She pulls her hair over one shoulder and leans forward, making the soft curls on the ends tickle my chest. My eyes move over her face until they reach the scar beneath her chin. I can’t resist reaching up and touching the faint white line running parallel with her jaw. A reminder of a day long ago.
“You have this scar because of me.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
I’d yanked her hat from her head and ran with it. “It was my fault. You fell while chasing me.”
The corners of her mouth pull her pink lips into a smile. “It’s twelve years later and not much has changed. I’m still chasing you.”
My hands move to the curves of her hips and I squeeze them gently, my fingertips digging into her soft flesh. “You’re wrong. I’m not running from you anymore. And I never will again.”
Her hands slide up my chest, and she leans forward, suspending the most beautiful and perfect pair of tits in front of my face. It’s impossible to not stretch upward and place a kiss between them.
Her nails rake down my chest, bringing all of my desires to the surface. It spawns a crazy kind of desperation to be inside her. “Fuck, I want you.”
Her pussy moves up the length of my erection, and her slippery wetness smears over the tip, lubricating it so I can slide into her smoothly. My hands cling to her hips, and I take a breath, preparing to feel her body swallow my cock.
Skin on skin. No barrier between us. Another thing that only we do together.
She sits up and her hair covers one side of her body, hiding her left breast from me. But I’m not having it. I push her hair out of the way because I need to see all of her.
She arches her back and rises to position the tip of my cock at her entrance. Fuck, this is going to be fun.
She sucks her bottom lip and breathes in deeply through her nose when she lowers her body. And then the tightest and sweetest and wettest pussy that I’ve ever had the pleasure of being inside slides down my length.
“Holy shite, baby, that feels so good.”
My eagerness gets the better of me and I sit up, hooking my arm around her waist. I pull her down and thrust upward until I’m buried balls deep inside the most incredible woman in the world.
She lowers her forehead to mine and wraps her arms around my shoulders, pulling my chest against hers. And when she nods, our heads move in sync. “Yes, it does.”
“We fit together perfectly.” Like we were made for each other. I’ve never had that thought about any other woman.
“I know.”
She rises and lowers her body over and over, her slick pussy gliding on and off of my cock. Every time she comes down, she rolls her hips forward, taking me in even deeper than I thought possible.
I’m sucked in by the ecstasy until I become lost in her. Using my grip on her hips, I pull her down hard, thrusting into her from below. But it’s not enough.
Hooking my arm around her waist, I flip us over. Lorna on her back beneath me, legs wrapped around my waist, fingers digging into the flesh of my back—that’s what does it for me.
I hover above her and the brunt of my weight is supported by my lower arms pressed into the mattress on each side of her head. Her eyes lock on mine while I’m rocking in and out of her, and something happens.
Everything slows down.
We’re no longer fucking.
We’re making love.
Using her grip on the back of my neck to pull me closer, she presses her lips to my ear, amplifying her breath and voice against my canal when she speaks. “All of this time, it should have been only you.”
“It will be from now on. Because you belong to me. You’re mine and no one else’s.”
As if my words set her off, her legs tighten around my waist, and she whimpers when her body rhythmically contracts around my cock. Squeezing me. And the start of her climax initiates mine.
I pin her body against the mattress, deepening the angle, putting every inch of my cock inside her. I want her to have every drop.
Lorna frames her hands on each side of my face and our eyes lock. “Leith…”
Come on. Say it, Lorna. I love you. Say it and I will too.
She closes her eyes and her mouth forms a perfect O. The grip of her legs around my waist tightens, and she holds me close and deep when I release. It isn’t possible for us to be closer than we are in this moment, physically or emotionally, and yet we’ve never said those three little words to one another.
I love you. The words are dancing on the tip of my tongue. I want to say them so badly, and I will at some point, but not now. Not yet. Not until this situation with Jamie and Sin has been made right and put behind us.
I press a soft kiss to her lips and roll off of her, pulling her to lie on my chest. “I want you to stay here tonight. I want to see your face in the morning instead of waking up alone.”
“I would love to, but what would we say if someone notices that my car was here all night long?”
“No one is going to notice.”
“But they could. And that would be disastrous for me.”
“I would never allow you to be labeled as tainted. I would kill any man who ever called you a whore.”
Lorna doesn’t yet understand the intentions I have for us and our future. I’m going to take away that gaping hole in her heart. I’m going to claim her. And I’m going to make her my wife and mother of my children.
We’re going to be so happy.
“I have to go. I’ve already been here longer than I should have been.”
She tries to get up, but I snake my arm around her waist and pull her down. “You’re staying. End of conversation.”
She stops trying to get up and returns her head to my chest where it belongs.
“Good girl.”
I grip my hand around her upper arm, caressing it in an up-and-down motion. And it isn’t long until her breath becomes steady and rhythmic.
And we fall asleep.
* * *
Lorna places her tray on the bar. “Black Hawk, Black Isle Blonde, and Johnnie Walker. A double.”
“Johnnie Walker?”
“Yes.”
I turn and look at the trifecta table, confirming what I already know. “It’s late. I had decided that he wasn’t coming in tonight.” Or maybe it was more like I was hoping that he wouldn’t.
I’m not looking forward to the conversation where I have to tell Sin that he’s losing his hookup. He’s my best mate, but he’s also my leader. He has the power to refuse my match with Lorna and keep her for himself if he chooses.
Sin is Sin and he gets what he wants, but I don’t think he would do that to us. And if he did? I wouldn’t go along with it. I would risk going to hell and back for Lorna.
Lorna’s head tilts to the side. “Leith…”
“What is it?”
“Will you take this whisky to Sin? I don’t…” She inhales and blows the air out slowly through her mouth. “I’d just rather not if I don’t have to.”
My self-esteem, my pride, my heart… all of it inflates because Lorna isn’t interested in interacting with him. “Aye, of course I will.”
I pour the two glasses of draft and place them on her tray. “Black Hawk is on the left.”
“Thank you.”
I catch Kenrick’s attention and nod in the direction of the trifecta table, letting him know that he’s in charge while I step away from the bar. He lifts his chin to acknowledge my meaning and then returns to talking to Rodrick Lester’s youngest daughter.
This is the third time that I’ve seen that lass in here talking to Kenrick. I hate to break the news to my baby brother but old man Rodrick will not approve of his daughter’s relationship with a lowly bartender.
I take the seat across from Sin. “Lorna said a double?”
“Fuck yes.” Sin lifts the glass and tosses back at least half of the golden liquid. “I’ve had a shite day.”
“What’s going on?”
“I’m having problems wit
h one of my professors. The fucker is trying everything within his power to fail me. I think that someone has been in his ear. It’s the only thing that makes sense; there’s no other reason that he should want me to botch his class.”
“Who do you think it could be?”
Sin shrugs and holds out his hands, palms up, with his elbows on the table. “Someone within law enforcement? An Order member? Who the fuck knows?”
“You could always force him to tell you?”
“Placing the barrel of a gun in my professor’s face isn’t a wise choice.”
I didn’t go to college. I don’t have any suggestions for how to handle professors.
Sin turns up his glass, taking another large gulp. When he finishes, he puts the glass on the table, and his eyes focus on something behind me. “A good fuck. That’s exactly what I need after the shite day that I’ve had.”
I turn around to see who he has set his sights on, hoping like hell that it’s not Lorna behind me. But it is.
Fuck.
“Lorna’s closing tonight. Both of us are. We won’t get to leave until after the last customer is gone.”
“What time is that?”
“Never know. It could be midnight. Could be two or three. Depends on how late the brothers want to drink.”
“Well, fuck. I can’t hang around waiting that long.”
“You can have your pick of any woman you want. There’s at least a dozen in here right now that you could take to the back.” No joke. Fellowship women spread their legs for Sinclair Breckenridge with no questions asked. He doesn’t even have to try.
“Yeah, sure. I guess that I can pick one of them for tonight.”
Thank fuck. I was scared shitless for a minute that he was going to go after Lorna before I’m able to talk to him about ending our arrangement.
“I have something to discuss with you and Jamie.” And the sooner, the better.
“What is it?”
I’m not broaching the topic here. Too many ears. “Let’s meet at the gym in the morning. We’ll talk about it there.”
“In the ring?” he asks.
“Sure. I’m game if you are.”
“I’m always game. You know that.”
I can’t contain my laughter. “What I know is that you’re a cocky shithead who believes he’s always game.”
“I am a cocky shithead but with good reason. You’re lucky that this cocky shithead is your best mate. Otherwise, you’d get knocked on your arse more than you already do.”
“You wish you could knock me on my arse.” I gesture to his near-empty glass. “Want another one, you cocky shithead?”
He picks up his glass and tosses back the remainder. “Only one more. A single this time. I’ve got to study for an exam when I get home.”
“A single coming right up, mate.”
There have been times throughout our lives when I have envied Sin for one reason or another. His place at the top of our brotherhood. The way he gets whatever he wants. The way everything in his life always seems to align perfectly. But those days of envy are over. I’ve won Lorna, and for once I’m the one who is getting what he wants.
All it takes is a single lift of my finger, and Kenrick pours another whisky for Sin. To my surprise, my baby brother is turning out to be a great addition to the pub.
“Johnnie Walker. Black label. Excellent taste,” Maisie says when she places the glass on the table in front of Sin.
“I have excellent taste in all things,” Sin says.
Maisie lifts her left brow. “I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think so?”
She shakes her head. “Your taste in women is poor.”
“What leads you to believe that?”
“Because you’ve never tasted me.”
“And what are we going to do to rectify my obvious mistake in overlooking you?”
Maisie is new to the pub. She’s young and doesn’t understand that playing with Sin is the same as playing with fire. But she’s distracting him, and his attention isn’t on Lorna so I won’t intervene.
“I’m scheduled to work until ten.” Maisie widens her eyes at me. “But I’m sure that it would be okay for me to go now if I were leaving with Sin?”
“Sure. Go ahead and clock out.”
Sin studies Maisie’s arse as she walks away. “How old is that girl?”
“Old enough.” Although I doubt that her father would agree. But he’d never take on Sin for fucking his daughter. No brother would.
“Have you fucked her?”
Maisie came to work at the pub after I fell in love with Lorna. The only interest I have in her is if she shows up for work or not. “Never touched her.”
“Has Jamie?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“Can you manage without her?”
“Aye. I’ve got Lorna and Moira. And Kenrick.” And even if we were snowed under, I’d be a barmaid myself if it meant Sin’s attention was on someone besides Lorna.
Sin picks up his glass and swallows the remaining whisky. “I hope she isn’t one of those women who has it in her head that she’s going to make me fall in love with her because she gives me some pussy.”
“I couldn’t tell you one way or the other, mate.”
Sin pushes away from the table and stands. “I guess I’m about to find out what kind of woman she is.”
I go back to my place behind the bar, and I’m instantly pissed off when I see the stacks of dirty glasses in and around the sink. “Kenrick. Come here.”
I had to step into the role of father for Kenny six years ago after Dad died. I never complained about the responsibility. Not once. But he’s eighteen now. Sure, he still has a lot of maturing to do, but he’s not a wee lad anymore. It would be nice if we could interact as though I’m his brother rather than his parent.
“What are you doing, man?”
He shrugs. “What do you mean?”
“You’re down there talking to Rodrick Lester’s daughter like you don’t have anything better to do.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but while you were over there shooting the shite with Sin, I made every drink that left this bar.”
“Making drinks isn’t your only responsibility.” I flick my hand over the sink. “Look at this damn mess. There must be at least fifty dirty glasses here, and they’re not going to wash themselves.”
He lowers his voice. “Come on, dude. I don’t want Kameron to see me washing glasses.”
“We’re bartenders. Washing glasses is part of what we have to do or we’ll run out and then we can’t serve drinks. Use your head, Kenny.”
“Can’t Lorna or Moira or Maisie come back here and do it?”
“No, they can’t.”
“Why not?”
At this point, I shouldn’t have to explain the way this pub runs. “Maisie has to leave early. Moira is slammed. And Lorna is…” I look around the room searching for her. “Lorna is?”
“I sent Lorna to the stockroom for a bottle of Dimple, and she never came back. Henderson is still waiting for his drink.”
“How long has she been gone?”
“I sent her back there right before you and Sin left your table.”
I’ve been back at the bar for at least five minutes. Probably closer to ten.
I point at the sink. “Wash these glasses. Now.”
“Where are you going?”
To find my girl. “To get the bottle of Dimple.”
“If you see Lorna, will you ask her to help me wash these? She’ll do anything for you,” Kenny calls out.
I meet Maisie in the hallway on the way to the stockroom. “Thanks for doing this, Leith. I’ll make up the time by staying late another night.”
I go to the toilet. No Sin.
My office. No Sin.
Fuck.
Fuck.
FUUUCK!
I break into a run and then stop dead in my tracks when I reach the stockroom door. I wrap my hand around the
knob and turn it but hesitate for just a second before opening it. I’ve never had a more sickening feeling in my gut.
I push the door open and Lorna’s eyes meet mine. But Sin’s don’t. Because he’s too busy fucking her against the wall.
Sin. Is. Fucking. Lorna.
My best friend is fucking my girl.
They’re having a one-on-one behind my back.
I thought that I was the only one she was seeing outside of the group. Because I believed that she loved me. Believed that we were going to be together. Believed that we were going to be Mr. and Mrs.
I was wrong. So. Fucking. Wrong.
Lorna never loved me.
She never chose me.
I step out of the storage room, closing the door behind me. I need a barrier between us. Right now. Something to block my view of what’s happening on the other side.
The pain in my chest is spreading. The agony isn’t contained only within my heart. The torment is being pushed throughout my body with every beat, making me ache all over.
I go to my office and close the door. It’s a barricade between us, but it isn’t enough. And that’s when I close the door on every hope and dream I had for my future with Lorna. And I close the door of my heart, locking it so that it never opens again.
I skip pouring the whisky into a glass and turn the bottle up, taking a long drink that requires several gulps to get all of it down. It burns my throat, but I welcome the sting. I know that it’s the only remedy for my suffering.
A knock at the door interrupts my fourth big gulp of whisky. “Go away. I’m busy.”
Lorna opens the door and stands in the doorway. My fucking mistake. I should have locked that motherfucker, but I didn’t think she’d have the nerve to come in here and face me.
“Leith…” She stops and shakes her head. “I didn’t—”
I interrupt her because I can’t bear to hear anything that she has to say about fucking Sin in the storage room. “You didn’t take the bottle of Dimple to Kenrick. He’s still waiting on it.”
She comes closer and stands in front of my desk. “Leith, don’t do that.”
“Don’t do what, Lorna? Act as though I didn’t just see the woman I…”
I look away from her face and stare at the bottle of Ballantine’s on my desk because I can’t bear to look into her eyes. “Your break is over. You need to get back to work.”
Sin Series Stand-alone Novels: Endurance, Unintended & Redemption Page 44