Page 39 of The Final Beat

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, you do deserve it.” Leaning in, I looked him directly in the eye. “He was your dad, whether he abandoned you or not.”

“Exactly, he fucked off when I was a kid, so why should I give a damn if he’s dead or not?”

The torment he was feeling was palpable as he curled his lip in disgust and tears brimmed at his eyelashes. His heart was broken but his blood was lava hot with anger. Even my cold, dead heart felt for him.

“Whatever you’re feeling, Joe, is okay, you know. Good or bad doesn’t exist in a situation like this.” I took both his hands and pulled on them, urging him to look at me. “You don’t know how you should be feeling, what you should do with the turmoil that’s battling inside of you.”

“I don’t get it, Daisy. I want to hate him.” He drew in a tattered breath. “Idohate him but my heart fucking hurts.”

The dam was broken, and tears began to roll down Joey’s cheeks as he dropped his forehead to rest against mine. His chest rose and fell slowly in the silence as grief and anger consumed him.

“What do you want to do?” I finally asked.

“When?”

“Now? Over the next few days?” I pulled my head back from his and took hold of his chin, forcing him to look at me. “When’s the funeral? Do you want to go?”

“He’s being buried on Wednesday.”

“Three days?”

Joey shrugged. “They’re quick over there.”

“You can get there and back easily if you want to go. The flight to Dublin isn’t until Friday afternoon,” I told him, gently wiping the sticky wetness from his cheeks. “You have plenty of time.”

He shook his head. “No. I’m not going.”

“You don’t have to decide now.” I cradled his cheek, aware that it was the most we’d ever touched outside of a bed. “You could sleep on it.”

“Yeah,” he replied with a sigh. “I suppose I could.”

“What do you want to do now? You want me to leave you alone or call the guys for you? Or Ali?

“No. I don’t. I do want something, though.”

“What’s that then?”

His hand went to the back of my head, and he yanked me closer, kissing me deeply, slipping his tongue in. His thumb brushed over my nipple and instantly my back arched. Already the sensations were building.

“I think you can guess,” he said against the shell of my ear.

“I think I can,” I breathed out as rough fingertips touched the skin at my waist.

“What I want,” he gritted out, “is to lick your beautiful pussy, from front to back and then I’m going to fuck you. And do you know where I’m going to do all of that?” His voice was low and dark, like he was giving me a warning.

“Where?” It was a cry more than a word as Joey pushed his hand up my bra. I knew what he was doing, creating a diversion for himself, but I didn’t care.

“I’ll tell you.” He pinched my nipple, sending a shockwave straight between my legs. “On top of this piano.” He slammed a hand down on the keys sending a crescendo of notes echoing around the room. “Then when you’re screaming out your orgasm. I’m going to come all over your tits. How does that sound?”

My breathing was heavy, and I could barely say the words, so I nodded as I gasped a ‘yes’. Then Joey did exactly as he’d promised, and all his other worries were forgotten as we got lost in each other. As for me, I couldn’t help but be glad thatI’dbeen the one to distract him.

CHAPTER 19

JOEY

Sitting at my breakfast bar, I stared down at my phone, specifically the call list. At the top was the name Cosima. It had been the call I’d been dreading and yet yearned for at the same time. I’d been expecting it, but my heart still thudded with the weight of a brick to the bottom of my stomach.

Sighing, I turned my head and looked across the open plan space towards the hallway that led to the bedrooms. Destiny was taking a shower after our piano sex session. She needed it, seeing as I’d fulfilled my promise of coming all over her tits.

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