Aggro: An Emotional Forbidden Romance

by CoraLee June

  Kai’s demeanor had visibly lightened. He no longer looked like someone tortured by the weight of the ashes of the man who tried to kill his girlfriend—or whatever we were. On the walk back to the car, he leaned in and whispered, “Thank you for that, and thank you for understanding.”

  I healed slowly at first. My body felt foreign, filled to the brim with pain and trauma I couldn’t quite get a hold on. The bruises and broken bones mended first. I started to look human again. I stopped needing bandages. I started wading in the ocean. The raised scars from Lex’s brutality were the only thing physically left over from my near-death experience.

  It took my mind longer to recover. Although I would have liked to jump back in with Kai, I knew it wouldn’t be healthy for either of us. Before, I never took time to heal. I never settled with the information thrust upon me. I used this time to process it all. It was an unspoken agreement we both readily accepted.

  We spent every waking moment together. Sometimes we held hands. Sometimes I fell asleep with my head on his shoulder. But Kai and I were in a beautiful limbo, licking our wounds as we tried to figure out what the future held. I needed this time. I wasn’t sure if it was what Kai wanted, but he was desperate to support me in whatever way necessary. He didn’t want to push me, and I loved him for it.

  Mom and I moved back home. Kai, Chase, and I cleared out all of Dad’s belongings and burned them on the beach. We forged a new normal.

  Weeks passed. I graduated from high school. We spent the Fourth of July shooting off fireworks on the beach. I watched while holding Chase’s hand. Violet loved to watch fireworks, so we cried as the lights lit the sky, with her on our mind. The summer months sparked a new sense of purpose. I researched online colleges. I hung out with Chase and Kai, and slowly I started breathing again.

  Slowly, Kai started to romance me again.

  Ten days ago, he brought me a block of wax in my favorite scent. I hadn’t surfed in a couple of months, but I liked the thoughtfulness of his gift.

  Nine days ago, he brought me a bracelet made of sea glass.

  Eight days ago, he brought me a bright pink swimsuit. My cheeks blushed when I looked at it. It was the same shade as the one he’d torn from my body just a few short months ago.

  Seven days ago, he brought me a framed photograph. I didn’t even know the picture existed, but I traced it with tears in my eyes. Violet, Kai and I were standing in the sand, with his arms wrapped around both our shoulders. Kai had looked at me the moment the cameraman snapped the photo. There was such love and adoration in his gaze. There was no denying the love there. A few months ago, the sight of the three of us would have made me feel guilty, but there was only love now. I knew this was Kai’s quiet way of telling me that he’d come to terms with how our relationship started.

  Six days ago, Kai brought me my favorite meal from the restaurant—a grilled cheese and french fries. We watched the sun set on the sand while happily munching on dinner. He asked me about my plans for college. I asked him about work. At graduation, I didn’t want to cross the stage and see my peers. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed online learning. So much so that I didn’t plan on going away to college after all.

  Five days ago, Kai brought me a new surfboard. It was teal, and he had it personalized with the name Little Whisper painted across it. I cried when he handed it to me. I knew that the brand was really expensive, I knew how hard he must have worked to be able to give it to me. I carefully set it down and wrapped Kai up in a hug, brushing my lips against his neck. He held me tightly, and a flutter of butterflies filled my stomach. It felt like a revival and was the first time I experienced a rush of happiness without the burden of guilt.

  Four days ago, Kai tied a rose to my bike, with a note asking me to dinner Friday night.

  Three days ago, Kai drove to Chase’s house. They spent the day together, and when I showed up to see them, I caught my two guys laughing and smiling in the kitchen. And when we left, Kai said, “See you later, brother,” before hugging Chase. This was my favorite gift by far. I kissed Kai on the cheek that night.

  Two days ago, Kai left a dress for me to wear for our date on my doorstep. It wasn’t the revealing sort of number Violet would have made me wear. It wasn’t flashy or short. It didn’t make me blush. It was a teal summer dress the color of my eyes. It hit me at the knee and showed off my shoulders.

  Yesterday, Kai gave me a bottle of my favorite sunscreen. It was a hard-to-find specialty brand that smelled like citrus. I loved this sunscreen and used it in place of makeup. I was touched that Kai took the time and care to find the brand I loved so much.

  Today, Kai came to my door, wearing jeans and a navy button-down oxford shirt. His normally wind-mussed hair was styled perfectly. I spun around for him in my dress to show it off. We both laughed and admired how good the other looked. And Kai looked damned good. The jeans hugged his ass perfectly, and his muscles rippled underneath the slim-fit button-down.

  “You look absolutely beautiful, Breeze,” Kai said breathily as he kissed my forehead. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes!” I replied eagerly. I was more than ready for this dinner that symbolized a new start to our relationship.

  Kai took me to a restaurant on a peninsula that had a stunning view of the ocean on one side and our little island on the other. It was a casual place that we could have gone to in our swimsuits, but we weren’t out of place either. I was glad I had curled my hair into waves and put a little shimmer on my cheekbones like Celeste had shown me on the beach. It made tonight feel even more special.

  We sat at a table that overlooked the water. A candle between us burned softly, creating a cozy glow. After our waiter had taken our order, Kai reached down and pulled out a small black velvet jewelry box. He opened the lid and passed it to me. His eyes twinkled with emotion, but the rigid way he sat hinted at the anxiety he felt. The light from the flame flickered off of the pair of silver surfboards nestled in the box as I reached my hand up to thumb the matching surfboard currently nuzzled against my neck.

  “They’re beautiful, thank you so much,” I said as I lifted them out of their box. When I turned them over, I saw one had been engraved with a B and the other a K. Emotion welled up in my eyes as I looked at the kind and caring man sitting opposite from me. It was a long and hard road for us, but it was worth every tear and every bit of pain to get here.

  “I love you, Kai,” I breathed.

  “I love you too, my Little Whisper.”

  We stared in silence, basking in the peace of the moment. The sun had almost fully set, leaving nothing but a sliver of light over the ocean line. Kai breathed deeply before speaking again, as if he were anxious. “I know I’ve apologized before, but I’d like to say sorry again for distancing myself after everything came to light.”

  I swallowed. “It was a very painful time,” I admitted, making Kai’s shoulders slump. “But I think it was necessary for our story. We needed to pause. We needed to grow. Everything happened so fast. I fell in love with you in an instant.”

  Kai nodded. “I rushed this thing between us and then slammed on the brakes when the reality of it all came crashing around us. But I never stopped loving you.”

  I felt anxious. This was such an important moment. I knew we were both ready. I knew it was time to give us a genuine shot at happiness. I’d focused on myself. I’d done the work to heal. Kai had patiently waited, and we both were in a good place. “I want us to be together,” I whispered, though the brave words felt like a shout.

  “I want that too. Can we try again? Please? This time from a healthy place.”

  I smiled at him. “I’d really like that, Kai. And you don’t have to bribe me with thoughtful gifts, either,” I giggled while nodding toward the jewelry box.

  “Breeze Shirley, I’m going to spoil you every day for the rest of my life. Get used to it,” Kai promised. Be still, my beating heart. He reached out to hold my hand, and I fought the urge to lean across the table and kiss him.


  “And what about Chase?” I asked.

  Kai frowned. “What about him?”

  “He’s here to stay. He’s like a brother to me. It’s kind of a package deal now. He and Mom and you are all I have.”

  Kai grinned playfully. “Yeah, the idiot has grown on me. He’s actually kind of funny when he’s not being a broody asshole. As long as you don’t expect me to go easy on him at surfing competitions, I think I can handle that.”

  We finished dinner, talking and laughing the entire time. It was so comfortable and easy, like before all of the shit that had happened over the last six months. Kai ordered a dessert for us to share. Our waiter set it down on the table, and the mountain of whipped cream with a cherry perched perfectly on top grabbed my attention.

  Kai reached over the table and plucked the bright red cherry from the top, swirling it in the creamy fluff before bringing it to his lips. He wiggled his eyebrows at me playfully before placing the cherry in his mouth and sucking on it. He looked ridiculous, and he knew it. We both burst out laughing but finished the dessert quickly and asked for the check. Even though he was just being funny, watching him suck on the cherry did remind me that it had been a long time since I had felt his tongue between my thighs.

  Kai paid and slipped his arm around my waist as we walked back to his truck. He slid his hand lower and cupped my butt. He squeezed lightly and followed with a smack. “I missed this ass.”

  We reached the truck, and he opened the door for me like a perfect gentleman. He leaned in after me, stretching his arm across my waist to buckle my seatbelt. As he pressed his body firmly to mine, my breasts pushed against his chest. I leaned over and kissed his neck slowly as he struggled to click the belt in. When he finally got it to connect, he stood back up. He took my face in his hands and tilted me toward him, teasing my lips with his. “Sorry, Little Whisper, you’re just going to have to wait.”

  He pulled away and shut the door as I groaned into the empty space his mouth used to fill. When he lifted himself into the truck and settled behind the wheel, I stuck my bottom lip out into a pout. He chuckled and brushed my outstretched lip with his thumb before leaning in for another kiss, nibbling on the lip that expressed my displeasure moments ago.

  “I’ll just have to think of a way to make the ride home fun for you,” he said suggestively.

  “I can get on board with that,” I teased back.

  Kai put the truck in reverse and backed out of the parking spot. When he pulled onto the main road, he put his hand on my thigh just above my knee. I was extremely thankful I was wearing a dress. He used his thumb to stroke the sensitive skin and then worked his hand up farther until he met the fabric of the lacy panties I was wearing.

  I slid as close to him as I could and parted my legs. He pushed the delicate lace aside and grazed my clit. My entire body tingled with electricity from the brief touch. I let out a low moan, encouraging him to continue. He moved his fingers against my slick heat. I glanced over at him. With one hand on the steering wheel of his truck and one hand between my thighs, Kai had a small smirk on his face. His hand started rubbing my clit harder, making my body tremble with pleasure as he drove down the moonlit road. I pressed my head into the cloth seat and parted my lips on a moan. The car smelled like tobacco, salt water and arousal. His fingers worked my nub, and when he pulled up to a red light, Kai leaned over to whisper in my ear.

  “Are you going to come, Little Whisper?” he asked, brushing his lips against the shell of my ear.

  I turned my head and kissed him, licking at his lips and clashing my teeth against his. I ground against his palm as he moved faster and faster. I could feel my impending orgasm. A honking car made us tear our lips apart, and Kai laughed before accelerating. My chest heaved up and down, and Kai kept stealing glances at me as he drove. “You look so fucking beautiful like that. Needy. About to fall apart against my palm.”

  I was so fucking close. So, so, so close. I was on the edge of exploding with bliss when he slowly withdrew his hand. I was so lost in Kai’s touch that I hadn’t even realized that we made it to his house. I whimpered at the loss of him before unbuckling my seatbelt. I didn’t want to waste any time. I needed Kai. He brought his fingers to his lips and sucked them, tasting me. My eyes widened at the sensual move, and I quickly opened my car door, making Kai chuckle at how frantic and needy my movements were.

  Kai took his time, slowly unbuckling and easing his way out of the truck. “It’s a beautiful day. Think we should go for a walk?” I rolled my eyes and stomped over to him, determination in my gait.

  “Kai Lewis, don’t you dare make me wait another minute,” I said before grabbing his hand and yanking him toward his house. Kai followed after me and quickly opened the door. The second we were inside, our bodies collided. He tore at my dress, making it fall to the ground. Dropping to his knees, he admired the wedges on my feet.

  “These stay on. You have legs for days, Breeze,” he whispered before grabbing the band of my panties and easing them down my body. Once I stepped out of the wet lace, he grabbed the globes of my ass and pressed his face against my cunt, breathing me in. I looked up at the ceiling and moaned. “I missed tasting you. I missed feeling you choke my cock with your sweet pussy.”

  Kai grabbed my hips and pushed me backward until the back of my calves hit the leather couch. He guided me to a seated position and propped one of my legs on his shoulder before licking a long line up my slit. I grabbed his hair and rode his mouth, screaming his name as he devoured my already sensitive clit. He felt so fucking good, his lips wrapped around me as I watched his every move. He worshipped my body. He held me down as my body bucked on the leather couch. “Oh fuck, I’m so close,” I whispered. Kai grinned and pulled his head away just as I was about to come all over his mouth. “What the fuck?” I cried out while trying to pull him back.

  “Something wrong?” Kai asked while standing up. He undressed slowly, unbuttoning his shirt and taunting me. I stood up and started helping him. “So impatient,” Kai murmured as I slapped his hands away and tore his shirt off. Within seconds, he was naked. I shoved him to the couch and quickly straddled him.

  “Condom,” Kai grunted.

  “You’re the only person I’ve been with. I’m on the pill.”

  “I got tested a month ago. I’m clean,” he promised. “I haven’t been with anyone else.”

  “Thank fuck,” I groaned before settling onto his hard cock. I didn’t wait—I couldn’t. I gripped the back of the couch and started riding him, up and down. Up and down.

  “You look so beautiful riding my dick, Little Whisper,” Kai moaned. His hands landed on my hips, and he guided my movements. With my knees pressing into the couch and my body bobbing on top of his, I hit that special spot within me. Pleasure bloomed to life within me, and soon I was screaming his name as my orgasm finally rocked through me.

  I spasmed and crashed. My contracting muscles squeezed as I dug my nails into Kai’s shoulders. “Just like that, baby,” Kai encouraged. “Feel it all.”

  The relief was so overwhelming I collapsed against his chest. Kai started kissing my neck, licking my sensitive skin. He whispered in my ear as my breathing calmed down. “I love you, Breeze.”

  “I love you too,” I whispered before pulling away to look him in the eye. “Not done yet, though.”

  I started riding him again, this time harder. Faster. Our bodies smacked together, the slickness of my arousal making wet sounds fill the bus. I cried out, my body too sensitive. Kai bit his lip and held onto me. My legs burned from the movements. His eyes were hooded and hot, taking in the sight of me claiming him without a single hesitation. “Oh, oh fuck,” he rasped.

  I felt him twitch inside of me. Kai came hard, his entire body tensing. I laid my head against his shoulder, both of us breathing heavily. When I was ready, I lifted myself off of Kai and settled beside him on the couch. He wrapped his arms around me, and I felt completely whole.

  There was a red hot ball of dread settled
deep inside my stomach. Kai, Chase, and I had decided to visit my father in prison. Visit was a strong word, confront was more accurate. We all wanted answers that only he could provide. I wanted him to look me in the eye and tell me about the affair, the baby, and murdering my best friend. I wanted him to see me and what he had taken from me. I wanted him to suffer with that knowledge. We still had a few months until the trial, but I couldn’t wait that long for closure.

  Today was the day we were making the long journey to the prison, and all I wanted to do was hide. I was tempted to say that I was sick and we needed to reschedule, but the thought of reliving the agony I'd endured these last few weeks leading up to today's visit was more than I could handle. I was a ball of nervous energy, and I just wanted it over with so that I could move on, so that we could move on.

  We took the Jeep since it was the only car that was big enough to fit us all comfortably. I was in no state to drive, so Kai volunteered, saying that driving would give him something to focus on other than what we were about to do. The trip felt like it was both too long and not long enough. My heart raced faster with every mile we put behind us. When we got on the ferry leading to the big island where he was housed, the reality of what we were doing set in. I wanted to turn around and go back to the safety of our home, but until now, I’d never gotten the chance to speak to my father. I never got the chance to look him in the eye and tell him how much he’d hurt me.

  None of us spoke for almost the entire drive. We were all lost in our own thoughts, but Chase was particularly absent. He stared out the window, unmoving. Kai broke the silence when we were approaching the prison building.

  “How is everybody doing?” he asked, as he followed the signs guiding us to the visitors’ entrance. “We can sit in the car as long as we need to. There’s no rush to go inside.”

  I reminded myself why I was here and what I wanted to accomplish. I mentally told myself that I had all of the power in this situation and my father was nothing. I looked back at Chase, and he had the same look of determination in his eyes that I had in mine.