by C. A. Mason
“Fuck that.” I grabbed her head and whispered, “I’m gonna fuck you like this until you come again, even if it takes all goddamn night. You got me, baby?”
“Mmmmm….” She whimpered, biting her lip so hard I was surprised she didn’t draw blood.
I jabbed my fingers into her hips as I rolled instead of thrusting. Going slowly, I worked her back up to a feverish pitch before silently demanding she let herself go. I plunged my tongue into her mouth, exploring her slowly and thoroughly. Nothing turned Maura on more than kissing, losing herself in the intimacy of being consumed in every possible way.
My heart was racing. I was dangerously close to losing myself to the bliss only she could induce. “I’m gonna come, but not alone.” I rubbed her clit with the pad of my thumb as my other hand wound around her neck, forcing her forehead against mine. “But don’t you dare let me come alone, angel. I mean it. If you do, I’m gonna make you come so many times tonight, so hard, you’ll be sobbing and begging me to stop.”
“Oh God,” she said, her pace becoming wild and furious. “I’m…”
She didn’t have to say it. I felt her throbbing around my cock, her heart beating wildly against my chest. I exploded inside her, swallowing her screams with a forceful kiss. I consumed her, forcing her to concede her free will and admit she was mine in every possible way.
I waited until we’d both descended before I broke the kiss. I tasted her lips one more time before I let her up for air. Chuckling, I watched her suck in a deep breath before her head fell forward. She was spent, but I’d never felt more energized or alive. She gave me my life back.
Maura looked up, a smile teasing her lips. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’m so in love with you.”
She looked taken aback before a slow smile spread across her face. “Right back atcha, Coop.” She shook her head. “I guess I should be careful with that, huh? We don’t want the world to find out your secret, do we?” She climbed off me carefully, went into the bathroom, and returned with a hand towel. Tossing it to me with a wry smile, she said, “I thought you could use this.”
“Thanks.”
She padded into the kitchen and retrieved two bottles of water from the fridge as I collected my thoughts. I had a lot of decisions to make, and I wanted her to weigh in on every one.
“Angel, let me ask you something,” I said, gripping her knee when she sat beside me. I took the bottle of water she offered and tipped my head in gratitude. “How do you think I should handle this?”
“Handle what?” she asked, taking a long pull from her water bottle.
“If things go down the way I think they will, the police are gonna charge that piece of shit with rape and attempted murder, which means I’ll be in the clear.”
“Thank God,” she said, touching my face. “I bet you can’t wait.”
“Yeah, redemption’s been a hell of a long time coming.” I sighed. “I’ve been so busy focusing on the logistics, I haven’t given much thought to what will happen after my name’s been cleared. I know I want to see my parents, of course, to let them know I’m alive.” I grinned. “I’m not gonna lie, I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they realize what I’ve accomplished.”
“But…?”
“But I don’t know if I want to share that part of myself with the world.” I took her hand and caressed it. “I created this identity, almost like I was playing a role. Being in the public eye, it’s kind of nice to be able to wear a mask sometimes, you know?”
Giggling, she said, “Can’t say that I do, sorry.”
I put my arm around her to pull her close. “It’s hard to shut out the rest of the world sometimes. When you’re wealthy and people recognize you, they’re curious. What’s his story? How did he achieve success?”
“I’ve read some stories about you,” she said. “Everything you told the press resembles your real life. You told them you got into fighting because you had a temper, right?” She laughed. “You can’t deny that.”
“Yeah, but I just gave them a piece of the public persona I’d created, never a piece of myself. No one knew I was Matt, so that’s a part of myself I was able to keep hidden.”
“And you want to keep it that way?”
“I don’t know. A part of me does, but I don’t know if I want to go on living a lie.”
“If the people you love know the truth, isn’t that enough?”
“What about your parents and your brother?” I asked. “What do you want to tell them?”
“I don’t know.” She pinched her lips together. “I guess I haven’t thought that far ahead. It’s complicated. I don’t live my life to please my parents, but at the same time, I don’t want to worry them.”
“And you think they would be worried if they knew the truth about me?” I couldn’t deny that hurt, but she was probably right. Eric was judgmental and rigid, and he had formed his opinion about Matt Cooper years ago. Even when the truth came out, I suspected he would always see me as a coward for running from the law when I should have stayed and fought for justice.
“Maybe. I don’t know.” She glided her hand up and down my forearm. “But what they think matters to me less than what you think. If you want to tell them the truth and deal with the fallout, we will. If not, I’m okay with that too. This thing destroyed your life, honey. You spent years in prison and had to reinvent yourself because no one would believe you were innocent. That means you’re the one who gets to decide how much you tell people. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”
“I love you, baby.” I kissed the top of her head as my phone beeped, letting me know I had a text. I grabbed it and scanned the screen. “It’s from Lana. She wants to know when I’ll be home.” I felt Maura’s whole body go rigid as she tried to pull away from me. I pulled her back against my chest. “Hey, where are you going? What’s wrong?”
“I’m not okay with my boyfriend shacking up with his ex-girlfriend.” She rubbed her temple. “God, that makes me sound like a self-centered bitch. No one understands what she’s been through better than I do, but she should be turning to her family and professionals for support, not relying solely on you.”
“I agree.” She was so cute when she all riled up. “Your boyfriend, huh? So we’re ready to label this thing, are we?” I couldn’t suppress my grin.
“Yes,” she said, nodding emphatically. “I told you, you’re mine now. That means we have to put some kind of label on it. Mine. My boyfriend… my fiancé, my husband.” She smiled as she tipped her head back to look at me. “I’m kind of hoping for all of the above someday.”
“Guaranteed.” I cupped her cheek as I kissed her. “This is it for me, angel. I don’t want anyone else. Ever.”
“Glad to hear that.” She seemed satisfied we were on the same page.
“I hate to leave—”
“Then don’t.” Her grasp on my forearms tightened. “Stay here with me tonight.”
“I can’t. Lana’s not ready to be alone yet, at least not overnight.”
She blew out a frustrated breath. “I know you’re trying to be a good friend, and I respect you for that, but you can’t be her babysitter. You have a life. Surely she can understand that.”
“I know you’re right.” I kissed her cheek. “I’ll talk to her, I promise.”
“But you’re still leaving, aren’t you?”
“I have to.”
She turned into my arms, looking adorably dissatisfied as her bottom lip jutted out. “Fine, go if you have to, but promise me this will be the last night. You’ll have to get back to work soon, and I want to spend as much time with you as I can while you’re here.”
I touched the tip of her nose. “About our living arrangements… I’m not cool with you living in another city, angel. I’ll go crazy without you. I was serious about that job offer.”
“I don’t know if that would be a good fit for me. It’s not that I don’t want to be with you; I do. While my whole life h
as been here, I’m not saying I wouldn’t consider relocating. Obviously it would be easier for me to move than it would be for you.”
“But…?”
“I don’t think I want to work for you. Do you hate me?”
I laughed as I pulled her into my arms. “How could I hate you? I love you, baby.”
When I released her, she explained, “I like being my own boss, and I know you can be…” She paused, searching for the right word. “A control freak.” She smiled before grabbing my face and pulling me in for a kiss. “Don’t get me wrong, I embrace all facets of your craziness, but I want to pave my own path. Does that make sense?”
Instead of being offended, I was encouraged. She was being honest with me whether I wanted to hear it or not, and that’s what great relationships were built on. “Whatever makes you happy makes me happy. You should know that by now.”
“I do.” She linked my hands with hers. “So maybe I could move my business.” She shrugged. “I know New York is a tough market to break into. It’s crazy competitive, but—”
“I wouldn’t worry about that.” I kissed her forehead. “I hear your boyfriend’s pretty well connected, gorgeous.”
“I want to make it on my own,” she said firmly. “I love what I do, and I’m good at it.”
“I know that.” I could see she was serious about this, and the last thing I wanted was to ruffle her feathers. “You did an incredible job on our anniversary party. It was better than I could have expected.”
“Thank you.” She released a long breath. “I figure it may take some time for me to rebuild, but I’m willing to try.”
I loved that she was willing to uproot her entire life for me, but it would be a huge sacrifice, and I didn’t want to put too much pressure on her. “I have the apartment and office here. I’ll just travel back and forth for a while. I know you’re in the midst of your busy season and you’ve made commitments to your clients. You can’t just pick up and leave, right?”
“That’s true.” It was obvious her mind was working overtime trying to find a solution that meant we could be together.
“Don’t worry about it, baby. We’ll find a way to make it work.”
“Maybe I could split my time. It might be easier for you than it would be for me.”
“I don’t like the idea of you traveling by yourself.” I was being overprotective, but I didn’t care. If something happened to her… I refused to entertain that possibility. It was my job to keep her safe. I’d never put her in a dangerous situation again.
“Don’t worry,” she said, batting her eyelashes. “My boyfriend has a private plane. I bet if I were really nice to him, he’d let me borrow it sometimes.”
I grinned, totally taken in by her ploy to charm me. “What’s mine is yours, angel.” Leaning in to kiss her, I rested my forehead against hers. “I mean that, you know. I intend to marry you someday soon, and I don’t need a fucking prenup, ‘cause I’m never letting you go. Ever. So if my lawyer insists, I’ll shove the goddamn contract down his throat.”
She giggled. “You’re crazy. You can’t do that. You have to protect yourself. Of course I’d sign it. I don’t want your money. I just want you.”
“You’ve got me.” I groaned when my phone buzzed with another text. I’d failed to respond to the last one, and it appeared Lana was getting antsy. “Okay, I’ve got to go. I love you, sweetheart.”
Her lips brushed mine before she whispered, “I love you too, so much.”
Chapter Eight
“Are you sure she won’t mind that you brought me along?” Lana asked, picking at her nail as we waited for Maura to open her door.
It was early, but I knew Maura would be leaving for the office soon, and I wanted to catch her before she did. If anyone could get through to Lana, it would be someone who’d been there and could speak to her as one victim of violent crime to another. I wanted Lana to get the help she needed so she could start rebuilding her life, but I couldn’t seem to get through to her. No matter what I said, she seemed determined to stay with me.
“She won’t mind.”
Maura finally opened the door, tightening the sash on her white sleeveless wrap blouse. She smiled, preparing to reach for me until she spotted Lana. “Oh, hello.”
Uh oh. I could tell right away she wasn’t pleased that I’d surprised her with an unexpected visitor. “Hey, baby,” I said, hugging her. “Mind if we come in?”
“Um, sure.” She stepped back, allowing us to enter. “But I don’t have a lot of time.” She checked her silver wrist watch. “I have an appointment in forty-five minutes.”
“No problem.” I turned to face her. “This won’t take long. Lana, I’d like you to meet Maura Lancaster.”
Maura raised an eyebrow at me before accepting Lana’s outstretched hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Blaise has told me so much about you.”
I could tell by Maura’s stiff posture that she was uncomfortable. Shit. Should I have introduced her as my girlfriend? Was that why she was pissed? I was out of practice with the whole relationship thing. I’d have to find out what her expectations were so I wouldn’t piss her off again.
“I wish I could say the same,” Lana said, with a tight smile. “Our Blaise is pretty tight-lipped when it comes to his affairs. I can’t tell you how many women have passed in and out of his life since we met, and most barely warrant an honorable mention.” Lana laughed, but it sounded fake. Patting my chest, she added, “Or maybe he’s just worried I’ll get jealous.”
What. The. Fuck?
I glared at Lana, but she paid me no mind as she wandered around Maura’s apartment, looking at the art on the walls before peering at framed photos of Maura’s family and friends. “Nice place you have here. Blaise tells me he owns the building.”
“Yes,” Maura said, narrowing her eyes as she fixed me with a “what the hell” look. “It was a recent acquisition. My father owned the building until very recently. I guess Blaise thought he’d like to have something like this in his portfolio.”
Lana laughed lightly as she picked up a framed photograph, studied it, and set it back down. “Chances are he bought it because you lived here. Blaise can be a little… controlling. When he’s sleeping with a woman, he likes to have some leverage he can use if she steps out of line. Isn’t that right, darling?” She smiled sweetly at me.
“Watch it, Lana,” I warned, glaring at her.
Maura was watching our exchange with interest, probably assuming I was trying to silence Lana because I had something to hide. But Lana wasn’t telling Maura anything she didn’t already know. I had bought the building to be closer to Maura, and it was no secret I was a controlling S.O.B., but I didn’t need Lana reminding my girlfriend of my short-comings.
“Relax,” Lana said, wandering to the window. “I’m not going to spill any of your secrets.”
Great, now she was giving Maura the impression I was keeping secrets from her. I had to find a way to turn this around before Maura found an excuse to dump my sorry ass. Again. “No one knows me better than Maura. I doubt there’s anything you could tell her that would surprise her.”
Lana turned, looking amused. “Come on now, Blaise. We both know that isn’t true.”
I saw color dotting Maura’s cheeks, indicating her temper was rising. Not good.
“Maybe you should tell me why you’re here.” Maura’s posture was stiff as she watched Lana move about her apartment like a cop looking for clues. “I really do have to get to the office.”
“I was hoping you could help us,” I said hesitantly. My reason for bringing Lana here seemed ill-advised, but it was too late to back out, and Maura may be my only hope.
“How?” Maura frowned when Lana picked up a piece of hand-painted pottery and turned it over. “If you don’t mind, that’s rare and quite fragile. Kindly put it down.”
“Oh, sorry,” Lana said, lifting a shoulder. She obviously couldn’t care less about being called out for her insolent behavio
r. “I was just passing time, waiting for Blaise to get to the point of this visit. I can’t imagine why he brought me here to meet you.”
The two women were obviously never going to be best friends, but I was certain Maura helped women all the time who she didn’t necessarily mesh with. Here goes nothing. “Lana, remember I told you my ex-girlfriend had been raped?”
Maura gasped at my question, but when I looked at her, her face registered rage instead of shock. What the hell had I done now?
“What about it?” Lana asked, looking disinterested.
“Maura was that girlfriend.”
The two women exchanged a look before Lana asked, “Just how long have you two known each other? I thought you’d just met.”
I didn’t see how that was relevant, but Lana was like a dog with a bone when she was seeking information. “No, we go way back.” I could feel the tension in the room as Maura’s incredulous eyes swept over me. “But that’s not the point.” Taking a deep breath, I decided to dive into the deep end. “Maura has been where you are, Lana. She was raped by someone she trusted too. An ex-boyfriend, in fact. But she had the courage to go to the police and testify at the trial. In fact, she’ll likely have to do it all over again very soon, since it seems they got the wrong guy.”
Maura gaped at me as though she couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth.
“Is that so?” Lana crossed her arms as she regarded Maura closely.
When the silence stretched on too long, Maura found her voice. “Yes, it seems so.”
“Were you scared?” Lana asked. “About going to the police?”
“Of course,” Maura said, running her hands down her black pencil skirt. “I didn’t want to, but I was young. My parents convinced me I didn’t have a choice. The person responsible deserved to pay for what he did to me.”
“But they got the wrong guy?” Lana prompted. “So what, your testimony sent an innocent man to prison? How do you live with that, knowing you ruined someone’s life?”
I could barely contain my rage. I’d never expected Lana to attack Maura. I thought they could find some common ground, maybe even develop a conciliatory relationship so Maura could convince her to go to the police and seek professional help. “That’s enough, Lana.” I shot her a warning glance. “Maura did what she thought was right. She found the courage to speak out. I think you need to do the same.”
