Too Strong: Hayes Brothers Book 4

BLISS. PURE FUCKING BLISS for three weeks straight. Dinners, sex, quick strolls on the beach, sex, kisses, cuddles, and more sex.

Sex that’s off the fucking charts. Vee’s adventurous, fearless, and keen to try every depraved thing that springs to my mind.

I tied her hands to the headboard, edging her for an hour straight last week. She sucked my dick as I navigated Newport, driving from The Well back to Nico’s so we could fuck before she had to head home at midnight. I had my fingers in her pussy while she sat between my legs on the beach, her back to my chest. My jacket covered the indecency but did nothing to muffle her climactic gasps and moans as we watched the waves foam at the shore.

Pure. Fucking. Bliss.

Right until it bursts like a soap bubble.

“No, that’s… I can’t take this,” Vee mutters, holding her Christmas gift at arm’s length like a bomb about to explode.

It’s Boxing Day. I planned to give her the gift before Christmas, but it’d raise questions if she opened it at home, so I held off. Her dad still doesn’t know about me, and the secrecy eats away at me bit by fucking bit.

“Take it back,” she says louder, shoving the box into my chest. “I can’t accept it.”

I knew Gucci glaring from the box would be enough to start a fucking fight. “Why not? You haven’t even opened it yet,” I grind out, my temper detonating. She’s so stubborn it sets my teeth on edge. “It’s a gift, Vee. It’s Christmas.”

“A very expensive gift.”

“So?”

“So?” she clips, shoving the box into my chest. “So I can’t take it. It’s too much, okay? I… I—”

“It’s just money.”

“Yeah… just money because you have it.”

“I do, and I choose how I spend it. Today, I want to spend it on you. Where’s the harm in that?” I step back, leaving the gift in her hand.

“It’s not fair!” she snaps, throwing the box on the bed, her cheeks glowing. “I don’t have anything to give back.”

“You do. You just don’t want to give it.”

Her eyebrows bunch, confusion dappling her pretty face. “What? I don’t have anything, Conor.”

“You, baby. I want you.”

“What do you mean? You have me. I’m yours.”

“I have you when we’re at the beach. I have you when we’re at Ruby’s or The Well, but I lose you as soon as there’s any representation of money around me. You’re shutting me out, Vee. Consciously or not, you don’t fucking see me. You just see the money and how different it makes us.”

I sit on the bed, feeling defeated. Just when I think we’re past this issue that only resides inside her head, she proves me wrong.

“You think we won’t work,” I continue, my insides wriggling into knots. “I don’t know how to show you that money doesn’t matter. That I’m the same person whether we’re eating hotdogs at the pier or lobster at Nico’s restaurant, and so are you. You’re killing me whenever you pull away.”

Silence falls upon us. Deafening. Charged.

Vee’s not talking. Not moving either, silent and still while I sit on the bed, my face hidden in my hands, heart ricocheting against my ribs.

But then she makes a sound…

A choked-back whimper penetrates my ears, and my stomach bottoms out. I’m up faster than I can form a coherent thought.

She still stands in the same spot, eyes filled with tears, some already crawling down her nose, lips parted, but no words escape, only a pained wail.

“Jesus,” I hiss, feeling like I’ve been hit in the gut by a bulldozer. I grip her thighs, hauling her into my arms. “Shh, don’t cry. It’s okay. I’m sorry.”

“No.” She clings to me, her tears dampening my shoulder. “You’re right, I’m shutting you out, but I’m—I’m just…” she stutters, scrunching the t-shirt on my back. “I’m—”

“Scared,” I finish for her, taking her to bed, my back against the headboard, her warm, trembling body curving into me. “Don’t cry,” I whisper, skimming my lips against her temple. “Please, baby, calm down. I can’t fucking breathe when you cry.”

She inhales deeply, swallowing hard before she speaks. “I’m not doing it to hurt you. I’m just… I’m protecting myself, and I get so angry sometimes because—” Another whimper tears out of her, and I swear, it rips my heart right out of my chest. “I like this,” she murmurs, nuzzling her face in my neck. “I like those restaurants you take me to. I like your family, your car, this big house, and the gift, and I hate that I like it. It feels like I’m betraying where I came from. I feel so guilty having lobster with you while my family’s eating mac and cheese.”

My arms cocoon her, my lips almost glued to her head. “There’s nothing wrong with liking nice things. Everyone wants a better life, Vee. It’s okay to have it, you know? Your dad would be happy to know you’re happy…”

She chuckles into my neck, but the tears keep flowing. “I’m sorry. I know I’m messed up.”

“You’re not messed up. You’re careful. I get it, but you need to trust me. I don’t care where you’re from or how much you have. You need to do the same.”

She nods a few times, then inches away, pouting her lips. For a moment, she’s composed, but the dam shatters again, and more tears spill. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” I wipe her cheeks with my thumbs, pulling her in for a kiss. “Don’t cry. Please don’t cry, and don’t think I’ll let you forget the gift. I want you to wear it, Little Bee.”

She chuckles, kissing my forehead before she leans out to snatch the box. She pulls out a gold watch, smiling as she scrutinizes the bee motif on the face before clasping it around her wrist. “It’s beautiful, but—” She bites her tongue, shaking her head to dismiss the thought. “Thank you.”

“That’s my girl. See? Not that hard, right?”

Vee slips her hand down my stomach, making camp by the zipper. “You’re right. Not that hard.”

I groan through a laugh. Her cheeks still glisten with left-behind tears, but she’s smiling as she tugs the zipper, then crams her hand into my boxers.

She’s so fucking bizarre sometimes.

Her small hand winds around my shaft, jerking awkwardly in the tight space.

It’s not enough.

I flip Vee over until she’s flat on the bed, then stand, ripping my hoodie off. She’s there in a heartbeat, her big eyes looking up as she yanks my pants over my ass enough to allow my cock more breathing room.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she takes me into her mouth.

“Fuck,” I groan. The heat of her lips induces a tremor of pleasure intense enough to buckle my knees.

Her long nails bite into my hips, and she slides her lips further, breathing through her nose to hold off the gag reflex from settling in too early. She sucks me as far down as she can, then pulls back, twirling her hot tongue around the tip before repeating the entire thing again.

And again.

And again, taking me deeper every time, driving me to the brink within minutes.

“Do it,” she encourages. “I can feel how much you’re fighting not to take over. Do it.”

She’s so fucking perfect.

I grip her in place by the hair as I take over, sliding in and out of her mouth, hitting her throat with every deep thrust. She dances her teeth along the underside of my shaft, barely scratching, but it works wonders, elevating the orgasm that hits when she hollows her cheeks.

I pull out, painting her neck with cum while she holds her hands under her chin so I don’t accidentally spill on her face.

***

“Should we join your brothers?” Vivienne asks an hour later, even though she looks about ready to fall asleep scribbling small shapes all over my chest. “Technically, it’s still Christmas.”

Technically it is. Just for a few more hours, but I guess we shouldn’t lock ourselves in the bedroom for the rest of the night while they watch The Grinch downstairs.

“Probably. But first…” I push her onto her back, resting on my elbow. “I want you to come with me tomorrow.”

“Where?”

“My parents’ house. Everyone will be there. It’s Grandma’s birthday, so Mom’s throwing a party. I want you to meet the rest of the family.”

She takes a while to reply, lost in thought, weighing her options. Before she makes her mind up, her medication reminder alarm goes off.

“I’ll grab your purse and a glass of water.” I sweep my thumb across the screen, then jog downstairs, snatching Vee’s purse from the console table in the hallway.

“Will you join us this evening?” Colt asks with a grin when I enter the kitchen. “Theo’s on his way over with River.”

“Is that supposed to convince me?” I chuckle, pulling a glass from the cabinet. “Thalia’s not coming?”

“No. Theo’s giving her a few hours to catch up on sleep.”

I doubt she had much of it since River was born. That kid is a screamer. According to Mom, he takes after his daddy. We heard stories last night about how whiny Theo was in the first year of his life.

“We’ll be down in a bit,” I say, fishing an orange prescription bottle from Vee’s purse. “Ten minutes.”

He waves me off, and a moment later, I’m back upstairs, watching Vee swallow the pill and dry the glass.

“Okay, I’ll come with you tomorrow, but… what do I wear? A dress? Long? Short? Formal?”

I crawl in beside her. “Whatever you feel like.”

“I don’t want to stand out.”

“You won’t, I promise. It’s not a formal party, baby. No dress code.” I pull her in closer. I catch myself doing it often… I’m so fucking clingy it makes me cringe sometimes. “Theo’s on his way over, so we should head downstairs, but before that, what about your family? When do I get to meet them? When will you start spending the night?”

I want her falling asleep beside me every night and eating breakfast together each morning. It’s odd she’s keeping me a secret, and it bugs me more as the weeks go by.

It’s also odd that her father has so much control over her. She’s an adult, more than capable of making her own decisions. He shouldn’t have a say in who Vee dates.

And maybe he doesn’t.

Maybe she’s making this out to be bigger than it is. Vee’s got that sense of higher purpose about her. She feels responsible for her family—especially Rose—to the point she could rival Nico’s protectiveness, and I think it’s Rose she’s looking out for most when she takes on the obedient daughter role.

Vee shifts position, remaining silent, voicelessly answering the question. It stings, I won’t lie, but I don’t let it get to me. I try not to overthink and wonder whether she’s ashamed she’s falling in love with me.

She’s not.

Just scared of her dad’s reaction and disappointment.

“Should I go with you? Introduce myself? Maybe he won’t make it a big deal if he meets me?”

She shakes her head, kissing my jawline. “I’ll talk to him tonight, okay?”

“Whenever you’re ready.”

Theo’s already here when we join everyone downstairs. He shimmies out of his jacket, draping it over the banister, and crouches by River’s car seat, pulling his little blue hat off.

“How’s the whiny baby doing?” Nico asks, emerging from the living room.

“Watch how you talk about my son,” Theo snaps, then makes a weird face at River.

“I was talking about you, bro.”

“Yeah, what’s with the middle-of-the-night chat group messages?” Cody asks, elbowing Theo aside to lift River out of the car seat. “You woke me up twice last night.” He cradles the little boy, softly pinching his nose. “Your daddy’s such a wuss. So you don’t sleep well; it’s not your fault you’ve got colic, right?”

“I’ve not slept longer than two hours in one go since he was born,” Theo says on a long exhale. “Give him back, Cody.”

“No way. Get your own.”

“He is my own. Give him back.”

Cody flips him off, marching into the living room with River in his arms.

“Why don’t you crash in the guest bedroom, and we’ll watch River for a few hours?” Mia suggests when we follow Cody.

He’s one-handedly constructing a blanket nest in the corner of the couch. “Yeah, go get some sleep. Maybe you’ll quit whining.”

“Asshole,” Theo mutters. “Wait till you have a kid.”

They bicker for a few minutes, and after more encouragement, Theo takes up our offer, disappearing upstairs to catch up on sleep, just like his wife is at home.

The first half an hour goes without a hiccup, but then River starts pulling horseshoe faces, and before we know it, he’s crying. We all take turns trying to calm him, but nothing’s working.

“I think we’ll have to get Theo,” I say, moments away from grabbing Vee and dragging her upstairs to escape the noise. “Maybe he’s hungry?”

“Hold him over your shoulder,” Vivienne tells Mia, who rocks River back and forth in her arms.

“You’re welcome to try,” Mia says, and my entire body tightens, my heart cranking up when Vee cradles River to her chest.

“You look good, baby,” I say, watching as she moves his head to rest on her shoulder. “You want one?”

She beams at me, taking it as a joke.

It’s not, though.

I wasn’t kidding when I told her I’d be okay if she weren’t on the pill. I wouldn’t mind getting her pregnant.

“One day, sure,” she admits, gently rocking River, smoothing his back with her hand. “In a few years.”

“How about a few months? Nine is a nice number.”

“Stop messing around,” she laughs softly. “Have you been drinking when I wasn’t looking?”

Behind the smile, a glimmer of panic fills her eyes, and I know it’s way too soon for this, so I smile right back, shrugging it off. But when River falls asleep on her shoulder minutes later, I know we’ll revisit the subject pretty fucking soon.