FOUR

Lily’s POV

I hesitated, unsure if I was hearing Carden correctly or if I had fallen into some surreal dream.

Carden Blackwood, asking me to stay with him? It felt too unbelievable to be real.

“You’re beautiful,” Carden said, inching closer with a hungry smile.

“Stay with me.”

It was hard not to gaze at that body of his.

My hand went to her throat, feeling scandalized. “Why?”

“Why not?” Carden’s hand settled on my hip.

“I can’t believe you’re serious,” I replied, trying to maintain the only ounce of composure I had.

Carden closed the gap between us, his erection pressing against me.

“I'm not messing with you.” His voice was throaty, and I pressed my thighs.

I struggled to keep my focus on his face. “Do you always...”

Carden’s other hand gripped my hip, pulling me closer. “I know what I want when I see it, Cookie.”

My breath hitched as desire stirred within me.

“You're my best friend's brother.”

It was unforgivable that I already slept with one, seven years ago.

Now, a second?

Carden wrapped his arm around me, his touch igniting a fire within my body.

“Do what you want.”

My core clenched.

I wanted to leave, but I wanted to know what dirty things he could do to me.

I hadn’t been touched this way for almost a year.

He leaned down to kiss me.

“You’re an asshole.”

“I was an asshole.” He corrected between kisses.

Oh shit.

He pulled me closer against him and his cock pressed between my thighs and my femininity jolted.

I reached between us and took him into my hand. Heavy and hot, he was so thick that I could barely wrap my fingers all the way around.

I stroked him, hungry for more.

Carden swore and tugged at my shirt. Lifting it up and over my head, he tossed it away and then stared down at my chest.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful.”

I smiled shyly and fought the urge to cross my arms around myself. I wasn’t a little girl anymore.

Carden took my hand away from his cock, resting my hands on his shoulders.

Then, leaning down, he stared into my eyes as he ran his hands down my sides and over my waist.

He lifted me like I weighed nothing, he turned us around and walked me to the bed. Gently laying me down, he moved back and took my bra with him. “Jesus.”

His eyes were hungry.

He spread his large hands across my stomach and stroked up until he was cupping my breasts in his hands. He moaned out another curse as he brushed his thumbs over my hard nipples. Bracing himself around me, he lowered his mouth and kissed me. “These are perfect.”

I swallowed as he lowered his mouth to the swell of my breasts and tasted my skin. Then, lower, he stroked me with his hot tongue. I felt like I was floating away as his mouth clamped over my nipple and he tugged. I writhed under him and I shoved my hands into his damp curly hair and held onto him.

I lifted my hips, trying to brush against him and feel the slightest bit of tension, but he twisted his hips away from me and then kissed down my stomach.

Fucking tease.

When he was done, He knelt at the foot of the bed and finished undressing me completely before looking up at me.

“Spread your legs, Cookie. It’s time for my treat.”

I swooned at the sound of him saying something so vulgar.

I spread my legs for him and he instantly buried his face between my thighs and inhaled deeply before stroking me from back to front with his strong tongue. His dark chuckle at my gasp felt too good against my clit.

Again, he lowered his mouth and stroked me. I dug my hands into the bedding and swore his name.

“Carden, please!”

He chuckled again and then speared his tongue into me. My hips bucked, but he wrapped his arm over them and held me steady as he fucked me with his tongue until I was moaning and crying out his name.

Tremors of ecstasy hit me hard and I realized I shouldn’t be here.

I had a fucking child for his brother.

“I... I shouldn’t have...” I stammered, hastily dressing and fleeing Carden’s room.

I was certain I was leaving behind a trail of hard knock desire.

I got the correct room key from a harried-looking young man and rushed to my room, finding my suitcases in it. I should’ve known right away that Carden’s suite wasn’t my room when I didn’t find my own things.

Fucking stupid.

I had time to think two, three, four times over about what I’d done.

I went for a shower and when I looked in the mirror after I was scrubbed clean, I stared. I knew there was no getting rid of the secret marks that Carden had left. Teeth marks marred my shoulder and the top of my breasts. My mouth was red and swollen from our kisses, and his stubble had left a redness on my neck. I looked like a woman who’d been thoroughly fucked even though I had barely let him thrust into me.

I tried to sleep but I couldn’t. Friends didn’t sleep with their friends’ brothers. It was code. I sucked.

There was a knock at the door and when I opened it, it was a cheeky girl and I knew her.

It was Meg, Harper’s coursemate at college.

I had met her a few times in the past two years.

Meg was almost a foot shorter than me and she grinned as she looked me over.

“Whoa. You look hotter!”

I felt my face turn red but ignored it.

“Thanks!”

I let her come in and helped her settle whilst we conversed and the moment she mentioned the triplets, I felt a sudden knot in my stomach.

She was completely swooned by them but I knew better.

It was time for the barbecue and I didn’t want to miss it.

I fitted into the tiniest dress I could and a matching heels.

Tugging Meg along with me, we headed to the restaurant.

There were drinks and definitely barbecue and my mouth watered.

After eating, I stood alone staring at the window and I noticed his presence.

I glanced nervously at Rune Blackwood, his tattoos adding an edge to his charm. I swallowed my nerves as he neared.

“How’ve you been,Cookie? It’s been a long time since I last saw you,” Rune said, his nickname sending a forbidden shiver down my spine.

Before I could respond, memories of past humiliations flooded into my mind.

I remembered the night of my high school graduation, the Blackwood triplets humiliating me in front of everyone. Shame washed over me as I realized I’d slept with the enemy.

“Cookie?” His voice smacking me back to my reality.

Forcing a smile, I excused myself and turned, only to collide with Carden’s chest. His arms enveloped me, and I was this close to leaning in.

“Where are you running off to, Cookie?” Carden asked.

“My name is Lily,” I snapped, pulling away from him.

A throat clearing behind Carden caught my attention. Andrew approached, claiming my hand.

God his eyes.

“We prefer Cooking,” Andrew stated firmly, his gaze intense.

Flustered than I hated to admit, I backed away, feeling a flutter in her stomach.

I hurried away from the triplets, trying to blend into the crowd.

As I tried to regain my composure, Ryan, Harper’s soon to be brother in law, approached me with a grin, but my attention was drawn back to the approaching triplets.

“Those boys are trouble with a capital T, but you seem to have a knack for ignoring warning signs, don't you?"

Ryan remarked, causing me to frown.

I didn’t say a word, I just walked away.

I planned to head to my room, but then I realized I hadn’t seen Meg.

I tried to search, but I didn’t want to be cornered by the Blackwood boys, so I decided to retire to my room instead.

Heading upstairs, I reached the door to my bedroom.

Pushing the door open, I stepped into the dark room. My heart pounded in my chest as I groped around for the light switch. Finally, I found it, and the room was bathed in a harsh glow.

And there she was, Meg, lying motionless on the floor, surrounded by a pool of her own blood. I screamed in horror, blood draining from my face.

As I approached her, my eyes fell on a piece of paper, written in what seemed to be blood.

“I found you and I’m coming.”

I stumbled back in shock, my back hitting the cold wall.