MAYA BROOKE
While Skye naps and Finn’s at the gym, I give the house the tidy it so desperately needs.
When you have classes and coursework to complete along with raising a baby, it’s easy to let the place become one giant mess.
But now I have some free time before we start again in the new year, and I want the place to be spotless.
The sound of the front door opening rings in my ears. “You’re back early,” I comment.
It’s only been thirty minutes; he’s usually gone for a couple of hours at least, especially if he’s catching up with Silas and Ronan. But as I close the cupboard door, I realise it’s not Finn.
I stare back at my sister as she steps inside, her keys dangling from her fingers.
“Nina,” I murmur as I brush myself off and walk towards her. “You okay?”
She clears her throat and nods before closing the door behind her.
“I thought you’d be at Mum’s until New Year’s Eve,” I say with confusion.
We haven’t spoken in months, not since she left. And I’ve not had a single text or a call from her.
From the way she’s looking at me with a strained expression, my body starts to tense. There’s bad news lingering on her tongue, I know it. She’s kicking me out, and I’ll have nowhere to go. That’s the only logical thought in my head right now, and the back of my neck starts to sweat.
“What’s wrong?” I ask fearfully.
Nina’s eyes remain on mine as she sighs and walks towards the sofa to find Skye on her playmat. For a long moment, she does nothing but stare down at my daughter, and I frown at the exchange.
“I’m sorry,” she murmurs.
I attempt to clear the thickness building in my throat. “What?”
She huffs and shuts her eyes tightly before raising her head to me. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For how I treated you and Skye.”
My forehead creases as silence washes over us. “Where is this coming from?” I say as I twiddle with the damp cloth between my fingers.
Nina’s shoulders begin to droop, and I walk towards her but keep my distance. We’ve never been close enough to hug or comfort one another, but even so, seeing her like this makes me feel nauseous.
“You’re scaring me,” I murmur.
Without another word, Nina sits down on the sofa directly in front of Skye. “Christmas at Mum’s was a disaster.”
I raise my brows, but I’m not surprised. It’s always a disaster. Hell, actually.
“Worse than usual?”
“Danielle thinks we’re crazy,” she exhales sharply. “I should never have taken her home.”
I perch beside her and wait for her to carry on, but she doesn’t. “What happened?”
“Mum’s new boyfriend is a psychopath,” she murmurs. “And all Mum did was talk about you and Skye.”
My heart hammers in my chest because I know she was probably bitching about us, and it fills me with relief that I wasn’t there to witness it.
“Do I even wanna know?”
Nina shakes her head. “Then she was rude to Danielle, and then Danielle left, and I couldn’t find her. And when I did, she lectured me about how I let Mum walk all over me, and how I allowed her to talk about you and my niece. That I’m blinded by her, and maybe I am.”
I purse my lips. “You still want to believe she’s a good mum,” I say truthfully. “And I learnt a long time ago that she’s not. I understand why you still cling to her because she’s our mother, but she’s never been good to us, Nina. Never.”
“You were always her favourite,” Nina comments as she turns her head towards me.
I pull back like I’ve been slapped. “What? Are you kidding? I’ve never been Mum’s favourite. She’s always despised me, and even more so when I had Skye.”
“Not true.”
“Completely true.”
Nina looks back to Skye for a brief second.
“Is that what this is about?” I shuffle closer to her.
“I just don’t understand why she’s not like other mums.”
I raise my shoulders to my ears before dropping them with a long exhale. “Some people aren’t born to be mothers. Her priorities are elsewhere, and ever since dad broke her heart, she doesn’t care about who she hurts in the process.”
“I’m sorry,” Nina says again.
“For what?”
“For being a total bitch and not helping you out when you needed it.”
“You gave us a home,” I respond. “And I’ll forever be grateful for that. But I was trying my best, and I had no one, nothing, and upsetting you was the last thing I wanted.”
Nina turns to look at me. “Looks like you have everything in order.”
“Barely.”
“Are you with Finn?”
I pause before I respond. “Yes.”
She looks back to Skye. “Can I hold her?”
“Of course.”
The moment I watch Nina lean down to take Skye in her arms, I admire the sight. “She’s gotten so big,” she says with a soft laugh.
“Yeah, she has.”
“How was your Christmas?”
I hold my tongue before I blurt it was the best Christmas I’ve ever had. I don’t think she needs to hear that right now.
“It was good.” I smile. “We had lots of fun.”
“Here?”
I shake my head. “Finn’s parents.”
“Oh—”
Skye wriggles in her auntie’s arms and grips onto her short brown hair.
“How are things with Danielle?”
Nina releases a sigh. “They’re okay. The whole argument kind of put things into perspective for me. I haven’t spoken to Mum since I left on Christmas Day. I don’t really think I have anything to say to her.”
“Do you need the flat back?”
Her brows pinch. “What? No.”
“Okay,” I say with relief.
“I just need to work on things with Danielle. And myself.”
My lips twist to the side. “We all need to work on ourselves.”
“Yeah…” She trails off.
My eyes water at the way Nina looks at Skye. Almost like she’s seeing her for the first time without the influence of my mother breathing down her neck.
“I don’t want us to end up like Mum,” she murmurs.
“What do you mean?”
“I know we’ve never been super close.” She adjusts Skye in her arms. “But I don’t want us to be like her. For us to have a relationship like we do with her.”
I clear my throat. “Me neither.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too.”
“For what?”
“For how we were to each other. It wasn’t fair.”
“Sibling relationships, huh?”
I laugh softly. “Yeah.”
“I’d like to see you both more,” she murmurs. “Make an effort because I know I’ll regret not seeing my niece grow up and supporting my only sister.”
My heart swells as I nod frantically. “I’d love that. Skye would love that.”
Nina’s eyes soften as she smiles. “You’re a great mum, Maya.”
“Trying to be,” I snort.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Deflect. It’s true. You’re a better mum than ours will ever be.”
“I’ll make sure I never end up like that woman, and we’ve always deserved better.”
Nina’s eyes soften. “Yeah, I guess we have.”
My phone lights up, and I see the time, 10PM on New Year’s Eve.
“Two hours to go. Surprised that we’re not in bed.”
I grin. “I’m shockingly awake.”
“What’s the bet that Skye will wake up before?”
I chuckle softly as I place a piece of popcorn in my mouth. “Oh, it’s one hundred percent happening. The fireworks and the noise.”
“Mm.” Finn slumps. “I didn’t think of that.”
We finish the movie, and I cuddle up closer to him.
“Bedtime?” Finn suggests.
I push myself up as he brushes my hair behind my shoulder. “No.”
“No? Daredevil.”
“Shut up,” I murmur.
Finn’s eyes burn with curiosity. “Keep talking, sunshine.”
My hands latch onto his shoulders, and I twist myself until I’m straddling his waist. “I have a better idea.”
“Do tell,” he says as his hands slide down to my hips.
I grip his jaw and press my thumb to his mouth. His lips part, and I slip my finger inside and feel his tongue lick around the pad. “How about…” I trail off with a smirk as I remove my hand. “You let me ride this face like you used to.”
Finn groans and pushes my hips down onto his groin. “Yes fucking please. Come here.”
“Ah-ah,” I say as I raise my brows. “You wanna eat me?”
“Desperately,” he pants with dilated eyes.
“Then show me how badly you want it.”
“Maya—”
“Go stand by the door.”
His forehead creases for a moment. “Stand by the door?”
“I hear a lot of talking, not enough doing.”
Finn’s mouth stretches into an aroused smile. “I like it when you’re bossy.”
“Still too much talking.”
He blows out a breath before removing me from his lap and going to stand by the door. I press my back against the sofa and watch him before peeling away my pyjama bottoms.
Finn turns around to find me with my legs spread as I start to unbutton my shirt one by one. His green eyes are thick with desire and lust as they follow my movements until I strip it from my chest, leaving me in nothing but my black thong.
“Jesus Christ,” he hisses in awe as his gaze rakes over my naked body. “Let me fucking worship you.”
I lick my tongue over my bottom lip slowly. “Take off your jumper and your T-shirt. I want to see you.”
Finn doesn’t hesitate to strip himself of his clothes until I get an eyeful of his lean torso and softly toned abs that make my core throb. I exhale through my nose at the sight.
“Better?” He raises a brow.
“Much better. Now get on your knees.”
He hums and slides down onto his knees, chest heaving and cheeks blazing. I moan and press my fingers to my soaked thong as I massage around my breast with my free hand. He studies the movement and trembles, mouth parting for deeper breaths.
“Now what?” he pants, eager for more.
My teeth drag over my bottom lip. “Crawl to me.”
For a moment, he stares at me with midnight eyes.
“If you want me to sit on your face, crawl to me.”
“I’d crawl across fucking glass for you, Maya.”
The second he pushes his palms to the floor, I’m pretty sure I have an out-of-body experience. His gaze never leaves mine as he crawls across the living room floor. It’s a sight I never thought I’d see, and holy fuck, it’s probably the sexiest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.
There isn’t a glimmer of embarrassment or shame in his expression.
No, he’s as aroused as I am.
Finn reaches the sofa before bending down to kiss my ankle and trailing his lips down the inside of my thigh. “Let me have a taste,” he whispers into my skin.
I bury my teeth into my bottom lip as I watch him. “Beg me.”
He releases a soft moan, nipping at my leg. “Please let me taste you, sunshine. I fucking need it.”
“Need it, huh?”
I press my fingers against my thong again to find myself sensitive and throbbing. My breathing hitches as I take my hand away before I get too excited ahead of the main event.
Finn nods like a madman, his eyes latched onto my soaked underwear. “I’m addicted to you, Maya Brooke. I can’t get enough, you’re fucking intoxicating.”
His arms loop around my thighs before tugging me away from the sofa, and my ass falls over the edge. I shiver as his fingers toy with the edge of my thong, and I subconsciously grind my lips closer to his face.
“Please,” he groans as he looks up at me with green eyes, clouded with black pupils. “Please let me make you feel good. Let me fucking devour you and show you what you deserve.”
My back arches at his words and how sensual they sound when he whispers them. I’m nodding, unable to hold on for a second longer. He tugs off my thong and discards it somewhere behind him before spreading me wide.
It takes him three seconds to lean down and cover my clit with his mouth. I dive my fingers deep into his hair, holding him in place as he sucks and laps at me with his tongue.
He grunts, sending vibrations straight through me. “Fucking hell.”
Then he tightens his grip on my thighs, and he rotates himself so his back is against the edge of the sofa. I spin and face the kitchen, my fingers curling into the pillows as he drags my core down against his lips.
I cry out as his tongue licks over my clit, and I lean forward to muffle my moans.
“God,” he groans from beneath me. “You taste like heaven.”
My eyes roll back as he sucks on my clit before teasing my entrance with his tongue. I rock back and forth, my hips moving like crazy as he teases me. My head swims with pleasure, and I grip onto the edge of the sofa for leverage as he takes everything from me.
“Fuck, baby. You’re dripping down my face.”
My back arches at his words as he licks me again and again until my legs are trembling. His fingers grip my ass cheeks as he encourages me to ride his face.
“Finn—” I whimper.
The pleasure is so tight and hot and claws at me from the inside out.
“Ugh, fuck,” I groan. “I’m gonna—”
I knew there was no way I’d be able to last long. From the moment I explode, fireworks start blasting outside. Midnight. It’s fucking midnight, and I’m coming.
My vision turns hazy as I grind on his tongue through my orgasm, crying out his name as his fingers dig into my flesh, holding me still. I’m still rocking against him, even when my climax starts to dissolve, leaving me sensitive and raw.
“Oh my god.” I try to catch my breath.
I raise myself off of Finn’s lips for a second before he slides me down his body effortlessly and strokes back my hair. There’s a lazy grin on his face, evidence of my pleasure on his lips and chin.
“Coming on my face into the new year? Yeah, I’ve hit the jackpot,” he says smugly.
I roll my eyes playfully, but he captures my mouth in a kiss.
“Happy New Year, sunshine,” he whispers as I clutch onto him.
“Happy New Year, Finn.”