingers entwining behind my neck.

“Can I show you something?”

She bit her bottom lip, and my cock twitched. “Show me what?” she murmured.

Without minimal thought, I reached down and pulled her dress over her head. Her arms lifted to make it easier, and once it was gone, I had full sight of her tits. My mouth ached for a taste, but I remained patient, lifting my hips and pulling my briefs off.

Chloe’s hand ran down my chest, her skin soft and smooth as she sat back and wrapped that same hand around my cock. Her eyes then flickered up, watching mine, breath bated. “Show me what?” she breathed again.

I glanced down, pulsing as she stroked me. Her thumb skimmed over my tip, and I groaned quietly, shutting my eyes for a brief moment. I had to collect myself. This girl—she made me so fucking impatient. I wanted to tear her pussy up, make her sore for days.

But I had to remember, she was just a girl that was still learning, and I was a man who knew exactly what he liked. So, I stopped her from stroking and gripped her waist to lift her a few inches. Her mouth fell open as I slowly slid her on top of my cock. She was right on the head, but the fullness had obviously consumed her. Her eyes closed, and her chest heaved with deep breaths.

“Look at me, Chloe.”

Her eyes fluttered open. I brought her down a little more, and a sharp breath passed by my ear as she leaned into me.

“Watch me,” I demanded. “Feel me, baby.” I watched her face drip with pleasure. “You feel me, Chloe?”

“Yes,” she breathed. “I feel you.”

I dropped her down, completing the slide, and she gasped. Sitting her upright on my cock, I studied her, loving the expression she put on when every last inch of me was buried deep inside her. I was balls-deep, the sensation of her warm, wet pussy enveloping me whole. I wanted so badly to cum, but I kept it together.

“Ride me.” She looked down at me, collecting all of her hair on one side of her face. She was unsure, a minor look of fear present. I palmed her ass, comforting her and drawing her in closer. “Here,” I murmured, squeezing her ass-cheeks in my hands, “let me show you what a real man likes.” My hand slid across her smooth skin, stopping at her waist, moving her hips forward and backwards. Her pussy swiveled on my cock, and she panted as she grinded with me.

When she finally got the hang of it, knowing exactly what I liked, she moved my hands away and straddled me, dipping low, her breath snagging as she sank. Damn. I swear it was better than I ever thought possible.

Her slender body moved up and down, bounced, and rotated. I sucked on her nipples to prevent myself from fully focusing on the sensations she brought my cock, groaning around them, and then she lifted my head, her warm breath skimming across my lips. Our mouths barely touched, and something about that made fucking her even sexier.

Sparks flew, beads of sweat collecting and spilling down her chest the faster and longer she went. I cupped her delicate face in my hands, needing a taste of her, wanting to feel her full lips on mine. The quick rush I felt as I kissed her deep, watching her ride me like her life depended on it, made no damn sense. How could she make me feel this way? Like I was a teenager again, fucking my new girlfriend for the first time?

With Chloe, I felt confident. I felt like I could take over the world. There was someone that accepted me other than my deceased wife. Chloe, this amazing girl, had no idea how great she made me feel.

Skin slapped with the sound of crashing waves.

Moans and groans became louder, heat thickening the space around us, crowding the cabin.

Her tight pussy surrounded me whole, squeezing and then releasing with a slight bounce. Oh, shit. If she kept doing that, I was going to cum for damn sure. As if she knew that was the trigger, she rode faster, her palms on my chest, forcing my back against the sofa. Her gaze fixed on only me, her teeth biting in her bottom lip.

“Ohh.” She let out a breathy moan, knocking her head back as she continued.

I cupped her ass. “You look so good, baby,” I told her, pressing my chest to her abdomen. “Look at you. Look at the mirror.” I kissed her chin, meeting her hooded eyes through the reflection on the ceiling. “Look how fucking sexy you look on top of me, baby. Riding me. Fucking me. Taking control.” I brought her face down, gluing her mouth to mine as I caught her cry of pleasure, swirling my tongue around hers, stealing every delighted sound right away.

Her body became rigid, stiffening as she bucked forward. Her pussy still squeezed tight around me—gripping and holding—but when she came… my fucking god, she grew even tighter, and my eyes sealed. I had no clue she could get so tight around me, but the clutch was real. No longer able to hold it all in, I released, coming harder than I did the first four times.

“Fuck, baby.” A deep grunt filled the gap between us. I squeezed her perfect ass in my hand, sucking on the bend of her neck. She allowed me, tilting her head back, pulsing hard and shuddering just enough for me to feel. Once I collected enough breath, I laughed. “Now, that’s how you ride a man, Chloe. Goddamn.” She giggled as I kissed her cheek, then she hooked her arms around my neck. “You looked like you already knew what you were doing up there.”

She shrugged, her forehead dropping on my shoulder. “I may have learned on my own.”

Frowning, I asked, “How?” My face went stiff as I lifted her head.

She laughed. “Theo, really?” she teased. “It’s not what you think. I just so happen to read a lot of books with some amazing sex scenes in them.”

My face softened. I felt foolish. “Oh.” I swiped my forehead as she climbed off my lap and collected her dress. “So books are like porn to you?”

“Yep. Ever heard of E.L. James? Sylvia Day? Maya Banks?” She tugged the cover up down, concealing her terrific body.

“Nah,” I admitted, huffing a laugh.

“Well, a woman can learn so much from reading their books. Look at it this way: you have the Internet, I have the library,” her lips twisted, “… and bookstores. It really does come in handy.” She grinned, revealing beautiful, pearly teeth. “If you ever wanna do something to make me happy, buy me books. I will love you forever.” She flashed her gorgeous smile again.

I chuckled, standing and pulling up my briefs. “Yeah, I bet, Little Knight.”

She stepped back, pointing her thumb towards the fridge. “Want me to get a water?”

I watched as she twirled but kept her eyes on me as she glanced over her shoulder. “Sure. Grab us some drinks. I’ll meet you on the deck. There’s still a little sun out.”

She scoffed. “Not enough for me to tan with, sir.”

I laughed, collecting her towel and then walking up the stairs to get mine off the back of the chair. I spread the towels on the deck, and Chloe came out several seconds later with two, cold, bottled waters in hand. She extended a bottle to me, and I thanked her and sat.

Tugging on her arm, I brought her to my lap, and she yelped, laughing in the process. God, I loved the sound of her laughter, the high and low chimes. The way my chest grew hot when I realized it was pure joy I gave her. I had no idea how I made her so happy. I didn’t know what it was about me that she liked so much.

My lips pressed to the shell of her ear, and I held her close, my arms wrapping around her middle. She smelled good, like creamy coconut. It was refreshing, and it definitely fit her. “What is it about me?” I asked calmly.

“What do you mean?” She sat up.

“I mean, what is it about me that intrigues you?”

She gripped my hand and shrugged her shoulders. “I… don’t know. There are a lot of things about you that I find interesting. Intriguing. But if we’re being honest right now, I have to tell you that I have been interested ever since the day I met you.”

“Really?” I was surprised… and amused.

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.” She let out a small sigh, one that made her seem like a hopeless romantic. “There was just something about the way you rode into Primrose on that bike… and how you sat there so casually, like nothing in the world bothered you. Normally, I can read people like a book, but I couldn’t tell what it was about you. I knew that day that I needed to meet you—the entire Black family. I could read Mrs. Black like a book. She was a busy woman that liked things to go her way and sometimes stressed herself out over the little things.”

Shit. She was spot on. “And Izzy was just like me. Not old enough to fully give a damn about boys. Focused more on her books and movies and new shoes or dresses. But you… I don’t know.” She looked really unsure, like she was picturing the day all over again. “You just sat there with so many unanswered questions surrounding you. And I watched, hoping I would soon get some answers, but I got none. Let’s just say you were really cool, really hot, and that really spiked my interest.” She laughed.

“Hold on—were cool?” I teased.

“Still are, silly man.” I chuckled, and she picked up her bottle of water, taking a quick sip before sighing. “Why can’t every day be like this?”

I pressed my lips, my chin resting on her shoulder. I watched the water move, the waves shimmering from the sunset. The sky was filled with scattered rays, a shade of pink and orange blended with warm yellow. “I don’t know,” I replied.

She twisted a little to look at me. “Do you wish it could always be like this? With me and you, I mean.”

Her eyes were filled with emotion. I swallowed hard, dropping my head. “If you’re asking me if things could be different, then yes.” I squeezed her, placing a soft kiss to her temple. “I do wish there were ways we could make this work.” Her eyelids sealed blissfully, pleased with my response.

Reality.

It always caught up to us somehow. Though she was satisfied with my answer, I knew it was dumb to say. Even if we wanted more, we couldn’t have it. There were some things I couldn’t claim, and me claiming Chloe as my own was one of them.

But I didn’t tell her that.  I didn’t tell her because, even while I held her close and we watched the ocean and the seagulls pass by with distant caws, I knew I couldn’t ruin this moment right now.

This peace.

This bliss.

This beautiful girl between my legs, allowing me to kiss her. Allowing someone as myself to hold and protect her. She trusted me. She cared about me. I couldn’t break or demolish that.

But plenty of other things definitely could.

My phone vibrated on the table. I glanced back, brows drawing together. Placing a quick kiss on Chloe’s cheek before releasing her, I stood and walked to the table to pick up my cellphone. The name on the screen shattered all bliss. All peace.

 

Izzy.

 

Chloe walked towards me. “What is it?”

I swallowed hard, and when I turned to look at her, she immediately spotted the guilt in my eyes. Her entire demeanor changed. She no longer smiled. She couldn’t even look at me.

Instead, she turned around, gripping the silver railing and looking towards the sunset. I looked from her backside to my phone. I’d missed the call, but I knew I had to get home and call my daughter.

Guilt-ridden, I walked towards her and wrapped my arms around her from behind. She sighed, and when I turned her around to face me, her eyes were damp. “No, Chloe,” I whispered, pleading. “Please, baby. Don’t cry.”

“I—” Her mouth clamped shut in an instant. My heart ached, watching her struggle with words.

“Look at me.” I picked her face up in my hands, and when our eyes met, her tears fell, skidding down her cheeks. With the pad of my thumb, I swiped them away. “It’s okay. It’s just a phone call. We can still spend time together, but we have to get back. I don’t have good service out here, and I should call her back before she gets worried.”

Damn. When I actually listened to myself, it seemed like I was having an affair, not that I was speaking of my daughter.

She nodded, swiping her face. “I understand… this is just crazy, ya know?”

A soft laugh blew out. “Trust me. I know.”

“Well—” She stood up straight, removing her face from my hands. With a kind smile, she said, “We should get out of here then. I should probably go shower too.” Her nose scrunched, a soft smile on her twisted lips. There she was, the Little Knight that understood me. The one that knew this whole ordeal was what it was and there would be no changing it.

So, after helping her collect her things, I went to the wheel and sailed back to the docks. I drove Ol’ Charlie back to Primrose, but Chloe was quiet during the ride. When we were in my garage, I kicked the kickstand and helped her off. She forced a smile, placing the strap of her tote bag on her shoulder.

I sat on the seat, unsure of where to begin.

Luckily, I didn’t have to. She started for me, face gentle. “I had fun today, Theo.”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “Me too. We should do it again.” She thought on it, trying to figure out when exactly that would happen. I saw her conflict, how her eyes gave the internal debate away. “Anyway I’ll text you.” I hopped off my bike, stepping in front of her.

She nodded. “Okay.”

We stared at each other for a moment through the darkness. Nothing but the streetlights gave leeway for our vision. I could read her like a book. She was clearly upset, but was trying hard to hold onto contentment.

Stepping forward, I cupped one of her cheeks, and my mouth came above hers, but I didn’t kiss her. I lingered, and her hand came to my waist, body closer. We were like magnets, unwilling to break apart unless the cause was distance. “This doesn’t change anything,” I said. “You’re still my Knight.”

Her cheeks tugged up, eyes falling. “Go call Izzy,” she teased, but the remorse was clear in her voice.

I brought my head down, and our lips molded. She released a sigh, her arms draping over my shoulders, fingers curling in my hair. I stumbled forward until her back hit the wall, but I didn’t dare stop kissing her.

She needed to know that we were okay. That nothing would change and we could still let this summer be.

She was still my girl.

My Little Knight.

My baby.

My air.

My beautiful savior. I say “savior” because if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have wanted to keep living after Janet passed.

If it wasn’t for her coming to check on me and helping me during the darkest, most desperate times, I wouldn’t have been there. I would have been gone a long time ago, drowning in sorrow or most likely dead.

My hands held her face, my groan deep. I didn’t want to stop kissing her—I could have all fucking night—but when my phone buzzed in my back pocket, I pulled back, cursing beneath my breath.

Her eyes sparkled as she ran her tongue over her swollen mouth. Pulling away, she tucked her hair behind her ears and then stepped aside. “You should get that.”

I debated on going for another kiss and calling Izzy when I was done, or getting it now and watching her leave me with sullenness she didn’t need.

But I knew if I kissed her again, there would be no stopping. It would have gone further, and I would have taken her inside, going for another round. It would happen because I could never get enough of this amazing woman.

“Shit,” I hissed, yanking out my cellphone. I answered, but my eyes never left Chloe’s. I held up a finger, begging her not to leave just yet.

“Dad!” Izzy shouted.

“Yes, Isabelle. What is it?”

“Where the hell have you been?! I’ve been calling you for an hour straight!”

I glanced at Chloe who stood in the corner, her head down. I’m sure she was listening. “I was working, Izzy. What is it?”

“I got into an accident.” It was then that I realized her voice was thick. She was crying.

I frowned, turning away from Chloe. “What?! What the hell happened? Are you okay?”

“Yeah I’m fine. I don’t know. Some stupid SUV ran into the back of my car, and I lost control and ended up going over the curb. It’s fucking raining here, and I couldn’t see shit. God, my car is so fucked up! I need you to come here—call the insurance company or something!”

“Alright, alright. Calm down. Breathe.” I inhaled and then exhaled deeply, turning in Chloe’s direction again. She was no longer looking down. She was a step closer, concern written all over her face. “Let me call the insurance company, and I’ll call you right back.”

“Okay. Hurry, Dad.” She hung up, and I dropped the phone, clutching it in hand.

“What happened?” Chloe asked.

“Izzy… she got into a car accident. She says she’s fine, but the car is apparently fucked up.”

Relief flooded her hazel eyes. “Was it her fault?” Her eyes were wider as she probed for more.

“No. She said an SUV ran into her.” I hesitated. “She’ll probably need me to go to Nois.” Nois was where Izzy went to school.

“Oh. Okay.” She held up her hands. “Okay,” she breathed. “You should go handle everything. Just call me when you have it all situated. And if you have to go, well, just go. I understand.”

I stepped forward with a nod. “Okay. But I promise to call you.” I stroked her cheek. “Will you wait for me?”

Her smile was full, but I could still spot her guilt. Her silence was deafening, her mouth opening and then clamping shut as if he couldn’t find the right words to say. “I feel like this is all my fault,” she finally murmured.

I frowned. “No. If anything, it’s mine. I’m the one that didn’t have my phone around.”

“Yeah, but I was totally distracting you.” Her smile faltered.

I shook my head then kissed her cheek. “Don’t blame yourself. Like you told me once before, it’s life. Things happen that are out of our control.”

Her eyes shot up. “Wow. I can’t believe you remember that.”

I flashed a smile. “I remember everything when it comes to you, Chloe.”

After placing one last kiss on her lips for reassurance, I let her go, watching her cross the street and walk through her front door. On her way across, she looked back once, a faint trace of a smile present. I returned the same expression, waving once.

When she made it safely inside her home, I blew out a heavy breath, picking up my phone and calling the insurance company. My status with Chloe was puzzling, but when it came to my daughter, I had to see she was safe.

I felt terrible as hell for not answering sooner. I could have lost her too. Fortunately, a higher power had their eyes on her.

Not sure what the fuck I would have done if I’d lost my Izzy Bear too.

I wouldn’t blame Chloe for a damn thing, but I would blame myself over and over again, going through the same struggle as once before, and that would jeopardize everything she and I ever stood for.

 

 

 

 

Sixteen

 

 

His garage gate was closed when I awoke, no cars or bikes in the driveway. He’d gone to Nois for Izzy. He called me right before leaving that morning.

 

"I'll be back as soon as everything is handled."

"Okay," I murmured, but I felt somewhat disappointed—not with him, but with myself. He was going to see Izzy. I could have tagged along, but I didn't quite trust myself with Theo around. I would have been self-conscious of every little thing, like if she noticed me staring or if she saw how he looked at me, or maybe even caught him standing too close. I missed the hell out of her, but I was going to have to wait to see her... alone. No hot daddy around to distract me.

Anything could have gone wrong, so I kept my distance. "Tell her that I'm glad she's okay. I mean I called her last night to check in, and she said she was fine and all, but I'm sure she'd love to hear it in person."

"I will." Theo was quiet for a moment. At first I thought he was thinking negatively— reconsidering all we'd done only hours ago on his boat. But that thought quickly vanished as he sighed. "When I get back, it's you and me. I'm packing everything up. Think you can drop by and help?"

I laughed, crossing my legs on top of my comforter. "Duh. You know I will. Just make sure you keep the chair aside. I'm really taking it."

"Of course." I heard the smile in his voice. "Gonna miss you, Chloe." His voice was gentle, maybe the softest I'd ever heard it.

"I'll miss you too, Theo."

"Mmm," he groaned.

Giggling, I asked, "What?"

"I love it when you call me by my first name."

"Theodore," I said, rolling his name off my tongue. "Theodore Benjamin Black."

He chuckled. "You know way too much about me, Knight."

I smirked on my end. "Not my fault you're a blabbermouth around me.

"Take it as a good thing, babe. Not many get to know me like you do."

I paused. "You say that like you're a bad person."

He was silent for a moment, allowing my words to sink in. Finally, he said, "You'd be surprised. There's shit about me that only Janet and my mom know about. Shit that... I can’t exactly take back. Sometimes I think my last name mocks me because of how dark my past was."

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"Long story, sweetheart." I heard his keys jingle. "But when I'm back, I'll be sure to fill you in. Pun intended."

I laughed out loud. "Whatever. I'll talk to you soon."

I heard a door shut on his end. He didn't respond, so I waited on the line, assuming he hadn't heard me. "Come to your window," he commanded lightly.

I stared ahead, listening to his car honk when unlocking. Gradually, I climbed off the bed, walking towards my window. I hesitated for a moment but quickly realized I had no reason to hold back. Pulling the curtain aside, I saw him standing right in the driveway, looking straight up at my window.

"There's my girl." He put on a beautiful smile, those light lines forming around his eyes. Those lines were the only things that gave his age away. Other than that, he was absolute perfection. With the phone glued to his ear, he lifted his left hand and waved, like he was just some regular, normal neighbor.

Blushing, I waved back, and then pressed my palm to the cool windowpane. "Get some rest, Little Knight."

"Have a safe drive, Mr. Black."

I saw him laugh silently, pulling his car door open. Then, I pulled the phone away from my ear, watching as he did the same, slipping into the driver's seat.

The car cranked, and he reversed his way out of the driveway, pulled onto the main road, and then drove away but not before looking up at me once more and winking.

 

I missed him already, and it'd only been four hours. I know, I sounded needy and desperate, but I seriously couldn’t wait until he got back. I had many questions I wanted to ask him. I knew there was a darker side to Theo; I'd just never truly witnessed it. Other than watching him almost destroy Ol' Charlie with a hammer after Mrs. Black died, I'd never seen him spiral deeper. The desire to destroy something he loved seemed logical, considering he'd just lost the love of his life.

But I wondered about him—wondered what he could do and how he did it. I wondered if I could trust his darker side, a side that I’m sure not even Izzy had witnessed. If she had, she would have told me all about it.

I blew a breath, pushing out of bed and going towards my window for the second time that day. I looked at his home, and when it occurred to me that he would no longer be living there after two weeks, I had the urge to cry. I couldn't imagine not having him there. I couldn’t picture another family in that home because, to me, that was the Blacks’ home.

The first real, genuine people I met. A family that accepted me—took me in with welcoming arms and put a smile on my face every single day. They were my friends. My life wouldn't have been as much fun without them.

I hated change. 

 

 

No matter how awful I felt or how heavy my heart would get when I thought of Izzy, I missed her like crazy. I felt awful about the wreck. It was my fault Theo didn’t pick up the first few times. He was too busy trying to secure time with me, considering her phone call just another weekly conversation that could wait.

I called her immediately, and when I did, I spent almost an hour with her on the phone. Luckily, Theo had just left to handle some car business, which left her lounging in her dorm room on her twin-sized mattress. I remembered how her dorm looked: pink everywhere. Pink sheets, pink rugs, pink pillows, a pink lamp, even pink magnets to go on her mini fridge. Izzy loved pink just as much as I loved purple.

“But seriously. Are you okay, Iz? I got your pic of the car. That thing is totaled. You’re lucky you made it out alive, girl.”

“I’m fineeee. Trust me. Even though the accident was totally not my fault, they’re trying to pin it on me. That guy hit me!”

“Yeah, but at least you made it out safely. That’s all that matters.”

“You sound like a parent,” she laughed.

“Because I care?”

“Ehh.” She made a pfft noise through the phone, as if she were exasperated. “So, I’m not sure about this whole summer relationship thing anymore. Dylan is starting to get clingy,” Izzy said out of the blue.

“Why do you say that? Because he kisses you and actually cares unlike Marco did?”

She scoffed. “Oh my god, Chloe! Did you really just go there? The Marco card? What a bitch.”

I laughed. “You know it’s true. If a guy doesn’t treat you like shit, you get bored. A terrible thing to want, Iz.”

“Yeah, but even though Marco was a total dick, he made up for it… with his beautifully big dick.” She busted out in a laugh, and someone in the background shouted something. “Oh, bite me, Jessie,” Izzy spat.

“Holy shit! Jessie the Prude is still your roommate?” I was rolling with laughter now. Jessie went to Bradshaw with us. The biggest geek of all. There was nothing wrong with being a geek, but when you’re a geek that snitches and lies… well… it’s simple. You get shunned.

“Yes! And she’s so fucking annoying!”

“Right here!” Jessie shouted in the background.

“Duh, Prude, I see you.” Izzy snickered.

I shook my head. “You are so mean to her.”

“Well, maybe she should find another roommate. She’s lucky I agreed. She’s still a liar. I don’t know why I still put up with her. Why are you even here? Why aren’t you home for the summer with your family or something?!” All of her questions to Jessie were rhetorical, and I was dying on my end, as in laughing my ass off. Izzy groaned. “Let me stop before she snitches on me. Anyway, back to Dylan… I don’t know. He’s always calling and texting, and when he’s around I have, like, no space to fucking breathe. Yesterday morning, I asked him to buy me a donut and an iced latte from Dunkin Donuts, and he bought me a whole dozen. I was grateful, I really was, but then he spent the whole day in my dorm after I specifically told him it was my girl time and I wasn’t up for cuddling. God, Chlo, you know how I get around this time of the month. Bitchin’ it out to the max.”

“Yeah,” I snuffed, “I know. Trust me.”

She sighed. “He just doesn’t get me.”

“Sooo why are you still with him? Why waste your time? His time?”

“Shit, I may get annoyed, but he has something to make me forget his clinginess! That magical mouth of his—now he can munch on pussy like it’s dinner.” This time, my laugh felt like it could shake the walls. Izzy joined in on the laugh as I clutched my sides and then swiped joyful tears from the corners of my eyes. “He does this thing—this circle motion with his tongue. Oh my gosh, Chloe. How could any woman ever get rid of that? An expert pussy eater.” She continued her sniggling. “I love it, I swear. Maybe I’ll get over him being so clingy if you get a boyfriend too. That way, we can both bitch and complain. Then we can do double dates and someone can distract him with sports talk or something when we go out. Yeah, totally do that, Chlo. Find a guy before I finish summer school so we can set up a date!”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’m gonna force a relationship just so your clingy boo can be distracted.”

“Boooooo,” Izzy droned. “Fine. Your loss. How has summer been, though? Besides Papa Knight, is everything else good? Is Bristle Wave still a fucking bore?”

“Bristle is still quite boring, but I can’t complain about the scenery. Dad seems to be doing better—oh, and I didn’t even tell you that Mariah and Tiny came here last week!”

“What!?” she exclaimed.

“Yep. We went for dinner and ice cream first. We were supposed to be on a boat, but Mariah’s dad never rented it out. But later that night we went to Brix, and guess who was there?”

“Who?” she indulged. I knew she was glued to the phone.

“Fucking Riley Hunt… again! He saw me, but I had to pretend Tiny was my date for the night just so he wouldn’t bother me. But the dickwad just turned to Mariah like I wasn’t even there. I swear, boys are just stupid. Tiny got so pissed and was about to pick a fight, but I spared Riley by dragging Tiny’s lanky ass out of there and dragging them to Dane’s.”

“Oh my God! Are you serious?”

“Yes. Tiny was so mad the whole ride. They were wasted, Izzy.”

“Ugh! See! I should be there. I’m so jealous.”

“Please don’t be,” I said. “Trust me, you aren’t missing much. Mariah and Tiny coming here was probably the most fun I’ve had so far.” And Theo, the voice in the back of my mind whispered.

Izzy groaned. “Well, keep being bored until I can come home. Hopefully I can get a chance over the weekend. If I could leave now, I would, but some of my classes are on stupid campus.”

“I know. I understand. I’m fine, Iz. You just worry about school. Bristle will always be here.”

“I know. It’s just so fucking boring on campus when no one is here. I have no choice but to focus.” She laughed and then sighed as if all her stress had faded. “Man, I needed this talk. I swear you are my cure for a shitty, shitty day.”

“Aww,” I cooed, teasing her. “Don’t be so melodramatic.”

“Dude, I’m not. I’m serious. Other than my dad, you are the only person I can really trust and talk to about anything. You know me. I hate people sometimes, but I have never come close to hating you.”

My smile dropped, as well as my beating heart. She said this, but little did she know that we both were breaking that trust day by day. I wanted to cry, get rid of the ball of pain building up around my heart. God, I just wanted to tell her, but I didn’t want her to hate me. I didn’t want her to change—us to change. I didn’t want to lose my best friend. I refused.

Fuck, I was selfish. So very selfish.

“I love you, Chlo. Fa’sho.”

I laughed, but the line of my eyes burned, thick with unshed tears. “That is still the corniest line I’ve ever heard.”

Her giggle was comforting. “Whatever! I still think it’s cool. And it fits. Now say it back before you break my heart!”

With a steady voice, a gentle smile, and a tear I knew she couldn’t see trailing down my cheek, I finished our little rhyme, ignoring the thickness in my throat. “I love you too, Izzy Boo.”

“See!” she busted out in a laugh just as I did, swiping my face. “Now, that’s corny.”

God, I loved these chats with her. The mindless, careless conversations I could share with her about any and everything. I missed the hell out of my friend, and it was still hard to wrap my head around the fact that I was holding one of the biggest secrets of my life from her.

After saying goodbye, I hung up. My head lifted, and I looked towards the collage of us pinned to my bulletin board. The photo of us on prom night was my favorite. We were flawless, and we didn’t need dates because we were our own dates.

All the girls at Bradshaw envied us, our friendship most of all. They treated us like Regina and Caydee from Mean Girls, only we weren’t mean and our friendship wasn’t fake… and we didn’t only wear pink on Wednesdays, especially Izzy. Everyone adored and hated us at the same time. They wanted to be us, which was weird because we sometimes didn’t like being us.

Like now. I wished I wasn’t myself. I wished I hadn’t become so close to Izzy’s father. I wished he was someone else—someone I could actually be with without the fear of losing someone else close and dear to my heart.

 

 

Downstairs, Margie and Dad were sitting on the living room sofa, watching a movie about vampires. I stepped around the corner, blinking as Dad actually sat there and watched the flick, eyes intense as he ran his hands over his peppery hair.

I entered the living room, snickering while folding my arms, and they both looked my way. “You guys are really watching this?”

Margie gave a helpless shrug, and Dad nodded. “I’ve always wondered what you liked so much about it.” He scratched his head. “Gotta tell you, baby girl. I still don’t get it. The whole glittery thing, the heavy breathing, and the damn werewolves... I am so lost.”

I laughed. “It’s a girl thing. You have to read the book to understand.”

“Ehh. Seems like soft vampire porn to me. I’ll pass.” Apparently, this was one of his good days. Weird, it seemed on and off now, switching sporadically.

Margie shook her head with a laugh, and then she stood from the sofa. I turned for the kitchen, and only seconds later, she appeared. “Um… Chloe?”

I spun around, meeting her warm grey eyes. “Yes?”

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Margie came my way, brows puckered. Immediately, I noticed the look of worry on her face, the questions running rampant in her eyes. “The man across the street— the one you’re interested in— how long have you known him again?”

“About ten years now.”

“Ten. Wow.” Her eyes expanded. “Was he married once before?”

“Yes.” I crossed my arms, stepping towards her. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.” She put on a smile. “I see why you fell for him. That’s a handsome man.”

I chewed on a smile, uncrossing my arms and going for the fridge. After pulling out a cup of strawberry yogurt, I turned for the table in front of the bay window and sat. “He is pretty good looking.”

“Yeah,” she sighed. Margie’s fingers twisted in front of her. There was something wrong. She seemed nervous, like something was bothering her. Before I opened my yogurt, I dropped the cup and narrowed my brows in her direction. “Margie? What is it? What’s wrong?”

She looked towards me, stepping forward. She was hesitant at first. “My son is…” She started but quickly waved a hand, dismissing the idea. “Never mind.”

When she began to turn, I called for her, hopping out of my chair. Glancing back, she looked from the countertops she’d wiped spotless to me. “Margie, you can talk to me,” I assured her.

She inhaled, releasing a puff of breath as her shoulders visibly relaxed. “Okay… well, it’s just my son. He wants to spend some time in Bristle with me. He said he’d get a hotel, but I would hate for him to go through the trouble. I know you aren’t used to strangers and I would hate for you or even Mr. Knight to think I’m trying to take advantage of my stay here, but—”

I stepped forward, holding my hand up. Her words stopped flowing in an instant, eyes glossy. Damn, I don’t know what it was about Margie, but this woman had deep-rooted issues. It seemed she was afraid of asking for things, like someone had punished her before for asking for anything at all. I was truly sympathetic for the humble woman, but I needed her to know that everything was fine. “Margie,” I murmured. “It’s okay. He can stay here. We have another guest room and he’s more than welcome to use it. I don’t mind at all.”

“Oh, God.” She cupped her mouth. I was about to consider her dramatic, until she continued. “Oh my goodness, Chloe, thank you! Last night was my first time seeing him in three years. I truly, honestly, need this.”

Oh. I felt bad for my previous thought. Three years?! Wow.

I dropped my hands, watching as two stray tears fell down her cheeks. I went back for the roll of paper towels, ripping one off and handing it to her. She accepted it, wiping her face clean. “Three freaking years?! Margie! Why has it been so long?”

She shrugged. “He has been very busy with his life. He’s an orchestrator for a high school in Arizona. He hardly ever comes home because he’s so swamped. And me… well, I happen to move a lot too. By the time he can actually come visit me, I’m booked for another caregiving job or working late hours as a nurse. We still keep in touch—he calls every day—but it has been hard not seeing my only child. Mi hijo.” My son.

“Was he raised here?”

“We lived in L.A.” she smiled. “I was born in Mexico but raised here in the U.S.”

“Oh. How neat. It’s insane for him not to see you for three years, though. As a teacher, there’s really not that many excuses.”

“He has his reasons. He wanted to stay away from California to grow as a person—escape certain… things. He called me last week, told me his band had entered the finals and was traveling to Bristle Wave High for a performance. He took that as a sign of God telling him he was ready to come back this way.”

“That’s great!” I beamed. “So when will he be here?”

“Tomorrow morning, if that is okay.” She looked at me for reassurance, grey eyes bright. I nodded. Her happiness was contagious. How her son could abandon his sweet mother, I did not know. If my mom were anything like Margie, I would have come home more often.

“I was thinking of making a big breakfast, and I promise you I will still be giving Mr. Knight the best care. He will never leave my sight. Let’s just hope that he cooperates with Sterling around. He isn’t very fond of people he doesn’t know.”

I scoffed. “Yeah, he’s always been that way. He doesn’t like to get to know people unless he has to, but I’m sure Dad will be fine. He’ll live. Breakfast sounds great! I’ll be sure to come down for it and meet your son. He sounds like a nice guy.”

“He is a great man. He’s accomplished so much when I didn’t think he would. He’s made me one proud mama!”

“I bet.”

“Margie, the remote please!” Dad called from the living room.

Margie glanced over her shoulder and then looked at me. Laughing, she said, “Let me go get that. Thank you again, lovely. I swear, you are the sweetest girl.” She patted my arm and then turned around, hurrying out of the kitchen.

I went back to the table for my yogurt. Unlike Dad, I loved to meet new people. Margie was a great person, and I was sure her son would be too, so there would be no worries about leaving them home alone.

 

 

After going for a run, coming back home to shower, and eating lunch, I took a nap but wasn’t quite sure when I’d fallen asleep. By the time I awoke, it was dark outside, nothing but the streetlights glowing outside my window.

I scrambled out of bed, going for my cellphone on the desk. I snatched it up, seeing two missed calls from Theo and one from Izzy. A text accompanied Izzy’s call.

 

Izzy: My dad is acting weird. He seems happier….

 

I blinked at her message. No smiley face. No big, fat LOL. No second text message, harassing me about what I was doing or why I wasn’t replying (which was normally the case.)

Was she onto us? Onto me? He seemed happier how? Since when? So many questions ran through my mind. I felt my heart racing, palms becoming clammy.

I disregarded her message, plugging the thought in the back of my head to make sure I returned her text. I went to my call log and saw Mr. Black(2). Two missed calls.

Walking towards my window, I saw that his driveway was empty, his home dark. Only the porch light illuminated. Picking my phone back up, I pressed the call button, and the phone rang twice before he responded. “Hello?” His voice was heavy, the way he sounded when he’d had a few drinks.

“Theo? Are you back?”

“Got back about two hours ago. What happened earlier? Called you twice. Wanted to see if you wanted to catch drinks with me somewhere?”

“I was asleep,” I informed him. “I don’t know when I fell asleep, but I was clearly exhausted.” I looked towards my alarm clock. 10:18 P.M.

“Where are you drinking at?”

“Rykes.”

I frowned. “Ew. Rykes.”

He laughed. “Come meet me.”

“Rykes isn’t really my scene.” And it really wasn’t. The place was full of bikers, their “old ladies”, and random men that loved picking a fight. None of them had respect for outsiders. So imagine someone like me, walking right into a place like that, and then sitting with an older man that was clearly into me. The thought of it made my skin crawl.

“Shit, you’re right. I’d hate to beat a motherfucker’s ass for touching or looking at you the wrong way.” He paused, and I don’t know what it was about his voice—perhaps it was the protectiveness, or maybe the possessiveness—but it made my insides swirl. Warmth hit me like a soft wave, drifting throughout each part of me, making me weak.

“So where should we meet?” I asked. My voice faltered. It was feeble. He caught the flattery in my response, laughing.

“Wanna check out my new place?”

“You already have a key?”

“I’m not supposed to officially go in and check things out until next week, but I know the landlord. He trusts me. Gave me a key as soon as I signed the lease.”

A smile touched my lips. “Sure. I can meet you there.”

“Okay, Little Knight. I’ll text you the address. See you in twenty?”

“Twenty it is.”

 

 

I arrived at a complex called Remy Place.

Theo was already waiting for me at the front door, and as I pulled up and parked, he dangled a bottle of vodka in front of him, leaning against the wall. I shook my head and laughed, shutting my car off.

“Saved you a drink… or ten,” he said, grinning. Oh, Lord. He was going to get a kick out of bringing alcohol around me now. I was sure he remembered me downing that cognac and then riding him like I had no care in the world.

Stepping out the car, I walked towards him, and he opened his arms. I sauntered right into his welcoming embrace, and he sighed, groaning as he held me tight. “Missed you, Knight.”

I smiled against his chest, wrapping my arms around his neck and curling my fingers into the edges of his hair. When he slanted his head back, I kissed him first, like the desperate girl I always became when it came to him. He wasn’t even gone a full day, but it felt like an eternity.

“I see you missed me too,” he chuckled behind the kiss.

“I did,” I mumbled. “So much.” His smile disappeared when he looked down at me, pressing those smooth lips on mine again. The kiss was fervent, heated, and delightful. I sank deeper into his hard, masculine body, absorbing the taste of scotch on his tongue, attaching myself to his entire front half.

“Damn, baby,” he breathed when our kiss finally broke. “I feel it.”

“Feel what?” I asked, my voice just as breathy as his.

“How much you’ve missed me.” His hand snaked down my waist and landed on my ass, spanking and then squeezing. Cocking a smooth brow, he asked, “You feel it?”

“Yeah,” I giggled. “I feel it.”

With a boyish grin, Theo released me but reached for my hand, turning for the door. We walked inside, the cool draft of the AC brushing my bare shoulders. He led the way to the elevator and once we were inside, he pressed the quarter-sized button with the number four on it.

We were in the elevator alone. I felt him looking at me. I turned his way, asking, “Why are you watching me?”

He moved closer, a gentle kiss landing in my curly hair. “Just missed you, babe. That’s all.”

“Yeah?” My arms went over his broad shoulders again, fingers connecting as I latched them around him. “How much?”

His upper lip twitched. “Probably a little too much if we’re being honest.”

“Hmm. That’s a good thing, right?” The question was rhetorical. I didn’t expect him to answer because in our case, no, it wasn’t a good thing.

My mouth met his, drawing out another deep groan. His body juddered, chest tensing beneath mine. I loved the uncontrollable vibe I gave him, the satisfied feeling I developed when his body was near mine.

Before I knew it, the elevator chimed, and the doors slid open. I pulled away, but my eyes were still connected with his. He held my gaze, clinging to my hand, his grip soft. Then, he led the way out, walking down the hallway and going past three doors before reaching door 404.

Theo unlocked the door, and as soon as we were inside, he flipped a switch. A light flashed in the corner, lighting small parts of the vacant living room. I walked past Theo as he shut the door behind us, my gaze traveling from the living room to the kitchen. There was a fridge and stove already set up, the chrome matching well with the black marble on the counters.

I studied his place in awe, moving ahead. I checked out each bedroom. There were two, both equally spacious, especially the master. The bathroom was amazing—full of chrome, black marble, and white accent pieces. I wanted to make use of the glass shower in the corner, steam it up with both sweat and hot water streaming between our greedy bodies.

I stepped back out, meeting a quiet Theo in the living room. He studied me but didn’t say much. He stood near the wall, head in a slight tilt.

I turned a fraction, stepping forward. There was an open, rectangular window straight across from me, and from this spot, I had full view of the ocean. I blinked slowly, completely mesmerized.

“Like it?” Theo’s voice was deep and soft, a warm tremble, as he stepped behind me, arms going around my middle.

“Theo, this place is incredible.”

He hugged me against his body, warm breath drifting down my chest. Snuggling his nose into the crook of my neck, he murmured, “I thought I was going to have to spend this night without you.” A sliver of fire shot through me, burning the most sensitive parts of me.

I turned in his arms. “Does that explain you being at Rykes?”

He looked down, watching my eyes. My face. “I needed a cheap drink… and some entertainment. A fight breaks out at that place every night. There’s always some beef.”

I wanted to roll my eyes. Men. “Why didn’t you go to Dane’s?”

His lips pressed. “Trixie works on Friday nights.”

My smile collapsed, my entire demeanor changing. “Oh.”

I started to pull away, but he caught me, reeling me back in. “I avoided Dane’s for you, Chloe.”

“I appreciate that, but…” I chewed on my bottom lip. I hated when he mentioned her. I hated it even more that she still ran through his mind every so often. “I don’t know.” I shrugged, waving a hand and realizing I was overreacting. I couldn’t overreact. I couldn’t send him running away. I made a promise not to get too serious. I had to keep it. “Never mind. It’s whatever.”

He tipped my chin when I dropped my head, those warm brown eyes fixing on mine. “You don’t like when I mention her.” This was a statement, not a question. He already knew the answer. Cradling my face in his hands, Theo pulled me close to him, so close I could feel his chest rising and sinking, the bulge in his pants that so badly wanted to be set free. “Tell me, baby,” he whispered, walking forward as I moved backwards. “What name is it that you want to hear from my mouth?”

“Mine,” I whispered. Then my back hit the wall, the bump light.

“Yours.” He dropped his head, planting sweet caresses on the crook of my neck. “Alright, Chloe.” His voice changed, his actions instantaneous. He lifted up my dress, sliding my panties aside. His fingers plunged, one and then two. It caught me completely off guard.

My next breath was sharp, the back of my head landing on the wall as he picked up one of my legs and hooked it around his narrow waist. I kept still, and he picked me up, moving to the bar counter in front of the kitchen.

“Chloe, baby,” he murmured in my ear. “Chloe. Fuck, Chloe.” He said my name like he wanted to marry it, running the syllables off his tongue, finger-fucking me until my back curved.

My ass landed on the cool countertop, and in only seconds, his fingers were gone. My panties were next to go missing, dropping to the floor, and without hesitation, his tongue replaced those magical fingers.

It dipped inside, and I moaned loudly, clutching handfuls of his T-shirt. “Chloe,” he groaned, his growl deep. “My sexy Little Knight. You know you’re all I want.”

I panted, listening to his voice vibrate between my quaking thighs, bringing me straight to the edge. I willingly thrust around his tongue until he brought it up, sealing those beautiful pink lips around my swelling clit. He sucked, tugging light enough for me to feel, and then released, sliding a finger into my damp, eager pussy.

“Don’t cum yet, baby,” he said, just as I was about to reach the stars. He pulled away, running thick fingers from my entrance to my clit and pressing down. He watched me writhe, smirking as if he were pleased with how well I responded to his touch. Picking me up off the counter, Theo slid his jeans down to his ankles, his entire cock exposed. The tip glistened, the taste of him still familiar to me.

His scent was strong. Musky and manly. Every bit of a real man. Every inch of what I craved. Theo still had me in his arms, my legs bound around him, and I eased around his cock, sliding down until he was all in.

He stilled, letting out a heavy sigh, one that blew past my ear and down my spine. “The sweetest pussy.” His words came out in a rumble as he lifted me up and down. Our foreheads met, and soon, my back hit the wall. I wrapped my arms over his shoulders, lifting up and down with him as much as possible, soaking up every inch of him.

Bouncing.

Gripping.

All with light spanks to my ass and quiet yelps filling the air.

Lips touched, tongues colliding. He accepted my moans through parted lips, telling me to be louder. Begging me to call his name.

“Oh, Theo,” I breathed, feeling his solid body going stiff. “Yes. Fuck yes.”

He grunted, mouth falling on my skin, moving from the crook of my neck to my cheek and then to my lips. He devoured them like he owned them, like he’d kissed them plenty of times and knew exactly what they longed for. “The only name I wanna hear you say when you’re like this is mine.” He trapped my face in his hands. “You hear me?”

“Yes.” The response came out rapid and shrill as he pressed his palms on either side of my head, creating a bumping noise against the wall with his knees.

“No one will be able to make you feel like how I make you feel, Chloe. I know your body—everything you like. I know this pussy, and exactly what makes her tick. I know because you always get so fucking wet for me, wringing me out ‘til I’m fucking dry.” His nose skimmed my cheek. “Sweet pussy… always so fucking tight for me. And always. So. Fucking. Good.”

Theo’s voice strained with the last set of words. His brown irises shimmered, face harder than stone. He sank deeper and deeper, like he couldn’t get deep enough and I clenched around his long, thick member, clamping and shuddering, sighing loudly just as he did.

His lips divided, and I took the opportunity to kiss his partially open mouth, his body quaking until he was empty. He groaned, and his head rolled once before his forehead hit my shoulder, his body sagging as it pinned me to the wall.

“Never get enough,” I heard him say beneath his breath right before he lifted his head and kissed me whole, cradling the frame of my face in his hands. His thumbs stroked the edges of my hair, cock still pulsing deep inside. His beard lightly grazed the outside of my mouth, and a soft whimper escaped me when his head fell again and he straightened. I felt so good—always so good with him.

Finally, he pulled out, placing me on my feet but giving me a swift kiss on my forehead before pulling his pants up and going for the bottle of vodka on the counter. “I’m thinking maybe I should save this for move-in day.” He gripped the bottle.

I smiled, adjusting my dress. “Yeah, I think that might be better.”

I caught the satisfaction on his face before he could turn. I started his way when I was fully situated, but when I was at his side, my stomach growled, and he heard it. My eyes went wide, embarrassment flaming my cheeks as he asked, “Damn, babe? You hungry?”

I nodded, realizing I hadn’t eaten since waking up. I came straight to Theo, not even bothering to at least grab a snack to satisfy the hunger pang I knew I’d feel later. “Just a tad.”

He pulled me in. “Well, I’m gonna have to take care of that too, huh?”

I looked up at him. “How so, Mr. Black?”

He twisted me around in his arms, pressing his chest to mine. With his fingers holding my chin, making sure my eyes were focused only on his, he said, “You forget I cook now. Come on. Gotta take care of my knight in shining armor, right?”

“Um… isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?” I tease as he started a slow waltz with me on the open floor, our hands clasped together, eyes lax and glued.

“Maybe so, but I consider you mine.”

A bolt of electricity struck me as he stopped dancing and lifted my right arm in the air to make my body go into a little twirl. He caught me in his arms after the spin, and I grinned like a fat kid with cake.

“Still have those moves, I see.”

“They’ll never die.” He smirked, and when he released me I picked up my keys and followed him out the door, leaving his condo in Remy Place for his home in Primrose.

 

 

 

 

 

SEVENTEEN

 

 

She wasn’t a picky girl—another thing I loved about her. Janet was the pickiest woman I’d ever known. But Chloe, she vowed to eat whatever I cooked, telling me to surprise her.

Odd, they were complete opposites. Janet could be so uptight I felt it whenever I slapped her ass, but Chloe was so laid back and relaxed. It seemed nearly impossible to make her angry.

I decided to go with what I had planned for myself the next evening—grilled pork chops smothered in mushrooms and creamy mushroom sauce sided with broccoli and brown rice. A lot of protein. She’d be full all night.

I watched as she took her first bite, how her lips slipped off the edges of the fork once the food had consumed her mouth. And she hummed, like it was the tastiest thing she’d ever eaten. She moaned like I was fucking her again. I’m sure my cock would have twitched, but I was way too concerned with her opinion.

“So? Good?” I asked as she cut another slice of pork chop and stuffed it into her mouth.

“Good. Theo—” her head shook a this-is-a-damn-shame kind of headshake—“this is freaking amazing.” She moaned again, but this time, her eyes shut as she absorbed each flavor, most likely the garlic I put in to accompany the onion.

Pleased, I sat next to her, grinning. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Here,” she said, handing me the extra fork beside her. “Eat some, please. I won’t be able to finish it all.”

I shook my head. “It’s all for you. Eat. Enjoy it.”

Her lips twisted, and she put the fork down. After cutting a slice of the pork and smothering it in the sauce, she brought the utensil up to my mouth. “Fine. Then I’ll feed you.”

My upper lip curled up. “Chloe—”

“Nah-uh.” She shook her head. “Here.” Her little devious smile was cute, possibly on the borderline of sexy.

I shook with laughter, playing along. “Alright.” Then, I dropped my chin, allowing her to feed me. She grinned like Isabelle used to when I would finally join her in her tea parties with stuffed pink animals, dry crackers, and of course, no tea.

I chewed the food, pleased with the flavors. “Damn. I did good.”

She laughed, withdrawing the fork. “You seriously did. This is amazing. Really. You’ll have to make it again sometime.”

“Just for you, I will.”

I allowed her to finish eating while I cleaned up, and once she was done, I walked her way, just as she sipped from her glass of water. “I’m pretty sure if I still lived in Primrose, I’d be as fat as a pig.”

I busted out laughing, helping her come to a stand.

“Fat or small, baby, you’d still be beautiful.”

“Yeah right.” She bashfully lowered her gaze.

“No, seriously. You would. And don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. You’re a gorgeous girl with a big heart, Chloe. It… pains me to even think about someone else sweeping you off your feet.”

Her head lifted without my aid, and her eyes bore into mine, on the borderline of tears. I swept my thumb across her nimble chin, half-smiling. “Don’t talk like that.” Her voice was faint. “I…” Her voice broke.

“Chloe,” I murmured. “We can’t deny the truth. It’ll fuck us up if we do. I can’t be the one to ruin your life. I want you happy, whether that’s with or without me.”

I watched her swallow hard, a habit she did when she was upset, nervous, or bothered by something. “You’re right,” she finally said. Then she met my eyes, switching the subject. “Do you think I can stay here tonight?”

“I don’t see why not.”

She was happy with my response, sinking into my arms. I held my knight snug in my arms. I didn’t know how the hell I was going to let this go—end this once it was time for her to leave. The thought of it killed me.

It’d only been a few days, but I’d never had so much fun—never felt this much since Janet. Not even Trixie could provide this amount of comfort, a feeling of overwhelming bliss. This was close to how it was with Janet, just as wonderful. Yes, there were ups and downs, but those could be easily overlooked with her presence.

I was glad she wanted to stay. I led her upstairs, somehow entering my bedroom with her in my arms. I placed her down on the edge of the bed and pulled her dress over her head as she tugged on my belt buckle. Once my pants were gone, I leaned forward as she went back, my hands outside her head, face only inches away from hers.

I heard her breath hitch when she felt my hardened cock between her legs. Then I remembered… this was where I first took her. Right on this bed. Right above her. But unlike that first time, I was actually paying attention now. I wanted to know what she was thinking and how she felt. I wanted to make this time feel like her first all over again.

So I took my time, trailing soft caresses down her body with my lips, the smooth valleys of her skin running by mine. I continued down, meeting at her yellow panties. They were simple, not lacey, stringy, or extravagant. Just simple. Sometimes simplicity worked best, and right now, it was certainly working. It worked for me because it gave me the satisfaction that she wouldn’t expect what was coming. She expected plain vanilla, but I was about to add a scoop of every flavor that ever existed along with a whopping helping of decadent, rich fudge and a cherry to top it off.

Lifting her hips, I tugged her panties down, pulling them from around her ankles once they’d made it down. I moved back up, and she gasped as I kissed between her thighs, back arching for more. I’d already tasted her less than two hours ago, but I was a giving person. She wanted more? She had it.

My tongue started at her clit this time, circling and suckling with small nips. “Ah, Theo,” she breathed, and in the same moment, her back curved again.

“Hold still for me baby.” I pressed my palm to her pubic bone, laying her flat again. “Let me taste you. I love eating this pussy.” She shuddered beneath the warm breath skimming through her glistening, pink slit. “I want to see those eyes. Look at me. Watch me.”

Her head lifted, and she glanced down. When she made eye contact with me, I claimed her pussy with my mouth, licking through and through, tongue gliding in and out, running up to the mount with need. She tasted divine. So fucking amazing.

Her mouth fell open, and the room filled with innocent cries of pleasure. Sounds that drove me fucking crazy. I wanted to feel her. So badly.

Drawing away, I pulled upward, hovering above her again. The look in her eyes was desperate, full of a want that may never be satisfied. I eased down after taking my boxers away, nervous about how to go about her. I’d fucked her roughly so many times before…. shit, this was crazy. I felt like it was my first time again, too. I’d never taken anyone’s virginity before Chloe. Janet wasn’t even a virgin when I met her.

The tip of my cock met at her wet entrance. Her body relaxed beneath me, corresponding with the thickness. “You didn’t tell me you were a virgin when we first made this happen, Chloe,” I murmured, lips skimming the shell of her ear. She trembled, goose bumps crawling along her skin. “So tonight, I’m taking you like it’s the first time again.” My cock inched in with the last word. “Gently. Carefully. Exactly how it should have been.”

The pleasure was clear on her face. She loved when I talked to her. Perhaps there was something about my voice that heated her up enough to milk my cock. My voice alone drove her mad.

I inched in with gradual force, our eyes fastened, and she cupped my face, allowing our lips to meet to fulfill the sweet ache. She wanted me to go deeper, but I held back. Fingernails bit into my shoulders, silently begging me to follow through.

And I did.

Finally.

As soon as my pipe filled her in, she moaned my name, as if she’d been waiting all this time to say it. I caught her indulgence, crushing her lips with ravenous force. I thrust just a little harder, but my strokes were still slow and even. I wanted her to feel it—all of me, like it should have been that very first night.

Her nails went deeper in my skin, our lips still twisted together. We were hungry for each other. Greedy. Our bodies grinded, in sync. I thrust just a little harder, trying my damn best not to still or go rigid. I was on the verge of coming, her wet pussy devouring and juicing my cock, tightening at all the right moments.

“Fuck,” I breathed. I was so close. So close. But I grew even closer when she brought those supple, pink lips up and swirled her tongue around my pierced nipple. Her tongue flicked the metal, and she sucked just enough to make it taut. “Shit, baby,” I groaned.

She responded to my voice, back bowed, slipping right off the edge with me. And when she came, wailing, “Oh, God, yes!” I came with her, going completely empty in that tight, sweet, fucking pussy. A loud, deep groan volleyed on the walls, the loudest I’d ever heard myself get.

Fuck, she was so tight. And so motherfucking good.

I collapsed but made sure not to crush her while breathing deep, panting with my mouth on the crook of her neck. She sighed, her entire body going lax beneath me.

“I have something to tell you.” She stroked the edges of my hair.

“What?” I asked.

“You’re my best,” she whispered in my ear. I heard the smile in her voice.

I pushed up on one elbow. “Your best?”

“Yep.”

“See, it’s words like that I love hearing from you.” Her giggle was shrill as I kissed the base of her neck. I pulled out and helped her up, figuring she was in just as much need of a shower as I was.

So we showered together. I used the bar soap, helping her with her wash, running it between her full, perky breasts to the pussy she allowed me to own over and over again. She loved my hands on her and hated when my touch left her.

I still couldn’t believe she wanted me so much. Me, a man that was twice her age. A man that she wasn’t even supposed to touch her. She knew the consequence behind this affair, the hurt she’d feel once she was around Izzy again.

I was serious about her having a good heart, and I couldn’t understand how she continued to sleep with me, treating me like a king. I was Chloe’s king— an unruly one but still one she respected and cared for. But I was also unjust and extremely unfair to my beloved daughter.

So much wrong.

So much right.

So much light and darkness, a mixture of both.

There was so much about the way she looked at me, how she didn’t look up to me or fear me. She accepted me entirely, as she did herself. A girl full of so much love and passion. A girl that shouldn’t have been lying in my bed.

She fell asleep on my chest, breathing evenly, and I watched her. The purity was what killed me. She may have thought she wasn’t innocent, but to me, she was. I was the one that started this, coming onto her when I was too drunk to care. I lead her on, but we both took this to deeper, darker places.

We ventured into the same blackness I couldn’t seem to escape, sinking further and further into the sea. But being under this sea was different. We could breathe, so it was okay. We could feel and touch and move. Nothing held us back, and nothing saw us.

Just like the ocean, our black sea was full of wonders—full of uniqueness and secrecy. It was our place, this vast ocean we lived in. It was for us, and the only way it could have been ruined was if something intruded, messing up the fluidity and transforming it into a menacing typhoon.

Unfortunately, the ocean can also be disturbed and interrupted. Peace doesn’t always linger. Happiness doesn’t always stick. Freedom doesn’t always ring.

Our ocean of black, our tainted mess, would be demolished by the end of summer and nothing would be able to repair it.

 

 

It’d been so long since I had anyone sleeping with me in my bed. Three and a half years to be exact. Not even Trixie stayed the night. I always made her go. Our rules.

It felt good waking up next to Chloe, but what was even greater was awaking to her soft, familiar hand running across the tip of my cock.

I stirred out of my sleep, but she shushed me, placing her other hand on my chest and gently forcing me to lie back down. I eased back, eyes trained on her before I looked down and calmed myself. Yes, it had been a while since something like this happened so early.

Her hand moved under the comforter, lifting up and down, stroking slow and smooth. My groan was hoarse as she put small pecks on my chest with her petal-like lips. Each kiss further aroused me. My morning wood needed to be satisfied.

I could never control myself in the mornings. There was just something about them, perhaps the crisp feeling of the sunlight or knowing it was a new day. Or maybe my few hours of sleep recharged me, building me up for another release to happen soon.

“Damn,” I groaned. “Yeah, keep doing that, baby.” She dropped the sheet, her head went down, and her lips wrapped around my tip. She did what I did not expect. I thought I could hold it a little longer, but that simple act alone was enough to make me explode.

I splurged into her mouth, shooting down her throat, and she swallowed every last drop, eyes on me, not daring to pull those hazel irises away. I jolted even more, pressing my palm to the back of her head and making the moist walls of her mouth mold around my length. “Fuck.”

She moaned around my cock, bringing her mouth up, swirling her tongue swiftly around my tip and across the slit between and then pulling away, causing my hips to buckle. Pulling up, she grinned and then rested her head on my chest. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” she confessed.

“Shit, thanks for giving me the first shot at it,” I laughed, planting a kiss on her forehead. Leaning on my elbow, I turned to face her, admiring her physique. She looked good in my T-shirt, her slender legs toned in all the right places, skin smooth. Her nipples were what I expected, erect, prodding through the white cotton.

I ran the back of my hand across her cheek, and she caught it, holding on. “I’ve always wanted to ask…” She paused for a moment, lips twisted. “How often do you think of Mrs. Black?”

Her question caught me off guard. I felt my heart come to a slight skid. It wasn’t as intense as it used to be. Before, my heart would slam to a standstill from the mere thought of Janet. The wound was deep, but with time, it became easier to accept—easier to control the emotion that used to wreak havoc. “Every day,” I responded.

“You miss her a lot, don’t you?”

I huffed. “Severely.”

Chloe’s brows creased for a single moment, then her face softened. “We… never would have happened if she was still here, huh?”

I blinked. I wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that question. Yeah, if Janet were still around, I would have kept my boundaries, maintained distance, and considered Chloe one of Izzy’s hottest friends. I wouldn’t have touched her—hell, I never would have gotten so fucking crazy if it weren’t for the murder of my wife.

Instead of giving a direct answer, I said, “Wanna know how fucked up my life was before? Why I sometimes think I’m the one that should have died that day?” Her eyelashes batted at me, and she adjusted herself, pulling her hand away. Her eyes were full of questions. I answered them.

“When I was eleven, I lost my dad. Seems like a corny job, but he was a firefighter, and I always admired him for it. Saving lives. Working day and night to provide for us. Risking his life on a day to day basis. I always wondered ‘Why him?’ when he passed, and I guess since I never came to terms with him dying, it was even harder dealing with Janet’s death. My therapist says it was because I wasn’t expecting to lose anyone else. I had finally found safety with her—security—but lost it within the blink of an eye. When I lost my dad, I became rebellious. My mom couldn’t control me for the life of her.” I laughed. “I regret putting her through so much hell—with being suspended from school for picking fights and even setting off firecrackers in the boys’ bathroom just for the hell of it.” My head shook. “Shit, for a while I thought I wouldn’t live to see this age. I didn’t want to live, and for some reason, when he died… nothing changed. Nothing got better. Everything became worse.” Chloe’s face was serious as I stopped talking for a brief moment.

“Life got so much harder for me and my mom. My mom worked way too much in order to support me, which left me at home alone. So… one day I met this guy named Horris at a bike convention, and he introduced me to this gang of bad-asses. All we did was cause trouble and fuck shit up for no reason. Some of them killed for fun. Tormented members of other gangs and robbed from innocent civilians.” I swallowed thickly. “I hate that I’m even telling you, but… I almost killed someone.”

She gasped. “Who?”

I focused on the silver sheets. “Janet’s dad.”

As if that were a twist, she gasped even louder. “What!? How?”

“Her dad is an uptight asshole. You probably saw him at her funeral, how he didn’t say a single fucking word to me. Well, before I ever met Janet, I used to hang out at this bar in L.A. They played poker there every fucking night. Her dad happened to be there one night, knowing damn well he wasn’t supposed to be gambling. At a young age, I’d learned how to play poker and was pretty damn good at it. Let’s just say her dad tried to cheat and that left me with no choice but to beat his ass.”

“You had a choice—what do you mean you had no choice?”

“My gang was there, demanding me to do something about it. And I’m no pussy. I wanted to show them that I could hold my own—that they didn’t need to worry about me. Shit, the whole gang thought I was a pushover for a while, but that was only because I was quiet and new. But when they saw me beat her dad until he was black and blue… well, let’s just say I was highly respected. Maybe not by her dad, but by the gang. The Union. That’s what they called themselves.” I laughed, remembering those dark and somewhat exciting days.

“Wow,” Chloe whispered. Her eyes moved down to the jagged “U” on my shoulder.

“I got it as soon as the gang let me in,” I said in reference to the tattoo. “I wanted to prove my loyalty to them. But that’s not even the best part. Janet worked at the bar, doing dishes in the back, and when she saw her dad getting pummeled, she jumped right in, breaking it up and then cursing me the fuck out, threatening me with the nearest object. That object happened to be a broken glass bottle.” I chuckled.

“No way! Damn, Mrs. Black was badass.”

“She really was. That was how I fell for her. Unlike the other girls, she wasn’t afraid of me. She wasn’t afraid to destroy or kill me and something about that zinged me. I couldn’t pinpoint it, but I knew I had to make it up to her.”

“And what did you do to make it up to her?”

I fought a smile. “I found out where she lived and showed up at her doorstep. Her dad answered and tried to slam the door in my face, but I caught it in time, and Janet appeared. She was upset of course, but I told her straight to her face that I was sorry, and that I’d gotten carried away because of one too many drinks and too much testosterone around me. I apologized to her father with sincerity, and then I apologized to her for ruining her night. Then, I offered to help her dad out until he healed. Turned out, I broke his arm… and his nose.” I winced. She laughed.

“You are so bad!”

“Hey,”—I shrugged—“back then, I had no guidance and after a while, Janet understood my struggle. Trust me, it was hard winning her over. Took me three months before she finally eased up. I don’t regret that part of my life, though. I could but… I don’t. It happened for a reason. I was lost, and she found me.” My lips pushed together. “One year later, she ended up pregnant. We were twenty when she had Izzy. So young and dumb and lost. But… somehow, we made our way through all of it, despite the struggles and tears. I wanted to do better, not only for her, but for our daughter.

“I dropped out of that gang and focused on making my life better. For some reason, seeing Isabelle for the first time caused me to come to the conclusion that being a part of that so-called ‘family’ wasn’t the life for me. I realized, then, that I didn’t want to spend my days beating older men over a game of poker and ten measly dollars. I wanted to spend it treating someone kindly, showing them how good I could be and that I wasn’t some dumb streetwalker. I’d always been good at cars, so I got into it and worked my ass off night and day to provide for them. Crazy, though. Her dad thinks I’m apart of her death. He thinks I was involved in something gang related and they came for her. Fucking jackass.”

Chloe’s eyes were sympathetic. Understanding.

“Know something?”

“What?” she asked.

“I think I was given a daughter for a reason—as somewhat of a punishment for hurting Janet and her family. Also to make me a little softer around the edges. I used to be a huge prick. Nothing seemed to please me. I cared for no one’s feelings but my own… until I met Janet of course, but even with her I was still kind of a dick for a while.”

She sighed. “Either way, Mrs. Black was one lucky woman.”

I struggled with a smile, allowing a soothing wave of silence to pass through. “You know… I’ve… never actually talked about her with anyone. I haven’t mentioned her with anyone since she died. Not like this. Not out loud.”

Her face straightened. “Seriously? Not even with Izzy?”

“No ‘cause I know how much it’ll hurt to bring her mom up during a conversation. If I even mention the word ‘mom’, her eyes get all watery. Can’t stand to see her cry.”

Sadness washed over her face. “Why me?” she asked.

I shrugged. “There’s something about you.” I stroked her cheek and then her chin with gentle fingers. “I have never been able to pinpoint it. What you do to me, I will never know.”

She slid in closer, resting her head on her folded arm. “Well,” she grinned, “I’m glad I can make you feel so enamored.” Her grin was contagious. “Speaking of, what happened with Izzy and the wreck?”

“Oh.” I rubbed my jaw. “I’m letting her drive my Charger until I get her another. Told her she can get a new one.” I cocked a stern brow. “Found out she lied about the summer camp shit.”

She gasped, as if she had no clue about it. I could read her like a book, plus I was certain Izzy had already told her. “She did?”

“Don’t play crazy, Chloe. I know she told you.”

She sealed her lips, fighting a laugh. “Well, she’s my friend Theo,” she whined playfully, moving in closer. “I had to cover for her. Keep my promise.”

I grunted, trying hard not to join in on the bubbly laugh she let out. “Mm-hmm. Anyway, the car is totaled, and by that I mean completely fucked up. Insurance went up about two-hundred bucks.” I shook my head. “She’s fucking crazy, but she’s fine. I can sell the salvageable parts of her car, start saving from that.”

“Good. And that’s a good idea.” Her hand wrapped around my waist, her crotch pushing into mine. “You know, she sent me a message about you last night. She said you seemed… happier. Any clue why she may have said something like that?”

I watched her face for a moment before rapidly snatching my gaze away. Through my peripheral, I spotted her trying to catch my eye, but I couldn’t look. There was a reason Izzy may have told her that, but my excuse had nothing to do with Chloe.

“Theo?” She sat up, crossing her legs. “Any idea why she’d say that? I thought she was onto us at first.”

I was quiet for a moment, meeting her soft hazel eyes. Fuck, I hated the hopefulness she held, her eagerness for my response on full display. I was going to crush that hope, and I didn’t even want to. But I was no liar. She deserved the truth.

“I… may have told her that Trixie was still around.” Her smile vanished into thin air, replaced with a lopsided frown. It was clear. She wasn’t thrilled. This wasn’t the pouty look she normally put on when she was upset. This was a full frown, anger rooted deep. “Shit, Chloe, I had to tell her something,” I said, backing myself up. “She asked me if I was still seeing Trixie, and I said yes, just so she’d back off. She knows me well. She knows I’m not going to ‘seem’ happier unless there’s a reason behind it.”

“But… why Trixie? Why couldn’t you just say you met someone else? Someone new?”

“Because she would have asked me who that person was. Chloe, she asked me if I’d seen you since you’d gotten back. I said yes, and somehow she went straight into telling me I was acting happier. I thought surely she had a clue—that’s one sneaky, smart-ass girl—but I backed it up with the first thing that came to mind. Saying I was still with Trixie.” I tried reaching for her, but she pulled away, leaning back. Climbing off the bed, her feet landed on the floor, and she stood tall with her eyes trained on me.

“Theo, I just can’t believe...” Her sentence fell short. She didn’t say anything more. There was much more she could have said. She knew I couldn’t bring her name up around Izzy. That would have definitely had her thinking.

“Chloe.” Her name came out in a groan as she backed away, going for her clothes. She slipped out of my T-shirt, picking up her dress and bra. After hooking the bra, she slid into her dress, and I sat up. “Chloe, what else was I supposed to say?”

“You didn’t have to say Trixie,” she muttered hurriedly, eyes avoiding mine as she picked up her bracelets off the nightstand.

“Well what the hell else was I supposed to say? I never told Izzy I was going to break it off with her.”

“Okay.” Her response was simple, and for some reason, it got under my skin. I hopped off the bed, yanking on my briefs. I stood before her, but she spun for the door while struggling to latch her bracelet around her wrist. I caught her before she could go, gripping her face in my hands.

“Chloe, stop.”

“I need to get home.” She still avoided my line of sight, clutching the bracelets in tight fists.

“Stay with me a little longer,” I pleaded, and she finally looked up. I expected sympathy, understanding, but no. This clearly bothered her. More than I thought. So much that she started talking crazy—bringing shit up that had nothing to do with the previous debate.

Fucking women, I swear.

“Theo… are you kidding?” she scoffed. “Don’t you see? I’m not even supposed to be here! I wasn’t supposed to be sleeping with you in your bed. Trixie is supposed to be there, according to you and Izzy.” She shook her head and wriggled out of my grip. “It’s just… it’s not fair. It not fair to me. All of this… it’s just so fucking wrong.” She backed away but looked at me once more. “We’re supposed to be better than this.”

My next argument, I couldn’t help. The words ran right of me. “Chloe, what did we agree upon when this first started? Huh?” I demanded. “You’re getting too emotional and unstable about this—”

I realized instantly that I shouldn’t have said it. It pissed her off even more. Her cheeks tinged red, brows furrowed, and in less than three seconds, she was out the door, zooming down the stairs.

I hurried after her, calling her name, but she didn’t dare stop. She slipped into her flip-flops and fled my home as if it were a crime scene, rushing across the street to safety.

I stopped at my porch. It was daytime. Neighbors were surely out, and all of them were nosey fucks. I couldn’t be seen running after her like this—shirtless, in only my fucking briefs. “Fuck!” I barked before walking back inside and slamming the door behind me when she was no longer in sight.

Fuck me. Why would I say that shit to her face? As right as I was, it was wrong to rub it in like that. She obviously cared about me. She was sensitive, and I was supposed to be the one to make sure her emotions were never tampered with.

“Damn it,” I growled beneath my breath. I gripped the edges of the marble counter when I entered the kitchen, staring forward at the sunlight that beamed through the patio door, sparking my polished floors.

I was right and wrong, like every man on the planet when it came to women.

Her dinner plate from last night sat in front of me. No trace of food was visible, but the white china reminded me of her. Her nakedness and the soul that ignited mine and turned it into a furious blaze all night long.

I was stupid, with only one thought playing ping-pong in mind.

I hope she comes back to me.