Ruta had enough connections within the local police to sort things out. The slaughter at Toro’s safe house went down as rival drug lords, and everyone moved on. Police didn’t tend to look too hard when scumbags died – not unless those scumbags had been lining their pockets. Toro was an out-of-town scumbag, and the authorities didn’t care. Ruta arranged things, and Tess and Milo drove out of town with clean hands.

 

Ruta came to visit them in their pretty home a year later. Tess had gotten the hang of decorating by now; each room had different themes, but she loved each of them. She took Ruta on a tour, showing her the bright and sunny living room, the quiet study where Milo had set up his own accounting business, the library where she was working on her college courses – now that she’d gotten her GED. And, of course, the baby’s room.

 

Tess hadn’t been able to come up with a theme for the nursery, so she’d ended up with a little bit of everything. The mobile above the crib was cartoon themed, but the walls were a light yellow, painted with rainbows. The rug on the floor looked like a character from her favorite science fiction movie. Tess mostly didn’t care what the furnishings in the room looked like, though; the point was the little girl in the crib.

 

When Tess and Ruta peeked into the room, Sarah was already awake. She’d learned to pull up, and Tess had just dropped the crib down to its lowest level a few days before. She didn’t know if Sarah was a climber yet, but given that she had her daddy’s wicked grin already, Tess figured it was better to be safe.

 

“Oh, Tess, she is beautiful,” Ruta said as Tess leaned over and picked the baby up. She turned so that Ruta could see her, but Sarah pressed her face into Tess’ neck to hide. “The pictures you have sent me did not do her justice.”

 

“She’s my baby,” Tess said. The wonder of it still struck her sometimes. The her of a year ago couldn’t believe how much had changed. She wondered if she could have gone back in time to that girl stepping into the bath and explained to her how much was about to change. Tess was quite sure she would have laughed and flipped future her off. There was just no way it could all be believable.

 

“She’s gorgeous,” Ruta said. Tess tried to pass her the baby, but Sarah was having none of it. Ruta laughed and waved her off. “We have plenty of time to get used to each other,” Ruta said. “If I’m to be abuela to her, then she must take her time.”

 

“I’m glad you’re moving closer,” Tess said. “Are you sure the girls will be alright though?”

 

Ruta nodded. “My business has been handed over to a new Silk Road, just as it was once handed over to me. I am too old and tired to go gallivanting around, murdering old men who get in my way. It is time for me to settle down with my family. My business never allowed that to happen. It is well that you and Milo need someone here.”

 

“I’ll show you the apartment over the garage later. I did some decorating in there, but, of course, we’ll set it up however you like. It’s your home, and I want it to feel like home.”

 

“Thank you, my heart. Let’s go downstairs. Perhaps if I give this sweet baby some of my meal, she will decide to like her abuela better, do you think?”

 

Sarah peeked out from Tess’ neck and gave the older woman a big smile, highlighted by two bottom teeth that had just recently come in.

 

“I think that might be just the thing,” Tess said, laughing at her daughter.

 

They went downstairs and settled down. Ruta offered Sarah a strawberry, and after a long and suspicious look, Sarah took it. After that, Sarah had no use for her parents – Milo came in when he heard Ruta’s big, boisterous laugh – and wanted only the woman with the strawberries.

 

“I will take her out into the yard to play,” Ruta said. “You two, go.”

 

Milo and Tess glanced at each other, and Ruta laughed. “Have you had a single moment alone together since this precious girl was born? No, I thought not. Go. I have the child.” There was a wicked twinkle in the older woman’s eye. “Go on.”

 

Milo took Tess’ hand and tugged her upstairs, even as she glanced back at the baby in Ruta’s arms. He dragged her into the bathroom and gently pushed her towards the shower.

 

“Are you saying I smell, mister?” Tess said, laughing.

 

“No. But when was the last time you had a shower until the hot water ran out?”

 

“Mmm,” Tess said, pulling her shirt off over her head. “Probably not since I was in labor.”

 

“Exactly,” Milo said. He stripped his shirt off too, and Tess raised an eyebrow.

 

“Isn’t this how we got started?”

 

Milo grinned. “Yes. And didn’t we have so much fun with it?”

 

She shivered, remembering how he’d dragged her out of the bath and fucked her up against the wall, harder and faster than she’d been ready for. What he’d done to her in the hotel room… They hadn’t had a chance to do anything rough or luxurious in months, and she missed it. Even their vanilla sex was gorgeous, but she was ready to be fucked.

 

“Come on in, then,” she said.

 

“I wasn’t giving you a choice,” Milo said, stripping off his jeans and boxers. His voice was already a snarl, his cock half hard between his legs.

 

Tess was barely under the spray of the water before his hands were on her. He yanked her back, trapping his cock between her ass and his hips, turning her so that the water spray hit her tits. His fingers slipped between her folds, and his attention was immediate and unyielding. It had been so long since he’d been rough with her, and that alone had her edging towards orgasm in moments.

 

“Milo—”

 

He laughed in her ear. “Come as fast as you want this time, gorgeous. I’ll give you a better one once you’ve recovered.”

 

The orgasm that rolled through her was piddly and nothing compared to how things had been in their hotel room, but it was also harder and more intense than anything she’d had in the few months since Sarah was born. It wasn’t satisfying, though, not in the least. It was the kind of orgasm that made her want another, and another one after that. She panted on Milo’s hands, letting him support her weight until her knees would hold her up again. Then she turned, running water through her thick hair. She didn’t expect him to drop to his knees, nudging her legs apart so that his tongue could tease open her folds.

 

“Milo, what?”

 

He grinned up at her, his chin wet. “Warned you.” And then he was buried in her cunt again, his fingers finding her slick opening and fucking her slow while he tortured her clit with his tongue. She had to brace herself against the wall and the shower door as he lashed at her clit with his tongue. She couldn’t come, not like this, not holding herself up with her knees going weak, but God it felt good all the same.

 

“We’re not going to make it until the hot water runs out at this rate,” she managed to gasp out, and he grinned up at her, his fingers still slamming into her.

 

“Not my fault you taste so goddamn good.” Still, he reached past her, turned the water to off, and carried her up and out of the shower. She laughed as he moved into the bedroom and tossed her down on the bed. They’d tied rope to the headboard ages ago, leaving it lashed in place even though they never had time to play with it anymore. He pushed her to her knees, facing away from the headboard, and looped the rope securely around her wrists, her hands behind her.

 

“Good girl,” he said, before slapping her left breast so hard she cried out. “Better girl.”

 

“Please,” she said, eying him. “If this is what we’re doing. Please, can I ride you? It’s been so long.”

 

He grinned. “God, girl, all you ever have to do is ask.”

 

He stretched out on the bed, letting her move down until she was straddling him, her arms stretched out behind her. She was soaking wet already, so sliding down onto his big cock was easy. Well, easier than it might have been. She’d gotten tighter after the baby, there’d just been so little time for sex. Now, feeling him stretch her out, she was pushed close to the edge all over again. Her arms stretched behind her just made it sweeter. It was hard to balance as she fucked him, sliding up and down his shaft.

 

“Fuck, girl,” he said. “Fuck you’re gorgeous like this.”

 

“More,” she hissed out.

 

Grinding down onto his hips, twisting her clit against him, it felt amazing, but she needed more. She’d always needed more. He slapped her tits, one and then the other, letting his hands make heavy, thick sounds against the flesh. They’d been so tender at first, when Sarah had just started nursing, but that had gotten better, and now it felt incredible again, his hands making rough sounds against her flesh, his groans matching her cries. His hands came to her hips, moving her harder and faster the closer he got. He was slamming her down onto his cock now, over and over, and it was everything she could do to hold back until he bit out a quick, “Now.”

 

She came all at once, heavy and hard, slamming down onto his cock as he pushed up into her. She felt his cock pulsing inside of her, throbbing with the force of his cum, just as she twisted around him, pleasure racing through her like an electric arc. She squeezed him so hard with the little aftershocks of her orgasm that he groaned and shifted against her again, but after such a long time between really good fuckings, they were both drained. She sagged against the ropes, and his hands were there right away, supporting her torso as he shifted around, unbinding her. He helped her lie down and rubbed the feeling back into her arms, then tucked them both under the covers.

 

“We’re messy,” she murmured.

 

Milo kissed her forehead. “I’ll do the laundry later.”

 

“The baby,” she said, her eyes drifting closed.

 

“Ruta’s got her. Just you and me for right now.”

 

“Set an alarm.”

 

“Okay, beautiful,” he said and wrapped his arms around her.

 

Tess let herself drift off to sleep, smiling.

 

She was finally safe.

 

THE END

 

 

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