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I’ve never had the luxury of being a kid. My father is an alcoholic, barely around, leaving me alone to raise myself. When he’s not working, which is always seeing as he gets fired more often than he changes his clothes, he’s drunk. And Mom… She’s dead.
If we want to eat, I have to buy it. It also means that it’s my responsibility to cook the food. There will be no dinner if I don’t. If I want a clean space, free of beer cans and booze bottles, I pick it up. If I want to keep the roof over my head, I ensure the bills are paid.
The boy standing in front of me is tall. Way taller than me. I inspect the crest on the left side of the blazer he’s wearing.
“I like Pip. It suits you.” He shrugs. “Pippa sounds pretentious.” I roll my eyes. “Big word.”
Not a hard wall. Another boy.
“Watch it, you little shit.” His arms dart out, and before I know what’s happening, I’m pushed. Things escalate quickly after that.
“What the fuck, Ace?” the lesser of the two evils grits through his teeth, not looking down at me as he barks at the new guy.
“What the hell do you care, Slate? She was in my way. I was simply removing her from my path.” Slate.
“You don’t touch her. You don’t fucking look at her.” He straightens his back, effectively making himself taller than the douche. “Pip is off limits.”
“Pip? You’ve got to be kidding me,” he jeers, looking toward me. “Fitting. Fucking pipsqueak.” “Cut the shit.” “Or what?”
“Or I’ll kick your ass. It’s as simple as that.” “Careful,” Asshat tsks. “Start a fight again, and the cops will come. Doubt your fancy school will keep you on, let alone let you skate…”
“If you ever so much as touch her, I don’t care what anyone says, I’ll kick your fucking ass. Pippa is off limits.”
“She’s under my protection. You hear me?”
I have no idea what that was all about, but I do know that Slate just gave me a gift. A place to feel safe. And that place is him.
It’s Aiden. His face is buried in his hands. Shit.
“Aiden, what’s wrong? Why are you out here alone”—I lift my hand, and a raindrop hits it—“in the rain?”
“Pip, I…” He stops mid-sentence, letting the unsaid words hang in the air between us.
“You can tell me anything.”
“I need to get out of here.” I nod, feeling the bile rise in the back o...
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“Things will be different. Our lives will change forever.” My own eyes start to well with unshed tears. “I don’t know what the future will hold.” His voice shakes. “What do you want, Aiden?”
“It’s the opportunity I’ve been dreaming of, but…” He hesitates for a moment, struggling to find the words. “She took all my money. I can’t afford the ticket to get there.”
“You know she—she doesn’t want me to succeed. She wants me stuck here for good.” He groans, head tilting back. “I feel like my dream is slipping away because of her. Because of money. It’s always money.”
“Promise you will never forget me.”
The dark ring surrounding his irises moves toward the center, turning the deep blue even darker. Something…more.
“I’ll never forget you.” I stick my pinky out. “Pinky promise on your puck.” He links our fingers together with a smirk. “I promise.”
He knows what being back here means to me. It doesn’t matter that Birmingham, Michigan, is technically two hours from where I grew up. It still feels too close.
MICHIGAN
The things she used to say to me. You ruined my life. You’re useless. You can’t get anything right. Stop being so weird. I would have loved you if you were normal.
The camera zooms in on a man’s back, and my whole body locks up. My heart skips a beat as I wait for him to turn toward the lens. The screen freezes, and then the commentator is back. What the hell? “Shit.” The word falls out of me on a harsh breath.
“Can I change it now?” Emma asks, completely missing my meltdown. Which is good. That would only lead to questions, and I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about it.
name. One simple name, but it has the ability to render me speechless. And numb. And sick to my stomach. It’s a name that has been haunting me for over ten years.
He broke his promise. He left and never thought of me again. He didn’t protect me.
Aiden Slate. He was the only person I ever felt safe with and now he awakens something inside me I rarely feel. Want. Desire. Need.
“What’s your name?” “Cassidy Baker.”
“Well, Cassidy Baker, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to sign?”
And I hope she agrees because there’s no question, she’s gorgeous. Actually, that word is wholly underselling it. She’s stunning. But none of that matters if this blows up in my face.
“Last chance to back out, Cassidy.” I grin, and her lips part into the sexiest smile I have ever seen. The closer I get, the more I feel like the wolf stalking the lamb. She shakes her head. “I’m not going anywhere.” Fuck.
“Clothes off.” My voice is low and husky. “I want to see you.”
“All of it,” I demand, motioning toward her body and the last of the clothing covering her. Cassidy’s cheeks turn a dark shade of pink. She blinks several times before glancing down at her skirt. She doesn’t make a move to take it off. Something about this has my misplaced anger melting away.
It makes me want to do really bad things to her. I want to corrupt her. Use her.
Gone is the skirt, but she’s still standing in front of me in her thong and bra. My lips tip into a smirk. “All. Of. It.”
Her eyes widen a fraction before her hands reach behind her back and unsnap her bra. It falls to the floor followed by her panties. I grin in complete satisfaction. Fucking gorgeous. Her tits are the perfect size. Full but not too full. Her nipples are pebbled, and I can’t help but lick my bottom lip. I motion to the floor. “On your knees.”
My dick strains at the promise of all the things I can do to her. Will do to her. “Crawl to me,” I command. She glances up at me, her chest rising and falling with her inhale of breath, but then she bites her bottom lip, and I know she’s going to do everything I say.
Slowly, she moves toward me, allowing that timid act to slip just a bit. She’s sexy. Sensual. A fucking goddess.
“You’re perfect.” The apples of her cheeks stain a pretty pink, but her eyes give her away. Blue and glassy. She likes this. Wants it.
“Take my cock out.”
One long and dainty finger runs up my shaft, and I can’t help the way my dick jerks in response. “I want your mouth on me.”
thrust in and out, and her small hands grab my thighs, nails digging into my jeans. She’s struggling to take me. “Good. Now open your throat.”
She does what I ask, and I gently stroke her head before picking up the pace again. “That’s it.” I push in deeper. Looking down, I watch her while I keep my rhythm and fuck her mouth. Between sucks, she runs her tongue up my vein. I groan, loving the way she sucks my cock. She gives me what I need. Exactly what I need.
“Turn around and get on your hands and knees. Ass up.” I reach into my back pocket to grab the condom. I waste no time ripping the wrapper and sliding it on. I don’t even bother taking my pants off.
slide a finger into her, and she moans at the intrusion, rolling her head back on a pant. Curling downward, I hit the spot inside her that I know will make her come undone. Her hips push back, begging for more. I don’t give it to her. Not yet. I continue to stroke and tease her G-spot, wondering how far I can push her. Will she come all over my hand if I allow it? Without a doubt.
