I reached up and ran my hand across the morning fuzz growing on his face. “Look, I just want you two to heal. It’s time to let go of the past and move on.”
“We’d kill each other in a room alone.”
“So I’ll be there. You guys can come to my office. Neutral ground. Safe haven.” I winked at him.
“I can’t believe I’m even considering doing this,” he said, pulling away the sheet and leaving me exposed. He pulled me into his arms and smiled as he kissed the spot on my neck that guaranteed him a happy morning.
“But you are considering it, though? Right?”
He nodded against my neck, and I smirked because he had a lot of making up to do, and there was no way he wouldn’t show up. I may be getting my way for quite a while.
More Sessions?
Avery
Xander and Ian sat at separate ends of the room. Body language spoke volumes in the silent space. Xander’s body was shifted to the left and he was looking out the window. Ian, on the other hand, was on the right side of the room, pacing nervously. Xander wanted nothing to do with this session, and Ian seemed to want to get everything out and move forward. Somehow I had to get them on the same page.
“Xander?” He was too lost in space to hear me.”Xander!”
He startled, then turned to me.
“Would you like to start? Is there anything you want to say to Ian?”
He glanced at Ian and shook his head.
When our gazes clashed, I gave him an irritated look, and he widened his eyes and held up his hands like, What?
He knew what I wanted. He promised he’d try, and he was barely even here.
“Ian.” I turned to him, and he stopped his slow pacing. “Would you like to have a seat?” He shook his head and continued pacing.
“Okay, would you like to begin?” I asked him.
He stopped, looking at Xander, and nodded. It took a few moments of anxiety before he spoke up, and I almost thought he wouldn’t. “I know you think everything wrong in this family began with you, but you’re wrong.”
Xander looked up at him, surprised.
We’d both overheard what he’d said to his mom in the hospital, and I’m betting Xander had no clue.
Ian stood in the center of the room with his hands buried in his pockets, head hung low. “I ruined our chance of being brothers long before Jessica came into the picture.”
Xander flinched and turned away. It was like the mention of Jessica’s name reminded him why he needed to shut Ian out, and the wall stood firm.
“Maybe it’s too late, but Avery and I have been talking and—”
“Is this you and him against me now?” Xander directed his question at me as his eyes accused me of taking sides.
“No. I told you before I’m not on any sides. But Ian’s ready to take the steps necessary to move forward. Are you?”
Xander shook his head, turned, and grumbled something under his breath.
“Xander?” His gaze shifted back to me. “Why are you so resistant to mending your relationship with your brother?”
“Because there was never a relationship to mend. I’m too old to still be running around after him, looking for acceptance.”
“You never needed my acceptance,” Ian spoke up.
“How the fuck do you know what I needed?” Xander finally met Ian’s eyes with his furious outburst. “I was a pathetic kid eager for even a few minutes of your time, but you hated me. It took me years to come to grips with that. It only took losing Jessica to figure it out. And now you want me to believe after all these years you care?” Xander shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“You’re right. I hated you.” Xander threw Ian a look of pure loathing. “I resented you, and there was never anything you could’ve done to change it.”
Xander snorted, shook his head, and bit his bottom lip. I wished he’d stop holding back and just let go of his rage. “I don’t care anymore.”
“Then why are you here?” Ian’s eyebrows knitted in confusion.
“Because Avery asked me to come.” Their gazes locked as they silently faced off.
Ian broke the stare-down first with his sigh. He looked at me and said, “This is pointless.”
“No, it’s not. I didn’t expect you two to come in here and everything miraculously be resolved. As long as you guys agree to keep meeting this way and say the things you need to get out, then we’re making progress.”
Xander was staring across the room, and Ian was looking at me reluctantly. He stood up and glanced at Xander like he needed some space.
“I’m sorry, Avery. I gotta go.”
Ian was already walking toward the door when I called out, “Will you come back?”
“Yeah, if you think it will help.” He glanced over his shoulder at Xander before walking out. As soon as the door shut, Xander gave me a doubtful look.
“That went well,” he said sarcastically.
“Not that you made much effort.”
He shrugged. “I said I would come, not that I was going to fall for his bullshit.”
“He was being sincere.” I rose and walked toward him.
“We'll see.”
“So you’re willing to have another session with him?” I smiled as I sat on his lap.
“More sessions? I have a feeling I’ll be spending the rest of my life in this office, talking about feelings.”
“I’ll always look out for you.” I brushed my fingers through his hair.
He buried his face into my neck and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I trust your instincts. If you think Ian’s being real, then I’ll give him a chance.”
I sat back and cupped his face with my hands. “I’m proud of you. I know it’s hard for you to give him any kind of chance.”
He smiled, his dimples causing a fluttering in my belly. “I’m going to try to give him a chance. After all, if you didn’t give me a second chance, I would’ve been lost. Maybe what you’re envisioning can come to play, but it will take time.”
I raised an eyebrow. “When did you become a therapist?”
He chuckled. “I got my degree by association. Your brilliance rubbed off on me.”
He leaned in and bit my lip. I yelped and tried to pull back, but he pulled me in for a kiss that made me forget everything except how much I loved him.
Epilogue
Xander
In the last eight months, my relationship with Avery exceeded what I thought was possible. She’d learned all my quirks to the point that she could detect when I was holding something back. I think that’s what made her gain back some semblance of trust in me. She was always prepared to call me on my shit, and I was fine with that.
We adapted. She accepted who I was but was always on a mission to make sure I knew she saw through me. And I liked it that way. She didn’t ask me to change; she just made sure I understood the consequences of my actions before I went too far.
She and my mother had moved completely past everything and hung out at least once a month. Mom’s health improved because Avery and I kept her on a strict regimen.
Ian and I…
Well, we actually occupied the same room without wanting to kill each other. Avery still scheduled us for one session together every month, and it helped. Listening to Ian talk about his feelings made it easier to release my anger and resentment toward him. And maybe it worked the same way for him. In Avery’s office, we had a chance to see the real Ian and Xander. There was no sibling rivalry, just two people trying to understand each other.
Ian had kicked his drinking habit, but his political career was shot to shit. He was managing the club he worked at, and, who knew, maybe he’d be a club owner one day. Regardless of what he did, I was happy for him, and he seemed happy for Avery and me, and he completely stopped trying to fuck with my head when it came to her.
Avery was a godsend, and we’d somehow become a normal family without this huge cloud hanging over us. Even Ellie and I managed to be cordial.
Though Avery had watched us like a hawk for months whenever we were in the same room. Ellie was graduating soon, and she fully accepted that Avery was there for her in whatever way she needed.
My life was the calmest it had ever been.
I felt Avery roll over in the bed and scoot up against my back. Her hand slid over my side, down my abs, and she started stroking my cock until it was hard and aching.
I was suspicious she was trying to put me to sleep, but I wasn’t going to complain. My insomnia wasn’t as severe as it was before, but it hadn’t completely vanished. I’d had it so long I was sure it had become my permanent companion. On nights like this where I stayed up with my thoughts, Avery always tried to fuck me to sleep. It had worked for me in the past, and it worked even better now.
She pushed me onto my back before she crawled between my legs, bit my thigh, then flicked her tongue over my balls, causing them to draw up tight. She always had this wicked look in her eyes whenever she put her mouth on my dick, and she didn’t fail this time.
She laughed when I grunted, the vibration of that sound causing my dick to twitch in her mouth. She wrapped her hand around the base as she worked her warm, wet mouth up and down my cock. She withdrew, using her hand to stroke me, then lapping up the precum she drew forth.
Oh fuck.
She sucked my balls into her mouth, one then the other, and I nearly lost it. I flipped her so quickly she gasped. “On your knees,” I growled into her ear.
She scurried into the position I’d ordered, rubbing her ass against my cock. I rewarded her with a sharp smack on her ass. She sucked in a breath, then stilled. I thrust two fingers into her wet hole, and she quivered, her fingers gripping the sheets.
I worked my fingers into her pussy until she was a sweaty, panting, begging mess. Then I lined up my cock at her entrance and watched her try to impale herself with it. With each attempt, she received a smack on her ass cheek. She was silently pleading for a spanking, and I was all too happy to turn her cheeks a pretty pink before I fucked her.
She never stopped pushing against me, so while she was expecting to be spanked more, I plunged my cock into her dripping pussy, and she let out a scream that morphed into a whimper as I began to move.
I leaned over her, buried my fingers in her hair, and put my lips to her ears. “I love your fucking pussy.”
She shivered and moaned as I hit my cock against her G-spot. I sat up, maintaining my grip on her hair as I rammed her sweet spot over and over. The sounds she made caused my dick to get even firmer, thicker.
I yanked her hair harder, which had become a habit of mine lately. This time I pulled her head back far enough to kiss her. I was deep in her, but it wasn’t deep enough for me. I gave it to her in longer, harder strokes that caused her to moan into my mouth.
I thrust my tongue into her mouth, overwhelming her with sensation. My other hand moved up her thigh until I reached her center, and I slid two fingers across her slippery slit. My fingers on her clit, tongue in her mouth, and cock working her pussy pushed her to the edge.
She bit my lip and pulled away as she wailed her release. I clasped onto her waist and rode her hard. Her pussy cloaked my cock with its wet heat, sending chills up my spine. We weren’t part of the world when we came together like this. Everything slowed down except for the beating of our hearts and the frantic pace of our lovemaking.
I bucked as I shot off deep into her pussy, my climax taking everything from me and giving it to her. We collapsed, me half on top of her, both of us wearing a self-satisfied grin.
“Is that what you were aiming for?” I cocked an eyebrow at her.
She shook her head and breathed, “More than.”
I tucked her under me. My head fell onto the pillow, eyes heavy with exhaustion. She ran her fingers into my hair and chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
“You’re so easy. Did I fuck you to sleep?”
I cracked my eyes open and gazed at her self-satisfied smile. “Technically, I fucked you so…”
She bit my neck and buried her head under my chin. “I’ve wanted to say that since the day I met you.”
“If you want to fuck me to sleep every day for the rest of my life, I’ll lie here and let you do it.”
She chuckled and kissed my jaw. “I know.” She hummed softly as she snuggled closer to me. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Avery.” I fell asleep with a contented smile on my face, and memories didn’t haunt my dreams. Just visions of Avery and me and the future we were building together.
Stalk Me
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More by Bethany Bazile:
Fight For Me
Beautifully Broken
Beautifully Revealed
UnBurdened (A Novella)
Deceitfully Yours
About the Author
Bethany Bazile reads, writes, and lives in the Northeast with her husband and two amazing kids. Her passion for writing was born from a love affair between books and music. She loves books that draw her in and won’t release her until she’s inhaled every word, panting with excitement. Then she realizes the sun came up, but the loss of sleep was so worth it. When she isn’t reading, she’s conjuring up steamy love scenes and hot romance stories to share with fellow romance lovers. She can’t function without her cup of coffee and operates on a vampire-like timeframe.
Lie to Me (Sexual Misconduct Volume III) Page 8