And there it was—the whole sordid tale. I braced myself for impact. For her judgment and her disgust. Ready to get up from the couch and leave, never to see her again.
Sarah hugged me.
“It doesn’t change anything,” she said, releasing me and taking my hand, “I-I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I said, fighting tears.
We kissed. First soft, then hard. Sarah opened her mouth, and I slipped in my tongue. She felt so good. So warm. Safe. I put a hand on her knee. She put her other hand gently on my cock. Before I really knew what was happening, I was on top of her. My pants and boxers on the floor and her skirt up around her waist, her panties pulled to one side as I moved inside her.
Sarah writhed on me, still mostly dressed, moaning and gasping as I made love to her. Her pussy heavenly around my cock. I did my best to block out the thoughts. To focus on her. On us, right then and there. I tried, but something broke.
I stopped and pulled out of her, unable to finish. Afraid I might hurt her if I lost control. I had to keep control. I had to block it out. Instead, I broke down. The sadness coming up before I could stop it. The drums were worse than they had been before. The burning flashing to an inferno as I really processed my past for the first time. I needed something, anything to take my mind off it—even physical pain.
The punch resounded, making Sarah jump. I could feel the blood trickling down my chin. I did it again on the other side so they would match. I could see my reflection in the glass coffee table. I looked like a vampire fresh from feeding. Sarah grabbed my arm before I could do it again.
“No,” she pleaded.
I fell against her, blood staining her shirt as I put my face into her chest. Sarah softly shushing me as she stroked my hair. I felt so stupid for what happened, even if I did technically do it consensually. I was just a stupid, desperate kid, and I let people buy me. People who already knew they could own me. I just proved them right.
“You did it to help your family. You did what you needed to do. It’s not your fault the system is so fucked up.”
I knew from her tone that she really meant it. That Sarah wasn’t just trying to make me feel better. She had gone through her own fall from grace and could probably understand a bit of what I was going through. The shame. The Guilt. The judgment and stigma, even though, as my mom said, she didn’t really have anything to do with it either. We had both acted on our own but within situations that were beyond us. Taking what seemed like the best option at the time. There was no pride in it, but there was undoubtedly no shame either.
“You’re right,” I said, pulling myself together.
“Of course, I am,” my love teased.
I kissed her, and she kissed me back. The love cracking between us was like a force all its own.
“I think I know a way around the case if you’ll let me do it.”
“What’s that?” I inquired.
“The fact that his wife was using teenage prostitutes looks bad for Anderson. The fact that one of them is the defendant in the case is grounds for Ivanov to find another lawyer. If not for the case to be thrown out for conflict of interest. At the very least, Ivanov will have to find another lawyer, probably one who isn’t such a shark. I won’t do it without your permission, though.”
“I’ll have to think about that.”
“No pressure, it is just an idea.”
Sarah stood up and stretched, her outfit getting even tighter on her beautiful body. Bending over in such a way that I got a very generous view of her ass. I still wasn’t in the right headspace for sex, but I couldn’t help but feel her natural allure.
“Come on,” she said, returning from the kitchen.
Taking me in hand, she led me to the bedroom. I was about to object when she silenced me, touching her finger to my lips. I obeyed her and cooperated as much as I could as she took off my clothes, stopping me down to my boxers. She did the same, getting down to her bra and panties, both of them black and silk.
Getting us both into the bed, Sarah wrapped my arms around her like she was the world’s biggest, warmest teddy bear and let me spoon her. Laying together in blissful silence until I drifted into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Sarah
I was up before the alarm. Something that seemed to be happening a lot. I clicked the switch to turn it off entirely and looked over at Cooper. He was still deeply asleep. Looking peaceful and even happy.