by Tyler King
“Come here, sweetheart.” I held the cigar between my teeth and grabbed her around the waist, dropping her in my lap. “See? The view just improved.”
She rolled her eyes and smiled, embarrassed. “Your son is shameless,” she told Simon. “I don’t know where he gets it.” Hadley yanked the cigar from my mouth and pressed a quick kiss to my lips before taking a drag.
“Never stop courting,” he answered. “A touch of charm will earn a lot of forgiveness.”
That was my new favorite discovery about her. Punky had always been shit at taking compliments—she used to punch me in the arm for saying she was pretty—but now a few sweet nothings had her blushing like the Pope at a Boy Scout jamboree. It did good things for my ego.
“You love it,” I told her.
“You’re only half as clever and a third as charming as you think you are,” she said. Punky gave me back the cigar, then swiped my brandy snifter.
“That’s still twice as good as the next guy.”
“Well, I should get to bed,” my father announced. Subtle.
“Good night, Dad.”
“Night, Simon.”
He patted my shoulder as he passed, bending down to press a kiss to the top of Hadley’s head. “Good night,” he answered. “See you in the morning. And happy birthday.” Simon stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
“That’s right. It’s after midnight.” I set the cigar aside and took the glass from Hadley’s hand. Taking her cheek in my palm, I brought her lips to mine. “Happy birthday, Punky.” She tasted like cigar and brandy, and it was the hottest fucking flavor on her tongue.
“What’d you get me?” Hadley draped her arms over my shoulders, her eyes bright and expectant.
“Not telling. You’ll have to wait.” I cradled her to my chest, running my hand up and down her bare leg.
“It’s officially my birthday. I want my present now.”
“Too bad.”
“Josh.”
“Hadley.”
“I want it now,” she repeated with a bit more demand in her tone.
“Say it again.”
“I want it.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, baby. I want it so bad. Give it to me now.” Hadley put on her best porn-voice impression, cracking me up.
“You naughty thing.” I squeezed her ass. “You know I can’t resist when you beg.”
“So I can have my gift?” Her smile brightened with her excited expression.
“No. But I’ll give you a ride on my cock.”
She smacked the side of my head, pouting. “You suck.”
“I’ll suck, lick, bite…whatever you want, sweetheart.” I pulled her closer. Hadley swerved when I went for her lips, so I attacked her neck instead.
“A hint?” she begged.
“You’ll have to wait and see.” I kissed along the underside of her jaw and down the blue vein while my left hand moved inside the front of her sweatshirt to capture a handful of her breast. “This isn’t the liquor talking,” I said, “and I’m not just flattering you because I’d like to get inside you in the immediate future.” I brushed my thumb over her nipple, feeling it constrict under my touch. “But you have my favorite set of tits in the world, Punky. Museum quality.”
She jerked away. “Did you really just say that?”
“Goddamn right I did.” I hoisted her up and sat her astride my hips.
“How do you do that?” she asked with a sweet smile. My smile.
“Do what?”
“Be so perfect all the time. You’re not living up to your reputation as an insufferable prick.”
“I am that,” I admitted. “And I’m not perfect.” I urged her lips to mine again. “I only need to be perfect for you.”
“Shut up and screw me,” she laughed, nipping my lip. “You’ve earned it.” I gripped the underside of both thighs, sitting forward to lift us up. “No,” she said. “Here.”
I sat back, appraising her. “Here? Really?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Hadley kissed my jaw and traced her fingers over my shoulders. “I like it out here.”
“Simon—”
“I seriously doubt your dad is going to come looking for us.”
“Can you keep your voice down?”
I pinched her nipple. She yelped and the sound turned to a deep moan when I tugged on it.
“That’s a no.”
Hadley was a loud lover. A fact I rather enjoyed, but my father didn’t need the soundtrack. We were much closer to his bedroom out here than upstairs in one of our rooms. Although, the way sound traveled through the house, it might not matter where we were.
“I’ll be good,” she whispered. Hadley sat back on my lap, dipping her head to flick her tongue over one of my nipples, teasing the piercing. She looked up from under her lashes. “Promise.”
“You’ll do no such thing.” I tugged the sweatshirt over her head and pulled her forward. She arched her back, shoving her tit in my mouth.
Hadley writhed in my lap, grinding her hot cunt over my erection. With my right hand around her hips, I encouraged her movements. My teeth scraped the tight peak of her nipple. Her hands went to my hair, tugging and holding me there. I tended to the other breast, flicking my tongue piercing across the sensitive tip.
“Damn it, Josh.”
Her hands dropped to my jeans, ripping at the buttons until each one popped open. Punky’s greedy fingers found my dick and pulled it free. I thrust into her hand, then pushed Hadley back until her feet met the floor.
“Off,” I said as I snapped the elastic band of her shorts with one finger.
With my left hand, I stroked my cock, appreciating the view of her half naked in front of me. Teasing me, she slipped her shorts and underwear to the floor in a slow, deliberate movement.
“Come here,” I said, and tugged her to straddle me.
Hadley grabbed the back of my neck with one hand, the other fisting my cock to guide me in. I groaned and pressed my forehead to hers as she sank down, my dick prying open her tight channel. Cradling her ass in my lap with my broken hand, I moved my left between us to rub circles over her clit. Hips working back and forth, she didn’t lift one inch, just sliding her ass across my thighs with me burrowed deep inside her.
I found her lips, kissing her hard. I love you, they said. I worship you. You fucking own me and please don’t ever take this away from me.
Hadley’s forehead fell to my shoulder and she held on. Muffled noises of anticipation were concealed behind her clenched teeth and clasped lips.
“Hang on to me,” I said.
Hadley’s arms closed around the back of my neck. Hoisting us up from the chair, I took two strides and pressed her back against a pillar. Bracing her there, I swept both her legs over my arms. With more freedom to move in this position, I slammed into her. Again and again our bodies collided in a speedy rhythm. Her muscles tensed. I felt her snug hole clench around my cock.
“That’s it, sweetheart.”
A tiny scream burst from her lips. The sound lasted only a split second before her teeth clamped down on my shoulder, silencing her announcement of completion. The sharp sting of pain shocked my system. I came hard, unable to stop myself. Bracing my body against Hadley, her back to the pillar, I panted in exhaustion. Every muscle tingled and shook. I was barely fucking standing, so I backed up and took her with me as I fell into the chair.
“Fucking hell,” I hissed. “Punky?” My hand combed through her hair. “You can let go now.”
Her teeth retreated, leaving an impression in my shoulder. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I stroked my fingers up and down her spine. My dick twitched inside her. “That was fucking spectacular.”
She nuzzled against my neck and ran her nose along the sweaty column, her lips leaving kisses along my throat. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I answered. And then I opened my eyes to the black spots still littering my vision. “Actually, yeah. Really okay.”
So fucking beautiful with her cheeks flushed red, her eyes sleepy, and her hair a wild mess.
“You didn’t have an attack.”
“No.”
“That’s good.” Her lips turned up and stopped before they revealed a full smile. As if she was reluctant to celebrate this fact. “Why not?”
“No idea. And I’m not going to linger on the thought.” I swiped my thumb over her bottom lip. “Maybe we’ll just have to make love standing up from now on.”
She laughed, burrowing her face against my neck. “I feel like I just got punched in the uterus.”
My head fell back and I laughed with a full voice. “Goddamn, Punky. Such romance. Such poetry.”
“Fuck off. That thing needs a warning label.”
“I’ll do it. I’ll get a surgeon general’s warning tattooed on my cock.”
“Will you stop it with that?” Hadley sat up, grabbing my jaw. “I like your dick just the way it is. No more ink or hardware on that part. Okay?”
“Whatever you say, sweetheart. He is your humble servant.”
Chapter 27
In the alley behind the Nest Saturday night, I walked my father to Hadley’s car after our show. The birthday girl inside was down for an all-nighter, but traveling cross-country had taken a toll on Simon.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you?” I offered.
“No need.” He unlocked the car with the key fob, the headlights illuminating the small lot. “Stay and have fun. And please eat something. You barely touched dinner, and you’re looking a little thin since the last time I saw you.”
“Yeah, sure. Just haven’t had much of an appetite recently.” It seemed every time I looked at food my stomach went a bit queasy these days. I’d probably caught a bug or something. “I’m glad you came. Means a lot that you could see us play.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed myself.” Simon opened the passenger door and turned to face me. “Your mother would be proud to see everything you’ve accomplished. The way you’ve grown.”
My eyes fell to the fascinating scuffmarks on my leather boots. “Thanks.”
“Josh, if there’s anything to take away from the girl you had tucked under your arm all night, it’s that a passion so strong has no substitute.”
“Yeah. I got that part figured out. I’m not letting her go. Tom issued the requisite threat.”
“I’m not talking about Hadley.” He slipped inside the car, lowering the window as he shut the door and started the car. “Love you, son. Be safe. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I took a step back as my father pulled away. In his wake, he left me perplexed. Oh, I understood his meaning just fine. Was it really so obvious?
I loved music. It was the only damn thing I was good at. The band, while a necessary distraction and suitable creative outlet, wasn’t a passion. Nothing against Trey and Corey. I loved those guys. No matter how much I threw myself into this hobby, though, I saw it more as a stagnant, failing relationship: She was safe, comfortable, and nonthreatening. She didn’t give me a hard-on when she walked in the room, nor was I overcome with the irresistible urge to mount her when she slipped into bed beside me. Days were not consumed with thoughts of her to the point of obsession, infatuation. Worse, she enabled my lazy complacency rather than inspiring growth.
Well, now I just wanted to throw Punky against a wall and fucking eat her.
Such deliberations only exacerbated my headache, which now had a side of tinnitus from the amplifiers. Tonight was for Hadley. Everything else could wait.
Back inside the bar, I went into the greenroom to use the private bathroom. It wasn’t pristine, but it got less use than the rotting petri dishes the customers used.
As I came out, Scott was waiting for me in the darkened hallway. With greasy, limp hair and a patchy growth around his jaw, he was almost unrecognizable. Small red scabs speckled his pallid complexion.
“I told you—”
“I want my money,” he said through chapped, split lips. His eyes were stained by broken blood vessels.
“You need to leave right now. I’m done with this shit.”
“Man, I’m not playin’ around. You owe me.” He was jittery, anxious, glancing down the hallway as if afraid to be seen.
“Scott, go home. Get yourself some help. I’m not doing this anymore.”
I tried to walk away, but he wouldn’t let me pass. Scott lifted the hem of his shirt to flash a small-caliber revolver stuffed in his waistband.
“I told you I’d be back. Just give me the money and we’ll call it square.”
“The fuck is that for?”
“So you know I’m serious.”
“You’re going to shoot me? Really? Who are you anymore? Look at yourself, Scott. You should be in a fucking hospital. You’re killing yourself.”
It was one thing to exchange a few blows and broken knuckles. Pulling this shit was goddamn insane.
“I’m done with your bullshit. You come at me with a fucking gun? Shoot me, you nutless fuck. Or go crawl back into your hole and fuck off.”
“Coming through!”
Scott backed off as one of the bar-backs came down the hall wheeling a cart of overstuffed garbage bags toward the Dumpster outside. Scott circled me, and for a second I thought he was relieved, like he’d been given an excuse to walk away and pretend this never happened.
“We’re not done,” he said, and darted into the alley.
Scott wasn’t there yet, but he was working up to becoming a dangerous man. I would have to go to the police, if only to protect Hadley and save Scott from himself.
But not tonight.
Hadley deserved to have fun, and I refused to let anything ruin her birthday. So I slapped on a smile and returned to the group.
I arrived at our table just in time to see Asha and Hadley slam blue shots of I-didn’t-know-what.
Hadley grimaced, shaking her head. “What was that?”
“I don’t know,” Tiny Tim laughed. The escaped member of Alice Cooper’s sideshow took a swig of Trey’s beer.
“You trying to poison my girl?” I asked.
Hadley turned around, smiling with a lopsided grin and glassy eyes. “Hi, handsome.”
“Sabra told me it was the birthday special,” Asha said. “I thought bartenders liked you here.”
Sitting down, I pulled Hadley on my lap. “Save any for me?”
“None for you.” She tapped my nose, blinking a lot over her dark, dilated eyes. “Someone has to get us home.”
Winding my hand into her hair, I caught the back of her neck. “Just a taste, then.” My lips met hers. She opened for me, allowing my tongue to lick inside. “Wow,” I said as I pulled away. “That’s fucking awful.”
Punky laughed and grabbed my glass of water. “I know, right? What did I ever do to Sabra?”
“Just so you know,” Corey said from across the table, Grace beside him. “Hadley offered to cook me dinner for a week if I spilled the beans on your gift.”
“Is that so?” I looked to Punky, arching my eyebrow.
“Yeah,” she said, without remorse. “And he wouldn’t tell me. How’s that for loyalty?”
“You already cook him dinner three times a week,” Trey said. “It’s not much of a bribe.”
“Speak for yourself,” Corey replied. “Sorry, Hadley. Bro code.”
“Bro code?” Grace scoffed. “Really? Can we please retire the phrase with popped collars and visors?”
“Screw that noise.” Hadley shifted in my lap and almost fell over. “I’ve known you longer. Doesn’t that count for anything? Trey?” Hadley leaned across the table. Everyone reached for their drinks to save them from the incoming calamity. Trashed, she was so damn adorable. “We’re tight, right? I know you like me better than Josh.” She sat up, grabbing my face and staring hard. “Sorry, babe. It’s true. I’m Trey’s favorite.”
“I’m crushed,” I mumbled with her hands squeezing my cheeks.
“Hadley
.”
We both turned to see Andre standing on the other side of the railing that separated the table deck from the rest of the floor.
“Just wanted to come by and say happy birthday. Can I buy you a drink?”
“Thank you,” she said. “But I’m already getting them for free.”
“Right.” Andre gave us an awkward smile.
“Have a seat,” she offered. “You here with the guys?”
“Yeah. By the bar.”
“We’ve got room. Join us.”
The others started shifting their chairs around to clear some space at the table. I wasn’t thrilled with this idea, but what could I do? It was Hadley’s birthday, and that meant I had to suck it up and deal.
Andre gave her a nod and went back into the crowd.
“Be nice.” Hadley placed a kiss to my lips. Her eyes were soft, smiling.
“Anything. It’s your night.”
“So can I have my present now?”
“When we get home.”
She turned to the group, a plea on her face. “Anybody?”
Silence.
“Traitors,” she snapped. “All of you.”
* * *
The ugly lights popped on overhead to usher the drunk and stumbling out to the pavement. Right about the same time, my headache kicked in full force. Like I had a golf ball lodged behind my eye. Across the room, Trey and Corey were dodging dart ricochets as Asha and Hadley hurled them at the board. Or the vicinity of the dartboard.
“You know,” Andre said. “Right?” He sat across the table picking at the label on his empty beer bottle. It was just the two of us now, and I sensed a man-to-man was unfolding.
“Know what?”
“That I’m batting for the other team.”
“Yeah. I heard.” I leaned back, using Hadley’s straw to try and soothe the itch under my cast. “That has nothing to do with everything else. I wasn’t picking on you.”
“No.” He smothered a smile. “I figure you like me better this way. I get it. She’s not my type.”
Like was a strong word. I hated him less.
