The Evolution of Us

by D. Kelly

  “I’m so sorry, Declan, I’m just so sorry.”

  As I rock her back and forth and kiss her head, she cries until the sobbing subsides. Time passes slowly, but there’s no happy ending here, and I’m not sure I can stomach the rest right now.

  A little while later, she stands and goes into the kitchen. When she comes back with two bottles of water, I take one gratefully.

  “Holly, you don’t have to keep going. It’s okay.”

  “I need to get this out, I’ve held onto it for too long. I knew when I wrote the story I was going to tell you, and I was prepared as I could be. It’s time for this chapter of my life to close. And to give closure to others as well.”

  “Others?”

  “We’re getting there. Dawn and I started struggling in the hallway and Heather lost her shit. She managed to get away from Sage and tried to get Dawn to stop. We were right by the stairs when Dawn suddenly lunged for Heather. I’ve never felt that kind of fear before. It all happened so fast, but I jumped in to push Heather out of the way and then Dawn … she … she body-checked me, Declan. I went down that flight of stairs full speed ahead.”

  My body stills, my blood runs cold, and I feel nothing but hate for a woman I haven’t seen in over two years.

  “And that’s how …?”

  “I thought for sure when I went down it was the end. I managed to take most of the impact on my back and my ass. I hit hard, but I was airborne for the first few steps. I only hit maybe five or six toward the bottom.”

  “Only?”

  “I know … but it could have been worse.”

  “Why wasn’t I called? How could you guys keep this from me?”

  “I begged them, pleaded with them. Ken came home right as I was taking a header down the stairs. He actually managed to keep my head from hitting the ground when I fell. I begged him to tell the hospital he was my dad.”

  “He hid this to protect her?” I’m going to kill him.

  “No, he did it to protect Heather and me. I was in shock and didn’t realize I was bleeding on the ground. They wouldn’t let me move. The cops took my mom after Ken told them she’d pushed me. They ran all kinds of tests when we got to the hospital. I’d lost the baby and had sprains, strains, and bruises, but other than that I was okay.

  “Ken, Heather, Sage, and I went to a hotel. Heather was freaked out and there was no way I could leave her. Honestly, I needed her as much as she needed me. I made Sage go home so things wouldn’t look suspicious. I was on pain pills and I was brokenhearted.”

  “Holly, why didn’t you call me?”

  I’m not sure I’ve ever been so hurt in my entire life. “Isn’t it obvious? I was ashamed, Declan, and I had been covering for her for weeks. I knew you’d be mad, I’d brought it all on myself. My dad told me she was bad news, but I didn’t listen.”

  I don’t even know what to say right now. Thankfully, I don’t have to say anything.

  “The next morning, I was an emotional mess and in excruciating pain. I was terrified of what was going to happen. I was mourning a child I’d become attached to, I was missing you something fierce, and I’d hugged Heather through her nightmares all night, or maybe she hugged me through mine. Ken agreed not to say anything and to cover my medical expenses. In exchange, I gave a statement to the police that my mom tried to kill us. He got an immediate custody order, and Sage stayed with Heather and me while he found them a new place to live and packed up their place.

  “It wasn’t ideal. Sage is still pissed at me for making her keep this from everyone, especially you. Heather never knew about the baby, she just understood I’d saved her because her mom was drugged out of her mind. I also made Ken promise, no matter what, to keep Heather away from Dawn. Since Heather was the intended victim, and because Ken is friends with the D.A., the file is sealed. She’s in jail for at least the next twenty years. They got her on attempted murder, assault, possession, and being under the influence. They didn’t charge her with killing the baby, but she got a plea deal in exchange and will never be eligible for early parole.”

  “You were okay with that?” I’m fucking stunned.

  “Not at first, but when I thought about it as a whole, to have a guaranteed twenty years without her bothering me or Heather, it was a concession I was willing to make.”

  Fuck, I need to breathe. I need to get some air, but I have to hear the end of this story first.

  “The day you came home, it had been a week?” I manage to ask.

  “Yes, and I was a wreck. Sage got Baxter to get you out of the house under the guise of me having a surprise for you. I wanted to do something special for our anniversary, but I was torn up at the loss of my gift. Then I knew I couldn’t tell you because that would have just made everything worse. I was still taking the pain medication and knew I was going to have to tell you everything else because I still had bruises under my clothes.”

  “You were drinking and taking pain pills? After what had just happened?”

  She hangs her head and nods. “It was stupid, I know, but … I was so scared.”

  “Do you think I would have hated you?”

  “Why not? I hated me. Right before you came home, Sage was begging me to tell you everything. I said something to the effect of anything was better than that and to give me options. The first one was to go fuck other people. It was a joke, Declan, a bad one, but a joke nonetheless. Then she said something about going into protection, and then she circled back to the truth being the obvious choice. I’m guessing it was right around then that you heard us because after that she mentioned whoring it up around campus.”

  Fucking hell. This entire thing has been one huge misunderstanding after another. We lost two years because of this bullshit.

  “I need …” Standing, I look around the room, at her, and the roaring fire, but it’s dull compared to the roaring anger in my head. “I’m sorry, I need some air.”

  Before I know it, I’m outside in the pouring rain. It’s freezing, and I can’t see shit because the rain is covering my glasses, but at least I can fucking breathe. Bending over, I rest my hands on my thighs and breathe in huge lungfuls of air.

  I can hear Holly yelling, but I don’t know what she’s saying. Fuck! We were having a baby and that bitch took it away from us. I walk over to my car and start kicking the tires. “Motherfucker!”

  “Declan, please come inside. I know you’re angry with me, and I’m so sorry, but you’re going to freeze to death out here. Please, baby, just be mad in the house.”

  After pushing my glasses up on my head, I turn around. I swear she’s never looked so beautiful. Her eyes are bright and her clothes are clinging to her, but she’s glowing.

  “You think I’m mad at you? Fuck, Holly! That bitch could have killed you! You could have died!” I can barely choke out the words. Just the thought of losing her makes me emotional. Living without Holly would be a fate worse than death.

  “I’m right here, Declan, and I’m fine. I’m fine, baby.”

  She reaches for my hand; she’s so warm. I pull her close and sob, “We were going to have a baby. Fuck, love, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry you went through it alone, I’m sorry I wasn’t there, and I’m so sorry the universe gave you such a raging bitch for a mother.”

  “It’s okay, it wasn’t our time …”

  “Our baby.” I’m sobbing; it’s not one bit manly, but I don’t care.

  “I know, Declan, I know.” In that moment, her mouth is pressed against mine and she breathes new life into us.

  eighteen

  Declan

  “She’s going to kill you when she sees you,” Baxter cautions.

  “Don’t care. I’m going to get her back if it’s the last thing I do.”

  “And how are you going to do that?

  “Not sure. Kill her with kindness? Piss her off until she’s so angry she kisses me? Traipse women in and out of my apartment until she lights it on fire?”

  “All those sound like real winners. Why
don’t you be yourself for a change? Show her why she fell in love with you in the first place.”

  “Or I could try that.”

  “It would probably work better than fucking girls across the hall from your ex.”

  “I wouldn’t actually do that. I couldn’t fuck someone with Holly across the hall. I could make it look like it, though.”

  Baxter groans. “Good Lord, this is such a bad idea.”

  My door is wide open, and Holly’s front door is about six feet away from mine, max. The sound of Sage and her laughing echoes through the hall. “Oh look, you finally got new neighbors. I wonder if he’s hot.”

  As I stifle my laugh, I shake my head. Sage will never change. “How do you even know it’s a guy?”

  That’s my practical girl.

  “Women’s intuition,” is Sage’s flippant reply.

  Baxter and I move into the hall and each grab a box. “Your intuition is lacking asshole radar,” an irritated Holly tells Sage.

  Baxter laughs so hard he almost drops my box. “Nice to see you, neighbor,” I tell her as she unlocks her door.

  Once it’s open, she puts her stuff down and leans against her doorjamb. “Please tell me this is a nightmare.”

  “I don’t know, your nightmare looks a lot like my wet dream.”

  Sage snorts when my words carry into the apartment. “He’s probably not lying,” she calls out to Holly.

  “You’re not helping, Sage.” Then, Holly crooks her finger and motions for me to come over. I’m happy to oblige.

  “What are you doing here, Declan?” I’m close enough to inhale the apricot vanilla scent wafting from her. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this close.

  “I’m your new neighbor.”

  She closes her eyes and exhales. “You know what I mean. Why here, of all the places you could live?”

  “Truthfully? I heard there was a sexy girl in the apartment across the way who recently got out of a long-term relationship and might be looking for love.”

  “It’s been a year, Declan,” she replies with growing irritation.

  “True, and I’ve been texting and calling you for the last six months. You’ve never once told me to stop. Admit it, Holls, you miss me and want me back as much as I want you.”

  “I want you about as much as I want a raging case of crabs.”

  Now we can hear both Sage and Baxter snorting, but it’s okay; she can hurl all the insults at me she wants to as long as she’s talking.

  “Don’t be coy. Tell me how you really feel.”

  “Come on, Declan! How did you even know where I live?”

  I’m waiting for her to stomp her foot like that girl from Willy Wonka. “Tell me your secret and I’ll tell you mine.”

  Flashes of anger spark in her eyes as she gestures wildly between us. “We’ve done this before. You and me … we don’t work.”

  “I beg to differ.”

  “Me, too,” Baxter calls out from the door. “I’m pretty sure when he strokes your flower with his fertilizing rod you’ve been known to scream loud enough to set off the seismometer.”

  Her cheeks and neck flush the sexiest shade of pink ever known to man, and Sage winks at me from the doorway. If Holly knew Sage was the one who outed her, she’d never forgive her. Sage wouldn’t have told me if Holly didn’t miss me; she’d never sell out her friend that way.

  Holly shakes her head in disbelief. “You two are insane. I can’t believe they’d rent an apartment to you.”

  “They rented an apartment to me. Baxter doesn’t live here.”

  “Just … just you?” she stutters. “Wonderful, remind me to buy some earplugs. I can only imagine the ungodly noises that will come from your apartment.”

  “Oh, come now, love, you know exactly what those noises sound like. If you’ve forgotten, I’d be happy to give you a reminder course.”

  The rise and fall of her chest intensifies. I’m getting to her. “No, nope, nada, no thanks, pass.”

  My tongue traces the seam of my lips, and I swear her eyes are going to bug out of their sockets. This is what I needed to make me feel better. I needed my girl. I can play these games with her for as long as it takes until she’s back in my life and my bed.

  I lean close and inhale deeply. Her breath catches audibly, and the heat from her skin radiates up to mine. “Come on, Holly, you know you want to. It will be like riding a bike. You, me, a little wine, some conversation, maybe a cookie or two, and then mind-numbing, out-of-body-experience, curl-your-toes type orgasms. I’ll even let you take control.”

  She’s panting like she ran a race, her eyes are already glazed over, and our pheromones are melding together. It’s wearing her down.

  When she looks up at me with her innocent little eyes, I know I’ve got her. “You know the best part of living alone, Declan?”

  “Tell me,” I murmur against her skin. My cock is harder than it’s been in months just being in her proximity.

  “Learning all the ways to get myself off that I never knew existed.” Her eyes drop down to my dick and she smirks. “You should go take a cold shower and take care of that because he’s not playing at my house anytime soon.”

  When she ducks out from under my arm and shuts her apartment door, I can’t help but laugh.

  “That was rough,” Baxter says.

  “Are you kidding me? That was perfect. I knew Holly wouldn’t let me fuck her, she’s the kind of girl you have to work for. And I’m happy to work for it for as long as it takes.”

  “I’m lost. How was it perfect?”

  Through my massive smile, I answer, “Because she said we couldn’t play anytime soon. That wasn’t a no, Bax. On the contrary, that was her way of saying ‘bring your A game.’ It’s on, Baxter. I’m going to get my girl back or die trying.”

  nineteen

  Holly

  The rain is falling all around us as thunder rumbles through the sky, but my only focus is the way Declan’s tongue seeks mine like a missile seeking its target. The heat between us is scorching, even if it’s so cold I can see our breath.

  Gasping, I pull back, needing one final confirmation before I lose myself in him completely. “You’re really not angry?”

  His glasses have slipped off his head and are teetering precariously on the tip of his nose. Instead of fixing them, I take them off and hold onto them; I need to see his eyes. When his eyes meet mine, all I see is love.

  “I’m not mad, love, not at you. At the circumstances, at what happened in general, at all the time we lost, about losing our baby … Yeah, I’m pissed the fuck off about all of that, but if it weren’t for her it wouldn’t have happened. You saved Heather, you’re a hero, Holly. How could I be mad at that?”

  “Oh God, Declan.” I crash my lips against his and hike my leg up around his hip. He reaches down to steady me and pulls my other leg up until I’m wrapped around him like a pretzel. Kissing in the rain is insanely sensual, but when he begins to move us inside, the fire seems even more inviting.

  As I suck the water from his lips, he groans his appreciation. Declan moves up the steps as if I’m a feather, and once we’re inside, we’re both dripping water all over the floor. My hands go to his belt and unbuckle it while he’s tugging my shirt up. Once it’s over my head, he drops it to the floor.

  “Declan, bathroom, it’s going to mess up the floor.”

  “Fuck the floor, I’ll buy them a new one. Hell, I’ll buy the house if I have to, but your clothes are coming off now.”

  This time, I tug his shirt off and add it to the growing pile. We’re both pulling each other’s pants off. He gets mine down first, and while he takes over his, I manage to get my bra off.

  “Jesus, Holls, you’re so fucking gorgeous.”

  The two of us are fully naked and looking at each other like we’re starving. I grab his glasses from the side table as he takes my hand and leads me in front of the fire. While he lays out a big, fluffy blanket, I put his glasses on the coffee tabl
e.

  When we’re settled, we curl up together and enjoy the heat while wrapped around each other. He brushes my wet hair back and kisses the tip of my nose. “I’ve missed you so fucking much.”

  “Me, too. I’ve never been closer to someone in proximity and so far apart in our hearts before. Don’t leave me again, Declan.”

  “Never.” He rubs circles against my back, and I repeat the motion for him. “I want you, Holls. Let me make love to you.”

  “Yes.” He moves to get up and I pull him back. “Where are you going?”

  “Condom?”

  “Nothing’s changed, right? You’re still clean and haven’t been with anyone since your test?”

  “Right.”

  “Then no, no condom, not with us.”

  His lips tell me everything I need to know. His hands glide over my body at a languid pace; I haven’t been this relaxed in a long time. My hands roam his body, getting reacquainted with every muscle and sinew. When I cup the curve of his ass, his erection presses harder against my thigh. Declan lowers his mouth to my breast and teases my nipple with his tongue.

  There are no words between us. Every pleasure one of us gives, the other reciprocates. Our sighs and moans fill the room as we learn how to please each other all over again. Once he’s given ample and equal attention to both breasts, he lowers his head and scoots down my body.

  Declan nips at my belly and chuckles as I squirm beneath him. “This is going to be more fun than I remember.”

  “Is that so?” I counter, and he flicks my clit with his tongue, making me jump.

  “Oh yeah, so much fucking fun.” His husky voice travels up my body, filling me with need. I’ve never been with anyone who can turn me on like Declan can. He reaches a part of me deep within that’s reserved for only him.

  He spreads my legs, his tongue circling my sensitive clit before he moves down. The tip of his tongue teases my entrance, and I move my hands to his hair, pushing to get him closer and tugging with frustration when he won’t give me what I want.