Anguished (Crimson Elite 2)

“No…” I say between heavy breaths. “No, I don’t. Just on occasions. You’re too…” heavy breathing leaves my mouth, “… much.”

Echo smiles at my words like they’re the best thing he’s heard. He lifts his hands away from mine, but my hands are glued to the counter anyway, as his hands grip my hips pushing me back and forth my ass sliding on the bench while I try to lift to meet him thrust to thrust. He grips my hair pulling it free from its tie, then I drop it back looking at the ceiling as his cell starts again. Neither one of us stops. We’re too close to the finish line, to that ultimate place of pleasure I know is about to hit me at any second.

“Red,” he says as he bites my nipple, hard. A small yelp leaves my mouth as I come. He comes right along with me then he pulls my hair back and bites my neck. I want to slap him again to let him know not to mark me, that we aren’t teenagers, but when he thrusts the last few times, I like the feel of him claiming me, marking me, as if I’m special to him.

“Blondie,” I say his face lands between my boobs, and he hovers there taking deep breaths. I touch my neck knowing he’s left a mark, one I will have to deal with on Monday when I go back to work. But right now I want to go home and sleep, and possibly even dream of him.

“Red, just a second longer.” I run my fingers through his hair loving the length and the feel of it.

He’s my perfect ten.

And he’s making this harder.

I freeze up and push him away. He lifts, pulling out of me and smiling as he does then he stops when his cell starts again. Reaching for it, I hear the shrill of a woman, so I grab my things when he turns away. Stepping out of the kitchen, I sneak out by myself.10EchoStorm’s sneaky, I’ll give her that. But I’m glad she didn’t stay. It could have been bad, especially since I smashed up half my kitchen at Selena’s words. The cheek of her. The fucking nerve of her. And him. He wants to rub it in my face even more. I can’t stand them and one day I might get over it, but today isn’t that day. Fuck! It wasn’t when I saw them for the first time together either.Nine Months Ago…You’d think he would stop inviting me to shit. Fuck, I have. But every once in a while when he wants to rub something in, he invites me. And like a damn sucker I go. Every. Fucking. Time. He is family, after all.

“Don’t do it! Why would you go?” Falcon asks as I finish up a security check, getting ready to leave to see Mike, my brother.

“I haven’t seen him in six months. I guess I can handle once a year, don’t you think?”

“Fucking never, if you ask me.”

I laugh and realize it’s the first time I’ve laughed in a month since Selena left me. She hasn’t answered my calls and has been completely ignoring me. I haven’t seen her once in that time. Straightening up, I leave and go to his condo. It’s a celebration he said for his promotion at work. He’s a lawyer, and not a bad one either, from what I’ve heard. Fucked if I know or care.

Pulling up out the front of his condo, I notice my parents’ car as I get out. There are a few faces I don’t recognize as they all start to walk inside. A few stop and stare, others do a double take. I push my hair back from my face as I make my way up his stairs and into his house. Now is the time to tell you we’re twins, right? That we look almost identical apart from our hair and build—Mike’s haircut is shorter, and he has a smaller physique than me. I take pride in my appearance, inside and out, where Mike only cares for the outside. As long as his mask is firmly on for the world, he’s fine. Only few can see deep enough to tell that we’re completely different people.

“Echo,” my mother’s voice rings happily, but when I spot her, I can tell it’s also fake. She’s putting on an appearance. Most people can’t help but stare. Obviously, he hasn’t told anyone he even has a brother. Well, the feeling is absolutely mutual. “I’m so glad you could make it, but I honestly didn’t think you would.”

I look around trying to spot Mike. I didn’t come to stay long—a simple congrats and appearance are more than he fucking deserves.

“I was invited. Is it so hard to believe I wouldn’t come?”