Summary: Nola and Adonis both prided themselves on having integrity, but what happens when they both completely destroy each others moral compass? Follow Heavy Weight Champion, Adonis Creed as he grapples with being married and in love with someone else. Follow Nola McBride as she deals with the shame and guilt of falling in love with a married man and trying to maintain her hard earned career. Story takes place following Creed II but Adonis and Bianca do not have a daughter.
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Description: 27 year old NICU Nurse Annie isnât thrilled to be back home in New Orleans. With the exception of her Aunt Lottie, she thought she left the city behind her and traded it for beeping monitors and stressed out parents. But when Aunt Lottie is diagnosed with Colon Cancer, Annie temporarily steps in and runs the family salon. And every time she turns her head, Heâs there.
Story Notes: This will be maybe four parts or maybe five. Part 1 is a little shorter and starts off slow and that is intentional.
Inspo: This idea came to based on real life. In my city, there is a husband who owns a barbershop and a wife who owns a salon a few blocks from each other and I think itâs so cute. Even though the salon fawked up my eyebrows that one time but anywayyyy. đ To note, Smoke and Annie are not stylists and barbers though.
Warnings: Mentions of stillborn, mentions od DV, mentions of cancer, mentions of grief, Smoke will be an asshole later, slight slowburn but not too slow bc I donât have time. đ
A/N: I hope you enjoy. đ Happy almost 1 year anniversary, Sinners. â¤ď¸âđĽ
âď¸
đUptown. đ
The humming sounds of the nearby passing vehicles rang throughout the near empty salon. With the exception of Annieâs all black mid sized parked Lexus SUV, itâd be easy for a passerby to assume the quaint baby blue colored building was unoccupied. Only one light was on, no one outside, and the door was shut. But it wasnât empty.
Ms. Carlottaâs southern drawl came through the speakers of the iPhone and carried through each room as Annie did a walkthrough.
The salon was older than her but it didnât reflect that. Her grandma wouldnât have allowed it, so neither would her Aunt Carlotta. Annâs was a salon pioneered and built by Annieâs grandmother, the late Annette. Since the early 80âs, the building sat on the corner of Tchoupitoulas Street.
During the mid 70s, Anette (donât you call her no Ms. Anette) needed an outlet. With an abusive alcoholic husband taking over their 700sqft shotgun home in small town Lafayette, an escape plan was necessary. She started small on her porch. Two clients a day. Press and curls. Relaxers. Twists. Simple washes under the outside hose or at her kitchen sink.
For three years, she saved almost every nickel but remembering to put some towards the empty household. In the dingy attic of her home. In a hole on the side of the home that she hoped possums and rats left alone. Some of it even stored at her motherâs grave. Eddie was too drunk to care or notice. Too busy chasing other skirts.
But Annette had a plan.
So one Tuesday night while the city partied away for Mardi Gras, Anette and her four girls made it out and headed East two hours away East to New Orleans. Within five years, the ground was broken to build the familyâs legacy.
Now, Annie was standing in her grandmotherâs wildest dream. Reluctantly albeit.
Shortly after completing college and a rigorous pediatric nursing program, she set her sights on Houston, Texas. Her days were filled with beeping monitors, stressed parents, and societyâs most vulnerable dependent on her. Aunt Carlotta made her vow that theyâd stick to a schedule. One weekly phone call that she didnât play about it.
One week when Annie had faced another week of being overworked, she opted out of the weekly check in. Refusing to take no for an answer, Carlotta called Houston Memorialâs NICU Floor, demanding that Crystal, Annieâs coworker whom picked up the phone- give a message to Annie that she better ensure to âTimeFace her auntie Lottie or she will get on the next thing to Texas.â Annie hadnât missed her calls since. She loved her aunt tremendously but New Orleans wasnât home anymore. And every time she looked at her aunt, she saw her mother and grandmother who were now ancestors. The pain was immeasurable some days. Her life in Houston provided a much needed breath of fresh air.
Every week, the aunt and niece chatted.
Annie dodging questions about her personal life and Carlotta asking when she would come home.
This was their routine. It was expected and familiar. During most video calls, the older woman would be at the salon-talking shit with the ladies. Her singular gold tooth shining on the phone screen, cigarette hanging from her two toned colored lips. Clients, employees, priests- Carlotta let any and everyone have it. One afternoon, Carlotta called Annie. A normal call. The call came from Carlottaâs home phone to Annieâs cellphone.
No Facetime, no laughs, no shit talking.
She asked Annie how was her week and what was she going to eat for supper. That was it. Strange.
Right before the end of the call, the woman got even quieter.
She cleared her throat and wet her lips. âAnn⌠Iâm sick.â She exhaled and continued. âColon cancer. The doctor sayinâ they caught it early enough so I ainât stressinâ. But I need you.â
The next day, Annie slowly padded out of the work restroom. Her usually doe eyes possessed a tinge of red. Today had been heavier than normal. A mere forty five minutes ago, sheâd been packing another infant memory box.
The third one in two weeks.
It was a little girl this time that her parents named Dream. Born at only twenty five weeks and three days, she was severely underdeveloped. Annie and her team fought like hell for weeks in hope that sheâd make it out of their NICU but she didnât. The infantâs parents too heartbroken to see her little tired body. So it was Annie who bathed her the final time, gathered some of her little items for keepsakes, and brought her down to the cold morgue. A couple of gentle knocks disturbed the manâs paperwork processing. Mr. Miller was one of Annieâs bosses. A white gay man in his late 40s who walked a fine line of friend versus professional. His goal since day one had been an Open Door Policy, so he welcomed Annie without a second thought.
âď¸
With her time off approved, she exited the off ramp and joined the backed up Houston traffic.
The engine of her humming as the lanes moved along slowly. âThat ainât the point, D. I gotta go back there and live all them memories again.â
On the other side of the car speaker and on the other side of town at a veterinary clinic, sat her best friend Dionne. The two women met at an apothecary shop a few months after Annie moved to Texas and have been joined at the hip since then.
âFamily is family, Ann. She need you.â The woman reasoned. âAnd maybe you can find me one of them ainât shit studs back there in the bayou.â Annie smiled at that. The door of her apartment sighed as she turned the key. Scents of vanilla and jasmine from last nightâs candles all following her to the small kitchen. Before she could sit down, her cellphone vibrated from her purse.
âWhat time you gettinâ here tomorrow?â Annie could tell from the background noise that her aunt was washing dishes.
She squat down to remover her shoes. âAbout three. Then Iâma check in to my hotel.â
Lottie was offended. âHotel?! You done lost ya mind, girl. You ainât wasting no money on no hotel when you got a room here.â
âIt ainât a big deal.â She groaned.
The sound of an incoming message came through.
âAuntie, Ima call you back. Love you.â
Keith (KJ): Iâm hearinâ you moving from other people and not you.
Annie read at 6:52pm.
Keith (KJ): ?
Annie: I am and you hearinâ it now.
Keith (KJ): Iâm omw.
Annie: I donât have time for this right now.
KJ. Annieâs on again and off again friend for the last year. He came through when she called, gave her what she wanted, and didnât pressure her for nothing more. He moved when she said so. But it was getting old. She switched her phone to Do Not Disturb and headed to the bathroom for a shower.
âď¸
âYes, I know that, Aunt Lottie.â She resigned. The call duration now read 57 minutes. 57 minutes of Aunt Lottie rambling on and on from the recliner in her home.
âSome of that Cecred and Design EssentialsâŚâ
âMm-hmm.â Annie hummed as she dipped the edge brush in the newly opened Ecostyler gel and brought it to her baby hairs.
â⌠Combs and brushesâŚYou listeninâ to me, lil girl?â She stopped mid sentence.
Annie ravaged through additional products, throwing a new leave in conditioner into her handbag. âMm-hmm. But I donât need you worryinâ âbout none of this. I got it. You gotta focus on you.â
The elderly woman refusing to go down without a fight. Chemotherapy be damned. âI know you a doctor but Iâm older than you, yeah. I know what Iâm doinâ.â
âIâm a nurse, Aunt Lottie.â Annie corrected.
The older woman grumbled. âSame shit.â
Changing the subject, Lottie gave another order. âMy delivery boy gonâ be there around 3 or 4. You might need you some help. Gonâ flag down one of them men from the barbershop âcross the street.â
Annie tried to cut in âI donât need-â
âYou not carryinâ all that by yaself. Now go âcross the street and tell them bring the boxes inside. They do it all the time faâ me. One of them twins gonâ help ya out. I donât know which one, na. The one with the dimple talk fast and might steal from ya pocketbook but he mean well.â She warned with a small laugh and shake of her head.
Less than thirty steps away sat In The Kut Barbershop. A barbershop ran by none other than Thaddeus Senegal, better known as T.J.
On paper and to the New Orleans Police Department, he was a felon. To Aunt Lottie, he was the ânice boy âcross the street witâ some money.â She knew him and his family very well. Eleven months ago, he strolled into the busy salon on a Saturday morning with three dozen red roses in hand for Lottie.
His sable skin had a perfect sheen under the warm lights while the diamonds on his bottom grill danced as he greeted all of the women. He pulled Lottie aside to ask for her blessing to began construction across the street, promising to do right for their shared neighborhood.
Ms.Barbra Jean responding before Lottie could. âDo whatevaâ ya want, baby.â She winked as she angled her body back underneath the hair dryer.
Right at 3pm just as Lottie said, the UPS driver backed into the back of the salon. A young man no older than twenty five began stacking and lining boxes up against the wall near the back door entrance. His head bobbing along to whatever music heâd been playing through his air pods. He was halfway through the task when Annie swung the door open and forced the door stopper under it. She waited a beat before saying anything. âHello, would you like somethinâ to drink?â The young man said nothing.
The air changed. She felt it first before she saw them. Him.The air changed. She felt it first before she saw them. Him.
Sheâd been too occupied with getting the young manâs attention to notice the pair approaching. A whistle cut through the still dense air demanding attention.
A confused Annie and a surprised delivery driver looked around in search of the disturbance. The driver took two small steps to the left of him as he eyed the woman up and down and removed his air pods. She wasnât Lottie.
Only a few feet away, the two men stood as they surveilled the surroundings. The duo watched Annie and the driver as if they were the ones that didnât belong there.
The two men were identical, yes, but their contrasts couldnât be any more stark.
Where one was relaxed with a slight grin and a blunt in hand, the other stood with his feet slightly apart and his fingers interlaced. Shoulders broad and tense. Refusing to break eye contact with her.
Though she only knew the men for a few minutes, she wasnât surprised that it was Stack who broke the silence first.
He switched his attention to the younger man who was still standing in one place. The three men all knew of each other but they didnât know AnnieâŚyet.
âAye, she was talkinâ to ya, Jay.â A small nod in his direction.
The FedEx driver immediately apologized. âIâm sorry. I ainât hear you at all, Miss.â
Annie shrugged it off. âWe good.â
The younger twin had a knowing look on his face as he cocked his head to one side. âThem eyes. You Lottieâs niece ainât ya?â
Elijah said nothing as his eyes looked between the two. Today had been long for the woman and she wasnât interested in answering questions from one of them while the other one unapologetically stared holes into her.
âIâm somethinâ like that.â Was all she had.
The unsuspecting younger man decided it was his turn for an introduction. He extended his arm for a small handshake.
âAnd Iâm Jay, I been on this route for three years. Your auntie somethinâ else.â
âThat she is.â Annie reciprocated the greeting.
Only Elias noticed the slight twitch in Elijahâs right hand as he looked on, filing it for later.
âWe gonâ take these in for ya.â Stack maneuvered towards the rows of brown stacked boxes after putting his blunt in his back pocket.
Wordlessly, Smoke appeared at his twinâs side to start working on the boxes furtherest from the back door of the shop.
The woman sighed. âThat ainât necessary. I can do it myself.â She grabbed two overstuffed boxes and headed towards the door.
Cecred hair products threatening to spill over from the top.
Just as quickly as she grabbed the large sized boxes, they disappeared from her grasp. She didnât need to fully turn her head to know whose eyes would be on her. When their eyes met, Elijah was already peering at her with a subtle yet almost daring look.
Stack grinned âWe ainât say you ainât got it. We do this every week for your auntie. That ainât gonna change.â
Annieâs brow furrowed. âHm. This how you two normally greet new people?â She questioned while walking back into the salon, her long braids switching with every step.
Smoke decided now was his time to speak. He hadnât been a man of many words so anytime he did speak, it was going to add substance to the conversation and people listened. At least most of them did.
âOnly when they donât listen.â He said with finality.
âď¸âď¸âď¸
Tags: @lizbehave @brownskincheyenne @bananajoeclone @blackpinup22 and also that one Anon who just clocked me. đ
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Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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A/N: Long awaited and well over due. This is basically chapter 12 but it really connects to 11.1. Nothing to say except enjoy!
âMichael, stop messing with the fuckinâ cuff links!â Alex called over to him from her spot on the couch. âI thought you werenât nervous??âÂ
Michael cut his eyes toward his agent before forcing his fingers away from the gold cufflinks near his wrist. That had been his original claim when he arrived at his suite to get ready, proudly boosting that he did not feel nervous at all. And some part of him had believed that was true. But as makeup ended and he got dressed, the nerves started to settle in. Tonight was no longer some distant potential achievement. It was here and now. And his shoulders were starting to feel the weight of that pressure. He tried his best to remain excited and upbeat but there were some ticks he simply couldnât hide.Â
âHa ha. Iâm just⌠you know, already ready for it to be over. Gotta sit through 100 fuckinâ awards before they get to mine. Just gonna be a long night.âÂ
âWhatever you say,â she muttered, her face scrunching up at her phone for a minute.Â
âSomethinâ wrong?â his antenna going up immediately, anxiety that something had already gone wrong seeping into his confident facade. âFuck⌠You think we shouldâve gone with the other suit, donât you??âÂ
âNigga⌠theyâre both black tuxes, calm down. No oneâs ever looked at you to be the pillar of fashion. You look great, thatâs all that matters. Just taking care of some last minute details, boring shit you wouldnât be interested in.âÂ
Michael knew not to press any farther as she immediately changed the subject, standing up and starting to walk over to him. He watched as she studied the time on her phone screen for a moment as his stylistâs assistant slid on the tailored jacket for his suite.
âCan someone check on his mom? Jason went to check out the space and itâs ready for photos. We gotta start in 10 though if we want to make it to the carpet.âÂ
âIâll go.âÂ
He was thankful his mom agreed to accompany him on such a momentous occasion, she was the only date he could fathom taking as the woman he wanted was unavailable.Â
Raven.Â
Some fantasy that she would call or text him good luck drove him to check his phone every 20 minutes or so, praying for anything that signaled that she thought of him as he did her. She tortured his every waking thought, even after agreeing to give her the space she desperately wanted and needed. But his soul did not want space, his soul wanted their better half, the person who made all of this worth something.Â
He shook his head for a moment and forced her to the back of his brain, where he knew she would only stay for a short while. No more than 10 minutes would go by before someone or something reminded him of her. But when he thought of her too long, the sparse stitches holding those wounds together tore open and blood flowed earnestly from them. And such emotional agony would not stand on the biggest night of his career. So he forced a smile onto his face and thoughts of a love he would likely never have again behind the barriers around his heart and knocked on the door to his motherâs room.Â
However, he was not prepared to find her still clad in the lounging set Raven and he had bought her for Christmas, completely unprepared to attend the biggest night in Hollywood.Â
âMa, whatâs wrong? We gotta leave soon. Why arenât you dressed?âÂ
âWell I didnât want to worry you while you were getting ready but Iâm just not feeling well. I donât think I can make it all evening. Iâm sorry, baby.âÂ
Michaelâs face fell ever so slightly at the disappointment, though he tried his hardest to hide it. It was not his motherâs fault that she was not feeling well and even he knew the rest of the day would be tiresome and exhausting for even those in good spirits. So he did not want her trying to suffer through on his account. However, he would not pretend that it did not sting, to know that he would not have anyone there to support him, hold his hand. That he would spend tonight⌠completely alone.Â
Her renewed apologies made him fix his face immediately, knowing that she likely already felt badly for canceling on him. He had no interest in making her feel any worse.Â
âI really am sorry, baby. But I wasnât the date you wanted to take anyway,â she chuckled, her eyes filled with sympathy.Â
Those makeshift barriers dissolved into nothing stronger than paper at her words. And as flimsy as they originally were, they were all he had to hold onto to get through tonight.Â
âDonât apologize, ma. Really no big deal at all. You should rest. And you know youâre always my favorite date. Besides, your love is the reason Iâm here. Youâll always be my #1,â he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. When her eyes, unsurprisingly, filled with tears, Michael chuckled a bit. âDonât cry on me. Alex will kill me for messinâ up this makeup.â Â
She took a tissue and whisked away the pools of tears in her eyes before adjusting his bowtie.
âYou know how proud I am of you? How lucky I am to be your mom? I thank God for you, your sister, and your brother every day. And all Iâve ever wanted for each of you is to live out your dreams and be happy. No matter what you do or who youâre with. Just that. Tonight youâre seeing Godâs manifestation of your dreams and win or lose, I couldnât be prouder of you. But even I know, only one person could make you truly happy tonight. That facade might fool the world but not me. I saw how happy she made you, Bakari. How she turned my scared little boy into a brave and vulnerable man without even trying. I may have gotten you here but her love and adoration and the love you have for her will keep you here. Will help you reach dreams I couldnât even comprehend for you. And thatâs a woman Iâll happily step into the #2 spot for any day.â
âThanks ma⌠but I donât think she wants that spot anymore⌠wants me anymore. Hell, I donât even know where she is in the world.â The resigned smile on his face and the humorless laugh could not hide the depths of his sadness as he recalled the message he received from David letting him know that Raven boarded a flight to only God knows where. He had failed and even tonight could not take his mind off the 101 ways he failed the love of his life. âI screwed up. Gotta accept the consequences. I wanna be the man you raised and the man she thought she fell in love with. Even if I donât get to be that for her.âÂ
âGive it time, Bakari. You know what I always reminded you three. Everything meant for you will come to you or find its way back to you. God never denies what he ordained as yours, sweetheart. Something to remember for more than one reason tonight.â
There was a certain mischievous glint in her eyes that did not match the typical motherly tone in her voice. âMore than one reasonâ stuck out in his brain.Â
What the fuck does that even mean?Â
âWhat do you me-?â he started to ask when his mother cut him off.Â
âOh gosh, you know I didnât even notice the time? You should go, dear. Donât wanna get in trouble with that Alex, do we?âÂ
Realizing that it was almost showtime forced his confusion right out of his brain as he forced himself to focus on the moment, his moment.Â
âNah we donât. Sheâs terrifyinâ,â he admitted. âHow about you lay down and rest for a while and Allen can take you home when you feel better? Or you can enjoy the suite for the night? Totally up to you.âÂ
âThank you, baby. Iâll hang out here, let the traffic clear a bit then head to your sisterâs. Everyoneâs watching there. You look amazing. Canât wait to see you shine tonight âÂ
âThanks, ma. Aight, I should head down to take pictures. Love you.â Â
He squeezed her hand before she turned around and closed the door of her room behind her. Â
He walked back to where his team was waiting. The lack of noise and hustle and bustle in the space caught him off guard as he expected to return to the same chaotic space with his team racing around him. However, only Alex stood waiting on him.Â
âWhereâd everybody go?âÂ
âOh I sent them all downstairs. Figured you wouldnât mind a couple minutes of peace before the longest night of your life.â Â
And that was why, of everyone on his team, Alex was one of the few that stood the test of time. She knew him, truly knew him and what he needed.Â
âThanks.â He paused as he studied her. âYou good?âÂ
Alex had been in the wings of every major career moment in Michaelâs life and she typically brought an air of assurance and confidence that put Michael at ease. She was a staple calming force that kept his own anxiety in check. However, tonight? Everything about her seemed off, distracted and anxious in a way that made his empath sensors go haywire. She seemed utterly engrossed in her own phone, which was not unlike Alex but typically she cued Michael in, if nothing else. But tonight, she offered him no insight. Â
âYea⌠just a big night. Want to make sure everythingâs perfect,â she muttered. âCome on⌠Jason says theyâre ready for us.âÂ
Michael did not need to be the smartest person in the room to immediately recognize that she was hiding something from him. He knew he would never get it out of her as she was the worldâs most secure vault for secrets. And there was a part of him that did not even want to know for fear that it would scare him into skipping the night altogether. What if she already found out that he lost? If anyone in his orbit was part of some dark Hollywood back channel, Alex would be it. Or something happened to Raven and she did not want him to lose his shit right before the event. Because they both knew he would drop all of this in a heartbeat for her. Foolish? Perhaps but that was how he knew he had found true love, his soul mate. Because nothing in this life was as important as her and he would drop all of it to rush to her side if she asked. But she would never ask, because she did not consider herself worthy of sacrifices, which only served as fuel to spend everyday proving to her that she was.
Why did he even try not to think of her? Somehow, every thought was merely the first step down a path that led right to Ravenâs doorstep.Â
He trailed slightly behind Alex as she led him to the elevator. However, before she hit the button, she stopped.Â
âOh shoot. I need to stop by my suite. Forgot somethin. Itâs just down the hall, itâll take two minutes. Got a gift for you for your big night. A little good luck charm.âÂ
âAlex, you know you didnât need to get me shit.â And he truly meant that. He was just grateful to have Alex in his corner, her presence and commitment to his career was a gift in and of itself. âAnd send me the bill for your suite. Wouldâve just gotten it for you.â
âNah, itâs all good. It was last minute and I only got it for convenience, really.â She used her key to open the door and held it open so Michael could walk inside.Â
However, as she opened the door, her usual resting bitch face (Alexâs words, not his) turned into a bright grin, one that she clearly tried desperately to minimize but couldnât. And while Michael had expected flowers or a gift basket or even a bottle of his favorite rum, now he wondered if the gift was something far bigger than that. What he did not expect, when he turned the corner into her suiteâs sitting area, was to find Raven awkwardly fidgeting with her gown as Jason made last-minute adjustments.Â
âWhaâŚâ His words died in his throat as she turned to face him, his stride stumbling backward in shock as he drank her in.Â
He could have stood there and stared at her for the rest of the night and it would not have been enough time. Several lifetimes filled with millions of minutes and seconds would hardly scratch the surface of how much time he needed to simply consume her presence, to refill the parts of his soul that had depleted without her.Â
Beautiful was a gross understatement for her. She was stunning, a goddess plucked from the heavens and placed among lesser men. Michael did not think he had ever laid eyes on a more radiant human being. But it was not her stunning beauty that caused tears to spring to his eyes. It was the look of renewed hope in hers, the smallest flame reignited after it had been utterly extinguished the last time he laid eyes on her. And fuck, that couldâve ended him right then and there. To see hope and light in her again, to see the Raven he had fallen so deeply for, she was all consuming.Â
She had not even said a word yet but the impact of her choice to be there, to show up for him and choose him after everything conveyed a love words would not be sufficient enough to. The silence stretched on as he studied all the things that had made him fall in love. The soft expectant smile painted on her face as she stared at him that only solidified that she was willing and ready to rebuild with him. The anxious way her eyes glanced down at her own dress and her hands fidgeted that told him she was searching for his confirmation that he still wanted her here or that she looked beautiful, that reminded him of her awkwardness and endless humility that made him fall in love with her in the first place. The way her eyes, the most expressive aspect of her, somehow told him everything he needed to know without uttering a word.Â
âI-I hope this is ok?â she asked quietly as she broke the silence and expectant tension that blanketed Alexâs suite, snapping Michael out of his speechless trance. âAdmittedly, I only gave Alex and Jason like 24 hours notice. So our options were kind of limited b-but they said it would compliment yours a-and likely get me on a best dressed list, which d-doesnât really matter but could be nice? I dunno though⌠think Iâve had enough publicity for a lifetime,â she laughed anxiously. âBut I donât know whatâs appropriate to wear to the Oscars with the 2023 Best Actor and they do. But I know this probably isnât what you envisioned when you invited me in January. But donât blame them. Itâs definitely my fault. Lost weight so my measurements werenât quite right and the time thing. Honestly, give them a raise⌠well I canât tell you what to do with your money. But you shouldâŚâ she glanced over Michaelâs shoulder at Alex who was staring at her with a look that simply said, âspeed the reunion up, sis.â So Raven cut herself off, her last rambling words falling off. âConsider itâŚâÂ
âYou⌠you came?âÂ
âI heard you needed a date?âÂ
Michael rarely experienced true speechlessness, the right words rarely eluded him. He usually always knew what to say. His brain was on the verge of explosion with all the things he desperately wanted to say, his deepest proclamations of regret and love sat on his tongue but he just did not know where to start, could not find the place to start.
Meanwhile, Raven had an entire soliloquy of how she was ready to forgive and move forward because she loved him planned out in her mind. But every painstakingly chosen word evaporated from her mind as she looked at him, as she stared at the man her soul had come to recognize as her safest place to be. The one place that did not demand she provide her most perfect words or anything from her at all. It simply demanded, insisted, that she just be.
And now, the words that sprung to her mind were not perfect at all. They were raw, they were broken⌠they were her vulnerabilities, her fear, her pain, and they were her hope. Her wildest fantasies and her dreams. And she was no longer afraid to express them loudly here. Because he was the one place where she could.Â
âYou remember when I woke up in the hospital and the first thing I said to you was apologizing for not being the girl you wanted? For not being good enough? A-and you told me not to compare myself to h-her⌠or anyone else. B-â
âBecause youâre one of a kind,â Michael finished simply.
âThat was one of the nicest things a man⌠anyone had said to me in so long,â she admitted, her head bowing slightly. âAnd I didnât believe it. I wanted to be loved by you so badly, Michael. B-But I couldnât believe a man like you would ever think I was enough because I wasnât enough for anyone. I wasnât right for anyone. A-And I had internalized this narrative that I didnât deserve love o-or to be happy. That I just deserved some second-rate, half life filled with disregard and pain because other people told me so. A-And when we s-started dating, I finally started to believe that all that hope had been worth something? That maybe I deserved something⌠better? A-And w-when I saw her, my heart immediately felt like⌠you were finally admitting it. I wasnât enough for you either.â
Every punch and injury he sustained playing Adonis Creed paled in comparison to that. He did not know if it was possible to feel worse about what he had done.
âRae⌠baby, you gotta know that-âÂ
She held up her hand to stop him, Michael immediately falling silent.Â
âI know⌠at the time though? It felt like God confirming everything everyone w-who knew me ever said, t-the fuel for that voice in my head that told me I would never b-be enough, w-was right. And all the ways you showed me I was enough, all the ways you showed up for me⌠didnât seem real anymore. And that broke me. So I left, gave you the out I thought everyone who knew me wanted. T-this nuisance out of their lives. But you⌠you didnât leave.â
Michael could hear the pure perplexity in her voice, as if the competing voices in her head could not square why he kept reaching out, kept showing up even as she pushed him away.Â
âBecause I love you.â
âBecause you love me.â Raven repeated it but Michael could hear it, the recognition that his words were the truth.
âI⌠um. I donât believe I deserve you,â Raven said simply. âBut for the first time, I know that I want more than whatever life in the shadows I thought I had to have. I know that I donât want to push away love a-and happiness anymore. A-and I donât want to push you away anymore. B-Because you are love, safety, comfort⌠happiness. I want to believe I deserve better? I want⌠to believe I deserve you. Because when Iâm with youâŚâÂ
Raven let out a shaky exhale that felt like her body starting to expel all those tormenting thoughts she internalized as she finally admitted out loud that this love was everything she always wanted.Â
âWhen Iâm with you, all I feel is joy. A joy so pure that only something hand crafted by God himself could feel so good. Youâre every fantasy I dreamed of but never thought I could have. Since the moment I fell off that damn table like a clumsy fucking idiot, youâve been my safest place, youâve been home, and youâve been one of the few people in my life whoâve loved me unapologetically and loudly.âÂ
She finally closed the space between them, putting herself within armâs length of him.Â
âAnd I owe you an apology for⌠letting my exhaustion and pent up pain blind me to all the ways youâve loved me loudly since the day we met. Regardless of how tired a-and exhausted I am from falling and crashing into the rocks, you were always worth climbing back up that mountain. You were always worth a second chance. And I shouldâve recognized that far earlier.â
A pressure valve Michael did not even know had formed in his body released at her words. It felt like being able to take a deep breath again.
âSo Iâm here and Iâm still hurt a-and exhausted but Iâm ready to do something different, ready to run toward the cliff and take the leap and fall again. And I want to do that with you⌠If Iâm not too late?âÂ
Michael did not even command his legs to move as her confirmation hit his ears. Before either of them could utter another word, she was in his arms. A sweet giggle erupted as he pulled her unexpectedly toward him and crashed his lips against hers. And the peace that brought was unparalleled.Â
Raven could have melted against him, her soul at ease for the first time in too long as he held her tightly.Â
The rest of their small audience melted away as their hearts and souls sought to reclaim their other half, their kiss spelling out every ache and pain their brief separation caused. His lips felt so familiar, so much like home, that it almost hurt. Every second in his arms felt as if it mended the fissures of Ravenâs heart one by one, stitching her back together intentionally and with such care that it made her want to sob.Â
Her own foolishness baffled her. How could she have denied herself this? This ethereal, otherworldly type of love. She would never find something comparable with another living soul. Because this insanely perfect man in front of her was it for her. She had never had a real family but in his arms, she could see one and it was everything she had ever dreamed for herself. The emotions of finally accepting, even in objective disbelief, his love for her hit her in waves that gently crashed over her one by one. But she was not overwhelmed like before, drowning beneath them as she fought for air.Â
This was serenity, gentle waves blanketing her in warmth and care. Such care that it was painful to pull away to catch her own breath.Â
Was breathing really a necessity right now?? She demanded of herself as his touch set off heat and flames of desire as he touched her. Weeks and weeks of deprivation meant she needed this more than she could describe, needed the physical representation of his love. His touch, his kiss, his devotion to her needs. Â
She did not even look away from him but her next words were for the pair awkwardly lingering in the room, long forgotten. Â
âWe need 10 minutes.âÂ
Alex groaned, breaking the sexual tension in the room with her annoyance, though she acquiesced far faster than Raven expected. Though she suspected his longtime agent could see a losing battle from a mile away.Â
âFine but you really only get 10 minutes. Fuckinâ Oscars not a goddamn industry party. Canât just roll in whenever we feel like it. And I swear to God⌠if you fuck on my bed or fuck up your outfits and make up, Iâll spend the rest of my life breaking you two up again.âÂ
And with that, she grabbed Jason by his sleeve and marched out of the suite, leaving the two of them alone. Raven did not even wait for the click of the door to launch herself back into his arms, her fingers working faster than her mind could direct to undress him.Â
If anyone could see them, she imagined their movements were feral, so frenzied with their carnal instincts that it looked purely chaotic. Ravenâs dress was in a crumble at her feet, his suit jacket was somewhere Raven could not even see. Her fingers rushed to undo the buttons of his shirt before abandoning the task for his pants.Â
âFuck, why are there so many buttons??â She came up for air long enough to moan in frustration as Alexâs warning rang out in her head.Â
Only ten minutes. How was that enough time? That was not even a fraction of the time she required to do all the things her brain demanded she do to feel all of him and ensure he felt all of her too.Â
âFuck I missed you,â he uttered between kisses as he tried to take her incredibly tight but effective spanx off.Â
She prayed Alexâs threat was a joke because she did not need a mirror to know her makeup would indeed need more than a light retouch. His kisses were unyielding, sloppy and utterly unrestrained. Their need for each other simply fed off the others and she knew neither would be satiated in ten minutes.
We need to stop, she thought. It was the biggest night of his career. She should stop so he could focus on that, right?Â
But she couldnât, didnât want to.Â
âI need you,â she whimpered, her desire to be filled far louder than the time clock in her head.Â
And her voice was so needy that Michael, whose self-control was hanging by a thread, almost gave in.Â
The only thing that gave him the strength to stop them before neither of them would be able to stop was the knowledge that she deserved more than a 10-minute quickie. She deserved to be devoured with every ounce of his being devoted to and focused on her. No interruptions, no distractions. She was a goddess to be worshiped with every stroke in her heat and that was not a process that could be rushed. Â
âBaby, baby, baby,â he gently cradled her neck, forcing her to slow down and look at him. His resolve was tested at the lust in her eyes, how her entire body was suddenly flushed with heat. âFuckâŚâ the words were agony to push out but necessary. âI want you so bad. But not like this.âÂ
Raven, still a work in progress, could not stop the immediate intrusive thought that he did not want her, that she had misread everything. Michael could see it, how her eyes flashed with that fear and insecurity. He would never not want her, he would happily remind her of that every day if necessary. But he knew himself too well. Once he found himself trapped inside her, he would not be able to stop himself. And he wanted to take his time.Â
âItâs not you. Itâs never you,â he brushed her hair behind her ear. âI just⌠I want more for this than a 10-minute quickie in a hotel room that isnât even ours. You deserve more.âÂ
Her heart swelled at his words, realizing that he was not even thinking about the clock. He was merely thinking about her. That forced her to calm down a bit, her lust still red hot and flowing but the logical part of her brain was taking control again.Â
The slight pout on her face made him chuckle and pull her in for another kiss. It was deeper and more sensual, a quiet plea to trust that he would always give her what she needed. Even if not in the exact timing her body desired it.Â
âEvery moment with you counts and Iâm not lettinâ anymore pass that I donât treat you like you deserve. Trust me, Iâll give you what you need, baby girl. Itâll be worth the wait.âÂ
Raven knew he was right. Despite the persistent ache in her core, she knew she could wait for what he planned. It would be far better than a rushed reunion on a couch anyway.
âI trust you. Just make sure your team knows to clear your very packed schedule for the next couple days,â she teased as she stole one last kiss before she tried to put some distance between them. Her body still wanted him desperately and while she trusted him, she was not sure she trusted herself.Â
But Michael merely pulled her back in and held onto her tighter.Â
âOh the world ainât gonâ see me or you for more than a couple days. Iâm all yours.â He winked at her before helping her get her dress back on and his own suit back on. Once he opened the door to let Alex back in, both of them looked exactly as the two had left them, not a hair out of place. Save Ravenâs lipstick, which was completely gone.Â
âDamn⌠three minutes? Knew you couldnât be worth the hype,â Alex immediately said as she breezed back into the suite, utterly unbothered by the idea that the two might have fucked just moments prior.Â
âYou always got jokes.âÂ
Alex immediately fired off last-minute directions to the makeup team to fix Ravenâs before they prepared for photos and to leave. Though Raven had endured the tedious process of getting ready for awards and premieres before, today was the most hectic yet. But she was not panicked because she stuck close to Michael, who was the picture of ease and calm. He was the eye of this hurricane, the small world that was him purely at ease even when he should not be.Â
âYou nervous?â she asked as the photographer directed her to perch on Michaelâs knee before going to switch out the lens on his camera. Â
He offered her the most sincere smile, his eyes glimmering with all the love and adoration he felt toward her.Â
âNah. Why would I be? I already got the most important thing I needed today. Tonightâll just be a cherry on top.âÂ
***
Raven was beginning to wonder if her return had turned Michaelâs hands into magnets. He barely let her go since they walked out of Alexâs suite. She could not help but laugh when Michael only allowed the photographer two minutes of individual photos before he pulled Raven back into his arms. It was not as if she minded one bit, she had so missed this, missed his touch. It was addicting.Â
âYou stare at me any harder, Iâm gonna combust,â she joked as they sat in the back of his limo, Raven leaning into his side as she had done so many times before. .Â
âMy bad, my bad. Iâm just fuckinâ shocked youâre here.â He weaved his fingers among hers, bringing her hand into his lips. âYou know Iâm gonna spend everyday making all this shit up to you, right?âÂ
âI know and I also know itâs unnecessary. I wonât lie, Iâm still hurt and confused by what happened. But I know we can fix it. I donât need you to feel guilty for the rest of our relationship either.â Â
âThe rest of our lives,â he softly corrected with a playful shove to her shoulder that made her giggle. Fuck he missed that sound, missed her smile.
âThe rest of our lives,â she repeated. âI just need you to love me. Thatâs it.âÂ
âThatâs a given, baby girl.âÂ
She leaned over and pecked him softly on the lips before settling back in his arms.Â
âSo⌠Can I read your speech?â she asked sweetly, knowing there was a terribly crumbled piece of paper stuffed into his jacket pocket.Â
âNope.âÂ
Raven immediately pouted, putting on the playful sad puppy eyes that always got to him.Â
âThose ainât gonâ work today, baby. But only cause I canât show you a speech I donât have.âÂ
Ravenâs eyebrows creased in confusion, immediately assuming that his lack of a prepared speech meant he did not think he would win. How could he think such a thing?Â
âMichael⌠You know youâre gonna win. And youâve scripted all the others. Why didnât you write one for tonight? I can jot you something down real quick?â she immediately started to look around as if her cell-phone-sized clutch was big enough to secretly contain a pen and paper. âAllen!â She leaned toward the front. âDo you have any paper? Spare receipt?âÂ
âBaby, BABY!â Michael called, gripping her hips to guide her back to her seat and calm her panic. âI didnât say I didnât write one,â he clarified. âI said I donât have it. I just realized that⌠the scripted speeches are not what I want tonight. Need a different direction. So I gave the speech to Alex before we left.âÂ
Though Raven could guess the reason for a sudden need for a new direction in the 11th hour. But she still found herself asking anyway. âAny reason for this different direction?âÂ
âJust think I should speak from the heart if I win, you know? Like I did in that interview. If I get to go on that stage tonight, wanna do it as the man Iâve become. Dunno if I have your way with words, though. Not nervous about losing but Iâm nervous about fuckinâ up up there, not sayinâ the right thing, you know? Or everyone hating it?âÂ
Ravenâs eyes softened a bit, always appreciating this vulnerable side of him. She knew how difficult and painful it had been to reveal that side to her and to the world. But she knew he was better for it.Â
âYou donât need my way with words, baby. You just need yours and yours is poetic, itâs kind a-and loving and true. That isnât a new direction o-or a new man, Michael. Itâs just you. Every moment Iâve known you, thatâs just you. You just let me see it and Iâm so grateful for it. And youâve let the world see glimpses of it in the last few months a-and if the response is any indication, the world is grateful too. Youâre not nervous about saying the wrong thing. Going out there without the armor youâve built to protect yourself is just scary. But itâs worth it. You taught me that. Donât think about the right or wrong words. Just what you want to say about this moment. Whatever words you have will be right.âÂ
âFeel like you got more poetic on me since January.âÂ
Raven chuckled and shook her head. âStill only minimally poetic⌠and I canât take credit for that one.â But she stopped herself before she said more. Now did not feel like the best moment to drop emotional bombs.Â
âWeâre here, Mr. Jordan. About three cars in front of us,â Allen called out from the front seat.Â
He glanced at Raven, her eyes suddenly swimming with panic that he could tell she desperately wanted to swallow. He could almost see the realization hit her like a wall. She was about to walk out into the public eye for the first time in months at Hollywoodâs most significant night of the year. And Michaell had been so elated to have her back that he had not considered how emotionally overwhelming that had to be.Â
Raven was determined to hide it as best and long as she could. Tonight was all about Michael and his career. And she had accepted being in the public eye when she decided to go back to him. She knew it would be difficult but he was worth it. They were worth the sacrifice. But her brain assaulted her with every possible name she would be called, the headlines that would materialize tomorrow. And all of that would reflect poorly on him. What if she ruined his life⌠again?
âHey, hey, Rae. Baby girl. Look at me,â his hands gently framed her face to force her eyes to him. âDonât worry about them. Itâs just you and me, aight? Tonightâs ours. The first night of the rest of our lives, showing up 100% in our truth. None of this other shit matters. So just focus on me. I wonât let you go, I promise.âÂ
âJust you and me,â she repeated, nodding slightly.Â
And with that, he opened the limo door, standing tall as crowds shouted his name and the chaotic sounds of the carpet filled their ears.Â
First night of the rest of our lives. And she was ready.Â
***
Though she had not been to many award shows with Michael thus far, she learned one key thing. They were just as boring as they looked on tv except when you were the date of a popular nominee, you did not have the luxury of letting that boredom show.Â
Will my jaw ever recover, she wondered as it ached from smiling through three hours of devastatingly mediocre jokes and long-winded speeches. At least the carpet was exciting and thrilling, as daunting as it was. In fact, the carpet was actually fun for the first time.
The chaotic jungle was its usual frantic chaotic place, not any different than she expected. But perhaps it merely felt different because she and Michael were so different from who they were the last time they were out together. They had stripped themselves bare and had shed their armor. They were standing decidedly in their truth and the immense love they shared. And that felt like a new world.
And she noticed so much more than her self-pitied colored glasses allowed her to see. Every protective touch, every studious glance to ensure she was still smiling and well, the well-timed playful remarks or jokes he whispered in her ear right when her nerves started to encroach, every gentle kiss that still held his endless passion for her. She finally saw it all and felt it. And it was everything.Â
Michael straightened up next to her, pulling Raven out of her own daydreams. Robert Downey Jr. made his way to the middle of the stage, an envelope labeled Best Actor printed boldly across it.Â
She tightened her grip on Michaelâs hand. She had a good feeling about this.Â
âA leading man is more than an attractive face, though Iâm sure every woman would agree that all five men in this category have that quality in common as well. But what they also have in common is vulnerability, empathy, and the courage to search for the humanity and depth of their characters to embody their wants, their fears, their grief, their sorrow boldly and bravely. These five performances are exemplary and remind us all just what a leading man is. Here are the nominees for Best Actor in a Motion Picture.âÂ
The room dimmed ever so slightly as the reel started to play, the seconds that passed felt more like hours as they watched snippets of each performance. Michaelâs was last, Ravenâs free hand gently rubbing his arm as she felt his nerves finally kick in. She was impressed he only felt them now, she would have been an utter mess all evening.
âAnd the winner isâŚâ the Marvel actor did a little fist pump that immediately gave the winner away, deafening applause almost drowning out his name. âMichael B. Jordan, Waves.âÂ
Michaelâs head fell into his hand for a moment, genuine shock coursing through him. He had convinced himself that he would not win to minimize the disappointment. But he had not really considered how it would feel to actually win? To actually receive this honor. And it was more than he could have hoped it would be.Â
Raven pulled him into her arms as they stood, tears swimming in her eyes.Â
âIâm so proud of you,â she whispered before he kissed her.Â
He honestly would have been fine to simply revel in this moment in her arms but he knew the clock was ticking on his speech.
He finally let her go and jogged up the stairs, giving RDJ a hug before stepping in front of the mic. The entire theater was still on their feet applauding and cheering as he stared out into the crowd.Â
âWow. Thank you so much for this. As a kid from New Jersey, you just don't really ever expect your dreams to take off like this, to end up in a place like this. This is just⌠more than I couldâve ever dreamed for myself. So thank you. There are a million people for me to thank and not enough time before they play me off. My family and friends, my team and manager, the cast and crew who poured their hearts and souls into this film⌠Without all of you, I wouldnât have made it here tonight and Iâm grateful for your constant support.âÂ
He glanced down at the trophy in his hand before continuing. âUmm⌠But thereâs one person I do want to thank though and that is the love of my life, Raven Turner. When I look at you, all I can think of is how rewarding it is to be loved by you, to be chosen by you. That makes every day feel like Iâve just won an Oscar. I feel so blessed to be given the opportunity to love you, to stand in your light, and to live everyday working to be the man worthy of your love. Getting to share this moment with you goes beyond anything I couldâve imagined. Thank you for seeing me for all that I am and loving me for it. Thank you for falling with me, baby and I hope I make every day of our lives together worth it.âÂ
She knew that the tears that streamed down her face were not attractive or good for the camera that was surely about to pan to her but she could not have hoped to care.Â
âI love you,â she mouthed though she doubted he could even see her from up there.Â
âI love you. Thank you!â He held the statue up in his hand before turning and walking off stage, his standing ovation renewing.Â
***
Michael wanted to laugh at how Raven stretched her body like an adorable kitten after sleeping like the literal dead for most of the daylight hours. He did not blame her, they did not stumble back into his house until after 4 am. Once the show ended, the pair bounced from after party to after party drinking, smoking, and dancing the night away. He had not had that much fun at industry events and parties in so long. And it had been so much fun that he was *almost* sad it was over, a perfect final night of an insane run in his career.Â
But then he remembered that closing that chapter meant he could focus his attention on the perfect and hopelessly exhausted woman rousing in his arms. They could heal without the distractions of events and the public eye. They could build their lives together officially. The joy of that instinctively caused him to pull her into his chest, pressing his lips to the top of her head.Â
âMorninâ baby,â he whispered, his gruff voice filling her ears as Raven slowly opened her eyes. Â
Peace and contentment gently glided through her frame like a light summerâs breeze, easing all the aches and pains she had felt before. She had missed this⌠falling asleep snuggled in his arms, wrapped lovingly and tightly in his scent. She would have been inclined not to move until she caught a glimpse of the time on his iPad.Â
She let out a soft gasp as she tried to shoot up, shocked at how late she slept. However, his tight grip stopped her from lifting much beyond her head and chest.Â
âYou gotta let me go, baby. We should get up. Itâs almost 3 pm⌠sorry, donât even know how I slept that fucking late. I know you got shit to do.âÂ
âWe had a late night and there ainât shit to do today. And if there had been, I wouldâve told you. Rest.âÂ
She used the back of her hand to rub her eyes as she glanced at him, studying how his eyes returned to a script on his iPad that was highlighted to death. She merely rolled her eyes. Of course he would be working right after the biggest night of his career.Â
âHow long have you been up?âÂ
âSince 11 or so?â he shrugged. âFigured Iâd relax and read some scripts my team pulled for Outliers. Been so crazy, theyâve just been piling up. Grabbed a snack bout an hour ago and made you some tea but itâs definitely cold. I can make you more if you want.âÂ
âWhy didnât you wake me??âÂ
He merely shrugged with his unbothered charm, his hand gently rubbing her back, which lulled her into laying her head down on his chest again despite her brainâs alarm bells to get up.
How am I so tired?? She wondered as her eyes threatened to fall shut again. All her body wanted to do was fall asleep in his arms. Â
âWhen you didnât even move when I got up, it seemed like you needed the rest. And still do.â Â
âIâm good.âÂ
âThose bags under your eyes say otherwise.â
âI know you ainât talkingâŚâ she offered back, glancing pointedly at the equally stark dark circles under his eyes.Â
âTouche. But no actor gets enough sleep. Early call times, global press tours, events and after parties. Itâs the name of the game. You havenât been taking care of yourself?â His annotation was that of a question but they both knew the answer. âHow much sleep you been getting since we-â Michael stopped himself, the words he held back still hanging heavily in the air. There was still so much they still had to discuss, wounds that were still unhealed and unresolved.Â
While Michael thought Raven was always stunning, he could not ignore the obvious toll the events of late had taken on his girl. He thought it had just been emotional but he had not seen her long enough to notice the physical strain his actions had caused too. And while she had told him not to feel guilty, he did. So he was not going to wake her up or bother her when it was clear she required a reset. And while he would always adore her for rallying for him last night, today was a new day. And she deserved to be catered to and have someone take care of her for a change.Â
âCouple hours a night⌠Between the break up and the paparazzi during the first couple weeks⌠and then all the shit on social media, I was just on edge 24/7, my brain couldnât shut off long enough to sleep⌠or sleep well. I had some old sleeping pills I used some nights when I was desperate but⌠it was hard not to think about everything over and over and over again. And then wallow in it.âÂ
âYou stopped eating too? You lost weight.âÂ
Raven chuckled. âYou know most men wouldnât have a problem with their girlfriend losing a couple pounds. Wasnât like I didnât need to.âÂ
âYouâre fuckinâ sexy at any weight but I gotta problem with anything that means you ainât taking care of yourself. Especially when itâs my fault.âÂ
âI didnât do it on purpose and itâs no oneâs fault. I just⌠didnât really have an appetite a lot. But thatâs starting to come back. Iâm fine, Michael. Truly. Weâre still celebrating you, canât end that early just to fuss over little ole me.âÂ
Michael knew she wanted him to pretend he believed her for the sake of not discussing this right now. But what was the point in that? He would not pretend he had not been terrified for her. That he was not still terrified at how all of this had worn her down. And he knew it was not just what he did, it had just been the final straw in a life-long list of painful experiences. But one thing Raven had always had when he looked at her was hope, even if the flame was as small as a dying candle. There was always an air about her that let him know she genuinely believed things would get better one day.Â
But when he saw her at her apartment, the night at that bar? That was gone, completely extinguished. Her eyes, his favorite part of her, held nothing but sorrow. He would not be able to live with himself if he ever saw that look in her eyes again.Â
âYou arenât fine, Rae. I know that shit. And Iâm allowed to worry about you. I mean shit, how you looked after that video was bad enough. Then the bar?? Not gonâ forget that shit happened just cause weâre back together. And Iâm not gonâ pretend youâre fine when you arenât either. Youâre not gonna keep sweeping your needs under the rug. We can lay here all day and sleep if thatâs what you need.â
âYou have better things to do, Mr. Academy Award Winner then watch me sleep. I can take care of myself.âÂ
âWhat if I like watching you sleep??âÂ
âThen that would be kinda endearing and⌠kinda creepy?â she mused. âBut mostly endearing.â Not that she would ever admit it but she enjoyed watching him sleep too.Â
âWell I might be creepy then,â he admitted. He did genuinely love watching her sleep, when she was in his arms, there was just a rare peace about her that he loved to see. âThe outside world has gotten too much of me lately. Now, the only thing I wanna do is take care of you. Not cause you canât do that shit yourself but because you shouldnât have to. Everyone needs to be taken care of and Iâm not letting the next 30 years go by without you knowing what that feels like. Now youâre gonna feel it. Every single day. Rest, Raven.â
His words tumbled through her brain as she stared at him for a moment, her eyes brimming with tears. She was exhausted and not just physically. But of carrying the weight of every problem on her shoulders, of being alone in crafting solutions. She was so often consumed by pure survival and it had made her resourceful and smart. There was not a problem that life threw at her that Raven had not figured out a way through. She was stuck in survivor mode 24/7. But the problem with survival is that it was an all-consuming task. Thereâs no opportunity⌠no room to rest. And no one to take on the burdens for her so she could.Â
âI just havenât h-had anyone⌠who cared enough to worry⌠in a long time, no one willing to share the load,â she offered simply, sniffling lightly. âUntil you hired David⌠I didnât think you cared what happened to me after we⌠I ended things.âÂ
âI did. I do.â His hand gently cupped her cheek, his thumb whisking away the tears that slowly fell. âFuck, I thought about you every minute of the damn day, Rae. You had me over here losing my damn mind. I care⌠I love you so much, it fucking killed me. And scared me. And I deserved it, to worry and stress and flip shit because I fucked up⌠I hurt you.â
âYou did. But it wasnât just you. Lifeâs been shit before and I could always, you know, keep going? It was just the final blow to the little bit of hope I had? And I just didnât see the point in getting back up again. That was my best⌠the bare minimum needed to keep breathing. The heartache⌠I knew I could get over that eventually. One day in the far fucking future, I could⌠would force myself to get over you. Or just accept that I could never have you. It was the ache of losing hope that killed me. It was like my soul ached? And there were moments, like the night of your premiere, that I just thought that would never heal?âÂ
âSo you got wasted? To forget?âÂ
She chuckled. âAlcohol is a great temporary solution. When youâre that low⌠shit gets desperate,â she admitted. âAnything to numb the pain for a short while. But it always comes back.âÂ
âHow often?âÂ
âRarely and that was the worst night, I promise. Honestly, wasnât sure Iâd ever want to touch alcohol again after that.â Â
âAnd now? How do you feel?âÂ
âThe wounds in my heart still need mending but every second back with you has healed parts of my soul. Iâm⌠not ok,â she admitted, Michael immediately empathizing with how difficult it was for her to say those words. âYouâre right⌠it doesnât just go away. But I will be ok.âÂ
He nodded. âI know you will be. Iâm gonna make sure of it. Raven⌠look, I know this shit is scary, giving up control when youâve been the one driving for so long, the one responsible for everything for so long. But Iâm here, Iâm not going anywhere and Iâm not gonna let go again. Itâs safe to let someone else behind the wheel for a while. Rest for me, baby girl. Please.Â
As if she was light as a feather, he shifted her so her body laid on top of his chest, his strong arms anchoring her in that spot. She buried her face in the nape of his neck, breathing in the perfect scent that her heart recognized as him.Â
Even as her body resumed its pliant posture in his arms, Raven realized she did not want rest. No, she wanted to feel him in the very depths of her. She knew they had to talk, knew there were conversations to be had. But fuck, she could not wait. She wanted to revel in this moment, of finally being with someone who genuinely loved her and cared. And she needed to feel it on a cellular level.Â
Raven forced herself to sit up, quickly straddling his hips and giving him a quick but tantalizing grind against him. That turned his frown into a mischievous grin, though she could still see the concern in his eyes.Â
âThis is the opposite of rest, baby girl.âÂ
âIâll rest as long as you want after. I need you.âÂ
âWe still got a lot to talk about, Rae. I just donât want you to get caught up in the moment ân not really want this yet. âN IâŚâ Raven should have been put off the pure animalistic look simmering in his eyes. But instead it just made the desire grow stronger, long tentacles stretching out to every pleasure zone in her body. Demanding he touch, bite, slap, caress⌠literally do anything to satiate her. âIâm not sure what you need, what we both need.â Â
Her palms cupped his face, guiding his eyes to hers. âThen donât be sure. I love that you take care of me, Michael. But taking care of me isnât having the perfect thing to say or do for me. Sometimes, itâs just being you and figuring it out as we go. I know I need you. And thatâs what I want, to feel every part of you⌠whatever you have to give me. And everything we need to talk about will still be here when youâre done with me.â
And with her permission, the reins holding him back evaporated and he pounced. Raven was on her back before she could blink, Michael capturing her lips, reminding her of the dominance she missed. And desperately craved it. Â
âTell me what you need, baby,â he whispered in her ear.
âEverything. All of you.âÂ
Michael would happily oblige. He licked his lips as he stared down at her. Where would he even start?Â
Some part of him wanted to render her utterly immobile as he usually did. But a more significant part of him just wanted to savor her. Wanted to feel everything she had to offer and bask in having her back with him. And while he loved the fast-paced dominant sex they were used to, it did not always allow for that. And he knew in his heart that they both needed more than fast and furious today.
His hands gently ran up the smooth skin of her thighs, gathering the oversized t-shirt on her frame in his hands and sliding it off. Her nipples pebbled slightly at the cold air against her warm skin.Â
âFuck, youâre beautiful. You know that shit right?â he asked as he pressed soft kisses against her neck.Â
âY-yes,â she whispered, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as he sucked on a particularly sensitive spot before moving down to her collarbone.Â
âYou know how much I love you? What Iâd do for you?â he continued a slow but intentional path down her body, lingering on her chest as he engulfed each of her nipples between his lips. He took his time there, remembering how much she enjoyed nipple play. His mind called back to the numerous times he put clamps on them. His tongue licked her nipples, Raven whimpering and squirming beneath his hot mouth.
Soon, they would reacquaint themselves with those roles, he thought. If she was up for it.
Her body was ablaze as his lips and tongue found their home on every inch of her skin he could get to. Down he trekked, only slowing when he got to the paradise between her thighs. He knew her inner thighs were a weak spot, something he learned long long ago. He knew it was the teasing that got to her, being so close to where she needed pleasure the most but not exactly there yet.Â
âFuck I missed this,â he whispered. âThose little moans you make, how I make you squirm and beg and plead. The taste of you on my tongue.âÂ
âMichael⌠please,â she whimpered. âI needâŚâ the words were lost on her, her brain was no longer in the decision-making business. Her body, the pleasure sensors that lived beneath the surface of her skin guided every feeling, every filthy thought, every base desire and need. âC-Canât wait.âÂ
He lifted his head from between her thighs, his breath teasing her core with heat that turned her into putty in his hands. She could not wait, she needed to be connected to him. To feel their bodies become one again in the most intimate and carnal way.Â
âYou trust me, baby?âÂ
âWith my life,â she answered truthfully.Â
While his actions had shaken that trust, when it boiled down to it, she would never trust her body with anyone as she did with Michael. She was his and he had never harmed her or made her regret handing over the reins to her pleasure to him. He had proven himself worthy of it tenfold.Â
âThen trust that Imma take care of you, princess. Always.âÂ
Princess⌠fuck was it possible for her heart to literally explode? Or for her to be anymore wet than she already was?Â
His poor sheets, she mused.Â
He resituated her legs on his shoulders and grinned up at her as he continued nipping at her inner thighs, Ravenâs soft moans only spurring him on. She was already a mess⌠a delicious, delectable mess to be sure, her juices glistening and begging him to lick, suck⌠devour her.Â
âFuck⌠all this for me, baby?â he smiled as his kisses and bites grew closer and closer to where she desired, where she needed his touch the most.Â
âY-yesâŚâ Her body had missed him more than she realized.Â
âI missed you.â And with that short statement, devour her, he did.Â
Bliss.Â
Ecstasy.Â
Fucking nirvana.Â
He made her feel all of it with one masterful flick of his tongue against her bud, her back arching off his mattress and a guttural moan rising from her belly. He proved within minutes that he had not forgotten, forgotten what buttons to push, what spots to focus his attention, how she liked to be pleasured.Â
He did not let up or come up for air as his mouth savored every inch of her that he could, spelling out his adoration and love for her - not with his words - but with his tongue and his two fingers buried in her heat. There was a sensual pace to it that she was not used to with him. Typically, sex was deliciously punishing and unyielding. It was rooted in his care and gentleness for her but the pace left no time to breathe. Not that she minded.Â
But today? He took particular care, the march up to her peak was tantalizingly slow but perfect all the same. There was no rush between them, despite Ravenâs original desire to fit almost 2 months of lost time into this one moment. But Michael understood that they had time. There was no invisible clock, nothing rushing them. He could savor the little gasps of pleasure when he sucked her clit gently, the way her legs clamped around his head when she was close, how her pussy clenched around his fingers as he increased his speed to exactly where she liked, how her hips rocked to meet every thrust.Â
Every plea, every moan, every scream for more. He wanted to hear all of it. And he wanted her to savor the feeling of being taken care of, because she would need to learn to get used to it. He could do this every day, more than once a day to be honest.Â
âSo⌠close,â her moans grew louder and louder as he took her to the edge of the cliff of pleasure.Â
She allowed herself to fall as she felt the pleasure in her belly snap. Her mouth simply remained agape with a breathless scream on her lips as she fell into the depths of ecstasy. The crash didnât feel like one at all, but a soft landing as he continued his ministrations against her clit, drawing out her orgasm for as long as he could. And it was pure bliss, warm waves of pleasure continuing to crash over her until he finally extracted himself from between her legs.Â
âThat wasâŚâ Being at a loss for words was commonplace when they fucked. But Michael understood as he pressed his lips to hers, allowing her to taste herself briefly.Â
âFuck!â she cried out as he immediately started to sheathe himself inside her, a welcomed surprise. She tried to hide it as her face screwed for a split second, her body becoming reacquainted with his girth and size. The stretch he provided today in particular, given their stint apart, was a short-lived sting of pain that managed to take her breath away.Â
He immediately stilled.Â
âTalk to me, Rae. You good?âÂ
Her eyes were still shut tight as she waited for a moment for her to get used to him again. So she merely nodded.Â
âWords, baby.âÂ
âY-Yea Iâm good. J-just been a minute a-and you surprised me.â She let out a content sigh as pain gave way to mind numbing pleasure, giving him the directive to move. âA-and t-thatâs not⌠fair,â she moaned. âW-wanted⌠to taste⌠you too.â She wanted to force her lips into a playful pout but the only facial expressions her muscles could conjure up were those of passion and pleasure.Â
âNext time, princess.â He sucked on the soft skin of her neck as he drove into her.Â
Raven could only see the darkness of the back of her head as her eyes rolled back with every rock forward of his hips, sending his dick right into her g-spot. His thrusts were relentless, Ravenâs nails digging into his back as she held onto him for dear life.Â
âFuck⌠I-I love you,â she panted, unable to form any other real sentences worth anything. That was all that needed to be said in her mind.Â
âSay it again,â he demanded, gently biting her neck as her declaration of love only spurred him on. He grabbed her legs and pulled her ankles to his shoulders.Â
âI love⌠FUCK! Fuckkkkk, j-just like that!â She cried out, abandoning the words originally on her lips for completely incoherent ramblings of a woman who was being split into two but loved every single second of it.Â
Did he just kill me?? Am I dead?? Because this no longer felt of this world? No human being should be allowed to experience this sort of pleasure. Or be able to give it⌠was the man above her even human?Â
âYou feel so good, baby. You like how Iâm fuckinâ this pussy??â
âYes! Yes! Fuck I love it so much. Donât stop, please donât stop!âÂ
Stopping?? An utterly foreign concept to him at that moment. And he did not. Raven barely could breath as Michael moved her into position after position, fucking her into oblivion.Â
Tears sprang to her eyes as he fucked her from behind, his teeth biting gently into the skin of her neck.
âWhere you want it, princess??â he demanded as he felt himself getting close.Â
âCum inside me,â she gasped, not wanting their union to end any sooner than it needed to. This was as close as they could get and for some part of her, it still was not close enough.Â
More, more, more, her soul seemed to demand. More of him.Â
âDonât say that shit to me if you donât mean it?â he warned, those few words causing a fever to settle over him, his hips snapping forward into her ass with a force that jolted her further into his mattress.Â
âPlease, baby,â she whined desperately, unable to find any other words to assure him that was what she wanted.Â
Euphoric was the only word that came to mind as he pulled her flush to his chest and emptied his cum inside her.Â
âThank you, thank you,â she panted, her pussy clenching around him as he pumped in and out of her slowly.
Michael gently let her body fall into the mattress, Ravenâs eyes already starting to flutter closed as he went to grab a warm towel. Another whimper escaped her lips as he cleaned her up.Â
âThat was⌠whew. I missed you.â
Michael did not bother putting his own clothes back on but instead slid into bed with her, cuddling her body against his.Â
Of course now, sleep was not something Rave could avoid, her body spent as it always was after their time together.Â
â Give me an hour and then my legs will work again. And then Iâm taking over,â she muttered as she yawned.Â
He merely laughed and nodded, pressing his lips to her forehead.Â
âWouldnât bet on it. I only made you cum four times.âÂ
Raven lifted her head to look at him incrediously. âOnly four??? I canât feel my legs, babe.â Her jaw dropped at the slight frown creasing his lips. âOh my God⌠youâre actually upset,â she laughed. âYouâre insane.âÂ
âI have a reputation to uphold, babe. Six minimum every time.âÂ
âIf you wanna kill me, just say so,â she joked.
âJust tryinâ to put you to sleep without a fight,â he offered with a smile. âI give it five minutes before youâre out like a light.âÂ
âVery mischievous but effective.âÂ
Raven did not understand how she could even require more sleep, even after a palty (as Michael would complain) four orgasms. But he had accomplished his goal, her entire body was boneless and pliant in his hands. Everything in her told her she was finally home and safe to let go of everything else for the first time in her life. So she welcomed the coming rest, allowing her eyes to drift closed. However, before she fully gave in, she whispered.Â
âYou should rest too⌠youâve been going and going since the top of the year. Youâve earned it too.âÂ
âDeal.âÂ
The life of an actor was defined by sleep deprivation so Michael had learned the important trait of falling asleep literally anywhere and anytime. Because his body was on his press tour schedule, he had felt wide awake after a few hours of rest this morning. But he knew if he closed his eyes for 5 minutes, he would pass out again.Â
âI love you,â he offered quietly as he shifted them both so he was laying down again.Â
âNot as much⌠as I love you,â she mumbled back as her eyes fluttered closed.
A/N: Whew ok y'all do not know how much I agonized over this chapter LOL but our babies are backkkkkk and we have maybe two chapters left and an epilogue. Thanks so much for sticking by my slow writing ass. Drop a comment and let me know what you thought!
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