His Every Need

by Terri L. Austin

“No.” The sting of betrayal was still strong where her father was concerned. But he had promised Brynn that he’d move more slowly with Karen. Allie wondered what slowly meant in his world, but she’d bit her tongue for Brynn’s sake.

  Arnold stood in the doorway, as if he’d suddenly appeared. The man was one stealthy butler. “Dinner is ready.”

  Trevor took Allie’s arm and hauled her up next to him. Walking behind his parents, he slowed his pace and, leaning down, whispered, “You’ve taken such good care of them, darling.” He kissed the side of her head.

  She glanced up at him, at his gorgeous eyes, his sometimes cruel mouth, which was now tilted in a smile. Struck dumb, she faltered.

  Love. She was in love with Trevor Blake. The realization ran through her, filling her with panic.

  Shit. When had this happened? And how did she make it stop?

  Immediately, Trevor halted beside her. “What’s wrong, love? Are you ill?”

  She blinked and tried to wipe what must be a horrified expression off her face. “No, sorry. I’m fine.”

  “Are you sure? You’re quite pale.”

  “I’m fine.” She tugged at his arm, and they resumed walking to the dining room.

  Allie didn’t say much as dinner progressed. She tried to act normally, but she wasn’t hungry and ended up pushing food around on the plate.

  What if he figured out her feelings? Would he ridicule her, pity her? Or would he simply shrug, tell her it was her problem to deal with, and pretend like it didn’t matter?

  Allie felt empty as she sat next to him. Her stomach was a little queasy and an overwhelming tide of hopelessness enveloped her. They would never work. They were too different, and he was too cynical.

  And even if Trevor wasn’t completely disillusioned by his parents and their failed marriages, he and Allie would never be able to build a relationship on the foundation they had now. She was a paid mistress and he’d never see her as something more.

  It took forever before the dessert course was served. When Allie declined, Trevor did too.

  He pushed away from the table and glared at her. “Let’s go.” He pulled back her chair, took her hand, and dragged her out of the dining room.

  She glanced back at his parents, but Mags just smiled and waved with her spoon.

  Allie had to jog to keep up with him. “Slow down, Trevor.”

  He didn’t. When he reached the library, he yanked her inside, shut the door behind them, and locked it. Then, leaning against it, he folded his arms across his chest. “What the bloody hell is wrong with you? You’ve looked shocky all evening.”

  Allie debated with herself: tell him what was bothering her—not all of it, not about how she loved him, God no—or lie. But Trevor could sniff out lies like a dog on a hunt. She decided to go with the truth.

  “Brynn and Monica said something today, and it made me feel…” She raised her shoulders. “Weird, I guess. That’s all. I’m fine.”

  “What did they say?”

  Allie wandered around the room. She ran her finger over a row of books—Shakespeare. “Did you inherit these from your grandfather as well?”

  “Allison,” he said pleasantly.

  Oh no, she was in serious trouble if he was being pleasant.

  “Are they old? They look old.”

  “We’re not leaving this room, darling, until you tell me all of it.”

  Allie sighed and walked to the wooden chess table. Carved pieces of ivory and onyx stood in formation. She picked one up and studied it. The knight was heavy in her hand. “Trevor, it’s nothing. I’m just being sensitive.”

  “What did they say, Allison?”

  She glanced up at him. “Brynn mentioned that we’re living together.”

  “And so we are.”

  “I’m fucking you for money, Trevor.” She should have eased into it, but talking to him was like taking a dose of truth serum. Everything came tumbling out whether she wanted it to or not.

  With his blank expression in place, he stared at her.

  She set the piece on the chessboard and waited for him to say something biting and sarcastic. His eyes were dark and a tick jerked the left side of his impassive face.

  “You may leave any time you wish. The debt is cleared.” He turned and unlocked the door then left the room.

  Allie stared after him. “Well, hell.”

  ***

  He strode to his office, paced in front of the window a few times, poured himself a scotch, and drank it in one swallow. It burned down his throat.

  Bloody hell.

  Trevor turned and very calmly, very precisely, threw his glass at the James Ward landscape hanging across from his desk. A few drops of whiskey trailed over the painting, and the glass shattered and rained to the floor. He should clean that up. No reason why Frances should take care of his mess.

  He’d been worried about Allie since she came down for pre-dinner drinks. She’d been quiet and wan, but as they walked to the dining room, she appeared to be on the verge of a panic attack. She hadn’t eaten dinner, wouldn’t look at him.

  He merely thought she was worried about her father and Brynn.

  To know she still thought of herself as a whore—it gutted him. God, he thought they were past that. But her sad eyes ripped right through him.

  He couldn’t have anticipated anything like her. She invaded his life, his home. His every bloody thought. He rubbed his breastbone. Now she was leaving him. He should be used to it by now. Everyone left.

  Without knocking, Allie burst into the office, her gaze darting around the room. She took in the whiskeyed landscape and the broken glass before looking at him. When she did, her eyes pinned him to the floor. “Do you want me to go? Is that what you’re saying? Because if that’s what you’re saying, you should say it to my face.” She swung the door shut and advanced toward him. Allie’s chest rapidly rose and fell and she rubbed her palms against her skirt in jerky, nervous movements.

  He shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers to keep from reaching out and grabbing hold of her. “I said you may leave any time you wish. What is so bloody difficult to understand about that?”

  She stepped closer, her face a mask of anger. “Quit being a coward. If you want me to go, say the words.”

  He leaned down, got in her face. “If I wanted you to go, I would have said, ‘Allison get the fuck out of my house.’ Is that what I said? Is that what you wanted to hear?”

  “No, you idiot.” Her voice broke, and she swallowed before carrying on. “I wanted to hear that you want me without the stupid debt being in the way. That you don’t just want me because you bought me.”

  “I want to fuck you because I like fucking you,” he yelled. “I like having you in my home, is that too difficult for your tiny brain to comprehend?”

  “Good, because I like being in your home. But I don’t like having this mistress thing between us,” she yelled back. She gave his chest a shove with her finger for emphasis.

  “That’s why I said the debt was cleared. Maybe you need your hearing checked.” He poked her back gently.

  “I can hear just fine. You’re shouting loud enough to bring the house down.”

  “I can shout however loudly I please”—his voice raised a decibel—“as it is my goddamned house.”

  “Oh, I know it’s your house. And this is your dress.” She slapped her hands at her skirt. “And you got my car fixed and forgave my dad’s loan. It’s all yours, Trevor. What do I bring to the table?”

  He did reach out then and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her to him. “You make me feel human.” He kissed her, hard. “And you make me laugh.” The next kiss was tender. “And you keep me from killing my parents.” He showered her face with tiny pecks, her cheeks, her forehead, her eyelids. Then abruptl
y, he let her go. “But I won’t stop you from leaving if that’s what you want.”

  “That’s not what I want.” She put her hand over his heart.

  It skipped a beat. He wondered if she felt that through her palm. “What do you want, Miss Campbell?”

  She looked up at him with those impossibly blue eyes. “I want—”

  There was a quiet knock at the door. “Mister Blake, Miss Campbell, is this a convenient time, or shall I come back?”

  Allie leaned her head against Trevor’s chest and gave a little laugh.

  Trevor groaned. “Come in, Arnold.”

  Allie spun to face the door, and Trevor wrapped his arms around her waist. “Yes?”

  “Miss Monica is leaving. I thought you should know.”

  “Where’s she going?” Allie asked.

  “I’m not sure, but she’s packing as we speak.”

  “Thank you, Arnold,” Trevor said. After the butler left the room, Trevor rested his chin on Allie’s shoulder. “Damn, I was hoping for makeup sex.”

  ***

  Trevor wanted her to stay. Did that mean he cared about her? She shouldn’t get sidetracked, thinking about Trevor and his feelings. Monica was leaving—probably going back to Brad the Douche the minute he snapped his fingers.

  As she left the office and made her way upstairs, Trevor shortened his stride to match hers. Allie stood outside Monica’s room, Trevor at her side. Peering down at her, he reached out and caressed her cheek.

  Wanting wasn’t the same as loving, she reminded herself, and knocked on the door.

  “Come in.”

  Allie entered the room, but Trevor remained in the doorway. Clothes were strewn over every surface. How it could get like this in one day?

  “You’re leaving?”

  Monica wadded up a shirt and shoved in her duffel bag. “What was your first clue?”

  “So, I take it you’ve heard from Brad?” Trevor asked, lounging against the doorjamb.

  “Yeah. He said he’s sorry. He only cheated because I came here after being in jail. He was scared he was going to lose me, and he made a mistake.”

  That’s what all the drama was about, Brad cheating? That was the dumbest excuse Allie’d ever heard. And her sister was moron enough to believe it. Did Monica get dropped on her head as a baby—what else could explain this level of stupidity? Allie literally had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from trying to talk Monica out of it. Minding her own business was hard.

  “Call me this week if you want to get together and have lunch,” Allie said.

  Monica froze and glanced up. “What? No, ‘Monica you’re ruining your life’ speech?”

  Allie shrugged. “As you’ve pointed out many times, you’re an adult. You can make your own decisions.” Mistakes was the word she was looking for.

  “Oh.” Monica looked a little deflated before she resumed tossing her things in the bag. “By the way, I need to borrow some money for a lawyer. The court said they would appoint one, but Brad said to get a real one.” She paused and looked from Allie to Trevor.

  “Sorry, Mon, I don’t have it, and if I did, I wouldn’t give it to you.”

  “What? Since when?” Her brow furrowed as she glared at Allie.

  Allie walked further into the room and fisted her hands to keep from taking everything out of that duffel bag and refolding it. “Since you want to make your own choices. Choices have consequences.” Just saying the words about killed her. She wanted to go with Monica to pick out the best lawyer they could afford—which wouldn’t be much, but she still wanted to help. And she wanted to lecture Monica on the stupidity of dropping out of school and dating losers. But what was the point?

  “You’re just mad because I said you’re fucking Trevor for the clothes and shit, aren’t you?”

  Out of the corner of her eye, Allie saw Trevor push off the doorjamb. He strode forward, but she placed a hand on his forearm. She felt his muscles tense beneath her fingers. But when she squeezed his arm, he relaxed a bit.

  “Aren’t you always talking about being a family? What good is family if you won’t help me out?”

  “I’m always here to listen, Mon. Call me any time.”

  “Is Brad coming to pick you up?” Trevor asked.

  “Yeah.” Monica looked under the bed and snagged a bra, shoving it into the outer pocket of the bag. She rose and slung it over her shoulder. “Thanks for letting me stay. Let me know if you change your mind about the lawyer.” She moved past them and walked out of the room.

  Allie watched her go and sat on the bed. Monica had zero self-awareness. How did you save someone from themselves?

  “If she ever says anything to hurt you again, she will never be welcome in my house.” Trevor sat down next to her. “But you did well with her. I was about to rip her to shreds, but you kept your cool.”

  Allie opened her mouth to speak when Arnold suddenly popped up in the doorway. The poor man looked frazzled. Well, frazzled for him—his tie was slightly askew.

  “Miss Monica is having a rather loud discussion with a young man at the gate and Carl wants to know if he should call the authorities.”

  Trevor sighed. “Thank you, Arnold. We’ll deal with it.” Trevor rested his forehead against hers. “Am I ever going to get you alone?”

  Allie patted his knee. “It’s not looking good, English.”

  Mags and Nigel strolled into the room.

  “Trev, who is this yob at the gate?” Nigel asked.

  “I’m going to go straighten it out.” Trevor stood and walked past his parents.

  “Not without me,” Nigel said.

  Allie followed the two men out of the room. “I guess I should make sure Trevor doesn’t kill Brad.”

  Placing a hand on Allie’s arm, Mags stopped her. “What happened? Did the two of you argue?”

  “We’re fine,” Allie said.

  “Is this Brad Monica’s young man?”

  “Yep.” Allie sped down the stairs and out the front door. Raised voices floated on the night air. Without hesitating, she ran to the gate.

  When she reached them, Nigel stood with his finger in Brad’s face. Carl stood to one side, ready to intervene. The embedded lights in the yard as well as the security lights by the guard house illuminated them.

  “Watch your mouth, boy,” Nigel said. Allie had never heard him use such a forceful tone.

  “I’m just here to pick up Monica, and I wanted to meet Trev. What’s your deal, old man?”

  Trevor stepped forward, his chest almost touching Brad’s. “That old man is my father. And you will speak to him with respect. Understood?” Ice dripped from Trevor’s words.

  Brad stepped back and held up his hands. “No prob. Don’t get all bent.”

  “Monica, you may stay, but this wanker needs to go.”

  “You’d do well to be rid of him, love,” Nigel said.

  “Shut the fuck up.” Brad puffed out his chest and held his hands out to his sides. “You want to go, old timer?”

  “Anytime, you bloody git.” Nigel leaped forward, but Carl stepped between them.

  Allie placed her hand on Nigel’s back. “Calm down. Mags would kill us if you mess up that pretty face.” She turned to Monica. “Take your boyfriend and go, before I call the police.”

  Monica placed her hand on Brad’s arm. “Let’s just go. Please?”

  Brad pulled out of her grasp. “Shut up, Monica, and get your ass in the car. I’m trying to have a conversation with Trev.”

  “Call me Trev one more time and I’ll kick your sorry ass all the way back to North Las Vegas. Now, get the fuck out of here.” He turned to Monica. “Are you sure you want to go with him?”

  “Let’s just go, Brad.” Monica refused to look at anyone as she s
lunk off toward the truck.

  Brad walked backward, the security lights gleaming off the chain around his neck. “See you later, old man.”

  Nigel, who had calmed down, moved forward. But Trevor held him back this time. “Let him go. The little twat isn’t worth it.”

  “Did he give you the money?” Brad’s voice drifted back as he climbed into his truck.

  She didn’t hear Monica’s answer over the roar of the engine.

  “What a very unpleasant asshole,” Nigel said. “Imagine, calling me an old man. I’m in my prime. Just ask your mother.”

  “I’d rather not,” Trevor said.

  “Should I report this, sir?” Carl asked.

  Trevor waved him off. “Only if he comes back.”

  Nigel walked back to the house and Carl resumed his post by the gate.

  Allie looked up at Trevor. “Sorry about that.”

  He reached out and stroked her hair. “Not your fault, darling.”

  “Sure about wanting me to stay? My family is a pain, but they’re mine. You shouldn’t have to put up with them too.”

  Trevor sighed. “Yes, they are a bit much. But somehow I’ll suffer through.”

  “At least you and your dad were on the same side for a change.”

  “Oh yes, he’s in his prime, you know.” He slid his arm around her waist and walked toward the house.

  This night had been a roller coaster. When Trevor had said she was free to leave, Allie should have felt relief. The debt was cleared, she could return to her family. But she hadn’t wanted to go. She knew this man would break her heart. He didn’t love her, he said he liked fucking her. That wasn’t the same thing at all.

  Chapter 18

  Trevor grabbed Allie’s wrist. Their earlier argument had been unpleasant, but they’d cleared the air and he was relieved she’d decided to stay. He wasn’t ready to let her go. He liked smelling her perfume when he entered a room, liked having her poke her head into his office at odd times during the day. And he enjoyed sleeping next to her at night. She frowned on that with the sisters in residence. He couldn’t blame her, really. So while he didn’t mind them being here, for his cock’s sake, he was glad they were gone.