It all comes down to the fact that I can’t trust him. Deke knows that if he were to die right now, I’d protect Demi with my life. Just as I would my own wife. But Shane? He wouldn’t do that for Austin, and there lies the problem. And I’m not willing to take that chance.
_______________
The clock on the dash reads 2:30 a.m. when we get back into her Range Rover. I haven’t even pulled out of my spot before I hear Deke and Demi making out in the back seat. Austin sits silently in the passenger seat. She’s pretty drunk and seems to still be pissed at me.
I wasn’t all that nice at Death Valley. I didn’t even want to be there in the first place.
She shifts in her seat to look over at me, and my hands tighten on the steering wheel, knowing she’s about to start a fight, but instead, she surprises me by reaching across the center console to rub her hand on my thigh.
I give her a quick side-eye.
“What?” She smiles.
I say nothing.
Her hand slowly travels up my leg, and she grips my dick. I shove her hand, not in the mood to fuck around right now. We’re not alone, and we have a thirty-minute drive to Deke and Demi’s, then another fifteen to our house.
She lets out a huff and crosses her arms over her chest, staring straight ahead.
I might have allowed Deke to fuck around with her in the past, and I even offered her up to Kellan once, but I’d never share her with any other man and that includes even allowing another man to watch us be intimate in any way. No matter how fucking hard I am right now.
_______________
We drop Deke and Demi off, and I’m surprised she remains quiet. But I’m not so lucky the moment we walk into our home.
“What the fuck is wrong, Cole?” she asks, dropping her purse off on the table in the foyer.
“I told you to drop it.”
“I’m not going to fucking drop it,” she snaps. “We’ve done this too many times.” She shakes her head. “Going to bed mad. Why didn’t you come home tonight?”
“I was busy,” I say and start up the stairs.
She grips my upper arm, her fingernails digging into my skin. “Deke called Demi.”
So then Demi has already filled her in as to why I was late. “My phone died.”
“You could have called me from his. Or said hey, while you’re on the phone with your wife ask her to call mine for me. You had multiple options.”
I rip my arm from her hold and turn away from her.
“Are you having an affair?”
I halt at the top of the stairs and spin around. “What did you say?” I ask, thinking I heard her wrong. She’s drunk. But I’m stone cold sober.
“You heard me.” She lifts her chin. She takes the few steps up the stairs to close the distance. “Are you fucking someone else?”
I had a smart-ass remark on the tip of my tongue, but the fact she actually asked again has me just staring down at her confused. What have I done wrong to make her think I’d step out of our marriage?
“Fucking answer me!” She slaps me. “Cole!” She slaps me again at my silence. “Fucking have the balls to admit it …”
“Shane!” I shout, reaching out to grab her wrists so she can’t hit me again. Usually I’m into that sort of thing, but not right now. “I’m fucking pissed at Shane. So, stay the hell away from him, Austin.” I lean my face down to hers. “I don’t want that bastard anywhere near you.”
“What?” Her dark brows pull together. “You think I want to have an affair with Shane?”
Fuck! “No! Quit saying that goddamn word,” I growl, letting go of her.
“Isn’t that what you want?” she asks, hands out wide.
I tilt my head. Is she asking if I want her to fuck my friend? “Are you trying to start a fight with me? Piss me off? Because I’m really fucking close to that point, Austin!”
“Oh, you’ve been pissed off for a while now, Cole. I’m just trying to figure out why.” She stomps past me and finishes up the stairs and into our room. I follow her, and she removes her shirt, then kicks off her shoes and shoves her jeans down her legs. She fumbles with her bra and stands before me dressed in her underwear. “I waited for two hours on that bed. Two hours.” She points at it. “Where were you?”
My head throbs as a migraine suddenly takes over. “I was at practice. You already know that.” I rub my temples, trying to release the pressure.
“For two fucking hours?” She snorts as if that is an unbelievable statement. “Why was that so hard to say? Huh? Why lie to me about it at Demi and Deke’s?” I open my mouth, but she continues. “Maybe you had Deke lie to Demi for you.”
“Are you fucking serious right now?” I go to reach out for her, but she runs into the master bathroom and slams the door shut.
Walking over to it, I try the knob, and just as I expected, it’s locked. I lean up against it. “We both know I could knock this door down if I wanted to, sweetheart.” It would only take one hit with my shoulder. I’d hate to do it, but if she leaves me no choice … “Austin?” I call out, slapping the white wood. “Austin, fucking open this …”
The door swings open, and she stands there with both hands on her hips. I open my mouth to yell at her but stop myself when I see the unshed tears in her eyes.
I step into the bathroom, and she takes a step back, matching it. “What is wrong?” I ask, truly concerned.
“I want you to be honest with me,” she says slowly as though she’s trying to pick her words carefully.
“Okay,” I say without hesitation.
“Were you with someone earlier tonight?”
Not this again. “No, Austin,” I say through clenched teeth. “I’m not fucking around on you, and I’m starting to get offended you would think I’m capable of that.” I can be a fucking dick, but I’m not a cheater. “The fact you think I would is a problem.”
“Becky told me …”
“When have you spoken to Becky?” I demand. We never talk about her. No one does. Demi has nothing to do with her sister or anyone in her family besides her dad, and Deke doesn’t give a fuck about his ex anymore. We gave her to Shane as if she was property that we sold. But I’m not close with Shane like I used to be, so for all I know he’s already tossed her to the side as well. But Austin? Becky was her best friend, her only friend who betrayed her in the worst possible way.
She ignores my question, running a hand through her hair. “She told me you would get bored with me.”
I throw my head back and laugh.
“Fuck you, Cole.” She shoves me backward and exits the bathroom.
I follow her, trying to stop the laughter but failing miserably. “You know that bitch was just putting words in your head, right?” I remember now when Becky and Austin had their falling out after we moved here. When she found out that Becky still had her diary after she promised Austin she would burn it. “The same bitch who was going to let a man rape and kill you? You’re going to believe her bullshit? Austin, she just wanted to hurt you.”
She spins around to face me, and shouts, “She may have put the words in my head, but your actions made me believe it was a possibility.”
Actions? What actions? So I was late one night. That doesn’t mean I was out cheating on my wife. “Goddamn, Austin. I thought you were smarter than that.”
She gasps and then slaps me across the face. “Don’t you dare. Don’t pretend how I feel doesn’t matter.”
I take in a deep breath. “Austin—”
“Fuck you, Cole!” She cuts me off again. “We’ll see how you feel when I ignore you and don’t come home for a night.”
I wrap my hand around her throat and shove her back into the nearest wall. Pressing my body into hers, I pin her in place.
My heart picks up, and my cock instantly hardens. She’s doing this on purpose to get a reaction out of me. Well, sweetheart, be careful what you wish for. Sliding my hand up her slender neck, I tilt her head back and lower my lips to hers. “I wish we could start every day of
f like this.” I growl, wanting to devour her.
“Cole …”
I cut off her air and press my hips into her lower stomach, letting her know I’m about to throw her ass onto the bed and fuck her unmercifully. Her glassy green eyes glare up at me while strands of her hair cover parts of her face. My free hand comes up to move them to the side. I can smell the cinnamon on her lips. She’s so drunk. I wonder if we’d be having this conversation if she were sober? But I understand her fear of losing me. Because I feel it every day with her. “You’re the only woman I’m fucking, Austin,” I tell her, my eyes on hers. “You’re the only woman I want and will ever need. Do you understand me?” I loosen my hold around her neck, but don’t let go.
“No.” She licks her lips.
“No?” I repeat with a growl.
“Show me,” she breathes. Her heavy eyes hold mine. “Make me believe you. I dare you.”
I smile. “My pleasure, sweetheart.”
I hope you enjoyed the bonus content.
SURPRISE
Shane will be getting his own book. Truth or Dare will be coming out in 2022. I know that seems like forever away, but I promise it’s not. Read on for a sneak peek. Subject to change.
Truth or Dare
SHANE
IT’S LATE. A look at my watch tells me it’s past midnight. The only light we have is from the pool in the backyard.
Placing my hands in my pockets, I slowly make my way to stand next to her at the edge of the pool. My eyes run over her yoga pants. The way they hug her ass has my hand itching to slap it. Or rip them off and bend her over. At this point, both sound mouthwateringly delicious. She wears a black Nike tank top, and her hair is down, fanning her back. “This isn’t about win or lose. It’s about life or death,” I say, alerting her to my presence.
“You going to kill me?” she asks with a snort, turning to face me. Trying to seem pretty confident for a woman who doesn’t stand a chance.
She clearly underestimates me. They always do. Until they’re on their knees begging for their lives. Then it’s just too late. I give a little shrug. “Depends.”
Her face falls, and eyes widen, and her breathing hitches. Any confidence she had is starting to fade. Swallowing, she takes a step back as if the distance will give her an advantage. “Depends on what?”
I reach out, running my knuckles over her jawline before sliding them into her hair. Getting a handful, I jerk her head back.
She begins to fight me, struggling without any hope. “Shane …”
My free hand comes up and wraps around her throat, cutting off her air. I yank her to me, turning her back so it faces the calm water. Large blue eyes meet mine while her lips part, trying to catch a breath. My fingers tighten to hold her in place. “On how long you can hold your breath.” Then I shove her in.
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Thank you for taking the time to read my Dare Series. Do you also enjoy reading about an arranged marriage? Continue on to the prologue from my standalone Code of Silence: Dark Mafia Romance.
PROLOGUE
LUCA
Ten years old
“WHO DID YOU fucking talk to?” my father demands.
“No one, John,” Uncle Marco snaps. “You know that—”
“I know what I’ve been told and what you are saying doesn’t add up!” He pokes his brother in the chest. “And you.” He points at my aunt who stands in the corner of the living room with her back against the window that overlooks their backyard. “You’ve been running your fucking mouth too much.”
Tears fill her brown eyes as she stares at my father. Her shoulders shake, and she bites her bottom lip, trying to swallow a sob.
John Bianchi puts the fear of God in you. Because he is god. As the Don—the ringleader of the Italian-American Mafia—he decides when your time is up and how you pay for your sins. He was born in New York, but he and my uncle moved to Las Vegas when my father was fourteen. Uncle Marco was twelve. The laws in Sin City were more fluid back then, so my father was able to get his hands dirtier. He likes life messy.
“Don’t talk to her like that!” Marco shoves my father.
“I’ll talk to the bitch however I fucking please!” He punches my uncle, knocking him to his knees.
Aunt Ava cries out as blood runs down his chin, but she doesn’t dare go to her husband. No, she stays in her corner, knowing damn well there’s nothing she can do. At this point, all she can hope is that my father spares her life.
“You son of a bitch,” Marco growls, wiping the blood off.
My father pulls the gun from the waistband of his dress slacks and points it down at his brother.
“John!” He throws up his hands, eyes so dark they’re almost black, pleading with my father to spare his life. “Come on. We’ll figure this out. I swear it wasn’t me …”
My father pulls the trigger.
I jump, momentarily deafened by the sound except for the ringing in my ears. Ava cries out, falling to the floor. Bringing her knees to her chest, she openly sobs.
I look back at my uncle. He never did live up to the expectations of the Bianchi family. My father was born in the mafia, and he will die in it, but his younger brother always played a role. Marco has wanted out for years, and this was the only way he was going to get it. Putting a bullet in his head was John Bianchi’s way of sparing him. He could have made my uncle suffer.
He turns to face my aunt. “No!” she screams. “Please …” She shakes violently as tears run down her face, smearing the makeup she put on earlier. It’s their anniversary. We caught them on their way out to dinner to celebrate fifteen years of marriage.
“Strip,” my father orders.
“Please …!” She sobs, shaking her head.
“Remove your dress. Now!” he shouts.
Using the window for support, she slowly gets to her feet. With shaky hands, she undoes the hook that holds her dress around her neck. It falls down her chest, stomach, and hips before pooling around her black heels. Her frail body shakes as she covers her bare breasts with her arms.
My father smiles at her, obviously happy with what he sees. Or what he doesn’t see. A wire. Someone has been feeding information to the feds, and he suspects it’s her. But the things that have gotten back to my father were spot-on, so if she wasn’t the snitch, then her husband was.
He walks over to her, grips her auburn hair, and jerks her head back. Placing the gun under her chin, he shows no emotion as she closes her eyes and sobs uncontrollably. “You keep your goddamn mouth shut; do you understand me?”
She begins to nod, but he shoves her head back farther with the barrel of the gun.
“Fucking say it, Ava!” he growls in her face.
“Keep … my ... mouth … shut,” she chokes out.
He releases her, and she cries out when he shoves her to the floor once again. Turning to face me, he places his gun back in his waistband. Coming over to me, he says, “Never let anyone stand in your way, son. Not even fucking blood. They’ll be the first to undercut you, and they should be the first to die for it.”
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OTHER BOOKS BY SHANTEL TESSIER
DARK KINGS SERIES
TITAN
GRAVE
CROSS (COMING 2021)
BONES (COMING 2021)
SEVEN DEADLY SINS SERIES
ADDICTION
OBSESSION
CONFESSION- COMING SOON
THE SELFISH SERIES
SELFISH
MYSELF
SELFLESS
STANDALONES
DASH
DONUT OVERTHINK IT
JUST A KISS
SLAUGHTER
CHAMPAGNE WISHES – WILD IN THE WINDY CITY ANTHOLOGY
MAKE YOU BEG – BULLY ME: CLASS OF 202 ANTHOLOGY
DARE SERIES COLLECTION Page 95