Page 135 of Make Us Yours
“Come here.” He moves my feet off his legs and opens his arms.
I quickly get up and sit down sideways on his lap, my feet on the couch cushion beside us with my arms around his torso and head nuzzled beneath his chin as he kisses my crown. For the next few minutes all we do is watch the birds in silence as Gabe glides his fingers through my hair and I listen to the sound of his heart beating.
“Have you ever thought about getting a bird as a pet? You seem to like them a lot,” he suddenly asks.
I shake my head against him. “I could never own one.”
“Why not?” I can hear the frown in his tone.
“I’ve spent the last eight years of my life feeling like a bird trapped in a cage. Even once I was free, I could still feel the weight of its shackles wrapped around my ankles, tying me to that cage. The last thing I would ever want to do is take away that innocent bird’s freedom.”
His arms tighten around me once more, soothing me with his touch as he kisses the top of my head again.
Chapter thirty
Veronica
Baboons and horny hippos.
~ Two Days Later ~
I wish I could say that things are getting better, but they aren’t.
Although there hasn’t been any sign of Victor since,thank the heavens,Noah is still spiraling. He spends most of his time either drinking at home or going out to God knows where to get drunk, then stumbles in smelling like cheap beer and women, and I hate it. I don’t think he’d cheat on me, but I can’t stop my mind from wondering where he goes and what he does when he leaves the house.
Gabe tells me not to worry, that Noah would never do something like that. That wherever he goes women probably cling to him, but that he remains faithful to me.I hope he’s right…
Outside of the whole Noah and Victor situations, Gabe and I have been spending a lot of time together. He does everything to keep my mind occupied, whether it’s staying home or going out to wander around New York. He always finds us something fun to do, every hour of the day, and I’m so grateful to him for it. He’s the best boyfriend I could have asked for.
Gabe had a meeting with his agent this afternoon, something about a new sponsor. I swear he has something new every other day. The public really can’t get enough of him, although I am starting to get a little jealous.I thought hockey players had the summer off?
And then there’s Noah, who has once again been MIA since this morning and hasn’t been answering his phone… again. So I’ve been alone for the past three hours, busying myself with cleaning and trying to get the alcohol smell out of the rug in Noah’s room, from where he spilled his drink last night.
After spending forty-five minutes scrubbing the rug clean, I move on to thelaundry basket in the bathroom. I carry it back into the room and sort through the clothes over the bed before bringing them down to the washing machine.
I fall on one of Noah’s white shirts that he wore out two days ago, and a red spot by the collar catches my attention. I lay it on my lap and glide my fingertips over the smudged lipstick, thoughts racing through my head as my eyes well up. I wipe away the tear that slips out furiously and throw the shirt back into the basket.
“I didn’t cheat on you.” I look up to find Noah standing by the door, watching me. “I know where your mind is going. I didn’t do any of that.”
“Then where have you been, Noah? Where do you go every time you leave the house? Why don’t you ever answer your phone when you’re gone for hours and come home at odd hours of the night?” I’m trying to keep it together, but the pain resonates in my voice.
“I just wander around, find a bar along the way, and have a few drinks. That’s all. It’s no big deal.” He shrugs.
I stand from the bed, angry that he doesn’t see how much he’s hurting me. “But it is a big deal, Noah! You shouldn’t be driving if you’re drinking. You shouldn’t be going hours without answering your phone and not telling anyone where you are.” My eyes well once more. “What if something happened to you? Do you know how worried I am every time you leave? How I can’t fucking fall asleep until you get home, because I’m terrified something may have happened to you?!” My voice wobbles with emotions.
I know I could probably beg Julian to tell me where Noah is, or even ask Jessie, but it shouldn’t have to come to that. He’s my boyfriend, he should be the one communicating with me because that’s what we do in relationships.
“Fuck.” He scrubs his face with his palms then walks over to me, taking me in his arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
A sob breaks out despite how hard I’m trying to keep it in. “I know you’re hurting, Noah, I get it. But please, you can’t keep going like this. This behavior is destructive… It’s not only hurting you, but also me and Gabe as well. Please just try to answer your phone sometimes and no more taking your car if you’re going to drink… I can’t lose you.”
“I can’t lose you either, Veronica… I can’t… I don’t think I’d survive it…” His voice cracks as my heart breaks for this beautiful man who’s suffering.
I reach up, my hand coming into his hair as I seal my lips to his, promising to never leave him with my mouth, to love him forever. Within seconds, our kiss turns heated, and we’re ripping at each other’s clothes, sending them flying around the room until we’re naked. I push him down on the bed and climb above him whilehe lies in the middle of it.
He’s already hard beneath me as I rub my aching clit against him, my wetness spreading along the length of his cock. We haven’t had sex in two weeks, and I’m dying for it. I lift onto my knees, grabbing hold of his shaft and positioning myself over it, then cry out as I slide all the way down. He grabs my breasts, twisting and pulling my nipples as I ride his dick.
Everything is frantic, rough, desperate. We don’t give each other time to settle on a perfect rhythm, we just fuck like animals, panting and groaning as we near our point of ecstasy. I lean in, claiming his lips as he thrusts his hips up, fucking me with all the strength he can muster.
