“God, I hope so.” I was fucking scared and knew I needed to make the night unforgettable for Elaina. I wanted to make love to her all night long, which meant I needed a bag.
After hanging up, I called Cora and told her Elaina had been tired with Nicky partying at night, and I couldn’t bear to ask. I explained I had been getting vials from my mum, so I couldn’t ask her, either. Since Gunther was set, she was more than willing to help.
I didn’t bother to grab anything from the office. Just my helmet, keys, and wallet. Before walking out, I stood in the doorway and looked at it, hoping it wasn’t the last time. My office… I worked bloody hard for it.
Gunther’s voice broke through. I spun around and watched him coaching for a moment. My throat went dry, realizing I was fucking him over, but I had to get well. I was exhausted. It was time for me to take care of myself, maybe helping Gunther, as well.
Gazing around, listening into the rhythmic sounds of fitness equipment and weights clanging, my lips went tight, the emotions rising in my throat. Edge Fitness was a place of refuge for me and so many others. Gunther and I had done well by opening it.
I pulled him aside and patted his shoulder. We locked gazes. I realized it could’ve been the last time I ever stood with him. I stared at his face, wondering what would become of him if something did happen and I was unable to come back. He worked so hard to make up for everything he had done.
“You all right, mate?” Gunther asked with a curious look.
“I’m not feeling well,” I said, nonchalantly.
“Right. Well, go get some rest. Call Cora if you need anything.”
“Yeah. Nicky has been partying from ten until four lately.”
“Ahh, yes. I am quite familiar with how that goes. Everette has been doing that lately, as well. Maybe we should get them together and they can tire each other out.” He smiled. The warmth he exuded when talking about his children was an amazing sight.
I returned a smile. “Sounds good. Thanks for understanding. And, ahh… Thanks for everything.”
Gunther furrowed his brows. “Umm… You’re welcome.”
I turned around to leave, then glanced over my shoulder and watched Gunther for a moment. How the tides had turned. Leaving him actually depressed me a bit, but if I could make it through the process, he could also. I wanted to give that to him after all he had dealt with because of me.
Chapter 50
After Cora’s donation, I staggered between the houses, my whole body quaking with anxiety. I tried to control my high, needing to simmer down a bit before going inside to face Elaina. I decided to sit on my bike for a few minutes to allow the buzz to dissipate.
The curtain peeled back in the living room and Elaina peered out. “Shit.” The front door opened and she jogged down the porch steps, heading for me. “Fuck…” I hopped off and waited for her.
“Hey. I thought I heard you pull up a while ago.”
“Yeah.” I wrapped my arms around her.
“You doing okay? You look…I don’t know…not right.” I inhaled, enjoying her vanilla scent. Goddamn me for doing this to her, my boy, and my mum. After a shudder, Elaina pulled away, concern in her eyes. “Henry, what’s going on with you?”
Forcing a smile, I said, “Nothing. I’m fine.”
“You have me so worried.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
She studied me for a moment, then shook her head. “Come on. Your mom has a nice meal almost ready. Beef stew.” She smiled.
“You know that’s my favorite.” Definitely what I would have chosen as my last meal.
“I know. I was going to bring a nice picnic lunch by the gym today. I thought it would be nice to have a quiet meal together.”
“You are the best wife ever. Never forget that. Did Mum make bread, too?”
“Yup.”
“Perfect. Can I ask you something?”
“Of course. Anything.”
“Because of my poor behavior, I know we’ve been off course with our, umm…” I glanced away, feeling ashamed.
“Yeah. I understand what you’re saying.”
“Would you be opposed to it tonight? I want to try to get back to us.” Fuck me. I was an artist in manipulation.
She smiled even wider and snuggled into me. “I’ve been dying to feel you inside me,” she murmured in my ear.
My soldier thickened. “Good. Thank you. I’ve been wanting to, but wasn’t sure how to approach it. I thought since things seemed to be going a little better between us… I just love you so fucking much and want to show you that.”
“Henry, no matter what is flowing through that crazy noggin of yours, I will always love you. No matter what, I won’t judge. We’ve had our issues, some much worse than others, but you and I are forever.”
With a hoarse voice, I managed, “Thank you. I needed to hear that.” I licked my lips, feeling the urge to dive into her right there. I would’ve bent her over my bike and fucked her harder than ever if I knew no one would see.
She sensed my desire and batted her eyelashes. “You could start by kissing me.”
I leaned down and our lips met. She was eager to touch tongues, but I held back just a little. I nipped her lip, then slid my tongue inside her mouth. The soft, sensual dance made my soldier salute.
Pulling away, I muttered, “Shit.” She chuckled and rubbed her hips against me. “You’ll make me come in my shorts if you keep that up. Now I can’t go inside until things settle down.”
“Think of ugly things.”
“Umm…”
“I have to go in and check on Nicky. He’s probably trying to help your mother too much.”
“I’ll be in in a sec.”
I watched her walk away and her ass… Oh god. She gazed over her shoulder and blew me a kiss while strutting away. “Sweet mother of mercy,” I whispered and turned around, trying not to make a mess. She chuckled as the front door opened and closed. Naughty bird.
I played the good father, husband, and son throughout the rest of the day. Between being considerate and helpful, I smiled and made sure to behave, not letting my demons interfere with what may have been my last twenty-four hours with my family.
As soon as we put Nicky to bed, I ushered Elaina to our room, ready to rock her world.
We lay on the bed and had each other’s shirts off in an instant. Fuck me. I was going to miss seeing her. She was so perfectly curvy with this tiny leftover pregnancy pooch, making me want to nibble on every last bit of her flesh. She hated it, but I still thought she was ridiculously sexy. She made my cock throb. That should have told her something, but the way I abused her might have had something to do with the self-conscious feelings.
“Love?” I murmured as we exchanged kisses.
“Hmm?”
“I just want you to know how sorry I am. I have no idea why you’re allowing this, but I can’t be more appreciative of how you’ve-”
She placed her finger over my lips. “I can’t explain it and maybe it’s stupid, but I know you’re sorry. I can feel it.”
“I love you and don’t deserve you. I never have…and I never will.”
Elaina shook her head and whispered against my lips, “I love you, too.”
My fingers slid down her sides and I shoved them between the waist of her jeans and her panties, making my cock pulse.
“Shit, love. Are you wearing lacy panties?” She nodded with a grin. “No mummy cotton panties?”
“Nope.”
“Jesus… I need to see. Take off your jeans,” I demanded.
Elaina stood from the bed and did a little striptease. Her jeans were the first to go as she moved her hips like a pro. It reminded me of when we used to go out to the bars to dance and drink into the wee hours of the morning.
When she got down to her bra and panties, both were black lace with no padding. Her nipples and a trimmed strip of hair peeked through.
“Jesus suffering fuck,” I whispered as she teased her nipples throug
h the material, her hand traveling inside her panties.
She turned around and swiveled her hips a little more. I was drooling over her ass, so perfect and so meaty. I could fuck her for hours. She was going to remember every minute, feeling me even when I was gone.
As Elaina pushed down the straps on her bra, she looked over her shoulder.
“Take it off,” I growled.
“I’ll take it off for a hundred dollar bill.”
“No fucking problem.” I dug my hand into my pocket, pulling out a wad of cash, and peeled off a couple hundreds, waving them in the air. “Now, strip for me.”
The bra came off and she threw it at me, swaying her hips even more.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me. Turn around and let me see you.” She turned, slow and deliberate. “Oh fuck… Look at you.” I swear my cock was jumping around. “Panties off!” I barked.
She hooked her thumbs into the sides of her panties and swiveled those hips once again.
“Off, Elaina!” She smirked and tore the fuckers clean off her body. “Jesus Christ.”
“I need the money to buy new panties. More like these?” she asked as she tossed them to me.
Tires screeched in my head, making me suck in a sharp breath and slam my eyelids shut.
“Henry? You all right?”
I popped my eyes open. “Uhh… Yeah. Just thinking about seeing you in those all the time. My cock would be painfully hard every minute of my life.”
“Good.” She smiled and hopped onto the bed. “I’m so glad we’re getting back on track.”
“Me, too.”
“I hope we keep moving forward.”
I pressed my finger to her lips. “Shh… Let’s not talk anymore unless it’s dirty, nasty, fuck talk.”
“Suck my clit.”
“No fucking problem.”
I grabbed her legs and pulled them out from underneath her. She squealed, and I planted my face into her apex. Fuck me… Her scent was intoxicating. The tip of my tongue snaked out and ran up her slit. Her hips bucked, and my eyes rolled from her sweet taste. I moaned into her folds, enjoying her one stroke at a time. Wrapping my lips around that little sensitive spot, I sucked. As the orgasm rushed forward, she cried out in pleasure.
That was easy. “So quick, my love?” I murmured against her.
“Sorry… It’s been a while…,” she breathed out. I watched her tits pump up and down as she panted.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured.
“It’s okay. No more talking, remember? Only dirty, nasty, fuck talk.”
I chuckled and began nipping her thighs, up to her hipbones, then back down again, thoroughly kissing, licking, and nipping every square inch of her below the waist. I made my way up to her chest and repeated my attention, sinking my fingers into both of her holes.
I moved up to her lips and growled, “You going to give me your ass tonight?”
“Yes. Anything you want,” she said with a moan.
“Good. I’m going to fuck you here.” I tapped her lips. “I’m going to fuck you here.” I pressed my thumb down on her clit. With a wiggle of my finger in her ass, I promised, “And I’m going to fuck you here.”
“Oh god…,” she groaned. I pulled my hand out and stood, sliding my shorts and boxers down in one motion. My soldier bounced as it appeared. “Mmm… So beautiful.”
“Come here and get on your knees, my love.”
She scrambled off the bed and knelt in front of me. I touched my cock to her lips. “Already dripping,” she murmured. Her tongue slipped out and licked the trickle of pre-cum.
“Uhh, shit.” My eyes rolled as she kept licking. A shudder ran through my body. As she gazed up at me, I became a bit worried about her. “Elaina?”
“Hmm?” She ran her tongue from base to tip.
I threw my head back and moaned, but I needed to make sure this was okay for her. “Like we used to? Like when we dated?” She nodded and I stroked her cheek with the backs of my fingers. “If you get nervous or it gets to be too much-”
“I will tell you.”
“Promise?”
“I promise you.”
I grabbed her head and pushed between her lips. Sweet mercy, mother of god… I forced my way to the back of her throat, hissing the whole way. Pumping into her mouth, I groaned, “Fuuuck.”
If I wanted to last, I had to stop. I pulled her up and made her kneel on the bed, rubbing her back and massaging her ass. After a sharp slap, I admired it. Such a beautiful sight, high in the air with a red handprint. There was no way I could wait another second.
I slid my cock into her pussy. She moaned as I fucked her enough to bring her to the edge, but not over. I pulled out and positioned at her other entrance.
“Relax, love… Relax.” I went slow and held her hips taut while entering. She yelled into the blankets. “Shhh… Almost there. You’re doing great. Goddamn, love…” We panted as I watched my cock disappearing into her ass.
“Henry…,” she moaned. I smirked and pulled out just a little, then pushed right back in again. “Oh god… Oh god…”
After I picked up a good rhythm, I threw my head back, fucking her hard. I leaned over and intertwined my arms with hers, hammering my hips into her ass.
“Shit, love. You’re killing me.” I slid out and slammed into her core again.
She twisted the blankets in her fists and cried out as the orgasm wrecked her. She became a mess, a wilted flower, unable to support her own weight. She would’ve collapsed if I hadn’t wrapped an arm around her waist. I pounded into her until my seed burst out of my cock.
“Uhhh… Fuck, love. So good,” I mumbled, falling onto the bed and pulling her with me. We moved to the head of the bed and covered up. “You okay?” I asked in her ear.
“Yes,” she breathed out. “I think you fucked me dumb.” I laughed and kissed her neck. “Sleep… I need sleep before Nicky gets up for his middle of the night party.”
“All right. Thank you for giving me all of you. You have no idea what this all means to me. Night, my love.”
“Hmmm…,” she moaned, nestling into me.
Running my fingertips up and down her arm, I thought, This is it. I may never get to have another night with my beautiful wife. I don’t want to let her go, but I have to.
My eyes filled with tears. No one knew my agony. I suffered alone, but my family would endure terrible hardships until I was able to return. It was definitely the most difficult decision I had ever made, but there was no other option. I had to go through with it. I needed to have a sense of normalcy in my life. In order to fix all the wrong between us and ensure my son had the father he needed, I had to fix me.
Being fragmented was exhausting and I was sick of it.
Chapter 51
With Solly riding shotgun, Xander turned down the street Luke lived on. He cut the lights and slowly pulled the pick-up into the driveway.
“Where are we leaving him?” Solly asked.
“I’ve surveyed the property several times, and feel like the shed will work. I’ve been in it. There’s only a mower and a handful of garden tools.”
Xander shut off the truck, hopped out, and slung a backpack over both his shoulders, Solly exiting a moment later. Pulling the tailgate down, Solly grabbed the subject’s ankles and maneuvered him to the edge. Xander climbed into the bed and grabbed his shoulders.
“Just be careful,” Solly warned in a whisper. “I’m confident in my work, but I don’t want anything to get fucked up, especially that bag of extra goodies I pinned to him.”
“Got it. Let’s just get this done before someone sees,” Xander grunted, lifting the subject. “Damn. This fucker is heavy.”
“You’re telling me. I had to do the prosthetics and make-up on my own.”
They carried the subject down the driveway and stopped in front of the shed. Upon setting him down, Xander wiped the sweat from his brow. Solly opened the shed door, which screamed against its hinges.
“Shh
h! Christ!” Xander barked.
“Like I knew it would do that, bitch.”
Xander pointed his finger into Solly’s chest. “Don’t fuck with me. Did you see what I did to him? I can easily do the same to you and collect your earnings.”
“You’re boring me. Let’s get this finished. We can kiss and make up later.”
Grumbling, Xander hoisted the subject under his arms, Solly at his ankles, and they shuffled into the shed. Once they laid him down, Xander fished a phone out of his pocket and sent Luke a text message.
“We’re out,” he murmured. He dropped the backpack next to the subject before Solly and he took off.
Finding herself walking on the sidewalk in the village, Cora held Callie’s hand and carried Everette on her hip. Kate gripped onto Grey’s and Silas’ hand while keeping pace right next to her.
She smiled as she gazed at each one of her children, an odd tingle starting at her head and traveling through her body when she noted the blank look in their eyes.
“Kate?” No response. She adjusted Everette to her shoulder. The same glazed look.
In her next breath, the familiar sounds of growls and moans invaded Cora’s ears. When she glanced over her shoulder, she realized dozens of undead were in hot pursuit.
“No! Not again!” she screamed. Intending to tighten her grip on Callie’s hand, she discovered she had vanished. She brought her hand up and stared at it in shock. Her body tremored as she looked left, right, then left again.
Panic erupted.
Cora spun in circles, screaming, “Callie! Callie!” When the weight in her arms lifted, Cora looked down and Everette had disappeared, as well. “No! Kate! We need to find-” Kate, Grey, and Silas vanished right before her eyes. “No!” she screamed again.
The pain in her heart was too much to bear. She wanted to collapse on the sidewalk and allow the coming undead to take her. Cora decided she needed to ask for help from the others surrounding her. However, when she faced them, they also seemed to be in another world of their own. She grabbed onto them and screamed into their faces, exasperated no one would pay attention.
All her children had vanished before her very eyes. How could they not have seen?
Blind Faith (Shattered Lives, Book Four) Page 43
