Red Hot Alphas: 11 Novels of Sexy, Bad Boy, Alpha Males (Red Hot Boxed Sets Book 2)

by Jo Raven

  “What a way to wake up,” he says, giving me a big grin.

  “I came to talk to you.” I take a seat at the table and watch him with his hat. He finally gets it back on his head and looks at me.

  “What would you like to talk about?”

  I swallow. “About your daughter. I would like to know about her.”

  He studies the floor. “Sara Rose was a good girl.”

  “What was she like?”

  “She was wonderful. Always smiling. Always happy no matter what.” He looks at me, and I see life in his eyes again. “I was always proud of her.”

  “I bet you were.” I sigh. “What happened to her?”

  He looks away. “She got involved with the wrong people and made mistakes. But that didn’t matter to me; she was still my daughter.”

  “What kind of mistakes?”

  He smiles. “Drugs. Crime. You name it; she did it.”

  “Lee, do you have any other kids?” Maybe he has more family.

  “Just my Sara Rose.” And a darkness sweeps over him. He tugs his hat off. “Now, I’m tired. I need to go to sleep.”

  I stand up. “Okay. Thanks for talking with me.”

  “You be good.”

  “I will.”

  When I’m in the hallway, I take out my phone and dial Jackson.

  “Hey,” I say. “Is there any way you can find out information about Sara Rose and Lee for me?”

  I’m pretty sure Jackson can find out whatever he wants.

  “No problem. I’ll see what I can do.”

  And just like that I am one step closer to uncovering this secret. But first there’s one person I want to see.

  Chapter 17

  My mother.

  She’s in the kitchen when I get there.

  I come in the door, and I wait until she notices me standing there.

  “I didn’t even hear you pull up.” She dries her hands on a dish towel and looks me over. “You look pale.”

  I shrug. “I haven’t been feeling all that well lately, Mother.” And it sounds odd saying it now.

  “Do you need to see a doctor?”

  I shake my head letting her fuss with my hair. “No, I’m fine. It’ll pass.”

  “Are you hungry?”

  I shake my head again and sit down. “How was the anniversary?”

  “It was great.” She smiles. “Your father and I were very impressed with the dinner and the decorations. You really went all out this year.”

  I smile back.

  “Ben says Jackson helped out too.”

  “Yeah. He’s been very helpful lately,” I say. “Mom, have you always been in love with my dad?”

  I spot a slight wrinkle in her brows. “Of course. Why do you ask that?”

  “I’m just curious. You never know when you need to know these things.” I tap my fingers on the table. “Maybe one day I’ll fall in love and get married and have two wonderful kids just like you and dad.”

  She nods. “It’s very possible. Is that what you want?”

  This is the psychologist in her coming through, but I go along with it. “Of course that’s what I want. Everyone wants to be happy.”

  “Do you think it’ll be with Ryker?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t know. I couldn’t say. He hasn’t been honest with me and honesty is a big deal. You know that.”

  She nods her head. “Of course I do.”

  It’s hard not blurting it out. But I don’t. I wonder if she even knows that the birth certificate is missing. Or if she thinks it’s still safely put wherever she placed it to begin with.

  “Is there anything the person you love could do to make you not love them?”

  She studies me for a long time. “There’s always room for forgiveness.”

  “Always?”

  She nods. “Of course.”

  “Have you or dad ever done something that warranted forgiveness?”

  Now I can see the crease in her forehead. She sighs. “When we first got together we both made some very silly mistakes.”

  I don’t think an affair that leads to a baby with another woman is silly.

  “We got over them. And we learned to move on and grow.” She looks away. “Your father and I, we have had our obstacles but we always managed to understand and grow.”

  “You’ve never felt betrayed?” I can’t believe this is all there is to my parents’ relationship, considering the newest detail. “You never thought that you would be better off without him ever?”

  “No. I’ve always been in love with your father. No matter what. And I love my family, each and every one of you no matter what.”

  I don’t get it. And I’m afraid I’ll never get it unless I say something to her. But I don’t know what to say.

  “Tell me about the day I was born.” I can’t believe I just said that. “Were you happy?”

  “Extremely.”

  “What about dad?”

  “Of course.”

  I don’t get it. “Is there anything you want to say to me?”

  She searches my eyes. “No, Savy. I don’t know what there would need to be said.”

  “Why did you name me Savy?” I watch her fuss with the buttons of her shirt. “Benjamin is such a common name. And then you name me Savy. And I know you, it’s a strange choice for you.”

  She gets up and starts straightening the table. “It just seemed fitting. I don’t know. I liked the sound of it.”

  I watch her clamber around the kitchen, avoiding me just like she says I always do to her when I don’t want to talk about something. She has to know I see it.

  I touch her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “I love you, Mom.” And I squeeze her tight. “I know sometimes I don’t say it enough, but I do.” She squeezes me back.

  “I love you too, Savy.”

  When she starts scrubbing the sink out, I sneak down the hallway to my parent’s bedroom. I open up the box where Jackson found the birth certificate and slip it back inside. I know her enough to know that she is going to look for it now that I’ve asked things I normally wouldn’t talk about. I put it back, so she doesn’t have to feel what I felt. I’m not sure if I can admit what I know. I’m just not ready to say it.

  And if my mother were willing to tell me, she would have She has no regrets, she doesn’t hate my father. She has never made me feel like an outsider; I can’t understand why anyone would want to ruin their perfect world by exposing the truth that was neatly hidden away.

  It’s not like I totally lost out on something wonderful; I was raised by great people.

  But there is also a chance that there’s more to the part of me I never knew about. I need to know if this strange secret is true. If it is, my question is how could this happen?

  ***

  I sit in a diner with Jackson. He’s holding an envelope, the one that holds answers to a very serious question: Is Sara Rose Gately my mother?

  Jackson sets the envelope down between us. Before I pick it up I take another sip of my coffee. I look at him. “If it was you, would you want to know?”

  He blinks and considers it quietly before giving me an answer. “I think I would. Just for the sake of knowing.”

  “I want you to tell me.” I sit back in my seat and wait for him to do the honors.

  He opens the envelope and starts reading.

  “This says Sarah Rose Gately drowned nineteen years ago.”

  “That would have made me two.” I scratch my head. “What else does it say?”

  Jackson reads silently for several minutes, and then he looks at me. “She had two children. One, a girl, three years older than you.”

  I swallow, waiting for the moment I’m not sure I’m ready for.

  “And you.” He drops the paper down on the table. “It says here that Sara Rose Gately gave birth to one Savy Andrea Arnold. It’s all right here.”

  Jackson slips in the booth next to me when I burst into tears. He puts his arm around me and does his best to
comfort me.

  “Why didn’t they tell me this?” I have so many questions. “How did she drown? Where did it happen?”

  “There’s no record showing you were placed up for adoption. My guy says she drowned out a ways in a lake in the middle of nowhere. He seems to think it used to be an old hangout.”

  “Ryker saw my dad giving someone something years ago. And he never told me.” I wipe my eyes. “I think he was paying someone to keep them quiet. I don’t know.”

  “It would make sense why nobody has made a big deal about you being there one minute and gone the next.” Jackson rubs my back. “Now you have some answers.”

  “Is that all you found out?” I can tell he is holding something back.

  “She had a pretty extensive criminal background. I didn’t think that was anything we needed to discuss.”

  “Of course it is.” I wipe my eyes again. “She was my mother, according to these papers. It all matters. Every bit of it.”

  “Do you think you could get in touch with Ryker?” Jackson smooths his shirt.

  I look at him, not understanding why we need Ryker. “He’s still in town, so yeah I could.”

  “Well, call him and see if he can meet up with us. I have a few questions for him.”

  I shake my head. “Jackson, I don’t want to deal with any more drama.”

  “There’s not going to be any drama. It has nothing to do with you and him. It has to do with the person he saw taking something from your father.”

  I nod. That makes sense. If we can figure out who my father was possibly paying off maybe we could get a little closer to knowing the real story behind my life; why they chose to cover the whole thing up.

  Chapter 18

  Ryker agrees to come. I’m nervous to have the two men, I care the most about in my life, together in the same room. Especially since Ryker and I ended on bad terms the last time I saw him.

  He comes in the diner, red hat on his head, and a black hoodie to hide him from the world.

  I wave him over, and he takes a seat across from us. He rubs at his nose and sighs. “So, what’s going on?”

  I sit forward. “Jackson did some digging and found out some more information.”

  “You mean about how your parents have lied to you your entire life.” He purses his lips. “That was sweet of him. You could have asked me to help.”

  I bite my tongue before I yell at him.

  Jackson cuts in. “That’s why you’re here. I wanted you to look over this picture and tell me if you think this is the guy you saw that day with her father.”

  Before Ryker takes his phone, he extends a hand toward Jackson. “Since Savy hasn’t bothered to introduce the two of us, I’m Ryker. I’m the guy she’s with when she’s not with you.”

  “Do you recognize him?” I ask. There’s more I want to say, but I hold back.

  Ryker takes the phone and looks at the picture. “Yeah. He’s a bit older than I remember, but looks like the same dude.” He hands the phone back.

  I take a look at the picture. It’s Lee. The missing pieces are beginning to fall into place.

  “That helps us out a lot. Thank you.” Jackson slips his phone into his pants pocket.

  I can’t hold it in any longer. “And you can lose the attitude.”

  Ryker scoffs. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware I was the one who had one. You were the one pissed at me for your parents screwing you over.”

  “I was going to apologize,” I sigh. “But now that you're an even bigger jerk, I don’t think I want to anymore.”

  “I’m a jerk?” He gets up. “I guess it doesn’t matter because you have Jackson to come to the rescue right?”

  I slide out of the booth. “At least someone is.”

  “I would have if you’d have asked me to. I’m pissed you didn’t even consider it.” He shakes his head.

  Jackson stands up. “We’re in the middle of the diner. Let’s take this outside.”

  Ryker smirks. “No, I’ve said all I need to say. You can take it from here.”

  I watch him walk away. My feelings are hurt.

  Jackson clears his throat. “I’ll go take care of the check.”

  I nod and watch him head to the register while I gather my things. I go outside to clear my mind. Ryker is still there, and he spots me right away.

  “I didn’t want to see you ever again,” he informs me. He steps closer, keys in hand.

  “Are you really this big of a jerk?” If hurting my feelings is his plan, he’s doing a good job of it.

  “My life is amazing. I didn’t have to worry about anything or anyone. And then I come back to this shithole of a town and there you are.” He raises his chin. “And now I’m coming back here every chance I get because of you, and you don’t even care.”

  “I did care.” I still do. “Why am I not allowed to be hurt?” I don’t get why he can’t just give me that much. I’ve just received some pretty heavy information, and instead of understanding, he wants to cut me even deeper.

  “Because I’m not the reason you’re hurting, Sav. You’re mad at the wrong person. You should be mad at them for ruining your life…again.”

  “They’re my parents. Besides cutting you from my life, they’ve been good to me.” He doesn’t have the right to put them down when he doesn’t even know why any of this happened. “Don’t tell me how I should feel.”

  “I’m not. If I was doing that I would tell you to stop fucking with my head and choose me or your boss. I’ve been nothing but understanding.”

  I cross my arms. “You told me you didn’t want a relationship. You practically pushed me into his arms. You don’t get to feel that way.”

  “Of course, because the only one who can feel is you, and you’re incapable of feeling anything. That’s why you do this.” He looks past me to Jackson.

  I spin around as Jackson pockets his wallet. “Everything alright?”

  I nod my head. “Everything is fine. I just want to get out of here.” I brush past Ryker and head to Jackson’s car. I have nothing more to say to him.

  “I don’t care if you’re upset with me,” he calls after me. “This is what we do; we argue and eventually you get over it.”

  I refuse to look at him. I climb into Jackson’s car and shut the door.

  ***

  It takes a while before I say anything.

  Jackson doesn’t say anything either. He keeps both hands on the wheel and drives.

  He comes to a stop and I finally look over at him. “Can we go back to your place?”

  “Of course.” He puts his blinker on and switches lanes when the light turns green. “We can talk to Lee tomorrow.”

  I nod. I’m not thinking about Lee anymore. I’m thinking about Ryker and Jackson and what I’ve gotten myself into. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “For putting the two of you through this.” I rake a hand through my hair. “What kind of person plays with people’s emotions?” This is awful. I’ve been too selfish to realize what I was doing.

  “I like you, Jackson. A lot.”

  “And I feel the same way about you, Savy.” He guides his car to the next light and stops. His fingers are caressing my cheek. I close my eyes. “He’s angry, and it’s because he cares about you.”

  “And that’s the problem.” I don’t know what I am supposed to do with these feelings. “I care about both of you; in two totally different ways.”

  Jackson’s car hits the driveway to his house, and he opens his garage with the button on his visor. He cuts the lights and undoes his seatbelt. “I said I wanted a chance, and that’s what you’ve given me. I’m not angry with you. I don’t have the right to be, because you’re not mine.”

  I kiss him, moaning against his mouth. When we break apart his eyes hold mine.

  “The moment you say the word I’ll be all those things. Whatever you need me to be.” His kiss is even more passionate. I run my nose against his when we break apart. “Whatever you
want me to be.”

  I know what I want. At this moment, I want him out of his clothes.

  I suck at his bottom lip, my hands in his hair. My lust for him builds.

  Jackson stops me. “Let’s go inside.”

  I hurry behind him and wait while he fumbles with the lock on his door. When we’re inside, he puts me against the wall brushing my lower lip with his. His tongue meets up with mine, and we go to it right there in the entranceway. I fight with the buttons of his shirt, finally freeing his flesh, my fingers crawl across his skin. He leads me backwards down the hall, continuing to kiss me.

  We crash onto the sofa, his lips going for mine again. I explore his mouth, his hair in my grip, ours bodies pressing perfectly against each other. He moves to my neck, teeth grazing my jawline. He runs his lips down my throat, letting out a groan of pleasure.

  “Are we going to do this?” He brushes my hair from my face.

  I’m incapable of speaking, so I nod. He grinds himself between my legs and yanks my jeans until the button and the zipper give in. I help him with his slacks; then he tugs his boxer briefs and slacks down. We move hurriedly like two sex-deprived lovers--this moment being what we’ve been waiting for, for some time now, and we’re not holding back. He pushes inside me at a delicious speed as I move my hands down to his ass and squeeze, begging him to go harder. And he gives me exactly what I want with every thrust of his hips.

  I kiss his neck, teasing his flesh with my tongue. He grows even harder with every lick and kiss. I love that I turn him on; I love the sounds he makes against my ear. He buries his head in my neck I shatter into a million pieces, crying out as I come.

  Jackson finally stops moving, his body falling against mine. His breathing heavy, his body is hot.

  I concentrate on breathing. He smooths my hair and presses kiss after kiss into my forehead, and then on my lips.

  He’s a beautiful man.

  Chapter 19

  I pull into my brother’s driveway. I’ve caught him on his day off, and I prepare myself for our talk.