“Christa?”
Her gaze cut to mine, fear and worry swirling in the depths of her mocha irises. “What?”
“We’re not losing Max. No matter what I have to do to ensure it.”
She didn’t reply. I watched as she left the room, an ever-so-slight stoop to her posture that hadn’t been there until Francesca had shared the terrible truth of what we were facing.
I would not allow this to destroy her, or us. I didn’t care what I had to do to guarantee we emerged victorious. As my thoughts turned to Atwood, I made a vow.
I’d avenge Christa—or die trying.
6
Christa
A sliver of light finally bled through the drapes, signaling the pending dawn. Another day… another horror, no doubt. Francesca’s blunt appraisal of my situation had kept me awake the entire night, my mind spinning with all manner of terrible outcomes. When Dayton had finally come to bed around one this morning, I’d pretended to be asleep. I despised that I’d done that, and I had a horrible feeling he knew I’d been faking it. The thing was, I hadn’t been able to face the ensuing conversation about my insomnia. I’d worried him more than enough already.
I kept waiting for him to tell me this was all too much trouble and that he wanted out. I might have reacted hastily when Sutton had told me he intended to use Dayton’s violence against Arek to support his petition. My initial reaction had been to end things between us, but that was the last thing I wanted. A knee-jerk reaction, one I’d quickly discarded. I couldn’t face this alone. I needed Dayton by my side, especially when I had to face Sutton in court in nine days’ time.
He deserved so much more, though. He’d been nothing but supportive, spending his hard-earned money on fancy lawyers to fix an issue that, in reality, had nothing to do with him, and for what? To end up with his good name dragged through the mud—because there wasn’t a single doubt in my mind that Sutton would try to do exactly that—in order to save me. To save Max.
I hated the guilt swirling in my abdomen, but I had little choice. I needed Dayton, both financially and emotionally.
I rolled onto my side and slipped my hands beneath my head, watching him sleep. His long eyelashes graced his cheeks, his face serene in rest, the deep frown lines so visible during the daytime smoothed out.
My fingers itched to touch him, to seize the peace of mind that came from sex. When Dayton was inside me, the voices in my head quieted, and I could pretend, for an all-too-brief passage of time that everything was normal, that I wasn’t about to face having to hand over my son to an evil psychopath.
I grazed my fingertips over his chest, touching the light dusting of soft hair. His breathing remained deep and slow. I snuggled into his side and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to his neck. He murmured but didn’t wake. I raised myself on my elbow and traced the outline of his lips with the tip of my tongue. This time a humming noise rumbled through his chest. Sensing he was waking up, I kissed him properly, covering his body with mine. His cock grew hard, and I gently rocked my hips and rubbed my clit against him. The humming sound morphed into a full-on growl.
“Good morning,” I whispered.
He held my hair away from my face. “It is now,” he said, his voice raw and husky. “God, you’re beautiful.”
“I want you,” I said, dipping down to kiss his cheek, his neck, his chest.
He groaned and tilted his pelvis, rubbing my sensitive nub. “Angel, you’ve got me. Whatever you need.”
“I need to not think, just for a little bit.”
His gaze searched mine, and I knew, without having to say another word, that he understood. It was one of the things I loved about him. We communicated verbally, physically, emotionally, psychologically. He knew me. I could barely believe that ten months ago, I didn’t even know Dayton Somers existed, yet now, I couldn’t imagine living without him for even one day.
He gripped the hem of my nightgown and lifted it over my head. His eyes grazed over me, and his hands skimmed my waist, setting my nerve endings on fire. He sat up until we were nose to nose, and his lips closed over mine, searching, exploring, taking what he needed, but giving me what I desired in return. His tongue tangled with mine, moving with deliberate strokes, sending me hurtling into ecstatic bliss.
I slipped my hand into the gap in the front of his boxers. His cock felt so hard in my hands, hot, heavy, throbbing. I brushed my thumb over the tip where pre-cum had gathered. His erection jerked in approval.
I broke off our kiss and sucked my thumb into my mouth, tasting the salty essence of him. I curved my hands around the back of his neck and threaded my fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to wait.”
“Then don’t wait,” he murmured, his eyes on mine, drawing me in.
I reached between us once more and, lifting my hips, I gripped his girth and guided him inside me. We groaned simultaneously as I slid down his entire length. I began a slow rotation of my hips, Dayton holding me with a firm grip, controlling the speed. He grew larger and harder as I rode him, our sweaty bodies writhing together, our breathing synchronized.
He shifted, increasing the pressure and angle on my clit. Oh God. I was so damned close. I grabbed hold of his shoulders, partly to steady myself and partly because it helped me to grind in exactly the right way. I clenched, chasing that swell that started deep within my abdomen and slowly grew upward and outward until my fingertips and toes tingled and a warm rush tore through my body.
“Look at me, Christa,” Dayton commanded, his instruction impossible to ignore even though every instinct screamed at me to let my head fall back, to allow my eyes to roll inside their sockets, to focus all my attention on the peak of my climax. He cupped my face, forcing me to obey. Our gazes collided. And then I knew why he’d given such an order—because the love and adoration in his expression caused an explosion within me, the likes of which wrung me out, ravaged me, tied me to him forever. There could never be another. He’d ruined me for any other man. I was his, and he was mine.
His entire body tensed, and a strangled groan sounded low in his throat. “God, Christa.” His mouth collided with mine, and his cock jerked within me, filling me up. His hands fell to my waist, and he gripped me, almost painfully. He tore his mouth away and touched our foreheads together as his climax abated, all the while muttering how much he loved me, how he couldn’t live without me, how I was his everything.
I wrapped my arms around him and tucked my head into his neck as we waited for our breathing to slow and our heartbeats to return to normal. Slicked in sweat, I lifted off him and flopped onto the mattress. His hand sought mine, and he threaded our fingers together.
“I’m sorry I woke you.”
He turned his head. “Angel, wake me like that every morning, and I’ll be a very happy man indeed.”
I chuckled. Nestling into his side, I closed my eyes. Maybe now I’d be able to fall asleep. Within a couple of minutes, Dayton’s breathing changed, and his arm loosened around me. I shifted onto my back, but my hopes of rest were short-lived. Thoughts crowded my mind, and images flashed behind my closed lids of Sutton taking Max and never bringing him back. Or not looking after him properly. He wouldn’t know that Max liked to snuggle while he drank his morning milk, or that he found it difficult to sleep unless his favorite bear was right beside him. Or how much he adored peanut butter and would barter for a thicker spreading on his toast. Tears pricked behind my eyes. I let them fall. Holding them back would only ensure a sore throat and a banging headache.
How had it come to this? The man who’d arranged for me to be beaten to within an inch of my life, all in an effort to force a miscarriage of a baby he didn’t want. And yet now, he’d come for my precious boy with the sole intention of hurting me for having the audacity to give birth to him. My brain couldn’t make sense of it. The idea of Sutton spending one second with Max created an ache in my heart which tore me apart. And yet, according to Francesca, I couldn’t do a thing about it. I would have to stand by and let the p
erson I loved more than anything in the whole world be taken from me by a man who didn’t care, who only wanted to use him to further his own agenda.
Flinging back the covers, I climbed out of bed and padded across our vast bedroom. I slipped into the bathroom, silently closing the door. I switched on the light and stared at myself in the mirror. Dark smudges gave my eyes a bruised and tired look, and there was no sparkle, no light, only a dullness that spoke of the inner turmoil Sutton had created within me. I hated that man, with every fiber of my being. I never thought I’d be capable of such toxic thoughts and feelings. Not for the first time, regret rushed through me. I wish I’d never shown Rochelle compassion that first day when she’d been crying on the street corner because her boyfriend had dumped her. If I’d walked on by, I never would have met Sutton Atwood.
But then that also meant I wouldn’t have Max, and he was the only good thing to come out of this heinous situation. Well, him and meeting Dayton, of course. But Max was my one triumph, my proudest achievement. The dichotomy of hating the very man who created the one being I loved above all else completely messed with my head.
I brushed my teeth and refreshed my face with a splash of cold water. Feeling marginally more awake, I crept out of the bedroom. After checking on Max, I wandered into the living area. Dawn had well and truly broken, and an orange glow lightened the sky. I made a cup of coffee and took it out onto the balcony. Cars were already filling up the streets many floors below, but from up here, I couldn’t hear a thing. I breathed in the peace and quiet and watched the sun rise. How could such ugliness exist in a world that was so beautiful?
I walked back inside and rinsed out my cup, leaving it to drain on the countertop. My phone rang, and I frowned. I swiftly picked it up before it woke Max or Dayton. I didn’t recognize the number. It was probably one of those cold callers trying to sell me something I didn’t need.
“Hello,” I said, my tone reinforcing my annoyance at the early interruption.
“Hey, baby. You got the court papers then?”
My blood ran cold. I reached out to grab something, anything, to help steady me, my fingers only clutching at thin air. I managed to make it over to the couch and let my legs fall out from beneath me.
“What do you want, Sutton?” I said, furious at the slight tremor to my tone. I should have expected him to call. Of course he’d want to taunt me, to feed off my terror at the prospect of losing Max. It was how he got his pleasure—causing pain to others, especially me. He’d used a different number from when he’d called last week, again, a move I should have anticipated. He would want to catch me off guard, and if I could see it was him calling, then I’d have a chance to prepare myself. That would give me control over the situation, and Sutton would hate that. But I also knew that not answering wouldn’t do me any good either. That would simply make him angrier.
“Can’t I call to see how you are? I’ve missed you, baby.”
“Fuck you, Sutton.”
“Hey!” he barked. “Watch your fucking language. Remember who you’re talking to.”
My instincts were screaming for me to hang up, but I didn’t dare. An action such as that could send him into a vicious rage, and he’d find a way to take that fury out on me. I needed to remain calm but aloof. Try not to let him see how much his actions were tearing me apart. I must remember what Francesca said. If Sutton gave an Oscar-winning performance in front of the judge, and I came across as unbalanced, Max would be the one to suffer.
“It’s early. What do you want?” My voice sounded weary, even to my own ears.
“Beautiful day in New York, isn’t it? I mean, wow, what a sunrise.”
I froze. He’s here! On instinct, I slowly twisted my head, peeking over my shoulder, as if I expected him to be standing right behind me.
“I didn’t think I’d like it out east, but you know, I kinda do. I’m going to need a base out here, especially as my lawyer thinks it’s a slam-dunk that I’ll get immediate visitation rights to Max, and eventually, at the very least, joint custody is a given.”
Bile rose from my stomach. I swallowed it back down, wincing at the vile taste. Don’t be sick. Hold it together. Stay calm.
“I spoke to a realtor yesterday. There’s a three-bedroom place for sale in your building. It’s far from my usual standard, but it will suit my immediate needs. I’d have preferred the penthouse, but apparently it’s taken.” He barked out a cruel laugh. “Hi, neighbor.”
The room started to spin. I jammed a fist into my mouth to stifle a scream. Sweat beaded on my forehead, and my entire body broke out in pins and needles as adrenaline filled my blood. I was trapped in a never-ending hell, forced to live eternally in the shadow of Sutton’s evilness. I’d never be free, never feel safe. There was no way out of this horror except to kill myself, and I’d never do that to Max or to Dayton.
My phone fell from my grasp, clattering against the hardwood floor. The screen cracked, and the connection broke. Paralyzed, I stared into nothingness. Not only was Sutton going to take my son, but he was going to pervade every inch of my life until he sent me spiraling into madness. That had to be his ultimate aim, to have me taken away in a straightjacket and locked in a padded cell. Even then, he’d probably still find ways to torture me.
I lost track of time, but when Max’s cries reached me, I struggled to my feet and plodded to his room. His sweet face greeted me, tears turning to smiles as he saw I’d come for him. My heart ached. There had to be a way out of this mess. The answer, though, eluded me.
I lifted him out of his crib and settled him on my hip. I fetched him some warm milk and flicked on the TV. He snuggled into my side, his attention stolen by the colorful cartoons. I pressed my lips to the top of his head, breathing in his smell, locking away the memories for the day when he wouldn’t be by my side.
“There’s my two favorite people.”
I raised my head to find Dayton at the entrance to the living room, making his way over to us. I’d been so lost in my own thoughts, I hadn’t heard him get up. Max wriggled off my lap and ran into Dayton’s outstretched arms. He swung Max in the air then covered his face in kisses.
“Morning, little man. You hungry?”
“Yep.”
“Then let’s get you fed.”
His eyes cut to mine. I smiled but from the way Dayton’s brow furrowed, it hadn’t reached my eyes. I shook my head in silent communication. He nodded in understanding.
Dayton made pancakes, eggs, and bacon—Mrs. Connor, his housekeeper, only worked part-time—and I joined him and Max at the table to eat. Despite my best efforts, my throat had closed up, and after forcing down a couple of mouthfuls, I dropped my fork and pushed my plate away. Dayton’s worried expression tore at my heart. He’d be just as hurt by the ease with which Sutton could get to me.
Dayton cleared away the breakfast things while I sat Max in front of the TV. I cocked my head at Dayton. He followed me onto the balcony, frowning.
“Sutton called me this morning.”
Fury swept across his face, his ice-blue eyes darkening in anger. “He fucking what?” he said between clenched teeth, a nerve ticking in his cheek.
“He’s buying an apartment in this building.”
Dayton’s eyes widened. “No he fucking isn’t,” he shouted, loud enough that Max twisted his head. He soon turned back to the TV, thankfully.
“Keep your voice down,” I hissed.
“I will not allow that bastard to live in this building. Not happening, Christa. The thought of you bumping into him every time you come home…” He shuddered. “I’ll buy the damned building before I’ll let that happen.”
“Dayton, don’t be ridiculous. You can’t buy the building. It’d cost a fortune.”
His face changed. Instead of my boyfriend, the man I loved standing in front of me, I was hit with Dayton Somers, CEO, fearsome businessman, the guy who always got what he wanted. The Dayton Somers who’d sent fear rushing through me the first day I’d met him, urgi
ng me to run. Fortunately, he’d allowed me to see the man behind the public face, but dear God, when he donned that persona, he was formidable.
“Watch me.”
7
Dayton
“Lion!” Max bounced on top of my shoulders when he spotted the magnificent animal prowling around its enclosure. The female of the species was lounging against a fence, enjoying the sunshine, a couple of cubs playing nearby. “Closer.”
I stole a glance at Christa. She was putting on one hell of a show for Max, excitedly chattering as we walked around the zoo, but I knew her mind was elsewhere. Hardly surprising given Atwood’s unsolicited call that morning. I wanted to kill the man with my bare hands for the pain and suffering he gleefully inflicted on Christa. I might not be able to do that, but I could stop the fucker from buying a home in our building.
Before we’d set off for the zoo, I’d called the head of the condominium association for my building, a man I knew well and had had several business dealings with over the years. After I updated him on the reason for my call, he not only passed on the contact details of the seller, but also promised that if any other apartments came up for sale, he’d let me know. That way, I could snap up the apartment immediately. Properties in my particular building rarely came onto the market, but at least this way, I’d be able to put a stop to any future attempts.
My second call was to the current owner of the apartment that Atwood thought he was buying. We agreed on a price—an inflated price. I’d been fleeced. The owner knew it, and I knew it, but it didn’t matter. If it had been a business deal, I’d have nailed the guy to the wall by his balls, but this was personal.
Atwood only had one reason for trying to buy an apartment where we lived, and that was to heap more misery upon Christa.
Avenging Christa: Irresistibly Mine Duet Book 2 Page 4
