Devil's Despair Box Set: Books 1-3 (14 page)

One quick and abrupt knock on the door doesn’t give me time to respond. The handle is moving frantically, but I had locked it behind me before I showered; he’s not getting in.

Another knock comes, this one coupled with anxiety behind it.

“Cherry? You done?” Ace stands on the other side, his voice full of frustration.

Once opening the door a crack, it gives him the opportunity he needs to come barging in. “What are you doing? I’m not finished.” I say this as I move my hands across my body, the bright light of the bathroom pulling me from my past moments of self-admiration as I studied my very well-used and sated figure in the mirror.

Ace grabs my waist with both hands, pulling me to him as my arms are left tangled between us. “I just needed a second with you.”

“For what? I’ve only been in here for maybe fifteen minutes.”

“Twenty-three,” he corrects me as his hands find my ass and he bends down to bite my earlobe.

“Good grief, Ace. I’ll be out in a few minutes. They’re gonna think something’s up, being that they aren’t stupid and know I’ve just showered and most likely I’m still not dressed.”

“You smell good.” He’s not listening. He didn’t hear a word I’ve said.

My attempt to push him away from me is futile. He gathers more strength and pushes me against the bathroom sink. Lifting me gently, he places me on the basin’s top and pins me in using his arms at each side to trap me. I stare at his blank expression, waiting for him to talk. He’s searching my face in exasperation. Putting his head down on my shoulder, he explains his reason for being here so soon after they arrived home. “They’re fuckin’ nuts, and they’re driving me crazy already.”

I laugh. He doesn’t.

“Swear to Christ, they’re trying to kill me.”

Leaning my body into his further, I wrap my arms around him and let him hold me close for a few seconds before explaining to his shoulder that it’s time for him to go. “Five minutes.”

“Three.”

“Fine.”

Letting me go, leaving me sitting on the counter as he heads toward the door, he informs me, “I’m telling them everything.”

“What?”

“You’ll see. Hurry up, three minutes.” Looking around the bathroom, he points to my clothes that I had hung over the towel rack before jumping in the shower. “And for fuck’s sakes, don’t wear those today.”

A cute, silver-beaded purple tank top and an ordinary pair of jean shorts are the offensive clothing items he’s referring to. It’s warm outside, and I was hoping to talk him into taking me back to the park where Travis and I went last week. “Uh, Ace, I’m wearing those clothes. There’s nothing wrong with them.”

“Don’t. I still have the taste of you in my mouth, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want more. Please, I’m asking, don’t wear that.”

That wasn’t formed as any type of question I could comprehend, but okay. “Sure, Ace. I’ll pull out the parka I brought with me from Ohio.”

“Thank you,” he says while walking out and closing the bathroom door.

He’s serious?

Sorry for him, but I’m not about to start changing my wardrobe just because he’s found a new lease on his sexual drive while he’s in my presence.

After finishing in the bathroom, I walk into the kitchen to find Sarah and Bean sitting at the small bar eating breakfast. Ace is in the kitchen fiddling over the stove, still cooking.

I used my three minutes wisely to paint my toes, plus stole another ten to condition my hair, tacking on another eight to blow dry, and another seven to straighten.

Once he senses me in the room, I watch as his back straightens. I may or may not have added an extra minute to lay on thick with lotion and spritzer. I enjoy his attention and will thoroughly enjoy the tease that goes along with it. After a few seconds, he turns from the stove, finding Sarah smiling at me as though she’s in on a big joke. He looks furious, but adding to that, a thick, tense heat radiates from him, as well.

Good thing I didn’t borrow another twelve minutes to put on makeup. ‘Funnel Cloud Ace’ may have dropped from the sky and rained over everyone’s morning parade.

Gripping the spatula tightly, he runs his eyes up and down my body, which is most definitely sporting a silver-beaded purple tank top, cut-off jean shorts, and now a pair of high-heel wedged sandals.

“What the fuck?” is his only comment after he’s summed up my attire.

Bean looks up from her plate, sets down her fork with a light ‘clink’ and begins to lecture. “Ace, honey. Do we need to listen to that filthy mouth of yours so early in the morning?”

Sarah’s face comes back to mine after studying her brother. Looking at me for a second, she tilts her head. She’s either caught on about Ace and me already, or he’s told them. Either way, she’s going to use it to her advantage. It’s a sister’s right to torment when presented with an opportunity.

“Wow, Cherry. That’s a sweet top. The shorts are super cool, too. I wish my legs were that tan.” She stops momentarily then looks to my feet. “Oh, my God! Those shoes are rockin’. Look, Bean. Those are the ones we saw at the mall, remember?”

Bean catches my eyes and nods while smiling. “I remember. Very pretty, Cherry.”

Ace’s body hasn’t moved. His face is set hard as his jaw clenches and from the looks of him, he’s waging a battle within himself. He can either accept that I’m not changing my clothes only because he says so and we can battle it out, or he can finish breakfast and we can enjoy it together without challenge. It’s up to him, but I’m
not
changing.

Coming out of his mood slightly, he proceeds with breakfast. “Sarah, if you’re done, move off the stool so Rae can sit.”

Sarah, being fourteen and not capable of missing anything, stares at Ace before asking, “Rae?”

“Cherry. Rae. What the fuck ever. Move your ass so she can eat her food while it’s hot.”

Sarah turns to me as I stand near her. She’s confused about the name-calling coming from Ace. “Your name is Rae?”

Clearing my throat as all eyes stay focused on me, I explain. “My name isn’t Cherry. The name my parents gave me was Raegan.”

Ace starts setting my plate in front of Sarah. She takes her time moving from the stool, letting my name, and the events of the past ten minutes sink in. When she passes me, she turns and makes a wide right as she heads into the kitchen toward Ace who stands still in front of the bar, waiting for me to take my place for breakfast.

Wrapping her arms around his back, she grips him in a hug and causes him to shift back and fall into her against the opposite counter. She’s laughing, he’s smiling, and when I move my head to my side, I see Bean’s face looking back at me softly.

“He’s done it,” she says quietly while setting down her glass of orange juice.

Ace and Sarah are wrestling in the kitchen, not listening to the discussion between Bean and me. “Done what?”

“Aged, honey. He’s growing up.” That’s all she says as she scoots off her stool and walks past me to her bedroom, leaving me in confusion.

Ace and Sarah come up for air as Sarah is forced to make a promise not to pester Ace anymore today. She’s still smiling as she strolls by me on her way to the bathroom. Bean’s made it to her bedroom, most likely her way of giving Ace and I space to eat; the apartment is small, so finding privacy at any time can be tough.

Clearing Bean’s area and settling in beside me with his breakfast, I wait for the lecture that’s bound to come; surprisingly, it doesn’t. He doesn’t look at me as he offers his compliment. “You look nice.”

“Thank you.”

As he gives another one, he still doesn’t look at me. He just shuffles his food around on his plate. “You smell nice.”

“Thank you.”

Dropping his fork, pinning his elbows on the counter, he rubs his eyes. “You made my cock stand to attention, and you did it right in front of my grandma.” Looking toward me at his side, he finishes, “That’s so fucked-up, Cherry.”

I laugh but don’t apologize, and we finish breakfast in silence. The rest of the day is spent outside at the park downtown.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Eight Weeks Later….

Ace

“BABY, WAKE Up.” I don’t
really
give her a chance to wake before I start the heavy pawing. It has to be said that my taste for Cherry hasn’t wavered at all. I thought maybe if I allowed some time to pass, it would quench my ongoing thirst for her, but it hasn’t. Each day we’re together, I only want more and more of her, and it’s caused some issues between us.

Apparently, leaving parties early, coming home before a movie has finished, cutting short her time with Sarah in front of the TV, or not seeing the final act of a
Devil’s Despair
set is upsetting to her. The arguments don’t generally last too long and although I’m relentless, I give in to her demands at times. She can run the relationship any way she chooses except when I feel the urge to be close to her. There are times I need to be near her, and thankfully she gets that. What she doesn’t get is how undeniably sexy she is to me, and patience is most certainly not a virtue I’ve ever been practiced at.

She’s asked me to try and do better. For her, I’ll keep trying.

Whatever
.

Today, though, I’m not waiting for an all clear or an invitation. I’ve got a surprise for her, and I’ve already worked out all the details with Bean, Hayden, Travis, and Sarah. They support this decision and are as excited as I am to give it to her.

Cherry’s not a morning person; the last couple of months I’ve also learned this about her.

“Baby,” I say gently as I position myself on top of her; she’s on her stomach, still sound asleep. Kissing the skin of her back softly, I try to get her up and moving. “I need you to wake up for me.”

Her mumbles of disapproval don’t deter me in the least; in fact, her lack of morning motivation is something I find remotely cute. “It’s early. The sun hasn’t even had its coffee yet, Ace. Go away.”

“Nope. Not leaving here until you wake up.”

I’m not against taking her while she tries to sleep. I’ve done it a few times before, and she’s only asked that I give her a few minutes head’s up so I don’t scare her awake. I wasn’t thinking about her past, only about my need to be with her. Since, I’ve done fairly well with giving her a brief warning.

I hadn’t set aside time for sex this morning, but things change and we’re going to need a few extra minutes. “Cherry, if you don’t get up, I’m going to have my way with you from behind right now.”

The only acknowledgement I’m given is the shift of her legs as she spreads them under me, allowing me to have her even after I took her twice last night. I’ve already showered and dressed before attempting to wake her. With permission given, I unsnap and unzip my jeans in a matter of seconds.

Voicing my reaction to her already-wet and ready state, I thrust into her. “Fuckin’ Christ, I love your pussy, baby.”

Her back arches roughly with my body’s invasion of hers, but the moan accompanying it indicates to me she’s enjoying me as much as I love fucking her.

“Up on your knees for me, Cherry.”

She complies, craning her neck to the side so she can see me before I push into her again. Her hair is wild from sleep, draping and hanging off to one side. Her eyes are wide with lust, and her hand grips the headboard as she waits for me to pick up momentum and go at her roughly, the way I prefer doing.

Grasping her hips, I bring her back into me. With everything on my mind about tonight and this weekend, I’m in a rush to finish, and I fuckin’ hate that because I’m never in the slightest hurry to be done with her.

I pull at her waist, wanting her to sit up on her knees. Once she does, I move my face to her neck. I need to explain the urgency. We have only one hour before we have to check in at the airport. “Baby, we don’t have long. Come for me when you’re ready.”

Running my hands down her stomach and into her sex, I find her clit already swollen and wet; this won’t take long. “Fuck, baby, you’re always ready.”

Each time I thrust into her small body, I rub the surface of her clit. Her body is tensing, and I know by now she’s ready to go. My teeth clench as I wait for her to climax before I do.

“Fuckin’ do it, Cherry. Let go.” At my words, she unleashes what she had been holding back. It’s beautiful to witness. Her moan of pleasure is loud and can’t be masked. Her body’s reaction to her orgasm is to shake uncontrollably.

Using my strength, I flip her over and drive my cock into her relentlessly until I find my own release. Sweat covers us both and when I look down at her face and see how she looks at me with such sincerity, I’m excited to give her the surprise.

“I’ve got something for you.”

She grins, knowing what I just gave her wasn’t the surprise,
this time
. “What is it?”

“You’re going to have to get up to get it. Bean, Travis, Hayden, and Sarah are waitin’ for us out in the front room.”

She covers her mouth with both of her hands in embarrassment as her eyes go wide, realizing she just lost herself in a heated climax and gave way too much away to the others outside. “Shit.”

“They know what we do, baby. This one time won’t come as a surprise to them.”

Pushing off me and getting out of bed, very naked and completely hot, she starts dressing feverishly as she lectures. “Sarah is fourteen, Ace. She doesn’t need to listen to us going at it ‘cause you can’t keep your hands to yourself!”

“Babe, it’s definitely not all me. And yeah, she’s fourteen, but I was having regular sex by the time I was twelve. I’m sure she’s not as innocent as you think.”

She’s shocked and appears irritated at the same time. Putting her hands on her hips, she stands in front of me wearing only her bra and thong. It’s difficult to focus on her words as she attempts to scold me. “You did not have sex when you were twelve.”

“I started early, so?”

“You started before you had all your permanent teeth, Ace. I’m not attracted to this, just so you know.”

Getting up off the bed, zipping and buttoning my jeans at the same time, I make my way to her while she continues to struggle with getting her own clothes on. “We don’t have time for me to prove to you how attracted you most
definitely
are to this, so let’s go. Run through the shower, too. You can’t meet your son looking like that, and you’re going to make us late.”