by B. B. Hamel
“Oh, right. Harry’s on the other side.”
“I’m sorry.” She tries to smile. “I just can’t make myself care about it, you know? He’d be so mad if he knew I was talking to you like this.”
“I won’t tell him.”
“I know you won’t.” She takes a few steps closer. “Listen, I just wanted to say… you seem nice. You should get the hell out of here while you can.”
I feel a strange chill run down my spine. “Really?”
“You’re not in any real danger or anything like that, I know how this sounds. But it’s more… you’ll get sucked into it. All this will become normal.”
“I don’t know. I find that hard to believe.”
“Trust me.” She glances behind her. “I was a waitress when I met Harry. I grew up in the suburbs around Chicago. I was just a regular girl when we got together, but after years of coming to this place, of dealing with this family, I think I’m more… I’m more jaded.”
I shift uncomfortably. I can see it in her eyes, I know she’s not lying. Hell, I can feel it in myself. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I chose it and we’re happy when we’re not here. It’s a good life. I just, if this is something you can’t stand, get out while you can. Tell Ryan you refuse to come back to this house on these little week retreats. Nobody will hold it against you. Honestly, it’s the most sensible thing anyone could imagine.” She laughs lightly again, but that edge is there, sharper now.
“I’ll think about that,” I say.
“Good. Anyway, good luck. Don’t tell Harry this, but I hope Ryan gets the company. He’s always been nicer to me than Joel.” She gives me another sad little smile.
I hesitate then walk forward. I pull her into a big hug. She seems surprised at first but hugs me back. I hold her there for a moment. “Thanks,” I whisper. “I needed to be reminded that there are regular people in the world still.”
“Not in this house, there aren’t.”
I pull back and smile at her before walking away. She watches me go. I can feel her eyes on me until I turn the corner.
What a strange warning. It echoes in my mind, in my ears. I know she’s right, I know I could just run away. This whole house is a curse, a weird and messed-up curse. There’s no reason to linger here, except for one.
My baby. Our future.
Tracy is right. If I want to have a normal life without all this, I should just go to Ash right now and ask him to take me back to the mainland. I should even take Joel up on his offer. I could walk away with money and never look back.
I don’t really owe Ryan anything. He’s just a stranger that got me pregnant.
I could set myself up. I could set my baby up. Ryan might not get the company, but he’ll still be fine. He’ll still be rich. I don’t need to worry about him at all, just about my baby.
I head back to the room, my mind racing through the possibilities.
12
Ryan
I search the whole damn house top to bottom but I can’t find her anywhere. I’m getting frustrated when I step out back and spot Olivia sitting next to the pool. She’s wearing shorts and a t-shirt, her nose buried in a book. There’s a sad-looking giraffe slowly floating around on the water.
I walk over to her. She doesn’t look up as I sit down on the chair next to her.
“Hey, little sister,” I say.
She ignores me.
“See Casey come past here?”
She doesn’t answer. Just turns her page and tightens her expression.
“Olivia. You’ve been acting like I killed your dog since you got here. What’s going on, kid?”
She finally slams her book shut. She takes her sunglasses off and glares at me. I’ve seen that look before many, many times. She’s pissed about something and I have a feeling I might deserve it.
“Oh, so now you care about me?” she snaps.
I frown. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about your new little fiancée. What the fuck, Ryan?”
I let out a long breath. “Yeah.”
“You didn’t even tell me about her. I had to find out from Uncle Toby. Seriously, Ryan, I found out that you got engaged, my own older brother, from Uncle fucking Toby.”
“I’m sorry,” I say.
“You asshole. We’re supposed to be friends and you neglect to tell me the biggest thing happening in your life?”
I sigh and lean back on the chair. She’s right, I know she’s right. I’ve always had a good relationship with Olivia. We talk on the phone once or twice a week, text all the time. We keep each other updated on our lives and whenever she’s in the city, we spend time together. She’s probably my closest sibling, and she totally should be mad about this Casey thing.
“I wish I could explain,” I say, “but I honestly can’t. It happened suddenly and now…” I trail off. “I’m sorry, kid. I should’ve told you sooner.”
“At least before Uncle Toby. He threw it out there in between something about QAnon and the fake moon landing.” She rolls her eyes. “Seriously, Ryan, what’s up?”
I shift uncomfortably. “It was just so fast. I didn’t think… I should’ve told you. I’m really sorry.”
She’s quiet for a long moment. “Are you happy with her?”
The question surprises me. “Yeah. I think so.”
“Because I don’t want you to be with some random chick just to get that fucking company. You know that’s only going to mess you up, right?”
I smile at her. “Come on, Olivia.”
“I’m serious. If you’re with that girl just to make Mom and Dad happy… don’t do it. I’d rather see Joel in charge than see you give up what makes you happy just to win.”
“I wouldn’t be with her if she doesn’t make me happy,” I say. “I promise. She’s a good person, you’d like her if you weren’t so busy looking at her like she’s a monster.”
Olivia cracks a smile. “I’ve been mean.”
“You’ve been a pretty average Boulton, I’d say.”
She laughs a little bit and I know she’ll get over it. I’m relieved when she puts her sunglasses back on. “You’re still on my shitlist, but whatever, we can be cool.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“I haven’t seen her, by the way. It’s just me and Major Tom out here.”
“Major Tom?”
She gestures at the floating giraffe. “He’s good company.”
I laugh and stand up. “I’m sure he is. Shit, I guess I’ll try our room.”
“Probably a good idea, genius.”
I flip her off and she grins, flipping me off back. “See you.”
“See you later, kid.” I head back into the house, into the kitchen, and up the back steps.
What Olivia said plays over in my mind. She would rather see Joel win than see me in a marriage I’m not happy with. She’d be so upset if she knew the truth about Casey, and now I hate myself for lying.
Except… I’m not sure I’m lying.
Every time I’m around Casey, I want to be with her even more. Every time I get a taste of her, I need another. I can’t get enough of the girl and even though she’s being bizarre right now, I still can’t help myself.
She’s incredible. Maybe we started as strangers but the more I get to know her, the more I want her.
Olivia’s right. If this thing with Casey is nothing more than a business agreement, I should walk away from it. I should let things shake out naturally, so to speak.
But I feel something more. I feel like I want more and more. I just need to figure out what Casey wants first.
I reach our room and unlock the door. I step inside, shut it behind me, and stop, my eyes going a little wide.
Casey’s bending over, taking off a pair of yoga pants. She’s wearing panties and a sports bra and her body’s dewy with sweat. She looks over her should at me and kicks the yoga pants aside, her ass parky and firm.
“Great timing,”
she says. “I should’ve known you show up at this exact moment.”
I don’t say a word. I take a step closer and she watches me carefully, her eyes sharp, her lips slightly parted.
“Don’t,” she says.
“You’ve been dodging me.”
“I’ve been busy.”
“Bullshit. You’ve been weird since we came back from the mainland.” I cock my head slightly, staring at her body, pulse racing. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Nothing.” She looks away, unable to meet my gaze.
I practically let out a little growl. “I know you’re hiding something, Casey. I don’t care what it is, just stop being so fucking weird.”
“I’m not being weird,” she snaps, turning back to me. Her eyes blaze with anger. “This whole situation is weird, okay? I think I’m the only sane person in this whole fucking mansion.”
“That might be true, but we’re supposed to be in this together.”
“Are we?” She glares at me and steps closer. Her legs are long and lean and her breasts are full and bursting against her tight sports bra. “All you do is walk around here, all pissed off, and you tell me to stay shut up in this room. Do you have any clue how hard that is?”
I clench my jaw. “It’s better for you.”
“I know what you think, but you’re wrong. I can’t stay shut up in here for a week.”
“You can.”
“I can’t.”
We stand there and she’s defiant. Fucking hell, she’s defiant and gorgeous. I can barely control myself. I think she knows exactly what she’s doing and part of me hates her for it and part of me doesn’t care either way so long as I get another taste.
“Listen to me.” I come closer, pitching my voice low. She doesn’t move. She stares up at me with those beautiful eyes, nearly naked, so exposed. I reach out and she flinches away but I don’t stop. I keep going and slowly wrap my fingers through her hair, holding on tight. She lets me with a little gasp. “I know this is hard for you, Case. I’m sorry about that. I really am. But believe me when I say this.” I lean closer, so close to her now, our lips nearly touching. “We’re on the same team. I want you, Casey.”
“I know what you want.” She lets out a little gasp again as I tighten my grip. “I know what you really want, Ryan.”
“Good.”
I kiss her. For half a beat I think she might push me away, but instead she moans into my kiss. She presses her nearly naked, sweaty body against mine, and I let that kiss linger, knowing full well that I’m not going to stop.
13
Casey
I stumble back into the bathroom as he kisses me. There’s a voice in my head that’s screaming for me to stop, but as soon as his lips pressed against mine, I knew there was no going back.
Everything disappears as he kicks the bathroom door shut and rips off his shirt. I stare at his muscular chest until he kisses me again, his strong hands on my body, his fingers in my hair.
I groan slightly as he pulls off my panties. I gasp as he kisses my neck. I work on his belt, get it off, tug down his jeans. He kicks them aside and my hands are on his chest again, his muscular chest. I groan as his hands tease my breasts and push up my sports bra. He licks and sucks my nipples, making me moan, and I grab onto his hair nice and tight.
“I think you like it when I do this,” he whispers. “Or maybe you just like grabbing my hair.”
“I think I like hurting you a little bit.”
He laughs softly and pushes me back into the shower stall. I stumble and press against the tile wall. The tiles are cold against my back as he steps into the shower and pins me there. He turns on the water and it comes out hot. He adjusts it, makes it warm, and his lips are on mine again as the water spills down our bodies, soaking my sports bra, soaking his boxer briefs.
I can’t help myself. I reach down and stroke his cock with both hands, taking his thick shaft in my palms, running them down his length. He gives a growl and kisses me harder, biting my lower lip, hands on my body and my hair. My sports bra is soaking wet when he takes it off and throws it out of the shower.
I pull down his boxer briefs and take his huge, thick cock in my hands. I drop to my knees and lick him top to bottom, water dripping from our bodies. He looks so handsome, so incredible as I take him in my mouth and suck him deep. I gag and keep going, losing myself in the moment, in the act, in the pleasure.
He growls and grabs my hair tight, pushing me deeper. I gag and stop, stroking him, looking up into his eyes. “You’re gorgeous,” he says. “You’re absolutely gorgeous. Do you even know that, Casey? Do you have any clue just how beautiful you really are?”
I don’t answer. I just take his cock in my mouth and suck him faster. He groans, clearly loving it, and that’s all I need from him. I want that pleasure, that moaning. I want him groaning and growling and right on that edge. He pushes me down again and this time I go with it, I take him deep into my throat. I suppress my gag and let him fuck my mouth and throat, let him thrust his cock into my mouth as I moan.
He pulls me back. I gasp and he leans down to kiss me. I kiss him back and he pulls me up to my feet, pins my hands against the wall, and presses his naked, warm, wet body against mine.
“You feel so fucking good,” he growls. “Your pretty little lips around my cock, your perfect little body against mine. You have no clue, Casey, no fucking clue what you do to me.”
“You’re breaking my rule,” I point out.
“Damn right I am. And if you want me to stop, I’ll stop.” His hand releases one wrist before slipping between my legs. “But that’s not what you want, is it?”
I moan as he teases my pussy. I’m actually surprised at how dripping wet I am. I couldn’t tell because of the shower but my pussy is absolutely soaked, dripping down my inner thigh, practically drooling for him. His fingers spread me apart then find my clit, rolling along its hard little surface. I moan his name and the outside world disappears, all the strangeness, the insanity, everything goes away.
There’s only him.
He bites my lip and pushes his fingers deep inside me. I gasp, back arching. He licks my hard, pink nipples and slides his fingers in and out, fucking me with them, his other hand in my hair now. He grips my hair hard, dominating me, controlling me. I arch my back as the steam rises around us, the shower water still rolling down my breasts. He licks my nipples again, sucks them, bites them. I groan as his fingers push deeper, fucking me harder. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him to me, kissing him hard, biting his lip right back.
He lets out a little growl as his fingers fuck me faster then find my clit. I gasp and moan, back arched, legs shaking. He supports me so easily, so big and muscular and strong. He dominates me, takes me, makes me feels so good I can forget about the world for a little while. His fingers slide in and out, fucking me, before teasing my clit, and I can’t help myself.
“I love listening to you moan,” he whispers in my ear. “I love watching your body react to my every touch. Do you love it just as much, darling Casey? My little Casey? You love it and you know it.”
“God, yes,” I moan, despite myself. “I love it, don’t stop.”
He fucks me faster with his fingers, kissing me hard. I pull him against me and I want it so badly I can’t help myself.
He pulls back before I can get there. He gets me right to the edge and it’s like he can read my mind. He spins me around, pins me against the wall, puts my hands up above my head and slaps my ass. I gasp and look over my shoulder at him as he spanks me again. He bites his lip like he’s staring at a delicious meal.
“Look at you,” he says. “Perfect, perky ass. Dripping wet pussy. God, Casey. I don’t know how I lived without this.” He spanks me again, harder. I groan when he pulls my hair and I feel his cock press against my soaking wet pussy.
For a second, the baby slips past my mind. It’s there then it’s gone again. I know I’m pregnant, I know the baby’s growing and it’s all his, but it
doesn’t matter. It won’t matter for right now.
I can enjoy this, at least for a little while.
There’s nothing else good here in this house. There’s only Ryan, father of my child, his hard body so masculine and intense. He can take me and make me feel good, and that’s all I want right now. Just him, his big cock fucking me deep between my legs.
“Fuck me,” I whisper. “Please, Ryan. Fuck me.”
He kisses me gently, softly, almost like he’s teasing me. “Are you sure, little Casey? Are you sure you want to break the rules?”
“God, they’re already broken.” I look over my shoulder and kiss him. “Fuck me.”
He gives me what I want. His cock slides inside my tight pussy so easily as the steam rises all around us. He takes me from behind, his cock filling me up, and I put my hands flat on the tile wall, fingers digging into it. His little growl of pleasure only drives me that much wilder, makes my pussy that much more wet. I can feel my soaking wetness rolling down his hard cock as he fills me up, every inch of me.
I can’t help but moan his name as he slowly starts to fuck me. He teases my breasts and kisses my lips over my shoulder. I love it, love the way he can go from tender and gentle to rough and intense in only a moment. It’s almost too much, but no, it’s never enough, not with Ryan.
I always want more.
He slaps my ass hard and fucks me. “Yes,” I moan. “God, yes. Take me.” He’s hard and intense as his muscular body takes mine, fucking me deep inside my tight pussy. I gasp and moan and throw my head back as he pulls my hair tight.
“You feel like fucking heaven,” he growls. “Your pussy’s dripping wet and tight and goddamn warm. I can’t help myself when I’m around you, Casey. I can barely control myself.”
“Don’t control yourself,” I moan. “Not right now.”
“This isn’t control, sweet girl.” He spanks me hard. “This is pure need.”
I gasp as he fucks me faster and rougher. I can’t help myself, I look over my shoulder at him, mouth hanging open. His body slaps against mine, making my breasts shake with every rough stroke. Pleasure rolls through my frame as he keeps fucking me, filling me, giving me everything I need.