by Aja Cole
I’m patient when I need to be.
“If I were just a little younger.” Sina comes up beside me and whistles, watching the guys play impromptu football.
And I mean, really impromptu. You’ve got some with rolled up button downs and chinos. It’s amazing and so funny. Of course, Harlan and the few actual sports players dressed a little more casually. Even Charlie is out there, tie-less for once.
“You don’t need to be younger, just single. You’re a milf.” I hug her with one arm, smiling.
“Sadly, I’m stuck on a certain knucklehead.” She shakes her dark blonde head, sleek hair falling over her shoulder. She’s always been a whole lot more put together than I’ve been.
“Whose idea was this game?” Mickey comes up, plopping into a deck chair and sipping something brightly colored from the bar.
“I think it might’ve been Nico’s, actually. Leave it to the old heads to get wrapped up.” My dad told me to tell Harlan to invite his family, and I discovered his mom is my new favorite person in the world. She’s 100% real, no pretense there and it’s been amusing watching Keyra try to “get to know her.”
“I’d like to thank Kaija for contributing the hockey eye candy to this cookout.”
“Thank Mickey. Her meddling is part of the reason I even saw Harlan again and all this happened.” I raise an eyebrow, to which Mickey just salutes me and sips her drink happily.
Dane, Hanson, Brandon, and Harlan are playing ball with my Dad, Nico, Ethan, and a few of my dad’s friends and Charlie. Everyone else is milling around inside the house and out, talking and eating. It’s like a hybrid family cookout/social event.
We’ve had one every year as long as I can remember.
“What’s that? Can I taste it?” Jasmine sits next to Mickey and my sister, open person that she is, starts to pass the glass to Jazz and I swipe it before she does.
“Absolutely not. There’s no telling what’s in this.” I pass it back to Mickey with a glare. “No alcohol for the minors, please.”
“Fine.” Mickey shrugs, and Keyra comes over, her sun-hat balanced perfectly on her head.
“Kai, can I steal you for a sec?” I start to say she can say what she needs to in front of everyone, but she raises her chin and I see how serious her face is.
“Yeah.” We walk away from the back deck and into the house, going to my dad’s study.
Fuck, does she know about the sex tape?
“I wanted to talk to you about Bahi.”
Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting at all.
“Bahi? My bar manager?” Confusion is all in my voice, and Keyra takes off her hat, sitting it on the edge of the desk and moving to a drawer. She pulls out a folder and takes out photos, sliding them across the desk to me when I sit down.
“Do you know who this man is?” She taps a pristine nail on a photo that has Bahi through a window, leaning across a table and talking to a man in a dark suit jacket. I look at the other photos, getting to one where his face is turned towards the window.
He’s older, probably around my dad’s age, but I don’t think I’ve seen him before.
“No idea. How the hell do you have these pictures?”
“I keep tabs on everyone close to this family now.” She takes those pictures and slides a few more out. “This woman?”
I look at the photo and my mouth drops. “Yeah, that’s the director at the rehab center. You’ve met her once or twice.”
“I know. I wanted to confirm, since you’re in more contact with her than I am.” She slides one more picture across the table, and it’s the guy from the picture with Bahi kissing the rehab director.
I’m confused.
And Bahi is outside with her kid.
“It’s a small world.” I mutter. “You got anything else in there you wanna throw out?”
“Not right now. You got anything you want to tell me?” She crosses her arms, looking every bit the mother figure and I roll my eyes.
“Nothing I can think of. Oh, except my boyfriend has a sex tape.” I read about this tactic once, throw something out when it seems unbelievable, that way you can say you told them and they didn’t believe you.
“Very funny. We need to figure out what’s going on with,” she gestures to the photos, “this. Because I can’t fix what I can’t see coming.”
“Why would there be anything to fix? You think I had something to do with this?”
“No, but it’s obviously happening under your nose so there might be some implications.”
“Always thinking a mile a minute.” I can’t even be mad at her for apparently having who knows how many people under surveillance. I know that in her way, she’s just watching out for us, as much as it pisses me off how she does about it sometimes.
She’s family.
“That’s what I’m paid for. I wanted to talk to you before I have Dad’s guys question Bahi. That guy in the photos? He’s bad news. And when I say bad news,” she hesitates, face grim. “I mean Wesley bad news.”
My blood chills.
“No.” I get up, pacing to the window and looking out at everyone. “No. There’s no way.” I turn back to her, shaking my head. “Nina wouldn’t do anything like that. Not to those girls.”
Analytical, that’s always been Keyra. Even when we were younger. She doesn’t let emotion get in the way.
“I know that you got close to her, but this isn’t just a coincidence. There’s a common denominator here, and that’s you. That means that I now have a stake in this, and I’m going to find out what the hell’s going on.”
“Key, I…Nina wouldn’t. Bahi wouldn’t. It’s gotta just be…something else.”
“I hope you’re right…because I saw what you went through and we all know how much worse it could’ve been. I don’t want to think that anyone that’s been in this house, had dinner with us, would be capable of being involved.” She grabs up her hat again, daintily settling it back over her dark brown curls. “Pretend I was doing my usual, berating you about some life choice.” She walks ahead and I gape at her back.
Holy shit, did she just poke fun at herself?
“Was that…was that a joke? How did you not melt?”
“The stick in my ass keeps me upright.” I laugh aloud before I can stop myself and she winks at me, nudging me as I walk up beside her. “I know that I’m not the easiest person to deal with all the time, but running Dad’s campaign, it’s…I can’t afford to take a day off. There’s too much on the line.”
“I know, big sister. We should take a day off soon, though. You could come over, have some drinks with us, let your hair down.”
“Who is us?” She asks warily, stopping before she opens the sliding door to the deck.
“I want both of my sisters in the same room, Keyra. I’m not going to choose. You have to forgive her at some point.” That stubborn look comes to eyes the same as mine for a second, but she glances outside and back at me.
“I’ll think about it.” Wow, all the surprises today.
“Okay. That’s good enough for me.” When I step outside, I happen to look over at one of the tables that’s set up and Bahi is looking at us. I give a small wave, like nothing is amiss, and she smiles before going back to her conversation.
“I will ruin her life if she’s a snake.” Keyra murmurs, but her face brightens before I can respond. “Senator Johnson, have you RSVPd for the dinner next week yet?”
And off she goes, back in campaign mode. I have to admit, I’m proud of her. It’s not something I could handle.
“What was that about?” Mickey passes me a drink, and I sip it cautiously, hoping there’s not a shit-ton of alcohol in it that’s masked by the fruitiness.
“Just Keyra being Keyra.”
But this time, I’m nervous that she’s exactly right.
18
Harlan
Kai’s been acting suspicious for 2 weeks now and I can’t figure out what the hell she’s hiding.
I feel like a jealo
us spouse or something.
She’s started dodgy behavior, you know the ones. Stepping out of the room to take calls, lowering her voice so I can’t hear, trying to make sure I’m not looking over her shoulder.
It’s driving me up a wall, but I don’t want to pry into her business.
Ironic, when usually I bother her about telling me exactly what’s going through her head.
But this feels different. And like it’s not about us, but something bigger.
I just have no idea what.
Training camp starts tomorrow and I’m not going to have time to try to figure it out unless she tells me.
“You having the guys over?” I rinse the shampoo out of my hair and slide my shower door open some so she can hear me.
“Yeah. Last night of freedom.”
“Okay, I’m heading out. Text me when you’re done tomorrow.” She starts to leave the bathroom, and I swipe a hand over my face.
“Hey!”
“Yeah?” She’s distracted, glancing at her phone and I wish I knew why. But I’m trying to give her a little more space, let her trust me enough to come to me without me pushing her.
“Give me a kiss.” That gets me a soft smile, and she comes over, kissing me so that I want to tell the guys tonight’s off and drag her into the shower instead.
She pulls away first. “Tomorrow.” Then she walks out of the bathroom and I’m as puzzled as ever.
I’ll have to ask the guys about it. Maybe I’m overreacting.
What I really want to do is keep her here and not let her go, though. We haven’t had sex in a few days and I’m getting a little antsy about it.
Maybe I’ll do that anyway. I shut off the shower and snatch a towel from the rack, running out of the bathroom.
“Babe.”
She’s in the middle of grabbing her purse from the counter and has one foot poised above her slides.
“Yeah? I swear I was going to remember to turn off the AC before I left.” We like different temperatures and whenever she comes over, she sets my temp when I’m not paying attention and then I wonder why it feels like an inferno later.
I walk closer, a smirk growing on my face. I can’t help it, it’s basically automatic at this point.
She groans, walking backwards. “No way. I’m already late.”
“Being a little later won’t make a difference then.”
“Yes, it will, and you know it. I’ve already ignored one of Keyra’s calls.” I stalk her around the couch, feeling like a lion in a jungle, waiting on his prey to make a mistake.
“Harlan.” Her voice is low and pleading and I think for a second that she’s going to stop and simply pout. “Stop it. I can’t.”
“But you want to.” I stop, and she stops, the industrial wood table between us. My mouth lifts again and I put my hands on the edge of the towel knotted on my hips.
“You better not.” She warns, and I raise a brow. I flick the edge of the towel and it opens, falling to the floor. I’m already hard and I grip my cock, giving it a slow stroke and I watch as she catches herself a little from a small knee buckle.
Oh yeah, I’m sure of the effect I have on her and I feel no shame at playing it up.
She knows she has the same effect on me. She should, at least.
Her eyes blink slowly and she pulls her lip between her teeth, shifting on her feet. “You…” she blows out a hard breath, putting her hands on her hips and turning in a circle.
She’s so damn amusing.
I round the table and watch her body tense as I get closer, leaning and wrapping my arms around her, crossing them tightly under her breasts.
“You want it just as much as I do now. I bet you’re getting wetter by the second.” I trail my lips over her ear, down her neck, over the line of her shoulder in her strappy tank top.
“I’m not.” She breathes, but puts her arms over mine.
“So you’re not thinking about how my dick feels pressed against you? Or remembering when I fucked you in front of the mirror and left handprints on your ass?” I slide my hands down to her hips, moving her forward, and she brings her hands up to brace against the wall.
“No.” Her breath hitches. “I don’t…remember that. Maybe you should…remind me what happened.” She tilts her hips up and back, and I brace my hands on the wall above her, closing my eyes.
So damn hot.
“Maybe we need to make a new memory then. Something you won’t forget.” I slide off her pants and underwear, and she steps out of them quickly.
“I don’t know, you’re kind of easy to forget.” She turns so her back’s against the wall and runs her hands up my chest, a teasing glint in her eye.
“Damn woman, you really know how to wound a man.” Condom. Need a condom. Scanning the area around us, I remember we threw some in the kitchen drawer.
After using Skyn, I don’t know if I want to go back to regular latex.
I make short work of grabbing and donning protection and stop right before I make it back to her.
“What?” She questions, and I feel like I’ve had the wind knocked out of me.
I knew I liked Kaija, but up until this very moment, I was just going with the flow. That’s what I was telling myself anyway.
I’ve heard of people falling into things head-first but I haven’t done that since…Delia. And this is the first time I’ve felt this way.
Wanting to be near her all the time, thinking about her, worrying about her.
Now looking at her waiting for me half-naked, the softest look on her face…fuck, man.
“Not that I’m not enjoying the view you’re giving me, but we’re on a schedule here.” She smiles, stripping her tank top off. Her top must’ve had a built in bra because she’s not wearing one.
Can you be so hard that you feel light-headed? I think I’m that.
She leaves the wall and bends over where she dropped her phone, and I can’t stop myself from gravitating towards her ass. It’s so damn round and peach-like. Always want to take a bite out of it, but I settle for smacking it, making her gasp.
“Think you can rock my world in 10 minutes?” She gasps, rising on her toes when I slap her other cheek, cupping her ass in my hands.
“Set a timer, make it 5.” I caress her ass one last time and she cheekily sets pulls up the timer app on her phone as I pull her back towards me and put her back against the wall.
“Okay. 5 minutes.” She holds the phone between us and I stroke my hands down her sides, just enjoying the feel of her under my fingers.
“Just say when, baby.”
She looks up at me, lids lowering and teeth creeping out to bite her lip when I run my sheathed cock against her clit in a tease.
“Now.” She drops her phone on the rug at the same time as I lift her up with both her legs over my arms, opening her up perfectly for me to wedge my cock inside her in a slow push.
“Oh my fucking…” She drops her head back against the wall and I bury my face in her neck, my own groans mingling with the sexy as hell sounds she’s making.
I fuck her like our lives depend on it, quick and dirty and she’s clutching me so hard that I know I’m gonna have welts on my back from her nails.
I’ll wear any marks from her gladly.
19
Kaija
“Where are you?” Key calls just as I’m getting into my car, and I scowl. So damn impatient.
But really, nothing can kill my post-Harlan glow. The man is pure magic.
Four minutes. Four minutes and 25 seconds.
Like, come on.
“I’m on my way, damn. It’s not like you’re waiting outside or something, you have a key.”
“You need to be more punctual.” She huffs.
“Girl, if you don’t calm yourself. I will be at my house soon.” I click off, switching the line over and calling Mickey.
I would’ve been more on time had I not been delightfully waylaid…Whew baby.
Just remembering the predatory l
ook on his face at first…
My core spasms and I stop myself. Sisters, it’s sister time. Mindset. Fix it.
“I hope you’re bringing plenty of alcohol.” I clear my throat.
“And weed, don’t worry.”
“Oh my god, Key is not going to touch any weed.” I laugh, flipping my blinker on at the red light.
“She’ll eat it though. My pot brownies are legendary.” Mickey’s voice is smug and I shake my head. It’s going to be an interesting night, if nothing else.
“Okay, if you get there before I do, please start drinking. Aka, please start getting Keyra drunk.”
“Aye aye, cap’n.”
I’m almost to my house when my phone lights up with Bahi’s name, but it happens so quickly that I figure it must’ve been an accidental dial.
She’ll call back or text if it’s something important. She’s not on schedule for the bar tonight.
I’m not quite ready to deal with her directly right now. Key and I have been quietly checking things out, talking to different people and checking surveillance.
This weekend is when we’re going to have them take her in for questioning. We just needed to see how many people are in the crosshairs and who else she seems to be involved with.
Now it’s time to turn it over to the people who can really do something about it.
I pull into my driveway, seeing Mickey and Keyra’s cars and hope they haven’t murdered each other.
Before I can even open the door, it swings open and Mickey thrusts a solo cup into my hand.
“Drink up, you’re gonna need it.”
I walk into my living room and sit down my phone and purse, taking in Keyra pacing.
“Keyra?”
She swings to me, propping her hands on her hips and shaking her head. She opens her mouth but closes it again, and turns back to pacing, muttering under her breath. She hasn’t even taken off her heels.
Mickey and I sit on the couch, watching her and taking large sips of something I can’t even name. I just know that I can trust Mickey to put way too much alcohol in everything, and hopefully, I’ll be able to breathe a little easier and forget everything that’s happening soon.