I can’t believe that I admitted that.
“It was, uhm, definitely something else.” He snickers.
“I agree.”
Haden does exactly what I want him to do. He distracts me for a good two hours. It isn’t until he’s saying his goodbyes that everything comes rushing back into my head.
“Text or call me so we can do this again, babe,” he murmurs into my hair as we hug goodbye.
I squeeze him tighter before I let him go, and he walks off.
“Tell your father I said hello.” I say as I wave goodbye.
I watch him open the door and go thru it, and before it shuts, Shadow saunters through.
“What the fuck is goin’ on with you, Tea? Huh? Because one minute, you’re fuckin’ me, and the next, you’re dating your ex again?” he whoops loudly. “Was all your interest in kink all a goddamn lie? Did you do that to get to me? Because from where I’m fuckin’ standing, that is exactly what the fuck your ass did!”
I remain rooted to the spot where Haden left me when I stood and embraced him. I haven’t even had the chance to sit back down before Shadow came out here yelling at me. I think I’m more alarmed than anything else. With his shades rested on top of his head, his dark, coal black eyes glare at me.
Shadow is making it extra hard for me to understand what it is that he wants from me. I thought leaving him alone that morning was what he wanted, but his shocking gaze makes me think that maybe I was wrong. I hope I was wrong.
“You let that motherfucker fuck you in the bathroom right after I fucked you!”
I suck my lips in as I try to hold back my laughter. He really fell for it. It actually worked.
“What the fuck is so goddamn, fuckin’ funny?”
I look away from him, pick up the mess from lunch, and carry it over to the trashcan without saying another word to him.
“Shit, Tea! I wanted to give us a shot! But now fuck it. Fuck all of it!”
What? I flip around with what has to be the most confused expression I have ever made laced across my face.
“Shadow… I don’t understand. I thought you were going to brush me off the other morning. I didn’t…,” I trail off before telling him the truth. “Haden and I didn’t have sex in the bathroom. I had him bite me to piss you off. To make you think that we did.”
He grabs at the sides of his head in frustration. “I fuckin’ can’t believe you!” Shadow drops his hands from his head and stalks towards me. He seizes my elbows as he pushes me towards the bench of the picnic table.
“Bend the fuck over, Tea. I’m so angry that I need, no, I have to fuckin’ spank you while my dick tears into your pussy,” he growls.
With sheer force, he presses into my back with his palm and bends me over, and my hands slap down onto the wooden bench. I try to peek behind me to gauge his mood, but the wind sweeps into the courtyard and blows my hair over my eyes.
One large, callused hand drags my shorts and underwear down to my ankles as the other slaps down onto my bare ass.
“The crimson marks I left on your ass are fading. I think I need to smack it a lot harder.” He bends down to my ear and drawls in that sexy southern voice. His hand comes down again. The slaps echo throughout the courtyard as he repeatedly whacks my ass.
“Do we have an understanding now, darlin’? Are you goin’ to seek out others to fuck you?”
Oh, god. The sting of the slaps on my ass burn. I shake my head back and forth to say, “No,” as I moan in pleasure.
“You on birth control?”
I’ve been on birth control since I was a teenager to help with the curse of cramps, but I can’t tell him that, so I nod my head yes.
His phone ringing interrupts us before he can drive into me.
“Fuck!”
Yeah, I agree with that. Let’s do this. But I don’t get what I want. He stops and moves away from me with aggravated hesitation.
“Shadow,” he barks into his phone. Whoever it is that answers has him quickly moving. He lifts me to a standing position, and then bends down to pull my clothing up as he listens intently. When I am dressed, he tucks himself back into his jeans.
“Are you fuckin’ serious?” he booms. “Danick, I don’t know what to say, man. It’s been years. Are you sure?”
Shadow’s head bobs up and down as he tunes into the conversation. His hand goes to his sunglasses and drags them down over his pensive eyes.
When I move, it draws him from the call for a moment. “You need to find ZZ. Something went wrong at the hospital last night with Winter. I’d tell you, but…” He gestures his hand to this phone.
I mouth the word okay as I walk to the door and into the live-in building in search of answers. My gut tosses around as I think of the worst possible outcome of what has happened.