Outlaws: A Romance Anthology

by Yolanda Olson

  “Shit,” I whispered, tracing my finger over the edge of the top file. It didn’t matter what I did, it never seemed to be enough. There was always another kid who needed a home, and there was always a lack of beds.

  Closing my eyes, I rubbed at my temples, feeling the headache from the weekend returning. This time was for a completely different reason though.

  The blaring ringtone from my cell cut through all my rampant thoughts, and as soon as I saw the number on the screen, I lurched upright.

  “Hello?” I answered, my pulse spiking.

  “Remi? It’s Amanda, Principal Shield’s secretary.”

  “Hi,” I squeaked, already standing.

  “I’m calling about Cal.”

  “Okay.” I grabbed my purse and my keys, spinning on the spot. “Is everything okay?”

  “Oh yes.” She paused just as I got to the doorway of my office. I stared into the hallway of the house and the collection of shoes next to the door. Cal was one of seven kids we had here. “Well, not really. He was injured during a basketball session and—“

  “I’m on my way.” My body jerked forward. “I’ll be there soon.”

  I ended the call without another word, scribbled a note and stuck it to the back of the front door, then ran out of the house.

  My car was the only one in the driveway, and I ran to it, yanking open the door, and diving inside. The key shook in my hand as I tried to push it into the ignition.

  “Stop.” I halted everything, took in a deep breath, and tried again. Any time one of the kids was hurt, I always felt it deep in my core. I was there to protect them, always.

  I turned the key. “Come on, come on.” I shunted forward in the seat, urging the Rhine to tick over, but all it did was click. “Fuck!” I slammed my hand on the steering wheel, cursing to high heavens.

  “Shit.” I slammed my eyes closed. “Shit, shit, shit.” The cheeping of my cell had my eyes snapping open, and I immediately grabbed it, pulling up the app to call a cab.

  As soon as it was requested, I ran to the sidewalk, staring down at the screen as I watched the driver get closer. Finally after four minutes, it pulled up next to me and I jumped into the back.

  It was only a fifteen minute drive to the middle school, but each minute seemed to pass by slower than the rest. As the man drove, I typed out a message to Hank to make sure he was home for when the kids got home just in case. It was nearing the end of school, but I didn’t know how bad Cal would be when I got to the school.

  “Thanks,” I clipped out to the driver as he pulled up right in front of the school. I darted out of the car and ran up the steps, clicking the button to alert the office I was here.

  A minute later, Amanda pulled the door open, her smiling face greeting me.

  “Sorry. My car wouldn’t start.”

  “No worries.” She closed the door behind me and led the way through the office and down the main hallway. “Cal is in the nurse's office.”

  “Okay.” I gripped the strap of my purse as I followed her to the end of the hallway, her heels clicking on the tiled floor.

  She knocked twice on the white door then pushed it open. “Nurse Lucy? I have Cal’s…” She trailed off, clearing her throat. They never knew what to call me, but it didn’t bother me in the slightest. Cal was my kid, just like all of the others who ever passed through the group home.

  “Come on in,” Nurse Lucy said, and I didn’t hesitate a second.

  Cal sat in the middle of the bed in here, holding something to his face.

  “Cal,” I breathed out, rushing toward him. “What happened?”

  “He took a basketball to the face,” a new voice said. A deep voice. A rough voice. A voice I recognized.

  I blinked, slowly turning toward it. “Rush?” He stood in the corner of the room, his back against the wall, and his arms crossed. A black basketball jersey pulled against his pecs, and for a second, I found myself not able to move my gaze higher. Until he cleared his throat. “What…” My stomach bottomed out as I met his gaze and absorbed the slight kick of his lips on one side. “What are you doing here?”

  “He’s the basketball coach,” Cal announced, bringing my attention back to him. “I told you about him the other week.”

  I shook my head, trying to gain my bearings. “Oh yeah, you did.” I placed my hand on top of Cal’s where he held an ice pack. “Let me take a look.”

  He grinned as I removed the ice pack, revealing dried blood and a fresh green bruise on his cheek. “Is it badass?” Cal asked, his tone hopeful.

  I laughed. “Total badass.” I stroked my fingers around the edge of his face and ruffled the dark curls on the top of his head. “I take it your glasses didn’t survive?”

  “They didn’t,” Rush said, pushing off the wall. The end of school bell rang. It was only then that I realized both Amanda and Nurse Lucy had left the room.

  “Crap,” I cursed, staring at the three pieces of material in Rush’s palm that used to be Cal’s glasses. “He goes through a pair a month lately.”

  “I did ask if he had goggles,” Rush said, leaning against the end of the bed. “But he said—”

  “He doesn’t have any,” I cut him off, looking around the room for Cal’s things. “Where’s your stuff, Ry?”

  “I’ll go grab it,” Rush said, pushing off the edge of the bed. He left the room and for the first time since I got in here, I felt like I could take an actual breath.

  “Miss Remi?” I smiled down at Cal, waiting for what he was going to say. His cheeks reddened. “Sorry for breaking another pair.”

  “It’s fine, honey.” I wrapped my arms around him, giving him a quick squeeze. “I’ll get you another pair.”

  “Here,” Rush announced, barging back into the room. “Nurse Lucy said he shouldn’t need to go to the hospital.”

  I blew out a breath, nodding as I took Cal’s bag and coat. “Thanks.” I tried not to look at Rush as I turned to Cal. “Let’s get going.” I helped him off the bed, took his hand, and made for the door. “Shit.”

  “What?” Rush asked.

  “I…” I let my head drop. “I had to Uber here because my car wouldn’t start.”

  Rush stepped forward. “I can take you home? I’ve finished here for today anyway.”

  “No, no. It’s fine. I’m not going home. I’m going to the home.” That didn’t even make sense, but the words were just tumbling out of my mouth with no warning.

  “Erm…” Rush chuckled, his easy going attitude the complete opposite to mine. “I can take you there?”

  “I…” I glanced down at Cal, his big blue eyes staring up at me. “Okay.” I turned back to Rush. “If you’re sure?”

  “Yep.” He held the door open and waved his arm. “After you.”

  I bit down on my bottom lip as we walked out of the school, wondering if I was doing the right thing. I barely knew Rush, but I somehow felt like I knew him more than anyone else. It was a weird feeling, something that I didn’t understand, but I didn’t want to think about it longer than I had to.

  Cal and Rush spoke the entire way to the parking lot. Rush helped him into the back of the truck cab, then walked around to the passenger side and opened up the door.

  “Thanks,” I whispered.

  I turned back to check on Cal as Rush walked around to the driver’s side, and when he was inside, I reeled off the address to him.

  He frowned as he pulled out of the parking lot. And as if I could read his thoughts, I explained. “I run a group home.”

  Rush’s brows rose, his gaze flicking side-to-side as he took a turning. “That...makes sense.”

  I didn’t expand on it anymore, not only because I felt like if I continued talking that I wouldn’t be able to stop, but because little ears were close by.

  My shoulders dropped as we turned into the street the house was on. And as soon as he stopped outside the house, Cal jumped out and ran inside, shouting that he was gonna have a black eye.

  Rush grinned
as he watched him, and I watched Rush, feeling something sparking in my gut at the sight of him. Crap.

  “I...erm...thanks for the ride.”

  “No worries.” Rush tapped his fingers on the top of his steering wheel. “Do you need a ride home when you finish?”

  “No.” I unlocked the seatbelt. “I don’t finish until ten. I’ll just call a cab or something.” I lifted my hand in a wave, pushed open the door, and jumped out of the truck, not staying a second longer. I was strung tight, like a cobra getting ready to attack, and it was all because I was in a confined space with him. Rush. My daughter's boyfriend. The man who was starting to grow on me.

  Chapter Seven

  Rush

  She said she didn’t need a ride home, but something niggled at me as the clock ticked by the hours, and I found myself driving back there when it was time for her to finish.

  I hadn’t thought I’d see her again, but now I’d run into her twice in the last week. It was coincidence, something that I couldn’t control, but as I pulled up outside the house, I knew this wasn’t.

  This was me taking a leap.

  This was me crossing a line I hadn’t known was there.

  Or maybe I did know it was there but didn’t care?

  I had no idea what I was doing. But I couldn’t stop myself.

  The door to the house opened, and her face appeared in the dim light. She paused, and I could feel her eyes on me even though I couldn’t see them. I knew I was taking a risk coming back, but something pulled me here, an invisible force I had no say in. At least, that was what it felt like.

  I tracked her movements as she walked down the driveway, my muscles tensing the closer she got. And when she was finally reaching for the passenger door, my stomach flipped.

  Fuck. That hadn’t happened since I was in middle school.

  “Rush.” Her voice carried on the wind. “I told you I didn’t need a ride.”

  I shrugged. “I was in the area.” It was a lie. I’d driven twenty minutes to get here, but I wasn’t gonna tell her that.

  She closed her eyes, her shoulders drooping. “I really want to tell you that you shouldn’t have picked me up.” Her eyes opened, the ice-blue crystal clear. “But I’m so tired right now I don’t have the energy.”

  My lips lifted on one side as she pulled herself into the cab of my truck, and her delicate rose scent filled the air.

  “Long day?” I asked, pulling away from the curb once she’d closed the door.

  “Something like that.” I could feel the burn of her eyes on me as I drove to the end of the road then hooked a left, knowing we’d be at her house within ten minutes.

  “How’s Cal?” I tapped my fingertips on the steering wheel in time to the beat of the music playing low.

  Remi laughed, the sound so soft and alluring. She was pulling me in deeper and she had no idea. “He’s gonna have a black eye by morning.” She snorted. “And he’s proud of it too.”

  I winced as I thought about the basketball he took to the face. “I bet. You should have seen it. There was blood everywhere.” I shivered. “I hate blood.”

  “Really?” I heard her shift in the seat, and with a quick glance, I saw she’d turned her body to face me.

  “Yeah. I swear I fainted anytime someone would bleed when I was a kid.” I pushed my hand through my hair. “My sister was always coming to the rescue. She was a nurse before she even became a nurse.”

  “Your sister is a nurse?”

  “Yep.” I turned onto her street. “She’s a dancer at the club too.”

  “No way. I always wanted to go into one of those cages and dance the night away.”

  I pulled into the open spot outside her house and switched the engine off. “I can make that happen.”

  Remi shook her head, a grin taking over her face. “Oh god no.” She pulled the handle on the door and leaped out of the truck. I followed her, the move so natural that if I really thought about it, it would be scary. “No one wants to see me in one of those cages.”

  “Sure they would.” I walked her to her door, swivelling my head to take in everything around us. A group of people hung out on the corner, but they weren’t doing anything but shooting the shit. Sofi had called this the ghetto, but it wasn’t. Sure, it was a rough area, but I knew worse places. I’d lived in worse places.

  “Nah.” Remi pushed her key in the lock then opened her door. “I think I’ll stick to what I’m good at.”

  “Yeah?” I stepped inside her house and closed the door behind me. “What are you good at?”

  “Cooking?”

  “Is that a question?” I chuckled, feeling at ease. The last time I’d been here Sofi had walked out, but even the thought of that didn’t make me second guess picking Remi up from work.

  “I mean...I guess?” She dropped her bag on the sofa and leaned against the back of it. “I’m a good organizer.” She chewed her bottom lip, her gaze flicking over my body. “And I’m good with kids.”

  “I see that,” I said, my voice lowering.

  I inhaled a breath and stretched my fingers out, the urge to touch her so strong I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop myself if I got any closer.

  “Why did you pick me up, Rush?” She stared down at her feet, her black hair covering half of her face.

  “I…” I took three steps, closing the distance between us. “I...don’t know.” I clasped her chin with my thumb and finger, feeling a spark ignite as our skin connected. “I just...I had to.”

  Her soft breath fanned over my hand. “This...I…” She glanced up, so many emotions flashing over her features that I couldn’t pinpoint just one.

  “Remi.” I whispered her name, afraid to talk too loud. “Let me...I need to try something.”

  Her tongue flicked along her bottom lip, her body knowing what I was about to do. I couldn’t stop myself. Couldn’t slam on the brakes and think logically. From the moment I’d met her, she’d taken root inside my brain.

  I knew I shouldn’t have moved my hand to the side of her face.

  I knew I shouldn’t have pressed my body against hers.

  I knew I shouldn’t have dipped my head closer to hers.

  Most of all, I knew I shouldn’t have pressed my lips against hers.

  But fuck if I didn’t regret it. Her soft mouth melded to mine, like a jigsaw piece clicking into its rightful place.

  I swiped my tongue along her lips, begging her to let me in. And she did without a second of hesitation. I wasn’t the only one feeling this.

  She grasped onto my arms, moaning into my mouth, and I swallowed it greedily, taking every ounce she had to give.

  Wrapping my arms around her, I pressed my hips closer as our tongues entwined.

  Her hands moved to my chest, my heart battering a wild beat at her touch.

  “No.” She ripped her mouth from mine, disengaging from our hold and stumbling to the side. Her eyes were wide in horror, her fingers covering her mouth. “We shouldn’t have done that.” She gasped for breath, and when I took a step toward her, she held her hand out in front of her. “You need to leave.”

  “Remi—”

  “Leave!” Her eyes misted with tears. Everything inside me told me not to leave, but at the sight of her heartbroken face, I couldn’t help but step back. I’d done that. I’d caused her pain.

  Fuck.

  “Remi, let me—”

  “No.” She shook her head, still backing away from me. “You’re my daughter’s boyfriend.” She let out a humourless laugh. “Leave. Now.”

  I stayed rooted to the spot, my thoughts a wild mess I couldn’t make sense of. I hadn’t thought of Sofi once since my lips pressed against Remi’s. And although I knew I should have felt some kind of regret, I...didn’t. I didn’t feel anything but the loss of Remi’s body against mine.

  “I’ll leave,” I told her, taking several steps back until I was next to her door. “But both you and I know that wasn’t nothing.” I pointed to the spot we’d been standing in
, drumming my point home, then I let myself out, promising myself that I’d be back. Because moments like that didn’t come along often, and damn if I didn’t want to snatch up another one with her. No matter the consequences.

  Chapter Eight

  Remi

  “He kissed me.” I blurted the words out, hearing them echo around me like I’d just shouted them in the middle of the Grand Canyon.

  “Erm…” Hank blinked, his knife and fork suspended mid-air. “I’m sorry, what?” He shook his head, and gently laid his cutlery on the edge of his plate. We were at Sunday brunch, something we only got to do a few times a year with how busy our schedules were. “Who kissed you?”

  I shuffled in my seat and reached for the water in the middle of the table. “Rush,” I whispered. “He kissed me.”

  Hank’s eyes bugged out. “How?” He held his hand up, snorting at himself. “I don’t mean, how, how. I mean, when? Where? What was it like?” His lips were spreading into a grin. He was enjoying this, and even though a tiny part of me had enjoyed it too, I couldn’t help but feel like I betrayed Sofi.

  I did betray her. Dammit.

  “He gave me a ride home the other day when my car wouldn’t start.” Hank gripped onto the edge of our small table. “He came into my house.” I took a sip of water and stared out of the main window of the restaurant. We always liked to sit here so we could people watch. “Then he kissed me.”

  “And then?” Hank urged, nodding like he was enthralled with the story.

  “Then…” I sighed. “I kicked him out.”

  “What?” he screeched, gaining the attention of everyone around us. He turned his head, holding up his hand in apology. “Fuck. Don’t look now.”

  “What?” I froze in my seat. “What is it, Hank?”