The Ties That Bind Us: (The Ties Duet Part One) Danda K. (dark academia books to read TXT) 📖

Before I can catch my breath, he flips me over and slams in and out, fast and sloppy. He pulses inside me before lifting my legs under my knees and bringing them in front of my face. He thrusts hard one more time before he finally freezes, spilling inside of me.

After his body relaxes, he falls on top of me, kissing my forehead like he always does after finishing. Jaxon’s body drips in sweat, and the scent of desperate sex is in the air.

Rolling off me, he settles next to me and pulls me to him. I turn on my side, resting my leg on his as I feel his wild heartbeat with my hand.

The feel of Jaxon’s pounding heart becomes steadier as we come down, and I decide I need a shower. He doesn’t acknowledge my disconnect as he stares at the ceiling, distracted.

I grab a towel from the closet and go about my business. Stepping into the bathroom, I spot Magnet in the sink staring at me.

Feeling judged, I say defensively, “Don’t look at me like that, serpent. Cats go into heat, too.” He turns around and readjusts himself in the sink. I may be slightly crazy to accuse an animal of judging my sex life.

Turning the knob on the shower, I wait for the water to warm. Once inside, I thoroughly wash my body, then turn towards the water and look up, allowing it to run down my neck. I feel the cold air from outside the shower as Jaxon opens the door and walks in.

He steps behind me, kissing my shoulder, giving a gentle rub to my behind.

“I didn’t keep my promise, baby.” He runs his thumb over an area on my cheek that I didn’t realize was sore. “I’ve marked you.”

As he buries his face in my neck, the spraying water soaks his hair and runs down his head, landing on the floor by my feet. I turn and wrap my arms around his shoulders.

“I like your marks, though.”

After a peck on his lips, I turn back to indulge in the warm water on my face. His hands meet my hips, but it stays quiet between us until Jaxon says softly, “I can’t lose you, Nyx.”

He lets go of me and drops his arms to his side. “I won’t make it without you.”

Absorbing what he said, I take a deep, purposeful breath, determined not to make promises I can’t keep.

I turn around to face him. “I don’t know what the future has in store for me, Jaxon. For us. But I can promise I’d never leave you willingly unless I knew for certain it would be in your best interest. Being with me still comes with so many potential roadblocks. Ones that, because I love you way too much, I won’t have you take on for me. Especially when you may have your own obstacles to overcome soon.”

He intertwines my hands with his, looking down at them as he speaks. “No obstacles will ever change the fact that I need you, Nyx.” His eyes find mine. “And, as long as the ties that bind us together are stronger than the ones that could tear us apart, we can overcome anything.” He lifts both our hands and presses them against his chest, his forehead against mine. “Don’t give up on me, baby.”

I kiss him on his cheek right before I step out of the shower. “I’d never give up on you, Charming.”

And I mean it. It’s not him I’d doubt, ever. It’s me.

I’ll stay with Jaxon as long as I know it still benefits him in some way. He’d never be the one to leave if things got too difficult; it’s not in his nature.

Jaxon would go down fighting until his very last breath. So I know it’d have to be me thinking logically for both of us.

I just hope it never comes to that.

Thirty-six

Jaxon

Even though I borrowed Sayeed’s truck to pick up Gelissa and the baby for the appointment, I was very close to being late because I couldn’t find my wallet. Thankfully, Cam found it under the couch. It must’ve fallen out of my sweatpants last night when we watched The Omen after I got back from the store.

I asked Cameron to come with me to the clinic, but she wants to avoid Gelissa like the plague.

I park the truck not too far from the office, and we walk the short block to head inside. Going through the door, I check the time on my phone. We’ve made it by three minutes.

I’m not speaking to Gelissa at all as we wait. She keeps Emersyn occupied by giving her some cookies as I stare blankly at the TV, the generic medical programming playing on repeat.

Emersyn giggles, causing me to look over at her. I take a closer look, and while I do see the resemblance between us, I refuse to interact with her until I have proof she’s mine.

Who knows how fast I’ll grow attached to her?

When I look at her, I already feel like I could adore this little girl. The way she giggles, or how she reaches for her mom’s hair, twisting it gently in her hands as she rests her head on her chest.

She’s so innocent in all this. I know if I let my guard down before I know the truth, I’ll feel some type of disappointment if I don’t get to keep her, regardless of if I’m ready to be a dad or not. And I’m not.

But there’s something about knowing she may be mine that makes me feel not just fear but also excitement.

So I’ll just sit here and keep my distance until we’re called into the room.

“Jaxon Carter and Emersyn Ryan?” a blonde female nurse in white scrubs calls out.

We all stand up and head into the back of the office, where she does a quick cheek swab on me first, then Emersyn, and explains they’ll call me within forty-eight hours with the