Kisses and Warfare: A Enemies to Lovers Standalone Romance.

by T. L Smith

  “Why won’t you stay away from him,” Rochelle asks while staring at me.

  Our nails are drying as we sit in our pedicure seats that massage our backs.

  “You need to stay away from him,” Rochelle reiterates, reaching for her phone.

  “I’m a big girl, Roch. I will decide who I stay away from.”

  “He’s the president of a biker gang, Kat. What don’t you understand about that?” she hisses at me. Her eyes, the same color as mine, pin me. “Think about Annabelle.”

  This time it’s my turn to narrow my eyes at her. “Don’t do that! Don’t play the Annabelle card. You know I would do anything for my baby girl.”

  Rochelle looks away and down. “I know, but he’s bad news.”

  “Aren’t we all,” I say, shaking my head.

  “Marcus is going to meet me at the house,” Rochelle states.

  I live in Rochelle’s house. I was with her until she moved in with Marcus. She says she hasn’t fully moved in, but most of her things are there, and she hardly ever stays at her house anymore, only when I need her to babysit Annabelle.

  “Are you going there tonight?” I ask as we get up to pay. Rochelle knows I’m not meaning to Marcus’s house either.

  “No. You know I don’t like to be around him.”

  Rochelle and Blaze have never gotten along, but Marcus and Blaze are brothers. So she has to see him.

  “Has he mentioned me?” I ask her, as it’s been over a week since I last saw him. And I think about him, a lot. Especially those dark, hypnotic eyes, the way they can penetrate you and play with your emotions.

  Men like him are trouble.

  Men like him are dangerous.

  “Kat, stop!” Her hand goes to the car door, and she turns to face me. “I don’t like him. So, that means I don’t especially like him to be around you. So stop! Please.”

  “You can’t judge, Roch. You’re dating his brother, who burns bodies for a living.”

  “They’re nothing alike. Nothing.” She opens the door and slides in.

  They are, but she just doesn’t see it because she’s so blind in her love for Marcus.

  I like seeing Rochelle in love because it looks good on her. Marcus, even in his all quiet glory, is good for her. He makes her smile again, and that smile seemed lost for a while. Rochelle was always the good girl growing up. She never rebelled. I, on the other hand, fought with my mother at every turn and rebelled in every way possible. We still don’t get along all the time, but she is the best with Annabelle, and I am thankful for that.

  “If you say so.”

  “I do,” Rochelle replies as she drives us back. “You should be dating. Not searching for something in Blaze you won’t ever get.”

  “Did you think the same with Marcus?” I fire back at her. “You searched for something in him. And he’s clearly fucked-up.”

  Rochelle lifts her hand. “Kat, enough! What is with you? You like Marcus, so why are you tearing into him right now?”

  I shake my head at her. “I’m being an asshole. Don’t worry.” I wave my hand at her.

  Rochelle pulls up at her house, and Marcus is standing next to his truck as he watches us.

  “Your boyfriend is waiting,” I say as I get out of the car.

  “If you want me to stay tonight, I will,” Rochelle tells me, walking over to me, catching my hand and giving it a squeeze.

  “No, it’s fine. I’ll be fine.” And I will be. I always am.

  Rochelle turns and walks straight over to Marcus. It’s effortless as she falls into his waiting arms, and his hands grip her as if she’s his life force. Maybe she is. I know I want that one day.

  “Kat.” Marcus nods to me.

  “Marcus.”

  We all turn as my mother pulls up behind Rochelle’s car. Rochelle hands me her keys, as I have to borrow her car while mine is being repaired. I really need to buy a new car. Mine has seen better days and is starting to cost me more than it’s worth.

  Rochelle walks over to my mother’s car and starts helping her as she reaches for Annabelle in the back. I turn to look at Marcus and see him watching Rochelle. He notices me and his lip quirks.

  “You look like you want to escape.”

  I turn my downward cast lips up into a smile and face my mother as I hear her boots clicking on the pavement as she walks over and stops right in front of me.

  “She’s been fed and bathed. I have to go out with your father, so I need to drop her off early. Is that an issue?” she asks, staring at me.

  I take a deep breath and manage to smile. “No, Mother. Thank you for watching her.”

  Mom’s eyes narrow, and when I don’t say anything more, she nods her head as Rochelle walks over with Annabelle.

  Annabelle’s almost one, and I told myself for the first year of her life I would take it off and spend it with her, so I don’t miss any big milestones. I’ve managed to do that and have watched her crawl, walk, and say Momma. And it’s been amazing. But I’m eager to go back to work, so I can talk to adults and socialize again.

  “You’re welcome, have a good night.” Mom leans in and kisses my cheek before she wraps her arms around Rochelle and Annabelle, and she even gives Marcus a cuddle, which in turn, makes him freeze on the spot. I laugh at his awkwardness. My mother doesn’t care if you’re shy, she’ll still grab you in a hug if the mood strikes her.

  “Do you need me to watch her?” Rochelle asks. “You said you were going to go to work and talk about your job.”

  “No. I can do that another day.”

  “Are you sure?” Rochelle asks again.

  “Yes. What’s another day?” I reach for Annabelle, taking her in my arms. She comes willingly and touches my face, smiling at me. Fuck, I love her. How is it possible to love a small human this much?

  “Do you want to come to Marcus’s for dinner tonight?” Rochelle pauses. “Blaze will be there.”

  I smirk at her words. “I’ll have Annabelle.”

  “Bring her. You know she’s always welcome.”

  “Pretty girl,” Marcus warns.

  Rochelle turns to face him. “If I have to put up with him, at least give me some normal company who doesn’t hate me.”

  Marcus reaches up and touches her face, stroking it. “I’ll be there,” he says in a voice that makes me feel like I’m invading their conversation.

  “Yes, and so will my sister and niece. Maybe they can sort out their differences, since it seems Blaze and I can’t.”

  “Kat, would you like to come to dinner tonight?” Marcus asks, holding Rochelle to him. She turns against his chest with a smile on her face.

  “Yes. Thanks.”

  “You know where we live,” is all he says before he heads off, walking with Rochelle. “And Kat?”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t come straight away. We have plans.”

  Rochelle giggles as they walk to his car.

  I know exactly what type of plans he means.

  As soon as I step into the house, my phone starts ringing. I had turned it off earlier, as I planned to get ready and go into my old work to get my job back. But now, those plans have changed, as my mother can no longer care for Annabelle.

  Ignoring whoever is calling, I take Annabelle to her room and change her diaper before I start packing her bag to head out to Marcus’s house later.

  “Momma,” she says, reaching for me. A small giggle leaves her as I blow a raspberry on her belly as my phone starts up again.

  Quickly changing her, I carry Annabelle out as I retrieve my phone and answer it. “Kat.”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s Steve.” Steve runs the club where I used to work. “It’s been a year. You coming back? Or do I have to try to replace you?”

  “Ummm…”

  “And are you coming to see me this week like you planned?”

  Now is the time to tell you the club I managed isn’t just a bar, it’s a strip joint. And I loved working there. I’m not a stripper,
and I don’t dress like they do. Not that I have anything against the way they dress, because I usually help them choose their clothing, but I prefer pants. Sometimes skirts. Definitely not G-strings and bras. Being a manager has its perks.

  “Hopefully.” The week is almost over, but he doesn’t need to tell me that.

  “Good. Good. The girls work better when you’re here. They miss you, and quite frankly, I do too. A year is way too long for me to be doing this without you.” Annabelle makes a noise in my arms. “Will you be able to come back to work, Kat? Now you have…” Steve doesn’t say the word, but I know what he’s about to say. Baby.

  “Yes, I have a family that helps, so it won’t be a problem.”

  “Okay. Okay, that’s good. So, when should I expect you?”

  “I’ll try tomorrow, Steve. But no promises.”

  “Good. Good. They will give you a pay raise. You deserve it. Fuck knows how you do it all, it’s been driving me crazy.” He hangs up in my ear.

  Steve is my second-in-charge and has been helping out while I haven’t been able to work. The girls seem to walk all over him.

  My parents think I just run a normal club. They don’t know, and I don’t want them to know. My mother judges me enough as it is.

  Making sure I have everything ready, I leave to head for Marcus’s house.

  And smile when I remember Blaze will be there.

  This should be interesting.

  Chapter Three

  Blaze

  “Fuck! Will you put some clothes on?” I shake my head at Marcus, who has a towel covering him.

  “You’re the one who interrupted. You weren’t meant to be here for another hour,” he tells me, walking away to his room and leaving me in the doorway to his house. I go straight for the kitchen and grab a bottle of beer.

  It isn’t long before Rochelle walks in and stops when she sees me. Then she blurts out, “My sister is coming!” Her hands going to her hips, and I raise an eyebrow at her. She says nothing more as Marcus walks up behind her.

  Fuck! I was trying to get away from the other little redhead. Yet, now it seems I’m going to have to spend another fucking evening with her.

  “Why the dinner anyway?” I ask Marcus as he comes around and begins preparing to cook.

  Rochelle pours herself a glass of wine and walks over to the barstools, climbing up on one.

  “I want to discuss something,” is all he says.

  I look over to Rochelle, and she shrugs her shoulders. “Your guess is as good as mine. He won’t tell me.”

  A knock on the door is heard, and Rochelle walks away.

  “Why am I here, Marcus? We don’t do this. Play family.”

  “We are family,” he replies, not looking at me, his attention firmly on his cooking.

  “Yes, we are. But we aren’t a conventional family. We are all kinds of fucked-up, and it’s just us two, each one of us more fucked-up than the other.”

  Marcus stops and turns to me. “We are. Yet, I’ve found someone who loves all my fucked-up ways. Apart from you. We all know your love for me is undeniable.”

  “When did you become a smart-ass?” I ask him as he turns back to the stove.

  Heels click on the tiles, and I turn around to see Kat, a baby in her arms, as she looks up at me with a smile on her face.

  A baby? What the fuck?

  “Blaze, you obviously remember Kat,” Rochelle says, taking the baby who goes to her happily as Kat places a bag down on the nearby table and walks over to where I’m seated, sitting next to me.

  “You remember me, don’t you, Blaze?” Her eyes pin me, and I have to look away they’re that intense. Fuck! I don’t like the way she stares at me. “I mean… last time I saw you, I asked you to fuck me.” This woman has balls of fucking steel. “You broke my heart when you turned me down, did you know that?”

  The baby makes a loud noise, and I turn in the direction of the sound. Rochelle is now standing near the fridge holding the baby with Marcus standing next to her.

  I run my hand through my dark hair, straight unlike Marcus’s curly locks, and cringe when my cock twitches for this fucking redhead sitting next to me.

  “Yours?” I ask her.

  Her nails, which have changed in color since I last saw her, tap on the counter in front of us.

  “Yes, that’s my daughter, Annabelle.” She leans in, whispering, “So, don’t worry. When we do fuck, I don’t want your kids. I already have my own.” She pulls back, leaving her sweet vanilla scent as she gets up to go to her crying daughter. Kat takes her from Rochelle and walks back next to me. It takes everything in me not to get up and walk away.

  “Anyone else coming?” I ask, looking to Marcus.

  Rochelle leans up against the stove where Marcus is cooking, watching him carefully. I really didn’t think they would work out. Two complete opposites. She is sweet. He is so not. It annoys me because he’s anything but sweet.

  “No, just us.”

  “Is there a reason we’re here?” Kat asks with her baby on her lap. The little girl is smacking her tiny hands on the counter. I pull my beer away, so she can’t reach it, and when I look up, Kat is smiling at me.

  I scowl at her, then turn away.

  “Yes,” Marcus says at the same time Rochelle says, “No.”

  She looks up at him. “Is there a reason?” she asks, confused.

  Marcus walks to the fridge, pulls something out, and hands it to her. She looks at it, as we all do, and then she finally opens it. Her hands start shaking, and she drops the chocolate box to the floor.

  “You…” She shakes her head, trailing off.

  Marcus leans down, picking up what Rochelle dropped, and when he stands again, I see what it is.

  A ring.

  A very big, fat ring.

  My brother intends to get married.

  Well, fuck! Never thought I’d see the day.

  “You wanted as much as I could give you, so I’m giving you this. And all of me.”

  Rochelle starts crying and slams her body into his, wrapping her hands around his neck.

  I pick up my beer and down it, then stand.

  Marcus looks my way.

  “I still don’t like her,” I say, to which he shakes his head, looking back to Rochelle, who really doesn’t care if I like her or not.

  Guess I like that about her, even though I hate her as a person.

  “Who are you?” Rochelle asks Marcus, gripping his face in her hand. “Where did you come from?” she whispers. “Can I keep you?”

  Marcus nods, making her lean up and take his mouth in a passionate kiss.

  “Sit down, Blaze, it’s not contagious,” Kat says.

  I almost forgot she was here. Almost.

  “Is this the reason you wanted me here? So I can witness you making a mistake?” I ask Marcus, waiting for him to turn to look at me. And when he does, he has a true smile on his face. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one of them.

  “You are a real dick,” Kat says from next to me.

  “Didn’t say I wasn’t.” Putting the new beer to my lips, Kat gets up next to me and walks over to the newly engaged couple.

  I try not to throw my drink back up as I watch the sick love fest taking place right in front of my eyes.

  What has this woman done to my brother?

  “I’m out.” The beer in my hand goes to the counter with a loud tap, and they all turn to me.

  Marcus, the only constant thing in my life, narrows his eyes. He’s never cared this much about anything. He is silent and deadly. It’s the way we know him.

  “You can’t stay for dinner?” Rochelle asks as Marcus’s mouth thins. He’s clearly fucked off with me.

  “You should stay. Don’t be such an ass,” Kat says, stepping away from cuddling the newly engaged couple. Well, her sister. She doesn’t hug Marcus.

  Rochelle’s the only person I’ve ever seen hug him.

  “I have work to do.”

  “You’re
the president of a motorcycle club. Delegate and stay, you ass,” Kat says, walking over to the couch. She sits, pulls a blanket out, throwing it on the floor with some toys, and places her daughter on it. When she stands, her blue eyes lock onto mine. “I’ll sit next to you and hold your hand if you’re that scared of my sister,” she states, getting on my last nerve. When she walks over to me, her hips sashay, and I want to bend her over and slam my cock straight into her pussy.

  But I don’t.

  I won’t.

  Strings are attached to her, and the last time I got close to a woman, she killed herself.

  That cannot happen again.

  Ever.

  “Blaze.” I look up. Marcus is now standing in front of me, the girls have disappeared. “She’s the one, be fucking nice.” His hand reaches out and smacks the back of my head as he walks to the table.

  “I’m always nice,” I say, pulling a seat out and sitting down. Whatever he’s cooking smells good. Roast and veggies, I think. I never learned to cook because Marcus did it all, and now that I’m older, the women love to cook for me, or I order in. It’s never been a necessity to learn.

  “So, you really believe in all that shit. The one?” I laugh, shaking my head.

  “She’s the only thing I want and think about. So, yes, I do.”

  The girls walk back in, both with a glass of wine in hand, the baby is not with them. Kat walks over and purposely sits next to me as Marcus pulls out Rochelle’s chair and she sits next to him.

  “No people to annoy tonight with your little gang?” Kat questions, picking up a breadstick and placing it in her mouth.

  “No people you have to annoy tonight, other than me?” I send straight back at her.

  “Just you, which is fun. You bite so hard and fast. Tell me, Blaze, how is that little bike of yours? You take that to show off to all your friends?” Kat takes another bite as she stares at me, the room is now silent as she watches me.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

  “Yes, actually, I would. I would like to know what makes a grown-ass man form a little club, think he’s all that, and that he runs this city. Because when I look at you, Blaze, I don’t see any of that. Granted, I would take a night in the bed with you. But that’s all you are, right? A night in the bed…” She pauses.