Page 8 of Behind the Mask

His lips left mine and made a pathway down the base of my throat, as he slipped my shirt down my shoulder to gain more access. His heated touch erased every horrible memory, and every mistake after.

Axel turned me around and bent me over the bench. I sucked in a sharp breath and closed my eyes when I heard his belt buckle unclasp. I was in such a deep state of euphoria that I couldn’t tell wrong from right. The only anticipation I had was having him inside me after so long.

In the darkest pits of my mind, alarm bells went off, but to my better judgment, I ignored them. His jeans dropped to the ground, and suddenly his fingers traced the outline of my shorts. I shivered and felt the breeze that had been long forgotten whisper against my skin. He moved my shorts and underwear to the side and immediately after, he pushed inside. My fingers grasped onto the bench, while he took hold of my hips. A breathy moan escaped my lips as he began to thrust.

"How does it feel to have my dick inside of you, huh?” Axel’s voice had a hardened edge to it, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. As the slapping sounds of our bodies increased, so did my desire for him.

He groaned from behind me. “Fuck, you feel just as good as I remembered."

Silent tears fell down my face but not from pain. I realized as he fucked me, that it would probably be the last time. I would no longer feel his hot breath on my back as he thrust from behind, I wouldn’t be able to feel his strong hands as they caressed my breasts. And I would no longer be able to feel his lips worship my body. A deep ache settled in my chest knowing that he belonged to another. But, for a single moment, he was mine, once again. I pushed the heavy thoughts to the back of my mind and enjoyed his body against mine. One last memory for the both of us.

His dick began to twitch. Before I could blink, we were both coming down from our earth-shattering orgasms. My face was heated, my hair was a mess, my heart was broken, but I had never been as whole as I did when I was with him. When he slid out and pulled away, I stood and fixed my clothes. When I turned around, my breath caught. He already had his pants and belt pulled back in place, but as he raked a hand through his hair, I thought about what we had just done. His gaze met mine, and while I expected anger, his face was just… somber.

We stood in silence, just looking into each other’s gaze, while internally battling with ourselves. I figured we both had the same thought.

Vanessa. While I particularly didn’t care for her, I knew he did. And what we did, was considered the highest form of betrayal. A chill seeped through me, and I rubbed my bare arms. I had no idea where the jacket he had given me earlier disappeared to.

“Maybe we should head back?” I yawned and rubbed my tired eyes.

Axel nodded and headed back to the truck without another word. I followed silently behind. The drive home was quiet except for the country station that played. After everything, I still had no clue what to say to him. As he dropped me off, I knew soon my secrets would come to light.

Chapter Seven

Olivia

From the bay window, I watched the sun rise high above the clouds and take its place in the sky. It was peaceful and it gave hope that there was still beauty in this darkened world. When I got home last night, I couldn’t sleep. My encounter with Axel had my mind spinning in circles. I desperately wanted him to feel something from it, but I knew that was asking a lot, especially with our history. He moved on. He had a beautiful fiancé, a great career, and I'm sure they had a great life in Texas.

Last night was one last hurrah for him, one final thing to move on. I knew he wouldn't come back around unless he still wanted answers, and I guess last night was my time to mourn for him and what we had.

I was going to start fresh, and the first thing on my list…job hunting. While I was away, I had kept in touch with Lindsey, my best friend from high school who owned a bar. She was going to let me pick up a few shifts here and there until I could find something more permanent.

I sighed and ran a hand through my tangles, deciding it was time to get dressed. I quickly stripped out of my clothes and got in the shower, letting the hot water cascade down my body. I loved the hot water more than anything in the world, and it was a luxury I hoped would never disappear. When I was done, I got dressed and headed downstairs and heard the faint sounds of voices coming from the kitchen. Mom and Dad were sitting at the table drinking coffee and reading the paper. Surprisingly with today's technology, they still had a morning paper that was delivered at the house every day.

Mom looked up and gave me a heartwarming smile. "Morning, dear. How did you sleep?"

I shrugged and grabbed a coffee mug from the cabinet. The Keurig was still warm, so I lifted the lid and placed a cup of Breakfast Blend in there. I slid my cup under the spout, closed the lid, pressed the eight-ounce button, and then pressed start. I reached for the sugar container and added two spoonfuls. Once the coffee was done, I placed the spoon in it and started stirring as I went to sit at the table alongside them.

Mom raised an eyebrow expectantly, and I’d forgotten to answer her question. I took a sip and sighed. "Okay,” I said much to her distaste.

She placed her phone on the table and gave me her full attention. "What are your plans today?"

"Lindsey and I are going to get breakfast and catch up, then she's going to show me some ropes at the bar… refresh my memory."

"Isn't there another job you could get that doesn't parade you to the damn hormonal men in this town?" Dad snorted.

I rolled my eyes at his comment. No matter how old I was, he still tried to control the things I did. I guess in some way he was just trying to look out for me, but it got very annoying at times. Sometimes I wished I wasn't the only child.

"I'll be fine, Dad.” I placed a hand on his. “I promise." I ignored the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me that it might be more trouble than it's worth.

"Are you still wanting to open that studio of yours?" He asked, as he set the paper down.

I nodded. My lips tilted at the thought. The dream was so close, yet so far away. It was going to take a lot of work, but I was dedicated. Dancing was my passion, and I couldn't wait until I could start working so I could save the last bit of money to finally open it. "Yep. I just have to save up some money for rent. I also need to get my own place, so it'll be a while." I didn’t want to crash my parents’ style for too long. Plus, I needed my own place to feel independent once more. It had been awhile since I’d felt that way.

"Oh honey, take your time. There is no rush to move, you know you're welcome here. Especially after you’ve been gone for so long, we would be happier if you stayed here for a while." Mom’s voice was hopeful, and I immediately felt guilty that I had been gone for so long.

We sat and talked for a while before I received a text saying to meet Lindsey at the café. There was a small café in town that had some of the best food in the world. When we were in high school we would all go there to hangout.

As soon as I pulled up and had gotten out of my car there was a screech, and I automatically knew it was her. Lindsey was my best friend, and she always managed to make me feel so much better. Her arms swung around me and pulled me in close for a hug. Her strawberry scent filled my nose and I smiled realizing how much I had missed her.

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