Page 50 of Surviving the Break
“You’re not going anywhere, Max. And you’re losing precious minutes by thinking that you are. I’m a patient man, but this push and pull ends tonight.”
The sidewalk filled with music as someone came through the doors of the lounge, and traffic could be heard from the highway several meters away. Ash watched me like a hawk. I would need to give him something, even if it wasn’t the truth. “I—”
He held up his hand to stop me. “I’ve changed the rules. You were about to lie to me, and in case you haven’t noticed, you’re no good at it.” He gripped the lapels of my suit and brought me in close. “You are going to turn around and get into my car without a fight, or I will put you in there kicking and screaming.” He released me and repeated, “This. Ends.Tonight.”
20
ASH
We hadn’t spoken a word since driving away from the party. I went straight for the stairs when we entered the penthouse. It went without saying that Max was expected to follow. Our anger formed a sort of static ball in the air that zapped at my skin as I moved. Never in my life had I been so consumed with a need to break someone down to their foundation. It left me afraid to touch him, but I had no problem pushing through my fear.
I would never intentionally withhold a truth from Max, and deep down, he knew this. The fact that I slept with both men and women would have come up eventually; it just hadn’t yet. It wasn’t something I gave special thought to. Thinking back on our many conversations, I was surprised to find that we’d never skated any subjects that directly touched on that. Max avoided discussing his past relationship, and I’d never had a past relationship. And who wanted to talk about their one-night stands?
The man that had stood outside that party tonight ready to disembowel me was a version of Max built on unattended-to pain. That man was a creation of some terrible experience. He’d lashed out like a cornered animal. Eyes alight with a bone-deep, visceral fear. Chilling to glimpse.How can I reach him?I tried to lead with patience. That only escalated his mania. Max needed an anchor. Something to serve as a gravitational force to keep him grounded. Well, I had plans to bring him all the way to ground zero, and we would build from there. It was time to try something different.
Max stood outside the threshold of my bedroom, his hands gripping the wooden doorframe, fingers digging in, watching me with alarm as I removed my clothing.
“Take off your clothes,” I said, my voice unrecognizable. This version of me would give him no quarter.
“Ash…” He trailed off as I stalked toward him shirtless. “What do you think is happening here?” His voice held some bite. That was fine. I could handle bite.
I ripped his tuxedo jacket down his arms, throwing it somewhere to my right. “I’m going to fuck you to take the edge off.” I tore his shirt down the middle. Buttons flew everywhere. “Then I’m going to make love to you until your heart cries. And then you’re going to tell me what happened the day you ran from Kentucky without looking back. I’m being punished for what someone else did, and you’re going to tell me why.” I stepped back to remove my shoes and pants, leaving him to take care of the rest of his clothing.
“I can’t—”
“Oh, you can, and you will, Max.” Naked and immovable, I let him take in the angriest part of me. Max was in for a long night. “And I will know if you’re lying because it’s the one thing you’re no good at.” I walked into the closet to gather a few things before stepping back into the room. “Do you need help removing the rest of your clothes, Max?”
“Is that cock ring for me?” He toed off his shoes and slipped out of his trousers. He wore nothing underneath and the swelling of his dick was in opposition to the reluctance in his voice.
“No. You can come as many times as you’d like. It’s for me,” I said. He watched me attach it to myself. There was no telling how long it would take to break Max. I needed to last all night if necessary. Already worked up due to denying myself an orgasm earlier, I felt sorry for what was waiting for him once the cock ring came off. He chewed at his lip, eyes bouncing around the room. I sighed, brought my shoulders down a notch, and raised a palm toward him.Take my hand. I’ve got you.His warm palm met mine, and I sealed my fingers around his.
I fucked Max on his knees, hands tied to the headboard, blindfold covering his eyes. I flipped him over and fucked him on his back. I fucked him on my lap, his tied hands behind my neck. On his side, on the floor, against the door. I brought in Christmas fucking him.
I fucked him when he was hard, when he was soft, and when he was in between.
I rode his cock while my vibrator took his ass. I laid him on the rug so I could change the sweat and cum-soaked sheets. And then I fucked him some more. I fucked him until he begged for it to stop. I fucked him until he cried.
I refused to stop sucking his cock even when he could no longer hold an erection. I was determined, but so was he. He would not surrender.
It was the wee hours of the morning when I sat back on my calves and stared down at him. His head lolled to the side, and his legs hung lifelessly akimbo.
I reached over him and removed the blindfold. I untied his wrists, then removed my cock ring. This had to end. The room reeked of sex and tears. He watched me with red, puffy eyes, breathing heavily through his exhaustion. I came down on top of him and wrapped his legs around my middle before entering him slowly. I purposely angled myself to brush against his gland. I wouldn’t last long; this was my last attempt.
“Ughhh...Ash, please…”
“Shh, shh.” I kissed his forehead and pumped into him at a leisurely pace. “It’s almost over.” I kissed his lips. “Max?” I said soothingly.
“Yes?” he answered through chapped lips.
“Is your old life going to cost you your new one?” I needed him to understand what was at stake. And it wasn’t only about his relationship with me. This was about hislife.
Max shook his head, his eyes welling up again. “I...I…have so much...doubt.” His voice hitched.
“Hayden may have planted that seed, but it’s you who continues to water it,” I said. His eyes widened at my use of Hayden’s name. “You call out to him in your sleep sometimes.”
“Oh, God.” His tears tipped over the edge. He closed his eyes to hide his embarrassment.
“Look at me.” I jostled his head. “It won’t get better on its own, Max.”
