“Ug,” he groaned and dropped his forehead to her chest. “I forgot about your stupid rule.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “It does feel kind of stupid right now.”
“Well, I guess that makes me feel a little better,” he sighed, standing upright.
“Why?”
“If you agree that it's stupid, then maybe later we can discuss breaking it entirely,” he pointed out. She went to argue, but he dropped his head down again and licked another finger clean of cookie dough. Her breath caught in her throat at the motion, and she bit her lips between her teeth, refusing to make any sort of noise.
When he finally stood upright again, he winked at her. She wanted to defend her rule, or at least claim she had no intention of ever breaking it, but he didn't give her a chance. He swooped in and kissed her hard, then pulled her away from the door, swatting her on the butt before heading out into the kitchen.
Katya stood in the pantry for a while, trying to catch her breath. Trying to get rid of the excess blood in her cheeks. Then she moved back to the sink and washed her hands again. When she was drying them off, she noticed they were shaking a little, and she took a moment, trying to collect herself.
Seriously, get your shit together, Katya Tocci. This weekend was supposed to be about making them feel uncomfortable and unfulfilled – so why are you the one having all the problems!?
*
“I have a plan,” Katya's dad mumbled near her ear. She looked up at him.
“I'm listening,” she whispered back.
“I fake a heart attack,” he continued in a low voice. “You shout that you're a nurse and you'll drive me to the hospital. We spend the rest of the day playing mini-golf.”
“Won't work,” she shook her head. “Everyone here knows I'm a baker.”
“So say nursing is your hobby.”
She cracked up.
“It's not so bad, Dad,” she laughed. “Everyone is having a great time, and they love your gazebo project.”
They were standing side by side at the edge of the patio, looking over the Tocci's backyard. It was filled with friends and neighbors and colleagues of both the Toccis and Stones. Katya's mother was in her element, moving among her guests and passing out appetizers. Liam was off in a corner, laughing with some guys he'd made friends with, and she hadn't seen Wulf yet.
“I spoke to Wulfric when he first came in this morning,” her dad said casually, seemingly reading her mind.
“Tell me you didn't say anything embarrassing.”
“Me? Embarrassing? Never.”
“Oh god, it's even worse than I thought.”
“No, no,” he chuckled. “You didn't even come up. I asked him how he was and how his business was doing and told him that if he ever needed an ear to bend or a shoulder to lean on, I was always here.”
“That's really nice, Dad. Thank you. I'm sure he appreciated it,” she said honestly.
“I would hate to see you unhappy, pumpkin,” he continued talking. “And if you tell me that boy broke your heart, I will gladly go break his legs.”
“Dad!”
“You always come first with me. But that Wulfric … he's never been a happy guy. That's all I ever wanted for him. You know, his dad wanted him to be an Olympian, and to graduate with honors, and to buy and sell the world. Took a toll on him. I tried to show Wulf that all he really needed in life was to be happy. Kills me that he hasn't learned that yet,” her father finished talking.
“That's very sweet, Dad, but he's a complicated man, and he doesn't listen very well. He'd rather be the one doing all the talking,” she said.
“Don't I know it. He's already tried to tell me what I'm doing wrong with the gazebo!”
“Did you tell him it was from a kit?”
“Yes – he said that was the main problem.”
Katya laughed at her dad, then excused herself. She hadn't spoken to Wulf yet, and she didn't want him thinking he'd scared her away with his saucy little text.
She found him near the gate to his yard, talking with his mother and a woman whose back was to Katya. She waved her hand as she approached, trying to catch his attention. He finally glanced at her once, then looked back and watched her walk up to them.
“I thought you were going to avoid me all day,” he commented.
“Really? And here I thought you were avoiding me. We still have a lot of dishes that need to be done,” she joked. The mystery woman turned around and Katya was shocked to see that it was his sister, Genevieve.
“Oh, Wulfy doesn't do dishes,” Ms. Stone said quickly. Vieve smiled.
“It was the chore he hated most,” she added. “He always made me or Brie do it.”
“Because I wanted to teach you responsibility,” he pointed out. Katya rolled her eyes.
“I'm sure that was the only reason. Vieve, I didn't know you were coming this weekend, it's good to see you again,” she said, leaning in and giving the other girl a quick hug.
“Yes. My mother called and told me about it. Sounded like fun, so I dragged Brie into the car and drove down. Been a long time since all of us were here, together,” she pointed out. “We only got here about an hour ago, I came straight over.”
“I know! Is Brie here, too?” Katya asked, glancing around.
“No, she didn't feel up to a party,” Vieve explained. Wulf snorted.
“She's pouting,” he corrected his sister. Katya raised her eyebrows. “Because I found out she took off from school in the middle of the semester,” he added.
“Oh boy. And I'm sure you handled that with delicacy and grace,” Katya sighed.
“Her grades are already in the toilet – she can't afford to be running around on the beach for two goddamn weeks. I want her back in class, now.”
“Please!” Ms. Stone raised her voice. “Can we not discuss this here?”
There was a brief awkward moment, and Katya felt guilty for engaging in such a private conversation. She desperately tried to think of something to say, but then was saved.
“Hello, hello, who is this?” Liam asked, appearing at her side and turning his magnetic smile on Vieve.
“Genevieve,” she introduced herself.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, then he turned and looked at Wulf's mom, taking her hand in his. “Wulfric, you didn't tell me both your sisters would be coming today, or that they were so gorgeous.”
Laughter from all the women.
“Think very carefully about how you behave over the next few minutes,” Wulf warned him.
“I'm sorry you haven't met our little sister yet,” Vieve explained as Liam turned and shook her hand, as well. “She's catching up on her beauty sleep.”
Wulf snorted.
“She's lazy. There's a difference.”
“You dealt with that the entire time you were growing up? You poor, poor thing,” Liam sighed dramatically, making Vieve laugh again.
“He's not as bad as he pretends to be,” she tittered.
“Yes, he is,” Wulf and Liam responded at the same time.
Katya was about to join in with the witty banter when Liam shocked her by coiling his arm around her waist. The move wasn't lost on anyone – least of all Wulf.
In another lifetime, the move wouldn't have bothered her all that much. She would've teased him and he would've flirted with her and they would've gone about their day. But too much had transpired between them since those days and now it just wasn't okay, regardless of whatever happened behind closed doors between them.
Also, the tension between him and Wulf was palpable. It was like the air was vibrating with it. Maybe leaving them alone in the same house had been tempting fate – they never could stand to be around each other too much. Maybe they'd reached their limit.
When Liam's arm grew tighter, pulling her closer, she knew she had to do something. She laughed at something Vieve was saying and tried to pull away. He held tight. Katya held onto her smile, gritting her teeth while laying her hand over the one Liam had on he
r hip. She dug her fingernails into his skin, causing him to pull back, but he just used the move to his advantage and he grabbed her hand, linking their fingers together.
This is my fault. One steamy kiss, and suddenly he thinks all his forgiven. Never again will I ever eat raw cookie dough, goddammit.
“Oh, wow, I totally forgot the napkins!” she suddenly gasped. “C'mon, help me carry them.”
She all but dragged Liam through a back door into the garage. The whole way she tried to yank her hand loose, but he clung to her like glue. When they were finally standing next to her father's work bench, she jerked herself free of him.
“You should've told me you wanted to get me alone,” he teased, stepping close to her. She put her hands on his chest.
“That's not what I want,” she said sharply. “What are you doing? That's my family out there.”
“What do you mean?” Liam seemed genuinely concerned.
“You can't just do that, come up to me and hold me and grab my hands. That's not how this works,” she informed him. He frowned.
“Let me get this straight – we can kiss and you can make out with me whenever you want, but I can't hold your hand?”
“Um ...”
Wow, it sounds really shitty when he puts it like that … but then again, he was a pretty shitty person to you.
“We've been having a fun time, right?” he asked, laying a hand over one of hers. “I thought things were better between us.”
“Better does not mean you just get to touch me any old time you feel like it, Liam. Not like that,” she informed him. His frown devolved into a glare and he stepped away from her.
“You know, I've really been trying, Katya,” he told her. She nodded.
“I know. I do, and I appreciate it.”
“Really? Cause I'm getting some pretty big goddamned mixed signals.”
“Hey, I told you what it would take for me to spend time with either of you again. I said there would be no sex, repeatedly. I wasn't the one shoving my tongue down someone's throat in that pantry, Liam. If it's too much for you, I'll understand if you want to walk away,” she assured him.
No, I won't. Because after everything you did to me, I'm still here.
“No. No, that's not what I want,” he sighed, raking his hands through his hair. “It's just … this is hard for me, angel cake. Really, really hard. I'm in uncharted waters. I've never … I'm trying to change, okay? But you gotta grade me on a curve. I'm gonna fuck up and make mistakes. Just trust that I'm trying.”
Awww, okay, maybe he's not so shitty.
“I get that. I do, Liam.”
“Then you're more gullible than I thought.”
Katya groaned as Wulf walked into the garage, shutting the door behind him.
“What's that supposed to mean?” Liam snapped.
“I think we both know exactly what I'm talking about,” Wulf replied. Liam instantly bristled and Katya could see that this time, he wasn't just going to let things go.
“Guys,” she moved so she was standing between them. “C'mon. We've been having a pretty okay weekend, for the most part. Let's just keep rolling with it and -”
“No,” Liam's voice was serious, stern. He stood up to his full height, head and shoulders taller than Katya, and at least two inches over Wulf. “I have been 'rolling with it', and taking the jabs, and kissing ass.”
Katya gasped, a little shocked at how upset he sounded, and a lot angry at the things that were coming out of his mouth. Wulf didn't look at all surprised, though. He looked … amused.
“Okay. Okay, well, I'm going to let all that roll off me, because we are at my parents' house and we are not going to make a scene,” she hissed at him.
“No, no, I think we can talk like adults,” Wulf interjected. “I want to hear what Eden's got on his mind.”
“Oh you would love that, wouldn't you,” Liam snapped. “Looking like the good guy while I throw a fit.”
“Hey, if the temper tantrum fits ...”
“Knock it off!” Katya snapped. Liam finally looked down at her.
“No,” he shook his head. “I thought I could do this, I really did. I wanted another chance, and if the only way was to take shit from Wulf and get treated like garbage, I was willing to do it. But I think it's gone far enough.”
Katya burst out laughing. Both men looked at her like she was a little crazy, but she couldn't help it.
“I'm sorry,” she struggled to catch her breath. “Far enough. You said … it's gone far enough. It's been … a week. An entire week. And you couldn't hack it.”
“I didn't say I -” he tried to argue.
“You two screwed with me for almost two months. Laughing and having a grand old time. I do the same thing to you, but to your face, with you fully aware of what's going on, and you can't handle a week. How can you not see how that's funny?” she was still chuckling.
“This isn't a joke, Katya.”
Everyone fell silent and she wiped at her eyes.
“I know that, Liam. I didn't find it funny when you did it to me, either.”
“Then how can you keep doing it to me?” he asked. He seemed to have forgotten that Wulf was standing behind her. For a moment, she struggled with how to answer. Then she decided to be honest.
“Because you deserve it,” she answered simply. He hunched down so he was looking her in the face.
“What I did to you was fucked up,” he said, staring her very directly in the eyes. “And wrong on so many levels. And I really am willing to do whatever it takes to be forgiven, but I'm not jumping through all these hoops if it's only for yours and Wulf's entertainment, before you two ride off into some sunset.”
“So let me see if I have this straight, if I'm reading between the lines right,” she took a deep breath. “You're willing to do whatever it takes for me to forgive you, so long as I only like you and pay attention to you and never forgive Wulf.”
Liam frowned and seemed to struggle for a moment. Not for the first time, Katya thought he should take poker-face lessons from Wulf. Liam's emotions were always printed across his features. It was clear that he'd meant everything he'd said exactly as she'd interpreted it, and was just now realizing how bad it sounded.
How did we go from kissing and cookie dough, to yelling at each other in a garage? What is it about kissing me that makes men want to yell and use dessert as a weapon?
“No, not just that, I just wanted ...” he searched for words.
“You're just a spoiled brat,” she spit out. “It's fun to mess with other people, but when they do it to you, you want to stomp and pout and cry about it.”
His confusion turned to anger.
“You know what, I'm sick of this,” he snapped. “You act like you're so innocent in all this – like Wulf and I are the fucking devil.”
“Care to explain to me how I'm wrong?” she offered, throwing up her arms and glancing over her shoulder. Wulf was being smart – he had his mouth shut, though he was watching Liam through narrowed eyes.
“You went looking for a good time, angel cake. You didn't want to be with me, fine, whatever, but you used me. You always seem to conveniently forget that,” Liam told her. She gasped.
“What!?”
“Yeah, yeah, I'm an asshole because I lied to you, but you know what? You're an asshole because you didn't care about what you were doing. Fucking laughing on the roof, sex in the shower, bringing me food. I was good enough for a fun time – good enough to learn from so you could share it all with him, but not good enough to be with you. You were fine doing all that, stringing me along and teasing me, yet I'm the devil. You should look in a mirror,” he informed her.
Technically, everything he was saying was true. Katya had struggled with those thoughts, herself. But having him yelling it at her, after everything he'd done, after the kind of weekend she'd had – she was not mentally prepared for it. Rationality left the building and blood red colored her vision.
“She's right, we all need
to take a step back, and you need to calm down and watch how you speak to her,” Wulf finally tried to talk some sense into everyone.
“Screw you,” she growled, ignoring him entirely and directing all her anger at Liam. “At least I was always honest with you. You knew every step of the way how I felt about you and how I felt about him. If it upset you, you should've said something. I'm an asshole because I couldn't read your mind!? Grow a pair, Liam, jesus.”
“Grow a pair!?” he yelled, then stepped up close to her, getting in her face. “Get fucked, angel cake.”
“Hey!” Wulf snapped, stepping around Katya and planting his hand on Liam's chest, shoving him back. “Calm the fuck down and remember where you are and who you're talking to.”
“Screw you, too. This is all a fucking game to her – neither of us are going to win, you realize that, right? She's using us for her own entertainment, the way she used me, and maybe you're okay with that, but I'm not. Not this time,” Liam said.
It was one thing for Katya to think of it as a game – something she could play and use to torture them. It was another thing to hear that he was still thinking of it as his game – that she was a prize to be won.
“Not this time?” Katya was shouting over Wulf's shoulder – he was holding out an arm to keep her behind him. “As opposed to the last time, when you lied to me every single moment we spent together?”
“Yeah, yeah, keep milking it. Maybe the next group of guys you fuck will -”
He never got to finish his sentence because a right hook from Wulf shut him up. Katya was stunned. She'd never seen a fight before, not in real life. Her jaw dropped as Liam stumbled to the side, slamming into her dad's work bench.
“I told you to watch what you fucking say to her,” Wulf said in a calm voice. He stood still, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. But his shoulders were drawn back, his muscles stretching taut under his shirt.
“Are you fucking kidding me!?” Liam exclaimed, spitting on the floor and rubbing at his jaw. Katya finally regained brain function and she cleared her throat.
The Neighborhood (Twin Estates #2) Page 14
