Or the cream filling.
He laughs. “Nah. I just want to take my baby sis out for a night.”
We spend the evening enjoying the performance and sharing a pizza at a local favorite watering hole.
Brandon is sober, but he isn’t well.
He never has been.
I saw the shadows looming in his eyes as we sat on the sofa until almost dawn comparing notes on our lives. It was good. But he wasn’t. He was curled up on my sofa, sleeping soundly, when I went to my bedroom at a quarter to five.
At 4:58 AM, I unblock Jeremiah Abaddon Monroe from my phone and hit send on the text, “Thank you. Brandon’s visit means the world to me.”
“Time is precious,” he quickly responds. “Enjoy it while you can.”
“He’s not good.”
“That’s why I sent him.”
I roll over on my side and watch the dark skies. The sun will burn through soon, leaving a dusty rose color until the yellow blossoms.
The light he curses; the dark he worships.
In tears, I peck out, “What am I going to do with him?”
“Love hard.”
“He wants out of Alabama.”
“Yes.”
Through a waterfall, I send, “Did you do this to get me back?”
“I don’t have to do anything to get you back. You will come on your own. Or not at all.”
“And what about all the gifts?”
“Consider them presents for the twenty-two years I missed.”
Wiping my tears on my sleeve, I giggle. “That sounds so wrong.”
“No use in denying it. You want to be my baby; I’ll be your Sugar Daddy. You should get some sleep.”
“Goodnight, J.”
“Night, princess.”
I watch as the sun crests over the horizon, melting the dark purple skies away. The phone buzzes on the pillow beside me.
“Do you want to be mine?”
I close my eyes because a future with Jynx is too much to think about with Brandon here. I can’t process both at the same time. Fifteen minutes pass when I send, “Do I have a choice?”
“No.”
After Brandon leaves for Alabama, I sit down at the computer with my box of chocolates to message Jynx as he requested. I stare at the bizarre name change in less than twenty-four hours.
JYNXXX: Are you okay?
D4RK4NG3L: What happened to your name?
JYNXXX: I closed my account. Had to make a new one. :)
I furrow my brow and mumble, “You’re a fucking sex addict. There is no way you closed your account.” Something is amok. In my messages, I click $T4LK3R.
D4RK4NG3L: Hi. Are you around? Someone is talking to me named JYNXXX.
$T4LK3R: I should’ve killed him. One second.
D4RK4NG3L: Who is it?
$T4LK3R: My fucking dumbass brother.
Jynx
My jaw pops as I consider what to say to Axel. He’s impulsive, a shit-stirrer. No doubt, he is talking to my girl just to get my goat.
I glance down, understanding I just called Echo—my girl.
$T4LK3R: Let me make this very clear for you since you’re a fucking idiot. If you come anywhere near her, I will kill you.
JYNXXX: LOL
$T4LK3R: Leave her alone.
JYNXXX: You fucked it up.
$T4LK3R: I’m going to fuck you up.
D4RK4NG3L: Are you okay?
$T4LK3R: Yeah, I don’t want to go back to prison.
D4RK4NG3L: That was a decade ago.
$T4LK3R: No, that was a week ago.
Echo
I hit the call button. Jynx answers on the first ring, snickering, “That took all of ten seconds!”
My eyes close at the sound of his deep warm tone. “What happened?”
“I beat the fuck out of Axel and spent three days in the slammer.”
I lean back in my chair. “What? Why?”
“He said some things he had no business saying.”
I bite my lip and hover my mouse over the delete account button. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
Not knowing what to do, I ask, “Should I delete my account?”
He pauses. “You should come into my chat room and show me your tits.”
I feel the blush rise on my cheeks. “I bet you’d like that.”
“You have no idea how much I would love that,” he playfully flirts. “Block his ass.”
“Already done, Sir.” I grip the arm of the chair, realizing what I just said.
Sir.
“You miss me?”
“Like you can’t believe,” I admit, sniffling. “I’m deleting the ad, Jynx. What are you doing?”
“Getting drunk and munching on soggy tacos.”
“You should be paying attention to your chatroom,” I whisper, opening my robe a little further. “There might be a better taco in there.”
“Yeah,” he mumbles, entering the chatroom as I show off my cleavage. “That’s something worth looking at for sure.” He clicks on his camera—for the first time—and I grin as his face fills the screen. “I don’t do this.”
“I know! You’re willing to bend,” I delightfully squeal. “Where are you?”
“In my hotel suite, on the sofa.”
“I wish you were here,” I confess, crying. “I’m such a mess without you, J.”
His lips shift from side to side, and his brow tightens. “Hold on a sec, babe.”
“What are you doing?”
He squints, staring at his phone. “Booking a flight for tomorrow morning and reserving a car.”
My eyes widen. “You’re coming?”
“Not yet, but I will.” He focuses on the camera and winks.
“Oh, my God!”
“One condition,” he says, staring at me. “You pack your shit.”
“What about my lease?”
“When is it up?”
I rapidly blink. “… You’re really serious?”
“Yes, I’ll get us a two room suite. When is your lease up?”
“December.”
“I’ll pay it in full tomorrow,” he offers, smirking. “And you agree to date me.”
I blurt out, “And what if…”
“No,” he interrupts. “We’re taking a second chance at this. If we decide it isn’t working, I’ll pay for a year’s lease anywhere in the country. But!” He lifts a finger. “If things are going well, you agree to come to South Carolina with me.”
“And Houston?”
He snarls. “First things first, beautiful.”
“What about all my furniture?”
“Anything precious or antique?”
“No,” I reply, looking around. “I have the sofa and end tables that Selia bought and a bed.”
“We trash it,” he says with a shrug. “Take a risk on me.”
My toes curl in the carpet. “Jynx…”
“Do it, babygirl. Say yes. Let me show you the other side.”
“Does this mean you’ll ra…”
He scowls, and I giggle. “Do not ask me to do that to you.”
“Fine. Fine.”
“But I have every intention on finishing what we started until we broke down,” he softly says. “It’s not all on you. I fucked up. I should’ve handled that better.”
“You’re human.”
He smiles, reaching up to the camera like he’s touching me. “So are you, pretty girl.”
“Jynx?”
“Yeah?”
“Yes, I want to be yours.”
“I’ll be in tomorrow morning,” he replies, gazing at me. “Get some sleep. I’ll see you in a few hours. I love you. And no touching what is mine.”
I smirk. “Yes, Master Jynx.”
31
Oh. Shit.
Echo
My eyes flash open as the glow of the clock reads—12:33 PM. “Fuck!”
Flipping back the covers, I stumble out of bed, feeling like a haggard drifter in my pink u
nicorn pajamas and messy hair. I rush into the living room and screech to a stop, almost flipping forward at the sight of Jynx reading his tablet. He’s wearing glasses, a casual long sleeve obsidian shirt, and lead-colored dress slacks.
Oh. My. Fucking. God.
My boyfriend is a hunk.
His lips curl upward, the dimples hinting on his cheeks. With his right foot shielded in a black leather loafer propped on his left knee, he shoots a gaze up to me. “You were tired.”
“How did you get in?” I ask, glancing over at the locks on my door. “Did you break in?”
“Does it matter?” he asks, suppressing a laugh. He sets the device down on the coffee table and removes his glasses, folding them, before sitting them on top of the tablet. Everything is in slow motion as I fear losing consciousness. All of the blood in my body rushes to my pussy, convulsing, and demanding his attention. The deluge showers my panties, and I remain in awe, speechless by his sudden appearance.
He stands so much taller than I remembered two weeks ago. I feel dwarfed by his imposing stature as he rests his palms on my shoulders. His soft chocolate curls suggest his chaos, undisciplined and messy, but otherwise, he proves to be an elegant model—a dreamboat with stunning blue eyes that capture without warning. “God, you’re gorgeous, Echo.”
That’s you.
I hold up my hands and spread my fingers wide in front of my chest. “I need a minute to process this.”
He doesn’t give it to me.
His fingers skim down the thin collar of my pajamas until he reaches my skin. The back of his fingers trace the curve, dipping in my cleavage, and he unbuttons the shirt. He opens the panels, exposing my breasts, only to squat low and take a nipple into his mouth. His palm gropes the other one, and I gasp at the loss of control—my willpower vanquishing in a hush.
“You can process after you suck my cock,” he growls, rising and encouraging my kneeling with a delicate push. I don’t resist. With his belt still fastened, his zipper flies down, and he tugs his cock from the cotton slit in his boxers. Placing the tip against my lip, he commands, “Take me in your mouth, sweet thing.”
I don’t think; I do; I perform; I react; I engage.
I spent days craving this man, and this moment, building with rampant desire and ignoring my lust—I will not fail him now. I take his hardened shaft into my mouth, gulping him back as far as possible. I suckle with long strokes from base to tip and cradle his balls, still imprisoned in the fabric, in my hand.
But it’s not enough.
He yanks my makeshift ponytail—harder than ever before—and thrusts, bucking like a wild man into my willing channel. “Fuck, baby bitch!” he groans as I taste the salty pre-cum gliding over the back of my throat and spreading out over my tongue. “I’m going to come, Abby! Fuck!” he roars, gripping my head and holding me taut as he ejaculates deep into the funnel.
And like a good girl, I swallow.
The dividing lines between where his Dominance seizes and my submission surrenders are effortlessly drawn. His ragged breaths grant my entry but provide no option at calling a truce. With his huge hands detaining me at his groin, he asserts his ownership by restricting my maneuvers.
His victory march arrests me.
Eventually, he relinquishes me. I blink up and wipe the edge of my mouth with my fingers. “I know you can do better, Jynx.”
He finally breaks his composure with a mammoth grin. “Not in the light of day.”
My lips part as I didn’t even realize. “Oh, my God… You really are changing.”
Maybe I should too.
He offers his hands to help me up. The same hands that held me down, infinitely love me. “I’m trying. And I’m going to keep striving to do better. Be patient with me. And I will do the same for you.”
Without any warning, he swoops his arms beneath mine and picks me up. I latch my legs around his waist, and he dotingly delves his tongue into my mouth. My fingers press to his smooth cheeks as his aftershave hits my nose, and my heart buckles. “You’re really here!”
“I’m here, Echo.” He confirms that it’s not just a crazy dream. “But I’d like to get on the road before rush hour.”
I nod. “I packed everything last night and I gave all of the flowers to Lily very early this morning. She is taking them to the retirement center today. I need a quick shower and we can go.”
“I have to drop off my car at the rental place.”
“Why does that sound familiar?” I giggle, unable to take my eyes off of him. “Are you driving?”
With a tilt of his head, he snarls. “… Is that even a question?”
“God, I love you, Jynx.”
“I love you too, babe,” he confesses, kissing me again before setting me on my feet. “Go shower. I’ll take your bags to the car.” I spin away, and he slaps my ass. I glance over my shoulder, and his brow flicks up. “Better behave.”
“For how long?”
“The rest of your life.”
I cannot restrain my smile. “This means you’ll be the one guarding me.”
“Damn straight, I will.”
Jynx
Closing the trunk, I stare at the full back seat and smoke in the parking lot. Her permanent presence in my life hosts a very real reality check. All of her things—all of her life—is packed inside. She isn’t only trusting me, but I have chosen to take on the sometimes challenging responsibility of the young woman in the shower.
A short distance away, I spot an Asian man, close to her age, walking with his toddler son in the grass. The kid is barely able to do it on his own. But hell, if his chubby little legs aren’t trying. He takes a few steps and plops on his hands. Again and again, he does this as I watch in awe.
I don’t typically interfere, engaging in small talk, but something magical exists in this moment between the three of us as I’m compelled to ask, “How old is he?”
“He’ll be a year old in a month,” he replies. “You have kids?”
I shake my head. “I’ve never found the right one.”
“I’ve been with my wife since junior high.”
“You have a beautiful family. Congratulations! And good luck.”
He smiles as the tot takes another tumble. “You too, man.”
I hastily dart up the staircase and stop for a moment on the landing near her apartment. I take a deep breath, feeling I have missed so much, but I know—I wasn’t ready.
I’m older, more capable, wisened by the time. Despite the issues with Axel, I’m calmer than a decade ago. If I had pursued Celeste and ended up marrying her, we’d be divorced by now. I guarantee this much. Years of drinking and womanizing would’ve sealed our fate. Add in a wreck that almost killed me, and she would’ve been long gone.
Nothing more than a memory.
I wanted more than she ever possessed.
I needed the passion for the girl I’m about to heist.
Because she looks at me like I’m a fucking God.
I step into her apartment with a renewed sense of purpose and find her wrapped in a towel. She is gathering the last of her toiletries. “Did it all fit?”
“Baby, it will all fit,” I flirt as she grins. “If it hadn’t, I would’ve shipped it home. There are no excuses.”
“I know,” she says, pulling her hair out of the towel and picking up the comb. “I agreed to this.”
“If it doesn’t work…”
Mid-stroke of the comb, she glares at me. “If it doesn’t work, you will let me go, but until then, I’m your helpless captive.” She winks.
My smile expands as a hint of blush rises on my cheeks. “Your trust means more than I can say.”
“Because I’m agreeing to your kidnapping a second time?”
“Yeah,” I reply, taking the comb from her hand and running it through her locks. She pivots to face me. “You deserve it.”
“This love mess started because of an ad,” she reminds. “I was looking for a real winner.”
I lick m
y lips. “And I qualified?”
“Mr. Monroe, you were the cream of the crop.”
“I shut you down,” I admit, caressing her cheeks. “I didn’t give anyone else a chance.”
“You didn’t need to, J,” she whispers as I hoist her onto the bathroom counter. “We won’t get on the road anytime soon if that look in your eye is any indication.”
“Do you know how much I want this with you?”
“Why me?”
“I wish I knew, baby,” I mutter, easing my finger beneath the towel and plucking it off. “I was living my life, doing fine. I didn’t want or need anything or anyone. Someone blessed me with you. And showed me that I wasn’t living at all.”
“Jynx Monroe…are you headed toward the light?”
“Not a fucking chance,” I reply with a chuckle. “Because we need my sinister ways to balance us out.”
Her facial muscles tighten with concern. “Am I not sinister?”
“No,” I laugh and curl my arms around her. “I know you want to think you are because you placed an ad, but that was an isolated incident, purely done to draw out the wolves from the den.”
“Are you going to show me your fangs?”
“Yes,” I say, kissing her wet head. “And I want you to show me yours. Bloodsports, baby.”
“I’m so hungry!” she declares.
I laugh, “Does talking of blood often make you hungry, vampire?”
“It was all the cum I swallowed.” Her zestful energy blooms within as she bounces in my arms. “I need a taco.”
“Or three?”
“Maybe four.”
“Are you sleeping the whole way back?”
“Nope, I am too excited because I get to figure out the equation of how to spend the rest of my life with you,” she excitedly confides. “We won’t always agree, but this is worth taking a chance on.”
“I’m asking you to risk it all and come be my brat.”
“I know,” she says, grinning. “But there is more freedom riding on your shoulders than I will ever find alone. You’re the risk worth taking, Jynx.”
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