Page 19 of Behind the Mask

The woman in my arms was the woman I was destined to be with. I knew it when we were younger, and I knew it now. My only regret was not fighting for her. I should have looked for her, I should have tried harder. But I was too weak. She broke me. I knew it was crazy for me to come back to her willingly after she hurt me, but she sacrificed her happiness so she could protect me. Shethoughtshe was protecting me.

Her blonde locks were fanned over my chest as her naked body rested next to me. The scars on her back were more noticeable now that I could see them clearly, and it made me cringe knowing that she suffered.

She was an angel. A strong but broken angel. She had been through so much and yet; she was still a fighter. She still had that feisty spark buried deep inside her, one that made me attached to her from the very beginning.

My grip tightened at the thought of losing her. Vanessa had to be lying. There was no possible way she could be pregnant. When she told me, I made sure she set up an appointment with the doctor so I could be sure she was telling the truth. I had already planned on coming back to Galena as soon as I could, especially since Olivia hadn't been returning my calls and texts, but after I found out Vanessa was pregnant, I couldn't think about being anywhere but in Olivia's arms.

It made me physically ill thinking about raising a child with Vanessa. It was a drastic change to when we first arrived. At the time, I was ready to start a life with her. To get married, buy a house and have a baby. Recently, all that changed. Vanessa was a void I didn't know needed to be filled.

I was a dick. I knew it, the whole world knew it. Vanessa had every right to hate me. I didn't blame her. Maybe, I never really loved her. There was a possibility that I just loved the idea of her.

The fact that she was a friend when I needed one. I guess I took the easy way out. I saw Vanessa as someone I could settle down with, someone safe. Not someone that stole my breath away from just one look. Not someone that ignited a fire in me with just one touch. I never had that with Vanessa. Our relationship was like vanilla icing. It was plain and safe.

At the time though, I was happy. I was content. But being back here in Galena with Olivia made me realize how wrong I'd been. Not only that but after finding out Vanessa lied to me, I felt as though I had dodged a bullet. Granted, Olivia lied to me as well, but Vanessa knew that Olivia was raped and didn't bother to tell me. That still didn't sit right with me. There was no way she could know something like that. Unless she either knew the person who did it, or she had lied about living in Dallas her whole life.

I knew she kept it from me for a reason. If I would have known, I would have come straight back here to get answers.

Olivia stirred and moved her head to the crook of my neck, burying her face so I couldn't see her. She always did that when she first woke up, I never knew the reason why, but it always turned me on feeling her warm breath against my neck.

I removed my arm and maneuvered myself so I was hovering over her. Those beautiful hazel eyes were wide, and her cherry lips were parted waiting for me to claim them as my own. The memories from last night entered my mind. The way I held her, the way I touched her, the way she claimed me as hers once again. I placed a kiss on the tip of her nose as my fingers traced the tip of her mouth. My erection was pressed firmly against her core. I slowly thrusted my hips into her, making her moan out against me.

"Axel..." She groaned as I gently placed kiss after kiss along her soft body. I lived for it. I lived for her. She made me feel alive, at ease and at peace.

I removed the sheet from her naked body and let my lips roam over her chest. I grasped her breast in my hand and sucked her nipple in between my teeth, nibbling as I went. I didn't care that I was supposed to be meeting Vanessa in an hour, and I didn't care that we shouldn't be doing this. It was wrong, but it felt so damn right. Her back arched as she gave me more access, and God, she would be the death of me.

Her fingers intertwined in my hair bringing my face up to meet hers. She was breathing heavily, her hazel eyes full of lust. "Fuck me, Axel."

As if I wasn't already turned on, those three little words set a fire in me. She wanted a fuck, I'd give her one. I placed her legs on my shoulders and aligned myself at her entrance. I looked into her gaze and hesitated. "Axel, please..."

I leaned back. My lips tilted. "Please what, baby?"

"I need you. Now."

I chuckled when I heard the warning in her tone. She was feisty in the sack, and it was a quality that no one else had. She could leave me hardened for weeks if she wanted to. I used my strength to raise her hips so her pussy was lined up against my mouth. Her core was dripping wet, telling me she was ready for total domination. She yelled out as my tongue licked her sweet wetness, and her hands tightened in my hair when I pushed my mouth fully into her. She was perfect, and she was made for me.

Having enough, I released her so she fell down to line up with my dick. Once her eyes closed shut, I slammed into her. She cried out, but not from pain. Earth-shattering ecstasy surrounded us. It felt so fucking good, that I wanted more. I sunk in, deeper, and then I began to thrust. In and out. Taking in every inch of her dripping wet core. I couldn't get enough of her. I craved her like my last breath.

I pushed her legs down and claimed her lips with my own, tangling my tongue with hers. She fought me for dominance, but I won. Just like I always did. I grabbed her arms and lifted them above her head, exposing her breasts as they bounced up and down the more I thrusted into her. I clenched my jaw shut to keep myself under control. I knew I was unraveling. I was ready to empty into her.

"Fuck! Please tell me you're close baby. I need to come."

She frantically nodded her head and as soon as I felt her core tighten around me, I let go. I leaned my head against hers and focused on my breathing. My heart rate had spiked and I was trying to get my breathing to return to normal. I swallowed, but my throat was dry. I needed water. I was about to slide out and climb off her when I saw tears. "What's wrong?"

She pushed me back, and I removed myself to sit beside her. She rose to her feet. My brows turned inward when she began to wear a hole in the rug. "I need to tell you something and it can't wait anymore."

"Okay..." I said hesitantly as I reached for her, but she flinched.

I grabbed the nape of my neck. Something was wrong and I didn't know what it was. A knot settled in the pit of my stomach. She wrapped her arms around her naked chest, which made her breasts move up, awakening my dick as though it had just woken from a deep sleep.Get your head out of the gutter, Axel.

I shook my head to clear my dirty thoughts and went to her. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Her hazel eyes met mine and I could see pain and fear. I hated seeing her broken, and I hated that someone took advantage of my girl.

"I've kept something from you, Axel. Something I don't think you'll ever forgive me for." My eyes narrowed as I took a step forward.What was it with the women in my life keeping secrets from me?

I tilted my head and studied her. She was scared of my reaction; she was afraid she'd lose me again. I took another step forward; she took one back. She held up her hand to keep me from moving any further.

"When I was..." She struggled to get out but cleared her throat and tried again. "When I was raped, I was pregnant."

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