Page 198 of The Fire We Make

Their kisses turned into bruising ones of teeth clashing and lip biting. The anger, pain, and sadness from both of them crashing against each other like waves against the shore.

Before they knew it, Ace had removed their clothes and tumbled them both onto the bed.

He took possession of her hands and interlocked their fingers, holding her hands above her head as he thrust himself inside of her. They both groaned as he stretched her walls.

With rough, deep strokes, Ace made love to her. Unlike the times before, it wasn’t slow or sensual. It was rough, passionate, and possessive. Joy happily accepted everything he had to give.

He kissed her lips and bit her chin and shoulder. He wanted to mark her so she’d carry reminders of him.

“Who this pussy belong to Rose?” Ace grunted.

“You,” Joy moaned looking into his eyes. “Only you.”

“Why you tryna take my pussy away from me baby? Huh? What else I gotta do to prove my love for you?”

Joy didn’t speak. She shook her head with tears in her eyes but Ace wasn’t satisfied.

“Nah stop all that crying. You want me to wet the whole state of Texas up? Huh? You want that, Rose?” he asked between punishing thrusts. “You want me to make the Gulf of Mexico run red baby? Would that take a lil of your pain away if I wiped every nigga off the map who made you hurt like this? Take out everybody them niggas care about so they can see how it feels to live in this world not knowing if there’s a motherfucka out there who loves them?”

His grip tightened with every desperate word. Women and children have always been a line Ace didn’t cross but he was willing to make an exception if it would heal even a little bit of Joy’s pain. The thought made him feel fucked up but he’d carry those demons if it meant Joy felt a bit of vindication and peace.

He felt Joy grip him at his violent offering and he smiled, loving the way her darkness matched his, even when she tried to hide it.

“N-no,” she answered as her body began trembling.

“You coming for me baby?”

“Mhm,” Joy moaned.

“Give me that shit then.”

Ace fucked her through her orgasm then fucked her into another one and he wasn’t far behind. He didn’t stop though. They went round after round, savoring and depleting each other like they knew it would be the last time.

Ace gazed down at Joy’s beautiful face, contorted in pleasure. Categorizing each inch of brown skin his eyes could reach. Bringing his hand up, he lightly stroked her cheek and traced the outline of his full lips.

“I fucking love you, Joy,” he said as his release rolled through him. He didn’t hear her answer before sleep consumed him and he laid on top of her, still inside of her.

Ace wasn’t sure what time it was when he awoke to feather-light kisses being placed all over his face.

“I love you… Thank you,” Joy whispered before the bed dipped and the warmth of her body was taken away.

Ace never opened his eyes as he heard her move about the room, grabbing her belongings. The soft click of the door shutting behind her sounded off in his head like a grenade but he didn’t follow. He just squeezed his eyes shut and tried to ignore the cracks spreading in his chest.

Chapter Forty-Four

Joy watched the Houston skyline whiz past her from the backseat of the Mercedes Darnell had picked her up in from the airport.

A wave of déjà vu washed over her that nearly made her nauseous. The familiarity of the buildings and streets didn’t bring her comfort the way she thought and pulling up to the Thibodeaux Trucking building didn’t fill her with the warmth of home that she’d longed for since the moment she left.

A vibration in her lap made her look down to see yet another call from Mel. Joy hadn’t had the heart to say goodbye, so she didn’t. Like Ace, she left Mel in the middle of the night. Her gut was sour with guilt and grief, but she hadn’t looked back. Not when she texted her father, not when she booked her flight home, and not when she stepped onto Texas soil for the first time in a year.

Darnell opened the door for her and Joy stepped out into the humid air. He kept a healthy distance, a hand on his waist as Joy trudged to the door.

Soldiers paused their work as she passed, observing the prodigal daughter's return. Not for the first time, Joy wondered what they thought of her. What story they’d been told.

It didn’t take much to see that whatever they’d heard wasn’t flattering. The welcoming glances and nods of respect she was used to had morphed into downcast eyes shielding either fear or disgust. They peered at her like an outsider. Like an attack dog who’d harmed its owners.

Joy had forgotten what it’d felt like to be looked at that way.