Chapter 6 #3
Ivan is at the guard booth this morning.
He gives me a nod as he lets me through, and as soon as I’m clear of the gate, I rev the engine and speed down the road.
I love my Camaro, but the bike is just as much fun.
I weave through the cars, quickly catching up to Maddie.
I hang back, keeping several cars between us and follow her when she turns off the main highway.
After reading her file this morning, I quickly realize she’s on the way to her mom’s.
Before we get there, she stops off at a coffee shop, coming out a few minutes later with two cups and a small bag.
It only takes a couple more minutes before she’s stopping in front of a row of townhouses.
I park down the street, watching her balance the cups and bag.
She shoulders the Jeep’s door shut and quickly runs up to the last townhouse, the one with a vivid red door and window boxes filled with blooming daisies.
Unable to reach her keys, she gives the red door a couple of soft kicks, laughing when her mom opens it.
They disappear inside, and I sit and wait.
There are a lot of things I could be doing, but I can’t bring myself to start my bike and leave.
When the second hour of waiting starts, I begin to seriously question the life choices I’ve made today.
I’m about to lose what little patience I have when the door finally opens and Maddie steps out.
Her mom pulls her in for one last hug, and even from this distance, I can see how frail she looks.
She’s a beautiful woman, but the cancer is taking a toll on her.
Based on what I read in her file, I’m confident a skilled oncologist and the right treatment plan will make all the difference.
Maddie gets back in her Jeep and drives off while I follow behind her.
She pulls into the parking lot of the same grocery store I went to the other night and parks at the end of an aisle, not even attempting to get a closer spot.
I’ve never seen anyone do that. Most people will weave up and down the aisles at least once.
Maddie just slid into the last spot like it was the one she’d been hoping for all along.
I pull into a space and watch her get out and walk by.
She turns her head, locking eyes with me.
All she can see is a black helmet. From the angle she’s at, she can’t even see enough of me to recognize my shirt.
She still freezes in place, though. I smile at her, even though she can’t see it, giving a soft laugh when she quickly turns away and speeds her steps up, practically jogging into the damn store.
No way in fuck am I waiting out in the hot parking lot this time, so I take my helmet off and follow her inside.
Staying back, I watch her push the cart into one of the aisles, admiring the perfect curve of her ass before she disappears from view.
I’m not the only one who’s noticed her. The guy who’s ogling the same ass I am, meets my eyes and then quickly looks away when he sees how pissed I am.
Keeping my distance, I follow her as she shops, noticing the way she tries to shop for bargains, even though I know she has the money I gave her.
Most of the stuff she gets are knock-off brands, and she even takes the time to grab a few coupons that the store has hanging from certain items. She pauses in front of a display of honey.
She eyes the bottles, taking a few down and reading the labels.
Her fingers pause at the price tag before she gives a small shake of her head and puts them back.
After she’s left, I grab four of the bottles and keep following her.
When she’s satisfied she has everything, she picks a line and then reads the tabloids until it’s her turn to check out.
I nearly lose my shit when she makes two piles.
She uses the cash I gave her to pay for most of it, and then hands over her debit card to pay for a box of tampons, some face wash, and lotion, throwing in a York Peppermint Pattie at the last minute.
I’m fuming by the time I pay for the honey, at least the woman working doesn’t look at me like I’m going to rob the whole damn store like the last cashier did.
Storing the honey beneath my seat, I wait for Maddie to leave and then follow.
I know where she’s going, so this time when we hit the highway, I speed up, weaving through traffic until I’m passing her.
I turn my head, meeting her surprised look, knowing she recognizes me from the parking lot but not sure if she’s put it all together yet.
I’ve caught her mid-bite, the silver wrapper of her York only inches from her mouth.
I laugh before revving the engine and leaving her behind.
I’m already in the house by the time she pulls in the driveway.
I walk out to help her unload. When she sees me, she narrows her eyes at me. “Were you following me?”
Filling my hands with bags, I ask, “Why? See someone who reminded you of me? What did they look like?”
“It was definitely you.” She grabs the last of the bags and follows me inside. “I wasn’t sure in the parking lot, but I recognized your clothes and tattoos when you passed me on the way back. Plus, I could just sense the smirk you were giving me, even if I couldn’t see it.”
I laugh and set everything on the island, right next to the bottles of honey. When she sees them, her eyes widen. “Holy shit. You followed me the whole time?”
“I told you someone would be watching you every time you leave this house.” Pressing my hands against the island on either side of her, I invade her space and lean down so our faces are closer. “Why didn’t you use the money I gave you to pay for everything?”
“What? Oh my god, you have way too much time on your hands, Volodya. I paid for a couple of things because they’re just for me.”
“I gave you money,” I say again.
“Why the hell do you want to pay for my tampons?”
I lean closer. “I just do. From now on, everything that comes into this house is paid for by me, including tampons and lotion and York Peppermint Patties and whatever the fuck else you need, and I better not ever see you eyeing something you want and then not getting it.”
Holding up one of the bottles of honey, I ask, “Why didn’t you get this?”
She looks uncomfortable and ducks her head. I hook a finger under her chin, tilting her back up to me.
“God, you’re invasive. There is such a thing as personal space, you know?”
I run my thumb over her jaw, keeping her held in my grip and step closer, crowding her space even more, proving to her that there is no such thing as personal space when it comes to us.
“Answer my question,” I tell her.
“It’s expensive,” she finally says.
“You had well over a thousand dollars for groceries, and I told you I’ll give you more when you go through that, so why didn’t you get it?”
“Because it was just for me, so I wasn’t going to take it from your money, and my funds are low, okay?”
She says the last word with a bit of attitude, and I have to bite my cheek to keep from laughing. “Do you have Venmo?”
She nods as I get my phone out and ask her for her details. When I find her, I quickly transfer ten thousand into her account.
“Let me know if you need more before you get paid again.”
When she sees the amount on my phone, her eyes widen. “That’s way more than you owe me for the month.”
“I gave you a hiring bonus.”
She looks like she wants to argue, but realizing the futility of it, she gives up.
“Now, the next time you go to the store, are you going to use your own money for anything?”
Her grey eyes narrow at the tone I’m using, and she looks downright feral when I step another inch closer.
“No,” she whispers, watching me and wondering what I’m going to do next.
I open the honey and squeeze some of it onto my finger and hold it to her lips.
“Don’t be shy now, kiska. You wanted it so badly before.”
She hesitates for only a second before her lips part.
I bite back a groan when the wet heat of her tongue swipes along my skin.
Her breathy moan fills the space around us as she sucks my finger into her mouth.
Keeping her grey eyes on mine, she lets her teeth graze my skin, pulling a growl from me before I can stop it.
The smirk she gives around my finger dissolves the last of my restraint as I close the distance and press my lips to hers.
Fisting her hair, I pull her head back and deepen the kiss.
Our tongues meet in a hungry clash, both of us struggling for dominance, but when I fist her hair tighter and press the hard length of my cock against her stomach, I feel her body soften, gladly giving control over to me.
Her breath falters as I run my finger over our tongues before sliding out and cupping her face, covering her skin with our spit.
Sucking her bottom lip between my teeth, I give her a soft bite.
My cock rages against my jeans, and every second I spend with her lips on mine and the sweet honey taste of her filling my mouth chips away at my restraint. Soon, I’ll be too far gone to stop.
Her hands fist my shirt, pulling me closer as she opens wider for me, so fucking hungry for more.
I’m surprised by how badly I want to give it to her.
I want to carry her upstairs and spend the rest of the day and night fucking her until she doesn’t even have the strength to lift her head, and then I want to fall asleep with her body tucked in close to mine, and that right there is the bucket of cold water I so desperately need.
Giving her bottom lip one last suck, I force our lips apart, hating the hurt I see in her eyes, but a little bit of hurt now is better than what she’d be feeling if I let this go any further because I can’t be what she wants me to be.
I’m not her happily ever after. I’m no one’s.
I’m still fisting her hair and cupping her face, and when I can no longer tolerate seeing the hurt in her eyes, I let her go and walk out of the house, needing to put some space between us.