by Piper Rayne
Everyone else in the bar seems like regulars or are thrilled to be at a spy bar where you have to answer riddles and complete missions. I’m not quite sure why I even came here. Okay, that’s a lie. He broke me here.
I’ll have to face Knox eventually. With some distance, I feel almost positive that he doesn’t want Leilani anymore, but I couldn’t stand seeing the two of them together in the same room. It felt like a knife going through my heart.
The three of us have come to the point where he can really truly choose between us once again. I guess on some level, I always knew it would come to this, and that’s what always set me on edge whenever Leilani was mentioned. Though I think when I return to the apartment it will be me he chooses, I have to prepare myself that it might not be.
I’m half done with my Agent Spytini drink when a man slides into the booth across from me. I look up from sucking as much alcohol through my straw as possible and see that it’s Dylan. “How did you find me?”
“Well, I sure as fuck didn’t know you’d go to a place like this, but this was Duke’s once upon a time, no?”
I nod.
“Rian had this idea you might have gone to Duke’s because that’s where you and Knox first met.”
I nod again. Smart woman.
“You didn’t catch us on the camera?” He points toward the TVs at the bar. I kind of remember people laughing every few minutes. “If you don’t know the password, you have to do stupid shit like the chicken dance to get in. They show it for everyone in here to see.”
I shrug. “Where is Rian?” I look around the room. She has a better chance than Dylan of cheering me up. The man hates me.
“She’s at the bar, trying to figure out a riddle. I asked her to give me five minutes alone with you.”
I sip my drink, and it slurps, saying my time with Agent Spytini is over. Dylan flags down the waitress and orders another for me and a beer for him.
“Why would you want to do that?” I push away the empty glass. “You don’t like me.”
His head sways right and left as though I have a point. “It’s not that I don’t like you. I’m cautious of you.”
I nod. “Okay.”
The waitress comes back and I’m thankful to have the distraction of another drink.
Dylan sips his beer and holds it over the table. “I’ve been friends with Knox for a long time. He’s a good guy.”
“I know.”
He nods. “Leilani hurt him.”
My forehead falls to the table. If I hear this one more time, I’m going to scream.
“I guess I should say I’ve seen him go after these women who don’t have any hopes and dreams or aspirations for the future. He had this girl in college who was the worst. It was a blessing they broke up, otherwise, she would have sucked him dry. I’m fairly sure she went to college to find a husband. But she fucked it up by cheating on him. A few nights later, we were here.” He looks around. “Much different then though.”
I nod.
“That night, Jimmy told him not to go for you because you were the take-home-to-mom type of girl. Jimmy’s a jackass, by the way. And so, Knox took Leilani home. In the end, she fucked with his head.” I groan, and he holds up his hand. “I’m not going to talk about her, but when you re-entered his life, I saw it for the first time.”
“What?” I groan.
“A woman who deserved him.”
“You sound like you’re his mother or something.”
He chuckles and sips his beer. “He’s done me solids our entire friendship, and I wish that night when we were here, I would’ve told him Jimmy was wrong and he should’ve taken you home.”
Another round of applause and cheers ring out when more people come into the bar.
“Well, he didn’t choose me.”
“Yeah, he didn’t. All I can tell you is he regrets it. I see it. He was never a guy who could just have sex and not have commitment. Not sure why he thought he could. That’s reserved for us foster kid fuck-ups who turn off their feelings.”
I glance at Rian. “I doubt that.”
“Jax,” Dylan says as an example. “I’ve graduated. Thank God for Rian. But she had to do a lot of shit to get me where I am now. I never thought I was good enough for her. That’s the problem with growing up like we did.”
“I want to make his life better. I know I let him house me and I shouldn’t have but—”
He lifts his hand. “Rian says it’s none of my business and she’s right. It’s not. You would think, from where I come from, that I would understand the exchange between you two. I do it at my shop all the time. I give newbies a place to hone their skills. Knox would’ve taken you in whether or not he was attracted to you, but I think the fact that he was probably helped. I guess I thought you were going to use him. And then when you played that game and moved into our apartment—”
“But I did it because—”
Again, he holds up his hand. “I get it now. But I’m just going to tell you this. I know you’re upset because… of her.”
I smile that he didn’t say her name.
“But when he’s with you, it’s completely different. He’s happier and laid-back. He’s himself. She had this way of keeping him on edge. You get along with his parents and all of us.”
“Some of you,” I say.
He smiles. “I’m protective. He’s my boy.”
I nod, happy that someone looks out for Knox since he thinks it’s his job to look after everyone else.
“Give him a second chance.” Dylan turns his head toward the camera all the other patrons are staring at.
Knox is on the screen, showing his badge and arguing with the bouncer. But the bouncer is having none of it. The crowd goes wild with screams and chants of “Make the cop beg!”
Dylan’s hand covers mine. “Believe me, I don’t vouch for a lot of guys, but that one… he’ll keep your heart safe. And if he doesn’t, you can kick me in the balls.” He takes his beer and walks away.
The bouncer makes Knox pretend he’s making out with himself, wrapping his arms around his chest and running them over his back. After he’s done, the patrons cheer and the bouncer lets him through. The door opens and they all clap and cheer. But Knox ignores them, searching the room. I watch from my dark corner of the bar. He finds Dylan first and he in turn points at me. I dodge eye contact with Knox as if my drink is the most interesting thing in the world.
But a second later, Knox slides into the booth with me. Unlike the last one, this man doesn’t stay on the other side. He slides all the way in beside me until he can grab my hands.
“Don’t end this,” Knox says. “I have no idea why she thought I’d want her back. I would never do that to you. I don’t want her. I want you. Only you. You have to believe me. What do I have to do to prove it?” I say nothing, and he continues. “I know Dylan beat me here, but I had to make sure she knows there’s no shot. That you’re the one who owns me.”
“Own? Should I get a leash?”
He smiles and the waitress comes over, but he puts up a hand. “If you want. But… hold up.”
He stops and slides out of the booth, walking away.
What is he doing? My gaze follows Knox, but he gets swallowed by the crowd. Two minutes later, the waitress comes over with a drink and slides it my way.
“Oh no, this is enough. Otherwise, I’ll be on your floor by closing time.”
She laughs. “No, this is from the gentleman at the bar.” She points.
Knox tips his beer bottle my way as Rian and Dylan pretend they don’t know what he’s doing.
“Tell him thanks.”
“This is a cute little game you two play,” she says and walks away.
Then Knox stands from the bar with his beer in his hand and walks through the throng of people, his eyes on me the entire time. Stopping at the edge of the booth, he signals at the empty spot. “Can I sit down?”
“Sure,” I say.
He sits, ignoring my questioning expr
ession. “I’m Knox.”
I can’t help but smile. “Kamea.”
“Knox and Kamea sound pretty good together,” he says, and I giggle.
“Would that have been your line?”
He chuckles. “I’m sorry, have we met before?”
I roll my eyes.
“I would’ve asked you to dance.” He looks around. “But I’m guessing I have to ask you to complete a mission with me?”
“I don’t even know you,” I play along.
“What do you want to know?” he asks.
“Whatever you want to tell me about yourself.” I sip my drink.
“I fell in love with you on the way over here.”
“All the way from the bar?”
He chuckles. “Something like that.” He winks and slides out of the booth and holds out his hand. “What do you say? Trust me?”
This is it. This is the moment I either decide to leave the past and my insecurities aside and charge forward into my life with this man and see what comes of it, or I let my fear and doubts steal something that could be pretty great.
I slide my hand into his with a cleansing breath. “I trust you.”
And I do. Because somewhere along the way, I fell in love with him too.
Everyone points at the television—it’s all our other friends, trying to gain entry. Jax refuses to do the Macarena with everyone else though.
“Leave it to Jax.”
Knox wraps his arms around my waist, using one hand to tuck my hair behind my ear. “I mean it. I love you. So much. And I should’ve picked you all those years ago.”
I poke him in the chest. “You should have.”
“I’m a lucky man to have a chance at a do-over.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Yeah, you are.”
“You don’t have to say it back or anything, you know. Just in case you think I’m waiting or something.”
“Okay.”
“I mean, I don’t want to pressure you. When you’re ready, that’s when you should say it.”
I pretend to slide into the booth, but right before I get in, I turn around. “Hey, Knox?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
He laughs, his hands landing on my hips and swinging me around. “I knew it.” And as he lowers me back down, he holds me tight. “I promise you, we’ll have a story for the books.”
“I think we already do.”
His lips press to mine, sealing our fate with a kiss that makes my knees weak. Good things really are worth waiting for.
Epilogue
Knox
It’s our first official date, although I’m picking her up at the bedroom we share. But it’s about time I show her what a future with Knox Whelan is really about.
I knock on our bedroom door and she opens it, wearing a skirt and tights and a short sweater that fits snuggly over her tits.
“On second thought, a night in sounds nice,” I say, stepping into the room.
She puts her hand on my chest and shakes her head. “Nope. We’re going on the date. The bed will be here when we return.”
“You should’ve dressed down.”
She quirks an eyebrow. “Um… the whole point of a date is so you have to imagine having sex with me the entire night.”
“Then we can skip the date because that’s me every day. Trust me when I say that if I’m not actually fucking you, I’m thinking about fucking you.”
She slides past me. “Aren’t you the romantic.”
I snatch her up with my arm around her waist and pull her back into me. “Look at the table.”
She turns her head to find a big box on the table. It doesn’t hold flowers and candies like I bought for the night when she-who-shall-remain-nameless ruined it all.
I kiss her on the neck. “Go open it.”
She walks over to our kitchen table and opens the box, looks back at me for a moment, then closes the box back up. “Nope.”
“Yes.”
“Nope.” She grabs her purse. “Let’s go on our date before we end up in a fight.”
“Holy shit!” Jax comes out of his room, holding a big box and sporting a black T-shirt with the lettering “Jax Inked Me and I Loved It.”
I turn toward Kamea, who raises both eyebrows and her shoulders.
“Frankie is going to kick your ass,” I say to Jax.
He laughs. “I know.”
“Hold up,” I say.
He stops before exiting the apartment.
Yes, Jax lives with us because this is us. We seem to all jive together, and it enabled me to set up the third room for Kamea’s T-shirt business. That’s my big surprise for later tonight, but if she can’t accept a box full of T-shirts, she might not accept a room with a press and printer either.
I point at Kamea. “Tell her to accept my gift. That I’m wooing her.”
Jax sets down the box and puts his hand on her shoulder. “He’s wooing you. Not trying to own you.”
“I’ve never thought own,” she says. “Saving is more what I was thinking.”
“I’m not trying to save you. I’m your boyfriend and I’m helping you. Think of it as an early Christmas gift.” I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her toward me. “You have to let me do nice things for you.”
“Not buy products for my company.” Her forehead hits my chest.
“I’m out. Gonna show Seth first.” Jax continues out the door with the box, laughing as he leaves.
“Please? I really wanted to do something nice for you.”
“Flowers and candy…”
“Aren’t us. I’m not going to write you poetry or bring home flowers every night. That’s not us. You cook for me when you’re wooing me, and I buy you stuff to make your life easier to woo you.”
Her head moves back and forth. “Ugh… Knox…” She looks up. “I’m paying for dinner tonight then.”
“No,” I say.
She opens the door and heads out into the hall. “We’re not having this argument. I’m paying if you want me to accept that present.”
I think I’ll wait until after we have sex to show her the room I transformed for her. “I pay.”
She presses the button on the elevator, humming.
Seth’s apartment door opens down the hall, and he and Evan come out with Jax as Seth says, “I’m gonna record this because it’s gonna go viral.”
Everyone gets on the elevator, including Jax and his big-ass plastic container of shirts. When we get to the first floor, I find my mom waiting at the elevator.
“Mom?” I ask.
“Hey, Mama Whelan. I got something for you.” Jax kisses her cheek, sets down the plastic container, and hands her one of the T-shirts.
She reads it and beams. “I’ll be proud to wear this.”
“Um. No.” I snatch it and toss it back into the container.
“That’s not nice. I’m proud to wear something Kamea designed that advertises Jax.” She grabs it again before Jax shuts the container. “You look very beautiful,” she says to Kamea.
“Thank you, Peggy. Knox is taking me on a date.” Kamea slides her arm through mine.
Although Kamea talks to her brother, her parents haven’t come around. My mom says we should just book plane tickets and go down, but I’m not sure that’s what’s best for Kamea. To my mom, family is everything, so I don’t think she understands how Kamea’s parents have gone so long without being in contact with her.
“Why are you here?” I ask my mom.
“I have a letter. Jolie’s.” She digs in her purse and holds it up. “I’m sure Frankie would want to know what Jolie asked Santa for, and I forgot to pass it on at the shelter that night. When you were younger, you’d change your mind the day before Christmas and I’d end up chasing the item down anyway so you’d believe in Santa.” She looks at Kamea. “Glad those days are over.”
“Come with me. I’m showing off my shirts to Frankie. You can give her the letter then,” Jax says.
&nbs
p; “Oh, that’s nice.”
“Yeah, Frankie’s going to kick him in the balls,” Seth adds, his phone poised and ready.
“Well, let’s go see the show before we head out,” Kamea says.
I shrug. “Great idea.”
We all cross the street, Kamea and Evan talking about Sweet Infusion. Kamea still does the coffee shift in the early hours, and she’s done T-shirts for Rian and Jax. Kamea’s even done shirts for Evan and Seth’s moms’ bagel store that say, “Bagel plus Schmear Equals Best Friends.” She’s doing well. Pretty soon she’ll be buying me things.
The detective job is awesome, although I miss Patrice. Her artificial insemination worked and though it’s early she’s opted for desk duty until the baby pops out just to be on the safe side. I couldn’t be happier for her. Finally, after all these years, everything is fitting together and I’m not looking for anything to drop.
We walk into Ink Envy. Frankie is behind the counter, her phone out in front of her. Dylan’s in the back, tattooing someone presumably, and Rian is up front with Blanca and Ethan. Sierra went to Sandsal with Adrian.
“Who wants one?” Jax swings a shirt around like a lasso.
Frankie rolls her eyes. “I don’t want anything from you.”
“Oh, come on. Sit in my chair and you get one of these for free.” He points at his T-shirt.
Seth is giddy with anticipation. I groan and shake my head.
Frankie’s eyes narrow as she reads. “Fucking hell, I’m quitting if you hand out those damn things.”
Surprisingly, she doesn’t say much else. Usually she’s ready to take him by the jugular.
“Frankie.” My mom heads over to her. “Jolie left this letter for Santa with me on Thanksgiving at the shelter.” She hands her Jolie’s letter to Santa.
“Thanks so much. She told me she wrote Santa and gave it to Knox’s mommy because she knows Santa, but she wouldn’t tell me what she wrote. She refused to write another letter because she said he knows what she wants.”
We all laugh, and Frankie opens the envelope, pulling out the letter with a drawing. She reads it, then narrows her eyes and reads it again, losing some of her color.
