The Damaged (The Insiders Trilogy 2)

I was awake and I was writhing in his arms.

I wanted more.

I needed more.

My legs clasped around his waist. He looked, meeting my gaze, his eyes darkened and filled with lust, and then he lifted up. He slid inside, and both of us closed our eyes at the contact.

His left hand held my hip and cupped the side of my ass as he began to move inside. “My home.” Those same words again. Whispered. As if he didn’t realize he’d said them. A tear slipped free. It trailed down my cheek. He moved, his mouth catching it, then I arched my back and received a growl in response.

I smiled at the same time I began rolling my hips to urge him on. “Kash.” A whisper from me.

He stilled. “Bailey?” His head was next to mine.

I opened my eyes, rolled my head to his, and said bluntly, “I want you.”

A primal and raw need flashed hot in his eyes. He moved, his mouth found mine, and it was a hard kiss, almost punishing, then he reared back and slammed inside.

This man of mine. He was always in control, so much restraint. I knew why. I knew the reason he remained, the threat he grew up under, the looming cloud currently over him, but in this bed, I didn’t want that from him. I wanted him. Raw. Exposed. Just him, as he thrust harder, deeper, rougher. I was getting him. This was my man. He’d let down the walls and he was taking me on the ride with him.

I wrapped my arms tight around him, my legs raised up higher around his waist.

I was right there with him.

ELEVEN

“Your boyfriend is an ass.”

I looked up from washing my hands in the bathroom, saw Hoda leaving one of the stalls, and turned off my water. Grabbing the towels, I turned to go, but not before I threw over my shoulder, “Be glad he didn’t fire you.”

My back hit the door. I pushed it open and stepped out into the hallway.

Going a few feet, I thought I’d see Melissa or Liam in the hallway. I was wrong. Matt was barreling down on me. The guys who noticed him just frowned. The handful of girls in the hallway gawked at him. He was storming my way, his frown fierce. “Did you know about Marie?”

I frowned at him. “Marie?”

“She’s gone. Like totally gone.”

“She’s been gone since we had that family dinner.”

Matt’s eyes bulged out. “I know! She should be back by now. No matter how long they say Marie will be gone, she’s never gone this long. A day, two tops. Not this long. Marie doesn’t do vacations. I went by the estate this morning to have breakfast with Ser and Cy, and Marie is still gone. Theresa was there and she was giving your mom the side-eye. You know what that’s about?”

I was at a loss for words.

I blinked. “Theresa was side-eyeing my mom? Not your aunt?”

Matt snorted. “Payton’s not my aunt. She’s Cyclone and Seraphina’s, and yes, Theresa was giving your mom the evil eye, not even the side-eye. I know Theresa. She wouldn’t do that unless Marie still being gone was your mom’s fault.”

“Or she thought it was my mom’s fault.”

“What?”

I repeated, “Or Theresa thought it was my mom’s fault.”

“You saying she doesn’t know? Theresa knows everything. Her and her mama Marie. If something’s going down at the house, they know it.”

I didn’t know why I was getting heated, but I found myself arguing back, “They didn’t know about Quinn.”

“They knew about Quinn.”

“Bullshit.”

He stopped and his eyes twitched. Literally. He scowled. “They knew; they just didn’t know they knew.”

“That makes perfect sense. They knew but didn’t know they knew.”

“You know what I mean.” He looked irate, then he stopped and shifted back on his heels. He reassessed me. “What’s going on here?”

I shot back, “You’re blaming my mother for something you don’t know for sure.”

I was defending Chrissy, and I swore. “Hold on.” I pulled my phone out and began heading to a corner for privacy.

Matt followed. “What are you doing?”

I turned a corner and settled with my back to the wall. Matt stood next to me, his back to the students milling past us. Erik was keeping back even farther, taking point ten feet behind Matt.

I responded, “If I’m taking my mom’s back, I’m making sure I should be.” Because one never knew with Chrissy sometimes. And with that, it was ringing in my ear.

A second later, she picked up. “Well. Well. Well. This is a long overdue phone call. My daughter has remembered she has a mother. That I exist. That I was the one who opened my legs and pushed you out, and it was my womb where you first grew.”

She was gloating.

I sighed. “Can you get on with it?”

She laughed, chirping, “How are you, baby? My very loving and so doting daughter of mine? What can your mother do for you, since you deigned to call me today? I should note the date. Put it on the calendar. Make this a national holiday. I could bake a cake. I could buy a cake. Balloons. I’m seeing it all right now. A parade, too!”