That was all I had of my mother. Reminders of being loved.
I fought to keep them alive in my head.
No matter how he tried to beat them out of me.
He appeared in my doorway.
“There’s room for one box. Move your ass.”
“But—”
He shoved me aside, my shoulder burning with pain when it met the edge of the doorframe.
I didn’t make a sound.
He reached into the box, tossing my shoes carelessly. “Carry these.” Pushing the pillow aside, he lifted the lamp, a frown creasing his face. All that remained was the decorated base, the lampshade long ago broken, bent, and discarded. The truck with the loader lifted high was dull, the streetlight it sat beside pieced together with glue. The edges of the truck were worn from where my fingers had rubbed, wanting to play with it when I was a child. I could hear my mother’s patient voice talking to me.
“No, Maddy, just to look at, baby boy. One day, you can have a real one.”
A glimmer of recognition flitted over my father’s angry face. “What the fuck? Where did you get this?”
I shrugged and tried to bluff. “It’s a stupid lamp. I need something to use when I read. It was in one of the houses, and I took it.”
He wavered, his saturated memory unclear. “Oh yeah? Well, leave it behind. We ain’t got room.”
“No! Please!” I couldn’t help but beg.
Satisfaction glimmered in his dark eyes, confirming his thoughts. “Well then, let’s make it fit.”
Frozen, I watched as he lifted the lamp, cracking it against the window frame. It broke, the truck separating from the stand, the streetlamp shattering as it all fell to the mattress on the floor.
“There,” he sneered. “Fit it in or leave it. You have five minutes.”
With shaky hands, I lifted the truck and tucked it into the corner of the one box he allowed me to bring. The rest of the lamp was garbage, damaged beyond repair, so I left it behind. I would have to safeguard the last piece and keep it well hidden.
Tears dripped on the box as I flipped closed the lid.
I lifted my box, and placed my shoes on top, leaving the pillow.
I wiped my face roughly. I would never allow him to see my tears. I would never give him that satisfaction again.
I didn’t look back as I left another piece of my life behind.
There was no point.
Maddox
With the lights of the city spread out below me, I stared out the window, sipping my whiskey, enjoying the way the rich flavor rolled around my tongue. The low lights reflected my condo in the large pane windows. Tidy, organized, everything in its place. Exactly the way I liked it. Needed it.
Behind me, I heard a light tap. I hit the button on the remote, unlocking the door, knowing who was waiting. Soft footfalls headed in my direction, and Dee’s reflection appeared in the glass. Turning, I offered her a smile and a tumbler of whiskey. I knew she’d like this one.
“Hey, neighbor.”
She shook her head, taking the glass from my hand and settling into the club chair. “You are such a dork. I live ten floors below you. I’m not your neighbor.”
I shrugged. “Close enough.” I sat across from her on the sofa. “Seriously, are you settling in?”
She held up her whiskey, studied its dark golden color, then took a sip. Her eyes drifted shut as she swallowed. Her hand swept through her hair, the strawberry color catching the light. She was artless, sexy.
I liked it.
She opened her eyes. “Nice choice.”
“I knew you’d enjoy it.”
She smiled and reclined her head. “I’m settling in. I wasn’t expecting to be on my own, but it will be nice to have a home office to work from on occasion.”
“Still in shock?”
She chuckled. “I shouldn’t be, given it was Cami, but I am.”
“I think this was all on Aiden, which makes it the biggest shock of them all.”
We went to Vegas for a quick trip away. Everyone needed a break, and rather than the girls going on their own, we joined them. The first day was fun with sightseeing and dinner. We went to a show and even did a little gambling. The next night, we ended up pairing off the way we usually did: Emmy and Bent, Cami and Aiden, Dee and me.
Bent and Emmy went to another show. Dee and I checked out a whiskey bar we’d heard about, Cami and Aiden spent the night doing the usual touristy things. They visited the Eiffel Tower, took a gondola ride, and watched the fountains dance. Then, Aiden being Aiden, he had gone for broke, and since we were in Vegas, married Cami.
They showed up at breakfast the next morning, and neither of them said a word. But they looked guilty, yet so happy; I knew something was going on. They simply ordered their meals, talked about the day’s plans and acted as if nothing was amiss. Until Emmy spotted the rings on their hands.
“What the hell? Cami…are you…oh my God, are you married?”
All of our heads snapped in their direction. Aiden lifted Cami’s hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. The light glinted off the matching ring on his left hand.
“We are,” he stated.
We gaped at them, shocked.
“Is it legal?” Dee asked, looking between Cami and Aiden. “Or did you do this for fun?”
“It was fun, but it is very legal,” Aiden confirmed.
Suddenly, the table exploded. Hugs, kisses, backslaps, and congratulations were exchanged all around. Aiden looked like the happiest man on earth, and beside him, Cami beamed. When Emmy asked if they were going to have a real wedding, Cami shook her head.
“It was exactly what we wanted. Only us.” She smiled at Dee in apology. “We thought we’d renew our vows next year and bring everyone to join us.”
Dee covered her hand. “That sounds perfect. I’m happy for you.”
I had wondered then, the same way I wondered now, if Dee was as okay with the marriage as she seemed to be. In the weeks since we had returned, life had been busy with work, moving Cami in with Aiden and moving Dee in to her new place in the building where I lived. I helped move boxes at night. Movers handled the furniture, but it still took a lot of hours. We’d barely had time to see each other.
Or, in other words, fuck each other.
“You were very calm about the whole surprise wedding.”
She sipped her whiskey, looking contemplative. “I was a bit hurt, but I realized it was Cami’s decision and her life. She was much too happy for me to be upset.” She huffed a long breath. “I hope it wasn’t a rash decision they’ll both regret.”
I scowled, feeling the need to defend my friend. “Aiden loves Cami. He loves her so much it terrified him. When he accepted what he was feeling, it changed him. She changed him—for the better. For the first time in his life, he accepted something good for himself. I don’t think you have to worry about any regrets from him.”
She tilted her head, studying me. “That was spoken with conviction.”
I shrugged. “The two of them work.”
“They do.” She grinned. “That was also spoken like a true romantic, by the way. Which you insist you are not.”
I chuckled. “I have my moments. I’m okay with romance…for other people.”
“Me too.”
We stared at each other, not speaking. Slowly, the air shifted, growing more intense.
“So tell me, Deirdre, what are you wearing under that businesslike navy suit you have on?”
She loved it when I murmured her full name. No one used it but me, and I only uttered it when we were alone.
She traced the rim of her glass, eyeing me. “I’m sure you’d like to know.”
I shifted, my erection lengthening as I thought about it. Wondering what secret I would discover tonight.
Dee was a walking contradiction. Classic, dark suits, neutral-colored blouses. No-fuss hair. Simple makeup. No jewelry.
However, underneath the linen and cotton was an entirely different story
.
Lacy, push-up bras, tiny triangles that covered silky curls and a sweet little cleft I knew intimately.
Satin, lace, silk, and sin.
Black, pink, red, every color of the rainbow.
Cutouts and high tops. Thongs, boy shorts, strapless, bustiers, stripes, polka dots, pin-tucked, bedazzled, and sexy.
She had them all. She was sex on legs.
“Why don’t you show me?” My eyes raked down her body.
She stood, her fingers drifting to the pearl buttons under her neck. I settled into the cushions, anticipation waking every nerve in my body.
“Slowly.”
She tilted her head.
“I want it slow tonight, baby.”
She shrugged out of her jacket, the fabric a dark pool on the floor.
“Is that so?”
“Yes.” My cock grew harder as she moved. Slow. Sensuous. Exactly the way I instructed her.
“Do I get a reward?”
I palmed my erection. “You get me. Buried so deep inside you, you’ll feel me for days.”
Her blouse joined her jacket, showcasing the cream lace bustier encasing her torso that made me groan. Her breasts were high, ready to spill over the tight lace. I wanted to bite them. When her skirt fell, revealing the thigh highs attached with tiny straps of lace, I almost lost it. The scrap of material nestled between her thighs was so minute it was ridiculous. And sexy as hell.
I widened my legs. “Come here.”
She stood between my knees. I trailed my fingers up and down her thighs, tracing the ribbons and lace, teasing the satin of her skin. I jerked her forward, burying my face in her pussy, breathing her in.
She whimpered as I pressed my mouth to her, hard.
“You want me. I can smell how much you want me.”
She dug her fingers into my scalp, lifting my face.
“Yes. But the rules still apply, Maddox. Sex. That’s all it is. Nothing has changed.”
I smiled grimly. “I wouldn’t expect it to.”
“Then fuck me.”
Never breaking eye contact with her, I shredded her panties. Tore them away from her skin with one firm yank of my fist.
I would fuck her. I would fuck her because that was what we did.
To the outside world, we were the same: cool, calm, and collected. Detached.
When we came together, alone, things changed. We were relentless. Explosive and insatiable.
She fucked with my control.
I fucked her to get it back.
That was our game. It always had been.
Until one of us changed the rules and fell in love.
Maddox
I was alone once again. Dee never stayed. It was one of our rules. There were many, but that one had never changed or been broken.
Pouring another shot of whiskey, I sat on the sofa, thinking of when we met.
Deirdre Anne Wilson slid into my life as easily as she slid into the back seat of the limo on the night out for Emmy’s birthday that Bentley arranged. She sat beside me with her long, sexy legs crossed demurely and a smile playing on her full lips.
“You must be Maddox.”
“Dee, I presume?”
“Right in one.”
She looked around the interior of the car. “Nice limo.”
I grinned and pulled a bottle of champagne from the bucket. “Thanks to Bentley.”
She arched an eyebrow my way knowingly. “I think my sister insisted. She has no boundaries.” She glanced over at Cami. “I’m afraid Aiden has his hands full.”
I poured her a glass of the bubbly with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t worry about Aiden. He can handle himself.”
I thumped the roof of the car and yelled at Bentley to move things along. I was hungry, and I wanted to get the evening started.
When Bentley and Emmy finally entered the limo, I handed them each a glass of champagne and toasted the birthday girl. I already had a soft spot for Emmy. She was bright, vivacious, and a good match for Bent. I had never known him to be so taken with someone.
Aiden seemed caught in Cami’s spell, and she only had eyes for him. I had a sense she was going to keep him on his toes, and he might prove to be a good partner for her—if he allowed it.
That left Dee and me. I was prepared to endure the evening being friendly, for Bentley’s sake. I didn’t know what I anticipated Cami’s older sister to be like, but the alluring woman sitting beside me wasn’t part of my expectations. She was average height, with a willowy build. Unlike Cami’s vivacious looks and personality, Dee was sedate and pretty in an understated way. Her clothes were simple and unfussy, her hair cut chin-length, and her face makeup-free. Yet, there was something intriguing and sexy about her. Her large green eyes were intelligent and her movements graceful. She had a low and husky voice, and she chose her words carefully. When she smiled, her face lit up, but in a different way from her sister. Cami beamed, while Dee’s expression softened and warmed, like the diffused light of dawn.
It was highly attractive.
For the next weeks, I had gotten to know Dee as our little group formed. I enjoyed talking to her, and we conversed on a variety of subjects. She had a wicked sense of humor and did incredible imitations of people that made me laugh. She was strong and seemingly unflappable, and I suspected there were hidden depths under her no-nonsense façade. She was well read and we had a lot in common, but neither of us pursued anything outside of our group get-togethers. It was nice to have someone to chat with when we were all together. Given the way Bentley was falling for Emmy, I had a feeling I’d be seeing a lot of Dee. I liked her company and found myself thinking of her a great deal, but I never followed through with my distracting thoughts. As much as she intrigued me, I didn’t pursue her.
Until one day, I was browsing my local bookstore for something new to read.
Studying a book jacket, I was distracted when a woman’s silhouette caught my attention. She was lissome and pretty, the sunlight catching her light red hair. She was reading the back of a book, her finger running over the spine. Something about her beckoned to me yet seemed familiar. With a grin, I realized it was Dee, and I approached her. “Find something good?”
She glanced at me, startled. I was close enough to see the flecks of brown in her wide green eyes. She smiled and slid the book back onto the shelf. “Not really.” She indicated the books I had in my hand. “I think you’ve had better luck.”
“You can borrow one if you like. I tend to buy in batches.”
She tilted her head, silently mouthing the titles. She looked up with a smile. “That would be lovely.”
“I was gonna grab a cup of coffee. Can I interest you in joining me?”
“I’d love to.”
Seated across from her, I realized it was the first time we’d ever been alone.
“You come here often?”
She shook her head with a wry grin. “Is that your best pick-up line, Maddox?”
I chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in here until today.”
“I was in the office for a short while, then dropped in here. Usually I browse on my lunch hour.”
“That makes sense.”
Silence fell as we sipped our coffee, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. I noticed she nibbled at the end of her thumb, and it struck me as odd. Given her stoic persona, I found it rather endearing.
I found my thoughts strange. Endearing wasn’t a word I used often—if ever.
She met my gaze. “So, is it?”
“Is it what?”
“Is that your best pick-up line?”
I studied her as I drank my coffee. “I don’t typically do pick-up lines.”
She smirked. “I’m not surprised.”
“Sorry?”
“With that whole silver fox thing you’ve got going, I’m sure you don’t have to.”
I frowned. “Silver fox?”
“Maddox, the silver fox. Young, sexy, wealthy, plus that premature gray? I bet you beat t
hem off with a stick.”
I shook my head, amused at her thoughts. “I’m sorry to disappoint, but no.”
“Really? I’m surprised.”
I sat back, crossing my legs, swinging one foot. “What about you, Deirdre? All prim and pretty. You drive the lawyers crazy at your firm?”
She laughed. “Dee. No one calls me Deirdre. It’s stuffy and formal.”
“No. It’s a lovely name for a lovely woman. It suits you. The lawyers you date don’t call you by your full name?”
She ignored my comment about her name. “I don’t date lawyers, or anyone else at my firm,” she stated firmly. “In fact, I don’t date.”
“Ever?”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “No. Love, romantic love, isn’t for me.”
I took in a deep breath and spoke. “Why is that?”
“It’s dangerous. It overwhelms and kills you.”
At my raised eyebrow, she continued.
“I’m not saying I don’t see people. I have…needs. But I don’t do romantic relationships. I’ve seen the way love destroys people.” She held up her hand before I could speak. “I know it works for some, but I’m not built that way.”
I drained my coffee, then leaned forward. “Neither am I.”
She widened her eyes. “Really?”
“Love equals power. The power to destroy. The ability to hurt and cause pain. The chaos it causes. That’s what love means to me. It destroys trust and leaves you weak.”
“You feel that way about everyone?”
“There are a few exceptions. And I will never break them for a woman.”
Our eyes met, silent understanding passing between us. The air shifted, and I felt our mutual desire grow. It stretched out, pushing tentatively against the boundaries we had erected. She propped her elbow on the table, lifting her thumb to her mouth. Her small teeth gnawed at the flesh. It was an innocent gesture, yet I found it provocative.
“I have needs too,” I murmured. Reaching over, I tugged her thumb from her mouth, inspecting it. From the roughness of the skin, and the fact that it was the second time she’d done it since we sat down, it was clearly a nervous habit for her. I slowly dragged my fingers across her palm, then laid her hand on the table.
Vested Interest Box Set: Books 1-3 Page 48