The Avoidance of Love (The Daniels' Sisters Book 2) (23 page)

Stumbling through the door, we were trying to strip each other before we made it to the bedroom. To be honest, I just wanted a flat surface. I didn’t care which room it was. I could feel Jace was backing me over to the sofa. Yes. The perverse side of me loved the fact that every time I saw someone sit on that sofa I would know what we’d done on there.

Jace backed me up a little too much and we both went over the back of it before luckily landing on the seat. The rest of the clothing that we both had on was torn away and we were kissing frantically as if we hadn’t seen each other months. I was starved for him. I wanted nothing more at this moment than Jace. I wanted him inside me; there was no waiting. I didn’t want slow and gentle. He needed to be rough and passionate. I wanted to feel how much he wanted me.

“Jace, I need you.”

“I know; I need you, too. I can’t be slow, baby. I want you too much right now.” He thrust inside me before he finished his sentence, and I screamed at the friction and pleasure combined. “I. Can’t. Stop.” Each thrust was harder than the last and the pressure was building inside me faster and stronger than I could control. “Baby, I need you to come now. I’m there. I want you here with me.” I shattered. Every piece of my body splintered and fell away as the orgasm ripped through my body. I could hear Jace yelling his own release but it was background noise. The sense of euphoria consumed me and, on the back of that intense feeling, another orgasm was building.

“Jace . . . I . . . Oh, fuck.” The second orgasm drained me emotionally. It was the pinnacle of my feelings for Jace, and to say it felt good was the biggest understatement of the year.

We both lay there boneless and unable to move. Completely satisfied, we lie together naked and tangled together. Jace had moved, so we were lying side by side with my body slightly on top of his. He was stroking my hair and humming a song that seemed so familiar. I had heard him hum it to me before when he was comforting me at the hospital.

“What song is that?”

“Hmmm?” He was starting to fall asleep.

“I’ve heard that song before, but I can’t think where.”

“
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean.
” That was why: Grandma had sung that to my sisters and me for years at bedtime. “My mum used to sing it around the house. You’re my BonBon and you remind me of that song and.”

“My Grandma used to sing that song to me. And I didn’t save you.”

“You did. I just didn’t know how much at the time. Don’t argue with me, BonBon. You just took advantage of me and I’m tired from all the work.”

“You’re depraved, you know that?”

“And you wouldn’t have me any other way.” I playfully slapped him on the chest, which led me to stroke his chest. This led to me moving my tongue to laving his nipple and making him groan. “You’re utter sin. Come on, I clearly didn’t finish my job so, let me fuck you until you go to sleep with a smile on your face.” I jumped up ready to run for the bedroom. “Eager much?” He rolled off the sofa to chase after me.

“Catch me if you can, old man.” I started to sprint when there was a loud knock on the door just as I was about to run by. The door had a glass pane which anyone outside could see through, so I tried to stop myself from flashing them but ended up slipping on the hallway rug and landing on my ass. Hard. I could hear Jace howling with laughter behind me. He came and helped me up. “Just go and put some pants on, ass.” I rubbed my ass cheeks and went to grab some of my own clothes and put them on before he answered the door.

I recognized the voice that greeted Jace as soon as I heard it. I tore out through the living room to go and tear a strip off the bitch. When I reached the door, I stopped in my tracks. Jace had Brielle in his arms and she was sobbing. My heart cracked at the sight. Why was he holding her like that? I didn’t care that she was sobbing. She’s a grown woman. He must have heard me and turned to face me with her still in his arms. Her face was battered and bruised. I couldn’t help the gasp. I had seen those kinds of bruises before, recently in fact, on Dana.

“Jace, what’s happened?” Brielle looked up at me in surprise and with what seemed like embarrassment on her face. She looked back up to Jace and clung to his arms in panic.

“I’m so sorry, Jace. I didn’t realize she would be here with you.” She still couldn’t bring herself to say my name. I know I’m a bitch, but still. For fuck sake. “I just came to the first place I could where I would feel safe.”

“It’s okay, Brielle. Let’s get you inside.” Jace helped Brielle into the living room. Luckily, I had most of my clothes on and the only things of Jace’s on the floor were his T-shirt and boots. Once seated, Brielle rested her head on his shoulder and began to cry again softly. I went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water, hoping that would help somewhat.

“Jace, I’m sorry to do this to you. I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“Who did this to you, Brielle?”

“It was Eric.” She was crying harder now. “I came home, and he’d been drinking. He usually never drinks. He’d had a hard time at work and he was just so angry. I tried to comfort him and the next thing I know, he hit me.” I handed her a tissue while she continued with her story. “You know me, I’m not just going to sit there and take it, so I started yelling at him and telling him to leave but that just made it worse. He just wouldn’t stop.”

“We need to call the police.” I went for the phone, but Brielle practically screamed.

“No! Please don’t. I don’t want this to go any further.” I remember when Dana was with Mitchell, she didn’t want any of us to make a fuss over the bruises she had. In the end, Dana had to make the choices to save herself.

“Okay, Brielle. We won’t call the police. Just bear in mind that if he’s done this to you, he could do this to someone else.”

“I know. I just need some time. This has all come out of nowhere.” She was crying uncontrollably again. Jace was trying his best to comfort her, but it was having little effect.

“It’s late, Brielle. How about you get some rest and we deal with this in the morning.” She looked up at me giving me the first genuine smile I had ever seen from her and it was pitiful. All the hatred and anger that I had for her melted away. All I saw was my younger sister, and I wanted nothing more than to help her.

I offered my hand to her–which she took–to lead her to one of the guest bedrooms upstairs. Brielle had always been thin, but now standing next to me, she appeared frail. I went to show her the bathroom. “I know where it is.” There was no triumph in her voice, there was nothing. Just an emptiness where emotion should be.

“I’ve got some spare clothes here you can borrow. I don’t mind. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable and I’m sure you want to get out those clothes and put on something fresh when you get out the shower.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to put you out. Jace has probably got loads of clothes that I could borrow instead.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I left the room before she could say anything more. The thought of her wearing Jace’s clothes riled me up even though it shouldn’t.

I made sure Brielle was settled before crawling in to bed and Jace popped his head round the door to say good night to her. He let out a huge sigh when he got under the covers.

“Jesus, BonBon. What do we do?” He looked like he was frustrated and overwhelmed.

“If she won’t go to the police, then there’s not much we can do, other than support her.” He pulled me in close to his body so that my head rested in the crook of his shoulder and arm.

“I’m glad you’re here with me. I don’t think I could deal with her on my own.”

“You would have been fine. All she needs is someone to be there for her while she figures out what she’s going to do. I’m surprised at Eric though. I mean, I know I only met him once, but he never gave off the creepy vibe like Mitchell did.”

“All I know is that if I ever see him, I’ll knock him into next Sunday.”

“You can’t solve everything with your fists.”

“Hmmmm. What can I solve with fisting then?” I looked up to see the frustration had gone and in its place was my playful man-child.

“I never said fisting, pervert.” He rolled on top of me, nuzzling my neck, and smelling my hair like he always did. He was nudging me with his erection but sadly, after the last hour my libido was not putting in an appearance.

“Baby, can we just cuddle tonight?” Jace stopped his petting and rolled to his side.

“Is everything okay?” He looked concerned.

“It’s fine. It’s just Brielle reminded me so much of Dana. She went through so much pain with Mitchell. I hated seeing her like that. It doesn’t do much for sexual motivation. My heart goes out to her.”

“I got you. Come here.” He turned me onto my side so that we were spooning. His legs were entwined with mine and our hands were joined. Somehow, this felt like so much more intimate than if we’d had sex. “You owe me sex, though. I’m going to log this one in my little black book of
BonBon owes Jace sex for
. . .”

“You’re an idiot, you know that.”

“That’s why you can’t get enough. Now sleep. I’m sure there’ll be more drama in the morning.”

We both fell asleep in each other’s arms, and even though I knew he was right about there being more drama to come, I slept soundly and peacefully the whole night.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Jace and I needed to go and visit his Dad in rehab. I offered to stay at home with Brielle, but Jace insisted that the last time he’d spoken to John, he was really looking forward to seeing me, and Jace didn’t want him disappointed. Brielle said she would be fine until we got back and she had plenty to do to keep her occupied. Considering she showed up with nothing more than the clothes on her back, I couldn’t fathom what she had to do, but thought it best not to pry.

John looked so different from the man I first met. There was life in his eyes and I think he had even filled out a little. Without a second thought, I rushed over to hug him. It wasn’t lost on me that I probably wasn’t this affectionate with the two people who had raised me; that was something I needed to fix.

“John, you’re looking well.” He looked so pleased with himself; his smile was infectious.

“I’m doing all right. They’re keeping me clothed, watered, and fed so it can’t be all bad.”

“I’m so happy you’re doing so well.”

“All it took was a little ray of sunshine to wake me up and let me know I needed to make a change.” We all took a seat in the lounge area. “So, tell me what’s been going on with the two of you. Jace updates me on the phone but you know he likes to skip important details.” I laughed and began to tell him some of the things that Jace and I had been doing together. To my surprise, John wanted to know more about me, and what I had been doing . . . without Jace.

When you have to speak specifically about yourself, you realize that you actually have no hobbies and you live through other people. John and I agreed that I needed to do something about that. Jace was smirking, and I knew he was thinking I could do him. God, I was beginning to read his perverted mind.

John told me some stories about Jace as a boy, which I found thoroughly funny, but also touching. I was sure that Jace didn’t think his dad remembered half of what he did. It showed that he meant a lot to John. Now it was time for John to be fully present for Jace so they could rebuild their father/son relationship.

“So, how long is Brielle staying at the house?”

“I’m not sure exactly. I suppose she just needs time to gather her thoughts. Dana was very much the same.”

“Hmmmmm. The difference being, if you’re anything to go by, your sister is a lovely girl. I don’t trust Brielle as far as I can throw her.”

“I saw the bruises myself, John. There’s no way she could have faked those injuries. She was a shell of who she normally is.”

“You just be careful. Layla used to say there ain’t nothing like a woman with her foot in the door. She’s wanted Jace for a long time and I doubt that she’s going to give up so easily now that she’s under the same roof with him. You just be careful.”

“I will, John.”

“Now where’s this boy with my proper food.” And just like that, the subject was changed, but it didn’t remove the uneasy feeling that I now had in my gut.