by C. M. Owens
My eyes come up. “What part of Wild Ones don’t you understand?”
Chapter 22
Wild Ones Tip #56
Chaos is not scary. It’s sexy.
LILAH
“You love him,” Aunt Penny says with no preamble.
She’s the only one I’ve told the truth to since Benson hurt me three days ago.
“I can’t love him. We’ve only been together for a little over two weeks,” I point out, even though it sounds like a lame attempt at a protest.
I finish setting up her website, and turn it around for her to look at. She gushes over it for a second, then I turn it back around to fix her screen so she can check her orders easily.
She’s officially selling her jams online.
“I was in love with Bill within a week of knowing him,” she sighs wistfully. “It took him longer, but not by much. You and Benson…you two have been falling in love for years. You just didn’t know it, because you never crossed that physical boundary until two weeks ago,” she says, moving over to put some of her jams on the new shelves my uncle built her.
“We were friends. Not in love,” I argue.
“How many days did you spend apart?” she muses.
I shrug, bristling a little.
“Not many.”
“You two couldn’t stop touching. Always leaning on each other, always laughing at your own inside jokes. And always, always seeking each other out first, no matter where you were.”
I swallow the knot in my throat as I dare to peek up at her. Her eyes water when she sees the unshed tears in my eyes.
“I realize you’ve always been the rock. Your brothers always leaned on you. You saw how much it hurt them when you left them so you could go get some schooling for this career you chose. But you’ve let that hold you back from ever considering settling down, because you thought that meant you’d have to leave them, even though you don’t. However, all along, Benson has been slowly taking over your heart. You just finally noticed it, kiddo. You’ve been in love for who knows how long. Having sex is just one small part of the relationship equation, and it has no effect on whether or not you’re in love.”
I try to shake my head again, but when that forces a tear to slip free, I freeze, worried I’ll sling more loose.
As I wipe it away, she sits down in front of me. “You haven’t been intimate with anyone in three years,” she says quietly.
“Not a whole lot of options,” I remind her.
She rolls her eyes. “I brought you all kinds of options from the lodge—very handsome men who were very interested. You never paid them any attention. Three years ago, something happened. You know what that is.”
I do, but saying it aloud is almost like confirming what she’s saying is true.
And if I’m in love with Benson, then my life is going to suck even more. Because it hurts to love someone you want to shoot a little.
And it’s not like he’s tried to get me back, other than sending his brother to me. Totally lame, by the way. And insulting. I’m a Vincent, and you send your brother to speak on your behalf?
“Say it,” she tells me, peering at me expectantly.
I groan. “Benson and I became real friends three years ago.”
Her smile spreads, even though it’s watery. “And what cemented that friendship?”
“I couldn’t get my boat to start, and he came over, tore it apart, spent the day working on it, even though it was cold. He finally just reassembled a new motor for me. After he was done, he went and threatened my brothers, told them to buy their own boat and never touch mine again, or they’d have to deal with him.”
She rolls her eyes. “Only a Vincent would find that a bonding experience,” she sighs. “And those wild brothers of yours respected him enough not to retaliate.”
I can’t help but smile, even as another tear trickles down my face.
“It was the first time someone else handled them, instead of cowering. I felt like I had some help to keep them in line. Also, I felt like I was no longer one-third. Killian and Hale have always been two-thirds together. Always together. Sometimes I think they share a brain.”
To this, my aunt laughs loudly, nodding like she agrees.
“And sometimes I feel like I’m right there with them. But most of the time, I felt like I was the odd man out, always cleaning up after them, and constantly left out because I didn’t always think like them. Then Benson…it’s like we shared something. He was on my level, or at least cool with my level. And he had my back even when it came to my brothers.”
I sigh, and she brushes a piece of hair behind my ear.
“That, my darling niece, is real love. It’s not always going to slap you in the face, though that kind is amazing too. I would know. But sometimes, it burns you so subtly, that you don’t realize you’re boiling until it’s too late. The water just took a while to heat up with you, kiddo.”
She takes a breath like she’s readying me for the grand finale.
“You’ve spent almost every day with him for three years. You’ve touched each other affectionately for three years. You’ve subconsciously sought each other out for three years. You’ve been in a steady burn for three long years. Now…the pot is boiling because you’re finally ready.”
“Except I’m not. He’s over there with his ex-fiancée, the girl he planned a future with nine years ago, and I’m—”
A loud boom rattles the air, and my aunt and I both exchange horrified looks before darting to the door to see what my brothers have blown up.
The second we’re outside, we freeze, staring as another boom rattles the air, and water sprays straight up. I cock my head, trying to figure out what’s going on. But the scene before me makes no sense at all.
My breath catches in my throat when the water sprays up again, and I see the two boats racing toward each other.
“Please tell me they’re not really throwing pipe bombs again,” my aunt says dryly.
My brothers are in one boat. And two other brothers are in another—Benson and Deacon.
Benson cuts the wheel, and Deacon sprays water from a water cannon, blasting Hale as my brother readies to launch another pipe bomb. Hale is thrown from the boat when the water pummels him in the chest.
“Where’d he get a water cannon?” I ask on a breath.
“They’re going to kill each other,” Aunt Penny hisses, running down the stairs. “Our boys are supposed to be the damn Wild Ones. They’re going to start a fifth corner if this shit keeps up.”
Right. Right. A water cannon’s origin is not the most important part of this right now.
I race after her as my uncle walks out of his shop, wiping his hands on a rag that’s already stained with grease. His eyes widen when Killian gets blasted in the chest with the same water cannon.
Deacon howls with laughter when Killian finally falls off the side of the boat, killing the motor in the process. Deacon bumps fists with Benson as they circle my brothers like sharks.
“Where’d he get a water cannon?” Uncle Bill asks.
See? It’s not just me. A freaking water cannon demands attention.
“Does he realize he’s starting a war?” my aunt demands. “And what happens if they keep this up? The town will insist on a fifth corner. Who would move?”
The sound of cars pulling in behind us has me turning around, and I see people getting out of their vehicles, hurrying toward us. Tons of people too, not just a few.
“What the hell?” I ask on a long, confused breath.
“For once, I have no damn clue,” Aunt Penny groans, looking over the ridiculous amount of uninvited guests.
Delaney is practically beaming as she races toward the edge to watch the showdown.
“If you want out, you have to promise on the graves not to throw another one of those fucking bombs. Ever,” Benson tells them, moving over to take position behind the water cannon as Deacon takes over the boat’s helm.
“Fuck. You,” Hale seethes,
starting to haul himself out.
Benson blasts him with the water cannon, and Hale flails backwards, slapping the water with a clap when he lands on his back.
“I must have heard you wrong,” Benson says, grinning as he holds his finger on that trigger.
Seriously! Where’d he get a water cannon?
“Don’t move to the wilderness, they said.” Liam’s voice has me jerking my head to the left to see him right beside me, his arms crossed over his chest as he stares out at the lake to see this bizarre turn of events.
“You’ll be bored to death, they said,” he goes on. “Peace and quiet gets old, they said.” He turns and gives me an eye roll. “Funny how this wasn’t in the town brochure.”
I’d laugh under normal circumstances, but these are most definitely not normal circumstances.
“Wait…Tomahawk has a brochure?” I ask, unable to help myself.
“Yield or freeze to death. Your choice,” Benson tells my brothers, reminding me there are far more important things going on than brochures.
“Damn it, they’re going to freeze to death,” I grumble.
“We’ll yield the pipe bombs, but you still aren’t getting near our sister,” Killian acquiesces.
As if he’s known exactly where I’ve been all along, Benson turns to face me, and he says something I can’t hear to Deacon, as both my brothers start scrambling to get on their boat.
Benson’s boat turns and shoots toward us, and he curses when Deacon doesn’t line up correctly, bumping the dock too hard when he tries to dock it.
“Sorry. I don’t drive a boat to the store in Seattle!” Deacon defends loudly.
Benson says something I can’t hear, and hoists himself onto the dock before jogging my way.
I look for somewhere to hide, but there’s really no way around this. Only problem is…I now notice half the town is here.
Benson doesn’t stop until he’s right in front of me, cupping the sides of my face.
My eyes stare into those dark brown ones, and he lets his gaze rake over me like he can’t bear not seeing everything at once.
“I’ve been in love with you for over a year, Lilah Vincent. You’re a different brand of crazy than I realized if you think I’m going to let you go now.”
I almost fall forward when he releases me suddenly and takes a step back, smirking at me as he goes to stand on top of the picnic table. My heart is still pounding as I try to process the fact he just told me he loved me.
“I’m on the challenge committee, so I have the right to instate a new beard challenge if I want to,” Benson says, drawing a few hushed whispers.
“There’s a challenge committee?” Liam asks.
“And I will,” Benson goes on, smirking over at me. “Unless Lilah Vincent tells me she’s still mine, and that she’s not ever going to leave me again.”
I narrow my eyes when Delaney comes over and grips my arm painfully.
“Don’t you dare let them grow back the beards,” she hisses.
“The challenge was voted against once. It’ll be voted against again,” I point out, even though it’s just a small act of defiance. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m already his. Never stopped being his.
And he won me over the second he took my brothers out with a freaking water cannon. Because I totally want to shoot them with it myself. I also really want to shoot the Malones. Maybe even the Nickels and Wilders too.
Aunt Penny is unfortunately right. I’ve loved the asshole for longer than I realized. And now I’m boiling.
Benson’s eyes glint with determination as he stares me down.
“Unless the challenger assumes the punishment to instate the challenge on his own accord—don’t forget that little clause. I’ll swim to the other side of the lake. If I make it without being pulled out, the challenge is set. No one can refuse. It could be another nine years before it ends. What do you say, Lilah?”
He smirks, and I battle a grin.
“Really. I need some sort of rule book or something, and I want to be on this challenge committee,” I hear Liam saying, and my uncle is quickly at his side, paperwork in hand.
“Seriously?” I ask my uncle and Liam as they start discussing the committee right beside me.
“Lilah, you’re stalling,” Benson says, sounding amused.
Sighing heavily, I stare at him, weighing my options. Say no, let the beards grow, walk around miserably missing my best friend, while the rest of the town hates me for the bad beards. Or say yes, have Benson back, let him spend an obscene amount of time making all this up to me, and keep the bad beards away.
Tough choice.
“I’ll come back to you. On one condition,” I say, crossing my arms as I grin.
“What condition?” he asks, stepping off the picnic table, but hesitating to move toward me again.
“Tell everyone here how you make your money.” My lips curl in delight, and he glares over at his brother.
Deacon groans while dropping his head back, knowing I’ve Googled their name now and know their not-so-dirty secret. There’s a pun in there. You’ll figure it out later.
Everyone perks up, completely interested in hearing if he’s going to cave to this demand. It would be a long-time mystery finally solved. Only I have the answer right now. The rest are salivating for a morsel.
“I’ll just instate the challenge, and everyone here will be pissed off at you,” he argues, turning to go toward the lake instead of coming to me.
Yeah…that deflates my bubble. About thirty angry stares—men and women—swing my way as if cued.
“Lilah, so help me…” Delaney threatens, letting her voice trail off. “Not even the Vincent name will keep us all at bay.”
Cursing, I start chasing Benson, wondering if I should at least let him jump in the water or not, when he suddenly spins and grabs me like he knew I was close. He swallows my sound of surprise when his lips crush mine, and he pulls me to him as my eyes flutter shut.
It feels too good, too real, and too natural when his lips are on mine, as though this is how it should have been all along. My hands go up to the back of his neck, holding him in place, and cheers erupt when he lifts me off the ground, kissing me thoroughly.
“Does this mean we can play with the water cannon now?” I hear Hale asking.
Benson breaks the kiss to glare at him. “Hell no.”
I drag him back down to kiss me again, and catcalls follow it.
“The Wild One weddings are always the best,” Aunt Penny says too happily behind me.
“Why?” I hear Liam asking, though it’s just idle chitchat, because my attention is focused on the man who is walking me toward the dock.
“Because the Wild Ones can all come together for sanctioned events. When a Wild One gets married, it’s the day of no rules. All the Wild Ones can join together for one, incredibly wild day.”
More cheers erupt, and Benson grins against my lips. Aunt Penny isn’t going to stop until we’re married.
“Benson?” I say against his lips as he drops into the boat, pulling me onto his lap.
Deacon struggles with pushing away from the dock and starting the motor, but we let him figure it out. Learning experience and all.
“Yeah?” Benson answers, nibbling my bottom lip in a delicious way.
“You forgot to tell me you’re a twin.”
He breaks the kiss to pull back, studying me like he’s confused. “So?”
“So? We’re definitely never having kids. We’d end up with quintuplets or something.”
His grin reforms, and his lips are back on mine. “I’m fine with that,” he murmurs, stealing my sanity as the sound of boat motors rev in the background. “Because I want you all to myself for as long as I can have you.”
“What the hell are they doing?” Deacon asks. He still hasn’t gotten us started.
I look over to see my uncle and some of the other men on the boats, scooping out the fish that are floating to the top.
“
They’re making sure the fish don’t go to waste,” Benson answers before I can.
“Fish just float to the top?” Poor Deacon. He’s so confused.
“Pipe bombs,” I remind him.
“How have you hidden all this crazy from us for nine years?” Deacon asks his brother.
I arch my eyebrow as Benson smirks. “This is barely anything. You’ve only seen one corner of crazy,” I point out. “We’re the smallest corner too.”
I can’t tell if he looks terrified or intrigued. Maybe both.
“Fish fry tonight!” my uncle calls out, as my brothers shiver next to the fire my aunt has made.
Their clothes are in heaps on the shore, and they’re wrapped in blankets. I wave at them, and they wave at me.
“See you tonight!” Hale calls out.
“Fish fry and we’re invited,” Killian adds.
My aunt just shakes her head like she’s annoyed, but she smiles when her back is to them.
Benson’s arms tighten around me as Deacon finally starts the boat. He’s been paddling us way away from the dock. Yes. Paddling us. In a bass boat.
It’s a good thing he doesn’t live here. The guys would mock him mercilessly.
Deacon manages to make it across the lake—what feels like an hour later.
Benson gets up, depositing me to a seat in the back, and moves toward the front when Deacon gestures for him. Deacon still can’t dock a boat—in case you’ve forgotten.
Benson pulls into his lift instead of tying off, and he presses the button that slowly cranks us up.
I climb out the second I can, and Deacon follows. Benson is the last out, but his hands are on me the second he’s out, and his lips find mine.
I’m not sure how long we stand on that dock and kiss like we haven’t seen each other in years, but I know I’ve forgotten everything by the time he finally breaks the kiss.
“Come on,” he says on a sigh. “I want you to meet my family.”
When I tense, he grips me tighter, making sure I can’t run.
“I’m in love with you. I should have told you about Sadie being in our family, but I had no idea how to make that okay with our relationship so new.”
