Distraction (Club Destiny #8)(7)

Yep. Uh-huh. If on their own meant living in a ten-thousand-square-foot mansion, all expenses paid, including their tuition and brand new cars that Pops had insisted they have for Christmas last year.

Spoiled was what they were.

But Dylan accepted it for what it was. He was blessed with two intelligent children, and he wouldn’t change a single thing about them even if he could.

“So, have y’all shared the news with the teams yet?” Ashleigh asked.

“Not yet. We’ll be working on that in the coming weeks.”

“Does Nate know?”

Dylan nodded. “We sat him down last week and explained what was going on. Alex has informed Sniper 1 that it’s imperative they bring Nate and Jake on in the current roles they’re in.”

“And you?”

“I’ll be leaving the company,” he informed her. It had been a tough decision to make, but one that he needed to follow through with. It wasn’t that he enjoyed his job at this point, but he still had reservations about making big changes in his life. Dylan wasn’t fond of change, and starting over in his career at the ripe old age of forty-two gave him pause. But it had to be done.

“You haven’t changed your mind?” she asked, her smile once again forced. “I’m sure Sniper 1 could take you on if you wanted them to.”

Dylan shook his head. “I think having them take Nate and Jake on is enough.”

“How is Jake anyway?” she asked, briefly glancing his way, then back to the people around them. “I haven’t seen him in a while.”

“He’s—” Before he could get his response out, Ashleigh cut him off.

“Holy shit. Is that…?”

Dylan felt eyes on him and he turned in time to see… Holy shit was right.

He swallowed hard, standing up straight and placing one hand on the rail as he peered behind him into the ocean-blue eyes of the woman who’d haunted his dreams for the past three years.

“Wow, Sarah looks different,” Ashleigh whispered, her voice being carried by the wind.

Different was an understatement, Dylan thought, never looking away from the woman he hadn’t seen in … far too long. Previously Sarah Fulton, now Sarah Davis since she’d taken her maiden name back, was standing less than ten feet away, her expression reflecting every bit of the surprise Dylan felt.

But Ashleigh was right, the woman looked like an entirely different person than the one he remembered from that night so long ago and the months leading up to it. The innocence he’d once seen in her eyes was long gone, replaced by something darker, more resolute.

Sure, she was just as beautiful as he remembered, possibly more so standing there in a short off-white dress that hugged every curve and knee-high brown boots that made his fucking mouth water. The blood-red lipstick on her succulent mouth made his dick thicken, his jeans becoming far too tight. The tattoos that decorated her arms beneath the sheer sleeves of her dress were probably the most notable difference aside from the fact that she’d lost weight and no longer had the perfect hips he’d once held in his hands. Also gone were the short, silky blond curls she’d once sported, and now the wind teased her long golden locks. He could practically still feel the silkiness against his fingers.

“Who is that with her?”

Dylan forced his gaze away from Sarah and over to the man standing at her side. He shrugged, although he had an idea. He’d heard Jake mention that his aunt had started dating someone recently. A fact that Dylan had done his best not to dwell on.

“Are you gonna go talk to her?”

Jerking his attention back to Ashleigh, Dylan fought to keep himself anchored in the present, rather than drifting back to that fateful day when he’d last seen Sarah… The night he’d fucked her up against her living room wall.

“Dylan?” Ashleigh nudged his arm with hers.

“No,” he answered abruptly, turning his attention back to the water. “I doubt she wants to hear from me.”

“Why?”

Dylan shook his head. He was not going to go into the details, not even with his sister, who’d become one of his closest friends in the years since his wife had died. As much as Dylan wished he could talk to her about that night, he was too embarrassed to admit what he’d done. It was just a damn good thing Sarah had come to her senses and sent him on his way. Otherwise…

Damn it. He didn’t want to think about it.

Ashleigh moved off the rail and touched his arm again. “Well, I’ve got to go find Alex. I’ll talk to you later, ’kay?”

He offered his sister another nod, grateful for the reprieve.

For some reason, he needed a minute to collect himself, and he didn’t need any witnesses to the meltdown he felt coming on.



“YOU OKAY?”

Sarah yanked herself back to the present at the sound of her nephew’s voice, forcing a smile while she willed her heart to stop pounding against her chest. A mere few seconds of looking at Dylan Thomas had brought the memories of that long-ago night back in full force.

She could practically still feel his hands on her, his mouth, the way he moved inside her body. Three years had done little to help her forget.

It took a moment to remember where she was, who she was with. Finally, she forced a smile and glanced at her nephew. “Good. Why?”