Chapter Thirty-Five
Trey
I can’t stop staring at her.
Penny is always beautiful, but there’s something about her today that seems different. There’s a soft vulnerability in her gaze I crave to hold onto and protect. She doesn’t let her walls come down often, but right now, I have direct access to this girl.
“Did you pass your certification?” She tucks an errant strand of blond hair that’s come loose from her ponytail behind her ear.
A grin tugs at my lips. “With flying colors. I start next week. It’ll be hella weird since we’re at the end of the school year and the students have been dealing with subs all year, but I’m ready. Karen has been great in prepping me.”
“A teacher and a coach. You’re going for gold, Smash.” Her head tilts down and the same hair comes loose. This time, I’m the one who tucks it back behind her ear for her.
Blue eyes lift to mine, searing into me with intensity. I know that even though some time has passed, the smoldering heat that always ignites between us hasn’t died down.
“Any news on Jack?” She bites on her bottom lip, her body slightly trembling.
Anger shoots through me. Not at her. Sure, I was pissed at her for what she did, but my anger was always for the motherfucker who hurt her. He’s still out there, which worries the fuck out of me.
“I’m sure you heard. Lacey is dead,” I murmur, keeping my voice low.
Her eyes water as she reaches for my hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“Zella doesn’t understand. When I told her, she nodded and then asked if we could go to the river. I don’t know what to do about that.”
“Maybe she already knew,” Penny says, her voice soft. “She was living under the same roof as them. Maybe she saw…” Horror washes over her features. “Can you get her to see a therapist?”
“I’m going to, yes. Your dad and the social worker both think I need to. After the abuse she clearly received yet won’t talk about, I think it’s necessary.”
“One day, I will take every asshole like him down,” she growls, her blue eyes hardening.
“You will, huh?”
Her lips quirk up on one side. “I’m going to become a cop. As soon as they let me into the academy, I’m going to dominate and then clean up this town.”
A chuckle escapes me because it’s such a Penny thing to want to do. “You might have to arrest your convict buddy Jace.”
“Perk of the job.” She shrugs, grinning. Her smile falls and she grows serious. “I want justice for people like Lacey and Charlotte.” She swallows. “And me.”
Lacey never got her justice. Her stepfather slipped out of our hands and disappeared. The rat bastard is probably holed up in some city, trying to blend in like he’s not a murderer. It bothers the fuck out of me that I’ll always have to worry about Zella’s safety because of him.
“Charlotte got hers,” I remind her.
The trial went quickly. There was enough evidence of what happened to put both Cunninghams away for life. In my opinion, they both deserved death, but they didn’t ask me. Ryan is now a blind man, only nineteen, and will serve out every second of his miserable existence behind bars. His father, being an ex-cop, will no doubt meet an early death in the pen.
“She did,” Penny agrees. “I wish Cal would have finished him off, though.”
I didn’t go to the trial, but Cal was a bear those few weeks, worried over his woman. Poor Charlotte was a mess by the time she had to give her testimony. But after, it was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She had more pep in her step and smiled more often. When they both were found guilty of multiple counts that carried heavy sentences, Charlotte came back to us. I always thought she was cute and sassy, long before she ever dated Ryan. Finally, she’s not so shadowed by the horrors that Ryan and his father did to her.
“Have those guys bothered you any?” I ask, changing the subject.
Her expression turns to stone. I watch with a mix of fascination and annoyance as Penny erects her famous wall. “What guys?”
I nearly roll my eyes, because she knows exactly what guys I’m referring to. “Eli. Grayson. Paxton. The other dipshit who was at that party.”
“Aaron.”
“Yeah, him.”
“Eli transferred schools,” she says, unable to meet my stare.
“Why?”
“I…heard…he was suicidal.”
I heard the same thing. Everyone was whispering about it at basketball practice. How his parents were trying to keep it hush-hush, but they were trying to get him help.
“Hmm.” I study her for a moment. “Did Cal help?”
She gapes at me. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Jace?”
Her eyes flash, giving me my answer. Leaning forward, I grip her jaw in my hand, pulling her closer to me. My lips press to hers for a soft kiss.
“Your eyes don’t lie, Penny.” I implore her with my eyes to tell me what happened. If we’re going to move forward and be something, I need the truth from her.
She surprises me by climbing into my lap and straddling me. Her touch is delicate as she skates her fingers over my scars. “Just practicing for when I’m a cop one day. All we did was give him a taste of his own medicine.” She kisses my lips before pulling away. “Jace punched him in the face. While he was knocked out, I wrote terrible things about him. Then, I took pictures, sending them to everyone in his contact list. I made it seem like he felt guilty for what he did and considered taking his life.” She frowns. “Please don’t be mad.”
I grip her ass, squeezing it hard, to draw her close to me. “All I ever ask is for the truth, Penny. That wall you put up can be for everyone else, but not me. You want us to be together? Then I need this from you. Your truths don’t hurt. It’s the lies that do. That fucker deserved what he got and bringing Jace as backup was smart.” I grin at her. “I told you that you were a Hornet. Charlotte’s gonna have to make you your very own shirt and—”
“Stop talking,” she says before her lips cover mine.
The kiss starts out sweet and a bit playful, but the more I taste her sweetness that I’ve craved for the past couple of months, the more ravenous I am for her. My tongue dominates hers, tasting every part of her and devouring each of her soft moans. I’m seconds from ripping off her shirt when she pulls away.
“Trey, listen to me,” she says, her words firm and unyielding. “I told you I’m not good at relationships. Or people for that matter. I’ll mess up sometimes. It’s my personality. But don’t think for one second it’s ever because I want to hurt you. That will never be a reason.”
“Baby—”
“I’m not done,” she whispers. “We had a fight. It happens. I messed up and I’m sorry, but please don’t do that to me ever again. I can’t take it.”
I hate that the few times I’ve seen her cry have been related to me. Gently, I swipe away the tear from her cheek.
“We make the choice to be together, Penny, and I’m all in. I’m not the man I was before that car accident. Every second in this life matters.” I kiss her wet cheek. “There’s no time for grudges or anger. My life has had a big chunk missing since we broke up. I’m sorry it took me so long to wrap my head around what you did, but I did. And now you’re here. We’re together. I’ll do better next time.”
“I will too,” she assures me. “Promise me you won’t give up on me, because I sure as hell will never give up on you.”
“I promise,” I say and mean it. Now that she’s in my arms again, everything feels right. Better than right. It feels perfect. “Goddam, I missed you, woman.”
Our mouths fuse together once more. This kiss is frantic, mixed with emotion, apologies, and heat. Tonight I’ll make her mine. It’s been a long time coming.
“Spend the night in my bed with me.” It’s less of a question and more of a plea.
Her lips curl into a sweet smile that’s so rare, all I can do is admire it with awe. “I plan to. And any other nights you’ll have me.”
“What if I want all of them?”
“They’re yours.”
“Penny…” My voice is hoarse as I run my palms up the outside of her arms to her neck and then to cradle her head. “The reason I was so pissed and hurt…” I draw her to me, resting her forehead to mine. “It’s because I love you. I fell for you the second you drew me into that bathroom and forced me to face what the accident had done to me. You made me laugh, baby. You dragged me out of my own personal hell. I felt attached to you then in ways I couldn’t understand, but now I do. It’s because I knew you were mine. I loved you and didn’t even understand what that meant.”
“You’re the most beautiful man I know, Smash. I needed you to see that.”
I kiss her soft lips. “You’re the sweetest girl I know, mean-ass.”
She lets out a surprised breath when I stand with her in my arms. Affection for this girl blossoms in my chest when she wraps her arms around my neck and holds on, nuzzling her face against mine. I quickly make sure the cabin is locked and set the alarm I recently had installed before hitting all the lights. Once inside my bedroom, I shut the door and set Penny to her feet in front of my bed.
I pull off my shirt, flinging it to the floor. Her blue eyes run an appreciative trail over my chest and abdominal muscles. I’ve been putting more time at the gym lately, thankful the place has a kid play center that Zella loves and has made friends at. Between my physical therapy and my workouts, I’m almost at my peak physical condition. I still have my headaches on occasion, though less in frequency, and I now require glasses, but my limp is nearly nonexistent.
“Like what you see?” I tease, flexing for her.
She huffs and dramatically rolls her eyes. “I’ve seen better.”
“Liar.”
A smirk teases her features. “Question is, have you seen better?” She pulls off her own shirt, showing off a simple black bra. There’s nothing simple about the way her tits are pushed up, begging to be tasted and adored.
“Fuck no. You’re undeniably the best thing I have ever seen. I think I’m just partial, though, because you’re mine.”
“Yours?” Her eyebrow quirks up, but I can tell by the softening of her features she likes the idea.
“Mine. Now take your bra off, Hornet, and show me my nipples that missed me.”
“Gross.”
I laugh. “Your nipples are not gross.”
“Your alpha maleness is.”
Stepping forward, I reach behind her to unfasten her bra. Her breath hitches. I tug it away and then rub my thumb over her nipple that’s hard as a small pebble. “Try telling your pretty titties that. Your nipples say otherwise.”
She gasps when I drop to a knee, making myself level with her breast. I suck one into my mouth, loving the way she moans when my tongue teases over the sensitive bud. After a quick nip that makes her whimper, I kiss my way over to her other tit, lavishing it with ravenous attention as well.
I kiss my way down her stomach and then begin unfastening her jeans. Once I have them undone, I drag them and her panties down her thighs, revealing her perfect cunt to me. Her blond hairs have been trimmed back, showing off her sexy pussy lips. I can’t wait to watch them change in color as I kiss and suck them raw.
She holds on to my shoulders as I help her out of her shoes, socks, and the rest of her clothes. As soon as she’s naked, I give her ass a smack.
“On the bed, baby,” I order. “I want your ass hanging off the edge so I can eat you alive.”
My feisty girl trembles with nerves. All it takes is a sweet kiss to her stomach to have her relaxing and obeying my command. As soon as she’s on her back, I grab her knees, spreading her thighs apart. Her cunt is slick with arousal. I cannot wait to dip my tongue inside her, tasting her sweet essence.
I rise to my feet to unfasten my jeans. Her stare is hot and eager as I remove my clothes. With my eyes locked on hers, I stroke my dick.
“I’m going to fuck you hard tonight,” I warn. “Your pussy will be sore for days.”
She shudders with desire, her blue eyes igniting with heat. “If I can’t walk, you have to wait on me hand and foot.”
I laugh at her words. “You want me to wreck your pussy so I can treat you like a queen?”
“I’m not a queen,” she says, her voice fierce.
Gripping her thighs, I dip down and drag my tongue along her slit. “Nah, baby, you’re a Hornet like me.”