by L A Cotton
“I’m not sure about that, but life’s good. It was strange at first, but we’re finally settled.”
After moving to Tampa, I’d given myself time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I had more than enough money stashed away from the years of living with them that neither of us had to rush into finding work after graduation. We had enjoyed a few months of bliss, getting to know each other like a normal couple, before Ana decided she wanted to put her experiences to good use. She wasn’t too happy when I finally decided on my career path.
“And Ana? She’s doing okay?”
“She’s great. Counsels students at the local high school.”
“That’s good, real good. How’s business? I gotta say, man, I didn’t think you’d go that way. Not after everything.” Dennis motioned to the bench in front of us and I followed him over.
“Neither did I.”
Private security wasn’t something I’d even considered back then.
“I just kind of fell into it.”
I’d intervened in a situation at a club one night and the guy I’d stepped in to defend turned out to be a hotshot politician. He’d requested a formal meeting after being impressed with the way I handled myself—and talked down the drunken guy wanting to pound his face in—and wanted to add me to his detail. I worked with him for a year before deciding to open my own business.
“Anyway, how’s life in Stonewood? The old man still giving you shit?” I turned the attention to Dennis.
“I finally moved out. He didn’t like it, but I needed my space.” Dennis dropped his eyes, but I felt the tension radiating off him.
It might have been two years since we last saw each other, but I still knew when my friend was keeping something from me.
“Want to talk about it?” I asked.
He laughed but it was strained. “That is a conversation for another day.”
“I hear you, but you have my number. If you ever need an ear or a sounding board, yeah?”
Dennis nodded, and we both stared out across the ocean.
“So work brings you to my neck of the woods? Don’t suppose you can give me the inside scoop?”
I shook my head. It was a new contract. They had a base in Sacramento and wanted me to fly down and meet with some of their board members personally. It was too near to Dennis not to look him up.
“So what’s it like? Life outside of the business?”
The question blindsided me a little. I hadn’t forgotten my life, far from it, but it was something I buried deep a long time ago.
“It’s different, calmer, but I don’t miss it.”
I didn’t. I had Ana, my business, good friends, and Otis had just celebrated being in remission for a whole year. I had everything I needed.
Dennis murmured something, but I didn’t catch it. When he had made the decision to move back home, he knew he was tethering himself to the business for life. Even with Marcus gone, there was someone else to step into his shoes.
My best friend hadn’t found his happy ending yet.
“Do you ever speak to Frankie?”
“No. He called to check in on us for a while, but I haven’t spoken to him for the last year or so.”
“Things are changing. After Ma- well, after that shit went down, people started to panic. It died down for a while, but I’m hearing things again.”
“What things?” I asked silently cursing myself. I promised myself I wouldn’t get dragged back in.
Dennis stood up and said, “Forget it. You haven’t come all this way to listen to me complain about how shitty my life is. Let’s go get a beer and you can tell me all about that hot piece of counselor ass of yours.”
I leaped up and fake punched Dennis in the stomach. “Watch it, Hayes, I can still take you down.”
We laughed all the way to the bar.
I spent the day with Dennis. Neither of us mentioned the past again. I felt bad for him. He was stuck in a life I’d been lucky enough to escape, but he had obligations to his family and refused to walk away.
After meeting with the board members at Pharmacorps, I set off for the long drive. Ana wanted me to fly, as it was quicker, but something about being on the open road calmed me.
I’d been driving for three hours. Nothing but the roar of a car overtaking me or the horn of a semi passing when my cell phone started vibrating in its holster in the console.
I hit the answer button on the wheel. “Hello.”
A familiar voice filled the car. “Jackson, it’s Frankie.”
My blood ran cold and my heart jumped into my throat.
“Jackson, you there, son?”
“I’m here.” It was all I could say.
“I got the call.”
The road closed in around me and I eased off the gas. Time seemed to suspend around me. Until I heard the three words that I prayed would never come.
“Braiden made parole.”
Affliction
Prologue
Dennis
I watched her from across the room, her hands running up and down the curves of her body as she swayed her hips to the sultry beat. At least twenty other girls danced around her, all wearing tight little dresses, skin everywhere. But my eyes only saw her. Loose waves hung down her back, legs that went on for miles, and a smile that could bring an army to its knees. Fuck, she held such power over me ... and she had no idea.
Moving around the room, I stayed hidden in the shadows. She didn't know I was here and I wanted it to stay that way, at least, for a little while. I didn't attend campus parties, not unless it was team business. But I'd found myself sneaking out of Fallen House—the house where I lived with the rest of Chastity Falls Academy football team—four times in the last month, just to watch her.
Cassie Malson.
If the guys knew, they'd have my balls.
I pulled the ball cap down lower over my eyes. If anyone spotted me ... I didn't want to consider the rumors that would fly around campus. It wouldn't be good for either of us. But it was getting harder to resist. To look, but not touch. God, I wanted to ... Although, I knew one touch would never be enough.
Someone barreled into me and I jostled him off. "Hey, watch it, man.” He shot me a terse glare, and I returned it with one of my own. His gaze flickered over my face, sparking with recognition. But he didn't say anything. Moving so fast, he stumbled back, hands up, and then melted back into the crowd.
When my eyes found her again, she had turned around. I could see her whole face now. Flushed skin, full pink lips, and her eyes ... fuck, those big brown eyes of hers, they did things to me. Things I didn't want to acknowledge.
What was it about her that drew me in and held me captive?
I'd never felt this before—nothing close. I’d watched my best friend, Jackson, lose his shit over a girl. I'd given him hell over the last couple of years, even suggesting he stay away from Ana. But now I got it. Once you found the right girl, the rest really was history. Only she wasn't my girl … yet.
I withdrew into the shadows, my eyes never leaving her as she laughed and danced with her friends, her arms high in the air, tight body rolling and popping to the music. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a couple of punks working up the courage to make their move.
Fuckers.
As if they stood a chance.
The first guy snaked up to one of her friends, wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. The girl's mouth dropped open, but then she smiled and started dancing, grinding right on him. I straightened off the wall, arms folded over my chest as my pulse quickened. If he so much as touched Cassie...
The guy edged closer and she threw him a casual smile and continued dancing. Take the hint, fucker. I stepped forward. Waiting.
Walk. Away.
I couldn't risk outing myself, not here. Not in the middle of some party I wasn't even supposed to be at. Yet, when he moved closer to her, I stepped closer to them.
Fuck. What was I doing?
They were at the edge of the makeshift dance floor now. The guy was persistent, or he couldn't take a hint. Either way, he kept trying to nudge his way closer and she ended up with her back to me again. Close enough that I could almost touch her. People moved around us, pushing past me to dance, but I remained rooted to the spot.
Then it happened.
He swooped in again but she dodged his advance, backing up straight into me. My hands went to her shoulders, steadying her, and electricity sparked where my fingers connected with warm skin. Her body went stiff and slowly she turned to face me. Surprise sparkled in her eyes as they slid over my face, recognition flashing across hers.
"Dennis?" The music drowned out her voice, but I heard her. I felt my name from her lips all the way down to my soul.
I needed to walk away. To back the fuck up and let her go.
But, I. Couldn't. Move.
Something was happening.
Something that could change everything.
"What are you doing here?" she asked as the punk glared at us. I doubted he could see my face, but I didn't like the territorial glimmer in his eyes. My hands slid down her arms and I could have sworn I felt her shiver. This was a bad idea ... I needed to leave, before I did something stupid. But as the seconds passed and we stood there, eyes locked on one another's, all common sense flew out of the window.
“Come on.” I slipped my hand down to hers. It was the wrong move because the second our skin connected, I knew I was done for.
Cassie
“What do you mean, come on?” I shouted over the music, looking over my shoulder at Jenna. She was too busy sucking face with the guy she’d been dancing with. His friend—the one that had tried to dance with me—narrowed his eyes, jealousy blazing in the depths. He was persistent; the type of guy who didn’t want to take no for an answer. Maybe I was better off sticking with Dennis than staying and fighting off his unwanted advances for the rest of the night.
Dennis led us out of the house, tugging on my hand a little too forcefully. What the hell was his problem? And why was he even here? At the swim team’s party? Football players didn’t usually mix with anyone outside of their own.
“Dennis, wait.” I yanked my hand free, stumbling backward as we exited the house. His hand went to the bill of his ball cap and he pulled it lower over his eyes as if he didn’t want anyone to recognize him.
“What’s going on? Is it Ana? Is she okay?”
He pressed his lips together in a tight line and a shiver worked its way up my spine. “Dennis?” I hugged myself tight to try to shelter myself from the fall wind.
“Just give me a second, okay?” he grunted.
“Okay,” I said, unsure of what else to say. I mean, it was Dennis Hayes. Next to Jackson—my friend Ana’s boyfriend—he was Chastity Falls royalty. One of the Fallen football team players and Jackson’s right-hand guy. Scary, intimidating and completely gorgeous, he was the epitome of brooding bad boy. I shook the thoughts out of my head.
Eyes fixed on me, they raked down my body, lingering on my low-cut neckline.
“Are you checking me out?” The words spewed out and I clapped a hand over my mouth.
A lazy smirk tugged at his lips and some of the tension ebbed away, replaced with something else. But when he didn’t reply, my irritation levels multiplied. “Are you going to tell me why the hell you just pulled me out of the party?” I snapped.
“I saved your ass and you know it.”
My mouth dropped open. Saved me? From what? A guy trying to dance with me.
Was he for real?
“Are you serious right now? I can handle myself, thank you very much.”
I was sure his smirk spread, but it was hard to see his face under the shadow of his ball cap. “I’m sure you can. Come on, I’ll walk you home.”
“Walk me home? What is this? The nineteenth century? I’m not going anywhere with you.” My voice was shrill. “Why are you even here, Dennis? You don’t go to parties on campus outside of Fallen parties.”
His silence was infuriating. Even if it was kind of flattering that he had stepped in to save me from the guy inside, I wasn’t going to tell him that. He was being completely unreasonable.
“Cassie,” his voice was softer. “Just let me walk you home, okay?”
My eyes narrowed and I rolled my shoulders back. “I don’t think so, Dennis. Thanks for the save, but I think I’ll head back inside and—” The words died on my lips as he closed the space between us, looming down at me. I was no short girl, but he towered over me, making me feel small … and completely insignificant.
“Dennis, I …”
He pressed a finger against my lips and I swallowed whatever it was I’d been about to say. The air crackled around us and suddenly, I couldn’t think straight. My eyes looked up at his face, more visible from his close proximity. His jaw clenched tightly as if he was at war with himself, and I held my breath, waiting for him to remove his finger.
One.
Two.
Three.
It slipped away, and my whole body sagged with relief. This was weird. I cast a sideways glance to see if anyone was around to intervene, or at least, distract him. But we were all alone.
“I think I should go.” My mouth dried. The way he was looking at me, it was … it was intense and completely inappropriate. I hardly knew him. He kept himself to himself, rarely socialized with anyone outside of the football team, and even then, I knew him to be more reserved than the rest of the players.
Dennis didn’t speak as I started to inch to the side in an attempt to slip away from him, but his hand caught my wrist, holding me in place. It wasn’t forceful this time. “Wait, please. I’m sorry, okay. You’re just making it so damn hard.”
My eyes widened at his words and I stuttered, “Excuse me?”
He grumbled something. I thought I’d caught the words ‘fuck it’, but the music was loud, even outside. It pounded through me, or was that my heart crashing against my chest? I couldn’t be sure; since I followed Dennis out of the house nothing about tonight was making a lot of sense.
“Dennis, I …”
His lips crashed to mine, so hard my body thudded against the wall. Strong hands slid up my shoulders and buried themselves in my hair. It was unexpected … intrusive … confusing, and … Oh. My. God. Dennis Hayes was kissing me. No, that didn’t do justice to what he was doing to me. Hard, demanding lips sealed over mine again and again, and his tongue plunged into my mouth, consuming me. My body went off like a firecracker, and I didn’t know whether to knee him in the balls or climb up him and never let go.
Who was I right now?
Dennis
The door clicked shut behind me and Cassie flinched, her eyes darting nervously around the room.
"You okay?" I said, taking a step closer, but not too close. Not until I was certain she wanted this as much as I did. She’d kissed me back outside the house, needy and desperate, like putty in my hands. And when I’d suggested we move things to her dorm room, she hadn’t protested. In fact, she’d been the one tugging me to her door.
"I- I don't usually do this ..." her voice trailed off as her gaze dropped to the floor.
"Say the word and I'll leave." Part of me wanted to turn around and walk out—to make the right choice—but now I knew what she tasted like, that wasn't going to happen. Even if it was only one more taste, I wanted it.
Cassie tucked her hair behind her ear, eyes still fixed on the floor. I wanted to know what she was thinking, I wanted to know everything about her. But most of all, I wanted to feel her in my arms again. Feel her lips against mine.
I was a fucking mess.
"Com
e here," I said, holding out my hand. Her gaze slid to my fingers and up my arm, until her big browns were looking right at me. I inched closer, hoping she would meet me halfway. She had to want this.
Please want this.
"Why me?" Her voice was small, filled with uncertainty, and I wanted to erase every ounce of self-doubt—to show her that she owned me. But I didn’t want to come on too strong and risk scaring her off.
"I've been watching you for weeks,” I admitted.
Her eyes went wide. "You have? But, why?"
I stepped closer. "Because you're smart and funny and beautiful, and you're not afraid to be yourself." In a room full of fake girls and jacked up frat boys, Cassie shone, and I wanted to stand in her light.
I gravitated to it.
To her.
"Dennis, I..." She smashed her lips together, staring up at me like a deer caught in headlights. It was so fucking cute. I reached up and swiped my thumb across her cheek. "Say the word and I'll go."
"I—" she gulped but didn’t continue.
My hand slid into her hair, curling around her neck, and I leaned down, slowly enough to give her time to pull away.
Relieved when she didn't.
I drew her closer, pressing the lines of her body against mine. Soft lips parted on a sigh, and I took that as all the permission I needed. And when Cassie's arms looped around my neck tight, I felt a sense of peace settle over me. She felt something—didn’t understand it, maybe—but it was enough. I deepened the kiss, swirling my tongue with hers, chasing it with tiny kisses over her lips, her jawline, until I was sucking on the salty sweet skin along the column of her neck.
"Oh my God, Dennis," she panted, practically clinging to me, and I loved the way my name sounded rolling off her tongue.
"I've got you, baby," I whispered, making her press into me harder. My dick strained against my jeans, painfully so, and Cassie noticed, her hand slipping to the bulge as she palmed me through the denim.