Poison

by Cora Bell

  Ransom turned and saw me staring at him. His eyes squinted in an easy smile, taking my breath away. “Morning,” he said. “I made coffee.”

  I sat up, patting my hair down when he wasn’t looking, and tucked my legs up on the couch with me as he poured a mug and then brought it over.

  “Thank you,” I said. “Did you…get any sleep last night?”

  His eyes roamed my face, then flicked lower, making my body flush. “I got enough sleep. I don’t need much. Are you hungry?”

  “You don’t have to make me anything.” I glanced around, thinking I should probably get dressed since I was only wearing a T-shirt. It was a habit for me to get up quickly in the morning and make sure I was dressed and ready to go in case I needed to get out of the house fast.

  But I wasn’t there, I was here—safe in Ransom’s house.

  “I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t want to,” Ransom said softly, shifting on the couch to face me. “And please don’t say anything about imposing or how you should leave because you don’t think I want you here.”

  My throat dried. He looked almost dangerous when he spoke like that. Like he would do anything to keep me safe.

  “I want you here,” Ransom continued.

  I gathered courage, remembering how patient he’d been with me yesterday. “I want to be here.”

  “Good.”

  He pointed to the table, where my phone sat. “It was buzzing earlier. Someone was trying to get ahold of you.”

  I snatched the phone off the table, my stomach twisting itself into a knot. What if something had happened to my dad? Or those guys had come back somehow? If the police had let them go…

  There were three texts from Liam. Two were simply asking if I was okay. The last made my heart freeze in my chest. Your dad was here last night. He was looking for you.

  I lifted my gaze as Ransom watched me carefully. Shit. My dad was at the bar looking for me. Maybe because I hadn’t been home for two nights in a row. Or he needed money. Maybe he knew something about the guys being there last night.

  “What’s going on?” Ransom asked, leaning forward. He touched my knee. “Sky?”

  “It was Liam.”

  “Did something happen?”

  My stomach clenched. Did it make sense to involve him any more than I had to? Yes, I decided. Because he’d been there for me last night and he wanted to be here for me now.

  “He said my dad came to the bar last night,” I told him.

  Ransom’s jaw clenched tightly but his fingers were still gentle. “Why?”

  “I’m not sure.” I swallowed, then realized I needed to tell Ransom the truth. “He was probably looking for money.”

  I sipped the coffee Ransom brought before setting it aside. Ransom took that as an invitation to move closer. He held my hands in his.

  “I still live there with my dad,” I told Ransom. “It just made sense after my mom died—especially since it was my fault.”

  “Your fault?” Ransom frowned. “Sky.”

  “Just hear me out.” He continued to frown but waited for me to talk. “She was sick when I was younger, but it got worse when I was a teenager. I would come home right after school every day to help take care of her since my dad was at work. But when I graduated…she wanted me to go to college. My dad thought it was a bad idea and he was upset that I wasn’t going to be there to help as much. But I did what my mom wanted, and I went. Then my mom got sicker. I had finals that week and I had to be at school a lot and…” I swallowed and bowed my head. “If I had been there, I might have been able to call the police or—I don’t know. But when I got home late one night, when my dad was still at work, she was dead. I—I’d promised her I’d be home early, but I got busy and…”

  “Sky,” Ransom said. “That’s not your fault. Don’t you dare think it was.”

  “My dad told me it was. He said none of that would have happened if I’d just stayed home to help out. He…he drank a lot, but it got worse after she died. And after he started doing drugs.”

  “Your dad shouldn’t have expected you to take on all of that burden. And he definitely didn’t handle it how he should have. So those guys last night…”

  “They were there looking for money. My dad owes them money for the drugs, and I guess—”

  “He told them you were going to pay them?” Ransom bit out. He shoved to his feet, startling me. “That bastard. Your dad dragged you into this and let you deal with it?”

  “Ransom—”

  “Don’t you dare stick up for him. None of what’s going on is your fault.” He turned to face me, his hands on his hips. “Tell me the truth. Tell me what those guys were after.”

  I nodded. “You’re right. They wanted the money that my dad owed them. He insisted I help out with the bills and—and everything because I owed it to him. I’ve been saving money to get out of there but—”

  “You’re not going back,” he growled. “You’re never going back there.”

  My lips parted, but I nodded again. “Okay.”

  Ransom walked back to the couch and sat next to me. “I’m not mad at you. I’m fucking pissed at your dad for getting you into this mess, but I’m not mad at you. Tell me you know that.”

  “I know that.”

  He leaned in to kiss me, and I sank into that kiss, my body coming alive with Ransom’s touch. He was the light at the end of the tunnel, the courage I needed to break free from my dad and start living my life.

  “I want you to stay here,” Ransom said. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “I should have told you this before, but I was trying to do the right thing since I was your boss. But…I’ve had feelings for you for a long time. Since that first night you walked into the bar.”

  His words soothed my soul. “So have I.”

  “Good.” He nodded. “We’re on the same page. Because this is it for me. When I’m with someone, I’m with them. And I want to be with you.”

  “I want to be with you, too. And I want…”

  “What do you want?” he asked me quietly.

  “You,” I said simply. “I want you.”

  12

  My blood rushed straight to my cock, making me hard as stone. Fuck. I wanted her so badly, but I was still holding back. I couldn’t fuck this up. Not this time. Sky meant too much to me.

  “I’m yours,” I told her, brushing my thumb on her lower lip and trying to hold back from taking her on the couch right there. “Whatever you want, you can have.”

  Her gaze flicked to my lips. And then lower. “I want to taste you.”

  I almost came in my jeans. It was hard to remember that this was new to her. That she hadn’t been with a man before. Because she seemed to know exactly what it would take to bring me to my knees.

  I swallowed and nodded, leaning in to kiss her. She groaned softly and ran her hands over my chest. They wandered lower, moving over my abdomen and then to my jeans, where she quickly undid the button.

  I leaned back on the couch and lifted my hips so she could pull off my pants and boxers.

  Sky looked down, her eyes widening when she saw my dick. She licked her lips, and the pulsing went out of control. Couldn’t she see how hard she was making me? How badly I wanted her?

  Her eyes met mine with something like a question in them.

  “You can do whatever you want,” I told her. I took her hand and guided it to my shaft.

  Her touch was like heaven, soft enough to nearly kill me but warm enough that I wanted to hang on and take as much pleasure as I could.

  “Lay down,” she said.

  I did what she asked, relaxing on the couch and waiting for her next move.

  “Thanks for being so patient with me,” she whispered.

  “I won’t ever push you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  The gratitude in her eyes mixed with love. It filled me full. Of possibilities for the future and all the hope I saw for a relationship with Sky.

  “Please,” I told her
, my voice rough. “Just touch me.”

  She smiled then and wrapped one hand around my cock. When her fingers closed with soft pressure, it was pure bliss. She was cool and gentle while I was hot and hard, the contrast driving me crazy.

  Sky was tentative at first, but she settled on a rhythm quickly. Precum streamed from the head of my cock, and I pumped my hips to match her movements.

  “Fuck,” I choked out, my hands fisting on the cushions of the couch. “That feels so good.”

  She eyed the head of my cock, licking her lips again, and I nodded. I needed to feel her lips on me, the heat inside of her mouth encasing me and pushing me closer to the edge.

  Sky still held me at the base of my shaft and leaned over. I felt the whisper of her breath before her lips were on me. They spread over the head of my cock as she took me partway inside.

  I groaned. Fuck. Sky might have been inexperienced, but she was a fast learner.

  I shoved my hands into her hair and murmured encouraging words. “Just like that, baby. That feels so good.”

  Then she started to suck. I shut my eyes and gave in to the pleasure. Every nerve ending came alive and I could already feel it brimming. I was going to come so hard.

  Sky got bolder, taking me all the way back to her throat. Her mouth was magic. It had been so long since someone had touched me like this—and I’d never grow tired of it. I could see forever for Sky and me—and I’d make her feel as good as she made me feel once I got the chance.

  She pumped her hand faster and hollowed her cheeks, taking me in deep. I groaned.

  “Sky—shit. I’m going to come.”

  She lifted her head but continued to pump her hand up and down, her eyes riveted on my cock. My body tensed and then it hit me hard, making me bow off the couch as I squirted across my belly.

  Her hand mingled with my cum, still stroking until I finally had to reach down and stop her.

  “Fuck, that was hot,” I told her.

  She smiled at me, and I leaned up to kiss her. The only thing that would have been better would have been coming inside of her and then caressing her naked body afterward.

  We’d get there. I knew it. Small steps were worth it with her.

  “You know, I don’t believe you,” I told Sky.

  “About what?”

  “That you’re inexperienced. That was so good. It…” I couldn’t describe how good it felt having her hands on me. After the many times I’d imagined it, it was so much better.

  I kissed her again, then straightened when I heard my phone ring from the pocket of my jeans. Sky pulled it out and passed it over.

  When I answered, my smile faded. It was the police and they wanted to talk to me and Sky about what had happened last night.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked when I hung up.

  “The police want us to come down to the station.”

  Her eyes lowered. I sat up and lifted her chin.

  “We’ll do it together. They only have a few questions and then it’ll be over.”

  She nodded, eyes full of trust.

  “I’ll be there with you the whole time. If that’s what you want.”

  She nodded and kissed me on the lips. “Yes. I want you there.”

  “Good. Then I won’t leave your side.”

  13

  I thought going to the police station would be terrifying, but it was the best thing I could have done. I ID’d the men from last night and told the police they were the same ones who had come to my house. At Ransom’s encouragement, I also told them about the drugs. If my dad got in trouble, so be it.

  I had to be able to move on. And now, I could. I was free from the past.

  And Ransom hadn’t left my side the whole time.

  We both went into work later that day and it was the lightest I’d felt in forever.

  I went straight to the bar when I saw Liam. “I’m sorry,” I told him.

  He frowned. “You should be. I had no idea what was going on. I thought something had happened to you.”

  I hugged him. “I know. But I’m okay and I talked to the police. I’ll tell you all about it.”

  We listened as the band started up, and I told him everything. Even about going to Ransom’s house.

  “Holy fuck.” His eyes widened. “You were at Ransom’s apartment the whole night?”

  I nodded and slid another drink down the bar.

  “Did you two…” He lifted his eyebrows. “You know…”

  Almost. I thought we were going to but then the police had called. And dammit, that was hard. I’d seen Ransom come and it had turned me on so fully I’d wanted to jump on him right there and ride him like a stallion.

  I’d get my chance. Hopefully tonight. But it was killing me to wait.

  I shrugged.

  Liam shook his head. “No way. You’re giving me details.”

  I chuckled. “He’s hot. Great abs. That’s a detail.”

  “God,” he said, frowning. “Am I the only one who’s not getting any?”

  I laughed again and went back to work.

  It was so freeing knowing I didn’t have to go home. That I didn’t have to worry about someone coming after me anymore. But I still felt guilty about staying at Ransom’s place. I wanted to do something to help out—even if it was paying a little rent or something.

  I emptied the trash and then stepped to the end of the bar. “I’m going to take the trash out,” I told Liam.

  He shook his head. “No way. We know what happened the last time you did that.”

  “I promise I’ll be careful,” I told him. “I’ll see if Ransom can go with me.”

  That was my excuse to see him. I was practically dying every moment he was out of my sight. It was like the longer he spent away from me, the more he’d realize us being together wasn’t a good thing.

  I walked down the hallway, a little skip in my step when I saw the light coming from the manager’s office. The door was slightly ajar, and I stepped up to it, ready to walk inside when I heard the voices.

  It was Hale. And he was talking to Ransom.

  “Do you really think having Sky stay at your house is the best idea?” Hale asked.

  My breath caught when I heard my name. I ducked back automatically but still stayed by the door. They were talking about me.

  “She doesn’t have anywhere else to go,” Ransom said.

  He was right. I didn’t. But that made it sound like he didn’t have a choice. I thought he wanted me there. That’s what he’d said.

  “I’m just saying,” Hale continued, “you barely know this kid.”

  Kid? Was that how Ransom saw me too? Because it hadn’t seemed like that when his hands were on me last night.

  “It’s the right thing to do,” Ransom said, so quietly I had to lean in to hear.

  The right thing. Like he was taking me on as a charity case.

  “Right or not, you need to be careful,” Hale told him. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

  My heart twisted. I’d heard enough. I knew exactly what Hale thought of me. And maybe that was how Ransom felt too.

  I walked away, feeling numb. This morning, I’d talked to the police and I’d been on top of the world. And now…I was that uncertain little kid who didn’t know who to trust.

  No way. I shook my head as I walked back to the bar. I wasn’t a kid, and I wasn’t a victim anymore. I was a free woman, and it was about time I started acting like it.

  14

  There was something wrong. Sky had barely said two words to me in the last twenty-four hours. Last night, we’d gone home together but she’d slept in the spare room, thanking me politely for letting her use the space before she shut the door.

  And tonight, when I went to the break room to see her—no, kiss her because it was killing me not having that connection—she said she was busy. That she had work to do. Work? What the hell was that? Her job was here, which meant…what? She was trying to find another job? That didn’t make sense.

&
nbsp; When her shift ended, I caught up with her by the bar, determined to get to the bottom of this.

  “I thought we could ride home together,” I told her, touching her elbow discreetly since there were still other employees around.

  She flashed me another polite smile. “It’s okay. Liam said I could stay with him.”

  Liam? My jaw clenched. “I thought you were staying with me.”

  What the fuck was this all of the sudden?

  “I don’t want to overstay my welcome,” she said, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

  Yeah, we were making a scene, and I didn’t care. Two days ago, she was jerking me off on the couch, eyes blurry with the desire she felt for me, and now she was acting like we were barely more than acquaintances?

  “Something happened,” I said with a nod. “Something happened and you’re not telling me what it is.”

  Her lips parted, but when she didn’t say anything, I knew I was right.

  Fear raced through me and I gripped her arm. “Did your dad come back?”

  “No.”

  “It’s okay,” I told her. “You can tell me the truth. I’ll help you fix this.”

  “It’s not your job to fix my problems,” she said. She pulled away from me. “I know what Hale thinks of me. And I know what he said to you. That you need to be careful or you’ll end up hurt. That I shouldn’t be staying with you.” She nodded, straightening her shoulders. “And he’s right. I should be taking care of myself. I always have.”

  Shit. She’d overheard us?

  “I didn’t mean to,” she said at the look on my face. “I was coming to see if you’d go with me to take the trash out and I accidentally heard you.”

  “Fuck,” I hissed. That wasn’t the entirety of our conversation. Not by a longshot. And there were things Sky didn’t know about Hale that would explain why he was cautious. “We need to talk.”

  “I need to go home and get a good night of sleep.”