Page 23 of Duress (Birch Falls #3)

DANE

B reakfast is cold by the time we get around to eating it. Apparently, the way to Everly’s heart is through her stomach. It also might be through her clitoris. It’s hard to say what she appreciates more, the food or the orgasms.

She’s in the shower right now. She insisted on showering alone this time, much to my dismay, but I take the time to check in with my conscience to see if I feel any guilt for sleeping with my brother’s wife…

Nope. Not even a little bit. Not after his attempt to blackmail me into helping him get Dom out of prison.

Which is still a problem I need to deal with.

I have zero intention of helping him, but I need to come up with a plan for covering Mom’s living expenses if he does stop paying her rent.

I’ll continue to let him think I’m going to help him for now.

The only guilt I have is putting Everly in such a precarious position.

I know Bryce. He doesn’t like to lose. In the courtroom or outside of it.

He hates losing to me even more. He’s held a grudge against me my whole life, blaming me for his own shitty father’s behavior, and he will not take letting Everly go lying down.

He has the money and the connections to make things extremely difficult for Everly if she tries to leave.

When she tries to leave. I will not sit back and continue to watch her languish away under his shadow.

The sound of the shower cuts off, pulling me from my thoughts.

A few minutes later, Everly emerges from the bathroom dressed only in one of my T-shirts, her hair wrapped up in a towel, and smelling like my body wash.

My dick stiffens in my sweats as I take in the mouthwatering sight in front of me.

Everly in my clothes, smelling like me, is every fantasy I have ever had about her come to life.

She gives me a wary smile when her eyes land on me.

“I hope you don’t mind; I borrowed a shirt. I didn’t want to put my dress back on yet.” Everly approaches me slowly, nibbling on her lower lip in the sweetest, sexiest show of uncertainty.

Reaching up, I grab her hand and pull her onto my lap to cradle her against my chest. “Baby, you can borrow all of my shirts. I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight.

” Everly’s nervous lip biting blossoms into a sweet, blushing smile, causing her eyes to crinkle in the most adorable way.

I brush my thumb against the laugh lines, memorizing the feeling of happiness on her face.

Happiness that I put there. How my jackass of a brother doesn’t appreciate what he has with her just makes me hate him more .

I must caress Everly’s face for an awkwardly long time, because she clears her throat, and I realize I’ve been staring at her, lost in thought. Thoughts about how I’ll do whatever it takes to keep putting that smile on her face.

“So…what are you going to do now?” I ask, pulling my hand away and grabbing the back of my neck, trying not to look like a lovesick idiot.

The smile I was admiring falls away, and worry creeps back in Everly’s eyes.

“I…I don’t know. I’ll have to go home at some point, but I can’t be around him anymore.

He’s…he’s not the man I married anymore.

I don’t want to stay with him, but I don’t know how to leave.

He’s not going to make this easy, Dane. Bryce doesn’t like to lose. ”

“Tell me about it. He’s been on my ass for weeks now to help him with a case that he has no business reopening, and I know he won’t quit until he gets what he wants.

” I huff as I lean back into the overstuffed couch cushions.

“I’ll help you in every way I can, Ever. You don’t have to do this alone.”

Everly doesn’t respond for a long moment.

Instead she stares off, lost in thought.

I don’t tell her Bryce has texted me multiple times asking me to use my resources to find her.

I’ve ignored his texts so far. I want to come up with a game plan before responding.

I want to know where Everly’s head is at.

If she asks to move in here just so she doesn’t have to go home, I’ll let her.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to offer her that option when she finally speaks again.

“The Dominick Reeve’s case?” she asks, surprising me.

“How do you know about that?” I didn’t realize Bryce talked to Everly about his cases .

“He mentioned it to me, said he was trying to get you to help him with something, but you were avoiding him. Asked me if I knew why you weren’t returning his calls…” She pauses, getting lost in thought again. “You don’t want to help him because Dominick is guilty, right?”

I nod, my jaw clenched tight. “Dominick beat Serena. I will never do anything that would help him. Getting him locked up is the proudest moment of my career.”

Everly nods, and I can see the wheels turning in her mind.

“That conversation he and Shane were having… Trying to cut a deal outside of the courtroom… That’s not legal right?

Especially how he was…” She trails off, her face scrunching up in disgust. “Flaunting me in front of Shane. Like he could use me as a bargaining chip to get the deal he wants for his client?”

“Not even a little bit. He also asked me to give false testimony on Dominick’s behalf.

He could lose his license and potentially be tried for conspiracy to commit perjury or witness tampering.

The tricky part is proving it. Men like Bryce are good at covering their tracks and getting what they want. ”

“What if we could prove it?” Everly turns and looks at me with an inscrutable expression. I don’t know if I like where this conversation is going.

“What do you mean? Prove what?”

“What if there is evidence for Bryce’s backroom deals? What if I record him or something? Find something in his office? Proof of his evidence or witness tampering? We could put a stop to him, and if he’s behind bars, it’ll be a lot harder for him to fight the divorce.”

My first instinct is to say fuck no to her suggestion. I absolutely do not want her back in that house with Bryce, and I don’t trust his temper if he does catch her snooping around. I have no doubt he would make her life hell if he thought for half a second she was working against him.

I open my mouth to protest, but she shushes me with a finger to the lips.

“I want a divorce. Bryce won’t grant me one.

I know he won’t. We have too much history.

But maybe if I can help you prove he’s dirty and get him disbarred and maybe even locked away, he won’t be able to hold me hostage in this sham of a marriage.

I’m so tired, Dane. So tired of pretending to be happy with whoever this power-hungry asshole is.

I haven’t been happy in a long time, and I don’t want to be the woman who stands behind a monster while he hurts people to get what he wants.

I can’t do it. Not anymore. I want to do the right thing.

I need to do this.” Everly stands and walks toward the staircase that leads to my bedroom loft.

“Where are you going?” I stand to follow her.

“I’m getting my clothes, then calling an Uber.

I’m going to do this. It’ll be easier if you help me, but I’m going to do it regardless.

I have to do this, Dane.” She’s frantic now.

Like this is the most important thing in the world.

I don’t know what’s come over her. I catch up to her and grab her by the shoulders, stopping her.

“Hey. Ever. Stop. Think this through.”

She shakes out of my grip, fury transforming her face into a determined mask. “I have thought about it. I’m tired of not doing the right thing. Are you going to help me do this or not?”

The fire in her eyes as she speaks about taking down my brother is officially the second hottest thing I’ve ever seen, and I know there is no way I can ever deny this woman anything.

“Alright, Ever. Let’s do the right thing.”