53. MATEO
fifty-three
She’s not answering my calls, and I’m starting to panic.
I know she made it home safely and that she’s still there based on the updates I got from Charlie.
I called my mother after I saw all of her missed calls, bracing for how this has impacted Anna when she saw what I did on TV.
Silver lining from her being sick is that she had taken her cold medicine and was fast asleep before the game even started. I’ll still have to sit her down and tell her about what happened, since I’m sure she’ll see or hear about it eventually, but at least I get to do it myself.
Now all I can focus on is Isabella.
And the daunting feeling that the other shoe has finally dropped.
As the elevator makes its way up to my home, I’m racking my brain as to how I can fix whatever pain that is consuming Isa.
I want it handled, I want it gone, and I want to do it myself.
Nothing has ever made me feel so powerless than seeing the woman I love get hurt right before my eyes. If I wasn’t so hell-bent on getting to her as soon as possible, I would probably be finding my way back to Monarch Stadium to get another round in with Anderson.
The elevator doors barely open before I’m barreling through, shouting Isabella’s name.
Our home is silent, and I wonder if she’s already asleep. Except when I search our room, she’s not there, and her shower gel is missing from our shower.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
It’s worse than I thought.
I run down the stairs, barely keeping upright as I make my way back to the first floor. I force myself to gently open her old bedroom door instead of ripping it off the hinges like I want to.
When I do, I find her waking up, rubbing at her tear-streaked face.
I force myself to keep hold of the doorknob and to quiet tonight’s inner rage at the sight of her.
She seems so small and fragile in this bed, and I don’t want to be the thing that breaks her.
But to my surprise, she gently lifts the comforter on the empty side of the bed and nods at me to get it.
I quickly step out of the sneakers and socks I didn’t bother taking off when I got home and slip into the bed beside her.
If she needs more space, she’s going to have to use her words, because I simply wrap my arm around her middle and pull her into me.
Her arms go around my neck as my face nuzzles into hers.
There. I can breathe again.
“I’m so sorry,” we say at the same time.
I rear back, because what the hell does she have to be sorry about?
“The team lost. Because of me,” she hiccups.
Oh, fuck that.
I lift her quivering chin with my knuckles. “Escúchame, Isabella.” Her eyes widen as I speak Spanish. “Esto no es tu culpa. ?Entiendes, mi amor?” If I tell her that this isn’t her fault in Spanish, then it might start to sink in after I repeat it a million more times in English.
“I can’t take away all the pain he caused you in the past, although I hope you know I’ll try. But I could not, and would not, let whatever move he pulled tonight slide. Never on my watch, Isa. Never.”
She sighs against my chest, then notices my messed-up knuckles.
“This looks like it hurts.” She reaches for my hand and kisses each knuckle softly.
“Trust me, I’m not the one that is hurting tonight.” I kiss her forehead. “On the bright side, it looks like my season is over, so I don’t need to pitch with it any time soon,” I try to joke.
She groans and leans her head back on my chest. “Not funny.”
“Maybe just a little. You’re gonna have to get used to the fact that I have no more games and, therefore, will be around all the time to annoy you while you try to get your work done.” I kiss her head. The scent of her floral shampoo puts my soul at ease.
She’s in my arms. Everything else will be all right.
“And why are you down here instead of our bed?” I chastise lightly.
She shrugs. “Didn’t feel right being upstairs. Felt guilty of my role in it all.” She raises her voice when she sees me ready to cut in. “Even if it wasn’t my fault, it still didn’t settle well with me.”
“And now?” I shift so some of my weight is on top of her, but not all.
She looks up at me, wet lashes clumping together as she searches for something she must find, because she smiles. “Yeah. Now I’m feeling much better.” She nudges me slightly, and I eagerly take the hint.
I finally kiss her and feel her soften under me.
Her legs open, allowing me the space to get closer to her.
Our bodies know this dance well. Our hands travel, and we start to pull at each other, trying to find ways to get even closer.
Isabella breaks the kiss, only for a moment, to take her tank top off and throw it across the bed.
I look down hungrily at her breasts but pause. “Are you sure, baby?” I know it’s been an emotional night, and I want to make sure her mind is in the right place.
She takes my moment of hesitation and shimmies herself out of her panties and sleep shorts. “Yes, please. I need to feel you. Feel us. Right now.”
The urgency in her voice has me snapping into action, pulling down my sweats along with my boxers and tossing them aside. Before I have the chance, she’s ripping the T-shirt over my head and pulling me back down to kiss her.
My hand goes to her breast, pinching and teasing like I know she likes.
As much as I try to hover, my hard cock leaks precum onto her stomach, and I’m doing everything in my power to keep it from touching her pussy.
Which reminds me. I let out an agonizing groan. “Fuck, baby. Condoms are upstairs.” I run my fingers through her wetness and curse my past self for not thinking ahead and stocking this room with condoms as well. “Let me eat you out down here, and then we’ll head up to our bed for round two. How does that sound?” I easily slide a finger into her, causing her back to arch and her breasts to inch closer to my face. My favorite.
I suck a nipple into my mouth and bite down lightly.
She moans. “I have a better idea.” She reaches down and finds my hardness. I slide my finger out of her so I can get a better look at what she has planned.
When she rubs the tip of my cock on her needy clit, I almost lose it.
When she lines me up bare into her opening, I think I see heaven.
“Please,” she pleads softly.
I don’t need to be told twice.
With my thumb firmly planted on her clit, I start to rock, giving her an extra inch of me each time I thrust into her.
We both release animalistic sounds at the feel of fucking each other without anything between us.
Her tight heat threatens to be my undoing, and I do everything possible to focus on her and hold off my looming orgasm.
I start toying with her pretty little clit, teasing, rubbing, and pinching, causing her to clench that beautiful pussy around my throbbing cock.
At times like these, as I play her like an instrument, I’m glad I’m ambidextrous. One hand squeezes and plucks her nipples while the other rubs her clit, all while keeping my thrusts deep and evenly paced.
I feel my own orgasm on the rise, so I know it’s time to make my woman scream. I shift slightly, hitting that spot that usually sends her flying off the bed. I push down on her lower stomach, forcing her to stay put as I watch her face morph into ecstasy. Her pussy starts to flutter around my cock, and I pick up the unrelenting pace, now wanting my own orgasm to meet with hers.
She starts screaming my name, and there’s no holding back.
We come together. Kissing and moaning against each other’s lips.
I slow my pace, catching my breath, as I continue to fill her up, leaning over her, making sure not to spill a single drop.
The way she continues to suck me in long after the orgasm has overtaken her leads me to believe that she just had another. As I swipe my thumb over her clit one last time, my suspicions are confirmed as she hisses at the contact.
After I’ve recovered a bit of my strength, I allow myself to slip out of her.
I lean back on my knees to take in the view I’ve never had before.
My cum starts to slowly seep out of her, and an immense sense of satisfaction threatens to consume me. Isabella tries to close her legs and says something about the sheets, but I keep her legs wide open for me by keeping one hand on each knee and take it all in.
Eventually, I can’t help myself.
I release her legs. They helplessly fall open as I let my thumbs open her up farther, smearing our collective arousal and making an absolute mess.
She half chuckles as she rises up on her elbows. “You almost done down there, big guy?”
I look up at her, my smile predatory. “Water and ibuprofen. Right now.” She quirks an eyebrow at me. “If you thought you were getting any sleep after you let me fuck this pussy raw, you’re sorely mistaken, tesoro.”