by Ace Gray
It was getting harder and harder to stay focused on his beautiful face. He stayed calm and watched me intently, even though he knew me well enough to see I was about to come. Nick’s hand pressed to the inside of my knee, holding everything open to him. I was having a hard time keeping up my rhythm; my body shook, defenseless to my own hand. He pressed against my legs again and groaned. Just knowing he was pleased was enough to push me right up to the brink.
But then he took the glass from my shaking hand. I expected him to toss it aside and ram into me. Instead, he moved it to my ass. It was well lubricated from my arousal and easily slid inside the tight pucker. Nick kept one hand on my knee and pressed harder as I squirmed under the full feeling. He sat back to give himself a view as he took control. He pressed hard and I cried out again. Nick had to be watching me twitch and drip with pleasure.
I didn’t even realize my eyes closed until he managed to coarsely call my name. His ragged voice was losing its perfectly crafted control. I did my best to pull my eyes open. He continued thrusting the glass into me, picking up pace while my body devoured the electricity charging through the room.
The familiar waves started to pool in my belly and I was falling apart. I’d wanted him in me, but he was going to watch and I knew it. That sent me over the edge. I called his name loudly as my body trembled. He was watching my sex ripple and my thighs flex and bunch. His anal thrusts were only now stopping.
I expected him to finally set the dildo to the side and let me come crashing back to earth. I was shocked when he pushed his cock into my still-rippling vagina. His shaft pressed hard against the glass in my backside. The bulbs caught on his dick and made each roll of his hips twice as delicious.
My eyes slammed shut as I rocked my hips up to meet his.
Fuck it if he yells at me.
The double penetration was damn near killing me. I was panting and whimpering into his ear, and I could tell by his matching moans he was going to come again too.
I was sorely disappointed when he pulled out of me. I was about to protest when he flipped me over. The glass was still in place and jarred me when he spanked just above it. He continued with two more hard swats in the exact same spot. Only then did he remove the toy and replaced it with his dick.
He shifted to straddle my legs. He pressed mine together and placed his knees to the side of my thighs. He was hovering slightly above my body with his hips pressing into the spot he’d spanked only a moment ago. He grabbed my wrists and pinned my forearms to the bed near my head.
Nick’s skin blanketed mine. He drove his thrusts into my ass as he moaned and grunted through clenched teeth. I was trying to wiggle below him to ease the tension but barely could. Before I knew it, I was spiraling off a cliff with another orgasm.
Or did the last even stop?
Either way, I was pinned to the bed as I shook to the core.
“Sweets, I’m going to come in your tight ass.”
I couldn’t answer; I was still murmuring his name into the comforter. He sunk all the way into me and followed through on his promise. The hot spurts of cum prolonged my own pleasure.
After a minute, Nick collapsed on top of me. It took a few more moments for him to shift slightly so I could breathe. The damp skin on skin and racing heartbeats were feelings I’d remember when he was gone.
He slowly pulled out and I winced. Even face down in the comforter, he heard me draw in a sharp breath.
“Did I hurt you?” He kissed my low back and then rubbed the red spot he’d created.
“Not in a bad way.” I smiled into the covers.
“So I did hurt you?”
There was an edge to his voice. He was already losing his post-orgasmic bliss.
“It was perfect. You are perfect. The way we make love or have sex or fuck or whatever it is that we do is also very, very perfect.” My limbs were too jello to even turn to face him.
He kissed up and down my spine reverentially. With the day I’d had, and now this, it didn’t take long for me to fall fast asleep.
I woke in the middle of the night from a rumbling in my stomach and the dull ache that went along with starvation. I carefully tried to unwind my body from Nick’s, not wanting to jostle him. My stomach growled, demanding a trip to the fridge, and he woke with a start anyway.
“Kate!” He shot up from bed.
“Baby.”
I let my hands skate over his body and without saying anything he returned to his pillow. I tried to settle into mine again, but my hunger pains wouldn’t let me. Around 2:30 I couldn’t take it anymore and got up to find something.
There was a soft glow in the living room that got brighter as I padded down the stairs. I was glad I’d wrapped in a blanket when I passed Jaime, wide awake. He was sitting watch, and whether he did that every night or it was part of his penance for today, I wasn’t sure.
I threw together a turkey sandwich only moments before Bryant called out again, tortured. I kept the sandwich and took the stairs two at a time back to the bedroom. With a mouthful of turkey and bread, I tried to soothe him. I crouched beside the bed and let the blanket fall as I reached to cradle his cheek. It was too late when I noticed Jaime had followed me. Once he saw it was us alone, he discreetly shut the door and his soft steps retreated back down the stairs.
“I woke up and you weren’t here.” His voice was small and quiet from underneath the covers.
“I was just grabbing a snack.” I waved the sandwich in my hand.
“You did sleep through dinner, didn’t you?” He was slightly calmer as he adjusted to awake.
“Were you up?” I didn’t remember him leaving me.
“Yes. Ari came home and I finished a little work.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pass out.” I took another bite of my sandwich.
“If that’s the worst thing that happens today…”
He left that thought unfinished. The panic thick in his voice made me curl into his chest and pull the blanket up over us. I finished my sandwich tucked beneath the covers.
“I don’t want to go. At all. And I have to leave in a few hours, probably before you wake up.”
I kissed his perfect chest under my cheek. “I honestly don’t want you to go, either.”
I whispered the words never knowing if he heard them; his heavy breathing filled the air again. I wove my body deeper into his and fell back asleep.
30.
Nick was gone, just like he said he would be. My heart ached with desperation and longing. I rolled over and looked out onto the city, coated in rosy hues.
What am I going to do without him?
That question itself said how much I’d tailored my life to fit his. I didn’t regret it; I’d simply use his absence to catch up on anything I’d been neglecting, particularly Laura. Starting immediately.
I grabbed my phone from where it was charging and plopped back onto the bed to gaze at the ceiling as the phone rang. I figured she’d be shocked I was calling at this hour. I smirked thinking about the inevitable shit talking. Her clipped, “What?” took me off guard.
“Did I wake you up?”
What happened to her 5AM cardio?
“No. What do you want? What are you doing up?”
“Are you trying out a new raging bitch personality?”
She sighed into the phone. “No, I was just unceremoniously kicked out of that guy’s apartment.”
“I’m sorry.”
“The asshole has another girl!”
“That would definitely make him an asshole. Would breakfast help?”
“Sure.” She was as grumbly as I usually was in the morning.
“What time do you want to meet?”
“Now. If I go home, I’m going back to bed.” This was beyond uncharacteristic.
“OK, give me a second to throw on clothes. By the time you get here I should be good to go.”
“Are you at Bryant’s? Can I come up, see his place?” Her voice brightened.
“
The infamous penthouse? Sure.” Specially if it would cheer her up.
“Done.”
She hung up and I decided to notify the troops she was coming. I jumped up and grabbed a robe from the back of the bathroom door. I checked for Jaime on the main floor of the apartment before dialing his number.
He seemed winded when he answered and I only briefly wondered why before relaying that Laura should be escorted up. I followed up my request of Jaime with a call to Gemma’s voicemail. I let her know I wouldn’t be in until later and to cancel any morning meetings.
I stepped into the shower and let water wash over me. I closed my eyes and could feel Bryant’s touch, complete with the fiery trail it always left behind. I was lost in the memories of him in and on me yesterday. Only a long, low whistle and the plop of a dropped leather bag snapped me out of it.
“Well, now I see why you’ve been spending all your time here.” Laura hopped up onto the counter. “He has staff on top of security, right?”
“Yes. Romana is probably preparing food as we speak. There always seems to be espresso if you want some.”
“Can I just help myself?”
“Sure. Or Romana’s happy to help.”
She jumped off the counter. “Hurry up, I’m hungry.”
Laura sauntered out of the bathroom, but she was dead serious. I grabbed a short black skirt, a slouchy plain white tee, mid weight tights, and bright yellow, peep toe, sky-high ankle booties. Once dressed, I added a leather blazer and went to find Laura. She wasn’t in the living room, pressed up against the windows as I expected. Her voice shot from the dining room. Why she was in there I couldn’t fathom, until a shriek rang out that could only come from one person: Aribella.
“I knew they were kinky!” Ari exclaimed just before I rounded the corner. “I kept asking if they had some sort of sex-contract-Fifty-Shades thing, but Nicholas wouldn’t answer me.”
“Well, I’m glad you two have met.”
They both jumped when I interrupted their conversation. I crossed my arms, arched my eyebrow, and leaned against the closest wall.
Ari leaned in and murmured across the table. “She learned that look from my brother.”
“Nope,” Laura answered. “She picked up that one all on her own.”
“What were you two talking about?” I eyed them both as I reached for some coffee.
“Oh, you know.” Ari tried to play it off.
“Your scandalous love life.” Laura didn’t even pretend as she grabbed some of the bacon Romana had cooked and shoved it in her mouth. “How are you getting skinnier with all this amazing home cooking?” She reached for the plate of warm muffins.
“She probably hasn’t had time to eat with all the security stuff going on.”
Ari was absentmindedly stirring her coffee when she spoke. I cringed when Laura’s head snapped toward me.
“What the heck?”
She set down her breakfast, waiting for me to answer. I sighed. I’d planned on telling her after we’d discussed her problems, maybe over a morning cocktail. Now I had to phrase this carefully so she wouldn’t hold it against Bryant.
I filled my coffee and propped my feet up on the table before telling the story as best I could. The events of yesterday stuck in my throat a little, but I managed to get the words out. Laura’s eyes got so wide I thought they might fall out of her head. When I finished, Ari looked sorry, and Laura could only swear beneath her breath.
“Language.” I smirked as I sipped my coffee.
She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. When she cleared her throat it was ominous.
“No offense, Ari, we just met and you seem fantastic, but Kate, is Nicholas worth all this? Sure, he’s hot and won’t be intimidated by you, but the few times I’ve met him he’s seemed angry and controlling. He tried to steal your company and now all this? I feel like this relationship is ridiculous. He’s ridiculous.” She continued listing off her grievances with Nick and our relationship before finishing with a deep breath.
“Again, sorry, Ari.” She was able to pull back enough to offer a genuine apology.
I was livid she didn’t include me.
Ari smiled graciously back at Laura. “It’s OK.”
I narrowed my gaze at Laura. “No, it’s not OK. You don’t know anything about him, or how we are together.” I was choosing icy sincerity rather than screaming in her face. My feet came off the table and I leaned toward her. “He certainly can’t be responsible for the actions of some bat-shit crazy former employee. You want me to blame all the crazy ex-girlfriends we’ve dealt with over the years on you? Or perhaps the guys that dated them?”
“They didn’t date, Kate. That’s the difference. I mean, come on, what if she does try to hurt you? At what point is it her fault, and at what point is it his for getting you into this mess in the first place?”
With that last comment Ari quietly stood. She tried to force a smile, but she was balling her fists as she wove around her chair and tried to dart out of the room.
“Ari sit,” I barked as I stood and punched my hands against the table.
I knew the glare I was shooting in Laura’s direction but didn’t care.
Maybe I am becoming more like Bryant.
“I chose to be with him, and every day I choose to be here. I remember you being so jealous of what we had you split with Malik. I don’t know what changed but I’m sick, and tired of you painting Bryant in this fucked up light. There is no shit side of him, and it’s not his fault that any of this happened. I refuse to blame people for others’ actions and I thought you were decent enough to do the same.” I shoved my hand through my hair. “I can’t believe you’re going to say this shit in front of the people who love him most. That’s fucked up, and I’m disappointed in you.”
I shook my head. “You will apologize to Ari for this and if you feel like apologizing to me, fine. If you don’t, you are welcome to leave.”
Blood boiled in my cheeks. Protective or concerned was one thing, but this was different. Nick said bad things happened to the people he loved, but I refused to let him, or anyone else, believe that. I couldn’t technically fault Laura for hitting that nerve—I didn’t even know the details—but the act of calling Bryant out was horseshit. She should have known I’d get defensive.
Laura scrambled to apologize sincerely to Ari. Ari accepted as any well-bred woman would, but quickly excused herself. I stood to follow, but Laura reached out to stop me.
“Kate. Of course I’m sorry. You know deep down that if you like him, I’ll like him. I just don’t trust him. You and I can always speak freely, but I should’ve checked myself in front of Ari. You know where I’m coming from, right?”
I pursed my lips without responding.
“Kate, I’m really sorry,” she whined.
Laura stood and leveled her face with mine. I shook my head again, pulled my arm free, and turned in the direction Ari had headed.
But before I left the room, I stopped to look over my shoulder. “I know, Laura.” For the moment that was all I was going to growl in her direction.
My footsteps were heavy on the stairs and my mind raced. Once on the second floor, I knocked softly on Ari’s cracked door.
“Hey, Kate, sorry about that.”
“What on earth are you sorry for?” I plopped down onto the chaise lounge beside the bed.
“I didn’t mean to just up and leave.” She looked downright dejected as she spoke.
“Ari, I’m shocked you stayed as long as you did. I’m sorry Laura said all that. I’m sorry I yelled, and I’m sorry it hurt you. But you,” I took a deep breath, “You never have to apologize for being hurt.”
As the words rolled out, her whole posture changed. She held up her hands and tried to wave me off. The reaction had a familiar cadence I recognized from Nick’s ingrained responses. She’d probably apologized for things that weren’t her fault a million times before.
“I know my family has this very… unique dynamic, but I love
my brother. I love everything he’s done for me. He’s protected me when I needed it most, but he blames himself all the same. Some of Laura’s words stung.”
“Look, I don’t know what happened to the Bryant family, but I know Nick thinks it’s his fault. And I knew she crossed a line. I can’t apologize enough.”
I wanted to pry; my mouth watered at the thought of Ari divulging information, but her eyes brightened and her focus changed.
“Seriously, Kate, it’s not your fault. Will you accept a thank you for standing up for me?” She smiled shyly at me.
“Of course. I love your brother, and that means I consider you family.”
Her smile brightened. “I love how much you love him. But you have to know that I love how much he loves you more.”
“I don’t know that he loves me. Cares a lot, sure. If he loved me, I think in the end, he’d find a way to say it.”
“For being the most intelligent woman I’ve ever met, you sure are stupid. Or maybe just dense.”
She giggled. If this wasn’t cheering her up I would’ve had a few choice retorts.
“Oh?” I still narrowed my gaze at her.
“He doesn’t date. He doesn’t know I know, but all the girls at all the parties talk. He’ll take a girl to an event because it’s expected. They usually go home together, but because it’s a down and dirty means to an end.
“Jaime always has a car idling or a backdoor exit waiting. Hell, he probably knows the floor plans of most apartment buildings in the city because of Nicholas’ numerous escape routes. Sorry, but I doubt he could even name even half the women he’s been with.”
Her face darkened before continuing. “I’ve thought about it, and even when I had to stay with him in college, he wouldn’t let them spend the night. Until you he hasn’t cared, nor has he let people in. He would only go to all this trouble because he knows you’re special, whether he chooses to say it or not.”
I was drinking up every single word.
“When you left him he was devastated. I didn’t know what was up when I called him, but he came clean. He yelled at me forever, and when I yelled back it sounded like he was crying. At the time, I convinced myself I was delusional from the parties and lack of sleep and the fighting. I mean, can you imagine him crying?”
