Page 66 of Ly to Me (Devils of Alliston Springs #1)

Carver

The Friends

A s I carried Lyra back to our home, I tried not to think of all the ways I wanted to harm anyone who’d done her wrong.

Her mother, for starters, should have never left such a precious thing alone with a man who had no business raising a growing girl, or any child, for that matter.

Jamie, for threatening her and calling her such terrible things without knowing a damn thing about her, and even if he did—all-around and flat-out—

Fuck. No.

Then, there was Chet. My fingers dug into Ly’s softening arm and thigh as I carried her in through the open front door, the sounds of the music long gone and now replaced with cicadas and the occasional brays and snorts from the animals in the barn.

How so many people could come after my girl without me putting the pieces together made me want to add my own name to that list. I’d treated her so wrong, and while I’d begged and gotten on my knees for her, knowing I was a part of that—part of her pain—made the need for her redemption all the more necessary.

I needed to end it all for her. To make sure no demons from her past ever came back.

Her mother had more than likely tortured herself over leaving, hopefully festering in her life choices with no one to lean on.

Hell, that’s what I did without her. However, Jamie, and possibly Chet, were still in Alliston—still too close for her to ever be comfortable in her own home. Her own town.

That needed to change.

After settling my wife back in our bed, I took her phone and sat in the chair across from her, watching the sheet rising and falling with each peaceful breath that escaped her plush lips.

Going straight to her contacts, I searched for her friend's name, smiling when I saw an emoji next to it of two women standing side-by-side.

As much as I wanted to show her I could always be the one to lean on, I knew friends were what really got you through some of the harder shit.

Not seclusion. Not penting it all up so you could explode later on down the road.

Not only that, they were an excellent distraction.

And the conversation I’d had with Grant earlier, telling him to come over, was part of a plan to do just that.

A plan that involved sweet retribution. Something that wouldn’t be possible if Lyra was worried about where I was.

As I fired off the text of our address to Sophia, I was sure that, little by little, everything in my wife’s life would be righted again.

I put her phone back on the nightstand and sat beside her. She released a long breath, the tension in her body easing as if she could sense me there. I let my fingers trail down her curves that were starting to fill out ever so slightly. I’d never seen her so relaxed before.

I curled in next to her, wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close, then fell asleep just as peacefully as she had.

Dick had apparently woken up Lyra while I’d slept so incredibly hard that only missing her warmth had stirred me. I found her on the front porch, sitting on the steps, trying to reach out and touch the rooster while scorning him for being so loud.

I grinned as I sat beside her. “You know he can’t understand a word you’re saying, right?”

She scowled. “He does too. Don’t say that about him.”

“You just said he was as sharp as a bowlin’ ball.”

She took a long sip of coffee, still scowling at me over her mug. “He don’t need you repeatin’ it. Hurts his feelings.”

I arched a brow. “Did I fuck all the sense from you last night?”

She choked on her coffee, her eyes darting to Dick. “Don’t say that in front of him, either!”

“Pretty sure he saw me carry your naked body home last night, and if he didn’t, then he most definitely heard you screamin’—”

“Carver Roland,” she warned. “Dick is basically our child. Would you say that in front of your kid?”

I swallowed, my mind racing with the thought. Obviously, it was a no , I wouldn’t. But she’d just implied there might be kids in our future.

“You never did tell me what you’re taking to prevent that being our immediate future.”

She took another sip. Longer this time. As she set the mug between us, she admitted, “IUD. The ten year one.”

I flipped my fingers up, counting, then when I felt my forehead crease, she added, “It took me about a year to get the courage to go in and get one. We’re safe, Car. No kids.”

If she expected relief, I had none to give. “It wouldn’t be a trap with you, you know that, right?”

“You say that now.”

“I’m serious. When I said that in the truck, I didn’t want you thinking I meant that about everyone. I just meant that about everyone else—everyone who isn’t you.”

She rolled her lips in. “Good thing you stayed so safe for all those years, then.”

That had been rather easy. I hadn’t wanted anyone like I wanted her. I’m not even sure what I felt during those years of pointless sex could be called a ‘want’ to begin with.

“Yeah.” I rubbed the back of my neck.

“I didn’t think you were trying to trap me here with the contract. Not in that sense, with the loophole, I mean.”

“I get it. I was surprised by it, too. Guess I’d always wanted you to stay forever.”

“And make tiny Rolands?” She laughed.

I shrugged. “Kids wouldn’t be a bad thing for all this land, but I’m selfishly happy to have you all to myself for now. You can decide when that changes.”

Lyra moved the cup to her other side and scooted in closer to me. I settled my arm over her shoulders as she rested in the crook of my arm. “I’m happy to have you to myself, too.”

I kissed the top of her head. “Hope this is a welcome change of subject, but I invited your friend to come over. Stay a night or a few, whatever she wants.”

Lyra’s head tipped up, meeting my eyes. “I saw. She called—already on her way with a trunk full of liquor. Typical Sophia shit.” Her foot nudged mine. “Thank you.”

“Course, sweetheart.”

“I made breakfast this time. It’s nothin’ like what your mama could do, but I figured it was better than nothing.”

I angled her chin up with my fingers, the tips of them barely touching her skin as I leaned down and kissed the smile from her face, replacing it with a bigger one, complete with blushed cheeks and tousled, freshly-fucked hair.

“Are you sore?”

“A little. In a good way.”

My hand snaked down the channel of her throat, tightening just enough to feel her pulse pick up.

“Did you already eat?” She tried to nod.

“Good. When I let your pretty little neck go, I want you to run inside and start the shower.” I kissed her parted lips, then released her. She hesitated for one, two…three…four…

“Lyra, if you don’t run, I’ll fuck you right here, and I can’t guarantee someone won’t pull up and see us, let alone Dick.”

As if her pants had caught fire, she stood and bolted inside, leaving my cock to throb at the thought of fucking my wife in the shower.

“Holy shit!”

Sophia arrived about ten minutes ago, thankfully after our hour-long fuck fest where I claimed Lyra’s cunt, then her ass. Knowing she was dripping my cum while showing her friend around our home was turning my thoughts dirtier than they should be with company over.

“This house is beautiful,” her friend muttered.

“Nothing compared to Ly.”

Sophia turned and grinned at me. I wasn’t looking to get her friend’s approval, but as Lyra’s cheeks turned a cute shade of pink, I decided it was best for our future if I tried a little bit.

Probably wouldn’t need to try too hard, though. I knew how to charm.

Well, unless Grant fucked that all up.

His truck whipped into the driveway, bringing up dirt and dust like a whole storm was brewing through the window outside.

“Be right back.” Grabbing his things I’d boxed up, I toed my boots on and met him outside before he could come in.

“You guys square in there now or am I fixin’ to leave with my box and skip the whole pj time?”

“Ly’s friend is here. We’re good. So don’t start your usual woman-eating shit.”

Grant whistled low, kicking at the dirt as I put the box in his passenger seat. “ My usual shit? Pretty sure that was all you, my guy.”

“I should have called Hayes.”

“I’m your better friend.”

“Right.” I pulled out my phone and typed a message.

“You just asked him to come to this thing too?”

“The more, the merrier.” I peered around his truck, and as he followed my gaze, he said, “I didn’t get Tallulah to come. Said she had to practice for the race coming up.”

“That right?”

He just shrugged. He was either blind as all hell or choosing not to acknowledge what was right in front of him.

Hayes: I’ll be available later tonight. Not sure what time.

“What’s the party for? Birthday? Wedding finally needed a reception?”

I rubbed my palm over my jaw. “There’s someone we need to pay a visit to.”

His head bobbed back and forth, considering. “Who is it now?”

“I’ll explain when Hayes gets here.”

Grant’s whole face lit up like the Fourth of July. “Great. Brought a new toy I’d like to test out.”

Grant climbed the back tire of his truck with one solid step up, leaned over the truck bed, and pulled up a long black bag sealed with a zipper.

“Any of those girls shoot?”

It was likely the closest thing my wife had done with a gun was get fucked by one. I shrugged anyway. “Feel free to ask.”

I led Grant inside, and could tell the moment he was encroaching into the territory I told him to steer clear from when his whistle echoed in my house. Sophia was petite, with golden hair and slightly wider hips than Ly topped with full lips that Grant would take to instantly.

Lyra’s glance spoke volumes, though she fought a smile to the surface, standing partially in front of her friend.

Grant approached anyway, clearly not knowing how violent my little thing of a wife could be. He tipped the brim of his black Stetson and let his eyes roam the length of Sophia, making it blatantly clear that bringing him here while Sophia was here was a mistake.

My friend removed his hat and stuck his other hand out to her. “Grant.”

“Sophia.” Sophia draped her hand in his, drinking him in the same way as he bent down and kissed the top of her hand.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, then cleared his throat and straightened himself on the spot. “You girls shoot?”

I took a seat on top of the table, and as Sophia tracked the movement, I could see a deep groove form between her brows. We hadn’t gotten replacement chairs yet. Sue me.

That look cleared as Grant drew her attention once more. “I can show you, if you’d like.”

Sophia, who resembled the epitome of a posh country Barbie, complete with a thick diamond bracelet on her thin wrist, snorted. “I can shoot better than you, I’m sure.”

Ah. That’s where the similarities between my wife and her were, then.

Both violent little things.

I was suddenly very glad Tallulah wasn’t here to add to the mix. The three could probably burn the whole town down.

“Wanna learn, sweetheart?” I asked my wife, who had a look on her face that wasn’t to be toyed with.

That look was the same one she gave my truck before destroying it.

I coaxed her to me with a finger, and as she settled between my legs, Grant struck up conversation with Sophia.

I wasn’t sure what about, nor did I really care.

“Apologies, Mrs. Roland. Do you already know how to shoot?”

“Sophia taught me a few things,” she said pointedly.

Lyra tried to act like she was involved in Grant and Sophia’s conversation, glaring at them over her shoulder.

I cleared my throat, pulling her back to me.

“Your possessive nature is cute, but only when it’s directed at me.

” For good measure, I grabbed her wrist and placed it over my semi-hard cock. “Let your friend be.”

“How can you be turned on right now after how many times we—great. You just got harder.”

I chuckled. “If you didn’t hear, you’re about to be holding something deadly and made of metal. That’s like begging to be fucked.”

“Shots?” Sophia asked, walking by us and into the kitchen. Lyra dropped her hand from my crotch, which her friend hadn’t noticed because of the metaphorical hearts shooting from her eyes toward Grant as he leaned against the couch.

“Don’t give me that look,” Lyra muttered. “I won’t get wasted like the last time.”

“I’m not givin’ you a look.”

She leaned into my ear. “Liar.”

“What I can give you is—”

“Take this shot with me and quit fuckin’ your husband on the table.” Sophia’s hand came within two inches of my face. I ground my teeth together, almost regretting my decision to invite her friend here and keep Lyra busy so she wouldn’t miss me later.

Lyra knocked the shot back and set the empty glass on the table, the scent of tequila filtering through her lips as she leaned into me a little more. And now I was really regretting having to go anywhere that wasn't our bedroom, where I could put my wife's mouth to good use.

Grant reached for his gun case, yanked the bottle from the counter and took a few long sips, then tipped his head toward the porch, keeping his full attention on Sophia. “Come on, darlin’. I wanna see you shoot.”

A bead of sweat broke over Grant’s forehead as he checked Sophia’s third can on the fenceline—another dead-center hit.

Checking Lyra’s can, I shook my head at her from across the field.

“This girl might kill me,” Grant muttered as we walked back to the girls.

“Makes me feel better about leaving them here alone.”

“Shit, might have better luck with Sophia in tow than me.” Grant rubbed the back of his neck.

“The three of us can handle him just fine.”

My phone vibrated in my pocket with quite a few notifications, all messages from Leo. As I played one of the videos, Grant cocked his head, stopping in the middle of the field. “It’s Jamie, ain’t it? What’d he do now?”

I pocketed my phone, having seen what I needed to. “He’s deserved it for years.”

“Not as bad as he does now, though?”

My fingers tapped along the can. Lowering my voice, I said, “He decided to touch what wasn’t his.” My wife wouldn’t want the name calling or the threat to be disclosed to anyone else. Touching would be enough to get Grant on board. Shit, I was sure he’d be willing to do it with no motive.

“When can we head out?”

The girls' laughter covered my words as I said, “Tonight, when he thinks he’s safe in his bed.”