God, I don’t know. What did he think I would ask of him? What did he think it meant to me?
… what did it mean to me?
I remember the heat of his body, the strength of his arms as he lifted me, the pulse beating so strong in his neck, his dark eyes so full of need.
The way he held me, and kissed me, and entered me. Not afraid to hurt me. Needing me. Letting go, letting me take his pain for a while. Giving me pleasure as he took it from me.
The way he slumped over me afterward, his face peaceful. Whispering my name.
The sex was great, but that… that moment, that realization was everything to me. That he needed me like I needed him.
No, more.
The kids bang their forks on the table and I have to stop Cole from throwing his glass right off. I pour them some grape juice, lost in thought.
Matt. I wanted to take his pain. I’d have done anything for him if he’d only asked me. If he’d let me in.
And that’s probably what he doesn’t want, what he won’t—or can’t—give me.
“Tati!” Cole bangs his fork on his plate.
Mary smiles at me with her mouth full of food.
These kids and their brute of a dad… how can I leave now?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Matt
Jasper doesn’t come near me today, and though Ross skulks around, shooting daggers my way. He doesn’t approach me, so I’m guessing Jasper is keeping an eye on him.
On both of us.
I came in expecting stupid drama and theatrics. I thought Jasper would take the excuse of me being late to tear me a new one. That he’d be waiting for me, force me to my knees and make me apologize to Ross. Kiss his boots.
Or his goddamn ass. Whatever.
But he doesn’t, and yeah, I’m grateful it hasn’t come to this, not yet anyway. I’d hate to lose this job, it pays good, but no way will I be apologizing to that freak Ross. It’s been a couple of fucking bad days, and my patience... What patience?
It’s just unexpected, that’s all. The lack of yelling and punches thrown. The goddamn quiet.
Leaving way too much space inside my head. Way too much fucking time for my warped, twisted thoughts to take over.
“Ross wants your balls on a stick, and Jasper is sulking,” Evan says as he emerges from under the hood of an old Audi sedan, a smudge of grease on his chin. “You scored a real hit there.”
I arch a brow at him. What the fuck is he talking about?
“Ross.” Evan eyes critically the engine he’s been working on. “It was about time someone called that asshole out on his bullshit and put a stop to his bullying.”
“Are you saying Jasper believes Ross did it?”
Evan gives me a startled look. “You’re surprised? He’s Ross’s father. Knows him better than any of us. Knows he’s a bully through and through.”
Yeah.
I glance at Jasper’s office, the grimy windows. “Has he been bullying girls?”
“Ross?” Evan snorts. “All his fucking life.” He shoots me a sharp look. “When you say girls, do you by any chance have a specific one in mind?”