Chapter 15

Lucas

“Your mom,” Stephanie says after I disconnect the call and look back to her. “She’s unbelievable.”

“Told you,” I reply with a smile, and she nods. Because yes, I’ve been trying to reassure her that my parents were going to be supportive of us, but I knew she’d never believe it until she heard it with her own ears.

“You’re very lucky,” she says, eyes soft with happiness for me that I have the parents I have. Not one ounce of jealousy within, just complete satisfaction that I have something amazing in my life.

That right there tells me Stephanie cares for me a lot more than she’ll ever admit, and that’s okay by me. I’ve figured out well enough that I’m in this for the long haul. She’s not going anywhere, as we’re going to always be connected by our child, and I’m fine with her coming to a slow realization that she can actually open her heart up to a relationship.

“Shall we call mine and get it over with?” she asks while wrinkling her nose in distaste at the idea, and I’m immediately filled with both anger and sorrow for her.

Fucking hate her parents.

Fucking hate that look on her face right now, especially after watching her wonder and delight as we talked to my mom.

I grab my phone and toss it behind me before reaching an arm out to pull Stephanie closer. She lets out a huff of surprise as I move in, pressing our bodies tight. “We’ll call them later.”

“Later?” she asks, but then she purrs as my mouth comes to hers.

I’m filled with elation over my parents knowing and supporting us, and sadness that Stephanie will never know that from her own. I want to distract her, and show her there’s more to life than what she knows, and so I do it in the easiest manner for her to handle such closeness.

My hands roam over her body, dipping beneath clothing, touching and caressing and pinching, all the while my mouth moves over hers. Hearing her tiny breaths and silky moans fuels me on to take more and more from her. It could be hours or minutes, but time stands still as our clothes come off. I know it’s not possible, but I feel like we do this without ever breaking contact, and that’s because we’re lost to sensation and growing lust.

“Luc,” Stephanie whispers as I bring my hand to her pussy, lightly stroking and teasing her flesh there. Her hips rotate and flex toward me and she gives a tiny growl of frustration when I won’t give her more.

“Easy,” I tell her softly. “I’ll get you there.”

“Not before I die,” she admits on a soft breath. My heart clenches over her admission and a need wells up inside of me.

A need to possess her and make sure she understands that at least at this moment, she’s all mine and I’m all hers.

My fingers get slippery and I roll them over her clit while I move my mouth to her breasts. Her body arches and she fucking pants out her needs.

“Please, Luc…right there…so close.”

And when she does finally break apart while riding my fingers, I can feel her partly submit to the knowledge she is indeed mine and I’m hers, hopefully forever, if I have my way.

I want to make sure that knowledge stays embedded in her heart and mind, so I roll her to her stomach and bring my body on top of hers. My legs push down between hers and then spread, causing hers to open up. My mouth goes to her shoulder blade and I give her a tiny bite.

“Mmmmm…what are you doing back there?” she asks in a sated voice.

Way too sated. I need to wreck her again.

I rear up to my knees, pulling her up at the hips as she lets out a tiny grunt of surprise. “You know what I’m doing back here.”

Her laugh is husky. Delighted. Wanting.

My hand goes between her legs and two fingers easily slide into her from behind. “Tell me how bad you want it, Stephy.”

She just moans with her head turned on the pillow, her eyes closed in rapture as I slowly pump my fingers in and out of her.

“Tell me you need it,” I murmur, adding another finger.

“Luc,” she huffs out as she pushes her ass backward, seeking more.

“Tell me, Steph,” I urge, going a little harder, feeling her flesh hugging my fingers tightly.

“I want it,” she gasps as I graze my thumb between her ass cheeks. “I need it.”

“Beg for it, baby,” I groan as my other hand goes to my own aching dick to stroke it.

“Please, Luc. Don’t make me wait any longer.”

A harsh breath escapes through my nose and gritted teeth and I remove my hand and replace it with my cock. As I nudge her entrance, her hips roll with an urgency to bring me inside of her. I bring my hands back to her hips, and with a smooth forward push of my hips, I slide into her all the way.

“Fuck,” I mutter at the sensation of her slick, hot flesh cocooning around me. “Fuck.”

Stephanie pushes up onto her hands, but her head hangs low, almost as if she’s been defeated. I stay still within her and ask, “What are you thinking, baby?”

She doesn’t answer me right away, her head just hanging down. But then she rolls her hips and brings her head up, twisting her neck so she can look at me over her shoulder. Her voice is rough, as if the words are hard to get out, but she slays me when she says, “I’ve never had this before.”

“What’s that?” I urge her softly to let her feelings out, because I know she’s not talking about great sex.

Stephanie shakes her head, as if she doesn’t want to admit it, and her eyes slide away. I press my fingers into her hips and encourage her. “It’s safe with me. Whatever it is.”

Her gaze comes backs to me, locks in place, and she murmurs, “Such a desire to let go of everything that I ever believed in.”

My cock thumps in response to that, even though I know she’s again not talking about sex. She doesn’t have to spell it out for me, but she’s talking about the lock on her heart and the closed door on her trust. I can see even admitting that little bit to me is painful for her, and I don’t want to push too hard.

“Then just let go for right now,” I tell her with a smile, rubbing my thumbs soothingly across her skin. “I swear you’re safe with me.”

She smiles at me and says, “Okay.”

And then she lets go.

“Relaxed?” I ask Stephanie as we lie side by side on my bed, staring up at the ceiling again, breathing back to normal, bodies thoroughly sated. Our normal position, as if the ceiling has all the answers to our dilemmas.

“Mmmm-hmmmm,” she purrs.

My hand slides across the mattress and grabs hers. Our heads roll on the pillows so we look at each other, and she grins. “I think you broke me.”

“Good,” I tell her with a return smile. “I like you broken, and pliable and amenable to all my demands.”

Stephanie snorts and looks back at the ceiling. “I guess we better get this over with.”

“Let’s do it,” I say encouragingly as I push up and slide back to rest against the pillows and headboard. She also pushes up and doesn’t resist when I pull her closer to me and tuck her into my side, my arm protectively over her shoulder.

“Where’s your phone?” I ask her.

“Let me use yours,” she says, and I blink at her in surprise but grab it from the mattress beside me and hand it over. “Why mine?”

“Because my mom won’t answer if she sees it’s me calling,” she says matter-of-factly, and it still amazes me how much Stephanie has accepted what douches her parents are.

“Seriously?” I ask with disgust.

Stephanie’s eyes come to mine and she gives me a sympathetic smile. “Don’t get too aggrieved. I don’t answer when she calls me either.”

I don’t understand it and probably never will, but I have to make peace with the fact that this is what Stephanie knows, and until me, probably all she ever knew.

She dials a number and gives me the same courtesy I gave her by putting it on speakerphone. It’s answered on the second ring, right as I pull Stephanie back into me.

“Maris Frazier speaking,” a brisk, no-nonsense voice answers.

Holding the phone between us, Stephanie says, “It’s me, Maris.”

Stephanie had told me that she’s always called her parents by their first names, Michael and Maris. She said this was instilled at such an early age she doesn’t even remember being taught that. She was also sort of blown away when she got to boarding school and found out that most kids called their parents Mom and Dad.

There’s a moment of silence before her mom finally says, “Did you get a new phone number?”

No warmth and joy at hearing her daughter’s voice. Just an understated curiosity about her cellphone.

“No. Just using a friend’s phone,” she says.

Another moment of silence, and then a slight cough before her mom says, “Well…how are you doing?”

“I’m pregnant,” she responds, and I suck in such a surprised lungful of air I start coughing. My head spins to catch Stephanie’s eyes while I hack into my elbow, and she just gives a nonchalant shrug at me.

“You’re what?” her mom hisses.

“Pregnant,” Stephanie says. “Got knocked up in a one-night stand.”

I cough even more, completely stunned how different this conversation is from the one with my parents, and I’m seeing that rebellious daughter Stephanie said she’d become to get a reaction from her parents.

“Jesus Christ,” her mom mutters disdainfully, and I can even imagine the expression on her face as if she just smelled dog shit.

Stephanie doesn’t respond but just patiently waits, and I know that this conversation is probably par for the course.

Finally, her mom speaks again, and her voice is low as if she’s afraid of being overheard. “I’m not ready to be a grandmother. I’m too young.”

I’ve quit coughing by this point, but I’m once again stunned by such self-interest.

Stephanie replies to her mother blandly. “Don’t worry, Maris. You don’t have to tell anyone.”

“Well, okay,” she says hesitantly, and I can’t help myself.

“Fucking hell,” I mutter loud enough that Stephanie blinks at me before looking to the phone.

Her mother’s voice is sharp. “Is someone on the phone with us?”

“My baby daddy,” Stephanie says, and now I know she’s just driving the knife in deep, having given up all hope that her parents might actually be happy or supportive.

“This should be a private matter,” her mother snaps at her.

“Okay,” Stephanie says easily as she looks at me with an unwavering gaze. She doesn’t touch a damn thing on the phone but tells her mom, “I’ve taken us off speakerphone. It’s just you and me.”

Stephanie raises a finger to her lips and indicates for me be quiet for the rest of the call. I’ll try, but I know it won’t be easy.

“What do you expect out of Michael and me?” Maris Frazier asks, and that breaks the last straw of hope that I had that perhaps Stephanie was exaggerating about her parents and their inability to care about their child.

“Nothing, Maris,” Stephanie says, and her voice is quite pleasant. “You and Michael have nothing to worry about. I just wanted to let you know, as this brings about some pretty big changes in my life and I might be pretty busy. Contact could be sporadic.”

The relief in her mom’s voice is evident and disgusting. “Well, okay then…that’s good. And thank you for letting us know. That was kind of you so we didn’t worry.”

“Sure thing,” Stephanie says easily, and I just listen, bewildered and angry over this exchange.

“I’ve got to go,” her mom says quickly, and I can tell it’s a lie. “I’ve got an appointment I’m late for.”

“Okay. Talk soon,” Stephanie replies breezily, and I know that’s a lie too. There’s no way in hell Stephanie will want much contact with her parents about the pregnancy.

“Bye-bye,” her mom says, and the phone disconnects.

Running a hand through her hair, Stephanie lets out a deep breath of relief. Staring down at the phone, she says, “And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the freak show that I call my mother.”

“I can’t even, Stephy,” I mutter as I take the phone out of her hands and pull her into my arms. As I rest my chin on top of her head, she circles her arms around my waist and we just sit in silence for a moment. Finally, I say, “I heard all the things you told me about them, but I just couldn’t comprehend it. How she could be so…so…”

“Cold?”

“Yes.”

“Distant?”

“Definitely.”

“Assholish?”

“One hundred percent,” I agree, and we both laugh.

Because honestly…what else can we do about it?