Raging Heart On: Friends to Lovers Romance (Lucas Brothers Book 2)

by Jordan Marie

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know how important football is to you.”

  “I can’t remember you calling me sweetheart before. I like it.”

  “I’ll make note,” I laugh, enjoying the feel of being in his arms and having him touch me.

  “Do that. And, I’m not going to give up football completely. I have a few offers on the table.”

  “You can’t play again, White. I won’t have you risking your health. It’s not that important. You can find something else you love; it will just take some time to adjust.”

  “I didn’t mean playing, Buttercup. I have a few offers to coach, and I could always go into broadcasting. Lord knows those sports networks could use some colorful analysts that actually know about football.”

  “As long as you’re happy.”

  “I’d be happy if you and I didn’t have to leave this room.”

  “God, me too.”

  “I have one thing to ask of you, Kayla,” White tells me. I do everything I can to still the fear inside of me. This is White. I have nothing to fear with him.

  “What’s that?”

  “Someday, when you’re ready, you’re going to tell me what your stepfather did to you.”

  “White…”

  “I need to know, Buttercup.”

  “It’s not what you’re thinking. He didn’t sexually touch me.”

  “Thank God for that.”

  “It’s… still, I don’t like to think about it or talk about it.”

  “I’ll be here when you are ready.”

  “Maybe we could get—”

  “Fuck, White. You’ll never guess what Luka just found out for us,” Black says bursting through the door, and we both turn to look at him. He’s holding his phone in his hand and when he gets to us, the picture he has pulled up floors me.

  Holy shit.

  CHAPTER 62

  WHITE

  “What the hell is that?”

  “It’s a fake belly,” Black answers, and I jerk my head up.

  “A fake what?”

  “The bitch isn’t even pregnant,” I growl, anger burning bright inside of me.

  “Why?” Kayla cries, getting off my lap. I let her go grudgingly. Having her in my arms was making me feel almost alive again. These past few days have been some of the worst I’ve had in my life. I need her and I don’t even care if that makes me sound like a dumbass. It’s true. “Why would she do that? I don’t understand,” she adds. I stand up to pull her back against me, wrapping her in my arms.

  “Because she’s twisted and completely crazy,” Black says. “Some people you can’t figure out, Kayla. I’ve learned that, if nothing else, in this line of work.” I hear a little whimper of pain leave Kayla, and I squeeze her tighter in reaction, wishing I could comfort her more.

  “Why is she doing this? What could she hope to gain?” Kayla asks, and I run my fingers through her hair. Even as pissed as I am, I have to smile. She doesn’t see things like most people would.

  “Buttercup, don’t you remember when the press announced how much money I got with the new contract I was offered?”

  “What?”

  “Right before I got hurt, remember? The press went wild with how much money I was being offered.”

  “I never pay attention to that crap, White. You know that.”

  “Yeah, sweetheart, I do.” I laugh, reaching around enough to kiss her temple. “But most people do, especially people who are desperate for money.”

  “Desperate?” she asks, confused and studying my face. I see the moment it hits her and I see outrage fill her face. “Rachel? She would do this for money? But why? She has to know you’d find out she’s not really pregnant! Plus, White, she doesn’t need that. I mean, she has money!”

  “Correction: she had money,” says Black.

  “What are you saying?” Kayla and I ask in unison.

  “It seems sister dearest and dear old stepdad have run up quite a debt.”

  “How?”

  “Seems they both have picked up a bad habit of betting.”

  “Betting?”

  “Yeah. Sports, ponies… about anything you can bet on, they do it.”

  “You found all this out in the short time you’ve been gone?”

  “Well, I admit I had my suspicions before. So I’ve been looking into it. I just got confirmation when Luka called.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned…” I say, amazed at all the shit that’s going on and what it boils down to.

  “White, I’m so sorry,” Kayla whispers, turning around to look at me with tears in her eyes.

  “Why are you sorry, Buttercup?”

  “It’s my family doing this to you. I’m so—”

  I put my finger to her mouth and cut her off. “Don’t even think it, Buttercup. You are not responsible for your sister and douchebag stepfather. What they’ve done is on them. That’s it, honey. It’s all on them.”

  “But…”

  “No buts. You cannot take this on.”

  “Damn straight she can’t. The assholes have taken enough from you, Kay. Don’t let them have any more pieces of you,” Black grunts.

  My hand tightens on Kayla’s hair at my brother’s words. I’m not going to lie; it annoys the shit out of me that he knows what went on between Kayla and her stepfather more than I do. I’ll get her to tell me, though. Sadly, it will probably be after I’ve had her family thrown in jail. Hopefully that doesn’t cause us more problems.

  “What are we going to do with them?” she asks, her voice trembling. She looks at me and then Black. I feel nerves flutter in my stomach. Will she be able to accept how I handle this?

  CHAPTER 63

  KAYLA

  “You’re sure about this, Kayla?” Black asks me again for the tenth time.

  I wish he would quit asking. Mostly because every time he does, I question myself. White is standing off to the side, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, and I can feel the anger rolling off of him. He doesn’t want me here, and I understand why, but I insisted. I’m done hiding and I hate feeling weak. I’ve been weak. It was weak to lie to White about the birth control. It was weak to not confront Rachel sooner. It was weak to let memories of my past color the way I live now.

  I don’t want to be that person anymore. White deserves better, our child deserves better… and I deserve better.

  “I’m sure.”

  “What time is Rachel coming again?” White asks.

  I look up at the clock. “She should be here anytime. Do you really think she’ll bring my stepfather?”

  “To get the fifty thousand you promised her? I’m sure of it,” Black says.

  “If Kayla gets hurt, I’m going to kill you, Black,” White growls.

  “We’ll be here the entire time. I swear, Kayla, I won’t let anything happen to you, but if you’re worried, we can call a halt to this. I’ll get them another way.”

  “No. The easiest way to get them and make sure they never bother White again, or any of us, is for me to get them on tape. I can do this,” I reassure him. I look White in the eye so he can see that I mean it. “I can do this.” When he doesn’t respond, I walk over to him. “I’ve got this, sweetheart.”

  “Now you give me the sweet words,” he grumbles, but some of the tension leaves his face.

  “I’ll give you more tonight.”

  “You fell asleep on me last night.”

  “It’s not every day a woman finds out her family is even more twisted than she believed.”

  “They’re not your family. We are.” This comes from Ida Sue, who walks in from the back door.

  “Mom. Now’s not a good time.”

  “You mean because you two lame-brains are putting my Buttercup in danger?”

  “We’re not putting her in danger. I’m not letting her out of my sight,” White growls, pulling me closer. “How the hell did you find out anyway?”

  “I told her,” Black answers surprisingly.

  “What on
Earth for?”

  “Because unlike you, he knows better than to keep secrets from his Momma. I swear, White, I’m starting to wonder where I went wrong with you.”

  “I told her because I wanted to make sure she stayed home and didn’t come at a bad time. She blew a gasket last night when she found out you took Kayla back to her home.”

  “Damn straight I did. What were you thinking, making my baby travel when she had been so sick?”

  “I thought you said the doctor said it was dehydration and you were okay?”

  “He did say I was dehydrated. He also said I was perfectly healthy,” I rush to reassure him, feeling myself blush. I want to tell him what else the doctor said, but now is not the time. I need to take care of this first.

  “Perfectly healthy,” Ida Sue grumbles, and I shoot her a look to tell her to hush. She rolls her eyes at me, but thankfully keeps her mouth shut.

  “I truly am fine. Let’s just get this behind us and then we can concentrate on the two of us.”

  “I do like the sound of that,” White says with a sigh. I lean up to kiss him. Just as we’re about to break apart, the doorbell rings.

  “I guess that means it’s show time,” I tell him and hope I sound happier than I am.

  “Let’s get this over with,” White growls, squeezing my hand. I look back at Black to reassure myself and he winks at me. I can see the stress on his face, though. He’s worried, and Ida Sue’s face mirrors his. It’s time to prove not only to myself, but to everyone I love, that I can handle my stepfather and Rachel. I’m not the scared little girl I used to be and I have my real family here to support me.

  I can do this. I know I can.

  CHAPTER 64

  KAYLA

  I walk to the door, trying to calm my nerves. I nervously straighten the turquoise maxi dress I’m wearing. I catch myself trying to adjust my hair, then clench my hands into fists, trying to clear my face of the anger and anxiety I’m feeling. I open the door, hoping I know what I’m doing. It helps knowing White, Ida Sue, and Black are all in the next room. Black has men out in the parking lot too, because apparently Rachel and my stepfather are so deep into gambling that they have warrants out for them in five states for various charges. I feel a little guilty, but then I remember how I was treated and I remember what they’re trying to do to White. Whatever happens to them, they deserve it. It’s not my problem or responsibility.

  “It’s about time. Where’s the money?” Rachel growls.

  I step back, opening the door wider. “Come on in. I’ve got it. There’s just some things we need to go over.”

  “Hello, Kayla.”

  I look at the monster that is my stepfather. I don’t understand it, but in my memories he seemed bigger, more imposing. Now looking at him, I realize we’re almost the same height. He might be an inch or so taller than me. He’s not covered with muscles or anything that would remotely make him seem imposing. His once-blond hair is more white now and his mustache is way too thick and long to ever be considered normal. It reminds me of those crazy seventies mustaches that look like handlebars. He’s wearing a brown cable-knit sweater and the same type of pants that remind me of a 1970’s nylon and polyester mix. He’s slimy and disgusting for sure, but nothing like the man who has visited my nightmares over the years.

  “Kurt,” I mumble, saying the name I do my best to avoid. I wait for the sick feeling to hit my stomach. It always happens when I hear or say his name. It doesn’t now. Maybe Black is right and I’ve let my past color too much of my future.

  “How did you manage to get your hands on 50K, anyway?”

  “I cashed in my retirement,” I lie.

  “Retirement? What the hell do you do? I always thought you’d end up turning tricks like your mom, but then again, your hips are way too wide.” He laughs snidely, and I turn away from him. There’s a thumping noise from the other room where White and everyone are and I wince.

  “What’s that?” Rachel asks, looking in the direction of my spare room.

  “I have a cat. I locked her in my bedroom and she’s not happy about it.”

  “She sounds like she has a temper,” Rachel says, still staring in the direction of the room.

  “You have no idea,” I sigh, and then to get her attention away from the room that everyone is hiding in, I take the plunge. “Why is your stomach smaller?”

  “I’m dieting,” she says, as if she thinks I’m stupid enough to fall for the fact that her baby bump is completely gone. “I lost weight.”

  “In a span of three days?”

  “Are you paying me or not? I do have things to do.”

  “Paying us,” my stepfather chimes in.

  “Us, whatever. As long as we get enough money to get out of town and regroup,” Rachel growls.

  I pull the folded check out of the pocket on my dress, watching the two people who made my life hell growing up.

  “If I give you this, you promise to leave and stay away from White?”

  “Poor little Kayla. How does it feel knowing you have to pay us off to keep your boyfriend away from your sister? I always told you that no man would ever want you. No one ever did—not even your mother,” Kurt replies, and now there’s that sick feeling in my stomach. It’s not as bad. It’s nothing like when he used to say those things to me and I was nine. It’s nothing like the pain I used to carry as a child wondering why I was never good enough.

  Rachel rips the check out of my hand, reading it. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “In a minute. I’m thinking it might be fun to play with Kayla here a little longer. She’s a little fat for my taste, but I could at least show her what a real man does with a woman.”

  “Gross. She’s your stepdaughter.”

  “There’s no blood kin, and let’s face it, she looks like she could use a good lesson.”

  “If we don’t get out of here, Diego will find us, and I don’t think you want that,” Rachel warns him while I’m still trying to get over the disgust I feel from the look in Kurt’s eyes as he stares at me.

  “Remember, you promised if you got that money, you’d leave White alone,” I tell them again, trying to remember what I needed to get them to admit aloud to help Black.

  “Don’t worry, Kayla. I’ll disappear. It’s not like White’s going to do me a bit of good now that he’s been cut loose from the team. I don’t need another poor broke bastard tied around my neck. I have enough of that with—” Kurt slaps Rachel hard to stop her from talking. His face goes red with fury. The hit landed with such force that it knocks Rachel’s face to the side and immediately a red welt puffs up on her white skin.

  “Watch your mouth! Your damned bet on the Cowboys is what lost us a fuck of a lot of money. I told you not to do it, but you had to prove me wrong and now look at the fucking mess we’re in!”

  “Yeah well, I took care of it, right? Just like I always do,” Rachel hisses back, rubbing her face. “Diego wouldn’t be anywhere near us in the first place if you had kept your dick in your pants and didn’t rape his daughter. He’ll kill you now. I’d just rather not be around when he decides to do it.”

  “Bitch was begging for it. Much like Kayla, here. Remember all those nights I used to lock you down in the basement Kayla? You’d cry for hours and beg for Daddy. I used to love hearing you. How about I show you what Daddy does these days to bad girls?” he says, grabbing my hand.

  Before I realize what he’s doing, he has me slammed up against the wall. He’s so close, I can smell his liquor-soaked breath and another less defined repugnant smell… almost like sweat and musky dirt. I cry out from the pain on my wrist, my body tensing and getting ready to fight. Before I can, however, there’s a loud crash. I close my eyes, thinking Kurt is going to hit me like he did Rachel. It doesn’t happen, even when I hear Rachel’s scream. I open my eyes just in time to see my favorite blue ceramic vase crash down on Kurt’s head. Small pieces of chalk land on my shirt when I look up.

  Ida Sue is standing there wit
h a small ring of what is left of my vase. A clearly unconscious and hopefully-not-dead Kurt is in a heap between us. I look around to see Black is handcuffing Rachel. Then, my eyes find White. He walks the few steps that separate us, stopping only to deliver a hard kick to Kurt’s torso. It’s so powerful it half-lifts the man from the floor. Then he makes it to me, his hands going on either side of my neck with his thumbs meeting at my chin. He pulls my head up to look at him.

  “You’ll never be around them again. They will not touch you again, Kayla. Never,” he growls.

  Then he’s kissing me and all thoughts of Kurt, Rachel, and my past leave me. I’m lost in the man that I love more than life.

  White.

  CHAPTER 65

  KAYLA

  “I can’t believe my mother got to knock that son of a bitch out and I didn’t get my go,” White growls, yanking his shirt over his head and throwing it on the ground.

  “You got to kick him,” I answer with a smile as I snuggle down into the covers. We’re in White’s home. I couldn’t stomach being in mine. I swear even after the paramedics hauled Kurt out on a stretcher and the cops took Rachel, I could still smell them in my house.

  “Not good enough. I should have ground his nuts into the floor with my boot.”

  “Mmm… you’re warm,” I tell him when he gets into the bed from behind me and instantly curls his naked body into mine.

  “God, you feel good,” he moans, kissing my shoulder first before traveling slowly up the valley of my neck. Chills of need run through my body, especially as his hands move around me and cup my breasts. I can feel his erect cock pushing against my ass. I purr out loud, suddenly feeling surrounded by his warm heat and need for me.

  “White,” I gasp as I feel his tongue slide to my ear, curling… teasing. “Please,” I beg and he bites my ear in response.

  “No. You’ve been sick. I’ll take care of you soon.” He kisses my temple and snuggles deeper into me with a sigh like he’s going to go to sleep. Like I’m not going to notice the ten inches of hard steal pressing against my ass.