Royal Prick (A Stepbrother Romance) (21 page)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

-Royal

The nights were by far the worst. During the day I had school and other things to distract me. But the night time hours seemed to go on forever. Before the sun would peek up over the horizon and even after, I couldn’t seem to get Noelle out of my mind. Images of her and the time we spent together were on constant replay in my mind.

No matter how I looked at it, I felt as if I betray her. I made certain that she understood that I needed to get away from it all and that I wasn’t running from her, but I still felt the distinct ache in my chest from being away from her. The pain I felt was self-inflicted, of course, but knowing that didn’t make it hurt any less.

           It’s only been a week that we’ve been separated, and I already wished I hadn’t left. It took everything in me to not send her a text message, to unblock her number and call her. I just wanted to hear her voice or see words she had written flash across my screen. Something to let me know she was thinking about me as much as I was thinking about her.

She meant the world to me, and all I wanted was for things to be better for her, for both of us, but especially for Noelle. If putting space between us would do that for either one of us then that was how it needed to be. Which meant I had no other choice but to keep her blocked so I wouldn’t cave into my own wants.

All I could do was try my best to do the right thing, even if it killed me to follow through with it. That night when Noelle was in the hospital, after I got off the phone with my mom, I tracked my dad down and asked him if we could talk.

Mark agreed to allow me to fly back home, and we made a deal. He promised that he would watch over Noelle while I was here, and he would also make sure that Viviana didn’t lay a finger on her. He also paid me a lump sum of money so that I could take care of my mom and give her some much needed time off.

Since they divorced before he started making tons of money he technically didn’t have to pay her a dime in the settlement, but I reminded him of the fact that she gave birth to me and raised me for the last seventeen years. In exchange for Mark’s promise and his money, I agreed that I would do my best to stay out of trouble and be a better son to my mother. All in all, I thought it was a fair deal.

                     “Dinner is ready, sweetie,” my mother called from down stairs. I’ve held up in my bedroom for days now. I felt sick to my stomach every time I got up out of bed. I was heartsick. Missing someone what wasn’t even fully mine yet and probably never would be.

                     “I’ll be down in a sec.” I replied, forcing myself to get up from the bed.  I hated leaving Noelle like I did. I hated myself even more for doing it. I just needed time.

I hustled down the stairs and into the kitchen, the smell of cornbread and chili smacking me in the face. Forcing a smile onto my face, I stepped over the threshold and into the kitchen, my mother’s face meeting mine.

                     “I hope you’re hungry.” She gestured toward the dishes she had set out. I took one of the bowls filling it with a two heaping spoonfuls of the spicy goodness. Walking over to the table and setting my bowl down, I took a quick bite before going to grab a drink. The spices from the chili hit the back of my throat causing a cough to escape me.

                     “It’s… spicy,” I commented. My mother’s face lit up with laughter as I took my glass of milk and sat down at our old kitchen table. I hadn’t told her about the money I had gotten from Dad yet, but I would soon. There was so much I planned on doing with this money— all of it for her— after all, she sacrificed so much for me. First on my list was getting her out of this shit hole house we lived in and buying her a good reliable car.  

                    “Yeah, it’s got a little bit of heat to it,” she responded as I slurped some more of the chili into my mouth.

                     “Are you trying to kill me, Mom?” I groaned, swallowing past the heat. Again, another bubble of laughter left her throat.

                     “You go to the East coast for six months and turn into the biggest baby ever. Don’t tell me Viviana didn’t know how to cook.” The mention of that bitch’s name completely ruined my mood and my mom could instantly tell. My spoon fell into my bowl, and I pushed it away from me. My appetite was gone.

        Why the hell did I have to let her get under my skin? Why couldn’t I just let it go and enjoy a night with my mom?

                     I hated myself for letting so many people down: my mom, Noelle, my father. I couldn’t handle the pain that came with loving people. It hurt way too fucking much.

                     “I’m sorry, Royal. I didn’t mean to bring it up. I know you’re working through your emotions on the matter, but talking about it might help.” My mother’s voice was soothing and understanding, and I loved her for it. I loved her for caring enough to let things be as they were, allowing me to come to her when the time was right.

                     “It’s okay…” I assured her with a smile.

“I just feel like I’m at fault for a lot of shit that’s going on right now. I want to make things better for everyone involved, but I don’t know how. All I know how to do is protect myself from the pain and in doing so I hurt everyone I care about.” I was thinking out loud, still my mom just sat there listening, not judging me or lying to me by telling me I was wrong.                   

                     “Time heals all wounds, honey. I learned that back when your father and I ended things. I still loved him, but I had to learn to let go of what happened otherwise the pain would have never eased. It would’ve eaten me up.” There was so much truth and honesty that could be heard in her voice. I wished I was half as strong as my mother. I wished I had even an ounce of the courage she had.

                     “Do you ever miss Dad?” I asked without thinking saying the first thought that popped into my head.

                     “Every single day. Eventually you learn to deal with change when it’s the only true thing in life. Change occurs no matter what you do. It sucks that your father and I couldn’t have our happily ever after, but that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.” I respected her more now that she was more open about discussing the past and the things that happened with Dad. Maybe it would help get things off my chest if I opened up to someone, then I could move on.

                     “I think I’m in love,” I blurted out, knowing that I could tell my mom anything and she would understand. I wasn’t typically one to explain my emotions, but right now I knew I had to. I didn’t know what I was feeling, and I needed help understanding what I was going through. If anyone would get that it would be my mother.  

                     “With who? A girl back at your father’s?” My mother questioned with excitement. I had never brought home girls, nor did I ever gone on dates. It wasn’t my thing. I fucked them once and moved on. It was the easiest type of relationship. The no strings, no feelings, no complications.  I was the I won’t call you later kind of guy. If a girl wasn’t into that then I wasn’t the right guy for her. That was until Noelle came along.

                     “Her name’s…” Before I could even finish my sentence a loud pounding sounded on the front door. My mother and I both shoved from the dining room table at the same time, both of us scurrying toward the front door to see who it was.  It wasn’t typical for us to have company, especially this late at night. Unless of course my mom made a new friend I didn’t know about yet.

                     “Noelle?” Her name slipped from my tongue as I stared at her through the glass window of the front of the door. My heart sank into my stomach. If she was here it could only mean one thing. Something happened at home; something with her mother or maybe even Mark. There was no other reason that she would come all the way here. Was there?

                     “Hi!” My mother gently pushed me out of the way so she could open the door and then welcomed Noelle in. I felt self-conscious and embarrassed almost immediately. We didn’t live in the projects or anything, but this house was nothing like hers. Nothing like what she was used to. We didn’t have a lavish staircase, or a finished basement. We didn’t have a huge kitchen with granite countertops. Things here were plain. It was simple and completely unlike anything she ever had growing up.

                     “Umm, Hi! Is Royal here?” Noelle’s sweet voice met my ears, and I kid you not the sound of it instantly brightened my day. I wanted her. I needed her. God I’ve missed her so much. We were right back where we started.

                     “Yes. please, why don’t you come on in?” It was snowing an hour ago, and I wasn’t even sure how she managed to get here let alone find my address. Suddenly I was overwhelmed with fear. Was her flight okay, did she get sick? Did she just get released from the hospital? I stepped into view, and our eyes collided. The rope I severed between us by leaving started to twine back together. The fibers forming and pulling me back toward her heart.

                     This girl owned me. She had my fucking heart in her hand, and she was squeezing the ever loving life out of me. We stood there for several minutes just staring at each other. There was no one and nowhere else that mattered in this moment. Just the two of us.

                     “Are you okay?” I couldn’t help but ask the question that I was dying to find out. I had to know that she was okay, and that she didn’t hurt herself trying to get here. I had to know that she didn’t leave because she was attacked by her mother or someone else.

                     “I’m perfect.” Her smile set my body ablaze. A forest fire started at my feet and climbed its way up my body, each look she gave me fanned the flames of my desire.

                     “Umm…” My mother stepped in breaking the moment up. I forgot she was even here. It was just like Noelle to distract me from the world causing everything else to fall away.

                     “Mom, this is Noelle. Noelle, this is my mom.” I introduced them to one another, my mom being the first to wrap Noelle in a tight hug. Noelle’s face had a small rosy blush creeping its way onto her cheeks. I wasn’t sure if it was from showing up here unannounced, or our staring match, hell it also could be from meeting my mom for the first time. Either way I enjoyed seeing the color highlight her innocent face.

                     “It’s so nice to meet you.” My mother’s voice was cheery. I’m sure she had already figured out it was Noelle’s name that I was going to say earlier when I told her that I was positive that I was in love.

                     “Likewise, Mrs. Black. I have heard so many great things about you.” Noelle’s eyes locked on mine and then slid up and down my body as if she was trying to burn the image into her mind. I’ve missed her so fucking much. I couldn’t believe that she was actually here standing in the same room as me. Her scent filled my nostrils and forced my heartbeat to slow. She was exactly what I needed to survive.

                     “I just made dinner, if you care to join us. I’m sure your flight was pretty long, and you must be hungry?” My mom shifted her eyes to me. We were both shocked by Noelle’s presence here, but I could tell that neither of us wanted her to leave.

                     “No that’s sweet but I’ll be okay. I’m sorry for just barging in on you guys especially at dinner time. I just wanted to come and see Royal before I checked into the hotel in town.” It was then that I noticed she had brought her suitcases with her. She had to be insane if she thought I was going to let her go stay in town or anywhere else by herself.

                     “Well then I will leave you two alone to talk.” She paused before finishing.

“I would also like to add that you’re more than welcome to stay here if you would like.” My mother extended the invitation to her before I could, and that was a good thing since Noelle almost never listened to me.

                     “Well I don’t know; I really don’t want to be a bother to you. I already showed up unannounced at your door, and I have the room at the hotel already reserved....” Noelle’s cheeks grew a darker shade of red.

Fuck yes! My cock was already rock hard.

“Mom, Noelle is far more stubborn than I am. You’re going to have to work your mom magic and insist she stays.” I shot them both a smirk. Letting them both know just how serious I was.

“I really don’t want to impose on you guys. I know my trip was unexpected, and I would completely understand if you didn’t have room for me here.” Her words smacked me in the chest like a brick being thrown at me. She wouldn’t have had to come out here if I didn’t leave.

                     “Oh for Pete’s sake child. Royal can take the couch and you can have his bed. I’ll see that he shows you to it. I won’t take no for an answer.” My mother gave me the, get-the-hell-going look before walking away. Oh she had no fucking idea just how true her statement was. I was damn well going to show Noelle to my room, but I wouldn’t be sleeping on the couch. Not one bit. Not while Noelle was in my bed.

Yeah that was not happening.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

-Noelle

Each step I took down the hall toward Royal’s bedroom caused my body to squirm. His house was quaint and had a lot of character to it. Royal’s house felt like a home. It was so different than the house I grew up in. My house may have been large and grand, but it was also cold and sterile. This place was small but it was lived in. It was warm and welcoming just like a home should be.

I couldn’t help but stop and stare at all the pictures of Royal covering the wall. His school photos hung proudly at every turn. It appeared that every stage of his life was hanging before me, and I couldn’t help but smile as I took in all those moments.

                     “You were so adorable,” I commented, running my fingers over the glass of one of the photo frames.

                     “Were? You act like I used to be adorable or something. I still am adorable.” That cocky grin I loved so much was back. I melted into his touch as he slipped his fingers between mine, pulling me away from the photos and further down the hall until we stopped at a door.

                     “So it’s not as clean as your room was back at my dad’s and it’s a bit smaller…” he muttered pushing the door open. My eyes took everything in all at once. I scoffed at him. I wasn’t a princess, not by a long shot, and his bedroom was perfect. It totally fit him.

I took in the large wooden bed placed in the center of the room. Against the far right wall was a dresser with a flat screen sitting on top of it, and a game console located right next to that. There was a door on the other side of the room in which I assumed was the closet.

                     “Shut up! I’m not going to judge you because of what your room looks like. It doesn’t matter what it looks like to me.” Royal’s scent filled the room, my body wanting to wrap itself in the smell. This was his zone, the place that he spent all of his time. The place where his thoughts lingered from his mind.

                     “I just know what you’re accustomed to and you aren’t going to find any of that shit here.” He scratched at the back of his head as he placed my bags on the floor. I could tell he wanted to talk but was waiting for me to speak first. Probably still wondering what the hell I was doing here.

                     “Why did you leave, and don’t tell me it had to do with my mom, because I know that part already. I want the real answer. The whole answer… Not some excuse.” I wasn’t leaving here until I got it.

                     He met my stare head on, a slew of emotions forming in his eyes.

                     “I wanted to be the best person I could be for you. Your mother was driving me insane, and I was certain if I was around her any longer I would snap and do something I would regret. I also hoped that if I left, she would get off your back and give you some room to breathe. I wanted to be there when you got out of the hospital but I couldn’t be. I needed all the distance I could get.” I bit at my bottom lip, trying to hide the tears that wanted to fall from my eyes. Distance? Distance was staying in the room down the hall from me, not flying clear across the United States.

                     “Is there someone else? I mean I’ll understand. I’m not clingy, and I swear I’ll leave. I just needed to know.” I hated how my voice sounded. It was weak. I was weak and stupid for even coming all the way out here. I don’t know what I was thinking just showing up. He obviously didn’t want to be near me. Maybe I was just compelled to believe that he could love me like no one else ever had.

                     “Fuck no! What the hell?” Royal roared, pouncing on me. His hand gripped my cheeks roughly as he pulled my face up into his, a murderous rage lingering.

“It’s only ever been you. I didn’t leave so that I could fuck someone else. I left because I needed to. I had so much hate for your mother that I was scared that I would do something that would end up separating us for the rest of our lives. Why is it still so hard for you to believe that you’re the only one that truly matters to me?”

                     His honesty caused me to tremble and my knees to go weak. I leaned into his touch. I’ve craved it so much, even if we were only separated for a matter of days. It felt like I needed him just to breathe.

                     “I thought it was me. Even after I read your note, and then when I found out you blocked my numbers I…” I couldn’t finish my sentence. There was a knot in my throat that refused to move. I couldn’t speak about it, because it made me feel too many things. Most of all vulnerable and naïve.  

                     “I wasn’t trying to hurt you, Noelle. Not at all, and I’m sorry that it did. I just knew if you called me and I heard that sweet voice of yours that I would be right back on a plane coming back to your ass. I couldn’t do that. I had to force myself to not text you or check up on you. Mark told me you were okay, and that’s all that I could manage.” Royal sounded so conflicted, and I could see the pain it caused him. The bags under his eyes told me he had lost just as much sleep in the last week as I had.

                     “I would’ve understood. You could’ve waited.” A tear slipped from my eye, and before I could wipe it away, Royal reached out squishing it with his thumb.

                     “Never think that I left to get away from you. If I could’ve brought you with me, I would have. Goddamn, Noelle, it ripped me the fuck up inside to leave you in that hospital bed while I went back to that house and packed my bags, but I had to do what was right for both of us.” He cradled me in his hands, like a fragile child trying to make me understand why he made the decision to leave.

                     “I’m sorry.” I sniffled, trying to hold my emotions in. I wanted him to unravel me. To run his fingers through my hair and stake claim to my mouth, but I had no way of telling him what it was that I needed.

                     “Don’t be sorry. It’s me that should be sorry. I had no idea that it would hurt this badly. It felt like a knife was being stabbed through my chest every day and night. All I could do was think about you and wonder what it was that you were doing, or if you missed me as much as I missed you.” I laid my head on his chest, wrapping my arms around him. The thump of his heartbeat sounded in my ear. It was astounding how the sound of another human’s heartbeat could calm a person so much.

                     “Missed you? I was dying. I was so alone, trapped in that house. You were the only thing that made being there bearable,” I confessed, my words muffled against his shirt. He held me to his chest as if he needed my touch as much as I needed his.

                     “Don’t say that.” Hurt laced his words, and I pulled away from him noticing that he was looking away from me.

                     “It broke my heart to know that you ran away and didn’t take me with. I would’ve followed you anywhere. Which is why I’m here now. I had to know that it wasn’t me that did this. If I walked in this house and you told me to leave I would have, but you didn’t. I knew then that you didn’t leave because of me.”  I squeezed him tightly against my chest.

                     As I pulled away from him, I noticed a solemn look showing in his eyes, his tongue darting out wetting his lips, and I wanted to unleash my soul upon him.

                     “God. You are so fucking beautiful, Noelle.” He pressed his lips to my forehead and then down to my cheek and over my neck and throat. Little puffs of breath left my mouth, and I melted into a puddle as he skimmed his nose over the sensitive flesh of my throat.

                     “I missed you so much. The feel of your arms around me. The touch of your lips.” I moaned. His fingers dug into my skin as I released my hold on him, giving him more access to my throat, to my body.

                     “You have no fucking idea what you do to me, do you?” His teeth sunk into my flesh and a cry of pleasure radiated loudly out of me. I wanted him so badly that it physically hurt to be away from him.

                     “I feel the same, Royal. When I’m away from you it’s like I go through withdrawals. I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I’ve never felt addicted to a person’s touch.” His tongue licked over the spot he had just bitten me. The feeling was erotic and foreign, and I wanted so much more of it.

Hell, I needed more of it just to live.

                     “Shhh…” he purred against my skin, bringing his lips up to mine. It was then that I forgot everything else after that because his lips were finally on mine. His hands were in my hair, pulling out the rubber band and running his fingers through the locks. I was breathing him in, his scent imprinting on me. His body mending all the broken pieces.

                     “Give me everything…” he gasped, his tongue slipping into my mouth. He swallowed my moans of pleasure, pushing me down onto his bed. I didn’t care about anything else in that moment. The shit that happened with my mom didn’t matter. The fact that I traveled clear across the United States to be with him didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that we were reunited, and he was touching me just as I’ve always wanted him to.

                     Nimble fingers slipped down into my yoga pants, and he cupped my pussy, his fingers tracing my lips. He possessed me, and that scared me, because without him I felt lost. Like I had no home.

                     Royal Black owned me. He marked my body, and now I was forever bestowed to him. I needed him more than I needed anything else to live. Was this what love felt like? When you felt like you couldn’t breathe without them being near?

                     “I need to fuck you, but I can’t right this second…” His voice was a groan as he pulled away from me. I could feel the desire of his confession against my belly, his hard length pressing firmly against me.

                     “I need you,” I almost begged. It was killing me not to have his cock inside of me. Not to have him fully possess my body. I needed to be closer to him. I needed all of him. I was so ready for him. My pussy was soaked with my own juices, awaiting his arrival. He watched me as he pulled his cock out of his pants.

                     “Get on your knees then,” he ordered, a dark look shadowing his face. I shoved up from the mattress getting onto my knees. My eyes grew large with apprehension as I took all of him in: his washboard abs, toned muscles, and all the way down to his lengthy cock. He was bigger than any other male I’d seen before, then again I hadn’t seen a lot of cocks only what Jordan showed me on her phone.

                     “I’ve never done this before,” I commented, right as I touched the tip. A hiss escaped between his clenched teeth.

                     “Please don’t say shit like that.” He spoke as if it was too hard to get words out. Try as I may I couldn’t pull my eyes away from the tip of his cock. It was so soft, almost like velvet beneath my fingertips and there was a small bead of something wet right at the tip.

                     “It’s true, though. I don’t want you to think I’m an expert, but I’ll do my best to please you.” I smiled up at him, wrapping my tiny hand around his length.

A soft moan fell from his lips as my grip tightened around his length. He looked at me like he wanted to rip my clothes off and throw me down on the bed so that he could fuck me just as he always wanted. Raw and all consuming.

I had a feeling the predator was starting to become the prey.

                     My breath fanned against his skin, just as I opened my mouth darting my tongue out to give his head a quick taste. I took the tip between my lips and swirled my tongue over the head.  Royal’s fingers wove into my hair, pulling and pushing me as if to ease me up and down on his cock. He thrust up into my mouth causing me to gag, my eyes watered and my grip slacked.

                     “Fuck yes!” he hissed out, even though I was an amateur. I was sure that he was enjoying it given his response. I bobbed up and down more, his length pushing further into the back of my mouth and toward the back of my throat. Each thrust pushing him that much closer to a release. My pussy clenched with need as he slipped in and out of my warm mouth.  I needed him, and I needed him right now. With a loud pop, I released him from my mouth.

                     A look of confusion showed on his face. “What are you doing?” he questioned as I threw myself down on the bed shimming out of my yoga pants, and taking my panties with them. I had to relieve the tension that was building deep inside my belly.

                     “I need you. I can’t take you not being in me any longer,” I whispered, waiting for him to make his move. He stared at me with a primal look in his eyes and then pounced, sinking to his knees against the mattress. He gripped my feet and pulled me until I was at the very edge of the bed, his face right between my legs.

“Let me take care of you, princess, but don’t think you won’t be finishing what you just started because there is no way I can’t not get a chance to cum in that pretty little mouth of yours,” Royal spoke gruffly. The thought of having him back in my mouth as I deep throat his cock only made my pussy grow wetter with need.