by Mia Madison
And now?
Now, I was lost.
Alone.
Afraid.
Before I could even ask—even wonder—where we would go or what we would do, Onyx was in action, moving around the apartment and grabbing things we might need.
“Do you have a suitcase?” He asked.
“Yeah, um… somewhere?” I shook my head to clear my thoughts and willed my legs to move. “In my room. I’ll get it.”
“Pack some clothes for you and Faye.” He stopped moving long enough to look at me. I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off, knowing exactly what I needed a split-second before I could ask. “You’re coming with me. Both of you. I’ll make sure you’re okay.”
“Thank you,” was all I could say.
He crossed the short distance between us and put his arms around me and Faye. “You don’t need to thank me. I need to do this. I owe it to you… and to Fabian.”
I’d been running on adrenaline and fear for the entire night—and now for the entire morning, too. But by the time we’d finally arrived safely at Onyx’s apartment, my frayed nerves and lack of sleep had started to catch up with me.
“You look tired,” Onyx said, shifting my suitcase and Faye’s diaper bag from one hand to the other so he could lock the apartment door behind us. “You should really try to get some rest.”
I bounced Faye on my hip and gave her a kiss on the forehead. “I’m gonna need to see if she’ll lay down first. Then maybe I can sleep. I need to call and check on Fabian, too.”
Onyx gave me a long look, but finally nodded. “I’ll take your stuff to the spare bedroom. I don’t have a, um, baby bed or anything…”
“A crib?” I laughed. “She sleeps like a rock, so I’m sure we’ll be okay. But thank you—for everything. I don’t think I could’ve made it through all of this without you.”
“Like I said before, there’s no need to thank me.” He shook his head. “I’m glad you’re here. Both of you. And Fabian is gonna be okay. I just know it.”
I nodded. His confidence was reassuring, even though he didn’t know any more about Fabian’s condition than I did.
And even though I had plenty of reasons to doubt his certainty, I was tired enough—and still hopeful enough—that I wasn’t going to question him. For the moment, I was content to let him take charge.
We’re safe now.
Fabian will be okay.
We can figure everything out together.
Later.
“Okay,” I said, finally, yawning as I swayed a little on my feet. God, I was tired. “I need to get her to bed and then maybe get a little sleep myself, and then…” I shook my head and took a deep breath. “Then maybe we’ll know more about Fabian, more about… everything.”
“I’ll call the hospital right now. If there’s any news, I’ll come back there and let you know.” He nodded toward the spare bedroom. “Go rest. Faye can have the spare bedroom and you can have my bed if you want it. I’ll sleep out here on the couch or in my office if I get tired.”
I was too tired and too numb to argue. I could only put one foot in front of the other as I walked down the hallway, past the small room that served as his office and into the spare bedroom.
Faye gurgled happily as I laid her on the bed. Such a sweet baby. Please, God, let her daddy be okay.
“Are you ready to take a nap, munchkin?” I eased myself down onto the bed next to her and looked at the clock. It was pretty ridiculous to hope that a child would want to take a nap at ten o’clock in the morning, but I was sure as hell gonna try and get her to anyway, for my own sake. “Just for a little while, and then maybe we can go to the park or something fun, okay?”
I was just talking, not even sure of the words that were coming out of my mouth—just hoping that my tone was quiet and soothing enough that Faye would take me up on my offer of a little nap.
For once, luck or fate or the sweet baby Jesus was on my side, because she sighed contentedly and closed her eyes as I snuggled next to her, and within just a couple of minutes, her breathing evened out.
Miraculously, she was asleep.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Thoughts of the night before came flooding back, but I was too exhausted—both physically and mentally—for even those troubling visions to keep me awake.
I’d rest, just for a while. And then I’d try to cope with whatever hand fate had dealt me.
Onyx
I don’t know what time it was when I woke up on the couch, or how long I’d been asleep. The last thing I remembered before falling asleep was calling the hospital to check on Fabian.
I picked up my phone. It was three in the afternoon, which meant I’d been sleeping for at least four hours. Maybe longer. Ever since the moment I’d found Fabian outside my dressing room the night before, time had alternated between standing still and flying by.
Everything that had happened since then was a blur, and I was having a hard time remembering what I should be doing or what day it was. At least I had Lauren and Faye with me. At least they were safe.
Just thinking about the two of them possibly getting hurt by the psycho who had come after Fabian—it sent a chill down my spine and made me sit upright, the last cobwebs of sleep quickly fading.
Before I could think about it anymore, I was on my feet and walking toward the spare bedroom. Even though I knew in the back of my mind that they were safe, I still wanted—needed—to make sure, to see them there with my own eyes.
I caught myself just before I got to the door, slowing down to keep my loud footsteps from waking them up.
As soon as I peeked around the corner and saw them lying there, so beautifully and peacefully in the bed, I couldn’t help but smile.
They were okay.
They—we—were going to be okay.
“How is Fabian?” Even though it was barely above a whisper, Lauren’s voice startled me.
I hadn’t even realized her eyes were open, but she looked fully awake and even mostly rested as she slowly, carefully extracted herself from Faye’s little arms and crossed the room to join me at the door.
“His condition hasn’t changed,” I answered, backing away a couple of steps to give her some room. “We can go back up there later and see him if you want.”
“Yeah, I’d like that.” Her eyes were bright with emotion, and she blinked quickly as she turned her head and swiped at her cheeks. “I’m scared, Onyx.”
Lauren’s voice was so quiet that I wouldn’t have even heard it if I hadn’t been staring at her so intently—if I hadn’t actually seen her lips move to be sure that she’d said the words. But for all the times over the years she’d tried to be a smartass or a hard-ass, I knew that Fabian was her rock. Lauren was strong, no doubt about that, but Fabian was everything to her.
I believed her completely when she said she was scared. The truth was that I was scared, too. I wasn’t going to tell her that, though. She needed a man that could be strong right now, not someone who would break down and cry with her.
“He’ll be okay,” I said, hoping I sounded more certain than I felt. “You’ll be okay. I promise, Lauren.”
She looked up at me and nodded, and then she was in my arms, her whole body trembling as she clung to me.
I pulled her close, trying to ignore the reaction my body was having as I held her, but that was difficult with her pressed so tightly against me.
She looked up at me, her eyes so full of emotion that I only wanted to hug her tighter, to pull her closer, to fix all of her problems.
“Onyx, I need you…” She swallowed hard, her pleading voice matching the desperate look in her eyes.
“Anything,” I said, meaning it. I would’ve laid down and died right then and there if she’d asked me to. “Whatever you want, whatever you need—I’m here.”
“Kiss me.” Her voice was still soft, but there was an urgency and a neediness that I couldn’t deny, even if I’d wanted to. “Please, Onyx.”
My thro
at was tight, and I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. But just looking at her there in my arms, there was no way I was going to tell her no—no way I was going to push her away.
The instant our lips met, as soon as I tasted her and that first electric jolt went straight through my body—straight to my cock—I knew it wouldn’t be enough.
I needed more.
Fuck.
I needed her.
She opened her mouth to me and my tongue entwined with hers, exploring her mouth as I let my hands roam up and down her back, going a little lower with each pass until I was grabbing her ass and nearly lifting her off her feet as I claimed her with my mouth.
Lauren reached down and palmed my cock through my pants, nearly pushing me over the edge with desire as I thrust against her hand.
She pulled back and looked up at me. “Yes,” she nodded. “This is what I need.”
“We shouldn’t…” The words died on my lips. Partly because I honestly didn’t want to stop, and partly because she was already pulling on my arm, leading me back to my bedroom.
As soon as we were in my room, I closed the door behind us, more aware than ever that there was a baby sleeping in the next room.
Was I really going to do this with my best friend’s sister? Was it taking advantage of the situation?
She had already shrugged out of her shirt and was in my arms again, but I resisted the urge to kiss her this time.
“Maybe we really should wait,” I said. “I think you’re just… uh…”
I didn’t know what she was feeling, honestly, but I knew that both of our emotions had been running high.
“I need this, Onyx. I need to be in your arms. I need this release.” She inched closer and put her hand on my chest. “I don’t want to wait.”
“Fuck,” I groaned, exhaling as she reached down and started to unbutton my pants.
My mind knew all the reasons why this was a bad idea, but my body was responding to her touch like it hadn’t received the memo. My cock strained against the thin fabric of my boxers as she pushed my pants down to my thighs.
She dropped to her knees and slowly pulled my boxers down, my cock practically leaping out at her once she had finally freed it.
I wanted to come as soon as she wrapped her delicate little hand around my shaft, but I held back. As much as I was looking forward to getting off with her, there was no need to rush it.
No, I intended on savoring every second we were together, drawing it out as long as possible.
But when she wrapped her lips around the head of my cock and started bobbing up and down, massaging the pulsing shaft with her tongue, all thoughts of going slow and savoring… whatever… completely disappeared.
“Oh, fuck, Lauren,” I growled, threading my fingers through her long hair as she went down on my cock. “Your mouth feels so fucking good.”
She looked up as she sucked me, her big brown eyes so full of heat that it pushed me dangerously close to the edge.
Having her sucking my cock felt amazing—and watching her?
Fucking hot.
But I needed more. I needed to be inside her. I didn’t wanna wait any longer or think of anything else—didn’t want to think at all, actually. All that mattered was what we were feeling, what we were doing together.
She sucked me deeper, and I leaned my head back, unable to think or speak or move as she took more and more of my cock, until I could feel the muscles in the back of her throat massaging the head.
I couldn’t help but thrust a little as she bobbed up and down. Her mouth just felt so fucking good.
She backed off and took a deep breath, still looking up at me with those beautiful eyes, and I lifted her to her feet, reaching down to cup her gorgeous breasts with my hands as I leaned in to kiss her.
My fingers grazed across her sensitive nipples, and she whimpered—a needy little sound that was hot as fuck—directly into my mouth.
Yeah, fuck waiting.
I picked her up and set her on the bed, pulling her hips to the edge as she spread her legs for me. I couldn’t take my eyes off that deliciously pink pussy, and the way she rolled her hips and moaned when I reached down to spread it open made my cock jerk painfully as I lined it up and pushed the head inside her.
“Fuck baby,” I said, exhaling slowly as I filled her. “Your pussy… so tight… fuck.”
I couldn’t speak—couldn’t even think—in complete sentences anymore, but I didn’t care. My whole world had narrowed to the goddess on the bed in front of me, arching her back and thrusting those beautiful tits up at me as she rode my cock.
“Harder, Onyx,” she gasped. “I need it… please…”
I moved my hands back to her hips and pulled her closer again as I pulled out and plunged all the way back in, balls deep, making her cry out my name.
There was no way I was going to last very long like this, but there was no way I was going to slow down, either. Over and over, I rammed my cock into her, harder and faster, until the room filled with our moans and the sounds of our bodies colliding.
“Lauren, baby,” I gasped, still pounding her pussy relentlessly, “I’m so close, baby. Just tell me when.”
Little beads of sweat had started to appear at the base of her throat, and it took a second for her eyes to focus on me as she bounced up and down on my cock, but when my words finally sunk in, she nodded insistently.
“Yes, come for me, Onyx. Don’t stop. Stay inside me.”
It was all I needed to hear.
My fingers dug into her hips as I buried my cock inside her one final time, my orgasm overtaking me and filling her completely, until I collapsed on top of her, pinning her under my weight as I leaned in and kissed her again.
“So good, baby,” I murmured, rolling over next to her and finally easing her off my cock. I looked down to see the evidence of my climax trickling out of her, and it turned me on all over again to know that she had trusted me like that—wanted me like that.
She nodded, still trying to catch her breath as she looked up at me and smiled. “I needed it. More than you know.”
But I did know. I understood the need for a release like that, especially after the previous twenty-four hours. I understood it completely, and that knowledge only made me feel closer to her and more protective over her.
“I’m here for anything you need, babe,” I said, meaning it. “I’ve got you.”
She moved closer and rested her head on my chest, her breathing finally back to normal as she closed her eyes and nodded again.
“You’ve got me,” she whispered. “And I’m yours.”
Lauren
I woke up with a gasp, sitting upright in the bed as I felt around in the dim light.
“Fabian? Faye?” I swung my legs over the side of the bed and my feet were on the floor before it all came rushing back to me.
And then, as I shuddered and remembered where I was and how and why I got there, I felt a pair of strong arms circle me from behind—Onyx’s arms—pulling me back and holding me close.
“I’m here,” he said. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”
“I think I was having a nightmare,” I said, turning and pressing my face against his bare chest as he held me. “But then I woke up, and now I remember that it was all real. All of that bad shit really happened.”
“Fuck, baby,” he murmured into my hair as he rested his head on top of mine. “I’m so sorry about all of this.”
My breathing slowly returned to normal, and I pulled back just enough to look up at him. I’d never looked at Onyx as anything more than my brother’s best friend before. I mean, sure, he was hot. He was built. He could get any woman he wanted—and had done so, plenty of times, from what I’d seen and heard over the years.
But I’d never imagined him as my protector. As my security blanket, my peace of mind.
Until now, that is.
Now, since last night—God, had it only been last night?—I couldn’t imagine getting through the
day without him.
“You don’t need to apologize,” I said, finally, reaching up to touch his face, to let my fingers trace the firm, strong line of his jaw. He was hurting from what had happened to Fabian as much as I was. The only difference was that he was holding it all together. For me. “I should be the one to say I’m sorry, coming in here and turning your life upside down.”
“No.” He shook his head. “Please don’t think that. It’s not true. You’re not turning my life upside down. We’re in this together—you and Faye and me.”
It was exactly what I needed to hear. Somehow, Onyx always knew just what to say—and always seemed to mean it. When he looked into my eyes and told me we were in this together, I believed him.
How had I missed this side of him for so long?
From the first time I’d met him until just a couple of days ago, I’d assumed that he was like all the other semi-pro athletes I’d ever known—cocky and arrogant players with big egos and bigger insecurities.
But that wasn’t Onyx. Not at all.
He was sensitive and caring—nurturing—in a way I’d never seen, never experienced outside of the way my brother had always taken care of me. But this was different than that, too.
While I had sometimes chafed under my brother’s watchful eye and rebelled against some of his rules, I didn’t feel the same way with Onyx.
Granted, he hadn’t imposed any rules on me or Faye, but I genuinely felt like he wanted us to be there… and I wanted him to watch over us.
“Thank you,” I said, drawing in a deep breath and leaning in against him, loving the feel of his body next to mine. “I needed to hear that. Just being near you makes me feel a little better.”
“I meant every word.” His deep voice rumbled through me, comforting me. “And I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for you and for Faye.”
