Whispers of a Broken Halo by Abbi Glines

He moved off me and flipped me over. I got on my hands and knees, and he grabbed my bottom and slid back into me. The first slap on my right butt cheek startled me. He’d never done that before. This did feel animalistic. He slapped my left butt cheek now and then again. I heard myself moan as he kept spanking me, and I pressed back harder against him with each thrust.

When he stopped with the slaps, I looked back at him over my shoulder. “Spank me,” I begged.

His eyes lit up with excitement. “You liked getting your hot little ass spanked?”

“Yes.”

His hand landed on the now-tender skin.

“Harder!” I pleaded.

The next hit was harder, and Rio was thrusting into me faster. I heard him breathing hard as he continued to spank me with one hand and pull me back to him with the other. Just as his hand landed on me again, I hit my second climax, and my arms went limp as I fell forward onto the pillow, crying out.

Rio stopped the spanking, but he grabbed my hips and kept pounding into me, making my orgasm lengthen.

“OH GOD!” I screamed as another one hit me unexpectedly.

“FUUUCK!” Rio roared, and he jerked inside me, pumping wildly. “Take all of it. I want it inside you,” he said as he shot his release into me.

My mind was in such a haze that I didn’t feel him leave my body, but he was beside me, pulling me to him. I snuggled against him, and he pressed a kiss to my forehead. I couldn’t open my eyes. It required more energy than I had left.

He whispered something into my hair, but I was too sleepy to ask him what he’d said.





Chapter Forty-Two

I stood outside The Red Stiletto for the last time. At least, I hoped that was the case. Marley had told me if I ever needed a job, I’d have one. That was after she’d cried on me, hugged me, and made me promise to come visit and bring Cullen to see Bay.

Saint hadn’t shown any emotion, but I hadn’t expected him to. He didn’t seem to care at all that I was quitting. He said nothing. Marley had done all the talking before handing me my last paycheck and taking my costume. Saint had just walked out the office door to get back to work.

I wished that night in the club when we’d been alone had never happened. Ever since then, it had made things awkward between us. Before then, I had felt like he was a friend.

I didn’t hate it here, but I would be glad to see it in my rearview mirror. I wished Trix had been here, so I could tell her good-bye. We hadn’t spent time together outside of the club, but we had worked together enough that she had become a part of my life. I would miss her too.

I opened my car door and climbed inside. Just as I started it up, the back door opened, and Saint stepped outside. I lifted my hand and waved good-bye to him. He gave me a nod in return. If there hadn’t been Rio in my head and heart, then I might have possibly felt something for Saint. I wasn’t sure anyone other than Rio would have broken through my walls. He was the first person I’d ever let past the barriers I kept around my heart. Even at twelve years old, I’d been hurt badly enough to be guarded. Rio had gotten in then and never left.

Driving back to The Shores, I had to make a decision about work. This morning, Rio had offered me a job, working as his pops’s assistant. He’d said he’d already talked to Pops and Hazel about it. However, I wasn’t sure it was safe to put all of my security in Rio’s hands. What would happen if we ended? I would have to once again find another job and start over. There was so much to decide and quickly.

I almost went back to the apartment, but I remembered Rio had taken Cullen with him to the market today while I went to quit my job. Rio had been so happy this morning about my quitting that it made me feel all warm inside. Remembering the things he’d said to me last night before we passed out from sex also made life seem almost perfect.

When I pulled into the parking lot of the market, it was clear summer had arrived. The place was packed. I drove around to the back and parked where the employees parked. I would get Cullen and take him to go get lunch before we went back to the apartment for his nap.

I walked toward the entrance that Rio used when he was stocking the shelves, figuring he had probably kept Cullen in the back today. I heard a female giggle and turned toward the sound. Then, I heard Rio’s deep voice, although I didn’t hear what he was saying.

The giggling female was a tall blonde, wearing white shorts and one of the employee T-shirts. Rio was grinning as he picked up another basket of corn and put it on a shelf. The girl continued to talk to him, and he nodded his head, as if they were in a conversation.

I stood there, not wanting to get too close so that I wouldn’t be seen and struggled to hear their conversation. Rio wasn’t doing anything wrong. She was an employee, and he was talking to her while he worked. It was just the way they were standing too close. He was smiling at her. She was flirting with him. He had to know that. I couldn’t hear them well, but she wanted his attention.

This was what I feared. Him finding someone else he was attracted to. Someone who didn’t have a kid. Someone new and exciting. He didn’t love me—or he hadn’t said it at least. I had no security that he would be around a month from now. He’d said things that made me think he would, and I wanted to believe it.

But there was this.

Maybe he wouldn’t mean for it to happen, but it could. He could meet someone like that girl and fall in love with her. It wouldn’t be his fault. Fate had never been on my side, and it would be stupid of me to believe it was going to be now.