Chapter Twenty-three Estera Roberts’ POV (Present Time)

His lips trailed down the slope of my chest until they covered my nipples, he suckled gently and I moaned, arching my back to give him full access to my chest. In reflex, I turned my face to have better access to his thumb that was brushing the corner of my mouth, and closed my lips around him, licking and sucking it. I heard him moaning out my name. The rush of his hot breath on my breast stimulated me further. I felt my vagina respond as the heat increased in between my legs. I reached down to cup his face, making him edge up so I could taste his lips.
I wrapped my legs behind his long legs, moving them up a bit, and tightened my hold on him. Putting my self-defense class actions to use, I overturned him and peppered kisses on his pectorals, using my teeth to pull out his flat nipples. I sucked him, lapping and licking him till they hardened. Evan moaned and his frame quivered. I dragged my open palm over his front, loving the control I have over him, and his reactions, enjoying his warm skin as I brushed my skin against his.
He grunted hard and I almost smiled. I continued to trail kisses down his abdomen and to his inner thighs, inhaling his scent, then he reached down to cup my jaw with chest heaving. He held my gaze with impassioned eyes. I gasped softly understanding the silent communication. I wrapped my fingers around his pulsating need. The warm feel of him made me moan and moisture pooled in between my legs. I dragged my hand up and then down to the hilt of his shaft. Then lowered my face to wet the crown, and slowly slipped him into my mouth. He grunted hard and groaned. I shut my eyes, holding him by the hilt, I pumped, stroked, licked, and sucked him steadily. But he didn’t let me make him come into my mouth before he suddenly reached for me. Cupping my jaw again, but this time he didn’t give me room to stop him. He drew me up and over his body, covering my lips with his in a passionate kiss. I felt one arm snaking around my waist and then I was under him and he was kneeling in between my legs. He gripped my thighs, prying my legs wide open then lifted my ass from the mattress. My chest shook in anticipation, and then I cried out when he thrust into me. And without pausing he pushed deeper, hard, and fast.
“Evan!” I cried. “Baby, don’t stop! I’m—” was all I could get out before his mouth covered mine. I shook and quivered spasmodically against his body. When he was done with me, as tired and weak as I was, I still wrapped my arms around his neck, holding on tight with my head resting on his chest and listening to his heart beating in accordance with mine.
“We need to talk…” he said after a while pressing a kiss to the side of my head.
“Mmm…” I moaned, burrowing deeper into his arms as if I wasn’t close enough. I raised the hand I laid over his chest to frame the other side of his face and pressed my lips to the corner of his mouth then whispered, “Not yet, my darling… I want to revel in this heavenly abyss you have plunged me, don't make me remember… Not yet, Evan. Please, my love.”
“In the morning then?” he persisted
“Mmm…” I mumbled against his skin and felt tears stream down the side of my face. I knew very well I could not stay with him. I can not allow him to destroy himself for us. I wished I could broach that subject with him. So he could tell me why he never came after me even though he claimed he still loves me. But then I would be obligated to tell him what his father told me, what he had done, and knowing Evan he might want to fight back and what was at stake was too much for me to let him do that. He might even resent me for it eventually. And so I waited for his heart rate to slow -- an indication that he was asleep, and I got out of bed. I went inside the bathroom to shower and wear my clothes. Padding back into the bedroom, I went to pick the raglan sleeve shirt he threw on the couch close to the door, putting the fabric under my nose to inhale his scent. I slipped it on. My eyes smarted with tears. I turned to watch him still sleeping on the bed, then my eyes settled on his phone that was atop his bedside table. Praying it was not passworded, I went to pick it up and swiped the screen. My heart tightened when I saw it was open. I dialed my number just so I could have his mobile number then deleted the call log. I was about to put it down when I realized this could be my way of getting the information I needed to return Edward’s bloody ‘gift’, and so I went to the phone search engine and typed in the company name and bank details, my heart tightened when I saw it appear. Picking up a branded pen and notepad just by the table lamp stand, I quickly wrote it down and slipped the paper down my cleavage under Evan’s shirt.
Evan turned on the bed and my heart almost stopped as I held my breath, waiting for him to open his eyes and see me fully clothed. But he didn’t open his eyes. I turned to leave and remembered how he had gotten a few hours before when he thought I had disappeared without a word.
I picked the pen again and scribbled two words I knew only him would comprehend. And with a blurry gaze, I left, walking down the hallway to the elevator like a shell. I couldn’t dare think, I couldn’t dare feel or dwell on what I was leaving behind. I took one step after the other and stood still as the elevator took me down and down to the ground floor. When it stopped and slid open, I stepped out and walked out of the building. I knew I wouldn't be drawing attention with my fur-trimmed coat covering my black leather bodysuit, I looked like one of them -- the kind of people that could afford to stay in this place, only I wasn’t. A fear so profound struck me inside with the thought that I may never be able to prove Edward wrong, never be able to stand as his equal, and refute his claim that I would forever be … a wingless bird.
But then a voice inside me reminded me I was a surgeon now, and a damn good one -- one of the fucking best in the country. I was no longer what he described, and I would fucking get a chance to face him one day and reintroduce myself to the bastard. I shut my eyes briefly, taking a calming breath, allowing myself to take cognizance of my surroundings.
It was still quite early, and cold. I have always found New York to be unbearably cold. People mill about as if it was daytime, but then this was New York. It was one of the things I love about the city -- its nocturnal nature. I walked down the block until I found a convenience store.
Walking in, I flashed the man behind the checkout stand a warm smile and asked if I could use his phone. He directed me to a landline at the back and I dialed Ameera’s mobile line. I told her where I was and hung up.
There was an iron bench just outside the store, I went to sit on it, wrapping my arms around myself and waiting. A few minutes later a car parked on the opposite side of the road only it wasn’t Ameera or Ashley’s car, It was Cole’s familiar black Jeep and he was the one behind the wheels.
“Shit!” I cursed under my breath. “Shit! Shit! Shit!”