Holding Mia (Rockers' Legacy Book 1)

He smirked. “Not happening, firecracker.”

“Says who?” I sassed.

“Says the man who loves you.” He climbed into bed, his arms reaching out for me and pulling me in close. My body was already starting to relax, knowing I was safe beside him.

But my heart knew better now.

“And you haven’t returned those words yet,” he reminded me as he pillowed my head on his arm.

“That will never happen,” I bit out. “Whatever I felt for you died a quick death when I heard you in the background when Uncle Drake called last night.”

“So that’s how you figured it out,” he said, choosing to ignore everything else I’d just said. “I was wondering about that.”

“I hate you,” I whispered, fighting back a new wave of tears and soul-crushing heartbreak.

A muscle began to tick in his jaw, and that same damn urge to comb my fingers through his beard made my fingertips itch. “Don’t say things you don’t mean, baby.”

“I mean every wo—”

He moved faster than I’d ever seen him move, flipping me onto my back and crashing his mouth down hard on mine.

I resisted for all of two seconds before I gave in and let him take what he was demanding.

One more time, I told myself as he tore my panties out of his way and thrust two fingers into my already drenched and clenching sex.

Barrick was normally so gentle with me, but there was a desperation to his touch and kisses now. Angrily, I kissed him back, pushing his boxer briefs over his hard ass before wrapping my fist around his massive cock.

He groaned into my mouth, his hips thrusting forward while I stroked him from tip to base. Lifting his head, he locked his dark eyes with mine. “I love you.”

“Liar.”

“Nothing about what I feel for you is a lie,” he growled. “I’ve hated myself for not telling you about any of this, Mia. But I couldn’t risk losing you.”

“You lost me anyway.” My voice was choked with emotion, my heart breaking all over again.

“No,” he breathed. Spreading my thighs wide with his hands on the inside of my knees, he thrust deep into me. “I won’t lose you, baby. We love each other.”

“I…don’t…love…you,” I panted as he began to move inside me.

“Don’t lie,” he commanded, cupping my breasts in both his hands. “I know all your tells. When you lie, your nose scrunches up for just a second.”

“I won’t love you,” I amended, my back arching when he pulled almost all the way out and sank balls deep once more. I dug my nails into his hips, trying to hold on to my anger when my body only wanted to feel the euphoria of release it knew Barrick could give.

With a groan, he grabbed my hips and thrust into me harder, angrily. “I’ll earn it back. Just don’t give up on us, baby.”

“There was never an ‘us,’” I choked out, fighting the orgasm that was already rushing up on me. “It was all pretend.”

“No!” he roared. “I fucking love you, Mia.”

My inner walls clenched around his girth at those words. My release was triggered, and seconds later, he was joining me.

Out of breath, he fell on top of me. I loved these moments after we were both spent. When he was too worn-out to hold his weight off me for a little while, and I was consumed by his entire body.

But this time, I couldn’t enjoy the afterglow or the warmth of his body pressing me into the bed. My tears spilled over once again, and for the first time, I began to sob uncontrollably.

It was over.

There would be no more Barrick. No waking up beside him every morning. No holding hands as we walked across campus. No more forehead kisses or hour-long baths together. No slow dancing at Jameson’s followed by making love all night long.