Secret Love (Love Stings Series Book 2) (15 page)

My head flings back, and I cry out as he grips my hips in a punishing grip and hammers into me. The sounds of my moans, his grunts, and wet flash slapping into each other fills the room.

“Touch yourself, baby. Help me get you there.”

I do as he instructs, reach between my legs, and strum my clit.

I’m still primed from my last orgasm, so it takes no time at all before I’m moaning into my mattress. Damien’s body drapes over mine, and I feel his teeth latch onto the skin on my shoulder as his thrusts become erratic. The moment he comes, he buries himself to the hilt and groans against my skin. I cry out as he slides his softening cock out of me, and I collapse onto my stomach.

I feel the bed move as he gets out of it to deal with the condom, I’m sure. He joins me a minute later and situates us so I’m draped over his body and we’re under the covers. I place a kiss right above his nipple as his fingers gently sweep up and down my back.

“Damien?” I’m not sure if he’s still awake.

“Yeah.”

“I was wondering if you’d be my date to Abby and Ben’s wedding? It’s in a few weeks. It’s a small affair, just close family and friends, but I’d love for you to meet everyone.”

All day I’ve thought about whether to ask him to the wedding or not, and honestly I made the decision to ask him about two seconds before I did.

He kisses my forehead and doesn’t speak for a minute. I’m beginning to think we’re not completely on the same page. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

It’s too dark in my room, so he can’t see my huge smile. I can’t wait for my family to meet him. We snuggle until I feel my eyes get heavy and I eventually fall asleep.

Chapter Seventeen

Damien

The vibe is wrong when I walk into the club. As I make my way back to Rafe’s office, I think about this past week. It’s been a week since the night Carrington “thanked me”. Things are great, but I still need to tell her the truth. I just keep putting it off and off and off. I can’t help but be afraid that it could push her away, and that’s the last thing I want. Even though we haven’t been together that long, I feel like I’ve known her forever. We have so much fun together. She’s a major distraction, but I don’t care. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. It’s just I love her too.

I figured out that I loved her two days ago. She’d spent the night at my place, and after we fucked on my kitchen counter, I carried her into my bedroom, where she proceeded to fall asleep. When I came back after using the bathroom, I froze in the doorway. Carrington looked like my redheaded angel, and it was like everything fell into place. It was at that moment that I knew I was in love with her.

Carrington’s plan was to wait until after her cousin’s wedding before she quit at the Thirsty Beaver. I hate it, but I understand. She just wants to have enough money saved that she’s okay and able to still pay her bills. Plus, she wants to be able to help give her cousin the best wedding possible.

I knock on Rafe’s door, and I hear him holler to come in. When I step inside, I find Tucker and Bridgette sitting across from Rafe.

“Come in, Damien. We’ve got a major problem.”

Grabbing a chair, I sit next to Bridgette. “What’s going on?”

“Cherry got picked up by the cops last night. Apparently, she was being watched because she got picked up soliciting some asshole at a club after she left here. We’ve sent our lawyer to talk to her and see if she’s going to talk.” I look at all three of them. I can’t get a read on them.

“What are you going to do if she talks?” I don’t like where this is going, and I hope the stupid, spiteful girl keeps her mouth shut.

Rafe looks to Bridgette and then to me. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

They dismiss me right after that, and I don’t argue. They might get suspicious if I tried hanging around to listen to their plan.

Later I’ll make some calls to see what I can find out. Stupid bitch getting busted might have to make me move things along a little faster.

***

It’s been a week since Cherry got picked up, released, and then suspended for the time being. Rafe and the others have been very tight lipped about her, but now they’re more watchful than before. Of course it still hasn’t stopped them from renting out the back rooms.

I feel her approach and turn my head to watch Carrington move toward me. She smiles that little smile of hers that I love as she sidles up next to me.

She doesn’t hug me or kiss me. She simply bumps her elbow against me. “Hey,” she says.

I don’t even care anymore, so I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her into my side. I brush my lips against her temple and inhale her flowery scent as it wraps around me. She places her hand on my stomach and smiles up at me.

“You looked beautiful dancing up there tonight.”

“Thanks, baby. Kyle, can I get a bottle of water?” She looks behind her, smiling at the bartender. Kyle places it on the counter and unscrews the cap. I watch her place the bottle to her lips and take a healthy drink. “I’m going to talk to Bridgette tonight about quitting. Do you think they’re going to be mad? What if they fire me? I mean, I’ve got money saved, but it could take two months before I receive my letter, and I don’t want to be broke before I have the job.”

She looks up at me nervously. I don’t know what they’ll do, honestly, especially considering the direction they’re going in. Carrington’s a big money maker for them.

“They might be upset, but they’ll understand. Being a nurse is what you’ve been working toward. Do you want me to be there when you tell them?” She gives me a small smile and nods her head. “Okay, babe. I’ll be there.”

***

The rest of the night goes by quickly. Once the girls are done for the night, I walk a few of them out to their cars and then make my way inside. Carrington joins me a few minutes later with a makeup-free face and her hair in a bun on top of her head. She wraps her arms around me when she reaches me and pushes up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek.

“You staying at my place tonight?” I ask her as I bend down, nuzzling her neck.

“Yep. Unless you want to stay at mine.”

We agree to stay at my place, and we make our way toward Rafe’s office, hand in hand. Between the two of us, we decided to talk to Rafe. I won’t admit to her that I’m a little nervous how they’re going to react, but I just have to have her back and everything will be okay.

“Just be firm with them, babe. They may try to offer you more money to stay.”

I knock and wait for Rafe to tell us we can come in. Through the door, he mutters, “Come in.” I push the door open and we step inside. Rafe’s sitting at his desk with a redhead I’ve never seen before sitting in his lap. “You got a sec?”

“Yeah, sure. What’s up?” A person would have to be blind to not see that Rafe’s got his hand up the girl’s skirt. The girl looks at me, and I can tell she’s high. Her pupils are like tiny pinpoints, and she certainly doesn’t look like she’s all there.

“Rafe, I wanted to thank you for everything you guys have done for me. I’ve taken my boards and I passed, so I’m officially a registered nurse. I won’t get the official later for another month, but I just wanted to let you know that in three weeks I’ll be done here.” Carrington gets it all out and shoots a smile at Rafe. I put my hand on her thigh to halt her bouncing leg.

“What could I say to get you to stay? How much money do you want? Carrington, you’ve got a gift. You should use it. Do you really think you’re going to make this kind of money working as a nurse?” I don’t like the tone he’s taking with her.

“Rafe, it’s not about the money. Sure, I could make more money here, but being a nurse is what I’ve always wanted to do. I’m sorry if you’re not happy about this, but this is what I want.” Damn, I’m so proud of her. Rafe can be intimidating sometimes, but she’s holding her own.

Rafe looks at her closely, and I know what that motherfucker is trying to do, but she’s not cowing to him. My body is strung tight, but she laces her fingers through mine and gives me a smile.

“Well, okay, then. We’ll plan a big party your last night, send you out in style.”

Rafe dismisses the girl in his lap and turns to look at Carrington, who tries not to look disgusted when Rafe grabs a wet wipe to clean up his hands. We stand up and make our way out of the club. There are only a couple of weeks to go and then Carrington will be done and hopefully my job will be wrapping up soon.

The DEA is watching Cherry, AKA Michelle Lang, since they released her from jail, but so far she’s laying low. We know that she’s had limited communication with either of the brothers, but Bridgette has been speaking to her a lot. They put a tap on her cellphone, so it’s only a matter of time before we get something.

With my arm around Carrington’s shoulders, I lead her outside to her car, opening the door for her. “I’m right behind you, babe. Drive safe.” I kiss her lips and then watch her climb in, shutting the door after her.

I climb into my Jeep and follow behind her, pulling into the visitor spot when we pull into her apartment complex. She waits for me next to her car, and I lead her to her apartment with a hand to her lower back. Once inside Carrington heads into the bathroom to shower, and I move toward the kitchen to make her and myself a grilled cheese sandwich.

I’m throwing them on plates when Carrington joins me a few minutes later. “Awww…you made me grilled cheese.” She takes the plate I hand her, reaches up, and kisses my lips. “Thank you, baby.”

My eyes follow her as she moves to the living room. She’s wearing a sexy little black silk robe, and my cock immediately gets hard. A little of her ass cheek hangs out of the bottom, and I just want to take a bite out of it.

Her wet hair is braided and hangs down her back. I shake myself out of my Carrington stupor and follow her into the living room. While we eat, she tells me how the wedding plans for her cousin are going and how she’s excited for me to meet everyone. I do hate that she’ll be lying to her family about me. I should tell her who I really am and soon.

I’ll do it after the wedding. I just have to prove to her that everything that I’ve shown her is truly me and that the only lie is my name and my actual job. She knows everything else, like when I fell off my bike and broke my jaw when I was trying to do stunts. She knows that I’m a big crime novel reader. She knows that when I was a teenager, I was a troublemaker and used to get into fights. She’ll see. She’ll see that she knows the real me.

She sets her plate on the coffee table and snuggles in to me. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and kiss the top of her head. With a contented sigh, she falls asleep.

***

I straighten my tie in the mirror, grab my black vest, and throw it on. When I finish buttoning it up, I grab some hair goop and rub it through my hair. I dab some cologne on and go back into my bedroom to finish getting ready. I slip on my black boots, stick my wallet in my back pocket, and slip my watch on.

Carrington texted me her aunt and uncle’s address, so I’m meeting her there. Her cousin’s wedding starts in an hour with the reception immediately after. I’m a little nervous about meeting her family. I know how much they mean to her, and I’m worried about what they might think of me. Really, I shouldn’t care what they think of me, but for Carrington, I do.

When I hop into my Jeep a little while later, I plug in the address on my GPS and make my way to Carrington.

Twenty minutes later, I pull up in front of a beautiful ranch-style home, and just as I get out and shut my door, my breath leaves me in a whoosh as Carrington steps out onto the front porch. Her hair is draped over one shoulder in big curls, and her makeup is classic. I make my way up the driveway, and as soon as I reach her, I wrap her in my arms.

“You look so fucking beautiful.”

Her smile is dazzling. “You don’t look bad yourself.” She strokes my arm. “I love this color on you.” My dress shirt is a slate gray.

She grabs my hand and leads me around back, to where a huge white tent is set up. “Wow, this is some set up.” We step inside the tent and several men, large men, turn around to face us. Carrington’s dad is the first to come over.

“Daddy, you remember Damien.”

“Yes, I remember. How are you doing, Damien?” He reaches out and shakes my hand. It’s much warmer greeting then last time, but he still looks like he wants to crush me.

“Good, sir. Thanks.”

Carrington leaves me to go check on the bride. Her dad leads me toward the others and starts making introductions.

By the time the wedding begins, I’ve met her mom, who Carrington looks identical to, her grandparents, aunts, and uncles. I met Ben, the groom-to-be, and he seems like a good guy. Once the ceremony starts, I can’t take my eyes off of my girl. Her eyes are bright, and her smile is so luminescent as she watches her cousin get married.

After the ceremony, the wedding party steps outside for pictures. I move toward the makeshift bar, order a bottle of Bud Light, and take a drink. A teenager that looks a lot like Carrington’s dad moves toward me. “You must be Luke.”

“Yeah, so you’re dating my sister. How’s that going for you? She can be a bit of a handful.”

“A handful is putting in mildly. You’ll have to share some stories with me.”

“Oh, trust me. I’ve got plenty, like when Carrington—”

His words are interrupted when she comes running up and slaps her hand over his mouth.

“Don’t you say a word or I’ll kill you.” She turns to look at me. “He’s a liar, so don’t listen to him.”

It’s so easy to see the affection that these two have for each other. Hell, it’s easy to see that this whole family loves each other fiercely. My family is close, but this family takes closeness to a whole other level.

Luke kisses his sister’s forehead and then leaves us. She immediately wraps her arms around me. My eyes drift to the bride and groom and the groom’s daughter. Knowing what I know about what happened to Abby, you’d never guess it. She looks so happy that I’m surprised she’s not floating.

Ben has his daughter in arms and both of Abby’s arms are around them. They don’t seem to notice anyone else is here. It’s not hard to miss that everyone is looking at them with so much love and happiness.

Carrington moves out from under my arm but grabs my hand to go introduce me to the rest of her cousins. There is a shit-ton of them.

During dinner, Carrington’s grandma, Ruth, sat next to me and questioned me. She was sweet about it, but I felt like I was on trial until finally her husband came over and told her to stop interrogating me.