His eyes creased at the corners, empathy there. “I get that. Once I left home, I expected the worst from every person I met. I looked at people like they were all out to screw me. I know how hard it is to break free of that, to trust someone—especially to trust someone like me. But when I say you’re not alone in this, I mean it. Whatever you need, I’m here.”
She closed her eyes, letting his words wash over her. She wanted so badly to believe them. She wanted to hope that if this happened, it wouldn’t be as terrifying as last time, that she’d have someone in her corner.
“Tell me what you need, Oakley. Name it and it’s yours.”
She shook her head, unable to voice what she wanted most. She couldn’t ask that of him. Wouldn’t. It was dumb to even think it. “I just need to get some sleep.”
She could see him in her periphery, staring at her, evaluating. But finally he released a long breath and leaned back. “Okay, Oakley. I’ll stop asking.”
TWENTY-SIX
Oakley adjusted herself on her pillows, trying to keep some enthusiasm in her voice as her caller described what he wanted tonight. He was a talker, so he was making it pretty easy on her as he seemed happy enough with her interjecting oohs and oh, yeahs every now and then. His own talk was what was getting him riled up. The only problem was the steady cadence of his voice was making her mind wander. She rubbed a hand over her face, trying to refocus. Just a few more minutes …
“I would fuck you so hard, Sasha. We’d wake up my neighbors.”
A quiet buzzing against her thigh made her jump before she could respond to Darren’s dirty talk. She reached for her phone in the dark. A text message lit up the screen.
Pike: Open the door, mama.
What the hell? She glanced at the clock. Half past midnight.
Darren cleared his throat on the phone and she hurriedly said, “Maybe you could shove something in my mouth, keep me quiet.”
“Oh, yeah,” he said, then went on with his description of exactly what he would shove in her mouth.
She typed her reply to Pike.
Oakley: Working
Pike: I figured. Let me in anyway. I’ll be quiet.
She stared at the phone. Letting him in was a bad idea. She couldn’t cut off this call until it was done, and it was the middle of the night anyhow. But Pike was already at her doorstep, and she found herself moving that way despite her misgivings. Maybe he wanted to talk. Maybe he was having a rough night, too. He said he would be there for her. Maybe she needed to be there for him.
She made her way to the front door and unlatched it. Pike stood on her doorstep, holding a box of Krispy Kremes and giving her his trademark smile.
She put her hand over her mouthpiece. “What are you doing here?”
He shrugged and stepped inside like she’d invited him. “The Hot Donut sign was on. How could I pass that up? I thought you might like to share.”
“I want you to lick my asshole,” said the voice in her ear.
Oakley jolted at the intrusion. Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Would you do that to me, Sasha?” Darren asked, his voice husky. “I’ve always wanted a girl to try that.”
She shut the door behind Pike and moved her hand away from the mouthpiece. “Yes. I’d love that.”
Pike’s eyebrows lifted, a mischievous glint she hadn’t seen since everything had happened lighting his eyes. He leaned forward against the ear not blocked by the headset. “What would you love?”
She shook her head and mouthed Stop it.
“Tell me, Sasha,” Darren whispered. “I want to hear you say you’d put your tongue there.”
Oakley pointed that Pike should go into the kitchen, but he simply grinned and mouthed No way back to her.
“Sasha?” Darren asked.
She closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Yes, baby, I’d love to lick your asshole.”