Sweet Affection (Truth Book 3) (15 page)

“It shredded me. Michelle, was my…My first love. My everything. She gave me you! And I was on the edge of something dark when I moved to Spain. Really dark. I was in pieces. Not living, just surviving, day after day. But then I met Hayley and slowly she took each piece and put them all back together. Not in the same way. I’m not the same and won’t ever be the same. But she put me back together in a different way. What I’m trying to say is, I’ll always love your mum. But Hayley’s special and she loves me. And I love her. She really wants to get to know you.” He nudges me with his shoulder and I can tell this is hard for him. I don’t doubt his love for mum. I saw how hard he took it.

“I miss her every day.” I croak out, cursing the shake in my voice.
Get a grip
.

He sighs heavily, and pats my arm, “Me too, son. Me too.”

“So it’s serious with Hayley then?” I ask after a few beats.

“Yes.” He says simply. He’s still hesitant, trying to gauge my reaction.

I breathe in sharply, then blow it out with all the negative thoughts.

“In that case, I’m pleased for you, old man. Let’s go.” I get up and mask everything completely. I’ve become good at that since learning about Judy’s cancer.

“Hey, less of the old please. I’m in my prime.”

I chuckle and lead out through the door. “Whatever you say,
old man
.”

He slaps me on the back of the head, “Show some respect.”

We walk into the kitchen still laughing, and my gaze goes straight to Laurel standing against the counter sipping on a glass of wine. She beams at me, eyes flicking across my face trying to read whether I’m really okay.

“Everything good?” She asks, slipping her hand up to my hold onto my arm. Any cares fall away the moment she squeezes my bicep, and my mind goes straight to the gutter. It’s getting used to being there.

“Perfect.” I say against her forehead before placing a small kiss to her skin and rubbing my hand down her back, curling it round her waist. She leans in to my chest and rests against me.

“So, how was your flight?” I ask, determined to make a real effort, for my dad at least.

Hayley notices my dad’s pause. I think she gets he’s giving her the chance to
bond
through conversation.

“Great. I forgot how close Spain is to the UK. It just feels like a whole other world when you’re there. Have you been to Spain?” She asks, looking up at me over her glass.

“When I was a kid. I don’t really remember it.”

That’s a lie. I remember every single second. It was my last holiday with my mum. She and my dad were so happy. Obviously I can’t say that.

“So, what do you do-”

I’m cut off by the loud roar of an engine outside. It’s nearly midnight but some asshole is revving his bike with no consideration for anyone other than himself, the douche bag. When it only gets louder, seemingly closer, I stalk out the room, vaguely hearing my dad shout my name but I ignore it until I can tell the inconsiderate prick to shut the hell up. Clearly the frustrating need to rip into something is there tonight. If it can’t be my dad or Hayley, it’s going to be this guy.

As I reach for the door handle, the doorbell goes. Oh maybe he’s here to try and sell me something. At midnight. Fan-fucking-tastic.

“Yeah?” I growl out as I open the door. The idiot in front of me, is surprisingly around my age. I would have bet he’d be a little eighteen year old trying to compensate for having a small-

“Darling, you made it.” Hayley’s soft voice cuts through the anger from behind me, and I frown wondering what she’s talking about. The guy is one of those biker dudes, tatted up, leather, lip ring, the works. She knows him?

“Mum,” he smiles arrogantly, and raises an eyebrow in my direction. Looks like he’s taken a dislike to me too. Well this should be interesting. Wait,
mum
? Hayley’s son?

Well fucking hell, could tonight get any worse?

“So this is the stepbrother, huh? What’s stuck up his ass?”

The guy barges through the door, jolting me out the way and my back straightens instantly. Laurel’s hand comes out to my arm, she can tell I’m pissed.

“Dad, what does he mean by stepbrother?” I bite out.

“Oh shit, you haven’t told him?” The guy chuckles loudly and reaches down to kiss Hayley on the cheek. Then he shakes my dad’s hand, and my whole body tightens in response. Looks like they’re fucking cosy.

“Language, Tyler.” Hayley admonishes, but she’s holding back a smile.

My dad clears his throat, and shifts awkwardly between his feet. “We were going to tell you in the morning, but obviously it’s out now.” He looks over at Hayley and grins, reaching out to pull her in close.

“Hayley and I are getting married in a couple of months. I asked, she said yes.”

Oh God, girlfriend I was coming to terms with. But wife? Stepmother? Asshole of a stepbrother? No shitting way.

Said asshole steps forward looking past me to Laurel, and the look in his eyes is one I vowed I’d wipe off a guy’s face if I ever actually saw it.

“
Abuela
, I don’t think we’ve officially met. Tyler Reid.”

He winks.

Fucking
winks
at her.

And stretches out his hand.

Does he not see me standing right here?

Her body tightens against mine. He spoke Spanish. Laurel’s been on at me to learn since she knew my dad moved to Spain. She said she loved how sexy it sounds.

Hell. No.

“You, back the fuck away. Now.” I snarl at Tyler.

“Whoa, dude. I’m just being polite. Sorry,
abuela
, but I think you need to put a leash on your boyfriend.”

I’m going to smash his face in.

Laurel’s hand grips mine tighter.

“Nice to meet you, Tyler. We were just having a drink in the kitchen. Why don’t you three go on in and we’ll be there in a second.” Ever the peace maker, Laurel’s hand stays enclosed around mine as Tyler walks past laughing, and it does nothing to calm me down.

“James, are you okay?” She eyes me carefully, and I want to laugh at that ridiculous question.

“No, I’m not fucking okay. Did you see the way he was looking at you? Like you were his.”

I slam the front door shut and don’t bother wincing at the huge shudder round the frame.

“You’re not his.” I say out loud, as though I’ve got someone to convince. I actually get pretty jealous. Who would have thought that?

“He’s an idiot anyway. He took the piss out of me earlier for driving slowly on the road into Stamford. Of course I’m going to go slow there, we always do-”

She carries on her little tirade but I’m still stuck on
earlier.
She’s met him before? She talked to him
earlier.

Un-fucking-believable.

“You spoke to him earlier?” She stops and looks at me with caution.

“Y-yes.” She says slowly and I really feel like I need to hit something. Before I make a dent in my house, I back away.

“I’m going to bed. Stay up with him if you want. I’m-”

“James, please…” She sighs and I shake my head to try and clear it.

“It’s fine babe. Just need some time.”

It’s either this or say something I’ll regret in the morning. I need to calm down, and I can’t do it with all of them there, just watching for my reaction. Birthdays have been shit since I was fifteen, and this one is no different.

Chapter Nine

Laurel

“Was that really necessary?” I stand with my arms crossed squarely on my chest, directly in front of Mr Asshole, who is leaning against the kitchen island holding a beer. I know he said his name was Tyler, but I much prefer my name for him.

Suits him better.

“Yeah actually it was.”

Our eyes are locked in a stare-off again. He doesn’t say any more than that although I can tell he has more that he’s holding back.

“Where is he?” Graham asks, and I break my glare to look over at him. This is supposed to be a happy time for him, but his eyes look so defeated. Hayley’s aren’t much better. She has her hand protectively on his arm.

“He’s gone to bed.”

Tyler sniggers. My eyes swing back round to pin him again.

“Something to say?” I raise my eyebrows and gesture for him to go for it.

“Nah. I said what I needed to say. He needs taking down a peg or two. And I would relish the opportunity in knocking the pampered prince off his throne.”

Wow, he’s already made him mind up about James. In about five minutes. Both of them clearly didn’t make the best first impression, but even that is way too judgemental. He knows nothing about him other than what he’s probably heard from Graham, who’s surprisingly quiet. Maybe he wants to stay out of it.

“Huh, you really are an asshole.”

Hayley clears her throat. I feel like such a bitch for saying that about her son. Once again my filter isn’t working properly. But I’m not apologising in front of Tyler. ‘Cause I actually meant it.

“Let’s all go to bed. Everything looks better after a good night’s sleep.” Hayley gets up and Graham follows.

“We’ll see ourselves to a guest room. Night honey. Tyler.”

They leave the room, and I don’t know how I feel about being up with Tyler alone. He doesn’t look uncomfortable though, just amused. And every word I speak just feeds the permanent smirk attached to his face.

“So, is the little prince crying into his pillow upstairs?”

“Can’t you just let it go? He’s just found out he’s going to be related to you! Maybe I should check to make sure he’s not going to jump out the window!”

“Oh, please. Talk about Little Miss Dramatic. He needs to man-up. Plenty of people have been through shit worse than this.” He rolls his eyes.

“God, your legs must be ready to give out soon.” I pause for effect, then clarify, “from that enormous chip on your shoulder.”

His eyes darken immediately.

I’ve bypassed the nerve and hit a major artery.

“Look if you can’t handle me telling it like it is,
abuela
, then don’t speak to me. I really don’t care. I’m here because my mum asked me to be. That’s it.” He throws his bottle in the box of empties on the floor and walks stiffly out the door. For a first family meeting, I’d say this couldn’t have gone much worse.

Amazing birthday present, Laurel. You’ve outdone yourself this time.

I walk inside our bedroom warily. I don’t know how James is going to react. Usually if he’s mad, it’s wise to give him time to cool off. It doesn’t happen very often which is why when it does, it’s a rollercoaster ride for the both of us. I hear the shower running in our bathroom so I get my things and get ready for bed in the main bathroom.

As I get back in the bedroom I see him perched on the edge of the bed. His back is bent over and he’s got nothing but a towel wrapped round his waist. He doesn’t look up when I shut the door and walk over to him, so I know he’s still going through something in his head. I drop my things on the chair and climb onto the bed so I’m kneeling behind him. My eyes drop to his muscled back, and little drops of water still clinging to him. He doesn’t have to say anything, I know what he needs. My hands reach out to smooth over his shoulders and I feel the tension in his neck as I move them up through his hair. I run them back down to his shoulders and start massaging at the knots in his back. I feel him gradually relax under my touch and a loud groan escapes from his throat when I kiss the side of his neck. It isn’t what I originally intended to do but when he’s shirtless and there’s only a towel in between us, you can’t blame a girl for getting a little turned on.

He leans back into me and tilts his head back with his eyes closed, and I place a kiss on his forehead. His hands reach round and grip my thighs, while I carry on kneading the muscles and rubbing my hands all over his back. He sighs heavily and rests the back of his head against my stomach. I stroke my hands down his chest and place another small kiss under his ear.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I whisper, needing him to know that I’m the one person who won’t judge him for how he feels. Everyone deals with things differently.

He shakes his head then sighs again. “Not now. I think, maybe later. But not now.”

“What can I do?” I ask, threading my fingers through his hair and massaging his scalp.

His eyes snap open and upside down they meet mine with a familiar heat and passion that excites and relieves me.

The side of his mouth tips up in a smirk. “Get naked.”

My stomach clenches at the thought and of course I’m going to do exactly what he says. No girl in their right mind would turn down James Dawson doing naughty things to them. I bite my lip from the possibilities of how it’s going to be tonight. And however he wants it is more than fine by me.

I punctuate my response with kisses, “Your wish. Is my. Command.” I kiss him again and make my way across his jaw and when he moans loudly I giggle and put my finger over his lips.

“Shhh, we have to be quiet. They might hear.”

He turns in my arms and pushes me back against the bed so he’s hovering over me.

“I don’t give a shit. I want everyone to hear babe. Then they’ll know you’re mine.”

I shake my head incredulously. I’m guessing he’s not talking about his parents.

“He knows. You threatened him earlier.” I run my hands down over his shoulders as
he scoffs back a laugh.

“That wasn’t a threat babe. That was a first warning. If he tries anything else, he’ll get a hell of a lot more than that.”

I roll my eyes at his attitude. He’s acting ridiculous.

“So, if we weren’t together, and you heard me mid-orgasm what would you think? What would you do?”

“Fuck, you’re so sexy I’d be instantly hard and have to get myself off, obviously.”

I stare at him for a couple of seconds, and he still hasn’t realised. “So,” I press further, “What do you think Tyler might do if he heard a girl mid-orgasm?” Shit, for someone who went to Cambridge he’s a little bit slow. His eyes eventually widen as the realisation crashes into him.