Real Girl (Aston Creek High 4)

He makes love to me, refusing to stop until I’m screaming his name and coming around him, my nails digging into his back with my legs clenched tightly around his hips.

Slade falls back to the bed beside me and instantly pulls me into his chest, his lips pressing against my forehead. We lay in content silence, filled with nothing but love as his fingers trail up and down my back until I’m falling into a deep, and much-needed sleep.

Chapter 21

A loud bang has my head snapping up off Slade’s chest and glancing around in panic as my heart threatens to beat right out of my chest. Apparently, loud noises are going to be my new downfall. Fucking perfect.

Slade’s arm tightens around me, rubbing over my lower back. “It’s just Shay,” he murmurs. “You’re alright.

I collapse back down onto him in relief as I let out a low breath and try to calm my racing heart. I wipe my hand over my eyes, noticing that Slade’s been watching the game with the TV turned down. “How long was I asleep?” I ask, feeling sorry for the poor guy. He must be bored out of his mind.

He shrugs, glancing over at his phone and lighting up the screen to see the time. “Maybe five or six hours,” he tells me. “You were snoring. It was pretty fucking cute.”

I nail him in the chest. “I don’t snore,” I tell him, pushing up onto my hand, trying to catch my bearings. I knew I was tired but I didn’t realize I was that tired, though the thought of being able to race out of my room and wrap my arms around Shay is too good. There’s no way I’ll be sleeping through that.

I clamber off the bed, accidentally kneeing Slade in the junk, and as bad as I feel about it, it does the trick of getting him out of bed too.

“Holy shit, Virago,” he groans through clenched teeth, trying to get to his feet.

I press my lips into a tight line, desperately trying not to laugh at his expense. “I’m sorry,” I say, having to face away as my eyes start filling with tears of laughter.

“Yeah, right,” he grumbles under his breath, breathing heavily and trying to right himself. “I swear, I just lost one of my balls up inside my body.”

I turn, unable to resist him. “I really am sorry,” I tell him. “I promise, I’ll make up for it.”

“You better.”

I wink and turn away, too excited to see Shay. I start running for my bedroom door but don’t get far before Slade’s hand is smacking down on my ass, making the perfect sound while also stinging my backside in the best possible way.

“Virago, put some fucking clothes on.”

I glance down. “Shit.”

Slade’s shirt is the first thing I see and I pull it over my head, grinning as it drops to below my knees. This’ll do.

Grabbing hold of the door, I throw it open and race out of it, my heart pumping wildly in my chest. Excitement creeps up on me and as I run up the hallway, I can barely contain myself.

I break out into the living room to see Shaylee hauling in bags upon bags of groceries in through the open doorway. I laugh, knowing she’d rather bruise her wrists from heavy grocery bags than make two separate trips.

Hearing my laugher, Shay’s head whips in my direction. She comes to a startling stop as her mouth drops open. The grocery bags tumble to the ground, glasses breaking and eggs cracking but she couldn’t give a shit as she hauls herself over the groceries and runs at me.

We collide in the middle, arms thrown around each other as she crushes her face into my neck. “Oh, my sweet girl. You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”

“Believe me, I know,” I murmur holding her tight.

My shoulder and neck start getting wet from her tears and I hold back a laugh, absolutely loving this bittersweet moment.

There is nothing better than being home, safe in the comfort of the people I love with my demons now behind me. The only things in my future are going to be bright and exciting. Never again will there be darkness, only light, love, and peace.

Shay eventually pulls back and wipes her eyes on the back of her sleeve. “Come on,” she says, taking my hands and dragging me toward the kitchen. “You must be hungry. Screw making dinner, I’ll order us a pizza.”

Within fifteen minutes, the pizza delivery guy is knocking at the door and Slade gets up to go and get it while Shay has me repeat for the third time exactly how Maria shot her husband. Now, I was relieved when Lucien died, but the look on Shay’s face knowing he can’t fuck with me or Blake anymore is absolute joy. Don’t get me wrong, if this was anyone else who had lost their life, she’d be devastated. She doesn’t like hearing about death and pain, but when it’s Lucien, she welcomes it. She’s moments away from requesting a reenactment.