North Woods University

by Beck, J. L.

  His meaty hands start to rip at my clothes, tearing the fabric with one hand while keeping the other tightly around my throat. It’s getting harder to breathe, harder to keep my eyes open, but that doesn't stop me from fighting him.

  I’ll fight him until my last breath if I have to. I scratch, hit, slap, and kick at him like I’m a wild animal. I do anything, and everything I can to keep him from touching me. I claw his face and get him in the eye, making him hiss out in pain and tighten his grip on my throat. He adds his second hand and squeezes until my vision blurs.

  No! I dig my nails into his skin, feeling them pierce through the flesh but he doesn’t budge, not until he hears the loud bang of something hitting the door. He turns to the now moving door, his eyes going wide.

  Cole releases me the moment Rem and Seb appear in the room. Cole swings his closed fist at Rem, but he’s too fast. Rem’s closed fist smashes into Cole’s face half a second later. The impact sends Cole staggering backward and the next thing I know, Seb is on him, tackling him to the ground. Sebastian starts raining punches down on Cole’s face too.

  My body is shaking, the entire room spinning around me, and then Remmy appears in front of me, kneeling on the ground.

  “Are you okay?” His eyes roam over me as if he is scanning me for injuries. He lifts his hands to touch my shoulders, but I don’t let him, instead I lunge at him, throwing my arms around him. I close my eyes and bury my face into the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply.

  “You’re okay now, I’m here,” he whispers into my hair and waves of relief wash over me.

  I know what he’s saying is true.

  He is here now and I’m safe.

  I can hear police sirens approaching in the distance, and I cling tighter to Remmy. He holds me in his arms, shielding me from Cole, from the blood I know that mars Sebastian's fists, from the chaos going on around us.

  He holds me together as I fall apart all over again. And still, as the world comes crashing down on me, I find he’s the only person I want holding me up.

  “D-Did you call the police?” I ask him.

  “Yes, didn’t you call the police before you called me?”

  “No.” That fact only now occurs to me.

  “It’s okay. They’re here now, that’s all that matters.”

  The police fill the room, making it seem smaller and smaller, but Rem never lets me go. They handcuff Cole and drag him out of the room all the while I’m clinging to Remmy with a death grip.

  “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry,” Remmy keeps repeating quietly and that’s when I realize I already know the answer to my earlier question.

  Could I ever forgive him? Yes.

  “I love you. I have always loved you and I don’t think that will ever change.” At my words, his arms tighten to almost pain around me.

  “I love you too, Jules. So fucking much. I don't know what’s wrong with me. I don't know why I keep fucking up, but I do know that I love you and that I will do anything that I can to prove it to you if you let me.”

  “I don’t want to be apart anymore,” I say. “I want to be with you…always.”

  “And you will be. From this day on, it’s you and me, Jules. You and me.”

  25

  Remington

  Two Weeks Later

  Life went back to normal, or as normal as it could be. All that matters to me really is that Jules is mine again. I vowed to work toward being a better man, to making better choices.

  I had plans, plans that involved me making up for lost time, that involved putting a ring on her finger and giving her my last name. I won’t ask her today, or even tomorrow, but soon.

  Soon I’ll make her completely mine, as she was always meant to be. But before that, it’s important to me that she heal from the wounds I’ve created and the assault that Cole inflicted on her. She tells me often she feels safe with me, that she doesn’t want me to go anywhere without her, and I never will, never.

  “Jules.” My father’s voice fills my ears, ripping me from my thoughts.

  “Papa Miller,” Jules greets my father with a smile and releases my hand to give him a hug. Today is our first Sunday dinner together in well over a month and I’m basking in the glow of it. I’m still running daily, mainly to deal with the anger rushing through my veins over Cole, over being so stupid and immature. Plus, it helps me clear my head.

  “How are you feeling, pretty girl?” my father asks her while I go into the kitchen to help Sebastian finish up dinner.

  “Good. Feeling more and more like myself every single day.” Her confession warms my soul. I could only wish for the day when she was back to her normal cheerful self. I miss that side of Jules.

  Sebastian nudges me in the shoulder, and I look over at him. He’s been wearing a permanent look of shame on his face over how he treated me for the last month and every time I see him, I want to wipe the look off his face. He’s my brother yes, and family, but just because we are family didn’t mean he had to believe me. I can’t blame him for reacting as he did, especially with all the evidence pointing at me, and him wanting to protect Jules.

  “How are you doing?” he asks.

  “Well, I would be doing better if you would stop looking at me like you’re sorry all the time. You want me to punch that look off your face?” I grin.

  Sebastian smirks. “You could try.” The smirk slips a smidge. “I just feel like an asshole. I’m your brother I should’ve believed you.”

  “Stop feeling bad. I was partially guilty anyway. I hurt Jules, maybe not as bad as Cole did, but I still hurt her. You had every right to believe what you did. I’m just thankful you were there for Jules when I couldn’t be. If it weren’t for you…” I trail off, a distinct ache forming in my chest. I don’t want to think about what it would be like for Jules if she didn’t have somewhere to go.

  Sebastian places his hand on my shoulder, stopping the thought from taking root. “All that matters is that you have her back, she’s healing, and that you won’t make the same mistakes again. She loves you, and I know you love her, so don’t do anything stupid to ruin it.”

  “Oh, I fucking won’t. I’m never giving her up, ever.”

  Sebastian smiles. “Good, because if you do, I will seriously kick your fucking ass.”

  “Don’t worry, you won’t have to. I’ll kick my own ass.”

  We both laugh and I help Jules set the table for dinner while Sebastian finishes up the salad and breadsticks.

  “I love you,” I whisper against Jules’ lips as I pull her into my chest. She wraps her slim arms around me, and I relish in the feeling of her wound around me. It’s been two weeks, two weeks of holding her, and still, I can’t get enough of having her in my arms. Once upon a time, I wanted revenge...I wanted her to feel my pain, but now all I want is to take away her pain, take away the nightmares that still plague her.

  Love, the deep unruly kind that claims every ounce of your soul has a way of changing things, and it changed me, completely. The sound of Jules’ belly rumbling makes me pull back.

  “Hungry?” I smirk.

  “Starved.”

  “Hurry it up in there, Seb. Jules is going to eat the house down.”

  Jules elbows me in the stomach and shakes her head, a tiny little smile on her pink lips. At that same moment, a loud pounding on the front door startles all of us. After spending nights at the police station, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Detective Garcia dropping by to check in on us. I release Jules and walk to the door, pulling it open without even looking through the glass window off to the side.

  As soon as I open the door, my mouth pops open. Shock and excitement paint my features when I see no one other than my oldest brother, Alexander, standing there with a knowing grin on his face. He’s bigger, taller even, and I have to blink a couple times to actually be sure that it’s him standing in front of me.

  “You going to let me in, Rem, or do I have to stand outside?” He snickers, his russet brown eyes twinkling with amu
sement. I move out of the way, giving him room to walk in.

  “What’s going on? Who’s…” Sebastian’s words cut off when he sees Lex.

  “Holy fucking shit,” he mumbles under his breath. “Dad, you’ve got to see this.”

  Lex rolls his eyes, acting as if we’re being dramatic or something, but in reality, it’s been over a year since we’ve seen him, so having him walk in here without warning is going to take a little bit of getting used to.

  “What the hell, son, the game’s on, and Jules and I are…”

  Lex’s gaze sweeps over me. “Hey, Dad. Jules.”

  Dad and Jules come walking around the corner a moment later.

  “Well, I’ll be damned. I’ve got all my boys back at home again.” Our father wraps Lex in a tight hug. “You’re staying this time, right? Please tell me you didn’t re-enlist.”

  “No, I’m home for good now,” Lex responds, the emotions are cut off from his face, almost like he’s hiding them, or he isn’t letting himself feel anything just like Jules did and if that’s the case then I feel incredibly sad for Lex.

  “Thank goodness. I’ve missed you, son, how are you? How was your flight in? If you had let us know you were coming home, we would’ve had a party or something.”

  Lex shakes his head. “And that’s exactly why I didn’t tell you. Sunday dinner with my family is all that I could ever ask for.”

  Humble, kind, determined, and stubborn, those were just a few words to describe my brother. Joining the Marines was all he ever wanted, and I think it was good for him, gave him discipline. But now I wonder what seeing the dark parts of the world had done to him.

  “Jules.” Lex winks at her, and she shakes her head, walking up to him. She wraps her arms around him, and he squeezes her tight to his chest.

  “I presume that Seb and Rem are still driving you up a wall?” he asks.

  “You have no idea,” she squeaks as he gives her a final squeeze.

  “Are you hungry?” Seb asks.

  “Do you even know me?” Lex laughs and it’s deep, hearty, something that will take me time to get used to hearing. I love my brother, but he also left when we needed him. Like always, I had grown accustomed to those I needed in my life, leaving.

  “Well, let’s eat.” My father slaps a hand to Lex’s back, and we all head into the dining room. I grab an extra set of silverware, plate, and cup and place them on the table in Lex’s usual spot. He settles into his seat, we chat and eat. Lex tells us what he’s been doing for the last two years or at least the parts he can share with us. Followed by how he is going to use his GI bill to attend classes here at the university.

  “If you need help with anything, let Rem or I know. I’ll be in the admin building and Rem, well, he’s a student so he can help, I guess. Oh, and Jules too,” Sebastian offers while Lex takes a drink of his water.

  “I’ve already got an apartment. I’ve just got to register for classes,” he announces. Obviously, he’s been planning this for some time, the question is, why didn’t he call to tell us he was coming home? There were a lot of question about Alexander's reappearance in our lives, and not a lot of answers.

  * * *

  “Are you happy to have Lex back home?” Jules asks later that evening after we’re back at her house. I strip down to my boxers, and she’s wearing her Mickey Mouse t-shirt.

  Seeing her in that thing makes my dick hard. We haven't done anything more than kiss, and I’m fine with that, but I wouldn’t be a man if I didn’t say holding her in my arms, feeling her soft curves against my hard planes, and listening to her soft whimpers while she sleeps didn’t leave me wanting her on a deeper level. A level that includes putting my dick inside her.

  “Of course I’m happy to have him home. But unlike Seb and my father, I know that he’s not the same.”

  “What do you mean?” She leans into me, giving me a puzzled look, her tiny hands skimming over my chiseled abs. Fuck. If she keeps touching me like that, I’m going to come. Come like a teenage fucking boy.

  “I mean, he’s got a look in his eyes. I don’t know if I can pinpoint it. All I know is that he didn’t have that before he left. I’m used to people leaving and I know when, and if, someone wants to come back. I just know Lex is hiding something.” I meant to say the last part more to myself than to her. I don’t want her worrying about anything but herself right now.

  She’s going to therapy to deal with the nightmares and all the trauma that happened in the last couple of months. I want her to get healthy and be happy before she starts worrying about me or anyone else.

  “Kiss me,” Jules whispers, nibbling on her bottom lip with a seductiveness I haven't seen in what seems like forever. As if I could deny her such an easy request, I kiss her, cupping her by the cheeks and pulling her into my lap. Her heated core presses against my stomach and I feel the dampness of her panties against my skin.

  She wants me...she fucking wants me, and I feel like the luckiest bastard in the universe because I get to keep her.

  I pull away, breaking the kiss, leaving us both panting. “We don’t have to do this yet. We have all the time in the world, Jules,” I assure her, brushing a few strands of her blonde hair behind her ear. She’s angelic, absolute perfection and God was more than looking out for me when he put her in my path.

  “I know we don’t have to, but I want to, Remmy. I want to feel close to you again. I want to feel you inside me. My body craves yours. You’re the healing balm, the one thing that grounds me to this world, that keeps me sane when all I want to do is block everything out.”

  Her confession is all I need to hear for me to take the lead on worshipping her body. I have both of us undressed in seconds, her pink nipples hardened even before I take one into my mouth, sucking on it. A whimper escapes her mouth as she clings to me, her lips moving over my throbbing pulse.

  “I want you,” she purrs like a kitten.

  “I know, baby, but I want you drenched. It’s only your second time and I don’t want to hurt you.” I really don’t, the thought of hurting her ever again, physically or emotionally, makes me sick to my stomach.

  “You won’t.” She grinds her center against my steel cock, making it hard for me to breathe, hard for me to think about anything but sinking deep inside her channel.

  “Jules,” I groan, my hips flexing forward, the head of my cock bumping against her entrance.

  “Please, Rem? Please, just take me. Show me how much you love me, how much you’ve missed this.”

  “You’re going to kill me,” I growl, lifting her by the hips, my cock slipping just inside her tight hole. Her blue eyes stay on mine as I slowly, ever so fucking slowly, sink her down onto my cock. Once she’s seated fully, she squeezes my length so painfully that I’m sure I might actually die. I move a hand into her curls and ravage her neck, sucking at the tender flesh, branding her in a way that only I can.

  Then we start moving as one, her hips lifting with each thrust, her pink lips singing a song only I can hear. Her nails sink into my shoulders and our foreheads touch. All I feel is her...all I need is her.

  “Are you close?” I groan, feeling the pleasure zing through me, and down my cock with each stroke.

  “Yes,” she moans, her eyes drifting closed.

  “Open those pretty eyes, baby…I want to see your face when you come. I want to see you,” I order, and she does as I ask, her eyes flickering open once more.

  A few more strokes and a swivel of my hips grazing that sweet spot deep inside of her and she falls apart, her mouth forming a perfect O, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her heart beats furiously against her rib cage, as if it was trying to escape and find me.

  “Remmy…Oh…” she whimpers, falling against my chest. That’s when I take over, my control snapping, and I fuck her like a savage beast. Holding her tightly against my chest, I refuse to let even an inch of space separate our bodies. Fire fills my veins as I bottom out inside her, my balls slapping against her ass, pushing me clos
er and closer to the edge.

  “Come for me, Rem. Come for me,” she whispers against my lips and just like that, I do. It’s like she has complete fucking control over my body. I come so hard black spots appear over my vision…so hard I swear I can feel our souls molding into one. Ropes of sticky hot cum fill her womb, my cock jerking with aftershocks of pleasure while I remain seated so deep inside her I can feel her heart beating in unison with my own.

  “I love you,” I croak. I’ve gone from a man broken to a man healed, and all because of love, because I let go of the pain, let go of the anger and anguish.

  “I love you too, so much, so damn much.” Her words sink deep into my skin, branding me, branding us, and I hold her in my arms just like I vowed to do every single night.

  Jules isn’t just a memory, or a bet, she’s everything, the air, the light, the fucking very thing needed for me to live, and without her, I’m nothing.

  There is no Remington Miller without Jules.

  Epilogue

  Remington

  Every new school year comes with a new set of douchebags. This year’s douchebags will be no different than the previous years. My old frat house is holding an end of school bash of the year and as badly as I don’t want to go, I promised Thomas that I would come, at the very least make an appearance.

  “If you don’t want to go, we could go back to the apartment,” Jules exclaimed.

  “Don’t tempt me. I’d love nothing more than to take you back to the apartment, spread those creamy thighs, and—”

  “Dude, you made it!” Alan’s voice calls out, interrupting me before I can finish what I wanted to say. He’s standing at the front door, busty blonde in his arm, and a fishbowl in his hand full of car keys. I see the boys have gotten smarter, safer.

  “Of course. I’m a man of my word,” I smirk. The old frat house is hopping, people funneling in and out of the house. Music blares from inside and into the street. How haven’t these fuckers got the police called on them?