Page 111 of Faded Rhythm

She doesn’t post the girls, but she mentions them a lot, mostly on her stories. Little things, like the paper crown Rae made her for mother’s day, or Kelice starting piano lessons. I wish I could see their little faces, but I admire the way she protects them.

I haven’t looked at another woman since I got here, which says a lot, because St. Lucia got some talent. But they’re nother, so I glance and keep it pushing.

I take care of my needs when I have to, but I’m wound up. Pent up. Restless. The kind of restless that can’t be fixed with a cold shower or a fist full of lotion.

Tonight, I try to distract myself.

I eat fish on the back patio, then I go inside and collapse on the old floral couch that came with the house. I turn on the TV for background noise.Happy Daysis on. I laugh to myself, because I thought I escaped that shit a long time ago. The nostalgia is cool, though. It lulls me to sleep.

Then something jolts me awake.

A knock.

My hand instinctively flies under the couch. My fingers wrap around cool steel—my Glock—before I remember.

I’m not on a mission.

I’m on an island. A peaceful one.

I’m safe here.

I exhale slowly and slide the gun back into its place.

Another knock.

I get up, half-dazed, and make my way to the door. My feet drag across the tile. My brain’s still foggy from sleep. I twist the knob and pull the door open.

And there she is.

Sable.

Standing in the moonlight like something from a fever dream.

Her hair is wild and curly. Her skin a little pale. But her eyes…her eyes are the same.

Alive.

“Hey,” she says, and the sound goes straight to my heart.

I reach out and touch her face just to make sure she’s real. She leans into my touch and smiles, stunning me with her beauty. I can’t even speak. All I can do is stare.

And then I pull her to me, and nothing else matters.

My mouth is on hers. My hands slam the door shut, then go straight to her ass. My dick is so hard, it hurts, but the more pressing matter is showing her my gratitude. She doesn’t know that she changed my life showing up here tonight. She made my dreams come true.

I scoop her up in my arms. She wraps her legs around my waist like it’s second nature, like her body remembers mine. I kiss her deeper, tilting my head to get more of her, thrusting my tongue deeper to drink her in. She moans, sending an electric current up my spine.

“I missed you so fucking much,” I whisper, my lips trailing down her jaw. “You have no idea.”

Before she can answer, I’m moving down the short hallway to my bedroom. I lay her down gently, then strip her out of her dress. My breath hitches when I see her again, naked and fine.

She’s even finer than I remembered.Damn.

There’s a raised pink scar under her collarbone. I reach out and brush my fingers over it.

“Do I need to be gentle?”

She shakes her head. “Be whatever you need to be to make me feel good.”

---