All That She Needs: The Betrayal of a Marriage

Part 42 Liam

I stood there, breathless, my eyes wide with emotion, my voice cracking as I whispered her name.

"Asha."

Time stood still. For me. For her.

When I found those posts on X, my days were spent just trying to stand on my feet, clinging to what little lucidity I had left, forcing myself to move forward without looking back. But deep down, I knew I'd always come back to her. Always. No matter how hard I tried not to—even if she didn't want me anymore. I would keep waiting, too lost in love to walk away.

This was what Asha did to me. She consumed my thoughts, my breath, everything. I was defeated by my feelings for her, with no chance of escape or recovery. She had complete control over me. My love for her was already rooted deep in my heart, embedded in my very marrow. There was no way to tear it out, no way to let it go.

I was a goner, and there was no coming back.

Without Asha, I'd be nothing but a shadow of the man I once was, hollow and aimless, drifting through life without purpose, without feeling. And I knew it all too well—I'd been living it for weeks.

Waiting for her, until she was ready, was a no-brainer. I would do it in a heartbeat, no matter how long it took. But my heart shattered when I found out she had lied to me. Never had I felt so insignificant. So, disposable. And it left me questioning everything I'd believed about us.

It was true when I told her she had the power to hurt me.

Then she told me that I had the power to hurt her, too.

When I lunged forward to stop the door from closing, I didn't even realize what I was doing. Driven by instinct, by emotions I couldn't control, I couldn't bear to watch her leave—even though I still didn't know what I was going to say.

Our eyes locked as I held the door open with both hands. Asha stood inside, alone, looking at me with what I dared to believe was hope in her eyes.

I resigned myself right then and there to the fact that my love and devotion to this beautiful woman were unbreakable—that there wouldn't be any other woman but her. It was dangerous to feel this vulnerable, to let myself be this exposed, but I couldn't stop it. She had become an inseparable part of me, and no amount of pain or uncertainty could change that.

I was at her mercy. Every word she spoke, every decision she made, had the power to either heal me or break me further. And yet, despite the risk, I couldn't stop loving her, even if it destroyed me. I had become a hopeless romantic, clinging to the hope and belief that the stars would grant my wish—that Asha would become mine entirely.

My eyes shifted to the distance still between us. Two breaths, three breaths away. She was still too damn far.

I reached out my right hand to her, and she took it. We stepped back, her out of the elevator, until we stood face to face.

"Honestly," I swallowed, my gaze locked with hers, the worry in her eyes clear. "I don't know if I can trust that you won't leave me again."

"I had a lot of time to think," she said softly. "And no matter what, my thoughts always came back to you. I think my heart had been trying to tell me for a while, but I needed to be sure."

My gaze, my heart, softened at her words; I could feel it. "I know you never promised you'd come back to me; I know that. But still, I had hope, Asha. And the way it was crushed... it really hurt. I would've rather you told me straight to my face that you never wanted me."

"I do want you. More than you know," she murmured, as she touched my cheek gently, so lovingly, and a tear spilled free, running down her cheek.

Without thinking, my face leaned into her hand. "I miss you," I sighed heavily. "I miss you so damn much it hurts."

Her smile was heartbreakingly sweet. "I miss you too." her hand gently caressing my cheek again, touching the spot where my dimple would appear.

"I don't know if I could survive if you change your mind again, Asha. My heart, my life—they're entirely in your hands. I'm completely defenseless when it comes to you."

She didn't respond; she only closed her eyes and erased the distance between us, her arms wrapped around my waist as she pressed her face into the crook of my neck.

"So please, just tell me now if you're not really sure."

"I'm sure," She replied softly. "I'm very sure."

"If you still need time and space, I will wait until–"

"I don't need it anymore." She cut me off, and I could feel her smile against my skin. "I need you."

"Asha," I whispered, needing to be certain, to truly know. "You might still need time."

She kissed my jaw softly, her arms tightening as if she never wanted to let go. A single exhale left her before she spoke, "Have faith in me, Liam. I'm ready to start my life with you. I won't hurt you like that again. I love you."

My entire body shuddered at her words. It took a moment for my mind to catch up, to be certain that I wasn't imagining this, that I was hearing her right. I needed to be certain, to know this was real and not just a dream I had been clinging to.

As if sensing my shock, she repeated softly, "I really do love you."

Slowly, my arms, which had been hanging at my sides, wrapped around her. "I love you," my voice quivered as I kissed her temple, pulling her gently closer. "My love for you is fucking all-consuming, Asha. It's raw and unwavering. I've loved you in my brightest moments, in my darkest. I will love you always."

Asha gently pulled away from me, her hands cradling my face before she kissed me softly on the lips. When I offered her a small smile, she kissed my dimple and murmured, "There it is..." as if she had been waiting for it to appear.

I smiled at her, noticing her eyes fixed on the dimple as it deepened. I kissed her forehead and the tip of her nose before pressing my lips to hers. She smiled too, as our mouths met. I tilted my head, letting my lips slide over hers, and the kiss deepened; our tongues tangled. Her hands ran up the back of my neck, and I pulled her closer, tighter, as if it wasn't enough. I wanted to melt into her.

My lips brushed her cheek, nipping along her jaw, and she shivered when I kissed her neck, my mouth open as I traced it with a slow, lingering lick.

"Liam," she whimpered, her hands moving up to cradle my head. She couldn't stop shifting, her body pressing against mine as if she wanted to climb over me, to get closer.

I brought my hands to the side of her face and claimed her mouth completely. Desire swept all over my body, my mind instantly empty except for her presence and the sensations she ignited all over my body. My heart raced, excitement building with every passing second, making me feel overheated, as if I were on the verge of burning up. I wanted Asha so much it hurt.

I lifted her up, securing her legs around my waist, our mouths still locked together until she pulled away, trailing her lips to my neck, where she sucked. Hard.

"Bedroom," I mumbled—maybe moaned, I couldn't tell anymore. I started walking, barely able to keep my thoughts straight. "Need to do this on my bed."

"Okay," she mumbled, her cheeks flushing hot red.

Somehow, I made it to my bedroom without tripping or knocking anything over. I gently lowered her onto the bed, but she didn't let go, trying to pull me back as I pulled away. "Where are you going?"

I grinned and reached for my phone on the nightstand. "Need to show you something first." I scrolled through the screen and turned it toward her. "I've been tested." I showed her the results. "I'm clean. I got tested two weeks before you left. I was preparing just in case..." I trailed off, chuckling when I saw her blush again. "And there's no one else, Asha. There won't ever be anyone else."

She gave me a small, sheepish smile. "I've been tested too, and I'm clean," she said. Then, with a playful glint in her eyes, she added, "But if you ask me to go find my bag and grab my phone right now, Liam, I swear to God..."

"I trust you," I said quickly, my impatience barely contained. Just as I was about to move toward her again, she added,

"And I'm on birth control."

"Oh, thank fuck!" I exclaimed in relief. She chuckled softly, and the sound made my erection throb inside my pants.

She pulled me closer, her hands gripping the back of my neck as she brought her mouth to mine, kissing me again. She only pulled away briefly when I tugged her shirt over her head, tossing it aside. My hands fumbled as I moved to unbutton her jeans, and I stumbled slightly. "This is the first time I've seen you in jeans," I murmured, catching her amused gaze. "You look hot, by the way, but these are—" I paused, struggling with the stubborn button, "—incredibly inconvenient right now."

Asha laughed and helped me tug her jeans off, leaving her in just her white satin underwear. And I stared at her. The color of white against her milky white skin took my breath away. She lay there on my bed, her cheeks flushed, her chest rising and falling with each breath. We'd kissed and touched so many times before, but this was the first time I'd seen her like this—almost bare and completely vulnerable, breathtakingly beautiful. I've been waiting for this moment for so long.

I was beginning to worry that when she finally shed those last pieces of clothing from her skin, I might actually self-combust.

I only realized that I was staring, mouth slightly open, when she smirked and said, "You still have too many clothes."

I glanced down at myself, completely forgotten about it. I slid down from the bed and stood to my full height. I watched her watching me with wide eyes when I reached to the back of my neck and pulled my shirt off. Her eyes roamed around my chest, seemingly tracing the tattoos there. Then I pulled down my sweatpants and noticed that she was breathing harder. I stepped out of my pants and said, "You've seen me in my boxers before."

"Yeah..." Her eyes lingered on the noticeable bulge in the middle, and then I pulled it off, standing before her, completely exposed. She gasped, her breath catching.

I chuckled, crawling over the bed toward her. I whispered, "Your turn."

"You take it off," She asked me.

And I answered, "Gladly."

When she was completely bare, I had to pinch the purple head down below to keep me from coming.

I made love to her for the first time, on my bed, like I imagined so many times. I felt every inch of her body with my hands. I worshipped her through every touch, every kiss, every lick, determined to provoke the illicit sounds from her lips, eager to see the lust and desire painted on her face. I played with her breasts, sucking them, massaging them, relishing how they were so perfect, so soft, under my hands. I crawled down and hoisted her legs up over my shoulders so I could devour her.

I was addicted to her moans, her gasps, her uneven breaths, her soft whimpers, and I felt like I could live off the sounds she was making alone. I couldn't get enough. I loved how unabashed she was chasing her pleasure, moving her hips to get the angle she wanted, guiding me on how to give it to her. She exploded with my tongue inside her, my fingers rubbing her small swollen pleasure nub, my other hand gripping her thigh and squeezing it against my head so that I could stay inside longer and prolong her climax.

Then I plunged into her as I kissed her again wild and hard, rolling my hips slowly at first, before I lost control when she begged me to go harder and harder. She climaxed for the second time, and the gasp that tore from her mouth would become the soundtrack of my dreams from that day onward. I followed her not long after, and when I reached the peak, my inside felt like it was shattered into tiny little pieces, and for a few blissful seconds, it felt like my heart stopped beating.

We spent a long time afterward just lying there on the bed, me still inside of her, waiting for our breaths to calm. She laid on top of me, her face nestled against my neck, and her legs tangled with mine. When I finally pulled out, we both let out a little groan, followed by a soft chuckle. I went to the bathroom and came back with a warm, wet towel, gently cleaning her thighs and the spot between her legs, my hands lingering as I touched her again.

I swore I could do this all day—just looking at her like this, my hands tracing every inch of her skin, enjoying the feel of her beneath me.

We had settled under the comforter when she said, "At first, I thought you couldn't fit into me." She laughed. "Holy shit, you're big."

I chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Are you feeling sore?"

"A little. But it feels good," she smiled. I kissed her then, unable to stop myself.

I whispered against her lips. "Whenever you're ready, we'll go for round two."

And there it was—the blush on her porcelain skin that I loved so much.

We sank into a blissful silence, tangled together, skin to skin. The quiet between us was comfortable, the steady rhythm of our breathing filling the space.

"I need to tell you something," I said after a long silence, noticing her eyes growing heavy.

"Okay," she mumbled sleepily.

"I had a talk with Kayden yesterday."

"I know," she replied, glancing up at me. "He told me last night. To me and Aiden, specifically."

"I'm sorry I had to do that," I said, regret creeping into my voice. "I wasn't sure if you wanted to speak to me, and I didn't think his father would either."

"Yeah, I know," she said softly.

"So, you had a talk with Kayden?" I asked, curious. "What does his father feel about it?"

"He's okay; he never blamed Kayden for this. And we've kind of guessed already." Asha answered, her voice calm. "We know what Kayden is capable of. Last night, we had a long conversation about it, and he promised he wouldn't do it again. If we catch him, I'll take his laptop, tablet, and phone. That should teach him."

"That kid has talent. I'm amazed. He's very smart."

"And somehow, Theo got tangled in all of this," she said.

I sighed. "He wanted me to get into Kayden's good graces if we get back together again," I explained. "He's your biggest cheerleader, you know."

Asha chuckled softly. "I should buy him a drink someday, then."

"I think you should," I nodded in agreement.

Just then, the sound of her phone ringing echoed from the living room. Asha slid off the bed and padded naked out of the bedroom. I couldn't help but watch the sway of her round ass as she walked, then the way her breasts jiggled when she returned.

But when she looked at the screen, her expression changed, her brow furrowing as she frowned.

"What is it?" I asked, a little concerned.

"Missed call... from Aiden," she said, her tone unreadable.

Just then, a familiar ding signaled she'd received a text. I sat up, waiting for her to speak.

"Aiden's being discharged from the hospital today," she said, still staring at her phone. "There's no one there to help him."

"And...?" I asked, careful not to push too much.

She paused for a moment, considering, then shrugged. "I'll call Roy to pick him up then."

Without another word, she jumped back onto the bed and kissed me again.