by L. E. Bross
It’s so natural when I wind my arms around his neck and kiss him back.
“I’ll start the coffee. Least I can do.” With a quick kiss to my forehead he moves to the cupboard. His pants hang low on his hips and I get caught up staring at the dimples right above the waistband.
I don’t think there’s a red-blooded woman on the planet who wouldn’t trade their left leg to be right where I am. My god, the amount of abs on display is enough to fill a dozen calendars.
With a lot of effort, I turn back to Luc and examine his bandage, poking at the edges to make sure it’s still attached well.
Luc leans closer. “So is there an application process? Audition? Interview?”
I blink, clueless about what he’s talking about. “Huh?”
He waves has hand around the kitchen. “How do I get in on this?” He grins but I can see the glimmer of seriousness in his eyes. My stomach drops when I finally understand. I like Luc a lot, he’s a really great guy, but I’ve got my hands full with three Lost Boys and there isn’t room for any more.
Hell, I never thought I’d have one person to call mine, let alone three.
Baz and X stop and look at us, their narrowed eyes focused on Luc.
“Not fucking happening, Hook,” Riot growls. “May have let you sleep here for one night, but that’s where it ends. Ever isn’t interested.”
Okay, that may be true, but Ry doesn’t get to decide for me. I cross my arms and glare at him. “You don’t get to say who I can or can’t be with, you know.”
He tosses the spatula onto the counter and stalks across the kitchen until he’s right in front of me. His stormy eyes fill with fire, but it’s not anger. Oh no. The look in his eyes makes my mouth dry.
“You’re right, Peep, you can choose. But, it’s the three of us, or none of us.”
“After last night I’d think very carefully,” X taunts from across the kitchen.
I throw a glare at him and he winks at me, the bastard.
“Room right next door, sweetheart, remember? Those were not screams of discontent.”
I groan and drop my head to hide my flaming cheeks. Baz squints, his gaze moving from Ry to me.
“Wait, you two…” A grin splits his face.
“Surprised you didn’t hear her moaning…”
“Shut up, X,” I grind out. There’s a pretty good chance I’m going to spontaneously combust from mortification. It wouldn’t be so bad if Luc wasn’t sitting right next to me, hearing every single word.
Riot nudges my chin up with a finger until I’m forced to look into his eyes. Within seconds, it feels like it’s just him and me in the kitchen.
“I’m not telling you what to do, I’m telling you what we will do. Not gonna share you more than I have to. If I didn’t love those assholes so much it wouldn't happen.” His voice is low, intense, and I swallow against the tightness in my throat. “You belong to us, and we belong to you. All or nothing, Peep. End of story.”
I nod. There’s no question about it.
“Just don’t be such an ass about it.”
His eyebrow quirks up and I hear a choked off laugh coming from Luc.
Riot presses his lips to mine, reminding me why I am theirs, then saunters back to the stove. Luc clears his throat and I brace for the censure, the anger.
“So, anyone want to tell me why Trey tried to shoot Ry last night?”
I look at the guys and they look at me. I know they don't want to tell Luc any more than they have to, but he literally took a bullet for Ry. He deserves the truth.
“The watch that Peter had me steal from your safe? It had a chip in it and Baz decrypted it last night. It looks like Peter is Trey’s father. We think Trey knew about it and that Peter’s been paying him, we assume, to keep quiet. He wanted me to break into Peter’s safe, but because Baz got all the pictures off his phone, I blew him off. When he found out he was pissed enough to do that.”
I motion to Luc’s shoulder.
Luc looks from me to the guys and back. “Seriously? How is it even possible that Peter is his father? Trey’s our age, right? He and Wendi were married twenty years ago.”
My eyebrows lift. That means…
“He had an affair?” X says. “No wonder he wanted to keep it a secret.”
Luc scrubs his hand over his head. “I can’t believe...Trey’s mom? She was married, too. Do you think Wendi knew? Is that why she left? We can ask my dad, he might know something since she left the watch in his safe. And they were all friends in high school.”
Riot makes a noise and I look over. He’s glaring at Luc now.
“Guess your father’d know about fucking affairs.”
Luc goes rigid and pushes to his feet. “I told you already, Wendi and my dad were not screwing around.”
Ry stalks across the kitchen until they are nose to nose.
“I saw them together,” he grits out.
Luc pushes his chest against Riot’s. “You saw wrong.”
There is no space between the boys and both are vibrating with fury. I look to Baz and X and they’re just standing there, watching. It’s obvious they aren’t going to break this up. With a grunt, I wedge my body between them, putting my back against Luc and my hands against Ry’s chest.
“Enough.”
“Get the fuck out of the way, Peep,” Riot growls. He glares over my head. “You knew and you just let it happen. She was going to leave Peter for your fucking father, did you know that?”
I feel the shock vibrate through Luc.
“She was going to abandon her family so she could go be with some fuck.”
Under the rage I hear the pain in Riot’s voice. I slide my hands down his sides and wrap my arms around his waist. When I nudge him with my body, he takes a step back. Then another. I keep going until he comes up against the counter.
Obviously he let me move him, I’d never be able to do it with brute strength.
His arms wrap around me and he buries his face in my neck. The silence behind us is deafening.
“I want him gone,” he says against my skin.
I nod. It’s for the best for now. I lean up so that my lips are next to his ear.
“Please remember that he took a bullet for you, okay? Whatever happened between his dad and Wendi, he’s still loyal to your friendship. He misses you, Ry. You’re his family, too.”
He pulls his head back enough so that we are nose to nose. Betrayal burns hot in his eyes. “He should have thought about that loyalty when his father was fucking our mother.”
I know there won’t be any talking him down from his anger, not until Luc is gone. With a soft sigh, I press my lips against his, then step back.
Luc hasn’t moved and his narrowed gaze is aimed at Riot. If he doesn’t leave, I’m afraid there’ll be a brawl right here in the kitchen. Luc’s already injured, he doesn’t need to defend himself.
“How about I give you a ride home?”
Riot makes a low rumbly sound and I spin around, hands on my hips.
“Just stop. You’re acting like a fucking child. I’m going to take Luc home so deal with it.”
Fire flashes in his eyes and I glare right back.
“Don’t bother throwing down threats,” I grind out. “I’m doing this because Luc was hurt protecting you and one fucking person in this house is going to show some appreciation.” I give my narrowed gaze to each of them in turn. “Someone has to be the damned adult.”
Baz looks chagrined and dips his head. “Thank you, man. Sorry I didn’t say that before now.”
Luc nods.
X steps up and clasps Luc on his good shoulder.
“Since you’re not faster than a speeding bullet, can’t call you Superman anymore.” He chuckles at his own joke and I roll my eyes. “But yeah, thanks, man.”
Luc nods again. I look over at Riot who is still glaring daggers at Luc. He’s the one who should be pouring Luc’s juice and cutting his pancakes. We all wait several beats and Riot’s face darkens.
He stalks across the kitchen, pulling up right in front of Luc.
“If you touch her I will fucking kill you.” Without another word he storms from the kitchen.
“Oh my god, enough!” I yell at his retreating back. I throw a glare at X. “Take him outside and dump him in the pool before I do.” I grab my keys and head toward the opposite door. “I should have been a fucking lesbian,” I growl under my breath.
“Damn, that’d be hot as fuck,” X calls after me. “There’s still time, you know.”
Despite the ire making my blood boil, I can’t help but smile. Seriously, what the hell am I going to do with these boys? They make me want to strangle them and with the same breath, kiss them silly.
I’m at the door before I realize Luc isn’t behind me.
“You ready to go?”
He looks down uncertainly. “Can I change out of these damned Santa pajamas and grab my phone first?”
“You have two minutes,” I say jokingly, then move back to the pan and start taking the bacon out before it sits in its own grease too long. It’s super crispy, just the way I love it and I can't resist having a piece, or four, while I wait, then I take the rest over to X and Baz who are at the table being suspiciously quiet.
The look they give me when I set the plate down doesn’t help. They’re up to something. Before I can demand to know what, Luc is back, slightly out of breath.
“I was kidding about the two minutes.” Now I feel bad for making him rush, being hurt and all.
He holds up his phone with a smile. “I had a voicemail. They found Trey and he’s being questioned.”
Our collective sighs of relief fill the kitchen. X pushes out of his chair.
“I’ll go let Ry know. He might not be so pissed about letting you leave now.” X chucks me under the chin as he passes. “Don’t be too mad at him, sweetheart, it wasn’t all about you being alone with Hook, you know.”
Shit. I hadn’t considered the fact that Trey was still out there.
“X, tell him I’m sorry. And I’ll see him when I get back.”
X nods and then he’s gone. I walk over and lean down, pressing my lips to Baz’s cheek. His eyes are focused on his phone, eyebrows drawn down. Lines of code pop up on the screen.
“What’s all that?”
“There’s more on the chip. Deeper encryption that’s taking longer to crack. Not sure what it even is, but someone didn’t want it found.” His legs bounce under the table and I can tell that this kind of shit is exactly what he loves doing.
Panchard is where he’s needed, solving problems and making amazing things happen behind the scenes. It’s his future and I can’t take that away from him.
“If anyone can do it, you can. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Baz lifts his hand then it falls right back down. I’m not even sure he heard me. Luc follows me to the garage and we climb into my car.
I glance over at Luc, then pull out of the garage.
It’s a beautiful morning and the sky is bright blue and filled with fluffy white clouds. The top is down, allowing me to inhale a deep lungful of fresh air. We pass through the gate that opens without hesitation. I still can’t wrap my mind around what Baz told me last night.
Bio something or other. Facial recognition. It’s so far out of my frame of reference that I have to accept it for what it is and not think too hard. Luc checks his phone then sets it in the console.
The directions are still programmed into the GPS so I set it right before I pull through the gates.
“I’m sorry. I don't know why it’s so hard for Ry to say thank you, but I will. A hundred times if you need me to. Thank you for what you did, Luc.”
He scrubs his hand over his face before turning his head to look out the window.
“Like I was going to just stand there and let him get hurt? He may hate me, but he’s still fucking family.”
The pain in his voice kills me.
“All of this is my fault. I shouldn’t have taunted Trey like that. It was reckless.”
Luc looks at me and then reaches out and lays his hand on my shoulder.
“Ever, none of this is your fault. Jesus, Peter practically blackmailed you into helping him, then Trey did the same thing. You’re more of a victim than I am. Have you actually had a choice in anything that’s happened?”
One. The guys. That has been the one selfish thing I’ve done. Peter told me to stay away from them, but I didn't listen to him. I did what I wanted. And it got Luc shot.
That’s on me and nothing anyone says will change my mind.
The drive to his house doesn’t take long. I slow and turn down his driveway. “Is your dad back yet?”
The change of subject doesn't go unnoticed.
I can feel his gaze on me. “Tomorrow. He called this morning, totally freaked out, but I let him know I was okay. What are you going to do about your sister? You took the watch, doesn’t that mean Peter will tell you where she is now?”
His change of subject doesn’t go unnoticed either. I pull to a stop and kill the engine, then grip the steering wheel.
I’ve gone over it a thousand times in my head and keep coming back to the only conclusion. I’ve got to get her. She’s the reason for all of this and if I don’t bring her back, it’s all for nothing.
I look helplessly at Luc. “I can’t lose Belle. She’s the only family I have. She’s my everything.”
He looks at me out of the corner of his eye. “She might be the only family you have, but there are a lot of people who care about you here, too.”
I know this, and it’s what makes the decision harder. The guys know about my first deal with Peter, they don’t know about the second. If I leave I can’t tell them why. It’s a big fucking twisted pile of lies that I can’t find a way out of without risking someone I care about.
Silence stretches between us until I open my mouth and the words just spill out.
“I have until tomorrow night to make my decision. I either leave the house with custody papers and half a million dollars, or get kicked out with nothing if I don’t go on my own and will lose Belle.”
“What?” Luc barks, swinging around in his seat to face me.
“Peter. He said our deal was done and that I needed to leave. He never wanted me to get close to the boys and I think he’s mad that I didn’t listen. So I have to go and not tell them why, or lose everything I came for.”
Luc whistles. “That must have pissed the guys off. They’re going with you, right?”
I look over at him, face pulled tight.
“Shit. They don’t know,” he guesses.
I shake my head. “I can’t tell them, not with everything else going on. My business isn’t as important as Wendi. That’s what they need to focus on. If they know, they’ll want to go with me and their chances of finding Wendi are gone.”
“You know they wouldn’t see it that way. In case you haven’t noticed, they all have a shining knight complex for you.”
“Oh, I know, which is why I’m not going to say if I don’t have to. We still have a chance. Now that Trey is being questioned, we can leverage the information we have and force Peter to tell them where Wendi is. He won’t want everyone to know that Trey is his son now, not after he tried to shoot Riot. This might all be over before I even have to choose. I could keep them all.”
I stare wistfully out the windshield. That would be the ultimate win, if the boys got Wendi back, I got Belle, and I didn’t have to walk away.
“Uncle Peter is…” Luc looks out the window, lips turned down into a frown before he meets my eyes again. “He’s ruthless, Ever. I’ve heard Dad talk about the deals he’s made, about how he walks a thin line between right and wrong. It’s gotten worse over the years. Maybe blackmail isn’t the way to go?”
“It’s the only thing we have. With his tech, he could hide Wendi forever. He could do anything to her and no one would know.”
“Maybe you can…”
I reach
out and lay my hand on Luc’s, stopping whatever he’d been about to say.
“It’s what we have to do, okay? There are people’s lives at stake and we can’t take any chances. We have to do what we can to bring them both home. Even if that means taking chances.”
I can tell he wants to argue, but he keeps his lips pressed firmly together. The silence grows between us again and I shift in my seat until I can't take it anymore.
“I should go.”
Luc unclicks his seatbelt. When he pushes out of the car, I don’t move. He jogs around to my door and pulls it open. “Come on. I have an idea. Come with me for a minute.”
“They guys are waiting. I wouldn't put it past Riot to come get me if I take too long.”
Luc rolls his eyes and reaches across me to unhook my seatbelt. “The guys can take care of themselves for a few more minutes. Just...trust me, okay?”
His green eyes shine bright in the sunlight, open and honest. It’s not like I think he’s luring me into his house to kidnap me or anything. This is Luc. He’s the good guy.
I follow behind as he hurries to the front door. His house has the same thumbprint locks that our lockers at school have. Panchard tech obviously, but it surprises me that they use it here.
When we walk in the door, the same feeling of stepping into a home washes over me as last time. There’s something warm and inviting about Luc’s house, so different than the cold, impersonal feel of Peter’s.
When we pass the pictures, I stop.
“I’m sorry I never asked about your family. I was a lousy date. Is this your mom?”
The woman in the picture is beautiful and she’s smiling down at a towheaded boy who looks about three. He’s building a sand castle and she looks so proud of him.
“Yeah. We used to go to the beach all the time. I swear she was part mermaid. She loved to swim. It’s where I get my love of the water, too.”
I didn’t know that about him.
“You were a cute kid.” I follow along the line of pictures, a timeline of Luc growing up. There are a lot of pictures with the guys in them, too. It seems like the four of them did everything together. They look like one big happy family.
“That one was taken just before everything went to hell.” His voice is wistful when he points to a picture of the four of them around a campfire. Their faces glow with red light, all turned toward X. I lean closer.
