Chapter 16 #2
“And you are. The way family should. Let us worry about everything else. And if there ever ends up being a problem, I will let you know, I promise.”
I blow out a breath, which causes my hair to flick upward before it settles back across my forehead. “Okay,” I acquiesce with a small smile, feeling something settle deep in my bones. Maybe, just maybe, it’ll be okay.
Maybe I can let go, just a little.
With a deep breath, I give Stella a small smile before making my way back over to Mo.
“Ready for another round?”
“Mhm,” she mutters and hands me the deck to shuffle. I take it, smiling widely at her, feeling my heartstrings tug as I take in her braided hair and dark eyes as she concentrates on the deck, counting each card as I flick them out between us.
It’s always so easy with Mo.
“I was beginning to think you forgot about me,” Lars drawls on the other end of the line, and I force myself to grin.
“Never. Just been busy, baby.”
“Too busy for me?”
I barely resist the urge to roll my eyes—only because he’s staring at me through the screen.
Normally, I can get into the zone so effortlessly, but for some reason, I just can’t tonight. I keep thinking about Peris and his disgusted attitude toward me, and it’s fucking with my head.
“You’re not the only one who wants my attention,” I tell him, trying for a possessive streak, which seems to work when a growl resounds through the line.
“Oliver…”
“Yes, sir?” I ask, blinking owlishly up at him through the darkened screen.
“I want you now.” And his words, despite how sick I’m feeling, still send a shiver through me. “Show me how hard you are,” he demands, and I freeze.
Shit.
I’m still flaccid.
I shove my hand down my boxers and wrap my fingers around myself and start stroking hard and fast and dry, just how I like it—a little bit of pain.
“Let me see how hard you are. You know how that really gets me going.” I try to buy a little bit of time, and that seems to work because Lars hums and tilts the camera down, panning it to show him stroking his large shaft, thumb swiping over his damp cockhead and smearing precum around.
“Shit,” I groan as I focus on the wetness and let my mind wander for a moment, imagining it’s someone else’s…
Goosebumps flare along my skin, igniting a path that burns in its wake, and I relish in the sting for as long as it lasts. Blood fills my length, and I groan in relief, finally flipping the phone around for Lars to see.
“That’s my good boy. Look at you. So hard for me. You want to come already, don’t you, baby?”
I block out his words, instead focusing on the twist of the fist in the camera, the way his glans disappears before peeking back through, wet and shining, and I’m desperate to lick at him, to clear the fluid and taste it myself. To make sure it’s just as salty and musky as I remember…
“Shit,” I groan, back arching. Sweat beads along my skin in the warmth of the room, and I feel myself drawing closer to the edge.
“That’s it, baby… come for me,” Lars moans loudly, nearly yanking me out of my head, but I grit my teeth and shove him out as Peris’s face flutters to the forefront, and I lose myself to it… to him.
“Oh, fuck…” I moan loudly as my cock jerks, and I spill onto myself in hot spurts. I lie there panting, staring up at the textured ceiling that comes in and out of focus.
“That was good,” Lars says with a groan a few minutes later, startling me, and I jerk in place, phone slipping out of my hand.
“Y-yeah,” I say once I’ve got a grip on it again and bring it near my face. “I’ve gotta go.”
“So soon?” he teases, and I roll my eyes.
“You know the drill, baby. We’ll talk soon.”
“Yes, we will. Take care, Oliver.” And then, I hit the end button and toss my phone to the side.
“Fuck,” I mutter and shake my head. Swiping up a dirty shirt off the floor, I clean off my belly and yank on some sweatpants and Peris’s sweatshirt before making my way out to the living room.
It’s late, and it’s dark, and it’s the perfect time to get high.
With a grin, I swipe a half-smoked joint and a lighter off the coffee table and step out onto the balcony. The air is frigid, and I shiver, but I welcome the breeze as I drop down onto the metal chair and light the end with relish.
The first inhale is like my first breath, and my eyes roll back as the smoke fills my lungs, burning its way through me. I hold it in for a few moments before blowing it out in a steady stream, and unfortunately, I fucking cough one of my lungs up.
By the time I’ve finished hacking, my eyes are watering, and my throat is on fire, but it’s fine. Whatever. I hit the joint again, a smaller inhale this time though, and welcome the lesser burn and no coughing.
When I finally feel heavy and relaxed enough, I let my head fall back as I stare up at the stars that stain the night sky.
Could I really be done with it all?
Is that something that’s even possible?
I just thought this is the way it was always going to be. Me… fucking men for their money because how else was I going to get what I needed? I don’t have a high school diploma—I dipped out before I got it. I don’t have any previous job experience.
It pays too damn good to pass up…
And I’m just not worth anything more than this.
I pull in a deep, shaky breath and flick the roach of the joint over the rail of the balcony, uncaring about anything as I watch it sail over the edge. The wind catches it, and it veers to the right before disappearing.
Now, what do I do?
That’s the big question, isn’t it?
Peris pretty much gave me an ultimatum.
Him or my work.
And it’s not like I want to do this; I’ve just never had a choice. And then, I found Mo, and I’ve been doing this to save up to make sure she’ll always be taken care of if anything were to happen, but with what Stella was telling me… maybe I don’t have to worry so much about that.
And I do have a lot saved up already…
But do I want to be with someone who wants to control me and what I do like that?
I snort at the thought. As if Peris hasn’t always been this way. He’s just more… blunt about it now.
I guess it just comes down to whether I trust him or not, and I simply do not know if I do.
I barely know him after so long apart. And the only way to know is to be around him.
But I can’t be around him and not want him.
Fuck.
What have I gotten myself into?