Another Stroke of Fate (The Carnal Exhibitions Book 2)

by LW Barefoot

  Harper

  After my morning with Evan, my head is in the clouds. I can’t think straight and I haven’t heard a word Jamie has said. When he starts getting excited about food chemistry, he loses me a little bit, but he captures Mae’s undivided attention and has since she got back from the city. I joke that she now has a new favorite and she doesn’t even try to deny it. She explains how she’s been trying to teach me how to cook and Jamie almost cries from laughing so hard.

  I leave the two charming chefs in the kitchen and make it to the foyer when the doorbell chimes. I wait for someone to come greet whoever’s ringing the bell, but as the ding chimes again, I open the door.

  “It’s good to see you again, Harper.”

  Grayson stands on the other side.

  “Hi, Grayson.”

  I blush when I remember the last time I saw him and how it ended. Then Evan’s explanation about Grayson with his last girlfriend has me backing away from him.

  “I’m not here to hurt you, Harper.”

  He doesn’t move from his stance on the other side of the doors.

  “I’m here to set the record straight. Tom wants me to meet them in the library,” Grayson offers while my tongue is tied.

  The mention of Tom’s name settles me a little, but not enough to forget the many faces covered in Evan’s loft kicking me repeatedly.

  “Were you there?” I ask him.

  His eyes are sad, but I force myself to hold them with mine.

  “Yes, but only after they finished with you. I sent Evan a text after I called for an ambulance. I’m sorry, Harper. For everything,” Grayson pleads. “I think we both have been lied to about who we really are.”

  I recall the conversation we had the night of Evan’s Mardi Gras kickoff party. He was insisting on helping me and I believed him. I had a hard time connecting Evan’s exclamation of Grayson’s cruelness when he later explained why I should stay away from him.

  Mae comes through the foyer and studies our standoff. Grayson stands outside with his hands behind his back. The back of my heels are against the bottom step of the staircase.

  Ru’ wiggles in excitement when he sees Grayson and shuffles over to the open front door. Grayson pets my overeager bulldog.

  I watch in astonishment when Mae gives Grayson a huge hug.

  “Honey, they’re waiting for you in the library,” Mae says to him as he leans down and picks up a bag and a briefcase.

  “Here, we’ll leave this for Martin to take to your room when he gets back. Go on, now, make yourself at home,” Mae insists.

  Grayson leaves his overnight bag by the front door, like instructed, and nods as he walks past us to the library with his briefcase in hand. He offers me a smile as he leaves.

  I wait until I hear the doors close down the hall before questioning Mae.

  “What was that all about?” I ask.

  “Have you ever been completely misunderstood?”

  “Every single day of my life,” I admit.

  “Then give Grayson a little understanding and let’s hope to God Evan does the same. Come on, I’m making pies and you could use a lesson,” she instructs explaining how Jamie is already offering her a job as a pastry chef.

  “Maybe the two of us combined can teach you something useful,” Mae laughs.

  She explains that she was coming to get me after they scared me out of the kitchen just minutes ago.

  This is nothing more than a distraction but I love it.

  Ru’ and I follow her to the kitchen so she and Jamie can continue their efforts toward my culinary education.

  I expect Mae to elaborate on Evan and Grayson’s relationship, but all I get is sugar coated cherries and an arm workout rolling dough across Mae’s island.

  Evan

  After I regain my composure over Grayson’s presence, I listen to every single word he has to say. He knew when he left New Orleans our father would have someone watching him. When he doesn’t return back to the city, Joe will know Grayson has switched sides. The lengths our father has gone through to keep us from seeing eye to eye should be unbelievable, but after his last ‘lesson’ I wouldn’t put anything past him.

  Grayson presents evidence of underground businesses that match up to the tax records Ryan got his hands on.

  I explain our latest run-in with the Carrera cartel and drop off. Grayson’s been the connection between our father and Anthony Carrera. It opens up an entirely different can of worms.

  We spend the better half of the day connecting the ties that could possibly hold us legally responsible. Grayson and I’s names are on deeds to properties in every major city in the Southern United States. After pouring over maps where the addresses are, each one of them is in close proximity to either interstate highways or shipping ports. I leave them in the library with Martin pouring them all tumblers full of Scotch.

  Hours later I leave Stacy in my office with the additional locations and addresses. I’ve had enough for one day as I stalk the halls of the plantation to clear my head.

  I should stop and take a deep breath, collect my emotions, but all rational thought disappears when I see Harper’s hair float down her back when I round a corner. Earbuds dangle down from her iPod.

  I follow her. She’s so unaware and a small part of me doesn’t want to frighten her, but it doesn’t stop me either.

  I catch her unknowingly as I slip my hand around to cover her mouth and simultaneously yank her back against me. Her scream silences as I press my lips against her neck and grind my cock over her ass. Her breath is heavy and frantic, exactly how I wanted.

  She reaches up to remove the headphones, but I stop her. I lick the sensitive column of her neck and press my teeth in the bite mark I left on her this morning.

  I allow myself to indulge in her trembling, shocked body, running my hands up and down her.

  I reposition her iPod Shuffle to clip on the strap of her bra, turning up the volume.

  We’re a few doors down from her studio and the master suite. My dick strains impatiently. The way Harper’s rubbing back up on me makes me want to explode. She leans for the closest door to us and opens it.

  I don’t allow her a moment of reprieve as I take her lips against mine and push her back against the wall.

  Our hands and lips try to suck and pull. Savage in our effort to drown in sensation. I need to get lost in her. Her sweet tongue tangling with mine tastes exactly like redemption.

  Harper

  These damn earbuds silence all the noise around me. I feel like my heart is about to shoot out of my chest when Evan grabs me from behind. Panic comes and goes in a matter of seconds as his scent cloaks me.

  Evan acting with the single-minded goal to touch me is beyond hot. Dance rhythms bump with bass as Evan clips its source to the strap of my bra.

  The slide of his skin against mine is in time with the tune. Once we’re in whatever room we are closest to, he’s on me again. My back registers the cold wall, in contrast to Evan’s body heat.

  He makes little work out of destroying my clothes, the clothes he helped dress me in this morning. He rips the material off as if it’s offensive. Hooking his fingers in the thong and pushing his finger in my slick heat. He’s never been this desperate to have me. The frustration in his movements should give me pause, but it doesn’t. I moan and he captures it with his mouth.

  I lift my hands to remove the earbuds, but he stops me. Evan’s fingers wrap around my wrists, pulls them above my head while working another finger inside me. He strokes my muscles constricting against his hand. He removes the hand that’s been pumping inside of me and traces my arousal on top of my breasts. Pulling down the lace of my bra and exposing me even further before repeating the action to the other breast. He dips his finger back for more. He bends down to lick the liquid off my skin, sucking and biting and drawing me deep.

  The music pounding in my ears mimics the rush of my blood. The look in Evan’s eyes is unguarded and honest. Like he’s granting me a glimps
e. His hand lifts from my wrists, he pulls away from me and starts undressing.

  The combination of the song changing, Evan backing away from me, and my aching desire, has me tempted to touch myself. His captivated gaze encourages me and makes me bold. I lift my heavy breasts and massage them. Evan widens his stance as he stands there watching expectantly. One dark eyebrow lifts in challenge and I obey. He wants to watch me touch myself. I trail my right hand down my torso. The music numbs my inhibitions and his approval urges me on.

  I tilt my hips up for Evan to get a better view, spreading my legs further. He takes a seat on the edge of the bed and watches. His hand wraps around his cock and starts slowly moving up and down as my fingers circle my swollen clit. It’s so damn thrilling to see him touch himself. I pulse with impassioned need to keep that look on his face. That alone is enough to have me coming apart at my own hands.

  Evan stands and stalks toward me. The look of determination and need darkens his gaze as it sweeps over me. He makes picking me up and slamming my back against the wall look effortless. I keep my fingertips circling my clit as he pushes his masterful cock in me. I have to close my eyes at the sensation of being filled because it’s so damn delicious.

  The drumming bass now matches the throbs of my inner core. I melt against the hard wall, Evan’s hard chest, and all over his hard cock. He drives in over and over.

  I pull the left speaker from my ear and place it in his right one, keeping us tethered. I want him to experience the same sensations of listening to deafening tunes while succumbing to our mutual attraction.

  A dark expression crosses over his features and he becomes, even more, rough than he was before. I challenged him, but that’s not what I meant. I only wanted him to hear what I was, in some silent attempt to let him in, but I’m wrong. I’ve been wrong all along.

  My thighs burn with the effort to keep up with his powerful thrusts. His hand moves to my throat and he bears down on it with heavy pressure. As soon as he squeezes, I lock down around his pounding erection. Fireworks ignite through my nerves.

  I push my breasts up for him to pay attention to. My nipples tingle as he takes one in his mouth. He licks slowly, the motion so different from his fierce thrusts. He bites down hard and it propels me all over again.

  White hot bliss takes up residence in my very being, but something about his expression keeps me from completely enjoying the feeling.

  Evan buries himself deep, holding our straining bodies tightly together. He pushes me down and angles his hips as he swirls them, sending my receding orgasm back to the spotlight. Making me mindless as he unloads his lust and irritation.

  Evan

  I’m losing my fucking mind. There’s no other explanation for what just happened.

  With Harper, I lose all control. I’m only like this with her.

  Every moment of weakness I show her, I become something I never wanted to be. Something I shouldn’t even consider. This fucking woman is going to end up breaking my heart and I already foresee it.

  She submits succumbs, and I hate her for it. It’s not fair and I know it. She shouldn’t be so perfect, so damned flawed. No one in their right mind would even consider being with me after what I have exposed her to. It’s too much, but instead, of her being cowed, she rises up to meet the challenges that keep getting thrown her way.

  With the same intensity and determination, I needed to bury myself in her, I need to get away from her. I stalk to the bathroom and don’t look back.

  As soon as I shut the door to the en-suite, quiet clapping comes from the last person I want to witness me being this exposed.

  “What the hell are you doing in here?” I barely get the words out.

  “I’m taking Harper’s feelings into consideration. I didn’t want to walk out and embarrass her. You, on the other hand, are a complete ass.”

  Grayson looks at me with disgust, leaning against the bathroom counter. Hell, I couldn’t blame him. I’m losing my touch along with my self-awareness. I took Harper like an easy prize up against a wall in my sick need to fuck her.

  “I have to admit the way she comes apart is quite, what’s the right word? Delicious.”

  “Pack your shit. You’re not staying here,” I spit, washing my hands.

  “That’s counterproductive and you know it. This is your house and I respect that, but if you continue to use women in the room I’m staying in, I will be more than happy to switch. Unless of course, you’re just rubbing it in, then I’m up for the challenge.”

  I absolutely hate that the plantation is filling up with more people. It’s more avenues to expose how depraved I am. More eyes to witness my dark proclivities. More conclusions that I’m just like my dad.

  “No, I apologize. I didn’t want you to see Harper like that.”

  “Too late, brother. Too damn late.”

  He’s right, of course.

  I move back to the bedroom Harper and I invaded. She’s gone, along with all traces of our indiscretion.

  I need a drink, a strong one.

  Harper

  I fall asleep on the balcony and wake up in Evan’s arms before dawn. I watch him for what has to be hours, his jaw locking and tensing in sleep. I’m not the only one tormented and trapped by dreams.

  I spend all morning planning my next collection of paintings. I decide to emulate them in bright rays of sunlight and ending the collection with starlight sparkling radiantly through old limbs.

  Rufus starts wiggling and shaking his butt when Brad and Jamie knock on Evan’s cracked bedroom door.

  “Hi! Did you come for Ru’?”

  He just hiked his leg on one of the outdoor planters on the balcony, but I don’t want to admit that Ru’ was marking his territory.

  “No, I’m here for you. Jamie and I’ve been talking,” Brad says.

  I smile up at both of them in question.

  “It’s time you train with us. What do you think?” Jamie asks.

  “What the hell took so long for you two to come up with this?”

  I walk in the room and motion for them to follow.

  “Jamie didn’t get to see your mean right hook. He wants a repeat performance,” Brad snickers.

  I walk to my closet to grab my workout gear.

  “Running is no longer the only thing you could use. We should’ve been doing this months ago,” Jamie confesses, guilt washes over his features.

  He’s bent down petting Ru’, but looking up at me.

  “I don’t want either one of you to feel sorry for me,” I confess.

  Both of these strong men have so much regret pouring off them it makes my head spin. All this time, I’ve felt alone, healing and trying to find my way back to the light. I’ve thought about both Brad and Jamie’s feelings, but I never considered how they dealt with everything through this process.

  “It’s not anyone’s fault in this room. No amount of self-defense would have protected me. You have to know that,” I exclaim.

  Jamie looks away from me as if he’s ashamed and uncomfortable. We never talk about the things that are harmful or tough to deal with. Both of us have amassed a lifetime of hurt and that’s only touching on our emotional baggage. I reach out and squeeze his hand, meeting Brad’s searching eyes.

  “I’m going to change and you two idiots are going to teach me how to kick ass.”

  Brad’s face lights up a fraction as Jamie squeezes my hand back.

  I meet them in the back gardens and have the workout of a lifetime. Something shifts when I hit the pads Jamie holds up. I throw my weight in it, give it all I have, and beat up my fists before Jamie stops me. Brad has me use my legs, exclaiming I shouldn’t push myself too hard, but it isn’t hard enough. I kick from every possible angle, mimicking Jamie.

  Through this intense, purpose driven task, we find ourselves laughing. Both of them compete in sit-ups and push-ups and I want to punch things harder. Imagining blond hair behind haunting masks and Joe Hawthorne’s mocking face with cold eyes that look n
othing like Evan’s. I even conjure up Sarah’s pinched mug and my therapist’s gap I left in her smile, just for the hell of it.

  There’s something so cathartic and familiar about using my body to release pent up energy. Energy I usually reserve for my paintings. So similar are the two that I wonder why I’m just now catching on to another effective way for escape.

  “I think that’s enough for your first day.”

  Jamie drops his arms for a second time, my own are burning with exhaustion, but I feel amazing.

  “So, what do you think? You want to try again tomorrow?” Brad asks, his breathing hasn’t changed at all and I’m huffing from exertion.

  “Absolutely. Thanks, guys!”

  I run back to the house and use the exterior staircase to the master suite. I can’t remember the last time I was this worn out from self-inflicted physical exhaustion.

  I turn on the multiple shower heads in the shower. The hot water helps ease my aching muscles. I know I pushed too hard, but it was such a rush I couldn’t help myself. Relief settles over me as the dull ache from my ribs is finally gone.

  “Do you mind if I join you?”

  I jolt at the intrusion. Evan leans against the entrance of the shower fully clothed.

  “I don’t know if we will both fit in here,” I playfully exclaim, making fun of the enormous, unnecessary shower.

  He looks tired, but in a different sense than what I’m feeling. Still devastatingly gorgeous, but closed-off. I need to him to open up.

  He watches me wash my hair. I purposefully lift the detachable nozzle and rinse my hair again. It has the intended effect. His eyes latch on my breasts as they lift, his heated stare causes my nipples to pebble.

  He still hasn’t made a move to come in here and join me. As if I need to tempt him or piss him off, I turn the sprayer on him. Drenching him while he’s still fully clothed. The water soaks through his shirt and pants. It was only for a moment, but I managed to drench him.