Scandal: The Reckless Series, Book #3 (The Reckless Crew)

by Bellus,HJ

  I look down to me in only my boxers and then to my hands with our drinks in them and give her a crooked grin.

  “That damn smile keeps me going every single day, Kip.”

  I hand her the glass of white wine then take a seat next to her. She takes a long swallow of the wine before looking over to me.

  “I’ve been having dreams,” I offer.

  Concern covers her face immediately; she climbs into my lap straddling my legs while delicately juggling her wine glass, careful not to waste a drop of it. Her lips cover the edge of the wine glass and she takes another sip.

  “Want to talk about it?” she asks, licking her lips.

  I growl and buck up into her. “Don’t do that again. It’s sexy as fuck.”

  “Sexy is bad?” she asks with an evil smile on her face.

  “No, not at all, but I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to control myself.”

  “It’s time, Kip.”

  We haven’t had sex in nearly two months since the accident. We’ve been healing and grieving. I’ve even been seeing a counselor provided by the force.

  I wink at her. “About my dream.”

  “Can we just focus on some good for a while, baby?”

  “It wasn’t a nightmare. The first good dream I’ve had in forever.”

  Leaning forward, I set my beer on the floor then grip her hips, pulling her close to me.

  “I saw them. They’re with my mom. The babies are okay.”

  Silent tears roll down her face and then a peaceful smile shines back at me. She raises the wine glass to her lips and finishes the wine. Chloe darts her tongue out and licks the remnants of it off.

  “We deserve our future, baby.” I tangle a hand in her hair and tug her head back, exposing her neck to me.

  Her wine glass tumbles to the couch. It’s symbolic of us letting go and moving forward. My lips graze the skin on her neck. I growl into it and then dart my tongue out, licking her. My teeth nip her skin and I feel her squirm in my lap. I shower kisses behind the stinging bites.

  “Kip,” she moans out. “Claim me again. Let’s do this.”

  “Fuck,” I growl into her neck.

  She releases something inside me. I shred her tank from her to see her perfect tits come into view. No bra, perfect. I ache to take a nipple in my mouth and I can’t hold back anything in this moment. I roll one perfect budded peak between my fingers and begin to lightly kiss her other nipple. I grasp it between my teeth and then suck on it.

  Chloe’s hand fumbles down between us until she’s palming my dick in her hand. She slowly begins stroking it from base to tip.

  “More. I need more. All of you, Kip.” Her hips buck into me, pressing my want for her into my abdomen. I roll her back onto the couch and stare down at her.

  “I love you so fucking much,” I tell her before attacking her mouth.

  We kiss like we never have before with our tongues searching and finding exactly what they need. Chloe pulls me further down into her. We kiss forever, reminding each other exactly what we don’t want to lose. Each other.

  I pull up, knowing if I keep this up I’ll be fucking blowing my load all over her. “I need you now, baby.”

  She rolls over onto her stomach, props herself up on her palms and knees. I drag down her booty shorts to only find she’s not wearing any panties.

  “If I had to guess, you had this planned.” I roam my palm over her perfect ass cheek.

  “It’s time for us.” She looks back to me. “Now fuck me.”

  I reach forward, making sure her arms are braced on the arm of the couch. “Oh, I’m going to fuck you, baby.”

  There’s a bond between us that can never be broken. My need for her throbs out of control as I ease my way into her inch by inch. I freeze once all the way in, clutching her hips in my hands.

  “Let go, Kip, you’re not going to break me.”

  “I can’t ever lose you.”

  “You never will. We’ve come through all this; there’s nothing that can break us.”

  Her words crack me. A swell in my chest consumes me when I begin driving in and out of her. In a matter of moments, I lose all control, taking her rough and hard. I’ve missed her so fucking much and now she’s giving me all of her. I hook an arm around the front of her so our bodies are as close as possible.

  She falls into my embrace while crying out her pleasure. I pull her up to me until we are both on our knees with connected bodies. I drive in and out of her feeling the tingle in my spine and my balls tighten. My hand with my white gold band on my ring finger reaches around to stroke her bud.

  It’s swollen and ready for release. Her hand joins mine stroking my cock as it enters her with each thrust. Her pussy squeezes my dick so hard it feels like I’m going to explode.

  “Kip, Kip, Kip, Kip,” she sings out as she lets go. I follow right after her. Our bodies collapse onto the couch fulfilled.

  She moans under me pushing her ass back to me, asking for more.

  “Are we going to have an old-fashioned all day fuck session?”

  “Yes, please,” she answers me.

  Forty

  Chloe

  It’s finished. I typed two final words to my past. “I win.” Most books’ final words are “the end”, but not mine because it’s not the end. I win. I chose to take back my life in the form of a novel. None of it being fiction. It’s my story from the beginning until now. I left out no gory details, happy moments, or pain. It all flowed on the pages in the form of words.

  I didn’t protect one single person in my brutal honesty. Didn’t care about their hurt feelings with the outcome because it’s my story. I let it all fly from being groomed to be the perfect wife, being beaten down, saved, crushed again, and saved by love.

  Today I hit publish on Amazon and all other major retailers with my debut novel, “He Killed Me.” I have no reservations or fears letting the world know exactly how cruel it can be. Because that cruelty drove me to the man I love and the life I love. I don’t take back a single action in my life.

  Zack made me the woman I am. He killed the insecure one who was living in her own personal prison. He took all of her away, buried her deep in the rich soil, and left her there. I wrote about my babies he took away from the new woman and the grief experienced. I also wrote about how Kip has made me by holding my hand and me close to his chest during my darkest moments.

  “Baby.” Kip enters the living room, my favorite place to write.

  “I did it.” I spring up from the couch. “I fucking did it.”

  I jump into his arms and wrap my legs around his waist. He always catches me no matter the time of the day.

  “I’m so proud of you, Chloe. You’re simply amazing.” He kisses my neck.

  “It’s because of you.”

  I hold tight to my husband and forever love. I’ll never let go no matter what the world throws our way.

  “Ready for the next step?”

  I nod and let him carry me to his bike. Kip told me about my half brother, Cruz. At first, I was pissed which is natural and then curious. Kip talks very highly of him. It seems they’ve bonded quite well. He’s been on our property working out with the men in the gym. He explained he was so familiar because he’s famous. Cruz Felix is an MMA fighter and quite successful at it.

  I’ve tried to watch a few matches with Kip on TV, but it’s too violent for me right now. Cruz is a product of my mother. A pregnancy hidden and a child forgotten. Nothing surprises me anymore with my parents. Nothing. I would’ve bet anything it would’ve been my father surprising us one day with a love child.

  When we pull in on the bike, Cruz is standing in front of my favorite coffee shop holding flowers. He looks nervous as he keeps adjusting the beanie on top of his head with his free hand. We have the same coffee colored eyes. It’s the first thing I recognize. He’s tanner than me, but with so many features of mine I recognize.

  It’s now second nature hopping off the back of Kip’s bike. I wai
t for him to do his signature moves as he crawls off the bike. Hand in hand, we walk up to Cruz and I meet my brother.

  “Cruz.” Kip nods. “Chloe, this is Cruz.”

  The giant fumbles with the flowers in his hands. “Nice…nice to meet you.”

  I drop Kip’s hand and barrel into Cruz’s chest. He had a huge part in saving me. He took me away from Zack. It takes long moments before Cruz wraps his arms around me. If I had to guess, it’s because he’s waiting for Kip’s nod of approval. I have no idea what I’ll do with two overprotective, brooding men in my life.

  I pull back, keeping my palms on his strong forearms. “Thank you. Thank you for finding me, taking me away from Zack, and killing him. Thank you.”

  “I was so scared you’d hate me. I had no idea how to approach you and could tell by the amount of pain you were experiencing that it wasn’t the right time. I wanted to protect you.”

  “You did.”

  “Enough mushy shit. I need a fucking doughnut or something.”

  I slap Kip’s chest. “You’ve been hanging around Rhett too much.”

  Cruz passes me the flowers and we step into the coffee shop. He passes on coffee and only drinks water and eats a shit ton of carbs. Cruz tells me all about his upbringing. He talks highly of his father and childhood. It seems he’s the winner in that game.

  The gentle giant shows emotion when he talks about the death of his dad, Antonio Felix. He was a sports medicine student when he met our mother in college. He opened his own gym after college and raised Cruz. He loved boxing and training, hence producing a world champion in Cruz.

  “I get my hard head from him. He was originally from Puerto Rico and born into nothing. The man built an empire centered around me.”

  I take the last gulp of my coffee. “Cruz, you’ve missed out on nothing not knowing our mother. Seems you were saved.”

  “Yeah.” He nods, fiddling with some crumbs on the tabletop. “It’s just like a piece of me was missing my whole life.”

  I don’t know how to respond. There are no words to an admission like that.

  “Until you, Chloe. I’d really like to have a relationship with you to fill that empty void from my other half.”

  I reach out and cover his giant hand. “I do, too.”

  Epilogue

  Chloe

  “A, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i…boring, read to me.” Charlie places her hands on her hips.

  Dane wobbles up to me on shaky legs holding out a book for me to read.

  “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See it is.” I grab the book and hoist Dane up in my lap. Charlie climbs up on my other side and nestles in. She begins reading the book. When she first started this, I’d thought she just had the books memorized. Nope, the stubborn little shit is determined to learn to read. I have to help her on most words, but still she’s reading.

  “No.” Dane blurts out when she turns the page. “Back. Bear.”

  “Turn the page back, so Dane can finish looking.”

  Charlie just continues to read. In a flash, Dane reaches over and pulls on a handful of hair.

  “Uh oh, use your words Dane. No hair pulling.” I cover his little hand and place it in his lap. “Charlie, be respectful.”

  Dane darts his tongue out at Charlie. You’d never guess the state this little boy came to Darby and Rhett in. He’s the perfect combination of both of his parents. Watch out, world.

  Ava has baby Rogue with her. He’s still nursing and she’s able to write and tend to him. Thank God, because I’m not sure I could handle another one. These two are a handful, but I love them. I watch them three times a week for a half a day while my friends work.

  By the time we’ve finished the book, Ava is home and Darby’s out on the porch shooting the breeze with Kip. The two rush off my lap and to their moms. I go to Kip and give him a hug on the porch.

  “How was your day?” He looks down at me.

  “Like trying to herd miniature versions of Zane, Ava, Rhett, and Darby.”

  He chuckles and shakes his head. “I’d rather have my fucking teeth pulled.”

  “It’s about the same,” I joke and pat his abs.

  “Cruz made it to town early and is at the house.”

  “Awesome. Let’s go.”

  “We’re heading out. See you guys in a bit.” I wave to my friends.

  We’re hosting the monthly adult night out at our place. Rhett’s parents get their fill of grandparents’ night during these.

  I talk to Cruz every single day whether it be a text or phone call. We’ve grown so close, sometimes I have to pinch myself. It’s an added bonus that him and Kip are just as close. I still haven’t been able to bring myself to watch him fight. Kip never misses a match on TV and in two weeks we’re flying out to Las Vegas to watch him. I’m pretty sure I’ll have my face buried in Kip’s chest most of the time.

  It’s gutting to see someone you love in such a violent ring, knowing he’s just asking to inflict pain on others. Cruz is known as the Notorious Rumbler. He thrives off of pain, letting it fuel him.

  When we pull into the driveway, his large frame is leaning up against the front porch texting on his phone. If he heard the rumble of the bike, you’d never tell because he doesn’t even look up to us.

  We both hop up and walk over to him.

  “Earth to asshole,” Kip hollers and then shoves his shoulder.

  “Hey, man.”

  The bro hug and knuckles commence along with a few jukes from Kip. He loves taunting Cruz with the fact he could kick his ass. Cruz would crush him, but he entertains the thought.

  “Lady troubles?” Kip asks when I hug Cruz around his middle. It’s what you do when the man is a good foot taller than you.

  “No time for that shit,” he growls.

  But I see the name at the top of his phone, Layla. I tap the little yellow bubble next to her contact and give him the eye.

  “It’s complicated and I don’t need that shit in my life,” he grumbles.

  “I thought the same thing one day as well.” Kip pulls me to him and runs his hands over my stomach.

  “We have news,” I squeal.

  “Yeah.” Cruz tucks his phone in his back pocket.

  “You’re the first to know.”

  He raises his eyebrows. “Don’t tell me Kip, you think you’re man enough to enter the octagon.”

  “I’m pregnant,” I blurt it out and it feels so good.

  “Holy shit, sis.” He pulls me right back out of Kip’s arms and hugs me. I raise from the ground in his arms with my toes dangling above the porch.

  “I’m so excited,” I mumble into his neck.

  “I love you, sis.”

  “Love you, too, tiger.”

  He puts me back down. “Twins?”

  “Nope, just one peanut in there this time.” I smile brightly. It’s been nearly a year since my first pregnancy.

  A black car pulling in distracts our happy moment. In my gut, I know exactly who it is. There’s only one set of people that would have the nerve to roll up to our house in that elaborate of a car. Bernie is behind them in his Jeep.

  The three of us face the new company. I’m safely between Kip and Cruz. I grab each of their hands, watching my parents step out of the car.

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Kip says.

  My dad adjusts his tie and my mother runs her palms down her sleek, black pencil skirt.

  “Chloe.” My dad nods, stopping mere feet away from us. My mother holds his hand.

  It’s not my dad that holds my attention though. It’s my mother. I watch her take in Cruz with recognition firing in her eyes. Cruz clutches my hand so tight I fear it’s going to snap in his grip.

  “Do you need something?” I ask, tearing my gaze from my mom’s ghostly white face.

  “We’ve come to make amends.”

  “There’s nothing to mend,” Kip replies in a clipped tone.

  “Exactly,” I follow his words. “There’s nothing to m
end. You’re no longer a part of my life or ever will be. Please leave.”

  “Don’t be stubborn, Chloe. We’ve all messed up.”

  “Leave.” My voice is harsh and unforgiving.

  “Chloe.” My mom’s voice waivers. “We’ve read everything. We want to reconnect.”

  “I’m pretty sure they’ve asked you to leave.” Bernie steps in front of us.

  “I’m pretty sure we’re not leaving.”

  Bernie shocks all of us responding with his fist. My dad never sees it coming. His head whips back and Bernie shakes out his hand.

  “There’s your official warning.”

  Everyone remains still except for my mom, who steps up to Cruz. It takes all of my self-control to not tell her who he is, but it’s not my place.

  “Let’s go, honey, she’s not worth it.” My dad grabs my mom by the upper arm.

  Bernie sends yet another punch his way, breaking the skin right under my dad’s eye. “You’re a dumb motherfucker.”

  My dad doesn’t react and heads back to the car. The back of the black sleek machine vanishes as fast as it appeared. Bernie shakes his hand again.

  “Good thing these fuckers aren’t worth so much anymore.” He shakes his hands out over and over. “That shit hurts.”

  Cruz erupts in laughter and Kip pats his dad on the back.

  I look up to my brother. “Why didn’t you tell her?”

  “Because I win either way and I’m pretty sure she knew.”

  “She did.” I nod.

  “She doesn’t deserve me.”

  “Nope.”

  “It’s us versus the world,” Kip adds.

  “Let’s go get the grill ready.” I pull him in the house.

  The three of us go about getting dinner and the drinks ready. Bernie hangs around for dinner, but then lets us know he has a date tonight. Kathy has been long gone and he’s entertaining a new woman these days. The man truly deserves love.

  The crew shows up with a bang. It always ends up being reminiscent of a damn college rager with lots and lots of alcohol and inappropriate language.