Beautiful Oblivion (27 page)

“Oh. My fucking. God.”

My head bobbed back and forth, and I looked up at him. He was watching me, with that same amazing, serious look in his eyes. My fingers and palm slid nicely over his tender skin, and the deeper I took him into the back of my throat, the louder he groaned and the more he swore.

I moved my hand from his front to his backside, and gripped his tight ass with both hands, pushing him even deeper into my mouth. His fingers were knotted in my hair, and for ten minutes, he hummed and groaned and begged me to let him inside me.

When he seemed like he couldn’t stand it anymore, I backed away, and lay back on the bed, my knees apart. Trenton followed, but instead of situating himself between my legs, he turned me onto my stomach, and pressed his chest against my back. His wet dick was nestled between my ass cheeks, and his lips were against my ear. He licked his index and middle finger, and then slipped his hand between the mattress and my stomach, reaching down until his warm, wet fingers were touching my pink, swollen skin.

I hummed as he caressed me, kissing the tender skin behind my earlobe. Once the sheets below me were soaked, I reached for the drawer. Trenton knew exactly what I wanted, and paused long enough to grab a square package, tear it with his teeth, and easily slide the latex over his rigid erection.

When the warmth of his chest and abs returned to my back, it nearly sent me over the edge. He reached beneath me, lifted my hips to prop up my backside a few inches, and guided himself inside me, slow, and controlled. We both groaned, and I arched my back and bucked my hips up to his, allowing him to go deeper.

As he began to rock against me, I gripped the sheets. When he reached down to touch me with his fingers again, I cried out. The feel of his hips and thighs against my bare ass was incredible, and I just wanted him deeper, closer, harder.

Trenton raked the strands of hair away from my face and out of my eyes. My entire body was overwhelmed by the most wonderful intensity. It enveloped me, and I cried out as it traveled like electricity throughout my body.

“Goddamn, keep making that sound,” he said, breathless.

I wasn’t even sure what sound I was making, I was so lost in the moment, lost in him. He rocked against me harder, each thrust sending shock waves from my pelvis to my toes. He bit my ear, firm and gentle, exactly how he was fucking me. His teeth set my ear free, and his fingers dug deep into my hips. He growled as he drove himself into me one last time, his body twitching as he moaned.

He collapsed beside me, breathless and smiling, his skin glistening with sweat. I know I had the same flushed, satisfied expression on my face.

Trenton gently brushed my damp hair from my face. “You’re fucking amazing.”

“Maybe. But I’m definitely in love with you.”

Trenton laughed once. “It’s crazy feeling this happy . . . are you as happy as I am?”

I smiled. “The happiest.”

And that’s when it all came crashing down.

A
ND JUST SIGN HERE
,
AND HERE
,
AND YOU’RE GOOD TO GO
,” I said.

Landen Freeman made a few squiggles on each line, and then leaned against the counter, onto his elbows. I’d seen him around Eastern State’s tiny campus when I was taking more classes, but I hadn’t seen him in over a year, and it wasn’t surprising that he didn’t recognize me.

“What time does this place close?” He stared straight into my eyes, flashing a sexy smile that I imagined he had been perfecting in a mirror since puberty.

I pointed to the writing on the door with the pen, and then purposefully busied myself with his paperwork. “Eleven.”

“Mind if I stop by? I’d love to take you to the Red Door. Have you been there?”

“Have you?” I asked, slightly amused.

“Once in a while. I’m loaded down with twenty hours a semester. Trying to finish and get the hell out of here as quick as I can.”

“I know the feeling,” I said.

“So . . . what about that drink?”

“What drink?” I asked.

“The drink I want to buy you.”

Trenton appeared beside me, picked up the papers, and began looking through them. “If you’re wanting this freehanded, Calvin’s your guy, and he’s not working today.”

Landen shrugged. “I’m cool with whoever. It doesn’t have to be freehand.”

“You want me to do it?” Trenton asked.

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve seen your work on the website. It’s badass.”

“I’ll do it, but you’re going to have to stop staring at my girl’s tits.”

I craned my neck at him. I hadn’t caught Landen staring at my chest once.

“Uh . . .” Landen said, stammering.

“On second thought, you better call and make an appointment with Cal. I’m busy.” Trenton tossed the waivers, and they rained down around us. He turned his hat to sit off center, and I watched, unimpressed, as Trenton strolled back to his station. He walked with an arrogant swagger—the way he did before beating someone down.

Landen looked at me, then down the hall, and then back at me.

“I’m . . . I’m so sorry,” I said, handing him our card. “Here’s the number for the shop. Calvin works on Wednesdays and Thursdays, by appointment only.”

Landen took the card. “I didn’t know,” he said, smiling sheepishly. The door chimed when he left, and I turned on my heels, stomping down the hall into Trenton’s room.

“What the hell was that?”

“He asked you out!”

“So?”

“So? I should have beat his ass!”

I sighed and closed my eyes. “Trent, I handled it. You can’t run customers off every time they flirt with me. That’s what Cal hired me for.”

“He did
not
hire you to be flirted with. He hired—”

“A hot piece of ass to work the counter. A job you offered me, don’t forget.”

“He didn’t even ask you if you were single, first! At least the douche nozzle could have started with that.”

“I had it handled.”

“I didn’t hear you turn him down . . .”

My nose wrinkled. “I was dodging his question! I can’t just shut him down while he’s out here in the waiting area! It’s called professionalism.”

“Oh, is that what it’s called?”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“You could have told him you have a boyfriend.”

“Is that what this is? That I’m not holding up my new label like a picket sign? What if I just tattoo
TRENTON
’
S GIRL
across my forehead?”

His face softened, and he chuckled. “I will gladly tat that somewhere else.”

I growled in frustration and walked back to the front. Trenton jogged after me.

“It’s not a horrible idea,” he said, only half teasing.

“I am not tatting your name on me,” I said, disgusted that he was even entertaining the idea. Trenton had already filled in the poppies the first week of Christmas break with a striking cherry red, and then two days before Christmas, he’d added some tribal art and black and bright green swirling clouds to the same arm. A week after New Year’s, I had a gorgeous blooming red rose with yellow accents. I was on my way to an intricate, badass sleeve. We had begun to refer to our sessions as pain therapy. I would talk, and Trenton would draw and listen. I loved sharing that time with him, and knowing that I carried his beautiful pieces of art with me everywhere.

He sat on the counter, his palms planted flat against the Formica. “Maybe I’ll hide it in one of your tattoos one of these days.”

“Maybe I’ll break your machine into a million pieces,” I said.

“Whoa. Shit just got real,” he said, hopping down to stand next to me. “I’m sorry you’re angry that I ran the guy off. I’m not sorry for running him off, but I am sorry I made you mad. Think about it, though. I wasn’t going to tat him up after he hit on my girl. Trust me. It was best for everyone.”

“Stop making sense,” I snapped.

Trenton wrapped his arms around me from behind, and then buried his face in my neck. “I’m almost not sorry for making you mad. You’re fucking hot when you’re angry.”

I playfully elbowed him in the ribs, and the door chimed again. Colin and Chase walked toward the counter, and Chase crossed his arms over his chest.

“Tattoos?” I asked. They weren’t amused.

Trenton’s grip relaxed. “How can we help you, guys?”

Colin frowned. “We need to talk to Camille. Alone.”

Trenton shook his head. “Not gonna happen.”

Chase narrowed his eyes and leaned toward us. “She’s our fucking family. We’re not asking for your permission, Maddox.”

Trenton raised an eyebrow. “You are, you just don’t know it yet.”

Colin’s eye twitched. “Chase is here to talk to his sister. This is family business, Trent. You need to stay out of it. Camille, outside. Now.”

“You can talk to me here, Colin. What do you need?”

He glared at me. “You really want to talk about this here?”

“What do you want to talk about?” I asked, trying to remain calm. I was sure if we went outside, Colin or Chase would lose his temper and a fight would break out. It was safer to stay put.

“You didn’t show up for Thanksgiving. Dad said you had to work. Whatever. But then you don’t show up at Christmas. Then your chair is empty again at lunch on New Year’s Day. What the fuck is going on, Camille?” Chase asked, incensed.

“I have two jobs, and I’m taking classes. It’s just the way things happened this year.”

“Dad’s birthday is next week,” Chase said. “You better fucking be there.”

“Or what?” Trenton said.

“The fuck did you just say to me, Maddox?” Chase snapped.

Trenton lifted his chin. “She better be there, or what? What are you going to do if she doesn’t show?”

Chase leaned against the counter. “Come get her.”

“No. You won’t,” Trenton said.

Colin leaned in, too, keeping his voice low when he spoke. “I’m only going to say this one more time. This is family business, Trent. You need to stay the fuck out of it.”

Trenton’s jaws worked under his skin. “Cami is my business. And her cocksucking brothers walking into her work trying to bully her is most definitely my business.”

Colin and Chase glared at Trenton, both of them taking a step backward. Colin spoke first, like he always did. “Camille, come outside with us right now, or I’m going to tear this place apart while I kick your buddy’s ass.”

“I’m not her buddy. I’m her boyfriend, and I’ll knock you the fuck out before you can scratch the paint.”

Calvin appeared on the other side of me. I looked down and his hands were balled into fists. “Did you just say you were going to tear up my shop?”

“What are you going to do about it?” Chase spat on the floor.

“Chase, Jesus Christ!” I yelled. “What is wrong with you?” Trenton held me back, even though I wasn’t trying all that hard to go anywhere.

Bishop and Hazel came out of their rooms, curious about the noise. Bishop stood on the other side of Calvin, and Hazel on the end.

Hazel crossed her arms. “I may not look like much, but when one of these big boys are holding you down and I’m clawing your eyes out, you’ll understand why I’m standing here. But see . . . I don’t want to claw your eyes out, because you’re Cami’s family. And we don’t want to hurt her. Ever. Because she’s part of our family, now. And you don’t. Hurt. Family. So take a lesson from us, wipe those frowns off your punk ginger faces, and go home. When you cool off, Chase . . . give your sister a call. And talk to her nice. Unless you don’t want to keep your eyes.”

“Or your arms,” Trenton added. “Because if you ever talk to her with anything less than a respectful tone again, I will rip those fuckers off and beat you with ’em. Do we understand each other?”

Colin and Chase watched our group with wary eyes, from Trenton to Hazel, and everyone in between. They were outnumbered, and I could see in Colin’s eyes he wasn’t going to take them all on.

Chase looked to me. “I’ll call you later. We deserve an explanation for why our family’s falling apart.”

I nodded, and they both turned and pushed through the double doors.

When Colin’s engine fired up, I looked down, embarrassed. “I’m so sorry, Calvin.”

“The shop’s good, kiddo. We’re good.” He walked back to his office, and Hazel walked over, sliding her arms between mine and pressing her cheek against my chest.

“We got you,” she said simply. I kept my eyes on the floor, but when it was obvious Hazel wasn’t letting go, I squeezed her tight.

Bishop watched us for a moment.

“Thank you,” I said.

Bishop raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t going to fight. I was just out here to watch.” He walked back to his room, and I chuckled.

Hazel let me go and took a step back. “All right. Show’s over. Get back to work.” She left for her room.

Trenton pulled me into his arms, and touched his lips to my hair. “They’ll get it eventually.”

I looked up at him, unsure of what he meant.

“I’m never going to let them intimidate you again.”

I pressed my cheek against his chest again. “It’s all they know, Trent. I can’t really blame them.”

“Why not? They blame you for everything. And they’re not robots. They’re adults, and they can make different choices. They choose to stick with what they know.”

“Kind of like you and your brothers?” I didn’t look up, and Trenton didn’t respond right away.

Finally he took a breath. “We don’t react to things because it’s all we know. It’s just the opposite. We have no fucking clue what we’re doing.”

“But you try,” I said, nuzzling up against him. “You try to be good people. You work toward doing better, being better, more patient, and more understanding. But just because you can beat someone’s ass . . . doesn’t mean you should.”

Trenton chuckled. “Yeah it does.” I tried—and not very hard—to push him away. He held me tighter.

“I’m going to make you beef tips and rice tonight,” I said.

Trenton made a face. “I love your cooking, baby doll, but I can’t keep eating dinner at three
AM
.”

I laughed. “Fine, I’ll have it waiting for you. There’s a spare key under the rock that sits in front of the pillar by my door. I’ll leave it there.”