by J. M. Walker
I glanced around the room. “My clothes are wet,” I mumbled.
“I’ll put them in the dryer.” Evvie closed the distance between us and placed a hand on my arm. “Brett?”
I let out a heavy sigh, finally meeting her gaze. “I have to go.”
“You have no clothes to wear.”
“I know that,” I snapped.
Her lips pursed into a straight line. “What the hell is your problem?”
“I’m sorry…I…” Fuck. I was sorry. I never apologized for shit. Clearly, I wasn’t good at it.
Evvie threw on her robe and left the room, leaving me alone to my own disturbing thoughts.
I had no idea how I was going to make Claire go away. She was a disease. A parasite. Once she latched on, it was hard to get rid of her.
My phone rang, pulling me from my thoughts.
“What the hell do you want, Claire?” I barked.
She laughed. “Always so fucking cheerful, Brett. Tell me, do you kiss her with that same filthy mouth?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, counting to ten before finally telling her again that I wanted nothing to do with her. “I can’t see you anymore,” I told Claire just as a door shutting sounded throughout the room.
“You can and you will. Because I know you can’t resist that darkness inside of you, baby.”
“No. I told you that we’re through—”
“I don’t give a shit what you told me,” she said, her voice hardening. “You have needs and only I can satisfy those needs, Brett. We both know that.”
“I don’t care.”
“You do.”
“Claire, dammit, listen to me. It’s over.”
“Is it? You told me that once before and you ended up in my bed a week later. You can’t resist me, Brett.”
I couldn’t. Not at first. But now that I had Evvie, I didn’t need Claire. “Whatever we had is over.”
“Do you love her?”
My heart jumped. “That’s none of your fucking business.”
Claire laughed. “You have got to be fucking kidding me. This is great. Brett MacLean is finally in love. How cute. Aww, baby boy, don’t worry. I won’t tell Evvie if you don’t. I know you will always want me first.”
“What do you want me to tell you, Claire? That I loved you? Because it’s not fucking true.”
“Take care of yourself, Brett,” Claire crooned. “I will be seeing you again. Maybe I’ll go visit Evvie too. She works at your club. I’ve seen her. She is beautiful. I bet she tastes fucking good too.” And with that she hung up.
Fuck my life.
“How much did you hear?” I mumbled.
Evvie cleared her throat. “Enough.”
I nodded, rising to my feet, and pulled back the covers before meeting Evvie’s gaze. “Get in.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Who’s Claire?”
Ah. Now that was the question, wasn’t it? “Don’t worry about it.”
Her jaw tensed. “Brett.”
“Get. In.”
Evvie’s back stiffened but as much as she was pissed, she did as she was told. Ripping off her housecoat, she took a step toward me.
“Evvie,” I husked.
Placing a hand on my chest, she slowly grazed her fingers down my torso. “Is she an ex-girlfriend?”
I grabbed her wrist, holding it between us. “I don’t have ex-girlfriends.”
She pulled out of my grip, her brows narrowing. “A fuck-buddy?”
In a quick move, I had my hand around her throat and pushed her back onto the bed. “I don’t want to talk about her,” I snarled, covering her body with mine.
Evvie gasped, struggling against me, but my hold only tightened. “Brett.”
I leaned toward her, my mouth mere inches from hers. “Jealous, lover?”
“Let go of me.” She glared, grabbing my wrist.
Tilting her head back, I brushed my lips along hers. “Does it turn you on?”
“You’re an asshole,” she grumbled, struggling beneath me.
Grabbing both her wrists, I pulled them up and above her head, pinning her beneath me. I brushed my lips along the length of her neck, licking and sucking, breathing in everything that made up her. “You are so fucking hot, lover. I know it pisses you off that you give in so easily to me.”
Evvie stiffened, pushing me off of her. “You don’t know shit.”
I chuckled, releasing her.
Laying back against the headboard with my arm behind my head, I watched her.
She glared.
I grinned.
She glared some more.
I grew hard.
I knew I should tell her about Claire but that was something that involved alcohol and lots of it. She was someone I met when I was bored. Coming into The Red Love so many months ago, a part of me felt sorry for her. That feeling didn’t last long when I realized how much of a clingy bitch she was. Add the fact that she was Mathis’ ex-sister in law didn’t help either.
Evvie stomped to her dresser when her phone rang. She quickly pulled on a t-shirt, shielding me from her naked body. “Hey, Evan.”
My stomach twisted. Her brother. Fucking great. Just another obstacle in the way of me getting what I truly wanted.
“What’s going on?” she asked, leaning against the dresser. “Evan, what happened?”
Giving her some privacy, I wrapped a towel around my waist and left the room to get my clothes from the dryer. As I was heading back to her room, Kane came down the hall.
“Brett.”
“I don’t want to hear it,” I told him. He knew about Claire. Too much if you asked me.
Heading back to Evvie’s room, I got dressed. I was doing up the last few buttons of my dress shirt when she fell to her knees.
“What? Why?” she asked Evan, her brows furrowing.
I closed the distance between us, kneeling on the floor beside her and grabbed her free hand. Rubbing my thumb back and forth over her palm, I tried giving her the strength I knew she needed.
“How long is he in jail for?” she asked, curling her fingers in mine.
Jail?
“Does Dad know?” she whispered. “What do you need from me?” she asked a moment later. “Okay. I’m headed there now…Yeah?” She sighed. “I will. I can handle him.” She hung up the phone and tossed it on her desk. “Shit, Ethan.”
“Evvie?” I cupped the back of her neck.
She sighed, turning toward me and wrapping her arms around my middle.
“Talk to me,” I said gently, running my hand in smooth circles over her upper back.
“You want me to talk to you, when you’re all tight-lipped with me?”
My body stiffened.
She sighed, squeezing her eyes shut, and snuggled her face into my chest. “My dumbass brother got himself locked up again.”
“Again?”
She let out a deep breath and pulled out of my grasp. “Since my mom died, he’s been in and out of jail. Hung out with the wrong kids.”
“What was he charged with?”
“I don’t know.” Evvie pulled on a black lace bra and panty set.
Not sure what she needed, I stepped up behind her and kissed her shoulder.
She shivered. Stepping around me, she cleared her throat and went to her closet.
“Where’s your father?”
“In jail as well, but Evan said he’s supposed to be out soon. He could even be out now.”
Holy fuck. “Shit, Evvie.”
After Mathis had revealed that he knew who her family was, I did some research on Edward Neal. The articles were vague, but the intent was clear.
Edward Neal was a badass.
Evvie pulled on a red blouse. She wiggled her body into a black high-waisted skirt, tucking in the ends of the shirt. “My whole young life, my brother and father have been in and out of jail. My middle brother, Everett was the smart one and left the country.” She turned to me and leaned against the wall. “Evan took care of Etha
n and me. Because of him…” Her eyes welled with unshed tears. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you this.” Her cheeks reddened.
I wasn’t sure why she was telling me either but I found that I liked it. I could listen to her talk for the rest of our lives and I would be a very happy man. I stepped up to her and pinched her chin before brushing my mouth along hers. “I like it when you talk to me.”
“I like that you listen to me,” she whispered.
I smiled and kissed her nose, doing up the buttons of her blouse. “You don’t seem too upset about your brother.”
She scoffed. “No. Just pissed off. It’s the same shit, different day situation with him. I’m used to it.” She turned to the mirror and frowned. “Brett?”
I met her gaze in the reflection of the mirror, daring her to challenge me. The possessive male inside of me had her buttons done up before I could even comprehend what I was doing. There was no way I would let those fuckers see her cleavage. Not when every part of her belonged to me and only me. “Need a ride?”
Her jaw clenched but she didn’t argue about her blouse. “Please.”
***
We drove to the jail in silence. I had known my fair amount of shady people but I never actually stepped foot inside a jail. Evvie, on the other hand, had been there often. More times than she could count, I was sure. It amazed me how I knew her body so well but yet, when it came to anything else, it was all a surprise.
Her body was stiff as she stared out the window. She chewed her bottom lip, probably wondering how the hell her brother could do this to her, again. I could kill him for putting this stress on her.
Cupping her inner thigh, I gave it a light squeeze. I had meant what I said earlier. She was mine. Whether she wanted to believe it or not, there was no one else for me. No one who could curb this dark craving I had for more. For power. For absolute control.
I knew she didn’t believe me. Hell, I wouldn’t either if I were her. My reputation didn’t help. But I wasn’t a liar. Every word that left my mouth, when it came to Evvie Neal, was the damn truth.
Her phone rang, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Hey, Evan,” Evvie greeted, cupping my hand. “Yes, I’m on my way now…Brett’s driving—this is not the time for that shit,” she snapped.
My back bristled at the shit her brother was giving her. Knowing it had to do with me, I cupped her thigh tighter.
“You have no right saying that to me…I know enough. At least he’s not being a jack ass right now…no. I’m sick of all of you trying to control my life. I can see whoever I want, when I want. Evan, I love you but you’re being an asshole. Brett has nothing to do with this. He’s here for me .” She sighed. “Daddy is not going to do anything. I’m not scared of him like the rest of you…I will.” She hung up and squeezed my hand.
Pulling into a parking lot in front of a large brick building, my stomach twisted knowing the kind of vile, twisted men who lived behind the walls. The jail was older, the only thing modern being the video cameras mounted on the walls.
“When was the last time you were here?” I asked, looking down at Evvie.
She stared straight ahead. “A year ago.”
“Father or brother?”
She glanced at me. “Both.”
Fuck me.
“I should go,” she said, grabbing my hand and kissed my palm. “I need to get this shit done and over with.”
I nodded, then Evvie started undoing the top buttons of her blouse. What the hell? A growl escaped me.
“Don’t,” she said, narrowing her eyes.
“Evvie,” I bit out. I was not going to let her waltz in there with half her tits showing.
“Brett, stop. It gets me longer visits with my brother.” She shrugged.
She shrugged? How the fuck could she be so casual about this? “You put your tits on display for those fuckers to stare at so you can spend more time with an asshole who put himself there?”
“What I do is none of your fucking business, Brett,” she said, her voice turning cold.
“Like hell it’s not.” I reached for her shirt, doing up the buttons.
Evvie slapped my hands away, pulling the buttons apart, and lifting her chin defiantly.
My blood roared through me, my heart pounding in my ears. If we weren’t outside a fucking jail of all places, I would have spanked her ass where she sat. My palms twitched, wishing I could land them against her pale skin until she begged for more.
“Evvie,” I growled, grabbing her hand, and pulling her against me.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do.” She pushed me. “You don’t own me, Brett.”
“Yes.” I cupped the back of her neck. “I do.”
“No.” She punched my shoulder. “You fucking don’t. You don’t own any part of me.”
The tips of my ears burned at her words as I glared at her. “Well you fucking own me , Evvie. Every single piece of me. Mind, body and soul. I am fucking yours.” And that was something I never thought I would say. To anyone.
Evvie sat there and gaped at me. Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. As time wore on and the silence became deafening, I almost laughed at my stupidity.
“I can’t deal with this right now.” She shook her head, opening the door.
I grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at me. “Just…” I took a breath. “Tell me you feel something for me.” My stomach twisted. I didn’t like the sound of desperation in my voice.
“Are you teasing me?” Evvie shook her head.
Before I knew what I was doing, I covered her mouth with mine and pulled her against me. The kiss was soft but demanding. Licking my way between her lips, my tongue stroked and licked, pulled and danced.
Evvie sucked my tongue deeper into her mouth, igniting a groan from us both. She reached for my shirt, pulling me closer against her. She could never get enough of me. No matter where we were or what was going on, one kiss from me and she was putty in my hands. And I was just the same.
My cock twitched against my pants, lengthening to the point of being painful, but it would have to wait. I needed her words. I needed to hear her say how she felt.
Releasing her mouth, I trailed kisses down her jaw. “Tell me you’re not attracted to me.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as my lips caressed her skin. “Of course I’m attracted to you.”
“Do you have feelings for me?”
She pulled back, staring intently at me. “I thought this was just sex.”
“It was.” I rubbed my kiss swollen mouth, a smug smile splaying on my face as I watched her tongue lick along her bottom lip.
Pinching her chin, I tilted her head back. “The need for you consumes me.”
“What are you saying?”
My gaze fell to my hand gripping her inner thigh. No matter how I was feeling, touching her, gripping her tight in my hand, always made me feel better. I couldn’t explain it. She was the light I always needed in my sea of eternal darkness.
“I’m saying that I want more. With you.”
“I’m not one of your whores,” she whispered. “You can’t use me like you’ve used them.”
My jaw clenched. “I would never fucking use you.”
“Is that what you tell all of the other women, too?”
I pulled back, her words slapping me in the face. “I guess I deserve that.”
Evvie sighed, placing a hand on my arm. “I’m sorry. I’m just shocked.”
I shook my head. “And you don’t think I am? I’ve only had feelings for one woman in my life and that turned to shit.” I chuckled. “I’m such an idiot.”
“No, you’re not.”
My gaze snapped to hers. “I’m not? I’m telling you how I feel and you assume I’m fucking using you.”
“You’re cryptic. I don’t—”
“I’m falling in love with you, Evvie. There, is that less cryptic for you?” It felt good to finally get those words off my chest but her next quest
ion shocked the shit out of me.
“Why?”
“You’re fucking asking me why I’m falling in love with you?” I asked, my voice turning deadly.
“I just—”
I reached across her and opened the door. “Go see your brother.” Before I pull you in my lap and slap your ass for doubting me .
She swallowed hard and nodded, leaving the vehicle.
Fuck . I landed my fist against the steering wheel.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I LOVED HER . I was in love with her. I was hers. Holy fucking hell.
Scrubbing a hand down my face, I let out a slow breath and then another. Those three words had never left my mouth before. Not to someone I was sleeping with.
Evvie latched on to my heart and opened up something inside me. She made me feel things I had never felt before. She made me…happy. But she didn’t trust me. Hell, I couldn’t blame her.
Following her into the building, I couldn’t help but stare at her ass as she walked away from me.
A part of me wondered if I only told her I loved her to get her to stay in the car with me. To get her to open up and trust me. Then the other part, the part that wanted to dominate and control, knew.
While Evvie approached the front desk, I sat in one of the dingy metal chairs and waited. She would do up the buttons of her shirt. If I had to take her into one of the bathrooms, I would make sure she wouldn’t show her tits to anyone but me.
As if she could sense that I was there, she looked at me over her shoulder. She frowned, her jaw ticking, and did up the buttons one by one.
A smug smile formed on my face as I crossed my arms under my chest. I got you, beautiful. Right where I fucking want you.
“Evvie?”
She startled and turned around as a large officer approached her. “Hi.”
He smiled. “Here to see your brother?”
She gripped her clutch at her side and nodded. “How’s he doing?”
“Rules.” The officer nodded toward the clutch she was holding. “Remember?”
Evvie headed toward me. “Hold this for me, please?”
I grabbed the clutch from her. “Anything for you, lover,” I purred, running my thumb along her wrist.
She rolled her eyes and followed the officer out of the waiting room.