The Grace In Darkness (26 page)

Experiencing Araya
’
s control and self-confidence drove me over the edge. I loved everything about her, and this was one more side of her to add to the list. She positioned herself to sit on my thighs and unbuttoned my pants. I swallowed hard, mesmerized by the sway of her breasts with each movement of her arms.

I reached out to help her but stopped. Looking at her hands, I realized they were shaking. I fucking loved that I affected her as much as she did me, and I wasn
’
t about to ruin this by trying to help her and embarrass her. I
’
d feel like a douche and more importantly, I would be one.

Sitting up, I traced the curve of her neck and lifted her chin so I could kiss her lips.

“
You
’
re so damn sexy, Hummingbird.
”
I pulled her hair so her neck was exposed to me and I sucked on the sensitive skin.

“
Ryland...
”
She
’
d gotten my pants undone and she pushed me back so she could pull them off.

When I was completely naked, she moved her hands over my thighs and we both sighed together. I held my breath the higher she got. I wanted her hands on me so bad my gut twisted. When she took me in her soft palms, the world around me exploded. There was a loud humming noise drowning out everything, and it took me a minute to realize it was my heartbeat. She explored curiously at first and then more aggressively, and I almost lost it right there.

I pulled her to me and she landed on my chest with a gasp. Grabbing her face, I kissed with all the pent-up need and want I had.

“
I need you now, Ryland,
”
she breathed against my lips.

“
I
’
m yours, Hummingbird.
”

She positioned herself above me, slowly sinking lower until I filled her completely. It was the most satisfying feeling in the world to be surrounded by Araya, and I never wanted it to end. She shifted and lifted her hips to her own rhythm, pleasure so clearly etched on her face. Her head dropped back and she used me for support as she moved faster and harder against me.

“
You
’
re killing me, Araya.
”
I gasped, grabbing on to her hips and pushing myself deeper inside of her.

She cried out and I could feel her muscles clenching around me. Her thighs trembled and she couldn
’
t control the sounds that escaped her. I could feel her so close to that breaking point and I wanted push her far beyond just the physical.

My thumb found her sensitive knot and I circled it once, then twice. Her pupils dilated and her green eyes became wild with raw need. Her fingers clawed at my chest, leaving behind the tiny evidence of her intense release. It was all I needed to completely let go and forever become a part of her. I muffled her screams with my lips as I sat up and held her shaking body.

It took a full five minutes for Araya and me to come down from our ecstasy. Still holding her to me, I collapsed on the bed. I stretched my arms wide and she curled into my chest, laying her cheek against my heartbeat.

“
Your heart is beating so fast.
”

“
That
’
s what happens when you try and kill a person.
”
I joked.

Her chin rested on my chest and she looked up at me.
“
You
’
re one to talk. I almost self-combusted there at the end!
”

I chuckled and she moved to get up, but I grabbed her hips to keep her still.

“
I
’
m not ready for you to move yet,
”
I said, pulling her lips toward mine, and I felt her flex around me. I groaned and rolled us over.
“
Your breakfast is cold.
”
I nibbled on the smooth skin of her neck.

“
I don
’
t mind. I
’
m starving so I
’
ll happily eat cold eggs, and then I want to take a shower.
”

“
How about you take a shower and I
’
ll warm up your breakfast? Think your stomach can refrain from eating itself?
”
I traced a circle around her bellybutton.

“
I think so.
”

“
Good.
”

I crawled down her body, moving my lips as I went, and pulled her up. She landed against me all soft, naked, and sweet-smelling.

“
Go get in the shower before I keep you in this bed all day long.
”

She leaned up to kiss me.
“
Don
’
t threaten me with a good time, Ryland.
”

I laughed, kissing her hard before she made her way to the bathroom. Thirty minutes later, I lay there listening to Araya in the shower. The smell of my shampoo floated through the air and just like that, it was no longer my shampoo. It was hers and the smell would always remind me of her.

Flipping the sheet off me, I walked to my dresser, pulling it open. I went to pull out a pair of briefs and stopped. I picked up the metallic wrapper and my heart skipped a beat. I tapped it against the edge of the dresser drawer and cursed before tossing it back inside and grabbing what I needed.

The living room was empty when I walked into the kitchen to heat up Araya
’
s food. I drank her warm juice, shoved a piece of bacon in my mouth, and walked out of the kitchen. The shower was still running when I walked past and a cloud of steam drifted in the hall like an eerie mist.

I set the plate on the nightstand and frowned when I heard ringing. It wasn
’
t my ringtone, and I had horrible flashbacks of that blonde leaving the house. What if her phone was here, and worse, what would I tell Araya?

I followed the ring to Araya
’
s boot and tipped it over, frowning. The phone spilled out and I picked it up. I didn
’
t recognize the phone, but I did recognize the caller. I could still hear the shower going in the background and I answered the call.

It was silent, and then her voiced hissed acid on the other end.
“
Who the fuck is this!
”
Makayla demanded.

“
Ryland.
”

“
Ryland.
”
I heard her sigh, and her voice trembled.
“
Please tell me Araya
’
s with you.
”

“
Yes, she is.
”

“
Oh, thank God! I
’
ve been calling Araya
’
s phone all night. I
’
ve been so worried about her! We got separated last—
”

“
You left her.
”
I corrected in a hard tone.

My accusation tripped her up.
“
I was only gone for five minutes,
”
she said defensively, but there was a hint of guilt mixed in.

“
Why would you leave her alone at all and especially in a place like that?
”

“
Because she isn
’
t a child!
”
she snapped.
“
She doesn
’
t need me to watch her every move!
”

“
That
’
s BS. That has nothing to do with anything! You guys shouldn
’
t have been there anyway!
”

“
Araya
’
s a big girl! She can make her own decisions.
”

“
Her own decisions, huh? Whose goddamn idea was it to go to The Underground in the first place? Was it her decision or
yours
?
”
She was silent.
“
You shouldn
’
t have been there,
”
I repeated.

“
Maybe if you hadn
’
t just walked away from her the other night—
”

“
Don
’
t do that! Don
’
t blame me! She should
’
ve never been there and you should have never left her, and you know it!
”

“
Ryland.
”

I swung around to find Araya standing there holding a towel to her dripping body. By the look on her face, I figured she
’
d heard some of the conversation.
“
Give me the phone.
”

She held out her hand toward me.
Makayla was saying something on the other end, but it was just an incoherent buzzing sound as I lowered the phone and placed it in Araya
’
s hand.

She put it to her ear.
“
Hello? Makayla?
”
She waited a second longer and then lowered the phone and looked up at me with hurt-filled eyes.
“
She hung up.
”
She walked over to the bed and dropped the phone.
“
Why would you say that stuff to her, Ryland?
”

“
Because it
’
s the truth.
”

She shook her head, quick to defend her friend.
“
Last night wasn
’
t Makayla
’
s fault.
”

“
It was her idea to go to The Underground.
”

“
Maybe, but it was my decision to go with her.
”

“
How did you even know I would be there?
”

She sat on the bed and picked at the fibers on her towel. She didn
’
t want to tell me.

“
Araya? Who told you?
”

“
It
’
s only going to piss you off more, Ryland. I just knew, okay?
”

I stared at her, trying to think who would have told her, and it didn
’
t take me a full minute to put it together.

“
You
’
ve seen Careless. When?
”

She shrugged.
“
I don
’
t know. She came to see me the other day.
”

“
How did she know where you were?
”

“
I thought maybe you told her?
”

“
No. Why would she tell you about The Underground, though?
”

“
Because she was,
is
, worried about you! So was I!
”

“
So you thought going to the very place that had you worried was a good idea?
”

“
I don
’
t know! Why are you fighting, anyway? That
’
s not you, Ryland.
”

“
Just like going to underground fighting clubs isn
’
t
you
.
”
I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling frustrated.

She stood up and put her hands on her hips, angry.
“
What are you more upset about? The fact that I went, or the fact that I
’
m blind and I went?
”

“
Both! Dammit, Araya, it wasn
’
t safe for you! You were drugged last night!
”
I blurted out in anger, but the look on her face was enough to dissolve it.

That wasn
’
t at all how I wanted to tell her, but it was too late to take it back now. She was frozen and the look on her face hurt more than being punched in the gut. She was devastated and her eyes watered over with tears. I took a step toward her, but she took a step back. Her arms wrapped around her stomach, and she bit her lip.

“
I was drugged?
”