My mother was ill.
The love he had for her had overtaken all the shit they went through, and even as kids, he hid the fact that she wasn’t well. We didn’t know anything about her mental health. It was only when she left, when I was older, did I look into it. Most of the files were hidden. My father is good at keeping secrets.
Zaria moves in my arms, bringing me back to the present. Those pretty fucking gold eyes that look like honey. They pierce me right through the heart and I find myself leaning in to steal her whimpers of being ice cold. I turn off the tap the moment my mouth finds hers.
She’s shaking, but she’s sobered up. Thankfully, as I pull her from the shower and wrap her up, she stops trembling. The towel that’s covering her wet skin hides her from my gaze, but I can’t deny I did look when she was in there, under the spray. I never claimed to be a gentleman.
“Y-you s-s-should forgive him,” Zaria mumbles, her words slowly sinking into the anger that has held me captive since I found out about Jarred’s secret. Confusion settles in my chest, my mind trying to figure out what she’s talking about, but then she smiles and says, “Jarred, he loves you.”
I can’t think about him right now. I can’t bring myself to ponder what the fuck happened between us that he hid the truth of why he was here in the first place. He always told me that honesty was the best policy. And then he lied.
“That doesn’t concern you,” I bite out as I grip Zaria’s arm and drag her into her bedroom. I’m about to take her to the bed, but she pulls out of my grip and has me stalling all movement. I spin around to take her in, and it seems like the little princess is sober and feels like arguing with me.
“I’m not bringing him back here. He lied.” There’s one thing I will never tolerate, and that is secrets. I’ve seen how it breaks down relationships, love and happiness, how it rips through a household like a goddamned storm and it leaves destruction in its wake.
“But you can’t push someone away because they were afraid of losing you, Finn,” she insists, the tears that had fallen earlier linger on her lashes as she regards me. “That’s not how this works.”
“And you’re the expert on relationships?” I throw back. My defenses already making their way up, needing to hide what I feel. I do this all the time. I’ve done it with Jarred so many times over the past few years, I am surprised he didn’t leave. But he was here because he wanted all the secrets of Thorne Haven, so he could take them back to Tynewood. At least, that’s what it seems like.
“No,” Zaria says, “I’m not an expert, but I know human emotion. And I can see that he loves you.” Her voice is small, but firm. There’s confidence that glows in her. She wobbles slightly, causing me to step closer and pull her into my arms. The softness of her curves makes me hard. I know she can feel it because the gasp that tumbles from those soft lips is audible in the silence of her bedroom.
“And what about you, little princess?” I whisper my question against her mouth. “Do you want a man in your life who wants you and someone else? Can you handle it?” I didn’t think I would ever want someone my father chose for me. But as the days have passed, I’ve found myself more and more enthralled by her. My need to lay her down and finally have her is an idea that has become more and more enticing.
“I can handle anything you throw at me, Finn,” Zaria informs me confidently. “I’m not a weak little girl,” she says in a stronger tone. Her lips moving against mine. She doesn’t lean in to kiss me, and I don’t inch closer either. We’re standing in her room, she’s still naked, my cock is hard as fucking steel, and yet, we’re both frozen. “Would you like to feel us both against you?” She utters the question in a low tone that is a breathed whisper.
I ponder the thought for a moment. I’ve been with Jarred and multiple girls over the years, but not a woman that I’m meant to marry. “Yes,” I finally answer her. “I want you on my dick while watching his mouth on your tits. I want to see you bent over, taking my dick in your tight little pussy while you suck him off.”
Zaria’s moan is like a shot straight through my chest. She likes it. She wants us both. “I… I…”
“I’ve thought about it a lot,” I confess. And it’s true. Since I realized she enjoyed watching us in the shed that night, my mind has been awash with situations where it was the three of us, naked, writhing in pleasure, spent and satiated. That was before I walked away from Jarred and left him in Tynewood.
“I’m sure you have,” Zaria says, a small smile dancing on her lips as they curl against mine. Her eyes are fire, burning like liquid gold as she regards me. Her long, black lashes flutter when I dart my tongue out to lick her lips. The flavors of sweetness that hit my tastebuds zing through my veins.
“Have you been fantasizing about us late at night, princess?” I ask as the thought of her lying back, spread on the mattress, while those delicate fingers taunting her sweet cunt, invade my mind.
Zaria doesn’t answer, so I press my lips to hers. I claim her lips, the softness of her molding against me as if she was always meant to be there. My chest tightens, my pulse spikes into a racing fucking time bomb, and I know that I can’t ever not taste her lips. She whimpers against my mouth. My hands trap her hips against mine, and I grind my hardness against her.
“You feel that, princess?” I murmur before pulling her lower lip between my teeth and biting down on the plump flesh until she moans. I’m shocked when she deepens the kiss by tasting me, and I can’t stop myself from tangling my tongue with hers.
We do a dance of desire, as it courses through my veins, and when Zaria twines her arms around my neck, I lower my hands to that bubble butt and lift her against me. We move effortlessly as I slam her back against the wall. Her heat right at my cock, sending more zaps of pure lust racing through my body.
Our lips mold to each other, as if we were always meant to fit together. “Finn,” she mumbles when I pull away for a second to take her in. Those eyes focus on me, her pupils dilated, and her lips now swollen from my kiss.
I’m ready to finally have my fiancée, but as she trails her nails down my back, my phone buzzes wildly in my pocket. I ignore it for a long moment, but the incessant ringing doesn’t stop, and when it does, it only starts back up.
“Fuck.”
Zaria laughs. “Maybe next time.” Her taunt doesn’t go unnoticed.
I meet those pretty eyes and grin. “There is no maybe about it,” I inform her before letting her to her feet. “Get into bed and sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.” With that, I leave her in the bedroom and make my way to my own.
Jarred’s name flashes across my screen. But I can’t talk to him. Not yet. I need more time; if I spoke to him right now, I’ll only hurt us both with thoughtless words. So, instead of answering, I change for bed. Perhaps tomorrow will be a different day, and maybe my mind will change, but for tonight, I’ll miss him and sleep alone. Because the moment I claim Zaria, everything in our dynamic will change. And I know I need to talk to Jarred before that happens.
18
JARRED