Kinetic Energy

by Hayley Faiman

  I’m lying on the sofa, wearing a thick hoodie, leggings, wool socks, and I have a warm blanket wrapped around me. It’s not that it’s even remotely cold in the house, especially with the fire burning, but being wrapped up makes me feel safe and cozy.

  “Now, I’m heading into town to grab ornaments and Christmas decorations, is there anything any of you need?” she asks, turning away from the men to look at me.

  I shake my head. I can’t believe Christmas is next week, and here I am too sore to help with much of anything. I also haven’t bought a single present, not that I have any of my own money to do so. “I’m going with you,” Gregory grunts.

  “You hate shopping,” Jade states.

  He gives her a sharp look and she widens her eyes. I know why he’s going with her, and I hate it. Danielle hasn’t been found yet, and although nobody has been talking about it, there’s an undercurrent of worry in this house.

  Thomas and Gregory finish straightening the tree without another word. Ten minutes later, Thomas’ parents are out of the house and we’re alone for the first time since I was released from the hospital three days ago. Thomas doesn’t waste a second, he walks directly to my side and sits down on the edge of the sofa cushion.

  “How are you feeling, do you need any pain meds?” he asks, lifting his hand to cup my cheek.

  I shake my head, wrapping my fingers around his wrist. “I’m okay. I actually feel better today than I have since it happened,” I admit with a smile.

  Thomas nods and lowers his mouth, pressing his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. I want more, but I move my body too quickly and a sharp pain rolls through me. I whimper and lie back down, wishing all of my aches and pains would magically disappear. “Your ribs are bruised, sweetheart,” he says, lowering his face to place his lips on my forehead.

  “I want you,” I whine.

  Thomas chuckles and shifts, running his nose along mine. “Maybe if you’re feeling better tomorrow you can ride me? I’ll do all the work.”

  “Well isn’t that fucking sickening?” a voice asks.

  Just the sound and the tone sends a chill down my spine. I know exactly who is in our house—uninvited. It’s Danielle. I would remember her voice anywhere from that time she cornered me in the bathroom the night of my engagement. Thomas shifts before he stands, his body held rigid and tight. I feel something against my hand and I look down to see his cell phone, as he passes it to me. When he shifted, it was to take his phone from his pocket.

  “What are you doing here?” he asks her.

  Danielle snorts. I hold my thumb over his phone, and when it asks me for the passcode, I touch where the word, emergency, is located on the bottom left of the screen. I won’t be able to say anything, but hopefully they’ll send someone out here if I leave the call on for long enough.

  I can faintly hear the dispatch operator asking questions. I glance over the sofa to see if Danielle hears as well, but her wild eyes are bugged out and I honestly don’t think she knows where she is, she looks like a mess.

  Her hair is a dirty, tangled, mangled disaster—nothing like the woman in the bathroom all those weeks ago. When I met her then, she looked put together, gorgeous, and refined. Right now, she looks exactly like an addict. I watch as she scratches at her arm, then her neck, and finally her cheeks. Her face has open sores all over it, and I cringe. She looks gaunt and sickly.

  “This little bitch, and you, the both of you ruined my life,” she cries.

  Thomas shakes his head. “Did you not get your promotion?” he asks. “Because of me?”

  “I couldn’t get it. I took too much time off, my performance had gone down, and all I could think about was the fact that you didn’t do what I wanted you to. You promised to take care of me, always, and you didn’t. You hung me out to dry,” she screeches.

  “Danny, I didn’t hang you out to do anything. We haven’t been married for a long time, not really. I just, I fell in love, and we needed to end our sham of a union. It was well past time.”

  Danielle reaches into her hair, tugging on the messy dirty pile, and then she moves her other hand and points a gun at Thomas. I suck in a breath, my heart beating so rapidly that it’s taking everything inside of me to concentrate enough to hear her words.

  “Put that fucking gun away, you crazy bitch,” Thomas grinds out. I’ve never heard him sound so angry before, or his voice so loud.

  Danielle cackles. “Or what? You’re nothing but a fucking pussy, Thomas. You won’t do shit. Maybe I’ll kill the little bitch in front of you. What would you do then?”

  Thomas grunts and I watch in horror as he quickly jumps over me, over the sofa and lands on top of her. I let out a scream, and put my hands over my eyes, afraid to look at what will happen next. I expect to hear a gun blast sound, but I don’t. There is grunting, screaming, and thumps, but no gunshot sound.

  Slowly, I remove my hands from my eyes, and I see Thomas on top of Danielle. She’s face down on our floor, he’s straddling her hips and holding both of her hands behind her back. My eyes dart around for the gun, and I see it across the room.

  I open my mouth to ask him if he’s okay, his chest is moving quickly as he attempts to catch his breath and he has a sheen of sweat covering his face. As soon as I find my voice, the sound of sirens fill the air.

  The police run inside, guns drawn. Thomas follows their orders as the policeman I recognize from the hospital, the one who questioned me a few days ago, appears as well. He makes his way over to me and asks me what happened. I tell him in detail everything that I can think of and he nods. “You did great calling dispatch,” he murmurs.

  A few minutes later, Thomas rushes to my side and wraps his arms around me in a huge hug. It hurts, my ribs protest but I don’t care, I welcome the pain because he’s alive—we both are. We’re alive and that crazy woman is being hauled off in handcuffs.

  Thomas presses his lips to mine. I moan as soon as his tongue slips across the seam of my lips, my mouth automatically opening with the gentle touch. One of his hands fists in my hair and holds me in place while he takes over the kiss, filling me, fucking me with his tongue. I welcome it, all of it, because it proves that we’re okay.

  He lifts his lips from mine, nibbling on my bottom lip before he mutters against my mouth. “It’s all over now, angel eyes. It’s done.”

  I let out a breath, which sounds more like a whimper than anything else and my eyelids slowly open. I give Thomas a small smile, and I exhale, leaning back against the sofa. “Can we start our future now?” I whisper, still smiling.

  He winks. “We’ve already begun, sweetheart, this was all just a tiny bump in the road. It’s over now, and we move the fuck on.”

  We move on. Simple as that. I’m not sure that it is exactly that simple, but I like that Thomas feels as if it could be. I know that this mess with Danielle it isn’t over yet. This is something that will probably linger for a while, but the fear is now gone. I’m safe, Thomas is safe, and our baby is safe.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  INES

  I stare at myself in the mirror, unbelieving that today is the day. It’s been two weeks since my accident. My body is pretty much healed, my bruises gone and my stomach continuing to grow with the life of our child.

  That’s not what has me unbelieving though, no, it’s the fact that today I’m marrying Thomas. I was glad that Christmas was completely uneventful. Carter and Sharee arrived a few days before Christmas Eve, and we just spent time as a family. The six of us.

  I missed my big, loud, family but it wasn’t in the cards this year, and maybe it never will be again. It’s a fact that as the days go by I’ve come to accept. My mom, Kosmo, and Lola haven’t spoken to me since I left the family meeting all those weeks ago. I’m thankful that Novia called me on Christmas and we spoke for a few minutes, and surprisingly, Rio has called me once a week since I left. If nothing else, the relationship between me and Rio has grown to a level I never imagined.

  “Are you re
ady?” Jessa asks me.

  I glance at her reflection in the mirror and smooth down my white shift dress. You can hardly see my baby bump beneath it, but I like how it flows nicely and skims the tops of my knees. The sleeves are long, but completely sheer with just hints of lace sporadically placed. It’s simple and white, yet elegant. Jade bought it for me, my Christmas present. She surprised me, and I cried, big buckets of emotional tears.

  “I’m ready,” I say, looking myself over one last time.

  My long dark hair is gathered in a low ponytail at the side of my neck, and my hair hangs down my chest in loose curls. I left my makeup so light that it looks like I’m not wearing any, just the way Thomas likes it. On my feet, I have on white sling back heels.

  Today, I marry the man I fell in love with. Monday, he starts his new job, and we have nothing but a beautiful future to look forward to.

  I turn around and start to head out of the bedroom toward the waiting car out front. Thomas is already at the courthouse, Jade decided we should get ready separately. I think she wanted to have an actual wedding, so she’s trying to make this as traditional as possible.

  Jessa wraps me in a hug. “I’m so glad you made it out of all that mess safe and sound,” she says against my ear.

  I hold her a little tighter at her words, feeling the emotion run through me. I try not to think about Danielle, about my accident, or about her coming into our home, but it was only mere weeks ago, and I’m still plagued with nightmares from time-to-time.

  “Okay, Rio is waiting,” I say, clearing my throat and taking a step back.

  Me and Jessa walk downstairs where Rio is leaning against the closed front door. He pushes off of the door, and walks over to the coat closet, grabbing both of our coats for us. Jessa slips on her jacket, as Rio helps me into my warm peacoat. “You look beautiful, little sister,” he whispers against my ear.

  I turn around and look up at him, smiling widely and he shakes his head. “Let’s get you married,” he grunts. I throw my arms around my big brother, the only one in my family who showed up today and I give him a tight hug.

  “Thank you, Rio. Thank you for everything.”

  Together the three of us walk to the waiting car. Rio drives us from the log cabin into town, and toward the courthouse. Our wedding isn’t going to be anything fancy. However, Jade and Gregory decided they were going to take all of the guests, and us, out to dinner afterward.

  It’s a very sweet gesture, and I’ve come to discover that the Jacobson family is one of the most generous groups of people that I know. I’m proud to be part of their family, I only hope that I can make them proud as well.

  “Thomas is waiting for you inside,” Jade announces as we walk up the courthouse steps.

  Cole, Jessa’s man, is waiting next to her, Gregory, Carter, Sharee, as well as Thomas’ friend and attorney, Robert. Our miniscule wedding party is all together and it’s perfect. Rio wraps his hand around my elbow and squeezes.

  “I’m walking you in, walking you to him,” he announces. I slip my coat off, and Jessa takes it from me.

  My eyes fill with tears at my brother’s declaration, and I give him a shaky nod. I wrap my arm around his and once everybody else walks into the courthouse, we follow behind. We probably look stupid as we walk through the building, Rio and mine’s arms linked but I don’t care, this is the one time I’ll ever have anybody walk me down the aisle to my future husband.

  When we arrive at the closed door where I know Thomas waits for me on the other side, I suck in a deep breath. “You wanna run?” Rio asks. I turn to him, and I gasp, which only makes him laugh. “Let’s go hermanita.”

  Rio reaches for the handle and opens the door. Thomas is on the other side, and I’m sure the rest of our small party is as well but I don’t see them, I only see him. His eyes widen when he sees me, then a bright as the sun smile appears on his lips. I match it, giving him what he calls my bright-as-a-Christmas-tree smile. Even though I want to sprint toward him, I refrain. I walk next to Rio until he passes me off to Thomas.

  Our ceremony is short and sweet, an absolutely perfect combination for us. We both say I do, choosing to stick with traditional vows and then we kiss. It’s slow, steady, hot, and sexy all wrapped into one almost closed mouth touch of the lips.

  THOMAS

  Turning her around in my arms, I press my lips to the side of her neck, as I gather the hem of her pretty white dress in one of my hands. The other slides around her hip and I slip it beneath her panties.

  Thankfully we’re staying tonight at a hotel in town, something I booked when I realized not only was my family staying at our house but Rio was as well. I wanted to have her to myself on our first night as man and wife, and I didn’t want to have to be quiet about it.

  “Thomas,” she whimpers.

  I slide two fingers through her wet center and let out a groan at the same time she moans. She’s so hot and wet, so fucking perfect and ready for me—always ready for me. I press my lips to the side of her neck and gently suck her soft skin.

  Ines reaches up, wrapping her hand around the back of my neck, gripping tightly onto me as she shifts her hips. I know what she wants, more, more of me; of my touch and I can’t deny her—not that I ever would.

  Slipping two fingers inside of her completely, I press the palm of my hand against her clit and she lets out a mewl. She turns her head and presses her lips to the underside of my jaw as she rides my hand. I let her, only moving my fingers inside of her in a come-hither motion. Everything else, I give her free reign on.

  “Shit, Papi,” she cries.

  Releasing my hold on her dress, I slip my hand up to cup her breast from the outside. Her dress is too high cut to yank down and expose her heavy tits, and I can’t wait to pull it off of her body, but I won’t until she comes. I hear her suck in a breath, then she lets out a long moan as her pussy clenches around my fingers and I’m flooded with her release.

  Everything inside of me wants to bend her over, rip her panties down and fuck her until I’m coming inside of her, however, the fact that it’s our wedding night causes me to reevaluate. I should make love to her, at least the first time.

  Reluctantly, I remove my fingers from between her legs and gently spin her around until I’m able to touch my lips to hers. “My husband,” she smiles against my mouth.

  I don’t respond with words, I have too much emotion for that. I honestly wasn’t sure this day would actually come. With Danielle’s antics, I was scared, terrified, that I would lose Ines, lose this future we both desired.

  Ines reaches behind her and tugs her zipper down, letting her dress pool at her feet. I watch as she steps out of it, leaving her shoes in the middle of the material, and is in front of me wearing nothing but a pair of lacy white panties and matching bra.

  My eyes travel her nearly naked body, and they pause at the swell of her belly. Her extra curves are absolutely gorgeous to me, but this part of her, this small bump is where my child resides, a child I thought I would never have. A child I thought had been assuredly taken from us in Ines’ accident, but a child that thrives.

  “Thomas,” Ines murmurs.

  Shifting my gaze back up to her eyes I give her a grin. “Take it all off, angel eyes.”

  I watch as she removes her bra, her heavy tits swaying as they’re released from their confines. Then her panties are next and my cock presses achingly hard against the zipper of my slacks. “On the bed, sit against the headboard,” I demand.

  She gives me a small grin, her lips tipping up perfectly and then she turns and walks toward the bed. I watch her hips sway and her round ass move with each step. Then she crawls on the bed and my eyes stay glued to that perfect ass of hers as she makes her way to the headboard. Only when she turns around and presses her back to it, do I begin to move.

  Quickly, I tug my suit vest off, then my shirt, my shoes, socks, and pants following. I don’t bother folding them up nicely, instead leaving them in a rumpled pile on the floor. My boxe
r briefs follow before I crawl up the bed to join my wife. I wrap my hand around her ankle and slowly kiss up her calf, her thigh and then swirl my tongue around her clit before I make my way down her other side.

  “I need you, Thomas,” she whines from above me.

  I kiss my way back up to her center, sucking on her sweet clit before I drag my lips up her belly and over to one of her tits. I wrap my lips around one of her nipples, gently sucking it between my lips and flicking it with my tongue. Ines’ breasts have been sensitive, so I try not to be too rough on them, even though it’s hard as shit because they taste so damn good. I gently kiss over to the other side and show her other tit the same attention.

  Ines’ fingers slide through my hair before they tighten and she tugs my head back. I look up into her caramel gaze and grin. Her eyes are fucking on fire, and she looks almost pissed.

  I shift onto my knees, and wrap my hand around her ass, picking her up. She squeals, placing her hands on my shoulders and without taking a breath, I lower her down on my cock. Her pussy is warm and tight, a fucking perfect fit. “Oh, shit,” she whimpers and buries her face in my neck.

  With my hands gripping her ass, I use her to jack my cock. Her sweet gasps against my neck, spur me to lift my hips when I pull her down, and she groans each time. “Fuck, Ines, you feel so good,” I moan.

  “I’m close,” she needlessly announces.

  I know she’s close, her pussy is so wet, and I can feel it pulse around my cock each time I tug her down against me. I could come like this, and it would be great, but I want her to come again first. I readjust her so that she’s on her back, and I’m still on my knees. I bury myself to the root, but I don’t move. Instead, I slip my hand between us, and with my thumb, I rub firm circles against her clit.