When Life Gives You Lemons (Sun Tower, #1)

by Noor Sasha

“Probably has a bigger dick than yours, too.” “You haven’t even seen my dick, Alina.” “But I have seen your personality, and trust me, that’s enough to put your species at risk of extinction. Don’t worry, though. You won’t be missed, baby.”

I grab my Levi Ackerman body pillow, locking eyes with his 2-D greyish-blue irises. “You’re the only man who truly understands me.” Then, with a wistful sigh, I resign myself to binge-watching Attack on Titan for the umpteenth time, hoping to find solace in Levi’s battles, which pale in comparison to my love life.

They’ll see me grinning at my phone screen because I’m knee-deep in an Anakin Skywalker fanfic and ask, “Is it Azeer?” It’s like they eat, sleep, breathe, and shit Azeer Khan, and I’m the one stuck dealing with it.

“Do not for a second underestimate me, Azlan. Do not compare me to your past lovers or any other man you’ve crossed paths with. Because in my building, under my roof, the only name I expect to leave this stupid mouth of yours is mine.” His dark-brown eyes flicker to my lips, and I feel a shiver run down my spine. “Are we clear, Alina?” he asks, his voice sending a low rumble in my belly.

After wasting hours on the couch reading Satoru Gojo one-shots on AO3, I check the time on my phone. 6:50 P.M. Azeer should be home by now.

It’s official. I hate my wife.

“Or maybe you don’t like her because you’re scared of how much you might end up loving her.”

“It was perfect.” I wrap my arms around her and gently rock her side to side. “And you, my beautiful baby, are perfect. I want you to promise me that you will remember these words whenever you feel sad, or someone makes fun of you. Repeat them to yourself quietly or in your head. Promise me you won’t forget to tell yourself that?” “Promise, Abbu.”

Her doe-eyes sparkle in the dim lighting of the restaurant. Dimples. Sweet fuck, those dimples could bring a sinner to his knees. “Don’t ruin this for me.” I nod because . . . dimples.

“I love you, yes.” He casts a critical eye on me. “Her? Not so much.” “What?” Zoha’s voice cracks, her sassy exterior crumbling at his response. “You don’t love Mama?” “Yeah, Azeer.” I mimic her pout. “You don’t love Mama?”

“You’re not alone, Azeer.” Alina’s voice is gentle yet firm, her hand outstretched toward me. “You need to know that every version of you, in every universe, is not alone. Not anymore.”

“Did you use my card?” He tilts his head when he notices the little bob in my throat. “I did.” A smirk. “Good girl.” Oh, god. He called you a “good girl.”

“You are insanely hypnotizing. Do you know that? Do you understand what you’re doing to me, Alina?” he says, his voice velvety and binding. My lashes flutter low to his fingers undoing my braid. He slips the black band around his wrist. “That’s mine.”

“You are . . .” He trails off, inhaling a deep, strained breath and exhaling painstakingly slowly. “Between the two of us, you are the ocean, Alina. Uncontrollable. Ferocious. Mystic. Wet.” A deep chuckle rumbles from his throat. “Correct me if I’m wrong about the latter.”

“Nuisance.” I try to shake her. “I’ll break your Kylo Ren figurines if you don’t wake up.”

He licks his lower lip, perfect black brows knitted. “I just— I can’t stand the sight of you crying.” I snort. “Let me guess? Because I look ugly?” Azeer’s voice is strained with agony as he speaks. “Because it tore my fucking soul apart, Alina.” He pauses and locks his flickering eyes with mine. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t cry at all, but please, please, don’t do it because you feel guilty. Don’t do it while you’re apologizing for something that’s out of your control. Especially when that someone is me.” There is a gentle, almost tender quality to how his knuckles skate across my cheeks. I curve into the touch. “Now, smile.”

“I’ll be so good to you, sweetheart,” he whispers, his voice low and sultry. “I’ll taste you whenever you ask.” His tongue flicks my clit again, circling it painstakingly slowly. “I’ll touch you exactly how you’d like.” He sucks hard on the area until his grip can’t control my hips from grinding against his mouth. “And I’ll make you come undone each time.” His words make my body quiver with pleasure, and I moan in response. “You’re so fucking delicious,” he murmurs before diving back in with rekindled enthusiasm. He thrusts his tongue inside me.

I’m his. I’m wholly his. With a low groan, Azeer whispers in my ear, “I want your pretty pussy to memorize my touch, Alina jaan.” “God.”

I pull her closer, covering her ears with my hands. “I’ve started sleeping with a knife under my pillow in case her Disney princess voice takes a turn and starts summoning demons in the middle of the night.” Alina nudges my shin with her foot. “You’re making Helena uncomfortable.”

“Kraken.” Alina winces. “It was a kraken.” Jesus Christ. “What did you choose?” I ask her, and she gives me a sympathetic glance. My wife belongs to a mental institution. “You chose the Kraken, didn’t you, sweetheart?” Helena bursts into a deep belly laugh. “Oh! That conversation was timeless. I’ll always remember how confidently she admitted that.” She pats Alina’s cheek. “You’re the luckiest woman to have a man accept your unconventional fantasies.” With a nod, she excuses herself to join another family. I drag my eyes back to Alina. “A Kraken?” “I know.” “Dracula, I can understand. Well, not really, but it’s still a much more subtle choice than a damn octopus,” I say in disbelief. “What octopus?” Zoha asks, blinking innocently at us. “There’s an octopus here?” “It was a book that I read, and— It’s the tentacles, you know?” Alina explains, justifying her whatever-the-fuck sort of monster fantasy this is. “There are ten of them, Azeer. Ten.”

“Do you love me more than the men in your books?” I snort. “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.”