Wanted (Addicted Trilogy Book 3) (14 page)

Sara

I tried my best to hold on to the last shred of my control.
 
But it was wavering, slowly dissipating with
each passing second. I didn’t want him. To be more accurate, I didn’t
want
to want him. Being next to him,
having him invade my personal space, hands touching me, mouth claiming me, he
was making me feel again. I wanted to stay numb. It was so much easier to
function, to go through the mundane parts of everyday life, if I remained emotionless.

His pleas tore me apart. I knew he was sincere when he spoke and
I wanted to forgive him. I really did. But he’d hurt me so badly, I knew it was
going to take more than a simple
I’m
sorry
and a few minutes of enrapture to convince me to give him another
chance.

He’d finally broken the kiss and I didn’t press any further. I
wanted to see what he was going to do next. What I should’ve done was push him
away and walk right on out of there, but I didn’t. I couldn’t find the strength
to walk away from him again. Not until there was some sort of resolution, or at
the very least a promise to…to what? I didn’t even know. I was so confused. He
knew what he was doing by locking us in the ladies room together. Alone. Where
he could break me down with something as simple as his touch.

“Sara,” he said, gripping my waist as he pulled me into him. “Please
give me another chance. I swear you won’t be disappointed.”

His tongue slipped from his mouth to wet his bottom lip. I didn’t
think he even knew what he was doing to me with that one simple action. My eyes
were fixated on his mouth. I loved the taste of him. Hungry for more, I tilted
my chin up so his mouth hovered over mine but he never moved, which was
surprising. Believing he was letting me lead, I trusted he wouldn’t push me too
far. Not before I was ready.

He pulled back, and the look he gave me held such intensity I
almost forgot why I was ever angry with him.

Almost.

“Do you want this?” he asked, hands moving around to my lower back,
sliding down and cupping my cheeks as he slowly grinded against me. “Do you
want me?” The regret in his eyes told me everything I wanted to know. He was
truly sorry for hurting me, and I believed he would never do it again.

I never directly answered his questions, instead telling him
something I wanted to say a week before but never did. “I missed you,” I
whispered, placing my lips back against his.

A groan fell from his mouth as he kissed me again, this time with
an undeniable fervor. His hands slid underneath my dress, his fingers teasing
my inner thighs until I widened my stance, allowing him the access he needed.

I was done with hurting.

I was done with the numbness.

I was done with denying myself the smallest bit of pleasure.

I gave in to him.

To us.

Grabbing my waist, he hoisted me onto the vanity, hiking my dress
up so I was exposed. Palming me over my panties, he teased me until I became slick
with arousal. Shifting the lace material to the side, he pushed a finger
between my swollen folds but didn’t go further. He was allowing me to lead. I
would give him consent when I was ready. Little did he know he wouldn’t have to
wait long at all.

“Please,” I begged, running my hands through his hair and pulling
him closer. “Alek, please.” My begging broke him. He thrust two fingers deep
inside me, wasting no time by curving his fingers to rub against the sweet spot
he knew would drive me crazy.

 
“Goddamn it, Sara,” he
moaned. “I can’t take much more.” He cradled his head into the crook of my
neck. “Please, tell me I can have you. Please, tell me you’re not going to
torture me and make me wait to claim what’s mine.” His free hand moved up my
body and pulled down the top of my dress. With the skill only he possessed, he
freed my breast and teased me first with his fingers then with his glorious
mouth.

It was too much. Everything hit me like a tidal wave all at once.
The hurt and despair etched into my very existence, all came crashing down on
me. Then there was the pleasure, overshadowing anything I’d felt over the past
three months. Seeing Alek again was almost surreal. I never thought I would lay
eyes on him ever again, and there he was, looking for me at the bar a week ago.

Then I walked into the same restaurant he owned with Kael. What
the hell were the chances?

I was thrown from my thoughts when the familiar pull coiled in my
belly. His thumb was stroking my clit as his fingers thrust inside me. “Fuuuuuuck,”
I moaned. “Faster. Do it faster.” There was no time for shame or shyness. I had
one goal in mind, and I was going to claim it no matter what.

He strummed me faster, giving me exactly what I cried for. Gripping
his shoulders, I spread my legs wider and pumped against his hand. My walls
tightened and he knew what was happening. He barely latched onto my mouth to
swallow my screams as I came. He never let up, simply slowing down his
movements as my orgasm subsided.

“I want you to take me, Alek,” I demanded, reaching down and
unhooking his belt from his pants.

“I can’t believe I’m going to ask you this, but…are you sure?” He
smiled, but there was no denying the serious tone to his question.

“Yes, I am.”

I was tired of overthinking everything.

I wanted him to move inside me.

I wanted him to continue to devour me with his kiss.

I wanted to be his very lifeline, his only breath.

Moving my hands away, he ripped off his belt, unhooked the button
and slid his zipper down. Pushing his pants and boxer briefs down his thighs, I
was left with the sight of his thick cock in his hand. It always excited me and
I made a mental note to demand he pleasure himself in front of me, exactly like
what I’d done for him.

“Are you all right? You seem overly flushed.” His brow arched as
he drank in my wanton state.

“You know damn well what you do to me. Now, will you please ravage
me?” I tempted.

“Well, when you ask like that…”
              

Leaning back on the vanity, I raised my legs so my feet were
resting on the edge as well, fully exposed and ready for him to do whatever he
wanted. He lowered himself until his face hovered over my slick need. One swipe
of his tongue and I was a goner. To add to his sweet torture, his thumb lightly
grazed my clit, the smallest touch setting off fireworks. He continued to rub my
sensitive bundle of nerves, his mouth closing over me until I was set to
explode. Soft mewls escaped me as he continued to work my body.

The image of his head buried between my thighs was enough to make
me combust but before I even found my rhythm, he retreated. Hoisting me up, he
lowered me back down, never taking his hands from me until my feet were firmly
on the ground.

Looking perplexed, I asked, “What are you doing?” Without
answering, he gently turned me around to face the mirror.

“I want you to watch yourself as you come all over me, Sara.” Flipping
back up my dress, he pushed me forward so I was bracing myself on the counter. I
heard the noise from the condom wrapper before he positioned himself at my
entrance. I looked up into the mirror and his eyes instantly found mine. He
smiled as he slid inside me, inch by inch, until he was in so deep he pressed
against my womb.

At first he moved slow, relishing finally being able to take me
again after so long. But the more time passed, the more his grip on my waist
tightened. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, leaning his head into the side
of my neck. His breath tickled my skin, his kisses driving me beyond the brink.
“Look at me, baby. Look at what you do to me.”

My eyes fixated on our reflection and what I saw was my absolute
undoing. His eyes were laced with desire, his teeth clenched in anticipation of
our unraveling. Together.

His gyrations stroked the simmering burn, tightness curling its
way down my belly and unfolding at the apex of my thighs.

He knew I was close.

He knew the changes in my breathing when I was right on the edge.

“Alek…I’m there,” I panted. “I’m right there.” My grip on the
counter intensified, allowing me to meet his every thrust.

Our dance was perfect.

With each stroke, he managed to tear down another piece of my
fortress, an invisible structure I’d built to protect my heart.

During the height of our joining, I’d absently closed my eyes. Resting
his hands on my throat, he whispered in my ear, “Look how beautiful you are,
baby.” Once I’d locked eyes on him again, on us, I willfully dove off the
cliff, free-falling into the pleasurable abyss he was raining all over my body.

“Fuck!” he panted. “I can’t hold out anymore.” With a few more
punishing drives, he shouted out his own release. His forehead rested between
my shoulders. Clearly he was spent, but I never stopped moving. I wanted to slowly
milk every last bit of his pleasure. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to be ready
to go again in two minutes.”

“Two minutes? Really? That long?” I teased.

“That’s not long, considering I’m still not done coming inside
you.”
Wow!

Once he’d finally slipped from my body, something changed.
 
I hadn’t regretted what we’d done, but a wave
of unexpected emotions washed over me. I needed time. Time by myself to sort
through everything and make sure I was making the right decision by giving him
a second chance.
Or should I say third
chance?

Fixing my dress, I disappeared into the nearest stall to clean
myself up before going back out into the restaurant. Surely, Alexa was
wondering what had happened to me. Although I’d only been gone twenty minutes,
it was enough of an absence to garner questioning.

As I washed my hands, I made sure to avoid looking at him. If I
made eye contact or touched him in any way, I would throw all caution to the
wind and take him back without question. Although it was a path I was almost
certain I was going to take, I needed some time to be certain.

“I have to go, Alek.”

He moved closer, reaching out to try and pull me into him. When I
moved back, the look on his face almost killed me. He thought I was slipping
away again, and it almost crushed him.

“Why are you pulling away from me, Sara? I told you how sorry I
was. I meant it,” he pleaded. “I’ll do anything you need. Just tell me. Please.”

I was going to release his worry right then but I decided to let
him wallow in a little bit of doubt. For a while. He deserved it after what he
put me through.

“Give me the night to sort through everything.” They were my parting
words to him. As I brushed past him on my way to the door, our hands touched,
sending a bolt of electricity through both of us.

There was no way I’d ever be able to break the hold which locked
us together. I knew it, and so did he. A slight smile graced his mouth as I
disappeared from his sight.

Rushing toward our table, all eyes were locked on me as I
approached, and guilt swirled up inside me. “Are you okay, Sara?” James asked
as he stood to pull out my chair. But I wasn’t staying.

“I’m not feeling too well.” I looked first at my date, giving him
a slight smile before locking eyes with Alexa. “Can you give me a ride home,
please?”

“Of course.” There was no hesitation on her part as she leaned
over and whispered something in Braden’s ear before grabbing her things and
ushering me out the door.

I filled her in on everything, from my little talk with Kael to
having sex with Alek in the ladies room. To say she was shocked was an
understatement, but as she made her way to our apartment, she smiled, knowing
her best friend was coming back to her.

As I laid my head on my pillow and drifted off to sleep, I
couldn’t help but wonder what the following day would bring.

Alek

What the hell happened?
One second, I was buried in her sweet body and the next, she ran from me. I
thought we were making progress, yet she said she needed the night to think
things over.

Sara liked to overthink, and it could mean the difference between
me living again or wasting away without the love of my life next to me. I
wouldn’t push her, though. As hard as it was, I was going to give her the time
she needed. But rest assured, I’d be on her doorstep come early-morning light.

I cleaned myself up and gathered whatever was left of my
composure before exiting the bathroom. As soon as I walked out, Kael was
standing directly in front of me, blocking my path to the bar.

Maybe I should give the
alcohol a rest.

“What did you do to her?” he hissed, clutching my shirt in his
fists. “She rushed out of here so fast, as if someone had done something to
her,” he repeated slowly.

I shoved him away from me, straightening myself before answering.
“I didn’t do anything to her. Well…” I smirked, but apparently it was the wrong
move.

“So help me, God, Alek.” My dear friend was more worried about
Sara than he was about me. I liked it. He knew how to keep me in check, and I
appreciated him even more for it. “Don’t hurt her again.”

“I’m not going to. I promise. Things happened between us,” I
said, subconsciously rubbing my palm over the front of my pants, “and I think
she’s coming around.” My eyes lit up for the first time in months, and nothing
Kael could say would diminish it.

Settling in at the bar, I ordered a club soda. I knew we still
had hours to go before closing up and I needed to give our restaurant’s opening
some much needed attention. Leaving everything to my friend and partner was a
shitty move, but I was there and I was finally ready to deal with whatever he
needed from me.

I’d noticed Braden and the guy who was sitting next to Sara were
still at their table. Thankfully, they didn’t stay too much longer, paying
their bill and disappearing twenty minutes later. I knew Alexa had been the one
to take Sara home because she was missing, plus those two were like sisters. Alexa
would never let her leave alone.

An hour before closing, an unwelcome sight walked through the
door, throwing me into an instant fit of rage.

Cameron.

I’d been planning on paying him a visit but I never found the
time, what with me being mostly drunk over the past few months.

He never saw me approach, too busy chatting up the unsuspecting
female bartender. I quickly snatched him by the neck and dragged him outside into
the alleyway next to the building before he even knew what was happening. His
reaction was slow, and once I turned him to face me, I realized it was because
he was on something. He wasn’t drunk, and he was lucid, but there was a
blankness to his stare which told me he’d taken some kind of drug earlier.

“Well, well. If it isn’t my favorite cousin,” he sneered, pushing
me back as his false sense of strength took hold. Cameron was no match for me
when we were kids, and he still wasn’t as grown men. Because I wasn’t in the
best of moods, I decided to toy with him a little, taking out any and all of my
frustrations on him. He deserved every bit of what I was going to give him. He’d
fucked with me, and with Sara, for the last time. Even if Sara hadn’t walked
into my restaurant that evening, contemplating giving me another chance, I
still would have delivered his punishment for his past behavior.

I’d always brushed off my cousin’s antics in the past because I’d
learned to tolerate him, thinking because he was family I had to. But the older
we got, the more I realized I truly despised him. He didn’t possess one good
quality—none I knew of, at least. Then again, I chose not to interact with him
unless I absolutely had to.

The only thing I knew about my dear cousin was that essentially
he was alone, never having found anyone to connect with and share his shitty
life with. He had money and the Devera looks, but he was an asshole.

Selfish. It was one of the best words to describe him.

I rolled up the cuffs of my sleeves, never saying a word as I
tackled him to the ground. Surprise lit up his face as we rolled around
together, my fists landing everywhere on his unsuspecting body.

His grunts only fueled me more. “Don’t you ever go near Sara
again,” I bellowed, my fist splitting the side of his lip. “Or I’ll kill you. Do
you understand me?” I gripped him by the shirt, raised him up and landed
another hit to his jaw, throwing his head to the side with the force of my
blow.

Something inside me snapped and I took it out on Cameron. Most of
it he deserved, but some of it he took because I couldn’t control myself.

My fist was pulled back, ready to unleash another wave of anger
when all of a sudden, a quick surge of energy pulsed through him and he managed
to throw me off him.

Then he attacked.

While his moves were all over the place, effectively from
whatever he was on, he managed to catch me in the face. In the eye, to be
exact. It hurt like a bitch, and I knew I was going to have one hell of a
shiner for sure.

But for every one of the hits he’d been able to land, I returned
ten. He was going to look pretty battered and bruised when I was done with him.
 

We went at it for what felt like forever, but only five minutes
had passed since I’d dragged him outside. Thankfully, no patrons were milling
around outside the restaurant, so our scuffle was done in private. Or as
private as a dark alleyway would allow.

Cameron never said a word while we went at each other. I think he
was still in shock I’d actually attacked him. Whatever the reason, his silence
was the smartest decision he ever made, because his voice alone would only fuel
his beating.

Finally, after I’d expended all the energy I had in me, I
staggered to my feet and stepped back. Glaring down at his battered body, I
dragged him out of the alleyway and propped him against the far end of the
building. It was late, but someone would surely find him. While he was out
cold, he was nowhere near death’s door. Just a good ol’-fashioned beating was
what he’d endured.

Entering the restaurant through the back entrance was a smart
decision. I didn’t want to listen to Kael lecture me. Plus, we still had
customers, and how would it look if one of the owners appeared back inside
looking the way I did?

My hair was mussed.

My shirt was splattered with blood.

My knuckles were raw, and my eye was swelling.

Disappearing into my office, I cleaned myself up quickly and
changed my clothes. The only evidence I’d been in a fight was from my eye, but
it wasn’t too bad yet.

How it would look in twenty-four hours would be a different
story.

~~~~

I couldn’t wait any longer. After giving her the night to think
things through, I walked toward her apartment. Waiting longer than I normally
would have, I knocked on her door. Pacing back and forth, I prayed she didn’t
send Alexa out to tell me she didn’t want to see me.

We had an unbreakable connection, and I only hoped Sara realized
what a rare thing it was. I knew I messed up. Big-time. But I vowed to make it
up to her for the rest of my life, if she only gave me the chance to do so.

I wasn’t sure what more I could say to convince her how sorry I
was for everything I’d put her through.
 
All
I knew was I couldn’t wait one more second to see her, to breathe her in and
hold her in my arms.
 

I knocked on the door one more time, waiting for my future to
greet me on the other side.