The Fall of Cinderella

by K. Street

  I can’t take my eyes off her ass, and there’s no way I’ll last another minute without putting my hands on her, especially after what she just said. I stride across the floor and press my body to hers. Nudging her hair to the side, I expose her neck and drop my lips to her bare skin. Her hair smells like toasted almonds, and her skin tastes like honey.

  “Dante.”

  “Mmhmm?” I suck the skin at the base of her neck just above her collarbone.

  She arches back into me, stretching her arm around my neck and shoving her tits out. My hands dip beneath the hem of her shirt. Skating across her skin, my fingers graze the lace cups of her bra, and I slip my hands into the material and feel her nipples harden under my touch. A moan falls from her lips, and my cock grows rigid, pressing into my zipper.

  I trail a finger over her belly and slide it into her jeans. She spreads her legs for me, and I brush the pad against her wet pussy. I can’t wait any longer to have my mouth on her. I withdraw my hand from her pants and lead her back to the table. Methodically, I strip her out of her jeans and panties.

  I see the fire in her eyes, and I can tell she wants this as much as I do, but I need to be sure. “Tess?”

  “Mmhmm?”

  “This okay? Not too complicated?” I use her word from earlier.

  “Yes.” Her reply is breathy and wanting.

  “Good.” I pick her up and set her on top of the table. Then, I sit in the chair. “Here, put your feet on my legs.” I grip her ankles and spread my legs, which spreads hers. I let go of her ankles and grip her ass, pulling her forward. I dip my mouth to her pussy and lick slowly up her center. I take my time with her using the tip of my tongue to tease her clit.

  “Dante,” she mewls.

  My name on her lips has me thrusting inside her.

  Tessa’s back arches and her words become incoherent as her orgasm takes over, the sweetness coating my tongue.

  thirty-eight

  Dante

  I spent hours last night buried inside Tessa. It’s where I want to spend every night.

  Tessa is still sleeping when I leave for work, so I write her a note and lay it on my pillow. I’ve almost told her a thousand times that I love her and how long I’ve been in love with her, but I always hold back. I want to do more than own her body or be the reason behind the moans that fall from her lips. I want to possess her heart, and I can’t shake the feeling that I’m losing her. She has the power to destroy me. To bring me to my knees. And, deep down, I know that she will.

  As I walk out the door to head to work, my phone rings.

  “Hello?” I say into the receiver.

  “Dante, hi. It’s Madison.”

  “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”

  “I had some time yesterday after we spoke, so I went through Trevor’s file. I’d like to talk with Tessa in person. Do you think you guys can meet me?”

  I mentally go through my day. “Can you make three o’clock work?”

  “Yes. How about we meet at Millennium Park at the tables across from The Bean?”

  “Sounds good. Thanks, Madison.”

  After I hang up the phone, I shoot Tessa a text to coordinate our meeting with Madison.

  I meet Tessa in the main lobby of my building. She looks anxious, and I want to put her mind at ease, but I’m not sure what to say. So, I greet her with a smile. I pull her into a hug and drop a kiss on the top of her head. She’s lost in thought as we walk the ten blocks to the park without saying much.

  It’s crowded with tourists, but I spot Madison almost immediately. Her lean build and straight raven hair stand out among the throng of people.

  “There she is,” I say, turning to Tessa.

  She follows my finger with her eyes. “She’s beautiful.”

  Tessa’s right; she’s as gorgeous as ever. When we’re a few feet from her, I call out to Madison.

  She turns her head and smiles when her eyes land on us. Madison walks over and extends her hand to Tessa. “Hi. You must be Tessa. I’m Madison Parker.”

  Tessa returns the handshake. “Nice to meet you, Madison. Thank you so much for your help.”

  Madison gives me a quick hug before gesturing to a table away from the crowd. “Shall we sit?”

  We follow her and take a seat at the metal picnic table.

  Madison sits across from us and withdraws a notebook from her bag. She opens her mouth and speaks low, “If you want a copy of Trevor’s records, you’ll have to go through your lawyer. I didn’t want to risk my job by making you a photocopy, so I wrote down the pertinent information from his medical file.”

  “I appreciate this more than you know. Why was Trevor supposed to call Dr. Hunt?” Tessa asks.

  “Trevor came in for fertility testing.” Madison looks at Tessa. “I take it, you two were trying to get pregnant?”

  “Well, yes, but we weren’t in any rush.” Tessa’s forehead scrunches.

  “Tessa, when Trevor was younger, he experienced something called testicular torsion. Did he ever mention it to you?”

  “No,” Tessa answers. “What is that?”

  “It’s when the testicle rotates around the cord that carries blood to the scrotum. It happened when Trevor was in his early teens. It’s very serious and extremely painful, and it requires surgery. The procedure must be performed within hours of onset to save the testicle. Trevor had the surgery in time, and his ability to have children shouldn’t have been affected since they were able to save it.”

  Instinctually, my hand starts to lower to my balls until I remind myself that we’re in a public place, and it’d most likely be frowned upon.

  Tessa turns to me. “You didn’t know about this?”

  “No. We weren’t raised together.” I’m just as confused by the news as she is, but then again, dudes don’t usually go around bragging about injuries involving their dick.

  “I still don’t understand. If the torsion thing wasn’t an issue, why was he in your office?” Tessa asks.

  Madison looks down to her notebook. “According to your husband’s chart, his concern centered around secondary infertility. It seems he fathered the first child while wearing a condom, yet it was taking a while to conceive the second child.” She closes her notebook and looks at Tessa. “After several preliminary tests, our findings determined Trevor had extremely low sperm count.” Madison glances away. “I’m not sure how to tell you this, but it is very unlikely Trevor could have fathered a child without some type of intervention, much less while using a form of birth control.”

  “Wait,” I speak up, directing the question to Madison. “So, you’re saying that it would have been damn near impossible for him to get someone pregnant at all?”

  “That’s correct. Without medical intervention, it’s unlikely.”

  “How do you know he used a condom?” Tessa asks.

  “Trevor told Dr. Hunt; it’s in his notes,” Madison explains.

  Tessa is silent as Madison looks down at her watch.

  “I’m not sure what sort of answers you were looking for, and I hope I was able to help, but I have another appointment.”

  She walks around the table, and I stand.

  Tessa is staring into space, so I nudge her to get her attention. She slides her feet from under the table, rising to face Madison.

  “Tessa, it was nice to meet you. It should go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway.” Madison leans in and lowers her voice. “I’ve broken several laws by sharing this information, and if anyone were to find out, I’d lose my license to practice medicine. It’s important that you don’t say anything to anyone.”

  “I know it was risky and that you put yourself on the line. I promise you, we won’t say anything,” Tessa tells her.

  I hug Madison. “Your secret is safe. Thank you for everything.”

  “You’re welcome,” she says.

  I watch her leave, and then I turn to Tessa. “Are you—”

  She holds up a hand, cutting me
off. “I’m going to go. I need to process.”

  “Talk to me. Don’t walk away.”

  “Dante, I can’t do this right now.”

  “Can’t do what? Talk to me?” I step into her space.

  She tries to take a step backward, but I snake an arm around her waist.

  I lower my voice because I don’t want to draw attention from the crowd. “Stop running away.”

  “I’m not. I just need—”

  “Space.” Tension grips me, and I let her go.

  This time, I’m the one who walks away, but before I make it two steps, she says my name, “Dante.”

  I stop but don’t turn around to face her. Her shadow moves on the ground, getting closer. I feel her beside me, and I look down at her.

  “I just need a little time. I feel like I just got sucker-punched in the gut.” She takes my hand and moves in front of me.

  It’s obvious Trevor thought he had plenty of time. He suspected the kid wasn’t his, and he was just waiting to be able to prove it. I wish he had come to me because, after beating his ass for cheating on his wife, I would’ve helped him find a solution. The clock doesn’t slow down for anyone. If losing my brother taught me one thing, it’s that you don’t waste the minutes you’re given.

  “Time?” I pull my hand away and reach up to grip the nape of my neck, turning my head skyward before dropping my gaze to hers. “Five years. How’s that for time?”

  A bewildered expression passes over her face. “What are you talking about?”

  I lift her hand and place it on my chest. “Let me show you.”

  thirty-nine

  Tessa

  Dante places my palm over his heart.

  Thump.

  Thump.

  Thump.

  Thump.

  The world around us fades away, and the air between us changes. The tension grows thicker. I hold my breath, waiting for him to speak, and brace myself for impact.

  “Five years.” His eyes bore into mine. “That’s how long I’ve been in love with you.”

  “Dante.” I stare at him in disbelief.

  Five years? He’s been in love with me since the first time we met?

  He places a finger over my lips. “The first time I laid eyes on you, I knew I wanted you, and the more time I spent around you, the harder I fell.” He exhales, and I breathe him in. “I tried so fucking hard not to love you, Tessa. Because you weren’t mine. I tried to lose myself in other women, but not a single one of them compared to you.” He looks at me with such intensity. “You belonged to my brother, and in so many ways, you still do.”

  I want to deny Dante’s claim. To tell him Trevor doesn’t have a hold on me anymore. But I can’t. There are too many loose ends, so much that’s unresolved, especially now with all the things that have come to light.

  His hands move to cup my cheeks, and he lowers his lips to mine. I can’t stop myself from pressing into him. His pain is there in every slow swipe of his tongue against mine. Agony, sorrow, and regret—I taste all of it. My hand is still resting on his chest over his heart, and if I didn’t know better, I’d swear I could feel it cracking beneath my palm.

  He smells like a mixture of bergamot, teakwood, and sweat. I breathe him in and kiss him back, relishing his soft lips that are in stark contrast to his bearded stubble as it brushes my tender skin.

  Too soon, Dante pulls his mouth away. His forehead presses to mine, and his words are soft and low. “We keep moving in circles, Tess. The only time it’s just the two of us is when I’m inside you. But I want more than your pleasure. I need to own your fucking heart, and until you can give that to me…I can’t keep doing this constant back and forth.”

  Tears prick my eyes as he steps away from me.

  “Dante—” I want to argue with him. To apologize, but for what, I’m not sure. I don’t want to lose him.

  “I need to get back to the office,” he says, cutting me off and making his way past me.

  Watching him walk away hurts, and the hollow place in my chest aches, which seems impossible because my heart ceased beating a long time ago. I want so badly to chase after Dante, but until I work through everything, there’s no point. He wants something more than I’m capable of giving, and I can’t bear the thought of hurting him.

  My car is parked in the garage at Dante’s office, and I need to go get it. I keep my distance as I weave through the crowded sidewalk. The noise of the L sounds overhead, and car horns blare at pedestrians who try to cross before the light. I search for Dante in the sea of people, but he’s lost in the throng of casually clad tourists and business types.

  Madison’s words ring through my ears as I walk through the door of my condo. I keep coming back to the same conclusion. Trevor had to have suspected Brandon wasn’t his son; it’s the only thing that makes sense. Given Kyndal’s demands for money, it seems like she’s completely unaware Trevor thought otherwise. The deck seems stacked in my favor. There is only one way to handle a woman like her, and I intend to do it face-to-face.

  Today has been a hell of a day, and I’m hoping that a long, hot bath and a glass of wine will relieve some of the tension knotted between my shoulder blades. I go into the bathroom, turn on the water, and let the tub fill. After I squirt honey and almond-scented bubble bath into the hot stream, I go into the kitchen to pour a glass of peach chardonnay. Then, I head back to the bathroom. As I strip out of my clothes and settle into the tub, I start to devise a plan on how to deal with Kyndal.

  forty

  Dante

  I couldn’t stand to watch Tessa walk away one more time, so I beat her to it.

  For a while, I convinced myself I’d be happy with the pieces she was willing to give me. All the nights she fell asleep in my arms, hair spilling over my chest, I pretended she wasn’t using me to forget. And, as good as her pussy feels around my cock, as much as I love to hear her scream my name when an orgasm rips through her…it’s not enough. Not anymore.

  Tessa possesses all of me and has for years, and at least now, she knows. She’s been through hell, and the news Madison shared today was just another blow. Tessa doesn’t have room for me in the chaos, but whenever she’s ready, whether it takes five months or another five years, I’ll be here, waiting, because she’s it for me.

  By the time I make it back to my office, Katie is gone for the day, and I’m relieved to be alone. Needing a distraction, I sit down at my desk and fire up the computer.

  From what Madison said, Trevor must’ve suspected Brandon wasn’t his. I still haven’t discovered a link between Kyndal and Cloverstem Labcor. It’s nearly impossible to fake paternity results, but maybe I’m not looking at it from the right angle.

  Hours later I’m finally able to connect the dots between the testing facility and Kyndal. If I wasn’t seeing it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it. I stare at the former employee’s last name. She was likely banging all three of them at the same time.

  “Holy shit,” I say aloud.

  I right-click and print out the image. When I stand, my phone rings, so instead of walking to the printer, I sit back down and glance to where it rests on my desk. Tessa’s name and number light up the screen. I stare at the phone for several seconds before answering. I was going to call her anyway.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, it’s me,” she says softly.

  “Are you going to be up for a while?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  “I’m so happy to hear you say that. I thought after—”

  “Tessa…it’s not like that. I have something for you, and I’ll need to explain what I’ve discovered.”

  “Oh.” Her voice falls flat.

  “I’ll see you soon,” I say, hanging up the phone.

  After I retrieve the documents from the printer, I walk back to my desk, pull open a drawer, and take out the file I’ve spent several weeks compiling. I shut everything down and lock up the office. When I get downstairs
, I hail a cab to Tessa’s building.

  Theo is in the lobby when I walk through the glass doors. “Good evening, Dante.”

  “Hi, Theo,” I greet him on my way to the bank of elevators.

  Tessa must’ve been looking out the peephole because the door opens before I lift my hand to knock.

  She steps out of the way for me to enter. “Do you want a cup of coffee?”

  “I’d love one.”

  I feel the tension in the room, and if she feels it, too, she doesn’t comment.

  She goes into the kitchen, and I open the envelope to remove the contents. I spread a few things out and wait for Tessa to come back, so I can explain.

  A few minutes later, she returns with two mugs and holds one out to me.

  “Thanks.”

  “What’s all this?” She points to the coffee table and takes a seat at the opposite end of the couch.

  “This is information I’ve gathered about Kyndal.” I lean forward, my elbows on my knees. “I met Kyndal about two and a half years ago at a New Year’s Eve function in Atlanta.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you knew her?”

  “I don’t know her. I briefly met her at an event hosted by Montgomery Industries. She was on the board—”

  Before I can continue, Tessa interjects, looking indignant, “Did you sleep with her?”

  What the fuck?

  “Hell no. Where is this coming from?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think I could have handled it if you’d slept with her, too, even if it happened in the past.”

  “Tessa, I met her for literally five minutes. I shook her hand, and that was all.” I pick up the photograph and set it down on the coffee table in front of Tessa.

  “Who’s that?” She studies the photo.

  “This is Brady Scott. The eldest and estranged son of Winston. Care to guess where he used to work?” I watch her face for any sign that she is putting it together. “He was employed by none other than Cloverstem Labcor. The company Kyndal had Trevor go to for the paternity test.”