20. Laurene
CHAPTER 20
Laurene
THREE DAYS BEFORE THE WEDDING…
“Biiitch!” Gigi came in, her sequined jumpsuit shining, heels clicking with every step. She dramatically threw out her arms. “Stop what you’re doing. This is an emergency intervention !”
“Not quite the entrance we’d planned,” Noelle mumbled, following behind Gigi. “But here we are.”
I squinted at them. “You both are dressed nice. Should I be worried?”
“Worried? Since when have I made you worry?” Gigi jumped on my bed, grinning, and sending pillows flying. “Never mind. Don’t answer that.”
Gigi flipped her hair.
“Fine, fine. It’s your bachelorette party!”
“Bachelorette party?” I said.
“Duh! I know this owner of a club in Vegas. Generous donor. Gonna fly us out on a private jet, limo service from the tarmac, give us a section. Basically we’re gonna be bad bitches tonight.”
I raised a brow. “Did you sleep with him? Don’t tell me this is one of your shady connects.”
“No, it’s not. But I low-key feel like I should be the maid of honor and not Noelle because not only have I planned a kickass bachelorette party, I’m looking for the wedding dress. I need to tell Mama to put me on the payroll.”
Noelle sucked her teeth. “You stole all of that from me!”
“Hush! You know I’m better at this kind of thing. And wait, wait, hold up, you’re on an IUD, right?” Gigi squinted at me.
I stared at her for a long moment.
“I’m just looking out for you, girl. ’Cause when I say shit’s gonna be poppin’ off tonight? Shhiiittt. We’re doing this right. No accidental nieces or nephews on my watch.”
“I mean…” Noelle shrugged. “Statistically speaking, Gigi’s right. Unexpected pregnancies do happen at bachelorette parties.”
I looked at the both of them like they were batshit crazy.
“Shaking some ass at the bachelorette party is mandatory.” Gigi rolled her eyes. “You’re not getting out of this.”
“It’s tradition,” Noelle chirped. She brandished a sash that read “Bride to Be” and draped it across my shoulders.
I touched the cheap sash. “Did you pick this up from the dollar store?”
Gigi hopped up and went straight for my clothes. “Jesus, your closet’s bland as hell.”
I sucked my teeth as she muttered, tossing a pair of black boots over her shoulder. “I may just call down to Celeste’s boutique and have her send us some clothes…”
“Those boots are Rene Caovilla.”
Gigi shot me a look. “You’ll thank me later.”
“You deserve this.” Noelle smiled.
“And trust me, Lu, if I’m planning it, it’ll be epic. None of that bullshit.” Gigi walked out of my closet, holding up a gold sequined dress like she was planning to wear it herself.
“Fine,” I said, standing. “But let’s keep it reasonable, alright? No leopard print or feathers.”
A sharp rap echoed through the quiet room, making her jump. The door flew open, and Serena was there.
“You finally decide to crawl out of your hole?” Gigi asked .
Serena turned to me, her expression unreadable. “I came to talk to you.”
A month of silence. A whole damn month where not a word came from her. My stomach churned as I stared at her, trying to decipher whatever hidden agenda she had.
“Why don’t you go back under your rock? ’Cause we got plans, and you’re definitely not invited.” Gigi snapped her fingers, pointing to the door. “Step, homie.”
“Since when are you Lu’s lap dog?” Serena glared at Gigi.
“Jealous?”
Serena’s gaze remained steady. “Don’t test me, G. You don’t want to go down that road.”
“No, you don’t want to go down that road with me.”
“Enough, you two,” I interjected. “Can y’all give us a minute?” I glanced at Gigi and Noelle.
Gigi narrowed her eyes, clearly offended. “Wrap this up. I have a stylist coming in fifteen.”
She strutted out, shooting Serena one last over-the-shoulder glare. Noelle followed, albeit less dramatically, her hazel eyes flicking between me and Serena. The door shut, and we were alone. I wanted to say something, but I waited to see what she’d do.
“I wanted to apologize,” she said finally.
I blinked, surprised. Apologies weren’t Serena’s usual thing. “For what?”
“I’m not going to give you some grand emotional speech.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Her eyes flickered to the right, and she sighed, her shoulders drooping.
“For before,” she said. “For the things I said.”
“You’re going to have to be more specific. We’ve had a lot of befores.”
Serena’s mask slipped for a moment.
My little sister, always so strong, so calculated, now looked out of place, as if she’d walked into the wrong room .
“I’ve been thinking. About the fight and what you said. You’re not wrong,” she admitted. “I do let Mama use me or whatever you want to call it.”
“I didn’t mean?—”
“You did,” she interrupted, her tone sharp but not cruel. “But you don’t understand what it’s like being the one who stayed.”
What could I say to that? She was right.
“You were the perfect daughter. Gigi and I grew up hearing it, feeling it.” She paused, her lips curling into a bitter smile. “Mama used to say, ‘Why can’t you be more like Laurene?’ every time I made a mistake or when Gigi got in trouble. Even when you were gone, that didn’t stop.”
“I didn’t leave to hurt you. You know that, right?”
“I know. But it felt like abandonment all the same. You and Erik , Mama made it clear she had plans for y’all. Gigi and I were afterthoughts. And then you weren’t there. Suddenly, all the things you were supposed to do, they were dumped on me.”
A sharp pang of guilt hit me.
“When Mama turned to me. It felt good, Lu. To actually be needed for once.”
No matter how horrible I felt staying here, I never wanted Erik or my sisters to suffer.
Serena crossed her arms, her gaze distant now. “I got good at reading Mama. I thought I made her happy. I’m good at helping the business. I’m actually fucking great at my job . ”
Her voice wavered slightly, and it felt like the room held its breath.
“I hate that Mama treats me like a tool. I hate that Gigi thinks I’m boring. I hate that no matter how much I do, it’s never enough. Because I’ll never be you.”
“Serena…”
“And the worst part?” she continued. “I hate that I still look up to you. After everything. After you left. I still look at you and think, ‘That’s the kind of person I wish I could be.’” She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. “How pathetic is that? ”
I stepped closer. “It’s not pathetic.”
“Don’t,” she warned, raising a hand to ward off any hug. “Don’t try to fix this. You can’t. I don’t need you to.”
This was the first time in years I’d seen Serena hurt and trying to keep herself together.
“I’m sorry,” I said, stepping back to give her space. “For everything. For leaving, for not seeing what you were going through. For making you feel like you had to be me, like you couldn’t just be you.”
Serena didn’t say anything at first, her eyes flickering with something I couldn’t quite place. Finally, she nodded, just once. “Thanks. I needed to hear that.”
“You know I love you, right?” I said. “Even when I left, even when we fought. I always have.”
She looked away. “Don’t.”
“I mean it.” My heart ached for her. “You’re you, and that’s valuable. You’re my sister. My brilliant, complicated, impossible little sister. And I love you. Always. And I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
“Ew.” Her lips pressed into a tight line, and then she looked at me, smiling.
And then, cautiously, like she wasn’t sure she could let herself, she leaned forward. Her arms wrapped around me in a stiff, almost mechanical hug. I froze for a moment. But it was real. I wrapped my arms around her, slow, giving her time to pull back if she needed to.
She didn’t. Serena just stood there, holding on—when she finally pulled away, her movements were abrupt, her expression already hardening back into something more familiar.
“Don’t make this a thing,” she muttered, brushing an invisible wrinkle from her sleeve. “I should go.”
“Hang out with us.”
Serena shook her head and already she was back on her phone, rapidly typing. “I’ll leave the fun to Gigi.”
“Stay. I want to celebrate with my girls. ”
For a moment, she hesitated, her eyes scanning my face like she was searching for something. Then, with a sharp breath, she nodded. “Alright.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the sound of muffled voices on the other side of the door broke the moment.
“Ugh, why’d you invite her?” The door swung open and Gigi’s arms were crossed, her glare aimed directly at Serena. “ I’ve got three hours to make everyone in this room look presentable and make a flight. And that’s including her .”
“We’re all back together!” Noelle grinned, looking like she wanted to cry.
“Shake ass first, cry later,” Gigi snapped.
And for once, I was happy to obey.
The bass was thumping so hard, you could feel it in your chest. The strobe lights, a dizzying kaleidoscope of color, bounced off the bar’s sleek surface, illuminating the crowd’s rhythmic swaying, the air thick with the smell of sweat and alcohol. A chilled bottle of champagne sat before us, and I was surprisingly enjoying myself.
“This place is poppin’, right?” Gigi stated.
Noelle grinned while filling our glasses. “Let’s make a toast! To Laurene and her last night of freedom? Or let’s cheers to the men I’m adding to my roster?”
“Don’t you have a harem already?” Serena arched a brow.
“Don’t be jealous. It gives you crow’s feet.”
Was Reese having a bachelor party? The thought of him being surrounded by women made my stomach curl. I could still feel him, on me, within me, but his final profession to me still rang in my ears.
“I’ll give the toast,” I said. “Here’s to letting go and, in G’s own words, shaking ass . ”
Gigi raised her glass with a loud laugh. “Shaking ass!”
I clinked my glass against theirs, and we downed the drinks before Gigi clapped her hands.
“Let’s dance!”
She grabbed Noelle’s hand and pulled her onto the dance floor. Serena and I exchanged a look, and I was surprised when she just shrugged off her jacket and followed.
Secrets and guilt kept me in survival mode for too long. Tonight, I decided to forget it all. I went with the flow, not recklessly, but gently. Maybe trust. Or hope.
The bass shook me to my bones as I hit the dance floor. Gigi whirled around, her hair sparkling. Serena went with Noelle, their arms raised, howling with laughter over the music. The four of us moved together in a tight circle, the rhythm pulling us in.
I let my head tilt back and felt the heat of the moment press against my skin. Lights flashed above us—neon pinks and greens strobing through the smoky haze.
Everyone was packed in tight, moving together like one big wave. But then, the space around me shrank. There was another brush of skin, shoulders jostling mine, strangers’ voices too close, too loud in my ears. The lights that had dazzled now seemed to blur, their colors bleeding into a disorienting kaleidoscope. My breath caught, shallow and quick, as the warmth of the crowd became stifling.
All of a sudden, the memory of the spa slipped into my mind. My chest tightened.
I scanned the sea of faces, searching for Gigi, Serena, or Noelle.
The press of bodies seemed less accidental now, less friendly. The air buzzed with something more than music. Something heavier.
I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being watched.
I focused, trying to stay calm, but the loud noise and moving crowd made me stumble .
“Gigi?” I yelled, but my voice was swallowed by the music. “Noelle! Serena!”
No answer. Just the crowd, the heat rising. I tried to push through the sea of bodies, the sweat on my skin turning cold.
I needed to find them. I needed to get out.
I spun wildly, bumping into people. Each hit jolted me; I flailed, grabbing for something to hold on to, but the crowd was merciless. I was pushed back harder and harder each time I tried to get through.
My legs grew heavy, and the music shifted abruptly, the familiar beat replaced by a thunderous bass drop that slammed into the speakers and reverberated through my skull. My breath came in short, shallow bursts, my chest tightening as the crowd surged again.
It felt deliberate now, like I was being swallowed whole.
My hand shot to my pocket, frantic, only to remember Gigi’s insistence on this tight dress. No pockets for a phone; purses abandoned in the limo. I panicked. A hand brushed against my back, firm, deliberate. I whirled around, my heart racing, but they’d vanished into the crowd.
“Laurene!” I heard a distant shout.
I pushed past everyone, their yelling and dirty looks just noise. A hand, cold and firm, grabbed mine. I fought against it, heart racing, until I looked up.
Noelle.
I trailed behind, wobbly and gasping, the crowd opening up for her unlike me.
I finally got out of the crowd, gasping for air and feeling like I’d been underwater. Noelle’s grip on my hand was firm as we weaved through the last stragglers until we reached the booth. The bass still rattled my bones but I was calming down.
“Are you okay?”
I nodded, still shaken up.
“You’re not okay,” she said, giving me the once-over. “Wanna go? ”
I shook my head. I didn’t want to let this blackmailer win. “No. We’re here to dance.”
She hesitated, her lips parting like she was about to argue.
“Can you get me some water, please?”
She let out a small sigh. “Of course.”
Noelle squeezed my hand before turning, weaving her way back into the crowd.
I sagged against the booth, my fingers digging into the vinyl. I closed my eyes as I tried to calm my racing heart.
“Laurene.”
My eyes snapped open, and there he was, standing just a few feet away. Reese. His broad shoulders framed by the dim, smoky light, his presence commanding even in the haze of the club.
I let out a shaky breath; relief washed over me, almost making me weak-kneed. I hadn’t realized how desperately I needed him, a physical ache in my bones and a hollowness in my chest, until he stood before me.
“Reese. What are you doing here?”
Reese’s lips curved into a slow, devastating smirk. “My club.”
I blinked, the pieces started to fall into place, one after another, too fast to catch. “You’re the generous owner?”
It hit me then—the private jet, the limo, Gigi had insisted on this night, the effortless way everything had fallen into place. And there he was, the man behind it all.
He stepped closer, head tilted. The tailored fit of his dark suit molded to his body like it had been made for him—sharp, sleek, dangerous. The open collar of his shirt teased a sliver of tanned skin, the kind that made my pulse flutter.
“Is that what Gigi called me? That’s better than ‘Pimp of Vegas,’ huh?” Reese teased, but his eyes held something more when he looked at me. His hand brushed over my arm, checking, as if he were silently making sure I was still whole, still here .
“But with your track record…” He trailed off, his brow furrowing slightly, his voice softening into concern. “I needed to know you were going to be safe tonight. ”
I could practically feel him radiating protectiveness.
“Guess I’ll have to be good,” I said.
Reese chuckled, completely blocking my view of the club. “Laurie, you’ve never behaved a day in your life.”
I stiffened at the sound of my old nickname.
“You called me Laurie,” I whispered, almost unsure if I had heard him right.
Reese blushed slightly. He quickly rolled his eyes, dismissing it. “Habit.”
“You’re not the type to slip into old habits after a month.”
He smirked, but his eyes held something real. “You’re special, princess.”
“So, you’re babysitting me?”
“Keeping you safe.” His tone had shifted. “You deserved a night off, a real one. But I wasn’t gonna sit back and hope nothing happened.”
“Dance with me,” I heard myself say.
Reese’s brows furrowed, like he wasn’t sure he’d heard me right.
“Remember when we used to sneak into those clubs in LA?” Those nights had been ours—reckless, intoxicating, free. I wanted that again. “Dance with me, Reese.”
His jaw tightened. I thought he might turn away, leave me standing there, wanting.
His hand, warm and strong, slipped into mine. He silently pulled me onto the dance floor. When he turned to face me, his other hand brushed the small of my back, pulling me toward him.
“Laurie,” he murmured, his voice rough, the words like a caress against my ear, barely audible over the pulsing beat of the music.
I shivered, tilting my head back, letting the feel of him consume me. “Don’t,” I whispered, my lips barely brushing his. “Don’t say anything. Just…dance.”
His hand slid from my back to the base of my neck, his thumb grazing my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. My hips rolled with the beat, slow and deliberate, and I saw his eyes drop, the heat in his gaze making my insides tighten.
I arched my back slightly, letting the rhythm take over, turning, so he was flush against my back. His breath was warm and unsteady against the back of my neck, his hands settling on my hips, steadying me. I let my hips wind, my body undulating to the music, and my head fell back, hair brushing against his jaw. His fingers dug into my hips, syncing with every movement, pulling me closer, tighter.
“Why do you do this to me?” he finally said, his voice a ragged whisper against my ear.
I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening on his shoulders. “Do what?”
“Make me want something I can’t have.”
I took a shaky breath, eyes closed. I had been running from this— him —for so long. From the promise he made, our plan, our families, from the fear of what it meant to give myself fully only to lose him, to surrender completely. But here, with his arms around me and his heart on the line, I realized I decided.
“You already have me, Reese. You always have.”
I gently detangled myself from him and turned to him.
“I love you too,” I finally said, the words trembling on my lips.
In saying them, something shifted. Something inside me broke open, and I was both terrified and alive .
For a moment, he was still, his hands frozen on my back, his breath hitching in his throat as if the words had stolen the air from his lungs. I felt his heart pounding like crazy against my own. His voice, when it came, was hoarse, almost unrecognizable. “Laurene…”
“I love you.”
Everything inside me shifted, unraveling the tightly wound knot of fear and regret. My heart hammered in my chest, but this time, it wasn’t fear. It was the pure, exhilarating freedom of finally letting go.
There was nothing but this raw, aching connection between us, and I knew I couldn’t walk away from this. Not anymore. Not ever again.
“I thought you’d never say it again,” he murmured, his lips brushing against mine as if he needed to taste the words, to make sure they were real. And then, without a word, he reached for me, pulling me into his chest, crushing me against him like he never wanted to let go. His lips, fierce and desperate, crashed against mine.
There was nothing controlled about it. It wasn’t a kiss of calmness or restraint; it was a kiss of need —the kind that tore at you from the inside out, raw and passionate. His hands slid into my hair, pulling me deeper into him, and I melted into it. My heart raced, a frenzy of emotions tangled with desire, as his lips left mine only to trace the line of my jaw, the sweet heat of his breath dancing over my skin.
“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that,” he murmured against my ear, his voice dark and thick with longing. “I’ve been waiting for you to stop running. For you to come back to me. And now that you’ve said it, I swear I’m never letting you go again, Laurene.”
Every slow roll of my hips pulled a low growl from his throat as we continued to dance.
“You’re playing a dangerous game.”
“I’m sorry it took me so long,” I whispered, my voice breaking, my hands tracing his jaw. “But I can’t choose anything but you. I can’t live without you, Reese.”
He was the one who held me when I was broken—physically, emotionally—without hesitation, without question. The one who refused to leave, even when I doubted I deserved his love. He saw something I didn’t. And despite every reason to walk away, he stayed.
For so long, I ran from this—ran from him, from the undeniable truth of what we were, what we could be because of fear of Mama and the King legacy.
He was still him , still going after his liquor line. Supporting his sister. Dealing with the fallout of Conrad and our new lives. Reese never let me fall into doubt or fear. But most of all, it was how he loved me without conditions—he loved me when I wasn’t ready to love myself. How he loved me enough to let me find my own way back to him.
I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I had to stop lying to myself and him. I loved him—because he saw me. It wasn’t my legacy or duties, it was me. Reese loved who I was, even when I didn’t. Loving me, he showed me I could do it. I was bigger than my past mistakes. And suddenly, running didn’t feel like freedom anymore. It felt like losing. I wasn’t going anywhere. Not without him. Not without fighting. Inheritance or not.
“Follow me.” He grabbed my hand, and we started weaving through the crowd.
I completely forgot about my sisters, Noelle, and the bachelorette party.
He led me through a discreet door tucked behind the bar, and we climbed some steps before we entered a room filled with sleek black furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a perfect view of the pulsing crowd below.
“Do you always take girls back here?” I asked, my voice light, though the pounding of my heart betrayed my composure.
He smirked, his dimples flashing in the dim light. “You’re not just any girl, are you?”
Reese strode forward towards a sleek, low-backed chair and sat. The way he leaned back, legs spread and arms draped lazily over the armrests, was a challenge all its own.
“Say it,” he whispered, his voice a low, rough demand that made my knees weak.
“Say what?”
“That you’ve never wanted anyone the way you want me.”
“You know it’s true,” I said .
He chuckled. “You just can’t let me win, can you?”
I tilted my head, giving him a mock pout. “Win? What, are we playing a game now?”
“Oh, we’ve been playing for a while,” he said, his voice dripping with that unmistakable confidence. “And you’re losing, Laurene.”
I rolled my eyes, but the heat building between us made my stomach flutter. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
He leaned in, eyes never leaving mine.
“Dance for me.”
I should have felt shy, but instead, excitement thrummed through me. “What if I say no?”
“You won’t,” he said simply.
The bass beat matched my heartbeat. He watched as I approached, my heels clicking on the floor.
The music moved me. His eyes locked on mine, pupils dilated. I turned, my hands gliding smoothly over my sides, to my ass, feeling the silk of my dress against my skin as my hips swayed.
“You’re taking your time,” he growled.
I glanced back, the heat of his gaze quickening my pulse. “Good things come to those who wait.”
Reese shifted in his seat, his legs spreading as he settled deeper, his fingers gripping the armrests, a slight smirk curling on his lips. The power in his stare, the way he was so comfortably at ease, watching me—it sent a thrill through me, making me feel every inch of his attention.
“Slower,” he murmured, his voice low and rough.
I let my fingers slide slowly along the curve of my neck, head tilting slightly, feeling his eyes follow every movement. He leaned forward slightly, lifting his hands just enough to let the hem of my dress rise, exposing my thighs. The way he looked at me almost possessively made my heart race, but it only fueled me more.
“Like this? ”
Reese’s tongue darted out, catching the corner of his lip—a quick, slick movement that sent a tremble of power down my spine, the taste of anticipation thick in the air. I approached him, leaning forward, hands on his knees.
“You’re making it real hard to stay in this chair.” His eyes locked on to mine, a dark fire burning within them, daring, warning, promising all at once. But I stayed put.
“Strip.”
I froze, a gasp caught in my throat.
“You heard me.”
Not wanting back down, I reached for the straps of my dress. I slid one strap off my shoulder, then the other, the cool silk slipping down inch by inch.
His green eyes got darker, his smirk disappearing, replaced by a serious, almost animalistic look. “Keep going.”
The quiet command, husky and low, sent a wave of heat through me, and I obeyed, pushing the dress lower, letting the silk pool at my feet. The air kissed my bare skin, cool against the heat radiating off me, and I resisted the urge to cover myself.
“You’re stunning,” he murmured, his voice almost reverent. “Now, dance for me.”
My heart raced, but there was a strange, intoxicating sense of power in the vulnerability. I could do this. I could own this.
“Take the bra off.”
My stomach twisted, doubt flickering briefly before I exhaled sharply and unclasped my bra. The fabric, smooth and cool, parted, revealing my skin, which prickled under Reese’s unwavering gaze; the silence hummed with unspoken tension.
“God, they’re still so beautiful, just like the rest of you,” he muttered, his voice thick with desire. “So fucking pretty.”
My breath quickened. He wasn’t judging, wasn’t pulling back. He was consumed by me, by how I moved, by how my body responded to him.
“On your knees.”
I didn’t hesitate. I sank to the floor, the cold surface against my skin only adding to the heat coursing through me. Our eyes locked, the tension between us palpable, silent but deafening.
“You still remember how this goes?”
I nodded and crawled slowly over to him, and he leaned back, watching as I placed my hands on his knees. Without a word, he allowed me to pull him out of his pants.
I let myself feel him, without the rush and frenzy of emotion. My hand ran from the base of his dick to his tip, his throbbing veins standing at attention. I wanted this, wanted to give him every ounce of pleasure he’d ever craved, to feel him unravel beneath my touch.
He didn’t speak, but the way his jaw tightened and his chest rose and fell told me everything I needed to know. My eyes stayed trained on his face, memorizing every twitch and parting of his lips.
Reese’s hand cupped the back of my head, his fingers threading gently through my hair as he guided me closer. The warmth of his touch sent a ripple of heat down my spine, igniting every nerve ending. I let my tongue roll over the seam of my lips, teasing him, savoring the way his body tensed beneath my hand as I continued to stroke him with deliberate, unhurried movements.
I glanced up, meeting his eyes—dark, hooded, and filled with an unspoken need that mirrored my own. His grip tightened, not demanding, but urging, and the quiet groan that escaped his lips sent a thrill through me.
Slowly, I leaned forward, my lips brushing over his sensitive tip as my hand slid to steady him. I let my tongue flick out, tasting him, reveling in the low, guttural sound he made in response.
“Fuck,” he murmured, his voice rough, his control slipping with every passing second. The power of it, the way I could unravel him so completely, filled me with a heady mix of pride and desire.
I took him deeper, letting the weight of him rest heavy on my tongue. My lips stretched around his length, and his taste, warm and musky, spread across my palate.
Another deep moan of his bounced off the walls. “You look so damn pretty with my dick in your mouth.”
My fingers gripped his thighs, anchoring me as I found a rhythm, slowly taking him into my mouth before he hit the back of my throat.
“Eyes up here, baby. Look at me with my cock down your throat.”
Reese’s hand tightened in my hair, the slight pull making heat pool low in my belly. His hips rolled forward, matching my pace. The control I had over him was intoxicating.
“Shit,” he hissed through gritted teeth, his head falling back. The muscles in his thighs tensed beneath my touch as I hollowed my cheeks, taking him deeper. “You’re gonna ruin me.”
The flicker of a smirk curved my lips even as I kept him in my mouth. My gaze lifted to his face—eyes squeezed shut, jaw clenched, his brow furrowed with the kind of pleasure that bordered on pain.
I slid my tongue along the pulsing vein running up his length, feeling his grip falter and his body jerk involuntarily. He was so close, every tremor, every shudder telling me he was losing himself in me.
“Don’t stop,” he growled, his voice hoarse, a command wrapped in desperation.
I relaxed my throat and took him in deeper, trying to express what words couldn’t. I relaxed, trying to breathe through my nose, but something about this moment felt so right .
I released him with a pop, letting him see my tongue before I slowly licked over his balls and back up. “I want you to cum for me so badly, Reese. Can you do that?”
Reese’s groan was guttural, his head tipping back as his hand tightened in my hair. “You keep talking like that, and I won’t have a choice,” he rasped, his voice thick with need.
I smiled, slow and wicked, letting my lips brush over the sensitive head of his cock before taking him back in, inch by inch. His body jerked at the sensation, a sharp inhale betraying his attempts to hold on to any semblance of control.
“That’s it,” I murmured between strokes, my voice soft but firm, coaxing him closer to the edge. “Let go, Reese. I want to feel it. I want to know it’s because of me.”
His hips bucked involuntarily, a shudder running through him as he cursed under his breath. The tension coiled in his body, every muscle taut, his breaths coming faster and rougher.
I hummed around him, letting the vibration push him further. My hands worked in tandem with my mouth, teasing and stroking, giving him no escape, no room to think, just the pure sensation of my touch.
When he finally shattered, his release hot and heavy against my tongue, I swallowed him down, savoring every second of his unraveling. Reese’s body trembled as the last waves of his orgasm rolled through him, and I let him rest against my lips, the intimacy of the moment filling the space between us.
When I pulled back, wiping my lips with the back of my hand, I looked up at him. His gaze was dark and hooded, his chest heaving as he stared at me with an intensity that sent a shiver through me.
“Six years,” he murmured, his voice rough and raw. “And you still fucking wreck me.”