The Devastatingly Beautiful Series

M. DAUPHIN

Thank you for purchasing the box set of Devastatingly Beautiful. Tatum and Molly will forever hold a special place in my heart, as they are my very first fictional couple.

I hope they hold a special place in yours, as well.

Enjoy.

-M

To Cassandra S. - You’ve been such a huge support my entire ride. Thank you for being such a fantastic fan!

Frost- I love making babies with you. Best baby making time I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait for Reddcash (Yes, I went there).

PBJ Bitches- Flove your asses.

Missy and Nicole- I wouldn’t be where I am today without your random dubsmash videos and stories. You girls are so amazing.

Devastatingly Beautiful
© 2015 by M. Dauphin

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older.

This book is for sale to ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which may be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

Cover design © 2015 M. Dauphin

Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

5 years ago

“You promise me you’re done with them?”

He looks at me, straight in the eyes, and takes my hand.

“Yes, baby,” his hand rests on the gentle curve of my abdomen and he smiles. “Promise.”

I hate that he’s wrapped up in people like them, but we’ve been through so much together that I have no other reason not to trust him.

1

Tatum

“You did what?” My voice bellows throughout the warehouse. I’m really getting tired of making it have to go this loud, but this is insane. I'm a grown ass man, he needs to stop coddling me.

“Sorry, kid. This came from above your head,” Nathan cowers in front of me and I have half a mind to smack him around just for calling me ‘kid’. Sure, I’m about five years younger than him, but I’m still a Savage.

“My father told you do to this?” I growl, watching him cower even more.

“Y-… yes sir,” he stutters. I feel my fist twitch, itching to hit something, or someone.

Son of a bitch.

“Leave. Don’t bother coming back,” I growl, following him to the warehouse door.

He scurries out and I slam the door behind him. My mother fucking father. How much is he going to ruin in my life before he realizes I’m not putting up with it anymore?

“Alex! Get me my father on the phone!” I yell to the empty room. I know she’s listening, though. She always is. Sure, she’s a good lay, but she’s an even better assistant. The only one I’d want dealing with the shit that I have to put her through. There’s been more times I can count that she’s had to physically get blood on her hands for me, and I know she’d never tell a soul about it.

That’s the thing about being ‘in’ with the Savages. You can be in, be a part of this family for years, but the minute you open your big mouth you may as well count yourself dead.

“Line one, sir,” she peeks her head out of her office to tell me, then disappears just as fast when I nod at her. Opting for more privacy, I head into the smaller of two interrogation rooms and grab the phone.

“What did you do?” I growl at him. Sure, he’s my boss and my father, but he’s also just fucked up everything I worked so hard on for the last few months.

“You couldn’t do it, son. You have too much on your mind. I saw the chance and I had him take it,” he answers, like he didn’t just ruin more shit in my world.

“You knew how important that job was to me!” I yell, my voice echoing off the empty walls of the warehouse my office is staged in.

Warehouses in this business are important. You need a big enough building to hold everything for your assigned team, plus no close neighbors to hear the screams of the poor men you bring back.

“I know you thought it was important to you. You forget the reason behind it, though, Tatum. All of this started because of me. If you have someone you need to take your anger out on, you know where to go,” he chides.

Asshole knows I’ll never come after him for what he did. He’s my father, and I know it was an accident, but it doesn’t make it hurt less.

“I’m out, dad. Out of it all. Everything. I can’t do this with you going behind my back to save me.”

“You’re out?” he asks, surprised.

“Yes. Out. I’m leaving. Give my team to someone else,” I growl, pissed that I can’t even perform my job anymore without pity.

Molly

Editing wedding photos is a pain in the ass.

I chose this profession. I should love this profession.

That’s the mantra I keep repeating over and over again as I sit here and go through thousands of photos from the wedding Evie and I shot last weekend.

How do you Photoshop a little girl’s finger out of her nose? Every damn shot!

Breaking through my thoughts, Evie knocks on my office door.

“Hey, Molly, Can I talk to you for a sec?”

Two things strike me as odd and should have sent flares to me right away regarding the topic of this conversation. 1- She knocked. E never knocks. I could be in the middle of having the greatest sex of my life on top of my desk and she would just barge in unannounced. (Let’s be real though, this desk has never seen any action and my lady parts think ‘action’ means sitting down in a chair. Damn, it’s been too long). And 2- She called me Molly. She only uses my full name in front of clients. She has been calling me ‘Mol’ since our first day working together.

“Hi, E, yea have a seat. I was just loading the pictures in to start some gentle editing. This wedding was so pretty I don’t think we are going to have much to edit other than some lighting.”

“Um, yea, great. So, um….” Evie won’t stop fidgeting. She has never looked this nervous around me. What is going on? “Listen, Molly, I love you and I love this company you have created, but… well.”

Then it hits me. They say the phrase ‘it hit me like a ton of bricks’ would work in a situation like this… but considering our past, I would make it about 3 tons of bricks and a few feathers for a slap in the face. She’s leaving. Fuck.

“Evie, are you quitting?” I ask, hoping that my thoughts have just gotten carried away.

“Um…. Yes?”

“How is that a question? You’re either leaving me, or not leaving me.” Now I’m so confused.

“Well, I’m leaving, yes. But it’s not for another photographer. I actually got accepted to art school in Chicago. I leave next week to start their early acceptance program and get settled in before summer classes start. I know it’s not much of a notice for you, and if you need to me to come back for a few weekends to work until you find a replacement. I will. I just wanted to let you know first. I haven’t even told my mom yet. I’m nervous since it’s been years since high school and I’m going to be one of the older students now, but I’m still so excited!” She looks like a child on Christmas morning. So excited, so fresh faced. Evie has had her fair share of rough times so it’s nice to see her finally getting the happy end of the stick.

“That’s great, E! I’m so happy for you! Don’t worry at all about being a little older than the other students, you have had so much experience you will be awesome! And no, you will not come here on the weekends to help. I will make it and I will find help if I need it. You won’t be replaceable, but I’m sure I can create an Evie 2 that will be almost as good anyway.” I wink at her and she smiles. I can’t let her see how much this news upsets me. Come on, Molly, play it cool and save the tears and drinking for later.

“Awesome, thank you so much, Mol! I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you don’t hate me! I have to get going. I’ll see you tomorrow!” She’s so excited I try my hardest not to show her my disappointment. I’ll never be able to replace her with anyone that has half her talent.

“See ya!” I yell as she is already out the door. I swear she had a skip to her step on her way to her car.

The light that pulled me out of the darkness 5 years ago is leaving me. Shit.  

2

Tatum

13 hours. That’s how long I’ve been on the road, and I can’t stop driving. I know at some point I’m going to need to stop for sleep, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I’m running away like a little pussy, but who the fuck cares anymore? I can’t take the knowing stares and sympathy, especially from him. It makes me feel like a bastard. I’m not running because I’m scared. I’m not running because I’m sad. I’m running because I don’t like everyone in town knowing my past and pitying me for it. I sure as hell don’t like being reminded of that night, nor do I like the fact that my father was the cause of it, so I left. Maybe time away will help me accept that my life will never be the same.

A light pops up telling me it’s time to give another arm and leg for a tank of gas. I may seem crazy, spending all of this money driving to nowhere, but what else is there to do when you have millions? Girls are too easy to get (it’s not even fun anymore) and family… well that’s just a joke. So I packed up my bike and headed out across the country to see where I would end up. A bike that those assholes didn’t even know I had. One they couldn’t track even if they wanted to. I’m pretty fucked up as of lately and instead of staying to face my demons, I ran. I’m pretty good at that: running. I don’t remember a time when I stayed in the same city for more than a year or two. Something is always pulling me out of my comfort zone and pushing me into new situations. This last one, though, man that was a rough one. Maybe it’s time to lay low for a while. I can’t see myself settling down with anyone or anywhere in particular, but I just had to get out of Texas.

I pull off the road at a dingy gas station. The sign is lit in the middle of the day and it doesn’t look like there’s been traffic through here in a while. Dust covers everything in the store and the whole place has a musty smell to it. I laugh to myself. A millionaire putting his own gas in his car and spending time in places like this. Ironic, isn’t it?

The man who takes my money is nice enough. “Looks like you could use a break, kid.” His hair is greased back, or what’s left of it at least, and I’m fairly certain he’s missing half of his teeth. I cringe inwardly when he tries striking up conversation with me.

Leave me the hell alone. No one calls me kid. I’m far from a kid, with a past he doesn’t want to know about. Sure as shit if I told him my last name he’d regret trying to talk to me. Typically people that know my family stray away. Unless they want something, that is. Too many people out there want something, I’m better off being alone for a while.

“Nah, just filling up and heading back out.” I toss a wad of cash on the counter and turn to look out the window as he makes my change.

“Where ya headed?”

“Not sure yet. I’ll know when I get there.” Seriously, dude, back the fuck off.

“Well, down the road about a half mile there’s a right turn. Only turn you will see on this road for miles. Small town, nice enough people. They have one motel, though. You look like you could use some sleep, and sleepy driving is just as dangerous as driving drunk, ya know.”

Boy do I know. “Thanks, man, I’ll consider it,” I say, just to get him to stop talking.

Heading out to the pump I think about the man’s words. I could use a little rest. Driving by yourself can get lonely and going through the middle of nowhere where all you see are fields is just boring. Maybe it’s time for me to take a break. If he’s right, this little town is the last chance I’ll have for a while to get a good rest.

I finish up pumping my own gas and take a good look at the road behind me, and the one in front of me that supposedly heads to this town he told me about. Putting my helmet on, I take a deep breath before making my decision. Couldn’t hurt to get a few minutes of shuteye before heading back on the road. What could go wrong?

Molly

Everyone’s talking that there’s a new guy in town. Why anyone cares is beyond me, but this town is so small I guess they don’t have anything better to do. Yes, I get a lot of business for being where we are, but a lot of that comes from larger neighboring towns and not our small little town of New Baden, Illinois. Actually, I’m not even sure if we are a dot on the map and I like it that way. Stay out of people’s way and keep to myself. That’s how I tend to roll. Most of the time that is. However, when people meddle too much I feel the need to put them in their place. Such is the case when Betty Fredricks stops by my table at the coffee shop.

“Hey, Molly, have you heard? There is a new guy in town and he’s apparently not too bad on the eyes.” Betty is in her mid to late 50s and tries her hardest not to look any older than 30. Makeup and hair dye can only do so much. In my opinion, she would look way better if she didn’t try so hard. There’s my opinion creeping up on me again. Nope, no one cares, Molly.

“Yep, I heard all about it, Betty. Don’t really know why I should care, though.” I don’t want to have this conversation. Ever.

“Well, seeing that you are all alone, I just thought you’d want to know. Maybe finally find someone to take good care of you. I worry about you, Molly.”

Who does she think she is?

“Sorry to burst your happy bubble, Betty, but I’m in no need of a man. Not to spend time with, and definitely not to take care of me. I’m doing just fine as it is, thank you.” Been there, done that. And I’m never going back.

“Well okay, Molly, but you just wait ‘till you see him. You may change your mind.”

Doubt it.

Betty walks out the door and turns towards the hair salon. Sure as shit, I bet she’s heading down there to spread my unhappy mood to the rest of the ladies. All I want is to have a successful business and keep to myself and my few close friends. Apparently that’s too much to ask as they are always meddling in my personal life, and the only really close friend I have here is moving to Chicago soon. Maybe I should take my business and move to a larger city, one where people mind their own business.

The door dinging cuts my attention and I shoot a glance over to see who walked in. Holy. Cow. Movie star beautiful doesn’t even cover it. Who does this guy think he is and why is he in a place like this? He saunters over to the bar and grabs a Coke. His jeans are tight in all the right places and the black t-shirt he is wearing has a look that says ‘I want this to look old, but I really paid extremely too much for it’.

This has to be the man everyone is talking about. I haven’t seen anyone like him before. Arrogant would sound mean, but he definitely has that aura about him. Like he knows he’s good looking and plays it to his advantage. I bet you he has three women at his bedside nightly. What, with the dark hair, strong jaw, and amazing arms. Holy cow, those arms. I wonder how they would feel wrapped around me, caressing me. Oh my GOD, I need to stop. Think Molly. I have to find a new assistant, and fast. The Rosewood wedding is in two weeks and it’s huge. There is no way that I can shoot the entire wedding by myself and I’m not asking Evie to come back for it. She has enough on her plate. Something needs to change soon or else the studio’s reputation will suffer, business will suffer and I will be without a job.

I get up and walk out of the coffee shop. Sporting my baby, (yes I refer to my camera as my baby. If you would have spent this much money on one you would too) I walk down to the park. Maybe finding the beauty in small things will ease my mind and mood as of lately.

I used to love scenic photography. I love the outdoors and photographing nature in all its glory. It wasn’t until I realized that wedding photography pays ten times better than nature pictures that I switched my main area of focus to capturing people’s big days. Now, nature photography is just what I do as a hobby. I enjoy it, but it doesn’t bring home the bank that I need.

Just as I begin to focus in on a flower, blurring out the child swinging in the background, I hear him. Don’t ask me how I know it’s him, but I just know. It’s as if the pressure around me changed and the air had an extra charge running through it. I turn to look up at the beautiful specimen of a man towering above me.

“Morning ma’am.” He tips his hat at me and grins. The southern accent definitely adds to his appeal.

“Hi,” I reply. “Can I help you?”

He grins again. Like he knows something I don’t. “I think I might just be your knight in shining armor.”