One of Six (Den Hollows #1)

19. Essex

19

ESSEX

The six of us and Mom are sitting around the kitchen table. I felt something was going on as we sat down to eat. Now I know for sure.

Boone keeps looking at Mom. Mom is watching Atilio, who keeps looking in my direction. My oldest brother saw Bea and me in the hammock this afternoon. I didn't want to let her go. I did it because I knew I had to for now. That doesn't mean I'm happy about it. I didn't want to hurt my brother because of Bea, but she chose me.

I catch Nico's eye and he shakes his head, which means he has no idea what's going on. Galen and Ridge are whispering to each other.

"Is this a family meeting?" I ask into the silence.

"Yes," Mom says. "I need to ask you all something that I'm not sure some of you are going to like." Her attention lands on each of us in turn.

My heart falls out of my chest. I know before she says anything that it has to do with Bea.

"I don't trust Richard Lincoln not to blame one of my boys for his wife's death."

"No!" I hiss, shocking her and my brothers. "I agree that Lincoln is an asshole and guilty of killing his wife, but that has nothing to do with Bea."

Boone groans. "E, let Mom finish."

I rub my forehead and force my mouth shut.

"I was going to add," Mom says. "If Richard finds out his daughter is friends with you, he's going to cause real problems. I'm also serious about him setting one of you up for murder."

"So, what are you saying?" Atilio asks.

"I'm asking each of you to stay away from the girl."

Silence.

Not one of my brothers speaks up for Bea. Nico frowns at me. He knows that I spent hours with Bea today. Atilio, who I thought liked her, says nothing.

"Why don't you like her?" I ask. "Bea needs friends."

Mom reaches out and takes my hand. "I like her, Essex. It's her father I'm worried about. I can't lose any of you."

I get up and pull my hand free. "I'm taking the boat out. Alone!" I snap. "Bea is my girlfriend. I'm not giving her up. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Oh!" Mom cries.

I don't hang around and leave through the back door; Atilio is on my heels. "Wait!"

"I need to be alone," I say.

He grabs my arm. "This is sudden."

I inhale and exhale slowly. "I talked to her last night. She came to see me today. She means a lot to me, Atilio, and I don't want to share her." I look into his eyes.

"I wouldn't expect you to... Mama's right, you know. Richard Lincoln will come for one of us, probably you. We have to be careful."

"I'll talk to Bea about it." I walk on to the boat, 'The Maggie'. On board, I decide to stay docked. My body is twisted with frustration at the whole damn situation. What the hell are we going to do about it?

This must be one of my stupidest ideas, I think as I climb up the side of the Lincoln mansion. The only person who can help me decide what to do is the girl in question. I am unsure if I will be able to breathe again without her in my life, which is absurd, I know.

The intensity of my feelings for her is surprising. I long for the girl. The way she came apart on my mouth makes me sweat when I remember. The way her pink tongue slipped between her lips to lick the head of my cock. I came like a fucking teenager. I laugh. At nineteen, I am a teenager. It's not easy to climb up the trellis with a hard-on. My own damn fault with what's on my mind.

I appear in her window and almost fall back out in shock. Luckily, Bea grabs me by the tee and pulls me forward.

"Where are your clothes?" I stammer.

"I'm wearing them."

I groan. "Tiny bits of lace that barely cover your tits and pussy are not clothes."

She gives me a cheeky smile and asks, "I thought you'd like to get me out of them. You know, help me get ready for bed."

"I'm not sure sleeping is on your mind."

Pressing against her body, my hands find her sexy little bottom. I squeeze and pull her closer so she can feel every inch of me.

"I'm surprised they let you buy this underwear," I whisper, leaning in to capture her mouth. "Hmm, chocolate."

Her hands cradle the side of my head as she kisses me. "My mother tried to marry me off, remember? I have a drawer full of sexy panties and bras."

"Hmm," I say, pulling her toward the bed. "Lie down for me. I want to enjoy you."

She has a slight blush on her cheeks as she lays back on the soft duvet. I catch my breath at the beautiful girl laid out just for me. I can't resist her any longer. I lean in and press my lips against hers. I pull away, kicking my feet out of my sneakers as I rub a finger over my lips, wondering what I'll taste first. We need to talk, but it can wait. She wore those scraps of lace for me. That means something.

"You're beautiful, Bea," I whisper as I kneel at the foot of her bed. My hands run gently from her ankles up to her thighs. I hold her gaze as I run my fingers over her lace-covered mound. "You would tempt a priest to sin."

She grins and reaches for me, pulling me over her.

I can't resist and push her into the bed. "I want so much to be inside you."

"I can feel you."

My mouth covers her with a hunger I've never felt before. My lips are hard, searching her softer ones. My hands trace the curves of her body, feeling her heat and passion. Lifting my mouth from hers, I look into her eyes and see the desire for me reflected in them.

"I need to tell you something." Bea looks away before her eyes land on mine again. "I'm not a virgin, but I've never had sex before."

My eyebrows knit into a frown. "How does that work?"

"It was something I could control. My parents wanted me to be pure and married. I didn't have a say. So, Violet and I went shopping in town and we both bought a vibrator." She laughs. "It's huge and bright pink."

I laugh. "I have to see that," I plant a kiss on her neck and move to her collarbone.

She continues, "I used it to take my virginity. It hurt like hell, but I was no longer innocent. I controlled it. Not my parents. Maybe it was stupid because I know it's supposed to be special, but?—”

"Hey! I understand why you did it. I'm sorry you had to do it like that, though."

"I wish I knew you were waiting for me." The tips of her fingers brush my lips. "You'll be my first, Essex."

I take her hand in mine and kiss her knuckles. "If I have my way, I'll be the last, too." I grin. "I'm a little possessive."

Her legs wrap around my hips. "So am I, so be warned, Essex Redd... Do you have a middle name?"

I eye her warily and she chuckles, poking me in the ribs. "Drake. We all have the same middle name. It's Mom's maiden name."

"Hmm, Essex Drake Redd." Her eyes light up with glee. "Are you going to explore my body, because I didn't put this on just to be looked at?"

I sit up slightly and plant a kiss between her breasts while keeping my eyes on hers. Not least because her tits are too tempting not to look at.

I cradle each mound and rub my thumb over the hard tip. I smile around one nipple as her body grows restless beneath me. "Can I take your bra off?"

She swallows and nods her head. "God, yes!" Panting, her hips rub frantically against my cock, which feels ready to burst.

Making quick work of the bra, my breath catches at the sight of her breasts. Milky white flesh with cinnamon freckles. Her nipples are dark and hard, tight buds. The whole mound trembles as I take one in my mouth. We both moan. The feel of her soft skin against my lips is intoxicating. Her hands grip my shoulders tightly as she arches her back, pushing her chest closer to my mouth. I continue to suck and nibble on her nipple, feeling her body tremble with pleasure beneath me. The taste of her skin mixed with the sounds of our moans fills the room, adding to the pleasure.

I slide a hand between us and into her panties, fingering her wet and swollen folds.

"You're killing me," I hiss, pressing my aching cock against her.

Sucking and licking her strawberry breasts as I finger fuck her is too much. My cock swells and I come just as Bea orgasms on my hand. I grunt in satisfaction and then wince at the sticky mess in my shorts.

Bea leans up and takes my mouth. The kiss is long and delicious. "You can clean up in the bathroom." She smiles.

"Mmm, I wish we could take a shower together. Having you all wet and slippery in my arms... dirty ."

Groaning, she slaps my shoulder. "Stop it!"

I grin and lick my fingers. "You taste good, Mermaid Girl."

"You better clean up before I get you out of these clothes."

"Baby, don't tease." I kiss the tip of her nose and climb from her. "Don't go anywhere."

"We're in my bedroom. I have nowhere else to go."

I roll my eyes. "Smartass!" I say with a chuckle.

Bea lies on her side and watches me come back into her bedroom. She smiles softly and my heart flutters in my chest. I'm half in love with this girl. While I've been cleaning up, she's taken off her underwear and is now wearing a vest and shorts, her red hair tumbling around her.

I give her a shy smile and sit down on the bed. I pull her into my arms and enjoy her lying next to me. Instead of prolonging what I have to say, I just get on with it. “Mom thinks your dad will frame one of us for murder if he catches you with us. With me."

She shudders and leans in closer. "I'm not going to let that happen, Essex. I'll make sure the police in another town know what's going on if it looks like it's going to happen. I promise. I won't keep quiet. I'm eighteen. I don't need Richard's permission to be with you."

"We need to see everything on your mother's phone, Bea. Documents, everything... you should at least call the FBI guy and tell him about your mom." Pause. "If you need me to, I'll make the call for you." I kiss her forehead.

"I can't keep anything here. I don't trust Richard not to find it. Evelyn would help if we asked her, but I'm not ready. We have to figure this out on our own first." Pause. "Where do we start?" she asks.

"Use your mom's phone and call the FBI guy... Does your mom have email?"

"Yeah. I don't know the password though."

"Hmm, what's Richard doing tomorrow?"

"It's a workday, so he'll be at the office."

"I'll meet you on the street across the river from here at ten. We'll go to my place and look up those names and see what else is on the phone."

"I'll be there...I'll have to get Violet to come with me. Richard is used to me spending time with her."

"I'm not sure telling anyone else about the phone is a good idea."

"Maybe Galen can distract her.” Bea wiggles her eyebrows.

My eyes widen. "She's hot for Galen? No way!" I laugh.

"Galen is the one who is hot for my girlfriend." She giggles and snuggles closer. "Can you stay until I fall asleep?"

"I've got you, Mermaid Girl."

"I don't think I've told you how much I love it when you call me that."

I sigh. "The image of you emerging from the ocean, red hair cascading down your back, bright emerald eyes fixed on me, and a green dress that clung to your figure and ruffled up to your hips. I can't get it out of my head." I take a moment. "I caught a glimpse of those green panties and those long legs. You were mine from that moment on. My sexy little mermaid."

"Speaking of green panties, you wouldn't happen to know where they went?"

I grin. "I wanted something from you, so I put them in my pocket."

"Oh, boy!" She giggles and falls asleep while I'm wide awake.