by E. L. Todd
“You bet your ass you’re gonna come.”
My hands snaked to his biceps, which were bulging as he held his upper body on top of mine. I felt the muscle and the pounding blood as he hit me harder, forcing me into the mattress as he hit my G spot.
And then I came. “Oh, god...” Just like we were back in time and doing it all over his apartment, my head rolled back and I writhed underneath him, a prisoner to how wonderful he made me feel. “Yes...yes.”
Ryker locked his eyes on my face, watching the O I made with my mouth and the redness flood my cheeks. His cock twitched inside me as he prepared for release, shoving himself farther and harder. “Fuck...” He inserted his entire length inside me as he came, filling me with his heavy seed. He pressed his forehead to mine as he finished, a quiet moan escaping his lips. “Sweetheart...I missed this.”
“You won’t be missing it anytime soon.” I rolled him to his back then straddled his hips, wanting to keep going even though it was some unearthly hour. I ran my hands up his chest, feeling his come slowly slide toward my opening.
I kissed his chest then wrapped my lips around his length, tasting myself and his come on my tongue. I sucked him off until he was hard again, and then I inserted his length of steel back inside me, his cock lubricated by his own seed.
He gripped my hips and thrust underneath me. “Rae...”
***
The only time I went home that weekend was to take care of Safari. The rest of the time, I stayed at Ryker’s place. We didn’t talk very much. We screwed on every piece of furniture in the apartment, defiling the place and leaving my mark everywhere.
The sex was great, and not talking was even better.
By Sunday night, I knew I needed to head back home even though I was dreading it. I didn’t want to sleep alone in my bed—even with Safari. When I was with Ryker, I didn’t think about Zeke and the woman he’d clearly hooked up with. Life was just easier when I was distracted by my undoubtedly sexy ex-boyfriend.
“I should get going...” I pulled on my panties and dress, taking a long overdue walk of shame.
“Or you could stay here.” He sat beside me on the bed, shirtless with messy hair.
“I’ve got to spend some time with Safari and get ready for work in the morning.”
“You could always bring him here.”
“Not to be rude, but he doesn’t like you very much.” Safari was stubborn. If he didn’t like someone, he didn’t usually change his mind about it.
“Then I could stay at your place...” Ryker stared me down as he waited for an invite.
My first response was no because Rex would see him. But then I realized it really didn’t matter if Rex saw him or not. Zeke did exactly what I did this weekend—but with someone else. “Sure.”
“Alright.” He smiled before he grabbed his bag and packed his clothes. “I need to get more bones so Safari won’t bite me in my sleep.”
“He’s harmless. He just has an attitude problem.”
“Like his momma.” Ryker gave me that sexy grin before he walked into the other room.
It was strange how normal our arrangement felt. We had sex all weekend, and it almost seemed like no time had passed. The only difference was the feeling in my heart. I felt the same way—just for a different man.
***
The second we walked in the door, Safari was not having it.
He growled at Ryker and tried to snatch the bag out of his hand.
“Safari.” I swatted him on the nose. “I know you don’t like Ryker, but you’re going to have to start being polite. He’s our guest, remember.”
Safari folded his ears.
“Do you understand?”
He released a whine.
Ryker chuckled. “I really think he understands you.”
“Of course he does. He’s smarter than I am.”
“I don’t know about that...”
If I were smarter, I wouldn’t have gotten my heart crushed twice in one year. I was done with relationships for a long time. Maybe the hit-it-and-quit-it lifestyle was for me. So far, it seemed to be working.
I walked into the bedroom and changed, getting ready to sleep in my small bed with an enormous man and a big dog.
Ryker stripped down to his boxers, the only thing he ever slept in. Before we finally fell asleep, he’d probably be naked. “Your room looks the same.”
“I haven’t done much remodeling.” I got into bed and set the alarm. Safari jumped on the end of the bed, gave Ryker a threatening look, and then laid down.
Ryker got comfortable by spooning me from behind, his powerful arms wrapped around me. The last man I slept with in this bed was Zeke, but I tried not to think about it. “You need to upgrade your bed.”
“Safari and I don’t need more space than this.”
“I guess if you sleep on top of me, that will fix everything.” Like I was weightless, he positioned me on his hard chest, my hair cascading down his shoulder. He dug one hand into my hair then kissed my temple.
This felt too affectionate for the meaningless relationship I wanted. “We’re just fucking, Ryker. That’s it.”
“My favorite part of fucking you is kissing you,” he said quietly. “So, I’m gonna kiss you all I like.” He grabbed the back of my neck and gave me a hard kiss on the mouth, just to prove his point. Then he got comfortable and closed his eyes.
I listened to his heartbeat like a lullaby and let it pull me into sleep.
***
After we both showered and got ready for work, we left the apartment at the same time. I was the unluckiest person on the planet, so of course, I walked right into Rex just as he was leaving for work.
He looked us up and down, instantly connecting the dots. “Great. I have to deal with this piece of shit again.”
Ryker kept his temper in check, knowing I wouldn’t appreciate him insulting my brother even if he deserved it. “Good morning to you too.”
Rex ignored him, looking only at me. “You can do so much better than him, Rae. We both know it.”
Ryker clenched his jaw again.
“Rex, what did we talk about a year ago?” I asked. “About how my personal life is none of your business.”
“I’m not making it my business,” he snapped. “I’m just telling you, as your brother, I fucking hate your boyfriend after what he did to you. And I’m always gonna hate him. So, you’re gonna have to figure that out.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“For now,” Rex said coldly. “I’ve seen this movie—I know how it ends.” He gave us both a final glare before he walked off. He didn’t mention Zeke, and somehow, that bothered me more than anything else.
“I’m gonna have to talk to him.” Ryker started walking with me toward the elevator. “Get a beer with him or something.”
“Don’t bother.” We were just sleeping together. I didn’t see a relationship anytime soon. “Who I sleep with shouldn’t bother him. It’s his problem, not ours.”
“Honestly, I can’t blame him for being angry.”
We got into the elevator and the doors shut. “We aren’t seeing each other, so it doesn’t matter. How I get off isn’t his concern.” I didn’t want to mislead Ryker in what I wanted from him. Maybe we would get back together somewhere down the road. But for now, this was purely about sex.
The elevator drifted to the floor, and Ryker adjusted his watch on his wrist. “I get it, Rae. I’m just your fuck buddy. I heard you loud and clear.”
I wasn’t sure if he did.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rex
The moment Zeke looked at my face, he knew.
He knew what I was going to tell him.
“Don’t say anything...” He grabbed his beer and took a long drink, swallowing the entire thing before he set the glass back on the table, making a noticeable thud.
I stared at the table because I didn’t know what else to do. My best friend was hurting—hurting a lot. The woman he loved jus
t screwed the man he hated—because he pretended to be interested in Monica. “On the bright side, at least the plan is working.”
“On the bright side?” he asked coldly, still not looking at me.
“Kayden told me she was devastated when she saw you with Monica. She walked out because she couldn’t handle it.”
“I wish I could walk out right now...walk out of my heart.”
“I know, man.”
“So...” He shook his head like he changed his mind about what he was going to say. “Nevermind.”
I had a feeling I knew what he was asking about. “She told me they aren’t together—like together-together. I’m pretty sure he’s just a rebound. I know it hurts, but it’s not the end of the world. She just hit rock bottom, and she’ll come back.”
“Not the end of the world?” he asked quietly. “The woman I love is screwing her ex. Yes, Rex. It is the end of the goddamn world.”
“He doesn’t mean anything to her. Come on, she’s still hung up on you. I’m sure she thought about you the entire time they were—”
“Not helping.”
“Look, just stick with the plan. I promise it’ll work.”
“You can’t make a promise like that, Rex.”
“With Rae, I can.” I knew her better than anyone else, even Kayden. “I know how her mind works. I know how she deals with grief. She’s looking for a distraction right now because she’s so upset. But that distraction will only last so long. Then she’ll be forced with the realization that she needs to get you back before it’s too late.”
“But—”
“Trust me, man.”
He leaned forward over the table, his elbows resting on the surface. “This is such a nightmare. These past few months have been pure hell. I just wanted it to end. I want Rae to pull her head out of her ass and just come to her senses. She’s never been the type of woman to only think with her emotions. She’s logical and reasonable. But she hasn’t shown any of those qualities lately.”
“Because she doesn’t let people hurt her,” I said quietly. “You snuck up on her. She always has walls up for everyone in her life—except you. She trusted you completely, so you hurt her a million times more. I’m not saying you’re wrong and she’s right, but that’s what the problem is.”
“I’m not perfect,” he said coldly.
“I know. I think she just needs some time to become reasonable again.”
“While fucking Ryker,” he snapped.
“Hey, I’m sure you could fuck Monica if you wanted to. You wouldn’t be doing anything wrong.”
He rolled his eyes. “Rex, you don’t get it. I don’t want to fuck her. I want to be with Rae—only Rae.”
My pity only increased.
“What do we do now?”
“We’re all going to have to hang out—and you’ll need to bring Monica.”
“And flaunt it in her face?” he asked incredulously. “That’s not classy.”
“You don’t need to flaunt, alright? But if any of us is seeing someone, we bring that person along. It’s not like she didn’t bring Ryker around. He was at her place the other night, remember?”
“Like I could forget,” he said bitterly.
“So, I say we hit the courts and you bring Monica. But I won’t tell Rae she’s coming.”
“Won’t that be obvious?”
“No. She thinks I’m stupid, remember? Leave it up to me.”
He shook his head and sighed.
“Make sure Monica dresses slutty. Like spandex shorts and a sports bra or something.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not gonna tell her what to wear.”
“She seems kinda easy, to be honest. So, I think she would go for it.”
“Then you can tell her,” Zeke said. “I’m not gonna get slapped.”
“Kayden slaps me all the time, so I’m used to it.” I wiggled my eyebrows.
Zeke finally chuckled, his mood picking up for the first time since our conversation began. But that would only last for two seconds. Then he would go back to being utterly miserable.
***
I walked into Rae’s apartment with the basketball tucked under my arm. “Hey, you wanna play ball with us?”
“Rex, don’t just walk in.” She walked into the living room in a man’s shirt that was three sizes too big, and sweatpants that obviously didn’t belong to her either.
“Then lock the door,” I countered.
“Or you could just knock. You don’t live here anymore.”
Ryker walked in behind her, dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.
I hate him. I hate him. Fuck, I hate him. “You wanna play ball or what?”
“Who’s in?” she asked.
“So far just Zeke and me,” I said. “Kayden is gonna come down and watch. You know, my own personal cheerleader.”
She seemed hesitant, part of her wanting to see Zeke, and the other part wanting to avoid him.
“You wanna play?” I asked Ryker. “I’m not inviting you because I want you there, but we’re down a player. Tobias is busy with Jessie.” I rolled my eyes. “That guy is so pussy-whipped.”
“You’re one to talk,” Rae countered.
“That’s different,” I argued. “I live with her.”
“Which makes you more pussy-whipped,” Ryker said.
I gripped the ball so I wouldn’t throw it at his head. “You wanna die, motherfucker?”
“Whoa, Rex.” Rae held up her hand and walked toward me. “Take it down a notch.”
“Did you hear what that asshole just said to me?”
“He was clearly kidding,” Rae said. “You need to chill out.”
“I’ll chill out when he’s buried six feet under.” Not only did he hurt my little sister, but he was the reason Zeke and Rae were so miserable right now. “So, you playing with us or not?”
“Talk about bipolar,” Ryker said with that stupid, smug grin on his face. “And yes, I’ll play with you.”
“I’ll come too,” Rae said. “But you seriously need to downplay the trash talk. Ryker isn’t going anywhere, so you may as well get used to him.”
He better not be sticking around for the long haul. No way in hell would I ever let this guy be my brother-in-law. “Trust me, he won’t be around forever. We both know Ryker will get bored and move on—like last time.”
***
The four of us got to the court first with Safari in tow. Kayden sat on the bench near the hoop with Safari beside her, looking cute in denim shorts and a purple top. She had nice legs, so anytime she showed them off, I paid attention.
Ryker warmed up with the ball, making enough three-pointers to make me uncomfortable. My masculinity wasn’t based on my gameplay, but I wasn’t happy when a guy I hated was better at basketball than I was.
I texted Zeke beforehand to cue his entrance. I wanted to make sure he got there last. That way, Rae couldn’t just slip out when she spotted Monica. All this soap opera shit had to be timed perfectly.
I spotted them coming up the block, Monica in only tight spandex and a sports bra. Her navel piercing glittered in the sunlight, and her thick hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She had an hourglass figure, long legs, and a booty that caught your attention.
This plan was definitely going to work.
Rae spotted Zeke before everyone else, and the blood drained from her face instantly. She stopped trying to get the ball after Ryker made the shots because all she could do was stare. Ryker spotted them next, his eyes honing in on Monica—not Zeke.
“Hey, what’s up?” I fist-pounded Zeke. “Didn’t know you were bringing Monica. That’s cool. Kayden can play.” I gave Monica a high-five since Kayden was sitting right there, watching me. I knew I had a jealous lady, so it was best if I didn’t get too close to Monica.
Zeke did a fantastic job acting like everything was completely normal. He walked over to Ryker and held up his fist, inviting him to a fist bump. Only I knew how heartbroken Zeke was when he found
out Rae slept with Ryker. How he could bottle it inside and put on a show like this was beyond me. It must’ve been his determination to get Rae back that kept him calm.
Ryker eyed his hand before he returned the exchange.
“Ryker, this is Monica.”
Monica stepped forward, smiled, and shook his hand.
Ryker stared at her, his eyes locked on to her face like he was in a trance. He held her hand longer than necessary then dropped it, clearing his throat at the same time. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.” She kept staring at him the same way he was staring at her. All the girls thought Ryker was hot. Monica wasn’t immune to his charms, just like everyone else.
Zeke walked up to Rae, ignoring the pained look on her face as if it wasn’t there at all. “Hey. How’s it going?”
She could barely talk because her voice had disappeared. She couldn’t even shake off the pain because she was so caught off guard. Perhaps she thought Monica was just a one-time thing over the weekend. Now, she was realizing Monica was there to stay—and she couldn’t handle it. “Good. You?”
“I’m great. Let me introduce you to Monica.” He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to his side, keeping her away from Ryker. “Mon, this is Rae.”
I liked the use of a nickname—nice touch.
Perky and smiley, Monica walked forward and hugged Rae, giving her a tight squeeze. “It’s so nice to meet you. Zeke has told me everything about you.” When she pulled away, she was just as perky as before.
“He has?” Rae tried to smile, but it just looked like a cringe.
“Yeah. He says you’re one of his closest friends even though you guys didn’t work out. I think that says a lot about who both of you are. You know what your priorities are.” She walked away with Zeke and introduced herself to Kayden.
My eyes were on Rae the whole time.
Ryker finally stopped staring at Monica and looked at Rae. He got close to her, pressing his lips against her ear.
I couldn’t hear what he said, but I could read his lips. He asked if she was okay.
She walked away without responding, so that gave me her answer.
This plan was definitely working.
***
Monica was an awesome basketball player, almost as good as my sister. Monica kicked her ass into gear and launched down the court, throwing her elbows all over the place like any man. She stole the ball from me once, and when she blocked Ryker, she managed to snatch the ball from him and sprint down to the other side of the court.