Devil's Despair Box Set: Books 1-3 (73 page)

She smiles, unbuckling the belt of her oversized man’s shirt and causing it to look like a nightgown, rather than a wedding dress. “You’re going to sleep in?”

“I thought about it,” I answer, grabbing her waist and pulling her into me. I rest my forehead on hers and close my eyes, reveling in the scent of her. “I’d love a reason to
need
to get sleep. This sucks.”

“Take my wedding dress off, Hayden,” she whispers as I find her neck and suck at the flesh.

“Don’t tease me, Lace. I can’t handle it.”

“Take it off,” she says with further insistence.

Raising my head and looking down, I study her face. I’m not sure if she’s trying to kill me or tell me something I’ve missed.

“Hayden?” she asks, waiting for me to do or say something.

“If I take this off, I’m fucking you.”

She doesn’t say anything and my hopes start to fade. My fingers move to the top button of the shirt and I release it, waiting for her to stop me. She doesn’t so I continue to the next.

“Lacey? Did you hear what I said?”

She nods, her face revealing no expression.

“If I take this off . . .”

“You’re going to fuck me,” she finishes.

“Yes,” I say, running my hands down her sides and pulling up the shirt at its hem. Her body is still toned, but the evidence of childbirth will always be present. I want to make her feel beautiful. I want her to know the changes in her body don’t matter. “You’re a stunning woman,” I say as I look down at her.

“You’re distracting me. You said you were going to fuck me.”

“You said I had fourteen days.”

“No, I didn’t. You did.”

Realization hits with full-force. She’s giving me the go-ahead, but before I take time to confirm
that,
I want to confirm
this.
“You cheated me.”

“What?” She’s surprised, but won’t be for long.

“You told me six weeks. You said . . . let me quote, ‘Fourteen days and I’ll wear it again.’ That’s a form of cheating.”

“Hayden, it’s not.”

“Uhhh, Lacey. It so is. All night, I watched you wearing this and there was nothing I could do about it. I could’ve been fucking you hours ago.”

“I . . .” She stops; the mental images of where I could’ve taken her must have penetrated somewhere in the recesses of her cheating mind. “I fucked up, didn’t I?”

“Yeah . . .”

“Take my dress off.”

This time, I’m not timidly waiting for denial. It’s been months since I’ve had her how I want her. Fuck timid, gentle, slow, whatever . . .

The buttons on her shirt fly as I rip the rest of it off and push her roughly down on the bed. Her legs spread in front of me with an invitation and the red thong she judged me for memorizing glares at me.

“You’re kidding?” I ask the open room.

“It was coincidence.”

“God, you’re a horrible girlfriend. You were wearing these the entire night?” I ask, motioning up and down her red lace bra and matching thong.

“I’m your wife.”

“You
were
my girlfriend.
Now
you’re my wife.” Kneeling down, I remove them. “I can’t trust you,” I inform her before sinking my face into her sex and sucking her into my mouth.

Her moan at contact echoes off the walls. One hand pulls my hair as the other holds my face against her. Her first climax hits hard and my cock tightens in the jeans I’m unfortunately still wearing.

Standing from my kneeled position, I unbutton my jeans and watch as she sits up and takes her hair down, letting it fall down her back. She reaches for my hands to stop me from undressing and does it herself with speed.

She’s as hungry as I am.

I find I’m right when my cock glides into her mouth and she hums her satisfaction against it. She’s taking long, drawn-out pulls while using her hands to massage the sensitive vein along the length of it.

My hands reach down and hold the top of her head in a tight grip as she moves while taking me in and out of her. Fingernails dig into the back of my thighs, the slightest pain adding to the pleasure.

“Your mouth . . .” It’s all I can say as I tilt my head to the ceiling and try not to visualize coming down her throat. It would end this too quickly.

Finally, though, I’m close. “Condom.” The word comes out with a heavy breath.

Letting me drop from her mouth and holding my cock tight, Lacey nods toward the bedside table. I lean over and open the drawer to find condoms and . . .”Lube?” I question, not having any idea why this would be needed.

“It’s been a long time, Hayden.”

“Get that, but do you need this?”

Her hand darts out to take it from me and she’s too quick; I lose it. Opening the bottle, she pours some in her palm as though she’s warming it up. “I didn’t say I needed it, but just in case.”

Her hands wrap their fingers around my cock and I jump with contact. It’s warm and slick, like her pussy, and God help me I’m about to come.

“Stop!” I clutch her wrists, stopping her repeating motions.

“What?” she laughs quietly.

“Please, Lacey. Please tell me I don’t have to wear this.” I throw the condom next to where she’s sitting and she looks at it then smirks.

“You don’t have to, no.”

“Thank Christ,” I say, pulling off my shirt and removing the jeans that are already nearly off.

“But . . . unless you want another nine months of pregnancy, followed by delivery, recovery, possibly a screaming newborn who is colicky, then I suggest you wear it.”

“This is how you’re going to keep me from fucking you, isn’t it?”

“No, Daddy.”

“Buzz kill.”

“Sex fiend.”

I narrow my eyes, unsure of any comeback, and decide I’ll wear the damn condom. Fuck it; it’s been too long to care.

“You’re done,” I tell her with one thing in mind once the condom is in place.

Her mocking tone answers with challenge as she lies back stiffly. “Ready.”

My knees push her legs open and my hips grind against her center. My cock twitches, finding the warmth it’s missed for so long. With the added lubrication, I slide into her with ease.

“Fuuuuck,” I say, using my arms to cradle her head, pulling it into my chest from under me. “Christ, you feel good.”

Her head lifts and she licks my neck. After, she leans in, her mouth finds my nipple, and her tongue laps it gently at first then with added force.

“Lacey, I’m going to come.”

“Let me on top.”

Fuck yes.

Flipping her over, I grab her hips and look up as she rides me. My hands make their way to her chest, so full and heavy, and then fall to her stomach. Pink and white faded lines mar her creamy skin. She stops above me and looks down questioning.

“Beautiful,” I utter, looking at the stomach that held my daughter and kept her safe. “If I never told you thank you, I meant to.”

Her eyebrows furrow as she stills.

“For Liv. I love her.”

Her face is sincere as she replies, “You’re welcome.”

“And for you. I don’t remember what my life was like before you. I don’t want to ever remember that person again.”

Leaning down, she rests her palm on my cheek and sighs. “You’re still that same person, Hayden. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t love you. You’re just all mine now.”

“My harem’s gonna miss me.”

Her eyebrows furrow, and her nose flares while saying, “Hayden’s Harem can kiss my ass.”

“Right, well then, fuck your man like you mean it.”

Her disposition changes as the laugh takes up the space between us and she does just as I’ve told her.

* * *

Lacey

“I miss her,” Hayden says into the dark room. “I don’t like this. I feel like I can’t breathe.”

I know what he’s thinking, and not because his mumbling hasn’t stopped for an hour. It’s because he told me after our second round tonight that he wanted to go get our daughter. This is also after he sent his dad a text message, got no response, then called and woke him up. Thankfully, he and Cathy weren’t going through their own second round.

“She’s sleeping. Leave it alone,” I remind him, lying at his side as we both stare up at the ceiling.

“She’ll be up in an hour to eat. We can make it there by then.”

“Are you always going to be like this?”

“Yes.” His answer is definite.

Giving up, I sigh and tell him what to do. I’ve got to end the sulking; I can’t take any more. “Get dressed, and let’s go.”

Jackknifing off the bed, it shakes with his happy exit. He walks over to my side, leans down, kisses me hard, and grabs me out of my comfortable position. “Thank you. I fucking love you.”

“Right,” I say, grabbing my bag and pulling out a sweatshirt and boxers.

“Should I call Dad to tell him?”

“Uhh, no. I’m pretty certain us showing up in the middle of the night is enough to tell him you’re coming for Liv.”

“Right. Good, well, let’s go.”

Walking down the stairs, we hear quiet voices. Then Trav’s voice increases . . . then he laughs. It’s not something I’ve ever heard, but it’s distinct.

Travis is laughing.

By the time we reach the bottom, we look to the couch and find what we should have suspected. However, in all honesty, with everything going on around us all evening we didn’t give enough thought to it.

Hayden freezes in front of me before I get a full view. Travis and Sarah are on the couch. The television is muted, her lower legs are lying across his thighs and his hand is holding hers with laced fingers. They both look thoroughly intoxicated and judging by the empty beer bottles at Trav’s feet, I’d say they’ve both consumed enough beer to drown a small village.

The guilty looks on their faces are obvious.

Hayden’s voice is strangled and nervous as I hear him say, “Are you fucking shitting me?” He pauses, looks down at me and back to the couch, “What song do you guys want me to sing at your funeral, because Ace is going to fucking kill you both.”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Paul and Dallace
—I love you both. Thank you again for sticking with this and for all your encouragement and understanding along the way.

Ashleigh
Grapeness
–Word junkies have feelings too. Although you continually pick apart and terrorize me with your feedback, I’m so thankful to have you. You’re the best PA an author could have and I don’t just say that so you’ll be nicer to me—but is it helping?

Amber
—“Amazing Fucking Hayden” He’s still up for grabs if you want to CLAIM! You’re going to look so pretty in pink! Thanks for reading his very early addition and sticking with my ever changing decisions.

Betas:

Christina, Rosie, Tracy, Amy, Alesha, Samantha, Chris, Lena, Melissa, Ashleigh.

This book was tough to conquer. It was full of angst and at times made each of you wonder what the hell I was thinking. Because of your feedback, I was able to smooth down transitions so that the readers could understand my view point an author. These characters are so important to me and you each took such good care of them with your comments. From the bottom of my incredibly stressed out heart, thank you so much!

Danni
and Julie
—Thanks for doing the final proofreading sweep before and after edits were complete. I appreciated all your notes and feedback.

Always—
All the bloggers
that spend countless hours reading, reviewing, promoting, and keeping authors like me from rocking in a corner alone—I can’t thank you each enough. There aren’t words. You have my absolute gratitude forever. I admire your tenacity.

Cover Art created by:
Melody Simmons of
ebookindiecovers.com

Editing by:
Hot Tree Editing Services

Formatting by:
Champagne Formats

DESCRIPTION

Due to content, this book contains material that is not suitable for readers under the age of 18.

Travis

“I’d rather hurt you this way than watch you wake up one morning, after losing everyone in your life, because you think your love for me means more than your loyalty to them.”

Sarah said this to me.

“I’m sorry.”

She said that, too.

Caught up in the inescapable pain of an unexpected loss, Sarah and I shared one unforgettable night together. The next morning, she made the decision to walk away from what could’ve been.

To her, we were a mistake.

To me, we were everything I never knew I needed.

* * *

Sarah

Those I’m closest to never understood me.

To them, my maddening character was nothing more than a ridiculous piece of my adolescence.

To me, it was the sad truth of knowing I was never going to be an equal among them.

After my life was tragically ripped apart, the only person I believed accepted the real me, offered me the escape I was desperate for.

I refused to believe the night Travis and I shared would taint our friendship. I thought if I kept him at arm’s length and denied talking to him about what we’d done, my life would go back to what it was before.

To me, it was a lonely place in which I was used to being.