Dom Fever (Devlin Black #2)
Page 1
Dom Fever
Devlin Black book 2
Alaska Angelini
Dom Fever
Devlin Black book 2
Alaska Angelini
Copyright © 2014 by Alaska Angelini
ISBN: 9781938076381
All Rights Reserved
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and is punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Chapter 1
Devlin
Betrayal causes different reactions for different people. I liked to think of myself as a fairly rational man. Calmer than most, I hardly ever raised my voice and wasn’t one to lash out. But there was one thing that could spark my temper like nothing else. Being lied to.
Honesty had been the key foundation I stressed to any woman I was interested in. They knew not to hide anything from me. After all, I was an understanding guy. Who was I to point the finger when I’d been far from being a saint myself?
One woman, and years of searching for her after an unforgettable night, finally put her straight into my arms. Not in the typical way, I’d literally crashed into her when I was jogging, but the accident had been a blessing to my struggling self. Too much booze and too many women had destroyed me. And it was all because of losing her. A piece of myself went missing when she disappeared. I fell even deeper into the depths of depression, losing myself completely. She’d been the light to my darkness. My perfect, ideal submissive. When she reemerged into my life, my heart had been revived. It burned to be in her presence. Ached constantly, reminding me that it was no longer mine, but hers. I would have done anything for Victoria. Hell, I’d tried my hardest to convince her that she belonged with me. But she wouldn’t budge. Her rejection killed me. Was killing me. My heart was proof of that. I was dying a slow, agonizing death and she was the only one that had the power to save me.
At least, that’s what I had thought. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined she could lie to me. To hide a truth so big that she’d fall off the pedestal I placed her on.
What started out as a typical day had led me back to the boredom I always seemed to find myself in. There was only one person who plagued my thoughts in those moments. Her. Ways to win her over haunted me. Every scenario imaginable came to my mind and I weighed whether or not I should even attempt it. Victoria had brushed me off too many times to count and I knew with all the women signing up for dates with me from my personal ad I just needed to move on and face facts.
But, I couldn’t.
One night, a little over three weeks ago, she and I had had sex. After being so long without her, I’d seduced her with every ounce of skill I possessed. But in the end, it was her continuing desire for me that had her acquiescing. I’d never felt more overwhelmed. Even though I didn’t wear a condom, I’d pulled out. Still, it didn’t take a genius to know pregnancy could still happen that way, and I prayed to the Gods that it worked in my favor. As much as it made me a bastard to want to keep her tied to me through a child, I couldn’t stop hoping that I’d get what I wanted—to become a father with Victoria and have her with me always.
The desperation of my obsessive thoughts had me stopping by her house any chance I could. Her mother was growing on me. I’d spent a good two hours sitting outside with Sophia over Halloween, passing out candy. She made me laugh and for the first time in as long as I could remember, I really felt like I had a mother, too. Naturally, she gave off the vibes, and I soaked them in like the dying man I was.
Sophia’s nervousness the moment she opened the door today, had faded within seconds. I could tell she was contemplating sharing something, but I brushed it aside. When she said Victoria was at the park, I’d thought it was perfect timing. I needed to do my daily run anyway.
The coolness as I jogged felt good. My heart was pounding in my chest, but not from the running…because I knew the moment I saw her, I’d be home. She was it for me. If I could only win her over, I’d have the perfect life. I knew if Victoria gave me a chance, I could make her see how strong my feelings were. It would just take time. I had that.
A curve rounded and I slowed, knowing I’d pretty much covered the majority of the area and she had to be somewhere up ahead. There was an open field and a park further down. Maybe she’d be relaxing in the open space. Lying down and watching the fucking clouds or something. Not in a million years had I expect to see what was before me.
I slowed, smiling as I spotted her on a bench. She looked as beautiful as ever. A light pink tinted her cheeks and her dark hair was blowing in the wind. She looked down, smiling, and I watched as her lips began to move. Confusion had my eyebrows drawing in. Then, the spell that kept me focusing on her face vanished. My feet came to an abrupt halt while my battered heart stopped beating altogether.
A tiny body lying across her lap removed the bottle it was drinking from, only to replace it seconds later. For what felt like years passed as I tried to process what I was seeing. A baby.
My pulse kicked in, accelerating more by the second. Pink clothing. A girl. Dark, short, ringlets were resting over Victoria’s arm and although I couldn’t see the baby’s face, I knew she was mine. The internal pull was undeniable. The age seemed about right, too, from the first night we’d spent together when the condom busted.
Liquid lava oozed from the center of my chest and torturously made its way through my entire body. Then, my world tilted completely. Victoria’s eyes widened as she stared ahead and she looked panicked. She reached for a bottled water, throwing it back and taking a long drink. Her chest rose and fell heavily and her fingers pressed against her lips. She looked pale. Sick.
“Oh…shit,” I breathed out. My legs suddenly felt weak. As if all the running I’d done had caught up to me tenfold.
My own stomach twisted as I came to terms with what I saw. It was as though I’d entered her mind, fallen into a place where the truth smacked me in the face. I don’t know how I knew, but I did. Victoria was pregnant. Again. With my second child. And she knew it. Two babies. Had she hoped to hide this one from me too? How could she think to do this?
Her eyes glanced over and she froze. Turning even paler as my feet practically ate up the ground beneath me in anger. I couldn’t think straight. Still couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I’d heard the baby cry before in the background when we’d spoken on the phone, and she’d lied to me. Told me it was her neighbor’s kid…how could she?
Victoria grabbed the strap to the diaper bag and stood, bringing the baby up closer to her chest as she stepped backward. Tears were already welling up in her green eyes as I approached. But I couldn’t stay focused on her. I looked down at the short ringlets that were blowing in the wind.
“Let me see her. Turn her around.” My fists clenched at my sides as the adrenaline cause me to shake.
“Devlin, I can explain.”
“Turn. Her. Around.” I could barely talk, I was so mad.
Tears slid down both sides of her cheeks as she placed the little girl’s back against her chest and took away the bottle, placing it in the diaper bag. My hand slowly rose to my mouth as my eyes stared into ones that mirrored my own. The baby had Victoria’s mouth, her full lips, but everything else was me.
“Oh...God.” My hand moved over to my cheek, rubbing the stubble, trying to slow my mind. “How could you?” I threw her a glare, but went back to staring at the child.
The little girl’s hands clapped and she giggled, turning to look at the play area.
“You could have stopped that if you would have only told me,” I gritted out. “Do you find my character so weak that you thought I wouldn’t want to better myself for my own daughter? You robbed me of some of the most crucial, most beautiful, memories a father can have of their child. I missed everything because of you, Victoria. Do you know what you’ve done? I don’t even know her name,” I exploded.
I stepped back as the little girl’s eyes widened, filled with tears, and her lip bottom lip quivered.
“I’m sorry,” I breathed out to her. “Don’t cry, I’m not mad at you.”
My gaze snapped back up to Victoria even angrier.
“Ava,” she managed to get out. The sobs that fell from her were only increasing. It killed me to see her so distraught, but I couldn’t focus on that. I had to figure out what I was going to do.
“Dev—” Her mouth closed, her hand flying to it. I saw the panic as her eyes darted around wildly.
“Let me have her.” I barely got the command out before Victoria handed her over and rushed to the far side of the bench, becoming sick. My eyes closed as I shook my head. What the hell kind of mess was this? Why would fate give me children with a woman who was so deceitful? This couldn’t be happening.
I turned the girl toward me as I walked over closer to Victoria. She straightened, taking the bottled water from her bag and rinsing her mouth out with it.
“Were you planning on hiding that one from me too?”
The stare that met mine matched the anger I held.
“I had no idea until about ten minutes ago. And maybe it was something I ate, or hormones. We don’t even know yet. As for Ava, if you recall, I set up a meeting with you for Friday. I had every intention of telling you about her then. What did you think I was doing by calling you? I’ve already made it clear we can’t be together. Did you just think I was looking to get…” she trailed off, glancing down at the little girl in my arms, “Dommed by you?”
No, I hadn’t thought that. Well, maybe a small part of me hoped, but I was praying she’d come around and was teasing the idea of getting into a relationship with me. Fuck, I had been wrong. So damn wrong.
“Let me have her.” Her arms came out, fear causing her eyes to make jerky movements between the two of us. I stepped back, my own arms tightening. Protectiveness surged and I stared down at Ava’s curious eyes. My eyes.
“Devlin, please.” Her hands were shaking as they hovered toward me.
What did I do? What if Victoria did something rash and ran off with her? What if she kept my child from me, again? I couldn’t chance it. Not now that I finally had a piece of my dream.
“One condition.”
“What.” The high pitched word was more of shocked response than an actual question.
“You heard me. This is how things are going to play out.” My mind raced, but I knew this was the right thing.
“You’re going to pack all of your things, all of Ava’s things, and you’re moving in. You don’t want to be with me, not a problem. After this, I don’t want to be with you either. But I will not be kept from my daughter a moment longer.”
Too many emotions passed over Victoria’s face for me to read. Shock, anger…sadness?
“You expect me to take Ava away from the only home she’s ever known, away from my mother,” she said, her voice rising, “to come live with you? I don’t think so.”
“Fine. I’ll move into your house.”
Her mouth open and I narrowed my eyes, causing her to pause. “Before you shoot that one down, let me tell you what will happen if you decline.” My words were clipped. Angrier. “I will call up the best lawyer in L.A., this very moment. I will get a judge to grant me temporary custody until I can make Ava mine for good. You’ll have her every other weekend and on holidays. If you don’t think I can do it, feel free to tell me to take a hike.” I hoped she wouldn’t call my bluff. Ripping a child from her mother—and her grandmother—her familiar setting, wasn’t something I’d do, but Victoria needed to know I was dead serious.
Victoria’s face turned to stone, even paler, but it didn’t stop the tear from escaping. “Give me my daughter.”
“Our daughter,” I countered, noting how Victoria tried not to upset Ava despite her obvious angst.
“Give her to me.”
I shook my head, stepping back, soothing the baby with a stroke on her back. “Not until I have your answer. You better think about it hard, because I’m being very generous after what you’ve done.”
One of her hands came up to push her hair back as the wind blew it in her face. “I have no room for you to stay in. My mother lives in the guest bedroom.”
“I’m not too good to sleep on the couch. I’ll buy one of those damn ones that have a bed that folds out. Not a problem.”
Victoria shifted, holding her stomach. She looked to be in pain.
“Choose. Am I moving in or are we going to fight this out in court?”
The fact that she even had to think left me on edge. I was torn. My feelings couldn’t so easily be shut off and I wanted her to bend to my commands so we could be closer, but I couldn’t stop the resentment.
“Fine, you can stay. Just give her to me.” Her hands were waving impatiently. I took another glance at my daughter, warmth taking over a big section of my heart that used to be as cold as ice. Shit…I was a dad. A real dad.
“Devlin.”
A frown came to my face as I handed Ava over.
“We’re going back to my place while I pack. Then we’ll head…home.” Home. With a real family, albeit not one with a wife or sub, but I had my daughter. And… I glanced over. “We’ll stop by the drug store on the way. You can run in and grab a test. I will be in the restroom with you while you take it. That’s final. Don’t even think about trying to argue your way out of that one.”
I gestured with my hand and she began heading toward the walking path. Silence settled over us, but I noticed she still appeared uncomfortable. Like something was wrong.
“I was going to tell you about her on Friday,” she said, lowly.
“You should have told me a hundred Fridays ago.” I kept my attention on Ava as she squirmed in her arms. Victoria’s face was taking on an unnerving color. She’d been pale before, but not to where there was something off about it.
“You want to walk?” Victoria lowered her to the path between us and Ava grabbed her fingers, reaching up to grab mine too. The action pulled me from my concerns over Victoria. How many times had I seen this same scenario and yearned for it? Fire burned my eyes at the small hand that grasped my index finger. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d shed a tear, but in that moment, I crumbled to pieces under the touch of a toddler. I breathed in deep, closing my eyes to the agony of what had been stolen from me.
To have seen her born. To hear her heart beat from the womb. To see her look at me for the first time, or to walk. I’d missed it all. No thanks to the woman who I’d believed I was in love with.
That was a lie. I still loved her. But I didn’t think I could forgive her. Not after what she’d done. It killed me to think about it.
The sweet sounds of Ava’s babbling brought me back to watching her. The pace was slow, but I was perfectly content with that. Each step was building me up, making me feel even more like the father I was. Would she cry if I tried to pick her up? I wanted to hold her to me, study every little facial expression she made as we stared at each other.
“Devlin?”
My eyes narrowed, my happiness washing away as I glanced at the mother of my child.
“What?” All the contempt I held was thrown in her direction as I glanced up. It left just as fast as it had
come. Her hand clutched to her stomach and she grimaced in pain, swaying to the side, as if she were off balance.
“What is it?” I stepped forward as she continued to stumble and move away.
“Something’s not right. I think I’m going to be sick again.”
Chapter 2
Victoria
The words were barely audible as I let go of Ava’s hand and rushed off the asphalt to fall to my knees and get sick. Stabbing shot across my stomach and bile burned my throat as I heaved.
Vertigo took over and I felt myself sway. Devlin’s deep voice hummed in the background, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. Roaring pulsed in my ears and sweat was beginning to cover my skin. My fingers dug into the grass and dirt as I fought to keep myself upright.
“Jesus,” he whispered behind me.
I could feel his hand on my arm, more to steady me than anything.
“I’m calling an ambulance. My car’s too far away.”
Arguing was out of the question. My mouth wouldn’t work. I knew if I tried to say no, I’d get sick again. Food poisoning. It had to be.
Deep breaths eventually had me able to turn to see him crouched down beside me, holding Ava on his hip. She was crying, staring at me. By some grace of a higher power, I was able to sit down and lean forward.
More deep breaths.
“They’re on their way.” He tucked the hair behind my ear and I looked up, my head swaying as my balance was thrown off.
“I ate at a new restaurant for breakfast. I’m guessing we have our culprit for the supposed morning sickness.”
A twitch by his slightly narrowed eyes led me to believe he wasn’t happy about it. I looked back down, trying to stop the dizziness. My stomach was already starting to churn again and I couldn’t ever remember being so ill. Not even when I was pregnant with Ava.
“Paramedics should be here soon. Just hold on. We’ll get you checked out.” I could hear him move closer. “Where did you eat? I’m so going to have their fucking asses.”