“Yeah?”

  “I love you.”

  I freeze, not sure if I should tell her how I feel. I know she deserves to hear it. This may be the sole time I get to tell her. “Wylla Mae, I love you. More than you’ll ever know.” I love her enough to let her go. It’ll kill me, but I’ll do it because it’s the best thing for her. Shit is getting bad around here again, and I’d rather see her safe and away at school doing something with her life instead of getting caught up in the bullshit and being in danger because she’s associated with me. That and I know if she stays, I’ll never let her leave. I’ll tie her to me in every way possible even though she deserves better.

  I press my lips to hers, and she kisses me hard and wet. She was a virgin but Wylla Mae is fuckin’ perfect. Responsive to my every touch. I want her on top ridin’ me when she orgasms. I pull out and go to my back. “C’mere, baby. Ride your cock.”

  Needing no guidance, Wylla Mae impales her sweet heat on me. Hands on my chest she starts to move, finding her rhythm easily enough. Not too fast or too slow, but just right she’s found her sweet spot. I give her control, letting her lead. I lay back and enjoy the sight of her tits bouncing as she rolls her hips grinding on me seeking out her pleasure.

  “Oh, god.” Her head goes back but I direct her attention back to me.

  “Eyes on me, baby, let go and come for your man.” I arch up, meeting her halfway and hold her hips in place. Her gaze burns into mine imprinting her soul on my heart even deeper. She’s fuckin’ tattooed herself there permanently. I shove up wrapping my arms around her needing her mouth on mine. She moans against my lips and her pussy muscles spasm.

  Fuck me she feels so damn good. We move positions, her on her back again. I can tell she is getting sleepy now that she’s gotten hers, but I know she has a few more orgasms in her, and I want them all.

  Our bodies move together in sync like we’re one. I surge forward, plowing into her sweet heat. I drive into her pussy over and over again, till her body quakes. She shatters around me again when I play with her clit, rubbing the sensitive skin in a circular motion. Hooking an arm under her knee I hammer into her tightness while she cries out. The sounds she makes sends me over the edge. My heartbeat drums in my ears, and I find my release, shooting my seed deep inside her knowing I should pull out but bastard enough not to.

  I collapse on top of her careful not to put too much weight on her. Her lips find mine, heavy breaths passing between us. “You okay?”

  “Mhmmm,” she murmurs, eyelids fluttering shut. I stay inside her selfishly not wanting to break our connection because when morning comes tonight will be over and I’ll have to set her free. Her breathing evens out, I roll off her, and head into the bathroom. I know my way around easily enough in the dark. I grab a wash rag and get it wet with warm water and return to Wylla Mae. I wipe her inner thighs and clean her up best I can. She’s so spent she doesn’t stir. I discard the wash rag and climb back into bed. I pull her into me, needing to hold her. To have her body naked at my side. Unable to sleep my mind races. I didn’t even wear a condom, but I know she’s supposed to be on birth control. I drove her to the appointment myself when she was fifteen and she asked me to. I didn’t ask questions. It wasn’t my place to, but I figured she didn’t want her mom to know.

  Guilt hits me square in the chest. Alexa would kill me if she knew I fucked her daughter. I push those thoughts away and bury them deep. She has no place in this room with us. Wylla Mae is eighteen. There is no law against it. We’re both adults.

  The power stays off and I keep Wylla Mae in my arms until dawn enjoying the sight of her naked and next to me far too much.

  She starts to stir, blinking a few times before smiling at me.

  “Hi.”

  “Hey.” I place a kiss to her temple. “You okay?”

  “Little sore but I’ll live.”

  “Whenever you’re ready I’ll take you for breakfast then get you home.”

  “Can you get me my purse from your truck?”

  “Yeah. I can do that. You want a water or something?”

  “Water would be good.”

  I roll from bed and grab the jeans I had on yesterday from the floor; they’re still damp, but I don’t care. I go out to my truck and there’s a tree down in my driveway. I’m lucky it fell away from my truck. I’ll have to break out the chainsaw to clear it out of the way so we can get out of the driveway.

  I go back inside with Wylla Mae’s purse and grab her a bottled water. When I get to the top of the stairs, she’s coming out of the bathroom wearing one my t-shirts. Damn it looks good on her.

  “Here ya go.” I hand her the water and her purse.

  She goes to the couch and pulls her phone out. When she powers it on it starts buzzing like crazy. Mine’s dead but I guarantee I have a bunch of texts from Alexa wondering where in the hell we both are. She’s not stupid and I suspect she’s smart enough to figure it out. I’ll cross that bridge if she ever gets the balls to confront me.

  “Shit.”

  “Your mom?”

  “Mhmm and Darin.” She chews on her thumb. “I’ll tell them I needed to clear my head after the breakup, and you let me crash here because you were gonna be out?”

  “Sure.”

  “Okay.” Her fingers tap at the screen furiously. Her phone rings immediately. “Hey, Mom. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. No, I haven’t talked to East. He had a date or something. I didn’t really ask him. He’s supposed to come back and pick me up this morning. No. I don’t need you to come get me. I’m fine. Darin was being stupid and we’re on separate paths. I just needed to get away and sort through my feelings. I’ll be home as soon as East shows up. You know him. He’s most likely in some woman’s bed somewhere.”

  My gaze narrows on her and she shoots me an apologetic smile.

  I move to her and palm her tit, squeezing her nipple because I’m an asshole. She lets out a gasp. “Oh um, I guess the power isn’t on still after that storm last night. I stubbed my toe. I’m going to get off here and see if I can reach East. I’ll be home in a bit. Love you.” She ends the call and sticks her phone back in her purse. “What are you doing?” She smacks at my hand.

  “Helping you get off.” I smirk and her lips curve up. “Unless you’re too sore.”

  “Hmmm. Hot sex with an old man or go home to my pissed off mother...let me think about that.”

  “Don’t be a brat.”

  “Why, you gonna spank me?”

  “If you’re into it then bend over my knee.” Fucking hell, she calls my bluff and stretches over my lap, her smooth bare bottom on display. Getting a handful of her thick ass, I squeeze. “Want me to spank you, baby?”

  “I want you to do whatever you want.”

  Motherfucker. I should make her get dressed while I clear the driveway but as long as that tree is there we’re stuck here, and I don’t have to face reality. I can pretend a little bit longer that this is my life now and she belongs to me.

  I brush her hair back from her face and tease at the seam of her ass. I’m already hard at the thought of her sweet pussy stretching all around me once more. Wylla Mae pushes up and shifts to straddle my lap. Her gaze pierces through me. “I want you, East.”

  “I’m all yours, baby. All yours.” I snake a hand up the back of the shirt she’s wearing and tease my thumb along the base of her spine.

  “Then take off your pants, East.”

  Chapter 12

  I’m a no-good bastard. I’ve been sneaking around with Wylla Mae, burying my cock in her every second I get. I can’t get enough of her sweet pussy. I’m fucking addicted.

  I grin down, stroking her jaw. She’s on her knees taking my cock between her lips. Sucking me hard and deep. “Fuck, baby,” I let out a hiss and grab the back of her head guiding the pace, nearly gagging her. “Keep working that mouth like that and I’m gonna come.”

  Tears gather in the corners of her eyes and she lets out a moan like she wants to argue.

  “Want me coming in that pussy, don’t you?” The corner of her mouth twitches and I pull out.

  I bring her to standing and order her to bend over the kitchen table. I line right up with her sweet heat and slam inside her. “That’s it, take it,” I growl, bending down to tease her hardening nipple with my fingers as I bite at her neck. My weight presses down on her but that fine ass pushes back against me. My dirty girl loves to be fucked rough. “Your pussy curves to my dick, baby.” I pull out and tease at her forbidden entrance. “Maybe I’ll fuck you here.” The way she shudders against me tells me that we’ll definitely have to work up to it. I slide my cock back in her pussy and shove my finger in her mouth. She gets it good and wet. With my dick pumping in and out of her at a leisurely pace, I slip the tip of my finger in her asshole. Her back bows and she nearly raises us both up from the counter. “Easy.” I kiss the back of her neck. “Stop tensing up and go with it.”

  It takes a few more tries but by the fourth time of me sliding my finger in she takes me knuckle deep and starts rocking back against me faster and faster fucking herself on my finger and my cock. Damn she’s doing all the work. Her muscles clench and she writhes beneath me. “So close,” she pants the words out. I remove my finger from the equation and grip her hips, taking over. I draw out and glide back in easily she is so fucking wet for me. She’s fuckin’ gushing.

  “Come for your man, Wylla Mae.”

  “East,” she cries out my name, and I her liquid fire practically fucking squirts. The sensation is enough to get me off too. Her body twitches along with mine, and I lean forward to kiss her needing to taste that mouth.

  A knock at my front door sends us both into a panic. “East. Open up.”

  Wylla’s eyes go big right along with mine. It’s fucking Alexa. She never comes to my place. Not for years. Not since we had our thing.

  Fucking fuck. My come is running down Wylla Mae’s thighs and it smells like sex in here. “Go upstairs.”

  She does as she’s told, and I pull on my pants and look around for evidence of Wylla Mae’s being here.

  “I know you’re in there.” Alexa bangs louder.

  “Christ, I’m coming. Calm down.”

  I snag Wylla Mae’s panties off the couch and shove her sundress down in the cushions wondering where in the hell her bra went. Fuck it. I don’t owe Alexa shit. I open the door and close it behind me as I step out on the porch. I fold my arms over my chest. “Whatcha you doing here?”

  “We need to talk.”

  “What about?”

  “Where’s Wylla Mae?”

  “What makes you think I’d know?”

  “Do you think I’m stupid, East? There’s whispers all around town. Darin says Wylla Mae dumped him for you. I don’t want you ruining her life like Murder ruined mine.”

  I let out a breath. “You done?”

  “How long?”

  “How long what?”

  “How long have you been fucking her? Did you at least wait until she was eighteen?”

  “Stop running your mouth. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Yeah. Really.” I snort but I’m a filthy lying bastard.

  “Then explain to me why I can see her peeping out the window.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Yeah. East.” Thwack. Her palm connects with my cheek. Wylla Mae flies out the door wearing my damn t-shirt and only it.

  “Stop it. I’m an adult.”

  “You’re sick.”

  “A lot less sick than you fucking Murder when you were barely sixteen. At least Wylla Mae’s an adult.”

  “Murder...” Wylla Mae whispers out his name. “Is he my father?”

  Alexa shakes her head. “You weren’t supposed to find out like this, and I damn sure never expected this from you, East. Of all the women in the world you could have you had to pull this? She has a bright future. One that doesn’t revolve around playing a biker’s whore.”

  “I’d never treat her that way and you know it. Wylla Mae, go put some damn pants on.”

  “Fine.” She stomps inside and Alexa slides her palms over her face. “You’re going to stay away from her or so help me, East. I will go to Murder and tell him.”

  “No, you won’t.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because you know damn good and well that I’d never ever make a choice that would result in a damn thing to hurt that girl.”

  “What do you think this is, East? What’s the endgame here? What—you gonna marry her? She needs to go to college and make something of herself.”

  “And she will.”

  “You don’t know that. She’s gonna be like me. You’ll knock her up and get tired of her and then what?”

  “I told you that won’t happen.”

  “You say that now, but you don’t know.”

  “I do know because I give you my word, I won’t ever see her again.”

  “What?” She blinks.

  “You heard me. I love her enough to let her walk away, but what about you?” I swore after the third time that was it, it was one of many lies I keep telling. I don’t know how to quit. How to let her go. I don’t want to if I’m being honest with myself, but she’s eighteen with her whole future ahead of her.

  Maybe we can keep this façade up until the end of summer. No one has to know that Wylla Mae is taking my dick more often than she’s not.

  “What?” I hear Wylla Mae behind me and when I turn around the expression on her face is enough to slice me in two but this was bound to happen sooner or later. It might as well be now.

  “Get your stuff. Your mom is taking you home.”

  “Did she threaten you? I’m not going anywhere, East.”

  “Are you doing this to get back at me for something, Wylla?”

  “No, Mother. I know this might be hard for you to understand but this has nothing to do with you. I love him.”

  “You don’t know what love is.”

  “Like you do? You wouldn’t know love if it bit you.”

  “You heard him. He doesn’t even want you here.”

  “That’s not what I said,” I growl.

  “Don’t come crying to me when he leaves you high and dry, sweetie. And trust me he will. It’s what men like him do. They prey on young girls and get what they want and then they throw you away.”

  “Because that’s what my dad did to you? East isn’t Murder. He loves me.”

  “Alexa, go home. I’ll bring her once you’ve both had time to cool off. You both have shit you need to talk about.”

  “I don’t have anything to say to her.” Wylla Mae crosses her arms over her chest. “She never wanted me and she’s jealous that I gave you what she couldn’t.” Alexa’s hand flies up and whips across her daughter’s face with a loud thwack.

  I grab her arm. I’ve never wanted to hit a woman in my life but I damn sure won’t let her strike Wylla Mae again. “Never and I mean ever fuckin’ raise a hand to her.”

  “This is your last chance to come home with me. If you want to stay here and ruin your life, then go ahead, but who do you think will be there when he breaks your heart.”

  “East isn’t going to just throw me away. We love each other.”

  Alexa throws her hands up. “I’ve never been disappointed in you until now.” Wylla Mae stays quiet but I know the words sting.

  “Alexa,” I snap. “That’s enough.”

  “You know it was always the two of you pitted against me. I see not much has changed. I expected so much better than this from you, East. If you honestly love her then you’ll choose the right thing.” With that she spins on her heels and marches off the porch and climbs in her car. The gravel spins as she pulls out and flies up hitting my truck.

  “Let’s go get changed.”

  “What for?”

  “We’re going for a ride.”

  Wylla Mae smiles big, and I know that one day soon that smile is gonna fade away.

  This won’t last forever.

  Nothing ever does.

  Not for me.

  “East?” Wylla Mae whispers in my ear and shakes me.

  “What?” I mumble and roll over wanting to go back to my dream. Dream...fuck me was it all a dream? I pry my eyes open and rub them. Fucking hell. I blink a few times as Wylla Mae comes into focus.

  “Wake up, sleepy head. You passed out. You promised me breakfast then said you’d drive me home.”

  My heart hammers in my chest. I blink and look around my bedroom. “What time is it?”

  “Not sure. The power is still out.”

  “Did your mom stop by?”

  “My mom?” She frowns. “What for?”

  “Fucking hell.” I sit up in bed. Wylla Mae has on her graduation dress. The one she had on last night. White and tight, hugging her curves. Damn that dream felt so fucking real. Fucking Alexa invading my dreams.

  I rub a palm to my eyes. My chest squeezes tight. Guilt consumes me.

  “Are you okay? You’re acting kind of strange. You aren’t all weirded out about us, are you?”

  “There is no us.”

  Her face falls. “Yeah, I mean it’s not like I think you’re my boyfriend, East. We agreed that it’d only be last night...and well what we did earlier before you fell asleep. I don’t expect anything from you or anything. I get it. You’ve got your life, and I’m going away to college soon.”

  I can’t believe it. Wylla Mae is giving me the why we can’t be together speech I should be giving her. I don’t know how to fuckin’ deal with it. That damn dream is still too raw and fresh in my mind. It felt so real.

  “Give me a minute to get awake.”

  A weird expression crosses her face. Her lips curve down, knitted tight. That look breaks me. I’m already hurting her. “Okay. I’ll just wait for you downstairs.”

  “Wait. C’mere.” I yank her back down on the bed and wrap my arms around her, hating the distance already spreading between us. Here I was worried about Wylla Mae when I should have been worried about my damn self apparently. I’m the one having trouble letting go.