Chapter 20
twenty
. . .
Colin
Iwould need to move my shit to storage. Dad had become an easy-chair shopper in his old age, and the cabin was already cluttered with his crap.
I just needed my clothes and a few essentials, which I packed up quickly.
I didn't need to spend any extra time in the apartment, reminding me of what I had and what I'd lost, all in a short span of time.
On the other hand, Sadie had other plans.
I finished cleaning out my bathroom stuff and walked into the bedroom. Sadie was stretched out naked on my bed. "Feeling like we should give this bedroom one last go," she said. "What do you think?"
"Fuuck," I muttered. My shoes and pants were off before I reached the bed.
I hopped on the bed hard enough that she bounced off the mattress.
She laughed as I pulled her into my arms. Our mouths pressed together hungrily, and my hands explored every inch of her smooth, naked body.
"You are a fucking treasure, Sadie A—" I stopped and shortened it to Sadie.
Her fingers wrapped around my cock, and she wriggled out of my arms and down toward the end of the bed. "Sit back, cowboy. I've got a treat for you," she said with a flirtatious wink.
I leaned back on the bed and sucked in a short breath as she moved her mouth to hover over my cock.
She blew on it, making the tip cool from the precum that had already accumulated there.
Her big blue eyes peered up at me as she opened her mouth wide.
Her small hand stroked me up and down. I sucked in another breath as her lush lips closed around me.
Her tongue flicked against the tip of my cock, then she took in more of me.
"Oh baby, that is fucking sweet." I lifted my hips so I could go deeper. She tightened her mouth and pulled back to the tip. Her teeth teased me before she came down over me again.
"I could stay in your mouth all day, baby, but I want to fuck you … now." I reached for her. She slowly suckled my cock for a few more seconds. I had to will myself not to come.
I reached for her again and lifted her up and onto the bed. I grabbed a condom and straddled her. She stretched her arms up and arched her back. Her tits lifted, and I brought my mouth down over one. She pushed it farther into my mouth as she let her thighs fall apart.
"Fuck me now, Wilde!" Her legs went around me with a viselike grip. My hand swept under her ass to push her pussy higher. Her blue eyes closed, and her head pushed back into the pillow as my cock plunged into her.
"Holy shit!" She clutched my arms, grinding her nails into me. I pumped into her fast and hard, bringing us both to climax in seconds. We held each other until our pulses slowed, and the heat we'd generated around us began to cool.
We rolled to our sides. I smoothed my fingertips down the side of her soft face. She smiled at my touch and kissed my shoulder.
"See, now that's how you say goodbye to an apartment," she quipped. "Should we go?"
"Not sure. Do you think we said goodbye enough, or should we say it a few more times?"
She wrapped her arms and legs around me. "I could say yes, but I feel like doing it too often will start to make the gesture seem hollow, like saying I love you too many times."
I laughed. "You are so weird. I'm fucking nuts about you. See, no mention of love. Don't want it to sound hollow. Let's go." A heavy knock on the door made us both sit up straight.
I didn't hesitate. I pulled on my jeans and shirt and motioned for Sadie to stay in the room. I shut the door as I walked out. The knock came again, harder. Was it Ace or his dad or was it one of Gregor's thugs? Whoever it was, they sounded angry.
I opened the door ready to take on whoever was standing there. The adrenaline rushed back out of me when I found my pillowy apartment manager standing in the hallway. "Why are you leaving?"
"I thought you'd be pleased."
He waved his pudgy fist around in the air. "Now I've got to have the whole damn place cleaned and painted and new carpet. Don't expect to get your deposit back."
"Fuck that. There's nothing wrong with the carpet. You haven't even looked at the place, and you're already trying to keep my deposit. And all that other shit—that's your problem. It's your job. I'll be out of here in a few days." I shut the door in his face before he could rant more.
Sadie came out of the bedroom dressed and carrying her things. "I guess we've said goodbye to the place enough. I'm ready when you are."
"Yep. Glad to see the end of this lease, if for no other reason, I won't have to talk to that fart-huffing imbecile anymore."
I picked up my bags, and we walked down to the truck. I glanced around the parking lot a few times. "Guess I was feeling paranoid. I was sure it was Gregor or Buck at the door. And I love a good fight, but even I don't want to take on either of those guys."
"Buck's not all that bad," Sadie said casually as she climbed into the passenger seat. "He followed me to the bus stop earlier—"
"What the fuck? Why didn't you tell me? Did he hurt you? Did he threaten you?"
"Whoa there, Wilde, it was fine. Did you not catch the part when I said Buck's not all that bad?" She leaned over and pinched my cheek. "But it really makes me hot in the pussy when you act all super protective like that."
I started the truck and was feeling pretty stupid and at the same time mad. "Not a laughing matter, Sadie, or did you forget the four men trying to kidnap you from this very same parking lot?"
"Believe it or not, that regrettable incident is etched into my psyche. But if you'd let me tell you what happened, this will all sound less alarming."
"Less alarming?" I pulled onto the road.
"Certainly not scary like the earlier incidents. I was sitting on the bench looking out for the bus, and someone sat next to me. It was Buck Finch."
I instinctively tightened my grip on the steering wheel. Was this it? Was this that ready-to-kill-anyone-that-comes-near-her mode that Jameson, Zander and Ronan felt about their girlfriends?
I'd seen Zander practically break a man in half with just his glare after the guy accidentally hit Nev with his shopping cart.
"What did Finch do?" I asked.
"Nothing. He was a complete gentleman."
"Except for the stalking you to the bus stop part." Someone pulled out in front of me from the curb, and I laid on the horn.
"Ok, buddy, let's dial back the adrenaline."
"Look, Sadie—" I said angrily.
"No, you look." She turned slightly in the seat.
"I've been on my own since I was eighteen.
I've traveled all the continents and been in some of the scariest fucking situations you could possibly imagine, and I came out alive.
I've got Ace suddenly pretending that he gives a damn about a little sister he all but ignored until, well, until right now.
My dad's pretend protection shit is strictly because he doesn't want me doing something scandalous to ruin the family name. "
"Do you think my instinct to protect you is bullshit? That I don't really give a damn?"
"Shit. No, I didn't mean that at all. I like that it's genuine.
I like that someone cares enough to worry, but I was fine in that moment.
All my adventures have taught me how to be an excellent judge of people …
and animals. Never trust a Tasmanian devil.
They're even crazier than the cartoon. Buck was there to be the good cop, so to speak.
He knew Gregor had been threatening me and following me, but Buck was just there to remind me that if I did release the photo, it would have a very big impact on their lives and on their family's lives.
He didn't tell me not to release it. He just wanted me to know that it would hurt all of them a lot.
And I appreciated that. I've also been considering that since the moment I took that photo.
My dream has always been to take an amazing picture that shows the joy or excitement or drama of a significant event.
This was about passion and love, but the only reason the photo will go viral is because of the shocking irony of it all.
Two fierce, powerful opponents who are also madly or at least sexually in love with each other.
I'm kind of getting just how deep an attraction like that can be," she said quietly.
I looked over at her. "Sorry I was acting like a dick. I'm just worried about you. I could say I wish you'd never taken that photo but then you wouldn't have stolen my sweatshirt and—
"I was just borrowing it."
I laughed. "Right. But that picture brought us together, so even if you never publish the damn thing, it'll be important to me."
We reached the road leading to the ranch. "Remember, my dad is not your regular sweater, loafers and newspaper kind of dad. He'll very likely, in fact, he'll definitely say totally inappropriate shit."
Sadie looked at me, her blue eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "I can't wait to meet him."