No One Else Can Have Her

By Sam Crescent

Nate Smith has a secret.

He is completely and totally in love with Carly Andrews, and has been since they were kids. The only problem is she doesn’t know, and he doesn’t believe she is ready to know. He doesn’t want to spoil their friendship. But ... he also can’t stand the thought of her with other men. So, he threatens or hurts anyone who would dare to go on a date with her.

After years of disastrous dates, Carly knows she must be the problem. She is unlovable, and all she has ever wanted is to have a family. So, she intends to find a way to get pregnant. She no longer needs a man, just a sperm.

The moment Nate hears of her plan, he is not having her use just any sperm. She will have his, but if she wants to have a baby, they are going to do this the good old-fashioned way.

What started out as a crazy idea, soon becomes the best one yet. Carly has been in love with Nate all of her life. She has tried to hide her feelings, but now she has given him her virginity, and they are like dynamite together.
Only, she should have known nothing comes without a price...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evernight
• Release date: Apr 23, 2024
• ISBN: 9780369510020

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Published by EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2024 Sam Crescent

ISBN: 978-0-3695-1002-0

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: Lisa Petrocelli

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE HER

Sam Crescent

Copyright © 2024

Chapter One

Nate Smith watched as Carly Andrews sat at her lonesome table, waiting for a date that would never arrive. He’d already seen to it that the man who was supposed to be meeting her wouldn’t make it.

It wasn’t because he was cruel, he simply didn’t want any other man to have her. No one deserved the kindness that was Carly. Out of the whole group, Carly was the nicest. He was the cruelest, and then there was Sarah, who to put it mildly, was the slut. Reese, Dalton, and Mitch were players, but altogether they made their own little family.

Carly was the youngest. While he, Sarah, Reese, Dalton, and Mitch were all thirty years old, they assumed Carly was twenty-nine, but no one knew Carly’s real age. She had come to the foster home when she was young, and from the information they had gotten, she hadn’t come from a good environment. Rumors of being locked in a cage had circulated.

Several other kids had tried to taunt and harm her, but he, along with his buddies, took her under their wing, and they’d been inseparable since. That was over twenty years ago. None of them had ever gotten adopted, and they’d been able to stay together from one home to another, much to their surprise.

He watched as Carly glanced down to check out the time once again, and then looked around the restaurant. There was no way he could leave her to deal with the humiliation of being stood up again. Not that any of her dates intended to stand her up, or leave her alone—that was all on him.

Entering the restaurant, he ignored the maître d’, even as he called toward him, Sir.

Carly didn’t pay him any attention until he was standing by her seat.

Hey, Carly, he said.

She looked up and smiled. Nate, oh my, what a surprise. She got to her feet and instantly embraced him. This was Carly all over, ever the hugger. She always wore her emotions on her sleeve. She was so easy to read.

Miss, is this man bothering you? the maître d’ asked.

Clearly the bastard was asking for a death wish, because no one said that kind of shit to him and got away with it. He may have come from nothing, and been told all his life that he was a worthless piece of shit, but he was the total opposite.

When people said his name, it was mingled with fear and respect. No one dared cross him. He was the one with the power—a king—and those who betrayed him, well, they didn’t breathe for long.

Reese, Dalton, and Mitch were his closest allies, and he rewarded them well.

No one had what it took to overthrow him from his throne. Kingpin, crime lord, street king, gangster, it didn’t matter what label they gave him, he was the one that ruled the underbelly of the city, and he liked it.

There was nothing better than having nothing, then having it all.

No, of course not. Would you like to join me? Carly asked.

I’d love to.

The smile on her lips made him happy. There were a lot of things in his life that made him happy, but real joy only came from being with Carly for just a few moments. He didn’t know how she did it, only that she did.

Whenever his rage took over, when he couldn’t gain control, the only person who was ever safe around him was Carly. She brought him back from the brink time and time again. He’d lost count. She made him sane.

The maître d’ grumbled, and he made a note to have a word with the little shit. No way was anyone going to embarrass him in his own restaurant. He owned a great deal of businesses, legal and not so legal.

He knew the only way to stay on top was to have his hand in a lot of different pies. The cops ate out of the palm of his hand, and, well, he had a lot of deals in process, and no one could get anything past him, which was exactly the way he liked it.

Have you ordered? Nate asked.

Nah, I was waiting for my date.

A date? Would you like me to leave? He pretended to stand but Carly reached out and placed a hand on his arm.

Please, don’t. I … my date didn’t show, and I’ve been waiting around for a good forty minutes. It’s sad, I know. I should have left after ten, but you never know. She shrugged. I’m hungry and I’m tired.

Would you like me to have this son of a bitch killed?

Carly rolled her eyes. No, it’s fine. Standing someone up is no cause to lose a life. She smiled and he didn’t know how she did it.

She’d always been too forgiving, too nice, too gullible. This was why he made Sarah share the apartment that he’d also purchased for Carly. She paid next to nothing for the rent, and Sarah had no choice but to keep an eye on Carly. Not that Sarah minded, but Nate had started to pay the other woman to constantly keep an eye on Carly’s whereabouts.

"You know, if you actually tell Carly how you feel, she’d be more than willing to give it a try." That had been Sarah’s last piece of advice to him just two weeks ago, which he ignored. Only their closest friends could give their opinions, but that didn’t mean he’d take it.

Carly picked up the menu and he watched as she looked over and smiled at him. You’re going to tell me you know what’s good at this place?

As it happens, yes. Their spicy chicken wings are excellent. I highly recommend them.

She rolled her eyes and closed the menu. Fine, I will let you order, but I warn you, no salad. Not today. I’m done with veggies for awhile. I’m so tired of being hungry all the damn time.

He hated that every other day Carly seemed to be on one or more diets at a time. To him, she was perfect the way she was, and there was no reason to change. He didn’t see a problem with her full, ripe tits, flared hips, curvy ass, or juicy thighs.

Snapping his fingers toward the server, he didn’t have to wait long before he was served. He ordered double the spicy chicken wings, as well as the house special, along with Carly’s favorite—fries drenched in spicy cheese sauce. She always had a love of spice.

My mouth is watering, she said.

He couldn’t resist smiling at her. It’s a good place.

With the waiter gone, he and Carly were finally alone. She blew out a breath, and offered him a smile.

This is good. How long has it been since you and I enjoyed dinner together? Carly asked, reaching across the table to touch his hand.

It has been a few months.

It was now August. The last time he ate with Carly was on Christmas, but she had invited the whole gang to hang out. It was important to all of them to spend time together, especially at the holidays. Carly insisted on it, as she told them, they were a family.

If only she knew he didn’t consider her in any way sisterly or motherly. Carly had always meant more to him than that. He’d never crossed the line with her. Never.

Carly was too precious to him to just take what he wanted when it came to her. It didn’t for a second mean he wasn’t pissed off when other men thought they could have what belonged to him. There was no chance of that.

You’re right, I think this calls for another get-together or a barbeque. You know how the guys love that, and Sarah will do anything to show off her latest bikini body.

Nate sat back and looked at her. This is your subtle way of asking me to use my pit, isn’t it?

Carly rolled her eyes. You’re the only one that has a barbeque pit and a pool, and yes, you know it is, but all for a good cause. It’s been eight months since the whole gang’s been back together, and we did all promise each other we wouldn’t wait too long.

She did give him those amazing eyes, and she was right, this is the longest they’d all gone without seeing each other.

They had promised each other, years ago, that no matter what, they would stick by one another and be a family. No one else wanted them, so they’d always be there for each other. Most years, they found multiple reasons to meet up, but in the past couple of years, they had drifted just a little.

"If you organize everything,