Reckoning (Vincent and Eve #2)

by Jessica Ruben

  CHAPTER 16

  EVE

  “When it comes to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, the most important thing to understand is his explanation of a good life for a human being. Aristotle’s approach is a practical one. He sees the one big purpose of human existence is to reach the highest good, which must be both intrinsically valuable and self-sufficient. Remember those prongs.”

  Vincent is lecturing me right now about Ancient Philosophy. We’re sitting together at his dining table, books spread out around us. My feet are bare, resting against his legs.

  “Okay, but I don’t understand how he understands those two concepts.” I bite my bottom lip.

  “If something is intrinsically valuable, then it’s good in itself and never pursued for the sake of something else. For example, if you study to get an A, then studying isn’t intrinsically valuable. If you study for the sake of studying in itself, then it is.”

  “Okay. So like, your underground fights are intrinsically valuable?”

  “Exactly.” His lips quirk up in a smile.

  “Okay, and what about self-sufficient?”

  “This means that by itself, it makes life worth living. The good life for Aristotle is a life in which we flourish. Make sure to use that word on the test, yeah? Schlesinger will love it. Anyway, all activity should be directed in such a way to give us that life.”

  I take a deep breath, feeling like everything is finally clicking. “Okay, Professor Borignone. So, what is the flourishing life?”

  “Easy. For Aristotle, it’s performing your specific activity, which is distinctive to human beings in general, in a state of excellence.”

  “Ah hah!” I exclaim happily.

  “Let’s move to the mean. For Aristotle, the mean is not about balance or moderation. Instead, it’s about what is appropriate. Sometimes, it’s appropriate to be angry. The mean for Aristotle is one which varies.”

  “This is where you use practical judgment to know what’s right, using deliberation and calculation?”

  “Yes!” His smile is blinding.

  He takes another huge gulp of water as turns the page of the textbook.

  “How do you drink this much and not have to pee every other second?”

  He chuckles. “I’m just replenishing. You can’t imagine the amount I sweat when I work out. I made the mistake a few years ago of not giving myself enough water and I passed out naked on the locker room floor.”

  I bite my cheek, shocked at the fact that something that crazy both happened to him, and that he’d tell me about it. Then the image of naked Vincent hits me like a train and I have to bite my cheek to stop myself from cheesing from the visual.

  “That mind of yours, always in the gutter, Eve. Didn’t your mama teach ya any manners?” His terrible southern drawl has me doubling over in laughter.

  Finally, I stop, letting my eyes roam from his neck down to his perfectly cut chest and then back up to his dark eyes.

  “Don’t look at me like that. I’m trying to help you learn,” he says, kissing the top of my head. “Plus, you need a break after yesterday.”

  I nod my head in agreement, but internally, I’m begging him not to give me a break. Because the truth is, I don’t want to wait. Now that I’ve had him once, I want it again. And again. He pulls back and I let my fingers trace his face. He has two old scars through his right eyebrow. “Where did you get these?”

  “Bad boys have scars, Eve.” He winks.

  “Well, apparently, bad boys aren’t very bad these days. They like to be gentle and sweet.”

  “Gentle and sweet?” Lifting me in his arms, he runs full speed into his bedroom. “Let’s see how gentle and sweet I can be, huh?” Throwing me onto his huge bed, he lifts up my shirt and blows into my stomach until I’m crumbling with laughter. The playful side of Vincent is so incredibly unexpected.

  His face turns serious as he moves me to the edge of the bed, sinking down on his knees to take my pants off. Next, I raise my arms as he takes my T-shirt over my head.

  For whatever reason, I’m feeling braver today than ever before. Maybe it’s because I saw him in the hallway with Daniela, and I want to remind him of what he has. Or maybe it’s because I’m tired of being the shy girl I used to be.

  I stand, removing my bra and underwear. I’m completely nude in front of him. With hooded eyes, he swallows every inch of me with his gaze. Shaking his head as he lifts me up, he carries me into the bathroom. I have no idea why he brought me here, but any questioning thoughts in my head exit my brain as he places me on the marble countertop.

  What starts as our mouths moving in a gentle caress quickly becomes frenzied. He’s kissing me so deeply that my lips turn numb; I’m mindless from the pleasure. Letting go of my mouth, he lowers his head, licking and sucking on my nipples, moving from one side to the next.

  “You like that, baby?” All I can do is whimper. My body is humming, core pulsing with need. Releasing one breast with a pop, I feel cold air take the place of where his hot mouth was. I open my eyes, wondering where he’s gone. And why—of all places—he brought me to the bathroom when we were just in a perfectly warm and comfortable bed.

  The flat of his tongue takes a long and deep sweep out of my center and my body jackknifes with surprise. Holding my legs open with both of his hands, he starts out slowly, taking his time. “You taste like fucking heaven, Eve. Better than I ever dreamed.”

  Any embarrassment I may have had disappeared with his words. It isn’t long until my moans grow loud. I’m shaking and can’t stop. Sweat beads between my breasts, the heat of his mouth consuming me. My body is undulating, completely out of control. Grabbing my hips with his enormous hands, he keeps me secured to the earth as he sucks and hums. Just as I’m climbing toward a high, I feel his calloused fingers trailing down my body, and pressing where his mouth is sucking. I’m seeing stars. All I can do is grab onto his shoulders as I ride out the most euphoric feeling of my life.

  “I can’t possibly handle anything more,” I say to myself. But he brings his tongue back inside me, not stopping until he sucks every morsel of pleasure from me. With glazed-over eyes, I watch as he kisses back up my body. The warmth of his lips feels like heaven and I want to curl into a ball and sleep for eternity.

  The thought that Vincent may end up running the biggest mafia in the country passes through my head. The photos I’ve seen with him and his Daniela enter my mind. And just like that, straight behind the most pleasurable experience of my life, I start to cry.

  “Eve? You’re crying?”

  I nod my head, unable to control the torrent of feeling.

  “I’m that good, yeah?” My tears stop and I stare at him for his asshole remark when a smile spreads across his handsome face. He’s…joking!

  “Oh, you!” I exclaim, laughter mingling with staccato breaths.

  “Tell me. Talk to me.”

  “It’s just, Daniela. And your family. And my sister would go insane if she knew, and I feel so guilty...”

  “We’re together now. I’m going to find a way out of this shit with Daniela. We just have to be patient. Can’t you be patient for me?” He’s talking, but I only cry harder, body wracked with tremors.

  My mind registers Vincent is fully dressed. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here on a bathroom counter, completely nude with my huge boobs—that are way too big on my small frame—out in the open. I cover myself up with my arms. The strong girl from a few minutes ago is gone, and, in her place, sits a nervous nineteen-year-old.

  He uses his hands to lift my chin. “I think you need to hear it straight. I’m a man with lots of needs, and I want it all from you. Do not cower in front of me. Ever. You’re stronger than that. I know you’ve been through a lot, but you aren’t weak.” His voice is firm.

  Every cell inside me wants to open up to him. I don’t want to hide. I want to give him everything. I move my arms away from my body, baring myself to him.

  “There we go.” His voice comes out with a sigh. />
  I pull back, staring at each part of his face in isolation. His gorgeous chin and chiseled jaw. His sensual lips. His straight Roman nose and wide cheekbones, giving his face a perfect symmetry. My eyes move up to his dark eyes that see straight through me. In his gaze lives the most beautiful version of myself. It’s where my strength lives. It’s where I’m not a poor hood rat, but an intelligent woman who can achieve her dreams. The ideal version of myself lives within Vincent.

  “You are everything right in my life. Understand?” His voice is deep and full of love.

  Leaning his forehead against mine, he breathes heavily. Then he wraps me up in his arms, lifting me with one arm and turning on the shower with the other. When the water is warm enough, he places me into the spray.

  From behind the glass, I watch as he takes off his clothes. I lean against the door to stabilize myself. His broad shoulders and muscular arms are incredibly sexy. His chest is sprinkled with some dark hair. My eyes move downward and I literally gasp, shocked again at how huge he is. There’s no way in hell he’s normal. The combination of seeing him naked after what he just did to me makes my legs weak.

  When he finally joins me, my breath hitches. Our eyes lock as he lifts me up again in his arms, my hands finding the back of his hair. Steam billows around us as he presses me against the cold marble wall. I’m searching for answers within his kiss as we claim each other with wet mouths and water-slicked bodies. My soft body rocks against his hard, asking for more. More. More. “Please,” I beg. “I want you.”

  He pulls away from my lips and looks at me, pushing my wet hair out of my face. “I know what you want. But I don’t want to hurt you. It’s too soon after yesterday.”

  “No. Now. I need this now. Want this now.” His eyes darken, turning almost black.

  “I’d kill for you. To make you a part of me, I’d do anything. I’m a selfish man, Eve. I’ll never let you leave me.”

  With my legs wrapped around his waist, he enters me in one push.

  I can feel him deeper than I ever thought possible—his dick pulsing and growing larger inside me. My throat aches from how loud I’m moaning. “Let me hear you. Let me hear how badly you want it.” One of his hands is splayed on the tile behind me; the other grips my ass.

  When I feel myself building up for another orgasm, he holds me tight against his chest. I unravel right into his arms. Not a moment later, it’s his turn. He pulls out before he can finish inside of me.

  Eventually, he lowers me to the ground, dragging my naked body down his. Turning me around, he squeezes some shampoo into his fingers and washes my hair. The act is so gentle and loving; I have to put my hands on the wall to keep from falling. After my hair is clean, he drops himself down onto one knee, turning my body toward him. When he lifts up my right foot, I lean my hands on his massive shoulders. He soaps me from the tips of my toes up my thigh toward my center. I gasp as his hands move upward, gently cleaning a place only he has ever been. When he’s done with my lower half, he rubs his soapy calloused hands over my breasts and down the sides of my body. Then he turns me around and soaps my entire back, gently massaging me. When he’s done washing me, he cleans himself. I can only stare in wonder as he lathers, raising his arms up one at a time to clear away the soapy suds.

  Turning off the shower, he steps out before me to get fresh towels. He places one around his trim waist and then opens the shower door, wrapping me up in a second. I’ve never had someone take care of me like this. I’m trying not to cry again, although this time it would be out of sheer happiness. Holding my hand, and gently walking us back into his bed, I move to my side as he joins me.

  We’re face to face, lying together all cozy, wrapped up in his covers. He’s smiling and my heart is soaring. “So, you think you’ll ace this test? You need philosophy for law. Make sure to take Logic next semester with Professor Weiss.” I brush my nose against his, breathing in his breaths, taking him in. I slide my legs between his, wanting our bodies to touch in every possible way.

  I press my lips together. “You know I’ve watched like, every single Law and Order episode in history. I thought that one day I’d be prosecuting gang members.” We start chuckling and before I know it, we’re laughing so hard we’re wheezing. When I let out my signature snort, his laughter intensifies.

  We calm down and our eyes turn serious. “Vincent. How many weeks until you leave?” I stare at his chest, swallowing hard.

  “Sixteen.” I finally look back up at him again and he nods his head.

  “What’s it like out on the rez? I heard it’s pretty crazy out there. Like, third-world in some parts, right?” I want to discuss this with him, but I also don’t want to say something wrong. I’m hanging onto his every word, just hoping he tells me everything.

  “You wouldn’t believe this, but there isn’t any water there. People literally drive their trucks an hour back and forth just to get fresh water to drink. I mean sure, there are watering points, which are just hoses in towns bordering the rez. But there’s still no groundwork or infrastructure to bring water directly to people’s homes. There are some windmills and wooden buildings which house wells, but they are totally contaminated. And people drink from that.” His eyes are registering something like distress. I can tell he’s passionate about this.

  “So, yeah. I want to get back out there. A casino complex on the lands would change the face of tribal economics. And if I can get in there and make that difference, I’ll do it even if I have to let the waters run red for a while. One of my main goals is to find a way to bring that infrastructure onto the rez. I’m sure Nevada would be willing to help out if I gave them a cut of profits. Tribes in other states have worked out deals like that.”

  “Sounds like some plan, Vincent.” I stare at him in absolute awe.

  “Don’t look at me like that. I haven’t done anything yet.” His face is serious, and for a moment, I get a flash of Vincent ten years from now. He’s already so powerful and magnetizing. This man is going to be someone important one day; I can just feel it.

  “Yeah, but you will. It’s obvious that you’ll do this. People do incredible things all the time. Why shouldn’t it be you?”

  “You’re looking at me right now like I’m a savior. But if you know half the shit I’ve done...” He lets out a breath. “I’m not a stranger to the life, Eve. The corruption out on the rez and what I’ll be doing to get the Tribal Council to go into business with us will be extreme. I’m not going to lie to you and tell you there won’t be violence at first.”

  “I know. But, sometimes wars have to be fought for the betterment of the people, right?”

  His gaze turns reverent as he moves his hands around my entire face, tracing my eyebrows and down the straight slope of my nose with his thumbs. He runs his middle finger around my lips and I snake my tongue out, trying to lick his finger. He smiles but continues up my cheekbones and down my ears.

  “Jesus, you’re so beautiful.” His hands are on my face, palms against my cheeks and then down, pressing the cross against my chest.

  “Vincent, you’re everything,” I tell him, wanting to cry again. It’s an emotional onslaught.

  “Eve, you’re perfect.” My smile is so huge I feel my eyes crinkle in the corners. “I carry your heart. I carry it in my heart.” His face must mirror mine because all I see in his eyes is love.

  “Quoting e. e. cummings?”

  “You know it.” He laughs.

  “Vincent, I was thinking—”

  “Thinking?” he says the word with distaste and I slap his shoulder, holding back a laugh. He’s obviously joking with me, and I love it.

  “So, I was thinking…maybe I should transfer to a school in Nevada. I don’t want to be far from you.” I swallow hard, nervous to be mentioning this. But the truth is, the idea of being across the country from Vincent seems like torture. I’m sure I can still get a great education at another school.

  “You’re at one of the best colleges in the country right now
. I’m not taking that away from you.”

  “No.” I vehemently shake my head. “I don’t want to be across the country from you. What if I go to California or find somewhere on the West Coast? I can find a great school out there. We’ll still be separated, but at least I won’t be all the way on the East Coast while you’re out on the West.” My voice is small but hopeful.

  He takes a few breaths before nodding his assent.

  Somewhere inside me, I realize if I thought I loved him before, this man is now imprinted within of me. All of my emotions buzz from the top of my skin down into my bones. I wonder if he can feel it.

  He runs his hands along my arms until he reaches the curve in my sides. We’re staring at each other in silence, the time passing. He pulls the covers over us again, kissing every inch of my body.

  We’re in so deep. I nuzzle into the palm of his warm hand.

  “We’re forever. I’ll never stop loving you.” His voice is a whisper.

  He’s on me again. I’m aching but saying no to Vincent feels like sacrilege. Instead of entering me this time, he kisses down my entire body and stops right where I wished he would. Oh, this man’s mouth.

  Time moves like a smooth current until we’re soaked with sex and bliss. “Want to watch some TV?” He’s smiling wide, playful, and sexy as hell.

  I hand him the remote from the side table and he switches the television on. He props himself up on a few pillows against the headboard and I rest my head on his chest. Scanning some movie titles, we settle on an action-packed movie with a little romance.

  I touch my hair with my hands and feel the frizz. He turns to me and laughs as I sit up, trying to tame my hair with a braid. Before I can finish, he pulls me back down and undoes my hair. He puts his hands through the strands. “Don’t touch it.”

  We’re staring at each other again, all lines of communication open. I want to climb inside him right now.

  I wake in the middle of the night curled into his body. It takes me a moment to realize where I am. I put my nose to his side and breathe him in. I want to fall back asleep but can’t stop twisting and turning—going back and forth in my head about whether or not this will actually work out. I want our love to win. I want it to be enough.