Four Letter Word

by J. Daniels

  Jamie shrugged.

  “The Baker sisters,” he answered casually.

  “That’s weird, man,” I told him.

  He looked affronted.

  “They’re stepsisters. It ain’t that weird.”

  I shook my head while looking away, pulled the rest of the bacon out and turned down the heat, then grabbed a bowl and slid the carton of eggs in front of me, cracking a few in and whisking them quickly with a fork.

  “Need to talk to you about something,” I said after draining out most of the grease but leaving enough in the pan so it would flavor the eggs.

  “Shoot.”

  I checked over my shoulder, making sure we were still alone, then turned to Jamie.

  “What’s happening with me and her upstairs is something I want permanent. I’m not fuckin’ around with her. Never was.”

  He smirked. “Pretty sure I got that.”

  “Good, then you’ll get why I’m asking you to buy my share of Wax from me.”

  Smirk vanishing, Jamie stared at me long and hard, eyes unblinking, looking like I’d just confessed to murdering someone he hated and wanted dead, but wasn’t sure if he should like the idea of me murdering someone or not.

  Figured this reaction was coming. Hoped for something less complicated like an easy nod and a pat on the back so I could get to finishing Syd’s breakfast, but I’ve never been lucky.

  I cut the heat on the stove, not wanting to burn the grease, stepped back until I hit the island, and leaned against it, arms crossing on my chest.

  “You…want me to buy you out?” Jamie asked. “What the fuck? Why?”

  I pulled in a deep breath to explain.

  “Figured I’d continue doing what I was doing at Xstasy, the solo shit, until I could give that kid enough to get by for years, taking some of that burden off and letting that family breathe easy. I need that for them. It’s important. I think you know that.”

  Jamie nodded, letting me know he understood.

  “That being said,” I continued, “there is nothing more important to me than that girl upstairs. Not one damn thing. Can’t explain why she has me like this but she fuckin’ does and it’s good, the kind of good you’d change your life for. So solo or not, I won’t have ties to something that could hurt her. I won’t chance her feeling this, which puts me in a fuckin’ bind ’cause I need that money and doing shit like I was doing for Xstasy was the only way I could think of to get it fast like I needed and in that quantity without risking getting arrested.”

  Jamie shook his head.

  “It’s not lost on me what this girl’s doing. I see the good she’s giving you but there’s gotta be something else,” he said. “Another way you can get them that money. A loan or something. Fuck, Dash, this was our dream, owning Wax. It’s something we’ve worked our asses off for and you wanna sell out?”

  “No other choice, man.”

  Jamie clenched his jaw, nostrils flaring as he looked down.

  He was upset and I got that. Appreciated where he was coming from, too. This wasn’t an easy decision for me, but at least I’d still be connected to Wax somehow. I’d still work there.

  I wouldn’t have to give up that dream completely.

  I watched Jamie set his mug down and hop off the counter, then take a step toward me, hands raised seeking peace.

  “Hear me out,” he requested. “There’s another option and it’s one you can take without giving anything up.”

  “No,” I said, shooting it down before hearing him because I already knew his suggestion. “It’s not going down that way. I’m not taking your money unless I sell.”

  “Come on. What’s the difference?”

  “Don’t fuckin’ ask me that again,” I hissed, impatience burning in my throat. “You wanna help me? This is how you can help me. Buy me out.”

  He lowered his hands.

  Silence settled between us.

  Jamie wasn’t going to give me this. He didn’t understand. I could tell by the look on his face.

  I shook my head through an inhale, jaw tight and shoulders tensing.

  “Forget it,” I mumbled, moving back to the stove with heavy steps. “I’ll figure something else out.”

  What the fuck that was gonna be, I had no idea. Last night this seemed like my only option.

  I stared down at the pan, hands braced on either side of the stove and head down.

  Maybe I could sell everything I had. Might get a little over ten grand for my Jeep. Not as much as selling my share of Wax, but it was better than nothing. I could take the bus or bum rides, that or walk everywhere. Getting the exercise wouldn’t hurt.

  “I’ll do it.”

  I slowly lifted my head and turned my neck.

  Jamie held my eyes when he said, “I’ll buy you out. Get the figure and let me know.”

  Tension poured out of my limbs. I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Thanks, man. Seriously. Means a lot,” I told him, straightening my back.

  He nodded once, twisted to grab his mug, then took a sip.

  I could get in touch with our accountant today, no problem. The guy worked seven days a week. As for Xstasy, that shit could be handled with a simple text. I’d get on that as soon as I got Syd back home in case Mike decided to be one dumb motherfucker and call me to discuss.

  There would be no discussion.

  And this was going to work out.

  Thank fuck.

  “But your name is staying on all the promotional shit. I don’t care if you want it removed, it’s not happening,” Jamie informed as I was clicking the burner on. “It would be a pain in my ass getting it changed so deal with it.”

  I kept my head down and focused.

  “I’m good with that,” I said through a smirk.

  “Not asking your permission,” he replied shortly under his breath.

  My smirk twisted into a smile.

  I was feeling good again.

  We talked more about the party and some work shit while I cooked the eggs. I was on my second cup of coffee, keeping the food warm in the oven, when I heard quiet footsteps on the stairs and I stopped listening to Jamie, turned my head, and watched Syd step with sleepy eyes and finger-twisted hair into the room wearing nothing but the shirt I was wearing yesterday.

  I’m sure she looked slamming in a lot of things, but that might’ve been a top look for me.

  She froze, bare feet and pale limbs pressing together and her hands tugging on the hem of my tee, which was funny since it almost reached her knees hanging loose.

  “Mornin’, Wild.”

  I smiled at her, sat my mug down, then made my way across the room.

  Her eyes danced between me and Jamie.

  “Uh, mornin’.” She settled on me. “Should I go put something on?” she whispered when I reached her.

  “No. You look sweet,” I said, bending to kiss her mouth.

  She broke it fast and shyly, explaining, “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”

  “And?”

  “My breath isn’t kissable right now. You’ll keel over.”

  Her one hand acted like a barrier between our lips as she blinked up at me.

  I laughed and kissed her forehead instead, which she allowed and seemed to enjoy, moaning quietly as I did it, then tucking close when I draped my arm around her and moved us back into the kitchen.

  Jamie smiled at Syd, lifting his mug.

  “What’s up, Sunshine? Sleep good?”

  I looked down and watched my girl shoot daggers at Jamie.

  Right. Legs.

  Syd had her girl’s back.

  “You got a problem?” Jamie asked with humor in his voice.

  “Nope,” Syd snapped, looking away sharply, making her point known that she did indeed have a problem, possibly several, but she wasn’t interested in hashing it out right now.

  Her attitude was another cute thing about her.

  Jamie didn’t seem to care. He laughed under his breath while pouring him
self a second cup of coffee, then moved to the pantry next to the fridge, pulled out a pack of Pop-Tarts, closed the door, and turned, winking at Syd as he walked around the island.

  “Gotta head upstairs and wake up my guests,” he said on his way out of the room. “Ten o’clock is checkout.”

  Sydney made a soft grunting noise.

  “That’s disgusting,” she commented quietly when we were alone. “I can’t believe not one but three women wanted to have sex with him. They must’ve been paid off.”

  “Probably an easy transaction, considering the one bank account.”

  She tilted her head adorably and gazed up at me.

  “Mm?”

  I smiled, choosing not to elaborate, then turned into her, grabbed her waist, and lifted, hoisting her up onto the island and pushing her knees apart, shoving between them.

  “You hungry?” I asked, lips moving over her cheek.

  I felt her nod.

  “Eggs?”

  “Yummy,” she replied softly.

  “Bacon?”

  “Oh, my God, yes!” she whispered excitedly. “I knew I smelled bacon.”

  I leaned back, grinning.

  She was all dimples and bright eager eyes with fingers dancing on my neck.

  “Get you set up.”

  “Okay.”

  I left her on the counter to pull the plates out of the oven, grabbed some forks, napkins, an extra plate, asked if she wanted ketchup or anything for her eggs and laughed at the face she gave me, nose wrinkling in disgust, then moved back to the island and set everything beside her hip, handed her a fork and the extra plate which she set aside, we were sharing, then gripping my own fork and digging into the eggs while she went straight for the bacon.

  “How’d you sleep?” I asked.

  Her eyes smiled.

  “Perfect. You’re a very comfy pillow,” she replied, snapping into her bacon and moaning while she chewed.

  I shoveled eggs into my mouth.

  “Pillows are soft, babe. I ain’t soft.”

  She smirked. Heat bloomed in her cheeks.

  She was thinking about my cock.

  Fucking loved that.

  I’d show it to her right now if I didn’t think there was a slim chance Jamie would walk back in here after kicking out his trio.

  “No, but you’re cozy and snuggly and warm. And you smell really nice,” she clarified. “Think I might like you better than Tori’s Christmas quilt.”

  I didn’t know what that meant but it sounded like a good thing, so I didn’t question it.

  “What time you gotta work today?” I asked, snagging a piece of bacon off the plate.

  She chewed up a bite of eggs and forked some more.

  “Eleven. So I should probably get home no later than ten thirty. I need to shower.”

  I nodded.

  “Gives us forty-five minutes to eat and fool around,” I said, popping the rest of the bacon in my mouth.

  Syd’s eyes slowly lifted from the plate, then she shrugged nonchalantly and looked back down.

  “Think I can make that work,” she replied, voice even and accommodating.

  “Glad to hear it.”

  She looked up again, this time doing it smiling.

  I gave her one back.

  Then we finished eating and left the dishes, making it halfway up the stairs before we got started.

  * * *

  After dropping Syd off at Tori’s house, which was a mere ten minutes away from mine, go fucking figure, she’d been this close to me the entire time, close enough to walk to and I never knew it, I pulled my phone out of my pocket after I slid back into my seat and shot Mike a text.

  Done working for you. Don’t expect to see me again.

  His response came seconds later, and I’d predicted it.

  FUCK. YOU.

  I didn’t reply. There was no need to.

  It was over.

  I slide my phone away and headed home to get that figure for Jamie.

  Chapter Fourteen

  SYDNEY

  After breakfast with Brian followed by an even yummier dose of morning sex, including him eating me out from behind then taking me hard and fast up against a wall, a rough fucking that ended in me leading in orgasms for the day 3–1, Brian dropped me off at Tori’s with two minutes to spare and a promise of later.

  I loved his laters. I’d loved them when they’d consisted only of phone calls or texts, but now his laters were different.

  Better.

  Because they consisted of him.

  And knowing I’d get Brian with that later had me in one of the best moods of my life, two hours into my shift and smiling so much the patrons were starting to give me odd looks because who smiled when they lagged on getting refills for a table?

  This girl.

  I couldn’t help it and I didn’t care.

  I was over the moon happy and nothing, not one thing, was ruining that.

  Plus, I had put the signed separation papers in the mail before I left Tori’s house so I wouldn’t forget to do it tomorrow. Another reason for my elation.

  Bacon. Multiple orgasms. Sweet kisses and legally freeing myself from Marcus.

  This day just kept getting better and better.

  I was in the middle of explaining the reason for my elation to Stitch through the window that separated us, figuring he’d want to know why I’d been absent from work and the amazing coincidental sequence of events that followed, not that he’d asked, and I’d just gotten past the part where I’d overheard Brian talking to Cole about me on the beach when Shay came up beside me and nudged my hip.

  “You have someone requesting you,” she said in my ear, then turned her head, looked at Stitch through the window, which he must’ve sensed because he chose that exact moment to finally look up after I’d been talking his ear off for the past ten minutes and he didn’t so much as lift his head once.

  He locked his hard gaze onto hers with so much heat, I felt it on my skin.

  Shay broke that connection immediately, saying nothing before she quickly cut her eyes away.

  Apparently she was a little upset at him for bailing on their plans last night.

  A harsh banging noise turned both Shay’s and my heads again.

  Stitch stalked out of the kitchen with a cigarette tucked in his mouth, lighter poised at the ready, but waited until he’d kicked the back door open with his black boot and stepped outside before he lit up.

  The door slammed shut behind him.

  Apparently he was a little pissed at Shay for being upset with him.

  Shay muttered something but I didn’t hear it because I was busy turning around and scanning the restaurant with curious eyes now that I was remembering what she’d interrupted me for, looking for who was requesting me, then I stopped paying attention to everyone else in Whitecaps.

  The flip and twist happened. It was quite possibly my favorite feeling in the entire world.

  Brian sat at a booth next to the window by himself. He was smiling at me warmly in a teal blue shirt with a pair of sunglasses hanging on the collar, and he looked good, let me tell you, better than any other man I’d ever seen sitting at that booth.

  Or in this restaurant.

  Or walking around the state of North Carolina.

  I was about to sprint across the room and launch myself into his arms like Baby from Dirty Dancing when Shay took a hold of my elbow.

  “He’s, like, unfairly hot, Syd,” she commented appreciatively. “Who is he? He came in here looking for you yesterday but acted a little weird about it. Said you two weren’t friends when I asked.”

  I looked from Brian to Shay.

  That puzzled me but only for a moment. It was understandable he didn’t tell Shay we were friends. For two days we weren’t anything.

  I gave Shay a reassuring smile.

  “It was complicated but now it’s not. He’s…well, I guess he’s my boyfriend. We’re dating.” My brows pulled together while hers slid behind
the bangs she had tickling her forehead. “At least I think we are. Hold that thought.”

  I left Shay giggling, no doubt amused at my unsureness of this newly developed situation, which I couldn’t fault her for. I mean really, why I hadn’t taken a moment to ponder this myself was beyond me. Now I had no idea what to label us.

  Brian was definitely my boyfriend. I just wasn’t sure what I was to him.

  I stepped out from behind the bar and walked with determination across the room, weaving between tables before reaching the booth.

  “Hey, Wild,” Brian said, all smooth and perfect boyfriend material like.

  I needed to get to the bottom of this immediately.

  “Trouble.” I crossed my arms under my chest. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Is it what’ll I have to drink? ’Cause straight up, I think I need another coffee. This cute little ass kept rubbing against me all night and I barely got any sleep.” His eyes lowered to my breasts. “Those didn’t help.”

  “Oh?” I flattened my hand on the table and leaned down, giving him a better view. “And who do these belong to?”

  His eyes took their time lifting to my face, which was now only inches from his.

  “You?” he asked unsurely. “Odd question, babe. You tired, too?”

  “Nope. I feel very energized actually. Three orgasms will do that to a girl. I’m just wondering what this girl is to you exactly.”

  His eyebrows lifted.

  “You don’t know.”

  I opened my mouth then closed it because I thought it was sweet how he made that sound, more as a statement than a question and one he couldn’t quite understand.

  Brian thought it was obvious what I was to him and maybe it had been obvious for a while. That I was getting. However, the simple fact was, I didn’t want to risk any misinterpretations that would lead to my heart getting damaged, which was why I was being a smidge confrontational and wanting him to spell it out, right here and right now.

  Before I went and got his coffee.

  Brian pulled his sunglasses out of his shirt and set them on the table, then leaned forward, his face serious as he studied me.

  “You don’t know,” he stated again, this time a little quieter and worry-filled, like he should’ve done better to make sure it was obvious for me, too.