Brayden (Wild Men Book 6)

by Melissa Belle

  “His last name is Slammer?” I say. “That’s horrible.”

  “Well, he’s great in bed. And I’m lonely.”

  I put my hand on her arm. “I know what today is, Soph.”

  She glances at me out of the corner of her eye. “Lei! You promised you would never mention what today means. We have a pact!”

  “I know.” I pretend to seal my lips with my finger and thumb. “And I won’t say anything else. But you know I’m here for you.”

  “I do. But I really like Glenn.”

  I give her a look.

  “Okay, fine. I’m not sure I can trust him at all. But I’m willing to find out. What could go wrong?”

  The tingles start on the back of my neck as soon as we walk into the saloon. I glance around, feeling like I’m being watched.

  When my gaze locks with a pair of sapphire-blue eyes, I halt, causing Sophia to slam into me from behind.

  “Sorry,” I murmur, my eyes not leaving Brayden’s.

  “What is it?” she asks me as she scans the bar. “Ohhhh. Your secret crush is in the building. Welllll. Tonight just got a hell of a lot more interesting. I may not have invited Slammer if I’d known about this little development.”

  She raises her hand and waves enthusiastically at Brayden, who gestures us over to the corner where he’s standing with two beautiful blond women and two handsome dark-haired guys. One has facial hair, and the other is clean-shaven, but they’re both equally attractive and well-built.

  “Who are those other guys?” Sophia whispers to me.

  “No idea,” I say as I drag my feet getting over to him. “Not sociable” is a kind way of describing my level of comfort in a group gathering. And not having a warning that I was about to meet Brayden, as well as four other people who look far more together than I feel inside, is making my palms sweat.

  But luckily, Sophia’s the opposite of me. She charges forward, introducing herself and me before Brayden even has a chance to open his mouth.

  Brayden shifts his gaze to me, and my pulse immediately picks up. His hair’s damp, like he just got out of the shower. His cool blue shirt matches his eyes, and the top two buttons are undone, and the sleeves are rolled up, revealing light blond hairs on his arms. God, he looks better every time I see him.

  “Have you all met June? She’s Leleila’s sister.” Sophia asks his friends.

  The guy with the facial hair shakes his head. “We don’t live in the area, and we all just flew in today. We haven’t been to Brayden’s new job yet.” He shoots Brayden a meaningful look. “I can’t wait, though. Seems like lots of new shit is happening in his life lately.”

  Brayden clears his throat and introduces his four friends as Cam, Ayden, Bella, and Jasalie. I should have realized the two guys were his cousins, but I’m far too busy trying to think of what to say.

  “Where—” The word comes out raspy, and I clear my throat and try again. “Where do you all live?”

  Ayden and Bella explain how they just moved from Maine to L.A. where Jasalie also lives, and Cam says he lives in Minnesota but grew up in Louisiana.

  “And Leleila, you two met through your sister?” Cam gestures between me and Brayden, whose focus is squarely on me.

  “Um.” I fidget with my purse strap. “We re-met each other. I kind of accidentally dumped granola on his head.”

  Ayden and Cam laugh, and Ayden’s ocean blue eyes flash with something as he gives me a closer look.

  “What happened then?” he asks me. His question sounds innocent, but Brayden smacks him on the shoulder. Ayden turns to Brayden. “Hey! I’m curious.”

  “Right.” Brayden steps closer to me, and the way he protectively leans in, it’s almost like we’re…together.

  Both his cousins react. Cam’s mouth twists into a mischievous grin, and Ayden’s gaze flicks between Brayden and me. Bella and Jasalie smile at me warmly like I’ve somehow joined their unofficial club.

  And I…withdraw. I take two very clear, purposeful steps away from Brayden and cross my arms over my chest. Cam frowns at my retreat, and Ayden cocks his head, almost like he’s confused.

  Desperate for a save, I look wildly to Sophia. As always, she uses her inappropriate no-filter mouth to rescue me.

  “You’re so hot. You look like a professional model,” Sophia says abruptly to Jasalie, who flushes pink. “Seriously. You said you live in L.A., right?”

  “I do,” she says. “But I don’t model. I’ve always loathed the idea, actually.”

  “Jasalie and our cousin, Dylan, just got married,” Brayden says to Sophia. “They’re having a renewal ceremony here in a few weeks.”

  Sophia shrieks and clutches at Jasalie’s arm. Jasalie’s eyes widen in alarm, and I try to pull Sophia back. But she’s too enthralled to let go.

  “You’re Dylan Wild’s wife?”

  Jasalie nods, and Bella breaks into a soft laugh. “Yes, every woman,” she says to Jasalie. “Every woman has a thing for your husband. Get used to it.”

  Sophia drops her death grip on Jasalie’s arm. “I’m so sorry,” she says contritely. “I didn’t mean to be so rude. Dylan Wild is just…well, he’s freaking beautiful.”

  We all laugh, and Jasalie smiles. “He is. Even more on the inside, though.”

  “And that’s why we love her,” Cam says, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “She was never a screaming fangirl.”

  Sophia beams at Jasalie. “You and Dylan give me hope,” she says. She glances over her shoulder. “Awesome. Slammer’s here!”

  She rushes off, and I catch eyes with Brayden, who says quietly, “My cousins flew into town unexpectedly.”

  “That’s nice,” I murmur.

  “Hey, Bray,” Cam calls over to him. “Your bro just walked in.”

  Brayden glances behind me. “That’s Luke.”

  I turn to see a guy who looks an awful lot like Brayden but with dark hair instead of blond. He takes off his cowboy hat as he comes closer, and I note the same piercing blue eyes and muscular build. But his expression is harder than Brayden’s even though he’s grinning. He bears a jagged scar on his right cheek, but that doesn’t take away from his attractiveness; instead, it almost adds to his rugged sex appeal. He oozes hot cowboy, and he knows it. He smirks at me as he joins our group and nods hello to Brayden.

  “Long time,” he says as he gives Cam and Ayden hugs. He turns to Bella. “Holy fuck—I haven’t seen you in ages. You look beautiful.”

  “Ayden and Bella are engaged,” Brayden says to him.

  “What—you think I’m hitting on her?” Luke laughs. “She’s like a little sister.”

  Bella kisses Luke on the cheek. “And this is Dylan’s wife, Jasalie,” she says as Jasalie and Luke shake hands.

  Brayden introduces me as the sister of the owner at Big Sky Grocer. Luke cocks his head and gives me an obvious once-over.

  “You two go back?” he says immediately as he jerks his thumb at Brayden.

  “Um…” I stammer. “Sort of.”

  “Sort of, huh?” He winks at me. “That’s what I thought.”

  “It’s not like that,” Brayden says in a hard tone. “Shut the fuck up, Luke.”

  Luke puts his hands up in a surrender gesture. “Hey, I meant nothing by it. You two just look like you aren’t only connected through your employer’s sister. You’re far too cozy for that.”

  Cam grins. “My thoughts exactly.”

  Sophia returns with Slammer, whose hand is already on her ass.

  She laughs at something he says in her ear, and then she catches eyes with Luke.

  Who’s unabashedly staring at her.

  “And who are you?” he asks her, his blue eyes lazily scanning her from head to toe.

  Sophia loves attention of any kind, and she turns on the charm. “I’m Leleila’s best friend. Sophia Loren.”

  “Like the actress?” Luke says right away.

  She smiles. “Nope. My mom’s a drunk who probably never should have procreated, and
she named me that accidentally.”

  Sophia may not have caught the way Luke flinches at her story, but I did. He covers by saying hey to Slammer, and then a woman proceeds to scream his name and throw herself at him.

  His easy-going attitude returns, and he gives the red-headed woman a squeeze while he flirts with her. Sophia rolls her eyes and returns to flirting with Slammer. But Luke’s attention keeps flicking back to Sophia, who’s acting oblivious.

  “Hey, Sophia Loren,” he calls over as the redhead huffs and walks away.

  Sophia twists around in Slammer’s arms. “What?”

  A smile plays around his lips. “How come you’re in a bar if your mom’s an alcoholic?”

  “Christ, Luke.” Brayden glares at him. “Try the polite route once in a while. It won’t kill you.”

  Sophia’s face turns red.

  I don’t think I’ve ever seen her embarrassed.

  She steps away from Slammer and walks right up to Luke. Then she keeps walking until he backs up a step. His eyes are burning into hers, and she jabs her index finger at his chest.

  “You. Don’t talk about my mother again. Ever.” Another finger jab. “Only I can talk about my own mother, not some cocky-ass cowboy who looks like he had to quit the rodeo a little early. Are we clear, Mr. Wild?”

  Luke clears his throat as he and Sophia continue to engage in some sort of long-ass staring contest.

  He breaks first. “We’re clear, Ms. Loren.”

  She steps back from him. “Good.” Then, she whips around, her hair flying off her back, and returns to Slammer’s side.

  I take a seat at the bar, sensing this is going to be a long night.

  A couple hours later, I’m sitting on the same bar stool with Brayden and Sophia on either side of me. I’m on my second beer and have a little buzz going, and I haven’t seen anything but Sophia’s back for the last hour. She’s been wrapped up in a tongue-wrestling match with Glenn Slammer.

  Luke has disappeared somewhere, and Brayden and I are chatting with the others. Everyone’s really friendly, and I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed hanging out at a bar. The few times Sophia has dragged me to one, I’ve counted down the minutes until we could leave. My party side began and ended with one bad night all those years ago. Even through four years of college, I never enjoyed socializing.

  But tonight, I’m having fun.

  When Cam, Ayden, and Brayden get into a long conversation about football and the Cougars’ chances to repeat as champions, Jasalie and Bella huddle around my stool. They’re both genuinely nice, and Jasalie tells me about her upcoming wedding renewal. I’ve been to the venue she’s looking at tomorrow, and it’s beautiful.

  “I’m not getting married in anything other than the city courthouse,” I say with a laugh. “But one of my sister’s employees got married at The Montana Club, and it’s very nice. You’ll love it.”

  Jasalie and Bella both furrow their brows.

  “What?” I ask them in confusion.

  “When you said you’re getting married in a courthouse,” Jasalie says, “you sounded so positive. Almost like you’re already…”

  “I’m engaged,” I say, holding up my left hand. “I’m getting married in a month.”

  Bella peers down at the red string tied around my ring finger. “I had no idea,” she says softly, her eyes confused as she glances at Brayden’s back, which has straightened. “We thought that maybe…”

  “That you were with Brayden,” Jasalie finishes for her. “Or at least, that you were available to maybe be with Brayden. But,” she adds brightly, “you’re obviously not. Congratulations on your engagement.”

  Her sentiment is meant as sincere, but I hear the hollowness behind her words. It almost sounds like she’s disappointed.

  “Brayden knows,” I say hastily. “My relationship is no secret.”

  Next to me, Brayden’s shoulders tense.

  Bella scrunches up her nose. “So you and Brayden are just friends?”

  “Yes.” I open my mouth to tell her about our arrangement as dance partners when Brayden jerks around to face us.

  “Leleila.” His tone is neutral. “Did you get your keys back yet?”

  I shake my head, but like magic, my phone buzzes. I glance down and read Phillip’s text that he’ll be home in an hour and will text me when he’s leaving campus.

  I hold up my phone. “In about an hour.”

  Brayden glances behind me at Sophia. “I can drive you if Sophia wants to stay.”

  He sounds like he wants to get rid of me. I can’t blame him, but my chest aches nonetheless.

  I thank him for the offer, and he excuses himself for the restroom.

  As soon as he’s gone and Bella starts chatting with Ayden and Cam, Jasalie says to me, “Leleila, since you live so close by, I hope you’ll be able to come to my and Dylan’s wedding renewal in a few weeks.”

  Her gray eyes are wise like she’s seen more than her share of pain. Swimming in the stormy depths, I catch a hint of sympathy as if she knows what it feels like to be trapped like a caged bird.

  “Oh, that’s such a nice invitation,” I say. “I don’t know if I can, but I really appreciate the offer.”

  “Think about it, okay?” She pauses and then says hurriedly, “I was engaged once, before Dylan.”

  I stare at her. “You were?”

  She nods. “Not for long, but it was one of those moments where, as soon as I said yes, I wished I’d said no.” Her expression is neutral, but her eyes flash with understanding when she adds in a tone so quiet there’s no way anyone else could hear her, “We’re always entitled to change our minds. And the thing I’ve learned is, when it’s really right, we don’t want to. All we want is to say yes forever.”

  Forever. Her word hits a nerve, and I excuse myself and go in search of the Ladies Room.

  I’ve turned the corner to the hallway that leads to the bathrooms when a man texting on his phone steps out of the nearby alcove.

  And my world stops.

  I thought he’d left Montana.

  I know he’d left Montana.

  Noah Rice is walking toward me. The very same Noah Rice who assaulted me twelve years ago.

  Chapter Thirteen

  His attention is on his phone, and he stops walking momentarily to lean against the wall. But I know I need to move quickly if I don’t want to be seen.

  Still, my feet are locked to the floor.

  I’m screwed.

  But then…

  An angel, in the form of Brayden Wild, steps out of the Men’s Room across from me. Our eyes catch.

  Terrified he’s going to say my name, I act on instinct. I cross over to him and, using his body as a shield, I throw my arms around his neck and bury my face in his chest. His flannel shirt smells so good—like detergent and pasture and him.

  His arms go around me immediately, and he presses me against the wall. From Noah’s angle, it would be impossible to see my face.

  “Hey! Noah!” A raspy voice comes from behind me. “You ready to get out of here? This place blows like always.”

  “Yeah, let’s go into Missoula,” Noah says in response. “Glad I’m only here for the weekend. I forgot how fucking boring it is here.”

  Hearing their voices get closer, I keep my face pressed against Brayden’s solid chest, and he rubs my back with one hand while keeping the other on my hair.

  I stay motionless until the sound of the footsteps disappears, and then I let out a ragged breath.

  “They’re gone,” Brayden says in my ear.

  I pick my head up and stare up into the cool blue depths of his eyes.

  His arms are still wrapped around my back, and I step back cautiously.

  “I’m so sorry,” I say to him as I smooth down my hair. “I just…that was…”

  “I know who it was.” Brayden scowls. “Let me get you out of here. You can text Sophia once we’re in the truck.”

  All I can do is nod.

 
Brayden’s warm hand touches the small of my back as he guides me through the hallway. “We’ll go through the back, and I’ll text Cam to let him know. I’m parked on a side street.”

  A shiver runs through me. “Okay.”

  “Phillip’s still not home,” is all I can think of to say once Brayden and I are in his truck and he’s finished texting Cam. “So I can’t get into my house yet.”

  “It’s okay,” he says softly. “Are you hungry?”

  “Starved,” I admit. “Sophia was more worried about dressing me up than eating before we went out. Thus my outfit. I’m pretty sure I’m way overdressed for a bar.”

  “You look gorgeous,” he says casually as he puts his hands on the wheel.

  I press my hands onto my lap to stop them from doing something crazy like touching him. “Thank you.” I send off a quick text to Sophia to let her know I’m leaving and will talk to her tomorrow.

  “How about we stop at Clyde’s, the new steakhouse on Main Street?” Brayden asks me. “Do you eat meat?”

  “Yes.” And while I feel a bit guilty eating somewhere that Phillip was so disapproving of, I know it’s a good decision. There’s no way Noah and his friend will go out for dinner right now. They’re too busy trying to find the best place to get drunk. “That sounds great.”

  We take seats across from one another at a private booth in the back. No other customers are seated in our section, and I feel the relief of it being just Brayden and me. The dark wood paneling of the walls is filled with large photographs of Montana. Two beautiful pictures of Glacier National Park and Flathead Lake are closest to our booth.

  “I’d love to paint one of those scenes,” I say spontaneously.

  Brayden looks at the photographs and then returns his gaze to me. “I saw what you did with the sign outside June’s store. Looks like a professional artist did it.”

  I flush with heat. “Thank you. I used to dream of painting for a living, but then…” I wave my hand in the air. “Life got busy with more important things.”

  Half-wishing I hadn’t blurted that out, I open my menu. Rib-eyed steak and potato. That sounds so good. And it’s a special tonight, which means it’s within my price range.