Chapter 49

I'm spoiling you guys with early updates? Lol, I can't help it. I love you too much not to. Kindly vote by clicking on the ⭐ button below your screen, share and comment your thoughts. I love reading them :-) ❤❤❤

Kara’s POV

Lucas Jamil Davensworth

Born - August 28 1990

Died - December 30 2018

Written on his tomb: ~A lover, brother, friend, son, grandson and great grandson. Survived by fifty two family members.~

“Adrian.” I crouched down to wrap my arms around her. She stiffened, as if frightened but finally relaxed.

“N-no.” Her shoulders heaved as if she was going to shrug me off but thankfully, she didn’t.

“Please honey, it’s time to leave. Please.”

“No Kara. I don’t want to leave yet.”

“You’ve been sitting on the ground here for hours even though the funeral is over. Even his family members have gone home and his mom called me an hour ago that they landed safely.” She looked up at me with tears streaming down her cheeks and nose blotchy.

“Why did they have to bury him so early? They could’ve waited till New Year. It’s just tomorrow.” She croaked, not paying mind to the snot that was running down her nose.

Immediately his family was contacted this morning, those close by — his mom and two of his brothers — came over and buried him, comforting Adrian but also sticking to their decision. His father, other brother, sister and friends were at Philippines and his burial rites, according to their family tradition couldn't be held back for a whole day to await their arrival.

Those that came didn’t argue or show contempt when I explained what happened to Lucas, because Adrian herself couldn’t say a word to them. Instead, his mother hugged Adrian and cried, saying she knew it would be like that, that they had been dreading it for years. He’d had the brain tumor operation twice before when he was much younger and they thought it was gone for good. Only to surface ten years after. The news broke my heart as I listened to the family slowly observe minutes of silence before deciding to bury him two hours after they got here.

“He died young and that’s their family tradition.” I explained glumly. Adrian didn’t hide the contempt she felt at the family’s so-called tradition, gripping tightly onto Lucas’s body before the casket was shut and commanding him to come back to her and give her the life he promised, the life with him in it. Them, together. She even smiled and told him she loved him. All he had to do was come back into her arms. He didn’t.

“Well, fuck their family tradition.” She gritted.

I huffed and looked around at the quiet burial ground, feeling a bit freaked out at the fact that we were alone here. I had told Stephano to concentrate on his work and not come to pick us later on.

He wanted to be sure we were safe and I appreciated the fact that he was being extra caring. Maybe he thought Adrian would grip onto the wheel when I was driving and scream that she wanted to go and meet Lucas wherever he was?

Yes, I was fine and Adrian needed me with her right now, which I explained to him. I needed my total concentration on her. I wouldn’t be selfish. And thankfully he understood immediately.

“You’re coming home with me. I can’t leave you alone right now.”

She nodded and looked around, caressing the flower she had been holding. It was wrinkled and already turned green-brown because she had been holding onto it for so long. I helped her up but with a little struggle.

“Are you sure we can leave?” Her lower lip trembled.

I frowned at her. “Yes...?”

“B-but he’ll be so cold here all by himself. All alone.” Tears brimmed before her eyes again as she spoke in a child-like voice.

I nodded in understanding. My lips pursed together in a grim line. “The caretakers of this place will cement it soon. It has all been arranged.”

I slowly caressed her hands and made her release the squished flower from her tight hold. She looked pained but I still took it and placed it on Lucas’s bed. She looked longingly at the ground where he was buried. Smiling bitterly, she groaned and finally accepted for me to lead her light form out of there. She probably hadn’t eaten in days and I was afraid she would break her neck if she tripped.

Adrian slept off immediately I started the car, occasionally sniffing. I took glances at her often, worry etching on my face as she mumbled to herself calling Lucas and even giggling twice. She was dreaming about him.

My heart wrenched at the sight because of the bitter truth behind that unconscious action. When she wakes up, she will realize once again that there is no Lucas anymore. He is gone, forever and ever.

When you’re alive, love and appreciate. Let people know what you feel about them and if they wronged you in anyway, speak up so it won’t lay decayed inside you while they’re living their normal lives and oblivious to the emotional pain you’re going through. My mind drifted off to Stephano and I felt a dull ache in my chest. If something terrible happened to Stephano, I wouldn’t be able to bear it. Because I was used to his laughter, his smiles, the glint in his eyes whenever I said something he found amusing.

I was used to everything about my Stephano, from the way he usually held me at nights and caressed my body, whispering promises which he usually ended up fulfilling. Calling me the love of his life, the one he always had his mind on at all times, holding my hand often. Doing cheesy stuffs and randomly stealing kisses when he thought I wasn’t noticing the look of love and carnal hunger in his eyes. Hunger for me.

My heartbeat quickened at the thought. My hands gripped the steering wheel as I fought to keep my breath intake in check. The ache increased, surprisingly and my body longed to be in his hold, held lovingly by him as he whispered how he loved me and how he was crazy about me. A groan ripped off my throat and I lightly tapped Adrian after driving in and parking the car.

“Let’s go in.” I whispered and pecked her forehead.

We got in and quickly greeted mama, who responded in her usual cheery tone. She hugged Adrian and whispered something in her ear, to which Adrian nodded and kissed her on the cheek before we left the kitchen.

Sleeping with her during this time would be a great idea. She needed company and all the love she could get. We stopped in front of the guest room which she’d been occupying all these while and I decided it wouldn’t be a guest room anymore but her permanent room whenever she was around. “I thin-”

Adrian faced me and bit on her lower lip, as if knowing what I wanted to ask. “Can I be alone for a while Kara?”

I sucked in a hurried breath. “Adrie, I don’t thin-”

“Please. I-i need to be alone. I won’t try anything silly. Also, you don’t have to come and check on me every second. Okay?” Her tone was soft but firm, bidding no argument.

I nodded. “Fine. Be good.”

Pecking her forehead, I watched her enter her room and shut it. She had bathing necessities there already and a few spare clothes she had kept there over the time she had slept over.

I quickly went to my room to take a shower and changed into comfy clothes before going to check on Stephano. It was noon already and tonight was New Year’s Eve, but the atmosphere was gloomy. We wouldn’t be celebrating anything this noon, not when Adrian was mourning. Stephano already contacted his family and they sent their condolence but Danielle, Andre and Diego would be coming anyway.

Since we knew each other, she had been here twice over the New Year’s Eve and she would be the one to crack everyone in the house up with her funny jokes, assist mostly in decoration of the house and happily preparing the meals with mama. She would even assist me in calling the guests Stephano wanted to invite over but this year would be different.

Immediately I dried the edges of my hair and packed it into a lazy bun, my mind drifted off to Stephano for the umpteenth time. His captivating icy blues had been invading my mind since the past one hour, even till I was under the shower.

What was he doing right now? Did he know we were back?

I contemplated on either going in to see him or just sitting in my room; then going down for a bit later on. Diego and Andre were still coming tonight because I didn’t have the strength to call them and explain that we canceled the party. Maybe I would tell them the reason, so they wouldn’t have to wonder. Also, they would wonder where my loud obnoxious friend was and obviously ask if she was out of the country.

I didn’t knock when I approached his room. He looked up at me and his tendrils flew over to the top of his hair in a thrilling way. I licked my lower lip and softly shut the door.

“Kara?”

“Hey.” I murmured, looking at the work spread before his table. “You’re quite the busy one.”

He nodded. “How was it?”

He pushed himself back and threw his hands backward, resting his head in his palms. I watched the muscles in his upper arms flex and took a raspy breath. He looked so yummy I wanted to jump him and ravishing him wholly. Then his question registered and the heat growing in me mellowed, before finally dying.

I took a seat before him. “Sad.”

“How is she?”

“She’s a mess. Keeps mumbling about him and talking to him like he’s still here. I-I’m scared for her Stephano.” Tears brimmed before my eyes and I sucked in a harsh breath, struggling to keep my cool. But could I really keep my cool in front of Stephano? I couldn’t.

His expression softened. “Come here baby.”

He opened his arms and I slowly walked into it, getting on his lap to straddle him.

He held my cheeks and made me look into his eyes. He adjusted my parted legs on his thighs, holding my butt cheeks and massaging them before taking his hands off when he was probably convinced I wouldn’t fall off.

“Hey.”

“Hi.” I mumbled, staring into his alluring icy blues.

“She’ll be fine. She isn’t just your friend for no reason. She is also strong and bold like you and just needs time to heal.”

“Hmmm. She demanded for privacy.” I stated faintly.

“Everyone needs privacy baby. When she comes around, she’ll talk to you. Give her time to mourn.”

“Sure. Have you eaten?”

His eyes darkened. He looked down at my lips and back at my eyes. “I still haven’t taken you on our first real date, even though it was on Christmas that I asked you to be mine.”

I groaned. He was talking about our date when I was concerned about whether or not he had eaten since morning. “Stephano, have you eat-” He captured my lips with his, hot and demanding. Also loving, as if afraid I would break. The loving act he put into everything always left me in awe. When he pulled back, his eyes glinted with happiness.

“I haven’t had anything all day, sincerely.” He looked like a little boy confessing his sins.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Stephano we discussed this. You shouldn’t joke with your stomach and stay coped up in your room all day, talk less all week. Will you be like this when I return to school after the New Year celebration is over?”

His expression changed. He cleared his throat. “I’ll do better from now on, my darling Kara, my little mother.”

“Acting like your mother for some minutes while scolding you is sometimes worth it.” I giggled.

“I love it when you show you care and I think you should show it more. Life isn’t this oblivious Kara.” He murmured and I frowned. What did he mean by life wasn’t this oblivious? I looked down at his chest.

“I care. Don’t I show it through my doting and my loving caresses? Or through my kisses and longing gaze at you? Not to talk of my protective and sometimes possessive ways?” I asked him sincerely, bringing my eyes up to him.

Maybe it was due to exhaustion or what had happened to Lucas, I had no idea but I suddenly didn’t feel like keeping my feelings from him again. What if tomorrow was too late? What if something bad happened to me and he didn’t get to know how I felt?

He never failed to tell me what he was feeling, even to the point where he was horny and rocked himself against me to let me know what my presence alone always did to him.

He also sometimes made confessions to me at night, when he thought I was sleeping, saying he gets really turned on when I’m beside him and he can’t wait till the first night we make love. Telling me he wants to be buried inside me and even proving this by rocking himself against me and once relieving himself while caressing my face at night, before washing up and laying back on the bed to slowly kiss me till his breath evened out and he slept off.

Those nights, I usually couldn’t sleep too because I wanted just what he wanted. The only difference was that he confesses hid feelings and desires for me immediately while I don’t. I change the topic all the time.

“Do you now see I care?” I raised a brow.

He looked stunned for a second, and then a heart stopping smile split his face into two as he looked at me. “I missed you.”

My heart fluttered. Of course he did, judging by the constant nuzzling of his nose in my neck and constant face pecking. “I did too.”

“I know you’re worried about her but she’ll be fine. Tell me something.”

“Hmm?”

“Have you ever envisioned your future? Like getting married, having cute Kara juniors running around and having to face life responsibilities...”

I cleared my throat, feeling my neck grow hot as he randomly placed kisses along my jaw. “Y-yes I have.”

“Really?” His lips left my cheek to gaze intently into my eyes. “Tell me.”

“It’s nothing big. Just me wondering if there’s a happy ever after for me and if a man will come and sweep me off my feet like mama and Adrian tells me about in books and movies.”

“Hmm. Okay.”

“Why’d you ask?” I held his face and felt his stubbles. “Tell me, baby.” I murmured softly. I adjusted myself on his thighs. He clenched his teeth and shut his eyes, as if in severe pain.

“Wait, do you even know how much torture it is for me, with you sitting here when I want to poke my head between your thighs and drive you to ecstasy?”

“Hmmm. I would love that.” I slowly rocked against him and felt warmness rolling off against my core.

Stephano looked taken aback, but then relaxed. “One has to be the rational person here and since I am turning you into a horny girl with our constant cuddling and how I can’t get my hands off you, I’ll have to be rational one.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” He trailed his hand down my stomach and into my sweatpants. I couldn’t even stop him, so I just watch his every movement with droopy eyes, leaning into him.

“It means, over the eightish months or thereabout that we’ve gotten together, you’ve started looking at me like I’m a snack you want to devour.” He smirked. Then smiled. For the umpteenth time in my life since I discovered my feelings for Stephano, my heart stopped at the sight of his smile. He looked so beautiful, so happy and content.

“Stephano?” I breathed.

“Right in your arms, love.” His smirk grew. My feminine parts tingled at the constant use of endearment.

“I-i....” I panted, enjoying his thumb which was slowly gliding over my sensitive flesh in my pantie.

“Hmm?” He stopped his caresses on my bare flesh and pulled out his hand.

“Actually, what I’m trying to say is that, I-i, uhm I-” A knock sounded on the door. “Oh. I’ll get tha-”

“No Kara. Tell me. What were you about to say?” He stared at me so intensely I felt like he could see right through me. The knocking increased. I tried to get off his lap but he held me firmly and gripped my butt cheeks firmly as if something would drag me away from him if he loosened his hold.

“Go away. I’m busy with Kara right now. We’ll be out when we’re done.”

I slapped his arm. “Stephano, that was rude!”

He shrugged casually. “No it’s not, babe. What were you saying?” He went in for my neck and bit me slowly, sucking on it.

“I-”

“Kara, I’m here, with you and in your hold. Just ask me what you want to ask and be confident about it. I’m right here.” His words gave me a boost of confidence. A part of me was scared but a more dominant part was confident.

“I...okay.” I took a deep breath. “IloveyouStephano.”

His eyes widened. His hold on my waist tightened. “Come again?”

“I, I love you Stephano.” My eyes became blurry; the words felt so natural as if I was meant to forever say them to him and him alone. I had never said those words to a guy before. Just to my late dad and mama— also to Adrian, but not with this emotion.

“Kara... Baby, really?” He looked unsure. My heartbeat quickened. I opened my mouth to speak but then shut it. I’d probably given him the idea that I didn’t love him by acting as if I didn’t totally care all these while, and now he wasn’t so sure of my feelings.

“Yes Stephano. I’ve loved you since but...I’ve never said that word to anyone and I...was scared, I don’t know why.”

“I’ve got you honey. The emotion is strong and sometimes overwhelming, so you were probably confused for a very long time.” His warm lips met with my forehead. I laughed at what he said, reading the deep meaning in it.

“You’ve always got me and understood me the most, even when I was a teenager and made reckless decisions.” I kissed him tenderly till he started moving his lips more vigorously over mine and tugged on his hair, eliciting a groan of pleasure from him. I remembered all those times I would go to clubs with my high school friends and sometimes get drunk. He would come to pick me himself in my drunken state but when I finally woke up, he was never usually there. The faint memories brought a small smile to my lips.

“I loved you since you we’re a baby and I’ve even been your guardian angel.” He winked and I stared at his plump lips.

“I love you too. I just don’t know when or how. You bring out the best in me and drive me crazy at the same time.” I licked my lower lip. I gripped his hair and kissed him slowly, etching each lip caress to memory as I urged him to open his mouth to which he did. Our tongues met. It felt totally perfect. I was lost in the bliss.

“Tell me you love me again.”

“I love you.”

“Again baby.” His eyes shone with gladness that had my heart lurching into my throat.

“I love you Stephano. So freaking much and, I don’t know what I’ll do if something happened to you and- and you don’t know how I feel about that Stephano. Gosh, I can’t bear to lose you.” I dabbed at my forehead and hugged him tightly.

“I know exactly how you feel.” He hugged me close to him. I got off his laps and led him to the bed, making him lie on it. I wanted him, but just as he said, we needed to be rational.

Having any form of sexual activity when someone in the same house as you was mourning wasn’t the best idea, best friend or not. Still, I climbed beside him with my phone in hand. I snuggled up to him and listened to the calm beating of his heart.

I clicked on my phone and started playing ‘Perfect’ by Ed Sheeran.

He wasn’t perfect and neither was I. But what we had between us was perfect.

And that was all that really mattered.

*

Finally, she told him how she feels.

If you love me too, you can tell me how you feel. Lol.

Your girl,

Hephzibah. ❤❤