I follow his gaze and shake my head when I find him staring at Cami, the woman he desperately wants but knows he shouldn’t have.
“What’s going on?” I ask Rylee and Xander, knowing I’ll have more luck with these guys.
“Not much,” Xander says with a grin. “Were just watching Cami attempting to teach Charli how to cartwheel. It’s fucking hilarious,” he says. “Charli was too chicken shit to throw herself completely over, so Cami grabbed her legs and made her do it. Charli ate dirt and Cami got a foot to the head.”
“No shit,” I laugh as a grin rips across my face. I flick my eyes towards the girls and pay a little more attention. Cami’s arms are out and she’s waving them over her head in a big arch. It makes complete sense, she’s trying to mimic the way Charli’s legs should be going around and it’s damn clear she’s had a few too many drinks.
I sit on the edge on my seat, grinning like an idiot as Charli lines herself up to give it another go. She exaggerates as she points her toe before throwing her hands down to the ground. Her first leg goes up, but the second never follows, yet somehow, they both end up tumbling to the ground in a fit of laughter.
“It’s like watching a fucking child,” Xander chuckles to himself. I look across to him and see nothing but adoration as he watches his fiancé completely embarrass herself.
Xander is one of Rebel’s Advocates top fighters, actually, that’s a bit of an understatement. He’s currently the fucking MMA heavyweight champion and that has a lot to do with Cole’s training.
Me and my three best friends opened Rebels Advocate a few years ago and that decision completely changed our lives. Cole was a title holder himself and wanted to give back to the sport that made him the man he is today. Luke and Jace were childhood best friends who enlisted in the army and nearly got themselves blown up in a roadside bomb. They both needed something to distract them while they finished healing and Rebels Advocate was perfect for that.
Me, I’ve wanted my own gym since I was a kid and when Cole came to me with the proposal, I couldn’t say no. With the size of the gym we were planning on building, we knew we needed partners which initially was how Luke and Jace got brought in.
Rebels Advocate was built with the intention of being the best MMA training facility in the area and we have certainly achieved that. I’ve never been so proud of anything in my life, it’s an amazing feeling knowing what we’ve created.
One of our purposes was to create an environment where people could come to feel safe and learn how to express themselves through the use of their own body. I like to think of it as a safe haven for so many of our fighters. We don’t only take on professional athletes, but always have our doors open to the kids in the community who need somewhere to go to keep themselves out of trouble.
As I said, it’s a fucking safe haven.
I relax back into my seat and kick my feet up while I down my beer. There’s nothing better than spending my Sunday afternoon surrounded by the people I consider family, and not to mention, there’s also a certain thrill about watching Imogen eye fucking me while the guys around us are completely oblivious.
Jace finally manages to pull his eyes away from Cami and joins in on the conversation we’ve been having about Xander’s upcoming fight. It’s going to be massive. It’ll be his third fight of the season and I can’t fucking wait. Xander came storming into the world of professional fighting like a raging bull. He made massive headlines, and nearly two years later, the world still can’t get enough of him.
“I’m up for cornerman,” Jace grins across at Xander.
“Like fuck you are,” Xander laughs. “The last time you were my cornerman, you got distracted by the chick in the front row and were fucking her in the bathroom before the fight was even over.”
“Fuck off,” Jace laughs. “Every time you tell that story, it gets worse.”
“Right,” Xander teases, though we all know that Jace actually waited until after the fight before he fucked her.
“You’re such a pig,” Rylee laughs as she knocks Jace on the arm.
I get up and head inside to grab another beer, but I detour past the bathroom first. As I step out into the hallway, the door to the guest bedroom is ripped open before two arms fly out and grab hold of me.
Imogen pulls me with all her might into the guest room and slams the door with her foot. She does her best to press me up against the door, but when it comes down to it, I like to be in control.
I flip us around and grab her by the ass before hoisting her up. Imogen’s legs wrap around my waist as my lips dive for the sensitive skin on her neck. Fuck, I’ve been in here for all of three seconds and this woman has already got me worked up. “We have to make this quick,” she pants as she reaches for the back of my shirt and begins pulling it up my back.
“Agreed,” I say as I slide the silky material of her dress up her legs.
Shit. I’m a fucking prick. I shouldn’t be doing this, but when it comes to Imogen Lewis, I can’t fucking help myself. She’s the forbidden fruit that’s been dangling in my face since I was thirteen years old. She must have only been nine at the time, but I knew back then that there was something special about her.
I watched her grow into this radiant woman and every day I would get a glimpse of the person she was developing into. And fuck, I really liked it.
I was a horny bastard every time I walked into their family home. I kept these desires for her a secret until the day we accidentally fell into bed together. Even then, it just sort of happened. I had no intention to go after her, we were both drunk and I offered to walk her home after Cole had already passed out.
We woke up the next morning in a mess of tangled limbs and sheets. Things developed from there. But as a kid, she was more like the sister I wish I didn’t have.
Cole and I would spend nearly every afternoon together after school. We’d all walk home together. I’d look out for her when Cole couldn’t. When Cole would go away with his parents for his fights, she’d come and stay at my place with my family.
Imogen has always been a permanent part of my life and some would argue that she’s going to be that way forever. I mean, it was inevitable that something would eventually happen, right? You can’t thrust a beautiful young woman in my face day in and day out and expect me not to fuck her.
If I was honest with myself, I was hoping it would happen sooner rather than later, but I just can’t get past the feeling of betrayal. Cole is my best friend and he trusts me with every ounce of his being. Screwing his little sister, a woman who I’m supposed to look at in the same way, is not going to go down well.
Fuck, fists are going to fly and I have no doubt that I’m going to stand there and take it. My only issue is that I can’t stop. The second I laid my hands on her, it was like I was taken over by this incredible need that I’d been holding onto for so long.
Her body fit with mine so perfectly that I decided then and there that I would happily take any punishment for my actions, as long as I could do it again and again. And luckily for me, Imogen has absolutely no plans on stopping.
Hell, I used to sleep around a lot back in the day. The guys just assumed that was the way I am, but really, I did it so I wouldn’t cross that line with Imogen, but now that I have, I haven’t been able to look at another woman in a sexual way. I don’t know about her and quite frankly, I don’t want to.
For now, it’s all about sex. The incredible mind-blowing sex. Sex so good that I wonder if she’s an angel sent from heaven. I mean, I have never been with a woman who makes it so good. She mustn’t be real.
Every now and then, my mind begins to wonder about the ‘what if’. You know, the what if this was something more? The what if I actually stayed the night? The what if she actually felt something for me? But I shut down those thoughts as soon as they come. I can’t let myself think about it.
Imogen isn’t interested in a relationship and nor am I. Well… if I’m honest, I’m twenty-eight and I’m not getting any
younger. If there was ever a woman I’d want to date exclusively, it would be Imogen, but as I said, she isn’t interested and I have this sick need to keep being with her, so for now, it’s hot, no strings attached sex.
I tear the black lacy thong from her body and within moments I’m seated deep within her and satisfying the craving I’ve had since the last time I saw her, which was only two days ago, but that time is enough to drive me wild with need.
“Fuck, Caden,” she pants as I slam into her up against the door. Her arms are wrapped around me with her nails digging into my skin as she desperately tries to hold on.
She throws her head back against the door and I can’t resist the offering of skin on her creamy neck. My lips run up and down the sensitive skin and it’s not long before her pussy is clenching down around my cock while she comes with the force of a freight train.
I come with her and just like every other time with her, it’s fucking magical. Her head falls to my shoulder as she catches her breath and I run my fingers back and forth across her shoulder blades. “Why is it so good with you?” she murmurs into my shoulder.
I can’t help but smirk, knowing she feels it too, and not to mention, it’s a damn good boost to my ego. “I think it has something to do with the fact we’re not supposed to be doing it.”
“You always want what you can’t have,” she comments.
“Ain’t that the truth,” I sigh as I slide out of her and make sure she finds her footing on the ground. My hands don’t leave her waist as I look down at her. “We need to tell him.”
Her eyes widen in fear as her fingers dig into my shoulder. “No,” she demands. “We can’t.”
“Babe,” I say. “I can’t keep lying to him. Cole’s my best friend. He’ll never forgive me.”
“Just… give it a little while longer,” she begs before pressing up into me and holding her lips close enough to mine that if I just tipped my head I could kiss her. “If he knew, this would have to end and I’m not ready for that. What we have here is too good,” she tells me. “And besides, it’s going to take me a lifetime to find another man who can get me off the way you do.”
Fuck me. If this was any other girl, she’d be falling at my feet, confessing her love, but not Imogen, she’s all about the crazy, wild, sex. I mean, how the hell is a man supposed to say no to something like that?
I let out a sigh and just like that, she knows she’s gotten her way. For now, that is.
She presses her lips to mine as softly as ever before I step back and give her the space she needs to get herself presentable.
A knock sounds at the door and it’s almost comical the way her head snaps up to mine with wide eyes. “Imogen, are you in here?” Cole’s voice sounds through the door.
Shit. She rushes me and pushes me two steps back into the closet. “Yeah, what’s up?” she says as she gives me a regretful smile and closes the door, not giving me the chance to even argue about it.
I hear her walking back across the room and open the door, though I have no doubt she double checked herself in the mirror beforehand. “What’s going on?” she questions.
“What are you doing in here?” Cole grunts.
“Oh, um… I lost an earring in the grass. I was just getting a new pair,” she tells him, making me wonder when she became so good at lying. I mean, that shit just came out like she was actually speaking the truth. Though, it’s not farfetched. Imogen kept some things here when she would stay with her brother, but since getting her own apartment, she hasn’t needed it so much.
“Ok,” Cole says, having absolutely no interest in her earring. “Can you come out? Rylee wants to do all the cake bullshit,” he says. Though, I have no doubt he had said it with a roll of his eyes. Cole has never been one for celebrating and doing the whole birthday cake thing, but Rylee certainly is.
“Sure,” Imogen replies. “I’ll just be a minute.”
“Alright,” Cole says. “Oh, have you seen Caden? He disappeared.”
“Um… last I saw he was down by the back gate on a call.”
“K,” he says before I hear the sound of the door closing.
A moment later, the closet door opens with a guilty looking Imogen standing before me. “Did you seriously just lock me in your closet?” I question.
“I’m sorry,” she grins. “I panicked.”
“Yeah, no shit,” I grunt as I step out of my hidey-hole before heading to the door.
“What are you doing?” she gasps. “You have to go through the window and head around back.”
I turn back and look at her just to make sure she’s not being serious, though the pleading look in her beautiful eyes tells me otherwise. “Really?” I grunt.
“Please,” she says with big puppy dog eyes. “I’ll make it up to you,” she says with a promise.
Shit. How can I say no to that? “Fine,” I sigh before making my way across to the window and pushing it open.
Imogen follows me over and places her hands on either side of my face. She reaches up onto her tippy-toes and places a kiss to my lips. “Thanks,” she murmurs. “That was fun.”
A smile lifts the corner of my mouth. “Believe me,” I smirk. “It was my pleasure.”
She rolls her eyes and with a wink from me, I disappear out the window.
Chapter 2
Imogen
Fuck, I love my job.
As of this year, I gained my doctorate in psychology. I have worked my ass off to get here and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I spent years upon years with my face stuck in textbooks and suffering through long painful classes, and it’s finally paid off.
So much went into getting this far, but being here now, at the end of all that study, doing what I love and getting paid for it. I’m so damn proud of myself. Getting this far is already an achievement in itself, but actually being able to put my skills into action and help children destroy their demons, that’s the real prize.
I sit in the office which I’ve had since the beginning of the year with one of my newest clients, Brandon. He’s eleven years old and has just been taken away from his parents due to the unbelievable level of physical abuse they were throwing his way. I mean, it’s our first session and he hasn’t said a single word to me yet, but I can already see the pain he has had to suffer through from the hands of his parents.
His arms are covered in scars from where they’ve used him as an ashtray. He has a recent pink scar through the center of his right eyebrow and he’s severely underweight for his age. Though, that’s just the things I can see. I know for a fact that after reading his file, there’s a lot more damage that’s been done to this poor child.
Not to mention, the mental and emotional scarring. His eyes flick around the room as if he’s constantly preparing himself for the worst. He’s jumpy and terrified to talk, and now, it’s my job to help him move forward with a new life. One where he doesn’t have to be afraid. One where he can be strong and stand up for himself. One where he’ll never have to suffer at the hands of his parents again.
To me, all children are special, but I prefer to work with the ones who truly need it. I generally work with children in the system who have recently been removed from a bad situation. Children just like Brandon.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s honestly the hardest job on this planet, but extremely rewarding. Learning about these kids and what they’ve been through tears at my soul, but I’m happy to go through this journey with them if it means I’m able to help them in some small way.
Brandon’s eyes flick across the room as he sits on the very edge of the couch. I stand from my desk and slowly walk around so I stand before him. His eyes watch my movements and my heart breaks at how ridged his body is.
“Hi, Brandon,” I say as I slowly take a seat in the couch opposite him. His eyes flick up to meet mine before instantly going straight back down to his lap. “My name is Imogen and I’m really happy to be meeting with you today,” I tell him. “I’ve heard a lot about you, and if it’s o
k with you, I’d like to get to know you a bit better.”
With that, he silently looks up. His eyebrows crease as he watches me for a moment and it’s clear he’s wondering why I’d like to get to know him. “I just want to let you know that this is a safe place,” I tell him as I slowly wave my hand around the room, not wanting to frighten him with any sudden movements. “What that means is that it’s ok for you to talk with me, and whatever you may or may not want to share with me, is going to be just for my ears. Our secrets, unless you decide otherwise. Does that make sense?”
He nods his head ever so slightly and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I was afraid he wouldn’t respond at all, but the fact that he has tells me he’s willing to give it a try and I’ll be able to help him a little easier.
Noticing he’s still sitting like a robot, I relax back into my own couch and cross my legs. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable,” I tell him. “Would you like a drink or anything to eat?”
He shakes his head but slowly leans back into the couch before pulling his legs up under himself and making me one of the happiest therapists on the planet. “How has your day been so far?” I ask him as I reach for my own glass of water and take a sip.
He shrugs his shoulders and I launch into my own rundown of my day, hoping that might help to get him to relax and open up. “I’ve had a pretty awful day myself,” I tell him. “I accidentally spilled my coffee all down my brand new dress in my new car,” I groan as I pull back the front of my jacket and point out the nasty coffee stain.
His lips lift in a smirk and I keep going. “I was too far away from home to turn around so I had to suck it up, luckily, I had my jacket with me. I’m afraid my dress is ruined and I haven’t had a chance to check on my car yet, but I’m assuming it’s going to need a good clean.”
He nods his head, agreeing that my car will indeed need a good clean. “I hope your morning wasn’t as bad as mine,” I comment as I place the glass back on the table.
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