39. Summer
”Holy motherfucker,look at your lazy ass,” a familiar voice made my eyes dart open, memories of the last several days immediately flooding in.
From dealing with cops, who didn’t seem to really care about Benson’s death. Then, funeral arrangements with only a sprinkle of mourners: a few elderly ladies from Blackthorne Chapel, the Expiarus—the same man who’d presided at my father’s funeral, and a couple of staff members from the funeral home. Plus Callie, who came home for the day and who’d already returned to school. Seeing her was the only silver lining in the tragedy.
Suddenly, the bed bounced as I turned over, and I found myself met by one brown eye and one blue eye staring at me. A bright smile flashed, “What”s up, bitch?”
“Amara? Ohmygod!” I squealed, wrapping my arms around her neck and dragging her to me, smiling so hard my cheeks ached. “What? How?”
“I’m here for a few days.”
“How?”
“I rode my magic broom over,” she teased, squeezing me tight. “I missed you.”
“You have no idea,” I agreed, feeling suddenly lighter. Amara always had that kind of effect—she lit up the room wherever she went. “How are you?”
“Fine.” A shoulder came up but she rolled her eyes. “Done with men, but otherwise fine.”
“And the…”
Her hand unconsciously went to her stomach. “Things are going well, but I don’t want to talk about that,” she rushed, “I just missed my bestie.”
She jumped up and down on the mattress again. “Come on. Up up. Let’s go do something.”
I sat up, laughing. “Seriously though. How did you get here?”
“Some dude called me up and said he was flying me to see you.” She dramatically flipped her silver hair over her shoulder, making her signature creepy doll earrings shake.
”Amara! And you just got on a plane? Without even asking me who he was?”
”He said he wanted to surprise you, so duh, I couldn’t tell you.”
“What if he kidnapped you or something?” I didn’t want to tell her—she had enough to worry about—but I wouldn’t put it past the Magnolia to do something like that. “He could’ve done horrible things to you.”
“Honey,” she gave me a stark look, wiggling her eyebrows, “man looking like that, I don’t think I would mind him doing horrible things to me. You fucked him yet?”
“Amara!” My cheeks pinked, and she flashed a grin.
“I knew it!”
“I haven’t—eek!”
She started dragging me from the bed and as my feet hit the floor, she gasped in mock shock. “Sweet baby, mythical Jesus—what are you wearing?”
“What?” I looked down at my white, button up shirt.
“Is that Rook’s?”
“Um,” I gulped. “It’s comfortable.”
“Honey,” she shook her head sadly. “Seriously, have you learned nothing from me?”
“Where are we going?”
She was pulling me down the stairs—always moving, that girl—and into the kitchen, banging open the cupboards. “Real men don’t want comfortable. They want sexy. We’re getting you some good lingerie stat.”
”It”s not like that.”
She shut a cupboard, swiveling towards me. ”Are you really that naive? No guy would fly a girl”s best friend, whom he has never met, for a girl he isn’t fucking.” She had a knowing glint in her eye. “Especially an older, mature, and hot-as-hell man like that.”
Fucking?Did she think that was all this was about?
“I swear, Amara. It’s just not like that.”
“Then what is it just like?
I opened my mouth, trying to figure out how to explain to her what we were. Because it was so much more than what she was implying. Plus, technically, I was still a virgin.
“He’s…”
Well, I wasn”t exactly sure what he was to me.
She raised an eyebrow at my lack of response, then, sighing heavily, changed the subject. “The man has money, so please tell me he has some decent food.”
”Like eggs and spinach?” I said. ”Quinoa or oatmeal?”
“You”ve got to be kidding me.”
”You have no idea,” I said, pushing forward the note on the counter: my meals for the day.
She picked it up, reading out loud. “For breakfast: eggs, only one slice of cheese, avocado, spinach, and tomatoes.” She tossed it to me, ”He tells you what to eat every day?”
I nodded, ”Yup.”
Her eyebrows furrowed and she bit down on her lower lip, a thoughtful look on her face. Glancing behind me, she leaned forward, whispering low, ”Summer. If you think you”re in a bad situation... I mean, if you”re uncomfortable with living here, maybe you should leave. He can”t force you to stay, no matter how much money he”s given you.”
“Good morning, Summer.” There was a sudden low and deep voice behind me. One that sent my insides quaking and heat to pool in my belly, ”I see you”ve found my gift.”
My insides lit up.
I couldn’t help it.
Turning, I held up the paper, giving him a sassy tone. ”You mean your bossy notes?”
The sight of him was arresting. His hair was messy, the top buttons of his shirt undone, black circles under his eyes. It looked like he hadn”t had any sleep last night.
I”d thought I had a bad weekend, but he looked even worse. Even though he’d been at my side every moment of the day, he’d disappeared in the nights.
He stiffened, and I suddenly realized I”d fucked up. He”d gone though all of the trouble to bring Amara here, even though he was obviously exhausted, and I”d been ungrateful.
His gaze darkened, his eyes going to the note. ”You don”t like my gift?”
I bit down on my lip, staring into those eyes. Eyes that melted me like lava when they stared at me with heat.
”I love my gift.” I answered sincerely. ”Thank you.”
He didn”t speak for a moment, serious and stiff. I realized that his walls were back up—because Amara was here.
I sashayed up to him, and his eyes went to my body, taking in my shirt, which only went to my thighs. ”You”re wearing my shirt.”
”You weren”t here to give me something to wear.”
He crooked an eyebrow upward, ”And a drawer full of pajamas isn”t enough?”
“It smells like you.” I leaned against his chest, pressing, my eyes bright and eager for him.
”Did you miss me, Summer?” his voice was soft, a low rumble—meant for my ears only.
”Yes.” I tucked the note into his shirt pocket. ”I missed you holding me last night.”
”Me too, but I had things to do,” he murmured, pulling a strand of hair behind my ear, sending a shooting, thrilling heat rushing down my chest and belly. He ran his fingers down my neck and to the top of my shirt, hooking it there. He tugged, pulling me towards the door, ”Come here. I need to speak to you.”
I followed him, entranced. As soon as we were outside the kitchen, he wrapped fingers around my neck and pushed me against the wall.
His dark gaze burned into me. “I don’t think you’ve shown the appropriate appreciation for my gift.”
“You’re right,” I swallowed hard. “Thank you for bringing her here. Seriously.”
His eyes studied mine for a moment, softening. “You’re welcome.”
“It means a lot to me. And to her. I don’t think anyone’s ever done something like this for her.”
“They should. She’s important to you. That must mean she’s special.”
“She is,” I said, still caught in his gaze as he stepped into me, pressing his hips into mine.
“I think you need to be taught a lesson on how to show proper gratitude.”
My breath quickened.
“I think you’re right,” I bit down on my lip, trying not to smile.
“You know what else I think?” He leaned forward, pressing his lips to my ear.
“What?” I breathed in, momentarily distracted by the sounds of banging coming from the room next to us. It looked like Amara had given up on her hope for cereal, donuts, or toast, and was cooking. She started to sing to herself.
“I think you like your lessons entirely too much. Are you being naughty because you want me to edge you?”
“No,” I gulped.
“I think you are.”
“No,” I repeated. “Please.”
“I think it would be an appropriate lesson,” he fell to his knees, staring up at me, “Plus, I overheard your conversation. You need a demonstration of who I really am to you—since you don’t seem to know.”
“Is that so? And who are you?”
“The man addicted to the taste of your cunt. Now, can you be a good girl, and keep quiet?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s see,” he whispered, his lips closing around my nipple through my shirt, his fingers running up my leg.
“Fuck,” I mouthed, trying not to say it too loud.
“Hold yourself up,” Rook demanded, pulling my leg up and over his shoulder.
I obeyed, pressing my hands into the wall to keep from losing my balance, my brain short circuiting as his fingers slid under my panties, whispering almost to himself, “Already so wet. This for me, baby girl?”
“Yes,” I breathed.
He began to stroke my slit, his fingers moving deftly through my folds as his teeth grazed over my nipple.
At any moment, Amara could walk out here. She would see how Rook played me like a violin, how deeply and utterly I’d fallen for him. She would know I was lying to her about my feelings for him.
Would see in a second that he’d clenched my heart in his fist and was squeezing it tight.
“Pay attention to me, not her,” Rook demanded, then he bit my nipple, shoving two fingers up inside me at the same time. I sucked in a breath, clasping my hand to my mouth to keep from making a sound as he scissored me.
“Tell me, Summer. Why haven’t you turned in your application for school?” He asked, moving to the next nipple, his tongue lavishing over it.
“Huh?” I was taken aback by the change in subject, my mind cloudy and filled with lust.
There was a sharp slap on my thigh.
“Sir?” I corrected myself.
“Mmm, I love it when you say that. Now tell me why you haven’t applied for Netherveil,” he demanded in that bossy tone.
“Because.” I tried to think, but it was hard with the haze over my mind. “I can’t … I can’t pay for it.”
“Ca—n’t pay?” he stuttered. There was a harsh slap to my thigh. “I told you I would take care of it. Seems like you still haven’t learned your lesson. Do you not trust me, Summer?”
“Yes, but I…”
He slapped my thigh again and again, the sensation going straight to my core, then shooting out to my fingertips and toes.
“Tell me you understand, Summer.” Rook shoved my shirt upwards, kissing down my belly, lower, lower, towards my panties, which were now drenched.
“Tell me you fucking understand. I will take care of everything. If you don’t believe me, I will make you.” His teeth sunk through my panties, biting my pussy.
I inhaled sharply, my response a mix of jumbled words. “Mmephshlgh.”
“I can’t hear you.” He bit it again, this time licking over his bite, drenching my panties even more. “Say you will trust me. You will submit your application and know that I. Will. Take. Care. Of. You. Or I will walk away this instant.”
“I’ll do it! I swear,” I pleaded, my voice growing louder but I didn’t care. I couldn’t stand it if he edged me again.
He ripped my panties to the side, his fingers pressed up and into my cunt, pulsing my clit with his tongue.
Oh god!
I was on the edge. So close, so close, so clo…
He slowed down, his fingers pulling out of me, and a soft wail left my lips. “Only good girls get to come, Summer.”He pressed his nose into my cunt, burying it up there, inhaling deeply. “Only girls who do what I say get their reward.
“Please, please,” I begged.
“When?” he groaned, his breath against the skin of my inner thighs. Even demanding, he sounded so vulnerable, so obsessed—with me.
With me.
He was obsessed with the smell of my cunt.
I had no idea men could be like this. That they worshiped women like this. That they knew—that Rook could control me like this.
“Tomorrow.”
“Not good enough.”
“But...Amara?—”
“—can help you.” His fingers grabbed my ass, spreading me wider to busy his face against my core, his tongue fluttering and pulsing again. “Today, Summer.”
“To-to-day.”
He speared me with his fingers, driving through my slick, his tongue lapping my clit like a starving man. Building, building until I came, my orgasm washing over me. Shooting tingles through my legs and toes, up my chest and into my arms and fingers. My head felt light and, as he pulled back, a cocky grin to his face, I leaned against the wall languidly.
“Jerk.”
“Mmm,” he grunted, still smiling, though it quickly faded. His eyes went to my shirt, and gripping the edges, he pulled it down. Gently so it didn’t tear, but enough so that my tits were on display.
“It’s time you showed your gratitude properly,” he stood, his gaze hard. “On your knees, pretty girl, and do as you’re told.”