by Nicole Dykes
“You’re damn straight she will.” Madden agrees.
“There’s no way in hell our sister is marrying the likes of you, Brady-Playboy-Thompson.” Landon adds and I cover up how hard his words hit.
Keegan grins, “Now that we know we have a sister, and she’s my twin, you can bet your ass we’ll be taking care of her.”
“I know you guys will. Now ya’ll just have to figure out how to take care of those conniving parents of yours.” I remind them. “That was some pretty fucked up shit they pulled.”
“Oh, we will. I assure you, we will.” Landon promises me.
I don’t doubt that they will confront their parents and probably even take Lilly with them when they do so. What I’m worried about, is everything else that was said.
Lilly will go back to Dallas and meet someone else. She’ll find someone that her brothers can be proud of.
There’s no way in hell she’ll wind up with someone like me.
Chapter 44
Lillian
My secret is out. I still feel totally stunned by the whole thing and I’m the one that was in the know. My brothers, who were totally blindsided just a couple of days ago seem to be handling the news better than I am.
Now I’m in the car with Madden, driving up to Dallas to meet up with Landon and Keegan. They want to confront our parents about the whole thing. Their bravery amazes me. It took me a few months just to tell them about all of this and now here we are, two days after they found out, and we are going to confront our parents.
Of course, we could all chicken out still. Maybe that’s just what I’m hoping for.
Madden is gripping the steering wheel pretty tight as he drives on the interstate. I turn to him, “Are you nervous?”
His face is deadly serious when he says, “I’m pissed off.” I bite my lip nervously and he must notice because he adds, “Not at you. At them.”
“Maybe they had a good reason.” I offer.
He laughs, bitterly. “Yeah, Stanton always has some sort of fucked up reason for his actions. In my book, there is no excuse good enough for giving you up, Lilly.”
I smile. “I really did have a good life, Madden.”
That finally brings a grin to his face. “I’m glad. Trust me, I believe it was probably a blessing for you not to be in that house, but they still robbed us all of a relationship with each other and that’s bullshit.”
I nod my head in agreement and I turn up the radio, the rest of the trip spent talking a little about our childhoods, but mostly just listening to music. It’s definitely not bad having a brother to talk to and now I have three.
When we reach the Steele home I notice Landon’s truck and Keegan’s car outside already. Madden parks his truck and nods to the vehicles. “Looks like they beat us here.”
Madden opens his door to hop out, but I freeze just staring at the large mansion. I feel his hand on my shoulder, “It’s going to be okay, Lilly. We’ll protect you.”
I turn to him and give him a weak smile before opening my own door and walking up to the front door with him. He rings the doorbell and a petite woman, I recognize as the Steele family’s housekeeper, answers the door. “Madden! It’s so good to see you!”
He smiles at her and gives her a big hug. “It’s great to see you too, Carmella.” He gestures toward me, “This is my friend, Lilly.”
The woman looks at me curiously and then turns back to Madden. “What about Ms. Jade?”
Madden grins and shakes his head. “Jade is back in Hollis, waiting for me to get my ass back home. Lilly and I are just friends.”
She nods her head, “Well, good. That girl has really grown on me even though you barely come around anymore. Your brothers are here in the den.”
“Thank you.”
He leads me to the den where we greet Landon and Keegan. Landon has some sort of drink in his hand, from my months at the bar I would say a scotch on the rocks. Keegan is the one playing with his phone at the moment, probably talking to Amelia.
Landon nods his head at me, “They are in the kitchen finishing up brunch. Should we just do this? I don’t want to beat around the bush about it.”
“Maybe we should let them finish eating.” I say, feeling sick to my stomach.
Madden laughs. “Our mother doesn’t eat and I’m sure Stanton is conducting business on his phone anyway.”
Keegan stands up from the sofa. “Let’s just rip off the band-aid. I’m ready to get some damn answers.”
I follow my brothers into the fancy kitchen where Elizabeth and Stanton Steele are sitting in the nook off of the kitchen. Elizabeth looks up and notices Madden, “Madden! I didn’t know you were going to be home. What brings you here?”
She seems genuinely happy that he’s here and for a moment I think all of this will be okay. Stanton looks up and barely grunts at his sons before Landon says, “We have to talk.”
Stanton has a look of worry cross his face as he addresses his oldest. “What is it, son? Please tell me the Stewart account hasn’t fallen through. We need that damn account.”
Landon rolls his eyes. “Not about business.” That’s strange coming from Landon I’m sure.
Elizabeth’s eyes snap to me and then back to Landon. “Well, then what about? Please tell me you haven’t gotten the Benson’s daughter pregnant. We can’t afford that type of scandal. How much does she need?”
“Hmm a little over twenty-seven years ago you gave birth to twins, mother.” He turns to Stanton whose eyes have widened significantly. “And then decided to give one of them away.”
Elizabeth looks stunned by the news, but Stanton is stoic and says, “That’s preposterous.”
“We know it’s true.” Madden says. “Don’t try to deny it.”
Keegan looks at his parents with fury. “How could you do that? Give up my twin sister?”
Elizabeth shakes her head. “No, we didn’t do that, Keegan. It was very sad, but she died.”
“She’s right fucking here!” Landon points to me and Elizabeth’s eyes flit over me.
“This girl? Of course, we know her, she’s Preston and Christine Benson’s daughter. Right?” She looks to me for confirmation.
I finally find my voice and choke out, “Well, the Benson’s adopted me, but it’s your and Stanton’s name on my birth certificate.”
Elizabeth looks like she has seen a ghost and turns to Stanton. “It can’t be, can it?”
Stanton gives her a cold look. “Like you didn’t know deep down.”
Elizabeth shakes her head, “You told me she died. Why?”
We all watch the scene play out before us and Stanton in all of his cold-hearted glory answers it simply. “A girl does absolutely nothing for my legacy. A girl can’t provide heirs, Elizabeth. I have three strong boys, that’s what I needed.”
Elizabeth looks horrified and Keegan turns to his father. “You gave our sister away because she was a fucking girl? Are you totally insane?”
Stanton waves him off and looks sternly at his wife. She looks like she is going to be sick or maybe fall into a homicidal rage, but then an odd thing happens. She turns to stone right before my eyes. “Well, what’s done is done. You boys must accept that your father did what was best for this family. He will always do what is best for our family.”
I stare at her dumbfounded, knowing now without a doubt that I picked the long straw in all of this. I can’t believe this is the home that my brothers grew up in. I can’t imagine having a bastard like Stanton for a father and a mother who appears to be dead inside.
Landon addresses his mother, “What’s done is done? How the hell can you say that?”
She clears her throat and takes a drink of whatever is in her glass. “It was a long time ago, Landon, there is no reason to dwell on it.”
“He just threw your only daughter away like she was trash! All because she is a girl. He lied to you and all of us for years. You’re just over it?”
Stanton stands up. “All right, that’s enou
gh. Like your mother said, it’s over and you will not continue to speak to her that way. Now I’m not sure what you all were hoping to accomplish here today, but if you will excuse me, I have to get to the office. Landon, I expect to see you on Monday.”
He gives Elizabeth a quick peck on the cheek and then leaves without another word. Elizabeth stands, “I have to get to the club.”
Her eyes lock with mine briefly, but then she turns and leaves as well.
Landon sits down at the table. “What the fuck just happened?”
Keegan sits next to him, both looking lost. “It’s like they didn’t care at all.”
Madden who seems the most detached from our parents looks the least stunned and turns to me. “I’m sorry, Lilly.”
“For what?” I ask.
“Just everything. I hate that we missed so much time with you, but none of this shit surprises me in the slightest.”
Landon looks over at him, “Shit. Maybe you’ve been right about them all along. I refused to see it.”
Keegan nods his head in silent agreement. My heart breaks for them. I’ve known love, but this horrible display today, that’s all they’ve ever known. No wonder Madden ran away.
Chapter 45
Brady
I stumble out of bed when the pounding on my door doesn’t stop. I don’t even know what time it is, but it’s late. Well, early depending on how you look at things. I open my door and Lilly rushes inside, stepping right into my arms and circling hers around my waist.
“What’s…hey…” I mumble when I hear her sobs. I close the door and fold my arms around her. “Baby, it’s okay. It’s gonna be okay.”
I make her this promise, but I have no idea how things in Dallas went. I assumed she was staying there tonight and spending time with the Steeles when I didn’t get a phone call. I even assumed maybe she’d gone to her parents and come clean to them about everything. Apparently, I was wrong. I should have known if Madden would leave all that fortune to come live in Hollis then something wasn’t right about those people he calls parents.
“Lilly, talk to me.” I encourage her. “Tell me what happened.”
“It was awful.” Her voice is muffled against my neck.
I urge her over to the kitchen table and help her sit down. I pull my chair close and grasp her hands, patiently waiting on her to tell me what went down today.
“They were so cold, Brady. Elizabeth didn’t even know I had been put up for adoption, but then she didn’t even care! She just went along with what Stanton wanted.”
“I don’t know what to say, Lilly.”
“And do you know why he gave me up?” She doesn’t wait for me to throw out an answer, “Because I was a girl. He said I couldn’t give him heirs. He winded up having three strong male heirs and that was what he needed. I could barely even speak, I was so shocked.”
“It sounds like they did you a favor honestly. If they would have kept you, you wouldn’t have been treated right. Didn’t you say your parents have been good to you?”
“They have and I don’t regret the way I’ve been raised at all. I just thought…I don’t know what I thought it would be like going there to confront them. I should have kept my mouth shut.”
“Hey, don’t say that.” I lean back so I can look at her. “You have your brothers now. Fuck their snotty parents. Who gives a shit about them?”
“I miss my parents.” She confesses.
I know then that she won’t be here much longer. Hell, I’m lucky she even came back here tonight. She could have gone home to her parents, the ones who raised her and loved her, let them comfort her and take care of her and never looked back. Her life is in Dallas. We both know that. We both know she’s going back there.
“I know we don’t talk about it, Lilly, but you’re ready to go home, aren’t you?” I ask, quietly, unsure if I want to hear her answer out loud.
She looks down, avoiding my gaze, and I barely hear her answer, “Yes.”
I stroke my hand over hers, unable to say anything. She’s had a long day and it sounds like it was one of the shittiest ones of her life. I wish the Steeles would have welcomed her with open arms. I wish they would have seen the woman the child they gave up has become.
“Why don’t you come get some sleep?” I offer, taking her hand and leading her down the hall to my room.
“Brady?” Lilly says and I turn back to look at her. “It will be hard to leave you.”
I swallow and nod, accepting that this is our last night together, like I suspected. We both knew it was coming. We both agreed that this would end. It was temporary. I’m not a permanent kind of guy.
“It’s easier this way, right?” I tell her. “We end things on our terms, Lilly. No psycho shit, no attachments, no arguing. We end it the way we began.”
She presses her body to mine and says, “Exactly. Let’s end it the way we started it, Brady.”
I cup her face, tilting it up to mine, and brush my lips over hers. Our first encounter was heated and rushed. I remember thinking she needed a quick fuck. I don’t even remember if I got my jeans all the way off. It won’t be like that tonight. I’ll take my time and memorize every inch of her body. I’ll savor her taste because I know I’ll never taste her again.
Her tongue forays with mine, sending tingles over my skin and making my heart pound in my chest. My brain yells at me to tell her not to leave, but I don’t break the kiss to speak these words. I’ll let her go because that’s who I am. I have no reason to hold on to her. I’m not in love with her and she deserves more than me. More than whatever my best is.
I run my fingertips along the hem of her shirt, teasing her flesh with the light brush of my touch before lifting it over her head. Despite the heat I can see blazing in her emerald eyes, she knows I’m taking things slowly. She trails kisses over my chest, pausing to flick her tongue over each nipple, then resumes kissing her way down my abdomen.
I watch her drop down to her knees as she reaches the elastic band of my boxer briefs. I imagine the fabric is already damp from my pre-cum. My erection strains against the material, begging for release.
Lilly tugs them down and then wraps one hand around my base, stroking to the tip. Her other hand cups my ass cheek. I close my eyes when she sucks me into her mouth. Fucking hell. I breathe out, tangling my fingers into her hair.
“That’s it, baby.” I encourage her, resisting the urge to pump into her mouth and allowing her to set her own rhythm.
Her fingernails dig into my skin as she picks up the pace, swirling her tongue around my tip before she guides me back in. I call her name, giving her warning that I’m on the edge, but she doesn’t let up. I groan as my release floods her mouth and I feel her hand still stroking me as she swallows it down.
Lilly stands, a smirk on her face, and says, “Well, that’s not quite how we started.”
I grin and toss her onto my bed, eliciting a giggle from her as I slide her panties down her thighs. “Bra too.” I demand and she quirks an eyebrow. “I need to return the favor and I want you completely naked for that.”
I don’t waste any time settling between her legs. Within seconds, she’s writhing beneath me. I love knowing that I can make her moan and say my name. It doesn’t matter that soon someone else will be doing these things to her and I’ll have another woman beneath me. For tonight, it’s just me and Lilly.
I rise over her and she’s smiling, her face flushed from her orgasm. Her blonde curls wild on my pillow.
“It’ll be hard to watch you leave.” I admit and ease into her for the last time.
Chapter 46
Lillian
Brady moves slowly inside of me, eliciting a pleasurable moan from both of our lips. I don’t want to think about how this is the last time I will ever experience this feeling.
I just want to feel him. Every part of him.
When he’s fully inside of me, we both still for a moment. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him down to me for a deep kiss. After
a moment of memorizing each other’s mouth he starts to set a perfect rhythm that I’ve become very accustomed to. Our bodies work together slowly working toward a mind-blowing orgasm.
I can feel his heart pounding against my chest. I don’t close my eyes so I can memorize his body and his gorgeous face, wondering if this is where my mind will go with all future lovers.
I’m close and I can feel his orgasm building as well. I drop my hands from his neck and he pushes up on his hands reaching a new, delicious angle. My legs wrap around his firm ass pulling him even deeper inside of me and it’s not long before we both explode in intense pleasure.
When we are finished, he rolls off of me, but quickly wraps me in his strong arms, holding my head to his chest and peppering quick kisses over my nose.
He doesn’t say anything and neither do I. Everything that needed to be said is already out there. We lie there like that for a while before drifting off to sleep.
The next morning, I wake up in Brady’s arms. He’s still fast asleep and I find myself staring at him for entirely too long.
This is how it has to be.
I kiss his lips briefly and whisper, “Goodbye, Brady Thompson” before slowly exiting the bedroom. I’m careful not to wake him up. It would be too hard. Last night was perfect. That is the goodbye memory I want.
I drive to the bar where Jade and Casey are both working. Casey sees me first and laughs, “Thompson gave you one hell of a ride last night, huh?”
She gestures to my hair and I curse myself. I was in a daze when I left and didn’t bother to check out my appearance. I’m sure I look like I’ve really been through the ringer. I smile and shrug it off, suddenly not ashamed. “You know it.”
She laughs and I sit down at the bar, looking at two women who I would consider my best friends. They instantly accepted me and took me in and I don’t know how to say this so I just bite the bullet. “You guys, look…”
“You’re leaving.” Jade says.
She’s so damn perceptive. “Yes. I have to. I need to figure out what the hell I want to do with my life and I miss my parents. My real parents.”
