Chapter Fifteen
Jordan
It all happened so quickly that I barely had time to react. Laci rushed up and started screaming at me. I’d never seen her so angry before. Her face was scarlet with rage and she was biting her lip so hard that I saw a few drops of blood appear on the porcelain skin of her face.
“You bastard!” Laci yelled. She rushed toward me, pummeling my chest with her puny little fists. “You fucking bastard!”
That’s when I knew I couldn’t keep up the pretense anymore. Balling my hand into a fist, I pivoted my body and swung my arm through the air until my hand connected with Leo’s jaw.
The look in Leo’s eyes was one that I’ll never forget. It was raw anger, pure betrayal.
It was a look that I knew I deserved, and yet I felt nothing when I looked back into Leo’s eyes. This is it, I thought as I felt myself growing angrier and angrier with each passing moment. This is what I’ve been waiting for since the day I got out of prison.
Laci gasped as I tackled Leo to the ground. Leo was speechless – all he could do was slur and stutter in rage as I attacked him. I knew it was wrong, I knew that I should stop. But it was impossible. Now that my rage had been released, I couldn’t exactly put it back in the box and wait to see what would happen next.
When I felt a strong pair of arms gripping my shoulders and pulling me away from Leo’s prone body, I resisted.
“Hey, enough! Easy, man!” A deep masculine voice called loudly. “You’re gonna kill him!”
“Good,” I snarled. I tried to lunge at Leo again but another man grabbed me from behind and dragged me back. I grinned to myself – it had taken three big Boston toughs to tear me away from Leo McKinney.
“What’s the big idea? The cops are coming!” One of the men said loudly. “What the fuck are you tryin’ to do, get us all sent to jail?”
“No,” I said. I was breathing hard – my chest was heaving up and down with the force of my efforts – and sweat was dripping down my brow. “He’s going to prison. For a long time. Just trust me on that.”
The whole time, Laci was standing there, staring at me with a strange look in her eyes. I’d expected her to run off – to scream and dash down the street, yelling about bastards. But instead, I saw that there were tears in her eyes and her pale chin was wobbling. The sight of her about to cry filled me with a protective instinct and I pushed past the onlookers and took her into my arms.
“Jordan,” Laci sobbed as she rested her head against my shoulder. “What happened?”
I slid my fingers under her chin and tilted her face up so that she was looking right into my eyes. Laci tried to wriggle away and break the stare but I held her fast and firm.
“Come on,” I said in a low growl. “Let’s get out of here.”
Laci and I left the scene quietly. Leo’s body was still splayed on the ground. He was bleeding heavily and obviously dazed, but he was alive and I knew he’d make it through.
Laci followed me without question as I led her down a small alley that opened into a wide pedestrian street paved in brick. Dusk was falling and the trees lining the sides of the walkway were strung with holiday lights. My heart was thudding in my chest as I led Laci to a small café and had her sit down.
When the waitress appeared, I ordered two cappuccinos and the largest pastry, a scone in the shape of a star. Breaking it apart, I handed some to Laci.
“I guess you probably have a lot of questions,” I said in a quiet voice.
Laci bit her lip and took a sip of her coffee. “Yeah,” she said softly. Her cheeks turned pink.
“Well, I should explain,” I said. “I wasn’t really going—”
Laci held up a hand to silence me. “Jordan, you’ve done enough explaining,” she said in a soft voice. “And I should’ve listened to my heart, and I didn’t.” She sighed, looking embarrassed. “I know you were probably only pretending to be that guy’s friend so you could make sure he gets in trouble, right?”
I nodded. I’d always known Laci was smart, but it was impressive to see her logic at work.
“And I should have said something to you, much sooner,” I replied. I reached across the table and took Laci’s hands in mine. “I’m sorry, Laci. I failed you.”
Laci shook her head. “No, Jordan,” she said. She nibbled at a bite of the scone. “You didn’t fail me at all. Like I said…” She trailed off, looking away. Then, suddenly, she lifted her head and met my gaze. “I should apologize,” she said. “You’ve been calling and texting and I haven’t answered you at all – and the flowers! Oh, my god, the flowers…they’re all so beautiful, Jordan.”
My heart caught in my throat.
“What are you saying, exactly?” I asked her.
Laci flushed. “I miss you,” she said. She rubbed her thumb on the back of my hand. “These past few weeks have been so terrible because I’ve been missing you so much. Even Jenna keeps telling me that I made a mistake.”
I smirked. “Well, yeah, you made a mistake,” I said.
“Don’t remind me,” Laci said with surprising humor in her voice. “I feel like a prize idiot.”
“So…”
“I’m saying I want to be with you,” Laci said. “Now, and forever.”
I lifted her hand to my mouth and kissed her fingers, savoring the buttery crumbs of the scone on her skin.
“Good,” I said quietly. “Because I don’t think I could live without you, Laci.” I breathed over Laci’s soft skin and she shivered, biting her lip as she quivered in her seat.
“I don’t think I could be without you, either,” Laci replied in a soft voice that shook me to my core. A ripple of lust went through me and I reached for my wallet.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s get out of here.”
Laci nodded and got to her feet. I took my wallet from my jeans and, feeling generous, I threw a twenty down on the table. I’d barely touched my cappuccino, but it didn’t matter. Things between Laci and me were right again, and that was all I cared about.
“Where are we going?” Laci asked playfully. She matched her stride to mine and reached for my hand, lacing her fingers with mine and squeezing.
Leaning down, I kissed the top of her head. “I thought we could go back to my condo,” I said. “Unless you have somewhere else to be…”
A guilty smile spread across Laci’s face and she shook her head as she stopped in her tracks. Removing her hand from mine, she dug in her purse until she came out with her phone clutched in her fingers.
“I was supposed to meet my friend, Taylor,” she said. “But I can call her and tell her I can’t make it.”
I laughed. “What, you’d rather miss happy hour just to hang out with me?”
The smoldering look Laci gave me was enough to set my cock and balls aching anew. I longed to drag her into an alley and have my way with her – that was how badly I wanted Laci. But Laci deserved more than that. She deserved my condo, my silk sheets, everything luxurious. She wasn’t some rough Boston girl. She was a princess, and I intended to treat her as such. As Laci called her friend and said she wouldn’t be able to make it, I felt like I was on top of the world. I couldn’t believe things had finally worked out with her – after all this time, we’d fallen right back in love with each other.
For once in my life, things finally felt right. And it was even better than before, because now Laci knew the truth. She knew about me, she knew about my past…and I hoped she’d be a huge part of my future.
Based on the smile she gave me when she hung up the call, I had a feeling she wanted that just as much as I did.
We walked in silence. I could’ve called for my driver and car but the night was so pleasant, and I liked the idea of being alone with Laci in a city full of people. That was the thing I liked so much about cities. It was always easy to be alone in a crowd. It wasn’t like a small suburb or a town, where everyone knew everything about everyone else. No. This was different, and I’d always taken a small measure of comfort in my ability to disappear right into the crowd.
But being with Laci was even better. It felt like the two of us against the world, and I wasn’t ready to give up that feeling.
When we got to my condo building, I pulled Laci inside the elevator and punched the “penthouse” button before a crowd could follow us. I heard their indignant cries and wails as the doors closed, but it didn’t mean shit to me. Wrapping my arms around Laci, I pulled her into a deep kiss.
Laci’s small, soft body melted against my frame. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her breasts against my muscular bulk, sighing as I nibbled and sucked on her lower lip. Lust coursed through my body and I shuddered as Laci trailed her fingernails down the side of my neck. I groaned into Laci’s mouth as I slid my hands down her back and cupped her ass, squeezing the delectably juicy cheeks with both hands until Laci squirmed and moaned with pleasure. I hoisted her into the air and she put her legs around my waist, gripping me tightly with her narrow thighs as the elevator carried us skyward, toward our destiny.
When the car stopped and the doors pinged open, I had to force myself to pull my mouth away from Laci’s. Her lips were wet with our mingled saliva, her cheeks were flushed red, and her big eyes were lustrous with love and desire. She was about as gorgeous as I’d ever seen her – I wished I could take a picture and remember her like this for the rest of my life.
“Come on,” I whispered, taking Laci’s hand in mine as I led her to my door. For once, I wasn’t nervous. I felt confident and cocky and calm, just like the image I’d always tried to project. I unlocked my door and stepped into the dark foyer, pulling Laci with me.
Somehow, the darkness added a new level of intimacy to our encounter. I could no longer see Laci’s features – just a general blur of her shape – but I could feel her, warm and soft and wonderfully close to my body. She ran a hand down my chest and I grunted as her fingers moved lower and lower.
“I can’t wait any more,” I growled, bending down and slipping an arm under Laci’s knees. She squealed when I scooped her up and carried her down the hall to my bedroom. The whole condo was dark, as if it had been waiting for us to step inside and light it up with passion. I kicked open the door to my bedroom and crossed the threshold, setting Laci down on the bed. By now, my eyes had grown used to the darkness and I could make out the faintest of her features. She licked her lips as I crawled on the bed and pushed her down on the soft mattress.
“I love you, Jordan,” Laci whispered.
“I love you,” I growled. “And I swear, Laci, you’ll never doubt that again.”
I kissed Laci hard, covering my mouth with hers until she moaned with passion and desire. I wanted her so badly that I couldn’t wait, and yet I still found myself wanting to prolong the moment as long as possible. I slid my hands under Laci’s thin silk shirt and pulled it over her head before throwing it onto the floor. She was bare-chested underneath and I dipped my head to her breasts, nuzzling and kissing her stiff nipples. Laci arched her back and moaned with intense pleasure as I took one of the stiff peaks in my mouth and ran my tongue along the hard surface. When I bit down, she cried out and tangled her hands in my hair, yanking at my scalp.
I pushed one of my muscular thighs between Laci’s legs and up against her crotch. She moaned again and spread her legs. The hem of her skirt rose higher and higher until it was almost bunched around her waist, showing the faintest glimpse of her panties. Soon, my bedroom was filled with the intoxicating musk of Laci’s arousal.
Moving lower and lower, I kneeled between Laci’s legs and nuzzled her bare stomach. She giggled nervously, writhing beneath my body. The heat coming from between her legs was almost too much for me to bear and my cock throbbed in my boxers as I nipped at the elastic waist of Laci’s cotton panties. She shuddered and shivered and arched her back, pushing her hips toward my face.
“I know you want me,” I growled as I tugged the thin cotton down her narrow hips. Laci lifted her body, moving her ankles and feet gracefully as I grabbed her panties in one hand and crushed them into a tight wad in my fist before lifting it to my nose and inhaling sharply. The room was dark but I could just imagine Laci’s red face as she watched me sniffing her panties. They smelled so good – like roses and musk and a sharp, tangy scent that made me want to suck her clit until she howled.
With an alpha growl, I threw the panties to the floor and dove between Laci’s legs. I put my hands on her thighs and forcefully spread them apart, nuzzling her wet slit until she shivered and gently yanked at my hair. Her pink clit was hard and exposed as I dipped my face closer and closer. I licked her pleasure button, taking it into my mouth and sucking hard. I wrapped my lips around her clit, kissing it passionately.
Laci went wild. She moaned and thrashed, wriggling beneath me. If I hadn’t been gripping her hips so tightly, she would’ve fallen off the bed. Taking one hand away from her thighs, I slid a finger into her wet pussy. She was so tight that I nearly came in my boxers as I pleasured her. My cock was aching to slide deeply inside of Laci and I groaned into her clit as I licked and sucked.
When I felt Laci start to tense and pulse, I pulled back. She gasped and I smirked at her, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand before climbing over her body and kissing her. Her skirt was bunched around her waist and I fumbled with the fastenings, throwing it to the side. Then, she was naked beneath me.
“I want you,” Laci whispered. She was trembling and sweating as she reached up to stroke my brow. “I want you so much, Jordan.”
“You have me,” I growled. Reaching between us, I yanked my belt off and threw it to the floor. My pants slid down my hips and I yanked my boxers down until my cock sprang free. Laci gasped as she reached and wrapped her fingers around my pulsing member. It felt so good that I almost howled at her touch, then held back and gently pushed her hand away.
“No,” I growled. “I’m going to make love to you.”
Laci nodded. She sat up and threw her arms around my neck. The feel of her soft skin against my bare cock was almost too much for me to handle. I sank back on my haunches and Laci climbed onto my lap, straddling my waist with her slender legs. My cock slid inside of her pussy and I groaned as she began to ride me. Laci threw her head back and moaned, grinding her hips on my cock until heavenly sensations started exploding all over my body. I fiercely pressed my mouth to hers and kissed her until my lips felt raw.
This was love. This was what love felt like. As we rocked in an intense sexual rhythm, I knew that I would never find happiness like this again for the rest of my life.
“I love you,” I groaned into Laci’s ear. She was panting and breathing hard as she moved her hips against my cock. With each thrust I felt myself coming closer and closer to a powerful orgasm. Laci moaned and I could feel her juices dripping down over my balls. She rubbed her clit against my pelvic bone and began to shake and quiver as her own orgasm took her by powerful force. When it hit, Laci threw her head back and yelped with pleasure before burying her face in my neck. She heaved a huge sigh, still moving her hips on me as the last traces of ecstasy left her body.
When my own orgasm hit, it was like a tidal wave crashing over my head. I grunted and bucked my hips, grabbing Laci and shoving her down on top of my cock, again and again, until I was gushing deep inside of her. She whimpered with pleasure as my cock twitched inside of her, then bit my shoulder just hard enough to feel good.
“God,” I groaned, wrapping my arms around Laci’s waist and holding her close. The position was so intimate, so comfortable that for a moment I never wanted to get up. I loved having Laci in my arms like this – she fit perfectly in my lap.
Laci shivered. She moaned slightly as she climbed off my still-erect manhood and took one of the blankets from the bed, wrapping it around her shoulders. She stretched across the bed and switched on one of the bedside lamps. When light flooded the room, I saw that her cheeks were flushed and her hair was tousled. She looked beautiful.
“I love you,” I said. “I love you so much.”
Laci smiled happily. She flopped back down on the bed and eyed me, licking her lips.
“If you think that was the only time we’re sleeping together tonight, you’re wrong,” she said softly. “I’ve missed you so much.”
I grinned. “I’ve changed you,” I said.
Laci giggled. “All good changes,” she said quietly. “And I love you, too.” She yawned and closed her eyes, grabbing one of the pillows and resting her head on it. “I’m glad I saw you, Jordan.”
I nodded. “I should have told you about Leo—”
Laci shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” she said. “That’s the past, isn’t it? And that’s over now.”
I nodded. “It is,” I said. I sighed. “I think he’s going away, for a long time. I just…I wish that he would realize the truth, you know?”
Laci bit her lip.
“What?” I asked. “You look like you’re about to say something.”
Laci sighed. “It’s nothing,” she said. “It’s just…”
“You can tell me,” I said. “I swear.”
“I know,” Laci said. She nodded. “It’s just…most people don’t change their lives, Jordan. Most people aren’t like you – most people don’t know when it’s too much, or when it’s too bad. They all think they’re invincible.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re a high school teacher,” I said.
“Well, yeah,” Laci said. “Partially. But my kids are almost adults, and it’s sad. I can look at them and tell – oh, this one will go to college, or oh, that one is going to be in jail in a few years.” She rolled onto her side, cocking her hip and fixing me with a suggestive look. “And it’s like, I wish I could help them realize that there’s a good way to live. But I can’t – I can only guide them.”
“So…”
“I just don’t know if Leo would’ve listened to you,” Laci said flatly. “And I think you’re the best man in the world for trying to save someone like that. But people have to make their own decisions. They have to come to things on their own – just like you did.”
I sighed. “I had a good parole officer.”
“It wasn’t just that.” Laci scooted closer and put her hand on my heart. She closed her eyes as she listened to the rhythmic beating in my chest. “You’re a good man, Jordan. You’ve always been a good man. It just…well, it took some time for you to realize what you wanted.”
“I want you,” I said. “And I want a life with you. And a family.”
Laci smiled. “Good,” she said softly.
“And I want to make things right with my brother,” I said. “I owe him a lot.”
Laci nodded. She looked relieved. “That’s really good to hear,” she said. “I’m so happy you’re realizing all of this.”
I reached out for Laci’s arm and pulled her close, kissing her passionately. She squealed as I rolled on top of her, gently pinning her on the mattress. I closed my eyes as our kiss grew more intense.
“I could spend the rest of my life like this,” Laci whispered as I broke away. “I’m so happy with you.”
I reached down and squeezed her hand. “Good,” I said. It was strange – in all my life, I’d never been the kind of person who felt openly comfortable expressing my emotions. But suddenly, with Laci, all of that was changed. I felt like I could tell her anything and everything. Hell, I even wanted to tell her all of those things.
“This is crazy,” I said, rolling over and lying on my back. “I’ve never felt like this before. Have you?”
Laci turned to face me. She twined a piece of her hair around her finger and shook her head. “No,” she said. “But that’s what love is supposed to do, right? We’re supposed to feel different.” She reached between our bodies and took my hand before lacing her fingers with mine and squeezing.
“Yeah,” I echoed. “I think you’re right.”