"You want to make an arrangement?" With raised eyebrows Maddox looked at her. His tattooed arms were leaning on the desk, an expensive looking pen nonchalantly between his fore and middle finger.
Dana sat on the chair at the other side of the desk, her back straight, her head held up high. "Yes. I want it in writing."
It was a bold move, she knew that very well. She wasn't exactly in the position to make demands, to insist on a counterpart but at the moment there was more to gain than to lose.
"And what would be in that arrangement?"
"You have to include that Kip will donate his seed voluntarily and that he will renounce paternity, and that you will take care of the child and consider it as your own. The three of us all need to sign it."
Maddox held her glance, calculating. She knew he would agree with these measures and that an official looking document would contribute to the idea that they both wanted this – that they were really going to build a family. But he was no fool; he knew she wasn't doing him a favor just for nothing.
"And what else?" he asked.
"I want you to let him go once the child is born. I want you to take him back to the mainland, leaving him alone. There is nothing he can tell the others, we've already told the club everything we know about this place and that was nothing."
He studied her face for a while. "You really want this? Losing your only friend? I know he's your shoulder to cry on."
"Isn't that a role you should fulfill, once we start a family together?" She didn't try to flatter him; her tone was cold and matter-of-factly. "I know that you want to be the father of our child, Maddox. And we both know you will never bear the thought that the sire of your son or daughter will walk freely in our house. So you would want to kill him, and I'm done with losing the people I love. Just do me a favor for once and set him free. And not in a spiritual way – set him literally free. Breathing and healthy. Alive. As a compensation of what he is giving to you – a child. A family. For he obviously doesn't want to sleep with me."
A few long seconds passed by.
"Fine," he said eventually. "I agree. I will drop the boy in Charming once the child is born."
"You really think he will keep his word?" Kip sighed that same night. The three of them had signed the agreement Maddox had made, with the demands Dana had pointed out.
"I do," she said honestly. "Sometimes he makes promises he doesn't fulfill, but that's because these are all word games to him. But signing an agreement... that means something to him. His honor will not allow him to violate it."
Kip stared her in the eye thoughtfully. "Well, I guess only time will tell."
Dana nodded slowly. A little awkwardly they sat next to each other on the edge of the bed. They both knew why they were here, what Maddox was expecting from them. And although Dana had longed for intimacy with him, it felt anything but comfortable now. Their feelings might be mutual, but it was hard to ignore the fact that this had never happened without Maddox's interference.
His hand glided across hers as he looked up to her. "I would hate to leave without you. And not only without you, also without the kid... without my kid."
"I know." Her thumb stroked across his. "But we also know that both you and the baby will be in danger when you stay here. I – I can't lose another child. Maddox needs to learn to love the child and I can't see that happen when you are around, when you constantly remind him of the fact that it wasn't his seed that gave life."
"Yeah... you're probably right."
An awkward silence fell. In the past those silences had never been there, but the situation was so ridiculous that neither of them knew how to deal with it. Maybe they should stop talking – maybe they had to let go of their words and search for the feelings that were there, despite everything.
Dana decided to take the initiative. She straddled on his lap and laid a hand against his cheek to raise his head. She read the doubt in his eyes, the pain because they were forced to do this.
"I don't know if I can do this Dane," he whispered. "I hate it. I hate this."
"You have to stop thinking that it's Maddox who's forcing us into this," she answered quietly. "You told me you were in love with me and I have feelings for you too. It's not only Maddox who is using us, we are also using him to be together. He believes that he's breaking us by forcing us to have sex, but we've done it before, Kip. We wanted this before he came up with this crazy plan. We are the ones playing him, baby. Think about it that way."
She saw that he wanted to raise a protest; that he would never give up his child in other circumstances, but Dana didn't want to hear it – she had to believe this truth, otherwise she would break. Softly she pressed her lips against his, and after a short hesitation he kissed her back.
For a long time they were just kissing. First hesitating, later more determined, more passionate. Tinglings danced across her skin as his hand glided underneath her shirt. His eyes searched for hers, doubting like this was their first time. She showed him a shaky smile, where after their lips reconnected. She closed her eyes while his hands were continuing their exploration – and she loved his touch, she enjoyed his hands around her breasts, his fingers softly pulling her nipples. Her breathing sped up when they both took off their shirts and the straps of her bra slid down her arms.
Kip rolled her on her back and leaned over her, his lips gliding down her neck, her breasts, around her nipples. Dana had the feeling she was on fire – and for the first time in months she enjoyed the feeling. She wanted more, she wanted all of him. She fiddled on his pants, he on hers, and a slight smirk crossed her lips as her hand glided inside his boxers and folded around his erection.
"I want you inside me," she whispered. "I want you inside me baby."
Again there was that hesitation in his eyes. A battle was still raging inside him and she wanted him to let go of his doubts, she wanted him to surrender to her. Softly but compelling she started to jerk him off, meanwhile kissing him and leaving teasing bite marks in his shoulder. His fingers intertwined with her hair while he struggled out of his pants and laid himself on top of her. The pressure of his warm body was wonderful and her hands moved across his torso, being aware of all the weight he had lost.
"You're still hot," she whispered, knowing his long imprisonment had destroyed his confidence.
He looked up, in his blue eyes his conflicted feelings were still gleaming.
"Surrender yourself baby," she said softly. "We deserve this, this little bit of love. Nobody can blame us, all people we know would have done the same if they had been in our situation."
Even Juice, she knew. For he had sought comfort at someone else too.
He held her glance for moment, then he nodded. His fingers were trembling as he moved them between her legs, touching her hesitantly. She smiled, pressing kisses to his lower lip, softly sucking it now and then.
She laced her fingers with those of his free hand and squeezed. His hand glided away from her waist and stroked her cheek.
"Does this really feel nice for you?" he asked softly.
"I love your touch," she said honestly, rubbing her waist against his. His fingers wandered across her breast as he positioned himself better between her legs. Softly he pressed his manhood against her entrance.
She pulled up her knees and stroked his back. His lips touched her forehead as he pushed himself deeper inside her. It felt a little sore, but the pain paled with all the times Maddox had been inside her. As she turned her head to the side, he kissed her neck and slowly thrust inside her. Her stomach cramped as her eye caught the tattoo on his arm – the reaper, the same tattoo Juice had on his arm. For a moment his face was all she could see; his half open mouth, his dark eyes that always looked at her like she was the most beautiful being on earth, and she could hear his dark voice as he whispered how fucking good it felt. As the tears pressed against her eyelashes, she squeezed her eyes.
"Am I – am I hurting you?" Kip stopped moving immediately. "You don't like this at all."
"I do," she said softly. Her voice sounded fragile. "Precisely because it feels good, I was reminded of Juice." She blinked the tears away.
He bent over until his face was leaning against his shoulder. "I can't do this Dane. I'm sorry," he whispered.
A shiver traveled through her body as the tears dripped on her skin. His tears, this time.
"You want me to take the lead?" she asked, raking a hand through his blonde hair.
They had to pull through – they had no choice.
"Okay," he said quietly, his face still pressed against her skin.
She wrapped her arms around him, holding him for a long time until they had both pulled themselves together again. Then she rolled him over so she was on top and started to kiss his chest, his stomach, his hips and eventually his member, which she stroked softly until it became hard again. Slowly she lowered herself on it, until it completely filled her. Kip looked up to her and she gave him an encouraging smile while she started to move her hips. His breathing fell heavier as she rode him slowly, his fingers reaching out for her breasts, playing with her nipples.
Dana moaned softly – there was no need to fake her sounds. It felt good, she enjoyed it, and she closed her eyes as he laid his hands on her hips, grabbing her a little more determined.
As a moan slipped his lips too, she opened her eyes again. His were closed, his lips parted a little. A tenderly smile crossed her face and she sped up her pace until his fingers were digging in her flesh and his body started to jolt. For a little while she continued, then she laid down on his chest and felt safe in his arms. His lips quivering as he kissed her temple.
The silence between them was vibrating with heat, but neither of them made an attempt to break it, as if it would chase away the little bit of magic that was floating in this room now. After all, she knew what would happen the moment Kip left the room – then Maddox would want to love her too.
"Stay with me a little longer," she whispered eventually without lifting her head from his chest.
"As long as you want," he answered softly as his finger tips glided up and down her spine. "Besides, I'm not done with you yet."
A slight smirk crossed her lips as she kissed his shoulder. "That's what I like to hear."
He rolled her on her back. As she looked up to him, there was more colour on his face than in the past days and she stroked his cheek. "Well... make this girl go wild now like a true Son."
He showed her the first smirk in months. "Yes ma'me." Then he dipped his head and kissed her chest and further down to her waist. Dana closed her eyes as she felt his tongue and lips moisten her most intimate parts and for the first time this year she curved her back and squeezed the blankets because of the pleasure rolling over her.
Her lips however were pressed together, so nobody outside this room would ever know how much she enjoyed this.