29. Ana
29
Ana
J ake could hurt me, threaten me, all he wanted. But when he brought Sloane into this, when he threatened her, something inside me snapped. The rage surged so quickly, so fiercely, that I didn’t even think. Swinging the heavy ceramic vase at his head with all my strength, with all that adrenaline built up, was easy. He went down fast, and we had a chance to run.
I didn’t know if it would kill him, and in that moment, I didn’t care. All that mattered was getting Sloane out, away from him. Now we were on the highway, heading towards D.C., the lights of passing cars flickering through the windows.
“Charlie and Callan are next door. They heard what was happening. They should be there by now,” Sloane had explained as we sped off. Relief had flooded through me.
But now, my mind was racing again, replaying everything. “How did this all happen?” I asked, breaking the silence. “How did you know? Did Charlie come to you?”
Sloane shook her head. “No,” she said simply. “He went to Callan.”
I blinked, stunned. Charlie had put aside his ego to ask Callan for help. It made sense—if anyone could help him, it was Callan—but it still surprised me. Charlie hated him. The fact that they worked together for me made my chest ache in a way I couldn’t describe.
“And…did you already know about Callan?” I asked hesitantly, piecing everything together.
She hesitated, her voice quieter when she spoke. “Yeah. I found out when I came home one day and he was passed out. I could smell the booze all over him.” She paused, exhaling slowly. “It’s been hard, but he’s getting help. Slowly, but surely.”
My heart ached for them both. “Callan’s a good man, baby,” I said softly. “He’s strong. And so are you. You’ll get through it.”
“I know,” she said, and the quiet confidence in her voice made me smile.
The highway stretched endlessly ahead, the hum of the engine filling the silence between us. We were in the car I used back in the day, back when we still lived in New York as a family. It was a reliable little Jetta, and it felt odd speeding down the highway after all these years.
“ Mi diosa , huh?” Sloane teased suddenly, and my cheeks burned hot.
I shook my head with a soft laugh. “Yeah. So what?”
She giggled, the sound light and warm. “It makes all the sense in the world.”
The silence returned, but this time it wasn’t heavy.
“What do you think they’re doing to him?” I asked quietly after a while. “Do you think they’re really only talking to him?”
Sloane sighed deeply, staring ahead. “I don’t want to know. And, honestly…Dad deserves whatever’s coming to him.”
I swallowed hard, staring out at the darkness beyond the window. “Yeah,” I said softly. “He does.”
But even as I said it, my mind turned back to Charlie. To what might be happening right now. And no matter how much I tried to push the thoughts away, I couldn’t help but wonder just how far he’d go to make sure I was safe.
* * *
We waited hours at the hotel in D.C. I stared out the window and could see faint morning light as the sun got ready to rise. Sloane had fallen asleep, drifting off as I held her close to me, cuddling like we used to when she was little. But my mind couldn’t stop running, couldn’t stop wondering where they were and what they were doing.
I jumped when I heard the sound of the key card unlocking the door, but it only opened slightly ajar since I had flipped on the security lock. I hurried over to the door, peeking out at Callan and Charlie, their faces withdrawn and exhausted. I unlocked the door and flung it open, wrapping Charlie in my arms, the sobs that I held back for hours finally escaping as he held me tight.
“Ana,” he whispered into my neck. “My love.”
“Where have you been?” I asked, slightly letting go to reach my gaze to his.
He blinked, hesitation in his eyes. “Just making sure Jake wouldn’t talk,” he said simply.
I only nodded. I turned to see Callan and Sloane reuniting, then turned back to see Charlie holding up a key card in his hand. “We have the adjoining room. Let’s go.”
Charlie started a hot shower, undressing alongside me. I noticed a faint dark spot on his jeans and he looked down as he realized where my gaze pointed to.
“I would throw those clothes away, Charlie,” I said, then opened the glass shower door, not waiting for a response.
I let the warm water wash over me, the sensation spreading goosebumps all over me. Charlie’s hands were suddenly on my arms as he pressed his body against my back, jutting his hard cock between my ass cheeks.
Between the heat rising throughout my body, already aroused for him, a gnawing guilt ached deep in my chest.
“Charlie,” I whispered, turning my head so he could hear me.
“Ana,” he said, grazing his hands under my arms, up my stomach, and then squeezing my breasts.
“I have to tell you something,” I said breathlessly as one hand trailed down to the front, his fingers finding my wet spot.
“No,” he said into my neck. “Don’t tell me.”
My heart dropped. “Why?” I said after stifling a moan.
“Did you want it?” he asked, his hands stopping, grazing back up to my arms.
I hesitated. “No,” I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks, mixing in with the warm water.
“Then don’t tell me,” he responded quietly. “Unless you want to. Unless you need to,” he added.
“No,” I echoed.
His hands returned to my breasts, trailing back down my stomach. “If you’re not ready for this, Ana, tell me now,” he whispered.
“I’m always ready for you, Charlie,” I whimpered as his fingers circled my clit.
“Take back your power, mi diosa . Use me exactly how you need to. Please,” he begged. “I need you.”
I smiled, reaching back to graze my fingers over his cock, patiently waiting for me.
“I just want my good boy, Charlie. Tu diosa needs her good boy to do exactly as she says. You think you can handle that, baby?”
“Yes, mi diosa ,” he whispered in my ear. “Please.”
I steadily turned around without letting go of him, gripping him tighter as I faced him, his face contorted with pleasure as he eyed me with need.
“Good. Get on your knees then,” I said, turning the shower head above me so it faced the wall, giving us room to play.
Charlie immediately knelt down, getting on both knees, looking up at me with his hands on his thighs. I smiled as I lifted my leg and rested my thigh on his shoulder, then clutched his hair in my hand and pulled him close, burying his face into my pussy.
“Eat my pussy, baby. Don’t stop until I say so,” I demanded, lifting my hips as his tongue began to move.
My body reacted instantly, my hips arching to meet the rhythm of his mouth. My release was close, my back pressing against the shower wall as Charlie gripped my thighs to hold me steady, his tongue flicking my clit with determination.
“Fuck, Charlie, yes,” I gasped, the tension in my core bursting, my orgasm ripping through my body.
I greedily let him continue as he worked his mouth on me, igniting wave after wave of pleasure until my legs trembled uncontrollably. Finally, I pushed him away, sliding down the slick wall to face him as I tried to catch my breath.
He gave me a faint smile, his eyes filled with awe and desire, the very look that had drawn me to him from the start.
“Is mi diosa satisfied ?” he asked softly, sitting in front of me and resting his hand on my thigh.
My head leaned back against the wall as I nodded, my gaze dropping to his hard cock, patiently waiting for my touch.
“What about you, baby?” I asked quietly as I met his eyes. “Does my control satisfy you?”
The years I spent being so compliant with Jake, sacrificing my own wants and needs just to keep him happy, were beginning to weigh on me heavily. When we met, I was hopelessly in love with him. He was older, confident, so sweet and loving. At just twenty years old, I was still finding my voice, and though I grew into it over time, our sex life never seemed to evolve with me.
I didn’t want Charlie to ever feel that way.
His brows twitched together briefly, as if my question had confused him.
“Of course I am,” he said, interlocking his fingers through mine. “Everything you do to me, for me, is perfect.”
“You enjoy my dominance?” I asked hesitantly, my confidence faltering for a moment.
Charlie studied my face, as if he’d caught the flicker of uncertainty.
“I enjoy your dominance. I enjoy your sweetness. I enjoy the way you let me share my deepest, darkest fantasies. I enjoy every part of you, Ana. Everything we do together is fucking perfection,” he said with unwavering conviction.
His confidence in me built me back up, motivating me to take the lead again.
“Grab your knife. I want to try something,” I said, getting onto my knees.
Charlie’s eyes widened slightly, darting towards the shower glass door. “I’ve, uh…I’ve lost it,” he said quietly.
“You lost it? You take that thing everywhere,” I teased, but as the words left my mouth, a sudden realization hit me.
Did he use the knife on Jake?
Charlie glanced back at me, not saying a word.
“You know what…I don’t need it,” I said quickly, shoving the thought aside. I took his arms and gently pulled them behind his back. “All I need is for you to put your hands here and keep them there.”
I rose to my feet, aligning my body above his. He looked up at me, his eyes filled with desire and anticipation, fully submitting to me.
I lowered myself back onto my knees, positioning his body between my thighs. Arching my back, I leaned forward, letting my breasts hover close to Charlie’s face. His eyes burned with desire as he tried to press his mouth against me, but I pulled back with a playful laugh, keeping him wanting more.
“I didn’t say you could touch me, Charlie,” I teased.
He groaned softly, the desperation in his eyes nearly making me give in.
“You drive me so fucking crazy, mi diosa, ” he said breathlessly, his gaze flicking between my eyes and my breasts, unable to resist.
I smiled and leaned in, my lips brushing his ear. “I know I do, baby,” I whispered, sliding my legs open as I settled onto his lap, my pussy hovering just in front of his cock.
“Oh, fuck,” he moaned as I gripped his length firmly, teasing him by letting my slick folds glide along the length of him. I swayed my hips slowly, driving him wild.
“Please,” he begged, his voice breaking.
I couldn’t help but bask in the sound of him begging. Smirking, I positioned the tip of his cock at my entrance, pushing in just enough to make him gasp before pulling back.
“No!” he groaned, frustrated. “Please, mi diosa! ”
“I just love the sounds you make when you’re desperate,” I said, feeling a mischievous smirk on my lips. “Almost as much as I love feeling your cock stretch me.” I teased him again, just the tip, before pulling away once more.
He whimpered, his hips lifting instinctively in search of me.
“How long do you think you’ll last like this, baby?” I asked mockingly, arching my brows.
“I won’t,” he whined. “Please.”
Stifling a giggle, I tilted my head. “Do you think it would be harder if I let you suck on my breasts?”
He bit down on his lip, his restraint slipping. “It would,” he admitted, his voice low.
I leaned closer, letting my breasts brush against his face, and he didn’t waste a second. His lips latched onto my nipple, sucking with a hunger that made my pussy twitch.
“You’re getting me so fucking wet, Charlie,” I moaned, stroking his cock with both hands as his mouth worked me.
He groaned into my breast, his desperate eyes meeting mine, silently begging for release.
“You better not come yet, baby. I’m not done with you,” I warned, quickening my strokes before suddenly slapping his length and pulling my chest away.
“No!” he groaned, his frustration growing.
I smiled and stood, turning and lifting a leg to position myself so he was behind me, my ass in full view. Teasing him again, I slid his length against my entrance, my movements slow and steady. His moans grew louder, more desperate.
“Please, mi diosa, ” he begged, his voice trembling. “Please, fuck me!”
“I’m going to need more begging, baby,” I said playfully as I picked up my pace.
“Please, mi diosa, I need your pussy. I’m gonna fucking burst,” he whimpered.
“Yeah? And whose cock is this?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder into his desperate, pleading eyes.
“Yours!” he gasped, his voice cracking.
“That’s right,” I said, finally positioning him at my entrance. With one swift motion, I pushed him deep inside of me, my hips moving quickly as I slid along his length.
“Oh, fuck, Ana,” he groaned, his breaths uneven. “I’m gonna come.”
I stopped abruptly, pulling him out. “Not yet, Charlie,” I said with a laugh, enjoying his groan of frustration.
I continued to torment him, alternating between teasing and letting him inside me for only a few seconds at a time, until the tension built to an unbearable point—for both of us.
“Okay, baby,” I finally said, shifting to face him, straddling his lap. My hands rested on his shoulders as I leaned in close. “You’ve been such a good boy. I’m going to fuck you until I come, and you may come when I say so.”
With that, I sank onto his cock, his thickness filling me completely. I moved my hips quickly, chasing my release, the pleasure crashing over me in waves almost instantly.
“Come inside me, Charlie. Now,” I demanded breathlessly, still trembling as the aftershocks of my orgasm coursed through me.
He let out a guttural moan, his hips lifting as he spilled into me, his face contorting with relief and pleasure.
As our bodies stilled, I tugged his hair gently, both of us catching our breaths.
“Thank you, mi diosa, ” he said softly.
I leaned forward, pressing my lips to his in a tender kiss, feeling completely recharged, like I was fully myself again.
* * *
Charlie and I headed back to the apartment with Callan and Sloane after a few hours of restless sleep. The weight of what we’d all endured lingered in the air, but the quiet wasn’t heavy or tense—it was the quiet of exhaustion, of survival.
Stepping into the apartment felt like walking into a sanctuary, leaving the horrors of the lake house behind us. The familiar space wrapped around me like a shield, offering a reprieve from the chaos of the last few days.
Sloane and Callan drifted towards the guest room without a word, their steps slow and heavy. I sat onto the couch with a deep sigh, my body sinking into the cushions as if they could absorb the tension still clinging to my muscles.
Charlie joined me, settling beside me and grabbing my hand. I leaned my head against his shoulder, his warmth everything I needed at that moment.
“Everything feels lighter now,” I said quietly, closing my eyes.
“That’s because it is,” he murmured, his voice carrying a soft smile.
I tilted my head slightly to look at him. “Is it, though?”
He nodded, squeezing my hand. “You know…you didn’t need me to rescue you. You got away from Jake on your own. Callan and I just…we stopped him before he got worse.”
I sat up straighter, searching his face for doubt. “Did you think I couldn’t handle it on my own?” I asked, a flicker of uncertainty passing through me.
His dimpled smile melted the tension from my chest. “I never doubted you. I just hope you know it, too,” he said, his voice low and full of reassurance.
I felt my breath catch as his words sank in.
“You’ve not only saved yourself, Ana,” he continued, his fingers brushing over mine. “You’ve saved me. I was so fucking lost until I found you. This life—the fans, the music, all of it—it’s nothing without you. I was so alone before, and now…” He paused, his eyes locking with mine. “Now I know I’ll never be lonely again.”
His words settled over me like a blanket, heavy and warm. I held his gaze, seeing the vulnerability there, the truth in every syllable he had spoken.
As I leaned back into the cushions, my thoughts began to spin, pulling me into the depths of everything that had brought us to this moment. Everything we’d done together, for each other, weighed against my chest, each memory surfacing like a ghost. The lies we told, the fights we endured, the manipulation and the desperate choices made in moments of panic, jealousy, and desire.
It wasn’t a soft, gentle love story we had. It burned, bright and all-consuming. A fire that we couldn’t escape, even if we wanted to.
And I’d known that from the beginning. I’d known we’d get burned.
I’d told myself when it all started, when his obsession first started pulling me in: I was playing with fire. And I was right. We’d both been scorched by this, scarred by it.
But as I sat there, his hand in mine and his eyes locked on me like I was the only thing that mattered, I realized something else.
I liked the burn.
I pressed my lips to his, the kiss slow but full of the fire that had always burned between us. When we pulled away, I smiled.
“I love you,” I said.
“And I love you, mi diosa ,” he said, his grin matching mine.
As the moment stretched on, I knew one thing for certain: we’d gone to the edge and back for each other. We bled for each other. Lied for each other. Burned for each other.
And I’d do it all again.
Not because it was right, but because his love made me feel untouchable. And mine brought him to his knees.
Together, we weren’t just in love. We were lethal, a force that devoured everything in its path…including ourselves.