Page 21 of Everything After

“If it counts for anything, Kate told Camilla that she was sore after getting with you before me.”

“Dude. Both of us on the same day?” Mason cackles. “Rest in peace to her pussy. Damn.”

“I don’t know how all of that shit happened. But we were both desperate as fuck for attention from girls,” I say. “And Sierra is right. Kate has always been attention-seeking.”

“Why would she fuck with both of us, though? That’s what I don’t get. She didn’t even try to hide it. It’s like she wanted…”

“She wanted us to fight,” I say. “I guess, wanting one of us to pick her.”

“Crazy shit,” Mason says. “But it’s whatever. I’m tired of fighting.”

“Me too, man,” I say. “Well, I’ve gotta get some work done. The guys should be back from lunch in a second. Wanna come over tonight and help me fuck around with that old Harley?”

“Hell yeah, dude,” Mason says with a smile.

Chapter Eleven

Sierra

Six Weeks Later

I’ve been living at Beckett’s house for six weeks now. Sleeping in his bed. Showering in his bathroom. Working at his shop. Six weeks of peace. It doesn’t stop the nightmares, but I can breathe easier. I’m not as jumpy. But the threat is still there.

Ms. Johnson still asks me if I survived the bear. Mrs. Juno's car has caught fire twice. Ace has tried to convince me that blinker fluid is a real thing. Bella is my best friend. Somewhere along the way… This became my life. It’s everything I dreamed of for years.

Beckett and I have fallen into a routine of sorts. We work at the shop during the week, with the clubs every Saturday, and have a family dinner every Sunday. At night, we take turns cooking and cleaning before we end up in bed together reading. I shower at night, and he showers in the morning. Sometimes I sleep in, and he wakes me with coffee. Other times, I greet him with coffee when he emerges from the bathroom.

I genuinely love how supportive Beckett is. It’s more than that, though. He dotes on me every single chance he gets. Sometimes he will have plans with someone, and he always checks in with me to make sure I’m okay with it. I don’t know why it matters, but the gesture is sweet. Especially when he always brings me something back. Last Saturday, he went to the bar with Mason and Ace to shoot pool and brought me back a giant salted pretzel at three in the morning. Who knew freedom felt so good?

I am sitting in bed with my back against the headboard. I am sitting cross-legged with just Beckett’s shirt on. I’ve grown comfortable enough to not feel weird about not having pants on. I was always afraid to be around Anthony without layers because he’d end up holding me down and making me have sex with him.

I am reading a book Bella suggested to me. Ace told me to be careful taking suggestions from her, and Mason laughed when he heard I was reading one of her books. I didn’t know what the big deal was, but I am starting to figure it out.

This woman is about to have sex, and she is excited. Why would she be excited? Like this woman is fucking giddy. Bella is the same way, I think. I could go forever without feeling that again.

Beckett gets into bed and rests his hand on my bare thigh as he begins reading. It’s hard to focus right now, and I don’t understand why. He’s done this every single night. He aimlessly strokes my skin with his fingertips, and heat flashes through my body as I read my book. I have been on this same paragraph where he is telling her he is going to make her feel him for days. As if that is somehow appealing?

I look over at Beckett, and then at his hand. “Bex, can you stop?” I ask quietly.

“Hmm? Yeah. I’m sorry, Kitten,” Beckett says, moving his hand.

Shit. That doesn’t feel right either. I lean into him, and he moves his arm to wrap around me so I can snuggle closer. He has his hand resting on my hip, and this is better.

I continue to read, but the way the main female is describing the main male… I just don’t get it. It reads like a fucking horror novel as far as I’m concerned. I close out of that book and move back to my farm romance. No sex. Just sweet talking and holding hands.

A while later, I yawn and take that as my cue to put my Kindle down. Beckett does the same a few minutes later and lies down. When he gently rests his hand on my waist, I scoot back until our bodies are pressed together. We’ve done this for nearly two weeks, and it’s my favorite way to fall asleep now.

“Good night, Bex,” I say softly.

“Good night, Kitten,” he says before gently kissing my neck. Again, it’s nothing abnormal. It’s how he woke me up this morning, but this time it sends a shiver up my spine, and I squeeze my thighs together as pressure in my belly grows.

What is wrong with me? I’m not scared. It’s not anxiety. So why? I shimmy back against him more. He grunts and pulls his hips back. “Sorry,” I mutter.

“Don’t be sorry,” Beckett says softly, wrapping his arm around my body to pull me back against him. I shift my hips again, but this time we both freeze when I feel it. Fear surfaces so suddenly that I pull away and roll to my belly. Beckett simply starts rubbing my back, understanding that I am overwhelmed.

I don’t want to believe he would hurt me the same way Anthony did. Anthony always said that men have needs and women are responsible for fulfilling them, so maybe he’s just politely telling me I need to start doing my part, since I am living in his home. Is that what Bella is doing for Mason? I hope it doesn’t hurt her as badly as it did me.

When I wake the next morning, I am alone in bed. I hear the shower running, so I drag myself out of bed and start getting dressed. I gasp when Beckett suddenly hugs me from behind and kisses my shoulder. “Morning, Kitten,” he says softly.