by Parker, Ali
He rubbed my back. “Of course I’m okay.”
“You were gone a long time.”
“We had to take the long way home. There were cops all over the place, and we weren’t sure if they knew it was us who’d messed up the guys at the motel.”
Rhys pulled away and stroked my cheek. Then he seemed to remember that we had company, and his hand fell to his side. He glanced at the coffee table. “I see you got into my liquor cabinet.”
“Owen did, to be more specific,” I said.
“Hey, you drank it too,” Owen said.
Rhys chuckled. “I don’t mind.”
Owen rubbed his hands together. “So? Give us the details. How’d it go?”
Rhys smiled and looked at me and Nancy. “You two don’t have to worry about them bothering you ever again. They got the message. They’ll be on their way back to Chicago, and they won’t show their ugly faces around you again. And if they do, you know who to call.”
“Thank you,” Nancy said. “Seriously, thank you. All of you. This was my screw up, and I don’t know what would have happened if we didn’t have your help.”
“You would have figured something out,” Owen said confidently.
Nancy shook her head. “I don’t think so. We were in big trouble. I put my best friend in danger. I’m sorry, Quinn. Now that this is behind us, I just want you to know I’ll never put you in a position like that again.”
I went to my friend and gave her a hug. “It’s okay, Nancy. I promise. We’re all okay.”
Rhys smirked. “Except for Kyle.”
The guys all started laughing.
Liam nodded at Owen. “You missed out, man. These guys would have given you a laugh. They thought they were a pretty big deal.”
“Maybe in some circles they were,” Aiden said.
“Maybe,” Rhys said. “But here? In Ryder’s city? They’re no one.”
I didn’t know what that meant, but I caught Rhys and Derek sharing a knowing look between one another. I didn’t say anything about it. It wasn’t my business.
“So when are you ladies going back to Chicago?” Liam asked.
I glanced at Nancy. “Uh, we’re not sure yet actually. We have a lot to talk about. I know Kyle is taken care of, but I think I want to get out of my apartment. Start fresh somewhere.”
“The guest room is yours for as long as you need it,” Rhys said.
I smiled. “Thank you.”
Nancy thanked him too.
“No problem,” Rhys said. Then he looked around at all of us. “Well, I don’t know if I speak for everyone, but I’m pretty tired, and my head is pounding. I’ll see some of you in the morning.”
He didn’t wait for anyone to answer him. He just walked off down the hall, slipped into his bedroom, and closed the door behind him. I stared after him as the others all gathered in the living room and sat down. I shook my head and asked if anyone wanted water. They all nodded, and I went to the kitchen to find glasses and fill them with cold water. I brought everyone’s drinks out and sat down between Nancy and Owen on the sofa across from Liam, Aiden, and Derek.
The room was thick with silence for a good couple of minutes.
“Are you actually going back to Chicago?” Aiden asked.
I blinked at him. “I don’t know yet, Aiden. There’s a lot I need to think about. And talk about with Rhys and Nancy. A lot of things are sort of up in the air right now.”
Aiden rolled his eyes at me.
“What?” I asked, a little annoyed.
He shrugged. “Nothing. It’s your call, cuz. I just think you’d have to be a special sort of idiot to go all the way back to Chicago and let this thing go.”
“This thing?” I asked, challenging him.
“You know what I’m saying. You and Rhys.”
“I don’t want to talk about this with all of you,” I said.
The others were staying out of it. At least, they were trying to. Their eyes were down, and nobody said a word.
Aiden licked his lips. “You should go get him.”
“Sorry?”
Aiden nodded. “Rhys. Go get him.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Aiden?”
“Go get him. The two of you are made for each other. You know it. He knows it. For fuck’s sakes, we all know it. Rhys doesn’t want you to leave, and you want to stay. So why make things harder on yourselves than they need to be? Put an end to this damn charade, and walk your ass in there.”
“Aiden—”
“Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you’re not in love with him.”
I stared at him. All eyes were on me. My cheeks were growing hotter by the second as I sat there, completely paralyzed by the words that had just come out of his mouth. “I—I can’t tell you that,” I said.
“Exactly.”
I stood up and shot him a dirty look as I walked down the hall to Rhys’s bedroom door. I padded softly across the hardwood. I didn't want to wake him if he’d somehow managed to fall asleep that quickly. I knew he was probably pretty sore, and if he had miraculously fallen asleep, I would let him rest.
But if he was awake…
I paused outside his bedroom door and pressed my ear flat against it to listen for sounds of life inside. Was he getting ready for bed? Was he in bed already? Was he lying awake thinking about me?
I hoped he was. Of course, I hoped he was. All I wanted was for him to want me the same way I wanted him. Based on the conversation we’d had earlier, I was positive that we were both on the same page.
He’d be happy if I decided to stay in New York City with him. At least, I hoped he would. It would be a big step, but it would be for the best. We needed to be closer to each other. Not seeing him for eight months had nearly killed me. I wanted to live in the same city as him again.
I wanted a lot of things. Not many of them were things I could have right now, give or take a couple.
I ran my finger up the door and tapped lightly. There was no response. So I reached down for the handle and gently turned it until it clicked and the door gave way.
Chapter 27
Rhys
The ceiling fan above my bed was perfectly still. In the summer, it would turn lazily, arms reaching out to the edges of the ceiling as it went in a never-ending circle. Round and round and round.
I closed my eyes, and darkness swallowed me.
My head hurt. So did my ribs. Kyle had managed to get a couple hits on me, and my body was now aching in protest. I was getting too old for this shit.
The days of living for the fight and liking the pain were behind me. I didn’t have bloodlust the way I used to. That fire was dying. I didn’t mind. It all seemed to be happening according to plan. I was following Ryder’s lead now, and there wasn’t as much need for me to get my hands dirty.
Except for tonight, of course. And the other night. Kyle was an exception, not the norm.
He’d gone after Quinn, and I couldn’t let that slide.
The bruises and the pain were worth it. I’d have taken a hundred times worse to guarantee that he would never bother Quinn again. She had enough on her plate already. She didn’t need an asshole like him making things even more difficult for her. It wasn’t fair.
No woman deserved a man like that making things hell for them. All the Kyles of the world deserved to have their teeth kicked in.
It had been satisfying. That was for damn sure. The way he’d looked at me as I loomed over him made me feel powerful. I’d missed that a bit.
But only a bit.
That momentary high of scaring the shit out of someone and feeling like a formidable badass evaporated and was replaced with pain. And I was so fucking done with pain.
I wanted to roll onto my side to try to get some sleep, but I knew my ribs would throb, and it just wasn’t worth it.
I tried to distract myself with other thoughts. They all went back to Quinn.
They always went back to Quinn.
I thought back to the good o
ld days when we were younger and stupid and life hadn’t kicked us in the balls yet. I thought of our first date.
It had felt a bit like an undercover mission. We didn’t want Max to find out that we were seeing each other, especially not so early on. There was no telling how he would react, and the drama wouldn’t be worth it if it turned out we weren’t really all that into each other. Of course, we knew well enough that we already were.
I’d driven us far out of the city limits. She rode on the back of my bike. I could still recall how good it felt to have her arms wrapped around me. She was no stranger to being on a bike, even back then. She had ridden on the back of Max’s several times; she’d almost grown up doing it. She was fearless and had begged me to go faster.
And I did.
Even over the roar of the engine and the wind in my ears, I could hear her elated laughter as we sped down the interstate.
We’d gone to a little place called Romeo’s. It was a small cafe by day and a bar by night. It was summer time.
The outside of the place was filled with people when I parked the bike. Quinn and I walked inside hand and hand like a couple. It was the first time I’d felt like she and I actually had a shot. I had no idea then how much harder things would get for us over the passing years.
We’d picked a table and ordered drinks and food. The entire night was spent laughing our asses off and kissing. She’d done a number on me, and there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted this girl. I needed her.
I smiled to myself and opened my eyes to stare up at the bedroom ceiling fan. We’d been just kids back then.
Now we were far from it. Life had hardened us. Well, sort of.
I sure felt soft when she was around. I felt like she’d ruined me. I hated how soft she made me. My heart ached right now, just thinking about her going back to Chicago soon. I wanted her to stay. I wanted her here with me.
But I couldn’t ask her to sacrifice her whole life in Chicago to move here. It was unreasonable and unfair. I was the one who had up and left. I had no right to ask her to do the same.
I picked at a loose thread at the top of my blanket.
Then I lifted my head as my bedroom door opened. Light streamed in from the hallway and illuminated Quinn from the back.
“Are you awake?” she whispered.
“Yeah,” I said. “Come in.”
She came in and closed the door behind her. I heard the lock click softly. Then she padded across my bedroom floor and came to sit on the edge of the bed beside me.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes. I just wanted to come and check on you. You left in a hurry.”
“Yeah, sorry. My head hurts and I was tired.”
“Did you take an aspirin or anything?”
“No.”
She sighed. She patted my hand before standing up and going into my bathroom. She flicked the light on, and I shielded my eyes as I watched her crouch in front of my cabinets and rummage through everything. She withdrew a bottle of painkillers and filled my cup on the counter with water. Then she came back to me and held out the pills. I popped them in my mouth and took the water from her to chase them down. “Thanks,” I said.
“You’re welcome.” She paused. “Are you sure you’re not hurt?”
“I’m all right, Quinn. Nothing I can’t handle. Just a couple bruises here and there.” She looked at her hands. I could barely make out her features in the darkness, but I could tell she was thinking. I reached out and closed my hand over both of hers. “What are you thinking about?”
She didn’t answer me right away, like she was arranging the words in her head before she actually spoke. “I was thinking about everything you’ve done for me. And how grateful I am. And how lucky I am to have you. And how much I don’t want to be apart from you again.”
I propped myself up on my elbows and studied her. “What are you saying?”
“I’m not saying anything. Yet. I just, I don’t know. Doesn’t it feel different this time? Like we’re both finally on the same page? I think it would be a mistake to put distance between us again, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely,” I said.
Quinn let out a soft giggle, and I put my hand on her knee. I listened to her breathing and smelled her perfume. Roses. Citrus. Something else familiar and fresh, like rainwater.
“We can figure everything out in the morning,” I told her.
“Okay, and until then?”
“Until then, you should sleep in here with me.”
“Sleep?” she asked teasingly.
I chuckled. “Did you have something else in mind?”
“How else would I thank you for going and beating up Kyle? I want to show my appreciation. And I want to celebrate us.”
“Celebrate, huh?” I asked.
She let out another breathless giggled and then swung her leg over me to straddle my hips. “You heard me. I love you, Rhys Davies, and I’m going to ride that cock of yours to prove it.”
I put my hands on her hips, and she rocked on top of me. The pain in my ribs subsided to a dull ache. She was just the distraction I needed.
Quinn pulled her shirt off over her head. Even in the dark, I could make out the lean lines of her stomach, the groove of her navel, and the outline of her waist and hips. She was wearing a lace bra with no padding. Her tits were perky and spilling out the top of the cups. She reached behind her back and undid the clasp, then dangled the bra over the edge of the bed and let it go, where it fell soundlessly to the floor.
She leaned over me. Her body was hot against mine, and her breasts grazed my chest as she devoured my mouth with sweet kisses. She tasted like whiskey and salsa. I cupped the back of her neck and held her to me as our kiss deepened.
It felt so fucking good to hold her like this. Especially because for the first time since I fell for her, I didn’t feel like I couldn’t have her.
Because I did have her. And she had me. And we were going to make this damn thing work one way or another.
Quinn’s hips rolled, and my cock strained against my boxers. She must have been able to feel it through the blankets between us because she smiled into our kiss and slowed her hips. She nipped at my bottom lip. “Somebody’s eager.”
“You’re too sexy, baby,” I told her. “I get hard just looking at you.”
“Well, lucky you. You’ll get to do more than just look at me tonight. You can do whatever you want.”
“Whatever I want?” I mused.
She nipped at my lip again and then kissed me softly. “Whatever you want.”
“And what if I want to tease you like this afternoon?”
“Then you can tease me.”
“And if I want to fuck you in your ass?”
Quinn paused and stared down at me. “I’m all yours, Rhys.”
Chapter 28
Quinn
He wrapped his arms around me and crushed his mouth to mine. I knew telling him he could fuck me in my ass would be the thing that pushed him over the edge. I’d told him to do it once while we were fucking, and he blew his load right then and there.
This time, I had given him plenty of warning.
He held me down on top of him and kissed me deeply. I kissed him back and held his face in my hands. Then I traced his shoulders and pulled the blankets down. I wanted more skin on skin.
I still had my sweats on, and they were more than getting in the way.
Rhys suddenly rolled over and pinned me down beneath him. I let out a surprised giggle as he planted kisses down my chest and stomach. When he reached the waistband of my sweatpants, he slowly rolled them down my legs and took them off. He dropped down over me, and I lifted my hips up. He grinned into our kiss and reached down between my legs to rub me in slow circles.
Our kiss became more desperate. I hooked my leg around his and rolled, using our momentum to bring us up so that I was straddling him again. I put my hands on his
chest and braced myself as I ground against his cock. He was hard and ready beneath his boxers, and I liked the way the thin bit of fabric felt between us.
Soon, the teasing became too much for me. I slid down the length of his body to settle between his legs, and I pulled him free from the confines of his tight black boxers. I took him in my hands and stroked him gently before sealing my lips over his tip and taking him deep in my mouth.
Rhys sucked in his breath through his teeth. Knowing how much he liked it, I continued sucking him off. His hand plunged into my hair, and he guided me down on his dick. I followed his lead as he held me down on him. I pressed my tongue to the base of his shaft and took more of him.
He groaned, and the sound of his pleasure turned me on even more. I moaned around his cock, and soon, he was pulling me off as he started straining. He was going to come soon, and he didn’t want things to be over too quickly.
With his hand still in my hair, he guided me to my knees on the bed. Then he put his hand on the small of my back and gently pushed me flat on my belly.
I looked over my shoulder at him as he went to his knees behind me. I lifted my hips off the bed and wiggled my ass in the air for him.
Rhys ran his hands up the backs of my thighs and squeezed my ass. I giggled softly as his hands trailed to the inside of my thighs. I kept my hips off the bed. He cupped my pussy and rubbed his thumb against my clit. He had me sighing within seconds and aching for more.
Then I yelped when he bit my ass. I burst into a fit of giggles, and he smiled as I buried my face in the sheets. He kissed my ass where he bit me and slipped a finger in my pussy.
I moaned.
He worked his finger in and out of me and then kept it out. He drew it back to my tight ass and applied a bit of pressure. Then he slid his finger in.
I bit down on my bottom lip and sucked in a breath.
“Relax, baby,” he whispered.
I did as he said. I took a slow, deep breath and exhaled through my nose. I melted into the mattress. He worked slowly, gently, and I relaxed even more. The moment of pain was brief, and now it was pleasant.