FILTHY (Reckless #2)

by HJ Bellus

  He’s saved me in so many ways.. He holds me at night when the memory of Oliver attacks, protects me, fulfills all of my fantasies, and so many other things that he doesn’t even realize. My heart aches watching him stand behind his best friend, knowing that Zane is Rhett’s world. He stands there so handsome with his signature flare of cocky bastard.

  “You may kiss the bride.”

  Those words throw me right back into the present. Zane wraps Ava in his arms, dips her back silently, and then lays the mother of all kisses on her. It’s more than the awkward one that lasts a few seconds longer than it should. It’s lots more than that, so much more and it only deepens the ache in my own heart for a certain brown eyed, sinfully sexy man holding his arm out for me.

  It’s the easiest decision I’ve ever made looping mine in his. Rhett leans down, breathing heavily on my cheek, and then nuzzling his nose on my skin.

  “You’re fucking beautiful, Darby.”

  I slightly turn to him and know better than to look directly at him or we’d be in a full-on lip lock, clothes ripping off session.

  “Thank you,” I whisper and feel my cheeks heat up in a blush.

  It doesn’t help that he keeps his lips on my skin while we wait for Zane and Ava to turn to the crowd and pose for pictures.

  “I mean it. You’re so gorgeous and all incredibly mine.”

  His words force me to look over to him. We lock eyes and are only inches away from locking lips. “If I’m yours…”

  I try get out my question in a rushed whisper, but he cuts me off.

  “It’s not if you’re mine. It’s that you are mine and that means it’s just us in this adventure. Us, Darby.”

  “Then you are mine?” I have to ask.

  “All eight inches of me.” He winks.

  I slap his forearm, then finally break the strength I’ve had the last few minutes and reach up on my tiptoes and give him a peck on his cheek. There’s so much more I want to say and ask. I could just spew right now from the bottom of my feet and everything in between, but our moment is interrupted as the ceremony proceeds.

  Zane take a few steps up until he comes to an unoccupied chair in the first row. It has a lone black cowboy hat and Zane’s favorite snapback cap sitting in it. He takes a second, keeping hold of Ava’s hand and kneels down in front of it. The small crowd remains silent as he kneels before the chair with his head bowed.

  Rhett unweaves his arm with mine and pats my ass gently before stepping up behind his best friend. He doesn’t get between Zane and Ava, but stands back strong and steady behind his best friend. The only other time I’ve even seen Rhett even close to shedding a tear was at Grandpa’s funeral and today. The moments he lets his best friend or more like brother have, I focus in on Rhett’s face and study the tears welling up in his eyes.

  I’m forced to weave my fingers together to stop me from going to his side. I don’t want to be the person to come between them. Rhett can be the king of arrogant, self-centered, but I discovered it’s in him and Zane where he truly lives and thrives. I give them the time they need.

  Several minutes pass, as the crowd remains silent and standing, giving Grandpa the respect he deserves. And it seems the sly old man still has a hand in all of it. Baby Charlie rips a sonic ear-ripping, juicy fart. It’s the moment you’re not supposed to giggle or break out in laughter, but have no choice because she follows it with burp, fart combo that could’ve easily come from a grown man.

  All eyes dart to her, then a roar of low laughter settles over the green pasture and all of our souls. Zane finally rises from his knees, placing his favorite snapback backwards on his head, and gives Rhett a one armed-hug while keeping his other hand clutched to Ava’s. His smile teases the entire crowd with more laughter as he leads his gorgeous wife over to their daughter.

  “Come here, Charlie, seems you always have to get the last word in.” The giant of a man with flexed biceps pressing through his dress shirt bends over and gently cuddles his dainty daughter up against his chest.

  He never lets go of Ava’s hand as he swoops Charlie up. Ava reaches in and kisses Charlie’s cheek, then places another long kiss on Zane’s lips. She has everything. She deserves everything and I may be the selfish one to relish and soak up the joy of it, but I do it anyway.

  Rhett wraps his arm back in mine, and we follow the happy family back down the aisle and back up to the porch. I catch myself peering over and studying his strong jawline, and the section of hair that’s escaped his sexy as fuck man bun.

  My thoughts drift off to our very own day of walking down the aisle where I’m dressed in my fairytale dress. The amount of people there will be the same, my parents will be a no show, Chloe will still have her nose up the asses back in Tennessee, Ava will be at my side, and the masculine woodsy scent assaulting me right in this moment will be standing across from me.

  Rhett Westburn is my future.

  That mere thought scares me more than anything else in life because it’s the most honest I’ve ever been with myself. My heart has never been so full of terror and overflowing with pure love at the same time. I have a feeling that Rhett Westburn is about to fuck me over, leaving no shred of the old Darby.

  I guess it’s time to say goodbye and jump off that cliff.

  4

  Rhett

  Fucking tears. Are you serious? Fucking tears strike at my best friend’s wedding? I’m the fucking greedy asshole, and the tears threatening were from the mere thought of losing Darby and the combination of watching my best friend walk happily into his future with the love of his life.

  Her in that dress bathed in happiness and staring at me like I’m more than just a piece of meat or the next fuck, undid me. Absolutely, destroyed me. I didn’t pay attention to one word of the ceremony being transfixed on Darby’s olive tanned skin, loose curls falling around her neck, and those gorgeous chestnut brown eyes that originally attracted me to her. It was those eyes that pulled me in hook, line, and sinker.

  And it’s her that helped hold back the tears. I’m so damn thankful for her keeping those tears at bay. I haven’t cried for years and don’t plan to anytime soon. My heart is ice and stone, and somehow Darby is chipping away at it.

  I’ve been such a fucking fool thinking I’d never fall in love again. I knew the first time I sunk into Darby that she had my number. Fucking Gia destroyed me and I’ve laid awake night after night hating her, but it’s now that I see what she did to me has brought me to Darby. Fucking falling hard for Darby ‘Tits for Days’ Frye. No one has even come close to my ice-cold heart locked away in a dungeon until her, and the brown-eyed girl stormed her way right in.

  “Rhett, we need to get back to that fucking barn A-S-A-P.” Darby squeezes my arm in hers.

  “Why?” I growl, running my hands through my long hair and connecting with the fucking man bun.

  “I need what’s mine now.”

  Her voice is sweet and the prettiest sound I’ve ever heard. I just yearn to keep her talking and wanting me. I know one day it may run out…her desire to have me, but that’s something I’ll always fight for.

  “Not our day,” I grit out between a clenched jaw, wanting nothing more than to fucking take her, lapping up every single inch of her skin, and claiming all of her.

  “It sucks.” Darby sticks out her bottom lip. “Good thing we love them.”

  “Good thing,” I grumble back, coaxing my raging cock to simmer down.

  She thinks I’m the playboy of the town, now head stripper, and professional consumer of pussy. Stereotypes suck, especially living in a small town like I do. I’ll bust those fuckers down and prove everyone wrong.

  Darby steps in front of me while I study the happy couple snapping more pictures with Charlie in their arms. She stands on her tip-toes, laces her arms around my neck, and closes the distance between us. It’s not too long before one of her hands sneaks down the front of my slacks and cups my cock.

  “Doesn’t seem that your cock feels the same
way.” She lifts one eyebrow up at me.

  “Darby,” I warn.

  She squeezes even tighter until I’m ready to go in my fucking dress pants. My right hand instinctively goes to the back of her hair, gently tugging on it until her chin is lifted towards the sky. Without thinking, my lips crash down onto her exposed neck, nipping at her flesh. Her hand continues to move over my cock, making me grow harder and harder.

  “Something wrong, baby?” she whispers into the air.

  “I want you so fucking bad it’s ridiculous.”

  “Then take me.”

  I back her up to the side of the house, nudging my knee between her legs. Then I peer around to make sure we’re out of view. The remainder of the party is around the front of the house beginning to eat the light dinner Ava and Darby prepared. The photographer has drug the happy little family down by the barn, giving us the perfect opportunity to fool around.

  When I look back to Darby, I notice her too scanning the area to see if we’re safe. I wait for her attention to come back to me before nudging my leg up further into her center. She makes me smile when she lets a low moan escape and her hips buck onto the top of my thigh.

  Darby’s a fucking tease and knows it. She unpins her hair, letting it tumble down. She knows I absolutely fucking love her hair. The smell and feel of it drives me fucking wild. Especially when she’s riding my cock and it brushes my chest with each movement.

  Panic takes the place of desire in all of her features.

  “Darby?” I brush my thumb over her bottom lip.

  “I don’t think I can do this.”

  I tilt my head and try to figure out what in the hell she’s talking about. “Want to go inside the house and finish this then?”

  “No, not that.” She places both of her palms on my chest, trying to push me away. “This ‘us’. I can’t do it. You’re a player Rhett. I’m not dumb.”

  My body goes limp against hers, well everything but one part that’s been hard as a rock since the day I met her. I lace my hands up into her hair, letting my fingertips enjoy the feel of her.

  “Darby, look at me please.”

  I wait until her rich taffy brown eyes look into mine. Our souls connect every single time we’re forced to look each other in the eye, letting our masks we wear to society tumble to the ground.

  “I’m scared. I won’t lie to you. I’ve never lied to you and never will. We have lots to talk about, but I want you.”

  She lets out a sarcastic chuckle. “You’ve wanted me since the day we met and by want, I mean in my panties.”

  “Damn straight.” I finally crack a smile. “I’ll never forget the day your long legs and wild honey hair strutted into my life. I wanted to take you in that fucking restaurant. I’ve wanted you from day one.”

  She tilts her head with shame radiating off of her. “You’re just like every other man. They always want me for sex.”

  “You’re fucking gorgeous and confident for days. It’s like a challenge to men, Darby.” I run my hands down from her hair until I have her cheeks cupped in my hands and forcing her to look up at me. “But you’re more to me, Darby, a lot more.”

  She remains silent, her eyes watering up with tears she refuses to let flow.

  “We have a lot to talk about, but please do this with me.” Sheer terror attacks me when I realize what I’ve just opened myself up to. It’s something I swore to myself I’d never do again, but Darby pulled it out from deep inside me. I’ve never had a choice with her, it’s always been an inevitable force pulling us together.

  “I can’t afford to have my heart broken, Rhett. I don’t have many people left in this world.”

  The honesty bathing her voice makes my knees go weak, along with the pain pouring from her.

  “The thing is Darby, I can’t unlove you.” I drop my forehead to hers and squeeze my eyes shut, pissed off at myself for allowing my heart to open up again.

  “Darby, time for cake and then they’re leaving.” My mom’s voice breaks us up.

  I step back, dropping my hands to my side, and watch Darby walk away like nothing just happened. The girl has a shield to the world like I’ve never seen before. It often makes me wonder what in the hell she’s gone through to be able to put up fake walls even when she’s hurting and scared.

  What I can’t process is why I fell so hard for her and can’t seem to shake it. I’d spend nights with her for the rest of my life if that is all she’ll give. I need her. Crave her and have no idea how to begin to explain any of it.

  I remain several steps behind her realizing that I could break down into a fucking mess any moment. I reach into the cooler and grab an ice-cold beer, then join the crowd. Ava and Zane refused any big reception, but my mom talked them into cutting the cake before leaving for their honeymoon.

  Ava’s clutched to Charlie with the pain scripted on her face. I’ll be shocked if that momma bear leaves Charlie behind, same with Zane.

  “You have to toast before cutting the cake,” my mom’s voice echoes through the small crowd on the deck.

  Fuck, I need whiskey for this, not beer.

  “Rhett and Darby up front and center.” She claps her hands together. My mother has always been a fucking hopeless romantic.

  Darby makes her way up there before I move because she has me fucking frozen in my spot. She’s gorgeous with a genuine soul and owns my fucking heart or what’s left of it. I down another beer and have one in hand, before walking up the steps and standing on Zane’s side.

  Unlike the wedding, I don’t stare at Darby, fantasizing our future together, but rather keep my eyes glued on the wine bottle. I do what I do best by putting on the Rhett show.

  I raise my beer up in the air. “I’ll toast with this because I don’t drink that other shit.”

  The crowd laughs and I pause for a moment, refusing to make eye contact with Darby.

  “Well, Zane, I always knew you’d be pussy whipped one day. You’re just lucky Ava didn’t lay eyes on me first, buddy.”

  Another round of laughs from the crowd.

  “ Because we all know once they have Rhett, they be asking Zane who?”

  Another round of laughter from the guests, I’ve thrived on being the center of attention, but right now it feels like fucking shit.

  “Seriously man, you’re my best friend, brother, and everything in between.” I pat him on the shoulder and wave my beer towards Ava. “To be honest, I’m jealous of everything you have, but I know nobody deserves it more than you. I’ll be by your side just like I have since we were young studs. I love Ava like a sister and Charlie like a niece. I want nothing but the best for you two, and I hope one day…”

  I look up to Darby for the first time to see tears streaming down her cheeks and have to cut my toast short. I’m unable to go on about wanting the same thing and one day raising our kids together.

  “…and one day I hope Charlie gives you as much hell as you gave Grandpa. Cheers.”

  I leave the unspoken words on the tip of my tongue. It’s not the time or place to spill my guts and it seems the person I want to listen to me wants nothing to do with me. The familiar ache in my heart is so powerful, I rub my chest with my free hand while drinking to my toast.

  I study the tips of my black and white Cons, waiting for Darby to give her toast. It’s silent for a long time and then a dull laughter fills the air. When I look up, Darby has spilled some wine down the front of her dress while pouring her glass. And my mind goes straight to wanting to lick the nasty liquid from between her breasts. It reminds me the night I lapped up and drank a beer out of her sweet center.

  “Sorry, I’ve always been the clumsy one.” She waves her hand to the crowd.

  God, she’s just the right amount of sweet mixed with foul-mouthed diva.

  “Ava and I met our freshman year of college. We’d both been raised in Tennessee and in similar political families, but our paths never crossed until we went to college. And I’m pretty sure I know why…the world wou
ldn’t have been able to handle us together.”

  I notice a hitch in her voice as she pauses for a moment, searching for the right words. I keep my vision glued onto her, studying a few droplets of wine on her chest.

  “I love you, Ava. It’s simple really, I’m so proud of you and extremely happy where you’ve landed. Zane is amazing, even though this is the only time I’ll admit it, and your life is perfect surrounded by the ones you love and who love you.”

  This time when Darby quits talking, I look up to her face and see the tears silently streaming.

  “Ava, you’ve taught me that you can find love when you least expect it and that the situation isn’t always perfect. You’ve made me want the same and today I’m leaping into it. Cheers.” She holds up her wine goblet.

  I don’t miss the wink she sends my way when she brings the drink to her lips. Her last line has knocked the wind from my cocky persona, nearly bringing me to my own tears and knees. She’s just told me in front of our friends and family that she’s scared too, but willing to give this a shot.

  The circumstances, our feisty attitudes, and pasts may destroy us, but it seems neither of us know how to teach our hearts how to unlove.

  I realize that Ava and Zane are both staring at me, but it seems they’re the only two to catch on to what just went down. They finally join in on the drink and then raise their glasses. Each of them take their time thanking everyone for attending.

  Zane tries to talk about his grandpa, but breaks down several times before Ava takes over for him. In the sweetest gesture, she grabs his hand with her free hand and talks for him. He didn’t need to ask or beg her; she just steps in and protects him. Charlie sleeps safely tucked in her other arm, making the perfect picture of what love means in its simplest form.

  “Now, off you go.” Mom pats their backs when the last guest leaves.

  Darby lets both of her overbearing parents give Charlie a kiss before plucking her from Zane. My mom does what she does best and bosses the couple around until they’re in their car and driving away.