Chapter 50

I never thought that sex would ever be an option for me this soon. Let alone with Luke. But there was this thriving need within me and I knew it was wrong to want to embrace it. I should stop; break our severe connection. Yet I wanted it and wanted to do this with him. It felt so right, so natural and beautiful at the same time as it was passionate and fast. I loved him more than I did yesterday and every day before. I felt so much build up within me and I wanted it out. Bound inside me, I let it go, all that pain and all that I’ve wanted. Out and to him.

I knew what I was doing and I knew how wrong this was. But I didn’t want to stop and with the sensations that traveled all over my body, his hot touch, he didn’t want to either. He was my step-father and I was kissing him. My mother’s husband, an adult, a cop that was nine years older than me. It was so wrong – more so for him than for me. But I couldn’t care at the moment. There was too much between us now to not ignore that need.

His hair was a mess in my fingers, his bangs hanging down and brushing against my cheeks as his sweet lips took me in deep. I was lost and didn't want to be found; I loved this magical land we were existing in together and completely ignoring the dark reality. And we were slipping deeper and deeper into this state of sensations; he gave me his weight over me and I gladly took it.

One of his hands slid up my bare thigh, holding my leg around him as he pushed his lips against mine harder, deeper. "Mmm," I heard him groan roughly, the vibration meeting my lips through his. He slid his tongue along my closed lips before they parted for him. His sweet breath rushed in my mouth as I did the same, obsessed with his taste.

His pace quickened and soon, we were moaning and groaning, pulling ourselves as close as we could get to each other, testing the boundaries with every second. His hands slid all over me and finally came to rest on my hips. Before I knew it though, I felt my lips part in mid-kiss and gasp when his hands moved even more back and down.

"Ohh," I moaned louder when I felt the contact of his hands, both of his palms gripping my ass through my shorts and pulled me in more, closer until I felt his groin press against me. My legs already wrapped around the man I wanted as much as air, I could feel the need.... the need I never had so much of before. The only thing between me and him now were his jeans and my shorts and we both became very aware of that.

I knew Luke well enough to be on edge at this point; he would pull back and stop at any second. He would realize what we are doing is beyond sick and wrong, he would freak out, and he would regret it for all reasons there were. I was so sure and all I could do was keep going for as long as I could, kissing him and falling under his spell I knew he would break.

But that's the thing. He didn't. He did the opposite and that became evident when his hands slid up my ass more to grab the hem of my red shorts.

We were going so fast, it took no more than a few moments before he maneuvered over me and pulled my shorts off, never breaking from my lips. And by the time I heard him throw them to the floor, our bare skin made contact quickly again, his arms winding around my back and pulling me up and against him. My breasts, bound back with nothing but a bra, pressed into his bare strong chest as I kissed him. I cupped his cheeks and moved my tongue even more in his mouth. Now, in my panties, I felt his hand reach my thigh again and wind it around his naked torso, only now snaking his hand up much higher. And oh fuck, did he feel good so close, so warm, and so mine. And all I wanted to do was make that burning go away, needing all the contact we could get with just our bare skin.

My fingers sprawled across his flushed cheeks moved down and I wrapped both of my arms around his neck, holding me tightly against his lips. I felt him grip me harder and in the next second, he sat straight up with me wrapped against him in his lap. His lips left mine in a hard grunt but only for a second because in the next, mine attacked him and bit along his upper lip, grazing my teeth and making him growl in passion when our lips connected again. To hold me against him, he wound a hand tightly in my loose hair and gripped my head to his as his other was possessively around my back.

The next thing that happened nearly put me in panic mode. Because honestly, how could something so unreal happen and leave his soft caressing lips?

"You're so beautiful," he mumbled and I honestly thought I imagined him saying that as he slowly moved down my cheek to suck at my neck. I held his head there in encouragement, arching my neck in so much want. I couldn't believe this was happening to begin with but it was doing more than that; I was beyond trying to find an explanation for this and couldn't care. I didn't, not as long as he continued to kiss me like I was his last chance for freedom. As if I was the prize after a long journey of pain. I felt beautiful and I knew he really did say it for the fact that when he continued to speak, I felt it against my neck with the hot breath brushing against me. "So beautiful..." he repeated lightly and it made my breath pick up.

I couldn't take it any longer, those teasing lips on my skin... I guided my fingers up and to his hair, gripping him. I forced his mouth away from my neck and pulled him back up to my gasping lips. We engaged in that obsessive lock of lips again and it felt like heaven. He gripped me tighter by my hair as well as along my back, and his mouth sucked hard. It was so overwhelming, so much....

I could feel my deep breaths from my nose brush over his face. His scent reached me and surrounded me again and I moaned even more. Shampoo and cologne mixed in a sweet aroma... along with his touch, his hot kiss and taste... good god, I wanted to drown in this beautiful rapture, for him to take me under and make me his. I wanted to do this, be with him in such a natural and wonderful state... the thought pushed my mind to such a level, I didn't want to stop for anything.

However, something did make us stop - and who knows how far we would have went if we weren't interrupted. I would have loved to have found out but I didn't. Because while Luke was sitting on the couch with me wrapped around him in his lap, nearly naked, the front door opened.

The sound of it nearly made us both have a heart attack. Our lips detached as fast as Luke had brought them together. It was instant, like a bell going off and waking us up from a dream we were locked under. And though our lips broke at the sound of the door, it was the sight of who interrupted us that separated our bound bodies.

The following second was a rush (hell, it all happened in a matter of seconds).

"Holy shit!" Francis yells not a second later after he shuts the door behind him to sees what's going on. I saw him stare at us, eyes just as large as ours, not able to stay still. He spun in the other direction, aware of what he just walked in on. But then, he turned back and stared, his arms raising to rest on top of his head, completely caught off guard.

"Oh my god!" I yelled on instinct at the same time, backing off from Luke as quickly as possible, backing up and away from him, to the other side of the couch. My hands were scrambling and I managed to quickly grab the blanket that was behind us on the back of the couch and shield myself. Wide eyed, I looked frantically between a shocked Luke and a stunned Francis.

The events that just played out were some of the strangest I've ever experienced. Not only did something unexplainable just happen between me and Luke. Now... oh fuck. We really fucked up if it ended with Francis walking in on us. This was not good, not at all. I had to be thankful though it was him and not Clare. That would have been so much worse.

Staring at him, I felt my heart quicken even more (if that was possible) and a thousand worries entered my head at once. If he would keep him mouth shut, if he was fine with what happened, hell, if Luke and I were fine because I had no idea. But though those were some racing thoughts that existed, it all depended on the two men present in the room. And though Luke was another worry - like how he would handle what just happened - Francis was now the center of my attention.

I saw a frozen Francis look between the both of us in the scared silence that had descended. We all stared at each other, all the while letting it register between us what had just happened. Hell, I still was figuring it out. I couldn't really understand it to begin with. Why would Luke kiss me like that? Why did he all of a sudden just blow up in anger and passion at me - in that way? It made no sense. The reasons were clear and I knew with his belief in right and wrong, he would hate himself. Looking at him now, I could see it, that disgust within himself for doing such a foul deed with me. Because of Francis walking in, Luke may recover. But if Francis wouldn't have interrupted.... oh god, we could have been having sex right now and I knew he wouldn't forgive himself for that.

The thought chilled my bones with excitement and need to share such a special moment with him. Oh how I wished we hadn't woke from our strange hazy dream that was somehow true. But really, did I want to lose my virginity minutes after our first kiss? No. Was Luke even thinking straight while we were in that hot state? No. He couldn't have been. I knew that if he was thinking straight, he never would have kissed me, never would have let out so much lust, so much feeling of want and care. Yet... it all felt so true. As if Luke wanted it more than anything, wanted me to be in his arms and in such an impossible way. Reality set in when Francis walked in though and that connection was completely broken.

Glancing back to Luke's brother in these rushed moments, I felt my heart beat even more at the sight of him. I watched as a slow smile came to Francis's lips. I didn't understand though. There was nothing at all good about this situation.

"Oh I fucking knew it! Score!" He said.

I felt my jaw drop open. My mind was whirling but I could get one thing straight in my head: he didn't have a right to be smiling, the bastard. "No! No score!" I blurted instantly to Francis, in a frenzy. "No, no, no, no...." I shook my head, still shaken up, my voice cracking. I let my hands cover my face for a moment, wanting to hide, so humiliated. Not just because he walked in on us. But because I never let myself go like that; never let emotion and my heart take me over so fully. It was very scary for me. I can't let stuff like that happen. I can't be weak like that.

Francis wouldn't give in to my distress. His deep eyes met mine when I reluctantly dropped my hands, a shine in them that showed happiness for what happened. What was more obvious was the satisfaction he was taking right now. "I knew you both lusted for each other! I knew there was something going on," Francis said, a wide smile on his lips, his teeth shining and taunting. "You guys are falling for each other and who knew it? Oh that's right, brother Frankie did!" He shouted in excitement, pointing to himself. "Give me praise!"

I looked up and over to Luke, embarrassed beyond belief and what was worse, his words. Falling for each other. I didn't like it when it was said out loud. I was fine with dealing with my internal feelings for the fact that it was invisible to everyone. This however... was very external. I gave in to Luke's warm arms and lips and that was as clear as water. I was weak, I was vulnerable, and I didn't like that it could be seen.

Glancing to Luke, who was still kneeling there, he was just as he was before. He was frozen from the second Francis walked in, still in that same spot and position. I was shocked, like he was, that this took place but I had enough in me to react properly. He however was beyond shocked, he didn't know how to respond yet. His breath was hard and he looked between us, as if still trying to process that he had me in those long minutes and could have taken me away. He knew he could have and was about to. He knew I gave every ounce of myself into what we just shared.

His tortured green eyes met mine and could only stare at me. He was looking at me with a different shade of jade, a different set of thoughts of me... I was scared. I never showed or expressed affection like I just did. I was shaking now from the delight it brought me, the love that we shared... it was so unheard of for me, so unfamiliar, that affection - given to me and what I gave to him. It was always internal. Now that it reached the surface... it became all very real for me. That I loved him. I loved a man; me, Albany Higgins, a girl that only lived and breathed misery. That's why I felt so vulnerable, so damn embarrassed, and confused at my annoying feelings.

"Get out..." I heard a voice leave from Luke's parted breathy lips, finally. Slowly, he teared his eyes from mine and to Francis. "Leave Francis," he said in a lower voice, scared and shattered yet threatening in the same manner. His eyes, I saw, were begging in his brother's as they were furious. He was going to lose it - and not in the way he just did with me. It was hard to try to understand where he was at this point. I knew he wasn't exactly thinking on the same level as Francis or even me.

Francis's smile slowly dropped and reality also seemed to come back into his mind, his eyes bringing on a more serious shade of hazel. He realized it was time to get past his personal party for himself and move onto something much more important. Because apparently, there was a better reason as to why he was here.

"Can't do that...." he breathed, looking swiftly between us. The real reason for this pleasant drop in started to come out. I watched his face fall and he sighed, seemingly more on edge now that he got past what he just witnessed. Hell, he looked as wound up as one could be now. It was such a transittion, I could tell he lost all focus before when he caught us because now, I could see the pain in Francis's eyes. I found out why. "I got here as fast as I could to warn you guys. After news got out that Albany was found, Mark's been on top of it. And now, he is on his way."

He was breathing hard and all humor was gone. His eyes turned to me directly as he continued to speak. "I was talking to Gage and some of the others that know what Mark's plans are. I know he will be here within thirty minutes at least. He wants to finish this, they said. He is going to kill Albany."

I think I started to get to where Luke was because in that second, I was just as frozen, just as lost, just as on edge and confused as Luke appeared to be. My mind drew a blank. It was too much at one time when I tried thinking about it. I just had one of the sweetest moments of my life, one so hot and so caring, so loving with Luke. Then, Francis walks in and discovers us, putting us in an even more difficult spot. And now... this.

Looking over Francis more carefully, I made more sense of his words. Clearing my head as best as I could, I started to understand. I recall that Francis was going to go back in, sneak around and act, lie for answers. It was risky since he has changed so much since he left that life behind. Taking in Francis now though more carefully, I saw the similarities to how he was before. Baggy clothes, greased hair, no glasses, a pack of cigarettesnoticeably in his shirt pocket. It was perfect with how ruined he looked like he had been before. It just reminded me more of how much he had changed. But at least this time, he was faking it. He held himself with pride and his eyes didn't show any signs of laziness - which he of course hid in the presence of our old friends. He must be a very good actor to pull it off. Hell, just looking at him I knew he was doing a good job. And thank god because his work just offered me some inside information which was a huge deal with how serious his words were.

"What?" I asked in a raspy voice, my stomach twisting more. I understood fine. The issue today was just letting everything sink in. "He's coming here...."

"Yes," Francis breathed, looking carefully between us, seeing if we got the message at how bad this could be. Was going to be. "I was able to get out of them what Mark's plans are. And I know that you have a good thirty minutes before he gets here. When he does, he will do whatever it takes to kill you. His life is ruined and he knows it. He is determined to take you down with him."

I glanced up to Luke with wide eyes, terror filling me. The green diamonds of his slowly turned to mine, that pain still fresh in his eyes. And now, with that pain, came more need to panic. I wasn't sure how much we would be able to take. But for now, me and Luke both understood that we needed to put aside the wonderful and terrible thing we just did and go into focus mode. Right now. We would deal with everything else later (which meant the long talk I knew was in store for me and Luke).

Francis continued, stating something Luke and I were both coming to realize with what we needed to do. "You need to be prepared, hide and then take him down. You can't call the rest of the police for back up; it would be obvious if Mark gets here and sees a dozen squad cars. So Luke," he said, aiming that gaze more directly to him. "You need to be ready to take him down yourself."

Francis stood before the both of us, looking down at us from where were both still stunned on the couch. His eyes, his tone, called for instant action and I knew it was time to do something. My mind hazy, I knew to follow his directions and be safe. Because Mark was on his way and we needed to be ready for him.

When I looked to Luke to see his reaction to all of this information and direction, I didn't feel any better. His eyes up in his brother's only grew to be bigger, his face going even more pale. His eyes moved down to me and he looked scared, panicked, and angry with realization.

"Oh my god," he breathed, looking down and away from us. His breath increased, he was lost in the idea Francis just gave us, to be ready to take him down without any help. I figured Luke was just scared to be doing this on his own or something. But it was a much more serious reason for that reaction.

"What?" Francis asked, looking him over, unsure what Luke was confused on or if this was just his way of reaction to Mark being on his way. "What's wrong?"

Luke spoke and when he did, I knew he wasn't scared to face Mark. He was scared he wouldn't have the chance to. Looking between us, Luke continued, as if confessing to something terrible he had done. In a small and high voice, he told us.

"I-I can't..."

Francis groaned. "Yes you can do this, it wont be that bad. Just arrest him or shoot--"

"No, no..." Luke reassured him. "I'm fine with confronting Mark on my own. It's just... I have nothing to take him down with. I don't have any weapons in the house anymore, no handcuffs. It's all at the station..."

With every second passing, everything was changing. And now, this was a huge change in everything. This was bad, very bad for obvious reasons.