Page 29 of When We Fall: Part One

“My parents spoke Russian at home. My grandfather did as well. He was a good man, my grandfather. I miss him. He was the only bright spot in my life, but I rarely saw him. He worked a lot. He hated my father. You see, he was my mom’s dad. He never forgave her for getting wrapped up with him. It was another reason he wasn’t around. He told me he regretted it because it meant I suffered. That he hadn’t known how truly bad it was.” He looked down and blew out a breath. “I don’t blame him. Once everything happened, he was there. My parents knew how to put on a good poker face, so he never knew until I-I took matters into my own hands.” He sniffled and wiped at his eyes.

“Fuck,” he muttered. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” I said gently.

He shook his head. “I wanted to be a firefighter when I was a kid. I loved watching the fire trucks go past our apartment. The fire station was just down the street. I’d sit in the window and stare as they passed by. I was even a firefighter for Halloween once. My parents were too blitzed out to get me a costume, but I’d made it out of an old red t-shirt and snow boots. We had a fire safety day at school, and I’d kept the little red plastic hat they gave out to the kids.” He chuckled bitterly. “I was wearing that hat the first time I was ever touched.”

I swallowed the pain that was crushing my chest at his words.

“My parents were worthless. When money was tight, they’d use me as payment for their drugs.” He shuddered. “So many fucking people. So fucking many, sweetheart. They dealt with Everett Church a lot. He bought me my first firetruck. I trusted him in the beginning. He was kind to me. He talked to me. Told me funny stories. Made me laugh. Got me gifts. But then…” his voice trailed off. “Well, you know how the rest goes.”

He looked at me finally before he thumbed away one of my tears. “Don’t cry for me, Rosalie. It won’t change anything in my past.”

“Oh, Ethan,” I said through my sniffles. “I’m so sorry for all you’ve gone through.”

“I know, baby.” He lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles. “But I’m already suffering. No sense in you suffering with me.”

“I only want to help you?—”

“You do help me. More than you’ll ever realize. Just being here and staying with me through it helps. So thank you so fucking much, sweetheart. I’d have given up already if it weren’t for you.”

“Please don’t ever give up,” I whispered. “You have such a beautiful soul. You deserve every happiness in the world.” I raked my fingers through his hair, and he closed his eyes, his lips parting at my touch. I cradled his face, taking in how sad and broken he truly was. “What do you need from me? I’ll do it.”

“I need you to be happy,” he said, opening his eyes. “Your happiness is all that matters. I don’t feel as if you’re happy lately.”

“I’m just… confused,” I finished. “But I don’t matter?—”

“You’re wrong, babe. You matter the most. You’re what we need to survive. Without you, we’re just us. That won’t work. So what can I do to make it better for you?”

“Get better,” I said, tracing my finger lightly along his full bottom lip before I cradled his face. “That’s all I want from you.So, please. If you need help, ask. I’m here for you always and forever.”

“Fuck, I love you,” he said before his lips met mine in a deep kiss. I parted my lips for him and allowed him to explore my mouth, his kiss so sweet and fierce that it made me moan.

“I want to bury myself so deep inside you we both get lost,” he husked out against my lips.

“Please, Ethan. I want that, too.”

He answered by lifting me onto his lap, where he guided me down onto his dick. A cry left my lips as I sank down on him, fully impaled by his hot thickness.

With our lips fused to one another, we kissed, tongues tangling and hands all over one another.

Water sloshed over the side of the tub as we picked up our pace, Ethan pushing upward into me hard and deep, each thrust sending me deeper into orbit until I was calling his name and clenching around his length, the pleasure racing through my body.

“Fuck, that’s good, baby,” he rasped, breathless. “So fucking good. Tell me you like it.”

“Mm, I like it,” I choked out. “Please.”

“Please, what?” A deep thrust sent my nails sinking into his back.

“I want more,” I whimpered.

“I’ll give you the world, baby.” He pushed upward harder. Faster. Bubbly waves slammed around us from our movements until we clung to one another, crying out our releases.

I slowed my ride before coming to a stop on his lap. Staring into his eyes, I smiled, feeling sated.

“I missed this. You and me.”

He gave me a lazy, contented smile, his eyes filled with exhaustion but so much love.