Page 40 of The Dom's Sinful Desires
Chapter Fourteen
Hailey awoke when shefelt a cold draft hit her backside.She lifted off of Adam’s chest enough to turn her head to find Drew’s side of the bed empty.She slid from under Adam’s arm and then scooted off the bed, picked up one of the guys’ discarded shirts, and buttoned it as she went in search of him.
She checked every room upstairs.She started down the stairs, determined to find him.At the bottom, she noticed the front door was cracked open and headed that way.
Drew’s head jerked toward the screen door as Hailey pushed it open and slipped out onto the porch.
“Are you all right, Drew?”
“Go on to bed, Hailey.I’ll be there shortly.”
Hailey’s back stiffened as a sliver of sorrow hit something inside of her chest at the harsh tone of his voice.She tried not to let it get to her.Adam had told her about the bad nights Drew had had since he’d been home.
“Did you have another nightmare?”
Drew grunted and leaned back in the porch swing, using his bare foot to keep it rocking a bit.“It’s nothing.I don’t want you to worry about it.”
Hailey crossed her arms as she tried to see his expression in the shadows.“I want to hel—”
“You can’t!”He bit out roughly.
Hailey gasped and took a shocked step back.Her first inclination was to turn and run.She didn’t know how to handle the cold, angry man sitting in front of her.The man who had become an integral part of her marriage and family.
“I see.I’m sorry I bothered you,” she whispered and turned.She hadn’t made it to the door before she heard his words.
“What do you see?”he asked curiously.
Hailey drew in a shaky breath.“I’m good enough to fuck and feed you, but you don’t think I’m smart enough or tough enough to talk to me like an adult.”She kept her face turned away as she continued toward the door and started to pull it open.
“Don’t, Hailey.Come here,” Drew murmured gently, and held out a hand.“Please,” he said when she stayed still.
She paused for a moment.She took a breath to steady her heart that galloped in her chest, turned, and walked back to him.
He pulled her down into his arms and arranged her sidewise on his lap with her head tucked under his chin, and his arms a tight band around her.“I’m sorry.You don’t deserve my anger.”
Hailey raised her hand and slowly traced the harsh contours of his face.“I want to help.”
“I don’t know what you can do, baby, besides be here.That means more to me than anything, and I honestly think it keeps me from losing it sometimes.”
“We won’t let you lose anything.You have a family that lov ...cares about you very much.”
Drew tilted her chin up with the side of his hand.“Do you love me, Hailey?”he asked.
Hailey couldn’t ignore the need he tried to hide.Yes, she was taking a chance because she still wasn’t 100% sure he was going to stay with them, but it might help him to know how much she cared.
She cupped his cheek.“Yes, I do.Very much.”
“Do you think you’d be able to love me as much as you do my brother?”
