Page 41 of Shattered

“Uh, no, it wasn’t.Not for a while.You were always questioning everything I did.But I never let you get away with it, not once, which is probably why we argued like we did.Come to think of it, you still do have your challenging ways about you.But I’ve learned when to pick my battles.It’s simply easier on everyone.”They were lost in each other, a silent message passing between them before they turned their eyes back onto their guests.

“Sounds familiar,” I blurted before I could stop my mouth from moving.Alek turned to face me, wondering where the hell that came from.I bit my lower lip and laughed, seeing as I didn’t know what else to do.

“Do tell, Sara,” Adara prompted.

“Yeah, do tell,” Alek chimed in.His smile gave me comfort, allowing me the freedom to speak my mind freely.

“Well, what I meant was Alek does the same thing to me, challenging my independence.”

I was going to explain further, but of course he had to put his two cents in and explain.“No, I don’t challenge your independence. I encourage it, just not when your safety is involved, which happens to be a lot of the time.”

Refusing to indulge his crazy, redundant statement, I chose to focus all of my attention back on Adara.“Yeah, well, I haven’t learned to pick my battles yet, Adara.Hopefully, soon.”

“Hopefully,” Alek added.

I shook my head and smirked.I was relieved I could talk freely with his friends.Luckily, Adara and I were forming a bond.We could relate to each other in the sense we both had men in our lives we couldn’t imagine being without, but who tested us every step of the way.

We said our goodbyes a little while later, thanking them again for such a wonderful evening.Before Alek opened the car door for me, he turned me around and crushed me to his massive frame.He looked into my eyes for some of the longest seconds before descending to claim me.He asked for permission to enter my mouth with the tantalizing flick of his warm tongue on my lower lip, and I was only too happy to oblige.But our entanglement ended as quickly as it started when Kael yelled from the front entrance of his home for us to get a room.

We both laughed and took it as our cue to continue in private.

~20~

Alek

We went back to my place afterwards, talking about what a good time we had with my dear friends.It was the perfect ending to the enjoyable evening.

Settling in for the night, we snuggled close on the couch, the flames from the roaring fire dancing in front of us.Entertaining us.

To say I was living the dream would be an understatement.I’d finally met the woman I was destined for.Even though we’d had some hurdles to overcome, I wouldn’t change a damn thing.Sara meant the world to me, and I would do everything in my power to make sure she was happy.Not only with us but with life in general.It was my job to ensure not only her safety but her pleasure, as well.

It was my own personal mission to make sure my woman was satisfied, in all aspects of life.

I cradled her body from behind, the curve of her ass already exciting me.My cock thickened the more she wriggled around, trying to get a little more comfortable. I knew she felt me because she pushed herself against me.Groaning into her ear, my breath cascaded over her flushed skin.She squirmed a little more and as I put my hand on her waist to pull her hard against me, she chose a topic which killed the mood immediately.

“Alek, what happened to your sister?”She held her breath in anticipation of my answer.She didn’t think I noticed, but I did. Her body tensed as soon as the last word left her lips.

Why now?

I didn’t respond at first, still dueling with myself as to what I should or evenwantedto say.I couldn’t ignore her questions forever, but was I ready to delve into it right then?

Finally, I decided to give her something.

“She died.”Knowing my response was obvious, I waited for her to press me further.

“I know.You mentioned it once.”Sara took a deep breath before asking, “How did she die?”

More silence.

If I was going to finally have this conversation with her, I had to prepare myself.I leaned in and kissed the crown of her head before rising from the couch.

I needed a damn drink.

Slowly walking toward the corner of the room, I poured myself a stiff one.The dark liquid goaded me, threatening to tell all my secrets if I consumed too much.Putting the top back on the decanter, I walked away with only a small amount of liquor in my glass, knowing too well I’d fall prey to the seduction of too much alcohol if I didn’t control myself.Normally, I didn’t have a problem.But talking about my sister, although a rare occasion, always put me overboard.I drank to excess if I lived in the past.

I had to be careful.

Thankfully, Sara was looking on with genuine concern for me.

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