Page 23 of SALT

My eyes can't help but follow the descent of my hands, and the lower they drop, the more I see of her. The ass she dares to tease me with every chance she gets is on display, looking like a fucking Christmas present with the white string running between her thick cheeks. My cock twitches, now completely hard, as my hands dig into her hips, and she hisses, a sound that should trigger my release, but my hands don't move. If anything, they squeeze harder. Her head turns, and those crystal blue eyes connect with mine, and what feels like a lifetime of unspoken desires are shared. I want nothing more than to pull her into my lap and feel her. I want to touch her in a way I shouldn't, and what's worse, the look in her eyes tells me she wants the exact same thing.

Those pouty pink lips part, and my name is unexpectedly said in unison. "Everett."

Our eyes snap toward the intruding voice as I pull my hands away quickly, searching for my laptop to cover the shameful issue I now have. Fucking hell, I knew I shouldn't have disarmed the alarm for the cleaning lady. As Colton crosses the yard to join us, I ask, "Do you mind giving us some privacy?"

Cameron's back is to me when she nods her agreement. I pull my sunglasses back down over my eyes as she reaches for her discarded dress, but even the tint can't hide the flush on her cheeks. I might be hard, but I guarantee her pussy is wet. A pussy I have no business wanting but it makes my cock grow harder all the same, and when she stands, putting her peach of an ass inches away from my face, I bite down on the inside of my cheek. Christ.

"Did you get my text?" Colton asks, walking up to my lounge chair with his hands on his hips.

Cameron's exit buys me a few seconds when she says, "Hi, Cole," in greeting, allowing me to quickly bring my laptop to life and pull up my messages. If he texted me, it must have been in the last few minutes while my hands were wrapped up in her.

"Salt." He pulls her in for a quick hug. "Are you still seeing Michaelson, or have you already found your next victim?"

"Haha, hilarious Cole. You're one to talk, Mr. Stag—or—die. Maybe I'm destined to be an eternal bachelor like you." She swats his chest before taking her leave.

He crosses his arms and purses his lips. He knows she's right. The man is in his thirties and has never been seen with the same girl more than twice. Like me, he's a workaholic, but deep down, I know there's more to his single status than he lets on. We are too alike for there not to be, both driven by honor and pride, both loyal to a fault. I may not have always made the choices I wanted, but at least they gave me a son. Out of all my regrets, things I wish I would have done differently, he has never been one of them.

Colton's eyes flash to mine as his thumb dusts his bottom lip. "Are you fucking, Salt?"

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," I say as I clench my jaw in annoyance. I shouldn't have fucking touched her. If I hadn't touched her, I wouldn't be receiving his plaint now.

He takes a seat on the lounge next to mine. "Are we going to act like I didn't just witness you rubbing sunscreen all over her back? We both know that's not innocent, Everett. Not to mention the swimsuit she's wearing may as well be underwear."

"Why are you here, Colton? Did you find Kelce?"

"Maybe," he answers, unconcerned, like his visit is just another day when we both know it's not. Colton lives in Boston. He doesn't just casually drop by, and the last message I sent him was, "Find Kelce." Tongue in cheek, he says, "Your avoidance reeks of guilt."

"I would disagree. I've known Cameron her entire life, and I refuse to give legs to a rumor like that. In jest or not, that type of gossip is toxic and only serves to disrespect a member of this family."

"Dear brother, Cameron Salt is not our family—that is," He rubs his jaw, "Unless you are planning to make it so." I'm out of my chair before my mind can think better of it, and if he wasn't certain before, I know he is now. Standing toe to toe, he says, "You just gave yourself away. Quick to anger and extremely anxious."

"We're not fucking," I grit out as I try to calm the rage boiling inside of me. I don't want anyone to think differently of her because of me, and it's already happening. She doesn't deserve that dark cloud.

"Fine. You're not fucking…" He licks his bottom lip. "But you want to." I drop my head and put my hands on my hips to rein in my anger. I don't care to come to blows over this with my brother. What's fucked up is I shouldn't care this much. This entire altercation shouldn't even be happening. "Look, Everett, I didn't come here to judge where you get your dick wet. You're both adults. If Salt were walking around my house looking like that, I'd be doing more than rubbing sunscreen on her back."

Those words do nothing to calm my nerves. The thought of him touching her only makes everything worse because, if he were to touch her, it would be better than me. Colton is fifteen years younger than me. He was a surprise to everyone after our parents thought they were done having kids. He and Cameron could make sense. And age aside, she's not his best friend's daughter or the kid who moved into his house at seventeen.

"Fucking drop it, Cole. What did you find out?"

He holds up his hands. "Consider it dropped, but in all seriousness, if you were sleeping with her, you might already have the answer to that question. Your girl knows exactly where her brother is?—"

"She's not my girl, and he's not her brother," I interrupt.

"Yeah, yeah," he waves his hand. "Cameron's been keeping tabs on him, the same as you. The only difference is that when she found out he was broke, she took a visit to see him."

"When?" I ask, taken aback by his claim. I always keep tabs on her so I would know if she left.

"While you were in Boston. She took a quick day trip to visit him in Maine."

"He's in Maine?" I look toward the house just in time to catch one of the basement sheers move. She knew. The entire conversation, she knew and she lied to me.

"He's been living there for about six months, working as a crab fisherman, and that's why we couldn't find him. He was on a boat."

"You're telling me Kelce, spawn of Amelia Balian, is working a laborer's job as a fisherman?"

"Yep, he's been living with his bio dad's brother. Even though it's not Kelce, I wouldn't let her leave. We know Damon had skeletons. This could all be an ill-timed break-in, or it could be something else. I have a few theories. I was going to head over to Connor's now and see if I can't scratch one off my list."

"I want your theories, but first, I need to see a girl about a lie. Don't leave town before we talk."

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