Breathe for Me (The Langston Brothers Duet #1)

by Brittany Ann

I planned on having a chaotic house filled with messes and laughter, because I grew up in a quiet house, filled with longing and sadness.

I was over the age of ten, nearly eleven. Pop said that’s when little boys start turning into men. I didn’t think I was ready to be a man yet.

I did as I was told. There was no one there to cover my ears. I heard every scream.

My stomach twisted at the thought of bulldozers and smoke taking over this beauty, ruining the land, tarnishing it for the pipeline. I hated my job. But I loved my mom more.

I didn’t feel her in here. I felt her out there, on the ranch. She was in the wind, the rain, the dirt, and sunshine.

Though my memories were dark, light surrounded my home. I would die trying to keep that light around it.

His head landed at pair of cowboy boots.

The woman I’d held for four hours against my chest was now sitting on the front porch of my house,

“Drive safe, will ya, City Girl?” I didn’t answer him. When I pulled out into the drive, though, I looked back.

Three days had passed since she left, and yet, my sheets still smelled like cherries.

“Is she the one you went out in the storm for?” he asked. I would go out into any storm for her. Rain or hellfire.

I wanted to know why she ran to the bunkhouse after hearing those gunshots and not away from it. I wanted to know her fucking name.

My pistol was in the waistband of my jeans, and I knew there was a very strong chance I might have to kill a man tonight, especially if that man touched her. No one was allowed to touch her. Except me.

Then he made a grave mistake. He twisted around and looked directly at her. His eyes took in her body and decided to claim it as his. I told him not to look or think about her. He disobeyed.

His eyes were still open, staring at her. I hated knowing that the last thing he ever saw on this Earth was her beauty. Men like him didn’t deserve to see beauty like hers.

She needed gentle. I needed more blood, more screams. I wished I could bring the fucker back to life and take my time, torture him, make him scream like he wanted to make her scream.

“Stay lookin’ at me.” She did as I told her, and my hands drifted down. I righted her shirt ignoring the burn that her skin left on mine, and pulled her hair over her shoulders so it was flowing down her back again. Then my hands went lower as I buttoned her jeans gently.

“You don’t get out of the truck until I open the door for you, understand?” I growled.

“Is that clear?” I asked, bending my head as my fingers tightened. Her eyes flashed. “You don’t get to tell me what to do!” “Baby, I’ll gladly take you over my knee if need be.”

I had to hope someone would come. I never expected my dark cowboy. His smoke was all around me, cloaking me, protecting me from that vile man.

When I opened my eyes, all I saw was him. I cried out for him, and he saved me. He killed for me. He protected me.

“Do not remind me of that pathetic waste of breath,” he growled, “touching you.” I nodded. “It’s done. He’s gone. He ain’t ever going to touch you or anyone else again, you hear me?”

He helped me in the rain without knowing my name. He doctored my feet without knowing my name. He let me sleep in his bed without knowing my name. He saved me without knowing I was Valerie.

“I was glad I got see something so beautiful in my dull, sad life.” “What did you see?” he asked, his voice rough and thick. “The smoke in your eyes.”

Denver Langston wouldn’t miss me, his kid would forget me, but the walls of this house wouldn’t.

his hand going to the back of my neck. Then he did it. He ruined me. His lips crashed against mine, his huge body, shoving me against the cab, pinning me to it as he pried my lips open with his tongue.

“You leave me, so help me God, baby, I will hunt you down,” he clipped. “I will find you and take my anger out on that perfect, round ass of yours. You won’t be able to walk for a fucking month.”

“You move one fucking inch, I will take you over my knee,” the cowboy threatened, not looking at me.

“Can you take your hat off?” I asked. His eyes darkened. “You want my hat off, baby?” His voice was deep. Rough.

This man had just ripped my skirt open from the back. I was focused on that when he found my ear. “Nod if you want this. If you don’t, I’ll step away,” he ordered, his breath caressing my ear.

A dark chuckle escaped him. “You aren’t ready for my dick, baby.” “I want—I want—”

“Warning, baby. If I put you in my bed, you stay in my fucking bed,” he said, his voice low.

His lips twitched. That image would be seared into my memory for the rest of my days because that was the closest thing to a real, genuine smile he had ever given me.

proceeded to fuck her like a back-alley whore, knowing damn well that when this was all over, her and her son would be in the ground.

“Baby, am I going to go down to the bunkhouse with a wet spot on my crotch?” he asked in a teasing tone but didn’t slow me down.

After Caleb had successfully “cockblocked” his father, we went downstairs to find him digging for ice cream in the freezer. He then proceeded to tell us that he didn’t want to stay in the bunk house that night because, “Jigs didn’t take his farting medication.”

“My momma would’ve loved you,” he said, his voice gentle now.

“My name isn’t God, Enchantress,” he growled low in my ear. “You are at my mercy. Do you understand?”

I nodded and twisted my head up, our faces inches apart. My eyes held his as his body claimed mine with his forceful, powerful thrusts. He dropped his forehead to mine, his upper lip curled. “Words,” he snarled. “I’m yours, Denver.”

Fear clawed its way deep into my gut and I knew one thing. I wasn’t the one who ruined her. She ruined me.

Pop wanted us there. Told us to close our eyes, to cover Mase’s ears. I closed my eyes, but there was no one to cover my ears…”

Beau’s face split into a dazzling smile, his white teeth stark against his tanned skin. “Give me a second and I’ll be the man breaking your spine. Then we’ll see how relevant I am.”

Now, there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. If she wanted the moon, I wouldn’t stop working until I had it in my hands to give her.

“But—” I pressed my body to hers with a growl. “No fucking buts. You are mine. Do you understand me?” My head came up and I gripped her chin. “I take care of what’s mine, yeah?”

“Coming home to you, the house smelling good, and the washer going…” he trailed off, nestling his face in my neck. “Feels like a dream, and I’m terrified.”

I kissed him with the forgiveness he needed. I kissed him with the gentleness he craved. I kissed him with the love we both desired.

She was making this old house feel like a home again, and fuck, that made me feel good.

“Look at you, filthy girl. You came here to take my land, and now you’re taking my cock.”

I saw it. I sucked in a breath as the smoke in his eyes cleared, revealing his broken, tired soul. My soul called to his, and something flashed in his eyes. I knew it then. He loved me too.

“I love you, Valerie.” Here, on the forest floor, a dark cowboy declared his love for an enchantress. Nothing would ever be the same.