Page 69 of The Italian Reckoning
We move together as one, rocking back and forth with barely an inch of space between us. There’s no frantic thrusting, no biting and scratching like usual. There’s just us, intertwined and joined as one. We share the same air in the space between our lips, share the same ripples of pleasure that move through us ina single wave. Rocky grinds into me, I rock back, and we roll over until we’re tangled in the bedsheets and I can’t tell where I end and Rocky begins.
There’s just… us.
We come together with muted gasps and desperate, soft whimpers that sound more like our souls taking their first breaths. My orgasm is so intense that every muscle in my body goes rigid and my mind goes quiet. There’s nothing but the rush of heat inside me from Rocky’s cock and the curl of overwhelming pleasure through my core. Over and over, wave after wave of ecstasy consumes us. Rocky kisses me like I’m his only source of air, and I hold him as tightly as my arms will allow.
This… is peace.
Rocky is gonewhen I wake up the next morning. The cold sheets beside me bring a pulse of anxiousness until I touch the edge of a handwritten note. Blearily opening one eye, I read the letter Rocky left behind and then sit up as not a single word actually made it into my mind. Iris chirrups from between my legs and stretches herself out across my lap, nuzzling in as I rub my eyes to clear them.
Sarah,
Waking up alone after last night will probably feel like an insult, or that something is wrong, but I swear to you that everything is fine. I just had to sneak back before my father noticed I was missing, and you were sleeping so soundly that waking you up felt terribly selfish.
I meant everything I said last night. I am here for you.
You are safe with me.
I’ll call when I can.
Rocky
As letters go, it’s pretty sweet and Rocky’s scrawled a handful of kisses at the bottom. Waking up to him would be better, but just the thought of his father makes my stomach churn.
Rocky knows the truth now. He knows everything.
He knows about my time with the killer, that his face is lost to my mind and that I’m the reason Belle and Kara are dead. His reassurances, while kind, did nothing to quell the guilt that sits heavily in my chest. Even Iris’s thick fur and deep purrs don’t shift that sensation.
I need coffee.
Strong coffee.
Only one place can get me exactly what I need, so after a quick shower and admiration of the marks Rocky left on my throat, I head to my local cafe where Bobby greets me with a smile.
“Usual?” he asks.
“Actually, can we try something different?”
His smile fades instantly. “What’s happened?”
“What do you mean?”
“You only want something different when something has happened.”
“That’s not true.”
“It so is.” Despite his laughter, the usual spark seems missing from Bobby when his eyes drop and linger on my throat.
Adjusting the collar of my shirt, I clear my throat and gaze up at the menu on the chalkboard behind his head. “I’m just in a good mood, that’s all. And it’s hot today. So… Can I have a mango iced frappe?”
“To go?”
“Please, I have to be at work in like twenty minutes.” Flashing Bobby a smile, I settle against the counter and for the first timein six weeks, I don’t stare out the window. I don’t need to look and hope for a glimpse of Rocky’s bike. I don’t need to hover over my phone in the hopes that he will text.
Right now, I’m comfortable in the fact that he cares about me, and that’s all that matters. It’s an odd feeling, almost like relaxation but with an increase of tension around my shoulders as I contemplate how I’m going to navigate tracking down the monster from my past while avoiding my boss and Rocky’s father.
“Well?” Bobby sets the drink down in front of me with one brow raised.
“Well what? Sorry, I was miles away.”
