Groaning, I swung my feet over the side of the bed. Thighs burning from yesterday’s match, I pulled on some sweats, wincing.
Coming to a stop outside Chloe’s room, I took my time easing the door open, leaning against the frame as I stared in through the dark space. Max, decked out in a pair of white boxers with hearts all over them and nothing else, was dancing in circles with my daughter in his arms.
Couldn’t help but grin at the view. And the sounds of Chloe’s giggles? Fucking stretched my chest so tight it damn near hurt to breathe.
We’d come a long way in the eight months we’d been back in the States and living together to raise my girl—Max, Gavin, and me. And a hell of a lot further from the time we spent together as marines.
The three of us met in boot camp six years ago, just dumbass college grads with no real clue of where to go in life, or what to do when we got there. No plans. No ideas. Just wanted to serve our country—and find ourselves along the way. Somehow we got stuck together for the remainder of our enlistment. Whether by chance or what, it didn’t matter. We were a team from the second we met. Had each other’s backs during raids and helped each other get our shit together during evacs. We were always brothers. Always friends. Always equals too.
But out of everything that happened during our time overseas, they’d been the only two people able to get me through the loss of Chloe’s mom. Not with big gestures or even kicking my ass, but by silently standing by me and picking up my slack when I almost didn’t make it out during our last raid. Sure, I could’ve taken leave then, but one look at those two assholes and I knew I couldn’t walk away.
After officially being discharged to First Civ Div, Max and Gav suggested the three of us move in together after we got back to the States. Because the thought of raising a one-month-old baby on my own freaked me the hell out, I agreed, no regrets.
And there we were: three dudes and a baby, living a life that reeked of dirty diapers, dirty socks, and dirty dishes every hour of every day. But it was our life. And we were good with that.
“Really, jackass?” I took a step into her room. Chloe, blue eyes bright and wide, squirmed when she saw me from over Max’s shoulder. The girl was a work of art that mirrored her mom—and meant everything to us all.
“Hey, I don’t screw with lullabies. This is strictly a rock household, man. You get me?” Max glared at me, but the second Chloe started to bounce in his arms, his head swiveled back to her, and his face about melted. Girl was magic, I swear to God.
I grinned. “You change her, yet?”
He stiffened. “Yeah, about that…” He cleared his throat, walking toward me, arms outstretched, Chloe’s feet dangling in the air as she giggled. Dude wouldn’t meet my eyes as he finished with, “I think I hear my phone ringing. Could be my mama or something.”
“Save the crap.” I yawned, reaching for my girl.
“Sorry, man. Haven’t even taken my morning piss yet.”
Chloe wiggled in my arms, tucking her tiny hand in the back of my hair. Her clothes were wet, and if I wasn’t so damn tired, I would’ve kicked Max’s ass.
Guy played the fun uncle. The one who danced and sang. Cooked like a master chef too. It was my job to do diapers and all things dad—feeding her, bathing her, the hard stuff—while Gavin preferred the technical, safety BS to anything else. Putting up gates, childproofing the cabinets in his part of the duplex and ours, making sure the car seat was installed the right way. The three of us worked together to do the impossible: taking on the duty of dad to the only person who kept me sane after coming home from Iraq. “Hey, pretty girl.” I kissed her on the nose, setting her on the changing table.
“Da, da, da, da.”
I smiled, tickling her as I changed her diaper and clothes, ignoring that I hurt all over, and that my eyes were burning from not taking out my contacts last night. I was living on two hours of sleep, but hearing those words leave her little mouth made it all worthwhile.
“You wanna go see Aunt Lia today?”
As I brought her close to my chest, she bounced and giggled in my ear. Her soft curls brushed against my skin, smelling like the fancy shampoo Gavin had bought to wash her hair with.
Five minutes later, with a grin still on my face, I set her in the playpen on the floor of the living room, turned on some early-morning cartoons, and shuffled into our kitchen. Eyes half-closed, I managed to make her a bottle and flip on the coffeemaker.
Feet scuffled in the kitchen, followed by a grunt as Max shoved himself up onto the counter. “What you guys got planned for today?” He kicked his feet against the cabinets. I didn’t know how he was always so cheery in the morning, but he’d been that way since we all met in boot camp.
“Chloe and I are going to Lia’s place for breakfast.”
Max straightened his elbows, freezing in place with his hands flat against the counter. A grumpy-ass look crossed his face at the mention of my sister’s name. “Well, shit. Guess that means I’m not invited.”
I shrugged, not denying it. “Said she has to talk to me. Not sure what’s up.” I took a sip of my coffee, grabbed Chloe’s bottle, and headed back into the living room to sit with her.
“Something wrong with Lia?”
Setting my cup on the table, I reached for my girl and brought her onto my lap. “Hell if I know. She’s all over the place these days.” Chloe leaned back against my chest and pulled her thumb into her mouth.
Max sat in the chair next to the couch and stared down at the floor. It was too early in the morning to deal with his pouty ass, especially when I was in a piss-poor mood myself.
After the match yesterday, for the first time since we’d started playing in the intramural rugby league on the weekends, Gavin and I had headed to the after-party at the bar.
But fuck, what a big mistake that was. Going to the bar, finding that girl? I knew I was in trouble when I first saw her sitting at that table rooting through her wallet. Little thing looked both terrified and bored at the same time.
I dreamed about her too. Dark eyes, dark skin, curves galore… Hell, I didn’t even think I’d caught her name. But none of that mattered when my life revolved around being a dad and working nights. My plate was too full for anything else
Max cleared his throat. “What time did you guys get in last night?”
I lowered a kiss to the top of Chloe’s head. “Don’t know.”
“Have fun?”
“Sure.” If you can call being strung tight by the balls over some luscious woman fun.
Silence fell between us, which meant Max was either thinking or brooding. Guy never just shut up because he wanted to. When I opened my mouth to ask him about something—anything to get off the conversation of last night—he broke in with, “You met someone, didn’t you?”
I flinched, not a lot, but apparently enough for him to notice.
“Hell yeah, you did. Who was she?” He sat up straighter, wiggling his eyebrows. “What’d she look like? Tight ass? Short? Tall?”
“Come on, man,” I hissed, thanking God Chloe was still too young to understand what the conversations between her uncles and me were about.
“What?” He grinned. “She hot? You get her number? Do her in the bathroom of the bar?”
“What am I, twenty-one? A damn frat boy?” I maneuvered Chloe to sit on the cushion next to me and handed her the bottle. “Don’t think so.”
“What you are, my friend, is a desperate piece of shit who needs a woman every once in a while. That’s all I’m saying.” He held his hands up in defense.
“Yeah, and then what happens in the morning?” I shook my head, disgusted with myself for even considering it. “Do I let you cook us a big family breakfast and then say, ‘Hey, by the way, wanna meet my kid?’” I grunted and grabbed the remote. “Not gonna happen.”
“No. What you do is cuddle with her a little bi
t, make her feel special, make her come a couple times, then tell her she can’t stay the night. That you’ve got to get up early or something like that.” He shrugged. “Believe me, there are girls out there who love one-night stands.”
Truth was, I did miss having a woman in my bed. It’d been well over a year since I’d last had sex—eighteen long months in fact. But unlike Max, I’d never once screwed a girl just because. Never even kissed a girl I didn’t feel something for. The bottom line was that sex wasn’t something I took lightly.
Max beamed, his dark forehead crinkling with lines. “Would hate for you to miss out on some good pussy, man.”
“Jesus, give it a rest.” I slouched low and listened to Chloe babble as some big bunny named Harry moved across the TV screen.
“You wound me.” Max pressed his palm over his heart, still smiling.
I knew his truth though, knew the shit he hid behind. The three of us each had our issues, but together we made it work. That was all we could do.
Chapter 4
Addison
With thirty minutes to spare before my interview, I sat across from McKenna in our usual booth at the Java Java Hut coffee shop, drinking the forgive-me mocha she’d bought to make up for Saturday night. June’s Waffle House and More was on the other side of the street. I could see it through the window from where I was sitting, the golden sign boasting, The perfect breakfast for the early riser.
Hands wrapped around my mug, I inhaled the chocolate steam. Three days ago, I’d thought that this was what I wanted—a temporary, easy fix for my lack-of-money problem. But the simple thought of dealing with truckers and grumpy old men on a daily basis, rather than the four- and five-year-olds I was used to, had a knot of unease building inside my chest.
Fact is, I don’t do change well.
“So my flight to Maine leaves Thursday morning at seven. I’m gonna grab a taxi so I don’t have to pay for parking.”
I leaned back in my seat, thankful for the distraction as I sipped my drink. “You know I’ll take you.”
She stirred in another coffee creamer with her wooden stick. “No. You’ve done enough for me. It’s time this baby bird spreads her wings.”
I winked. “I would drop those metaphorical worms into your mouth until you begged me to stop.”
Her nose crinkled. “Eww. I’ll pass on your analogy, thank you very much.”
I reached forward and pressed my hand over her forearm. “Seriously though. I’m worried about you.”
For weeks now, McKenna had been wallowing, drinking when she could and alternating between angry Alanis Morissette music and Rascal Flatts breakup songs every time I went over to her apartment. This thing with her ex was bringing her down, and I couldn’t seem to do a thing to help her get over it.
“I’ve already taken your advice, Addie. Now quit worrying.”
“I’ll never stop worrying about you. I love you.”
She smiled. “And that is why you are the best friend a girl could ask for.” She blew me a kiss and started rummaging through her purse. I knew there was nothing in there, but Kenna avoided talking about feelings like I avoided holidays with my family.
The bells over the door jingled as the Monday barista with the funky pink hair strolled into the shop. Her name was Lia, and I was pretty sure she was the most fantastic thing to ever grace this planet. Free spirited, cracking jokes, and taller than both Kenna and me combined. But in a weird, crazy way, she also scared the crap out of me with all those tats and piercings.
“Hey, ladies.” She waved, a shiny new piercing in her nose twinkling under the low lights. It was cute, but I immediately wondered if it hurt.
“Hi,” Kenna and I said in unison, waving back.
Besides my best friend, barista Lia was the other woman I ever really chatted with.
“You ladies are here early today.” Lia tied her apron around her waist as she stepped behind the counter.
“Kenna’s got packing to do for her trip, and I have a job interview across the street.” I patted the front of my dress and smiled.
Lia pursed her red-painted lips. “Really? The Waffle House? You’re classier than that shithole.”
I shrugged. “Not many options around this town for a preschool teacher.”
“True.” She smiled at the next customer in line, taking their order.
Sighing, I picked at my cuticles and checked the clock on the wall—twenty minutes until my life took a turn for the crappier. “Why don’t you just call your parents? I’m sure they’d hire you.” Kenna glowered at me.
My chest tightened at her suggestion. My best friend knew the status of my nonexistent relationship with my mom and dad, but that didn’t deter her from bringing it up time and time again. Going to them for a job would be worse than asking for a loan, and there’d be far too many I-told-you-so’s going around.
“I’m not into chopping meat for a living.”
“It’s a meat market, yeah, but I’m sure there are positions available that don’t include cutting up dead animals.” She tugged at the necklace she wore, the one I’m pretty sure she’d gotten from her ex. “Maybe you should suck it up, ya know? Go to them and say—”
“No.” I gritted my teeth. “You know how complicated things are with them. Dad would tell me I was wasting my time working with children anyway, and Mom would tell me I should be getting married and having babies, that any child I take care of from here on out should come from my own womb.” Their fifties’ mind-set really messed with my head.
A chair screeched across the floor. Lia turned it around and straddled the seat, letting her blue eyes drag over my face. The smile on her lips was one part creepy and the other part knowing.
Whatever was about to come out of her mouth freaked me out already.
“I’ve got the perfect job for you. Can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner.”
“Oh God,” Kenna whispered, no doubt thinking the worst like I was.
Stripper. Prostitute. Call girl. Those were just a few of the ideas drifting through my mind. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures. And for some crazy reason I trusted Lia. Which was the most important thing.
“What’s this job?” I bit down on my thumbnail, leaning forward.
Lia flicked a piece of paper in her hand. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
Kenna kicked me under the table and I winced, reaching down to rub the spot on my shin.
Lia scooted the paper in front of me and tapped her matte-black fingernail on it. “Then meet me at this address at eight tonight. If you impress him, then you’re good as gold for the job.”
Lia stood, and my throat grew tight. “Aren’t you going to tell me what the job is, at least?”
Her lips curled in a conniving smile. “Trust me. This job is perfect for you. My older brother needs a nanny for my niece, and I can promise you he’ll pay you top notch.”
“So, no pimps then, right?”
I cringed at Kenna’s words. This time I kicked her under the table.
“Hey!” she groaned.
Ignoring my loudmouthed best friend, I folded the paper and put it in my pocket. “Thanks, Lia.”
She nodded, and I watched her walk away, working the few customers in the coffeehouse like putting people at ease was her God-given gift—piercings and tats be damned, the girl was pretty awesome.
“You’re not seriously going to go through with this, are you?”
I stood and slipped on my coat, still planning to go to my interview regardless of this new opportunity. Couldn’t put all my eggs in one basket, but I could try two baskets.
Kenna followed me, huffing as we moved toward the door.
“What choice do I have?”
“Not the point. What if she’s sending you into something cultish? Or…” She slapped a hand over h
er mouth. “What if she wants you to be her drug dealer?”
“You’re insane.” I yanked my hood over my head, the brisk wind stinging my cheeks as we stepped out into the parking lot.
McKenna stopped at her car, twirling her keys. I paused next to her, delaying the inevitable. “No, I’m a realist. And I realize that this chick—cool as hell or not—isn’t normal.”
“Who is normal, huh?” My eyes widened in a duh sort of way. “I’m half Filipino with a dad who could pass as my grandpa and a mom who’s had more plastic surgery than a Hilton and a Kardashian combined—all because her husband told her she looked too old at thirty-nine.”
McKenna cringed. “True.” She settled in the driver’s seat of her car, then rolled down the window. “But what happens if—”
“Stop.” I pressed my hand against her door. “It’s going to be fine. I am a big girl with a black belt.”
“Yeah, from when you were eleven.”
“Details. The point is, once a kick-ass ninja, always a kick-ass ninja.” I smirked and headed across the street.
“Whatever,” she hollered after me. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you though. Don’t you dare call me collect, saying you’re in jail for laundering money for the mob either. Because even though I’d fly my ass back home in a heartbeat to bail you out, I need this trip to regain my sanity.”
Across the street, I turned to face her. “And I really, really love you for that, Kenna. Don’t forget!”
I did too. So much. The two of us had been friends since college and would always, no doubt in my mind, have each other’s backs like sisters.
Chapter 5
Collin
If you looked up the word shit in the thesaurus, my name—along with this entire past weekend—would be the number one synonym for it.
After telling me she needed to make more money during our breakfast yesterday morning, my sister quit on me as Chloe’s babysitter. Apparently there was a new nightclub that’d just opened in town, one that promised benefits, along with a major raise and nightly tips. Lia had scored a job as a bartender there—starting tomorrow night. Of course she told me she’d help find a replacement, saying she owed both me and Chloe that. But I told her not to bother, that I’d handle it on my own. And there I was, stuck with no options as I tried to figure out who in the actual hell was going to watch my kid while I worked.
Reckless Hearts Series, Book 1 Page 3