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She leaves, and I drop my head, closing my eyes as she slams the door behind her. Lifting my head, I look out the window and see Ava with Nix and Aliana, trying to help him do a cartwheel. After a few failed attempts, he starts jumping up and down as he talks to her. Nodding her head with a smile, she walks over to a clear patch of lawn. She takes a run-up and does a cartwheel, then follows it up with two backflips and a spin in the air, landing on her feet holding her arms up. Nix and Aliana clap and cheer in excitement as Ava takes a bow then walks over to them.
She looks up and spots me watching her from the window. A breathtaking smile spreads across her face, and she puckers her lips, blowing me a kiss. Nix and Aliana follow her gaze. Nix’s face twists in disgust, and he puts his fingers in his mouth, pretending to vomit. I force a smile through that feeling of dread bearing down on me as I watch them walk back inside.
Lily is right.
Tick tock, my time is running out. The walls are closing in, and there is no escape. The truth will come out, and I’m going to lose her.
I’m going to hurt her.Again.
And it’s going to kill me.
* * *
My gaze remains transfixedon the flames of the fire as I go over the conversation I had with Lily for the hundredth time. Ava’s lying on the rug with a book out in front of her—completely engrossed in what she is reading and oblivious to the storm that’s raging in the distance. I feel a pang of self-loathing and disgust for what I’ve done to her.
I’m a selfish bastard, and I don’t deserve her. I tore her world apart to make her mine, and I know how much it hurt her. Karma has finally come around in the shape of Lily to bite me on the ass, and I deserve every minute of its wrath.
I know I have to tell her, but just like I have been convincing myself repeatedly over the last few weeks, I need one more day with her. I need one more day before losing her forever. I need one more day where she is still mine, and I can hold her and tell her I love her.
Ava shifts slightly, a pink flush rising to her cheeks as her pupils dilate and a hum emits from her mouth. My cock hardens in response to the seductive melody and giving up on the book I’ve been failing to read the last hour, I place it on the side table along with my glasses. Pushing my inner turmoil aside, I soak up every minuscule detail of the exquisite woman before me. My beautiful flower. My everything. An intense yearning to forget everything and escape inside her—be one with her—has my body slowly rising from the sofa and moving toward her.
“What are you reading, baby?”
ChapterTwenty-Two
MASON
Imess with my hair one more time in front of the bathroom mirror before finally giving up.
Fuck it.
Ava likes my messy hair anyway.
After much begging, pleading, and promises of more blow jobs, Ava finally managed to convince me to go see some band calledSeventy Eightywith her friends tonight.
This is not my sceneat all.But I know how much it means to Ava for me to try to get along with her friends. They are not my favorite group of people, but Eric seems okay, and besides, she said she was going with or without me. And there was no way in hell I was going to let her go to some bar filled with assholes who will no doubt be trying to grope her all night.
I’ve definitely never made this much effort in my appearance before, and after spending a long time digging through my wardrobe, I finally managed to find a black T-shirt and dark blue jeans that fit snugger than my usual attire.
As I adjust my sore dick for the umpteenth time—attempting to relieve some of the pressure these tight as fuck jeans are putting on it—I’m starting to regret this choice of outfit already.
I lost count of the number of times we had sex last night and throughout most of today. Each time we made love, the fear that it may be the last time had me desperate to go again soon after. Every time she passed out in exhaustion, I would wake her up to go again, and it wasn’t until it got to the point of becoming painful that we had no other choice but to stop.
Lily’s threats have been wreaking havoc on my thoughts like cancer, and as much as I fight to push it to the furthest reaches of my mind, I can’t escape it. Just like I can’t escape that feeling of foreboding and knowing what devastation lies ahead.
Opening up the cabinet, I pull out the cologne Aliana bought me for Christmas last year and remove it from the packaging, hoping like hell it doesn’t make me smell like ass.
“Mason! Dinner is ready,” Eliza calls through the door.
“Okay.” I spray myself with the cologne, letting out a cough as the potent fumes hit the back of my throat.
Fuck, this shit is toxic.
Placing it back on the shelf, I close the cabinet and head out of the bathroom, making my way downstairs.
“Wow, look at you! Where are you going all dressed up?” Aliana asks as I sit down at the table.
Nix glances at me, his forehead creasing. “You look weird.”
