Forbidden Love (Needle's Kiss Book 3)

by Lola Stark

  “Where the fuck do you think I learned how?” I responded in kind. I wasn’t backing down this time. Shit needed to be done. “She’s different.” My voice low and menacing, he turned around and charged at me again.

  “I know. She’s my little sister!” He tried to slam his shoulder into my stomach, but missed when I pushed him backward.

  “No, she was different, Trip,” I said in a slow precise tone.

  He stopped and pulled his hands up to his hips, breathing hard. “I’m listening.”

  “She wasn’t just a conquest for me, Trip. She’s Haven. That girl is fucking special. To all of us. I wasn’t out to hurt her.” I was as uncomfortable as hell; feelings between guys just wasn’t a thing we did.

  “Well, you should have known not to go near her. Not ever, dude. She was always going to be off limits.” Trip could be a dick and make a hell of a display by being just that, but when it came to family, he was fiercely loyal. If I couldn’t be around all the time to protect Haven, she couldn’t have had better than her two brothers.

  “I’m not going near her again. It fucking hurts, but I’ll stay away because I know I’ll never be anything close to what she deserves. And I hate that there’s a damn rift between everyone. I need it sorted out for her, for you, and for my boys.” I told him truthfully, taking a shuddering breath as I laid it all out for him.

  “When the boys’ mom left us, I had nowhere to turn but to my family. I suddenly found myself the single father of two boys with nobody to help me. Except you guys. I’ve loved you since we were kids, Trip. The whole family. I had no way of knowing that what I felt for Haven would change, but hear this: I love that girl with every piece of whatever I have left. But I love you and Mace, too. You two dickwads are the only thing on this planet who could force me to turn my back on her. It broke her heart, Trip. Hell, it’s still breaking. I don’t want that for her, but what we have, our family, is more important. So I’ll stay gone. You have my word that Haven is off limits.”

  “You can’t talk your way out of this, Jude.” Trip’s tone was harsh, but I saw the fight had gone out of him. “You’re right about one thing though. We’re family. For no reason other than your boys, we’ll make this right. They deserve that much. But you’ve still gotta talk to Mace, and I sure as shit don’t envy you for that.” He held the door open for me, grabbing my elbow just long enough to get in a final demand. “And seriously, keep your hands off my sister.”

  “I hear you.” I clapped him on the back and walked in the back door hoping I’d miss Haven as I headed through, but to no avail.

  I only made it halfway through the parlor when I heard her laugh. It was a laugh that had very nearly brought me to my knees time and time again. Today was no different; except this time, it hurt just a bit. I was miserable and she was able to laugh; she still had joy. It was a double-edged sword. I wanted her to be happy, but at the same time, it pained me that it was without me.

  I stopped moving when I reached the half wall that sectioned off the waiting room from the back area. What I saw was like a punch to the balls.

  The cocky country boy from the garage was back… and he was flirting with my gir— I cut that thought process off. She wasn’t my girl, but anyway I looked at it, she wasn’t gonna be his either. The jackass leaned on the glass display cabinet beaming a cheesy-ass megawatt smile at Haven.

  I grabbed Trip by the arm before he could walk out there and pricked my ears up to hear what they were talking about.

  “That’s really pretty on you,” Cowboy said, pointing to the necklace Haven was playing with around her neck.

  “Oh, this is just an old piece of junk, really. It’s kinda pretty though, I suppose,” she answered on a short giggle. She was fucking giggling. This guy was pulling out the cheesiest damn lines and she was eating up the attention.

  “I think you and your pretty necklace should come to dinner with me.” He leaned forward and brushed his fingers over the necklace that sat just between the swell of her breasts.

  Over my dead body!

  Before I could say a word, Trip stormed past me and interrupted their little flirt fest.

  “You’re needed out the back, Haven,” he said tensely, glaring at the cowboy.

  “I’m a little busy here, Trip. It’ll have to wait a minute,” she replied, not even looking at him but still smiling at the jackass who wasn’t getting the memo.

  “Company policy. We don’t date customers,” he ground through his teeth.

  “Or douche bags,” I muttered, earning myself a frigid glare from Haven.

  “It’s also company policy not to knock up your coworkers. No offence to Teeny but don’t be a jackass. I can ‘date’ anyone I please.

  Did she just fuckin’ air quote?

  “Like hell.” Trip was in such a mood, it wasn’t smart for anyone to poke the cranky beast, but she was Haven, and that was what Haven liked to do.

  “Dylan, I’d love to go to dinner with you. “ She smiled brightly at the moron. “How’s tomorrow night at eight?” Trip fumed beside her while I ground my teeth and Teeny sat on the sofa watching on like there was a blockbuster movie playing out.

  “It’s a date, darlin’,” Dylan drawled, handing her one of the same business cards he’d given me earlier in the day. “Call me later.” With that, he turned around and slithered out the door like a snake.

  Trip chose that moment to blow his top, yelling like his daughter had just told him she wasn’t a virgin anymore.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Are you kidding me?” Trip’s voice bounced off the walls, sounding furious.

  The front door swung open and in walked Mace followed by Scarlett. Scarlett looked around and strolled over to take a seat beside Teeny while Mace stood statue, still staring through me.

  “What the fuck is going on here?” he boomed.

  The entire room went silent. This was a position I didn’t want to be in. The middle of World War Three.

  “I was just leaving. Trip will fill you in, but I’ll be by later. We need to talk.” I started toward the door, feigning strength because I knew Mace could very well lay my ass out on the lobby floor.

  “Damn straight you were just leaving. Don’t let me see your sorry ass in here again.” Mace’s arms crossed his chest and he moved to the side so I could pass. His shoulder knocked mine as I pushed through the door.

  Maybe this wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought.

  Haven

  “Dammit!” I cursed, reaching for another cotton ball. I flicked my eyes over to the clock on the wall 7.40 pm. I was going to be late for my date with Dylan if I didn’t get my backside moving. I’d messed my eyeliner up three times already. Releasing a long, steady breath, I tried to stop my hand from shaking. I told myself it was nerves and not another attack. I had been doing fairly well not having problems with that for a little while. I decided it was definitely nerves. Why the hell was I so nervous all of a sudden? I felt like I was doing something wrong. I sighed in frustration. I knew I was doing something wrong. I was going out with another man to spite the one I was in love with. I should have canceled, call Dylan and tell him I couldn’t go, but then I remembered the way Jude had passed right over me. He gave up. He was a coward who’d all but told me I wasn’t worth the hassle of standing up to my brothers.

  Screw Jude and his bullshit!

  I slammed the eyeliner pencil down on my bathroom vanity and stormed toward the front door, snatching up my black clutch as I went. Shoving my keys into my bag after I locked my door, I made quick work of the dimly lit stairwell that led down to the lobby from my fourth-floor apartment. It wasn’t anything fancy but it was a clean place to rest my head at night.

  Lucky for me, the bar I was meeting Dylan at was right across the road from my apartment. I breezed inside and stopped at the bar. I’d not even finished ordering my drink when I felt a warm body close behind mine. I turned my head slightly to find a well-dressed cowboy in jeans, a nice button-up shirt w
ith his sleeves rolled midway up his forearms, topped off with a beaming smile that showed off his stark white teeth.

  He lifted his black Stetson. “Evenin’, pretty lady.”

  The way his words rolled off his tongue had my nerves settle some. He was definitely charming and that charm would make it so much easier to forget about everything else and just enjoy his company.

  “Well, hi again.” I smiled. “Twice in one day makes me a lucky girl.”

  “Pretty certain I’m the lucky one here, sugar.” He placed one hand on my lower back and maneuvered in to lean over the bar, ordering a beer for himself just as my Long Island Iced Tea slid in front of me.

  “This is a pretty small town. I’ve never seen you before. Where have you been hiding?” I asked him curiously he seemed somewhat reluctant to answer, but I just put that down to being shy, so pressed on.

  ” So, tell me about yourself. What brings you to town. No offense, but you kinda stick out like a sore thumb.” I peered at Dylan through my lashes, shyness a new feeling I wasn’t used to My hand absently curled my hair behind my ear.

  He chuckled. “Am I that obvious? Here I thought I fit in pretty darn well.”

  He took a swig of his beer, and watched me as I in turn sucked my drink dry.

  Whoa, slow down, Haven.

  “Yeah, you fit in just fine.” I smiled. “Everyone wears cowboy hats, big buckles, and boots.” I stirred my straw, clinking the ice cubes around in the glass.

  My smile broadened. “I like it though. You’re refreshing, and I like the hat.”

  He flashed his perfect pearly whites, pretending to tip the hat that wasn’t even on his head.

  Such a gentleman.

  “Well, I’m looking to start fresh. This place seems as good as any. And you, sugar, are a like a tall glass of water. Do you even realize how beautiful you are?” His voice lowered and his eyes darkened.

  I felt heat creep into my cheeks. Was I blushing?

  Nah, it was the tea. Gotta be the tea.

  “Way to change the subject, handsome.” A warm flutter appeared in my belly. Damn, I was flirting.

  Jude doesn’t want you. No harm, no foul.

  My stomach knotted and I looked at my empty glass, fretting whether I should lie my ass off and brush over my situation, or just be honest with him. Dylan mimicked me and took a swig of his beer, then stole the choice out of my hands.

  “The guy at the shop? He an ex or something?” he asked, picking at the label of his beer absentmindedly.

  “Oh, no. that big brute was my brother, Trip. He’s not so keen on my seeing people, the protective brother thing. I’m really sorry he tried to intimidate you,” I apologized, leaning over and placing my hand on his arm.

  Dylan smiled and pressed for more information. “The other one who was looking at you like you were his. He wasn’t your brother.”

  “Umm, well. No. I… it’s hard to explain.” I stumbled over my words unsure how to tell him about Jude.

  “I got time, sugar. I’m not in a hurry to be going anywhere. “Dylan looked over my shoulder and brought his head closer to my ear. As he spoke quietly, his hot breath brushed over my neck and sent a pleasant warmth though me. “There’s a table over there. Care to sit?”

  We made our way to the vacant seat, and without a thought, Dylan pulled my chair out, waited until I was sitting, and pushed it in. A sweet gesture I’d never encountered before. The boys I knew were rough and possessive, hot and heavy. Dylan was sweet, thoughtful and quite gentlemanly. I had to admit, it was different, and not in a bad way.

  He signaled the waitress for another round. “Are you hungry?” He winked, insinuating it could’ve been more than just food on his mind.

  “Actually, yes. They have some great small plates here. And their burgers aren’t half bad either.”

  Damn, he’d distracted me again.

  I didn’t know if I should be put off by the fact that we’d been sitting together just bullshitting for almost twenty minutes, and he had yet to even tell me the name of the town he was from.

  Pushing my insecurities that all men were scum aside, I tried a different approach. “Okay, let’s play a game.” I held up my hand this time, letting the bartender know I wanted a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses.

  “For every question asked, you have to answer truthfully. No matter how simple or complex. If you don’t answer, you take a shot.” I flashed him my sweetest smile and sat back in my chair.

  A shadowed look passed over Dylan’s features before his eyes crinkled and his lips widened into a devilish grin. “All right, honey, game on. But know this, I can hold my liquor and I have nothing to hide.”

  My expression matched his.

  “You have no idea what you just signed on for, cowboy.”

  The waitress set everything on the table, pausing to check out the sexy man sitting across from me.

  “Hey, can we get two cheeseburgers, medium rare with fries?” I interrupted her stare-fest and shot a wink back at Dylan. “Hope you’re not a vegetarian.”

  The laughter that burst from his chest was deep. Like a warm blanket wrapped around me in the dead of winter, I leaned into the sound.

  “Oh, darlin’, you don’t live in Texas and survive without eating meat.” His voice full of humor, his eyes danced with amusement at my half-assed attempt to keep the attention off him from Miss Doe-Eyes.

  He may be a rebound, but I still didn’t share.

  Dylan poured two shots after the waitress disappeared and pushed one closer to me. “Ladies first.”

  I looked into his hazel eyes, my mind turning over what to ask first. Simple. Start small. He may not have anything to hide, but I did. “Okay, how old are you?”

  “29. That was too easy. Maybe I should be worried.” He still hadn’t lost that gleam in his eyes. It made me… I paused on the thought. I had no idea what it made me.

  “How old are you?” he mimicked, teasingly.

  “Old enough” I smirked at him. “Didn’t your mamma ever tell you it’s rude to ask a woman’s age?” I smiled and leaned forward a little, giving him a teasing view of my cleavage. Shit. That Long Island Iced Tea was a little stronger than I thought. Too much, Haven, too fucking much.

  I grabbed my shot and threw it back. I hoped it would get the point across that I wasn’t planning to elaborate.

  “Next question. What do you do?” I poured more tequila into my glass, filling it to the brim.

  “Well, I’m in construction. I build fences, pools and patios. It’s nothing crazy but it’s honest work and the pay is good.” He almost seemed bashful when he told me about his job, his hair sticking up where he had just ran his fingers through it.

  Was he nervous?

  “I guess I need to think of something better to ask you. I already know where you work.” His smile was back, like he had just thought of the million-dollar question. My eyes scanned his features. My mind raced as I skittered through possible answers I was willing to give.

  Damn. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

  “Do you have any other siblings? I mean, I met the one guy. Trip? Any others?”

  My hand rested around the base of the shot glass, prepared to shoot the liquor swirling around inside.

  Easy one, yes.

  I leaned back and looked at his curious expression.

  “I have two big brothers, Trip, whom you’ve met, and Mace. His wife, Scarlett, owns the tattoo parlor you were in today. I also have an older sister Milla. She moved away a little while ago.” I thought about elaborating a little more. Family was a safe subject… mostly. “Mace is the oldest, then Trip, then Milla, and I’m the youngest. It’s difficult for them to let go when it comes to me.” I grinned. “I think they forget I’m not seven anymore.”

  His eyes sparkled at my words. “It’s quite all right. I’m sure I’d be the same way with my baby sister if some out-of-towner came strolling in from God knows where and hit on her. You weren’t too hard on them,
huh?”

  I giggled at his question.

  Oh, my God, I’m fucking giggling.

  “I’m nothing but hard on them. It still doesn’t change them being meat-headed assholes and keep them from butting into my life.” I sighed. “But that’s for another night. I don’t want to talk about my overbearing older brothers.”

  I placed my elbows on the table and clasped my hands under my chin. “You have any siblings? What about your parents?”

  He mirrored my position. “Only child.” His eyes skated left and back to mine. “Mom and Dad are happily married for forty-five years. Good ol’ Country boy from Texas.”

  “So what brings you here?” I added.

  “I was passing through when I had to stop and have my truck looked at for new tires. I just happened to be lucky enough to see you that day. After that, I decided since I had nowhere else to be right now, I’d stick around.” His answer evoked a tingling in my body; one I hadn’t felt in quite some time.

  “Sweet talker. I bet you say that to all the girls.” My tone light and completely out of character for me.

  He looked almost sheepish. “Nah, I’m not typically that forward. There’s just something about you, Haven. I saw your face that day and it was an expression I have seen in my own mirror a few times.” His hands went through his hair again. “It made me want to meet the woman behind the mask. And don’t even act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. That guy—you know the one who thinks he owns you?—I’m willing to bet my right arm he has something to do with it.”

  Fuck, he’s observant. I foolishly thought I had the upper hand. I shifted in my seat uncomfortably and hoped he dropped it—or at least our food would arrive. Too many more shots and I was done for.

  “Yeah, well, we aren’t anything, and I’m here with you.” I plastered on a smile. Sitting up a little straighter, I reached across the table to rest my hand on his. “Okay, so we’ve established you are pretty much perfect,” I said on a smirk. “You drive a badass truck, you wear boots and a cowboy hat, and you stuck around just to get to know little ol’ me. Well, cowboy, I’d say you are just what I’ve been looking for.” His eyes widen with surprise and he turns his palm up to interlace his fingers with mine.