Forced: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (The Blackthorn Brothers Book 1)

by Cali MacKay

  She rolled her eyes at me, since the omelet I’d made her, along with crispy bacon and the freshly brewed pot of coffee, smelled damn good and tasted even better, even if she’d only taken a bite or two. “Nothing you do sucks. Except when it comes to keeping my heart safe. You suck at that. Which is why you need to leave.”

  “I know I hurt you, love…but we were young, and…things were so intense between us…so fucking crazy.” Not that it mattered. I didn’t think she’d ever forgive me.

  “And? That’s what love’s supposed to be, you…asshole.” She reached over and punched my shoulder, glaring at me. “Love’s supposed to be crazy and intense…it’s supposed to be all-consuming. Except that you walked away from everything we had…and you left me alone…you left me in a hell I had no way of escaping.”

  “And for that, I’m sorry.” I knew she’d been upset about it, but…people broke up. And yes, it was heart-wrenching, but…I didn’t quite understand her devastation. “I swear, I didn’t realize it’d be so hard on you.”

  “Well, it was—and I’ll never forgive you for it.” Her eyes reddened and shimmered with tears, her lids slipping shut in a futile attempt to keep them contained.

  I pulled her into my arms, ignoring her struggles, until her small form finally sagged against me as she quietly cried, and I kissed the top of her head. “I swear, I won’t ever hurt you again, Wren. I’m not expecting us to pick up where we left off, but I am asking you to give me another chance.”

  She pulled away to look up at me. “How the hell am I supposed to give you another chance when I hate you for leaving? You have no fucking clue.”

  “I suppose I don’t.” And I didn’t. I didn’t have a clue as to what I’d put her through. And yet none of my other exes had taken it so hard when we split up, though Wren was the only woman I’d ever been serious with. “So, why don’t you tell me?”

  The last thing I’d expected to see was the panic in her eyes—just before her anger returned. “There’s nothing to tell you—and if you think I’m marrying you, you’re insane.”

  Fucking hell…we were back to that again. “That’s not up for debate, Wren. I wish we had more options, but we don’t. And I know you don’t want to hear it, but we need to get going.”

  “You and my dad…the two of you are unbelievable.”

  We finished the rest of our breakfast in silence—not that she really ate much.

  “Ready to go?” I was expecting her to give me a hard time about going, but she didn’t, even if she was clearly not happy about it.

  “I fucking hate you, Ash.” She brushed past me and grabbed the bag she’d packed, hating me once more for all my wrongs.

  Without so much as another glance in my direction, she grabbed the rest of her things and followed me out to my car, tossing her stuff into the backseat of my SUV before climbing into the passenger seat.

  This was going to be one hell of a long drive. I slid in behind the wheel and looked over at her, still taken aback by just how beautiful she was. She had the most amazing grey-blue eyes, and her dark hair was thick and wavy, always looking tousled like she’d been at the beach—and her lips…plump and kissable, and always so expressive. Except that now they were pursed together as she glared at me.

  I couldn’t help but smile. “Seat belt, little bird.”

  “’Cause you really care about me.” Yet she buckled herself in—which spared me from having to wrestle her in her seat, though my cock hardened at the mere thought of it, clearly liking the idea far too much.

  “I do care—and you fucking well know it, Wren.” It was nothing but the truth, even if I’d walked away from her.

  “Yeah…you really have a way of showing it, too.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest and kept her gaze looking forward, refusing to face me.

  Well, at least I hadn’t had to haul her out of her apartment with her body tossed over my shoulder as I dragged her to my car kicking and screaming. Small consolation, though, when she still fucking hated my guts.

  It’s not that I’d been expecting a warm welcome. I knew she wouldn’t be happy to see me. And I’d even expected her anger and hate. But there was something about that exchange in her bedroom—her tears as I’d made her come… It left me a bit rattled, because I didn’t quite understand the despair I’d felt in her as she sobbed in my arms.

  And then there were her words…that I’d left her in a hell I couldn’t imagine…a hell she couldn’t escape.

  The question was, had that despair always been there and I’d just been too young and stupid to notice it? And the hell I’d left her in…did something happen to her after our breakup—or worse still, was it our breakup that did this to her?

  We’d been apart for eight years. In that time, anything could have happened to her—and I hated that I hadn’t been there to protect her. Maybe that was part of the reason she hated me with such a vengeance.

  She hadn’t spoken a word to me since we’d gotten on the road, nor had she spared me a glance. And given that I’d opted to drive us back to Seattle rather than fly, her anger with me and the silence that accompanied it were going to make this one hell of a long drive. “We’ll drive halfway there and then grab a room. We can get back on the road first thing in the morning.”

  “You mean we’re driving all the way back—not flying?” At least she finally looked at me, though it was only to glare at me.

  “We could take our time heading back, if you’d like. Make a bit of a vacation out of it, so we can catch each other up on everything we’ve had going on in our lives the past few years.” Which was probably a good idea if we were going to get married.

  “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear…I want to spend less time with you, Ash—not more.” Wren shook her head and just stared out her window at the passing city. “It’s not exactly a difficult concept, though I’m sure it’s a rare woman who’s turned you down.”

  “The only woman who’s ever mattered is you, Wren. And I know you might hate me for what I did, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you.” It was nothing but the truth, even if I’d ended things, and I’d never stopped loving her, despite everything. Needing her touch, I couldn’t help but reach out and take her hand—not that I was surprised when she pulled it from my grasp. “Wren…we’re getting married. That means we’re going to be spending a lot more than just a car ride together—and this will be a whole lot easier if we’re on speaking terms.”

  “I don’t know how many times I need to say it for you to get it through that thick skull of yours, but I’m not marrying you—and frankly, I don’t care how you feel about me. I refuse to let my father dictate how I live my life, and if he wants to cut me off financially, then let him.”

  Given the wrath in her tone, I had no doubt she’d do her best to avoid this marriage, and yet, her father could be damn persuasive in getting people to do things they didn’t want to, which was exactly why I was currently in San Francisco and we were both on our way back to Seattle.

  Knowing there was no point in arguing with her at the moment and making her even more miserable, I tossed on some tunes and focused on the road. We stopped for lunch a few hours in, and then finally pulled off the highway around dinner time. We grabbed a quick meal at a local pizza shop and then headed to the nearest hotel.

  It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was a hotel chain with a good reputation, and given that we’d been on the road for hours and we were in a fairly remote location, it’d have to do. I could spoil Wren with something nicer in the near future—preferably when she wasn’t wanting to murder me.

  “Two rooms, Ash.” Wren yanked her bag from my grip when I went to carry it for her, and tossed it over her shoulder, following me into the lobby.

  “One room.” And one bed, since I’d been sporting a hard-on since we left her apartment, and it’d be a hell of a lot easier to make sure she didn’t actually succeed in escaping if she was lying down right by my side rather than across the room.

  I pai
d for the room and was relieved that Wren didn’t make a scene or tell the concierge that she’d been kidnapped, no doubt due to her upbringing—cops were to be avoided at all costs. Because if the cops showed up, that would be a fucking disaster. And though I might be able to explain my way out of it by pretending that she was just angry with me and we’d been arguing, there was still a good chance it’d be a mess.

  Using the keycard, I unlocked the door and let her pass. She dropped her bag in the corner of the room and crossed her arms, giving me a smug smile. “Hope the tub or the floor are comfortable, because I’m not sharing, and it’s your fault you got us a room with just one bed.”

  “Guess again, babe. Just be thankful the bed’s a queen, and we’re not snuggling and playing footsies in a twin.” It’d been a long few days, and it was finally catching up with me. I kicked off my shoes and lay down on the bed, pulling the covers back for her and patting the spot next to me. “Come on, Wren. It’s been one hell of a day, and there’s room for two.”

  “Just so we’re clear—this blows—and you do not get to touch me again.” Her grey eyes narrowed in my direction, and if looks could kill, I’d be suffering a coronary right now.

  “Not unless you want me to, little bird.” And given that we usually couldn’t keep our hands off each other, even when she hated my guts, I wasn’t too worried.

  Digging around in her bag, she grabbed a few things and disappeared into the bathroom, as I stripped naked and got under the covers. She returned a short while later wearing pajama shorts and a tank top. And fuck, but the girl was doing my head in. Her tank clung to her body, hugging the curves of her lush breasts, her dark areolas and pert nipples just visible enough through the thin fabric to tease me. Lying down by my side, she snuggled in under the covers, though she made sure to stay on her side of the bed.

  “Tell me you’ll stay put, Wren. You’ll sleep a whole lot better if you’re not handcuffed to me.” Luckily she knew me well enough to know that I meant every word.

  She turned over, looking frustrated and angry. “Why do you have to be such a bastard?”

  “I’m just giving you fair warning. I know I’m an asshole for dragging you back to your father’s against your free will—but my family’s lives are on the line, and I’m sorry, but that’s not a risk I can take. Even if I incur your wrath as a result.” My dad’s murder was still too fresh on my mind, and the darkness that accompanied my loss was too hard to handle sometimes—and it fucking sucked. I just couldn’t risk making the rest of my family targets when there was still a murderer on the loose.

  “Ash…I can’t even imagine what you must be going through. But do you really think that making a deal with my father will actually put an end to your family’s problems? ’Cause I can tell you right now—it won’t.” She looked torn between her sympathy for my situation and wanting to strangle me—and I couldn’t quite decide which one would win out. “This is what my father does—he manipulates people into doing what he wants them to, and to hell with the consequences.”

  “Would marrying me really be such a fucking travesty, Wren? You know I’ll always do my best to do right by you.” It was the truth. We may have made each other crazy, and I was guilty of breaking things off, but while we were together, I’d been loyal and did everything I could to love her and make her happy.

  But there was more to it than just the undeniable attraction between us. We were two people dealing with the sort of life we wouldn’t even be able to discuss honestly with another person, let alone have them understand the type of life we lived. Yet I’d known her circumstances, and she’d known mine. We didn’t need to explain the nuances of our fucked-up lives, and that meant we’d had each other to lean on when few people would ever be able to relate.

  “I’m not saying you won’t do right by me—because you did when we were together. You were far more patient with me than you should have been. But in the end, you were miserable, and there was never any hope for me.” Her last words were spoken through teeth clenched with a lifetime of hurt I didn’t quite understand—nor did I understand her choice of words.

  “Why was there never any hope of you being happy, Wren?” I just didn’t get it—and it felt like I was missing some large piece of the puzzle. “You know…you can talk to me. I want to be here for you.” Especially if we were going to get married.

  “If you want to be here for me, then let me go. Let me live my fucked-up life. Believe me…you want no part of this—and I sure as hell don’t want you.”

  I had a lifetime of nightmares and mistakes that kept wanting to bubble up to the surface. And poor Ash…thinking he could come in like some knight in shining armor to make everything better, when the truth was, no one could fix me. No one could undo the damage I’d endured. All I could do was push him away and try to spare him from getting sucked back into my messed-up life. And what I needed to do is get the hell away from him—even if I had to bide my time.

  “Cuff me if you don’t trust me, but it’s late and I’m exhausted.” Laying down next to him, I was doing my best to keep some distance between us, even though the queen-size bed felt five sizes too small when his long, muscular body and broad shoulders were taking up far too much space—and then his arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me to him, his skin warm and well-inked, and his muscles hard. Grabbing his hand, I pushed it off me. “Hands to yourself, Ash. Do you hear me? This is not going to be a repeat of last night.”

  His arm wrapped around my waist like a vise and pulled me tightly to him, so there was little chance of escaping—and even less chance of ignoring his erection. “I hear you just fine, though that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you go. Not when I want to get some sleep, and I don’t trust you not to make a run for it again. Now go to sleep—unless you want to find a different way to spend the night.”

  “Not if you were the last man on Earth, Ash.” I swear, I was ready to scream in frustration, every muscle in my body knotted with tension, knowing that I’d be stuck here until morning.

  “Really? That’s harsh, little bird—even if you’ve already proved that it’s nothing but a lie.” He leaned into me, his words tickling my ear as his hold on me tightened and I felt his hard cock press against my ass. “I know you want me, love… You’re just too scared to say the words, though you don’t need to when your body betrays you every chance it gets.”

  “I’m not scared, you jerkwad—and even if I’ve been too stupid to stay away from you, at least I’m not delusional enough to think that sex will actually solve any of my problems.” If anything, it’d be the exact opposite, and the last thing I needed was to compound the mistakes I’d already made by complicating my already fucked-up life—and marrying him would do just that. Ash would be far better off getting the hell away from me while he still could.

  “It doesn’t have to solve any problems to still rock your world.” With his cock riding between my ass cheeks, he nipped at my ear, my body automatically responding by pushing back against his erection, the feel of his strong body against mine all too familiar. Trailing kisses down the length of my neck, he bit the tender spot where my pulse raced just under the surface, a cry escaping my lips as I felt myself go wet, my clit heavy and aching with my building need. “You may be fighting this, sweetness, but you know you want me…and your body wants all the pleasure it knows I can give it.”

  I’d be lying if I denied any of it—and yet it didn’t mean this was a good idea. Last night was a mistake. And if I crossed that line with him again, it’d be one hell of a slippery slope. But there were so many more reasons why I needed to keep him away, because an older, wiser Ash would eventually start piecing together the clues that he’d missed when he was younger.

  I sat up out of his arms—surprised that he let me go—and turned to face him, hoping I could make him see sense. “Just answer me this… Would you be here if my father wasn’t blackmailing you and your family wasn’t in danger?”

  He knotted his fingers with mine, which f
elt like such a gentle gesture from a man like Ash—towering in height, lean and muscular, keen intelligence, and no doubt deadly if he needed to be. “Knowing how much you hate me? No, little bird…I wouldn’t have come back for you. But that’s not because I don’t care or because I don’t love you. I just wouldn’t want to upset you again.”

  I was tempted to tell him that I didn’t hate him, and yet it had taken me years to move past the hurt and anger he’d caused and the train wreck that followed. The truth was, I still wasn’t over it, nor would I ever fully recover from losing him, even if Ash didn’t know the half of it. And yet…he was the only man I’d ever loved. The only man who’d tried to do right by me, even if I’d made it so hard for him to stay that he’d eventually walked away.

  I didn’t know what to say, the words all sticking in my throat as my eyes shimmered with tears as years of pent-up heartache tried to break through to the surface. But in the end, I didn’t need to say a word. Ash gently gathered me up in his strong arms and cradled me to him, murmuring words of comfort, as I wept in his arms for all my hurts until sleep finally took us, our bodies entangled as one.

  I awoke, unsure what time it was, though I suspected it was probably around four in the morning. The sun had yet to come up and peek from around the curtains, and though Ash’s arm was still wrapped around my waist, he was sound asleep, his breathing slow and heavy. I stayed there, not moving, and just listened to his breathing, trying to determine just how deeply he was sleeping and whether or not he’d wake up if I tried to slip free of his hold, even if there was a part of me that was loathe to leave the familiar comfort of his arms.

  I knew it was stupid to try to make a run for it again, and yet, it was now or never. This was my last chance, since we’d be in Seattle before long. And once I saw my father, I knew my dad would find a way to make me bend to his will, whether by guilt or threats.

  Moving as slowly as possible, I started to slip away from him, just an inch at a time, pausing in between to give him a chance to settle back into sleep, in case he’d started to wake. Just a little more… And then his arm tightened around me—and he was awake, flicking the light on with his free hand.