by S. J. Bishop
I sank to the couch and dropped my head into my hands. I sat there I don't know how long, listening to my breath and trying to still my nerves. There was no point fighting it any longer. There was only one way to still my nerves, and I knew it. I rose from the couch and walked to the kitchen. I returned to the couch a moment later holding a bottle and a glass. I unscrewed the cap and inhaled the vodka scent. It was like a sunny day after a week of rain.
I filled the glass halfway and brought it to my lips. I hesitated only a second before tossing it back and swallowing the hard liquid as it burned my throat. The burn felt good. It was familiar. Comforting. I lifted the bottle and refilled my glass.
24
Treena
I swallowed my birth control and allergy pills and turned off my bedside lamp, exhausted. Between dealing with Jax and dealing with Anderson, my patience was wearing thin. When I'd returned to the station from Jax's, Anderson had demanded to know everything that he'd said and done when I'd requested his DNA. I'd told him Jax had complied willingly and seemed genuinely surprised to learn that Penny was pregnant. I left out the part about almost kissing him.
When I'd first shown up to his house and Jax had wrapped his arms around me, it had taken all of my strength to hold myself back. I'd bitten my tongue so hard that I'd tasted blood, but it was the only way I could stop myself from jumping into his bed and never climbing out again. I closed my eyes, trying to sleep, but my brain was too wired with the events of the day. That's when I heard him.
"Treeeeenaaaa!"
I sat up in bed, my ears perking up.
"Treeeeenaaaa!"
I turned the light back on. Someone was outside shouting my name. I stood and opened the window. A cool gust of air rushed at me and the curtains billowed in, lightly smacking my face.
"Jax?" I asked, once my vision had focused on the figure standing beneath my apartment window. It was like something out of Streetcar Named Desire. It would have been romantic, except that things hadn't exactly worked out for Stanley and Stella.
"Treena!" Jax shouted again when he saw me.
"Shut up!" someone yelled from the building over. My complex was small enough that screaming in the middle of the night was bound to draw unwanted attention.
"Treena!" he screamed again. He just kept shouting my name over and over.
"Jesus Christ, Jax. Shut up!"
"I'm sorry," he said, staggering. I was only on the third floor. It wasn't so high that I couldn't make out the bottle clutched in his hand.
Fuck me. He's drunk.
"I'm not leaving until you say you're sorry too," he called up to me. My heart thumped in my chest as more lights from my neighbors flickered on in the windows.
"Fine, I'm sorry. Now go home."
"I'm not going anywhere until I see you," he yelled. Apparently, his alpha male came out that much more when he was drinking.
"Shut the hell up before I call the cops!" someone shouted.
"Ha!" Jax yelled back at them. "She is a cop!"
"Fuck, Jax. Just come up. I'll let you in."
I opened the front door, and a second later, Jax appeared. His eyes were red and his gait was wobbly. As soon as he saw me, he flung his arms around me, pulling me close. I expected him to smell of whatever bottle he'd crawled into, but all I could smell was green grass and sunshine. I inhaled deeply. Pushing him away was one of the hardest things I've ever done.
"What are you doing here?" I asked. Worry replaced anger as I realized his shoulders were shaking. His cheeks were wet. "Jax, how much have you had to drink?"
"Not enough," he responded.
I slumped into a chair at my kitchen table, rubbing my temple with my right hand. "Jax, let me call Caden. He's your sponsor, right? Maybe he can—"
"I don't want to see Caden," he said. "I want to see you." He took a swig from the pint he was holding, and I realized it was vodka. Cheap vodka at that.
"Jax, please, give me that," I said, standing again and reaching for the bottle. He yanked his arm away faster than I expected, and I tripped over my own feet trying to grab for it. He caught me before I hit the ground. His arms were wrapped around my waist. I could feel his heartbeat running through his arms to the palms of his hands as they pressed against the small of my back.
"Jax," I said, clearing my throat. "Why don't you crash here tonight? Sleep on my couch?" I was back on my feet, and I stepped away from him so I wouldn't have to smell that delicious scent of his.
"Shit," he mumbled. "I never wanted you to see me like this, Treena. That's why I never called you. That's why I cut you off. I didn't want you to see the monster I'd turned into."
"You're not a monster!" I said, instinctively reaching for him to comfort him. My hand wrapped halfway around his bicep, his muscles too large for me to wrap my palm completely around them. He turned and looked at me, his blue eyes burrowing into me. I could feel him under my skin. My whole body was tingling. Looking at him now, I wondered how I'd ever thought it was possible that he'd killed Penny. This man could never hurt anyone.
"I fucked up, Treena," he said, looking dead sober now. His eyes were no longer red. His voice was husky. "I never should have let you go. Ever since I left you, I've made nothing but bad decisions. I don't think Penny ever even loved me, you know that? She cheated on me all the time. I think she even fucked someone on the team, but she never told me who. I'm pretty sure it was that fuckhead Mason, though."
"Penny was sleeping with Mason?" I asked, my mind turning.
"Yeah. That's why I fucked Emily. To get even."
I blinked. "Wait. What did you just say?"
Before my mind could finish comprehending what Jax had just said, he kissed me. I felt myself start to pull back. Too many things were swirling through my head. Too many memories. Too many uncertainties. Then I felt Jax's tongue scrape the roof of my mouth. His sunshine scent filled my nostrils, and I came undone. I needed him. Now. There was no point fighting it.
25
Jax
When Treena sank against my lips, my whole body let go of the tension I'd been holding. Every bone, every nerve, suddenly turned to Jell-O. Everything about Treena was soft and inviting. I opened my mouth wider, sucking in her scent, her taste. It wasn't just cherry orchards anymore. There was something darker fighting to get out. A fresh temptation at the back of my tongue, like cherries dipped in dark chocolate.
Treena's hands clawed at my back. She was trying to rip my shirt off. I smiled against her lips. Being with her now was the only thing keeping me going. Until the moment she'd kissed me back, I wasn't sure I could face another day. Her hair tangled in my fingers as I cupped the back of her neck. The soft cushions of her breasts pressed against my chest. I could feel her nipples harden through the skimpy black tank top she was wearing for bed. I didn't feel at all bad about waking her up. She brushed her tongue along my bottom lip and pulled away.
My heart thudded in my chest as she stepped back. I was terrified she was about to tell me to go. Instead, she pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it aside like a used tissue. A deep line of cleavage formed between her creamy breasts, which sat firmly atop her ribcage. I took her body in with my eyes, memorizing every inch of her muscles, every dimple in her areolas. I sank to my knees and buried my face between her breasts as she leaned over me. My tongue slid out, lapping at her soft nipples. They hardened in my mouth, two round pebbles the color of Merlot. I adored the vintage.
Treena's back arched. Her body shuddered. I could smell her arousal. My own libido went into maximum overdrive. My cock grew uncomfortable, but I didn't want to let her go, even for the second it would take to unzip my pants. I felt my shaft expand and told it to wait. Not yet.
"Oh God," she groaned as I moved my head between her legs, pressing my mouth to the thin pajama bottoms; I could tell she wasn’t wearing underwear. My tongue pushed against the soft cotton fabric, adding more moisture to her already growing wetness. Her fingers slipped through my hair, finding a chunk she liked at
the back of my head and grabbing hold of it. I reached up with one hand and slid her bottoms off. Her manicured pussy was swollen with excitement as I pressed my face to her again. Her knees began to buckle as I swished my tongue against her labia. I licked her clit next and felt ripples of electricity as they pulsed out of her. Her knees finally gave out.
I caught her as she fell and carried her to the bedroom. I laid her gently on the mattress. It was hard to believe that just a couple of weeks before, we'd been in this same situation. Albeit under slightly different circumstances.
"Stop thinking and fuck me already," she purred, batting her long lashes at me as the moonlight streamed through her open window.
I pulled my shirt off and climbed on top of her. The pressure of her mouth on my chest as she kissed me up and down was like a soft massage. My skin tingled. Every nerve in me was on fire. I moved my hand between her legs, inserting two fingers into her sweltering slit. Her mouth fell open in a silent "O." I used my thumb to massage her clit while I slipped my two fingers farther back into her hole. Her breath was heavy and ragged. I liked hearing her pant. Her juices flowed over my fingers. I pulled them out before she could cum. I wasn't about to let her erupt until I was inside her.
Her eyes were liquid sky. She tugged at my pants, pushing them down to my knees. My cock clamored happily out of its shell as our bodies rubbed together in our dual effort to kick my pants to the floor. Treena's hips rose off the mattress, pressing against me with sudden urgency. I worked my cock between her dampened thighs, using her juices to slicken my ever-growing shaft.
"Are you sure you won't regret this tomorrow?" I asked, giving her one last chance to get out of this.
She laughed. The sound was a nightingale. "Fuck tomorrow," she said. "I want you. Now."
I didn't need any further invitation. I rolled my hips forward and slipped inside her.
26
Treena
Jax's cock felt massive as he slid into me. His perfect pink tip moved through my opening and sailed toward the back of my cave. I let out a loud moan, not giving a shit if the neighbors could hear. Let them listen in. Maybe they'll learn something.
I raised my hips off the mattress, pressing them to Jax as his own hips rolled forward again. And again. And again. Each pulse was like a wave crashing against the shore. The tide was coming in, and I knew it wouldn't be long before I was completely covered.
"Oh God," I cried.
"You like that?" Jax asked, pounding against me.
"Fuck yes!"
He kissed my neck. His soft lips moving up and down from the tip of my chin to my collarbone. I felt my heart race in my chest and wondered how many people actually died each year during sex. Maybe I could look up some statistics at the station later. If I had to go, I decided that death by kisses was definitely the way out.
"What are you thinking?" Jax whispered in my ear. His breath was hot and cinnamony. I didn't want to tell him what I'd really been thinking. I was pretty sure that had just been the cop in me surfacing.
"I'm wondering how I ever lived without you," I said, deciding that was a healthy compromise of what my thoughts had actually been and what they probably should have been.
Jax smiled. He thrust his hips against mine, and my eyes widened. His erection was growing inside me, a living, breathing thing that was feeding off my own desire. I stroked one fingertip up and down Jax's chest. I pressed my palm against the hard planes of his abdomen and felt each muscle inside him as he moved inside me.
There was something about feeling his muscles work as he fucked me that sent me over the edge. I wrapped my legs around his back and bit down on my lip. "I'm gonna cum," I whispered. Jax bit my ear, sending tiny shockwaves of pain followed immediately by tidal waves of pleasure. He started pumping faster. Sweat seeped out of his skin as his hips slapped loudly against mine. I grabbed hold of my pillow as the first wave of tremors ripped through my body.
"Oh God!" I cried out. I opened my eyes and saw a bright white aura surrounding Jax's taut golden skin. "Faster!"
Jax fucked me hard and fast. His cock sank deeper into my hole. My pussy began to throb. I was so swollen inside that if I hadn't been so wet, Jax might not have been able to fit. His massive erection was already a tight squeeze. The friction between us was too explosive to stop now. I was a ticking time bomb about to go off.
Jax rolled his hips forward once more, and this time the tremors that gripped my body wouldn't let go. They rolled through me like a thunderstorm. My mind went blank, and I let out a loud cry that could have rivaled the best porn movie out there. Jax's back muscles tightened. My hands dropped to his ass, grabbing the tight bronze skin and pushing it forward as he spilled into me. I relished in the heat from his orgasm as he filled me up.
When it was over, he kissed me. His lips were warm and almost as wet as my pussy. I smiled against him and nuzzled his nose. He laid back on the mattress and closed his eyes, pulling me into the crook of his arm. A few minutes later, we were both asleep.
27
Jax
Treena moaned softly next to me. I buried my head in her hair, inhaling her scent. She rolled over and opened her eyes.
"Good morning," she purred.
"Morning," I said softly back.
"Want a shower?" she asked.
"With you?" I teased her, making a face. "God no. Why would I want to do that?"
She scrunched her brow and slapped my nose playfully before jumping naked out of bed. "Last one in has to make breakfast," she shouted over her shoulder.
I scrambled out of bed, but she already had the water running.
"Ha!" she said when I jumped in with her. "Beat you!" She let the water run over her head, soaking her hair. I picked up the shampoo.
"Turn around."
I began to lather her up, massaging her scalp as the hot water glistened over her bare skin. I rinsed her hair, unable to fight my growing erection. I pressed myself against her backside.
"Jax," she said so softly that I almost couldn't hear her above the sound of the water. There was something in her voice that made me nervous. I stepped back, my erection shrinking. She turned around, her breasts pushing against my chest. Her shower was small. Even if we'd wanted distance, it was almost impossible in this confined space. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you."
I exhaled a long breath. "For a minute, I thought you were gonna say last night was a huge mistake."
"The only mistake was me pushing you away. I..." She shook her head, her eyes watery. "I'm sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"
I pulled her into my arms, hugging her hard as the water beat down on us. Her mouth was moist and hot. The steam rose around us, enveloping us in its tropical cloud. Treena kissed my neck, and my erection resurfaced. My body was getting so worked up that I was surprised when my brain decided to jump in.
"Wait a second," I said, pausing with my hand on her breast. My fingers absently rolled her nipple between them, wanting me to continue with what we'd just been doing. "What brought on this change? I mean... as much as I'd like to think I'm that good in bed, it can't just be last night."
She hesitated. "It was something you said last night."
I quickly wracked my brain, trying to remember everything I'd said and done. But everything except sex with Treena was a big blur. I'd started drinking early and hadn't stopped until I'd gotten to her apartment.
"What did I say?" I asked, somewhat alarmed. Blackouts were always disconcerting. My head was starting to throb, and the reality of last night was setting in. I'd just blown my sober streak. Shit! Caden had already been planning a one-year sobriety celebration for me. A lump formed in the back of my throat when I realized I'd have to tell him the celebration was off.
"You said that you were pretty sure Penny was having an affair with Mason."
"That's right," I said. The excitement of showering with Treena had worn off. I pulled the shower curtain back and started drying off.
"Well, that got me thinking. I realized that
there was a lot to this case that I didn't know. Other suspects to consider." She paused, taking a breath. "You also said something else... about you and Emily."
I straightened my back and handed her a towel. "Oh?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Yes," she replied. I could see the cop wheels spinning in her head and sighed.
"You're not gonna let this go, are you?" I asked. She shook her head. I expelled a breath. "What exactly did I say?"
"That you slept with Emily to get even with Penny for screwing Mason."
I stepped out of the bathroom back into Treena's bedroom. "That about sums it up," I said, grabbing my pants off the floor. Fucking other women was the last thing I wanted to talk about with Treena right now.
"We are talking about the same Emily, right? Emily Hope. The officer investigating your case with me."
I nodded.
Treena threw her hands up in the air. "How could you not tell me this before?" she asked. I looked up to see her eyes wide. She was still naked. Water ran down her body in tiny rivulets. I wondered if this was some sort of diversion tactic. It was almost impossible to walk away from her when she was standing there looking like that.
"I didn't think it mattered," I said.
"You didn't think it mattered?" she cried out, exasperated. "Jax, how could it not matter? You fucked Emily!"
I looked pointedly at her. "You're not serious right now, are you?"
Her cheeks colored. "You and I are a different situation," she said.
I lifted an eyebrow. "How so?"
Her cheeks puffed out slightly. She looked like a chipmunk. A wickedly cute chipmunk.
"Because I'm not Emily," she snapped. "Besides, you and I have a history." Her cheeks had turned a deep crimson, and for a second, I saw a jealous girlfriend instead of a homicide detective. "You and Emily don't have a history, do you? I mean... you weren't, like, serious with her or anything? Were you?"