Wicked Surprise

by L A Cotton

  “You really mean that?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “What did I miss?” Kyle’s voice startled us and we both turned to meet his confused expression.

  “Nothing.” I swiped at my eyes. “We were just talking about the wedding.”

  “And it made you cry?” His brow rose, a playful lilt on his lips. “Is this how it’s going to be now? You tear up every time someone mentions the W word?”

  Sniffling back the remaining tears, I laughed. “I’ll get over it, I promise.”

  He didn’t look convinced.

  “I’ll leave the two of you.” Lo stood up. “Congratulations again.”

  “You don’t need to leave, Cous,” Kyle said, coming over to us. He dropped into the chair, his eyes sliding to the ring on my finger. “I still can’t believe I did that.”

  “You’re not having second thoughts already, are you?” I asked, only half-serious. “Because I won’t give it back. Ever.”

  It was mine—and I planned on keeping it, forever.

  “And that would be my cue to leave. I’ll see you both at breakfast.”

  “Breakfast?” Kyle rubbed his stomach, letting out an exasperated breath. “I already ate a ton of pancakes.”

  “It’s only eight in the morning.”

  He shrugged. “So? I was hungry. And Beth may have challenged me to an eat-off.”

  “Who won?”

  Kyle groaned, his head falling back. “It’s like she’s me. Only better at everything. I didn’t know an eight-year-old could make me feel so inadequate.”

  “You should feel honored she wants to play games with you. It took her months to even speak to me,” Lo said.

  His eyes flicked to her. “That’s because I’m awesome and you’re... not.”

  “I take it all back. Laurie,”—she glanced at me—“I’m happy for you, I am, but I hope you know what you’re letting yourself in for marrying my arsehole of a cousin.” Lo grabbed the door handle and settled her amused gaze on Kyle.

  “Beth might think the sun shines out of your arse, but she’s going to be my stepsister, Cous.”

  “Is that a threat?” Kyle straightened in the chair.

  “Guess you’ll have to wait to find out.” Lo fought back a grin before ducking out of the room.

  “You don’t really think Lo would—”

  “Oh, I totally think she would.” I got off the bed and went to him. Kyle reached for me, sliding his hands around the curve of my ass.

  “I missed you.” He pulled me down onto his lap until I was straddling him.

  “You left me, remember?”

  “I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Having second thoughts?” It was a joke but as soon as the words left my lips, my heart squeezed in fear.

  “Never.” His lips brushed over mine tenderly. “You’re mine now, Laurie Davison. Forever and always.”

  Pulling back, I stared into his blue eyes. “We’re really doing this?”

  “Cuddling on the chair?” He frowned, and I batted his chest.

  “Kyle!”

  “I’m joking, babe.” He leaned in to capture my lips again, but I hovered out of reach.

  “Forever is a long time,” I whispered.

  It was husband and wife, a home, and a family, and growing old together.

  Kyle’s expression softened, his eyes fixed on me as if he was imagining every word I just said. For a second, I thought he might take it all back, realizing he’d made one big mistake. But then he whispered back, “I want it, babe. I want it all.”

  Chapter 11

  Macey

  “It’s official, kids, we’re snowed in.” Gentry stood at the window, hands clasped behind his back, staring out at the white blanket surrounding the house. When we’d arrived, there had been a lot of snow on the ground but the main roads were clear. Now, it all blended into one. The roads, the slopes, even the lake had begun to disappear underneath banked up snow caps.

  “But they’ll clear it, right?” I asked. “We’re at a ski resort. They have snowplows and stuff.”

  “If it keeps up the way it did through the night, I’m not sure we’ll be getting out of here anytime soon.”

  “Ugh.” I flopped back against the couch. I loved my family and coming here had been great, but I was ready to get back to Wicked Bay, where it was warmer and the end of my nose didn’t feel ready to fall off every time I left the cabin.

  “It’s not that bad,” Devon said, slipping his arm around me. “I kind of like it here.”

  “I don’t dislike it. I’m just ready to get home.”

  “Ahh, man, they closed the slopes,” Jack said from behind the huge chair he was sitting in, eyes glued to the resort-specific channel playing on the widescreen television. He’d been quiet ever since his accident at the snowpark. Even quieter since Kiera’s latest call from Trey. Part of me wanted to feel sorry for him; he didn’t deserve to be played by a girl who had feelings for another guy, but it was hard to like him.

  “Had big plans, did you?” Kyle called across the living room, unable to hide his sarcasm.

  “Maybe.” Jack’s hand appeared over the top of the chair and he flipped Kyle off.

  “Wrong person, Jacky boy. That’s my gran.”

  “Oh shit, Mrs. Stone,”—his head appeared next—“I didn’t realize...”

  “You should see your face.” Kyle held his stomach as laughter spilled out of him.

  “Asshole.”

  “Dickface.”

  “Who’s a dickface?” Bethany plonked herself down on the rug in front of the fire.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be helping your mom in the kitchen, short stuff?”

  The kid shrugged. “I was getting in the way.”

  “So, you thought you’d come get in our way?”

  “Shut up, dickface.”

  “Bethany!” Uncle Rob used his serious face, but there was undeniable amusement in his voice.

  “Sorry.”

  “You have all the time in the world to learn cuss words.”

  “Oh, I already know them all. Kyle tau—”

  “Kyle taught you what not to say, remember?” Kyle glared at the eight-year-old as if she was his mortal enemy. In some ways, I guess she was.

  “It’s fascinating watching them,” Nick added. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone give Kyle a run for his money the way Beth does.”

  “I heard that.” Kyle’s head whipped up in our direction. “She might be like me, but there’ll only ever be one of me.”

  “You’re so weird,” I grumbled, nestling closer to Devon. My eyes dropped to the bracelet adorning my wrist, the new silver pick hanging there. It was just a charm, one of many, but it signified so much. Our beginning, our past, and our future.

  I loved it.

  And I loved the guy who had given it to me. More than I ever thought possible.

  “Babe, come on.” Jack’s plea made me look up. “I didn’t mean—”

  Kiera stormed out of the room with a sheepish looking Jack on her tail.

  “Anyone care to tell us what that was about?” Gentry asked. Although he wasn’t Kiera’s father, he’d taken a fatherly approach with her. But Kiera was wary. Even after all this time, she still struggled with letting her guard down. Not that I blamed her. She’d had it rough, growing up in Rotunda. Watching her mom cycle through her addiction.

  I patted Devon’s knee, keeping my eye on Gentry. “I’ll go check on them,” I said.

  “Do you want me to—”

  “It’s okay.” I offered Kyle a weak smile. “I’ve got it.”

  He let out a frustrated breath, his eyes sliding to where Kiera and Jack had disappeared down the hall. It wasn’t the first time we’d danced this dance; him offering to step up to the plate and me shutting him down. But there were some things Kiera just didn’t want him to know, and I got that.

  I got that better than any of them.

  “I’ll be back soon.” I pressed a kiss to Devon’s
lips and left him watching Rebecca and Stella make total asses of themselves playing charades. I could still hear their laughter when I reached our bedroom. Continuing down the hall to Kiera and Summer’s room, I paused listening for any signs of life.

  “I thought we had a good thing going.” Jack’s gruff voice filtered into the hall.

  “We do,” Kiera cried. “I just...”

  “You just what, K?”

  “It’s not easy for me, being here with them all. You know that.”

  He scoffed, and I flinched at her honesty. I knew I should move away and give them some privacy. But something deep inside of me kept me there. Not because I wanted to hear their conversation, but because I felt protective of Kiera. Plus, there was something about Jack. A niggle at the back of my mind that kept me rooted to the spot.

  “So, you’re telling me your shitty mood doesn’t have anything to do with that text message you got?”

  “It was nothing. Just a guy I used to know from school.”

  “An ex?” Incredulity hung in his words.

  “Jack, we’ve been over this.”

  “But I don’t fucking believe you,” he spat, and my spine straightened, my hand wrapped around the door handle.

  “What do you want from me?” Kiera asked quietly.

  “You know what I want.”

  The room fell silent, the only sounds that of muffled breaths. I hesitated, knowing I should walk away, knowing it wasn’t my battle to fight but then I heard, “Jack, no, don’t...”

  I barged into the room to find Jack pressing Kiera against the wall. Their heads whipped around, and he immediately broke away. “Shit, Macey, it isn’t what you think.”

  “You should leave, now,” I said as calmly as possible, glaring at him until he started moving. As he passed me, he whispered, “I didn’t mean... ah shit, I’m going.”

  The door slammed behind him and I hurried over to Kiera. She was frozen in place, her eyes clamped tight.

  “Kiera, look at me.”

  Her eyelids slowly peeled open. “He wasn’t... he didn’t mean—”

  “What are you doing, Kiera?”

  “I... I don’t know anymore.” She lowered her defeated gaze. “I thought I could do this. I thought I could be with him. He’s not a bad guy, he’s not. He’s been patient with me. But he’s jealous, and I can’t blame him.”

  “He put his hands on you,” I ground out.

  “He didn’t, I promise.” Kiera swiped at her eyes. “He kissed me, and I kissed him back, but then I panicked. I’m not ready.”

  “And that’s okay. I told you before, never let a guy talk you into doing something you’re not ready for.”

  Kiera brushed past me and went to the bed, dropping down on the edge. “But that’s just it. I was ready with Trey. I felt safe with him. I wanted him. I would have given him...” She trailed off, but I knew what she’d been about to say. “But with Jack, it’s like...”

  “What?”

  “I can’t do it. All I see is his face and I shut down.”

  My chest tightened. Kiera didn’t talk about her past much, but she’d told me enough for me to know she’d survived things young girls should never have to.

  Sitting beside her, I took her hand in mine. “Maybe it’s a Jack thing. You’ll find someone else, someone who makes you feel safe and comfortable. Someone you want to be with.” But as I said the words, I feared the worst. Because Kiera had already found him. She’d already given her heart to someone who didn’t want it in return.

  And I hated Trey for it.

  “I don’t want anyone else, Macey. Don’t you get it? I tried with Jack because he’s a good friend. He might be a goofball, but he makes me laugh and I trust him enough not to hurt me.”

  “But...”

  “He’s not him.” She choked over the words as a sob pulled from her throat. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. I wanted to fix it for her, to beat some sense into Trey, but I knew it wasn’t that simple. There wasn’t just Kiera and Trey in this story. There was Kyle and Maverick and Callie, not to mention Kiera’s past.

  “What will you do about Jack?” I asked when she had finally calmed down.

  “I should end it. It’s not fair on him,” she whispered. I sensed her hesitation and knew there was a but coming.

  A big one.

  But Kiera didn’t say the words. And I didn’t push. Maybe in another place, another time, I would have. But today was not that day.

  “Come on,” I said giving her a little shake. “Stella and my mom are making total asses of themselves. It’s too good to miss.”

  Kiera managed a small smile. “Okay. It’s not like I can hide in here all day. Kyle will come looking.”

  “He will.” I nodded. “And if he does, that won’t end well for anyone.”

  “If he ever finds out about—”

  “He won’t, I promise.” If I thought Maverick was protective of me and Summer, Kyle’s protectiveness of Kiera was in a whole other league, and nothing good would come from him learning the truth about his baby sister and the guy who broke her heart.

  Chapter 12

  Maverick

  “This is the life.” Kyle stretched back against the log and Laurie nestled closer into his side as we watched the fire crackle. “What do you say, babe? Fancy getting a place out here? Surf in the summer, boarding in the winter?”

  “It’s... nice, but I prefer the sun. Oh God, how I miss the sun.”

  The girls snickered, and I couldn’t resist grabbing a handful of snow and molding it into a ball before launching it at my stepbrother. But just as I was about to release it, Lo snagged my wrist and whispered, “Don’t start something you know he’ll finish.”

  She grinned, and I dipped my head capturing her lips, letting the ball of ice roll out of my hand. Lo was right. Kyle would turn it into a full-on snowball fight and this—the bonfire, the beer, and easy conversation—was nice. Better than nice, it was damn near perfect.

  “What do you think?” I asked Lo as I broke off the kiss. “Do you like it out here?”

  “I like wherever you are.” She pressed her lips to mine again, slipping her tongue into my mouth. My dick stirred, wanting inside my girl. But there would time to worship her body later when it was just the two of us.

  “Prince, mind removing your tongue from my cousin’s mouth?”

  I pressed my head to Lo’s, but slid my eyes to Kyle. “Actually, it was her tongue in my mouth.”

  Lo pinched my side and laughter rumbled in my chest. “What?” I mocked. “He’s just so easy to—”

  She silenced me with her lips, earning us a round of groans, and a shriek of amusement from Laurie no doubt.

  When we finally came up for air, the conversation had moved on to other topics.

  “So, what’s the plan for New Year, Devon?”

  “Plan?” He frowned at Kyle who was wearing a shit eating smirk.

  “Yeah, the plan. Mace—”

  “Macey said nothing,” my sister shook her head, shooting him a harsh glare.

  Kyle’s hands flew up. “I’m just saying if lover-boy here is going to be going on tour, he’ll need roadies.” He thumbed to himself and then me.

  “You told him?” Devon turned to Macey but didn’t give her time to answer. “Who am I kidding? Of course you told him.”

  “I didn’t tell him.” Guilt glittered in her eyes. “I told Kiera,”—she glared at her friend—“And she promised not to tell a soul.”

  “You know what he’s like, he doesn’t quit until he knows everything. I’m sorry, Devon, I am.” Kiera gave him a weak smile. “But he would have found out one way or another.”

  Devon buried his face into his arm.

  “Lions, I’m hurt. I thought we were friends.”

  “Kyle,” Lo warned him, but it rolled off his shoulders. He was like a dog with a bone. I was just relieved Lions was his target this time.

  “I’m just saying, you’d think after every
thing I’ve done for the guy, he’d be a little more forthcoming with his impending rock star status.”

  “It’s six shows,” Devon grumbled. “In six dive-bars, I’m hardly a rock star.”

  “It’s a good gig, Devon.” Macey slid her arm through his and coaxed him out of hiding. “Everyone starts out somewhere.”

  “Damn right, and we want to be there to support you.” Kyle declared, swinging his beer in the air.

  “Are you drunk?” I said.

  “Maybe. A little. But that’s not the point. The point is, Lions is one of us now. And we stick together. Am I right?”

  “You’re a fucking idiot.”

  “And you’re just jealous you have to share my love.”

  “Okay, Mister.” Laurie wriggled out of his arm and stood up. “I’m taking you to bed.”

  “Can we do that the thing... the one where you—”

  Her hand shot out, muffling his words. “If you stop talking, we can do whatever you want.”

  His eyes lit up as he staggered to his feet. “You.”—he jabbed his finger at Devon—“we’ll talk more about this tomorrow. And you,”—he swung around to me—“there’s enough of me to go around. I fucking love you, Prince.”

  “Thanks, I think,” I mumbled, fighting a smirk. “Take him, now, before he says something he’ll regret.”

  Laurie smiled, pulling Kyle away from the group toward the cabin.

  “And then there were five,” Nick said.

  Kiera blanched at that.

  “You okay?” I asked her, and she nodded.

  “I will be.”

  She didn’t know I knew her secrets, and I wasn’t about to admit it, but Kiera was Kyle’s family—my family—and I didn’t want to see her upset. But I also didn’t want to get in the middle of whatever this thing was between her and Trey was because it had disaster written all over it.

  “I should probably go check on Jack.”

  “We’ll come with you.” Macey stood. “It’s getting late.”

  “You want to head back with them?” Nick asked Summer. She smiled lazily at him, and I hoped it was because she was tired and not drunk.

  “Yeah, I’m getting cold. You can warm—”