Devil's Despair Box Set: Books 1-3 (53 page)

When I make it to the living room, I find Travis sitting on the couch holding a beer with one hand and running his hands through his short-cropped goatee with the other. As soon as he catches the sight of me, his eyes narrow. “Hayden found his way here, I’m guessing?”

“Is that your way of telling me I look thoroughly good and fucked?” I sneer in warning, not wanting to get into this with him again.

Putting his hand over his eyes and visibly cringing at the idea, he explains the obvious I had missed. “No, damn it. Lacey, his clothes!” He points to Hayden’s clothes lying along the living room floor. I grab my shirt, hoping he hasn’t seen it yet and throw it on over the one I’m wearing.

“Oh, yeah. He’s here. He’s sleeping. I heard voices and woke up.”

“Raegan,” he says. “She had to use the bathroom.” He smiles into his beer before taking another drink.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah.” He raises the bottle in the air. “Hair of the dog and all.”

Walking to him, I take the position at the other end of the couch and watch the muted television screen. After a few seconds of silence, I watch him start to adjust on the couch as if he’s getting up. “Travis?”

He stops and looks to me softly, allowing my tone to penetrate. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay now? With Hayden and me, I mean?”

“No, but yes.”

“What does that mean? That’s a woman’s answer.”

“I’m not okay with it, but you said you’re an adult and I told you how I felt and what I thought would happen. If that’s enough for you then it’ll be enough for me.”

“Thank you.”

“You like him, too, huh?”

“Yes. I do.”

“I’ve never seen him happy like this. With one girl, I mean.”

This surprises me. Hayden and I just started this arrangement so I’m not sure what to expect, but Trav’s known him since they were kids. I don’t know what to make of it.

“I’m happy, too.”

Getting up, he moves toward the kitchen so I follow his footsteps, staying closely behind him. I hear him say before I start to turn toward the hall, “I’ll still kick his ass if he hurts you, Lacey.”

“On that note, I think I’m going to wake him so he can go. We don’t need the cowboy getting pissed at the Indian when the cowboy mistakes the moans from the next room as pain.”

A moment passes, and I’m biting my bottom lip trying to hide my laughter as I continue toward the bedroom. Before closing the door behind me, I hear Travis bark, “He’s a dead man for telling you about that fuckin’ costume.”

Jumping on the bed, I wake Hayden by showering him with quick kisses. His reaction, as I had expected, was to take me hard again. This time with his hand over my mouth, so Cowboy Joe doesn’t have to suffer through another visual as the one I had just described to him.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Hayden

TRAVIS HAD CALLED earlier to tell me he, Rae, and Ace were headed to Las Vegas for a few days to help Rae’s dad finalize his long, messy, and drawn-out divorce. Raegan’s mother is a bitch. I’ve never met her but hearing Travis and Ace explain her place in Rae’s life, I’m glad I missed my chance.

Lacey and I have planned a relaxing break from the rest of them and we’re doing it
our
way.

“I’ll catch a cold if you make me do this,” she tells me, struggling to find a valid reason she can’t go without clothes.

“You’re making excuses now. And not good ones.”

“I’m not. It’s not summer, Hayden. If I get sick, I blame you.” She removes her shirt, lifting it over her head. I congratulate myself quietly for my creativity as I watch her chest bounce with each move she makes in removing her bra shortly after.

“Pants?” I say, pointing to the offending jeans blocking the rest of my view of her perfect body.

“God, you’re ridiculous.”

“Nope.” I smile, and it’s returned with what she must believe is a childlike evil eye.

“Come here.”

“I’m sore,” she tells me, then adds for reiteration, “Daddy.”

“Buzz kill.”

“Sex fiend.”

“You’re the only girl I know who uses a safe word for no reason.”

“Is that what that is?”

“You calling me ‘daddy’ shrinks my cock, so yeah, it works just as good.”

Moving her hair off her chest and placing it behind her back, I rest my hands on her thighs as she positions herself on top of me, staring into my eyes. My body enjoys the feel of her, even in the face of her rejection.

“Dinner is at five,” I remind her. Cathy is making dinner for us. Lacey’s going to meet my father tonight. I’ve never brought home a woman I’ve cared anything about to meet him. I’m nervous of his reaction.

Lacey rests her cheek on my chest, wrapping her arms around my neck and holding me tight. “I’ve never met an exclusive’s parent.”

Her confession confuses me. I don’t like to think about the men she’s been with before me, but she’s told me about Alec. “Douche didn’t have parents?”

“Yeah, but they didn’t live close and he never cared if I met them or not. He met my mom, though.” Her eyes roll, remembering how she left both him and her mother the night she came to see Travis. She finishes telling me what I already know. “Obviously
they
got along well.”

“You’re not fucking my dad.”

“Eww!”

“Dad’s like me.”

“Hot?” she says, pulling away from me and lifting her eyebrows with orneriness.

“Sexy? Charming?”

“All the above. He likes women more than I do.”

“Not possible.”

I tread lightly here, not knowing the reaction my dad will have to her but hoping he’ll respect and understand my decision in bringing her to him. She’s Trav’s sister, so of course he’s curious. I don’t want him
too
curious.

“Dad’s a recovering alcoholic,” I admit.

“Yeah. You and Travis both told me this.”

“Before, when he was sick, he was different. I feel like I’ve just started to get to really know him.”

She brushes my cheek with her fingers, resting her palm against my face. “No matter what happens, it’ll be okay.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to say three words I’ve never said to another woman, ever. Lacey has to know I care about her. The thought of not seeing her every day, not having her in my bed or hearing her voice on the phone when she calls for no reason has left me unsure and confused.

I’ve never fallen in love before. I don’t know if this is how it feels.

“Are you really sore?” I ask, distracting myself the best way I know how.
Sex.

“No.” Her voice is raspy as she starts to move on top of me, shifting back and forth over my cock as it strains in my jeans. “But you’re still dressed.”

Standing up, I pull her with me and walk to my bedroom. She wraps her body around mine and breathes softly in my neck in response.

For the first time in my life, I’m about to make love to a woman.

* * *

Lacey

It’s changing. I feel it. The dynamic of our arrangement is evolving. To what, I’m not sure. We’ve spent nearly every day together since this started, and over time, the casual and flirtatious banter has continued, but with less intensity. We talk more. Our day-to-day lives are tangling together. He feels it, too.

This morning, Hayden was different. He used my body, but not for the purpose he’s used it before. He wasn’t searching for sexual release. He held onto me as though I’d disappear if he let go. His thrusts were gentle, considered and cautious. The words he used weren’t crass or meant to spur me into climax. They were genuine and loving.

After sex, Hayden spent the day holding me in bed. His fingers ran through my hair with ease and he was settled and relaxed in the quiet of the room. It wasn’t until hours later that he offered to shower with me.

Using my ‘daddy’ reference, I coaxed Hayden into avoiding another round of sex. I am sore, the best kind of sore, but my body is aching with exhaustion.

Hayden’s childhood home is nothing comparable to what I’ve ever seen before. The immaculate lawn, the brick exterior, and the Mercedes sitting in the garage as we pull up all brag the perfection that must be Hayden’s father.

“One person lives here?” I ask, pointing to the house in shock.

“Yep. It’s a little ridiculous, I know.”

“It’s beautiful, Hayden.”

“It’s a house; nothing more, Lacey.”

Brian is sitting in his living room when we walk in. He’s dressed casually in a V-neck sweater and dark-wash jeans. His feet are bare. His hair is in perfect order and I smell his cologne as I enter the room. He starts to stand and I can’t help but stare at his tall and broad form. Clearly, Hayden gets his attractive looks from his father.

“Lacey,” he says with a smirk. “It’s good to finally meet you.” He reaches his hand out in gesture and I make a move to grab for it, but Hayden pulls it back with a skeptic look of apprehension.

“Where’s Cathy?” Hayden clips, causing me to feel uneasy.

“Ah, right,” Brian answers the distraction. “She’s in the kitchen. Dinner’s about done.”

“You have a beautiful house, Mr. Flynn.”

“Brian, please. Let me take that.” Brian walks closer and helps remove my jacket as Hayden stays close, watching his every move. “So, you’re Travis’s little sister. The similarities between you two are striking.”

“I’ve heard that before,” I reply, quickly looking at Hayden who appears to have started to relax. “You and Hayden could be brothers.” I’m not lying when I say it, but a grunt from Hayden infers he thinks I am.

“We’ve heard that before,” Brian repeats my words. Looking to Hayden, Brian offers, “Would you like anything to drink? Cathy bought beer.”

Hayden pauses, but answers, “You sure?”

“Hayden.” His father’s tone is sarcastic. “I was a scotch and vodka addict. Beer never appealed to me.”

“Okay. Sounds good.”

“I’ll take one, too, if you have it,” I add.

The woman I assume is Cathy walks in the room, beers already in hand. She had anticipated Hayden’s arrival and his nervousness. Her smile is wide. She’s taller than I am, her hair a dark brown but mixed with slight grey. Her eyes are blue and genuine.

“Introduce us, Hayden.” Her voice is light and sweet.

“Sorry. Lacey, you’ve met my dad, Brian. And this is his friend, Cathy.”

“Hello, sweetheart.” Cathy comes to me and hands me my beer with a wink before turning to Hayden and reaching up to squeeze his cheek roughly. He laughs in response but steps back, taking me with him around my waist.

Throughout dinner, I learn Brian has been pushing Hayden aggressively to get a full-time job. He admitted to everyone that it was he who’s held Hayden back from the adult life he deserves but vows the time of Hayden needing to rescue him is long gone.

Cathy is single. Her husband died years ago and she never remarried. She’s been working for Brian for over ten years. I caught them staring at each other across the table more than once. The seductive gaze he had trained on her caused her to blush and leave the table more than once, as well. I understood her flustered state.

Like father, like son.

“How’s Travis?” Brian asks, looking up from his coffee and waiting for either of us to answer.

I speak first. “Good. He’s in Vegas this week with Rae and Ace.”

“Vegas?” Brian asks. “I’ve never been.”

“Travis says it’s tolerable,” Hayden tells him, taking another pull from his beer.

“Must be something to see if Travis thinks that. I’ve known Travis for a lot of years and he’s not always been tolerant of much.”

Hayden pushes his napkin and now empty beer away from him. His hand clutches the back of my neck, squeezing gently before he announces, “We’re going to head out soon, Dad.”

Brian looks to me and smiles wide, readying to put Hayden on the spot. I feel as though Hayden just opened a box that should have stayed shut. “Where you running off to? Friends are gone, aren’t they? I’d figure you two would be bored crazy with no way to pass the time.”

“Dad,” Hayden warns as I blush furiously.

“Brian!” Cathy snaps.

Lifting his hands in surrender, Brian attempts to calm the table. “Joking. Of course you two want to go and do what kids do.”

Cathy drops her napkin on the table and starts to stand as Brian does. “Oh, for Heaven’s sake. He’s not a kid any more. They’re both adults,” she hisses.

Hayden grabs my arm as he pulls his chair back and stands. “It’s fine, Cathy.” Hayden grins, putting her at ease. “I’ll stop by later this week, Dad.”

“Good to meet you,
sweet
sweet
Lacey.” Brian’s tone is mocking as he looks at Hayden as he says the words.

I’ve missed something.

* * *

Hayden

So, that’s what it feels like to bring a girl home to meet the parents.

It wasn’t as bad as I had thought; still challenging, but not so bad. My dad liked Lacey; I could tell. Generally, new people cause him to hesitate. Being a lawyer, a successful one, has made him a suspicious person. He wasn’t with her. He was cordial and even attempted bad jokes.

My drunken father would’ve been so different.

“I like him,” Lacey states boldly from the passenger seat after she buckles in and gets comfortable.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. He’s not as hot as you are, but he’s also not what I was expecting.” She stops talking, listens to the radio for a few minutes, and then starts in again, “What was that ‘sweet sweet’ bit about, though? It came across as stalker-creepy.”

“It was nothing.”

“You lie.”

Hayden grips the steering wheel, his back straightening before he speaks. “The night I met you at Trav’s?”

I interrupt, remembering that night with absolute clarity. “The night you molested my mouth without provocation, yes. Continue.”

“The night I successfully
flirted
with you,” he corrects to his version of the evening. “I saw Dad the next day and when he asked about you, I told him you were sweet.”

I swallow and gasp dramatically, playing up the compliment. “
You
think
I’m
sweet?”

“Stop,” he says, his face turning red.

“You do! Hayden Flynn thinks I’m sweet.”

“I don’t anymore,” he teases, taking his eyes off the road and pinning me with an annoyed look.