by Nova Raines
God, this is horrible timing, but it’s now or never. “I need to tell you something.” The words spill out in a rush, and Kaidan looks up. His brows furrow as he notices the folder in my arms.
I hold my breath as he plucks it from my grasp. “You shouldn’t have taken that out of there,” he says, but he sounds like he doesn’t really care.
He tosses it on the nearby empty chair, and I watch, horrified, as some of the contents slide sideways, exposed. But he’s not looking at it. He’s looking off into the distance, pensive. The expression of betrayal on his face is awful. And it’s only going to get worse from here.
“Kaidan.”
He meets my eyes and draws me closer without a word.
“Listen, I—”
He presses his lips to mine, kissing me with such intensity my body responds without my permission. His hand slides down my back, aggressively kneading the sensitive depressions in my lower back, and longing awakens within me, making my whole body hot. I’m positively buzzing as his tongue finds mine, and his hands sneak up my shirt. He squeezes my breast roughly, and I moan a little into his mouth.
I should stop this, but my body wants it too bad. I want it. And once I tell him the truth, he’ll probably never touch me like this again. It’ll all be over. I kiss him with a sort of desperation, matching his intensity, and he unhooks my bra and helps me pull my shirt over my head.
He whirls me around so the backs of my thighs are up against the edge of the desk and takes one of my breasts in his mouth hungrily, sucking on my nipple. I bite back a gasp and remember there’s an FBI agent on guard just outside the door. We shouldn’t be doing this.
But Kaidan twists my other nipple with his fingers and then returns his mouth to mine, seeking my tongue. My hand moves to his pants, and he’s hard already, bulging against the fabric. As he kisses me, my bare breasts rub against the smooth fabric of his shirt, nipples hard in the drafty air.
Electricity dances between us, trapping us in a haze of lust, the heat of this moment. There’s only us and this need that has to be taken care of. I unbuckle his pants and unzip them to give his cock some freedom. His lips move to my ear, and his tongue trails down my neck as he unbuttons my jeans.
He lets me go and steps back. His eyes are dark, heavy with lust. I slide my pants down my hips, letting them drop to the floor. Then I step out of them, wearing only my panties. He stares down at me, drinking me in, his face flushed, and the way he’s looking at me makes me even wetter.
“Turn around,” he growls, his voice low.
I shiver with anticipation and turn around, breathing quickly. He inches my panties down my thighs and bends me over the desk, his hand on my neck. He holds me down, so my cheek is pressed into the smooth, cool wood. As he holds me there, the ridged length of him rubs across my ass, teasing me.
“Do you want this cock?”
“Yes,” I breathe. “Fuck me.”
“You’re mine, Hayley. Say it.”
“I’m yours.”
“And I’m going to fuck you so good you’ll never want anyone else.”
“Show me.” I move my legs farther apart, waiting.
He finds my slick entrance and plunges into me forcefully. I suck in a breath and wince as he stretches me, taking me without apology. The pain fades to pleasure immediately as he eases in and out—once, twice.
He lifts his hand off my neck and wraps it in my hair, pulling on it just enough to hurt. His other hand wraps around my waist, steadying us as he slides in and out. He takes me slowly, driving me crazy with wanting. I let out a little frustrated sound.
“How do you want me to fuck you?”
“Mmm.” That’s all I can get out. The pleasure and pain mingled together is exquisite, but I want more. So much more.
He pulls out and teases my opening with his cock. “Say it.”
“Fuck me hard.”
And he does. I cry out as he rams himself into me. I try to choke back my pleasure as he drives himself into me, stretching me, hitting my G-Spot at this angle over and over. But I can’t. The cries escape anyway. I can’t make myself care who hears.
Pleasure and pain blend together, driving me higher than I’ve ever been.
I manage to hold back a cry as I cum, and I whimper instead. He fucks me faster, keeping me there longer. He releases my hair to hold me by my hips. He doesn’t even let me breathe, let me recover. He keeps going, and I can’t get back to earth. I’m cresting again, my pussy tight, clenching around the throbbing length of him.
I gasp as he hardens and gets even bigger.
“Come again. I want to hear it this time.”
And I do. We climax at the same time, and he lets go within me, filling me up, and I can’t hold back the sound of my pleasure this time.
We’re both breathing hard after, and he leans closer, still inside me, holding me. Our hearts beat a wild rhythm as we come back to Earth.
Then he pulls out and grabs the bag Devon brought him off the floor. He takes out a t-shirt and hands it to me with a little satisfied smirk. “Better get cleaned up before someone tries to get in here.”
Then he turns away from me to get his pants back on.
I wipe myself in the most undignified way, fold the shirt up awkwardly and stick it back in the bag. Ugh. Now that our lust has been spent, all the heat seeps from me. Except for my cheeks. Those are blazing. What Kaidan and I just did in here is one mystery those FBI agents will never have to solve.
As I get my clothes back on, Kaidan turns back to me, wrapping his arms around me, and gives me another kiss.
“You’re so hot.”
I give him a weak smile. “Try to remember everything you like about me. Please.”
He furrows his brow, but someone knocks on the door, interrupting our conversation.
Kaidan opens the door, and by the look on the female FBI agent’s face, she’s well aware of what we were up to.
The agent from earlier steps into the doorway behind her. “Mr. Stone. Our investigation isn’t over, but we wanted to let you know the charges against you have been dropped… for now. We just got verification that James Nordstrom emptied all his accounts and appears to have fled the country. We have agents waiting for him when his plane lands.”
Kaidan’s shoulders relax. “Thank you for telling me.”
“When you’re ready…” The agent darts a look in my direction. “We need to ask you some more questions.” He shuts the door, leaving us alone again.
All the stress I’ve detected in Kaidan over the past weeks seems to be completely gone. His muscles are relaxed, and a grin spreads on his face. He takes out his phone, texts someone, then looks back at me. “I told Charles to come get us. Is your car back at the station?”
I know what my face must look like, and it’s the exact opposite of his.
When he sees my expression, his happiness fades. “We’ll get your money back. I swear it.” He picks my file folder off the chair, but as he does, the paperwork falls out and slips to the floor.
My chest constricts, and I stoop to grab it, but Kaidan reaches it first.
I think I’m going to puke as his gaze drops to the paper. His eyes move across the page, and I’m frozen, unable to breathe.
He’s reading the will.
Kaidan’s expression hardens as he reads, and my mouth suddenly tastes like metal. After a terrifying minute, his eyes meet mine. And they’re like a knife through my heart. They’re devoid of any of the affection they held for me a minute ago. “Explain. Serena’s diamond?” He sounds like he’s barely controlling his anger.
“My father put that in his will,” I say lamely. “That’s what I wanted to tell you…”
Kaidan flares his nostrils and glances back down at the paper. “Is this why… is this why you started seeing me? To get close to Serena? To…”
“No! Well… I didn’t think you cared about me at first. But then…” I trail off, because how can I explain? I did choose to see him again for all the
wrong reasons.
Pain flashes across his face. Then it’s gone. He looks at me like I’m a stranger. “I need you to leave.”
“Kaidan, no. There’s more to this. More to why—”
“I’ll get your money. The firm will release it to you when I have it. No condition.” Kaidan’s working his jaw, staring down at the will.
“Listen to me—”
“Get out.”
“Please.” My voice cracks, and I try to grab his arm, but he steps away from me so I can’t.
“Wait out back. Charles will take you to your car.”
“Please. I have to tell you—”
“Get. Out.”
“Kaidan, look at me!”
He finally looks at me, and his face twists with anger. “Out!”
I grab my purse and get out of there, running away like I always do. I push past the surprised FBI agent guarding the boxes and run down the carpeted hallway to reach the back door.
I stand outside next to the stinking dumpster, peering through the gate and trying to hold back my tears as I wait for Charles. I wish Kaidan would come after me, but he doesn’t. He hates me, and he doesn’t even know the worst part yet. But he will, as soon as Serena comes back, and he finds out the diamond’s gone. Then the cops will be at my door. And I know the truth now. I’m too much of a coward to turn myself in.
After an agonizing ten minutes of hating myself, Charles shows up in the Jag.
He drives me back to my Mercedes without saying a word to me. I somehow manage to keep from crying until I’m alone in my own car.
And then I cry until my tears run dry.
By the time I manage to get myself home, hours have passed, and I’ve officially used up my last thirty bucks on three stiff drinks at the bar down the street from my penthouse.
But I’ve accepted my fate. Kaidan and I are over. I’ll just wait for justice to be served. I’ll sit in my penthouse and wait for the cops to come take me away.
I call Rowan as soon as I walk through my door.
He picks up without a hello. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“It turns out dad didn’t make bad investments. His fucking lawyer stole my money and fled the country.”
“What the fuck? I’ll—”
“Kaidan’s trying to get the money back. But it doesn’t matter.”
“If he gets the money back,” Rowan’s words rush out, “We can get that diamond back.”
“I’m so scared,” I whisper. “Kaidan knows about the condition. Serena will find out the diamond is missing soon… He’ll know. He’ll know it was me and turn me in himself. It’s over.”
“If he gets your money back, we can pay Luis off and get the diamond back. You can return it.”
“By then it’ll be too late!” I’m crying again, and Rowan is silent on the line for a minute. “I’m going to just wait here until they come for me.”
“I‘ll come stay with you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I am. I’ll take off work. We’ll figure out what to do.”
“We’re out of options.”
“You stole that diamond because of me,” Rowan sounds really pissed. But I can tell his anger is directed at himself, not me. “We’ll figure out how to handle this together. And if that means just waiting till the cops show up, I’ll wait with you.”
I pause. “Thank you, Row. That means a lot.”
He hangs up, and I curl up on my couch, tears streaming down my face.
I’ve made some terrible choices in the past few weeks, and they’re choices I can’t ever take back.
I’ve been on a downward spiral for a while, and I have to face the truth. I’m really no better than my parents were, even if my vice of choice is theft and not drugs. There’s no end to the number of ways you can ruin your own life.
***
When Rowan said he’d stay with me, he meant it. He’s been with me for three days. The first night, he picked up some good food for my empty fridge, and he hasn’t left my side since. He’s patient, waiting with me as I decide what to do. He hasn’t pressured me to talk about… anything. He’s just stuck by me in his quiet way. I’ll never forget this.
My phone beeps, and I hold my breath as I glance down at it.
Not Kaidan.
It’s Char. Kaidan hasn’t called, and I haven’t dared call him. Char has sent me yet another picture of her and Matt Lin. They extended their stay at the lodge, and she must be getting daily deep dickin’s because she clearly hasn’t checked ScandalLust. And I’m not about to ruin her vacation or make her feel guilty she’s not here by telling her what’s going on.
Besides, I have my brother. We’ve been binge-watching all the DVDs he brought from his apartment. The latest is a TV series where a secret military team travels through wormhole gates to other planets. They fight weird alien-snake things that burrow into humans and take over their minds. My mistakes are like that. Parasites, eating me from the inside.
And the waiting… The waiting is the worst. Every hour I expect the cops to show up, but they never do.
I get up from the couch and head to the window to check the street again, but it’s a waste of time. The paps haven’t budged. Whenever the cops show up, they’ll get it all on camera.
Rowan’s phones buzzes for the eighty millionth time. He looks at it and tosses it back on the table. “Seriously?”
I fold my arms across my chest. “What?”
“Nothing. Garbage.”
I go back over and pick up his phone. One of his friends has sent him a text linking to ScandalLust. I’ve managed to only look a few times, but the news of Kaidan’s FBI arrest is everywhere, not just ScandalLust. It’s on every news channel, too.
“Don’t bother,” Rowan says.
I click through anyway and let out a squeak.
Wade Siblings Lose Fortune—Rowan Forces Hayley into Porn to Pay Bills
Exaggerated details of my almost porn audition grace the page. Only they’ve linked my audition to my brother… because Jade lives in his building. Is she the one who called them?
I click away from the article, but ScandalLust recommends some related articles before I go.
Kaidan Stone’s Ex, Peyton, Says He Embezzled Her Werewolf Earnings
Dozens of A-listers Lose Money in Stone-founded Law Firm Scandal
KaiHay OVER? Did Kaidan Steal Hayley’s Fortune?
I growl and toss the phone down in disgust.
“Um… that porn story is garbage, right?” Rowan asks, tearing his eyes off the TV.
I give him a suggestive smirk, and he shakes his head and lifts his hands up. “Nah. If even one sentence of that is true, I don’t wanna know.”
My stomach twists as I look at Rowan. There’s still a nasty bruise on his temple from where the thugs slammed a gun into his head. I sink down on the couch, and he notices me staring.
Rowan licks his lips and turns the TV off. “I’ve been thinking…”
“What?”
“We tell the cops I stole the diamond.”
“No! I’m not going to let you do that,” I say. “Besides, if Luis gets caught with it, he’ll rat us out.”
Rowan clenches his jaw tight. “But he’ll also be admitting to kidnapping and extortion if he does.”
I groan. “I can either turn myself in, or I can wait until the cops come for me. That’s the way this works.”
The intercom buzzes, and Rowan and I exchange alarmed looks. He gets up first and goes to the speaker to answer it.
There’s silence at the other end of the line, and then a cleared throat. Time seems to move at a snail’s pace as we wait for an answer.
“Is Hayley there?”
I go rigid. It’s Kaidan.
“Who is this?” Rowan asks.
“Kaidan Stone. I need to talk to her.” He sounds pissed.
Rowan looks at me questioningly.
“Let him come up. We have to face this anyway. Maybe… maybe he got the money ba
ck.”
Rowan narrows his eyes and hits the button to let Kaidan in.
I rush to the bedroom to throw some jeans on so I’m not in my pajamas and bathrobe. I take a minute to stare at myself in the mirror. At my green eyes, at my messy hair. He’s never going to forgive me. But I can face him again. I can do this.
When I walk back into the living room, Kaidan’s standing there, shooting daggers at my silent brother. Rowan is glaring right back, his arms crossed over his chest. Alpha boys, both of them.
A sharp pain shoots through me, leaving me breathless. I didn’t realize how much it would make me ache to see Kaidan again. He’s as handsome as ever, even though he looks like he hasn’t slept much. There are deep circles under his eyes, and his normally pristine pants and dress shirt are wrinkled.
“Who the hell are you?” Kaidan asks Rowan.
I hurry over to them. “Kaidan. This is my brother Rowan. Rowan, Kaidan.”
Recognition dawns on Kaidan’s face, and he seems to mentally dismiss Rowan. Then he turns his glare to me. “We need to talk. Now.”
“Fine. Talk.”
Kaidan shoots a look at Rowan.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Rowan says. He leans against the wall and keeps his eyes trained on Kaidan.
Kaidan lets out a breath and rubs a hand through his hair, then meets my eyes. “The diamond, Hayley. I need to know. Before I do anything.”
I walk over to him until I’m only a foot away and force myself to maintain eye contact. “Yes. I took it.”
My heart breaks at the look in his eyes. His face crumples with the betrayal of it, then he gets his expression back under control. “I need it back.”
My throat is so tight I can barely get the words out. “I don’t have it.”
“You sold it?” His voice rises, and his hands ball into fists. “How could you be so stupid? Didn’t you know you’d get caught?” He takes a step toward me, and my brother does, too. Kaidan shoots him a wary look, then meets my eyes again. “You have thirty seconds to explain.”
Everything I’ve been holding inside for all these weeks finally breaks free. “I tried to tell you at the office… My dad had a drug problem. He owed these dealers a lot of money when he died. When I came back to LA, the dealers started stalking me. They threatened me, smashed the window of my car, and made me give them every last dime I had in my account. I wanted to pay them back… but that condition in the will made it impossible.”
