Page 26

26

MASON

WITH MY HANDS brACED on the bathroom sink, I take a long inhale as the room fills with steam. My body feels a little sore and tender after today, but not as bad as I expected it to. I glance down to the cut in my side. Thankfully, it isn’t very deep.

When I look back at my reflection, my mind wanders towards Anya. My heart thuds loudly. My skin feels hot. My need for her fills me so intensely, I feel myself growing hard at the thought. Screwing my eyes shut, I push off the vanity and walk towards the door. Opening it, I poke my head out, but the hallway is empty.

I shut the door.

I open it again.

Exhaling, I leave it open and step back, staring at the gap between the door and the doorframe. After a moment, I turn and step into the shower.

Breathe , my inner voice directs me.

This want for her. This need is taking over my life.

This time, I’m doing it right. Because she deserves the world.

The hot water runs over my skin, sliding down my body as I think about her. Those eyes, that mouth, the curves that haunt my dreams. Curling my fingers around my length, I move my hand up and down, picturing the other night at the party, when she had those pretty lips wrapped around me.

‘Ah, fuck,’ I groan, not caring how loudly it slips out, as my hand begins to move faster.

I’m so hard, it’s almost painful. Each pump has me twisting and jerking, as I imagine her underneath me while I move in and out of her. The sound of the water hitting the tiles mixes with my laboured breathing as I thrust my hips forward, picking up momentum.

‘Anya,’ I say through gritted teeth.

‘Yes?’

My head jerks up, and my eyes snap open. Those round, innocent eyes peer back at me through the fog, and my mouth falls open in shock as she smiles at me slowly, her gaze dropping to where my hand is.

‘You’re here,’ I say.

‘You left the door open.’

‘I did.’

‘You wanted me to come.’

‘I do want you to come,’ I agree, smirking.

Biting her lip, she shimmies down her skirt and panties and steps out of them. Swallowing, I continue moving my hand up and down my length, my fingers tightening as my gaze roams over her tanned, bare thighs.

Leaning back onto the bathroom sink, she places a foot on the edge of the bathtub beside her, opening her legs. A coy smile dances around her mouth as her hand slides across her stomach, dipping between her thighs, and sliding across her slit.

‘You drive me fucking crazy, Blush,’ I croak.

‘Do I?’ she whispers, fingers glistening as she slides them teasingly across her entrance, before sinking a finger inside herself.

Groaning, I press my forehead against the glass as I continue to work myself, my movements becoming harsh and jerky as she begins to finger herself.

‘Touch your clit,’ I instruct her.

‘Yes, Captain.’

Oh, fuck.

She does as she’s told, and I almost come undone right then, but I am so desperate to ride this out longer. I’m so highly turned on, so deeply in love with this girl that I can’t see straight.

‘Does it feel good?’ I ask, hardly recognising my voice.

‘Yes,’ she replies, her lips parting as her head tips back. ‘But not as good as when you do it.’

This. Is. Torture.

‘Will you come?’ I ask. ‘For me?’

She nods.

‘I want you to think about what I want to do to you,’ I say. ‘All the dirty things that have been on my mind for years.’

‘Such as ... ?’ She trails off, breathing heavily as she works her hand faster.

‘I want to kiss you,’ I whisper. ‘I want to lick every inch of that perfect body.’

‘What else?’

‘I want to taste you on my tongue every morning.’

‘Anything else?’

‘I want to be inside you again. I want to be so deep inside you that I ruin you for anyone else.’

A moan falls from her lips, and her fingers move faster, in the same rhythm my own hand moves.

‘You ruined me for anyone else long ago, Mase.’

‘Oh fuck,’ I say, breathless. ‘Come for me.’

A cry leaves her, and her legs shudder as her head falls back, hitting the mirror behind her.

‘Good girl,’ I murmur, dragging my tongue across my lower lip as I drink her in, knowing I will never forget this moment.

Shakily, she pushes to her feet. She yanks her top over her head and unclasps her bra. Her breasts tumble out of their hold, bouncing slightly as they release. A sound mixed between a groan and a whimper leaves me at the sight of it. Stepping inside, she gets down on her knees, the water spraying across her skin.

‘Blush?’ I question, tensing, as my release is drawing nearer by the second.

‘Come on me, Captain.’

Barely a second later, my come shoots out, painting her face as I release harder and more intensely than I have in what feels like forever. I do a few quick pumps, making sure every last drop is out before I sag forward, breathless. The sight of her on her knees, covered in my release, feels so sinfully wrong, but so damn right. Deliciously sexy and forbidden, and fuck I want to do it again.

Curling my arm around her, I help her to her feet, and she lets me rinse her off. Leaning down, I kiss her deeply and slowly. We stay like that for a long time: kissing and touching in lazy, long strokes. We’re so desperate to be close, and neither of us wants to break this moment.

‘I don’t want this to stop, but Zayden could be home any minute.’ She sighs wistfully, stepping back and pushing her wet hair from her face.

I nod, knowing she’s right. ‘Yeah. And he won’t be impressed if we use all the hot water.’

‘Good point.’ She laughs.

Reluctantly, I turn the tap and we step out, both towelling off, and managing to not touch each other long enough to get dry. As much as I yearn for her, I don’t want to rush this. Not like last time.

After Anya is settled in her bed, I fall into mine. My eyelids hang heavily, exhaustion sweeping through me so intensely. I fall into a deep sleep, thankful that for once, no nightmares plague my dreams.

I am in love with Anya.

All my life – or so it feels – my common sense has told me this isn’t a good idea. I’ve had friends tell me. Zayden, who I consider my family, has told me. I’ve tried and I’ve tried to resist this, but when I breathe, I feel her. When I close my eyes, I see her. She’s embedded in me, and I can’t stop this anymore. I don’t want to.

On the trip home, I’m settled in the driver’s seat, Anya has her feet perched on the dash as she reads, and Zayden is sunk low in his seat in the back, eyes closed, resting his head in his hands.

Once Anya decides a relationship with me is what she truly wants and she’s ready to go all in, I am going to speak to Zayden, and make him see why Anya and I being together is right – and basically inevitable at this point. He will understand. He has to. Once he realises how serious we are about each other, he won’t be able to not support this. Right?

My eyes shift to the mirror, and I wince at the bruises on my neck: thick, unmistakable finger marks. After not moving all night while I slept, I’m really feeling the injuries from yesterday. My muscles feel sore, and the bruises look worse than I expected.

‘What have you decided to do about becoming captain?’ Anya asks, placing her book on her lap.

‘I’m going to take it,’ I say, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel. ‘You talked me into it.’ I glance at the mirror, seeing Zayden’s neck bent at an awkward angle and his mouth open as he sleeps. ‘Besides, I really like it when you call me Captain.’

Her lips twitch. ‘Glad to hear it.’

‘I just hope I don’t ruffle too many feathers with this,’ I admit, leaning my elbow on the door.

‘That’s on them if they can’t be happy for you.’

‘Hm.’ I make a noise of agreement, even though I’m quite positive this new development will create tension among the team. Tension I don’t particularly have the time and energy to deal with.

The rest of the day is spent lounging by the pool at home, and it feels like old times. Soon enough, everything that happened with my dad fades into the background. Anya and Zayden are great at distracting me.

Anya pushes to her feet, and I glance up at her.

‘Where are you going?’ Zayden queries, placing his arm behind his head as he leans back, crossing his ankles together.

‘Cami has convinced Nora and me to go to an off-campus party with her.’

She’s dressed only in her black bikini, and I find it extremely difficult not to let my eyes trace over those curves and long legs I love so much. My sunglasses are perched on my nose, shielding my roaming gaze, but I still feel it’s obvious that I’m unable to take my eyes off her.

‘That sounds fun,’ I say.

‘Yeah. I’m not going to have a big night tonight. I might even drive.’ She shrugs, seeming to avoid meeting my eyes as she gathers her rubbish.

‘Okay,’ Zayden says as she strolls towards the door. ‘Make safe choices!’

My eyes linger on her back as she disappears through the sliding doors.

‘She’s doing okay,’ Zayden observes, eyes remaining on the door. ‘Her life literally got turned upside down. The two people who were by her side when we couldn’t be betrayed her in the worst way possible. But she kept going. She’s okay.’ He turns to face me, a proud smile on his face. ‘Our girl is strong. Isn’t she?’

Our girl.

‘Your sister is the strongest, most beautiful girl I know.’

The words are out before I can stop them. A beat of silence stretches between us, and Zayden nods.

‘She’s lucky to have you.’

‘Me?’ I question, surprised.

‘You’d do anything for her, and it’s not often you can say that about someone. She feels safe around you, and that’s something I don’t take lightly, my friend. I appreciate you.’

I blink at my best friend, in shock for a moment, unsure how to process everything he just said to me. He isn’t someone to speak like this, especially to me, about Anya, and I am utterly speechless. It warms my heart to hear his words and makes me feel as if maybe he would accept us being together.

I think my trouble with anger in the past was the main reason Zayden never wanted his sister involved with me. Other than disrupting our trio’s dynamic, he was worried trauma from my dad would somehow emerge, but I’ve worked hard on myself and I don’t ever want to be like him.

Zayden groans as he stands, stretching his arms over his head.

‘I love her, you know,’ I say quietly, and I barely dare to breathe as he turns to face me, sliding his sunglasses into his damp messy hair.

‘I know,’ he replies, clapping a hand on my shoulder. ‘Like a sister. I love you for that.’

I tense, watching Zayden walk away, my heart sinking to my stomach.