Chapter 31 The Phoenix #2
“You’re going to get a complete therapy session, along with proper aftercare that I haven’t been able to provide you with yet.
” Heat developed between my legs at his rough voice in my ear, promising both sweet and dirty things with the suggestion.
“I just thought you might enjoy a more private session upstairs.”
“I think I like the sound of that,” I whispered, turning to face him, letting my body linger in close proximity to his.
“Right this way then.” He took my hand, and I called Riley, getting him off the couch to go with us.
As he led us up the dim stairway, I should have been more aware that I had just finished a run and I was probably still sweaty.
I should have been more self-conscious about it, but Daxton had seen me at my absolute lowest, where I had to crawl from the bottom up.
Being embarrassed around him was something I had to let go of.
At the top of the stairs was another locked door. I waited patiently behind him while he fished his keys out of his pocket. Riley waited patiently at my side, not a single care in the world, and completely at ease.
Daxton opened the door, and Riley burst through, not at all wanting to wait for either of us to follow him. The dog waltzed in there like he owned the place. Daxton stood to the side and waited for me to enter first, closing the door behind us and turning the lock.
The decor upstairs was very similar to his office downstairs.
A lot of browns and greens, minimal clutter except for a wooden bookcase filled with what seemed to be psychology reference books.
The ceiling consisted of exposed beams and vintage lights hanging down.
Not very many photos hung on the brick walls, yet it was cozy for a bachelor's apartment.
The living space was an open concept with the kitchen and a small dining area.
Most of his appliances were black with dark cherry cabinets and a matching dining room table big enough for three people.
Riley circled back from his initial investigative lap around the apartment and nudged my hand to get my attention.
“What buddy?” I asked him as I gave him a good scratch behind his ears. His answering huff was enough as he went to yet another couch and made himself at home.
“I think he likes your place,” I said, following him over to the couch to take a seat.
“Good, I want you both to be comfortable here.” Daxton took a seat on a well-worn recliner across from his couch.
“You intend for us to visit often?” I questioned, crossing my legs underneath me and pinning him with a look. The look that dared him not to be honest with me.
“Raelynn, I wouldn’t let you out of my sight if you’d let me,” he said seriously, pinning me with a more intense look than I managed to give him. “I’m not even happy that since your ex is still missing that you’re not staying here with me.”
“I told you last night, Michelle and I are fine, we’re used to taking care of each other.
” And I was stubborn, wanting to prove that I could do it on my own.
I couldn’t let Craig run me out of my house.
He’d already won once by keeping me in the hospital and nearly killing me—I wasn’t going to let him win again.
“I’m here for the long haul, no matter how long it takes for you to see it.” His words meant a lot to me, and I wanted to believe them. I wanted to believe that someone other than my sister could hold that place in my heart.
“I’ll consider taking you up on your offer, but it’s not just me I need to think about. Michelle is in this too; she’s been basically stalked by him if the pictures were any clue.”
“How did she like staying with her friend?”
“She likes having her own space, we both do. I’m sure she could if she needed to—both of us just want to get back to normal.”
“Normal is relative depending on your perspective.”
“As normal as we can be after everything that has happened.”
“What do you think would get you to a normal place in your mind?” He was easing back into complete therapist mode, though he still held a darkness in his eyes that I wanted to tease.
“I’d like Craig to meet the same fate as Brandon.” The words were so casual as I spoke them, even though I meant them from my very soul.
“Maybe you’ll get lucky and the police will find him and be able to convict him of the murders of his mother and sister.” He suggested, though I didn’t believe he meant that as the course of action he thought was best.
“Maybe, though I don’t have much faith in the justice system.”
“You shouldn’t, it’s too corrupt, even the ones who have honorable intentions are held back by those with deep pockets and hidden agendas.
“Is that why you take matters into your own hands?”
“Sometimes,” he pondered, thinking through my question. “I try to give the system a fair chance. When it fails the victims, I can’t just let that slide. Not if I can help bring them some solace in knowing the person is gone, even if they don’t know it was at my hands.”
“Do you ever wish people knew it was you?” Curiosity was getting the better of me, and the desire to get inside his head a little bit.
“This is your therapy session, Rae, not mine. Nice try though.”
“Can you blame me for trying to get to know the man who has laid claim to me?”
He laughed, “You’ll get your turn to ask any question you want. Right now, it’s my job to check on you.”
“As you can see, I’m fine, I even followed through with my promise to start running with Kendi.”
“Are you still planning on getting her a job when she gets home?”
“Of course I am, I hate that she lost her job while she was trying to get better.” From a business standpoint, I understood her employers needed to fill the position. From a personal level, they fucked up big time by terminating Kendi.
“You’re a good friend to her,” he observed, watching me as I slouched next to my dog, ideally stroking his fur.
“She was a good friend to me when she didn’t need to be. I’d do anything to help her out after how she was there for me in the hospital.”
“Would she like the fact that you’re staying alone while a psychopath is on the loose?”
I glared at him, “Nice way to circle it back around. She knows my sister is staying with me, and she’s not as much of a pain in the ass as other people are.”
“Your ass wasn’t what I was planning on inflicting pain on today, but my agenda can be negotiated if it’s something you want to consider,” He said in all seriousness.
I felt my cheeks flush as the thought of him in that way caused me to get distracted from why I was arguing with him in the first place.
“My ass is safe, I’m sweaty, and I need to shower before you make any part of my body feel pain.”
“Good thing I have a shower. I’m not a patient man when it comes to you, Raelynn and you’ve kept me waiting long enough.
Even worse, you plan on making me wait even longer by staying away.
I have half a mind to lock you away for your own good and my pleasure.
” His voice was leaving no room for argument, but I knew I was safe with him, and I knew he had a point.
I just wasn’t ready to give in. I needed to make sure I knew how to stand on my own two feet.
Riley didn’t even wake up to his baritone voice bossing me around.
“Now, do you want the tour or do you want to keep running your mouth to delay the inevitable?”
I swallowed hard, and any argument I had died on my tongue as he rose from the chair and stalked toward me. His intentions were crystal clear in his gaze. Mental health therapy was completed, and physical therapy was about to begin.
“Get your ass off that couch,” he said as he extended his hand to me.
Riley didn’t move as he pulled me up and practically dragged me down the short hallway where only two doors were located. The one directly at the end opened into what appeared to be his bedroom. I got a quick glance of a bed with a black comforter before my attention was diverted to the bathroom.
“Do you enjoy ignoring my advice?” He asked as he grabbed the edge of my sweatshirt, pulling it over my head and dumping it on the floor.
“Or do you just like seeing how worked up it gets me?” My shirt came next, joining my sweatshirt on the floor, followed by my sports bra.
I wasn’t complaining about that item of clothing being removed; I always felt too restricted to stay in it very long.
“I find that there are benefits to both those points,” I said as his hands grabbed my naked waist, his mouth finding mine. Fire spread through my veins as our bodies collided.
My hands couldn’t get under his shirt fast enough; the need to have his skin pressed against mine was the only thing that mattered anymore.
His touch was like fire, igniting me every place we met.
We broke apart just long enough for his shirt to get yanked over his head.
As he dropped it to the floor, my hands started fumbling with his zipper.
I pushed his pants to the ground as he reached behind him to turn the knob on the shower. My running leggings followed soon after, both of us left completely naked in our rush to rid ourselves of the items of clothing that did nothing but get in the way.
Daxton gripped the back of my neck firmly, pulling me against him so possessively I wouldn’t have been able to get away even if I had wanted to. I groaned, opening my mouth and allowing him to dominate my mouth. His tongue swept in, and I wanted nothing more but to submit to him.
As his hands roamed my body, caressing every inch of me that was exposed to him, he started backing me up under the cascading water.
His shower head was mounted in the ceiling, drenching us both equally as we stepped under the spray.
My body became slick against his, the sweat from my run quickly washed away.
He fisted his grip in my hair, yanking my head away from his firmly as I opened my eyes, blinking against the onslaught of water on my face.
“I’ll agree to you staying with your sister on one condition.” He said against my neck, nipping at me with his teeth.
“What’s that?” I groaned as he continued to bite me, losing all ability to even try to argue the point that he didn’t have a choice in the matter. Who was I kidding? I’d let him have complete control if I weren’t stubborn.
“You will check in with me often.” Daxton slipped his hand between our bodies, his fingers deftly finding the exact spot that I needed him.
Gently, he pressed down and started circling, eliciting a loud moan from me.
His words weren’t a request, his tone left no room for argument, not that I could even if I wanted to.
I was near seeing stars as he dragged me closer and closer to climax.
“Yes, sir.” Words were difficult to manage, and I knew he was doing that on purpose, distracting me from arguing by using my body against me.
“That’s my good girl,” he said before kissing me again, starting off slower this time. I put everything I had into kissing him back, willing myself to show him that I trusted him with more than just my body.
His hands drifted down my body to cup my ass, pulling me against him, grinding himself into me, his hard length pressed against me in ways that made my legs quake with need.
Slowly, both of his hands drifted down for my ass to grip the back of my thighs.
Without warning, he yanked me up against him, the water almost drowning out the gasp of surprise I let out when I broke away from him.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, never having been lifted up like this before.
At this angle, my head was higher than his, though I didn’t get much time to appreciate the new view as he lowered me down, impaling me on his awaiting cock.
I nearly screamed as he filled me, gripping his neck tightly as he let me adjust for a moment.
Water blurred my vision as I rocked my hips in his grip, urging him to move, to create that delicious friction I craved so badly from him.
Daxton didn’t make me wait long before he obliged, guiding my body up and down with his powerful arms. I didn’t dare loosen my grip around his neck as he continued pumping me up and down against his body, filling me each time to the hilt at the perfect angle, almost making me forget my own name.
We weren’t rushed this time, not in the comfort of his own home.
As much as I loved the fast-paced and rough claiming he usually laid on me, this was different.
I cupped his face with my hands, trying my best to look him in the eyes as water ran down my face.
I wanted to see his face as he came undone.
Slowly, he started teasing me, bouncing me faster against him, his cock driving me right to the edge, before he’d slow down again.
“Please,” I begged him, feeling myself throbbing around him as he continued the best torture I had ever experienced.
“Please, what?” He said, each word punctuated by another thrust of his cock.
“Please let me cum,” I gazed into his brown eyes, pleading with him to let me find my release.
He buried his face in my neck, the muscles in his arms bulging as he gripped me harder, pushing me through a punishing pace.
He bounced me ruthlessly, pounding himself inside me until I was seeing stars.
I cried out, wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders, clenching around him as he found his release deep inside me, his body shaking as he continued to hold me up.
Slowly, he withdrew himself from inside me, leaving me feeling a little empty from the lack of him.
The evidence from both of us carelessly swept down the drain as my feet hit the tiled floor and my legs shook.
If it wasn’t for him still holding onto me, I probably would have fallen over, but his grip never let me.
Instead, he began cleaning me up, washing me, caressing me, and caring for me as we had never been able to before.