by Amaya Black
Lexie had her own room that Valentin had taken upon himself to paint a bubble gum pink. He'd asked Lexie what color she'd wanted and he had obliged. Valentin was besotted with her; Lexie had her father wrapped around her pinky. It made my insides twitch and guilt twinged at the back of my throat. What had I kept them apart for so long? Why had I been the bad guy in my own story?
"That's enough mayo on that bread, don’t you think?" Nova asked.
I snapped back to reality and the task at hand. Standing in the kitchen of the main house, I was making Valentin a sandwich while Lexie was preoccupied with the twins playing Jenga. The distinct sound of wood clattering on the table rang in my ears.
'Sorry, was off in space," I muttered and glanced over at the laughing kids.
If an outsider had been looking in, you would have thought Desmond, Yara and Lexie were related due to their features. Light skin and golden hued hair that had amazing shine. That reminded me that I needed to touch up my roots soon.
"I see, so who’s the sandwich for because Alexandra already ate?" Nova winked at me, giving me a knowing glance.
"Shut up," I bit my lip.
The bread felt light as air as I smacked it together. If he didn't like turkey and cheese, then he could make his own food. A beer sat on the counter waiting to be taken back to him as well.
"So, you and Valentin should come out with us tonight. There’s this fancy gala and Liam has to mingle. We have extra tickets," Nova threw over her shoulder.
The pink shirt she wore had some designs on the back. It looked old and worn in like she'd had it for years. Nova was rich now, but I knew she still liked going to the Goodwill. You could take the girl out the bargain bin, but you couldn't take the bargain out of the girl. I almost screamed at myself with laughter; I was funny as hell sometimes.
"I don't know if I should do all that," I replied. "And it's not that type of deal I have with Valentin and I."
"Yeah right," Nova spoke.
I hadn't shared that he'd wanted me to sign a contract. I hadn't told her much about the police breathing down my neck. The less she knew the better. If I violated the contract, Valentin would have me in court and go for full custody. With all my money tied up at the moment, I wouldn't be able to fight him.
No.
It was better to keep things quiet.
"Think about it at least, " she said as I gathered up the sandwich and beer and headed out the back doors that led to the guest house.
"Maybe," I hollered over my shoulder.
Nearly tripping over my own feet twice, I made it into the guest house safe and sound. The sound of rock music was blasting through the place. It was so loud, I almost turned around and left. I kicked off my sneakers by the door and padded barefoot down the hall and into Lexie's brand-new room. The music had grown distinctively louder, the vibrations beating through my chest. Valentin's phone was laying haphazardly on a white tarp behind him while he painted the wall. He was screaming along to the lyrics and I wanted to cringe.
Rock had never been my thing.
Strolling over, I sat the food down and hit pause on the his phone. Val whirled on me confusion crossing his face at his music being stopped.
"Food," I pointed to the sandwich. "And don't tell me you're not hungry because I went through a lot of trouble."
I stood there with my hands on my hips daring him to tell me he wasn't going to eat. He gave a slight nod of his head and then put the paint brush back down into the squared pan he'd been using to hold paint. We exchange places, as he came for the food, I went to inspect his work. In passing, I could see flecks of dried pink paint coating his skin and in his hair.
I chuckled just a little bit and he heard me.
"What's so funny, Little Star?"
"Nothing," I replied.
I leaned in close and noted all the brush strokes seemed even and exact. I had never seen a more perfect paint job in my life. Not that I painted much, but still. I had noticed that about the entire guest house itself. Everything seemed to be in perfect order.
"Something was funny, tell me," Val's voice cut through my thoughts.
"I was just thinking that Lexie has you wrapped around her finger," I turned around to face him.
He was steadily chewing on the sandwich and I could tell he was indeed hungry. Next he was tipping the beer up and pulling in long sips. I marveled at the way his throat moved from the drinking. Fuck...he was still as sexy as the day we had met.
He wants to punish you, Astrid. He has nasty dirty plans for you in that Red Room of his, my thoughts purred and I could feel myself blushing so I turned back pretending to inspect the wall.
"Alexandra is a part of me I thought was missing," he said finally.
My fingers danced over the dry bubble gum pink wall. It was such a loud color but it was lively like Lexie. This room was going to suit her perfectly until I was back on my feet and out of this mess I'd caused.
"I feel the same way about her...the day she was born..." I stopped myself and let out a breath realizing I'd robbed him of that moment too. "She's just the best thing I've ever done."
"What do you think of the room so far?" Valentin tried to change the subject.
Turning back around, I gave him an awkward smile. "It's beautiful. The paint looks extremely even."
"That's the look I was going for...I don't like messy," he stated.
"Well I can tell you right now, Lexie must get that from you. I'm a complete and total mess."
"Don't I know it," he muttered and finished off the beer.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," he shrugged.
"Damn...you really just don't give a shit what you say, huh?"
He shrugged again. "Am I supposed to protect your feelings or something?"
I'd been a fool to think we were past something. That maybe we were on the road to becoming friends for the sake of Lexie. You know what they say about assuming things. Biting my lip, I decided it was time to leave.
Before I could get out of the room in one piece, Valentin was overtaking me and pushing me into the wall. His hand had closed around my throat before I could object; the callouses on his palms rubbing again my flesh. I immediately closed my eyes. I didn't want to see those green orbs starring into mine.
"What's the matter, Astrid? Trying to run and hide...yet again?"
He's baiting you. Don't fall for it, I thought.
"Astridddd," his voice was like a singsong. "Do I need to spank you for being a bad girl."
Baited and hooked.
My eyes flew open.
"You're not fucking spanking me again, Valentin," I tried to slap his hand away but suddenly found it pinned against a wall and then the other.
I was there were my breast taught, and his gaze immediately drifted down to look.
"Hey! Eyes up here, fucker," I rolled my eyes.
Instantly, I regretted my words. Sparks seemed to flare from his eyes as he brought them back up to stare into mine. There was no warmth there. The only time I saw warmth in Valentin's eyes, was when he was with out daughter. No. For me they remained icy.
"You're to bold, for your own good, Little Star," he declared. "But don't worry...I'm going to fuck that right out of you. And that's a promise."
He dropped a kiss on my forehead, then stepped away from me. My breathing became hitched in my throat and I watched him stuff his cell phone in the back pocket of his jeans; he then gathered up the paper plate and beer bottle in both hands and strode from the room. I stood there against the bubblegum pink wall for long moments. Eventually, I heard the front door to the guest house shut. I flew to my bedroom and locked the door. Sending, Nova a text, I asked her to watch Lexie for a bit. I suddenly had the world's largest migraine.
Chapter 18
Valentin
The look of hesitation that had crossed her face at my suggestion. I had thought she would fight me but she didn't. She had just groaned and did as she was told. Which surprised me. Astrid wanted to fight
me on everything else it seemed. Look how long it had taken her to admit that we shared a child together.
"How will you know if I'd done it?" she asked quietly.
I ignored her and stood.
I'd had a beautiful yellow dress covered in rhinestones laid out at the foot of the bed I rarely slept in.
She'd followed my gaze and then gasped.
"Just get dressed, we leave in the hour," I'd replied.
The entire ride to the Chicago West Metropolitan Fine Art museum, I'd wondered if she had done as I'd told her. She had had fiddled with the radio some until she found a song she liked and then began to chair dance.
I glanced over and we made eye contact which sent her into a fit of giggles.
"Don't like my twerking?" she asked.
"Please don't do that in this place," I said quietly.
She frowned. "Excuse me?"
"Don't twerk in the museum," I replied.
"I'll have you know," Astrid rolled her eyes. "That my mother had me take etiquette lesson from age eight until I was twelve years old. I know how to walk into a room and make people think what I need them to. I'm not just a little ghetto black woman from Chicago..."
"That's not what I meant," I said and then uttered an apology.
"Save it," Astrid threw up her middle finger.
It angered me so much. That simple gesture. Her basically telling me to go fuck myself. I saw red and grabbed her hand out of mid air.
"I'll pull this car over and fuck you against the trunk, if you ever fucking do that to me again," I saw her eyes grow big.
Snatching her wrist away she mumbled something I didn't catch. By then it hadn't mattered because we'd reached the museum. People were milling around outside in their finest attire and you could hear smooth jazz coming from the loud speakers outside.
Strolling up to the steps, Astrid took my arm and it was as if a facade had went into place. Holly's Heart was throwing a fundraiser gala, something Liam's assistant had put together. This really was a passion project for him keeping his mother's memory alive. That reminded me that I needed to call my own mother soon. She would want to know that she had a granddaughter. Elena resided in Hawaii. Away from the winter winds of Chicago and the thought of the Bratva and my father.
"You both look amazing," Nova greeted us.
She wore a tight orange dress that made her skin glow. Her hair had been pulled up into a perfect bun with soft tendrils to frame her features. She was beautiful but for me she paled in comparison to her best friend.
Astrid has taken her platinum locks and softly curled them, giving her a Marilyn Monroe look. She looked like a sixties Hollywood bombshell and I was waiting for her to step up onto a metal grate and an explosion of wind to come rocking through at any moment and sweep the yellow dress upward at any moment.
"Thank you," I heard Astrid say.
Liam came over with champagne in hand for each of us. I accepted both and handed one to Astrid. Leaning in close, I reminded her to be a good girl. Nova looked between us and smiled. I sipped the champagne in one hand and slipped my hand into the pocket of my slacks where my secret weapon awaited.
"What was that about?"
Nova smiled sweetly. God she was way to invested in what was going on between Astrid and I. Liam wasn't keeping her ass busy enough, I guessed.
"What was what about?" I asked her.
Nova again looked between Astrid and I, expectantly.
"Girl, nothing. Valentin's just being his usual asshole self," Astrid shrugged.
Nova's face fell and then she giggled.
Astrid needed to be reminded that we were in public.
My hidden hand eased over the button that felt like velvet. I circled it with the pad of my thumb, my excitement getting the best of me.
And I gave it a slight tap.
Glancing over, I watched as champagne wiggled itself loose from the glass and Astrid gave a slight wobble in the high heels that made her seem slightly taller. Immediately, a blush began to bite at her light colored flesh, heat began to scorch the back of her neck.
She had most definitely felt that.
I had made her feel that.
See before we had left the house, I had asked her to take a small silver vaginal vibrator and insert it within the warm walls of her vagina. What I hadn't told her was that it had a remote that only I controlled. I was in charge of giving her an endless amount of pleasure or none at all.
Her head snapped up, a blush deepening on her features. Astrid and Liam came over asking if she was alright. She nodded and smiled as my finger danced over the button and pushed. Thrill was riding around my body like lightening. I could make Astrid have a fucking orgasm in the middle of this gala and all she would be able to do was give into it.
Yes...
Her hand touched my shoulder.
"Dance with me," she gritted out.
I grinned and handed the champagne flutes off to waiter, dressed in all black that was standing near by. I took Astrid's hand in mine and spun her out easily onto the dance floor and away from my cousin and his new bride. Other couples seemed to move out of our way but I only had eyes for Astrid, admiring the red lip stick that covered her pretty little mouth. I wanted that mouth on my dick and gagging.
Instantly, I became hard at the thought. My hand inched down her back and drew her in close; the minute my erection began to push into her stomach, she stared up into my eyes and rolled hers.
"You thought it was funny to call me an asshole to your friend, Little Star," I replied.
"Was I supposed to act like we're in love or some shit?"
I stared down at her, her mouth was still a distraction.
I needed it to soothe me...I was itching to hurt her a little tonight.
"Of course not," I responded. "That's too much for you. You don't hide anything do you, Astrid?"
I slowly turned her around until my body was behind her and my dick was sitting practically on top of her ass. That had been one of the things that caught my eye about Astrid the first time I'd met her. She wasn't like the usual girls that I'd ran through; no, she was petite, but she had meat on her bones.
She was thick as fuck.
Or at least that was how the home boys I knew would describe her. You could bounce a quarter several time off ass and never hit the same side of the coin twice. Thoughts of fucking her in a hidden stair well were pushing their way into my head.
"Never going to let that shit go, huh?"
"Five years you denied me," I spun her out again softly and brought her back into my arms.
We starred into each other's eyes and didn’t even notice when Liam and Astrid joined us.
"You two look really good together," Nova offered.
"He wishes," Astrid bit out and then stepped away from me as another song started.
She walked off.
"You going to go after your woman?" Liam cracked a smile.
I shot him a look. If starting fires with your mind was a thing, he would have gone up like a witch at the stake. Slowly, I adjusted myself as the hard on had dissipated.
"She's not my woman," I said.
"No, just your baby mama," Nova offered.
I could feel my cheeks turning hot.
Champagne was needed.
Champagne and Astrid's pretty little mouth.
I lost sight of her in the crowd but decided not to bother her just now. For a while I wandered around the art gallery, taking in portraits that had been done by out of town artist. One portrait in particular that caught my eye was of a family. The mother was prepairing a meal while the husband and children looked on, happiness dripping from their face. It showed pure love.
Shaking myself out of my reverie, I slipped my hand back into my pants and hit the button one...two...three times; then, I decided to get that champagne I needed. Once I finally found Astrid again, she was sitting at the table entertaining other men. Liam and Nova were also chatting with them animatedly.
She looked
up when I approached, starred me down and returned back to whoever in the hell the geeky look man-child was. Sitting down beside her, my hands danced over her warm bare shoulders and she shrugged me off.
I felt my face twist into a smirk as I repeated the action, which she again shrugged off. Nova tapped me and I turned to look into her face.
"He's not her type," she offered.
"What do you mean?"
She chuckled. "You Safaryan’s and that jealousy. He's gay, and they're talking about hair school and hair tools and hair products."
I turned back and listened. Indeed, they were discussing all of the things Nova mentioned. I still didn't like it, so I leaned over and kissed her shoulder. Under my touch I felt her go extremely stiff and turn to meet my gaze.
"I'm ready to leave," I whispered.
"I don't care," she bit back. "I'm not."
My hand was faster than she imagined and already on the button waiting. I gave it a firm tap, and I watched her begin to bite her bottom lip. If she wasn't careful, she was going to smudge her lipstick. Somehow the red pigment stayed in place while emphasizing how white her teeth shone against the alarming color. Slowly, she crossed her legs as if trying to squeeze the sensations away.
Letting off of the remote, I offered her a smirk. "Let's go. Now."
She nodded, desire firing up from behind her eyes. She un-clenched her legs and turned back to the gentlemen and spoke softly. He nodded and I turned to Nova and Liam who were talking to others.
"Goodnight, we will see you in the morning," I told them.
"Already?" Liam asked looking between both Astrid and I.
"Yes," Astrid surprised me. "We're getting a little tired."
I nodded. "Goodnight cousins."
Astrid and I reached my car in record time.
My Little Star had no idea what I had in store for her.
Making her wear a vibrator had just been a little foreplay.
Chapter 19