Chapter 24 #3
Ty looks around quickly–how, I don’t know because the blood must be bothering his eye–and pulls me to the right through the row of cars.
“Get in. Buckle up,” he orders, opening the passenger side of his brother's car, looking around to make sure no one’s following us.
Completely out of character for me, but I get in the car without argument.
Ty closes the door roughly and runs around to the drivers side, climbing in and starting the car.
The air between us feels fucking charged. He drives quickly. Much quicker than he probably should and it’s so dark tonight I can barely see him except with a soft glow from the neon lights of the dashboard.
I don’t try to talk and he doesn’t either.
But I watch him. I watch him like I’m starving and he’s the first food I’ve seen in weeks.
The muscles of his forearm popping as he grips the steering wheel, his eyes focused on the road, the sharp line of his jaw just visible in the glow and I try not to whimper when I see the muscle tick as he clenches.
“Ty,” I say softly, more breathless than I intended. The undertone of a whine coming through as I squirm.
Goddamn it. I need to know. I need him to say he’s not mad and that he wants to fuck me so hard he can’t think straight.
Or he needs to be mad and tell me how I can make it up to him.
Preferably with me on my knees.
I take a deep breath, exhaling quickly, trying to keep myself cool and collected.
I can feel my panties start to dampen, my nipples start to pebble, and I bite my lip.
My body doesn’t know what to do. Should I be worried that he’s mad and start bracing for an argument or is he turned on and going to show me just how much he wants me?
Ty accelerates and makes the final turn too fast, pulling into the first spot he can find in front of the brick apartment building before cutting the engine and climbing out of the car.
Still shirtless.
Still bleeding.
That doesn’t slow him down as he runs to my side, opening the door and pulling me out before locking the car and ushering me inside the building.
“Ty,” I say once more, but then he pushes me against the wall just as the front door closes. Ty crowds my space and I welcome the heat of him, the smell of him, the reckoning that I know is coming.
“Do you know what you did back there?” he growls softly, speaking quietly enough that no one else could hear us. It’s late enough I doubt no one will be around.
“You need to be more specific, Ty. I did a lot of things.” Bratty Roxie, through and through.
“You hit my brother.”
“I did.” I nod, shrugging slightly before I look him square in the eyes and say, “And I have absolutely zero regrets. I’d do it again.”
Ty looks at me, his expression turning from fiery to reverent. The dark chocolate of his eyes soften in the dim light, the line of frustration between his eyebrows disappearing as his whole expression shifts.
“Are you mad?” I ask softly, my eyes never leaving his.
“Mad?” Ty repeats, his voice sounding broken almost as he brings one of his hands to my cheek and brushes my cheekbone gently. “Carino, you stood up for me, you defended me, you protected me. Do you know how rare it is for someone to stick up for me?”
My heart breaks slightly at that. Ty deserves the world. He’s spent his whole life helping others, caring for others, sacrificing for others, only for them to ignore him. And that fucking kills me. But on a deeper level, it echoes my own pain.
Maybe that’s why we work so well. Why we burn together so brightly. Why we couldn’t let go of each other, even after six years of silence.
Because his pain mirrors my own. I know what he needs to feel loved and safe and wanted, and he knows me.
“I’ll always defend you. Always,” I vow, my voice brushing against his lips like the promise it is.
One I intend to keep forever. Ty presses further against me, his hips pinning me to the wall while his hands slide into my hair and tilting my head up so my face is closer to his.
His eyes are burning and I… I’m breathless.
“I love you, Roxie. Back when we were teenagers, I loved you. Then I found you again and that love grew into something real. And now? Now I love you so much I can barely breathe when you’re not near me.
The future is scary and unknown, but I know one thing.
I will love you every single day for the rest of my life. Do you hear me?”
Tears prick at my eyes as I nod, completely overwhelmed with just how much honesty he puts into his words. Ty’s eyes are open and I can see into his soul that I love so much.
“Ty,” I say softly, my arms wrapping tighter around his waist, but he just shakes his head.
“I love you, Roxie. You. Forever. And even that won’t be enough time with you.”
A tear slides down my cheek and I smile, holding onto his forearms like they’re the only thing keeping me from falling deeper.
“I love you too, Ty. More than I thought was ever possible,” I confess, my words filling the space between us and the smile I receive from him will be my happy place for the rest of my days.
His hands cradle my face and he presses a lingering kiss to my forehead before pulling back to look at me with those excited, happy, devastatingly handsome eyes.
“Stay with me tonight. I know Harriet’s probably wondering where you are, but can you stay?”
“Yeah, Daddy, I can stay.” I smile at him, leaning into his body a little more and the happiness in his eyes turns downright filthy. The stare on this man… I could feel him taking my clothes off with his eyes.
Without a word and just a bite of his lip, Ty swats my ass and guides me upstairs and to the bedroom.
My head lands on the soft mattress and I’m engulfed in the smell of Ty as I’m dropped onto his sheets. He’s still bloody, probably sore and hurting, but I can’t see any of it. All I see is a man who’s morphed into a predator, and his eyes are on his prey.
“We need to clean you up,” I say softly, huskily, and I lean up on my elbows, but Ty just shakes his head.
“No,” he growls. “No, I need to be inside you.” My thighs clench together and he smirks, catching the movement. He pulls his shorts off, standing in his black boxer briefs, and kicks off his shoes.
“Clothes off,” he orders and I scramble to do what he asked. Ripping my shirt over my head, I watch him. The black leggings I’m wearing slide down my thighs easily and I toss them to the side. Ty’s eyes darken and I lean up on my knees, pulling my bra off and letting it drop to the floor.
“Panties, too, baby,” he growls, his hands barely contained from trying to reach for me and do it himself.
I fall back and slip the thin material already damp from my arousal down my legs. Ty’s eyes watch me hungrily, as if he’s barely holding back.
And honestly? I fucking love it. This heat between us, this tension. It never gets old and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt.
I’ve never felt more wanted than when I’m under Ty’s gaze.
“What a good girl. Not going to push me tonight like the brat I know you are?” He tilts his head to the side, smiling teasingly as he reaches forward and pulls the panties from my foot.
“Do you want me to be a brat tonight, Daddy?”
“I want you, Roxie. Always and forever, I want you.” Ty steps closer, his rough hand sliding up my leg as he climbs over me.
“I love your bratty mouth, I love how you push me and pull me in, I love how you’re sweet and sour.
Keeps me honest. Keeps it interesting.” He smirks and that little glint in his eye could have taken me out if I wasn’t already laying down.
I sit up with the intention of grabbing his head and pulling him in for a messy kiss, but he pins me down with a look.
“Spread them,” he growls, yanking me like I weigh nothing to the edge of the bed.
Then he kneels. For me.
I watch as he slowly descends, never breaking eye contact with me as he shifts.
“You’re everything, Roxie. Everything. And I’m going to show you exactly how much you belong with me,” he whispers against my inner thigh.
My hand goes to his hair gently, I don’t want to hurt him more from the fight, but I have to hold him. Turning his face gently to face me, I need to say what I’m feeling.
“You’re my everything and more, Ty. Always. I’ll do anything for you. I’ll fight anyone I need to to keep you safe. I’ll never stop telling you exactly how much I love you. You’re mine, do you understand?”
His eyes sharpen and he leans up, kissing me so deeply it’s like he couldn’t hold back anymore. He tastes like blood, the gatorade he had earlier, and the warmness of Ty. I wrap my hand around his head, cradling him to keep him to me.
Ty pulls back when I’m about to run out of air, but his lips don’t leave my skin.
Gasping, I tilt my head to the side to give him access to my neck where I can feel the marks he’s leaving and I squirm.
His teeth rake over the skin at my neck and I never want him to leave.
I want everyone to know I’m his. I want to feel his teeth against my throat.
“Bite me, please,” I whisper breathlessly, craning my neck more to the side as he freezes.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I say with a nod, pulling my hair around to the other side. He’s always so respectful, never pushing me to give more than I can, but this, this I want. Badly.
Wordlessly, Ty nuzzles into my neck, breathing me in before kissing one of the marks I can feel pulsing.
“You’re mine, Roxie.” My head falls back and I groan at his rough words right as he bites down. My hands find his shoulder and his hand not holding me moves in between my legs, slipping into my wetness until I’m writhing from how full I am.
He doesn’t let go; sucking and biting at the spot until he’s satisfied with the mark he’s left there.
I can hear how wet I’m getting and Ty looks down.
“Oh god, Roxie. You’re drenched,” he groans, the pure admiration in his tone at what he’s done to me is so fucking hot. “You’re dripping down my hand,” he says hotly. “Lay back, let me worship you.”
And who am I to argue with that?