Chapter 47

Mia blinked back the tears threatening to burst through her eyes. Didn’t he know she’d tried? Leaving a man like Gabriel Evans was no easy feat and she’d failed. She wasn’t strong enough, or connected enough. Harvey of all people should be able to understand, he was a part of that world where powerful men and women were the rulers of the people around them. Her fate had been decided, she was meant to be a puppet, a pawn for Gabriel to toy with, embarrass and frustrate until he was bored.

"I can’t.” she was pleading to him, placing her hands on his shoulders and staring at him directly.

“If you do not love him then you can leave.” He encouraged, applying pressure to his touch, entreating her to consider this avenue.

“I have tried, Harvey.” She was insistent, she knew he didn’t understand her choice, she saw it in the way he searched her face as if there was a huge question mark hovering over it. “I have tried so many times, but I can’t.” her voice was growing more and more resolute in her decision. Her mind was made up and yet Harvey couldn’t bring himself to accept this and just walk away.

“Why is it so hard?” he got distracted by her hair falling over his hands, he brushed them back, twisting a strand of her hair between his fingers completely transfixed by the silky waves. How he’d longed to see her hair spread out on a pillow, wild and untamed as he caressed every part of her body.

“It’s too complicated.” She pushed him off and stalked off towards the opposite corner of the room, running her fingers through her hair and pulling it up into a ponytail. Everywhere he touched her was tingling; her head swirling with a heady sensation. Stepping away to gather her thoughts was a must.
Mia paced back and forth, reminding herself to breathe; in and out and repeat. Harvey rose to his feet and followed her movements with his eyes. He kept his distance, cracking his knuckles to occupy the use of his hands. They were on her skin and they were itching to be returned.

“We have time.” He finally said, thinking that she wasn’t yet comfortable to talk to him about the thoughts plaguing her mind. “I will sit here all night if I have too, just help me understand.” He beseeched, sinking down in the chair she’d just vacated. Her rendition of her relationship, the truth of it, made it so much harder for him to walk away with a simple good bye.

“He’ll take her away from me.” Every bit of emotion she had bottled up came flowing out of her. Her back was facing him, her eyes trained on the thick expanse of concrete wall in front of her. She inhaled deeply, sniffling softly. She didn’t want to him to see her cry and yet Harvey was able to tell from the tremors in her shoulders, the crack in her voice to the random sniffling.
The tears had been a response to many things. Mia couldn’t pin point whether it had to do with the possibility of losing her daughter, having to continue in a marriage was that a prison or having to give up the man behind her. How was it so difficult to let go of someone she’d barely known?

“Your daughter?” Harvey asked for clarification, already knowing the answer when she nodded her head in response. Mia couldn’t bring herself to speak, she was sure her voice would expose her.

“I can help you, Mia.” He was behind her, his presence radiating masculine energy and heat that felt as if she was being cocooned in a reassuring bubble. “Let me help you.” He rubbed the palm of his hands in circles on her shoulders, drawing her slowly against him until her entire body was nestled against his. He brought his arms in front of her, placing a kiss on her shoulder. “Let me help you.” He whispered against the back of her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. The shift in her body was mistaken for another emotional tremor and he tightened his grip on her. “I live alone, you and your daughter could more than move in.” he’d nuzzled his face into her neck.
Mia rotated in his arms, his grip loosening on her to facilitate her motion. She was gazing up into his eyes now, her arms wrapping around his waist. She wasn’t ready to let him go. “Are you asking me to leave him for you?” her eyes were red and swollen.

“What if I am?” Harvey wiped the water away from her cheeks, his face leaning down towards her.

“We barely know each other.” She sniffled softly, “This…mess is not yours to fix.” Her voice didn’t sound like her own, not to Harvey’s ears. He inhaled, rubbing her back and giving her a sad lop-sided smile.

“All I know is that I have never felt this way for any one before.” He pressed his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling about in an erotic dance.

“You are making this harder than it already is.” She shook her head. “I have tried. The only route I had any hope for also failing. I am tired.” She told him. She couldn’t involve another person when chances where that Gabriel would find some way to get her back or worse…he’d actually take Amiyah away. She’d taken enough risks in angering Gabriel, she couldn’t take another.

“So that’s it?” he pressed his body closer to her, his erection becoming more and more noticeable. “This is how it all ends?” his eyes couldn’t focus on anything but her lips. They were parted, waiting for him.

“It was ending from the moment we met.” Mia was hypnotised by the movement of his mouth. Being this close to him wasn’t leading to anything productive. She couldn’t pull away though; she couldn’t find it in herself to stop him as he dipped his head closer connecting their lips together in a melancholy dance. A tear ran down her cheek as she matched his energy, her hands holding on to him for dear life. She feared she’d drown if she let go.

“Then I guess there is nothing else.” He said through an elevated pulse. His chest heaving as he’d torn his lips away from her.

“No, there really isn’t” she replied, licking her lips. Her chest was on fire from the energy they’d just exerted. Her eyes were begging him to kiss her again.

“If you keep staring at me like that…” his words trailed off. Mia snuggled closer to him, laying her head on his chest as the tension in her chest subsided. She listened to the sound of his heart. “I want you to kiss me and more.” She whispered against his t-shirt.
Harvey momentarily closed his eyes. He pulled her gaze to his, “Bet.” He cocked his head to the side, slamming his lips against hers. His weight pushing her backwards until her back was flat against the wall. He placed a hand behind her head to cushion her, driving his hips against hers. A tiny gasp escaping her lips, interrupting the kiss. He covered his mouth with hers again, rotating his hips against her, his erection pressing against her so intimately that she could barely wait.
He snaked a hand under her blouse, cupping a breast, massaging her. Mia shook her head, “I need you inside me.” She breathed against his ear, his hand trailed down her belly and into her pants, he slid a finger in, twisting it slowly. She groaned.

“Like this?” he groaned against her neck. The movement of her body arousing him further. Mia hung her head back, biting her lips to keep herself silent.
She fumbled with his belt, “With this.” She’d unbuttoned his pants and reached to cup him. His girth overflowing in her hands. He eased off her and began removing her pants, kicking off his pants and boxers in the process, his manhood springing free.

“How do you want me?” She asked him as she drew her blouse and bra off. He pulled his T-shirt over his head. He reached into his wallet and pulled out a condom to sheath himself.

“I want to look at you,” he growled, grabbing hold of one of her legs and wrapping it around his waist as he positioned himself between her legs. He thrust into her, bracing himself with one hand against the wall and the other gripping her hip. Mia wrapped her body around him, meeting every one of his thrusts, her centre of gravity shifting with every thrust, her head going further up into the clouds as every synapse sparked with increased electricity.
Harvey groaned, his thrusts becoming faster, his sweat soaked forehead resting on her shoulder. Mia felt her body receiving the height of pleasure, floating as her body convulsed, her single leg on the floor trembling, the leg wrapped around him sagging. She had no energy to hold it in place. As if on cue Harvey slumped against her, her back hitting the wall behind her, their chests heaved, the only sounds were of their breaths struggling to reach recovery.

“Then were does that leave us?” Harvey asked, his body still slumped against her. Did he dare to look at her? He needed to hear the answer from her own mouth, in her own voice. It was the only way.

“There cannot be an us, but…” She said softly, her chest heaving against him. He shook his head, whether it was in agreement or defiance, he didn’t know.

“But what?” he asked.

“I don’t know how to walk away, you need to help me.” She’d buried her hands in his hair. Harvey swallowed the wave of emotion that rocked his body.