[ Truyện Tiếng Anh ] Twisted Perfection

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 19



Della

“You shouldn’t have told him that,” I said without turning around and looking at Tripp. I shrugged his hand off my shoulder and walked over to the window. Woods had been so tormented. I could see the indecision on his face. I wanted him to choose me. But what would he be choosing? I wasn’t a choice for anyone.

“He’s engaged. He has no right coming in here and playing with your emotions like that. I saw the pain in your eyes. Whatever happened between the two of you is still there and he isn’t letting it go. That’s not fair to you.”

Maybe it wasn’t fair. But it wasn’t fair to him either. His choice had been made for him. He was unhappy and I hated that. I wanted to leave knowing he was happy.

“He’s my friend,” I replied. That was the only truth to all of this.

Tripp let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, he’s my friend too…. Or he was. I think he’s considering murdering me the first chance he gets. But he could leave this behind. He could have chosen you.”

“I’m not a choice,” I replied.

My words were followed by silence. I stood there looking out over the ocean. I could feel Tripp’s gaze still on me. He was thinking about my words. I wouldn’t explain them. He’d understand them soon enough.

“Not everyone sees you the way you do. Sometimes our imperfections are what makes us special.”

I didn’t reply. Because he was right that was the case with many people. However, not with me. It wasn’t my imperfections that I was worried about. It was the terror that twisted everything in my life and that kept me apart from everyone else.

Instead of saying anything more the door softly closed behind me. He was leaving me alone. Good. I wanted to be alone.

“Do you know why I sent you here?” Tripp’s voice startled me and I spun around. He was sitting on the edge of the bed. He hadn’t left.

I shook my head. I had no idea why he’d sent me. We’d barely known each other.

“Because you looked as lost as I felt. I had been watching you for weeks. You’re hard not to watch.” A crooked smile tugged at his lips. “And you didn’t seem to know where you belonged. Neither do I. Since I left this world behind I’m just been drifting. I’m tired of being alone. I saw a kindred spirit in you and I sent you here to keep you until I had the guts to come back and face this place.” He paused and ran a hand through his hair. “I planned on spending time with you and getting to know you better. But this isn’t exactly something I was prepared for. Woods.” He shook his head. “You had to go and get mixed up with Woods. Of all people. Someone just as screwed up as I once was. Problem is he isn’t going to run. He wants this shit for life our parents forced on us. He is becoming a motherfucking puppet. You can do better than that Della.”

I swallowed the nervous knot lodged in my throat. I wasn’t sure what all Tripp planned on saying but I didn’t want to hear anymore. He was right. Woods wasn’t someone I needed to waste my time wanting. But forgetting him and moving on was easier said than done.

“Tonight I just need to go to sleep. I don’t have my sights set on Woods if that’s what you’re thinking. We had sex. That’s all there is between us.”

Tripp stood up. “I’m sorry about tonight.”

I was too. I was sorry about a lot of things. “It’s okay. I’m just tired.”

Trip nodded once then left the room.

I sank down on the bed and covered my face with my hands. I was more lost now than I had been three weeks ago.

“Were you outside, Della? How could you? What do I have to do to get it through your head that you can’t go outside? It’s dangerous out there.” The shrill screech of my mother’s voice was nothing like the searing pain from the leather belt that she slashed across my legs. I knew not to cry out in pain. She’d only get angrier. Sneaking out of the house always sent her into a tailspin.

My knees buckled as the tender skin behind my knees tore open from the continuous hit of the leather.

“Diseases. There are diseases out there that you could bring into this house. You’re not only being reckless you’re being selfish,” she yelled and I was thankful that it muffled the sound of my cries. I wasn’t able to hold back anymore. The pain was too much. Sometimes I wondered why I even came back after I snuck out. Why didn’t I run? Keep running until I was free of this. Of her.

But I couldn’t. She needed me. I would never be free. I couldn’t leave her. She was my mother. She was all I had.

“Do you think of me? NO! Do you think of your brother? NO! This upsets him, you leaving the house. How could you?” She yelled as another slash sliced open the backs of my legs. I would start wishing I was the child that was dead when the beatings were this bad. The pain was too much.

The scene changed and my mother was no longer looming over me with her crazed, fearful face as she beat me. Instead there was no life in her eyes as she lay in a pool of blood. I started to scream.

“Shhhh, Della, it’s okay. I’ve got you. Shhhh.” The voice was far away but I heard it. The images of my mother’s death slowly faded as I focused more on the voice. The sobs were mine. I recognized them.

“That’s it. You’re okay. I’m here,” the voice said gently.

I opened my eyes and as they came into focus. I realized the voice was Tripp’s. The fear on his face said enough. He was holding me in his arms as he rocked me back and forth saying soothing words. He hadn’t been prepared for what he’d just seen. I could see the questions in his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I managed to croak out. My throat was raw from the screaming. It always was when I woke up like this. Braden had been the first person ever to experience this with me. My psychologist had said it was a night terror. That my trauma was being expressed while I was asleep and my guard was down. Unfortunately, nothing I’d done had helped this. When I slept, my mother always came. Then the memories came with her.

“Hush,” he said, putting his finger over my mouth and shaking his head. “Don’t. I can’t deal with you apologizing right now.”

I didn’t say anything more. I moved out of his lap and back over to the side of the bed I slept on. Tripp didn’t move. He stayed where he was.

“Do you do that often?” he finally asked.

“Yes,” I replied. Because it happened most nights. But normally I woke up on my own once the images of that night when I’d found my mother came back to me.

“And you deal with that alone, every night?” he asked.

I nodded.

“Fuck,” he whispered and stood up. “Della why are you alone? You shouldn’t be alone! How the hell have you managed this long?” He rubbed the palms over his eyes and then ran his hands over his hair in a frustrated gesture. “That was intense. Do you even know how scary that shit is? God, Della, you can’t stay alone.”

I pulled the covers up to my chin and leaned against the back of the bed. This was where Tripp realized traveling with me was much more than he had bargained for. I knew this already and it had only been a matter of time.

“I’m fine. Someone being with me doesn’t make the dreams go away. I have them anyway. I’ll leave in the morning.”

Tripp shook his head and walked over to sit down in front of me. “You aren’t going anywhere in the morning. Whatever is running through your head you’re wrong. This isn’t a deal breaker for me Della. I just wasn’t prepared for it.”

I wasn’t sure I believed him but I nodded anyway.

“In the morning I’m taking you golfing. Then we’re going to have lunch together. It’s time the two of us got to know each other better.”

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 20



Woods

I hadn’t been able to sleep. I’d sat out on my balcony all-night and stared at the waves while I faced several facts. The first one I finally accepted was that I would never be happy married to Angelina and neither would she. The second one was that I was going to have to let go of my dream of taking over Kerrington Club one day. My dad wasn’t going to forgive me for not doing his bidding and marrying a Greystone. And then the reason I even made myself face the truth- Della. I wanted her. Maybe it wasn’t forever but for whatever length of time I had with her I wanted her. I couldn’t keep thinking about her and torturing myself with the idea of not getting to have her.

My future was about to be completely thrown off track because Della Sloane was under my skin and I had to have her. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. It wasn’t just the sex with her. It had been in the beginning but not now. I’d gotten close enough to her to see deeper. I knew she was selfless and thoughtful. She didn’t expect anything from me and was just happy to be alive. She was wounded but still fought hard to make it past that. No sob story. It was all part of her beautiful package. Had I ever known a girl like that?

The relief that came with the acceptance that I wasn’t going to give up something that could be the best thing I’d ever found in order to fulfill my father’s orders was incredible. I could take a deep breath with ease.

I picked up my phone and asked Angelina to meet me in my office at eleven. That would give her time to sleep in and get dressed. Then after that was over I was going to find Della and get on my knees and beg if I had to.

Leaving her with Tripp last night had been the slap in my face I needed. This farce of a relationship I didn’t have with Angelina was ridiculous. She knew it too. We were both so power hungry to take the places that were rightfully ours in our fathers’ businesses that we were willing to forego love. Even if Della hadn’t walked into my life and forced me to walk away from my dad’s demands, I wouldn’t have been able to walk down the aisle and say ‘I do’.

The swift knock on my office door came before Angelina opened the door and stepped inside. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a twist with curls cascading loose from the top. Her short purple linen dress was without a wrinkle and I was willing to bet her matching heels cost more than the average person made in six months. The diamond ring on her left hand mocked me as the sunlight pouring in through the window reflected off it and danced around the room. It was as perfectly polished and set as the woman’s hand it adorned. Angelina had always been beautiful and elegant. She’d been raised to be her father’s pawn. The young girl I’d once cared for was underneath all that facade somewhere.

“Don’t do this,” she said, stiffening her spine and reaching out to grasp the back of the chair beside her. I hadn’t said a word but she already knew. That should be confirmation enough for both of us.

“We can’t do what they want us to. I let him force my hand this far but I’m done. I can’t.”

Angelina’s eyes flashed with anger and disgust. She didn’t understand. I’d thought maybe she would thank me but I could see that wouldn’t be happening. She had been prepared to go through with this. Why? Her father would find someone else. Possibly someone who could love her. Who wouldn’t just be marrying her for her father’s name and fortune.

“You’re making the biggest mistake of your life,” she said through clenched teeth.

I walked over to the other side of my desk and sat down.

“Marrying you would have been the biggest mistake of my life. We would have hated each other. I can’t let my father keep controlling me. If he doesn’t want me to have this business, then fine. At least I will have made my own decisions.”

Angelina rolled her eyes as if what I was saying was ridiculous. “Listen to yourself. This world is all you’ve ever known. This life you are so willing to toss away because you don’t want to be told what to do, is ALL YOU’VE KNOWN. You’re acting as if marrying me is the worst possible thing you could ever do. We were close once, Woods. We were friends. We could have that again if you would just accept this and be open to it.”

We had been two kids whose parents had left us alone all the time. We’d shared the same screwed up life. She’s right; we’d been friends. But I’d never wanted anything more.

“Because we were friends once, I refuse to let us both be forced into something we didn’t choose. You have never been given another choice. Since we were kids your parents shoved me down your throat. There is someone out there that will love you. They’ll want you for you. Don’t settle for less. Life is short and I’m tired of wasting it.”

She threw her hands up and let out an aggravated growl. “Fine. Whatever. I’m not begging you. It isn’t like I can’t do better. I just figured marrying you would be the best for me. You know me and we have a history. But I won’t keep this up. I have pride and I won’t stand here and beg.” She slipped the diamond off her finger and slammed it down on the edge of my desk. “Take it. We both know I don’t need it.”

I started to say something more. Apologize or at least try and ease her mind but there was nothing else I could say. I needed to count myself lucky that she hadn’t hurled anything at my head.

“Goodbye, Woods. I hope this was worth it to you,” she spat then stalked out of my office.

I waited until she had time to safely get out of the building before I left. I had to go find Della.

 

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Twisted Perfection Page 21



Della

I sucked at golf.

When the ball once again went flying out into the trees I spun around and looked at Tripp who was covering his mouth to smother his laughter. At least he found my extreme lack of luck with a golf swing humorous.

When he had woken me up at seven this morning to make the tee time he’d reserved I hadn’t been very happy. But after the way he’d helped me get through my episode the night before I felt like I owed it to him. So I had dragged myself out of bed and gotten dressed. Now, seventeen holes, and twelve lost balls later, I was thinking I should have stayed in bed. Yes, I’d wanted to learn to golf but not this early and now that I knew I was terrible at it I didn’t want to try again.

“I give up,” I said, handing him the club I’d used.

“You were getting better. You just jacked this one up,” Tripp said with a chuckle.

“Save it. We both know I’m horrible at this. Can I just watch you play out the rest?”

Tripp slid the club back into the bag. “We can call it a game. You tried hard. Maybe we need to spend a little time on the driving range and work on your swing before we attempt this again.”

He was talking like we’d be golfing together in the future. I didn’t want to ever golf again if I could keep from it. I didn’t want to sound rude so I just kept my mouth shut. I got back on the golf cart and Tripp drove us back to the clubhouse.

Without thinking about it I started looking for Woods’ truck. I could tell myself that it was because I wanted to make sure he wasn’t here and I wouldn’t have to see him. But I’d be lying. I was a glutton for punishment.

“Dammit,” Tripp muttered before pulling the golf cart into the first empty spot reserved for the carts.

I glanced over at him to see what was wrong when my gaze locked on Woods. He was headed toward us.

“He looks like a man on a mission,” Tripp said in a low voice then stepped out of the cart. Woods nodded at Tripp but his eyes immediately were back on me. I watched as he walked past Tripp.

He stopped in front of me. “We need to talk,” he said.

“Y’all did enough of that last night, man.” Tripp’s tone sounded like a gentle warning.

Woods ignored him. “I’m not engaged anymore. Angelina just left and it’s over. I ended it.” He reached out and slipped his hand into mine. “Please come talk to me.”

He’d broken off his engagement? I felt like I was still sleeping. Why would he do that? He wanted what a marriage to Angelina would give him. Why was he ending that?

“I don’t understand,” I replied. My voice was barely above a whisper.

A sexy grin tilted the corners of Woods’ mouth. “That’s why we need to talk.”

I glanced over at Tripp who just shrugged. I had lunch plans with him today. I couldn’t cancel on him. I needed him to say something instead of just shrugging at me.

“We… Tripp and I were supposed to have lunch together,” I said, still looking at Tripp.

Tripp looked from me to Woods then he shook his head with a small smile. “I’m not getting in the middle of this. Go with him. If he just broke it off with Angelina then there’s more to what he’s got to say than I thought there was,” he said and then his complete attention went to Woods. “No one’s puppet. It’s about damn time,” he said then walked off.

Woods was grinning when I looked back at him. “Have lunch with me?”

I glanced past him toward the club’s restaurant. I didn’t want to go in there with the boss and have lunch. I couldn’t let one of my coworkers wait on me. But I also wanted to talk to Woods. He wasn’t engaged. My heart started beating harder in my chest. Woods was free.

“I wouldn’t be comfortable eating in there. Could we talk first then go find something to eat somewhere else?”

“Whatever you want.” He pulled me to him and then nodded his head toward his truck. “Let’s go for a ride.”

Once we were in the truck, Woods didn’t start the engine. He looked over at me. His dark brown eyes were serious but the sadness wasn’t there. “I’m sorry for how I acted last night. I shouldn’t have talked to you that way. I was panicking and I lost it.”

I shifted in my seat and rested my shoulder against the leather so that I was facing him. “Why were you panicking?”

Woods cocked one eyebrow as if he didn’t think this question needed an answer. As if it was understood. “Because Tripp was talking about taking you away.”

Oh.

“I want you to understand something. This needs to be very clear. I never loved Angelina. I never wanted to be engaged to her. I was doing it because she was the key to getting what I thought I’d always wanted. But you changed that. I realized I wanted other things. I didn’t want to be controlled. And I wanted a chance with you. Even if you don’t plan on staying long. Even if you aren’t one for commitments, I want this time with you.”

The idea of losing his freedom hadn’t been enough reason for him to refuse to do his father’s bidding? It had taken me to make him stand up to his father? Why me? I didn’t understand. “What if you get to know me and you realize I’m not worth it? Will you still be glad you let go of everything?”

Woods’ grin returned and he nodded. “Yeah. Like Tripp said out there. I’m no one’s puppet. It was time I put my foot down.”

He was right. Living under someone else’s control wasn’t living at all. I knew that all too well. But I didn’t want to be the only reason he gave up what was rightfully his. The pressure to be worth it was too much.

“I agree. Not being able to make your own choices in life isn’t fair. I guess I just want to be sure I’m not the reason you did this. Because honestly, you’re gonna find out real soon that I’m more of a mess than you already got a glimpse of the other night.”

Woods’ eyebrows lowered over his eyes as he frowned at me. He didn’t like me saying that but he didn’t know the truth about me. I wasn’t going to tell him either.

“I don’t like to hear you talk about yourself like that,” he said in a husky voice.

I turned my body back around in my seat. “We can discuss that another time. I’m starving.” I wanted to ask him more questions like ‘what happens with your job now?’ or ‘Will your dad fire you?’ or ‘Do you have plans to do something else?’ but I was refusing to talk anymore about me and my future so I couldn’t expect him to open up about his.

We could go eat and just see what happened next. He might realize what he’d done before the days was through and go running back to Angelina begging her to forgive him. There was no need for deep conversations right now. I just wanted to enjoy spending time with him and not feeling guilty about wanting a taken man.

 

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Woods

Della had eaten her sandwich in silence. She’d been rather focused on her food since it arrived at the table. I’d had a hard time eating because watching her was more entertaining. She patted her mouth with a napkin and her eyes lifted to meet mine. A blush tinted her cheeks and her eyes twinkled.

“I was starving. Golf exhausted me and I’m not sure why because I was terrible at it,” she explained as she lowered the napkin to her lap.

“Was today your first time playing golf?” I asked, trying to push back my immediate jealous reaction to the fact Tripp had taken her golfing today.

“Yes. I had wanted to learn to play and Tripp wanted me to go with him today so I went. But I think I lost so many of his golf balls he regrets it.”

This time I laughed. I knew Tripp didn’t regret a single minute of it. I just hoped he had enough memories to hold him for the rest of his damn life because that was his only chance to get her alone like that. “You just need a good instructor,” I replied.

Della pinched her lips in a thoughtful frown. Then she shook her head. “No, I’m hopeless. I wouldn’t plan on wasting your time.”

The chance to get to wrap my arms around her and teach her to swing a club then stand back and watch her ass while she did it was not a waste of time. I kept that thought to myself though.

“We’ll see,” was all I said.

The waitress brought us our ticket and I slipped enough cash to cover the meal and a decent tip before standing up and holding my hand out to Della. I was tired of being in public with her. I wanted to get her alone. There was a lot I wanted to say but first I needed to hold her. It had been too long.

“Where are we going now?” she asked as she stood up beside me.

“My place. I want you to see it. Especially the view. Is that okay?”

Della nodded and I tried to be good. It was hard though. The image of her naked against my sheets wouldn’t go away. I wanted her there.

“I’d love to see your place.”

We walked back outside to my truck. Della climbed up in the passenger seat and I didn’t even pretend like I wasn’t checking out her ass in the little white shorts she was wearing. There wasn’t a panty line and the idea of her not having on anything underneath made me break out into a sweat. I needed to think about something else. Anything else or I was going to be hard as a rock and incredibly uncomfortable.

“How long is Tripp in town?” There that should do it. Remind myself she was sharing a condo with another man. One who no doubt wanted her too.

“He didn’t say exactly. I think he was just ready to move on from Dallas and came back here before his next adventure.” The way she talked about Tripp’s life like it made complete sense reminded me that she led a life much like his. One I didn’t understand. But then if my dad fired me I would be just as lost as he was. Leaving town with Della didn’t sound like such a bad idea.

My phone rang in my pocket and I knew without answering it was my father. It had taken Angelina longer than I expected to get the word to him that the engagement was over. His grand plan was ruined.

I reached into my pocket and turned the phone off. I would deal with him later. Right now I wanted to focus on Della. Facing my father was going to put a major damper on my mood. I didn’t want that today.

“Do you work tonight?” I asked. Because if she did I was going to call in and change the schedule.

“This is my day off,” she replied, grinning. “Don’t you do the scheduling?”

I did but this past week had been hell. I couldn’t remember what day I’d given her off. “Just checking,” I replied before pulling into the split brick drive that led up to my house. It had been my parents’ first home. My grandfather had let them live here until my father had earned enough to buy them the house my mother really wanted. When my grandfather passed away he’d left the house to me. Even something that small had pissed my father off. He’d wanted complete control over me. What I’d really needed my grandfather to leave me had been a part of the club. He hadn’t.

“Woods! It’s beautiful,” Della said in awe as I pulled underneath the raised house. It wasn’t really. Not compared to my parents’ or most of the newer homes along Rosemary. But it had character.

“Thank you.”

Della opened the truck door and hopped out before I could help her.

“It’s like one of those seaside houses you see in the movies. The big hurricane shutters and the wrap around porch. This is just perfect.”

Hearing her gush about my house made me want to haul her upstairs to my room even more. I loved this place. It was the only thing that was mine.

“I can’t wait to see the inside. I could just live on your porch. The view must be perfect.”

She could live on my porch if she wanted. I’d even let her come inside and sleep in my bed. I didn’t say that though. Too much, too soon. Right now we had a few shared moments and some hot sex. I had to build on that. I wanted to build on that.

“Come on up. I’ll show you just how perfect the view is.”

Della followed me up the stairs and I unlocked the door then stood back and let her walk inside first. I hadn’t given much thought to my decorating before but knowing Della was here and checking everything out I hated the fact that I’d not changed much since my grandparents left me the house.

My grandmother had decorated it and they’d lived here the last few years of my grandmother’s life. When she’d been diagnosed with terminal cancer they had sold their sprawling mansion in Seaside and moved back here. After she’d passed away my grandfather had moved into my parents’ house and lived there for three months before he died of a heart attack.

I liked the warmth of the place. I hadn’t spent much time thinking of changing things. It wasn’t like I entertained here. I worked too much for that lifestyle.

Della ran her hand along the worn pale leather couch and spun around slowly looking at the details my grandmother had taken great care to leave behind. She had loved to paint. Seeing the canvases she’d painted out on that porch while she enjoyed the last years she had on earth always gave me a sense of peace.

“The paintings are beautiful. So bright and cheerful,” Della said as she stood in front of one that was my grandfather’s favorite. When I’d tried to give it to him he’d refused to take it. He’d said she wanted it here in this place.

“That’s a hole at the golf course,” she said. I was impressed that she’d recognized it.

“My grandfather’s favorite. His only hole in one was at that hole. It’s the fifteenth.”

Della smiled. “And you have it here on your wall.”

“My grandmother painted it. She painted all of these.”

Della’s eyes went wide and she started looking around at the other paintings on the wall. “She was very talented.”

I had to agree. She was. Yet she’d given up her dreams for my grandfather’s. I’d always heard my mother’s bitter comments about her not being the doormat that my grandmother was. But I never saw my grandmother as a doormat. She was quiet and reserved but she’d controlled so much more than anyone understood. She had owned my grandfather’s heart. As cold and unfeeling as many assumed it was, she had owned it. And she’d cherished it.

“It’s not what I expected… not from a single guy,” she said in almost a whisper. “I love it.”

“Come see the view,” I said, opening the doors leading out onto the porch. Della walked out and went straight to the railing. The ocean breeze caught her hair and it danced around her shoulders. I liked seeing her out here. I stepped back inside and went to grab a bottle of wine and two glasses.

 

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Della

“Here,” Woods said, walking up behind me.

I turned to look at him and he was holding a glass of red wine. I took it and hoped my inexperience in the red wine department wasn’t too apparent on my face when I took a sip. I was positive this was expensive but I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in cheap or good wine. I’d had very little.

“Thank you,” I managed to reply without sounding as unsure as I felt.

“Come sit down. We can see the view just as good from over here,” he said, nodding toward two teak lounge chairs.

I walked over and sank down onto the thick quilted cushion and stretched my legs out in front of me.

Woods scooted the lounger beside me closer with his leg then lowered himself down onto it. He moved the armrest that separated us. If I shifted even an inch I would brush up against him. It was tempting.

“I didn’t ask if you liked red wine,” he said.

He was probably noticing my small sips. I was deciding that I did like it. I wasn’t sure how it would affect me though.

“I wasn’t positive I liked it or not. I’ve not really had much of it in the past. But this is good.”

He smirked and took a drink. I really shouldn’t stare at him but the muscles in his throat moved as he swallowed and it was mesmerizing. Woods set his glass down on the table on the other side of his chair but he didn’t take his eyes off me.

“I’d planned to be good tonight. But I can’t. Not with you looking at me like that,” Woods said as he took the glass from my hand and put it down beside his. “I think I’ll be okay if I can just have a little. Just a small taste. It’s been too long and I can’t seem to think about anything other than how much I want to kiss you,” he brushed his finger over my lips, “and the many parts of you I want to touch,” he said, slipping one of his hands around my waist. Then his hand slid down further until it was cupping my butt. “Fuck baby, you aren’t wearing any panties under these shorts.”

The reminder of the thin fabric being the only barrier down there to soak up the moisture his words were causing concerned me. I did not want a damp spot on my shorts. That would be humiliating.

“Come here,” he ordered, picking me up by the waist and pulling me onto his lap. I didn’t want to straddle him. What if I was already wet down there? His hand closed over my thigh and I shivered, unable to stop him from moving my leg over his lap until my crotch was hovering over him. I was going to ruin these shorts.

Woods’ hands slipped into my hair and pulled my head down until his lips covered mine. The moment his tongue eased into my mouth and flicked against mine I no longer cared about the possible shorts fiasco I might have to deal with later. I just wanted more of him. He cupped my face with one hand and then ran the tip of his very talented tongue over the roof of my mouth causing me to sink down onto him. The hard ridge of his erection pressed firmly against the burning ache that was alive and ready. I knew how good Woods felt inside me and my body was screaming for more.

“So sweet,” he murmured against my lips. Then his attentive mouth began to tease my jawline until his open mouth pressed against my neck. The heat from his breath made my nipples throb.

Woods moved his hand between my legs until he found the evidence of my arousal. “Already wet,” he said against my neck then suckled the skin there gently. “Do you know how incredibly sexy it is that your shorts are wet?” I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I was holding my breath in anticipation. “I don’t think you do,” he said, continuing to kiss down my neck.

“Della, tonight wasn’t supposed to be about sex,” he said, looking up at me through lowered lashes. His mouth was so close to my cleavage I wanted to shove my chest in his face and beg. “I just needed a taste. Trouble is I forgot how intoxicating you smell. I want inside you baby. Right here. I want to rip these shorts off your body and slide deep inside you.” I was ready to agree to anything if he’d just touch me some more. A small whimper escaped me and I didn’t even care that I was showing him how weak and needy I was.

“Are you hurting?” he asked as he reached up and tugged the front of my shirt down and then my bra until both my breasts were free. “I’m a tit man and these titties are like fucking nirvana. So round and soft.” He pressed a kiss to one of my pebbled up nipples and then stuck his tongue out and ran it slowly over the tip. “Perfect little round cherries. Meant to be sucked on,” he whispered before pulling it into his mouth and doing just that. I couldn’t keep myself from grabbing his head desperately and holding him there. I didn’t want him to stop. I could feel it all the way down between my legs. Each tug of my nipple had delicious waves of pleasure rolling through me. Woods hand slipped into the front of my shorts and I lifted my hips to give him better access. He covered my smooth mound and groaned when his finger found my slick heat. I was soaked and any other time I would care. Right now I just needed more.

Two of his fingers found my swollen clit and began to rub it in a steady rhythm matching the sucking his mouth was doing on my nipple. He pulled his head back and moved from one breast to the other. That was as far as I was letting his head move away.

The magic that only Woods seemed to be able to cause started to build and I spread my thighs wider. He pinched down on my clit at the same time he bit my nipple and the bliss I had been expecting exploded around me. I pulled his hair and screamed his name while my whole body shook from the violent orgasm.

“Ah, God,” he gasped and wrapped his arms around my body holding me against his chest. I collapsed against him. Woods breathing was as heavy as my own and I let go of the handfuls of his hair I still had in my grasp.

“I’m sorry,” I managed to croak out.

“For what?” Woods asked with his mouth pressed against my neck.

“Pulling your hair.”

A soft chuckle vibrated his body and he licked at tender flesh he’d nibbled on earlier. “Don’t be. That was hot. So fucking hot. Anytime you want to pull my hair while you’re screaming my name, go right ahead.”

I felt his erection jerk underneath me and my throbbing well-pleased body jumped in response. We weren’t finished. That had just been an appetizer. I rocked my hips against him savoring the pleasant pain it created. Woods’ hands clamped down on my hips and held me still. “Don’t.”

I froze. Was I hurting him?

He sucked in a breath then picked me up and eased me off him. Maybe I had been too loud out here and he was going to move us inside.

“I’ve got some work to do. I should take you home.”

What? Home? Huh? I sat there as he stood up and adjusted himself before picking up our wine glasses. I hadn’t moved to follow him. I was still processing what was happening.

He glanced down at me and what looked like a wince crossed his face. Before I could ask what was wrong he set the glasses down and reached down to pull my bra and shirt back into place then he took my hand and pulled me up.

“I have to take you back,” was all he said before grabbing the wine glasses and walking inside.

Like someone on autopilot I followed him. He put both our glasses on his bar and then grabbed his keys. He glanced back at me and smiled then nodded his head toward the door.

We were really leaving. Okay. My stomach felt sick. I’d done something wrong. Had he seen how much I craved his touch? Did that scare him? It scared me that I wanted him to touch me so badly. It scared me that he made me feel comfort in ways no one else had ever been able to. I was willing to do anything to make him want to be close to me longer. Going back to the condo only meant another night ahead with dreams I wanted to escape. Memories that controlled me. I wanted what Woods could give me. But I wouldn’t be getting that. He was getting rid of me.

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 24



Woods

Once I got her safely in my truck, I had planned on explaining. The confusion in her big blue eyes had been obvious. But every time I tried to I couldn’t think of a way to say it without scaring her off.

I was also afraid she might argue with me and all it was going to take to get me to snap was one little pleading look from her. My cock was still throbbing painfully and the fact I knew she wasn’t wearing any damn panties and she was soaking wet from that orgasm I’d given her was only making me harder.

Throwing her on my bed and fucking her until I had her screaming my name again and telling me that her tight little pussy was mine had been the only thing I could think about while I touched her.

But then she’d gone off in my lap and I knew this was my moment to prove to me and her that I could be selfless. Tonight had been about her. Not what she could do for me but just about her pleasure. I didn’t want this relationship to be built on sex. There was more there with Della. I liked being around her. I wanted to protect her. She had me so wrapped up I couldn’t think clearly.

Taking her back to Tripp’s motherfucking condo was going to kill me. I didn’t want her sleeping there with him in the next room but I couldn’t exactly move her into my place either. That was moving way too fast and a girl like Della would run. I didn’t want her to run. I’d chase her ass down if she tried but I still didn’t want her to try. I wanted her to stay because she wanted to be with me.

Being the kind of guy a girl stayed for was harder than I thought.

“Did I do something wrong?” Della asked, breaking into my thoughts. I was already pulling up to Tripp’s condo. I’d been so torn about what to say to her that I hadn’t said anything. Shit. She was worried. I parked the truck and looked over at her. The frown creasing her forehead bothered me. I didn’t mean to make her frown.

I reached over and soothed the puckered skin with my thumb. “No, not at all. You were perfect.”

Her frown didn’t go away. She wasn’t buying it. I should have explained this to her. I just couldn’t find the right words.

“Okay. If you’re sure,” she said slowly and reached for the door handle.

“Wait, I got it. I’ll walk you to the door.” I said, jerking my door open and going around to open her door. She watched me still frowning with a confused look on her face. It was adorable. I took her hands and helped her down. My eyes zeroed in on the very visible wet spot on the crotch of her shorts. Glancing around I looked for Tripp’s Harley and found it sitting over by Della’s car. Hell no. He wasn’t seeing this. Evidence of her wet pussy was for my eyes only. Reaching into the truck I grabbed a hoodie out of the backseat.

“Wear this,” I said, pulling it over her head before she could protest or even ask why. She obediently put her hands into the arms and it fell to the middle of her thighs. Completely covering her and her shorts. I let out a sigh of relief.

“Why am I wearing your sweatshirt?” she asked, studying me like she thought I might be going crazy.

I slipped my hand around her waist and pulled her closer to me then lowered my head until my mouth was at her ear. “Tripp’s home and that sweet little wet spot on those shorts of yours are for no one’s eyes but mine. When you get inside go change into something loose and baggy. And for all that’s holy, please wear panties and a bra.”

Della nodded her head and I let her go and stepped back. She smelled too good. Seeing her dwarfed in my hoodie wasn’t helping. It was making my swollen dick even worse. “Go on inside. I need to stay here. If I go to the door I won’t be able to leave.”

She stuck her hands into the front pockets of the hoodie. “Okay. I’ll, uh, I’ll see you tomorrow then,” she stammered then turned and walked to the condo. I waited until she was safely inside before I got back in my truck and left. I should have walked her to the door but I knew seeing her in Tripp’s apartment would bring out the caveman in me even more and I would follow her inside and go lock us both in her room. This had been the only way to let her go.

It was time I went and dealt with my dad.

My mother met me at the door with a frown. She didn’t ask how I was doing or even attempt small talk. She just pointed down the hall and said, “Your dad’s in his office.” Then she walked away without another word.

Most of my life my mother was only affectionate if I was doing exactly what she wanted me to. Whenever I failed or displeased her, she let me know exactly how she felt about me. I should be over it by now. I was a twenty-four year old man. Seeking my mother’s approval was a thing of my past. Still, her conditional love was hard to swallow at times.

I knocked on the door to my father’s office then opened it up. No use in waiting on him to tell me to come in. He was mad at me anyway. He was sitting at his desk with the phone to his ear when I walked inside. His eyes glared at me with disapproval through his glasses that he only wore when he was reading.

“Of course. I agree. Woods has just walked into my office. I’ll speak with him and get back to you on where we go from here,” he said into the phone before hanging it up and leaning back in his chair to study me with a look of disdain.

The bitterness from the knowledge that my grandfather had given him the Vice President title and moved him into the big office the year he graduated from college was always there. He acted like I had to prove so much to him when I’d worked more in that club than he had. He had never gotten his hands dirty or dealt with employees. Yet he expected me to pay my dues.

“I hope you’re here to explain to me why you would toss away everything we’ve worked for because you think you’ll be unhappy? That’s bullshit son. No red blooded man would be unhappy with a woman like Angelina Greystone.”

He hadn’t worked for anything. He wasn’t being told whom he had to marry. I gritted my teeth and held the curses and insults in. They wouldn’t help matters now.

“I don’t love her. She doesn’t even like me much. I couldn’t go through with it. I’m sorry but as much as I want the job I was raised believing would be mine I won’t ruin my life and hers.”

My father leaned forward on his elbows that rested on his desk. “Love doesn’t make a good marriage. It isn’t forever. It leaves you. When reality sets in and times get hard the love disappears and you’re left with nothing. You marry someone who wants the same things you do. Who isn’t expecting romance but success. Angelina gets this. You don’t.”

When my grandmother was sick I had gone to visit my grandparents every chance I got. One day I had been sitting on the porch with my grandfather as he watched my grandmother paint one of her many pictures. The love and affection on his face was unmistakable. He’d turned to me that day and said, “Don’t miss out on the love of a good woman, son. No matter what that old man of yours tells you, love is real. I’d have never had the success in my life without that woman right there. She’s been my backbone. She’s been my reason for everything I’ve ever done. One day your drive to make a name for yourself will begin to drift away. It won’t be that important anymore. But when you’re doing it for someone else, someone you would move heaven and earth for then you never lose the desire to succeed. I can’t imagine this world without her in it. I don’t even want to.”

I hadn’t thought about those words again until today. The man who had raised my father was similar to him in many ways. But there was a difference. My dad did all of this for himself. His drive to succeed was selfish. There was no love in his work. My grandfather had built this business out of love for the woman he married. I’d seen that with my own eyes. I didn’t want to be my father. I wanted to be my grandfather.

“We need to agree to disagree,” I finally said knowing the mention of his parents would only infuriate him. He always thought my grandfather had made bad decisions even though he was the man who built this club.

My father smirked and shook his head. “No son, we don’t because I’m in charge here. If you’re choosing not to do what is best for this club and your future then you’re not ready to take over anything. I can’t promote you if I can’t trust you to make smart decisions. Your job at the club is safe for now but that doesn’t mean someone I can trust more to do your job won’t come along.”

Not only was he not going to give me the position I’d worked hard for he was threatening the position I currently had. I wanted to tell him to fuck himself and walk out. Before this was over I might end up doing just that. However, out of respect for the man who’d built this with the desire to hand it down to each generation of the Kerrington name, I would stay. That man I respected. The one in front of me I held no respect for. If he pushed me too far, I’d be gone. I wondered if he’d even miss me then.

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 25



Della

I changed into sweats and a tee shirt before walking back into the living room and talking to Tripp. I preferred to stay in this room and think about everything. I was still trying to figure out what happened and what I did wrong with Woods. He was giving me all kinds of mixed signals. Either he was disgusted by me and decided not to have sex with me or he had just been ready to get rid of me. I wasn’t sure. But then he’d made me wear his shirt and told me to change into baggy clothes. I wasn’t sure what to think about that.

As soon as I’d had that orgasm in his lap he’d been ready to get me the hell away from him. On the drive over here I had convinced myself that I’d screamed too loud and hurt him by pulling his hair like a crazed woman. Then maybe he was as embarrassed by the wet spot on my shorts as I was and that’s why he’d covered me up. He didn’t want Tripp to see me and know he’d been the cause of that. I reached over, picked his hoodie back up, and pulled it over my head. It smelled like Woods. I liked that. I had wanted to get to smell more of him tonight. The rejection I’d hoped to avoid was settling in.

I could talk to Tripp. I wouldn’t tell him exactly what happened but I could get his guy opinion on things.

Tripp’s eyes lifted from the book he was reading and he smiled up at me. “Already wearing Kerrington’s clothes. Damn the guy moves fast,” he teased.

I sighed and sank down on the sofa across from the chair he was sitting in. “Not what it looks like. Trust me.” The deflation in my voice had been a little more obvious than I intended.

“Uh oh. What’s wrong?” Tripp asked, setting his book down on the table beside him and sitting up straighter.

I thought about my words carefully. I didn’t want to tell him too much but I did want his opinion. “Woods broke things off with Angelina and we went to talk about that,” I began. Tripp nodded. He already knew this much but I was still scrambling on what to say to him. “We had lunch together and he explained that he wasn’t happy with her. He doesn’t want to be told who to marry. Then we went back to his place. He wanted to show me his house and I loved it.” I paused and chewed on my bottom lip a moment to think about my next words.

“He never takes girls to that house. It was his grandparents’ so it’s his off limits place. I’ve only been there a handful of times.”

That caught my attention. “His grandmother’s paintings are still all over the walls. They’re beautiful.”

Tripp’s eyebrows shot up. “He told you about her?”

I nodded and Tripp crossed his hands over his chest as he grinned. “Damn girl what have you done to Kerrington?”

Well, that was what I was wondering too. “I think he may have decided taking me there was a mistake. I… we… things got a little heated on the porch and then he stopped it and brought me back here. He said he had things to do. Just like that. No other explanation. It was weird.”

Tripp frowned and sat there quietly a moment.

“You two have, uh, had sex before, right? That was my understanding.”

I nodded.

“And today that didn’t happen,” he continued.

“No, he was really ready to get rid of me.”

Tripp rubbed his chin and then he shook his head. “I don’t know what the hell is up. That doesn’t sound like the guy I know.” He leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. “Are you okay? Did he upset you?”

I was confused and a little hurt but I was okay. I smiled. “I’m fine. Just not sure what happened. I keep thinking I did something wrong.”

Tripp reached out and tugged on the sleeve of Woods’ hoodie. “When did you get this?”

There was no way I was telling him why Woods had stuck this on me. That was too embarrassing. “Um, when he brought me here. He put it on me before sending me inside.”

Tripp had a small smile tugging on his lips. “Did he see my bike?”

I nodded.

“What did he say when he put that on you?”

“Um, he told me to go inside and put on baggy clothes.”

Tripp cackled with laughter and leaned back in his seat. Once he was done laughing he took in my sweat pants and then looked back up at me. “You did as you were told.”

I nodded again.

“He likes you. He may be a little freaked out and doing stupid shit but he likes you. The baggy clothes are because he doesn’t want me looking at you and getting any ideas. Kerrington has gone possessive. Never seen it before but it is funny as hell. I think I’ll text him that we’re going swimming and see how fast his jealous ass gets over here.”

“No, don’t! He was going to deal with his dad I think.”

Tripp grinned. “I was kidding. It’s just funny.”

He went quiet and I hated the awkward silence. However, I was relieved that he thought Woods was acting weird because he was feeling possessive towards me. Maybe it was wrong to want that but it made me feel tingly and warm.

“I guess I should plan on traveling alone when I head out.”

I wasn’t sure yet.

“That depends on when you’re leaving and if Woods really is interested in something more with me. If this is just a fling for him then I may be ready to run soon myself.”

***

Last night I’d woken up screaming with Tripp holding me again. It was screwing with my sleep and his. I didn’t blame him if he left soon just so he could sleep without the nightly interruptions. My eyes felt puffy from the crying I’d done this time. Sometimes the screams were mixed with sobbing. Tonight had been one of those nights. I’d spent an hour in the bathroom trying to cover up the puffy with makeup. I wasn’t sure it helped.

“Girl, I got an eight top of women who came in here requesting me or I’d take table six for you,” Jimmy said with wide eyes as he walked into the kitchen.

“What’s wrong with six?” I asked, tying my apron on.

“Not sure how much you know but Woods broke it off with that uptight Greystone heiress. My guess is daddy is pissed. Anyway, the heiress, her equally uptight mother, and Mrs. Kerrington are sitting at six. There can be nothing good about that gathering.”

Oh no. I didn’t want to deal with those three. But I didn’t have a choice. It was just Jimmy and me for the breakfast shift. We would have more help for the lunch shift.

“I’ve scared you. Shit. I’m sorry. It’s good. You didn’t piss them off, Woods did. You just serve them their food and all should be good.”

He was right. They didn’t even know I existed. Besides, I wasn’t sure what was going on with Woods. Yesterday he’d completely confused me.

“I can do it,” I assured Jimmy, taking my tray of waters out to table four.

Once I had that table served and orders taken I made my way over to table six. All three women seemed to be in deep conversation. I almost walked past them and gave them a few more moments before interrupting. But then that could piss them off and I didn’t want to add to this drama.

“Good morning,” I said in more of a squeak than a greeting. Fantastic. Mrs. Kerrington flashed an annoyed look my way. I had never met her but I recognized those dark brown eyes glaring at me. There was no mistaking that she was Woods mother.

“Sparkling water.”

“Evian with a glass of ice,” Angelina said.

“The same,” the third lady who had to be her mother informed me without looking at me.

I quickly headed to the kitchen and took a deep breath. They were just like all the other guests. No reason to panic. I fixed their drinks and went back out to serve them.

“He just needs time. He’s never been one to like being told what to do. It’s not you darling. He’s a male and he is as red blooded as they come. The boy wants to sow his wild oats.” Woods’ mother was reaching across the table patting Angelina’s hand as she said this.

“I don’t think that’s it. He truly doesn’t like me. He said that we’d be miserable together. And maybe he’s right. I want things he doesn’t. Obviously.”

Mrs. Kerrington sighed. “Yes. Well, his father is very disappointed in him. We expected him to think about something other than himself this time. But he’s a spoiled boy. He has always had his way. This is my fault of course. I should have told him no more often.”

I sat the waters down in front of them and tried to be as invisible as possible.

“Bring us a fruit tray please and make sure the kiwi is included.”

I nodded once before leaving. I wanted to hear more but then it was best that I didn’t. I wanted to argue with them. Woods wasn’t selfish. He wasn’t some kid having a temper tantrum. He was a grown man tired of being controlled and manipulated. And who did Angelina think she was? She wants different things obviously. Like she was so noble. Bitch.

I slammed the door behind me and let out an aggravated growl.

“Whoa, sugar. You look ready to tear someone up,” Jimmy said as he set the order that was up on his tray.

“Woods’ mother is infuriating. And that… that ugh… God, I’m...

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 26



Woods

I watched Della leave and wondered if I’d done the wrong thing letting Tripp see us like this. Her hair had been mussed, her lips swollen, and the look of satisfied female was oozing from her. I wanted Tripp to see that she was mine. That she wanted to be mine. But maybe that had been wrong. I hadn’t thought of Della’s reaction to this or how she would feel.

“I guess that clears up her confusion from yesterday,” Tripp said after closing my door and walking inside.

What did he mean? “What confusion?”

Tripp shrugged and sank down onto one of the leather chairs across from my desk. Then he cocked an eyebrow. “You didn’t do anything in this chair, did you?”

I rolled my eyes and sat down on the edge of my desk. “What did you mean by that comment? What confusion?”

“The part where you dropped her like a hot potato yesterday and left her completely confused and unsure of herself. Even so, she sat around obediently in a pair of sweats and your damn hoodie all day and even slept in it.”

She had slept in my hoodie? I started to smile when the fact Tripp knew what she slept in registered in my brain and I scowled instead.

“How the fuck do you know what she sleeps in?” I asked, moving to stand up.

Tripp cocked his head to the side and stared at me. He didn’t even attempt to defend himself.

“Do you really know her? Or are you just fucking her? Because she’s already been screwed over once since I’ve met her and I think you might have the power to break her.”

Blood began to boil in my veins. I was going to beat the shit out of him. And who the hell had screwed her over?

“You might want to be careful what you say. I don’t give a shit who you are or who the hell I’m supposed to be. And what do you mean she’s been screwed over before?” Then the memory of Jace sitting in my office saying she’d gotten mixed up with her boss came back to me. What had he said exactly?

Tripp held up both hands. “Calm down and listen to me. Damn when did you become a hot head?”

“Tell me what happened with her old boss? The one in Dallas.”

Tripp scowled. “Bastard played her. He’s married and his wife is pregnant. Della didn’t know because he doesn’t wear a ring and he never comes in the bar. She was new and he showed up late at night and did a little flirting. Then he was picking her up and coming by more often. It’s a big bar. No one asks questions. I’d seen him fuck with waitresses before but I wasn’t sure if that was what was happening with Della. Until his wife showed up. Della was furious more than she was upset. That’s why I sent her here. He didn’t have the power to break her. But I think you do.”

Her old boss had been married. Damn. No wonder she was so careful to stay away from me when I’d been engaged. She’d been worried about history repeating itself. I was a dirtbag.

“I won’t hurt her,” I vowed. I wouldn’t.

“She’d be easy to break.”

I didn’t like the way he kept saying that. “What do you mean?” Had he seen her have a panic attack?

“She screams at night. Every damn night she screams like someone is beating her. It’s scary as motherfucking hell. She doesn’t wake up either. Nothing I do calms her down. She screams until it’s over. Then she wakes up. Sometimes she doesn’t. Sometimes she just lies back down and stays asleep. I just sit there in horror and watch her. I try to hold her and calm her down when she wakes up but it never helps. She trembles and it breaks my heart. I can’t make it better. All I know is she’s got some fucked up shit in her head. I don’t know what and I don’t know why but it’s there and it haunts her. So, if you’re in this for a hot fuck then I’ll gladly fight you. Because that girl ain’t the kind you fuck with. She’s not strong enough for that.”

I was going to be sick. My stomach was wound so tightly in knots I couldn’t move. She was screaming, at night. The frozen terror I’d seen her in that night at the party had been scary enough. She’d clung to me desperately. I had worried that she might deal with that alone. I hadn’t known she had bad dreams. My chest hurt and my eyes burned. I hated this. I hated knowing she was tormented by something. I wanted to fix this. Fix everything for her.

I turned and headed for the door. I was going to find her. We were going to talk about this. I’d be there the next time she woke up screaming. Tripp might not be able to comfort her but I sure as hell would. I’d make this go away. I had to. I wasn’t sure I could live with her hurting like this.

“Where are you going?” Tripp asked.

“To find her,” I replied.

“You really think that’s the way to handle this? Do you not know her at all? Scare her and she’ll run. You need to stop and think about this. If you want to help her then good. I’m glad. She needs someone. She doesn’t want me and honestly, I don’t know if I could handle this. I’ve got my own demons. But she does want you. She held that hoodie so tightly, last night when she woke up and buried her face in it like she was trying to smell you that I was worried. I couldn’t imagine you cared enough about her to deal with this craziness. She’s smoking hot. I figured that was what you were in this for. But if you care about her enough to stay even though she has issues and it isn’t easy. Then good. I’m relieved.”

I looked back at him. “I’ll be whatever she needs me to be. I can’t walk away from her; I tried. I’m hooked. And now I’m about to lose my mind because I don’t know how to help her. I just need to go find her and hold her the rest of the damn day. I need to know she’s okay.”

Tripp walked over toward me. “I don’t know if she’s ready for you to know. I don’t think she trusts you to want her when you find out she’s got problems. Major emotional problems. You need to ease into this. Don’t go telling her you know and expect her to handle it. She’ll be furious with me for telling you and terrified of getting hurt when you run. So, she’ll beat you to it. She’ll run like hell. It’s how she deals.”

I hated this. He was right but I hated it. “What do I do?” I asked him needing someone to tell me. I couldn’t lose her.

“I’ll call you tonight when she goes to sleep. Come on over and sleep on the couch. When she starts the screaming you’ll be there. She’ll see that you aren’t scared and you can use that to prove to her you’re not running.”

Okay. I could do that. I could wait until tonight. But I was still going to find her now. If only to hold her. I wouldn’t tell her why. I just needed to make sure she was okay for my sanity.

Tripp opened the door and stepped back to let me in. I’d been sitting in the parking lot when he’d called two minutes ago to tell me she was asleep. I wasn’t sure how long it would take for this screaming to start up and I didn’t want Tripp to be the one holding her when she woke up this time. Never again.

“Were you already here?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t you just bring her home from work two hours ago?”

“Yeah.”

Tripp chuckled and shook his head. “Did you even leave?”

“No.”

He looked amused. “There’s a pillow and a blanket on the couch. I’m going to bed. It’s late and I need some sleep. Last night was rough.”

I didn’t have to ask him why. I knew what he meant by rough and it drove me mad to think about the fact I hadn’t been here. That she’d been suffering and I had no idea.

“Thanks,” I replied.

“Don’t thank me. You’ve not been through this yet. You may hate me when it’s over.” He had no idea what he was saying. I had held her when she’d completely checked out and froze at the party. I’d seen the blank look in her eyes and it’d scared me but I hadn’t wanted to run then either. I had wanted to protect her. This only made that instinct she brought out in me worse.

I lay down on the couch and stared at the ceiling. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to fall asleep. Not knowing that at any time now she was going to be suffering. My chest was so tight from the idea of it I kept having to take deep breaths to ease the pressure.

What had happened to her to cause this? My mind went back to that first day I saw her. She’d been so damn sexy yet adorable trying to figure out how to pump her gas. I’d thought she was just some carefree fun distraction. I hadn’t been prepared for the way she tasted though. And the smell. God, she smelled so damn good. I had gone a little crazy that night. Every time I brought her to an orgasm I’d needed to do it again. I kept thinking about the fact that this was it, that one night and then she’d be gone. So I’d wanted more. I had never eaten that much pussy in one night in my life. But I hadn’t been able to get enough of her. Then she’d finally fallen asleep from exhaustion and I’d forced myself to leave her there.

I closed my eyes as the pain sliced through me. Had she woken up screaming that night...

 

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Twisted Perfection Page 27



Della

The warmth and delicious smell of Woods hoodie was stronger than it had been when I’d fallen asleep. I snuggled closer and the hard body and arms wrapped around me caused me to pause. I took another deep breath and realized that it wasn’t Woods’ hoodie I was smelling. I opened my eyes and looked up to see Woods’ stubbled chin. He was in bed with me. He was also fully clothed. So was I. I thought back to last night and I was positive I’d gotten in bed by myself.

“Good morning,” his sexy deep voice said startling me. His eyes were still closed.

“Um… good morning,” I replied, watching him. A smile tugged on his lips and he opened his eyes and moved his head so he was looking down at me.

“You feel real good in the mornings,” he said, slipping his hand around my waist.

He did too. But where did he come from?

“Uh, thank you. Um, what are doing here?” I asked.

The humor in his eyes was replaced by something else. I wondered if I had hurt his feelings. Had I forgotten something? Was I blacking out now? Oh God…

“I came over last night after you went to sleep,” he said.

Relief swamped me. I hadn’t blacked out and forgotten something. I was okay. But why had he come back?

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to be here when you had a bad dream. I should be the one holding you, not Tripp.”

Understanding slowly dawned on me and I began to pull away from him. His arms tightened around me and I couldn’t move. “Don’t,” he said simply. “Let me finish.”

I stayed still in his arms. My body was completely stiff. He had been here to see my crazy. Had he seen it? I hadn’t woken up. Was he leaving me now? Did he see just how insane I was? I hated Tripp. He had told him. He’d seen us together yesterday and warned him that I was crazy.

“Tripp was worried about my intentions with you. He came to my office yesterday to talk to me about it before he caught us in there together. He wanted to see how serious I was where you were concerned. He was there to warn me off. I convinced him that I was more serious about you than I had ever been about a girl and he told me about your bad dreams. I wanted to be here. I couldn’t stand the idea of him holding you. Of you going through that and me not being here for you. Don’t be mad at me, sweetheart. Please, I don’t want you ever to sleep without me beside you again. I can’t stand the thought of you dealing with that alone.”

Tears swam in my eyes and I buried my face in his chest and let out a small sob. His words were so sweet and honest. He’d been here. He’d seen me and he wanted to be here again. Why? Did it not scare him?

“Don’t cry. I can’t stand to see you cry. I just want to make you happy.”

His words wrapped around my heart and I knew in that moment I had fallen in love with Woods. It might be stupid for me to love anyone but I did. I loved him. I couldn’t tell him though. He didn’t know everything about me and telling him I loved him was unfair. But I did. I loved him so much.

I wiped the tears from my eyes before looking at him again.

“Why do you want to stay near me? You’ve seen how messed up I am. Why aren’t you running?”

Woods cupped my face in his hand and he pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. “Because of this. You don’t understand why anyone would want you. Do you have any idea how many Angelinas I’ve known? They expected attention and devotion. They used their beauty to control. But you… you have no fucking clue how unbelievably beautiful and desirable you are. You’re not calculating and selfish. And you make me want to be better.”

I was completely sunk. This man had the power to destroy me. I moved over him and straddled his lap. I reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head before pulling his hoodie off me. I wanted to feel his skin against mine.

I pressed my bare chest against his and moaned from the pleasure. His chest was rising and falling hard and his hands tightened on my waist. But he didn’t move. He let me do this. I pulled back enough to brush my nipples across his hard pecs as I watched our heated skin touch.

“Baby,” he growled as his hand squeezed my waist.

“It feels good, doesn’t it?” I asked, unable to take my eyes off our chests. I arched forward and ran my nipples over his. The swift breath he sucked in through his teeth made me smile.

“Amazing,” he replied.

I loved him. I let that sink in as I ran my hands over his wide shoulders and down his arms. I wanted to kiss him everywhere. I wanted to know his body better than my own.

“Can I kiss you?” I asked looking up at him.

“Please,” he replied.

I pressed a kiss to his right nipple and his hands came up to grab my head. He hadn’t been expecting that. He’d thought I wanted a kiss. He hadn’t understood what I was asking. I continued to kiss him as I went down his body and licked each tight ripple of his stomach. When my hands found his jeans I unsnapped them and pulled the zipper down. Then I tugged them down and Woods lifted his hips enough for me to get them over his ass. I continued to take them further down his legs until they were lying in a heap on the floor. Smiling to myself, I began kissing my way up his muscular legs enjoying each flinch of his body as I licked the inside of his thigh. Then I reached up and took the erection that was standing at complete attention in my hands.

“Della,” Woods breathed unsteadily.

I didn’t look up at him as I opened my mouth and slid him in my mouth until the head of his cock brushed the back of my throat.

“Sweet, FUCK,” he cried out and his hand tugged lightly on my hair only making me more determined to drive him crazy.

I slowly ran my tongue over his sensitive flesh. His body was trembling beneath my touch and I loved it. I clamped my mouth over the head of his cock again and took him deep then I let him completely slide out of my mouth with a pop before filling my mouth with his hard pulsing flesh again.

“Della, baby, come up here. I’m gonna come,” he gasped.

I wanted him to come. I wanted this with him. I cupped his balls in my hands and began gently kneading and squeezing them as I sucked harder on the tip of his cock before taking it as deeply as I could until I gagged.

“Fuck, shit, oh, oh,” he groaned. He liked hearing me gag.

I did it again and his hand tightened in my hair and he threw his head back. “I’m gonna come in that pretty mouth,” he warned and I took him even deeper and let the gagging noise last longer this time before pulling back.

With a roar he held my head still as he shot his release into my mouth. I’d never let a guy do this before. But I loved it. I loved feeling his body tremble and hear his words of praise. Once I had swallowed everything I ran my tongue over the red head of his softening cock and he grabbed me and pulled me away from him with a laugh. “You’re gonna kill me but it’s gonna be the sweetest death any man has ever known.”

I went into his arms as he wrapped me up in his embrace.

He buried his head in the curve of my neck and shoulder and let out a shaky breath. “Don’t leave me, Della.”

Those words meant more than he could ever know.

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 28



Woods

I wasn’t going to be able to get any work done today. My mind was on figuring out how to convince Della that she was moving into my house. Today. I couldn’t deal with her staying with Tripp any longer. That and the memory of my dick buried so deep down her throat that she was fucking gagging. Damn. I’d never had a blowjob like that one. It had been completely different from any other one I’d experienced.

Della hadn’t been worried about getting it over with or what was coming next. She had sucked me with complete abandon. I’d tried to stop her when she’d gagged the first time but then she’d done it again and I snapped. When I’d come in her mouth, I had been afraid I’d pushed her too far but then she’d tried to fucking suck me some more.

God. I was hard as a rock again. That one memory was going to keep me hard for the rest of my life. I had to find her. She worked the lunch shift and I had stayed hidden in here. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to control myself if I felt like she was being mistreated or if someone looked at her ass.

I headed for my truck when I saw Della standing by her car talking to Bethy who looked like she’d just gotten off work too. I loved Jace like a brother but Bethy I didn’t trust. She was a little too wild and I didn’t know if I liked the idea of her hanging around with Della. I wouldn’t put it past her to try and fix Della up with some guy. Bethy needed to know where things stood and that Della was mine.

I walked over to them and pulled Della into my arms causing her to squeal in surprise. She tilted her head back and smiled up at me. “Hey you. I didn’t see you at lunch.”

The playful look in her eyes had my already hard cock throbbing. “I had to get some work done. I’m finished now.”

“Oh,” she said, not moving from my arms. I stepped closer to her and let her feel the proof of my arousal against her back.

“So, she is the reason you didn’t go through with the Greystone thing,” Bethy said. It wasn’t a question. She was just affirming something she’d already suspected.

“Yeah, she is.”

Bethy grinned and nodded her head. “Good. You admit it.” She looked back at Della. “Well, I don’t think anyone would mind if you brought the boss. Since he will be sidetracked with you and all it should be fine. You’re invited and so is he.”

Della nodded her head and Bethy wiggled her fingers at us in a wave before walking off.

“What was she talking about?” I asked.

Della turned around in my arms and took a step closer so my erection was brushing her stomach. Damn she was a tease. “The club staff is having a bonfire Saturday night. It’s something they do at the end of Spring Break season before the summer season hits. You wanna go?”

I knew about the staff’s bonfires. I’d had to go bail several former employees out of jail in the past from indecent exposure on the beach during one of these bonfires. I wasn’t about to let her go without me.

“If you want to go, I’ll go with you.”

She frowned. “Do you think it’s okay for them to know we’re dating? Since you’re the boss?”

I could see directly down her shirt and her generous cleavage was distracting. “It will be fine. They need to know you’re mine.”

She moved against me and mischief gleamed in her eyes.

“Della, sweetheart, unless you want to get fucked in the nearest closet you’ll stop it.”

Della tilted her head to the side. “I like closets.”

Hell. I grabbed her hand and dragged her giggling to the back of the cart shed. pulled out my keys to unlock the supply closet. It was nice and cold in there because it was where we kept the beers for the cart girls.

I’d discuss moving her out of Tripp’s later. Then we’d discuss both going to get tested and getting her on some form of birth control. I wanted to feel Della without any damn barriers.

***

The only things Della had to be moved fit into two suitcases. Tripp had told me he was leaving in a week or so and that Della would be alone again soon but that didn’t ease my mind. I’d just be sleeping there. I wasn’t about to let her sleep alone again. Ever.

She finally agreed to moving in with me but kept telling me I was going to regret it.

We’d both been tested yesterday and were clean. However, the recommendation for the pill they had given Della said that it was best to wait seven days until we had unprotected sex.

Just the idea that I could slide up inside her without worry was making it hard to concentrate.

I sat outside on the porch waiting on Della to get back from work. I wasn’t scheduling her on night shifts anymore. I hated her not being with me. I also didn’t do well sitting in the dining room watching her. Everyone pissed me off.

It was best if I just stayed away for her and me. The last thing I needed was for my dad to find out about Della and blame her for the fact I wouldn’t marry Angelina.

My phone rang interrupting my thoughts and I pulled it out of my pocket to see Jimmy’s name on the screen. Shit. He was working tonight too. He wouldn’t call unless something had gone wrong. I stood up ready to go back to the club.

“Hello.”

“Uh, Woods. Hey, it’s Jimmy. I got a problem on my hands. It’s Della”

I was running for the door at the sound of her name. “What’s wrong?” I demanded as I jerked my truck door open and climbed inside.

“I don’t know, man. She just freaked or something. I can’t explain it. She was working and everything was okay. Then some teenage boys came in. Drew Morgan and that crew. They had a tennis tournament today. I think one of them cornered her on his way to the bathroom. I’m not sure but she isn’t responding and she’s in the corner back here outside the ladies’ restroom. I’m guarding her but I can’t get her to respond to me. She makes whimpering sounds sometimes but other than that she won’t say anything.”

My heart felt like it was about to beat out of my chest. “Stay there with her. Don’t let anyone near her. I’ll be there in less than five minutes. Just STAY with her Jimmy. Tell her I’m coming okay? Tell her I’m on my way.” I slung the phone across the seat and sped to the club. She was scared. I was going to beat the hell out of the kid who upset her. I should have never left her there. Pulling into the parking lot my tires squealed and I left the truck running as I slammed it in park and took off running for the back entrance. I saw Jimmy’s back as he blocked her from anyone’s view. I shoved past him and bent down in front of her and scooped her up in my arms.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you. You come back to me okay,” I soothed her as I walked back out to the privacy of my truck with her. When I turned to push the door open with my back I saw Jimmy standing there watching us.

“You tell no one about this,” I warned.

He only nodded before I turned and took her to the truck. I sat in the passenger seat and kept her tucked up against my chest.

“Come back to me, baby. No one’s going to hurt you. I have you,” I reassured her, holding her close to my chest. “I shouldn’t have left you and I’m sorry. But I’m here now. You’re okay.”

Her wide vacant eyes blinked slowly and then the recognition in them as she focused on me was one of relief. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she held on tightly.

“I’m sorry. I did it again. I’m so sorry. I’ll leave. I promise.” Her garbled words made no sense until she said she would leave. I tightened my hold on her.

“You won’t go anywhere or I’ll chase your ass down. I’m the one who is sorry. I wasn’t here when you needed me. I should have been here. Tell me what happened. I won’t leave you again. I swear it.”

She sniffled and pressed her face against my neck. “This will happen again. It will always happen. I can’t make it stop. I’ve tried but I can’t. I shouldn’t be working here. It’s too nice of a place for a crazy person.”

“Don’t,” I snapped, pulling her back to look at my face. I wanted her to see me when I said this. She needed to believe me. “You’re not crazy. You’re beautiful and fun. You’re selfless and big-hearted. You’re a hard worker and you don’t expect anything from anyone but You. Are. Not. Crazy.” I grabbed her face in my hands. “I don’t want to ever, and I mean EVER, hear you call yourself that again. Do you understand me? You call yourself any of those things I said but never crazy.” I pulled her back into my arms and held her. I didn’t trust myself to say anything else at the moment. My emotions were running too close to the surface.

“There was this boy. He was a couple years younger than me,” she paused and took a deep breath. “He said he wanted to lock me up in a room and do things to me. It,” she stopped and I heard her swallow hard. “It wasn’t that I was scared really. It was when he threatened to lock me up in a room. My cr… my fears took over. The panic set in.”

She was scared of being locked up. Why? Had someone done that...

 

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Twisted Perfection Page 29



Della

Woods would have carried me inside if I would have let him. He was hovering over me so carefully that if I didn’t love him I’d be annoyed. He was worried about me and he deserved to understand some of this. Maybe not all of it but he needed to know something.

“I had an older brother once. I’ve only seen pictures of him and my father. I don’t remember them. I was too young when it all happened.” I wasn’t sure telling him this wasn’t going to send me into another tailspin but I had to try. He sat down beside me and put his arm around my back and pulled me against his chest. It was like he knew I needed him for this. His hand threaded with mine and he squeezed it. I was going to be okay. He was here with me.

“One day they went to run errands. I was a newborn and my mother was nursing me. We didn’t go with them. They never returned. They were shot along with several other people in a local grocery store. A guy had gotten angry or something and shot ten people before he was shot and killed himself. My dad and brother had been standing in the checkout line when he walked in. They were the first two killed.” That was a story I had heard many times from my mother as she explained the dangers if we went outside. I knew it well. I burrowed back into Woods’ arms and kept my mind from losing focus and getting lost in my memories.

“I’ve got you. I’m right here,” he assured me. His other hand found mine and he held it too.

“My mother’s mother had been mentally ill. I never met her. She was in a special home. We had no other family. My father had grown up in foster homes. Neither of them had siblings. My grandmother lost touch with reality shortly after my mother’s birth. Her father hadn’t stuck around to raise her for long. Mom was raised by her father’s mother who died when she was sixteen. She and my father met in a foster home when they were seventeen. From the pictures we had I could see a healthy woman and good mother. My brother seemed to love her. She seemed happy. But I never knew that woman. We moved after my dad and brother were killed. She moved us from a small town in Nebraska to an even smaller one in Georgia. My earliest memories were in that house in Macon. My mother’s wild eyes and screaming fits were all I knew of life. She could be so sweet at times but other times she was frightening. She talked to my brother a lot. I didn’t understand for years who she was talking to. It was just the two of us. But she saw him, I think.”

I closed my eyes against the memory of my mother speaking to my dead brother as if he were there. The plate of food she would fix him with his favorite snacks left uneaten and moldy on the table. Once it had gotten so rotten I’d been unable to go into the kitchen without getting nauseated. She would finally throw it away and fix him some more.

“Did no one see she was unwell?” Woods asked as his thumb traced circles on my hand.

“No. No one saw us at all. No one knew I existed. We didn’t leave the house. Ever. My mother believed there was danger outside. She was keeping us safe.”

Woods sucked in a breath and I waited for the questions. The ones I’d answered a million times since her suicide.

“Where did you get food?”

“There was a local grocery store that delivered it. She called and ordered it.”

“Where did you get money?”

“My father had a very good life insurance policy. My mother sold the house in Nebraska and used her profit to buy one much smaller in a cheaper location so she could pay for it in cash.”

“School?”

“I was home schooled.”

“You never left your house? Ever?”

This was what was so hard for people to accept. It was a foreign idea to them and it had been my reality.

“My mother suffered from a severe case of agoraphobia. Because of mental illness ran in her family it made her case so much worse. The death of my brother and father triggered it and she became desperate to protect us. To the extent of taking away my life. I knew nothing of the world until I was old enough to sneak out at night. Braden, she’s my best friend and the reason I’m on this quest to experience life, lived next door. She was curious about us because she and her parents had realized we never left the house.

The night I snuck out the first time she saw me because she had been watching my house at night when she was in bed to see if we ever left. She was convinced we were vampires and she wanted to prove it to her parents. I didn’t get far. I only stood in my front yard and looked up at the moon and touched the grass. Simple things I’d always wanted to do. Braden came out and talked to me that night still thinking I was possibly a vampire. Our friendship grew over the years and my sneaking out changed and got more intense as I got older. Braden knew more about me than anyone. She was the only person who really knew I existed. She also knew I worried about losing my mom if anyone ever found out. So she kept my secret.”

I couldn’t tell him anymore. I needed to stop. This was enough. The other was too dark and it hurt too much.

“Where’s your mom?”

“She’s dead.”

He didn’t reply. His arms tightened their hold on me.

“I can’t talk about it anymore tonight. That’s enough.”

He didn’t argue. He just continued to hold me. We sat there in silence for a long time until my eyes got heavy and I slowly drifted off to sleep.

 

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Woods

There were no words. I had held Della all night and she hadn’t woken up screaming one time. Now that I knew the horror she’d lived through, I wondered what she was dreaming that caused her to scream. I knew it had to do with her mother. There was more to that story than she’d told me but for now that was all she wanted me to know. It was enough.

I watched her sleep peacefully beside me as the sun rose and the early morning daylight began to dance across the water. Having her in my room and in my bed was perfect. Nothing had ever been this perfect. But my chest was tight and my heart felt heavy. There was so much pain and emotional abuse that Della had suffered and I wasn’t sure how to help her heal.

She stirred in my arms and I kissed the tip of her nose. She was mine. I would take care of her. I wanted to help her forget all this pain and darkness in her eyes. Her long lashes fluttered as her eyes opened and she looked up at me.

“Good morning,” I told her as she stretched in my arms with a sleepy smile.

“I don’t think I’ve slept that hard in a very long time,” she said then stifled a yawn.

“It’s because I’m so damn comfortable,” I teased.

“I agree. All this softness is comfy,” she said and grinned wickedly at me.

“Softness? I’ll show you softness,” I said flipping her on her back to press my morning hard-on against the crotch of her panties. “There’s nothing soft about that.”

She made a purring sound and opened her legs so that I’d fit comfortably between them. “No, nothing soft at all,” she agreed and lifted her hips to rub against me.

I could feel the wet silk of her panties through my underwear and I groaned in pleasure. She was already wet.

“I was gonna get up and make you breakfast,” I said as she continued to rub her damp pussy against my cock.

“Hmmm, that’s sweet. Why don’t you make love to me first,” she said, reaching for the bottom of my tee shirt I’d dressed her in last night before bringing her to bed. I’d also taken the liberty of taking off her bra because those couldn’t be comfortable to sleep in. This morning both round globes bounced freely in my face and I forgot about the breakfast and my good intentions. Even the words ‘make love to me’ that had startled me at first no longer mattered. Della was in my bed and she was getting naked. She started shimmying out of her panties when I decided to catch up and jerked my shirt off and then pulled my boxers off and tossed them aside.

Della opened her legs and smiled naughtily up at me. “Put it in bare. You can pull out,” she said, lifting her hips up to me in invitation. Pulling out wasn’t always safe but fuck me I didn’t care right now. I wanted inside her without a barrier and the sweet nectar dribbling out of her opening was more than I could handle. I pressed her knees open and plunged in.

We both cried out in pleasure as I filled her in one swift move. The heat was so soft and tight around me. I’d never felt it like this before. I was so close to coming already that I had to hold still.

“Woods, this feels so good. You feel so good. I need you close. So close,” she panted as her chest rose and fell under me.

I reached down and rubbed her clit with my finger using the juice from her pussy to stimulate it. She began to buck under me and I moved in and out of her slowly. Once she lost it and the walls of her heat started squeezing me I was going to have to pull out. I was too close. The sensation was killing me.

“Just like that. Oh, Woods, yes, rub it, yes, ohmygod, yes.” Her begging and cries came to a halt right before she shuddered underneath me and cried out my name.

I moved in her one more time before jerking out and coming all over her stomach. Seeing my spunk pooled up on her flat stomach only made my chest clench tighter. Mine. I’d marked her again. She was mine.

I slowly got up then went and got a warm washcloth to clean her off. She was staring down at my mess and grinning when I got back. I started to wipe it off and she giggled.

“What’s so funny?” I asked. I loved hearing her laugh.

“I’ve never had a guy come on me like that before. I think I liked it.”

The idea of any other guy’s cum getting anywhere near her pissed me off. I didn’t want visual images of Della and some other guy. How many guys could she have been with? She missed most of her life locked up by her mother.

“You look upset. What did I say wrong?”

I finished cleaning her off then looked up at her. “You didn’t say anything wrong. I just… I just don’t like thinking about you and another guy.”

She sat up on her elbows. “I’ve only been with three counting you.”

Two more than what would make me happy. But it wasn’t fair to get pissed. I had slept with more girls than I could count.

“You were my second if that helps.”

Her second? What the fuck… did that mean? Ah, hell. I didn’t want to think about this. She’d had sex after our first time together. I had with Angelina. But fuck me if it wasn’t hard to swallow. She’d gone to Dallas and hooked up with her married boss there. Why had I walked away from her that night? Because she was a one-night stand. A one-night stand that completely blew my mind but still. I’d done what we both expected me to do. Or had she?

I couldn’t think about this. I shoved off the bed and stalked back to the bathroom to calm down. This was not her fault. I was becoming a complete possessive bastard and she didn’t deserve that.

A small hand touched my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

I turned around and she was standing completely naked with a worried frown on her forehead. She’d woken up in a happy mood and I had ruined it with my need to own her. What was wrong with me?

I pulled her to me until her breasts brushed my chest. “I’m sorry. I’m an ass. I got all pissy thinking about someone else… about some… shit. I can’t even say it.”

Della stepped closer, ran her hands up my chest, and locked them behind my neck.

“No one’s ever been inside me without a condom on. Only you. When this week is over you’ll be the only man to ever fill me with his cum.”

The caveman was beating his chest at the idea of finding my release deep inside her and letting my seed coat the tight little hole I was obsessed with.

I brushed the hair in her face away and tilted her chin up until I could press my lips firmly against hers. This girl was going to consume me.

 

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Twisted Perfection Page 31



Della

The rest of the week Woods brought me to work and sat at an empty table while I worked. When my shift was over he asked me to tell him something I’d always wanted to do but hadn’t gotten the chance. Every day he made it happen. We had gone boating, taken a helicopter ride, gone parasailing, and eaten raw oysters. He rarely left my side. The sex was amazing and it just seemed to be getting better and more intense. I wasn’t having night terrors anymore either. I slept deeply and woke up relaxed and rested the next day.

Tonight was the staff’s bonfire and I was expected to be there. I still wasn’t sure taking Woods was a good idea. Other than Bethy and Jimmy no one knew we were dating. I hadn’t run into anyone else on our dates. I had dressed in my bikini and put a matching sundress over it. I wasn’t sure I was brave enough to swim but Bethy had said everyone at least got their feet wet. I was prepared for that and more.

Woods parked his truck and came around to get me because he was determined I shouldn’t open a car door by myself. It was cute really.

His hand slipped into mine and he held it. This was it. If any staff member was curious about the two of us, Woods was about to make it very clear.

“Sure you don’t want to turn and run?” I asked, smiling up at him.

“Nope.”

“They may treat me differently,” I replied, thinking it could cause some hard feelings with other workers.

“I’ll fire them.”

I stopped and looked up at him. He was grinning. I slapped his arm. “That wasn’t funny.”

“Yeah, it was. Besides, if they upset you I will fire them.”

Mental note: don’t tell him if anyone upsets me.

The smell of burning wood and the sound of music filled the air as we walked into the gathering of people. Some were dancing. Others were roasting something over the fire and then a few were playing volleyball in the moonlight.

“Thirsty?” Woods asked, leading me over to the keg that was sitting up on blocks.

“I don’t much like beer from a keg. I had it once and got sick,” I told him.

He frowned. “How much did you drink?”

“I funneled it actually so I’m not sure.”

Woods’ eyebrows shot up. “You funneled beer?”

It had been one of the items on my checklist of things to do. ‘Go to a party and drink lots of beer.’ I hadn’t known about funneling but it hadn’t been hard to get me to try it. Braden had warned me I’d get sick but I’d tried it anyway.

“Yeah. Dumb decision. Frat party,” I explained. It had been at that party I’d met the guy I’d given my virginity to. Three dates later he’d talked me into sex. I’d been so naive and stupid.

“You’re here,” Bethy said, smiling as she walked up with a large red solo cup in her hand. “Drink up. The beer’s free.”

I shook my head.

“Della doesn’t drink beer from kegs. Anything else to drink around here?” Woods asked.

Bethy nodded and walked over to a cooler and threw me a bottle of water. Perfect.

“Thank you,” I told her and she saluted me before walking back over to the people dancing and Jace stepped out and wrapped his arms around her.

“Are you against me drinking beer from a keg?” Woods asked.

I shook my head and took a sip of my water.

“Good, I need something.” He walked over there and I stayed where I was. I couldn’t follow him everywhere he went. I was becoming too needy where he was concerned. I didn’t want to be codependent. My psychiatrist had talked to me about that. She said I needed to work hard to be independent and that it could be hard for me after the life I’d lived.

“Hey, Della, right?” a guy I didn’t recognize said with a slight slur.

I nodded. I wasn’t sure who he was or how he knew my name.

“Nelton, I’m the tennis pro at the club,” he said with a wink.

I nodded and glanced over to see Harold from the kitchen talking to Woods.

“Nice to meet you,” I replied.

“I’ve been watching you. Wasn’t sure if you were available or not.” He took a step closer and I managed to move to the right without looking like I was trying to get away from him.

“Oh,” was all I said. I wasn’t sure I needed to announce that I was in a relationship with Woods or not.

“You a friend of Mr. Kerrington’s? I saw you show up with him.”

“Can I help you Nelton?” Woods said just before he moved in behind me. I let out the sigh of relief. I hadn’t wanted to answer that.

“No, sir. I was just getting to know, Della.” Woods’ hand slipped around to the front of my stomach and he left it splayed there in a possessive gesture. Nelton didn’t miss it. His eyes widened and he nodded.

“Good to meet you, Della,” he replied. “See ya Mr. Kerrington.” Then he sauntered away.

“I can’t leave you alone for three minutes,” he said before taking a small nibble on my ear.

“Your tennis pro is creepy,” I told him.

Woods chuckled. “I agree but the cougars love him. I know for a fact he sleeps with several of them but it keeps them happy so we don’t let him go. Not good for business.”

I wasn’t sure what the cougars were but I didn’t ask. I needed to pee. I glanced around and there were no restrooms anywhere. I found Bethy and decided to go ask her. “I need to ask Bethy something. I’ll be back,” I said before hurrying off. I didn’t want to tell him I had to pee. I preferred to just ask Bethy.

She saw me headed her way alone and stepped out of Jace’s embrace and walked over to me.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Yes. I just need to pee. Where do we do that here?”

Bethy grinned and nodded her head out to the water where people were splashing around and swimming in the waves.

“In the gulf?” I asked confused.

She nodded.

Crap. I was in trouble.

I walked back over to Woods who was watching me closely. I was going to have to tell him, as frustrating and embarrassing as it was. Maybe I could walk down the beach a way then pee. No one would see me get in and know what I was doing.

A girl screamed that she had to go pee and ran out to the water. That was just gross.

I stopped in front of Woods and felt my face heat up. Discussing bodily functions with guys was just not something I was good at.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

I ducked my head and took a deep breath. “I have to pee.”

He didn’t say anything at first and then he chuckled. “That’s why you ran off to find Bethy?”

I nodded.

“Why couldn’t you tell me?”

I kept my head down. “Because.”

He laughed harder and threaded his fingers through mine. “Did she tell you where to go?”

I nodded again.

He pulled me over to him. “Do you want me to take you home so you can pee?”

I did. I didn’t want to use the ocean. But I didn’t want us to have to leave either.

“Maybe I can go down the beach a ways and use it so no one sees me,” I suggested.

“Can I come with you?” he asked.

I shook my head. No way. That was just as bad.

“Just let me take you home.”

I could do this. “I’ll be back in a minute.” I assured him.

“I don’t like the idea of you getting in the water by yourself in the dark,” Woods said tightening his hold on my hand.

“But I need to pee. I’d be getting in by myself here and moving away from everyone if I did.”

Woods didn’t let go of my hand. “I don’t like it.”

I frowned up at him. “But I gotta go,” I told him.

“Then I’m taking you somewhere. Either I get to go down the beach too or I drive you to a restroom.”

I thought about it and decided I wasn’t going to be able to go out into the water and pee. I sighed in defeat. “Take me to a restroom.”

He grinned. “The closest one I can get you into is the house.”

“Then take me to the house.”

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 32



Woods

Della had asked me to wait on her in the truck. She didn’t want me to go inside with her so she could pee. I agreed to that. There had been no way I was letting her go get in dark water all alone but this I could do. However, after several minutes and Della not coming back out I decided I needed to go check on things. She’d had more than enough time to go pee.

When my foot hit the top step I heard Angelina’s familiar high-pitched voice. Shit. Her car wasn’t out here. What was she doing in my house?

I jerked the door open and stalked into my living room. Della stood there with her arms crossed protectively over her chest as she stood against the wall while Angelina continued to badger her with questions.

“What the fuck are you doing in my house?” I roared as I shoved past Angelina and grabbed Della so I could protect her. It was a miracle Angelina hadn’t sent Della into one of her panic attacks. I ran my hand down her back to soothe her as I glared at Angelina who was watching me closely.

“This is why? You threw away your future because of her? She works as a server at the club, Woods. What the hell are you thinking? Look at her. She’s… she’s… just all out there. Nothing about her fits you. Are you fucking her as a form of rebellion?”

Della flinched in my arms and I was real close to not caring that Angelina was a woman. I was ready to hurt her.

“Be very careful what you say. This is my house you broke into. I’ll have your ass locked up until your daddy can get here and bail you out.”

Della was stiff in my arms and I slid my finger under her chin and tilted her face up so I could see her eyes. She was with me. Good.

I looked back up at Angelina. “You need to leave. Don’t ever step foot back in this house. And stay away from Della. You talk to her or hurt her and you’ll regret it.”

Angelina hissed and slung her hair over her shoulder. “You don’t threaten me Woods Kerrington. I’m not scared of you. This… this farce you have going on here with her,” she pointed her long manicured nail toward Della, “it’s ridiculous. I would have still married you. All you had to do was tell me you needed to get this one out of your system.”

Della flinched in my arms again and I’d had enough.

“Get. Out. Now,” I roared.

“Well, I need to call someone to get me. I had my daddy drop me off here. I thought I could wait on you and talk to you. But she came walking in instead of you.”

“You have a phone. Leave my house and call someone to come get you. I want you out of here.”

Angelina spun around and her heels clacked against my hard wood floors. When the door slammed behind her I picked Della up and carried her into my room and sat down with her on the bed.

“Look at me,” I said, needing to see her face.

She lifted her eyes to me and the confusion and pain I’d expected to see wasn’t there. Instead she was… angry.

“You were going to marry that bitch? Really? What were your parents thinking? She’s horrible, Woods. You’re so much better than that. I can’t...”

I covered her mouth with mine before she could say anything else. I was so damn relieved to hear the anger in her voice instead of hurt I just needed to reassure myself she was okay.

Della kissed me back with equal vigor then pushed me away.

“I still have got to pee,” she said and stood up.

I smiled as she ran to the bathroom.

Then the fact my father was going to know about Della hit me and any humor that had been there was gone. He’d hate this. He’d hate her. If there was any way I could shut Angelina up I would. I just didn’t know how. She was a woman scorned. She’d been tossed for someone else and she was furious.

I reached for my iPhone and turned it off. If he called tonight I wasn’t dealing with him. I would make sure Della was nowhere near when I had this conversation with him. If he pushed me too far I’d pack up and leave. Della had a list of places she wanted to see and we’d make sure to go see them all.

The bathroom door opened and Della walked out in a yellow bikini that barely contained her tits. Just like the one she’d had on that day at the beach causing every man around to drool. I watched her as she walked toward me.

“Do you know what today is?” she asked. My eyes were on her chest. Her tits bounced as she walked.

“Saturday,” I replied.

She reached up and untied the bikini strap and let it fall to the ground leaving her breasts bare. Didn’t look like we were going back to the bonfire.

“It’s been seven days since I took the first pill,” she said as she slipped her thumbs into the sides of her bikini bottoms and slowly slid them down her legs and stepped out of them.

It had been seven days. How the hell did I forget that? I jerked my shirt over my head and stood up and grabbed her then threw her on the bed.

“Here I was worried you were going to be upset because of my crazy ex and you come walking out of the bathroom giving me a strip tease. Fuck, woman, you’re every damn fantasy I’ve ever had.”

She threw her hands over her head and grabbed the headboard with both her hands.

“I want you to come inside me. Over and over again,” she said opening her legs and arching her back playfully.

I pulled my board shorts off and climbed on top of her. “The first time it is gonna be fast because I can’t wait. I need to do this. We’ll go slow and easy the next time, I swear.”

She licked her lips slowly. “Then fuck me hard.”

I was gonna explode before I even got inside her if she kept this naughty little temptress act up.

I lifted her hips and slammed into her in one hard move.

“YES! Oh God, yes,” she cried out and I let any concern about taking care of her go. She wanted the bad boy and I was real ready to unleash him. The idea of coming inside her was making my balls tighten just from the thought. I wouldn’t be able to stop tonight. I was going to fuck her all over this house.

I slid out and back in over and over again as she writhed beneath me. She was begging and crying my name. Her nails clawed at my back and I knew her marks would be there tomorrow. It made me even more insane. I wanted her marks all over me. Just as thoroughly as I was about to mark her pussy.

Della lifted her knees and squeezed my hips with her legs. “I’m gonna come,” she panted. “Oh god. Now, I’m,ahhhh,” she cried out and her nails dug into my back as she held onto me.

I let her squeeze me until I exploded inside her. My body shook as I drove into her one last time as my seed flooded her walls. I wanted to shout in triumph knowing this was mine. Nothing my family wanted or demanded could make me walk away from this. From her.

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 33



Della

I drank coffee while I sat out on Woods’ porch and watched the waves break against the sand. I had been forbidden to go to work today. Woods said he’d have to deal with his dad and having me there would stress him out. He was worried about me getting hurt. After the night we’d spent, I was too weak to do much of anything else. So, I’d agreed and stayed here.

If working at the club was going to be an issue I’d need to get a job somewhere else. But that hadn’t been an argument I wanted to deal with today. Last night’s high was still with me. I’d lost count of how many orgasms I’d had but I knew Woods had come inside me five times. Each and every time had been memorable.

I had taken my pill first thing this morning before brushing my teeth. If we were going to start having sex like this I couldn’t miss one.

I couldn’t have children. That would be a horrible fate to give a kid. A mother who was destined to lose her mind at some point. No kid needed a life like I’d had. I swore I’d never do to a child what my mother did to me but I couldn’t be sure. Not if I snapped mentally. My mother hadn’t been a bad person. She’d just been unwell.

I shook that fear away because I was being careful. I wouldn’t get pregnant.

My phone rang and I reached for it. Braden’s name flashed across the screen. I hadn’t talked to her in over a week. I’d been so wrapped up in Woods I hadn’t taken time to call her.

“Good morning,” I said into the phone.

“Good morning stranger who doesn’t call her best friend anymore. How are you?” she replied.

“I’m good.” The meaning behind that one simple word was powerful.

Braden laughed. “Good, huh? Like how good? Like he’s super hot and gives you multiple orgasms, or good like you’ve never had better sex, or good like you’re gonna marry him and have his kids?”

I had been smiling until the last sentence. My smile vanished and my heart slammed against my chest. Marry him and have his kids… I could never marry him. He knew that. I’d told him I was crazy and that I could mentally snap at any minute. Did he even love me? I didn’t think so. He hadn’t told me. But I loved him. I loved him more than anything. And I couldn’t marry him. This would have to end eventually because I couldn’t marry him. He would want kids. He didn’t need a wife who would eventually lose her mind.

Oh God. What was I doing?

“Della, you okay?” Braden’s voice asked. I could hear the worry in it. “Shit. Della I didn’t think before I said that. Dammit honey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. Think about the guy and the hot sex. Think about everything you need to tell me. Stay focused. Stay with me.” She was working hard to get me back on track. The problem was I wasn’t off track. I was very well aware of the truth. The facts. And I’d let myself forget them.

“I love him. I can’t love him,” I said quietly into the phone.

The door behind me opened and I turned around to see a man I’d only seen once before. It had been at the ball when I’d had to sing. It was Woods’ father.

“Don’t you say that, Della. You can love him. You deserve this. You are not your mother. You can be happy. This is what I wanted for you for so long. Does he love you too?” Braden’s voice asked me on the other line.

I stared up at Woods’ father as he walked over and took a seat facing me. Why was he here? He was supposed to be with Woods.

“I can’t. I don’t know,” I told her, unable to look away from the hard cold eyes in front of me.

“Yes, you can. You can have babies. They will be beautiful and special like you. Don’t think you can’t.” I had to stop her. I could feel the darkness starting to close in. Visions of my mother and her wild eyes staring at me. The phone fell from my hand.

“Let’s keep this simple,” the man staring at me said with disgust in his voice. “How much money is it going to take to get you to leave and never step foot back in this town again? Name your price and it’s yours.”

Della, Della, let’s sing a song. Della, Della, come eat with your brother. His food is getting cold. He’s waiting on you. Della, did you see your brother’s favorite shirt in the laundry room? He said you took it and he’s very upset. He won’t eat Della. He won’t eat. We have to make him eat.

Did you go outside Della? Your brother said you did. He said you snuck outside while I was sleeping. He sees you. He just wants to keep you safe. I didn’t keep him safe but he’s helping me with you. Don’t you want to be safe Della? You can’t go out there.

Della, he said he was waiting on me. He loves me Della. You don’t love me. You want to disobey me and run around at night outside in the dark. He doesn’t disobey me. He wishes he had stayed with me. Now he’s waiting on me. He said he’d eat his food if I came to him. Della, how do I go to him? What do I do?

“Momma! NO! Momma! NO!” My cries don’t ease the pain. The blood is everywhere. In a pool around her body. I left her and she went to him. I shouldn’t have left. I shouldn’t have left.

I blinked my eyes several times. I was on the ground. I touched the warm wood underneath me and slowly eased myself up. I was lying on the porch. Confused I glanced around and saw my phone lying on the lounger beside me and my cup of coffee on the table beside it.

Mr. Kerrington had been here. I’d been on the phone with Braden. Crap, Braden, I reached for my phone and I had several missed calls from her and two from Woods. I hadn’t been out long. It was only an hour later than the last time I checked. Good.

I glanced back at the door and wondered what I was going to do about Mr. Kerrington. Had I dreamed him being here or was it real? Would he just leave me like that? Wouldn’t he have called Woods? I started to get up when I heard the front door open and then Woods came running into the living room and straight for me. I quickly stood up just in time for him to barrel out onto the porch and pull me into his arms.

“You’re okay. You didn’t answer. I called and you didn’t answer. Why are you on the ground? Did it happen? Did you have a panic attack? Why? Come here.” He was babbling as he sat down on the lounger I’d been sitting in earlier and held me in his lap.

He brushed my hair back out of my face and pressed a firm hard kiss to my lips.

“You scared me to death, Della. Why didn’t you answer baby? Are you okay?”

I didn’t want to tell him the truth but then I didn’t want to lie to him either. But I wasn’t positive his father had been here so I wasn’t going to bring that up.

“I was talking to Braden and she said something that triggered a memory. She didn’t mean to it just happens sometimes. I think I blacked out. I woke up on the ground. She’s called me more times than you. I need to call her back she’s probably freaking out.”

Woods pulled me into his arms. “Dammit. I hate that you went through that alone. I can’t stand it. Fuck,” he growled as he held me tight.

He couldn’t keep doing this. He was getting too upset over my issues. I was already screwed up and I was just going to get worse. It was inevitable. Could he handle that? No. I knew he couldn’t. He would also want kids.

“You can’t always be with me Woods. You have to accept this will happen sometimes when you aren’t around.”

Woods let out a defeated sigh. “I can’t do that. I don’t ever want you alone when that happens. I’m going to find a cure. I’m going to find the best damn doctors out there that can help you with this. We can beat this. I promise you.” He sounded so determined. I hadn’t been honest with him. I hadn’t explained to him that this was just the beginning of my madness.

The look in his eyes mirrored what I felt. Did that mean he loved me? Had I let him fall in love with me completely blind to whom it was he was loving?

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 34



Woods

Della had talked to Braden and reassured her it wasn’t her fault then gone to lie down and take a nap. She seemed off. Something wasn’t right. I’d never known her to take a nap during the day. And when she’d told me about her episode she hadn’t told me everything. I could see something in her eyes. A hesitation.

I stood at the door to the bedroom and watched her sleep. She was curled up in a ball, which she did often.

Seeing her on the ground when I’d walked in had been like a kick to the stomach. I’d feared driving home that this was what had happened. I hadn’t been sure until I’d seen her there struggling to get up. I hated the idea of it. I hated that she even had the damn things. I was getting her help. Immediately.

My father had also been conveniently missing today. I hadn’t been able to track him down and deal with him. It wasn’t fair that I had needed to leave Della here alone when she could have been at the club with me. I wasn’t doing this to her anymore. That was probably why she’d had the damn attack anyway. She’d been thinking about me hiding her from my dad and thinking she was a problem. I should have thought of that.

A knock on the door broke into my thoughts and I closed the bedroom door so whoever it was didn’t wake up Della before I went to answer it.

Tripp stood on the other side of the door with his hands tucked into the front of his jeans. I opened the door and stepped back to let him in.

“Tripp,” I said in greeting.

“Came to say goodbye. It’s time I left this place and found somewhere new. My dad came to see me yesterday and it didn’t go well,” he explained.

I understood that. Maybe leaving was my only answer. It was his.

“Where you headed?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Don’t know yet. I’ll know it when I find it.”

I nodded and glanced down the hallway. “I’d invite you in for a drink but Della is asleep. She had a bad morning and I don’t want to disturb her.”

“I understand. I wanted to tell her bye too but I don’t have to. Just tell her for me.”

I didn’t like him thinking he needed to tell her anything but I nodded. I didn’t need to be an ass about it. “I will.”

“She sticking around then, I guess?”

“Yeah.”

“And your dad is okay with this? I heard that Angelina knows now. Word kind of got out.”

Shit.

“Haven’t talked to my dad.”

“You need to. Before he gets to her first.”

He was right, of course. I needed to make sure my dad stayed the hell away from Della.

“I will.”

“Is she forever for you then? She’s worth throwing it all away?”

I knew he was asking as a friend who had made a similar choice but with a different outcome. “She’s it. No one else. She’s all I’m ever gonna want.”

Tripp grinned. “Can’t believe Woods Kerrington actually fell in love.”

The word love surprised me but only because I hadn’t said it yet. It was foreign to me. I hadn’t thought to use that word but he was right. I was in love. I looked back at the door to the bedroom and thought about Della sleeping peacefully in there on my bed. I loved her. I loved knowing she was in there. That she was mine. That I could take care of her.

“I do love her,” I said simply.

Tripp slapped me on the back. “Good. She needs it.”

Then he opened the door and stepped outside. I didn’t look back to see him leave or wave goodbye. I went to the door and stood there on the other side of it. I put my hands on each side of the doorframe and rested my head against the door. I loved her. I loved her with a something so fierce I couldn’t even name it. Whatever I needed to do to help her I would. She’d be happy. I would spend every second of my life making her smile. I needed to find her a doctor. That was the first step, getting her help.

The doorknob turned and the door slowly opened. I dropped my hands to my sides as Della’s eyes locked with mine. Her hair was mussed from sleep and she still looked tired.

“You love me?”

Hearing her say it made my heart soar. She knew.

“Yes. More than life.”

Instead of throwing herself into my arms and telling me she loved me too she dropped her face into her hands and sobbed. I watched for a moment confused and completely mystified by her reaction. This wasn’t what I had expected.

“Della?” I asked as panic started to take its place in my chest this time.

“You can’t love me. You deserve better. Not me,” she cried looking up at me. Her eyes were full of tears as several trickled down her face.

“There is no one better than you, Della.”

She shook her head. “No, no, no. Don’t you see? I’m not stable. Long term… later… in life I could become like my mother. You can’t love me.”

Her mother? She wasn’t going to become her mother? Why would she even think that?

“You’re it for me, baby. Just you. You’re not going to be your mother. You’re special and unique and we’re going to get you help. But I will be right by your side the entire time. I’ll never leave you. I swear it.”

Della’s tear streaked face stared up at me. I reached over to wipe the tears from her cheeks and pulled her closer so I could kiss her.

“I don’t want to destroy you,” she whispered.

“Losing you would be the only thing that could destroy me.”

She closed her eyes tightly. “But what if I lose my mind?”

I had to get her to see that I wasn’t going to let that happen. She wasn’t her mother, dammit.

“You won’t. I won’t let you.”

Della sniffled and shook her head. “You can’t control it.”

Yes, I could. I would find a fucking way to control it.

“You are mine. Do you hear me? You are mine, Della Sloane. I will take care of you. Nothing is taking you away from me. Nothing.”

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 35



Della

I had spent the rest of yesterday curled up in Woods’ lap while we sat on the front porch and watched the ocean. We hadn’t talked much. We’d just held each other. I’d tried hard to let myself believe him and he’d reassured me with words every once and awhile.

Today I’d set my alarm because I was on the schedule to work the breakfast shift and I wasn’t missing another day because Woods thought he needed to coddle me. I was a big girl and I could deal with things. He had brought me to work and kissed me several times before leaving me so I could go get ready in the kitchen. He was behind on work in his office and he’d promised me he would work in there today and not hover over me.

It had taken a lot of begging but he’d agreed. I walked into the kitchen to see a gorgeous blonde with a very pregnant stomach talking to Jimmy. He was rubbing her stomach and cooing at the baby inside. She lifted her eyes to meet mine and a sincere smile touched her lips. I was instantly curious.

“Hello,” she said and her voice reminded me of warm honey. It was smooth but had a southern drawl to it. I wasn’t sure which part of the south it was though. My eye caught the large diamond on her hand. She had to be a member here. But why was she back here in the kitchen with Jimmy?

“Hello,” I replied.

Jimmy glanced back at me and grinned. “Glad you’re back, girl. Yesterday went to shit without you.”

I returned his smile but my interest was right back to the blonde.

“Della, this is Blaire. She’s my BFF who ran off and left me for another man. One I can’t blame her for because he is one hot piece of ass. Blaire this is Della. She may or may not be boinking the boss.”

“Jimmy!” we both said at the same time. I couldn’t believe he’d said that. I didn’t know who this Blaire was.

“Woods right? That boss?” Blaire asked with a mischievous grin.

I liked her.

“Of course, Woods. The girl has taste. She ain’t gonna boink the old man.”

“Would you stop saying ‘boink’?” I could feel my face heating up.

“Jimmy shouldn’t have told me that but since he did, can I say, Woods is a great guy. If you are in fact… um… boinking him, then you picked a good one.”

I couldn’t believe we were talking about this. I forced a smile. “Thanks.”

The blonde beamed at me like she was truly happy to hear I might be doing it with Woods. I wondered if they were friends. I almost felt jealous until I remembered her very large stomach and very large diamond. She was taken. Very taken.

“If I don’t have this baby this week maybe we can get together and have lunch.” I glanced down at her stomach and then back up at her face. It was very likely she was going to give birth any minute. She was tiny except for that basketball in her stomach.

“Okay. That sounds good,” I replied.

“Della Sloane,” a hard voice called my name and I spun around to see a police officer standing at the entrance of the kitchen.

“Yes, sir,” I replied. The last time a police officer had come looking for me had not ended well. The fear that went along with that memory kept me frozen in place. I didn’t like police officers.

“You need to come with me, Miss Sloane,” he said as he held the door open for me to exit. I could feel every eye in the kitchen on me. I wanted to hide from them but I couldn’t move. “Miss Sloane, if you don’t come willingly I will have to go against Mr. Kerrington’s wishes and arrest you right here on the club’s grounds.”

Arrest me? My heart raced at the memory of handcuffs clicking around my wrists as the officer read me my rights. I had to fight this. Now was not the time to zone out. I couldn’t have an attack right now. I had to keep my head.

“What are you arresting her for? I sure as hell don’t believe Woods knows about this,” Jimmy said angrily, stepping in front of me.

“Mr. Kerrington does know. He is who sent me in here to escort a Della Sloane out of the building and then arrest her once I had her in the parking lot. However, if she doesn’t come willingly I will arrest her and anyone who stands in my way.”

He was going to arrest Jimmy for trying to help me. I had to go. I didn’t believe Woods knew about this. Something was wrong and Woods would find me. I would not have a panic attack over this. I would not.

“It’s okay, Jimmy,” I said and stepped around him and went toward the door. I didn’t look back at anyone as I walked out the door and focused on getting out of the building. I was tempted to yell for Woods but I didn’t. I couldn’t get my mouth to move. I was slowly freezing up.

Once I got close to the police car the officer shoved me forward causing me to stumble. I caught myself from falling and grabbed the front of the car. He began telling me I had the right to remain silent and I blocked him out. I tried not to think about the metal cuffs clinking shut around my wrists. If I thought too hard about it I would lose myself.

The officer opened the door to the backseat, put his hand on my shoulder, and pushed me inside. I wanted to tell him to stop hurting me that I would go willingly but I couldn’t. My words weren’t working. I’d forgotten how to use them. The terror was starting to take over.

I wanted Woods. I was scared. Tears trickled silently down my face and I focused on Woods. On his face this morning when he’d kissed me awake. I loved him. I’d never told him I loved him. I needed to tell him.

The car came to a stop in front of Woods’ house. I was relieved. I wasn’t going to jail. I didn’t know why I was here but the relief pushed the other thoughts away.

Two black Mercedes were parked in the driveway. The driver’s side door opened to the first one and out stepped Woods’ father. Something was wrong. Why was he here and why had he had me arrested?

The police officer opened my door and jerked me out of the car when I didn’t move. I stumbled on the split brick road and managed to catch myself before I fell and the cop holding my arm jerked it out of socket.

“Thank you, Josiah, for helping me handle this matter delicately,” Mr. Kerrington told the officer. He let go of my arm and nodded. He tossed a set of keys to Mr. Kerrington before stepping around me and getting into his car.

We stood there in silence as the cop drove off with me still in handcuffs.

“Hello again, Miss Sloane. I hope this time you can stay in your coherent state long enough for me to explain to you exactly what is about to happen,” he said taking a step toward me.

“After our last encounter when you blacked out on me I had your background checked. I found out that my son is throwing away his future for a woman who is mentally insane. Or at least she will be soon. It apparently runs in your family. You’re already showing signs of instability. You are supposed to be seeing a psychiatrist three times a week but you ran off without so much as a word six months ago. You have been in jail for the murder of your mother, which you were proven innocent on because your alibi checked out. However, a track record of crazy is there. I can’t let the heir to the Kerrington name waste his life on someone like you. You’re not good enough for my son.”

He pulled out a diamond bracelet that had to cost a fortune. “And to assure that you won’t be stepping foot back in Rosemary Beach ever again, I have evidence that you stole this bracelet from a customer. She dropped it while dining with us and you brought it back here and had it tucked away in your suitcase. She is willing to forgive you and let it be if you leave town. The officer who brought you to me has this on record and will arrest you and the victim of this theft will press charges if you don’t leave town immediately.”

He pointed to the other black Mercedes sedan sitting in the driveway. “Your bags are inside. I trust you will willingly get in this car and let it take you somewhere far from here. Doesn’t matter where. Just go.”

I stood there weighing my options. I didn’t have my phone. I wasn’t sure where it was. I’d left it in the house this morning. I still had handcuffs on and I was very likely going to jail for a crime because I’d been set up. Where was Woods?

“If you love my son and I believe in that unstable brain of yours that you think you do, you will leave him alone. Let him go. He doesn’t need this or you. He needs someone who can give him healthy children. Someone he doesn’t have to take care of. Don’t you want that for him?”

I did. I wanted all of that for him. I nodded.

“Good. Then get in the car and leave Miss Sloane.”

I looked up at the house that represented the man I loved and a tear rolled down my face. This was right. It was time I left.

“Can I ask you to do one thing? Please tell him I left because it was what was best for him. Not because I didn’t love him. Because I do love him. I want him happy and I want him to have the best in life. I know I’m not the best.”

Mr. Kerrington didn’t reply. He only stood there holding open the back door of the car waiting on me to get in.

“Please, I don’t want him to think I didn’t love him. He doesn’t deserve that,”...

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 36



Woods

My mother had called and said my father wanted to meet with me. I had been ready for this confrontation so while Della was working I went to see him. Except he wasn’t home. Mom told me to have a seat and she’d fix me breakfast while we waited for him. After two hours of listening to my mother’s concern for my future and telling me my grandfather’s wishes, I stood up. I wasn’t staying any longer. Della would get off her second shift soon and I was going to be there when she did. I didn’t have any more time to waste.

My phone buzzed for the fifth time in a row and I glanced down to see Blaire’s number on the screen. I hadn’t talked to her since she had left Rosemary with her fiancé and right now wasn’t the time. I had other shit to deal with. I’d call her back later. I turned my phone off and stuck it back into my pocket.

“He’ll be here in just a few more minutes, honey. Just give him time. He’s a busy man. Let me see if I can find him.” She started to call him when I heard one of the two heavy front doors open and close then the click of my father’s dress shoes on the marble floor.

“He’s here.” She beamed. The relief on her face was obvious. She was getting tired of entertaining me. The feeling was mutual.

“Sorry, I’m late. I had a matter to attend to. Issues with staff that you overlooked but it is taken care of now. We need to discuss your future and decide what it is you want exactly with your life. I understand that Angelina isn’t it. I am ready to accept that. But we need to talk.”

I wasn’t sure I trusted his easy acceptance of my refusal to marry Angelina. He’d been forcing it down my throat since I was ten. I glanced over at my mother who was giving me a fake smile while twisting her hands nervously in her lap. Something was up. They must have another future bride lined up. That was the only reason he would even be ready to consider something else.

“Can we discuss business in my office and let your mother go relax and enjoy the rest of her day?”

I followed him down the hallway toward his office. I had exactly thirty minutes before Della got off work. I could give him twenty minutes then I was gone. He needed to talk fast.

“Cigar?” he asked as he stopped by the humidor that mother had given him as a wedding gift. He’d since then had a room built into the house for his large collection of cigars but he kept a few in here for convenience.

“No,” I replied and stood over by the window instead of sitting across the desk from him like I was a child that needed direction.

“Very well. I don’t need one either. I’ll wait to enjoy one tonight. Douglas Mortimar will be here for dinner. I expect you to join us.” Douglas Mortimar was one of the largest investors in the club. He had an entire hole dedicated to him on the golf course. I was never invited to meetings like this one.

“Why?” I asked, still not ready to trust him. I couldn’t recall Mortimar having a daughter. If I wasn’t mistaken he had a son who was much older than me and visited in the summers with his family.

“You want a bigger part in this business and I’m giving it to you.”

That wasn’t the correct answer. “Get to the point. What is it you will require out of me? I know Angelina has told you about Della. I’m not stupid enough to believe she kept that piece of information to herself. She’s a vindictive bitch, which is one of the reasons I didn’t want to be stuck with her for the rest of my life. So, you know about Della now. Let’s address that first since it’s what really spurred this meeting.”

My father’s jaw tightened and I knew I’d completely messed up his carefully laid trap. This meeting had been to lure me in and show me everything I could have then he was going to hit me with an ultimatum concerning Della. He needed to understand nothing came before her. That if he couldn’t accept her I would walk. Kerrington Club could be left to some distant relative or maybe even Mortimar’s son since Dad loved him so much.

“I know about your little fling. I’ve met her. She’s not exactly what one would call mentally stable.”

What did he mean he’d met her? When? How had he ‘met’ her? I stalked across the room and put both hands flat on the desk he was sitting behind and glared down at his calculating eyes. “What does that mean?” I snarled.

My dad didn’t flinch. He shot me an angry glare with a look of indifference. “It means exactly what I said. She isn’t mentally well and you’re aware of it. However, I did some research on her and it goes much deeper than I think you know or understand.”

He was too calm. Something was wrong. “When did you meet her?”

“I came by your house yesterday morning. She was alone and I had barely spoken a word to her when she went completely catatonic. She didn’t respond. She just sat there staring off in space. You’re a smart man, son. You don’t actually think there is a future with this girl?”

Yesterday. I’d come home and she’d been on the ground. Fuck. “Did you leave her there on the ground like that? You didn’t think to call me?”

My father shrugged his shoulders. “I wasn’t going to touch her. She could snap on me the way she did on her mother. I left. And I did some research.”

He had left her like that. Hate seethed through me as I stared at this man I didn’t even know. He’d raised me but I didn’t know him.

“Did she tell you the police found her with her hands covered in blood? She was sitting there beside her mother’s dead body rocking back and forth completely unresponsive with blood on her hands. The only reason she wasn’t locked up was because she had an alibi. Her neighbor said she’d been out with her all night. She’d apparently been the person to call nine-one-one.”

My stomach churned. Della had found her mother’s dead body. Holy shit. She hadn’t told me that. She also hadn’t told me she’d been a suspect in her mother’s death or how her mother had died. There was so much I didn’t know.

“I didn’t know she had found her mother. Shit.” I stumbled back and sank into the chair behind me. No wonder she was messed up. She’d lived with a crazy woman locked away from the world. Then when she’d gotten brave enough to escape when she could she had come home to find her dead. Blood on her hands. Holy fuck. I had to go. I needed to hold her. She might be okay, but I wasn’t. How much had she had to bear in such a short time?

“I have to go,” I said, standing up and heading for the door.

“As a parent I have to make decisions that are for the best. Remember that when you think I’m controlling your life. I’m helping you become the Kerrington you were raised to be.”

I didn’t look back at him. I didn’t care what he wanted or who he thought I should be. The image of my grandfather looking at my grandmother with so much love in his eyes came back to me. He’d said that he couldn’t imagine a world without her in it. I understood that now. I wasn’t my father’s son. I was his father’s son. The sordid screwed up heartless bastard who was my father hadn’t been something he’d inherited from his parents. They had been the reason I would find happiness in life. My grandfather had taught me what to look for.

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 37



Della

By the time Leo pulled into the driveway of Braden’s home, my wrists were raw and I had to pee so badly my stomach was cramping up.

“This is it,” I said through my teeth as I clenched them tightly against the pain.

He opened the door and got out then he opened my door and I didn’t wait for someone else to grab me and jerk me around. I was hurting too bad for that.

He didn’t say anything as he unlocked the cuffs behind my back. I felt like weeping from relief when my hands fell limply at my sides.

He moved to open the trunk and set both my suitcases on the driveway. With one small nod he got in the car and drove away. I went to pick up my bags and stinging pain shot up both my arms. I decided my suitcases could stay out here for now.

I walked to the door and looked up at the house I had helped Braden decorate before she was married. Her husband had bought it for them four months before their wedding so that Braden could get it fixed for them to move into once they were married. It had been romantic. I had stood in her house and wished that some man would love me that much one day.

I wasn’t meant to be loved like that. I couldn’t be. My desire to want that had been selfish. Reaching up, I pressed the doorbell and waited.

When the door opened it wasn’t Braden who I had hoped would be here so I could throw myself into her arms and cry. Instead, it was Kent, her husband.

“Della?” he asked his eyes going wide in surprise.

“Hello, Kent,” I said in a strained voice. My bladder was begging to be set free. “Can I use your restroom?”

He stepped back and let me inside. “Uh, of course, you know where it is.”

I walked past him and decided I’d take a minute to gather myself after I relieved myself.

Once I was finished I stood at the mirror and stared at my swollen red-rimmed eyes. I looked as pathetic as I felt. I washed my wrists with soap and water then dried them. The tender skin stung but at least they were clean now.

I walked back to the entryway to see Kent walking in with both of my suitcases. His eyes found mine and the sympathy and concern in them only made me feel even more pathetic.

“Thank you. I’m afraid I don’t have the car. I didn’t get to bring it back with me. I’ll find a way to get it though.”

Kent put my suitcases down and nodded his head toward the kitchen. “Come on. Let’s get you something to drink and eat if you’re hungry. I called Braden. She’s on her way home from work.”

I glanced at the clock. It wasn’t yet three o’clock. Braden would still be at school. She was a third grade teacher. I sat down on one of the tall bar stools that Braden and I had found at a boutique for a ridiculous amount of money. But she’d loved them and Kent never told her no.

“I know I’m not Braden. But you can talk to me if you need to,” Kent said while he went about fixing me some sweet iced tea. He hadn’t even asked me what I wanted. He already knew. I’d been a package deal with Braden. Kent had loved her and overlooked the fact she was so dedicated to me. He had once said it was one of the reasons he loved her.

“I’d rather just say it once. I’m not sure I can tell it twice,” I said as he set the glass down in front of me. I knew he understood. He’d seen me have more than one of my spells. I wasn’t sure if Braden had ever given him the details. I had once thought that she wouldn’t share that with anyone but now that I knew what it felt like to love someone and want to share everything with them… I believed differently. I was okay with it. If she told him it was her story too. She had every right.

“If there is someone I need to go beat the hell out of you just say the word.”

The fact Kent was so worried about me relieved my mind. I wasn’t sure where I was going to go next but I needed a week or so before I made a life for myself again. I wasn’t ready to be alone. Not yet.

The front door swung open and Braden’s heels clicked down the hallway as she ran toward us. “Della!” she called out and I stood up. Tears filled my eyes. I needed to see her.

“The kitchen Bray,” Kent replied.

Braden came barreling into the kitchen and a sob escaped me as I saw her run straight to me. Her arms wrapped around me and I clung to her. She’d sent me on this trip to find myself and yet I’d found so much more. I wanted to be able to express to her that this wasn’t just heartbreak. I’d made memories of a lifetime that I wouldn’t trade for the world. But right now I just needed her to hold me while we both cried.

She didn’t even know why she was crying she just held me and cried. I had missed her so much. I’d come to the right place. This was home. Even with the memories that haunted me here this was where I belonged. Braden was my home. She was all I had.

“Why don’t we get her into the living room and you two can sit on the couch and cry all you want?” Kent said in a gentle voice.

Braden nodded but she didn’t let go of me. We managed a few more sniffles and sobs before easing back enough to look at each other.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

I nodded then I shook my head. “I don’t know. I’m lost and confused.”

Braden reached down and grasped my hand. “Let’s go to the living room and get comfortable”

I wasn’t ready to talk right now but they both deserved an explanation. I needed to tell them exactly what had happened in Rosemary. And maybe they could help me figure out what I was going to do with my life now. My travels were over. I needed to live my life here. Where I was sure of my surroundings and I couldn’t hurt anyone else.

I began explaining how everything happened at the gas station and then how I ended up there once again because of Tripp. Then I told them about how I lost my heart to Woods and how I would do it all over again.

When I was finished Braden was wiping at her eyes again. “I hate that man. I want to strangle him. How could he do that to you? And does Woods know?”

I shook my head then paused. I wasn’t sure if Woods knew now or not. Did he think I’d just left him? Did that matter?

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t stay with him. You know that more than anyone. What happens when I snap and I lose my sanity? I don’t want Woods to love me and be left with a shell of a woman the way I was left with my mother. He has this life in front of him with so much he’s worked for. I can’t be who he needs. I’m trying to be who I need. I’m not what any man needs, Braden. You know that.”

 

Twisted Perfection
Twisted Perfection Page 38



Woods

The lunch shift had ended ten minutes ago. I wasn’t late yet. I parked the truck and headed inside. I hadn’t seen Della in six hours and that was just too damn long. I wasn’t scheduling her for two shifts again. No matter how hard she begged. I shoved open the kitchen doors and everyone froze. Normally my entrance didn’t get much notice. They were used to me walking in and out. Jimmy was clocking out. He glared at me and cocked his hip to the side.

“You just now showing up to worry about the lack of help we had around here? You go and arrest the best damn help I’ve had since Blaire worked here. Then no explanation or peep out of you.”

Arrest his help? What help?

“What are you talking about?” I asked looking around for Della. Maybe she could explain the drama queen’s outburst.

“Oh, I don’t know Woods. Maybe the fact the po-po shows up and arrests sweet little Della and scares the shit outta her then you do nothing. You let them take her and you don’t worry about the fact she’s scheduled to work two shifts today.”

I grabbed the first thing I could reach which was the front of Jimmy’s shirt. “What did you say about Della and the police? Stop blabbering and fucking explain yourself,” I roared. The blood was rushing to my head and pounding in my temples. I had known something was wrong but nothing Jimmy had said made sense.

“The police came and took Della right after she got here this morning. You didn’t know? They said Mr. Kerrington wanted her escorted out of the building before they cuffed her. She was scared man. Really scared.”

I let go of Jimmy’s shirt and he stumbled backwards. The selfish controlling fucker had my Della arrested. She was scared. She was gonna need me and I wasn’t there.

“FUCK,” I roared and stormed out of the kitchen and started running. I had to find her.

“It was Josiah Burton who arrested her,” Jimmy called out behind me.

I was going after Burton first. I’d gone to school with Josiah and it wouldn’t be the first time I’d beaten the shit out of him. It would however be the first time I got charged with assaulting an officer.

“If you hear anything, call me,” I replied and opened the door to go to the police station and the sorry ass police in this town that could be bought.

I’d go see my father last. He wasn’t going to be as easy to threaten.

I didn’t check in at the front desk when I got to the station.

“You have to check in Mr. Kerrington,” Margaret Fritz called out as I stalked past her without a word.

Deputy Sheriff Josiah Burton was in his office when I reached it and I walked into without knocking and slammed the door closed behind me. I locked it just in case I needed time to kill him. I turned to glare at the man I knew had been paid off to do my father’s bidding.

“You better start talking you sorry motherfucker, or the last thing I do before they lock me up is blow your sorry ass head off,” I growled.

Josiah jumped up from his desk his beady eyes going round in surprise.

“I did just what your dad had me do. I covered everything. The paper work is done and filed; she can’t come back to town. I secured it. Calm down. It’s done. No reason to get so damn demanding.”

He thought I knew about this. I forced the raging need to rip his head off down and stared at him deciding exactly how to play this. I needed more information.

“What time did you arrest her?”

Josiah shook his head. “I didn’t. Like your dad told me I just cuffed her and threw her in the back of the squad car. Scared her a bit. Then took her to him.”

My chest was about to explode. They had purposely scared her. My father would pay for this. Every minute she was terrified he would pay tenfold.

“Where was my father? Where did you take her?

Josiah frowned. “Your house.”

He had taken her to my house.

“Is she still there?”

“No man. I told you I did all the paperwork. She was warned not to come back or I’d arrest her and then she was shipped off to wherever the hell he had Leo take her.”

“Why can’t she come back?” I asked balling my hands into fists.

Josiah started to answer and stopped. He studied me a minute and then his jaw went slack. “You don’t know. He did this and you didn’t know. Fuck me,” he said, sinking back down into his chair. “Oh man, Woods. I thought you knew. I thought she was crazy and you were scared of what she might do. I was getting rid of her for you. Your dad said she was dangerous. A mental case. I even roughed her up a bit. I didn’t know… please tell me that girl is screwed in the head and what I did was good.”

I closed my eyes tightly trying not to think about the part where he said he’d roughed her up a bit. I needed to hit someone. “How did you rough her up?” I asked in a slow even voice.

“Just jerked her around unnecessarily by the arm and put the cuffs on a little too tight.”

I grabbed the front of his uniform and jerked him up out of his seat. “Even if she had been crazy, she’s a woman. No woman needs to be handled like that. Ever.” I took a deep breath. “She’s the woman I love. The woman my sick fucker of a father doesn’t want me to love.” I threw him back in his chair and he rolled back and slammed into the wall. I didn’t apologize or wait to see if I was going to deal with charges of my own. I jerked open his door and made my way back out to my truck ignoring questions as I went.

Leo. I had to find fucking Leo.

Leo wasn’t in town. My parents had left on a plane for New York City after I left their house today. No one knew anything. I stood on my porch staring out at the ocean and dialed Della’s phone for the hundredth time just to hear her voicemail.

“It’s Della. Can’t answer my phone right now but leave me a message and I’ll get back to you.”

Beep.

“It’s me again. You’re gone. I wasn’t there and you were hurt. God baby, knowing how scared you must have been and I wasn’t there. I just need to find you. Where ever you are. I need to find you, Della. Call me. Let me know you’re okay.”

Beep.

Then a dial tone.

I dropped my phone on the table and gripped the railing in front of me. She was going to have to sleep without me tonight. Her bad dreams would come back and I wouldn’t be there. Would someone be there? Was she alone?