Chapter 36

CHAPTER 36

AMARA

When he leaves the house for work, I think about last night.

I’ve never felt that connected to another person before. The energy between us, like our bodies were feeding off of one another, was something incredible.

Of course, I was nervous at first. Being tied up like that and unable to use my hands was terrifying. But the more he touched me, the more I liked it.

Being in his control was fun.

I lost count after the eighth orgasm, my body incredibly satiated. I fell asleep while he was massaging my body after he took off the ropes. But through the night, I felt his arms around me, keeping me safe even while I dreamed.

“Mommy, look!” Fia rushes over, pulling on my leggings as I finish rinsing the dishes from lunch.

She shows off a new doll Fionn got her. He had it custom made to look just like her, except right now the doll is wearing mismatched pink socks and her hair has seen better days.

“Wow, she’s so pretty! But not as pretty as you.” I lean in and kiss the top of her head just as Louise enters the kitchen.

“Please don’t do that!” She tsks. “It’s my job to wash those.”

I shake my head with a smile. “I am perfectly fine washing them.”

She huffs. “You’re not supposed to.”

“I won’t tell if you don’t.” My grin stretches.

“Ma’am?” Roy walks in. “The attorney Mr. Quinn sent is here to see you.”

“Oh, right.” The paternity test. “Come on, Fia. We have to go see someone quick.”

“Okay, Mama!” She hops over and takes my hand, and together we make it to the door, following Roy to where a tall man about Tynan’s age greets us, holding a briefcase.

As soon as he sees me, his crystal blue eyes glimmer. “I’m Troy Masters.” He reaches his hand for mine. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Quinn.”

“You too.”

“Is there somewhere private we can go to?”

“Um…”

Crap, I don’t know where to take him. Fionn didn’t exactly send instructions.

“Mr. Quinn said his study was fine,” Roy volunteers and leads us there, down toward the left-side corridor and the last door on the left.

Fia glances at the man curiously as we enter, and I close the door behind us.

“Hi there.” Troy smiles at her. “How old are you?”

“I’m four. How old are you?”

“Definitely not as young as I’d like to be,” he laughs. “So, Mr. Quinn told you how this works, right?”

Troy places his briefcase on the cherry oak desk, popping it open and removing a packaged swab.

“Yes, he mentioned it was just a cheek swab.”

“That’s right. Want to place her on the desk?”

“Of course. Come on, Fia. The nice man is just gonna check your mouth like at the doctor’s.”

“I’m not sick.” She pops a hand on her hip.

“I know, but he’s just looking at your throat, to make sure it all looks good just in case.”

“Okay. Do I get a lolli?”

“Hmm, let’s see.” He digs in his briefcase to reveal a chocolate Tootsie Pop.

“Yummy!”

She finally lets me put her on the desk, and not even a minute later, it’s over.

Every cell in my body shudders. This is it. This is how I’ll finally know who Fia’s father truly is.

“I’ll inform Mr. Quinn that it was completed.”

He starts to walk out as I call out, “When will the results be ready?”

“No more than a few days.”

And with that, he disappears out the door and my heart races. Because for a moment, I realize that there’s a huge possibility that Fionn isn’t her biological father, and I very much want him to be.

Julius

Hey, I hope it’s okay that I texted. I was just thinking maybe I can buy you lunch one of these days so we can get to know each other. What do you say?

I stare at the text I just got from my half brother, not knowing how to answer him just yet.

I’ll definitely need to talk to Fionn about it before I decide if I want to meet with him. He didn’t seem all that pleased when Julius gave me his number, and after the way my so-called father acted, I understand why. But at the end of the day, it’s going to be my decision.

“Amara? You still there?” Lilith’s voice through the cell zaps me back to the conversation.

“Yeah, sorry. Uh, what were you saying?”

“I was just saying that I can’t believe your father is such a douche! How could he say all that to you?” she scoffs through the phone.

“I’m sorry, Amara.” Emily sighs. “I know how badly you wanted to find him, and to be disappointed like that after all this time…”

“It’s fine. I don’t care.”

But I do care. The hurt, it eats at me.

“Screw him!” Patricia adds. “He doesn’t deserve you.”

“Whenever Patricia curses, we know she means it.” Lilith laughs.

“If he doesn’t want to know me, then it’s his problem.”

“Exactly,” Emily adds. “And what about your half brother? Did you get any good vibes off of him?”

“I think so. He actually texted me a bit ago, asking to meet for lunch soon.”

“And will you go?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to Fionn about it yet, but I think I want to.” My pulse jumps at the thought. “I’ve spent so long wondering about my father, and now I have a brother. I kinda want to know more about him and his life.”

“Then you should go.” Lilith sounds so sure, and it gives me the certainty I was wrestling with.

“So, how’s everything else been between you and Fionn?” Emily asks. “Are you happy?”

“What she means to ask is whether he’s giving you lots of orgasms, which last time I checked, he was.”

My face heats up while Lilith and Emily giggle.

“Trust me, there are no problems there.” I bite on my bottom lip, my body warming from thoughts of him and me last night.

“Ooh. Tell us more.” Lilith is instantly curious.

“Yes, please let me live vicariously through you.” Patricia groans.

She’s still yet to find the man of her dreams. There was this one guy, and he broke her heart last year by sleeping with someone from work. She does her best to avoid them, but it’s not easy.

“Well, last night…” I whisper as though someone will hear me even though I’m alone, Fia playing with Louise.

“Spill!” Emily utters impatiently.

“He tied me up…with rope.”

“Holy…” I don’t think I’ve ever heard Emily sound so shocked in my life.

“Like shibari?” Lilith asks.

I jerk back in confusion. “You’ve heard of it?”

“Um, of course. Your hubby’s a rigger.”

“A what?” My brows shoot up.

“Someone who’s into using rope like that.”

“Oh.”

How does she even know this stuff?

“It seems so hot. Was it?” Lilith asks.

“Yes…” My face creeps up with a flush as I recall the way he touched me, taking his time as he tied me up.

“Well, damn! Homeboy is a freak.”

“It was scary at first, but I did like it.” My body grows hot at the admission.

“Good for you.” I can hear a smile in Emily’s voice. “After the loser who shall remain nameless, you needed a good bang.”

At the mention of Xander, my pulse thunders.

He’s dead. He’s actually gone, and Fionn is the one who killed him.

My stomach tightens.

“We really all need to plan a day to meet,” Emily adds. “I haven’t seen you in too long.”

“Yeah, we do. Maybe this weekend?”

“Sure!”

“I have nothing to do,” Patricia throws in.

“Same,” Lilith says.

“Perfect. I’ll see if Fionn can arrange for me to go to Boston.”

“We don’t mind coming to you,” Emily volunteers. “I kinda wanna see the house.”

“Okay, let’s do it!”

At the thought of seeing them, I grow excited. I miss my friends.