DELLA
It helps knowing people with a lot of money. I didn’t have to wait months before I got to testify against Stew Roberts.
He was sentenced today and I got to see how he was taken away in cuffs. It’s was a liberating moment which I needed it.
The guys wanted to throw a party to celebrate but I stopped them. I’d rather have a quiet dinner with all my friends seeing as it will be Jamie’s first day at school tomorrow.
She convinced me to use the money in the swear jar so we could take-out for everyone.
“Pizza,” Rhett hollers as he sees all the boxes on the counter. “A meal fit for a king.”
“My daddy’s a king,” Danny says as she goes to hug Rhett. “Are you a king, Uncle Rhett?”
He kisses her chubby cheek as he picks her up. “Not yet, baby-girl. I need a princess of my own before I can be a king.”
“What are you then?” she asks innocently.
“I’m a legend, baby-girl.”
He sets her down and she comes running over to me. “Mommy, he’s a lege … a lege … he’s my uncle Ledge.”
I laugh and look over to Rhett. “Hey, Uncle Ledge.” I wiggle my eyebrows at him.
“I like that. Ledge. Damn, I always wanted a cool name.”
“Uncle Ledge, I want some pizza. Some of the cheesy ones.” Danny starts to climb up his leg so he has no choice but to pick her up again.
I sit down at the kitchen counter as everyone starts to arrive.
Rhett starts to feed Danny, but she has to kiss his cheek every time she wants a bite. She’s got him eating out of her tiny hand.
***
CARTER
I wait in the kitchen for the girls to finish up. My apartment smells of all their different perfumes.
I glance around and smile when I see Danny’s coloring book and crayons lying on the floor. Jamie’s jacket lies over the back of one of the couches. Della’s bag is on the counter. Everywhere I look, I see something that belongs to them. They’ve made this place their home. For the first time, I have a home with a heartbeat.
The girls walk into the kitchen and I place their lunch bags in front of them. I made one for Danny, too, even though she’ll be getting breakfast and lunch at the daycare she’s going to.
“It’s a big day for my girls.”
“You made us lunch,” Jamie says, pulling a scared face. “Is it edible?”
“Ha-ha. Aren’t you a funny one?” I smile when she looks inside the bag and smiles.
“I can get used to this.” Jamie turns to Della and Danny. “Will you give us a minute? We’ll be right down.”
“Sure,” Della winks at me and grabs all their stuff.
Jamie waits for them to leave before she turns back to me. I’m surprised when her chin starts to tremble and tears well in her eyes.
“I know you’re only my brother-in-law, well almost. You just have to get the guts and ask her already.” She wipes a tear away and looks down at her feet.
Emotion wells in my chest, realizing that she just gave me her blessing.
Then she looks back up and a tear trails down her cheek. I reach for her face and wipe it away.
“You’re not just a good dad for Danny.” She sucks in a breath of air and blurts the words out. “You’re the closest thing I’ve had to a dad and I just want to say thank you. I love you, Carter.”
Fuck. Tears start to fall as I hug her to me.
“I love you too, Jamie. You know I’ll do anything for you, right?”
She pulls back and presses a kiss to my cheek. “I know.”
“Good. Let’s get you to school. I have a few boys to intimidate.”
“What?”
I walk out of the apartment with Jamie right behind me.
“You’re not going to embarrass me, are you?” she asks as we walk to the elevator.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I say with a huge smile on my face and I feeling ten-fucking-feet tall.
As the doors close I say, “I can’t vouch for the guys, though. They’re waiting down stairs.”
She slumps back against the elevator and sighs, “In that case, I’m going to die of embarrassment.”
CHAPTER 23
DELLA
“Just stop so I can run in,” Jamie says as she looks nervously out the back of the car.
The guys are all following behind our car in a convoy. I’ve seen the secret smiles Jamie has been trying to hide. She’s loving the attention.
As soon as Carter brings the car to a stop, he locks the doors.
“No!” Jamie starts to laugh as she tries to open the door. “I thought you loved me, Carter?”
“I do, that’s why I’m doing this,” he says with a huge smile. “You’ll love me even more when all those horny dicks stay away from you.”
“You owe the jar five dollars.” She presses a kiss to Carter’s cheek and then one to mine.
“I love you guys, now open the door.”
My mouth drops open at their words of love. I’ve never heard Jamie say those words.
Carter unlocks the doors as the guys form a line outside Jamie’s door. She gets out and starts to blush when Rhett turns his cheek so she can kiss him.
She has to kiss each one of them before they let her walk away.
I notice how all the girls are gaping at the guys and all the boys are staring at the cars.
I get the feeling Jamie is going to be very popular.
We all drive to the daycare and Danny starts to bounce in her chair. “It’s my turn!” she shrieks with excitement.
I get out and unbuckle from the seat. She jumps into my arms and presses a wet kiss to my lips. “I love you, Mommy.”
I hardly have time to soak in the warmth of the words before she starts to wiggle in my arms.
“I love you, Danny,” I say as I start to laugh.
“I know. Put me down now,” she demands.
I laugh as I put her down and she runs around the car.
The guys are all crouching down so they’re eye level with her.
She starts to press wet kisses to their cheeks.
“Love you, Uncle Marcus. Love you, Uncle Jax. Love you, Uncle Logie. Love you, Uncle Ledge.” She shoves her fists into her sides and takes a huge breath. “It’s hard work loving all of you.”
I’m crying and laughing at the same time.
Carter picks her up and we walk her inside. She presses a kiss to his cheek and whispers, “I love you, Daddy.”
He tightens his hold on our daughter, presses a kiss to her chubby cheek and whispers, “I love you most, Daddy’s Princess.”
***
I’m woken by his arm slipping around me. He drags me over to his side of the bed, pressing my back to his chest. He buries his face in my hair and I hear him breathing me in.
“You still smell like crushed apples,” he whispers. “You complete me, Della. Without you and the girls, my life would have no meaning.”
His words make a lump form in my throat, which I try to swallow down.
“I like you a lot, Della Truman,” he says.
“I like you too,” I whisper.
His lips move down the side of my face and when he reaches my jaw, he says, “I love you, Della Hayes.”
I turn my face slightly, until I feel his breath on the corner of my mouth and time freezes.
“You’re the mother of my child, my lover, my best friend, but I desperately want you to be my wife.”
I smile at him through tears. “You’re the father of both my children.” He frowns lightly. “Our four-year-old daughter and our unborn baby that’s currently five weeks old.”
He moves fast, his mouth crushing mine. We both gasp at the impact, and then he kisses me hard. There’s a hungry desperation to his movements. His tongue plunges into my mouth. It feels as if he’s going to devour me.
I try to bring my hand to his face, but he grabs hold of my wrist and pins my hand to the pillow. He positions his body over mine I quickly o
pen my legs to accommodate his size.
He’s controlling and intense, and it robs me of all common sense.
He shoves the covers away and they fall to the floor. He yanks my panties down my legs and when he comes back up his mouth latches onto my pussy and he starts to devour me until I’m a thrashing mess, begging for release.
Everything about him is primal.
He shoves two fingers inside of me and I grab at his hair as he continues to eat my pussy. Lifting my hips, I push my pussy into his face and I start to grind against him.
I want to feel his hands on me as he fucks me rough.
He yanks his fingers out of me, and I feel as he shoves his pants down.
He makes me feel priceless, and in his world where he can buy anything his heart desires, that’s saying a lot.
His hand covers my right breast and he squeezes hard until his fingers bite into my flesh. The mixture of pain and pleasure makes my pussy clench with need.
He shoves his pants further down his powerful thighs. My eyes land on his cock. It’s huge and thick, and I can’t wait to have him inside me.
His fingers bite into the sides of my thighs and he pulls my legs open. I drink in the sight of his huge cock, as he forces it inside my pussy.
He slips his hands under my ass, and he pulls my cheeks apart, opening me as wide as I can go. He draws out of me, and the skin stretches tight over his cock.
I watch as his cock drives into my pussy, stretching my opening until I’m swept up on high of shameless desire. I grab hold of the headboard as he starts to fuck me hard.
His hips surge violently, his pelvis crashing into mine. My body jerks with each hard thrust as he buries himself balls deep inside my pussy. He grinds his pelvis against my enflamed clit, tearing a helpless whimper from me.
I feel every inch of his cock, merciless and forceful as he strokes my inner walls until I’m whimpering for my orgasm.
I try to raise my ass from the bed, wanting to provoke him into fucking me senseless. Instead, he presses his body down on mine, pinning me to the bed with his muscular body.
“Della,” he breathes my name, making it sound like a prayer. “Marry me.”
He pulls out and slowly enters me. He’s going to drive me insane.
“Yes,” I groan, just wanting him to finish me off.
He keeps a torturously slow pace and it’s starting to drive me wild. I dig my nails into his ass, and I try to urge him on by pushing him down on me.
He starts to move faster, the sound of slapping skin and sex filling the room.
“Yes,” I gasp as my orgasm starts to build.
He slides in deep, making sure I take every inch of him. With each deep thrust, my body starts to wind tighter and tighter until it feels like I’m going to shatter.
Carter presses his forehead to mine. I feel his hard body against mine. His cock assaults me until I’m raw and it feels as if my heart is pulsating in my pussy.
I feel his breath on my lips and it all works together, taking me so fucking high.
My body arches against Carter’s as I whimper, “Yes.”
My body starts to shudder under his and when he tenses over me, we come together. I wrap my legs behind his ass as he hammers into me, finally fucking me, as our bodies greedily ride out the pleasure between us.
He doesn’t pull out, but instead, he holds me, tenderly stroking my sensitive pussy with his cock. We keep breathing each other’s air as our eyes are locked on each other.
“I take that as a yes?” he says, smiling as he presses a tender kiss to my lips.
“I love you,” I whisper against his lips.
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michelle Horst is a Bestselling Romance Author who likes her books hot, dirty, and with a touch of darkness. She loves an alpha hero who is not scared to fight for his woman.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I thank God for miracles, dragonflies and butterflies. His love is my past, my present and my future.
Ronald and Sheldon, thank you for your support.
To my beta readers, Morgan, Kelly, Kristine, Laura, Angela, Kristina and Leeann - thank you for being the godparents of my paperbaby.
To my street team – thank you for every post you pimp for me. I appreciate each and every one of you.
To my secret tribe – thank you for your endless support.
A special thank you to every blogger and reader that took the time to take part in the cover reveal and release day.
Love ya all tons ;)
Enemies to Lovers Series
Heartless, An Enemies to Lovers Novel #1 ~ Carter Hayes & Della Truman
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35606912-heartless-an-enemies-to-lovers-novel-1
Reckless, An Enemies to Lovers Novel #2 ~ Logan West & Mia Daniels (brother’s bestfriend)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35898140-reckless-an-enemies-to-lovers-novel-2
Careless, An Enemies to Lovers Novel #3 ~ Jaxson West & Leigh Baxter (secret baby)
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35898146-careless-an-enemies-to-lovers-novel-3
Ruthless, An Enemies to Lovers Novel #4 ~ Marcus Reed & Willow Brooks
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35898150-ruthless-an-enemies-to-lovers-novel-4
Shameless, An Enemies to Lovers Novel #5 ~ Rhett Daniels & Evie Cole
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35898155-shameless-an-enemies-to-lovers-novel-5
They’re all full-length, stand alone, unrequited love/second chance romance/reunited love/opposites attract novels with a HEA and no cliffhanger.
PREDATOR
PROLOGUE
CARA
“Cara,” Dad calls out to me, “do you have the blanket?”
“Yes, Daddy.” I pull the blanket out of the car and set off after my parents. Unlike most teens, I love being with mine. We have a great relationship. I know I can talk to them about anything. It’s just always been that way with us.
Dad starts the boat motor and then he steers us down the river. It’s a sunny day with a light breeze to cool the worst of the heat. We always come out here after lunch. This is our family time together. Once we get to the wide open space of the dam, dad starts to slow the boat down.
I spread the blanket open and laugh happily as Mom and I lie down, trying to get comfy. Dad kills the motor when he’s satisfied with the spot we’re in, and then he comes to lie down on my other side.
“Look at that one,” Dad says, pointing to a cloud. “It looks like a car.”
I laugh. “Everything looks like a car to you.”
“No, seriously,” he laughs, too, but carries on, “look, those are the wheels, that there is the roof.”
We talk about the silliest of things and then we grow quiet and just listen to the birds chirping all around us. I’m going to miss doing this with my parents, once I’m away at college. I only have a few precious weeks left with them. I drift off, like I always do.
There is a loud crash that yanks me out of my peaceful sleep. I hear my parents scream and my whole body goes instantly cold from shock.
The boat tilts sharply and it tosses my body to the side. I try to claw at the floor, searching for something to grab onto. I slam hard into one of the chairs and it jars my body making a sharp pain shoot through me.
The boat brea
ks apart with a loud crack, and water swallows the pieces with greedy gulps.
“Daddy! Mommy!” I shout. My eyes dart around, searching for any sign of them, but there is nothing but the boat breaking apart and the awful noise.
What’s left of the boat rises sharply into the air, like a beast gasping its last breath. I start to slide down and grab for the chair, but I’m too late. Something knocks hard into my shoulder, only speeding up my decent into the muddy water.
“Daddy,” I scream as I claw for anything to stop my fall. Splinters of wood stab at me, and then muddy water swallows me.
I know how to swim. I’m a good swimmer, but the color of the water robs me of my breath … it’s red. I struggle to get back to the top and it only makes an ice cold fear spread through my body.
I don’t want to die!
I hear a louder sound. It’s not like the crash. This time it hits at the water, hammering its way closer to me.
The water won’t let me go.
White hot pain slices through me and I swallow water.
I swallow blood.
I wake up to a blinding light and I have to blink a couple of times before the light stops stinging my watering eyes. Confusion crashes through me.
Where am I? I try to say the words, but they come out sounding like a garbled groan.
My eyes dart around the room, and then a sharp pain starts to pulse in my back.
Where are Dad and Mom? What happened?
Shuddering sobs ripple from my chest, making the pain so much worse. Hot tears spill from my eyes, slipping into my hair.
“Cara.” My eyes jump to the voice and I see it’s Uncle Tom, Mommy’s brother. “I’m sorry,” he says, while getting up from the chair.
Heartless (An Enemies To Lovers Novel Book 1) Page 14