Page 11

Sutton

I t’s nearly midnight when my phone rings, startling me awake. I reach for it blindly, a thrill shooting through me.

“Hey, handsome,” I murmur, my voice gritty from sleep. But I can’t fight the smile dancing on my lips as I snuggle back down against my pillow. “I didn’t think I’d hear from you tonight.”

I was worried I might not hear from him at all, truthfully.

I watched every second of the game. My jerk of a brother’s teammates were all over him for half the game…

and Jordan isn’t the kind of guy who lets things go on the ice.

He fights. A lot, actually. But tonight, he held back.

I think he spent less time in the penalty box this game than he ever has.

“Are you fucking him?”

My eyes pop open wide, my heart slamming against my ribcage. That isn’t Jordan’s voice.

“J-Jamison?” I gasp.

“Clearly not who you were expecting,” he snaps, his voice full of bitterness. “You’re fucking Jordan, aren’t you?”

“That’s not your business,” I say, proud when my voice doesn’t shake.

“Jesus Christ, Sutton!” he practically yells at me. “You’re supposed to be smarter than this.”

“Don’t,” I snap, struggling to sit upright. “You don’t get to insult me or tell me what to do when you’ve been lying to me for five years.”

“Maybe I lied for a reason. Did you ever think of that?”

“Yeah, you lied to save your own ass.”

“Is that what he told you?”

“Is it true?”

He doesn’t respond, which is answer enough.

“Well, at least you aren’t lying to me this time,” I mutter, squeezing my eyes closed. “God. What did you do, Jamison?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Really? Is that why Vanessa quit school? Because it doesn’t matter ?” I retort, trying not to lose my cool and yell at him. That’s what I want to do. Yell and scream and rage until he finally tells me what he’s hiding, what he did to hurt her. Why he ruined everything, including his own damn life.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says, sounding calmer this time. Uncertain, as if he isn’t entirely sure what I know or how much I know.

“You’re right, I don’t. And that’s your fault,” I remind him, my tone acerbic. “You lied to me to cover up whatever you really did. You tried to make Jordan the bad guy and used him as a shield. And I was stupid enough to believe you. Do you even care what he went through because of you?”

“He’s the one who attacked me, baby sister.”

“Really? That’s your defense?” I shake my head, fighting tears. “What happened to you, Jamison? You used to be my hero. Now, you’re someone I don’t even recognize. You’re someone I don’t even like.”

He’s quiet for a moment, the only sound is his breath rasping down the line. “You don’t mean that.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” I say sadly. “I absolutely mean it. Don’t call me again until you’re ready to be honest with me.”

“Goddammit, Sutton. He’s just using you to get back at me. Use your head and don’t fall for it.”

“Just because that’s what you would do, doesn’t mean he’s capable of it.

But you never really knew him at all, did you?

” I hang up on him, dropping the phone onto my lap as tears well in my eyes.

I want to cry, but I’m not sure I have any tears.

Just…frustration. And disappointment. This version of my brother sucks.

Hell, maybe he’s always been this version of himself, and I was just too blind to notice.

Our parents died when I was fourteen. Jamison could have sent me to live with the great aunt who never really liked us, but he didn’t.

He took custody of me. He took care of me.

And I idolized him for it. He could do no wrong in my eyes after that.

Did I miss signs because I was too grateful to look for them? Has he always been this self-serving person willing to sacrifice and hurt the people closest to him just to save himself?

A little part of me can’t help but wonder if he only took me in, not because he loved me, but because it made him look good.

I hate thinking that way, questioning his motives.

But I can’t help it, either. He was in love with Vanessa, and he did something awful enough to her to cause all of this pain and turmoil.

Could he really use me just to get ahead?

I hate that I don’t know how to answer that question.

My phone rings again.

I growl, jabbing the button to answer without even looking at the screen. “I told you not to freaking call me until you were ready to tell me the truth!”

“Don’t recall having that conversation with you, princess,” Jordan rumbles into the phone.

“Jordan!”

“Expecting someone else?” he asks, a smile in his voice.

“Yeah, my idiot brother,” I huff, flopping back against the pillows. “Judging by his attitude when he called, I’m guessing the two of you talked at some point tonight.”

“Shit. He called you, causing problems?” Jordan asks, his voice a deep growl that grits against my insides.

“Yeah,” I whisper, wrapping myself around my pillow again. “But he’ll get over it. You told him about us?”

“Not exactly, but he knows enough.” His heavy sigh sends static down the line. “It’s a long story. I don’t really want to rehash it tonight.”

Not talking about my brother sounds absolutely perfect to me.

“What do you want then?” I ask, my voice soft…teasing.

“To hear you moaning my name while you fuck your fingers,” he says bluntly. “You going to give it to me?”

“Maybe.” I press my legs together, fighting a moan. “What are you going to give me if I do?”

“My cock. As soon as our plane lands.”

“What if I want it now, Jordan?” I ask, flipping onto my back. One hand drifts down my body, pinching one hard nipple between my thumb and forefinger. A jolt goes straight to my clit, and I barely manage to stifle a whimper. “What if I want you fucking your hand while you listen to me?”

“Fuck,” he groans, his voice low and gritty. “You think I won’t be, Sutton? I’m mad as hell that I’m not inside you, fucking you raw right now. So slide that perfect hand down your body and fuck yourself with your fingers until I let you come. Let me fall asleep dreaming about something beautiful.”

My heart flutters even as heat rushes through me in a powerful flood. How is he sweet and filthy at the same time? I don’t know, but I love it. The combination on his tongue is addictive.

I kick my pajama shorts and panties off, not really caring where they land. This time, when I pinch my nipple, I don’t fight the whimper climbing up my throat. I let him hear it, let him know that I’m doing exactly what he wants.

“Christ, that sound, baby,” he growls as rustling comes down the line. “What are you doing to yourself?”

“Pinching my nipple.” My hand slips down my stomach, hovering over my pussy. Of course I’ve touched myself before. A million times while thinking about him. But I’ve never done it with anyone listening. It’s different. New. Thrilling in a way I didn’t expect.

And maybe that little thrill racing through my veins is what makes me bolder than I’ve ever been in my life.

I pause long enough to hit the switch on the lamp, casting light into the room, and then stack up pillows at the foot of the bed before adjusting my phone so it’s pointed toward me.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I hit the button to turn the simple phone call into a video chat.

By the time his face fills the screen, I’m spread-eagle in front of the phone, my fingers between my legs.

“Jesus Christ,” he swears, his expression downright feral. He’s leaned back against a wall, his sweats pulled down just low enough to release his cock. Every muscle in his body flexes as he stares at me like a raging bull. “Goddamn, princess. Look at you.”

“L-look at you,” I moan, my fingers rolling over my clit. The fact that my face isn’t in the frame makes me braver and bolder. I spread my legs wider, making sure he can see the way I circle my opening with one finger, teasing him. “Look how wet you made me, Jordan.”

“Fucking hell,” he swears violently, his fist clenched around his hard cock. “If I were there right now, you’d be screaming for mercy, you dirty little princess.”

“Yeah? You think so?” I slip the very tip of my finger inside myself, watching the way his chest heaves when I do it.

I quickly pull it out, teasing him. “Maybe I want you screaming for mercy this time, handsome.” I dip my finger into my pussy again and then pull it back out.

God, it takes all of my willpower not to thrust it all the way in just to see him unravel a little more.

Just to feel the pleasure burning through my veins.

“Stop fucking teasing me and fuck your fingers right now, Sutton,” he growls.

“Make me.”

“I swear to Christ, little girl,” he snarls, his hand flying up and down his cock. “When I get my hands on you…”

“W-what are you going to do to me?”

“Fuck you until you break.” He pants, his steely gray eyes on fire as he stares at me through the phone screen…stares at my pussy. “I’m not going to stop until I plant my baby in you.”

My heart leaps into my throat, a flood of moisture spilling across my fingers. He notices, damn him.

A guttural laugh breaks from his lips. “Oh, princess. I’ve got your number now. You want me to breed that pretty little hole, don’t you?”

“N-no,” I lie.

Wrong thing to say, apparently.

His eyes flash with unholy fire, his grip on his cock tightening. “Lie to me again, and I’ll do it with your panties stuffed in your mouth so no one hears you screaming for mercy, princess.”

His threat breaks me wide open. I sob his name, thrusting two fingers inside myself. My hips arch from the bed, pleasure ripping through me.

“That’s it, baby,” he croons, eyes riveted to the sight of me fucking my fingers for him. “Fuck yourself just like that for me. Don’t stop until I decide you can.”