Fallen (The Frenemy Series Book 3) Read online

  “You’re so hot, baby,” I rasp as I reach for her knees and grip them tight, giving them just enough of a yank to have her falling back onto her elbows with a huff that lights me on fire. “Fuck, I can’t wait to be inside you, Evie.”

  Before she can reply with much more than another whimper, my teeth graze her nipple and her back begins to arch, pressing her silk panties against my length. She tugs at my jeans, pushing them away, her nails moving over my skin sending a chill through me as I bend to hover over her once more. Her hands are everywhere, the way she needs me just as bad as I need her making me crazy.

  My palm slides between us, the pad of my thumb running up her damp center and the way she trembles pulls a growl from my chest, throwing gas on my already dominant flame. I wind her thong around my fist and her grip on my shoulder tightens, the sharp snap of the silk pulling a moan from her chest.

  “Oh, my God, Dash. Now,” she orders breathlessly, raising up on one elbow and burying her hand into the short hair on the back of my neck, pulling me closer to her mouth. “Fuck me right now.”

  Damn.

  That’s all I need.

  I bend, kissing her hard before I push her back onto the table, lifting her hips from the thick wooden top just enough to hold her against my tip. Her pussy wraps around me, hugging my shaft in all the right ways. It pulls a low groan from my chest and sends her eyes fluttering shut as her teeth clamp down on her lower lip.

  “Hold on, pussycat,” I ground out, watching her hands grip on to the edge of the table, her knees resting into the bend in my elbows and I push into her as deep as she can take me.

  “Oh, Captain, my Captain,” she mewls, her head falling back onto the table as her gaze leaves me again.

  The gentle smirk that spills across my lips at her reference lasts only a moment before her gasp chases it away.

  It only spurs me on that much more.

  My hips begin to move, deep and fast from the jump. Evie meets me thrust for thrust, lifting herself onto her elbows just enough to move her body in time with mine, fucking me just as hard.

  She bites on her lip and releases a low pant, her eyes fluttering open again to meet my hooded gaze as she slams into me at the same time.

  I need more of her.

  Fuck if I don’t want all of her.

  I lean in, holding her eyes as I push her body back and climb onto the table between her thighs. I keep one leg in place, raising the other to my shoulder as I spread her wide and grip her thigh hard, holding her in place. I fuck her ruthlessly, the sound of our breaths and the table creaking in protest beneath us our anthem as she grows wetter around me. It isn’t long until her walls begin to tighten, her fingernails digging in deeper as she marks my skin, sending another jolt of pleasure straight to my cock.

  “Dash, more. I want more,” she admits breathlessly, her blue eyes shutting tight for a moment as she bites onto her lower lip only to release it and let out a low whimper that nearly sends me sailing, too. “Oh, my God, baby. Shit,” she pants as her eyes snap open, finding mine. “I’m gonna come.”

  I raise up slightly, my grip tightening on her thigh as I release her shoulder. My hand finds her hair, burying itself into her wild, golden strands and I push in so deep, I think I might split her tight little body in half. Her eyes grow heavier as they hold mine, her grip on me intensifying for a moment before her eyelashes begin to flutter and her head falls back against the table.

  “That’s it, sugar,” I hum, the sensation of victory pulsing furiously around my shaft as her orgasm begins to take her. “Scream for me. Show me how you like it.”

  My name leaves her in a plea for a moment before finally, her toes begin to curl, her jaw goes slack and her pretty red lips fall open in surrender.

  “Good girl,” I hum, my hand leaving her hair as it moves to her mouth, tracing the edge of her lips gently as she comes down, her eyes slowly opening back to face me. “Damn, baby,” I whisper, leaning down to kiss her, savoring in the way she lazily strokes my beard with affection. “That was sexy as fuck.”

  “You didn’t get to finish,” she whispers, her voice still broken with the low pant leaving her chest.

  “I never said I was done,” I shake my head, pressing my lips to hers before I release my grip on her. “Flip over, pussycat.”

  Eleven

  dash

  By the time we’re done defacing the kitchen table, we’re both exhausted and starving. We slip into the shower, cleaning each other quickly before moving into the bedroom to throw on the bare minimum of clothing.

  “Do you want to try and eat something?” I ask as she walks out in one of my shirts, stifling a yawn while answering me with a nod. “Yeah? What sounds good?”

  “I don’t know,” she admits. “I want a cheeseburger, but I feel like it’s going to bite me in the ass.”

  “Yeah, it might,” I agree, pulling a pair of jeans on, not bothering with a shirt or even zipping up as I take her hand. “Let’s see what’s in here. It’s gonna be kind of bare bones until we’re in the new place.”

  I pull the fridge door open, my arm falling over her shoulders lazily as we take in the scarce contents inside. I’m mentally preparing myself to get fully dressed and drive to the store when the sound of a knock on the door interrupts my thoughts.

  “I’ll get it,” I tell her, kissing her hair. “See if anything looks good in here. If not, I’ll go pick something up.”

  “Okay,” she smiles small, crouching to investigate further as I round the corner.

  “I think there’s some stuff in the freezer, too,” I call back. “I can’t remember.”

  “Okay,” she replies as I reach for the lock. “Baby, there’s only ice cream.”

  “Alright. I’ll go get us something,” I promise, pulling the door open, my nerves swarming almost instantly.

  “No need. I’ve got dinner right here.”

  I stare ahead, words failing me for a moment, so I plaster a smile across my face instead.

  “Uh… baby?” I call out across the apartment.

  She’s going to absolutely lose it.

  “Yeah?” she replies, obviously waiting for more from me. When nothing comes, I hear her pad across the linoleum, hoping for the first time ever she’s wearing panties under my stolen t-shirt as she rounds the corner. “What’s u-?” Instantly, I see it. Right there hiding behind her pretty blue eyes. Oh, shit. ShitShitShit. “Hi, mom.”

  evie

  “Is everything okay?” I manage, hoping the slight tremble in my voice isn’t as obvious as it feels when the words spill out.

  “Yes, of course, honey,” she chuckles, leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek. “Why wouldn’t everything be okay?”

  “I don’t know,” I blurt out, shaking my head as I take a step back and watch her begin to walk inside the apartment. “I just wasn’t expecting you. That’s all.”

  “Well, I thought about calling first, but Mason said you two were heading here, so I thought I’d just drop by,” she explains, handing Dash a bag of what I can only assume is dinner before she turns to give him a teasing look. “And since my darling daughter has been avoiding my calls all week, it seemed a surprise drop-in was my only option.”

  “Avoiding you?” I ask with a forced laugh, feigning surprise. “Mom, that’s ridiculous. Why would I be avoiding you?”

  “I don’t know, darling,” she shrugs, moving toward the kitchen table. Noooooooo! My eyes grow wide, meeting Dash’s gaze in panic. “Why don’t you kids get dressed and I’ll set the table?”

  “Uh…”

  “I can do that, Donna,” Dash interjects, moving around me toward the kitchen, quickly picking up a canister of disinfectant wipes to sanitize the tabletop we’d just spent an hour defiling.

  “Oh…” she says, watching him move with lightning speed. “Well, alright, but it looks fine to me.”

  “I know, but that… that damned cat of hers,” he shakes his head, making me narrow my eyes in his direction. “S
he just lets him jump all over the place.”

  “Hey!” I blurt out in offense, glancing down at Vinnie who couldn’t look less interested.

  “Well, we can’t have her putting food on the table until it’s clean, Evie,” he cuts my objection short, his widened gaze silently telling me to shut the hell up. For once, I listen. “Go get dressed, baby,” he gestures toward the bedroom. “And take that damned cat with you.”

  My eyes narrow once more, lifting Vinnie into my arms and nuzzling him closely, eager to defend his honor at all costs as I make my way down the short hallway.

  “Don’t you listen to him, Vin,” I croon quietly as I escape into the bedroom. “He’s the pervert. Not us.”

  “What the hell are you doing in here?” he whispers harshly, pushing the door shut behind us once more before rushing toward the closet. “Stop talking to the cat and get some fucking pants on, baby.”

  “I have to let him know he’s not in trouble,” I insist, kissing Vinnie on the head once more as he purrs in my arms. “Why’d you yell at him?”

  “What the fuck was I supposed to do?” he asks, his voice low as he throws his arms up. “Tell your mom I just got done fucking you all over the same table she’s about to put a meatloaf on?”

  I roll my eyes but can’t argue with his logic.

  “Is it really meatloaf?” I ask, my face scrunching up in distaste.

  “I don’t fuckin’ know, baby,” he replies, his voice short again. “Just put some fucking pants on.”

  “Why are you freaking out?” I ask, setting the cat onto the bed and ignoring the look of contempt it earns us both. “You’ve been telling me to talk to her since I got back.”

  “I know, but I didn’t think she was going to just pop up on the fuckin’ doorstep,” he replies low, pulling a t-shirt out for himself and tossing a pair of jeans in my direction. “Please move faster, Evie.”

  “Dash, she caught me off guard, too,” I admit, setting the jeans on the bed, my feet beginning to move of their own accord until I’m pacing the length of his bedroom. “I need a few minutes.”

  The truth is I had been avoiding her for days. Not because I don’t want to talk to her - I actually miss her like crazy. The reason is because I tell my mother everything. She’s genuinely one of my closest friends. I knew if I called her, I’d act as nervous as I’ve been feeling, and she’d immediately know something was up.

  As scared as I am to tell her I’m pregnant, the thought of the truth spilling out over a phone line in my panic was even scarier. I knew when I told her, it would have to be in person.

  I just thought I had until Friday.

  “Fuck that,” Dash insists, his voice cutting into my thoughts and moving my gaze to find him taking a small bottle of whiskey from his nightstand.

  “Where the hell did you get that?” I ask, my eyes wild with surprise as he takes a long pull.

  “I’ve been keeping whiskey in here for a while, babe.”

  “Nuh uh,” I argue, watching him nod. “Since when?”

  “I don’t know,” he shrugs, sipping from it once more. “At least four or five months.”

  “So, when we started dating?” I ask, torn between offense and amusement.

  “Yeah, I guess,” he shrugs, ignoring my judgmental laughter by taking another sip before he tucks it back inside. “Whatever. Can we save this fight for later? I’m not going out there by myself. You’ve thrown my ass to the wolves one too many fuckin’ times and I’m putting my foot down,” he shakes his head, his eyes darting toward the door with anxiety. “This is like that fucking flight all over again,” he whispers, mostly to himself, before he moves his eyes back to mine. “Get dressed.”

  “What the hell happened on that plane, Dash?” I ask, the way he shakes his head so vehemently bringing a smirk to my face.

  “I don’t want to talk about it,” he says quickly, making me roll my eyes once more. “Just come on.”

  “We agreed on Friday.”

  “I know and I’ll keep my word, but she’s out there waiting,” he says, picking the jeans up from the bed and pushing them into my hands. “For the love of Freddie Mercury. Will you please put the fucking pants on before I lose my shit?”

  “Fine,” I sigh, shaking my head as I pull them up my legs. I choose a more appropriate shirt from the dresser and pull it over my head, reaching for his extended hand and releasing a deep breath. “Friday, Dash,” I say once more, my eyebrow cocked slightly as he turns to face me. “Say you swear.”

  “I swear.”

  dash

  “You’re moving to Morocco?” she exclaims from my left. It’s impossible to ignore the nerves rolling off her in waves. “What the hell, Mom?”

  “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, honey,” Donna argues, setting her napkin down and leaning back in her seat. “Why aren’t you drinking your wine?” she asks, sending a new wave of nerves into my slightly inebriated chest as Evie shoots me a discreet look. “You told me before you loved that one. I was saving it for us.”

  “Please don’t change the subject,” Evie deflects, reaching for her glass to swish it quickly, feigning a sip before swapping it with my empty glass for the third time when Donna looks away.

  “I’ve been trying to get into this program for years and between my teaching schedule, taking care of you kids and the wait list, something has always kept me from doing it. Now, I’ve retired from the school district, your brother has the house covered and you’re out of college and not even living at home anymore,” she reasons, admonishing us both playfully as she refills Evie’s now empty glass. Jesus, I’m going to be hammered before dessert. “Which by the way, don’t think we aren’t discussing. I know you two have been keeping secrets again,” she tsks, wagging her finger at us with a playful wink.

  “What are you talking about?” Evie asks, her voice hitched slightly in panic. “What secrets? We aren’t keeping any secrets.”

  “Mason already told me,” she shakes her head, looking down at her plate just in time to miss Evie’s eyes going wide with rage. “How you two thought you’d be able to move in together without me finding out from your loudmouthed brother is beyond me,” she chuckles, pulling a low breath of relief from both of us. “Anyway, honey. I’ll only be gone for a few months,” she shrugs. “Six tops. It’s a short program. If I choose to renew, I can do that down the line and they’ll hold my position for me while I come home for a quick visit, but when they said there was an opening, I couldn’t pass it up this time,” she reasons once more. “Morocco has been on my bucket list since I was a girl. Your father and I always planned on going on our second honeymoon there someday,” she recalls, her fond gaze trailing off for a moment before it moves back to Evie. “We didn’t get to go together, but I think this is his way of getting me there anyway,” she winks, sweetly waving Evie’s emotional gaze off. “You stop that. You kids will be so busy you’ll barely know I’m gone. How’s the apartment hunt going?”

  “Good,” Evie manages, her voice low.

  “We put a deposit down on a place yesterday,” I explain, giving Evie’s hand an affectionate squeeze beneath the table. “And Walt hooked me up with a guy who owns a bar on 6th,” I continue, smiling at Donna’s pleased expression. “I’ve just got to finish training my replacement this week and we’ll be ready to go by next weekend.”

  “That’s fantastic!” she exclaims, reaching across the table to give my hand a pat. “Evie, did you find a gallery you like, honey?”

  “When are you leaving?” Evie asks, releasing my hand and swiping her cheeks quickly, ignoring her mother’s question.

  Donna’s gaze begins to soften, Evie’s distress making my chest clench slightly as I rest my palm on her thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “My flight leaves tomorrow night,” she admits, pulling a low gasp from my left. I’m about to say something, hopefully help ease some of Evie’s sadness, but before I can, Donna cuts me off. “That’s the biggest reason I came tonight, honey.
I knew I wouldn’t make our dinner on Friday and I wanted to tell you in pers-”

  “It’s fine,” Evie cuts her short, her voice low and strangled slightly with emotion as she pushes away from the table, hiding the sadness in her eyes from us both. “I need to use the bathroom.”

  “Evie,” Donna sighs. “Sweetie, it’s oka-”

  “I’ll be right back,” she cuts her short again, fleeing the room.

  I watch her move quickly down the hallway, the heartbreak rolling off her and onto me indescribable. I release another short sigh, my eyes moving to Donna’s for a moment to find guilt written all over her features.

  “I didn’t think she’d be this upset,” she admits, resting against the back of her chair once more. “I feel terrible.”

  “She’s going to be okay,” I shake my head, pushing away from the table myself before I release a low sigh and reach for my glass, downing it in one quick gulp before facing her again. “I’ll go talk to her.”

  “Thanks,” she smiles sweetly, her eyes full of both apology and gratitude as I head toward the hallway.

  I push through the door and immediately, I know I just lied to her mother.

  Evie is definitely not okay.

  “Baby?” I whisper, pushing the door shut behind me and moving across the bedroom in three quick steps. “Evie, it’s going to be alright.”

  “No, it isn’t, Dash,” she sobs, the sight of her falling apart on the floor as she leans against the bed behind her ambushing me with memories of that first night in Dallas. “I just found out I’m pregnant and my mother is leaving for six months,” she reminds me, her voice coming out in huffs as she struggles to catch her breath. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

  “I know,” I offer, crouching down low in front of her before pulling her into my arms. “I know, princess, but I swear to God, it’s going to be okay.”