Chapter forty-seven Melody #2
He’s still tonguing the wrong spot, his muscle dipping into the crease of my thigh as I deadpan at the ceiling. The lights are on. How the fuck does he not see what he’s doing?
I bite back a sigh, my core dry and not at all prepped as he becomes sloppy and finally finds his way to my pussy. His nose bumps my clit, and I let out a moan, hoping it will coach him. Instead, he dips right in, no plan, as he finds my entrance.
Okay, that’s not so bad.
He’s making a fucking motion, his head bobbing as something finally sparks in my lower belly.
It starts out small, lighting a little flame in me as I ride out the pleasure.
It isn’t consuming and Earth-shattering, but it’s getting the job done as my muscles begin to coil.
Lazy orgasms aren’t my favorite, but at least I’ll have something.
He makes his way upward, lavishing my hardened bud as I turn to jelly. My hands curl into his hair, tugging slightly.
He grabs my wrist, pulling back. “Ouch. Not so rough, baby.”
My eyes fly open, a record scratching as I lose my release altogether. It withers away before my eyes, dying dramatically as if it’s a whisper on the wind. “Sorry,“ I bite, releasing his hair before my hands slap down on the bed, and I ball the sheets in my fists.
He continues, and I close my eyes, focusing on the sensations to build myself back up. It’s hard to keep my mind from wandering, and as it strays to something forbidden—
The shrill ring of a phone I know all too well fractures any arousal I had. It’s coming from Dylan’s pocket, tucked away from my sight as I narrow my eyes on him.
He hangs his head, sighing as he stands to answer it. He’s holding the device up to his ear when I stop him.
“Who would be calling you at this time?” I ask in bewilderment. It’s almost ten.
“It’s my secretary,” he says, turning away from me as he answers. “Hello?”
There’s a muffled conversation that I can’t hear as I angrily rise and yank my underwear back on. Dylan’s whole frame becomes rigid as he grips the phone with both hands.
“Are you serious?” He whispers in a hiss. “Right now?”
I frown at his back, a tiny tug yanking deep in my subconscious as a woman’s voice reaches me. I can’t hear what she’s saying, but my fiancé is entirely invested.
“I’m on my way,” he says quickly before hanging up. He lowers the phone like it weighs a hundred pounds in his hand.
“Well?” I snap.
He drags a hand down his face, already halfway to the door and somewhere else in his head. “I have to go.”
A hollow laugh escapes me as I cross my arms. “Of course you do…”
“It’s urgent,” he calls behind him as he heads to Kaden’s old room to grab his bag and his shoes.
I’m trailing him, rage swelling to a scalding temperature. “It’s ten o’clock at night, Dylan!” I protest as he pushes past me and takes the stairs.
“It’s work,” he says over his shoulder, his voice despondent and sterile.
My feet smack against the stairs with heavy thuds as we make it to the first floor. “What kind of emergency requires you to run out in the middle of the fucking night?”
Kaden rises from the couch, blinking bleary-eyed as his bare chest rumbles with a yank. He leans across the back of the sofa, holding up a hand. “Can I weigh in?”
“No,” Dylan and I snap in unison.
My brother’s brows shoot up before he eases back down. “Alright. Yeesh.”
Dylan turns to me, his bag’s strap slung over his shoulder and his face impassive. “Don’t start, Melody. Not tonight.”
“Don’t start?” I ask incredulously. “You get a fucking phone call from some woman whispering in your ear, and you’re asking me to not start?”
“She’s my fucking secretary!” He rages, his voice rising. “When work calls, I answer. It’s that simple.”
I scoff, nodding. “Yeah, sounds really simple. You’re choosing your job over us.”
He runs a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening.
“Listen, if you want to keep living the way we do, running your fucking flower shop and surrounded by everything we’ve worked so hard for, then yes.
I will choose this damn job over us because it’s the only reason we have everything in the first place, Melody. ”
The pain stabs me, twisting unpleasantly in my gut as my lips wobble. The bridge of my nose stings as I take the hem of my nightie between my fingers and rub. “What about us? This week is supposed to be—”
“Oh, give me a fucking break!” Dylan shouts, his tone echoing back and making me flinch.
“I’m sorry I don’t fit into your perfect little mold, Melody, but some of us have the weight of the world on our shoulders.
Not just a fucking flower shop that barely makes ends meet.
I should have tanked that damn store long ago when I still had the chance—”
A fist connects with his face mid-argument, sending Dylan’s head whipping to the side as he stumbles, and an audible crack pierces the air. I’m gawking as my fiancé‘s side hits the island and Kaden covers him.
My brother fists Dylan’s shirt, pointing a finger in his bloodied face as his cheek begins to swell with a deep purple bruise. “You don’t fucking speak to her like that! Do you understand?”
Fear flickers in Dylan’s eyes as he cowers away. “Y-yes.” He whispers.
Kaden manhandles him, forcing him down to his knees in front of me with rough tugs and pushes. “Fucking apologize! Before I kick your god damned teeth in!”
Dylan’s eyes are wide, trained on the floor that his face rests inches from as his jaw pops unnaturally. “S-sorry…”
“Say it like you mean it.” Kaden grabs his cheeks harshly, forcing Dylan’s eyes up. “Look at her!”
They’re welling with tears, and for the first time ever, I see just how weak my fiancé is. He doesn’t fight against the man at his back, and he raised his voice at me without a second thought.
“I-I’m sorry, Melody,” he says brokenly, his voice cracking.
Kaden sucks his teeth before pushing him away. “Get your shit and get the fuck out of my house.”
Dylan scrambles up, swiping at his cheeks as he picks up his scattered belongings. He turns, something pensive and scared in his eyes, before Kaden steps in front of me.
“She’ll talk to you when she’s ready,” my brother barks like he’s my sworn protector.
Dylan nods numbly, shuffling towards the front door. The echo of the click ricochets around the space, bouncing back at me as I stand completely still, unable to move or process what just happened.
Kaden runs a strong hand over his mouth before turning to me and pointing a finger at me. “You don’t let a fucking man speak to you that way, do you understand?”
My spine straightens, eyes wide as I swallow and nod.
He breathes deeply. “Good. Go back to bed. And I don’t want to hear you crying over him. He’s a piece of shit.”
“O-okay…” I stammer, my heart leaping in my chest as I turn on my heel. I hesitate at the stairs, frowning down at my bare feet as I shake my head and pad over to the couch.
Kaden is already sitting down, his knuckle resting on his knee. It isn’t bruised, but there is a small cut there that’s beginning to swell with blood. He isn’t concerned with it as he slaps his pillow loudly.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He sighs, closing his eyes tightly. “Of course, Sunny.”
I don’t know what I’m doing. This whole trip has been one big disaster after another, but I can’t stop myself as I rest my hand on his shoulder. I press forward, kissing his cheek chastely as his face softens.
“Why do you care so much about whether he’s here or not?” Kaden asks, his voice laced with heaviness.
I ease down onto the sofa with him, curling my hands in my lap.
“Because…because this was supposed to help us reconnect.
“ I wipe my tears before they can fall, feeling vulnerable and small.
I give a watery, empty chuckle as the storm outside whips against the terrace doors.
“I had it all planned out. We were going to drink hot chocolate and watch movies, build snowmen together like we used to do every year before work became his life, and just try to…” I tense up before releasing my breath. “Try to make it work.”
Kaden tucks my hair behind my ear gingerly, his eyes soaking in my features as if he can’t get enough. “You can still do all of those things.”
I give a watery snort. “Yeah, I guess I can.”
He leans in, kissing my temple deeply, and I let him. It’s a bittersweet feeling to have him so close yet so far. I could easily fall back into those memories and dreams we once shared, but I’ve been burned by him before.
I don’t think I would survive it a second time.
“Get some sleep,” Kaden says softly. “Don’t think about him and let me handle everything.”
My glossy eyes flicker to him. “Handle what?”
He gives me a crooked smirk. “You’ll see. Off to bed with you before I carry you up there.”
I chuckle, rising. “Thank you for talking to me.”
He takes my hand, pressing a kiss to my knuckle. “Anything for you, Sunny.”
As I pad back towards my room, my skin burns where he touched. My heart gives a painful thump as I barricade myself behind my door. I press my back to it, resting my head against the wood as I let my tears fall.