91-29619-19-3ldbatg by onechangeatthetime

BEAUTY AND THE GENTLEMAN

LUCY DARLING

Copyright © 2021 by Lucy Darling All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

“A friend is someone who helps you up when you’re down, and if they can’t, they lay down beside you and listen.” — Winnie the Pooh

CONTENTS

Beauty and the Gentleman Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Epilogue Epilogue Beauty and the Outcast Prologue Also by Lucy Darling About the Author

BEAUTY AND THE GENTLEMAN

I’m the good guy. The one who always does the right thing. At least that's what everyone’s always said. All I've ever wanted to be was the right guy for Faith. She's been my girl since we were kids. I don't deserve her. But still I took her. Now we’re grown and gone o to college, and I want her more than ever. The only problem is, I want to do things to her that might ruin my good guy reputation in her eyes. I’m one taste away from breaking my promise to her parents. From claiming her and taking her fully as mine. But can she accept my dark side, or will I scare away the only woman I’ll ever love?

PROLOGUE

ACE

Fifteen years old

“Y

ou’re speeding,” passenger seat.

dad

says

from

the

“How am I learning to drive from the man who never drives?” I say to fuck with him. He always has a driver. “Why would I want to drive when I could be in the back seat with my hands all over your mom?” “Seriously?” I groan, not wanting to hear that crap. My parents have been married over ten years now, and they can’t keep their hands to themselves still after all this time. Well, actually they're not my biological parents, but they are all I’ve ever known. My parents died when I was still too little to really remember them. I got sent to live with my Uncle Roman who married his wife, Fawn, a few weeks after I arrived. From my understanding, he blackmailed her into the marriage, but it seems things worked out for them. To me they are my parents since they are the ones that raised me. I got freaking lucky with them. I know all too well that not everyone has it as good as I do. I could have ended up in the system. I slow down even though I don’t want to. My girl Faith texted me twenty minutes ago to meet her at Healing Homes. It’s a shelter for women and their children. Both our moms are big donors to the place and often work there. Even Faith had stayed at the shelter for a time when she was younger until Kennedy and Oz adopted her.

I’d fallen in love with my Faith the moment I laid eyes on her. At such a young age I had no freaking clue that’s what it was, but even back then I knew she was going to be my best friend. I was protective of her instantly. I knew she was going to be something special to me. So much so I’d even begged my parents to adopt her after her mom up and left her at the shelter. They’d almost done it too, but my Faith had gotten close to one of the women at the shelter and she ended up going for custody of Faith and got it. She moved in down the road from us. We’ve been inseparable since—going from friends to everyone knowing she's my girl. “Everything is ﬁne, Ace,” Dad says, drawing my attention back to him. “You know what’s going on?” I take my eyes o the road for a second to glance over at him. I can’t wait until I’m sixteen and can drive myself. It will make seeing Faith a whole lot easier. “I always know what’s going on.” He shrugs. I’m not shocked, being that he and Faith’s dad, Oz, are close. I don’t think they really have much of a choice since our moms are best friends. Which means all of us are always together. I love it because then I get to be with Faith all the time. We even spend the holidays together. It has worked out perfectly. Sometimes I think too perfectly. It’s as though I’m waiting for a shoe to drop or something. “And you’re not going to clue me in?” I know Faith better than I think she knows herself at times. Something is up. I could tell from her tone. I’m just not sure if it’s good or bad.

“We’re here already,” he responds as I pull into the parking lot. I toss him the keys before bolting out of the car and toward the front entrance to get buzzed in and go through the security protocols. “She’s in the rec area,” Sherrie says as she lets me through the last door to enter the shelter. I pick up my pace, getting to the rec room in record time. I come up short when I enter and see Faith standing there. She’s got her arms wrapped around some punk covered in tattoos. He’s about my same size. I’ve never seen him before. He shouldn’t even be here. Only women and children are allowed in the center or people that work here. I’m in motion before I realize what I’m doing. The only thing running through my mind is that she’s mine and no one is going to take her from me. He sees me coming, releasing Faith and pushing her behind him. Who the fuck does this guy think he is? I’m going to make him pay for handling my girl like that. Trying to pull her away from me and block my path to her. “Why the fuck you got your hands on my girl?” “'Cause I want to.” He smirks. I know he’s itching for a fight when he says that. I’m more than willing to give it to him. “Calm down, both of you…” I don’t catch the rest of what Faith is saying because I’m already in the process of throwing a punch. The asshole blocks it and throws one of his own, turning it into a full-on fight. One I plan to win. “Stop it, you jerks!” Faith shouts, but we keep going. He lands a blow to my jaw a moment before I hit him square in the nose. The taste of blood fills my mouth, but I swallow it down. When he stumbles back, I go for him again. He

knocks my feet out from under me, but I don’t go down alone. I take him with me. We hit the ground hard, both of us grunting. The motherfucker knows how to ﬁght, but so do I. We each get a few blows in before we are being dragged apart by my dad and one of the security guards. I glance around to see where Faith is. She’s standing o to the side with tears in her eyes. I want to lunge for the guy again, but my focus is now on making sure Faith doesn't cry. Shit. “What is wrong with you?” she hu s, coming over to me. The second her hand touches me, I relax, and my dad releases his hold on me, knowing I’m under control. “He was touching you.” “Actually I touched him.” I grind my teeth together. “How would you like it if I was hugging up on some girl?” “Well, you do it all the time with Lily,” she points out. “That’s my little sister.” “Well”—she turns to look over toward the guy covered in tattoos—“that happens to be my brother Knox.” It takes me a moment to process what she’s saying. “Twin brother, in fact.” What ﬁfteen-year-old is covered in ink like he is? I swear I thought he was at least eighteen. He’s got his arms folded over his chest, glaring at me. I can tell from his stance he is trying to keep people at bay. Not wanting anyone to come near him or confront him either. If this is Faith’s brother, then I have no doubt he did in fact end up in the foster system. “Be a better man,” Dad says from behind me.

“I’m sorry. I’m protective of her.” To prove my point, I grab Faith, pulling her into my side. He only grunts a response. Faith is silently begging me with her eyes to help her ﬁx this. If he’s her brother, then he’s going to be a part of our lives. I’d bet everything Faith’s parents are already getting paperwork together to get custody of this kid. I already know what I’m going to have to do. Knox is going to be my new best friend. Whether he likes it or not.

1 FAITH

oth Ace and Knox help bring the boxes into Whitney’s and my dorm room. Neither are very happy about it. At ﬁrst they tried to hide their frustration, but the façade faded away rather quickly as the reality of what was happening became more real by the second. Ace puts down the two boxes he’s carrying beside my bed. The dorm setup is actually kind of neat. There are four bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. You have a main area that everyone shares with a living room and kitchen. I hope the other girls are cool. “I hate this shit.” Ace pulls me into his side. “You should come home with me.” Ace moved into his condo last weekend. It’s not far from campus. You could make the walk easily. Knox moved in next door to him. They both live o campus. I had it in my head that I would live with Ace once I got to college, but the moms pushed for Whitney and me to have a year on our own to ﬁnd ourselves. I would never tell the boys this because they’d lose their minds, but they wanted us to

make sure we really wanted to be with our men. To spread our wings and experience life is what they called it. Neither Whitney nor I have any doubts when it comes to our men, but we ﬁgured we should have a taste of living on our own. At least Whitney is my roommate. And also the love of my brother Knox’s life. She saved him from darkness. He’s changed so much since he met her. Even Ace and Knox are a lot closer now. Knox settling down with Whitney deﬁnitely helped. I’m pretty sure they are sharing stalking tips on how to keep track of us. I’m not sure which one of them is more obsessed. But Whitney and I wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s only a year.” I melt into him. “And I’ll come over,” I try to reassure him. I’m sure I’ll be staying over at his place a lot. “This is fucking bullshit,” my brother says, storming in to drop the two plastic bins in his hands down onto the ground. Whitney follows behind him, rolling her eyes. “We’ve been sharing a bed for months. And now you expect me to sleep without you?” They have been. When our parents took Whitney in, essentially adopting her, Knox had fallen hard for her. Her almost being taken from him really ramped up his need to be in close proximity to her. Since that scary night they’ve been inseparable, even sharing a bed in our parents’ house. They didn’t even try to tell them no. Knox had been so on edge, everyone was scared he might slip into his old ways. “You guys are acting like we’re never going to see each other. We should be happy that we all got into the same school,” I point out.

“With our parents, they're dying to get us in here,” Ace says. “Not to mention you two are freaking geniuses.” He motions between my brother and me. I have a knack for numbers. Always have. They feel stable to me. There is always only one answer to a problem. There is no changing it. Numbers don’t lie. You only have to figure the puzzle out to get there. Everyone was surprised when I didn’t choose a major that involved numbers. Why would I? There is nothing for me to learn there anymore. I decided I wanted to take a di erent path. One where I can make a di erence in someone’s life. Psychology seems as if it will be the best fit for me to major in. Whitney is majoring in social services. We both have the same goal of working for Healing Homes one day. The reality is with my trust fund I will never want for anything. Whitney is pretty much in the same boat. What we can do is give back. Put our degrees toward something that will help others. “How about this? We promise to spend the weekends at your place. That’s a fair compromise, and it still falls somewhat in line with what the parents are asking for.” They have given us all so much. It’s hard to tell them no when they do ask for something. Ace runs his fingers through his hair. I know he’s struggling with this. Normally Ace is all about being the good guy and doing the right thing. This is really testing that for him. “I could just kidnap you.” To prove his point, Knox grabs Whitney and tosses her over his shoulder. “See.” I snort a laugh. “Put me down, you brute.” She wiggles in his hold, and he slaps her ass before he finally does as she asks.

“How about we get the rest of these boxes down and then order some pizza and hang out?” I suggest. Both of them grumble in agreement, heading back out to get more boxes for us. “I’m so close to breaking,” I admit to Whitney when the boys are out of earshot. “Me too,” she hu s, falling back onto her bed. “I sleep terribly without Knox.” She rolls to her side. “No one can knock me out like he can.” “Gross.” I throw my pillow across the room at her, not wanting to hear about my brother’s sex life. I might be a bit jealous too. Ace and I have never gone that far before. I have no freaking clue why not. I can only imagine it goes back to his upstanding morals of being a good guy. He’d put Captain America to shame. I think he’s even more built than Chris Evans, actually. “I suppose this might be fun. Having girls’ nights and such. We haven’t done that much lately since I started dating Knox.” Whitney always tries to ﬁnd the silver lining in everything. She’s right, though. We haven't hung out much with only her and me. “Dating? Did you just say we’re dating?” Knox growls when he enters the room. He grabs Whitney around the waist. “We’ll be back with food.” “Hey!” Whitney tries to wiggle from his hold. She’s not putting much e ort into it. Ace comes in as they leave, shutting the door behind them and ﬂipping the lock. “Want to break in your new bed?” He gives me that sexy smirk that has me squeezing my thighs together. “What did you have in mind?”

He crosses the room, his fingers tangling in my hair as his mouth takes mine. I moan into his mouth as his fingers tighten in my hair, giving a small tug as he deepens the kiss. My fingers dig into his shirt, wanting more. For some reason, this kiss is di erent. It’s not sweet and soft but needy and demanding. “Clothes o ,” he growls against my mouth, surprising me. “I won’t ask again.” I stare up at him, still trying to catch my breath. My whole body lights up at his demands. Yeah, this is di erent for sure. Even the way he’s staring down at me. I go for my shirt. I don’t even get it o before a banging starts at the door. “Why is this locked?” Whitney calls from the other side. Looks like she gave Knox the slip. Ace sucks in an irritated breath, reaching down and adjusting himself. Something has changed with Ace. I’m not sure what it is, but I think I’m going to love it.

2 ACE

fter hitting send on the email I was working on, I check Faith’s location to make sure she got to her next class. Her classes are a bit spread out during the week at di erent times, where I’ve jammed all mine into the morning so I can spend my afternoons being mentored by my dad. Knox is doing the same. Both of our fathers are brilliant. I know I can learn more from him than any college could ever o er me. I already spent a big chunk of my summer working here. “Mr. King,” Ti any calls from the doorway to my o have your lunch.”

ce. “I

“Thank you.” She brings in a tray, setting it down on the corner of my desk. “Is there anything else I can get you?” “This is good. Thank you.” I dismiss her. She stands there for a long moment before she ﬁnally leaves my o ce. Ti any is e cient, but it can get a bit annoying when she lingers around. Almost begging me to order her to do something else for me. It’s odd, but I guess that is what having an assistant is for. I have to say it makes me uncomfortable at times, but I’m guessing it’s because I’m not a fan of people doing things for me.

It feels a bit strange at times to boss her around too. She’s a few years older than me, but I don’t really look my age. Though she might be a bit annoying, she never misses anything. If I ask her to do something, she’ll get it done quickly. I pull my tray over to eat my lunch, wondering if Faith has eaten. I go to text her to ask but I stop myself. I’m supposed to be giving her space. Letting her spread her wings. My ﬁngers itch to send her a message still. It’s only a small check-in. Me: Did you have lunch? Faith: I had a granola bar. I shake my head. Faith: I love you. Me: I love you too. I’m going to have to start packing lunches for you. Faith: I’m ﬁne. I swear. Me: There are cookies in the front part of your bag Faith: Omg! Double stu ed Oreos. Now I really love you. Faith: Class starting TTYL Others might think it’s stupid for me to check on her, but someone has to. Faith can get lost in her head sometimes. She’ll be so focused on something that everything else falls to the side. It works for us. I enjoy taking care of her. Or maybe it’s that I enjoy that she needs me. Either way I’ll take it. I’ve been doing it since we were little kids. Nothing is going to change that.

What I hadn’t counted on was this living apart bullshit. It makes no sense to me. Hell, in high school Faith used to sleep over all the damn time. She and my little sister Lily are close, but I’m almost positive my parents knew she was sneaking into my room. I run my hand down my face, wondering why I agreed to this shit. I should have said no and stood my ground. It was hard when I had to stare her parents Kennedy and Dane in the face as they were asking me to give Faith this. To let her spread her wings. I’d already agreed to so much over the years where it concerned her, but I didn’t want to disappoint them either. One of those things being not to have sex until we were older. Once I had given them my word, they let Faith stay over at my house as much as she wanted. They never gave me a term limit on the sex bullshit, but for some reason I’ve had it in my head that it was only during high school. I should get a medal for that shit. Because it took every bit of self-control I had in order to keep my hands o Faith. It’s fucking hard not claiming the girl you love in every way. The past year has been torture. I swear my dick has permanent rug burn on it from all the dry fucking we do. Not that I care about myself. All that really mattered is that I got Faith o . All that did for me is made me ache more to be inside of her. But hearing her scream my name in orgasm as I ate her pussy was worth a thousand cases of blue balls. My control is slipping, and I know it. One of the reasons I agreed to the sex deal was because my mind isn’t right. All the ways I’ve thought of taking Faith aren’t sweet and ﬂu y. Which she deserves. I dream of tying her to my bed or spanking her ass because she forgot to eat. I get o on the thought of having full control over her.

I slipped when I kissed her the other day. It didn’t help that when I’d issued the order she not only did as she was told, but her eyes lit up with need. We might not have gone all the way yet, but I know my girl's body. I can read her so easily. Her body reacted to my command, which didn’t help the situation. Roman comes striding into my o ce. “You were right. Blicks Robics is on to some cutting-edge technology. Can you stay late? I’m going to pull some numbers and get my lawyer here. We need to jump on this before someone else does.” “Of course.” I knew it. I've been watching that tech company for years because of Sam and Juno. They were a few grades above me in high school. Both of them have always been brilliant. When the company Blicks Robics swept them up out of high school I knew they had to be up to something big. They hadn’t even gone to college. Which I know they would have easily gotten scholarships for. “I know you’ve only been at this for a little, but this is your ﬁnd. If we make this deal, it’s going to be your baby to handle.” Fuck yes. I might have a trust fund, but this could set me up for life if I handle it right. Faith and I will never have to worry about anything. It's important to me to be able to provide for my family. “I’m all in,” I say, making another step forward for the life plans I have laid out for my Faith and me.

3 FAITH

check my phone to see where Ace is. From his location I know he’s still at the o ce. For the past week he’s been engulfed with work. He is excited about this new investment. It ﬁnally went through a few days ago. Ace told me it’s going to take a chunk of his free time. I get it. This is big for him. I just miss him. We haven’t seen much of each other lately with both of our schedules being crazy. The door to my room opens, and Whitney comes strolling in. “Hey,” she chirps. “Are you going to Ace’s?” “I’m not sure.” I roll over on my side, propping my head up with my hand. “He’s still at work.” “Knox went to your parents’. Your little brother called, needing advice.” “It’s crazy how much Grant looks like Oz. He’s a mini me.” “Right?” Whitney laughs. “I wouldn’t mind having a mini Ace one day.” “Wow. You and your brother are so much alike sometimes. He talks about kids too.”

“Really?” I thought I was a bit crazy for doing it. I know it’s too soon to even consider it. We aren’t even having sex. In fact, since I’ve moved into the dorm I’ve only gotten kisses. And even those seem to be getting fewer and farther between. Now it’s Friday night, and I was all set to go to Ace’s, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen. I need release, and only he can give it to me. I should go to his place and wait in his bed naked. Damn. I wonder what he’d do. Would that be the thing that ﬁnally broke his control? “He wants a family of his own.” “Yeah.” I nod in agreement, understanding where Knox is coming from because I’m there too. I’d gotten lucky and got to spend most of my youth with Kennedy and Oz, who I consider my mom and dad. Still, I long for something more. “You wanna go get dinner or something?” “We can, but Ace had enough groceries to feed everyone around delivered here.” The grocery order came the same day I’d skipped lunch. I love that he’s always checking in on me. But I’ve noticed he hasn't been doing it as much as he used to. Ace is always taking care of me. Sometimes I fear that he’s going to get tired of me. I’m not much help, either. I let myself become dependent on him, enjoying the way he cares for me. Is it weird that I get o when he texts that I better eat or to make sure I get enough sleep? “Let’s see what he got.” I follow her out of the room to see Morgan and Step in the kitchen area chowing down on some of the food Ace bought. They are both all dolled up. Their

hair and makeup is done, and they are wearing extra short dresses. I’m not gonna lie; they look hot. “Your boyfriend is a saint,” Step says before shoving more chips into her mouth. “He’s going to be solely responsible for my freshman fifteen.” I snort a laugh. “If you ever break up, let me know. I’m gonna slide in there.” Morgan winks. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her it’s never going to happen. For one, we’ll never break up, and for two, I’m the only girl in the world that’s Ace’s type. At least I better be. “He’s all mine,” I declare, leaving it at that. “You two hit the boyfriend jackpot. Knox has bad boy written all over him. You’re a strange couple.” Morgan tilts her head to stare at Whitney. She does have the whole book nerd vibe, but it’s cute on her and it obviously works for my brother. He could be standing in a room full of supermodels, and the only woman he would notice would be Whitney. “She had no choice but to fit with him. He chased her for weeks before she finally cracked and let him in.” “You wouldn’t date him?” Morgan and Step look at Whitney as though she is totally out of her mind for not jumping at the chance to date Knox. “It’s a long story, but the man is mine. I couldn’t break up with him if I wanted to,” Whitney says with a giant smile on her face. I dart back to my bedroom when I hear my phone go o . I see a text from Ace. Ace: I’ll swing by to pick you up when I leave. It will probably be late. I don’t want you walking in the dark to my place.

Well, there goes my naked idea. Guess I’ll have to come up with some other plan to get my man in bed. Me: Okay. Ace: See you later, love. Don’t forget to eat. I smile. His sweet words only make me miss him more. I head back out into the kitchen, where Whitney is making buttered noodles for us all to have. It’s one of my favorites, but I can never seem to make it the way she does. It’s the simplest meal, but I swear she adds something special to it and that’s why hers taste so much better than when I try to make it. “You girls want to come to the Delta Psi party tonight?” Step asks, popping a grape into her mouth. “Might be fun to see a college party,” Whitney says. Not like I have anything else really to do. We can pop in and out. I’m a bit curious too. Whitney and I always had fun at the parties back in high school. We both enjoy dancing. “I’ll need to change.” I glance down at my yoga pants and baggy shirt that belongs to Ace. “And I should call Ace and give him a heads-up. I’m spending the night with him tonight.” “Same. I’ll need to call Knox,” Whitney says, draining the noodles. I dial Ace’s number, wanting to hear his voice. I have a feeling he’s not going to want me to go to the party. I don’t think we ever went to one without each other. Before Whitney came along, Ace was my best friend. We did everything together. We still do, but it’s nice to have a girl who understands you more at times.

The phone rings and rings before eventually going to his voicemail. I try again, this time switching it over to facetime so I can see him. Ace looks damn sexy when he wears a suit. The line ﬁnally connects. A pretty brunette’s face comes on the screen. She’s got eyelashes most girls would kill for. “Mr. King’s phone. How may I help you?” “Where is Ace?” “I’m sorry, Mr. King is busy at the moment. Is there something I can help you with?” I try not to get snippy with the girl, but my jealousy seems to be rearing its head. “Who are you?” “I’m Ti any. Mr. King’s assistant. Who are you?” she asks. “Faith,” I respond. Her face shows no reaction, like she’s never heard my name before. “Would you like to leave a message for Mr. King?” She smirks. I swear if I could reach through this phone, I’d wipe that look o her face myself. “Tell him his girlfriend called,” I say before ending the call super annoyed. Why the hell is someone answering his cell phone? I get someone answering his o ce phone but not his freaking personal phone. That shit is private. I shoot Ace a text before I change my clothes and pull my hair down from the ponytail. I give it a small ﬂu before adding some lip gloss and mascara. “What are you wearing?” Whitney asks, walking into our bedroom.

“I was thinking jean shorts with flats. I can’t go to a party in a dress and heels like Step and Morgan. Especially if I’m not sure what kind of party this is going to be.” “Good point.” We finish getting ready and are out the door thirty minutes later. I know Ace is going to be annoyed that I went to a party without talking to him first, but that’s his fault. Still, he’ll be pissed. Wonder what he’ll do about it? My body starts to heat as I think of all the di erent scenarios. The ones I often fantasize about him doing. I suppose I’ll find out soon enough.

4 ACE

“I

think we should hire him.” I ﬂip the folder over for Roman to see. He picks it up, reading it over.

“He’s young” is the ﬁrst thing he says. He is. “He’s not only brilliant, he's a fresh mind. No one has molded him or put their own ideas into his head.” “If you think we should, then do it.” He hands me the folder back before checking his watch. I glance around. I must have left my phone in my o ce. “Let’s call it a night,” Roman says before I can excuse myself to go get my phone. I head back toward my o ce. Ti any pops up as I pass her desk. “I told you that you could go home hours ago.” “You might need something. Like dinner? Should I order something?” she suggests. “No, I’m going to eat dinner with Faith.” She follows me into my o ce. “I sent you the reports you asked for and set up the meeting like you asked. I added it to your calendar.” “Thanks.” I snag my phone o phone?”

my desk. “Did you touch my

“I was going to see if your phone and your o linked up, but it rang while I was doing it.”

ce calendar

“On what planet is it okay to touch anyone’s cell phone without asking?” Her face ﬂushes. “I was trying to be helpful.” I click my phone to see who called. Shit, I missed a facetime call from Faith. “What would have been more helpful is if you would have left when I told you to go.” “I’m sorry, Mr. King.” Maybe I’m overreacting. I’ve been on edge all week. As crazy as it sounds, I think I’m going through some kind of withdrawal from Faith. I’m so used to seeing her all day every day that I haven’t been adjusting well to barely seeing her. “Don’t ever touch my phone again.” She nods and turns to leave. “Ti any,” I call, stopping her. She spins back around to face me. “If Faith ever calls this o ce or any line for that matter, you get me on the line. I don’t care what I’m doing. She’s priority number one for me.” Her lips purse, but she nods in agreement. I know a lot of people choose to put work over their families. My own dad was that way at one time. But he changed once my mom Fawn had entered his life. She made him realize that there was more to life than work. So, since I was little, he drilled into my head that you can have both. That family always comes ﬁrst at the end of the day. I click my texts and see a message. Well, fuck me. Faith is pissed. I don’t blame her. If some asshole answered her phone I’d lose my mind. Still, she should know there must

have been some strange circumstances for that ever to happen. I grab the rest of my shit, heading out of the o ce and straight for her. I debated with myself all day if it was a good idea to have her spend the weekend at my place. I want her there so damn bad, but with my self-control slipping, I’m not sure it’s the best idea. I’m one taste away from breaking my promise to her parents. From claiming her and taking her fully. I think I’m hesitant because it would be di erent this time. It’s my place. No one else would be around. I’m not sure I can pull myself back much longer. I lick my lips, thinking about how sweet she always tastes when my tongue strokes her pussy. By the time I reach the party, my dick is hard as a rock. My heart pounds. I hit the porch stairs. There are two men standing by the doorstep in front of it to block my way. “No freshman males,” one says. I almost laugh at the asshole because there isn’t a person on this earth that’s going to keep me from getting to Faith. “Do I look like a fucking freshman?” I take a step toward him. “I’ve never seen you before.” He wisely takes a step back. “Move. My girl is in there.” He hesitates. “I won’t ask again.” “Whatever,” he mumbles, stepping out of my way. The smell of cheap beer and smoke surrounds me as soon as I step into the house. It’s easy to search around with how tall I am, but I don’t see Faith or Whitney anywhere. I pull out my phone to

double check her location. It says she’s still here. I need to look into some more advanced technology that can make this shit more precise. I’ll bring that up next week. The sound of Faith’s laughter fills my ear. I follow it through the living room and then into the dining room, where I find both the girls. They’re playing beer pong and only have one cup left to make. The other team is two boys in striped polos and khakis who are looking a bit pissed. I’m sure they thought they’d have a fun game. Beat the girls and then maybe get their numbers or something more. That isn't happening. Not only because I know my girl wouldn’t hand her number out to some random schmuck, but Faith and Whitney are killers at beer pong. I swear those two are scary when they team up. There isn't anything that they can't conquer. Faith’s eyes come to me, and she starts to smile before it quickly turns into a glare. She doesn’t wave or come over to me; she goes back to the game. My phone goes o in my hand as Faith knocks one of the balls o when blue polo tries to bounce it. “I’ve got eyes on them,” I say when I answer the phone, knowing who it is. “I’m almost there,” Knox grunts before he ends the call. I watch as Faith steps up with her ball and easily sinks it into the cup. She and Whitney jump up and down in victory. Some of the people lingering around give the guys a hard time. From behind them I can see their necks flush red in embarrassment. They are quick to try for a comeback. “You want to go again? Next round if we win you two come upstairs with us.” Both the girls' faces scrunch in disgust. Before I can think, I’ve got the guy wearing the yellow polo

who’s running his mouth by the back of the neck. I squeeze, giving enough pressure that he squeals. When he tries to break my hold, I only squeeze harder. “That how you fucking talk to girls?” “The fuck. I was messing with them. Let me go.” “Okay.” I do let him go but with a hard shove. He knocks into his partner. Their drunk asses trip over each other and hit the floor. “I had it under control,” Faith hu s, coming over toward me. Damn she looks good in her jean shorts and strapless pink top. She’s showing too much skin for my liking, but that’s only because I’m a selfish bastard when it comes to her. “How much did you drink?” I ask, seeing Knox slip past us, going for Whitney. “A few beers.” I start to ask another question, but she puts her hand over my mouth. “I opened them myself. We were safe.” I kiss her palm before she drops it. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Kitten.” Her lips part, her pink tongue darting out and licking her bottom lip. “You went to a party without me.” “Hey, I—” I cut her o by picking her up o her feet. She doesn't try to fight me. She knows it would be pointless. I don’t put her down until I have her in my car driving back toward my place. She sits with her arms folded over her chest. I reach over and put my hand on her leg. Her thighs part a few inches. I slip my fingers all the way up ‘til I reach the bottom of her jean

shorts, where I drift my ﬁngers back and forth on the inside of her thigh. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her ﬁghting not to wiggle, something she always does when she's turned on. She can’t help herself. “Did you have fun?” I ask. “No,” she says with a hu . “You’re pushing it, Kitten.” “Why do you keep calling me that?” “How you’re acting.” “How I’m acting. Some beautiful woman answers your phone and has no clue who I even am?!” There it is. She’s all worked up now. Her breathing is heavy, making her tits rise and fall. I throw the car into park. “Out,” I order her. “What?” she asks like she didn’t hear me. “Out or I’ll drag you out.” Her mouth falls open. “What is wrong with you lately?” Shit. She’s right. “You. That’s what’s wrong with me lately.” I get out of the car, coming around to her side. I pull her out and head into the building, going straight for the elevator. “Maybe I should go home. Then I won’t be a problem for you anymore.” The thought of her walking out on me has me snapping. I hit the emergency stop button. “What are you doing?” I close in on her.

“Reminding you that you belong to me. That you don’t have the option to go anywhere unless I give it to you.” “Ace.” Her heavy breathing is back. Her pupils are dilated. She’s getting so turned on by this side of me, which isn’t helping me. “Are you going to stop acting like a brat?” Her face scrunches and a cute as hell growl comes from her. “All right then,” I say before I slam my mouth down onto hers, pinning her to the wall of the elevator, my cock pressing into her soft stomach. I might be the one in control right now, but we all know Faith owns me. I wouldn’t have it any other way. But tonight I’m going to own her in every way.

5 FAITH

moan rips from me. I don’t want to give it to him because he’s a big old bully thinking he can boss me around all the time. Still I cling to him, trying to climb his body so that his cock can grind into my clit. My body is begging for the release it knows only he can give me. I let out a whimper when he pulls back, hitting the button for the elevator to start moving again. I lean up against the wall trying to catch my breath and wondering what’s come over Ace. The doors slide open a moment later. Ace pulls me out of the elevator and toward his condo. I barely get in the door and he’s on me again. I knew he would get worked up about me going to the party without him, but I didn’t know it would rile him up this much. I would have done it a lot sooner if I’d known this is the reaction I would get. My shirt is the ﬁrst thing to go, along with my bra. Soon he’s pulling my shoes o and the rest of my clothes until I’m standing completely naked in front of him. Holy shit. Sure, he’s seen me naked before, but we’re normally in a bed or something. Not me standing pressed up against the front door of his place.

“Did you eat?” he asks as he rises to his feet in front of me. “What?” I ask. Why is he talking about eating right now? “Did you eat?” he repeats. “Whitney made buttered noodles,” I tell him, biting the inside of my cheek. “Kitten, I know you. That answer isn’t going to work on me. Now did you eat what Whitney made?” I hu a breath. Sometimes him knowing me too well really bites me in the ass. “Why do you even care? You were busy handling other things.” As soon as I say the words, I want to take them back. They're rude. I know he was working, but that stupid assistant is still bugging me. He hasn’t even told me yet why she answered his phone. “You asked for this.” He pulls me over toward the couch. In one quick move, he has me bent over the side with my ass in the air. “What the hell?” I try to get up, but his hand on my back keeps me right where I am. “Don’t ﬁght it,” he says before his hand comes down on my ass. I gasp in surprise. “Ace! Did you just spank me?!” “Yes.” His hand rubs the spot he smacked. “Three more.” “No, you jerk face.” I may say no, but I wiggle in place, wanting more. “Okay. Five then.” His hand comes down on my ass again and again. The pain of each slap turns to pleasure shooting

straight to my clit. I find myself lifting my ass higher into the air. I’m so wet it’s dripping down my thighs. Ace’s hand slips down between them. Ace caresses my ass. His hand feels good on my tender flesh. His foot pushes one of mine to spread my legs wider for him as his hand travels downward to my sex. I swear I’m on the verge of orgasm, and the man hasn’t even touched my clit. “Ace,” I moan when his fingers finally go to my clit. “Apologize for the attitude.” His fingers stop moving. “Ace. Your fingers. Please.” I wiggle around, needing friction. My whole body is throbbing. I think this is way more painful than the spanking. “You had to have known I had no idea that woman answered my phone. I let her know it better not fucking happen again.” Yeah, maybe I did kind of know. “Now give me what I want, and I’ll give you what you want.” I shouldn’t do it, but I can’t stop myself at this point. I’ve never been this turned on in my whole life. I’m on the edge of begging him to fuck me already. “I’m sorry. I should have never doubted you.” I give him what he wants. “That wasn't so hard now was it, Kitten?” He places gentle kisses on my back. “No,” I whimper. “I’ve got you. Always have and always will.” His hands leave my back. A moment later, they are gripping on to my thigh as he buries his face between them from behind. His tongue

is everywhere, licking up all of my desire before going for my clit. It only takes a few strokes, and I’m going o , crying out his name as the orgasm rips through my body. I close my eyes, the sensation almost too much for me to take. But even though I just orgasmed, I still ache. I want more. I want all of him. His mouth presses a few kisses to my ass. I hear the sound of his belt hitting the floor. My eyes spring open, and I push up, turning to face him. His buttoned shirt is gone, his bare chest on full display. “You have no idea how beautiful you are.” His hand cups my cheek. I lean into his touch. His other hand is wrapped around his cock, slowly stroking himself. A desperate need to please him fills me. I lick my lips. “You want to suck my cock, Kitten?” I clench my thighs together. This isn't my Ace. He doesn't speak this way. “Yes.” I want that so damn badly. He drops his hand from my cheek to reach around me to the couch. He grabs one of the throw pillows and drops it to the floor. “On your knees.” My body drops down on its own, my knees hitting the soft pillow. He guides his cock toward my mouth. I dart my tongue out, stealing the drop of cum that has formed on the tip. “You've gotten greedy.” “For you.” He’s the one that’s made me greedy. I always want Ace. That’s never been an issue. But what I’m experiencing right now is something else altogether. “Open for me.” I part my lips as he guides the head of his cock into my mouth. I try to reach up to grip him with my hand. “No hands. In fact, touch yourself.”

My face blooms with heat. I’ve never done that in front of him. He starts to step back, his cock about to leave my mouth. I grip his thigh with one hand, the other quickly going between my legs, my fingers going to my clit. “Good girl,” he praises before he thrusts himself into my mouth. I suck his cock as his fingers tangle into my hair, gripping a hold on me. I hollow out my cheeks, sucking him as hard as I can while he thrusts in and out of my mouth. He takes what he wants. Seeing him like this only heightens my arousal. He’s in total control, and I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit that I’m loving every second of this. “Fuck, baby. You’re too damn good.” I whimper around his cock as I move my fingers faster against my clit, my orgasm building quickly once again. “That’s it. Fuck. Take all of me. I’m going to come in that pretty mouth of yours, and you're going to take every last drop.” He groans, thrusting all the way back. His cum shoots out as he moans my name. The pleasure and desire on his handsome face is enough to send me over, knowing that I did that to him. We both come together. I moan around his cock while still trying to make sure I suck every drop of him down. He pulls back, his cock slipping from my mouth before he leans down to pick me up. I wrap myself around him and kiss him. I think I might want to get an attitude again in the very near future. Maybe one that will finally drive him to take all of me.

6 ACE

rub my hand down my face. I can’t work this frustration out of my system. Not with running or even sparring with Knox. I did this to myself, and I’m not sure how to undo it. I still can’t believe the shit I said to Faith last Friday night. I spanked her and then fucked her mouth. I’ve never come so hard in my life. My cock hardens thinking about it. Faith hasn't said one word about what we did. I wish I could say I was sorry, but I’m really not. My girl looked hot with her ass red from my hand and her pretty mouth wrapped around my cock. I spent the rest of the weekend being sweet and loving. I took my time kissing every inch of her. By Sunday night she got hu y. I’m not sure if it took that long for the events to play out in her mind, but I felt the irritation coming from her. Monday was a bitch. It was back to her staying in the damn dorm and me alone in my bed. I should be thankful for it. Who knows what I might end up doing next? I’d been so damn close to fucking her.

When she was bent over that couch with her ass bare and begging to be spanked, it had almost broken my resolve. She was mine for the taking. I wanted inside of her so damn badly that my balls still ache. I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as Faith’s ass with my hand marks on it. I almost came on myself with how easily she’d gone to her knees in front of me. Normally when she goes down on me it’s in a bed or sitting in a car. She’s never kneeled in front of me. To top it o , she played with her pussy while she did it. Got herself o as she sucked the damn life right out of me. I’ve drowned myself in work and classes to try to steer my focus away from me going to her dorm room and dragging her ass back home with me. Fuck the promises I made. She belongs with me in my damn bed. “Ace.” Roman comes strolling into my o ce. “I think we need to go out to Maine to check on things.” “I agree.” As much as I don’t want to go anywhere right now, this needs to be done. It would be easier to meet with everyone at Blicks Robics together. Zoom calls help, but we need to spend some time out there. “Let’s do it this weekend. That way you don’t miss any classes. Tomorrow afternoon we leave.” “That works for me.” He nods, leaving my o ce. I drop my head back. I’m not sure if the space I put between us helps or hurts this fucking need I have to dominate Faith. I’m sure her parents and her brother would be beyond pissed if they knew what I’d done. I don’t even understand where this is coming from. I just know I’ve had these thoughts for as long as I can remember.

It ties in with my need to take care of her all the time. She probably thinks I’m su ocating her at this point. That might be why she was so irritated Sunday night. The whole point of her and Whitney having a dorm room was to let them spread their wings. All I want to do is smother her with attention. Knowing I’m going to be away from her for a few nights has me wanting to rush over to her dorm and have my way with her. Remind her that she’s mine and to be good while I am gone. I press my palm against my cock, trying to get it to go down. With no luck, I pull out my phone and check her location and see she’s in the library. I shoot her a text. Me: It looks like I have to go to Maine this weekend. Faith: Oh, when do you leave? Me: Friday afternoon. Why don’t you stay at my place while I’m gone? That might make me feel a bit better. Knox will be next door, the security is good in my building, and I have an alarm. Faith: Maybe. I’m going to study most of the weekend. I have a new project. I want to get a jump start on it. Me: All right. I love you. Faith: Love you too. I stare at my texts. They feel awkward, but I can’t put my ﬁnger on it. I’m usually so good at reading her moods, but right now I’m at a loss. I toss my phone across my desk. I need to sit down and talk to her. Tell her I fucked up.

Ti any knocks on my open door. “Your three o’clock is here.” I nod. At least I have everything straight here at work and with my classes. I was expecting to be overwhelmed with it all. For the ﬁrst time in my life, it’s my relationship with Faith that is unsteady. It scares the hell out of me. Without her, all of this is pointless.

7 FAITH

“Y

ou okay?” Whitney asks, walking into our room and dropping her bag down. She spent the weekend at Knox’s. They tried to get me to come over and have dinner or something, but I wasn’t feeling it. They need their alone time too. I know when I’m at Ace’s I want all of his attention. At this point I think I’m going through withdrawal. “I’m great.” I sit up, putting my shoes on. I know Knox is going to pop up here soon. At the moment I don’t think I can watch them be all lovey dovey. Things are so weird between Ace and me right now. Ace tried to get me to stay at his place a few more times, but the reality is it only makes me miss him more. It’s a reminder that I should be living with him. I’m starting to get pissed about it, but I know how Ace can be. He respects our parents, and I get that. They’ve done so much for us. I hate all this time apart. I’m not used to it. You would think I wouldn’t feel lonely since I live with three other girls, but everyone has their own things to do. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Yeah, I’m meeting Jason at the Perk.” It’s a small café where the college kids go to study together or catch up. “We’re going to go over our project for Cognitive Psychology.” She gives me a look. Okay, maybe I agreed to partner up with Jason to poke at Ace a bit. I know it’s immature, but I’m still a little upset that he was so casual about his assistant answering his phone. “You hate group projects.” “Yep.” When it comes to schoolwork, I can be a bit obsessive. I’m used to things being done a certain way. Which is my way. I don’t like to let anything sit for any time frame. I want to do it immediately. Oftentimes when I’m in a group project I power through and do most of it myself. It’s not even my partner's fault. I bring it upon myself. In fact, I’m kind of hoping he’s not going to be mad at me. The project isn't even due for another week. It was something I could focus on and not worry about what’s happening between Ace and me. I grab my bag before heading out to the co ee shop. My mind as always drifts to Ace. He’s been holding back from me. The next morning after he spanked me it was as though a switch ﬂipped. None of that man I’d seen the night before was there. I even tried to provoke him. It’s a terrible thing to do, but I wanted to see if I could draw it out of him. He opened a box I hadn’t even realized existed. Now all these hidden desires have come tumbling out. Then he’d gone and put the stupid lid back on. I even loved that stupid nickname Kitten he gave me. I’m sure that when I get grumpy I look like a little kitten to him. He’s twice my size. But the name and the dominant man have vanished.

I don’t understand why he’s hiding part of himself from me. I chew on my bottom lip, trying to make sense of it all. The only reason I can come up with is that it scares him or at the very least he thinks it's going to scare me. If there is one thing Ace will always do it’s protect me above all else. How long has he had these thoughts in his mind? How many times has he had to tuck them away? Ace has always been sweet and gentle to me. We never really ﬁght either. I don’t know if it’s because we’ve known each other for so long or that we typically feel the same way about things. I have to get him to break. We haven't talked a ton since he’s been out of town, but I know his schedule was packed from the second he got up ‘til bed. It had to be that way if they wanted to shove all they needed to do into a weekend. He texted some but not his normal amount. He didn’t ask if I was eating or remind me to make sure I charged my EarPods. It’s all silly things, but I do actually love it. What if he’s getting tired of doing it? The only reminder he did give me was to make sure I’d taken my iron pills. Which I had forgotten. Still, I thought for sure he would swing by Thursday night to give me a kiss goodbye. Nope. He worked late and went straight home after. This is another reason we should live together. It makes it easier for us to be together when we have the free time. The only way to test this is to get him to snap again. I need to do something bigger, and the one thing that irritates him the most is other men around me. He’s got a jealous streak in him. I can’t even complain because I su er from the same thing. Even though we both know the other would never do

such a thing, Ace is convinced that someone might up and steal me away from him. He always says that’s what he would have done, but I came willingly to him. I want all of Ace. Some people may not think you form a bond during sex, but I believe that you do. I want to know Ace on every level. Still, he holds himself back from letting go. My phone vibrates in my pocket when I get to the co ee shop. Ace: Landed. Me: Cool. Busy. Working on a project with Jason. I hit send and turn my phone all the way to silent before dropping it into my bag. I make my way inside to meet up with Jason. That should do the trick. I bet he has already sent a handful of texts and is most likely on his way here already. I locate Jason and head over toward the table. “Hey,” he says when he sees me. I pull out the chair and take a seat. “Thanks for meeting me here.” I know I don’t have a lot of time, so I pull my notebook out to show Jason what I’ve come up with. “I feel bad. You did almost everything,” Jason says. “Please don’t. Plus you’re going to type it up for us.” “All right,” Jason agrees as he packs all of his stu leave.

up to

I glance over my shoulder when the co ee shop doorbell chimes. Ace ﬁlls the entire doorway with his huge frame. My body responds to him. That look in his eyes tells me my plan has worked. A thrill swirls through me.

He’s back.

8 ACE

already have a plan for when I land. I’m going straight to Kitten and dragging her back to my place. Where she belongs. Work was easy, but most of my thoughts were of Faith. Not checking in on her made me fucking go insane. I’m done. I can’t do it anymore. I’m over doing what everyone else thinks I should. All of it. Trying to hold back who I really am. If Faith and I are going to be together, we have to show all sides of ourselves. My eyes land on her the second I enter the small co ee shop. The boy across from her is staring at her like she’s a gift delivered from above. She is, but she’s my gift. Always has been and always will be. Her cheeks bloom with a lovely shade of pink when she sees me. She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip. She did this on purpose. She baited me. If a reaction is what she wanted, she is about to get one. I head straight for her. “Get up,” I order her when I get to her table. She releases her lip from between her teeth. I watch as her pupils dilate. She’s getting turned on, not angry

at my reaction. My cock immediately hardens at her reaction to me. “Who are you?” “Mind your fucking business.” I don’t spare the kid a glance. I couldn’t care less about what this douchebag has to say. Faith’s eyes grow even wider. Long gone is the polite, laidback guy everyone always sees. I can be that man most of the time, but not when it comes to Faith. She brings out a whole other side of me, one that I’ve kept under wraps for far too long. I grab the crap o the table in front of her and shove it into her bag before throwing it over my shoulder. “Hey man. I don’t…” His mouth shuts the moment I hit him with a glare, one that tells him that I’m not in the mood for his shit. “Easy or hard, Kitten.” She licks her lips. “Hard.” The one word from her mouth is the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever heard. “Then hard is what you’ll get.” I pluck her little ass out of her chair and carry her out of the co ee shop before depositing her inside of my car. She doesn’t say a single word in the short drive back to the condo. She wiggles in her seat nonstop the whole way. “You get o on making me mad, Kitten?” I ask when I pull her out of the car and into the elevator. “I just missed you. You’ve been busy.” She shrugs her delicate shoulders. “I’m never too busy for you.”

She reaches up, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I’m not so sure that’s true.” My arm wraps around her waist as we ride the elevator. “Why would you say that? You know you come before anything to me in this whole fucking world. It’s been that way since I was five years old.” “You haven’t been checking on me as much as you usually do.” I brush my nose against the top of her head, breathing her in. “I was trying to give you space. You have no idea how hard this weekend has been for me.” Her fingers dig into my shirt. “I’ve never once in my whole life asked for space between us.” Her words are whisper soft. She’s right. It was our parents who asked for it. “Be careful what you ask for, Kitten.” She presses her body into mine. “I know what I’m asking, Ace, but I want even more.” She drops her head back to stare up at me. “I want the man that dragged me back to his house and made me suck his cock.” Her cheeks flush a beautiful shade of pink at her own words. My cock presses against my zipper, begging me to have her go to her knees right now and take me in her mouth. I take a deep breath to get control of myself. “You enjoyed getting your ass spanked.” I dig my hard-on into her stomach. This side I’ve been trying to keep hidden away is what she wants. I want to kick myself. I should have known. Faith and I were made for each other. If this is a part of me, she’ll want it. Desire it the same way that I do. I slip my

ﬁngers through her hair before ﬁsting it at the back. She lets out a small gasp. “Then you’re going to give all of yourself to me.” “I don’t have to give you something that is already yours.” I crush my mouth down onto hers in a possessive kiss. My hand in her hair grips tighter. A whimper comes from her as she digs her nails into my chest. The doors to the elevator slide open. I release my hold on her hair to pick her up. I fumble with the door to get us into the condo, not wanting to take my mouth o of hers. I don’t until I get her to the bed, where I strip her down to nothing. “Ace,” she breathes as she stands in front of me completely naked, her lips swollen from our kisses. She looks so fucking sexy this way. “Get on the bed, Kitten,” I order her. She smirks at me before she lets herself fall backward. I pull my shirt o over my head as I kick my shoes o . Faith moves to the center of the bed, watching my every move. Her pussy is glistening with need, making my mouth water. “Spread your legs,” I order as I come down onto the bed, grabbing her thighs before she can even do as she’s told. I bury my face between her legs. She’s so worked up it doesn't take but a few licks and she’s coming on my tongue. I drink down her orgasm, going for another. I need to make sure she’s ready for me. I want everything from her tonight. When it comes to my Faith, I can never get enough.

9 FAITH

“A

ce!” I scream out his name as another orgasm hits my body. His mouth is relentless. He groans against my sex like he’s the one that keeps coming. His fingers dig into my thighs as he keeps them spread open for him. “I want another.” I shake my head no. I’m not sure I can give him any more. “Are you telling me no?” His tone is filled with warning. “I...I—” Before I can form words, he flips me over in one quick move. I land face down on the mattress. His hand comes down on my ass. “Ace!” I moan his name. I lift my hips, pushing my ass backwards into the air. I’m on edge. I need more. And he’s the only one that can give me what I need. “You say no, but your body is screaming for more.” It is. His hand comes down on my ass again. I moan into the mattress. He massages the spot before his hand slips down the crack of my ass, sending a shiver through my body. “You’ll give me another one.”

He shifts, making the bed move. The next thing I know his head is under me and between my legs, my ass still in the air. His tongue toys with my clit as he pumps two fingers in and out of my sex. I’m so wet from the first two orgasms. The third orgasm starts to push down on me. I dig my nails into the sheets as Ace sucks on my clit. I’m going to come again. How is he doing this? When his finger slips into my ass, I gasp, dropping my hips to sit all the way down on his face. It’s too much. He thrusts his fingers all the way inside of me. It's sensory overload. I swear he feels as though he’s everywhere. I suppose he technically is. I cry out as I come for him again. The orgasm shudders through my whole body, making me go lax. I close my eyes and relish the feeling. Ace guides me onto my back once again and comes up between my legs to hover over me. I blink my eyes open. I’m not sure if I’ll ever move again. “You think we’re done, Kitten?” He licks the remnants of my orgasm o his lips. My body jerks when his cock grazes against my clit. I’m still so sensitive. The primal look in his eyes has me whimpering. “Told you, I’m taking it all. No more holding back. No more doing what others think is right. I’m over all of it. You’re mine, and I’ll do what I please with you. You’re mine to take care of.” The head of his cock starts to press inside of me. “Yes,” I moan. “Take care of me, Ace. I need you.” I spread my thighs wider. “I need you too. More than I think you’ll ever understand,” he says as he thrusts all the way inside of me.

I cry out at the sudden rush of pain. His mouth comes down onto mine, kissing me deeply. I grip his shoulders. A few tears leak out the corners of my eyes. I don’t know if it’s from the pain or the rush of emotions that I’m having. I’ve waited so long for Ace to share this piece of himself with me. For us to finally be one. “Kitten.” Ace places gentle kisses all over my face. It almost makes me cry more. He always knows what I want before I even do, whether it be hard or sweet. He sees me and gives me exactly what I need even though I don’t know what I’m looking for. “I love you so much.” “I love you too.” I slip my hands up to wrap around his neck to pull him down for a kiss. The pain is already starting to fade away. His tongue slips into my mouth. Our kiss is soft at first. I realize as we’re kissing that his whole body is rigid. His arms have a slight shake to them. He’s fighting himself, not wanting to hurt me. He wants to move so badly, but he won’t, thinking it will cause me more pain. He’s always putting me first. It’s been that way since we were little kids. I wrap my legs around him, loving the sensation of being so full of him. Ace and I are as close as two people could be, but it’s as if one final wall has finally come tumbling down between us. “Kitten.” He groans against my mouth when I try to lift my hips. I can’t move much. He has me pinned under him. I trust him completely with my body and my heart. Knowing that he is in total control of my body right now makes my pussy clamp down around him. He could do

anything he wants to me at this moment. That thought only ramps up my arousal. Ace must see my twisted thoughts in my eyes. “My sweet little Faith has a dirty side.” He pulls out and thrusts all the way back in. I gasp loudly at the sensation. I knew Ace would make this good for me, but I never knew it would be like this. “You love that, don’t you? The mixture of pain with pleasure. Are you pretending the pain is because I’m being rough with you? Taking whatever the fuck I want from your cunt?” “Ace!” I hiss his name. His words alone are going to make me come. My pussy clamps down around him again. He grits his teeth. “Don’t worry, Kitten. I’m going to take it all, and you're going to feel me for days.” He pulls out again before driving all the way back in. This time he doesn't stop. With each stroke he grows harder. “So damn tight.” “You’ll have to break me in.” The words slip past my lips before I can stop them. I can’t believe I said that out loud. “Fuck,” he growls. “I’m going to spank your ass again. I’m not ready to come.” He slips his hand between us, his ﬁngers going to my clit as he keeps thrusting. I release my hold on him to reach up and grab the headboard. “Need you to come for me. Clamp down on me again. Show me how much you get o on me being inside you, taking what I want.” “Ahh!” I cry out. My whole body locks up around him as the orgasm hits me hard. “I’m going to come inside your pretty little cunt, and you're going to take every drop of me.” Ace groans my name loudly, an inhuman sound coming from deep inside of him. He jerks as his warmth spills deep inside of me.

He keeps moving inside of me, but his pumps are shallow now as to drag out both of our pleasures. I swear when he groans again that more of his cum leaks inside of me. I have to admit that I love that I make him act this way. That he’s so desperate to have me that it brings out a di erent side of him. “Faith.” He breathes my name, burying his face in my neck. I wrap my arms around him, holding him close. His warm breath tickles my skin. “I love you.” “I love you, too,” I say back. “All of you. Every part.” I want to make sure he doesn’t try to hide this side of himself from me again. He nips my neck, making my pussy clench around him. A grunt comes from him. “That’s real fucking good, Kitten. You’ve let the beast out, and there is no going back now.” “Never,” I agree. I freaking love that Ace has this dirty side to him no one will ever know about. It’s all mine. Only I can pull this out of him. I make him resort to his baser needs. This beast is all mine.

ACE

aith sleeps in my arms. My breaths are in sync with hers. I should be knocked out cold. We went at it o and on all through the night. There wasn’t much sleep going on. I’d also been up early the day before getting my shit sorted out to get back home. But for some reason I’m restless. I know deep inside it’s because I’ve broken my word to our parents. It shouldn’t bother me, but I don’t care for people being disappointed in me. In saying that, I wouldn’t change last night for anything. And there is nothing that will ever keep me from her again. I guide my ﬁngers up and down her bare back. I’d all but snapped before I’d gotten back to her yesterday. Seeing her in that co ee shop with that guy studying was the last straw. I was done with all the bullshit. Like I told Faith, she’s mine, and I’ll do whatever the fuck I want when it comes to the two of us. I’m not involved in anyone else’s relationships. They can all stay the hell out of mine. My phone lights up, letting me know the movers are here. Slowly, I slip out of the bed, making sure not to wake Faith in the process. I pull on a pair of jeans and a shirt quickly.

When I come out of the closet, Faith is wrapped around my pillow. I grab the blanket, pulling it over her before I exit our bedroom, shutting the door behind me. It takes everything I have to leave her alone in that bed. But knowing that getting this done means I’ll be waking up with her in it from now on helps. I run my hand down my face, smiling when I smell Faith still on my ﬁngers. I carried her into the bath sometime in the night, wanting her to soak so she wouldn’t be too sore. But fuck me. Faith was greedy. I got her o in the bathroom before I took her back to bed. I woke up an hour later with her mouth around my cock. I wasn't a strong enough man to tell her to stop when she released me from her mouth to climb up my body and slide down on my cock. She looked so damn beautiful as she rode me. My cock starts to harden again at the memory. I adjust myself before I open the front door. “You can put everything over here,” I tell the movers. I sent a crew over to pack up her stu this morning. I gave Whitney a heads-up beforehand. I know she handled a few of the boxes for Faith. Her panties and such. Anything that was personal. “What’s going on?” Faith comes walking down the long hallway toward the living room, rubbing her eyes. Everyone turns to look her way. She only has my shirt on. It ﬁts her like a dress, the bottom hitting just above her knee, but fuck me does she look sexy as hell right now. She screams well fucked. I have no doubt she’s these two fuckers’ wet dream. “Eyes o or you’ll both be unemployed,” I bark. Both of them quickly avert their stare.

“This is all of it.” The shorter one of the two says, handing me a piece of paper to sign. I quickly jot down my signature and hand it back to him. I want these fuckers out of here as soon as possible. “You can leave,” I tell them, never taking my eyes o Faith. She stands in the hallway chewing on her bottom lip. Seeing her like this takes my breath away. She’s stunning. “Right.” They both scurry out the door. I walk over, ﬂipping the lock behind them. “What’s going on?” She shu

es over toward me.

“I should spank your ass, but you didn’t know anyone was coming over.” She rolls her eyes at me. I kiss her. “Morning.” Well, it’s not morning anymore. “Morning,” she says back with a sleepy smile on her face. “Hungry?” She nods her head. “What’s with all the boxes?” she asks. I take her hand and guide her into the kitchen, pulling out one of the high-top chairs at the kitchen island. “It’s all your stu from your dorm room.” I drop a kiss on her head before I hit the button on the co ee maker. I grab a glass and get her some orange juice. “My stu ?” she repeats. Her eyes are big like an owl’s. Of course she looks fucking adorable. “Yeah, your stu . Not doing this not living together shit anymore. Especially with me being a bit busier with work. I need you here.” “What about our parents?”

I set her glass of orange juice down in front of her before I start to make French toast. It’s her favorite. “I don’t care.” She tilts her head to the side, her nose scrunching up. “You don’t care? Really?” “No.” I place my hands on the counter. “We’re grownups, Faith, and I’m not going to allow anyone to tell me what’s right and what’s wrong when it concerns you. I’ve done everything our parents have asked, but on this I’m ﬁnally drawing the line in the sand.” Faith and I share a deep bond considering we grew up in similar situations when it comes to our families. We both were adopted at a young age. “I’ve always had this need to make sure I did right by them. Really, they didn’t make that hard.” “I know what you mean.” Of course she does. “I love and respect them for all that they have done for us, but this is our life. I take care of you now. Not them. I always have, and I always will.” “Okay.” She smiles at me. “You’re okay with going against their wishes?” “Honestly, this is what I’d wanted to do from the start. This might sound terrible, but I love and adore the fact that you’re taking this stand for us.” I move around to the other side of the island to stand next to her. “We can’t keep things from each other. If you or I want something, then we need to speak up. It will make our lives a whole lot easier, and everyone gets what they want.”

“I can do that,” she agrees. “I was grumpy with you because you gave me a peek of this di erent side to you and then went and took it back. It made me think that I didn’t know a part of you, and that made me feel as though you were hiding it from me.” “And you want that side of me?” She wriggles in her seat. That’s all the answer I need but still she nods her head. “Why did you hide it?” I reach up and squeeze the back of my neck. “You’re my sweet Faith. I wasn't sure how you’d feel back then. Honestly I don’t even know where it came from. It’s been building inside of me over time. Starting with wanting to spank your ass when I think you’re not doing what you should be.” “I do what I’m supposed to,” she hu s, ducking her head and trying to hide her smile. “I think part of it stems from my need to care for you.” “It doesn't annoy you? Always checking in on me?” “No. It might be fucked up, but I enjoy it. Checking in on you and taking care of you gets me o . I don’t fully understand it, but it does.” “Same,” she admits. “I get a thrill when you do it. It makes me feel adored, and then when I’m in trouble I get di erent feelings.” She licks her lips. “Turned on.” She nods. “Then I have this need to be good and make it up to you after you punish me.” Her blush grows with every word. My cock presses into the zipper of my jeans, making

me regret not putting a pair of boxers on. She tries to duck her head, but I grip her chin, making her stare up at me. “It sounds like we both want the same thing. You were made for me, Kitten.” “And you were made for me.” I was. She slips her hands up under my shirt, her ﬁngers trailing up and down my chest before she starts to go lower, going for the button of my jeans. I grab her wrist in a ﬁrm hold. “You need to eat.” Her bottom lip pu s out. “Be a good girl, and I’ll reward you after.” “Fine.” She lets out a small hu . I grip her hair, pulling her head back to kiss her before I rake my teeth down her neck. “Be really good and I might let you suck my cock.” I sink my teeth into her neck, making her gasp. “I’ll be good,” she whispers. My kitten isn't only good. She’s perfect.

FAITH

ﬂip the frame, staring at the picture of Ace and me on prom night. We have so many pictures of the two of us growing up together. I’ve always believed the universe gave me Ace early in life because I needed him. I’d been so alone before he and Kennedy came into my life. I’ll forever be grateful for Kennedy. She is my mom through and through, but I found I could share more with Ace. He was my age. He’s always been there for me in the ways I’ve needed him. When we were young, he was my protector and best friend. As we grew, the nature of our relationship changed as well. The things we both needed from each other changed as the years went by. The love I felt for him when I was younger evolved. I couldn’t imagine my life without him in it. I place the large picture frame on the ground, leaning it up against the wall where I want Ace to hang it up. I’ve only been living with Ace for a few days, but I’m already adding my touch to this place. He hasn't done anything to it since he moved in. I know he was waiting for me.

I go over to the box sitting in the o ce chair. Ace told me I could make the other bedroom into my own o ce if I wanted, but he'd like it more if we shared one. I feel the same about it. I shu e through the box, making sure I have everything I need. I’ve yet to see Ace’s o ce. I ﬁgured if I’m getting our home o ce together, I should go into his work o ce and add my touch there as well. Maybe I want to go so I can see his assistant. Ever since she brazenly answered his phone, I can’t stop thinking about her. I’m not sure what it is about her that bugs me, but there is something. This isn’t about me thinking Ace is doing anything wrong either. There is no doubt in my mind when it comes to Ace’s loyalty to me. I can’t put my ﬁnger on it yet. It can’t only be that she's so pretty. Ace is beyond hot. Before he was crazy hot, he was a handsome young boy. I was used to other girls staring at him. I’m pretty sure his high school calculus teacher even crushed on him. While it might be a bit annoying, I didn’t let it fester inside of me. Heading into the master bedroom closet, I quickly change. Okay, maybe change isn't the correct word. I grab the box out of the o ce before I head out the front door and toward Ace’s work. The closer I get to his o ce, the more I get turned on. I’m not sure what his reaction is going to be when I show up. Will I be in trouble? Do I want to be in trouble is maybe the better question? I didn’t know how much it would mean to me when Ace pushed aside what our parents had asked us to do and picked us over everything else. I knew already I meant more than

anything in this world to him, but this was us stepping out from under them to start a new chapter of our lives. We still have to tell them, but we haven't had the chance yet. That is more on me than Ace. I am debating when would be the best time. I stand by our choice, but it always sucks when you feel as though you’re disappointing your parents. Especially ones that have gone out of their way to make sure all of us had a good life. “Faith,” Roman calls to me when I enter the building. He’s standing over next to a couple of security guards talking to them. The King o ces take up the top three ﬂoors. The rest of the building are leased o ces. Roman owns the whole building. “Uncle Roman.” I smile, walking over toward him. He pulls me in for a hug. “You here to see Ace?” “Yeah. Was going to see about stealing him away for lunch or maybe ordering something in.” “I’m slipping out early myself. Will I see you for Sunday dinner?” “Yep. I’ll be there.” He drops a kiss on top of my head before he leaves. I grab the elevator and take it up. When I exit on Ace’s ﬂoor, I give Jenny a wave. I might not have been to Ace’s o ce yet, but I’ve been here through the years o and on. As I close in on Ace’s o ce door, I spot the woman behind the desk outside and to the left of his door. Her brunette head pops up when she hears the click of my heels as I draw closer.

“I’m sorry. Ace is busy at the moment.” Well, then. She’s gone from pretending to not know who I am to clearly knowing who I am. It seems she doesn't care much for me either. “Excuse me?” I pause before I get to her desk. “If you’d like to wait over…”—she motions to a sitting area —“I’ll—” “Is that how you greet people?” I ask, cutting her o . “I—” “His name is Mr. King.” I cut her o eyes on me.

again. She narrows her

“I don’t answer to you. Mr. King is my boss. Not you.” She stands, tilting her chin up. She’s really pushing her luck with me. Her responses let me know her intentions are not good when it comes to Ace. “You really must not like your job.” I know I sound like a snot, but what the hell is with this woman? She is really pretty. Model pretty even. She towers over me in her heels. But she needs some major work on her social skills. Or maybe it’s just me she’s like this with. “You can't—” I hold my hand out to cut her o . I’ve had enough of her crap. But I don’t get a chance to say another word because Ace beats me to it. “That’s where you’re wrong, Ti any.” Her eyes widen, and she spins around to face him. He’s holding his hand out toward me. I walk over, and he wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side.

“Sir, I thought you were on a call.” “You’re fired,” he responds. “What? I didn’t do anything. You can’t fire me because—” “I told you last week, and I know I made myself extremely clear. When it comes to Faith, I don’t care what I am doing, that I am to be alerted if she is trying to get in contact with me. Did I not?” She purses her lips. “But I was—” “It’s a yes or no question.” “Yes, sir.” “Then I don’t need to repeat myself,” Ace says dismissively to her. “I’ll repeat it for you,” I volunteer, making Ace’s lips twitch. “You’re fired.” Ti any starts to try and say something again but quickly thinks otherwise at the stonewall expression Ace gives her. She starts to grab stu o her desk. Ace opens his o ce door for me. “Give me a second, Kitten.” He heads over behind his desk, hitting a few buttons before Jenny’s voice comes through the speaker. “I just fired Ti any. Can you make sure security sees her out please?” “I sure can. I guess you couldn’t make it 'til Friday.” Jenny laughs through the line. “Thank you, Jenny,” Ace says before pressing the button again to disconnect. Jenny has manned that front desk for as long as I can remember.

“You were going to ﬁre her?” “I was working on replacing her. I have a few interviews scheduled for later this week.” I walk over, sitting my box down on his desk. Ace’s eyes travel down me and linger on the heels I’m wearing before they come back up. It’s not crazy for me to wear heels on a date night or such. But on a normal weekday, it’s a bit of a stretch. “Kitten, you have plans with Whitney or something?” He starts to pull at his tie. “No.” I lick my lips. The second that one word leaves my mouth, his jaw clenches. That gives me my answer right there. I’m in trouble. “Kitten, tell me you’re not naked under your coat.” He pulls his tie the rest of the way o . “I’m not naked under my coat.” He steps around the desk, coming to stand in front of me. His hands go straight for the buttons of the long coat. In only a couple of seconds, he has it undone and pooling at my feet. “See? Not naked.” The petal pink panties and bra leave nothing to the imagination. In fact, being as sheer and thin as they are, they are a bit pointless really. “You left the house this way?” He takes a step back from me. “I mean, I was only in the car and I—” “Stop talking.” He cuts me o before he steps around me, heading straight toward his o ce door. My heart sinks. Is he really that pissed? “Ace,” I call when he gets to the door.

“Kitten,” he barks, making me snap my mouth shut. The sound of the lock clicking into place sends a thrill through my whole body. “I’m pissed. You’ve been walking around the city this way.” He prowls his way back toward me. “I’m sorry.” “You’re a terrible liar.” I lift my hands to put them onto his chest, but he snatches them away before walking me backwards until my ass hits his desk. He looms over me. I bite the inside of my cheek trying to keep in the moan that's trying to escape me. My whole body is primed with anticipation. “You will be, though.” I gasp when he spins me around, bending me over the side of his desk. His hands on my wrists are replaced with a soft cloth. He tugs on it, binding my hands together behind my back. His foot presses on the inside of mine, making my legs spread wider for him. I grow so wet that I can already feel it dripping down my thighs. I smile, knowing he took the bait. Hook, line and sinker. He’s going to give me that part of him that I love so much. You’d almost think he hadn't made me come with his mouth this morning before he got out of bed to start his day. He had. He even pounced on me again after his shower before he left for his ﬁrst class. But I can never seem to get enough of him. “You know I’m a very jealous man.” His hand comes down on my ass. The smack is loud in the room. I moan loudly. “Are you trying to get someone hurt?” More spanks rain down on me. Each one shoots straight to my clit. “Ace,” I whimper.

“Begging isn’t getting you out of this one, Kitten.” Another smack lands before he’s tugging at the sheer panties. They give easily for him. “I love the sight of your ass with my mark on it.” He slowly rubs the spots he spanked. “Ace!” I shout louder when another smack comes down. “I can’t.” I start to beg, the pain starting to be too much. It’s not from the slaps exactly. It’s my clit that throbs with a painful need. “Is my little kitten starting to see that spankings are more of a punishment than she thought?” “Yes!” I try to press my thighs together, needing the pressure, but he keeps his foot planted between mine so that I can’t. “I’m waiting,” he says as he rubs my ass. His hand slips lower between my thighs, but he stops before he gets to my clit. “I’m sorry. I’ll be good, I swear. I’ll wear all the clothes.” “Good girl. I accept your apology.” He pulls on his tie, freeing my hands. “Did you want to get lunch?” I lift, turning to face him, my ass still on his desk. “Lunch?” I gape at him. “I’m lunch!” I lunge at him. He catches me. I rip at the buttons of his shirt, trying to get it o . My whole body is on ﬁre. Even my nipples are throbbing. He’s going to give me what I want or I’m going to take it. “You need something, Kitten?” I stare up at his handsome face. “You, Ace. I always need you.”

“Fuck me.” That cool calmness he is trying to hold shatters with my words. “I’m trying to fuck you, but you’re being di

cult.”

“Watch your mouth, or you’ll be bent over the desk again.” I grip his shirt tighter, clinging to him. I’m not going over anything except him or I’ll take the tie and choke him with it. “I’m sorry. I’ll be good. So good.” I move my hips up and down, trying to drag myself along his cock that is pressed into my clit. My back hits a wall a second later. Ace pins me to it, his hands going between us as he undoes his belt. I see the slight shake of his hand. He’s not as controlled as he’s trying to make it seem. He’s on edge and needs this as badly as I do. I go for his neck with my mouth. Two of us can play this game. “Fuck,” he grits between his teeth. “Kitten. I know what you’re doing.” I lift my head. “Me?” I give him the most innocent look that I can as the head of his cock starts to press inside of me. “Always you.” He thrusts into me. My lips part to let out a small scream, the mixture of pain and pleasure colliding inside of me. My body is still adjusting to his size. He sucks and nips at my lips. “Please,” I beg against his mouth, trying to move myself up and down his cock. “I’ve got you, Kitten. Arch into me.” I do as he tells me. He helps guide me how he wants me before he starts to move in and out of me. From this angle,

my clit presses against him. “I can’t.” I shake my head no. This orgasm is going to be powerful. “You will. It’s mine, and you’re going to give it to me.” “Yes,” I agree, wanting to give this man everything. “There she is. My good girl.” I go o . My pussy clenches around his cock as I start to cry out. Ace’s hand covers my mouth, mu ing my sounds of pleasure. “No one hears you come,” he grunts out. “Even the sounds you make belong to me, Kitten. All of it is mine. Every last drop.” Another orgasm hits me. This time Ace is coming with me. He groans against my neck as he spills deep inside of me. He thrusts as hard as he can, ﬁlling me to the hilt as he keeps coming. “One day there'll be nothing stopping me from planting my baby deep inside of you.” My whole body clenches around him, loving the sound of that. “One day,” I agree before kissing him. “Now feed me,” I demand. He lets out a deep chuckle that vibrates throughout my body. Even the man's laugh turns me on. I’m one lucky kitten.

ACE

“K

itten.” I pull her back into me. I can tell she’s nervous. “This is on me. You don’t have to do anything.” I lean down and nuzzle her neck. She wiggles all around, and I don’t have to see her face to know she’s smiling. “I love you.” She wraps her arms around my neck. “Love you too.” I lift my head, this time dropping a kiss onto her mouth. “They might be irritated, but that’s about it. They’ll get over it.” “I know.” She rests her head on my chest. “Are you all coming inside?” Kennedy asks, pulling the front door open. “Mom.” Faith releases her hold on me to go over and give Kennedy a hug. I follow after her. Kennedy is basically a second mom to me. The great thing about our families being so tight is we’ll never have shit in-laws. We pretty much share a family. “You guys are early. You can help me get things ready.”

“Me?” Faith squeaks, her eyes going round. “I can’t cook,” she says like we don’t all already know that. “You can set the table.” “Faith!” Grant calls, stepping out onto the front porch to give his sister a hug. He holds his hand out for me to knock with his. “I miss you guys. Mom is smothering me with attention.” “Hey. I’m right here,” Kennedy hu s. We all laugh. “Oz around?” I ask as we enter the house. “He’s in his o him.”

ce,” Kennedy says. “Your dad is in there with

“I’m going to go pop in.” I lean down, kissing Faith below her ear. “It’s fine, Kitten. Go burn something.” She elbows me before she’s o toward the kitchen with her mom and brother. I watch her ass until she is out of sight before I head toward Oz’s o ce. I knew my dad was going to be here. I asked him to come. I wanted to talk to them both at the same time and get it over with. Then I’ll let them decide how they want me to let the moms know. I give the door a double knock before I open it. They both glance my way as I step in. They’re sitting over by the fireplace, each of them with a whiskey in their hands. Dad walks toward me then wraps me in a hug. “Drink?” Oz o ers. “No, I’m driving.” I drop down into one of the chairs. My dad knows me well. I’m sure he already knows what this is about. I’d already confided in him some when we were out

of town together. Of course his advice had been to never hide any part of who I am from my woman. That it could lead to a misunderstanding. The way he’d said it made me think he too once faced something he’d hidden from Mom. I would take any advice from my dad when it comes to things in life. Especially when it comes to marriage and relationships. He and mom are still madly in love with each other. He might have blackmailed her to get her, but he’s been able to keep her. I’m damn thankful getting to have them as my example of what a happy marriage looks like. Roman showed me how you treat a woman, and I know one of the ways I’d gotten Faith to fall in love with me is how I am with her. “I moved Faith in with me,” I say, ripping the Band-Aid right o . “I tried. I really did, but staying away from her and letting her spread her wings is not going to work for me. Growing up, I’ve always respected everything you’ve asked of me when it came to Faith. I waited. But the time is up. We’re grown-ups now, and I’m not asking for permission when it comes to Faith anymore. If I do, it’s merely out of courtesy. And I’m still going to do what I think is best for her.” “Waited,” Oz says, us all knowing it’s past tense. “She might be your little girl, but Faith is mine. Everyone knew this was coming. I’ve never hidden my intentions when it comes to her.” “Okay,” Oz says after a long moment. “Okay? That’s it?” “You’re right. I’m fucking thrilled I got lucky enough that the two of you fell in love. I’ll never have to worry if you’ll do

something to hurt her. Or that she won’t be taken care of. Kennedy and I only ever asked for you to do this because we wanted to give the girls this option. As a father, I had to do that.” I nod in understanding. “I love her more than anything,” I say. Emotion builds up in my throat. “We know that, but I have to say you coming here and standing your ground on this makes me believe it even more.” “Why?” I ask, confused. “Because you’re Ace King. You always do the right thing. You walk the straight and narrow. Coming here and telling me you’re not going to do what has been asked from you isn’t typical. Everyone can always count on you to do what you say you’re going to.” “Not this time,” I respond. “Not this time.” Oz smirks. “You put Faith in front of even upsetting us.” “She comes first. Always.” I’ve never thought otherwise. “This is the first time I’ve ever disagreed.” Before now they hadn’t asked me anything that I didn’t think was unrealistic or right. Maybe the waiting for sex part, but it also didn’t hurt anything either. In fact, it helped me come to terms with some of my sexual desires. “I know. And you did what you should have. Faith should always come first for you. You’ve more than proved you will do what’s best for her to me.”

“Thank you.” We both stand. He pulls me in for a hug. “You have my blessing to marry her. Now you don’t have to ask.” Well damn. I was about to bring that up next. He releases me from the hug. “I’m going to ask her today while everyone is here.” “Good.” “Do I need to talk to the moms ﬁrst? Fill them in about the living together thing?” “No,” Dad responds this time having been relatively quiet throughout this. I suppose this has more to do with Oz and me. “We both had a feeling what you wanted to talk about today,” Roman says. “We talked with them last night. They feel the same.” Dad grabs me, pulling me in for a hug next. “I’m damn proud of you.” “That means a lot.” “I’m always proud of you, Ace. Even if we don’t agree on something. You’re still my son even when we don’t see eye to eye. I love you, son.” I knew that deep down, but it still feels good to hear it. Any of the bullshit I might be hanging on to about not being Roman’s full blooded son slips away. “I love you too, Dad.” “You got the ring?” Oz asks, putting his drink down on the bar. “Yeah.” I pull out the box, opening the lid to reveal the three-carat pink pear-shaped diamond. It’s a soft, subtle

pink, which I knew Faith would love. The size might be a bit big, but I wanted it to be noticeable. “Damn. She’s going to love that.” Oz’s hand comes down on my shoulder. “You did good.” “I did,” I agree but I’m not talking about the ring. I lucked out in life when Faith became a part of it. “Let’s go see what the women are doing before they try and accuse us of not helping,” Dad says. We all head into the kitchen. Whitney and Knox have arrived. The whole family is actually here. My younger brothers are giving my little sister a hard time about some boy texting her cell phone. Which makes me smile. I’ve trained them well. Knox’s eyes come to me. He too wants Whitney out of the dorm. I give him a chin nod, letting him know everything went well. He gives me one back. I can see him visibly relax. I know he can often feel the same way I do about going against our parents. They’ve done so much for us and have been so supportive about almost all of our choices. Faith slips o the high-top chair at the island, coming straight for me. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her to me. There will never be a better feeling than this. “Being good, Kitten?” I ask. She glares at me, wanting to know how it went with her dad. “Asked you a question.” “No.” She smirks. I tighten my hold on her, my cock pressing hard into her soft stomach. “Don’t think I can’t take you up to your old room,” I warn her. Her eyes go wide.

“You wouldn’t.” She licks her lips, knowing damn well I would. “Everything is fine,” I let her know. “I told you it would be.” “I know. You always make sure I’m taken care of.” “My favorite thing in the world is to take care of you. In fact, I’m going to be doing it for the rest of our lives,” I say as I drop to one knee. I was going to wait until later, but everyone is here right now. I waited long enough to get my ring on her finger. The kitchen grows quiet. “Ace.” Her eyes start to fill with tears. “Give me your finger, Kitten.” “Right!” She sni es, a smile pulling at her lips. “Oh gosh,” she whispers when I slip the ring onto her finger. It’s a perfect fit. “Answer him, honey,” Kennedy whispers loudly. “He didn’t ask,” Faith whispers loudly right back. “I’m shocked he didn’t ask,” my little sister Lily says sarcastically. “He knows I’m going to marry him. I told him that the day he gave me his pink crayon when we were younger.” She did. In fact, she declared it to the whole room. I stand, lifting her o her feet in the process. I let the rest of the room fade out. The moms are already making wedding plans. “I love you, Kitten.” “Love you too, Ace.”

To the rest of the world I might be the perfect gentleman but Faith is the only one who will ever know who I truly am. When it comes to her, I’m her beast.

EPILOGUE

FAITH

“I

can’t take it. You’re so beautiful.” Mom sni for about the hundredth time today.

“I think I’m going to cry.” Fawn sni her.

es right along with

I’m starting to wonder if this is my wedding or theirs. It doesn't bother me. It’s actually really sweet. I might not have been blessed when it came to a birth mom, but I’m blessed with the two moms life gave me next. These two women have instilled so much in me. I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for them. I love them both dearly. It’s why I let them go all out when it came to planning Ace and my wedding. All I cared about is at the end of the day that Ace will be my husband. The rest doesn't really matter. But I knew they would want to go overboard, and I let them. “She’s a princess,” Whitney says, walking over with my veil that is indeed attached to a tiara. We hadn't gone with a traditional dress. Oh, it’s big and ﬂu y with a long train in tow, but it’s a soft petal pink

instead of the normal white. It matches my wedding ring perfectly. “Can I see Ace?” I ask. I’m starting to feel a bit nervous. This isn't some small wedding. I think I heard someone say that there are over two hundred guests. At least that’s how many will be at the reception. The actual vow ceremony is only about ﬁfty. Still, I hate being the center of attention. “What!? No. You can’t see the groom before the wedding,” Mom says, looking at me like I’m crazy. While I’m close to both of my moms and Whitney is my best girlfriend, Ace is my real best friend. I’ve known him longer than I’ve known anyone else in my life. He always knows how to calm me. “I miss him,” I admit. “Which is all of your faults,” I accuse. They made us sleep apart last night. We’re all staying at the King estate. It’s crazy to think in less than an hour I’ll be a King too. Faith Osborn King. After talking with Ace a few weeks ago, I decided to change my name. I wanted to have my husband's last name, but I also wanted to honor the name Oz and Kennedy gave me when they adopted me. I’m an Osborn too. Soon I’ll be Faith Osborn King, dropping my middle name Anne, which doesn't mean anything to me. “You’re not fooling us.” Fawn puts her hands on her hips. “I know my son.” “Okay, maybe he snuck into the room last night.” I duck my head, trying to hide my blush. It’s silly to blush. It’s not like they don’t know we have sex. Still, my shyness always wins out.

We haven't spent but a few nights apart since we o cially moved in together a few years ago. There were a couple times he had to travel for work, but that was pretty much it. He’s working full-time now. On those nights I’d often go back home to stay with my parents anyway. Ace is already done with college. Between all the college classes he took in high school and doing classes in the summer as well, he got done a year early. Not that college really matters for Ace at this point. Blicks Robics has more than taken o with their cutting-edge technology. I still have another year left. I’m taking my time. Whitney and I have been taking on more and more at Healing Homes together. Over the last few years, our relationship has changed. It might not seem that way to others, but it has. Sex is such a big part of a relationship. The trust and bond you share during it draws two people closer together. At least for Ace and me it did. We’re connected on this deeper level. Call me crazy, but sometimes I swear I don’t know where he begins and I end. I’ve found myself becoming more dependent on Ace. From most of my meals to even sometimes him picking out what I wear. I’m sure some would ﬁnd it strange, but it works for us. I can’t tell you why him doing all these things for me turns me on, but I know it does him too. Not to mention the spankings. I could really go for one of those right now. I’m sure the moms would die if they ever knew. I get o on that too. That Ace and I have this dirty little secret no one knows about. It’s only ours. “Kitten.” A knock sounds on the door, making me smile. “Ace!” I rush over toward it.

“Careful,” he calls through the almost trip over my own dress. I The moms all shout behind me, The door slips open more. I go kissing him.

door at the same time I watch as it starts to open. but that doesn't stop me. straight into Ace’s arms,

I don’t care about any old wedding traditions saying it’s bad luck or whatever. Ace and I don’t need luck. We have each other. “Don’t be nervous, Kitten. You keep your eyes on me the whole time and I'll have you.” He always has me, but hearing him say that settles my nerves. He brings his hands up to cup my face. “You’re breathtaking.” “This old thing? I just threw it on.” His face breaks out in a smile as he kisses me. “Meet me at the end of the aisle in ten minutes or your ass will be too sore for you to sit on it for most of our honeymoon.” I open my mouth to say something smart about him not taunting me with a good time, but he beats me to it. “You won’t be coming either.” I let out a gasp. “You don’t have to be mean.” He drops his hands from my face to wrap his arms around me. “You like when I’m mean.” He gives my ass a squeeze. “It is one of the many reasons I’m marrying you.” The list of reasons is endless, like our love for one another. People say that as you grow up you change. Lucky for Ace and me, we've always changed together. “You were made me for me, Kitten.” He presses his hard cock into my stomach. “We are a perfect ﬁt.”

EPILOGUE

ACE

line up my shot, calling it before I sink the eight ball into the corner pocket. “This is bullshit. You grew up in a house with a pool table,” Knox grumbles as he puts his stick back on the rack. “Don’t be a sore loser.” I drop my pool stick down on the table before grabbing my beer to take a swig. My eyes drift over to the giant clock on the bar wall. How has it only been ten minutes since the last time I looked? It must be broken. I rub my thumb against my wedding ring. “It’s not broken,” Knox says, taking a pull from his own beer. He’s as anxious as I am to get back to our wives. They're having a girls’ night out. It’s something Whitney and Faith do the ﬁrst Saturday of every month. Even though Knox and I hate being away from them, we know how important it is to them. Tonight they are out at a bar. It’s the ﬁrst time in a while that neither of them are knocked up or breastfeeding. “Why didn’t they come home and get ready?” Knox folds his arms over his chest. He’s pouting. Not that I’m going to

point that out to him. I’m not far from doing the same thing myself. The girls spent the day at the spa. After they got their massages and whatever else to relax, they’d gone on to get their hair and makeup done too before their night out. They said they got a hotel room because they didn’t want us to see whatever the fuck they put on before they went out for the night. It was pointless really. I knew what my wife was wearing. I had my security guard send me a picture. I have no doubt my wife knew I would have Diana send me one. I’m sure that had a lot to do with the clothes she picked out. Or lack of them for that matter. I wouldn't be surprised if my kitten posed while Diana took the picture. The dress she has on tonight looks more like a man’s white button-up shirt if you ask me. But it’s not mine. One of my shirts would go all the way to her knees. This get-up stops mid-thigh. She has a belt on with it. One I intend to use on her later. While her dress is sexy as hell, her boots are what are driving me insane. My cock got hard the second I saw them. They go all the way up her legs and over part of her knees. I reach down and adjust myself thinking about them digging into my back when I fuck her in them later. We have the whole house to ourselves tonight. All four of our little ones are with my parents. “Can I get you boys another round?” the waitress asks. My eyes are back on the clock again. “No,” both Knox and I say at the same time.

“You’ve only had one round.” I can hear the pout in her voice. I pull my wallet out and drop a hundred on the table. “That should cover our beers and you leaving us alone.” She lets out a hu , but I see her out of the corner of my eye snatch the money o the table before her heels are clicking o toward another table. “Why is it that everyone thinks you’re the gentleman and I’m the asshole?” Knox says. “Not going to be friendly with someone who can clearly see I have a ring on my finger and is still trying to flirt with me.” I turn my head toward Knox. No point watching the damn clock. It’s not making it move any quicker. “You mad I got to tell her to fuck o first?” Knox only grunts a response. I make it about another minute before I’m heading for the door. I jog across the street toward the little piano bar our wives are inside of. The doorman sees us coming and opens the door for me. I slip him a hundred as I pass by. I don’t have to look for my kitten. My eyes go straight to her. She and Whitney aren’t alone at the table. They’ve picked up a redhead. Faith can be shy when it comes to a lot of things, but making friends with other girls isn't one of them. It’s part of her personality, but it’s also having devoted her life to working at a women’s shelter too. If there is a girl close, she’s going to talk to her. Even more so if that girl is alone. Within ten minutes she’ll be fast friends with them. I watch as the redhead next to her says something that has Faith throwing her head back and laughing.

I don’t miss how all the men in the place are watching them like hungry wolves waiting to pounce. It puts me on edge. One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life is ﬁght the jealousy I feel when it comes to Faith. It’s never been hard for me to share. Except when it comes to her. I don’t even like when people look at her too long. She must sense me. When she drops her head back down, her eyes lock with mine as I make my way toward her. She says something to the other girls, who all turn and glance our way. “It’s been nice hanging out, Remi,” Faith says to the girl when I get to the table. “Don’t go and do anything crazy. Call me tomorrow. I really think you’d be a good ﬁt to work at Healing Homes with Whit and me.” “I’m not so sure,” the girl starts to say. Her voice is so soft I almost can’t hear her over the music. “I’m sure.” Whitney jumps in, cutting the girl o . I have no fucking clue what they are all talking about, but this girl isn’t going to win. When Whitney and my kitten team up on something, it’s a lost cause for everyone else. “Sorry, but I’m here to steal my wife,” I say, plucking Faith right out of her seat. “He’s not sorry one bit,” she says as she wraps her arms around my neck. She’s not wrong. “You got this, Whit?” “Yeah, I got her,” she responds. Whitney’s eyes go to Knox. They have some silent conversation that has him taking Faith’s seat at the high-top table instead of pulling Whitney out the door pretty much the same way I am. Something must be up. Whatever it is isn’t my problem. I’m taking my wife home and fucking her.

“You eat?” I ask when we exit the bar. “Yep. With Remi. Did you see her? She’s so pretty.” “The redhead?” “Yes, the redhead.” She rolls her eyes at me. “We met her outside the spa when we were leaving. She was standing on the sidewalk crying. I’m going to ﬁnd that jerk boss of hers and cut his balls o .” I stop walking. “Excuse me?” The warning is clear in my tone. “I mean I’m going to give you his name. The one I pried out of her so you can cut his balls o .” “That’s my good kitten.” She gives me a smug smile. Fuck, I love her. “I’ve been trying to talk her into working at the shelter. Especially after she told me her cousin owns a strip club and said he’d give her a job. That’s creepy.” She tries to make a disgusted face, but it doesn't work. She still looks adorable. I open the car door and put her inside before fastening her seatbelt. She keeps on talking about Remi. The girl has clearly had a hard life and my kitten is now on a mission to make it better. “Don’t you think she and my brother Grant would look cute together?” she asks when I get into the car and pull out of the parking lot heading toward home. Her dress rides up her thighs. I grip the steering wheel, thinking I can almost see her damn panties. “Kitten. I can almost see your fucking panties.”

“Really?” She pretends to be surprised by my question. “You sure?” She spreads her legs wider. I have no doubt when I put her in the car she must have hiked it up more when I went around to get into the driver's side. I would have noticed it being that damn short before now. “Kitten,” I growl. If she wants a red ass tonight, I’m more than willing to give her one. “I’m sorry.” She lets out a little hu . “I’ll fix it.” She reaches under her dress, slipping her fingers into the white panties and pulling them down and o her legs. “There.” The panties hang o her finger. “No one will see them now.” I don’t say a word. I keep my eyes on the road. “Ace,” she says after a long minute. I don’t respond. She starts to wiggle around in her seat. “Ace.” She tries again before she starts wringing her fingers together. It’s so fucking hard to keep from smiling. “Hubby?” She licks her lips. I hit the button for the gate to our home. It slides open, and I pull down the long driveway and right into the garage, closing the door behind us. “I was only playing,” she hu s dramatically, her bottom lip pu ng out. “I know what you’re doing, Kitten. You want attention, and I’m going to give it to you.” I turn my head to finally look at her. Her cheeks are flushed. “Give me the belt.” I hold my hand out. She reaches down and unclips it, pulling it o and handing it over. Her eyes are wide with excitement. I grip the back of her neck and pull her toward me, claiming her mouth in a hard kiss. I don’t stop until she’s breathless.

“I love you, Kitten. You know that?” “I do,” she responds, licking her damn lips again. She’ll be wrapping those around my cock before I get inside her pussy. “That’s why I’m going to give you a head start,” I tell her. A smile pulls at her lips. “Run, Kitten.” I release my hold on her neck. She scurries out of the car. I follow her out, pulling my shirt o then my shoes as I enter the house behind her. If my kitten wants to play, we’ll play. My wife will always get whatever she wants. Since the moment I spotted Faith when I was a young boy, I knew she was my forever. She once worried that I’d get annoyed with how much she leaned on me, thinking she could be too needy. She’d been so wrong. I was the one that needed her. I was a scared little boy before her. A boy who lost the only parent I knew and then was thrust into a family I didn’t know. A family that brought me to my Faith. I knew from the very ﬁrst moment when she turned and smiled at me, telling me her name was Faith, that she was mine. It was clear to me then that if I had Faith, I could have it all.

I hope you loved Faith and Ace’s story. Curious about Whitney and Knox? Read their story Beauty and the Outcast available now! Keep scrolling to get a sneak peek. Join my newsletter to know when Lucy Darling books are released. CLICK HERE.

BEAUTY AND THE OUTCAST

The new girl. I didn’t even see her until it was too late. She saw me, though. The worst parts of me. My fists and my rage. It’s the only face I ever show, the one way I can greet the world without getting hurt again. I’m a fighter, and I’m scarred. Too scarred for a girl like her. But the moment I see her, I can’t stop all the feelings that try to churn to the surface. Whitney brings them out in me so easily. I try to stay away from her, to tamp down my emotions. But I can’t. And when I realize she may be just as broken as me … I finally see that her broken pieces and mine will make both of us whole.

PROLOGUE

KNOX

Fifteen years old

“A

re you fucking shitting me right now?” I watch as two giant metal gates start to open. I’m pretty sure it’s the gates of heaven, so what the hell am I doing here? I shift in my seat, becoming uncomfortable all of a sudden. The only gate I ever thought I’d be living inside of is a prison one. “Can you not be a jackass for five minutes or do you want to go back to juvie?” Judith turns her head from the passenger seat of the cop cruiser to cut me a glare. The gray streaking through her dark hair has me guessing she’s in her fifties. I’m sure it works on most of the kids she deals with, but it doesn’t have any e ect on me. She’s a damn kitten compared to where I come from and what I’ve been through. “Not likely,” I mutter back. I have no regrets for smashing Brock’s face with my fist and then slamming it into the floor. He doesn't look so charming anymore. That asshole deserved every second of it. For so long he tried to hide who he really was. A predator. I did a service for every woman that crosses his path. He’s damn lucky the police showed up when they did. I hadn't been done with him. I run my finger along my knuckles. They are still healing, but the marks are hard to see with the tattoos that run across them.

In all honesty, I was thriving in juvie. Shit was a cakewalk compared to living on the streets. You even got three square meals a day. I would have enjoyed the hell out of the place. It would have been like a vacation, really, if it weren’t for those head shrinks and counselors. Once they started trying to burrow in my head with all of their bullshit is when it became hard. “Knox. Seriously. This family could change your life. They can open so many doors for you and give you opportunities that you could only dream of. Not to mention that you’ll be with your sister.” Her face softens as she tries to get me to see reason. “She’s a lot like you.” “So she likes getting high and fucking up douchebags?” “Watch it,” Detective Clark snaps at me from the driver's seat. “She’s brilliant. Tested o the charts, same as you.” I shrug, pretending to not really care. Honestly, though, I am interested in meeting this girl. A twin fucking sister. Who knew? I guess our egg donor mom only wanted one of us. She tossed me into the system and kept her little girl. Not for long, though, from my understanding. She was adopted years ago. Now the same family thinks they are going to do the same with me. I’m sure that will change the second they lay eyes on me. Thankfully, I’m not small size-wise, which saved my ass more times than I can count. I’m only ﬁfteen, but I don’t even get carded when I buy cigarettes. I suppose most ﬁfteen-year-olds don’t have tattoos running up part of their arms and hands.

Clark pulls down the long driveway, the massive house coming into view. That uncomfortable feeling grows inside of me. This can’t be real. Or maybe it’s me not wanting to get my hopes up, knowing that once this family gets a glimpse of me, they won’t be so inclined to keep me. Do these people really think I’m going to fit in here? My eyes stop as a man and woman step outside onto the front porch. My eyes lock on the man. He’s got his arm around the tiny woman next to him. Hell, she might not be tiny, but next to his big ass she looks as if she is. I don’t think I could smack his face the same as my last foster dad’s. The car rolls to a stop. Both Judith and Clark get out. He has to open the back door for me in order for me to get out. I step out, my eyes staying focused on the man and woman, waiting for their reactions to me. The man’s face is unreadable while the woman’s face lights up like it’s Christmas morning or some shit. It’s not a look I’m accustomed to when someone first sees me. I watch as a blond girl steps out onto the porch. I know who she is instantly. Eyes the same as mine stare back at me. I expect her to take a step back, to shrink away at the sight of me, but that doesn’t happen. Instead, her eyes light up, and a huge smile spreads across her face. The same as the other woman. Then she does the unthinkable. She runs toward me. I brace myself when she wraps her arms around me in a hug. My whole body goes rigid. I hate being fucking touched, but I can’t find the will to snap at her or tell her to step her little ass back. She drops her head back to stare up at me, still smiling. “Welcome home,” she says.

Home? I don’t think so. I don’t have a home. It’s better that way. Too bad my new sister can be as stubborn as I am. I’m not going anywhere. For now…. Available NOW!

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