Absolution

by Reana Malori

  “No. I love it. The robots are big, and they fight, and then they save the world. I’m gonna be a robot when I grow up.” He took another bite of his taco as half the filling fell out and onto his plate. His little mouth was full, chewing happily away as she and Julian laughed at his antics.

  “You know,” Julian began, “when I was a little guy, I wanted to be a superhero. I wanted to fly in with my cape and save everyone.”

  Taco sauce covered Morgan’s tiny mouth as he smiled in Julian’s direction. “But you are a hero. You saved me that day a car hit me when I was playing with my friends. You came to me in your big red truck and took me to the hospital. That means you’re a hero. Which means I can still grow up to be a robot.”

  Tears welled in Kori’s eyes as she listened to Morgan talk about the incident that changed his young life. He’d never spoken to Julian about the day he’d come to the accident and taken him to the hospital. This was the only time he’d mentioned it at all. Her parents had tried to get him to talk about it, but he’d refused. Morgan would always tell them he didn’t know what happened that day, only that he’d woken up in the hospital with his mommy and the big man sitting next to him. Clearly, that hadn’t been the full truth, and his memories of that day were stronger than any of them realized.

  “Morgan? Sweetheart, do you remember Julian from that day?” She glanced over at Julian and saw that he was frozen in place. His gaze was focused on Morgan as he held a taco halfway up to his mouth. Kori reached over to him, lightly touching his arm, and jarring him out of his trance. She smiled at him when he turned his gaze to her.

  “Yes. He kneeled on the ground with me. Told me that everything would be okay and that he’d make sure to get me someplace safe.” Taking another bite of his taco, Morgan focused on eating over the next few minutes. Kori and Julian looked between each other and Morgan, their faces covered in half-smiles.

  “Thank you, Morgan.” Julian’s voice broke through the silence. “I’m glad you think I’m a hero, but I was just doing my job.”

  Morgan laughed, shaking his head in that way children often did. “Julian, that’s what all heroes say.” He spoke in a tone that conveyed to adults that they clearly didn’t know as much as children did.

  Julian got up from his chair and went to kneel next to Morgan. Placing his larger hand over the smaller one, “I’m sorry you were hurt that day. I know you were scared and didn’t know what was happening to you. But I need you to know that I’m so glad I was there that day. When that call came in, I didn’t know I’d get to meet such an amazing kid. Because you are. You’re strong and funny and braver than most of the adults I know. You love your mommy, and she loves you right back. I don’t think I’m a hero, but if you tell me I am, then I believe you.”

  After a few moments of silence, Morgan spoke up. His tiny voice wobbled as he stared down at his plate. “When I woke up and saw you and my mommy, I didn’t know what happened to me. Mommy was crying, so I wanted to cry too. But then I saw you standing by me, and I didn’t know who you were. Then I heard your voice, and I remembered you. You helped me that day. You’re a hero, Julian. You don’t have a cape, but you don’t need one.”

  Kori was practically bawling at this point. If she had any doubts that Julian had been brought into their lives for a reason, they were gone. Raising her gaze to his face, she saw the look in his eyes and wanted to wrap him in her arms. Morgan’s words had affected him just as much as they did her. With a shaky hand, she reached over to touch his arm.

  “You know what?” Julian asked Morgan.

  “What?”

  “I think I’d like to watch that robot movie with you. Maybe your mom can grab us some of that ice cream I brought over with me. What do you think?” Nodding vigorously, Morgan scrambled to get out the chair, even though he still had some trouble due to the cast on his leg. “Come on, buddy. I’ll help you.” Grabbing him in his arms, Julian walked them over to the couch. Once he had settled on the sofa, his leg propped up on a pillow, he picked the remote and clicked around until the opening scene of the movie began to play.

  Kori stayed in the kitchen, leaning against the sink as she tried to stop the flow of tears. Seeing Julian and Morgan together like this was exactly what she’d been hoping for. She’d been waiting for a sign that she was making the right decision. That being with Julian was the right thing for her, and for Morgan. That sign had just shown itself. She felt Julian’s strong arms wrap around her as he pressed his muscled form against her back.

  “Baby? Are you okay?”

  His lips brushed against her neck, and she shivered within his arms. Kori nodded as she wiped the salty tears from her face. “Yes, I’m fine. It just caught me off-guard to hear Morgan talk about that day so calmly. He’s just a baby. My baby. He should never have gone through something like this in the first place. What kind of person hits a group of children and keeps going? I thought my heart was going to stop beating when I saw him lying there. Having you there that day, helping him, means so much to me.”

  His hold tightened as he spoke. “I don’t want the day we met to hang over our heads forever. I know it’s important that Morgan understands what happened and that he deals with any lingering fear he may have. I get that, and I’m here to help you both in whatever way I can. But I want the two of us to move beyond the hurt and fear of that day. We need to focus on the here and now. I’m here with you and Morgan, and it’s the only place I want to be.”

  She nodded and turned her head to smile up at him. When she glanced at his face, she saw the glistening wetness in his own eyes as he stared down at her. “I’m glad you’re in our lives. You give so much of yourself to us. What do we give you in return?”

  Julian grabbed her waist and shifted her body, bringing her around to face him. “You’ve given me more than you know. Before I met you, I was lost. The shit I’ve seen and done turned me hard, made me lose my faith in humanity, even as I was busting my ass to save people every day. But with you and Morgan, this feels right. When I look at you, I see my future. I see a woman who’s come to mean more to me than any woman before. I won’t claim to be an angel, and I hope you’ll still want me once I share all my secrets.”

  Staring into his eyes, she tilted her head, looking at him as she spoke. “I never asked you to be an angel. I’ve only ever wanted you to be yourself. The amazing man you’ve shown yourself to be.” Lifting one hand, she ran her fingers through his short blond hair. “I’m not so innocent myself, Julian. I hope you’re not looking for a goody-two-shoes, because that’s not me.” He pressed his growing erection against her, and she moaned in response. “You know, it’s going to be pretty late when the movie ends tonight. I’d hate for you to drive home tired after a long day.”

  Dropping his head, he kissed her softly as one hand grabbed her ass, pulling her closer. “What do you suggest I do?”

  “I want you to stay the night,” she admitted softly. “I know we haven’t talked about it in a while, but I want you more than you know.” Lifting her other hand, she caressed his hard jaw. “You’ve waited for me to be ready for this, to take things to the next level.” He remained silent as she bared her inner desires. If the hard press of his thick cock told her anything, it was that he wanted her just as much. “Someone seems happy to see me,” she joked.

  “Baby, he’s happy to see you every day.” He turned his head in the direction of the living room, the sound of the movie could be heard loud and clear. “As long as you want me here, I’m not planning on going anywhere.” He cupped her face with one palm. “But before I finally sink inside your pretty pussy, I want to finish watching the robot movie with that brave little boy sitting in the living room. Then you can trust that I’m going tear that ass up, so I hope you have some good wall insulation.”

  “Don’t worry, I won’t make you scream too loud,” she said with a teasing smile as she walked into the kitchen holding two bowls of ice cream. “Coming?”

  Julian grabbe
d his own bowl as he followed behind her. “Oh, I’ll be coming, alright. You can bet your pretty little ass on that.”

  TEN

  Julian

  Grabbing her around her waist, Julian pulled Kori’s body closer to his as he sat in front of her on the bed. His only thought was to make her his.

  After they finished the movie and put Morgan to bed, Julian went out to his truck and grabbed his bag. When he came back into the house, she’d been standing there at the entrance to the hallway. A smile on her face, covered in a matching bra and panty set. Red and black. His favorite colors. Within seconds, he’d approached her, grabbed her in his arms, and walked them back to her bedroom. Now he sat in front of her, with only his jeans on as she enticed him with her smooth brown skin bared to his gaze. His mouth watered at the thought of tasting her again. But that feeling warred with the burning need to sink his cock inside her.

  “Fuck. Baby, you are so goddamned beautiful.”

  Lifting her arms, she wrapped them around his shoulders as she toyed with the strands of his hair. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

  Julian grabbed her underwear on each side and slid the soft material down her legs. Lifting his gaze to her fat, juicy pussy, he leaned his head down and ran his tongue along her slit. Her head dropped back, and her legs widened as he continued to lick and slurp at her dripping juices. Her taste was hypnotizing, and he wanted more. Pulling back, he quickly stood. “Lie down,” he said, positioning her where he needed.

  After laying her down on the bed, he crawled over her, peering down at the naked goddess in front of him. He kissed and licked down her bare body, her stomach tensing under the soft press of his lips. He shuddered in ecstasy as the scent of her arousal wafted around them. Kori moved against him, her hands clenching tightly against his shoulders and arms as he moved down her body. Once Julian made it to the vee of her legs, he kissed the soft skin of her inner thighs, inhaling deeply. She smelled of sweet spices and cinnamon, and he wanted nothing more than to indulge.

  He looked up and caught her staring down at him, a smile hovering on her lips. Without looking away, he leaned down and flicked his tongue on her nether lips. She tasted like home, and there was nowhere else he’d rather be. He wanted more, needed to make her come with his mouth before he claimed her as his own. Julian pressed his tongue against her, spreading her nether lips wider, and her taste exploded in his mouth. A deep moan released from his throat as he wrapped his arms around her thighs, pulling her closer to him. Legs spreading wider, she keened and moaned above him as he fucked her with his tongue.

  Moving up her body, he positioned his hips between her legs. “Kori? Baby, look at me.”

  As her lashes fluttered open, she smiled. “Hi,” she whispered.

  “Hi.” He reached up one hand to grab a breast, squeezing and kneading the flesh within his large palm. He kissed her neck and shoulders, nipping and licking at the taut skin, all the while rubbing the head of his cock along her slit. No longer able to hold back, he slid inside her tight channel until he was fully embedded in her warm, slippery heat. Julian grabbed her hands, lifting her arms above her head. “I knew you’d feel good wrapped around my dick. Being inside you feels so damned good. Fuck, baby. Yes,” he groaned, as Kori tightened her muscles around him.

  His hips snapped, giving a particularly deep thrust. At Kori’s gasp, he began the age-old dance of making love to his woman. He pressed deeper, and his senses responded to the sensation of coming home. For a fleeting moment, he wished they didn’t have the condom between them, but he knew that was asking too much. Julian couldn’t take his eyes off her as he fucked her long and deep.

  Each time he moved inside her, it felt like coming home. He wanted to savor this feeling for as long as possible. Giving himself a moment, he slowed his strokes to bask in the pull of her wet sheath against his hardened flesh. Julian leaned up, nipping at her ear before whispering. “I won’t ever let you go, Kori. Understand?” She nodded in response, but he wanted to hear her voice. Needed to hear her say the words. He pulled out just far enough that only the mushroomed tip of his cock remained. Plunging forward, he began pumping harder, a deep-seated need flowing through him. “Tell me you understand, baby.”

  “Yes. Yes, Julian. I understand.”

  He couldn’t get enough. Her moans of pleasure were ripping his insides apart. If he could crawl inside her, he would. She was so giving, so passionate. She had no idea how this affected him. How much she meant to him.

  “Oh, Julian. You feel so good. Don’t stop. Please, don’t ever stop.”

  “Oh, baby. Don’t worry. We’re going to do this all night. By the time I finish making you mine, you’ll be ruined for any other man. You’ll crave my touch on your body, my lips on your breasts and pussy. Sucking. Licking. Your voice screaming my name.” Never stopping his forward motion, he felt sweat begin to pour from his body. The feeling rolling through his body was so intense he started to shake. Her vaginal walls began to quiver around his throbbing shaft, and he moaned deep at just how good it felt.

  He kissed her roughly, swallowing every whimper and moan as if they belonged to him. Which they did. He knew he should slow down. He needed to give her time to match his rhythm, to find her flow as his body surged into hers. His brain tried to tell his cock that it was okay, that they had plenty of time, but it wasn’t cooperating. It seemed to have a mind of its own, and right now, it wanted to be as deep inside Kori as he could possibly get.

  Julian growled as he continued thrusting, his balls tightening in preparation for his release. Kori’s slick passage began to contract around him as he felt her body fall over into her orgasm. She milked his cock, forcing the cum from his body as he continued to thrust. She was so tight, he had to push even harder to reach her depths. Grabbing one of her legs, he pressed it back, resting the limb within the crook of his arm. “Yeah. That’s it, Kori. Give it to me.”

  “Julian…” she gasped, her blunt nails clawing at his skin.

  As his orgasm rushed through his body, guttural groans released from his throat. Julian eased his cock deeper, watching as the woman he was quickly falling in love with threw her head back in a sensuous display. “So tight. So good,” he muttered.

  Julian shuddered above her, his lips capturing her mouth in a deep, sensual kiss. Shifting his hips, he lifted her lower body higher off the bed, grinding his teeth as he surged into her body. He never wanted this to end, but his body was losing the battle. Part of him felt like an animal, with the need to claim her as his own coursing through his veins.

  Releasing her hands, he grabbed her hips and fucked her harder, faster, deeper. His cock began to pulse as Julian lifted his hips, lifting her body from the bed, and sank into her depths over and over again. Julian roared as his orgasm shot through him, emptying himself inside her slick, tight channel. A shiver went through his body as he rocked his hips into her, making sure he fed her every drop of his seed.

  Kori moaned loudly as her body shivered underneath his. Her channel squeezed tightly around his thick length, and he continued pumping his hips, getting as deep as he could until there was no more he had to give. Julian lay his head down beside hers as they basked in the aftermath. He continued to hold on to her, his lips placing soft kisses over every inch of exposed skin.

  “That was amazing,” she huffed, which brought a smile to his face.

  Lifting his head to gaze down at her, he brushed her hair away from her face. “You are amazing.” Julian continued to lay between her legs, enjoying the moment. His softening cock was still inside her, the feel of her juices surrounding him was like a drug to his senses.

  Her soft laughter reached his ears, “Baby, you’re heavy.”

  Shifting to the side, he got out of bed and went to the bathroom to get a warm, wet towel. Walking into the bedroom, he saw her sprawled out naked, arms and legs spread wide. Julian had a sudden urge to climb in with her. He wanted to take her again, sliding his thickening length insi
de her welcoming sheath. Putting aside his own needs, he used the wet towel to wipe the sweat and other fluids from her body. His eyes stared at her prone form, and he thanked his lucky stars Kori came into his life when she did. Some of the things he’d done in the past had left a dark stain on his soul. Because of the violence he’d visited on others, he’d never thought to have something in his life so pure. So good. Now that she was his, nothing but death would keep him from coming back.

  Julian had no idea that what was about to come, would put that sentiment to the test.

  ELEVEN

  Kori

  Fear slithered along the surface of her skin as Kori watched the news report. It had been two days since she’d last seen Julian, but they’d spoken last night before she went to bed. After their weekend spent making love at every opportunity they could—always behind closed doors so Morgan wouldn’t know what was happening—he’d finally left on Monday morning to head over to the station for his next forty-eight-hour shift.

  Forty-eight hours. That’s all it was supposed to be. Like it always was. Then Julian was supposed to return to her so they can pick up where they’d dropped off. Loving and living their lives.

  Then something changed. This time, the typical emergency response would turn into something quite different. There’d been a massive explosion at a major manufacturing warehouse in Loudoun County, about twenty miles away. Because the fire had been so large and there were so many casualties, surrounding fire stations had been called in to assist with the rescue and recovery, including Julian’s station. As she’d watched the news that morning, it was all they could talk about. The major five-alarm fire, the high priority response from multiple fire and rescue stations, and the urgency to quell the fire before other explosions occurred.

  Kori had just said a silent prayer that Julian wouldn’t be one of the men responding to the event when a breaking news alert came on the television. Kori gasped, dropping her coffee mug on the floor, where it crashed and spilled onto the floor.