by L. B. Dunbar
My mouth dove for her wet center and lapped worshipfully at her entrance. I wanted to remind her who had been the first to taste her like this. I was determined I would also be the last to drink her in. When she was close, I flicked my tongue a final time to hear her purr in release. The cat might have come to play with the fish, but this betta was ready to attack. As she meowed, I slipped into her with measured strength. Her eyes rolled back as I lifted one thigh to open her wider. With a rhythmic dance, I pressed into her. She called my name and thrashed beneath me. I wasn’t convinced she’d come down before the high rose again.
“Tell me again, Elma.”
Her eyes focused on mine.
“I love you, Abel.”
I thrust forward, burying myself inside her and released a fountain of frustration. Each time I thought I’d had the biggest orgasm of my life; Elma would bring me to a larger one. This one was filled with the night’s tension: the surprise of her visit, the anger of her presence too late, and the relief of my brother’s confession. No one had ever had her except for me. She would be the one thing I called mine.
“I love you, Elma,” I grunted, as I pulsed deep inside her. The sudden motion of my release allowed her to clench and explode around me. I held still for a moment. Her thigh raised and wrapped over my hip. My arms balanced the weight of me over her. Our bodies joined as one under the artificial lights of a city filled with debauchery. If Elma was a sin, I’d take my punishment.
I collapsed over her as we breathed heavily. My breath warmed her neck. I noticed again that our hearts raced collectively. A phone buzzed in the background, but I was too spent to move. When it buzzed a second time, Elma said she thought it was hers, probably Lindee.
I rolled off Elma to lay flat on my back, taking in deep breaths like a drowned man released from the torrid sea.
“She’s probably worried about me,” Elma said sheepishly.
I rolled my head to look at Elma, who stared at the array of colors dancing on the ceiling in reflection from the city below.
“Why would she worry?”
“She’d done something stupid earlier tonight, and she didn’t want me to do something similar.”
“Like what?” I shifted slightly to stare at her from a better angle. I was slowly beginning to panic that Elma thought what we’d just done was a mistake.
“Cry,” Elma said, closing her eyes.
“Elma?” I questioned, running a finger down her cheek.
“Too late,” she whispered. “I’ve already done that.”
“Elma?” I puzzled, rising up on an elbow. “You cried. For what?”
“Who was she, Abel?” Elma asked softly.
“Who was who?”
“The girl downstairs,” Elma whispered.
“Elma,” I laughed quietly. “That’s my new assistant. Ruthie Avery.”
“She’s pretty,” Elma spoke, hardly above a whisper.
“She’s fired if you’re jealous,” I laughed a little louder. “You’re the only one for me, Elma, my rúnsearc.”
A tear slipped out the corner of her eye and she smiled weakly at me. The phone buzzed again, and Elma rolled away from me to struggle against the couch, searching for it. She must have dropped it there when she crossed the room. She was bent forward. Two naked globes of ass pointed at me. Her elbows leaned on the seat of the couch. Her fingers worked deftly in response to her friend’s message.
I rolled toward her and my hands covered her ankles. Rubbing forward over the back of her calves, her typing slowed. My mouth covered cool skin on her backside and sucked hard. I intended to leave a mark. Her typing stopped.
“What did you say?” I asked, as I continued to cover her lower back. My hands took over working the cool skin of her ass. She tossed the phone to the side.
“I told her I loved you.”
I moaned as I continued to her side, sucking then licking tender circles, as I slowly covered her skin.
“Was that a stupid thing to do, Elma?” I teased, but the question was earnest.
“No,” she replied on a swallow. I worked my way up her spine, savoring over each vertebra with delicate laps, like she was my favorite flavor.
“What else did you tell her?” I questioned, as I made my way to her shoulders. I spread my knees to straddle behind her. My growing length brushed against her backside. I was ready to take her again.
“I’d be staying here tonight,” she whispered, as she turned her head to look at me over the shoulder I kissed. I moaned in response again.
“I’d like you to stay with me every night,” I answered honestly. I didn’t want any more catch and release with Elma. I was ready to hold and keep her.
“I think we need to establish some rules,” she teased. I reached for myself and dragged the hard length through the crevice of her ass. She clenched.
“Abel…” she questioned. I slipped lower and ran the tip of me through folds damp and ready for me. Her arms spread over the seat of the couch. Her face lowered so her cheek rested on the cushions. She could see me partially from her position. I sat back a little, watching as I slid into her.
“Oh God,” she hissed in pleasure.
“First rule,” I said, dragging to the edge of her, then ramming forward. This angle was different. The intensity deep, Elma’s breath hitched.
“Sex,” she sighed. “Lots of it.”
“Definitely,” I groaned, pulling to the edge of her again before taking my time to reenter her tight channel.
“Your rule,” she grunted as I filled her.
“Love. Just love me,” I moaned, increasing in rhythm. The pounding force filled the large room with slapping skin. The sinful lights were behind us. Elma was on her knees as I worshipped her. My hands massaged up her back, and then spread to the sides to cover her arms until I reached her hands. Our fingers entwined.
“I do love you,” Elma sighed. “My rúnsearc.”
I laughed quietly and it jolted me inside her. There was no time to question her use of my term of endearment on me. She clenched. I thrust, and we came together again.
Abel collected me in his arms and carried me to the bathroom. I was spent. I didn’t think I could walk when Abel suggested a bath. He placed me on the edge of the tub and tested the water, as it began to fall from the biggest faucet I’d ever seen. When the tub was full enough, Abel clicked the switch for the soft jets and the water swirled. He took my hand and helped me step in, then followed me, pulling me in against his chest. His knees bent upward as I positioned myself between his legs. His arms wrapped around my stomach, and he kissed my shoulder.
We sat for several minutes without talking. The sound of the vibrating water was the only noise. The warmth of the tub and the comfort of Abel behind me were soothing. I closed my eyes as I melted into him. A soft peck brushed my neck.
“Remember my betta fish,” he muttered into my neck. I nodded.
“They mate like we just did.”
I giggled before I asked, “What?”
“The male surrounds the female. He squeezes her until she releases.” He emphasized his words by pressing against my stomach. Then he continued.
“She lays the eggs and he captures them.”
“What happens next?”
“He takes care of everything. He protects her and their future. He takes them home.” Abel’s words had greater meaning.
“I’m going to take care of you, Elma. I know you counted on your brother, but now I want you to count on me. You’re going home with me.” He was going to take care of me, but I didn’t want it to be like my brother, financial. I wanted Abel to do just what he said, protect me and our future. I wanted to go home with him.
“I don’t want you for the money,” I clarified, stretching to look at him over my shoulder.
He laughed. “That’s good because I don’t really have that much.” He kissed me to assure me he knew what I meant. He wouldn’t be covering anymore tuition.
“What about her? The female be
tta?” I asked.
“She’s exhausted,” he smiled into my neck. “But then she has to be removed from him. She knows his secrets. He wants to kill her.”
I was exhausted. No, satiated was a better word. My body was languid at the moment, but I’d never felt more alive. Abel did that to me. He was like a wave I hadn’t seen coming, but once he covered me, I was lost in the power of water. I wasn’t drowning. I wasn’t swimming. I was renewed, baptized by the refreshing spirit of Abel.
“Hmm…what secret is that?” I teased, letting my head rest on his shoulder as his lips tenderly nipped me.
“That he loved her all along. My rúnsearc. My secret love.”
I spun to find his mouth and took his lips with mine. The kiss was telling. I loved him, too. I’d been slow to catch up to Abel, but once I got into the rhythm of his strokes, I knew there was no swimming upstream. The tide of Abel was going to carry me to calmer waters.
“I won’t be separated from you, Abel,” I warned gently. I meant it. I didn’t plan to be without him. It wasn’t that I had no one else. No mother. No brother. It was that I had Abel’s attention, and I planned to cherish him. I planned to give him all my attention, too. I wouldn’t let anything come between us again.
“You’re going to have to. I still have to face my father.”
I would have liked to think that winning the fight was enough. That I could collect my spoils and walk away, but this match hadn’t been like any other battle. This fight involved my father, and that meant there was more than just the fight to win. Cain and I were good. I could tell from his attention to Sofie Vincentia that he had other things on his mind than collecting, or paying, a debt. He had assured me he didn’t want Elma anyway, and while I was insulted at first, I realized he had a different interest instead. My brother desired Sofie.
Cain was willing to let it go. He had been the one to coach me during the fight. He wanted to be set free. For the first time, I recognized that Cain might have his own demons with our father. It wasn’t that I wasn’t aware of the pain of his beatings. I’d been the one to sneak into his room and nurse any pain with a cold bag of peas or a warm compress. But there was more between Cain and my father than even I could imagine. As I tried to avoid my father as much as I could, I let my avoidance lead to ignorance.
One thing I wasn’t ignorant about was my father’s control. He wouldn’t let me just collect Elma and walk away. She was the true booty of this voyage. I needed to make certain that Elma was free and clear of debt to my father. I had won. That meant, I’d won her, and her expense had been compensated. But I had won, and that meant a whole new set of concerns regarding my father. I was certain he never expected me to win. How could he? He’d never believed in me, never believed I had strength, or desire to win, as if being a loser was a consolation.
I was hesitant to leave Elma the next morning. I wanted her to be safe. I wanted her to know I would take care of everything. She was determined to go with me, though. While I thought I had snuck out of bed to shower quickly, I found her dressing as I left the bathroom.
“Want to shower?” I questioned, but she read my mind.
“So you can run out while I’m showering and try to face off with your father alone. Not a chance,” she threatened, but with a tease. “I have the scent of you all over me, and he can just learn to like it. I belong to you.” Her determination inspired me. I had a momentarily lapse in judgement, thinking it would be easy, but this was my father.
“Sir,” I addressed him as he sat at the desk within his suite. His eyes refused to look up at me.
“I’m going home,” I said, waiting for him to turn, waiting for him to say something.
“You don’t have a home,” he muttered, still facing his computer.
“I’m going back to school,” I corrected then the reality hit me. “Wait, what?”
“You no longer have a home here,” he said, turning in his seat. His look was hard as ever. His chiseled cheeks were sallow and edgier. It was like he’d aged overnight. Elma squeezed my hand in reassurance.
“I see you’ve brought the slut with you,” he bit. My hand clenched Elma’s. There was no response other than anger.
“Don’t you dare speak of her like that,” I demanded. “In fact, don’t even look at her.” My eyes narrowed and I glared at my father. His face watched mine. I released Elma’s hand, pushing her gently behind me. Her hand gripped the waist of my jeans. She was preparing to hold me back.
“She must be good,” my father insinuated, “for you to give up your family for her.”
“Give up my family?” I barked. “What family? We’ve been nothing but a farce.”
My father glared at me and I continued.
“You beat Cain his whole life. You ignored me. And Evie, don’t even get me started on sending a child away at six,” I snapped. My fists clenched, and although Elma’s hand came to my back, I hardly felt the pressure.
“We’ve never been a family,” I bit.
“You’re out, Abel.”
I stared in disbelief. How could I be any further out than I already was to Atom Callahan? Then it occurred to me. He wasn’t referring to us as a family. He was referring to me as a liability.
“You’re talking about money, aren’t you?”
My father twisted his lips in a slow smile.
“I’ll say one thing. You always were smart. You had the mouth to match as a child, until you learned to shut it.” He practically glowed with the insult. His eyes sparkled. His jaw twitched. He was getting ready to strike, only there was no one he could hurt. I was too big in stature, but he thrived on words with me. He wouldn’t hurt me ever again, though. If he cut me off, I had begun to make my own way. I would continue to forge my own path. I had my own income. I only had one more year of school. Then I remembered Elma behind me.
I reached my hand back for her and wound my fingers with hers.
“Your brother’s loss cost us,” my father added. I glowered back at him, as I wondered what he meant. He couldn’t have meant financially. My brother had made millions over the past years. He had to mean something more important: his reputation. I’d ruined my brother’s reputation as a winner, a champion.
“That’s all that was ever important to you, wasn’t it? Winning. Always winning.”
“Is there anything else more important?”
I was about to open my mouth. The word was on the tip of my tongue, when Elma squeezed my hand. She was more important. Her love was, too, but her gentle nudge was a reminder that there was no arguing with my father. While I didn’t want to ever back down from him again, this was one argument I would never win. He was a man that could never understand love as the most important thing in life. He’d given up the love of his life for winning. That desire to be a champion cost him everything.
I didn’t respond to my father’s question. There wasn’t an answer that would satisfy him.
“Well, I’m glad to see you can still keep your mouth shut.”
I did have something to say, though.
“Why was it like this?” I questioned, my tone softening. “Why couldn’t you love us both? Two sons, not just one?”
“I only had one true son,” my father replied, stepping toward me. “Callahans are fighters. We can trace that back to the beginning of time. We fight. You weren’t a fighter. You were weak, always weak. Always crying and whimpering.”
I shook my head.
“And what about now?”
“Now!” my father spit. “Now? You think that scam of a fight you and your brother pulled off makes you a fighter? I’m not blind, Abel. And I’m not stupid. There was no way you could have beat your brother. He let you win.”
My heart dropped. I figured we had fooled everyone, but if there was one person we couldn’t fool it was Atom Callahan. A man born and raised on fights, he had the knowledge of moves. I believed we’d pulled it off, but we hadn’t tricked our father. This only spelled more trouble for Cain, I worried.
“He always covers for you,” my father said in disgust.
“You have no faith in my ability.” It sounded like a question, but it was pure fact. He’d closed off all hope when I was a child. He’d never let me be a winner.
“You could never be a winner,” my father hissed, as he approached closer. “And what do you think you won? The girl?” My father’s eyes rolled up and down the length of Elma. I didn’t turn to look at her. The betta always keeps his eye on his opponent. I couldn’t risk removing mine from him.
“Don’t even look at her,” I growled.
“Or you’ll what?” my father tormented. I raised my fist. Elma screamed. My father didn’t even flinch.
“I knew you couldn’t do it. What kind of son raises his hand to his father?” Atom Callahan tsked at me.
“One that doesn’t have a man to call a father.” I wound back for the punch when my elbow was gripped.
Unbeknownst to me, Cain had entered the suite.
“Always intervening for him,” our father spit, shaking his head. His attention was focused on Cain, who lowered my arm.
“Abel, step back,” Cain directed, but I wouldn’t move. Not this time. If our father had something to say to me, if he had something he wanted to do to me, he would do it. To me. Cain would not be my protector. He would not be my keeper. I needed to fight this battle on my own. While I was a reminder of my mother, I was still raised by my father. He hadn’t faced her, but he would face me. I realized that just like her, he was banishing me from the garden of his paradise: Las Vegas, the adult playground.
I didn’t need to make a name here. I didn’t need to stake my claim to this land. I would build myself a new place. I had Highlands Gym for training. This fight was definitely not the last one I would fight, but I was done proving myself to my father. I would never be able to prove to him I was good enough. Champion fighter or not, this was about bravery. I had proven to myself that I could do this. I could be a warrior.
