The It's Kind Of Personal (Complete 6 Book Series)ies

by Anna Brooks

  Lost in thought, I don’t hear him until he pounces on the bed next to me.

  “Jesus!” I yell.

  Droplets of water fall from his hair and land on my face. “Morning, Ruby.” He kisses my nose and jumps off the bed.

  I roll over and pull the covers over my head. “You’re a morning person.”

  “Yep.”

  “What time is it, anyway?”

  “Six thirty. We need to take off in about fifteen minutes to get you home by seven.”

  “Okay.” Regrettably, I toss the sheet off me.

  “Sleep good?” he asks, as he disappears into his closet.

  My feet hit the cold hardwood floor and I pull them back up and lean across the bed to grab my socks. “I did. Really good, it was nice.”

  “Me too.”

  As I’m pulling my sock up, I glance at his undeniably sexy form. He walks by in nothing but a pair of navy blue boxer briefs and a white towel draped around his shoulders.

  “Wow,” I mutter under my breath.

  He grabs one of the ends of the towel and scrubs it in his hair to dry off some of the sopping wetness, and then rubs it over his freaking eight pack. Is it wrong to be jealous of an inanimate object? I giggle at my stupid joke, and he cocks an eyebrow at me. “What’s funny?”

  “Nothing.” I push to my feet, but he tackles me even faster. Pierce’s naked chest rubs against my already aching nipples, and I squirm under his semi-erect dick. My gasp turns into a moan when he pins my arms to the side of my body, his knees pressing them tight, halting any movement.

  “Not laughing now, are you?”

  “No.” I breathe and shake my head. “I wasn’t laughing at you, Pierce.”

  His tongue darts out to moisten his lips and he shakes his head. “No?”

  “No.”

  The tips of his fingers trace the contours of my face before he dips his head down closer to mine. “You look so beautiful in the morning. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t wish you were in my arms when I woke up. I almost didn’t get up just because I didn’t want to let you go.”

  God, he’s so unbelievably sweet. “Why did you?”

  “Meeting your mom is kind of a big deal, and I needed a shower.”

  I can feel the wrinkles in my forehead bend as my eyes widen. “What?”

  “Did you honestly think I wasn’t going to come with you guys to breakfast this morning?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Is it a problem if I do?” He sounds offended and sits back, freeing my arms from their confines.

  I’m such a bitch. “No, not at all. I’m just surprised you’d want to, is all. I’m waiting for you to realize how much better you are than me.”

  Now his forehead holds the wrinkles. “Why would you say that?”

  “I dunno, I didn’t think meeting my mom was something you’d jump at the chance to do, and after last night with Eddie, I mean…” I stop to take a breath and collect my thoughts. “Pierce, I’m not used to people sticking with me and—”

  “Well, get the fuck over it, Ruby. You came back to me and you damn well knew what that meant. You were with me on that roof and felt the same things that I did, so don’t sit here and try to compare me to everyone else in your life who screwed you over.” He gets off the bed, grabs a pair of jeans from the dresser, and pulls them on.

  I don’t like being on the receiving end of Pierce’s anger at all. “If anything, I should be the one pushing you away.” He points at his bare chest and then stabs a finger in my direction. “You’re the one who disappeared and left me hanging for three years. You’re the one who just showed up out of the blue. You’re the one who was married. Meanwhile, I haven’t done anything but show you how much I want to be with you. Yet you keep doubting me, and frankly, it’s starting to piss me off.”

  He storms out of the room, and before he turns the corner, tears fill my eyes, his harsh words striking deep. He’s so right, though. I’ve been holding what I really feel for him back with fear that I’ll just end up getting hurt, and that’s not fair to him. I slide my other sock on and pad to the kitchen so I can apologize, but smack right into him as he rounds the corner.

  “I’m sorry, Ruby. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses the top of my head.

  “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I know you wouldn’t hurt me, and I need to stop being afraid that it’ll happen.” I pull back and look into his pained eyes. How a man can show me so much with just his eyes is amazing. “Don’t apologize. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

  “I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

  I bring my hands up to cup his face. “It’s fine, Pierce. I needed to hear it.”

  “Still.”

  I shush him with my lips, telling him it’s okay, trying to show him that I’m the one who’s sorry. His grip on me tightens briefly before he steps back. “You good?” he asks, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.

  “I’m great.”

  “Okay. Go get dressed so we can go. Don’t wanna be late!” He smacks me on my butt, and I giggle as I jog back to the bedroom. As I’m brushing my teeth in his bathroom — with my own toothbrush that he laid out for me — I wonder how in the hell I got so lucky.

  * * *

  “Mom, this is Pierce.” I point at the sexy man standing next to me when she walks into the living room. On the way over here, I told him a little more about Mom and her dementia, so he’s aware that her behavior may seem somewhat off sometimes.

  “Nice to meet you, Ms. Russo.” He sticks his hand out to shake hers, but she waves him off and pulls him in for a hug.

  “It’s so nice to meet you. Ruby’s told me a lot about you.”

  My face warms, and I look at the floor.

  “That right?” he jokes, nudging me with his elbow.

  “Ready to go, Mom?” I ask, avoiding the subject. Yes, he knows I care for him … a lot, but he doesn’t need to know I talk about him all the damn time. That’s just embarrassing; I’m not a teenager, I’m a grown ass adult.

  Mom smiles and looks back and forth between the two of us. “Let me just grab my sweater.”

  When I finally look at Pierce, he’s got his arms crossed and one eyebrow cocked. “You talk about me, huh?”

  Instead of answering, I shake my head and copy his stance. His eyes dart toward my chest for a brief second before meeting mine again. “Nope. Not one word.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Really,” I deadpan, although I’m sure my face says I’m lying through my teeth.

  “Are you lying to me, angel?”

  “You know I am,” I whisper.

  Any apprehension I felt about Pierce meeting Mom is gone as we drive home from the restaurant. There wasn’t one awkward moment, and my mom whispered to me that she already loves him. It helps that she’s having a good day, too. She’s lucid and happy. I laugh at her joke in the car and smile when Pierce comes around to open both our doors.

  We all walk inside and Lucy waves at us from the outside patio. Mom yawns. “Thank you for breakfast. It was great meeting you, Pierce.” She leans in closer to him and cups a hand next to her mouth. “I’ll be sure to tell Nikolas to take it easy on you, okay?” She laughs and heads down the hall, leaving Pierce a ball of confusion. Well, at least, we had a nice morning.

  “The brother I supposedly have. I dunno, part of dementia.”

  He starts to talk, but his ringing phone cuts him off. “My sister, sorry.” He answers it and nods a couple of times. “Yeah, that should work. What time? Okay. Sounds good, see ya later.”

  “Everything okay?”

  He tucks his phone back in his pocket. “Yup. What are you doing tonight?”

  “Nothing, really.”

  “Wanna come with me to my sister’s place? She and her boyfriend bought a house and they’re having an impromptu housewarming party. My whole family will be there, and I’d like for you to meet them.”

  “Uhhh …” Shit, that’s
a lot of people to meet at once.

  “Hey, no pressure, but I’d really like it if you’d come with me. You can meet everyone all at once and get it over with. I promise they’re all nice.”

  “Okay.”

  He leans back, “Okay?”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  * * *

  “Oh my God, Pierce, look how many cars are here!” My heart rate accelerates as we walk past all the vehicles in the driveway.

  “Yeah, looks like everyone’s here. Uhh …” He rubs his palms on his jeans and grabs my hand. “I feel like I should tell you something. I wanted to surprise you, but now that I see how freaked out you are, you might be mad when you find out.”

  I stop dead in my tracks, my feet suddenly filled with cement on the front porch. “What? Oh my God, Pierce, what? Do you have a kid or something?” My stomach hollows out, and I breathe in sharply. “What?”

  “God, no. No kid. But umm—”

  His words are cut off when the front door swings open. “Hey! Come in—” I recognize her from the bar: short hair, a lot of tattoos, and super freaking pretty. “Hi. I’m Meara, Pierce’s sister.”

  “Ruby,” I answer. “Nice to meet you.”

  “Sorry, we’re late. Everyone’s here, huh?” Pierce asks, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, which makes me even more anxious since he doesn’t ever get nervous.

  “Yeah, it’s a party. Come on, food’s almost ready.” Meara practically bounces when she walks inside.

  “What were you going to tell me?” I whisper through clenched teeth as we make our way through the front hallway.

  He opens his mouth to answer, just as a man comes down the stairs. My eyes widen, and I grab Pierce’s arm, digging my nails into it. My palms are the ones that are sweaty now. I’m suddenly dizzy, and I’m a millisecond from passing out.

  “Hey, Pierce. Hi, I’m Liam.” He sticks his hand out to me, but I’m frozen. Absolutely frozen. Like, can’t even blink frozen.

  “Uhh …” Liam pulls his hand back, and I whimper. Liam Anders, drummer of Reason to Ruin, my absolute favorite band in the world. The man I had fantasies about when I was a teenager. I made collages of him and hung them on my wall! Liam fucking Anders is standing two feet in front of me right now.

  “Holy shit,” I whisper. “Holy shit.”

  Meara chuckles and slides under Liam’s arm. “You’re a fan, I take it?” she teases.

  “Holy shit,” is all I can say. I quickly turn my head and squint my eyes at Pierce. “You.”

  “I’m sorry. I was going to tell you.”

  “Ya think?” I take a deep breath and try to slow down my already erratic nerves. “Oh my God, holy shit,” I say under my breath.

  “Yeah, so food’s almost done. Do you want something to drink?” Liam, fucking Liam Anders, asks me.

  “Alcohol,” I burst out.

  Everyone laughs, and I relax my shoulders a bit, finally looking at Liam. “I’m sorry. I’m just so shocked right now. I’m … I’ve been a huge fan forever.”

  “It’s okay. Glad to have you here. Would you like a glass of wine, beer?”

  “Wine’s good.”

  Liam kisses Meara’s head and then rounds the corner, where I hear several voices coming from. “I suppose Pierce didn’t tell you the rest of the band is here, either?” She bites her lip and points at the other room.

  I exhale a breath I didn’t even realize was lodged in my throat, and she slaps her brother on the arm. “Pierce, that’s so mean.”

  “I know. I feel horrible. I thought it would just be family. They’re all really nice guys, I promise.” He gives me a little side arm hug, and although I’m tempted to punch him right now, his touch makes me feel better. Liam returns with a glass of white wine and I thank him. Then the beautiful tattooed couple makes themselves scarce, probably understanding my need to be alone for a minute.

  I take a large gulp of what I instantly recognize as Moscato and shove Pierce slightly. “I’m so mad at you right now.” Half joking, half serious, but mostly joking. This is like a freaking dream come true. This band and their words, their beautiful lyrics, their addicting beats were one of the only things that helped me get through each day, so I’m grateful I get this opportunity. Just surprised as hell.

  “I know, and I’m sorry.”

  “Pierce, that’s like, my absolute fucking favorite band ever. I can’t believe you didn’t think to say anything.”

  He scrubs a hand through his hair. “I wanted to surprise you. I didn’t know the whole band was going to be here. I just thought it was family and you’d meet Meara’s boyfriend … who just happens to be Liam. I’m really sorry, Ruby. We can leave if you want.”

  “No, it’s fine.” I finish my glass in two swallows and take a deep breath, plastering on a smile. “I’m just in shock. I’m going to have to try to act normal, and I don’t know if I can do that, so I apologize in advance for being awkward tonight.”

  “Damn it, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I just—”

  “Really, it’s fine. I’ll deal. Let’s go.”

  I manage to get through dinner without making a total ass of myself. Pierce introduces me to everyone: his parents, cousin, the rest of the band, family friends. I totally go inside myself and try not to be rude, but it’s like system overload right now. And when Liam and Meara announce that they got married at the courthouse, I think my ears are going to explode from all of the excitement. They both look so genuinely happy.

  We’re sitting outside in their backyard around a fire, and I quickly realize how much I’ve missed out on. That this is a real family. And it makes me even more bitter about my childhood. Since I’ve been spending so much time with Pierce, I haven’t written a lot because I haven’t felt the need to escape reality. But it’s funny because I have a story that revolves around a family, and even in my imagination, I couldn’t make them as loving and amazing as Pierce’s real one.

  “Hey, married woman.” Pierce scoots over on his log closer to me, and his sister sits next to him.

  “Hi.” She bumps him with her shoulder and leans past him to see me. “Are you having fun?”

  “Yes. Thank you and congratulations again.” God, could you sound any lamer, Ruby?

  “Thanks. You two are pretty cute yourselves.”

  My face heats up and I can feel the damn wrinkles on my forehead from my eyes getting wider.

  “Meara,” Pierce growls.

  “Sorry. I was just kidding.”

  A guy whose name I already forgot walks up and — thank God — breaks the awkward tension. He was at the bar as well, and he looks really familiar. He was in Vegas too, but there’s something else about him. I don’t know what it is. He arrived late and I never was formally introduced because Pierce said something happened at the pub, and he’s been in a bad mood ever since. “Hey, I’m gonna take off. Congratulations, Mrs. Meara Anders.”

  “Why thank you, Mr. Nik Nervetti.”

  I drop my plastic cup and beer splashes all over our feet.

  “Oh, my God. I’m so sorry.” I frantically stand and trip on Pierce’s legs, but he catches me with his cat-like reflexes.

  “Hey, you’re fine,” Pierce whispers.

  “No biggie, we all spill beer.” Nik attempts to laugh it off, but it’s then that it hits me, and for the second time tonight, I freeze.

  “Nik?” I ask.

  He nods and I cover my mouth as wetness brims my eyes. “Nikolas Marco Nervetti?”

  His brows scrunch together. “Yes.”

  “Oh, my God,” I whisper, my lower lip trembling. “I have to get out of here. I’m so sorry.” I push past Pierce, but his footsteps are right behind mine.

  I’m not even to his car yet when his hand wraps around my bicep. “Hey, what the hell was that?”

  “No way. There’s no way. It can’t be.” I chant the words to myself and shrug out of Pierce’s grip.

  “What, Ruby?” He’s getting impatient, but I don’t care. I ne
ed a second, a freaking minute, to process this.

  “Uh, hey.” Nik steps into view, and when he looks at me, the question is no longer there. “What’s going on? Do I know you?”

  “No, you don’t,” I answer.

  His brows scrunch in confusion, and he looks at Pierce.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Nik raises his voice and steps in my direction. “Who the hell are you?”

  “Nik, relax.” Pierce matches Nik’s stride and tries to calm him down.

  I stand next to Pierce and look at Nik, hopeful to explain some things that I don’t even fully understand. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

  “Didn’t know what, woman?”

  “Only warning you’re gonna get, Nik. Talk to her like that again and—”

  “Stop.” I step between them and lean my head back to catch Nik’s eyes. “I think you’re my brother.”

  Pierce gasps, and Nik’s jaw drops as he shakes his head. “What the fuck are you talking about? My dad only had one kid.” He stabs himself in the chest with his finger. “Me. And my mom’s a whore who abandoned us when I was an infant.”

  “You look just like him,” I mutter to myself, but he hears me.

  “Like who?”

  “My dad.”

  “No, I look like my dad,” he argues.

  “Maybe I’m wrong.”

  “Yeah. You are.”

  With that, he storms off, and tires squeal down the road as he speeds away.

  Chapter 22

  Pierce

  “THAT DIDN’T GO WELL,” Ruby says, wiping her eyes.

  “Nik’s kind of a hothead sometimes. Sorry, he was such an ass. Trust me, he’ll never talk to you like that again.”

  “It’s okay, he was just being defensive.”

  “Nobody’s gonna talk to you like that, Ruby. Care to explain what the hell that was, though?”

  “I told you my mom kept saying things about me having a brother. She said it today, remember. She’d have Nikolas go easy on you?”

  Recognition hits me and my shoulders slump. “Yeah.”

  “Did you see him? I mean, of course, you’ve seen him, but Jesus, he looks just like my dad. And how many Nikolas Marco Nervettis do you think there are? She says that name all the time in her sleep.”