39. AJ
Iwake up feeling like I have slept for a year. The bed is comfortable, the early morning light still a soft glow, and the feeling of small kisses against my skin makes me smile and my dick hard.
“What are you up to, sweetheart?” I grumble, my morning voice sounding rougher than I expected.
“Kissing all your artwork,” she says, her naked body draped on top of mine. She doesn’t stop as her lips touch almost every inch of my chest. I huff a laugh and open my eyes. Her messy bed hair and pink cheeks make me feel things I never have previously. Before Val, it would be a rare occurrence if I woke up in the morning with a woman beside me. Even when it did happen, it was usually because I was too exhausted or too drunk to leave during the night. But I have been in her bed and woken up with her numerous times now, and it is my favorite way to start my day.
“Come here,” I say gruffly as my hands find her waist. My dick is ramrod straight this morning and the only thing on my mind to fix the situation is her. Last night, I tried to be soft. Sensual. I had no fucking idea what I was doing or if I was doing it right, but I did what felt right to me and I made love to her. I’ve never done anything like that before, and it connected us more. I felt it right in my core, and I want to do it again. It was a test for me. To see if I could resist her just enough to go slow and steady. It was hard. My feelings for Val are intense and the need to have her hard and fast is what I crave.
“AJ!” she squeals as I lift her up, her light body easy to maneuver. She knows what I want, her legs falling to either side of me immediately as she straddles my waist.
“That’s better,” I praise, as my large hands run up and down her soft bare thighs. This is the best sight I have ever seen. Her curves, her tits, her hair hanging down around her shoulders, and the big smile on her face that I know is there for me.
“You’re throbbing…” she murmurs, her hand coming to my cock that is standing to attention right in front of where she sits on me.
“What are you going to do about it?” I teasingly ask her as she gives me a few small pumps in her hand. When my hips jolt a bit, her body jiggles, her tits wobbling.
“This…” She lifts a little, and with me still in her hand, she positions me at her entrance and then slowly sinks down on top.
“That’s it, sweetheart. Look at how good you take me,” I grit out, watching my dick slide into her.
“Ohhh, that feels so good,” she moans a little as she lifts up and down on top of me, and I am mesmerized, her naked body all open right in front of me to take in, to look at, to watch. I run my hands up her thighs, skimming up her waist, and then I cup her tits, molding them in my hands as her movements speed up.
“That’s it, baby. Ride me. Fucking ride my cock.”
She moans my name how I like it, her hands cupping around mine on her breasts as her hips move faster.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful, such a good fucking beautiful girl with my cock buried inside of you…” I grip on to her waist and pull her on and off me, my need for her now urgent.
“Oh God…” She starts to whimper, her body now at my mercy as I thrust up into her. Her hands grab on to my forearms as our pace increases.
“I want to bury myself so deep,” I growl, needing this, needing her.
“AJ… AJ… AJ!” she screams as her body convulses, and her mouth drops open. She looks so good, bouncing on top of me, bare, no inhibitions. Her face looks almost pained in ecstasy and her hands grip on to me hard as I don’t relent. I thrust up into her harder, my core muscles working overtime, needing to feel her come for me.
“You look so fucking beautiful when you come,” I grit out before I shoot my release. “Fuck…” I groan, my orgasm strong. Her hands rest on my chest as we both pant before she flops down on me exhausted.
“That’s the cardio workout you need to do every morning,” I tease as I kiss her head, her hair spread across my chest, and she chuckles. I caress up and down her bare back, tracing her sides, feeling her curves.
“Speaking of starting the morning…” she murmurs “We should get up before everyone comes in today.” I don’t want to move. I want to lie here with her naked body on top of mine, and I want to do that all over again. But my boys will be up soon. They will barge in here to get me for our daily walk around the building and check-in with Victor.
“Let”s hit the shower,” I say, sitting up and lifting her off my chest, positioning her in my arms so I can carry her to the shower.
“You don’t have to carry me everywhere,” she says as she snuggles into my chest, and I walk into the bathroom and turn on the shower.
“But I like it,” I tell her honestly. I feel like if she is in my arms, then this is all real. Not some dream or my imagination. She is safe and I feel safe with her. Like, if we are together, then nothing else matters. As long as we have each other, then everything else will be alright.
“I can tell.” She smiles as I place her on her feet under the spray, and I watch her as she soaks her body. “So I wanted to talk to you about something…”
“About?” I ask, ducking my head under the stream of water, wishing it would wash all the bad shit in my life away.
“I want to go into the Van Cleef Corp offices today.”
I pull out of the water and look at her like she is crazy.
“No,” I say sternly. She is not leaving this apartment. It is what her father is waiting for. He hasn’t made a move yet because he can’t. But I know he is waiting for her to leave. I am sure he has plans to take her, kidnap her, mistreat her. That is not going to happen.
“But I need to go in, see the staff. Tell them I am fine and things will be okay,” she says, and I shake my head.
“It isn’t safe.” There is no way in hell she is leaving this apartment.
“But I need to show the board that I am strong and capable under pressure. That I won”t just hide when things get tough. They need to see what kind of leader I can be.” She’s not letting it go and my shoulders feel tight.
“We don’t know what your father is thinking, we don’t know what he has up his sleeve. Here, you are safe,” I grit out to her, trying to make her understand.
“But I need to be seen in public. I need to make a statement,” she pushes back on me, looking frustrated that I am not condoning it. “I can’t keep hiding.”
“Val, I said no.”
“AJ, I need to get out.” She demands as my nostrils flare.
“No,” I say sharply, because if I say anything else, I will yell.
“AJ, it has to happen sometime. I need to force his hand.” I know what she means. Nothing will happen while she is here, and I know we need to make a move, but I don’t want to.
“I can’t protect you as well outside of these four walls,” I grit out.
“You don’t need to worry. I’ll take a team. You don’t need to protect me. I will be fine.”
“You are not leaving this penthouse!” My voice rises, the shower not drowning out our heated discussion.
“Why not?” Her sassy confidence is in full effect.
“Because he will find you, because he will take you from me, and he can’t do that, because I fucking love you!” I yell, and we both still. The running water is the only sound as we both stand together in shock.
“What?” she whispers, her eyes wide.
“I fucking love you, alright,” I snap as I step out of the shower and grab a towel, my heart thumping, my head a mess.
“Wait…” She scrambles to turn off the water and follow me. I take a deep breath. I feel like I am going to have a fucking panic attack. I love her. I fucking love her. What if she doesn”t love me? What the fucking hell have I done. I lean on the sink and hang my head as I try to get myself under control.
“AJ,” Val says softly, her hands running up my arm. “Look at me.” I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment before opening them again and taking a deep breath. I stand up and turn. I need to take it like a man.
“I love you too. I think I did from the moment you picked me up and threw me out of Club Vine,” she says, a small smile coming to her face. I sigh in relief and my shoulders lower as I swallow hard. For years, I felt unloved. If your own parents can’t love and care for you, what hope is there to ever find true love? I never thought it was for me. But I found it. And she is standing right in front of me. A small smile threatens my lips. She fucking loves me too.
“Don’t be scared. This is a good thing.” Her smile widens, and I can’t help but smile back at her. I reach out and cup my hand around her waist and pull her tight, looking at her now beaming. Kissing her gently, I feel her melt into my arms. I pull back slightly and look at her before our conversation re-emerges in my brain.
“The answer is still no,” I tell her sternly, and she pouts. She is about to come back at me when my cell rings. I am immediately on guard with how early it is.
“Get it,” she says, stepping back, worry on her face.
I swiftly walk back to the bedroom and grab my phone from the nightstand. My mom?
“Hey, Mom,” I answer as I sit on the bed and look at Val, who leans against the doorframe, watching me with concern.
“AJ. I’m in a bit of trouble,” she starts cautiously. It has been months since I last spoke to her. Being in a bit of trouble means she has a dealer to pay and no money to pay him.
“How much?” I ask, lowering my eyes, feeling like shit that Val sees this side of me.
“Just a thousand.”
“A thousand? Jesus, Mom, what the hell?” Anger takes over.
“Don’t shout at me, boy! I’ve seen the newspapers. I see you are shacked up with that rich woman. A thousand dollars is mere change to you now,” she spits out, the bitter tone that I am so used to hearing from her making an appearance. I don’t like her referencing Val or her money.
“Don’t you even say her name.” I love my mom. In my own fucked-up way. But I love Val more, and nothing and no one will come before that. Not even the woman who gave birth to me.
“Just come down here and give me some cash. I need it before five,” she demands and I wonder for a beat what would happen if I said no. Closing my eyes, I sigh in defeat. I know exactly what will happen and I can’t let it. Death or severe assault. I have barely a grand in my personal bank account, so I will take it all and give it to her and then figure out the rest after.
“Alright, Mom, I will come today. See you soon,” I say, hanging up and feeling like shit.
“Is she alright?” Val asks, coming to sit next to me on the bed.
“She just needs some cash. I need to go see her today,” I tell her, still not looking at her, embarrassed and ashamed that at thirty-three, I am giving my mom money that she can spend on drugs because her habit is one that she can’t break. It is barely seven a.m. and already this morning is too emotional.
“Okay, well, you go. Do what you need to do. I’ll stay here today. I won’t go anywhere until you are back with me.” I look up at her, and she nods, confirming her words. A feeling of warmth spreads across my chest at her giving up her need to go out today and waiting for me. I don’t want to choose saving my mom or saving Val. I would make a choice if I had to, but I don’t want to have to do that, and the fact Val understands makes me love her even more.
“I promise not to be gone too long. Just the day. Brady and Cody will be here to watch things,” I tell her, hating to leave her.
“Go get ready, I’ll make you breakfast.” Leaning in to kiss me, she ties her robe and walks out to the kitchen. I watch her walk away and already can’t wait to be back. To be back home with her.