CHAPTER 17
“Evelyn, so nice to meet you.” Angela greeted me with a welcoming smile that made her hazel eyes pop.
“Likewise.” I smiled, shaking her hand in a warm grip. “Thank you for wanting to see me.”
“Please take a seat.” She gestured toward the chair as she walked around the massive wooden desk and eased down into hers. She was poised, immaculately dressed in a tight pencil skirt and blouse, and the backdrop of the city skyline behind her made her look all the more powerful.
I set my purse aside as I eased down opposite her.
“Now, I must say, Evelyn, it was a pleasure to read your draft. I was taken by it, to be honest. There was something raw and unique about it, and I see a lot of potential.” She adjusted her glasses as she peered at me intensely. “Now I think we can make this work, and I’d love the opportunity to represent you. So what do you say?”
I swallowed the excitement that lodged a lump in my throat. “I’d say yes.”
“Great. Then let’s get down to business, shall we?”
I nodded, grinning .
An hour later, I left the meeting feeling like a million bucks. She didn’t say a word about Jay or ask anything about him. I don’t even think she cared. She gave some serious pointers that suggested she genuinely wanted to work with me.
Joy flooded my blood at the thought I was one step closer to my dream of getting my book published.
My smile remained beaming on my face as I walked out of the office building and straight to our car, where Tyler patiently awaited me.
“Thanks, Tyler,” I said while he held the car door open for me and gave me a curt nod in acknowledgment.
I couldn’t wait to tell Jay the news.
He was the first person I wanted to talk to, but I wanted to tell him in person. He was returning tomorrow, so waiting one more day wouldn’t hurt.
An unrecognizable ring filtered through the air.
It took me a second to realize that Tyler’s phone was ringing. It went silent before it started ringing again. It must be something important.
“You can take it, Tyler. I don’t mind,” I said softly.
He nodded with apologetic eyes. “Thanks, Ms. May,” he replied, parking the car along the curb.
“Hello.” His grim voice resonated through the car. “Yes. No, it’s okay. Hmm, I’m busy at the moment.” He paused.
My curious eyes watched him through the rearview mirror.
“No, I told you I’m at work. Fine, fine, I’ll take care of it.” A frustrated sigh left his lips as he snapped his phone closed.
I frowned. “Is something the matter, Tyler?”
“I’m sorry about that, Ms. May.” He glanced at me over his shoulder. “That was my sister. She couldn’t pick up my niece today and wanted me to go get her from school. Just give me a minute while I arrange something.”
I shook my head. “That’s all right, Tyler. We can go pick her up. I don’t mind.”
His brows furrowed as he regarded me. “Are you sure, Ms. May?”
“Yes, I am,” I reassured.
He nodded, speeding through. Ten minutes later, we reached the school, and Tyler asked me to wait while he walked around the block to pick her up.
I stepped out, and a calm breeze washed over me. A smile lit up my face as I leaned against the car, watching all the kids scurry to their parents, all giggles and glittery eyes.
“Evy?” A skeptical tone interrupted my thoughts. It sounded oddly familiar.
Frowning, I snapped my head toward the voice, and my heart almost stopped as my eyes landed on Liam, standing by the sidewalk, his face pinched in gentle sadness as he held a tiny girl wearing a red dress in his arms.
“Liam,” I whispered, almost as if I’d seen a ghost.
He swallowed, his eyes sweeping over me. “How are you?”
“Good,” I mumbled through the thickness of my throat. Seeing him after six long years brought me right back to the past, flooding me with memories of her .
“That’s good. You do look good.” He gave me a small smile. “You’ve changed a lot. More mature,” he said. Just then, the girl in his arms squirmed, watching me with curious eyes. “Daddy, can we go home?” she asked in an adorable tone .
Something about that statement hurt my heart. If Auntie M were here, this probably would’ve been her kid. This could’ve been her family.
“Yes, baby,” he told her in a soft tone, and his eyes met mine. “It’s good to see you again, Evy. I’m sorry, you know.” His eyes glassed the tiniest bit. “For what happened. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”
“That’s all right, Liam. You don’t owe me anything, and I turned out fine anyway.” I offered a smile, gesturing to the kid. “Is she yours?” I asked, swallowing.
“Yes.” He carefully eased her down on her feet. “Her name is Marie,” he said, softly looking at me.
Shock coursed through me. “Wh… What?”
“Her mother is not in the picture; it was a mistake, but I don’t see it that way. My Marie is a gift.” A warm look swept over his face as he looked at her. “I loved her, I really did—I still do to some level. I was going to ask her to marry me and make her mine forever, and when I found out she was gone, I just…I lost it.”
Emotion gripped my heart as I crouched down. “Marie, you say?” I whispered, my eyes dragging over her innocent brown eyes and her cute button nose. “Hi, Marie.” I held out my hand. “I’m Evy.”
She took a cautious step forward before her small hand shook mine. “Hi, Evy,” she said in a melodic tone. “You’re pretty.”
A single tear escaped the corner of my eye. “She’s precious.” I glanced at Liam before I brought my eyes back to her. “You’re beautiful, sweetheart. ”
A flush bloomed her cheeks pink. “Thanks,” she mumbled, burying her face on her father’s knees.
“Thank you for honoring her name.”
“You don’t need to thank me for that.” He sighed, running a frustrated hand through his hair. “I don’t know where she’s buried. I tried to find it, find you, but it was already too late. I just... I need to know, Evy. I want to see her. Will you tell me?” His eyes glinted with pain.
“Of course.” I squeezed his hand. “She loved you too, you know. She would want you to move on and be happy.”
A smile curved his lips as he nodded.
Minutes after exchanging numbers and giving him the cemetery address, Tyler arrived carrying an adorable little one with sun-kissed skin, wide brown eyes, and curly hair.
Tyler eyed the newcomers warily, but I waved it off that I was fine and turned back to Liam.
“Please keep in touch, Liam. I would love to see her again.” I smiled down at Marie, bidding them both goodbye as I slid into the car.
On the car ride home, Tyler’s niece, Macy, and I became quick friends.
I even requested that she spend the evening with me, much to Tyler’s dismay.
But he reluctantly agreed and I had so much fun with that little girl, baking cookies and watching Beauty and the Beast the entire evening.
She was running on a sugar high by the time Tyler took her home.
All this being around kids was itching an ache in me to have my own .
On a whim, I pulled out my phone and typed a message to Jay.
Evy- I want to have babies.
Not a minute passed before my phone pings with a flurry of texts.
Biting my lips, I cozied further into my bed while Strawberry snored beside me. She was allowed to sleep on our bed today because Jay wasn’t here, and she took full advantage of it.
Jay- Woman, you can’t text me shit like that.
Jay- Not when I’m in a room full of people a million miles away from you.
I rolled my eyes as I typed.
Evy- Not a million, a few thousand.
Jay- Who the fuck cares!? I say we practice all next week ;) We need to make sure the baby is conceived properly, and I’ve heard it takes lots and lots of practice.
Evy- There is no proper way. It’s just sperm meeting egg. Dork.
Jay- But still we need to make sure they meet, right place, right time and all.
Evy- I think this is the weirdest conversation a woman has ever had with a man when she asks him for babies.
Jay- I think it’s perfectly valid, but how did your meeting go?
Evy- Hmm, fine.
Jay- Just fine?
Evy- Yeah, I’ll tell you tomorrow.
Jay- Okay. Are you in bed?
Evy- Yes, I’m about to fall asleep any moment.
Jay- Good night, then, sweetheart. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Evy- Love you, Jay .
JAY
The cold midnight air greeted me when Tyler picked us up from the airfield. I shot a quick text to my girl that I had arrived. I couldn’t wait to see her, but chances are she was already asleep.
I was exhausted. I loved my job, but shows and events outside the tour seasons drained me.
On the road, I had time to prepare and mentally ready myself. The high of being on stage kept me going, and doing continuous shows didn’t bother me. There wasn’t anything like it—well, except for when I was with my girl, nothing compared to being with my girl.
But this one-off gig here and there got to me. Although not as much as it used to.
Back in the day, we used to do this every single fucking day while the label used us to add to their fat bank account.
Now, we had pure control of our lives with the worries of the past behind us, I welcomed this exhaustion—it was the good kind.
Matty had to smack Mikey awake when we arrived at Blueline.
Mikey moaned, wiping the drool off his face, and blinked before punching Matty on the arm. Sierra’s attention snapped from the window and toward Mikey. She immediately started to have a verbal fight with him while Raphael—fucker—cheered on them. They both tagged along for the show. Matty said it was a learning step for Raphael. I knew that kid was talented, but he lacked discipline. Knowing Matty, it was probably a living hell for him every day with those two or maybe just one of them, given his subtle protectiveness toward Sierra. He tried to hide it, but it was obvious.
Not caring for their ruckus, I nodded to Tyler and set out toward the elevator. Nothing else mattered more than being back with my girl.
As soon as I stepped into the apartment, I knew something was weird. Frowning, I dropped my bag and trudged farther, the strong scent of something sweet wafted in the air. Did Evelyn leave on her scented candles again? I told her repeatedly not to do that, considering how dangerous it was.
My eyes widened when I landed at the foot of the living room. Every single light was off, and the room was illuminated in a soft golden glow from the hundreds of candles arranged everywhere.
“I thought I’d surprise you,” a soft, melodic voice called out from the corner.
My head snapped to the side, and my pulse thundered at the sight. The flicker of the gilded lights bathed her skin, shining her curvy silhouette under her silky, almost transparent pink babydoll dress. She had her hair done, and subtle makeup hinted at her soft, beautiful features.
I swallowed a breath, the earlier exhaustion dissipating from my body as my feet stepped toward her on their own accord.
She looked breathtakingly sexy—Evelyn was never the one to dress sexy or daring. She chose comfort and elegance over it, so I wondered what was the occasion.
“For what?” I asked, tucking a strand of her velvet hair behind her ear .
“Just a way to say I appreciate my man—a lot,” she whispered, hooking her hands behind my neck.
“I think he likes it. A lot,” I muttered against her lips before capturing her in a soft kiss. Breathing in her moan, I brushed my tongue along the length of hers while I deepened the kiss. Our tongues caressed in sync, creating our own familiar rhythm. It was soulful—a calm and peace that consumed my internal world.
My hands started to explore her body, but her soft ones caught mine. “Not so fast,” she muttered as we parted. Her eyes mooned in love as they locked on me.
“Why?” I raised a brow, my palm smoothing over her ample ass.
“Because I have other things planned.” She smirked, grabbing my hand as she moved farther down the living room and toward the dining.
“Babe, we can have dinner later.”
She shook her head, smiling as she led me. My eyes trailed straight to her ass, wiggling with each step she took, and my cock was already harder than it should be. A faint hint of her scar peeked from behind as she walked. They didn’t bother her as much as they used to. She wore them proudly now like she was supposed to.
“Wait.” Evelyn stopped abruptly at the threshold and bent down to pick up a satin eye mask. “You need to close your eyes.”
“Kinky.” My lips pulled into a grin while she flushed. “I like it,” I said just as my world went blind when she pulled them over my eyes .
The same sweet smell continued, only heightened, as she guided me. About five steps in, she patted my shoulder.
“Sit here.”
I nodded, dropping down as I sank into the cushion. Silence ensued, and my curiosity piqued, flooding my blood with anticipation. It didn’t matter what she had planned; I was going to love it anyway.
A scraping sound filled the air, and seconds later, I felt her weight settle on my lap. Automatically, my hands circled over her hips to steady her. A groan slipped out of my lips when her soft ass ground over my cock as she leaned in and stroked her thumb gently across my lower lip.
My mouth caught it with a playful bite, and she gasped.
“Naughty,” she declared before she commanded me to open my mouth.
Something hard and grainy met my lips.
“Eat.”
My teeth sank into it, and it was soft, bursting with juices. Strawberry. Only then did I connect the smell from the candles. It was strawberry, and Evelyn smelled like strawberries and vanilla.
“I decided to break your celibacy with Strawberry.” Her lips trailed over the line of my jaw while she fed me another one.
I stole her fingers and licked the juices from her smooth skin. God, she felt so fucking good teasing me like this. My finger gripped the edge of the eye mask and pulled it away.
“No,” she shrieked as I blinked my eyes open, registering the room. Candles and strawberries were everywhere. The table had a huge cake in the middle decorated with strawberries and all sorts of mini desserts that I was sure had strawberries in them and rows of my favorite strawberry milk. Nostalgia tugged at my heart. I gave it up after she left—the sight of them used to anger me when we were apart because she used to give me one every single day.
Now I felt nothing but overwhelming love—for her.
“Jay.” She swatted me hard, bringing my attention back to her. “Why the hell did you do that!? It was supposed to be a surprise. I’ve been working on it the whole day.” She pouted.
As much as I hated myself for ruining her surprise, I couldn’t be bothered. She had no idea what she was doing to me.
“I have another idea,” I replied, and in a single movement, I lifted her and laid her flat on the table.
Her eyes widened in shock—a hint of innocence and a flare of love in them made my heart constrict.
I crawled over her, draping myself on top of her.
“What are you doing?” she stuttered.
I didn’t say a thing as I picked up a strawberry and traced it across her lips. An inhale left her lips as her cheeks painted rosy.
“Jay,” she breathed before I molded my lips over hers, licking every inch of the fruity goodness from her.
She was breathing hard by the time I drew away, her chest rising with each breath she took, her nipples straining hard against the satiny material.
Popping the straw into the strawberry milk, I held it to her lips. “Drink.”
Confusion clouded her eyes. “Why? You’re supposed to, not me.”
“Just drink it, sweetheart.”
She sighed, “Fine,” closing her lips around the straw .
And before she could swallow it, I gently tugged the straw away and captured her lips, drinking the milk out of her mouth. A loud moan ripped from her lips while my tongue stroked and sucked the milk from every inch of her mouth. My cock settled on the valley of her thighs, grinding against her softness. She tasted divine, and it was the best fucking strawberry milk I’d ever had in my entire existence.
EVY
I didn’t think there would ever be a right word to explain the feelings electrifying my body at the moment.
It was deliriously sensual, warm like a soft flame licking my skin.
My lungs were fighting for air when he pulled away, his fingers smoothing over the thin straps of my teddy. “Did you wear this for me?”
I nodded, squirming when he pulled it away, releasing one of my arms. Gently, he tugged the material down, revealing my breast. He did the same thing on the other side until the top of my dress pooled at my waist.
My toes curled when he hiked my dress up so that they formed a thin band around my waist.
“Did you also wear this for me?” he asked, snapping the band of my very thin, very transparent pastel-pink lace thong that had a little bow in the center.
“Yes,” I rasped, licking my lips, tasting the remnants of strawberry and him. “I want you.”
His eyes darkened as he pulled his hoodie over his head and threw it aside. “How much do you want me? ”
“So much,” I whispered, taking in his skin.
The flash of amber from the candles glowed over his tattoos and taut skin. The trail of hair and the deep v running over his lower abdomen, leading to his hard length straining in his jeans, made my core ache and throb.
“Is it?” He lifted a brow, smirking as his thumb pressed on my clit. The softness of the material and the pressure from his finger flooded my blood with pleasure.
I bit my lip, suppressing a moan.
Still smirking, he slowly peeled them off me, leaving me naked from below the hips. There was something about him standing, tall and strong, watching over me while I lay bare and open and wet for him.
He brought my panties to his nose and deeply inhaled. “Exquisite. I think I’m going to keep them,” he said, placing them in his back pocket.
Heat flushed my skin red.
I watched as he stole another big juicy strawberry from the tray and got himself situated on top of me. The warmth from the heat of his bare skin brushed over the tips of my nipples, lighting my nerves on fire.
“Bite,” he commanded. “Just the edge.”
Fuck, all this teasing was killing me, and not having him for three days was only making this worse. But I obeyed, taking a small bite.
“Good girl.” He placed a kiss on my cheek.
He softly glided the fruit across my lips, chin, and down my throat while his tongue followed the trail .
I moaned his name, threading my fingers through his luscious hair. The sensation of his warm tongue and the softness of his lips was driving me wild.
He did the same thing with my nipples and caught them with his teeth.
“God, Jay,” I whined while he sucked, nipped, and tongued, giving equal attention to both of them. The ache in me intensified. My hips rose on their own accord, trying to relieve some of that ache.
He smirked, going lower, and my lungs lost their capacity to breathe.
He draped my thighs over his shoulders as he eased himself down on the chair.
“Time for dessert,” he stated, dragging the strawberry over my throbbing clit.
“Ah,” I cried out, my hand searching for something to hold on to.
His mouth clamped over my clit, sucking it dry while he trailed the fruit all over my pussy, lacing the juices with my own.
“I’ve never tasted anything better.” His lips replaced the fruit—licking all the juices clean.
My mouth fell open when he dipped the fruit inside me, swirling and pumping it.
“Now for the best part,” he growled before his tongue sank into my pussy, eating the strawberry out of me while he rocked my clit.
I couldn’t hold it anymore. I burst open, screaming his name as I came. Waves and waves of intense pleasure blinded my mind. Only the dots of sparkling flames filled me .
It was delirious, consuming, and intoxicating.
“Hi,” he whispered when I came back to reality.
“Hey,” I rasped out, my throat and lips dry.
The hiss of the zipper cracked through the air, and tension only sizzled further when his jeans fell, revealing his hard, throbbing cock.
In a quick movement, he slammed into me and started to fuck me at a relentless pace, and I loved every second of it. The sound of our thighs slapping filled the air, and my breath hitched when he leaned forward, hooked his arms around my shoulders, and lifted my weight off the table.
The angle only made his cock stroke the deeper parts of me.
“You take my cock so good, Evelyn,” he grunted as he rammed his cock steadily into me. I was moaning incorrigible things at this point because my brain cells were fried.
Only pleasure—that was all I felt, and it was exhaustingly beautiful to think of nothing but pleasure. Then it only heightened, and I broke apart for the second time tonight. It wasn’t long before Jay growled my name, crashing me back on the table as he spilled inside me over and over again. The warmth that filled me was hypnotizing.
It took about ten minutes for me to get my bearings, and even then, I couldn’t lift a finger.
My eyes dragged to the devious giant lying on his side, tracing a finger over my chin. “When I planned to feed you strawberries tonight, this isn’t what I had in mind,” I mumbled.
He threw his head back and laughed.
My heart softened at that sound, melting my soul. God, I loved this man.