Chapter 17 #2
The boy’s quiet sob caught my attention and I finally snapped out of my daze long enough to see that Jed had pulled the boy to his feet.
As soon as Jed pulled his arm back and the sheen of the knife reflected the light from the only lamp that hadn’t been shattered into a million pieces, I shouted “No! ”
But Jed ignored me as he thrust his knife into the boy’s body.
I stepped forward, not remembering the phone in my hand. I also didn’t see my brother as he returned to the room.
He saw me, though. He saw me and then he was on me, snatching the phone from my grasp and hanging it up without saying even a single word to me. I heard the sickening sound of Jed stabbing the helpless kid, but I couldn’t do anything for him.
Because I was too busy staring into my brother’s eyes as I watched him pull his own knife from his waistband.
“Levi, wake up, damn it!”
As I jerked upright at the sound of Phoenix’s voice, I bumped my injured wrist. Between the searing pain and the remnants of my nightmare, I promptly lost it and began sobbing.
“Shhh, it’s okay,” Phoenix whispered in my ear as he pulled me against his bare chest.
Reality slowly returned as I remembered where I was and what had happened the night before.
After I’d taken my father’s car, I’d driven to St. Anthony’s in the hopes I’d be able to talk to Father O before he locked up for the night.
I’d caught a break because he’d been in the process of locking the front door.
While I hadn’t been able to tell him how I knew something had happened to Hank, he’d agreed to contact the prison, since they wouldn’t give information on an inmate to anyone but family.
My hope was that as a member of the clergy, they might tell him something, anything about Hank’s condition.
I’d been lost after that. My fear for Hank and the close call with T had sent me right to the edge. I’d wanted more than anything to go to Phoenix right then and beg him to help me, but I’d known that wasn’t an option.
So I’d gone to the one place I’d never wanted to go near again, but that kept drawing me back like a lure. I’d sat in front of the Nichols house for hours, reliving that night and pretending things I had no business pretending.
Like that Fred and Corinne Nichols still lived in that house and their greatest joy was when their son came home from college for visits .
Or that they were spending a sleepless night in the home as they prepared for their child’s wedding the next day.
“Talk to me, Levi,” Phoenix urged as he stroked my back.
My naked back.
After we’d gotten out of the shower, Phoenix had taken his time drying me off with a towel as he’d kissed me softly over and over again. Then he’d carefully changed the soaking wet bandage on my wrist. I’d spent the entire time still reeling from what he done to me.
What he’d made me feel.
Never in a million years had I expected someone like him to bring me any kind of pleasure, let alone what he’d actually done. And when he’d talked about me being inside of him…
Even now, my body reacted to the thought.
“Just a bad dream,” I murmured, knowing the answer wouldn’t be enough for him. I forced myself to sit up and glanced at the clock. It was just after six in the morning.
“A bad dream didn’t bring you to my door last night,” Phoenix said as he brushed my temple with his fingers. “It didn’t put those bruises on your face, either.”
God, I didn’t want to lie to him.
“Some boxes fell off a pallet at work…they sent me home early.”
Phoenix pulled me against him so that his forehead was pressed to my temple. “I wish you would trust me,” he whispered. “I can help you.”
I choked back a sob and closed my eyes. God, he felt so good…so warm. What I wouldn’t give to wake up in his arms every day.
“I promise I’ll tell you everything soon,” I finally said as I pulled away. “But I need to take care of some things first.”
He pressed a kiss against my skin. “I’m holding you to that,” he said.
I nodded.
I would tell him. But it would be from the other side of a sheet of plexiglass and through a phone. Because T had sealed the deal for me.
I couldn’t fight anymore .
I’d get Henry situated and pray that the State found him a good situation, assuming they took him from Dina at all.
Then I’d do what I should have done seven years ago.
I’d walk through the nearest police station’s doors and tell them about T and his threat against Betty.
Then I’d tell them about Seth and his family.
I didn’t care where they sent me this time, because I wouldn’t survive it. It was the coward’s way out, but I’d find a way to end my life once I was back behind bars.
“I should go,” I said. “I need to get my father’s car back before he realizes I took it,” I said. “And Dina will be leaving for work in a couple of hours.”
“I’ll come with you,” Phoenix said. “You can bring Henry back here and we can spend the day together.”
I began to shake my head, but I was surprised when Phoenix murmured, “Please, Levi.” I turned to look at him and finally noticed his features etched with tension.
“What happened?” I asked as I turned to face him.
“Amani’s doctors did another brain scan yesterday. They check it every few months to see if there’s been any change.”
“Is…is everything okay?” I asked, my heart in my throat.
“There’s been no change,” he said softly. “None whatsoever.”
I understood what he was telling me. While some might take that as good news, he wasn’t looking at it the same way. I knew he didn’t want to lose his child, but I couldn’t even fathom the torture he went through every time he saw her, knowing she was just beyond his reach…would likely always be.
“I’m sorry,” I said as I put my arms around him and hugged him.
“I…I was hoping you might come meet her today and then we could take Henry to the park or something.”
I nodded, though I knew it was a terrible idea. Every second I spent with him, the harder it would be to give him up. “Henry and I would love that,” I said.
He nodded and then he kissed me.
I watched him get out of bed and head towards the bathroom. He hadn’t gotten dressed again after our shower so his perfect body was on full display for me. My eyes fell to his ass and I once again wondered if he’d meant what he’d said about me fucking him. It just didn’t seem possible.
“You coming?” Phoenix asked once he reached the doorway. From the smirk on his mouth, I knew he’d caught me ogling his ass.
I forced myself out of bed and tried not to stress over how scrawny and pale I looked compared to him. The man could literally have any guy he wanted…
Once I reached him, I went to move past him and into the bathroom, but his arm came out to prevent me from moving forward and then his other arm came up to cage me in against the door frame.
If he’d been anyone but him, I would have been scared.
But all I was was incredibly turned on. Especially when his dick brushed against mine.
“You see something you like?” he asked as a playful smile spread across his beautiful lips.
I knew I was probably blushing to the roots of my hair, but I nodded anyway.
“Maybe you should take a closer look…get a feel for the goods,” he said.
I smiled at that, mainly because he was having so much fun with the play on words. The night before had been so intense and heavy, but this…this was different. But no less intriguing.
I hadn’t gotten a chance to touch him in the shower. It wasn’t because I hadn’t wanted to, I’d just been too overwhelmed by my own body’s responses to everything he’d done to me.
I lifted my hand to stroke over one bicep, tracing the arcs of heavy black ink. His muscles were rock solid beneath my touch, but his skin was soft. He wasn’t a particularly hairy guy, though he did have the happy trail thing going on that had me curling my toes as I fought the need to explore it.
I slid my hand up to his neck, pausing briefly at his pulse point which was thrumming rapidly.
Was I doing that to him?
It seemed odd that something as simple as a touch to his arm would get him going, but I realized my own heart was racing in my chest and I’d barely done anything yet.
I lifted my other hand, ignoring the stinging in my wrist, and caressed his chest. His nipples hardened when I touched them and before I could think too much on it, I leaned forward and swiped my tongue over one of them.
Phoenix gasped and I felt his fingers curl in my hair.
But he didn’t try to hold me in place. I did the same thing to the other nipple and was rewarded with another gasp.
The idea that I had any kind of power over him was mind-boggling. But when he murmured my name, I knew it might actually be true.
And for the first time in my life, I wondered if there was a chance this pleasure I was feeling would linger if I touched him in the ways other men had always forced me to touch them.
Would he feel the way I’d felt last night when he’d had my dick down his throat?
He’d acted like he’d wanted it…enjoyed it.
And I hadn’t missed the fact that he’d found his own release shortly after I’d taken mine.
I ran my hands up and down his sides and then slipped them around to his back.
“Kiss me,” I whispered. “Please.”
His mouth swooped down on mine, but he didn’t take complete control.
He consumed my mouth, yes, but I still felt like I was in the driver’s seat.
I let my hands settle on his ass, marveling at the firm flesh.
I could feel moisture dripping onto my sensitive cock and I released Phoenix’s mouth long enough to confirm it was mine and his.