Lunch and taking care of friends

The front door clicked open before I could get to it. Darnell let himself in, scanning the first floor with quick, precise movements—kitchen, living room, hallway—before closing the door behind him. His eyes lingered on corners and windows, assessing, before finally settling on me.

“DeppGrl?” he called.

“I’m coming!” I replied, stepping out from the hallway.

He gave a short nod, shoulders easing slightly. He hugged me gently as he knew better than to risk my bruised ribs. “You look better than I expected,” he said softly, scanning my face for anything I might be hiding.

“You look worse,” I said, and he exhaled a brief, amused sigh.

He crossed his arms. “Alright. Start from the beginning. How did all this with Patrick start?”

I took a deep breath. “It started years ago during my first trip to New Zealand fifteen years ago. I met Patrick at the bar that I met Scott but I declined any drinks from him.  I found gifts, notes, dead animals and a lot worse left on my porch where I was staying. It escalated slowly at first, but then his behavior became invasive and terrifying. Calls, death threats, constant harassment. I finally confronted him one night and I thought it ended, but it didn’t. When I traveled on the behalf of different governments between that first trip to New Zealand and the trip I just came back from, I knew that there were leaks because he always found a way to find me and scare me. The governments always denied the leaks but I didn’t have enough evidence to prove it. A week or so before I came back, Patrick was caught and was put in a secure wing of the psych ward attached the prison. He committed suicide not long after getting admitted to the psych ward. Even now, I can feel traces of it if I’m not careful.”

Darnell exhaled sharply. “Fifteen years carrying that around… I can’t believe it.”

“I didn’t realize how connected it all was until recently,” I admitted.

He nodded. “And Mike?”

“Mike is—was—Patrick’s nephew.”

He blinked, then swore under his breath. “So he’s been around all this time, knowing…?”

“Yes,” I said. “He knew almost everything but anything until I confronted him when I said that I knew he and Patrick were related. He said that all he knew was that he had severe mental health issues however it was clear that he knew more than what he was admitting.”

Darnell leaned back, shaking his head. “Do you think you’re in danger from him?”

“Who, Mike? No,” I said quickly. “But I want him to understand I’m not alone. I’m protected.”

He nodded. “Good. He needs to be clear about that.”

I smiled faintly. “And I want that message to land.”

“So what’s next?” he asked.

“Mike’s moving,” I said. “He’s staying in the school district for the kids as per the estranged wife and their mediator.”

“Should we draw up an eviction notice?”

“Nah. I sent him lists of apartments and movers already.”

“Alright,” he said. “Lunch at Aditi’s?”

“The answer is always Aditi’s,”  I said. “Any ideas of what you want to eat?”

“Oh, about thirty of everything!” he said.

“Sounds reasonable! I’m not sure how long she’ll let us stay there before wanting to kick us out,” I said as I chuckled. “Let me go get dressed.”

I went upstairs. I put on panties, leggings, a sweatshirt – sans bra - and winter boots. When I came downstairs, Darnell stared at my chest and grinned. “You’re trouble.”

“Bras are overrated,” I said.

“Agreed!” he said as he chuckled.

We walked the three blocks, cold air stinging our cheeks. The moment I pushed open Aditi’s door, warmth and spice enveloped us.

Aditi’s eyes lit up immediately. “DeppGrl! How are you feeling? And here have you been, Darnell? You used to come by all the time.”

Darnell chuckled. “Busy…”

“Busy? You look like you haven’t eaten in months,” she said. “Go sit down at her favorite table and we’ll bring out some food and wine.”

We slid into my favorite booth; hidden but still able to see everything and everyone. Food began arriving—samosas, chili paneer, lamb vindaloo, biryani, dal, naan, and a dish she was experimenting with.

“You’re feeding us like we haven’t eaten in months,” I said.

“That’s because you both look like you haven’t,” she said, pointing at Darnell. “Deppgrl, I have no clue who fed you while you were in New Zealand because you lost weight and it’s clear that Darnell hasn’t eaten a home cooked meal in months!”

Darnell leaned back into the booth as Aditi left, looking at me. “Actually, while we’re here, I guess I can tell you. I went undercover for a few weeks. That cult was intense and they were the worst that I’ve dealt with. They were hardcore believers into their beliefs and it was a police state, to be honest. If you were caught doing anything against their bylaws, they believed in 700 calories a day and constant physical labor were the cure for that. Even if you were following the rules, they only allowed 900 calories.  I had to maintain cover by following their guidelines but as I was doing what I was sent there to do, it broke them. They were busted because of my work.”

“Were you cleared by your doctor when you were debriefed?” I asked.

“Yeah but barely,” he said with a sly grin. “I told him that I was going to come here with you and he immediately cleared me!”

“Glad to hear that, friend,” I said.

I am going to talk to his captain, Claire Montoya, sometime today, I told myself. Darnell’s almost 45 and he can’t be doing this severe undercover thing as much as he’s used. I know, I am calling the kettle black but I’m not constantly putting myself at risk like he is.

“Deppgrl? Hellooooooooooooooo?” Darnell said. “You still there?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” I snapped back to his company. “Sorry, I was committing something to memory.”

“Speaking of commitments, I’m going to ask Jessica to marry me,” he said. “I need your help with getting the ring. You have connections to jewelers.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Already planning your proposal?”

“Yeah,” he said with a grin. “She’s been amazing, and it’s time.”

I smiled. “Good. You do have to tell her that you’re spending time alone with me though! The last time I knew something that she didn’t, it didn’t go well.”

“Fair enough,” he said. “Between you and me, you’re annoying as fuck.”

“I know!”

Aditi laughed as she overheard while bringing to go containers to our table. “You two are impossible! You’re worse than siblings!”

I laughed so hard I snorted, clutching my ribs. “Stop! My ribs!”

Darnell leaned back, shaking his head, laughing.

Before the to-go containers arrived, the door opened and Bob came in.

“DeppGrl!” he said, hugging me too tightly. “Why didn’t you tell me that you were home?”

“Bob!” I laughed, pushing against him. “Loosen up! I was going to tell you after lunch.”

He smirked. “No, you weren’t!”

We laughed. He grabbed a plate and utensils from another table, sat next to Darnell and dug into the food while we continued chatting.

“This is amazing,” he said. “Why did I have to hear from Vince that you were home?”

“I told you that I was going to tell you after lunch,” I said, “You just didn’t want to listen to me.”

Bob shook his head, grinning. “You’re unbelievable.”

Aditi and her servers arrived with more food, and Darnell said, “You’re going to have to roll us out of here, Aditi.”

Aditi grinned. “I wouldn’t mind.”

We all laughed as Darnell, Bob and I ate even more. We ate until we were beyond stuffed.

Bob went into the kitchen to grab a to go containers for himself. I heard Aditi yell at him and he left seconds later with a smile on his face. Once he got to the table, he packed his to go container to the brim, closed it and nodded to us.

He hugged me again, shook Darnell’s hand, and said, “See you soon.”

As he left, Addit came with a few large bags and about three hundred to go containers, I asked Aditi how much we owed her.

“$800,” she said casually.

I handed her $1,200. She hugged me gently.

“You’re too generous,” she whispered in my ear.

“No,” I said. “You’re undercharging me a ton, my friend. I gave you more than what the bill should’ve been. Staff, food, fuel, and overhead all need to be taken care of. You know it, I know it.”

We hugged goodbye and headed back to my place. On the way, I told Darnell, “Aditi is behind on rent.”

“How do you know?” he asked. “How far behind?”

“The landlord is a friend of Bob’s from years ago and he told me -in passing - before I left New Zealand. said that he’s looking to evict her,” I said. “Four months, $35,000.”

He nodded. “We both know what we have to do.”

“Yes,” I said. “Put the food in the fridge at my place, then head to the landlord’s office and catch her up.”

We booked it to my place, stored the food, then hopped into his candy apple red 1963 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale. What should’ve been a forty-five-minute drive took thirty.

I jumped out before Darnell could stop the car. “Wait here. I’ll be a few minutes.”

I took the stairs two at a time, reaching the third floor and catching my breath before walking into the office. I approached the receptionists’ desk and spoke with Rose.

“I’m here to pay Aditi’s past-due rent and her upcoming rent,” I said.

Rose looked at her computer. “Give me a second to access her account.”

A moment later, she looked up. “She’s behind her rent by four months. It’s $35,000.”

“I’ll pay that and a full year’s rent as well,” I said.

She calculated it. “That comes to $140,000.”

I paid it gladly. “Ok. Oh when or if Aditi asks, please tell her that a generous but anonymous donor took care of it.”

Rose nodded. “Understood.”

I turned and left, taking a deep breath as I ran down the stairs back to Darnell.

“Done?” he asked.

“Done,” I said, smiling. “$140,000 later. Totally worth it!”

He nodded, a rare softness in his eyes.  “She’s lucky to have you and yes, she’s worth it.”

I slid into the car beside him, and we drove off, the weight finally lifting, knowing Aditi was safe and secure.

As Darnell and I headed back to my house, my phone rang. It was Vic, and I answered.

“Vic, hey,” I said.

“Hey,” he replied. “How are you? How’s your day going?”

“Hey,” I said. “Darnell and I went to Aditi’s for lunch, ran an errand, and we’re just a few minutes from home now. How’s your day been?”

“Not too bad, but super busy with the holidays,” he said. “Good to hear you got out for a little bit. I’ll be over in a few hours to spend the night.”

“What do you want to do about dinner?” I asked. “I can heat up leftovers or cook. You spend your whole day cooking for everyone else… you deserve a break.”

“Tonight? I’ll cook here and bring it to you,” he said. “Something warm and comforting. I’m thinking pasta, or chicken, or maybe a combination of both.”

“You’re too good to me, Papa,” I said, smiling. “I don’t mind cooking.”

“I know you don’t, but I mind,” Vic replied with a chuckle. “Hate to break it to you, amore, but you can’t really cook. You bake sweets beautifully, but cooking? Not your strong suit.”

“Ouch,” I said, laughing. “That’s a little harsh!”

After the night’s team and silence

I woke with the kind of clarity that lands like impact.

For a few seconds, I stayed still, staring at the dim ceiling while the weight of realization settled into my chest. I hadn’t taken an emergency contraceptive. And I hadn’t done my Depo injection either. I had reminded myself after the shower that I took last night but I was too distracted by Vic.

Slowly, I reached into the nightstand drawer and felt for the packet. It was still there as I knew it would be. I peeled it open quietly, tipped the pill into my mouth, and took several sips of water to swallow it. Only after it went down did I allow myself to breathe fully.

Then I got up and headed to the closet. I gathered the Depo injection kit and an alcohol pad then headed into the bathroom. I cleaned an area on my abdomen with the alcohol pad, waited for the area to dry, then administered the medication with practiced steadiness. When it was done, I capped the pen and dropped it into the sharps container beneath the sink.

Routine steadied my hands. It didn’t steady my thoughts.

I brushed my teeth and studied my reflection without much expression. Nothing on my face gave anything away. I turned off the light and walked back into the bedroom to throw on an oversized shirt.

Vic was waking up.

He shifted beneath the sheets, eyes barely open when they found me. “Good morning,” he murmured.

“Morning,” I said. I stayed near the doorway. “Do you want coffee?”

“Yeah,” he said after a moment. “I’ll be down in a few. Just need to shower before heading to work.”

He stood and crossed the room. At the bathroom door, he paused and glanced back at me.

“Oh—Mike gave me my sweats back. He washed them.”

“That’s good,” I said.

The door shut then the shower turned on. I left the room.

Downstairs, the kitchen felt stripped bare in the early hour. I filled the coffee machine with water, added the grounds, and pressed the button. The mechanical whir cut through the quiet.

I opened the refrigerator and pulled out the food Aditi had brought the night before. I set two of them on the counter and didn’t bother reheating anything. I ate cold, straight from containers—rice and vegetables first, then butter chicken. The flavors were sharper without being heated up.

The coffee finished brewing. I poured two mugs—his black and mine light and sweet. Steam curled up against my face as I took a drink.

Upstairs, water continued to run through the pipes but stopped just a moment later.

By the time footsteps sounded on the stairs, I had finished eating and rinsed the containers. Vic entered the kitchen in his freshly washed sweats, hair still damp, posture easy. He picked up his mug without asking.

“You already ate?” he asked.

“Aditi’s leftovers,” I said. “Didn’t feel like waiting.”

He nodded and took a sip. “Thanks for the coffee.”

We stood there in silence—close, familiar, untouched. The kind of quiet that could mean comfort or distance depending on how long it lasted.

The doorbell cut through the quiet of the kitchen, sharp and out of place against the low hum of the refrigerator. I glanced toward the hallway, still holding my half-finished mug of coffee.

“I’ll get it,” Vic said, already pushing away from the counter. His mug made a soft clink as he set it beside mine.

“Alright,” I said, still leaning against the counter where I’d been eating the cold leftovers from the food that Aditi had brought the night before. I watched him walk away.

He disappeared around the corner, and seconds later, I heard the front door opened.

Mike’s voice came through immediately—tense, too loud for the morning.

“She’s  really not answering my texts now?” Mike snapped.

Vic’s reply was low but sharp enough to carry. “She’s not doing this with you. You promised me last night—you said you’d move.”

“I offered,” Mike fired back. “Depending on what she wants. Did you even ask her? Or are you just deciding everything for her because you’re playing fucking hero now?”

The words landed like a slap. I froze with my mug halfway to my mouth.

I set it down quietly on the counter and stepped out of the kitchen, my bare feet silent against the floor. I moved toward the living room, the argument sharpening as I got closer.

Vic stepped forward. “I’m not playing anything. You broke her trust. You put her in danger and almost brought him to her. Don’t pretend this isn’t complicated.”

“So ask her,” Mike shot back. “Ask her if she wants me gone. Or are you afraid of the answer?”

That was when I reached them.

I walked up behind Vic—close enough to see the tension in his shoulders, the clean line of his back, the fact that he really wasn’t wearing a shirt—and spoke before either of them realized I was there.

“I do.”

Both of them turned. Vic blinked, startled. Mike’s mouth pulled tight, like he already knew what I was going to say but hoped I wouldn’t say it out loud.

I met Mike’s eyes without flinching. “Yes. I want you to move. I don’t want daily reminders of how you broke my trust. And I’m not going to live next to someone who’s related to my former stalker and who knew but didn’t have the balls to say anything to me about it. You should go.”

Mike swallowed hard, anger and guilt fighting in his expression. “You really feel that way?”

“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”

I didn’t wait for either of their reactions. I turned and walked back into the kitchen, the smell of coffee warming the air as I picked up my mug again.

Behind me, I heard Mike exhale sharply. “Fine,” he muttered. “But answer something first.”

There was a beat—a long, quiet stretch of air before he asked:

“Do you love her?”

Vic didn’t even pause. His voice was steady, firm. “Of course I do. Why else would I be here?”

I didn’t hear Mike’s response. His voice dropped too low, swallowed by the hallway. But I heard the door close—solid, final—followed by footsteps retreating down the porch.

Then silence.

A moment later, Vic shuffled back into the kitchen. I didn’t turn until I heard him stop beside me, the warmth of his presence replacing the cold morning air.

“Mi amore,” he whispered as he wrapped me up tight in his arms, pulling me close to his bare chest. “Do you want me to stay here with you? I can call out.”

“I’ll text my friend Darnell to see if he can spare anyone or even himself,” I said muffled against his chest. “Do you really love me, Papa?”

“Darnell’s the cop, right?” he asked. “Yes, I do, amore.”

“Yeah, he is,” I said. “Same.”

We stayed in that hug for a long time before he let go.

“Alright, amore,” he sighed. “I need to head to work. I’ll check in on throughout the day, ok?”

“Ok, Papa,” I said.

We broke from the hug and I watched him head upstairs to finish getting ready for work. As he was getting ready, I made him more coffee for him and put it in a travel tumbler and packed leftover food from Aditi. He came down a few minutes later.

“What’s all this?” he asked with that sexy smile of his.

“Fresh coffee and food,” I said. “You need the energy to keep going throughout the day. You put in overtime last night.”

“Thank you, amore,” he said as he kissed me. “I’ll be in touch later.”

“You’re welcome,” I said. “Sounds good. Thank you for spending the night.”

Vic kissed me once more then left. I texted Darnell what the situation was and he said that he’d be right over. I thanked him and then cleaned up the kitchen.

 

Under one's skin

I knew that when Mike left, that was it—there was no coming back from it, and there would be no chance for he and I to ever start a romantic relationship. Scott and I were no more. Any chance with Vic was also gone, though in truth, there really hadn’t been much of a chance to begin with. And Vince, it seemed, would be happier with Emily than he ever was with me, so any relationship I might have had with Vince, with Emily in the picture, would have been complicated. And my sweet friend Ronan was—and is!—a great man, but not what I needed or wanted in a relationship. He took great care of me while we briefly dated back in college and never treated me like I was a charity case because of the financial circles we ran in; however, I planned and organized all the dates, and he would simply show up when and where the date was and pay for it.

Later that night, my phone buzzed.
Vince: Hey. I wanted to let you know I’ve got a concussion and some bruised ribs from hitting the seat in front of me, but I’m ok and finally home.
Me: Thankfully, that’s all you have. Are you being taken care of?
Vince: Yeah. Emily’s taking good care of me and ordered food from a local place.
Me: Good. I’m glad she’s staying with you.
A few minutes later, another text came in.
Vince: She’s leaving when I go to bed…. she didn’t want me to think poorly of her. I asked her how I could after bringing me to the hospital, waiting for me, and keeping her promise of having dinner with me tonight.
Me: After spending just over thirty hours with her over the last six weeks, I can attest no one could think poorly of her. I am happy that she’s keeping her promise to have dinner with you. Anyone staying with you tonight?
Vince: I told her that when I am feeling better, I’ll make it up to her. My sister is. You?
Me: Yikes. Hope she doesn’t cause bodily harm! We both know she hates me and she’ll hate me even more when she finds out I was involved in your injuries. Not sure if I’m up for company. Mike’s long gone once I told him that I know that his uncle was my stalker…. he’s known for over six weeks and still didn’t say anything.
Vince: She knows that you’re important to me, and if she says anything negative about you, she knows she’s getting booted from the house and I’ll go no contact. Want me to send Bob?
Me: Woot woot! We both know that if you call Bob, he’ll come running over and try to move in with me. I love my brother, but the last thing I want is for him to move in with me. The last time we stayed in the same Airbnb, it  got ugly.
Vince: Fair enough! And no, I don’t want to know. Vic is a no-go, Matteo maybe? Unsure if he’s still in love with you.
Me: Vic is a go, Matteo is a no-go….. he’ll always be in love with himself first, then sports, followed by me.
Vince: I’ll text Vic in a few minutes as dinner just got here. Going to help Emily unload the bags and get situated, then I’ll text him. Want Bob to know?
Me: Sounds good. Thanks. And no, I do NOT want Bob to know. It’s like me asking you if you want your ex-wife to know.
Vince: Fair enough, ha ha! Have a good night.
Me: You too! Make sure you walk Emily to her car.
Vince: I will!

After putting my phone back on its charging base, I got up and finished cleaning up from dinner with Mike. It wasn’t hard, as we ate most of the food and we had so few dishes. I cleaned the bathroom, sprayed the kitchen counters to clean them, and lit a few candles. Once done with all of that, I turned the TV to selected a different channel that played music; I didn't want the same one as I when Mike was over. As I was about to grab wine glasses out of the cabinet, I heard Vic’s familiar knock on the door. I quickly shuffled over to the door and opened it.

“Hey, Papa,” I said, breathing in his familiar scent. “Come on in.”
“Hey, Amore,” he whispered as he kissed me. “Thanks. It’s getting cold.”

He stepped inside, and I closed the door behind him, the lock clicking softly into place. Vic turned to face me, his eyes searching mine.

“How are you feeling?” he asked gently. “Do you need anything?”

I shook my head slowly. “I don’t need anything… except you. And one of your hugs.”

A soft smile spread across his face. “I can take care of that.”

He opened his arms, and I stepped into them, fitting against him like I belonged there. He wrapped me up tightly, one hand resting against my back, the other at my waist. We didn’t speak as we held each other—just stood there, breathing, steady and quiet. About twenty minutes passed before we finally loosened our hold on each other, neither of us quite ready to let go when we did.

Vic looked at me again, concern softening his expression. “Seriously… what else do you need right now?”

I glanced at him and smiled. “Honestly… maybe a glass or two of wine.”

He shook his head gently. “I don’t think that would be good with the meds you’re taking.”

I nodded. “Yeah… you’re right.”

I headed to the kitchen, opening the cabinet for my muscle relaxer and the bottle of Ibuprofen 800 mg. I poured myself a glass of milk and grabbed a single-serve cup of creme brûlée flavored yogurt. Though I had eaten about an hour ago, I preferred to have a little something before taking the Ibuprofen—I didn’t want my stomach destroyed. I ate the yogurt slowly, savoring the flavor, then took the muscle relaxer and Ibuprofen with the milk. After finishing, I tossed the glass and spoon into the dishwasher and placed the empty yogurt cup into the recycling bin after rinsing it and the sink.

I turned back toward the living room, finding Vic still waiting for me, his gaze calm and patient.

“All set?” he asked softly.

“Yeah,” I said, moving toward him. “Thanks.”

He offered his arm. “What are you up for now?”

I hesitated briefly. “Are you cool if we just listen to music and chill?”

He tilted his head, considering. “I’d prefer a movie… but I know that your head hurts from the concussion. We’ll do music.”

I smiled, feeling a small wave of relief, as he reached for the TV remote to change the “station” to a different music channel that was still playing when Mike was over. I grabbed a thick blanket and draped it across the couch, then held it open for him.

“Here,” I said, patting the spot next to me. “Come sit.”

He sat down, pulling me close under the blanket. “You know,” he murmured, “even when we’re just listening to music, it’s perfect being here with you.”

I snuggled against him, resting my head lightly on his shoulder. “I couldn’t agree more.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of my head and then asked again, softly, “Anything else you need?”

I shook my head with a small smile. “No… well, just you. And maybe one more hug.”

Vic chuckled quietly. “I think I can manage that.” He pulled me in again, and this hug lasted long—long enough that my body relaxed completely, melting into his arms. The warmth, the steady heartbeat against mine, and the quiet music made the world outside vanish. My eyelids grew heavy, and slowly, I fell asleep in Vic’s arms, safe and utterly at peace.

Hours later, I woke up next to Vic in my bed. God, I love this man. I know that he isn’t mine but I appreciate the love and the care he provides me. He’ll never leave the wife nor do I expect him to. He pulled me to his chest and pinched my nipples.

“I thought you were sleeping, Papa,” I moaned as I arched my back.

“I was but I’ve learned to wake up when you wake up, amore,” as he kissed my neck. “I want you!”

“I want you, too,” I whispered as I rolled onto my stomach and spread my legs.

“Condoms, bebé?” Vic asked as he got situated between my legs.

“No, Papa,” I said as I lifted my hips. “I want just you.”

“Good,” Vic grunted as he pushed the tip of his massive dick into my wet pussy. “God, I have missed this with you, amore.”

His hands were already on my hips when he began to push his dick in me, slow at first—just enough to make me suck in a sharp breath before he filled me in one smooth, ruthless thrust.

“Christ,” he muttered. “You’re still so fucking tight. You’re perfect.”

I braced my hands on the bed, looking back at him over my shoulder. “You don’t get to talk like you own me.”

His grip tightened. “Never said I owned you. I said I wanted you.”

The difference hit harder than the hard thrust he gave me right after.

“You feel that?” he growled as he ground his hips and dick into me.

I pushed back into him deliberately. “You mean how you’re losing control?”

A breathless laugh left him as he snapped his hips forcefully forward again. “You always run your mouth when you’re winning.”

“And you always fuck harder when you’re challenged.”

His forehead dropped between my shoulder blades for half a second before he surged again. “Equal power,” he said through his teeth. “Definitely not how you like it.”

“Face it, Papa, you love it when I am in charge, too.”

The sound of skin on skin filled the room, the rhythm fast, dirty, unapologetic. His fingers dug into my hips, guiding me back into every thrust.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” I gasped. “My god, Vic....”

“You going to stop me?”

“No.”

“Then don’t pretend this isn’t what you wanted.”

I pushed back harder, earning a low, broken sound from his throat.

“Still feral as fuck,” he said. “I have always loved how feral you are.”

“Still arrogant.”

“You’re soaking,” he shot back.

“Shut up and don’t slow down.”

“That’s not a denial.”

My head fell forward as his thrusts turned brutal, relentless. Every nerve lit up. The room felt too warm, too loud, too small for what we were doing in it.

“You’re shaking,” he murmured.

“Not from fear.”

“Good,” he said darkly. “Because I’m not being gentle.”

“Don’t you dare.”

Another hard thrust stole the last of the sentence from my mouth.

“This is dangerous,” I panted.

“You were never scared of danger with me.”

“That’s because you’re the danger.”

His hands slid up my back, one wrapping around my throat—not squeezing, just holding, claiming.

“Say it,” he commanded quietly.

“Say what?”

“That you want this.”

I met his eyes in the reflection of the dark window.

“I won’t deny it,” I moaned. “You’re about to cum.”

His control snapped.

The rhythm broke into something savage and reckless and full of everything we shouldn’t be doing and were doing anyway. My nails scraped against the bed, then against his forearm as the edge closed in.

“Vic—don’t stop—”

His name ripped from my throat again and again as everything shattered at once—my body locking, his breath breaking apart behind me as he buried himself deep and stayed there, shaking as he filled me with his cum.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then he pressed his forehead to my back, still inside me, still holding me like he wasn’t ready to let go of the damage we’d just done.

“We just crossed every damn line,” he murmured.

I was still catching my breath. “We’ve been crossing that line for years.”

His hands slid slowly back to my hips. “And you still don’t run.”

I looked back at him.

“Neither do you.”

Vic pulled out and rolled me onto my back.

“How’s your head, amore?” he said as he kissed me.

“It’s fine,” I said with a sly smile. “How’s yours?”

“Ya estoy listo otra vez.”

“Lo se,” I said. “¡Siempre lo estás!”

“I find it sexy when you speak Spanish, bebé. I can’t get over how tight you are.”

Vic pushed his giant dick into me hard, the force of him driving me against the mattress. I gasped, nails digging into his shoulders as he didn’t give me a moment to adjust.

“Fuck… you feel so good,” he growled, voice low and dangerous as he was thrusting in and out of me.

I arched, trembling. “Vic… don’t stop.”

His hand slid along my side, gripping tighter. “I wasn’t planning to.”

“You’re insane,” I hissed, knowing that he would pleasure me as long as I needed and wanted him to.

“Insane for you and this pussy of yours,” Vic grunted as he was thrusting his dick deeper into me. “You have no idea how much I missed you the last few weeks, amore!”

“I’m gonna…” I started.

“Cum!” both Vic and I screamed as we both climaxed.

Vic put both of my thighs over his shoulders, thrusting in and out of me  in a frenzy as he shot his cum deep inside of me.

“Marry me!” he grunted as his body shuddered as he finished cumming in me. “My god, I could spend the rest of my life with you.”

“No,” I said as I pushed him off me, the last few drops of his cum fell onto my stomach. “You have a wife and kids.”

I got up from the bed and headed into the bathroom. I am not going to lie….it’s true that I love Vic and I have loved him since the first time we had sex so many years ago. I wasn’t going to admit that to him nor was I going to tell him to leave his wife and kids behind for me.

I sighed then turned the water on for the shower.  As I moved to grab a towel to hang up next to the tub, I felt his cum drip down my leg. I regretted not using the self-injection Depo birth control after getting home from the flight and hospital but I knew that I was going to use emergency contraceptive after getting out of the shower. I got into the tub to take my shower and the hot water felt amazing. I took my time washing and conditioning my hair.

“Do you want to remain being my side piece?” Vic asked as he joined me in the shower.

“Yes, I do,” I said as I turned around and put my hand on his giant dick. I began to stroke him. “I’m not getting married again, Papa. No matter how amazing their dick is.”

I continued to stroke his dick as he washed his hair. In no time, he came in my hand several times. He moaned my name as he came.

“Stop wasting my cum,” he muttered as he pushed me against the shower wall, spread my legs and shoved his pulsating dick into my pussy from behind.

“Faster, Papa,” I moaned.

Vic fucked me as hard and as fast as he could and I loved it. We came hard and often. Ten or fifteen minutes later, he pulled his dick out of my ass and moaned my name.

“I want you in the kitchen after our shower,” he moaned as he bit my shoulder.

“I love when we screw in the kitchen,” I said as I quickly lathered my body with soap. I rinsed off and got out of the shower. “Find me when you’re done!”

I dried off the best that I could, brushed my hair and applied deodorant. Before heading downstairs, I hung up my towel so it could dry properly. Once downstairs, I grabbed a paper plate and a napkin, carefully placing both on the kitchen peninsula. I got up on the peninsula and sat on the plate, spreading my legs. Seconds later, Vic found me in the kitchen.

“Hungry?” I asked.

“Always,” he murmured as he dropped to his knees.

Vic ate my pussy for who knows how long that night. I came on his tongue repeatedly and screamed his name; I didn’t want him to stop. When my body stopped shuddering from the last orgasm, Vic stood up. He headed to his overnight bag to grab his toothbrush and headed to my bathroom to brush his teeth. He knows how important it is to me for him to brush his teeth after eating my pussy.

I got off the counter, threw the paper plate and the napkin out, cleaned the counter and headed upstairs to take a quick shower. After drying off again, I tackled the sheets from my bed. I stripped my bed, threw the bedding into the hallway then grabbed fresh bedding and made my bed. As I was heading downstairs with the used bedding, Vic said that he’d start the wash for me. I thanked him.

I grabbed us water for our respective nightstands. I climbed into bed and once situated, I checked my phone for emails and texts. I had one from Mike.

Mike: You might want to keep it down next time—some of us didn’t sign up to hear your reunion tour.
Me: Then maybe you should learn how to mind your own business—or invest in better headphones.
Mike: You’re lucky the kids weren’t here.
Me: Even if they were, they would be asleep. Maybe invest in some white noise machines.

Vic joined me a moment after me putting my phone down. He knew that I was upset.

“Mike?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he said as he got dressed.

I tried to sleep but I couldn't. I was worried about the both of them, Vic more than Mike and I also heard raised voices. Their “conversation” lasted a long time and I eventually fell asleep. When Vic returned to my house, he woke me up to let me know what happened between he and Mike.

Vic was sitting on the edge of the bed next to me, his hand brushing my face as he exhaled slowly. “I talked to Mike.”

My stomach tightened. “And?”

“He’s hurt,” Vic said quietly. “Not about the sex. About you shutting him down when you confronted him about Patrick.”

A short, hollow laugh left me. “Good. Because I was hurt when I found out he’s known for years that his uncle was a stalker.”

“He said he didn’t know it was you until recently.”

“And yet he still moved in next door two and a half months ago without telling me he even had a clue,” I snapped. “That part seems to get skipped over every time.”

Vic nodded once. “I told him that.”

My eyes flicked to his. “What exactly did you tell him?”

“That Patrick didn’t just ‘bother’ you,” he said. “That he destroyed your sense of safety. That he messed with your head and that he did real emotional and mental damage to you.”

My throat tightened, but I stayed quiet.

“And I told him,” Vic continued, voice firm, “that you don’t trust him anymore because he didn’t tell you he knew that Patrick was stalking you when he moved in next door. That he took away your ability to choose for yourself.”

I swallowed. “What did he say to that?”

“He said he thought staying quiet was protecting you.”

A bitter sound tore out of me. “That’s bullshit.”

“I told him that choosing silence isn’t protection—it’s a decision,” Vic said. “And he made it for you.”

My hands curled in the blanket. “That’s exactly it.”

“He also said he feels like he lost you the moment you realized how much he knew.”

“He did,” I said flatly. “The second he admitted it, something broke. I don’t know if it can be rebuilt. I just know I don’t trust him anymore.”

Vic studied my face. “I told him that too.”

I finally looked at him. “You did?”

“I said you’re not reacting out of anger,” Vic said. “You’re reacting because the ground under you isn’t solid anymore.”

Silence stretched between us.

“He asked if there was any way back,” Vic said.

My voice came out steady, but tired. “And?”

“I told him he doesn’t get to decide that. You do.”

I exhaled. “He was hurt that I shut him down?”

“Yeah.”

“I was hurt that he watched me live under a shadow and stayed quiet,” I said. “I think that’s worse.”

Vic shifted slightly closer to me. “Before I left, he offered to move as soon as he could.”

That made me pause. “He did?”

“Yeah,” Vic said. “And I told him he should—because I was positive that you weren’t interested in knowing he was still your neighbor.”

I didn’t hesitate. “That was the perfect answer.”

Vic’s mouth curved slightly. “I thought you’d say that.”

“Thank you, Papa,” I said as he kissed me on my lips. “Let’s get to sleep. You need it.”

“So do you, viejito,” I said as I smiled.

Vic stripped and joined me in bed. He pulled me close to his chest, wrapped me in his arms and we fell asleep in seconds.