Chapter 7
Friday
Matt
Mason and Bee were still working with a member of James’ security to make sure my house hadn’t been tampered with. I didn’t want to take Brooklyn back there until we got the all-clear.
I stared at Brooklyn’s back. She was just standing in the doorjamb of Scarlett’s room where all the kids were asleep.
I wanted to comfort her. But I didn’t know how when I was still a little shaky. I didn’t know if I would have actually gone through with pulling the trigger. But when I’d thought I had? I’d never felt so much regret.
All I wanted was for Brooklyn to be safe. But I wasn’t a killer. She told me that I was exactly what she wanted. That she didn’t need me to be someone I wasn’t. But there was a part of me that knew she’d always miss Miller. Not that she wished I was him. Just that she wished he was still here.
A sob escaped her throat.
I never could stay away when I knew she needed me. “Baby.” I put my hand on her shoulder and she jumped.
She turned her head away from me to try and hide her tears.
“Come here.” I pulled her against my chest.
“I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost Jacob too.”
I ran my fingers through her hair. God it killed me to see her cry. “It’s over now.” For real this time.
“It’s hard to believe that when the pain never stops.”
I held her tighter.
Someone cleared their throat.
I turned to see Penny standing there.
“I was just checking in,” she said. “I don’t know how much longer Mason and Bee will be. But you two should spend the night. Rob and Daphne are staying too. A slumber party of sorts.” She smiled.
Honestly that sounded great. Being with our friends right now helped. “Count us in, Penny.” I looked down at Brooklyn. She nodded in agreement.
“Brooklyn, would you like a hot shower? And you can borrow some of my clothes to sleep in.”
Brooklyn was still in a towel with the Locatelli Hotel logo on it, with her father’s jacket draped around her shoulders.
“Penny,” Brooklyn said. “I’m so sorry about ruining your birthday. I don’t even know what to say.”
“Are you joking?” Penny grabbed her hand. “This is one of my most memorable birthdays ever. And you don’t need to apologize for something you had no control over. Brooklyn, we’re family. We’re all in this together.” She squeezed her hand.
Brooklyn smiled through her tears. “Actually, a hot shower sounds great.”
“Come with me.” Penny pulled her away from Scarlett’s bedroom.
I exhaled slowly and grabbed my hand that kept shaking. I needed to calm down. Brooklyn needed me right now. And I was too in my head. I sat down on the stairs and closed my eyes for a second. I didn’t know why I was still so shaken. I hadn’t pulled the trigger.
“Rob told me what happened,” James said.
I opened my eyes.
He sat down next to me with a sigh. “What a night, huh?”
I forced a laugh. “This was definitely not how I wanted prom to go.”
“Honestly, it was about as bad as my original prom.”
This time my laugh was real. “Mine too.”
“At least Penny and Brooklyn got an authentic Empire High prom. Terrible.”
I shook my head. “And it wasn’t even Tanner who ruined it.”
James laughed. “Promenade.”
“Right.” I took another deep breath.
James looked over his shoulder and then back at me. “I know Brooklyn came to my room that homecoming for help. But I definitely wasn’t her first choice. She needed you 16 years ago. And she needs you now.” He nodded toward his bedroom door.
I knew about how the two of them showered together after homecoming. “You want me to recreate your moment with her 16 years ago?”
“Unless you want me to join her in the shower again.”
“Fuck off,” I laughed.
He smiled. “Go on. Besides, I could use a minute alone with my wife. It is still her birthday for another few minutes.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. I wasn’t a cock-blocker. I stood up and wandered into their bedroom. Penny was in their walk-in closet, probably searching for something for Brooklyn to change into. I quickly snuck into the bathroom and closed the door behind me.
The sound of Brooklyn crying could be heard over the water falling on the tile.
I opened the shower door.
She was sitting in the corner of the shower with her arms wrapped around her legs. Naked. Her hand was wrapped around her necklace. She was clutching the rings Miller had given her. But my ring on her finger shimmered in the light. The steam all around her made her look ethereal. She lifted her head and stared at me. She smiled, but it looked so sad.
I knew she’d been in her underwear when James joined her in the shower 16 years ago. And that James had been fully clothed. I was not trying to recreate whatever the hell that was. But I also wanted her to know that I was just here to make sure she was okay. So I kicked off my dress shoes and climbed into the shower still in my tux.
She laughed as I sat down next to her and let the water fall all over my pants.
It only took a few seconds for my clothes to cling uncomfortably to my skin.
“Why does every dance I attend end this way?” She let go of her necklace and stared up at me with her big blue eyes.
“It’s a pretty great tradition. As long as I’m the one in the shower with you.”
She slid her hand into mine and rested her head on my shoulder. For just a few seconds we sat there getting soaked.
It was oddly comforting. To just sit and let the water cascade down on us. It felt…safe. I took a deep breath, trying to erase the image of the gunshot from my head.
“I’m so tired of being scared, Matt. I’m tired of always feeling like I’m running out of time.”
“Hey.” I tugged her arm and pulled her onto my lap. “You’re not running out of time.”
She straddled my waist and I watched the beads of water drip down her tits.
No, James had definitely never seen her like this.
Her forehead fell to mine. For just a few minutes we breathed in each other’s exhales.
My hand finally stopped shaking.
And her tears disappeared.
“I just want everything to stop hurting,” she whispered against my lips.
I didn’t know what exactly she was referring to. She’d been clinging to the rings dangling from her neck. Was she thinking about Miller? Was she thinking about her father? Her uncle? Her mom? She’d known so much pain that I couldn’t possibly know what was plaguing her.
“Please make it stop,” she whispered.
No, I didn’t know what was hurting her in this moment. But I knew how to take away the pain. Because I knew she was the only one that could take away mine.
I slowly lowered my mouth to hers. Her lips were salty from her tears.
“Please,” she whispered. “I just want the pain to stop.” She shifted forward, grinding against me.
Fuck.I buried my fingers in her wet hair. Sometimes Brooklyn just wanted to be held when she cried. Other times she just wanted to forget for a moment. And I was really good at distracting her.
I kissed a path down her chest, tracing the water cascading down her skin.
When she’d first come back to town, fucking her was the only thing that made me feel better. And it would make us both feel better now. I knew exactly how to take away her pain.
My tongue swirled around her nipple.
She tilted her head back in the water.
I lightly bit down, tugging her nipple with my teeth.
Her moan disappeared into the steam as I kissed down her stomach.
“You’re safe,” I whispered. I kissed her hipbone. “We’re safe here.”
“In James’ shower,” she said, her laughter filling my ears.
“Don’t talk about James right now.”
She laughed again. “We really shouldn’t be doing this in here.” She put her hands on my shoulders and stood up.
James shouldn’t have been with her the first time she’d needed help.
And I wanted to erase that memory from her mind. I caught her wrist before she could step out of the shower.
She stared down at me. “Matt.”
I shifted forward onto my knees. She truly did look like an angel standing in the steam. And I was perfectly content worshiping her on my knees.
I placed a long slow stroke against her wetness.
“Matt,” she moaned this time.
She’d asked me to take away her pain. I kept my eyes trained on her as I pushed her backward against the tile wall. I paused, my breath hot against her pussy and watched her chest rise and fall. Yeah, I knew exactly what my girl liked.
I grabbed her hips and thrust my tongue inside of her. She was so fucking wet for me. So soft. So sweet.
Her fingers tangled in my wet hair as my tongue swirled faster.
I lifted one of her thighs over my shoulder to get better access. I moved my lips to her clit and sucked. Hard.
“Matt.” She grabbed the collar of my dress shirt to pull me up.
I raised my eyebrow at her and stayed on my knees. “Did you want something?”
“You.”
“You know I like when you tell me exactly what you want.” I circled her clit with my thumb as I looked up at her.
“I want your cock inside me.”
“Hmm.” I leaned forward and licked her pussy again. “Where exactly? Because I can think of a few places…” I gripped her ass cheek in my hand.
She groaned in frustration. “Matt if you don’t fuck me right this second I’m going to lose my mind.”
I’d definitely distracted her from her pain. And she didn’t need to tell me twice. I stood up and grabbed her hands, putting them on the waistband of my tuxedo pants. She unbuttoned and unzipped my pants as I tried to get my dress shirt off. The fabric was too wet and clingy though and just stuck to my arms as more water fell on my shoulders.
She laughed as she tried to push my wet pants and boxers down my hips.
Fuck this.
I pulled my pants down just enough to free my cock and grabbed her thighs, lifting her legs around my waist. I slammed her back against the tile wall as I thrust inside of her.
She breathed a sigh of relief. Like my cock was the only thing that could soothe her.
Her sweet cunt was the only thing that could soothe me too. Especially when she gripped me like that.
I sucked on the side of her neck, marking her flesh.
Mine.
As she pulled me closer, I felt the ring on her finger on the back of my neck.
Mine.
I slammed into her harder.
She’d always be mine.And I’d never let anything happen to her.
I pictured the hole in Locatelli’s forehead and closed my eyes tight. I’d always do anything to protect her. Even if it made me sick to my stomach. I thrust into her faster. The harder I fucked her, the better I felt. The easier it was to breathe. The less blood I saw in my mind.
And there was something really satisfying about taking her in James’ shower. Brooklyn was mine. All mine. I moved one of my hands to her left breast and squeezed. And no one was allowed to touch her like this but me.
I was done feeling like I wasn’t good enough for her. Like I wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted me. For me.
Her fingers dug into the muscles of my back, trying to pull me even closer.
She wanted my cock.
My body against hers.
My love.
And she’d never run to anyone else again. Because I’d always be there for her. In any way she needed. I slammed into her harder, my fingers digging into her thigh.
I couldn’t stop staring down at her. Sucking on her skin. Squeezing her tits. We were completely in the moment. Together. No fears. And definitely no pain. Unless I fucked her any harder.
“Feel better now, baby?” I said and bit down on her earlobe.
She shattered around me, gripping my cock.
Fuck.I emptied myself inside of her. Filling her pussy with my cum.