by S Kline
“She can call you later. I need to talk to my girl.”
He snaps the phone shut again, and drops it onto the floor at his feet. He shifts and begins a slow movement up to me. He looks like a dangerous lion on the prowl. When he is hovering in front of me, not touching but close enough that I can feel his warm breath caress my skin, he whispers over my lips. His icy eyes hold a hint of the rage I can see in his rugged features.
“Why did you move away from me?”
The words floating in my mind catch in my throat. I want to say so many things, but all of them would only make things worse.
“Answer me. Why didn’t you want Marcus to know we are together?”
I feel my eyes widen. Shit. How can I explain this without offending him? “I just wanted to break it to him in person.”
Troy somehow narrows his icy eyes even further in my direction. “Why do you have to explain anything to him?”
“He’s my best friend, Troy.” My eyes plead with him to understand.
“He was your best friend.” Troy’s chews the corner of his bottom lip, looking a little unsure.
“Huh?”
“You said he is your best friend. I was correcting you. Was.”
I shake my head adamantly. “No, fuck you. Marcus is my best friend, and you will have to just get used to that.”
Troy reaches up, gripping my chin in his hand, and forcing our eyes to stay locked together. “Not anymore.” The words whisper over my lips, and my traitorous body leans in a little closer to him.
Troy’s eyes take on a softer expression as he gazes at me. “He wants what’s mine. I’ll never let him close enough to take you from me.”
“What are you talking about?” I can’t think past the desire starting to cloud my mind.
“You are the only person in the fucking world who doesn’t see how much he wants you.”
I shake my head again, disbelief coloring my voice when I speak. “You’re delusional. Marcus is just a friend.”
I run a hand over his firm shoulders, loving the way they tense under my touch, the way his eyes close on a deep breath.
“You’re mine.” He flashes his eyes back open, determination radiating in their depths. I nod in understanding. I am completely his for as long as he wants me.
The fact that he is still saying this is a good sign, right? “I would never cheat on you.” I maintain his firm eye contact, begging him to read the truth in my eyes.
I jump back, startled, as a laugh rumbles deep in his chest. “I never thought you would, babe. I’m not worried about you.”
“Marcus won’t hurt me.” He tenses again.
“Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think.” His lips sneer in disgust.
“What does that mean?”
Instead of answering me he leans in and places a soft kiss against my lips. Then he stands in all of his naked glory before me, my eyes greedily roaming over every perfect inch of him.
“Get dressed. Now.” He says the words evenly, but his eyes are glued to where the sheet has fallen slightly off of my breast.
I watch his eyes darken, once again heated and shadowed as they roam over my body. I observe him and feel my blood heat with the blush I know is now covering my skin.
His eyes meet mine again. “We have to head out, and if I keep looking at you we will never leave this room.”
I nod, but I can’t tear my gaze away. Troy groans roughly in the back of his throat before moving around the room. He grabs his discarded clothes, and heads into the bathroom the door slamming behind him. I know I have an outrageous grin on my face. Even with his absurd behavior, I can’t resist him. I am in serious trouble here. I want this to be real so badly, but I still can’t shake the feeling of dread resting in the pit of my stomach.
Troy
I rest my head against the cool tile of the bathroom wall. With every breath I can smell her scent on my skin, and it is fucking intoxicating. I know if Marcus hadn’t called, interrupting our amazing moment, I would have had her on her back again, or maybe straddling my lap. I bet Kaci would look really good in that positon.
I need to curb those thoughts. It is getting later in the afternoon now, and we need to get on the road. The cabin I’m checking out is a few miles out from here, and I want to get there early enough that I will be able to see the layout in daylight.
My chest is tight with indecision. Part of me is glad Kaci will be with me, but part of me is fucking terrified. I know I would never let anything happen to her. I would die first. The fear is still there, though, boiling frantically below the surface. I move away from the wall and slowly pull my clothes back on.
Kaci better be out there getting her clothes on too. I swear if I step out there and she is still naked I will forget all about responsibility, and I will fuck her again, probably more than once.
My cell vibrates in my pocket just as I button the fly on my faded, worn out jeans. I slip it from my pocket and stiffen as Addie’s name flashes up to mock me. I want to scream. I want to throw my fist through the closest wall. Just this simple reminder of reality has my good mood plummeting.
I have to tell Kaci. Like pops said, it’s not a secret I can keep forever. Kaci needs to know. I need to tell her and let her decide what she wants to do with that information, but I fucking can’t. I finally have her, but I know as soon as she hears about the baby she will walk away from me. Forever.
I rub my hand absently over my chest just as a soft knock rasps against the door. I walk over and pull it open, looking into Kaci’s determined gaze. I must have left her too much time to think. She looks ready to lay down the law, and that heated look in her eyes has me sucking in a deep breath.
“You can’t tell me who to be friends with, Troy.” Her words are soft even though she is standing firmly on this.
I smirk and run a finger over the soft skin of her cheek. “I don’t intend to. Marcus is the exception.”
The arms she had crossed over her chest drop to her sides in defeat. “Look, I know things are different now, but I am not the kind of girl you can order around. Don’t even try it. You’ll just make me want to ignore you and do it anyway.”
“So maybe I should discipline you now for your future mistakes, because ignoring me on this matter would be a mistake.” The thought of bending her over my knee…
“Why? What happened that makes you two hate each other so much?”
I drop my hand from her face and step around her, back into the tiny bedroom. Her eyes are lit with that familiar fire they usually hold when regarding me. I can’t answer her though. It’s just not necessary right now. I really hope it never is.
I eye her sock covered feet and smile. “Put your shoes on. We need to go.”
Kaci stands there with an annoyed frown on her face. When she realizes I’m not going to respond she lets out a sigh, and slips on her gray Converse sneakers.
As soon as she is ready I lead her out the door and to my car. I have a second of hesitation. Maybe I should leave her here to wait for me? This could get messy, and I really don’t want to put her in danger.
Then I remember the reason we’re crashing in this shitty motel in the first place. No fucking way am I leaving her alone without me. I climb inside and turn the ignition, loving the purr that rumbles through my car. By the sudden shiver I catch out of the corner of my eye, Kaci doesn’t mind it either.
I grin as I shift the car into drive and tear off through the busy afternoon streets in downtown Westin. The scenery isn’t much to admire. Most of the buildings are so old they are crumbling around the small shops that line the streets. Trash litters the ground, and some homeless people stand around trash cans, while others sit along the road with signs. This area is so easily controlled by Molony because it is this way. It is a deserted wasteland of people who have given up. There is no hope left here.
As we drive further out of town, the hopeless streets give way to bright green foliage of trees and fields. The sky is awash in bright sun
light, the breeze cool as it blows in through the open windows. I glance over at Kaci, watching her dark hair whip wildly around her face. I can’t stop my gaze from flickering between her and the road ahead. I feel complete, like my life has finally come full circle. I am so fucking whipped already, and I don’t even care. I want that. I would do anything for this girl.
Blue eyes shift to me under her thick lashes, a smile tugging at her mouth as she chews on her full bottom lip. I reach over, unable to keep my hands off of her, and squeeze her thigh. I could have taken my hand back, placed it back on the wheel, but I leave it right there. I soak up the feelings she is causing inside of me without even realizing it.
“This won’t change, right?” That lilt is back in her words, but she’s quiet as she speaks them.
I swallow thickly and look to see her eyes clouded in concern. “What do you mean?”
“When we get back, you won’t,” She pauses and I squeeze her leg in silent encouragement for her to continue. “You won’t, you know, go back to your old ways.”
I flick a disbelieving look her way. Was this girl for real? “You can’t be serious. I could never want anyone else, ever. You’re it for me Kace.”
She nods, but I can tell she doesn’t feel very reassured, and how can I blame her? I have a wild fucking reputation. And you knocked up her cousin, asshole! My stomach tightens and I think I might actually have to pull over and vomit. How the fuck was I going to tell her that?
I pull the car to the side of the road next to a wooded area with a path that leads to the back of Delvin Kennedy’s property. It is partially hidden in the thick shrubs next to the road, but at moments like these I regretted the bright yellow color. It isn’t exactly made for stealth.
I step out and walk around to Kaci’s side, loving that she stayed inside until I reached her. With any other girl it would have really annoyed me, but this was Kaci. I grip her hand in mine and lean down to press a kiss under her ear, inhaling her into me.
“I want you to stay close to me, and do exactly as I say. Understand?” I whisper into the sweet smell of her skin.
She nods and her hand tightens in mine as a shiver shakes her shoulders. Has she always been this affected by me? No way. I would have noticed. I pull back and lead her deeper into the wooded area surrounding the Kennedy’s cabin. The old place sits on a ridge just past the tree line. The wooden wrap-around porch has definitely seen better days, the shutters are lopsided, and the logs that make up the outer appearance are coated in a green moss in some places. If Delvin is staying here he didn’t clean up much.
“You have your gun?” Kaci whispers into the silence between us.
I glance over my shoulder to be met with her concerned gaze. “I always have my gun, Kace.”
She nods and glances back toward the cabin. I turn my head just in time to see a large man with unruly blonde hair step out on the porch pulling a petite redhead behind him. Kane Kennedy.
He’d gotten a little bulkier since the last time I’d seen him. Not that I am worried, I am still three times his size. He pulls the girl forward until their chests are pressed together. Leaning down he places a soft kiss to her lips.
I snicker and cast a look over to Kaci. Her eyes are wide and her mouth is hanging open. I use two fingers on her chin to close her mouth, making her eyes jump to mine.
“That is not his wife!” She whisper screeches the words at me. I feel the grin on my lips as I shake my head in response.
Looks like Kane is stepping out on his old lady. The longer I glance at them the more an uncomfortable feeling wiggles into my mind. I let my eyes roam over the woman’s slim figure. Her jeans are tight against long legs, and a round ass. The top she is wearing is blood red, and fits tightly against a tiny waist. Average boobs bounce when she laughs at something Kane said. I have no idea what it is, but something about her is just familiar. A sharp jab to my side has my gaze jumping back to Kaci.
“If you keep staring at her like that I might steal your gun, and then shoot you with it.”
I pull Kaci closer on a quiet laugh and press a kiss to her lips. “It’s not what you think, babe.” I tilt my head toward where they still stand off in the distance. “Does she look familiar to you?”
The scowl on her face relaxes the tiniest bit as she shifts slightly to look around me. Her thin eyebrows scrunch in concentration as she squints. It is fucking adorable. I run a finger over her cheek and along her jaw. Kaci glances toward me out of the corner of her eye.
“I don’t think so. I can’t be sure.” She is still squinting toward the cabin when I grasp her chin and place a kiss on her soft lips.
She lets out a sigh of contentment, and wraps her arms around my neck, making me grin around our kiss. I pull my lips back and look at her. “You amaze me.”
Kaci looks at me questioningly. I grab her arms and step back from her hold as I pull my phone from my pocket. I ignore the six missed calls illuminating my screen, and dial Dylan. He answers on the second ring.
“Sup man?” His sleepy draw tells me he is probably lounging on his couch with a joint between his lips.
“I need you, Ethan, and Sean to head out here.”
There is shuffling on the end of the line before he speaks again. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I look at Kaci. “Better than okay.” I love the way her blush flushes over her cheeks as she turns away.
“Okay…So why do you need us?” I can almost picture him rubbing his hand over his jaw.
“I found the cabin. Kane is up here with some hot little redhead.” Kaci turns quickly and scowls at me. I immediately know why. Damn. I need to learn to think before I speak in front of her. I shrug a shoulder and look at her apologetically.
“Redhead? Doesn’t his wife have blonde hair? Did she dye it?”
I chuckle quietly again. “It’s definitely not his wife, D.”
Dylan chuckles down the phone at me. “I’ll get the boys together. Where do you want to meet up?”
I raddle off directions before hanging up and slipping my phone back into my pocket. I reach for Kaci’s hand but she jerks it away from me. I narrow my eyes and reach out again, and again she avoids me.
“Give me your hand, babe.”
A twisted smirk pulls at her lips. “Not likely.”
I step closer, reach out and pull her against me. She struggles to get away for all of two seconds before she just gives in on an angry huff and lets me hold her. I lower my face to look into her eyes.
“What are you pissed about?”
Her eyes widen in disbelief, but she presses her lips tightly together.
“Is this about the ‘hot’ comment?” The face she makes has me feeling like a dick. It screams, What do you think moron? “I didn’t mean that Kace.” Then I shake my head and release a breath. I had no idea how to do this.
“Well actually it is what I meant.” Her eyes narrow even further. “But it’s not like it sounded. I didn’t really know how else to describe her. She is attractive, but Kace, she is fucking nothing compared to you, babe.”
She still stays silent but her eyebrows relax a fraction and her lips part on an annoyed sigh.
“Babe,” I bend slightly to kiss that little spot behind her ear, loving the small noise she makes in her throat with the contact. “Don’t be pissed. It was an observation, and yes I know it was a stupid thing to say. I’m sorry.” I pull back to look in her eyes again. They search my face looking for something. Maybe some kind of confirmation my words are sincere.
“Let’s go.” I tug her back toward the car with me.
When we reach the small alcove where I’ve hidden the Spyder I release her to pop the trunk. I reach in and tug out a duffle and a blanket.
“What are you doing?” Her eyes are slanted as she observes the supplies in my arms.
“We have to keep watch on the cabin until the guys get here.”
Her mouth drops open. “We’re just going to sit out here spying on them?”
&
nbsp; “That’s the plan.” I walk around her, and head back to the spot we just abandoned.
I drop the duffle down into the soft grass, and lay the blanket out on the ground in front of an old tree trunk. I sit down leaning my back against the rough wood. When I glance up I see Kaci looking down at me. Soft blue eyes look unsure as she takes in my relaxed position, and even with the fresh air blowing around us I can still smell her flowery scent. I reach up and clasp her arm in my hand, pulling her down into my lap. A little squeal leaves her lips, but she easily settles against my side.
I keep my gaze on the tiny cabin. I can’t fight the urge to run my hand ideally over Kaci. My fingers caress through her soft hair, against her silky arms, and over the material of her back gently. When I look down briefly I notice her eyes have closed and her breathing is even. The smug smile on my lips stays there as I watch the cabin. That is until Sean shows up.
Chapter Twelve
Dylan
Watching Troy fall all over himself with Kaci has to be the most amusing shit I’ve ever witnessed. Badass Troy Donovan thinks he is falling, and doesn’t even realize that he’s already crash landed. I had given up on the idea that they would ever be together, but I obviously threw the cards down too soon. I click off the phone, shove it into my pocket, and pull in a puff of my joint.
I guess I should check on mama and then call Sean. I know Troy wants me to call Ethan and bring him along, but with Addie running her mouth off to anyone who will listen I don’t think that is a good idea. I push myself off of the brown suede sofa and walk across the tiny living room of my apartment.
Unlike the other guys, I don’t need flashy shit. I prefer neat and simple. I am a drug runner for Christ’s sake. I can afford a nice, big house. I just don’t want one. It’s too much responsibility. The apartment above the old hardware store is simple. The kitchen, living room, and dining room are all one open space, and I can easily grab a beer and then flop over the sofa to watch TV. I have nice furniture, state of the art appliances, and I pay my rent in cash. The bedroom and bathroom are small, but it is just me and I don’t mind.