Chapter 21 – Katie
Twenty-One
PRESENT DAY
KATIE
It did not feel like one mile. At all.
My phone had only counted us at three tenths of a mile when the sky’s puffy white clouds had transformed into angry gray ones.
When we reached the second mile, they began releasing a slight drizzle over us.
“I googled something a little while back.” I looked up at Asher. “Car thefts are pretty rampant in fake tourist spots here.”
“Are you trying to blame me for someone stealing the car?”
“I’m merely pointing out that for someone who insists on doing so much ‘research,’ you missed a pretty big red flag.”
He glared at me as we continued walking, the rain falling even harder and soaking through our clothes.
An hour later, we finally reached the bus stop Omar told us about, but it wasn’t covered, so we made our way inside the warehouse behind it.
“What’s your refund policy?” I asked. “For your regular clients.”
“It doesn’t exist,” he said. “There’s never been a reason for me to have one.”
“What about for times like this?” I could literally feel my soles burning, and I wanted to scream.
“I don’t see any problems…”
“Everything you’ve master-planned to break up Chris and Michelle has failed. Like, literally everything.”
He gritted his teeth. “I’m aware. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome,” I said. “Have you ever had this many back-to-back failures?”
“No, never.” His voice was terse. “But there’s a factor in my latest equation, so I think that might have to do with things…”
“You think this is my fault?”
“I think you need to walk the hell away from me until the next bus comes.”
“I’m fine standing right here.”
“Then can you do it with your mouth shut?” he asked. “I’d appreciate that.”
“I ask you to shut up all the time, and you never do it for me, so no.” I shrugged. “No, I can’t stand here with my mouth shut.”
“Then call Brad and bitch to him about all the things you hate about me,” he said. “I’m tired of hearing about it.”
“I broke up with Brad.”
“What?” His eyes flashed with anger. “When?”
“A while ago.”
“So you lied to me about him coming here?” He moved closer. “You said he was your plus-one…”
“I didn’t know I had to keep you up to date on my personal life.”
“You promised to keep me in the loop on this fucking thing in particular.” He pinned me to the spot with his heated gaze. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Because like I told you before,” I could barely hear my voice, “me breaking up with him doesn’t change anything between me and you.”
“Like hell it doesn’t…” His lips crashed against mine—deep and possessive, and I immediately forgot what I was going to say.
My back hit the wall, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.
His eyes were locked on mine, daring me to tear away from him, daring me to resist.
Dragging his teeth over my lip, he growled as the rain fell harder outside.
Sliding his hand against my leg, he pushed my dress up my thighs.
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a condom and rolling it on without breaking eye contact.
Then he pushed into me in one slow, deliberate stroke.
“This is exactly what you want,” he whispered against my lips. “Say it…”
I was too breathless to respond.
“Katie…” He slid into me hard and gripped my hips, stilling me. Then he bit down hard on my bottom lip, staring deep into my eyes. “Say it.”
“Yes…” I managed. “This is what I want.”
He fucked me against the wall, pounding into me without mercy.
Every ounce of frustration I’d built up around him snapped, twisted, and gave way to something far more dangerous with every stroke, every harsh kiss from his lips.
“Ahhhh…” I dug my nails into his neck as I neared my orgasm. I tried to hold on, but his tempo was too much. Too powerful.
I fell apart against him, and he held me taut.
He stiffened seconds later, groaning my name as his arms tightened around me.
We stared at each other.
He slid out of me, and before I could say a word, he looked me up and down. Still rock hard, he pulled up his pants, and I waited for him to buckle them, but he didn’t.
Instead, he rolled off the condom and took out another one.
“Turn around and put your hands on the wall,” he said.
“Huh?”
“You heard me.” He opened the foil packet and rolled on the condom, slowly stretching it over his cock.
“Don’t make me ask you again, Katie…”
I remained still, and he suddenly grabbed me by the waist and spun me around. He wedged his leg between my thighs, making me spread apart.
He splayed a hand against my back and pressed his mouth against my neck.
“Put your hands on the wall,” he demanded, and I obliged.
He slid into me again, slower this time, deeper this time.
He pressed his mouth against my neck, sucking my skin between his teeth. The contrast in tempos was all too much, all too overwhelming, and I gave in.
We came together that time, him gripping my waist, my nails clawing at the wall.
Panting, I shut my eyes and tried to recover.
The next thing I felt was Asher’s kisses against my back, and then him slowly sliding out of me—leaving me feeling empty and bereft.
The sound of him buckling his belt echoed off the wall seconds later.
“Here…” he whispered, sliding an arm around my waist and spinning me around.
He gently pulled my hair to one side. Then he adjusted my necklace before tugging my dress down.
We stared at each other for several moments, not saying a word.
Grabbing my hand, he pulled me from the corner—leading me back to the front of the warehouse’s opening.
Headlights shone through the rain in the distance, but they didn’t look like they belonged to a bus.
As they neared, I realized they belonged to a car.
Asher’s rental car…
It coasted closer to us, and the driver rolled down the window.
“I forgot to tell you that the buses aren’t running today!” Omar smiled. “But I got your car back, and you can drop me off at home before heading back to your resort, huh?”