Healed by Love - Book 2 Read online

  She glanced up at me and I felt a moment’s hesitancy, then her eyes took on that determined gleam I love so much about her. She lifted a hand and touched me, her warm fingers wrapping around my shaft. I cursed and tightened my hands into her hair, seeking some small measure of control.

  I closed my eyes as she explored, tracing a thumb over my head and then tracing the length of my cock. Then her tongue was there, tentative at first, then growing bolder.

  I moaned and she took me into her mouth, sucking and licking. Damn. She was taking me into her tight throat. I looked down, watching my cock disappear into her greedy mouth.

  I nearly lost control when her hand cupped my balls and she grew even bolder with her mouth. She was sucking hard, consuming me, pushing herself to take more.

  My balls tightened, deep and primal and I placed my hands on her shoulders to push her away. “You’ve got to stop.” She tried to fight me, reaching for me again, wanting me, but I pushed her back onto the mattress.

  Her lips were soft and wet and swollen when I kissed them again and her hands curled around my neck and into my hair. I needed her breasts. I needed them in my mouth. I pushed the tank she was wearing down her arms and popped the clasp on her bra.

  I knew they would be magnificent and damn if they weren’t. Beautiful globes with dusky dark nipples already hardened into stiff peaks. I dipped my head, taking one in my mouth and she came unglued.

  She arched and pressed her breast further into my mouth, moaning and clutching at me. I sucked and she cried out. I sucked again.

  “God, you’re so beautiful,” I whispered against her skin as I sought out her other nipple and began to draw on that hardened peak too. She gasped and dug her nails into my back as I laved the underside of her breast with my tongue then sucked on the sensitive flesh there.

  I felt her heart pounding in her chest. Her breathing was coming in tight gasps. Her skin hot and growing beautifully damp. Damn, she was responsive. It made me want to play with her even longer.

  “Please.” The word hissed from her throat as my fingers trailed down her stomach. “Make love to me.”

  I slid up her body, kissing up her chest, throat and chin. I took her lips and whispered against them, “I will. All night.”

  She cried out when I pushed away from her and stood up beside the bed. I met her gaze as I picked up one of her legs and began removing one sandal, then the other.

  I needed to see her. Taste her. Feel her on my tongue. I reached for the waistband of her pants and pulled. She gasped, tightened and I stopped. “We can stop anytime you say,” I told her.

  Her eyes grew brave again. Determined. And she shook her head. “No. Don’t stop. I want everything.”

  I slowly undressed her, revealing her perfect skin inch by inch. When she was only in her panties, I sat on the bed, between her opened legs and traced the inside of her thighs.

  “What can you feel, Maria?”

  I wished for some miracle and was disappointed when she frowned and said, “Not that.” I traced higher, along the edge of her panties, up her hip and toward her stomach.

  She smiled. “I feel that.”

  Her belly jerked in response to my touch and she gasped in pleasure and surprise. I told her that I’d been reading about paralysis and she frowned up at me.

  I settled between her legs and leaned forward and inhaled. I smelled her. Smelled her arousal. My cock twitched in response. I leaned closer and kissed her through the cotton. “Did you feel that?” I asked.

  Her breath was ragged. “I… I’m not sure. It’s not like I felt it, felt it. But I felt it inside. Does that make sense?”

  I didn’t answer, just leaned forward and kissed her again. She moaned.

  Enjoying the feel of her skin, I traced a pattern on her stomach and told her about some very interesting research I’d read not long ago. I glanced up at her and she was looking at me with confusion and something close to anger.

  I smiled. This was fun. Teasing her. Testing her. I kept talking about the research, telling her to have patience when she tried to distract me. I nearly laughed when she hissed. But I kept talking.

  “So this scientist severed the three nerve pathways that connect the genitals to the brain.” I looked up at her and grinned at her frown. “Guess what?” She frowned harder, her lips pressed together, refusing to answer. I went on, “Even with those nerves cut, the rats reacted to sexual stimulations as if their nerves were perfectly okay.”

  Now I’d show her.

  I stood and she gasped in surprise as I removed her panties in a single movement. I was between her thighs again, this time with nothing between us.

  “Let’s test that theory.”

  I dove in, taking and giving. I licked up her slit and then took her clitoris with my tongue. Her fingers clutched at my hair, and her breath was coming in deep pants. I sucked and licked harder and deeper, taking her clit between my teeth, loving her taste, drinking from her well.

  She cried out when I slipped my fingers inside her, pressing my fingertips against her inside walls. Feel me, I silently urged her. Feel me loving you.

  I was a madman. I was on a mission. I needed to give her pleasure. I had to give her pleasure. I consumed her, pressing harder, moving my fingers faster. Small whimpers were coming from her, her back arching, her fingers pulling my hair. Her insides clamped around my fingers, growing tighter and tighter, pulsing around me.

  Yes. She was building. I knew she could. I knew I could give her this.

  She cried out, begging me not to stop. No worries there; I could do this forever. I could live out my life between her legs, doing nothing more than this.

  Needing more of her skin, I reached up and palmed her breast and she nearly screamed as I twisted her nipple.

  Harder. Faster. With an urgency that was driving me into insanity, I thrust my fingers into her while I sucked on her clit.

  I felt it. Felt the moment she came, her entire body tightening and pulsing. Her desperate cries were the music I’d been longing to hear. She quivered and shook and I moved up beside her, stroking her face while she recovered from the intensity of her experience.

  Her face was twisted, her eyes closed, her mouth open. “You’re so beautiful,” I told her. And she was.

  I’d awoken a sleeping beast. Instead of resting, she was reaching for me, drawing me closer, trying to pull me on top of her. Her lips on mine, her nails raking into my back.

  I pulled away and she groaned, but I was soon back with a condom. I rolled it on and she watched in fascination. Her eyes watched my every movement and I took my time. I licked my fingers to moisten the tip of the rubber and tasted her still on my hand. I breathed in the scent, implanting it into my memory.

  Fuck. My phone rang and the ringtone Emily had set it to filled the room. Damn circus music. The most annoying sound on earth—especially at that moment.

  I cursed and ignored it, willing whoever was calling to go away. I looked down at my beautiful Maria and pushed her legs further apart.

  She opened for me, her sex swollen and glistening, expanding like the petals of a flower as I pushed her legs wider still. I looked up and into her eyes and she flushed.

  Damn. The phone again. The stupid music nearly slapping me in the face. I ignored it again and continued to explore her beautiful body.

  “Let me know if I hurt you,” I told her.

  “You won’t,” she promised, her eyes urgent. “Please, make love to me.”

  God I wanted her. Wanted this. Now. I needed her now. I pulled her down the bed, until my cock head was nudging her entrance. I didn’t want to hurt her and hesitated a moment, worried that I’d stretch her too far. That I’d be too big.

  Damn circus music. I bit back a curse.

  “Do you need to get that?” she asked, looking as frustrated as I felt. I shook my head and looked down, watching my cock barely hide within the rosy lips of her folds.

  Circus music.

  “Fuck!” I sat back on
my heels.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “Get it. I don’t think they’ll stop.”

  I moved away and reached for the phone.

  It was Rachel. Damn her to hell.

  “What do you want?” I growled into the phone.

  Rachel’s voice was hysterical. Screaming. Accusing.

  “Stop screaming,” I told her. “I can’t understand you.”

  “Emily’s gone,” Rachel’s voice tore through me. “What have you done, you bastard?”

  “Shit! How long?”

  Rachel began to cry and I gritted my teeth, willing her to give me an answer. Finally, she sobbed out, “I don’t know.”

  “What do you mean you don’t know?” Fury grew inside me.

  “You know where she is. Don’t you!”

  “What the…?” The woman was crazy. “Of course I don’t know, what the hell are you implying?”

  “You took her, didn’t you, you bastard. Don’t lie to—”

  “I’m on my way,” I snapped, cutting her off. I tossed the phone on the bed and began yanking on my clothes. I had to find out what was going on, had to find my daughter. That damned bitch….

  Maria was talking, the words echoed around my head, “… tell me. Talk to me, Thom. What’s happening?”

  Her voice brought me back, and I looked down at her worried face, her hands now modestly covering those beautiful breasts I’d been kissing just moments before. Shit. It broke my heart to have to leave. I’d rather be right here, deep inside her, than almost anywhere else in the world. Except….

  She deserved an explanation. I couldn’t leave her like this. I stood there for a moment, not sure how to say the words. Then they were there.

  “Emily’s missing.”

  Chapter 3 – Emily

  It was so dark outside. Scary dark. Darker than I ever remember it being. I looked up at the sky, trying to find the moon, but don’t see it anywhere. The streetlights were on the other side of the street. They helped, but not much.

  I gasped and turned around, staring at all the dark corners. Were those footsteps I heard? I stayed super quiet and listened.

  OMG. It was footsteps.

  Searching around, I looked for a place to hide. I didn’t know where I was… and the shadows were so dark… I didn’t see anything I could fit into. I began to go as fast and as silent as I could.

  Then I saw something. A big bush with branches going all the way to the ground. The footsteps were louder now and I needed to hide. I ducked down and then wiggled around the big bush, pulling myself into a little ball, pressing my hand over my mouth so my heavy breaths wouldn’t be so loud.

  Had I been seen? Was I now trapped behind this bush? Would whoever was walking down the sidewalk hear my heart? It was so loud, I was afraid he might.

  The footsteps got closer. And closer. Then closer. Thump. Thump. Thump. They were so loud. He was right in front of me. My heart drowned out the sounds. But … he kept going.

  I still couldn’t breathe or take my hand away from my face. Not until the thump thump thump was almost gone.

  Sitting there, I moved a little so that a root wasn’t so hard against my butt. I leaned back against the brick of the building I was hiding in front of, not sure what to do. Not sure where to go. So I sat there, listening to the sounds of the night and remembering why I was sitting here in the dark, by myself. Remembering what had scared me so bad that running away seemed like a good idea. Remembering everything I wanted to forget.

  I’d been dreaming….

  Swimming. Gliding through the water, chasing baby fish as they try to swim away from me. I follow a blue one with gold stripes as he darts back and forth in front of me, flicking his tail left, then right.

  A loud crash startled me and I opened my eyes, my heart pounding in my chest. Someone was yelling. I looked around in the darkness. I was in my bedroom, under my covers.

  The loud voices outside my door continued. I heard Mommy’s voice arguing with someone. A deep voice—a man—answered her.

  “You’ll just have to be patient,” she said. He growled something back, too low for me to hear the words. “Just cut me some slack, will you?” She raised her voice. “It’s not my fault. I wasn’t the one who made promises that were beyond my ability to take care of.”

  More growling. Then another crash.

  “Stop it! Dammit, you’re hurting me!” Mommy screeched. My shoulders tensed and my tummy got tight, and I held my breath. Is she okay? I looked around my room, locating my braces and crutches. Then I relaxed a little. I was glad the physical therapist had made me practice walking without my braces. It was hard, and scary at first, but I was getting stronger and now I had better balance. And my arms were stronger too. I still needed the braces, though. I got too tired without them.

  I tried, but I couldn’t relax all the way. I was worried about what was happening outside my door. And about me. I didn’t know what was going on in the other room, but I didn’t want to be stuck here if something bad was happening. So, I hurried to put my braces on, afraid whoever was over there with her would do something bad or come try my door.

  It got quiet, and I leaned back against my pillows, straining to hear whatever sounds might be coming next. I covered my legs as I waited and looked around my room. Maybe Daddy’s hiding trick could work for me here? If the growling man came into my room, could I blend in? I didn’t think so. I needed to think of something else that might work, some way I could protect myself.

  My window was open a little. I wondered if I could wiggle through it. I bet I could, if I had to. And it wasn’t a big drop to the yard outside. It might be scary outside in the dark at night, but not as scary as it was in here right now. Plus, I could be brave if I needed to be. I smiled. Daddy would be proud of me for making a plan.

  Daddy! I almost sobbed. Why was my mom so mean? Crazy mean sometimes! Calling Daddy names and saying bad words. And why couldn’t I spend more time with him?

  Then I heard her laughing. Really loud. “Come on,” she said. “You know what I need. Give it to me.” More laughter. “Don’t make me beg.”

  That growling voice again, but quieter this time.

  I sighed. It was going to be a long night.

  “You son-of-a-bitch,” Mommy’s voice was louder again. “Don’t you threaten me like that.” Another crash.

  Uh Oh. I threw my covers off, and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. If things kept crashing, I didn’t want to be here. I remembered Daddy telling me about ‘camouflage’, so I grabbed some dark stretchy pants and pulled them over my legs. I slipped my PJs off over my head and wiggled into my shirt and jacket from earlier. Then I emptied my piggy bank into my pocket.

  I grabbed my backpack from the closet and pulled my iPad out from under the mattress. I was about to push the button to FaceTime Daddy when there was another crash and then more yelling.

  I stuffed the iPad in my backpack and decided I’d better get out first. When I got far enough away, I’d FaceTime Daddy and he would come get me. Then I wouldn’t have to be afraid any more. My Daddy’s a Hero!

  Quiet as a mouse, I made my way to the window. The noises behind me didn’t sound good, and I wasn’t going to wait to find out what was happening. I pushed up the window, shoved the screen aside, and dropped my crutches and backpack outside.

  Okay.

  I looked back at my darkened bedroom, then turned to look at the streetlights outside. Taking a deep breath, I remembered to be brave. I was going to find my dad.

  I leaned against the sill, carefully placing one leg up and through to the outside. Then I grabbed the side of the window frame, and pulled myself up. I balanced on the sill for a moment, then tumbled through, landing with an OOMPH on the lawn, remembering to go limp so I wouldn’t get hurt.

  It knocked my breath out of my lungs and I lay there a minute trying to catch my breath back. My hip hurt, and my elbow, but I was able to sit up. Then I reached up with my left hand and used the edge of the window sill to
pull myself up while I used a crutch to help balance myself. This was harder work than at therapy! But this was important, so I wouldn’t give up.

  I needed to find my daddy.

  Chapter 4 – Maria

  “Oh Thom! No!” The words were out of my mouth before I could even think, my heart squeezing as Emily’s sweet face flashed in front of my eyes. I rolled to the side so I could get myself up on my elbows. Get up. Do something.

  His face was ashen. I’d never seen him look so worried before. Or pissed. A worried-pissed Thom was intimidating to watch.

  “When? What happened?”

  His jaw grew even tighter and he shook his head, still throwing his clothes on.

  “Damn Rachel,” he growled. “She was nearly hysterical. I couldn’t get anything useful out of her.”

  “Thom, hand me my pants, please.” There was no way I was going to let him go through this alone.

  His face softened for a moment as he looked at me, then he shook his head as if trying to wake from a deep sleep. “Sorry, here.” He tossed my clothes onto the bed next to me. A moment later, he stepped over to the bed¸ leaning down to cup my face with his hands. “I’m sorry, Maria. I hate to leave you like this.” His thumb caressed my cheek.

  Wrapping my fingers around his wrist, I said, “You’re not leaving me like this. Go get my chair. I’ll be dressed in just a minute or two.” He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. Before he could open his mouth, I ordered, “Go! You heard me. There’s no way you’re abandoning me here, mister. Especially if our favorite girl is in trouble. Now go.” I pointed in the direction of the door.

  I watched his eyes and saw the indecision there. I could see him playing through all his options. I saw the moment when he understood the wisdom in what I’d said. He stood and was out the door before I could blink. A second later, the front door slammed open.

  Whew.

  I’d been afraid he’d override me with some lame excuse. This was too important. I didn’t know what had gone on between Thom and his ex, but I didn’t trust her. Something in my gut said he was better off with me there.

  “Well, there you are, took you long enough,” I quipped, trying to lighten the mood. He was actually back in record time. He must have run the entire way. “Hand me my shoes, would you?” I’d gotten dressed in record time too. “And could you grab my hairbrush from the sink?”