“So, essentially we beat his ass tag team style?” I smiled and kissed his red knuckles again.
“Essentially.” Cyrus wet his lips and leaned forward with his elbows on the table to look at me. “Bellamy, I need you to tell me if he did something to hurt you. If there’s any way we can nail him to the wall then I want to do it. He can’t be a church leader and a predator. I can’t live with myself knowing that he’s out here manipulating women and doing as he pleases.”
I pushed the hair on my forehead away and sighed softly as I stared into Cyrus’ beautiful translucent brown eyes. My breath caught on something in my throat and I opened my mouth, “He didn’t hurt me but he threatened me over and over.” I ran down a list of fucked up things Wilson said to me whenever we were alone.
I knew the scarlet on his face wasn’t because he was blushing at how disgusting his colleague was. Cyrus was pissed off.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me? Even before we became official, Bellamy I wouldn’t have stood for that shit.”
“I’m not used to men actually protecting women, Cyrus. I’m used to men being like Wilson and taking what they want only leaving behind stains on my skin like badges of honor for them. You’re different,” I tucked my lips between my teeth as my past pain surfaced hard and fast like a submarine breaking through the ocean. “I didn’t know I could trust you back then.”
He held his head down and sighed. I felt bad for weighing him down with my old wounds. I rubbed the back of his neck and dotted him with slow kisses hoping to plant flowers in the cracks I’d caused.
“I fucking hate all the abuse you went through, Bellamy.” He gripped my hands in his and squeezed as if he could impart his goodness to me through pressure. “Do you know now?” He asked, lifting his head and looking at me. “Do you know that I’ll protect you with everything I have?”
“I don’t know if I deserve that, Cyrus. I don’t know if I become someone who deserves that. What if I do something stupid? What if I say something wrong?” My questions tumbled out leaving me bare and exposed. I wondered if he still thought I was beautiful when my scars were on display.
“I don’t care. Just don’t lie to me. Be real. I’ve been lied to and taken advantage of before and that shit hurts. I’m a man but I get hurt too, Bellamy.” I slid my fingers through his soft beard and caressed his cheek. He was warm and right and good like lying naked on cashmere. We shred a deep kiss that left me tingling.
“You’re too good for me to even think about hurting you on purpose, Cyrus. I can’t promise that my past won’t circle around like a shark though.”
“I can deal with your past as long as you’re committed to changing your future.” I found myself in his lap with my chest pressed against his. Our hearts beat back and forth, creating a song that was already my favorite thing to hear and feel.
“I’m committed,” I told him, barely above a whisper.
You’ll fuck this up too, Bellamy. Just give it time.
The toxic voice whispered with a hiss as if it came from the forked tongue of a snake. I shut my eyes and shook my head slightly just to stop the noise. Cyrus asked me what was wrong and I fought with telling him about the voice in my head that always sabotaged my happiness but I was supposed to change my future. Past me wouldn’t have mentioned it but I wasn’t that person when I was with Cyrus.
“I have a bad habit of talking myself out of happiness. Sometimes I don’t want to hear that voice in my head. It drains me.” I swallowed back the thick knot in my throat and Cyrus kissed me there. Right where my collarbones came together and dipped, creating a divot at the base of my neck. It was the sweetest kiss I’d ever known in my life.
“We’ll kill that shit,” he assured me. I believed him too. He’d never told me a lie and that was more than I could say for every other man that entered my life and walked back out.
“Cyrus, what are you going to do about Cross Point? You can’t punch Wilson in the face and walk out thinking there’ll be no repercussions. I know Joan’s nosey ass is going to press the issue.” I toyed with my long nails while I waited for his answer. I’d never been worried about someone besides myself. It used up an entirely different type of energy. It tugged at my heart and made me feel nauseous.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve worked with Wilson for years. He’s a fucking coward,” he scoffed. “He’d pick on a woman before he’d do the same to a man capable of whooping his ass.”
“Be careful though. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“I’m not going to get in trouble. I’m more concerned with you and all the young women in youth group. God knows what Wilson has done or said to them that they’re keeping quiet all because he’s a pastor.” My mind flitted to Crimson. I saw her pretty face and wide, innocent eyes then I thought about Wilson touching her and my skin crawled like I wore a coat of thousands of ants.
“He touched Crimson,” I confessed. It wasn’t my story to tell but I wanted to help her however I could. She was another person too good to be stained. For some reason, she liked me though and I didn’t want to let her down.
“Crimson?” Cyrus thundered and his dark brows crashed together. The glow of anger was blanketing his honey brown face yet again. “Sweet, quiet Crimson? Are you serious?”
“Very. She told me a vague story but I don’t want to tell her business. I don’t really know how to be a friend but I assume one of the things in the job description is to have your friend’s back without telling all their secrets.”
“You’d be correct.” He stood up and shot over my head by at least four inches. “I planned to call the youth group to my house for Christmas Eve to exchange gifts and have a nice get together anyway. I wanted to apologize for the way I ran out of there tonight.”
“Well, if she shows up then I’ll try to get her to talk to you,” I said. Cyrus wrapped his long arms around me and held me against his body. Eucalyptus and leather never smelled so soothing.
We walked into the living room and he started a fire. “Let’s forget all the drama for a minute and let me hold my woman. I want to kiss all your broken parts.”
“Why?” I laughed a little. He guided me to the bedroom with his hand on my lower back while the fire got started.
“Because they’re beautiful just like you.”
“Oh my god, I’m gonna get a toothache,” I laughed again. I changed into one of Cyrus’ t-shirts and watched as he put all his gorgeous muscles and tattoos on display. Arousal pooled between my thighs at the sight of him.
“I’m too sweet but you get to stare at me like you’re gonna pounce on my dick any minute?” Cyrus joked, walking past me.
“Is that how I look?” I quizzed, lifting an eyebrow. I followed him back to the living room and we crashed on the floor in front of the fireplace.
“That’s exactly how you look. Now stop fronting like you don’t love the way I love you. Syrupy sweet or not.” He covered my face and neck with kisses and I pretended to fight him off.
That’s when I actually heard his words in my head. I sat up straight and looked at him. He must have heard it too. “Did you say you loved me, Cyrus?” I asked, excitement bubbling over in my stomach.
“What?” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
“What my ass. You said and I quote: You love the way I love you,” I said after clearing my throat. That time, the soft shade of red on his cheeks was from blushing.
“I guess you’re okay. You’re kinda fine and all that.”
“Oh my god. You love me,” I gushed while my heart fluttered in my chest. “I love you too if that matters any.” I tried to stop the smile that was determined to spread across my face but it wouldn’t be held back.
Cyrus tilted his head to the side and looked at me. I could actually see the love in his eyes. He didn’t just have a slip of the tongue. He loved me. I had no idea what I did to deserve someone so good but I’d never let him go.
“I do love you, Bellamy. It’s really fucking hard not to.�
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“Even though I make you curse and punch pastors in the mouth?” I smiled even bigger until my cheeks threatened to pop.
“Yeah, I mean I heard that being bad wasn’t always bad so I’m gonna go with that.” He hovered over my mouth for a few seconds then met me with a kiss. When he parted my thighs and slipped his fingers inside of me he smirked a little. “No panties?” He asked knowingly.
“Nope.”
“You’re such a good girl.”
“First time not wearing panties has ever gotten me called good but I’ll take it.” Those were the last full and cohesive words I spoke before I felt Cyrus’ talented fingers part my pussy lips and slide along my sensitive clit. My hips rose and a moan melted from my mouth.
“I want to hear all those sexy sounds, Bellamy,” he growled before dipping two fingers inside of me. I needed all the prep I could get because no matter how often we fucked, Cyrus’ cock always pushed me to my limits. It was so long and fat that it filled me up before he even got it all the way inside.
While his fingers stroked me to an orgasm, his mouth worked on my erect nipples. He was determined to make me climax with my entire body. When I tried to slam my knees together, he forced them open so that I could take every second of torturous pleasure he doled out.
“Be a good girl and take it. If you’re trying to run from my fingers, what are you going to do when I stuff you full of cock?”
“Die,” I moaned.
“Well, let me in so I can murder you. I promise to make it feel good.” He slipped his wet fingers in my mouth and I sucked every drop of myself from them while he bucked against my slippery cunt.
“Cyrus,” I whined louder than the crackling fire in front of us. The thick crown of his cock stretched me slowly until I took all of his inches like a pro. Once he was in and I was full, he drilled into me like he hated me. I knew the opposite was true though.
I dug my nails into his back and a low grumble snaked through his chest. I felt it vibrate through to my chest and it made my pussy throb even more. I never got enough of Cyrus. I’d gladly get strung out on him daily and happily be an addict for the rest of my damn life. He put me on a cloud I never wanted to come down from.
“I love you,” I whined in staccato from his hard, deep thrusts.
“I love you too, beautiful.” We kissed slowly while he pinched my nipples. I didn’t even need the heat from the fireplace to warm me anymore. I had a fire roaring to life in my core.
Cyrus pulled out of my needy pussy and replaced his dick with his tongue, driving me against the couch. He grabbed me and tugged me back to the floor, pinning me by my shoulders to the carpet. “Get on all fours and let me see that pretty pussy from the back.” I scrambled into position and Cyrus slapped my ass repeatedly until my skin blazed with heat. “You like getting spanked, Bellamy?” I could hear the smirk in his voice.
“No,” I lied matching his smirk. His hand crashed down against me again and I bit my bottom lip so hard I tasted blood. It only served to excite me more.
“You’re a bad liar, you know that? Your pussy is telling on you.” After that last slap, he slid his finger inside of me and the wet sound it made going in sent me into a fit of trembles.
“Oh my god,” I whined.
“Tell me the truth, Bellamy. Do you like getting your sexy ass spanked?”
“Yes!” I squealed when he curled his finger upward and touched something in me that made me only capable of answering in high notes.
“Good girl.” With his free hand, Cyrus traced a drop of sweat down my back then removed his finger. Desire slipped down my quaking thighs and Cyrus licked every drop up with his tongue before fucking me again.
While he thrust in and out at such a fatally slow pace, he hooked his slippery fingers in my mouth so I could taste myself and god, did I feast. The sound of Cyrus’ heavy balls crashing against me coupled with my moans drove me to the brink of insanity.
“Cum for me, Bellamy. I can feel how close you are. I can feel your pussy sucking my dick.” That did it. It pushed me over the edge head first. I sank into a flowing river of sensations and gladly drowned. Cyrus came next and flooded me as if I hadn’t already capsized.
We laid beside the crackling fire, still slick from each other, and I rested my head on his chest. “I don’t want anything to happen to you,” I told him out of nowhere.
“What do you mean?” He frowned before kissing the top of my head. “I’m here, Bellamy, I’m not going anywhere. I told you that.”
“Cyrus, you punched Wilson in his mouth. He’s petty enough to go to the police. I can’t handle something happening to you.”
You rubbed off on him and now he’s tainted too. He’s just as fucked up as you and it’ll be your fault he gets taken away.
I sucked in a breath and pushed it out trying to drown out the toxic voice. It was like a stubborn stain I couldn’t wash away. Cyrus tightened his arms around me and groaned. “It was stupid and reckless but I don’t regret it. I want you to stop worrying about it. If I have to leave Cross Point, then I’ll leave. It won’t be the worst thing to ever happen to me.”
“You like it there though, don’t you? I don’t want that taken away from you because Wilson is a piece of shit.”
“More than anything, I like the kids I work with. The rest of that shit is annoying, to be honest. There’s so much gossip and drama that I can’t keep up and I don’t want to. If I had my way, I’d take my youth group and leave without looking back.”
I sat up and Cyrus locked his fingers behind his head while he stared at me. I swear every time he did that, the bottom dropped out of my stomach and I felt like I was floating. He made me feel beautiful.
“Well, can you at least feel things out and make sure no charges are being pressed?” I quizzed. Cyrus nodded his head then pulled me back down beside him. The glow from the fire made his eyes look even more gorgeous. It should have been illegal to be that damn handsome.
“Okay, Bellamy. I’ll go up there later this week after cooler heads prevail. Deal?” He poked my stomach and it forced a giggle out of me.
“Deal.”
***
Cyrus
“You’ve been on the computer ever since we got home from work. What are you doing?” Bellamy draped her arms around my shoulders and kissed the side of my face.
“Looking at all the paperwork I need to fill out in order to petition the court to establish paternity for Brianna,” I told her. It wasn’t a hard process. I just needed to get the ball rolling.
Since Brianna was born in Florida, I’d have to handle everything there but I didn’t care. I needed to have my curiosity put to rest. “When exactly do you think I should drop this bomb on her about paternity?” I asked, rubbing Bellamy’s arms.
“Drop the bomb?” She laughed. “Cyrus, don’t tell that bitch a motherfucking thing. You let the subpoena do that. She’s always taking money from you and not letting you talk to Brianna. Why do you need to be considerate of her again?” Whenever she was around me, Bellamy was soft and delicate as the petals on a flower. She was just as sweet and beautiful too. Sometimes I forgot how vicious she could be when it came to other people.
“So…don’t tell her?” I chuckled, kissing the back of her hand.
“No. Don’t tell her. Go ahead and file for the petition though.” The closer I got to filing, the more nerves twisted my stomach into knots.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do if Brianna is mine. I have the option of filing for child support and custody but I always told Kim I’d never do that through the courts. I feel like I’m going back on my word.” I rubbed my hands together and sighed heavily as the thoughts rolled around in my head.
“Going back on your word like she did when she was supposed to be on a flight to New York but instead, she was in Miami with her new man and her mother living her best life with your money?” Bellamy turned my head so that we faced each other. “Cyrus, I know you hate the custody process but if she’s
yours, then Brianna needs you in her life. Do you really want her being solely raised by a woman like Kim? Fight for what’s rightfully yours.”
“I know you’re right, Bellamy but I think this actually goes deeper than me and Kim. Come here, I need to tell you something.” I closed the laptop and held her hands in mine. I was getting ready to tell her something that only Pax was privy to. It was something that would undoubtedly make or break us.
Her perfect lips poked out in a pout as she regarded me. “Cyrus, what is it? You’re scaring me.”
“I told you that my parents went through an ugly divorce, right?” I touched her soft hair and noticed how much longer it had gotten since that night we first met. She gave me a quick nod, rushing the story along. “It got worse once custody was chosen and they sided with my mom. She decided that I looked too much like my father and neglected me. I didn’t get food or clothes. She isolated me after she fought so hard in court for me. It didn’t make any sense.
I guess I looked like hell at school because when I was in fourth grade, I remember the guidance counselor calling me into his office and asking me a bunch of questions. The next day, a social worker came to my house and asked my mother questions about why I was so underweight when there seemed to be food in the house.
Man, my mom got so pissed that I didn’t eat for days. I passed out the second I stepped off the bus to go to school. I was rushed to the hospital and Child Protective Services stepped in. They took me away from my mother and tried to give full custody to my father. He’d moved on and remarried. He had a wife with kids that didn’t come with drama so he quietly signed over his rights and I was in the system.”
My heart bled as I retold my story. I waited with bated breath to see if Bellamy would hate me for keeping something so huge from her. I stared at her for a long time.
Finally, she said, “Cyrus, why didn’t you tell me you went through the system too? I thought you were raised in a home with both parents and…”
“I was,” I said, cutting her off. I spoke quickly because I saw the tears mounting in her pretty eyes. “They’re my adopted parents. The first foster family I stayed with loved me so much they kept me. I haven’t heard from my biological parents since I got adopted and I don’t want to. They left me.” I shrugged my shoulders.
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