Judas (26 page)

She cringed at the thought of him going back to Jaime. She had done everything in her power to keep the two apart but deep inside, she knew that he truly loved her, he would find his way back. Adessa had no leg to stand on. He wasn't in love with her, and maybe never would be.

              His brothers had been welcoming, and each one took the time to reach out to her, offering her their numbers in case she needed them. It was nice to have support but sitting here all alone, without him, she felt like her world was caving in. Her thoughts passed to Ms. Verino and their talks and she wished sometimes that she could see the old lady again.

She had been so helpful to her when she needed her most, and she didn't regret going there, but that part of her life was finished. She would likely never see her again. The past couldn't be changed, and she wasn't going to waste her time going over the wrongs and rights about it all. She was here now, and her life was not the same.

              “Hello, little mouse.”

Adessa startled at the penetrating voice. “Do you always sneak up on people?”

Anita dropped into the chair beside her, scowling, “No. Just you,” she snarled, over Sasha's restless barking. Where there was one, there were two, Adessa thought, glaring at the dog.

“Well it's annoying,” Adessa quipped. She was in no mood to deal with witch right now. She turned on her side facing away from the cold stare.

“You seem nervous. Am I offending you?”

Adessa didn't look back, “Not offending, no. I'm just wondering if there is something you want.”

Anita cackled, causing Adessa to shudder. “Millions of dollars? Oh. Right. A large mansion? No. You gone? Well, now we're getting somewhere.”

Why couldn't the woman just fall in the pool and drown? Adessa groaned, “You want everyone gone.”

“Not everyone, darling. Only those who offend me,” Anita growled.

Adessa turned back to face her, annoyed but curious of what she had done to irritate Anita now. “How could I possibly offend you? I keep to myself.”

Anita  hissed, pointing a wrinkled finger at Adessa. “You offend me by being fake. You're a fraud.”

Adessa glared, “Really now? And how might I have accomplished that?” This woman was unbelievable. Adessa went out of her way to avoid her but Anita was still right on her tail at every turn.

“You don't listen well. I told you, I know everything that happens in this family. Everything, little mouse,” the crone spit venomously.

Adessa raised a brow, as she stood. “Oh, we're back to that again.” She needed to get away from the woman before she lost her patience. She headed toward the sliding glass doors but Anita's words stopped her in her tracks.

“Why don't you come over here and tell Mother the truth about Jaime Lynn Carter and her unborn child,” she said, patting the seat Adessa just abandoned.

Adessa's eyes widened, “Who?” She knew exactly who. What she didn't know, was how Anita knew.

“Don't play innocent. I know you know about the baby. The one you don't want Judas to find out about,” Anita said with a hideous smirk.

Adessa was lost for words. She stood there staring at her, feeling her blood drain into her feet. “Where did you hear that?”

“Don't you worry about my methods. Let's just say I know.”

Adessa swallowed roughly. “Are you going to tell him?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. That all depends on you,” Anita shrugged.

“Me? What do I need to do?” This couldn't be good, but whatever Anita wanted, Adessa would do. She had to. The woman had her now.

Anita considered what she would say next, finally giving a fake toothy smile, “Right now? Nothing. Just stay out of my way. But I will find a use for you. Mark my words.”

“Marked,” Adessa said, turning to walk back inside.

She heaved a large breath, feeling like she would hyperventilate. Anita knew about Jaime, and she also knew that Adessa knew. If Anita told Judas, then not only would he hate her for not speaking up, but he would leave her and Jaime would win. She would have to figure out how to keep Anita happy, and fast. But for now, she needed to get out. She had to have some air.

             
She was fresh showered and dressed in one of her signature thin cotton dresses as she walked up the sidewalk to the front door of his townhouse. She wasn't sure where else to go, and since he was still up, Adessa decided to take him up on his previous offer.

Her heels clicked as she climbed the steps to ring the bell, no doubt signaling her arrival before the button was pushed. A lump rose in her throat as she saw his shadow move past the curtain. No turning back now, she told herself.

He opened the door with an amused grin, waving her inside. “You cracked.”

             
She was immediately disarmed. He wore only a ripped pair of jeans and boots, leaving his bare chest exposed. She took a breath as her eyes fell along his frame, “More like, gave up,” she mumbled, mesmerized by the sight before her. She snapped herself back to reality, suddenly feeling foolish for standing there like a drooling teenage girl.

He was already ahead of her, leading her across the room. “Can't blame you there. Come have a drink,” he said mildly, stopping to kick a box out of his way as he stepped around the piles of debris that littered the room. He was obviously not one for housekeeping. The room was a wreck, but it smelled more like cigarette smoke and booze than anything else.

              It was definitely Liam's place. She followed behind him, raising a brow as he turned to face her. “Only one?”

He shrugged, grabbing a bottle of his preferred whiskey and pouring it straight into her glass. “However many it takes.”

She accepted the drink, unsure if she could stomach it, but what the hell. She would tough it out. This night called for something strong. “Is there a goal?” She shot him a playful grin, teasing the rim of the glass with her lips.

“Yes,” he said without any hint of humor in his voice.

              She arched a brow, smirking prettily, “And what is that?”

His eyes slowly rolled over her entire form, moving from her nude heels, all the way up to meet her eyes. “Me, buried between those soft thighs,” he finally answered.

Her pulse quickened, feeling the too familiar tingling deep in her core. His words had awakened her senses, and she couldn't deny to herself that she wanted him. But could she deny it to him? “What makes you think I'd have you?”

He took a long drink from the bottle in his hand, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, “What makes you think I'd ask?”

              Oh damn. She was burning for him. If she were smart, she would leave this instant. “Is that why you offered your number?”

He watched her take the first drink of the nasty liquid. “Is that why you came?”

“No,” she breathed, through the fire that inflamed her lungs. Her gaze was set against his and a second later, her body betrayed her words as she stepped closer, pressing her breasts against his torso.

             
Finally breaking the heated stare, he whispered, “Liar.”

He dropped to his knees, right where he stood, handing her the open bottle he held. His piercing blue eyes were locked against hers as he began to slide his hands up her smooth legs, not stopping until her dress was gathered a
round her tiny waist. The absence of panties beneath seemed to shock and thrill him as his eyes darkened against the knowledge. She had prepared. She bit against her bottom lip, quivering in anticipation of his next move.

             
He places his thumb against her hardened nub, sending a soft moan to slip past her lips, as he began to stroke against it in a circular motion. He watched her breasts move as her chest heaved, increasing the pressure as he went. He stopped after only a moment, raising himself just enough to pull the dress above her head.

With that, he took the bottle from her trembling hand and raised it to her breasts, spilling the dark liquid against the swells, causing her nipples to harden against the shock. He lowered himself again, bringing his mouth to rest against the sensitive area and began to pour the whiskey just below her navel, letting it pour down her flesh, and into his waiting mouth.

She watched with her mouth agape, as the urgency began to grow. He filled his mouth and stood, pressing their lips together to form a tight seal, before parting their lips and feeding her the liquor straight from his mouth. It was the most erotic thing she had ever done and she couldn't get enough.

By the time he repeated the motion for the third time, she was beginning to feel the effects of his heavenly seduction. He began at her opening, licking and sucking a trail up her heated skin until he reached her breasts.

He wrapped his arms around her thighs, lifting her against him as he claimed a wanton breast, sucking it fully into his mouth with lustful intent.

Her eyes drifted closed as her fingers began to coil through the long strands of his brown hair, writhing in delight against him. He carried her to his bedroom, kicking the door open to allow them entrance and an instant later, she was lying beneath him, sheathing him in her walls as he  took her.

He was rough and animalistic, and everything she needed. He broke her down, teasing, and testing, and taking until he finally pulled out of her, leaving his semen to spray against her thighs as he groaned in uncontrolled passion. He recovered quickly, reaching into the floor to pick up a spare shirt, tossing it to her before lighting a cigarette and settling lazily onto the bed beside her. She cleaned up her legs and tossed the shirt into the floor before turning to look at him. “You were amazing,” she said, reaching to touch his arm.

He grinned that sexy grin of his. “Thanks but it helps to have an amazing partner.”

She giggled, “I'm amazing?”

“From head to toe,” he said sucking in a long drag.

She suddenly felt strange. Naked, and exposed. She reached for the thin sheet that was wadded at their feet, draping it over herself as she thought about the consequences of what they had done. “What about Judas?”

He blew a smoke ring
into the air, unconcerned. “Little late for that, don't you think?”

She shifted nervously against the pillow, not sure how to judge his thoughts. “Are we wrong?”

“By who's standards? I'm not a man of moral character.”

She said nothing in response. She was feeling terrible about the betrayal, and she needed some time alone. “I should go,” she said in a small voice.

He took another long drink from the nearly empty bottle. “You know where the door is.”

She sensed either anger or disappointment in his voice and she wasn't sure which. Maybe he was upset at her for second guessing things. “This was just a one
- time thing, right?”

He finished the bottle, dropping it on the floor before answering smoothly, “That's not my call. I've never turned a willing woman away, and you won't be my first.”

She nodded, standing to collect her discarded dress. “You won't tell him, will you?”

He shook his head, “What reason does he have to know?”

She slid the dress over her head and picked up the heels that had fallen recklessly from her feet, carrying them in her hand as she crossed the room. “Goodnight Liam.”

              It was nearing a month since Judas left. The process was daunting but she found a house for them in a pristine neighborhood on the other end of town. It wasn't the massive home they shared before, but it had charm, and Adessa wasn't being too picky. Things had begun to escalate with Anita and Adessa knew it was way past time to go.

The woman was relentless in her pursuit of Adessa, openly listening in on phone conversations and going out of her way to make Adessa feel like she had done something wrong. She never knew if the woman was serious about her accusations or if she was just probing her but Adessa wasn't going to stay long enough to find out. And if that dog didn't stop barking nonstop when Adessa approached, she would choke the mangy thing.

              She was packing their boxes and making arrangements for their things to be delivered from Grand Rapids to the new place when the phone rang. It was Judas. Thank God. He only called to check in with her once a week, and she was missing his voice. She sunk into the small chair in the shrine of his youth that she stayed in. He sounded tired, and distant.

Whatever they were doing to him didn't seem to be helping and just like in his last phone call, he needed encouragement to keep going. She would rather have had him home with her, but she was getting along on her own, and now that Anita would be out of the picture, she would be free to have a drink to calm her nerves without the scrutiny that now surrounded her.

“I'm learning things. It's going alright. Just hard,” he said, fumbling with his words.

“Hard
, how?”

He was silent, breathing into the phone as if he was considering what he would say. “Trying to recount events and pick them apart. There's just so damn much.”

She needed to comfort him but she had no idea what to say. He never discussed specifics and Adessa didn't pry. It wasn't her demon and she knew he wasn't ready to share. Now was not the time. So she offered the only support she could. Encouragement. “One day at a time, remember? If it's too hard, then go one hour at a time. Or one minute. You can get through it.”