“Yeah, I’m alright.” She yawns as her shirt falls to the floor, her tits directly in my face. Blood rushes straight to my cock, and I have to work to get my mind on something else. Charley sleeps in the nude, which I learned last time she stayed the night. It took her a few times to admit it, finally. The girl struggles to sleep when she’s clothed and I struggle to keep my hands off her when her perfect body is laying naked next to mine, but I’m learning.

I hook my thumbs in the band of her pants and wriggle them down from her waist. She steps out of them, one lazy leg at a time. When she’s fully naked before me, I can no longer resist the urge to pull her in and press my face to her breastbone. I inhale her sweet scent. I still haven’t figured out what it is, but I know I can’t get enough. Must be detergent and her soap. She’s not one to focus on makeup and much girly stuff, but she always smells amazing. I’ve never even seen her use perfume. Today, however, she smells like coconut tanning oil.

She sighs, raking her fingers through my hair. “Do you want to talk about it?” I mutter against her silky skin.

“Not really. Just a nightmare. You’re not the only one with demons. I don’t think my parents committed near the sins that your father did, but they certainly didn’t make it easy to live with them.”

Anger drenches me in a nasty river of sorrow, for her past and for mine.

“I’m sorry you had to endure that. It pisses me off you had to and I wish I could take it all away.” I lean my head back to meet her eyes. They’re shining with tears, distorting the usual sharpness of her hazel gemstones that I love so much. “Don’t cry, gorgeous. They’re not worth our tears. We never have to go through it again.”

The shuddering breath she takes breaks my heart. “The nightmares feel so real, though. Do you know that I still go visit my mother in prison? I started as soon as I got my license.”

“Why do you go?” I ask because I can’t even begin to understand why she would want to. If my father were still alive and I ever saw him, I’d kill him all over again. No way in hell would I sit in his presence or give him the satisfaction of seeing me.

“Because I guess I hope that one day she’ll actually apologize.”

“Charley, damn.”

“I know, it’s fucking stupid, as if her apology could actually change anything. She just stares at me, won’t even talk to me, like she’s had a mental break or something. There is nothing behind her eyes and I guess I just hope that one day she’ll wake up and realize she needs medication or something and she can change. Like maybe the past was just a fluke and not her fault.”

“But you have your parents. They seem great.” She cocks her head, surprised that I would think so. Can’t say I’m not surprised as well, but I know they support her like she deserves.

“They are. I mean, I have everything I ever could need. They shower me with love, but I don’t feel that connection to them. I’ve always felt like I’m on my own. Somehow, when I’m with my biological mother, it feels different, like something in her calls to me the way it does with Kai. My darkness connects with her in the same way it does with you. Like there is something but we can’t quite figure it out.”

“Darkness knows darkness,” I mutter. Her nod is almost imperceptible, and she looks away, blinking.

She swallows, taking a second to collect herself in silence. “And don’t get me wrong, being rich has its perks, but I know what goes on behind the scenes in large corporations and I just don’t fit in.”

“Now that’s not news to me. It’s obvious you don’t come from this society.” I sweep her hair back from her face, dragging pieces that stick to her damp cheeks. Her warm body in my hold is all I will ever need. She molds to me. No matter how we are touching, it’s like she’s meant to be there. “When was the last time you saw her?”

“The beginning of summer. She was even less communicative then. I haven’t been able to get myself to go back.”

“Maybe that’s for the better. Maybe you’re just torturing yourself. What does Kai think?”

“He refuses to go. Wants nothing to do with her.”

“That makes sense. I’d go with you if you wanted to go.”

“Thank you, but it’s probably something I should stop. I need to let go of that part of my life. There are so many good things going on.” She cups my cheeks in the way I love and peers into my eyes. She’s talking about me and instead of arguing and telling her I’m no good for her, I let it sink in. Someone wants me. Someone who I have a feeling is going to insist on being around for a long time considering she goes to see her abusive mother in jail after having what appears to be a near perfect life. I understand Charley more now and why she wouldn’t leave me alone.

“Okay. Let’s get some sleep. I want you in my arms.”

“I am in your arms, dork.”

“Yeah.” I pull her face towards me so I can kiss her. “But it’s more fun to think of you in my bed where I can feel all of you.”

“You’re so full of it.” She kisses me on the lips, then the forehead. Slipping her fingers through my hair once more, she drops on her knees, one on either side of me. With her direction, I fall back, Charley naked on top of me. She crawls up my body until she straddles my face, placing her pussy within my reach. I let out a husky groan and inhale her arousal. Fuck, she’s so sweet I want to lick every fucking inch of her.

When she drops and gives me that hot pussy, I lick straight up the center. A sigh filled with desire falls from her mouth as she rides my face.

“You’llbe full ofmehere in a minute,” I growl against her.

CHAPTER19

RIGGS

“Fucking hit me harder,bro. Stop acting like a pussy and just do it already.”