Chapter 35
Present Day
I was so determined to take my time with Nova. That goes out the window the second I feel the moisture coating her inner thighs, slipping down from the cunt I know she wants me to touch. At the feel of it, desperation courses through me like never before, demanding I claim her before the chance slips away.
Unable to control the raging instinct in me, I snatch her up, sending her tumbling onto the bed. Her hair tangles around her and her legs are parted even before I push between them.
“Next time, I won’t be a horny teenage boy,” I tell her ruefully.
I’m not sorry—not really. Not as I bury myself inside her.
Both of us groan as I drive into her, not having the ability to go slow, until she has taken every inch of me. She is so hot and wet that I have to grit my teeth against the urge to finish right here and now.
And all the while, a symphony plays in my head, those plucky notes now familiar to me.
As if knowing I’m struggling to maintain, my body tenses when I feel her muscles clamp around my cock. Her hips jerk, demanding that I move.
“Such a greedy girl,” I growl, sawing in and out of her with movements so small that it’s torturous to both of us.
“Theodore, please,” she begs, her back arching.
She groans in relief as I adjust, withdrawing from her body completely and then slamming back in. But it isn’t right. I can’t see her this way. Nova gasps as I grip her hips and roll until I’m on my back and she sits up, bracing her hands on my chest.
I tuck my hand behind my head, admiring those pert tits above me. “Ride my cock, baby girl.”
Her body responds the same way it did earlier when I called her that, clenching, her muscles contracting and releasing with a shudder. Being inside her while she reacts, however, is very different from simply watching it. All of her muscles tighten, including around me.
Her fingers drift down my chest, through the smattering of black and gray hair, before she leans forward, sliding along my length slowly. “I don’t understand,” she whimpers as she pushes back down. “I don’t understand any of this.”
I don’t ask her to explain. I already know what she means, and it has nothing to do with the sex. I know from hearing Jimmy and Koda talk that when they took her for themselves, they both had moments where they had the same overwhelming feeling I’m having now. One of goodness and connection I’ve not found in my fifty-two years. I’m not sure whether or not to be disgusted with myself that I’m currently balls deep in an eighteen-year-old girl I’ve been obsessed with for weeks.
What I am sure of, however, is that whatever this is outweighs political correctness. I don’t know how all of us play a part, but Nova is the one that links us together. She’s the key, and I don’t really believe any one of us will be able to move on without her.
I let Nova explore, testing out this position with pretty little moans, making me wonder if neither of the other two had fucked her like this. My balls ache with the need to flip us back over and hammer into her until we’re both coming together. I bite down on the inside of my cheek when she shifts, planting her feet on either side of me. She wobbles and I grab at her wrists, keeping her from losing her balance.
She doesn’t stop. In fact, her pace picks up now that she has more leverage. I take her hands, intertwining our fingers, giving her something to hold on to. Wet sucking noises fill the air as she bounces harder, practically splashing in the puddle she’s made on top of me.
“Such a good girl,” I grit out, thrusting up as she slaps back down. “Such a good fucking girl. Made for us, weren’t you, baby girl?”
“Theodore,” Nova whines, her pussy clamping down on me.
She’s so close. Releasing one of her hands, my hand darts to her, my thumb pressing down right over her clit, circling with intentional roughness until she bucks wildly.
The feel of her coming around me sends me spiraling, allowing the only thing—my will—stopping me from filling her up so far to slip away. Her hand tightens on mine until my fingers tingle, a broken cry leaving her—one she holds back in an effort to keep herself quiet.
Nova crashes to her knees, collapsing on top of me, her breathing coming in quick little pants. I wrap my arms around her tight, my only regret the fact that my cock slipped from her when she fell. Planting kisses on the top of her head, I hold her as her racing heart calms, her sweat-slicked body becoming chilled and clammy.
I know Koda took her repeatedly the night before last, telling Jimmy that walking away after the first time was akin to trying to walk away from heroin. Nova had become a drug for him—an addiction.
I had only ever smoked some pot here and there, nothing more. Yet I was just as addicted. There is a gnawing need within me to have Nova again already, but it wars with a part of me that never wanted to move from this position; her in my arms, relaxed and alive and comfortable.
A long enough moment passes that I wonder if Nova has fallen asleep, her breathing light and even. So when her head shifts a minute later, it surprises me enough to cause a flinch to run through me.
“What was your dog’s name?” she asks sleepily.
I smile with my lips against her hair. “Zeus. He is a Cane Corso.”
“What’s a Cane Corso?”
“A big motherfucker of a dog,” I chuckle. “One hundred and thirteen pounds, to be exact.”
“Zeus,” she murmurs. “Where would he have gone? Where should I start looking?”
I hold her a little tighter. “You trying to get rid of me, baby girl?”
Nova lifts her head, her expression very serious as she peers down at me. “No. I’m trying to prove you still belong here.”
My chest tightens with her words. “Fuck, if I could marry you, Nova baby,” I say, my mouth running before my brain can bring it to a screeching halt. “If I could, I would insist it be done right now. No waiting.”
Despite the way my brain mocks me for the sentimental tone behind those words, there is something inherently right about them. That I acknowledge it is surprising to me, given that I had sworn off marriage after my ex’s path of destruction. Marriage was not kind to me and I promised I’d never put myself through that again.
For Nova, I would have done anything.
But I’m not alive and one day she’ll probably marry some lucky bastard closer to her age who could never worship her the way any of us do. But she deserves to actually live a life—not be handcuffed to death.
It’s a bittersweet realization. For now, though. For now, I will keep her right here—and she seems content to stay.
Dropping her head back down, this time so her hands cups her chin against my chest, she watches me. “I feel like I should tell you the idea of marriage after only knowing you for a few weeks—half of which, you all tried to terrify me—is ridiculous.”
“But?” I prompt, watching her.
She smiles slyly. “But the fact I automatically said it was ridiculous because I haven’t known you for very long seems a bit ironic, when the groom would be a ghost.”
A laugh rumbles through me, even if it is colored with sadness. “I suppose that would make for an interesting wedding,” I reply. I reach for her, framing her face with my hand. “But, for the record, we were not all trying to scare you. Dakota was leading that little expedition.”
She huffs out a breath. “I know. Ghost Whisperer.” I grin at the name I know she gave him before they were introduced. “Who was trying to scare me?”
I think about it a moment. “Most of them were. Jimmy and I were trying to stop them. Gabriel wasn’t involved.”
“And Rohan?”
The question is innocent at first glance, but when I study her, I realize there is something deeper to it. Some fervent gleam in her eyes at the name she uttered herself.
“At first, yes,” I answer slowly. “But he refused to help after that first time they all ganged up on you. And now…”
Nova’s head tilts at the way my voice trails off, at the hesitation. “And now?” she asks, breathless.
“He’s angry with me, Dakota, and Jimmy,” I admit, watching for her reaction. “He thinks we should leave you alone. That we are being cruel and will only end up hurting you.”
Eyes widening with alarm, she scrambles off me and I hiss in a breath as her knees come too close to crushing my dick. “No!” she says, panicked. “No, it would be crueler to ignore me when it’s obvious something is happening here! Between all of us! Why would he ignore me? Does he hate me that much?”
“No, Nova baby,” I murmur, sitting up so our eyes are level while she kneels on the bed next to me. “He does not hate you.”
Quite the opposite, but I won’t be telling her that Rohan proclaimed his love for her days ago.
Her eyes drop to the bed. “I need to talk to him,” she mutters to herself.
“Come here,” I order, pulling her back into my arms. “I’ll let him know you want to speak to him, all right?”
Stiff body relaxing at my promise, she curls into me again. “It just feels really important that I see him.”
I let that end the discussion, pressing soft kisses along the length of her neck until she has fully surrendered to me, Rohan no longer in the forefront of her mind. She spins, facing me, our bodies pressed together. My hands stroke soothingly against her hip as we watch one another, something peaceful about just being still with her.
A door shuts somewhere in the house. Neither of us reacts at first, then Nova blinks when something clatters down the hall. She scrambles out of the bed, diving for the clothes she teased me by stripping out of. I dress myself with a single thought and sit up, watching the door carefully.
Just as she’s shoving her legs through the panties and shorts at the same time, the door shakes with an attempt to open it. Nova freezes, staring at the door, stooped over. The doorknob snaps back to the position it started in. She yanks her shorts into place and snatches up her shirt, just as a heavy banging sounds on the door.
“Nova!” Rhea says sharply, before she’s even stopped knocking.
“Hold on!” Nova calls back.
“Open the door, Nova!”
I furrow my brow at the rage in Rhea’s voice, restrained but leaking out into her words. I know she’s been overbearing with Nova, but this feels different.
Nova doesn’t look at me as she quickly snatches the chair away from the door, being quiet as she sets it at the desk with not so much as a thump. Heading back for the door, she freezes when it flies open, Rhea nearly toppling over as she stumbles into the room.
“Why was this locked?” she snarls, catching herself before she hits the floor. “What were you doing in here?”
“Nothing!” Nova answers frantically. She jerks back and I’m not sure if it’s from the words or Rhea’s anger. “I just wanted some privacy!”
“What were you doing that you needed privacy?” Rhea spits.
I rise to my feet, my own bridled fury simmering. I knew Rhea had been a little controlling with Nova since she moved in, from what I’d witnessed myself, but this is beyond squabbling sisters or even a bitchy older sister. She may be a murderer, but I have seen nothing that has truly given me concerns about Nova’s safety until right now.
Hackles up, I edge toward Nova, drawing her attention. It’s only a split second when her eyes dart to me and back to Rhea, but it is enough. Rhea’s eyes burn through me, even though I’m invisible to her, scanning over the exact spot I’m standing in without seeing me.
“Why does it fucking matter what I was doing?” Nova suddenly bellows. “It’s my room, Rhea. Just like your room is yours, and I stayed out when you told me to stay out of it. So back off!”
I swear my teeth groan and crack as I clench my jaw, unsure how Rhea will respond.
Rhea’s attention leaves the room around me, landing squarely on Nova, her nostrils flaring with every heaving, outraged breath. But then, like it’s been doused in water, the fire winks out of her gaze, leaving only burning cold. “Careful, Nova,” she murmurs, her eyes scanning the room again. “Too many more outbursts like that and Dad will accuse me of ruining you.”
A glance at Nova has me realizing how much she’s paled in response to her own explosion. When Rhea’s words land, she winces, then sighs.
“Rhea, I didn’t mean—”
“I think it was perfectly clear what you meant,” she responds, her tone snooty. “You’re overreacting, per usual.”
I gape at her. “You have to be shitting me.”
Nova doesn’t react to my words. “I didn’t mean to—”
I shift, moving closer to her, but being sure I don’t touch her. I’m sure that would be quite the show if Rhea suddenly saw me standing a few feet from her, while my heart sits rotting in her closet. I want to grab Nova, though, and explain to her she did not overreact. If anyone is guilty of that, it’s Rhea.
She sniffs, cutting Nova off. “Don’t bother. I was only worried about you; making sure you were safe. Then you go and yell at me. I see how it is.”
Rhea spins on her heel, stalking back to her room, slamming the door closed after she enters. Nova sighs, her shoulders drooping as she presses her fingertips into the corners of her eyes. If I’m judging right by the little sniffle she gives, she’s crying.
“Nova,” I start, eyeing the open door and keeping my hands to myself.
What I receive in return is the most forced smile I have ever seen from another human being. “I’m fine, Theodore,” she murmurs, shooting nervous glances toward the hall. “You should go for now.”
I would take more offense at that, but the look of sorrow on her face at the idea is enough to assure me she’s not angry with me. I hesitate and then pop out of her room, checking in with Rhea. Rhea is pissed, pacing her room, mumbling under her breath. Andy gives me a wary look before going back to watching her.
Sure that Rhea is occupied for a couple seconds, I go back to Nova’s room, causing her to squeak in surprise when I appear again. I tug her into me, kissing her once solidly, relishing how her hands clutch at me.
“You did not overreact, and that is not how you check on people you care about,” I whisper urgently. “Tell me you understand that, Nova baby.”
The pregnant silence gives me my answer. Jesus, maybe my unfinished business is Nova, simply because she needs someone to tell her that these behaviors aren’t all right or normal.
She jumps as Rhea’s door opens again and I step away so I won’t be seen.
“We’re not done,” I promise, but don’t disappear, resigning myself to becoming Nova’s unseen body guard from this point forward.