22. Josh

Spending the night trying to sleep on Daemon’s floor to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid wasn’t exactly on my bucket list for last night, but he left me with no other choice. I was late for practice yesterday, and after Coach chewed me out I spent the whole time there thinking about getting back to Hallie and picking up where we left off. Yet the moment we left the ice and found an unwanted visitor waiting for my best friend, I just knew his breakdown was inevitable. If there’s one thing I have learned about him in the last three years, it’s that if he could, he would let the darkness win. Which is why there was no way I was leaving him alone.

Daemon didn’t have the best childhood. In fact, from the few things I have managed to pry out of him, it sounds like he had it really rough. Mix that with the scars scattered across his body–that I have learnt to not ask about and pretend aren’t there–well, let’s just say, I get why he is the way that he is. So the moment I spied his older brother, Jasper, who I have seen only once before, lingering by the stands, I knew that I would have to fight against the darkness to keep my best friend.

After a slight altercation in the locker room, which I managed efficiently enough, I hauled him back to the house and locked us both away in his room, only coming out for food and nothing else. I knew if I left him to go back to Hallie, then Daemon would just go out and hunt for a vice that would only ruin him. So instead, I grabbed us a bottle of whiskey, tossed him his sketchbook, and then sat on his floor until his black became a little more gray.

By the time the sun came up this morning, I could tell he was back to his usual self, and though he didn’t say it, he was grateful for my presence. We had a quiet breakfast together, and when I felt comfortable enough to leave him alone, it was almost time for the weekly dinner with my parents, which means I haven’t seen Hallie since I kissed her. Which is how I find myself idling by the curb to pick her up before heading over to their house.

I’m not sure why I feel nervous. I mean, this is Hallie we are talking about, we’ve been friends forever. Except we aren’t friends right now, not really, especially not after I kissed her. Fuck, why the hell did I kiss her?

Just as that thought resonates, she steps out of the house, looking as stunning as always, and every other thought in my mind disappears as I step out of the car to greet her. “Well, Mrs. Peters, don’t you look beautiful today.”

Her eyes scan me from head to toe in wonder before she smirks. “I wish I could say the same, Joshua, but you look like shit,” she tells me, reaching the car and waiting for me to open the door for her.

“Always a pleasure to converse with you, Tink,” I laugh, opening the door and then stepping aside to let her in as I add, “Besides, I think I look pretty good considering I slept on the floor all night.”

She brushes past me, her sweet candy scent lingering all around me as she muses, “You mean Daemon didn’t invite you to share his bed? What a shame, I bet that could have been a lot of fun.” The look in her eye is nothing short of flirtatious, as I slam the door and round the car, climbing inside.

“Contrary to popular belief, Hals, the only person who likes to violate me in bed is you,” I tell her, pulling on my seatbelt.

“Oh you have no idea,” she mutters under her breath, before she turns to me and asks, “How is Daemon? Is there anything I can do to help?”

If she wasn’t already one of my favorite people on the planet then this would do it, because of the selfless way she cares about other people. Hell, we are only in this situation right now because of how much she cares about Maddie and I, and that includes putting up with the bullshit dinner we are on our way to right now.

“Hallie, I appreciate you for saying that, but unfortunately there isn’t anyone who can truly help Daemon at the moment, not yet anyway.” I don’t voice out loud that I’m not sure that anyone will ever be able to help him, because that thought is just too sad.

By the time we make it to my parents’ house, I have forgotten the woes of my friend”s childhood, and am faced with the ones of my own. I park my car in its usual spot, gripping the wheel in frustration at having to even be here, as Hallie rubs her hand on my shoulder.

“Come on, twenty-two, we will be in and out before you even know it.” She pats my arm, and then climbs from the car before I can even respond, forcing me to do the same.

Meeting me on the other side, she holds out her hand for me to take, and I do, pulling her into my side and tugging on my tie, as I prepare for the usual onslaught of comments from my father. Yet when I look at my wife, all the stress and anger building up inside of me dissipates. My heart stops thundering in my chest, and instead, all I see is her.

“In and out before I know it,” I agree, taking a deep breath to settle myself, before I turn to her and add, “Just one more thing first.” Then I am on her, pushing her up against the side of my car, and capturing her mouth with mine, her gasp allowing me to slip my tongue past her lips instantly.

Our mouths move in tandem with one another, our kiss like a volcano finally getting to erupt, as I pour myself into her. I kiss her like I’m starving, and she kisses me back the same, rolling her body against mine, and I can feel my dick hardening in my pants, as she moans onto my lips. My hands roam up and down her curves, wishing that I could just take her here and now, as I let my fingers slip between us and trail up her inner thigh.

“Josh,” she gasps, making my dick go from half-mast to fully stiff in a second, just as my fingers graze against her panties, finding them already damp.

Fuck.

I rub tiny circles against the fabric, leaving her panting and moaning into my mouth, as I swallow every delicious sound that slips past her lips until her body is shaking. Only then do I let my fingers slip into the fabric and graze against her bare pussy, relishing in how soaked she is for me.

“Fuck, Tink, who knew you’d be such a good girl for your husband,” I muse, slowing down my movements until she is trying to chase more friction with her hips. “Ah, ah, we are going to be late for dinner if I let you come.” I pull my hand away from her, and the groan she lets out is ungodly.

“And you are going to be punched in the dick if you don’t,” she whines, looking up at me with her pupils completely blown out in a daze, and all I can do is smile.

She has never looked better, and I can’t wait to get her home and lay her out like my own personal feast, and it’s with that thought in mind that I bring my wet fingers up to my mouth and lick them clean. “Mmm, tastes like mine.”

“You’re such an asshole,” she snaps, pushing me away and fixing her skirt, before moving to storm around the car and up to the house.

I quickly catch up with her, pulling her hand back into mine. “And yet for some reason you married me, sounds like you’re the problem,” I toss back similar words to which she once said to me, and her eyes snap to mine, a mixture of lust and anger swirling in them.

“God I hate you, Joshua Peters.”

“No you don”t, Hallie Rose Peters.”

We make our way into the house, and are guided to the table where we find my mother, father, grandmother, and sister, all sitting in an unbearable silence. I used to try and keep the flow of conversation going, but I have found that in recent weeks I have no desire to be part of their bullshit show anymore.

“Josh, darling, there you are,” my mother coos, always trying to keep the charade of our family life together. “I hope you’re hungry.”

My eyes stray only to my wife as I respond, “Oh I am starving.” Making my new wife blush, and all I can think about is seeing the rest of her body stained that color.

“Good, then let’s eat,” my father booms, and I swear that not even he can ruin my mood today.

The dinner is nice enough, and now that they are catering to Hallie’s food preferences, I have no need to make another scene. It’s like Hallie said, we just need to get in, get it over with, and then get out.

Simple.

Or it would be if my father wasn’t Mayor Hugo Peters. He is in the middle of prattling on about some ‘lesser’ man in his office, when he remarks, “Any man that gets on his knees for a woman is pathetic in my eyes.” His statement isn’t all that unusual, but it’s the tone of his voice that grabs my attention, and when I move my stare to his, I find him watching me with a smirk. A smirk that tells me he knows something, and it’s only when his stare flickers over to Hallie, who is totally oblivious, that the hairs on the back of my neck rise up, as he adds, “I saw an interesting piece of television the other day.”

My mind flicks back to the day we were in his office, and I instantly know what he thinks he saw, and even though it wasn’t real, anger courses through my veins all the same. “I’d be careful about what comes out of your mouth next,” I warn, only making his grin wider, and I can feel every defense against him snapping into place.

Hallie freezes beside me, only now starting to sense some tension in the room, and I can feel my sister’s stare burning into the side of my face, but I don’t look at either of them, keeping my focus solely on the man who raised me. There is a mixture of disgust, and what he thinks is pride, as he glares at me, but I don’t back down, not when it comes to this, not when it comes to her.

“You forget how good I am at keeping secrets, Joshua, especially when it comes to family.” He raises his glass towards us at his words, and from the corner of my eye I see my mother flinch, yet another person damaged by his misdeeds.

“I’m not sure banging every woman with a pulse in your office counts as a skill, father, but hey, what do I know about politics,” I toss back, ignoring my mother’s gasp, and focusing solely on him.

I even ignore Hallie as she slides her hand onto my thigh in an attempt to ground me, but it’s no use, not with him. He’s an expert at finding my weak spot and exploiting it, and clearly having her by my side doesn’t make a difference.

“Based on your recent choices, I’d say you know more about politics than I thought,” my father adds, sipping his drink slowly and eying me over the top of the glass. “In fact, I’d be happy to bring you down to the office and show you where we both know you are going to end up.”

I’m on my feet so fast that the back of my chair hits the floor, and the table between us shakes, but before I can explode at him, Hallie is right there beating me to it. “Oh my god, I can’t believe the time, I’m so sorry but we promised my dad that we would attend a small business function at my parents’ house, so we must be going.”

My chest is heaving up and down as years of wrath and resentment threaten to burst out of me, but there she is standing at my side and sliding her hand into mine. She stares at my father with a polite but firm smile, and it will only take one word. One wrong word aimed towards her and I will not be responsible for my actions.

Thankfully, whatever my father sees on her face, or mine, is enough to have him responding, “Best listen to your wife and run along, boy.”

I continue to stare him down until Hallie pulls on my arm, and like a magnet my body moves towards hers, as she bids everyone at the table a goodbye and pulls me from the room. She doesn’t stop until we get outside, and it’s then I can hear her saying my name, snapping it really, her face getting up in mine to try and bring me back down, but it’s no use. I’m too far gone right now, too wrapped up in my fury to even see straight. All I can do is get her in the car and start driving, and I don’t say a word, not until we are back at her house, and in her room.

My breathing is still ragged as I storm back and forth in front of her bedroom door as she leans her back against it. She looks as if she isn’t sure whether I will stay or go, whether she will stay or go, and all I can do is snap, “I fucking hate him, Hallie, I hate him so fucking much.” She doesn”t flinch, she has heard this particular rant many times over the years, so I’m sure she is used to it.

“He’s an asshole, but we know this, so why are you letting him get to you?” she asks gently, and just the sound of her voice helps me breathe again.

“Because no matter what I say or what I do, he always has the power, he’s always one step ahead, and I know Lincoln has said that he has found some stuff, but will it be enough? Will it ever be enough?”

Lincoln called me on Friday and said he wants to see me next week, when I’m free to go through what he has found, and at first I was excited. Finally, finally I would have something to begin my father’s downfall, but does it even matter? My father has survived every single thing that has ever been thrown at him, including a scandalous affair, so why will this be any different?

“For once I just want to feel like I have the power. I hate feeling like everything is just out of control.” I know my tone is harsh, that she doesn’t deserve my outburst, but it seems like she is the only person willing to see the real me and stick around for it.

That point is only proven when she moves off the back of the door and closes the distance between us, forcing me to a stop, and pulling my face down towards her. “Then tell me what I can do to help you feel in control,” she pleads, her eyes searching mine, and almost instantly she has me held captive in her stare. “Tell me what to do and I’ll do it, Joshua. I’ll do anything for you.”

Her words aren’t meant to be provocative, but the second they leave her mouth it’s like my entire body comes alive. My attraction for her is heightened, as the lust and anger battle inside of me. “Don’t say shit like that to me,” I warn, knowing I’m not in the right frame of mind to be with her right now. No, right now I would only take what I need for myself, and she doesn’t deserve that.

Yet of course she pushes me, just like always. “Why? Because it’s true? You know whatever you ask of me, I’ll do. Hell, I’m here right now as your wife and all you had to do was ask.” She throws up the hand that houses my ring, and it’s like a bull seeing red as something inside of me snaps.

“On your knees,” I command her coolly, taking a step back and shrugging out of my suit jacket before tossing it aside. She doesn’t move, not right away, yet I hear her sharp intake of breath as I add, “Remember when you said you would get on your knees if I asked,” I remind her, removing the cufflinks from my shirt, and rolling up my sleeves. “Well, now I’m asking you, Hallie. Get. On. Your. Knees.”

I move towards her chair in the corner, undoing my shirt as I go, until my chest is completely on display. Only then do I turn towards her and lower myself into the seat. She still hasn’t moved, but once I am sitting, I see her prepare herself to walk towards me, and when she goes to move, I lift up my hand, halting her in her tracks and then point to the floor. “Ah ah, on your knees, Tink, crawl to me like a good little wife.”