“I think you did the right thing. How is Poppy doing?” Darius asks, as he places his hand on my thigh, and I blink back the emotions that seeing them brought to the surface.
“Confused, angry, and sorry. She was so sorry, she’s even going to go to counseling once she’s fully recovered. The doctors don’t think she’ll ever be a hundred percent, but she’s getting there.”
“Did your mom explain to your about your aunt?”
“She said this woman turned up out of the blue, claiming to be my aunt, and wanting to be a part of my life. Mom didn’t know what to believe, so she took her number and thought it over. She sent the pictures of me, and got pictures back of my apparent cousin. That’s what sold it, I was eight at that point and mom decided I could do with all the family I could get.” My hands tremble as I think about everything she shared with me. “She tried to call her, but the number had been disconnected. She later learned that my aunt hadn’t been well and she passed away, my cousin went into the system, but that was all she could find out. I have no idea who she is, or where she could be.” I feel so tired, I just want the world to stop turning for a moment so I can have a moment to think.
“Do you want to try and find her?” He asks, glancing at me, before pulling up to our hotel.
“Honestly, right now, I don’t think I’m strong enough. Maybe one day I’ll try, but I just don’t know. Does that make me a bad person?” I feel like one, not trying to find the last piece that connects me to my dad.
“You are not a bad person, Snowflake, and I think you’re making the right choice.” He climbs out of the car, and opens my door.
He takes my hand and leads me into the hotel, over to the elevator, and up to our room. It feels strange being able to be with him openly like this, but it’s a good kind of strange, welcomed even.
“Do you want to take a bath or a shower?” He brushes my hair back, before peering into my eyes.
“Will you join me?” I dart my tongue across my lips as he closes his eyes.
“Don’t tempt me, Snowflake. I’m trying to be a good guy here. Give you time and space. Maybe when you get back from your trip.” He runs his hands over my arms as I step into him.
“Please, Darius, I just want to be with you. You are a good guy, and I don’t need time or space from you. Please, help me to feel something good.” I brush my lips against his, and he groans against me.
“God help me,” he mutters, before he pulls me into his arms and carries me over to the bed.
He peels my sweater and jeans off me, as soon as I’ve removed my boots, and his quickly join mine on the floor. He kisses a trail up my leg, starting at my ankle, up to my knee, along my inner thigh. He pauses at the apex between my thighs, before moving down my other leg and giving it the same treatment. My fingers tangle in the covers as I lean my head back, and stare at the ceiling.
His head travels back up my leg, and this time he stops right at my center, he pulls my panties down before his fingers dance across my ribs as he closes his mouth over me, sliding his tongue between my folds. He flicks at my nub, sure, slow movements that make my toes curl.
“So beautiful, so perfectly imperfect.” His eyes clash with mine as I gaze at him.
He slides a finger inside me, groaning at discovering how wet I am. His mouth returns to my clit as he puts his other hand on my aching breast. I move my hand to my other nipple, tweaking and pulling in tandem with his own movements. He growls when he sees what I’m doing. I meet the ledge, and fall over, crying his name.
He slowly makes his way up my body, lining himself up, his hands cradle my face as he pushes inside, not stopping until he’s all the way in. He pulls back out, before angling my hips and driving himself forward. The angle sends my nerves haywire, as he hits my sweet spot. Fireworks explode, stars burn bright, and I cry out, moaning his name over and over again.
He slows down, torturing me with his pace, before he flips us until I’m straddling him. His hands move to my breasts, cupping them and gliding his thumbs are my sensitive peaks. I start to grind against him, sliding a hand between us to rub my clit. It’s too much, too good, as my movements become jerky and erratic. He pulls me down until my chest is pressed against his, taking full control as he drives up into me. Over and over again he goes, until we peak and crash together as one.
I fall against his chest as he kisses my temple, stroking his hand across the length of my back.
“I love the way you look when you come undone, and my name on your lips drives me out of my mind.” I smile against his neck, peppering kisses across it.
“Never be ashamed of who you are, my beautiful Snowflake. You are the best part of my life.” My mouth finds his, as he jerks inside me, already starting to harden again. My eyes widen and he shrugs before we slowly move again.
This time we take our time, exploring every inch, and burning the feel and touch of one another to memory.
Tucker
One month later
A letter, did she really think that could explain her absence? That it wouldn’t gut me when I thought what we had was real. She said she would never stop, how could that have been the truth if she could run away so easily? I didn’t get a goodbye, just a letter. It’s a crumpled mess now, the amount of times I have opened it, folded it, squeezed it in a death grip, just to iron it back out with my hand. I’ve done everything but read it. Ava said I had to be ready, and I can’t believe Luna would give my letter to her. Why would she give it to my sister and not me? The thing that hurts the most is that she could have delivered it herself, but she chose the coward’s way out.
I don’t think I’ll ever be ready, not now. She didn’t just walk away and disappear from my life, she disappeared from Isabelle’s. It’s unfair to think like that, seeing as she was nothing to my daughter, but they had bonded, and Belle still asks about her now. She wants to know when she can play with Elsa again, and I haven’t got the heart to tell her never.
I can’t tell her never, because even after this, I still want her, my Tiny One. The only woman who got over my bluntness, and took it in her stride. Maybe I am ready after all.
“You finally going to read it, son?” Mom asks, as she sits down at the table, and unclenches my fist, smoothing the letter out for me.
“She wanted me to be ready for it, how do I know?”
“I think you have to ask yourself if you’re ready for her. Consider what she went through, and how that could change a person. Arthur was never in his right mind, and to take her like that, to do that to her birth parents, it changes a person.” She smiles kindly at me, and my brow furrows.
“What are you talking about?” I feel like I’m missing something.
“You haven’t seen it.” She presses a hand to her mouth before pulling her phone out. She slides it over, and I press play.
Maddox and a news reporter fill the screen, and I’m no less confused.
“Our sympathies are with you in this sad time, Maddox. We were surprised when you contacted the show asking for an interview.” The reporter has greedy eyes, she smells a scoop, and I have no idea what kind of one he’s planning to give her.