Page 54 of Tick Tock, Boom!

The air was still. The inside was stripped bare, not a piece of furniture in sight. But I could see it all. My memories painted the walls better than any color swatch ever could.

Tick Tock pinning me to the wall, growling how much he missed me before taking me right there. Me cooking in the kitchen while he wrapped his arms around my waist and stole bites over my shoulder. Our arguments. Our passion. Our quiet mornings tangled in bed sheets that smelled like leather and ...well, the beginnings of love.

This was where I became a woman. This was where I gave my body, my heart, my soul to a man who owned me in ways I still couldn’t explain.

My knees buckled and I sat on the floor in the living room, right where our old couch used to be. I could almost hear his voice. Feel his breath on my neck. I remembered the time he’d bent me over the armrest of that old leather couch, made me beg for it like a good girl while he fucked the rebellion out of me.

And the way he held me after, murmuring how he'd always be there for me. I’d been so young. So stupid. But I had loved him the only way I knew how. And even now, years later, that love still remained.

I pulled out my phone and called the number on the sign. A woman answered, friendly and chipper. “Hi, yes. I’d like to put in an offer on the house on Treme Street. Cash offer. Today.”

There was a small pause on the other end. “I’ll send over the paperwork right away,” she said. “The owner will be happy to hear that.”

I hesitated, curiosity getting the better of me. “Do you know who the owner is?”

“I’m sorry,” she replied carefully. “The owner has asked to remain anonymous. Very adamant about privacy.”

“Do you know why they’re selling?”

“The house was recently rebuilt,” she said after a moment. “There was a fire that destroyed the foundation about ten years ago. I guess it was finally time to let it go.”

I hung up and let my hand rest on the floor, palm flat, as if by touching this place, I could hold on to what we’d lost. That’s when Gabriel came running in from the hallway, his eyes bright with excitement.

“Mom! Did you see the backyard? It’s huge!”

I smiled at his joy, brushing my hands on my jeans as I stood and walked across the hall to the kitchen which was a much larger and open area than before.

“It is pretty big,” I said, ruffling his hair. “What do you think?”

He shrugged with a lopsided grin. “It’s okay... but did you see the attic? There’s a whole attic up there! Can we go see it?”

I laughed, pulling him into a tight hug, breathing him in as I whispered against his curls, “I just bought it, Gabe. This is going to be our home now.”

He looked up at me, eyes wide. “Really?”

I nodded, holding him close. “Really.”

“Can we get a dog?”

I laughed again, shaking my head. “We can talk about that later. First, I need to close on the deal. Then after we move in, we’ll talk about pets.”

As I turned to head toward the hallway, my gaze drifted to the spot where the old dining room table used to be. And just like that, the memory came crashing in.

It was that first weekend together. I’d been making breakfast, fumbling with eggs and toast, trying to act all house wifey while he prowled behind me. His hands were on my hips before I could blink, his mouth brushing my ear with filthy promises that made my knees weak. He bent me over that wooden table like he owned every inch of me, dragging my panties down with one rough hand while the other wrapped tight in my hair, yanking my head back just enough to make me whimper. There was no hesitation, no teasing, just the hot press of his cock, the thick stretch of him as he sank inside me with one brutal, possessive thrust that made the whole damn house moan with me.

The wood creaked beneath us with every deep grind of his hips, but it was my body that trembled, my voice that broke, gasping his name like it was the only thing keeping me grounded. He was everywhere, his scent, his breath, the sound of his low growl as he claimed me, right there, reminding me I was his and no one else’s.

Even now, I could still feel him. The burn of his touch, the ache he left behind. I hated that I missed it. Hated that a part of me still craved it. Still craved him.

I blinked hard, grounding myself back in the present as Gabriel tugged at my hand. His joy, his presence, was all I needed to remember why I came back.

Everything I’d done in this life I’d done for that little boy. And I wasn’t done yet.

NATALIA

Three months had passed since I bought the house on Treme. Gabriel and I had found a rhythm again, a little life carved out of the past I never thought I’d come back to. My days were spent at the clinic, my evenings filled with homework battles and bedtime stories. Quiet. Simple. Steady.Exactly what I needed.

Tonight, as most Tuesday nights, we headed to the grocery store. We were a little late today since Gabe had try-outs for the school Soccer team. He was such a bright kid that he had already made friends and was even invited to join a bunch of after-school activities. He wanted to do all of them, but Mommy didn't have time for that. So, I told him to choose one, and he chose Soccer. At least it was a sport, and it got him out of his room.

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