Chapter 35
35
We were at the hospital long enough for the nurses at the desk to go from sipping on straws in water bottles to the shift change with thermos mugs of coffee in hand. There were no windows in the depths of the ER, but I was fairly certain by the time we were done being treated and questioned, the sun would be warming the sky.
Miraculously, after a night where I could have been shot or had my hand chopped off, I only have to get six Steri-Strips out of this whole ordeal.
Four are on my knee from when Anton pushed me to the floor. I smooth a finger over them now as the doctor places the other two on the inside of my arm. Anton definitely saved my life tonight. He did. He pushed me to the floor before Sánchez brought down the ax. He risked his own life to save me, to allow those shots to be fired that ended Sánchez’s reign forever.
The doctor finishes placing my final two Steri-Strips on the inside of my arm. “Keep the area clean, but it shouldn’t be any trouble. Any redness, fever… make sure you see your primary care physician.”
I gaze at the two white strips across my skin where the doctor removed the so-called birth control which turned out to be a tracker. The grim discovery that I never was free before hangs a dark cloud over me, and yet how Penelope, and therefore Enzo, and the whole SWAT team were able to save me from my fate back at Father’s compound humbles me.
It’s eerie to know all those days at the ranch thinking I’d escaped were a mirage.
All of these thoughts will eventually fade into the past. I can get a therapist. I have the man of my dreams and a future doing something meaningful ahead of me, but the one outcome of tonight that I’m not as sure about is now in the operating room.
Anton is alive.
A sniper bullet got him in the abdomen. He ended up being rushed off to the ER and will endure multiple operations.
By the time we walk through Enzo’s door, it’s nearly dawn and breaking into the next day. I’m exhausted but somehow wired. It’s five a.m. I’ve spent the last few hours going through waves of undulating feelings— terror, sadness, relief, awe at being given this second chance at life.
“I don’t know how I’ll ever sleep.” I drop into the sofa. “I’m on overload. ”
Enzo stands in front of me and takes my hand. “Come.”
I don’t think I can get up now that I’ve actually sat down. My body, mind, and soul are so disjointed I can’t seem to make anything happen. It’s like I’m empty and floating in zero gravity, and I hate it.
I need grounding.
Thankfully, Enzo takes charge and scoops me up into his arms.
He walks me to the enormous bathroom where somehow, the jacuzzi tub is filling.
“How…?”
He sets me down on a chair in the corner. “App controlled…”
I watch as he pours some liquid under the running water and the soothing aroma of lavender fills the room. Without a word, he undresses me one item at a time. He lifts my arms and smooths my shirt overhead. He strips my boneless body, and I’m glad to shed those clothes. I want to burn them and never see them again. I wish I could do the same with my past.
Sitting naked on the chair, I watch Enzo take off his own clothes. His t-shirt and jeans are now a heap on the floor, his herculean body bronze and strong before me. Still, I’m struggling to move. But Enzo doesn’t need me to do anything. I love that about him. He’s so capable. I can follow his lead with confidence that he’s taking me somewhere I don’t even know I want to be yet.
He hauls me up, ushers me to the now full tub, and holds my hand delicately, and soft, scented water floods my body with warmth as I lower myself into its comfort.
Enzo comes in behind me, sliding his warm body along my back. His dick smooths down my spine, the inside of his thighs align with mine, and eventually, he cradles me from behind.
“Lean back,” he murmurs.
I let my head fall onto him, and along with it, a sigh leaves my lips.
Silent tender hands brush hair off my forehead, caressing it backward and soothing my scalp with tiny waterfalls of water from his palm. He repeats the motion over and over until somehow, my sorrow drains away just a little. He washes me slowly, gently, with suds and gentle fingers and the stroke of his palm. His hands melt over every surface, urging me back to the present.
The present is where happiness is. It’s where I need to be.
In this moment, with comforting water trickling down my head, Enzo becomes my past, present, and future all at once. Like he was made for me.
He massages my shoulder. Tension releases at the command of his fingers.
Even after all he’s been through, this man is so giving. He’s everything I try to be. Everything I want to be.
I close my eyes and enjoy the sensation. “Do you believe in soulmates?”
He runs his thumbs down from my shoulders along either side of my spine and then follows my lower back lines around to the front of my hips. His fingers play gently along the creases of my inner thighs.
“I believe it now,” he says, low and serious.
“Why?”
“You have the keys that fit my locks. And your locks fit my keys. It’s impossible not to believe we were meant for each other.”
I grab his hands in mine and smooth them from under the water, up my sides, and leave them on my breasts. “I believe it, too.”
He massages my breasts, and I arch my back in pleasure, coming alive again bit by bit with every soft squeeze and roll of my nipple. I writhe against him, steam rising from the bath. In this small, protected cocoon, my pain and worry dissolves. The water envelops me, providing relief, and I take it. My mind traces his hands all over my body. I chase his touch back to where we were starting something beautiful, far away from our ugly pasts.
His shaft thickens behind me. I reach around to take it in my hand, making space between us so I can run my hand along his length.
He slides a hand down between my legs, the pleasure has me arching my back. He cups one of my breasts, and I’m swept away with every sensation around me. My senses allow me to ground myself, to live in this perfect present moment— the heat, his hand teasing along my pussy lips, the small drip of condensation dropping at my toe, and the smell… lavender and the scent of his cologne are desire and satisfaction at the same time, all bringing me right where I belong.
Here. With him.
He traces the shell of my ear with his nose, and I need him now. I spin around halfway so I can face him and press my lips to his.
His hot, wet lips lavish my own, tongue diving inside to explore. He holds me against him, and we embrace in a kiss so raw it’s more real than any that came before. I could stay forever in this kiss, but my stomach coils, and the place between my thighs is heavy with wanting…
“I’m ready for bed now.”
At that, in a cascade of water we both stand, and he grabs two towels off a shelf next to the tub, vaguely wrapping me in one, not bothering with one himself as he can’t seem to stop kissing me again. Our feet tumble toward the bed.
We can’t keep our hands off each other, feeling, touching, massaging everything as if in some way we never believed we’d get this second chance. I’m exposed, tender and desperate, both to leave that past behind us and to race to the promise of a future.
I fall onto the bed, still dripping and hot and steamy from the tub. His hard body eases onto mine. The comfort of his weight is everything when his hips fall and his firm shaft angles between my thighs.
When his fingers smooth hair off my face there’s a devotion so pure it almost doesn’t align with the hunger in his eyes.
He peppers kisses down my neck, my collarbone, and his sensual mouth eases down on my nipple, sucking a mound of flesh along with it.
A low groan falls from my lips and the sigh releases any remaining tension in my muscles, in my mind…. I prop myself up slightly to rise, nipple glistening with his saliva.
His gaze drifts reverently over my skin, like worship. Do I deserve such praise? This man gave me everything, asking nothing in return. And yet in his world, I don’t feel needy. I’m needed.
The immaculate beauty of that thought consumes me and a silent, grateful tear rolls down my cheek.
Instinctively, he glances up from on my breast. “Are you okay?” His muscles tighten with worry.
I comb my fingers through his hair. “I was thinking how protected I feel.”
“Good. ”
“Is it messed up, though? After all I’ve been through? Does that mean something bad that I like you being protective?”
All the talk of Stockholm syndrome made me wonder if I have deeper scars than I even know.
His lips nibble down my stomach. He gazes up from between my legs.
“Ava, I don’t protect you because you’re weak. I protect you because you’re important. I’m pretty sure there’s nothing healthier than that.”
He bites the tendon of my upper thigh making my legs quiver.
I bite my lip. “Are you saying my boyfriend is the jealous type?”
“I’m not jealous. That’s wanting something that isn’t yours. I’m territorial.” A corner of his delicious, talented mouth quirks. “Because you’re mine. And you’ll always be mine.”
I breathe deeply around the idea of being his sweetest possession. He’s mine, too. “We belong to each other.”
“We do,” he rasps. “Now open your legs wider for me.”
He laps me up with a wanting so deep, a thirsty man, he moans against my core like I’m the most succulent thing in the world. Each swipe of his tongue draws more relief from my soul, fills me with peace that will take a long time to truly settle into, but there’s no better moment to start than now.
With him.
He feasts on me with sexual affection, and my head falls to the pillow behind. All the while my clit flares with lust under his expert tongue, his palms smoothing over every inch of my skin. Massaging my breast, rolling my nipples, caressing down my waist. The way his lips feel on my slit, the way he sucks my clit gently between his teeth, all draws soft whimpers.
My blood rushes through every limb when he slips a finger inside until his knuckles are pressed against my sensitive skin. My back arches with pleasure, and I can’t help but reach down and grab his thick, steely arms to stop myself from flying off the mattress. Running his tongue up and down my slit, he continues to pleasure me, licking and teasing until goosebumps erupt down my arms.
“I could eat this pussy all day, every day, Scottie.”
“I couldn’t handle that, Zo…”
The room gets fuzzy around me, and his tongue swirls and his finger curves upward, hitting a spot he never found that first time we had each other at the pool. He slips in another finger, my pussy making lewd, sloppy sounds, and a powerful, urgent need races through me.
My moans spill out, filling the room, and he stares up at me, his lips glistening with my arousal. “I fucking love you.”
“I love you…” But my words hardly make it out.
He buries his head between my legs again, and I gasp at the sudden suck of my clit and the burst of warmth at the base of my spine. The heat and pulsing is so overwhelming I’m fighting for life, fisting the sheets not to float into oblivion as my orgasm crashes through me.
After panting and catching my breath, I wipe hair off my face like I’m windswept and prop myself up on my elbows.
“I want you inside me.”
After one last, gravelly moan on my core, he sits up on his knees. He swipes the head of his cock through my wetness, staring between my legs with such devilish desire, heat flushes up my neck.
I’m so ready for him… .
Until suddenly, I think about the fact that I’m not on birth control. I could get pregnant. I could be pregnant.
He reaches down and wraps his hand lightly around my throat, swiping my lips with his thumb. Like so many times before, he hears me without needing me to utter a word.
“I’ll pull out.”
I nod but a wave of insecurity passes through me. “Enzo, what if…?” I can hardly make myself say the words. “We never used protection. Are you worried?”
He bends my legs at the knees and spreads my legs wide apart. “Do I look worried?”
There’s something commanding and so damn alpha in his eyes, even though I’m not sure I’m ready, I know it will all be okay. We’ll make it okay. Me and Enzo. We can make anything work.
He notches his dick at my entrance, teasing a circle around me then sinks in just a couple of inches. The stretch is incredible; his thick shaft teases just the beginning of my entrance, filling my opening. This is the best feeling on earth—not knowing where I begin and he ends.
I raise my hips against him, but he resists me. Shit. This is just like by the pool. He wants to take me to the edge. I know this game.
A sly smile spread across my lips. “You’re such a tease.”
He grabs my hips possessively. “Is that what you call this?” He stares down at where his shaft shoves into me. “I’m taking my time. Admiring my woman.”
He uses his thumb to circle my hypersensitive nub.
“I could stare at this pretty cunt for days.”
I groan and try to grind on his dick, against his thumb, but he secures my hips, steadying them, slowing the tempo I’m trying to build on. The desire becomes heavier and heavier between my thighs .
After having his mouth on me, the way he admires the space between my legs and his burly arms, tanned, ridiculous pecs… I’m feeling desperate to be fucked now.
He sinks in deeper. I rock my hips upward, managing to force him to surge in and bottom out.
“Fuck, Ava. You’re so tight. You’re going to wring every last drop from my cock.”
“Please…” I close my eyes. The full feeling of being stuffed with this man has my nipples peaked. “Take me.”
At that, he finally lowers himself into me, and his hot flesh sears my thighs. His massive shaft is balls-deep, and I buck relentlessly, urging him to do the same. I grind up on him, hitting the base of him, and it’s like he’s everywhere. I’m not used to this feeling, I’m not used to him, hell, maybe I’ll never be; he’s got to be unusually big, maybe not the right size for any average human woman.
But I love the burn. I love the stretch. I love the way I can see he loses control on top of me, pounding into me ruthlessly, harder and harder until my tits bounce. He leans down to kiss me, sinking his shaft farther in. I had no idea this was possible.
I groan, and he catches it in his mouth. I swallow every growl of his, too. The pleasure I feel right now has to be better than anything in the world. I want him to disappear inside me and stay here for days.
Except my body has other plans.
My insides tighten and clench. He sits up, and as if having him there isn’t enough, he circles my sopping wet clit with his thumb and braces me with his other hand. His brow is furrowed in concentration. I hump my hips hard to meet his thrusts. More. I want this to last forever.
My body unravels all over him. Wet smacking noises fill the air, and he rubs me viciously on the clit as if he’s possessed. My core pulses and clenches so hard I think I’ve hurt him when he lets out a groan.
“Ah… Fuck, Scottie. Fuck…” He hisses out.
His dick gets bigger inside, throbbing, my insides growing even warmer than before.
Finally, he pulls out, and steaming hot cum spills out onto the crease of my thigh while I raise my hips to grind against him, giving my man every last drop of pleasure.
I want everything with him. Nothing seems off limits. Nothing seems impossible.
He lies to the side of me for a moment, panting, catching his breath when his dark eyes open and his gaze burns into mine. He takes my hand and puts it over his heart.
“Yours.”
I smile, loving the reversal, and I lean down to take a nibble of his lip. “Mine.”
He props himself up on an elbow and brushes the backs of his fingertips along my forehead, chasing away stray hairs and combing through my strands in such a tender way it has me closing my eyes. I’ve never felt so loved in my life as in this very moment.
And to think it all could have been so different.
The thought of it burns the backs of my eyes again and tears brim again. “I can’t believe how lucky I was tonight.”
“That wasn’t luck.”
He laces his fingers through my hair and grips the base of my skull. “The moment he touched you, I knew, somehow, some way, it was his last day on earth.”
The day I walked through the gates at Echo Valley Ranch, I knew Enzo Mendez was protective. He used to protect things from me. Now, despite knowing everything about me, despite us both finding out I unwillingly played a role in this evil, he loves me .
He would have killed for me.
“All would have been lost without you coming.” A sadness laces my words.
He’s quiet for a moment, but I hear his mind whirring.
“Maybe not.”
I suppose neither of us know for certain why I ended up on the floor, why Anton shoved me.
He kisses my forehead. “But the next time you plan on being brave,” he hauls me into his side, “just do it from behind me.”
That draws a genuine smile, one almost lighthearted again from my lips.
Enzo trails his fingertips along my hair, smoothing it slowly, softly, lulling me into a slumber I very much need.
Tonight didn’t bring total clarity. In some way, it took my mind even farther away from understanding the meaning of life. Of my life. But as I soak in the security of Enzo’s torso and melt under the affectionate caress on my skull, I stop trying to understand. Right now, it’s enough to fall asleep in his arms and allow myself the sleep of a child. A sleep I’ve never known. One where someone stronger protects me from evil and danger.
A sleep where I’m free to dream.