by M. Skye
“Why are you saying this? Do you want to hurt me? Is that it?”
“You’re being dramatic.”
“What did I do to make you cheat on me? Why did you have to bring him into my bed?”
“I didn’t! I never let him touch me. We didn’t sleep together until we moved to Paris. I couldn’t do it. Not here, not in the home we shared.”
“Mia, I don’t know what you think you know, but it’s not true.”
“You made a side deal with Richmond. I know all about it and the trust fund you received when we got married. So, what was it? You marry me and he gives you shares in Livingston?”
“He didn’t want me anywhere near that company. He needed to keep me out to keep his corruption buried. I made a deal with him, but it wasn’t what you thought.”
“You lied to me for all these years, and you expect me to believe you now?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m telling the truth.” Tyree pulled her down on the couch and took her hand in his. She didn’t pull away, and he took it as a sign to go on. “Richmond and my dad had bad blood after the business deals went down. When Richmond found out about us, he threatened to turn my dad in if I took the company and married you. His deal was I had to choose one or the other.”
“John was involved in that?”
“I don’t know to what extent, but I know he is more involved than he’s admitting. If I took the company, Richmond would have exposed my dad and ruined everything, leaving Asha and Miguel without a future. It was either marry you or take the company, and I chose you. Yes, I had a trust fund that I could only get if I was married, but that isn’t why I did it. I loved you so much and not having you would have driven me insane.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want you to feel like you were the reason Dad and I can’t stand each other. I never told him about the deal with Richmond. I just let everyone think I didn’t want the company because of my own reasons. When I refused to do what Dad wanted, he cut me off, but you never knew because I refused to let that stand in our way. I used my trust fund to support us. I don’t regret what I did, and if I had it to do all over again, I would. I know that I should have had more faith in you and said something, but I didn’t want to risk you saying no to my proposal.”
“I wouldn’t have. I could have never turned you down, but I would have done more to help support us. You should have told me. I would have done whatever we needed to make it work.”
“I didn’t want you to do that. We didn’t need your money, and I’m supposed to take care of you and Kyan. You deserved to be treated like the most precious thing in the world.”
“You did all that. I swear I’ve never felt more loved. I was just stupid. I never should have left you. How can you not hate me?”
“I do. I hate you so much.”
She looked at him, stunned by his declaration.
“I hate you because, after everything, after all you’ve done to hurt me, I still can’t get you out of my head. I hate you for still being the one. I hate you because you let him touch you. You let him have what was mine, and I can’t stand it. Most importantly, I hate you because I want to kiss you so bad right now. I wish I could erase you, but I can’t.”
“Ty.” She reached out, but he sat back on the couch.
“You gave him something that was only supposed to be mine. You took my joy of knowing no man had ever made you feel the way I did. Your body and your heart were supposed to be all mine. You said you had never been in love before me.”
“I hadn’t. Ty, you’re the only man I’ve ever loved. You have to believe me. I never let myself fall in love with him. He was just there.”
Tyree looked away, trying to restrain himself; and then he focused back in on her. “I came here to say good-bye to you. I need you gone. I need you out of here,” he said as he tapped his head. “Let me find my happy ending.”
“I can’t.” She had tears drenching her cheeks. “I love you.”
“I loved you, but now,” he said, standing and looking in the mirror, “I’m someone I don’t even recognize. I could blame it all on you, but I know I’m responsible for some of it.”
“I thought you were the one who ruined us, but it was me. I made this happen. I’m so ashamed. I broke the only man who gave me everything.”
Tyree wanted to leave right then, but something was pulling him to her. Maybe it was the tears rolling down her cheeks. He could never stand to see her cry. Slowly, he made his way over and pulled her into his arms, leading her to rest against his chest. “I don’t know why we hurt each other the way we do, but you were the one. Always know that.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
Tyree walked over to the couch and slid down with her still in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes. He had been waiting to hold her like this for over two years, and now this felt like it could be the last time. He hadn’t known the extent of his anger until he was able to vocalize it. She had caused him to hit rock bottom.
Tyree sat holding her for what seemed like an eternity as the effects of his intoxication wore off. He thought over all the things they said to each other in the heat of the moment, and he regretted the harsh nature of his words. As angry as he was and as much as he tried to accomplish it, he could never hate her. She would always be the one.
“Mia.” He ran his hand down her cheek as she slept. “Baby, wake up. I need to talk to you.”
“If you’re going to yell at me again, please don’t. I know I deserve it, but please—”
“I love you.” He smiled.
She sat up, leaning her head against his. “I love you too.”
“Look, I don’t know what this all means. We really screwed up, and I don’t want to dance around things pretending like we don’t have real issues. You really messed me up, and there’s still the whole Jake and Renee situation.”
“I understand. So what do we do?”
“I don’t know. All I do know is that I won’t be getting married, not to her anyways, but I have to handle it the right way.”
“Why?”
“I don’t think it is something that should be drawn out.”
“So what are we going to do?”
Tyree smiled at her using the word “we.” He hadn’t thought they would ever be a “we” again. It felt good to hear her say it, but he knew her getting involved would be a mistake. “Look, you have to let me deal with this. I can’t have you involved. Plus, you have some things of your own to figure out. I’m not saying we’re together, not yet, but I need to know that I can trust you to make the right decision.”
“About Jake?”
“Yeah, him and other things.”
“I guess that’s a fair answer. I shouldn’t expect things to just fall into place because I want them to.”
“Right. Look, I need to get home and wrap my head around some things, but I’ll call you.” When she didn’t voice a response, he lifted her chin, bringing her eyes to his. “Okay?”
“Okay,” she sighed, and leaned in and brushed her lips over his.
When they touched, it was like magnets colliding. He deepened the kiss, grabbing a handful of her hair, and pulled her head back to smother her neck in kisses. As his tongue traced a path down her neck, she reached over, running her hands under his shirt and over his toned abs. This was what he missed most: the feel of her against him.
When his kisses seemed to become too much for her, she pushed him back, looking at the lustful gaze in his eyes. “It’s been so long since I felt you.”
“I really want you, baby,” he whispered in her ear. “But are we ready for this?”
“You had sex with her?”
He knew she hated the idea, but she had to understand this was all so sudden between them. “Not in a few days.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t think with you around. You’re ruining the best pa
rt of me.” He laughed. “I love sex.”
Mia flashed him her adorable grin and took full possession of his mouth, pushing him back on the couch. “You’re not going anywhere.”
She unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, and he sat up running his hand under her shirt to caress her skin. He could feel her body reacting to each touch, and he smiled. This was what he had been missing.
Renee always acted like she wanted him, but only Mia showed him that she needed him. With each touch, he felt her twitch. She was kissing her way down his chest when he pulled her up. In a matter of seconds, he had her pajama pants sliding down her legs, and his hands were exploring her, gliding across each sensitive peak with ease.
Mia was wrapped in his arms, moaning as he brought her to rest on the counter. Sitting her down, he dropped to his knees, pushing her legs apart. She had her eyes closed, and when his hands found their way back to her center, she shivered. She let her body rock into his fingers, pushing them deeper until his mouth replaced them. When his tongue flicked over her followed by a gentle sucking motion, her knees began to buckle around his face, and he was growing more excited by the moment.
Raising her thighs to his shoulders, he slid his hands up to caress her breasts as he ran his mouth all over her. This was what he needed, what he wanted. Continuing to pleasure her in a way he had never done for Renee, he let his mouth take on a mind of its own.
She was writhing below him, reaching the brink of her climax and he was anticipating it. He needed it. After all this time apart, he still remembered what it sounded like to make her lose control. The taste of her was seared into his memory, but nothing compared to the screams. Grabbing her thighs tighter, he pushed his tongue farther, caressing the sensitive flesh between her legs harder and faster until he got what he wished for.
“Tyree! Oh, God!
“Yes, baby,” he smirked. “I missed that.”
Watching her come down from her high, Tyree stripped off his pants and boxers, moving back between her legs. He felt them encircle him, and seconds later she was in his arms. Times like these, he was thankful for her being so small. Pushing her back far enough to reach his hand down, he was already in a state of arousal. Without hesitation, she slid her body over him, causing a guttural groan to escape his lips.
Closing his eyes, trying to get used to the feeling, he was surprised when she threw her arms around his neck, rolling her body against his. Tyree was swimming in ecstasy, feeling her insides pulsate against him. For the first time in a long time, he knew what it meant to truly love the one you’re with.
Mia was all over the place, driving him insane. She was lifting her body and sliding back down, moving in a way she never had before. It was so crazy, so unreal, that Tyree had to blink to make sure it wasn’t just one of his fantasies. He had dreamed this moment so many times, and here she was, making him feel things he no longer thought were possible. He was holding her in the air, clutching her hips as she moved her body, and he was biting his bottom lip. It felt so damn good.
Tyree let her continue her sensual movements as he found himself walking toward a nearby wall. When he turned and placed her back against it, she stopped, looking into his brown eyes; and he drove into her forcefully. While pushing harder against her, he grabbed her legs, forcing them up to wrap around him and he saw a smile appear on her face.
Soon, they were dancing against the wall together with her giving back as much as she received. Tyree had forgotten it could be like this, having someone who knew you so well they anticipated your every move. Mia always knew what to do to make him explode with passion and, after all this time, nothing had changed.
Feeling her head tilt and her tongue run over his ear, up his neck, and finally across his lips, Tyree moved his hands to grip hers, and he slid them up the wall. Her legs soon fell to the floor, and he pulled her to him. With a handful of her hair in his hands, he turned her around, lifting her body in his arms and he entered her once more. He knew Mia was stunned by what he was doing, but she quickly caught on, wrapping her arms around his neck. She let her legs meet around his waist. She was wrapped around him like a pretzel, but he couldn’t deny it was amazing.
“I’m glad you’re so flexible, baby.”
“I’m glad you’re so horny. This is a new one for us. You been practicing?” She laughed.
“Every day, waiting for you.” He kissed the side of her neck and sent her a few more thrusts that had her screaming. Tyree knew he wouldn’t be able to keep this up much longer, and he wanted so badly to draw it out. It had been so long, and he never wanted it to end. Every second with her was electrifying. He needed more time.
When Tyree began to walk her back to the couch, he felt the room spinning. His vision was blurred by passion, and his heart was beating out of his chest. Sliding her down, he felt her hesitate, but that was soon dismissed when he slid beneath her to rest on his back. He knew that she would pick up on what he wanted, and she quickly dropped herself on top of him, accepting his full erection in one swoop.
His body once again felt complete, and he let her think she had full control for a second while he readjusted himself for his big moment. When he reached up, weaving his hand through her hair, pulling her lips down to his, he felt a familiar sensation wash over him and, then, her body quivered. Her second orgasm hit, and he saw her eyes closing, until he thrust upward, causing a loud exclamation to roll off her tongue.
When Tyree grabbed her legs, running his hands up her thighs to rest on her hips, he threw another round of exquisite thrusts, and she threw her head to the side. Kissing her neck, he let his tongue linger as he pushed himself deeper into her warm recesses. He hadn’t felt this alive in so long, and when her nails raked over his chest, he lost control, allowing himself to give in, releasing between her fluttering walls. Feeling her clamp down around him, he took a deep breath and, a few seconds later, she blessed him with her third orgasm as he finally reached his first.
Holding Mia pressed against his chest, Tyree closed his eyes as they both struggled to regain control of their breathing without disconnecting. They lay that way for what seemed like days; and, once she was completely back to normal, Mia sat up running her hand down Tyree’s face. “You still going home?”
“Home? Aren’t I home? This is still my house too, right?”
“Right.” She smiled. “It’s just that before we had sex, you were saying something about going home.”
“I’m not leaving after that.” He kissed the side of her head. “And we didn’t have sex.”
“What was that then? Sure felt like it to me.” She giggled. “You were inside me.”
“Yes, I was. Still am, as a matter of fact.” He pointed to their bottom halves. “But I never have sex with you. Sex is what I did with her. I make love to you.”
Mia gave him a gorgeous smile and leaned down to kiss him again. “I don’t deserve you.”
“You don’t,” he joked, “but you still got me anyways.”
“What about your fiancée?”
“What about your man?”
“My man is here. He just needs to clean house tomorrow afternoon.”
“Why so late? I thought you would have wanted me to go over there now and throw her out.” He chuckled.
“She can wait. I have so many things to do that involve you, and I just can’t spare the time right now.”
He looked at her, grabbing her chin, pulling her lips to his. After giving her a gentle kiss, he then leaned back. “I’m going to do this with you again, but you have to promise not to duck out on me if times get hard. Okay?”
“I promise.”
“I don’t want to discuss the past anymore or think about all the things we messed up on.”
“We won’t have to.”
“Well, I lied. I have one more thing to ask you, and then I’ll drop it.”
“What is it?”
“How did you find out? I mean, I’m glad it’s in the open now, but how?”
Mia glanced off, but he tilted her head back to face him. “Jake. He found it while looking for you. He looked into a lot of things about all of us.”
“What else does he know?” When she hesitated, he locked eyes with her. “Mia, what else?”
“He knows about you looking into Mom’s and Janelle’s deaths.”
“How long have you known?”
“Since before I left. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because, well, because I thought Richmond was involved. I know it’s ridiculous, but I was suspicious of him.”
Mia laughed nervously and laid her head on his chest. “That’s crazy. They were accidents. There is no other way to explain it.”
“Yeah,” Tyree sighed. “No other way.” He held her tight and listened to her breathe until she fell asleep. He was too distracted to join her; their conversation had awakened suspicions he thought he had buried long ago. Everything he thought he discovered back then led to a trail of dead ends. There was no way it could be possible. Or could it?
As the pieces of the puzzle began to replay in his head, Tyree turned and slipped out of Mia, placing her on the couch, and he threw on his boxers. When things began to go south after Kyan was kidnapped, he hid some things in the corner of his closet to keep them out of Mia’s hands, and he hoped they were still there. Moving a few things and sliding behind Kyan’s clothes, he found the envelopes and pulled out a few papers while taking a seat on the bed.
As Tyree read over the papers, his thoughts were taken back to a conversation he had with Janelle. Her words were cryptic that night and, although she had been drinking, she had given him something to think about. They were talking about Janelle’s mother, and she was emotional and guilt-ridden. They all knew of Helen’s drug abuse, but they wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, and they failed her horribly. Janelle’s issue was what they didn’t know about her. They never knew she had started shooting up. In all the years of drug abuse, she had always snorted. Something just didn’t seem right to Tyree.
He was still looking over the papers when Mia crept up to the doorway quietly watching him. “What you got there?”
