Page 59 of Blood Ties
So I’m glad we get these moments to escape.
One day, when I finish my chores early and have dinner simmering on the stove, I bring my stereo down to her.
Her eyes light up when she sees it. “Music,” she says. “I haven’t heard music since...” She pauses, stutters for a moment.
I know what she means because it’s the same for me. The last time I played anything was the first night we met, when I was trying to drown out the sound of her and Knox next door.
My face twists, and I turn away from her as I plug the stereo into the wall. “My dad hates the noise,” I say. “But he’s not home yet.”
Still, I keep it quiet, so I can hear if he comes through the door. Riley and I sit next to each other on her mattress as Radiohead starts to play. After a minute, she rests her head on my shoulder. After another minute, I work up the courage to put my arm around her. We stay like that, listening together, and I feel so happy that it scares me. Everything that makes me happy gets taken away before long.
“Is this your favorite album?” she asks.
“Yeah,” I say. “It’s also the only one I’ve got right now. Sorry. Knox hasn’t brought me any new ones since my dad smashed the rest of them a while ago.”
“Oh,” she says. “Knox... brings you things?”
“Sometimes. This one was a birthday present a couple years ago.”
She’s pressed so close against me that I can feel her breath hitch as she hesitates. “Are you two close?”
“Mm...” I’m not sure how to answer. “I don’t really have much to compare to. But he’s...” I roll the words around in my head before I speak them, feeling like I’m stepping into a minefield. I don’t want to defend my brother to her, but I don’t want to lie. The truth is that Knox is all I had after Momma got sick. Until I met Riley, at least. “He’s nicer to me than my dad and my uncle are. Usually.”
She pulls back to look at me. I tense, thinking I said something wrong, but her eyes are gentle as she reaches up to cup my face. “The way he treats you still isn’t right,” she says. “You deserve better. You know that, don’t you?”
I study her face, unsure how to respond again. Before I can figure it out, she kisses me. The softest press of her lips, there and gone again.
“You deserve better,” she whispers, once more.
I lean in, and she meets me, kisses me again.
My pulse is loud in my ears. I haven’t tried anything with her since Knox took her birth control. I didn’t want to pressure her, or to think about what my brother has been doing to her. But I’ve wanted her every day, and I can’t stop myself from giving in now.
I’m drowning in her honey taste, her feather soft touch. Her fingers in my hair, her breath against my lips, and so much smooth skin it makes me dizzy. She’s as delicate as an eggshell in my hands; I’m afraid I could hurt her on accident. Then her tongue slides into my mouth and it’s hard to think of that, or anything. I grip her hips hard and she makes a breathy little sound that tells me she likes it.
She slides her hand into my pants and wraps her fist around my cock. I’m already getting hard for her, and after a couple of strokes I’m panting into her neck, thrusting up into her hand. I push her shirt up, exposing the lush curve of her breasts, and she leans her head back with a sigh as I cup them. She feels so fucking good, so soft in my hands, her nipples hardening as I squeeze her.
Riley lies back on the mattress, tugging me with her. I kiss her while she pushes my pants and my boxers down. After a moment’s hesitation, I reach between us to undo her shorts; she helps me ease them off. Then there’s only the thin lace of her panties between our bodies. I’m so fucking hard, my blood roaring in my veins. Her legs wrap around my waist. I rut against her, my cock sliding over her waistband and her stomach. She’s so warm and soft and I know it’d feel even better to be inside of her. I crave it so badly it hurts.
“God, I want you,” she whispers in my ear, and I bite back a groan. I reach for her panties, but she grabs my hand, twining her fingers with mine. “But...” She lets out a long breath, pulling back to look me in the eyes. “Without my birth control... I...”
I bite the inside of my cheek, try to regain control of myself as I realize she’s trembling beneath me. “Right. I know.”
She reaches up to touch my face, smiling. “But there’s still a lot of fun stuff we could do.”
My breath quickens. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Her hand slides down my neck, over my chest, my stomach. I’m still rocking against her gently, rubbing against her panties, and it feels so good I don’t realize what she intends until she’s pulling my shirt up.
I flinch, recoiling, and tug it back down.
Riley goes still. She stares up at me, eyebrows pinched together, as I sit back on my heels. I yank my pants up, face hot with shame. I’m no longer in the mood, and I’m sure she isn’t, either, after seeing my body.
“Those scars...” she says.
I flush harder, looking away. “Sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize.” She sits up, shifting closer to me on her knees. “Can I see?” I hesitate, and she touches my face, guiding my gaze to hers. “It’s okay, Kai. Please.”
