WELCOME TO MAX SEC

[Matt Delaney]

Sun 24th June – 5.15pm

The sound of Maroon 5 filled the interior of Matt's SUV. The lyrics of the song were in perfect keeping with his black mood if he’d been paying any attention as he sat drumming his fingers on the steering wheel but he was oblivious to the music; the radio was on simply to provide background noise and lower his stress levels. The thoughts currently playing havoc with his default setting of self-obsessed narcissist centered around his ex-wife while his sullen gaze remained fixed on the front of her apartment building.

Despite their paths crossing daily at work they hadn’t exchanged a single word with one another for months, not since Faith had lost her shit with the prison librarian after taking it into her head Matt was banging her. He wasn’t as it happened though given half a chance he would've jumped the bespectacled woman’s bones in a heartbeat. Sadly, the opportunity never arose as she’d packed in her job and moved on shortly after the incident with Faith. It hadn’t bothered him that Faith had undoubtedly been the reason she'd split town just as he wasn’t unduly concerned about the dirty looks and silent treatment he’d been subjected to as some kind of penance for whatever it was she'd deemed him guilty of. Matt was his own man and answerable to no one, particularly not some hormonal bitch who thought just because they’d once been married it gave her the right to tell him where he could and couldn’t stick his dick.

However, the same didn’t hold true in reverse. He could care less who fucked his ex-wife so long as they didn’t get any ideas of sticking around. The thought of her moving on and god forbid actually remarrying someone who could give her everything he couldn’t or wouldn’t was not an option. Period. Hence the reason he’d been sitting here for the past hour and a half waiting for her to appear with her new beau. The asswipe had been picking her up at the dock after work, enjoying cosy candle-lit dinners for two at Davenports and taking romantic strolls along the beach. It looked for all the world like they might actually be in love and contemplating a future together. Fuck that. Matt was here to tell the schmuck it was time to move on, permanently.

Just as his patience was about to run out Faith appeared with lover boy in tow. Matt got out and slammed the car door so hard he almost took it off its hinges.

The pair were so engrossed in each other they didn’t even notice him stride across the parking lot and the guy stared back at him in stunned surprise when Matt poked him squarely in the chest and snarled. “I see you anywhere near my wife again I’ll make you wish you’d never been born, now fuck off out my sight.”

The man hesitated for a split second then opened his mouth to speak only to feel the muzzle of Matt’s glock jammed hard against his right kidney.

“What part of fuck off don’t you understand?”

Matt’s icy expression was enough to convey the point he was trying to make and with an unhappy glance at Faith the man began to back away with his hands held high lest the crazy bastard with the gun decide he wasn’t taking him seriously.

Matt watched the guy scurry off as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Really? That the best you can do Rothy?" he murmured, sticking his gun back in the waistband of his jeans and shrugging his shoulders at Faith's pissed off expression.

“Hey, you had your meltdown moment on the ferry, I had mine here in the parking lot, now we’re even.” he said nonchalantly, “So, you got plans for tonight or do I get invited in?”

Regardless of whether an invite was forthcoming or not Matt was going in. Placing his hand under Faith’s elbow he started walking purposefully toward the entrance.

“Hope you got some beers in the fridge, I’m parched.”

[Faith Roth]

Faith glanced over at Lewis. He smiled back at her and slid his arm around her waist with the palm of his hand resting against the small of her back. For the past month they’d been seeing each other. They’d met at Davenports where Faith worked part time in the VIP rooms. Lewis was in no way affiliated with the VV or Manfried. He worked had at the magistrates office as the clerk of court. From the moment Faith had first seen him she’d known there was a spark. They way he’d looked back at her, from across the room had charmed her even more so his soft genteel manner. It had taken several dates for Faith to realize that he wasn’t another ‘Matt’ but a genuine nice guy and chivalry wasn’t dead after all. Things were going well and they were spending more and more time together.

She hadn’t put out on the first date but Lewis hadn’t expected her two. It wasn’t until the fifth date that she gave in to desire and invited him into her bed. He was as different than Matt as it was possible to be. He was kind and generous whereas Matt was harsh and demanding. Faith was still torn between the two men despite how much she was growing to care for Lewis, there were still those same underlying feelings she had for her ex husband. They were there just under the surface but far from thought when she was with Lewis.

As far as Faith knew Matt had moved on to another victim now that the little librarian had pissed off out of town. Good riddance Faith thought. She and Matt had been making some progress, not a lot, but some and Faith had been hopeful that her sticking with Matt for so long that he’d change. He hadn’t and she’d met Lewis. Their dinner that evening was enjoyable as it always was and they were strolling along the beach on the way back to Faith’s apartment. She’d invited him to spend the remained of the night with her and he’d accepted with a passion kiss. Pulling back she skimmed her fingers over his cheek before they’d resumed their walk back to her place. What she wasn’t expecting upon their return was one very pissed off Matt.

She reached out with the intention of resting her hand on Lewis’ arm when Matt produced a gun. Her eyes widened and she lowered her hand slowly and measuredly so as not to make Matt any more trigger happy than he appeared to be. He stated plainly that she was his wife. She was elated and irritated by it at the same time, warring emotions flicked in her gaze as she stared wide eyed at her ex.

Lewis didn’t stammer but he spoke firmly reassuring Faith that he’d be back at a later date or that he’d call her. Faith watched with a fallen expression as he scurried off and Matt returned his gun from where he’d placed it. Her eyes slowly made their way from Lewis’ retreating back to Matt. He had some fucking nerve, she thought to herself as he insulted her choice in men.

”Best I can do? Far better than you,” she volleyed back. Matt didn’t give her a chance to defend Lewis and she would have without hesitation but he was inviting himself inside her apartment and now leading her in that direction. She glared at his hand at her elbow and jerked her arm away from him. ”Is it your lifes mission to make me miserable? Cause it's working! Lewis is a good man, I like spending my time with him.”

”I had plans but now....well...they’re cancelled, thanks to you and your acting like an ass, as per usual.” Faith wasn’t impressed but the words my wife kept filtering through her mind and she couldn’t for the life of her get rid of them, she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to.

The feeling left her scowling at him as they neared the door of her apartment. Faith dug her heels in there and turned to face Matt, her hand resting lightly on the doorknob. ”If I let you in will you act like you’ve got some sense? No more of this craziness?” The look in her eyes pleaded with him, ”Cause honestly? I can’t keep doing this with you. You’re messing with my head and it’s not right.”

Enough said on that topic and Faith unlocked her door and opened it, stepped inside and wearily motioned for Matt to come in. She had a feeling she was going to regret inviting him in. ”Beers in the fridge, mind grabbing one for me while you’re in there?” She’d be damned if she was waiting on him. He wasn’t her husband, hadn’t been for a long time, he could wait on her for a change.

[Matt Delaney]

Faith’s umbrage along with her half-assed protests rolled off Matt like water off a duck’s back.

“Better than me? That spineless pussy? Don’t make me laugh!” he sneered, arching an eyebrow at her in a look of breath-taking arrogance. “You should be thanking me for saving you from a night of nauseating boredom with that muppet. He hardly comes across as the type of guy who’d set your sheets alight and make you scream til you're hoarse. Unlike moi.” he added with a mock bow.

Her token effort to pussywhip him into shape when they reached her door brought forth another loud snort of derision. “Faith, honey when are you gonna learn that people can only mess with your head if you let them. Stop being such a drama queen and open the fucking door.”

Once inside the apartment he stood in the middle of the hallway, hands on hips, gazing around like a landlord inspecting his property after evicting a trailer-trash tenant. Faith pretended not to notice and flounced on ahead into the living-room calling out to him to bring her a beer.

“Yes, ma’am.” he muttered under his breath with a smirk and walked right past the kitchen door to boldly venture into the private sanctum of her bedroom.

As he slowly panned the room the smirk slid from his face and his jaw tensed. It was one thing imagining his ex-wife in bed with another guy but quite another when confronted by tangible evidence of their tawdry little affair. He sniffed the air territorially and frowned with displeasure at the whiff of male cologne mingled with the familiar scent of Faith’s perfume. His cold gaze fell on the neatly pressed shirt laying on top of the chest of drawers and he snatched it up. “Prick!” he hissed in disdain before stomping back down the hallway to the kitchen. “Fuck sake!” he let out a pained sigh on inspecting the contents of the fridge only to find some poncy foreign brand instead of regular American beer. Tossing the shirt in the garbage he grabbed one of the offending beers for Faith and stalked into the living-room.

“Your boyfriend's shit taste extends all the way from cheap ebay cologne to Frog catpiss beer. Stella fucking Artois. Only thing the French are good at is running away from a fight. By the way, if Lewis is looking for his Walmart shirt, it’s in the trash.”

He handed Faith her beer on his way over to her drinks cabinet where he proceeded to pour himself a generous measure of JD before plunking himself down next to her.

“So, are we done with the deep freeze treatment or are you still pissed at me?” Taking a long sip of his drink he ran his tongue over his lips and winked. “Play your cards right, Rothy and you might be lucky enough to have a real man driving you wild tonight. Sound good...mmm?”

Shrugging out of his leather jacket he slung it over the back of the couch where it landed on the floor. Then he undid the top three buttons of his shirt and stretched his legs out in front of him before propping them up on the smoked glass coffee-table. His arm slid around Faith's neck and his lips brushed her ear.

“Miss me?” he whispered, the cockiness in his voice indicating anything other than a ‘God, yes!’ would be the wrong answer.

[Faith Roth]

The time that Faith had spent away from Matt and with Lewis she’d gained back a small fraction of the self esteem she’d had beat out of her by her ex husband. She was in a better plan than she’d been in months and things were looking up. Until now.

Unexpectedly Matt had shown back up in her life like a bad habit. She should have told him to piss off but this was Matt and she had a weakness for him, regardless of the hell he’d put her through time and time again. She was a glutton for punishment! Matt’s belittling Lewis rubbed her the wrong way. ”It’s not about sex with Lewis. It’s more than that. I really care about him, now show some fucking respect.”

Faith didn’t seem to think that she was being a drama queen but Matt was certainly being a twat. She sighed heavily and instead of giving him a verbal what for she gave him a sweet smile then she flipped him the bird, chuckling under her breath as she walked back inside her apartment.

Mat followed her inside and she expected him to make a beeline for the beer that waited for him in the kitchen. Matt didn’t go to the kitchen but made a change of plans last minute and headed off in the direction of her bedroom. Faith knew exactly what he’d find in there and she counted off the seconds on one hand, she’d only gotten to three before she heard Matt skulking back down the hall towards her.

He didn’t show up right away so she assumed he stopped off in the kitchen for beer. He came back with a beer and she took it from him with a heavy sigh and watched him, her gaze lingering appreciatively on his back as he made himself a drink from the small wet bar in the corner. When Matt turned back to face her she was sipping at her foreign beer, thoroughly enjoying it and trying not to laugh at the look on her exes face, it was priceless.

More insults centered on Lewis spewed from Matt’s lips and she was unable to stop the smirk from rising to her own as she peered at Matt, now seated next to her on her couch. ”Sounds like someone is jealous.” Even if it wasn’t Matt was not going to like her accusing him of jealous, not when he still clung to his i-don’t-give-a-shit attitude towards her.

”I happen to think that Lewis smell good. It’s sexy and he has impeccable taste in clothes. You don’t have to like them, I do and that’s what matters. If you don’t have something nice to stay shut your damn mouth I don’t want to hear it. Things are going well for me. For once.”

Believe it or not if Matt tried hard enough he could be a charming man, which was exactly what Faith was thinking when he’d first asked if she were still mad at him and at that point in time she wasn’t. ”Yeah we’re done. You just...you bring out the worst in me sometimes, that’s all.”

Then Matt had to open his mouth and ruin the moment. What was wrong with him! Faith was livid. Matt was lounged out on her couch as if were the king of the fucking castle. Apparently someone forgot to mention that there was already a queen in residence. Faith jumped to her feet with her hands on her waist glaring down at Matt, covered in foreign beer. ”I had a real man you fuck! You scared him off!” she railed at him. She upended her beer dumping it’s contents over Matt’s head. ”You need to cool off!”

[Matt Delaney]

“Pfft! Jealous of that spineless cretin? Please!” Matt rolled his eyes disdainfully. As far as he was concerned this Lewis guy was a nobody who was punching well above his weight trying to bag a woman like Faith. He swirled the liquid around in his glass, pausing it mid-way to his lips when Faith leaped to the guy’s defense and warned Matt not to mess things up now she'd gotten her life back on track.

“Faith, he’s history." he said sharply. "I wasn’t kidding around. If I catch him sniffing around you again it’ll be the last thing he ever does.”

Matt wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or not but his normally submissive ex appeared to have acquired somewhat of a feisty attitude from somewhere. He suppressed a sigh of irritation as she refused to be mollified and continued to harp on at him about shit he couldn't care less about. When she finally thawed out a little, like a typical woman she threw it all on him like he was the root of all her problems.

“I don’t bring out the worst in you. Mousy little librarians do that without any help from me. What was the deal with that? A touch of the old green-eye monster…hmm?” A grin tugged on his lips and he gave her a playful nudge.

She seemed to loosen up a bit so he proceeded full steam ahead with his uniquely unsubtle brand of seduction. It had always worked like a charm in the past where Faith was concerned so there was no reason to suppose it would fail him now.

How wrong could he be?

One minute she was sitting right where he wanted her, a couple more drinks and several kisses away from getting her brains fucked out, the next she was a screaming dervish pouring her bottle of beer over him. Matt stared back at her for half a second, his jaw hanging open, too stunned to speak but the ice cold liquid trickling down his neck soon jolted him to his senses. Springing up from the couch he hurled the contents of his glass in her face.

“Stupid fucking bitch!” he spat, incensed. His features twisted in fury he flung the glass across the room where it shattered in a million pieces against the wall.

“Christ, I can't believe I actually thought you were too much woman for a jerk like that pansy ass boyfriend of yours to handle. The pair of you are fucking welcome to each other.” he sneered. “I’m going for a shower then I’ll get Tori to bring me a change of clothes and I’ll be out of here. Unlike you, Tori knows ways to please me you couldn’t even imagine in your wildest fucking dreams.”

Too livid to fuck about with buttons he ripped his shirt clean off and lobbed it at Faith. “Here’s a present for your boyfriend!”

With a withering look he spun on his heel and stormed out the door leaving a trail of discarded clothes along the hallway en route to the bathroom.

[Faith Roth]

Matt was intentionally pushing her buttons for no other reason than because he knew that he could. She was a pushover, or she had been. Between Jack up and bailing on her so unexpectedly and her and Matt making some headway just to have that whore of a librarian come between them, she’d toughened up a bit. There was only so much a woman could take before enough got to be enough. Instead of getting frustrated, thinking that was how Matt would expect her to react she smiled sweetly at him. ”You’re jealous,” she reiterated with a smirk.

And that was that. Matt spoke the truth, she could see it in his eyes. She’d seen the last of Lewis, right when things were going well. She frowned and leveled her gaze on him. ”I see. So you don’t want me but you don’t want anyone else to have me either. That’s not fair, Matt.” It wasn’t fair but she doubted that was going to mean much to Matt.

He was completely clueless when it came to her and what she’d lived through over the last several months. She was shaking her head disbelievingly at him. Matt really was a piece of work and no matter how much she may have changed since she’d last spent any length of time with him he hadn’t changed, not one damn bit.

”You want the truth? Yeah I was jealous. I mean....Matt.....we were doing okay weren’t we? I really thought we were going to give it another try then she came into the picture. I kinda got push out. It hurt.” Being so honest about her feelings was leaving her feeling incredibly vulnerable but it she wasn’t going to sugar coat anything. Not anymore.

The moment Matt got to his feel Faith shrank back from him. She above anyone knew what he was capable of doing when angered and boy was he angry. She’d reacted first and thought secondly but she was hurting and had to lash out sometime. Now Matt was going to lash out right back at her and it wasn’t going to be pretty.

Faith felt she deserved to have his beer flung in her face and she wiped her face to clear it of the liquor trailing down her face. His glass was flung, hit he wall and shattered. Faith damn near jolted out of her skin. She took a step back and away from him. Matt was a violent man and her actions were like awaking a sleeping giant. Faith didn’t know what he was going to do and she prepared herself for a strike that never came.

Instead Matt ripped off his shirt. Faith gasped softly and wished that she hadn’t but let’s face it no matter his anger issues Matt was a drop dead gorgeous man. Faith stared wide eyed at him and his buttonless shirt was thrown at her. He was stalking off leaving a trail of clothing behind announcing his destination as her shower.

Faith followed after him like a chastised puppy and gathered up his clothes into her arms clinging to them. She stopped just inside the bathroom door and she cleared her throat to announce her presence. ”I’m sorry. I reacted badly. You were pushing my buttons I kinda lost it.” She didn’t like his comment about Tori and questioned him about it, after the fact. ”Are you seeing Hardison now?” Her tone was pained, Faith didn’t bother hiding it.

She placed his clothes carefully on the side of the sink, she’d wash them for him. Faith moved back to the bathroom door and leaning against the door frame. ”I guess he’s not my boyfriend anymore. You kinda chased him off. I’m single....again.” She felt horrible for reacting so badly.

Faith somehow got it in her head that Matt was here to try things again, maybe make them work and she’d been a complete bitch to him. ”Stay with me tonight. Don’t call Tori. I’ve still got some of your clothes, I’ll wash these, just, don’t go okay?”

[Matt Delaney]

Like a faithful spaniel Faith scuttled along in his wake snatching up his clothes as fast as he was shedding them. Never one to accept an apology with good grace he paused to fling his one remaining shoe at her.

“When do you ever react anything else but badly? And you’re always fucking sorry after the fact when it’s too damn late.” he spat venomously, his features tight with anger. When she proceeded to ask if he was seeing Tori in that whiny way of hers that made him want to choke the living daylights out her his temper threatened to get the better of him . “What the fuck business is it of yours who I see?”

The double standards he was guilty of appeared to be lost on him, either that or he was so in love with himself he didn't give a rat's ass. When it came to himself he could screw any female he damn well pleased and it had sweet FA to do with Faith but when the shoe was on the other foot it was an entirely different matter. They might be divorced but he still owned her, body and soul and she'd only be free to move on with her life when he was good and ready to let her.

He slammed the bathroom door in her face but it wasn't long before she took it upon herself to promptly open it again so she could hover, another trait of hers that drove Matt nuts. Whenever he was riled up everyone with a lick of sense right down to the dumbest inmate knew to give him a wide berth but not Faith, fuck no, the aggravating bitch kept right on pushing his buttons until he exploded. Then apologized.

"Why aren't you on the phone begging your sack of shit boyfriend to come back instead of standing there gawking at me?" he sneered, grabbing up the first bottle that came to hand and rigorously soaping himself without a trace of inhibition. Above the hiss of water he heard her say something about being single again now he’d chased off lover boy.

“Boo fucking hoo." he muttered caustically, "Go join a dating agency for losers.”

The next words out of her mouth held his attention and he stared across at her through the steam while deliberating his response.

“Why the fuck would I want to stay the night here when I could be tearing up Tori’s sheets?”

He was bluffing, the only time he ever shared Tori’s bed was when Chev was out of town. Though he was by no means averse to the odd threesomes or moresome. Chev Connors was into some fucked-up shit even Matt was loath to try. He got on great with the guy and enjoyed watching him in action on the Killing Floor but Matt was 110% straight whereas Connors would fuck anything with a pulse right down to the prison dogs and there was video footage to prove it.

“You better make it worth my while.” he growled, still in a stinking mood. “Go get me a towel and not one of those fluffy pink things. Then you can blow me while I decide whether to crash here or call Tori.”

[Faith Roth]

Matt hit the nail on the head with his observation of her. He had her pegged and deep down Faith hated that he know her so well. Maybe, just maybe she hadn’t changed like she’d one thought she had. Faith felt that she was made of sterner stuff than before but apparently she was mistaken and Matt had seen right through her as he always had, it was galling.

He was upset and had every reason to be. Faith had let her anger and frustration at his button pushing get the better of her and she’d upended her beer on him and soaked him. He’d retaliated but that wasn’t enough for him, he was still pissed at her over it. ”Like I said, you bring out the worst in me. And I was just curious who’s bed you were warming this week. I really wish you’d just stop doing that. Why wasn’t I ever enough for you Matt?”

It was painful to think that Matt was sleeping with god knows how many women and it was more hurtful to hear from the source that he was and his saying it wasn’t her business was as good as a confession as far as Faith was concerned. She’d have thought he’d have better taste than to get mixed up with the likes of Tori Hardison. Matt was unlikely to change his ways as a leopard was it’s spots and to ask him to would be not only foolish on her part but an utter waste of time.

Matt may have thought a closed door, in her own apartment no less, was going to keep her out but he was sadly mistaken and she’d flung the door open and watched as he turned on the shower and stepped into the stall. So what if she stared as his ass, he had a nice ass regardless of his being a prick. The longer Faith stood in the doorway of the bathroom the more amusing this entire situation became. Matt was Matt and she should have known that he’d react this way, like a child who’d had his candy taken away, pitching a damned temper tantrum.

”So quickly you forget. You sent him packing. He won’t come around again, he’s probably scared shitless too. And thanks for that by the way. We had something really great going. Now it’s ruined. Hope you’re happy,” Faith grumbled under breath, yet loud enough to be heard over the running water in the shower. ”It’s my apartment and my shower if I want to stare I’m gonna stare.”

Faith resented being called a loser and the reason being that she felt in her heart that she was every much the loser Matt saw her to be and that was upsetting. ”You’d scare them off too, why waste my time? You like seeing me miserable, I know you do. You get off on it, but I’m lonely and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be with someone that wants me.”

She shrugged her shoulder. If Matt wanted to be at Tori’s fucking her he would be. Matt didn’t do anything he didn’t want to do, that was that. ”I call your bullshit. If you wanted to be tearing up her sheets you wouldn’t be in my shower.” Faith grinned feeling as though she’d scored some point, Faith - 1, Matt - 0. Her eyes filled with amusement. Either she could laugh over all this or cry, she’d rather laugh, especially in front of Matt.

Matt was done with his hasty shower and stepping out. Water cascaded over his naked body and Faith eyed him off, clearing her throat and swallowing thickly. He asked for a towel but Faith didn’t bother moving from where she was leaned against the bathroom entryway. ”I’ll make it worth your while to stay but I’m not blowing you. I’m not in the mood.” She grinned wider at him then she plucked a towel from the linen closet inside the bathroom pantry and then she held it behind her back speaking in a playful tone, ”If you want a towel you can come and get it.”

[Matt Delaney]

No one knew better than Matt what a prize bastard he’d been to Faith throughout their short-lived marriage right up to the present day yet it didn’t seem to matter how badly he treated her not only did she willingly take whatever he dished out but inevitably she came running back for more. Her submissiveness only served to fuel his aggression but paradoxically on those occasions when she copped an attitude such as now that too was like a red rag to a bull. Matt knew they were like fire and gasoline but still she held a fascination for him he was unable to resist.

“Fuck you.” Came the grouchy reply when she called bullshit on his claim he could have been rooting around in Tori’s bed as opposed to taking a shower while she looked on.

Swiping soap from his eyes with the back of his hand he cast a sour glance across at her only to be filled with irritation at the bemused expression on her face.

“Something funny?” he muttered, the venom of before now replaced by righteous indignation as he added yet another one of her infuriating traits to the never-ending list. Her sunny disposition in the face of his brooding surliness was guaranteed to irritate the hell out him. Sullen by nature, Matt’s sense of humor was warped and dark and tended to be sparked by things most normal people would find about as amusing as root canal. By stark contrast Faith was able to see the funny side even in the midst of a heated argument.

"Fuck you." he said again, for want of anything more intelligent to say.

Done with his shower he stepped out the stall and advanced toward her with a predatory gait while she hid the towel behind her back and chirped playfully at him to come get it.

"Fuck sake!" he muttered. The capacity for any kind of meaningful conversation clearly eluding him. Her cheerfulness jarred his nerves and he glowered at her oblivious to the fact it was well nigh impossible to pull off the badass look he was aiming for whilst dripping wet and naked as a jaybird.

“You think you’re so fucking smart standing there with that smirk on your face pretending to be all bent outta shape one minute over what a jerk I am then eying me up like a side of prime beefcake the next. You know damn well if you had to choose between lover boy and me I’m the one you’d want riding you like a fucking stallion all night long.” His hand shot out and gripped the back of her neck while rough fingers knotted in her hair and tugged back her head so she was staring directly up at him.

“You want to feel me inside you? Want my hands and mouth all over your body, licking you out and devouring your pussy? There’s not a man on the planet can satisfy you the way I do. Admit it. You want me now just like you’ve always wanted me no matter what other shit’s going on.”

Encircling her wrist with his other hand he wrenched it downwards and mashed her hand against his crotch.

“This what you you can’t get enough of?” A guttural sound came from the back of his throat as he thrust his hips forward and ground himself into her palm.

“Well guess what? You can have it…but first you need to tell me exactly how much you want me.”

His eyes glittered with lust as he claimed her mouth in a savage kiss brutal enough to bruise her lips.

[Faith Roth]

Faith’s gaze skimmed over Matt’s naked form in her shower appreciatively. She’d be damned if she’d hide her interest in him. It wouldn’t make a hill of beans to Matt either way because he was a selfish prick who only cared about himself and no one else, certainly now what she felt for him. Unless it was to use it to his advantage which he was known to do every chance he got. He was a fine man and she was going to enjoy the view while she was able to enjoy it. There was seriously nothing hotter than seeing Matt Delaney wound up.

Soap had gotten into his eyes but that wasn’t why he was cursing her. Faith felt her cursed her because she’d called him on his bullshit and he was unable to deny it. ”Exactly. That’s why you’re here, you want me. Tori is too much of a skank for you. Besides, we both know you like the ones that fight back.” Faith knew Matt better than he knew himself, or so she believed.

She began laughing so hard over this entire scenario that she snorted instead of laughed. It wasn’t very lady like, in fact if anything it was down right belittling. God knows Matt could stand to be taken down a few pegs or two, or four. ”Oh yes. You’re funny. Seems like your bark is worse than your bite. Having an off night Matt?” Faith couldn’t resist pushing a few buttons of her own, he deserved nothing less after the way he’d treated her and continued to treat her.

Seeing Matt Delaney without a ready comeback was thoroughly amusing and her laughter intensified with each passing moment while she watched him. Out of the shower Matt stalked closing the distance between them. For a moment there Faith felt the instinct to flee while she was able to but she didn’t. Instead she held her ground. They were in her apartment therefore she felt she had somewhat of an upper hand here over Matt. This was her territory, not his and the playing field tilted in her direction not his. ”Nice mouth. You need to have it washed out with soap, I volunteer,” she quipped right back at him, grinning from ear to ear.

With Matt standing in front of her Faith minds made a u-turn and headed straight to the gutter. He stood naked as the day he was born in front of her, water sluicing it’s way over his body and her throat went dry watching him. Matt was right, he’d called her out but unlike him and his denying it she admitted it with a sweet smile. ”Truth? Yeah I’d rather you be the one in my bed but you’re not so I gotta get some satisfaction somewhere.” Another snort of laughter escaped her lips and she licked at them while eyeing Matt off.

”Fine. I admit it. I do want you...doing that stuff. No one does it like you do but the funny thing about that is after you’re done? I’m still wanting more. I guess I’m not completely satisfied when you’re done. You should work on that, practice makes perfect and all that.” Now she was intentionally goading him just because she could and she knew it was going to get one helluva rise out of him.

Faith’s fingers grasped hold of him, no shame in her game. If he hadn’t wanted her hand on his dick he wouldn’t have put it there, far be it for her to move it away. With his fingers in her hair and her head whipped back she had no problems looking Matt right in the eye. Her gaze was unwavering as she stared up at him.

”Can’t get enough? Maybe, maybe not. Why don’t you tell me you’re so god damn smart,” she whispered to him, a devilish glint entering her eye. Finally she was given part of what she wanted. A kiss. Not just any kiss but a kiss that meant to devour. Her lips molded against her ex-husbands and she murmured softly against his lips, ”You know that I want you Matt.” Putting the palms of her hands on his shoulders Faith pushed him away from her. ”But wanting and having are two separate things. Why are you fighting this? You want this...me...us.....as much as I do, just admit it.”

[Matt Delaney]

The next morning Matt padded back to the bedroom naked after a quick shower and paused to admire his own reflection in the mirror. Neither he nor Faith had gotten much sleep in the interceding hours as steamy heat of night gave way to dawn in a blur of tangled limbs and frenzied coupling. Cries of lust merged with deep shuddering sighs and climactic moans as they surrendered themselves to pure carnal indulgence devouring each other without restraint. The connection between them however was solely physical as opposed to the close emotional harmony Faith sought. Though able to satisfy her sexually, Matt remained incapable of going beyond that. What they shared was mind-blowingly great sex - not love-making.

Tearing his eyes from the mirror he cast an irritated glance in Faith’s direction. “Thought you said you’d wash my stuff. It’s still strewn all over the bathroom floor. What the hell am I supposed to wear to go home in?”

Quite when she was supposed to have found the time to do laundry whilst romping with him all night appeared to escape him. Taking a sip from the steaming mug of coffee he’d fixed himself he wandered over to stand by the window and peered through the slatted blinds.

“I got an invite to the wedding…assuming it’s still on after the stag do in Vegas.” he smirked, “What Chev and I got planned will make that Hangover movie shit look like a boy scout jamboree. Eric needs his fucking head examined marrying that psycho bitch.” His frown lifted as he added brightly. “Dill pickle says he’s organizing a surprise since it’s on his home turf. Knowing that sick bastard we’ll probably end up swinging naked from the trapeze in Circus Circus.”

Laying the mug of coffee down on the dressing table he wandered back to the bed and plunked himself down. “Yeah, so anyway, make sure you got something decent to wear. Hot but classy, nothing slutty. You’ll be on my arm so it goes without saying I want you to turn heads and show up the bride, though fuck knows that wouldn’t be hard to do.”

Apparently when it came to the wedding Faith had no say in the matter, she was going as his partner, and that was that.

Suddenly in the blink of an eye his over-bearing demeanor changed and a note of concern crept into his tone. “See Damon Knight’s been transferred in to our gaff. Watch him Rothy, don’t ever turn your back on him. Personally, I got no problem with the guy but when it comes to blacks, spics or chicks he’s a dangerous bastard and I don’t want the same thing happening to you as Cavenaugh.” Cupping a hand around her breast he rolled her nipple between thumb and forefinger and attempted to hide his mellower side with a dash of humor. “I mean if he were dumb enough to mess with my wife I’d have to kill him and I really can’t be arsed with the inconvenience of having the entire Aryan Nation on my tail.”

[Faith Roth]

Faith woke long before Matt so much as cracked open an eye. Worn out from the activities of the night before she flipped onto her side to find Matt in a deep sleep. She smiled as she watched him sleeping. When he was at rest he looked peaceful, she knew well that peace would shatter the moment he woke. For now she enjoyed watching him without ridicule. Reaching out carefully she traced a fingertip down his cheek and sighed contentedly. Even if momentarily he was in her bed not someone elses. When he did wake she murmured a sweet good morning to which Matt grunted at her. Chuckling under her breath at him she watched with appreciation as he strolled buck ass naked to the bathroom only to emerge a few minutes later. Her eyes swept over him before settling on his face.

She’d forgotten about washing his clothes, she’d been distracted from seeing to it. She shrugged and replied sleepily, brushing the sleep out of her eyes with the backs of her hands. ”You left a few spare change of clothes, they’re in the back of the closet on the right.” She’d not thrown them out in the hopes that he’d have need of them.

It was on the tip of her tongue to remind Matt why she’d forgotten about his clothes. She was still a little sore from their romp but Faith wasn’t about to complain about it. That would get her nowhere and likely put Matt in a piss poor mood, something she’d like to avoid this morning.

Faith shuddered to think of what would happen in Vegas and she didn’t ask, she didn’t want to know, it would only upset her. ”I’m no fan of Kate’s or Eric’s but don’t cause them unnecessary problems, Matt. In a sick and twisted way they’re right for each other and I actually like Eric. He’s got his moments, kinda like you,” she tacked on at the end, smiling the sweetest smile she could muster at Matt’s back.

She scurried from the bed, as naked as he, and approached Matt from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek lightly against his back. ”Dillon Masters is trouble, I wished you’d leave him be. Invite someone else. Maybe that new Russian fella? Dimitri? Better him then Masters.” Faith simply didn’t like Masters.

Had she heard right? Matt wanted her to attend the wedding as his guest. Her eyes rounded and she was excited, giving his midsection a squeeze. ”I won’t let you down. I’ll find something really nice, just for you. Maybe you could crash over after the wedding?” The day and night with Matt? Faith couldn’t have asked for anything more exciting and hoped that Matt would agree to staying over. This was going to be a good way for her to show Matt that she could be the type of woman he wanted. Maybe, just maybe, he’d realize they were good for each other.

Faith had heard that an Ayran was in their midst and she had every intention of avoiding him long before Matt warned her but still she thought it sweet that he’d be concerned about her, to Faith it meant that he had some residual feelings for her, somewhere deep down. ”You worry about me. I like that. I’ll be careful around him. Not to worry,” she murmured. ”My heart goes out to Leah. No woman deserved to go through that, I know I’ve been there myself.” That was all she was saying on that note, she didn’t want to ruin their morning together thus far. ”I like hearing you refer to me as your wife. I’d like to be, your wife again I mean. This is good right? This morning? We’re in a good place right now?”

[Matt Delaney]

Faith’s cautionary nature shone through the minute Kate and Eric’s names were mentioned and Matt snorted in response to her plea not to cause them any problems. Kate might be warden but that didn't stop her from being a raving psycho whom Matt literally couldn't stand the sight of.

"Hey, if the stag shenanigans end up torpedoing the wedding, Eric will be forever indebted to us for saving him from a life of purgatory."

When Faith went on to liken him to Gallows she couldn’t have paid him a higher compliment. The Hangman was a living legend when it came to striking terror into the hearts of even the toughest inmates and Matt fairly preened at the notion he might be considered in a similar league. Unfortunately Faith had to go and spoil the moment by getting a dig in about Dillon Masters, one of Matt’s closest friends. The fact Dill was one of the sickest most fucked people on the planet only enhanced his appeal as far as Matt was concerned and Faith’s low opinion of him had been a major pain in the ass for as far back as Matt could remember.

“Shut the fuck up! I don’t bitch about that frumpy hug-a-thug bimbo friend of yours, Richards, so lay off Dill!” he snapped irritably. Mellowed however by the previous night’s stress relief his testiness was short-lived and soon replaced by an air of curiosity.

“Dimitri, huh? You on first name terms with him already?” Though his tone was light the implication was hard to miss. Matt was fiercely territorial when it came to Faith, as Lewis and a good few other would-be suiters had found to their cost but he was pretty sure the fish Russkie guard wasn’t Faith’s type, luckily for him. “Haven’t had much to do with him, he teamBrad or teamKate? I haven’t noticed him gracing the Killing Floor with his presence. Hope he’s not another lily-livered inmate-lover like the pretty boy CO Brad beats off fantasizing over – Landon not Jake – though given half a chance the fat fuck would do Sanderson in a heartbeat the way he’s always drooling over him. Glad tall dark and handsome isn’t what floats the old fart's boat or I’d be transferring to San Q or Rikers.”

Good humor restored, the pair returned to bed where they fell into easy conversation reminiscent of the good times they’d enjoyed whilst married. When Faith commented on how she liked being referred to as his wife and even went so far as to say she’d like to be his wife again Matt let out a hoot of laughter and his eyes danced with amusement.

“Fuck sake Rothy, you sure know what to say to send a guy running in the opposite direction! Don’t bother trying to catch the bouquet or you’ll have me seriously worried.” His teasing words were accompanied by merciless tickling that threatened to dissolve into spontaneous foreplay.

“Yup, we’re good for now.” he answered, then added with a mischievous grin, “Until a new librarian comes along and sweeps me off my feet.”

[Faith Roth]

There would be no changing Matt no matter how much she wished to. He was as stuck in his ways as anyone she knew. He was who he was and there was nothing to change, no reason to, in his mind. The same could not be said of Faith’s. She still held tightly to the hope that by some miracle he’d become a better man overnight.

”It’s not right to meddle in other people’s affairs. I wouldn’t want anyone meddling in ours. Why can’t you just leave it alone?” Faith didn’t really care for an answer and she shrugged her shoulders and sighed heavily.

Her intent was clear. Faith had meant to get an intentional dig in on Matt but as per usual is sailed right over his head and her dig was taken as a compliment. Another shrug of her shoulders and she blew out a frustrated breath. This ‘relationship’, if you could call it that had it’s ups and downs, more downs than ups but at the moment Faith, in good conscious, was trying her best to get along. She’d gotten it in her head that if Matt found it pleasant being here with her then he’d be more likely to spend more time here. It seemed as though her dig hadn’t gone unnoticed and she gave a hint of a smile at Matt’s reaction to it.

”Carli isn’t a bimbo. She’s married. And she’s not the spawn of Satan like Dill, or whatever you call him. He’s trouble with a capital T. You’re a better man than he is Matt. That’s all I’m saying.” she replied, realizing that it wasn’t her dig that got under Matt’s skin but her bad mouthing a despicable man that Matt called friend.

Faith rolled her eyes and waved Matt off with a flick of her wrist. ”No I’m not on a first name basis with him I barely know him. But Leah Cavenaugh is friends with the man and she has a good feel for people.” Once again she picked up on what was really being said after the fact. Her face lit up and she smiled from ear to ear at him. ”Oh! I get it. You’re jealous. Holy shit! You’re jealous.” Faith loved that Matt had a jealous streak, it meant that he cared about her, in his own way of course. ”If you want me back just ask.” Not that that was likely to happen. ”I don’t know which team he’d lean towards but he seems like a likable enough guy. And can we not talk about Brad Clark and his disgusting habits. I shudder to think of you being Brad’s bitch. I’ll protect you from Brad,” she replied, meaning every damn word she’d said.

She was thrilled when Matt came back to bed. Rolling onto her side she snuggled against his side, draped her leg over his thighs and pulled his arm down around her waist. Faith was happy as she could be, and where she wanted to be, in Matt’s embrace, no matter how short lived it may be. Their conversation was easy, light, and she relaxed into the steady tenor of his voice allowing it to wash over her as she thought back to their own wedding and what a great day it had been.

Matt made her chuckle at him and she rolled her eyes while tilting her head back enough to look at his face. ”If it’s thrown my way I’m totally going for it. Maybe I’ll make an honest man of ya, again.” Now she was laughing hysterically, Matt’s tickling her making her shy away from him and bat at his hands.

Faith quirked a brow at his last comment and she leaned up on her arm. She tapped her fingertip into the middle of his chest. ”Listen up Mister. I may look sweet and innocent but I do not take lightly to some bitch encroaching on my territory. Especially librarians.” Faith sighed and rested the palm of her hand over Matt’s chest feeling his heart beating beneath it. ”You can have as many librarians as you want but no one will ever love you as much as I do.”

She steamrolled over onto him and lay on his chest while burying her face in the side of his neck and playfully biting. ”Do you think you’d want to spend the night again tonight? It’s kinda nice have you back home. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, I just thought I’d ask.”

[Matt Delaney]

“Encroaching on your territory? God, I hate it when you treat me like a sex object. You make me feel so cheap!” Flashing Faith a mortally offended look Matt grabbed hold of the finger tapping his chest and redirected it to the swollen head of his erection.

“Hmm…I can have all the librarians I want huh? Well how about we invite the blonde milf for a wild ménage a trois?” Though spoken in jest it was a less than subtle dig in reference to his ex-wife’s staunch refusal to indulge his fantasy of a threesome with him as the meat in the sandwich. “Or if you’d prefer your BFF Carli I’d be down with that. I even promise to be nice to her for the length of time it takes me to fuck her. Can’t say fairer than that now can I?”

Matt was just kidding around. He knew there wasn’t a chance in hell of Faith agreeing to a threesome in a million years. Though far from a shrinking violet between the sheets and always more than happy to accommodate most of his sexual whims, inviting anyone else to join them had always been a strict no-no where Faith was concerned. But that didn’t deter Matt from nagging her about it in the hopes one day she might surprise him, eternal optimist that he was.

Steamrolling on top of him she invited him to stay one more night. Matt pretended to give it some thought despite having nothing planned save for a long-standing arrangement to meet up with Ashanti. He had no qualms leaving that bitch in the lurch; she was a hooker and a lush, useful only to scratch an itch when there was no one better around. Fuck her. Shifting so his cock was teasing the entrance to Faith’s dripping wet pussy he replied. “Sure. I’m up for another night of no sleep and hot sex…on one condition.”

Giving her a shamelessly wanton look he slid inside her and clamping his hands around her butt cheeks pushed her downwards to take the full length of him.

“If you insist on using and abusing me like this the least you can do is fix me a big bowl of lasagna for dinner to help keep my strength up. Deal?”