Chapter 67
BECKHAM
While Kai takes Sage to BU to re-enroll, Vinny and I go to his house to pack some of his stuff so he can stay at Sage’s for a while.
I think Vincent is freaked out whenever he’s in his childhood home lately, the ghost of his past life haunting him at every turn.
I mean, his father’s stuff is still scattered around like he’s going to come back one day, and the reminder of everything he did is enough to want this place to burn as well.
As soon as we graduate, we’ll figure out a more permanent situation with Sage. Maybe we’ll all move in together.
I’m daydreaming about what it’d be like to fall asleep between Vinny and Sage every night, and wake up in the same place every morning, when Vinny calls my name to get my attention.
He’s packing a duffle bag that’s sitting on his bed with clothes, a small backpack next to it that he put his laptop and some other stuff into.
I look up at him from where I’m seated across the room at his desk. “What?”
“I said, are we okay?” he repeats as he rolls a pair of jeans and puts them in the duffle.
“We’re fine, Vincent,” I say, looking down at my nails so he doesn’t see the lie in my eyes.
“Vincent?” he questions, taking a step toward me. “Since when do you call me Vincent?”
I look up at him again, and he has an eyebrow lifted as he stalks closer. “That’s your name.”
He tilts his head, a humored smile spreading across his face.
“I know that’s my name, Becks, but you’ve never called me that.” A thoughtful look passes over his features as he reaches me. “It’s Vin, Vinny, V, Baby, oooh-daddy-right-there—but never Vincent.”
I laugh, smacking his hand away as he goes to grab me. “I don’t think I’ve ever called you daddy.”
He steps even closer, so close that my legs spread so he can step between my thighs. His pelvis brushes mine, and he grins down at me as he slides a hand around my jaw and into my hair. “You could, though. I’d like to see you on your knees, begging daddy for his big cock.”
I swallow hard as heat spreads through me, desire and anxiety mixing together so quickly that I start to breathe faster, and I flinch just hard enough that Vinny notices.
Vinny raises an eyebrow, then takes a step back to scan his gaze over me. “What’s wrong?”
Shaking my head, I go to grab him, but he moves out of my reach. “Nothing, V. Come here.”
“Should we talk about whatever’s bothering you, B?” he asks, his features going soft. “You can’t keep pulling away from me and expect me not to notice.”
“I know,” I say quietly, pressing my lips together for a moment. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to be sorry. I just need you to communicate with me.”
Nodding, I run my hand down my face as I take a breath. “I’m just still fucked up from everything that’s happened.”
“I think we all are, B. But we stick together. That’s how we’ve always gotten through shit.” Vinny bites his lip, eyes on mine.
“It’s different this time,” I whisper, wanting to curl up inside myself, make myself so small that he can’t see the shame I feel for everything I’ve done, for everything he’s done.
“What do you mean?” Vinny presses, and when I look back at his face, he looks hurt enough that I want to cry.
“I’m just having a hard time letting you back in,” I say hesitantly, hating the way the words taste on my tongue.
Vinny nods, pressing his lips together in thought for a moment. “Tell me what I need to do. Tell me what you need.”
“I just need time, V,” I answer and stand up to meet him. “I still love you, and I still want this life with you, I just need to get over what you did.”
“Okay,” he whispers, his gaze keeping mine captive, and I get the urge to kiss him. So that’s what I do. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him softly, savoring the taste of his lips and the smell of his skin and the feel of his hair under my fingers.
When I pull back, I smile at him. “We’re okay, V. Just give it time.”
He kisses me one more time. “I love you, Beckham.”
“Me too, daddy,” I joke, making him laugh.
It’s deep into the afternoon when we get back to Sage’s house. Kai and Sage are on the porch, sitting in the little rocking chair Sage’s grandmother had set up out there, and Kai is whispering something into Sage’s ear through her hair.
When they notice us walking up the driveway, Sage’s face splits into a smile that spreads from ear to ear.
Kai’s hands are on her bare thighs, her shorts riding up, and when we’re stepping onto the porch, she jumps up to hug both of us.
“Hi.”
“Did you get back into school?” Vinny asks, tilting her head back by her chin.
“Yes,” she answers, her deep-brown eyes narrowing. “Now it’s your turn.”
Laughing, I smack Sage’s ass playfully as I walk past them to take Vinny’s bag inside. “Yeah, good luck.”
“Kaiden’s going back with me,” Sage says, looking at me over her shoulder. “Are you?”
I throw Vinny’s bag down in the entry, then run back outside and grab Sage by the waist, lifting her and carrying her inside.
“Hey! Be careful with her!” Kaiden yells after me, and both Sage and I laugh.
“She’s not going to break!” I shout behind me, then I start taking the stairs up to Sage’s bedroom, dead set on throwing her into bed and climbing between her legs to feel her heat against my skin.
As I walk through the bedroom door, Sage giggles and grabs my cheeks. “I know what we need to do, Beckham.”
“Oh yeah?” I say, dropping her down on the mattress playfully and standing between her open thighs. “What’s that, Savage?”
She curves her back slightly, looking up at me through her lashes. “We need to take back the power.”
Sliding my hands over her waist, I squeeze her thighs and hips. “What power?”
She spreads her legs wider. “What happened to us was fucked up, Beckham. But we can take back control of our lives, our feelings, our fucking sexuality, and we can have the goddamn power again.”
I hum between my lips, kissing down her neck in a wet, sloppy kiss that makes her head fall back. “Tell me what you want, then. Take the fucking power, baby.”