“Whoa, cowboy.” Raven lands a lazy kiss to my cheek and spoons against me, her bare skin lighting me up once again without even trying. “Morning,” she mumbles, her hand scratching at my bareleg.
“Morning.” I bury a kiss in her hair and steal a moment to lose myself in the darkness it provides. I have always been fascinated by Raven’s sooted hair, blacker than the darkest night. Black as—yes, a raven’s feathers. But it was those eyes, those almond-shaped glowing orbs that entranced me, called me to her even when I knew I shouldn’t have been there. A knot builds in my stomach, wondering if this was one of those moments. Yes, I love Raven. Every word I spoke to her was true. But that dream. It’s probably not too far off from reality. I knew I was playing with fire. But it’s time to commit and then deal with theconsequences.
I take a gentle bite out of her shoulder, and she gives a delicious groan. I have never felt so alive, so damn aroused as I did last night with my body buried in hers. Those long leash-like legs harnessed me in for hours. Those rosy tits of hers had me worshipping at their altar. I can still taste her, honey sweet and wet, the feel of her body quivering uncontrollably against my mouth. Yes, I am going to pay for this, and it was worth every jaw burstingmoment.
I bite down over her earlobe before sucking it down. “We need to tell yourbrothers.”
“What?” She spins into me in a spasm, that groggy morning look replaced with fear. She checks my forehead for a fever. “You’re delirious. Are you always so out of your mind after an all-nighter?”
“Just with you, sweetheart,” I tease, our lips joining one more time and we linger. “I’m serious, though. The last thing I think we should do is hide. They’re grown men. They’re going to have to deal withit.”
Her mouth rounds out in horror. “Deal with what? The fact you had me on all fours for two hoursstraight?”
I bark out a laugh and pull her in tight. “It was two hours, wasn’t it?” I wince and mouthsorry. “But no. We should probably spare them of that detail. I just thought the sooner we let them know we have feelings for one another, the sooner we could tear this Band-Aidoff.”
She scratches at the scruff on my cheek. “Do you think that bandage might take off some skin along withit?”
“Onlymine.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Her lips press white as she shivers against me. “Let’s give it some breathing room. I need to figure out how to best do this. And”—her hand snakes down my chest in a figure eight—“how to best do you.” She licks a line up my cheek. “Now, why was I on all fours last night? Maybe you can refresh my memory. She pulls me up and wraps her limbs around me tight as a coil. My mouth dives over hers, running my tongue over hers in a fevered rush, and just like that, we pick up right where we left off last night, on all fours, on her back, on my back, on the floor, the shower, the bed. Wash, rinse, repeat. Best loop to ever get caughtin.
By evening my phone goes off so damn much I can’t ignoreit.
Raven hands it to me, and we both glare at it as I turn itover.
“It’s a text from Colby.” I hold it between us, and my heart stops beating. “My grandfather isdead.”
The next fewdays whiz by in a blur. It turns out my grandfather’s assistant was instructed to contact my father in the event of his death. Joseph Milton Wolf breathed his last breath in his eighty-ninth year of life on a Tuesday, while enjoying a whiskey highball out on his deck overlooking his home at Mirror Lake. Mirror Lake is hours from Hollow Brook. That means he drove miles to see me during our many, many adventures. He made more than an effort to get to know me. He sacrificed time and wear and tear on his tires to do it. It makes me love and miss him all the more. And it just so happens to churn up a dozen more questions on top of the million I already had. Why spend the time getting to knowmeof all people? Why not mend fences with his son? And for God’s sake, why the secrecy? That’s the clincher. The fact I kept it from my parents just the way he asked eats at me. And right about now I feel like an ass for doing so. My grandfather took our secret to his grave, and if I don’t say a word so willI.
On Thursday, two days after the small graveside ceremony where we buried my grandfather under frozen Hollow Brook soil, the entire family is summoned to the Collins and Associates law offices. We sit behind a large mahogany desk as Axel Collin’s father reads my grandfather’s will. He looks decidedly like Axel, and for some reason I find some comfort inthat.
“To my son, Daniel, and his wife, Shelly—I leave nothing from my estate, nor do I leave behind any monetary gift.” Mr. Collins pauses as my parents share knowing looks, but I can see the pain in my father’s eyes. Why the hell would my grandfather drag us all the way out here to humiliate my parents this way? As sad as I am that he’s gone, I wish I could wake him from the dead and shakehim.
“To my granddaughter, Colby, I leave five thousand dollars to utilize for scholastic purposes only. For goodness sake, stop embarrassing your family. You will be a fine young woman soon enough. Of that I have no doubt.” Axel’s father looks up from over the rim of his glasses. “His words, notmine.”
“Well.” Colby presses her hand to her chest, her face bubbling with pride. “I got five K! I’m rich! I’mrich!” She bounces in her seat, and her blonde curls jump likesprings.
“To my grandson, Brody Boner Wolf, I leave behind the totality of my assets, my estate, my financial holdings, which include the monies left in the accounts listed below. Please know that getting to spend time with you these last few months has been the highlight of an otherwise unremarkable life. I’ve included a letter that should you choose to read it can only be opened thirty days after my death. Thank you for showing me that life was still worth the thrill. I hope you will cherish the memories we’ve made forever. Your Grandfather, Joseph.” Mr. Collins lifts his eyes my way. “You must be unimaginably pleased. You’ve just inheritedbillions.”
My body tightens, my muscles freeze because I can’t quite wrap my head around whathappened.
“Brody?” My mother gasps. “What was he talkingabout?”
My father’s features are hardened, his eyes filled with confusion. “Did you get together with Grandpa?” His brows hike withdisbelief.
Colby holds up a hand. “Wait a freaking minute,” she shrieks. “How come you got billions and I got a measly fiveK?”
I meet up with Colby’s pissed-to-high-heaven look on her face, to my mother, my father, and slump in myseat.
I have a hell of a lot of explaining todo.
“How about dinner?” I offer. “It’s onme.”
Dirty Shame
Raven
Brody Wolf is a billionaire!With aB! Brody has always had that bad boy sex appeal to him, but a bad boy with money is enough to rev the engine of just about any woman in Hollow Brook. I’ll have to fight them off with a stick—a gilded stick now that I’m officially—unofficially Brody’s plusone.
