Текст книги "About Last Night..."

Автор книги: Belle Aurora

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Текущая страница: 19 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

Chapter Forty-Four

Quinn

It had been two weeks since Mia and I became an official item, and I wished I could say it was going better than it was.

The beginning of a relationship was a new and exciting time. We should’ve been in the honeymoon stage, where everything was fun and we couldn’t get enough of each other, but what had happened with Harry hurt us both in a way that I was afraid we’d not recover from.

Mia was retreating, and someone else was taking her place. She was going about the motions of her day, but I wasn’t entirely sure if the lights were on upstairs. There was something robotic about the way she spoke of late, and her smiles were empty, almost as empty as her eyes.

I was worried. I loved Mia. She was my world. Seeing her like this scared the shit out of me. I needed to try to fix this, or risk losing her.

Something told me that if Harry went on rejecting our relationship, Mia and I wouldn’t survive as a couple, and part of me hated Harry for that, because I wasn’t sure if he’d get over whatever the fuck it was he had against us. Not only that, but I was sure I wouldn’t recover if I lost Mia.

He was right. I wasn’t good enough for her, but I would do everything I had to in order to make things work. Failure of our relationship was not an option. Especially not before it had even really begun.

For a solid week, I’d watched my girlfriend escape to the bathroom at all hours and come back with red-rimmed eyes. I listened to her cry quietly at night when she was sure I was asleep. I watched as her happiness slowly faded out of her, wondering if it was gone for good.

I wasn’t about to let sadness become a permanent fixture in Mia’s life. And so I raised my hand and rang the doorbell. He answered the door and looked me up and down. I didn’t miss the three-day growth of his beard or the empty beer bottles on the counter. It seemed Harry was as miserable as we were.

Neither of us spoke, we watched each other carefully, anticipating what the other would do. A moment passed, and Harry surprised me by stepping away from the door, making room for me to enter.

I walked in and he closed the door behind me, moving past and asking, “What do you want?”

If he didn’t feel the need for formalities, neither did I. I stood a few feet away from him and told it like it was. “You’re killing us before we’ve even been given a chance, Har.”

His eyes narrowed as his jaw steeled. He hated me; that much was clear.

I normally hated to plead. Today? Not so much. I had to do what I had to do. “Mia’s hurting, and you’re the cause. I—” I hesitated, “I don’t know what to do, but I know if I see her hurting much longer, I’m gonna go after the cause. You get me?”

“That a threat?” Harry mumbled, feigning boredom.

God, he was pissing me off. “You know it. I love her more than anything.” I paused a moment to let that sink in. “More than anything, Har.” A sadness came over me that I wasn’t prepared for. It came out when I spoke. “I don’t care that you hit me. I don’t care that you said shit to me I didn’t deserve, but…but I can’t let you hurt her.”

“And if I told you the only way I’d get over this is if you agreed not to date her?” he asked acidly.

My haunches rose as I responded a curt, “I’d tell you you’re a selfish asshole and to go fuck yourself.” Harry turned to glare at me. I wasn’t having any of that right then. “We’re in love.” I needed him to understand. “I’m going to marry her.” His anger fell away, and all that was left was a look of resentment. “I had you as a brother for coming on six years, and I’ve never thought any different, no matter how shitty you’ve been to me.” Resentment faded away, and then he just looked tired and empty. “I’d love for you to be a part of our lives, but could get on just fine if you decided you didn’t want that.” I paused before I laid it on him. “But Mia couldn’t, man. She needs you. She loves you more than anything. The entire time we were seeing each other, she told me you were her hero. Her champion. The only person who believed in her. The only one who supported her 100 percent.” I added quietly, “You’re making a liar out of her, Har.”

I didn’t wait for him to respond. I turned and walked out of his apartment without looking back, hoping he’d take the bait I’d set.

Chapter Forty-Five

Mia

I’d gone about my day as I would’ve a month ago. I went to work, did my job, came home, cooked, ate, and then showered and changed into my pajamas. Only, I didn’t feel any of it.

It had been close to three week since my brother said a word to me. I’d seen him twice at Mom’s, and no matter how hard she tried to engage us into conversation, it just wasn’t happening. My brother greeted me as if I was a stranger, with a curt, “Hello,” and all I could do was respond a quiet, “Hi.” We ate across from each other, avoiding eye contact, answering our mother in short sentences that did not require response.

Quinn was my only lifeline. Although we didn’t see each other every night, we tried to be together at least five nights a week. What scared me was how reliant on him I was becoming.

I wasn’t that girl, that needy girl, who needed a man to stroke her hair and tell her how pretty she was. That wasn’t me. But Quinn was giving me something new and unfamiliar, something I craved—undivided attention.

Regardless of how my brother had treated him, he never spoke badly of Harry. In fact, it was the exact opposite. He told me stories about how Harry had saved his ass, about the time Harry took him in when he’d been sleeping in his car for a week, and how Harry had been closer to him than his own blood relatives.

Only, Harry was my blood relative, and I hated the divide my relationship was causing in my family. I loved Quinn, but Harry was my brother. I didn’t have a father, but I never missed having one, because Harry became everything I needed in a male role model. I loved him in a way that was unique and irreplaceable, and I was utterly lost without him. He was my best friend, my comrade, and his absence left a gaping hole in my heart.

I was hurting.

The beeping of the oven timer brought me back to the present and I suddenly realized I’d been standing in the kitchen for minutes without blinking. I took in a quick breath and walked forward to switch off the roast. Quinn would be here soon. I wanted to cook something nice for dinner. He deserved nice dinners with a knockout girlfriend.

At least I could provide one of the two.

Quinn had been hitting the gym every night since he’d been accepted in the Police Academy training program. He was in great physical condition as it was; I didn’t see the need for him to push himself, but he was convinced he needed to do more. He was so committed to doing something normal, something honorable. It was nice to see him put his all into something he was passionate about.

I smiled at the thought, and a faint ache pulsed in my chest.

I loved him so much…so very much.

The apartment door opened and I removed the roast from the oven. A long sigh sounded from behind me, and then strong arms wrapped themselves around me, pulling me into a hot, hard body.

“Would you look at you, being all domestic and shit?” He sounded faintly amused. Then he bit my ear gently and growled, “Oh, baby, you are so getting laid tonight.”

I swatted at him with my oven mitt and tried to pull away, feigning disgust. “Ugh. Get off. You’re all sweaty.”

His rough chuckle sounded in my ear. “Oh, hush now. You like me all sweaty. In fact, if I remember correctly, you liked it so much that you licked me all the way down to my c—”

Turning, I slapped my hands over his mouth, eyes wide, and hissed, “Oh, my God, stop!”

From behind my hands, his eyes smiled as he mumbled, “Dirty girl.” Then he frowned and mumbled some more. “Hey, what gives? I’ve been here a full minute and you still haven’t kissed me.” He paused a moment before adding, “Gimme dem lips, woman.”

What had I done so well in my life that I’d been granted the gift of this man?

My hands slid down to his shoulders, I smiled lightly up at him, stood on my tiptoes, and gently pressed my lips to his. He groaned immediately, his hands coming down to cup the cheeks of my ass, pulling me as far into his body as he could manage. He squeezed, and the slight pain made my core pulse in anticipation.

I pressed soft, wet kisses to his lips, pulling away only when I thought I wouldn’t be strong enough to if we kept going.

His eyes hooded in lust-filled mania, and I knew if I didn’t back away now, we’d end up naked on the kitchen floor, dinner forgotten. I backed up with my arms extended in warning. “No. We’re eating.” But Quinn grinned deliciously. I stomped my foot and whined, “Quinn! I cooked, dammit!”

An arm snaked around my middle and a smirking Quinn pulled me in, holding me close. The other arm came around me, holding me at the small of my back. I was being held in a way that made me feel both safe and protected. And it was better than nice.

It was wonderful.

My nose found its way to his collarbone and I breathed him in, part sweat, part cologne, and all Quinn. His warm, full lips gently kissed my forehead. “I missed you today.”

I reached up to fist the sides of his tee. “I missed you more.”

His hold loosened enough for him to wrap an arm around my shoulders and lead me to the stools behind the counter. “You cooked. Now you get to sit. I’m going to serve you, princess.”

There was no point in arguing. Quinn would do what Quinn wanted to do. I found this out rather quickly in our relationship, and to be honest, I didn’t mind letting Quinn pamper me. He loved me and wanted to show me he did. There was nothing wrong with a man showering affection on the woman he loved.

He pulled out two plates, carved the meat, and then plated it up, peeking up at me occasionally. I watched him closely, a feeling of weariness washing over me. I blinked slowly, exhausted.

“You’re looking a little better today. How are you feeling?”

I thought about it before lifting my shoulder in a shrug. I was a bit sick of talking about this.

Quinn placed my plate in front of me and I watched as he ate with gusto, moaning and groaning appreciatively, before he went back for a second helping. He looked down at my plate and spied me picking at my food. “Not hungry?”

I pushed my plate away with a sigh. It was making me feel ill. “Not really. I had a late lunch.” Quinn stopped eating long enough to cup my cheek and run a hand over my forehead. I swatted his hand away, rolling my eyes. “Relax, Mom. I feel fine.”

He picked up our plates and stashed them in the sink before stripping off his tight black tee and undoing the tie at the waist of his light grey sweatpants. They hung low on his hips, and the cut V-shape at his abdomen made my knees weak. He scratched absently at his belly. “I’m going to shower, and then we’re going to bed.”

My brow furrowed. “But it’s like eight p.m.”

He walked into the bathroom. I heard the shower start, and he called back, “Never said we were going to sleep, baby.”

My lips pursed as my brows rose. “Oh,” I breathed.

I lifted my arm and sniffed myself before making my way to the bedroom to dress in my ‘nice’ jammies.

My mouth opened in a silent moan as Quinn thrust into me from behind, hard yet precise. He wasn’t in a rush to take me there, and I wasn’t in the mood to rush him, not when he was feeling as generous as he was.

Large hands roamed my skin as I was mounted and ridden on my hands and knees. I thought back to what Quinn had told me one of the very first times I spoke to him.

“I promise you, Maya. The best sex is always dirty and messy and shocking. That’s the kind of sex that stems from passion. It’s incredible.”

Oh, boy, he was right. He was so right.

His thrusts shallowed as he brought his front down until we were chest-to-back. His panting sounded in my ear, and at that moment, I’d never heard a more erotic sound than Quinn simply breathing.

His voice low, he rumbled, “Mia.” He gently moved my hair away from the back of my neck and placed his lips at the place where neck met shoulder. Against my skin, he grated, “Mia.” He didn’t just say my name. He sang it. He purred, and my body thrummed in response.

Deliciously stretched, my core tightened from the way he said my name. He drove into me, and I was not prepared. I moaned, my body shuddering. I felt his crooked smile against my bare skin and I pushed back against him, forcing him to bottom out.

He groaned, his body stiff, and it was my turn to smile. I panted, needing more, then pushed back again, grinding my pussy onto his thick cock, wanting more than anything for Quinn to lose his cool. From the low growl that escaped him, I knew he was almost there.

When he removed himself from my back, gripped my hips, and tried to control my movements, I smiled again. He was close to his breaking point.

“Quinn, honey,” I rasped. “Please.”

His hand came down on my ass so suddenly that I squeaked in surprise. He ran his fingertips over the throbbing heat of my skin. “Tell me what you need, baby.”

Okay. Here was the thing. I loved dirty talk…as long as it was Quinn doing the dirty talking. My issue? Quinn loved dirty talk, and he wanted to hear me say things that would make a nun faint.

I grew frustrated. “Quinn,” I warned.

His hand came down on the other cheek. Hard. I gasped, craving the soft touch of his fingers that I knew would come soon after.

He ground out, “Fuck, I love your ass.” Reaching under me, he took my breasts into his hands and squeezed gently. “I love you full tits,” he muttered, plucking lightly at my nipples. “I love how sensitive your nipples are.” He drove into me, and I whimpered. He spoke through gritted teeth. “I love your tight, wet pussy.” He drove into me a second time, and I moaned long and low. He asked, “Who is your pussy so wet for, baby?” I bit my lip and fought a groan, my sex convulsing around his thick girth.

He felt it. “Oh, yeah, Mia. You know I like that.” His voice soft, he asked, “That cunt honey for me, Mia? You like my cock, baby? You like when I do this?” He thrust into me, balls-deep.

My eyes rolled into the back of my head as my mouth parted in a silent sigh. “Oh, God.”

“Not God,” he uttered cockily. “No, baby. Just me.” He drove into me. “Say my name, Mia.”

I was way past the embarrassed stage. “Quinn,” I panted.

His voice deceivingly soft, he stated, “Love when you say my name.”

It was then that I found I couldn’t stop saying his name. I moaned it over and over as he worked my body into a frenzy. My clit begged for attention, and just when I thought I’d go mad, he gave me what I needed. His fingers worked me in a slow circular motion, and not ten seconds passed before my body exploded into fireworks. I threw my head back and wailed through my blissful release.

Quinn groaned, working me hard and fast, prolonging my release, and soon, his body turned rigid and he stilled, pumping hot cum into the condom, joining me in ecstasy.

***

Quinn

Watching her come was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

My stomach flipped.

I quickly realized I didn’t want another man seeing this.

Not ever.

I wanted it all for myself, forever more. I suddenly knew what I wanted, and I wasn’t scared. Not at all. It felt good. It felt right.

I was going to ask Mia to marry me.

***

Mia

Both panting, we collapsed on our sides, facing each other. Eyes wide, adrenaline flowed through me. I reached out with trembling fingers, running the backs of them along his jaw. He caught my hand and kissed it before holding it to his chest, his racing heartbeat playing at my knuckles.

We stared at each other a long while, neither of us daring to speak a word. Because talk was talk. And we had something more than words.

We had love.

“Mia,” Quinn whispered a long while after, sounding half asleep.

Near dozing myself, I semi-slurred, “Yes?”

He breathed deep, and then spoke slowly on an exhale, “Will you marry me?”

My heart stuttered. My mind chose that very moment to turn silent.

Then I realized I didn’t need my mind. I listened to the part of me that drove my heart.

I smiled softly into the darkness. “Of course, honey.”

His hand found mine and he squeezed gently. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I responded. “Forever and always, babe.”

And I meant it.

Chapter Forty-Six

Harry

My sister was engaged. She was getting married.

This should’ve been a stupidly happy time for me and my family, yet somehow I’d isolated myself, drowning in a pit of despair that I’d dug myself into. I loved my sister. She was one of the two people I trusted most in this world. The other, she was marrying.

How had this happened? How had I let this go so far?

What scared me most was that with each day that passed, I could pretend I didn’t need Mia or Quinn in my life. What was worse? I was starting to believe that bullshit. Truth was, I was jealous. In a number of ways.

Quinn was my friend, the first real friend I’d had in years. He was one of the only people I could talk to about anything at all and not be judged. He was my friend. Part of me felt as though Mia had stolen him from me.

Also, Mia was my sister. There was a code, and Quinn broke that code. I understood that what happened between them was Mia’s doing, but still…I couldn’t ever talk to Quinn about sex anymore, because all of his current examples would be using my sister, and picturing my sister having sex…ugh.

No. Just…no.

The other thing was that I was jealous of what they had. Quitting the trade had never even been a thing for Quinn. The thought of losing Mia was enough to scare the shit out of him and find a normal job, and he did this happily. He’d changed his life for her in a heartbeat. And, once upon a time, I had something like that.

I wondered why Quinn got his happily ever after so easily, while the woman I loved left me just as effortlessly. Sure, I was an escort paid to be with her, but we fell in love. It was mutual. I knew what we had; time hadn’t distorted my memories. Yes, it was unconventional, but it worked for Mia and Quinn. I would have changed for her, given the opportunity, but she never even gave me the chance. She cancelled her time with me and cut me out without a backward glance.

Okay. I was making excuses. Why not call a spade a spade?

I was bitter.

There it was.

The thought of love made me nauseous. And my sister did not deserve that.

I walked down the hall, stopped in front of the apartment door, and knocked lightly. I heard soft conversation coming from inside and my gut tightened. No amount of apologizing could excuse what I’d done to my sister. I’d become the bully I had protected her from all those years ago. Shame filled me.

The door opened and Mia, her head turned back behind her, mock-threatened, “Seriously. I’m not even joking right now. Watch it.”

Then I heard Quinn’s, “Ooh, I’m shakin’ in my metaphorical boots.”

Her face turned and she spotted me. The smile fell off her face so quickly that something tore inside me. She blinked then swallowed hard and uttered a soft and uncertain, “H-hi.”

She was anxious. I had made my own sister feel anxious around me. If I weren’t a grown-ass man, the thought would’ve brought me to tears. “Can I come in?”

She hesitated before nodding. “Uh-huh.” Reluctantly, she stepped aside, and I walked inside, my hands firmly fisted into the pockets of my jacket.

Quinn tied the laces on his sneakers and straightened, spotting me. His body turned rigid, protective, as if I were a rabid dog Mia needed shielding from. I had done this. I deserved every ill feeling that passed through me at that moment. “Har,” he greeted guardedly.

I jerked my chin at him in acknowledgement then turned back to Mia, who stood stiff by the kitchen counter. “I need to talk to you.”

Her eyes darted from me to Quinn then back again. “Um, okay.” She turned back to Quinn, her expression unreadable.

Then Quinn stepped over to us. “I was just leaving. Got to pump my guns, if ya know what I mean.” He made his way toward Mia, reached down to cup her cheeks, and then brought his face down to place a long, soft kiss to her lips. Her eyes closed as Quinn brought his lips to her ear and whispered something. She reached up, placing her hands over his at her cheeks and nodded.

It was clear as day. They loved each other. There was no mistaking it. My mouth opened and I rushed out, “Can you stay a sec? What I need to say, both of you need to hear.”

Quinn’s brow narrowed at me, posture defensive. His arm came around Mia and he pulled her into his side. “All right. Go ahead.”

The spotlight was on me. And suddenly, words vanished. I stood there, blinking over at them, biting the inside of my cheek, my fingers twitching. Frustration caused my eyes to shut tightly and I sighed. Then, I paced. “You know, sometimes you do or say things that you wish you n…”

Oh, how cliché. Come on, Har. You can do better than this.

I stopped mid-step and tried again. “Mia’s my sister, Quinn. And you…”

…stepped in where you weren’t needed?

Are you fucking serious, man? Just say what you need to say.

I breathed deeply and spoke the words calmly, even though my heart was racing. I spoke to Quinn first. “I said some things to you that I didn’t mean. I mean, you deserved them, but they weren’t true.” His brows raised, but a faint look of amusement passed his face.

I spoke to Mia next, stepping forward, wanting her to look me in the eye. “You told me you loved Quinn before I even knew it was him. I told you I hoped it would work out between you guys, because…” I paused, lowering my voice to a hush, “…because I could see, even then, that you were in love with this nameless, faceless guy. You deserve to be happy, Mia. I’ve never wanted anything more than for you to be happy.” My throat thickened with emotion. “And I took happiness away from you by the way I reacted to your relationship with Quinn. I made you miserable.”

She swallowed as she blinked back tears.

My heart broke.

I reached out and took her small hand from her side, holding it between both of mine. “I am so sorry, Minnie.” I closed my eyes and forced out the words. “I love you and hope that you can forgive a stubborn asshole for not supporting you when you needed it most.”

A sniffle sounded, then she flung herself at me, her arms cinching around my waist like a vise. Her tears stained the front of my shirt, but I didn’t care. I wrapped my arms around her and held her as though it would be the very last time.

She cried, and cried, until finally, she pulled back and punched me right in the gut. My breath left me in a whoosh, and she yelled a broken, “You are an asshole!” Then she pulled me back in for another hug, part wailing, part laughing.

Quinn looked down at Mia and muttered out the side of his mouth, “So that’s why they call it ugly-crying.”

Mia laughed in outrage, swiping away tears, elbowing Quinn in the ribs. “You’re an asshole, too.”

I smiled at them, relief releasing all the pent-up tension in my shoulders. I kept my eyes on Quinn. “We good?”

“Depends,” he stated slyly.

My eyes narrowed. “On what?”

“On if you’re going to be the best man at our wedding,” he challenged.

I sniffed a laugh, half relieved. “Yeah, man. I think I can do that.”

He held out his hand and I took it immediately, pulling him in for a man-hug. We slapped each other on the back, and I uttered, “Congratulations, guys. I’m happy for you. Really.”

“Thanks, man,” Quinn responded, while Mia simply smiled.

I pulled back and faced Quinn. “You forgive me enough to help me with something?”

His brow rose. “Asking favors already? Shit. I knew something was up.” He sighed melodramatically. “What do you need?”

“Help me get back into shape.”

Mia looked over me and stated, “You’re in great shape, Har.”

I leaned my hip on the counter and explained, “Well, there’s this job I’m applying for that requires you to be in peak physical condition.”

Quinn shot me a look of confusion. “What job?”

I fought my grin. “I want to be a cop.”

Mia gasped loudly, looking from Quinn to me and clapping. “Oh, yay!”

“No shit,” Quinn beamed. “You and me, cops?” He shook his head, smiling hard. “Shit, we’re gonna be just like Turner and Hooch.”

“Hooch was a dog, dipshit.” I chuckled as I rolled my eyes.

Quinn nodded. “I know.” He smirked.

“You’re Hooch.”