Whispers of a Broken Halo by Abbi Glines

In one day, everything had changed.





Chapter Thirty

Bryn

After the two insanely amazing orgasms Rio had given me, he had held me in his arms long enough for me to fall asleep. When I woke up, my sundress was back over my chest and zipped up, and I was lying on the sofa, covered up with a blanket. My panties were not back on my body though, and they hadn’t been on the floor either.

While Rio talked to Cullen in the kitchen about what pizza he wanted tonight, I was thankful Rio had covered me back up and that Cullen hadn’t found us together on the sofa. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep, and I was embarrassed that I had. I never took naps.

Now that they were gone, I took the time to wash myself up and change into something comfortable before we ate pizza and watched another Marvel movie. Before I put on my silk pajama shorts and matching top, I studied my bare breasts in the mirror a moment and smiled at the teeth marks on my nipples. Everything with Rio had been incredible. I wanted more of it, but he had just shown up today, acting differently, and I had spread out on the sofa with my legs open for him within hours.

I groaned and covered my face. What was wrong with me? He had kissed me, and I’d basically thrown myself at him. I doubted he believed I was a virgin. Nothing about what I had done today was something a virgin would do. I had been begging him to bite me.

I wondered if my vagina had teeth marks too. I tried to stop thinking about it as I finished dressing.

The front door opened, and I heard Cullen’s voice call out my name. I stepped out from the bathroom and made my way down the hallway to the kitchen. The pizza smelled so good. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until the smell hit me.

Rio’s eyes met mine, and then his gaze went down my body. His eyes flared as he looked back at me. I had thought about wearing one of my baggy T-shirts and some old cutoff shorts, but I wanted him to look at me. It made my body tingle.

“Comfortable?” he asked.

I nodded.

He just smirked and shook his head. “Hungry?”

“Starving,” I replied.

His dimple flashed as he reached for one of the paper plates Cullen had gotten out of the pantry and put a slice of pizza on it, then handed it to me. “You worked up an appetite.”

I took the plate. “Thank you.”

He gave me one long look that made me want to do more things with him. But I had to keep my head on straight. Throwing myself at Rio was not smart. I needed to be sure why he was suddenly thinking of me all the time and if this was a fleeting thing.

Cullen took his plate from Rio and ran to the table. “It smells great!” he announced and began to eat.

Rio walked over to me and ran a hand up the back of my thigh, then cupped my butt before moving past me and walking over to the table to sit with Cullen.

“Isn’t this the best thing you’ve ever eaten?” Cullen asked Rio as he took a bite.

Rio’s eyes met mine. “No, bud, it’s not. But it is good.”

My panties went damp once again. He was not making it easy for me. I wasn’t sure if I had the power to hold Rio at arm’s length and move slowly. Sex had never been something I wanted. I hadn’t desired it. I’d run from it.

Now, my body was humming with a craving it knew nothing about.

Did Rio make all girls feel like this? I was deflated. He had been with a lot of girls. I wasn’t his first, and I wasn’t going to be his last. I didn’t allow myself to hope for things because I knew all too well how hard life could send you crashing to the ground. If you didn’t get your hopes up, then disappointment was easier to handle when it came.

“Don’t you, Aunt Bryn?” Cullen’s voice broke into my dark thoughts, and I forced a smile.

“Sorry, what did you say?” I asked him, wishing I had been listening to the conversation.

“You love Henley’s cupcakes. Especially the strawberry ones.”

“Oh, yes. She makes the best I’ve ever tasted,” I agreed.

I didn’t look at Rio. I wasn’t sure I could just yet. Instead, I ate my pizza and tried to get in a better mood. Today, I had dressed to catch Rio’s attention. It worked. I was very willing. He hadn’t seemed surprised by that, which could once again be because all women were very willing when he made a move. How could they not be?

My mood was not improving, so I was going to have to act. I was good at acting. I did it every night I went to work.

I finished off my piece of pizza and stood up. “I think I need one more. Anyone else?” I asked.

“ME!” Cullen called out.

“Sure,” Rio said, and I met his gaze.

He had noticed my mood change. I could see it in his eyes. He was studying me too closely.

I smiled at him and took his plate. I took my time, filling our plates up before returning to the table. “What movie have you picked for us tonight?” I asked Cullen.

He swallowed the bite of pizza in his mouth, then grinned. “Batman .”

We finished our meal with talk about Batman , mostly from Cullen, and then I stood and started clearing off the table. Cullen ran over to the television to find his Batman DVD. Rio came up behind me as I stood back up from getting Cullen’s empty plate.

“Something is wrong,” he whispered in my ear. Then, he ran his fingers down my arm. “Tell me, and I’ll fix it.”