“What happened when you were seventeen?” I blurt, letting my eyes roam our surroundings. I was expecting to find cows, a milking shed, or a room stacked with supplies, not a recreation area of sorts. There’s a large pool table on the left and a bunch of beanbags and couches on the right. Three freestanding heaters are dotted around the space. A long, scratched pale wooden table is propped against one wall, housing a TV and stereo system. Some beers and a half-empty bottle of vodka are tucked into the corner.
“You know what happened.” Dillon leads me to one of the couches, pushing me over one of the arms, on my belly. “I failed my sister. She tried to kill herself, and it almost killed me.” He yanks my dress up. “Any more questions?” he asks in a clipped voice, and I’m instantly chastised. I don’t know why I think there’s more to it than what happened with Ash. Maybe it’s a sixth sense, but I’ve got to let it go. It’s clearly painful for him and everyone in the family.
“No. I’m sorry,” I whisper, feeling a rush of cool air waft across my ass as he tugs my panties down my leg.
Whack! His hand comes down firm on my butt, and a whimper flies from my mouth. Red heat floods my body, blood pools in my core, and my arousal leaks from my pussy, trickling down my legs as Dillon delivers a swift punishment, slapping me in quick succession. “God, I love when you’re a naughty girl, Viv. It makes the sex even hotter.” The telltale ripping of a condom wrapper and the lowering of a zipper have me squirming on the arm of the leather couch. Dillon folds his body over my back, licking my ear, and I squeal. “This will be hard and fast because Fiona is arriving shortly with my niece, and it won’t take Chloe long to find us.”
“Hard and fast is my favorite,” I pant, feeling his dick nudge my pussy from behind. “Do your worst, Dil.”
He slams into me, and we both groan as he fills me to the brim. Wasting no time, he grabs my hips and fucks me into oblivion, thrusting deep with every stroke, making me see stars. Just before he comes, he rubs two fingers back and forth over my clit, and my orgasm hits the same time his does.
He helps me to stand when we’re both done. “Hold your dress up,” he instructs, kneeling in front of me. He removes a pack of wipes from his back pocket, cleaning between my thighs with tender care, and tears prick my eyes. This side of Dillon has the power to undo me in a major way.
I can’t fathom how fast Dillon can switch from sweet to sour, but he certainly makes life interesting, that’s for sure. I wish I understood what secrets he keeps under lock and key, and I wish I was around long enough to uncover them. For the first time in weeks, I crack open the cage around my heart, letting myself feel. Allowing the truth to shine.
My heart is already invested. My head too.
I’m falling for this complicated enigma of a man.
And I’m terrified what that will mean come August when it’s time to leave.
Dillon locks the barn, tucking me into his body and slinging his arm over my shoulders. “Are you okay?” He peppers my cheek with warm kisses.
“I’m perfect.” I snuggle into his side, glad he seems to have snapped out of whatever mood he was in.
He chuckles before stopping suddenly at the corner of the barn. Pressing my back against the wall, he places his hands on either side of me, lowering his brow against mine. Closing his eyes, he breathes deeply as I lightly hold his hips. “I know I’m not the easiest person to be with,” he whispers. “I know I’m a moody prick, and I have anger issues, but they’re never directed at you.”
“I know.”
His eyes pop open, and I’m shocked to see such naked emotion staring back at me. “You make everything better, Viv.” He cups one side of my face. “I never knew it could be like this, and sometimes I’m terrified beyond words.”
“I get that.” I brush my mouth against his in a featherlight kiss. “And it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling, Dillon. Just sometimes, I’d like it if you could let me in.”
“I’m letting you in more than most people.” Frank honesty is etched across his face. “I want to let you in more. Just be patient with me.”
“I can be patient.” Time is our enemy, but I’m not voicing that. Neither of us ever mentions August for obvious reasons. Snaking my arms around him, I press my body flush to his, overwhelmed with a sudden burst of intense pain.
Letting this man go is going to hurt me.
Yet there is nothing I can do to protect myself from that pain.
Slowly, Dillon has weaseled his way into my heart, and I don’t want to shove him out.
“You’ve come to mean everything to me, Viv,” he whispers in my ear as we clutch one another tightly. “It’s happened so fast. Like lightning. I didn’t think it would be like this, and it confuses me as much as it makes me happy.” He eases his head back, so he’s looking into my face, while still clinging to me. “Does that make any sense?”
“It makes perfect sense.” I kiss him, fighting a bout of emotion. “I feel the same way too.” This is the closest we’ve come to admitting our feelings, and my heart is racing around my chest cavity like a car with broken brakes.
“I don’t know where we go from here when—” I nod when he stops mid-sentence, understanding without him needing to say it. “I just know I don’t want to stop. I want to keep doing this with you. I—”
A guttural moan carries on the wind, cutting Dillon off. My startled eyes meet his suspicious ones when another moan rips through the quiet country air. Dillon snags my hand and pulls me around the corner of the barn. I gasp out loud, clamping my hand over my mouth far too late.
“You fucking bastard!” Dillon seethes, slipping his hand from mine and racing toward the couple screwing against the side of the barn.
“Dil, no!” Ash cries, dropping her dress and quickly pulling her panties up her legs. “Go!” she yells at the unfamiliar man with the dirty-blond hair and panicked expression. She shoves his shoulders as he rebuttons his jeans with shaky fingers. His wedding ring glints in the late afternoon sun, and I instantly know who he is.
“Oh, Ash,” I whisper, coming out of my comatose state and running toward my friend.
“I’m going to kill you, you motherfucking bastard,” Dillon yells, charging Ash’s married ex.
Dillon grabs him around the throat, throwing him up against the wall of the barn as Ash stands rooted to the ground, horrorstruck. I pull my friend into my arms, and she immediately comes apart, sobbing against my shoulder. “I’m a horrible person. What have I done?” she cries, clutching my dress and clinging to me.
I’m torn between comforting my friend and preventing my boyfriend from being hauled in on a murder charge. “Dillon, stop!” I shout, cradling Ash in my arms as he throws Cillian to the ground, jumps on top of him, and starts punching him with his fists.
Cillian is tall and stocky, and I’m sure he could take Dillon on and it’d be fairly evenly matched, but he’s not fighting back. He’s letting my boyfriend beat the living daylights out of him. I don’t know the man, but I guess he’s carrying at least some guilt over what happened. Whether that’s now, or in the past, I’m unsure.
“Dillon. That’s enough!” I call out as blood flies from Cillian’s nose spraying Dillon’s shirt. Dillon’s fists keep flying, and Cillian is fighting back now. Panic is clear in his eyes. He’s afraid Dillon is going to kill him, and so am I.
“Ash, babe. I’m going to put you down on the ground, but I’ll be back.” She nods, looking dazed as I place her on the ground. Tears stream down her face, and I ache for her. She will beat herself up for this when she sobers up.
Rushing to where Dillon and Cillian are, I drop down on the ground, putting my face all up in my boyfriend’s. “Dillon.” I cup his face, repeating his name, asking him to stop over and over, but he’s in his own little world. Cillian groans, swinging his fists, trying to push Dillon off, but it’s like Dillon is fueled with supernatural fighting ability. He just keeps striking him, and if he doesn’t stop, he will cause serious damage. A few of Cillian’s punches get through, hitting Dillon in the face and the stomach, but it’s not enough to stop him.