by Doyle, Dawn
“What do you think I’m going to do? Pester her for an autograph or an introduction?” She snorted. “Trust me, I can relate. I have enough of that from your fans, so I’m pretty sure I can control myself.”
I shrugged. “Well, you do get a little vicious when it comes to the Roosters, Will.” She sure fucking did. Will was my biggest fan, but the Roosters were a close second. Hell, I sometimes wondered if I was the second.
She raised her hand with a universal sign—flipping the bird—then walked out.
I’ve got a few more minutes.
I closed the door and went back to the case, lifted up Kaia’s shirt, and held it to my face. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, inhaling whatever the hell was infused in the fabric.
It was all Kaia, the same smell I couldn’t get enough of. No matter who I’d used in the past to take my mind off of her, she was always there, working her way to the front, and I was barely more than a fucking blip on her radar.
Kaia
“You have reached your destination,” the car’s GPS informed me as I drove slowly up the long, brick driveway lined with colorful arrangements of bedding plants. It opened up to a circular spot with a neatly trimmed yellow-green conifer in the center.
“Seriously?” I whispered, checking the house out. I didn’t take my focus off the building as I got out of the SUV. “This is ridiculous.”
Maddoc’s home wasn’t as big as Channing’s parents’ place, but it was more beautiful. Manicured lawns, perfectly shaped pink and yellow rose bushes in full bloom, and lilac and purple flowers surrounding them. The mixture of shades complemented each other perfectly, the same way my parents had designed the decorative features in our front yard.
Two floors of white-framed windows, each one with multiple glass panes. The tops and bottoms were separated, and I guessed that’s how they opened by sliding the lower one upwards. Way too modern to be originals, but gorgeous all the same.
Wow, they’re fantastic.
I walked slowly to the front of the house, pulling Maddoc’s case with me, and headed to a large, Victorian front door—Just like the ones I’d seen on British TV shows, complete with patterned glass panels. I lifted the shiny, chrome ring in the center of the wood, ready to knock, when a crackle came from a small speaker to my right.
“Hey, cupcake,” Maddoc’s voice sounded. “There’s a gate to your left. I’ll buzz you through so you can head on back here.”
“Uh, okay.”
I followed the line of the continued brick pattern, and sure enough, it wound round the side of the house to a black, metal gateway. The moment I reached it, there was a buzzing noise followed by a click, and I lifted my shaking hand to push it open.
My mouth dropped open at the sight. Sunlight reflected off of the calm water in a large, rectangular pool where gray, woven sun loungers sat in a row. Another lawn with striped grass, mown in different directions, reached from a tiered decking at the main house, and ran the length of the large garden.
Beats of music carried over to me, the faint thuds of something familiar slowly quietening until I could barely hear it.
“Over here, cupcake!” Maddoc yelled, and I lifted my hand to shade my eyes.
I scanned the area, and saw a small, cream building with a white roof at the rear that looked like a small house. A single door with long, narrow windows either side faced the main house, the many single glazed panels showing the reflection of the larger building.
Then, I spotted Maddoc waving to me from a doorway at the side of the building, facing the pool, and I followed the curved path, past the ornate edges and flat spotlights, until I reached the tall, French doors.
“Hey,” I greeted, still admiring the rear of the property and how it looked like something from a magazine, just how my parents had ours.
“Come in,” Maddoc said, opening one of the doors wider, and gestured inside.
I was about to take a step, but I faltered when my gaze met his.
Oh, my God…
Sitting in the truck was one thing, but standing right in front of me, in that white tee and gray sweatpants, he was a walking wet dream.
Don’t look down, Kaia.
“Shouldn’t we just exchange cases?” I asked. Stinging in my eyes from not blinking had my lids quivering, trying to close against my wishes. If I blinked, I’d look, I knew I would.
Maddoc reached forward, and when I thought he was about to take the case, he grabbed my free hand and gently pulled me inside. The contact of his warm fingers around mine sent prickles over my skin and tingles firing inside me.
“Just get your ass in here,” he sighed, still holding me. When he dropped my hand, I held it to me as though I’d been scalded. By the way his bruised jaw set, he didn’t miss it. “I’ll get your case.” He disappeared through a wooden door opposite me.
While he was gone, I took in the room, immediately needing to take off my shoes to avoid messing up the clean, wooden floor. Sitting diagonally at the back of the room next to a plain white wall with another wooden door, was an upright piano, the keys covered, and what seemed to be an iPad sat on the music book stand. It looked a little out of place with the rest of the area, especially with the huge black couch and enormous flatscreen TV. I’d never seen one that size out of my brothers’ gigantic living spaces, but in the room, nestled between two oak units, it fit. Photographs set in silver, black, and colored frames were displayed on the shelves in various places, breaking up the many colorful books and magazines.
One picture I could see clearly stood out. It was larger than most of the others, and the moment I saw the couple in the green frame, I swallowed down the lump in my throat, the reminder that I had to put up my walls around Maddoc, to let him think that he didn’t affect me in any way other than annoyance.
Maddoc had his arm around a young woman, maybe a few years younger than us, with flowing blonde locks similar to Daria’s, but as light as Maddoc’s. Her bright, beautiful smile and clear joy at being beside Maddoc had my mood souring.
How could he hook up with other women when he’s got somebody as beautiful as her?
A noise behind me had me spinning around, and before I knew it, my heart had taken a giant leap to my throat. The woman from the picture was standing right behind me, her eyes taking in my appearance. Her hair was just as golden, her face as flawless, and her figure… Jesus, with her height, she could walk the runway even in her cut off shorts and light-green tank that matched her damn eyes.
“Oh, hi,” I rushed out, needing to explain myself. “I’m just dropping off Maddoc’s case—we got them mixed up.” God, I wanted to run as far away as possible. Either that, or for the ground to swallow me whole, anything to avoid feeling like I was invading her space, even though I had no intention of doing that.
She didn’t reply. Instead, she looked over my head—which wasn’t difficult—and raised her brow. I turned to see what she was looking at, and saw Maddoc looking effortlessly sexy, leaning against the door jamb, watching our interaction with an amused smirk on his face.
My heart pounded so fast that perspiration broke out over my forehead, and tiny droplets slid down my spine. I let go of Maddoc’s case as he pushed away from the wall, my pulse firing up with every step he took toward me.
“My case?” I asked as though I wasn’t close to a panic attack, seeing he hadn’t brought it out.
“I thought you could use a drink—you look a little flushed.”
“Maddoc, I should be going,” I gritted out, but he ignored me and walked past, slinging his arm around the angelic woman with legs that went on for miles.
“This is Willow,” he said, still with that fucking smirk that I now wanted to slap from his face. “My sister.”
My mouth gaped in shock. “Sister?” I whispered. “But, I thought she was…” My finger waved from Maddoc to Willow. “You were…” My head bounced between them. I. Was. Floored. I couldn’t move, my limbs frozen, my face stuck in fuck only knows what expression beca
use I had no words to describe the amount of shame that speared through me. Every single fiber of my being flared with heat, and it certainly was not the kind I usually had whenever he was near me. This was dreadful, my skin burning with embarrassment that had no sign of easing up.
Blonde bombshell lifted her hand and waved, that simple movement so graceful I must’ve looked like a bumbling idiot.
Then, she did something else with her hands, quick movements as she looked up at Maddoc, disapproval showing so clearly I could feel it without her saying anything.
Great, and I might’ve insulted her, too.
Maddoc released her, then used his own hands to relay something back, his brows furrowing for a second before shooting right up. “Willow’s a little pissed you didn’t know she was my sister,” he said as she silently yelled at him, which made him wince a little. “Okay, Will, God,” he said as he signed back to her and then turned to me. “I’m sorry. I thought you knew—it’s not like I kept her a secret.”
How the hell had I missed that? Maddoc could sign, and I had no idea. I couldn’t have; I’d never wanted to know anything about him that would make me like him any more than I did, and the way he looked at her, at Willow… My gut swirled around, and adrenaline fired through my veins. I was tired of the shit he pulled to irritate me. This time, he’d gone way too far.
Willow took a step toward me, and placed her hand gently on my shoulder. She pointed to Maddoc, and signed furiously.
“Jeez, Willow, I said I was sorry.” He dropped his head, then raised his eyes to me. “She said I deserve the beat down of my life,” he watched her hands move, “and while you think of ways to inflict serious harm on my person, much more than these bruises”—he pointed to his face—“she wants to feed you to give you the energy to do so.” He smiled at her, then laughed, signing back. But, this time, he didn’t add his spoken words, leaving me wondering what the hell he’d told her.
Willow pulled me toward her, hugging me tight, then held me out, winked, and left me standing there with Maddoc who’d burst out laughing, yet again, his child-like cackle pulling my tether so tight it was close to snapping.
“Sister?” I screeched, and his guffawing ceased in an instant. I swiped at him, missing him by an inch. “After all this time, you let me believe she was your girlfriend?” I took a step toward him, but he was quicker than me.
He sidestepped away and jogged to the other side of the couch over the gray rug. “In my defense, I had no idea you thought that, and why would I?” He held his hands up. “It was only when I picked you up that I realized you might not actually know, but I was too busy enjoying myself to come clean.”
My mouth dropped in shock. I made a move after him, and he continued circling the couch with me following. “For over three fucking years, I thought you were cheating on her,” I gritted out, my temper flaring while I shot daggers at the fucking bastard that had just humiliated me in front of the one person I’d felt for in this whole thing. “I despised you for hooking up with other girls while Willow was waiting for you. I thought…” I paused, not wanting to say too much, the things I’d been too afraid of, the things I’d held deep down inside for so long. “And after the game, Bobby said—”
Maddoc’s jaw fell. “What did Bobby say?” he cut in, and it was his turn to blush. Light pink formed at the round neckline of his T—shirt, and worked up to tint his neck and cheeks.
How can he manage look so fucking adorable right now when I want to throttle him?
“He said Trent talked shit about your girl, like Channing had. I know you fought with him over it at his party. I thought he was talking about Willow, but I guess it was someone else you’ve been screwing over.”
His eyes narrowed as if in thought, but he continued circling the couch. He pinched his finger and thumb together, making a circle. “Tell me exactly what he said.”
I threw my hands up in exasperation, struggling to keep my shaky breaths under control so I wouldn’t lose my shit. “Does it matter?” I meant to say the words, and gasped when I screamed them instead. I panted, breathless, my throat stinging from my outburst. Tears welled in my eyes, Maddoc’s form blurring behind them. “He said enough, Maddoc. Do you have any fucking idea what it feels like to be humiliated like that?” I swiped at the tear that had escaped. “To have other people smile to your face while knowing what’s going on behind your back?”
His flush disappeared, his face pallid, his head dropping down. He held his palms toward me. “Fuck, Kaia, I never meant—”
“Save your excuses,” I whispered. “I just want my case so I can leave.” When he didn’t move, just continued to stare at me with saddened eyes, I pointed to the room he’d gone to earlier. “Now, Maddoc.” My voice caught as I spoke. “I have somewhere to be, and I don’t want to be late.”
Maddoc huffed a long, slow breath, and moved away. He came back a couple of seconds later with an identical case to his, and even though there was a great risk to his physical wellbeing, he brought it right over to me, stopping it at my feet.
I grabbed the extended handle and walked out of the pool house, dragging my case with me.
I’d barely gotten out of the driveway when I had to stop to wipe my face, balling my long, T-shirt sleeves in my hands to soak up the river of tears. Upset wasn’t the word. Frustrated anger mixed with years of confused feelings and resentment toward a guy I’d not stopped thinking about since the night we kissed saturated my cuffs, and turned my eyes into a puffy, red-rimmed mess.
Willow was Maddoc’s sister. How I didn’t see that the second I laid eyes on her was beyond me. For fuck’s sake, they had the same eyes and the same hair! Why he’d not corrected me, but chose to let me believe my assumption was awful.
My ringtone sounded through the car, and because my phone was already paired, Daryl’s ID flashed on the display.
“Yeah,’ I answered, trying to disguise my thick voice.
“Kai, that guy you dated, Anton?”
I stiffened. “Uh huh?” Why the hell was he talking about Anton?
Fuck, does he know?
“He showed up here a couple of minutes ago, looking for you,” Daryl explained, crunching goodness knows what. The pair didn’t stop eating. “Something about working things out?”
“He did what?” Anton had never been to my parents’ house, had never met my family, and hadn’t shown signs of being remotely interested. It hadn’t bothered me in the slightest, which should’ve been a sign right there, and I’d just gone with it. But now…
“I thought you’d broken up?” Sean asked,
I should’ve known they’d be doubling up. “We have, and, no, we’re not working things out,” I replied, pulling away from the curb where I’d stopped to catch my breath. I swiped my face again.
“Sure sounded that way from what he was saying,” Daryl said around another mouthful of food.
“Yeah,” Sean added, then belched. “He said he couldn’t get hold of you, so he came here to you for privacy. Mentioned something about you two talking things out and giving things another try.”
“Seemed weird, but I guess the guy knows he made a mistake when he broke up with you.”
“He, what?” I shrieked with a question I’d asked far too many times in a short space of time.
“I understand,” Daryl continued. “You’re smart and beautiful.” He crunched again. “And you’re a nice person when you want to be.” I glared at the display at his words. The were true, but it didn’t sound good hearing them. “And I guess he wants to get you back. I didn’t think you’d go for somebody like him, though, sis, he looked like a fucking prepster.”
Yeah, he was, and that was the point. “Daryl,” I ground out. “I broke up with him, remember?”
“But he said—”
“I don’t give a damn what he said, Sean,” I cut in when he spoke. “I dumped his ass when I walked in on him screwing another girl!” My hand shot to my mouth as I realized what I’d done.
�
�What the fuck did you just say?” Sean grit out.
“He fucked around on you?” Daryl asked with the same pissed off tone.
Damn it!
“Yes,” I admitted. “And if you don’t mind, I’d prefer it if you didn’t go sticking your noses in where it doesn’t belong!”
“Of course it’s our fucking business, Kaia!” Sean yelled. “You’re our sister, and he fucking cheated on you!”
Wow. Kettle, I’d like to introduce you to Pot.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell us? We’d have strung him up by his balls!” They weren’t kidding. Anton would’ve had to have been pretty convincing to walk away with his still intact.
“Exactly!” I yelled, matching them. “I don’t need you to fight my battles! He cheated, I dumped him, and I’ll deal with it if he follows me home again, or anywhere else, okay?”
I’d wanted to say ‘follow repeatedly’ and that he’d probably planned it, regardless of what he’d said, but it’d only make things worse. Anton was supposed to be a good choice. A quiet, non-sports playing science major, with big dreams and a bright future. What a crock of shit that turned out to be. Just like the others.
“Fine,” they sighed, completely in sync.
“Just go to practice. I’ve got my case, and I’m on my way back.”
Fucking Anton Graham. The next time I saw him, I was going to wring his goddamn neck. I just had to get through this weekend, and get back to campus without Maddoc’s help.
Chapter 11
Maddoc
“Did he turn up yesterday?” Cash asked when he answered his phone.
I shook my head, my grip tightening around the casing. “How should I know, man? Switching the cases worked, but she left sooner than I expected.” I’d planned on keeping her here for as long as I could, not giving a shit if Anton had left, or if he’d shown up at all. I flipped my old puck over my palm, a parting gift from my high school team, then spun it between my finger and thumb as I relaxed back on my couch. “She was mad.”
