“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“Nope. You’re wrong. You should listen to what she has to say. Hear her out. Unless you want her to lose her. She’s about to shut you out after what happened today.”
“Max, you got a one sided story here. She’s just pissed that I bought that bike and-”
“Like I said,” He raises his voice to talk over me. “You’re wrong.”
“You don’t think I should have it either?”
“Not really but that’s not what any of this is about, damn it. I’m out here in the middle of the night mediating this stupid argument all because you can’t just calmly talk to your girlfriend and listen to what’s really bothering her.” He’s clearly fed up so I let him rant on. “I have a fiancé and a warm bed to get back to tonight and class early in the morning. Now go inside and talk to her. She’s your ride home.”
I don’t get a chance to respond before he disappears into the dark night in the direction of his car. I could run after him and climb in the passenger seat. He would have no choice but to take me home. Walking my stubborn ass home was also still an option.
But that was childish and now I was curious what the hell he was talking about. He thought Natalie was right? He thought I needed to listen to her?
That meant something coming from him. It wasn’t long ago that he would have rejoiced in this fight and helped me pack up all her shit to kick her to the curb. Now he was trying to get us to talk and work it out? That was profound. So profound that deep down I knew I was wrong before I even heard what she had to say.
Oh how times had changed.
Taking a deep breath to brace myself for an ass chewing, I open the door and walk straight to where she’s still sitting.
“Can we go for a walk?” I ask softly, standing awkwardly behind a barstool but not taking a seat.
“No.”
Temptation weighs more heavily on me tonight than it has in the past being in Blue’s. The erratic emotions and anxiety about what’s going on between us is rocking my stable foundation. I had learned to read my own cues and avoid situations that made me feel this uncomfortable.
“It feels…weird in here tonight.”
She finally looks up at me and reads in my expression the reason I want to leave. After closer perusal she nods in agreement, pays her tab and follows me outside.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming here? I was worried about you.” I chastise, cringing after the words are out.
“I don’t need a babysitter.” She acidly repeats my words from earlier and I must admit they don’t sound so good.
“I’m sorry I said that.”
“Are you sorry you wanted to impress the girl with the big tits at the garage too? That’s why you bought that damn bike to begin with.”
What? My head was spinning and it dawns on me that she was jealous. That was what this was all about. She didn’t want me to buy the bike, but that wasn’t why we were fighting or why she stormed out.
My anger evaporates instantly.
“I wasn’t trying to impress her, Nat. The only girl I ever want to impress is you.”
“Well, I’m not impressed.” She deadpans. “I wasn’t trying to tell you what to do. I know it’s none of my business but things were just starting to feel different and I’m worried about you on that bike. After your accident I was so scared I was going to lose you.” Her voice cracks and although I can’t see her clearly enough in the dark to tell for sure, I instinctually know her eyes are filling with tears.
“I don’t want you to be worried about me, Nat. But that’s not what this is about, is it? That’s not the only thing you were worried about.”
We walk around the corner and look in the windows of some shops that are closed at this hour. Giving her time, I wait for her to confirm or deny.
“One of us is going to get hurt if we keep messing around. I can’t let it be me. We can still go back to how things were. Friends. I can’t lose you as a friend.”
“You aren’t going to lose me, baby. But we can’t go back and you know it.”
She stops walking and turns to me. This time I can see the tears welling and she doesn’t even try to stop them. Nat doesn’t cry often anymore. Back when she did, she almost always tried to hide it from me, turning her face into a pillow or my chest. The sight of it tears me up inside, ripping my gut in half.
“I think we’re making a mistake.” She chokes out.
“Ending this would be a mistake.”
“I don’t want to get hurt.”
“I wouldn’t hurt you.”
“You already are.”
“I wasn’t hitting on that girl at the garage, baby.” I blurt out, desperate for her to hear me out.
She starts walking again and I fall in step, our pace leisurely and unrushed. At some point we end up at her car in the parking lot.
“Okay. I know. You didn’t mean for it to look like that.”
“Okay…” I blow out a breath of frustration, not sure what I was doing wrong. “So what’s the problem? I don’t understand.”
“She was hitting on you. That’s the problem. And you didn’t seem to mind. If I wasn’t there maybe you more than wouldn’t have minded it. And what if you meet someone that you do want to hit on? I don’t want to get tossed aside for the next flavor of the month.”
Wrapping my arms around her shoulders I pull her to me. Her body relaxes in my arms and she allows me to hold her, running my fingers through her hair in an effort to comfort myself as much as her.
“You’re not the flavor of the fucking month. I’m not going to meet anyone else or toss you aside.”
“You’ve fucked literally fucked everyone. So have I. How can we have any chance at a normal relationship?”
“Nat, what the fuck is normal? You’re trying too hard to analyze this. Do you like being with me? Does it feel good?”
“Not right now it doesn’t.”
That pierces my chest but I keep pushing. “What about before today. Did it feel good then?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Then just let it happen and let’s see where this leads.”
Her arms wrap around my waist and she finally hugs me back. “Okay. Sorry for being crazy.”
“Sorry for being an asshole.”
“I’m trusting you. Please don’t do anything to betray that.”
“I won’t.” I stare into her eyes meaningfully until she seems to accept my truth. “You ready to go home?”
“Yeah.”
“You okay to drive?”
“I only had one beer. I just didn’t want to go back home.”
I kiss the top of her head and open her car door for her. “Nat, we’re going to fight. It’s inevitable. It’s normal. We’re going to get pissed at each other and be at each other’s throats sometimes. But I want you to stay. Fuck, throw stuff or yell if you want. Just stay and hash it out with me.”
She cracks her first real smile of the night as she climbs behind the wheel. “I can do that.”
☠ Chapter Twenty-Two ☠
Natalie
Chris’s lips crash passionately into mine. We attacked each other as soon as the apartment door was shut and locked. His hands grip my waist tightly, digging into my skin with a delicious bite. His firm grip tells just how desperately he wants me.
“I feel like we should be having makeup sex.” He jokes before diving back into my mouth. I lick at the corner of his mouth where his signature smirk quirks up.
“I’m still not ready.”
“I know.” Kiss. “I was joking.”
Well there’s still plenty we can do.”
“Oh really?” He asks in faux innocence. “What did you have in mind?”
He knows damn well what I have in mind but to prove my point I drop to my knees in front of him and yank the button of his jeans loose before he has time to process what’s happening.
A whoosh of air escapes him in surprise and it propels me on as I pull down
his zipper and coax his hard length free from the confines of his boxers. Without preamble I take his head in my mouth and swirl my tongue around, moaning when I taste the salty drop leaking from his tip.
A guttural sound erupts from his throat, echoing through the quiet kitchen. His hands grip the edge of the counter behind him as he visibly fights the urge to push my head further down, deepening our physical connection.
His hips flex and I enjoy torturing him with my slow, lazy licks as he fights his animalistic urges. I’m driving him crazy. Each soft groan or clench of his hands on the cool granite behind him heats my core like a wildfire.
As I continue to suck him into a lusty haze I pull my shorts and panties off, kicking them frantically behind me. My fingers release the base of his cock and sink into my soaking center. I bob my head faster over his dick as I finger myself with matching speed.
I bring myself close to the edge but then slow down my movements, wanting the moment to last a bit longer before I tumble into an orgasm.
He loses his battle to keep his hands off my head, tangling his fingers in my hair with both hands. He leans his head back and puts the slightest bit of pressure on the back of my head, guiding my pace.
“Fuck, Nat.” His pleasure rumbles deep in his chest. “You’re so sexy.”
I keep working my mouth up and down him while rubbing the pad of my finger over my slippery clit. My movements quicken as my muscles begin tightening deep inside of me. It’s unstoppable this time, no delaying the inevitable.
“That’s it. Make yourself come with me. I’m so close.” He begs desperately, his voice strained and breaths coming out choppy.
I take him deeper and maintain a steady rhythm with the help of his hands, loving the feel of him trembling in my mouth. My fingers hit the right spot and I cry out in the sheer pleasure jolting through me, his cock still stuffed in my mouth, allowing him to feel the vibrations from the back of my throat.
He erupts like a volcano.
Warm, salty lava spills into my mouth and pools on my tongue. I swallow his release and suck him of every last drop. His legs tremble and his body shudders as I lick him off one last time and pull back to look up into my favorite shade of hazel.
While he stares down at me, sated and unable to move, I bring my sticky fingers to my mouth and slowly suck my wetness off each one without breaking eye contact.
“Do you taste good?” He asks breathlessly.
“Mmm-hmm.” I nod, continuing to lick my fingers suggestively.
With renewed energy he jumps into action and tosses me over his shoulder, carrying me into his bedroom. When he reaches the edge of the mattress he tosses me and I bounce off the soft bedding, squealing in surprise.
He stalks to the edge of the bed with a predatory glint in his eye.
“Spread your legs for me.” His husky tone sends a pulse of desire through me, knowing we aren’t done just yet.
Even though I just gave myself a pretty good orgasm it did nothing to quench my hunger for more. I do as he said, opening my legs wider for him. I bite my lip in anticipation as he stalks closer to me and lowers himself on his elbows between my legs.
He gives me one last smirk before slowly gliding his tongue through my folds, stopping at my clit and then repeating the torturously sweet motion.
“You were right, baby. You do taste good.” He says between licks, his breath fanning warm air over my slick pussy. I spread my legs wider, silently begging him not to stop. “So good.”
He dives back in and his tongue grows hungrier and more frantic the closer I get to my second orgasm. He can feel it in my tensed thighs tightening around his head and see it in my clenched fists gripping the sheets at my sides.
The budding release begins to hurt in the best of ways, aching deep in my belly. He doesn’t stop stroking his tongue across my tight bundle of nerves and when he inserts a finger inside of me I fall apart. My walls squeeze around his middle finger. He pulls back to look at my face as I writhe around in lusty bliss.
☠ ☠ ☠ ☠ ☠
Lacey and I pick a table at the new salad bar Max insisted we all try for lunch. The guys were in line now grabbing some utensils and bowls for the four of us.
When Chris heard this was where his brother wanted to meet for lunch he rolled his eyes and complained about how hungry we were going to be for the rest of the day eating with him and his aversion to carbs.
Ever since Max had helped us work through our shit a couple weeks ago we had been closer than ever. I wasn’t sure if that was thanks to his brotherly intervention or the mind blowing oral we performed on each other after we got home.
I liked to think it was a little bit of both.
Just when I get ready to join them in line I glimpse a familiar face and rounded hazel eyes through the window that gives me pause. When she catches me looking back at her she takes off walking down the sidewalk out of view.
Before I have the chance to change my mind I dart out the door to follow her. Ignoring Lacey calling out my name, confused as fuck, I pass up several people walking too slowly. I squeeze past them without apology. I don’t have time to explain, not wanting this girl to disappear on me again without getting the chance to talk to her.
Some answers are definitely needed. I’ve caught her following us multiple times now and I want to know why.
Who knows how many times I haven’t noticed her watching us or following closely behind our group as we carry on, oblivious to our surroundings. That thought is creepy and sets me on edge as I push past a group of teens on the sidewalk to reach her.
“Hey, wait.” I grab her arm to get her attention.
She whirls around with a look of dread on her face and I fight the urge to shake her for walking off at Blue’s before telling me her name. I had been wondering about her and keeping the weird encounter to myself for weeks because I didn’t know how to bring it up to Chris or Lacey. It wasn’t like I had anything of substance to share.
“D-Do I know you?” She stutters, looking away nervously.
“Cut the shit. We already met at the bar. Who are you and why do you keep following Chris and Max?”
“I’m…” She trails off, taking a deep breath as if to build the courage to answer me. “I’m their sister.”
I knew the answer to my question before I asked it but her words still steal the breath from my lungs. A sister. They clearly hadn’t met her or I would have known about it. Did they know they had a long lost sister somewhere out in the world and failed to tell me because they didn’t find it important? Maybe their dad had other kids and the guys just didn’t care to address it or talk about it.
But I had a hard time believing that. Chris told me damn near everything. I could see Max not telling me, it wasn’t like we ever had any heart-to-hearts, but Chris wouldn’t keep something like this. We talked about his mother and how she died. Surely he would have mentioned a sister.
“How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
“What’s your name?”
“Ava.” Her eyes scan the sidewalk behind me. “Ava Davis.”
“Why now? Why haven’t you tried to reach out to them before?” I ask, wondering what she’s after.
Was she trying to get some money now that Brad was in prison and left his mansion and assets to his sons and victims’ families? If that was it I would run her ass off right here and now. They deserved better than to be taken advantage of like that and swindled.
Does she even want to meet them or is she just planning on watching from a distance?
“I just…I didn’t know about them until my mom died last year. She had breast cancer and when the doctors told us it was terminal I begged her to tell me who my dad was. She never told me though. She said there was good reason I never met him and she wanted to keep it that way. When she passed away I went through her old paperwork and got his name and address. Then I found out who he was. Where he was…”
I take a deep breath. “Come on. Let’s go i
nside and talk to them.”
“They don’t know about me. Please don’t tell them! I’m not ready to tell them yet!” She frantically pulls her arm from my loose grip and steps back, looking like a skittish animal.
I wonder if she’s going to take off running and disappear again. That thought has my hands itching to reach out and grab her again. I needed to ensure she didn’t run off again and leave me waiting weeks for another encounter.
“Is that why you keep following them?” I challenge. I’m hungry and so not in the mood for this. This girl is following them around for a reason and I damn well want to know what that reason is.
“I’m going to tell them. Please. I’m just not ready. I thought if I saw them I might feel comfortable talking to them but I’m just not. Not yet.”
She hangs her head in shame of the fact that she’s too afraid to talk to her brothers and I take pity. There was plenty I wasn’t ready to face yet either and I was lucky enough to not have anyone chasing me down on a sidewalk and demanding it of me.
She doesn’t know them and if she read through the articles about her father and watched trial footage I didn’t blame her in the slightest for being worried what they might be like. They were raised by the monster her mother spent a lifetime warning her to stay away from.
“I can’t lie to Chris.” I warn.
“Please.”
“He’s going to come out here looking for me if I don’t go back inside.” I can see him looking around the restaurant through the window and questioning Lacey about where I went. She looks uncomfortable and her eyes dart out to where I’m standing as she scrambles for an excuse.
“Don’t tell.” She pleads, latching onto my arm. The fact that I haven’t already walked off and told them all her secret must grant me some of her trust because she looks slightly less terrified.
“Tell them, Ava. If you don’t I will.”
She nods emphatically, eyes wide. She wasn’t ready but she better get ready soon because this was too big for me to hide from Chris for more than a handful of days. If I had a sister he knew about I would expect him to tell me immediately.
Keeping this secret for her, even for a brief time, was already a betrayal. Guilt began building and I hadn’t even looked him in the eye yet.
Flying High (Davis Brothers Book 2) Page 14