Page 28 of His Secret Betrayal (Cedarwood Valley Duology #2)

Luke

R ing.

Ring.

Ring.

Despite ignoring it, my phone continues to chirp incessantly as I near Alek’s house, Eve’s name flashing across the screen while I grit my teeth.

My knuckles turn white as they grip the steering wheel, the car coming to a jerky halt in the driveway.

Swiping my thumb across the red decline button brings me a moment of relief.

That is, until I walk into the empty house and it begins to ring again .

“What?” I bark into the phone.

Eveyln slurs into the speaker, her voice nothing more than an angry hiss. “Where the fuck have you been?”

“I’m staying at a friend’s house,” I murmur, unable to mask my sudden exhaustion.

She scoffs. “Are you staying with that man? The one that came by and took a bunch of your shit?”

“Thanks for that, by the way.”

It may have all worked out in the end—and let’s be real, Alek taking control of the situation and going all protective on me was hot—but I still don’t appreciate Evelyn letting a complete stranger inside the apartment to take my shit. From what Alek told me, she didn’t put up much of a fuss.

She ignores my sarcasm, belching into the phone before continuing on. “You’re letting him fuck you, aren’t you?”

My traitorous stomach chooses that moment to say adios and vacate the premises, the freefall sensation making me nauseous. Tension seeps into every facet of my body as I brace myself, knowing the hatred Evelyn is likely to spew. “Since when do you care who I sleep with?”

Her responding laughter is cold and bitter, and it makes me wonder if I’ve ever heard a genuine laugh from her.

The kind that’s soft and happy, instead of judgmental and harsh.

“You are sleeping with him, aren’t you? After all the shit you gave me about Kevin.

I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, does it? ”

“It’s not like that.”

“Everybody has a price, Luke. Whatever you’re getting out of it, I hope it’s good. ”

My eyes squeeze shut, my fingers pinching the bridge of my nose as everything spins around me. It’s on the tip of my tongue to defend myself—to defend Alek—but I know it won’t do any good. Not when she’s like this.

“When are you coming home?”

I drag in a deep breath. “I’m—I just…need some space.”

“From what?”

Despite being a grown ass adult, I shrivel in place where I still stand in the entryway and gulp.

A flush steals over my face, a sudden wave of shame and guilt making me doubt myself.

This is what I imagine it feels like to get called to the principal’s office as a kid, waiting for someone to dole out your punishment.

For a moment, I wonder if I should just get over myself and go home.

I’ve been staying at Alek’s house for almost a week now.

Being in his home has somehow soothed my over fraught nerves.

Maybe it’s the quiet that often permeates the space, or the way his warm body wraps around mine at night.

Or maybe it’s the fact that I haven’t once been yelled at, or belittled.

Maybe it’s because there are no expectations for me to be anything other than my unapologetic self.

But maybe I’m being selfish by staying away.

Despite everything I’ve learned today, some part of me still believes I can help her.

“You’re going to abandon me just like everyone else has, aren’t you?” Evelyn sniffles, but it sounds fake.

“No! I—”

“I’m your mother. You ungrateful, little shit. How did I get stuck with such a worthless—”

The rest of her angry jabs become nothing more than faint background noise when the phone is suddenly yanked from my grip.

I whirl around, my heart leaping into my throat as I come face-to-face with Alek.

His expression is downright thunderous, making my mouth go dry as his eyes glint with something dark.

“You’re a very lucky woman, Evleyn. Do you want to know why?

” he says into the phone. The steel in his voice sends a shiver down my spine, any thought of grabbing it back immediately vanishing.

“You’re lucky because Luke still gives a shit about you, and since I give a shit about Luke, that means I can’t come destroy everything you own and run you out of town.

Because, lucky for you , Luke wouldn’t like that. ”

I gasp, Alek’s gaze snapping to mine as the breathy noise fills the space between us.

“You aren’t even worth the dirt on his shoe, and I can’t wait for the day he realizes that.

Trust me, Mrs. Parker, that day is coming.

Every day he spends with me, I’m going to show him how worthy he is.

How absolutely fucking perfect he is. I’m going to drill it into his head, and it’s going to drown out every shitty thing you’ve ever said to him.

I’m going to build back up the very thing you tried to break, until he sees for himself how strong and resilient he is.

Consider this your warning, because he’s going to see that you are nothing more than a cancerous tumor.

And when he does, I’ll hand him the scalpel so he can cut you out. ”

Holy shit, why does that make me want to latch onto him like a koala bear?

I gape at him, my jaw practically on the floor as he ends the call.

His own jaw is clenched so tightly, I’m surprised I can’t hear the sound of his teeth grinding together.

He glares down at the phone for a long moment before turning it off, making the screen go black.

With his entire body still vibrating with tension, he stuffs the device into the pocket of my jeans before wrapping his big hand around the back of my neck .

When he pulls me in for a demanding kiss, I go willingly. His mouth dominates mine, sucking on my bottom lip before releasing it. His thumb brushes over my pulse point, and something about the display of possessiveness makes me melt against him.

Fuck. Is this what it’s like to be his?

“She’s not allowed to talk to you like that anymore,” he murmurs resolutely, as though he could really stop her.

He deepens the kiss until he’s forced to finally let me come up for air.

I’m panting, clinging to his broad biceps as he nips along my jaw.

His big hand glides down my chest, tweaking a nipple before making its way to my groin.

He cups my cock through my jeans, his fingers brushing up against my balls as he gently squeezes.

Somehow, I instinctively understand it’s not a sexual gesture, but rather a claiming.

A thrill runs down my spine, every inch of my skin tingling with the unspoken message.

You are mine in every way possible.

I take care of what’s mine.

Nobody is allowed to mistreat you.

“Do you understand?” he growls.

I nod. “Y-yes.”

His lips brush against mine, his words nothing but a quiet whisper against my mouth. “I meant what I said. You are strong, resilient, and fucking perfect.”

How can he think that? I’m the opposite of all those things. I’m a hot mess, even on my best days. “I’m really not.”

His fingers pinch my chin, forcing me to meet his resolute gaze. “You’ve been dealing with this all by yourself, carrying this burden on your shoulders without complaint. That’s something that takes strength and resilience, sweetheart.”

I squirm, my face becoming hot .

He smiles softly, placing a gentle kiss to my lips before releasing me. “You don’t believe me yet, and that’s okay. But one day you will. And when you do, you’ll realize you’re better off without people like her or me.”

The latter part of that sentence has me pausing, making my eyebrows crinkle. “What do you mean?”

“Only that you’ll realize you can do better than me.”

He says it so seriously, so matter-of-fact that…oh God, he means it. I shake my head. “I don’t think—”

The doorbell rings, the sudden sound making me jump.

Alek spins on his heel, muttering something about ordering a pizza before answering the door.

Moments later, he returns with a slim cardboard box, the smell of gooey cheese and pepperoni making my stomach growl.

He shoos me over to the couch, insisting I relax while he plates the pizza.

When I try to bring the conversation up again, he quickly shuts it down.

Eventually, I let him change the subject when he asks about my day.

He listens attentively, his focus never wavering as I tell him all about my fishing trip with Jax and what I learned about Evelyn.

Before long, Alek is draping a blanket over our laps and exhaustion is pulling at my eyelids.

The last thing I remember before sleep claims me is the warmth of his body pressed alongside mine, and his arm draped over my shoulder as the TV drones on in the background. Alek’s gaze is on the screen, his soft, raspy chuckle filling me with a fuzzy contentment.

And I realize he’s been so focused on taking care of me that I haven’t gotten to return the favor yet. I’ve barely touched him. Hell, I haven’t even seen him without clothes yet. Somehow, we are always in too much of a hurry, his touch overwhelming me until I’m an incoherent, compliant mess .

He thinks I can do better than him? What an utter load of bullshit.

No one else has ever made me feel as safe, as protected, as cherished as him.

No one has ever turned me into a needy, whiny mess with a simple touch.

No matter how much I get from him, it’s not enough. I always need more, more, more.

Tomorrow, when I’m not so exhausted, I’m going to show him just how much I appreciate him. I’m going to strip his layers off one-by-one, and take my time until it’s clear I don’t plan on going anywhere.

If I’m his , then he’s mine —and it’s time he realizes that.