No.I wanted to scream. My gaze met his. Overwhelmed by his tender expression, my vision blurred. “Hold me, please.”
He pulled me into his arms. “What’s wrong, babe?”
“Nothing. Just feeling a little out of sorts.” I cringed at the easy lies yet couldn’t hold back the tears that rolled down my cheeks.Tell him.The words played on a loop in my frazzled brain.
Rayden leaned back to look at me. “You’re crying, Sianna. Did something happen?” He wiped my tears, and when I didn’t answer, he scooped me up in his arms and strode over to the bed. Cuddling me in his lap, he sat down.
I snuggled closer and allowed myself to cry. For so long, I’d been alone, and apart from Ruvash’s witty company, I lacked the cossetted arms of a lover. Now, when I’d finally found a man worthy of everything I could give, fate possessed a sick sense of humor, bringing Drake back into my life to taunt my hold on sanity. Had I given him a little of my heart that fateful evening? Was that why his presence affected me so? I hiccupped on a sob, trying to make sense of my chaotic emotions.
While both men were different in temperament, one thing was indisputable, they both loved hard, possessing a woman entirely and leaving their mark with anything but indifference. They knew how to love, care, and consume.
With that last thought, I let my heavy lids tighten against my cheeks and welcomed the sleep, unsure what morning would bring.
Sianna
WHEN I WENT DOWN TObreakfast the next morning after a restless night of tossing and turning, Drake was nowhere to be seen. Grateful for not having to face him, I pulled in a deep breath.
“Hey, Sianna,” Kyra’s cheerful greeting pierced my wandering mind. I smiled and leaned forward to drop a kiss on Rayden’s cheek.
He snaked an arm around my thighs and pulled me close to his side. “Feeling better?”
Figuring he’d left me to sleep in, I nodded. “Can we go back home today?” I blurted without thinking.
He gave me a quizzical look. “What—”
“No,” Kyra wailed, cutting him off. “You guys just got here, and it’s only been like a couple of days. You promised we’d spend Christmas together, Rayden.”
His gaze shifted between his sister and me. My heart was beating so hard, I struggled to breathe. “What’s wrong, Sianna? You were okay to spend Christmas here. Did something happen back home?” although he asked the question, the frown told me he knew there was no one at home for me to go back to.
My cheeks burned, yet it had nothing on the frenzied anarchy roiling my stomach. I almost slept with my boyfriend’s father. Correction, I slept with him, and last night I let him touch me. Intimately.Fuck.And the cherry on top. I never wanted it to stop.Double Fuck.I couldn’t keep that from Rayden.Tell him.The loop hit rewind the minute my eyes opened. Now, as my gaze shifted between the siblings, Drake’s words from our night came to mind.‘There are repercussions to every action.’How ironic. Sighing, I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down next to Rayden. “Okay, we’ll stay.”
“Yes,” Kyra’s excited shout filled the room. “Come on, Rayden, help me get the snowmobiles out while Sianna has her breakfast.” She jumped up and came around the table to grab his arm.
Laughing, he downed his drink, dropped a quick kiss to my cheek, and followed his sister. Still flustered, I weighed my options, trying to find the most suitable. It all ended with just two choices. Go or stay. The question was if I left, what reason would I give Rayden and his family. If I stayed, how did I avoid Drake and make sure a repeat of last night never happened. Why did I have the sudden feeling I was on a sinking ship. Whether I stayed aboard or not, it didn’t matter. Either way, I was fucked. There were only so many days a person could stay afloat once the ship sank. And right now, I had no lifeline other than my strength. It hadn’t failed me thus far.
“Breakfast, dear?”
