“Aww.” She pouts before smiling. “One more.”
“That’s what you said an hour ago.” I reply.
“Well, this time something different.” She says, coming up to her knees and stripping the sheet off my body. “Close your eyes, big man.”
I do as she asks, immediately feeling her lips on my neck and her hands on my chest. My body responds to her touch, slowly at first. Her lips press into my chest, working their way slowly to my abs. By the time her hot breath is between my legs and I feel her lips surround me, all systems are go. Her lips trace my flesh almost to the base and my fingers find my way into that tangled mop of curly silk, just feeling the movement of her head as she starts to travel up and down. As she sinks deep again, her own hand covers mine, pushing it down, sending me deeper into her heavenly mouth. At her urging, my hands become more of a guide as the tight embrace of her lips and cheeks entice me, holding her there. I count to ten in my head before I relinquish control and she gasps as she surfaces for air. Doubt tries to creep in, but she whisks it away by taking me in again. I let her control the motion for a few minutes, relishing it each time she arches her head to make eye contact, only to return, seemingly with a fresh resolve to take every inch of me.
Suzanne’s eyes are on me as I guide her up and down, faster and faster, using her mouth like I had only previously used her body. Her eyes are urging me on, driving me higher.
“I’m going to…” I say, the words trailing off as her lips suddenly come off me. Immediately, she mounts me, sliding me deep inside in one fluid motion, her hands flat on my chest as she flexes her hips back and forth. It doesn’t take long for me, nor does it for her. Grinding her clit on me with her hips, she follows me a short time later and collapses on my chest. I feel myself gently pulse inside of her.
“Waste not, want not.” She says, rising to her forearms on my chest to gaze at me. “Once you’ve accomplished your mission, we can talk about other options for containing messes.” She licks her lips deliberately.
“I’m giving it the utmost urgency, ma’am.” I say, taking her cheeks in my hands. “I have nothing but confidence in success.” Somehow, we’ve just slid quietly into accepting that this is going to happen.
Dinner with the Walkers is perfect. A beautiful evening, a beautiful woman on my arm, prospects for the future I’ve always wanted unfolding before my eyes.
“You two going to be moving out her permanently?” Saw asks, ladling another spoon of baked beans onto his plate.
“I think that’s likely, as long as the lovely lady agrees.” I reply.
Suzanne smiles at the compliment. “I’ll happily go wherever Bobo goes.”
Saw spits out his drink and the laugh almost consumes him. Suzanne has already made her escape off the side of the bench and is rushing off to the playground where the kids are taking turns on the swing set.
“Bolo’s met his match, I reckon.” Saw tells me when he’s recovered.
“She’s the one, Saw.” I say, smiling as I watch her, the sun shining through her dress.
Saw takes a pull on his beer. “She know that yet?”
His words make me think about it. Suzanne, Raza, everything that’s happened over the course of the last couple of weeks. It has been a roller-coaster, that’s for sure, but I think what’s developing between Suzanne and me is solid, or at least heading in the right direction.
“I think I’m convincing her.” I say, finishing my own drink. Not my favorite beer, but I’m more of a social drinker than anything.
“You done good, kid.” He says, standing. “I’m proud of you.”
From Saw, those words are like gold to me. I’ve looked up to him for years; a man I respect completely.
“Now go get her, Bobo.” He laughs and starts heading up to the porch as I smile and sink my head down to the table, but just for a moment. I look up, see her in the distance, and head her direction.
She’s pushing one of the kids on the swing and I picture her as a mother. I can think of nothing I could ever want more.
“I’m going to have to steal your Aunt Suzanne.” I tell them, surprising her as I grab her around the waist from behind.
“Aww…why?”
“I promise I’ll let her come out to play later.” I say, pressing my body tightly against hers.
“I guess I’m in trouble, Isabelle.” Suzanne says, whispering conspiratorially. “I’d better do as he says, he looks like a shady character.”
The kids giggle as the two of us grapple a little bit as she tries to run away from me, but I’m quickly able to scoop her up in my arms, her legs kicking in vain as I carry her up to the house.
“But what about my injuries?” She wheedles, knowing my weak spot.
“Nothing wrong with that sweet ass of yours.” I say. “Not that there ever has been.” I make a growling noise as we approach the back door.
Chapter Thirty-Four: Suzanne
Raza is starting to seem like a memory, like most of my life before Avery. We’ve been living together in the cabin for about three months, and I’ve only gone back to the tattered remnants of that life two or three times, mostly to pick up stuff from the apartment I shared with Anjelica, but that was going downhill on my last visit. She definitely needs a minder, preferably one with a little OCD like me.
The two of us did have a good long talk after she got out of the hospital, mostly about the events that night at the club, but also about my life with Avery. She seemed happy for me, but I think the jealousy was so deeply rooted that she couldn’t even admit it to herself. At least to her, she had the looks, the life, everything I didn’t; but somehow that had all changed and the last thing she wanted to accept was that I simply found a true man that thinks the world of me. I skirt around telling her that I want the same to happen for her, but that she’s got to get out of the situation she’s put herself in for the last few years. It’s a lost cause, and I know it, but I still feel the obligation to try. Most people will never accept that the majority of their own pain is self-inflicted, a result of their choices in life.
Avery did some of his own follow-up as well, and he, even more than me, seemed to be closing out one chapter of his life now that the next one is underway. Chase Marquez was a mess, he told me. After the situation at Raza, he pretty much lost everything, because insurance had been the last thing on his mind trying to get the club off the ground. The friendly meetup didn’t go at all well. Avery tells me that Chase is stuck on blaming him for what happened, for not seeing what was coming.
It took me a while to convince this wonderful man that it wasn’t true. I know he still has a little self-blame hiding deep in there, but try as I might I’m still not able to drag all of his emotions to the surface. I’m aware that there are things I don’t know about him, but I’m comfortable with them at this point. I know his heart, and how he treats me, and that’s all that matters. We’ll deal with the rest as he finally comes to practice his own words and trust me completely. Really, though, I don’t think it’s entirely trust, or at least not in the way I think of the word. I think Avery has just walled off events of his life behind such a thick barrier that he can’t even see over it himself anymore.
The townhouse in the city is gone, and the country cabin is all that remains. As I helped him clean it out, I found the picture that had fallen behind the dresser during our first time together. It was of him and a beautiful woman, both in full combat gear, smiling at an unknown photographer. I’ve only seen that look in his eyes before when he’s looking at me. I want to feel jealous, but I note something important as I turn the framed picture over in my hand. It was the only personal item I ever noticed, and he managed to forget about it. I’ll ask him about her one of these days, though I know he’s not too fond of speaking of the past.
I never did sell him a house, and I give him shit about it all the time, telling him he was just leading me on to get into my pants. Well, it’s the truth, isn’t it? Funny how sometimes people can manipulate you and you just don’t give
a damn, because you want to be manipulated. Annie Lennox said it best; some of them want to be used by you…
I’m sitting on the deck overlooking the property, watching the storm rolling in that’s stirring up enough wind I can see the tops of the oaks bowing to its power. My hands are over my stomach. I haven’t felt anything yet, and haven’t given any confirmation to Avery, but in my heart, it’s a done deal. I know it’s about time that I tell him, but even I haven’t allowed myself to take a test, as if I’m waiting to start showing before I even confirm it; I’m not regular enough to know otherwise. Was it the first time? Probably not, but the fact is, I knew from that very moment that I wanted to carry his children. The world needs more Avery Boles’, for better or for worse.
I feel the first spattering of rain and I can feel the ache in my body. He’s definitely become the lover that I always wanted, and I shift gently on my sore ass as if to prove my own point. Slowly but surely after I finally convinced him of my general health, he started to give me more and more of what I’ve secretly desired. I know it’s just the fact that he has to overcome the dichotomy that as much as he wants to pamper me and respect me, sometimes the best way to do that is to provide an open hand on my backside. I smile thinking about it. The rain is coming down harder now, and I can feel it sinking down to my scalp, wetting my shoulders and legs. It just feels so clean and so honest.
Chapter Thirty-Five: Suzanne
It’s all out in the open now and I have mixed feelings. Avery dropped bombshell after bombshell on me as we lay in bed together last night. Don’t get me wrong, the mixed feelings aren’t about him at all. The mixed feelings are about him doing one more job for his friend Devin, who I now understand was the guy who dropped off the flowers to me. That seems like a lifetime ago. Should the fact that my boyfriend asked an illegal arms dealer to deliver me flowers in the dead of night be super sexy or super scary? I guess that’s in the eye of the beholder. The promise, though, is that this will be the end of it all. After it’s done, the Master Plan that I’ve just become aware of will be ready to implement. It makes me laugh when I think about it, this huge hunk of a man planning our future before we even shared two words or even made eye contact.
He’s out there right now, somewhere, and I’m missing him. I did drop a bombshell of my own on him, though, as a sort of payback. The look on his face was well worth it; a sudden mix of excitement, somberness and love.
“When, do you know?” He had asked.
“Sometime in March.” I answered. It was my best guess since I haven’t been to a doctor to confirm yet. I noticed that his usual tight hug came in higher than usual.
“Okay,” I said as he pulled back. “Let’s get this straight.”
He looked at me, confused and I continued, giving him the evil eye.
“Pregnant doesn’t mean I’m broken or injured. Save the kid gloves for…the kids.” I said, laughing.
He smiled back. “I’ll do my best, Goddess.”
Waiting for him is the hardest part and I hope that I’ll never have to do it again. His assurances of his safety have definitely fallen on deaf ears with me, but I don’t really have any reason not to believe him. Hell, he’s alive, isn’t he? Some of the stories he can tell will curl your toes, both in and out of country.
My old life is pretty much left behind. My last visit to see Anjelica was devastating. Strung out on something or other, she looked like she was wasting away and the apartment was a disaster area of epic proportions. From the brief conversation I had with her, it sounded like Chase Marquez had convinced her to take the leap from where she was into full-blown prostitution. When I told Avery, he took the lead and I was grateful. The out of town rehab center where she ended up was well-respected, and they had a sealed folder that was supposed to be given to her once she successfully completed the program. He had set aside some money for her, in an account that she had signing-rights for. I had just asked him to help; everything else came from that beautiful, troubled soul. Troubled, sure, but we are slowly working the kinks out of that. I don’t think it will take much more than what is growing inside of me to finally vanquish all of his demons, allowing him to lead the life that he deserves. I’m just happy to play a part in it.
Epilogue – Suzanne
He’s here over me when the worst of it has passed. They’ve whisked our daughter away due to some minor complications, but I’m too exhausted to be afraid. From the looks of it, Avery is shouldering that burden himself, though he’s trying to hide it and comfort me. Alone in the hospital room for the first time in hours, his full attention has turned to my needs, though it was never far from that for the duration of my labor.
“She’s beautiful, Suzanne.” He says and I can see the tears welling in those powerful brown eyes. “I’m just so…”
The words stop coming to him and I see his bottom lip tremble just a bit; something I’ve noticed about the man when emotion is near to overtaking him.
“She’s yours, Avery. Yours and mine.” I say, the exhaustion creeping into every part of my body. “And apparently she’s going to be huge like her dad.”
Avery barks a laugh but wipes some sweat from my brow.
“Can we talk about it now?” I don’t know if it’s superstition or what, but so far he’s eluded or side-stepped any discussions of names and I respected his choice in not finding out whether we were going to have a boy or a girl. “She’s going to need a name, unless you want to call her Bolo, Junior.”
A little weak, but he smiles big anyway.
“Do you have any names in mind?” He asks.
I do, but I don’t, all at the same time. He’s opened up to me over the past few months, but not about absolutely everything. There’s still one dark corner that he has never volunteered. I grilled it out of Devin over beers at Saw’s one night while Avery was playing with the kids. I think it was that very sight that convinced the former gun-runner, now thankfully retired, that it was something that needed shared and it crushed me. Not because of jealousy, but because it did so much to explain his troubled mind. The woman in the photo; the loss he had suffered in silence.
“You don’t mind me choosing?” I say, leading him on, even in my drug-addled condition. Not that hard, really. I wince with the smile the thought brings to my face.
“I want you to choose. I’m just happy to have her.”
“Any name?”
“Anything, Suze.” He whispers, still caressing my cheek with those big, rough hands.
A nurse swung the door open, a smile on her face as both of our eyes go to her.
“Dad, your little girl is ready to see you.”
I can see the schism in his face. The tug between caring for me and caring for his first-born child.
“Go, Avery.” I say. “Elaina is waiting for you.”
The look of startled realization strikes him and I can see the pain and emotion in his eyes, along with something that I can only rightfully call love. I’ll never forget that kiss, and the tears that fell on my cheeks as his lips met mine.
THE END
(Continue on to catch the intro to Mariska’s next novel, Reed)
Reed – The Next Novel by Mariska Hutchence
Due November, 2016
Prologue - Des
The pain spreads out from the base of my neck, working its way to my eyes, which start to go gray. I realized this isn’t the best point in the operation to be blacking out, but I don’t have much control over that, do I? A question is floating there in the darkness as I see the lights in the parking lot flicker and fade, though I’m not sure if it’s the lights themselves or my rapidly fading consciousness. It’s simple and to the point, though, and I carry it with me as I go out.
What the fuck did I miss?
Actually, what I missed couldn’t really be put into a single point. I missed a lot, but that’s the nature of starting a new case. I had just jumped out into the deep end without enough background information to be safe. They had certainly advised agains
t that in the Academy, but I had barely made the cut as it is. Fortunately, we all start out with the same badge and the same title, regardless of our ranking at graduation. It’s not that I don’t have what it takes, at least that’s what I tell myself; it’s more that I’ve never been one to put in too much more effort than is minimally required to get the job done. For most things, that can be a plus. Hell, maybe this is the time all of that comes back to bite me in the ass.
When the stars cleared a few minutes after I open my eyes, the headache rushes in to replace them, as if I have to have something to remind me that I fucked up. The thought of my supervisor tearing me a new one is almost laughable. Vince Boss will only get the opportunity to berate me over this if I ever make it out…
…of wherever the hell I am.
Dark, damp and with that familiar musty smell of concrete. My eyes haven’t had the opportunity to fully adjust, but I’m not confident that they will. The darkness just creeps into everything, following my eyes as they track back and forth.
“Hello?” I whisper. It’s less of a desire for a response than an opportunity to judge the size of the room by the acoustics. I want to say it’s a basement, and I’m probably right about it. Big consolation prize.
The cold metal at my back is a pipe, I’ve got that much. A good three inches in diameter and full of all the cold that has apparently been sinking into my muscles for however long I’ve been in here. The little bit of moisture condensing on its surface does little for me, nor do the cuffs that are keeping my hands behind my back, wrapped around it.
It was supposed to have been a simple contact meet, in the hopes that I could pick up an informant within the organization I had been tasked to investigate. Most likely, it had been a throw-away assignment for the new girl. Gun-runners were probably the last thing that I had been expecting to deal with when my first assignment turned out to be the Milwaukee field office. Not that it had been my choice. The needs of the bureau and all. Bullshit. I know it is more about taking people out of their comfort zones to get them used to the fact that they need to rely on their office and their fellow agents.
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