Page 12 of Duress (Birch Falls #3)

EVERLY

“ I ’m not sorry you kissed me. I think you are incredible, Ever.

I’ve felt that way for a long time. Probably for way longer than I should have.

You are so much better than my brother. You deserve someone who loves you for the light you shine into the world.

Not someone who tries to make you dim it.

I just want to be here for you. Help you find a way to shine. ”

Dane’s words echo in my mind as I walk through the front door.

After my brunch date with Veronica—that I went to at Bryce’s insistence—running into him was the absolute last thing I expected.

I had been ignoring his texts; the guilt from kissing him and then blowing him off had been eating me alive, but I knew continuing down that path was only going to lead to both of us getting hurt.

I had hoped maybe he would take the hint and back off, letting my momentary lapse into insanity be forgotten.

I had almost convinced myself I could pretend it had never happened. Apparently, I’m not that lucky.

Seeing him in person, being reminded of the way it feels like he manages to stare straight into my soul, sent me right back to that desperate, lonely headspace I was in on Thursday night when I kissed him.

His presence has a calming effect on me.

He makes me feel…safe. Secure. Seen. My mind screamed at me to make an excuse to leave and not talk to him, but seeing the earnestness in his eyes, the worry. I couldn’t bring myself to say no.

Then when Dane delivered his speech about how incredible he thought I was and how he wanted to be there for me, my stupid heart wanted nothing more than to leap across the center console and crush my mouth to his for a repeat of our last kiss.

The kiss we shared on Thursday had been electric.

Mind-blowing. Consuming. God, if Bryce hadn’t called and interrupted it, I don’t know where we would have stopped.

My whole body lit up under Dane’s touch.

I felt like a live wire, sparking in a rainstorm.

Bryce used to kiss me like that. Years ago, when we were first married.

I don’t know when our kisses went from that to…

whatever they are now. Mundane? Perfunctory?

Obligatory? It’s not the difference between new, exciting lust versus old love.

I don’t even know if love exists between Bryce and me any longer.

We are tied together because of circumstance now.

Our marriage is a ship that we will both go down with together, whether we like it or not.

“Everly, is that you?” Bryce’s voice floats through the house, pulling me from my thoughts. Clearing my throat, I give my head a shake, treating it like an etch-a-sketch as I try to erase the memory of Dane’s lips on mine, on the off chance Bryce has suddenly become a mind reader .

“Yeah, it’s me.” I kick off these godawful heels and toss them into the entryway closet before heading in his direction.

He’s probably going to grill me about my brunch with Veronica.

Make sure I did my wifely duty and made a good impression on her, so she will give a positive report to her husband.

Honestly, I would’ve rather been having my teeth extracted than share a meal with the likes of Veronica Harrington, but it’s not like I get much say in the matter.

I do what I must to make Bryce look good. That is my lot in life.

I find Bryce sitting in one of the leather wingback chairs in his study, whiskey tumbler in hand, staring out at the view of the mountains.

I pause at the doorway to take in his appearance.

He’s still as handsome as ever, but he looks pensive and slightly disheveled.

His hair is ruffled, like he’s been running his hands through it, and his white button-down is undone halfway, with the sleeves rolled up.

He told me he had an early morning meeting before I left for brunch but didn’t mention who it was with.

It doesn’t seem like that meeting went very well.

“Hey, honey. How was your morning?” I lean down to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek in greeting. Instead of letting me move away, he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into his lap. I let out a startled oof when I land, feeling the hard rigidness of his length under my ass.

“To be honest, it wasn’t great. I had a meeting with someone that didn’t go the way I wanted, and my useless, lazy, piece of shit brother won’t return my calls. I could use some cheering up.”

My spine stiffens at the venom in his voice when he mentions his brother. He doesn’t know. He can’t know. He doesn’t know. I keep repeating the manta in my head as I contort my face into a concerned expression.

“I’m sorry, love. What happened?”

“Do you remember the case a few years back, a cop got busted for DV, stalking, kidnapping, inappropriate use of police resources?”

I wrack my brain trying to remember what he’s referring to. “I’m not sure if I do. What about it?”

“Well, apparently the cop in question was Dominick Reeves, Skip Harrington’s brother-in-law. Veronica is his older sister.”

A light bulb goes off in my head as I remember Veronica mentioning how much she missed her baby brother during our brunch.

She hadn’t told me why he wasn’t around, and I honestly didn’t care enough to ask, but now I kind of wish I had.

It seems like that knowledge would be pertinent to have right now.

“Okay…” I trail off, not sure where he’s going with this story, but my spidey senses tell me I’m not going to like it. There is another reason why that name sounds familiar, but my brain can’t place it.

“Skip wants me to head up Dominick’s upcoming appeal. Dane was involved in his original conviction, but according to Dominick, there were some very sketchy legal circumstances involved in getting his partner to flip on him. He wants me to convince Dane to testify on his behalf at the hearing.”

“Those sound like some pretty serious allegations. Do you think Dane would be willing to do that?” Nausea swirls in my gut at the thought of my husband working to get an awful man like Dominick out of prison just for politics.

“He may not be willing, but I’m going to find a way to get him to do it.

If I get Dom off, Skip is going to endorse me when I run for judgeship.

Between Skip being on the legislature and your dad’s clout from his time on the bench, I’ll be a shoe in.

I just need to get Dane to meet with me.

He’s been avoiding me. Do you know why that would be?

” I stiffen in Bryce’s hold, and his grip around my waist tightens.

“W-why would I? I don’t talk to your brother.” I hope he can’t tell how hard my heart is pounding, panic creeping in the back of my mind that somehow he does know about the kiss.

“He hung out here waiting for me the other night, didn’t he? Did he say anything negative about me?”

It takes me several seconds to process his words and realize they aren’t I know you kissed him you lying whore . I shake my head, trying to keep my expression as neutral as humanly possible.

“No. He didn’t talk about you… Maybe he’s mad because you stood him up?” I throw out the suggestion, hoping my voice sounds less guilty than I feel.

Bryce sets his rocks glass on the side table before sliding his fingers lift up the hem of my skirt. He leans forward, brushing his lips against my pulse point as his palm slowly glides up my thigh.

“Because…I know he wants you. He al ways has.”

Sucking in a sharp gasp, my eyes slam shut, bracing for his next words.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he tried to make me look bad in front of you. He’s always hated me. Hated that I have you and he doesn’t.”

My heart feels like it’s going to explode from my chest. I keep waiting for the accusation.

The venom. Instead, his lips trace along my jaw line before capturing mine in a rough, possessive kiss.

My skin heats under his touch. He’s not kissing me like he’s angry.

He’s kissing me like he wants to devour me.

I’m a confused mess of panic, guilt, and arousal.

When his hand reaches my sex, he slips a finger past the elastic of my thong and runs it along my slit.

The hand that was around my waist moves up to grip the back of my neck.

Bryce jerks my head back, ending our kiss, staring me in the eye.

“You’d tell me if he tried to make me look bad. Wouldn’t you?”

I nod, but Bryce tightens his hold on my neck, apparently not satisfied with my nonverbal response.

“Y-yes. I’d tell you.”

His lips quirk up into grin that is devoid of all emotion.

“That’s my girl.” In a motion too swift for my brain to recognize, he has me turned so I’m straddling his lap, and he’s directing my hands to his erection with the hand that was playing with my pussy.

His intentions are clear on what he wants me to do.

“Get my dick out and ride it, Everly.”

My brain screams at me, trying to tell me something is wrong. After ignoring me sexually for so long, he’s suddenly all over me. I want to ask him what’s changed. I want stop this, but I’m afraid it will make him more suspicious of Dane.

The buzzing of a phone on the side table shatters the intensity of the moment. I pull away from him and glance at his phone. Dane’s name flashes on the screen.

“Oh, uh, look there. You should get that.” I scoot off Bryce’s lap while he’s distracted. Some subconscious part of my brain realizes how damn uncanny their sense of timing seems to be. Bryce looks at me like he’s going to tell me to stay, but I back away, putting distance between us.

“I’m gonna go change; I want to get out of this dress. Come find me when you’re done.” I wink, hoping he buys my excuse so I can have some time to process what the hell is going on.

Running his hand through his hair, Bryce dismisses me with a nod before turning his attention back to his phone. Letting out a relieved sigh, I retreat to our bedroom to get this maelstrom of emotions under control.