Dante
It’d been a week.
One week of having her all to myself.
“Lilah,” I whispered.
She murmured in her sleep and rolled over enough that the sheets lowered to expose her breasts to me. I’d marked them for probably the fifth time this week and didn’t hesitate to run a finger over a bite mark.
I was going to hell. Not just the normal hell but the inferno. All the rings. Every fucking circle. My name was completely and utterly on point in this instance.
Dex, Dominic, Dimitri, and Declan were going to kill me. They’d fought off probably half the male population to protect their sisters over the years. I’d fought off the other half and Garrett and David would be getting their ass beat by me, too.
Lilah was the town’s angel. I’d told them time and time again. Those guys knew that.
Everyone did.
She was sweet and pretty in every way known to man. Her curls had been like Shirley Temple’s until she was about twelve, and even then, her cheeks still got as rosy as the actress’s when she was embarrassed. Her innocence shouldn’t have been tainted by anything, ever. It was the one thing I’d looked forward to when I came home from leave, the way she’d blush when I gave her a trinket or the way I’d get a shy smile when I said hello to her sitting quietly at a family birthday. Her only flaws were that her heart was too big, her fear too great, and her need to do right too strong for us to be anything but friendly over the years.
Until we were more than friendly this week.
Damn, I didn’t belong anywhere near her, but I’d been toeing that line for too long.
Our night together was probably bound to happen one way or the other.
I’d stared at Delilah for a whole fucking year in a way I shouldn’t have. I swear, she turned seventeen and I saw her in a whole new light.
She’d always been an untouchable, beautiful girl, but I’d never considered anything more until she’d jumped in my car one day when I’d offered to drive her to school while on leave.
She’d turned seventeen that summer.
I’d been over in Afghanistan, graduated to Delta Force after being a Special Ops Ranger for three years. They’d psych-tested me, looked into my family history, and ran me through a physical that most rangers probably couldn’t pass.
I’d aced everything.
Or their dicks were so hard after seeing my biological father’s name on the file that they pushed me through. His mob connection and reputation as a sort of James Bond for the government twenty years ago made for a great story.
People didn’t understand that the mob had been working with the government in some capacity for a long time.
No one had found him since I was a baby. All we had to show for him was a very nice farm and a small fortune in my mother’s bank account. That and he left me DNA that gave me a knack for killing and having a precise shot. I didn’t fold under pressure, I relished it. I didn’t shrink from torture or pain, I inflicted it. But before all that, I’d lived a normal life. I grew up down the street from this big family, and I became best friends with Delilah’s older brothers and her twin sister.
Then, I couldn’t avoid the temptation of her, the lure of her soft smile, how she always smelled so sweet.
She’d enjoyed that way more than I anticipated. We’d been on orgasm three or four for her and still she’d come alive when I nipped that soft flesh.
Wasn’t so innocent now. If the town knew, if her mother or her brothers or, God forbid, her fucking dad found out, they’d kill me.
I shouldn’t have been proud of it. Yet, I relished this too.
Delilah Hardy had owned my heart, and now I owned taking her virginity.
She rustled in the bed where I watched her. I leaned in and gave her a soft kiss. “I think I love you, Lamb. I think you’re the one thing I love too much to let go.”
I wanted to think I had her heart too as I packed up to catch my flight.
We promised we’d write. I promised to find a way to tell her brothers and family. Just not now. It wasn’t right to do it now when they’d flown home to see me, when I was flying out after just a week.
We promised we’d figure it out though.
We wanted to be together.
…. Until I found out she didn’t.
Two Weeks Later
From: Dante Reid <Dante.
To: Delilah Hardy <Lilahsreading@
Lilah,
Sorry that I couldn’t stay longer. I told you I would call, but I won’t be able to for a while again. Missions got moved and I got moved up. I’m happy but pissed. I’m deployed again for a good while. You’ll be at UCLA by the time I’m home.
I can still come visit, right? We won’t have to sneak around there. I’d like to take you on a date or fuck you loud enough for the campus to hear.
You’re going to tell the guys at that university that you have a boyfriend, right? Shit, I should have asked you while I was home. I didn’t expect your brothers to fly in to see me. Everything happened so fast.
I have to tell them soon. Make it official.
Then, I’m thinking I need to send you a few shirts with my face on them, along with some pictures of me so that it’s clear you’re taken at that college of yours. I don’t need some ripped surfer guy trying to steal my girl.
And you are mine.
That pretty pink pussy of yours belongs to me.
Forever and ever.
Count to seven over and over again if you’re having a hard time catching your breath, Lilah.
Although, you breathing fast like I know you are now is one of the biggest turn-ons there is.
Write me back soon. I’m sick of missing you.
Dante.
From: Delilah Hardy <Lilahsreading@
To: Dante Reid <Dante.
Dear Dirty Dante,
Jesus. It’s what I have to call you now after that. Yeah, I’m moving to school in a couple weeks. I know you won’t be able to email much, but I’ll just reread your dirty emails.
They make me smile.
And breathe fast.
My brothers will freak out if you say a word and then they will hound me until you get back. Let’s just tell them all when you’re here. That way, they might be on their best behavior if we tell them in front of our parents or something. I don’t know.
Or we don’t have to tell anyone because this doesn’t have to be what you want. It’s okay that we had a fun couple weeks sneaking around, you know? I kind of tricked you into everything, and I don’t want you to feel like … I don’t know. I’m just letting you know there’s no obligations here. I appreciate you being amazing and don’t want you to feel the need to keep this going just to save family dynamics or anything.
I’m not saying you’re not being genuine, but you’ve never had a serious girlfriend, have you? Maybe you just never told me. Actually, don’t tell me now. I’ll get jealous. So many times while growing up I looked at you like you were freaking Superman, and every time I saw you with a Superwoman, I cried in my bed. I could get the best grades and do well in all my sports, but there was no way I was competing with some of the women you hooked up with.
I almost didn’t come take care of the lambs and horses one summer because I knew you were going to have Willow over and she was freaking gorgeous. I’m pretty sure you taught her to ride one of your mom’s horses that summer. I would cry in the stables about it.
How embarrassing. For her. Since I have you now.
Even so, I like to think I had a piece of you back then too. You still came to sit with me when a lamb needed a feeding and I loved that. Thanks for being there for me always. Thanks for being there for me now, even when you’re not.
Let’s see how it goes, but you can always come visit.
You know my number.
I breathed and counted to seven. Still miss you,
Lilah
Two Months Later
From: Dante Reid <Dante.
To: Delilah Hardy <Lilahsreading@
I only got a second, Lilah.
Damn it’s been a long time. I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to write. I hope moving to UCLA went well.
You always had a piece of me, Lilah. You were my lamb, always will be. I’m sorry I can’t write more, but you got all of me now.
Don’t forget it.
Seven to heaven, baby.
Dante
From: Delilah Hardy <Lilahsreading@
To: Dante Reid <Dante.
Moving in was great. UCLA is beautiful. I know you’re probably so busy. Don’t worry about it. I’ve been busy too, and it’s hard to get a moment to email. Let’s just catch up when you get back. Hope you’re well,
Lilah
From: Dante Reid <Dante.
To: Delilah Hardy <Lilahsreading@
Lilah,
That email was short. And so sweet that it wasn’t sweet at all. You’re mad or hurt, and it’s probably because this damn place and the fact that I can’t write to you. I gotta figure out something when I get back. It’s been a shit deployment.
I’ll make it up to you when I’m home.
However Many Months Later
Voicemail from Dante: I’m home. You didn’t answer my call or my last emails. Guess that means we’re done before we even got started. I have half a mind to go to UCLA and drag you out of that dorm room to ask you what’s wrong. Your mom said you’re fine though. So I hope UCLA is good to you. Seven to heaven, baby.
