Page 43 of Risks

Our mouths collide again, and we stumbleto the bed, collapsing with him between my thighs.

A ball of relief explodes inside mewhen he buries his hard cock in my pussy.

“Uhh…” I drag my fingers up and downhis back, tightening my legs around him as he fucks me hard.

Savage grunts saturate theapartment.

Varen plunges into me so profoundly thatmy breath hitches. I close my eyes and surrender to the rush of ecstasy, sweepingaway the heartache for now.

His groans amplify along with mineas both our bodies begin to tense up.

He slams his tongue into my mouth,and we absorb each other’s release while quivering from the molten-likepleasure emitting between us.

As it slowly descends, I gaze intohis mesmerizing eyes, breathless as I tell him, “I love you, Varen.”

“I love you too, Toya.” He lowersfor another kiss, this one long and as passionate as ever, before leaving me inthe bed to put on his clothes.

I let my eyes close when Varen walksout the door, and I welcome the sleep pulling me under.

20

I had every intention of rushingback to Toya after work. But Dad crosses my mind the second I hop into my car,and I recall Alison’s text that he still hasn’t been to the house. I’m worriedabout him.

Instead of the apartment, I continuedowntown towards Dad’s real estate office.

Exiting on the tenth floor, I find thereceptionist gathering her stuff to leave for the evening. She flashes apartial smile before walking past me to the elevators.

I observe Dad through the glasspanel, sitting on the couch with his hands on his head. He appears weighed downby a hundred invisible bricks.

After a sharp breath, I mosey overand tap on the opened door. My level of concern mounts when he looks up.

“Varen, hey.” Even his voice sounds lifeless.Misery isn’t quite the word to aptly describe the image before me. Dark shadowshave taken residence under his dull ashen-gray eyes. His shirt is crumpled, sleevesrolled up. He’s usually more put together than this.

“Hey, Dad.” I enter the room. “Iwanted to check on you. Ali said you haven’t been home since you left the othernight.”

He drops his sad gaze to the carpet,clasping his hands before him. “Staying at a hotel. I just...” He huffs and brushesover his graying hair. “I don’t know what to say to Lisa. She’s been calling,but I can’t answer.”

I lower into the chair across fromhim.

“How’s Toya?” he asks. “I’m sureshe’s heartbroken, huh.”

“Yeah. She met with her fatherearlier. He told her what happened with Lisa.”

He cuts his eyes to thefloor-to-ceiling window, staring at downtown Baltimore. “Losing your mom wasthe most painful thing. I never thought I’d love again—never even dared toconsider it. When I met Lisa, something came to life inside. She took my breathaway.” He straightens and walks to the window, sticking his hands in hispockets. “It hurts knowing what she did to Toya. I don’t understand how thewoman I married could do such a thing. Was she even real? Did I fall for a lieas well?”

My shoulders slump. I feel so badfor him. “Dad, are you going to leave her?”

He slants, expression bleak. “Idon’t want to end my marriage. I just… I honestly don’t know what to do.”

“We’re all in that state right now.”

I park in my spot on the drivewayand get out, stalling when I glimpse Lisa across the street exiting hercar.

She hastens over, pulling her jackettight.

Remorse blankets her face as shestops before me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.Shouldn’t have mentioned your mother.”

“Okay.”

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