My fingers found the buttons of Shane’s shirt, and I began to undo them, revealing his broad, muscular chest. The fabric whispered, mingling with the airy sound of our breathing. Shane’s rough fingertips glided under the hem of my t-shirt and pulled it up just as I finished undoing the last button. He pulled it over my head, and a gasp escaped his lips.
My body arched toward him and he buried his mouth in my cleavage. I wanted to scream from the pleasure of it but wisely held my tongue, even as Shane’s carved a wet path between my breasts. He fiddled with my clasp and moved back to guide my bra from my shoulders.
“So beautiful,” he whispered. His hands cupped my flesh, and my breath hitched.
Heat curled in my belly, knotting and tightening with every stroke of his hand against my bare skin. He worked off my jeans and panties, running his fingers up my thighs and toward my throbbing sex. I reached for his bulge. He was hard against my palm, swollen with need for me and me alone. Like he had undressed me, I did the same to him, dropping to my knees below him as his pants and boxers reached his ankles.
Shane’s cock bobbed in front of my face. A pearl of precum glistened at the tip, and before he could move a muscle, I wrapped my lips around it and sucked.
Shane gasped and bit his lip. I smiled. Now who was having trouble staying silent?
With one hand on the base, I began to take more of him into my mouth, stretching my jaw as wide as it could go. I wanted to give him something to remember me by in case things went south, like they most certainly would. I couldn’t tell Shane how mad Wes had been, all the threats he hurled at me before he and his father stormed off to the club to “blow off some steam”. I couldn’t divulge how scared I was. It was too late to do any good. All I could do was show Shane how much I cared for him in this moment, and if it got me off at the same time, who was I to complain?
His cock was stiff and hot. The salty taste turned me on, and I sucked hard to see if I could get more. I swirled my tongue around the shaft and pulled back to lavish attention on the tip, causing Shane’s thighs to quiver. He rested a hand lovingly on the back of my head but didn’t push me, letting me set my own pace for pleasing him. I bobbed along, taking him as deep as I could and squeezing the rest of his shaft with my hand.
Shane tipped his head back, a rumble emanating from his throat. I sped up the pace, thinking that he was close, but he stepped away and pulled me up. His mouth slammed into mine. It was a brutal, demanding kiss. I tried not to moan but a small squeak escaped, and he bit my lip as punishment, which didn’t exactly help. I clawed down his chest, and he growled, pushing me back until my thighs backed up against the bed.
We tumbled into the sheets together. Our lips battled for dominance, hands grabbing and squeezing each other’s exposed flesh. I rolled on top of him and reached to the nightstand for a condom.
Shane looked at me questioningly.
“They keep them in every room of the house, despite my complaints,” I whispered.
He rolled his eyes and we both smiled.
I’d had little practice putting on condoms, but with a bit of help from Shane, I soon managed to do it properly. I climbed astride him and lowered myself over his swollen rod.
Shane held my hips to help me, and the moment I began to sink onto his cock his fingers dug into me like steel grips. I bit my lip to keep from moaning. I thought I’d get used to how intense it felt to have him inside of me, but still hadn’t. My body screamed with delight at the stretching sensation, toes curling, hair standing on end. I took a moment to adjust before starting to slowly rock my hips against his.
We had to take things slow if we wanted to stay quiet. Nonetheless, it was torturous. Every stroke felt like heaven, and I wanted to dig my nails into his chest and ride him like a bucking bull. I could tell Shane’s thoughts on the matter were similar, as he held my hips and guided me faster and faster, eyes switching between my bouncing breasts and the look of ecstasy on my face. I don’t know how long we moved like that, but it felt like seconds and like hours.
I leaned over him, and he took my nipple into his mouth, sucking and biting as I buried my moans in the pillow. His hips rose to meet mine with every thrust, and as my core slowly twisted up with pleasure, I wasn’t sure if I was going to cum or die. Maybe both. That would be the way to go.
Shane nuzzled his lips into the crook of my neck and released a rattled groan.
He thrust a hand between us, and at first I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but then he began to circle my clit with the pads of his fingers, and it became apparent. I closed my eyes, bliss working into every inch of me. I was powerless against the onslaught of pleasure that hit me like a tidal wave, but it was the kind of powerless I enjoyed. I let my mouth fall open in a silent scream and seized up.
Shane took the reins. He held my hips steady and thrust up inside of me for a few short but powerful strokes then pulled me tight against his hips. He bit into my shoulder and held me there as he released, cock spasming.
Reality thwacked me on the top of the head and I remembered where we were. I listened for any noise above the sound of our breathing but heard nothing.
Shane and I looked at each other and smiled.
“Incredible,” he whispered, kissing my cheek.
I rolled off him, and he pulled me against his chest. We simmered in the moment for a while, but I knew I would have to say it eventually.
“Shane.”
He shifted his face to look down at me. I reached out and brushed my fingers over his lips.
“I want you to go,” I said, and it felt like ripping away my own skin. “It’s not safe.”
“Sure,” he said. “You’re safe for now, that’s all I needed to see.”
I shook my head. My eyes stung. “No. I mean I want you to leave Sitka Valley.”
He studied me, but I couldn’t discern the emotion on his face.
“I won’t do that,” he said.
Ah, the emotion was stubbornness. That didn’t work for me.
“But I want you to. If something happens to you, that’s going to be on my conscience for the rest of my life. I can figure things out on my own here. It’s probably easier that way.”
He didn’t need to know that me “figuring it out” would likely entail groveling and finally having sex with Wes. I had no other choice. He and Preston were furious enough to do something rash, and I worried that my dad would get caught in the crossfire.
“I’m not going, Dallas.” He rolled atop me, caging me beneath him and holding my gaze. “You’re the whole reason I’m here. I’m not leaving until I accomplish what I came here to do.”
“You never said...”
“I didn’t have a plan for how to go forward when you asked me before. I think I’ve figured it out now.” He ran a calloused thumb over my cheek. “I’m not leaving you here. You or your father.”
My heart swelled, even as questions flooded my brain.
“Why, though?” I asked. “Why come back after all this time just to help me?”
“Because, Dallas.” He kissed me. His soft lips feathered over mine. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
Joy overtook me so suddenly that I wanted to scream. I did the next best thing, flinging my arms around him and kissing the living daylights out of him. And as our lips and tongues mingled, I realized he wasn’t the only one.
“I love you too,” I murmured.
He smiled against my mouth. “Good.”
Shane extricated himself from my arms and stood, gathering his clothes from the floor.
“Practice your audition piece for Broadway, Princess. We’ll be there soon.”
* * *
Someone burst through my door, and I bolted upright, half asleep and confused.
“Time to get up,” Wes said roughly. “You’re wanted in Dad’s office in five minutes.”
He stormed out as quickly as he came in, and I hopped out of bed. Morning sunlight slanted through my blinds, and I looked longingly at the fram
e as though Shane might pop back through it, all smiles and optimism. I wasn’t sure how much I believed that Shane would find a way to save me a lifetime of misery at Gromley hands, but I believed in his conviction. After he left last night, somehow jumping from my window to the deck without alerting anyone in the house, I lay awake all night thinking about what he said. About what I’d said.
I loved him. As soon as I said it, I knew it was one of those infallible truths, like the sun rising in the East and bread always landing with the butter side down. There couldn’t be a less convenient person in the world for me to love. There couldn’t be a less convenient time for me to fall in love. I was absolutely screwed.
One problem at a time, I told myself, pulling on some jeans and running a brush through my hair. I tied it into a knot at the back of my head and left my room. I didn’t want to keep Preston waiting.
I reached the office door and knocked. It swung open to reveal Wes’s stony face, and I forced a smile at him as I entered.
Preston was behind his desk, hands folded in front of him. The tone was somber. I felt as though I were standing before a judge with no sense of humor. There was no cocaine in sight, at least.
Wes closed the door. It was just the three of us, which unsettled me further. I was rarely alone with father and son.
“Dallas,” Preston welcomed. “Sit.”
I did, holding my spine straight and my chin up. Wes sat in the chair next to me.
“I’m not going to dance around the issue, Dallas,” said Preston. “We’ve reached a crossroads in our relationship, and you have to make a choice.”
“What’s the choice?”
He smiled humorlessly. “You can choose to leave, as you so obviously would prefer to do.”
My heart skipped. Would they actually let me leave?
“What’s the catch?” I rushed to ask, attempting to keep the tremors from my voice.
“You didn’t let me finish.” He furrowed his brow. “You can choose to leave, and we will kill your father and Shane.”
My mouth dropped open in horror. Like I would ever choose such a horrible option!
“You would be well and truly free to go,” Preston assured, as if that were the problem I had with the whole arrangement.
“You’re a monster,” I managed to bite out.
Preston laughed. “Oh, stop. You’re making me blush.”
I pictured myself lunging over his desk and throttling him. I knew I’d never make it that far and that when it came to strength Preston had a leg up on me, but I was so angry that my muscles tensed to spring.
‘Don’t you want to hear what’s behind door number two?” Preston asked.
I didn’t respond, just glared. Preston plowed right ahead.
“We will let your father and that dumbass live, and in return, you will do my son the great honor of becoming his wife.”
I swung my gaze over to Wes. His mouth was set in a smirk that chilled me to the bone.
“We’ll give you the night to think it over,” Preston continued. “Tomorrow morning, if all goes as I suspect, we will host your nuptials.” He chuckled. “Fitting that we should have them on Saint Patrick’s Day since Wes will finally be getting to see your pot of gold. Plus we can introduce you two as man and wife at the party that evening. Don’t you just love killing two birds with one stone?”
The men laughed, but I shrunk into my seat. It was just beginning to sink in how screwed I was. There was no way I would allow Preston to kill my dad and Shane, but how could I possibly marry Wes?
“Please,” I begged. “Don’t do this.”
I wasn’t sure whether I was begging Wes or Preston. My plea fell on deaf ears either way.
“Get her back to her room.” Preston nodded to Wes. “And make sure she stays there.”
Chapter 32
Shane
Jake sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his fists over his eyes. “I don’t know if this is going to work.”
“It will. You can do it,” I assured.
Jake ran a hand through his fiery hair, leaving a portion sticking out at an odd angle, then sat forward and refocused his attention on the computer screen.
“I’m too amateur for a police database,” he complained a few minutes later. “This is going to take me ages.”
“Then take ages,” I replied.
I knew his real problem, and it wasn’t the level of difficulty involved in hacking the Sitka Valley police. Jake loved a good challenge, especially one that worked the part of his brain he almost never got to tap into at his hardware store job. His eyes lit up when I asked him if he’d be able to help me with a computer problem, but that light grew dim when I told him why.
I had a feeling things were about to come to a head.
Jake tapped away for a couple more minutes while I sat staring at nothing, deep in thought. When he stopped and looked at me, it took me a second to notice the darkness in his eyes.
“Shane, are you sure you shouldn’t just let her go?” he asked. “She’s made it this far, and there’s no guarantee that what you’re doing is going to help her. More likely than not you’re just going to end up dead.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“Don’t be like that.” He frowned. “I just don’t trust Preston, and neither should you. Who’s to say he doesn’t just shoot you on sight when you show up? Why would he care about making a bet with you?”
“Maybe he will just shoot me on sight,” I shot back. “Maybe he won’t. Either way, I have to fucking try something, Jake. Dallas fears for her life, and I’m the only one who can help her. Now, are you going to help me or not?”
He sighed. “Of course I’m going to help you, Shane. You’re my best friend. I’ll do whatever you need me to do just please, be careful.”
“I will,” I lied, because I knew that I was going to have to risk it big time if I wanted even the smallest chance to save Dallas.
“What am I looking for, anyway?” Jake asked. “Once I finally get on here, that is.”
“Anything that could be used as evidence to implicate Preston in dirty dealings with the cops.”
“And you’re just going to balance this information against what?”
I still hadn’t figured out that part. If all went to plan, I would take my offer to Preston, and it would be juicy enough for him to accept. One wager—if he won, I wouldn’t pass on whatever evidence I had to higher authorities. If I won, I would, and I’d be taking Dallas with me. Those were the kind of stakes Preston wouldn’t be able to pass up, and they would also provide me a little security in case he decided to play dirty. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was what we would bet on.
“All I can think of is that we bet on the outcome of a fight,” I said. “Me against him, or whatever guy he prefers to fight in his place.”
“Now that’s crazy,” Jake said over the top of his computer screen, still tapping away.
“I can’t think of anything better. I refuse to leave this up to chance, and a fight is the only thing that Preston will think he can win. And he’ll be wrong.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because unlike Preston, I have something that I’m fighting for. He doesn’t have a heart so it won’t be possible for him to put his whole heart into it.”
We were interrupted by a metallic crash coming from downstairs. The back door.
I shot up from my seat and went to the door, but Jake called out and stopped me.
“I’ll get it. If it’s someone looking to beat you up, I’ll say you’re not here.”
I let him go first but followed down the stairs to the stock room, intending to stay close in case anything bad happened. Jake cracked open the door just enough to stick his face through.
The voice was familiar. “I need to speak to Shane.”
What the hell was Paul doing here?
“He’s not here,” said Jake, going to close the door.
I stopped him. “Let him i
n.”
Jake shot me an incredulous look, but I merely nodded. He reluctantly stepped back from the door and opened it for Paul. He was the last person I expected to seek me out, and I couldn’t help my curiosity.
“Did Wes send you?” I asked.
Paul laughed. “Wes would fucking kill me if he knew I was here.”
“Go on.”
Jake closed the door behind Paul and stood behind him with his arms crossed, like he was ready to jump in and remove him at the first sign of trouble. It was the first time I’d seen Jake try to be tough and I found it endearing.
“Look, we may have had our differences, but I’ve got my differences with the Gromleys too, and they’ve gone too far this time.”
Fear gripped my throat.
“Is Dallas okay?” I asked, panicked.
“For now. Preston gave her an ultimatum—marry Wes, or he’s going to kill her father and you. In other words, she’s getting married in the morning.”
I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t know how fucked in the head Preston was. That kind of cruelty could only come from the twisted blackness he called a soul. Anger flooded my veins, and I had to stop myself from crashing a fist into the cement wall.
“Anyway,” Paul said a moment later when neither Jake or I had spoken. “I just wanted to let you know. You’re up to something, and whatever it is, it’s now or never.”
He turned and walked around Jake to the door. A second later he was gone, and the silence in the airy back room compounded in my head and made me want to scream.
Jake spoke first. “Shane, I’m so sorry man, but there is no way I can get you anything that quick. Even if I worked all night, there’s just no way.”
I barely heard him. My mind buzzed with the realization of what I had to do. It might not work, but I had to try.
Some part of me had always known it would come down to this.
“I’ll offer them something else instead then,” I said quietly.
“But what?”
I chewed on my lip. “I’ll challenge Preston and Wes to fight me for Dallas and Randall’s freedom. And if I lose...If I lose, I’ll forfeit my own life.”
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