Fallen Duet: Brody & Lola: Free Fall & Down Fall (Easton Family Duet Boxsets Book 1)

by Abigail Davies

  We both reeled off what we wanted, and as soon as Quinn left, Ford took his seat. “So what’s this then?”

  “Nail polish.” I picked the bottle up and pointed to the black writing on the side. “See them? They’re words—read them.”

  He raised a brow, but there was laughter shining in his eyes. “Oh, someone is on the bitch train tonight. I meant what color.”

  “Sorry,” I said sheepishly. “I’m just…tired.” I was more than tired, I was premenstrual and stressed the hell out with the assignment I should have been doing but had put off for the third night in a row. Apparently, painting my toenails was way more important.

  I lightly touched my nails, making sure the first coat was dry and then started on the second. I was just starting on my second foot when the front door opened again, but I knew it wasn’t Quinn this time. My body was starting to have a sixth sense when Brody turned up, alerting me to his presence before I could set eyes on him.

  “Jesus,” his rough voice said. “What the hell has Hut been doing now?”

  Goose bumps spread over my body from his voice alone, and it took every bit of concentration I had to paint within the lines of my nails and not the skin on either side.

  “It’s Lola. She’s making art on her feet.”

  “Making what?”

  He was even closer now, and I only had two nails left. All I had to do was concentrate and not get distracted by his voice, or his legs that had come into my line of sight, or the aftershave that was whipping around us, enveloping me.

  “I’m painting my toenails,” I said, my voice lower than it had been when I’d said the same thing to Ford and Quinn. One last stroke of the brush and I was finished. All that was left was a final top coat of clear polish, and they’d be chip-free for at least four days—I hoped.

  I stretched my legs out, the bottoms of my leggings only coming to mid-calf, and wiggled my toes. A hand reached down, grasping both of my ankles and a fire I’d never felt before ignited inside me. Brody was touching me, his fingertips skimming across my ankle bone as he lifted my legs and sat in the seat.

  I expected him to let go so I tried to move them, but he held on tighter, placing them in his lap as he said something to Ford. I couldn’t comprehend any words he was saying. All I could do was stare at his long fingers that gripped my ankle. His thumb rubbed back and forth, making me want to squirm in my seat, but I kept deathly still.

  What the hell was going on? And why hadn’t Ford said anything?

  Brody pushed his chair forward, scooting down a little in the seat, and readjusted my feet on his lap. I wasn’t sure I could even pull in a full breath at this stage. My legs were now covered by the table, and his hand ventured a little farther up, stopping just before my knee and working its way back down.

  My gaze shot up to his face, but he was staring intently at Ford as Ford told him about a meet that was about to go down. I needed Brody to look at me, I needed to see his eyes to know what the hell was going on, because I had no idea—none in the slightest.

  “Hut said he’d meet us there with Ted and Jace.”

  “Good,” Brody answered, his rough fingertips once again grazing my soft skin. “I’m fuckin' starving, though.”

  “Quinn is getting us takeout, but you missed out,” Ford said, reaching for the nail polish and unscrewing the top as Brody shrugged, not bothered that he wouldn’t get any food. He lifted it up, sniffed it, and screwed up his nose. “This stuff could ignite a fire. Fuck me.”

  “Not used to girly shit, Ford?” Brody asked, leaning forward and gripping my ankle tighter. He knew exactly what he was doing to me, and he had no intention of stopping.

  “Yeah, my cousin—” He cut himself off as Quinn barged back into the house, a box of takeout in his arms, and only then did Brody glance at me. I didn’t know what I’d been expecting, but it wasn’t the wink that he flashed me.

  We were skating on thin ice, but I couldn’t bring myself to care if it fractured and we both plunged into the freezing cold water.

  Chapter Ten

  LOLA

  My brain was working overtime, the cells begging for a break from studying, but I couldn’t afford to give it one. I’d been locked away in my room since I got home last night at 10 p.m., and hadn’t ventured out.

  My assignment was due in two days, and I wasn’t even a quarter of the way through it. I knew I needed sleep to be able to focus more, but it just wasn’t an option right now.

  I’d let my schoolwork slip a little over the last couple of weeks, my mind not really in it fully. I even had to cancel my tutor session for tomorrow just so that I could make the deadline. But it’d be worth it. If I could get a top grade on this paper, then I’d be in the front running for the grant, which meant I could be out of this house and away from everything that consumed it even sooner.

  I’d heard Hut come home around an hour ago and leave not long after. It may have been four in the morning, but that was the perfect time for him to conduct business. The darkness gave him protection that he took for granted, but that was his downfall. He didn’t realize it didn’t protect him from everything, but then it hadn’t mattered in the past because nothing ever stuck to him. Hut was good at what he did, but he was better at showing everyone the mask he liked to attach and becoming their best friend. It made people trust him, and most importantly, meant no one crossed him.

  I flopped back on my bed and groaned. Every possible thought I could have had entered my brain: Hut; wondering where my dad was; guilt for canceling Cade’s tutor session. And then there was Brody. Why the hell could I not stop thinking about him? It wasn’t like we’d spent days upon days getting to know each other and declaring our love. We’d had snapshots of moments, but sometimes that was all that was needed to ebb the spark into a roaring fire.

  I pushed up off my bed and yanked my door open. If my brain were intent on taking a break, then we’d take one, but only if it sorted itself out so I could go back to my work and get it finished. Everything balanced on the edge of this assignment, and I wouldn’t let myself down.

  The stairs creaked as I walked down them, the entire house empty and eerie. Some people hated being home alone, but I loved it. I liked it to be so silent that it was too loud for my ears. I lived for that shit.

  I moved into the kitchen and slammed my hand on the coffee machine, the newest addition that Hut had installed, and waited for it to churn and make that squeaky-spitting noise. Once the steaming brew was poured, I grabbed it and sat at the table, blowing on the edge and sighing. Why was it that now I wasn’t surrounded in work, my thoughts quieted? Maybe my brain was trying to tell me something that I didn’t know?

  Knocking echoed on the front door, and a second later it whooshed open. A huge figure stepped inside, his hair dripping wet and clothes stuck to his body.

  “You look a little wet,” I commented, raising my brow and smirking.

  Brody pushed his hand through his hair, swiping it from his face, and Jesus Christ, I’d never seen anything so mouthwatering in all my life. His dark-brown eyes glinted off the overhead light as he stepped forward, his jeans clinging to every part of his thighs and hips. And I meant every. Single. Part.

  “It’s raining out there,” he said, shivering. “And fuckin' cold. We’re meant to be in the height of spring, not winter.”

  “Ahhh, the weather.” I leaned back in my seat. “How all good conversations start.”

  Brody’s gaze flicked down to my chest, and he backed away a step. “Fuck.” His hands clenched at his sides. “I gotta go.”

  “What? You just got here.” I frowned and stood, not understanding what his problem was. I’d seen him flip his switch in the blink of an eye and pull on his impassive mask before, but this one was new. He was angry, but I wasn’t sure what he was angry at.

  “Motherfucker.” He stared down at his combat boots and held his hand up. “Don’t come any closer, kid.”

  “What? I don’t—”

  “You’re w
earing fuck all and sitting in the middle of the kitchen.” His head snapped up, his narrowed eyes focusing on me. “I’m old enough to be your fuckin' dad, Lola. I don’t need to see that shit.”

  “Really?” I raised a brow but didn’t move to cover myself. For starters, I was in my own home, and secondly, I was wearing a tank top and shorts, not a bra and thong. He needed to man the hell up. Jeez. “If you’d had me when you were sixteen, then sure, you’re old enough to be my dad.” I stepped forward and relished in the tick of his muscles as he tensed. “But the fact that you’re standing there and saying that tells me more than anything.”

  “That right?” he asked, his voice hoarse. “What’s it tell you, kid?”

  I took another step, this time slowly, and cleared my throat. Maybe the darkness of the night did make you bolder because I never would have done this if the sun was high in the sky.

  “Yeah, that’s right.” I moved even closer, stopping next to him and staring up at his face. “You don’t want to look at me,” I whispered, scared to talk too loud. “But you can’t help yourself.” I bit down on my bottom lip and swore I heard a growl come from his chest. “You hate that you can’t not look at me because that would mean you want something you shouldn’t.”

  “You’re stepping into territory you have no knowledge about,” he warned, his gruff voice causing goose bumps to spread along every inch of my skin.

  I lifted up onto my tiptoes. “Sometimes it’s good to be bad, Brody. Sometimes…” I trailed off and let out a deep breath, knowing it would hit his neck. “Sometimes being bad is really good.”

  His Adam’s apple bobbed but he didn’t look away. He kept his gaze fixated to mine and his body as still as a statue. Had I not felt his breath on my face, I wouldn’t have even thought he was breathing.

  I waited for him to make a move, a move I’d been wanting him to make for weeks now, but he didn’t. He just stood there, waiting me out. Maybe it was a test to see if I really meant what I said? As much as I wanted him—I flicked my gaze down to his lips—as much as I craved to have his lips pressed against mine, I wouldn’t beg him for it. I’d laid my cards out in so many words, and now it was up to him.

  I could feel his energy. I could sense the kind of man he was. He was in Hut’s crew, but that didn’t define him. There was more to him, and I was chomping at the bit to find out what the more was.

  BRODY

  She was playing with fire, but she didn’t care. The brighter and hotter the flame burned, the closer she got.

  I shouldn’t be thinking about doing anything with her.

  I shouldn’t want to press my lips against hers.

  It was wrong, on more levels than she knew about. So why couldn’t I stop staring at her? Why was the thought of letting her walk out of this kitchen destroying me?

  It wasn’t meant to be like this. This wasn’t the plan. But the train was starting to tilt, and it’d be off the track in seconds. I didn’t have the strength to put it back on the lines. No matter how hard I tried.

  She was centimeters away from me, her breath fanning across my cold skin. If I breathed too hard, we’d be touching. Her hazel eyes stared at me, hope rearing its head inside of her reflection. Hope I shouldn’t have given her. Hope she shouldn’t want when it came to me.

  She huffed out a breath and took a step back, her eyelashes fluttering as her eyes closed. Her tan skin was pale in the harsh lights, and I longed to reach out and see if it was as soft as it looked, but once I touched her, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop.

  She was becoming my addiction, and damn if I hadn’t needed a fix tonight. I’d barely been at Hut’s house. I’d barely been back to my apartment. Every spare second was spent searching for more intel. But tonight I’d craved her face. And now that I had seen her, why was I still standing here?

  Lola took another step back, but my arm whipped out, my hand gripping her wrist in a silent plea not to leave. Her gaze flicked up to mine, her frown marring her brow. She wasn’t the only one confused. I had no idea what the hell I was doing, but I had a feeling that after tonight, nothing would be the same again.

  “Brody?” her soft voice asked, so many questions inside that one word, but I couldn’t give her answers I didn’t have.

  “This is wrong,” I told her, my gruff voice filling the air between us as I turned so we were face-to-face. “I should walk out that door.” I stepped closer to her, my gaze flicking down to her chest as it lifted up and down rapidly. “But fuck, Lola, I can’t.”

  I loosened my grip on her wrist and whispered the palm of my hand up her arm and to her shoulder. She tilted her head to the side, a small moan escaping her parted lips as my hand stopped on the side of her neck.

  “I don’t want you to leave,” she whispered, her hand reaching out and clasping my forearm as if she could keep me in place with just that one touch.

  “You have no idea what you’re gettin' into, darlin',” I warned, my other hand reaching out and grasping her waist. There were inches of space between us. One tense of my muscles and we’d be flush against each other.

  Her other hand moved to my chest, stopping over my heart that was beating rapidly. “Take a leap into the unknown with me,” she said, her hooded eyes staying focused on me.

  My body moved before my brain could catch up, and I pulled her closer, groaning as our bodies slammed together. “Tell me,” I growled. “Tell me what you want.”

  She bit down on her bottom lip and lifted onto her tiptoes. “You.” Her swallow was audible. “I just want you.”

  I’d never felt so out of control. I’d been on this earth for thirty-five years, and nothing and nobody had affected me the way those four words coming out of Lola’s mouth had.

  How had this nineteen-year-old kid rendered me speechless?

  How could something so wrong feel so right?

  I let out a breath and moved my head closer to hers, staring into her eyes. She didn’t flinch, not one moment of doubt, and when I was only centimeters away from her full lips, I whispered, “If you don’t want this, then tell me now, because once I start, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop.”

  “I want this,” she replied, her breath hitting my lips. “I want this so bad.”

  I nodded, not sure whether to her or myself, and gripped her waist harder, pulling her closer to me, and pressing my lips against hers.

  I was trying to keep control, trying to not take too much. The gentle caress of my lips against hers had me pressing my hips harder to hers. The tip of my tongue swiping against the seam of her lips had me spinning us around. And her mouth opening for me had me slamming her back against the kitchen wall.

  The slow start became frenzied, all teeth and tongues. I was ravishing her, but she was ravishing me right back. She dipped her tongue into my mouth and trailed her hand over my chest and abs, lifting up my soaked T-shirt.

  She pulled back and demanded, “Take it off,” and fuck if I didn’t do as she said. I’d have gotten down on my hands and knees and begged her just so I could have her lips and body pressed against mine again.

  My bare chest hit her covered one as I bent down and wrapped my hands around her thighs. She knew exactly what to do and boosted herself up. Our lips fused together again, and I groaned. I thought I knew what it felt like to kiss someone you liked, loved even, but I had no idea. Nothing came close to this feeling, not past girlfriends, not—

  Her hips rocking against me brought me out of my thoughts and had my hands gripping her waist harder. I slowed the kiss down, wanting to take my time, but that only spurred her on even more. I was starting to understand that she liked it hard and fast, but she craved it slow. I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to understand what made her tick, what made her moan, what made her happy, and what made her sad.

  But I shouldn’t have wanted to know all that. I shouldn’t have been kissing her. I’d resisted the temptation, and now I’d given in, I didn’t think I could not come back and do it over and over again. />
  I pulled back and rested my forehead against hers. “Fuck.” I drew in a much-needed breath. My head spun, my body burning from her touch. “It wasn’t meant to be like that.”

  “I know,” she whispered, placing a gentle kiss on the edge of my lips. “I’ve never felt like that before.” She pressed another kiss to my jaw. “I never want to stop.” Her lips pressed against the scruff on my cheek, and she moaned. Her breath fluttered against my ear, and I bucked my hips against hers.

  “Lola,” I groaned. “You’re messin' me up.”

  “Good.” She scraped her teeth against my earlobe. “Because you have me tied up in knots that I can’t undo on my own.”

  She pressed one last kiss to my jaw and drew back, her hooded eyes trying to focus on mine. Her hair was a halo of a mess, her lips swollen and red from our kisses, and her cheeks flushed. She’d never looked so goddamn hot.

  “You’re fuckin' beautiful, you know that?” I ground out. “Too beautiful for someone like me.”

  It was true. She didn’t know who I was. She knew where I came from, and my name, but that was all. She didn’t know I was here to bring her stepbrother down, and she didn’t know what waited for me back at home. She had no idea what she was letting herself in for. I was being a selfish asshole just so I could keep whatever it was between us.

  Her small palm rested against my cheek, the only noise being the pads of her fingers rubbing back and forth over my scruff. “Don’t say that, Brody.” She flicked her gaze down between us and unhooked her legs from around my waist. I let her down slowly but didn’t move my hands off her. “Don’t ruin it, please.”

  The pleading in her hazel eyes about broke me, and not for the first time, I wondered how much a nineteen-year-old could understand about the hardships of life, but that wasn’t who Lola was. I’d heard how hard her life was and had been. I’d witnessed how she tried to navigate Hut and his crew. And I had a feeling there was way more she hadn’t told anyone. She may have been nineteen, but age was just a number, and she’d had a hard life. A life I wanted to make better.