Chapter 13
Nick watches me eat like he’s ready for round three. I laugh and set my fork down next to the plate of biscuits and gravy Martin made us. “You gonna eat yours or just watch me?”
A half-smile tugs at his lips. “Now I understand why you eat so much. You had to have lost a thousand calories bouncing on my cock.”
I nearly choke on the water I’m swallowing. Laughing, I set my glass down. I lick my lips and wink. “I’ve always had a healthy appetite.”
He grins. “You’re wild.”
“I could say the same thing about you.” I take a sip of water. “I had a lot of pent-up aggression.”
Nick leans over and grips my chin between his thumb and finger. “Feel free to take your anger out on me anytime, baby girl.”
Feeling my cheeks heating up, I focus back on my food.
Once we’ve finished eating and are rinsing off our dishes, I say, “Graysen said your family’s rich, but you don’t have any money.”
Nick nods but doesn’t look at me. “Yeah. My father was raised believing if you’re going to be successful in life, you should do it on your own.”
Scrubbing my plate, I say, “And did he do it on his own?”
“He did. His father was an even bigger ass than mine. Probably why he died of a heart attack so young.”
“Do you resent him for not helping you?”
“I resent him because he thought attention and love would make me weak. My childhood was lonely when I wasn’t with Aiden or Casey.” He sets his plate in the dish rack and meets my eyes. “Does it bother you that I’m not a millionaire like Graysen?”
“You’re joking, right? You should know that I don’t care about that stuff.”
“Yeah, I know. Doesn’t mean I don’t think Graysen’s right. You deserve someone that can offer you everything. You deserve more than me.”
His words make me uneasy, like he’s thinking about giving up on me just when I decided I was giving in. “I don’t care about money, Nick, and I don’t want anything to do with Graysen.” He nods but doesn’t say anything, so I say, “I only brought it up because I thought Graysen was lying. You’re famous, so I just assumed...”
“I’m famous by association. People see me with Aiden and think I’m someone special. I guess the last name helps too. My father’s a multimillionaire and so was my grandfather. I’m not broke. I modeled, did some bullshit ads, and got paid to make appearances at local clubs.”
“I remember that. Didn’t you get kicked out of almost all the clubs in LA for fighting?”
He grins. “Maybe.”
I dry my hands and toss the cloth to him. “So, since you actually need college, what’s your major?”
“I’m majoring in IT. I probably won’t ever be a millionaire, but I don’t want to be. I want a job that I like and make enough money to pay my bills. I can even do that type of work from home, so I can travel if I want.”
“I think I just fell for you even harder,” I say playfully.
He cocks a brow with a playful smile in place. “Oh yeah?”
I shove his shoulder. “Yeah.”
He brushes a strand of hair away from my face. “What are your college plans? I heard you talking about marketing to Aiden when he was showing you around campus.”
I nod. “Marketing or maybe graphic design. I wanna do something like that, where I can create. I did a little freelance web design last year for a few local businesses. It was fun, but I want to think bigger, like corporations and stuff.”
“That’s—”
“Dominick? You’re still here?” Nora says, walking into the kitchen looking rougher than I’ve seen before. Her hair is down, thin and shoulder-length, and she’s wearing silk pajama pants and a baggy gray shirt. “Where’s Graysen?”
“He’s in the other room. We’re all getting ready to go out,” Nick lies. “Can I get something for you, Nora? Is there something you need?” His tone is condescending and harsher than when he usually speaks to her.
She squints. “Where’s Sara? She was supposed to refill my—”
“I’m here. Sorry, traffic was ridiculous,” Sara says, handing Nora a white paper bag.
Nora holds it to her chest and shuffles out of the room in her furry pink slippers. Looking worried, Sara follows behind.
“Wow, that was the first time she wasn’t a cunt to me. Progress.” My phone lights up and vibrates with an incoming call from a number I don’t recognize. I slide to accept and put the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Hales?”
“Dad?” I whisper.
“It’s me. Is now an okay time to talk?”
“Hold on a sec.” I hold my finger up to Nick as I back away from the counter. “It’s my dad.” He nods and then I’m heading for the stairs. “Hey, Dad? How are you? I’ve been worried.”
“Doing all right. Better. How are you?”
“I’m okay. Tilly got an opportunity to go to an art school in England, and—”
“I heard. I’m happy for her. I was going to call her and see how she was once she was settled in at her new school.”
I hurry up the stairs. “You heard?”
“Nora called and explained everything.” He pauses and I grip the banister as my heart stops. “It was hard to believe. It still seems unreal. How are you dealing with… everything?”
“Nora called? You talked to her? Did she really move you to a better treatment facility?”
“She did. She’s been helpful, and she told me everything. I know you’re Anna.” He lets out a noisy breath. “Pretty crazy, Hayley.”
“Yeah. It is crazy.” I make my feet move up the last two steps. “I haven’t told Nana. I didn’t want to tell you until…”
“I can handle it. I’m doing better. I’ve been getting into meditation and digging deep into myself. The counselors at this place are really great.”
“That’s awesome.” I slip into my room, flicking on the light and walking over to the bed. “When you coming home?” I pull lightly on my lip ring.
“I was thinking about heading to my brother’s cabin when my time’s up here. He has a small guest house on his property. I could use the solitude and time to myself.”
My fingers fall from my mouth. “Oh… isn’t that house tiny? I guess we could come visit you there until you’re ready to—”
“You’ve found your family, and Tilly’s at boarding school…”
“I was gonna come home when you did, or you could come check out California. You’re still my—”
“I don’t want to go back to that house. I can’t go back there—” His voice shakes with emotion.
“I get that,” I say slowly, like I’m talking to a scared child. “We could get a different house. Sell that one. California is beau—”
“I need to discover who I am as a person.”
My brows dip. “Okay…”
“I never wanted to be a single dad, Hayley. I’m not ready.”
I was not expecting that at all. “Tilly and I aren’t babies, we can take care of ourselves, but Tilly needs a home. She’s only at this school for sophomore year. You’re our—”
“It reminds me of your mom. You girls remind me of her. I’m not ready. It’s going to be a while, and like you said, you girls can take care of yourselves. You’re an adult and Tilly’s almost there.”
“Okay.” I straighten my spine, choosing to stop trying to convince him to be a part of our lives when he evidently doesn’t want to be. “Take all the time you need. I gotta go.” With a racing heart, I end the call. My mind recounts how Dad was always the quiet parent. He never really had or enforced rules. He didn’t like gossip or digging into our lives. Maybe he never really wanted to be a parent. What if he only adopted us because that’s what his wife wanted?
I guess he was always a little selfish. Mom did most of the actual parenting like taking us shopping, staying home when we were sick, cooking us meals. But it seemed to work out okay. Him being selfish neve
r mattered until it did. Until Mom died and he checked out completely, leaving Tilly and me to fend for ourselves for almost a year until Nana and Aunt Kathy pushed him to get help.
“Hey, you okay?” Nick’s lingering in the doorway, and I didn’t even hear the door open.
“Fine,” I say, turning my phone completely off and tossing it onto the nightstand.
He takes a few steps into the room. “How’s your dad?”
“Doing better. Might come home early,” I lie, because how do I explain to him that my dad doesn’t want to see me? I can’t say I’m surprised. The only thing that has been consistent in my life is that people aren’t permanent.
The truth makes me want to flake on giving in to my new life and trusting the people in it, but I made a promise to myself a long time ago. I follow through on my decisions. No matter what. I’ll push past my fear and see this to the end too. Even if it ends badly.
“Wanna get outta here? Head to Aiden’s for a few days? Maybe Graysen will get tired of waiting around and leave.”
“Perfect. Let me pack a bag.”
Chapter 14
My stupid alarm, that I forgot to turn off, jolts me from sleep. I reach to grab it and accidentally knock it to the floor. I’m in my bed at Nora’s, and Nick’s next to me. He hasn’t left my side since Graysen’s surprise appearance three weeks ago. I’ve never experienced a lust stage quite as intense as this has been with Nick. I’m a little worried the fall will be unbearable, and we’ll end up hating each other for bullshit like the way the other makes the bed.
But for now, we’ll be that couple that can’t get enough of each other. That couple that people say are annoying even though they’re secretly jealous. And my dreams will be filled with him, and every morning I’ll wake up with a smile on my face. Cheesy, I know.
We’ve spent most of our time at the townhouse being lazy as fuck during the week and hitting up parties with Aiden and Casey on the weekends. I do help Nick get Liv ready in the mornings for school, and by help, I mean, have coffee ready.
When John and Colt came by last weekend, I talked to John about applying to Aiden’s school. My grades weren’t the best in high school, but he says he can get me in. I’ll be starting college in January.
After turning off my alarm, and throwing on clothes, I pad downstairs to pour a glass of OJ. I’m draining my glass when Graysen’s stupid voice has me cringing. I used to think British accents were sexy, not anymore. I keep my back to him, hoping he’ll go away.
He steps in front of the island and right into my view. “Where’s Nick?”
“Sleeping,” I mumble.
He sighs. “I don’t understand why you won’t give me a chance. We wouldn’t have to marry right away. We could postpone a year.”
“Graysen, Nick’s my…” The word boyfriend feels too juvenile for what I feel. All my mom’s bullshit fairy tale love stories must have sunk in further than I thought. Or maybe I’m scared of the word boyfriend. I could still be in denial.
“Don’t tell me your self-confidence is so low that you think you can’t do better than Nick Cabot,” Graysen says in a derogatory tone that has me pinning him with my glare. “I’m not a bad person, Hayley. Get to know me and you might find you like me and what I can offer.”
“I’ve been nice to you, but you need to understand that you and I are NEVER going to happen.” My eyes are wide as I stare at him, hoping my words will finally sink in.
He crosses his arms. “Do you think about your future? You’d want Nick Cabot, the bad boy, to be the father of your children?”
I laugh at the absurdity of his words. “You and I are on completely different pages, and I’m done talking about this. Find someone else.”
He locks his jaw and looks away. What a rich prick thing to do, flying all the way here thinking he’ll get me to marry him. His golden boy charm probably gets him whatever he wants. He needs a dose of fucking reality. I know it’s not entirely his fault. He was raised to think this is okay. The fact he’s trying to push me is frustrating. The person you marry should not be forced or taken lightly.
“I think we should make some public appearances. We’re supposed to be announcing our engagement next month and we haven’t been seen together.”
“No thanks.”
“Nora’s probably getting suspicious.”
“She hasn’t said anything to me,” I say, walking around him to deposit my glass in the sink. “Trust me, she isn’t afraid to let me know how she feels.”
Graysen begins to pace and I sit back on the stool. “My dad’s getting suspicious. I’ve told him we’ve been hanging out at the house because you don’t like to go out, but…” Graysen stops and runs his hands down his face. “He’s right. I wasn’t thinking about the other side of it. It’s important that the media sees us.”
I stare at Graysen, who has been mostly quiet these last few weeks. He’s on edge right now and I don’t like it. Coming up with an idea, I wave him over and hold up my phone.
“A picture?” he questions, and then shakes his head. “My dad…” He runs a hand through his hair. “He’s not patient. If he thinks things aren’t progressing…”
I roll my eyes. “He’ll what?”
“He’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants.”
I study his tense posture and the sweat collecting along his brow. “And why does he want you to marry me?”
“He wants our name tied to yours like it was supposed to be. I was trying to give you time. Let you realize how important this is, but Nick—.”
Nick
“Nick what? And don’t hold back, Graysen. I want to hear what you have to say,” I say, stepping into the room.
My girl’s head swings my way, a small smile pulling her lips up. She’s wearing sweats and my black shirt that hangs to her thighs. Her hair flows down her back, and my dick hardens at the memory of me fisting that dark mass while I was guiding my cock in and out of her mouth last night. I step behind her, my chest pressed against her back and she leans into me.
“I was telling Hayley we should make a public appearance because my dad is breathing down my fucking neck. He doesn’t understand the word no,” Graysen says, eyeing us. “You know how he is, Nick.”
“A power-hungry asshole who will stop at nothing to get what he wants,” I say, tone full of disgust because I hate him and his whole damn family. My dad may be a cold prick, but Alexander Anderson is a hundred times colder.
“He brought up sending Camden,” Graysen says, face reddening.
My body tenses for a moment and Hayley notices.
“Who’s Camden?” Hayley asks, pulling her leg up onto the chair with her and twisting to see my face.
“Graysen’s brother,” I tell her, then focuses back on Graysen. “Camden wouldn’t go for an arranged marriage, and he has no problem telling your pops to fuck off.”
“Maybe if he cut him off. He’s threatened to do it before. He has three years before he gains access to his inheritance.”
“Fuck Camden,” I say tone laced with venom. “Let him come here.”
“Um, no,” Hayley says. “I don’t want any more drama. Things have been good.” She gets to her feet, stepping up to Graysen, and I move with her. “You’ve given into someone controlling your life. I haven’t.”
“Maybe I want this marriage, Hayley. Maybe I agree with my dad.”
Forever his father’s puppet. “Fuck off, Graysen,” I growl. “Go after Molly like you were doing before. I’m sure your father doesn’t care which princess you trap.” The words feel like a lie. Of course Alexander cares. He was humiliated when Nora ditched him for John. He probably feels he’s owed this, and I don’t doubt he’ll do everything he can to ensure his son marries Hayley.
“Molly won’t marry me!” Graysen yells.
“Hayley won’t either!” I step around Hayley and shove him back a step. “Deal with it. You can’t force people to do what you want, motherfucker.”
“So let Hayley g
et to know me. You’ve been standing in the way. You afraid she’ll fall for me?”
Never in a million years would I think Hayley would fall for someone like Graysen Anderson. Graysen thinks he needs to up his game so he’s trying to be cocky, but I know he’s really a scared little bitch. Just as he opens his mouth to say something else stupid, Hayley says, “Shut up, Graysen. I told you before, I don’t want you.” She steps back against me and laces her fingers through mine. “Help me get dressed, babe?”
I smirk, backing away from Graysen while pulling my girl with me. That’s right dumbass, she’s mine.
Chapter 15
The day after the kitchen run in with Graysen, Nick and I are spread out on the couch zoned out on the TV when Graysen stomps down the stairs with a suitcase in each hand. His face is red and so are his eyes. He looks like he’s about to cry.
“You’ll be happy to know that my father booked me a flight back to England.”
“Whoa, for real?” I ask, not hiding my excitement.
“This is bullshit. He doesn’t think you’re going to marry me.”
“She’s not,” Nick says. “Bye, Graysen.”
I laugh under my breath, and Nick and I turn back to face the TV. As soon as the front door slams shut. Nick scoops me up. “I think we should celebrate.”
“Mmm,” I say, licking my lips.
I cling to his neck as he carries me up the stairs. He drops me onto the bed and we both make quick work of undressing. I push him onto his back and wrap my fingers around his shaft, giving it a few pumps. I lean down, keeping my eyes on his as I lick up and down his thick length. I take him into my mouth until his tip is hitting the back of my throat.
He groans softly as his fingers flex in my hair. He guides my head, keeping the pace slow. He groans again, his fingers slipping under my shirt to pinch my nipples. I relax my jaw as he pushes my head down and thrusts into my mouth over and over. The masculine sounds of his pleasure and his dominance over me has me wet as fuck. I gag as he pushed to the back of my throat, and he uses my hair to pull my head back until my neck is stretched as far as it will go. With saliva dripping down my chin, I smile at him. He leans forward and kisses my lips before guiding his dick back into my mouth. He lets me set the pace this time. I start off slow, pulling back every few sucks to flick my tongue over the tip. After a couple minutes of that, he grips my hair and pulls my head back. His dick pops free, and he leans to the side to grab a condom from the nightstand.
Amorevolous: (Savage Princess book 2) Page 10