Chapter 13 #4
That night, I sat with her on the couch, her legs draped over mine, her hand on my chest like she needed to feel proof that I was still there.
She fell asleep with tears drying on her cheeks and my name on her breath.
And I knew in that moment, I’d never let her go, not in this life, not in the next, not in any world where my soul could still reach for hers.
I pulled into the driveway, ribs still aching but mind running faster than the engine. By the time I knocked, she was already opening the door, barefoot in shorts and one of those soft tees that looked better on her than any dress.
She just stared at me for a second, eyes searching, and then she pulled me in like she couldn’t stand the space between us. My ribs groaned, but I didn’t give a damn.
“I’m fine, gorgeous,” I murmured against her hair. “Promise.”
She leaned back enough to study my face, lips pursed. “You don’t look fine. You look tired.”
“Maybe.” I exhaled, heavy. “I’ve been thinking about seeing somebody. You know—professional. Talking it out.”
Her brows arched, surprised. “You? Mr. Detective Fine Shyt actually talking to a therapist?”
“Yeah.” I nodded seriously. “Abrams did his eval thing, but that’s paperwork. I need real. Somebody who ain’t clock-watching with a pen in hand. Chambers’s cousin, Dr. Scott? She’s in Houston. She helped my cousin Jacory’s wife, Shaniya, a great deal. She’s just now taking new clients.”
She blinked, a little stunned. “You’d go?”
“I’d go,” I said firmly. Then I brushed a thumb across her cheek. “But I want you to go too, baby. You deserve more than patching yourself up in mirrors and journals. I’ll even drive you to the first session.”
Her laugh was small, shaky. “Baby, you’re supposed to be resting. You can’t drive me anywhere with busted ribs. Spend that time with EJ. I’ll go. I promise. I’ll schedule it myself.”
My chest tightened. “I just… I don’t want you pushing me away one day, resenting me, being afraid of me ’cause of what happened, or blaming me.”
Her head snapped up, eyes blazing. “Don’t you ever say no stupid shit like that again, Elias Jamal Edmonds. Ever.”
That fire… God, it lit something in me. I couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped out. “Damn. This feels vaguely fucking familiar.”
“Good.” She grabbed my shirt, tugged me down into a kiss so fiercely it stole my breath. And when she pulled back, her voice dropped, low and dangerous. “Now let me show you how stupid that sounded.”
She had me laid out on that couch like I was the case, and she was the detective ready to break me open.
Her lips wrapped around me again, deeper this time, and the sound? Sloppy, wet, like she didn’t care if the whole block heard. Spit dripped down her chin, slicking me up, her throat swallowing me down like she was trying to prove a point.
“Fuuuck, Jonay.” I growled, my hand gripping her curls. “You taking me like you hungry.”
She pulled back just enough, spit glistening between us, her lips swollen, eyes wicked. “Who said I wasn’t?” Then she spat right on me, stroked it in, and swallowed me down again, gagging on purpose, making a mess out of both of us.
My thighs damn near jumped off the couch. “Shit! Baby girl, you gon’ make me lose my badge with this disrespectful mouth.”
She hummed around me, vibrations damn near making my vision blur. Then she looked up, eyes gleaming, cheeks wet, and mumbled with her mouth full, “Say you mine.”
My hips jerked, ribs screaming, but I didn’t give a damn. “I’m yours, gorgeous. All fucking yours.”
She moaned low, sucking harder, faster, sloppy and loud, her nails digging into my thighs to hold me down every time I twitched. I couldn’t hold it. My body betrayed me, grinding into her mouth like I needed salvation.
“Fuck, look at you.” I groaned, staring down at her. “Messy as hell, pretty as fuck. That mouth was built to ruin me.”
She pulled off, spit and slick running down her chin, and grinned devilishly. “Good. I wanna ruin you.” Then she went right back down, wetter, nastier, twisting her hand with her mouth so fast my whole body shook.
My groans got ugly. Raw. I sounded like a man dying in the best way. “Shit, Jonay… I’m close, baby…”
She didn’t stop. Didn’t slow. Just sucked harder, slurped louder, her tongue dragging fire out of me until I exploded with a shout that rattled the damn windows.
She swallowed it all, licking her lips slowly, wiping her chin with the back of her hand like she was proud of the damage. Then she straddled me, pressing her slick lips to my ear.
“Told you I’d heal you,” she whispered, biting my neck.
I pulled her close, ragged, hand sliding up her thigh. “Nah, baby girl. You ain’t heal me. You baptized me.”
She kissed her way up my chest, slow and wet, her mouth still tasting like me. My whole body hummed, ribs aching but forgotten. When she straddled me, pressing that heat against me through her shorts, my hands gripped her thighs like handles I never wanted to let go of.
“Jonay…” My voice cracked, guttural. “What you tryna do to me, baby girl?”
She smirked, grinding slowly, teasing, her lips brushing mine. “Finish what I started.”
She peeled her shorts off, tossed them aside, and sank down on me slowly, taking every inch like she’d been starving for it.
My head snapped back, a growl ripping out of my chest. “Gah damn!” My hands locked on her hips as she rode me down deep.
Her walls gripped me so tight I damn near blacked out. “Shit, baby. Your pussy sucking me in like a vacuum. Fuck!”
Jonay leaned forward, nails digging into my chest, her moans messy and beautiful. “Then don’t fight it.” She panted, rolling her hips in circles. “Let it take you.”
That line almost ended me. I slammed up into her harder, ribs screaming, but heart gone. “Baby girl, you gon’ kill me tonight.”
Her nails scraped down my chest as she leaned in, her voice hot against my ear. “You soundin’ real weak for somebody who swore he had control.”
I gritted my teeth, hands gripping her ass. “Weak? Baby, I’m holdin’ back so I don’t break you in half.”
She smirked, hips grinding slowly like she owned time. “Then stop holdin’ back, Detective. Handle me.”
“Say less.” I bucked up into her deep, filthy strokes that made her scream. Her pussy clamped down so tight I cursed aloud. “Shit! That grip gon’ put me in the grave. You hear me? Fuck, baby, you vacuum-sealin’ my soul right now.”
She threw her head back, laughing through a moan, sweat glistening down her neck. Then she slid off, flipped around, and sank back down reverse, her ass bouncing against my thighs.
“Gah damn.” I groaned, palming her waist. “This view? You tryin’ to get your pretty ass pregnant, huh?”
She looked back over her shoulder, lips swollen, eyes gleaming. “Maybe I just like watchin’ you lose your mind.”
Her pace got nastier, slapping, bouncing, the sound of wet heat filling the room. I slapped her ass hard, gripping her roughly, voice gone dark. “Keep ridin’ ya dick like that, gorgeous, and I’m gon’ nut so deep you gon’ taste me when you talk.”
Her laugh cracked into a moan. “Talk your shit, Detective Fine Shyt. You the one shakin’.”
“I’m shakin’ ’cause you milkin’ me dry,” I shot back, thrusting up into her, making her body jolt. “Pussy got me fightin’ for my badge and my life.”
She moaned louder, pushing back harder, messy, sloppy, beautiful. “Good. I want you ruined. Ruined for anybody but me.”
“You already did that.” I grunted, slapping her ass again, sweat dripping down my temple. “Ain’t no comin’ back from this. I’m stamped. Branded. Cuffed. Locked in. You my addiction, gorgeous.”
Her whole body trembled, her walls squeezing like they were trying to wring me out. She cried out my name, voice breaking into little gasps as she came hard, grinding through it.
I lost it, grabbing her hips and driving up into her, reckless, groaning like a man possessed. “Fuck! Take it all, baby girl. Every drop. This dick yours. Forever.”
She collapsed forward, trembling, my name falling from her lips like a prayer gone nasty. I pulled her back against me, kissing the sweat on her spine, still buried deep inside.
“Gorgeous,” I whispered, voice shredded but sure. “You ride me like that again, I’ma write ya sexy ass a ticket ’cause this right here is criminal.”
Jonay lay across my chest, skin warm, hair tickling my chin. I dragged the towel lazily over her back, slow strokes just to keep touching her. The air still smelled like us, heavy and sweet, candles throwing shadows that made the room feel safer than it had in a long time.
“You know what I kept thinkin’ about just now?” I murmured, tracing circles on her shoulder.
Her hum was soft, drowsy. “Mhm?”
I stared at the ceiling, jaw tight, words fighting their way out.
“How wild it is that somebody like me gets to be loved like this. I done seen some ugly shit, gorgeous. Been in it, around it, damn near buried under it. I know killers who ain’t never got touched soft in their life.
I know women who gave up on the idea of safety a long time ago.
And then there’s me—laying here with you on my chest like God really decided I deserved a second chance. ”
Her head lifted, eyes locking on mine. That look, the one that always stripped me raw, had my throat working overtime.
“Elias…” she whispered.
I smirked, but it cracked at the edges. “Don’t get it twisted. I ain’t out here being poetic. I’m deadass. You make me wanna be softer than I thought I could ever be. And that scares the shit outta me ’cause once a man like me gets soft, he doesn’t survive long.”
She slid her hand over my beard, thumb brushing slowly across my jaw. “Or maybe,” she said, voice steady, “once a man like you lets himself be soft, he finally gets to live, baby.”
My chest damn near caved. I kissed her palm, lingering, tasting salt and skin. “Leave it to you to flip my whole head around in one sentence.”
Her laugh was quiet, but it filled the room. “It’s ’cause you let me. And I’m not letting go, Detective Fine Shyt. You’re stuck with me.”
I chuckled, pulling her closer so she couldn’t see the burn in my eyes. “Stuck. Trapped. Handcuffed. Guess I can live with that.”
Her grin curved upward, sexy. “Good. Now hush and let me show you what happens when a deputy takes charge after hours.”