“Is this gonna be okay?” Nico asks softly, putting a hand on my belly.
A tear escapes past my eyes as he runs a soft circle over the skin of my belly, the skin that separates him from our baby girl. A child that has no idea of the fucked-up world she is being born into. A child that should be brought into a house filled with love.
Looking at my mama and daddy and how much their hugs, kisses, hand holding and playing around effects Tucker and Harrison and even me. I saw their connection and believed I could have that, despite Kat's words trying to make me believe I couldn’t. Our little girl won’t get that.
Our baby will get weekdays with mama and weekends with daddy. Separate birthdays and holidays, no family vacations with both parents. I would try, boy would I try, to make her life normal, but it would kill me every damn time, seeing Nico and not being able to do this. Touch him, kiss him, be with him. It’s not stubborn pride that’s keeping me from that, it’s respect. First the bet, then the infidelity. I can’t be the doormat, I was never the doormat and I won’t be, even for him.
“It’s okay,” I answer softly.
It’s not okay. It will never be okay, but just for tonight I’ll pretend it is.
He dips his head down to lick my center and I arch off the bed, missing his tongue so badly. The warmth, the expert movements he’s memorized to bring me to the edge. He knows exactly what to do to make me explode and before I realize what’s happening, I am.
My hand is fisted in his long hair, hair he grew out along with a beard. He looks like a mountain man and to a person that isn’t in love with him, he looks like he’s neglected all personal hygiene and I hope that he has. I hope he’s as miserable as I’ve been. I wish the rugged look didn’t turn me on, but I would be lying if I said it didn’t.
He kisses his way up my ribs and across my stomach, again making my belly flip with love. He continues to kiss up my ribs to my breasts and latches onto a nipple.
I moan loudly, feeling the jolt right down to my center and grab his head.
“Oh fuck, Nico...they’re...they’re so sensitive just...be easy,” I whimper.
He nods, lightly kissing around my nipple then flicking one then the other with his tongue, wrapping his lips around and sucking softly. I feel his thick length press against me, and he cups my face and kisses me as he pushes inside.
I feel my body struggling to let him in, just like my heart. It knows the damage he is capable of but after a few seconds it relents, just like I’m doing tonight. I’m not fighting him tonight, I’m taking. Taking everything from him, just like he did to me.
He slowly moves in and out and I reach behind his head, pulling his neck down, our lips moving against each other faster, desperate.
“I don’t want to crush you,” he pants breaking the kiss.
He rolls us over so I’m straddling him, and he puts his hands gently on my upper thighs.
“Take what you want from me, Blondie. It’s the least I can do for you just...take it all.”
His voice breaks and I close my eyes, pushing past the emotion and I place my hands gently on his chest, slowly rocking on top of him, feeling his erection deep inside me, grazing that spot already and I move a little faster, taking him a little bit deeper.
“I...I’m gonna-”
“Come, Blondie, don’t worry about me,” he rasps, massaging up my ribs.
My belly is between us as I look down at him and I feel a tear slip out of my eye and land on his chest.
I try and focus on my orgasm, lifting myself up and down, faster and harder as I see his face struggle. He’s trying to hold back. He’s punishing himself and I should be grateful but at the same time I don’t care.
Good. He should punish himself.
I close my eyes and feel his thumb brush against my cheek, wiping away tears I didn’t even know I was crying. I’ve cried so much the past few weeks I don’t even know when I’m doing it anymore.
I feel my walls clamp around him and ride my orgasm out, moaning but refusing to say his name.
He drops me gently to the bed, pulling out of me and hops off, getting to his feet. I watch as he stands there running his hands through his hair and holding himself up with the other hand against the wall.
“You should go.”
His voice is low and hard, but a sniffle betrays his false bravado.
“I wasn't plannin’ on spoonin’ and spendin’ the night pretendin’ everything's okay. The pretendin’ ended a few seconds ago so don’t worry about it,” I snap getting to my feet and finding my clothes on the floor.
I glance quickly over at him and his hand is at his side, fisted, his erection still stiff.
“Are you waitin’ for me to leave to take care of that? Or you got round two comin’ and need me out of the way,” I say angrily.
“I’m not doing anything about it and no one else is coming over.”
He looks up at me, his expression pained, and I almost feel bad. A small, small, small part of me feels sorry for him.
I watch as he reaches for his jeans on the floor, putting them on and zipping them up, the head of his still hard cock poking out of the top. I feel my pussy clench again and shut my eyes, trying to think about something else.
It’s just the hormones. Once this little girl is born, it’ll be easier to resist him. I’ll be swamped looking after a baby, I won’t have time to think of him.
Except when he plays with her or holds her at a family function where we both need to be there. He’ll carry her diaper bag or carry her car seat and I’ll be standing there drooling, wishing I was there next to him.
I close my eyes and turn around walking out towards the front door.
“I’ll take you home,” he says softly.
We drive to my house in silence and when he cuts the engine we sit there, neither one of us knowing where to go from here.
“I’ll see you at therapy tomorrow. You go back on the road soon, right?” I ask.
“Couple more days. California for two series. I’ll be gone for a week and a half.”
“Okay.”
I get out of the car and walk to my front door, Nico pulling away when my door is shut and locked. I’m a mess as I climb into bed by myself, not showering because I want to keep the smell of him on me, at least for tonight.
Chapter 12
Lacey
“How is it going today?” Rose asks.
“Fine,” we both answer at the same time.
I can tell Nico is on edge and I really am not in the mood for it today. I gave in to the sex last night, it was mutual. It’s not my fault that he punished himself and didn’t finish. He’s such a fucking crybaby.
I cross my arms over my chest and look at a spot on the wall behind Rose.
“Did y’all have a fight since the last time we got together? I’m sensin’ a little anger comin’ off the both of you,” Rose asks eyeing us.
“I’m fine. Nico is probably a little tense, but that’s not my fuckin’ problem,” I snap.
He laughs a cynical laugh and turns to me.
“I was being a gentleman last night. I knew you just needed to relieve all the tension and I wasn’t going to take advantage of that. You would have never allowed yourself into my bed if you weren’t desperate, so I helped you out.”
“Oh my God! Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me right now? Why thank you, almighty one, for gracin’ my desperate body with your cockly presence. Don’t act like a savior, you arrogant shit. Like I was salivatin’ on my knees, beggin’ you for it. I could have easily walked out of your house, but I didn’t want to. Don’t get that twisted though, I won’t be makin’ that mistake again,” I huff.
Nico laughs and crosses his arms over his chest.
“Okay, well I’m assumin’ from this conversation that y’all have broken that intimate countdown, huh?” Rose asks.
“I have, he’s still waitin’,” I snap.
“Okay, let’s dial it back a little. Why don’t you both get up and walk arou
nd a little, grab a drink of water, take some deep breaths and then we’ll bring it back to the couch.”
I get up and walk to get water, drinking down a cup and then filling another. I sit back down on the couch waiting for Nico as he stands in the corner running his hand through his hair. He needs a fucking haircut. Now, dammit.
Rose watches as he sits down on the couch again and she smiles, opening her notebook back up.
“So last time we touched upon Lacey and her past relationships and Weston. I feel like a lot of y’alls trust issues started with this bet I heard about in the beginnin’. Nico, can you walk us through that please?”
He lets out a breath and leans forward on his knees.
“Like I said...this was before I met her...
-----
Three years ago...February
I push the bar up in the air, my muscles screaming for relief. I grit my teeth and push through it, bringing the bar back down to my chest and pushing it back up. I groan as I do it, again and again until my teammate and sometimes friend, Lance, grabs the bar and moves it back to the hooks. I lay on the bench, trying to catch my breath and sit up.
“Pushin’ it today, Nico, huh?”
“Just making sure I'm ready for the season.”
“Bro, what are you pushing 300? I don't even know if you're gonna be able to get your arms around your body to hold the bat. Why'd you put on so much this year?”
“Because I like to smash the shit out of the ball and muscle helps. What the fuck is this, twenty questions?”
I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and reach to take it out.
Damon: Wanna meet Lacey Turner tonight? Picking you up at 7.
I smile and shake my head.
Nico: No fucking way.
Damon: You're welcome.
“Booty call?” Lance laughs.
“My brother. Guess who I'm banging tonight?” I smirk.
“Who?”
“Lacey Turner.”
“Jackson Turner's daughter? Yeah...okay,” Lance scoffs.
“Bet you I get in her pants and I'll bring her panties as proof. My thirst for that dick’s daughter is so real. Asshole couldn't retire like all ball players do. Led the league in homeruns when it should have been me, I'm taking his daughter. Takin’ the bet or no?”
“Everyone and their mom knows she doesn't go for athletes. I'll take it.”
I stand up shaking his hand and move over to the free weights, lifting 75's easily, pumping the left arm up then right.
My addiction to working out, feeling my muscles expand, getting bigger and bigger, keeps me calm. I normally fill my time with this and women, but I've been laying low lately.
I got caught a couple months back with a DWI. They say women are always the root of the problem but what they forget to mention is the before the problem part. The fight I got into at the club was over a woman, sure, but that woman was getting the shit beat out of her by her boyfriend in the VIP booth behind mine.
No one was doing a damn thing about it because he was the great Weston Parker, first overall draft pick for the NFL. Who gives a fucking shit? I sure as fuck didn't. I stomped right into his booth and pounded the piss out of him, took his girlfriend out of the club and drove her home.
I should also mention I don't think very often, I just do. I got pulled over on the way home and even though I was only a hair over the legal limit, I'm famous and I'm a dick that can't keep his mouth shut, so I got thrown in jail for the night.
I got out the next morning praying it didn't hit the tabloids and by some miracle, it hasn't. I know it will though, eventually it all does. The DWI and a reputation for stealing people's women will smear my name, again. Sure, I should have taken a cab but like I said, I don't think.
I've been on edge hoping like hell he doesn't press charges either. There were enough witnesses around and money talks, God knows I have enough of it, but can't take any chances. I've been holed up in Louisiana the past week, pumping my brains out in the gym, avoiding women at all costs. Until tonight. There's no way I'm avoiding Lacey fucking Turner. No way in hell.
-----
“That was very admirable of you steppin’ in to protect that woman,” Rose says writing something in her notebook.
“He has a habit of savin’ the day,” I mumble.
“Give her a chance, Lacey,” Nico snaps.
“Give who a chance?’ Rose asks.
We’ve effectively hijacked this session from the very beginning. Today's just been one of those days.
“The woman from those pictures with Nico. He brought her and her son here to Louisiana for a new life. Like I said, he likes savin’ people.”
“Why did you do that, Nicholas?” Rose asks curiously.
“The information she shared with me was supposed to be kept under wraps. The person that was responsible for that scandal threatened her, so I wanted to make sure her and her son were safe. She helped me fill in the blanks from that night, it was only fair.”
“Again, very admirable,” Rose nods. “Lacey, why are you so hesitant about this situation? Do you feel threatened by her?”
“I...of course not,” I huff.
I’m a very confident woman. I take what I want, when I want it, no bullshit and I take care of myself. I look good. But now I’m almost seven months pregnant. My feet are swollen, my face is swollen and I’m starting to get stretch marks. Based on that picture, Alessandra is fit and slim and not carrying around a mini basketball. Do I feel threatened?
“I might...a little bit,” I mumble.
“Lacey, I told you nothing is happening between the two of us. I did it to protect her and her son and that is it. If anything, I think she has a thing going on with Miguel.”
I let out a breath, realizing that I’m letting my jealousy rear its ugly head.
“Okay, okay.”
“Great work you two, good communication. So back to this bet. I’m assumin’ that you were not the one to tell her about it, Nicholas?”
Nico shakes his head and he lets out a breath.
“Blondie, you can take this one.”
“We were goin’ out to celebrate my cousin and Nico's brother’s engagement…”
----
Two years ago...July
“Can we skip tonight?” I pant, “We congratulated them today at my aunt's party. Please. I'll fake sick. I don't...want...to...leave,” I grit out as Nico thrusts into my exhausted body from above me.
“He's my brother and she's your cousin. We can't,” he says breathlessly. “Now stop talkin’ and come for me because then I want these tits,” Nico growls.
“Oh God, take them,” I whisper.
Nico grabs my tits, massaging them in his hands as he pumps a couple more times inside me. He pulls out of my slick opening slowly, kneeling higher and higher until his big, thick cock is eye level with me.
“Put it in my mouth,” I demand.
“Not yet.”
He takes his length in his hand, slapping my nipple with it and I squeal. The contact a straight jolt to my center.
“Shit.”
“You like that, Blondie?”
“Yes,” I say as I look down, watching him stroke himself, rubbing against my nipple.
“Push your tits together,” he demands.
I nod, pushing them together as Nico slides his length between them.
“Fuck Lace, this feels good.”
He reaches a hand behind him, finding my clit and I buck up into his hand.
“Oh God, yes Nico, right there.”
His fingers work my clit, crazily rubbing against me, and I cry out, grabbing onto his ass with one hand, still holding my tits with the other. He slips a finger inside me, curling it and I clench around him.
I dig my fingers in his ass harder, my nails marking him. He growls and his other hand reaches behind my shoulder and pulls me towards him, thrusting himself back and forth, faster and faster between my tits.
This is the hottest thing I've eve
r seen in my entire life and I've done some hot shit.
“Come for me, Blondie,” he pants, not letting up, slipping another finger inside me. His thumb is massaging my sensitive clit and I'm on the edge of another orgasm.
Walk Off (Double Play Series Book 5) Page 15
