Chapter 34

"A little late aren't we?" Luther comments as I enter the garage.

I ignore him and reach for the board.

"And a little rude as well." He continues and I hear him drop keys on the table, "Mr. Jones, same problem as always." He tells me as I read it on the paper.

"I'm convinced he does this shit purposely." I groan, reaching for the toolbox besides the green truck.

"I don't mind it. Easier money than getting beat up for a living." He jabs.

"I'm not trying to hear this shit today, old man." I warn, opening up the hood.

"Well you know I'm always gonna tell it. One of these days you'll end up brain dead, boy." He raises his voice.

"You'll probably be there with me if you let another patch into this fucking shop." I retort.

"I told you already I didn't know he was one of 'em gang members, he was a desperate boy who needed help fixing up his bike" He repeats his words from a few days ago.

I wave him off because my head is starting to ache.

"It doesn't do you any good to get shit-faced after taking a beating like that. What happened anyway? You haven't looked this bad in years." The old man continues to badger.

"Nothing, Jesus. Luther get lost."

"Listen to me you son of a bitch!" I sigh, rolling my eyes and reluctantly turn toward him, "You will respect me in my damn house! And you will not come in here all hungover with your moody teenage angst, you're not a kid anymore!" I can tell he's pissed because his nostrils are flaring.

"I'm not hungover." I speak up.

Even when I was seventeen years old and very recognizably the brother of Lan Woo, Luther never gave a fuck. I could've gotten him murdered if I wanted to but he still hammered on at me about leaving the toilet seat up or not hanging my coat on the rack. I forget sometimes how little he fears me. Linda was the one who allowed me to earn a couple bucks here at the shop, I guess she wasn't that scared either.

"Coulda fooled me." He scoffs, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I didn't go drinking after the fight."

"Then where did you go."

"Sunniva." I confess.

His frown ceases and his eye go wide with surprise. "Oh that sweet girl again?"

"Yes." I roll my eyes, annoyed with his excitement.

"I like her. Keep her." He comments.

"She's not a dog." I scoff reaching for my wrench, "And she's not mine."

"What? She not pretty enough for you?" He starts up again.

Luther has never been interested in my love life and I wish he would stay that way.

"No, she's fine." I shrug.

She's beautiful

"So if she's sweet as a honey bee and the prettiest thing under the sun what's the issue? Unless she has a boyfriend herself. I wouldn't be surprised if the fellas were lining up outside her doorstep." I try to block him out as much as possible as I continue doing the work he pays me for.

"Fine don't tell me." He grumbles and I hear his feet shuffle towards the door.

"I can tell she likes you though," He smiles when I turn to face him, "That day you guys were talking in the shop I could see it in her eyes. You'd be a damn fool to not run head first into that." He shrugs after what he thought was a mind-blowing speech and walks off.

He thinks he's fucking Yoda.

"Stop it! Stop hurting him!" I hear her voice screeching and when Lan's fist reels back I turn my face and see her on my lawn clutching what must be my physics textbook to her chest.

Her bike is laying on the pavement.

How the fuck does she even know where I live?

"Who's strawberry shortcake?" Captain's voice perks up from the staircase.

Sunniva fidgets with the material of her light pink dress and pulls her eyes from me to scan over all the people in front of her.

"I'm S-"

"What are you doing here!" I yell, getting up but Lan pulls me back by my shirt collar.

She gasps and moves towards me but stops when captains heavy boots hit the floor.

"I wouldn't do that sweetheart."

"I will call the police!" She shouts, her eyes looking frantic.

"Do it!" Lan's voice booms and I see a shiver run down her back.

I stand again this time able to get out of his grip. I turn to face him and he glares at me for a second before cleaning his teeth, "Get her before I do." He says quietly.

"See that's exactly why I don't go nowhere else, Luther." The blonde woman chirps, slapping him on the arm.

"Anytime, Miss Johnson." He chuckles and waves at her as she gets into her SUV.

I check the clock on the wall and it says it's just after five in the afternoon.

"You in a hurry to get somewhere?" Luther smiles sinisterly and I shake my head not playing into his game.

"Nowhere else to be." I shrug and he narrows his eyes at me.

"Mmm well I got a church choir meeting to get to so you can be nowhere else somewhere else." His thumb points at the open garage door.

I punch him lightly on the arm and he groans in pain, "Now how'd you let that boy hurt you with a right hook like that?" He comments as I grab my keys.

I see garage door closing when I hop into my car.

I take my time cruising to get home. I like the scenery of this dull town. I never understood why Mom would nearly crash us all the time because her eyes were focused off the road but I think I understand it now. Something comforting about a small town is that everything always looks exactly the same.

"Haven't seen you in a minute Mr. 124." Wesley says from behind his desk.

"You work days, Wesley. I work nights." I respond, stepping into the open elevator.

It's strange to me that I live in a safer apartment building than Sunniva. The other tenants on my floor are either nonexistent or really quiet because I've never heard or seen them before but then again I do only come out at night.

I wipe the steam off my cabinet mirror when I step out of the shower. I get why I've been stared at today by everyone who came into the shop. I haven't been this banged up since I first started fighting.

Linda threatened child protective services the first time she saw me but luckily I'd told Luther about my plans to join the ring earlier and he covered for me saying I just started boxing and was terrible at it. It wasn't a lie. I was shit but I watched the older guy's techniques and started picking up fast. Fast enough to join the ring at eighteen years old.

"Off again?" Wesley asks as I walk out of the elevator.

I nod in response and exit the building.

It takes less than five minutes to get to Sunniva's apartment building.

I see Lucy smooshing her tits together when the elevator doors opens. She doesn't look shocked when she lays her eyes on me, only irritated.

"Lucille." I say, entering as she exits.

She scoffs, rolling her eyes as she turns around, "Its Lucinda." She states before walking away.

Once again I am pissed at the unlocked door when I enter their apartment and even more so when I realize she's nowhere to be found.

"You have to invite me next time." A voice speaks from outside before the door opens.

Sunniva enters her apartment and jumps back in fright when she sees me standing in front of her, "Leo you scared me." She laughs breathlessly.

She's covered in different color paint, her clothes and the band around her head as well. I recognize the girl behind her in the purple scarf and blue jeans.

"You left your door unlocked again." I state.

"The upper class, am I right?" The girl comments laughing.

I stare at her and her laughter ceases, "I met you that day on the elevator." She explains.

"I know." I reply.

"Okay..." She narrows her eyes and looks at Sunny who's bitting her lip, "Well I'll see you whenever Sunny." She says, handing Sunniva a bottle of laundry detergent before leaving.

I take the laundry basket from her struggling arms.

"Thank you," She says, not looking up at me.

"You can set it down in the kitchen. I need the little girl's room." She says before skipping off .

I watch her moving with speed out of my view. She's the strangest person I know.

I wait in her kitchen for her to return and when she does I see the redness on her face where she's scrubbed off the paint.

"You missed a spot." I point to her forehead.

She looks mortified and holds her hand up to cover the spot. I don't think I've ever seen her nervous about her appearance before. I mean this is the woman who spoke to me at a gas station after getting mauled by a bunch of third graders.

"Don't worry about it you look the same as always." My mouth runs off.

"Oh."

"Not like that... I mean you always look okay..."

Beautiful, you dickhead!

"Okay..."

Her nervousness is infectious and now I'm moving weight from one leg to the other unaware what to say next like I'm a fucking preteen.

"Why are you covered in paint?" I ask, opening my mouth again.

"My mom wanted to hangout and paint today." She says, finally smiling, "She doesn't release work anymore but she hasn't lost the bug and makes all of us join her when she feels a surge of inspiration. Momma loves it, she jokes about how she would've outsold all of Mom's pieces." She's rambling so she must feel normal again.

"I forgot your mom was a badass artist." I say, reaching for her hand.

"She's pretty great." She agrees.

"Is it hereditary?"

"Not at all." She giggles, "I couldn't paint a flower."

She seems to be struggling with her thoughts because she frowns, looking off into the distance.

"Come." She says squeezing my hand. She pulls me through her apartment and when we get to the front of her door she releases a deep breath before opening it.

I look to the canvas leaning below her windowsill, "That looks better than a flower," I say, pointing at the painting.

"What is it?" I ask, sitting down on her bed.

She looks up at me and then glances over to the canvas.

"It's Neoma. I dreamt about her this morning so I was sort of inspired." She explains and I guess it makes sense looking at the faceless girl in a blue dress, I almost thought it was Sunny but she didn't add her beauty spot.

A pang of guilt hits me when I see her longing face staring at the canvas.

Sunniva

"Do you miss her?" He asks, eyeing my painting.

Every time I breathe.

"Yeah." I decide to say instead.

Nobody needs to hear the lonely twin sob fest today. It's been a great day, my mom didn't even shed a tear when she told me how much she loved my painting.

"Sunny I-"

"Leo, I want to show you something." I interrupt him, finding my purpose again.

Lucy accompanied me to the mall today when I told her my plan and we raided every appropriate store we could find.

"

What?" He asks lowly as he eyes my hands begin unbuttoning my dress, "Sunny what-"

"Don't say anything yet." I say, undoing the last button before dropping the fabric to the floor.

My nerves are replaced by a surge of confidence as Leo takes me in with an expression of both shock and lust.

Burying my nerves somewhere deep inside I saunter over to him as seductively as I can. I'm a novice in the art of seduction but Lucy assured me that the lingerie would do most of the work for me.

]

"Sunny you look so fucking hot." His deep voice speaks and it's creating a buzz in my lacy thong.

I don't even make it all the way to him before his hands reach out and pull me at the waist.

"Shit." He chokes out as his hands circle my thighs, travel over my butt and tug slightly.

"You trying to kill me, angel?" He whispers not even looking at me but inspecting the material of the garter belt until his pulls at my waist again and drops me into his lap.

He kisses me and finally I can breathe. My hands tug at the bottom of his sweater and he helps me remove it.

I'm captured by his dark gaze the split second we break the kiss and I grind into him needing to dull the ache between my thighs. Our lips meet again and his tongue roams my mouth in battle with mine as his hands explore my body. He cups my butt harshly assisting me as I grind harder against him.

When his hands join at my back I feel the weight of my breasts again.

I gasp breaking the kiss and look down at the bra that's fallen into my lap.

He's really good at that...

Ignoring my wayward thoughts I reach for his lips again but he wraps his hand around my throat not allowing it. He smirks at me menacingly and dips his head to claim one of my nipples into his warm mouth.

My back arches and my head tips back at the glorious feeling, "Yes." I moan breathlessly.

His arm circles at my back as he continues his wonderful torture and when he pinches my other nipple between his fingers I could die of euphoria.

"Leo, yes oh my god yes!"

When I run my fingers through his hair he groans and it vibrates against my sensitive breast making me moan even louder.

He releases my nipple from his mouth and smirks up at me like a devil. My back arches again when his fingers strum my thong.

"You're the sexiest thing I've ever seen, Sunny." He comments, moving the blue lace to the side.

"You like that angel?" He whispers and I nod unable to form words.

He is a wizard with his fingers wielding spells that make me incoherent but this wasn't the plan, I was meant to be the seductress.

His dark eyes widen in surprise when I push at his chest. With his hand now gripping my inner thigh he watches me closely as I run my hand down his chest then between my thighs as I begin to unbutton his jeans.

His eyes roll back when I reach into his pants and stroke him softly. I love how achingly sinful he looks right now.

"Leo, I want-" The words get caught in my throat suddenly when his eyes focus back on mine, "I want to... tonight." I hope he can understand this foolish talk and by the way his eyes light up I can tell that he does.

Leo sits up again and circles my waist then slowly lowers me onto my pillows.

"I'll do anything you want." He whispers, kicking off his jeans.

I spread my thighs to accommodate his large size and his hand lifts my knee as he slithers downward.

"Always so wet for me." He comments, running his finger over me and nudges my sensitive bud making me arch off the bed.

He chuckles lowly and it only makes me wetter. He looks up at me with a piercing gaze as I feel his fingers enter me slowly.

My hands grip the sides of the bed as I try to find something, I don't know what yet but something.

"Leo." I mewl so softly I don't think he hears it.

He adds another finger and he curls both of them inside me making me see stars. His fingers move in and out of me repeatedly as he whispers encouragingly but it's incomprehensible, everything is incomprehensible.

"Oh God!" I moan when I feel his tongue slurp up my sensitive bud.

He chuckles again and the vibration nearly kills me, "Yes Leo! I'm...oh my! Yes!" My words sound so far away to me.

I open my eyes long enough to see his dark sinful ones staring back at me as his tongue teases me and it's in fact the most sinful sight imaginable.

"Leo!" I call out again as I arch my back and grip his long hair, to feel if this is reality because it simply can't be.

"Come for me Sunny." His words are muffled but I hear them and as if he is my puppeteer, my body responds immediately and I begin to shake.

His fingers caress me as I hold them inside of me as he's coaching me through my cosmic orgasm.

"Good girl Sunny." He whispers and I feel him place a kiss on my inner thigh as he lifts himself up.

He looks at me intently as he lifts my knees and pulls the electric blue thong down my thighs.

"You're a sin." He whispers as he pulls the straps of the garter belt.

He lowers himself onto me again and I feel his hardness between my thighs. I go stiff at the feeling and he notices immediately.

He brings his lips over mine and gently kisses me. It's meant to comfort me and ease my anxiety but it only makes me feel like I suddenly can't breathe.

"You ready for me?" His deep voice asks and I nod my head again placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

His body lifts up and he I feel his hand brush against me as it reaches lower.