Paradise Found: Cain (Paradise Stories Book 2) (4 page)

She was right. I was an asshole.

I always had been. I had to become hard. Living under the reign and terror of my father, molded me into the man I was. I didn’t care about money. I didn’t have emotion for women. I only desired the fight. Beating another man brought the euphoria of mindless escape. The cage was the only place I allowed emotion. Fear. Hatred. Determination. These feelings consumed me, especially in the mix. I couldn’t let them overrule me outside the ring. I wouldn’t let my father have that advantage over me.

Then I met Sofie Vincentia.

The sweet, teasing apple of a girl with her bright red glasses and her ripe lips. Her smile lit a dimmed bar at that winery and the only drink I wanted was a sip of her. However, she wasn’t
that
type of girl. It showed in her eyes. Rivers of blue wanted many things from life, all of which she’d never find in a guy like me. I fucked. I didn’t love. I spent money. I didn’t care. Life was material. I owned things. Sofie Vincentia wasn’t a girl to possess. For just one night, though, I wanted to pretend I could live my life in another manner.

Forty-eight hours was all the time I had. I followed her lead during our one day together. I was nervous like I’d never been for our second night. Then, it was over in a flash; ruined by my father. He destroyed everything. Bitter and controlling, I wasn’t certain why I still did his bidding at twenty-four. I just did. It was complicated, but the truth was I was locked into “working” for him until I was twenty-five. Time was the only thing on my side. Watching Sofie, I realized I was in unimaginable trouble if Atom Callahan found her. The scope of what he’d do was beyond my comprehension.

I’d seen how he treated Abel’s girl. I’d watched him bring my brother to his proverbial knees as he threw Elma to me like she was a day old fish. Garbage scraps tossed out to a hungry snake. My father believed I owned Elma, because of the deal she struck with Abel. He’d known I’d rise to the occasion to fight Abel. It was the only way to save the girl for him. And my nature was to protect my brother.
I am my brother’s keeper
. I didn’t know how to protect him
from
the girl, though. Matters of the heart were not my concern. I didn’t know how to protect my own girl, and I couldn’t let Atom Callahan know I’d found her.

Sofie stirred and the sheet shifted. She was going to have one hell of a hangover, not to mention she kept mumbling about her ankle. Her numbed mind didn’t flinch at the cold compress on her joint. She’d passed out before the ice was draped over her smooth skin. My hand itched to caress her calf, swirl over her knee and retrace the trail of her thighs. I’d taken her roughly in the hallway. I’d taken advantage of her, which I swore I’d never do. Not with her. I didn’t deserve her, but I wanted her. Without reason, I wanted this woman who was completely opposite me.

Quiet, reserved, but not shy. I recalled, with a smile, how she unabashedly undressed and stepped into that cold river last summer. Her body was a siren to me, and I followed the song. Her eyes matched the clear river in color, but not in temperature. Her blue was warm, unlike the brown darkness of mine.

She moaned softly in her sleep, and I sat back in the chair that I’d drawn up next to the bed. I hadn’t slept yet; too wound up from the fight. Too strung up with concern when she fell. I found her dancing in the casino club and my eyes never left her. Men approached and I used mental telepathy to curse them out and swear them off of her. Overprotection wasn’t necessary. She didn’t encourage the advances made at her, faithfully sticking to the girls around her. They danced in a dangerous trio of sexy young women on the loose in Las Vegas. Men were vultures, myself included, and they hovered near to get one nip of luscious bodies. I was a snake on the path to destruction, and no one would get close to her, if I had my way.

When she was exiting the dance floor, her legs gave out. I wasn’t there in time, but I slithered in and scooped her up before anyone else could touch her. Her friends were definitely not convinced I should take her, until I told them I wouldn’t accept any other measures. Sofie Vincentia was coming with me, to my room, and here she lay, almost naked in my bed, with a serious hangover and a swollen ankle. And my heart, gripped unknowingly in her hand.

I sat back, appearing casual, but holding my breath. The curtains were pulled together except for a thin seam allowing a sliver of light to filter in.

“Cain?” She spoke in a hoarse voice. A shaky hand came up to her face and brushed back chestnut waves. She squinted at me then tilted her head to the bedside stand. Trembling fingers reached for her glasses, which she slipped onto her face and blinked in my direction.

“Cain?” Her head rolled from side to side, assessing her whereabouts. Her hand slid down the sheet that covered her and she halted. Her expression face changed from disbelief, to shock, to frustration. Bolting upright, she took the sheet with her to cover what she realized was a mostly naked body. Bracing the cover over her breasts with one hand, the other slapped onto her forehead.

“Oh my God,” she muttered, then released her head and reached toward her ankle. It was clear she didn’t know which part of her body to focus on. The pain in each had to be overwhelming on top of finding me in the room.

“How did I get here?” she inquired softly, staring at me in utter confusion. Her fingers decided massaging her temple was the priority. Her other hand gripped the thin sheet, as a barrier to her body.

“You were drunk. And you fell,” I offered as the simple truth. I couldn’t tell her more. I couldn’t give her all the reasons why she was with me.

“Why am I not in my room? Where’s Lindee? Maggie? Lucie?”

“I have no idea where those girls are, or who they are. They aren’t my concern.” The answer was direct, and also true.

“Why am I not in
my
room?” she repeated.

“Because I want you here instead.”
Want
was the wrong word so I amended. “It’s safer for you here,” I corrected.

She stared at me. The reflection of the light coming from behind me on her glasses caused a glare. I couldn’t see her eyes. Reaching forward hesitantly, I removed them.

“I can’t see without them,” she clarified, but that was a lie. She could see well enough, and I didn’t need her scrutinizing me. I’d rather remain a little blurred in her vision. It was safer for me.

“I’ll have your things moved here. Your contacts are in your bags, I assume.”

“My things? Moved here?” she questioned with a slow stutter, as her hand slipped through those waves that tumbled back into their wayward place. My fingers desired to brush them back for her, and my hand flinched in a magnetic attraction. My body was out of control near her, as the rising of my dick became a testament. I shifted slightly, attempting to adjust the growing length in my pants. I didn’t want her to see what she could do to me. Yet.

“I need to keep you with me. My father…” I drifted off. “It isn’t going to be safe for you if he knows I’ve found you.” I hung my head, avoiding her eyes.

“Your father…” Her voice faded. We sat in silence, independently remembering what my father had said to her. How he treated her was unforgivable, and I had done nothing to protect her in the moment. I took a deep breath before I continued.

“Sofie, there are things about me you need to know. Things I know I need to explain, but for now, I’m asking you to trust me. I need to protect you from my father, until I can figure out what to do about you.”

The words were wrong and her face pinched. She lifted a shaky hand to her forehead again to massage her temples.

“Do about me?” she muttered. Her voice trembled.

“How much did you drink last night?” I questioned. Her skin was pale, lighter than normal.

“I lost count after one,” she replied, without looking up. I snorted lightly. In a moment of lucidness, I’d tried to get her to drink some water, and forced two tablets down her last night. She’d raised her arms, while I removed her shirt, and wide eyes met mine briefly. I commanded she take the pain pills with a sip of water. She obeyed, but when I laid her down on the pillow, she was out again. I slipped off her skirt, trying not to peek at the tempting lace undies that my fingers had already explored. Unlatching her bra had been the most painful process. Two gorgeous globes of white skin released. Ripe nipples stood at attention, calling my name for a lick. My dick strained at the thought. But I couldn’t do it.

“Here,” I said, reaching for the water glass on the nightstand. She flinched back from me and I stilled. I put her at risk by bringing her to my room, but I didn’t want her to be afraid of me. Once I made that conscious move, I accepted the responsibility that came with it. I needed to protect her. Harming her was the furthest thing from my mind.

“I was just going to hand you some water,” I clarified, and I sat back without fulfilling my mission. Her trembling arm stretched for the glass instead. She sipped slowly, closing her eyes as she quenched her thirst. As she neared the last of the water, her eyes opened and she stared at me over the rim. Lowering the glass, she continued to examine me. Her lips glistened with moisture and her tongue snaked out to lick it dry. My dick jolted. I had to sit back, allowing some space in the confines of my pants.

“You look tired,” she said softly, her tone the sound of concern. I was tired. The last year had been hell for more reasons than one. She was reason number one.

“So do you,” I tried to tease lightly.

“I am,” she sighed. She returned the glass to the stand and smoothed her other hand over the sheet covering her.

“It’s early. Why don’t you lay back down?”

“What time is it?”

“Not even four. Lay back. Just rest longer,” I encouraged. I had to meet my father soon. There were things to be said. I also needed to speak with Abel. We’d talked the night before, but the new day held new concerns. Sofie was in my room. I had to figure out what to do next.

To my surprise, Sofie did lay back. She pulled the sheet up over her shoulder as she twisted away from me. Her back blocked out the low stream of light seeping through the thin opening in the curtains. She also was blocking out me.

I’d fallen back asleep, only to awake and find Cain facing me on the bed. I was still under the cover of a sheet, naked except for my underwear. He was over the blanket, and I had to giggle internally at the reversal of our roles. The first night we met, I stayed with him. He was too drunk to function after too much of Grandpa’s Passion and he’d passed out. Afraid that he’d choke on his own vomit, I rolled him to his side then wrapped myself around him. He wasn’t conscious of my presence, and eventually, I’d stayed the night, on top of the covers. We’d only kissed. He didn’t touch me in any other manner. To his surprise, and mine, he hadn’t remembered the night.

I was in that position currently. I remembered dancing and drinking, which caused my stomach to roil, but I couldn’t remember anything else.
Had we talked? What did I possibly say? What did I do?
I couldn’t believe I’d done anything. I’d already shamed myself in the hall outside his changing room. I didn’t feel any further violated. I didn’t want to believe he would take additional advantage of me.

Staring at his closed eyes, shut off from the world, without the cold, hard glare, his face seemed younger. He appeared closer to the twenty-four-year-old boy he was than the tough man he portrayed. His hair was shorn close to his head, black as night in color. His face was round but edged. A t-shirt covered his chest, but I knew a large cobra tattoo was painted across it and swirled down his right arm. Large hands matched the large body, the bulk of which was enlarged muscles for fighting. Our first conversation involved another body part of his, which I also had firsthand knowledge was large as well. I didn’t like to imagine the feel of that thick length in my hand, between my legs, or inside of me. The visions were only allowed in desperation to ease the edge over the last year. Having him this close to me was surreal. It wasn’t so much excitement as an anxious anticipation.
Would he touch me again? Would he want to have sex one more time?

These were crazy thoughts. I hated him. I shouldn’t want his penis anywhere near me, let alone be in this bed, this room, and this resort with him. He shouldn’t even be in my head, but that’s where he’d been for almost a year. Cain Callahan slithered his way into my brain with his tempting body, and then froze my heart with hypnotic words. I couldn’t trust him, and his asking me to had been unacceptable. I wouldn’t consider believing a word he said to me, including his warning against his father.

I continued to stare at him. I didn’t know this man, yet the attraction to him had been almost instantaneous. I knew better than to mix with any of the patrons of my grandparents’ winery retreat. Most were there for a scandal. He had been no different. Escaping the law was what I first assumed after he left me. He’d killed a man. That was all I knew of him. Yet, I felt like I had known him for much more than that.

My hand reached hesitantly toward him. I hadn’t crossed the full distance before his hand struck out and gripped my wrist. His eyes opened instantly. Dark orbs of black pierced mine before they softened. Our connection hovered in mid-air before he slowly lowered us to the bed. He didn’t try to hold my hand; his fingers simply covered my wrist. We stared at one another for several minutes.