“Is anyone going to talk?” I understood about death and not wanting to talk about it. But if my name was mentioned in the same sentence as Mandy, I deserved to know.
“Lace.” Kade’s tone was more lethal than mine.
I crossed the shiny floor to sit with Kade. “I know I said I was scared. But I told you once before—don’t presume to know what’s good for me,” I said in a soft, firm tone. “Look, here’s what I know. Coach Dean said Mandy died in a motorcycle accident. He also mentioned how you guys protected her from a few of the ball players. But when I asked Kross, he says you guys protect those close to you, since Mandy and Kody were dating. Okay, I can buy that. But then the principal advises me not to try out for baseball. Aaron threatens me. Probably stole my gear, too, to make me look like I’m insane. Then Greg takes a shot at me for being your girl.” I took a breath. “I deserve to know. I’m not going to have an attack. I think if I was going to have one, it would’ve been when you almost killed us on the way here,” I said with a weak smile as I laid a hand on his back.
Something told me he thought I was too fragile. I would think that, too, if the tables were turned.
“Lacey,” Kody said in a nasally tone.
“Kody, you don’t have to. It’s my responsibility,” Kade said, straightening.
“Shut up, Kade. Let us shoulder some of the big brother responsibilities,” Kody said. “We need to talk about this. Lacey is right. She needs to know.” He adjusted the tampons in his nose.
Kelton stood, shoved his hands in his jeans pockets, then rested against a small cabinet between the beds.
“So, you know, Aaron and Greg are cousins,” Kelton said. “Aaron wants attention. Greg has a vendetta with us. Aaron doesn’t want anyone to show him up on the ball field. Greg wants to make our lives a living hell. The one thing they have in common is that they’re good at getting into your head and messing with you.”
“Like what happened to my gear,” I added. “How would Aaron get into the girls’ locker room with girls coming and going?”
“Does Coach have evidence Aaron did it?” Kross chipped in, scrubbing his knuckles over the stubble along his jaw. “No one has ever been able to prove Aaron was responsible for all the pranks played on Mandy.”
Aaron was a concern, but right now I wanted to hear what Greg meant by his comment. “So what about Greg?”
“Mandy had gone for a ride one Sunday,” Kody said. “It was spring. The weather was warm. It was the first time since fall that she could take her bike out for a spin. We were going to meet up for dinner that night. Anyway, she was on the back roads in Lancaster, where she could open up and ride. She loved the freedom and adrenaline rush.” He trailed off for a second before blinking. “Anyway, she pulled off at a gas station to get a drink and called me. Told me she might be late. When we were talking, Sullivan pulled into the same gas station. I told her to ignore him and get on the road. That was the last time I talked to her.” His voice broke as he pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes.
Pain crawled up my chest. Breathe in. Breathe out.
Kade angled his body so he was facing me. “The cops ruled Mandy’s death an accident. Skid marks showed she was going fast. The fact that she saw Sullivan at the same gas station that day, to us, is suspicious.” He placed a hand on my thigh.
“Bottom line.” Kross stood, sauntered up next to Kelton. “Baseball is Aaron’s life, and he’ll do anything to make sure no one takes the spotlight away. He hated when Mandy got all the attention from the kids at school and the local newspaper. Greg, even though he goes to another school now, wants revenge. And he won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”
“And what does he want?” I swung my gaze to Kade. “You in jail? Someone dies? Or they beat Kody again?” I worried my bottom lip.
Kody harrumphed.
“You told me why Greg hates all of you,” I said to Kade. “I understand jealousy and competing, but to beat Kody like he did… Is there another reason?” I used to get envious of the girls I’d compete against for a spot on the local softball team I’d tried out for in the summertime. But my envy only drove me to work harder, not hate someone so much I’d hurt them.
“Tell her, Kade,” Kelton said. “She already knows about Mom.”
Kade ran a hand through his hair. “Our mom was grocery shopping one day and had one of her episodes. She was grabbing jars of food off the shelves and throwing them on the floor. A lady who was in the same aisle that day tried to help her.”
“Greg’s mom,” I guessed.
“That’s right. When Greg found out, he began spreading rumors about how crazy our family was. I couldn’t tolerate the rumors. Not about my mom. So I walked into his last period class one day, yanked him out of his seat, and threw him against the wall. Before the teacher pulled me off him, I’d broken his arm.” His jaw clenched.
“Is that when you went to jail?” I took hold of his hand.
“No. I got suspended from school for that incident. The first time I landed in jail was when Sullivan and his buddies beat Kody. His father pressed charges when I broke his other arm.”
Oh, my God. How many times had Kade been arrested? I wasn’t one to judge. I certainly had my own demons that got me suspended. Still, jail was different—permanent, depending on the infraction or the state. California had the three-strike rule. After the third crime, the penalties were more severe. “Becca made it sound like Greg had been on his deathbed.”
“He was, but not from a broken arm. After Mandy’s funeral, we confronted Greg. Since he was at the gas station we wanted to find out if he saw anything.” Kade glanced around. “He’d said he wasn’t anywhere near the gas station that day.”
“I put him in a coma,” Kody stated proudly.
I should’ve gasped or screamed or run. But I couldn’t—my own family had been murdered, and I couldn’t say I wouldn’t hurt the creeps responsible if I had the chance. Still, I couldn’t tell if they were trying to tell me my life was in danger from Greg. Nothing they told me confirmed Greg had had anything to do with Mandy’s death. The only thing he was guilty of, with me, was taking a picture of Kade and me kissing, then shoving it in my face. The cops had even confirmed Mandy was going fast. Kody did say she loved to ride the back roads. There were tons of possible scenarios to cause her to crash.
“Are you okay?” Kade squeezed my hand.
“How many times have you been arrested?” I skimmed my gaze over his face.
“Twice. The second time was when Sullivan landed in a coma.” His voice lacked remorse, yet regret shone in his eyes.
“I thought Kody did that to him.”
“I would do anything to protect my brothers. I took—”
“Kade wasn’t there,” Kross said.
Kade mumbled something under his breath as my head jerked to Kross.
“Kody and I beat the crap out of Sullivan.” He lifted a muscular shoulder. “Sorry, bro. We’re not lying to your girl.”
“Why did you let him take the blame?” My voice squeaked.
“We didn’t get a choice. Sullivan told the cops it was Kade,” Kelton said, arching his brows.
My mind reeled from all this information. Kade didn’t beat Greg into a coma. Kade took the rap for his brothers. Kade protected those he loved. Kade had inner demons like me. Kade loved me even with mine. “Promise me again you won’t go after Greg. If something happened to you…I…” His kiss gave me hope. His touch gave me strength. My heart beat faster when he walked into a room, when I thought of him, when I inhaled his scent. I wouldn’t know what I’d do without him.
“What are you saying, baby?” His eyes searched mine.
I knew I didn’t want to see anyone hurt, especially him. “Promise,” I said again.
“Lace, I’m not going to hunt him down. But if h
e does anything to you or them, I won’t sit idle.”
I gave him a long blink of my lashes. I couldn’t get excited. I’d only stopped the forward motion of revenge for now. Oh, Greg and Kade would meet in battle eventually. Maybe not in the next day, or the next week, or even the next month. How did I know? The hatred in his eyes whenever he mentioned Greg’s name. “Take me home, please,” I said to Kade. I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.
Kade stood. “Kross, Kel, why don’t you guys get on the road? I’ll check on the paperwork.”
As I was learning, when Kade spoke, people listened, particularly his brothers. Kelton and Kross said their goodbyes, and Kade, Kross and Kelton left.
I traded one bed for the other. “I’m sorry about Mandy,” I said as I sat down on Kody’s bed, tucking one leg under me while the other hung off the edge.
“I did love her.” His voice was despondent. “She was my world.”
Two beats of silence pounded between us.
“My brother is head over heels for you. You know that?” Kody said.
“I do.” And I was slowly realizing my heart and all of me belonged to Kade.
“I love my brother, Lacey. He deserves the best. I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but please make sure you’re honest with him. He’s been through hell, taking care of my mom and us. And he hasn’t let himself feel since my sister died, until you.”
I knew the pain associated with death all too well. Maybe on some cosmic level, our pain drew us together. Maybe fate’s plan was for both Kade and me to feed off each other so we would both heal.
Chapter 18
Storm clouds floated above us, dark and ominous. The smell of dirt, grass, and rain hung in the air. Kade and I sat behind second base, staring at each other. No words were exchanged. We weren’t even touching. Suddenly, the sky opened up and large quarter-size drops of rain pelted down. Thunder boomed and lightning cracked. Still, we didn’t move. Each jagged strike came threateningly close to us. When I reached out to touch Kade, a thousand bolts of electricity hit my hand. Sharp, prickly pain radiated up my arm. Now I was kneeling on the kitchen floor, brushing the black hair of a young girl who I’d never seen before.
The creak of the stairs grew louder as the unknown girl slowly faded.
“Lacey.” Mary’s voice drifted around me. “Are you awake?”
I stretched my arms then rubbed my eyes before opening them. Coupled with the dream and what I’d learned last night at the hospital, a foggy feeling hung over me like a black veil.
“Happy Birthday.” Mary bounced in bright-eyed and all excited with flowers in her hand.
Sitting up, I removed the scrunchie that was snarling my hair. “Are those for me?”
“Of course.” She set them down on my bed before opening the shutters. The sunlight spilled in. “They were just delivered from the florist.”
Snatching the envelope from the bow, I removed the card.
The dark red rose is for your unconscious beauty. The lavender rose signifies how you enchant me. The coral rose is a testament of my desire for all of you. Happy Birthday. See you tonight. XO Kade.
“Well?” Mary asked. “Are they from Kade?” She sat on the edge of the bed. “They’re beautiful. Is there a meaning behind the different colors?”
I shared a lot with Mary, but not this time. The message was too intimate. “I guess I’m going out with him tonight. I thought me, you and Dad would do dinner,” I said. Then I remembered Becca and I planned on hanging out, just us girls. I’d forgotten all about my birthday.
“Well, Kade called this morning to ask if he could steal you. So, instead, your Dad and I would like to take you to lunch.”
“Oh.” I was a little suspicious. Kade and I had spent time together the previous night at his funhouse, where he’d given me the polar bear for my birthday. He’d even thought Dad and Mary would want to spend time with me on my birthday. Was Kade up to something? Or was Mary up to something? “You know I don’t like people to make a fuss over my birthday.”
“Don’t let one birthday and one person ruin all your birthdays. Brad was a jerk.”
On my sixteenth birthday, Mom had planned a big surprise bash at the country club we’d belonged to. Brad was scheduled to pick me up that night. We were going to go to dinner. Then he was supposed to take me to the country club. Only, he never showed. I called and called him. He never answered. I was in tears. Mom had been furious with Brad. I ended up driving myself over to the club. But it was the worst night. While everyone was having a good time, I was angry, sad, and completely humiliated.
“It’s almost eleven. We’ll leave in an hour.”
“It is?” I didn’t have a clock in my room. I used my phone for time and alarms. Why was I surprised? After four worrisome hours of processing information, I’d finally fallen asleep around four a.m. “Where’s Dad?”
“In the garage, tinkering with his car. Why don’t you get dressed?” She left me to get ready.
I crawled out of bed and into the bathroom. I stood in front of the mirror, examining myself. Red blended with the green of my eyes. My long brown hair seemed to have grown since we moved here—it now fell down over my breasts, and my hair looked darker. Maybe from the lack of the California sunshine. Now that I was eighteen, I’d thought I would look different. But I didn’t. With the exception of the lump on my forehead, which was barely visible now, my skin didn’t have any wrinkles. I smiled, thinking about my mom. On her birthday Dad would say the same thing to her every time.
“Honey,” he’d said, “your beauty will always keep you young.”
God, I missed her. She would always pamper Julie and me on our birthdays, by taking us to the spa at the country club. I chuckled as I pinned up my hair. Dad and I traded a country club for a gun club. Well, I wouldn’t be lying on a table with a masseuse kneading my muscles today. However, a bubble bath sounded enticing. I had time. So, I filled the tub, and squirted some kiwi bubble bath into the water. Swiping a towel from the wicker shelf adjacent to the tub, I placed the folded towel on the tiled edge surrounding it. While I waited, I brushed my teeth. After rinsing out my mouth, I shed my pajamas, then sent Kade a text message.
OMG! Beautiful Roses. Thank you.
I placed my phone next to the towel then climbed in. Turning off the faucet, I eased down into the warm bubbles. This wasn’t the spa, but the prickly heat of the water and the fruity aroma massaged my body and my senses.
Call Me Maybe blared from my phone. I wiped my hands on the towel, picked up the phone then tapped the screen.
“Hello.”
“Happy Birthday, baby,” Kade’s sexy voice tickled my ear, sending a warm feeling down through my belly.
“Thank you. The roses are beautiful, and are you some sort of poet?”
“You bring out a different side of me.” Keys jangled in the background.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“I’m just leaving the house. I’m meeting Hunt for lunch. So, you okay after last night?”
“Me? How’s Kody?” I might be on mental overload with everything they told me, but I wasn’t in physical pain.
“Sore. Let’s not talk about him. I want you to enjoy your special day. So what’re you doing?”
“Um…taking a bubble bath.” Wishing you were here with me.
Silence.
I checked the phone to see if he’d hung up or if we lost the connection. “Kade, are you still there?”
“Sorry, I had to run back into the house and jump under a cold shower for a minute.”
“What would you do if you were here?” Whoa! Did I just ask him that? Heat stung my cheeks.
He growled. “Lace.”
The way he said my name, husky and dark, made my nipples hard. “Tell me, Kade,” I said in a low
voice, which didn’t sound like me. Bold much?
“God, baby. You’re killing me here.”
“Please,” I said in a pouty voice. “I’m…” A throbbing began between my legs. I imagined him sitting behind me, my back to his front, flesh against flesh. His lips on my neck, tracing a sensuous path to my ear, nipping. I shivered. With his arms around me, one hand roamed intimately over my breast, teasing. My nipples firmed. The other disappeared below the bubbles. Anticipation made me squirm as I imagined his magical fingers blazing a lust-arousing path downward. “I need to feel you.”
“Fuck,” he groaned, breathing heavily. “I’ll pick you up at seven. Then I’ll show you.” Pain saturated his tone.
“Promise?” The throbbing sensation pulsed out of control. Waiting was going to prove difficult today.
“More than promise. See you tonight.” The phone went dead.
I giggled. Where was Lacey Robinson? I’d never acted like that before. I didn’t feel embarrassed. If anything, I was enlivened. Like a cat waking from a yearlong slumber.
I’d called Becca on our way to lunch. She had to help her dad at the Cave that night, so I didn’t feel bad about postponing our girls’ night out. Lunch with Mary and Dad had been eye opening. We ate at a small restaurant in town, Wiley’s Bar and Grill. I’d learned Mary had eaten lunch here a few times since she’d met Mr. Wiley at the farmer’s market. I’d also come to the conclusion that Mr. Wiley—sharp angular jaw and piercing green eyes—was attracted to Mary. Maybe it was the soft peck on her cheek. Or the intimate embrace between them. I had never before seen her with a man. I was happy for her. I’d wanted to talk to her more about her new friend, but Dad had been with us.
When we returned from lunch, I lounged in my room, listening to music until it was time to get ready for my date with Kade.
Dare to Kiss (The Maxwell Series Book 1) Page 27
