Chapter 40

Ethan had maneuvered through his in-laws house, squeezing past the judgemental glares of his sister-in-law’s friends and their penis shaped decorations. He didn’t care if his thoughts were controversial, but penis’ were not meant to be glorified. There was nothing attractive about male genitalia, not even if they were smoothened out and made into the shape of edible snacks. This opinion solidified by the countless reminders he saw around his wife’s childhood home.
He knew there had to be a reason his father-in-law was absent from the house. No further explanation was required once he saw the majority of women in skimpy costumes. He raised his head and tried not to make eye contact, he was married. He had no desire to be looking at any other women and he always had to be careful not to give women the wrong idea. He never wanted to give anyone a reason to question his loyalty or call his wife a fool.
One of the females in a belly dancer costume licked her lips as she saw him walking in their direction, asking another female, who was not in costume, “Is he ours to play with?” She’d almost purred. He had pretended to be blind and deaf to her.

“That’s Peyton’s husband.” The other female scolded her. A few other women heard the information and immediately joined the conversation; their eyes openly eyeing him. “I am not picky.” The belly dancer winked at him.

“But I am.” Ethan responded as he strolled past them casually and down the corridor. He regretted not dragging Harvey along with him, at least then the female attention would be given to a man who knew how to handle it.

“Babe, are you in here?” Ethan was begrudgingly directed by the ladies in the house to Peyton’s old room. He knew the way too well. There were nights where he’d climbed through her bedroom window and had to be snuck out of the house the following morning. They were caught once by her mother, but Peyton’s mother hadn’t said a word, she’d casually offered him breakfast.

“What are you doing here?” Peyton dropped the mascara on her high school vanity table when she saw him enter. She chastised him with her words all the while running over to him and pulling his body against hers for a hug. She exhaled deeply as his hands came to wrap around her waist.
As if she’d morphed into an entirely different person, she shoved him away with all the strength she could muster. “I forgot; I am mad at you.” She returned to the vanity and continued working on her makeup. Ethan chuckled. It hadn’t been half hour since he’s sent her the photo of him in front of her favourite restaurant, of course she was mad. He’d only then noticed her. She’d changed from what she was wearing when she left home earlier.
“What are you wearing?” Not that he had an issue with his wife wearing whatever she wanted, however, he would have preferred her to wear fishnets and plaid for him alone.

“Sister was screaming at me to be sexy.” She rolled her eyes in the mirror and adjusted the golden cat ears on her head. She had complied because it was her sister’s night and they were staying at home.

“I can see your butt cheeks when you bend over.” He’d also cocked his head lower to get a better view. “Not like you haven’t seen them before.” Peyton gave a little shake of her hips.

“I think you were sexy when you left home earlier.” He was calmer than he expected, that had more to do with the fact that the house was filled with females and no males.

“You think I look sexy even when I’m in a mess.” She countered. “How do I look now?” she’d turned around to face him. A black bralette that ended midway down her ribs and a high waisted green and black plaid skirt that barely covered her most intimate regions and black fishnets adorning her long legs.

“Ready for me to shove you down on the floor and fuck the crap out of you.” He hadn’t moved from his spot by the door. If he did, control would go out the window.

“Oh?” She walked backwards to her childhood bed; her parents hadn’t changed a thing in their rooms. She plopped down on the edge. The length of the skirt riding up her legs further and creasing by her hips, a tiny triangular view of her underwear peeking out.

“In my parents’ house?” She gazed at him through hooded lashes. It had been a while since they’d done anything crazy.

“Point taken.” Ethan nodded. They had sex countless times on that very bed she was posed off on but as time went by, as they matured, he understood there were things she’d feel less and less comfortable with. He walked closer towards her, best to address the topic he barged in here to talk about. The best tool to deal with arousal was distraction.

“I have a favour to ask you, it’s the reason why I’m here.” His eyes roamed her body hungrily. What was the true distraction here?
Peyton rolled her eyes. She hadn’t expected him to take her literally. She sighed and sat up, fixing her skirt. “A favour from your wife?” She teased. “Why so formal?”

“It involves your brother’s special skills.” He said carefully. Peyton snapped to attention now the journalist in her curious.

“Draven?” she breathed her brother’s name. They were twins but adopted into different families. Ethan nodded.

“Which of his skills are you interested in?” Her eyes darkened in terror.

“Nothing nefarious.” Ethan assured her instantly. Draven’s life was a secret and Ethan himself had never met him but he knew that he was skilled. Dangerous, but brilliant.

“Harvey found out tonight that the woman he’d been seeing is Gabriel Evans’ wife.” Ethan revealed. Peyton gasped, “No!” she rebuked the very idea, her hands covering her mouth.

“She’s married to that man?” Peyton uncovered her mouth. “How unfortunate, I feel sorry for her.” Peyton couldn’t count the amount of times journalists were paid off by Evans to keep his tumultuous love life out of the press. “And for Harvey, of course.” She added quickly, she did feel for Harvey, but to be married to such a man…

“I feel very conflicted about it too, darling.” He reassured her. “Want more information about them, huh?” She read her husband’s mind.

“I’ll ask Draven if he could dig up anything.” She responded. “he owes me a favour anyway.” Ethan nodded. Was it a stretch to think Gabriel would use his wife to get revenge on the Regal family? Ethan wasn’t sure what he thought. The relationship could very well be a mere coincidence but one could never be too safe.

“I guess I should leave now, before they come at me with pitch forks.” He joked, gazing down at his wife. He had half a mind to throw her over his shoulders and drag her back home.

“Or..” Peyton climbed towards the middle of the bed, elongated her legs and stared at him. “you can stay.” She suggested. “Half of them are drunk and won’t miss my presence anyway.”
Ethan smirked. “What about this being your parents’ house?” he’d already turned the lock on her door and was making his way back towards her.

“I won’t tell if you won’t.” she raised her eyebrows; her legs falling open in front of him.

“My lips are sealed.” He was towering over her now, placing a kiss on her lips and making a trail down her neck, shoulders and stomach. He ran his hands over her legs encased in fishnets, looking down at her. “I am fucking you in this.” He rasped, hiking up her skirt and ripping a wider hole into the fishnets in front of her moist centre.

“I was borrowing these from my sister.” She bit her lip as the tearing assaulted her ears.

“We’ll get her a new pair or two.” He pressed his lips against hers. He used his fingers to push her panties to the side and slide his finger into her
Peyton’s body shuddered, a small cry falling into Ethan’s lips.

****
“Hell and Damnation!” Harvey slammed his fists on the desk, his cell phone dropping to the floor. He refused to retrieve it.

“Uh, Sir?”

Harvey turned his attention to the scrawny man, standing at the centre of the room, he was shivering. He’d forgotten his place once his eyes caught that message from Mia. He’d been steeling himself, utilizing every bit of control he had not to respond to her.

“Is there something distasteful about the presentation?” He hugged the folder to his chest and pushed his glasses further up his nose. Harvey looked around the room, not a single person was making eye contact with him.

“No, I apologise everyone.” He rose from his chair. He was big enough to admit his shortfalls. “I haven’t been paying attention.” He reasoned with them. “Let’s break for an early lunch and we can resume at one.” He advised, watching as they scurried out of the conference room.

Ethan pushed through the crowd and stood in Harvey’s line of sight. “We should talk.”