In for the Win (Against the Cage Book 5)

by Melynda Price

  She felt boneless as he slipped an arm beneath her back and repositioned her on the bed so her head was propped by the pillow. Her heart was still racing, head spinning with elation from the breakthrough Kyle had just helped her achieve. For the first time, she felt…normal. But Kyle didn’t give her time to dwell on her success. He was a man on a mission, and his only objective was her pleasure.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Pen wasn’t surprised to wake up and find the bed empty. Usually, she woke to the whir of Kyle’s blender, but she must have slept through it. She lifted her head and glanced at the clock on the nightstand before flopping back on the pillow and stretching in a languid sprawl. It was only six a.m. She could go back to sleep for another hour. Or, if she got up now, maybe she could have a cup of coffee with Kyle before getting ready for work.

  It was a tough decision. The sheets felt divine against her bare, sensitive skin. Her body was still buzzing from the orgasmic high Kyle had left her on. She’d lost count of the number of times he’d made her come. Never had she imagined the loss of control could feel so good—so liberating…

  Kyle had owned her—over and over again, in so many ways her mind was still reeling from the passion and the creativity in which he’d claimed her. He’d been gentle and, at times, rough, but always in control and she’d never been afraid. Not even once. It was strange to feel thankful to someone for sex, but last night was about so much more than that. For her, it had been about letting go. Maybe now her demons would see they had no hold on her anymore. Maybe now the nightmares would stop. Only time would tell…

  She exhaled a contented sigh and tossed aside the covers, crawling to the edge of the bed. Snagging her nightie off the floor, she quickly pulled it on, then made a pit stop in the bathroom to freshen up before heading down. On the way out, she grabbed Kyle’s robe off the hook on the bathroom door and slipped it on. As she descended the stairs, she gathered her hair into a messy bun and fastened it on top of her head. When she reached the landing, she heard Kyle’s voice in the kitchen.

  “Hey, Nikko. It’s me. I’m checking to see if you’ve heard from Violet. Pen can’t reach her and I’m starting to get concerned. Call me back as soon as you get this.”

  Kyle was disconnecting the call when Pen stepped into the kitchen. “Hey.” He set the cell on the table and came over to her, pulling her into his arms and greeting her with a good morning kiss that left her with thoughts of how he could make it an even better one. “You’re up early.”

  “I thought I’d grab a coffee with you before getting ready for work.”

  He took a step back and gave her an appreciative once-over. “I think you’re going to have to wear your hair down today.” He kissed her neck and then turned to grab a mug from the cupboard.

  She hadn’t taken an inventory of the damage yet, but Pen was sure once she did, she’d find many areas on her body bearing the mark of Kyle’s wonderfully zealous kiss. He handed her the cup with extra cream and she took a sip. “Mmm… You always know exactly how I like it.”

  His brow arched, a flirtatious grin curling the corners of his mouth. “Right? I guess there’s no limit to my talents.”

  “You’re full of yourself this morning,” she teased, and honestly, he had every right to be.

  “Well, technically, you were full of me, but—”

  “Wow,” she laughed. “You actually went there. I heard you leaving a message for Nikko,” she added, hijacking the conversation and steering it to safer ground. “He left for New York yesterday.”

  “Really?” Kyle tipped back his smoothie, downing the green sludge.

  “Yeah. Vi’s been gone two weeks and he didn’t even know it. Can you believe that? All this time and he hasn’t even tried to contact her. What an asshole.”

  “Nikko can be stubborn. They don’t call him ‘the bull’ for nothing. You should try to see it from his perspective though. He did catch her kissing her ex.”

  “Yeah, that’s what he said. But things aren’t always the way they seem, and when you love somebody, you fight for them. I’m worried about her. And I feel bad that I haven’t pushed this sooner. I mean, what if she’s in trouble? Detective Paskel hasn’t been able to reach her.”

  “I know it’s not easy, but try not to worry until we know if there’s something to worry about. Nikko will straighten everything out. She’ll be back. You’ll see.”

  “I hope so. I miss her. And the office isn’t the same without her. Speaking of…” She glanced at the clock on the stove. “I should go shower.”

  “I want to start taking you to work and picking you up. It’s safer that way. I don’t like the idea of your car in the parking lot unattended.”

  She wasn’t keen on the idea either. But taking her to work and picking her up? That was a lot of inconvenience for him. It wasn’t like he didn’t have his own life with his own commitments. “I don’t know, Kyle. You’re busy…”

  “I’m not that busy. Whatever I need to do can be done between eight and five.” Kyle drained his smoothie and headed to the sink to rinse out the bottle. “I’ll go get the water started. Why don’t you head up when you’re done with your coffee and join me?” He stopped at the table on his way by and kissed her cheek. “I’ll even scrub your back.”

  “Who can resist an offer like that? I’ll be up in a minute.”

  Pen finished her coffee and was rinsing her mug in the sink when she noticed an unfamiliar car pulling into the driveway. A moment later, the driver’s door swung open and a woman with pale blonde hair stepped out. She was petite, but carried herself with determined confidence that defied her size. Pen watched as she marched up the driveway and out of sight. She left the kitchen and stopped short in the entryway when she heard a key rattle in the lock.

  The door swung open and the woman startled to see Pen standing there. Her surprised stare slowly took Pen’s measure. And as far as first impressions went, she was pretty sure this was not the one she wanted to make the first time she met Kyle’s sister. And if she had any doubt about the identity of the woman glaring daggers at her, it was confirmed by the pale scar across the base of her throat. It was the only flaw on this otherwise perfectly beautiful woman.

  “Who are you?” she demanded, eyeing Pen suspiciously. Her bright blue eyes were a few shades lighter than her brother’s, but equally intense. Where Kyle’s held the heat of a burning flame, hers reminded Pen of ice. And that frosty glare was making an unapologetically judgmental head-to-toe sweep of her that ended with her stare locking on Pen’s neck. Her delicately arched brows tightened with disapproval. Pen’s cheeks heated with embarrassment.

  “My name is Penelope. You must be Willow.” She held the neckline of Kyle’s robe closed with one hand and reached forward with the other.

  Kyle’s sister was hesitant to accept it at first, her grip firmer than Pen was expecting from such a petite woman.

  “Is Kyle here?”

  “He’s in the shower.” She glanced at the stairwell. Kyle was no doubt wondering what had happened to her. Willow released her hand and Pen stepped aside to let her in. “Can I get you a cup of coffee while you wait?” Pen turned and headed toward the kitchen. When she didn’t get a response, she glanced over her shoulder to find Willow staring at her.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude, but Kyle doesn’t bring his…women here.”

  “It’s all right. I understand.” Pen tried to ease the awkwardness with coffee and offered Willow a steaming cup. She accepted it then headed to the fridge to grab the container of creamer. The tension in the room was palpable. She needed to do something to break the ice, because it was evident that Kyle’s sister thought she was a cage-banger. “If it helps,” Pen grabbed the creamer and began a slow pour, “Kyle has told me a lot about you.” She set the carton down and began to stir her coffee until it turned the color of caramel.

  “I wish I could say the same. How long have you known my brother?”

  Pen didn’t miss the protective
claim she was placing on him. “We’ve been seeing each other about a month.”

  “A month?”

  Pen didn’t know what to say. This was just awkward—for the both of them. Before she could respond, footsteps echoed down the stairs.

  “Hey, Pen, what happened to you? I thought you were going to join me. I—oh, shit...” He stopped short as he entered the kitchen and locked eyes with his sister. The towel carelessly wrapped around his waist was dangerously close to coming undone, and he quickly grabbed the edge near his hip, holding it together.

  “Hi, Ky.” Willow gave her brother a finger-fluttering wave over the rim of her coffee cup. “I was just getting acquainted with your girlfriend, Penelope. You know, the one you didn’t tell me about—for a month.”

  “I uhh…should go get ready for work.” Pen bailed on her coffee and took her leave. This was physically painful to witness. Kyle caught her wrist before she could make her escape and pulled her close to whisper. “Hold your ground and never let her smell your fear. She’s like a piranha, this one.”

  “Hey, I heard that!”

  Pen gave him a smile equally saccharine to Willow’s and patted his bare chest—slow and exaggerated slaps. Making no attempt to quiet her voice, she said, “Too late. Perhaps if she knew I existed, she wouldn’t have been so pissed to come home and find a half-naked woman wearing her brother’s bathrobe. I’d rip you a new asshole, but I’m pretty sure as soon as I leave, she’s going to do that for me.” Grabbing his chin, she placed a smacking kiss on his lips and walked away.

  Willow watched Pen walk out, her assessing stare following Pen as she rounded the corner and headed up the stairs. “I think I like her,” Willow commented once she was out of sight.

  “You would. She enjoys busting my balls just about as much as you do,” he grumbled.

  “That’s good. You finally met a woman who doesn’t treat you like you’re a god.”

  “How are you feeling?” He went over and kissed the top of her head.

  “I’m fine, and don’t try to change the subject. I’m tired of talking about me and how I feel. Regan’s worse than a mother hen. Where’d you meet her?”

  “Through Nikko. She’s a friend of Violet’s.”

  Willow’s eyes lit up with interest. “Really? I came here to yell at you for quitting the CFA, but that can wait. This I gotta hear.”

  “Give me a sec. I need to get dressed.” Kyle went into the laundry room and grabbed a t-shirt and gym shorts from the dryer. When he returned, Willow was exactly how he left her, sipping her coffee with a shit-eating grin on her face. “What are you so giddy about?” he grumbled, heading to the coffee pot to pour a cup.

  “I’m happy, Kyle. Happy you finally met a nice girl. When I walked in and found her here, I thought you’d started bringing cage-bangers home. You realize what this means, right?”

  He leaned against the counter and eyed his sister as he sipped his coffee. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”

  “It means you’re going to be okay. I’ve been so worried about you since I left, afraid you wouldn’t know how to move on. But you are. You’re actually dating. After all these years, you’re doing something for yourself. Wow, maybe we can finally be normal. I can quit being that tragic girl and you can stop being the guy who gave up his life for his sister.”

  He took another sip and blamed the coffee for the burn in his throat, even though it tasted a lot like grief. “I didn’t mind being that guy, Willow. I would do anything for you, you know that.”

  “I know. And you’ve proven it over and over again. But now it’s your time, Ky. You can finally live for you. Is that why you did it?” Tears began to well in her eyes. “Is that why you quit the CFA? You did that for me too, didn’t you? All these years…you’ve been fighting because of me.”

  Emotion clogged his throat, and he took another sip, trying to wash it down. It didn’t help. Muttering a curse, he set the cup on the counter and took the seat across from her. He grasped her hand, refusing to look away from the pool of tears welling in her eyes that were so much like their mother’s, sometimes it physically hurt to look at her.

  “I don’t regret one minute of my life with you, Will. Seeing you happy, pursuing your dreams, living your life as a strong independent woman… That’s all I ever wanted for you—what all of this was for. It took me some time to realize that, but yeah, letting go hasn’t been easy and I’m not perfect. God knows I made mistakes with you, and the biggest one was not supporting your feelings for Regan. Until your accident, I didn’t realize how much he loved you. But I do now, and all I want is for you to be happy.”

  Tears spilled down her cheeks and she grabbed a napkin from the holder to dry her eyes. “Don’t you understand, that’s the same thing I want for you?”

  “I know. But it’s not that easy for me, Will. I’m still really messed up in here.” He thumped his chest with his fist.

  “But Penelope—”

  “Is amazing. And being with her makes it easier. But is it fair to her? She has no idea how fucked up I really am. Nobody does.”

  “Then you need to get help, Kyle. Like the help you got me after Mom and Dad died. You’ve never visited their graves. You need to go see them. Make peace with them—make peace with this. Otherwise you’re never going to be able to move past it.”

  He exhaled a deep sigh and dragged his hand through his hair. He wasn’t sure what to say. She was right. He needed to face this, but it was easier said than done.

  “Regan thinks you quit the CFA because of him.”

  “How’d he find out?”

  “Coach called him into the gym. Gave him his contract back and told him you’d quit.”

  “He didn’t say anything else?”

  “No. Regan’s really upset. He blames himself for everything—your injury, your quitting, for losing your friendship. I don’t understand how you can forgive me, yet you can’t forgive him.”

  “I forgive him and I’ve told him that. But that doesn’t mean things can magically go back to the way they were before. He lied to me. I trusted him with the most important thing in my life and he went behind my back. It’s hard to come back from a betrayal like that.”

  He didn’t realize Pen was standing in the doorway until she cleared her throat. By the pensive expression on her face, he wondered how much she’d overheard. Her hair was down, covering the mark he’d left on the side of her neck. She wore a gray blouse with variegated black and white dots, and a sexy black pencil skirt. Little make-up covered her already flawless face; a shimmer of shadow, and a conservative swipe of liner that matched the mocha color of her eyes. She was so beautiful…

  “I need to get going. I’ll drive myself—”

  “No, I’ll take you.” He got to his feet and went over to Willow. “Stay as long as you want. Just because you don’t live here anymore doesn’t mean this isn’t your house.” He kissed the top of her head and grabbed the keys off the hook beside the garage door.

  “Glad to hear it. I saw the boxes in the hall and thought you were trying to tell me something.”

  He chuckled and opened the door. “They’re Pen’s. She’s going to stay here for a little while.”

  Pen stepped through the kitchen and stopped by Willow, offering her hand. “It was nice meeting you, Willow. Next time I’ll have more clothes on.”

  His sister laughed and stood up, pulling Pen in for a quick hug. He should have warned her Will was a hugger. Those who knew her were used to it, but it was clear by the surprised look Pen shot him over his sister’s shoulder that she hadn’t been expecting it.

  “Let’s all do supper this week—Thursday family night? With everything that’s been going on, we’ve let the tradition slip, but I think it’s time we pick it back up.” Willow released Pen and turned to him, flashing him her brightest smile. “What do you say, Ky?”

  He knew exactly what she was doing and he’d have liked to say it wasn’t going to work, but Willow was smart, and she knew he would
n’t refuse her, especially since she was inviting Pen to join them. Though he knew her primary objective was to get him and Regan into their old routine. The best way to get everything back to normal was to “fake it until you make it.” That had been their motto for years after their parents had died. He was still faking it.

  “So…your sister seems nice.”

  “Yeah, she’s a real sweetheart.”

  Kyle’s gaze didn’t deviate from the road. Though his tone was less than heartfelt, Pen believed he meant it. He was bothered by something. She’d walked in on a serious conversation and she hadn’t meant to interrupt them, but she couldn’t be late for work.

  “She hugged me.” That had to be a good sign, right?

  “She hugs everyone. You’ll get used to it.”

  “I didn’t mind. She just surprised me is all. What did you say to bring her around? I wasn’t exactly getting the Team Penelope vibe when I went upstairs to shower.”

  “She thought you were a cage-banger. When she found out you were the real deal she changed her tune pretty fast.”

  “Am I?”

  He cut her a glance and then turned his attention back to the road. “Are you what?”

  “The real deal.”

  Kyle shrugged. “Feels pretty fucking real to me. Sure felt real last night.”

  A smile tugged at her lips and she reached over the center console, taking his hand. “It felt real to me too,” she confessed softly. “I’m sorry your visit got cut short. I could have driven myself.” This was going to get old fast if Kyle insisted on chauffeuring her everywhere. Although she understood his reasoning and concern, she despised the inconvenience this caused him. “I feel like Driving Miss Daisy.”