Chapter Twenty-Six #2
“What? I bet you could learn a thing or two.” She licks her lower lip, and I can’t stop chuckling. “Give Everleigh my number too while you’re at it!”
“Not a chance,” I grumble. “I need new friends. You’re too much.”
“Suck it up, Blackwood. I’m your only friend.”
“Bye,” I call out as I push through the door and leave.
Ten minutes later, I’m home, and Everleigh’s lounging on the couch with a wine glass.
“Hey, bro. You got some mail today.” She gestures toward the coffee table. “A letter from the prison came, and I’ve been anxiously waiting for you to open it.”
Dropping my bag, I kick off my shoes. “Why?”
“Well, I don’t know. It just seemed weird. Do they want you to go back?”
I bark out a laugh. She’s probably on her third glass.
“Relax. It’s probably from my old cellmate.”
She perks up. “The hot one with the sleeve tattoos?”
“Down, girl. I’ve heard enough sexual shit for one night.”
“Huh?” she asks as I rip open the envelope.
“Ruby,” I say. “Saw her at the gym and now I know way too much about her sex life.”
Everleigh snorts. “At least she has one.”
“Stop,” I say before she continues. “Don’t wanna hear about yours either.”
“Don’t worry.” She chugs her wine until it’s empty. “The only action I get is from Victor the Vibrator in the shower.”
“For fuck’s sake.” Shaking my head, I walk to the kitchen and pray we have a case of beer left. “I need my own place.”
After I grab a bottle of Bud Light, I go back to the living room and sit next to Everleigh. She’s watching some dating reality show, but I’m too tired to complain.
“So what’s the letter say?”
I unfold it and begin reading. Meeting and getting to know Archer was the only silver lining while being locked up. I thought of him as the younger brother I never had. He’s five years younger than me, only a year older than Everleigh, and has a lot of life left to live once he’s out.
“He’s asking how I’m adjusting after being locked up for five years.
Says he’s proud that I started over and that he wants a fresh slate too but refuses to go home.
Then he mentioned some ideas of what he could do when he’s released in a few years.
I’ve already told him he could come here if he wanted. ”
“That long? Geez. That sucks. He totally should move here. Noah will be out by then too. You guys could start an ex-con’s club or something.” She giggles as though it’s the best idea she’s ever had.
“Har har. Time to cut you off.” I reach for her glass, but she quickly pulls it away.
“Don’t you dare!” She presses it to her chest, then gets up to refill it. “I’m not driving anyway, and I’ve had a rough day.”
“Oh yeah? Hard day of gossip and folding shirts?”
She glares, which causes me to laugh.
“What’d Archer do anyway?”
I brush a hand over my scruffy jaw and debate on what to say. It’s not my story to tell, but he’s not a bad guy either. She leans forward, waiting for me to continue.
“He took the fall for his sister so she wouldn’t go to jail for murdering her abusive boyfriend.”
“Whoa, seriously?”
“They grew up poor and knew it’d be believable if the kid from the wrong side of the tracks was the one who did it.
There was a fabricated story about how he tried to get him off her but couldn’t because the boyfriend was high on something and uncontrollable.
Archer explained that he walked in on the guy beating his sister and knew where the gun was kept and took the blame.
When he realized what his sister had done, he wiped off her fingerprints and planted all the evidence needed, then called the cops. ”
“And you believe him?”
“A hundred percent. Archer loves his sister more than his own life. She’d gone through so much already, and he wanted to protect her. It worked out because a few weeks later, she found out she was pregnant.”
“Oh my God.”
“Yeah, it was messy. I met her during visitation hours while I was waiting for Maddie and Liam.”
“So how long was his sentence?”
“Six years. His lawyer did a good job at claiming defense and unintentional homicide. It helped that the guy’s tox report showed he was loaded with drugs and alcohol.”
“Wow. That’s awful. I can’t believe he did that.”
“Once you meet Archer, you’ll understand. He’s loyal to a fault and basically raised his sister while working and going to school.”
“Hmm…kinda sounds like you.”
“He’s a good person. I hope he really does take me up on my offer because Lawton Ridge isn’t so bad. But don’t get any ideas in that horny head of yours.”
“Me? Why not?”
I chuckle at the last line he wrote but keep it to myself.
P.S. Make sure your sister is single in three years. Hahaha.
Goddamn bastard.
“Because the last thing he should do once he’s released is get into a relationship. He needs to find work, save money, and get settled again first.”
“And he can’t do that while relieving six years’ worth of sexual frustration?”
I groan. “Nope. I’ll be forcing you as far away from him as possible.”
“That’s rude and hurtful!”
“You really think you’ll be single in three years anyway? You’ll probably be married and knocked up by then.”
Everleigh snorts. “Do you see what I’m doing on a Thursday night?” She gestures around the room and wiggles her toes in her fuzzy socks.
“Well, Ruby’s been begging me to give you her number, so…”
Everleigh bursts out laughing. “Reminds me of that one summer after graduation with Layla Monroe.”
“Wait, what?” My eyes widen. “Never mind. I do not wanna know. I’m gonna take a shower, then pass out.”
“Oh, come on! We can have a friendly brother-sister chat! In fact, you’ve been without sex for five years. How are you not jumping every single woman in town? Is that why you shower so much now?”
I stand and finish my beer. “Good night, pain in the ass.”
“Fine, fine. I already know the answer anyway.”
“Sure, you do,” I say, grabbing my bag off the floor, then walking away.
“It’s because you’re waiting for Gemma. Duh! I wasn’t born yesterday! You two are a canceled-wedding day away from banging. Oh wait…” She laughs at her own ridiculous joke.
“Go to bed!” I shout as I step into the hallway, trying to escape her.
It’s impossible not to think about Gemma while I’m under the hot stream of water.
My cock hardens at the thought of her and the sweet way she looks at me.
When we lost control with each other, I was ready to tear off every inch of clothing and make her mine forever.
I don’t give a fuck that she was still engaged to that asshat because she was never his in the first place.
I want her as badly as I did before, but this time, I want to do it right.
I fist my dick and stroke it hard and fast. Squeezing my eyes tight as images of her flood my mind, I desperately need the relief.
Thinking about how tight her cunt squeezed my fingers and how sweet she tasted brings me over the edge in minutes.
Whispering her name with a grunt, I feel my orgasm take hold.
I imagine Gemma on her knees licking me clean.
Once I’m in bed and under the covers, I grab my phone. I won’t be able to sleep without checking on her first.
Tyler
Missed you at the gym tonight.
Gemma
Sorry, I fell asleep right after work and just woke up. Rain check?
Tyler
Absolutely. Whenever you’re ready. Even if you just want to hit the punching bag, it’s a nice stress reliever.
Gemma
I’d like that. Maybe this weekend when I’m not so exhausted.
Tyler
Sounds like a plan.
Gemma
How was your night?
Tyler
It was good. Nothing special since I didn’t get to hang out with you.
Gemma
Smooth. Haha.
Tyler
Just telling the truth
Gemma
I’m gonna make some dinner, then take a hot bath so I can hopefully fall back asleep.
Tyler
Okay, if you need someone to talk to later, I’ll leave my phone on. Otherwise, sweet dreams.
Gemma
Thank you. See you tomorrow.
Gemma’s going through an emotional time right now. Even though I wish I could hold her, I’m giving her the space she needs to process the breakup with Robert in her own way. But if there’s one thing I can do, it’s letting her know I’m here if she needs me.
This time, I’m not going anywhere and will wait as long as it takes for Gemma to be ready.