Engaging Evelyn (Blissful Bets #1)

by Alaska Angelini

  “Better, now that I’ve found you. Want to go dance?” he asked, peering down at her with Brandon’s eyes.

  Looking at her friends, she saw them throw her an encouraging smile. Well, shit. “Sure, why not,” she said, standing.

  The dance floor was packed. Squeezing through, Evelyn quickly found the rhythm to the music. Paul molded to her back. The heat coming off him was warm enough for her to notice. It felt comforting, something she wanted to cuddle against. His hard body seemed even more inviting. Her heart ached for Stephen and Brandon, but she knew she had to push it away.

  “I take it you’re feeling better?” Paul said softly into her ear.

  “Yes, I think someone put something in my drink last weekend. Pieces of my memory are missing.”

  Paul stiffened from behind her. “Is that so? Pieces are gone? How…odd. He paused, but quickly continued. So, how do you like Brandon as a neighbor? He doesn’t bother you too much, does he?”

  “No, he’s not a bother at all. We watch movies with another friend a lot, but he never bothers me.”

  “That’s good. So, how do you feel about that rain check? Do you think you’re up to it?” Paul breathed along her neck, bringing her body to life.

  Evelyn closed her eyes while he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly against his hard cock. Pleasure tightened her lower stomach. Yes, she needed this, needed the distraction to get her mind off Stephen and Brandon. Both were beginning to worm their way into her vaulted life. But even as she thought it, something didn’t feel right about leaving with, not just Paul, but any man. Damn, she was confused.

  “I rode with a friend,” Evelyn whispered low enough to where she was sure he hadn’t heard her.

  “I brought my car. We’ll even get a place on the island. That way, it’ll be closer to where you live. How’s that?”

  “Sounds good.” Heat poured from Evelyn’s body. The need to be touched heightened her senses. A whole two weeks and she hadn’t had sex once. Usually someone filled the gap until the weekend, but with Stephen and Brandon over all the time, she hadn’t even thought about it.

  “Let’s go get your things, and we’ll head out.”

  Evelyn nodded and led him off the dance floor. A smile formed on her face. Yes, this was the Evelyn she knew and was comfortable with, the one who had been reborn after her heart had been smashed to pieces. Now she felt better.

  Chapter 16

  “I’m out, ladies. Melissa, thank you so very much for the ride. Be careful on your way home, or wherever you end up tonight. Call me tomorrow.” Evelyn winked at them. She grabbed her clutch off the table, and Paul pulled her body against his.

  “See you ladies later. You all have a wonderful night.” Paul led Evelyn out of the crowded bar.

  The grip he had on her waist tightened as they approached a two-door Mercedes. “Do you like to go fast, Evelyn?” Paul asked her, pinning her against the passenger door of the car.

  Evelyn moaned while he pushed against her and his thigh rubbed against her pussy. “Yes, I love going fast.”

  “Good, we’ll get there in record time. I didn’t want to scare you more than I already do,” he said and nibbled on her ear.

  “What makes you think I’m scared of you?”

  “Oh, you’re not anymore, but you were. I promise I don’t bite too hard. You might even enjoy it.”

  Evelyn’s brows furrowed. Biting…there was that damn pulling feeling. The door opened, and she got in the two-seater sports car. Paul did exactly the same thing she had done with Brandon. He peeled out and drifted around the turn so smoothly that Evelyn smiled.

  “Impressive. Say, you’re not a cop, are you?”

  Rich laughter filled the car while he weaved in and out of traffic. “No, sorry, not even close.”

  “You drive like one of the best.”

  “Decades of practice, my dear,” Paul said, smiling at her. “Yeah, okay.” Evelyn laughed. “Decades, my ass.”

  Within five minutes, Paul had gone twice the distance. At this rate, they’d be on the island in no time. The night was just getting better and better.

  The door clicked, and Evelyn looked from the lock to Paul. “Evelyn, lean on the door and move down my way.”

  Understanding his meaning, she smiled and did as he said. The windows came down and the wind whipped around furiously. Evelyn’s hair floated around her like a black curtain while she looked into Paul’s golden eyes. There was no fear, just pure exhilaration.

  “Touch me,” she told him.

  Paul smiled and slid his hand along her inner thigh until he reached her red silk panties.

  After trailing his fingers along the thin lining, he slid them inside the material and ripped her panties off.

  Evelyn didn’t so much as move. She wanted more. This was exactly what she needed. Paul’s fingers trailed along her folds, smoothing in her wetness. At the brush against her clit, Evelyn moaned, sinking lower to give him more access.

  “Damn, you smell good.” Paul groaned, sliding the finger with her juices into his mouth. “Fuck, you taste good, too. I want you. Come here, we’re going to try something new.”

  Paul undid his pants, and Evelyn knew exactly what he wanted to do because she had thought of it at the same time. She pulled a condom wrapper out of her clutch, opened it, and slid the condom down his cock.

  They were on the pitch-black highway leading to the island. Not a car was in sight. Evelyn crawled into his lap, leaning to the side to give him view of the road. Inch by inch, she slid down his length.

  Her moan was carried away by the wind still whipping around them. Gripping onto the outside of the door and the roof, Evelyn began to use it for leverage to move her up and down his thickness.

  The car came to an abrupt stop on the shoulder of the road and Paul turned on the hazard lights and reclined his seat, all at the same time.

  “God, you’re so fucking tight. Fuck me, Evelyn,” Paul said, easing down the straps of the dress.

  Still using her handholds on the car for leverage, Evelyn rode his cock hard and fast, just the way she wanted it. His hands gripped her hips while he thrust into her, inhumanly fast. Evelyn screamed as her orgasm made her tighten around him. She fell forward against his chest as he continued to thrust.

  “Evelyn, let me unlock your memories. Let me taste you,” Paul whispered against her neck.

  “What,” Evelyn said, dazed from her orgasm.

  “Brandon made you forget. Let me help you remember. I want to see what he’s hiding. I promise I’ll tell you everything. Let me unlock what he did. Say yes.”

  At the thought that Brandon had done something, she wanted to say no. But what was Paul talking about? Well, there was only one way to find out.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  A sharp pain in her neck turned to ecstasy at once. They both moaned at the same time.

  Paul’s cock thickened, and she felt his orgasm explode inside the condom.

  Memories came back faster than she could see them project across her vision. Glimpses of Stephen and Brandon, a bond, mark, and knowledge poured into her in a tidal wave. It felt as if someone had smashed a sledgehammer into her chest.

  Evelyn couldn’t stop the screams that tore from her throat. Paul jerked back, staring at her wide-eyed.

  “Oh shit. Evelyn, what did I do? I don’t even know. Fuck! He had a lock on something.” Paul breathed heavily.

  Evelyn’s dress was pulled down, and she was suddenly sitting in the passenger seat, but she couldn’t quit screaming from the agonizing pain.

  Death at that moment would have felt better than what she was feeling. The car was going so fast that everything felt like a blur. Evelyn hugged her knees to her chest and breathed the screams in and out with deep breaths. She remembered everything.

  Stephen, he had done this to her. She had agreed for him to remove the bond, but this she couldn’t do. The bond hadn’t been removed, just covered and locked away.

  The car
came to a screeching halt in the resort parking lot. Brandon and Stephen were already running toward them.

  Paul jumped out of the car. “I didn’t know what I was unlocking. Make her stop screaming,” he yelled toward them.

  Stephen scooped Evelyn out of the car, and not even hesitating, he ripped the strap of the dress completely off and sank his teeth into her. Like water to a flame, the pain disappeared with a burst of pleasure. Evelyn stood, clutching his hard frame and sobbing uncontrollably as dizziness took over. The world was shifting, and she couldn’t do anything about it.

  “I’m so sorry, Evey. I never meant to hurt you. God, what have I done? Please, forgive me. I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

  Black dots danced around Evelyn’s eyes, and Stephen’s words were the last thing she heard before unconsciousness took her.

  * * * *

  “What the hell were you thinking,” Brandon snapped at Paul. He was two seconds away from ripping his head off. Just the fact that he had sunk his fangs into Evelyn was reason enough for him.

  “Hey, you took her from me without any explanation. I wanted to know why and what happened. I had no idea you had shit locked in there for a reason. What the hell was that anyway?”

  “She’s my mate,” Stephen growled at him, cradling Evelyn’s limp body in his arms. “If she’s your mate then why aren’t you together?” Paul asked him angrily.

  “It’s none of your fucking business. What the hell did you do to her? How did you unlock what Brandon did?”

  “It’s not hard. A newborn could have done it. And tell me this, why, if she’s your mate, was Brandon covering your mark anyway?”

  “Like I said, it’s none of your fucking business. Brandon, let’s go and get her bathed. I can smell this guy on her, and I want to put her to bed.”

  Stephen took off through the parking lot at his werewolf speed. In seconds, he was inside and had Evelyn on the bed. He stared down at her sleeping figure. Her dress was completely ruined where he had ripped it to replace their bond. The fang marks were still there. Her swollen eyes made his heart break.

  * * * *

  Evelyn stirred, and her eyelids fluttered opened. Fear came rushing back at the intense agony she had just endured. “Stephen, oh God, Stephen, it was horrible. Please don’t take the mark off again. We don’t have to be together, but don’t take it off.” Evelyn sobbed, getting to her knees on the bed to become level with his chest.

  She knew she shouldn’t do it, but she didn’t care. Her fingers clutched the dark shirt he wore. Resting her head against his chest, she took in the smell of him. A wave of comfort settled throughout her body. There was no way she’d be happy again if he wasn’t near her. Deep down, she knew that.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll never take it off. I marked you as my mate and that’s what you will always be to me.” Stephen lowered himself to the bed so they could be eye level “Evelyn, there’s something I have to tell you... Sheila and I…”

  “She’s my sister, and he was taking care of her, nothing more.”

  Startled, she looked toward the doorway. Evelyn stared in amazement at the gorgeous man accompanied by a woman and another jaw-dropping man. Where had they come from?”

  “I’m sorry. Who are you?” Evelyn lifted her torn dress.

  The woman stepped around the dark-haired man. Evelyn couldn’t help but gasp. The stranger resembled Evelyn to the extent that she couldn’t break her stare.

  “I’m Nicole, Ayden and Trevor’s mate. This”—she pointed to the dark-haired man in a police uniform—“is Ayden. He’s alpha to the pack. This gorgeous man over here is my other mate, Trevor. ”

  “Thank you for the introductions, love,” Ayden said and kissed Nicole’s forehead. “Evelyn, Stephen called me and told me what happened when I ordered him to watch over my sister. You see, Sheila is a werewolf too. It was an accident, but she blames me. I put Stephen in charge to watch over her after I noticed that she wasn’t taking to the change as well as I hoped. Ever since she shifted for the first time, she’s avoided me. She hates me.

  “I never knew Stephen had claimed a mate or I would have never asked this of him. Why he didn’t tell me, I don’t know.” Ayden glared at Stephen. “But rest assured that Sheila is better now and you can both pick up where you left off. You must have been through hell. For that, I’m sorry. Being away from one’s mate even for a day can be torture. Please accept my apologies and know that if you ever need anything you can contact me or Nicole, whoever you feel more comfortable with.”

  Evelyn looked over at Stephen, shocked. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have understood. You made me believe you were in love with another woman. Why?”

  It had been so much easier thinking that he had fallen in love instead of thinking she had been completely passed over for a duty. That hurt.

  Stephen looked down. “I was trying to protect you from finding out the truth, Evelyn. Sheila took what she’d become so hard, I thought your witnessing her actions would drive you away from me. If there was one thing I couldn’t bear, it was having you fear me. I thought maybe by giving you more time, it would be easier.”

  “More time…more time!” Evelyn screamed. “Stephen, I would have done anything for you at the drop of a dime. You could have told me anything and I would have believed and obeyed. Yet, you took my car, my home…you took away the love of my life!”

  The room spun, but Evelyn refused to get sick or pass out. This needed to come out.

  Everything needed to be settled tonight.

  “I’m sorry, Evelyn. I really thought things would work out. I figured we’d pick up where we left off, that I could say things didn’t work out between Sheila and me, and we would get back together. I never thought you’d mix with vampires and I’d have to come and save the day. I’m just glad it happened at a convenient time.”

  “Yes, Stephen, it was just so fucking convenient. I’m glad I could help you out with the timing. Where is Brandon?” Evelyn looked around. She needed comfort. Brandon did that for her.

  He appeared through the doorway. “Ayden, Trevor, Nicole, good to see you again.”

  They shook hands, and Evelyn watched in awe, taking in all the hot men in her room. Lucky Nicole got two of them. Maybe she would do something like that. Two was always better than one.

  Evelyn held her hand out to Brandon, who came to her. “Thank you,” she said, pulling him on the bed next to her.

  “For what?” Brandon asked, confused.

  “For being here even though you don’t have to be. My gosh, what you must think of this situation. Why you hang around still, I’ll never know.”

  Ayden’s voice cut through angrily. “Tell her.”

  Brandon paled considerably. Evelyn’s heart rate increased. She tilted her head to look into Brandon’s downcast face.

  “What is he talking about, Brandon? Is there something you need to tell me?”

  Golden eyes, so pained she could almost feel that stabbing again, almost but not quite, looked into hers.

  “We didn’t meet on accident. I’m not here for spring break.” Brandon cut his eyes to Ayden and then turned back to her. “Taylor was one of your bets. He’s my friend. When he couldn’t get you to…be with him again, he called in a favor to me.

  “I was sent here to get you to fall for me, and then I was to leave you. It was supposed to be payback. When I found out why you were cold, as he put it, I explained the situation to him, telling him you were marked. I told him I couldn’t fulfill his favor.”

  Evelyn dropped his hand, stood, and walked away from the bed. “The only two men I’ve allowed in my life and you both betray me. Get out, both of you. I swear if either of you ever come to my door again, I’ll…” Evelyn’s voice trailed off. She couldn’t think of what else to say.

  The shock of everything was beyond words. It was downright astounding. How could this have even happened? Everyone left the room but Nicole. She walked over very slowly, her face filled with sorrow.

>   “I’m sorry for what you’ve been through. If you need anything, anything at all, please call me. I’ve been where you are, believe it or not. I wasn’t parted from Ayden as long as you were from Stephen, but I know what it feels like. You see, Ayden and I have been through a lot. He left me also, for a reason at the time I didn’t know. Truthfully, I didn’t think I’d ever forgive him, but I did. I would love to tell you all about it one day, if you’re interested.”

  “Thank you, Nicole. I’d like that,” Evelyn said, collapsing on the bed. Her energy seemed to drain completely out of her. The events of the day were too much for her body to take.

  “Here’s my number.” Nicole handed her a business card. “I’m sorry, it’s the only thing I have with my cell phone number on it. I don’t live that far away, if you ever want to stop by. I’m sure Ayden and Trevor would love the company.”

  “Thanks, Nicole. I’d love to. You know where I live, too, if you’re ever on the island.”

  Both girls laughed at their situation. “I better get in the shower. I need to change. Stephen made a mess of my dress. Thank God the material clings to your skin or else I would be flashing everyone.”

  “I’ll let you shower. Call me,” Nicole said, walking out of the room and shutting the door quietly.

  Evelyn didn’t move for a long time. Everything circled around her mind. She’d been mated to a werewolf, lied to by a vampire, and bitten by both. What in the hell else could happen?

  Chapter 17

  The month of March was officially almost over and, with it, spring break. Brandon was still her neighbor, although she’d tried to avoid him as much as possible so she could get her thoughts together.

  When Stephen wasn’t working, he was at Brandon’s and they usually sat outside drinking beer, watching her every move. She’d swear that a time or two, she had actually caught glimpses of them at the Martini Bar. But that of course was still debatable. It could have been she wished to see them and that’s why she had.