by C. A. Harms
“Are you saying—,”
“Bree sleeps in her bed alone, untouched.” I stare at them both. “My need for you to take the girls home is not an open invitation for either of you to make a move.” It may be unfair of me, but I knew seeing either of them with her would be one thing that would set me off. I can’t be with her, I won’t, but neither will they.
I notice a flash of white and glance toward the bar to see Autumn step up next to Bree, and my stomach tightens. She isn’t saying anything to her, but I notice how she is looking her over slowly.
“I already fucked up by dancing with her,” giving Autumn any grounds to act like a raging lunatic is something I try not to do. So, now I’ve managed to throw Bree right in the fucking middle of my mess.
“Get them out of here,” I plead with Jace, and he looks over his shoulder, seeing what I’m seeing.
I turn around and shove open the front door of the bar. I step outside, feeling the cool air hit my face, and I look up, closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath.
I slipped.
For a brief minute, I allowed myself to act on impulse, and had I not seen Autumn staring Bree and I down, I probably would have fucked up even more.
Walking down the road, I pause in front of a shop and lean back against the front wall, sliding down to sit on the ground at the door. I’m hidden in the darkness of the awning above and glance down to the bar. I don’t know how long time passes, but it feels like forever until I hear laughter and talking, just before the four of them come into view.
Jace holds on to Aurora’s shoulders, and Zac has his arm wrapped securely around Bree’s waist. I know it’s innocent; I trust him. Though I have no claim on her, I think everyone I call family knows without having to say that I’m interested in her. But that’s where it needs to stop; nothing can happen with her or anyone.
I won’t put her through that; she doesn’t deserve it.
Chapter Ten
Breanna
* * *
I climb out of bed and walk to the bathroom, leaning over the vanity to look in the mirror. The first thing that catches my eye is the sparkle of my new nose piercing. It's pretty, and no, I hadn't ever considered getting my nose pierced but now that I have, I am glad I did.
I'm finally home in my own place after a long weekend of too much drinking and not enough sleep. I'm thankful I took Monday off from all my projects to recover from the girl's weekend away.
Though it was not drama-free, I refuse to let Dax and his unexplainable actions weigh me down.
Who am I kidding? It is all I can focus on.
The longer I think about Dax's reaction to me, the more pissed I get. I know I should just forget it: I know I shouldn't care that some random stranger dislikes me so much, but I can't ignore it. If I'm honest with myself, I've always had a lousy track record with guys. So I go after the jerks, the ones that always end up hurting me and dragging me through the mud.
But I'm not attracted to the sweet, soft-spoken guys—the kind of guys that buy you flowers and take you to nice quiet dinners. There is no thrill there, no adventure.
Dax, though I may not know him at all, my mind continues to wonder. I picture his dark, alluring eyes and the way he doesn't smile or frown but holds the same unreadable expression leaving you constantly wondering what the hell he is thinking.
When he smiled briefly in the bar, it was like being handed a gift. He has a fantastic smile. Then just as quick as it came, it was gone, and he was back to the broody and confusing man. He left without saying goodbye. Then Aurora and I were shuffled out of the bar and delivered to the doorstep of our hotel room with no explanation. It was then I realized that not only was Dax crazy, but so were his friends.
"Breanna," the sound of my father's voice echoes throughout my apartment, pulling me from my thoughts. "Girl, you here?"
"Yeah, give me a minute."
Craig Dawson has no boundaries. My father is not a dangerous man, but most wouldn't know that by looking at him. He is sweet, a big teddy bear, but maybe that is only with me. I'm all he has left. After losing my mother when I was twelve to a drunk underage driver, something shifted in him. He is protective of me, and though I adore my father, sometimes it drives me out of my mind.
I'm an adult, but he still sees me as his little girl.
I step outside of my room and find my dad standing at the end of the hall. "Hey, sweetheart, thought I'd take my favorite girl to breakfast." He arches his brow with a smirk on his face. "Unless you are too hungover from the weekend."
"I'll have you know I feel great." He seems pleased with my response. "Breakfast sounds perfect. Give me a few minutes to get dressed."
"I'll wait downstairs; I have a few calls to make."
I don't question him, knowing that he always has something going on. Instead, I hurry to get ready, and thirty minutes later, we are sitting inside of our favorite cafe, drinking coffee and talking about his newest project.
Even though I have my father to distract me, my thoughts never cease. I can't ignore the nagging feeling there's something I can do to change something I shouldn't give a shit about.
Chapter Eleven
Daxton
* * *
I step outside and pull the shop door closed behind me. Turning to the left, I freeze with my hand on the handle. It’s dark out, but I can see Bree clearly, leaning against the side of my building. Immediately thoughts of Autumn finding her here hit me, and I look over the street, half expecting her to be hiding around a corner watching. I feel like she is always watching.
When I see no signs of anyone else, I look back at Bree. “What are you doing here?”
“I don't know.” She pushes off the wall and steps closer. Her upper body is being hugged by a tight white shirt, cut low, showing the contour of her cleavage in the center. My jaw flexes, and I try not to react. I never once said she wasn’t gorgeous.
“You should go,” I’m aware of the fact that I don't sound convincing but need her to listen. We are alone, and there is no one to distract me or stop me from doing something fucking stupid that I’d regret later.
“Why?” She asks, taking another step toward me.
“Because this,” I motion between the two of us, “It’s never gonna amount to anything.”
“Why are you so sure of that?” Bree places her hands in her back pockets, only managing to bring even more attention to her chest.
“We don't fit.” She’s sunshine, and I’m darkness. “I don't have anything to offer a girl like you.”
“A girl like me?” She seems more confident now that it’s only the two of us. I wouldn’t say I like it; I need her to be shy, easy to intimidate. “What kind of girl am I, Dax?”
The way she whispers my name sends a cold thrill right through me.
“Sweet,” I shake my head and look down at the ground. I need to clear my thoughts, and looking at her, won’t allow that to happen. What in the hell is wrong with this woman that she hasn’t run away without looking back? I look at her again and find she is watching me, only she is now a little closer than she was before. “I’m no good for you.”
“I think I should be the judge of that.” The way she is watching me through her long thick lashes makes my armor a little less effective.
“I’m trying to be the good guy here, and you keep showing up, which makes it almost impossible.” I fist my hands to keep from reaching out and touching her. I want to feel her body against my own.
Holding her close while we briefly danced at the bar was nothing more than a torturous tease to my senses.
“I think you are a good guy.” I laugh. She has no idea. But my reaction does not seem to faze her.
"For some reason, you try to play this role where you are this; ass of a man that needs no one. You want me to believe that you’re dark and twisted. That you’re cruel and heartless.”
It’s my turn to step closer, but she doesn’t try to move away. Unable to stop myself, I place my hand on her hip
. She steps back, pressing against the outside wall between the door to the shop and my place up above. Her head lays back against the brick, and the closeness of our bodies doesn’t seem to frighten her, I was hoping it would. I need her to stop this because I’m not sure I’ll be able to as desire pools in my stomach. I don't remember ever having a woman get to me the way Bree is. “You think I’m a good guy?”
She nods.
My gaze shifts from her eyes to her lips, and I lean in a bit closer. “You think I can make you happy?”
Again, she nods, and I hover, my mouth only inches from hers. Her eyes begin to flutter shut, and I know she’s expecting me to kiss her. I want to, damn do I want to. Then she licks her lower lip, and I feel my cock thicken behind the zipper of my jeans.
Damn, I should move away. Her soft breath blows over my lips, and I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Goosebumps cover my back and shoulders, and I try not to shiver.
Right now, would be the time for one of my boys or even Luna to show up, but I knew they wouldn’t. They all left hours ago.
“You and I will never work.” She opens her eyes and stares at me. “I’m not the kind of guy that lives out fairytales, Bree. There are no picket fences or family breakfasts in my future. So, I don’t get attached; I don't want some doe-eyed girl hanging on my every word.”
She swallows hard.
“What I can offer, you don’t want because you aren't the kind of girl looking for a quick lay, and I won't be the guy that holds you through the night and kisses your forehead when I leave.”
She continues staring at me. “But won’t I be the one leaving? After all, this is your place, right?”
This woman is really something. “You need to go.”
“What if I don’t want to go?” She pushes out her chin defiantly. “What if I’m exactly where I want to be?”
“You have no idea what you're doing?”
She places her hand on my chest, and her own rises and falls as she breathes in a little deeper. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“What’s that?” I push my hips forward, pushing my now hard cock against her, and she pants.
“Trying to prove to you that I’m not so innocent.” She leans in and lightly skims over my lips with her own.
“I never assumed anything, Princess.”
“Then why do you dislike me so much?” Bree nips at my lower lip, lightly biting and offering a little tug. When she sucks softly, I feel myself falling apart and fast.
Wrapping my hand around the back of her neck, I take over and push my tongue through the slight opening of her lips. Immediately I am met with her soft cool tongue, and damn if she doesn’t moan on contact.
“I don’t dislike you,” I whisper before taking her mouth once more. “That’s the problem.”
This should never have gotten this far, but I’m powerless to stop it. Tasting Bree was a mistake, like a hit of the most powerful drug and I’m addicted. Gripping her ass with one hand, I pull her body tighter to mine and thrust my hips forward, loving the way she moans from the friction.
To hell with it, what would one time hurt?
Chapter Twelve
Breanna
* * *
We made it just inside his front door, and I’m being pressed to the wall at the bottom of the stairs. I assume they lead up to an apartment above, but neither of us seems interested in breaking our contact.
“You sure this is what you want?” Dax asks. No, I’m not sure my mind can handle the aftermath, but my overly excited body is screaming; Hell Yes! The feeling of his lips as he kisses over my neck and chest. The skim of his wet tongue along the swell of my breast is driving me crazy. “I need to hear it, Princess.”
Again, with that damn name. If I weren’t so turned on, I’d tell him to shut the hell up, but I am too far gone to care.
“Yes,” I pant. Aurora was right, Dax is dirty, and I need this. I need to cut loose and feel. I need to stop overthinking so much. “I’m sure.”
Suddenly Dax drops before me, working my jeans free of my body and lowering them to the floor. One leg at a time, I lift, and he pulls the denim material free. My panties follow, leaving me fully exposed as he licks his lower lips and glances up at me. “We could give you a little jewel right here,” he drags his finger over my clit, and my hips thrust forward as if they have a mind of their own. “But, I’ll be the only one piercing this pretty pussy.”
I don’t get the chance to respond before his mouth descends, and he sucks on my clit, before dragging his tongue over me slowly. My legs grow weak, and as if he knows, he grabs one and throws it over his shoulder, holding me up.
Then without a moment to breath or even prepare myself, he devours me. He begins to hum in approval against me when I start to move myself along with the strokes of his tongue. I’ve lost all hope of controlling myself; I am drowning in the pleasure of his tongue and mouth. When he pushes a finger inside of me, I feel like I crumble to the floor. I am falling apart, the feeling of ecstasy taking over as he continues to devour me with such skill. “Yes,” I try to grab for something, anything, but there is nothing to grip. My hands slide over the smooth wall behind me, and he grips my ass, holding me to him as he continues to drain me of every ounce of strength.
“God Damn,” his words are almost like a growl as he lowers my leg and stands, working on the release of his belt, before unsnapping his jeans and pushing them low. Then, reaching around, he grabs his wallet, and in a hurry, he pulls a condom from the pocket. He doesn't entirely remove his pants, and everything about this feels rushed and dirty, but it’s also scorchingly erotic.
When he is sheathed, he moves closer, lifting my leg to give him better access. Lining himself up with me, I feel the head of his cock pressing against my opening, and he looks at me as if he is giving me one last time to stop this. Instead, I shift forward, as he does, too, slamming inside of me at the same time.
He kisses me hard, and my lips feel as if he is bruising them with his biting and sucking. The sounds of our bodies slapping together, the deep moans he releases, echo throughout the small space. I have never in my life been so turned on before.
“Tight," he mumbles as he fucks me hard and fast against the wall. “So good.”
Good doesn't begin to describe it.
I hold on to his shoulders, needing some type of leverage as I continue to move in sequence with his movements. I can feel myself building toward release, and by the look on his face, he knows it too.
“Let go, Bree,” I fight it, not wanting this to end. I have no idea what happens next, but I need to hold on to this moment for now. It feels too incredible to stop. But the pleasure is too much, and the heat building in my lower stomach becomes impossible to control.
"Oh my God!” I cry out, and he keeps pushing into me over and over, shifting his hips in the perfect angle to hit that magic spot. “Yes!" I fist his shirt and arch my back, grinding against him.
“Fuck,” he growls, and suddenly he pushes in deep, and I feel him coming, his body tensing and his cock jerking inside of me. He presses his forehead to my shoulder, biting at my shirt.
I don’t know how much time passes, both of us breathing slowly, trying to regain some semblance of control. Unsure of what to say, what to think, I wait. I am in Dax's territory. I came here, looking for what, I still don't know. But what's happened, what we just did, that was the last thing I expected.
Dax pulls out of me, and without looking at me, he carefully removes the condom and ties it off. “This was,” he stops and pulls his pants up, tucking himself inside his boxers.
“Was what?” I'm not sure what I thought asking would get me. I knew what this was, a release of built-up tension, nothing more. But I'm a girl and feeling dismissed pisses me off just the same. So, it didn't matter how well you wrapped it up and presented it.
“This is what I meant, Bree; I'm not the guy you need me to be.”
“What decent?" I laugh because it is better t
han crying or punching him in the dick. Though kneeing him in the balls did sound pretty damn great, right about now.
He shakes his head like I am irrational and overreacting. Standing here like an idiot would only further concrete his theory. So instead, I grab my pants off the floor and hurry to put them on. Then I grip my panties, fisting them in my hand because I badly need something to hold on to. I'd honestly hit him or worse.
“Bree, I—”
“You’re pathetic.” The words fly out in an angry growl. “I didn’t ask you to be anything, but you went straight for being a prick without a second to waste. You stand here pretending to be this cold ass man, but on the inside, I think—,”
"I am cold.”
“Are you trying to convince me of that, or yourself?” This act he is playing out, truly is pitiful.
It's his turn to glare.
“You think you know me. Apparently, you think I'm some prissy bitch that’s never experienced loss or hate. You've convinced yourself that I am some damsel in distress looking for a way to piss off my Upper-Class Daddy.” He dares to lift his brows, as if I’ve explained precisely who I am. “You couldn’t be any further from the truth.”
“Go home Bree,” he ignores my words or hears them but refuses to accept them. “You got what you came for. You screwed the bad boy; now you can go.”
He reaches out and opens the door, and my anger flares even more. I don’t know what possesses me, but I lift my hand and slap him.
“Fuck you!”
Running his tongue along the corner of his lip, he sneers, “You just did, Princess.”
He moves to the side as if to once again tell me to leave without using the words.
It’s not like he didn’t warn me.
I step out, keeping my back to him, and square my shoulders as I walk toward my car, waiting alongside the curb just outside his shop. Pressing the code on the keypad, I hear the click of the locks and pull open the door.
