Jawbreaker (Four Point Universe Book 14)

by Max Ellendale

  Desiderius stood there, his shoulders less broad than before as he stared at me. We watched him deflate in front of us, and his rage seemed to calm to despair.

  "There's nothing there for us," I said, my voice softer that time. "But there could be something here. That's a choice you have to make." I rubbed Harlow's back as the weight of her pressed against me.

  "She's right, you know," said Harlow as I slipped my hand around her waist. "You could've killed me or hurt me, but you didn't. You could've killed or hurt those people in the casino, but you didn't. Those are choices, too."

  His gaze flickered to hers then back to mine. "Fuck you both."

  "The choices are yours, man," I said, motioning to him. "You can kill us both then face a life sentence once they catch you. Because they will, you know they will. Or you can leave us here, go back to your cell, and serve out your time. Five years and then you're free to make other choices. It's your call."

  He said nothing, but the teal returned to his eyes in full force. They nearly glowed in the dim light, casting his face in shadow. I tugged Harlow behind me again, and his attention flickered between us.

  "She's my whole heart," I told him, as the energy seemed to settle around us. "And she was worth waiting for." His gazed locked on mine and I continued, "You want something more out of this existence? Go find it."

  No words left him, no rumbles of his powers or anger connected to what he believed to be my greatest assault on him. Desiderius turned on his heel and walked toward the solid wall that I tumbled through. With a single wave of his hand in front of him, the stone parted, and he simply walked through the narrow opening. It closed behind him, sealing us in.

  I turned to Harlow immediately and tears streamed her cheeks as I cupped her face in my hands. She nodded, gripping my wrists as she pressed her forehead to mine.

  "I'm so sorry, baby." I kissed her gently, choking on a sob of my own. "I'm so sorry. You're okay. We're both okay."

  Again, she nodded and pulled me into a hug so fierce it made it seem like I was the one who was momentarily kidnapped. "Superhero saved her damsel," she teased, a chuckle following.

  "You saved me first." I smiled while tucking her hair behind her ears.

  She smiled through her tears, then brushed her thumb over my lips. "He trapped us in here."

  "I'll get us out. It'll take time, but I will." I urged her back into a hug and let out a heavy sigh. "I love you, baby."

  "I love you, too." She dropped her head on my shoulder, her body melting against mine.

  I wrapped one arm around her waist, then swept her up from the ground with my hands behind her knees. As if we'd done this every day, she hugged me around the neck while I held her.

  "Can't fly us through rock," she said, a small smile playing on her lips.

  "Nope. But I can hold you until I have enough energy to break down that wall. Until then…" I sat with her on a dry portion of the ground, using my legs to cradle her. "We can keep each other company."

  She smiled and curled up against me while hugging my arm to her chest. "Or you could call Nalea and ask her to bring down a sonic drill to knock out that wall."

  I laughed and stroked her chin with my index finger. "Or I could do that. But I'm kind of in the mood to punch the shit out of something. Perhaps the wall will be eager to receive it."

  She swatted my arm and chuckled. "Where do you think he'll go? Do you think he'll come back?"

  "I don't think he'll come back, but I'm not sure where he'll go or what he'll do. That choice is on him."

  "What if he doesn't go back to jail? Would you help catch him?"

  I nodded and ran my fingers through her hair. "He kidnapped you, left the museum with loads of damage, and put people in harm's way. Granted, I may have summoned a tornado on Seattle by accident and have no idea how much destruction both of us caused, but for now, he will have to make his own decision, just as I will."

  "You didn't do all that…did you?" Her eyes widened and she stroked my chest in soft circles.

  I nodded and pressed my lips to her forehead. "I did. But I don't know how it ended up."

  "We'll find out…"

  "I know."

  I closed my eyes and allowed myself to settle into the comfort of her in my arms. With little energy to spare, Harlow's caretaking led the way and she held me against her chest when we shifted positions.

  She tapped my ear, turning on the comms and I heard her say, "Nalea, I can't hear you, but we're okay. We're okay."

  ***

  Harlow and I arrived back to the scene at the museum after my strength returned enough for me to manipulate the rock to set us free. She held my hand as I approached the swarm of law enforcement and first responders at the scene. From the outside, it appeared as if a heavy storm swept through the area. Rain dampened everything, and some debris littered the streets, but it didn't appear as devastating as I thought.

  The museum, however, suffered foundational damage from the stalagmites that Desiderius forced through the floor in the ballroom.

  Nalea found us standing over the site as folks surveyed the destruction.

  "Veyda." She hurried over, grabbing me in a hug then Harlow. "Are you okay?"

  "We're okay," answered Harlow, though she still held on to my hand.

  "Did anyone get hurt?" I asked, stroking her back. "Did I really scare Elara?"

  "No one got hurt except you." Nalea leaned back, her eyes flickering over me. "You're bleeding from many places." She turned her attention to Harlow and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

  Harlow nodded and rubbed her arm affectionately.

  "I'm fine. It'll heal. Desiderius, the Hybridian who did this, where is he?" I pressed, glancing over to the black-haired sprite, otherwise known as Chief James and Nalea's boss, as she barked orders at people.

  "We're not sure yet. Is that his name? He's in the books as Daniel Smith."

  "Yeah. Definitely not Daniel Smith." I shook my head and waved my hand in front of me. "Story for another day. Is Elara okay and Audra?"

  "They're fine. I just said that to force you to focus." She smirked and looked to Harlow. "She ghosted herself through stone to get to you, dangerously."

  "Twice." Harlow hugged me around the middle. "And she can hardly move because of it."

  I leaned into her and sighed. "Everyone knows that I'm Hybridian now."

  "Everyone knows you're Seattle's best Shadow Protector, too." Nalea draped her arm around my shoulders as she walked us toward the exit. "What are you going to do about that?"

  "Deny it." I smirked and walked with them to Nalea's car. "Buy a pair of glasses to conceal my identity. Maybe a hat."

  They both laughed at me as Nalea opened the back door for us to board.

  "Get in. We'll hide you in here until we can bypass the reporters out front."

  "Good." I climbed in with Harlow and let out a heavy sigh.

  Nalea closed the door, and right away, Harlow stroked my chest, gripping the angles of my collar after loosening my crooked bowtie. She doted on me, taking a tissue from the console up front to swipe the blood away from my ears and down my neck. I leaned into her, and just let her do whatever she wanted.

  "My hero…" she whispered, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "How many more times do I have to look forward to being rescued by you?"

  "Hopefully you will not need rescuing anymore, baby!" I laughed when I said it and swatted her arms. "Harlow."

  She grinned and unbuttoned my shirt to dab at my neck. Her brow furrowed and she ran a single finger along the part of the suit that covered my throat. "Off," she said, and immediately, the slithering recoil of the suit retracting from my body tickled my skin. It circled my wrist again, and she continued on as if nothing happened.

  A smile made it to my lips as a rolling, delicious warmth encompassed me when her energy surged against mine. Her eyes twinkled when she brought my hands to her lips for a kiss.

  "Starmates," she said, hugging my hands to her chest. "Your suit
listens to me just like you."

  "Yes, it does. And I've only ever listened to you." I chuckled and leaned in to kiss her. "Are you okay, baby? Are you really?"

  "My Veyda was there for me, and I knew she would always be. I was scared, but I'm okay. We're okay." She pulled me into a hug, and I kissed along her neck and shoulder.

  "We're okay. Veyda will always keep her Harlow safe."

  "Museum Curator Harlow will always be there for History Professor Veyda," she said, snickering with it. "No matter how syrupy sweet and pathetic we get."

  I laughed and grabbed her into a rough hug down into the seat. She squealed and cracked up.

  "I might drop my briefcase again in the future if I need to get your attention," she said, her giggles emanating around us.

  "Is that how you hooked me, did you?" I grinned and nibbled along her chin.

  "Yep." She squirmed under me. "A nerd catches a nerd with paper, books, and art."

  "This is accurate—"

  "Ow." Harlow arched her back, grunting as she reached into the pocket of her blazer after freeing it from under her hip.

  "What's wrong?"

  "I landed on this." She grinned as she pulled out a spherical candy speckled with flecks of rainbow. "Jawbreaker."

  "You had that in your pocket?" I nearly doubled over while chuckling.

  "My plan was to seduce you with it after the gala." She pouted then brought it to her lips. "Want to taste it?"

  "Do I want to taste my jawbreaker?" I grinned. "Absolutely."

  Harlow squealed, then erupted into a giggle fit when I tickled her.

  I burst out laughing and our hysterics turned into sets of emotions that needed to leave us in waves. Tears flowed freely along with our smiles as we found our connection again. In a world where neither of us ever felt particularly secure, we found that safety in each other even at the height of our fears. With Harlow in my life and in my arms, I knew I would never want again. Never need to search for something or long for someone to love with all of me. She was what I knew, she was who I loved, and nothing could ever change that. Our Starseeds found each other, lost in the matrix of a galaxy not meant for us. We became each other's universe, and there, time stood still for us as we explored the farthest reaches of the cosmos together. In each other's arms, we both arrived where we thought we never would…home.

  Epilogue

  "Veyda," Harlow cried out my name as I devoured her on the sofa. Her silk blouse gathered around her middle with her black blazer hanging off her shoulders. She gripped my hair, holding me to her as my lusty mouth devoured her pussy.

  I moaned into her as the warmth of my unspoken gift rolled off my tongue to dance along with me in her wetness. Her moans and high-pitched croons sent shivers down my spine, pushing me over the edge with her.

  We basked in the pleasure together, floating in the euphoric white light of the connection we found. I loved taking her by surprise, and today that surprise found her immediately after she returned home from work and before she even made it out of her shoes.

  I lifted her, moving her around on the sofa so that I could sit, then urged her to straddle my lap. She reached between us, as if she knew what I had waiting for her. Lust swam in her overcast eyes as I freed the strap-on from my pants and tapped the tip against her clit. She nodded, a heavy moan leaving her lips as I slipped into her depths. My lashes fluttered as I watched the way she moved on top of me; starved, confident, and aching for more.

  And I gave it to her by letting her take it, take all of me, while I gripped her hips and thrusted up into her. Her cries of pleasure echoed through the empty house, and mine weren't a beat behind. How I loved when she rode me so freely with her hair messy and bouncing around her shoulders. I grabbed handfuls of her breasts, massaging them through her clothes when she cried out my name.

  I didn't know how long we fell under the spell together, but eventually we calmed down together to a breathless heap. Her legs quaked around me as she ran her fingers through my hair when I released her mouth from an impassioned kiss. Half-lidded eyes gazed down at me accompanied by a sweet, satisfied smile.

  "Hi, baby." I chuckled as I kissed her neck. "Welcome home."

  "Mmm." She closed her eyes when I hugged her to me. "Hi."

  I kissed her neck and down along the slouching collar of her blouse. Her smile never faded, and we settled into the soft comforts of our embrace. I couldn't wipe the grin from my face as I gazed at her, enticed with the same intensity as our first kiss, our first everythings, and now with our boundless love. As if she could read my thoughts, she smiled and tucked my hair behind my ears again.

  I hear you, she said, bursting into my thoughts in the manner she'd mastered. I love you and I missed you, too.

  My heart fluttered in my chest as I caught her in a kiss, my index finger under her chin. A whole workday is too much apart time.

  My clingy baby is the best baby. She giggled her head off, ending our kiss

  Me clingy? Who's the one who can't sleep unless all her limbs are tangled with mine? I snickered and tickled her sides.

  "Veyda!" She squealed, cracking up after and swatting me all over. "I can so sleep without doing that."

  "Nope. No, you can't." I chuckled and nipped her all over her lips. "Can't at all." I paused when I heard the pitter-patter of small feet racing through the house. "Company incoming. Must reapply the pants, STAT."

  "Vey." Harlow released me to wiggle free and grab her bottoms off the floor. "What did I remind you about locking the door?"

  "I don't use the doors!" I laughed while watching her pull her panties up, biting my lip while enjoying the sight. I wrestled the strap from my pants in record time, employing my superheroing abilities for a different kind of wardrobe change.

  Harlow smacked my knee and narrowed her eyes at me. "You keep watching me get dressed, you'll be hard up to watch me undress for a while."

  I flew out of my seat as if someone set it on fire, then helped her fasten her trousers and belt. I kicked the strap-on and harness under the sofa and she laughed at me the entire time.

  We broke apart just as the back door flung open.

  "Aunties!" shouted the squealing voice of Elara as she bolted into the house.

  Audra chased after her, a beat behind with Ezra on her hip. He giggled his two-year-old head off while Elara led the pack. Nalea brought up the rear at a casual saunter, a smirk plastered across her face as she watched her family cause a riot of cute. Elara broke into a full run when she saw us from down the hall, her twisted pigtails bouncing against her shoulders, making the beads click in time. She gripped the back of the sofa and climbed over it, flopping to a heap on the cushions with a heavy giggle.

  "Just what do you think you're doing, Baby Boo? Huh?" I dropped down beside her and tickled her sides. She squealed and kicked at me, her running shoes colliding with my arms in perfect tandem.

  "Auntie VeyVey, we have to go to see the stars." Elara beamed at me, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

  "All the way to the stars, huh?" I gripped her hand and tugged her up to stand. "How are we getting there?"

  "From the roof. Mom says there's a meat shower." She pointed to the ceiling then looked over at Audra.

  We all laughed at that, and Harlow held her hands out for Ezra when he reached for her. She settled him on her hip after a quick cheek kiss.

  He squeezed her around the neck and said, "Staws."

  "That's right." Harlow tapped the end of his nose. "Stars. We love stars, don't we?"

  "Uh huh." He nodded then stretched out in a heavy yawn. His thumb made it to his mouth, and he looked at his moms.

  "Looks like some kid isn't gonna make it to the meteor shower tonight," Nalea said, chuckling as she stood beside Harlow and Ezra.

  "I make it!" Ezra protested then hid his face against Harlow.

  Nalea grinned and dodged a swat from Audra.

  "Don't egg him on. We've had enough tantrums today." Audra scowled, but Nalea grabbed her in a
hug.

  "Meat shower," repeated Elara now that I held her in my lap. "Will it be pretty?"

  "Meteor shower. None of the lesbians in this room want meat showers, Baby Boo." The words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them.

  Three pillows collided with my torso, thrown by each of the adults, and it sent Elara into a giggle fit.

  "Let's get a move on before Auntie Veyda forgets how impressionable youth can be." Nalea grabbed me by the ear and forced me to stand.

  "Ow! Nae." I laughed and took Elara's hand on the way up.

  "Auntie Vey gets time out." Elara skipped along beside me as the crew of us headed out the back door.

  "She sure does." Audra muttered while glaring at me playfully and trying to hide her laughter.

  "If I get a time out, none of you will be able to get on the roof," I reminded them as we stepped into the chilly evening air.

  "No time outs!" Elara pointed to the roof. "Until you put us up."

  I laughed and held my arms to her. "Come on then." Elara let me scoop her up and hand her off to Nalea. "Hold on to Mom. Ready?"

  "Ready!" She squealed, her little fist shooting into the air.

  I grinned and hugged Nalea, her free arm around my shoulder.

  "Ugh. I hate this," said Nalea, holding her breath and Elara close. "Why do I keep agreeing?"

  "Because the portion of the roof we sit on is flat and it makes you less of a scaredy cat." I laughed at her as I waved my fingers toward the grass and conjured a burst of wind to send us upward.

  We landed gently while Nalea grumbled at me.

  "Can't curse at me while holding your kid, can you?" I grinned and swatted her elbow.

  "Accurate." She snuck her hand behind Elara's back and flipped me off.

  I laughed as I jumped off the roof to land beside the rest of our family. Audra and Ezra followed, and I kept Harlow for last.

  She smiled at me when I held my arms to her and moved into them. The heat of her against me, the way her heart beat in time with mine, and the sweet scent of her endless magnolias lifted me up both physically and emotionally. All I ever wanted was her, and when she tumbled in my life, for the first time, I no longer searched or wondered or yearned for something greater. Harlow was my something greater, my greatest, and my forever.