Page 84 of Dark Consequences

“I love her too. And her mom.”

Lily cups my face. “Her mom loves you, too.”

I kiss her deep, my tongue diving in to tangle with hers as I start to move, slow and steady.

Even with foreplay, Lily’s still tight. At least there’s one good thing my bum arm can do. Lowering my hand, I caress her sensitive nub with my thumb, matching the rhythm of my intensifying thrusts.

Lily’s heels dig into my ass cheeks, and her nails bite into my back hard enough to leave marks.

I kiss down her jaw, nibbling as I go, until I reach the junction of her neck and bite down harder. Her scream dissolves into soft mews and whimpers when I soothe the bite with my tongue.

“I’m going to come, Raphael. I need to come,” she cries. “Please.”

“Give it to me, Lily pad.” I urge her, moving my hand so I can grind into her. “Let me fill you up.”

Lily presses her mouth to mine and locks up. Her body seizes from an orgasm so intense, it literally draws out the cum from my balls.

Our kiss continues as we come down from the high, my cock still buried in her like a plug, ensuring that my cum stays inside. And we stay like that…just kissing. Neither of us fight for control or tries to move away. The kiss is peaceful, perfect…pure, fucking heaven.

I pull away to place several tender, sweet pecks on her lips. When she opens her eyes, I stare into the eyes that did me in all those weeks ago. If I had known then what I know now. If I had known that rescuing her and Mei from Xiao would result in death, and pain, and grief…I’d still do it. Because while sometimes good intentions can lead to unintended consequences…this is one I would make over and over no matter the consequence.

Epilogue: Dimitri

An unknown number of years ago

Washington, DC

“Hey, man. You want the usual?”

I tear my eyes away from my phone, and the email I’m certain will ruin not just my morning but also my entire week—a skill my boss has mastered—and smile at the man standing at the counter.

“Morning, Carlos,” I greet him as I slip my phone into my suit pocket, effectively ignoring the problem hovering on the horizon in favor of a delicious cup of coffee. “The usual, yes. And if you can add an extra shot of espresso, please.”

“Is it that kind of morning already?” he asks while he accepts the cash from my hand.

When he tries to hand back the change, I motion to the tip jar, and Carlos smiles gratefully before he stuffs the change in the jar. It’s the same routine every time. He never just assumes or expects it, which makes for good customer service, in my opinion.

Still, it’s not easy running a coffee stand in metro Washington, DC, when it seems there’s a chain store on every corner. So when he turns around to brew my coffee, I slip a twenty in the jar too.

“Just have a lot on my mind, is all.”

Carlos bends down to look at me through the small window of his cart. “You’re too young to have so much weight on your shoulders, you know.”

I snort. If only he knew the half of it. As far as Carlos knows, I’m a simple lawyer who enjoys a coffee in the morning on the way to work.

But I’m the farthest thing from a lawyer.

“Listen, man, have I told you about my niece?” Carlos asks with a sly smile when he hands me my steaming cup.

“Yes,” I answer. “You tell me about her almost every time I see you.”

“And one of these times, you’ll actually listen to me,” he teases. “You need a lady in your life, young man. You’re much too handsome to keep it all to yourself.”

“Thank you, Carlos.” I raise my cup in a farewell gesture. “Next time.”

He shakes his head in exasperation. “And you say that every time.”

While I appreciate his thoughtfulness and concern, my job doesn’t leave much time for a relationship. Nothing serious at least. It’s not that I’m against the idea of dating. My job is already stressful enough, and I don’t need a relationship to add any more on top of it. So a date here or there that ends between the sheets for a little stress relief is all I can afford.

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