Scandalous Games (Arranged Games Book 1)

The second I pull back from Dash’s embrace, I miss his warmth like an addict.

Both of us reek of sex after mating like two animals without a care about their surroundings. My hair is no longer in the elegant bun I spent hours on, my blouse askew, and if that didn’t scream I was fucked to within an inch of my life, the flush on my skin betrays our filthy, jealousy-driven romp in the garden.

Meanwhile, Dash isn’t bothered in the slightest by his rumpled state. Though he is not as bad as mine. His hair is tousled and falling over his eyelashes, tie lopsided. With controlled movements, he tucks his still half-mast cock and smoothens his jacket.

The sinewy muscles, flexing like a thirst trap.

And damn. My pussy flutters again.

Blinking back to reality, I try remembering how long we’ve been gone. Did someone come searching and saw us fucking shamelessly? While I begin to panic and wonder how I’ll ever explain myself to others, Dash is calm as a bird and stares at me in his unnerving and penetrating way. Like I’m a fascinating creature that will disappear if he blinks.

After everything, this small habit of his still gives me butterflies like a silly girl.

His gaze is no longer burning with anger and violence, which gives me a little peace. I hate the shadows that darken his beautiful features when his unhinged and possessive side flares. Next time he becomes that unhinged, I’ll just let him work it out by fucking me as he pleases. It seems to work like magic. And ends with my pussy satisfied from countless delirious orgasms.

He arches one eyebrow, as if he can hear my illicit thoughts. “I know that look, kitten. You craving my dick again?”

At the mention of his cock, I jolt when I realize he didn’t wear a condom. How can I be so reckless? I flick my gaze to his and the calm expression he’s wearing has me stuttering, “Y-you came inside me.”

Primal satisfaction flashes across his sharp features. “I did.”

“What if I get pregnant? You don’t even know if I’m on the pill.”

“Don’t tempt me with ideas, kitten.”

Unbelievable. “You’re not giving me a baby until I’m thirty.”

My gasp is audible when what I just blurted out in my post-orgasmic haze sinks in. This is even worse than saying I love him, which I might as well have. Because apparently, my inner hussy is very eager to have his babies.

Babies. What the hell?

I cover my mouth when a smile appears on his lips. The brightest I’ve ever seen, and it softens his rugged angles. He becomes infinitely more dangerous to my heart.

“Don’t you dare.” I point my finger at his chest. “Pretend you didn’t hear that!”

He wisely listens but his silence and that panty-melting smirk is just as smug and delighted as any word he could’ve said. Ignoring him, I right my blouse while taming my curls as much as I can under the circumstances. My skirt has fallen back into place but every second, I can feel his cum leaking from my pussy. The asshole even ruined my panties, which I find torn and thrown on the ground mere feet from me.

“Give me your handkerchief,” I demand, extending my hand. When he doesn’t, I look up. “Dash!”

“Why do you need it, kitten?”

My shyness decides to kick in. “You know why.”

“No.”

“Never mind. I’ll just go to the restroom.”

Faster than light, Dash grabs my wrist and I collide against the wall. He cages me in while resting his bent elbow on either side above my head. Cupping my chin, he tilts my face so I can’t look away and feral eyes connect with mine.

Roughly grazing my bottom lip with the pad of his thumb, he growls, “You will walk just like this into that room. With me on your arm and my cum dripping from your tight pussy. So when they all look at you, they’ll know, once and for all, that you’re claimed.”

My retort dies on my lips when he steals them in a hard, drugging kiss.

Until I forget my own name.

My legs feel like Jell-O and my head dizzy when he pulls back and I sway closer to him. Then intertwining our fingers, he guides us and we enter the room as he promised.

Him on my arm and his cum sliding down my thighs.

Every step, reminding me of the ache he left behind.

***

“Well don’t you look freshly fucked?” says Rosa, appearing on my side like a genie out of its lamp.

“Could you be any louder?” I hiss, glaring at her. I’m already struggling not to run from the way every pair of eyes are watching Dash and I covertly, sneaking glances before whispering behind their palms. I certainly don’t need my best friend giving them juicy ammunition to gossip about.

Ignoring me, she smirks at Dash, who is fighting off his own. Rosa casually takes a sip from her drink before commenting, “You made quite a scene, lover boy.”

“I tend to live a scandalous life, in case you haven’t  noticed.”

I side-eye the alcohol in her hand suspiciously when she laughs. Yes. My grumpy best friend laughs. “Why are you both suddenly joking around like friends?”

“Don’t be jealous, wifey,” Dash teases, tapping my scrunched nose playfully. “You know you’re the only one who can make me laugh.”

“It’s true,” says Rosa, who has suddenly turned chatty tonight. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen lover boy smile unless he’s staring at you.”

Meanwhile, I’m trying not to blush harder than I already am. His intense gaze softens ever so slightly and I have to calm my racing heart that wants to melt into a puddle at his feet. I’m so lost in him that I miss a very drunk Iris heading our way until it’s too late.

“Oh my god, Bee! You did it. You told Dash you’re falling for him.”

Ground. Swallow me, please.

First, babies, and now this. I’m continuously making a fool out of myself. From the corner of my eye, I catch Rosa tug a blubbering Iris away and leaving us alone. When I hesitantly meet an extremely quiet and very still Dash, I expect amusement waiting for me.

Instead, tender and yearning green eyes stare back at me.

He looks like a broken boy yet hopeful, like I’m the lifeline he was searching for. There’s no other words to describe it. I recognize it because I felt the same way until he came alone.

Until he made me believe in love again.

“Is it true?” he hoarsely whispers.

“Yes.”

His chest heaves as though he’s struggling to breathe and with that same unbelievable and fascinating look eclipsing his pupils. Doesn’t he really not believe he’s lovable? Has nobody ever told him they love him?

“You’re falling for me, kitten?”

“I am, Dash.” I smile, cupping his cheeks. “So are you going to catch me?”

“Always.”

I rise and meet his lips halfway in a kiss that is both a vow and a promise. The kiss, nothing like the ones in the past. It’s slow like we have all the time in the world. It’s loving when two broken hearts mend. It’s everything.

When we pull apart, we’re both breathless and delirious. My heart, full and lighter than it’s ever been.

I’m about to tell him we should just skip the rest of the stupid party that was another elaborate scheme of my parents to tear us apart. But I frown when Dash suddenly becomes serious and a ghost of an apologetic expression shadows the happiness in his eyes.

“There’s something I need to tel—”

“Excuse me, everyone!” My father’s smooth voice booms from the stage, cutting off whatever Dash was about to say.

My attention is stolen by my parents and my sister. The low chatter and the music dies down as everyone focuses on my dad, standing tall with his reserved and charming smile he’s honed over the years as a host. My mother stands dutifully beside his side. However, only I can tell her smile is strained.

Dash pulls me close as we listen to my father closely, waiting for our cue.

“I would like to thank all of you for taking the time out of your busy schedules and joining my family tonight for such a joyous occasion. As you all know, my lovely older daughter, Bianca,” he waves his arm in our direction before continuing his speech, “has finally married the love of her life, Dash Stern, who I’m proud to have joined my family as my son-in-law. I would like to introduce the happy couple, Mr. and Mrs. Stern.”

Thunderous claps spread around the ballroom and congratulatory words are whispered as Dash and I walk through the parted crowd and toward the stage. Dash squeezes my palm reassuringly knowing I don’t like being the center of attention. Like before, he raises our joined hands to his chest to let me feel his heartbeat and it calms me instantly.

My father envelops me in a hug and kisses my forehead the second I step on the stage, and does the same to Dash, minus the kiss. Except, there’s no warmth behind it because it’s all an act, a fake display of a united front. I have no right to judge myself despite the happy twist my game took.

My biggest fear was losing myself. Instead, it ended up being my parents. They’ve shown me a side of them that I cannot unsee as I realize their reputation is everything to them and worth more than my happiness.

When my mother embraces me, I bend and whisper in her ear, “You will no longer have a daughter if you ever pull that stunt again, Mother.”

She freezes at the rage in my voice, one I would’ve never dared to use. When I lean back, the perfect smile poised on her lips cracks ever so slightly. I shake my head disappointedly when she doesn’t even attempt to deny my accusation.

My righteous mother holds her head high and hardens her gaze before sneering without losing her mask, “He is no good for you, Bianca. You’re too blind to see it now. Mark my words. That man is going to break your heart.”

I don’t bother with a reply because it’s nothing short of banging my head against the wall. It will only hurt me. However, the damage has been done. Because for the rest of the night, her warning doesn’t stop haunting me like a bad omen.

I just hope I prove her wrong.