“I’ll be your old lady,” she shouted, as her body convulsed beneath me. Her nails dug into my shoulders as she arched into me, shouting my name as she came, her sweetness drenching my cock.
She sang me a lullaby to heal my soul and now she gave me the words that mended my heart. I pressed my mouth to hers, slipped my tongue inside and made love to her mouth the way my cock loved her pussy. I couldn’t take it anymore, one more thrust and I was coming, chanting my woman’s name like it was a goddamn prayer.
I was mad.
But I never knew there could be a good madness, one I didn’t have to fight.
I was mad about Reina, crazy for her and I didn’t have to fight against it, just fight for it. I pulled out of her, harshly breathing as I stared down at her.
“We’re in this together, Reina, whatever comes, remember you’re mine now. I don’t take that lightly and I sure as hell don’t let what’s mine slip through my fingers without a fight,” I warned her.
“Together,” she affirmed, lifting her head to kiss my lips delicately, before dropping her head back onto the pillow beaming up at me. “You’re mine,” she squealed in delight. “I never saw you coming, Jack Parrish, not in a million years but I’m so glad you walked into Dee’s Diner and ordered a slice of pie,” she added, giving me another kiss.
“Me too,” I whispered, the guilt distressing me like a cancer corroding my body. I pulled away, throwing my legs over the bed and threaded my fingers roughly through my hair. “There’s sweats in the drawers you can wear. I’ll make us breakfast.”
“Worked up an appetite?” She teased, sitting up and plucking my t-shirt from my hands. She slipped it over her head as I pulled on my sweats.
Time’s up, motherfucker.
I glanced at Reina and knew the voice inside my head was right. It was time to give her the truth.
“Got one more scar for you, Reina,” I whispered. “One more truth to give you,” I said, rising to my feet. “I’ll be downstairs,” I continued, walking out of the bedroom and away from my happiness.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Happiness.
It’s a nightmare disguised as one of the most beautiful dreams. We all wake up eventually—we’re all robbed of the lie, the false pretense of believing we can be happy. I didn’t know what Jack was about to tell me but I knew whatever it was threatened to ruin what we were building. I knew this because it was right there in the depths of his eyes, the fear that his words, his last scar, would destroy us.
I found him standing in the living room, his hands on his hips, every cord in his arms on display. He was shirtless and all his tattoos that covered his tan skin told his story. I studied the ink, wondering which of the masterpieces was the missing link that would end us. He frowned as he stared at the holes decorating the walls of the room. He diverted his eyes to me, his lips forming a straight line as he stared at me thoughtfully.
How do you share the truth you know is about to ruin everything? Where do you begin when you’re delivering the end?
“You see these holes?” He asked, tipping his chin toward the Sheetrock, keeping his eyes locked on mine as he did. “They’re a reminder of the day Junior died. I never patched them, just hung photos, art, whatever worked, so that when I need to remember what I’m capable of, they’re there. After today they’ll be a reminder of the lies,” he said, turning his body to mine holding out a hand for me to take.
“You’re scaring me,” I admitted, stepping toward him and placing my hand in his. He bent down and kissed my hand before giving it a squeeze. “Jack, whatever it is, just say it. It won’t change anything,” I said, swallowing.
He smiled sadly. “It changes everything, Sunshine,” he whispered, dropping my hand and running his fingers through his hair angrily.
“I lost my fucking mind the day my son died and not the way you think. Yeah, I had a breakdown, I guess they’re all the same after a while so you can imagine the state I was in,” he said, struggling to get the words out. “But that day, there was a trigger, something set me off,” he scratched at the stubble lining his jaw. “That was the day I found out my brother was going to be a federal agent,” he said, his eyes searching my face.
I leaned against the back of the couch and looked at him, waiting for him to continue, prepping myself for the blow as I held onto the back of the couch. He cocked his head to the side, a flicker of surprise flashed across his features before he licked his lips and continued.