Game (Gentry Boys #3)

by Cora Brent

  “Why?” I was insulted. “You think true love shouldn’t be reserved for the likes of me?”

  Cord swallowed and stared at me. “Is that what this is, Chase?”

  “You seem doubtful. You been talking to Creedence?”

  “I talk to him all the time. Sometimes he talks back.”

  “Well sometimes he shouldn’t.”

  Creed and I had always butted heads. I loved the guy more than I loved myself but he could be a real dick sometimes. He didn’t bother to hide his disapproval of Stephanie even though she denied he’d said anything directly to her. I didn’t believe that. When Creed decided something sucked he wasn’t apt to sit on the sentiment.

  Cord had always been the broker of peace among us. Creedence and I were the opposite ends of the scale and Cordero was the weight that balanced us.

  “She makes me happy,” I said quietly. “She’s the last thing I want at night and the first thing I think of in the morning. I know you guys believe I’m nothing but clever bullshit and that is absolutely true a good deal of the time. But she’s got me, Cord. She’s got me and nothing’s ever been so good.”

  He listened and nodded thoughtfully. “I understand, man. I do. And Chase, if you’re happy then I’m happy. Creed will come around any day now.”

  Stephanie emerged from the bathroom a minute later and joined us. She made an effort to talk to my brother, asking him questions about his work and his art, even though she wasn’t the type to sit around shooting the shit just to be polite. With a jolt I realized that in some ways she was starkly similar to Creed.

  After about fifteen minutes Cord had to return to work. He stood up and stretched. “Will I be running into you kids later?”

  “One never knows where the night will end,” I told him, as my hand traveled down Stephanie’s leg.

  She waited until Cord was out of earshot before speaking. “You’re full of shit, Gentry. It’ll end in your bed or in mine. As usual.”

  “Well honey, you can’t have an end without a beginning.”

  Steph wrinkled her nose. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “It means I’ve been sitting here making plans for all the interesting things I’ll be doing to you. So let’s dispense with the formality and go fuck.” I hadn’t bothered to whisper. The dude who’d been checking Stephanie out earlier glanced over. I smiled at him and he shook his head in disgust.

  Stephanie blinked. “How is it possible for you to be so vulgar and so charming all at once?”

  “Because you want to love me and fuck me all at once.”

  “True,” she agreed and grabbed her backpack off the floor. “Let’s go.”

  We went to her place because Truly was at work already and who the hell knew what was hanging around in my apartment. Saylor wouldn’t bat an eyelash no matter what but I didn’t want to deal with Creedence at the moment. I just wanted to get Stephanie naked and sex-drunk.

  “Wait.” I stopped her from opening the door to the apartment and got behind her, pressing my dick into her ass and reaching between her legs with both hands.

  She looked around in a panic. After all it was late afternoon and we weren’t invisible. But there was no one in sight at the moment and I knew I only needed a minute to get this done. Over the last few weeks and tons of sexual encounters, Steph had learned to let herself go and I had learned how to get her off in so many different ways.

  “Chase,” she scolded but it was too late. She was already into it and she leaned back to let me get my hands really up in there. I sucked on her neck, nudging her long crazy hair out of the way, knowing it would push her over the edge faster. It was pushing me there too, especially when my fingers felt how wet she was and I knew it must have been that way since she climbed into my lap at the pizzeria. I was getting in there now. I fucking had to. I was a wild animal as I got her ass bared and my dick out before she even realized it.

  “Wait,” she gasped, fumbling with the door.

  “No,” I grunted, already pushing between her legs.

  But Steph got the door open and we both fell through it. I heard the rip of her shirt as I tore it off too eagerly. We were against the wall of the front closet, just on the other side of the door. I’d never kissed anyone this hard before. I’d never fucked anyone this hard before. I got inside her standing up and it was so crazy incredible I couldn’t stop.

  “Shit,” she gasped and I knew from the way she was clutching me that she was almost there. “Oh god, we’re not being careful.”

  I increased my rhythm anyway. She was there. She was coming. She whimpered and held me and clenched her body.

  “The hell with careful,” I panted, still pumping. “I’ll always take care of you, baby. You know that?”

  “Yes,” she moaned, still writhing at the tail end of her orgasm.

  “Aw dammit, I love you Stephanie.” I pulled my head back and looked her in the eye as I pounded her against the wall. “You love me, sweetheart?”

  “I do,” she said and I knew she meant it. “I love you, Chase.”

  “Say it again.”

  “I love you!”

  “Shit!” I was right fucking there. I was less than a millisecond away from shooting inside her so deep I was bound to leave a piece of me in there. But I stopped myself and pulled out, grabbing my dick and coming on my hand instead.

  Stephanie watched me. The she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and kissed me fiercely. I carried her to her room and laid her down on the bed before I got on top of her. We didn’t say anything. We only looked into each other’s eyes and stroked each other. The best conversations I’d ever had with anyone in my life were the silent ones between me and Stephanie. I gently touched the gold Star of David she wore around her neck. Then I let my head fall to her shoulder as she rubbed my back.

  We let the afternoon pass that way. Then I needed to go and let her get some work done.

  “Later?” she asked as she saw me to the door wrapped in her comforter and the note of breathless hope in her voice killed me.

  “No stopping it, sweetheart,” I said, running my thumb over her lips before I kissed her.

  I walked slowly back to my apartment. When I got to the parking lot I saw the Chevy out there. There was a meeting at the library in an hour. I should go. For a moment in the pizza place I’d been scared. I’d felt the urge to get numb. When Stephanie touched me I felt a little better but I knew the impulse would come again.

  Creedence was in the living room, working out some songs on his guitar. He looked up when I walked in but didn’t stop. I didn’t recognize the song he was singing but I liked it.

  “An oldie?” I asked when he finished and put the guitar down.

  “Yup. An oldie. Called The Weight.”

  Creed was gazing at me somewhat expectantly so I sat down beside him.

  “You the only one home?”

  “Yeah. Cord’s still at work and Saylor got a call to go teach tonight.” Saylor had started tutoring local high school kids who were new the country and still learning English. She loved the work.

  “Are you performing later?” I asked him.

  He nodded. “Small place out in Mesa. Truly’s getting off early tonight. So I’ll pick her up and head out there.”

  I smiled, remembering something. “You know, Truly’s trying to get Stephanie a job at Cluck This. Can you picture my Stephanie smiling and taking orders for fried chicken?”

  “No,” said Creed, not smiling.

  “Yeah,” I laughed. “I give it about an hour before she dumps a basket of chicken in the lap of some jackass if he tries to give her shit.”

  “I give it less,” Creed answered shortly. Then he shook his head, leaned on his elbows and stared at me. “What the hell are you doing, Chase?”

  “I’m sitting on the couch. We need a new one. I can feel a detached spring jabbing me in the ass.” I stood so I could look down on him. I hoped he would just let this go for now. If he said anything about Stephanie then I would
n’t be able to take it. Things would get ugly.

  Creed stood too. He was only about an inch taller than me but he was broader, stronger. He could take me out if he felt like it and he wanted to make that clear.

  I challenged him. “You got a problem with my girlfriend, Creed?”

  He shrugged. “How could I? I hardly know her. You hardly know her and you’re way too into her.”

  I had to take a deep breath. “I know everything I need to know. And by the way I don’t recall you hassling Cord like this when he moved Saylor in here practically overnight.”

  My brother already had an answer for me. “Well, Cord is Cord and you are you.”

  “What the fuck does that mean?”

  Creed would always look you right in the eye before he cut you open. “Chasyn, are you sure you’re not just trading one addiction for another?”

  I had to walk away. If I didn’t walk away I would hit him. And I would mean it. I turned around and headed for the door. My back was still to him when I said the only words I had left to say.

  “I’m not going to forgive you for that.”

  I knew he heard me.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Stephanie

  Chase wanted to dress up for Halloween. I agreed because he had so much enthusiasm for the idea and making him happy made me happy. He’d been agitated when he showed up at my door yesterday less than an hour after he left. He wouldn’t tell me why. As I stayed in my room and worked on my finance paper he sat quietly on the couch watching television in a very un-Chase-like way.

  I hurried through my work and then couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to go to him. His arms went around me automatically as soon as I sank beside him on the couch. I held him to my chest and stroked his neck, feeling ferociously protective. It was strange because Chase was so much bigger and stronger. I’d grown used to feeling safe when I was in his arms. Now I felt like he needed the same thing from me.

  Chase rolled me to my back and got on top of me but it wasn’t for sex. He rested his head on my breasts and stayed quiet. Chase just wanted me to love him. And I did. I loved him so desperately.

  Eventually he took me to the bedroom and the passion took over as it always did. But usually Chase was all about dirty talk and dirtier deeds. This time as he moved inside of me the only thing he said was, “Look at me, baby. Keep looking at me.”

  We finished like that, gazing deep into each other’s eyes. I gasped at the end when I came and then felt him shudder and do likewise. As I ran my fingers over his sweaty skin I thought about how we were together. I had never known it was possible to feel this close to anyone.

  The next morning Chase was back to being playful and mischievous. He woke me up early and started reciting everything he knew about the history of Halloween. Apparently his knowledge was considerable so I dozed off for a little while as he talked. He got irritated by my disinterest and pried my eyelids open.

  I swatted his hand away and sat up. “Fine,” I grumbled. “I’ll throw on some skanky witch outfit.”

  He was incredulous. “A witch on Halloween? Dammit, that is so cliché, Stephanie. You should know better. And no zombies either. Shit’s been done to death. Haha, get it?”

  “So what did you have in mind?” I asked him ten minutes later as we sat on the floor of the kitchen and ate Truly’s leftover gumbo for breakfast.

  He grabbed a bite of sausage and chewed thoughtfully. “I’ll run around today and find something. What time are you done this afternoon?”

  I took a sip of coffee. “Three. And Truly texted me last night. I have an interview with her boss at Cluck This at 3:30.”

  “Perfect. I haven’t eaten there in like a week. I miss chicken. I’ll meet you there at 4.” Chase brushed my hair back from my shoulder and gave me a sweet smile. “Sound good?”

  “And then what?” I asked, scooting over to him on my knees. “Trick or treating?”

  “Lots of tricks,” he promised, shoving the container of gumbo away so he could tackle me to the floor. “And a hell of a lot of treats.”

  I shoved his chest but he was unmovable. “Let me up. It’s cold and hard down here.”

  “Cold and hard,” he repeated, prying my legs open. “It’s like the pornographic anthem of the undead. Here, let me show you how I’m stiff all over.”

  We were rolling around on the kitchen floor when Truly walked in. She gave us an odd look and we laughed.

  Chase got to his feet and pretended like he was putting his dick away when really he hadn’t taken it out yet. Truly stared at me. I was still lying on the floor.

  “Morning,” I waved. “We finished your gumbo. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “No,” Truly said but she had a solemn look on her face. “You get my text last night?”

  I let Chase pull me up and I headed in her direction. “Yes. I’ll be there. Thank you, Truly. You’re like the big sister I never had.” I hugged her. She seemed taken aback, especially when Chase ran over and wrapped both of us in an even tighter hug.

  “As fun as this is,” he said, not letting go of us, “I’ve got to go.” Then he released Truly before picking me up, swinging me around in a circle and setting me down again.

  “Bye, honey,” I said, kissing him. “I love you.”

  His eyes - such a deep, distinctive shade of blue - turned intense. “I love you too.”

  Even after Chase left, Truly was still standing in the living room. Dolly nudged her ankles and Truly picked her up. “Did Miss Stephanie remember to feed you last night?”

  “No,” I admitted, feeling guilty. “I forgot. I’ll do it right now.”

  Truly set the cat down with a sigh. “It’s all right. I’ll do it.”

  I followed her into the kitchen and watched as she filled Dolly’s bowl. “How did Creed’s performance go last night?”

  “Fine,” she said, flashing a quick smile. “He always does great.”

  “Well, he’s got a hell of a voice,” I said, a little grudgingly because I was still pissed over the way he objected to my relationship with his brother. Yet I supposed I should let it go. He hadn’t said anything since then and even though he was distant I got the sense he was trying to be civil.

  Truly faced me slowly. I could tell something was weighing on her mind.

  “I’ll wash out the gumbo container,” I said, picking it up off the floor.

  “Steph, I don’t give a rat’s ass about the container.” She chewed her lip and looked out the window. “Creed was upset last night.”

  “I didn’t realize that was unusual.”

  She shot me a look.

  “Sorry,” I muttered.

  Truly sighed. “He and Chase had an argument. He felt bad, said he’d said something he shouldn’t have and Chase was hurt.”

  “It was about me, wasn’t it?”

  She nodded. “In a way.”

  I crossed my arms over my body to deal with my rising anger toward Creed Gentry. “So what the hell did I ever do to him, Truly? What makes him think I’m this evil succubus out to ruin his brother?”

  Truly looked startled. “Creedence said that to you?”

  “No, not exactly. He just told me Chase and I weren’t good for each other.”

  “Oh,” she said softly and looked out the window again.

  “Truly?” I pressed her. “Do you agree with him?”

  “No, sugar,” she answered quickly. “I’d never pass that kind of judgment.” Then a smile crossed her face. “You’re happy. I can see that. He’s happy.”

  “Then what is it? What aren’t you saying?”

  “You and Chase,” she sighed. “You’re so different, but whenever I see you together these days, it’s like you’re the same.”

  I shook my head, feeling irritable. “I don’t understand what the hell you mean.”

  She reached for me. “Stephanie. You’re both my precious friends. And honey, I’m glad you found each other. I am. No matter what Creed says. But I confess to being a little
worried when I see how intense you’ve become.”

  “He loves me,” I said with conviction. “And I love him.”

  “I know. But sometimes love can turn into something else, a damaging power that drowns out reason. Love each other, Steph. But be careful not to lose yourselves.”

  I went through the motions of the day, thinking about Chase, counting down the hours in my head until I would be with him again. I also thought about what Truly had said. I wasn’t losing myself. I was still me. It’s just that now I was happy. It had been a long time since I’d been happy.

  My interview with Truly’s boss went well. He seemed like your average bland Type A middle-aged dude, but I could tell he thought highly of her and that was enough for him to give me a chance even though I had no experience.

  “Can you start on Monday?” he asked and I was pleased. Waitressing was a pittance income next to sports booking but it was honest work. I’d climbed out of the shadows of my family’s history and I was going to stay out of there.

  I shook the man’s hand and thanked him profusely.

  When I left his office I could see Chase already sitting in the restaurant. There was another waitress hovering over him under the pretense of taking his order. She brushed something off his sleeve and he looked annoyed. The girl was thin-lipped and skinny and looked like she might need my foot up her ass.

  Chase saw me and grinned. I raised my eyebrows and pointed to my future coworker with a look of disgust. Chase grinned wider when he realized I was feeling territorial and he held his arms open for me.

  “Missed you,” he said, kissing me so sloppily the girl couldn’t possibly be confused about who had his attention.

  “Can I get you anything?” she asked me in a snotty tone.

  “Whatever my boyfriend ordered,” I answered, turning on my bitchiest east coast voice. “You just run off to the kitchen and fetch me the same fuckin’ thing.”

  Chase cracked up as she stalked away. “Awdawed,” he mimicked me. “Awf.”

  I smiled. “Accent comes out more when I’m pissed.”

  “So I’ve noticed. I’m making a mental note to piss you off later so I can hear it again.”