Scandal: The Reckless Series, Book #3 (The Reckless Crew) (12 page)

Everyone’s mostly quiet devouring the cake. Rhett goes on about how amazing it is and I don’t miss the side-glances Darby sends him. They’re so in love. Rhett whispers something to Darby and she shakes her head no. All I hear her say is, “Wait until everyone is here.”

Another reminder Kip could be lying on the side of the road lifeless and covered in his own blood. And I’m here doing nothing for him. He saved and healed me and I’m here frozen with fear. I know a good twenty minutes have drifted by, but I’m too big of a fucking chicken to look at my phone.

“I’m going to get her in her pajamas before she’s too worn out.” Ava picks up Charlie from my arms and Zane follows her into Darby’s house.

I smash my finger into the cake and lick the icing from it. The chocolate is the perfect mixture of sweet and bitter with a thick cream base.

“Holy shit. Did you make this?” I ask Darby.

She nods brightly. “One of the nurses who tended to my mom for years gave me the recipe. She told me it was my mother’s favorite dessert. She’d make it for her once a month.”

“That’s awesome and a damn good cake.” I take one bite off my fork.

My gut twists and clenches and it’s not because of the cake. It’s the loud rumble of an engine nearing us. When I look up, I first spot a dust cloud and then a shiny black bike leading the dust. It’s Kip. Soon his figure comes into view. His hands stretched out gripping onto each handlebar and his legs easily straddling the sexy bike. His dark shades pulled down even though dusk is threatening to overtake the day. The hat sitting backwards on his head makes me melt.

I’m standing on my feet and instantly feel like an awkward and shy bundle of nerves in front of my friends. The worry dissipates then anger strikes. I have no idea where it comes from, but I’m pissed off. It’s the hours of worry I cycled around in my head. I’m so happy to see him, but wanting to slap him at the same time.

The moment he kills the engine, we make eye contact, and he hits me with a dazzling smile, forcing some of the anger from my veins. He effortlessly throws his leg off the bike and reaches into one of the bags strapped to side of his bike. Kip produces a smashed bouquet of varied colored roses. And when I say smashed they’re smashed and have seen better days.

I rush down the steps to meet him halfway to rip his ass and to also kiss him hard. My lips are thirsty for his taste and my damn body hums with excitement.

“Sorry.” He hands me the roses and catches me by one hip.

I raise an eyebrow in question.

“I went in to help Ross stock the bar and it took longer than I thought. I figured flowers would be nice and holy fuck me I had no idea how long it would take.”

I can’t help but smile and laugh at the same time. I kiss him quickly and pull back. “Are you allergic to texting?” I ask him.

He pulls his phone from his back pocket. “Dead. And my bike really doesn’t have charging capability.”

“I was so mad at you that I’d planned to slap you. I thought the worst. You and a another girl or even worse an accident.”

I see a flash of pain in his eyes and I realize my words were unnecessary.

“You actually thought I was with another woman.” His grip tightens on my hip.

“I’m sor…” I stop myself and he smiles back at me. “I was worried and then my insecurities were beginning to win the battle.”

He kisses my forehead. “I’ll never, ever hurt you, Chloe, and one day I’ll make you believe that.”

“I know,” I whisper against his lips.

I kiss him lightly and pull back. The hurt in his eyes has vanished and now they are filled with the deep admiration that always lingers in them. He kisses me back, but we’re stopped before we have the chance to deepen it.

“Hey, pussy. Are you hungry?” Rhett hollers from the porch.

Kip nods to him, I turn to our friends, and then clutch his hand in mine and smile at the most perfect flowers in the entire world, shredded petals and all.

A
va is
the only one who isn’t wobbling or beginning to slur her words. It’s been way too damn long since all of us just sat around, bullshit and drank. Actually, the last time was when Chloe called. I pull her closer to me when I feel her shiver.

I wasn’t sure how she’d react when I pulled her down into me. She let her limbs collapse into me like second nature. We’re the furthest from the fire pit, so I make sure she’s covered as much as possible.

Darby suggests strip poker and some other ridiculous games. When no one agrees with her she reverts to her special shots. Nothing good comes out of her shots. The last time we all ended up crying, telling stories of our childhood pets’ deaths. But that doesn’t stop her from dragging out the tequila and pickle juice.

“Pickle juice?” Chloe asks and cringes in my arms.

“Yeah, it’s a signature shot around here,” Rhett offers up.

“Fuck yes. I got laid hard last time we did this,” Zane shouts out.

Ava elbows him in the gut while bringing the baby monitor to her ear. Charlie is asleep right in the house in her bed. Darby and Rhett made her a cute little toddler bed especially for their house.

“So, we all shoot the tequila, Ava, I’m pouring you a water shot. Then you chase it with the pickle juice.” Darby finishes pouring all the tequila then grabs a water bottle.

We all have our shot glasses raised in the air. All eyes go to Chloe for the toast. It takes her a minute to realize what her friends are asking her to do.

She clears her throat and thinks for a few seconds. I wrap my free arm tighter around her. I find the hem of her shirt and roam my hand up to splay my palm across her belly. Our skin-to-skin touch sets me on fucking fire. I need my girl.

“To forgetting the past, living the future, and making the best damn history possible. I love all of you.” She raises her shot glass up in the air and we all clink glasses.

We shoot the fiery liquid quickly and grab for the pickle juice. Chloe turns to me as soon as her pickle juice is down. I would’ve given anything to watch her face while she toasted to us. She’s come so far in such a long time it scares me late at night.

She winks at me and I can’t help but attack her mouth not giving a fuck who’s watching us right now. My hand tangles in the back of her hair. I tug, sealing her even tighter, meshing our lips together. I’m impatient exploring her mouth with my tongue. I swallow all of her moans and let my hand roam up the front of her shirt. My knuckles graze the bottom side of her tits and I’m forced to cut the kiss off before I can’t stop.

But before I part her mouth, I bite down on her bottom lip before parting, sending her a silent promise.

Darby wastes no time pouring more shots and passing them out. Ava is sure to grab the one with water in it before holding hers up.

Zane clears his throat, taking the lead. “Sex is only dirty if it’s done right.”

He sends a wink to Ava before clinking the other glasses. The second shot is harder to swallow, but in a strange way the pickle juice tastes fucking amazing afterwards, settling the harshness of the tequila.

“Okay, before I’m shitfaced for the last time in a very long time.” Darby clutches the top of Rhett’s shoulder. “We have an announcement to make.”

It takes her a couple more tries because we are so used to her and Rhett’s canny humor that it’s hard to take them seriously and let’s face it, we have tequila running through our veins right now.

“Me or you?” Darby asks Rhett.

He stands to his feet and wraps his arms around her from the back and kisses her temple. “You.”

“We got the official call from the adoption agency.”

We all fall silent.

“The adoption we’d originally thought would happen fell through.” She wipes a tear from her face. “We’ve been quiet about this because it’s a learning process and quite honestly heartbreaking. I’d had my heart set, but it didn’t happen.”

Her voice cracks up even more, so Rhett takes over.

“Darby had been in long conversations with the foster family and grew super close to them. However, it wasn’t in the cards for us. We’re flying out to Ohio tomorrow to pick up an eighteen month old boy.”

We all gasp and then the girls are up on their feet hugging Darby. Rhett’s left standing to the side, running his hands through his hair before taking his seat again.

“You okay, man?” Zane asks.

“Just pray that this doesn’t fall through. I’m not sure how much more heartache my girl can take.”

“Is it pretty solid?” I ask.

“Looks like it, but this shit can fall through at the drop of a hat.”

“You got this,” I reassure him.

They’re damn good people and damn good things need to start happening for people like that around here. I feel it in my gut that Rhett and Darby will be flying home as new parents tomorrow.

“Okay, one more shot,” Ava announces, returning to Zane’s side.

“Um, you’re not even drinking,” Darby points out.

“I don’t give a shit, we are toasting to you guys.”

“One more,” Rhett warns. “We have to be at the airport at one tomorrow.”

“Well, hell that means a whole other round,” Chloe chirps.

We all roll in laughter.

Four rounds later, it’s Rhett’s turn to toast. We all have our shot glasses raised high. Poor Ava quit chasing her water with pickle juice after the second round.

“To horses and women and to the men who ride them,” Rhett bellows out with a huge grin.

Darby gives a hearty yee-haw in appreciation and we all take our final shot of the night. My head spins and my world seems to tip a bit, but I know all is well because I have the prettiest and strongest woman in my lap making my world right for the first time in my life.

Ava tucks Charlie into her car seat and drives the short way up to her house. She threatens to make Zane walk if he doesn’t quit singing
Achy Breaky Heart
by Billy Ray Cyrus. Somehow she manages to stuff his giant frame into the car, but I have a feeling he may be waking up in the same exact position.

Ava was ready to kick him in the nuts when he went into over sharing mode about their sexual appetite and then the grand finale about how whisky dick seems to strike in older aged men.

My girl gives me the pouty lip when she realizes we’ll be staying the night here. I know she just wants to be wrapped around me on my bike. We forgo the damn hideaway bed and snuggle into the couch. Darby and Rhett’s room is already banging and it’s clear whisky dick hasn’t made Rhett his victim.

“I hope we don’t sound like that,” Chloe whispers. “It’s gross.”

I reach over to grab her phone and scroll her playlists. I notice one named Kip and become instantly curious. I can feel Chloe peeking up over my shoulder. She settled to wrap her legs around me from behind since she couldn’t do so on my bike tonight. It’s long with numerous songs and I press shuffle.

“My notebook is getting full and I want you everywhere with me, so I made a playlist of songs that remind me of you and the way you make me feel.”

I roll over to face her, being careful of her arms and tiny frame. My stature alone envelops her when we’re face to face. The first song plays. It’s a country one that I’m not familiar with, but the words pound into my chest. A steel rod is being beaten into my bleeding heart with Chloe’s name on it.

“I Can’t Dance” by Lee Brice starts out with the delicate sound of a little girl’s jewelry box opening. It reminds me of a hopeful little Chloe once upon a time with the whole world in front of her. I never break eye contact with her as the song continues to play. The message is loud and clear. It’s something new and full of fear, but a task someone would do for the one they loved no matter what. It’s about pushing the boundaries and finding something bigger than life on the other side.

We are living and breathing proof that living outside the box produces a type of magic that can’t be broken by the evils of the world.

“I’m scared.” I brush the hair on the side of her face away.

“Why, Kip?”

“I don’t want you to leave.”

“I’m never leaving you.”

“You have to.” I pause and see the fear in her eyes and quickly finish my thought. “For Tennessee.”

“I’ll come back to you. Nothing can keep me away from the one man who has shown me how to finally live.”

“Promise?”

She rolls on top of me, pressing both of her hands down onto my chest. I’m shocked when I feel equal pressure on each side. I go to relieve pressure off her injured arm, but she shakes her head. I see no pain on her face.

“You’ve made me a new woman and helped me heal. I owe the world to you and want to give it.”

She bends over and takes my lips in hers. I’m overcome like I never have been before. I’d chalked up falling in love to just another fleeting hope I’d never experience just like having a mom while growing up. I’d closed myself off for so long, I had no idea what I was missing. It took this woman and her bravery to pull everything out in me that I deserve in life.

Her hand sinks between us until it is gliding into the top of my boxers. I hold my breath until she has me in her hands, stroking me lightly. “Latch” by Sam Smith begins to play. Her song choice is spot on with all the words saying exactly how I feel.

My hands clutch to her hips, pulling her down onto me. I’ll never let go of this girl and the love I have for her. I bite down on my bottom lip because it feels like the first time with her again. I watch pleasure spread across her face and her mimic my lip biting. Yep, it’s that good and that real for both of us.

“Forever,” I whisper to her.

She nods and plants her palms on my chest rolling her hips. “I’ll never let go of you.”

T
wo fucking days
. Two fucking days until my girl leaves for Tennessee. She hasn’t asked me to go with her and with Darby still in Ohio, I haven’t had anyone to talk to about it. I want to go, fuck, I’ll probably go even if she tells me no. There’s no way in hell I’m sending her into the lion’s den with no protection.

My dad’s advice did nothing to help soothe my worry. He told me that sometimes you have to let people go and wait for them to come back to you. It’s like seeing my mom’s death all over again. I should’ve done something, but stood by and let him beat her. She died because I did nothing. I fucking did nothing to help her, but run.

“Fuck this.” I slam down the iPad in my hand onto the marble countertop. The screen shatters and Chloe jumps in the barstool.

“What?” She clutches her chest and calms her breathing.

I round the counter and grab her from the barstool. “Put on some shoes now.”

“Kip, what’s going on?” I turn to her. “You’re scaring me.”

“Trust me,” I whisper.

She clutches onto my hands and slides her feet into her tennis shoes. I don’t give her time to pack clothes or grab anything. We won’t be needing clothes. My hands on the small of her back as I walk her to my bike, I straddle it and before she has a chance to climb on behind me. I grab her by the waist and pull her to me, kissing her hard.

“Trust me.”

“You know I do.” She places a palm on the top of my shoulder before throwing her leg over the bike.

I kick the engine hard, pull down my glasses, and twist my hat backwards. I reach behind me and force her arms to wrap around my middle before revving the engine. I don’t mean to or maybe I do, but either way gravel flies as I peel out of the driveway.

The soothing roar of the engine begins to calm my nerves but not nearly enough. Chloe runs her hands up the front of my shirt, rubbing small circles on my stomach. Her touch hypnotizes me and I’m driving down the highway in a better mood before I know it. We’re only a few miles from the beach house and I’m blown away with how fast the drive went by.

I pull into the gas station on the outskirts of town to fuel up. The last thing I need is to be stranded on the side of the road in my brooding mood. I’d probably clock the first motherfucker who tried to help us.

“You better?” she asks, biting the side of my neck.

“Getting there.”

She hops off the back of my bike and leans into me. I stick my boot out to protect her calf from hitting anything hot from the engine.

“I can make you better,” she teases, then licks my bottom lip.

“You already made me better.” I palm her ass and growl like a wild animal.

I don’t like this feeling, but don’t know how to kick it. I’m in overdrive, ramped with a need to protect like no other. I knew the day would come, but now that it’s only hours away, I’m going fucking mad.

“I’m going to use the little girl’s room.”

“Okay, grab some beer, too, please.”

“Got it, big guy.”

I watch her saunter off to the restrooms and then survey the parking lot, making sure no other asshole is watching her like I am. Chloe has no idea how fucking perfect she is. She’s filled out since being with me, her skin has even tanned up a bit, and all of her bruises vanished. There’s a skip to her step and swing in her sway as she walks.

I notice a tall guy studying her and automatically bristle up. He’s dressed in black and a fucking hulk. I don’t let size derail me. I don’t like the way he’s looking at her. He stares with no shame, not even worried if Chloe notices him or not. She stops midway, bends over, and plucks something from the ground.

The motherfucker begins walking her way and she has no fucking idea. The door to the bathroom flies open and a mother and small child walk out in front of her, derailing the guy a few steps.

I pick up my pace; I don’t want to holler to alert Chloe or scare the man off. She goes behind the bathroom door and the man stops.

“Hey,” I holler, practically jogging to the fuckface.

He spots me and turns on his heels and sprints. He’s vanished into the alleyway before I even have a chance to catch up with him. He’s fast, super fast, and clearly on the hunt after prey. It seems he had Chloe in sight. I got a good view of his face when I hollered at him and those brown eyes…Jesus. I run my hands over my hat and shake my head.

“That’s it. I’m giving her no choice, but to go with her to Tennessee,” I say to the cracked asphalt under my boots.

I then pull my phone from my pocket and dial a number I never thought I would again in my life. He may have been my biggest supporter besides my dad. He was always in my corner and told me I had a job back on the force any time day or night.

“Squires.”

“Chief?”

“Kip?”

“Yeah, I need a solid favor.”

“Nice to hear your voice, son. Ever hear of some fucking pleasantries before asking for help?”

I chuckle. He loves busting my balls. “Nice to hear your voice, asshole.”

“You, too.”

“I need extra eyes for a damn good reason and I also need to know if there’s been a suspicious man reported outside of Carlton.”

“You’ve never asked for help, even after…” He pauses. We both know what he’s referring to. “So, I’ve got your back on this, kid, but I’ll need more details.”

I fill him in and avoid Chloe when she walks out with a cold twelve pack. I keep my gaze on her, but continue pacing so she can’t pick up on any of my words.

“My young grasshopper is in love. I like it. Love sounds good on you, kid.”

“Blow it out your ass, boss man.”

He lets out a hearty chuckle before I hang up. Our banter makes me miss the force and band of brothers who always had my back, but after the shooting it was all too much. My mind was muddy and I was always second guessing myself with every decision…a lot like how I feel right fucking now and I don’t like it all.

“Who was that?” she asks with her head tilted and a licorice rope hanging out of the corner of her mouth.

“Rhett,” I lie and step in closer, taking the other end of the rope in my mouth. I lie because there’s no way in hell I’m telling her that Zack has sent someone for her. I just know it in my gut. Something is off with that man and he has Chloe in his sights.

“Hey, you’re eating too fast,” Chloe protests around the licorice in her mouth. “Pig.”

Our lips meet and she was right, I was inhaling that sweet candy to get to her even sweeter lips.