One year later
Ivy Jade
The lights flickered on and off, a lonely chair sat in the middle of the stage, and the entire crowd was silent; only a low melody of music played.
A loud hum swished around the theatre, and the lights exploded; the room was pitch black. We all gasped until a single spotlight fell on the chair—this time with the most handsome, tortured man I’d ever seen sitting on it.
He delivered his final lines beautifully; every single person in here shed tears, and there was no doubt about it. Sniffles, tissues, all of it. My throat knotted a few times.
Romeo tore my heart out during the final performance in his play—it was opening day.
He was some kind of beautiful up there, bowing with all his co-stars.
I stood along with everyone else, clapping for him.
Clapping for the man who took a chance on himself, who stood up to the challenges when adversity met him.
I loved him more than anything in this world. I loved our life in New York.
We lived humbly and were filled with so much unconditional love I’d never experienced before. Neither of us had expectations of the other, except for one—be happy each day. That was our golden rule.
As the crowds began to disperse after their final goodbye to us, I walked out to wait for Romeo and his cast to come out to greet the eager audience.
When I saw him at the Scare Park last year, dressed in his costume, scaring the living shit out of everyone, I knew he was meant for this artistic life. I didn’t realize how well he’d fit in until now, after the first stage performance that he’d been rehearsing for the last few months.
Once the cast came out, they received all sorts of praise, bouquets, and more. Then he spotted me and cut through the crowd towards me.
“Baby, I’m so proud of you,” I told him, getting on my tippy toes to kiss his painted lips.
“Did I do okay?” he asked.
My man still craved the love and reassurance I could provide him, and I’d happily do that for the rest of my life.
I nodded. “You did amazing!” All the excitement around us died down as we found ourselves in our own bubble again.
“You looked so seasoned up there, and there was not a dry eye in the audience. I swear!” I cupped his cheek, which was still painted white, reminding me of High Jynx, and it stirred so many emotions in me.
“Thank you, Princess. That was such a rush,” he began. “I never would have thought I’d be here a year later. Up on stage like I always dreamed of. It’s crazy.”
“You made it happen, baby. Look around you. This is all you! You believed you could, you put in the work, and we have the most perfect home together, because of you.”
“We’ve got roommates. It’s not nearly perfect,” he said.
I didn’t care that we had roommates. I technically always had roommates—my parents—and they were annoying.
Mami and I briefly spoke every once in a while when she’d call.
That woman had so much pride. My skipping out on Antonio didn’t devastate their life; they continued earning like they wanted.
It was merely the control and appearance of a grander existence they strived for.
I was happy not to be part of that life anymore.
Our current roommates, who were Romeo’s co-stars, invited us to live with them a few months ago.
They were so easy to get along with. We lived in a moderate house outside of the city—super close to the subway to get to Midtown.
Ro and I shared our own bedroom, which was perfect to me.
Living with him made me realize that I never needed all the things I grew up with.
They were simply distractions, and my life had much more meaning now.
And I was a writer now, and though it was an incredibly exhausting experience, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world—not even poolside margaritas. I just finished the first draft of my debut novel, 'The Prince of Scare Park', and was about to send it off to an editor to review.
Romeo was right.
I was good at telling stories!
“Ro. I love our home because you are my home.” I kissed him once more. “Now do me a favor, don’t take this makeup off. I want to make love to you like this tonight.”
He arched his brow with a devious smirk. “You miss High Jynx?”
A couple of weeks ago, Romeo and I celebrated Halloween at the Scare Park.
We took a train over; we were dressed and painted like we were last year at Tallulah’s wedding reception.
And although he wasn’t working there, we attended just like anyone else.
On the busiest day of the season—Halloween.
He even wore the same outfit to skid along the street and scare a few people, and he talked with his other scare-actor friends, who greeted him warmly.
“I want you to paint me, too,” I said. It had become a bit of a guilty pleasure to dress up like we had last year. And if I were being honest, I’d been dying to find a time to make love to him in costume.
Romeo turned around to look at his co-stars. “Goodnight, everyone! See you tomorrow!” he said to them.
“Not getting drinks with us to celebrate?” one of the leads asked.
Romeo looked at me with starry eyes. “No, I’ve got my girl to take care of.” He scooped me into his arms, and I couldn’t stop laughing. He carried me all the way to the subway. I rode on his lap, kissing his neck, lips, cheek, all the way like that until we hit our exit in Middletown.
We couldn’t get into our house fast enough.
Luckily, it’d be just us two, since his costars were out celebrating tonight—and, well, Nelly, my Pomeranian, of course.
She was still adjusting to the small house and the downgrade from eating Wagyu beef to Purina dog chow.
Needless to say, she was preoccupied with watching TV–Sex and the City was her favorite–and we didn’t expect our roommates back for another few hours.
“Hurry! Bring the paint!” I yelled, throwing off my coat, as he started unbuttoning his shirt.
“Damn it, you’re right. Come with me.” Romeo grabbed my waist and put me over his shoulder.
I laughed. “You’re literally so hot right now.”
He smacked my ass, and I yelped.
“Sit down here, pretty girl. I’m going to make you into the sexiest clown.”
Ro placed me on the bathroom countertop. I put my hair back into a slick ponytail as he sorted out his makeup. I unbuttoned my jeans and shimmied them off my hips, all the way down my legs. My long shirt covered me.
“Already undressing?” he asked.
“Yes! Hurry up!” I yelled.
I leaned in to kiss him as he tried painting my lips.
“You impatient girl,” he said.
“Touch me, please,” I said, grabbing onto his free arm that was leaning on the countertop.
“Hmmm, my little beggar is coming out to play.” His hand ran up my bare thighs. “No panties?”
I nodded, with a hitch in my breath.
“And you’re already so wet for me,” he growled.
“The entire performance, I was so wet for you,” I told him, bringing my fingertips to wrap behind his neck. “I’ve missed you, High Jynx.”
Romeo’s lip curled. “I’ll add the diamond eyes you love so much to both our faces,” he said, kissing my lips with unsatisfied hunger.
“Yes, please,” I let out.
Romeo licked up my neck, and I shuddered. “Patience, little beggar."
The second he put his paints down and finished, he picked me back up.
Romeo
Ivy Jade fit perfectly in my arms as I carried her up to our bedroom, her legs wrapped around my waist as if her life depended on it, her lips seeking mine hurriedly and fervently.
I turned the light on as I slammed open our bedroom door with my foot, then closed it behind me as I pressed Ivy Jade against the wall.
I kept her positioned against it, holding her there with my hips as I pulled my shirt off and tossed it aside.
Her eyes widened as she looked down at my body, looking so fucking sexy as Mrs. High Jynx.
She wrapped her arms around me again, grinding her hips against mine, my cock begging to be released.
But I had a fun little idea…
I led us over to the bed and tossed her onto her back as I unzipped my jeans. Her chest heaved quickly as she eyed me, her legs already parting, her hand already reaching between her thighs.
As I stripped down to my boxer briefs, I backed away against the wall, leaning down to unplug the nightlight.
“What are you doing?” she asked, her brows pulled together in confusion.
I grinned mischievously as I locked the door, then slunk over to the window, drawing the blackout curtains together tightly.
“Ro?” she continued, sitting up on the bed.
I crept back to the door, next to the light. “It’s High Jynx, baby. Do you wanna get a little scared tonight?” Then I switched the light off.
She yelped, letting out a little scream before giggling.
“High Jynx! What are you doing?!”
I couldn’t see shit, but I could hear the bed moving, as if she were positioning herself towards the wall to hide.
“You said you missed me, baby,” I said with a low, wicked chuckle. “Well, I’m right here.”
She groaned, but I could still hear the excitement in her voice. “Now I can’t even see you!”
I laughed. “That’s the best part. Find the light and turn it on, and then I’ll fuck you.”
I could hear her rapid breathing as I crept closer to the bed.
“Fine,” she huffed.
Then I heard a creak from the box spring, her feet hitting the ground, and I widened my arms to try to grab her.
She screamed giddily as I snaked my arm around her waist, pulling her close to find her mouth with mine.
I sucked in her bottom lip as we began to make out, slipping my hand between her soft thighs. She was drenched for me.
“I thought you didn’t like being scared?” I chuckled into her skin as my lips trailed roughly against her neck.
“Only by you,” she said with a whimper as my finger circled her clit.
“You want me to fuck you, pretty girl?” I whispered, dragging my tongue against her collarbone.
“Yes! Please, High Jynx,” she begged.
I removed my finger from her and backed away, and she whined. I fucking loved teasing her.
“Better find that light soon, then,” I said lightly.
My eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness, and I could see her shadow moving towards the window in the exact opposite direction of the light switch. I ran up to her and pulled her back against my chest, and she let out another startled scream, her laughter following.
“Dammit, High Jynx!” she grunted, but I could hear the smile in her voice.
I held her tight against me, slowly running my hand down her stomach, right back to her aching clit, slowly massaging it with my middle finger.
Ivy Jade lifted her hips, searching for more, but I pulled away and brought my lips to her neck.
I pushed my erection against her back, and she reached for me, desperate to feel me.
“You’re so close, baby. I’ll fuck you nice and hard soon,” I murmured in her ear.
“Please!” she whimpered.
I chuckled. This was so much fucking fun. I lowered my boxer briefs and took my cock in my hand, guiding it to her slick entrance, teasing her with the head of it.
“Yes!” she gasped, just before I pulled away.
“Get that light, baby,” I teased.
Now she was determined. I could see as her shadow began to pace the room quickly, and a little light peeked through the slit under the door, illuminating our room just a tiny bit.
But Ivy Jade’s eyes must have adjusted too, because the light suddenly flipped on, and she turned around, her diamond eyes hungry with desire.
“Fuck me now, High Jynx,” she demanded.
Fuck, I loved it when she was bossy like that. I smiled as I strode towards her, lifted her by the hips, and backed her into the wall before I slammed into her. I raised her hands against the wall, keeping her pinned there, while I thrust deep and slow.
“You don’t tell me what to do, brat,” I rasped into her ear. “You take what I give you like a good girl.”
I snapped my hips up and down as she slid along my length slowly.
“Yes, High Jynx,” she moaned, letting her head fall back against the wall.
“Look at me,” I said, and her head straightened to meet my eyes. Her lips were parted with pleasure as she took me in. “That’s it, Princess,” I praised, pumping quicker. “Tell me who you belong to, baby,” I said breathlessly. “Tell me, and then I’ll let you come.”
“You!” she exclaimed. “I belong to you, High Jynx. I belong to you, Ro. Every part of me is every part of you.”
I grunted, holding back my own release, before letting go of her wrists so I could hold her with one hand and slide my finger to her clit with the other.
She cried out as I began to pleasure her, and as I stared into her dark eyes, clouded with passion and need, I grinned.
“Come.”
With that one word, her walls clenched around my cock, and I let out a loud groan of ecstasy in unison with hers as I spilled myself deep inside of her.
As our breaths evened out and we came down from the high of our releases, she sighed with contentment as her head fell onto my shoulder, her arms wrapping around me.
Living life with Ivy Jade by my side was perfect. I never knew happiness and love could feel like this—unconditional and unwavering, no matter what I did, no matter what she did.
She was letting me live out this crazy dream, one where we barely got by, but somehow… we made it work.
I knew one day I’d give her the castle she deserved, but I knew she’d be happy even if we spent the rest of our lives in our little shared house in the suburbs.
And for me? I was no longer suffocating alone under my mask, because I finally found someone who could love me just as I was.