Stay With Me: Diamond In The Rough 3

by Hart, Rebel

  Cecilia drew in a short breath. “Oh, by the way. If you see anything in the ‘discard’ pile you or your mother might like, feel free to take it. It’s all going to a donation place anyway.”

  I smiled. “I appreciate that. Thanks.”

  Clint took my hand. “Here, I’ll show you what we’re up to right now.”

  Clint led me into a closet that was easily the size of my bedroom. Probably bigger, to be honest. There were drawers pulled open showcasing sizzling diamonds. Ruby red gems. Bright gold and rose gold jewelry. An entire wall of sunglasses. Purses tossed onto the floor. It looked like a bomb had gone off in this place. And in its wake, designer clothes for people to rummage around in.

  Cecilia definitely had great taste in fashion.

  “This is the packing pile. And believe it or not, it’s only half the size it was. Everything else is kind of scattered around, but they are the ‘discard’ piles. We’re going to sort all the discarded stuff by accessory and clothing type before boxing it up.”

  I blinked. “Wow. there’s a lot of stuff here.”

  Clint chuckled. “Yeah. And we’ve been at it for three hours.”

  Cecilia called out. “Except for that break you took!”

  I furrowed my brow. “What break?”

  He grinned. “I sold more stuff tonight.”

  I threw my arms around him and rejoiced with him. Even though things felt more disconnected than ever, I knew they would fall into place the way they needed to. I felt it in my bones. The chaos was slowly coming to a close, this chapter of all of our lives coming to an end.

  Finally.

  After struggling for weeks.

  I jumped into the sorting and packing. Cecilia handed off some used luggage she didn’t want anymore, and I snickered when she handed it to me. Louis Vuitton luggage. A beautiful brown with creamy tan logos emblazoned onto it. Clint ended up tossing all sorts of things into the luggage. Random purses he thought I might like. Sunglasses that looked absolutely ridiculous on me. Jewelry Cecilia didn’t want to lug with her that he thought my mom might enjoy.

  There had to be at least two hundred thousand dollars’ worth of stuff in one of these suitcases.

  “No, no, no. I can’t take any more. This is too much.”

  Clint smiled. “Oh, come on. This dress still has the tags on it. And you don’t think this would look great on you?”

  I snickered. “I’m flattered you think it might fit.”

  Cecilia rubbed my back. “I think it would fit you. The material stretches. It’s supposed to mold to your body. You’re, what? A size twelve?”

  I paused. “How did you pinpoint that?”

  She winked. “It’s a gift. Hold on.”

  I watched her walk into the back of the closet as Clint folded that dress up. He shoved it into one of the suitcases before zipping it up, and I heard him struggling with it. The damn thing was almost bursting at the seams. And I didn’t know what to do with—well—any of this. The jewelry they wanted to give me. The designer sunglasses. The outfits.

  I’d never worn stuff like this before.

  Nor my mother.

  “Here we are. Take a look at this.”

  Cecilia came around the corner with the most beautiful dress in her hands. A hunter green dress, with silken fabric that sparkled in the lights of the closet. She held it up, and my eyes followed it. A full-length dress with off-the-shoulder straps and a built-in bra laid into the corset top.

  “It’s—it’s beautiful.”

  Cecilia smiled. “A ten-twelve. Which I think will fit you just fine.”

  She handed it to me, and the first thing that flashed through my mind was ‘prom.’

  It was the perfect prom dress.

  Before I knew it, I had matching shoes in my hands. Dainty white gold jewelry that matched. Even a clutch purse that went with that dress, and that dress alone. Clint took it all out of my hands and packed it away. They continued filling those bags with things they thought I might like until there was no room left in the luggage. Tears rushed my eyes. I didn’t know what to say, or think, or do.

  “Thank—thank you. I don’t—I wouldn't—how do you even wash stuff like this?”

  Cecilia smiled. “I’m sure Clint can talk you through that.”

  I paused. “Clint?”

  He chuckled. “I’m not completely inept in the ways of cleaning expensive clothes. I am my father’s son, after all.”

  My face fell. “But you’re nothing like him.”

  Cecilia shook her head. “No, he’s not. He’s much better than his father could ever be.”

  He slipped his arm around my lower back and I realized we hadn’t gotten much packing done at all. They’d taken their time to fill up luggage for me, and not one ounce of time had been devoted to packing her things. I felt guilty. But they didn’t. Which made me feel a bit better, but only a bit.

  “Well, I’m going to go have myself a glass of wine downstairs. I have some things I want to pack up down there anyway. We can give the clothes a rest.”

  Cecilia’s voice caught my ear and pulled me out of my trance.

  “Do you need any help?” I asked.

  She waved her hand in the air. “I’ll be fine. Clint’s been packing with me for the past three hours. And I know you came over to see him.”

  “But I’d like to help. If you’ll let me.”

  Clint chuckled. “And we will. After she’s had her glass of wine.”

  Cecilia nodded. “Exactly. I need a break. And if you're still here after my break, you can help. How’s that sound?”

  I grinned. “Sounds good. I’d like to repay you somehow for… all of this.”

  Cecilia snickered. “Nonsense. You're more than welcome to it.”

  27

  Clinton

  I watched as Cecilia winked at me, then left us in the closet by ourselves. I felt how overwhelmed Rae had become. I felt her tensing next to me, and I wanted to help her relax. I guided her to my bedroom and closed the door behind me, locking it for good measure. In case Dad decided to storm the house again. Rae stood in the middle of my room, her eyes locked onto a spot on the ceiling.

  Then she let out a heavy sigh. “I can’t take all of that stuff.”

  I walked over, taking her hands in mine. “You can, and you will.”

  She shook her head. “It’s too much. It’s too nice. I don’t know what to do with it.”

  “You dry clean it. Any stain, just take it to a dry cleaners.”

  “I don’t have the money for that.”

  I shrugged. “Sell the jewelry. Then you will.”

  “That jewelry is beautiful, though.”

  “Then, sell some of the purses and sunglasses to afford the jewelry cleaning and dry cleaning.”

  She snickered. “So this is how the rich live.”

  I licked my lips. “Trust me, it’s not as nice as some people think.”

  Her fingertips reached out and fondled a bruise against my jawline. Her eyes flickered over to worry, and I didn’t want her to feel worse. I wanted her to feel better. I wrapped my hand around her wrist and brought her fingers to my lips, kissing the tips of them. All of them. Watching as she softly relaxed.

  “It’s okay, Rae. I’m okay.”

  She sighed. “I could’ve sworn your father had—”

  I nodded slowly. “I mean, it wasn't pretty. He was angry. He lashed out. He did what he usually does. But it didn’t come out as bad as I figured it would.”

  Tears rimmed her eyes. “I hate him so much.”

  “Come here. It’s okay. I promise, I’m all right.”

  I wrapped her up in my arms and felt her cling to my clothing. She shook against me, and it made me silently spit fire at my father. Once he was finally out of my life, things would be so much better. For me. For Rae. For us, and my future.

  Our future, if we had one together.

  I walked her slowly into my bathroom and closed the door behind us. We both needed to unwind, and I nee
ded to wash the stench of sweat off my body. Packing up Cecilia’s shit was a big job. Because she had a lot of stuff. She certainly had access to my father’s money over the years. But, she wasn’t as materialistic as I’d taken her to be.

  Especially after watching her easy generosity with Rae tonight.

  I reached into the shower and turned on the hot water. I tempered it with some cold, then stripped myself of my clothes. Rae’s eyes roamed over my body, clocking the bruises as tears continued to slip from her eyes. And as I helped her out of her own clothes, I ran my hands along her curves, stealing her warmth and her softness. Prepping a soft landing into the one person I called home.

  “Come here, beautiful.”

  I pulled her into me for a voracious kiss. One that stiffened my cock almost instantly. I accepted the effect she had on me. The electricity she pushed through my veins. I pulled her into the walk-in shower and turned the hot waterfall into a wet mist. The entire stone shower turned into a wet sauna, coating us in a sheen of sweat and water vapor as our teeth clattered together.

  “Oh, Clint.”

  I growled. “I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that.”

  I pressed her against the wall and kissed down her neck. She opened herself up for me, and I took my fill of her. I marked her breasts. Sucked on her nipples. Tugged them to painful peaks with my teeth as her hands threaded into my hair. She pushed me further down her body. Aching for me to be between her legs. And as I fell to my knees, I slipped one of her legs over my shoulder before slipping the other.

  “Clint, no, no, no. You’re going to—drop—fuck!”

  “Mmm, what was that?”

  I gave her all my strength. All my devotion. I gave her all of me as I hoisted her off the ground. My hands pressed into the stone wall to steady me as her nails raked along my scalp. I opened my mouth and devoured her. My tongue slid up and down her slit, readying her for my assault as her heels dug into my back. Her body hovered above the shower floor.

  “Shit, Clint.”

  “Mmm, that’s it.”

  “Don’t let me fall.”

  “I’ll never let you fall, Rae. Not on my watch.”

  My tongue found her swollen nub and I flicked against it. Over and over, feeling her tremble against my face. I had her right where I wanted her. And I never wanted her to leave. I drank every droplet she had for me as she poured into my mouth. Opening herself. Relaxing herself. Offering herself up as my dinner.

  A dinner I’d never forget.

  “Clint! Yes!”

  “Be as loud as you want, beautiful.”

  “Oh, fuuuuck. Please, don’t stop.”

  I lapped harder against her. Deeper into her body. My fingers curled into the stone wall as my cock leaked from its tip. I felt her trembling and shivering against me. I felt her hands wrapping themselves around the tendrils of my hair that had grown far too long. She bucked against me, ravenously chasing her release on the tip of my tongue.

  But when she unraveled, I didn’t stop.

  “Clint! Clint! No, no, no, n—yes. Oh, right there, yeah.”

  I chuckled as I continued my assault, following her every command. A little to the right. Back to the left. Down. Down. No, no, no, up. I smiled against her. Every chuckle I filled her pussy with made her jump. She hissed with delight and moaned my name. Until her words became choppy and her gasps became groans. I felt her unraveling again, losing control. Her arousal dripped down my neck as I coaxed her over the edge again, feeling her grow weaker against my assault.

  Which still didn’t stop, even as my body shook with exhaustion.

  “Clint, I can’t. I can’t. You have to—oh, fuck, what are you doing to me?”

  Her moans fell from her lips with ease. I felt her juices dripping down my chest. My cock leaked thick threads of precum as it pooled on the shower floor. Sweat dripped down my brow. Mist flooded my back. I rocked my face against her, digging deeper and keeping a steady rhythm as she slowly began bucking against me again.

  “Oh, yeah, Clint. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.”

  Her pleasure choked off her sounds. I heard her gasping as her body spun out of control. It was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard in my life. And I never wanted a day to go by where I didn’t hear it. I slowly slid her to the floor, my muscles trembling with exhaustion. I lay her down on her back, kissing softly up her stomach. Her breasts. Her neck. All the way up to her lips. And as our mouths met, I felt her legs spread apart.

  “Fill me, Clint.”

  She didn’t have to ask me twice.

  I slid deep inside her as the mist of the sauna-shower cloaked us from the rest of the world. I threaded our fingers together, pinning her wrists above her head. Her pussy swallowed me whole. Her walls clamped down tightly around me. I felt her shivering. Quaking, for my viewing pleasure. And with every thrust I afforded her, I watched her breasts jump and her eyes roll back. I watched her jaw unhinge in silent pleasure as she entrusted me with her most vulnerable form.

  A gift I’d never take for granted.

  My growls met her moans. Her glance met my stare. I kept my eyes on her, unable to pull away as her face contorted with pleasure. She was a shaking mess. Dripping with sweat, flushed with ecstasy, and dripping with cum. And yet, she’d never looked more beautiful. Writhing beneath me. Helpless to my pleasurable assault.

  I love you. I love you. I love you, Rae.

  I pounded into her. I dug my knees into the stone and bit back the pain. I gnashed my teeth together as she lifted her hips, offering them to me as a sacrifice. Her walls squeezed me as her legs locked around my calves. Her fingernails dug into the tops of my hands as her pussy pulled me deeper, trapping me within the confines of its warmth. I dropped my lips against hers and hovered over her as my cock pulsed once. Twice. Three times, inside her body.

  And then I burst.

  Bringing her along with me.

  Her moans filled the back of my throat as my grunts filled hers. I rutted against her, like a wild fucking animal, my threads of arousal filling her to the brim. Her pussy pulsed so hard it pushed me out. And with it came our intermingled juices, shooting against my pelvis. I grinned against her lips and chuckled as our teeth clattered together. What a mess we were. The two of us.

  A perfect mess made for one another.

  I love you, Rae. With everything I have.

  I hoped she felt it, too. Because one of these days, I’d have the balls to say it. One of these days, I’d have the guts to tell her myself.

  One of these days, if she kept me around long enough, I’d have the courage to look her square in her eyes and tell her.

  But for now, I settled with holding her close, pulling her against me as we lay there, our bodies intertwined at the bottom of my shower. I kissed her shoulder and she jumped, giggling as I nuzzled her and threaded our fingers together as she slipped her shaking leg between mine.

  I settled for feeling her press against me, wanting to get as close to me as she could.

  In the hopes that one day soon, I’d tell her how I truly felt.

  And hear those words from her in return.

  28

  Raelynn

  RaelynnOne Week Later

  I smiled as I tried on my prom dress for the fourth time that week. I still couldn't believe all the stuff Cecilia had simply handed away. I ran my hands down the silken fabric, watching as it molded to my touch. To my body. To the curves I apparently had. I even held the clutch in my hands to get an idea of what I might look like at prom.

  If Clint ever asked me to go.

  I felt much better than I did last week. And not just because Clint and I were back together. I mean, yeah. That played into some of it. We were spending a lot more time together, especially since we were working on catching him back up with classes. Getting his overdue homework turned in. Things like that. But work was also going well. I’d gotten a small raise. Only twenty cents more than I was making, but every little bit helped.

  And sel
ling off some of the jewelry Cecilia had passed to me helped cushion my bank account.

  After Mom got back from her stint in the hospital, I gave her some of the clothes. Not all of them, but some. A couple of the sunglasses and a few of the purses. Some tops and pants and dresses that definitely didn’t fit me. She ogled and swooned over them. She even put on a little fashion show for me as she twirled around in them. I hadn’t seen my mother smile like that in years. And it warmed my heart to see her that happy.

  Without D.J.

  “Rae!”

  I opened my bedroom door. “Yeah, Mom?”

  “I’m off to my therapy session. I should be back in a couple of hours. I was thinking of picking up lunch for us.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m graduation dress shopping with Allison today. I’ll see you for dinner!”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Love you! Have a good time at therapy!”

  I heard Mom snickering as she walked out the door. That was another new thing, too. Because of our income status, she qualified for free therapy lessons through the hospital that had treated her. So, twice a week, she was scheduled to go in and talk with someone to help her sift through these issues she clearly still struggled with. I was so proud of her for finally pulling away from all the abusive nonsense and getting her happiness back and starting down a path to find her way in life.

  Though another decision would be coming soon. Because eventually, she’d have to get a job.

  That’s when the real test would come.

  Don’t think about that now. Focus on the present.

  I smiled as I slipped out of the dress. It still needed to be hemmed, since Cecilia was a good four inches taller than me. But I had the money to get that done now. Most of the money from selling off that jewelry was stashed in a savings account. But I’d kept a little bit of the money in my own checking account. You know, to have it there in case Mom and I needed something.

  Or if I really did need to move in with Allison until graduation.

  I got dressed into some jeans and a T-shirt. Then I peeked at the back of my closet. That luggage was still piled up, still half-full of things I knew I’d never use. I did grab a pair of the sunglasses, though. The one pair I did like. They were black, swirled with brown. And the frames were large. They almost covered my face. They were muted, not like the sparkling ones that twinkled at me every time I opened the small suitcase.