The runway affair, p.14
The runway affair, page 14
She smiles, leaning into me as she scrolls on my phone. If it was anyone else besides Scarlett, I would be embarrassed about it, but Scarlett knows every part of me, regardless of our time apart. She gets to my favorite scene in my favorite book and looks at me with a perfectly arched brow.
“That’s one hell of a threesome and a clit piercing?” My cheeks burn. “Goddamn, baby. Is that something you’d want?”
“A threesome or the piercing?”
“The piercing. You’re mine and I am possessive.”
I smirk. “Uh, probably not. I know they make the clit more sensitive, but there’s no point. If I get a piercing or a tattoo, I want people to see it.”
“I’ll see it.”
I shake my head. “I love you, but I’m not having a stranger look at my coochie and stab me with a needle and then have to wait to have sex.”
“You know what. Good point. No one gets to see what is mine.”
“I love when you get possessive like that.”
She takes my wine glass and sets it to the side, before pushing me onto my back and straddling my hips. “Yeah?”
I arch my hips into her which makes her moan softly. “Yeah.”
Talking just went out the window.
31
SCARLETT
I am addicted to this woman.
It doesn’t matter how many kisses we share or how many times I bury my face between her thighs, I am never satisfied. She will be my downfall and I will willingly lay down and accept my fate if it means having even two more minutes in her embrace.
I rip my shirt over my head, tossing the silk material to the side as I watch Addie’s eyes dilate before slipping my hands under her shirt. She lifts herself off the blankets, so I can pull it over her head and discard it next to mine before falling back and kicking my shorts off my legs which makes her giggle. I loop my fingers in her shorts, pulling them down her long legs.
I take a moment and admire her. Addie’s face flushes as she tries to cower into herself to hide her body from my intense gaze. I reach for her wrists again, pinning them back and making her look at me as I run my free hand down her waist.
“Don’t hide from me Addie. I love every inch of you.” Addie is perfection. The little imperfections that make her insecure are my favorite parts of her. “Every perfect imperfection.” I trail kisses in a zigzag line, hitting scars, stretchmarks, and her stomach.
I snake up her body, my lips hovering over hers. “I love you Scar.”
“I love you, Addie.”
I crash my lips to her in a scorching kiss, igniting every part of my body as our lips dance. This time our kiss isn’t rushed. Tonight we have all the time in the world, and I plan on using it to my advantage. Eight years is a long time to be deprived, and tonight I am getting that lost time back.
It doesn’t matter how many times I kiss her. It’s just as amazing as the first. Kissing her feels like coming home. Kissing her feels like oxygen, and I am dying to breathe. This is the type of kissing that ignites the night sky. Every kiss we share is book worthy. It’s tantalizing, exhilarating and most importantly, healing.
I pull away from her briefly, our chest heaving and our heartbeats in sync with each other. She’s flushed pink and it’s the cutest fucking thing. My lips find hers once more. This time an all-consuming kiss, no gentleness, but just as starved as the others. I could spend all night kissing her, tasting her. This is just as intimate as sex, but I know she wants more. We both do.
Our fingers intertwine as our hips move creating a mind-boggling friction that we both desperately need. I’m about to go feral like a hunter capturing its prey. I pull away from her again, trailing my mouth down her jaw and neck leaving sloppy kisses behind as I reach her pert nipple, taking it into my mouth. I suck and nipple her sensitive bud until she is writhing under me before showing the same amount of love to the other one.
I move down her body until I am buried between her thighs. She’s pink and wet and mine. Her scent is intoxicating, and it makes me savage. I run my voracious tongue through her warm folds. My arms wrap around her thighs as I dive in. She is squirming in my hold, but my grip is firm. I am not being deprived anymore. My lips wrap around her clit as I suck and flick the swollen nerve with my tongue. She’s sweet with her natural musk and I cannot get enough.
My eyes glance up through my lashes, and I am pleased to find her staring back down at me, excitement twinkling in her beautiful eyes as her legs begin to shake. I pull back causing her to whimper in protest, a grunt following as she glares down at me. I smirk as she moves her hips to meet my mouth.
“Regarde à quel point tu es dans le besoin.” Her reaction to me when I speak French is invigorating. “Eyes on me, mon amour”
“Okay, please Scar,” she begs.
I dive back in, quickly gaining my pace back until she is moving against me. My eyes are locked on hers, and she is trying desperately to keep her head from falling back in pleasure. Watching her come apart is addictive. I need it just as much as she does.
She thrusts her hips forward, squirming and wiggling against my touch and I growl into her, forcing her hips down. I’m not one for my food to run from me. I lap hungrily at her mouthwatering pussy. My gaze never leaves hers as I watch her expression with each lick, suck and nibble, until her rapid breathing and trembling thighs indicate her impending orgasm. And then it’s game over as I go in for the kill, sucking her swollen clit so hard she screams. She covers her face with a pillow to prevent her screams from reaching the main house and her body convulses with ripples of pleasure.
I crawl back up her body, capturing her lips with mine. She moans as she tastes herself on my tongue, before I collapse next to her. Addie kicks her leg over mine, the wetness from her pussy drenching my thigh as she rests her head on my chest.
“That is the closest to Heaven I’ll ever get.”
“Did I have you seeing the cosmos?”
“I think I discovered a new galaxy,” she laugh breathlessly. “You know, I love hearing you talk to me in French. I never know what your saying, but it’s hot as hell.”
I laugh, kissing her head. “We’ll discover more galaxies later if you want. It’s become my first language after living there for four years.”
“Worship me in praises, please. I want to test something.”
I shake my head laughing as I thing of phrases for her. “J'aime la façon dont tu m'aimes.” Kiss. “Vous faites de chaque moment passé ensemble une expérience inoubliable.” Kiss. “Ma Jolie fille.” Kiss. “Je t'aime pour toujours et à jamais.”
“Yep. I’m ready for another round.”
I laugh, pulling her into me. “Maybe later. I need you to go pee and then we can watch a movie.”
She nods, kissing my chest before pulling herself up and scurrying off to the bathroom. I grab my phone, checking to see if Agatha is having any trouble with the twins, only no messages from her. There is one from Zoey that says the number the texts came from is indeed a burner phone that can’t be tracked. I thank her for checking and lock my phone before covering my eyes with my hands.
I can’t deal with this again. This person killed Cami, framed me and traumatized my children. They are already watching me and Addie, I don’t want to know what else they have planned. The thought of her in danger because of me makes my stomach twist.
“What’s wrong?” Addie asks as she steps back into the room. “Is it the twins?”
I give her a forced smile. “No. Zoey texted me. Number can’t be tracked. We’re no closer to finding this person.”
“It’s a few cryptic texts. This person is a coward, hiding behind a screen. I’ll be okay.”
“Addie—” I pause, trying to think of the right words to use. “—this person butchered my wife. I don’t want to live through that again. I already lived eight years without you. I can’t deal with an eternity if they take you from me.”
She straddles me, wrapping her hands around my neck. “I can protect myself. If it makes you feel better, we can install cameras in the house, and I’ll keep a taser in my purse. It’s not much, but it’s something.”
“Addie, I don’t want you getting hurt or the twins.”
“I’m a big girl, Scar and I will gladly risk my life if it means keeping those babies safe. No one can take me away from you, after everything we’ve been through.”
I hope she’s right.
32
ADDIE
It’s been a week since the flowers were delivered, and Scarlett is on edge. Anytime she leaves the house, she texts me immediately. If I’m doing something with the kids, she’ll blow up my phone. Even when she had her interview with the Today show, you could see how anxious she was.
I think I’m perfectly fine, but she thinks I’m going to get hit by a bus or something.
It’s New York, so it could happen, but the statistics aren’t that high.
I have Remi and Rhyder next to me as we walk down the busy sidewalk to a bakery. The twins wanted donuts, and I figured I should get a bagel or something so I don’t pass out trying to keep up with their energy.
I give the cashier a twenty and tell her to keep the change. It feels nice having money for once. Working for Scarlett has its benefits, that’s for sure.
Rhyder chooses the table in the furthest corner of the bakery, since it has a doodle of a cat and mouse. His little fingers trace the sketched outline before he pokes his donut, the rainbow sprinkles on the side falling onto the table before he stuffs it into his mouth, covering his face in chocolate.
I rip the foil top of the cream cheese and smooth it across the bagel before taking a bite. The twins giggle when I get cream cheese on my chin, and I make a face, sticking my tongue out as the two of them laugh. There’s something off with the cream cheese, but it was in the normal silver packaging, so I know it isn’t any kind of flavor. I told the woman about my allergy, and she made sure to get me a fresh plain bagel away from any other product they had.
I clean my chin before cleaning their faces, and a cough rips through my throat, and I feel a tickle get stuck. Grabbing my wallet, I head back to the front counter, only to find words stuck in my throat. The hair on the back of my neck prickles, and my skin begins to burn.
I recognize this feeling.
Grasping the front counter, my throat tightens.
“Are you okay?” the cashier asks, and I shake my head vigorously, clawing at my throat.
“Al,” I wheeze, struggling to speak. I grab a pen and hastily scribble on a napkin.
Allergy. Nuts.
I didn’t have anything with nuts in it, so I don’t understand what happened. “Oh god. Someone call 911! Do you have an epi-pen?”
“Bag,” I wheeze. My breathing is becoming more erratic, and I’m trying to stay calm, knowing my EpiPen is in my bag. A concerned older man pulls out a chair and helps me sit down, but I can feel my throat swelling. It’s hard to breathe.
Remi and Rhyder run up to me, and I wrap my arms around them so they won’t get scared. I see the lights from the ambulance as the girl rushes back to me with my bag. I fumble with the zipper, but I finally manage to reach in and grab my EpiPen. The cap hits the ground as I stab my thigh, hitting the button. The medic drops to my side as I gasp for breath. I cough, my elbows hitting my knees as I try to level out my breathing.
“What are you allergic to?” she asks.
“Any kind of nuts. I don’t know how this happened. She gave me a fresh bagel and regular cream cheese. I didn’t have any kind of nut or anything.”
“Where were you sitting?”
Remi takes the woman's hand. “Over here!”
A few moments later, they come back with the empty container of cream cheese. “Peanut butter cream cheese.”
“We don’t sell that,” the bakery owner tells the medic. “We have regular, strawberry, and a toffee nut spread, but not peanut butter.” Her brow furrows. “I’m so sorry. I think we got the wrong order today. They look just like the plain ones. The nuts blended in with the background.”
The paramedic checks my vitals, and they’re all normal, so I decide not to go to the hospital. It’s not the first time I’ve had a reaction, and I know it won’t be the last.
The bakery owner walks up to me with a white card. “Is your name Adeline?” I nod. “Uhm, I don’t know if this was an accident, because I went to look at the box, and it had this note addressed to you.”
I reach for the note and open it with shaky fingers.
Next time, you won’t survive.
The scribble was in the same rough, creepy font like the flowers. “Okay, I guess someone is trying to kill me.”
The medic calls for an officer as I call Scarlett. Five minutes later, an NYPD officer pulls up to the bakery, and the medic gives me my care instructions.
“Addie, are you going to get hurt like Mama?” Rhyder asks with big eyes.
“No, baby. Addie’s not going to leave you.”
“Ms. Ellis, has someone tried to hurt you or your children in the past?” the officer asks me as he scribbles on his notepad.
“Uh, they aren’t my kids. I just started dating their mother. Her wife was killed a year ago, so that’s what Rhyder was talking about,” I tell him. I love them like they are my own, but the whole thing is still new, and I don’t know how they feel. “There were flowers sent to the house about a week ago with a note with the same writing. I don’t feel comfortable telling you what it said in front of them. I also received a few cryptic text messages.”
“Addie?” I hear Scarlett’s voice as she runs into the diner. Remi and Rhyder run up to her, and she scoops them up. “My god, are you okay?”
She leans down and kisses my cheek as I smile up at her. “I’m fine. Somehow, I got peanut butter cream cheese. I used my Epi, and the nice paramedic checked me out.”
Her brow quirks. “Why are the cops here?”
I lift up the note so she can read it, and her eyes grow wide. “That’s it. I’m telling Detective King to open an investigation. That’s two notes plus the text messages and the picture.”
“Picture?”
“With the message I got this morning. It was us together last night.”
Someone is watching us have sex.
I can’t even respond as I pick my fingernails. Scarlett runs her hand across my shoulder, and I lean into her.
So we have a stalker.
33
SCARLETT
“What’s your excuse, King?” I yell at the detective. It’s probably not the smartest thing to do, since he could arrest me, but I’m angry—livid. “There’s someone out there targeting us, and you won’t do shit because you think it’s me.”
He leans back onto the wall, crossing his arms across his chest with a smug grin. “I think you’re planning on killing your little girlfriend like you did your wife.”
My fists clench, but I keep my hands at my side. I look at Addie, who seems surprised at his remark, but I’m not. He’s accused me of murder ever since that night, dead set on arresting me even though the DA said there wasn’t enough evidence and I have a rock-solid alibi.
“I’d never hurt a soul, King. I didn’t kill Cami, and I’m not planning on murdering Addie. Do your fucking job or give me a detective who will get off their lazy ass and find this person.”
“It’s me or nothing, sweetheart,” he bellows. “You have a note and a picture. There’s nothing there.”
“God, I can’t fucking stand you.” I look at Addie and extend my hand for her to take. “When I have a dead body on my living room floor, it’ll be your fault, since you can’t get that stick out up your ass and do your fucking job.”
I pull Addie out of the private room. Part of me knew this was a dumb idea, but I figured there would be enough to convince that arrogant mother fucker that I’m not the one. The officer who took Addie’s statement at the bakery points towards us, and my babies run to us, Remi to Addie as Rhyder throws himself into my arms.
Rhyder kisses my cheek. “Mommy, do you love Addie?”
I blink a couple times, looking over at Addie, who simply nods. “Yes, bug. I do love Addie. A whole lot.”
“Good, because I love Addie too.”
I kiss his head, leaning him against my shoulder. It has been an eventful day for all of us, and I’m ready to go home with my family.
As we walk through the doors, both Remi and Rhyder are both sleeping soundly, but it’s a little too late for them to be napping. If they keep sleeping, they’ll be running around all over the place at two am.
“My littlest loves,” I coo. “I need you to wake up for Mommy.” Rhyder wakes up first, letting me see his big brown orbs as he smiles up at me. “Hi, bug.”
“Hi Mommy.”
I poke Remi as she stirs in her sleep, swatting her hand at me. “Baby, I need you to wake up for Mommy.”
“No,” she mumbles, burying her face into the couch. This child really is my damn twin. “I sleep here.”
“If you wake up, we can watch the little mermaid.” She jumps up with sleepy eyes and a cheesy grin. “That’s my girl. Why don’t you put on your pretty princess dress, and we can watch it together?”
I’m sitting in the middle of my white sectional, Addie’s head on my lap and Remi curled up with her and Rhyder curled against my side. My fingers are running through Addie’s hair and her eyes are fluttering closed. She always loved me playing in her hair.
We’re three Disney movies deep when my phone rings. “Hello?” I whisper, trying not to wake anyone up. Claire’s panicked voice breaks the silence. “I’ll be right there.”
I lift Addie’s head off my lap and gently lay her on the couch. Both kids are passed out with Addie, so I don’t move them. I’ll wait until I get back to take them upstairs, unless she wakes up and does it.
