Jack starts ramming in and out of my body managing to hit all the right places and sending me over the edge, screaming out his name in no time. Jack wraps his arms around my legs hugging them to his body. My feet are resting by his head while he looks down at me, still slamming in and out with savage force.
“Play with those beautiful tits,” he orders. I do as he says. I figure he wants me to do it so he can watch. He never takes his eyes away from mine and that sends me right over the edge again, with him in tow. When our breathing starts to come back to normal he disengages from my body.
“Come on, we need to get moving. The sooner this is over, the sooner I can bring you home and really love you,” he says. My pussy quivers wanting him again.
I go to the bathroom and take a damp cloth to clean up, then we both get dressed, and Jack takes me to my first appointment. He waits out in the sitting room for me to finish.
Talking to the therapist was a lot easier than I expected. She didn’t judge me like I thought she would. She’s there to listen and explore all of the feelings I’ve had bottled up for all these years. God, it feels so damn good to get this shit off my chest. Dr. Lansin says my healing will take time. She compares it to a cut on your skin. You can cover it with a band-aid for a while, but then you need to take the band-aid off and expose the wound before it can completely heal. But when it does, it feels good, and that’s what we’re striving for. Before I leave, we agree that I will meet with her once a week for the next three months. Depending on my progress, she’ll adjust the appointments in accordance.
Before walking out to join Jack in the reception area, I go over to Dr. Lansin’s secretary and schedule my appointments for the next three months. When that’s done, I grab Jack by the hand, and we make our way to the car.
“I’m very proud of you, you know that?” Jack says.
“Thank you. That means a lot to me, but Jack I really need to thank you. You have done so much for me … I don’t even know where to begin,” I tell him.
“Move in with me,” he says, and it’s not a question, but more of a statement.
“Really? You want me to live with you?” I ask surprised.
“Yeah, Payton, I love you. I want to sleep next to you every night and wake up to you every morning. When we met, the first night you slept at my place, you were so drunk and sleepy, but you were mumbling something about your idea of the perfect apartment that you were going to live in someday. When I saw my condo the first time, it was almost exactly what you described that night. I want to see your things in my place. I want you in my place. No, I want you in our place.”
“I want all that, too, Jack. Yes, I’ll move in with you.”
“Let’s go tell your roommates, and then we can pack up your shit,” he says, turning the car and heading toward his place.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“We’ll need a truck to put your things in,” he replies.
Okay then. Guess I’m moving in with Jack.
Holy. Fuck. I’m moving in with Jack!
When we finally get back to my place, Molly and Amber happen to both be there, so I inform them that I’m moving in with Jack. They’re both very excited for me. I tell them that even though I won’t be living with them any longer, I still expect to hang out with them. I haven’t been living here very long, but I’ve built a great friendship with them, and I really don’t want to lose that. We plan to get together once a week to go out for coffee, drinks, or shopping.
Shortly after we arrive, they leave for work. Jack and I pack most of my stuff, but before we move any of it, I call Ella and tell her the news. She’s so happy for me, she immediately starts crying.
The next few days were pretty chaotic, between the two of us working and getting all my stuff from one place to the other, and then unpacking all of it. Last night was our first night officially living together and we christened every surface possible. I don’t think I’ve ever been so blissfully happy.
* * *
Thursday night’s finally here and the time has come. It’s girls’ night out!
I worked the day shift, and I’m taking tomorrow off, too, because it’s going to be a late night with my girls. Jack doesn’t have to work the whole night. He’s going to drop us off and then go to the station until we’re ready to be picked up.
I’ve been taking it easy with the alcohol now that I’m working with my therapist, but I’m not missing out on girls’ night. I’m not an alcoholic or anything, but I used to drink to help deal with all the shit going on in my head. When I mentioned it to Dr. Lansin, she liked my idea on cutting back, but she told me I didn’t have to give it up unless I think I have a problem.
I really need something to wear for tonight. After I get off, I drive to the mall and buy a nice pair of form-fitting faded jeans and a tight, black tank top layered over a white tank. Oh, and of course, peep-toe stilettos. I get home and immediately start getting ready. We’re going to order pizza and have a few drinks here before we go to Wilde Ride. While doing my hair my cell phone rings with ‘unknown caller’ showing on the screen. I’m hesitant to pick it up. Even though he hasn’t called in a while, I’m afraid that it’ll be Dag. Curiosity wins out, and I answer it.
“Hello.”
“Payton?” the voice asks.
“Um … Yeah. Who’s this?”
“Izzy. I was wondering if we could talk. I know last time ended badly,” she says.
“What could you possibly have left to say to me? I know you already dislike me and don’t think I’m good enough for Jack, so if that’s why you called me, then no,” I tell her, letting her know I don’t have time for her shit.
“I want to apologize for everything. I’m really sorry, but you need to understand that I love my brother, and I really don’t want to see him hurt again. I’m very sorry for what happened to you, and I think it’s amazing that you’re getting help. I can see how much he means to you when you look at him …” I cut her off.
“I love Jack. I love him more than anything,” I tell her in what I hope is a strong voice. I don’t want her to think she has any effect on our relationship, although she does. I think about it all the time how much she thinks I’m not worthy of him and how he still might realize it one day and leave. I throw that thought out of my mind because I know he loves me. I have to remember that he asked me to believe in him and I’m trying my hardest.
“I know you do, and he loves you just as much. I was hoping we could work on a relationship with each other. Everything my brother says about you is nothing but wonderful, so I want to call a truce and see where we go from here.”
Wow. Did not expect that.
“Um … I would love that. I know how much family means to Jack, and I don’t like having you two fighting because of me,” I say.
“It was never fighting because of you, Payton. I was just worried. And I’m truly sorry for any problems I caused for you guys.”
“Thanks, that means a lot. Listen, Ella and I are going out for a girls’ night. We’re having a few drinks here and then going to Wilde Ride. Would like to join us? Maybe you can call your sisters and see if they’d like to come too?” I ask, uncertain if it’ll be a good idea.
“I would love that. I’ll call them now, and we’ll be right over,” she exclaims excitedly.
“Okay, sounds good to me. I’ll see you soon,” I say, getting kind of excited myself. I really want Izzy to like me.
I finish getting ready as Jack walks through the door carrying a pizza box.
“What’s that for?”
“For you and the girls. I knew you were planning on ordering, so I thought I’d save you the trouble,” he says.
Aww, so thoughtful!
“Oh … thanks. Izzy called me earlier today,” I tell him.
“I know, she called me right after. She sounded pretty happy and said you invited her and my other two sisters to join you and Ella tonight.”
“Yeah, I did. I want to have a good relationshi
p with them. I really like your family.”
“They all really like you, too. Thank you for doing that—for putting everything behind you and Izzy for me,” he says with a smile.
“It’s not just for you. I want it, too. I want to be able to go to family suppers and not have to worry about things being uncomfortable between us. From what I hear from you and your sisters, she can be a sweetheart, so I decided to put it all in the past and move forward.”
“Fuck, I love you,” he says, putting the pizza on the counter and walking over to me.
“I love you, too, Jack,” I say as he engulfs me in his arms and captures my mouth in a hungry, passionate kiss that ignites my body.
“I want you,” I breathe out in between kisses.
“I want you, too. You have no idea,” Jack says running his hands all over my body.
“Oh, I think I do,” I reply huskily, cupping his junk.
The knock on the door brings us out of our moment. I pull back and look at him.
“Sorry, baby. I’ll get it. Must be Ella,” I tell him, walking to the door.
Before I open it I check my clothing to make sure I’m still covered up.
Yup. All good.
I open the door, and Ella’s standing there in black skinny jeans, an ivory colored halter top, and black knee-high boots. Damn, she looks hot.
“Damn … You look hot,” I repeat my thoughts.
“Same goes for you,” she replies, walking in and putting her bag on the counter in the kitchen.
I flip open the pizza box, and we dig in while we shoot the shit. Not too long after, there’s another knock at the door meaning one thing: Jack’s sisters are here.
Fuck. I hope everything goes smoothly tonight.
I walk over and open the door. Izzy, Gia, and Sofie are standing there, all dressed to the nines. I try to move out of the way to let them in, but before I can get out of the way, Izzy’s wrapping her arms around me and whispering in my ear.
“Thank you, Payton. This means a lot to me.” Pulling back, I can see what almost looks like tears shining in her green eyes, which causes some of my own tears to form.
“You lucky bitch. You get to live here,” Sofie yells, jarring Izzy and me out of our little moment. I just laugh.
“Anyone want some Slings?” I ask, walking to the kitchen to make us some pre-bar drinks. Everyone wants one, and we sit around the kitchen listening to some music and talking like we’ve all been best friends forever, and I’m loving every minute of it.
“You girls ready to go?” Jack asks, walking into the kitchen.
“Yeah, I think we’re ready,” I say.
We all make our way out to Ella’s truck and climb in. Jack takes us to Wilde Ride. Inside, we all head right for the bar to get some more drinks, and you’ll never guess who’s working tonight.
Cade ‘Crazy as Fuck’ Foster. I love Cade. He’s so fun to pick on, although I don’t think it’ll be as easy now considering how filled out he is. Plus, he’s super yummy to look at.
“Hey Cade, how are you?” I ask.
“Payton, good to see ya, I’m gettin’ by. How ‘bout you?” he asks back, looking at me with sympathy on his face. Why is he looking at me like that? Then I remember he was there the night of my party. Shit!
“I’m a lot better. Thank you. Can …”
“Shots, shots, shots,” the girls start chanting.
“Well you heard ‘em. A round for my bitches,” I say, looking at him. He looks almost as if he has something else he wants to say, and I wonder if it has anything to do with Evan. They were definitely arguing when he dropped her off that day. Cade lays out five shot glasses and fills them with tequila.
“All right one, two, three …” Izzy counts down, and we all clink our glasses and down our shots.
We spend most of the night drinking and dancing on the small dance floor. I take a quick break and head over to Cade to get another drink. “Hey sexy,” I say.
“Hey Payton, don’t be sayin’ shit like that. Jack’ll shoot me,” he says.
“Nah, I’ll protect you,” I reply, laughing.
“Riiiiight. What can I get ya?”
“Water would be great. I need to cut myself off.”
“Okay, one water comin’ up. How’s Evan doin’?” he asks.
“She’s good. What happened between you two? She wouldn’t tell me, and I know something happened, and I want to know. Now.”
Cade hands over my water then points down the bar and says, “Sorry babe, got some customers.” He runs off like a little bitch.
That little fucker. No, big fucker, I guess because he’s not so little anymore. I’ll get it out of him eventually. I walk back over to the girls and a very drunk Izzy throws her arms around me and kisses me on the cheek.
“I kin see wha my brotha loves you! You fuckin’ rock,” Oh fuck! She’s hammered. Jack’s going to kill me.
“I love you, too,” I say, chuckling at her.
We all sit down at an empty table, talking and checking out all the guys here. Apparently Sofie’s single and wants to get laid tonight and has her eyes set on Cade. I don’t know about that. I decide to keep my eye on him and will weigh in if I have to. I think there’s a little more going on between him and my sister.
Gia and Izzy move in closer to me, and Izzy starts drunk talking again. “I hate da idea of Jack gettin’ hurt, but I don tink you’d hurt im. Can you eva truly forgive me? I love Jack, and he loves you and dat makes me love you,” she drunkenly tries to say.
I watch, seeing the regret showing all over her, and it makes it a lot easier to put it all away.
“Forgive you for what?” I ask, grinning.
“’Cause I was a be-yotch,” she says like she can’t believe I don’t know what she’s talking about.
“I know, a big one—huge one—but I forgive you. What’s done is in the past.”
“Let’s drink to that,” Ella yells, sloshing her shot everywhere. I think the table gets more than she does.
Thirty minutes and several shots later, I’m sitting around the table with a bunch of shit-faced females when suddenly I hear Ella mumbling something about breakfast in bed. I can’t help but laugh because I know exactly what she’s talking about. I’ve heard Ella use that phrase several times since she’s been with Ryder. I’m guessing Gia didn’t hear what she said because she asks her to repeat herself.
“I give Ryder breakfast in bed every morning,” she says, giggling. Gia moves in.
“What are you talking about? Screw that, I’m not making my husband breakfast in bed every morning. He’s a grown ass man. He can do it himself.” Ella and I burst into a fit of laughter. She doesn’t get it.
Eventually our laughter dies, and I give Gia a serious facial expression. I’m trying really hard not to laugh this time. “No, honey, she doesn’t actually make him breakfast. He gets something to eat in the morning—it just isn’t food,” I tell her. Her mouth forms an ‘O’, and the expression on her face is priceless. I laugh so hard I have to grab hold of my belly because it hurts so badly.
“WHAT?” she shrieks. “That sounds freaking awesome. I’m going to have to try that tomorrow morning. I think Kurtis will love you guys for giving me the idea,” she says with a serious expression and a look of awe, almost like we just cured world hunger.
“I think Jack’s going to get some, too.” The three sisters suddenly look mortified when I say this, and I can’t help but chuckle at them. “You guys better get used to it, if you’re going to be my friends. Your brother’s seriously hot, and we can’t keep our hands off each other.”
“Ugh! I’m going to be scarred for life if I have to hear about my big bro’s sex life!” Sofie shouts and, of course, my only response is to laugh at her. Knowing she’s so uncomfortable about it, I can’t help but mess with her.
Placing my palms together, I slowly draw them apart, trying to demonstrate how big something is, and I say, “Seriously, though, your brother has a huge …”
“That’s it, I need a drink!” she cuts me off. Sofie then slides her chair out from the table, stands up, and struts toward the bar where Cade is.
“T.V.!” I scream at her. “I was saying Jack has a huge T.V! It’s like sixty inches!” The whole table explodes. Sofie gives me the finger behind her back.
When the laughter begins to fade out, I can’t help but watch how Sofie’s interacting with Cade. I notice she’s dishing it out big time. I’m not talking about your usual everyday flirting. No way. This girl is pulling out the big guns. She’s pretty much trying to fuck him on the bar. I don’t know if I should call Jack or go over and interrupt them myself. Fuck it, if she hates me after this, that’s fine. At least I can tell Jack I watched out for her. I get up and make my way over.
“Sofie, can you see what the girls want to drink?” I ask. She looks at me funny, then reluctantly agrees and walks back over to our table.
“In the back now,” I order Cade.
“Sorry, Payton, but if Jack comes here, he’ll fuckin’ kill me. I mean, you’re hot as fuck and all, but I just can’t. Plus, I hooked up with Evan … Shit! I wasn’t supposed to say that.”
“I fucking knew it. She looked guilty as all hell when you dropped her off. Why were you fighting?” I ask.
“I wanted her to stay, but she said no.” My mouth drops open in utter shock at his statement.
“You asked her to stay? Why?” I ask, dumbfounded.
“I’m not really sure, but there’s somethin’ about her. It’s better this way, anyhow. She doesn’t need to get messed up with someone like me,” he says, shrugging like it’s no big deal, but I can see the sadness hiding there.
“Well, I don’t agree. I think you two would be good together. She’d help you through whatever troubles you. That’s what Jack’s doing for me, and I’m actually doing the same for him. Where’s your phone?”
“Why?” he asks.
“I’m going to program her number in your phone. I think you should call her. She’s supposed to be coming out here soon, so maybe you guys could meet up again—this time under better circumstances. Wait! You took advantage of my sister when all that shit was going down? No, fuck that, I’m not giving you her number.” I shove his phone back at him, then turn and stomp off. I can’t believe that didn’t register with me before. What an asshole.
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