“Ollie,” she moaned, grabbing my face desperately. I kissed her palm, the blood rushing to one area as her walls squeezed my cock, stroking me as much as I was stroking her. “I can’t handle it.”
“Ride it out, love.” She was still rolling in the ecstasy, and I moved my thumb back over her clit to keep her there. “This is all for you.” I lifted my gaze to see the way she unraveled with every deep thrust, lovely lips parted, a blush crawling over her heated skin, eyes heavy on mine. Seeing the way she lost herself with me, I couldn’t help my orgasm building, and my palms slammed on the shelving behind her to hold myself back as my intense grinds turned into a pounding.
My grip turned frantic, and suddenly, the shelf ripped from the fucking wall.
Pausing mid-thrust, the entire shelving unit collapsed, dishes falling and crashing to our tiled floor. I snapped my head to Mia with wide eyes, and she looked back at me the same way. “Fuck it. Keep going,” she whimpered, and grabbed the back of my neck and pulled my mouth to hers.
Our kiss turned needy, my fingers dug into her thighs, and it only took a few more hard and deep hits until Mia came again, her frantic climax draining my own.
Her head dropped into the crook of my neck, both our breathing shallow and harsh.
“What just happened?” Mia asked into my neck.
I chuckled. “I think we’d died and gone to heaven, love.”
“I never want to leave,” she admitted, pulling away. Her eyes bounced back and forth between mine.
“Then, we won’t. We’ll live here forever, yeah? To hell with this mess.”
A lazy smile appeared over her flushed face. “Nice try, but you’re cleaning it up.”
Cora was a bright young girl, keeping us laughing through dinner. I was sure the pot roast Mia had made with cabbage and potatoes was terrific, but unfortunately ruined. In a matter of ten minutes, I’d driven to the closest restaurant to pick up food as Mia frantically cleaned. And when I’d returned, we transferred the food into another casserole dish that had survived our havoc. Mrs. Morrigan complimented on how delicious the food was, and I winked over at Mia. “It was my first time cooking. I’m surprised I didn’t burn the house down,” Mia said through a small laugh.
“Pretty close to it,” I mumbled, chuckling behind the rim of my wine glass.
“Well, after you remodel the kitchen, you’ll never want to leave it. It’s going to be beautiful,” Mrs. Morrigan pointed out before spooning another forkful of the roast.
We took the bottle of wine into the garden, and Mrs. Morrigan and I sat over our rocking chairs as Mia convinced Cora to help her pick a bundle for the kitchen. The weather had been kind to us over the last few days, only mid-day showers sprinkling under the sun. Mia carried a tin pail as Cora picked a cluster of pale pink roses, setting them inside.
“Mia’s so good with her,” Mrs. Morrigan mentioned with her gaze and smile pointed at the two girls amongst the flowers. Mrs. Morrigan’s hair was black like her daughter’s, but cut short and spiked up the back. A light wind picked up, and she pulled a thick knitted scarf over her bony shoulders as she shivered. “She’s got a good heart, Oliver. Don’t let that one go.”
My heart rattled inside my chest. Finally, someone could see Mia the way I saw her, and I glanced back over at Mia, whose hair was pulled high on her head, her neck and defined collarbone exposed against the sleeveless dress she’d changed into. “I’d never dream of it.”
My phone pinged, and I dipped my fingers into the pocket of my black jeans and opened up the message.
Dex: Be at my place tonight @ 11.
I typed a text back: Busy.
Dex: You can bring Mia. I’d love to meet her.
My jaw flexed. I quickly sent another text: You have jokes.
A picture came through. It was Mia wearing destroyed loose denim, a crop top, and her face hiding behind a pair of aviators with a market bag hanging from her arm as she crossed the street. It had to be taken just last week, which meant Dex had eyes on her, and my vision blurred from unfathomable rage.
Dex: I’ll see you tonight.
I’d left the car running on the curb and jumped out, running toward Adrian and James, who were both covered in blood. James came up and threw another fist across his jaw by the time I’d reached them, and I pushed myself between the two and smashed my palms against James’s chest to hold him back. “What’s wrong with you, mate? Cool off!”
I turned back to see Adrian swiping his fingers under his nose, regaining his balance.
“He came at me!” James shouted, pointing the finger at Adrian.
Blood soaked both of their shirts, and there was too much for it to come from either one of them. I pulled my hands back and took a step off to the side, my heart pounding hard inside my chest. “What happened?”
“It was a deal gone wrong,” Adrian frantically explained, gripping the back of his neck with both hands. “Reggi, man. He’s gone. And it’s all your fucking fault.” He launched at James again.
I jumped to intercept and gripped Adrian’s shoulders, I couldn’t hear anything aside from my anger and the heavy thumps inside my chest. “No, no, no. Tell me it isn’t what I’m thinking.” I fisted his blood-stained shirt and smashed my forehead to his. “Tell me he’s not dead.”
“He’s dead,” James confirmed from behind me, and I pushed off Adrian and ran my hands through my hair over and over, shaking my head. “I didn’t know. We were dealing with the fucking BOGs. They got one over us.”
“You set it up!” Adrian shouted. “Admit it, James. You’re jumping ship.”
“It isn’t like that, man. It wasn’t supposed to go down like that.”
My arms flew up at my sides. “You’re scared, yeah? Dex is taking off, and you’re scared he’s not bringing you along.” James had gotten nervous, made moves with the enemy for a place to go once Ghost was dead, and the Links would be nothing but a heap of rusty and brittle metal. “You’re out.”
“You can’t push me out,” James laughed. “It’s not your call to make.”
Without thinking, I grabbed Adrian’s gun from around his back, knowing it was tucked into his waistband, and cocked it before pointing it at James. “It’s my fucking call. You’re done.” James couldn’t be trusted anymore. James had gripped loyalty in his fist and crumbled it as soon as he made that deal with the BOGs. I cared too much about Adrian to watch him fall to ash at the hands of fear. I’d known desperation, and how far some of us would be willing to go. I couldn’t take the chance. “Run along, James. And if I ever fucking see you again, I won’t hesitate.”
James’ eyes bounced back and forth between the two of us before he swiped his jacket off the lawn. “Watch your back, A.” He lifted his chin, taking a step back. “At least I know I’ll be protected when the Links fall.”
Then James shook his head, turned, and walked away from us.
Adrian and I entered the home, and Dex was posted in the kitchen, counting money with a blunt between his lips. He held up a finger before licking it and sifting through the filthy heap of dosh, then pounded the stack over the counter and wrapped a band around it. “Take a look at the pictures and tell me what you think.” He slid his phone across the counter.