by LeAnn Ashers
Looking behind me, I see Kyle standing behind me with his arms crossed across his chest, glaring at the nurse. I turn my eyes back to her and see her visibly gulp and stand up. She motions for me to follow her.
“Thanks, man,” I thank Kyle, who nods and walks out the door. His cut says ‘Devil’s Souls’ on his back. As a cop, I should hate them, but they are honorable in their own ways. They protect women, and Braelyn works at the center they own and is run by his woman.
I follow the nurse as she leads me into a room. Spotting the bed, I lay Braelyn down on it and make sure to tuck the blanket around her. I pull up the chair to sit down beside her. Another nurse comes in and starts checking her vitals. I hardly notice. I’m staring at Braelyn, willing her to wake up.
I can’t fucking stand this shit, her being sick, passing out, not waking up. If I could, I would take the sickness away from her.
Someone clears their throat behind me. I crane my neck and see a person standing by the door. A man in a white coat is staring at us both. I realize I need to move, but instead, I scoot my chair closer to the wall by her head.
I watch his every move as he examines her. His hand is shaking slightly. Pussy. Rolling my eyes, I look out of the door and see another of Kyle’s MC brothers walk down the hallway.
“Looks like she is severely dehydrated and needs some IV fluid. We will also give her something to stop the vomiting. She should wake after the fluids are in her system. A nurse will be in in a few minutes.”
He doesn’t stop to see if I want to say anything. He walks out of the room without looking back. Shaking my head, I scoot closer to Braelyn.
Her blond hair fans the bed behind her. She looks peaceful. I lean forward and stroke her cheek. Even though she looks sick, she is still the most beautiful woman I know. How did she go through what she went through and come out as this person? When she told me she loved me, I made a vow in that moment to make sure she is always happy and to never let anyone touch her again.
The nurse pops back in and sets up an IV, then quickly leaves the room.
An hour passes until Braelyn starts to stir. Sitting up, I watch as she opens her eyes and smiles. Those dimples. God.
“Ethan, where am I?” she asks and looks around the room.
“Hospital. You passed out.”
“I’m cold”, she croaks out while her body shakes uncontrollably, her hand shaking as she tucks the blanket under her neck.
I stand up. “Let me go get some more blankets.”
Her hand on my arm stops me from leaving.
“I just need you, Ethan.” Her eyes are staring straight into mine, and the double meaning almost sends me to my knees. I didn’t expect to fall for her like this, but what I do feel is so powerful I’m not sure I can live without her.
I lift her off the bed gently, minding her IV, and put my back against the wall, then tuck her in front of me. She unrolls herself from the blanket so we are skin to skin as much as we can be while still wearing our clothes.
“I’m sorry I got sick on you,” she mutters softly.
“No, baby, don’t be.” I kiss the back of her head. Her shivers are starting to ebb.
“I love you, Ethan.”
Closing my eyes, I let out a deep breath, not sure I will ever get used to her saying that.
“I love you too, Angel.”
Chapter Fourteen
Braelyn
A few days later
“Ethan!” I laugh and try to roll away from Ethan, who’s nipping at my stomach. He grabs my hands and raises them above my head. His face hovers over mine with a huge smile on his face.
“Morning, baby.” He pecks my lips.
“Morning,” I mumble around his mouth. Lifting both of my legs, I wrap them around his waist so he is flush against me. I grind against him.
He pulls away chuckling at me. I meet his eyes, biting my lip. I want him. I crave him with my every breath. His hand trails down my side. I suck in my belly as goose bumps break out over my skin.
A finger slips into my panties.
“Mmmm...” His nose trails up to my neck and ear. “You want my cock, baby?” His tongue shoots out, teasing me.
Moaning, I try to free my hands he is still holding above my head.
“Or my mouth,” his voice is husky, rough from just waking up.
“Ethan,” I gasp as his finger swirls around my clit.
“Yes, baby.” A finger slips inside me, and I cry out. I raise my hips, wanting more, anything to tame the fire that’s ready to explode at my core. Ethan barely has to touch me and I’m ready to combust.
“Fuck me.”
His finger slips from me, and he rips my panties from my body. That was fucking hot. He grins at me like he knows what I was thinking. He lifts one of my legs and curls it around his hip, then pushes in to the hilt.
I cry out and throw my head back as I grasp the sheets, trying to tether myself to the bed. Ethan takes my hands and raises them back above my head.
He kisses me and then slams back in hard. I swallow my cries as he pounds into my body. He knows exactly what I need. His elbows are on either side of my face, his face right above mine.
“I love you,” he tells me softly and slows down his thrusts.
A tear slips out. He lifts his hand and wipes it away. I smile. “I love you too, Ethan. You’re my world.” My voice breaks as I tell him this.
His hand cups my jaw and he kisses me, pouring everything into this kiss. We spend the next hour in bed, loving each other with tender strokes and caresses.
I head into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee, trying to wake up, and sit down at the kitchen table. Ethan comes up behind me and kisses my temple. Smiling, I rest my head on my forearms.
“Worn out, Angel?” I can almost hear the smirk in his voice.
“Mhm,” I tell him, not going to lie about it.
“Good.” He laughs. I roll my eyes at how cliché he is.
“You ready for work?”
Nodding, I sit up and gather my to-go cup of coffee. I take my keys, walk over to the door, and wait for Ethan.
He wraps an arm around me once we walk out onto the porch. I notice how he tucks me into this side to the point I’m not visible as he locks the door.
He walks me to my car and opens the door. Sitting inside, I raise my head for a kiss.
“Have a good day, baby.”
He walks to his patrol car, looking as hot as sin in his uniform with his hair gelled to the side. How did I get so lucky?
While I drive to work, I listen to the radio. Ethan is driving behind me. I park my car outside the center and hop out to wave at Ethan. He slows down until I get inside the building.
One of the MC guys locks the doors behind me. Nodding, I walk farther inside the building to Kyle and Chrystal’s office to clock in. Their door is cracked open a little bit. I push it open and immediately cover my eyes and run out.
Kyle has Chrystal bent over the desk, fucking her brains out. Oh my dear goodness. I laugh to myself and run down the hallway. I bump into Jessica when I turn the corner, my face burning from blushing so fiercely.
“What’s the matter with you?” She squints her eyes at me.
“I…umm.” I point over my shoulder, trying to form the words. She starts to walk past me to see what I am talking about. Reaching out my arm, I stop her and whisper, “I walked in on Kyle and Chrystal.”
Her eyes widen in shock before she grins from ear to ear. “Oh, hot damn. Let me go.”
“No!” I hiss and try to hold her back. Chrystal turns the corner and stops when she sees me. Her hair is doing the 80s’ poof style on one side.
“Well, well, well. Looks like someone was just thoroughly fucked,” Jessica breaks the ice. Chrystal just smiles. Kyle pops around the corner a second later, buttoning his pants. He smirks at me and smacks Chrystal’s ass as he passes.
Jessica unabashedly cranes her neck to watch his butt as he passes. She whistles and looks at Chrystal. “Where can I get one?”
>
Laughing, I pull her hand and walk us into the storage room to get ready for the day.
The day passes by slowly. During the last few hours, I get anxious to see Ethan again. I get butterflies at the thought.
My phone vibrates against my butt, and I grab it out of my pocket.
Ethan: Outside waiting for you, babe.
Me: Coming.
I’m about to put my phone back into my pocket when he sends another text.
Ethan: Yes, you will be. ;)
Laughing, I grab my purse out of my locker and walk past an MC guy who is stationed at the door. He nods his head and opens the door for me. I tuck my hair behind my ear as I walk down the steps.
Ethan is leaning against his cop car with his arms crossed over his chest. He starts whistling at me. Blushing, I walk over and stand in front of him. He has that shit-eating grin on his face.
His large hands grip my hips and pull me in, closing the distance between us. One hand comes up to cup my face. I lean my head back. He seals our mouths together while his other hand goes to my butt and squeezes. I grin against his mouth as I giggle.
“Woah, baby, get it!”
I pull away and look behind me. Jessica waves and grins at us as she gets into her car. You gotta love her craziness.
“I’m going to fire up some burgers for dinner,” Ethan tells me. I nod and lean up, asking for another kiss. He leans down too, but I duck away. He glares at me and grabs my shoulders, holding me in place.
He starts to lean down again, but when he gets close, I duck my head again. He growls and I laugh.
“Angel, if you don’t kiss me...”
He doesn’t finish, because I press a chaste kiss to his lips before I pull away quickly and run to my car. I look over my shoulder. He is starting toward me, but stops and gives me a look that tells me I’m getting it later.
I start up my car and pull out of the parking lot with Ethan pulling out behind me.
A few minutes from home, he puts on his sirens. My mouth pops open. Is he doing what I think he is? Laughing, I pull over to the side of the road. He pulls up behind me. I roll down my window and pull down my shirt to show more cleavage.
I can see Ethan walking toward me with his hat on and a notepad in his hand in my side mirror. He bends down and looks inside my window with a completely serious expression on his face.
“Did I do something wrong, officer?” I flutter my eyelashes, trying to look innocent. For a split second, his lip twitches.
“Can I see your license and registration?”
I make a big show of getting my license and information. I hand it to him, and he checks it over before he hands it back to me.
“Ma’am, I need you to step out of the car.” He starts to open my car door.
“Oh, officer, is there anything I can do to get out of trouble?” I bite my lip and look at his dick. Then I push my tits out farther so they are completely on display.
“Are you suggesting something, miss?” He arches an eyebrow at me, but I can tell he’s trying not to smile.
“Take it however you want it, sexy,” I purr and prop my tits up on the side of the door.
His expression darkens and he tears my door open. He entwines his fingers into my hair and slams his mouth on mine. His mouth moves over mine, completely uncontrolled and wild. Groaning, I give as good as I get.
He pulls away a second later and kisses my forehead. I lean against the armrest in a daze. He shuts my door and grins that grin again.
“Have a nice day, miss.”
Then he walks away. Blinking, I let out a deep breath and then start my car again.
A few minutes later, I pull up in front of Ethan’s house, and he pulls up beside me. He hops out with a grocery bag and walks over to open my door.
“You okay there, miss?” he teases with a wink.
I get out of the car and walk up the front steps. I yelp and jump forward when I feel a sharp pain on my butt. My eyes automatically move to Ethan, who is pretending to look at his watch.
“Watch it, mister.” I wag my finger at him.
“I plan on it, baby.” He sighs and tilts his head to the side to check out my butt. He steps forward and unlocks the door. The cold air immediately makes me shiver from having been outside in the heat.
“Go change, Angel, and I’ll get dinner started.” He smacks my butt as he passes by to the kitchen. I can’t help but check out his butt as he walks in front of me. He’s wearing tight pants; who can blame me?
“Braelyn, I can feel your eyes on me,” he yells over his shoulder, snapping me out of it. I half run up the stairs.
I take out a pair of soft shorts and a V-neck shirt, then find a hair tie and twist my hair up on my head. I throw my clothes in the basket and make my way downstairs.
I walk up behind Ethan in the kitchen and lay my head against his back while I hug him. Then I pull back and stand beside him. “Want me to finish so you can change?”
He nods and lets me take over. He kisses the top of my head before he walks out of the room. I finish rolling out the rest of the burgers, which is more than two people would eat.
I hear the stairs creaking as he walks down. Grabbing the burgers, I head on outside to the patio where the grill is. A hammock sits on the other side of the patio. I set the burgers on the table and start to light the grill.
“I got this, baby.” Ethan pulls me away then points to the hammock. “Go rest up for later.” He winks and smirks cockily. I arch an eyebrow at him and put my hand on my hip. He winks at me before turning to the grill.
I carefully sit down on the side of the hammock and lean back with the rest of my body hanging off. I get top heavy and I flip back off, hitting the floor.
Laughing, I roll to my side. Ethan runs over to me and picks me up off the ground. “Are you okay?” he urges and starts checking my head for bumps or whatever.
“I’m fine!” I laugh and motion for him to put me back down.
“I like you right here.” He nips at my neck, making me laugh even harder, then relents and sets me back onto the ground. I sit down on the lounge chair instead of trying my luck with the hammock again.
Ethan’s muscles bulge at his every movement, and I must admit it’s a freaking hot sight. I could sit here for hours watching him.
“Want to eat out here?” Ethan suggests as he places the burgers on a tray.
“Sure.” I stand up and walk inside to get the condiments and more plates.
The doorbell rings. I freeze for a second before I notice a woman’s leg through the window. I walk to the door and open it, not thinking. The plate I am holding hits the floor and breaks into a thousand pieces.
Standing before me are my mother and a teenage boy.
“Mom?” I manage to get out through my gasping.
“Who the fuck are you?” Ethan tucks me behind his body to confront them when he sees my expression.
“My mom,” I choke again and then everything goes black.
Chapter Fifteen
Braelyn
“Baby, wake up!” Ethan yells, but my body is like lead and my mouth feels like cotton. I manage to crack my eyes open and see Ethan above me.
“Thank God,” he says in a ragged voice, his face concerned.
Then it hits me. My mom is here. Why is she here? Is my dad here? My breath goes ragged as I start to panic at the thought of seeing my father for the first time in years, making my childhood all too real again.
“Hush, baby. I got you.” Ethan pulls me up tighter in his arms and holds me against his chest. He’s bowed over me protectively like he himself can shield me from the world.
I glance over my shoulder and see the boy with my mother leaning against the doorframe, staring at me knowingly.
Who is he?
I pull away from Ethan. He lifts me off his lap and helps me stand, then puts his arm around me and walks me over to the couch. I stop instantly when I see my mother sitting there. She has tears in her eyes.
Sh
e looks the same as she did all those years ago.
“What are you doing here?” I ask her with anger in my voice.
“I left him, honey.” She wipes under her eyes and looks over at the teenage boy then back at me. “This is your half-brother.” He crosses his arms across his chest, looking up at the ceiling.
“You finally left him after all these years? What made you change your mind, hmmm?” I ask, bitter. How could I not be? She let a man hit her daughter every single day while she watched. She starts crying, and I start to feel slightly guilty.
“He was hitting your brother,” she says through her sobs. My head shoots back like I am sucker punched. I look over at my brother, who is still staring at the ceiling. I can see his body stiffen. Closing my eyes, I try to hold back the tears that want to break away at the thought.
“Mom, you stood by for years while he beat me every day. You watched and carried on like nothing happened,” I say softly as the pain from all those years ago starts coming back. Ethan stiffens, and I can feel the anger radiating off him.
“Fucking great, woman! You even let him hit your own kid!” My brother yells at her and marches out of the room and to the kitchen.
I sink back into the couch. Then it hits me. He will come for her. He will be close to me again.
“Ethan, he will come for her.” My voice shows my emotions.
“He will not touch you,” he grounds out and pulls me into his lap.
“I know.” I lean my head back to kiss his cheek.
“Let’s go eat. The food is still pretty warm,” he tells everyone, trying to break the ice. I stand up and walk into the kitchen. Wiping away my tears, I lift my head high. I won’t let this affect me and bring me down.
My brother is leaning against the refrigerator. Our eyes connect, and then I notice he has the same exact eye color as me. I walk over and wrap my arms around his waist to hug him tightly. His hands go to my shoulders to halt my movements before he gives in and wraps them around me.
I pull back and grab his arm, then lead him over to the table. I take a plate and place two burgers onto it, because if it was anything like when I lived there, I knew he never got enough food. My dad liked to control every aspect, including what we ate and how much of it.
