Undamaged

by Charity Parkerson

  Once again, he’d avoided her advances. Picking a fight was his favorite ploy. She made a valiant attempt to push her way out from beneath him without luck.

  “Tattletale.” Kip was incapable of keeping the bitterness from her tone.

  “Tell me what he wanted.”

  She pushed again but Cameron refused to budge. Giving up, she sighed.

  “Nothing.”

  “Kurt said you told him the same thing, but according to him it looked like something.”

  “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

  Kip wondered for a minute if Cameron would shake her in his frustration. “You shouldn’t go to Warehouse alone. It’s a rough place. Anything could happen to you.”

  “I wasn’t alone.”

  Cameron ignored her protest. “Josh isn’t right in the head.”

  Kip locked her back teeth together. Every secret she kept tasted heavy on her tongue but she refused to allow them to fall. In her wildest dreams, Kip couldn’t have seen this coming. When she and Josh had very publicly parted ways in Tennessee, she’d been five months pregnant. Brian and Terry had taken her in. It had never been her intention to involve anyone in her bullshit. Yet here they were.

  “Come on, Kip. You can talk to me. Does he want you back? Is he planning to fight you for custody of Jade? Tell me what’s going on so I can help.”

  She wanted to. “I can’t.”

  “Are you afraid of him?”

  A burst of irritation ran through her. Cameron needed to let this go. “No.” Kip barely stopped herself from growling. “He’d only think to put his hands on me once but he never would,” she added, in case Cameron thought her answer meant Josh might.

  Her claim didn’t seem to have any effect on Cameron. He continued searching her gaze as if looking for holes in her claim.

  “Has he ever hit you?”

  Kip snorted again. Konstantin would’ve seen him dead.

  “I’m being serious, Kip. I’ve seen Josh snap before.”

  If only it had been anyone else questioning her, Kip might have held her temper. Cameron’s opinion mattered. Obviously he thought of her as a helpless female—one who made terrible decisions.

  “For fuck’s sake, Cameron. I can handle Josh. This was a one-time thing. He won’t come near me again.”

  “Kip…”

  Oh, she hated that condescending tone on his gorgeous lips.

  “He’s Jade’s father. You’ll have to deal with that eventually. As much as I don’t like the guy, he has rights. He could go after them in court.”

  A growl ripped from her throat. She hated it with a desperate passion when people lectured her. Her anger gave her the strength needed to finally shove her way from underneath his weight. She didn’t bother to cover herself as she headed for the door. Throwing it wide, she motioned toward the hall. “I think it’s time for you to go.” She really didn’t want him to leave but he would not stop. His determination to know everything was almost tangible.

  Cameron ran his hands through his hair, leaving it standing on end. He couldn’t have looked more frustrated or sexy but Kip was done with men pushing her around for the night.

  “Damn it, Kip. I’m trying to help. If you think Josh is a danger to you or Jade, then let me help you.”

  As much as Kip would’ve liked to believe that passion drove her in that moment, she couldn’t lie to herself. She was simply tired. Life left her fucking exhausted and she couldn’t work up the energy to care what he thought of her any longer. Secrets weighed more than carrying sand bags around 24/7.

  “I’m sorry you think I’m such a shit mother I would allow my pride to stand in the way if I thought for a second Jade was in danger. This thing with Josh has nothing to do with her.”

  Cameron came to his feet. “I don’t think you’re a shit mother. You’re an amazing mom. Josh will eventually take this to court even if only in an attempt to get you back. He’d have to be crazy not to use every weapon he could to keep you at his side. If I was in his shoes, I’d do everything in my power to force you to come back to me.”

  She reacted before she could stop herself. Kip stamped her foot. She’d been coming on to Cameron for too long and had been shut down too many times. It pissed her off that he obviously felt something for her but he held back. She was shattered from fighting for every inch. She was just damn tired period. Life pissed her off. “He’s not going to take me to court, Cameron. Now. Get the hell out.” Kip could see it in his expression. He didn’t understand what he’d done to anger her. Why did he have to care about her? It made everything so much harder to bear. She sighed. “Look. You obviously don’t want me and I have no desire to fight anyone else tonight.”

  Total silence met her claim. A muscle in Cameron’s jaw ticked.

  “I want you.”

  There wasn’t an ounce of emotion in his tone but he meant it. Damn. It hurt.

  “No, Cameron. You don’t. Maybe you desire me in a physical way but you don’t want me. You don’t even know me, not really, and I don’t want to do this any longer.” It was a total lie. He meant more to her the he could ever know.

  “Look, Kip,” Cameron began, sounding as tired as she felt. “You need to put a stop to this. Josh should be paying you child support, or signing his rights away. I don’t understand why you’re letting him get away with this unless he’s threatening you in some way.”

  “Damn it, Cameron. Josh isn’t Jade’s father.” Kip wanted to bite off her tongue, but once the confession was out there, hanging between them, she couldn’t stop. “I was already pregnant when I started dating Josh and he knew it.”

  Cameron looked as if she’d slapped him. He opened his mouth, obviously intent on saying more. Terry appeared in the doorway, saving her from making things worse. He eyed them both, seemingly oblivious to her state of undress and Cameron’s rage. His gaze lingered on Kip’s face and she knew he saw it all. The man always knew everything. It was as maddening as it was endearing. A flash of sympathy crossed his features before he focused on Cameron.

  “You’re going to wake up Jade.”

  With a sharp nod, Cameron came to his feet. His emotions were on lockdown. Kip swore the temperature in the room dropped by ten degrees.

  “We’re not through discussing this,” Cameron promised.

  She couldn’t let him leave believing she’d tell him anything more. “Yes. We are. This is none of your business.”

  Cameron’s face hardened in a way she’d never witnessed before. He was done with her. She could feel their bond being cut. She wanted to throw her arms wide and scream but she knew no amount of yelling could match the pitch inside her head as he left. Kip didn’t miss the fact that Terry’s lips were pressed into a hard line before he followed the other man down the hall. There was no way she was getting out of talking to him about this later. With a growl, Kip threw on the first pair of shorts she could find and headed in the opposite direction of the men. Maybe if she were quiet, no one would look for her for a while. As she hit the back door, she switched on the intercom for Jade’s bedroom. If Jade woke up, Kip didn’t want to miss it. Her chest hurt. Some days, she wanted to take her daughter and run. There was nothing holding her to this town…except all the people she’d come to love. Fuck. If there was one thing Kip knew how to do, it was totally back herself into a corner.

  “Your eyes are very green.”

  They pressed their foreheads together, attempting to see into each other’s eyes as closely as possible.

  A laugh escaped Kip before she could call it back. “Your eyes are very blue.”

  Konstantin’s low chuckle brushed her skin with the lightest of touches. “Imagine how beautiful our babies will be.”

  The oversized hammock swayed, jerking Kip from her memories. Terry climbed in next to her. She automatically shifted to make room for him and curled into his side. With her head on his chest she could hear the steady beating of his heart. He was such a stable and strong man. No wonder Brian had been compl
etely lost to him the moment they met.

  “Have you ever needed anyone, Kip?”

  I love you, my Kipley.

  “Yes.” Even to Kip her voice came out sounding small.

  Terry’s arms tightened around her. “Have you ever needed me? I mean, I know you’ve never really needed me financially. For the life of me, I’ve never been able to figure out why you’ve stayed.”

  “My heart needs you,” she answered without having to think about it. It was true she had needed no one to support her. Konstantin would never allow her to want for anything. “Cameron’s not likely to ever forgive me.”

  Terry was silent for so long she didn’t think he would respond. When he did, his words came out haltingly as if he measured each one.

  “I don’t think he’s ever met anyone like you. He’s just trying to get his bearings. On one hand, he hopes to save you. On the other, he’d like to throttle you.”

  Kip snorted at the heavy laughter in Terry’s voice.

  “But all the rest of him just wants to be with you.”

  The night wind caused a ripple across the pool’s water. Kip couldn’t tear her eyes away from it as she mulled over Terry’s claim. She thought at least half of his statement was true but she wasn’t sure which half. Gah! It was hardly Cameron’s fault she was a fucked-up mess.

  “I owe you my life. That’s a debt I can never repay,” Terry said so quietly she might’ve missed his words if her ear hadn’t been resting on his chest.

  “Are you feeling maudlin or trying to distract me from my self-pity?”

  Terry snorted at her question. “Neither. It just occurs to me I’ve never said that to you.”

  It had been two years since Terry had nearly died from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. No one looking at him today could tell that the heart currently beating against her cheek had stopped only yards from where they lay.

  “Some would say Konstantin is owed that debt. All I did was make a call.”

  “How much did that cost him? If nothing else, I’d like to repay any money he spent on my behalf.”

  Terry had been given a death sentence. He’d needed an experimental drug not yet approved by the FDA. He’d been put on a waiting list but his time had been short. The list had not. Konstantin had pulled some strings, shooting Terry to the top of the list and saving his life. Kip would make that call a thousand times. Some people might see what she did as wrong. She didn’t give a fuck.

  “You lived. Your debt is paid.”

  She felt him tense and she knew her answer wasn’t enough.

  “There has to be something I can do.”

  Kip wrapped her arm tighter around his waist and held on. Terry did not understand how much his life meant to her. Having someone in the world who knew all her secrets and still cared what happened to her, that was a rare thing. Another strong breeze unsettled the water. The rippling effect was almost hypnotic.

  It was hot as hell and the water was calling her name. Picking up the pace, Kip rounded the corner. Pain exploded up her leg as her little toe connected with the two-hundred-year-old antique table Konstantin kept at the top of the stairs. “Goddamn it!” Hopping on one leg, Kip tried to alleviate the pain. “Ow! Motherfucker.”

  Konstantin’s huge frame shook the floor as he came stampeding from the bedroom. For someone who stood over six feet and was three hundred pounds of solid muscle, the man was fast on his feet. He skidded to a stop at her side.

  “What’s happened? Where are you hurt?”

  Konstantin’s adorable, overprotective nature wasn’t even enough to calm her anger. She freaking hated to hurt herself.

  “I think I broke my toe on that stupid fucking table.”

  Sitting down on the top step, she tried inspecting the damage. A shadow passed overhead a split second before a loud crash echoed off the walls. Kip stared in horror at the splintered table now lying at the foot of the stairs. Her mouth fell open. Before she had time to recover, the coat rack that usually sat beside the table went next. It flew out in an arc, seeming to hang midair for a moment before crashing down beside the table. A lamp went next. By the time Kip flew to her feet, Konstantin was poised to throw a plant.

  “What in the hell are you doing?”

  His face was set in a hard line. “Nothing hurts my baby.”

  She blinked. He threw the plant.

  “But…” she stuttered, foot forgotten. “What did the plant do?”

  “Nothing yet,” he answered, searching the area with his gaze as if looking for his next victim. “I’m not taking any chances.”

  His gaze landed on a trunk that had been passed down from his grandmother’s mother. Panic welled in her chest. He took two steps in its direction.

  “No, Kon. Don’t do it.” He outweighed her by nearly two hundred pounds but she still tried wrapping herself around him like a monkey. “Please? Stop.”

  As if she weighed nothing, Konstantin plucked her off his side and slung her up into his arms. His gorgeous eyes locked on her face. The concern written in every line of his face made her heart turn over.

  “I’ll stop smashing shit when you promise me you’ll never hurt again.”

  Her nose stung. Damn. She loved this man. “You know I can’t promise I’ll never hurt.”

  He set her down and headed for the trunk. Without a single thought, she jumped on his back.

  “No, Kon.”

  He pretended to go down underneath her weight, falling to one knee while still somehow shifting her into his arms. Her back touched the floor. Konstantin’s palms were braced on either side of her head. His laughing gaze met hers.

  “Promise me, baby. Say the words.”

  Her mouth went dry as his weight leaned into her until she was cradling his hips at the apex of her thighs. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for him. “I swear I’ll never hurt again.”

  Kip blinked back tears and rubbed her cheek against Terry’s chest. “You lived. I smiled. Trust me, Konstantin was paid in full.”

  Chapter Two

  “Měla byses dostat ven častěji.”

  “I have no desire to go out more.” Kip didn’t bother looking away from her magazine as she responded to Kurt’s observation.

  “I knew it!”

  That got her attention. She blinked at Kurt, doing her best to decipher his triumphant tone. “I was under the impression you knew a lot of things. You’ll have to be more specific.”

  “You were reading Franz Kafka earlier.”

  Kip’s confusion grew. “Okay,” she said, drawing out the last syllable.

  She didn’t even know where to begin asking questions. McKenna and Kurt were hard work when it came to conversations. They made her brain hurt. Since they signed her paycheck, Kip did her best to keep up. Thankfully the bookstore where she shook a cash register all day also served coffee. The smell alone kept her on her toes—except for moments like now. The store was dead. Kurt had too much time on his hands.

  “You understood me.”

  Realization dawned. He’d been testing her. “Ah. Kafka writes in German. You spoke Czech so I don’t see your point.”

  “My point is that you don’t get out often enough.”

  She opened her mouth to protest or remind him one had nothing to do with the other, but it seemed he wasn’t finished.

  “Lucky for you I know exactly who can help you with that.”

  As if they’d practiced ahead of time and had been waiting for their cue, Max and Ryan appeared out of nowhere. Ryan wore a luminous smile, dimples and all, while Max’s grin was wicked. It dripped with the promise of sexual satisfaction. Kip barely resisted the urge to fan her face.

  Max and Ryan owned a fitness center where they also taught self-defense classes. The men did an amazing amount of business. Kip secretly believed women signed up in droves, hoping to get pinned to the floor by one or both of the men. She knew it was why she’d signed up. Unfortunately for all the women of the world, Max and Ryan were most decidedly gay and in love with
each other. But their sexual preference didn’t lessen their impact on a woman’s girlie bits one iota.

  “You should definitely come out and play with us, Kip.”

  She forcibly stamped down her inner tramp at the sound of Ryan’s sexy voice. It was hard but Kip kept her drooling to a minimum.

  “Be honest. The three of you practiced this skit for a week, didn’t you?”

  One corner of Max’s mouth lifted and his eyes took on a mischievous glint. Kip blushed. Dear lord. It wasn’t fair. There was no way she could hide the way he affected her.

  “Practice makes perfect, as they say, and we’re damn close. Ryan’s right. You should come.”

  Only the fact she’d already been leaning on the counter saved her ass. Her knees weakened. Both men were equal in height, coming in around six feet. Even though Kip was short she didn’t doubt her ability to climb either man should they decide to switch teams. Kurt’s knowing chuckle stopped her from embarrassing herself.

  “I have a daughter, so as much as I’d love to come…” And she really would, in more ways than one. “I’ll have to pass.”

  Kurt waved away her words. “Jade is having a sleepover with Tayrn tonight.”

  Damn. Apparently McKenna had been plotting against her. Kurt and McKenna’s daughter was only a few months older than Jade, and even though they were still toddlers the pair were already inseparable. It was exactly the sort of life she’d wanted for her daughter—friends and normalcy. A life she’d never had. The thought tightened her throat as an image of Cameron sprang to mind. Two years… They’d been friends for a whole twenty-two months. Damn, she hated losing him.

  With a heavy sigh, Kip did the only thing she could. She gave in gracefully.

  “Fine. I’ll fucking go and act like a fucking grown-up for a couple of fucking hours.” Well. It sounded graceful in her head.

  * * * * *

  To give Cameron credit he appeared every bit as surprised to see her as Kip was to see him. It was Ryan and Max she couldn’t get a read on. Kip imagined it was common knowledge—among the gossips in their tiny MMA family—that she and Cameron had argued. Until recently, she hadn’t thought of the pair as busybodies. However as the men’s destination came into view, Kip’s steps faltered. There were hundreds of people inside Hal’s Dance Hall and Saloon.