Worthy

by Lacey Carter Andersen

  “Fucking hell,” I mutter.

  And then slowly, frustratingly slowly, she draws my boxers off.

  When she looks at my dick, her eyes widen. “You boys were certainly blessed.”

  She likes my cock. That’s pretty damn nice.

  Leaning forward, she licks my tip.

  “Fuck,” I mutter again, then curl my hands into fists to keep from pushing her onto my dick and working her mouth the way I long to.

  Instead, she licks me slowly. A torturous process that has me going through a list of my favorite antiques to keep from coming right on this cruel woman. When she takes me deep into her mouth and starts sucking, I swear my knees get weak.

  Emmett said she was good with her mouth. But this isn’t good. This is amazing. Like she should be teaching courses on how to suck dicks.

  Not that we’d let her. This sweet mouth of hers is for us and only us.

  When she suddenly pulls my shaft out of her mouth and pushes me back, I’m left stunned, watching as she strips her bra and underwear off. With a playful grin, she climbs on top of me and starts to rub herself against my length.

  Every nerve in my body sings, and I dig one hand into the back of her hair and kiss her. Something changes as we kiss. She’s less frantic. More relaxed. Our kiss deepens, and every inch of her softens against me.

  With a gentle stroke, I slide my hands along the sides of her breasts, loving the feeling of my fingertips on her sensitive skin. I’ve wanted this. Wanted it for so long. I know she wants this to be fast. Something to scratch an itch and help her tomorrow, but that’s the last thing I want. It needs to be memorable. A real moment between us that makes her feel even a tiny bit the way I feel about her.

  When my hands brush her nipples, her body tenses, and she breaks our kiss with a little gasp. I like the sound. I treasure the sound. Using both my hands, I pluck her nipples, loving the way they harden beneath my touch, and I watch her face. Seeing her like this, open to me, surrendering to me, makes me feel…like a man. Like the man she needs.

  She moves against me again, and I inhale sharply as she rubs her wet body against my dick.

  I don’t have enough time to think as one of her hands reaches down and grips my shaft, then she slowly lowers herself onto me.

  Did I say she was surrendering to me? Maybe I’m surrendering to her?

  When she reaches my hilt, we’re both breathing hard. My hands drift to her hips, and I rock her against my dick, leaving us both gasping. She takes hold of my shoulders, and then lifts up before slamming back down.

  I swear. It feels so fucking good to be inside her. So tight and warm.

  My control starts to slip again. I’m back to thinking of the value of antiques. Back to not thinking about the fact that I’m finally inside of Jade or finally making love to the woman I love.

  But she is relentless, riding me like I’m her damn horse. Moaning, her head thrown back, her breasts bouncing in my face. My willpower keeps slipping. My list of antiques fades away. There’s just her tight channel. Me thrusting into her, making her moan, making her feel good.

  And then I feel her body quivering around me. Her inner muscles squeeze me harder, and she starts to chant my name.

  I know she’s close. Know she’s about to lose control. So I stop thinking of anything but her. I let myself feel it all, and the pleasure is overwhelming.

  My cock seems to swell. My balls tighten, and as I watch her orgasm, I let loose. I come in her wet, warm body, thrusting harder and harder as I ride the waves of my pleasure.

  It seems to go on and on. Me coming. Her riding me and chanting, before I fall back and she falls on top of me.

  For a long time neither of us speak. I stroke her hair. I give a silent thanks for whatever brought this woman into my life.

  And then, she slowly sits up. “That was perfect.”

  I smile and brush her cheek. “You’re relaxed?”

  She nibbles her bottom lip in that way that turns me on. “A little.”

  I raise a brow. “A little?”

  “I think we might need to go again…if you’re up for it.”

  Grinning, I lean up and kiss her. “I’m always up for you.”

  She laughs, and I turn us so that she’s on her back on the bed. Her dark hair is spread out behind her. Her face glows with happiness. I think of the Jade I saw that first night. She’s changed so much since then, and a greedy part of myself hopes it’s partially because of us.

  I know I once thought I was happy. But I’ve never been this happy before.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Jade

  Blinking slowly, I slip out of sleep and stare in confusion around the room. This isn’t my apartment. Where the hell am I?

  And then I realize someone is holding me close.

  Looking behind me, I realize it’s Evan. We’re spooning, his arms wrapped around me from behind, keeping me firmly against him.

  I feel myself smiling. These brothers are so different, but so wonderful. Evan has this sweetness, this tenderness, that is so uniquely him. He makes me feel like the most special woman in the world, so much so that I’ve almost started to believe it.

  It’s like no matter what I do, he thinks I’m perfect. And his faith in me has changed so much. Actually, all of their faiths in me has created this drive inside of me. I may not have my lamp back…not yet, but life is actually getting better. Because of them.

  I’m even going for my GED. And then to college!

  My GED! Turning, I look at the clock.

  “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I spring away from Evan and roll out of bed, searching like mad for my clothes.

  “What’s wrong?” he says, his voice sleepy.

  “If I don’t leave in the next five minutes, I’m going to miss my test!”

  I’m pulling on my underwear when Evan leaps out of bed and starts dressing in a hurry. “I’ll drive you! We’ll get there in plenty of time.”

  I glance at the clock again and race for my bra and the rest of my clothes. This is going to cut it close, but I can make it. All my studying won’t be for nothing!

  We both manage to pull our shoes on at the same time.

  “Ready?” he says.

  I nod, he pulls open the bedroom door, and we race down the hall and start down the stairs. A few steps down, I realize something is off. There’s a bunch of people milling about in the hall down stairs, and I hear an auctioneer’s voice from the next room.

  “Evan?” I say slowly, patting my hair.

  “It’s okay,” he says. “It’s just this month’s auction.”

  I nod, but still feel uncertain. There seems to be a few people working, with name tags, and a bunch of the rich socialites I’ve been trying to impress. We need to sneak in and out, or all my hard work will be for nothing.

  When I reach the bottom step, I dare a glance to the auction room, then freeze. Mr. Blake and Allie are standing in the doorway chatting. Her hand is on his arm.

  I’m a little surprised…because I don’t care as much as I did before. Actually, I find her annoying. But do I mind that she’s touching him?

  Not really.

  Weird.

  I’m about to head to the door when I see the posters posted outside the door. On one of them is my lamp.

  My jaw drops open. My lamp? It’s here? It’s being auctioned off today?

  “Evan!” I say, then start toward the poster.

  “What’s wrong? Jade, we have to go! We’re going to be…oh, shit.”

  I stop in front of the poster. “That’s it.”

  “Your lamp.” His tone is equally amazed.

  I whirl on him in confusion. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t know,” I tell her, praying she’ll believe me. “I never saw it. I had outside help with this auction.”

  And then we hear people clap in the room.

  “Next item up for auction, the lamp many of you have been waiting for!”

  I feel like I’m in a dre
am, or maybe a nightmare, when I head for the doors and look up on the stage to see my lamp on a pillow next to a man standing at a podium. Emmett and Owen are talking in one corner, and an audience full of people is staring up at my lamp.

  No. This can’t be happening.

  If someone buys it, it’ll be lost to me forever.

  I start toward the podium. Evan calls my name, but I ignore him. I reach the steps up the stage, and suddenly Allie is there in front of me.

  “No!” she says in a hushed voice, grabbing my arm.

  I shake her off. “It’s mine!”

  “Prove it!” she says, and there’s anger in her eyes. “They’re going to sell it, and I’m going to have everything I deserve. But if you go up there, you’ll lose the little you have. Do you understand? You’ll make a fool of yourself. You’ll reveal who you really are.”

  I’m shaking. “You stole it from me!” And I realize I yelled my words.

  The room grows quiet.

  I don’t care. I stomp up the stairs and grab my lamp. Two security guards are beside me in an instant, and I see my guys rushing for the stage.

  “This is my lamp!” I shout to the crowd.

  “Jade!” Evan says, and there’s a pleading note to his voice.

  “She stole it from me!” I say.

  Someone shouts, “Get her down!”

  Another person says, “Call the police!”

  A security guard grabs me.

  Emmett says, “Don’t touch her!”

  Allie is there in an instant. “It’s my lamp! I don’t know what’s wrong with this woman, but it is!”

  “You stole it from me!” I shout. “My father gave it to me! It’s a family heirloom! You can’t do this!”

  Owen is at the base of the stage in an instant. “Get down. We’ll figure this out. Privately. Just put it down.”

  My heart aches as I clutch the lamp I’ve searched for for so long. I can’t let it go. I can’t let Allie have it back. Not after everything.

  “You don’t understand,” I say, looking out at the audience, and then I see Mr. Blake frowning at me, and something snaps inside of me. “She isn’t who she says she is,” I accuse, pointing at Allie. “Her name isn’t Allison, it’s Allie. And we grew up together in the shittiest part of town you can imagine. I’m a maid, actually I clean for most of you. But her? She’s a thief! She sells stolen goods on the street. She steals purses! She robs!”

  “She’s a liar!” Allie shouts.

  I turn to her. “Until her last big score, she lived in a house with her alcoholic parents and her druggy brother.” I look at Mr. Blake. “She used the information I told her about you to get you to like her. You were her next mark. She doesn’t like sports. She doesn’t like boats. She doesn’t like anything about you! She knew that I had a crush on you, and she took everything I told her about you to pretend to be your perfect woman.”

  “No!” Allie exclaims.

  “I’ve spent years looking for my lamp. I knew if I had it, I’d finally have the money to make myself into the woman you wanted,” I tell Mr. Blake. “I knew enough about you to know you were a good person. I just knew we could never be together if I was poor and you were rich. I cared about you. She… she…sees you as just another person to rip off.”

  Allie’s shaking her head. “It’s not true—“

  “I was her best friend,” I tell him. “She knew that this was the only thing my father had given me before he died. She knew that from the time we were little girls I’d looked for it. But none of that mattered, all that mattered was that she wanted it. That’s who Allie is. Not the woman she’s been pretending to be with all of you.”

  I see the police come to stand near the door to the room, and my heart races.

  Allie stands up straighter. “This woman is insane. That’s my lamp. Owen can vouch that I brought it to him.”

  I look at Owen.

  He clears his throat. “She did bring it in, but—“

  I laugh angrily. “She’s a liar! The best damn liar I’ve ever met, and all of you are too stupid to see through it.”

  The police start toward me. One of them looks around the room. “We were called about a disturbance…”

  A man stands and points at me. “That woman needs to be taken away!”

  “No!” I say.

  The officer looks around the room again. “Who owns this place?”

  My heart races. Hell, am I going to jail for trespassing? What other crimes are the owners going to charge me with for ruining their event?

  Evan is suddenly between me and the police. “We do. My brothers and I.”

  I feel my eyes widen as I look at him in confusion. They own this place?

  My hands are sweaty on the lamp.

  Emmett speaks, raising his voice. “Everything is okay. Jade is going to step out of the room, and we’re going to get to the bottom of this confusion. No need to make it more than that.”

  They’re going to take my lamp. “No, I’m not leaving. Not without my lamp!”

  “Jade,” Evan says, and again I can tell he’s pleading with me to back down.

  But, I can’t. I can’t. They’re all looking at me like I’m a liar. Like I’m a thief.

  I’m not the liar. I’m not the thief. I just need to prove it!

  The officer takes out his handcuffs. “Ma’am, you need to come with me!”

  A security guard grabs the lamp and yanks it from my grip.

  “No!” I shout, balling up my fist, ready to attack.

  “Jade!” Owen shouts, and now there’s anger in his voice. “Get down now, or you’re leaving in handcuffs.”

  Allie’s face is suddenly in front of mine. “See, you can’t prove it.”

  My mind spins. One of the guards is hauling me down toward the police officer.

  “No!” I shout. “Wait! I can prove it’s mine! I can prove everything!”

  The security guard stops.

  The room falls into a hush.

  “Hand me the lamp,” I say.

  The guard simply raises a brow. “Not a chance.”

  My heart races. “Twist the bottom.”

  “What?” he frowns.

  Allie looks at me in confusion.

  “Twist it,” I say.

  The guard tries.

  “The other way!”

  He does, and the bottom pops out. From out of it, jewelry falls down, along with familiar pictures that have been folded.

  I spring out of the surprised guard’s grip and rush to it, then kneel down. Unfolding one of the pictures, I show them my mom and dad, and me a tiny girl between them. All of us are smiling. All of us are happy.

  "On the back is printed "Jade Cahr," followed by the year."

  The room descends into silence, and I start blubbering. “These are the only pictures I have of my mother before she died.” I kneel down. “These are my parents’ wedding rings.” And then I’m crying. “The necklace my father gave my mother on their anniversary. A matching one my father gave me when she died.” I touch each item and feel the tears rolling down my cheeks. “It’s the magic of the lamp,” I finish simply, kneeling down with it all in my lap.

  Owen’s voice breaks the silence. “I think that’s proof of the true owner.”

  And then Mr. Blake’s voice comes, softly, “So, it was all true?”

  Allie shakes her head and races down the stairs in her tall heels and her blue dress. She stops in front of Mr. Blake and her face is ashen. “Okay, so I am Allie. And I am broke and from a bad family. And maybe I used to steal. But this only started out as a job. I fell in love with you, Blake, and that’s the truth.”

  His eyes are distant. “And how am I supposed to believe anything you say?”

  Tears run from the corners of her eyes. “Do you only love me because I pretended to like sports and boats? Was that all there was to our relationship? I thought you liked that I could stand up to your mom. I thought you liked that I’m spontaneous and that I’ve exposed you to
things you’ve never experienced. You fell in love with who I am, minus a few lies, and I fell in love with who you are.”

  A police officer grabs her arm and pulls her hands behind her back, clicking the cuffs into place.

  “Believe me, Blake, I never wanted to hurt you. And I’ll spend the rest of our lives proving to you that this was more than a score to me.”

  I wait, holding my breath. This is the moment. The moment everything comes together. She’ll go to jail. She’ll lose Mr. Blake. Justice will be served for this lying pretender.

  “I believe you,” he says.

  My air comes out in a rush, and Allie beams.

  He leans forward and kisses her. “We have a lot to talk about, but—“

  “No!” I say. “She lied to you! She stole my lamp and my life. I was supposed to start dating you. I’m the person you’re supposed to fall in love with, not her. She deserves nothing! Nothing at all!”

  Mr. Blake looks back at me. “I’m sorry, Jade.” But there’s no kindness in his face.

  He doesn’t feel anything for me. And he still loves her, even though she’s a terrible person who betrayed me and lied.

  He doesn’t care that she’s poor. Or that she doesn’t come from the same world as he does.

  I spent years cleaning his house, trying to become what he’d want. But she wasn’t what he wanted, and he still loved her.

  The police look from Mr. Blake to me. “Do either of you want to press charges?”

  “No,” Mr. Blake says.

  “Yes!” I say. “She can’t just get away scott free! There has to be consequences for what she did! She can’t just steal the life I wanted.”

  “Are you sure?” Allie says.

  And I see that look in her eyes, and it hits me. If I press charges, they might find where she got her money and how I got lamp. We could both being looking at prison time.

  I swallow the lump in my throat. She’s really going to just walk away.

  “No,” I say. “Let her go.”

  “You’re sure?” the police officer asks.

  “Yes,” I respond, bitterness in my voice. “Let her go enjoy my life.”

  He uncuffs Allie. A few employees start ushering the crowd of people out. The guard hands me my lamp, and I pull it into my lap, touching the smooth surface, where I can see my disheveled appearance reflecting back me. And then I look under my lamp, at the picture of me smiling with my parents.