by Piper, M.
But now it’s time for me to go home.
“I’m putting in my two weeks’ notice,” I say, raising my eyebrows. “So, anything else? Or can you let me get this bar open?” I start to walk away, because there’s no use fighting him anymore.
“You’re not allowed to quit!” he screams, waving my resignation in the air as he follows me to the bar.
“I am allowed. And I am quitting, Dean,” I say, flipping barstools off the bar and setting them right in their spots.
“I’ll ruin you. I will never give you a good reference to any other bar you go to. You’ll never work in this city again.” He’s red faced and angry as hell, but I won’t let it affect me. I’m getting out of here.
Finally.
“No need, Dean.” I smile. “See, I already own my own business with my brothers. My two very strong, large brothers. They taught me how to fight. It’s my time to take back my part in the family business. I’m sure you understand.” I smile sweetly at him and he crumbles the paper in his hands.
“Get out,” he growls.
“Excuse me?” I say, laughing. “You’re firing me?”
“Get the fuck out of here,” he says again and I laugh, shaking my head.
“Dean, I’m not leaving the girls here in a scramble on the busiest night of the week because you’re pissed. Go nap it off in your office. Or head up to the VIP club. I’m sure that’ll release some stress.” I start to wipe down the counters before logging into the system for the day. He’s standing there, glaring at me, body rigid with anger.
When I glance over at him, he’s wearing a sinister grin on his face.
“You’re right, Reagan. I was acting out of anger. So please, don’t leave. I have a better idea how you can serve your final two weeks here at this club.”
His eyes flick to the VIP stairs and my stomach flips.
“I’m not going up there again. I told you that after last time.”
“You’re refusing to do your job?”
The doors fling open and Nico comes confidently striding through and my eyes fly from him to Dean. This has become a routine I will definitely miss. Our schedules haven’t meshed too well, but he’s made it a point to hang out at the bar on nights he’s home if I’m working. He sits at the bar, keeps me company, then follows me home. Or back to his place. It’s comfortable, really, knowing he’s here looking out for me.
“Sup, Dean?” He says, giving him a pat on the back, then turning his gaze to me and makes a face. “What’s his problem?” he asks, loud enough for Dean to hear him.
“Don’t get him riled up, I just gave him my notice.” I laugh and Nico’s face shines bright like the sun as a smile creeps up on it.
“You really did?” he asks, smiling so big his eyes crinkle in the corners. “You’re really going home?”
“I am,” I nod. “Sorry I didn’t tell you. These past few weeks have been a blur. But I’ve got a place lined up and a moving van rented. And it’s all because of you.” I lean over the bar and press my lips to his. “Thank you,” I whisper.
“Get the fuck out!” Dean bellows from behind us. I roll my eyes and Nico chuckles.
“Want me to call my uncle?” he whispers and I shake my head.
“Nah. That’d just make matters worse. He’ll cool off.” I nod towards Dean. “Hey, Dean. Doors are open. You may want to take the anger somewhere else. Don’t want to scare business away.”
He grumbles something then storms off to the offices, slamming the door hard behind him.
“I think you pissed him off,” Nico says with a bright smile.
“Just a little. Ya think?” I grin, biting my lip. “I’m nervous.”
“Why?”
“I’m not going back to Springfield the girl I was when I left.” I shrug. “This place has changed me.”
“It’s for the better, you know. I didn’t know the girl that you left as, but I bet she was pretty cool. Nowhere near as badass as the girl in front of me is, though.” He smiles. “I’m proud of you, Ten. But I’m not going to lie and say I’m happy we won’t live so close anymore.”
I pout my lip out. The one thing that almost held back my decision to stay was that right there. I’m not going to see him much anymore. Granted he works a ton and travels a lot, but I’ve really come to look forward to those nights we do have together.
Now… Well now it’ll have to be planned weekends and stolen nights. It’s going to suck, but I have to do what’s right for me. Family is right for me. I get that now. It’s not all about me; it’s about being where I’m needed. Where I need to be.
“I’m going to miss you,” I whisper, rounding the bar and letting him wrap his arms around me. “I’m going to miss these hugs, too.”
“Anything else you’re going to miss,” he whispers, pushing his lips to my neck and sending goosebumps down my arms.
“Nah,” I whisper, pulling back from him and biting my lip. “Nothing huge comes to mind.”
He chuckles as I walk back around the bar.
“So have you told your parents yet?” He asks as I pour him a drink.
“I video called the whole family at their Sunday night dinner,” I say, smiling. “There isn’t even a good way to explain how excited they are. God, I miss my mom’s food.”
“Your family has Sunday night dinners? Like, every week?” he asks, taking his glass from the bar.
“Weekly dinners. Lately I think they’ve been doing it Sunday nights, but as long as they do it once a week they’re happy.”
“That sounds awesome,” he says, sipping his drink.
“Does your family have any traditions like that?” I feel guilty that I’ve never asked about his family before, but with limited time and high sex drives, we don’t do a ton of talking.
“My mom died a few years ago,” he says, no emotions at all. None. It’s like…blank.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” I say, reaching over and covering his hand with mine. He shrugs it off and shifts.
“It’s fine. From the sounds of it, you and I had two totally different childhoods.” He chuckles. “Family dinners for us always meant someone died. Or we were moving again.”
“Did you guys move a lot?”
“Enough,” he shrugs. “When Dean’s dad went to prison my mom was convinced she would be next. That was when I was about nine or so and we had to up and move across the country until she thought she was in the clear,” he says, shaking his head. “Most of my family’s only ever there for me if they want something from me. Even my own brother.” His eyes hit mine and there’s a hint of sadness in them. “Count yourself as one of the lucky ones, Ten. You’ve got an entire army behind you compared to what I grew up with.”
I furrow my brows, because if there’s one thing I’ve always relied on it’s my family. To have one like he’s explaining would kill me. Family is all a person has, really. Without them, I’d be…nothing.
“Well, next time you’re in Springfield you should meet the rest of mine.” I wink at him and he smiles. I like his smile. Way too much.
“I’d like that,” he says, spinning his glass on the bar. “I’d like that a lot.”
Nico spends the rest of the evening at work with me, talking to patrons, keeping me company, and when the night ends he walks me out to my car, just like he’s done for the past month when he’s able to.
“I’m going to miss this,” he finally says, wrapping his arms around me and resting against his car.
“Me too,” I whisper the truth so easily it almost makes my stomach hurt. “Want to come over tonight?” I murmur in his chest, my arms tighten around him.
“I’d love to,” he says, pulling back and giving me a small smile. “I’m proud of you, Reagan.”
“Why?” I make a face. “It’s just moving.”
“It’s way more than that. It’s finally seeing the right choice.” He pushes his lips to mine then pushes off the car. “Even if it sucks donkey balls,” he grumbles, making me force out a laugh.
“Maybe I’ll take you fishing at my gran’s house. Teach you to love it again,” I whisper, letting my fingers trace the scar on his eyebrow.
He grunts and shakes his head, then pulls me back and opens the car door.
“Come on, let’s get you home. I only have a few more days left with you before you leave me. I gotta make the best of my time.”
“What’s your problem?” my brother asks as I glare at my phone.
“Don’t have one,” I say, watching the time tick away until I have to go help Reagan move home.
I’m happy for her. I’m glad she’s doing what she needs to do to be happy again. But she’s moving away, and I don’t like how much it hurts.
“Good. Hey, I got a girl coming over later. You gonna be home?” He leans against the counter, typing on his phone and I furrow my brows at him.
“I told you last week I’m gone this weekend. That’s why I’m off work today. You don’t remember that?”
“Nah,” he says, sliding his phone into his pocket. “Hot date?”
“More like moving my girlfriend two and a half hours away,” I grumble and stand, heading for my shoes.
“So there is a problem, then,” he says, following me. “She must not be that into you if she’s moving that far,” he snickers.
“Fuck off,” I growl, fisting my hands at my sides.
D’ Angeli men are known for their temper and my entire life I’ve felt like the exception to that rule. Right now, though, I want to punch the pretty off his pretty boy face.
“That serious, huh?” He lifts an eyebrow. “You’ve never been that serious about a chick before. She fuck good? Maybe I should take her for a ride.”
I don’t think. I swing. Hard. Knocking my brother against the wall with a jab to his jaw he didn’t see coming.
“Fuck, man,” he whines, kicking me as I step over him.
“Don’t fucking talk about her,” I growl, pulling on my shoes and heading for the front door. I gotta get out of here. I need to get to Ten.
The drive to her place is short compared to the distance we’re about to put between us. I shouldn’t be this upset about it. We’ve only known each other a little over a month. We’ve been dating for a little less than that. I shouldn’t be this addicted, but I am and it’s not good. It’s distracting, but I don’t want it to stop.
When I park at her apartment the moving van is already closed tight. We spent the last three days loading that thing and it’s finally time to drive it to her new place. Two hours away from here.
God, the way I’m thinking one would think she was moving across the country. It’s not the fucking end of the world, Nico.
Before I can knock on the door, she swings it open and practically jumps on me, wrapping her limbs around my body and slamming her lips to mine.
I chuckle, but briefly pull myself together because this may be the last time in a long time I get to do this.
I grip her ass and carry her inside her place, slamming the door behind us.
“I’m going to miss this ass,” I whisper on her lips.
“Yeah?” she breathes heavy and I slam her against the door.
“Reagan?” I hear a man’s voice and freeze, pulling away and seeing the smirk on her face as I narrow my eyes.
“In here!” she yells, biting her lip. She mouths ‘my brother’ and I move so fast to disconnect with her she almost falls into a heap of laughter on the floor.
I try to blink away the lust and shove down the feelings of disappointment that I won’t get one more fuck before she moves. When the man who belongs to the voice rounds the corner I do a double take.
“Lincoln,” Reagan says, nodding to the man who could easily be her twin. “This is Nico. Nico, my oldest brother, Lincoln.”
He gives me a once over and nods at me from across the room.
“Sup, man?” His eyes fly to her, then back to me and I see the questioning gaze he’s got.
“Not much. Good to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” I shove my hands awkwardly into my pockets and smile at Reagan. “You about ready to hit the road?”
“Yeah,” she sighs, looking around her almost bare place. “Just a couple boxes for the truck and we’re good to go.”
“I’m going to head around the corner for some coffee and breakfast. Nico, want anything?” Lincoln asks, tossing a hat on and grabbing his phone off the counter. It’s uncanny how much they look alike.
“Um, no,” I stutter. “Thanks, though.” I watch him leave and when the door closes I look over at Reagan who’s in a fit of giggles.
“You dropped me!” she says.
“He could be your twin, Ten. Fuck, you guys have good genes,” I say, walking over and wrapping my arms around her.
“He’s old. Don’t let the body fool you. That head is full of grey hairs.” She hugs me tighter. “Hey Nico?” she whispers.
“Yeah, Ten?” I say, resting my chin on her head as she tucks herself into me.
“We’re going to be okay, right?”
“Absolutely, Ten,” I whisper. “Always.”
“Sorry I didn’t tell you about my brother being her. He surprised me early this morning after he took the train to get up here so he could help drive the truck home. Ford’s pissed because Lincoln didn’t tell him he was doing it and I guess he wanted to come up. It’s a hot damn mess. One of us has to stay at the West House, so Ford was forced to stay home. He’s a little jealous right now.”
I force out a chuckle. The only one who’s jealous is me. Because in a few hours, she’ll be spending every day with her closest family and friends and soon enough I’ll be a distant memory.
Fuck.
“It’s ok. I completely get it.” I pull back slightly and press my lips to her forehead. I want to ask her not to go. I want to tell her I’ll help her find a better job if she stays, but that’s not fair. She needs her family. Maybe if I had a better family life growing up I’d need the same thing, but I don’t know what it’s like to need someone like that.
Other than Ten. Ten’s the only person I’ve ever felt this connected to. And even she’s leaving me.
“So my brother’s going to drive the U-Haul and pull my car behind it. I thought you and I could take your car and the final few boxes with us?” She grins up at me. “If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. But the driver gets to pick the radio station.” I smile, wiggling my eyebrows. She rolls her eyes and chuckles, pushing away from me.
“Fine. I’m sure you have great taste in music.”
“Oh, you just wait.” I crack my knuckles and start to wander around her apartment. It’s bare. I mean, it was never really cluttered, but seeing it this bare aches. It’s amazing how quickly I became accustomed to her and all her quirks. Like the way she squeezes the toothpaste from the middle of the tube instead of the end. Or how she leaves her clothes all over the floor and it never bothered me. Even the way she put the dishes in the dishwasher wrong. In a month she’s changed me.
In a month, I’ve fallen harder for the girl than I ever thought I would.
She’s my Ten.
Lincoln walks into the apartment moments later with food and coffee in hand. He sets it all on the counter then glances at me and asks Reagan to help him with something that shifted in the truck.
She slides on her sandals and heads out, clicking the door shut behind him. As I stand there, I notice his phone exploding on the counter and, because I’m nosy as fuck, I walk over to glance at the screen.
Ford: Be nice to him, dude. She really likes him. This one’s different than the others, bro. I’m telling ya. You haven’t seen it.
I grin and step away, glancing at the door when it cracks open again. Reagan smiles over at me and Lincoln makes a beeline for where I’m standing.
“You hurt her, you may as well leave this part of the country.”
“Fuck, Linc,” Reagan blurts behind him. “You said you’d be nice!”
“That is nice!” he bo
asts. “You’re my little sister and you’re not the best at the whole relationship thing. Whatever this is,” he says, waving his arms between us. “Is fine, I guess. But Nico, if you fuck her up, we’ll fuck you up ten times worse.”
I chuckle.
“I appreciate your loyalty to your sister, Lincoln.” I shake his outstretched hand. “I promise not to fuck her up.”
Reagan rolls her eyes and I grin at her. “Not in a bad way, at least.”
“Gross,” Lincoln mutters, heading for his coffee and checking the message on his phone. He grins and nods, sliding it into his pocket. “You two ready for this?”
“Let’s do it,” she says, unable to tame the excitement written on her face.
It takes us two and a half hours, one pee break, and some of the worst music I could stand to listen to, but we made it.
Parked out front of the three story apartment building in the middle of Springfield, she’s staring at it with wide eyes and I can’t peel my eyes off her. This girl wears her heart on her sleeve.
“You ready to get into your new place?” I ask. She turns to look at me and her eyebrows push together.
“Yeah,” she whispers, reaching across the car and tracing her fingers down my jawline. “Thank you,” she whispers.
“For what?” I rest my hand on top of hers and press my lips to her fingertips.
“Making me see it was okay for me to come home. For supporting me. For getting me out of that fucking bar,” she ends with a laugh.
“You did all that on your own, Ten. I’m just here to watch.” I pull her to me and press my lips to hers. “And to touch,” I mutter on her lips.
She giggles and pulls back before opening the car door when her brother pulls in behind us in the U-Haul.
“Hey!” I hear someone yell and glance across the parking lot to Ford and a girl walking towards us. “The princess returns!” he wraps Reagan in a hug and laughs. “Holy shit,” he says, the smile on his face contagious.
“I’m Mackenzie. His better half,” the girl Ford walked up with says, holding her hand out to me.