Sins from Her Past (Scandalous) (18 page)

In a flash, his smile turned to thinned lips. His hands gripped her shirt and tore it down the front.

“You can and you will. You owe me for all those times you flaunted this body in my face. Those little bikinis you wear, and these tits you show off when you wear tight shirts.”

Because she’d never been ashamed of her fuller figure like most teens, she’d always worn the latest styles. God, had she known how he thought—

He jerked her shorts down, taking her underwear too.

“Don’t act like you don’t find me attractive, Evie.”

At one time she had, but that had been a girlish crush and before she knew the monster that lurked beneath that handsome façade.

“I hate you,” she cried. “Why do you do this to me? I trusted you. We’re like family.”

Gripping her shoulders, he jerked her against his body. “I do this because I can and because we’re meant to be together. You’ll see.”

He unhooked her bra and Evelyn tried to hang on to it to keep her breasts covered. “Stop. Please stop.”

“Evie.”

This wasn’t happening.

“Evie.”

Why would he hurt her like this? Why?

“Evie.”

Evelyn swatted at the hands on her shoulders as she jerked up in bed. Her heart beat fast in her chest, and her stomach roiled with bile. God, she was going to be sick.

“You’re all right. I’m here.”

Evelyn turned in the dark to Vin, who was by her side. She couldn’t remember where she was for a minute, then recalled the guest bedroom. She looked down to her towel and their argument came back to her.

Not only was Alan invading her dreams, he was invading the bed she and Vin shared. She knew she either had to tell Vin what was going on or leave this relationship. This damn secret wasn’t fair to either of them.

But fear of so much held her back. So many lives would be ruined once she revealed the darkness that plagued her.

“Whatever you’re battling, it’s not going to go away without help,” Vin whispered as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I can’t help you if you won’t talk to me.”

Guilt washed over her, fear gripped her at how real, how vivid that memory had been.

“Can’t you just trust me to deal with this on my own?” she asked, her face resting against his warm, bare chest.

He kissed her forehead. “This has nothing to do with trust. I’m sick of seeing these demons torment you, I’m sick of seeing that flash of fear in your eyes, and don’t even get me started on those bruises.”

She needed to get rid of the ugliness, the evil that had penetrated her life. There was only one way she could think of.

Tilting her face up, she nipped at his jawline. “Make love to me, Vin.”

“That’s not the answer.”

She pulled her face back to look him in the eye. “I need you. I need the goodness you bring into my life.”

With the moonlight slicing through the crack in the curtains, she could see the torment and anguish that settled into his eyes.

Without meaning to, she’d brought him into her nightmare and he had no idea the battle he was facing. And it was up to her to protect him.

“Please,” she whispered against his lips, “love me.”

Vin reached up, cupped her face in his palms and smiled. “I do, Evie. God help us both, I love you more than I ever thought possible.”

He captured her lips, slowly at first, then as if he couldn’t hold back any longer his touch became frantic as he slid the towel from her body, eased her back down onto the pillows and covered her nakedness with his strong, heavy body.

She wrapped her arms around him, loving the strength he provided. She never felt safer than when she was in Vin’s arms.

He lifted just enough to slide his shorts down and wrestle them off and onto the floor to join her towel. As he lay his body fully against hers, Evelyn sighed, looking up into his eyes.

“I love you, Vin.”

He stilled, closed his eyes and smiled. “Say it again.”

“I love you,” she whispered. “I can’t hide behind my pain or my fear anymore. I want to be honest about my feelings.”

He settled his lips over her mouth, then trailed down her neck to the swell of one breast. Taking a nipple into his mouth, he sucked, licked and palmed her other breast until she arched her body, silently begging him to continue sliding his hands all over her body.

Evelyn shivered. He always seemed to manage to touch her or kiss her in a way she felt all over her entire body. How did he do that?

He eased down her body, kissing her slightly rounded stomach and settling those nice broad shoulders between her thighs. Using his big hands, he massaged up her legs and toward her inner thighs. His thumbs kept stroking dangerously close to the part of her body that ached for him most.

“Please, Vin.”

She hated begging, but he was being such a tease and she didn’t know how much more she could take. Her hips tilted at the same time his thumbs spread her apart. Just as she gripped the comforter beneath her, he slid his tongue over her in one very slow, very agonizing swoop.

His fingers dug into her hips as he continued to hold her open and the assault with his mouth continued. She shifted her body, rocked her hips and cried out as the climax slammed into her. Bursts of desire shot through her as her body stiffened and finally settled.

Vin kissed his way back up her tingling body and before she could return the favor, he’d pushed deep inside her. Evelyn wrapped her legs around his waist as he slowly moved in and out.

The man was purposely torturing her.

Every time he entered she clenched her muscles until she knew she’d gotten to him. Finally he started pumping his hips, meeting her frantic pace. Sweat broke out on his back beneath her fingertips. Evelyn closed her mouth over a delicious spot on his throat and tasted saltiness.

In no time she was building toward another climax and just as she cried out again, Vin’s body stiffened over hers. From the small amount of moonlight filtering in through the curtains, she saw he had his eyes locked on hers. She held his gaze as they rode out their wave together.

In those brief moments, she saw so much in his eyes—hope, love, passion and a hint of danger. She knew he’d protect her from everything and everyone, she knew he loved her unconditionally and she knew he’d probably kill Alan if he ever learned the truth.

Chapter Sixteen

Vin knew something was up when he stepped inside Dylan’s house and took in the silence mixed with a room full of testosterone. Dylan was clenching his fists and Alan had his arms crossed over his chest.

“Something wrong?” Vin asked—stupid question.

“You screwing my sister?” Dylan asked.

Vin glanced at Alan and back to Dylan. “What Evie and I have going on is her place to tell you.”

Before he saw it coming, Dylan charged and landed a right hook so well placed Vin’s face jerked back with the force.

Vin shook his head and stepped back. “You hit me again and you’re going to regret it.”

“Tell me the truth,” Dylan growled. “Are you screwing my sister?”

Vin couldn’t help it—anger, rage, Alan’s silence in the background, but most of all Dylan’s choice of words pissed him off. He hit Dylan back, giving him the same right-hook treatment.

“Don’t talk that way about your sister again.”

Dylan spit blood and placed his hands on his hips. “Tell me what the hell is going on and why I had to hear about it from Alan.”

Vin’s gaze swung to his friend. “What the hell, man? Why’s it your business to tell?”

Alan shrugged. “I assumed he knew by now.”

Vin had confided in Alan nearly a week ago. Yeah, Dylan should know by now, but he didn’t and that was partially Vin’s fault.

“Well he didn’t,” Vin said. “Damn it.”

He raked a hand through his cropped hair and mimicked Dylan’s stance. “Listen, I know you’re pissed but before we throw any more punches or say something that we don’t mean, you need to hear me out and then talk to your sister.”

Dylan’s eyes narrowed. “I’m listening.”

“Yeah, I can see just how open you are to the possibility of me and your sister together.”

“Talk.”

Vin sighed. “I’m not going to lie. I’ve been in love with Evie for years. But when you asked me to help by hiring her, I knew I should turn you down, but I couldn’t. I wanted another reason to be close to her.”

“Obviously,” Alan muttered from the side.

“Shut the hell up, Alan,” Vin yelled. “Better yet, get your ass out if you can’t keep a filter on your mouth.”

Vin didn’t wait for Alan to say anything as he turned back to Dylan. “Yes, I’ve been with Evie in a more than professional way and I love her. She loves me and she’s been staying with me at my house for nearly a week.”

Dylan cursed under his breath. “And why didn’t anyone tell me before now?”

Vin shrugged. “I was waiting to see what Evie wanted and I felt it was her place to say something.”

“You just chose not to tell me?” Dylan asked.

Silence settled between them as Dylan turned his back to Vin and kicked the toolbox on the floor. Vin eyed Alan, mentally ripping his head off because of his big damn mouth. That altercation would have to come later.

Dylan turned back around. “You really love her?”

Vin nodded. “I do.”

“I’m still not happy with the fact this was kept from me, but I’m sorry I hit you.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not sorry I hit you,” Vin joked. “But I forgive you. Are we going to get to work or stand around and have a Dr. Phil moment?”

Dylan picked up his tool belt and strapped it on before heading toward the front of the house. “This way, ladies. We’re working in the living room today.”

Once Dylan was gone, Vin closed the space between him and Alan. “There’s no excuse for telling him, you douchebag. You owe Evie and me an apology.”

“Sorry,” Alan said as the corners of his mouth kicked up.

As Vin walked away and headed to the front where Dylan was, he had a feeling that Alan wasn’t sorry at all and there was something strangely wrong and weird about his behavior.

Evelyn hung up from finalizing things with the caterer. The party was this weekend and she couldn’t wait to see Rick’s face when he came home and saw all of his closest friends and associates gathered in his honor.

Now that the menu was finalized and everything was taken care of on her end, Evelyn checked her list to see what else she needed to do for the day. The flooring in the resort was due to be delivered today, so she’d call this afternoon to make sure that went off successfully. She also had a real estate agent who was supposed to be notifying her of when she could look at an office space that was within her budget.

Giddiness swept through her. She couldn’t wait to have her own office where clients could come and see samples of her work and hopefully see samples of the designs she hoped to launch within the next year. She couldn’t wait to have furniture and home accessories with her name on them, showcasing her sense of style.

And with Vin’s help, she had a very good feeling this new business venture would be a success.

Evelyn came to her feet and stretched. She’d been in Vin’s office all morning while he’d gone out to help Dylan for a few hours. She loved that the two men in her life were such great friends, but she was going to have to tell Dylan soon about their relationship. She didn’t want it to be a surprise, didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. Because this thing that she had with Vin was real. She wasn’t naïve and she wasn’t going to deny the fact that they were meant to be together.

And if Dylan knew, then maybe Alan would ease off once he saw this was no joke and no random thing.

The front door slammed, causing Evelyn to jump. She rounded the desk and headed out into the foyer. When she caught site of Vin’s swollen, black eye, she rushed toward him. “What happened?”

He smiled. “Just a small misunderstanding between me and your brother. He knows about us, by the way.”

Evelyn winced. “And he hit you?”

“I hit him back if that makes you feel better.”

Evelyn glared back at his smug, swollen, yet handsome face. “I don’t feel better having the men I love fighting.”

He moved closer, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his sweat-soaked T-shirt. “I’ll never get tired of hearing you say you love me.”

Evelyn squirmed backward. “I will love you even more after you shower.”

He laughed. “Sweat never bothered you before.”

“I’m waiting on a phone call from a real estate agent to check out that office space I told you about.”

“Great, I’ll go with you.”

Evelyn shook her head. “No, you’re going to shower.”

He scooped her up, rubbing her very clean, very nonwrinkled sundress against his hot, sweaty body. Damn, she loved him.

“Looks like you may need to shower with me and change,” he smirked as he started up the stairs toward the bedroom. “Then we can meet that real estate agent together and I’ll take you out to eat after.”