AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Avery giggles in shock, and I smile, too, remembering my dad’s brash attitude. “He wouldn’t scrape, and bootlick to win over people who would never respect him. He decided to go his own way, not play by their snooty rules. He had this place designed for us and never looked back. Everything newer, and bigger, and better than the competition, that was his thinking.”
“It clearly worked out.”
I nod. “It’s my philosophy too. Be progressive, move forward. It doesn’t matter what people say or think about you. Cash is king. When you’re rich enough, powerful enough… Well, nobody can say ‘No’ to you then.”
I bought that historical estate in the end. Took over out the company that held the mortgage, then drove the owner damn near to bankruptcy, until he had no choice but to sell. For half the price my dad would have paid.
He learned, alright. I don’t forgive an insult.
Avery gets up and strolls over to the bookshelves. “Are these your books?” she asks.
“Some, from when I was growing up. My dad’s mostly. This was his favorite room in the house. For all his talk about new being better, he loved old books.”
She browses the shelves for a while, then pulls out a book for a closer look. Avery lets out a laugh. “Interesting vintage collection you have here,” she teases. “Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, Baby-Sitters Club…”
I pause. “Those were my sister’s.”
Avery blinks. “Sister?” she repeats in surprise. “I didn’t know you have any siblings.”
I choose my words carefully, already regretting that I’ve revealed so much. “Scarlett was born when I was seven years old, and she loved to read.”
My use of the past tense isn’t lost on Avery. Her expression floods with sympathy. “I’m sorry for bringing her up,” she says quietly. “I know how hard it can be to lose to someone you love.”
That’s right, her father.
Avery traces the book spines, looking distant. “You think you’ve moved on, that you’ve come to terms with missing them, and then… Something small happens, you know, a song comes on the radio that they loved, or you hear something that you want to tell them about, and you remember they’re gone… all over again.”
She looks at me, and something flashes in her eyes. Almost like pure rage. But it’s gone in an instant, so fast, I wonder if I misread it. Avery gives a self-conscious laugh, “Sorry, listen to me, rambling on. I don’t mean to be such a buzzkill.”
“You can be anything you want,” I say without thinking. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”
Again, there’s a flash of something on her face, but it’s quickly replaced with a flirty smile. “You mean, you don’t want me faking it with you?”
Heat snakes through me. She’s in front of the fire now, the light glowing through her robe, illuminating every one of her delicious curves. “Oh, you couldn’t fake it if you tried,” I reply, getting to my feet. I move to her, “I know this body, remember?” I slide my hands over her ass, yanking her against me.
Avery gasps, color rising to her cheeks. Fuck, I love how responsive she is. I can already read her like a book. “You think you could fakethis?” I murmur, tracing my fingertips over her collarbone, so she shivers, her skin pebbling in tiny goosebumps. “Or this?” I palm her breasts, squeezing until her nipples protrude in stiff peaks.
“Or how wet you get when I do this?”
I bury my hand in her hair, and then grip it in a rough handful, forcing her head to one side and grazing the length of her neck with my teeth.
Avery gives a helpless moan, arching her body against me even as I keep up the tight grip in her hair.
She loves it when I take control. And fuck, it ignites something inside me too. Something primal and raw, the urge to dominate her completely, and claim her body without mercy. Leave her messy and whimpering, begging my name.
Because I’m the only one who can make her feel this way.
The only one she’ll ever need.
I pick her up easily, dragging her down to lay on the antique rug in front of the fire. Avery stares up at me, flushed and breathing fast beneath me. “What are you doing?” she whispers, her eyes wide with excitement.
“Wrong question,” I growl, moving down her body. “Try again.”
She flushes even deeper, biting her lip. “What do you want me to do?” she finally asks, and fuck, my cock gets hard just from the breathless obedience in her voice.
She’s learning fast just what I want from her—and how much she likes it.
“Hike up your nightgown and spread your legs for me,” I order, already hungry to taste her again.
