Fresh out the slammer, I know who my first call will be to
¡ ¡ â ¡đĽ¸Âˇ â ¡ ¡
High infidelity // part one here
Illicit affairs // part two here
Previous chapters here
¡ ¡ â ¡đĽ¸Âˇ â ¡ ¡
âDo you know what todayâs date is?ââ¨â¨âOctober 19th, 2023.â I replied as the nurse scribbled on her clipboard, she had a faint smile as if she was happy with my progress.
âMuch better than this morning. Would you like to try getting up again?ââ¨â¨âYes, I need to shower, so bad.â I laughed, I could feel how heavy my hair was with the amount of grease that was in it. Earlier on the nurses had me walk around my room a couple times to get my strength up and I felt like I ran a marathon, but it felt good to get up.
â¨âI can help you with that after I finish my rounds.ââ¨â¨âIâll help her.â Noah chimed in, his tone was a little dominant, almost as if he was tired of feeling helpless. The nurse just nodded as she left the room, not before telling him to ring my bell if he needed anything. I rolled my eyes at her sudden change of attitude, something I would never do if a family member offered to help out.
âIâm ready.â
Noahs focus was unmatched as he helped me onto my feet. I felt like a baby deer with how wobbly I was but Noahâs strong hands kept me balanced. His eyes met mine, reassuring me he had me. Every step got easier and by the time I got into the bathroom I was ready to walk on my own, but Noah wouldnât let go. When I was walking with the nurses earlier, Noah went to his car and got my suitcase for me so I could have whatever I needed close by. He put all my shower items, along with my skin care products and hairbrush on the bathroom counter for me. I mustâve had a pained look on my face cause Noah stopped what he was doing and looked at me through the mirror.
âWhatâs wrong baby?â
âI just âŚâ I stuttered, feeling self conscious. âI guess I feel a little embarrassed that youâre helping me like this.â
âEllie, Iâve held your hair when you were throwing up, this doesnât bother me at all." He replied as he held my hair in his hands, working out the knots for me. I kept my eyes closed, feeling every movement he did. Such a simple soft gesture but I was feeling like I was on cloud nine.
âThank you.â
I watched Noah walk over to the shower and turn it on, getting it to the temperature he knew I liked. He grabbed a towel for me and a pair of my own pyjamas as I slid my hospital gown off and got into the shower. Two weeks of sweat, blood and grease from my hair began to leave my body, making me feel more human with every passing minute. The heat of the water started to get to me and my head began to spin. I felt my pulse in my temples as I grabbed onto the bar beside me.
âEllie are you okay?ââ¨â¨âIâm fine.â I mumbled as the spinning got worse. I wasnât doing a good job at hiding it, but I wanted to prove I could do it myself.
âEllie donât be ridiculous.â I didnât respond to him, my eyes stayed shut. I heard him deeply sigh as he discarded his own clothes and got into the shower with me.
âThank you.â I managed to breathe out, feeling tears wanting to escape. I hated feeling this dependent on him.
âStop thanking me.â He smirked as he lathered my hair with my shampoo, making the spinning come to a halt.
After our shower, Noah helped me get dressed into my pyjamas and even French braided my hair for me. Guess thatâs the perk you get when your boyfriend used to have long hair. It felt so good to wear my own clothes instead of a stiff hospital gown and smell like my favourite products, almost giving me a sense of normalcy.
Noah set up his iPad for me so I could watch a movie while he went to get us some food. I settled on Captian America - civil war, oddly one of my favourite comfort movies. Halfway though the movie, my body began to shiver from the air conditioning so I slowly got up and went over to my suitcase to grab a sweater. I found my favourite Canucks crewneck and as I pulled it out of my suitcase, something small fell.
âHoly fuck.â
I looked down at my feet as a small velvet box laid on the floor. My heart pounded in my ears as I leaned down and picked it up. The box alone was beautiful, black velvet with a gold clasp keeping it locked. I wanted to open it so badly, but I had a gravitational pull stopping my next move.
âEllie?â
âI didnât look, it fell out as I grabbed my sweater.â I stuttered, feeling like a kid who got caught.
I could hear his soft chuckle as he put our food down and came to kneel beside me. His eyes lingered on me and time felt like it stopped. My body wouldnât move, I just stayed lost in his stare. His hand brushed over mine, which was still holding the box. He slid the box into his hoodie pocket and helped me back into bed. He sat beside me, taking my hand without a word as silence surrounded us.
âNoah, what was that?â
âEllie, I donât want to overwhelm youâŚyouâve only been awake for a few hours.â
âNoah, you can tell me.â
He just shook his head as his chest fell and rose deeply, âIâm gonna tell you something, and you have every right to freak out me.ââ¨â¨âTell me.â â¨â¨âFuckâŚI ⌠I bought you an engagement ring before you came down to LA last year.â He paused, half expecting me to run away with whatever energy I had left. âIt was pretty stupid and impulsive of me, but I was so crazy about you that I didnât care. Even when we werenât together I kept it. I just had this feeling weâd find our way back to each other. When we did, I was waiting for the right time to give it you.â His eyes found mine, glassy and distant. âI thought I lost you for good the night of your accident. So while I waited for you to wake up, I made a promise to myself that I was never going to live without you again.â
âWhat are you saying?â I already knew the answer, my entire body was pulsating from the anticipation of what words would leave his mouth next.
âI want to marry you, Ellie. This wasnât how I expected to ask you but weâre both here despite everything and youâre alive.â
Oh? Oh.
âNoah, when I was in a coma I had a dream you left me.â My voice cracked at the mere thought, âI never want to be without you, again.â
âSo does that meanâŚ?â
I licked my lips, trying to hide my smile, âit means Iâll marry you.â
Noah tilted my chin, showing me his beaming smile he couldnât hide. I had so many emotions flooding through my body and all I could do was stare at his beautiful face. Noah quickly wiped his eyes as his shaking hands pulled the box out of his hoodie. A simple rose gold band with an opal, my birthstone, sat inside the box so beautifully. Tears poured out of me as he slid the ring over my finger, it fit perfectly, as if it was meant to be mine. Our eyes found each other, half laughing and crying. I couldnât help but feel my heart swell for him, knowing this was a moment heâs been waiting for a very, very long time.
âI love you so much, Noah.ââ¨â¨âI love you too.ââ¨â¨The chain on his neck brushed my skin as he kissed me, his lips lingered so we could savour this moment. I didnât need a ring the size of my fist, we didnât need some over the top dinner with a million flowers or champagne that cost more than our home. Noah proposed to me in my most vulnerable state, no make up and no fancy dress, proving he loved me no matter how I looked. My eyes remained locked on my ring and how it perfectly reflected my taste. Iâll forever be amazed that even after a short time, Noah knew me better than anyone else. I felt alive. Whole. Vital. â¨
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Fresh out the slammer, I know who my first call will be to
¡ ¡ â ¡đĽ¸Âˇ â ¡ ¡
High infidelity // part one here
Illicit affairs // part two here
¡ ¡ â ¡đĽ¸Âˇ â ¡ ¡
âEllie?â
âEllie, are you okay?â
âSheâs not respondingâŚâ
âEllie, can you hear me?â
âSomeone call an ambulance now.â
âEllie!â
I woke up, my eyes fluttering as I regained consciousness. Black spots blinded my vision, making it hard to figure out where I wasâŚ
Where am I?
As my vision cleared I realized I was in a hospital bed. I wore a green gown and had those god awful flannel blankets wrapped around me, making my skin itch. I heard the faint sounds of monitors in the distance, checking my vitals. The landscape outside was shielded by some curtains but I could see the sun trying to peek through. I had no idea where I was⌠it certainly wasnât the hospital I was used to.
I hit my call button and moments later a nurse came in, relieved to see I was awake. I had so many questions but I couldnât get any words out. She checked my vitals, asked me if I remembered what happened, or if I was in pain. I partially lied because I didnât want to hear the truth from some stranger. She kindly brought me my toothbrush so I could refresh my mouth, which was drier than a desert. After checking my vitals and reflexes, she said she would call my family and tell them I was awake. I thanked her as I let my head hit the pillow. I felt as if I just woke up from a horror movie, and I was the only survivor.
âHeyâŚâ
For the last hour I was staring at the wall, floating in and out of consciousness but his voice snapped me out of it. I panned my head over to his voice, a voice I knew all too well. His voice felt like he was pulling me out from under water and I could finally breathe. My heart raced as I stared at the 6â3 frame leaning against the door. Time stood still as we kept our eyes locked on each other, as if we were magnets finding their twin. His hair was disheveled, his face had a few days of growth on it but despite how tired he was, his sweet smile still appeared
Noah.
âH.. hi.â
My voice felt coarse, which caused a coughing fit to start. My skin flushed, almost embarrassed as Noah walked over to my bedside table and handed me my water bottle.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, I thanked him as I took a few sips. The water felt like liquid gold going down my throat, instantly hydrating me. Noahâs eyes stayed fixated on me, causing me to feel even more confused than before.
âYou have no idea how happy I am that you finally woke up.â
I paused mid sip, looking over at him. âFinally?â
âEl, you hit your head two weeks agoâŚdonât you remember?â
âN-no.â
Everything was feeling like a distant memory.
âThe last night of the tour, you went into the pit with some of our friends. Towards the end of the show, you got elbowed in the temple and fell.â He paused, his voice was becoming swallowed with sadness. âAs you tried to get up, someone kicked your head and knocked you out.â He paused again, running his fingers over some stitches on my cheek. I flinched from the contact. âYouâve been asleep since.â
âHoly shit.â I gasped, feeling tears sting my eyes. As my mind raced, things came back to me, hitting me like a freight train. None of it happened. He never left me. He was still here. None of it existed. That dream I had of Matt wasnât real. It wasnât two years into the future. I was right were I left everyone.â¨â¨âIâm sorry baby.â He sadly smiled, grabbing my hand. I gripped tighter onto his hand, I was scared that I might float away if I let him go.
âWhere am I by the way?â
âWeâre still in LA.â He replied, not taking his eyes off our intertwined hands.
âDoes Liam know what happened?â
âI donât know what Tyler told him. He needed to hear it from his dad and not us.â His hands squeezing me for assurance. âDo you want to see anyone? Mattâs on his way over.â
âMaybe later ⌠Iâm just happy youâre here.â
âMe too.â He softly smiled as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. âIâll just let Tyler know youâre awake.â
âYouâre texting my ex husband?â The thought of Tyler and him talking just didnât seem fathomable.
âWe had a good talk after your accident. He wanted to make sure you were okay.â
âThatâs really sweet, Noah.â
I bit back my smile as I watched him on his phone. My eyes wandered, studying him unhindered as his heavily tattooed fingers tapped his screen. My eyes floated around his face as strands of his chestnut hair fell in front of his somber eyes. My heart ached with how painfully beautiful he really was.
âDo you want anything?â He asked, snapping me out of my trance. âThereâs a Starbucks in the lobby, I can go get you a matcha if the nurses say itâs okay?â
My stomach fluttered, âIâd love one.â
âOkay.â He kisses my forehead before walking towards the door. His lingering scent hit me like a tidal wave, a mix of lavender and cedar that Iâll never get tired of.
âNoah?â He turns around, shyly putting his hands in his pockets as he waited for me to speak, âI love you.â
That damn smirk of his appeared as he walked back over to me. I pulled the strings on his hoodie, guiding his lips to mine. It was quick, but soft and left me reeling.
âI love you too Ellie.â He looked over at the door as Matt came sauntering in. âIâll let you two catch up.ââ¨â¨âHey strangerâŚare you okay?â I mustâve had a puzzled look on my face since his face was full of concern and confusion. âYouâre looking at me like I gave you the concussion.â
âI had a really fucked up dream when I was asleep and you were in it.ââ¨â¨âWhat? Did I kill you or something?ââ¨â¨âNot exactly.â I chewed on my lip wondering if I should even tell him. âWe wereâŚgetting married.â
We both looked at each other and burst into laughter. It sounded so ridiculous as it left my mouth, Iâm glad he agreed.
âYou mustâve hit your head pretty hard if you wanted to marry me. â
âWell it knocked me out for two weeks so youâre right.â My smile fell, wanting to tell him more. âBesides, the entire time in my dream I had a black shadow following me, screaming at me to wake up.â
âSee?â He painfully smiled, something was telling me it hurt to hear but he knew it was the right thing. âI told you that you and Noah are meant to be.â
âI know Iâve made the right choice with Noah.â I replied confidently, picking off the last bit of polish on my nails. âWhen the nurse said she was gonna call my family, I was hopping she meant Noah.â
âWell Iâm beyond relieved youâre alive and awake, you really scared me.â
âWhat happened actually?â I nervously asked, knowing he wasnât about to sugarcoat it. âNoah just gave me a quick rundown.â
âAll I remember was your friend Danielle shoving her way to me, she was screaming at me to stop the show. Some guy from the pit picked you up and had you in his arms, but you were out cold. When I saw you bleeding from your head, I felt like I was gonna be sick.â He swallowed. âI yelled into Noahâs in-ear that you were hurt and we stopped the show. He threw his mic and hopped the barricade to come get you. We were all scared that you were gone.â Tears were forming in both of our eyes as he relived the nightmare. âFuck Iâm sorry. I never felt so helpless in my life but we were all there for you. We got you here as quick as we could ⌠and you know the rest.â
âWhat is it with this fucking city?â I chuckled, trying to lighten the tension. âFirst time Iâm here Noah and I break up and the second time I almost die.â
âYeah this place is definitely cursed for you.â Matt replied as he squeezed my foot.
âIâm so thankful for you guys, and Iâm really sorry I put you through that.â
âDonât be sorry but dear god no more going in the pit okay? You stay with me or on the side stage.â I nodded, I could tell he had more to say. âWhen youâre better, weâll all come visit you and Noah in Vancouver.â
âDeal.â I tilted my head, looking into his warm eyes. âSo, what are you gonna do now?â
âNow that youâre awake, Iâll fly home.â He said as Noah appeared back into the room. My stomach did somersaults as he got closer to me. He placed my matcha on my table and kissed the top of my head. âBut if you guys need me, Iâm only a call away.â
âThank you Matt.â Noah replied sincerely. âFor everything.â
âEllie is part of the family, you know weâd do anything for her.â
We said our goodbyes, not sure when weâd see each other again. Iâll probably have everyone up for American thanksgiving next month so weâll all be together for something that doesnât involve a tour. Noah and I laid on my bed, he caught me up on everything I missed, which included my birthday. What a way to enter my thirties. Either way, my heart felt so fullâŚI had all I needed.
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Summary: Quinn gets dragged to his girlfriends favourite bands concert despite it not being his favourite genre, but all it took was one song to change his mind.
âI canât believe youâre dragging me to this.ââ¨â¨âHey, you knew what you were getting yourself into dating me.â I commented as I applied my lipstick, looking back at Quinn in my mirror.
I wasnât wrong, but I also never expected him to pursue someone like me either. I wouldnât really consider myself an âalternativeâ or âgothâ girl though. I had black hair, tattoos and listened to heavier music but I preferred wearing aritzia sweat suits, doing Pilates and swapped wing liner out for clean girl make up. Still, I wasnât the stereotypical girl that most hockey players go for. I remember the first time I met Quinn and how terrified I was to take my sweater off and expose my full sleeve. But much to my surprise, he couldnât keep his hands off me. Actually, any time I went to get a new tattoo he came with me and held my hand the entire time. It was a kind of intimacy I never thought I would find.
â¨âI know, Iâve just never been to a concert like this. What if I get stuck in the middle of a mosh pit? Also how loud is it gonna be?ââ¨â¨I chuckled, zipping my boots up, âweâll stay along the side, and yes, bring earplugs.ââ¨â¨âOh god.â He groaned, throwing his head back on the couch. âYou are so lucky I love you.ââ¨â¨âWellâŚâ I trailed off, standing between his legs, leaning over and gripping onto his thighs. âIf youâre on your best behaviour, Iâll reward you for it.â
Quinns head popped up as I peaked his interest. âWhat kind of reward?â
â¨âWhatever you want.â I replied, hovering over his face. His lips ever so slightly brushing against mine, âbut you need to be a good boy.ââ¨â¨âIâm about to become the biggest Bad Omens fan youâve ever seen.â
About an hour later we arrived at the venue, my stomach was filled with butterflies from excitement. Iâve been a huge Bad Omens fan since 2016 and this was my first time seeing them post-covid. Their new album had been out for over a year and I played it so much I think Quinn was getting sick of it, but I would catch him mouthing the lyrics when he thought I wasnât looking. This man tried to convince me he only listened to rap and country, but I firmly believe he didnât want to admit he likes my music. I think he was paranoid his brothers or his teammates would tease him for it.
âI think youâd look really hot in that shirt.â â¨â¨Quinn and I waited in line at the merch booth before the concert, which was incredibly long. I saw a hoodie on display that I really liked so I wanted to see if they had it in my size. Another shirt caught my attention and I fully envisioned Quinn wearing it with his black Levis, a backwards hat and his white nikes. Just the thought of it made my knees buckle. â¨â¨âYou think so?â Quinn leaned his head down to take a better look at the shirt in question. His cheek brushed against me, making his cologne hit my nose. It was the perfect mix of sage and cedar. I gently kissed his cheek, a bashful smile appeared on his face before he pressed his lips to my temple.
â¨âAbsolutely. I mean, you make everything look good.â I breathed, still reeling from his lips, âbut Iâd love to see you in that.â
â¨âIf you say so.â He smirked as it was our turn. He bought my hoodie for me along with a signed vinyl, and the shirt I told him to get. He sent me the most devilish grin as he tapped his credit card, knowing he just made me incredibly happy.
We made our way towards the stage, it was already pretty packed so I suggested we stood at the back near the sound booth. That way we would be out of the way of any crowd surfers or mosh pits because no one was dumb enough to fuck around expensive sound equipment. The concert was everything I hoped it wouldâve been and more. The openers, I see stars and Erra put on incredible sets. Quinn looked like he seen a ghost when Erra came out, considering they were a little heavier than I see stars were, which made him look so adorable. Towards the end of their set, he was more impressed than scared which was a relief. Small smirks kept showing up on his face that he desperately tried to bite back but he couldnât.
âYou surviving?ââ¨â¨âYeah, thank you for bringing me.â Quinn replied taking a sip of his drink, âIâm actually having a lot of fun.ââ¨â¨âGood, Iâm glad.â I mused, âwe havenât even got to the best part yet.ââ¨â¨Before he could say anything, the lights went dark again and Bad Omens slowly made their way to the stage. My heart was rapidly racing in my chest as the boys opened up with Artificial Suicide. I immediately started jumping up and down, screaming the lyrics, completely forgetting about the world around me. Every now and then I would look up at Quinn, who just had the biggest smile on his face watching me enjoy myself.
Halfway through the concert, the band slowed the pace down, which came at the perfect time. My drinks were starting to hit me, making my head feel lighter than normal. The melody for Bad Decisions started and I immediately fell back into Quinn, becoming enamoured with how his breath crept along my neck.
Her skin feels unholy, but I'm still drawn
The morals I'm holding, you know they're goneâŚ
His arms wrapped around my stomach as he slowly swayed us back and forth to the beat, slow and reverberating. His skin felt warm to the touch as his chin rested gently on my shoulder. The low vibrations from the song along with the siren red lighting was stirring something up in me. My hips instinctively rolled into him, feeling overstimulated by every single sensation that took over my body. I knew Quinn wasnât complaining, considering I felt him twitch through his jeans.
You can be all I got, what's the difference?
Hennessy and a lot of bad decisions
All I know is bad, bad decisions
Quinn brushed my hair away from my shoulder, slowly planting kisses on my exposed shoulder. Each kiss nonchalantly making their way up to my neck, then my jaw, causing goosebumps as his week old stubble grazed my skin. My eyes stayed shut, as his lips dragged all over me. An audible gasp left my mouth as he lightly nipped at my skin, gently sucking, leaving his mark on me.
âTurn around.â
I turned around, his arms found me again and bringing me closer to him. My hands found their home in his hair, enveloping his curls between my fingers. The soft aura of the red lights made his green eyes the perfect muse in this dark room. I was so lost in him that I forget where we were, the crowd completely melted away from us and it was almost as if we were the only ones here. He had that effect on me, he knew how to make me feel like I was his, and only his. His forehead pressed lightly against mine, lips hovering so close I could taste the whiskey on his breath. The gap was finally closed, his mouth enveloping mine as I turned into putty in his hands. Our tongues danced together as the song was getting close to the end, but Quinn didnât seem to care. He pressed me harder against his body, wrapping his hand around the back of my neck and kissing me with such desperation. He never gave me any chances to come up for air, his lips stayed glued to mine as if my mouth gave him a new breath of life.
Bitter ends to the night, I'm along for the ride
Out of breath, out of time, everything has a price
We broke apart and the smallest smile curved at the side of his mouth as he trailed his thumb along my mouth. Neither of us realized the band started to play What do you want from me? shifting the energy in the venue. The music slowly filled my ears like I was underwater and coming up for air finally. I smiled back at him, I was in a complete state of euphoria.
âOkay you win.â Quinn said into my ear as I gripped onto his shirt to keep my composure. âI definitely just found my new favourite song.â
âYou have no idea how happy that makes me.â I mused as I had a lightbulb moment, âwe need to get you into the pit.â
âBabe, no -â
I grabbed his hand and drug him into the crowd. Everyone was moving around and having the best time. I had to admit this was one of their better songs and itâs physically impossible to stay still during it. Quinn stood there frozen before giving in and started to jump around with me, not daring to let me out of his grasp. He sung the lyrics he was embarrassed to admit he knew with me, caught a guitar pick for me and held me as I cried during Just Pretend.
âHoly fucking shit, this guy is an animal.â Quinn gasped as the lead singer, Noah let out the most primal, gluttonous screams during the encore of dethrone. He wasnât wrong though, I could feel those screams in my bones.
The concert finally ended, tears prickling my eyes as black and red confetti stuck to us and covered the entire floor. I didnât want to leave but we had to. That was the best concert Iâve never witnessed and it felt so bittersweet that it was over.
âSo, have I been a good boyfriend or what?â
I just chuckled as we made our way outside. The cold air hit my face and it felt like heaven after being a sweaty mess for three hours. We got into the car and Quinn leaned over to help me with my seat belt. I never once questioned why he started doing it, but I wasnât about to complain about my boyfriend being this close to me at any given moment. His eyes were a perfect shade of green, the kind of green you wanted your morning matcha to be. They peered so deeply into mine I didnât realize he asked me a question.
In a city full of lonely people, I just want you all to myself
summary: birthday celebrations causing jealousy while struggling to turn a certain age
warnings: drinking, clubbing, smut (18+)
ââ â⌠⤠âŚâ ââ
âI canât believe Iâm going to a bar like Iâm in my early twenties again.â
I smoothed my dress down, picking apart everything wrong with me as I looked in the mirror. Turning thirty felt like my world was about to collapse, and what made it worse was knowing my boyfriend was only turning twenty five just two days after me.
âNot to mention with a bunch of guys who are twenty one.â My roommate added as she fixed us a couple of drinks. I saw her bring out a bottle of tequila, knowing I was going to be in for a long night.
âUgh, what did I get myself into?â
âGirl, itâs fine! Quinn doesnât care about your age so why should you?â She asks, passing me whatever concoction she made. A took a small sip, realizing it was tequila and sodaâŚmore like tequila with a splash of soda.
Deep down I knew she was right, because when I told Quinn I was older than him it didnât phase him at all, I completely expected him to run. He told me the idea of being with someone older was a big turn on for him, something he didnât discover until he met me. As for me, it didnât matter what age the men were I dated, they were all extremely immature. I knew it was a risk with Quinn but he definitely didnât act like men his age. After all he was the captain of an NHL team, he had to have a strong head on his shoulders.
An hour later I was making my way through a busy drunken crowd, holding onto Quinnâs hand for dear life. For whatever reason, his teammates chose this club to celebrate his birthday tonight. Wouldnât have been my first choice, and I donât think Quinn was thrilled on it either but he was too quiet to say anything. We always made the best of a bad situation and I knew tonight wouldnât be any different. House music and lights were bouncing off the walls, making it hard to focus on where we were going. We finally got into our booth and a heavy sigh left me, I definitely wasnât drunk enough for this.
âYou okay, sweetheart?â Quinnâs velvet voice echoed in my ear, calming my nerves. His eyes were bright green, almost enchanting as they peered into mine. My face grew hot, wondering how it was humanly possible for someone to be this gorgeous.
âYeah itâs just been a while.â I wasnât lying either. I spent most of my time in breweries with my friends since most of us were over going to clubs. Quinn likes to tell me he doesnât like going out, but give him a few drinks and he makes a liar out of himself.
He pulled me closer to him, so close I could feel his stubble on my neck. âI wonât leave your side at all, I promise.â
âOkay.â I nodded before he gently brushed his lips over mine. I got lost in our own little world, the music melted away and I forgot we were in the middle of a busy club surrounded by strangers.
âLetâs celebrate, itâs your birthday after all.â
I rolled my eyes, âitâs also yours in two days.â
âYeah, but âŚâ his words trail off as he runs the pad of his thumb over my lip, âtoday brought me you.â
âHow does it feel to be with a thirty year old?â The words falling last my lips causing my eyes to roll again. That number just didnât sit right with me. âIâm officially an old lady.â
âThirty has never looked better.â He mused, his hand running up my hip and pressing me closer to him. I pulled him into another kiss, his cologne hit me like a tidal wave causing butterflies in my stomach. His hand ran up my neck and gripped me tighter while his tongue begged to enter my mouth. We stayed like that, blissfully unaware of reality until his teammates came over with trays of various shots.
âOkay lover boy thatâs enough. Letâs get you drunk.â
One thing about partying with hockey players is all of them have no limits when it comes to spending. I had to finally stop accepting every shot they brought around after the room began to spin. Best part of the night though was that the Devils were in town, so Jack and Luke, Quinnâs brothers were here to celebrate with everyone. This was only my second time meeting them but they were extremely welcoming and treated me like I was their sister. Jack at one point asked me to go dance with him and I couldnât help but say yes.
âSo how does it feel to be thirty?â Jack yelled into my ear as we danced to one of my favourite John Summit songs.
âTerrible. Iâm almost a decade older than you!â
âYou make thirty look so good though.â He smirks as Luke came behind me and picked me up, causing me to scream at him to put me down. As much as I fought he kept me over his shoulder.
âI just want you to know we fucking love you and you make my brother so happy.â Luke added as he finally put me down, the room was still spinning so I had to brace myself against him to make it stop.
âThanks buddy.â I jumped a little, feeling Quinnâs hand on my back. His face was flushed, telling me he was taking shots without me.
âCan I have my girlfriend back now?â
âSorry bro!â Luke kissed the top of my head before him and Jack ran off to grab more drinks.
âYou okay?â I asked Quinn as I turned to him, he smelt like whiskey and honey as he brought his lips to my neck.
âI will be.â He mumbles, burrowing his face into my neck. âIâm glad my brothers like you, but youâre my girlfriend. Not theirs.â
âDo you think theyâre gonna steal me?â I clasped my mouth, trying to hold in my laughter because I know he was being serious. It was downright adorable.
âMaybe.â
âBut Iâm yoursâ I assured him, pressing closer to his body. My hands teaching behind his neck, slipping stands of his hair between my fingers. âNo one will ever steal me from you.â
âProve it.â He replied with such confidence, not taking his eyes off my lips. His hands reached up to my hips, pressing me even closer to him. I gasped as I felt his erection brush up against my leg, âcome with me.â
âWhere are we going?â
âTrust me.â He mumbled, his eyes glazed with desire and whatever was in his system. I grabbed his hand, not knowing where he was taking me.
Quinn guided me into a private bathroom and locked the door. His hand brushed gently over my chest, hooking his finger under the strap of my dress. I watched him with intent, my heart pounding so fast I was surprised he didnât feel it.
âYou belong to me.â He whispered, slowly bringing me closer to him. My hands braced onto his chest as he captured my mouth into a kiss that started off sweet but grew sloppy.
âLetâs not wait then, birthday boy.â
He smirked so devilishly that I felt something more than butterflies in my stomach. Our kisses were met with biting of lower lips and Quinn grabbed my dress so tight I thought it was going to split. I wasted no time and began to unbutton his pants, dropping to my knees in the process. His dick sprung out of his boxers, dripping with pre-cum as my eyes widened.
âStick your tongue out baby.â
My exposed tongue was met with his tip as he gently circled over my taste buds. I could taste him already, it was making my mouth salivate and run down my chin.
âSuch a good girl.â He breathed as his free hand tugged on my hair. âOpen your mouth for me.â
I did as I was told and Quinn slowly slid his erection into my mouth, inch by inch until his tip hit the back of my throat. He bit his lip as I began to slide my mouth up and down, his grip on my hair getting tighter.
âFuck, baby this feels so good.â He deeply moaned, making me feel it in the back of my throat. âSuch a good girl taking my whole dick in that pretty little mouth of yours.â
I could tell he was getting close with how laboured his breathing became. I removed my mouth from him and began to lick his tip that was glistening with my spit. He looked down at me with pleading eyes, as if me mouth fucking him was the only thing keeping him alive.
âCome in my mouth Quinn, I know what you want to.â
âNot yet.â His voice sounded so husky as he motioned for me to stand up. I wiped my mouth, taking a long look at him. âYour turn birthday girl.â
I couldnât help but giggle as he picked me up and sat me on the bathroom counter. My back rested against the mirror as he spread my legs, situating himself between them. When our eyes met my heart felt like it was going to explode, Iâve never seen him like this before.
âHow bad do you need me right now?â He asked, slowly taking my lip between his teeth again.
âI need you so fucking badly.â
He makes his home between my thighs and begins to tease me with his tip. I regretted wearing underwear tonight but feeling his pre cum soak the lace was the sweetest form of torture, and he knew it.â¨
âTell me againâŚhow bad do you need me?â I couldnât get a word out. His laugh was dark as he fluttered his somber eyes at me, âuse your words sweetheart, what do you want for your birthday?ââ¨â¨âI want you.ââ¨â¨âThatâs a good start.â He muses, applying pressure on my thighs with his thumbs, âwhere do you want me?â
No words were leaving me as I gasped for air. Quinn began to run his mouth over my jaw, down to my collarbone, nipping slightly at the skin. I grabbed his hand and guided it between my thighs, his thumb instantly pressing onto my underwear.
âRight there?â He asks, slowly moving my underwear to the side. A small gasp in satisfaction left him as he felt how soaked I was for him. I just nodded, whimpering already from his touch. âTell me how much you wish this was my dick instead?â
âQuinn, I need you please ⌠Iâm yours.â
âThatâs my girl.â He replied so proudly, pushing his tip inside of me slowly. His head falls back once heâs fully inside me and itâs the most beautiful sight Iâve ever seen. âFuck you feel so good, so fucking good.ââ¨â¨Quinn started off slowly, teasing my clit simultaneously with each stroke. He leaned into my ear, continuously praising me as his strokes became faster and harder. Sweat rolled down me as the building started up in my stomach, that familiar flutter began to take over and I knew I was done for. My nails dug into his back as he sinks his teeth into my shoulder as my orgasm left my body.
âFuck Iâm gonna -â
It only took a few seconds before he spilled into me. His hands gently found my face, guiding me to look at him. My legs were still shaking as he kissed me so softly. I was in a complete haze as we broke apart, that one unruly strand of hair fell in front of his face as he studied me. He was so beautiful, there were no other words to describe him.
âHappy birthday, baby.â He mused, gently kissing all the tattoos on my arm. Funny thing,
I never thought heâd go for a girl with a full sleeve and dark hair like me. He struck me as someone who went for blonde Instagram models but, once again he proved me wrong.
âYou definitely just gave me the best birthday present ever.â I lightly laughed.
He titled his head to the side, cupping my cheek, âI donât think anything will be beat the gift you gave me.â
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be my date this Christmas Eve, be my holiday, my dream
summary: a heavy snowfall changes Quinnâs Christmas plans
warnings: light fluff, kissing and cuddling. Sorry itâs short! I just wanted to post something Christmas themed đ
â˘â ââââ§â âŚâ â§ââââ â˘
Quinn paced back and forth in front of the window, his phone glued to his ear. It was Christmas Eve and we were supposed to be heading to Michigan to spend the holidays with his family, but our plans might be changing despite our best efforts. Vancouver was covered in a heavy blanket of snow, not a single car was seen on the road all morning. Quinn gets off the phone, a small exhale left his lips as he walked towards me. I was buried under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate wrapped around my hands, doing anything I could to stay warm. Christmas music filled the room as I watched Quinn, he was stuck in his own head as he sat down beside me. My eyes never left his face, he bit his lower lip, something Iâve noticed he does when heâs deeply thinking.
âWhatâs the verdict?ââ¨â¨âNothing is flying out of the airport right now, so it looks like we might be spending Christmas here.â His voice was low, almost like velvet. His face was hard to read, he looked upset our plans changed but also keen on us just staying in Vancouver. His hand traced small circles around my ankle as he locked his eyes with mine. They were the perfect shade of green, always adapting to whatever emotions he was feeling.
âIâm really sorry.â My heart sunk, I was looking forward to seeing his family again too. His parents welcomed me with open arms and his brothers treated me like I was the sister they never had. All I knew was that I had to help fill the void Quinn was going to feel not being with his family, and those were hard shoes to fill.
âItâs okay.â His words mumbled as he continued to chew on his lower lip. âIâm actually okay with us being here instead.â
Confused by his reaction, my head titled to the side, âwhat do you mean?ââ¨â¨âEvery time we celebrate a holiday, or a birthday, I rarely get to have you alone.â His voice somehow lowered more, it was husky this time, making my stomach flutter. He guided my face towards him, pulling me into a delicate kiss. His lower lip, arguably my favourite part of his body above his belt envelopes my mouth so effortlessly.
We pulled apart briefly, my lips trailing his jaw this time, âthatâs the whole point of the holidays though.ââ¨â¨âYeah butâŚIâm tired of sharing you with everyone else.â he replied, brushing my hair out of my face so he could admire what was in front of him, âI love that my family adores you but I want you all to myself this Christmas Eve.â
He was right, every time weâve gone out to celebrate something, weâre surrounded by our friends, his teammates or family. We should be so lucky that we have so many people that love us, but anytime we tried to have a moment alone we were interrupted by someone. Most birthday parties ended up with our friends sleeping on our couches, even our own bed and leaving us somehow separated. This might actually be our first time celebrating something together, with no interruptions.
âThis is so tedious.â
I looked over at Quinn who was squinting as he iced some sugar cookies. He looked so adorable in the Christmas sweater I forced him to wear, I was gonna save it for tomorrow but now seemed like the perfect time to wear it. He looked like he belonged in a Christmas hallmark movie.
âYouâre doing great.â I commented coming up behind him. He turned around and put some icing on my nose, making me grab some to return the favour.
âLet me taste test.â His tongue ran along my nose as he got rid of the icing. I went to do the same but he ran away from me.
âQuinn, get back here!â I yelled as he made his way into our room. He stopped, laughing like a little child until I pushed him onto the bed. I had him right where I wanted as I crawled over him, licking all the icing off his face. He squirmed but my thighs kept him locked into place. We fell into a fit of laughter, completely enjoying each others company.
âI made a call when you were in the shower.â Quinn said, breaking the silence as he propped himself up with his arm.
âAbout what?â
âI got the owner to let us have the rink so we can go skate before dinnerâŚmaybe pass the puck a little bit.â
âYouâre so cute.â I mused, âalways thinking about hockey.â
He licked his lips before his bright eyes looked into mine, âI didnât want to spoil the surprise but I got you new skates I was hoping we couldâve used in Michigan. I guess our arena will have to do.â
A few hours later we were in the Canucks dressing room getting our skates on. Quinn rolled his eyes at me when I said I wanted to sit in JT Millers booth to put my skates on instead of his. He knew he was my favourite player besides him so he let it go. He placed my foot on his lap and he knelt down in front of me and tied my skates up. My stomach flipped just watching him so effortlessly tie them for me. As he finished he sat up and pressed his mouth gently to mine for the hundredth time today, but I didnât care. My eyes fluttered shut, making me want to savour this moment with him.
âIâm gonna tell JT we kissed in his booth.â I snicked as we walked down the tunnel towards the ice.
Quinn just shakes his head as he opened the bench door for us, âyouâre such a brat.â
He grabbed my hand and led me onto the ice. I admired the empty arena, it felt like a completely different place compared to how it was during a game. You couldâve heard a pin drop in here right now. We did a few laps around so I could break in my new skates. I was a pretty decent skater but I felt like Bambi compared to him.
âOne on one?â
I just nod as Quinn passed me a stick. It was a little long for me but I was determined to make it work. He dumped a bucket of pucks onto the ice as he began to fish one out with his stick. I watched him, bewildered. The way he controlled the puck was so effortless. He looked up, cheeks flushed as he realized what I was doing.
âWhat?â
âNothing.â I replied bashfully, âam I not allowed to admire my boyfriendâs stick work?â
âThis is doing it for you?â He smirked, raising his eyebrow. âI do this every night.â
âI know.â I breathed. Iâd be lying if I didnât say watching him play was my biggest turn on, because it definitely was. âI guess I never get tired of it.â
Quinn threw a sarcastic remark at me, I rolled my eyes before he pulled me into a deep kiss. My stick dropped to the ice as my lips parted for his tongue that was begging to enter my mouth. Despite it being cold in here, my cheeks were completely flushed.
âI wanna take you home.â
âSoon.â I replied, grabbing my stick and slowly guiding a puck into the net. We played one on one for a good hour before we decided to go home. Quinn will never admit I scored more on him than he did on me, so I guess that will be our little secretâŚfor now.
Our dinner wasnât perfect. We had hardly any groceries considering we werenât supposed to be in town. We found spring rolls in the freezer, made a small charcuterie board with cheese, crackers and grapes we had in the fridge. We polished off a bottle of red wine as we watched a few Christmas movies, both agreeing Christmas Vacation was our favourite. Our hands slowly wandered more and more during the movie as the wine started to hit us. Quinn swooped me up into his arms and brought me into our room, his lips never leaving mine. All the lights were out in our room, all you could see was the snow falling from the sky, Christmas lights in the distance, along with the pale glow of our tree from the living room. It illuminated Quinns face, making his eyes sparkle more that normal.
His movements were so slow, nothing could be heard but our laboured breaths. Quinns face was buried in my neck, his stubble that heâs been growing out more grazed against my skin. It felt rough, but I was so lost in his touch that it didnât even phase me.
âItâs midnight.â Quinn whispered in my ear, his lips pressing into my neck, âMerry Christmas baby.â
âIâm sorry we couldnât spend it with your family.â
âItâs okay.â He replies, kissing my forehead before peering into my eyes, âspending today with you was the greatest gift of all.â
Quinn envelopes me into a hug as we began to fall into a blissful sleep, unaware of how much snow would fall during the night. Maybe sugar plums would dance in our heads but all I knew was my heart was full. I didnât need a bunch of gifts under the tree, I had everything I needed, and he was wrapped up in my arms⌠the perfect present.
And I'll be full of the love you want, no matter whatâŚforevermore
Summary: Quinn is feeling the weight on his shoulders of his teams struggles, looks for comfort in the one he loves.
Warnings: smut, swearing, kinks (18+) also my first Quinn fic please be nice đ
â˘â ââââ§â âŚâ â§ââââ â˘
âWe keep losing Allie, I canât get control of my team!â He yells, his voice echoing through our apartment walls. I donât flinch or react, I stay calm as he expressed himself. Quinn was never one to raise his voice at me, or in general unless he was on the ice. He wore his heart on his sleeve, so I know he was blaming himself for his teamâs current struggles. His eyes glistened with tears of anger as he looked out the window, stressfully chewing on his lip. His voice cracks as he looks over at me, âI just donât know what to do.â
âI wish I had answers, but this isnât all on you.â I looked over at him mulling over any option possible but it was no use, he was so defeated. âYou can only do so much.â
âIf I canât get control of the room what does that say of me as a captain?â
âThat youâre still a damn good one.â I stated, making my over to him. I cupped his face in my hands, his stubble pricking at my skin. The second my hands made contact he completely relaxed under my touch. âYou took your team to the playoffs your first season as Captain and won the Norris trophy.â
âSo what.â He muttered against my hand.
âSoâŚâ his lush green eyes locked with mine, and I lost my train of thought. My hands dropped to his chest and our eyes stayed connected. âYouâre gonna go in there, demand a players only meeting and youâre not taking no for an answer.â
He looked at me, tilting his head to the side as he bit his lip, âis that so?â
âYes.â I breathed out as his hands wrapped around my waist, âafter all you are Quinn Hughes.â
A small groan came out of him as I ignited his praise kink. He claims he didnât have one, but I know him better than he thinks. He might be a quiet man but there was nothing that got him harder than hearing about his accomplishments.
âSay it again.â His voice grew huskier and that grip he had on my sides reached up to my neck, instantly causing a pulse between my hips. âWho am I?â
âYouâre Quinn Hughes, Captian of the Vancouver Canucks.â
His grip tightened on me, causing me to gasp, âone more time, it sounds so good coming from that pretty little mouth.â
âYouâre Quinn Hughes, captain of the Vancouver Canucks.â
âWhat else am I, sweetheart?â His body pressed into mine, making me feel his erection against my body. My knees hit the back of the bed, expecting to be thrown onto it but it never happened. He kept looking into my eyes, as if he was ready to devour me.
âYouâre a Norris trophy winner.â
Quinn snickered, almost arrogantly at my remark, âwhat about it?â
âYouâre the first Canuck ever to win it in franchise history.â
His arrogance turned into something primal. I saw his eyes darken and his breathing slowed, âsit down.â
My heartbeat was in my ears as I followed his direction. He instantly pushed me backwards and crawled right over me. I watched his every move, knowing I was about to be used as a ragdoll. I gasped loudly as his hand reached down my sweatpants, running his fingers over my underwear as he smirked in satisfaction.
âReady for me already, pretty girl?â
All I could do was nod as he moved my underwear to the side, slowly sliding his fingers against my clit ever so perfectly. My body arched, as if I needed him to be closer to me. He left kisses all along my neck and jaw as he worked his magic, hooking his fingers into me. All you could hear was our laboured breath, mine picking up the pace as I felt my orgasm creeping up.
âOh my god.â
âDonât swear to him, swear to me. You are my pretty girl, right?â
âY-yes.â I croaked out, knowing I was seconds away from drenching Quinnâs fingers. He picked up his pace as I finally let go. âFuck, Quinn!â
âThatâs it baby, Iâm right here.â he mused, his fingers stayed hooked in me, his pace matching my breathing. As soon as my head fell back, he slowed right down and slid his fingers out of me. He stayed with me, kissing me ever so softly as I came down from my high. âYouâre so fucking beautifulâŚI never want to be without you.â
âLuckily for you Iâm not going anywhere.â
He just softly smirks, dragging his lips over mine again. It started out soft, then grew messier as he took my lip between his teeth. My hips bridged as he slid my sweatpants off, along with my underwear - just leaving me in one of his old practice shirts.
âCome here.â He slumped himself against the headboard, grabbing my hand to guide me onto his lap. My hands fell onto this chest, slowly wandering over his skin. He had a faded bruise on his shoulder from a hard hit, along with one near his neck. I adored every scar, cut and bruise this man had. It showed he had a lot of heart and left it all on the ice.
âWhat would help you feel better?â I asked, dragging my lips to his cheek, my body pressing firmly against his as he teased me with how hard he was.
âI just wanna be in you.â He whimpers, his hands running under my shirt to grab my breasts. âI donât even want to come, I just wanna feel you around me.â
My hands braced on the headboard as he swiftly slid his boxers off, his erection sprung out ready for me. As I slid down him, a low growl left his lips, making his eyes shut completely. I hooked my finger under his chin, forcing him to look right at me. His cheeks were flushed pink as I began to rock my hips slowly. He gulped, knowing there was no way he would last.
âLet me âŚâ he grabbed my hips, trying to take control but my hands swatted him away.
âBe a good boy and let me do this.â I whispered into his ear, the praise sent him over the edge as his head fell back onto the headboard. âTrust me.â
His calloused hands dragged over my arms before he wrapped them around my neck, giving me the signal he was getting close. My hands wrapped around his arms to keep my balance as Iâm slowly losing my rhythm. I ignored the burning of my thighs, wanting to stop and switch positions but seeing the sweaty, messy state Quinn was in was enough to keep me going.
âFuck, Iâm gonna come.â He spits out, almost in displeasure. âI donât want to but fuck, Allie you feel so good.â
âHow good do I feel?â
Quinnâs body began to squirm, his hands mindlessly roaming my body as he tried to speak, âgood enough to put a baby in.â
âDo it then.â I demanded as his eyes shot open to look at me intensely. There was nothing I wanted more than to start a family with him, but I wanted to see if he was bluffing or not. I leaned down, nipping at his ear, âput a baby in me Quinn.â
âBe careful what you wish for.â
âCome inside me then.â I whined as another orgasm escaped me, making me lose track of how many I had. âI know you want to be a dad.â
âYou fucking little - â he lost his words as I felt him spill into me. His chest rising up and down so heavily as more sweat formed on his body. I didnât move, I just sat there and admired the mess he was in. He blindly grabbed me and pulled me into a soft kiss. As he kissed me I felt his body shuddering from what we just did. I couldnât help but smirk in satisfaction.
âDo you think it worked?â
Hours later we sat on the couch watching his brothers play while we ate Chinese take out. I looked over at Quinn who kept his eyes on the TV, despite him asking me a question he still was focused on hockey.
âWhat worked?â
âWhen I .. uh .. you know.â Even though he wasnât looking at me I could see his cheeks begin to flush. He was so bashful anytime we talked afterwards about what we did, it was adorable.
âI guess weâll find out.â I chewed on my lip, âare you okay if âŚâ
âAllie thereâs nothing Iâd love more than to have a child with you.â He finally turned his attention to me, âI can promise you that.â
*gif created by me. feel free to use, simply give credit*
Pairings: Noah Sebastian x Stripper!OFC
Warnings: smut(will give warnings in part two), swearing, angst, fluff, talks of mental abuse
Summary: Raven arrives in Los Angeles with only a suitcase after running from her past with the dream of becoming a clinical psychologist for patients recovering from addictions. Solitarily steadfast on her path to success, she lands a job at a seedy strip club Bad Decisions.
A chance meeting with Bad Omens during their video shoot for The Death of Peace of Mind brings Raven one step closer to making her dream a reality. Unexpected feelings arise between her and the director/vocalist Noah. As she ascends to the top, she wonders if mixing business and pleasure is all worth it.
Authors Notes: well after nine months of writing it, here is part one! I realized it was easier to split the large one shot. Please enjoy! This is based off of the first manipulative day dream I had of Noah. I will tag anyone that wants to be tagged for part two! Not exactly sure when that will be but hopefully not too long!
Tags: @artificialbreezy @blueskylinesx
RAVEN
âYouâre worthless. Youâll never amount to anything.âÂ
âYou look pathetic right now. Begging me to stay with you. Get a fucking grip.âÂ
âYou think I actually cared about you? Please, Raven, you were nothing more than a hole to fuck.âÂ
I sat up in bed with a start, chest heaving with each deep breath, doing my best to center myself again. My eyes darted around the dark space encased around me, the familiar scent of my outlet freshener and the variety of colors from my plants on the stand in front of the large window told me what I desperately needed to know.Â
I was in my loft apartment. In Los Angeles. Away from him and safe from his lash.Â
Running a shaking hand through my hair, I tossed off the thick olive green comforter and let my feet drop to the aged hardwood floor to drag myself over to the kitchen. My throat felt dry and constricted, my sobs being cut off by the phantom feeling of his fingers around my throat. It had been a long while since I found myself back in that place but now, almost a year later in my new life, the old one started to creep its way around me like a snake, sinking its fangs in deep.Â
Nearly choking on the water as it ran down my throat, little droplets dripping off my chin, I set the cup on the counter and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. I had been better about not letting what I went through debilitate me in starting my new life but with the text I received earlier from an unknown number, all of the walls I spent so long building began to crumble.Â
I miss you. Come home.Â
Home? I chuckled darkly at that word. Our home was a mere memory lost in translation ever since I found him in bed with some random girl. He didnât even stop thrusting into her when he saw me standing in the doorway of our bedroom, shock, and disgust evident on my face. He just kept fucking her all while keeping his eyes locked on me, further pushing her face into the mattress. After that night, I packed up all of my shit that somehow managed to fit in one suitcase and bought a one-way plane ticket to the first available flight, which just so happened to be Los Angeles.Â
I had plenty of money saved up from my parents' will when they died suddenly in a car crash a few years ago so the aspect of being homeless and jobless didnât scare me nearly as much as it did. I stayed in a hotel for the first month until I was able to find this apartment for rent; the price wasnât pretty but it was manageable. Especially with the job I currently had.Â
Stripping wasnât my favorite thing, but I was the first to admit it paid the bills and even enough to cover my school costs. It was my second semester at a local college and with the major I chose, I knew it would be a long while until I was finished.Â
Psychology. Why I didnât go for an easier major was beyond my knowledge but I loved my brain being challenged that way; studying the deeper parts of life and the human mind.Â
With an echoing sigh, I shuffled my feet over to the couch in my open space living room and plopped down on it. Sleep was evidently out of the question so I figured to pass the time by checking my school emails. The time on my phone read it was just after midnight and my psychology professor said earlier in class that she would be sending out an email regarding our upcoming field trip. It was to the California Science Center next week and we needed to pay for it ourselves. This wouldnât have been an issue with my job but it was the end of the month which already was pretty tight for me. I could have asked Joan, my boss, if I could work a few extra parties at the club but the ones that already were booked ahead of time had dancers assigned.Â
Just as I suspected, the email mentioned once again needing to have the funds for the trip by next Monday morning; today was technically Tuesday morning so I had a week to figure out how I would find the extra money. Biting my lip, I let the luminescent glow from my laptop screen guide me into searching the local help wanted ads on the Nextdoor website.Â
A soft breeze from my open window brushed along the bareness of my long legs so I hastily reached for a blanket, covering my lower half with it. My entire apartment was cloaked in darkness except for the glow from my laptop and the dull orange light from the lamppost outside. Typically it was blanketed in teal neon lights due to the strip of bulbs that ran the length of my ceiling but I turned them off when I fell asleep. It always covered my entire apartment in a color that reminded me of fall, something I loved when I moved here. It may not have been in the best of neighborhoods of Los Angeles but it was my home now and I relished in it.Â
I spent a good while browsing the help wanted ads, but nothing seemed to pop out at me for quick cash and I was ready to give up, defeated when one final ad caught my eye.Â
Models wanted for a video shoot. Only needed for the day and will receive payment once completed. No experience is needed but will need a photo and resume.Â
Orie McGinness.
As my cursor hovered over the ad, I bit the inside of my cheek while highly considering that this might be a serial killer's ad for his next victim. So with quick thinking, I searched up the name to find out that this guy actually directed quite a few different music videos for a variety of artists.Â
âOk so even though you seem legit, that doesnât mean youâre not going to murder me,â I muttered under my breath.Â
The longer I stared at the ad, it taunted me with its words, and without a second thought, I clicked on it to begin filling out the needed information.Â
âI probably shouldnât have done this but fuck it,â I shrugged once I attached my resume to the provided email.Â
That was the easy part. What wasnât so easy was choosing which selfie to attach. Currently, my roots were growing over my vibrant teal hair so I couldnât take one which meant the next best option was to choose one from my old stock; not like I had many to choose from.Â
Deciding on the one I took the other day, I mewled over it for a few extra seconds, assessing to make sure everything was perfect. I was sitting on the floor in front of the large mirror in my apartment, legs stretched wide, showcasing the sleeve on my left leg. The designs werenât important, just something I thought looked cool. My teal hair cascaded down to the middle of my back as I peered over my shoulder, holding my phone up with my right hand. The tattoos peppered over both my arms shined bright from the sunset that broke its rays through my windows, casting me in an array of orange, purple, and gold. The olive green sundress I wore did wonders for my skin tone.Â
It was one of my favorite pictures of me and I knew it would be a great choice. I wasnât sure what they needed but thought I might as well show off all of myself.Â
Well, not all of me. If they wanted to see that, they could come to Bad Decisions and ask for me.Â
Not wanting to second guess myself, I attached the picture with the resume, typed out a quick message then hit send. I stared at the laptop screen for a few long moments, trying to ignore the pestering voice inside my head.Â
Youâre going to get murdered. Youâre going to get murdered.Â
Slapping my laptop shut, I set it on the coffee table then maneuvered myself over the clean piles of clothes that were scattered on my floor yet to be put away, and crawled into bed. Tuesdays were my off days from school and work so I already planned on doing my house chores, no matter how much it teased me.Â
Once I was settled under the pile of blankets and pillows, I breathed in content, ready to let the dark slumber envelop me once again. My body began to feel weightless, a dream state filling the ends of my vision and when I felt myself beginning to slip under, my phone buzzed on my end table causing me to jump in bed with a start. I clutched my chest with a hand while the other reached for my phone, shaky breaths filling the apartment.Â
When I saw the word âunknownâ my heart sank to the depths of my gut, fearing he texted me again. However, when I clicked on the message, the sudden chill that took over my body dissipated, a feeling of pure elation and albeit surprise filled me.Â
Unknown: Hi, this is Noah Sebastian of Bad Omens. Normally, Iâd have a member of our production team reach out, but I wanted to formally give you the news that Orie and I have looked at your resume and portfolio and think you would be a great fit for the position we need to fill on this music video we are shooting.Â
Please let us know if you are interested in accepting the offer. All details via payment and instructions will be given if you should decide to accept the offer.Â
 Iâll send you an address where we can expect you on Thursday at 10 a.m.Â
Unknown: Also, I apologize if I woke you with this text. I wanted to make sure you had enough time to prepare before Thursday. Canât wait to meet you.
Another message came through, this one was a pinpoint location that I assumed was where I had to meet them. After quickly investigating, I found out it was a large warehouse with a pool in the back, ones that people rented out for movie scenes, music videos, and photo shoots.Â
âWell, at least it's a professional setting where Iâm going to be murdered,â I chuckled to myself before typing out a response to Noah.Â
Me: Thank you so much! I am interested in accepting the offer and look forward to meeting you guys as well. And donât worry about the time, I was up anyway.Â
Ok, it wasnât a complete lie. Yes, I was about to fall asleep but I had been wide awake when I sent in the email before; thirty minutes ago. This meant these two guys, Orie and Noah, were also up, going through what I assumed were countless resumes.Â
Iâd been so excited that I was offered the job that I didnât even realize they wanted me to meet them twenty minutes after my morning class on Thursday let out; halfway across town. The location I had to meet them was only a few blocks from my apartment but from campus, it was at least a twenty-minute Uber drive or thirty-minute bus trip. Since I didnât own a car, not needing one because of living in the city, I always got around by Uber or the bus.Â
Well, letâs hope I donât make a terrible first impression by being late.Â
I thought to myself as I set my phone down to bury myself under my blankets again, a slight smile on my lips at the prospect of this new day job.Â
NOAH
With an exhausted sigh, I gently tossed the iPad onto the couch next to me so I could run my hand through my hair. It'd been a long night of doing this exact action, over and over. The new shorter length was something I was still getting used to, not remembering the last time I had hair this short.Â
Orie adjusted his position on the chair across from me, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Weâd spent the last couple of hours going over potential models for the music video for The Death of Peace of Mind, finally narrowing down the first two. We needed one more but none of the resumes and pictures we had were cutting it. Ever the perfectionist, I needed whoever we chose for the last girl to be exactly what we were looking for. Her role was important in the video.Â
âI think weâve gone through every single potential candidate three times, Noah,â Orie rubbed at the hair covering his chin. âWhy donât we call it for the night and pick it back up tomorrow?âÂ
I shook my head, picking up the iPad again. âWe have to figure this out before tomorrow so we can give the girls at least a twenty-four-hour advance notice.âÂ
âYeah, youâre right,â Orie nodded with a short breath before looking down at his iPad. âIâll send you the last few resumes I just received.âÂ
Still slouched on the couch, I gruffed in response as I waited for him to send over the resumes. It was only six of them but better than none. My finger swiped lazily on the screen.Â
My breath caught in my throat when I froze, finger hovering over the screen of my iPad, and I sat straight up now. The richness of my eyes drank in the sight of the woman on the screen. Her long teal hair, her olive-tanned skin, the tattoos that covered so many parts of her, and the length of her legs as she sat in front of a large mirror. The beating of my heart was heavy and fast, I could feel it in my throat that it made it hard to breathe.; that or it was the fact how gorgeous this girl was. Just the sight of this picture alone was enough to take my breath away. Every nerve in my body was on fire, burning from my chest straight down to my dick, it twitching underneath the material of my sweatpants.Â
âHer,â was the only word I muttered while showing Orie the iPad.Â
With a raised brow, he took the iPad to look over the picture and resume; a slight pang of jealousy festering in my stomach. But I took a deep breath, knowing it was ridiculous to feel that way. This was basically a job interview, without interviewing the potential candidate.Â
Orie nodded with a smile. âI like her look, sheâs perfect. Although, her resume is kind of sparse. Seems like sheâs unemployed but going to school for psychology.âÂ
I shrugged while taking back the iPad. âThis isnât a job at some law firm. It's for our music video. She doesn't need any prior experience.âÂ
âWhatâs her name?â He wondered.Â
âUh,â I peered down back at the screen, heart fluttering in my chest. âRaven.âÂ
âNow thatâs different,â Ories chuckled. âWe can send her an email tomorrow to let her know sheâs hired.âÂ
âMight as well do it now,â I shrugged again. âShe put her phone number in her email to text her.âÂ
âYou do realize what time it is right?â he said while rising to his feet, the bones in his knees popping from the stiffness of sitting for so long.Â
âShe sent the email less than an hour ago, thereâs a chance she could still be awake.âÂ
With a shake of laughter, Orie bid me goodnight by patting my shoulder and trekking up the stairs to his bedroom. I, on the other hand, hung back on the couch for a few extra minutes to search through her resume for her phone number.Â
âThis was fine. She put her number in her email for this reason. Youâre contacting a potential employee for a job youâre providing. Not asking a girl on a date,â I muttered to myself.Â
If that was the case, then why was I so fucking nervous?Â
Running a hand over my sweats, I took a deep breath before typing out a message to her; Raven. Afterward, I busied myself with tidying up the mess we made in the living room before shutting off the lights and headed up to my room, ready to put the long day behind me.Â
Just as I stepped inside, my phone buzzed in my pocket and I couldnât ignore the way my stomach fluttered seeing her respond.Â
Unknown: Thank you so much! I am interested in accepting the offer and look forward to meeting you guys as well. And donât worry about the time, I was up anyway.
Plugging in my phone and setting it on the nightstand next to my bed, I crawled underneath the sheets with a slight smile, excitement filling me for Thursday.Â
RAVEN
âHave a great-!âÂ
The Uber driver's voice was cut off by me slamming the door to his car, tossing a wave of thanks over my shoulder as I ran down the street towards the large warehouse. The warm summer California winds blew the long teal strands of hair behind my shoulders.Â
Fuck. I was so late.Â
Twenty minutes late to be exact.Â
My philosophy class ran over this morning and the second my professor dismissed us, I scrambled out of the lecture hall and out of the school towards the Uber that had been waiting for me the last ten minutes. I apologized profusely and made a mental promise to tip him a little bit extra for not only making him wait for me but also getting across town in peak traffic.Â
The soles of my tennis shoes slammed against the cracking pavement as I closed the distance between me and the large open garage door of the warehouse. I noticed someone standing in front of me, talking with a small group of people and when he turned to face me as I came to a stop, my breath coming out ragged and my cheeks red from my run, he gave me a gentle smile.Â
âHey. Raven, right?â The man with glasses and a beard smiled, extending a tattooed arm towards me.Â
I shook his hand, still breathless. âYeah, hi.â
âOrie,â he continued to smile.Â
Dropping my hand, I wiped the sweat on the back of my jeans. âIâm sorry Iâm so late. My class ran over and I tried to get here as fast as possible.âÂ
Orie waved me off. âDonât even worry about it. Weâre still waiting for Noah to get here with the truck.âÂ
I breathed a little bit easier knowing that I wasnât about to get fired because I was late and brushed away the loose strands of hair from my braid.Â
âDid you get a chance to look over the paperwork Noah sent you?â Orie asked.Â
âYeah, it all looks good to me; pretty self-explanatory,â I said while clutching the books closer to my chest.Â
âAwesome, once Noah gets here, we can talk about what your part is in the video. You donât mind hanging out all day? The scene we need you for has you in the pool in the dark.âÂ
âNope,â I shook my head. âIâve got nowhere else to be.âÂ
Orie extended an arm inside of the warehouse. âCome on, I can show you where you can hang out.âÂ
I didnât move. âI donât want to be in the way.âÂ
âYou wonât,â he reassured me with another warm smile, motioning me with his head.
Slowly, I trailed behind him into the warehouse and noticed people working to set up props while some sat at a table off to the side, where Orie was leading me. As he introduced me to the others who were staring in the video, I gave them a small wave of hello.Â
âNoah and I will come find you once heâs here,â Orie said before leaving me.Â
Falling into the chair at the table, I spread out my books and tossed my backpack down to rummage through it to grab my pen and notebook. Since I had the day before my scene, I thought it would be best to spend some time studying. I had a psychology test tomorrow morning, one that I was quite nervous about.Â
I tuned out the conversations of the others around me as familiar terms like cognition, para-social, and suppression filled my brain. The ink of my pen scratched at the flashcard with the words and definitions so Iâd be able to quiz myself later.Â
âBetter late than never!âÂ
Snapping my eyes up from the now thick stack of flashcards, I noticed a large white box truck parked right outside the open garage door, three guys piling out of it. My hazel eyes watched as Orie walked over to the guys, bidding them a greeting. It was clear they all knew each other but when one of the guys came around the back of the truck, my breath caught in my throat. Â
The hood of his black hoodie was pulled over his head until he pulled it down, his bright almond eyes shined with light as he laughed at something Orie said. His brown hair was falling into his eyes so with tattooed fingers, he brushed it back to showcase his strong jawline.Â
Holy Hades. He was gorgeous.Â
Orie muttered something to the guy, and then those almond eyes landed on me with a quick flick and every part of my body ignited from the sheer intensity. We held each otherâs gaze, him nodding to something else Orie said, but it was me who had to break the trance, reading the psychology terms once again.Â
My heart rate picked up when I heard steps getting closer and closer until I felt a warm presence standing in front of me. Glancing up through my lashes, I sucked in a breath when Orie and the man were towering over me.Â
âHi,â I squeaked out, dropping the pen onto the table.Â
âRaven, this is Noah,â Orie pointed to the man beside him.Â
Noah.Â
He gave me a lopsided grin. âHey. Is this a good time to go over your part in the video?âÂ
âUh,â I hastily moved my scattered books and flashcards so they could sit. âYeah, sorry about the mess.âÂ
Noah waved me off as he sat in the chair next to me while Orie sat across from me.Â
âCollege courses?â Orie wondered.Â
I nodded. âYeah, for psychology.âÂ
âIs that where you were coming from?â
âI had philosophy this morning and typically my professor lets us out early but of course, today he couldnât stop rambling on about this book he assigned us to read,â I answered Orie again while rummaging through the stacks of books on the table.Â
âA New Earth: Awakening to Your Lifeâs Purpose,â I said holding up the bright orange book. âI guess it's pretty popular. Iâm only a few pages in.â
I saw Noahâs lips curl up in an almost-there smile as he rubbed his chin. âItâs quite an interesting read. Every sentence rings with truth and power. It brings you into the space between your thoughts, where we find deep serenity and almost a sacred presence.âÂ
My eyes snapped away from skimming through the book over to Noah. âYouâve read it?âÂ
He leaned back against the chair in an effortless way to look suave and sexy. I could vaguely make out a tattoo on his neck, colors peaking over the top of his sweater, but the tattoos on his fingers and hands were visible. I suddenly wondered how they would have looked wrapped around my throat.Â
I mentally shook away those thoughts because Noah was my boss for the day. It would be unprofessional for me to think of us like that. Also, the fact that we wonât see each other again after tonight.
âIâm about halfway through. I know for some it might be a difficult read but I promise, itâll be worth it,â he assured me with a nod.Â
Orie chuckled. âNoah is big into psychology and philosophy. He could talk about this with you for hours.âÂ
I didnât miss how his cheeks turned a deep crimson but decided not to say anything about it. Instead, I hoped changing the subject would deter Noahâs burning gaze from me. Not that I minded it, I loved the way it made me feel. Like I was the only one that he cared to look at.Â
âSo you said something about my scene being in the pool?â
Orie nodded. âYeah. The idea that Noah came up with is that you, along with the two other girls, will be sirens in the water. Swimming underneath one of the guys who will be floating on a raft. At some point, youâll jump up on the raft and bite him.âÂ
âOh, kinky. Whatâs the song about?â I asked while resting my chin on my palm.Â
Noah raised a brow. âHave you not listened to it?âÂ
It was my turn to get red in the face with a sheepish smile. âIf Iâm being honest, Iâve never heard about your band before.âÂ
This caused both Noah and Orie to sit straighter up in their chairs before sharing a look.Â
âYouâve never heard of Bad Omens?âÂ
âNo,â I said slowly, eyes bouncing between the two of them. âShould I have? Is that bad?âÂ
âNot at all,â Noah said while resting his long arms on the table. âWeâre recording the music video for The Death of Peace of Mind.âÂ
I reached for my phone and AirPods that were still in my backpack. âI think I should listen to the song. Get in the right mindset for my scene.âÂ
Orie stood from the table, tapping it twice. âIâll leave you to it. Feel free to browse around the sets we have but donât wander too far. Iâll come find you when we need you.âÂ
Smiling up at him, I nodded but then glanced over to Noah who hadnât risen from his spot. Instead, he was leaning half of his body over the table, close to me, with a vivid look in those deep almond eyes.Â
âWhat? Do I have something on my face?â I wondered, suddenly self-conscious with his assessing gaze.Â
âNo, youâre fine,â Noahâs voice rumbled in his chest. âBut if itâs alright with you, Iâd like to stay while you listen to the song and hear your take on it.âÂ
âOnly if you promise not to fire me if I donât like it,â I teased with a wink while placing the left Airpod in my ear.Â
He snorted a laugh while easing back into his chair, extending his long legs on the side of me. âI think itâs going to take a lot more for me to fire you, Raven.âÂ
The way my name sounded on his plump lips made my skin tingle and my heart yearned to hear it again. I peered up at him from my phone, our eyes locked for three long steady beats; neither of us wanting to break whatever trance we found ourselves in. The air around us shifted on its axis, everyone in the room seemed to falter away and I was the only one that Noah cared to be around. And I sucked in a breath when I could have sworn I saw his eyes flick down to my lips before resting back on my eyes again.Â
In the end, it was me who broke the trance because I couldnât take it anymore how my body ignited with Noah near me.Â
âThe Death of Peace of Mind?â I asked, a slight crack in my voice.Â
His lips twitched as he smiled with his almond eyes and nodded.Â
Placing the right Airpod in, I opened up YouTube and typed in the song, clicking on the first video. Immediately the music hit my ears and I subconsciously felt my body swaying to it and I sat up straighter when Noahâs angelic voice rang out. How soft the tone of it came in some parts.Â
Your makeup running down your face. The way you fuck. The way you taste.Â
A blush crept from my cheeks to the tips of my ears and I rested my chin on my palm while gazing up at Noah, who hadnât moved from his relaxed stupor; eyes dancing with intrigue as he stared at me.Â
There was something vaguely familiar about his voice but I couldnât quite put my finger on it. How sensual it was and the way it sounded like a siren calling for its mate, wanting them to come home and wrap their arms around him. Or sinking their teeth deep in their flesh, tasting their everlasting spirit and drinking their essence for their own.
When his humming faded, the siren call now pulling me deeper into its vices, I let my eyes flutter shut when the harder music faded.Â
You come and go in waves. Leaving me in your wake. You come and go in waves. Swallowing everything.
My eyes snapped open when Noahâs solo scream erupted in my ears and now I couldnât stop the way my head moved to the rest of the song, drumming my fingers against the edge of the table along with the beat. When the song finally ended, I exited the app and locked my phone, setting it to the side along with my AirPods. For a beat of silence, I stared straight ahead while steepling my fingers under my chin, my brain moving a mile a minute.Â
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Noahâs knee bouncing in anticipation.Â
âBefore I start, are you sure you want me to explain what I think it could be about? Because once I get started on something like this, I canât stop,â I somewhat joked.Â
Noahâs smile reached his eyes. âPlease. I love having these open-minded conversations.âÂ
I nodded while turning my body to face him head-on and tucked a loose strand of my teal hair behind my ear.Â
âI could hear a few different noises throughout which worked so well along with the melodies. The instruments were very sensual and dark which again worked with the lyrics,â I said.Â
Noah rested his arms on the table again and I felt the warmth from him radiate off of him in droves as it wrapped around me, pulling me into him; figuratively, not literally even though I was craving to feel his arms enveloping me.Â
âDo you want to know something special about this song?â He questioned.Â
âIâm always down to know some secrets,â I teased while scooting closer to him.Â
I couldnât explain it but from the moment our eyes met, I felt a sense of calm and assurance. Typically, I wasnât this comfortable with a guy, it took me a long time to warm up but with Noah, it was different. I had known him for less than an hour but here I was basically flirting with my eyes with him and it seemed, he was giving it right back. That would be fine since after today, we wouldnât be seeing each other again so a little harmless flirting wouldnât hurt.Â
âI challenged myself to make a track using only samples I recorded of household items. Smacking pillows, shaking keys, recording and tuning the low frequency of a vacuum cleaner to a C note, and making a multi-octave sampler out of it. Stuff like that,â Noah twiddled his fingers together.Â
âOh, thatâs awesome! I feel like you donât see many artists doing something like that.âÂ
He nodded. âIâd love to know your interpretation of the lyrics.âÂ
I pursed my lips while tapping my chin, in mock thought, even though I already knew what I was going to say. It was clear what, to me, the lyrics meant.Â
âWell, for starters loveâs the death of peace of mind. That part is pretty clear: loving someone that could be wrong for you is essentially the death of your peace of mind.âÂ
I swallowed thickly at how on-brand that was for me but continued. âSometimes, loving someone isnât enough. You canât just have a sexual relationship with someone without having some kind of feelings behind it. You miss the person they used to be before it fell away. That kind of relationship will metaphorically kill you in the end. When the curtains call the time, will we both go home alive? The other person destroyed you and left you with no regard, they swallowed you up.âÂ
A deep noise rumbled in Noahâs chest. âIâve heard quite a few different theories, but nothing like yours.âÂ
I picked at the lint on my black leggings, my voice dropping. âPersonal experience I guess.âÂ
He must have picked up on the way I almost shut down because he reached for my flashcards, flipping through the large stack of them.Â
âFlashcards never worked for me,â Noah said.Â
I adjusted my position in my chair so our shoulders brushed against each other and I forced myself to not show how affected I was when an intense rush of heat filled me.Â
âI have a test tomorrow morning. Usually, I feel more prepared but this course material seems to be harder for me to understand and grasp,â I tapped a pen on the inside of the textbook. Â
âI could quiz you,â he joked while leaning forward on the table, closer to me.Â
My breath hitched. âI-uh, I wouldnât want to keep you. Youâve got your plate full already.âÂ
âLater then.â Noahâs voice was quiet yet loud enough just for the two of us to hear.Â
âOh, I donât know,â I playfully rolled my eyes. âIâve been told Iâm a terrible late-night study partner.âÂ
âIâve been told Iâm a great teacher,â he teased back with the corner of his mouth twitching, trying so hard not to break out into a smile.Â
Just then, Orie appeared back at the table, staring down at the proximity of us. Noahâs breath was fanning over my face, sending chills yet again down my body.Â
âI hate to break up this study session,â Orie smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. âBut I could use your help setting up the masks.âÂ
Noahâs eyes flicked over my face one final time before he slowly pushed himself away from the table with a nod. But he only made it a few steps before turning back towards me.Â
âFeel free to have something to eat in catering or walk around. I donât want you to study all day, thatâs no fun.âÂ
âYes sir.â I gave a mock salute with a smile.Â
With a rumble of laughter, Noah walked over to the main area of the warehouse where others were working on setting up a large white wall. A few others were working with Orie and Noah; all three sported tattoos while one guy had long hair pulled into a low bun and a nose ring, the other had long hair as well, not as long, but the gauges in his ears were prominent, and the last one was hiding his hair underneath a hat and wore a gray fishing shirt. Something about the way Noah interacted with them told me that the four of them were close, almost like brothers.Â
I spent the next hour or so finishing studying, eyes glancing up every once in a while to the scene that Orie was currently directing with the camera operator. A female with two males dressed up, stood in front of the large white wall that had a variety of holes. They stood on a platform with those velvet ropes circling them. Guarding them was someone dressed in a full-body red suit, holding a prop gun, and the mask that covered their face lit up.Â
By now, Noah had lost his black sweater, the white shirt he wore doing wonders for the colorful designs that covered every inch of skin on both arms. Suddenly, the psychology terms were long forgotten as I kept a careful gaze on Noah and the way he moved, the muscles in his back straining, when he directed what he thought the actors should do. The long chain he wore dangled low over his shirt and I desperately wanted to twirl it between my fingers, bringing him closer to me.Â
As if he felt me staring, Noah peered over his shoulder in his kneeling position, and very quickly, his eyes met mine and I felt my breath catch in my throat. My stomach flipped the longer his fiery gaze burned into me and I did my best to not let him know that he had this weird effect on me. However, I failed when his tongue darted out to wet his lips and I shifted in my seat while squeezing my legs together.Â
It had been a while since I had sex and even with self-satisfying me on some lonely nights lately, it still wasnât enough. I needed something better, harder, to curb the desire that was building low in my stomach. It was as if Noah could smell my arousal from halfway across the room because when I saw the corner of his mouth tilt up ever so slightly, it was evident that he knew the effect he had on me.Â
Being the first one to break the trance between us, I packed up all of my belongings into my backpack and stuffed it underneath the table. It was just past one in the afternoon, meaning I still had a long while until I was needed for my scene so I decided to get something to eat. There was a small area set up in the far back area of the warehouse with tables filled with a variety of sandwiches, wraps, sides, and drinks. With a somewhat full plate, I returned to the table to sit in my previous spot and browsed on my phone instead of studying. I noticed that my boss had sent me a text a little while ago.Â
Joan: Anyway you could work tonight? I know it's your day off and youâve got a big test tomorrow. We booked a last-minute party and they asked if Serenity Skylar would be working tonight.Â
I, along with three other girls, was one of the best dancers at Bad Decisions; Los Angelesâ most premiere gentlemen's club. The reason why it was the best? Besides the dancers, our boss treated all of us with respect. Any time one of us would say we were uncomfortable with a customer, she would have no problem ordering security to kick that said customer out. She looked at us like people and not a cash grab. I also loved the rule no touching the dancers. It made for easy shifts and the second the rule was broken, that customer would be thrown out and put on the no-return list.Â
For the briefest of moments, I did the math in my head. I could have easily made double what Iâm making here dancing tonight for this private party. But could I dip out on Orie and Noah? Last minute nonetheless. The chances of them finding another girl to stand in for my part would be slim.
But the money youâd make from this party would be enough to cover the cost of your field trip and even pay next month's rent in advance.
The thought spoke at the same time Noahâs laughter carried throughout the large warehouse and straight to my heart. Glancing away from my phone for a few seconds, I saw him run a hand through his hair with a vivid smile. The guy with the extra long hair must have said something that Noah thought was funny because he was still laughing.Â
Me: You know Iâd never turn down a party but Iâve got other arrangements for the day that I canât skip out on. Iâm sorry!Â
When Joan replied with a simple âNot a problem!â I pocketed my phone and decided after throwing out my garbage, that I would browse around the warehouse. There were different props set up throughout for the music video. Orie and Noah had finished up directing a scene of a man sitting behind the wheel of the car when I walked past and I could hear Orie ordering Noah and those other guys something about needing to change as I reached a quieter backroom that must have been an instrument storage room; a variety of them filled the space but only one caught my attention.Â
An older piano.Â
I sat on the bench, it creaking underneath my weight, and I brushed my fingers along the dusty keys. They worked in perfect harmony as the notes echoed in the small room, the familiar tune bringing back memories; good ones. I played the song over and over again, gaining more confidence the longer it went on and the rust I felt for not playing for almost ten years fell away. My eyes were closed as I leaned into the tune, practically throwing myself into it, and after repeating it for the fourth time, I took a deep breath and worked out the sore muscles in my wrist and fingers since they were stiff from not playing for so long.Â
âWow. That was beautiful.âÂ
âFuck!â I clutched a hand to my chest, my heart beating rapidly against my palm.Â
Turning a bit on the bench, I saw Noah leaning against the door frame dressed in all black and his messy hair was styled perfectly. I bit the inside of my cheek at the sight of him as my heart rate returned to normal.Â
âI didnât mean to scare you or listen in on you if it was a private moment. I just heard the music on the way back from the dressing room and got curious,â he said while stuffing his gloved hands into the pockets of his coat.Â
âOh, youâre fine,â I took a deep breath. âI forgot how in the zone I get while playing.âÂ
When he motioned if it was alright to step into the room, I nodded and let him take a seat at the other end of the large bench. For the second time this afternoon, I felt his shoulder brush mine and this time, I couldnât stop the reaction of when his heat tangled with mine. I let out a shuddering breath while subconsciously scooting closer to him.Â
âHow long have you played piano?â He asked, not giving away how affected he was by our proximity.Â
âMy mom put me in lessons when I turned five and I played until my senior year of high school. But I havenât played since,â I said while playing the first notes of the song again.Â
âWhat song is this?â Noah wondered.Â
âI wrote it when I was sixteen,â I kept playing the song. âI never had the chance to finish the ending so it just sounds like it dies off.âÂ
Just as I said the song abruptly ended and I frowned. No matter how many different harmonies or notes I wrote, nothing seemed to fit my song perfectly. It all sounded not right.Â
âPlay it again,â Noah urged me with a nod.Â
I was hesitant, only because now that he was intently listening, it made me extremely nervous. It was clear he knew a thing or two about music so to have him possibly criticize something that meant a lot to me made my frown pull deeper.Â
âI donât know,â I murmured. âItâs not that great of a song now that I heard it again.âÂ
He placed a hand on my knee, patting it twice before removing it and I found myself missing his warmth.Â
âItâs really good, Raven,â he reassured me. âIâd love to hear it again.âÂ
How did this man, this stranger, have such an effect on me and my body? I never felt this way with any man, not even my ex. But with Noah, it was as if my body was starting to come alive with each growing touch. His incandescent eyes pleaded with me and in the end, I breathed with a nod before letting my fingers glide along the keys once more. The haunting harmony of my song filled the small space as my eyes shut so I could pour all of myself into it, letting the notes guide me along the cloud of sympathy.Â
Instead of letting the song abruptly end, I restarted it for a second time, my fingers working faster now as the chords suddenly bore into our souls, shaking it with such vigor I nearly choked on my breath. A softer, more siren-like melody graced my ears, nothing like the notes I was playing. This was more celestial and it brought chills to my body, goosebumps covering the skin of my bare arms. It was then that I noticed Noah was humming a melody in tune with the notes I was playing on the piano.Â
Deciding not to continue playing, I let the song come to a stop and placed my hands on my lap.Â
âIt always bothered me that I never finished it,â I admitted while twiddling my thumbs.Â
Noah turned slightly towards me. âWhy didnât you?âÂ
âLife got busy,â I lied with a shrug.Â
The real reason? My ex-boyfriend controlled all aspects of my life, telling me what I could do, and who I could see or talk to. For ten years. It was only recently that I was able to find myself again, falling back into things I used to love and adore.Â
A soft brush of a finger glided along my elbow and I finally gazed up towards Noah, who was watching me with something unreadable in his eyes. Being so close to him now, I could see that freckles lined his nose and cheeks and he had a faint scar underneath his right eye, almost like it was from an old piercing.Â
Those almond eyes were sharper, darker, and filled with depth than the last time I stared at them this close. Noah was now wearing a turtleneck, covering the tattoo on his neck. I peaked up at him through my lashes when I felt his warm breath fan over my lips, all the while my brain was screaming at me to move away, my heart pleading with me not to fall for someone so fast after my last relationship, and my pussy begging me to taste Noahâs lips. It felt like I was being thrown in different directions, not knowing which to lean toward, but in the end, my brain won.Â
âYour collar,â I motioned to his jacket. âCan I fix it?âÂ
He glanced down but due to the angle couldnât tell that the collar of his jacket wasnât completely flat so taking it upon myself, I delicately brushed down the collar, making it even on both sides, and picked a few pieces of hair from his jacket.Â
âThank you,â he whispered.Â
I dragged my fingers down the front of his jacket until they fell in my lap again.Â
âYouâre welcome,â my voice matched his tone.Â
I wanted to lean into him, have those arms wrap around me, and brush away the strands of hair from my face to breathe sweet words into my skin. Without thinking, I lifted my chin towards him and nearly felt his lips on mine until there was a knock on the open door of the room.Â
âThere you are!âÂ
Noah and I broke away from the mind-bending trance and both of us glanced over to the doorway. Standing there with a smug smile was one of the guys he had been talking to all afternoon; the one with the nose ring.Â
âAlways perfect timing, Jolly,â Noah grumbled while standing up.
The other man, Jolly, ignored him and instead, held out a hand to me. âI donât think weâve met. Iâm Jolly, guitar player for Bad Omens.â
Rising to my feet, I took in the accent he had while shaking his large hand with a smile. âRaven. Psychology student and your actress for the day.âÂ
That earned a laugh from Jolly. âWell, if itâs alright. Can I steal Noah? Dana needs him so we can shoot our part. And Rhea is looking for you, the make-up artist. She wants to test out the teeth and blood before your shoot later tonight.âÂ
âOh, for the siren,â I giggled. âWell, I donât want to keep her waiting.âÂ
With a small wave towards the two men, I quickly scurried out of the room, not catching the look Jolly gave Noah who in turn, ignored Jolly and watched me walk away instead.Â
NOAH
Ravenâs gaze was hot on me as I did my best to focus on the camera in front of me and stay in character. My body swayed with extended arms while the song played in the background, my lips moving in sync with the lyrics. We were almost finished recording our part of the video, spending the last couple of hours making sure everything was perfect. All the while, I felt Raven watching my every movement from her spot in the makeup area across from the warehouse. I wasn't able to see how the fake teeth and blood look came out but knowing Rhea was good at her job, it would be perfect.Â
Just as Dana yelled cut, my eyes snapped up to Raven and noticed she was still in the same spot sheâd been ten minutes prior. The smile she wore made my heart jump into my throat and I mentally cursed myself for letting her make me feel this way. The last thing I needed was a relationship right now, especially with the upcoming release of our third album. Bad Omens were going to be busy and it would be unfair to start a relationship when I didnât have time for one.Â
But there was something colorful about Raven that made it difficult to look away, even from the moment I saw her picture. And now, seeing her in person, I felt something inside of me click into place; like my soul had been searching all the ends of the earth for her.Â
I couldnât help but snort at that; soulmates.Â
As I walked towards the changing rooms to get back in my street clothes, I noticed Orie, who was talking with Raven about her scene that was up next and picked up on the end tail of their conversation.
âItâs going to be really cold tonight, just a heads up. The pool is heated which should help a bit,â Orie said while handing me a back of what I assumed was her outfit for this scene.Â
Something told me to stop and talk with her again but seeing her clutch the nipple covers and nude thong to her chest made my cock swell underneath my pants and I coughed a groan into my hand; something Orie caught and winked at me.Â
âHi,â Raven smiled up at me when she peered over at me, a warm smile on her face. âYou killed it.âÂ
My heart leaped into my throat at her praise and I stuffed my shaking hands in the pocket of my coat.Â
âThank you. Ready for your part?âÂ
She tucked a strand of teal hair behind her ear and nodded. âI just need to get dressed. Or well, undressed I suppose.âÂ
Donât think of her naked you fucking weirdo. You donât even know her.
Ignoring the chastising voice in my mind, I motioned to my dress clothes. âMe too. Iâll meet you outside in a few to go over your part again.âÂ
Those lips parted to speak but quickly snapped shut before she gave me a curt nod and scurried back towards the dressing room. Orie was still wearing that stupid smirk which caused me to smack his shoulder.Â
âShut up,â I groaned.Â
âSomeone is smitten,â his voice said in that annoying song before walking away.Â
A few minutes later I was dressed back in my street clothes and standing outside with Nicholas as we were talking, only for my attention to be stolen by Raven as she walked out into the back area of the warehouse where the pool was. Her small hands held the robe closed tight against her body and in that moment all I wanted to do was stalk up to her and force it to fall away from her.Â
âYouâre staring,â Nicholas observed.Â
Waving him off, I continued to watch Raven as she reached the end of the pool, never hesitating to remove her robe, handing it to one of the people helping the shoot tonight. Her breasts were perfect; round and perky. They looked like they could easily fit in my hands. A thought that made my cock hardened; again. The tattoos on her skin seemed to glimmer under the moonlight as she slowly dipped her toes into the pool before Raven succumbed into the water. My feet seemed to have a mind of their own as they took me to the edge of the pool, me bending down at the knees next to Orie.Â
âHowâs the water?â I asked all three of the women but kept my eyes on Raven, who was swimming towards me.Â
âNot terrible. Ask us in a few minutes,â one of the girls chuckled.Â
Raven came to a stop at the edge in front of me and rested her arms at the ledge, the tops of her breasts breaking through the water.Â
Fuck. Iâm so fucked.Â
âYou owe me big for freezing my ass off in here,â she joked.Â
I smirked, wadding my hand through the water next to her and trying so hard not to touch her. âYour lips will match your hair.âÂ
Raven scoffed and splashed some water towards me causing me to break out in laughter as I ran away from the pool, finally letting her get to work.
RAVEN
âAnd thatâs a wrap! Great job everyone!â Dana called out which was followed by a round of cheers.Â
Feeling the fake blood drip from my mouth down to my chest and into the water, I gave a high five to Greg, the one I had to attack in the pool float. It took us four reshoots to get the shot right, something not sitting right with Noah. He wanted it to look more viscous and when I started to doubt my abilities, he was quick to assure me it was the angle the camera was in.
Swimming back towards the stairs of the pool, I smirked up at Noah, showcasing my siren teeth, as he held out one of those thick blankets for me.Â
âQuick, warm up before you catch a cold,â he says, wrapping the material around me.Â
I nearly moaned at the warmth but couldnât due to how severe my body was shivering. I didnât want to admit it but the entire time I was in the pool, I was freezing.Â
âTh-th-thank yo-you,â my fake teeth clattered together.Â
Almost immediately, Noah wrapped his arm around my shoulder, bringing me closer to his chest. âIs this alright? I donât want to make you feel weird but youâre absolutely freezing.â
It was quick how fast I buried my face in his sweater, appreciating his warmth. âMore than alright. Youâre so warm.â
His body rumbled with laughter. âSo Iâve been told.âÂ
As he led me back into the warehouse, I silently hoped he couldn't feel how fast my heart was pounding. Having Noah this close to me, his scent over taking my senses, it neary rendered me useless. Yet the logical part of my brain continued to warn me not to jump into something so new just because it excited me. While I spent the day with Noah, I still knew nothing about him besides the music side of him. I should be afraid heâd be like my ex. Noah could be sweet talking me just to rip my heart out and stomp on it the first chance he could. I needed to take a step back to save myself from future heartbreak.Â
So why couldn't I pull away from Noah? Why did I let him tighten his grip around me?
âIf I catch a cold, I expect a goodie basket with soup, crackers, and chocolate on my doorstep,â I teased him as we neared the dressing rooms.Â
Noah chuckled while rubbing my back. âYouâve got yourself a deal.âÂ
As we came to a stop in front of the doors that led to the dressing rooms, Noah made no effort to remove his arm from shoulder, something I hadnât minded. His eyes lingered on mine before dragging over the entirety of my face only to chuckle when I stifled a yawn into the blanket.Â
âTired?â He questioned, rubbing the side of my arms over the blanket before dropping his hands to his side.Â
Slightly frowning at the loss of his touch, I nodded. âItâs been a long day and I still need to study a bit once Iâm home for my test tomorrow.âÂ
Now it was Noahâs turn to frown. âIâm sorry for keeping you so late. Your scene looked better in the dark.â
I shook my head. âPlease donât apologize, Noah. I signed up for this. I knew how long of a day this would be for me. Also, I donât think I said this before but thank you for giving me the opportunity given my lack of acting experience.â
âWait, you mean to tell me youâre not a vampire siren that sucks guys blood? Here I thought you were from how awesome you did back there,â he joked while throwing a thumb over his shoulder back towards the pool.Â
I playfully rolled my eyes but then noticed a wet strand of hair was stuck to my forehead. Since I couldnât use my hands to brush it for fear of having the blanket falling away, I tried to blow it away only to fail. Tentatively, Noah reached up to brush away the hair, showcasing my bright eyes up at him. The space between us seemed to dissipate as he stepped closer to breathe over my lips.Â
âYour eyes are beautiful.âÂ
My own breath caught in my throat as I peered up at him through lashes, trying to think of what to say next.Â
Thank you?
No, that's stupid.Â
Your eyes are beautiful too.
Eh, maybe. You could just kiss him already.Â
Encased in our own bubble, I felt the force of Noah pull me closer as I stood on the tips of my toes, ready to close the distance when a voice over his shoulder called out to us.Â
âNoah!âÂ
Cursing under his breath, Noah glanced behind him to see Dana walking towards him with his camera. âI need you to take a look at something.âÂ
âGo,â I urged him on. âI should get dressed and find Orie to make sure Iâm not needed for anything else.
Reluctantly, he nodded while taking a step back and stuffed his hands in the pocket of his jacket. âHeâll have your check as well.â
âCool,â I nodded back at him.Â
We both stood there for a moment, staring at one another, and Noah rubbed the back of his neck to push away a few strands of hair sticking out from underneath his beanie.Â
âUh, I guess Iâll see you around. Maybe? Iâd be up for maybe hearing your thoughts on the music video when it comes out. You could text, or call, or email. I guess whatever works for you. Just as long as youâre not busy with courses, I donât want you to fail or something because of my wild ideas for a music video.âÂ
He rambled on which made me giggle softly and he broke out in a large smile. âAlright Iâm going to go before I make a bigger ass out of myself.âÂ
âI thought it was cute,â I shrugged with a wink. âThank you again for today, Noah. I hope everything works out for you and your band.âÂ
Now the smile wore was larger, more genuine as he gave me a curt nod. âThank you, Raven. I hope you ace your test tomorrow and you get the dream job you want.âÂ
At his word job, I couldnât help but think of the job I currently had at the strip club and my heart sank. There was no way he would be interested if he found out about it. Almost as soon as I thought of it, I pushed away the thought. Noah and I would never be at that point for me to wonder if he would like me stripping. His opinion didnât matter.Â
âTake care of yourself, Noah,â I gave a small wave before slipping into the dressing room.Â
Forty five minutes and a large check later, I let out an unattractive yawn as I stepped out into the midnight air, clutching my books to my chest. I could feel my bed calling for me blocks away but knew I still needed to study tonight. Checking the time on my watch, I noticed it was nearly one a.m and my test was at 10 a.m sharp.Â
âAlright, if I study for at least an hour and fall asleep by three, I can get six hours of sleep. Should be plenty. I could literally go to class in my sweats,â I muttered.
âTalking to yourself?âÂ
Snapping my eyes up from the concrete at my feet, I sucked in a breath when I saw Noah leaning against a car parked in front of the warehouse.Â
âI thought you left,â I blinked, wondering if he was actually in front of me or my tired state was imaging him.Â
He motioned to his car. âCan I give you a lift home?âÂ
âOh, you donât have to do that, Noah. I only live a few blocks from here. I donât mind walking,â I said while adjusting the stack of books in my arms.Â
âItâs late and Iâd feel a lot better if I knew you got home safe,â he said while opening the passenger side door for me.Â
âYou really waited for me?â I asked, truly astonished heâd waited for me this late.Â
While I was talking to Orie, almost thirty minutes ago, I briefly saw Noah leave the warehouse.Â
He shrugged. âI want to make up for rambling on like an idiot earlier.â
Giggling, I eventually nodded and walked a few steps towards him, offering him a smile. âThank you, Noah.âÂ
âAnything for you.âÂ
With my door shut, he ran across to the other side of the car and slid in. I marveled at the warmth radiating inside of the car and sank farther down in the seat, the exhausting day catching up to me.Â
âYou should get some sleep,â Noah suggested after he pulled the car away from the curb, smoothly driving down the empty road.Â
I hummed in response and closed my eyes for a moment, letting the soft tune from the radio lull me to a peaceful dreamstate. I wasnât fully asleep, just awake enough to hear Noah mutter something.Â
âHm?â I glanced over to him, the street lights outside of the car bathing him in a golden glow.Â
He looked fucking breathtaking.Â
âI donât have your address so Ireally have no idea where to go,â he said.Â
âShit,â I sat up farther in the seat and pointed to the upcoming lights. âTake a right and my apartment will be half a block down on the right.â
Silence fell between us as Noah followed my directions and sadness crept in when I saw my complex appear too fast for my liking. I enjoyed spending the day with Noah and now that it was actually ending, I frowned.Â
âI feel like I need to say thank you again, especially for driving me home,â I spoke once the car stopped in front of the door of my complex.Â
Noah leaned back against his seat and waved me off. âYouâve helped us out too, Raven. Consider us even.â
There was that silence again as I shifted in my seat with my hands on my lap, twiddling my thumbs together. I was prolonging the walk up to my studio only because I was fighting with my thoughts on if it was a good idea or not to do what I was planning.Â
Clearly he had to have been someone interested in me if he waited almost an hour to drive me home. Our two almost kisses tonight proved that. Right?
âRaven?âÂ
Noahâs deep voice made me look over at him to see he was now leaning over towards me, his large frame all encompassing as it surrounded me.Â
âIâm sorry if this seems forward but I was wondering if I could-,â his voice trailed off and I nearly screamed.Â
If you could, what?
Licking my lips, I faced my body more towards him, hoping that would showcase to him that whatever he wanted to ask me, he could.Â
âCan I kiss you?â His voice was rough yet meek, those plump lips oh so close to mine, I could almost taste them.Â
Donât do it. Youâre going to regret-.
Once again ignoring the voice in my mind, I crashed my lips to Noahâs, moaning into his mouth. His large hands quickly found my hips to drag me over to his lap, the steering wheel pressing into my back but I didnât care. His lips on mine, hands all over my body, was enough for my soul to ascend. All night during my scene in the pool, I would catch his gaze hold on my breasts and knew with how often heâd been discreetly adjusting himself that I affected him in some sort of way.Â
Our kiss was sensual but filled with so much passion behind it, my head spun while Noah dragged a hand over my neck to hold me in place at the back of it. My hands rested on his chest as my teeth brushed along his bottom lip before exploring his mouth once more. The kiss deepened as our tongues fought for dominance and soon the air around us was thick with sexual tension, like it had been all day. I slid my hands up from his chest to his head, knocking off the hat so I could run my fingers through his hair; so soft as I pulled on the ends as I continued to kiss him with such fervor. I dragged my teeth down his jaw and neck line, all the while rutting my hips into his. The hardness of his cock evident in his sweats as I sat down against his lap, Noah groaning into my mouth.Â
âAngel,â his hand slipped underneath my shirt, bringing a fire to my skin as he brushed a finger over my bra, teasing my nipple softly.Â
âSay it again,â I urged him, resting my forehead against his, gradually guiding my cunt over his lap.Â
Hearing that nickname fall from his lips made my core ache with such hunger, something I hadnât felt ever before. The way Noahâs hands and lips made my soul come alive and sing for him was otherworldly. I was desperate for more.Â
I craved him like a drug. I was addicted.Â
âYou like it?â Noah asked, leaving a red mark on the pulse point of my neck.Â
âYes,â I breathed, yanking on the ends of his hair again.Â
âGood,â he praised into the skin of my shoulder where it met my neck. âBecause it stays, angel.âÂ
Suddenly bright lights passed by the car in a daze causing me to pull away from Noah with a loud sigh. I didnât want to risk anyone else driving by to see what we were doing. So catching my swollen lips between my teeth, I batted my eyelashes at him, me still sitting on his lap in the driver's seat.Â
I shouldnât ask him this. I should say good night and head up to my apartment to shower and then lay in bed to study. I have a big test tomorrow. I shouldn't get distracted by a pair of mochi eyes staring up at me.Â
âDo you want to come upstairs?â I asked suddenly.
âPlease,â he nearly whined with his begs. âI had a small taste of you, Raven. I canât let you go now.â
I sat down at the edge of my bed, breathing deeply at the coming events. Never in a million years did I think Iâd be wearing white again, but here we are. Hair and makeup were about to be here shortly, my bridesmaids were in the other room making mimosas and reminiscing on old stories. My hands wondered down to the tear cut diamond on my hand. I swore I was never going to love again but he proved me wrong.
âHey, can we come in?ââ¨â¨I looked over at the half opened door to see Folio and Bryan on the other side, already in their tuxedos. I had to admit they cleaned up nice. Bryan was kind enough to capture the big day for us as well so I knew the photos would turn out perfect.
âAre you nervous?ââ¨â¨âNot really.â I sighed, âI just never thought Iâd be getting married again.ââ¨â¨âWe all saw this coming from a mile away when you got back together.â Bryan replied as him and Folio sat on the bed with me, âIâm just happy you finally figured it out. We wouldâve hated to see you go.ââ¨â¨âI wouldâve rather kicked him out of the band than you see you leave.â Folio joked behind me causing my eyes to roll. âAll jokes aside, weâre happy that we officially have you in the family.ââ¨â¨âThanks guys.ââ¨â¨Before they could say anything, my hair and make up artist came into the room along with my bridesmaids. Both of them gave me assuring squeezes before they left the room. Moments later, music was being played, mimosas were passed around as we all got glammed up for the day. I opted for more of a minimal look, knowing I was probably going to cry it all off anyways. Not as if it mattered, I couldâve walked down the aisle in a garbage bag and heâd still think I was the most beautiful woman in the world.
â¨âEllie, you look amazing.â
I admired myself in the mirror, my dark hair cascaded in soft waves down my back as my veil sat perfectly on the top of my head. I chose a white dress with long laced sleeves to cover my tattoos. I wasnât ashamed of them, but looking back at my wedding photos with Tyler, I had wished I covered them up. I felt beautiful, for the first time in a long time I felt beautiful. I felt like I was worthy of love and a second chance at all of this.
âMama!ââ¨â¨I turned around and saw Liam running towards me with open arms. I scooped him up and placed him on my hip, kissing his cheek over and over. He had his little tuxedo on with a pair of converse, which was his choice. He looked so adorable, all I wanted to do was squeeze him.
âWhereâs your sister?â â¨â¨âWith Papa.ââ¨â¨My head whipped around and saw my dad coming in with Madison, my four month old daughter in a stroller. She had on a pink frilly dress, blissfully unaware of what was going on today. She was blessed with my dark hair and her fathers eyes, she was absolutely perfect. The best part of all was Liam became a huge help with her, he loved to read her stories, lay on the floor with her during tummy time and hold her whenever she got sad. He was the best big brother in the world.
â¨âYou look beautiful, pumpkin.â My dad greeted me, placing a small kiss on my cheek.
âThank youâŚhave you seen him?ââ¨â¨âHeâs good. Iâve never seen a man so calm on such a big day.â He mused, âI think heâs just ready to be married to you.ââ¨â¨âEllie, you ready?ââ¨â¨Bryan was standing by the door, camera in hand waiting for me. I nodded my head and walked out with him. My heart was racing as I followed him down the hotel hall. He led me to a small courtyard that was overgrown with ivy and a small white gazebo. We had decided to do a first look to calm our nerves and to have a moment alone before everyone saw us. I started to fidget with my ring, twirling it around my finger the longer we walked. I also began to sweat, making me regret choosing to have our wedding in August.
Then I saw him.
His back was to me, so he had no idea how close I was. My throat began to close up as I felt tears wanting to fall. Who knew after all these years of back and forth, it finally led up to this. Bryan whispered to me that he was going to walk ahead and give me the thumbs up to let my soon to be husband know I was behind him. I counted his footsteps and watched with such intent, waiting for my cue. Bryan got down on one knee, brought his camera up to his face and gave me the signal. I took two steps forward, drawing in a huge breath before tapping on Mattâs shoulder.
âHoly shit.ââ¨â¨Tears instantly filled my eyes as he turned around. His hands fell to his knees as he braced himself from falling over. I stood there and admired him, laughing through my tears at his reaction. He looked so handsome. Never in a million years did I think Iâd get him to dress up, but he really pulled it off. His hair was tucked into a low bun, and his tattoos were poking out from under his sleeve, which I loved so much. I canât believe heâs about to be my husband.
When Noah left me that one day, he never came home. He never gave me much of explanation for his actions and I still donât have closure from it, but I learned to live with it. Matt was the first to reach out to me, like he always did. After the band did their tour in Europe, he came to visit me and never left. I think a part of me knew it was always him. As much as I loved Noah, he was only playing the man I wanted him to be, and I truly believed it until one day I just stopped. Matt was the only one who truly saw me for who I was. Flash forward a year after Noah left, I sold our house, moved to Dallas and got engaged to Matt. I finally had the life I was destined for.
As for our daughter? Well she was a surprise, the greatest surprise we couldâve asked for. Matt was so protective of her, took her to his studio every chance he could. He would talk to her about what he was doing, as if she knew what he was talking about. We even took her to a bad omens show, Matt wrapped her in her carrier against his chest with some earmuffs as he did his job without missing a beat. Tour life looked a little different for him from that day on but I donât think he would change it for the world.
Noah and I are on speaking terms, and oddly enough we were friends. I felt like we had to be. We werenât exactly close, just close enough to be civil with each other and not have any awkwardness with the group. Either way if it wasnât for him I wouldâve never met Matt.
âYou look so fucking beautiful, are you kidding me?â Matt gasped as he wiped one tear that fell from his face.
âI think you take the cake.â I sniffled, âI canât believe I got you in a tux.â
Matt softly smiles, tracing my jaw as Bryan took a million photos behind us, âanything for you babe, you know that.â
âYou ready to be stuck with me forever?â
âUntil my last breath.â He mused, taking my lips into a soft kiss.
Since neither of us were good with public speaking, we decided to hand write our vows in letters and give them to each other. We both stood there in silence, reading our letters. The odd snickers, or sniffle was heard but nothing more. This was our moment to share alone, even if Bryan was hiding in the bushes.
âDanielle just texted.â Bryan said breaking us out of our trance, âitâs time.â
I looked over at Matt, his somber eyes already looking at me. No words were said but his eyes told me everything I needed to know. My nerves slowly calmed down as I pulled him in for another kiss. It lingered before we pulled apart, our noses brushing as we remembered this moment.
âSee you down the aisle.â
âIâll be the dork in a tux.â
He dropped my hand as I walked back with Bryan. With one final look, it slowly sunk in the next time I see Matt, heâll be my husband.
Everyone looked so incredible as I made my way back to the hotel room. I let the girls choose their dresses and they all matched their personalities perfectly. Danielle had Liam in her arms and Madison in her stroller, ready to be my ring boy and flower girl.
âAre you okay not walking down the aisle with the best man?â
âAs your maid of honour, Iâd rather walk down with your children than Davis.â
I chucked, âfair enough.â
After a few make up touches and another mimosa, it was time. Danielle passed us our bouquets as we all lined up for the ceremony. Danielle had Madison, Liam decided he wanted to walk with Davis, my friend Cassandra was walking with Folio, Chloe was with Jolly, and Ruffilo was officiating the wedding. Noah opted out of being in the wedding party but promised heâd still be there to support us.
âLetâs hope this one sticks.â
â¨âCmon, Dad.â
He just gives my hand a squeeze as we waited for our turn. The night does not belong to god by Sleep Token began to play as everyone walked down. My entire body was shaking at this point and I kept taking in deep breaths but it wasnât helping. Vessels voice created a calming aura as it was finally my turn. Everyone stood up, not a single phone was in sight the entire time. My eyes stayed on Matt, helping me focus on not falling down. He had his hands clasped in front of him, biting back his smile like he was a child on Christmas. I was fighting back the same smile, it got harder the closer I got to him.
âLove you pumpkin.â My dad whispered in my ear as he let me go. My eyes gazed over the crowd, where I finally saw Noah. He was in all black, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he softly smiled at me. I returned his gesture before turning my attention to Matt.
âI meant to ask you earlier if your dress was new.â
âNot now, Matthew.â
He chuckled as we got up to the alter. Nicholas looked so handsome as he had his hair tied back, minus one strand that fell in front of his baby blue eyes. He gave us a nod before telling everyone to take a seat. Mattâs soft stare never left me the entire time during the ceremony, which I wasnât going to complain about. He made all the noise disappear and I forgot we were in a room with our friends and family.
âEllie, when we first met you, most importantly, when you kicked Mattâs ass at Uno in Seattle, we never wouldâve expected this is where you two would end up. While thereâs been a few bumps in the road, I couldnât be happier this is where it lead you. Iâve known Matt for years, he isnât one to take things lightly, so when he came to us about proposing, I knew he was serious. Which is why I chose this role today, because I am proud to help you transition into this new, beautiful chapter of life. We all love you like a sister and couldnât be happier to have you as part of our band of misfits.â
My eyes were filling with tears and I couldnât fight them from falling down. Matt was chewing on his lip to fight his from falling but it was impossible.
âFuck I didnât mean to make you two cry so letâs wrap this up. Ellie and Matt have already read their vows in private so letâs move on to the rings.â
âOne ring to rule them all.â We heard Folio snicker to himself, which caused us both to erupt in laughter. Lord of the rings was our favourite trilogy and I can guarantee you weâll be watching it on our honeymoon.
âYour turn, bud.â
Liam walked in front of us, nervously holding the pillow that held our wedding bands. I got Matt a black metal band, he didnât come across as a gold or silver kind of man so I knew this would suit him. I had a simple rose gold band to match my ring perfectly. My shaking hands grabbed his, slowly putting the band around his finger. It fit like a glove, as if it was made for him.
âLet these rings symbolize your love for each other, a love that never backed down and made you two find your way back each other.â Ruffilo added as Matt put my ring on my finger. âMatthew, you may kiss your wife.â
âFucking finallyâ he exhaled, grabbing my face and pulling me into a firm kiss. Everyone applauded and stood up as we pulled apart. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest with how happy and blissful I felt. Matt was finally my husband.
âI may now present to you Mr and Mrs Dierkes!â Ruffilo announced behind us as Birds of Feather by Billie Eilish blasted through the speakers as we all walked back down the aisle. I caught a glimpse of Noah who smiled as he clapped his hands, he truly looked happy for me.
âHi Wife!â
âHi Husband!â I beamed as Matt picked me up off the ground, kissing me with force.
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OVERVIEW: after quinn's captaincy skills are put to the test, you want nothing more than to help him relax.
WARNINGS: 18+ content, MDNI. bondage play, unprotected sex, p in v, etc.
note: atp, it's tradition for me to write a smut piece after every game.
wc: 2279
The game against Columbus had been a hard watch.Â
Being sat on the couch in your and Quinnâs shared apartment was becoming increasingly more and more difficult the more the game carried on. During the first period, you couldnât help but be a little frustrated at the lack of effort shown on the ice.Â
However, your frustrations only grew during the last two periods. Watching Quinn and the rest of his teammates get assaulted every other second fueled your emotions, causing you to lash out at the TV due to the refs who seemed to be blind.
By the time the game had come to an end, resulting in a win for the Canucks, you couldnât help but feel a bit irritated at everything that had transpired within the hours of the night. You knew Quinn would be happy with the win, but you also knew him well enough that he would be feeling the physical results of it too.
Once you received his text that he would be home in less than ten minutes, having found an alternate route to avoid the Vancouver traffic, your brain scrambled to think of ideas on how to make his night a little bit easier, not only on his body but on his mind.
You started by popping some leftover pizza into the microwave, knowing Quinn would eat anything you put in front of him, not caring what it was. Next, you brought out the fluffy pillows from the closet and laid them out on the couch, lighting some random Yankee candle you had found in there as well. Just as the microwave beeped and you put out one of Quinnâs favorite books on the coffee table, the front lock clicked, indicating he had arrived.Â
Fumbling with your hands, you quickly walked over to the kitchen to pull the pizza out of the microwave and bringing it back over to the couch.Â
âHey.â You greeted, walking over to the doorway to kiss him.
He tiredly kissed you back, small droplets of water falling from his hair and onto your forehead, âHi.â
âCongrats on the win, hot shot.âÂ
Quinn chuckled, âThanks. Do you wanna order in or are you cooking?â
You smiled sheepishly, âUm, I actually just heated up some of the leftover pizza from a few days ago. I got too caught up in the game to actually⌠cook.â
He quickly noticed the embarrassment flood your face and he was quick to put a stop to it. He kissed your cheek, âYou watched the game?â
âAlways do. I just normally donât get too into them, you know? But this one was really goodâ
Quinn let out a sigh before nodding. You could tell he was tired of standing, so you slid his hockey bag off of his shoulder and set it down on the floor. As you guided him over to sit on the couch, you couldnât help but want to do more to help him relax.Â
âDo you need anything? Water? Gatorade?â You questioned the second he sat down on the soft cushions.Â
âCould you grab me a gato from the fridge?âÂ
You nodded, quickly making your way to the fridge and making your way back just as fast that you were surprised you hadnât slipped, âAnything else?â
Quinn furrowed his eyebrows, âNo thanks. Are you okay? You seem really jittery.â
It wasnât hard to read you, but you were worried about the toll his body had taken during the game that you couldnât help it. Your lack of a response caused Quinn to start to worry himself, doing the exact opposite of what you wanted to do.
He tugged you down onto the couch gently, allowing you to settle your tense body against his. It was silent as you let out a breath, easing into his touch. As you nestled your face into his chest, he winced, his body pulling back instinctively.
You pulled away quickly, âDid I hurt you? Iâm sorry.â
Quinn shook his head, âNo it wasnât you. Just got a bit roughed up tonight.â
You gave him a look, silently asking if you could lift up his shirt to see what exactly he meant by âroughed up.â. He tensed at your gaze, nodding subtly as he allowed your hands to lift up the fabric. It was hard to see the patch of purpled and slightly yellow skin spread across his chest and you couldnât help but grimace at the sight.Â
âIf anything my head hurts more than this. I promise it looks worse than it feels.â He lied, not wanting to worry you further. âI got it under control.â
Quinn had always been one to try and shake things off himself, but after tonight he desperately wanted to distract himself from not only the pain but also to forget about how the night had started.
The first period had been rough, especially for him. It was a low-effort skate from everyone and thatâs exactly what the fans were seeing. He struggled to think of ways to encourage his team or even help them out, but thereâs only so much one guy can do.
When they entered the locker room he was determined to shift gears. Tocchet was barely able to get a word out before Quinn took the lead, getting his team back into a winning mindset. He was always looking for ways to improve himself and the team, and if they could focus and get their heads back into the game, he knew that would show that improvement.Â
What he hadnât expected was the mental toll it would take on him. He was exhausted both mentally and physically. He wanted nothing more than to get home and fall asleep since he expected you to already be in bed. But when he saw you awake and attentive to his needs, he wanted to simply sit and enjoy your presence.
âI can tell youâre tired, Quinn. Can I do anything or do you just want to head to bed?â
âThere is one thing you can do for me.â He smiled, instantly gaining your attention, âKiss me?â
You blushed at his request, slowly leaning in to press a soft kiss against his lips. âBetter?â
Quinn smirked, âThink you might need to do it a few more times.â
Compiling, you kissed him again, letting this one linger a bit longer before pulling away again, an expectant look on your face, and a non-amused one on Quinnâs. He let out a sigh before pulling your leg over his lap, allowing you to straddle him. Bringing a hand up, he entangled his fingers gently in your hair, pushing your head slightly towards him to connect again.
It quickly began getting heated, a soft kiss turning into a full-blown make out session on the couch. Your hands wandered across his upper body, beginning to tug his shirt up when your knuckles made contact with his bruise, causing him to bite down harshly on your lip.Â
You yelped at the pain but also realized what you had done causing you to pull away from him. âIâm so sorry,â Quinn reassured you quickly, trying to pull you back in, but you pushed against his force. âMaybe we shouldnât do this tonight, I donât wanna hurt you, Q.â
âY/N, itâs fine. Youâre not gonna hurt me.âÂ
âI just did! Youâre hard not to touch, and I just donât want to make it worse.â You mumbled, shying away from his touch and trying to return to your previous spot on the couch.Â
Quinn was quick to stop you, âYou trust me?â
You nodded, the question being a no-brainer. Quinn sat you down on the couch, walking over to the doorway to fetch something out of his bag. You werenât sure what it was until he sat back down, returning you to your previous straddling position.Â
âQuinn, what are you-?â He cut you off, taking your hands behind your back, pushing you gently to lean a little bit forward, tying the fabric of his suit tie around your wrists and securing it tightly behind you.
âNow you canât hurt me. So please, shut up and kiss me.â
His boldness caught you off guard but you had no time to be surprised as he tugged you down to kiss you yet again, You moaned against his mouth, the feeling of being restrained shooting a thrill throughout your body.Â
The apartment suddenly felt hot and you knew it wasnât just you who was feeling it. Quinn reluctantly pulled away, laying you down on your back as he stripped himself of his shirt and pants, his boxers coming down with them.Â
Your mouth fell agape at the sight, but he had no time to notice as he hastily pulled off your bottoms, throwing them somewhere on the floor below you.Â
âSo fucking beautiful, baby.â He admired, shifting his body to hover above yours.
You wanted to tug on his hair desperately, but they were still bound behind your back, âQ, please. Wanna touch you.âÂ
Quinn chuckled, âWanted you to touch me too, but you were so worried. Let me help us relax, yeah? I think we deserve it.âÂ
A whine was all that escaped your lips, bringing a smile to Quinnâs face. He sat you up yet again, his smile quickly replaced by his lips parting as he guided your hips to lower down onto him. You moaned softly at his pace, taking his sweet time to dwell on the feeling before bottoming out.Â
He didnât move, his hands resting tightly on your hips as he felt his muscles decompress. âYou wanna do me a favour, sweet girl?â
You nodded, âWhat do you need, Q?â
Quinn looked up at you with tired eyes, âFuck yourself on my cock.â Your eyes widened at his vulgarity, âI worked so hard tonight. Think I deserve it, donât you?â
Too stunned to respond verbally, you pressed your body up slightly by using your legs, before letting yourself drop back down. Quinn groaned at your movements, fingertips digging deeper into your skin.Â
You repeated the motion, setting a gentle, soft speed in order to let him relax and indulge in the pleasure. It felt good for you too, but you were fighting to resist the urge to go faster. You found yourself so lost in thought that you barely registered the feeling of Quinnâs hips snapping up to meet yours, picking up the pace slightly before settling back down and letting you take over.
âFuck, Y/N. Feels so good.â He moaned, letting his head fall back onto the couch.Â
Leaning forward, you began to litter kisses on his neck, eventually switching to suck on his skin, leaving purple marks along his shoulders and collarbone. Quinn sighed, letting his eyes flutter shut at the feeling of your lips on his skin as well as at the feeling of the relatively slow pace he had managed to keep you at.
âYouâre so perfect.â He babbled, losing himself in the pleasure, âSo sweet to me, ready to help me relax after such a long night.â
You whimpered at his words, the sweetness of them rushing straight to your core. âQuinn.â
Quinn perked his head up slightly, âYeah? What do you need, baby?â
âNeed to go faster. Please.â You begged, the slow tempo becoming unbearable.
He nodded, using his hands to guide you into a quicker speed, your hips dropping onto his faster than they had before. The desperate desire to cum was increasing by the second, and Quinn knew it by the way your moans got louder and your walls clenched tighter around him.Â
You were trying your best to keep up with the pace you had longed for, but the burn in your thighs was getting harder to ignore and with your hands being bound behind your back, there wasnât much you could do to support yourself, âQuinnâŚâÂ
âTired already?â He teased, grabbing your jaw so youâd face him, âImagine how I felt tonight, baby. Got shoved and slashed every time I got the puck.â
You cried out, the knot in your stomach getting closer and closer to snapping. âMy hands! Please, Quinn. Please.âÂ
Quinn only wanted to push you so far, so keeping your hands tied at this point just seemed cruel. He tussled with the tie for a moment before unwrapping the knot, letting your hands breathe. One immediately found his shoulder, using the newly added support to help them speed up to a pace that had Quinn moaning, while the other found a home in his brown locks in order to avoid his bruise.Â
âFuck. Gonna make me cum.â He groaned, âDonât stop, Y/N.â
His words alone were enough to tip you over the edge. You whined as you let go, body trembling as you submitted to the euphoria, face dropping to rest on his shoulder. The feeling of you leaking all over him caused Quinn to cry out, his release coating your walls white as he nipped at your neck to muffle his sounds.Â
Your connected bodies stayed limp, heavy breathing echoing off the walls as you both came to. You were the first to move, pressing a kiss on his shoulder before tilting your head to the side to get a look at him.Â
Quinnâs eyes stayed shut, chest heaving as calmed himself down, his body feeling at ease for the first time in 24 hours.Â
âRelaxed?â You asked, leaning up so you could look at his face properly.
He blinked his eyes open to meet yours, âDefinitely. We should really do that after every game.â
You laughed softly, pressing a loving kiss on his lips that he gladly reciprocated, âIf it makes you feel better.â
My time with the tour ended before it even began. Noah got really sick, tried to push through it but it was no use. He was on the brink of permanently damaging his vocal cords so the band decided collectively to cancel the rest of the tour, rescheduling the dates for a later time.â¨
When we got back from the tour, Noah took a turn and he wasnât himself. He became so secluded. He went as far as turning one of our guest rooms into an office and locked himself in there. He wouldnât even come to bed to sleep anymore, and when he wanted to eat he either ordered himself something or went out to get food. I tried everything to help but he kept brushing me off⌠I eventually just gave up.
A couple weeks ago I ended up going back to my job at the hospital on the days Liam wasnât home. I started taking double shifts and working 16 hours a day to just get away from Noah. I started to get this unnerving wave of deja vu from when I was married to Tyler. My own home had became my personal hell again.
âWhere are you going?â
I came home from a shift to see two suitcases on our bed with Noahâs clothes in it. I stood there bewildered since I hadnât seen him in our room in weeks. He wouldnât even look at me, he just kept throwing clothes into his suitcase with no organization. He was frantic, had his hood up so I couldnât even see his face.
âNoah?!â
He finally stopped, a long breath left him as he looked at me for the first time in forever. My heart felt like it was going to shatter. His eyes were so dark and he had even darker circles under his eyes. His stare that once felt like sunshine was now stone cold. I wanted to feel sorry for him but how do you feel sorry for someone who pushes you away.
âI need to leave.â Hearing his voice again caused my stomach to flip, âbeing here isnât helping my headspace.â
âYou did this to yourself though.â
He paused, zipping up his suitcase with such force, âI just need to start working on our new music.â
âYou were supposed to do that here, with me.â
âIt was a mistake to think I could do things up here.â He replies, not taking his eyes off his hands he stuffed into his hoodie pocket. I was so starved for his touch that all I wanted to do was hold him and tell him he was going to be okay, but I knew it was no use.
I could feel my bottom lip starting to shake as my voice broke, âdo you even want to live here anymore?â
âI donâtâŚknow.â His own voice began to crack too, almost as if being here was tearing him apart, âI just need go back to LA for a bit and figure things out.â
âFine.â
He sarcastically huffed, looking back over at me, âthatâs all you can say?â
âNoah since we came back from tour Iâve fucking hated being in this house.â My voice going from breaking to being coated with rage. I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall, burning a hole through his chest. âSo you being gone will actually give me some breathing room.â
âI donât want us to be over.â
âWe can talk about that when you get back.â I replied through pursed lips. âMaybe I need to figure out what I want because itâs certainly not this.â
âI understand.â
Silence hung in the air like an unwanted ghost haunting the both of us. Was he going to change? Maybe. What worried me was knowing this could be the start of a vicious cycle. If he came back from LA happy, how long did I have until he turned on me again?
âCan I ask you one thing?â
His face softened a little as he gazed over at me, âanything.â
âWhy did you make such an effort to be here with me if you were just going to run back to LA when things got hard?â He opened his mouth to speak but I wasnât done, âcould you not handle the fact that I was with someone else?â
âYou said it yourself that you didnât love Matt.â
âI couldâve grown to love him.â I admitted, âbut I loved you more.â
âI sometimes wonder if you even love me. The way you look at him makes me feel otherwise.â
âDonât turn this on me because you donât want to answer my question.â I spat back, âhave fun in LA.â
âEllie âŚâ
I walked away before he could see the tears forming in my eyes. It was strange, the feeling that washed over me. I felt like I was watching a stranger in an airport bar. My head hit the back of the couch as the tears I tried to fight escaped the corners of my eyes. I heard movements upstairs followed by his footsteps coming down the stairs. I was half expecting him to just walk away but he actually came and found me as another beat of silence hung in the air.
âIâll call you when I land.â
I knew it was an empty promise so I just nodded my head slightly. I think he only said it to soften the blow of what was eventually coming. His body shifted away from me as he walked towards the front door. The second that door shut I knew Iâd be faced with the reality that this was the last time weâd be under the same roof. It was equal parts surreal and alleviating.
Come one, come all, it's happening again
The empathetic hunger descends
We'll tell no one, expect all of our friends
I can't pretend like I understandâŚHow did it end?