Hard Truth (The Alpha Antihero Series Book 4)
Page 18
I knew this would come up. Talerco had called me after Shaila had invited everyone to the new house for dinner. He’d told me how he’d tried to tell her about his woman’s kid, but Shaila’d said she’d wanted nothing to do with Hawkins or anyone associated with him. Talerco said he’d kept his mouth shut, and up until this point, I’d respected her wishes.
Except now she needed to know.
I stepped toward her, but Nicole beat me to it.
“Maddie’s biological father was Stone Hawkins’s son.” Nicole took the girl from my woman’s arms. “His name was Randy. He was your half brother. He’s deceased.”
“She’s my…” My woman’s voice broke, and she cleared her throat. “She’s my niece?” Tears welled as she stared at the child.
“Yes,” Nicole answered.
I wrapped my arm around my woman’s shoulders.
Stiffening, she looked up at me with tearful accusation. “You knew?”
Talon stood. “Darlin’, don’t blame Scott. I had the opportunity to tell you when I met you, and I should have, but it’s not somethin’ I like to talk about because she’s my daughter now. I’m sorry. I should’ve told you.”
My woman swiped at her face. Then she humbled the fuck out of me.
Inhaling, she squared her shoulders and took it all in stride. “No, don’t apologize. I remember what I said to you. I’m the one who should be sorry. I didn’t mean to be hurtful. Had I known what you were tryin’ to tell me, I wouldn’t have been so… closed-minded.”
“It’s all good.” Talerco smiled before kissing the top of the child’s head. “She’s a charmer though, for sure.” He grinned at the girl. “Aren’t you, sweetness?”
“Cookie,” the girl whispered to Talerco.
Talerco, Nicole, Luna and Shaila all laughed. Even Kendall smiled.
Grasping my woman’s chin, I turned my back on everyone and dropped my voice. “I should have told you.”
Her eyes welled again, but she quickly blinked. “This is my fault. I told Talon I didn’t want nothin’ to do with anythin’ related to my daddy, but I didn’t realize—”
“Stop,” I ordered.
She shook her head. “I could’ve lost out on knowin’ that sweet little girl.”
“It worked out.”
“Did you… did you know him? Maddie’s father?”
“He was no one you wanted to know.” Hawkins had manipulated him. “He was weak, and he did not treat Talerco’s woman well.”
“Okay.” She took my hand, and determination filtered into her expression. “Are there any others I should know ’bout?”
I glanced over my shoulder. “Talerco.”
Holding the child, Talerco walked over. “I’m sorry, darlin’.”
“Stop apologizin’,” she scolded Talerco before a smile I’d never seen spread across her face and she looked at the girl. “Your daddy called you sweetness, and I think it’s perfect.”
I glanced at Talerco. “Shaila wants to know about the others.” I’d heard of them, but I’d never met them.
Talerco pressed his daughter’s head into his chest and covered her ear before lowering his voice. “Trust me, darlin’, you don’t wanna know them. Three women, all from different mothers, but none are walkin’ the straight and narrow. Not judgin’, but I’d steer clear.”
Inhaling deep, my woman nodded. “Okay.”
Kendall sauntered over. “Are we going to play family reunion all night or eat? I’m starving.”
“Chica,” Luna clipped.
“What?” Kendall turned toward Luna. “I’m hungry. And so is Maddie.” She looked at the girl. “Isn’t that right?”
Her head still against Talerco’s chest, the little girl nodded. “Two cookies.”
Everyone laughed.
I squeezed my woman’s hand and brought my lips to her ear. “I’m fucking you in every position imaginable the second everyone leaves.”
My woman shivered, then put on a bright smile. “Who’s ready for steak?”
Everyone had left, the kitchen was cleaned up and my woman was standing in her favorite spot in front of the glass sliders in the living room, staring out at the ocean.
I walked up behind her and slowly lifted her dress.
“Did you ever think we’d be livin’ in an oceanfront mansion?” she asked quietly.
I swirled my tongue over her bare shoulder as I hooked my thumbs in her thong. “No. And it’s not a mansion.”
“It is to me.” She shivered. “All those years ago, what’d you think would happen to us?”
I slid her underwear down her legs. “I thought we’d be in Army housing and I’d knock you up every time I came home on leave.” I pulled her dress over her head. No bra, I ran my hands over her breasts.
Soft and submissive, she moaned. “Did you want a lot of kids?”
She’d asked me the same question in the cabin, and I gave her the same answer. “I want what makes you happy.” My mouth on her neck, my fingers stroked through her cunt. “I want inside you.”
She turned in my arms. “Are you happy?”
I didn’t know what the fuck that was. I knew content. I knew peace. I knew relief. I knew desire. I knew I was bonded to her. “I do not see life the same as you.”
Her arms went around my neck. “You just switched to compound speak.”
I undid my jeans and grasped the back of her thighs, lifting her. “You bring it out in me, woman.”
She giggled. “I reckon that’s a good thing, Mr. Scott, because I sure do like it.”
Pushing her back to the glass, I brought her sweet cunt to my cock. “What else do you like?”
Her expression sobered, and her voice went quiet. “I think you know.”
“Tell me,” I demanded, barely refraining from driving into her.
“I like you taking control,” she whispered.
“Good.” I drove into her.
Her mouth opened, and my favorite fucking sound in the world escaped—the gasp she made every time I entered her.
“That, right there.” I pulled back then thrust deep, my cock bottoming out.
She sucked in with a sharp inhale, but her body, her muscles, they melted into me.
“That is the sound I live to hear.” I ground my hips into her clit.
“Tarquin,” she breathed, already pulsing around me.
She was so fucking responsive, it made my dick harder, but I didn’t want her to come yet. “Do not release,” I commanded, lifting her away from the glass. “Wait.”
“Oh my God.” Her thighs tightened around my waist. “Please, don’t make me wait.”
Covering her lips with mine, I walked us into the master bedroom. Devouring her mouth but holding my fucking cock in check, I laid her on the bed and came down on top of her.
She brought her legs up, and I sank so fucking deep, my head swam.
Driving in and out of her, I almost forgot my intent.
Pulling back but keeping the head of my cock inside her, I reached in my pocket.
“No, no, no,” she pleaded, rocking her hips. “Don’t stop.”
Opening the small black bag, I poured the diamonds on her stomach.
She froze.
I grasped her wrists. “Buy a dress. Order a cake.” That lawyer fuck had helped us, and she had a legitimate ID now. We could get married legally.
Her eyes welled, and she looked up from the sparkling stones on her stomach. “You bought me diamonds?”
My heart hammering, I gave her a clipped nod. “Seven.” One for every year of hell she went through.
“Seven,” she repeated on a whisper. But then she didn’t say shit else. She looked at me like she was about to burst into tears.
“You said diamonds, cake and dress,” I reminded her.
She stifled a small cry, and one of the stones rolled over her stab wound scar. Then she burst into tears, and her contracting stomach sent the jewels rolling.
I let go of her wrists, and she reached for
the diamonds.
Grabbing her hands, I threaded my fingers with hers and pinned them down on either side of her head.
The diamonds between us, I thrust into her and stilled. “Marry me.”
Her eyes wet, her cheeks wet, her cunt wet, she looked up at me. “Yes, a million times, yes. This is perfect.” Her voice caught. “You’re perfect.”
“I am not,” I corrected her. “But I am yours.”
“All mine.” She brought her lips to mine and kissed me. “Forever.”
I eased back. Then, measured and slow, I drove into my woman.
My gaze locked on my green-eyed, wild beauty, I made love to her.
THANK YOU!
Thank you so much for reading HARD TRUTH, the final book in the Alpha Antihero Series! If you are interested in leaving a review on any retail site, I would be so appreciative. Reviews mean the world to authors, and they are helpful beyond compare!
If you would like to read about Shade, or any of the men who work for André Luna, check out the Alpha Bodyguard Series!
SCANDALOUS—Tank’s story
MERCILESS—Collins’s story
RECKLESS—Tyler’s story
RUTHLESS—Sawyer’s story
FEARLESS—Ty’s story
CALLOUS—Preston’s story
RELENTLESS—Thomas’s story
SHAMELESS—Shade’s story
HEARTLESS—Ronin’s Story
Have you read the Uncompromising Series?
TALON
NEIL
ANDRÉ
BENNETT
CALLAN
Have you read the sexy Alpha Escort Series?
THRUST
ROUGH
GRIND
Turn the page for a preview of SHAMELESS, the next exciting book in the Alpha Bodyguard Series!
SHAMELESS
Bodyguard.
Shadow.
Warrior.
The Marines trained me to be a weapon. Tactical warfare was in my blood. I didn’t think twice when I was deployed for the fifth time because I was born battle ready. Then a mission went south and left me with a medical discharge.
Too many years downrange, I didn’t fit in the civilian world. Taking a job with the best security firm in the business seemed like a solid plan… until I was assigned babysitting duty for a spoiled little rich girl. The only thing worse than the assignment was the client’s mouth. She thought she could run it—all over me—and not suffer the consequences. She was wrong.
Now she was about to find out how shameless a bodyguard could be.
HEARTLESS
Bodyguard.
Sentry.
Explosives expert.
There was a reason I was the only Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician in the Marines whod never sustained any injuries. I didn’t take chances. Ever. My actions were precise. My thoughts were controlled, and I lived by one creed, no second chances.
Except serving my country as an EOD in the Marines had a shelf life. Promoted off the front lines, I didn’t want to ride out my career behind a desk. A civilian job with the best security firm in the business seemed like a better solution, until a frightened client with haunted eyes lied to me about everything.
Now she was going to find out how heartless a bodyguard could be.
SCANDALOUS
Bodyguard.
Babysitter.
Chauffeur.
Not what the hell I thought I’d be doing with my life.
Especially not for a spoiled Hollywood actress on location in Miami Beach. But triple pay and carrying a gun had its advantages. I’d shove away paparazzi and screaming fans for a lot less. The Marines trained me to be Force Recon—intimidation and crowd control was child’s play compared to four tours. This assignment should’ve been easy money.
But the doe-eyed starlet with the perfect ass dragged me down her rabbit hole. Living for the spotlight, she leaked the perfect scandal. I warned her making headlines wasn’t in my job description, but she kept smiling for the cameras.
Now she was going to find out just how scandalous a bodyguard could be.
MERCILESS
Bodyguard.
Mercenary.
Gun for hire.
I didn’t care what you called it, the end result was always the same.
You paid me for a job, you got results. The Marines trained me to shoot, but life taught me to aim. Working for the best personal security firm in the business was a stepping stone. Put in my time, build the résumé, then move on. I didn’t do attachments on any level.
Until a smoking-hot former one-night stand crossed the street in front of me, holding hands with a kid who was my spitting image. She tried to play it off, deny he was mine. She said she didn’t remember me, right before she picked her kid up and ran. She thought she’d made a clean escape.
But she was about to find out how merciless a bodyguard could be.
RECKLESS
Bodyguard.
Escort.
Bad boy.
I didn’t come from the wrong side of the tracks. I was the wrong side. Every cliché you could think of, my family embraced. The only advantage I had was being the best-looking out of all my brothers. Except when I joined the Marines, looks didn’t count for shit downrange.
I wasn’t active duty anymore, and working for the best personal security firm in the business, my looks were getting me in more trouble than they were worth. I just didn’t realize how much trouble until a princess from a country I’d never heard of asked for me by name. Her request was simple—me, my gun, and an art opening. But she recklessly failed to mention one crucial part of the assignment… pretend to be her new fiancé.
Now she was about to find out how reckless a bodyguard could be.
RUTHLESS
Bodyguard.
Protector.
Security Detail.
I wasn’t supposed to join the Marines and serve three tours. I’d been groomed to be another kind of warrior. Since I could walk, I’d been primed to take over the family business. Build the real estate empire bigger, ruthlessly fight my way to the top—make everyone richer.
Instead, I’d enlisted. Wanting to protect my country, not a bank account, I’d turned my back on the family business and given the Marines eight years. Now I was a bodyguard for the best personal security firm in the business, and life was perfectly uncomplicated… until an innocent redhead smiled at me and destroyed everything
Now she was about to find out how ruthless a bodyguard could be.
FEARLESS
Bodyguard.
Sniper.
Morally corrupt.
I didn’t care who I aimed at. You paid me, I pulled the trigger. I sold my skills to the highest bidder, and trust me, I had skills. The Marines trained me to aim a sniper rifle, but life taught me to get the job done—at any expense.
Except hostage recovery wasn’t on my short list. I didn’t care that the personal security firm that’d hired me was paying double to get some rich businessman’s daughter back without casualties. I didn’t negotiate with terrorists. Ever. I had my own plan. Take out anyone in my sights, recover the hostage, and get out. But then I laid eyes on the half-naked, bleeding brunette, and I changed my mind. I was gonna do a lot more than simply pull the trigger.
Now they were going to find out how fearless a bodyguard could be.
CALLOUS
Bodyguard.
Tracker.
Silent observer.
Life was in the details. The weight of a government-issued rifle, the trajectory of a bullet, the speed of the wind—those details were crucial in the Marines. But outside the military, that level of observation was currency, and I was selling my skills to the best security firm in south Florida.
Except I wasn’t on a job when I noticed the nervous brunette pushing through the crowd. Her hair loose, her shirt borrowed, she stumbled in too-big shoes before looking over her shoulder. I didn’t follow her glance. I didn’t have to. I’d already spott
ed the muscle after her. The question was if I was going to do anything about it. Before I could decide, her pursuer took aim. It was the wrong move.
Now everyone was going to find out how callous a bodyguard could be.
For all of the men and women in our Armed Forces, thank you for your dedication, your sacrifice, and your service. You have my deepest gratitude.
XOXO
—Sybil
Sybil grew up in northern California with her head in a book and her feet in the sand. She now resides in southern Florida, and while she doesn’t get to read as much as she likes, she still buries her toes in the sand. If she’s not writing or fighting to contain the banana plantation in her backyard, you can find her spending time with her family, and a mischievous miniature boxer.
To find out more about Sybil Bartel or her books, please visit her at:
Website
Facebook page
Book Boyfriend Heroes
Twitter
BookBub
Newsletter