needs you more than she needs me!”
Two more shots, one right after the other.
“Ma! Ma! Ma!”
“This is what you wanted all along, isn’t it?! To take my family from me!”
“That’s absurd! I’m just trying to help and you’re doing the exact opposite of that right now!”
“Ugh!” Shoving away another memory, I reached for another shot.
“Oh, fuck…” Felix rasped with wide eyes, grabbing ahold of my arm. “If I let you drink that sixth shot, Danté’s going to kick my ass.”
“Ma! Ma! Ma!”
“She’s not your mother!”
“She’s the only mother Journey’s ever known!”
Even though Felix was talking to me, all I saw was Jackson getting backhanded across the face by his father. Making me abruptly pull my arm away to chug it right the fuck down.
The smell of Aiden, his voice, his dominating demeanor over me, suddenly knocked me on my ass as if he was there with me. I felt him everywhere, his looming presence caving me in.
Where all I could feel…
All I could see…
All I could hear…
Was him.
“Goddamn it.” I stood, swaying a bit. “Dancing, dancing would make me forget.”
“Camila—”
I slurred something along those lines and made my way toward the dance floor. My body suddenly held captive by the beat of the song. “Cure” by Tube and Berger blared through the speakers, searing its way into my soul.
Music always had the power to take away my pain. When words failed, music spoke volumes.
Once I was standing right up on the loud bass, it vibrated against my core, my very being, where all that was left was the rhythm to be one with the music.
I shut my eyes and allowed it to take over. I swayed my hips and made love to the music. My hands slowly worked their way up my waist to my head, running my fingers seductively through my hair as I lifted it up off my glistening neck. Rocking my hips back and forth, I wasn’t dancing for anyone but myself. Remembering how my body reacted to sensing Aiden for the first time in his hospital.
How there was a strong shift in the air, the space, the energy all around me. The resilient force steering me, guiding me was what I allowed to once again consume me.
It was happening all over again, every inch of my skin stirred with an awakening I’d only experienced with him.
My breathing tethered…
My pulse accelerated…
My heart started pounding out of my chest.
Slowly, I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly dry. Getting lost in the overwhelming emotions, the immediate connection I felt to him.
When almost instantly, I was engulfed in another familiar, husky, masculine scent that drove all my nerve endings to set on fire. I backed up into him, just wanting to forget about the man that wasn’t mine to remember.
I felt his lips effortlessly glide along the nook of my neck, and I gradually tilted my head. Leaning away to allow him more access to make me forget.
“You fuckin’ the music while thinkin’ ‘bout me, baby?”
Not meeting Sean’s eyes, I moved my hips against his. He took my silent plea and he started swaying his ass in pace with mine. We’d done this sinful dance hundreds of times, but like everything else that night, it was much different.
“You’re nothing like the man I thought you were. My hero, my father, my best fucking friend…”
Sean wrapped his strong arm around my waist, tugging me closer to him. Close enough to where there was nothing in between us, only the friction of our reckless movements. My mind screamed for me to stop, to not allow this to go any further, but my body…
My heart…
It was so broken, so hurt, so undeniably exhausted.
“How’s it feel to turn out to be a piece of shit like them? Huh? How’s it feel to lose everything you worked so hard for?”
It seemed like hours went by, and for the first time in I don’t know how long, I sought comfort in his arms. When all I wanted was to seek refuge in the man who kicked me the fuck out of his house.
“You’re not my mother,” Jackson snidely replied, glaring solely at his father. “She’s gone, and she’s not coming back.”
Where was she?
Where was Bailey?
I shook away the thought, dancing slowly, sexually, sensually in sync with Sean. Our bodies recalling the feel of one another, as if no time had passed between us.
The devastation.
The torment.
The memories of tonight.
“Do you understand me? I don’t give one flying fuck about you! To hell with you! You’re nothing but