Fool for Love (Believe #2)

by Karen Ferry

  I raise my eyes when my dad’s voice pulls me back to the present.

  “That’s odd. Giancarlo never seemed the type to corrupt people.”

  When I think back on my former father-in-law, I remember him as a man who laughed a lot. One who was fiercely protective of his family. A man who always had a kind word for us kids when we visited.

  Until the last time I saw him, I’d never heard him raise his voice in anger.

  At Cecilia’s funeral.

  My dad’s voice brings me back from the memories assaulting me.

  “You’re right, it doesn’t fit him at all.”

  “Do you…” I hesitate and sit back, mirroring my dad. “Do you still see him and Maria?”

  He shakes his head.

  “No. After they sold the house a few years ago, as you know, your mother tried her best to keep in touch; but it became clear that they just wanted to forget us. To move on. It saddened me to lose our friends, but I kind of understood them, too.”

  I grit my teeth and look away from him.

  “I don’t blame them for severing all ties with me,” I spit out. “I killed their daughter, after all.”

  I feel a firm grip on my shoulder and look briefly at my dad.

  “Stop, Garrett.” He’s leaning towards me, but I hardly register the pain of his hold on me. Sorrow, anger, and determination flicker in his intense gaze, forcing me to pay attention. “You have to let go of the past, my son. Enough is enough, do you hear me?”

  “How can you even say that? You lost a son, dad, and it was because of me.”

  He sighs and shakes his head at me.

  “Yes, I did. And when I look at you, I see you and Vincent – both of my sons. It pains me, and I miss him terribly, but…”

  My heart is galloping away a mile a minute, and I hold my breath as I wait for him to go on. He takes a deep breath, blinking rapidly. A muscle works in his jaw as he continues.

  “But I still have one son left, and I can’t live the rest of my life knowing that you’re still feeling so guilty. It’s tearing me apart, son. You have to live, Garrett. Live for his sake, if not your own. You conquered the drugs – you can overcome this guilt, too. I know it.”

  I swallow past the lump in my throat as I stare into his compassionate eyes.

  Nodding once, I whisper, “I’ve never understood how you and Mama were able to forgive me.”

  His hand moves to my neck and he pulls me closer until our foreheads rest.

  “You’re our son,” he whispers. “No matter what, we’ll never stop loving you. We’re just grateful that we haven’t lost you, too.”

  His words are like a balm to my soul. In my heart, I know that my dad forgave me a long time ago, but it’s not until now that I let them inside.

  “Thank you, dad,” I whisper. “I’ll try, I promise.”

  “Bene. Now.” He releases me and we sit back, both clearing our throats. “What are your plans regarding that lovely girl, Garrett?”

  His question throws me for a loop.

  I cringe. “We’re not going to talk about my love life, are we? I’m almost forty, dad.”

  He lets out a low laugh.

  “No, we’re not. But you know your mama and me. We always stick our noses in where they don’t belong.”

  I snort and look away.

  “Yeah, I guess you do.”

  Sighing, I reach for my glass and take a small sip, contemplating my answer.

  “You’d be a fool to let her go.”

  “Come now, dad.” I place the glass carefully back, still avoiding his probing eyes. “I can’t give you an answer to your question.”

  “Hm. You mean, you won’t.”

  “Maybe,” I concede, tilting my head. My lips form a crooked smile. “We enjoy each other’s company, that’s all.”

  He shakes his head.

  “So stubborn,” he grumbles.

  My smile grows wider. “I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

  He raises his glass at me.

  “Touché.”

  Female voices draw nearer, and I know our quiet moment will be interrupted soon. I frown slightly at my dad who’s grinning at me.

  “This is going to be fun to watch,” he murmurs.

  “What is?”

  “You falling in love, my son.”

  Before I can protest, my mother and Suzy walk back into the dining room, both carrying trays.

  “I found some mandorla, Robert,” my mama says. “I thought they would be nice to have with our espressos.”

  I stand up and pull out Suzy’s chair next to me. Smiling at me, she places her tray with the cups on the table before taking her seat.

  “Sounds perfect,” I hear my dad’s reply, but I only have eyes for my waif. Her skin is glowing, her eyes sparkle with suppressed laughter, and she’s relaxed. She seems as if she belongs here with my family.

  With me.

  I listen to my mama and dad bickering good-naturedly, but Suzy is all I see now. I feel shaken to my core, but for the first time in years, the shadows of my past don’t push through. Instead, they leave me alone, and I sit back, enjoying the rest of the evening.

  I REST MY HEAD on the backrest in the cab on the way home.

  “Your parents are soooo nice,” I sigh, my eyes closed.

  Garrett runs a hand up and down my thigh and hums low.

  “Yes. I’ve been lucky in that regard.”

  “Mmm,” I sigh, emotionally spent after the ordeal of the day. “They made me feel very welcome. And the food was delicious!”

  I can feel the warmth from Garrett’s breath as he leans into me.

  “Are you sure they don’t mind that Rufus isn’t coming home with us?”

  “They love having him, waif. Enough about my parents,” he grumbles. The tingles that started with that toe-curling kiss in his parents’ drawing room intensify throughout my body.

  He buries his head in my neck, his lips trailing soft kisses on my skin, and I tilt my head to the side to give him more room. His hand on my thigh presses in, and I spread my legs discreetly.

  He bites down gently on my skin, causing my breath to hitch. I’m so overcome with want for this man that I don’t know what’s up or down anymore.

  I only know that wherever he leads me, I’ll follow him.

  “I can’t get enough of your taste,” he whispers as one of his fingers teases my clit hidden away in my pants. I pray silently that the cab driver won’t take a glance in the rear view mirror right this minute and get his own private peep show – but at the same time, I don’t want to lose Garrett’s touch, burning through the layers of my clothes.

  “Mmm…” He breathes in my scent, and I shiver again.

  Hurry, hurry, hurry.

  Abruptly, the cab comes to a stop, and my eyes spring open. Garrett moves back from me and takes out his wallet and I notice we’re already home. I open the door as he pays him and fish around in my pocket for the key to the front door. As I wait for him to come near me, I breathe in the crisp fall air and look to the sky.

  Snow is coming. I can feel it.

  I can hear his steps behind me, and I hurry to unlock the door, holding it open for him. Silently, he takes my hand in his and we walk briskly to the elevator, both eager to reach the privacy we crave.

  The doors open and I press the button to the top floor, Garrett close behind me. I keep my back to him as I hear the soft click from the doors, and my breathing speeds up as the elevator brings us closer to our destination.

  “Are you ready?” Garrett asks me. I nod.

  “Yes.”

  “You’re sure you’re up for this after everything that’s happened today?”

  The concern in his voice makes my belly flutter, and I lean my back to his front when I feel him pressing in on me.

  “Yes,” I whisper, resting my head on his chest, unbuttoning my coat.

  “Good,” he breathes. “Because I can’t wait to take you further than you’ve been
before – to make you grow wilder than ever.”

  “Oh god, this elevator needs to hurry up,” I grumble.

  He chuckles.

  “Almost there…”

  His hands come up behind me and he begins to caress my breasts in soft, even strokes. The friction makes me weak in the knees already. I moan when his clever hands close in on my nipples, pinching and squeezing them firmly, and my pussy throbs with need for his dick.

  The familiar ping that sounds when the elevator comes to a stop makes me open my eyes, and Garrett takes my hand again, pulling me with him. I walk quickly beside him, thankful that the hallway is empty as we reach our door. Garrett’s already put the key in, and then we’re finally alone.

  After I’ve turned on the dim light over the bar, cloaking us in its softness, I toss my coat to the floor and kick off my shoes. Then I turn to face him next to the couch.

  His breath is as laboured as mine, his eyes are burning with need, and I can feel his control slipping further.

  “Fuck, I want you so much,” he pants as he takes off his coat. “I want you to unravel on my lips, my mouth, my hands – I want to taste your sweet cunt and hear you cry out my name in ecstasy.”

  He stalks closer to me, like the wolf I always compare him to, and my heart rate hammers against my ribcage.

  “I can’t quite decide where to start,” he murmurs as he stops before me, his eyes traveling up from my feet, across my belly, lingering on my heaving breasts until I have them back on mine.

  “What do you want me to do, Sir?” I ask him, my voice husky with need.

  “Take off your clothes except your underwear,” he commands me, but I’m mesmerised by the sight before me. He takes off his hairband, making my fingers itch with want for touching the silken texture of his hair, and I watch, enraptured, as he reaches an arm back and pulls his t-shirt off. My hands unbutton my pants but slow as his gaze lands on them, and I lick my lips, wanting to tease him a little.

  I slide my thumbs underneath the fabric and wiggle a little with my ass as I push them down and step out of them.

  His lips twitch but he doesn’t reproach me, so I think I’m in the clear. I grab the hem of my black, lace top and carefully pull it over my head.

  Breathing deeply, I watch his eyes zero in on my black bra, which doesn’t leave much to the imagination. My nipples harden further when he takes a step closer to me. Resisting the urge to ask him to touch me, to stop tormenting me and just fuck me, is hard but it’s not my place to tell him what to do.

  “Go to the windows,” he whispers. I nod and walk swiftly there. Not sure if I should face them or not, I look back at him when I’m standing in front of them.

  “Face them,” he says, picking up on my unasked question. Anticipation courses through me as I comply.

  My breaths fall in quick succession when I hear the soft pads of his feet walking towards me. When he stops behind me, I want to turn to him, but I resist the temptation.

  I wait for his next command.

  I feel his hand travel down my spine, and my skin breaks out in goose bumps. They are not soft, not too hard, but firm – assertive.

  “Wait here,” he whispers close to my ear. I jump when his hand falls down hard on my ass. Wetness gathers in my pussy further, and need fills me.

  I nod and then wait as he leaves me alone.

  The seconds tick past, only building my need to have his clever hands on me again. My breaths come out quicker, and I rub my legs together, trying to alleviate the throbbing in my pussy. It doesn’t help.

  When I hear his steps come back, I breathe a long sigh of relief. The shaking of my body is not one filled with dread when he stops behind me.

  It rushes through me with warmth – desire – a need so all-consuming that I’m blinded by it.

  Something clinks softly behind me, and I frown, puzzled. Garrett’s arm comes around me from behind and he tilts my head back with his hand, pressing in slightly. I become limp in his arms, trusting him implicitly with my body.

  Trusting that he won’t crush my spirit.

  He holds a pair of handcuffs up in front of me and kisses my neck gently.

  “These are for later,” he murmurs, and then lets them slip through his fingers.

  I nod, showing him that I understand.

  That I am submitting to his will because it mirrors my own at this very moment.

  “And this…” he pauses and my eyes widen when I see him holding up a small, black butt plug. “This is for now,” he whispers, his hand on my neck gentle. The touch of his thumb running back and forth across my skin is almost hypnotising, but it’s also soothing.

  “Yes, Sir,” I breathe as his hand closes in on my left breast. The pinch on my nipple is firmer now, and the pain is sharper. Like a switch being flipped, what should have been turning me on even more takes me back to the horrible events earlier in the day.

  Detective Easton.

  I begin to shake, my lips trembling with fear.

  “Please don’t,” I whisper.

  I hunch over, lost in the hideous memory, and the shaking intensifies.

  “Shh, shh, waif. I’ve got you.”

  Garrett’s soothing words slowly penetrate the fog that’s taken over my mind, and when his arms come up behind me, enveloping me, I breathe deeply.

  Garrett.

  He’s never going to hurt me.

  I’m safe.

  “Please talk to me,” he murmurs, but I shake my head, embarrassed, as tears gather in my eyes.

  “Remember what I said. If anything pushes your boundaries too hard, you must tell me, Suzy.” His voice takes on an urgency I have not heard before. “You must tell me to stop, and I swear I will.”

  I nod slowly, trying to draw strength from his body and his vow, and ever so slowly, I’m back.

  I won’t let that bastard rule me again.

  “Just…don’t be too rough with me tonight, Garrett. Please?”

  His arms convulse around me, tightening around me even more, and he rubs his chin against mine. A soft growl falls from his lips, and hearing that – that familiar, beloved sound – is all it takes for me to return fully the present. Closing my eyes, I lean into him, breathing in his familiar scent. Taking comfort in his embrace.

  “Whatever you need, waif. Remember? I’ll take care of you.”

  A lone tear slips down my cheek, and I wipe it away, trying to make it seem as if I’m merely scratching a spot there. I don’t want him to see me reduced to tears, but I doubt I’m successful.

  “Do you want to stop?” he asks me.

  “No, please don’t. I want this. I want you. Always.”

  “Dannazione.” He groans against me, his lips resting on my temple. “You unman me, waif.”

  My belly flutters when his right hand moves to cover my breast, tracing my nipple softly. The need that was lying dormant flares up again, and I sigh in pleasure.

  “Please…” I moan as his mouth trails open-mouthed kisses on my skin. He lingers on my neck, and I give myself up to the pleasure he takes such care to give me; there is no real rhythm to his kisses.

  One minute, they’re soft and gentle.

  The next, harder and passionate.

  “I’m ready,” I whisper, my breaths falling hard and fast. “It’s not the first time I’ve had a butt plug in my arse.”

  His mouth stops, and he bites down, a bit rougher than before, and a hiss escapes my mouth.

  “I see,” he murmurs.

  “But it’s the first time with a man,” I continue, and then curse under my breath.

  Oh, shit.

  “Well, then you know what it does,” he continues, his voice more aloof now.

  “Yes.”

  He keeps his silence, and I wonder if the moment is ruined – if he’s changed his mind. But then I hear him unzip his pants, and his mouth comes down to rest on the sensitive skin behind my ear.

  “Ever since I saw you, I’ve been consumed with thoughts of you,” he murmurs.
I still, holding my breath. “You’ve lit up my world when all I knew was darkness, waif.”

  My heart feels so full but I daren’t speak for fear of breaking the moment.

  His mouth closes over my earlobe, and I shiver with pleasure. I moan deeply from the way his mouth lights me up like a flame.

  “Hush, now,” he says gruffly, his pants loud. Then he takes one of my hands and raises my arm.

  “Place your hands on the window and spread your legs,” he commands me, and I smile. After I’ve done as he says, I look down at the speeding cars, the colours of them all, and I find myself becoming almost hypnotised by them.

  “I love your ass,” Garrett hums behind me, and I sigh when I feel both of his hands moulding them roughly, warming me from head to toe.

  “I have many plans for this ass,” he continues. Tingles shoot out in my body, and my pussy throbs.

  A finger trails my thong, and I can’t stop myself from pushing my arse back when I feel his whisper-soft caress there.

  “Eager to start?” he chuckles.

  “Yes, Sir,” I moan when his fingers move all the way around to rub my clit.

  He curses in Italian, and I rock my hips against him.

  “I’m going to devour you whole,” he growls before he rips my panties in two. I gasp from the stinging pain on my skin, but I don’t care.

  All I can think about are his hands. His mouth. His teeth.

  “Does your cunt want me?” he asks as he plunges two fingers inside my pussy.

  “Yes,” I moan loudly, tossing my head back when he pumps them roughly inside me.

  “Yes, what?” he demands as his fingers still.

  “Yes, Sir.” I revel in his touch when he begins to finger fuck me in earnest.

  “Good girl.”

  His breaths in my ear, the way his dick presses into my back, rubbing himself all over me, is intoxicating – it’s wild with abandon.

  Needy.

  Raw.

  And beautiful.

  His teeth mark my shoulder, and I yelp.

  But I don’t tell him to stop.

  I don’t ever want him to stop bringing me to such heights.

  A third finger finds its way inside me and I hiss sharply at the burn.

  “Breathe,” he croons. I inhale deeply. “That’s it. Fuck, your cunt is so tight. I can’t wait to fuck it again – to hear you scream.”