by L. P. Dover
I gasped. “Killed? How?” When all he did was look down at his plate in silence, my heart hurt for him. I knew it couldn’t be easy to talk about a tragedy. Luckily, I hadn’t lost anyone close to me to know what it felt like. “You don’t have to talk about it, Ryley. I shouldn’t have even asked.”
“No, it’s okay. I don’t mind telling you, it’s just not fun reliving it,” he admitted sadly. I held my breath, waiting on him to speak, and my eyes burned with unshed tears. His pain was so clearly written on his face and it was the first time I’d seen him so raw … so vulnerable.
“It was the night of my brother’s first fight. I didn’t have one that night, so I stayed in the corner with my father, tending to Camden during the round changes. My father had trained us for a long time, getting us into prime shape before he allowed us to compete in the UFC. We were so happy that night after Camden won. He was on air … well, we all were, actually. Especially my father. Afterwards, we went out to celebrate. On the way home, the accident happened.”
He paused and gulped down the rest of his beer. “My father was on his motorcycle while Camden and I were behind him in my car. Coming down the opposite side of the road was a car full of teenagers and the driver was texting. He swerved into our lane and hit my father head on.”
Horrified, I closed my eyes and put a hand over my mouth to hold in my gasp. “Oh my God,” I cried, tears falling down my cheeks. “I can’t imagine …”
“You don’t want to imagine it, angel. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, almost like being in a bad dream that you can’t escape from. After it happened I was so fucking terrified and angry I couldn’t see straight. I wanted to help my father, but it was too late. I wanted to kill the bastard driving the car who hit him, but I was too late there, too. Camden dragged him out of the car and started beating him to the point I thought he would kill him. Instead of stopping Camden, I went to my father.”
“Was he still alive?”
“Yes,” he replied softly, “but only barely. There was so much blood on the road, I couldn’t understand how he was still alive. He did have enough time to tell me good-bye and that he was so proud of us. I was thankful I got to tell him I loved him before he passed. Camden, on the other hand, has lived with the regret ever since it happened. Instead of going after the driver in a fit of rage, he wishes he would’ve gone to our father.”
“Is that why he’s so closed off?” I asked.
Ryley shrugged, unsure. “I think so. He doesn’t really talk to me about it, nor does he ever want to spend time with our family. I think they remind him too much of our father. For the past two years we’ve won our fights, had our parties, and had our women. It’s all that keeps him going.”
After wiping away my tears, I sat there in silence while I ate the rest of my food. Ryley, on the other hand, picked at his plate and kept his head down; all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around him and tell him it would be okay. Wounds like that cut too deep to ever be healed. I prayed I never had to deal with that kind of loss, but I knew it would be inevitable.
“You know, I probably need to pick up the four wheeler we left out in the woods. I can’t leave it out there until I come back because I honestly don’t know when that’ll be.”
“Oh, I’ll go with you,” I blurted out, relieved that he was talking again.
His lip tilted up in a small smile, but disappeared just as quickly. “No, you stay here, angel. If you want you can clean the dishes for me while I’m gone. Besides, you’ve already taken your shower. I don’t want you having to get muddy all over again.”
“I can always take another one,” I claimed.
“Please, Ashleigh,” he murmured. “Just stay here.”
Getting up from the table, he spooned the rest of his food into the trash can and placed his plate in the sink before disappearing upstairs. The food was delicious, but I did as he said and started on the dishes, placing some in the dishwasher and the really dirty ones in the soapy water. About ten minutes later, Ryley came back into the kitchen—this time dressed in a pair of old jeans and a black T-shirt—and kissed me softly on the lips.
“I’ll be back soon, okay?”
Squeezing me around the waist, he exited out the back door and was gone, but I watched him through the window as he left in an off road Jeep he had secured in the attached garage out back.
I wished he would’ve let me go with him, but I knew he needed that time alone. I should’ve realized from the beginning that he was trying to be nice and not say that he didn’t want me to go with him.
Not knowing how much time I had, I strolled up the steps to Ryley’s room, fetched my phone, and lounged out on his bed. There was a text from Gabriella saying she hoped I was having fun while the other one was from Colin saying he needed to talk to me when I had a chance. I wanted to call him back, but being at Ryley’s place wasn’t the best time to do that.
Instead, I flipped through my ebooks and found a spicy, romantic suspense novel that I’d been dying to read. I’d only gotten through twenty or so pages of it by the time the door opened and slammed shut downstairs.
I wanted to rush down and make sure he was all right, but I stayed where I was and waited for him to come to me. Slowly, his footsteps pounded on the hardwood stairs, so I put my phone on the nightstand and sat up, waiting on him to get to his room.
“Ryley, are you okay?” I asked gently.
His steps faltered, and for a moment I held my breath, wondering what he was doing out there. It just so happened that I got the shock of my life when someone other Ryley waltzed into the bedroom with a surprised yet smug look on his face.
“Well, hello there, sweetheart. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“Oh, what the hell,” I gasped.
Camden …
I JUMPED OFF the bed and rushed over to the far side of the room. “What are you doing here?”
Dressed in a pair of dark denim jeans and a tight green T-shirt, he leered at me and moved closer. “You know, I was going to ask you the same thing. Since Ryley’s been ignoring my calls I figured I’d try to find him. After he left me in Malibu he said he was going to straight to you. I figured you had him tied up in bed somewhere and left him.”
After everything Ryley had told me about their father, I actually felt bad for leaving him the way I did. Yeah, he was a dick, and no, I shouldn’t give him any excuses for being that way, but I still couldn’t help but feel sad for him and Ryley.
“Camden, I’m sorry for doing that to you. I shouldn’t have done it. If I could take it back, I would,” I claimed wholeheartedly.
Narrowing his gaze, he moved another step closer. “You just don’t get it,” he sneered. “You humiliated me by tying me to a fucking bed, and you left me there for my brother to get me out. No apology is going to make up for that.”
Oh yeah, he’s still pissed.
Exasperated, I lifted my hands in the air in defeat. “Then I don’t know what else to tell you. All I can say is I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to do.”
His angry gaze turned mischievous as he looked up and down my body, biting his lip. “I’m sure I can think of something. I must say, you look pretty cute in that little pink top. You definitely look hotter in that than in the dress you wore for me last night.”
“Thanks, I guess.”
With nowhere to go, I backed into the wall and he cornered me, placing his hands against the wall on both sides of me so I was caged in. “Where’s Ryley?” he asked.
“He went to get the four wheeler that we left in the woods.”
“You went out on the four wheeler? I didn’t peg you as the type of girl to do that kind of stuff.”
“That’s because you don’t know a thing about me, Camden. You made it perfectly clear that you had no interest in me whatsoever,” I snapped.
He chuckled. “And you think my brother does? He could give a rat’s ass about you. This is all just a game to him. If you think I’m bad, he’s much wo
rse. You should’ve stayed with me; at least that way you knew what you were getting.”
About that time, Ryley burst into the room, his voice a menacing growl. “That’s enough, Cam! What are you doing here?”
Camden licked his lips and smiled down at me, not even turning around to look at his brother. “I’m talking to the girl who was supposed to be my date last night. I had no idea you were taking her away so I couldn’t find her.”
“I didn’t know you were trying to find her,” Ryley replied.
“Yeah, well, I was looking for you both. Thanks for betraying me by the way. I know where your loyalties lie.”
Ryley scoffed, “That has nothing to do with it. What Ashleigh and I do is our business, not yours.”
“Ouch,” Camden sneered, glancing at Ryley over his shoulder. “Actually, it is my business … she agreed to be with me, too.”
“Well, that was before you turned into a dick,” I cut in. “I may have agreed to sleep with you both, but that was because I wanted to do something spontaneous for once in my life. Not many women can say they had hot twin guys at once. It was exciting, but it’s not anymore.”
Trailing his hand down my arm, he skimmed over my breast and pressed his body to mine. “It can still be exciting for you. I’m sure my brother wouldn’t mind sharing for the night.”
Behind us, Ryley growled deep in his chest, cracking his knuckles. He wasn’t going to let that happen.
Shaking my head, I crossed my arms over my chest so I could put space between us. “I don’t think so, Camden.”
“Why not? You were going to sleep with us both anyway, right? Besides, you owe me for what you did. I know I was a dick to you and I apologize. I shouldn’t have been like that.”
I might’ve believed him if he sounded sincere.
“She said no,” Ryley hissed. “Leave her alone, brother.”
Camden chuckled and grabbed me by the waist, shoving me against the wall. “All she needs is a little convincing. Girls like it when the guy takes control.”
After that, he forcefully closed his lips over mine and held my face firmly in his hands, not letting me go. My legs were pinned between his, so I couldn’t kick him in the balls; smart move on his part, but bad for mine. It didn’t really matter anyway because Ryley grabbed him around the neck.
“What the fuck is your problem?” he yelled, ripping him off of me. “She doesn’t want you, get over it!”
Red faced and full of rage, Camden jerked out of Ryley’s hold and pushed him off. “Oh, but she wants you, right? Let me guess … I bet you’ve already fucked her.”
Clenching his teeth, Ryley glanced over at me quickly before turning back to his brother. Neither one of us said anything, which only confirmed what Camden assumed. He looked back and forth at both of us, settled on his brother, and scoffed incredulously, “You have got to be kidding me! You’re falling for her, aren’t you?”
Eyes wide, I stood there frozen and completely dumbfounded. Ryley wasn’t falling for me … was he? Our one weekend together was just what it was: one weekend. He knew it, and so did I.
“Camden, you need to leave … now!” Ryley shouted. He was poised, his fists balled tight at his sides, ready to fight. If Camden didn’t leave, I knew there would be a fight, which I didn’t want.
Camden straightened his shirt and rolled his neck, making it crack. “Fine, have it your way. While you’re here fucking the same girl, I’m going to go out and have a variety. At least that way I know I won’t be bored.”
“Trust me,” Ryley hissed, his eyes narrowed, “I’m not bored.”
Both guys stared each other down, never wavering. Suddenly, my phone rang, breaking the trance. Rushing to my phone, I saw that it was Gabriella before I shut it off as fast as I could; I had a lot to tell her when I got home.
“You know what,” Camden spat, relaxing his stance and focusing on me, “you two do whatever you want. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you. At least with me you’d know what you’re getting yourself into. I don’t pretend to be something I’m not.”
With those final words, he turned on his heel and walked away, his footsteps thundering down the steps before the door slammed shut with his departure. Only after we heard the sound of his car leaving the driveway did Ryley really relax.
“Are you okay?” he asked, taking me in his arms. “What did he say to you?”
“Nothing you don’t already know. Are you sure this all stems from the loss of your dad, or are you finally going to admit that he’s jealous of you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know, Ashleigh. He’s been fucked up for a while. I don’t know what to think anymore.”
Nodding, I stepped back and looked up into his blue gaze. “I want you to be honest with me about something,” I said in all seriousness. “And I don’t want you to lie for my sake.”
He furrowed his brows and nodded once. “Okay, what do you want to know?”
“What Camden said … is it true? Are you actually worse than him?”
Ryley sighed and took my hands in his, pulling me back to him. “At first I was,” he admitted. “I’m the one who brought the women to him to help him cope. I’m the one who led him down that path. I confess I’m not the nicest guy and I sure as hell have never given a damn about anyone, but I can honestly say that how I’ve been with you right here and now is who I really am.”
“So after you take me home tomorrow you’ll go right back to the way you were?”
He kissed my palms and smiled. “I don’t know yet, that all depends on you.”
“On me? Why is that?”
“Next weekend I have a fight at the Anaheim Convention Center. I want you to come with me.”
“Are you sure you won’t get bored with me?” I teased. “You’re used to switching it up.”
“True, but I’m not worried about getting bored.”
Licking my lips, I lifted up on my toes and kissed him. “Well, then I guess I better make sure you don’t.”
I kept my gaze on him as I unbuttoned his jeans and let them fall to the floor, along with his boxers. Immediately, his cock started to lengthen, but I dropped to my knees before he could get fully hard. I wanted to suck him while he was soft, but that wasn’t going to work with my fighter. He was ready to go.
Ryley took off his shirt while I held on to his ass and licked his length, up and down. His hands fisted in my hair as I closed over the tip of him and sucked, rolling my tongue around it, tasting the salty drop that pooled at the top.
“Fuck, that feels good,” he groaned. “Don’t stop, angel.”
Luckily, I didn’t want to stop.
I took him in as far as I could and worked my mouth around him, enjoying the way his body trembled. Harder and faster, I tortured him with my tongue until he growled low in his throat and lifted me up by my arms, throwing me down on the bed. He ripped off my shorts and hastily lifted my shirt and bra so he could suck my nipples and plunge inside of me with his fingers.
“You’re so wet for me,” he murmured huskily. “I fucking love it.”
He lifted his fingers to his mouth and sucked them off, keeping his gaze on me the entire time. My clit tightened just watching him.
“Sit back against the headboard, Ryley,” I commanded.
Lifting his brows, he bit his lip and smiled. “So I guess this is where you show me how not boring you are?”
I winked. “You know it.”
He rolled off of me, sat up against the thick wooden headboard of his bed, and reached over to grab a condom out of his nightstand. Taking it from him, I opened it up and slowly slid it down his cock, loving the way his body responded when I touched him.
As he stared at me with hooded eyes, I climbed in his lap and straddled his legs, only letting the tip of him enter me so I could torture him. Tilting his head, he sucked both of my nipples, one after the other while I circled my hips over the tip of his cock, wanting desperately just to take him inside of me.
“You’re ki
lling me, angel.”
“Oh I know, but don’t you like the buildup … the tension? How do you think it feels to me only having the tip of you inside of me when I want to feel it all? I want the pain and pleasure of it, to feel you stretching me until it hurt.”
Ryley gripped my thighs hard when I lowered down a little bit more until he was fully inside of me. His hands left my thighs to cup my cheeks and hold me to his lips as he kissed me, sucking my tongue when I pushed it into his mouth.
I rode him hard, raking my nails down his back, and enjoyed the rumble of satisfaction in his chest as I milked him. The faster I rocked my hips, the louder his growls became. I knew he was close because I could feel him getting harder inside of me, lengthening.
“I’m going to come, baby, if you keep fucking me like this.”
Hearing his strangled moan only made me want to move faster, which made my orgasm swiftly reach the surface. “Oh my God, Ryley,” I moaned, arching my back. “I want you to come … now.”
My orgasm exploded all around me, intensifying when Ryley bit down on my nipple and released at the same time, gripping his fingers deep into my thighs. He thrust his hips up during the last tremors of his release, and then settled against the headboard with a satisfied smirk.
“Now that felt amazing,” he murmured heatedly.
Slowly, I lifted my hips and rolled over to lie beside of him; he took off the condom and threw it in the trash bin beside the nightstand. Breathing hard, I put my arm around his waist and my head on his chest while he rubbed my back.
“You never answered the question,” he remarked.
“Which one?”
“The one where I asked you to watch me fight next Saturday. I want you to come home with me afterwards.”
“So there’s no party to go searching for your next conquest?” I asked teasingly.
“Oh, there is, but I won’t be going to it if you agree to stay with me. Just give me one more weekend.”
Smiling, I looked up at him and lifted my brows. “One more weekend, huh? I guess I can’t turn down that offer, can I? At least I’ll be saving one girl from getting her heart broken by you.”