Broken Dreams(152)

Claire’s eyes rolled as she reached her peak and drenched Nick in her silky moisture. He watched her face as she enjoyed her moment. It thrilled him that he could make her feel so good. He began kissing her again and worked one long stroke at a time.

“Oh, fuuuuck…,” he groaned in pure pleasure. He braced himself above her, ready for his moment.

With his eyes closed, Nick held his upper body up high and pounded his hips into her. Suddenly, he stopped moving and breathing. Then he dropped his head, and his body shuddered from head to toe. He inhaled sharply.

He moaned her name as he filled her, pulsing a few more times before he collapsed onto her. He lay on top of her for a minute, trying to catch his breath. She smiled, rubbing his back with her fingertips.

They laid there, quiet and still, entangled in one another’s arms. That was the most relaxed Claire had felt in such a long time. She felt safe in Nick’s arms, even if he was only partially alive.

The darkness of the night crept in. While looking into her eyes, Nick drifted off to sleep. Claire laid there, listening to him sleep, enjoying every moment.

She wasn’t ready to sleep yet, even though she knew she should, but Sophie, Thomas, and she would be traveling back to Henry’s apartment soon. Claire carefully untangled herself from Nick’s lean, muscled arms. She covered him up, then dressed.

Before she left the room, she looked back at him in his quiet slumber, and smiled. She felt at peace with what they did. She felt the love for him build inside of her. She knew that he would be all she ever wanted.





Chapter 24





I





lay in my bed, and I could hear a string of obscenities coming from both Henry and Sophie as they cut out the tracking devices. I saw Claire walk past my door, and she saw me lying there.

“What’s going on down there?”

“They’re cutting the tracking devices out.”

“Maybe I should go down there and see if I can help in any way.”

I shrugged. “Yeah, probably. Where’s Nick?” I asked.

“Oh. He fell asleep. Are you alright?” Claire seemed a little nervous. I narrowed my eyes at her. I had a feeling that they had sex. I parked that thought for the moment.

“Yeah. I’m just feeling so bad for Henry. He’s gone through so much. I surely hope what Kellan said about Henry’s mother was not true. It breaks my heart. How could a mother do that to her son?”

“It’s awful.” Claire sounded sad, as well.

I needed to change the subject before I started crying again. “Claire, what’s going on between you and Nick?” She shrugged her shoulders, and walked out of the room. I knew it.

I laid there for a moment, thinking about Henry’s situation, thinking about Nick and Claire, thinking about Sophie’s children. I was spent. I felt the night taking me in so I curled up into a ball and drifted off to dreamland.





Henry padded into the dark bedroom. He was glad to hear Elaina’s soft, deep breathing, considering as he had no energy to even say hello, let alone talk about anything. He especially didn’t want to talk about what happened with Kellan.

After setting down a bottle of whiskey that he found while rummaging through the cabinets in the kitchen, he tugged off his t-shirt and stripped out of his pants. Quietly, and with extra care so he didn’t wake her up, Henry crawled into bed next to the love of his life. After exhaling at length, he resisted the urge to touch her. He wanted her, but he wanted her to get some rest, as well.

Henry put his arms behind his head on the pillow and stared into the blackness. Memories of his past started rolling in. He sat up and grabbed the bottle, took a few long pulls, and set it back down on the floor next to the bed. He figured if his brain was going to reminisce about the good ol’ days, he was going to do it with one of his best friends, Mr. Walker.

The first memory that came roaring through his mind was of the last time he remembered seeing his mother alive.



-May 1991-



He was sitting on the threadbare throw rug at the end of the couch.

“Mummy, thank you! I love it.” Luke held up his new car that his mother bought him for his fifth birthday.

“You are very welcome, my beautiful boy.” She smiled at him while she cleaned up the kitchen. She had baked him a cake. Her silky brown hair was loosely tied back, and her tattered apron covered her worn clothing.

The side door slammed open. His mother screamed. A man that Luke only remembered seeing a few times ran over and grabbed him by the arm, dragging him toward the door.

“No! You leave him alone!” His mother came at the man.

“He’s a whiny, little fucking prat! He needs to be turned into a man!” the man screamed while Luke flailed around, trying to escape his harsh grip.