Jaxon holds his hands up, letting out a breath. “All right. But don’t fuck her over, Wyatt. You have to work with her. And if this ends badly, it will be you who stays away to make sure things don’t become awkward at work. She’s a hard worker, and right now we need that.”
A throat clears and we both turn to see Evie standing in the hallway, her face pale and her hands shaking around a bag of rubbish. “Your mum asked me to get you to take this out.”
Does she think she’s going to get fired? Is that why she looks like she’s going to be sick?
Jaxon steps forward, taking the bag out of her hands. “I’ll get it.”
“Thank you.”
When he leaves, I grin, pulling her into my arms. “I told you there was nothing to worry about.”
“Yeah,” she murmurs, seeming lost in thought again. Shaking her thoughts away, she forces a smile, leaning up on her toes to press a kiss to the corner of my lips. “I’d best go finish helping your mum.”
She leaves before I have a chance to speak. Later, when I get her alone, I’m going to get her to spill her secrets. Before or after I fuck her, I don’t know.
The woman drives me crazy.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
EVIE
Growing up, it was only me and my mum. Andrew never counted because even when he was there he was never there as a parent. He only ever wanted to get into my mum’s pants and make her feel worthless.
I don’t have siblings—Andrew’s kids don’t count. They don’t count me as one either. Mum was an only child and her parents died not long before I was born. I think that’s why Mum clung to Andrew so much. She felt lonely. So, it was just us two. It was quiet, and there was order and a routine in our day to day lives.
Here, it’s nothing but chaos and banter. The Hayes family has a bond tighter than a constrictor knot. It’s loud, boisterous, and the sense of home washes over me for being a part of that. Even for a night.
Many people would think it’s weird for a twenty-two-year-old guy to still live with their mum. I don’t. I’m twenty-three, and if things had been different between Mum and I, we would no doubt still be living together. But when I left for school, I rented a shared home and Mum downsized, moving into the flat. When she became ill, I took over her front room, using the pull-out sofa as a bed. When she went into care, I made it my own. It hurt too much to be surrounded by all her things, so I put them into storage in Rebecca’s cellar.
I like that the Hayes family all still live at home together, even if having them all in one room is a little chaotic.
They are never alone, always having someone close. I like that.
The smile slips from my lips as I finish drying the plate. I don’t want to be alone anymore. I want to be surrounded by people who tease one another and laugh with each other. Who aren’t afraid to fight over the last chicken leg.
Which is what’s happening behind me between Reid and Landon.
“Don’t worry. They are always like this,” Lily tells me, handing me another plate. “They’re good people though, and they love each other.”
My lips twitch. “I don’t think Reid really wants the leg.”
Giggling, she shakes her head. “He doesn’t. But he loves to wind Landon up.”
Liza leans against the counter beside me, drying her hands on a dish towel. “Thank you for all your help cooking, Evie. And thank you both for helping me clear up.”
“You’re welcome,” Lily softly replies, before heading Jaxon’s way. She walks into his open arms, hugging his waist.
I sigh, jealous of the love they share for each other. I tilt my head Liza’s way. “There’s no need to thank me. I really enjoyed myself. My friend Rebecca has always wanted to learn how to cook her own roast. Now I can show her. So really I should be thanking you.”
“You should bring your friend next time,” she orders gently, tapping my hand. “I can show you how to cook my ravioli.”
“I’d love that,” I whisper, feeling tears sting the back of my eyes. Because there won’t be a next time.
She has been kind and welcoming from the minute I walked into the kitchen. A little bossy, but I didn’t mind. Liza is an eccentric woman, but she’s a mother first. Which means giving out orders and making sure you don’t cut yourself whilst chopping the carrots.
Strong arms wrap around me and Wyatt ducks his head into my neck, pressing a kiss there. “Mind if I steal Evie away, Mum? I think you’ve had her long enough.”
Liza’s smile is warm as she clutches the towel to her chest. “Of course. Reid wants to watch a movie that he’s probably seen a thousand times, so you aren’t missing anything.”
Wyatt’s chest vibrates with laughter behind me. “You’re the one fussing over him. And I thought it was game night?”
Liza rolls her eyes. “When will you learn? I will fuss over all my children. And we only have Monopoly. Your granddad still has Cluedo.”
“Not as good as my Harry Potter Cluedo,” Barry, their granddad, yells.
“I love Monopoly,” I add, after seeing Liza’s crestfallen expression.
“No!” is yelled by nearly every male in the room, causing me to jump.
“Um, okay,” I mutter, pressing into Wyatt’s chest.
“The last time we played Monopoly, the police turned up,” Wyatt grits out, turning his head towards the table.
“Only because you cheated,” Reid grouses.
“Stop!” Liza shouts, giving them all a stern look. When she turns back to me, she gives me a warm smile. “Monopoly is banned from this house, sweetheart. That game was made to test a family’s patience, and as you’ll soon be aware, my boys lack that trait.”
Wyatt chuckles, leaning over to press a kiss to her cheek. “Love you, Mum, but we aren’t that bad.”
She shoos him away. “Go, before I change my mind or one of these think it’s okay to get that dreadful game out.”
Pulling me out of the kitchen without another word, we head to the set of stairs at the front of the house. I pull back when I realise his intentions. “Wyatt. No. Not in your mother’s house.”
He rolls his eyes, taking a step towards me. “One, she wouldn’t care. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s secretly planning our wedding. I’ve seen her with wedding planners for Paisley.”
“Paisley’s engaged?” I ask, stumped.
Laughter spills free. “No.”
“Oh.”
His mum doesn’t think we’re serious, does she?
My feelings for Wyatt are growing. It’s like they are feeding off my fear over telling him the truth. Although, if I’m honest with myself, I have been attracted to Wyatt from the minute I saw him. My feelings have only grown since then.
“Yeah, oh. You wanted to talk, and I didn’t think you’d want to do it in front of my brothers.”
Running a hand down my T-shirt, I nod. “Okay then. But no funny business,” I warn him, shaking my finger at him.
If he even touches me, I won’t be able to concentrate on what I’m supposed to be telling him. And there is no way I’m blurting everything out after great sex. Talk about a mood killer. I also can’t put him in a vulnerable position like that. Or myself. It has to be on common ground.
When I don’t make a move, he takes another step forward, bending down at the knee. He swoops me over his shoulder, and I squeal, slapping my palms over his back. “Put me down.”
“Oh dear,” Liza murmurs, her feet coming into view. “Do not fall with her in your arms, Wyatt Hayes. I don’t want Evie getting hurt.”
Warmth fills me. She is truly worried I will get hurt.
Wyatt spins around and I close my eyes through a wave of dizziness. “I won’t. Promise.”
“Good,” she declares, before letting out a heavy sigh. “There’s been a change of plans. The twins and Isaac are coming with me to the dessert place in town. Would you like anything?”
“Didn’t you bake a cake for dessert?”
I hear a growl come
from his mum. “I did. Reid just threw it at Landon, which, in turn, ended up on Paisley, Lily and a few others. Lily and Jaxon are taking your granddad home and Landon and Paisley are calling it a night too now.”
What? We were only gone a few minutes.
Wyatt tenses beneath me. “Did they get the brownies?”
His mum sighs. “Apparently I shouldn’t have left Maddox alone in the kitchen earlier.”
“For God’s sake. He needs to stop eating our fucking food,” he growls. “What about the cream pastry balls?”
“Hayden was with him,” his mum says, like that’s an answer.
“Fucking Carter’s,” he bites out. “Get my usual, Mum, and hide it in the back of the fridge for me. I’ll pay for it later.”
“All right.”
He begins to climb the stairs and I lift my head, watching as his mum leaves the house, followed by most of the others.
“We were gone for a minute at the most,” I whisper when I see the state of Landon, the blood covering his bottom lip.
“It only takes a second,” he answers, climbing up another set of stairs.
When he drops me to my feet, I look around the purple-painted bedroom, arching an eyebrow at Wyatt. One wall is wallpapered, the coral, green and grey faded flowers a stark contrast to the masculine furniture in the room.
“It was Paisley’s room before she moved out. I haven’t had a chance to decorate.”
I giggle, moving further into the room. “I like it.”
His wardrobe, desk, drawers, DVD unit and even his bedframe are a sleek black.
I run my finger along his soft cotton bedsheet as I take stock of his room. The TV is mounted on the wall, next to another door that probably leads to a wardrobe or bathroom.
He has aftershave bottles on his dresser, and I step closer, lifting one to my nose. Wyatt always smells good, but the scent from this bottle isn’t how Wyatt smells to me. He has a richer, spicy scent, one I could breathe in all day.
There is a picture of a younger Wyatt sitting on a man’s knee who looks like an older version of Jaxon. It doesn’t take much of a guess to realise this was his dad. On the other side is another picture, this one of him and his brothers on a beach. They are wearing swim shorts, showing off their muscled abs like they had just finished a shoot for a calendar. Paisley stands in the middle in a one-piece swimsuit, smiling up at Jaxon.
They look happy.
“You finished looking around my room?” Wyatt asks, startling me. I was so lost in my own thoughts I forgot he was there.
When I turn around, he’s right behind me, and I bump into his hard chest, feeling his muscles flex under my fingers. My heart thumps rapidly against my ribcage. There is no doubt that after tonight, he will never forgive me. He respects loyalty, which is one of the reasons he tolerates Landon.
“We can’t,” I tell him when he bends his head down.
“You’ve gone back to being tense. You need to relax,” he tells me, kissing the corner of my mouth.
I tilt my head back, a small moan escaping me. Goosebumps break out over my skin at his gentle touch.
“But we should talk first,” I rasp out.
He undoes the button on my jeans before sliding down the zip. I try to stop him, but my hands have other ideas, reaching for his waist instead. “I’ve been dying to know what you’ve got to say all evening, but now I’ve got you here, alone, in my room, all I can think about is kissing you. All over.”
He picks me up by my arse and sits me down on the chest of drawers. “Wyatt, we really should talk.”
Dammit, why does my body respond to Wyatt yet won’t listen to my own demands? I moan when he drags my jeans down my legs before pulling them off, along with my pumps.
He kisses the inside of my thigh, looking up at me through his lashes. “So talk.” He kisses me again, this time higher as he spreads my knees further apart. “I’ll listen while I do this.”
“Oh God,” I moan, my head dropping back against the wall when he kisses my clit over my knickers. The warmth of his tongue floods through me and my toes curl as my blood heats, rushing through my body.
He needs to stop. I can’t let this happen again. Not when I need to tell him.
I narrow my gaze when fabric tearing echoes through the room. “You really need to stop tearing my clothes.”
He smirks, sliding me to the edge before bending back down and flicking his tongue over my sex. “You taste fucking amazing.”
A cry escapes me when he sucks my clit into his mouth, the pad of his tongue running over it.
“Oh fuck!”
He gently blows over my sex, heightening my arousal, before running his tongue through my wetness. He moves back to my clit, where he begins to make circular motions with his tongue, using enough pressure to cause my inner muscles to tighten.
God, he knows how to use his tongue.
He grips the back of my arse, picking me up with my thighs still wrapped around his neck. I scream, tensing as I grip his head. He bends, lowering me down on the soft bed before continuing his torture.
“Wyatt,” I cry out when he spreads my thighs apart to the point my muscles burn. I’m completely wide open to him, and when he latches on again, I arch, thrusting against his mouth.
I feel his fingers glide into my sex, the sound of my arousal reaching my ears. I’m wet. Really wet. And he’s lapping up my juices like a starved man.
I reach for a pillow when another cry of pleasure forces its way up my throat. I drop it over my mouth, biting into it as he adds another finger, curling them inside of me and hitting the right spot.
Fuck, I’m close already.
When I feel something small towards the back, I tense, but Wyatt leans up, his breath heaven over my sex. “Relax.”
The tip of his pinkie finger circles around the forbidden hole, and although the feeling is foreign as he pushes in slowly, it’s oddly satisfying. No one has ever touched me back there. I didn’t think I’d like it.
When I no longer protest, he grins wickedly and continues to torture me with pleasure. I drop my head back down, spreading my knees further apart as a mixture of feelings overcome me.
I have two fingers in my pussy, one in my arse, and his mouth is playing my clit like a guitar.
I can’t hold on any longer.
My toes curl, my fingers dig into the sheets beside me, and my teeth clutch the pillow like a vice as my orgasm tears through me. I scream, arching my back as my body rocks with the powerful orgasm, my entire body tensing. Sweat beads on my back and chest as I come down from it.
Wyatt continues to lap up my juices, groaning against my sex. I shake, tingles still shooting through me.
He kisses my navel before making his way up my body, grinning as he moves the pillow away. He drops a kiss on my lips, letting me taste my arousal.
He grins again, rubbing his nose along mine. “Now you’re more relaxed, let’s have this talk you want so badly.”
It’s like having a bucket of ice-cold water thrown at me, cutting into my skin like shards of glass. I can’t stop my body from locking at his words, or my hands when they push him back. I can’t tell him, not after that, and not while I’m still half-naked. And there is no way I can tell another lie to appease his questioning.
His eyebrows draw together as he sits on the bed, watching me move towards my discarded clothes.
“I just remembered I need to go to Rebecca’s.”
“What? Now?” he asks incredulously.
“Yes, now. It’s important. I can’t believe I forgot,” I lie, taking a deep breath. “You mentioned talk and Becca needs to talk.”
Understanding fills his features and he relaxes. “Okay.”
Feeling guilty, I finish doing up my jeans before walking over to him, stepping between his legs. “How about dinner at my place tomorrow? I’ll cook.”
He wraps his hands around my waist, pulling me closer. “That sounds great. We’ve been so busy with work lately. A chilled night wi
thout listening to my brothers sounds awesome.”
I lightly shove his shoulder. “Your family is great.”
“They didn’t scare you away?” he teases.
Light laughter spills from my lips. “You forget I work with them. I’m used to it now.”
“Do you really need to go?”
Losing my smile, I nod. “I do. Tomorrow?”
“You couldn’t keep me away, babe. Let me walk you out.”
My heart melts, and I take his hand when he offers it before leading me downstairs. Everything he does makes me feel more and more for him. There is no avoiding that any longer.
As we say goodbye back at my car, I can feel the walls around my heart begin to shatter.
This is such a fucking mess.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
EVIE
The shaking has subsided by the time I reach the end of my road. I don’t even know how I made it home without hitting someone or something since my mind was on Wyatt and Andrew. The entire drive was a blur.
Rebecca is meeting me at mine with a bottle of wine so we can try and sort my shit storm of a life and make things right. The other night, we barely spoke about it before Wyatt and his brothers joined our table. We only managed to come up with a plan for Andrew. It wasn’t even a solid plan.
I know she wants me to go for it with Wyatt. In fact, she’s my biggest cheerleader when it comes to him. But she doesn’t understand the turmoil going through me when it comes to him. I hate that we are getting close to one another when the disastrous ending is inevitable. I heard him earlier; he said he liked that I was honest. He is going to hate me when he finds out I have been deceitful.
My flat comes into view and a groan slips through my lips when I spot Andrew instead of Rebecca waiting outside for me.
Eye for an Eye (Take a Chance Book 2) Page 14
