by Emma Renshaw
She whispers in my ear, “If you walk out of here right now, I promise I will reward you in a delicious way, but if you stay…” She grabs my hand, sliding it into the front of her panties, guiding a finger into her wet heat. She moans. “If you stay, I’ll be closed for business.” She pulls my hand out of her and pushes me away.
I watch her for a moment, seeing the challenge and promise in her eyes. I turn on my heel, stomping out of her closet. “Devil woman,” I throw over my shoulder.
She laughs and shuts her closet door.
38
SAVANNAH
“I don’t know why we couldn’t just leave the cake at your house,” Liam grumbles.
“Because I begged Harper to come home from work to make it, so I wouldn’t have to show up at your parents’ house empty-handed.”
“You didn’t have to bring anything, we can enjoy this all on our own.”
“Nope,” I reply, batting his hand away. He’s been trying to open the container while driving to get a piece of the icing. “I’m nervous enough as it is, especially after you told me about Monday.”
His entire family probably already hates me and thinks I cause nothing but drama. Let’s just hope they don’t find out I have an ex-boyfriend in prison who wants to kill me when he’s released. I can be emotionally unstable. I plan to kill my ex-boyfriend when he tries to kill me. Who wouldn’t want their son with this woman? I’m a catch. I lean my forehead against my palm, which is clammy and shaking. The shaking only gets worse when we pull in front of a substantial traditional colonial home.
I look down at my casual dress and sandals, feeling incredibly out of place. The house has columns. Freaking columns! My mind races trying to remember anything my mother told me about etiquette. I grew up in a modest ranch-style house. “Is this where you grew up?” I ask Liam.
“No,” he answers, hopping out of the Jeep and coming to my side. I would have opened my own door, but I’m too busy staring at the large balcony on the second floor. This home would be perfect on the set of a movie. “My parents downsized when my sister and I were about to graduate high school. The house I grew up in isn’t too far from here, though.”
My gaze swings to Liam’s, my mouth hanging open. “Downsized?” I manage to squeak out.
He holds out his hand, waiting for me to climb down. He’s already holding the cake in his other hand.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” I whisper.
“What are you talking about?” Liam asks, bewildered.
“I—” I stop, shutting my mouth, feeling incredibly small for what I’m about to say. “I don’t think I’m dressed nice enough.”
“Baby, you look beautiful. What are you talking about?”
“I’m not sure I’m fancy enough for—” I wave my hands in front of me, trying to encompass the huge home— “for all of this.”
Liam throws his head back laughing. “Believe me, we aren’t fancy. Come on, you’ll see. My parents just want tons of room for all the grandkids they’re dying for.”
That statement definitely didn’t help my nerves. I gulp and climb down with Liam’s help. Liam walks right into the house, pulling me after him. The front hall is adorned with family pictures on the crisp, white walls. The floors are dark wood, contrasting the lightness of the walls and decor. I’ve only seen a tiny portion of this house and I can already tell it is immaculately decorated. I’m drooling over each piece we pass and feel like I’m walking through photos from a home magazine. Fresh flowers are spread throughout each room we pass.
“I’ll give you a tour later,” Liam says. “We can end in my old bedroom.” He waggles his eyebrows.
“Absolutely not,” I hiss.
He calls for his mom and dad as we walk farther into the house. It isn’t until we are near the back of the house that we start to hear noise coming from the deck. Liam leads me outside to a garden oasis. The lawn is lush and fluffy. It looks like you could lie back right on the grass for hours, basking in the sun. One side of the deck is extended until it reaches a large pool with a rock waterfall and slide. The shadow we’re standing under tells me that there is also a balcony off the back of the second floor. Beautiful, colorful flowers are in the flower beds lining the deck and yard.
“Hey, honey.”
I turn toward the woman’s voice, seeing Liam’s mother for the first time. She is just as immaculate as the home we just walked through. Her crisp, brunette bob is stylishly curled and dark eyes expertly lined. Her dark-wash skinny jeans and white blouse look like they wouldn’t dare hold a wrinkle in her presence. I’m more and more terrified, the closer she comes to us. I’m trying to smile, but fear that it looks like more of a grimace. Her smile is broad and welcoming. She opens her arms right before she approaches us, and Liam opens his to give his mother a hug, but she bypasses him and comes straight at me. He’s staring at her with his arms outstretched, cake balancing in one of his large hands. My eyes widen when she wraps her arms around me.
“We’re a huggin’ family, sweetheart,” She rubs my back as I robotically wrap my arms around her, giving her a pat. “You’ll have to get used to it.”
I look up at Liam. He’s wearing his smug smile, like this is going just how he planned, but he says, “Damn, Mom, I bring a girl home and you just walk by your only son.”
His mom ignores him, releasing me from the hug, and grasps my hands. “I’m Katie,” she says.
“Hi, Mrs. Adler, I’m Savannah.”
She tsks. “No, none of that. Call me Katie. Mrs. Adler is my mother-in-law, and believe me, we don’t like her.”
I giggle nervously. Katie pats my cheek. “I’m so happy to meet you.”
“I’m good, how are you?” Liam says. “Oh, good, good.”
“Liam, be quiet. I greeted the important guest.”
He smiles. “Can’t argue there, Mom. She is important.”
I blush as they both stare at me. Liam has his arm wrapped around his mom now. I take the cake from his free hand, extending it to his mom.
“I brought a three-layer salted caramel chocolate cake for dessert. Thank you for having me.”
“Oh, honey, you didn’t have to go through the trouble, but it sounds divine. I can’t wait to taste it.”
I smile, not correcting that I didn’t make it. I don’t exactly want to offer up right away that I almost burned our kitchen to the ground making toast. Liam smirks at me. I glare at him.
“Come on, come on,” Katie says, taking the cake from my hands. “Come meet everyone else.”
Liam’s father and sister are sitting near the grill, heads turned toward us, watching the exchange. I’m thankful we weren’t bombarded as we walked out the door. I’m still nervous and shaking, but Katie did ease my anxiety a bit. Liam’s brother-in-law and nephew are on the lawn playing catch. I’m not sure if they know we’re here.
His father and sister stand as we approach. His sister is glaring at Liam, erasing any relief I was feeling just moments ago.
“Sis,” Liam says.
“Asshole,” she replies. I can’t help the laugh that escapes my lips. She looks over at me and grins.
Liam looks at me unamused. “Really?” he asks.
I shrug my shoulders. Liam’s sister comes up to me, wrapping me in the same hug her mother did. Then pulls back with her arms still around me. She smiles. “I can already tell. I’m going to like you. Probably more than I like my brother.”
I laugh again, feeling at ease once more. “Thanks,” Liam replies dryly.
“I’m Olivia,” his sister says.
“Savannah,” I reply, smiling back at her. I think I’m going to like her, too. She has the same warm, amber eyes as Liam. “I’m sorry he was rude to you earlier this week. That was my fault.”
“That was not your fault,” everyone standing on the deck says. I jump, surprised that everyone came to my defense, including his father who I have yet to meet.
His father takes me from Olivia, hugging me tight like the r
est of the family did. I catch a glimpse of Liam wrapping Olivia in a hug, murmuring in her ear. A small smile tugs at my lips, and I’m happy that they are having a moment together. “It’s good to meet you, sweetheart. I’m Henry. And don’t even try that Mr. Adler shit on me.” He gives me the same grin that his son has, the one I melt for each time it’s shot my way.
I smile back at him, seeing that Liam was telling the truth. He is just like his father. “I’m Savannah.”
“Oh, fresh meat,” I hear another voice call. I turn to see Liam’s brother-in-law heading up the deck steps with his son in his arms.
“Unca Liam! Unca Liam! Unca Liam!”
“Hey, Champ, that’s the type of greeting I’m talking about,” Liam takes his nephew from his brother-in-law’s arms and swings him around. The giggles that fill the air are the sweetest sounds.
I’m taken into another hug, but this one is quick. “You really will get used to all the hugs. I’m Josh, Olivia’s husband.”
“Savannah,” I tell him.
He leans toward me, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear, but appearing to be a conspiratorial manner, “Want a piece of advice from another Adler outsider?”
“Of course,” I say back in the same manner, unable to stop my smile.
“Run!” He shoots his thumb over his shoulder. “These people are a bunch of crazies.”
I laugh along with him, liking him just as much as I do Olivia. I can tell they have the same humor and must spar often.
Liam walks back over to me, wrapping his free arm around me. “Champ, this is my girlfriend, Savannah. Savannah, this heartbreaker right here, is Tanner.”
“Hi, Tanner,” I say, giving him a small wave.
He smiles the same crooked grin on Liam’s face. “You’re pretty.”
Liam starts tickling him, asking, “Are you trying to steal my girl?”
Tanner giggles, trying to push his hands away. Everyone else is laughing, too. I feel the last piece of my anxiety slipping away.
39
LIAM
M y dad is staring at me, thinking of what to say. He hasn’t said a word since I laid every one of my mistakes on the table. He’s been watching me quietly since I told him I wanted to talk with him. I used the free time alone with him to tell him everything about Chicago and the underground world I fell into. Josh is inside putting Tanner to sleep. My mom and Olivia are sitting with Savannah. They’re each curled into an Adirondack chair, talking. I look over at them, checking on Savannah. My mouth tugs into a smile when I see her smile, rubbing my sister’s tiny baby bump.
I look back at my father, who is still watching me. “I’m glad you got out of that, son.”
I nod, expecting so much more from him.
“It explains a few weeks ago when I asked you to play a hand.”
I nod again, looking down, completely ashamed I ruined something that we both enjoyed doing together.
“I want you to play again. We’ve never played for money. That’s not what we do. If you never play another hand with another person again, that’s your decision. You will play with me, though.”
I look back at Savannah. “I can’t risk becoming that person again.”
“You won’t, not with me.”
“We’ll see,” I tell him, not ready to commit to anything yet.
“I’d never let you hurt her. We all love her.” I look to my dad. He’s looking at the women now, too. “If you treat her like garbage or anything like that co-worker did, I will personally kick your ass.”
I laugh. “You’ll have to get in line. I’d kick my own ass if I did anything like that to her.”
Savannah’s cackle catches my attention. I whip my head toward her, feeling the burning in my chest. I want to walk over there, wrap her in my arms, and inhale that sound. I don’t know what she’s laughing about, but I find myself chuckling along with her.
“Told you,” Josh says, coming up behind me, clapping me on the shoulder. He sits down, opening a fresh beer.
“Told me what?”
My dad is already smiling, clinking his beer with Josh. “That you were fucked.”
I look back at Savannah. Bastard is right. I’m so fucked. There’s no chance of letting her go now.
“How’s it going, Adler Fam?” I turn toward the voice. Hudson is walking into my parents’ backyard through their gate.
He walks over to the women first, giving each of them a kiss on the cheek before coming to us. “I could see the food across the street,” he says, rubbing his stomach. “Figured you would have extra, thought I’d grace you with my presence.”
A couple of years ago, after Hudson bought a stake in his family’s company, he purchased the lot across from my parents, tore down the house that was sitting on it, and built a monstrosity in its place. I can’t deny that it’s a gorgeous house, but it is way too big for one man who refuses to bring a hook-up into his bed.
None of us laugh, used to his certain brand of charm.
My dad shakes his head and stands. “Come on boys, let’s eat.”
We all follow him over to the women. He helps each of them up and holds my mom’s hand as we walk over to the table.
“I see you brought your girl home,” Hudson says. “Risky move. She’ll think it’s serious.”
“It is,” I tell him.
“Really, man?” Hudson stops walking.
I stop, pulling up next to him. “Yeah, she’s....” I pause, searching for the right word to encompass everything that is Savannah. “Everything.”
Hudson’s smile splits his face. “Aww, is my boy falling in love?”
I can’t stop the smile that is taking over my face. I don’t answer him, but keep walking. He catches up to me, slinging his arm around my shoulder. “That’s adorable. I’m happy for you, man.” He slaps my back. I look over at him, seeing if he’s serious. He jumps from one woman to the next, never going back twice. I’m surprised to find genuine happiness on his face.
I pull Savannah into me when we reach her at the table. She wraps her arms around my neck, while mine settle on her hips. I raise one hand to brush her hair back. I settle my lips on hers. She sighs contentedly. When I pull back from her and we face the table, each person in my family is staring at us with a smile on their face.
When Hudson suggests we crash girls’ night at The Cellar, I jump at the opportunity to see Savannah. We’ve been spending every night together for the past several weeks since we both stripped our baggage. We spend a few days at my house, then a few days at hers. We’ve ended each night exploring each other’s bodies. I’m relishing every moment that I get to spend finding out what makes her moan. Savannah continually brings me to my knees with her sinful mouth, soft hands, and tight pussy.
We’re living in a fantasy that I surely don’t deserve to have. She was already asleep in the middle of my bed when I got home late last night. She woke me up in the middle of the night by sucking me awake. We made love quietly before falling back asleep, wrapped in each other. This morning, she was out the door for an early meeting before my alarm went off. I didn’t see her before she left to meet the girls at The Cellar. I’m dying to get my eyes and lips on her.
I text Gabe on our way to the bar, telling him to meet us there. We came to a silent understanding after meeting properly. I appreciate the fact that he has looked out for Savannah like she’s family. I would do the same for his woman. When we stroll into the bar, I hear the girls’ laughter over the music. When we approach the table to find three empty wine bottles and a new one freshly uncorked, I smile. I love when my girl is tipsy, she turns feisty. These girls’ nights end well for me.
Savannah is sitting on one side of the booth, alone. I slide in next to her, my lips landing on her neck. She giggles, turning toward me, holding my face. “What are you doing here, baby? It’s not time to pick me up yet.”
“Crashing,” I tell her before kissing her deeply. When our tongues melt together, she moans. A straw hits the side of my he
ad, and I break our kiss and turn toward the other side of the table. James and Hudson have chairs on the end of the table. Harper has another straw aimed at my face.
“Y’all are seriously so disgustingly cute,” she says. “If I didn’t love y’all, I’d want to kill you. I want to be kissed like that.”
Hudson leans toward her. “I can kiss you like that, baby. Anytime.” He gives her a wink before leaning back into his chair.
“You couldn’t handle me,” she says, dismissing him. “This silent, sexy brute on the other hand, though,” she says, her hand waving toward James. “He is much more my type.”
The girls laugh. “He’s everyone’s type,” Valerie pipes up.
James is stiff as a board, his cheeks a rosy red. I clap him on the shoulder. “Sorry, big guy, you’re not my type.”
He shakes off my hand, shaking his head, but remaining silent as usual. Hudson is laughing along with Harper, not put out by her dismissal. The two of them have become good friends since Savannah and I mixed our little groups. They verbally spar. Hudson flirts with Harper like there’s no tomorrow, but she continues to ignore him. I know he would never go there, though. He wouldn’t want to upset any of these girls. Savannah and her girls have him wrapped around their fingers. He will do anything each of them asks.
“Hitting on James again, babe?” Gabe asks as he saunters up to the table. “If I was a less confident man, you’d definitely give me a complex.”
We spend the rest of the night laughing and polishing off more drinks. I whisper in Savannah’s ear every few minutes promises of what I will do to her and asking her if it’s time to leave yet. I’ve missed my girl and want her in my bed without anyone else around.
Finally, she lets me drag her from the booth. When she starts another conversation with Harper about a new dress at Harper’s store, I toss her over my shoulder and march out. She pounds on my back as I stomp through the parking lot toward the Jeep. I slap her ass. “I’m ready to get you home.”
She giggles, squeezing my ass. “I love your butt,” she moans. “It’s so sexy.”
