Sweet Ruin

by Nazarea Andrews

Chapter Twenty One

  Luca

  I don’t know what happened—what changed in such a short amount of time. But I don’t want to question it—I’m happy to just take Megan and Asher on their terms.

  “Her sister is pretty horrible.” I mutter to Ash, watching them. Megan looks startled, but not upset. Which is why I’m here and not across the parking lot, dragging her away from the blonde bitch she calls a sister.

  “Half-sisters. Pretty sure there’s a story there.”

  “But will she tell us?”

  “If she won’t, I bet Atticus will. Avery invited us for dinner tonight.”

  I glance at him from the corner of my eye. “What time tonight?”

  His expression grows lazy and content, desire sparking in his blue eyes. “Hours from now.”

  Megan approaches us, and I let her slide into the car as Asher circles to the driver side.

  “What did she want?”

  “I forgot my phone,” she says absently. “Are you still mad at me?”

  I blink. “Of course not. I was never mad.”

  Asher snorts.

  “Ok, I was mad,” I amend, “but mostly I was hurt. I don’t want us to be something you can so easily dismiss. I understand that it’s difficult—and we’ll figure out how to deal with the publicity of such a untraditional relationship. But we need to do it together—so no one gets hurt when this shit happens. I can’t do it.”

  “You don’t have to. We’ll figure this out,” she says.

  I believe her.

  “We’re supposed to be at Atticus’ at seven for dinner.”

  Megan nods, shifting nervously. She’s nibbling at her lip, propped against the dresser.

  “What just happened, Megan?” I ask. Asher, sitting behind me on the bed, nudges me with his foot, and I bat him away irritably. I need answers—there are too many questions, and the change is too abrupt. I want to trust it. I want to believe we’re fine and there will be no more road bumps.

  But I’m not an idiot.

  “Have you ever wanted something for so long, and you fight for it—and then one day, you wake up and realize that the thing you wanted has turned you into the one thing you’ve never wanted to be?”

  There’s a moment of silence, and then, “Cryptic Megan is cryptic,” Asher says dryly.

  She laughs, a startled noise, and he grins. “Just tell us, sweetheart. No judgments here.”

  “I wanted to prove I wasn’t my sister. I wanted to be more than her and this tiny town. Because I wasn’t from here—I moved here when my mother died, and our father was saddled with me.”

  “Megs,” I say, and she shakes her head quickly.

  “No, it’s fine. I was a little girl, and Daddy was always good to me. But Nik was his princess, and she hated my intrusion. I just wanted her to like me, and she couldn’t stand the sight of me.” I shake my head. “So I decided to be everything she wasn’t. If she was the small town darling, I wanted to make it in the big city. If she refused to work, I wanted a career. If she got married right out of high school, I wanted nothing to do with relationships.”

  “I don’t understand how you are becoming her?”

  “I’m not,” she says then shakes her head. “I don’t want to ruin this. And I will. I’ll do something—for Kevin or my own career, or just because I’m angry and I’ll lash out and I’ll destroy us. It’s what I do. It’s what Nik does, and I’m her sister, after all.”

  “But this isn’t just you, Megan,” I say. “It’s all of us. You can’t ruin this by yourself.”

  She looks miserable and shakes her head. “I could. You say that I can’t, but—you have no idea. Kevin wants me to report on y’all.”

  There’s dead silence, broken only by the hum of the heater. She won’t even look up at us. And I don’t know what to do with this information—because she’s right.

  This. This could ruin us, before we even have a chance.

  “But you didn’t,” Asher says, and his voice is strong.

  “I told him I would, Ash. Do you understand what I’m saying? I knew what was happening between us, and I knew if I waited, I could use it.”

  “Did you?” I whisper.

  “No!” she almost shouts. “I don’t want to ruin us. Don’t you get it? That’s why I’m quitting. Because if I quit, I can’t. At least not that way.”

  A knot of tension unravels, and I glance back at Asher.

  Asher

  She didn’t betray us. She didn’t.

  “Y’all would be better off without me,” she whispers, and my heart jerks.

  “No,” I say, coming to my feet. I step past Luca and take her hands. “That’s off the table, pet. We’re in this together. I love you. Both of you.”

  “Leaving you isn’t an option. And if you ruin this? We’ll put us back together. Do you understand that? Together, the three of us will make this work.” I say.

  She stares at me, tears in her eyes. I tug on her, drawing her into me with a gentle kiss.

  “We love you,” I murmur against her lips. “Let us remind you.”

  There’s a whisper of movement, and Luca circles behind her until she’s pressed between us. I look up, watching as he nips at her neck, and she sways. “Come to bed, lovely girl.”

  There is a moment of hesitation, and then she nods. Luca’s grip, on her hips, tightens momentarily, and then he releases her. “Get her undressed, English.”

  I smile, lazily, and step away from her enough to catch the hem of her sweater, tugging it up over her head. The thin silk cami she’s wearing trembles as she waits, and I slip my fingertips under it teasingly, playing over the sensitive skin on her belly. Luca makes an impatient noise in the back of his throat, and I grin, lifting it off smoothly. Then I crouch down, unbuttoning her jeans and peeling them down her legs. She wavers when I lift her foot to tug the pants off each leg, but Luca holds her steady.

  I sit back on my heels, and Luca gives me a cocky smile. “She’s not naked.”

  “Neither are you,” I shoot back. He laughs, and he strips without fanfare. Luca doesn’t need fanfare.

  He tugs Megan to the bed and sprawls across it, settling her over him.

  “Join us, Asher,” she whispers. It’s more invitation than I need. Dark fingers skim over her hips, cupping her breasts, and she squirms. Luca catches one ankle with his foot, pinning it.

  Ah. That’s his game.

  She watches me as I pull my t-shirt off and slip my jeans down, her eyes hot and hungry as I crawl up the bed toward them. Luca pinches slightly, and she whimpers, bucking as much as she can in his embrace.

  “So pretty,” I murmur, staring at them.

  “She’s ready for you,” he says, one hand dropping to brush over the green scrap of silk she’s calling panties. I follow the motion. My cock jerks.

  I catch her panties by one side and jerk, hard. Megan whimpers, and I slip a finger through her folds. She arches against me, and I take a grip on her free leg, holding her still as I drop my head and lick her.

  Luca

  Megan is whimpering, a twitching mess of feeling as Asher goes down on her.

  “You like that, sweetheart?” I whisper, and she groans. I pinch her nipples, just a hint of pain that jerks her away from the edge of climax. I want her riding that edge—I don’t want to shove her over.

  “Asher,” I grit out, and he looks up at me. His eyes find mine, and there’s a moment of wordlessness. Then his wet fingers are stroking over my cock, and I hiss.

  “Fuck,” Megan gasps. “Asher, don’t stop.”

  I’m going to come a lot faster than I want if she doesn’t stop. I shift her just a little, my cock slipping up and easing into her. She whimpers, and I thrust as Asher shifts, sucking at her clit. It’s shallow—and she shivers, her body tightening around me.

  “You okay, sweetheart?” I whisper.

  She nods, frantically. Asher shifts, rolling to his knees and scooting up the bed. “Fuck her, Luca,” he says, stroking his co
ck, his voice hoarse.

  She reaches for him, and he slides closer.

  I shift my hips, thrusting into her as she works his dick. His words reign down on us, a soft pepper of endearments and curses. She groans as I shove deeper, and Asher hisses.

  “I’m close,” I warn, and Asher’s eyes fly open. Find mine as he bucks once. Twice. Megan screams as he jerks away, her body tightening, and I can’t think—the orgasm slams into me, jerking away everything but pure sensation as Megs collapses against me, her body twitching. I roll us to the side, and Asher eases into her. She groans, a low, pleased noise.

  “Shhh,” he murmurs. I stroke her hair watching as he fucks her with a lazy precision, until she whimpers and shivers, gasping out loud while her hands search frantically for us.

  Finally, finally, he slips free of her. I curl around her as he pads to the bathroom and gets rid of the condom. Comes back and cleans her gently before tossing the towel to me.

  “What times it?” Megan mutters, her voice a sleepy slur.

  “Not time to get ready, babe. Close your eyes.” I hit the lights and curl against her. On the other side, Asher stretches out on his back, Megan resting against his shoulder.

  There are still things to work out—Kevin and Nik and the public to worry about. But as I lie in bed with them, I’m not worried about it. Or even thinking about it. All that matters is that we’re together, and we’re willing to work for each other. For the first time since Dylan, falling asleep with two other people doesn’t make me feel sad or guilty.

  Megan’s phone chirps from the desk, and I lift my head to glance in its direction. She protests with a whimper, tugging me toward her, and I go, slipping a hand over her waist as we give in to sleep.

  Acknowledgements

  It’s been a while since we ventured to Branton, and I wanted to thank the people who helped make sure we did get back.

  Chantee, for tolerating my romance (without dead bodies). And for putting up with me when I tossed the first outline. And the second. And third. And for cheering me on when I finally figured out Luca’s story. You’re the best.

  To Bri for loving the boys and keeping me moving and answering totally inappropriate questions.

  Special thanks goes to my amazing editor Rachel, who makes the words make sense—any typos or grammar issues are all on me.

  To Mel, who read my synopsis and said, ‘This is different’ and when I said it tied back, gave me a perfect cover, one that embraces the different, and still ties back.

  A huge pile of hugs and chocolate to KP and Jessica of InkSlinger, because seriously? Y’all are the best. And didn’t even bat an eye when I said I was writing a NA with a threesome.

  Thanks to Hailey and Tim, for watching the kids and helping keep my house functioning when I was buried in deadline.

  Branton would be a sad lonely place without the bloggers and fans, and a special thank you goes to all of you for loving this University as much as I do.

  And last on the list, but first in my heart—my family. Thanks for putting up with my crazy.