Scandal: The Reckless Series, Book #3 (The Reckless Crew) (8 page)

“
T
ake
it easy on those poor weights, man,” Rhett hollers from across the gym.

It’s been a while since the three of us have had a chance to workout in my gym. Life’s been fucking crazy and our worlds turned upside down on us. Mine more than theirs. Everything I paved out nice and solid in my quiet and private life has been shaken loose.

I should be pissed and I think the fact I’m not pissed is pissing me off even more. The last two years, I’ve fought to gain back something that resembled a life. My dad was there again to pick up the pieces. And I finally put together a life that I could cope in. Closed off, a steady job, and a home with just my dad and Boozer. Fucking lame, I know, but it worked.

Then Chloe came into the picture and erased everything. I look at the fucking moon differently all because of her. She’s opened my eyes and that fact should piss me the fuck off and it doesn’t, which irritates me even more.

It’s my third set of bench presses. I add an extra fifty pounds to the normal three hundred and I’m slaying it. Making the weights my bitch. I ignore Rhett until I finish the fifth set and am ready to die. I forced every single one of my muscles past the point of function and right into shock.

“Girl problems, pussy?” Zane tosses a towel to me.

I wipe my face without sitting up and shrug off their harassment. They’ve had a good time giving me hell about Chloe via text and visiting me at the bar the little I’ve been there.

“What does your new lady think of your whipping your dick around for extra cash?” Rhett settles next to me on a bench.

I shrug and play it off like I typically would. “She doesn’t care.”

“You two sinking the ol’ burrito yet?” he asks.

Zane falls from his position on the pull-up bar, laughing his ass off.

“Prick.” I snap the towel at Rhett’s calf, connecting.

“You’re different.” Zane offers me a water bottle and stands in front of me with his hands on his head. “What gives?”

I brush the remaining sweat from my brow and sit up. “I don’t fucking know. How’s that for an answer?”

“Typical when dealing with female shit,” Rhett replies.

It may be the smartest thing he’s ever said.

“What don’t you know about?” Zane pushes.

“I’ve never been in a relationship.”

Rhett interrupts me. “Imagine that Captain Private has never been in a relationship. Do you even know how to bang a chick or been DTF?”

I give him a sideways glance. Rhett can be annoying as hell, but in intense moments like this he breaks it up perfectly.

“DTF?” I ask.

Rhett roars like I just stepped in the funniest joke without even knowing it.

“Down to fuck,” Zane clarifies.

“I’m not a fucking virgin. You guys know about most of my past. I’ve been closed off and Chloe has done something to me. I swear she put a fucking spell on me.”

I let it all out in long sentence without stopping.

“Ahh, you’re under the pussy spell. It’s the best. In fact, I need some puss right now.” Rhett stands, grabbing his junk.

“If you’re sporting wood right now, Rhett, I’ll fucking beat you down,” Zane growls.

“You two ugly fuckers aren’t anything to pop up my cock. Now my sweet tits wife with her juicy ass and sweet pussy, now that’s some fine boner making material.”

I can’t help but laugh. If anyone else heard Rhett say that in public they’d think he’s a monster asshole who is arrogant. You have to know him to understand it’s Rhett and if Darby or sweet tits hears him say it she’d probably swoon and take him to the nearest closet to jump his bones. They’re fucking weird and very in love.

“Do you think she’s ready for a relationship?” Zane asks when Rhett goes to work his legs on a machine. He’s always bragging about his kick-ass wheels.

I shake my head no. “I know she isn’t.”

“Is that what has you twisted up?”

“No. It’s killing me to watch her heal from this shit. I know what it’s like, man. It’s deep and horrible shit. She’s going through it without fucking family. It’s tearing me apart.”

“So, you’re more worried about her healing instead of getting down her pants?”

“I’m not fucking Rhett or a goddamn pig.”

“I heard that fuckers and when I’m done with my final set, I’m going to karate kick you with these powerful bastards.” He points to his legs, flexed with veins popping up everywhere.

Zane nods to me. “You reliving shit, man?”

I nod. “I’m just looking for the magic button to heal all of her.”

“I get it. Seeing someone you love in pain is the worst feeling in the world. Stay strong.”

I tell him about the notebook, Chloe going to a counselor, and us waiting for each other while I spot him on the bench press. Zane is a great listener and Rhett can’t help but add his two bits, cracking us up every once in awhile. But right before we lock up and make plans for our next session, Rhett pipes up in a serious tone.

“Do you love her?”

I know it’s fast, but I nod.

“Then fucking go through pain and stand by her side because losing someone you really love will shred you.”

“For once numbnuts is right,” Zane adds. “Fight for what you want when you find the right one.”

“Thanks guys.” I pat both of them on the back. “Can we quit acting like a bunch of menstruating females now? I think my testicles just shrank in size.”

“You have nuts?” Rhett asks with a smirk on his face.

“See you in a few days, assholes.” I wave to them and go inside to shower and enjoy another hand job while fantasizing about Chloe.

“
B
uy four bottles of wine
, please.”

Darby looks over her shoulder while still grabbing a bottle of white wine. “Are you sure? I mean, that’s one big ass headache and hangover.”

“Actually get six.”

Ava pats me on the back, silently acknowledging the shitty day I’ve had. I want so desperately to run back to the beach house with Kip and take long rides on his motorcycle wrapped around him. Enjoy lazy afternoon naps and sit in the sand, that’s all I want right now.

But it’s week two of reality and there’s no escaping it at this point. Zack is being served with papers today and my counseling session was exhausting. I love my counselor, but she pushes me to the brink of breaking down. I find solace in my journal and late at night when a lightly snoring Kip is wrapped around me.

We haven’t kissed, petted, or even attempted to attack each other since the beach incident. It’s for sure strengthening my self-control. But I know Kip deserves all of me and not shattered pieces of a woman.

I haven’t really experienced fear until now since being here. It’s more than fear coursing through my veins as I wait for the wrath of Zack to rain down on me. He won’t take this well. I don’t put anything past him to get me back and not tarnish his sparkly reputation.

My lawyer has a back-up plan to use if Zack is a dick about it. There are pictures of his abuse from iCloud, recorded verbal abuse, and my own-recorded recounts of the hell I experienced. I’d forgotten about storing the pictures on my iCloud until my lawyer asked. I hated taking pictures of the wounds and scars, but now feel thankful I had enough composure to take them in the moment.

My parents have called my phone hundreds of times, but I’ve refused to listen to their pleas for me to come back. They’d never be in my corner. They know there’s too much at stake for Zack and will want to protect him. That’s been the hardest part of my counseling session. Confusion always sets in followed by anger trying to understand how parents could turn on their own child.

Darby’s been in charge of listening to the voicemails or threats as she calls them and deleting them. However, my lawyer has instructed me to answer if Zack calls and record it. The app is all set to go, but my mind is reeling with the possibility of hearing Satan’s voice.

“What if he calls and you’re sloppy drunk?” Ava asks while Darby pays for the mother load of wine.

I shrug, not really giving a fuck. I’m done living on eggshells. It’s now or never time. He has no more power over me.

Charlie squeals, running around the grass in just her princess panties. She’s in the potty training stage and hasn’t been too successful yet. I’m on my third glass of wine and feeling more relaxed with each sip. Darby keeps pushing food in front of me. She’s being quite the buzz kill right now.

My back-up phone buzzes with a new text message.

Kip: How’s it going?

I smile just seeing his name and hate that he’s been working more and more. He took all of his vacation days.

Me: Missing a friend of mine

Kip: Oh really?

Me: Yeah, it’s this broody tatted man that’s been growing on me.

Kip: Sounds like a real champ

Me: Don’t tell him. He already has a big enough head.

Kip: You have no idea

Me: Heart Emoticons

Kip: I’m off shift in an hour. Want me to pick you up at Ava’s?

Me: Hell to the yes

He’s bartending tonight and when he goes radio silent, I know it’s because he has an order to fill. Kip only has another week working the stage and then he’s back to tending bar. Ross, the boss, finally found some new talent and Kip can’t wait to get off the stage. I find it cute he’s so open and honest talking about it. Unlike Zane and Rhett, he doesn’t enjoy wiener wiggling. Claims it makes him feel dirty and doesn’t like all the eyes on him.

He’s a reserved man, so I get it. It’s one of his sexiest qualities I admire in him. He’s healed from his past from the inside out and keeps it that way.

“Zane, quit peeing on the damn plants,” Ava hollers.

All of our attention goes to Zane, who has it whipped out whizzing in the flower bed. Charlie runs to him when she hears her mom. I can’t quit laughing when Zane tries to turn off his faucet and zips up his pants.

“Potty, daddy.” Charlie looks up to him.

She pulls down her panties and mimics his position even though she saw nothing but his backside. He swoops her up and races her into the house.

“Pour me a jumbo one.” Ava plops down. “Of apple juice that is.”

She clutches her belly. The evening floats by in fun laughter with friends. Ava and I make a plan for me to watch Charlie a few days a week and I’m nearly shocked out of my seat when Zane thanks me.

Darby’s in Rhett’s lap chewing on her bottom lip.

“We have an announcement,” Rhett finally pipes up.

I don’t miss the elbow to the gut he receives from Darby, but it doesn’t stop him.

“We’re adopting.”

Those two words make the table fall silent. The only sound echoing around is Zane sitting down his beer on the glass tabletop.

“Congratulations.” I stand and go to hug Darby.

“Are there problems?” Zane finally asks.

“Yeah, there are lots of problems. They’re called kids who are abandoned and forgotten about,” Darby’s voice is laced with passion.

“Congrats, guys,” Zane says.

We all toast to them and wish them the best on their journey. When Darby finally feels comfortable with the topic, she opens up about the amount of research they’ve done and how close they are to meeting their daughter. She’s a three year old in New York who has grown up in the foster system.

The rumbling roar that lights up my soul fills the air. I look up the lane to see the sexiest man alive rolling in on his dark and sleek Harley. I study all of his moves as he kills the engine, flips down the kickstand, and peels his body off the bike. His signature snapback is swiveled around on his head so it sits backwards.

My smile widens when he struts up the stairs and makes eye contact with me. He sends me a wink, grabs a beer from the cooler, and then sits across from me. I’m not offended knowing we’ve had to keep some space between us to control ourselves.

The men take their time harassing Kip. It’s one of their favorite past times. He takes it like a champ. I don’t take my eye sight off of him studying his gorgeous smile, bright white teeth, and gorgeous eyes.

A phone rings on the table. It takes me a few moments to realize it’s my old ringtone. It takes me even a few more seconds to gather enough courage to look down at it. It’s him. Ava and Darby are at my side.

“Answer it. You’re ready.” Ava squeezes my hand. “You know what to say. Push the app and then answer.”

There’s a red dot in the corner of my phone. I find the courage to push it and then slide the green button to answer it.

“Hello.” My voice shakes just like it used to. I’m back there in that house with him.

“Chloe.”

It’s like Satan spitting my name.

Kip reaches across the table and whispers, “Look at me.”

I drop Darby’s hand and reach for his. He squeezes until it’s nearly painful and stares at me with his loving eyes.

“Chloe.” The blunt way my name floats across the phone startles me. “Listen, bitch. I can hear you. What in the fuck are you pulling?”

“I’m divorcing you.” My voice still shakes, but not nearly as severely.

“Like fuck you are. I’m sending men for you. You will get your fucking whore ass back here.”

“I’m not coming home. I’m never coming home.” I restate it to make it official.

“Like fuck you’re not, you selfish cunt.”

Kip jerks in his chair and Zane is there to push him back down.

“Your threats will not work, Zack.”

“Do you have any fucking idea how you’ve fucked up my life? I’m sending someone for you.”

“No. Leave me alone. I’ll go to the cops with everything.”

“You really think they’re going to believe a nobody whore like you over me?” He laughs into the phone.

The wine swirling around in my belly threatens to come back up.

“I’ll see you in court and have no problems going to the cops.”

“I’ll kill you.”

“Bye, Zack.” I end the call and drop the phone like it’s on fire.

Kip’s out of his seat and politely as possible pushes the girls away from me. I’m in his arms, burying my head in his neck, and letting the tears fall.

“You did it, baby.” He smooths down the back of my hair.

I begin shaking like my body is expelling a virus from me. I have no idea how I feel right now. I’m not scared. But possibly a combination of every other fucking emotion.

I hear Darby’s voice. It’s clear she’s already on the phone with the police and then my lawyer getting a restraining order started. We’re putting all of our faith into the damn legal system and I can only hope they can protect me from Zack.