Page 19 of Avenging Azalea (California Made Men #2)

Chapter

Fourteen

TITUS

I pulled on my tie, loosening the knot as I walked up my front steps. It was another long day, and all I wanted was a shower and my bed. I froze when Fawn walked backward out the door, pulling a suitcase.

“Fawn, what are you doing?”

She screamed, and in her haste to turn around, she missed the next step. I lunged forward, grabbing her before she hit the ground.

“Are you okay,” I asked, swinging her up into my arms.

She had one hand resting on my shoulder, and I couldn’t help but smile as she brushed her long hair away from her eyes.

She was still the same adorable combination of sexy and cute, sweet and feisty, loving and brave.

I knew she was purposely avoiding me, but I didn’t push.

What could I say to make any of this better?

“Yeah, I’m such a klutz.”

She blew the rest of the hair out of her face, and as her green eyes met mine, for just a second, I forgot how to breathe. I stood there holding her while neither of us said a word.

“You can put me down. I’m okay.”

That was her favorite reply. I’m okay . Maybe she was, but I wasn’t.

“Tell me where you’re going. Are you running away again?”

Fawn looked down.

“I’m moving in with Steph,” she said, and my eyes narrowed into a glare. Fawn swallowed as I fought the surge of irrational anger.

“Why?”

“Because…well…because….”

“That doesn’t qualify as an answer,” I said, slowly placing her on her feet but physically unable to let her go.

She looked up at me, her body brushing against mine. The fact that I was so close to the edge of losing it was reason enough to let her leave.

“I honestly figured you wanted your house back. Especially now that you have a fiancé. I doubt you want me underfoot, and I suspect that she doesn’t want me living here.”

“I don’t give a fuck what she wants, this is your home. You will stay here until you’re done with university like we planned.” Her mouth opened slightly, and it took all my willpower not to kiss her.

“But….”

Letting her go before I did something I couldn’t take back, I marched over to her toppled suitcase and picked it up.

“This isn’t a discussion. You will remain here until you graduate. Then, if you want to leave, you can go wherever in the world you want. I’ll even pay for it.”

“Titus, I don’t want you to pay for it.”

I ignored her and turned toward the house, but Fawn grabbed my arm.

“Stop.”

Fawn wasn’t the cause of my anger, but I glared at her anyway. I was furious at myself for falling for her and for putting us in this impossible situation.

“I can’t stay here.”

“Why?”

“Oh my god.”

She marched away, and I watched her have a mini-meltdown.

God, she was sexy. I was dangerously close to ripping off her clothes and taking what I wanted.

My pulse spiked, and my cock was as hard as a rock.

There was an insanity invading my mind and taking control of my body.

I didn’t know how to stop it. Fawn spun around, stomped back, and smacked me hard.

Surprised was an understatement. The hit was loud but didn’t pack much punch.

“How dare you do this now.”

Dropping the suitcase, I cupped her face. Her eyes went wide and were filled with the same chaotic need that was swirling inside of me.

“I don’t want you to go. I know that’s not fair of me, but I need you,” I said.

Tracing her jaw and down the side of her neck, I could feel the erratic beat of her heart under my fingers. She moaned softly and swayed on her feet.

“Say you’ll stay.”

“You told me that I wasn’t your prisoner. Am I, now?”

“Yes, as I am yours,” I whispered, my forehead touching hers.

She moaned when I gripped her hair and pulled. Her mouth opened slightly, taunting me. I’d never been out of control with anyone for any reason, but there was no taming the possessive panic that filled every cell of my body.

Fawn placed her hands on my chest.

“Why…why did you agree to marry her?”

“I had no choice,” I said, and she closed her eyes.

“Don’t make me do this. Every day will destroy me a little more if I stay here and watch the two of you together.”

I brushed my lips against hers, and she shuddered in my hold.

“It’s unfair to you. I know that. But God help me. I can’t let you walk out those gates.”

“I hate you for this,” Fawn said, and a tear rolled down her cheek. “You know I can’t resist you.”

Nipping at her bottom lip, I knew I was lost to her. If she wanted me to fuck her on my Lamborghini right now, I would.

“Love me. Hate me. I’ll take it. I’ll take it all and anything else you dish out if it means you’ll never leave me.”

This made no sense. Fawn moving out was the perfect solution to avoid temptation or dreaming of more, and yet, here I was telling her to stay.

“I’ll stay, but only if you kiss me.”

I groaned. “If I kiss you, I may never stop.”

“That’s the risk you’ll have to take. I deserve that, at least.”

I cupped her face once more. My eyes were locked on her lips as my cock begged to be set free and take everything. Claim her.

There was no gentle exploring. I crushed my lips to Fawn’s, attacking her mouth. The last of my sanity snapped as she pressed her body into mine. Fawn moaned as she opened wider and let my tongue explore. The sound traveled through me. We fit together perfectly like she was made for me.

As the kiss became more frantic, so did her roaming hands. I sucked in a deep breath as her fingers grazed the bulge in my pants.

“Fuck, I want you,” I growled, picking her up and splaying her out on the Lambo.

“I want you, too. Please…I need you,” Fawn begged.

Fawn wrapped her legs around me, and the sundress she wore pooled at her waist. Grabbing her hands, I held them over her head and kissed her again.

There was no control. I was lost in her, and I didn’t care about any of the consequences. I was too close to the edge and hanging on by a thread. Grinding my cock against her, she arched off the car, and her breasts pressed into my chest.

“Boss?”

I tore my mouth away from Fawn’s with a snarl.

“What?”

Naji stood in the doorway with a ringing phone in his hand.

“You have a call.”

“Can’t you see I’m busy? I’ll call whoever it is back.” The phone kept ringing. “Naji, tell them I’ll call back.” He shook his head. “For fucks sake, shut the phone off then.”

He shook his head again, disobeying me. “Fuck, you’re fired.”

Pushing myself up….

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

I sat up with a gasp, blinking in confusion. My phone vibrated on the desk while the alarm rang. I grabbed it and hit End to stop the insufferable sound.

Slumping back in my office chair, I ran my hand through my hair and tried to get my bearings.

That dream had been so vivid, so real. Fawn’s sweet scent was in my nose, and my lips tingled from our kiss.

I didn’t need to look down to know that I was hard.

Not even in sleep was I safe from the thoughts of my Little Bird.

Her essence followed me around like a spirit, haunting me. I’d started sleeping at the office two nights a week to keep control of my desires. It didn’t help. All it took to gut me was seeing her shadow in the kitchen or hearing her playing with the dogs outside.

There was no need to analyze this particular dream.

I knew the source. It was a mash-up of my fears and the talk we had when I took Fawn out for burgers and milkshakes.

She’d told me that she was thinking of moving in with Steph to give me space.

I hadn’t responded. I stared into her green eyes and silently begged her not to go, but the words couldn’t be spoken and never passed my lips.

Fuck.

Maybe a shower would help clear my mind. Grabbing the fresh clothes hanging on the back of my office door, I marched into the bathroom. After turning on the water, I leaned against the sink, sucking in deep breaths to calm myself, but my body was still tense.

“What the hell is wrong with me?”

Steam started to fill the room. I stripped and stepped into the warm spray, letting it hit my tight neck and sore shoulders. Sleeping with my head on the desk wasn’t exactly comfortable. I needed to invest in a couch.

Lathering with the soap, I made the mistake of running my hand over my shaft.

“Fuck me.”

I sucked in a ragged breath and staggered back a step to lean against the wall.

I tried to conjure anything other than Fawn and her big green eyes and sweet smile, but nothing filled me with the same carnal need.

Flashes from the dream played in my mind, and I could feel her touch on my skin as I stroked my cock.

There had been a mutual desperation in the fantasy when we kissed and held one another. I fisted my dick like it was the problem and not the issues in my head. It had been so long. There hadn’t been anyone in my life since I took Fawn in, and now, she was the only one I ever thought about.

“I want you, too. Please…I need you.”

“Fuck,” I growled as her voice filled my ears, even without her here.

I’d lost my mind. Fawn made me lose my mind, and I didn’t know if I wanted it back.

Clamping my jaw closed, my hand slid up and down my cock at a blinding pace.

I’d never been able to forget the sight of her on her knees, looking up at me as she grabbed my belt.

She’d been way too young then but would look like such a vixen now.

Her hot mouth sucking me down, her green eyes locked with mine.

“Ah fuck…yes!”

The image changed to Fawn bent over my desk, and I squeezed harder.

“I’m going to burn in hell…fuck me….”

That was all it took to explode. I came so hard that I had to grab the side of the shower as my knees almost gave way.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Each stream that shot from my cock was as equally delicious as it was intense, and when the last drop fell, so did I.

My ass hit the tile floor with a thud as my chest heaved with every breath. I kept my eyes closed, wanting to hang onto the image of my Little Bird for as long as possible before reality stole her away from me once more.

I’d always been a man of my word. Morals and loyalty were important to me. But the temptation to throw it all away just for the chance at happiness was so strong.

Pulling my knees up, I hung my head. I’d never known what desperation felt like until now. There was no one to blame but myself and no escape. I’d painted myself into a corner. Sharing a family portrait with a woman I could never love, framed in gold and filigree.

It was nothing more than dull metal without my Little Bird.