Chapter 20
Ren
Earlier this week, I felt like I was living in a movie, stuffing a stupid cardboard box with fake plants, wondering how it could possibly have a happy ending.
Now, I still feel like I’m in a movie, but one where the “flames” of my fake candles flicker in the background while Roman absentmindedly picks up my feet resting in his lap.
He starts rubbing his thumb into the balls of my feet as the second one in our The Office Christmas episodes marathon begins.
Though, I spend more time watching him than the TV, wondering if this, too, will have a happy ending.
Occasionally, he looks over at me, and I make a poor attempt to hide my smile and pretend I wasn’t staring. He smirks as his gaze returns to the TV and mine to him—I know all the episodes by heart anyway.
His phone rings, and he excuses himself as he lifts my feet and stands up. “I’m sorry. I have to get this.”
“Cash,” he answers, walking to the kitchen. Even at this distance, I can hear someone or something loud on the call. It sounds chaotic. His jaw clenches and his face turns stoic and stony. I feel a chill in the air as he flatly replies, “Stay safe. I’ll be right there.”
Shoving his phone back in his pocket, he looks at me, a flit of sorrow in his eyes before his expression hardens to that of a soldier.
“I have to go.” He doesn’t offer an apology or explanation, even though something tells me he wants to. His eyes dart to the now empty spot on the couch next to me with a flash of longing and my throat tightens.
I get up, and he shakes his hand. “You don’t have to.”
“I want to,” I say unequivocally and meet him at my front door.
I don’t ask if everything is okay. It’s clearly not, and I get the distinct feeling this is one of the situations he can’t tell me about.
My chest hammers. I’m scared. Not for myself, but for him and whatever he is walking into.
“Roman,” I say, his hand on the doorknob, and his throat bobs on a heavy swallow.
He meets my gaze and my breath feels shallow.
I take a front door key off the foyer table and place it into his other palm, wrapping his fingers around it and holding his hand with mine.
“I know we’re not going to bed together, but if you need me .
. .” I kiss his folded knuckles. “You can have me.”
The ghost of a smile passes over his lips before he presses them to my forehead. “See you soon, sweet girl.”
As the door closes behind him, I find myself wondering again, will this movie have a happy ending?
Roman
The wind off the bay is bitter cold as I wait with Roan, the second youngest Fox brother, for the cleaners to show up. The moon is still high in the sky outside the warehouse, but I’m sure the sun will be rising by the time they finish. They’ve got one hell of a mess to clean up.
An unknown crew tried to rip off one of our recent shipments and met a bloody end.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get here before they took out one of ours with them, Connor.
Cash is off notifying Dana, his wife, while Finn and Lochlan, the other two Foxes, are already chasing down leads to get to the person behind the hit. 1
It doesn’t matter that I got here as soon as I could or that I sent a two of the assailants to meet their maker when I did. As head of security for the syndicate, every loss still feels like a personal failure.
My mind can’t stop picturing Ren asleep in her bed alone. Was our soldier’s wife asleep when Cash knocked on her door? Will Ren be when I’m the one that doesn’t return home one day? Because even though our five days are quickly coming to an end, I can’t seem to imagine a future without her in it.
I spent three years with Cass and never once wondered where she’d be or what she’d be doing if Cash came knocking. Which is probably why I wasn’t surprised the day I came home to an empty bed and handwritten note.
There were plenty of nights like this one when I was with her, and never once did my skin feel too tight like it does now with the urge, the need, to get back to Ren.
“Is Reggie still away?” I ask Roan about his wife, who is visiting family in Mexico.
He takes a drag of his cigarette. “Yeah, but she’ll be back for Christmas.” Exhaling, he gives me a look from the corner of his eye. He chuckles dryly. “You can go.”
“What?” I’m not used to being this transparent. First Cash, now Roan. It’s like Ren’s pulled back every protective layer.
He gives me a knowing smirk. “Go home, Roman. You have someone waiting for you. I don’t.”
I usually like to be the last one to leave scenes like this, but tonight, he doesn’t need to tell me twice.
This time when I climb the stairs, there is no sound of running water, just the quiet sounds outside of a sleeping city.
When I reach her room, she’s asleep on her side, the covers tucked tightly under her chin.
Her profile is sweet—practically angelic—against her pillow, her blonde hair piled in a loose knot on top of her head.
I slowly undress, watching her full lips part as she sighs in her sleep. I stand naked at the foot of her bed and realize that if I climb in beside her, if I let myself find comfort in her, I won’t ever be able to go back.
I walk to the side of the bed and do it anyway.
She doesn’t stir as I pull back the sheets and slide under them. As I inch closer, I catch the smell of her conditioner. The scent takes me right back to the shower and the feel of her wet body, so warm and supple. My cock swells at the memory.
The mattress creaks as I tuck in behind her, but she still doesn’t stir. My heart races with an illicit sort of anticipation. I’ve never done this before, never pulled back the hem of a woman’s pajama shorts while my cock leaked, hoping she doesn't wake up. It’s somehow both wicked and sweet.
My fingers slip between her thighs first and part her lips, holding my breath so that I can hear any minuscule sign of her waking. I swallow the immediate groan that forms at the feel of her slickness. Even asleep, she’s still wet for me.
I angle my hips closer, then guide my dick to her entrance, grinding my teeth tight together as my tip sinks into her velvet heat.
My hand wraps around her front to slide up her soft stomach under her tank top as I slowly fill her.
As I curve my body around hers and fully seat myself inside her wet and waiting cunt, she moans softly.
Soft enough that I’m not sure if she’s woken or still asleep.
I take a testing rock backward before slowly thrusting deeper. Her pussy clenches around me as if just noticing the intrusion and this time when she moans quietly, she pushes back against me.
“Mmm,” she hums sleepily and covers my hand below her sternum with her own. “You’re home.”
Home.
Was that what I was looking for when I felt the chill of the coastal breeze, when I climbed the steps, when I crawled in beside her? Was it not simply comfort I came seeking, but the comfort of home?
She guides my hand higher to cup her breast.
“Yeah, baby,” I whisper, pumping in and out with shallow strokes so she stays flush against me. I kiss up the side of her neck. “I’m home.”
1. Play "Dusk Till Dawn (feat. Sia)"—ZAYN, Sia until end of chapter