K. Lynn - Reciprocity

My lips quirked. People always thought it was like what they watched, not remembering it was staged and they were actors. “It’s not like what you see on TV. It’ll be a lot like the deposition. They’ll ask you a bunch of questions, and then you’re done, only this time the audience is larger.”

He nodded. “I just hope we get the guy put away forever. After what he did…” He trailed off, lost in the memory. I knew by his expression he felt guilty that Adam got past him.

The elevator arrived and we got on, Mike pushing the button for the fourteenth floor. “Lemme know if you need anything tonight, okay?”

I nodded. “Thanks. We’ll see you later.”

“Night.”

The doors closed and the car jerked as we headed up. By the time we entered our condo, Lila was still unresponsive, so I sat her on the bed. I went into the bathroom and started the water in the tub, letting it fill as I pulled off my clothes.

I was down to my boxer briefs when I stopped and knelt down in front of her. “Lila, do you want to take a bath?”

No response. I sighed and pulled her arms through her jacket, then lifted her sweater over her head and through her arms. It was a good sign that she helped by lifting her arms and leaning back, giving me better access to take off her skirt.

I went to check on the water—it was full and steaming warm. I picked her up again and lowered her feet first into the water. She drew in a sharp breath when the hot water soaked into her skin, but she sat there, waiting.

I climbed in behind her, hissing at the temperature as well. Once I was all the way in, I pulled her back to relax against my chest. She was still so pliable and vacant. There was only one way I knew how to get through to her.

I scooped up the warm water and drizzled it on to her cool, air-exposed skin, wiping it around. One hand moved around her ribs, caressing her breast and pinching her nipples as it trailed to the front and down her abdomen. When she drew in a breath and arched against me, I knew I was on the right track.

I licked her neck, nibbling and kissing down to her shoulder. My fingers slid against her clit, and she jerked against me. I moaned as I found her pussy lips and spread them open, giving me access and pressing one finger inside.

She was warm and silky wet, making my breath go ragged and my cock rock harden at the thought of drowning in her. I pushed another finger in and her breath hitched as she arched against me, then relaxed.

My fingers slipped out, then back in, my thumb circling around her clit. I repeated it, moving faster, harder, teasing her as I pinched her nipples with my free hand. Her chest rose and fell in a staccato rhythm, her back arching further, pressing her harder against my hand as I sped up, pounding my hand against her pussy. Little guttural whimpers and moans slipped from her lips. Her eyes widened for a quick moment, then screwed tight.

I couldn’t take it anymore—her reaction had me too wound up. I reached between us and began stroking my cock at the same speed I fingered her.

Water sloshed out onto the floor as my arms moved at a furious pace. I bit down on her shoulder and her body seized, pussy clenching around my fingers. She shook and shuddered against me as my body tensed, fist pumping furiously.

My jaw locked down harder, screaming into her skin as I exploded into the water. I jerked with each spurt, my mouth releasing her neck as my fingers slipped from her pussy.

I pressed my lips against the mark I’d made. It was deeper than usual and already an angry red, but it was my teeth—my mark. I loved to see her covered in me. It was hot, possessive—how much I needed to see it and have others see it.

She was mine, and nothing was going to take her from me.

Once I was calm, I leaned all the way back against the tub wall, hissing as I hit the cold portion of the tub that was not submerged in the water.

“Better?” I kissed her temple, and she tilted her head to look back at me. Our foreheads bumped as I slumped into her, happy to see life in her eyes again. Her hand cupped my cheek, and I leaned into her touch, not realizing how much I needed it.

“Thank you.”

“That’s what I’m here for—to take care of you.”

Her head stretched up, and she pressed her lips to mine. “I’m here for you, too.”

“We’ll worry about me later.” Fuck, she was so selfless when it came to me. “How was it today?”

She sighed and took my hands in hers, wrapping my arms around her waist. “It was so hard. I kept having flashes.” She paused, slipping her fingers between mine. “But at least I got some satisfaction out of the whole ordeal.”

“What was that?”

“When I had to state my name.” She turned back to me and smiled. “Adam stood up and screamed out that I was a fucking whore when it registered that I’d gotten married.”

My eyes widened and hope flooded my body. “And that reaction could only hurt his case.”

She nodded. “Mm-hmm. It was hard to talk, to answer their questions, but his constant state of aggravation was noticeable to everyone, especially the jury. At another point, he called me a lying cunt.”

I smiled wide. “Shit, his defense attorney should have sedated him.”

“I doubt he knew. Adam learned a lot from my father on how to spin things. I think he really had his attorney convinced I started it. Once the questioning began and Adam started going off, he changed his mind.”

Good. Adam’s fake innocence couldn’t combat his destructive nature.

“He was flustered when it was his turn to examine you, wasn’t he?”

Even Lila was smiling. “Very. He looked like a newbie, and even the judge was short with him.”

“He wasn’t expecting what his client really was.” I stroked across her arm over and over, drawing lazy patterns.

She pursed her lips. “We aren’t supposed to be talking about it.”

“No.” I drew circles around her breast and down her stomach. “I’m supposed to be making you forget.”

Her lips pressed against my neck. “You’re on the right path.”

After we got out of the tub, I carried her into the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. Then I did what I always did when she was upset—I lavished her body with mine, showing her my love through touch. Words would never do for her. They could never convey the truth my hands, mouth, and cock could.

As I was led into the courtroom, I couldn’t help but look around. I locked onto Adam, and he actually looked reserved. After everything Lila told me, I scoffed at his act. It was probably advice from his lawyer—to look repentant in front of the jury.

They’d dressed him up in a suit, shaved him, cut his hair—anything to make him look like a good boy. It was the way he held himself and the expressions on his face that gave him away.

It was odd being on the other side of the bench. I was used to being in front of the judge, not beside him. I took a deep breath to even myself out and looked at Lawrence. My hands gripped the chair in an effort to keep me calm as I braced to go through the usual retelling of events from my eyes.

Lawrence walked to the center of the floor. “Why were you going over to Delilah’s house that night?”

“We were going to have dinner.”

He looked around the room, trying not to focus solely on me. “Did you eat together every night?”

“Yes.”

“Did you notice anything strange or different that night as you approached her condo?”

I blew out a slow breath. “There were screams coming from inside.”

Lawrence stared at me, and I knew the hard hit was coming. “Tell me—what did you see when you opened the door?”

Fuck.

My heart was racing as the image popped into my mind. I let out a hard breath to steady myself. I had to answer and do so in a calm manner. The problem was that calm could be found nowhere within me in that moment.

My muscles flexed, ready to jump out of the stupid box and run to Adam so I could slam my fist in his fucking face. I wanted to reenact the events of that day in order to show the judge what little I’d done to him compared to what he did to her.

“Lila was on the ground with him on top of her.”

The prosecutor continued to lead me on. “And what was he doing to her?”

I knew where his questions were going—I’d been in his place and tried to prepare myself for them. It didn’t make it any easier. I could anticipate his questions, but not the searing emotions they evoked.

“He had her hands pinned above her head. Her shirt was ripped open, and he was pushing her skirt up.” My whole body was shaking, rage enveloping me.

The prosecutor stared at me, begging me to cool down. “What made it different from sexual play?”

My teeth mashed together as I fought for control. “Her face was covered in blood.”

I forced myself to stop the words “from him hitting her,” because I knew the defense would object.

After a while, the prosecutor glanced at the jury and back at me, then sighed. I wasn’t making a very good impression due to my anger seeping out.

“Tell me, why are you so agitated being in this room today?”

A good question. It would make the jury understand why. Who wouldn’t be angry, sitting across from the man who almost took your world away?

“Because he…” I couldn’t say his name, and I was so close to calling him a name the judge wouldn’t approve of “…hurt Lila. He tried to take my wife away from me. My love and reason for being.”

I took great pride in the murderous look that flashed on Adam’s face after calling Lila by her marital title. Lawrence smiled and continued on.