Dare to Forgive [The Dare Series 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)
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The Dare Series 3
Dare to Forgive
Adel’s past keeps her from opening up her heart. Her ex-fiancé cheated on her, was abusive and only after a business deal with her dad. Her father sold her out, and now she believes if her dad couldn’t even love her, how could any man. Learning to forgive, so she can trust again seems like the only cure in letting down her guard and learning to accept the love of three men.
But she underestimates the criminal self centered mentality of her ex-fiancé, and when he assaults her, and tries to force her back into his bed, she realizes that love is a very powerful thing on its own when it’s real and shared between her and her three men. That love gets the ultimate test when her ex-fiancé attempts to kill her, but meets the wrath of Hank, Leo, and Will. Three men who love her, and will protect her with their lives if necessary.
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre
Length: 42,382 words
DARE TO FORGIVE
The Dare Series 3
Dixie Lynn Dwyer
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
DARE TO FORGIVE
Copyright © 2015 by Dixie Lynn Dwyer
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63259-589-8
First E-book Publication: July 2015
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2015 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
If you have purchased this copy of Dare to Forgive by Dixie Lynn Dwyer from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy
This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.
The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.
This is Dixie Lynn Dwyer’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Dixie Lynn Dwyer’s right to earn a living from her work.
Amanda Hilton, Publisher
www.SirenPublishing.com
www.BookStrand.com
DEDICATION
Dear readers,
Thank you for purchasing this legal copy of Dare to Forgive. May you enjoy Adel’s story as she fights her own fears, reservations and anxiety from her past and those who had hurt her. She has a wall over her heart. A mental and physical block that keeps her from getting too close and even trusting people, especially men. It will take something powerful and pure to break down those walls and help her to trust again.
But she has such a big heart, and just wants to feel loved, that she risks everything to give the family that hurt her so badly a second chance in order to accept true love from three men that adore her. That chance nearly costs her her life.
Enjoy the story.
Happy reading.
Hugs!
~Dixie~
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Epilogue
About the Author
DARE TO FORGIVE
The Dare Series 3
DIXIE LYNN DWYER
Copyright © 2015
Chapter 1
“I don’t know why you can’t try to talk with him. He is your father, Adel,” her mom Gladys told her over the phone. Adel took a deep breath and released it. She was at work. She didn’t need this call today or any day for that matter. Why couldn’t her mom understand how hurt Adel was?
“I have nothing to say to him. I really can’t talk right now. I’m working.”
“You wouldn’t have to work if you were with Bentley.”
Her mother’s comments were so cruel and sliced through her heart like a very sharp knife. How could she say these things to her?
Easy for you to say, but I for one will not marry or be with a man who isn’t faithful.
“I’m sorry, Mom, but I need to go.”
She disconnected the call and then tossed the cell phone into her bag on the floor next to her chair. She lowered her head, rubbed her temples, and closed her eyes.
The instant headache was right on cue. It always followed a conversation like this one with her mom. Then came the images. Bentley Ross, her fiancé, had cheated on her. Not once. Not twice. Hell, not three times but too many to track and prove. Considering she had photographs and documented hotel room receipts with video surveillance, there was no way the lying weasel prick could get away with it. None of that concrete evidence mattered to the power-hungry business tycoon she was to call her father? No. When he chose Bentley and a business merger over his own daughter that was it for her. She practically growled with her teeth clenched. She took a deep breath and then exhaled. She was at work. She didn’t need this aggravation.
“Adel?”
She heard the deep voice and looked up to see Leo and Hank, two of her bosses. She sat up straight, her head pounding, and forced a smile. “Good morning, Leo, Hank, can I get you some coffee?” she asked, getting up too quickly. She gripped the desk then felt the hand on her arm steadying her.
“Whoa, are you feeling okay?” Leo asked her.
“Oh yes. I just…I just got up too quickly. I’m fine. Really,” she said, staring into Leo’s dark blue eyes. The man was intense and his entire body, including his face, appeared chiseled from stone. Even in the dress pants and dress shirt she could tell how fit he was. She swallowed hard.
He reached out and caressed her cheek. The man was tall
er than most. His brothers were close at six foot three.
“You look a little flushed. Could you be coming down with something?” he asked, appearing concerned. She knew better. These men were hard, strict, demanding men that didn’t show much thoughtfulness or concern. Fourteen months she worked for them and she still couldn’t read them entirely. They were all business. It both aroused her and reminded her too much of the past.
“No. Just a headache.”
“Well, be sure to take something. The last thing we need is for you to spread some sort of sickness or virus through the office. We’ve got a lot to work on,” Hank stated, giving her the once-over then walking by. She felt contaminated as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and stared at her desk.
Leo had already released her arm. He touched her hand.
She looked at him.
“Don’t mind him. You should know by now how grumpy he is in the morning. Plus we’re working on a big contract. We’ll need you to take some notes and do a few phone calls. Will you be okay in about ten minutes?” he asked, sounding concerned.
She was still bent over Hank’s insulting comment about possibly spreading a virus through the office. Men were all the same. Maybe Leo was just being nice because he wanted something from her? By the way they always had plans and by the phone calls she had to forward to them, she’d say they were ladies’ men.
“I’ll be fine,” she replied when she realized she was staring at him.
“Good, and if you don’t have any ibuprofen to take, I have some in my top desk drawer.”
“That’s okay, I have my own. Thank you, Leo.”
He winked at her, holding her gaze a moment too long, making her belly flutter with curiosity, but then he turned around and headed toward his office.
She needed the painkillers quick. With her head hurting this much she was bound to miss something one of them said in the meeting and then Hank would bite her head off. No thank you. She reached into her bag and grabbed the water bottle and the large bottle of ibuprofen. Staring at it a moment she realized it was getting low. This was a definite indication of how much the past and her mom’s weekly phone calls were weighing their toll. Maybe if I just forgive them and forget them, they’ll leave me the hell alone?
Now all she needed was a call from Bentley.
* * * *
“Is she getting the ibuprofen?” Hank barked at Leo over the phone.
“Yes, but she’s staring at the bottle. She looks so upset. Something is going on with her,” Leo added, feeling very concerned. He wondered if she got a call from her mother. It seemed to him whenever Adel’s mother called she hit that bottle for the painkillers, instantly getting a wicked headache. What would her mother say to her to get her so upset?
“It’s none of our business. We have more important things to prepare for, like this potential project. Don’t you realize how much money could be made from this construction project?” Hank asked, sounding very serious. Leo wondered when his brother would admit to his feelings for Adel. After all, he and Will were growing impatient and if they held out any longer they could potentially lose the chance they wanted.
She was perfect for them.
“I know exactly how much money we can make. I also know how many more workers will need to be hired and how much aggravation will go into a construction project this big. It’s a three-year project with three phases of building,” Leo said to Hank.
“That’s not all. Don’t forget about the community center that will need building, the schools from elementary up to high school, and even the shopping center. This is what we’ve been waiting for and our opportunity to snag it isn’t going to be easy,” Hank added.
“It isn’t going to be easy and especially up against some of these bigger corporate construction companies, but we have an advantage. The Morrisons have known our family for ages,” Leo told Hank.
“But with the town board involved, the local officials and the workers unions, you know as damn well as I do that the board has to follow the rules and get bids from at least three companies,” Hank replied.
“You don’t sound too hopeful, Hank,” Leo said.
“It’s not that, it’s just I don’t want to lose this opportunity,” Hank admitted.
“Well I don’t want you becoming obsessed with this. Our company has been doing fantastic. I know you want to expand and get out even further, but there are things to consider,” Leo replied being honest with Hank about how he felt. He waited for the negative response, the controlling older brother reaction to him giving advice and direction for Hank and for their company. Instead, he heard silence then a long exhale over the phone.
Why was it easier to get things off his chest over the phone than face-to-face with his brother Hank sometimes? It wasn’t like Hank intimidated him. Hell, they were brothers. They loved one another, Will included, who was thirty minutes late to work, as usual.
“Listen, the three of us have talked about this. We want to submit a proposal. We’re going to submit a proposal and see what happens. If we don’t get the job then so be it, but for the next several weeks, we need to get down every detail and think of everything we can to foresee expenses and potential problems so we can correspond with the director. Now, call Will and find out where the hell he is. Then get Adel in here and see if Marcy can cover the front desk for her. We’re going to need her assistance through this process,” Hank told him.
“Done. I’ll be in your office in a few minutes.”
Leo ended the call and leaned back in his chair. He could see Adel from here. Her long brown hair was pulled back into some fancy style that ended with a braid over her right shoulder then over her breast. God, she had an amazing body, but she didn’t flaunt it. She dressed professionally, conservatively, and there was this aura of maturity, experience, classiness about her that truly made her stand out. Will noticed it. Hell, Hank did, too, but he was fighting his attraction. When would Hank wake up and admit that he wanted to learn more about Adel and make her their woman?
He exhaled as he picked up the phone and called Marcy from inventory. She would have to get coverage for her position while she covered Adel’s. It wasn’t going to be easy to replace Adel even temporarily. The clients loved her. The suppliers loved her, and anyone who talked to her over the phone felt respected and like they were being cared for as customers. He made the call, exchanged a few pleasantries with Marcy, and ended the conversation just as she started asking about her friend Candice and whether or not he was going to ask her out. Not happening.
He stared out the door that was ajar enough for him to see Adel. She looked beautiful as always, and serious, but there was sadness in her eyes this morning. He felt it in his chest. That uneasy feeling, almost like he felt her sadness and hurt. That was just so extreme. He hadn’t even dated her. He’d never kissed her. Hell, he hadn’t fucked her although she filled his dreams every night for the past twelve months minimum. Why did he feel such a strong connection to her? What was it about the young woman who showed up in Chance over a year ago that affected him so? Was it those big brown doe eyes, those thick, sexy eyelashes, or maybe just her smile? He wasn’t sure, but Will felt it, too, and that had never happened before.
Not like this. Not so powerful. It would be perfect if Hank felt it, too.
He heard the buzzer go off on his desk just as Marcy showed up to replace Adel for the time being. He picked up the phone and answered.
“Yes,” he said as he watched the two women exchange pleasantries. Marcy was a redhead, all dolled up, wearing more revealing clothing and less classy than Adel.
“I just pulled into the parking lot. Give me five,” Will said, sounding out of breath.
Of course he was late. He’d left Spencer’s last night with a redhead on his side and his hand on her ass. Will had a different way of dealing with his attraction to Adel. He tried screwing her out of his head, but pretty damn soon he’d realize it didn’t work. Hell, Leo realized that months ago. He hadn
’t had sex in quite some time. No one got him aroused like Adel and he couldn’t even touch her.
Annoyed, he stood up, exhaled, and felt the sick feeling in his gut. Leo consciously made a promise to himself to not sleep with any other women. He would wait for Adel to be ready. Will was on board but dealing with his own ways of ignoring the attraction and trying to find an outlet. Hank? Well, Hank needed to realize there was no fighting the attraction they had with Adel. Hank never dated, rarely screwed around, and was a workaholic. Adel made his eyes light up. She affected him and it would take something major to get him to admit to that attraction and act on it. Leo had to be patient a little longer.
* * * *
Adel showed Marcy some of the paperwork that needed to be filed and calls that were most important to take care of. She felt uneasy about leaving her workstation for many reasons. She didn’t like other people doing her job. She also was a bit intimidated by Hank, Leo, and Will. She wished their fathers Harold and William would be present. They made her feel at ease. Probably because it was Harold that talked Hank into giving her this job. He’d known her uncle, Lenny McKinley, for years. They went to college together at Ole Miss. Harold knew what her family did and he knew about her father and dealings with Ross Bentley and his family. Harold didn’t care for either man and never had. He especially seemed disgusted with what Bentley had done to her and what her own father had. Her Uncle Lenny asked Harold to keep watch over her and he did. Of course she begged for him not to tell anyone about her past. Harold did. He promised her and she trusted him. It was his sons that she didn’t trust or want to get too friendly with. In a lot of ways, Hank reminded her of Bentley and her father. Business came first out of everything, including family.