Kaylah laughs and it spurs me on. Not being able to use my hands, I feel around the top of her legs with my face, listening as the crowd laughs and enjoys the show. She wriggles around a lot but I find exactly what I’m looking for and grab hold with my teeth before yanking it down her leg and finally freeing the garter.
I pull back and tear the blindfold up as I shoot to my feet, holding the garter up in victory. I grin down at my wife, only it’s not Kaylah who I see, it’s Nate in a fucking wedding dress, looking as pretty as can be as he shakes violently with silent laughter.
I throw the garter at his head. “Don’t tell me that I just had my head wedged between your legs.”
Nate lifts his dress to show off his wedding heels and legs. “I had them waxed just for you.”
I shake my head as Kaylah booms with laughter. “I’m sorry,” she says, sounding anything but sorry. “I couldn’t help it. The boys suggested it and well…”
“You caved like a little bitch.”
“Yep,” she says proudly. “And it was worth every second, but I promise, the second we get out of here, you can shove your head wherever you want.”
Well, damn. What can I say? The girl knows me well. “You got yourself a deal,” I tell her before looking over her shoulder and glaring at my smug brother.
Just you wait, Nathaniel Ryder, your time will come and when it does, I won’t be holding back.
Jesse
10 Years Later
I run as fast as I can, hoping to God that I don’t miss this, otherwise I’m going to be in a shitload of trouble. They’ll never forgive me. I can just picture it; I’ll be cast out and sent away with no one to love.
My phone screeches in my pocket and I cringe. This is the fourth call in less than an hour. “I’m coming,” I promise, answering the call to my pissed off wife as my feet take me faster than they’ve ever gone before.
“They’re going to kill you. Where the hell are you?” she screeches in a deathly low whisper, though somehow her voice comes across louder than I’ve ever heard it.
“Three seconds, Tiger. I’ll be there in three seconds.”
“You better be.”
I barge through the big double doors and groan as I come into another long-ass corridor. How fucking big is this place? I keep my eyes glued to the doors on the right-hand side of the corridor while narrowly avoiding crashing into the people that pass by.
I run past a door that has me screeching to a stop and I double back to check it again.
‘RYDER’
Thank fuck. I push through the door and open my arms wide, knowing exactly who will be on the other side. “You can all relax, I’m here.”
All eyes turn toward me yet only one seems thrilled to see me. “Daddy,” my beautiful little cherub, Charli, beams, racing across Tora’s hospital room and throwing her hands up for me to catch her.
“Hey, beautiful girl,” I say, scooping her into my arms as I walk deeper into the room, still unable to believe that she’ll be two next week.
I walk toward my family as my daughter snuggles into my arms and drops her tiny head against my chest, right where she belongs. The crowd of people around Tora’s bed begins to shuffle around to make room and I step in beside my newly pregnant wife, pressing a hand to her back as she beams up at me with pride.
I look down at Tora and the sight I see has my world getting so much bigger.
Tora lies in bed with Nate standing right beside her, both of them staring down at their newborn son who sleeps peacefully in Tora’s arms. He looks just like Nate, in that gross new baby kind of way, but knowing just how much happiness this little man is about to bring to their lives makes me want to climb up into my wife’s lap and bawl on her shoulder like a little bitch.
Shit, don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry. I’ll never be able to live it down.
There’s nothing I want more in this world than to scoop this little man up and run away with him, but before I can attempt that, there’s just one thing I need to do.
I meet Nate’s eyes across the bed and before I even realize what I’m doing, I’m passing Charli off to Kaylah and making my way around to him, passing every one of our friends on the way. I mean, I know I’m late and all, but am I seriously the last one here? I’m really screwed.
That’s the last time I take a meeting on my new boat design when there's a baby on its way. Ryder Watercrafts has been getting bigger and bigger and we’re quickly becoming a household name. Sometimes, there are things in life that you need to sacrifice for your business, but this wasn’t one of them. I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.
My hands fly up and around Nate and I clap him on the back. This guy has been through so much over the years and I’m proud to have stood by him every moment of it. Tora and Nate have certainly had their ups and downs, and after Nate’s shop was franchised all over the country and Tora dominated every courtroom she’s ever stood in, they finally decided it was time for their little family to grow. “I’m so fucking proud of you, big brother.”
“Thanks, Jess,” he says, each of us holding on a little longer than necessary. “I don’t even know what to fucking say. I’m so happy. I’m a father.”
“I know, man, but don’t worry, reality will hit you at about 3 am when this little guy wakes up, screaming for a bit of those juicy titties.”
Nate shakes his head and laughs, way too proud and full of joy to call me out on my bad choice of words. With Nate out from Tora’s side, I quickly move in, instantly bending down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You fucking did it, Tori,” I tell her, the need to bawl coming right back and making me feel like a fucking child again.
Tora beams up at me. “Hey, Jess,” she whispers. “You’re finally an Uncle.”
“Best fucking Uncle in the world,” I tell her as the sound of my daughter’s laughs across the room have my heart swelling even more. “Does he have a name?”
Tora nods and looks to Nate. “We were waiting to announce it until you got here,” Tora explains with everyone in the room, listening in with eager ears. Nate puts a hand to my shoulder and squeezes as Tora goes on. “This little guy,” she says, looking down at him with a loving smile, “is Ayden Jesse Ryder.”
Tora’s eyes flick up to mine with a beaming smile and I look down at her before glancing at my brother. “You gave him my name?”
He nods, giving me a knowing smile. “How could we not?”
Emotions overtake me and despite the fact that they named their dog Jesse a few years ago, this is so much bigger. This is an absolute honor and I find myself pulling Nate into my arms once again. “Do you want to have the first hold?” Tora asks, watching the show with tears in her eyes.
“Fuck, yeah,” I cheer before scolding myself to be quiet.
I make my way back over to Tora and she passes little Ayden up to me and I scoop him into my arms with a feeling pulsing through me that I can hardly even understand, but what I do know is that it’s so much more than pride and joyfulness.
“Hey, little guy. You and I are going to get into so much trouble,” I say as Charli gets insanely jealous that her daddy is holding someone else and runs around until she’s clinging onto my leg. Kaylah comes and stands beside me, looking down at our new nephew and rests her head against my shoulder as we welcome Ayden into our family. “I’ve got so much to teach you about being a Ryder and holding up the values that your parents don’t want you to know.” Nate scoffs behind me. “Just you wait, little man. You, Charli and your new little cousin are going to be the next generation of hell raisers and it’s going to be one hell of an adventure.”
Where to Next
Untouchable – Haven Falls (Book 1)
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SFB19Z7
It’s official…
I’m the biggest loser in Haven Falls… FML!
Things couldn’t possibly get worse from here.
Everyone leaves me. My mom, my friends… Kaylah. It’s like the curse of Henley Bronx. F
orever alone, and that’s no exaggeration. I’m all I’ve got in this world. Just me, myself, and I… and my goldfish, Frog.
Who would have thought that throwing a bowl of spaghetti Bolognese all over the school bad boy would change it all? I sure as hell didn’t. If anything, I was expecting a very different outcome.
Noah Cage. What can I say? He’s the pack leader. He stormed in, tattooed up with muscles for days, desperate to prove he’s not like the rest. He saved me while sweeping me right off my feet, but really… I think I saved him too.
He wormed his way in and brought love, happiness, and friendship with him and now the thought of losing him tears me apart, but if my track record is anything to go by, he’ll leave me, just like everyone else. It’s inevitable.
I’d give anything for Noah Cage to prove me wrong.
Will the Henley Bronx curse return once again to take away my only happiness or do I finally have what it takes to turn this bad boy my way?
Thanks for reading!
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www.amazon.com/dp/B082MPZ76V
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Author Biography
Sheridan Anne is a wife to a smart-ass husband, Mumma to two beautiful girls, twin sister, daughter, and friend who lives in beautiful Australia. Sheridan writes both romance and young adult fantasy books on a variety of topics and can be found on most days with her family or writing during naptime. To find out more or to simply say ‘hello’, connect with her on Facebook or Instagram -
www.facebook.com/SheridanAnneAuthor
Other Series by Sheridan Anne
www.amazon.com/Sheridan-Anne/e/B079TLXN6K
Young Adult / New Adult - Romance
The Broken Hill High Series (5 Book Series + Novella)
Haven Falls (7 Book Series + Novella)
Broken Hill Boys (5 Book Novella Series)
New Adult Romance
Kings of Denver (4 Book Series)
Denver Royalty (3 Book Series)
Rebels Advocate (4 Book Series)
Jesse: Broken Hill Boys (Novella 5) Page 12