Filthy Crown by Eleanor Aldrick

Dammit. I bet that’s Ericson.

Great timing, buddy.

I need to get out of the truck before he knocks on the window. He may live all alone up here in the mountains, but he sure as fuck knows what sex smells like, and that’s the last thing we need.

Pen’s my niece, and even though we aren’t blood, I don’t want to risk this getting out and tarnishing her reputation or worse...the State trying to take her from me.

“Stay in the truck.”

Pen rolls her eyes but does as she’s told. Thank god. One look at her current state and I know I’ll have to do some explaining. The back of Pen’s hair is mussed, her face is flushed, and her halter dress is askew.

She looks damn edible.

Biting back a smile, I push the truck door open and step outside. Sure enough, I see my old college friend walking toward me.

“Jack? Is that you?”

“Sure is.” I motion toward the truck. “Got stuck in some mud avoiding a doe. Thought we’d wait you out and see if you could help us get unstuck. We need to make it out to Hunter’s cabin.”

He cuts his gaze toward the truck, his eyes narrowing in on the passenger side. “We? Did the infamous bachelor finally land himself a missus?”

I let out a snort but then reign it back in as visions of Pen, barefoot and pregnant, hit me like a bat to the head. My knees go weak at the realization that the idea floods me with joy instead of terror, but that sensation quickly turns into horror as I realize the predicament it leaves us in.

It’s not like I can have her... can I?

“Wow. Jack. Didn’t mean to scare the shit out of you. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He’s right in front of me now, his hand reaching out and patting me on the shoulder. “I see you’re still the same ol’ Jack. Refusing to settle down then.”

I blink away the thought of Pen carrying my baby and plaster on a smile. “Just the same ol’ Jack here.” Hitching a thumb toward the truck, I explain away the woman who’s just shattered any preconceived notions I’ve had about relationships. With her, I want it all. “That’s my niece. Austin’s kids are living with me now.”

Ericson’s eyes go wide. There are very few reasons why a man’s children would go to his brother, and none of them are good. “Shit. I’m sorry, man.”

I give him a jerky nod, thankful he’s not asking what happened. Now is definitely not the right time. “Thank you. Maybe on your day off you can drive down to the ranch, spend some time with the kids and the rest of our motley crew.”

“I’d like that.” He gives me a genuine smile before surveying the truck. “But first, we need to get you out of here.”

“Sounds good. I think if you pull up in front of us, you’ll be able to hitch us to your truck and pull us out.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right.” He walks toward his truck, and I’ve never been so thankful in my life.

I’m glad Pen didn’t disobey me and come out to say hello. Yes, it’s rude, but I rather her be perceived as rude than Ericson catch wind of what we were up to. And I’m not going to lie. A part of me is also grateful he didn’t see her because she’s so damn beautiful. The thought of any other man seeing her and wanting to take her away sets free this rage filled panic I’ve never felt before, and frankly, it’s unnerving.

That tiny woman holds so much power over me, and she doesn’t even know it.

The crunching of snow and sloshing of mud has me looking away from my truck and toward Ericson. He’s pulled up in front of us and is getting between our two vehicles, he’s about to attach his chain to my tow hitch when his face transforms—his eyes go wide and lips spread into a shit-eating smile.

Fuck. He’s seen her.

“Jack.” He finally breaks his stare into the cab and looks toward me. “You didn’t tell me Austin’s little girl was all grown up.”

Out of my periphery, I see Pen raise her hand and wiggle her fingers in greeting. “Hi! I’d come out, but it’s colder than a witch’s tit out there and I didn’t dress for the occasion.” She speaks through the glass and it comes out muffled but still audible.

Ericson turns back to her, his greedy eyes taking in all of her disheveled beauty, and it takes everything in me not to go physically turn his head away. She’s mine.

Ericson’s grin turns into a smirk. “I can see that. Shame on your uncle for not making sure you were prepared.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “We were going down valley when we got a call from Hunter. He needed us to run him and my other brothers some gas.”

My friend’s brows come together. “That’s not like Hunter. He’s always prepared. When he first moved up here, I used to check on him all the time, and now we just meet up once a month to shoot the shit.” He shakes his head and laughs. “I swear, that man is better equipped to tackle the outdoors than I am.”

I smile. “That sounds like him. And yes, he typically is.” I look toward Pen and lower my voice, not wanting her to hear. “Someone syphoned out the gas from all of their vehicles and I’m guessing his reserve tank as well.”

Ericson’s smile falls at my words. “Damn. I really do need to catch up with y’all. Come on. Let’s get you out of here and I’ll follow you to his cabin. Doesn’t hurt to have backup or a fresh set of eyes.”

I nod, but internally I’m shouting ‘Hell. No.’

The more time we spend together, the more time he has to figure something isn’t right between Pen and me. Hell, I haven’t even properly had her and I already feel possessive as a motherfucker. There’s no hiding that.

He rounds the truck and is about to turn to his driver’s side door when he stops in his tracks, his face turning red. “You might want to tuck that back in.”

I look down to my fly in horror, but then downright black out when I see what he was pointing at. Pen’s little white thong is sticking out of my pocket, the lace detailing leaving no room for interpretation. It’s a fucking thong in my pocket and the only female around is my niece.

My vision blurs as I step back into the truck, Pen’s voice echoing in my head and sounding like a Charlie Brown cartoon. It isn’t until she’s physically shaking me that I come out of my stupor.

“Jack. Push on the gas.” Her slender fingers dig into my shoulder, moving me into action.

The truck jerks forward, and I’ve finally gained some traction. Once I’ve maneuvered us onto the road, I let Pen in on our predicament. Taking out the panties, I clench them in front of her. “He knows.”

She sucks in a sharp breath, her body flushing pink. “It’s okay, right? He’s your friend. It’s not like you made me do anything.”

I shove the white fabric back into my pocket, clenching my jaw and gritting out words I wish I could take back as soon as I say them. “It’s wrong, Pen. You know it. I know it. And now he knows it. What we did is sick and wrong.”

Her eyes well up and I feel like the biggest jackass on the planet. She wipes away at a tear, looking out the window and refusing to give me her gaze. “It didn’t feel wrong.”

She’s right. What we did in this truck felt like the farthest thing from wrong. It was right in every way that mattered. Never in my life had I felt that connected to a woman, needing her to find pleasure was my only driving source. Whatever pleasure I received came secondary.

Don’t get me wrong, I always made sure my partners got their rocks off, but the ultimate game plan was about my enjoyment. But not with Pen. It was all about her, what made her feel good, what made her breath hitch and cheeks flush.

God, I could get used to seeing her like that every day, splayed out and ready to take me. A knock on the window pulls me from my thoughts, and I roll it down. Knowing there’s no sense in hiding the obvious scent. He knows full well what we were doing to pass the time.

“I’ve unhooked your truck. The roads should be clear but I’ll follow y’all up there just to make sure you get to the boys safely.” His expression is serious, not a friendly smile to be had. That’s fine. I don’t need anyone but my family, and as long as he doesn’t make moves to take Pen away, then we won’t have any problems.

With a dip of my head, I give him my thank you before rolling up my window as he retreats to his truck.

Pen lets out a snort. “Oh, he definitely knows.”

“Yup.” The one word is all I can muster, my head swimming with dreadful thoughts of Pen leaving. Reaching out, I give her thigh a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Princess. Everything’s going to be okay.”

And I mean it. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to make sure she stays with me. There isn’t a man on this earth that could pry her away.