Chapter 31

Dallas

Silence fell around us like a blanket, making every bit of contact more intense. Shane’s unwavering gaze filled me with deep, carnal longing. It was dangerous for him to be here, even more dangerous for us to give into our desires while he was, but I couldn’t resist. Things in my life were about to change in a significant way, and this might be the last time I’d ever see Shane. I wasn’t going to miss out an opportunity.

He led me to the bed by my hand, stopping beside it to kiss my knuckles. My heart quickened. Someone moved around downstairs, and we paused for a moment, listening, but they didn’t move toward the staircase.

My fingers found the buttons of Shane’s shirt, and I began to undo them, revealing his broad, muscular chest. The fabric whispered, mingling with the airy sound of our breathing. Shane’s rough fingertips glided under the hem of my t-shirt and pulled it up just as I finished undoing the last button. He pulled it over my head, and a gasp escaped his lips.

My body arched toward him and he buried his mouth in my cleavage. I wanted to scream from the pleasure of it but wisely held my tongue, even as Shane’s carved a wet path between my breasts. He fiddled with my clasp and moved back to guide my bra from my shoulders.

“So beautiful,” he whispered. His hands cupped my flesh, and my breath hitched.

Heat curled in my belly, knotting and tightening with every stroke of his hand against my bare skin. He worked off my jeans and panties, running his fingers up my thighs and toward my throbbing sex. I reached for his bulge. He was hard against my palm, swollen with need for me and me alone. Like he had undressed me, I did the same to him, dropping to my knees below him as his pants and boxers reached his ankles.

Shane’s cock bobbed in front of my face. A pearl of precum glistened at the tip, and before he could move a muscle, I wrapped my lips around it and sucked.

Shane gasped and bit his lip. I smiled. Now who was having trouble staying silent?

With one hand on the base, I began to take more of him into my mouth, stretching my jaw as wide as it could go. I wanted to give him something to remember me by in case things went south, like they most certainly would. I couldn’t tell Shane how mad Wes had been, all the threats he hurled at me before he and his father stormed off to the club to “blow off some steam”. I couldn’t divulge how scared I was. It was too late to do any good. All I could do was show Shane how much I cared for him in this moment, and if it got me off at the same time, who was I to complain?

His cock was stiff and hot. The salty taste turned me on, and I sucked hard to see if I could get more. I swirled my tongue around the shaft and pulled back to lavish attention on the tip, causing Shane’s thighs to quiver. He rested a hand lovingly on the back of my head but didn’t push me, letting me set my own pace for pleasing him. I bobbed along, taking him as deep as I could and squeezing the rest of his shaft with my hand.

Shane tipped his head back, a rumble emanating from his throat. I sped up the pace, thinking that he was close, but he stepped away and pulled me up. His mouth slammed into mine. It was a brutal, demanding kiss. I tried not to moan but a small squeak escaped, and he bit my lip as punishment, which didn’t exactly help. I clawed down his chest, and he growled, pushing me back until my thighs backed up against the bed.

We tumbled into the sheets together. Our lips battled for dominance, hands grabbing and squeezing each other’s exposed flesh. I rolled on top of him and reached to the nightstand for a condom.

Shane looked at me questioningly.

“They keep them in every room of the house, despite my complaints,” I whispered.

He rolled his eyes and we both smiled.

I’d had little practice putting on condoms, but with a bit of help from Shane, I soon managed to do it properly. I climbed astride him and lowered myself over his swollen rod.

Shane held my hips to help me, and the moment I began to sink onto his cock his fingers dug into me like steel grips. I bit my lip to keep from moaning. I thought I’d get used to how intense it felt to have him inside of me, but still hadn’t. My body screamed with delight at the stretching sensation, toes curling, hair standing on end. I took a moment to adjust before starting to slowly rock my hips against his.

We had to take things slow if we wanted to stay quiet. Nonetheless, it was torturous. Every stroke felt like heaven, and I wanted to dig my nails into his chest and ride him like a bucking bull. I could tell Shane’s thoughts on the matter were similar, as he held my hips and guided me faster and faster, eyes switching between my bouncing breasts and the look of ecstasy on my face. I don’t know how long we moved like that, but it felt like seconds and like hours.

I leaned over him, and he took my nipple into his mouth, sucking and biting as I buried my moans in the pillow. His hips rose to meet mine with every thrust, and as my core slowly twisted up with pleasure, I wasn’t sure if I was going to cum or die. Maybe both. That would be the way to go.

Shane nuzzled his lips into the crook of my neck and released a rattled groan.

He thrust a hand between us, and at first I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but then he began to circle my clit with the pads of his fingers, and it became apparent. I closed my eyes, bliss working into every inch of me. I was powerless against the onslaught of pleasure that hit me like a tidal wave, but it was the kind of powerless I enjoyed. I let my mouth fall open in a silent scream and seized up.

Shane took the reins. He held my hips steady and thrust up inside of me for a few short but powerful strokes then pulled me tight against his hips. He bit into my shoulder and held me there as he released, cock spasming.

Reality thwacked me on the top of the head and I remembered where we were. I listened for any noise above the sound of our breathing but heard nothing.

Shane and I looked at each other and smiled.

“Incredible,” he whispered, kissing my cheek.

I rolled off him, and he pulled me against his chest. We simmered in the moment for a while, but I knew I would have to say it eventually.

“Shane.”

He shifted his face to look down at me. I reached out and brushed my fingers over his lips.

“I want you to go,” I said, and it felt like ripping away my own skin. “It’s not safe.”

“Sure,” he said. “You’re safe for now, that’s all I needed to see.”

I shook my head. My eyes stung. “No. I mean I want you to leave Sitka Valley.”

He studied me, but I couldn’t discern the emotion on his face.

“I won’t do that,” he said.

Ah, the emotion was stubbornness. That didn’t work for me.

“But I want you to. If something happens to you, that’s going to be on my conscience for the rest of my life. I can figure things out on my own here. It’s probably easier that way.”

He didn’t need to know that me “figuring it out” would likely entail groveling and finally having sex with Wes. I had no other choice. He and Preston were furious enough to do something rash, and I worried that my dad would get caught in the crossfire.

“I’m not going, Dallas.” He rolled atop me, caging me beneath him and holding my gaze. “You’re the whole reason I’m here. I’m not leaving until I accomplish what I came here to do.”

“You never said...”

“I didn’t have a plan for how to go forward when you asked me before. I think I’ve figured it out now.” He ran a calloused thumb over my cheek. “I’m not leaving you here. You or your father.”

My heart swelled, even as questions flooded my brain.

“Why, though?” I asked. “Why come back after all this time just to help me?”

“Because, Dallas.” He kissed me. His soft lips feathered over mine. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

Joy overtook me so suddenly that I wanted to scream. I did the next best thing, flinging my arms around him and kissing the living daylights out of him. And as our lips and tongues mingled, I realized he wasn’t the only one.

“I love you too,” I murmured.

He smiled against my mouth. “Good.”

Shane extricated himself from my arms and stood, gathering his clothes from the floor.

“Practice your audition piece for Broadway, Princess. We’ll be there soon.”

* * *

Someone burst through my door, and I bolted upright, half asleep and confused.

“Time to get up,” Wes said roughly. “You’re wanted in Dad’s office in five minutes.”

He stormed out as quickly as he came in, and I hopped out of bed. Morning sunlight slanted through my blinds, and I looked longingly at the frame as though Shane might pop back through it, all smiles and optimism. I wasn’t sure how much I believed that Shane would find a way to save me a lifetime of misery at Gromley hands, but I believed in his conviction. After he left last night, somehow jumping from my window to the deck without alerting anyone in the house, I lay awake all night thinking about what he said. About what I’d said.

I loved him. As soon as I said it, I knew it was one of those infallible truths, like the sun rising in the East and bread always landing with the butter side down. There couldn’t be a less convenient person in the world for me to love. There couldn’t be a less convenient time for me to fall in love. I was absolutely screwed.

One problem at a time, I told myself, pulling on some jeans and running a brush through my hair. I tied it into a knot at the back of my head and left my room. I didn’t want to keep Preston waiting.

I reached the office door and knocked. It swung open to reveal Wes’s stony face, and I forced a smile at him as I entered.

Preston was behind his desk, hands folded in front of him. The tone was somber. I felt as though I were standing before a judge with no sense of humor. There was no cocaine in sight, at least.

Wes closed the door. It was just the three of us, which unsettled me further. I was rarely alone with father and son.

“Dallas,” Preston welcomed. “Sit.”

I did, holding my spine straight and my chin up. Wes sat in the chair next to me.

“I’m not going to dance around the issue, Dallas,” said Preston. “We’ve reached a crossroads in our relationship, and you have to make a choice.”

“What’s the choice?”

He smiled humorlessly. “You can choose to leave, as you so obviously would prefer to do.”

My heart skipped. Would they actually let me leave?

“What’s the catch?” I rushed to ask, attempting to keep the tremors from my voice.

“You didn’t let me finish.” He furrowed his brow. “You can choose to leave, and we will kill your father and Shane.”

My mouth dropped open in horror. Like I would ever choose such a horrible option!

“You would be well and truly free to go,” Preston assured, as if that were the problem I had with the whole arrangement.

“You’re a monster,” I managed to bite out.

Preston laughed. “Oh, stop. You’re making me blush.”

I pictured myself lunging over his desk and throttling him. I knew I’d never make it that far and that when it came to strength Preston had a leg up on me, but I was so angry that my muscles tensed to spring.

‘Don’t you want to hear what’s behind door number two?” Preston asked.

I didn’t respond, just glared. Preston plowed right ahead.

“We will let your father and that dumbass live, and in return, you will do my son the great honor of becoming his wife.”

I swung my gaze over to Wes. His mouth was set in a smirk that chilled me to the bone.

“We’ll give you the night to think it over,” Preston continued. “Tomorrow morning, if all goes as I suspect, we will host your nuptials.” He chuckled. “Fitting that we should have them on Saint Patrick’s Day since Wes will finally be getting to see your pot of gold. Plus we can introduce you two as man and wife at the party that evening. Don’t you just love killing two birds with one stone?”

The men laughed, but I shrunk into my seat. It was just beginning to sink in how screwed I was. There was no way I would allow Preston to kill my dad and Shane, but how could I possibly marry Wes?

“Please,” I begged. “Don’t do this.”

I wasn’t sure whether I was begging Wes or Preston. My plea fell on deaf ears either way.

“Get her back to her room.” Preston nodded to Wes. “And make sure she stays there.”