Chapter Eleven

Tempest

" A re you still pouting?" I ask, a smile on my lips as I glance at Dalton, who is muttering under his breath as we stride hand-in-hand toward his office.

He scowls over at me. "He fucking kissed you," he complains. "Right in front of me."

I bite my lip, fighting laughter. "He's your grandfather, Dalton. And he kissed me on the cheek."

His office door closes behind us, his eyes narrowing on me. "Are you laughing at me, baby?"

I hold my thumb and forefinger an inch apart. "Little bit."

"Oh, really?" He stalks toward me, yanking me into his arms. I collide against his chest with a muffled laugh as his hand slips into my hair, craning my head back. "Let's see how loud you laugh with your mouth full, Tempest."

I moan at the heat blazing in his eyes, my core clenching. "Yes. Let's do that."

He smirks, walking me backward across the office until the backs of my knees collide with the sofa. I land on my ass on the plush cushion with him looming over me, far too damn sexy for words.

He's happy in a way I've never seen, settled in a way that looks damn good on him. The last week has been the best of my life. Despite everything—despite Triton—I'm happy. We're happy. We haven't heard from my cousin. I doubt we will. He's never been good at dealing with the wreckage of his choices. Dalton thinks he's a coward, but he isn't. Triton, though? Well, that's a real coward.

"What are you waiting for, wife?" Dalton arches a dark brow, staring down at me. "Unzip me. Pull my cock out. Fucking suck me."

I reach for him eagerly, brushing my knuckles over his erection as I tug his zipper down, listening to his quick intake of breath. Watching the way his hands tremble. God. He's so damn sexy when he's desperate for me. And this man is always desperate for me.

"Fuck," he groans, his head falling back when I pull his massive erection out, my mouth already watering.

I scoot forward, wrapping my fist around his shaft. He's so hot and hard in my hand. So damn mine…

I lick the precum from the head eagerly, moaning at his tangy taste. He groans again, hands fisting in my hair.

"Is this what you wanted, husband?" I ask, flicking my gaze up at him.

His eyes glitter with desire. With need.

"Am I coming down your pretty throat yet, wife?" he rasps. "If not, then no."

Well, then…

I plunge down on him, taking him as deep as I can.

"Fuck!" he shouts.

My lips curve around him. That's more like it.

I hollow my cheeks, sucking hard, trying to wreck him like he always wrecks me. I want him delirious with pleasure this time, so high he can't think straight for once.

I suck and lick, loud slurping sounds echoing around the office. God, I love this. The way he tastes. The way he moans. The way he trembles. So damn sexy .

My hand slips back into his pants, trailing over his balls.

"Fuck this," he growls suddenly, yanking me up from the couch. His mouth crashes against mine, his kiss hot and wild.

"I thought you wanted to come down my pretty throat," I tease as he storms across the office.

"Changed my mind," he growls, dropping me on his desk. His hands run up my thighs, yanking them apart. "Everyone in this building is about to hear you screaming my name, wife." He drags my panties off, peeling them down my legs. "Everyone."

Yay me.

He drops down into his chair, shouldering my legs apart. "Goddamn. Maybe I need to make this my new screensaver."

"Don't you dare," I gasp, gripping the edges of the desk…hanging on for dear life.

"We'll see." He smirks, those wicked eyes locking on mine. "Depends how sweetly you beg."

"Dalton, I will murd–"

He yanks me forward, burying his face in my pussy, and the threat dies on my lips. Oh God.

His tongue is everywhere, striking ruthlessly against my clit, dipping into my hole, and then lower…

"Please, please," I sob, rocking shamelessly as his tongue circles my back entrance, flicking against it in a way that shouldn't feel this damn good. "Oh God, please ."

"Good girl, wife," he groans. "Keep begging for your orgasm just like that."

God help me, I do. Shamelessly. Without reservation. I sob and plead and fucking beg as he fucks me with that wicked tongue until I'm shaking.

"Now come," he orders.

I shatter like glass on his command, too. Helpless. Desperate. So in love with him, I'd offer up my damn soul if he demanded it.

He growls, surging to his feet, his hazel eyes on fire. "So goddamn perfect," he breathes, tipping my head back to kiss me.

I sob against his lips as he slams into me, stretching me to capacity around his thick cock. The desk rocks beneath us, files sliding off the side.

Neither of us cares. We're lost in one another, lost in the pleasure, as he pounds into me, fucking me so deep I feel every thrust in my bones, in my soul.

"You look beautiful taking my cock, Tempest," he groans. "Like a goddamn offering laid bare for me."

"Dalton," I whimper.

He pulls almost all the way out before slamming back into me. "Fuck. I could do this all day." He does it again. "Watching you quiver and moan." And again. "Fucking ruining you." Again. " Goddamn , baby."

I sob his name, my head falling back as the pleasure becomes unbearable. I can't breathe. I can't think. All I can do is take what he gives me over and over again.

"I love you," I moan, reeling between life and death and forever–that place that exists just for us.

He jerks above me, his eyes falling closed like always when I say those words. And then they flash open, landing on me.

He grips my hip harder, fucking me so hard that every thrust steals my breath.

I shatter with a scream, his name echoing around the office like a song. My vision goes black. My heart stops. For one endless moment, I'm just adrift, floating.

And then he groans my name, his cock jerking inside me as he follows me over the edge.

"I love you," he gasps. "Christ, I love you."

I know he does. I feel it.

An hour later, we're heading for the door when the phone on his desk rings.

"Fuck," he groans, glancing back at it. "That's probably Riley."

"Answer it," I murmur, slipping my hand from his. I stretch my arms over my head, wincing slightly. Every inch of my body is sore. "But I'm waiting outside."

He smirks at me. "Scared, baby?"

"Of being alone with you for five more minutes? Absolutely," I mutter. "You're insatiable."

"Fuck yeah, I am. Have you seen you lately?" He palms my ass, placing a sweet kiss on my lips. "Stick close to the building. I'll be out as soon as I get her off the phone."

I nod and slip out, smiling to myself. He's not the only insatiable one. As soon as we're alone, my hands are on him, trying to tempt him. It never takes much before I'm naked and on his cock. Neither of us can get enough of the other. I love it so much.

I wave at Jake on my way past and then slip onto the elevator, leaning back against the wall. Two minutes later, I'm stepping out into the early morning sunshine. But unlike the last time I walked out of his office alone, I'm not in a hurry to get away. My life isn't crashing down around me, and I don't need Triton to save me.

A pang runs through me as soon as I think his name. I pull my phone out of my pocket for the thousandth time over the last week and scroll to his name. But I don't dial. I just look at the photo of the two of us smiling.

I still don't understand where it went wrong. Or when. Or how.

He's been my person my entire life. When did that change? When did he decide that Evernight mattered more? I don't think I'll ever understand. Part of me wants to confront him and demand answers. But another part is afraid that he'll just manipulate me again.

He's good at that.

"Hey, baby cousin."

I nearly drop my phone, my head whipping up at the sound of his voice.

Triton stands a few feet away from me on the sidewalk, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his designer jeans. He looks like he hasn't slept in days, his normally perfect hair disheveled, dark shadows beneath his hazel eyes.

"W-what are you doing here?" I ask, my voice shaking.

He takes a hesitant step toward me. I quickly step back, maintaining the distance between us. He gets the hint and stops moving.

"I came to see you," he says quietly, glancing toward the doors of Dalton's building.

Suspicion courses through my veins, making my skin prickle with unease. "Why?" I demand, my fingers tightening around my phone.

His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows. "To say goodbye."

"You said it," I sniff, tilting my chin up defiantly even as my heart clenches. "You can leave now."

Sadness drifts across his face, his brow furrowing. "It's really going to be like that between us now?"

I gape at him incredulously. "You lied to me and manipulated me just so you could try to get your hands on the company, Triton. How do you expect it to be?"

"I know," he whispers, hanging his head. "I know. I fucked up."

"You think?" I growl, anger flaring hot and bright. "I'm so mad at you I can't even think straight!"

"I know that too." He swallows hard, and for a minute, I see a flicker of the little boy who taught me how to ride a bike. The little boy who used to sneak ice cream into my room long after my parents went to bed just because he knew I couldn't resist it. The little boy who defended me every damn day of my life.

But he's not that little boy anymore. And he's not the man I thought I knew, either.

"Do you think you'll ever be able to forgive me?"

Can I? Should I? Tears well in my eyes as I stare at him, my heart and head warring with each other. "I don't know," I finally whisper. "Maybe one day, but that day isn't today, Triton."

He jerks his chin in a nod, his gaze flickering over my shoulder toward the doors again. "Figured you'd say that. For what it's worth, I'm not sure I'd forgive me for what I did or what I'm about to do either."

I frown. "What you're about to—?"

I break off as he pulls his hand from his pocket, and I see the unmistakable flash of steel gripped in his palm.

He has a gun.

No. God no.

My blood freezes in my veins, my breath catching in my throat. "Triton, please," I plead, my voice trembling with fear.

But he doesn't point the gun at me. He aims it to the right…toward the doors of the building.

I turn my head in that direction, not understanding, and my soul nearly leaves my body.

Dalton is standing right there. Right freaking there, two security guards flanking him.

And Triton's aiming the gun directly at his chest.

"No, Triton," I beg quietly, my heart hammering against my ribs. "No, please."

His gaze flickers toward me.

"Eyes on me, Triton," Dalton says, his deep voice calm as he tries to draw Triton's attention back to him. "I'm the one you want to shoot. Not her."

A sob breaks free from my throat, my heart threatening to tear itself to pieces. "Please, no," I whimper to my cousin. "You can't do this."

"It's his fault, baby cousin," Triton says, the gun trembling in his grasp. "If it weren't for him…" He takes a shuddering breath, his finger hovering over the trigger.

Desperation claws at my insides. "You can have the company," I sob, my vision blurring with tears. "You can have whatever you want; just don't take him."

"It's too late for that," Triton replies bitterly. "Your father won't ever leave it to me now. He fucking made sure of that."

The gun shakes in his hand as he glances at me again, the barrel shifting in my direction.

"Eyes on me, Triton," Dalton growls again, taking a step toward my cousin.

Triton immediately snaps his arm out straight, centering his aim on Dalton once more. "Don't fucking come at me," he snarls. "Don't move."

"Then you keep that gun pointed at me, and you let her go," Dalton murmurs, his gaze never wavering from Triton's face. "Your problem is with me."

Oh God. He's going to sacrifice himself to save me.

No, I can't let that happen. I can't let any of this happen. Dalton isn't dying, and Triton isn't a killer.

I step toward Dalton, my legs shaking beneath me.

Triton's wild gaze shifts to me, his eyes widening. "Stay there, baby cousin," he says, his voice quivering.

"No." The word comes out as a broken whisper.

"Tempest, dammit," Dalton growls, agony in his voice. "Stop."

"No," I repeat, placing one foot in front of the other, slowly, carefully closing the distance between us. My heart pounds against my ribcage as I inch closer.

Triton growls at me, his hand tightening on the gun, but he doesn't pull the trigger. He can't. Despite his flaws, despite everything, he loves me in his own messed-up way. And he can't kill me. He isn't capable of it.

I step in front of Dalton, holding my arms out, shielding him with my body. Tears stream down my face as I stare into Triton's tormented eyes.

"If this is really who you are now, Triton, take me," I say, my voice cracking. "Shoot me. But I'm not letting you take him."

Triton stares at me, his hand wavering, the gun lowering slightly.

"You aren't a killer," I whisper, salty tears rolling down my cheeks. "No matter what else you've done, you aren't this. You aren't ."

He groans, a tortured sound ripping from his throat. The gun clatters to the ground. "Goddammit, Tempest," he rasps. " Goddammit ."

Dalton lunges forward, dragging me into his arms and pulling me behind him as he strides toward Triton. With a swift kick, he sends the gun skittering across the pavement. The two security guards rush forward, grabbing Triton by the arms, dragging him down to the sidewalk.

He doesn't fight. He doesn't make a sound.

I collapse against Dalton's back, my knees giving out as sobs wrack my body. He spins around, gathering me to his chest, his strong arms enveloping me.

"I've got you, baby," he murmurs into my hair, the words shaking on his lips. "I've got you."

"Dalton," I sob, clinging to him.

He holds me crushingly tight, as if he's afraid I'll disappear if he lets go. His heart hammers wildly against my cheek. "Christ, don't ever fucking do that to me again," he growls, his whole body shaking. "I thought he was going to shoot you."

"He wouldn't shoot me," I whisper sadly, fresh tears leaking from my eyes. "He loves me. He just doesn't know what that means."

But I do.

Love is the man trembling around me, the one willing to die for me. The same one who learned to live again for me.