Wicked Love (Wicked White Series Book 3) (19 page)

I close us inside and Tyler yanks his shirt over his head, revealing his chiseled body and the vast array of tattoos covering his body. Looks like he’s added a few more to his chest since the last time I saw him.

I swallow hard, still unable to look away from his body. He notices me staring, and his smile turns wickedly sexy. Tyler starts toward me like a tiger stalking his prey, slow and deliberate. His approach causes my stomach to knot. I sit on my desk.

Tyler sits beside me and twists around to look into my eyes. “What do you say, Avery? We have the bar all to ourselves . . .”

I giggle at his playfulness.

He cups my face, leans in, and kisses me.

I’ve missed this.

I’ve missed him.

I close my eyes, and allow my fingers to find their way into his hair. He’s got sexy hair. Tyler kisses down my neck and when his lips meet the soft skin under my ear, the scruff on his chin tickles a bit. From that point he moves on to my shoulder, placing soft kisses on my exposed flesh. He slides the straps of my tank top down and I throw my head back when he kisses my collarbone.

My chest heaves as the need to kiss him again consumes me. I grab his face in both of my hands and pull his mouth back to mine and I kiss him like I need him more than air.

Tyler stands up and pushes himself between my legs.

“I’ve missed you so much. I know I don’t deserve a second shot at your trust, but I’m begging you for one. Avery, I love you,” he says.

I bite my lip as I stare into his eyes. All I see when I look in them is truth—that he means what he’s saying. Our connection has always been strong but he broke my heart once and I’m afraid to give it over to him again.

“I . . .” I hesitate.

Tyler brushes a strand of hair away from my face. “It’s okay if you don’t say it back. I have to earn that from you, but I want you to know that I’m willing to put in the work. I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to you that I meant it when I said I love you and that I won’t ever hurt you again. I’ve learned my lesson. I can’t be without you.”

I nod, feeling thankful that he understands why I can’t say the words back to him just yet.

He starts to slide my straps back up, but I place my hand on his, halting it in place. “Just because I can’t say it doesn’t mean I don’t feel it. I still want you, Tyler—more than ever.”

That is all the permission Tyler needs. He grabs the hem of my shirt and pulls it up over my head. His large hands glide down the length of my torso and I shiver with anticipation as he reaches for the button on my shorts. I grind against him, loving the feeling of his hard cock pressing against the spot that is begging for his touch right now.

He pops the button open and unzips my jean shorts. The moment his mouth touches the base of my throat, a moan escapes me as he caresses my breasts over my lace bra.

“Mmmm, just as nice as I remember,” he says after he pushes down the fabric of my bra. My nipples pucker as his bare chest rubs against them and he kisses me once more before he bends down and wraps his lips around the taut pink flesh.

I arch my back, loving the way his mouth feels on me. “Tyler . . .”

“I want you to be mine,” he murmurs and then swirls his tongue around my nipple. “I need you in my life.”

He pulls me up to a standing position and then slides his hand down my stomach and into my panties. When his fingers flick across my wet folds, I shiver. “God . . .Tyler!”

“Please, Avery. Say it,” he commands, his breath hot against my skin.

“I’m yours. I always have been,” I admit in a breathy tone, not feeling the least bit self-conscious because it’s the truth.

“I love you, baby. I want to make you feel so good,” he growls and then flicks my clit.

“Tyler,” I cry as he touches me. “Oh, God.”

“So wet,” he whispers. “I want to bury my cock inside you.”

Tyler dips a finger inside of me and I moan as I arch against his palm. He works his finger in and out of me a few times before slipping in two fingers. My heavy panting fills the otherwise silent room as he brings me to the edge of orgasm.

He pulls his fingers out and rubs a circle over my clit, and I nearly explode on the spot. I want him so much right now, and I need those pants off of him. I reach for the button on his jeans and shove them down along with his boxers. He is ready for me, hard and standing at attention. I grab the base of him and stroke. He moans and lets out of string of soft curse words before dropping his head forward as he continues to finger me.

Sleeping with him goes against everything I’ve been telling myself I would do if I ever saw him again, but it feels right, as if there’s nothing else that matters now but him and me.

Need builds inside me and I’m anxious to have him deep inside me, thrusting hard. A tremor erupts through me as I come hard.

Tyler lifts my chin, and claims my mouth with his as he pushes me back onto the desk. He reaches down and pulls his wallet out of his pants pocket before retrieving a gold foil package. He tears the package open with his teeth and then works quickly to roll the condom down his thick shaft.

He positions himself at my entrance as he kisses my lips. I gasp as he bites my lower lip, grabs my hips, and shoves the head of his cock inside me.

Tyler’s groan echoes around the room. “Fuck, Avery. God. I already want to come.”

His fingers dig into my hips as he pushes in and out of me. The feel of him inside me, stretching me, is just about enough to send me over the edge for the second time.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Tyler pants as he pumps faster and faster.

I grab a fistful of his hair. “I’ve missed you, too.”

A low growl emits from the back of his throat as he bites his lip in ecstasy as he finds his own release. A shudder ripples through his body as he leans his forehead against mine while he attempts to catch his breath.

A content sigh leaves his mouth after he kisses my lips one more time.

His nose skims across my jawline. “That was . . . wow.”

I laugh as I play with a wild hair that’s poking up from the top of his head. “I agree. But it has been a long time for me, so I really don’t have anything to compare it to.”

He raises his eyebrow. “How long has it been?”

My mouth runs dry as I’m about to admit how lame my life has been in the sex department. “Three years.”

“Are you saying I was the last man you’ve been with?”

I nod. “Yes. I never met anyone that I thought was worth bringing into Maddie’s life, so I kept to myself. Between taking care of Maddie and running the bar, I didn’t have much time for much else anyway.”

Tyler’s thumb runs over my cheek. “I’m sorry for not coming back sooner.”

“You’re here now,” I whisper.

Tyler smiles. “I swear from here on out I’ll do right by you, Avery. I promise to be a better man for you and Maddie.” Tyler traces my cheek with the pad of his thumb. “I love you, Avery.”

I melt at the sound of his words and I pray that things work out for us this time because it will absolutely crush me if they don’t.

I touch his face as I stare into his eyes. “I love you, too.”

He bites his bottom lip before he crushes his mouth to mine. Tyler’s erection slides up against me and I smile, knowing that we’re about to make love yet one more time.

Once we’re nearly exhausted from two rounds, we decide since there’s no sign of Blake in the bar that we’ll check back over at his place.

“His car is still parked in the exact same spot,” Tyler says.

“Maybe we should call the police,” I suggest.

“They won’t do anything. I learned that from when our band’s front man went missing. The cops won’t get involved until the person has been missing over seventy-two hours.”

“Three days? What if he’s lying in a ditch hurt somewhere, waiting for help, but because of the stupid three-day-rule shit, he doesn’t make it.”

“It’s crazy. Trust me, I know, but I’m afraid we have to keep looking on our own until then. It’s late tonight. We’ll check inside and if he’s not in the house, in the morning we’ll go over to his parents’ house.”

“Good plan,” I agree.

When we find him I’m going to give him a piece of my mind for causing all this worry.

TYLER

W
e head to Blake’s place, and minus the fact that I’m worrying my ass off about my best friend’s safety, I’m still on cloud nine.

Never in my hopes of all hopes did I envision a reunion with Avery to be like this. When I came here, I expected a good slap in the face from her. Instead, she’s given me two precious gifts: Her heart and a beautiful daughter.

I’ve always heard people say they fell in love the moment they laid eyes on their kid for the first time, but I never really believed that to be true . . . until now, that is.

Sure, I was blindsided by the fact that I have a child, but it didn’t stop me from loving her instantly. I know Avery and I have been apart a long time, but there’s no doubt in my mind that Maddie is my daughter. She looks so much like me. We have the same blue eyes, blond hair, and I even noticed we share the same crooked smile. She’s so sweet, and perfect, and hearing her call me Daddy lights up my entire world.

When we pull up to Blake’s, the Mustang is still parked out front. I turn toward Avery and tell her, “See. It hasn’t moved in two days.”

“Let’s get inside and take another look around.”

We get out and walk up onto the porch and I twist the knob on the door, but it doesn’t open. “Shit. It’s locked.”

Avery frowns. “Maybe he left the back open.”

I nod and then lead the way off the porch and around the side of the house. The gate leading into Blake’s backyard is open, so I slip inside the fence with no problem. I’m about to turn the corner to check the back door when something I spot out of the corner of my eye causes me to stop dead in my tracks.

“Stay where you are, Avery,” I order with my back toward her, stopping her from coming any farther into the yard.

“What?” she asks, clearly confused.

I dig in my pocket for my cell, and then search for the flashlight feature. The moment it snaps on, I gasp like all the wind has just been knocked out of me.

Blake’s lying on the ground, still wearing the clothes he had on two nights ago, and my body instantly goes into panic mode. “Oh, shit! Blake!”

I scream his name and run to him. I fall to my knees at his side and take in the scene before me. Blake’s face is covered in blood, and the flesh around his eyes is so swollen that it’s hard to even recognize him. He’s taken a much more severe beating than what he was given at the bar. Sure he was banged up, but it was nothing like this.

“Oh, my God! Blake! Is he all right? Oh, my God.” Avery’s panicked words smash into my ears as she races to my side. “Is he . . . Did you . . . Oh, God.”

I reach out and touch the side of his neck with two fingers, hoping to find a pulse. Relief floods me when his skin is warm to the touch and I detect a faint pulse.

“He’s alive, but he’s really hurt. He needs an ambulance,” I say.

Avery grabs her cell and dials 9-1-1, explains the situation, and runs out front to get Blake’s house number for the operator.

While she does that, I stare down at my friend and wish there was something I could do for him. I feel so helpless just sitting by him without being able to do anything.

I touch his arm and try to do the only thing I can by comforting him. “You’re going to be all right. Hang in there, buddy.”

Sirens wail all around as an ambulance and police cars arrive at the scene. The paramedics work quickly to move me out of the way and then get right to work on Blake.

They try to talk to him, but he never responds. One of the guys holds open his eyelids and shines a light in his eyes while another pulls out a needle and pokes it into Blake’s skin to start an IV.

Avery clings to my side and presses her face against my shoulder. It’s hard to watch them work on him and it hits me that this may be the last time I see my friend alive if they can’t help him get better. Watching Blake fight for his life opens the floodgates to a lot of still-healing memories.

“Avery?” The same cop from the bar the other night approaches us and removes his hat. “I know this is a difficult time for you, but I need to ask the two of you some questions so we can get a handle on what’s happened here.”

Avery nods. “Anything. I want to help find whoever did this.”

Officer Ryder pulls out a notepad and says, “How did you discover the victim?”

“When we came to check on him, the front door was locked, so we thought we’d try the back, and that’s when we found him.”

The cop nods. “What made you come check on him?”

This time I feel that I need to speak up.

I clear my throat. “I stayed here two nights ago, but I hadn’t seen him since the fight at the bar. When he didn’t return my calls, I started to worry.”

He makes a few notes on the paper. “Do you have any idea what happened to him and why he’s out in his backyard like this?”

I shake my head. “No, but I did notice he’s wearing the same clothes as the last time I saw him.”

“Oh, God,” Avery interjects. “Do you think the guys from the bar that night followed him home? That’s the only logical explanation, and they’re the only people that I can think of who would want to harm Blake.”

“It’s highly likely that’s exactly what has happened,” the officer says. “Which is why I’m going to put out an APB on the men who had the confrontation with him the other night. Those men are known problems in this town, which is why I wish Blake would’ve pressed charges when he could before. Having incidents on record is always helpful, especially when a situation like this arises. It gives us a clear picture most of the time on who we need to start with in our line of questioning. There’s no doubt that whoever did this to Blake didn’t intend for him to live to identify them, which is why it is of utmost importance to find these guys and get them off the streets. If they aren’t afraid to do this kind of crime and hurt someone like this, they won’t give it a second thought when they do it again.”

“I’ll do anything I can to help, officer,” I tell the man. “Just tell me what needs to be done.”

He frowns. “There’s not much that you can do but sit back and let us do our jobs. We’ll find them and bring them to justice. If you think of anything else, let us know.”

Officer Ryder squeezes the button on the side of the walkie-talkie that’s strapped to his shoulder and says, “We need an APB on Jerry Rose, Thomas Hersel, and Larry Deitz. All known to be associated with the organized gang the Outlaws.”

The radio buzzes to life. “Copy that.”

The paramedics work quickly to get Blake on a backboard and then put him on a stretcher. A white plastic neck brace is also strapped on him to stabilize his head and prevent it from moving around.

Avery turns into me, tears flowing from her eyes. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her in tight against me. I wish I could tell her that Blake’s fine, though the truth is, I’m worried about him myself. But at least now Avery and I have each other and we can get through this together.