Page 34 of One More Song

My cock wanted this - sure, but Ember’s pussy needed it. And damn, it tasted so damn sweet. The sex was incredible. Better than incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever come so fucking hard in my entire life. But I still can’t shake the pressure that still squeezes my chest. Emotions that I can’t figure out.

“I’ll go to the bathroom, clean up. The band is meeting again in a few minutes,” I tell her, wanting to give her privacy when Cadence gets home.

She nods, pulling her long hair into a messy bun. My hand is on the doorknob, but I don’t want to walk away.

“What?” she asks.

I step toward her one more time, pulling her to me, kissing those full lips of hers. “Thank you.”

She’s smiling as I turn to walk out of the room, and I hear her satisfied sigh behind me as I leave.

In the bathroom I clean up quickly, wanting to get a glimpse of the man who held Ember’s heart all those years ago. I want to see them together, I need to know if there are any lingering sparks, a tiny flame.

It shouldn’t bother me that there might be. Hell, they have a kid together. But I’ll admit there’s a spark of jealousy itching inside me. Something possessive, primal. Unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

She’s mine, a voice growls inside my head, even though I know the truth is whatever this is between us has a shelf life.

After splashing cool water on my face, I dry off, making sure I don’t look like I was just licking his ex-wife’s pussy, and then head toward the living room.

“Where have you been?” Saint asks, brows drawn down, suspicion in his dark eyes.

I run a hand through my hair. “Fell asleep,” I mutter. The lie falls off my tongue so easily and for a second, I feel bad for it - until I look up and catch Ember’s gaze.

One look at her and any feelings of remorse fade. That single hour was the best of my fucking life.

“Mommy!” Cadence calls, running inside the house.

“Hey baby,” she says, arms open. “You have a good weekend?”

“Daddy let me stay up and watchWalking Dead, and I ate a whole bag of salt and vinegar chips all by myself. He said I’m a chip monster.” She giggles, rubbing her belly. Her hair is a tangled mess, like it hasn’t had a brush through it all weekend, and despite her energy, there are obvious dark circles under her eyes. “And then he let me have ice cream for breakfast with chocolate chips and sprinkles.”

“He did, huh.” I catch Ember’s frown, the one she tries to hide from her daughter. “I guess we better have extra vegetables tonight for dinner.”

Cadence groans, but she doesn’t argue, she just keeps chattering on. “Daddy said I can come over again next weekend, and have a sleepover with Emily, since he’s having a sleepover with her mommy.”

Ember’s frown deepens. “We’ll talk about it.”

Cadence doesn’t seem to catch on to Ember’s mood, because she’s already turning, her eyes brightening when she sees me. “Ash.” She runs toward me, and I’m not prepared when she flings herself at me.

I grunt when her weight hits me, and her arms wrap around my waist like she’s known me all her life, not just the last week. My heart clenches.

“Hey kiddo.” I crouch down to her eye level and listen as she gushes on about zombie apocalypses.

I only glance up when I feel a heaviness on me, a weight of someone watching me.

A man stands in the doorway, dark eyes boring into me, his face twisted into a scowl, his expression volatile. From the pink, princess backpack he’s carrying, I know he’s Cadence’s dad. Ember’s ex.

He’s wearing a polo shirt that sits snug against a slight beer belly. His hair is cut short, his jaw freshly shaved, and at first glance, he looks like a typical middle-class soccer dad. But I see past his exterior immediately.

The man is agitated. His right eye twitches and his left hand clenches and unclenches in a fist. And when his gaze drifted to Ember who has her back to him, his lip twists up in a sneer.

“Jesus,” he says, making Ember turn. “I didn’t fucking believe it. But it’s true.”

Ember’s face drains of color, and I see the flash of fear in her eyes before it’s replaced by action. “Cadence, go to your room.”

The kid reaches for my hand, moving closer to my side. Whatever is about to happen, I get a feeling like it’s not the first time.

Saint walks into the room, followed by Dusky and Synn. I can see from their expressions that they feel the tension.

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