Pierce
“Five bedrooms, and you couldn’t find a place for me to stay for two nights and enjoy the beach with my children?” Connie seethes.
“Nope.”
“That’s fucking rude, even for you.”
“Connie, you have many weeks left this summer if you’d like to take the kids somewhere. This is my vacation.”
“I can’t exactly afford a luxury house on the ocean.”
“Not my problem. You have a job. Do what you can do.”
“My dad doesn’t stuff my paychecks, so—”
“We’re done here. You need something, message me. Maya will call you tomorrow.” I end the call to more screeching and go to the counter where Maya’s phone still lies. Once I make sure she shut off her location finder, I power it down.
“You good in here?” Miller sticks his head through the back door.
“Yeah, had to deal with her and didn’t want the kids to hear.”
“If you’re done, you may want to get your ass back down to the beach.”
“Are the kids okay?”
“They are fine. It’s Darby getting the attention. She has an admirer or two.”
“Son of a bitch.” I’m on the move, jogging through the house, across the deck, and down the short walk to where our chairs are lined.
Maya is at the shoreline watching Cole and Runner play in the shallow surf. Darby is a few yards away, talking with two men who are crowding in on her.
“I was gone less than five minutes,” I grind out.
“She’s like a fucking beacon, man. I jumped in the water, and when I turned around, they were there.”
I cross my arms, shooting laser beams their way and waiting for her to see me. One of them must say something funny because she throws her head back, roaring in laughter, and her chest pokes forward. My teeth grind together as her tits bounce. She props her hands on her hips, drawing my attention down her lean torso. Her multi-colored bikini sparkles in the sun and highlights every curve of her body. She’s a fucking fantasy come true, and even from a distance, I can tell these guys are thinking the same thing.
A blinding red haze films over my eyes when one of the men reaches over and massages her shoulder, his elbow grazing over the swell of her breast. A possessive growl rumbles deep in my throat, and I’m storming toward them.
“Shit. Pierce, remember we’re on a public beach,” Miller says right as Darby glances my way.
Her smile glows brighter, and she says something to them, making them twist to look. One of them leans in closer to her, whispering something in her ear, and she nods. Our eyes stay locked, and when I’m close, she steps into me, flattening her hands on my chest. “I wondered how long it would take.”
“Forty-five seconds from the time he hit the sand,” one of them answers.
“Not that, Dave. His phone call,” She responds cheerily, glancing back to them. “Pierce, this is Dave and Martin. Guys, this is Pierce and his brother, Miller.”
They both jerk their chins in greeting. Miller grunts a hello. I glare at them, staring them down. They stare right back, both grinning smugly in a way that sets my blood on fire.
“Darby, sweetheart, as fun as it sounded to play our little joke, you may want to fill him in. He looks like a mated wolf that’s about to kill his prey,” Martin tells her, his self-righteous smile splitting wider.
“Pretty much. The territorial vibe is raging,” Dave agrees.
Darby giggles and tries to step back, but I hold her to me firmly. “Dave and Martin are friends of mine from Charlotte, Pierce. I’ve known them for years. They happen to be vacationing here. We met through Scottie and his partner.”
At the term partner, some of the tension eases, and Miller chuckles.
“That’s her elusive way of saying we are no threat to you,” Dave points out.
“Now is where you stop sneering like an animal and shake their hands,” Darby tells me.
I keep one arm around her, offering my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Scottie told us Darby had a new man in her life. We saw you online, but it’s easy to understand why Darby lived like a nun now.”
“Shut up!” Darby swats Martin’s arm.
It’s my turn to grin smugly. “Quite a coincidence running into each other on a beach in Kiawah Island.”
“No kidding. We were sitting back there,” Martin throws his thumb over his shoulder, “and I told Dave that Darby was picking up shells. I’d know that body and form anywhere.”
At the last piece of information, the tension returns, and my grin turns into a frown.
“Martin was my masseuse,” Darby clarifies.
“Wait, is that Runner?” Dave asks. Runner’s supersonic hearing kicks in, and he dashes our way.
“You better brace, Dave. He’s coming full force,” Darby warns.
The dog barrels into their legs, hopping and barking while they both rub him down. “We were so excited to see Darby; we didn’t even see him. Who is he playing with?”
“Those are Pierce’s children, Maya and Cole.”
At the mention of their names, both their heads pop up, their eyes casting between Darby and me. Shock settles on their faces at the realization of who I am. An uncomfortable silence stretches out until Darby speaks. “I’m guessing Scottie left that part out.”
“Yeah, you could say so.” Martin pats Runner one last time and stands straight, crossing his arms over his broad chest. All sense of joking from a minute ago is gone. There’s no telling what he knows of our history, but it’s evident he’s trying to figure me out. “It seems you worked a miracle.”
These men obviously had a place in her life in Charlotte. For them to know anything about me says they mean something to her, which is important to me.
“It’s funny how life has a way of working out. I’m guessing you probably have some questions for Darby. Why don’t you join us for dinner, and you can grill her on how I wore her down?”
Darby’s fingers dig into my chest, and her breath hitches. They exchange a glance then agree. “We’d love to.”
“I brought dessert,” she adds.
“I’ve been craving a taste of your stuff for a long time.” Dave smacks his lips appreciatively.
We agree on a time and say our goodbyes, the three of us and Runner joining Maya and Cole at the shoreline where they are studying the sand intently.
“What are you looking at?”
“We’re looking for shark’s teeth.” Maya squints, leaning closer to a shell. “Neither of us has ever found one.”
I glance over Darby’s head at Miller, and he wiggles his eyebrows. He’s the one who planted this in their heads, and I know exactly why.
“Lucky for y’all, Darby is the best shark’s tooth collector I’ve ever known.”
“I don’t know about that, but I’ve found a few,” she replies shyly.
“A few? You kicked all our asses when it came to finding those suckers,” Miller throws back.
“Okay, I have a keen eye.”
“Would you help us?” Maya asks sweetly, her eyes growing bright.
“Absolutely. Let’s walk a bit.”
My kids fall in step with her, Miller and I falling behind while Darby explains her best methods. After a few minutes, she stops, shaking her head. “This is better at low tide or early morning.”
“Low tide isn’t until seven-fifty-two p.m.” Miller recites the information. “And we’re grilling steaks tonight.”
“Then we’ll come in the morning,” Cole decides. “Darby can teach us how to hunt then.”
“That’s a good idea,” Maya agrees with a smile. “Dad can make breakfast.”
Darby’s eyes fly to mine, and I shrug innocently. We’ve all been dropping hints for Darby to stay, and each time, she declines, but her effort is wavering. Let’s see what she comes up with this time.
“Guys, I appreciate the offer, but I’m not prepared to stay overnight.”
“You’re up,”
Cole and Maya say at the same time, running to the ocean. Miller stays behind to watch them as I take Darby’s hand and head back toward the house.
“If you think we’re going back into that house where you can seduce me to stay, I’m going to kill you!”
“That wasn’t my intent, but I’m game if you can’t help yourself.”
“You’re not going—” She gripes the rest of the way, and I enjoy her spirited argument with herself.
I guide us through the French doors of the master bedroom, taking a quick second to appreciate the spot I fucked her earlier, and lead her into the bathroom. I yank her to me, kissing her hard to shut her up. “Look around.”
She twists and turns, her eyes fluttering in the space, passing over the vanity, the shower, the tub, the closet, while her hand in mine clutches harder. “When did you—? How—? Are those my pajamas?” she finishes.
“Yes, I packed you a bag. All the other stuff, we picked up while we were in town yesterday.”
“You can’t help yourself, can you? Was the shark tooth scheme yours, too?”
“Totally innocent on that one.”
She scrunches her eyes and purses her lips together. “That was a clever one. Probably Miller.”
“Are you having a nice time?”
“I am.”
“Are you comfortable here with us?”
“Yes.”
“Outside of my almost fit-of-jealousy-violence and my call with Connie, this day has been pretty perfect. Let’s finish it out and wake up to do it again tomorrow.”
She drops her neck back, exhales loudly, and shakes her head. “Fine, I’ll stay the night. I can’t believe I’m such a pushover.”
“You’re not a pushover. I’m persuasive. You should let me make all your decisions.” I press my lips to her to hide my satisfied grin.
•—•—•—•—•
“Have I mentioned how glad I am you decided to stay another night?” I trace my tongue along Darby’s jawline, kissing a trail to her earlobe.
She leans into me, her back pressing to my front, and sighs contently. “That was the idea all along, wasn’t it? Pretend you agreed with my day trip plan, then gang up on me with a Kendrick sneak attack? I didn’t stand a chance.”
“It’s no secret I wanted you here all weekend.”
“I have to leave in the morning. No shenanigans tonight.”
“No shenanigans.”
Our bodies are warm from the sun, and I glance up to the vanity mirror, enjoying the reflection of us. Darby’s wearing the black bikini I gifted her this morning. Maya actually found it when we were shopping on Friday afternoon, pointing out she thought it would be pretty on Darby.
The thought of Darby in the bathing suit wasn’t only pretty, it was also hot. We went in and bought it.
We were right. When Darby walked out this morning in the suit, Miller’s eyebrows shot up, and he sent me the ‘are you crazy’ look. All day, I’ve been thinking of ways to get her out of this suit.
She slinks an arm around my neck, her fingernails scraping into my scalp, and locks eyes with me in the mirror. “What are you thinking about?”
“How I want to peel you out of this suit with my teeth.”
“I’m afraid it’s a little more complicated than it looks.” She grins.
God, she’s gorgeous. Two days in the sun has brought back her sun-kissed glow I remember from long ago. She’s relaxed and happy, and it radiates from her.
“I’ll figure out a way. I’m a very determined man.” I nip on her ear, sliding my hand into the fabric and strumming through her slickness.
“Hmm, as nice at that sounds, you need to let me take a shower.”
“Not without me.”
“Yes, without you. We’ve already been promiscuous enough.” She grinds her ass against my raging hard-on, jiggles out of my hold, and jumps out of reach. I watch in horror as she strips the top and bottoms in two swift moves, crashing my plans for later.
“Dream crusher.” I palm my cock through my board shorts.
She smiles, her eyes glinting wickedly as she steps in the shower and turns her back to me.
I think about joining her but then think of the pleasure of punishing her later instead.
I force myself to leave the bathroom, throwing on a shirt and stopping to enjoy the view and loosen the ache in my cock. It almost works until a whiff of coconut body wash strays from the bathroom. I head to the kitchen, thinking of estimates, sales, football statistics—anything but Darby naked and wet in the shower without me.
A few minutes later, I’m busy chopping vegetables when Maya skulks in, handing me my phone. Her mood is a turnaround from when her mom called a while ago.
“Everything okay?”
She shrugs, pushing around the shark’s teeth lining the countertop, looking miserable.
“Something on your mind, baby?”
“I think I lied to Mom, and when she finds out, she’s going to be angry.”
I stop chopping and lean against the counter, giving her my full attention. “What do you think you lied about?”
She glances nervously around the room. “Where’s Darby?”
“In the shower. Is this about Darby?”
“Sort of. Mom had lots of questions and wanted to know everything we’re doing.”
“That’s understandable. She misses you guys.”
“I didn’t tell her about Darby being here. I purposely left her out of the conversation.”
“That’s not lying.”
“She wants to come here, and she asked me to talk to you. I told her I would try to convince you.”
“Are you going to try?”
She slowly shakes her head. “We’re all happy, especially you, and if she comes, I don’t think anyone will be happy.” Her voice cracks.
“Maya, come here.” I hold out my arms, and she stumbles into them. “I don’t consider that lying either.
“You kiss Darby and hold her hand. She smiles at you, and I swear you look like I’ve never seen. Dad, you really like her.”
“I told you that already. She’s special to me.”
“Everyone likes her.”
“That’s true. She’s very likable. A more important question is, do you like her?”
She nods into my stomach. “I do. I like her, too. And I love that she cares for you the way she does.”
“You can’t imagine how happy it makes me to hear that. Darby being in my life is going to be great for everyone. She’s that kind of person, always has been.”
“Can I ask you something?”
Something in her tone sets me on alert. “Yes, you can ask me anything. I may not always be able to answer, but let’s hear it.”
“If she’s always been special to you, why hasn’t she been around before?”
Her question is like a loaded punch to my gut, taking the air with it. I make a snap judgment call that hopefully won’t come back to bite me in the ass. Moving my hand between us and tilting her chin to face me, I answer, “I messed up in a big way. Darby got sick and went away to Charlotte. It made me angry to the point I lost all reason. I let her go without knowing the details.”
“She was sick?”
“In a way, yes.”
“And you didn’t go after her?”
“I was young and stupid, letting my emotions, pride, and temper control my actions. I fully regret that decision.”
“But she’s okay now?”
“She perfect, except for her enlightened stubborn streak.”
This earns me a small smile. “Did you love her?”
I look into my daughter’s dark, rich blue eyes that are swimming with questions and curiosity. I wish there was a way to stall this conversation for seven years, or maybe forever. But honesty has always been my style. “Always. I’ve always loved Darby Graham.”
“You’ve never acted or spoken to Mom the way you do Darby,” she points out. “Did you ever love her?”
Time to shut th
is down. Once again, honesty is my best policy. “Connie gave me you and Cole, and I respect her for giving me the chance to be your dad.”
She reads through my statement, knowing the answer is no, I didn’t love their mom. This may haunt me, but I can’t think of any other way to explain. “Maya, you’re a young girl, and this is a complex situation between adults. Your mom and I have separate lives that involve you and Cole. One day, she may meet someone special, and when that day comes, I hope you’ll be open-minded and happy for her. Right now, be a kid, enjoy life as you know it, live in the moment, and quit worrying all the time. Let the adults handle the heavy stuff.”
“Okay.”
“Miller and I have to help Todd out with some projects. If you’re feeling conflicted about your mom, maybe we can come to a compromise for her to do a day visit, and I’ll stay out of your way.”
She chews on her bottom lip and slowly shakes her head. “I like the way things are going now.”
“All right, you want to jump back in the pool or help with dinner?”
“Darby’s already showering?” she asks.
“Yes.”
“I think I’ll go shower, too, so I can hang out with her and help with dinner.”
My heart hammers in my chest like I’ve run a marathon, and I hug her. “We’d like that.”
She skips back down the hall, and I stare after her, feelings of contentment swirling inside.
Soft hands slide around my waist, and the scent of Darby surrounds me. “You’re an excellent father,” she says softly.
“You heard?”
“I got to the corner about the time you said I was special to you.”
“You heard most of it then.”
“I adore you, Pierce Kendrick. You are a fine, fine man.”
Right now, I am invincible. At fucking last, my past and present lives have come together, proving there is a future. It’s impulsive, crazy, and most likely going to create a freak-out, but at this moment, I’m only thinking about one thing and I’m not waiting.
I twist, my eyes falling on hers, sending jolts of electricity blazing and beating to every nerve ending. She sucks in a breath, gripping my waist. I drift my fingers through her hair, gently holding her to face me. She trembles, her eyes glowing to copper as she reads my thoughts.
Pierced Hearts (Southern Charmers Book 1) Page 25