Razor's Edge (Afflictions)

by Racquel Reck

  Her eyes soften. She reaches over and her hand brushes mine. Electricity shoots up my arms and warms every place inside me. “Let’s see if we can find you a place.” She clicks on a clinic and I watch her. Her eyes scan the page as she reads. Brows pinch and go back to normal every few seconds. All her focus is on getting me help, making me a better man, and she believes it will happen. This smart, nurturing woman wants to heal me. Little does she know she already has.

  I cup her cheek and drag her face to mine, lightly brushing my lips with hers. “God, Shay. I’ve missed you.”

  She grabs the back of my neck and crushes her sweet mouth to mine. The moment our tongues touch my dick throbs behind my black sweat pants. Aching for her touch, my hips jack.

  One of her hands gently strokes down my face to my collar bone, then my chest and blazes its path over my torso. I groan into her mouth as her fingers caress my thigh. I’ve missed her touch, her teasing, but most of all I’ve missed the intimacy of being with her. Holding her, caring for her, the inside jokes and late-night talks. All the little things couples do in a relationship, that bring them close like family. She’s my family. She always will be.

  I run my hand down her side, remembering how ticklish she is and longing to feel her squirm under my assault. She does and her belly bumps across my stomach as she breaks our kiss and throws her head back in laughter. It zips through me with the force of a riptide. I’ll never get tired of the feeling her laugh gives me.

  She pushes away my hand. “Someone’s going to come in.”

  I nuzzle her neck and plant kisses along her collarbone. “Nurse was already here.” I make my way up to her ear and nip the lobe. “The doctor’s not coming until tonight.” I grind my hard-on into her thigh. “I want you.”

  “There’s no lock on the door.”

  “So?” I grip her ass and haul her on top of me. “Trust me. Nobody’s coming in for at least another twenty minutes.”

  “What if—”

  I pull her down and kiss her hard. She needs to stop worrying. And we need this. I grip her hips and grind her into my cock.

  She jacks up. “I think you need a shower.”

  Huh? “I already had one.”

  A slow coy smile spreads across her face. She nods toward the door. “Yeah, but I might need one.” She winks.

  She’s fucking brilliant!

  She climbs off of me and slowly heads toward the bathroom. Looking over her shoulder, she says, “I might need some help. I am bigger now.” She winks.

  I’m off the bed, and before I follow her into the bathroom I chuck my shirt and pants.

  Shay

  As I undress, Morgan enters the bathroom, fully naked. My eyes roam over his well-toned body, remembering how every cut and curve felt against me.

  He grins and nods toward the shower. “You want to start it?”

  Heat hits my cheeks. How can I still be shy about being caught staring at him? Flutters enter my stomach as I bend over to start the water.

  Morgan’s strong arms wrap around me. I’m struck by how long I’ve thirsted for his touch and the warm embrace of his comforting arms. He places a hand on my round belly and the other at my left breast. Rolling the nipple between his thumb and pointer, he nuzzles my neck. A moan escapes me and I lean further back into him. The hand that’s on my baby bump travels south as his erection rubs against my ass. His touch awakens a slow, burning coil of want down below.

  He nips my ear lobe. “The shower.” His fingers tease the outside of my entrance. “Get it going.”

  I am. Or I’m trying to. Him behind me, caressing me with his soft torture, sends a wave of heat through me and I melt into his arms. “You’re distracting me.”

  “Hum…” He licks then nips the side of my neck as he slides his fingers over my clit.

  My hips jolt forward, seeking the small relief his hand can bring. My senses come alive, sharpen, and zero in on the man giving me so much pleasure.

  With his other hand he reaches around me and hits the button to make the shower spray.

  Before I can step into the shower, Morgan drops to his knees. The tender caress of his hands travels my inner thighs and leaves a warm path of anticipation. They glide over my ass and down my legs, then up to my pussy. “Spread your legs and put your hands on the wall.”

  Everything flip-flops inside as I bend over the tub and brace against the shower wall. The water hits and I jolt. He catches me, and somehow I know he’ll always be there. Half in and half out, it’s a hard position to hold. Morgan doesn’t make it any easier. He palms my ass and his scorching tongue makes its way up my inner thigh. He’s the only man that has ever made me feel comfortable with receiving affection. The attention he pays me is something I’ve been coveting in his absence and I’ll never push him away again.

  His tongue licks the crease of my inner thigh and the cool metal of his lip ring brushes across my entrance. His assault is slow and torturous. Legs shaking, I cry out when his mouth covers my clit and sucks hard.

  His fingers enter me and give a couple of flicks, while his tongue laps up my juices. A surge of emotions go through me, sending me to the top of a summit. I’ve let him back in, and it’s been so long since I felt his loving touch. A flood erupts and my muscles go languid under the warm pulse inside me.

  Morgan stands and holds me up. I’m dripping wet and the cool air blasts goose bumps, skating across my skin. He spins me around to face him. His heated stare roams over me, erasing the chill. Grinning, he backs into the shower. I watch the drops cascade down his abdomen. The urge to lick the water off of his body is overpowering. My eyes travel down to his cock. Pleasing him would make everything right. I lean in and suck the water off his chest, making my way down to where I want to be. Before I get to my knees, he takes my hand and helps me under the spray.

  It hits me, but the caress of Morgan’s hands against my cheek, the tender way of his caress, sends heat shooting through me.

  He licks his lips. “Damn, girl I’ve missed your taste.”

  A sharp zap of pleasure clenches my thighs. I pull him down to my mouth and he’s the one who drinks from me like a dying man. Every part of my soul vibrates to life. I drift my hands around his neck to his sculpted shoulders and move down to his well-toned ass. As I bring him into me, his shaft hits my belly instead of the place I’m desperate to have it. I’m a freaking balloon; this isn’t going to work with us standing.

  Morgan’s mouth leaves mine and he nuzzles his way to my ear. “Turn around.”

  I comply and place my hands on the wall. His warm hand on my lower back sends a spark of awareness to my pussy. The head of his shaft slides forward over my clit and light zaps of electricity shoot through me. The building anticipation of having him inside me is almost too much for me to take. “Please, Morgan.”

  He moves himself slowly over my sweet spot, tightening the coils of my lust. Grabbing my hips, he slams into me and roars.

  With his hard length seated deep inside, he runs his hands up my spine, over my shoulders and arms, to lace his fingers with my own. His face comes down to my neck and he kisses his way up to my ear. He groans. “Your tight pussy is killin’ me, woman.”

  From this angle he feels bigger, harder than normal, and I clench around him. It twitches. I can feel every ridge along his shaft and his erratic breath at my ear. My heart triples its beat and stops, then starts again. We’re connected, whole again. Not two, but one. In this moment, even though I’m a skeptic, if soul mates exist, he’s mine.

  He begins a lazy assault on me, stoking my need for him. I slam myself back on him, hoping he’ll take the hint that I need him to move faster. He groans and his pace quickens as he bites down on the base of my neck right between my shoulder blades. I nip my lip to hold in my scream, but it comes out as every fiber in me inflames.

  My reaction is damn near nuclear. Every part of me explodes and turns into a slow euphoric bliss.

  Morgan speeds up, then stops. His arms go tight around me,
gripping around my waist and breasts as his pulsing cock catapults me into another state of ecstasy. Riding out the waves of pleasure, I finally come down completely intoxicated.

  We stay like that a second or two, letting our hearts get back on their regular beat. His breath saws in and out, and my nipples peak with the chill in the air. As if sensing that I’m cold, he pulls out and turns me into the spray. The relief of hot water erases all the goose bumps and I sigh.

  “Sorry for hogging the hot water.” He’s smiling and there is a satisfied glow to his ice blue eyes. He grabs some soap and lathers up a rag. “You were supposed to be taking a shower.” He’s grinning.

  “I got pleasantly distracted.”

  He runs the cloth over my breasts and down my belly. “Pleasantly distracted, huh? Hum…I wonder what else—”

  “The patient is gone!” a man yells from the room.

  Morgan turns the shower off and reaches for a towel. “Guess we’re done now.”

  “No nimrod. He’s in the shower.” This comes from a female voice.

  I giggle.

  Morgan puts a finger to my lips and hands me a towel.

  “Come on. Let’s change his sheets quickly. I don’t wanna catch him in the buff.”

  My laugh rings out around the small bathroom. Morgan cups my mouth and his face is contorting to hold in his own laughter.

  “I thought the patient was a man?” says the man.

  “Quit being nosy and grab that corner will ya?” says the female.

  Morgan gains his composure and whispers, “I get you home; you can bet that sweet ass there won’t be any interruptions.”

  Thirty-five

  Shay

  The beat of Wiley’s drums pounds out and echoes backstage. The whine of Tryst’s electric guitar with Bryan’s bass adds to the excitement in the air. Lina’s talented fingers glide across the keyboard adding a little electronic sound to their heavy metal music. I watch Morgan scream into the mic and bounce across the stage. The crowd roars.

  “Awesome freaking concert!” Logan is standing next to me. Even though he shouts, it only sounds like a whisper over the music.

  I nod and glance back at the side profile of Morgan and just beyond him, from my angle, I can see angry mosh pits forming in the audience. Ben head bangs in front of me. His enjoyment is something to marvel at. This is his first show and he’s really getting into it.

  People are moving around us and Dani clings to Logan’s side.

  “Your brother’s talented.” Everything inside me wants to move with the music, but I’m sure I’d look weird as hell. A big-bellied head-banger. Yeah, not the image I want.

  Morgan wraps up a song and goes into another.

  My feet are killing me and we’re only halfway through. Why did I refuse the chair they offered me earlier? Because my dumb ass thought I could take two hours of standing. I didn’t want to look like a fat pregnant lady that couldn’t handle standing during a rock concert.

  A sharp constricting pain shoots to my abdomen. Damn, Braxton Hicks. I bend down, holding my stomach and grit through the pain. I’m not going into labor. I’m still a month away. But shit, it fucking hurts.

  A hand rubs my back and I glance up at Logan.

  He gives me a half smile, unease in his hazel eyes. “You all right?”

  I nod and take a deep breath as the pain subsides. “Yeah.”

  “Wanna sit down?” Logan glances around. “Let me get you a chair.”

  “Okay.” I should sit. Being the only one sitting doesn’t bother me that much anymore.

  Logan walks off in search of something for me to sit on, and Dani clings to my side.

  I look down at her. “Having fun?”

  She nods and her blonde curls bounce.

  Ben bounds up to us. His face and hair drip with sweat.

  “Maybe you should take a break from head banging.”

  “No way.” He strips off his sweat-soaked T-shirt then hands it to me, and before I can order him to take a break, he bounces back to the side of the stage with the other ten people who were lucky enough to score backstage passes. His little body rocks out, and I can tell he wants to get in the middle of the mix, but won’t. I agreed that he could do this as long as he stayed in my line of vision.

  Another sharp pain hits my gut and my daughter pushes against what feels like my kidney. I spread my feet apart and bend down as I take in a deep breath. Fucking Braxton Hicks.

  “Are you okay?” Dani grips my elbow. “Is the baby coming?”

  The pain subsides and I chuckle. “Not for a while.”

  “Found a chair.” Logan unfolds it and places it behind me.

  I plop down. “Thanks.”

  He nods then glances over my head. “Incoming bitch alert.”

  I turn in my chair. Emily Rhines is stalking our way. What the hell is her problem? I clasp the pass hanging around my neck.

  She stops next to me with a scowl plastered across her face. “Tell that boy of yours he needs to stick by you. I won’t be held liable if he breaks something.”

  Fucking bitch.

  “He’s just dancing.” Logan frowns and eyes Emily up and down.

  “He’s bothering the fans. I won’t have him ruining their fun. Either rein him in, or I will.”

  I don’t see the harm in him doing what he wants to. This woman has some nerve, talking smack about my son. The other fans he’s with aren’t even paying attention to him. She’s pissed that Morgan and I got back together. She can eat a dick. With the way she’s acting, it might do her mood some good. I go to stand—

  Logan’s hand comes down on my shoulder. “Sit. I’ll go get him.”

  Emily grins and crosses her arms.

  If I wasn’t pregnant I’d like to punch that look off her face. Instead I nod. No use starting shit with Morgan’s manager. I fucking hate that she’s his manager. There’s nothing I can do about it, though.

  She smirks at me then looks behind her. “No! No!” She shakes her head and stomps off toward a man controlling the lights. “You incompetent prick. You’re supposed to fade out the lights between songs! What the hell do they pay you for?”

  The screaming of the crowd tunes out the rest of her rant.

  I glance back toward the stage.

  Ben’s cheeks are red and he’s scowling as Logan walks him back. I hate that uptight bimbo. What right does she have to spoil my son’s first concert? He wasn’t doing anything wrong. Something needs to change. Morgan is stuck for another year in her record label's contract. Maybe I could talk to someone higher up and have her replaced. One thing is for sure, I don’t want him traveling with her anymore.

  Another sharp pain hits my belly. Fuck. What the hell is this? I ride out the short constricting pain and the pressure it leaves makes me feel like I have to use the bathroom.

  “Mom, why can’t I dance?”

  In my seat, I bend over and place a hand on my back.

  “Mom?”

  “Shay?” Logan rubs my back again. “Are you sure—”

  “I’m not going into labor.” I grind my teeth and the last of the pain subsides. “I just need to use the restroom.”

  Logan nods. “Dani has to go too. Why don’t you take her with you?”

  “Dad, I don’t have—”

  “You were just complaining about it.” Logan winks at Dani.

  Her brows pinch.

  She might not get Logan’s hidden meaning, but to me it’s loud and clear. “I’m fine. I can go by myself.”

  “I’d feel better if Dani went with you.”

  Dani looks back and forth between us. “You know what? I do have to go.” She takes my hand. “And I’m afraid to go alone. Can I go with you, Aunt Shay?”

  Aunt Shay?

  Warmth floods my chest. She’s never called me that before. Morgan and I have no plans to be married. I never wanted that for myself. But we’re together, so I guess it does make sense. I smile and take her hand. “Yes. I’d like that.”

&
nbsp; Morgan

  The crowd is screaming, their hands reaching out to smack mine as I rap into the mic. There are thousands of people here tonight and I’m completely sober for the first time. Not once has my mother’s image haunted me and it has everything to do with the woman and little boy watching from backstage. Their confidence and acceptance is all that matters. Shay’s pep talk before the show runs through my mind. These people wouldn’t be here if they didn’t like your music.

  I quickly glance back and see only Logan and Ben. Where did Dani and Shay go? A bit of unease goes through me.

  Looking back at the audience, I scream into the mic and push all the negative away. I’m probably only feeling like this because I’m not high. I anticipate the vision I usually get of my mother laughing at me. It doesn’t come.

  Bryan bobs up and down with his bass. He comes close to me as I rap the verse. This was the song I wrote about Shay and she’s not here to hear it. Where the hell did she go?

  Bang!

  Another bang follows. The crowd screams. Not out of excitement, but panic.

  A sea of people run toward the back exit of the concert hall. Others run toward the side exits and collide with each other. Needle prick up my spine. My heart’s pumping so fast it feels like it’s going to explode.

  Shay!

  Pushing through the security guards, who are trying to get on stage, my mind struggles to comprehend what is happening. Gunshots? An arctic river flows through my veins. I need to find Shay. I race over to Logan. He’s holding Ben back from the horde of security.

  How in the hell did someone get a gun in here? Security is always tight in places like these. A cold feeling sets in and my heart catapults into my throat. My mouth goes dry.

  Bryan’s heart wrenching roar rips through all the chaos. I’ve never heard him scream like that. I turn to see why he’s screaming, but Ben slams into my side.

  His little body shakes and tears stream down his cheeks. “I thought you were shot!”

  Were the shots aimed at me? I tremble as I bend down. “I’m okay, buddy.”