Him Her Them Boxed Set (18 page)

My body is shaking and I can't hear anything but a ringing between my ears. All I can see is Josephine, no bed, no wall, no pictures, just her. Everything has melted away to leave her pained expression meant to convey sympathy, hurt, I don't know. I am so gone right now, I don't know if I care. Through all this cold emptiness is the realization that I don't deserve her.

"But it was an accident Pierce. You were angry and moved a little too fast, you didn't mean to push her."

"That doesn't matter, all that matters is that a life is gone because of me and my anger. What happens next time, huh? I love you. I have never felt this way about anyone and I am afraid when we get into a fight, will I move too fast? Will I lose it and not just scream? I don't want to lose you, but I'm afraid too."

She's rubbing my back again and leaning her head on my shoulder. Josephine is nuzzling my neck and leaving traces of light kisses. I know there is so much more to tell, but I want this pain to go away. To be lost in her and maybe never wake up from her dream.

I lean in bringing her mouth to mine and brush my lips to hers. My tongue tastes the lime from her dessert as it darts out seeking hers. She sighs as my lips search more of her, her cheeks, her throat, and her ears.

My body has interceded in the war between my mind and heart. I don't want to think about my past and what I have done. This moment here, as Josephine moans into my ear, is what I care about. She tastes like salted caramel and I have the biggest sweet tooth.

My hands slide over her shoulders and tug at her dress until it slips away. God, I love this dress. She must know how this dress tortures me, makes me want to do everything to her.

I sit back and take in her perfect chest, the soft curvature inviting me to touch and caress. She stands and shimmies out of the dress. I reach out to her, running my fingers over the rippled lace of her panties. My hand goes further bringing me to my feet as I try to discern every crest and valley that makes up her body. Josephine stands there letting me navigate my way through this curiosity.

I move behind her as my fingers trace the lined indentation down her spine to her cheek. It's there I stop. Suddenly I am very aware that my clothes need to be off. Without delay I remove the offending items all the way down to my shoes and socks.

"Bend over Josephine and place your hands on the bed."

A shudder runs over me and a moan escapes from my mouth as I do as Pierce instructs. He kneels down and tugs at my panties, letting them twist and dig into my thighs as he pulls them down. Gently as if taking care of a wounded creature he lifts my foot one at a time to remove the knotted fabric and my shoes. I can feel the skin on my thighs and ass prickle as if his gaze is enticing the skin to pucker for him.

Finally Pierce makes contact with force. I buck as he grabs and bites at my cheeks. I can feel his lips curve into a grin. It makes me happy to know he is smiling again. I understand that his past haunts him and I'm sure there is something he isn't telling me, but I want him to understand I desire him. Now as he is, just like this.

His fingers move lightly over my soaked pussy and he spreads my desire along the back of my thigh licking it up as he edges near. I want him closer so I spread my legs for him.

I cry out as his lips suck at my clit causing my legs to stiffen. His fingers slip inside to find my pulsating core. He groans as his tongue darts out to lap at my soft folds and for a moment I think he mumbled the word "addictive" although I can't be sure.

His touch is overwhelming. No longer in control of my body I grunt and start to push back in a rhythm. I can feel a climax start to crest as the warm prickling sensation creeps fully from the inside. But then he stops. There is nothing, no tongue, hand, no Pierce.

I turn my head to see him standing, his cock in his hand pressing it along my swollen lips. Pierce is teasing me as he smooths the tip back and forth. Just as I'm about to push back he enters me slowly. It's painfully slow but even as he fills me complete the pace leaves me craving more. My pussy is crying out for action, for movement but he stills.

My hips start to undulate but he grabs me holding me still.

"Please, Pierce." I pant needing more.

He doesn't answer but just whispers his fingers across my back as if memorizing every inch. Ever so slightly he starts to rock out of me to the tip and then takes his time reentering.

His hand is everywhere while his drowsy drive keeps my climax at a simmer. I can feel him shiver and know he's doing this for a torturous purpose. I just don't know if it's to torture me or him. So, I reach down to my clit to help relieve my burden when he bends over me and grabs my wrist, pinning it to my back.

"Pierce, I...oh god."

"It will happen my dear. Just take everything in. God you feel incredible Josephine. You are unbelievably beautiful."

He lets go of my hips grabbing at my other wrist to pin that to my back. I can't help but place my head on the bed, unable to move. There is something sweet about his light touches and I smile as he brushes some loose tendrils that fall onto my face.

Pierce's hand digs into my ass cheek and follows it with a slap. And then another. And still another. He has is so different tonight, but this sexually confident man is the Pierce I know. As if he was lost for a moment and now is coming back to life. The moans escaping my lips seem to help him pick up the pace, gradually. Each thrust faster, harder than the last. He's grunting as his pace quickens to a frenzy, matching my heightened pulse. He reaches down and rubs my clit. My orgasm comes within seconds and I am higher than Everest.

He lets go of my wrists so I lift myself up, pushing back into him and feel him stumble. My orgasm too powerful for any sort of control I am screaming and could possibly be speaking in tongues for I know. I think I yell his name but am not quite sure. As I descend this blissful oasis I feel Pierce stiffen and yell as his own climax takes him.

"Fuck! Fuck! Josephine!"

Just the knowledge of his orgasm sends me over the edge once more. But this one is deeper as if my core starts to shake sending waves of pleasure through me. I arch my back as my muscles clench once more. My head falls forward and the world goes black as I rock firmly into him. Every muscle stiffens with delight, as an intense wave of pleasure crashes over me. I have never felt anything like this before, I find myself looking down on Everest, this climax piling on top of the earlier peak, putting me into orbit. Feeling as if I can't breathe, and as I come down my body shakes. I go limp and Pierce catches me before I fall to the ground.

After a few moments he pulls out and gently lifts me, placing me on my bed. I can feel him crawl into bed and cradle my body next to his. I'm shivering but not from being cold from losing my body to him, giving him everything. He reaches over to grab a blanket at the end of my bed, covering us.

It takes me a few minutes but I finally have enough strength to turn and face him. I grin at the little creases by his eyes, giving him an air of distinction and deep lines carving from his cheeks to his chin as he curves his lips. But he's not smiling, he's frowning.

"God Pierce." I say as I snuggle into his neck.

"I know Josephine. I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. Did I hurt you?"

What? Hurt me? I quickly turn up to face him and am surprised to see his face morphed into pain.

"Why would you have hurt me Pierce?"

"I made you do what I wanted. Forced your hands behind your back."

He keeps looking away. I finally grab his chin, cupping it in my hands to make him to look at me.

"Pierce, that was the most incredible thing I have ever experienced. I came twice. The second time I didn't do anything. It was so powerful I had to come again. Just the thought of what we did, what you did...God I'm becoming turned on again."

He sheepishly grins but still has an air of uncertainty about him. I run my fingers along his arms and sigh. His beautiful arms, so thick and strong. I can honestly say I can't pick a place on his body that I like more than the other.

"You liked it?"

"Yes! What you do to me...it's...I can say for the first time in my life I am at a loss for words. You have fucked the words out of me Pierce Carver. I just hope with the way we're going I don't become deaf, dumb and blind when you're done with me."

I giggle but he looks serious again.

"I could never be done with you Josephine. I'll never leave you, no matter what happens. If you don't want me that is one thing, but I will admit I will still fight that too."

He pulls me in for a tight hug so I can't see his face but I can tell he's still uneasy. I fear there is more to his past that he hasn't told me, but knowing him I think it's just a matter of time until he unburdens himself. I don't think there is anything he could tell me that will make me give up on him.

I survey the yellow and white kitchen, filling my nostrils with the potent institutional savor of bleach and garlic. The first day of operation of the new teaching kitchen for my charity's school is a montage of hopeful young faces. They are all hard at work prepping today's inaugural lunch with the mayor.

Rubbing my hands together, I unbutton the cuffs of my shirt to roll up my sleeves. I walk over to Sandra, the head chef. I feel lucky to have secured her for this placement. She may not be a world renowned chef, but she's pretty close. Once I found out she had a similar upbringing as myself I set out appealing to her harder side. Because that's what our neighborhoods do to us, they make us harder so we can't easily break.

"What can I do to help, Sandra?"

Her tall, stocky frame turns to me and her youthful face has the concentrated expression of a mouthful of bouillon. Although Building Strong Neighborhoods through Youth is my organization she refuses to treat me any differently than anyone else, so of course I like her.

"You help? Pierce you don't know the difference between a chop and julienne slice, how on earth can you help?" She waves me off and turns to head toward a student who is already flinching from her closeness.

I haven't slept much these past few weeks with the school opening and Robin popping back into my life. With the Mayor's lunch over after today I am hoping I get some rest tonight, that's if I can get Robin off my mind. There is one thing that helps put me at ease.

I take my cell phone out of my pocket, swipe and start typing.

Hey. You busy tonight?

I hit send and put the phone back into my pocket. Heading out of the kitchen I take a seat in the dining area. The staff set up a special spot for the mayor and I in the center of the room. Looking at the clock on the wall I realize I still have fifteen minutes until his arrival. My pants leg starts buzzing and I take out my phone to see Josephine has responded to my text.

No. Why? Feelin lucky?

I smirk. She always puts a smile on my face.

Of course. I'll pick you up from work at 5. Take you somewhere nice.

After I send it she wastes no time responding.

Sounds good. But make it closer to 5:30 I have a lot of research to do. Oh, good luck with the mayor!

Thanks. 5:30. Love you.

She texts back a smiley face. Josephine still hasn't told me she loves me, but I'm okay with that. I'm starting to realize she isn't going anywhere. Whether she loves me or only likes me a lot, she will be by my side. I think tonight I will tell her everything about my past. About my father and why I should never go back to my old neighborhood.

The lunch with the mayor flies by in a blur and I don't think I can remember what I said to him. I just remember laughing a lot and the food was really good. After the lunch I head back to the Inner Harbor area to the office.

Drake swears he got great feedback from the mayor's people about the lunch as I am heading out the door. Its five fifteen and I really don't know where the day went.

"I'll follow up with the mayor's assistant tomorrow, Mr. Carver and try to get the mayor to mention the new school in his press conference next week. He has already tweeted about it, so we are getting some good buzz."

Drake is typing away on his cell phone while talking to me. If it were anyone else I would be annoyed by his rudeness, but he's a social media wizard so I let it go. The one thing I have never had to worry about in this organization with having Drake around is our social media presence.

"Great. You have a good night Drake. I'm off."

"Taking the sexy doctor out to dinner?"

He lifts his head from his phone just long enough to give me a wink following me to the elevators.

"Yes. I'm running late picking her up so if this elevator would get here already."

He looks at the button on the wall and reaches over to push it, it lights up orange.

"Sometimes it helps when you actually push the button. That's how the elevator shows up."

Smartass. The door opens a few moments later and I wave him a goodbye that he doesn't see as he is still glued to his phone. I really hope he isn't playing angry birds on that thing.

Once I am in my car it takes me about ten minutes to reach the parking garage at the Johns Hopkins campus. Unfortunately, it's going to take me another ten minutes just to get to her office from the garage.

I have only been to her office building once before and that was when I was trying to woo her. My curiosity got the best of me. I didn't find her office, but I did locate her mailbox. Hoping I would run into her, I didn't of course, but that didn't stop me from smiling the rest of the day.

I glance at the directory as I enter the building and take the stairwell to the second floor. After I walk down the hall and turn a corner I find her room, but the door is closed. I hope I didn't miss her. I take out my cell phone to send her a text.

Where r u? I'm outside your office.

I hit send and hear a buzzing coming from inside the room. She must be in there so I walk up and knock on the door, but there is no answer. She must have stepped away for a moment. I lean against the door frame to wait but I hear something. It's coming from inside her office. The sound is muffled, so I rest my ear on the door and that's when I hear it. A man's voice so silent, so low that if I didn't have my ear against the door I never would have known.

"Shut up slut. You know you want it."

What the fuck! I reach for the door handle, but it's locked. I start pounding on the door.

"Open the fuck up! Josephine are you in there?"

I hear things moving in there and some muffled cries. Now I am using my shoulder to ram the door. I don't feel anything but the unmoving door. Someone turns the corner of the hall and yells at me.

"Hey you! What do you think you are doing?"

"Call the police! Something is terribly wrong." I yell at the person. I can't tell if they are a man or woman I have so much adrenalin running through me.

I back up and run to the door, putting all my weight onto it causing it to splinter. I do it again and again. Finally, it gives. I push past the door to see Ryan holding Josephine down, her face turned away from me and her skirt hitched up. He's fumbling with his zipper. I look back at her and notice some blood marks on her white blouse. That son of a bitch!

"Get the fuck off her!"

Ryan looks up, eyes wide as he holds his hands up in surrender but too fucking late. I lunge at him and pin him to the wall by his scrawny neck. He's clawing at me but that just makes me squeeze harder. He can't breathe, I know he can't and I don't care.

I hear voices behind me, multiple. Then I feel Josephine's hand on mine. Her voice is raspy as she tugs at my arm.

"Pierce don't, please."

I loosen my grip, but decide last minute to give him one good blow to the head which causes him to fall to the ground. He's not knocked out, but he won't be getting up for a while.

I look back at Josephine and tears cloud my vision. Her lip is swollen, cut and she has dark red welts on her face, eye and scratches along her chest. That's when I notice how badly her clothes are ripped.

"How are you?"

I delicately cradle her in my arms; she flinches at my touch and then eases. I guide her out of the room and down the hall. The person I told to call the police is back and I notice she's a woman with a red pixie haircut. She tells us to go into her office and she will wait for the police. I take Josephine over to the office chair and sit her down.

She's in a daze, staring at the floor as I crouch down and look up at her. She's not looking at me, even when I talk to her she won't turn to face me.

"I'm here Josephine. He won't hurt you again I promise. Do you want me to call someone? Luna?"

She just nods and continues to stare at the burgundy wool carpeting. I stand and head out the door. I turn back before leaving.

"I'm just going into the hallway to call Luna, I'll be right back.

She just nods and stares. Once I am in the hall I take out my phone and notice I am shaking. It's hard for me to dial, but I realize I have to call Corbin as I don't have Luna's number. Once I get it I get a hold of Luna.

"Hello?"

"Luna it's me Pierce."

"Oh hey Pierce. Is Corbin chickening out of our skydiving date? Making you call instead."

"What? No. Listen, Josephine has been attacked. I'm here at her office and, well, she wants you to come here. The police will be here soon and they are probably going to want to talk to me. She needs someone with her at all times. I think she is in shock."

"Oh god! Yes, I'll come right away. Why would they want to talk to you?"

"I stopped the mother fu...I stopped it before it was too late."

Silence.

"I've got to get back to Josephine Luna."

"Yes, I'm on my way."

I hang up and tuck the phone back in my pocket. Heading back into the office I see Josephine hasn't moved. I sit with her in silence and after a few minutes the police show. There are so many questions, most of them the same ones over and over again. Finally Luna shows and she helps Josephine to the hospital as I stay behind to finish the questioning. They ask me to get checked out by doctors, due to my arm taking a good pounding from the door, but I just shrug it off. I'm more concerned about Josephine than my arm.

After what feels like forever I get done with the police and call Luna who tells me Josephine started talking. She apparently doesn't want to see anyone tonight. I'm not happy about that, but understand. Josephine may need some time alone.

I decide to call my mom and head over to her place. That way if Josephine does want to see me I can be there for her. Also, my mom will know how to handle the situation.