“Yeah,” he said, unblinking and direct. “I do.”
She took a very long drink of beer before sitting up all the way, putting enough distance between her and Cody that she didn’t feel her skin humming. “All right, what do you want to know?”
“Tell me one hobby of yours.”
“Hobby? People have those still?”
“Are you trying to dance around my question?”
She sighed softly. “Okay, okay. Yes, I have hobbies. I don’t usually have much time to enjoy them, but from time to time I do have fun.”
“Beauty salon stops don’t count.”
“Fat lot you know,” she snipped. “There is something very soothing about having your hair and nails professionally done. But those were not the vices to which I was referring. I, as you know, enjoy vegging out with horror movies and playing cards with my little brother. I also enjoy a nice cozy mystery novel when I have a few hours to spare, and a good long drive.”
“A drive?”
She motioned in the general direction of her car. “What, did you think the car was just a prop? There is a reason I spent half my income one year on that beauty.”
“All right, so you like horror movies and fast cars, and you wanted a big family.”
She nodded, finishing off her sandwich and waving the now empty plate at him. “That’s me. So, what about you? Why the MasterChef routine?”
He reached up and ran his fingers through his hair. His muscles made a tantalizing play of the simple act. “My mother has… issues. The kind she needs medication for. She doesn’t like taking it, and when she doesn’t… well. Shit happens. She locks herself up in the bedroom or the bathroom for a couple of days and cries about everything. My sisters and I would split up all the chores when it happened. I ended up with kitchen duty.”
“I’m sorry about your mom.” She meant it. Having a dramatic mother who couldn’t handle anyone else getting attention was one thing. Donna could only assume that having a mom with a legitimate debilitation was something entirely different.
He nodded. “It happens. She lives with my sister Roberta and her husband now. Roberta is a nurse and makes sure she gets the care she needs.”
“That’s good.”
“It is.” He stood up suddenly. “So, tell me something, Ms. Mason… why are you here?”
“What?”
“This morning you made it pretty clear that you didn’t want me around, at least not personally. Yet there you were, not eight hours later, crying in my arms. So, what’s up?”
She perched her arm on the back on his couch and palmed her cheek. “God, I nearly forgot why I came here. It was Kyle.”
His brows drew together. “Kyle? What happened with him?”
Donna opened her mouth to tell him, but the words wouldn’t come to her mouth. This was the moment she had been waiting for. This was the very thing that had her driving over here at the speed of fury. So why didn’t she want to say it? Kyle’s blackmailing antics was something that he needed to know, deserved to know, but the words got caught somewhere between her brain and her mouth.
“He’s… fine,” she lied. She didn’t want to tell him and she wasn’t entirely sure why. Would he be angry about the pictures? Would he laugh about it? Would it put some kind of rift between Cody and Kyle? Didn’t she want there to be a rift? No, she decided, she didn’t. She didn’t like the idea of Cody being mad at Kyle. It didn’t matter. He had the right to know what was going on, didn’t he?
“At least he’s physically fine,” she finally went on. “I just think that we may need to be a little more involved. He wants to go to this concert and—”
Her phone rang, the loud blast of classical music wafting up from her pocket and signaling an unknown number. She frowned and fumbled for her phone. It was a local number. She knitted her brows and swept her finger to answer the call.
“Hello?”
“Is this Donna Mason?” The voice on the other end of the line was mature, professional, and feminine.
“Yes,” she answered, “who is this?”
“I’m sorry to bother you. My name is Penelope Ramirez. I’m the principal at Carson High School. According to our files, you are currently Kyle Mason’s custodian?”
Donna felt her heart racing in her chest. A million possibilities ran through her mind. Was Kyle hurt? Had something happened at school? “Yes. That’s me. I mean, I’m his sister, but I’m looking after him. Has something happened?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. Kyle never came in to school today.”
Donna barely took part in the rest of the conversation. Yes, she knew that part of the agreement for bail was that he attend school. Yes, she knew that she could be held accountable for this lapse in attendance. No, this would not be happening again. For a moment, everything she had been feeling before walking inside threatened to overwhelm her again.
She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She glanced up and found Cody looking at her. She wasn’t sure what she expected to find in that look, but she found surprising support. His mouth was set in a confident line, and his fingers squeezed ever so lightly, as if to remind her that she wasn’t dealing with this alone. Donna found a small amount of tension ease out of her shoulders.
“Ma’am.” Donna tried her best to sound as calm and professional as the flurry of emotions currently running through her body would allow. “Recently Kyle has been talking about a girl named Becky. I am not sure if…”
“Rebecca Pierce,” the principal answered when Donna trailed off. “I am aware of their relationship.”
“You wouldn’t be able to tell me if she was in school today, would you?”
“Not without written permission of a parent or guardian, no. Otherwise I can only talk to you about Kyle.”
Donna rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration. She understood that there were rules for a reason, but they didn’t help her find her little brother or discern what he was up to.
“I understand.”
There was a slight pause and a soft sigh on the other side of the line. “That being said, I can say that Kyle, until this last year, has been a model student. His grades were near the top of his class, and his attendance was exemplary. According to his record, all of his teachers enjoyed having him in their classes, and he was involved in several after-school activities. I would have called him one of our best.”
Donna hadn’t known any of that. How much had distancing herself from this city and everything about it alienated her from her little brother? The answer was “too much.” Donna shook her head, knowing that the woman couldn’t see it.
“And did your school have an influx of new students this year?”
“As a matter of fact, we did. We don’t get many people moving into Carson. Here’s the thing, Ms. Mason, unless you can say that you are aware of Kyle’s absence and the reason for him being out was excusable, then I have to say that I’ll be informing the sheriff.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Donna responded, going cold. “Kyle and I are attending a family function today. I realize that school is important, but this recent issue has brought to light that a family support structure might be helpful.”
“Of course.”
It was a nice lie, and both of the women knew it. They also knew that Kyle was, deep down, a good kid. Recent decisions were the exception to his life, not the rule. He deserved a chance, and both of them wanted to give it. Kyle was surprisingly lucky. They exchanged a few more pleasantries before saying good-bye.
When Donna hung up the phone, she felt numb. No, she realized after taking a deep breath, she was angry. It felt like fire was rolling inside of her lungs. Her hands were trembling as she set her phone aside.
“Where is he?” Cody’s voice was surprisingly gentle.
“I-I… don’t… know,” she said, levering herself off the sofa. Her feet made a quick tattoo across the ground as she started to pace. He could be anywhere. “You know this place better than I do now. Where woul
d he go?”
“If he were at the shop, my uncle or Twitch would have called me. If he was at the club, then Hulk would have let me know.”
“What about where we found him before? Where he was tagging?”
He shook his head. “That might be fine for late night, but that stretch of road is pretty busy during the day.”
She cursed. When that didn’t make her feel any better, she cursed louder. It didn’t help any more the second time than it had the first. Donna hated this. It wasn’t just she’d didn’t know where her brother was, or who he was with, though there was certainly that. It was also the fact that he was giving up his entire life to skip school. And for what? Some girl?
“This is ridiculous.”
She felt a hand against her cheek. It was as tender as it was callused, and it sent a shiver down her spine. Donna paused in her stomping to turn and face Cody.
“What do you need?” he asked.
It was a simple question, but a loaded one. What did she need? She needed to get back to her simple life where the most difficult thing to do was manage a difficult client. She needed a long shower and a bottle of wine. She needed her brother to not be traveling in the footsteps that she had left behind. More than anything, she had to admit, she needed Cody.
“I want to go for a drive.”
Chapter Thirteen
Cody
Cody hit the Cancel button on his phone when it went straight to Kyle’s voice mail for the sixth time in a row. Continuing to call wasn’t helping anyone, least of all Donna. He felt the smooth shudder beneath his body as she hit a hundred and twenty. They’d been driving for at least an hour, and the sun was hanging high in the sky. Even with the windows open and the AC going full blast, he was slick with sweat.
She, however, looked like some kind of modern warrior goddess. The wind from the open windows tore her hair free of the ponytail she had tossed it into, turning the locks into living flames around her flushed face. Her hands, dainty and delicate, gripped the stick shift with confidence. There was a twitch of muscle in her arm as she shifted gears again, slowing as she took a turn on a road he could barely see.
“You wanna talk about it?”
“No.” She kept her eyes forward. Her cupid’s bow mouth had formed into a grim line. It suited the dark jeans and darker shirt that were plastered to that curvaceous body.
“He’ll show up, Donna.”
“Yeah,” she said. She didn’t sound convinced. She sounded angry, and he couldn’t blame her. His warrior woman was the kind who liked complete control over a situation, and right now she didn’t have it. “He wants to go to some concert tomorrow, and I told him no.”
He resisted the urge to smirk. “You think he’s pissed at you, so he took off?”
“I wouldn’t know, would I?” she demanded. “I mean, here I am, back after too many years away and demanding him to live up to standards my parents haven’t imposed.”
“Imposing rules on a teenager doesn’t always help things. Kyle’s a good kid.”
“Good kids don’t go joyriding and skipping school and… who knows what else!” She didn’t take her eyes off the road, but he could see her neck go taught, forming a straight line of porcelain white. If she’d been a softer woman, a more delicate one, she might have looked like a doll. He didn’t think she’d appreciate the sentiment, especially not right now.
“Can’t imagine where he gets the need for speed from.”
She downshifted and took a turn hard enough to slam him against the window. He reached up to grab the little handle above the door as the car came to a screeching halt. Dust swam around the car in a cloud of red-brown. When he looked at her she was breathing hard.
“Are you blaming me?”
“No.”
She slapped the release button for the seat belt, and it skimmed across her chest. It caught for just a moment against the curve of one breast. The moment she was free, she slithered over the center console and into his lap. Her hands planted against his chest, holding him against the sun-warmed leather as she stared down at him with stormy eyes.
“It isn’t my fault,” she snarled.
He gave a short nod. “I’m not arguing.”
Something warred inside her eyes, something hot and wild. Her pretty nails dug into his chest, pricking against the fabric, clenching and unclenching like a cat making bread. Her body settled more firmly in his lap, pushing against him. He felt the firm press of her cleft through her jeans. His shaft hardened in response to the weight of her buttocks against his lap. God, she was soft. How was a hard-as-nails woman like Donna so goddamned soft?
“I… I need,” she growled, dipping her head to run her teeth over the curve of his ear.
“Go ahead,” he answered, settling himself against the seat. “Take.”
Her mouth plastered against his. It was like a fire had been trapped in her lips and she wanted to brand him with it. He drank down the heat and lifted his hips up to her, grinding himself against the jeans that she had poured herself into. She thrusts herself back hard enough to drive him against the seat.
“Let me,” she panted against his lips, pushing at his chest until he stopped moving. “Just… let me.”
“All right.”
Cody had no problem with a woman who wanted to be in charge. Sure, he knew some of the guys might give him all kinds of flak for it. But right now, with this gorgeous woman straddling his hips and kissing her way down his neck? He couldn’t bring himself to give a damn. There was nothing quite like a woman making demands on his body. Why wonder if he was pleasing his woman when she’d just tell him?
Was she his? He wondered as she slunk toward the small space between his legs. The curves of her body fit between his knees. Her mouth danced down his chest and then kissed the button of his own pants as if promising him other things. A thrill spiked through him.
“Oh God,” he breathed.
Her chuckle was lascivious and dark: dark like midnight, dark like wine. She reached beside him and hit a lever, sending him several inches back. His body bounced and he found himself wondering if he ought to stop. Sure, it was hot to have her slinking over him like a cat in heat, but what if she started having second thoughts again? It’s not like she wasn’t having morning-after issues earlier.
“Donna…”
“Shut up.”
Her hands slid over the inside seam of his jeans, pausing only when she found his length. His thoughts came to a screeching halt as she squeezed him. The stroking of her palm was muted through the fabric, but it was enough to take his already building erection and turn it to a rock. She stroked, again and again until he was aching. Just when he thought he might resort to begging, she surged up until her breasts, still clad in her slim top, were pressed between his thighs, pushing against his erection.
“Take off your shirt,” she said, her voice a low purr. “And unzip your pants.”
His lips formed a smile. “So bossy.”
She turned her head until her lips pressed against the bulge in his jeans that marked the tip of his shaft. The wet heat from her mouth slid over him, and he went lax.
“Just do what I tell you, biker boy.”
“Or what?” he teased.
“Or I’ll stop.” The response was flat, matter-of-fact and tinged with promise.
He certainly didn’t want that. Still, he didn’t have to just give in either. He plucked at the fabric of his T-shirt, tugging it up just enough to show the lowest part of his stomach. He watched her storm-gray eyes go dark, and her tongue danced over her lips. “You want me to take this off?”
“Didn’t I just say so?”
He tugged it up another few inches. He liked the way she looked at him. Her lips were parted as if she was just waiting to use them all over his body. Cody was more than willing to let her. There was something glorious about a woman who wanted. Her hands dove over his chest, greedily pushing up the cloth he hadn’t moved yet. She tugged hard until the shirt ended up somewhere
else.
Her mouth slid over his skin like she was starving and he was the buffet. He wondered if there had ever been another who drove him this wild. Her lips danced over his skin, moving up and up until they fastened over his mouth. He kissed her back with fervor, tasting her as much as she tasted him. Her hands gripped his shoulders, and he held on to her hips, tugging her closer to his body.
“Didn’t I tell you to unzip your damn pants?” she growled.
BAD INFLUENCE: A Dark Bad Boy Romance Page 18