by B. B. Reid
“What about your family?” he pressed.
“What about them?”
“Wren told us about your parents.”
I snorted. “Yeah, well, Wren talks too much.”
“If it helps, he was wasted when he told us. Why hasn’t the rest of your family claimed you?”
“Because I was never theirs to claim.”
He frowned at that. “What do you mean?”
“Brian and Emily,” I said, speaking their names for the first time in five years, “weren’t my birth parents. They adopted me when I was a baby. I guess that’s why it was so easy for them to leave me behind for greener pastures.” I wasn’t of their flesh and blood, so when they left, it hadn’t felt like a piece of them was missing. I only wished I could say the same.
“Fuck, Lou,” was all Jamie said. I could feel his horror creeping under my skin and cooling my blood.
“My mother, whoever she was, gave me up so I could be left behind by strangers again and again and again.”
“Maybe she thought she was doing what was best for you.”
I chuckled at the idea of Jamie being a romantic. I bet if he were wearing clothes right now, I’d find his heart on his sleeve. Instead, he’d chosen to let something else hang free.
Keep your eyes up, Lou. Don’t even think about it.
“The only thing good intentions prove is that no one knows what’s best for you other than yourself,” I spat.
“If that were true, instead of mating, we’d be sprouting from the ground like plants with no need for the bonds we hold close to our hearts. You like to think you’re a wolf without a pack, Lou, but you’re not completely alone. If you were, you’d be dead already—inside or six feet under.”
I sneered at him. “And how do you know that?”
“Because we’re not that different,” he muttered. And then with a sigh, as if all were truly lost, he added, “That’s why I can’t fuck you.”
I didn’t even try to keep my eyes from rolling. “Right…that’s why.”
He gave me a knowing look. “Don’t try to convince me that it never crossed your mind.”
“It hasn’t,” I lied bitingly.
I suddenly felt him hovering behind me, his breath warming my nape. “Not even to make him jealous?”
“Who?” I asked, playing coy. He only sucked his teeth in response. “I don’t know what you mean,” I insisted.
“Like I said,” he whispered while slipping his hand under my T-shirt, “I won’t fuck you, but I can be of service.” He let the offer hang in the air as he ran the back of his fingers across my belly, heating every inch of skin on the way. “You won’t be the first girl I’ve helped out of the friend zone.”
I forced a laugh as my mind raced. “So that would make you, what? Some kind of relationship gigolo?”
“A gigolo with a ninety-nine percent success rate,” he bragged.
“What happened to the other one percent?”
“She fell for me instead.” He leaned down and pressed his lips against my forehead, but that wasn’t all I felt pressed against me. Resting against my hip was the hard and rather long evidence that he’d make some lucky girl very happy one day. I just hoped she had the patience and fortitude to put it to good use. “Sweet dreams, sweet Lou.”
I lingered long enough to finish my glass of warm milk, and when I finally made my way back upstairs, I ran into Ever and Four, covered in sweat and wearing nothing but their wide smiles.
What the hell did these people have against wearing clothes around here?
“Oh, shit!” Four quickly ducked for cover behind her boyfriend’s back.
Ever, however, peered into the dark, completely unbothered by his nakedness. Obviously, he and his cousin were more alike than what met the eye. It was no wonder why they were often at each other’s throats, locking horns, and battling for dominance.
A quick peek was all I needed to confirm who had the slightly larger edge.
“Lou? What are you doing up?”
I glared at them both. The words you kept me up were on the tip of my tongue.
“We need to talk.”
The next morning, Four kept shooting me apologetic looks. On the stairs last night, I informed them that I could hear every moan, plea, and squeak of the bed springs. Of course, I’d been exaggerating—they weren’t that loud—but it got my point across.
I don’t think the red has left Four’s cheeks since.
Her oh-so-charming boyfriend, however, acted as if nothing happened, other than the glare or two I caught him throwing my way. I was sure that it had more to do with Four spending the rest of the night in her bed with me instead of his. I stuck my tongue out, taunting him with the possibility of me stealing his girl right from under him, and he sent me another scathing glance. I could barely hold in my laugh when he immediately pulled her from her chair and into his lap.
Boys.
For a heartbeat, I wondered if I was overreacting about their late-night sex marathon. After all, misery loved company, and the thought of no one getting any if I wasn’t, sounded strangely bittersweet.
“It’s not that big a deal,” Jamie chimed from his place at the end of the island where he devoured a bowl of Lucky Charms. “We just need to get her laid. Wren basically hit and quit it. Of course, she’s bitter.”
Ever’s tight mouth loosened into the grin. “Is that right?” he said slowly, and if anyone—most especially Four—didn’t know any better, it would have seemed suggestive. “The douchebag did leave explicit instructions to provide for your every whim, and if I couldn’t, I was to call him immediately.”
My stomach dipped.
“Don’t you dare,” I warned, but Ever was already reaching for his phone sitting next to his plate. Four tried to intercept but Ever was faster.
Retaliation for last night lit up his light brown gaze, making them look golden as he watched me. He thumbed the screen without taking his gaze away, and then he held up his phone as ringing filled the room.
Oh, he so better sleep with one eye open.
I shot up from my seat at the same time he carefully placed Four on her feet and backed away.
“And here I thought your bullying days were behind you,” Four said as she stood with her feet planted and her arms crossed. I realized at the same time Ever did that she was blocking his chance of escape as I approached from behind.
He stared at her in disbelief as if she’d betrayed him. “Whatever happened to for better or worse?”
“We’re not married,” she retorted dryly.
“Yet.”
That promise, however real, was the distraction he needed to toss the phone over her head—to Jamie.
Four whirled on him and screeched, “What the hell?”
“Sorry, kitten.” Jamie grinned at her. “Blood is thicker than water.”
The phone stopped ringing, and I said a quick prayer that it went to voicemail, but then I heard his voice for the first time in two days, clipped and to the point.
“She better be alive.”
“She is,” Jamie confirmed. “And all the soft hairs on her head remain intact. You’re welcome.” Without warning, he tossed the phone over the island to me, and I managed to catch it before it hit the ground.
Wren was remarkably quiet on the other end. Knowing he was probably seething, I disabled the speakerphone and put the phone to my ear.
“Wren.”
“What the fuck is going on?” he barked. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Ever and Jamie were just being pricks, is all.”
Silence, which stretched so long I thought he’d hung up, but then he sighed. “Remind me to kick their asses when I get back there.”
“Done.” I clutched the phone tighter hearing that he was coming back to me. “I’ll even help you.”
He chuckled despite the tension I could feel even through the phone. “That’s my girl.”
“So…where are you?”
“Safe.” It wa
s all the assurance he gave me.
“How much longer?” I chewed my lip.
He took a deep breath, but his voice was gentle when he spoke. “If all goes well, I should be back tonight.”
If all goes well… But what if it didn’t?
“Lou?” he prompted when I was silent for too long.
I felt a tear fall and wiped it away. “Yeah?” My voice shook, and I prayed he didn’t hear.
“I have to go, baby.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Say it again?”
He made a sound that told me he was fighting the urge to do so. I held up my hand and saw that my ring turned gray as I waited, but then it changed to a blue that matched his eyes when he said it. “I love you, little Valentine.”
“I thought you said you had to run errands.” I stood back and watched Jamie kick over rock after rock in search of something. Probably his sanity. I knew then that I should have stayed in my lonely corner, sulking where he’d found me. It’s been hours since the phone call with Wren, and I was in no better state than before. Worse, actually.
“I am,” Jamie claimed before looking around with a frown.
“This is the errand? Breaking and entering?”
“We’re not breaking in,” he said as he lifted a plant and smiled. “We have a key.” He plucked the single gold key from the ground and carelessly tossed the plant aside. The sound of the pot shattering had me cringing, and I wondered how pissed Wren would be when he had to bail me out of jail.
“Whose place is this anyway?”
“Not relevant.” Jamie nonchalantly climbed the steps leading to the terrace, and I nervously followed him.
“It will be when I’m asked to testify against you.”
“Funny,” he said, sounding salty. He then shoved the key in the lock. “You don’t look like a rat.”
“You smell like one.”
“Sorry.” He shrugged and smiled apologetically. “I didn’t have time to shower after my workout.” Just as quickly, he was back in true form. Waggling his eyebrows, he said, “Besides, I read somewhere that fresh sweat can be…stimulating…to women.”
“So you’re hoping to seduce me with your smelly pheromones?”
His smile changed. As if the reason was a secret. “Not you. Not this time.”
I would have asked who he planned to seduce, but he quickly stepped through the French doors and disappeared inside what I hoped was an empty home. I was still standing in the same spot, debating if I should follow him, when he suddenly reappeared.
“Coming?”
I folded my arms. “Not unless you tell me why we’re here.”
“Mystery creates wonder, and wonder is the basis of this man’s desire.” He was gone again by the time I realized he’d quoted Neil Armstrong.
“That’s not how that goes!”
I heard his chuckle, but then the sound faded along with his footsteps, and I realized he’d left me to decide alone. Cursing, I stepped inside on silent feet just as Wren taught me. One glance around and I realized I was standing in someone’s kitchen. There were cozy looking nooks on each side of me, one with a small dining table and the other designed with two fancy looking armchairs perfectly positioned to enjoy the sun. I didn’t see Jamie anywhere, but I did see another set of double doors. One of them was cracked, making it clear where Jamie had gone.
“Jamie!” I called in a harsh whisper after I carefully slipped through the door. I didn’t want a single strand of my DNA left behind. I liked Jamie, but I didn’t trust him. Not yet anyway. There was a storm brewing in him, but his friends were too wrapped up in their shit to notice. I just hoped they were the kind to stick around to pick up the pieces.
I stood in the middle of the large foyer—although not nearly as grand as the McNamara’s—and wondered where he could have gone. Ahead of me was a staircase and just beyond that was the front door. I knew which option was the smarter choice, but curiosity got the best of me. Jamie had seemed determined so I could only assume whatever business he had here was important.
At least to him.
I was ready to climb the stairs when I noticed another door just feet from the front door. It was probably nothing, just a harmless coat closet. The closer my feet brought me to the door, however, the less likely it seemed.
My only hope now was that the door would be locked. Of course, when I turned the knob, it wasn’t. And it wasn’t a coat closet, either. It was an office.
One that made my fingers sticky with anticipation. I mean, I was practically foaming at the mouth. My original plan had been to rob the McNamaras blind before I left. Unfortunately, they were smart enough to keep their small but pricey valuables locked away.
Judging by the ostentatious décor, whoever lived here preferred to flaunt their wealth. I looked around wondering what I should pilfer first when I noticed the large portrait hanging between two windows.
Jackpot!
Where there was a portrait, there was probably a safe. And if lucky, it would be unlocked, but what were the chances of that?
I tiptoed across the room and gaped when I saw the people posing in the portrait. I recognized them instantly from the Thanksgiving dinner. The girl I’d teased Jamie about had her father’s eyes and her mother’s striking beauty. While the man looked stern and the woman proud, their daughter seemed resigned. I figured she felt the same way I would if I were forced to take such a stuffy photo. My gaze drifted back to the mother and the glistening string of pearls around her neck.
I’d bet my next meal they were real.
I used to dream of finer things like any little girl. A pony, a castle, and a prince charming to dote on me, but after my parents took off, my dreams changed, and the only thing I wanted was to never depend on anyone ever again. But then I met Wren, and my dreams changed once more.
Grabbing the portrait by its sides, I started to lift it when a shriek of outrage had me jumping away. Thinking I’d been caught red-handed, I spun around with my hands raised high but quickly realized I was still alone.
What the hell?
The moment I heard shouting, I took off for the stairs. I should have made for the door, but Jamie was sort of my friend. Leaving him behind wasn’t something I could do. I made it upstairs and called his name, but there was no response, only more shouting that sounded too muffled to be close. That was when I noticed another staircase and took it at a jog to the third floor.
“Jamie?” I shouted, not caring anymore if whoever he pissed off knew I was here.
“Yeah?” he answered, sounding way too calm. I followed his voice and found him in a standoff with the beauty from the portrait. I raked over my memory for her name.
Was it Barbara? Betty…Babar?
She was seriously pissed off as she clutched a towel around her naked body. She was dripping water all over the pristine carpet, but she didn’t seem to care as she glared daggers at Jamie.
Those daggers were suddenly aimed my way when she noticed me standing in the doorway. She turned back to Jamie but not before I caught the flash of jealousy in her eyes. “And you brought one of your sluts?”
“Jealous?” I teased her with a giggle. I didn’t take offense to being called a slut. I’d have done much worse if I caught Wren even breathing around some chick and wouldn’t give a fuck if she was eighty years old or eight.
“I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction,” she spat without sparing me another glance.
“All the same.” Jamie shrugged. “She’s not a slut. She’s my friend.”
“What’s the difference?” she shouted.
“The difference is,” I interjected before Jamie could make it worse, “we never have and never will.”
She looked at me, studied me, and I mean really studied me. I felt like a bug under a magnifying glass right before she squished me under her heel.
“You were at the dinner,” she said when she was done picking me apart with her eyes.
“Yup.”
> Her eyes narrowed. “But you don’t go to Brynwood.” It wasn’t a question.
“You couldn’t pay me to wear the uniform.”
I wasn’t sure, but I could swear I saw a small smile forming on her lips before Jamie wiped it away.
“Why aren’t you at the country club with your parents?”
“I wasn’t feeling well.”
His eyebrows pulled together before he stepped closer and placed his hand on her forehead. His touch was familiar despite the tension between them. “You don’t feel warm.”
“It was just a bit of nausea,” she breathlessly assured him.
He didn’t respond, and I realized he was watching her closely for signs that she was being untruthful. It was shocking to see that he cared this much. I knew he wanted to bang her, but he also acted like he couldn’t stand her. It wasn’t until they stood nearly toe-to-toe that I realized just how tall she was. Jamie still towered over her but not as much as he did me. He had maybe four inches on her while he stood nearly a foot over me.
“How tall are you?” I blurted, interrupting the tension. They both shot me questioning gazes, but I had eyes only for her.
“I’m five ten,” she answered with an arched brow. To Jamie, she said, “Why are you here?”
“I’m not prepared to answer that since you weren’t supposed to be here.”
“I live here.”
“Where are your babysitters?”
“You mean the staff?” He only stared down at her waiting for an answer. “They have Sundays off.”
Rather than be placated, his frown only deepened. “Since when do they get days off? Your dad thinks he’s too good to wipe his own ass.”
She nervously looked away when she never had trouble meeting his glare before. Either Jamie didn’t notice his questions were making her uneasy or he didn’t care.
Somehow, I felt compelled to defend. “Why don’t you lay off?”
I caught her grateful glance the moment Jamie looked over his shoulder with a bored expression. “You find the safe yet?”