“Olivia,” he says, handing me the water and then pulling me away from the shelf. I take it he doesn’t want to talk about it. What happened to this Olivia? How come he’s never mentioned her? I decide not to press it, because he can talk about it in his own time, if he ever chooses to open up to me. The thought that he might not hurts. But if he needs time, I can give him that. He’s been so patient with me, so I can be patient with him. He gives me a tour of his house. When we stop in his bedroom my jaw drops at the size of his bed.
“That’s the biggest bed I’ve ever seen. It looks bigger than a king!” I sit down on it and stare up at him. “What do you need such a big bed for? Been having many orgies lately?”
He throws his head back and laughs, then decides to give me some shit back. “Have you been watching more videos? This time with orgies in them?”
I stick my tongue out at him, then lie back on the bed. “It’s so comfortable.”
“I had it custom-made for my room,” he explains, sitting down next to me, and resting his hand on my bare stomach as my top rides up. “Do you want to have a shower?”
“With you?” I ask, brows rising. “Do you think I’m going to say no to that?”
“I should hope not,” he says as he starts to undress me. I lay there, holding my breath as he removes my jeans first, then my panties, then my top and bra. I watch him, as he takes in my body, from head to toe, nothing hidden. It’s quite a vulnerable thing, to have a man with a perfect body look at mine. I’m a little on the curvy size, but I’m not overweight or anything like that. Still, I’m far from perfect. Darren would tell me I needed to lose weight, but the look in Jaxon’s eyes tells me that he likes what he sees. He likes me just the way I am.
Acceptance.
Another new thing for me.
He starts to strip down, and now it’s my turn to watch. He gives me a bit of a show, removing his T-shirt and flexing for me, which makes me laugh and get hot at the same time. My eyes are still glued on those abs of his when he takes off his jeans and boxer shorts.
He’s hard.
Why do I feel like he’s always hard?
“Come on,” he commands in a husky tone, offering me his hand. I take it, and he walks me into his bathroom, which might just be my new favorite room in his house. It’s lavish, with a wide two-headed shower and a spa.
“Wow,” I murmur, while he turns on the water. “Remind me to get the details of your interior designer.”
I feel him freeze up next to me, and I know something is wrong. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” he says, brushing it off. “Don’t worry about it.”
He goes cold, and for a second I feel a little awkward. Why won’t he just tell me whatever it is that gets to him? Does it have something to do with Olivia? I don’t know. I know I shouldn’t push, but I don’t want to have to watch what I say to not have him go cold on me and ruin the moment between us.
“You can’t do that, Jaxon,” I decide to say, in a soft tone. I don’t want to start our first argument, but I want him to know that it doesn’t exactly feel good when he shuts me out.
Gray eyes soften. He takes me in his arms, and places me under the warm water. My hair gets wet, and even though I washed it this morning, I don’t mind.
“It’s not something I like to talk about,” he explains, water dripping down his body. “I just need a little time before I can talk about it. Can you give me that?”
“Okay.”
I can leave it alone for now and hope that, when he’s ready, he will talk about it. I lift up on my tiptoes and kiss him. The perfect distraction. The mood shifts and everything else is forgotten for now. He pushes me back against the cold tiles, kissing me deeply, his hands wandering down the sides of my stomach and landing on my butt. He grips it, and lifts me up, pinning me against the tiles. I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his shoulders. He’s strong, and it’s so sexy. Everything about him is sexy.
Including his mind. Especially his mind.
His dick is hard against my skin, so hard. “I want you,” I say against his lips, droplets of water trying to escape into my mouth. “Please, Jaxon.”
“Let’s go to the bedroom,” he says, about to put me down, but I want him here, like this, and right now. We can make love in the bedroom afterward; right now I want him to take me against the wall. I’ve never been fucked in this position, never been held up like this before, and it’s exciting and new and I want to experience it with him.
“No, here. Please.”
I think it’s the begging that gets to him, because one moment he looks like he’s not sure, and the next he’s slowly sliding himself inside of me.
I dig my nails into his back and hold on for dear life.
chapter 21
Jaxon
WHY DO I ALWAYS lose control when I’m with her? No, better yet, why can’t I say no to her and those hazel eyes? With all the restraint I muster, I slowly push myself into her, not wanting to hurt her. She’s so fucking tight, and I’m not a small man. I take my time, groaning when I’m finally all in and resting my forehead against hers. This would have been much easier on my bed, which is why I wanted to take her there, but the little minx didn’t want to. She never wants the easy option.
“You feel so good,” I tell her as I start to move, thrusting in and out in a gentle pace, holding her weight up by her thighs with my hands. “Are you okay?”
She nods, her eyes heavy-lidded, and starts kissing me hungrily.
Yeah, she’s more than okay.
I push away the satisfaction I feel at that and continue to . . . I can’t even say fuck. It’s more than fucking. So much more. Her breasts press up against my chest, her pebbled nipples begging for attention. With one hand, I turn the shower off, and carry her into my room and onto my bed. I don’t bother grabbing a towel, there’s no time for that shit. I lift her off my dick and lay her down on the bed, spreading her thighs so I can have a taste. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of eating her pussy. Actually, changing my mind, I decide to roll with her onto my back, so she’s straddling me.
“Climb up on me and put your pussy on my face,” I tell her.
Her eyes widen. “You want me to . . . what?”
“Sit on my face,” I clarify, running my hands over the globes of her ass. I give her a light slap. “I want my mouth on you, but I want to try it this way this time.”
“Okay,” she agrees, looking a bit skeptical, going by how wide her eyes still are. She climbs up, a little shyly, and spreads her thighs on each side of my face. I flash her a grin that’s all teeth, then lift her down onto my face, my tongue ready and waiting for a taste of her sweet flesh. She makes a moaning sound at first contact, and I can tell the second she gives in, as her body relaxes and she grabs hold of my headboard. I love it when she loses her inhibitions like this, when she forgets all her worries and insecurities and just enjoys the moment and the pleasure. There’s nothing like it. I put my tongue to work until she comes, her thighs squeezing the shit out of my head. Once she’s done, I grip her hips and gently lift her off me, laying her onto her back.
“Are you on the pill?” I ask. I don’t want to use a condom, but I will if I have to. The feel of her on my dick raw is the best thing I’ve ever felt, but I can’t let that cloud my senses.
She nods. “Yeah, I am.”
That’s good enough for me. I slide back into her, muttering a curse, and start to move. My lips find her breasts and I take my time playing with them, licking, sucking, and running my teeth along them. I look up at her from between them, our eyes connect in an intense moment. I want her to come again before I do, and I hope I can hold out until then. I reach down and play with her clit, using her wetness on my finger, which does the trick.
Only then do I allow myself to finish, looking her in the eye and letting her see every emotion that crosses
my face, all the pleasure that she’s giving me.
“Fuck,” I grit out, my chest heaving. I pull out of her slowly, and then lie next to her on the bed, reaching my arm out so she can rest her head on it. She does, and kisses my rough cheek before settling.
She’s quiet for a moment before she says, “I could get used to that.”
I let out a deep chuckle, then turn to face her and give her a quick kiss. “So could I.”
“Jaxon?”
“Yes, babe?”
“How soon can we do that again?” she asks, her teeth sinking into her lower lip.
Apparently I’ve created a monster.
A beautiful monster.
I REACH FOR HER during the night—three times. She’s so giving, so uninhibited in bed, I don’t know how anyone could ever call her cold and frigid. I guess we all know Darren was a fucking idiot, but still, I can’t get over the fact he tried to blame their problems in the bedroom on her. She’s fire, not ice. She’s everything a woman should be. And fuck him for not noticing that, or for noticing and deciding to destroy her anyway.
“Good morning,” she croons, her voice husky with sleep. She stretches her arms above her head. “You have the best bed. I think we should stay here from now on.”
I smile and kiss the top of her head. “What do you want for breakfast?”
“I can make it for us,” she says, yawning. “Do you have stuff to make pancakes? And some bacon maybe?”
“No, I’m making it,” I tell her. “You’re going to lie in bed and relax.”
“You’re the one who has to go to work,” she argues, trying to sit up. I pull her back down, and pin her with my weight.
“Will you do what you’re told for once?” I ask, getting turned on again at the feeling of being on top of her.
“I did everything you asked last night,” she reminds me, lifting her stubborn little chin. “I even sat on your face. I’d never done that before.”
“If you’re trying to distract me, Scarlett, it’s working,” I groan, feeling myself getting hard. I haven’t fucked this much since I was a lot younger, yet apparently she brings it out of me.
“I just want to make us breakfast is all,” she huffs, trying to push me off her. “And it’s not because I’m a woman, blah blah, it’s because you have a long day of work ahead, so let me make myself a little useful! You don’t let me pay for anything, and you’re always doing nice things for me, so can’t you let me have this little thing?”
Well, fuck. All I wanted to do was make the woman breakfast, since she’s already cooked me a meal I don’t want her to think I expect that from her. I love and appreciate it, yes, but I don’t expect it. I’ve been looking after myself for a long time; I don’t need a woman to do those things for me, but it is nice.
I sigh and roll off her. “Fine, you win. But for the record, you’ve cooked for me before. You do nice things for me, so this isn’t a one-way street.”
“I never said it was.” She greets me with a smug look, jumping off the bed, her boobs bouncing enticingly. “It’s just this is one of the things I like doing for you, and it’s one of the only ways I know how to show you that I care.”
She shakes her ass at me a little, then runs into the kitchen.
Naked.
Where did this woman come from? She’s come so far from the woman I first met in my office that day. She’s come out of her shell, and I like that she’s being who she was meant to be the entire time. It’s amazing what can happen to someone when they feel safe, when they know that nothing they do will be too much to handle. A sense of pride fills me at how things have turned around in such a short time. Not for me, but for her. She might not think it, but she’s strong.
Resilient.
And whether she knows it yet or not—mine.
chapter 22
Scarlett
AFTER BREAKFAST JAXON DROPS me off at home and heads to work while I get ready for a day at the shelter. When I arrive there, I smile as I run into one of the other volunteers, Becky, walking two of the dogs.
“Good morning, Scarlett,” she says, smiling warmly at me. Her smile soon drops as she tells me that three more dogs have been brought in today.
“I’ll go give them some love,” I tell her, heading inside. I step inside the gate and sit down on the floor next to the first dog. She’s scared, I can tell, her tail between her legs. I wonder if her owners brought her here to abandon her, or if she was found on the street.
“Hello, sweetie,” I tell her, reaching my arm out. I make a gentle noise, and slowly she comes next to me, letting me touch her. Sometimes your life only gets better with a second chance, and I hope that that’s the case for all the dogs here.
I stay at the shelter for a few hours, then go home to take a shower. Once I’m dressed, I decide to go shopping for a few things. After buying some plants and loading them into my car, I walk through the mall, having a look at all the clothes and variety stores. I come to a stop when I see Valentina in one of the jewelry stores, browsing through some bracelets. I smile when she sees me.
“Hey,” she says, coming over to me straightaway. “How are you?”
“Not bad, how are you?” I ask in return, knowing she’s probably not doing too well considering the man she loves is behind bars.
“I’ve been better,” she admits, pushing away an errant red curl. “But I’m trying to be positive and stay busy. It’s one of the girls’ birthdays, so I’m trying to find something for her, except it’s hard to buy something for a woman who has everything.”
“Want some help?” I ask, not knowing why I offered. Even though we should probably hate each other, I find I feel a connection with her instead.
“I’d like that,” she says, a little sadness to her smile. We browse multiple pieces until we find a bracelet that’s really different and unusual. I think Valentina likes it because of the dragon pendant it has on it, too.
“Faye will love this,” she beams, glancing at the now-wrapped gift. “I’m going to go grab something for lunch, want to join me?”
“Sure,” I say, happy to have some company. “What do you feel like eating?”
“There’s a food court here, so we can just grab whatever we feel like,” she says, looking at me like she wants to say something.
“What is it?” I ask her, letting her know with my tone that it’s okay, she can say whatever she likes.
“I was reading some information about the case; Faye gave it to me . . .” she says, looking down. “He stole from you, his wife. I don’t know why, but I would never have suspected that.”
“It’s okay,” I say, forcing a smile. “I honestly think he only married me for my money and the property I owned.”
It hurts to say that, not because of anything to do with Darren exactly, but because it’s an ego hit no matter who we’re talking about, and it hurts my pride to admit it.
“I’m so glad he’s dead,” she admits, cringing as the words leave her lips. “I know that sounds bad, but with what he did to you . . . It hurts me to know I wasn’t the only woman whose life he made a living hell. I’m sorry you had to go through whatever he put you through.”
“Me too,” I say, linking my arm through hers. “I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, and I’m sorry Irish had to pay the price, but both of us are free now, and I think we need to make the most of that.”
“You’re right,” she nods, curls bouncing. “I’m trying to. It’s hard without Ardan—Irish here, you know? I know it doesn’t seem that bad, especially after everything you and I have been through, but the man is my soul mate and I feel like I’m just wandering around aimlessly without him.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, meaning it. “I would never wish any more pain on you.”
“It’s not your fault, Scarlett,” she says gently, stopping and looking me in the eye. “No one blames
you for anything. You’re innocent in all of this. It sucks that Irish has to do prison time, it really does, but he killed Darren, so it is what it is. Two years will fly by, right?”
“Right,” I agree with her.
“I know that people will probably look at us and wonder how we both got caught with a man like Darren, but I think only you will understand when I say he wasn’t always like that,” she says to me, shrugging. “Before the drugs, I mean. He was good to me. Loving.”
“I know,” I whisper. “But the person he became was a monster.”
“He was,” Valentina agrees. “And I don’t feel bad for how things have ended up. He was a weak man. Did you know his father was abusive to his mother? Instead of breaking the cycle, he ended up turning out just like him.”
I actually didn’t know that about Darren, so I stay silent. He never spoke about his now-deceased father much, and his mother is in a senior-care facility. Despite the pain he caused me, it does make me feel better to understand where that side of him came from.
We stop at the food court for pizza and soda and sit down opposite each other. We talk about Darren, about what we went through, the mental abuse. The physical. The threats. His using his cop buddies to make it look like he was doing nothing wrong. Feeling like there was no way out. And then we talk about now. About being free. About how life goes on, and that our past doesn’t define us, all it’s done is make us stronger. I used to see myself as weak, a doormat, someone who was lost and too scared to get out of the situation I was in. But now I’m out, and I’m ready to take on the world.
“So are you seeing anyone?” she asks me, making me almost choke on my bite of pizza. “That’s a yes.” She smirks, arching her brow. “Come on, give me the goss. Your secrets are safe with me.”
“Well,” I say, swallowing the rest of my bite.
“Who is it? I’m sure the men of the city will all be in mourning,” she says, and I smile as I remember my conversation with Preston and his friend in the diner.
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