by K. M. Scott
“What are you doing here, Wilder?” I ask, barely able to hide my disgust at seeing him standing there.
“Just came over to hang out for a little while. My father said the place was empty, so he didn’t see why it would be a problem,” he answers in his usual snide tone.
“Well, your father was wrong, obviously. Why don’t you and your friends go back the way you came in? We’re here for the next few days.”
I look down and see Hailey cringing at every moment she has to stand there naked. “Cade, who are these people?”
“My cousin and his friends,” I say to her and then look back up at Wilder. “And they’re leaving. Now.”
One of his friends who looks a little older than me cranes his neck to look down into the pool and grins. “I’m always up for a gang bang. What about you guys?”
Barely able to contain my rage on most occasions with my cousin, now I want to tear his head off and both his buddies’ heads. “Get them the fuck out of here, Wilder. And try finding a better class of friends than a scumbag like that one.”
The asshole with the smart mouth starts to cock off, but Wilder understands now’s not the time to be playing with me. I don’t care if I have to climb out of this fucking water buck naked and kick their asses before I dry off. No punk ass friend of my least favorite cousin is going to talk about my girlfriend like that.
I glare up at Wilder, and it doesn’t take long before he gets the idea. “Let’s go. We can hang out somewhere else.”
Both of his friends take one last look at Hailey and me and shrug before walking away. When they’re all inside, I look down at her and let out a heavy sigh. “And that’s Wilder, the world’s worst cock block, ladies and gentleman. I’m sorry about that. He’s bad enough, but his friends are always pure assholes. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just didn’t know what to do when I saw them standing there watching us,” she says. “So that’s another one of your family members? I hope you don’t mind me saying I like Alex better than this one.”
Nodding, I can’t disagree with that. “Everyone does. Alex is a good time. Wilder’s nothing but sulky bullshit and trouble.”
With a smile, she says, “Not that I got a really good look before you hid me away, thank you very much for that, by the way, but he doesn’t look like you and Alex. I think I just assumed you guys would all look alike.”
I hear the downstairs door finally slam shut and breathe a sigh of relief. I didn’t have beating the hell out of Wilder and his jackass friends with my dick hanging out on my schedule today.
“That’s because he’s adopted, although, he sort of looks a little like my uncle Kane, strangely enough. Most of us look like Alex and me. Brown hair, brown eyes, you know—like us. But Liam and Cash look like that side of the family with dark hair and blue eyes. It’s just a coincidence that Wilder looks like them, I guess. Enough talking about him. Let’s get back to what we were doing.”
As I move to nuzzle Hailey’s neck, she pushes me away, shaking her head. “I can’t, Cade. That was definitely a mood killer.”
Fucking Wilder. Add this to the million other reasons I can’t stand him.
Trying not to sulk, I nod and force a smile. “I get it. Well, since they’re gone, we can get out and dry off before we get something to eat. How’s that sound?”
She cradles my face and kisses me sweetly, which only makes me want what she doesn’t even more. “Thank you for understanding. That just freaked me out a little. Maybe it’s because it’s my first time skinny dipping?”
I can’t help but laugh at how cute she is. Lifting her out of the pool, I let myself enjoy the view of her body with the water droplets rolling off her tan skin. Fucking Wilder and his friends.
“You were doing fine at your first time until my cousin loped in here. Blame it on him.”
Hailey hands me a towel from the bin on the other side of the desk, and her eyes wander down my body before she looks up at me with a smile. “I was having a very good time. I hope you know that.”
“I do.”
“And I loved how you protected me and made them go away. I was worried you might have to get out of the pool and fight them,” she says with worry hanging off every word. “It would have been three-on-one.”
“And me with my dick hanging out,” I joke as I knot the towel at my hip. “But Wilder wouldn’t have let it get that far. There’s no love lost between the two of us, but he’s part of the family, so he would have stopped his friends. Or I would have put on a show for you and hope you liked men who do their best ancient Greco-Roman wrestling imitation.”
Hailey’s eyes narrow, and she shakes her head. “Your what?”
“Nothing. Just something I saw on TV the other day. Back in ancient times, the men wrestled naked.”
A look of surprise settles into her expression. “Really. Now I’m going to have that image in my head all night.”
I pull her to me and kiss her, wishing we were still in the pool. “I think I’ll try to give you something else to think about.”
“Even better,” she says, giving me one of those Hailey smiles that lights up her face and makes her so beautiful.
Chapter Nine
Cade
Backing out of the garage from the island house, I wish Hailey and I never had to leave this place. Other than my cousin and his asshole friends crashing our party that first night, we spent the next two days lying around adoring one another and having sex. That was it, except for a few times we got out of bed to put some food into our stomachs.
Hailey leans over and kisses me softly on the cheek. “Thank you for these last few days, Cade. They were just what I needed. Today, I’m going to go into the restaurant and I’m going to start making the best desserts I’ve ever made.”
As we drive away, I thread my fingers through hers and step on the gas. “And I’m going to bartend this weekend and wish I was sitting at the restaurant trying out all the desserts you’re making.”
“Do you have to work all weekend?”
I hear the disappointment in her voice come through loud and clear. I know how she feels. I’m disappointed I have to work too. I’d much rather spend my time eating cookies and cakes and then falling asleep with her next to me in bed.
Forcing a smile, I nod as I make a turn onto the main road. “All weekend. Sunday the club isn’t open, but I know he’s going to be having me do inventory or some damn thing.” I look over at her as I bring her hand up to my mouth to kiss it. “But come Monday, I’ll be at Comfort Food ready to see all those incredible desserts you came up with this weekend. I promise.”
Like always, her face lights up when she talks about what she creates. “I really want to wow her on Friday. I hope I can come up with something amazing.”
“You will, and then maybe you’ll get people to start paying you what you deserve for your creations.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. I just want more people to hear about my parents’ restaurant and come in to help their business. That’s why I do this. They’ve been so incredible all my life but especially this past year, Cade. I just want to help them out, and since this is the best way I know to do it, I want to show Brooke Dunning how great the desserts are so she’ll tell her fans to come to the restaurant.”
I kiss her hand and smile over at her. “I know you will. Don’t worry. You got this.”
Worry comes off her in waves, though, so the whole way back home, I tell her stories about the March and Jackson clan and the trouble we all used to get into. Nothing makes people laugh more than the idiocy of teenage boys and the messes they cause, and at least for a little while, she doesn’t think about all the importance she’s put on this podcast with the food lady.
When I pull the car into the Comfort Food parking lot, I’m sorry we had to return to the city so soon. I could spend a month out at the island house, away from everything and everyone but her.
“Thanks for bringing me to the restaurant. I want to get started
working on things immediately. Call me when you have time. I know you have to work and you probably usually sleep late the day after, but when you have a chance…”
Gently pulling her to me, I kiss her lips to stop her from talking. “You don’t have to worry. I’ll wake up early to call. I got up early the other day to come over here to convince you to take me back, so I can do it again.”
Hailey gives me a tiny smile and nods. “Okay. Should I tell you to have fun at work? Is it fun?” she asks with trepidation in her voice.
She’s thinking about what she saw that night with Kylie. I need to do whatever I can to make her understand that is not what my job is supposed to be, and after that little talk with my father the other day, that won’t be what my job is ever again.
I somberly shake my head. “It’s anything but fun. I’d rather be with you on my balcony or anywhere else in the world with you instead of screaming over the music asking drunks what they want.”
A tiny smile brightens her face. “Okay, then. Don’t have fun. Save the fun for the next time I see you after the weekend,” she says. “We’ll do something fun on Monday night.”
Her cheeks turn pink, and she adds, “Maybe I’ll read a few chapters of one of my favorite books and see what I can come up with.”
I love how sexy she is, even when she’s talking about reading. Definitely the first time I’ve ever associated that with anything hot.
“Okay. You have fun this weekend. Love you.”
Pressing her forehead to mine, she smiles. “I love you too. See you Monday!”
When she jumps out of the car and runs toward the front door of the restaurant, I watch her and can’t help wish I didn’t have to be stuck in the club tonight doing the thing I hate most in life. Just before she walks inside, she turns around and waves and then blows me a kiss.
I don’t think any woman other than my mother has ever blown me a kiss in my life. I instantly love it because it’s from Hailey.
Grabbing my phone, I call Alex as I’m leaving the parking lot. “Hey, where are you? Are you at work already or at your place?”
“I’m the early shift today, so I’m at work already. Why? I thought you and Hailey were hanging out at the Anna Maria Island house until later today,” he says over the noise of the kitchen around him.
“We were, but we left early. She wants to get to work on what she’s going to make for that blogger when she does her podcast next Friday, but I think fucking Wilder crashing in on us the first night freaked her out too.”
Alex laughs like he always does when something frustrates me. I think he finds amusement in my unhappiness somehow.
“Wilder did what? Why did he go out there?” he asks over some whirring sound that reminds me of a broken drill.
“Dude, I can barely hear you. What the hell do you people do in that kitchen? I thought you cooked food. Why does it sound like you’re standing in an auto body shop?” I ask as I head toward CK.
“Shit doesn’t happen like magic, Cade,” he snaps.
He gets like that when I comment on his job or how he performs it. So fucking touchy.
“Prep is noisy, man. What can I say?”
“Well, say you have a couple minutes to talk since I’m driving to the restaurant right now.”
He doesn’t say anything, but the ruckus in the background gets loud enough with some mixer now on that he finally yells into my ear, “Yeah, I can talk for a few. Come to the back door. Kane or my father will let you in since we aren’t open yet.”
Fifteen minutes later, I’m banging on that metal door for the third time and wondering if the noisy prep means no one will ever hear me out here. I pound my fist against the door one more time, and then it flies open to reveal Alex standing there looking irritated.
“What?” I ask as I walk by him. “I didn’t think anyone heard me so I kept knocking.”
Behind me, he mumbles, “It sounded like you were using a battering ram.”
I look back at him and see his expression is miserable. His eyebrows are all drawn in toward his nose, and his frown looks like it’s found a permanent place on his face. Alex isn’t usually like this, even when he’s peeved about me commenting on his job.
“What’s up? You look like someone just ran over your best friend, which can’t be the case since I’m standing here just fine.”
He waves away my question, shaking his head as he pushes past me. “Nothing. So what happened with Wilder out at the house?”
I follow him to the kitchen, not sure how we’re going to talk now if we couldn’t do it on the phone because of all the noise, but surprisingly, it doesn’t sound like an auto body shop now. Alex points at a spot in the corner nearby and walks a few feet away to a metal table where what looks like a bushel of carrots waits for him.
“That’s a lot of carrots,” I say with a chuckle. “You guys getting a family of rabbits for lunch today?”
He simply rolls his eyes and picks up a knife to begin chopping the orange vegetables. “Fuck you. Now what happened with Wilder?”
Remembering his father could be anywhere nearby, I ask, “Where’s Kane?”
Alex waves away yet another of my questions and gets back to chopping. “He left about ten minutes ago. You’re fine.”
“You know how he is about Wilder. I didn’t want to get into that. As for our fantastic cousin, he brought two of his friends to the house and the fuckers walked right in and caught Hailey and me skinny dipping in the pool.”
With a smile, Alex says, “I didn’t have her pegged for a skinny dipping chick. I like that. So what happened when they saw you guys buck naked in the water?”
“The fuckers just stood there. One of them even fucking mentioned a gang bang. Asshole. I thought I was going to have to get out of the pool and fight them. Seriously, where does he find his friends? My car was parked out front. It’s not like he doesn’t know what I drive. He knew I was there and still came in with those two shitheads.”
Looking over at me, Alex winces. “How did Hailey take all of this?”
“She was freaked out and rightfully so. Nothing like us having a good time and her looking up to see him and two guys staring down into the pool like we were giving the world a fucking peep show. I had to threaten them before he thought it was a good idea to leave.”
After tossing the chopped up vegetables into a bowl, he pulls another pile of carrots in front of him and starts cutting them. “Sounds like him. I bet he didn’t even ask Grandma before he just busted into the place. What were the three stooges planning to do there? Take a swim?”
I shake my head at that idea. “No way. Those two he was with looked like they were straight out of some dive. They were probably looking for some place to party. Two million dollar house and he brings that garbage to hang out there.”
Behind me, a voice says, “You two finished talking shit, or do you want to continue?”
No sooner do the words filter through my brain, I’m spinning around to face Wilder himself. “Have a nice time the other night? Maybe I can invite you over to my place so you can watch my girlfriend and me fuck? Bring your friends and we can make it a party,” I say with disgust just having to look at him.
“You mean like a gang bang? You didn’t seem to be a fan the other night. Either did your girlfriend.”
A second later, I lunge at him, slamming him into some metal rack that makes a horrible clanging noise when it crashes into the wall behind it. I’ve wanted to beat the hell out of this asshole for years, and that little crack is going to get him what he deserves.
What I’ve been holding back for far too long.
He’s a little bigger than I am after his time in prison, but he isn’t carrying the rage for me that I have for him. That I’ve had for so long I can barely see straight sometimes when I have to listen to everyone talk about how great it is that he’s getting his life back together and how wonderful it is that he’s making the most of his second chance.
Wilder is an asshole who
gets away with all kinds of shit in our family and has all his life. Today, that ends, at least with me.
I get a few good punches in before he hits me hard in the side, taking most of the wind out of my lungs. Stunned, I stagger back, but my anger helps me regroup in only a second or two, not enough time for him to take advantage.
He moves to take my legs out from under me, but I grab him around his chest and push him back into the wall. The metal rack and the few utensils left hanging on it make that loud, clanging noise again, and I hear him grunt when he runs up against it.
I don’t know when Cassian and Kane show up to pull us apart, but I feel someone’s arms wrap around my shoulders and yank me off Wilder, and a second later, I look up to see Kane doing the same with his son.
“Cut it out!” Cassian barks in my ear. “Cut this shit out now, you two! What the hell are you doing brawling in my kitchen?” he asks.
Neither Wilder nor I answer his question. Instead, the two of us struggle to shake off the men holding us so we can get back to fighting.
“Enough!” Kane bellows. “That’s enough!”
Behind me, Cassian angrily says in my ear, “You come with me. I want to talk to you.”
Reaching out to grab Wilder as my uncle pushes me out of the kitchen, I snap, “I’m not done with him yet. Get off me! Let me go!”
Cassian tightens his hold on me and forces me out into the hallway and down to the office he shares with Kane. He kicks the door open and thrusts me into the room before pointing at the chair next to his desk.
“Don’t say one fucking word until I sit down. My head is pounding, and it isn’t even noon yet.”
Chapter Ten
Cade
When he flops down onto his chair, Cassian takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly, like he needs to calm himself down before we have this talk he so desperately wants to have with me. After a few seconds, I begin to speak, but he holds up his hand and shakes his head, a clear sign he isn’t ready yet.
