Page 111 of Open To Negotiation

I just managed to stop myself from bringing my hand to my chest to rub it, the pain was intense. I’d waffled on whether this was the right choice over the last week. I wasn’t sure what the right answer was but for now, it needed to be over.

This had been my plan. I'd lied about her father calling me, I needed something that she’d believe so I could push her away.

I had to find a way to deal with my father and I couldn’t do that while staying with her. He’d already left me a voicemail this week about how it would be a shame if something else happened to her because I couldn’t keep up my end of the deal. Which meant he was watching me closely.

Keeping her safe was my top priority right now. I needed to hold strong.

So I ignored everything else and forced the words out. “It’s for the best.”

She scoffed and stood up, shaking her head. “I hope this closure was what you needed, but you need to go.”

Nodding, I stood up and followed her to the door. She turned to face me at the entrance, her head tilted back as I tried to catalog her face, so I could remember her properly in my dreams because this very well could be the last time I saw her.

The air around us was electric, charged with both our emotions, the looming goodbye, and the chemistry that had always been between us.

My eyes bounced between hers and she locked on my lips, her pupils dilated. “Quinn…?” I didn’t know what I was asking as her eyes moved back to mine.

“This is a bad idea.”

“It is.” But my body didn't get the memo and was reacting to her anyway. One breath of her jasmine and vanilla scent had me losing my mind.

“What if…” She straightened, shaking herself off a little, looking through me instead of at me. “What if we did it, one more time. I need to erase every other time. I need this cold version of you locked in my memory instead.”

Her words hurt, but I deserved every blow she had for me.

“One last time,” I muttered.

I was already getting hard from the slight hitch in her breath, the way she pulsed her thighs together slightly, she always did that when she was turned on.

Even though I could feel her anger, right under the surface, nothing was getting through.

“One last time,” she agreed with a nod seconds before her lips landed on mine. She met me stroke for stroke, the anger fueling her passion.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” I muttered as she started pushing me toward her room.

“It’s too late for that.” She didn’t give me a chance to speak. “I’m healed. I just need you to take me. Hard. I don’t want you to be gentle with me. Do what I’m asking, please.”

I nodded, if this is what she needed then I would give her what she was asking for.

I watched her strip and stretch out on the bed, bare and waiting. Her eyes followed every move as I pulled off my own clothes. I could almost feel her gaze tracing my tattoos and abs like a brush over my skin. When I was finally naked, I lowered myself over her. Neither of us spoke while I took my time worshipping every inch of her, making sure she was ready for me.

I savoured every kiss, every touch, every second of being inside of her.

One last time.

32

Quinn

The weekend passed in a blur.

I spent Saturday crying. It was like a leaky faucet I couldn’t turn off no matter what I did. It didn’t help that my body still felt a little bruised and I was sore from where he was inside of me. The tears didn’t stop until about two a.m. when I think I ran out of moisture in my eyes. I managed a few hours of sleep before I woke up feeling empty and alone.

I’m not sure sleeping with him had erased the sweet, loving Theo that I had in my head, but it made me feel like at least something about this had been in my control.

Sunday, I did nothing. I sat, I thought, I looked at the walls of my apartment that no longer felt like home. I let myself sink into the emptiness and the abyss.

I’d turned my phone off as soon as I woke up on Saturday and hadn’t bothered turning it back on. I didn’t know what would hurt more, having messages from the everyone or having nothing at all. I was too scared to check.