Chapter Twelve

S he laughed softly, her hair dancing in the night breeze, and my heart felt like it was about to burst in my chest.

"What if we had three kids? What order of genders would you want?" She hadn’t given it much thought before, but tonight, she seemed to enjoy the idea, and it made me unexpectedly happy.

Curious, I took her hand, intertwining our fingers as we strolled down the quiet streets, the moonlight casting a beautiful glow on her skin.

The thought of Little Amery brought a secret smile to my face. I felt like a lovesick teenager all over again.

"Can I say, three little Amerys?"

I stopped and turned her to face me, her eyes wide and warm like a gentle doe. I wanted to capture that gaze, keeping it just for myself. I tilted my head, drinking in her beauty. Every part of her shone in that yellow summer dress, laced with a hint of seduction—nothing about my wife was anything less than tempting.

“Do you really see it that way?”

"Yes..." A smile broke free on my lips. "And, I would absolutely love to have three little Amerys." The certainty in my voice made her laugh out loud, her laughter echoing in the stillness of the night, and my heart raced as if I were falling for her all over again.

Her name spun in my mind like a sweet melody, filling my dreams, but being here with her felt even better. A reality where I could touch her, kiss her, fuck her, whisper sweet nothings, and after all my wild thoughts, still seek her forgiveness and call her mine.

"So..." she said, licking her lips.

It might have been our first real night out since moving to Willow Crest two weeks ago, but I could already envision us making this place our forever.

"So... three girls, huh?"

I recognized that look better than anyone—the warm, spicy cinnamon heat in her gaze. How could anyone resist falling for her just from that eye contact?

“Three girls, for sure.” I smiled, pulling her closer as she rested her hands on my chest. With my arm around her waist, she tilted her head, biting back a smile, and let out a deep, contented sigh.

"I'd love that. So, three girls it is."

As I held her tight, our lips met. Each breath exchanged felt like more than just a simple kiss; it was my wife, her intoxicating presence ensnaring my heart, mind, and soul. I was willingly on my knees, begging for her mercy.

Some people can convey everything through their words, but I struggled to make my special someone feel unique compared to how I treated others. It was challenging at times, but it all boiled down to intent. My gestures often went above and beyond, something only a few could grasp, while others questioned my sanity and morals.

But she embraced it. She accepted me and all that I am, yet I still felt uncertain and scared... scared of losing her.

"Ro," she breathed my name, drawing me in closer.

When her tongue explored my mouth, a low groan escaped my throat. I cradled her face, brushing my lips against hers, kissing her softly, lost in the brilliance of her eyes.

She whimpered gently, pulling me nearer. I captured her lips, my tongue diving deep as if I were quenching a thirst that had lingered for days.

It was a passionate struggle, our lips molding together, tongues dancing, teeth grazing and claiming, every moment raw and coursing through my veins down to my bones.

The moment I released her, we both gasped for air, yet the electric tension between us remained undeniable, the desire for more pulsing through our bodies. I needed her, and her eyes reflected that she needed me just as fiercely.

There was a hint of grace in her small smile, and despite any lingering doubts, one glance from her brought a wave of calm over me.

"The lovebirds are out for a late-night stroll? Should I remind them about the public obscenity laws?"

I shut my eyes, letting out a warm breath, stifling a growl that threatened to escape.

Fucking Darius. This guy has no life of his own, and just because I walked into his bar and got everyone so hyped that he made some extra cash that night, I’m now stuck dealing with him and his so-called creepy friendship.

I have a decent circle of friends, but none are like him. Self-centered and fucking infuriating.

"Tell me, Mrs. Rowan, I’m having a nightmare," I murmured against her forehead, and her sweet laughter rang out, sending blissful shivers down my spine.

"Man, he’s really whipped," Darius chimed in again, and my blood began to boil.

I stepped back from Amery and glanced sideways at the road.

Darius was on his bike, flanked by two of his crew members, all of them staring at me and my wife. That bastard had a grin that made me seriously consider murder.

"Didn’t I tell you last time we met to ignore me if you ever saw me?" I shouted, loathing his smirk.

He feigned hurt, pouting, which only made Amery laugh harder while his guys behind him fist-bumped, grinning.

"Oh, don’t act so naughty. I get it, you want to have some fun with your wife, but if I’m being cock-blocked, who are you to get lucky?" He smirked, and I started plotting how to dispose of his body.

Maybe I won’t need anything; I could just bury him behind that old Victorian house by Willow Tree Lake.

I’ve been there a few times during the day, but never at night.

"Oh, wouldn’t that make you happy... But how are you still out at this hour? Didn’t your mama teach you to go to bed early or the boogeyman will get you? Little Darius forgot about curfew, huh?" Now it was my turn to grin.

Darius snorted, and his two buddies laughed.

Amery squeezed my hand, resting her head on my arm as I tried to wrap up the conversation, eager to focus on my wife.

"Nice try, but it’ll take more than that to get under my skin, Amir."

"How much? Five bucks or a hundred? Just name your price, Darius."

"Suck my dick!" he growled, which made me smirk. Now we were on the same wavelength.

"Not interested."

"Alright then, if you’re a real man, hop on. We’re heading to Willow Tree Lake. Let’s see how mature you really are," he challenged, narrowing his eyes at me.

I glanced back at Amery, feeling compelled to join in and prove him wrong.

She looked between me and Darius, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Seriously, boys!" she groaned. "I’m coming too. I’ve got nothing to do at home, and if you deny me, Darius, I swear I’ll make you regret it." She shot him a warning look, waiting for him to push back.

"Kitten has claws," he remarked, glancing at me, and I couldn’t help but smirk.

"I can show you just how she uses them," I said with a mischievous grin, earning a playful punch in the stomach from Amery, who whispered that she’d demonstrate later.

I knew I was the one in the hot seat.

"Get on, guys. We’re already running late," he said, brushing me off as he hurried us along.

Amery climbed on behind Darius, while I took a seat with one of the guys whose jacket read "enforcer."

Before long, we arrived at the deserted property overlooking Willow Tree Lake, needing to cut through the backyard to get there.

As soon as we stepped onto the estate, a heavy atmosphere made my nose twitch. The unsettling silence wrapped around Amery, prompting her to move closer, her fingers intertwining with mine. Instinctively, I pulled her in tighter. Keeping her safe was my responsibility, and I wasn’t relying on my so-called friend or his crew for that.

The air around the abandoned house felt thick, heavy with a presence that I couldn’t shake. The driveway was choked with overgrown weeds, the paths barely visible under the tangle of vines and bramble. Every step I took seemed to echo unnaturally, a muffled crunch beneath my boots that made the silence feel too loud.

I winced, feeling a prick in my arm, but ignored the sting when Amery whimpered scared.

Crushing wet leaves and trudging through the muddy ground, we circled the mansion and slipped through the dilapidated fence that led to the backyard. There, a thick mist blanketed the lake, and the willow tree hung low over its banks.

The heavy fog enveloping the area obscured everything, and perhaps this eerie ambiance was why I felt increasingly lightheaded.

"Hey, everyone, watch your steps. I might not buy into the town's legends, but it never hurts to be cautious. Whether it's a myth or not, there could be something lurking around—like a wolf or some criminal looking for a hideout," Darius cautioned us.

As we gathered on the deck, Amery clung to me, almost as if she were trying to become part of my skin.

"It's alright, sweetheart," I whispered in her ear, and she nodded, letting out a sigh as her shoulders eased a bit.

Amery isn't the best with scary situations; she'd rather not face any proof that the supernatural might exist.

Darius tossed a pebble into the water, but the only sound that followed was the gentle ripple it created.

In front of me, the willow tree hung low, its long, drooping branches swaying with a sound that almost sounded like a sigh. The lake, dark and still, stretched out before me, reflecting the barren sky above.

As the fog thickened, we slowly took out our phones and turned on the flashlights to scan our surroundings, finding it increasingly difficult to rely on our sight. It felt like we could have attempted to navigate this place blindfolded, if only we had the actual blindfolds to cover our eyes.

It was then that I saw it. At first, I thought it was just a trick of the light—my eyes playing games with me in the gloom. But no, it was there, standing at the edge of the house, just beyond the garden. A shadow, a figure of a woman, barely visible in the fading light, framed by the house’s broken windows. The way she stood, so still, so unnatural, made my heart skip. I blinked hard, shaking my head.

"It's just your mind, Amir," I muttered to myself, taking another step forward. The shadow didn't move. But I couldn't shake the feeling that it was watching me.

"Ro, where are you headed?" Amery's anxious voice trailed off into the distance, and despite any reason or clarity, I found myself trailing after the shadow that beckoned me to her. Her shadow...

My legs stiffened, but I forced myself to take another step. The air grew colder, biting at my skin, and the whisper of the willow's branches seemed to grow louder.

Maybe it said, “remember me, traveler?”

“Amir.” Somewhere in the back of my mind, I could hear Darious vividly, but he too faded.

I turned my eyes away from the shadow, trying to convince myself that it wasn’t real. "No. It's just your imagination," I repeated, but even as I said the words, something in the pit of my stomach told me otherwise. The woman, or whatever it was, stood just beyond the reach of the dimming light, too still, too silent.

When I glanced back, the figure was gone.

"Amir Rowan. What’s going on with you? We’ve been calling your name for ages!" The shout and Amery’s sudden anger cleared the fog in my mind. It was obvious; there was no light around us except for our phones. The house I was staring at appeared dark and deserted inside.

"Looks like there's nothing here. We’ll check out the house next," the enforcer remarked, giving me a quick look before moving ahead toward the entrance from the backyard.

"Are you alright?" Darius asked sincerely, and I nodded, shaking my head a bit more forcefully. Maybe it was the liquor I had during dinner, but wasn’t it too late for the alcohol to be affecting me?

"I’m fine. It might just be the drink from dinner that’s making me feel a bit off," I reassured him. He gave my shoulder a pat while Amery wrapped her arm around my bicep and offered a small smile. She blew me a quick kiss, and it worked wonders. My nerves began to settle.

But the feeling lingered, like a weight on my chest. The lake’s surface remained calm, almost mockingly so, while the wind stirred the willow’s branches into a soft, unsettling rhythm. I shook my head again, telling myself that I was simply seeing things. It had to be. My mind was playing tricks. But even as I tried to convince myself, the coldness of the air seemed to press in closer, as though the house and the garden knew something I didn’t. Something I didn’t want to believe.

I quickened my pace, my thoughts racing, pushing the image of the shadow as far from my mind as I could. But the echo of her presence followed, just out of sight, just beyond my reach.

And I ignored… again.

We followed the enforcer through the muddy garden, and at the bottom of the wooden steps leading to the back entrance of the manor, Amery brushed the dirt off her shoes.

"Honestly, I’m not in the mood to talk anymore, but if I stay here any longer, Ro, you’ll be writing my obituary about how I died from a jump scare." Amery glanced at me and then around the kitchen that led to the hallways toward the main entrance. She looked genuinely frightened and unhappy in this space.

To me, it was mostly enjoyable, considering the interior was beautifully crafted from timber, from the furniture to the wall designs. I could appreciate how centuries of artistic knowledge had graced this place.

But oddly, it felt a little different than it did when I came here in the morning, a few times in the past.

There’s nothing to see here. I think that guy was drunk, Prez. Darius' treasurer called out from the second floor, signaling for Amery and me to check the place out.

"I'll head down to the basement, while Ace keeps watch outside for any trouble, and Storm will accompany me. You two take the second floor, but keep it quiet. You’ve got twenty minutes," Darius whispered, sending his enforcer out as he walked off with his treasurer, leaving me with his plan and my wife.

I chuckled to myself, catching Amery’s curious look, a bit puzzled.

"What’s so funny?" she asked, and I simply took her arm and pulled her toward the second floor.

We moved cautiously, careful of any holes or weak spots in the floorboards.

"I really hope nothing jumps out at us, or I swear I won’t make it past this moment," she whispered, staying close. Her fingers gripped the hem of my shirt tightly.

As we entered the last room in the hallway, I was taken aback by the purple-themed space, still surprisingly intact. Whoever lived here before certainly did a remarkable job with this room.

The four-poster canopy bed was covered in dust, with cushions and pillows piled on top. The lamps on either side and a deer head mounted on the wall added to the atmosphere, while a chandelier cast moonlight throughout the room.

This room felt different from the rest of the house, perhaps even significant.

"She’s stunning," Amery breathed, gazing at a painting of a woman with striking silver eyes and brown hair. The woman wore a poised smile, and for some reason, it stirred a strange ache in my chest, though it faded quickly.

Amery turned to me, fire igniting in her eyes as she traced the buttons of my shirt, and I noticed her hard nipples pressing against the fabric of her delicate dress.

“I understand why you kept us apart from everyone else.” There was a mix of honesty and a hint of certainty in her voice.

She grasped my hand, her gaze fixed on mine, and gradually drew me closer.

Then she stepped back.

I grinned and moved in closer to her.

She retreated again.

I advanced once more.

With another step, her back pressed against the wall by the window, which framed a foggy view of the lake surrounded by willow trees.

"Hey there, handsome... Keep your eyes on me," she murmured in a sultry tone that made it impossible for me to look away. I felt myself being pulled in by the fiery spark in her eyes.

"Are you trying to tease me today, sweetheart?" I whispered, brushing my lips along her jawline, playfully biting her cheek and relishing the gasps that escaped her lips as her body quivered.

Our eyes locked again, and she adjusted her lips to meet mine while one hand gripped my wrist and the other lifted the hem of her dress, guiding my hand to her bare pussy.

"Oh! Fuck!" I growled, my gaze penetrating as I noticed the heat pooling in her eyes and around my hand.

She took my middle finger and slid it inside her warm hole, a sigh mingling with her moan.

"You were on another guy's bike, smothering this cunt and his bike with your cum wrapped up in that innocent outfit, while thinking about me. Sweetheart. What else crossed your mind?" My eyes darkened with desire.

"I imagined sitting between you and Darius while he drove, and you using your hands on me, torturing my pussy and fucking me." She confessed, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

Oh... Fuck.

I was hard now. Too hard for her.

"And..." My face too close to hers, and her hot breath fanning my lips.

I thrust another finger inside her pussy while massaging her clit from my thumb, and she moaned, biting her lips to ramp it down.

Her hips moved, swallowing my fingers.

"Is it wrong if I say I wanted Darius to eat my pussy while you watched us?" She panted, and a red haze covered my eyes.

I tightened my grip around her neck, applying pressure not to harm her but to remind her of her place—because I don’t share. A smile appeared on her face, and a tear slipped down her cheek. Frustration escaped her in a shaky breath as I eased the movement of my fingers and stimulation on her clit.

She groaned, her pussy walls clasping hard on her fingers, sucking them deep inside her.

"Don’t forget, Mrs. Rowan, I’m not one to share, and anyone who dares to touch what belongs to me will find themselves in some serious trouble. However nice, I can be pretty nasty, and you won't like me being nasty." I lowered my voice by an octave and added a third finger while also intensifying the pressure on her delicate little throat. Too fragile.

Her lips puckered, gasping for air; that too, I stole from her, pushing my tongue inside her mouth while thrusting deep in her pussy, eliciting a moan as my palm replaced the thumb and tortured her clit.

She rode to her high, but whenever she got close, I'd stop it, and a cry of desperate frustration would leave her lips.

She panted, breathless, her body a mess of sweat, burning against me.

"Who do you belong to, Mrs. Rowan?" I growled in her ear, and a jolt rushed up her spine.

Her back arched as she reached closer, and a whimper left her lips again.

"Answer me, and I'll think about giving you what you want, however you'd like it." A sinister grin cracked my lips, and I slipped my fingers out, slapping her pussy.

She sprang against the wall, her eyes glinting with a playful light as a devious smile appeared.

"What if I want a dynamic like that, Ro? What are you going to do then?" She teased, her overly clever attitude pushing all my buttons. I couldn't help but love it when this feisty version of her came out to play.

"I'll bring that guy; we both fuck you, and when you're about to reach your high, I am going to kill that man right that second when he's buried deep inside you, and then you'll never desire another but me."

Her face tensed as I thrust my fingers again, and again, and again, repeatedly. Her body shook, and a scream broke free from her lips.

She smiled at me, her gaze warm and gentle.

I understand that the idea of another partner would never cross her mind; we fulfill each other completely, and neither of us are interested in sharing or exploring polygamy, no matter the duration.

"I enjoy it when you’re a bit rough with me. That’s when the real you breaks free from the charming extrovert facade. I belong to you, Ro, and only you." Her breasts bounced as she rode by fingers, and I finally let her come.

She moaned and came, letting the warm heat trickle down her thighs as she got on her knees and fumbled with the zipper of my pants, taking out my throbbing dick that grew in size.

She took the tip in her mouth, licking the pre-cum, and a chilling sensation rushed through me.

Grabbing the hair at the back of her head, I thrust inside her mouth.

She licked my dick, taking me deeper until I touched the back of her throat and her gag reflex kicked in.

Caressing her hair, I waited.

"My good little girl, such a slut. Taking me so good."

Her eyes dilated, and she picked up a momentum, her lips and tongue swallowing me while hands massaged my balls, and I groaned, throwing my head back as I came inside her mouth.

She swallowed every drop of me and panted. I came down from my high, allowing the ringing in my ears to fade as the world around me came into focus. I assisted her in getting up, doing my best to fix her appearance. Nevertheless, the pleased smile on her lips was my reward.

"I love you." I pressed my lips against hers, and she returned the kiss until a loud cough broke the moment.

"If you two are finished, we can head out now, and next time… just skip me from your exotic conversations, I beg you." Darius said, turning to leave.

I smiled at Amery, who blushed deeply and buried her face in my chest.

"Let’s go," I said, taking her hand, but paused at the entrance when something rolled and bumped against my shoes.

Shining my phone's flashlight down, I spotted a metal ring intricately carved with a willow tree design.

I showed it to Amery, who examined it briefly before shrugging it off. Out of curiosity, I slipped it into my pocket to look at later.

Once we reached the entrance, I held the ring up to Darius and mentioned I’d be taking it to my studio. He didn’t mind, while Ace chuckled, teasing me with a story about a bride who kills her groom, and we all laughed.

"I’ve never harmed anyone. Ro might be my test subject, but jail isn’t my lab," Amery joked, and I struggled to contain my laughter.

"You’re already the death of me. What more could you do?" I winked, and she playfully punched me, calling me cheesy while Darius pretended to gag.

As we parted ways at the T, Amery and I started walking toward the main intersection.

Darius needed to report that there were no signs of any intruders to the cops, so we didn’t overstay his kindness.

"Ro..."

I hummed in response as we neared our house, just two blocks away.

"How about we have a son first, then two daughters? What do you think?" She brought up our previous conversation before Darius interrupted.

"Sounds good. I’m fine with anything as long as they look like my wife."

She laughed, calling me crazy, but I suppose that’s fair... I am absolutely crazy about her.