11. Marley

CHAPTER 11

Marley

C onnie Donnavan is the mother I always wanted but never had. The woman has this ability to place a sense of calm in any space she walks into. I never miss an opportunity to visit her when we're in Portland. My only issue is since Iggy has been in this loop of confusion, I might be overstepping by visiting his mom. I suppose that kind of would hurt too. Losing Iggy means I'd lose the only maternal figure who's ever shown me kindness.

"You should talk to him," Connie says, softly.

I don't pretend to feign ignorance. There'd be no point. Connie is a perceptive woman. She's able to discern between the lies and cut through to the truth. It doesn't hurt when she is the least judgmental person on the planet. When you're around Connie, you believe goodness prevails in the world.

"He doesn't want to talk to me. I tried." I had sent him a multitude of texts saying I think we should cool it. He'd left me on read. I am also confident he turned on his read receipts so I would know he saw the messages.

"Have you told him the truth, Marley? I think you're deciding for the two of you and not including him in the conversation. My boy has been with a lot of people. I know he's a little slut."

Connie's blunt opinion of her son's sexual activities has me choking on my water. "I don't know what to say."

She holds her finger up, silencing me. "You aren't some virginal Madonna yourself, Marley, but what I wanted to say is, Iggy has been with many people, but the only one I have ever seen him look at with unconditional love is you."

"What? "

"A mother knows these things. My baby has been smitten with you from the moment he saw you in the dive bar in New York City. Trust him, I think both of you will be substantially happier."

I rub the stubble on my jaw. "I'm not sure how Iggy will understand something my own parents didn't. Those are people who provided me with my DNA. When they saw what was going on, they shrugged it off like it was nothing. It was more important for me not to ruin their reputation than to get me the help I needed. Had it not been for my little sister, I probably would have never met Iggy or the rest of the guys. I'd have already been dead and buried."

Connie pats my hand. "Sweetie, not everyone should be a parent, but my boy loves you and I know he will go to hell and back for the people he loves. I promise, Marley, you'll be safe with him." She smiles at me as she lifts the slipper off her right foot, waving it in the air, "And if by some slight chance I'm wrong, I'll whoop his ass. "

"What's he doing here?" Iggy asks as he slams the front door.

Connie jumps off the couch and whirls at Iggy with her hands sternly placed on her hips. "Ignatius Michael Donnavan, you don't get to have that tone with a guest in my home."

Iggy ignores his mother as he steps around her and gets directly in my face. "Why are you here, Marley?"

"Connie invited me."

The corners of Iggy's lips turn up, but the smile isn't warm or teasing like normal. There is a coldness wrapped in it that matches the blankness in his eyes. "You should've turned her down."

My eyes move from Iggy's angry face to Connie's concerned one. "I will never turn down Connie."

Iggy's nostrils flare. "Mom, you better get out of here before you witness what a Neanderthal your son really is."

"No need," I say, "I'll head upstairs. "

I walk over to Connie and press a gentle kiss on her cheek before heading up to the guest bedroom.

The room is warm and inviting. Cream-colored walls with matching cream blinds adorning the windows. The bed toppling with various pillows in all shapes and sizes. I smile at the reminder of the first time I saw the room. I couldn't help but grin at the feminine charm of vibrant colors and florals. This space is one of my favorite spaces on the planet. From the moment I had walked into the house all those years ago, I felt a sense of peace no other abode had ever given me. It's unfortunate this might be the last time I see it.

I strip down to my boxers before falling onto the firm mattress, closing my eyes in misery. Connie thinks I should talk to Iggy. She's certain he'll understand. I believe he'll understand too. That part isn't the problem. The problem is, I don't want Iggy to look at me differently. I don't want to see the same pity and fear in his eyes that glare from my sister's every single time she looks at me .

"The fuck you don't," Iggy says as the bedroom door swings open and then slams.

He stomps over toward me and leans down. The blue in his eyes darkens, an indicator he's horny, but I doubt that's the situation here. He blinks as he hungrily roams my body. Okay, maybe he is horny. "Why are you naked?"

"I always sleep naked, and since it's one a.m. I was about to go to bed." His fingers glide to the zipper of his pants, pulling out his semi-hard cock right above my head. "What are you doing?"

"I had some shit to say to you, but now I need to fucking come so I can think straight. Be a good boy and shut up for a minute, will you?"

My mind screams at me to stop him, demand I don't let desire cloud our already fragmented and fucked-up situation, but my dick wants something completely different. Iggy spits on his hand before gliding it up his thick shaft, making me salivate like a dog staring at a cut of prime rib. "Iggy."

He slams his free hand around my throat and pushes his fingers into my flesh. I can't form the words needed as he limits my air supply. Iggy's eyes appear wild, his nostrils flared and his teeth bared. "I think I made myself clear, Mar. I asked you to shut your fuckin' mouth."

Iggy trails the tip of his cock from my chin all the way to my forehead, leaving a trail of pre-cum on my skin. I force my eyes to gaze at his hand pumping up and down his thick shaft, moving from base to tip in fast, chaotic movements.

"Damn you, Marley," Iggy grunts. "Damn you for making me want you. Damn you for making it impossible to see anything but you."

The veins in Iggy's arms pop, emphasizing his rage-fueled words. In all the years I've known this man, he's never once come undone like this. "I hate how much I want you. I loathe how insane you make me. Most of all, I despise your push and pull to where you have me on the ledge of insanity, contemplating jumping so I can garner one last moment of peace."

Iggy lets out an animalistic, primal growl as cum shoots from his cock, landing on my lips. "Better lick up the mess, baby boy."