As I increase my speed, she starts to move her hips in tandem, sliding over my cock with slippery precision. When her inner muscles start to squeeze me with their familiar ecstasy-inducing grip, I know she’s close.
“You’re going to come for me, Sabrina,” I say, and I can feel her start to tremble. Sitting up, I take one of her nipples into my mouth, and her eyes shoot open to see me licking the breast she’s cupping as if she’s offering it to me.
She cries out, and I can feel her climax overtake her. And not a moment too soon. I can’t hold back any longer. I let go, feeling like I’m the one who might black out.
Sabrina collapses against my chest, and I hold her, gently stroking her back once I’m able to use my brain again. The moment feels so right. This woman, in my bed, in my arms. Isn’t it just perfect?
Suddenly, Sabrina lets out a pitiful sob, and it demolishes my warm afterglow in a millisecond. Guess not.
“Sabrina? Baby? What’s wrong?”
She doesn’t answer me, just continues weeping, her teardrops spattering my chest. My heart feels like it’s breaking as I hold her. What happened to cause her mood to shift so suddenly?
I continue to hold her, not knowing what to say to make her feel better. After a few long minutes her tears taper off, and soon she’s breathing more evenly.
“What’s wrong?” I ask again, softly.
“Everything,” she says, and that single word guts me. Before I can respond, the words start to spill out of her. “My daughter’s being bullied by her class, and now her teacher, because of who her father is. Soon the whole town is going to know that Lex is your daughter. You know you can’t keep a secret like that in a town this small once it gets out. As bad as things are now, they’re about to get a whole lot worse.”
I fight the urge to stiffen. “What do you mean? Who’s bullying Lex?” The thought that anyone would mistreat my daughter has me instantly on edge, even if I only recently learned that I have a daughter. She’s already part of me, a part I want to know more about.
“A few boys in her class. They have a bit of a contentious relationship, to put it mildly.” Her bark of laughter sounds slightly unhinged.
“And the teacher doesn’t do anything about it?”
“The teacher thinks our daughter is a liar.”
I sit up and shift Sabrina onto the bed beside me. I can’t sit still, not with what I’m hearing, so I stand and start to dress. “What gave her that impression?” I say lightly, hoping to disguise the inner turmoil I’m experiencing.
Sabrina looks at me, then puts her elbows on her knees and her face in her hands. “She may have told a few creative stories about who her father is. After crying wolf, the town folk aren’t so enthusiastic to be told that Lex’s real father is Alexander Craven.”
Lex made up stories about me? I want to ask more questions, but I don’t want to derail Sabrina, now that she’s finally communicating. “Have you talked to the teacher?” I ask instead.
She lifts her head and nods. “That’s where I was headed back from when you found me. My stupid car broke down again.”
“And did she apologize for her mistake?”
Sabrina lets out a burst of air. “Oh yeah, then she nominated Lex for valedictorian.” She stands, putting the ripped flannel back on but pulling it closed instead of buttoning it. “Right after she gave me the trophy for Mother of the Year.”
“What happened?”
“Well, first she said that my daughter makes things up. Then she said I did. And then she said I’m classless, you’re a criminal, and our daughter is, and I quote, ‘fucked up.’”
I’m so mad that I almost lose my vision. “What’s this teacher’s name?” I ask, imagining all the damage I’m about to do to her career.
“Oh, she’s just one of the legion of girls who were in love with you back in high school and who are going to have a decade’s worth of sour grapes as soon as they learn that I had your baby. And never told a soul.”
I open my mouth to try and dissect her last few comments, but she cuts me off. “And once they get tired of speculating whether I hid the baby from you or whether you knew all along, the accusations will start. I only want your money. I’m holding the child for ransom until you buy me off. And whatever other ridiculous rumors sprout up like weeds.”
She marches out of my room and back to the fireplace where she starts to dress in her own clothes, abandoning the flannel. As she dresses, she continues her diatribe. “This is exactly why I didn’t want anyone to know. This town is too obsessed with your family and their wealth. All of our livelihoods are tied to the damn Craven fortunes. There’s no way people aren’t going to talk about an illicit love child and my motivations for keeping it a secret.”
Even though I want to deny what she says, I know she’s right. My family literally built this town, and we still hold enormous sway. Craven Industries employs three-fourths of the town, and the rest of the businesses rely on those who work in ours. News like this would be front-page gossip for weeks, or, more likely, years.
“Look, I realize this is going to be tough, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it through this.” I approach her, put a finger under her chin and force her to meet my gaze. “If we stand together, convince folks that there’s nothing seedy or sinister going on between us, it will all blow over.”
Sabrina shakes her head, taking a step away from me. “Do we even live in the same town? Crystal Danforth cheated on her husband with that plumber from the next town over in 1975 and folks still call her the town bicycle. I don’t want the town thinking everyone can have a ride on me, thank you very much.”
Getting frustrated, I let out a burst of air. “Come on, Sabrina. It won’t be that bad.”
“Yes, it will! You don’t know, Ax. You spent your youth on your estate looking down on the rest of us from on high. Then you left, and left again. I’ve been here my entire life. I know how things work. This won’t blow over, not as easily as you think. Maybe not at all.”
I can see the fear in her eyes, hiding behind her anger. It grounds me, makes me realize that perhaps I don’t have a full understanding of the situation. But it also makes me realize that I want to.
Taking her gently into my arms, I pull her close and tuck her head under my chin. “You don’t have to struggle alone anymore,” I say softly. “And I won’t let my daughter be bullied.”
I think of my own childhood, of my strained relationship with my father, and I know that I don’t want the same kind of bad blood to exist between Lex and me. I’ve got years to make up for, but I’m willing to do the work to avoid her having to go through the same hell I did.
“I’m here now, and I can help. Together we can handle this. Just let me in.”
Sabrina pulls away, blinking back a fresh set of tears. I can tell before she speaks that she’s going to say something I won’t like. “You’re still not listening. Maybe the Craven name has gotten people to go along in the past, but trust me, in this situation it’s a liability.”
“Sabrina, listen to me. I—”
“No, you listen to me. I won’t have my daughter hurt, not by anyone in this town, and not by you. They’re already set to drag me through the mud, but I’m not going to let that happen to her. And you trying to exert your influence isn’t going to help. People around here still have mixed feelings about what happened five years ago.”
I try to interrupt, but she ignores me, pulling on her sweater and continuing to rip apart my heart, piece by piece.
“And the fact that you refuse to tell me what you’re doing here only makes things worse. I won’t have you involved in Lex’s life if you’re headed back to the penitentiary. She doesn’t need that kind of heartbreak, to start bonding with her dad, only to have him back in Tabor for the rest of her childhood.”
This time I don’t bother to argue. She’s making a good point, one I’ve considered myself, more than once. She’s waiting by the door, so I throw on my jacket and open the door. The r
ain has tapered off to a gentle mist. I pull Delilah out of the shed and start her up. Sabrina straps on her helmet and I put on mine, then we climb onto the bike and head back toward Cape Craven.
Sabrina’s words eat me alive all the way to her house. I don’t want Lex hurt any more than she does, but I can’t see giving up all rights to my daughter. There’s a battle brewing inside myself. I have to decide whether to stay in Cape Craven and abandon my plot for revenge against my brother or to continue and sacrifice whatever hope I have of a family.
The choice seems easy, but not if Sabrina thinks I’ll do more harm than good.
Or maybe, she just doesn’t want you, an inner voice whispers.
I would have thought the performance in my cabin tonight is proof enough that she wants me, I argue with myself.
Unless that was her way of saying goodbye.
We pull up to her house, and she gets off the bike. Before she can move away, I grab her wrist. I have to say what’s inside me, have to give it one more chance.
“Sabrina, I want a chance to be in my daughter’s life.”
She stares at me, hard, then removes her wrist from my grasp to unbuckle the helmet and hand it to me. “I’m sorry,” she says, her voice hoarse, “but the risk is too great right now. The shit is about to hit the fan, once the town learns the truth, and I think you taking an active role will only make things worse.”
I can tell that she doesn’t like saying the words but feels as if she has to. “It’s probably best if you leave town again. It would be easier for all of us. Maybe someday—” she trails off, not bothering to finish the sentence when she notices a light come on inside her house. “I’ve got to go. Thanks for the ride.”
I watch her walk away, finding a new low point in my life. With all that’s happened to me, you’d think I’d have reached the depths of pain. Apparently not.
On the drive back to my cabin, I turn her words over and over in my brain, trying to find holes in her logic. The problem is, there aren’t any. She’s right. From what I’ve told her, and what she’s experienced, she has every right to expect me to leave again, or worse, to end up back in Tabor. I can’t blame her for wanting to keep Lex isolated from that.
Should I take Brent’s offer? Leave town with ten million dollars in my pocket? It would be quite a nest egg, one that I could funnel to Sabrina and Lex.
In fact, ten million dollars is enough for us all to leave town. Maybe I could convince Sabrina to come with me, to bring the family and build a new life somewhere away from the taint my family has put over this town and our lives.
Abandoning my quest for revenge could be liberating. But could I leave my father and his business to Brent’s control? Leave behind one family for the other?
But will Sabrina come with you? the inner voice whispers. Or has she never intended for you to know about Lex? Maybe she never wanted you in the picture in the first place.
I scowl, trying to ignore my inner bastard. Seeing her tonight has fucked my head up. That seems to happen every time I see her. But, I have to admit, she’s worth it.
I’m not far from the cabin when I hear the squeal of tires on pavement. I risk a look over my shoulder and see a dark SUV barreling down on me. The headlights are off, and the car is driving much faster than it should be.
I try to speed up, but with the roads being wet and windy, I know I can’t safely outrun the SUV. I look for a safe space to get out of their way, but they don’t even seem to see me. With only seconds to spare, I manage to get Delilah to the side of the road, but in the mud I lose traction, and the bike slides closer and closer to the edge.
Suddenly, she tips, and we tumble off the road and into the forest. I fall off the bike and roll over and over until my head hits something and I lose consciousness.
30
Sabrina
I’m beginning to think I’ll never get a normal night of sleep again. It was late when I got home last night, and Mom already put Lex to bed. She asked what happened, and I explained about Miss Samantha and her less-than-enthusiastic reception.
Then my mother asked why Ax brought me home, and I realized she must have heard the motorcycle. I kept the explanation short, but her face told me she knew there was more than I was saying.
Even though it was late, I allowed myself an hour of relaxation in the bathtub. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get as Zen as I liked. I was too busy thinking about what happened with Ax.
I slept with him. Again. After his reaction to Lex, after he ignored me in the general store, I still had sex with him at the earliest opportunity. What’s wrong with me?
Still, he seems to have had a change of heart regarding his daughter. Ax asked to be a part of her life. And I turned him down.
My decision haunted me through the night and continues to plague me this morning, enough that my customary cup of coffee is sitting untouched hours after pouring it. I type away at my keyboard but my heart isn’t in my spreadsheets, and my mind is miles away, back in Ax’s cabin.
Last night I rose to the height of passion in Ax’s arms, and sank to the depths when I told him we’d all be better off if he left town again. I know what I said hurt him. It was written all over his handsome face, but it was true. Wasn’t it?
Maybe I’m a coward. I’m afraid of what everyone will think, especially if Ax starts hanging around the homestead. I’m sure the rumors are already swirling about us, but I refuse to check out Buzz’s website to confirm my suspicions. I refuse to be called a gold digger. But is that enough reason to keep a father from spending time with his daughter?
It’s not just that, I tell myself. It’s the trouble Lex will face if Ax draws attention to their relationship.
Not only is he a Craven, but he’s the exiled Craven, the criminal, the convict. When he’s not around, people will gradually calm down, but if he sticks around, it will take much longer for the talk to die down. If it ever does.
I rest my head in my hands, trying to rein in my thoughts. They’ve been circling my brain for hours, and it seems like they’ll continue into the foreseeable future.
The office door opens, providing a much-needed distraction from my ruminations. In steps Leigh, another designer bag hanging off one arm, a diamond tennis bracelet that is probably worth more than the Wimbledon trophy dripping off the other.
“Sabrina!” she coos, waving her arm toward her office. I interpret it as a summons and follow, taking a seat in front of the imposing desk. She pulls out a compact and checks her makeup, then closes it and leans back, putting her feet on the desk.
“You look good,” she says, eying my boring blouse and plain black pencil skirt. “There’s something about you today, an inner glow. New skincare regimen?”
I shake my head, looking down to hide a blush. Nope. Only a night in your stepson’s bed could make a woman look this fresh, I think, then chide myself for being ridiculous.
“I’m surprised to find you here, actually,” she says after a moment. “I thought you’d be at the county hospital.”
I meet her gaze, confused. “Why would you think that?”
“You mean you don’t know?” Her eyes are wide, and her grin starts making me uncomfortable. “Huh. I thought Alexander would have called you.”
“What’s wrong with Ax?” I ask, sliding forward to the edge of my seat. “Is he in the hospital?”
“Yes,” she says, her smile fading and her face becoming serious. “There was an accident last night. One of the doctors called my husband to inform him that his son was found unconscious and severely injured.”
I clutch my chest. “Is Ax all right?”
Leigh watches me, pausing for a few pregnant moments before she replies. “I’m not sure. They were keeping him overnight for observation.”
I stand up, heading back to my desk to grab my purse. My keys are in my hand before I remember that I abandoned my car outside of town. Shit.
“Sabrina, where are you going?” Leigh says, coming out of her office door. I notice Ms.
Birch is watching us both like a hawk. She’s clearly hungry for gossip, and I’m surprised she didn’t tackle me when I came in the door and demand all the juicy tidbits about my past with Ax.
“County hospital,” I say. “Just as soon as I figure out how I’m getting there.”
Leigh looks at me, one hand on her waist, her lacquered nails clicking against her patent leather belt. “I’ll give you a ride,” she says, the smile returning to her face. “I was headed there anyway. My husband is deeply concerned, of course.”
Of course, I think. So concerned that you’re just now bothering to find out what happened to his son. “Thanks,” I say, then throw on my sweater. “Let’s go.”
“So impatient,” she says, with a laugh. Then she shoots a look at Ms. Birch. “I assume you can hold down the fort?” she asks, her voice unimpressed. Before Birch can respond, Leigh is heading out the door.
I give Ms. Birch a nod, and she scowls, then turns away. Shaking my head, I rush out the door. Birch has every right to be pissed, but right now it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that Ax is okay.
The Craven limo is in the parking lot, and I ogle it for a moment. I’ve never ridden in a limousine. A young man opens the door for Leigh, and she climbs in after patting him affectionately on his cheek. The guy looks like he can’t be out of high school yet.
I climb in after Leigh, and the young driver closes the door behind me and hustles around to get behind the wheel. It’s a twenty-minute drive to the county hospital, and I already feel like it’s been an hour since Leigh told me about the accident. I hope the youngster in the driver’s seat can haul ass.
I only pay half attention to Leigh’s ramblings. I wonder if she’s keeping them light on purpose, or if she really is as shallow as she pretends. Designer this. Celebrity that. I wonder what it must be like to not have any worries, to not have to care for your mother and your daughter on a small-town office worker’s salary.
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