Forgotten Awakenings (Awakenings #2) (5 page)

The room was filled with the sounds of moans and groans, slurping and whimpering, pleas for more. Elle struggled to keep from grabbing the back of Sadie’s head, afraid that she’d hurt her. Instead, she clutched the side of the couch so tight that her nails were digging into the soft material.

“Cal, I’m close,” Derek warned, and Elle snapped her attention to him, watching as Callum placed his hands on Derek’s chest and took his cock deep into his throat. Derek convulsed as he came, filling Callum’s mouth.

Elle, who’d been struggling to hold off her own orgasm, let go and found herself screaming as she climaxed.

Slumping back against the sofa, Elle watched as Callum crawled over to Sadie. He wrapped her in his arms, his lips coming down against hers. They both moaned, the other tasting the remains of their lovers on each other’s tongues, and it was all Elle could do not to slid her hand down and fill her pussy with her fingers. Especially when Callum released Sadie, shifted her onto her hands and knees, ripped her panties down to the middle of her thighs, and thrust himself into her.

“Oh, fuck!” Sadie cried, her hand slamming down against the floor.

“Do I need to stop?” Callum groaned.

“Don’t you fucking dare!” she seethed, looking over her shoulder at him. “Keep fucking me!”

Callum’s grip on her hips tightened as he set his pace, slow at first before picking up speed. The sound of their bodies smacking against each other’s echoed throughout the room.

It didn’t take long for Sadie to find her release; her hand curling into a fist. Callum thrust a dozen more times before he stilled his hips and filled her, allowing his head to fall backward.

“That was . . .” He blew out a heavy breath as he slipped himself out of her, and Elle wanted to crawl over to him and take his cock into her mouth, but before she could, the doorbell rang.

The four of them paused and looked at each other before they scrambled to their feet and began redressing. A moment later, the doorbell rang again, this time with a sense of urgency that scared Elle.

“Were we expecting company?” Sadie asked, her hand coming up to rest on her belly.

“No,” Callum said, taking a step toward the door.

“Don’t!” Elle whimpered, causing him to look at her. “What if it’s . . .  What if it’s
her
?”

“I don’t think Trixie would announce herself, sweetheart,” Callum scoffed walking over and opening the door.

Derek automatically moved to Elle’s side, sliding his arm around her protectively. When Callum looked back at Elle, Derek, and Sadie, his eyes were huge. “Der.”

“Who is it?” Derek asked, releasing his hold on Elle and walking over to Callum. His hand flew up to his chest as he gasped. “Lucia?”

“Hey, big brother,” the woman whimpered, her voice trickling into the house. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah, yeah; of course.” Derek took a step backward, and a moment later, Lucia walked inside. Sadie and Elle shared a look, before turning to the younger sister of their fiancé.

Black and purple bruising surrounded her right eyes, while her lips were red, shiny, and swollen. There was another bruise along the left side of her jaw, and one disappearing into her hairline on the right side of her forehead. Large handprints wrapped around her neck, and another set on each arm, making it clear that someone had manhandled her — someone who had beaten Lucia.

Five

“Lucia, what the hell happened?” Derek asked as Callum shut the door, causing the fragile woman to flinch.

“Nothing,” she murmured, shifting her eyes away from him.

“Um, clearly something happened,” he snarled, stepping toward her, but when Lucia turned away from him and brought her arms up to protect herself, he stopped. His eyes were wide and full of fear as he looked from Lucia to Elle and Sadie. “Did Dex do this to you?” And when she didn’t reply, he huffed. “Lucia! Did Dex do this to you?”

Slowly, her head bobbed up and down, and Elle shifted her eyes to Derek. They hadn’t met Dex, yet. Lucia had only started seeing him about six months ago, just a few months before Elle had been shot, and Lucia said he hadn’t wanted to make Elle uncomfortable by showing up when the rest of their family had. At the time, Elle hadn’t wanted anyone to be around her, anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal. But now, she was wondering if there had been more to the story than they knew.

“I . . . I can’t talk about it right now,” she whispered, almost pleading with him to let it go.

Sighing, Derek placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. “Fine.”

“Thanks,” she whimpered.

Elle walked over to her, slowly reaching out and placing her hand on her elbow, drawing her attention. “It’s okay; I’ve got you.”

Lucia stared at her for a long moment before subtly nodding and allowing Elle to lead her toward the stairs.

“Elle,” Derek called.

Pausing, she looked over her shoulder at him. “She’s okay. I’ll take care of her.”

Though Elle could tell it bothered him that his sister seemed to trust her more than him, she knew that all he cared about was keeping his sister safe. And right now, in that moment, only Elle understood what Lucia was going through. So while she led the fragile woman upstairs to the guest room, she knew Callum and Sadie would take care of Derek. Right now, Elle needed to be there for Lucia.

Upon entering the guest room, Lucia settled on the corner of the bed, wrapping her arms around her torso, in an attempt to keep herself together. Elle knew how desperate she was to keep the pain locked away inside of her.

“Did you manage to bring anything with you?” Elle asked.

Lucia shifted her eyes up to her as she shook her head. “No, I didn’t have time to grab any of my stuff.”

Elle nodded. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Lucia didn’t reply as Elle turned and walked out of the room. She grabbed one of Derek’s tees and a pair of her pajama pants and took them back to the guest room. Lucia hadn’t moved an inch, still sitting wrapped up in herself.

“They might be too big on you,” Elle said, placing the clothes on the bed. “You’re smaller than me. I can go buy you whatever you need tomorrow. Panties, bras, or whatever.”

“You don’t have to,” she whispered, reaching for the clothes.

“I know I don’t, but I will.”

Lucia hugged the clothes against her chest, but didn’t attempt to stand up.

“This wasn’t the first time Dex hit you, was it?” Elle asked.

Lucia looked up at her with wide, vulnerable eyes. The answer stared back at her long before the “No” spilled from her lips.

“How long has it been going on?”

Lucia shrugged her shoulders. “A few months.”

“Like three?” Elle pressed.

“Around that,” she replied vaguely.

Elle leaned her cane against the bed. “Why did you stay?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “The first time he was so sweet after. He apologized, brought me flowers, said . . . said he loved me. But then, he hit me again, and again. And, I guess, I didn’t know where else to go.” Lucia looked up at Elle. “After he . . . did this . . . I knew I had to leave. None of my friends would have taken me in. They’re more
his
friends than mine. And I couldn’t go to my parents.”

“Why not?” Elle asked.

“Are you serious?” she scoffed. “Pop would probably kill him, and Ma would . . . Well, she’d probably force me to eat, and then tell me that’s what I get for always picking losers.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

“You do?” Lucia asked.

Elle nodded. “A few years ago, I had an ex, who . . . Well, Leo didn’t like who I was, and hit me. I ended things after the first time, and for a while, I thought I was safe, that Leo wasn’t a threat, but then he came after me. He, um, he tried to rape me, and hit me several times. Luckily, someone heard me screaming and stopped him, but afterward, I just . . . I couldn’t tell my parents because they already thought I was fucking up my life.”

“I thought he loved me,” Lucia cried. “He said he did. Said . . . said I made him happy, but how can he love me and then hit me?”

“He can’t,” Elle said, slowly placing her hand on Lucia’s back. The woman began sobbing as she fell against her, wrapping her arms around her waist and laying her head on her chest. “Oh, honey.”

“I’m so tired, Elle,” she wept. “I tried to be strong, tried to fight back, but I failed. I fucking failed!”

“I know.” And somehow managing to scoot them back on the bed, she leaned against the headboard and shifted Lucia so that she was laying with her head on her lap. “Just sleep, and I’ll keep you safe tonight.”

“Don’t leave me,” Lucia mumbled, her words already thick with exhaustion.

Tears flooded Elle’s eyes. “I won’t, honey; I won’t.”

—FA—

Early the next morning, Elle detangled herself from Lucia’s arms and scooted to the edge of the bed. Reaching down, she grabbed her cane from the floor and pulled herself to her feet, stifling a groan. Her body ached from sitting in the same position all night, but every time she tried to make herself more comfortable, Lucia would whimper and Elle just couldn’t bring herself to leave her alone.

Even though she never woke up, the agony that filled Lucia’s face made it clear that she wasn’t sleeping peacefully. Elle did everything she could to ignore the shooting pain in her leg. Lucia needed her, and somehow, Elle knew Derek needed her to be there for his little sister, too.

Elle quietly shuffled across the room, opening the door to the guest room. Derek was leaned against the wall just outside the door with his knees pulled up in front of him. When the door opened, he looked up at Elle and scrambled to his feet.

“Is she okay?” he demanded.

Elle closed the door behind her. “No.”

“Guess that was a stupid question, wasn’t it?”

She nodded. “She’s asleep. She’ll probably be out for a while. The emotional drain afterward can be intense, and her body is going to want to rest.”

Derek’s eyes closed and his jaw tightened. “When I find that son-of-a-bitch —”

“You won’t do anything,” Elle interrupted. Derek started to respond, but she covered his mouth with her hand. “No, you listen to me. Lucia’s fragile right now. The last thing she needs is for you to go gallivanting after this asshole and getting yourself in trouble. She needs us to be strong for her, to show her that we love her, that we’re not going to judge her. If you can’t do that, then you need to stay away from her, Derek.”

“Elle,” he fretted.

“I’m serious, honey,” she said. “Trust me on this one.”

Derek placed his hands on either side of her face. “I love you so much, Elle. You saw what she needed, and you took care of her. I just . . . Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, I guess,” she mumbled. “Sadie was there to hold me when I needed someone. I suppose I needed to be that person for Lucia, to pay it forward or whatever.”

Derek leaned his forehead against hers. “You’re amazing.”

“I’m not,” she disagreed. “I just know what it’s like to be broken.”

He frowned. “I know.”

Elle took a deep breath. “I, um, need a shower.”

“Can I join you?” he murmured, stroking her cheek with his thumbs.

Smiling softly, she nodded. “I wasn’t sure how to ask without sounding needy.”

“I like when you sound needy,” he growled, sweeping her off her feet. Elle squealed, dropped her cane, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ve got you, beautiful.”

Elle’s eyes filled with tears as she nodded, unable to voice the words begging to be said. Instead, she tightened her arms around him and allowed him to carry her into their bedroom, bypassing the bed where Callum and Sadie were laying, watching them, and into the bathroom.

Derek kicked the door closed behind them before placing her on her feet, helping her lean against the vanity. Then, he turned on the water in the shower. Turning back to her, he slipped his hands around her, slowly lowering the zipper on her dress and letting it pool on the floor.

Elle felt the urge to cover up, to hide her body, but before she could, Derek placed his hands on her hips and gripped the sides of her panties. His eyes lifted to hers as he slowly peeled down her legs, tossing them over his shoulder.

Once Derek had his own pants and underwear off, he wrapped his hands around her thighs, being careful with her bad leg, and hoisted her onto the vanity. Elle’s breath caught in her chest when he placed her legs around his waist, opening her to him completely.

“Do you have any idea how much I love your pussy?” he asked, absentmindedly. His fingers toyed with her slit, teasing her.

“No,” she admitted.

“It’s like home,” he murmured. “Sweet and sensual. I dream about tasting you, about burying my dick in your pussy and fucking you.”

“Then why aren’t you?” she whimpered, causing him to look up at her.

“Because I need you to want me in you. To want me to take you, and love you, and just be yours.”

Elle’s lips trembled as she said, “I do.”

“Good.” Derek smiled as he leaned forward and filled her in one, quick motion. They both moaned. “Better than I ever dreamed.”

“M — more . . . Please, I want more,” she stammered.

Derek tightened his grip on her thighs, before he began thrusting in and out of her. Elle struggled to keep herself on the vanity and not push her hips toward him. It’d been too long since she’d allowed herself to be with him like this, so carefree and easy. And she had missed him. Derek had always been a tender lover, knowing exactly what she wanted and giving it to her.

“Are you close?” Derek asked, wrapping one arm around her waist and moving his other hand to her clit, pressing down on it with his thumb.

Elle opened her mouth to respond, but a throaty, whorish moan was all she could get out. Her body trembled as her climax washed over her.

Derek’s mouth found purchase on hers as he thrust over and over, allowing her to ride out her orgasm before he gave in to his own burning desire to come.

Elle moaned and leaned against him, placing her hands on his hips. Derek carefully placed her feet back on the ground. However, when she tried to stand, a sharp pain radiated through her thigh.

“Ah,” she cried out, gripping the sore muscle.

“You okay?” he asked, gripping the underside of her leg and holding it up as she massaged the sore tissue.

“It hurts,” she whispered.

Derek nodded. “Sorry, I didn’t think it would hurt you.”

“I don’t want you to be sorry,” she said, placing her hand on his chest. “I just want to be with you without it hurting all the time.”

“Me, too, beautiful.” Derek kissed her again before helping her off the vanity. “Come on. Let’s take a shower.”

Elle nodded. Derek stripped off the rest of his clothes, and then helped her into the shower. The water was warm and soothing. She braced herself against the wall as Derek slid his hands up her back to her hair. His touch had her shivering, which caused his to laugh softly.

“So glad I amuse you,” she groused.

“I love the way your body reacts to me, Elle,” he said, giving her hair a tug so that he could wet her hair.

“Will I ever be the woman you fell in love with?” Though the question left her easily, she found herself afraid of his answer.

“You are that woman.” Derek pressed his body against hers. “I told you once, Elle, that I don’t want you just for the sex. I want all of you: heart, body, and soul.”

“You have those.”  And he did; he, Callum, and Sadie owned her in every way.

—FA—

By the time they got out of the shower, Callum and Sadie had already headed downstairs. Elle and Derek checked on Lucia, who was still asleep, before going down to join them. They were sitting at the breakfast table, leaning toward each other with their hands intertwined and smiles on their faces. Elle had always loved the way they showed their affection. A grin, a wink — nothing big, just symbols of their affection for one another.

Clearing his throat, Derek pulled their attention to him by saying, “Don’t let us interrupt.”

“We won’t,” Sadie snickered, but she leaned back in her chair. “How was the shower?”

“Amazing,” Elle said, walking over and sitting down in the chair next to hers. “Is there coffee?”