Tom called to tell Kayden the company would be closing down the apartment by the end of the month and that if he wanted his things, we needed to go there soon.

We left for New Orleans immediately. Sadness filled us as we drove to New Orleans. It would be a good-bye trip. Dread filled me the closer we got. I’d fallen in love with this city. It had become part of us.

I parked the car in the parking lot, and we sat for a moment. This was where we began. The love, passion, and crazy journey we’d experienced together.

Kayden looked around the parking lot, surveying the cars. “I don’t see my truck, Sophia. It’s missing,” he said. I covered my eyes with my hands, and my stomach felt uneasy. “It must have been towed. I’ll call them when we get inside.”

“I’m sorry, baby,” I said through my palms, feeling awful for him.

Kayden peeled my hands off my face. “Shit happens. I’ll get it back. Come on,” he said as he reached for the handle, and I did the same.

I held his hand as we approached the apartment. He paused before placing the key in the door. The apartment looked exactly like it did when we left in October, minus some personal effects and the television in the living room. A fold-up chair was propped against the wall, and some trash was strewn across the kitchen table.

I walked away from Kayden, turning the corner to his room. I stopped in the hallway. His bedroom door was open, and the door frame had been damaged. Someone had pried the door open. My heart sank as I walked through the door. “Your TV is missing!”

“What?” he asked as he rounded the corner behind me. Kayden came to a halt, staring blankly and not saying a word. The flat screen television no longer sat on his dresser beside his Blu-ray player. That was missing too, along with all of his movies. I heard rustling behind me as Kayden disappeared into his walk-in closet. “Motherfucker,” he said.

I could hear things crashing to the floor. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“All my fucking tools are gone. Everything is gone.”

I wrapped my arms around him. “It can’t all be gone.”

“I’m okay. I told you I have a fucking black cloud following my ass around.”

I grabbed his face, looking into his eyes, and kissed him. Not a lust-filled kiss but one filled with love and understanding. “We’ll figure it out. We need to call the police,” I said.

We searched his bedroom, taking inventory of everything that remained. It only took us a couple minutes to figure out that everything of value had vanished.

I felt responsible. I made him return to Florida with me. If he’d stayed in New Orleans, he’d still have his things. Though, we might not have survived as a couple if he did. I didn’t think I could be any sadder than I was when we were driving here, but I never could have imagined this—Merry Christmas and Happy fucking New Year.

Kayden placed a call to the police to report a burglary. The kitchen had been stripped. The bathroom was cleared of everything except one towel and a partially used body wash, and his bedroom was ransacked. Even his jar of change had disappeared.

The police officers wrote down all the missing items and asked basic questions. They would file a report but didn’t bother to take fingerprints from the doors or surfaces in the room. They gave us a copy of the report number in case Kayden needed it later. They said that his property had probably been sold off by now, and there was not much hope of recovering it.

He had nothing left but me.

“What do you want to do, Sophia?” he asked.

“I’m exhausted. Can we go to sleep and figure everything out tomorrow?” I asked him while rubbing my eyes.

“Yes, let me lock up tight first,” he said as he checked the front door and then proceeded to the kitchen.

“What are you getting?” I asked him as he was going through the drawers.

“A knife. I want to keep it on the nightstand just in case,” he said as he picked a large shiny knife out of the drawer. “One more thing.” He walked to the door and grabbed a chair nearby and jammed it under the doorknob.

“Paranoid much?” I asked him.

“We can’t be too careful, especially with you here. I have no idea who was in here or has a key,” he said to me as he began to shut off the lights. “Come on, baby. I need to hold you.”

We crawled into bed and embraced each other in silence. There was no television for background noise, no guys laughing in the living room being obnoxious, just silence. I snuggled against Kayden, wrapped my body around his, and enveloped him until he fell asleep.

I woke to Kayden’s voice. He was talking to someone on the phone. “No one contacted me. When was it auctioned off?” he asked. I heard the sound of his fist slamming down on the kitchen table out of frustration. Kayden muttered a few more words before he appeared in the bedroom doorway.

“What happened, sweetheart?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.

“They towed my truck, and when I never contacted the towing company, they auctioned it off last week.” His face was pale, and he looked like he was going to be sick.

“We’ll figure something out. Fucking shit, it’s all because of me,” I said as a tear streamed down my cheek.

“Just another fucked-up thing in my life. Thank God for you, Sophia. Come on. Let’s get the fuck out of this place. I want to go see Bourbon,” he said, holding out his hand to me.

I got dressed and put on my makeup while Kayden went to the mailbox to see what had accumulated since the guys had left. As he rifled through the pile, a pink envelope fell on the table. It was addressed to him, but I didn’t see a return address.

“What is it?” I asked him out of curiosity.

“I don’t know, but it’s to me. There’s no address, but I know the handwriting,” he replied with a hint of anger.

“Do I even have to ask?” I knew at that moment that he hadn’t been entirely truthful. Lisa was still a problem, a thorn in my ass. Why didn’t he tell me?

“Yes, it’s Lisa’s handwriting. I didn’t think she knew where I lived. I have been so careful about never letting anyone have this address. My mother doesn’t even know where I live,” he said to me as he flipped the envelope over and ripped it open.

A picture was the first item to fall. It was a photo of two people, Kayden and Lisa, the same fucking photo she texted me many months ago. He pulled out a card, and a letter fell, landing on top of the photograph. I didn’t move to pick it up. I didn’t even like having the image of that photo in my mind, let alone the contents of a letter. Kayden grabbed the letter but didn’t open it. He opened the card and sat in silence as he read the message.

“Is it from her or one you sent her?” I asked him, pissed off.

“It’s from her.” He looked stunned and worried.

“What did she say?” I could feel my heart starting to pound harder in my chest.

“Read it,” he said, handing me the card.

Kayden,

I’ll find you…no matter where you are. You’re MINE, and I’m yours—always. We’re meant to be together. You can’t deny fate or destiny. We’ll be together again… I promise you.

Love Always,

Lisa

The bitch couldn’t take a hint. She was relentless like a rabid dog unwilling to stop. “What’s in the letter?” I asked him, still holding the card in my hand.

“It’s a letter I wrote to her,” he said to me, putting the letter back in the envelope with the photo.

“I don’t want to read it. I can only imagine what it says. I’m sure you declared your undying love for her, and now she’s reminding you.” I threw the card on the table. “Kayden, she isn’t going to stop. She’ll always be between us. You need to stop her. That is the only way right now,” I told him as I reached in and pulled out the pink envelope.

I had to try to put Lisa out of my mind. I needed to convince him to share her messages with his probation officer. She just couldn’t be allowed to torment him this way. She had played enough games, but she wouldn’t come out the winner. I needed to get that photograph out of my mind, and I needed coffee.

We headed to the French Quarter and straight to Café Du Monde. New Orleans had grown colder since we’d last spent time there. The coffee helped warm my hands as we strolled down Bourbon Street. A loud noise caught my attention and drew my eyes down the street.

Police cars and motorcycles cleared the way and led a procession of people down Bourbon. Above the roar of the motorcycles, I could hear the faint sound of a Dixie band. “Look, Kayden,” I said as I pointed down the street. He grabbed my arm and moved me onto the sidewalk and out of the path of the oncoming crowd. “What is it?”

“It’s a wedding. Sometimes weddings march down Bourbon just as they do for a funeral. They’re all celebrations of life,” he replied while holding my hand.

I watched, riveted to the scene in front of me. A parade of people danced down the street, following the band on their journey. The bride wore a mask and carried a white umbrella, and the groom had on his tuxedo with a matching black mask covering his eyes. They laughed and danced as they proceeded down the street. The wedding guests followed behind, cloaked in similar facial masks, dancing and singing. People cheered on the sidewalk as the parade moved down the street. At the end of the parade, two sets of parents were carried in a rickshaw, waving their hankies in the air, and smiles decorated their faces.

“Wow, I’ve never seen anything like it,” I said as I stared down the street, watching the wedding disappear into a sea of people.

“It’s uniquely NOLA, one of the many reasons I fell in love with this city,” he said, and I felt his sadness about leaving here. It was like losing an old friend.

* * *

We wandered around the city for the entire day, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. The memories would have to carry us until we could afford to come back someday. New Orleans had become a second home, filled with memories, both good and bad. We made plans for Mardi Gras months ago that wouldn’t come to fruition anymore. My heart ached the more we walked. I wanted Kayden with me, but not by force, by choice. His phone rang as we walked by the casino.

“Hello.”

I watched him intently. He received very few calls, and usually, they were only to deliver bad news. I nervously waited to hear what the person wanted from him.

“Okay, I understand,” he said before ending the call.

“What’s up, baby?” I asked.

“It was Dean from the office. They want to clear the apartment tomorrow.” Kayden looked like he had just lost his family pet. I could always read his eyes. They were so expressive and the windows to his soul.

My heart sank. I wasn’t ready to leave New Orleans. I thought we could ring in the New Year here in Jackson Square. “It’s okay, baby. I know we wanted to stay a little longer, but we can leave tomorrow.”

He wrapped his arms around me and tucked my head under his chin. “I’m sorry, Sophia. I wanted this trip to be so much more. I didn’t think we’d have to leave so soon. I thought we had a couple more days.”

I wrapped my arms tighter around his body and buried my face in his neck. My eyes filled with tears knowing this was truly our last night in New Orleans. “Take me home, Kayden. Make love to me in the bed where you first made love to me.”

We couldn’t take the bed with us in my tiny SUV. It would be another casualty Kayden would suffer.

We rode in silence, hand in hand, through the streets of New Orleans. Kayden stared out the window, resting his cheek on his hand. I didn’t speak. I wanted to give him time with his thoughts.

The apartment felt lifeless as we walked through the door. It was entirely opposite to the lively atmosphere I had experienced during my previous trips. We kicked off our shoes, leaving them by the door, only the thud of them hitting the baseboard filling the room. Kayden grabbed me, lifted me into his arms, and carried me into the bedroom.

He placed me on the bed gently, the hallway light illuminating the room. Kayden lay down next to me, propped on one arm. Looking into my eyes, he cradled my face in his hand. He leaned over slowly and touched his lips to mine. My body tingled, coming to life, and a sense of need filled my veins as his tongue caressed my lips. The tip of his thumb pressed the corner of my mouth and gently opened me to the invasion of his tongue.

Kayden possessed my mouth, controlled my every thought and feeling. He lifted himself off me, leaving his thumb near the corner of my mouth. His eyes never left mine as I captured his digit between my teeth and enclosed it between my lips. He watched me intently as he stripped off his shirt. I sucked his thumb, swiped my tongue across it, and pretended it was his cock. I moved my head forward and back, giving me the ability to suck the entire length. His eyes glazed over before closing, reveling in the sensation. I stared at him as he used his free hand and feet to pull off his pants. His cock sprang free, hard and glistening, the tip weeping.

I pushed him onto his back, releasing his thumb. I needed to taste him. I licked his lips slowly before dragging my tongue down his neck to his torso. My tongue traced each ripple and muscle on his taut stomach. I paused at his hips and bit and sucked the sensitive spots, making his body quiver. His cock nudged my chin, calling for my attention. Keeping my eyes glued to his, I licked the tip. Kayden tasted of salty sweetness, a taste uniquely Kayden—one that I craved. I swirled my tongue around the tip, and his hips bucked as I pulled his length inside my waiting mouth. He filled me, stretching my lips. The hardness of his cock and the softness of his skin moved across my tongue and caused wetness to seep from my pussy. His cock nudged the back of my throat, causing me to gag.

“Fuck,” Kayden said. “I love when you gag on my cock, baby.”

My face flushed with his praise, but embarrassment filled me at the knowledge I couldn’t fit his entire shaft in my mouth. I wrapped my hand around his hardness and moved it in rhythm with my mouth. I squeezed slightly as I reached the tip and drove back down with force. I twisted my hand and flicked the top with my tongue to change the sensation as Kayden neared the edge.

He reached down and grabbed my hair. “Baby, stop. I. Want. To. Make. Love. To. You,” he forced out as I sucked him harder and deeper than I had before. Each word stammered out as I reached the tip of his cock.

My mouth released his tip, causing a popping sound to fill the air. Kayden grabbed my arms and dragged me up his body. His hair scraped my skin. He rolled us over, his full body weight crushing me. He plunged his tongue into my mouth, claiming me. His hand slid down my skin and captured my breast in his palm. His lips broke from mine, traveled down my body, and sucked me into his mouth. Overwhelming need consumed me. I needed to feel his cock inside me—filling me completely.

“Kayden, please,” I begged.

He licked my breast, circling my nipple with his tongue, which caused my back to arch in an unspoken invitation. I watched as he pulled his lower lip into his mouth between his teeth, causing the hair below his lower lip to stick out. He rubbed his hair across my nipple, pricking my skin, causing goose bumps to form across my flesh. I moaned, writhing from the feel of his scratchy hair against my erect peak. He captured my nipple and sucked it hard, flicking it with his tongue.

“Please,” I moaned.

Kayden slid his hand over my thigh, running the tip of his finger down to my core. I gripped his shoulders to stop from crying out. I needed something…anything…inside me. His finger slid easily inside me as his palm grazed my clit. He moved it slowly, torturing me. I needed more friction, my body so close to release.

He moved his body between my legs, his erection lying firmly against my pussy. He rocked against me and kissed me to muddle my moans. Using his hands, he rubbed the end against my opening, rotating it in a small circle, wetting his cock—my body still not accustomed to his size. Staring into my eyes, he entered me slowly, stopping halfway. He paused, looked at me, and said, “Slow, Sophia. I’m going to make love to you. I want to savor you.”

I whimpered as he slid his remaining length inside me. My body stretched to accommodate him, relishing the mixture of pleasure and pain. Kayden moved inside me at a steady pace, never wavering, slowly gliding back and forth. Every nerve ending in my body ignited, his cock the spark lighting the fuse.

Our eyes stayed locked, and his face almost touched mine. Our lips tangled together, but I couldn’t close my eyes. I didn’t want to miss a moment of him. He reached between us, placed my clit between his fingertips, and squeezed in a pulsating rhythm. My world exploded as my pussy clenched, holding him hostage, my body his prison.

His stroke deepened as his body grew tense. “Sophia…” he moaned, his body shuddering as he collapsed on top of me.

“I love you, Sophia,” he whispered in my ear. “Being here, with you now, puts my mind at peace.”

“I love you, too, Kayden. I’ll always be here for you.”

“I’d follow you anywhere. My life is wherever you are, not a specific place, but you. You’re my home.”

* * *

I opened my eyes, staring at the blank wall in front of me. The same spot where Kayden’s television used to sit. I knew this would be our last few hours in New Orleans. This room held so many memories for us. Each trip had been filled with a roller coaster of emotions.

My heart grew heavy as tears stung my eyes. A single tear ran down my face, falling onto Kayden’s chest. I didn’t wipe it away before it fell, not wanting to wake him.

“What’s wrong, baby doll?”

Shit. I’d tried not to wake him.

“Just thinking about how this is our last couple of hours in New Orleans.”

Kayden and I jumped at the sound of someone knocking on the door.

“Did they say when they were coming?” I scrambled to find clothes while Kayden slipped on his shorts.

“No.”

Kayden walked out of the bedroom, leaving me naked and alone. I dressed as quickly as I could, picking up my clothes from last night. I could hear male voices, but I couldn’t make out the words. I didn’t hear a door close, but I heard strange noises coming from the next room. Kayden appeared in the doorway.

“They’re here to clear out the apartment already, Sophia. We have to start packing and leave too,” he said. It was real. We were really going to pack everything up and leave New Orleans behind. “The guys are already clearing the furniture out of the living room,” he said.

“Okay,” I sighed. I shoved everything I could fit into my suitcase. Kayden walked around the apartment grabbing everything he wanted to take before the other guys could grab it. He carried it all into his room and placed it on the floor.

“Hey, Kayden, you taking your bedroom furniture?” a man yelled.

“Nah, I don’t have room,” Kayden responded.

“I’m sorry,” I said. Kayden shrugged and continued throwing his clothes in bags haphazardly. Shit, this isn’t how I wanted him to leave New Orleans. I helped him pack everything he owned into large black garbage bags. Cold air filled the apartment, and my body broke out in goose bumps from the wind whipping through the small space. Everything about this ending was bone-chilling and mind-numbing.

Placing the last few items in the SUV, Kayden closed the trunk and looked at me.

“That’s it, baby. We’re standing in the same spot I first touched you—the day that changed my life.” He wrapped me in his arms, cocooning me in his warmth. My body shivered at the memory of his lips first touching mine. “Let’s go, sweetheart. I’m exhausted, and we still have a long drive back to Florida.”

I watched as New Orleans disappeared in the rearview mirror, a gloomy sky framing the buildings. I gripped the steering wheel, trying to distract myself from the sadness that filled my soul. Kayden reached out, grabbed my hand, and placed it against his lips.

“We’ll be okay, sweetheart. We’ll be back here someday,” he said as he kissed my fingers.

“I know we will. I just want you to be okay. I know how much you love her.”

“I love you, Sophia. New Orleans is a place. You’re my life.” Kayden held my hand for hours, stroking my fingers in a reassuring rhythm. The scenery changed, signaling our miles traveled from bayou to palm trees. We grew more tired the closer we got to my home—our home.