Page 26 of Accepted Precedent (Love & Politics #3)

“Then let me help.” I unzip my dress, letting it drop and pool at my feet before stepping out of it. My shapewear isn’t the sexiest, but his eyes don’t leave mine as I peel them off and toss them aside. “How many are dead this time?”

He pulls me into the shower by the small of my back until our chests are flush. “Only one… the wrong one.”

I think back to the news alert. It claimed Alex was in an accident… Was it supposed to be Chris? “You wanted Christopher dead, didn’t you?”

“You already know too much.” Mickey kisses me, but he doesn’t own me like he typically does. It’s full of regret and pain. It doesn’t make sense.

I need answers and mutter against his lips, “Whose blood is on your floor, Mick?”

“Not Christopher’s.” He rests his forehead on mine as we break apart. “Stay with me tonight?”

I nod and reach for a washcloth on the ledge. Adding a healthy amount of body wash to it, I lather it between my fingers and glide the soapy cloth up his muscular arms and down his chest. He’s already clean, but I still want to take care of him.

Dropping to my knees, I wash his legs and feet. I’m tempted to stay here. My pussy aches at the sight of his half-hard cock, but I stand and continue washing him until the suds slipping down the drain are white and not tinged pink from blood.

After making quick work of cleaning myself up, we step out of the shower and he grabs two towels. I snatch them from him and insist, “Let me.”

I drape the warm towel over his head and massage his scalp to dry his hair, then drag it down his body until every droplet of water on his skin is gone.

Mickey loves control. I may regret it later, but I can’t help suggesting, “Take what you need from me.”

In an instant, I’m pressed against the wall beside the shower, hands pinned above my head.

“What I need is for you to let me feast on you until you’re begging me to stop,” he growls beside my ear, making my heart thunder in my chest. “But until I hear you scream your least favorite vegetable, I’m not going to let up. ”

Excitement tears through me at the prospect, even if this isn’t a healthy way for him to channel his frustration. But if this is what Andrew experiences when Mickey murders someone, I should stick around more often.

“You’re all wet. Should I dry you off with my tongue or a towel?”

As much as I want to tell him the latter, this isn’t about me. “Whatever you want, Mick.” He pulls back, pinning me with a glare. Andrew would be on his knees by now, so I correct, “Whatever you want, Daddy.” His scowl intensifies. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, angel. As much as I love you calling me that, I don’t want you putting on a show.

I hate brats, but you’re my fucking brat.

Half of the fun is breaking you.” Mickey releases my hands and I nearly lose my balance.

He catches me and we remain there in silence for a moment, breaths in sync, then he wraps me in one of his extra-large bath sheets.

“I know you won’t listen, but I want you on the bed, legs spread for me.

I didn’t have dinner tonight, and I’m fuckin’ starvin’. ”

My chest heaves. “D-do you want me in a certain position?”

“Surprise me.” He ruffles his hair with his towel, then drops it to the ground, never taking his eyes off me. “I need to forget what happened today—at least for a little while. You want to help? Let me get lost in you, but you aren’t Andrew. I still need your fire, Evie.”

Mick nods to the ensuite door, and as I make my way to the bedroom, I allow the towel to slink off my body with each step.

I’m not sure how much of a head start he’s going to give me, but since he said he wants me on the bed, I saunter over to the chair in the corner.

I take a seat and cross one leg over the other, placing my elbows on the armrest. It’ll earn me a spanking or two—satisfying his need for control and my mildly masochistic kink of being marked by him.

He walks in and pauses, glancing around the room until he spots me. A devilish smirk tilts his lips as he continues over to the bed. He bends almost out of sight as he retrieves a bar with cuffs attached to each end. “You haven’t been a good girl for me, angel.”

“You want me to be a good girl?” I tease. “I can behave.”

He stalks toward me until I’m forced to crane my neck at him towering over me. “It doesn't suit you. But you know there are consequences for not listening.”

I spread my legs wide. “See? I can listen.”

As he kneels before me, he presses a soft kiss to the inside of my thigh, and heat blazes through my body. Buckling one of the cuffs to my ankle, then the other, he praises, “So fuckin’ beautiful.” He leans in and licks up my center—just once—making me shiver. “And always ready for me.”

I comb my hands through his damp hair and whimper, “Only for you.” A low growl rumbles in his chest as he grips my ass, pulling me to the edge of the seat.

For a man who craves control, he always seems to lose it when we’re naked.

“I meant what I said: take what you need from me, Mick.” He pulls back, but his gaze falls to my left hand.

I quickly twist the diamond to the inside of my finger, not wanting the reminder, but he turns it back.

His eyes never return to me as he begins unfastening the spreader bar.

My breath catches, and I rush out, “I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?”

He doesn’t reply until my ankles are free. “No, love.” It’s cold, dark.

“Then why stop?”

His voice is strained as he admits, “Evelyn. I…” Keeping his glare fixed on my ring, he sits back on his heels and exhales a long breath. As his darkened eyes finally meet mine, I swallow thickly. “I can’t do this anymore.”

Those five little words shatter my heart into a million pieces.

He can’t mean them the way they came out.

I’ve loved him for years, hating that we’ll never be together—or at least not publicly.

It doesn’t make me any less his. Our relationship has always been a little unconventional, but I know in my soul that he loves me.

This can’t be the end. I refuse to believe it.

A lump forms in my throat as tears prick behind my eyes. “Don’t do this.”

He wraps his strong arms around me as I choke on a sob. “I want— need —more than stolen moments and hiding in the shadows.” I try to pull back, but he doesn’t let me go, kissing every inch of my skin within reach. “You’re the love of my life, Evie.”

“Then don’t end it,” I cry, holding him tighter. “Wh-what about Andrew?”

“I will always love him, but he knows what I feel for you runs deeper. I can’t stand by year after year as you become more comfortable being a political pawn in my game.

This was all supposed to be temporary, but now I have a mess to clean up with the Taylors and Blakes, and Andrew’s in love with—” He clears his throat. “I have to fix this.”

“Andrew’s in love with Kristin,” I sigh. “That’s what you were going to say, weren’t you? He’s in love with my sister.”

Mickey pulls back and his eyes search mine. “You knew?”

“I had my suspicions this past year.” A smirk briefly tilts my lips.

“But thank you for confirming it. He never loved me, we’ve always only been friends.

Friends with benefits, but never more than that.

I see the way she looks at him. It doesn’t make me jealous.

My only worry is that she puts her career first. She’s told me on many occasions that she doesn’t want to get married or have kids. ”

“I know. It’s almost like they’re perfect for each other.” Brushing my hair away, he kisses the spot on my neck where he marked me this morning. “Like you’re perfect for me.”

“Then why do you want to end this?”

“Because it hurts too much. The only way I’d be able to keep you is if we faked your death and you never left this house. That’s no life for either of us.”

“Something is better than nothing,” I snap, scooting back to distance myself from him.

“I spent nearly a decade in a loveless marriage and threw away my career so that my best friend could live his dream. Fuck. How could I be so stupid?” Wriggling out of his hold, I slip off the seat faster than he can catch me.

Rushing toward the bathroom, I only make it four or five steps before he snakes an arm around my waist, pulling me to him. “Let me go, asshole.”

“No.” The single, gruff purr beside my ear stupidly makes my nipples peak. “Not until you hear me out.”

“What else is there to say? We want different things. I wasted most of my adult life waiting for… I don’t know what I was waiting for, but it wasn’t this.”

“What will you have me do, Evie? I’ll burn it all down if you want me to.

I never said we were over. If that’s how you took it, I’m sorry.

I’m done sneaking you into my house or hiding away in yours.

None of us are happy. I’ll love you until the last breath, and even then, I’ll love you in the next lifetime. ”

I turn in his arms. “Then do it—burn it down. The system is broken and I… I love you, Mick, and I also can’t live like this anymore.”

“I know. I don’t know how to fix it, but I promise I will.

” He holds me closer and kisses my forehead, speaking against my skin, “My father warned that love would get in the way of the work Finn and I need to do here in Washington. He was right. Loving you could destroy everything my family’s built, but I would risk it all for you.

So don’t ever doubt how I feel about you again. ”

“I need action, not words. But more than that, I need to be more than a housewife who warms your bed,” I blurt, my hand flying to my mouth as the words tumble from me. “I didn’t mean that.”

“Yes you did… and you’re right. I have an idea, but it’ll have to wait until the morning.

Stay with me tonight?” I blow out a shaky breath and nod once, keeping my gaze fixed on his chest. “No, angel. I’m not holding you captive like one of those books you read.

If you want me to have my driver take you home, I’ll do it.

But if you stay, I need to know it’s because you know with every fiber of your being that you belong here with me. ”

“How does this end?”

Mick tilts my chin until I’m forced to look at him.

“I can no longer answer that. I hold a lot of secrets—some aren’t mine to share.

With what happened tonight, the entire political landscape I cultivated is on the brink of collapse.

If you really want this—want me—I won’t leave you in the dark. You’ll need to help me claw out of it.”

I slide my hand into his and lead him to the bed.

I pause before throwing back the covers.

Mickey and his brother are the most influential men in Washington.

Maybe it’s time they had a woman’s opinion?

I’m tired of sitting on the sidelines, watching Andrew, Tim, and now Chris—or I guess Alex—live their political dreams.

I’m fucking done.

Mickey’s soft voice pulls me from my thoughts. “There’s a protest tomorrow.”

“I know; in front of the non-profit headquarters who support women’s reproductive health,” I add without second thought.

“Aye. We’re going to stop it.”

“We can’t,” I sigh, guilt ripping through my soul.

“Not as Evelyn Adams or Mickey Gallagher.” My gaze snaps to him.

“As two people who believe in doing what’s right.

We’ll prepare like the rest of the counter-protestors with masks, eye protection, signs we made ourselves, and I’ll have my security team and the D.C.

police chief on speed dial in case things escalate.

I’ll never let anything happen to you, but no one will know it’s us. ”

“You can’t. What about the little switch the Blake brothers did? You’re too busy for a counter-protest.”

“If you figured it out, it’s only a matter of time before others do as well.

But it doesn’t matter; Finn can handle the fuckin’ twins.

I love you, and you need to get your fire back.

We’re going. I was wrong to let you remain married to Andrew, when you should’ve been married to me.

I let you shrink to this… Fuck, Evie, I’m so sorry. ”

It was only supposed to be two years. We all screwed up, and he’s right—everything is a mess—but I’m done living small.

I lift onto my toes and kiss the only man I need more than the air I breathe.

I’m done pretending, done being fucking arm candy, done giving the men in my life everything they want while I’m ready for more.

We have one life and I’m not going to waste another minute of it.

I can’t get close enough, clawing at him as he grips my thighs and wraps my legs around his waist. He sits on the bed, and his hard cock nearly slips inside me and he chuckles, “Slow down, angel,” but doesn’t break away. “I love you, Evelyn. Let me make this right.”

“I love you too, but we’re doing this together.”