Fighting for Phoebe

by Jennifer Ann

  “Looking forward to it,” she wheezes in response before coughing again.

  After brushing my lips with hers, I hold her close as we fill Nolan in on the bazaar showdown. Before long there’s a commotion at the door as EMTs enter, yelling directions at each other.

  Someone squeezes my shoulder. “Time to hand her over, Ace. She’s going to be okay.”

  “I love you,” I whisper in Phoebe’s ear.

  “I know the feeling,” she replies.

  As she’s placed on the stretcher, cracking jokes with the paramedic while keeping a casual eye on her brother still pinned beneath Theo, I know without a fucking doubt that I’ll forgive her for everything she’s done, every lie she’s uttered. She never hid the fact that she’s the product of a messed-up childhood, and it’s understandable that some of the shit from her past would affect her decisions. I care about her too much to let any of that get in the way.

  The fact that she’s been through all this shit with her family and can still crack a smile proves she’s a survivor. She’s worth fighting for.

  Whatever happens next, I’ll never let her out of my sight again.

  Epilogue

  Phoebe

  In the time since Ellen’s memorial service, Logan’s conviction for first degree murder, Decker’s incarceration pending a jury trial for a dizzying—though totally justified—amount of charges, and Jace’s solitary confinement with the Marines in lieu of jail time for the misunderstanding with his chief, I’ve learned to embrace a new kind of norm. While some days it feels as if I got off too easy whenever I find time to catch a tan on the beautiful sands of South Mission Beach, there are other days when I’m up studying for exams through the community college until two in the morning, or pulling overnight shifts in the Gaslamp Quarter. Turns out my bartending skills are on point and worthy of sizable tips.

  And without any conversation allowed with Jace for four solid months, we were forced to correspond via written mail. In the beginning, Jace’s letters were pretty general and broad. By the end, however, he was easily sharing his feelings on our situation, how he feels about me, how he never wants us to be apart again, and what he plans to do to me once we’re reunited. Honestly, it ended up being incredibly romantic. And so hot that it proved to be a better release than watching porn.

  Our time apart has given me ample time to think. Since I no longer lie about anything as much as I can help it, I’m not going to pretend I miss Ellen. It doesn’t mean I’m not conflicted about my feelings on her death. I’m relieved in part, but there’s a massive amount of guilt that continues to weigh heavily on my shoulders. Most of how things went down could directly be proven as my fault. I didn’t have to listen to Logan from the beginning. I didn’t have to meet with him that fateful night.

  And once I met Jace, I could’ve simply run with him, leaving my shit behind. But in the end, I can’t help thinking it ended perfectly. I don’t have to watch over my shoulder anymore. Ellen, Logan, and Decker don’t have anything to hold over my head any longer. I finally got the hell out of that corrupt little town. And as soon as Jace is released, we are free to start the rest of our lives together, in peace.

  Speaking of Jace’s release, I swipe my thumb across my phone’s screen to check the date. In twenty-four hours I’ll be able to touch the man who stole my heart. And I fully intend to do more than just touch every last inch of him.

  Sprinting out of the only apartment complex willing to take a renter solely based on Jace’s connections, I’m met with the salty ocean air and a light afternoon breeze. Living in California—even in a crappy little studio that isn’t any bigger than my place over Ellen’s garage—has exceeded my wildest dreams. It didn’t take long to thaw the chill left on my bones from twenty-four years of living in the Midwest.

  As always, I find my seventy-something-year old neighbor sitting by the complex’s shoddy little pool. Bent over a romance novel, long gray hair in a braid over her shoulder, bright pink sunhat keeping her relatively smooth face shaded, she’s as quirky as she is entertaining. I’m always amazed by her beauty and spirit, especially when she’s old enough to be my grandmother.

  Being widowed and recently retired, Beth was always hanging out when I first moved in, and we became fast friends over an animated conversation on man-buns. She’s almost become a motherly substitute of sorts and has kept my sanity in tact while I’ve been waiting for Jace.

  When she sees me skipping toward her, she peers at me over her reading glasses and smiles brightly.

  “Hey, Phoebs! What are you up to today?”

  “I actually came to ask you a favor,” I say, plopping on the end of the lounger by her perfectly manicured toes. “Any chance I can borrow your car tomorrow?”

  Setting the book in her lap, she gives me an even brighter smile. “Ah, is it finally the day I get to meet this imaginary boyfriend of yours?”

  “Only if you wear your special glasses and clap your hands three times,” I tease with a wink.

  With a giggle, she shifts her tortoise shell glasses to the top of her head and brings a pointer finger to her chin. “Well, if I were to take a wild guess, I picture this imaginary man to be rather tall, and built like a tank. Maybe have a few tattoos.”

  “That’d be accurate.”

  “Hmmm…and have striking blue eyes under severe eyebrows…one with a noticeable scar.” Tapping her chin, she looks beyond me thoughtfully. “Oh, and short dark hair, of course, because you did say this dream man of yours is in the military. I imagine someone like that would be extremely attractive, especially when his beautiful lips curl with a smile.”

  “Wow. You’re so accurate it’s starting to freak me out a little,” I say. “I didn’t think I had showed you a picture of him. I guess I could’ve when I was drunk. If that’s the case, I’m sorry because the only ones I took of him were pretty suggestive. You know for lonely nights when—”

  Then I catch a shadow moving over the concrete ground on my right and suck in a sharp breath. I’d know that musky scent anywhere. It’s him. The man of my dreams—panty-wetting and especially vivid in recent months.

  Springing from the lounger, I turn to launch myself into his big, strong arms, and squeal with glee. I’m immediately silenced with a deep, soul-caressing kiss. My lips meld against the pair I’ve missed like hell and our eager tongues join in on the action as I cling to him like a koala. He crushes me in his arms, proving his excitement with an impressive bulge in his pants. I reach up to run my fingers through his dark hair, irritated to find it shorter than before but pleased to actually feel it all the same. The way his tongue goes to town seems more like a preview of what he’d rather be doing between my legs. Instantly wet with the thought, my body flushes with the anticipation of what’s to come.

  Simply kissing Jace is better than all the hours I’ve spent in my Ocean Beach apartment alone with the less-than-accurate replica he insisted on purchasing before he left. It was worth all the bullshit we had to endure to lead us to this point. Though we try to avoid the word “fate” these days after I learned it’s a term my brother had used before he disappeared, it would seem our paths were bound to collide whether we wanted them to or not.

  “Dear god, I sure hope my heart medicine remembers its job,” Beth mumbles behind us.

  Laughing, Jace and I back away at the same time, panting while staring into each other’s eyes. I smile so wide that it’s downright painful.

  Heart bursting with joy, I allow myself the pleasure of feasting on him for a moment. He’s wearing the same gray T-shirt and jeans as the day he left, but his muscles are bigger and make everything fit more snugly. The absence of anguish marring his features is certainly something new, though the heated look he’s giving me is achingly familiar.

  His fingers reach up to twist a strand of my hair. “I miss the blue.”

  I roll my eyes. “I’m learning about this thing called a budget. Turns out food and shelter come before anything fun.” Then I playfully slap his
chest. “What the shit are you doing here? I thought you didn’t get out until tomorrow!”

  A little growl rumbles in his throat before he intertwines our fingers together. “I lied. Wanted to surprise my girl.”

  “I’ll punish you for that later,” I whisper.

  His eyes are twinkling when he whispers back, “Bring it on, gorgeous.”

  My body’s practically vibrating with desire when I spin around to face Beth. As I introduce them to each other, her thin lips twist with a cougar-esque smirk. But unlike with Ellen, I know without a doubt my new friend would never hit on my man in a billion years. She’s merely being her usual playful self.

  “Well I’ll be damned, Pheobe,” she says with a shake of her head. “All this time I figured you were certifiably insane when you talked about this Jace character. What were the chances you’d actually have an attractive hero for a boyfriend?”

  “I’m no hero,” Jace mutters.

  “Don’t listen to him,” I tell Beth behind my hand. “He deserves his own comic.”

  Beth laughs, clapping her hands together. “Well as much as I’d love to keep you both here and get to know the man who swept my dear friend off her feet, I imagine there are other things you’d rather be doing than listening to an old woman babble. Can I interest you two in meeting me for drinks tomorrow night?”

  “Make it the night after that and it’s a deal,” Jace offers, pulling me close and wrapping his arms around my waist. “I appreciate everything you did for my girl while I was gone, but I’m not ready to share her with anyone just yet.”

  “Completely understandable,” Beth answers, laughing again. “It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Jace. Congratulations on your release, and enjoy your freedom.”

  “Believe me, I plan to,” he answers in a dark tone before pulling me away.

  Though he’s a step behind me, I don’t let go of his hand as we race up the musty stairway to our apartment. My heart pounds with excitement as I reach the last step and, all at once, he bites my ass.

  “Jace!” I scold, swatting at his handsome jaw.

  His pupils are so dilated that his eyes appear pure black. Growling, he pulls me up tight against his chest. “Sorry, gorgeous, I couldn’t resist. You know how long I’ve been dreaming about tasting your body again?”

  “Too damn long,” I rasp, breathless.

  Grabbing his shirt in my fist, I drag him down to meet my mouth. His hands wrap around the back of my thighs and lift me up so I’m straddling his waist, allowing me to deepen the kiss. He fumbles for the unlocked door and stumbles in, nearly sending us both to the floor. As my fingers eagerly pop the buttons on his shirt, he draws back.

  “Babe, what the hell?” he snarls.

  I follow his annoyed gaze to the miniature kitchen where not a single dish or beer bottle is in sight. “What?” I ask, legitimately confused.

  “Didn’t you fucking eat the entire time I was gone?”

  “Yes, I ate,” I answer with a small laugh. “I ate like an animal. Didn’t you notice my left boob has put on a few pounds?”

  To my annoyance, he doesn’t feel me up to see if I’m lying. Instead he turns his head to scan the rest of the apartment before meeting my gaze. “Hold on. Are we in the right place?”

  “Oh, I get it,” I say, stabbing my finger into his chest. “You think you’re being funny because it’s so clean in here. So un-Phoebe-like. Well guess what? I got as bored as a bitch biscuit while you were gone and had to find ways to keep myself occupied. Turns out cleaning a tiny little apartment isn’t as much work as I would’ve guessed.”

  “I’m sorry I left you for so long,” he says, suddenly dead-serious. “I swear on my life I won’t ever do it again, gorgeous. Wherever I go from now on, I’m taking you with me.”

  “I’m not so sure I want to be hanging out in the mens’ restroom anytime soon, but okay.” Smiling at my own wit, I touch one of his puffy lips. “Seriously, though, it’s time you quit telling me you’re sorry. You went through hell because of me and my family. If actions speak louder than words as they say, you exceeded your limit on apologies the night you stood up to Decker. I never should’ve let you get involved in my shit.”

  Finally his lips bend with the gleaming smile I’ve desperately missed, though still not nearly as much as the giant cock in his jeans that’s pressed against my butt cheek. “I wasn’t going to let you stop me. I knew right away that night that I wasn’t going to be able to walk away from you.”

  “That’s sweet. But can we save the part where we exchange ‘I love you's and launch into a dialect over how we can’t live without each other for later? I’d rather skip ahead to countless hours of wild, sweaty sex. If I don’t do something about this lady-boner soon, I’m going to go an entirely new brand of postal on your beautiful ass.”

  One of his brows quirks as he struggles to hold back a grin. “Lady-boner?”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about, big guy.” I reach down to cup the hard-on in his jeans and he hisses like a snake. “I’ve been waiting four agonizingly long months for you to fuck me hard until my teeth chatter, and I’m not waiting another second.”

  Suddenly he’s frowning and gripping onto my arms. “Why do you like it rough?”

  Heat spreads through my face as I glance down at our feet. “I wish you’d quit asking me that because I have no freaking idea. There was something about the way you touched me…I couldn’t get enough of it. I had never been rough like that with a guy before. Then you came along and thoughts of you standing over me, both of us experimenting with whips and chains…hot damn. I was too embarrassed to tell you straight up that I wanted you to own my body. Even now I get wet just thinking about it.” I glance up at him, pretending to pout. “Are you happy now?”

  In a delightfully dizzying blur, I’m being thrown down on the double bed and he’s stripping me of my clothes. As much as I want to tell him to take his time in getting undressed, the request sticks in my throat as I watch him shed his boxers, finally releasing the swollen tip that’s been the star of my fantasies for what feels like forever.

  “I don’t think you’re prepared for how bad I want you right now,” he says as he lowers to his hands and knees above me.

  “You’re going to be the one begging for mercy.”

  Without warning, he slips a thick finger into my slick opening. “Wanna bet?”

  Mewling, I hook my arm around his neck and ravage his lips, savoring his unique flavor and the feel of his hard muscles beneath my roaming fingertips. Heat rips through me as he palms my right breast, toying with the nipple between his thumb and pointer finger. Without having to be told, he pinches until I see stars and arch into him.

  “You want more of that?” he asks.

  “Oh yeah.”

  “I think we’re going to have to go shopping for more toys.”

  “Later,” I pant desperately. “We have all the time for that later. But now I need you to relieve this ache or I’m doing it myself.”

  Then he’s ramming himself inside me with a force that knocks my breath from my lungs. In lieu of screaming, I turn my head to clamp my teeth down into his shoulder. Growling, he draws back and slams into me again, forcing me to release his flesh as my teeth rattle in my head.

  “I fucking love you,” he declares between violent thrusts. “I’m going to marry your beautiful ass, and we’re going to honeymoon in that shack on the beach we talked about.”

  “Oh hell yes,” I reply, only vaguely aware of what he’s saying. The itch that’s been building since we’ve been apart is starting to fade, replaced with a thrilling buzz that warms my entire body. “Harder, baby!”

  He drives into me again, his balls slapping against my ass with a loud whack. “Was that a yes?”

  “God, yes!” I rock against him, blinded by the glorious sensation as he taps my aching libido. “Yes, Jace…fuck yes!”

  His fingers move down to massage my pulsating trigger, sending me in an upward spiral
toward the heavens. I lose all train of thought, muttering things even I can’t understand. The pressure builds until finally releasing with the velocity of a cork in a champagne bottle, hard and fast. Jace seals his mouth over mine before he’s writhing and groaning before becoming still.

  I pull him down beside me, kissing him back. Per usual, it isn’t long before I feel his cock harden against my thigh. I’m ready to rock again, but he slows the strokes of his lips before withdrawing.

  “I want to make love to you this time,” he says, cupping my chin with his hand. “I want to explore every inch of your body the way I described in my letters…slow and deliberate.”

  “If I’m going to be your wife, you have all the time in the world, big guy.”

  His expression lights with surprise. “That ‘yes’ you gave was really something other than the start of your orgasm?”

  “Well, it was a combination of the two, but I’m not going anywhere. If you still want me after everything, I’m yours. In sickness and in health, though I’m working crazy hard on the sickness part. I haven’t told a lie in…well…ten minutes. My left boob still seems to be symmetrical with my right.”

  Leaning back, he cups my breasts in each hand, swiping his thumb over my tender nipples. “Hmm…I’ll be the judge of that, gorgeous.”

  Then we’re kissing again and fireworks are shooting off and planets are aligning. Maybe that’s another lie, but it sure feels like my world has gone wonky on its axis.

  Our version of happily ever after may have come with a price, but it sure as hell was worth fighting for.

  THE END

  Fighting for Phoebe Playlist

  Trap Queen by Fetty Wap

  Sucker for Pain by Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons

  Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes

  Run by AWOLNATION

  The Moth & The Flame by Les Deux Love Orchestra

  If Heartaches Were Nickels by Joe Bonamassa