34. WYNTER

34

WYNTER

Six Weeks Later

“ T hree, two, one, go!” I count down for Summer to jump into the pool. She squeals so loud it makes my ears ring as she cannonballs into the water.

I never got the chance to teach her how to swim until recently. Now she’s a pro at it.

The sun warms my skin as my legs dangle off the edge of the pool.

After Noah came for me at the Abato house he really stuck to his promise of not letting me go.

“Look how long I can hold my breath for, Uncle Bones!” I look up from the tranquil water to see him bringing a tray of drinks and snacks out, setting them on the table. His eyes shift to mine for a moment before he watches her dive back under the water with her nose pinched.

I’m not sure why or when she started calling him Uncle Bones, but the name seems to have stuck.

Summer pops back up, gasping for air and laughing. “How long was that?”

“Hours!” Noah exclaims with a huge smile on his face, but it doesn’t quite meet his eyes. It hasn't since we came home and I told him I needed time to think things over.

Summer giggles and splashes water his way before she swims off doing laps of the pool. I try to watch her, but my attention is on Noah as he circles around the pool and crouches down next to me. Our arms are so close, I can feel the static between us, but he’s not touching me. At my request, he hasn’t since he brought me home. I told him I needed space and rather than get angry he’s given me it. Summer and I are living in the cottage while Noah remains in the house.

It’s for my own peace of mind so I can sort through my feelings without him clouding my judgment, but it’s also his punishment for betraying me. I could scream at him until my lungs give out or fight him for hurting me. This cuts him deeper than any violence ever could. I know he has attachment anxiety after losing his family and it’s cruel to use that against him by separating myself from him, but it was equally cruel to make me believe my sister was in danger. If he doesn't learn from this then I don’t think he’ll ever be capable of change.

For six weeks there’s been a constant ache inside me. I’ve barely been sleeping. My body’s too empty and my mind too full. All I want is to have whatever it was we had back, but I don’t know if I can go back to being that person.

“I have to leave for a meeting soon. Would you both like to come? You two could go shopping then we could get dinner together?” Noah asks hopefully.

“Summer seems pretty happy here.” The rejection hurts us both, but it’s what I need to do to protect myself. Still, as much as I’m pushing him away I struggle to shut him out completely. “Are you finishing up the paperwork?”

He swallows before nodding. I try not to look him in the eye, but his new scar always brings my attention straight to those emerald depths.

“Yeah, just a few more signatures then I’ll be running the place completely.” He seems nervous. It’s going to be a lot more work for him, but I know he’s determined to do it.

With his father gone, Noah’s in charge of the company now. Thanks to Kai’s involvement Noah’s working with a clean slate and no criminals are pulling the strings anymore. He has plans to tear down any property that was linked to Dmitri and build family-friendly resorts in their place.

“You can handle it. Just don’t be a jerk and you’ll be fine,” I say playfully and his eyes light up.

“Wynnie come race me!” Summer shouts.

“That’s my cue. Good luck today.”

Noah’s eyes travel hungrily down my body taking in my bikini, no doubt memorizing it for later. Will he get himself off to the mental image? It’s what I’ve been doing to him. Six weeks is a long time to go without sex after having it every single day, often multiple times a day. I've tried picturing other men, and even watched porn, but the only thing that gets me off is Noah. It's messed up what he's done to my body and mind.

“Are you happy here?”

Summer looks up from her dinner as the two of us eat at the table in the kitchen.

“Yeah. Why, are you not?” she asks, sounding more mature than I’ve ever heard her before. This year has forced her to grow up fast.

“I am,” I lie since half of me is still missing and I’m too stubborn to get it back.

Summer has everything she needs here. A tutor of every kind, all the video games she could wish for and she sees Charlie and her friends every weekend.

Charlie refuses to visit us here and I don’t blame her. Noah pulled some strings, or more likely flashed some cash, and got her old job back. Her life has somewhat returned to normal.

“Are you going to marry Uncle Bones?” Summer asks me in a sing-song voice and I choke on my spaghetti.

“I’m not sure,” I say flustered.

“What are you not sure about?” Noah walks in at the worst moment. He's wearing a tight fitting black t-shirt and grey sweatpants that hug his toned thighs.

“If you’re going to—” I clamp my hand over Summer’s mouth and she bites me.

“Ouch. Feral child,” I say, shaking my hand and she sticks her tongue out.

“Can you tuck me in tonight? I need to tell you all about the last boss on my new game.” I know that’s code for show you the last boss, and she’ll be up playing with him for a good hour.

“You’ve finished it already?” Noah gives her plenty of attention and I hate to admit it, but I love to see it. Watching them together feels like everything’s slotted perfectly into place. That is until I inevitably push him away and he doesn’t fight me on it. For once, that’s all I want from him.

“No! It’s so difficult,” she pouts. “So can you?”

“That’s up to your big sis,” Noah says softly as he looks at me and my cheeks heat.

“Sure.” As much as I’ve been avoiding Noah I don’t deny Summer spending time with him. They’ve grown this beautiful bond, one I imagine Noah had with his own sister once and I could never break that.

Summer scoffs down the rest of her dinner in two large mouthfuls then runs past him upstairs to get ready for bed.

“Will you still be up when I’m done?” Noah asks and I have to look away from the longing burning in his eyes.

I shrug. “Maybe. I’ve got a lot of cleaning up to do in the kitchen. Summer wanted to make the pasta from scratch.” I offer him a smile and he gives me one back. God, I want more. I want his smirks and his delicious tongue telling me all the wicked things he wants to do. I want his fingers inside me, soothing me, and his cock making me forget the world exists.

It’s like he can tell just what I’m thinking and what my body needs as his eyes darken, his chest puffing out with each heavy breath.

He takes a step towards me and I blurt out, “You should go.” My voice too breathy to hide my arousal.

As he takes another step towards me, I instinctively step back. His restraint’s being tested and as much as I want to protect myself from him, I want to see him break for me even more. All he has to do is take that next step and make me his again, but it seems he’s grown a conscience recently as he walks away.

I collapse back into my chair and let out a long breath. That was way too close.

I take my time cleaning up the kitchen and when I’m done I grab a book to sit down on the couch with. This is how I’ve been spending most of my nights and I’m sure Noah knows it too. The cameras are still here. I haven’t mentioned them to him. It’s my silent confirmation that I still want him. Maybe it’s cruel dragging him along like this, making him think he has a chance when I don’t even know if he does. I can’t be without him, but I can’t just let him in. The pain from his betrayal cut deep and the wound is yet to heal.

I’m reading a cute little romance set in England to help take my mind off things. It’s made me laugh, cry and feel straight-up horny at some parts. I’m getting to another steamy part where the main couple are camping with their friends and they’ve just snuck off to fuck behind the bike shed. He's got her bent over a bench and is absolutely railing her to an inch of her life while she loves every second of it. This is way too dangerous to read in my current state. I’m going to start grinding on the cushions soon.

“It’s a spicy one isn’t it?” Smugness oozes off Noah’s tongue and my poor abandoned pussy throbs, telling me it’s time to let him back in. No. I’m not giving in that easily.

“And so what if it is?” I slip my bookmark in so I definitely don’t lose my place for later and set it down on the coffee table. Making a show of stretching my arms above my head and yawning, I mumble, “I’m tired, I’m going to bed now.”

Noah doesn’t make room for me to walk past him in the doorway and our bodies brush. I have to bite my tongue so I don’t let out the whimper just under the surface trying to slip out.

“You sure you don’t want me to join you tonight? I can smell your pussy from here,” he growls and there goes my whimper. He doesn’t miss it and he grabs me by the throat, pinning me against the wall with his knee lodged firmly between my legs.

“Noah. Please,” I whisper.

“Please what? Fuck you? It’s all I can fucking think about, little viper. It’s been agony not being able to touch you. To barely speak to you. Let. Me. In.” He grinds out each word as he shoves his knee higher against my pussy.

Bringing my hand to his face, I trace my fingers over the scar cutting across his cheekbone and eyebrow. It’s a nasty gash, an odd disfigurement to his once perfectly symmetrical face. I’m sure some people would call it ugly, but I think he looks more stunning than ever. “I can’t. It—it hurts too much. You think I don’t miss you as well? I wouldn’t be living here if I hated you.”

His eyes flash and I know I’ve just given him everything he wants. When he opens his mouth to kiss me I notice something shiny.

“What is that?” I ask. With a deliciously depraved smile on his face, he pushes his tongue out achingly slowly.

A new piercing.

“It’s for you, my love. For when you’re ready to let me taste you again. With this, you’ll always know it’s me between your legs. Even when you’re sleeping.”

My breath hitches. That shouldn’t make me want him more. It should repulse me, but fuck he did that for me.

“I’m doing everything I can to make it up to you. I’ve given you all the space you want, but I know it’s not what you really need. So tell me what it is you truly desire.”

The pulse between my legs and the lack of oxygen as he squeezes my throat are making my lust-filled brain feel fuzzier.

“I—I…”

“Tell me I’m yours.” Grinding his forehead against mine, he sounds desperate and my heart aches for him. For us.

Just tell him. What harm could it do?

But I’m too fucking stubborn.

I keep my mouth shut and slowly rock my hips, dragging my pussy back and forth along his knee. A growl rumbles through his chest as he looks down. His hand squeezes tighter until my head throbs and my throat closes up.

“Use me, my love. Take everything you desire from me.” My hips seem to have a mind of their own as they buck harder on him. He’s not doing a damn thing, just watching as I get myself off. The rough barrier of lace and denim against my pussy pushes me to the edge. My orgasm is right there, but it still feels so out of reach.

Placing my hand over his on my throat, I tug at his fingers. Not to get him to stop. I need him inside me. Like always, he knows just what I’m desperate for. “You want me inside you.” Slowly he unlatches from my throat and as I gasp for air he shoves three of his long fingers inside. I gag on them and immediately start to suck.

Every worry in my mind vanishes. There’s only me and him.

“Come for me,” he commands and my entire world breaks apart. My body crumbling for him. My pussy aching to be filled as I come hard for us both. He makes a strangled noise deep in his throat and I look down to see his pants darken as he comes with me.

I’m unable to stop myself from grinding against him. My eyes roll back and I come again. My body in overdrive with pleasure. The thought of him coming for me like that without so much as a finger on him is intoxicating.

“Thank you,” he breathes against my neck, his lips pressed against my scars.

I pull his fingers from my mouth and blush hard. “This doesn’t mean you’re forgiven.”

“I know, but it’s a start.” His smug smile is back and I have to bite back a grin of my own.

Pushing at his chest he gets the hint and puts me down. On shaky legs, I head towards the stairs and he calls after me. “Let me take you on a date.”

I stop, but don’t turn to face him. “You want a date? Like a real date?” I wasn’t even sure if he was the dating type, all our previous ones have been somewhat unconventional.

“Yes. This weekend when Summer’s at Charlie’s.”

Finally, I turn to him and I see just how serious he is.

“No…no killing?” I ask quietly so Summer doesn’t hear and his wicked smile sets my insides ablaze.

“No killing,” he reassures me, but why do I feel like I’ve just made another deal with the devil?