What the hell was wrong with Avery’s sisters?
“Wow, this is so familiar.” Brooke tapped her chin. “But wait, we just need to switch out the sister.” She sighed. “Maybe next time I’ll get my shot. God knows our kiss was briefer than the one you guys just shared.”
Avery lunged toward her as gasps ricocheted around the room. God, Brooke was such a bitch.
I held her back even as her nails dug into my arm, most likely deflecting her anger toward me to keep from ripping her sister’s head off.
“Brooke,” Avery’s father said, shaking his head. “That’s enough out of you.”
“What did I do?” she asked innocently. “I’m just kidding.”
“The hell you are.” I curled my lip.
Brooke’s eyes widened. I’d had to put up with her shit all through high school when she bullied both Avery and Kayla.
“Apologize,” I demanded, crossing my arms.
The kitchen was silent again.
Avery groaned.
“Now.”
With a sigh and a fake smile, Brooke winked at her sister and said, “I was just kidding, Avery Bug. You’re so lucky to have Lucas Thorn in your bed. Just make sure he stumbles into the right one—we don’t want a repeat of last time.”
She sauntered off, leaving me burning with rage and a heavy, heavy dose of guilt. Because she was right. I did go into the wrong bedroom, and I did pursue the sister of my fiancée. It was my mistake. And now I was paying for it all over again—and so was Avery. Which just made me all the more enraged because I wanted to protect her.
I wanted to love her.
And Avery’s eyes filled with tears.
“Come here.” I tugged her into my arms. “Don’t listen to her, okay?” I knew we had an audience, but my only goal was to make sure Avery didn’t take what her sister had said to heart, because Brooke had no idea just how her comments had hit home.
Because I was a cheater.
I knew it.
Avery knew it.
And she was looking at me like she knew it—like she knew I was one choice away from ruining whatever we had, even though that was the last thing I wanted.
“Let’s go for a walk.” I gripped her hand, grabbed two full glasses of wine, and shoved past Brooke and Kayla, who were already conspiring in the corner—at least that’s what it looked like, though Kayla was wiping tears from her cheeks.
Hell. I was in absolute hell.
“Happy engagement,” Avery muttered. “You know, if this was real, I’d be pissed.”
I froze. “The engagement? Or us?”
“The engagement.” She stopped walking. “I know you’re real—I sleep with you.”
I sighed and kissed her head.
“Once all the family members from both sides are here, we’ll make our apologies and leave,” Avery said in a steady voice. “Austin and Thatch are already planning on giving us an out.”
I’d forgotten they were coming.
At least I’d have one person other than the moms and Avery who didn’t want to kill me, right?
Chapter Thirty-Eight
AVERY
“Hey”—Lucas kissed my temple—“you alive?”
“Well, for now, but if looks could kill . . .” I set down my wineglass and turned around so I wouldn’t have to watch Brooke’s angry scowl.
Lucas gripped my hand. “She’s just unhappy, Avery. And when people are unhappy they like to make everyone around them unhappy too.”
I turned and examined my sister with new eyes. “Has she always been this horrible though? Or is this new?”
“Polite Lucas would say this is completely new—she must have had a hard life. Poor Brooke, I feel sorry for her. Let’s go pat her on the head.”
“Eh, I’m tired of polite Lucas already.”
“God, so am I,” his voice rumbled in my ear as he tugged me into his arms. “Okay, so asshole Lucas Thorn—the one you’ve grown quite attached to—would just say out of complete honesty that your sister has always been cruel. In high school she picked on anyone she thought was beneath her and walked around like the world owed her something. Brooke has always had a superior attitude and is clearly dealing with some serious emotional issues since she’s been forced to move back home with your parents. Besides”—he cupped my cheek—“you’re prettier, and the red in your hair is real. This battle between you guys? You’re not going to win it, because she will always find a reason to justify her nastiness toward you, only to apologize and try to gain your love and then stomp all over it again.”
I gazed at him in wide-eyed amazement. “You really didn’t seduce her.”
His eyes lowered to my mouth. “Believe me when I say, your mouth, your body, you, Avery Black, were the only thing I was craving that night.”
“Other than water,” I added with a smirk.
He barked out a laugh. “Yes, other than water.”
“This could work,” I blurted. “I know we aren’t supposed to talk about other days but—”
He silenced me with his mouth and then whispered across my lips. “This is working.”
“Present tense.”
He nodded.
I grabbed his hand and led him down the hall, fully aware that Brooke’s eyes followed us like a laser beam the entire way.
Once we reached his old bedroom, I opened the door, pushed him inside, turned the lock, and waited.
“Something on your mind, Avery Bug?” His eyes burned with passion.
I leaped into his arms, not really giving him a chance to say anything since the minute he balanced us, our mouths were already meeting, caressing one another in a fiery explosion of desire.
“How do I get this damn thing off?” He cursed against my neck as his hands blindly reached for the zipper to my dress.
Laughing as he continued to fumble, I finally smacked his cheek lightly and said, “Allow me.”
Lucas Thorn. Damn it. I was full-naming him in my head because I had no choice but to accept the full name of the man who had captured my heart, who was so perfect for me that it made my head hurt.
He crooked his finger, signaling me to turn around.
His hands grazed my back, his fingers running down the zipper—and then he slowly inched up my tight dress past my thighs and whispered, “I improvised.”
“I see that,” I hissed as cold air hit the back of my legs, and then his hands moved to my hips as he slowly brought my body back against his.
Shivering, I leaned my head back and tilted my chin up, accepting his hungry kiss as his hands moved down the front of my dress. It was almost more erotic than being naked, his hands roaming across the sleek fabric as it pressed against my skin.
My body ached for him in a way that terrified me—because it wasn’t just this physical attraction. It was so much more, more than I could have possibly imagined, with a man I used to hate—a man who, for all intents and purposes, deserved that hate.
“Promise me,” I whispered as his hands slid past my ribs and cupped my breasts. I let out a moan as he massaged and teased, the evidence of his arousal pressed against my back. I wanted him. With serious desperation. But I needed the words.
“Anything.”
“I get all of the days.” I said it in a rush.
His hands dropped.
Rejection slammed into me.
And then those same hands flipped me around, bracing my body while I hung my head in shame. I had done the unthinkable.
I’d gone and fallen in love with Lucas Thorn.
Stupid.
Idiot.
“Look at me,” he whispered.
I shook my head no.
“Avery Bug.” He trailed a finger down my jaw. “I’ve wanted you for years. Do you really think I’d toss all of this between us aside, for a Molly Monday or a Flight Attendant Tuesday?”
“Yes.” I sighed. “No.” My shoulders slumped. “Maybe.”
“You don’t trust me yet,” he acknowledged. “And since I o
we you honesty—I don’t completely trust myself either. Do us both a favor.”
His eyes were so clear, the prominent cleft in his chin made his mouth so much more tempting. Why couldn’t it be easy?
Just sex?
“What’s this favor?”
He pressed his hand to my chest. “Keep this—until you know, without a doubt, it’s safe in my hands.”
I frowned and looked down; his hand was placed over my heart.
Understanding dawned. “What if it’s not all mine anymore?”
Silence.
“Lucas—”
His lips met mine softly and then more aggressively as he lifted me into his arms, our bodies grinding together.
I reached for the button of his pants, my hands greedily tearing at whatever I could find to get there faster.
“Damn it, Avery.” He kissed me harder. “What have you done to me?”
His pants were free. I glanced up at him and saw such a raw intensity I almost backed away and ran out of the room.
The real Lucas Thorn was staring at me, not the cheater, not the one who told me he couldn’t be trusted. The real thing.
And he was mine.
I reached out, grazing his abdomen with my knuckles. His sharp intake of breath quickened my heart. I gripped his thick erection and moved my hand slowly up and down, squeezing gently.
He cursed and bit down on my bottom lip, then lifted me onto the dresser. A feral gleam lit his eyes as he parted my legs and our bodies joined, and he claimed me with one abrupt thrust, stealing my breath.
He kissed away my whimper.
He covered my mouth when I screamed out his name. The tension built, hard and fast, as he pumped and I bucked. The room filled with a musky scent that made me even hotter.
The hot pressure at my center became unbearable just as he stiffened and drove himself into me in a ragged rhythm. He swallowed my helpless cries with a deep kiss. And as we both floated on the devastation of our release, I knew it was too late.
He had me.
He’d always owned me.
I just didn’t know it until now.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
LUCAS
I loved her.
I still didn’t trust myself not to hurt her—but I loved her. The last thing in this world I wanted was to make Avery Black cry, again, because of me.
When she was done biting the hell out of my shoulder, she jerked back, her eyes filled with horror. “How loud were we?”
“Quiet,” I lied. “Like church mice.” I coughed.
Her eyes narrowed. “I think it’s best we leave the nice polite church mice out of this scenario, Thorn.”
I flashed her a smile and helped her off the dresser, then made sure my shirt was tucked in again while she shimmied her dress back down her thighs.
It was no use.
Our clothes looked fine.
But our faces told a completely different story. She was biting her lip and trying not to smile; her cheeks were flushed, and her mouth was red.
Her hair looked like I’d used it as a harness and held on for dear life while I screwed her.
“You look fine,” I said quickly. “And nobody heard.” I was pretty sure that even the neighbors at the end of the street had heard. “Just act normal.” Which would be hard, considering it was Avery we were talking about.
“If you weren’t so pretty to look at, I’d punch you for all of those lies.” She pointed at me, then jabbed me in the chest. “I’m just going to hold my head high and get another glass of wine.”
“Solid plan.”
She smacked me on the chest before opening the door and then slamming it again.
“Avery?”
“The moms.” She breathed out the words like a curse.
“What do you mean ‘the moms’?”
“They’re there.”
A knock sounded.
Avery backed up.
I rolled my eyes. “What are they going to do, ground you?”
When I opened the door, I grinned wide and tried to think of a good greeting for Avery’s mother other than “Lovely day” or “You look just like your daughter!” Because neither was going to earn me any points since I’d just had my way with her daughter on my childhood dresser.
“Lucas Thorn!” Mom stomped her foot. “We have guests!”
“We were just, um”—Avery piped in—“looking for . . .” And silence. Good, Avery, great lie.
“I know exactly what you were looking for, young lady!” Tess pressed her hands on her temples. “I can’t believe you two! You”—she thrust a finger at me—“keep it in your pants. Do you even realize how high we had to raise the volume on the music to keep people from asking questions! Your father started dropping metal pans . . . on purpose.”
My lips twitched.
Mom smacked me in the arm. “This isn’t funny.”
“No, ma’am.” Avery nodded sternly. “And I apologize that I allowed him to lure me into his sex lair.”
Tess rolled her eyes heavenward, and I elbowed Avery in the side.
“You poor, poor girl,” Mom said, dripping with sarcasm. “That must have been why you screamed his name. You were angry, terrified, I imagine.”
“He’s very . . . intimidating.”
“All Thorn men are that way . . . in the bedroom.”
I groaned and waved my hands in the air. “This conversation just took a really unfortunate turn. We’ll go make sure the guests are happy and eat cake, and forget this ever happened.”
“I highly doubt poor Rocko will forget.” Mom sighed. “Poor dog was in the corner howling and then tried to hump your father’s leg!”
“Rocko always humps things.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that you caused it.”
I caused a dog to hump my father? Yeah, I needed a drink. “Avery”—I grabbed her hand—“let’s leave the moms to their scheming.”
A smile tugged at my lips—it felt good to see them together again, even if they had the worst timing in the world.
We sidestepped our mothers and quickly headed to the kitchen. The music was so loud it was almost painful.
Avery grabbed two glasses of wine and handed one to me, then stole mine back and started sipping from both.
“Avery Bug, they’re the same.”
Her face paled.
I frowned and then felt a tap-tap-tap on my shoulder. There are times in a man’s life when he can sense something is wrong with the universe, and in that strange moment, as the hair on my arms stood on end and as the room fell relatively silent, I knew that turning around would change everything—but it didn’t stop me from doing it.
From turning.
And coming face to face with Molly.
My Monday.
On the arm of Brooke Black.
Chapter Forty
AVERY
I froze.
It was an unfortunate time for my body to become that of a traitorous whore, but there it was. I froze while Brooke eyed me up and down with smug amusement and then grinned, which hurt worse than she could ever imagine or possibly know, because she was my sister! Why would she be happy to hurt me? After that night four years ago, I’d believed Brooke’s lie that Lucas had seduced her and practically begged her for sex.
Was it Lucas who had broken my family?
Maybe what I thought was petty jealousy among sisters was actually something deeper and more hateful. Maybe it was easier to put the blame at Lucas’s feet than to take responsibility for the state of our relationship.
I was just as guilty. Because the minute I saw the evidence, I cut Lucas from my life, when a true friend, a friend who really loved someone, would have asked why or at least listened to what he had to say.
He’d begged me to let him explain, and I’d yelled at him that I never wanted to see him again.
Because, yes, he’d cheated on my sister.
But he’d also cheated on me—that’s how I felt in my heart.
“Lucas Thorn.” Molly spoke his name with reverence and a bit of a hussy-sounding sigh. “I hear congratulations are in order.”
Oh no.
“Thank you.” He reached blindly for my hand, but I held a wineglass in each, so I chugged one and set the other on the table, then secured my hand in his and squeezed.
Molly tilted her head at me. “Now, that’s strange.”
“What’s strange?” I asked in what I hoped sounded like a semibored voice, although inside I felt terror—terror that all our friends and family would discover the truth.
That he wasn’t who they thought he was.
And yet, he was.
I mean, he could be.
I was confusing myself.
He wasn’t a cheater anymore. I knew that in my heart. A man wouldn’t look at a woman the way he looked at me—and keep seven girls on the side.
Would he?
“I haven’t seen you in a little over a week.”
I did the math and deflated a bit. That meant he’d slept with her just a few days before I’d started working for him and started our little flirtation.
My hand went stiff in his.
“Are you sure about that?” Lucas looked pissed. “I could have sworn it’s been a lot longer, not that it matters since clearly I’ve moved on.”
“Yes”—her eyebrows shot up—“clearly.” She nodded toward me. “I’ll see you guys around. And Lucas, you know how to get ahold of me when you get bored. Which you will. Because, let’s face it, you need a little variety in your life from time to time—it’s how people like us work.”
“Please leave.” His teeth snapped together.
Molly shrugged and walked off with Brooke in tow.
I thought the worst was over, but then Brooke leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Too bad you only get one day, huh, Sis?”
I hung my head, ready to defend him and ready to defend myself too, but I knew it would be in vain.
And as people laughed and celebrated around me, I suddenly felt lost, like a girl who was playing a part that was never mine to play.
I eyed Kayla in the corner. She wore her hurt like armor.
She stared at me as though I was an interloper.
Oh God.
She stared at me like I was the cheater.
I sucked in a breath as memories of my past with Lucas assaulted me, all our stolen moments together, our almost kisses that led to the kiss the night before the wedding. I was just like him.