Trusting The Betrayed (Rogue Dragons Book 1)

by Emilia Hartley

  Until now. Fear got the best of her. She grimaced and turned around, ready to give up.

  But Casey marched forward. She hissed at him, trying to get him to stop, but he approached the front door and knocked.

  Evangeline covered her mouth with both hands, adrenaline making her blood run cold, but a minute passed, and Casey just turned toward her and shrugged. He motioned for her to hide while he went to the front window to peer inside.

  She dropped behind a nearby bush and strained to listen to what Casey was doing. She thought she would hear the sound of glass breaking as he forced his way inside, but only silence reached her ears.

  Then, light filtered in through the bush she’d hidden behind. Peering out from behind the foliage, she saw that a car had turned onto the street, headlights bobbing as the it hit bumps. She gasped and held her breath. Maybe it was someone else coming home late. Trevor wasn’t the only person that lived on this street, but the car slowed and pulled into Trevor’s driveway.

  Evangeline threw herself back into her hiding spot. She should have known that this night was cursed. Trevor was about to find Casey snooping around inside his house. One of them would inevitably hurt the other, she only hoped it wasn’t Casey who got hurt.

  She pulled out her phone and texted her girlfriends, warning them that she was partaking in illegal activity and might get arrested by the time the night was over. Nellie didn’t respond, but Isabella assured her that she would post bail once her boyfriend went to work the next day.

  Isabella wouldn’t hesitate to use the money she’d stashed away from her boyfriend for Evangeline’s bail. She prayed it wouldn’t come to that, but neither she nor Casey had thought about a getaway car. If they needed to run, they’d have to do so on foot.

  Carefully, she stood and tried to peek over the hedge. Trevor’s dark form swayed as he approached the front door. She was surprised he’d made it home without killing anyone if he was drunk enough to wobble. Though she was annoyed with Trevor, she turned her attention on the house and tried to see if she could catch any movement in the windows.

  “Casey, where are you?” she hissed.

  “Right beside you.”

  Evangeline let out a startled yelp as she spun to face him. Casey stepped out of the shadows. A chain dangled from his outstretched hand. Her heart leapt into her throat as she reached to take it. For a moment, she feared he, too, would hold it from her.

  Then, she wrapped her fingers around the steadying weight of the ring and felt the world balance under her. She quickly undid the clasp and put the chain around her neck, so the ring was back where it belonged. It pressed against her sternum, covering a spot that had felt naked for far too long.

  “Thank you,” she breathed.

  Casey’s eyes glowed unnaturally, but she could see him grinning, too. With the strange light in his inhuman eyes, it was hard to read his expression. She thought it could have been pride or joy or lust. Either way, he seemed happy.

  “Oh, before we go, I have one more request.”

  Casey raised a brow. She quickly explained that Trevor had been drunk when he parked, and she wanted to teach him a lesson about drunk driving. Casey nodded and followed along. She really thought he would have picked her up and put as much distance between Trevor’s house and them as possible, but in the end, Casey agreed.

  “What do you need me to do?”

  She bounced on her heels. “Well, first of all, I need you to break his trunk open. I know he has a jack and tire iron in there.”

  His raised brows crashed together.

  She waved him off. “I’ve seen what you can do. I doubt busting his truck is beyond your capabilities.”

  He stepped closer, making her look up at him. “Just how much do you think you know about me?”

  She didn’t shy away from him. “I know a bit. Nellie says that stuffed dragon you sent me might be a big hint, but I haven’t figured out what that means yet.”

  Well, she had an idea, but it seemed ludicrous even to her. Just because Nellie could do magic didn’t mean people could turn into dragons. That wasn’t possible.

  Was it?

  She wasn’t about to be the person to suggest it only to have everyone look at her like she’d lost her mind.

  “Just break the trunk,” she hissed.

  Casey shook his head, but he laughed all the same. As they both kept an eye on the house, Casey put one hand on the bumper and gripped the trunk hood in the other hand. The sound of metal tearing made Evangeline cringe, but she was still impressed when Casey stepped away.

  “Go make sure Trevor can’t get out the front door.”

  Casey gave her a dubious look but did as she asked when she hauled the jack and tire iron out of the trunk. All she wanted to take was one tire. That was enough to keep Trevor off the roads for a while. He didn’t have to drunk drive if he lived this close to the downtown bars. He was just making awful decisions.

  Suddenly, her decisions didn’t seem so bad. She stole a glance at Casey, leaning casually against the front door like he belonged there. He didn’t make her feel bad for anything she said or did. Not once had he admonished her. Not even when she suggested breaking into her ex’s house.

  Instead, Casey made sure she stayed safe while he got what she came for. He sent her gifts and protected her when his friends couldn’t stop fighting.

  “Hey,” she whispered as she positioned the jack under the car frame. “Do you think your friends are okay? Two of them were bleeding pretty bad when we walked away. Are they smart enough to get medical attention on their own?”

  Casey grunted. “They’re fine. What we are…well, we heal easy. Makes beating the shit out of each other a fun pastime.”

  “Well, maybe you should keep that pastime confined to private property from now on.” She stood and kicked the tire iron to loosen the first lug-nut.

  “Erik and Dillon thought bonding would help Gavin. The whole night has been filled with bad ideas.” Casey stood a little straighter and cocked his head like he was listening to something inside.

  She waited for him to relax again before she spoke. “Is Gavin the one you came to help?”

  “That was the idea, but I’m starting to think his father just wanted to unload a bunch of shi—assholes he was sick of.”

  His words made her sad. She wanted to apologize and tell him that she wouldn’t get sick of him any time soon, but they both heard Trevor shouting inside the house. Evangeline prepared to run, but Casey grabbed the doorknob just as it began to twist. Holding it tight, Casey effectively kept the door shut.

  She quickly finished the last two lug-nuts and pried the tire away from the car. It was a bit too heavy for her to lift, but as soon as she let it fall to the ground, Casey was at her side. He grabbed the tire in one massive hand and told her to run.

  Laughter bubbling from her lips, she smothered it and chased after Casey. Though she figured he could probably outrun a car, he stayed beside her while Trevor tried to chase them. Thankfully, Trevor was too drunk to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

  They ran around the block, weaving in and out of the streets to escape Trevor. She had no idea when they lost him, only that eventually it was just her and Casey. She took his free hand and held it, leading him back to her apartment.

  “I can’t believe I just stole my ex’s tire!” Her hands shook as she unlocked the door at the bottom of the stairwell.

  Casey chuckled, still holding the tire. “He needs to replace them anyway. This one is bald as hell.”

  Once Evangeline got the door open, she bounced up the stairs. When she looked back, Casey was still at the bottom.

  “You’re not coming up. Are you?”

  He sighed, a sound that echoed up the stairwell to her. She saw his eyes had taken on that glow once more. He clutched the tire until, eventually, his fingers somehow pierced it. The low whistle of escaping air filled the silence.

  “I want to,” he said, voice low.

  “Nothin
g is stopping you.” She couldn’t help but challenge him. Her core throbbed and begged for his attention.

  He climbed the first step. “If I come up, I’ll never want to leave. You won’t be able to get rid of me.”

  He spoke like his warning should have frightened her, but he spoke like a good man. Even now, when he clearly wanted her, he still tried to protect her.

  “What if that’s what I want?” She opened the door to her apartment.

  She didn’t want to step away from him, but she left him standing in the stairwell to make the decision on his own. Inside, she tried to busy her shaking hands by getting a glass of water. It quaked in the cup, but she managed to drink it all without spilling it on herself. When she set it down and looked up, Casey stood just inside the doorway.

  He closed it behind himself, turning the deadbolt without looking back.

  A countertop stood between them. She thought he might plow through it to get to her, but he waited like a patient predator for her to come to him. The orbit that tugged them together became unavoidable. She drifted toward him, putting her hands on his chest when she was close enough to touch him.

  His skin burned beneath her palms. “How are you always so hot?”

  “I can’t tell you that,” Casey whispered.

  Evangeline wrinkled her nose, slightly annoyed, and slid her arms around his waist so her front pressed against his chest. He didn’t move away or try to extract himself from her embrace.

  “If you can figure it out on your own, though…” His voice trailed off.

  “Do I win a prize?”

  He growled, pressed a kiss to her cheek, and stayed there. “I’m the prize.”

  Emboldened by their earlier criminal activities, she asked, “Think I could get a trial run of that prize tonight?”

  The growl grew louder. Casey scooped her off the floor and carried her from the living room to the bedroom. She wrapped her legs around his waist so when he reached the bed, he had to lower himself over her if he wanted to put her down. Evangeline wasn’t’ ready to let go of him yet. She wanted to explore his broad shoulders and feel the smooth plane of his stomach.

  His lips found her neck, leaving behind a trail of small kisses punctuated by little bites. She squirmed beneath him, all too ready to feel his skin against hers. Every inch of her came to life. She was all too aware of the ways their bodies met, from his groin pressed against her parted legs to the silken brush of his hair against her cheek.

  She gasped, unable to process it all.

  Casey paused and lifted himself so he could take her in. She watched his eyes flicker back and forth, like they couldn’t wait to explore every bit of her. Feeling daring, she wrenched her shirt over her head to reveal that she hadn’t been wearing a bra all night.

  He sucked in his breath. “I was not…expecting that.”

  He took her nipple between his finger and twisted. A rhinestone caught the light and flashed with brilliant colors. She’d gotten them pierced shortly after breaking up with Trevor. Nellie had used a bit of magic to speed up the healing process, but they were still slightly tender. That translated into bursts of sensation when Casey touched her, though.

  Her breath slipped out of her as she pressed herself into his warm hands.

  “I didn’t even know I liked pierced nipples,” he said, voice becoming low and gravelly. “You’re so full of surprises.”

  Oh, she thought, I can keep them coming.

  She knew she couldn’t be stronger than him, but she still shoved against his chest. Casey gave in to her easily, letting her roll him over and straddle his hips. He ran his fingertips up her arms and brought shivers through her. Evangeline let her head fall back, amazed that anything could feel this good.

  She was a woman accustomed to pain. Not only had she indulged in too many tattoos and piercings, but she’d let that taste for pain infiltrate her love life. Man after man had hurt her. Yet, here was one who wanted to worship her. The power went to her head.

  But she couldn’t let it get the best of her yet. She crawled off Casey, missing his heat when she knelt on the floor before him. He sat up and gave her a questioning look until she undid the buttons of his jeans. When his eyes flashed with light, it felt like another soul watched her. This was not the gentle Casey she’d come to know, but a beast with primal need.

  She shuddered with excitement and tugged his jeans over his hips.

  “Hot damn,” she breathed once his cock was free.

  She hadn’t expected it to be ready for her, but it stood at attention. If she needed any more evidence that Casey was into her, here it was. She took him in her hand and wondered if she could do this.

  Unwilling to give over to doubt, she began stroking him. His skin was so buttery soft and the moans that he let out made her grin. He could have forced her to do whatever he wanted, but he gave complete control over to her.

  When she reached the tip, and he spasmed, a bead of moisture gathered. Instead of running her thumb over it, Evangeline gathered all her courage and took him into her mouth.

  “Fuck, woman,” he said.

  She would have laughed had she not had him on her tongue. With careful attention, she brought him to the edge of climax and pulled back. He called her a succubus, a vixen, a dream, and a nightmare. Uttered with affection, each name made her feel stronger.

  “I was supposed to do that,” he said, voice haggard when she finally released him.

  She hadn’t brought him to climax, but only because she was selfishly saving that for later. “You can return that favor another day,” she told him as she climbed over him once again.

  “Are you trying to ensnare me?” he asked.

  She bit her lower lip and didn’t respond. It didn’t matter how many times she told herself to wait, when she was around him, she couldn’t help herself. She wanted more of him, from his body to his soul. He acted like this big gruff monster, when he was as far from a monster as she’d ever seen.

  “When did you lose your pants?” he asked when his cock slid between her already wet folds.

  Evangeline laughed and rocked her hips, pulling a groan out of him. He sat up, hooked an arm around her lower back and rolled over her. She shoved her collection of plushies off the bed, but Casey snatched the dragon before it could hit the floor and set it between her head and the wall.

  “You’re going to need that.”

  Her heart rocketed like a fireworks display. Casey tilted her hips for easy entry. They fit together like two pieces of the same whole. In no time, her body adjusted to the length of Casey, and he began a gentle stroking rhythm. Pleasure unlike any she’d known before blossomed in her core and radiated outward, to her heart.

  Before long, Casey’s strokes became faster. He thrust into her harder, rocking the bed. Evangeline wanted it. She wanted to become one with him and knew the only way was through this.

  She grabbed his wrists and held on as she arched her spine. The pleasure was almost too much. With a whine on her lips, she uttered his name.

  “Say it again,” he demanded.

  Not one to disappoint, she screamed, “Casey!”

  His eyes flashed gold. The sensation that exploded through her was not fear. It was something else. It was a kind of magic.

  Only one word entered her mind: Mine.

  It couldn’t make its way past her lips because barely a second later, Casey’s thrust broke the dam her pleasure had been caught behind and it flooded her body and soul. She wailed her release as it overwhelmed her. He bucked into her, sending shock waves through her climax.

  Casey bent over her, growling as he dragged his teeth over her shoulder. After a shudder shook him, he pulled away. She missed the feel of him inside her the moment he pulled out. In the blink of an eye, she went from feeling whole to being empty once more.

  The emptiness was purely physical, though, because Casey didn’t go far. He scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom where they both cleaned up. Casey vanished, but only for a mo
ment. He returned carrying a set of clothes for her.

  She finished up and found a pair of sweats and a soft t-shirt in the pile Casey had brought to her. He’d even found a pair of comfortable panties for her, something no guy had ever wanted her to wear before.

  “You know the sex is good when I forget what I’m supposed to be doing,” Casey said as he ran a finger along her bare waist.

  Evangeline looked up at him, surprised. “You think I’m good in bed?”

  His eyes opened wide, back to their normal blue once again. “Don’t tell me no one has ever told you that before.”

  She avoided his gaze as she hesitated. Casey playfully tugged the tips of her pink hair, like he couldn’t get enough of her yet.

  “I have never had my mind blown on a level quite like that before,” he said. “You are everything I never expected to find in this world.”

  After donning her shirt and sweats, she threw her arms around his neck. “Carry me back to bed.”

  “Your wish is my command,” he mumbled into her hair after lifting her from the floor.

  Neither of them mentioned Casey spending the night, but he lay down beside her and his hands snuck under her shirt once more. Before long, she heard his soft snore and knew she made him so comfortable he couldn’t help but fall asleep.

  Everything about what they had seemed to be moving too fast, but she wasn’t yet ready to let go. She felt like she was on the back of a mechanical bull, waiting for it to throw her off. Devastation could be around the corner. But she could also find triumph.

  Which would it be?

  If she woke and the bed was empty, she would know that it was all a con to get into her pants.

  Chapter Eight

  Evangeline stretched to peer through the bedroom door, still amazed that Casey had not disappeared in the middle of the night. She’d expected to wake and find the other side of the bed empty. Instead, she’d had to carefully crawl over him in order to get free of the bed. Halfway to freedom, Casey had rolled over and pulled her into his body.