Contents

Title Page

Mailing List

Chapter 1: A Senseless Act Of Violence

Chapter 2: This Is My Home

Chapter 3: Our Fearless Leader

Chapter 4: Goodbye To You

Chapter 5: An Eye For An Eye

Chapter 6: All Or Nothing

Chapter 7: Our Team Is Broken

Chapter 8: Justice For Mary

Chapter 9: Fall Back Into You

Chapter 10: Out Of Practice

Chapter 11: Rest In Peace

Chapter 12: Everything

Chapter 13: Our Legacy

Chapter 14: The Red Snow

Chapter 15: The Unkillable

Epilogue

Midwest Alphas

Mailing List

BONUS NOVELLA: RUIN ME

RUIN ME Chapter 1 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 2 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 3 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 4 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 5 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 6 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 7 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 8 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 9 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 10 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 11 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 12 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 13 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 14 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 15 - Piper

Whispers From Tabatha

Copyright

UNDYING:

A BAD BOY MMA ROMANCE

MIDWEST ALPHAS | BOOK 3

by Tabatha Kiss

WARNING: This novel contains explicit descriptions of

erotic and sexual acts that some may find offensive,

including perverse adult language.

Reader discretion advised.

This is a work of fiction intended for mature audiences only.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

No characters engaging in sexual acts are blood related.

All sexual activity detailed within is consensual and

all participants are of legal age.

Text and Story Copyright © 2015 Tabatha Kiss

All Rights Reserved.

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Tabatha

Chapter 1

A Senseless Act Of Violence

“Tobias!”

I scream his name, even louder than before, but it still refuses reach his ears. My voice gets lost on the wind between us. I barely even hear it myself; a frustrating whisper amongst howling winds.

Blood stains the freshly fallen snow beneath his feet. I couldn’t tell you whom it belongs to. I wish I could. I wish I could say it was his and not Tobias’, but their bodies move with a blur, trading blows back and forth with quick precision.

“Tobias!”

I shout so hard, my throat aches. It’s only silence now. My voice is gone. My tears fall from my eyes. A dozen hands hold me back from him. They leave behind trails of blood on my skin and clothing. Their touch feels like acid. The more I struggle, the more it hurts.

I fall to my knees, weak and defeated, and watch as Tobias bleeds in front of me.

“Claire!”

I hear it. My name on the wind. But the sound isn’t coming from Tobias’ tongue.

The world goes black, plunged into infinite darkness. I feel the hands abandon my skin one-by-one. I dig my fingers into the ground to pull myself away from them, to stop their inevitable grip.

“Claire!”

“Tobias!”

I follow the voice. It sounds far more mutated than before, a mixture of tones I can’t quite decipher. I push up onto my feet and charge away, bolting towards him only to find myself locked away behind a cage. The metal is sharp and rusted. It digs into my fingers as I try to climb up, but the black hands are back to pull me down by my ankles.

I kick and struggle, but the atmosphere increases on me to keep me away from the sounds of fist against flesh behind the cage. I see their outlines, moving in and out of each other, almost fusing together in the darkness just to pull apart again.

Blood sprays my face, the drops warm and metallic upon my lips.

“Tobias!”

A pair of red-painted hands slam into the cage ahead of me and I see his face staring back at me.

Rick. My stepbrother.

His lips curl into a smile as the black hands pull me back down into the abyss.

***

“Claire!”

I jolt awake, feeling the hands wrapped around my shoulders. “No—!” I scream, kicking and pushing them away.

“Claire! Stop!” My mother’s voice fills my ears and she forces her arms around me to hold me still. “You’re having another nightmare.”

I look around my room. It’s still so unfamiliar to me. Gone is Mary’s vanity and her romance novels and her closet full of clothes that fit me. This place is bare and cold with thick curtains designed to keep out the bright sunlight and prying eyes.

“Claire…”

I pull away from her slowly. “I’m fine—” I whisper, kicking my comforter away. I look up at her. My bedside lamp casts shadows across her face that give away her emotions. She’s terrified of what I’ve become, and quite frankly, so am I. “I’m okay, Mom,” I say.

She shakes her head and her uncombed brunette hair — just like mine — tosses about her face. “No, honey…” she says, snatching my hands and turning them upward. “You’re not okay.”

I look down to see my palms have turned red; coated by a thin layer of my own blood. Tiny crescent shapes mark my palms, left there by my fingernails. I pull my hands free of her grasp and slide off the bed. “I’m fine,” I say again, convincing neither of us.

“This is the third time this week you’ve woken up screaming, Claire…” she says. “You are not okay.”

I ignore her and step into the hallway of our small apartment. The bathroom lights are bright and unforgiving on my tired eyes, but I power through it to hold my hands beneath the sink. Warm water tingles my skin as it washes the red down the white drain. I grit my teeth. Each water molecule rushes over the open wounds of my palm, sending shocks of pain up my wrist. I close my eyes but Rick’s bloody face fills my vision again.

I force them back open. There’s a fear in me, one far louder than any other sense, that urges me not to let him in. It’s almost supernatural. I know he’s only in my head, but I also know that if I gaze into the eyes of evil for too long, he’ll look back at me and smile.

“Tobias. Tobias. Tobias…” I repeat his name, whispering softly to myself to fill my head with his image instead. His black hair. His beautiful green eyes. His muscles and tattoos. The way life stood still in his arms. I hear the last words he said to me. I listen to his deep voice on repeat, using it as a soothing lullaby.

I promise, Claire. We will see each other again.

You’re always going to be my girl.

I haven’t heard his voice in six months.

“Claire...”

I turn the water off. “What?” I ask.

My mother opens her mouth to speak, but quickly closes it again as her eyes look me up and down. I stare at myself in the mirror. She’s probably right. I am not okay. My shirt is completely soaked through with sweat, clinging to my body as if I just walked out of the rain. I’m pale as a ghost and thin as a rail.

“You should try and get some more sleep,” she finally says.

I rip off a handful of toilet paper and dab my palms dry. The half-moons on my skin have stopped bleeding, but they still sting every time I bend my fingers. “Okay,” I say. I pass by her to return to my room, closing the door behind me.

I push a finger between the curtains to look down at the street below. Kansas City is a whole new world to me. The black roads shine with a thin layer of fresh ice, just teasing the existence of a late-autumn snowfall. I feel the cold seeping off the window pane, cooling my boiling skin and fogging up from the steady stream of my breath.

I thought leaving the farm would save me from living a life of fear, but it’s done the opposite. There are far too many unknown factors. The danger could be at my door and I’d never know until it was far too late. Tobias isn’t here to help me either. That’s the worst of it.

I miss Tobias more than I ever thought I would. I thought this would be over with by now. I thought Tobias and I would be back together. I thought Rick would be gone and life would be normal again. I thought my mother would be free and happy. Life is nothing like I thought it’d be by now.

I close the curtains as a car passes by. It’s a bad habit. I know that whomever is inside isn’t looking for me. They aren’t scanning the streets for my face. I know this. And yet… I can’t bring myself to make eye contact with those who pass. I can’t bring myself to step outside my door without a hat and sunglasses, just on the off chance the Double Ex Kings have taken the area. One of them will recognize me, tell Rick where I am, and we will have to run again.

My bed is cold and wet. I sit against my pillows and wrap my arms about my knees to hold them close for warmth. “Tobias. Tobias. Tobias…” I whisper his name over and over again, wishing that he’ll hear me. Sometimes, I think he does. Others, like now, I feel nothing but disappointing shivers dancing down my spine.

I grab a blanket and wrap it around my shoulders.

“Tobias. Tobias. Tobias…”

***

I bend over to retrieve my sheets from the community dryer. Their warmth tingles skin and I hold them up against my nose to smell the fresh scent of fabric softener on them. I always loved that smell. It reminds me of the house I grew up in. It was a much simpler time, one without the Midwest Alphas or Rick or Thomas.

Without Tobias.

I reach out with my foot to pull my laundry basket a little closer as I quickly fold the sheet into a smaller square. This neighborhood isn’t exactly the safest place to live. I don’t like being out of the apartment for very long, even if it is just to run down to the basement level to do laundry. I’ve interrupted a homeless man’s sleep on more than one occasion coming down here. They usually mutter something vulgar before climbing off the floor and rushing back out onto the street. I’ve tried to stop them, but they run off anyway. The basement is drafty and in much need of repair, but it’s warmer than a tunnel beneath a bridge.

I flinch as a mouse squeaks in the corner behind the washing machines and quickly bend down to snatch my laundry basket off the floor and hurry down the hall to the elevator.

Overall though, this isn’t a horrible place to live. Honestly, my mother and I have lived in far worse conditions. This is just a minor setback for us and she seems to have embraced the positive sides of it. She’s made friends with the old widow across the hall. Charlie even found her a job, one that didn’t mind paying her in cash to keep her name off the books.

Things could always get worse.

I open the front door to our apartment and step inside. My mother’s voice fills my ears, a quiet bit of laughter on her lips, just barely audible over the evening news filling the background noise on the living room television.

“Claire?”

I pause, hearing a second voice say my name. I close the door behind me with a quick kick backward and charge into the kitchen. “Charlie?” I whisper.

He sits at the kitchen table across from my mother. She’s poured him a cup of fresh coffee, still hot with wisps of steam rising over the rim. I drop the laundry basket to the floor and a smile strikes my lips, one of hope and relief.

“Hello,” he says as he stands up to meet me. I rush towards him and throw my arms around his torso. He chuckles softly in my ear. “I missed you, too, kid…”

I fill my nose with him, taking in the scent of his clothes and the house and the barn; all of it detectable on him. It all comes back to me, six months of degrading senses flood back to the forefront and tears bleed down my cheeks.

I pull back as dread fills my heart. “Tobias — is he okay? What’s wrong?”

Charlie shakes his head and holds my shoulders steady. “Tobias is fine,” he answers.

“Then what are you doing here?” I ask, my eyes searching his face and my mother’s expression — anything that’ll give me some hint of what’s going on.

“I got in touch with him this morning,” my mother says.

“Why?” I ask. Getting in touch with Charlie isn’t exactly easy anymore. First, it involves my mother calling an old cop friend of his in Kansas City. Then, he contacts Bradley Jones, Amy’s father, in town back home and then he passes the message on to Charlie. Needless to say, the system is meant only to be used for dire emergencies.

She stands up from the table and walks over to me. “I thought you could use someone to talk to…”

I furrow my brow in confusion. “You didn’t have to call him for that — not that I’m not happy to see you, Charlie — but…” I say, smiling at him.

“Yes, I did,” she insists. “I know my limits, Claire. What you’re going through, well…” she reaches out and pushes some stray hairs behind my ear, “it’s not something I’m equipped to help you with. But most of all, you need a friend and you’re sure as hell not going to find one around here.”

I nod, glancing between them. “Thank you…”

“I’ll be in the living room.” She dismisses herself, pausing to kiss my head before leaving.

I look at Charlie again. “Is Tobias really okay?”

“Yes,” he nods. He turns around and wanders back to his seat at the table.

I take my mother’s seat across from him. “Are you sure?” Images flash in my mind, memories of my blood-splattered dreams.

“I didn’t come here to talk about Tobias,” he says.

“I know,” I say. “I just… I need to know what’s going on over there.”

Charlie takes a quick sip of his coffee. “Well, from what he’s told me, they’ve made some progress taking back their territory.”

“Really?” I ask, hopeful.

“Lily and Pike have managed to weed out what members of the Alphas remained loyal and which ones didn’t.”

“How many were there?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know for sure, but it was more than they anticipated. There may still be some left they don’t know about…”

I sigh. Pike said there were many. I’d hoped he was wrong. “And Rick?” I ask. “Where’s he now?”

He hesitates. “They still don’t know.”

“Coward…” I whisper beneath my breath.

“You’ll just have to be a little more patient, okay?” he says. “I know you want to come back home and, believe me, I want you there more than anyone, but until then… you need to stay put.”

I chuckle. “You sound like Tobias.”

“He’s not wrong.” His eyes flick up and down. “More than anything, you need to stop worrying about all of this and start taking better care of yourself.”

“I’m fine,” I say quickly.

“If you were, your mother never would have contacted me,” he points out. “She’s worried about you and, quite frankly, I am, too, now that I’ve seen you.”

I pull the long sleeves of my jacket down to cover my palms. “I keep…” My tongue twitches. “I keep having these dreams. Dreams about Tobias. He’s not safe.”

Charlie reaches out and places his hands on mine. “Claire, Tobias can handle this,” he assures me. “You and I have to believe that or else we’ll both lose our heads.”

I look into his eyes. He has the same eyes as his son’s, deep tunnels of jade green. I cling to them now for comfort, but it’s not the same. “I miss him so much…”

“I know,” he says. “He misses you, too.”

“Does he know you’re here now?”

“No,” he says, sitting back in his chair. “Whether I tell him or not is up to you. Right now, he thinks you’re fine and he can maintain his focus on ending this situation.”

“But if you tell him how I really am…” I say. “He’ll get worried.”

“Exactly.”

Lies. My life is so full of lies now, I can hardly tell what’s truth and what’s not. Even now, between Charlie and myself, I have to be careful about what I say. When I told Tobias what Pike told me the night of the last tournament, it nearly destroyed him. Lillian Tombs, the head Dame of the Midwest Alphas, his mother’s old friend, was directly involved in covering up his sister’s death. We didn’t even want to imagine what Charlie would do with that information, so we agreed to keep it to ourselves.

“You shouldn’t tell him,” I say, meeting his eyes again. “He doesn’t need to know—”

“Claire—?”

I look over my shoulder. “What is it, Mom?”

“Come here. Now.”

I slide off my chair and step into the living room. Charlie follows close behind me, responding to the intense urgency of my mother’s tone. We find her on the couch, her eyes locked on the television screen in the corner.

“Isn’t this…?”

I follow her gaze and instantly recognize the bright neon lights of Lillian’s nightclub on the screen.

A reporter stares back at me, her eyes gently flicking back and forth as she reads the cue cards with a stiff voice. “Bad news out of St. Louis this evening as one of their most popular nightspots has officially been shut down following the death of its owner, a local woman named Lillian Tombs.”

I place my hands on the couch in front of me to keep from falling over.

Lillian Tombs is dead.

“The club has officially been labeled a crime scene as the police comb it for evidence.” A photo of Lillian’s face fills the screen, showing off her thick smile and long, crayon-red hair. My gut wrenches. “The local authorities have refused to comment further on the details surrounding her death, except to say that it was a senseless act of violence.”

“My god…” my mother mutters, clutching her chest. “That’s horrible.”

I see anger in Charlie’s eyes, no doubt matching my own.

We both know who did this and we both know why.

The war has officially begun.

Chapter 2

This Is My Home

I turn around and walk back into the kitchen. When my mother and I went into hiding, Charlie instructed us to memorize important phone numbers. If things went bad, we may not have to luxury of grabbing our little black books to take along with us and we aren’t allowed to have cell phones anymore. There were four numbers I committed to memory: Charlie’s, Tobias’, Amy’s, and finally, Rick’s.

I’m not entirely sure why. I guess it was a play from Lillian’s book. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

I grab the land line phone off the wall.

“Claire, what are you doing?”

I ignore Charlie’s voice as I dial the number with shaking fingers. It rings softly, each tone bringing me closer to a full-on heart attack.

“Hello, Claire.”

His voice. I’d almost forgotten how dark it sounds. “Rick, what have you done?”

A chuckle falls off his lips. “I thought it would get your attention.”

Charlie steps into my eye line. “Claire, hang up the phone…” I turn away from him, refusing to follow orders.

“Is that Uncle Charlie I hear?” Rick asks. “Tell him I said hello.”

“This isn’t funny, Rick…” I shake my head. “Why did you do this?”

“I wanted to send you a message,” he answers. “Come home. Now.”

“Never.”

“Claire,” he sighs, “you’re going to want to reconsider that.”

“No, I’m never coming back to you, Rick,” I seethe. I feel Charlie’s hand on my shoulder, but again, I ignore it and listen very closely to Rick’s low voice.

“You can stay in your protective bubble if that’s what you want, but I highly doubt you’ll last.”

I quiver at the threat. “Why?”

“Because I will kill every single Alpha Dame in the entire state until you come home,” he answers, his voice firm as stone. “One-by-one, I will hunt them down. Their blood will be on your hands, Claire.”

A tear rolls down my cheek. “You’re insane, Rick.”

“I’m in love.”

“This isn’t love,” I argue. “You don’t know the first thing about love.”

“Oh, but I know everything about you,” he whispers. “I know that you’ll never forgive yourself if you let this happen. You may not care so much about Lillian Tombs, but what about Amy Jones?”

“Leave her alone—”

“I will,” he says. “I give you my word. Just come back to me and I won’t lay a finger on anyone else — including Tobias.”

Tobias. I lean forward to rest my head against the wall. “This isn’t fair…” I whisper.

“I think you’ll make the right decision here, Claire.”

The line goes dead and I drop the phone. It dangles from its cord, gently tapping against the wall beneath the receiver.

“Claire?”

I don’t move. I can’t move a muscle — other than the violent shaking racing through my nerves.

I could hear it in his voice. That determination. Rick is telling the truth. He’s already killed Lillian Tombs. There’s nothing to stop him from going after Veronica or Amy. Even Kimi and Lisa are at risk.

It’s my life or theirs.

“Charlie…” I turn around and wipe the tears off my cheeks. “It’s time to go home.”

He looks at me with hesitation. “Claire, you can’t leave—”

“I have to.”

“What did he say to you?”

I open my mouth to answer, but then I quickly bite my tongue. “It doesn’t matter,” I say. “I have to see Tobias tonight.”

“You are not going,” he says.

“Either you take me back with you or I catch the first bus out of town,” I say. “No, Charlie. It’s time for me to come home.”

He sighs. “There’s a right thing to do and a wrong thing to do. Are you sure you’re making the right choice?”

I blink and Rick’s blood-covered eyes flash open. “Yes,” I say. It’s not just the Alpha Dames I’m worried about. Rick has shown his true colors. He’s just as willing to kill as Tobias was. He won’t back down. He won’t give up. I don’t want this to end with me lying in a pool of blood, dragged down into the abyss after watching my friends and lover die. “I can’t just sit here and watch while my friends get hurt.”

“I understand that,” he says, “but—”

“Charlie, please…” I beg. “It’s not right for me to stay here, especially not when I can stop it.” I move away from him and turn towards the hall to my room. “I won’t have any more blood on my hands.”

I hate agreeing with Rick, but he’s right about that. Lillian’s death is my fault, as is the rest of this damn situation. For the first time in months, I feel a sense of control. A sense of purpose. I can’t hide in the dark anymore. I can’t sit back and wait for others to solve my problems. Rick is my problem. He always has been. It’s time I take responsibility for that.

But I have to see Tobias one last time before I do.

I pack my suitcase quickly, grabbing only the most necessary of items to take with me, a rather easy feat considering what little I own nowadays.

“Claire…”

I pause, hearing my mother’s voice in the doorway. “Everything is going to be okay, Mom,” I say, lying right to her face.

She doesn’t believe a word of it, but she forces a half-smile anyway. “I know there’s nothing I can say that will change your mind, but…” She steps into the room and closes the gap between us. “Please be careful — and mind Charlie. Do as he says.”

“I will,” I nod. I step closer and wrap my arms around her. “You should still be safe here. Rick can’t trace that call, even if he tried.”

She nods and trembles as a sob rushes through her body. “I love you, honey.”

“I love you, too, Mom.”

As we walk back into the living room, I hear Charlie’s voice. “Yes, I know…” He looks at me and holds a finger to his lips, signaling for me to keep silent. “Will you be coming home tonight?”

Tobias. I can just barely hear his voice on the other side, a light muttering on the wind.

Charlie eyes me again. “I would strongly recommend you do,” he says into the phone. “I’ve got something waiting for you.”

I listen closely, hoping to hear Tobias’ response, but I can’t make out any words.

“All right,” Charlie says before he hangs up.

“You didn’t tell him,” I note.

He gently shakes his head and chuckles. “Oh, I’m staying out of this one…” he says. He points to my suitcase. “That all you need?”

“It’s all I have.”

“Let’s get going then. We have a long drive home.”

***

I step into the dark barn and fill my lungs with the familiar scent. When I first arrived here, a bruised and broken city kid of seventeen, I hated this smell. It’s quite putrid and stale and that’s never changed, but after several weeks of milking the cows and falling for Tobias Eastwood within its walls, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest anymore.

My eyes scan the shadow-covered walls, each one home of another memory of my time here. I smile at the hay bales, stacked in every corner, the site of quite a few of mine and Tobias’ secret trysts. The three cows — Doris, Betty, and Gloria — sit in their pins against the back wall. I step over to them and take turns petting the hair behind their ears before I glide over to the punching bag hanging from the ceiling in back corner. The rubber is smooth and cold from the incoming winter. I curl my fingers into a fist and playfully tap it with my knuckles. A warm sensation crawls up my arm. I’ve forgotten how much I missed this.

Tobias’ motorbike is missing. Charlie said he’s been gone for two nights, but he’s stayed in touch via text messages until the call he received before we left Kansas City. I try to imagine what he’s doing, but I haven’t been able to get a clear picture of that in months. Not since the day I last saw him, right in the spot I’m standing in now.

I reach out and pull my small, black helmet off a hook near the door. It’s still shiny and new, without a scratch on it. Not even a speck of dust. I smile. Tobias must be keeping it clean for me, waiting for the day he’ll come find me. I push up onto my toes and hang it back on the wall.

I climb the ladder to the loft with freezing fingers. The nights have gotten colder, but that never stopped me before from climbing to the top and watching the orange sunsets last year. The sun is long gone now, leaving the moon to do its work, but I wrap my coat a little tighter around me and sit down on the fragile hay bale near the window anyway.

Home.

That’s what this feeling is. I felt it the moment the farmhouse came into view. This is my home. It feels good to be back now, even if it is only temporary.

I reach into my pocket and grab my phone to turn it on for the first time in six months. Once again, I’ve grown accustomed to not having this thing on me and I don’t even think I missed it. Charlie kept it for me here during my absence and I asked for it back as soon as we arrived, although I’m not quite sure why. The screen lights up and five missed calls pop up, each one with a voicemail from Rick. I swipe my thumb across the screen and delete each of them one-by-one without listening.

My ears twitch at the distant growl. It grows louder with each passing second, inching closer and closer up the driveway.

Tobias. He’s back. I could go a hundred years without hearing his motorbike and I’d still recognize it if it suddenly whooshed by me. My heart starts racing in my chest. I want to stand up and rush down the ladder, but I can’t bring myself to move. He’s here. I’ve pictured this moment every day for months, never really knowing exactly how long I’d have to wait. That unending time line has now been drastically reduced to thirty seconds.

The motorbike stops just outside the barn and I hear the sound of Tobias’ boots on the gravel driveway below. I sit still, shaking quietly to myself, as he pushes his motorbike through the open door and flicks the light switch on above him.

He wanders in with his head down while he leans the bike against the wall. I say nothing, absolutely frozen in the moment. He lifts his helmet off his head and his jet black hair tumbles free. It’s grown at least an inch since I last saw him and sits just above his eyebrows. He lays the helmet down on the bike’s seat, completely oblivious to me. I watch him, my tongue tapping the roof of my mouth, entranced by those stunningly handsome features that almost faded from my memory. There’s a bright, red bruise healing just above his left eye. I see it on his knuckles, too; those familiar juts of purple and black remnants of a fight.

“Where’d you get all the bruises?” I ask.

Tobias jolts and exhales a heavy breath. His eyes dart upward to look at me. “Claire?” His voice cracks, full of relief and surprise and anger.

I stand up. “Hey, Tobias.”

He rushes forward and climbs the ladder, pulling himself up to the loft in no more than a second. “Claire—” He pulls me closer and embraces me, holding me hard against his taut body. I cling to him with quivering hands, refusing to let go. I feel his heart beating in his chest, a rapid pace to meet my own. “What the hell are you doing here?” he growls in my ear, still holding me close.

I open my mouth to answer, but I can’t speak as every single one of my senses overloads. My vision blurs. His voice turns into a distant echo. My skin tingles. My nose twitches as the memory of his scent finally comes back to me. “Tobias…” I whisper, barely holding in my ecstatic tears.

He pulls back and lays his hands on my cheeks. “You can’t be here now…”

“I had to—”

“You need to get out of here, Claire.”

I shake my head in his hands. “No.”

He begs me with his green eyes. “Why did you even come back?”

“I had to,” I say again. “I saw what happened to Lillian—”

“And you wanted the same thing to happen to you?”

“No,” I argue. “I didn’t want the same thing to happen to you.”

He furrows his brow. “You—”

“Sorry to interrupt your little reunion…” I look down to see Pike standing in the barn doorway. The Punisher himself. I never thought I’d see him anywhere near Charlie’s farm, but here he is. He leans against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. “Hello, Claire.”

I cringe at the sound of his voice. Tobias drops his hands and takes a frustrated step away from me. “Hello, Pike,” I greet.

“You picked a heck of a night to come back…” he notes.

“She’s not staying,” Tobias says, his voice firm and final.

I look at him and my heart breaks.

“Well, it’s not all bad,” Pike says, pushing off the wall. “You arrived just in time for the big meeting.”

“What big meeting?” I ask.

“You’re not going,” Tobias says, staring me down.

Pike tilts his head. “I actually think a special appearance from Claire would do the Dames a bit of good, Tobias.”

“I don’t care.”

“Well, it’s the twenty-first century and she is still an Alpha Dame, so I’d say it’s up to her.” Pike grins back at Tobias before shifting his eyes towards me. “What do you say, Claire? Want to get the band back together?”

I look to Tobias, but he avoids my gaze. It’s not the reaction I expected out of him. I thought he wanted to see me again. I thought he wanted me back in his arms. I guess I was wrong. I turn away from him and climb down the ladder. “What kind of meeting?” I ask Pike as I reach the bottom.

“A gathering of minds,” he says, a shadow crossing his face. “It’s obvious what happened to Lillian wasn’t random.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I know how close you two were.”

He nods with sincerity. “Thank you.”

Tobias climbs halfway down the ladder before taking the rest of the trip with a short jump to the ground. He passes around us without saying a word and I push forward to have to his ear.

“You’re just going to let Pike into our house?” I ask him. He doesn’t answer. “Does Charlie know about—”

“No,” Tobias says, barely glancing back at me. “And he never will.”

“Tobias, that’s—”

“The way it is.”

I pause my stride, shocked by the sudden force of his words. Pike walks around me, following Tobias up the porch stairs and into the house. I stand still in the cold, dark air, watching the two of them walk together. It’s almost as if they don’t have a brutal history. Here they are, working together like nothing ever happened; like Pike wasn’t involved in the death of Tobias’ sister, like Pike didn’t stab Tobias at the request of my stepbrother and, if he is to be believed, the late Lillian Tombs.

Tobias never would have fallen into this situation if it weren’t for me.

At least now I have the power to end it.

Chapter 3

Our Fearless Leader

“Claire?!”

Amy runs through the living room and throws her arms around my neck before I have the chance to take a breath. She squeezes me tightly and I feel the last of my air expel from my lungs. “Hey…” I wheeze. I catch sight of Ryan walking in behind her and I smile. No contact with anyone meant no contact with Amy. I’d hoped the two of them would find a way to make their star-crossed relationship work, and by the looks of it, it seems they have.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?!” she screams in my ear and pulls back to look at me. “How long have you been back? Are you okay? You look great! Are you dieting? Tell me everything.”

“Okay—” I laugh, taking a quick breath to keep from passing out. “One question at a time, please.” I glance her up and down, taking note of everything that’s changed about her. She’s obviously been experimenting with a curling iron, as her long, blonde locks lie about her head in perfect spirals. “I’m fine. I just got back a few hours ago.”

“And your mom?” she asks. “How is she?”

“She’s good,” I answer with a nod. “She’s still back in—” I bite my tongue, “where we were.”

Her eyes grow wide. “Are you back for good? Please tell me you are, because I miss you like crazy.”

I chuckle and my eyes fall on Tobias across the room. He stands near the front door with his arms crossed and his head down, although it’s obvious his ears are laser-focused on us. “We’ll see,” I answer.

Ryan takes a closer step in and extends his hand. “Good to see you, Claire,” he says. I offer my palm and he gives it a delicate shake. “And she’s not lying about that last part. She’s been miserable without you.”

I look at her and smile as she nods her head up and down. “I missed her, too,” I say as I pull her back in for another hug. I gaze over her shoulder at Tobias and we lock eyes. It would have been nice if our reunion went like this one, but Tobias is determined to make this as horrible as possible for some reason.

Pike travels in from the kitchen and sits down near the coffee table. “Now that Amy has decided to show up, we can get started,” he mutters with bite towards her. “As you all have heard; Lillian Tombs is dead.”

It’s sudden and blunt, but that’s Pike for you. I look around the living room at the other Dames. Each of them sit on the brink of tears, especially Veronica. She stands up from her seat next to Pike as soon as the words fall off his lips. Kimi and Lisa sit on the couch together, wrapped together under a blanket to fight the cold. Ryan towers above Amy with his arm draped around her. Heather, for obvious reasons, was not invited tonight. And then there’s Charlie, the watchful guardian leaning against the kitchen doorway. My entire life is in this room, with the obvious exception of my mother. Rick knows that and he’ll surely use them to get to me.

Veronica paces in front of the fireplace, drawing her long, white coat tighter around her. “And we’re sure it was the Kings?”

“The cops are keeping the details quiet,” Pike says, “but I’ve got friends in low places.”

“How did she die?”

I cringe.

He clears his throat. “She was stabbed — in the back.” A tear falls from Veronica’s cheek, but she quickly wipes it away. “But that’s not the worst thing…”

“What else could there possibly be?” Amy asks.

“Well… during their search of the club, they easily stumbled upon a rather odd-looking venue…”

“They found the arena,” I say.

“Along with every record Lillian kept on every single fight in Midwest Alpha history.”

“So, that means they know who we are.” Amy says, her voice shaking.

Pike shakes his head. “No,” he answers. “Lillian had the foresight not to include names, just code words that only she knew the meaning of, but we can safely assume all arenas have been outed — so stay away from them. The cops on her payroll won’t help us none. They’d just deny they knew anything and we have no way of proving otherwise.”

“Did she have family?” The tiny voice squeaks out from under the blanket and Lisa clears her dry throat. “I mean… is someone handling her funeral?”

I turn to Pike, probably the only person in this room that knew her well enough to answer that question.

“No,” he says. “She didn’t have any family.”

“I’ll do it,” Charlie says.

Pike looks at him, but quickly turns away. “All right,” he says.

Silence falls on the room. There’s a single deduction to be made here, but none of us want to say it out loud. It pains me to think of it, as I credit the existence of the Midwest Alphas and the Dames as giving my life a fresh purpose. Nothing last forever, I suppose.

“So, that’s it then…” Veronica drops her hands to her sides. “The Alphas are done.”

Pike holds up a finger. “I wouldn’t go that far just yet…”

“Seems pretty cut and dry to me,” she argues.

“Then you obviously never gave a shit about the Alphas in the first place,” he says, his narrow eyes locked on her face.

“Lillian’s dead. The arenas are gone. No fighter will ever agree to fight for us again and any ally leagues we have won’t dare risk exposing themselves as well, especially after news of a police raid gets around.” She looks at each of us. “It’s time to fold our hands.”

Amy takes a step forward. “What’s your idea, Pike? You’ve obviously got a trick up your sleeve.”

“No trick,” he says. “Just muscle.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning…” Tobias pushes off the wall and steps forward, his voice drawing every eye and ear in the room. “We appoint a new leader and we keep fighting.” I sense the exhaustion in his tone, mixed with hesitation, but I say nothing of it.

Veronica breathes a heavy laugh. “You’re joking…”

“I suppose that means you won’t be volunteering,” Pike quips.

“Of course not!” She rolls her eyes. “There’s no damn point.”

“I beg to differ.” He stands up from his chair. “Lillian would have done the same.”

“And Lillian’s dead — just like you’ll all be if you keep resisting the Kings.”

“Sounds to me like you’ve already given up, Veronica.”

“I booked a plane ticket the second I found out about Lillian,” she admits. “I just came out here tonight to urge the rest of you to do the same.”

He shakes his head. “Is this how you repay her?”

“Repay her?”

“Yeah, repay her. You and I both know what she did for you, so don’t sit there and tell me you don’t owe her anything.” Veronica falls silent. “Lillian was no saint, but she deserves to have her legacy protected.”

“But at what cost?” she asks, her voice small and broken. “Our lives? No, I refuse to die for this.”

“She’s right.” The words fall off my lips, passing directly through any filter I have. “No one deserves to die over this. It’s why I came back here. I can stop it…” Tobias takes a quick step forward, but pauses just as fast.

“What do you mean, Claire?” Amy asks.

“I…” My tongue ties in knots. I look to Tobias, regretting that I didn’t tell him about this before, but he didn’t give me much choice. “I spoke with Rick—”

“You what?” he spits.

“He told me he killed Lillian,” I continue on, ignoring his interruption. “He killed her as a warning… said that he was going to hunt down the Dames one-by-one, unless…”

Veronica heaves a sigh of impatience. “Unless what?”

“Unless I go back to him,” I finally say. “It’s why I came home… I won’t let any of you get hurt because of me.”

“Claire…” Tobias speaks my name slowly, anger boiling in his voice.

“Well, there you have it then,” Veronica shrugs. “Claire takes one for the team and life returns to normal. Sounds perfect.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Tobias says to her.

“So you’d risk all of our lives to keep your little girlfriend?” she asks. “Fuck that.”

Kimi stands up slowly, letting the blanket fall off her shoulders. “I mean… if Claire is willing to go, then why not?”

“I don’t want to die for this,” Lisa adds. “No offense, Claire…”

“Hand her over to the Kings,” Veronica says. “It’s the best thing for all of us.”

My skin burns from their stares. They eye me like a pack of hyenas, ravenous for a delicious gazelle.

Tobias takes a step forward and shifts around to stand before me; my fierce protector. “If any of you try to give her up, I will kill you myself,” he growls.

“Whoa, now—” Ryan throws up his hands. “Tobias, think about this. It’s her or everyone—”

Amy spins towards him. “Excuse me?!” she shouts.

“Amy, I’m just saying we should all get to vote on this. I’m thinking about you here,” he argues.

“And that train of thought leads you towards betraying my best friend?! I don’t think so.”

“Amy—”

“No, Ryan.” She takes a step back. “That’s not how we do things here.” She turns to me and grabs my hands. “I won’t let you go through with this, Claire. It’s insane. Rick is crazy and the last thing I’ll let you do is give up a life you’ve worked so hard to build. I’m siding with Tobias on this one. You’re not going anywhere.”

It warms my heart plenty, but I know it won’t matter in the end.

Veronica sighs. “Then I’ll be in Tahiti. Or Paris. Or fucking Hong Kong, because I will not have a knife shoved in my back over her.” She charges for the front door without another word.

A short silence falls on the room. Kimi and Lisa shift awkwardly, eying each other, until Lisa finally steps forward. “Sorry…” she mutters before turning around and following Veronica outside. Kimi does the same with tears in her eyes, but she can’t bring herself to say anything.

Tobias shifts on his feet and stares across the room at Pike. “And you?” he asks. “Where do you stand?”

Pike raises an eyebrow, amused by Tobias’ show of dominance. He looks at me. “Claire and I had a deal. As far as I’m concerned, that hasn’t changed. She kept up her end and I’ll keep mine.”

Tobias turns around to face me and his green eyes turn black. “You’re not going back to him.”

“It’s not up for debate or vote,” I say. “I’ve already made this decision, Tobias.”

“I don’t accept that.”

“That’s strange, considering how bummed out you’ve been since the moment you saw me tonight. It’s like you don’t even want me around!”

“Of course I want you around, Claire — but more than anything, I want you alive.”

“I wasn’t alive, Tobias! Being out there, unable to see you or know what was going on or even help, it was killing me!”

“We both agreed that sending you away was the right thing to do,” he argues. “It was torture for me, too, but you agreed to stay away until all of this was finished!”

“Yes, and I found a way to finish it, so I came back to say goodbye to you—” My voice breaks. I drop my eyes to the floor, my cheeks burning with thick emotion.

He pauses, unable to respond. Finally, he turns and steps away from me. I look up, feeling the staring eyes of everyone else in the room.

“Claire…” Charlie ends the silence. “May I have a word with you?”

Shit.

I’ve heard this tone before. It’s his I’m disappointed in you tone and it burns more than Tobias’ stunned silence. “Yeah,” I mutter.

Charlie guides me into the kitchen and lowers his voice to conceal his words from the others. “So, earlier when you told me it didn’t matter what Rick said to you, what you really meant was—”

“I didn’t want you to worry about me, Charlie.”

“You’re damn right I’m worried about you, Claire,” he whispers. “You are my family.” He points into the living room. “They are your family and you should listen to what they have to say before you do something that I think you’re going to regret.”

“I don’t want them to get hurt,” I argue. “Especially not because of me.”

“What we are willing to do for you shouldn’t be your concern right now.”

“Then what should I be concerned about?”

“A team is its best when everyone has something at stake,” he answers. “Something to fight for. Every person in that room has something to lose from all of this and you giving up will forfeit everything they’ve worked so hard to protect.”

“But they’ll be alive, Charlie.”

“Well…” he sighs. “Some fates are worse than death and if you ask me, you’re walking into one of them.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but…” My words fail me. Deep down, I know he’s right. I know he’s wiser than I’ll ever be and he’s been through his fair share of torment already in his life. Losing me would add to that, I can see it in his eyes. He’s lost one daughter already. He won’t lose another one.

I walk back into the living room. Each of them sit silently with their heads down, their eyes barely exchanging glances. I look at Pike, our fearless leader, although just thinking about that makes me cringe a little. “So, what do we do?” I ask him.

He shrugs. “Not sure yet. Obviously, we recruit some muscle to look after the others. Rick won’t care if they’ve chosen to separate themselves from this; they’re fair game. Then, we go from there.”

“We don’t do anything,” Tobias interjects, his eyes on me. “You are leaving. Tonight.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Claire—”

“No, Tobias. I’m staying whether you like it or not.”

“You can’t be here, Claire. Please.”

“Fine,” I say. “You don’t want me around? Then I’ll go.” I walk over to Amy. “Do you mind?”

“Sure,” she says, reading my face. “Ryan lives with me. He’ll watch over us.” She looks at him with a raised brow. “Right?”

“No problem,” he answers.

“We should go now,” I say. “Not much else to be said tonight…” I glance over my shoulder at Charlie as I walk to the front door and grab my coat off the rack. “If you need me, I’ll be at Amy’s.”

“Claire!” Tobias shouts after me, but I don’t stop my stride. Anger pushes me forward, tears teasing my eyes with each step I take away from him.

Something has changed, something I can’t bare to say out loud or else it becomes true.

The Alpha has lost his Dame.

Chapter 4

Goodbye To You

I glance around Amy’s apartment; a stunning loft located near the central square, just a block or two away from the grocery store where she works. I’ve always been in love with it. It reminds me of the inside of a genie’s bottle, with vibrant, red curtains and matching decorations, each one perfectly placed on the walls and shelves. It’s all very Amy — if that’s the best way to describe it. Now, there’s a bit of Ryan scattered about with his collection of action movies stacked near the television and his familiar, black hoodie hanging on the back of the door. His essence stands out, but offers the perfect complement to Amy’s brand of quirkiness.

A Christmas tree stands in the corner. There’s already a stack of large, wrapped gifts underneath it. With everything that’s been going on, I haven’t even realized that it’s the middle of the holiday season.

“I don’t have an extra room or anything,” Amy says as she sips up the last drops of wine in her glass. “But this couch…” She rubs her fingers in a circular motion on the cushion next to her. “This couch is comfy as fuck.”

I chuckle from my seat at the other end. “It can’t be any worse then what I’ve been used to lately.”

“Yeah—” she pokes. “And where was that…?”

“Amy…” Ryan passes by the back of the couch as he makes his way over to the windows. He’s done this every half-hour or so to give the streets below a quick glance over for any suspicious activity, especially since he found out Amy is on Rick’s hit list. “You know she can’t tell you that.”

“Oh, come on!” she whines. “Can I at least have a hint?”

I shake my head, feeling defeated by her puppy dog eyes. “Fine. I was still in Missouri.” I point at her. “That’s all you get!”

She holds up her hands. “I can live with that.” I can see the wheels in her head spinning as she silently attempts to figure out the most likely location.

I laugh and take a drink from my wine glass. Sure, I’m still technically under the legal drinking age, but after tonight, I deserve one glass of liquid comfort.

“And…” Ryan pauses behind me with fidgeting hands. “Claire, I’m really sorry about earlier...”

“Say no more—” I interrupt. “You were just trying to protect Amy. I can’t fault you for that.”

“Thanks.”

Amy points a stern finger at him. “Don’t do it again!”

“I’ve learned my lesson,” he grins, traveling back to the window. “Chivalry is dead.”

“That’s right!” she slurs back. “I will chival myself from now on.”

I laugh at their banter, feeling the slight pain of nostalgia. I feel that pull, the one that signals I’m where I was meant to be all along.

“Uh, Claire…” Ryan turns to me from his spot by the window. “I believe you have a visitor.”

I push off the couch and join him by the window. “Who?” He leans away, but holds the curtain open for me while I look down at the street below. “Ahh, jeez…” Tobias sits on his motorbike across the street. His eyes peer back and forth along the road, watching and waiting for whatever may come.

“Who is it?” Amy comes up behind me and peeks over my shoulder. “Is that Toby?”

“Yeah…”

“What’s he doing?”

“He’s been there awhile,” Ryan admits. “I thought he would have left by now…”

“How long?” I ask.

“A couple of hours.” Ryan backs away from the window. “Want me to go talk to him?”

Tobias’ warm breath turns to a white puff as he exhales into the cold air around him. Part of me is touched that he’d think to guard the street outside for several hours in the cold, but another, far stronger, part is still annoyed with him from earlier. “No,” I say. “I’ll do it.”

“You sure?”

“I can handle it.” I reach for my jacket, tossed over the back of the couch. “Thanks though.” I pull open the front door and walk down the three flights of stairs to the street exit.

Tobias notices me as soon as I step outside, but he doesn’t move. He just watches as I step towards him. His cheeks have turned pink in the cold, along with his exposed, bruised fingertips.

I pull my jacket tighter as a chill wind blows passed my face. The smell of winter tingles my nose, hinting at an incoming snow. I pause just short of his bike. “Tobias, what are you doing out here?”

He licks his lips. “I’m watching over you.”

“Yeah, I can see that. You should go home. It’s cold out here. Ryan is more than capable of—”

“I don’t trust him,” he says quickly.

I chuckle. “Fair enough. But you should get some sleep. It’s late.”

“I can’t sleep if I don’t know you’re safe.”

“I am safe here, Tobias.”

He says nothing as his eyes once again scan the vacant street around us. It pains me to see him this way. Being away was utter torture for me, but it wasn’t like that for him. Knowing that I was outside of Rick’s reach gave him a sense of calm. It let him keep his focus. Now that I’m back, steady and focused Tobias is gone.

I believe he and I are stronger together than we are apart. I have to make him see that, too.

“Fine.” I reach out, gesturing for his helmet sitting behind him on the bike. He grabs it and hands it to me. “Take me somewhere you think I’ll be safe.”

“What?”

I pull the heavy helmet down onto my head. “Take me somewhere safe, Tobias.”

He stares at me for a brief moment before nodding. “All right.”

I slide onto the bike behind him and the engine revs beneath us.

***

We ride for twenty minutes before Tobias pulls into the parking lot of a small, secluded motel just off the highway. He pays in cash and gives the woman working the desk a fake name to register under. It’s drastic, but necessary. I can’t imagine the Double Ex Kings have eyes and ears in this area — quite literally the middle of nowhere — but Tobias won’t leave any loose thread dangling.

He takes my hand and I follow him back outside and down the long line of identical doors. His eyes wander the parking lot, each sitting car a possible threat to my existence. I want to tell him to relax, that he can put his guard down for a moment, but I bite my tongue instead.

Tobias pushes the key into the lock and opens the door for me. We walk inside and while I slide my coat off my shoulders, he takes one last look into the dark parking lot and locks the door.

It’s your standard, boring motel room. I’m not sure who decided every single one of them should look the same, but that’s just the way it is. One large bed with an old chair near the window and a small, wobbly table. An old television sits atop a small chest of drawers. I flick on the lamp next to the bed and sit down while Tobias inspects the bathroom.

“I highly doubt Rick has an assassin hiding out in the bathroom, Tobias,” I point out as he returns to the room.

He eyes me with subtle amusement. “Better safe than sorry,” he mutters before walking to the window. He pulls the curtains closed and plants himself in the chair next to them. “You should get some sleep.”

I kick off my shoes and lie back onto the overly thick pillows. My eyelids feel heavy. It hasn’t even been a whole day since my mother woke me up from a screaming fit, but it feels much longer than that. My palms still sting as the dark crescent shapes form black scabs. I never thought then that by the end of the next day, I’d be with Tobias again.

I open my eyes to find him sitting forward in the chair. His fingers gently push the curtains open and he eyes the world outside — especially the station wagon passing by in the parking lot — with great suspicion. “Tobias, lie down with me.”

He pauses, then shakes his head. “I have to keep watch for—”

“Tobias…” I roll onto my side to prop my head up, resting it lightly against my hand. “I’m safe here, remember? You brought me out here because you thought it would be safe. And look — there’s a big lock on the door and I have my trusty bodyguard by my side.”

“Lillian had bodyguards,” he says, refusing to budge.

“She didn’t have you,” I point out. “Please, Tobias. You can resume being my brave and determined Alpha in the morning. Right now, I need my boyfriend.”

His lips curl, but he tries to fight it. “That’s not fair…”

“It wasn’t supposed to be.” I hold out my hand to him. “Come here. Please.”

Tobias sighs, hesitating for a moment longer before he finally stands and lowers himself down onto the bed beside me. He slides his boots off and they tumble to the floor with soft thumps. I lean back again as he moves in closer and balances himself on his right side next to me. His body heat toys with my skin, the sensation only increasing as he entwines his fingers with mine. He brings my cold hand to his lips. “I’m not going to convince you to leave, am I?”

“You’re certainly welcome to try,” I tease. “But no.”

He leaves the smallest of kisses on my knuckles. “Then do me a favor and promise me that you won’t leave my side. Not even for a moment.”

I bite my lip, feeling the twinge of guilt inside. “Tobias… I can’t make any promises here. This might not end the way we want it to end. The other Dames are—”

“We can protect them.”

“What if we can’t? If another person dies, it’s on my hands. Lillian is already on my hands—”

“Claire, I won’t let him take you from me.” I pause, feeling the full intensity of his words. “Do you remember what you told me? You said you’d never say goodbye to me. That goes both ways.”

“Tobias—”

“I will not say goodbye to you, Claire.”

I close my eyes as subtle pain rushes through me. “Then what do we do?”

He brings his hand to my cheek. “We figure it out tomorrow…”

I open my eyes again as he leans in closer to brush his lips against mine, teasing a kiss I so badly need.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow could bring anything. It could bring a new beginning or a tragic end, neither of which will surprise me. Tonight might be all Tobias and I have left.

He kisses me slowly, easing our lips together like jigsaw pieces. Every curve and bump of his mouth fits perfectly against mine, two sides of the same beating heart. A rush of warmth extends through my fingers and toes, killing every bit of cold left in my body from the ride over here.

Tobias. My lover and Alpha. I’m finally in his arms again, after what felt like an eternity away from him. I shiver as his touch glides off my chin and down my body, sliding over my quivering breast to land on my lower back. He flexes and pulls me closer as his kiss becomes firm on my lips. I feel his hard desire pressing between us, begging to be touched as much as I am.

My passions ignite, twitching throughout my body to reawaken my dormant nerves. I spread my knees apart and Tobias instantly pulls my thighs around him to lock us together, easily bending me to his will. I sigh as pleasure teases my throbbing core and he smiles at me, knowing exactly where to touch me to push me further. Even after all this time apart, he still remembers every piece of me, every button, every movement to make me purr with delight.

He lifts my shirt over my head and tosses it away without looking at where it’s gone. I do the same with eager intensity, driven to feel his skin against mine again. His tattoos stand out against his pale, white skin. I kiss and lick the black ink and he grips my hair with great fervor, pulling me closer to own me. He grips me and pushes me down harder against the bed, towering above me to stare into my eyes.

I see it inside of him; that insatiable lust. He’s always looked at me like this. Even the night we met, I saw it in his eyes, although I didn’t notice it back then. At the time, he was untouchable. My forbidden treat. Just one taste, and I’d be hooked, completely addicted. If I had stayed away, none of this would have happened.

We broke all the rules to be together.

But if I could go back and change it, I know for a fact that I wouldn’t.

Neither would he.

Tobias lowers himself to me and devours my lips one more time before traveling down my body. I let him pull my jeans and panties down to my ankles, twitching as his fingernails rake along my thighs as he goes. He reaches for his own belt as his eyes scan my naked body. He licks and bites his lip, taking quick, short breaths as his pulse intensifies. I don’t move a muscle, my own eyes waiting for him to drop his jeans.

He lowers them an inch, then stops, noticing my breathy anticipation. I grit my teeth in playful frustration, my mouth watering for him, waiting patiently for him to end his delicious striptease.

Finally, he pulls them down and his rigid manhood stands on end. He kicks his jeans to the floor and returns to me, pushing my knees apart before sliding into place between them. I kiss him again to delight my taste buds with his flavor. He grips my wrists, pinning me to the mattress as his hardness presses between my folds. I tremble with pure bliss, waiting for him to be inside of me and end this misery. I raise my knees and lock my feet together around his waist, urging him to give himself to me.

“Tobias…” His breath skirts against my cheek as he presses his lips against my neck, tasting me with smooth flicks of his tongue. He throbs against my wetness as it drips upon him, begging to embrace him. “Tobias…” I moan his name again, this time met by his deep chuckle against my ear lobe.

He thrusts forward and slides inside of me. My back arches off the bed. A delicious elixir of pleasure and pain brings me great torture as his thickness dominates me. He goes all the way in, locking our bodies together before finally breathing a subtle groan. I watch his eyes, his perfect rings of natural green, catching the love and lust reflecting back at me before he thrusts me again, this time harder and faster. His grip tightens against my wrists, refusing to let me move or touch him as I want to. He’s in complete control of both of us. The only thing I can do is moan and he takes great pleasure in making me do it.

“Claire—” he breathes. “Never leave me again.”

It’s not a request. He’s not begging either. He’s telling me, demanding it of me. I answer him with a kiss, long and deep. His lips curl against mine, accepting my response for the gospel truth it is.

He releases my wrists and I wrap my arms around his wide shoulders while I moan in his ear. Each thrust builds on the pleasure inside of me. The quick piston tugs at my delicate tissues, hitting me in just the right spot. His hands shift beneath my back before he rises up, holding me with ease and strength, and settles backward into a seated position. I keep my legs wrapped around him and stare into his eyes as I lower myself back down onto his shaft. He holds me and moves me up and down on him. I meet every thrust, clinging to him as I start to lose control. I kiss him and our tongues dance. He grunts and buries his face in my breasts. His nails dig into my skin, refusing to release me as his passions destroy him. My body breaks for him as I feel his desire fill me completely. I give in to our climax, falling even deeper into his embrace.

We hold each other, the silence broken only by our thick breaths on the air. I lie my forehead against his and our sweat mixes together, threatening to drip into our open eyes. He kisses me once more, even though it only causes him to lose his breath again.

“I love you,” he whispers between long inhales.

I smile wide, tears threatening to fall down my cheeks. “I love you,” I reply with blurred vision. Every piece of me aches inside, but I don’t let it overwhelm me. I stare back at him, his eyes never leaving mine.

My Alpha.

A tear falls down my cheek and Tobias shakes his head. “No.” He runs his thumb against my cheek, wiping it clean. “Never again.”

I laugh as Tobias pushes me back to lie against the thick pillows. I let go of him and my entire body relaxes, naked and trembling. He releases me and slides off the bed. “Where are you going?” I ask, barely able to move.

He looks back at me and grins. “Water…”

I watch him as he wanders across the motel room. My fever peaks again as I admire his tight skin, wrapped perfectly about his toned muscles. Tobias the Untouchable, truly remarkable in every way.

He comes back from the bathroom with two paper cups full of life-giving water and I notice his eyes scanning my body again, fueling his still semi-hard erection.

“Drink,” he says as he hands me a cup. “I’m not done with you yet.”

I laugh harder than I have in months.

***

I feel his lips on my skin before I even wake up.

A smile crawls to my lips as he descends my still exhausted body. His hands caress me, urging me back into consciousness while he leaves tiny bites along my belly, traveling down between my thighs.

“Tobias…” I moan, stifling a yawn. I open my eyes and look beneath the covers to see his black hair moving even farther south. I chuckle. “What are you—oh!”

His warm tongue attacks my sleeping bud, jolting me awake like a shock to the heart. He doesn’t answer me, but his devious eyes peek up at me as he positions my knees over his shoulders.

I thought my body couldn’t take any more of this after last night, but my passions easily return, and just as powerful as before. My entire body shakes while I squirm beneath him. Tobias reaches for me with strong hands and holds me still against the bed while he works me over and over again with his talented tongue. I push my fingers through his hair, guiding him where I want him to be. He follows the instruction silently, perfectly, until he’s got me moaning his name again. He slows his flicks and adds a deeper pressure with his tongue.

I grab the pillow beneath my head and hold it against my mouth to muffle my screams of ecstasy. “Tobias! Don’t stop!”

He clamps his lips around my bud and sucks hard at me, giving me exactly what I want. I come hard against his willing mouth and he takes yet another climax from me while I writhe in sweet pain beneath him.

I toss the pillow to the side and fill my lungs full of fresh, cool air. “Oh, god…”

Tobias climbs back up, leaving a trail of kisses along my body as he moves. He pauses above my right hip and plants a special kiss against the thick, switchblade scar on my skin; his silent promise to always take care of me. He settles beside me on his back and stares at the ceiling with me while I struggle to catch my breath. “Good morning.”

I laugh and push my wrecked hair away from my eyes. “And a good morning to you, too.” I roll onto my side to face him. “What was that for?”

“Nothing.” He smiles. “I’ve just always wanted to do it.”

“I suppose waking me up with a screaming orgasm wasn’t exactly possible in your dad’s house,” I joke.

“No, it was not.” He moves to face me and slides his fingertips up and down my shoulder. “Maybe once all of this is over, we can look for a place of our own.”

I bite my lip, wanting so badly to say yes. “I, uh—”

A high-pitched ringing interrupts my response. Tobias rolls around to reach off the bed for his jeans and retrieves his phone from his back pocket. “It’s Pike,” he says, glancing at the display.

“Are you two like, buddies now or what?”

Tobias shakes his head, but keeps his smile. “It’s complicated.” He taps the screen as I let out a soft chuckle. “Hey,” he says into the phone. “Yeah, she’s with me.” He looks at me. “No, not since last night. Why?” I watch as Tobias flexes his jaw and the playful color melts from his eyes. “We’ll go over there now. I’ll keep you posted.”

“What is it?” I ask as he lowers the phone from his ear.

“Veronica is missing,” he answers.

“Missing? What—?”

“And Amy isn’t answering her phone.”

A black rock settles in my gut. “Oh, my god…”

“Get dressed.” He slides away from me. “We have to go. Now.”

Chapter 5

An Eye For An Eye

I run up the stairs behind Tobias, taking them two at a time. It’s not enough to keep up with his stride and my muscles burn by the time I reach the top.

He pounds hard on her apartment door. “Amy!”

I stand back, immobilized by gut-wrenching fear. Veronica is missing. Amy isn’t answering her phone. Amy always answers her phone.

“Amy!” he shouts again, slamming with a closed fist.

The deadbolt rattles and her door swings open.

“What the flying fuck are you doing, Toby?!”

I breathe a sigh of relief as Amy’s shiny blue eyes dart back and forth between us. She stands with bare feet, her body obscured by a lavender kimono and her blonde hair sits high on her head in a flimsy ponytail.

“Amy…” Tobias growls and rests his hands against the door frame. “Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”

“Oh—” She waves a hand. “I left it out in the car last night. Too lazy to go get it and it was freakin’ cold—” She pauses, reacting to his anger and my intense relief. “Why? What’s going on?”

“Veronica is gone,” I answer.

“Gone?” she repeats. “So? Wasn’t that her whole plan?”

Tobias brushes passed her and walks into the apartment. She lets him through and waits for me to enter before closing the door behind us. “Pike sent someone to check on her this morning. It looked like there had been a struggle. Her suitcase and her plane ticket were left behind on the counter.”

Amy clutches her neck. “Whoa…”

“He tried to call you and you didn’t answer, so…” Tobias gestures to the door.

“Sorry…” Her face contorts into an adorable wince. “No, I’m fine. Ryan’s fine. He’s still asleep — the guy could sleep through anything.”

Tobias rolls his eyes. “Probably not the best choice for your bodyguard then…”

“Yeah…” She bites her lip. “Maybe I should get a dog or something.”

“Give me the keys to his truck.” He holds out his hand. “Stay here. I’ll go get your phone.”

She walks back to the door and reaches into a small, glass bowl on a table for the keys. “Thanks, Toby.” She flashes him an apologetic smile and he nods calmly before stepping out into the hallway. “Coffee?” she offers me.

“Absolutely.”

She spins on her toes and wanders into the kitchen. I follow behind her, my heart still racing, remnants of fear still thumping through my system.

“So,” she begins as she pours coffee grounds into the filter, “I see the two of you made up last night.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Oh, please,” she whispers. “You’re glowing brighter than my tree.” Her eyes jut towards the Christmas tree in the corner, vibrantly lit with colorful lights and ornaments.

I blush and breathe a quiet laugh. “Okay, fine…” I admit. “The night was not uneventful… and neither was this morning.”

“Start from the beginning. Tell me everything.”

“There’s definitely not enough time to get through it all.”

She shivers. “God— I wish I’d gone all the way with Tobias. Just once, ya know? He seems like he’d be so good at it.”

“Good at what?”

I look over my shoulder and press my lips together as Ryan stumbles into the kitchen in his boxer shorts, yawning loudly.

“Nothing, dear,” Amy says quickly. “Coffee is on.”

“Cool. Hey, Claire.”

“Hey, Ryan.” I sneak a peek at his bare torso. He has a fighter’s physique, similar to Tobias’. The Alpha Dame in me wonders what his fighting style is like in the ring. The tattoo on his hand signifies that he won a match back when he was loyal to the Double Ex Kings, but I know nothing about him other than that. He passes through the kitchen and enters the bathroom beyond the corridor.

Amy listens carefully, counting the seconds until he’s completely out of earshot. “Spill,” she says to me.

I bite my lip. “Skipping to the end… I think he asked me to move in with him.”

Amy raises her brow. “Seriously? That’s great!”

“Is it?”

“Isn’t it? Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Look around? This isn’t really the best time to be planning our future.”

She rolls her eyes. “Claire, this is the only time to start planning your future together. What else are you two fighting for?”

“I know…” I mutter, leaning forward onto my elbows. “Just feels like bad timing…”

“I get you,” she says, nodding her head. “But if not now, then when? Don’t let Rick ruin this for you, too.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

“I’m always right, Claire,” she teases. “You know this.”

The front door opens and Tobias walks back in from the outside. Several thick snowflakes stain his black hair, but they quickly melt away in the warm heat of the apartment. He walks into the kitchen and holds the phone out to Amy. “Here…”

“Thanks again.” She presses the power button. “It needs to be charged. Am I the only one completely looking forward to whatever crude messages Pike left on here?” She walks towards her bedroom with a smile on her face.

I reach out to brush a few snowflakes off Tobias’ shoulder. “It started snowing?”

“Yeah,” he says, his nose a fresh shade of red. “Probably going to be a rough winter if it’s starting this early…”

My mind twinges as flashes of nightmares fill my head. Fresh fallen snow, painted red with blood.

“You okay?” he asks me.

“Yeah. Still a bit rattled, that’s all.”

He wraps an arm around me and kisses my cheek. “I should call Pike back.” He reaches into his pocket for his phone. “See if he has any new information on Veronica.”

“Do you think she’s…?” I pause, unable to say the word.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know, but if she is, then there’s only one senior Dame left to take over.”

I raise an eyebrow. “You mean…”

Amy’s feet glide across the hardwood floor as she steps back into the kitchen with us. She comes to a sudden halt when she realizes the two of us are staring at her.

“What?” she asks.

***

I grip Tobias’ waist a bit tighter as we ride up the unstable, gravel driveway. Dust kicks up behind us, blending in with the harsh, winter skyline. Snow falls in a delicate flurry, too weak to stick to the ground, leaving white speckles on the fields around us. It’s peaceful and pure, but I can’t wipe that dream from my mind.

My heart lurches when I spot a car in the driveway next to the farm house. It’s an old, four-door sedan. Familiar, and not in a good way.

Tobias rolls to a stop in front of the barn and helps me off the motorbike. “I wonder who’s here,” he says as he pushes it into the barn.

I pull the black helmet off my head. “I know who it is…”

“Who?”

The front door bursts open and Thomas Eastwood steps out onto the porch. “Claire!” He points a finger at me. “Where the hell is my wife?!”

My stepfather. The man that drove me out here and dumped me at Charlie’s door. I haven’t seen him since that day. I hoped I’d never have to see his face ever again.

He charges off the porch, hitting the ground wide, powerful strides, kicking rocks with his shoes as he goes. “I want to know right now. Where is my fucking wife?!”

Tobias grabs my wrist and pulls me behind his back. “Back off—” He holds out a strong arm to block Thomas from me.

“This doesn’t concern you, kid,” Thomas spits, lashing out to knock Tobias’ arm away. He looks at me with black eyes, full of fire and rage. “This is between me and my daughter.”

“I am not your daughter!” I shout around Tobias’ wide shoulders. “And she is not your wife. Not anymore!”

Thomas pushes forward again, prompting Tobias to shove him back.

“I said, back off,” Tobias growls.

“Thomas!” Charlie steps off the porch with his rifle in one hand. “It’s time for you to leave…”

“I’m not going anywhere until she fesses up.” Thomas spins back around and points a stern finger at me again. “You tell me where she is, or I will burn you—”

Tobias grabs Thomas by his coat and raises him several inches off the ground. “Don’t you dare threaten her,” he seethes through clenched teeth.

“Tobias— let him go—!” Charlie warns.

He refuses, keeping Thomas locked in his white-knuckle fists. “You’re going to get back in your car and you’re going to leave this place and never come back. Understand?”

Thomas laughs. It sends a cold chill down my spine, somehow even worse than Rick’s venomous chuckle. “My son tells me you’re quite the fighter…”

“Tobias—” Charlie lays a hand on his arm.

“Good—” Thomas continues, lowering his voice to a whisper. “You’ll need to be.”

“Tobias!” Charlie shouts.

Tobias finally drops him and he stumbles down to his knees. “Get out of here,” he repeats. He plants himself in front of me and lays a protective hand against my arm.

Charlie remains in his spot between us and Thomas with his rifle clutched in his hands. His finger rests near the trigger, calm but ready.

Thomas pushes himself up and locks eyes with Charlie. “You’re my brother… but you side with this junkie slut?”

I cringe at his words, but Charlie shows nothing in his eyes. “Get off my farm, Thomas.”

“You’ll take this from me? Again?”

“They chose to leave you,” Charlie argues. “I just showed them the door.”

Thomas shakes his head. “Fine. You take away what I care about…” His stare falls on me. “An eye for an eye, brother.”

Tobias barely holds himself back. I feel the adrenaline flowing through his veins, twitching his fight response into action. I grab his hand and entwine our fingers to keep him by my side. I think of everything Rick has done, everything he’s promised to do. I don’t even want to imagine what his father is capable of taking from me.

“Leave,” Charlie says, his voice firm and steady as it always is. “Now.”

Another chuckle flows from Thomas’ throat. He doesn’t say a word as he turns around and walks back to his car.

“Claire, get in the house,” Charlie says, his eyes locked on his brother.

I don’t argue with him. I drop Tobias’ hand and rush for the porch without looking back until the front door slams behind me.

***

“Claire?” Tobias pushes open my bedroom door and pokes his head inside.

I look up at him from my bed, pulling my eyes away from the window for a split second to give him a quick nod before looking back at the driveway again.

It’s been several hours since Thomas left. The sun has set. The world is dark and cold. I keep expecting to see headlights charging back up to the house. Any second now, he’ll be back to claim me.

“Claire.”

I keep my eyes on the window. “What?”

“Look at me.” He lowers himself to the bed next to me. “Claire—”

“He’s coming back.”

“Not tonight.”

“How do you know?”

Tobias lays a hand on my cheek and draws me to face him. “Because I do,” he answers. “And even if he does, Dad and I are ready for him.”

Tears sting my eyes, but I force them down. “Hear anything about Veronica yet?” I ask.

He lowers his hands. “No, but common sense tells me that only a few people knew you were back in town and Thomas had to hear it from somebody…”

“I don’t blame her for wanting to save her own skin.” My eyes fall back to the window. “There’s no such thing as loyalty anymore, is there?”

“I wouldn’t say that… You can always count on me.”

“And Pike, apparently…” I joke. “Never thought that’d be a thing.”

“Me neither.” He chuckles and leans in closer. “Don’t give up just yet, Claire. There’s still plenty to fight for.”

Fight.

Of course. If there’s anything the Midwest Alphas and the Double Ex Kings have in common, it’s that they’re both made up of fighters. They train their bodies and build their muscles for one purpose: to climb into the ring and claim victory over their opponents. Conflicts and rivalries aren’t settled in the shadows. They’re settled in one place and one place only.

“My son tells me you’re quite the fighter. Good. You’ll need to be.”

I ignore the window and look at Tobias. “We need to call another meeting.”

He stares back at me in confusion. “Why?”

“Because I think I know how to end this.”

Chapter 6

All Or Nothing

The room falls into a silence. I scan their faces, planted around Amy’s apartment, for some kind of reaction. Amy, Pike, Tobias, Ryan. They give me nothing.

“Well?” I ask, my voice wobbling. It’s torment, watching and waiting for somebody to break the ice. Whomever does so first will surely set the tone for everyone else’s response. “Look,” I sigh. “I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t thought this through all the way—”

“I think you’re insane,” Pike says, leaning against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed.

I pause. “Okay…”

“But…” His eyebrows bounce. “I actually kind of like that in a woman, so I’m in.”

“I think it’s a start,” Amy adds from across the couch. “But it won’t work unless the Kings agree to it, too.”

“They will,” I say. “Out of everyone here, I trust you to be the most persuasive.”

“Me?” she asks, her eyes wide. “But this is your idea—”

“You’re head Dame, Amy,” I point out. “This should come from you.”

“She’s right,” Pike says, looking at Amy with a strong smirk. “They won’t take you seriously as a leader unless you act like one. No one will.”

“But…” Amy’s voice falls flat and her chest deflates. “Fine.”

I look at Ryan lingering above her shoulder. “How about you?”

“What about me?” he asks.

“We’re going to need our best fighters in on this.”

He looks at me for a long moment before he finally chuckles. “You want me to fight for the Alphas?”

“Yes.”

“I’m a deserter, Claire…”

“All the more reason to fight for us,” I argue. “You know better than anyone what they’re like.”

“Yes,” he agrees. “But it also puts a giant target on my head. I go into the ring against one of them, I might not come back out again. The Kings have pretty strict guidelines and I basically lit them on fire when I walked away.”

Amy reaches for his hand. “No one is going to force you to fight.” Her eyes flick at me. “Right?”

I nod. “Either way, I’d like you involved with preparing our own to go up against them.”

“I can do that,” he says.

My eyes fall on Tobias. He stands by the window with his head down and ears up. This is the second time he’s heard my plan and I can already tell that it didn’t sound much better to him this time around. “Tobias?” I ask, getting his attention.

He raises his eyes, cast in shadow beneath his black hair. His chest rises with a slow inhale and falls again just as softly. “It’s all we have,” he simply says.

I stare at him, hoping that he’ll say something else, but nothing else falls from his lips. “That’s true. This is all we have, but it’s not nothing. We have good fighters.”

“So do they,” Ryan says.

“But ours are better. I really believe that.”

“Well…” Amy winces. “I don’t exactly want to point this out, but Rick has already beaten Tobias once in the ring, remember?”

I look to Tobias. “No, he didn’t.” He shifts on his feet. “Tobias lost the blood duel on purpose.”

Her jaw drops. “You did what now—?”

“I knew it…” Pike chuckles to himself.

“Why?” Amy asks, her eyes narrow and cold.

“That’s not important—” Tobias interjects. “It doesn’t matter what kind of fighter he used to be. It’s been six months. We don’t know what he’s been up to or what kind of training he’s done since then.”

“And he’s just as in the dark about us,” I argue. “Pike, how much do you remember about Rick’s training? Did he have any weaknesses? Anything at all that stood out?”

“Loads of ‘em,” he answers with rolling eyes. “Kid had the coordination skills of a drunk baby mule.”

“Then let’s use that,” I say. “Vary our fighting patterns, take them by surprise, and win our state back.”

Amy smiles. “I’m beginning to think you should be head Dame, Claire. You’ve certainly got the motivational speeches down.”

I take a breath. “I’m sick of waiting around. I want to end this and I want to come home for good.” Tobias meets my gaze. He wants the same things I do, I can tell, but I know he wishes there were another way than this. Unfortunately, there isn’t. Not from where I’m sitting.

“Let’s do it then,” Pike says. “No point in hesitating.”

“Have you heard from Kimi or Lisa?” I ask him.

He nods. “Spring break came early this year. They booked it down to Florida. I told ‘em to stay put until they got the all clear from me.”

“Good,” I breathe.

“And Veronica?” Amy asks.

Pike shakes his head in silence.

“Amy…” I say, looking at her with firm eyes. “Make the call.”

Her face crinkles. “Do I have a choice?”

“Set up a meeting,” Tobias says. “Somewhere public.”

“Why not just negotiate over the phone?” she asks.

“Because I want to look him in the eyes.”

***

The St. Louis Galleria is crowded and loud, the noise increasing even more as we walk towards the food court. Tobias and Pike leads us through the steady stream of people, their eyes constantly wide open for any sign of threat among us, while Ryan follows behind. The crowd is mostly innocent, bundled up in winter coats with full shopping bags gripped in their fingers. I smile at them, but it quickly fades. I wish my biggest worry at the moment was what to get Tobias and Charlie for Christmas.

I look at Amy, noting her pale, white cheeks and the thin layer of sweat covering his brow. “You all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“Yikes…” I say, reacting to her fierce tone.

She sighs. “Sorry, I’m just a little nervous…”

“Yeah, I can tell. I’ve never seen you like this before. I thought a leadership role would come easy to you.”

“So did I!” Her wide eyes fall on mine as we walk by our reflections in the store windows. “But ever since you guys pointed out that I was all the Dames had left—” she places a palm on her chest, “my heart has just been throbbing like crazy! Is this how Lillian felt all the time?!”

I chuckle, feeling great sympathy for her. “You’re going to be perfect, Amy. It’s your birthright, remember? Just do what you always taught me: Dog paddle through it, but do it gracefully.”

“Oh, who am I kidding?” she spits. “That advice was crap — I was full of shit.”

“Well, that crap actually made a huge difference to me,” I point out. I raise an arm and drape it around her shoulders. “You’re going to do fine. Just be like Bowie.”

“What the hell does that even mean?”

I shake my head. “Never mind.”

Her chest rises and falls with an epic breath. “Graceful dog paddle.”

“Graceful dog paddle,” I repeat.

She flicks in my direction, peeking over at me from the corner of her eye. “So, have you given anymore thought to Tobias’ proposal?”

My arm drops from her shoulders as my own heart kick starts in my chest. I lower my voice to hide it from Tobias’ ears. “It wasn’t exactly a proposal…”

“You know what I mean,” she says. “Do you want to take the next step with him?”

“I don’t know,” I admit. “Moving in together is generally something you do after a few dates, which we still haven’t done, by the way…”

Amy rolls her eyes. “Oh, please. Would you stop dwelling on what you two haven’t done and appreciate what you two have done? I mean — look at him, Claire. You two have been through absolute hell — more hell than most couples ever go through.”

“Yeah, but—”

“No more buts,” she interrupts. “He adores you, he loves you, he would die for you — and almost has. If you ask me, you’re acting a little ungrateful.”

I raise an eyebrow, stabbed in the gut by her violent tone. “Okay then…”

“I’m sorry—” She winces. “Still working on that graceful part. I didn’t mean any of that.”

“No, you’re right.” I sigh, looking ahead at Tobias again. “The only thing holding me back is Rick and this stupid situation. Once it’s done, Tobias and I will move forward.”

“Assuming it ends well.”

Nausea strikes my gut. “Obviously.”

“Which I’m sure it will,” she adds quickly. “No worries.”

I chuckle. “You don’t sound too confident about that…”

“No?” she asks, her voice quivering again. “Yeah, well…” Her head turns back to look at Ryan. “I guess you’re not the only one with someone to lose from all of this.”

I bite my lip, my eyes falling to the Double Ex King tattoo still vibrant on the back of Ryan’s right hand at his side. Ryan gave up everything for Amy. His friends, his family, his home; Everything gone because he fell for her. If they can manage to make their relationship work despite all that, then Tobias and I can, too.

Pike and Tobias slow to a crawl. I glance around them into the food court, pushing against my fear as I lay eyes on Rick. He sits at a corner table across the court, leaning back in a chair with his feet propped up on the table. There’s three men with him, each one leaning against the wall behind him, their black eyes staring at us as we draw closer.

Amy pushes forward to take the lead with square shoulders, forcing every bit of confidence she has into her step. She takes a long breath before sitting down at the single chair across from him. “Hello, Rick,” she says.

Rick grins and throws up his hands. “Amy — it’s a pleasure.” He looks over her shoulder at me. “Hello, Claire.”

His voice drags down my back like a set of jagged fingernails. I swallow, attempting to clear my tight vocal chords, but they barely wet. “Hello, Rick,” I reply, fighting the stiff choke. Fear clenches me, but it’s a comfort to see Tobias plant himself in front of me.

Rick stares back at me with his stiff, blue eyes. “It’s nice to see you again. I really mean that.”

His face flashes in my vision, flipping back and forth between his normal skin to one caked in blood. I look over his shoulder to see a line of three men, each one more brutal looking than the next, with strong muscles and dark eyes. One I recognize as the King we faced at the gym in Waynesville; the one that warned us to get out of town a few moments before we met Ryan in the parking lot. There are two others, neither of whom I recognize; one in a bright red hat and the other in a black turtleneck sweater. I suppose we never did tell Rick to come alone, not that he would have even if we asked him to.

Rick’s eyes rise and he smirks. “Hello, Tobias. It’s been too long.”

“I beg to differ,” Tobias says.

“Hmm…” His grin spreads. “Well, you’ve certainly assembled quite the team for yourselves — what’s left of it, anyway.”

“Which is exactly why we came forward,” Amy says. She squares her shoulders a bit more and sits with perfect, professional posture, showing off the natural confidence I know she has. “I have something to discuss with you.”

“Your call was very brief, but promising,” Rick mutters. “Go ahead.”

Amy takes a quick breath. “We want to challenge you to a tournament.”

He chuckles. “A tournament?” His eyes pass between us. “What kind of tournament?”

“Pretty simple, really,” she explains. “My best versus your best. Winner takes the territory.”

“Why would we do that when we could just keep killing you all and take it that way?” he asks, his eyes full of amused darkness. It’s gotten worse now; that look of pure evil. It was always there before, ever since the day I met him. Just a glimmer now and again, nothing more. Now, I can’t stop seeing it.

Amy leans forward in her chair. “If winning by default is your idea of winning, go right ahead. It wouldn’t surprise me at all. The Double Ex Kings are pretty well-known for their cowardice.” The men behind Rick shift, their faces curling even more towards anger, but Amy doesn’t budge and keeps her face stiff. “Also, how long until that trail of bodies leads back to your door? You can’t run an illegal underground MMA tournament from a jail cell.”

Rick licks his lips and takes a quick glance at me. “I assure you, we’re more careful than that.”

“And I assure you we’ve taken the necessary precautions to ensure you die in a concrete cell if something horrible suddenly happens to any of us.”

“Fine then,” he chuckles. “What are your terms?”

“Three of your best against three of mine. I think that’s fair.”

“Best two out of three?”

“Sure,” she answers. “If we win, you drop your vendetta against the Dames and you get out of my territory.”

“And if we win?”

“Then the Midwest Alphas are done,” she says. “Disbanded and forgotten. The state is yours.”

Rick barely glances over his thick shoulder at his men. “Well, Amy, you’re right. That does sound fairly reasonable. You’re filling Lillian’s red boots quite nicely.” Amy says nothing, holding her hard stare as Rick looks over her shoulders and his eyes wander across the faces of Tobias, Ryan, and Pike. “I guess you brought your best three with you today?”

“Not necessarily,” she says, looking at Ryan. His eyes shift nervously. “I’ll choose my fighters later—”

He shakes his head and glides a finger over each of them. “No, it’s them or no deal. I insist on it. In fact, no deal at all unless I get to fight Tobias again. Our last tussle got cut a bit short…” His eyes travel to Tobias’ face and he waits for his response.

Tobias flexes his jaw. “Fine.”

Rick smiles. “Good.”

Amy avoids Ryan’s eyes. “And you choose your best three based on who you brought with you today,” she adds quickly. “It’s only fair.”

“Of course,” he agrees. “The other two will be picked from the men behind me.”

“The fight will be one week from today,” she says.

“Why wait? I say three days from now,” he counters.

“Five,” she says, hiding her shaking fingers.

Rick rolls his eyes. “You’re delaying an inevitable outcome, but sure. Five days from now it is.”

“Location can be determined later at a secure location—”

“How about Pike’s gym?” Rick suggests, looking at his old mentor. “We’re all familiar with it and the cops haven’t patrolled that street in years. Should be a safe spot.”

Amy looks at Pike and he nods. “Okay then…” She extends her hand to make the deal.

Rick stares at her fingers. “One last thing...”

“What?” she asks, dropping her hand.

His eyes fall on me. “Claire.”

“What about her?”

“If the Kings win… she leaves with me.”

Tobias lays his protective hand on my arm.

Amy flinches. “No. That’s not an option, Rick—”

“It’s an all or nothing deal, Amy. Either she, and Tobias, agree to it now or we walk away and you live out the last of your days peeking over your shoulder.”

“You’ll never get away with it,” she argues, pushing her lie. “We have a safe guard in place that—”

“Safe guard or no safe guard,” he interrupts. “Save yourself, Amy. The only way you’ll survive this is if you agree to give her up now—”

“Okay,” I say.

“Claire,” Tobias growls in my ear.

“No, I’ll do it.” I nod my head at Rick. “If you win, I will go with you.”

Tobias pulls me back, spinning me around to face him. “He and I made that bargain before,” he reminds me. “He didn’t exactly keep up his end.”

I look down at Rick. “He’s right. You sent Pike to collect me last time whether you won or lost.”

“I did, didn’t I?” He smiles. “Well, this time will be different. I promise.”

“We’re going to need something more substantial than empty words, Rick,” Amy says, taking command again. “What else can you offer?”

Rick chews on his inner cheek, flicking his eyes around as the wheel turns in his head. “Information,” he finally answers.

“What kind of information?”

“I’m sure you’re all very curious to know what’s happened to your Jefferson City Dame…” he says slowly.

“Where is she?” Pike asks.

“She’s safe, I think…”

“Cut the crap, Rick,” Amy bites. “Where is Veronica?”

“I’ll cut her loose,” he says, “along with any smoking gun evidence I have on me that leads right to Lillian’s killer.”

“So if you break the deal, we’ll have enough to turn over to the police and put you away,” Amy says.

“Not exactly…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask. “You told me you killed Lillian.”

“Oh, I did,” he confesses, drawing rage beneath Pike’s eyes. “But there are two blood samples on the murder weapon. One, obviously, is Lillian’s. The second, well…” His eyes bounce to Tobias. “The second belongs to the murderer.”

“You son-of-a-bitch—” Tobias whispers, pushing forward. Pike reaches out and grips his shoulder to hold him back.

“How?” I ask as a void fills my chest.

“It wasn’t too difficult to get a blood sample, what with him bleeding all over the mat during the last tournament,” Rick says. “I was going to hold onto it in the off chance I’d need someone else to take the fall someday, but I’m willing to part with it as a show of good faith to you.”

“You’re crazy,” I say.

“You aren’t the only one with safe guards,” he replies. “I like to plan ahead.”

I wipe a stray tear off my cheek. “Well, you’ve certainly outdone yourself this time.”

“It’s real simple, Claire. I agree, today, right now, that if the Kings happen to lose, you will walk off into the sunset with him and there’s nothing I can or will do to stop you. Or, I’ll just hang onto it for a rainy day and you can count the moments until he’s arrested right in front of you and you never see him again…”

My eyes shake with anger.

“Fine—” Amy says, her voice trembling. “Hand over Veronica and any evidence you have that points to Tobias and we have a deal.”

He lets the moment linger in the air, eating up every delicious second of it. “All right,” he says, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. He extends his hand and waits for Amy.

She tries hard to keep her fingers straight and steady, but I can see the tremor rock her wrist as his fingers wrap around hers.

Rick pulls away, his amused grin still twitching along his lips, and stands up from his chair. “I’ll see you in five days.” As he steps around the table, he fires a wink at me. I feel it in my bones, cold and frightening, keeping me in place as he wanders off into the busy crowd with his Kings.

Tobias jerks his shoulder from Pike’s grip and turns from me without a second glance. He walks away with Ryan and Amy following close behind him.

Pike lingers back with me. “You agreed to that awfully fast, Claire,” he points out.

“Yeah,” I mutter.

His lips curl into a knowing smile. “You don’t plan on going gently into that good night, do you?”

It’s a logical conclusion, one that surely crossed his mind the instant I agreed to it. “No,” I answer.

“Well…” He clears his throat. “You know where to find me when you need help.”

I shake my head. “I got it, Pike—”

“Claire.” He spins on his heel. “No, you don’t.”

I watch as he walks away, knowing that he’s one-hundred percent right about that.

If the Kings win, I will go back to Rick. I made that deal and I intend to keep it, but like he said, I won’t go gently. Pike’s the only person I know that understands the full weight of what I’ll have to do if that happens.

He’s the only person I can trust that’s gotten away with murder.

Chapter 7

Our Team Is Broken

Tobias doesn’t say a word on the drive home, not that he could get a word in anyway. Amy and Ryan argue in the front seat, bickering back and forth since the moment she started the car.

“I told you didn’t want to be involved in this, Amy,” he repeats for the third time.

I see her roll her eyes in the rear view mirror. “I didn’t have a choice,” she says. At this point, I can probably mouth along with this banter. As perfect as they are for one another, I can’t help but wonder how much successful communication actually happens between them. Certainly more than Tobias is offering me in this moment, that’s for sure…

“You easily could have said no to that,” Ryan argues. “There are plenty of Alpha fighters willing to go to the mat for this league—”

“And you aren’t?” She takes her eyes off the road for several long, deadly seconds to stare at him.

Ryan bites his tongue. “Amy…”

“No, just go ahead and said it,” she barks. “You don’t care about any of this. In fact, you’d rather see your old boys club take over Missouri like a plague of woman-hating locusts.”

“That’s not—”

“Say it, Ryan!”

“They aren’t all horrible people, Amy! Even the Alphas have their fair share of bad apples. It certainly doesn’t affect your opinion of them as a whole.”

“We’re not talking about the Alphas!”

“We were a minute ago!”

I lean forward in my seat. “Amy, can you please just watch the road?”

She twists her face to the front, but continues talking. “It’s too late to back out anyway. You have to fight.”

“Yeah, no shit,” he mutters. “I have to fight against the very people that took me in when I lost my job, that gave me a place to live when I didn’t have a roof over my head — all because you couldn’t think straight under pressure.”

Amy inhales, ready to continue her argument, but thinks better of it. She blows a growl and slaps the steering wheel with her palms, refusing to even look at him as she slams her foot even harder against the gas pedal.

Ryan stares out the window with his arms crossed about his chest, embracing her obvious silent treatment for several long moments.

I look to Tobias in the seat next to me. His face sits without expression, frozen solid as if it were chiseled from stone. A seed of doubt sprouts in my mind. Pike has always been willing to fight for the Alphas — no matter what the conflict. Ryan clearly doesn’t want to and Tobias… I can’t even tell where he stands right now.

Our team is broken, cracking at the seams. It’s only a matter of time now until we fall apart completely. I stare out the window, shaking from fear and cold. Maybe I should have just stayed in Kansas City; hidden away in a dark corner where no one would ever find me. Sure, others would have died, but people die every day, right?

I cringe at my own thoughts, tasting bile in my throat.

“Ryan,” Tobias says, his eyes lingering on the world outside.

“Yeah?”

“What do you know about the Kings Rick brought with him?”

Ryan sighs. “Well, they aren’t exactly amateurs. All of them were recruited in before I was.”

“We met one before,” I say, meeting Amy’s eyes in the rear view mirror. “At the gym.”

“His name is Kevin,” Ryan says.

“Yeah…” she sneers. “The douche that touched my boob.”

“You did kind of start that,” I point out.

“Whatever — I’m sure he’s a real great guy.”

“Who are the others?” Tobias asks quickly before Ryan can respond to her tone.

Ryan pulls his eyes away from Amy. “The little one in the hat was Frankie. He’s pretty much the very definition of a loose cannon.”

“And the other?” I ask. “The one in the turtleneck.”

“That…” His voice falls. “That was Owen and ironically… he’s my cousin.”

“What?” Amy asks. The steering wheel slips from her fingers, but she quickly rights the car before swiping the truck in the right lane.

“Yep,” he answers. “He trained me, so luckily, I have a pretty good idea of what to expect.”

Amy’s jaw sags, dangling open as shock refuses to pass through her. I see her eyes flinching around behind her perfectly mascaraed lashes, full of apology and regret, but she doesn’t say it out loud.

“Rick has to choose between the three of them for the tournament,” Tobias says. “We can assume Owen will be one of them. He’ll hope it’ll rattle you enough to drop your guard.”

“Yeah, I’d do the same thing…” Ryan mutters.

“Who else would you choose?” I ask him.

“Kevin is all brawn,” he answers. “Frankie is very fast, and extremely unpredictable. Honestly, it could go either way.”

“Then we prepare for both,” I say. “Good thinking on asking Rick to pick from the men he brought with him, Amy. It gave us some advantage.”

“Yeah, well…” She keeps her eyes forward. “Sometimes I think just fine under pressure.”

I catch Ryan glancing at her, his eyes glowing with the same apologetic light, but just like Amy, he stays quiet and looks out the window.

***

I step out of Amy’s car and look up into the pale, white sky as small snowflakes tap the bridge of my nose. Winter keeps inching closer, tormenting me with colder air with every passing day. Soon, this whole farm will be covered in a blanket of snow and ice. This used to be exciting to me. Winter meant hot chocolate and snow days and little, chewy marshmallows. Now, it frightens me to death.

Tobias closes the car door and steps towards the barn. I watch him from my seat as flakes fall into his black hair, wondering what he’s thinking beneath it all. He slides the barn door closed behind him, a firm statement of solitude if there ever was one. I step outside the car and linger next to the driver’s side door.

Amy rolls her window down a few inches. “We’ll be back to pick you guys up tomorrow,” she says. “I’ll check for hotels tonight — no sense in driving back every night before the tournament. You should pack a bag for a week.

I nod, barely registering the words passing through my ears. “Yeah…”

“See you later,” she says. Ryan issues me a small wave from the passenger’s seat before she rolls the window back up and the two of them drive off down the driveway.

I follow Tobias’ fresh footprints and pull the barn door open.

“Claire,” he says as I step inside. He sits on the ground with his back against the hay bales in the corner. “I could really just use a few minutes to myself here.”

I look at him, remembering my first summer here. “The last time you sat there, you told me you just wanted me to sit with you for a while.” I slide the door closed behind me, refusing to leave.

For a brief second, I can smell the air from that night; thick and warm. He sat there, covered in fresh bruises, blood, and sweat, and fought through his pain to kiss me for the first time.

Tobias glances up at me and shakes his head. “That was a long time ago…”

“Feels longer than it really is.” I cross my arms to block the chill.

“Go inside, Claire,” he urges. “Get warm.”

I step forward and lower myself to my knees in front of him. “I think I’d rather just sit with you for a while.”

He sighs, but doesn’t fight me on it.

I look up at the open window as a gust of air sends the falling snow inside, covering my perfect getaway spot. It saddens me for a moment as I realize I won’t be able to read a book out here until spring comes back again. I actually miss reading about Mary’s romance heroes and their dramatic women. It’s a gentle escape from my own troubled existence.

“I almost gave up.”

My eyes fall from the loft. “On what?”

“I woke up that morning — the one before you came back home — and I thought, I’m done.” He stares at the ground between us. “I looked around at my life and I didn’t recognize it anymore.”

“Tobias…” I say with comfort.

“This is all I was,” he continues. “I was a fighter — when all I ever really wanted to be was your man, but I couldn’t be. Every morning, I’d wake up and the drive would be there to find Rick and bring you back home to me.” He bites his inner cheek. “But that morning, for the first time, I started to lean the other way. I almost gave up on us and that…” His voice fades.

My eyes sting behind my lashes. “I woke up screaming that night.”

His eyes jump to me. “What?”

I wipe a falling tear off my cheek and pull my glove off my hand. “I kept dreaming about you and Rick, fighting...” I present my palm to him and he takes it, his eyes instantly finding the fresh scabs left behind. I close my fist, showing him with my nails how the marks got there, feeling the painful pressure against my broken skin. “Every dream ended the same way… with Rick covered in your blood.” I look up at him and he stares back at me with soft eyes. “Believe me, Tobias, I know a little something about wanting to give up. My mother contacted Charlie and he came all the way out there to ensure me that you were still okay, but I didn’t believe him. I couldn’t. Not when every sense inside of me told me otherwise. I wanted to come back to you every single day, even before I ever had a good reason to”

He lets my hand slip from his fingers and I pull the glove back onto my freezing knuckles. “This life… is exhausting, Claire,” he whispers. “No matter what I do to try and get away from it, it keeps pulling me back in and I don’t…”

“Don’t what?”

He rubs his dry lips. “I don’t think I can beat him this time.”

“I do.” I lean in closer. “You’re a better man, Tobias. You always have been.”

“That won’t matter if he’s the better fighter.”

“You are the better fighter.”

“Your dreams think otherwise…”

“My dreams were lies; I know that now. I mean… I thought they meant he was more powerful, but now I see that it meant what I already knew and that’s that we are stronger together than we are apart.” Tobias pauses, listening closely to me. I reach out and force my fingers around his. “I looked into his eyes today and I saw who he really is… He cannot beat you, Tobias. He’s been running from you for six months because he knows that. I think the fact that he felt he had to frame you for murder proves it even more...”

“And if he wins?” His fingers twitch in mine. “You’ll leave with him?”

“He won’t.”

“But if he does…”

“Then…” I take a breath. “Then the Alphas will be gone and you won’t have to be so exhausted anymore.”

“I can’t let him take you. That’s not okay.”

“I’ll be fine.” My chest trembles. “I refuse to picture a scenario here that doesn’t end with me finding my way back to you and this place.” He finds my eyes again. “This is my home, Tobias, and I will fight to keep it. All I ask is that you do the same.”

A short smile touches his lips. “I will. Of course I will.”

“And when you win… you and I will continue that conversation from the motel yesterday morning.”

He smiles even more. “I thought you’d forgotten about that.”

“Never.” I squeeze his fingers. “We both want the same things, Tobias. Don’t let him take that from us. Not when we’re so close to finally getting the life we deserve…”

He pulls me closer and I turn to lay back against his chest. His body heat blends with mine, warming me all the way to the core. “I will beat him.” His breath tickles my lobes.

“Promise me...”

His cold lips touch my cheek. “I promise.”

“Promise me again.”

He twitches with laughter. “I promise, Claire.” He wraps his arms even tighter around me. “I will win this fight and we will start over.”

I crane my neck to look at him, admiring his perfect features before I close my eyes and he blesses my lips with his.

Chapter 8

Justice For Mary

I stare out the window of Pike’s gym. The street outside is far worse off than it was six months ago when I was last here. Crumpled up garbage lines the street corners and sewer grates, and I’m fairly certain the sticky, blackish stain in the parking lot is blood. Rick was right. The cops haven’t come around here in quite some time and the locals know it.

Even the inside of Pike’s gym, The Bulging Bicep, looks different. A thin layer of dust coats the black television screens. The air is stale and cold and there’s a sign on the window, hanging by a single piece of old tape: Closed until further notice.

I take a step away from the window as the winter air bleeds inside to touch my arms. I rub my hands together, but the chill doesn’t go away.

This is the last place I saw Lillian Tombs alive.

Tobias and Ryan stand outside the boxing ring near the back, warming up with a few swings at the thick punching bags in the corner, while Amy sits on a bench nearby. She taps her fingers against her phone’s screen, gliding through texts and news feeds, desperately trying not to make it too obvious she’s watching Ryan.

The drive up to St. Louis this morning was far more awkward than the drive home yesterday. It’s pretty clear that she and Ryan didn’t make up last night, but I won’t get a chance to talk to her about it until later.

Pike walks into the main room from the manager’s office and reaches out to flick on a second light switch, illuminating another row of ceiling lights to fill the dark spaces of the room. He carries a roll of white hand wrap with him that he carefully rolls around his knuckles in preparation.

“When did you shut down?” I ask him as I run a finger across a dusty wrack of free weights.

“Few months ago,” he answers. “Didn’t really have time to focus on the business once all this started happening.”

“What about your other business?”

His eyes peek down at me. “The little, plastic baggy business?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“I gave that up a long time ago.”

“Really?”

He scoffs. “Your boy Rick was just as disappointed.”

“I’m not disappointed,” I say. “Just surprised.”

“Yeah, well…” He tosses the rest of the roll onto a shelf nearby. “Going legit means dropping lots of bad habits.”

I chuckle. “I know what you mean…”

“So I’ve heard,” he quips, pausing a moment. He juts to the side, ready to wander over to the others, but turns back to me instead. “Look, Claire… I’m sorry about that day at the gas station. Being a professional asshole was kind of my thing back then.”

I blink, repeating his words over in my head in case I misheard. There’s a lot I’ve grown to expect from Pike the Punisher. Empathy and remorse don’t exactly make the list. “It’s okay…” I clear my throat. “Thank you.”

He turns without another word and walks to the back of the gym. I look out the window again, feeling even more uneasy than I did before. Wind brushes wild passed the windows, whistling by, drawing another batch of snowflakes to the ground below. I turn away as voices pull me towards the boxing ring where Amy and Ryan pass words back and forth.

“So, you guys will have to dig into them until they tap out,” she says, shrugging her shoulders.

“Kings don’t tap out,” he replies, almost out of reflex. “No, we’ll have to knock them out completely.”

“Really?” I ask.

“The option is there, of course, but we’re trained to ignore it,” he explains. “Any King that does tap out is basically ostracized for it and never sees the inside of a ring again. For them, every fight is a blood duel.”

I look down, my eyes falling to the tattoo on his right hand. A King only receives that tattoo if he wins a fight. It’s hard to imagine, as suave as Ryan is, that he’s capable of that much brutality.

“Jeez…” Amy rolls her eyes. “So much for a gentleman’s club.”

“We don’t have cutesy nicknames either,” he bites back. “You’re not going to find any Untouchables or Punishers among us.”

She narrows her gaze at him. “You’re really comfortable saying we.”

He stares back and crosses his arms. “Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Guys, come on,” Tobias sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. “We need to focus. Ryan, is there anything else we should know?”

Ryan shifts his attention away from Amy and chews on his lip. “They aren’t big on theatrics. Entertaining the crowd isn’t exactly their top priority.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“A King is trained to end a fight in as few moves as possible. You hit hard, you hit fast, and you take them down. They don’t play cat and mouse like Alphas do to win over an audience. It’s their motto. Show no mercy.”

I look at Tobias as a rush of fear tingles my toes.

“Okay then,” Pike says, cracking his taped knuckles. “Let’s get started.”

***

“Again!”

Tobias grits his teeth and settles back into his fighting stance across from Ryan. He keeps his eyes forward, although I can clearly see him pushing against the urge to glare at Pike as he barks orders at them from outside the ring.

They’ve been sparing for hours now, taking whatever instruction Pike throws at them. While I’m full of sympathy for them, they haven’t heard a peep from me the entire time, nor from Amy, as we sit back and watch our boys glistening with body sweat.

Tobias holds up a hand, signaling for a break and Ryan nods with enthusiasm.

“Tobias!” Pike shouts. “Let’s go.”

“We’re just taking a minute,” he fires back.

“You can take a minute next week.” Pike rubs the short hairs on his head, scratching at his scalp.

Tobias spins around to look at him, dripping beads of sweat to the mat as he moves. “I don’t see you throwing any punches up here…”

“I’m not the one going up against my nemesis in four days. Believe me when I tell you Rick isn’t sitting around on his ass right now drinking mimosas. Again!”

Tobias clenches his jaw and rests his hands on his hips. His eyes suddenly shift towards me and the intensity of his stare fires an electric bolt up my spine, tingling my cold fingers and toes.

“Tobias…” Pike finally pulls himself up to the ring and climbs inside. “There will be plenty of time to make puppy eyes at girls later.”

I sigh, sending a quick glance at Amy next to me. She looks back with concern, no doubt just as nervous as I am that one of them is about to get punched for real.

“You know…” she says, throwing her voice. “Maybe we should take a little break…”

“No,” Pike snaps. He stops in front of Tobias, looking down from the few short inches he has on him. “We’re not done yet.”

I cringe. The last time they faced each other like this in the ring, Pike stabbed Tobias. My eyes fall to the scar on his left side, lingering just above the elastic of his black shorts.

“Pike…” she warns.

He ignores her and keeps his eyes locked on Tobias. “You angry?”

“Getting there,” Tobias answers.

“Good. Keep going. You’ll need it to fight Rick.”

“I don’t need any fancy tricks to get myself angry at Rick.”

“Tobias, he already knows your fighting style—”

“No thanks to you,” Tobias interrupts.

Pike takes a deep breath. “He knows your fighting style and he knows, better than anyone here, your worst fear. If you’re going to beat him, you’ll have to focus on something other than Claire. For once.”

“Pike!” I shout, feeling my own anger in my chest. I stand up from the bench and step closer to the ring as Amy does the same.

“Leave her alone,” Tobias says.

“Look, I get it,” Pike says, shaking his head. “You’re young, confident, cocky, and hell, you’ve earned it, but so has he. Sorry, kid, but the honeymoon period is over. You’re not winning this one because of a bout of the warm and fuzzies.”

Tobias steps closer to him, their chests barely touching. “I said, leave her alone.”

“I’m only looking at you, Tobias,” Pike says, his eyes unmoving. “You keep your hands up and your eyes forward at all times — it’s how you used to be, isn’t that right, Tobias the Untouchable?” Tobias’ chest rises and falls as fury builds inside of him. “Think about that. Think about the fighter that joined the Alphas in the first place. I want that guy in this ring. He was focused and solid. He didn’t have some cute cheerleader moaning his name, distracting him from who he needed to be.”

Tobias turns around. “I’m taking a break,” he mutters, stepping towards the ropes.

Pike’s lips curl. “Would you like to know what your little sister’s last words were, Tobias?”

“Pike!” Amy screams. “That is enough!”

My jaw drops as Tobias’ hands roll back into fists. “Tobias—!” I shout, losing my voice mid-name.

He spins back around and lunges at Pike, throwing the entirety of his weight against him. Pike falls backward into the corner, tossed by the extreme force of Tobias’ shoulders.

Ryan attempts to step between them, but Tobias lashes out with a quick jab, connecting with Ryan’s cheek and shoving him out of the way.

“Tobias!” I scream for him again, jumping into the ring.

He pins Pike to the corner and attacks him with a hurricane of punches, far faster than I’ve ever seen him throw before. Each one hits so loud, I think my ears are popping as I push myself forward into harm’s way. I reach out to Tobias, but my fingers slip from his sweaty arm as it moves in front of me with a blur. “Stop!”

Tobias grabs Pike by his shirt and pulls him from the corner. With a powerful charge, he flips Pike over his shoulder and slams his back against the mat. He stumbles on his feet, giving me barely a second to intervene.

I throw myself in front of Tobias, blocking him from finishing Pike off. “Tobias, stop!” He grabs my arms; his grip sharp as nails against me. I look into his eyes and darkness stares back at me, ready to push me away. I can feel it in his fingers, that urge to toss me to the side, but something holds him back. My entire body shakes in fear of him. The moment grinds to a halt, blurring in slow motion until the green returns to his eyes.

“Claire…” His voice sounds as quiet and soft as a lone raindrop. He releases me, lowering his hands to his sides before taking a long step back.

“There it is…”

I turn around and look to the mat. Pike sits at its center, propped up on one elbow, his other hand massaging his jaw while blood seeps from his nose.

“That’s it, Tobias,” he says, sliding to his knees.

Tobias stares down at him, saying nothing in return. He walks out of the ring and disappears into the back hallway, veering left towards the men’s locker room.

I look for Ryan and find him leaning against the far corner with Amy attached to his arm. His cheek is red, connected to a split and swollen bottom lip. “I’m sorry,” I say to him.

Ryan nods, but gives a nonchalant wave to show he holds no grudge.

I turn back to Pike and stare up into his eyes with a white-hot fury. “I need to have a word with you,” I say, refusing to even blink. I step out of the ring without bothering to wait for his response and charge towards the back hallway. His feet follow me until we pass into the abandoned women’s locker room. It sits in the exact same condition as it was the last time I saw it six months ago; pristine, pink, and unused.

I cross my arms about my chest as Pike walks over to the sink in the corner and wets a paper towel to dab against his bleeding nose. “What the hell were you thinking? Did you think that was funny?!”

“Of course not,” he says before hocking his red spit down the drain.

“Pike, I promised you he’d play nice. I promised that he’d stop trying to get justice for Mary — which for the record, you absolutely deserve to be locked up for — but I can’t keep that promise if you keep poking him like a damn lab rat every time you want to get a rise out of him.”

“Claire…” He smashes the towel in his palm before tossing it to the floor. “If he’s really going to beat Rick, then he’s going to have to go to a very dark place. Rick has already proven he’s willing to kill to take back what he wants and we have to make sure Tobias is just as willing to do the same.”

“Tobias is willing to kill.”

“No, he’s not.”

“He almost slit your throat last year, Pike. Or have you forgotten about that?”

“Exactly, Claire…” He pushes in close, so close I feel his breath on my forehead. “Almost, but you stopped him.” I counter with a step back, but he just closes the distance between us with a quick stride. “If we really want Tobias to be ready for this, then he has to be pushed farther than even you are capable of pulling him back from.”

I pause as my heart lurches in my chest. “I can’t lose him again, Pike…” The words fly through my lips, passing every filter before I can stop them. “I don’t want him to become you.”

“Well, I’m sorry, Claire,” he whispers. “But when all of this is finished, he may not be the same man you know now.” He turns around and moves towards the door.

“I have to believe there’s another way…” I mutter.

Pike lets his hand rest on the door knob. “I’m all ears to you, Claire… but for the record, you’re wrong.” He pulls the door open but stops as Amy appears and blocks the doorway.

“Guys…” she says, her eyes wide. “Veronica is here.”

We follow her back to the main room to find Veronica standing at the entrance. Tobias and Ryan stare at her like a ghost. Her face is so pale and white. It nearly blends with the winter world falling down outside the window. She wears the same white fur coat she wore two nights ago to our meeting. As I draw closer, I notice dark stains discoloring it from top to bottom. She holds a small shoe box in her hands, clenched tightly against her chest.

“Veronica?” Amy asks, the only one of us daring enough to step closer to her.

Veronica’s face flicks upward. I cringe as her short, blonde hair pushes back and the dark red markings stand out on her face. She extends her hands, passing the box into Amy’s quivering grip.

“Are you okay?” Amy asks her.

Veronica steps around her, passing by Tobias and even Pike before settling in front of me. She silently reaches into her coat pocket and pulls out a heavily creased envelope and slaps it against my hands.

“Veronica.” Pike moves beside her, but she jerks away from his grasp before rushing out the front door again and fading away into the heavy snowfall. He darts forward, only to stop in the doorway as a gust of harsh wind holds him back. He sighs and closes the door to keep the snow outside.

I turn the envelope over in my hand, noticing the dark smear of dried blood along the sides, no doubt left behind by Veronica’s ghastly fingers.

Amy sets the box down on a bench and pulls the lid off. “Oh—!” She covers her mouth with her palm and steps away from it with tears in her eyes. The lid slides from her hand and clatters to the floor.

Tobias steps forward and looks inside the box, his expression blank and firm. He grabs the box off the bench and bends over to pick the lid up. “It’s Rick’s knife,” he says before closing it.

“We’ll get rid of it,” Pike says. “At least Rick kept his word — about this anyway.”

I pinch the envelope’s corner with my fingers and tear it open. The sound startles Amy and she flinches in my direction as I rip the hole a little bigger to look inside. I pull out a sheet of paper, folded down into a near-perfect square.

“What does it say?” Tobias asks me.

I unfold it slowly, delaying the answer to that question for as long as I can.

“No…” I whisper, reading it to myself. I scan it again, wishing that I somehow have it wrong, but it reads the same each time. “No no no—”

“Claire—”

I feel Tobias in front of me, but my eyes refuse to focus on anything else. His bruised fingers enter my vision, reaching for the paper in my hands, so I take a quick step back to keep it from him.

“Claire, what does it say?”

I crumple it into a tiny ball, pushing it hard against my palms. “I need to talk to Charlie…” I inhale a quick breath, suddenly realizing that my body has forgotten to breathe.

“Why?”

“It’s—” I hesitate, feeling their eyes on me. “It’s my mother.”

Tobias grabs my shoulders to hold me steady in front of him. “Claire, what did it say?”

I let my tears fall down my face. “The address to our apartment.”

Chapter 9

Fall Back Into You

The hotel bed is soft and warm, but I can’t feel the comfort against my skin. I can barely even remember how I got here. I can recall Tobias’ voice telling me everything would be all right before he left me here.

Amy’s nearby. I can hear her feet pacing back and forth and the gentle whisper of her voice as she talks into her phone.

I clutch my own phone in my hand, the edges digging into my palm. Tobias told me to keep it close. He’d call me as soon as he knew something. I’m not sure how long ago that was. An hour? Two hours? Four?

“Claire?”

I open my eyes, but I keep still. “What?”

Amy’s small frame settles on the bed beside me and her fingers push the hair back from my face. “I got my dad to look into protective custody for your mom,” she says.

I laugh. I can’t help it. “Okay…”

“Claire…” She leans over. “She’s going to be fine, all right?”

I close my eyes as moisture overwhelms them again. He found her. Of course he found her. I came back and left a trail of perfectly placed breadcrumbs leading right to her. We’ll just add that to the growing list of reasons why I never should have come back here in the first place.

“Are you hungry?” Amy asks me.

I focus hard on the question, grabbing on to anything at all that’s still within my control. “I… don’t know.”

“I’m going to see if this place has something.” She stands up and snatches her purse off the chair by the door. “Probably just a vending machine, but I doubt either of us are too focused on healthy diets right now.”

I nod slowly. “Sounds good.”

“I’ll be right back.” Amy steps out into the hallway and closes the door behind her.

Silence fills my ears, growing louder and louder until I finally sit up and look around the room. The lamp hanging on the wall is far too bright, but the room would be too dark without it. My head throbs. The pain pulsates down my neck, inching closer towards my knees.

I want nothing more than to call my mother and hear her voice, but Tobias told me not to call her. Let us handle it, he said. Charlie has a system in place for this kind of thing. Just stay here with Amy and wait for me.

My phone vibrates in my hand and I lurch with painful joy. I look at the screen and my heart sinks. It’s not Tobias’ number staring back at me.

Rick.

I shouldn’t answer it. I should set it down and ignore it. Let it ring. Let him get frustrated. If I don’t play into his game, then I can’t lose.

The screen turns black and it settles back into my palm. I drop it onto the bed beside me and hug my pillow against my chest.

Before I can take another full breath, the phone rings again, buzzing softly on the bedspread. I look at it, once against disgusted by Rick’s name on the screen. He’s the cat, dangling a piece of cheese on a string, hoping to lure me out of my hiding place. I reach out and tap the ignore button, silencing the phone once more.

Almost immediately, it rings again.

I sit up in frustration, my fingers twitching towards the phone. I give into my weakness and answer it before I can stop myself.

“Why are you doing this?” I sob.

“Hello, Claire.” I can hear the smirk on his voice; that cool, calm curl of his lip that still feels as familiar as family.

“Why?! What did she ever do to you?”

Rick sighs. “It’s my insurance policy.”

“Insurance policy?”

“Yes.”

“Against what?!”

“Right now, I have a few of my best men camped out across the street from her,” he says. “She had oatmeal for breakfast this morning. She met a co-worker for coffee afterward—”

“Leave her alone, Rick—”

“She’s been sitting on the couch watching crap TV for the last half hour—”

“Stop it!”

“Even if Uncle Charlie comes to the rescue, they’ll follow her to wherever he whisks her off to next,” he continues, his voice growing louder with each word. “She can’t hide anymore and my father will be awfully happy to know where she’s been.”

“Rick, if you love me at all, you’ll call them off,” I plead.

“It doesn’t work like that, Claire. When the Kings win, you’ll come back to me — it’s what we agreed to, right?” I say nothing. “Right?”

“Yes,” I whisper.

“But if you don’t… or if you suddenly disappear again… or even if something mysteriously happens to me in my sleep, well… then my father will be receiving a very interesting phone call.”

I sniff, forcing my tears away. “Rick, please. I’m begging you. Don’t do this—”

The call drops, filling the room with painful silence once again. I cry out in anger and toss the phone to the floor. It slides along the carpet until finally laying to rest against the wall. It’s a decent play, one that I hate myself for not seeing beforehand. He’s using my mother as a hostage, giving me firm incentive to behave as he wants me to. It’s my choice in the end which one of us returns to them and Rick knows I’d never let my mother take that bullet.

The door opens and Amy steps back inside. “Ugh — nothing great to choose from…” She locks the door behind her. “Looks like we’re surviving on cheesy chips and hot chocolate tonight.” She tosses the small bags onto the bed in front of me and pauses as she sees my face. “Claire, what—”

“Do you know where Pike is?” I wipe the tears off my cheeks and stand up off the bed.

She shakes her head. “I can find out…”

“Can you please?” I ask as I bend down to grab my phone off the floor, along with my shoes.

She steps in front of me. “What are you doing?”

“I need to talk to him.”

“Why?”

“I just do—” I sigh. I grab my coat and throw it over my shoulder.

“Not tonight you don’t,” she argues. “Have you seen this weather? Trust me, it can wait.”

I glance at the window, imagining the storm outside behind the closed curtains. “Well, I can’t just sit here…”

“Actually, Claire, I think the best thing for you right now is exactly that. You should sit down and try to relax.”

“I can’t relax right now, Amy. My mother is—”

“Taken care of.” She puts her hands on my shoulders. “Charlie and my dad and Tobias are all over that right now…”

“It’s not enough,” I say, shaking my head. “She’s being watched. If she leaves, they’ll follow her.”

“How do you know?” Her eyes go wide. “Oh, Claire. Come on. You didn’t—”

“He called me.”

“I can’t leave you alone for one damn minute?!”

I step around her. “I’ll be back later.”

“Wait— why Pike?”

I pause with my hand on the doorknob. “Because… he’s helping me with something.”

“Like what?” she asks, her voice firm and suspicious.

“Don’t worry about it.” I twist the knob and pull the door open to find my way blocked by a familiar set of shoulders.

“Oh, thank god—” Amy moans. “Tobias, will you talk some sense into her, please?”

He looks down at me with rosy red cheeks. His hair is stiff, almost frozen by frost and cold. “Where are you going?” he asks me.

I move back from the door and he steps inside, tracking small drops of moisture on the bottom of his shoes. He stares at me, waiting for an answer that I don’t give him.

Amy grabs a bag of chips off the bed, along with her purse and coat. “I’ll be down the hall in Ryan’s room. I’d much rather tip-toe around him right now than deal with this.”

Tobias holds up his hand. “Wait, Amy— don’t leave. I’m not staying.”

I look up at him. “What?”

“Yeah, uh…” He pushes his hand back through his wet hair. “Ryan is letting me stay with him tonight. Amy, you’ll stay here with Claire—”

“Oh, really?” she asks.

“Tobias, what’s going on?” I ask.

“Can we talk a minute?” he asks me, gesturing out into the hall.

I look at Amy and she shrugs her shoulders before I follow him out. “Tobias, what is it?”

He closes the door and scans the empty hall. “I need you…” he pauses. “I need you to stay here tonight.”

“Yeah, I got that already,” I say. “What’s wrong? Is my mother—?”

“No, she’s fine—”

“No, she’s not,” I argue.

“Dad is heading there now and he’s hoping to have a new place set up for her by morning.”

“You can tell him not to bother,” I mutter. “Rick will find her anyway…”

“No, he won’t,” he says with a voice of comfort.

“I already spoke with him, Tobias. He has people following her. It won’t matter where she goes, he’ll know where she is.”

“You—” His voice drops and he heaves an angry sigh. “Claire, we’ll deal with that, I promise — but right now, I need to say something…”

I pause. “Tobias, what—”

“I love you, Claire,” he whispers, his eyes closing softly. “But…”

“But?” I parrot back at him. “I’m sorry, Tobias, but that word isn’t necessarily something I need to hear right now following I love you.”

“Pike was right,” he says. “Now that you’re home, I want to fall back into you, but I can’t. Not now.”

“You’re actually listening to him?” I seethe. “After everything he has done to you, you’re siding with him instead of me?”

“I’m not taking sides, Claire. I’m doing what’s best for us—”

“And what is that exactly?”

“Taking a break.”

“A break?” I repeat. “Tobias, I can’t take a break right now.”

“It’s only for a few days,” he whispers.

“We may only have a few days left!”

He inhales slowly. “Not if I keep my focus now.”

“Six months,” I point out. “That wasn’t a long enough break for you?”

“Claire—”

“I’ve been back less than three days!”

He closes his eyes. “I know.”

I stare at him, hoping that he’ll say something else, anything that’ll kill the darkness devouring my insides, but he stays quiet. “I don’t have a say in this at all, do I?”

“Please don’t make this harder than it already is, Claire,” he deflates. “I’m trying to get us what we want.”

“What we want? I leave town and I completely lose my mind, but it’s what you wanted.”

“I never wanted that—”

“I come home, which is what I wanted, but you push me away. If you ask me, we don’t want the same things at all anymore, Tobias…” I turn back to the door, intending to leave him behind in the hallway, but he pulls me back to him, cradling me with one, swift movement. I feel his lips on mine, cold and firm. They tremble with his kiss, begging for more, but he holds himself steady.

“Do you remember back then?” he whispers with closed eyes, his voice at the edge of a growl. “Before we were together, I said I wanted to take comfort in you, but I couldn’t. We had to wait. Do you remember that?” He opens his eyes and waits for me answer him.

“Yes.”

“This feels worse…” His lips brush against mine. “Now I know how you feel against me and what you taste like…”

My entire body shakes. “We’re stronger together, Tobias—”

“I think about you like that… with him. I think about the things you’ll be forced to do if I fail and I just…” He stares into my soul, his hands trembling against my face.

“You made me promise not to leave your side,” I whisper. “We don’t break our promises…”

“I know… but this is what I have to do, Claire.”

My heart breaks in two and tears form behind my eyes. “Then go,” I finally say, giving in to everything my love for him rejects. He claims my lips with one more kiss, hard and true, before letting me go and turning away. “I love you, too.”

He looks back at me for a brief moment, but he doesn’t let his eyes linger on me for long. “I’m going to fix this, Claire. I promise…”

I manage to hold it together until he rounds the corner and disappears from view. My body convulses with thick sobs and I fall back against the door. With my eyes shut tight, I imagine our perfect morning again. Waking up with him after months apart was a dream, a fucking cloud nine of emotional satisfaction. I don’t even want to the think about the possibility of it never happening again.

I turn around and push open the hotel room door. Amy’s voice breaks the silence as I step inside. She has her phone against her ear and she bites her lip in frustration.

“Uh huh… uh huh…” Her head jerks back and forth as anger fills her eyes. “This is crap, you know that, right?”

I sit down on the bed and wipe the tears off my eyes, but they spill over again.

“Ryan, I’m sorry, but I didn’t have a choice. Desperate times call for— No, you’re being immature! ... Fine.” She heaves a sigh and tosses the phone down onto the bed behind me. “Boys are so stupid!” she mutters through clenched teeth as she plops down beside me.

“Yeah?” I sniff. “What did yours do?”

“He’s still mad at me for quote dragging him into this tournament unquote,” she answers. “Doesn’t want to see me for a while. What did yours do?”

I wipe my cheek. “He loves me too much.”

She chuckles before tossing her arm around me. “What a jerk.”

Chapter 10

Out Of Practice

“Tobias!”

I don’t know how long I’ve been screaming. My throat burns with each new breath I take. I don’t remember the last time I felt my heart beat. I feel nothing but the cold darkness surrounding me. The abyss smells like freshly mixed tar. It covers my skin in black ash. I can’t seem to wipe the stickiness off my fingers.

“Tobias!”

His name travels back at me in soft echoes.

“Claire!”

I stand up off the ground. My heart finally springs back to life, pumping blood through my veins. I sprint quickly towards his voice, pushing against the shaking earth. Black hands grab at my limbs to hold me back, but I jerk myself free of them, refusing to falter.

“Tobias!”

I see him, standing with his back turned beneath a stunning red and orange spotlight. I fill my lungs with fresh air, hoping to expel the thick tar clinging against my lungs, but they fill with smoke instead.

“Tob—” I cough it out, choking between breaths as I stumble and fall to my knees in front of him.

He turns around slowly and I realize that it’s not Tobias at all.

I stare up into his green eyes and scream as he erupts into a wall of fire.

***

“Hey, Charlie,” I say into my phone. “Is everything okay?”

I listen for his response as I stare up at the hotel ceiling, squinting at the morning light seeping in through cracks in the curtains. Amy breathes softly in the bed next to mine, completely lost to the world, or at least she will be for another ten minutes until her alarm goes off. I’ve been up for hours, tossing and turning outside of sleep’s grip.

The nightmares have returned. I can still smell the smoke attached to the inside of my nostrils.

“As good as can be expected, I guess,” Charlie answers. “You were right, your mother has a tail on her and it won’t be easy to lose them.”

“Do you think you can?”

“I’m honestly not sure. They seem well-trained.”

I bite my lip. “Thanks for trying, Charlie.”

“Luckily, they haven’t noticed that they themselves are being watched. So, while trained, they are not too bright.”

I chuckle. “Pretty much sums up the Kings, I think.”

“My guys in Kansas City will find a window of opportunity and we’ll get her out,” he says. “Don’t worry, Claire.”

I lean back against the headboard. “Have you ever dealt with something like this before?” I ask.

“Once.”

“How did it end?”

He pauses. “Try and stay positive, Claire.”

I close my eyes, refusing to imagine why he chose that response above all others. “Is it all right if I call her?”

“Sure,” he says. “But first… how are you doing?”

“Oh, same old, I guess…”

“Claire… same old with you isn’t exactly reassuring.”

“I’m fine, Charlie,” I say. “The last few days have been a little rough, but I’m keeping it together.”

“Well, if that changes, you call me. We’ll have one of our chats.”

A laugh breaks through me. “I kind of missed those…”

“Me, too, kid.” He sighs. “Go ahead and call your mother. She’s been wanting to hear from you.”

“Okay. Thanks, Charlie.”

“Take care of yourself, Claire.”

I hang up and immediately dial the number for our not-so-secret apartment. It rings twice before she answers with a stiff yawn. “Mom? Sorry if I woke you.”

“Oh, honey,” she says. “Who the hell could sleep at a time like this?”

“I know what you mean…” I lean down against my pillows, finding comfort in her voice. “Are you okay? It’s a dumb question, but…”

“I’m okay,” she answers. “I was doing awful but then Charlie brought me a gun. I used to hate these things, but now I’m quite the fan.”

I chuckle. “They won’t hurt you, Mom. As long as I keep my promise, they won’t touch you.”

“Well, I’m not taking any chances. Did Charlie tell you about the secret knock? We have a secret knock for the door. Isn’t that cool?”

“Wouldn’t be much of a secret knock if he did tell me about, Mom.”

“Oh, right.”

Amy’s phone beeps loudly, instantly stirring her awake. She sits up in bed with bright eyes and kicks her blanket away; forever the morning person.

“Mom, I have to go. I just wanted to hear from you that you were okay…”

“Oh, I’ve got bodyguards and guns,” she jokes. “Mommy’s gonna be just fine.”

“That’s good…” I smile.

“I know it’s hard, honey,” she says, “but at least you’re with Tobias now, right?”

“Yeah,” I mutter, feeling the sharp stab to my heart. “At least I’m with Tobias.”

***

I push the curtains apart and peek out into the bright, winter wonderland outside. Our hotel room is on the tenth floor, giving me a pretty good view of the city completely obscured by a blanket of snow and ice. I’d give anything to be a child again and have a chance to actually enjoy it. Out of school. No responsibilities. Just me in a huge coat and gloves, making snow angels and throwing snowballs at friends until my mother pokes her head out to tell me to come back inside for hot cocoa and Charlie Brown specials.

The bathroom door opens and Amy steps out, perfectly clothed and dolled up, along with a subtle cloud of her body spray. She brushes a hand through her freshly-curled locks and stares at me in my pajamas. “Not coming again today?” she asks.

I shake my head.

“Well,” she sighs, “you know what I have to say about that.”

“The same thing you said yesterday?”

“Yep.”

“Tobias doesn’t need me bothering him right now,” I mutter. I close the curtain and fall back onto the bed.

“And Ryan hates me. Doesn’t stop me from doing my job.”

“Which is?”

She sighs. “Running an illegal underground MMA tournament.”

“Well, if you’re lucky, you won’t have to run it for much longer…”

I twitch as her petite form suddenly appears over my head. She stares down at me with firm, angry eyes, a startling counter to the pink eyeshadow brushed along her lids. “Ten more minutes,” she says, her hands straddling my shoulders.

“What?”

“I’m going to give you ten more minutes of this crap. Then, I want you up, I want you showered, dressed, and smiling, because you’re coming back to work with me today.”

“Amy—”

“Lillian would have never allowed this and neither will I,” she continues. “Claire Holloway can mourn her life all she wants. Claire the Alpha Dame has shit to do.” She pushes off and stands back up. “You want the Alphas to win this thing or not?”

“Yes, I do—”

“Then get off your ass and help.”

“What can I do?” I ask, propping myself up onto my elbows.

“Strap on your wings, little birdie,” she says. “Our men need us.”

“For what?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. I just know Pike made me promise to quote get her ass over here today unquote.”

“You’re doing that quote unquote thing a lot…”

“Don’t change the subject.”

I sigh and kick off my blanket. “Fine.”

“That’s my girl.”

***

I step into the gym and stomp my shoes against the floor to knock the snow off my heels. When I look up, I notice Tobias glancing in my direction from inside the ring. His eyes quickly turn away as I slide my coat off my shoulders, focusing on Ryan as he throws a punch towards his jaw. I flinch, almost feeling the pain on my own face, but Tobias dodges the blow with ease.

“You’re not leaving this ring until one of those punches connects, Ryan,” Pike shouts.

“He’s too fast…” Ryan says, nearly out of breath.

“Then be faster.” Pike peers down at me and wipes a line of sweat from bleeding down into his eyes. “Tobias, if he hits you, you run laps around the building.” He hops down from the ring and steps over to me.

“Who exactly are you rooting for up there?” I ask him, confused.

“Come with me,” he says without breaking his stride towards the back. “Amy, keep them moving.”

“Okay!” she shouts back.

Once again, I catch Tobias looking in my direction from the corner of his eye before I follow Pike. He waits for me by the door with his fingertips clasped about the handle. I step inside and look up the dark stairwell as he closes the door behind us.

“After you,” he gestures upward. I grip the railing, barely hanging on by stripped screws, and stroll up the stairs to the top floor. Pike flicks a light switch as we reach the landing, illuminating a small, studio apartment.

“You live up here?” I ask, glancing around. There’s a bed in the far corner, the sheets gently tossed to make it appear to be “made,” along with a small kitchen and writing desk against the wall. It’s all very bare, like a prison cell, without an ounce of comfort, although, I’m not exactly surprised.

“Sure,” he answers.

“Look, I’m not here to distract anybody, okay?” I say, watching as he reaches down to open the top drawer of his desk. “I’ll sit in the corner and be quiet. I promise.”

Pike holds out his hand to me and I flinch to see Rick’s switchblade folded up in his palm. “Here.”

I lean away from it. “I don’t want that…”

“Just take it, Claire.” He pushes his hand a little closer to me.

I reach out slowly and pick it up. “Why are you giving me this?”

“Because you might need it,” he answers. “It’s not exactly my weapon of choice, but I think it suits you.”

I flick it open and the scent of bleach invades my nostrils. “You certainly cleaned it…” I note, coughing softly.

“Do you know how to use one?”

“You just thrust the pointy end, right?”

He takes a quick step closer. “Stab me.”

I blink, nearly dropping the thing to the floor. “Stab you?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not going to stab you, Pike.”

“I know you’re not,” he says, rolling his eyes, “but I want you to try.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

I curl my fingers over the handle, suddenly very aware of my movements. I debate for a moment whether or not to stab underhand or overhand. I suppose it doesn’t matter. His eyes pay close attention to me, flicking up and down my body with each subtle move I make. I raise the knife and he shakes his head.

“This is painful to watch…”

I drop my hand to my side. “Well, what do you expect?”

“I expect a fucking Alpha Dame,” he says. “You’re better than this. What happened to that spunky girl that head-butted me? You almost broke my nose.”

I fold the knife closed. “She’s a little out of practice.”

“I’m not Tobias, Claire. I’m not going to go out of my way to protect you.”

“Gee, thanks…”

“Because…” he continues with stern eyes, “I absolutely believe you’re capable of saving yourself when the time comes. You just need the right tool and I can’t think of anything more poetic than killing that son-of-a-bitch with his own damn knife. Worst case scenario, of course.”

I give the knife back to him. “I’m not going to kill him, Pike. He’s holding my mother hostage. If anything happens to him, I lose her.”

“So what?” he asks. I raise an eyebrow. “Oh, right. I forgot that some people actually like their mothers.” He extends his hand again. “Still — take it. Might come in handy.”

He waits, refusing to back down until I take it from his palm again. “How’s Tobias doing?” I ask as I slip it into my back pocket.

“Yeah…” he mutters. “Sorry, kid. I’m not your go-between.” He turns back to the stairs, but quickly pauses to look back at me. “Actually…” He chews the corner of his mouth in concentration. “Come with me.”

“Why?”

“Because I just thought of a way for you to actually be useful to me.” He points at the desk. “Top drawer. Bring the blindfold.”

I turn to open the drawer and find a red, satin blindfold stuffed into the back of it. “Why do you have a blindfold in your desk?” He fires a wink at me before descending the stairs. “Ugh, never mind.” I pinch the thing between two fingers and follow him back down onto the main floor.

Pike climbs into the ring and I look at the endless sparing match still in progress. “Ryan, take a break.”

Ryan drops his fists to his sides. “Oh, thank god…” He heaves before sliding between the ropes.

“Claire, get in here,” Pike says, gesturing for me to join them.

“What are you doing?” Tobias asks him, sweating pouring off his brow.

I pull myself up and bend down to ease through the ropes. Pike snatches the blindfold from my hand and steps behind me to wrap it around my head. I cringe as he does it, quickly losing every last bit of light in my vision until I stand in total darkness. He grabs my shoulders and maneuvers me a few steps back. “Stand here. Don’t move.”

“What are you doing?” Tobias asks him again.

“It’s easy to throw a punch,” Pike says. “It’s easy to throw all of your strength and power against your opponent, but it’s not easy to stop once you’ve started.” I feel him move around me until he rests beside us. “Hit her.”

“What?!” I reach for the blindfold, but Pike forces my hands back down.

“Pike, what the hell is this?” Tobias asks.

“It’s an agility exercise,” he answers.

“I don’t need agility exercises. Let her go.”

“Yes, you do need agility exercises, and no, not until you hit her.”

I step away, but again, Pike pulls me back into place. “I’d like to point out that I have a history of abuse and this makes me really uncomfortable…”

“We all do, Claire,” he says. “That doesn’t matter right now.”

“Please,” I beg.

“Let her go, Pike!”

Pike lays his hands on my shoulders. “Claire, you know better than anyone else here the affect you have on Tobias.”

“What does that have to do with blindfolding me?”

“Last year, as you pointed out before, he nearly slit my throat but he looked into your eyes and he stopped. He glanced up for a moment during his fight against Marcus, caught your eyes across the room, and he stopped. A few days ago, he attacked me, but then he looked into your eyes and — low and behold — he stopped.”

“So he has a conscience — unlike you.”

He exhales. “This isn’t about having a conscience. It’s about timing and reflex. You can throw all the punches in the world, but the difference between winning and losing is often the one you don’t throw or, in the case of this exercise, the one you throw, but don’t follow through. Your eyes are often the only thing that pulls him back, but can he pull himself back without them?”

“We can use a punching bag for this, Pike,” Tobias seethes.

“But then you have no incentive to get it right the first time and we’re on a tight schedule here.” Pike drops his hands from my shoulders. “I think your Dame would agree with that, right, Claire?”

I take a breath to ease my quaking nerves. This tournament is only two days away. I can’t waste time thinking like his girlfriend. I am his Dame and right now, that is more important. “Let’s just get this over with,” I whisper.

“Claire—”

“Just do it, Tobias. I trust you.”

He sighs and I hear him shift into his fighting stance in front of me. I squeeze my eyes tighter, embracing the darkness until my vision lights up with fire. Pike grips my shoulders from behind again and I cringe, reminded of the ash-covered hands from my nightmares wiping their soot all over me. I stand up tall and lock my muscles. If I move even an inch, it could mean the pain of his fist.

“Make it count,” Pike growls at Tobias behind my ear. “If I sense you’re holding back, I’ll just make you do it again.”

I hear the punch whooshing through the air towards me. My knees spasm involuntarily, knocking me off-balance, but Pike holds me in place as Tobias’ knuckles stop short of my cheek. I feel the sweat on them, the heat of him just barely grazing my skin.

“Good,” Pike says, dropping his hands from me. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?” His feet stomp across the mat and I hear him push the ropes aside to leave.

I raise my shaking fingers to my eyes and blindly search for the knot behind my head.

“Here…” Tobias whispers and reaches around me to untie it himself. I pull the blindfold free and it falls to my feet. “Are you okay?” he asks. His green eyes search mine, reflecting my own inner torment back at me.

“I’m fine,” I say, my voice quivering so badly, I can hardly get the words out.

His hand finds my cheek. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. He wasn’t wrong. I’ve always been your weakness.”

Tobias’ chest rises and falls with his deep breath. “I don’t see you that way. You shouldn’t either.”

“Then why push me away?”

He pauses. “Claire, I—”

“Never mind…” I take a step back, pulling free from his touch. “I didn’t mean to distract you.” His expression doesn’t change. I force my eyes away, staring at my feet as I navigate back to the main floor with shaking knees.

Amy stands nearby with her hand clutched against her throat. Her face stares at me, pale and frightened, positively stunned into silence — a rare sight if there ever was one. “Are you okay?” she whispers at me.

“I’m fine,” I repeat as I grab my coat and slide it back on my shoulders.

“Where are you going?”

“Nowhere,” I say, lowering myself down onto a bench. “I’m just feeling a bit cold all of a sudden.”

“What an asshole.” She stares across the room at Pike. “I could have him banned again, you know.”

I shake my head, forcing a small laugh to brush it off. “Don’t worry about it.” I look up to find him glancing at me for the briefest of moments before he turns back to assist Ryan with his form.

Pike is a lot of things — asshole consistently rising to the top of that list — but I don’t blame him for his drastic style. My heart pounds in my chest, revisiting a fear I haven’t felt in ages. It’s a grim reminder of the life I escaped, the one I left behind and swore I’d never return to, but a welcome reminder as well. Blood fires through my veins, awakening every urge I have within me to win this battle. I look at Pike again, realizing that it was part of his plan from the start.

He’s not just training Tobias and Ryan for this fight.

He’s training me, too.

“Let’s go,” Pike announces. “There’s a lot to get done today and we’re taking tomorrow off.”

“Tomorrow?” I ask, looking at Amy for an explanation. She opens her mouth to answer, but Pike talks over her.

“Tomorrow we bury our friend.”

Chapter 11

Rest In Peace

Lillian Tombs touched many lives.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned so far today, it’s that. I find myself surrounded by people, most of whom I do not recognize, each one brought here because they knew Lillian and they loved her. It’s eye-opening, to say the least. The last few things I learned about her tainted my impression of her, but as I look around the abandoned nightclub now, it’s clear that there was far more good in her than bad.

“Hey, Claire.”

I look up to see a familiar face looming over me. “Devlin!” I smile.

He opens his strong arms to me and we exchange a quick hug. “It’s been too long,” he says, jerking his shaggy hair away from his eyes. “We thought you bailed on this place for good.”

“I almost did,” I admit.

“Well, I’m glad you’re back. We need you.”

We need you. It’s a strange thought. I never considered myself essential to anybody before I met Tobias. “Thank you. And thanks for coming today. It means a lot.”

“I wouldn’t miss it,” he says. “I really liked her.”

I give a half-smile. “She was interesting.” I scan the room, taking note of all the fighters, chatting and laughing and sharing their own memories of Lillian Tombs. Sam, Mark, Burt, even Trevor the Terror is here. His dark eyes wander about in silent reflection, just barely making contact with mine before turning away again.

“How’s Pike doing?” Devlin asks, pulling my attentions back to him.

“Uhh…” I sigh, gently shrugging my shoulders. “He’s Pike, if that makes any sense.”

“It does,” he chuckles, but it quickly falls from his lips and he lowers his voice to just above a whisper. “Look, I heard about what’s been going on and I want you to know that I’ve got your back if you need it.”

“Thank you.”

“And that’s not just me—” he adds with a quick glance around us. “We’re pretty much all on board here.”

“Even Burt?” I chuckle.

He laughs. “Even Burt.”

“Well… hopefully it won’t come to that.”

“But if it does… just give us a when and where and we’ll be there. We won’t let the Alphas go down without a fight. Okay?”

I nod. “Okay.”

He lays a hand on my shoulder and gives it a firm squeeze. “It was good to see you, Claire.”

“You, too, Devlin.”

His hand drops from my arm and he wanders off to meet up with Sam across the room. As I watch him go, I catch sight of Tobias lingering next to the entrance, his attentions caught on the world outside. Even at a time like this, he won’t drop his guard for danger.

I push through the crowd of thick shoulders, drawing closer to him until I find myself blocked. I move left to walk around the dark figure, but he purposefully steps in my way again.

“Well, if it isn’t the Alpha’s bitch.”

I lean back, stunned, and look up to find Trevor towering over me. “Excuse me—?”

He licks his thick lips, his hateful brown eyes bearing down on me. “You heard me.”

“Look—” I hold up my hands in surrender. “I don’t care what your problem is with me today, Trevor, but this is a really bad time.”

“Actually, it seems like the perfect time to point out that it should have been you in that box.”

I blink. “I’m sorry?”

“Fucking should be—” he spits. “This league was fine until your ass came around. Pretty clear to me whose fault all of this is—”

“It’s time for you to back down,” I say, losing every bit of patience I have.

“Says who?”

A hand grabs Trevor by the back of his neck and jerks him away from me. I jolt as I look up to find Pike holding him up, the edges of his nails digging into Trevor’s brown skin. “Says me,” he growls. “Now piss off before I get angry.” He shoves him away from me and Trevor stumbles down to his knees.

The group around me, which I now realize is made up of Alpha fighters that definitely weren’t there before, parts ways to lead him straight towards the exit. Trevor whips his head around to stare at me before he adjusts the collar of his jacket and marches down the hall to the door.

“Christ, Claire…” Pike says. “How many enemies do you have?”

“Grows more every day,” I mutter, keeping a close eye on Trevor to make sure he steps outside.

“Clearly.”

“Sorry about that.”

“Eh, might as well have some fun today. Always hated that guy.” He glances around me. “Where’s Tobias?”

“I don’t know,” I answer. “By the windows last I saw.”

“He should be here with you.”

I shake my head. “I can handle myself.”

“It’s not about that.”

“I thought I was too much of a distraction for him…”

“It’s called a day off for a reason, Claire,” he says, turning to wander towards the back offices. “Go find him. No one deserves to be alone today.”

I pause, completely losing my words as I watch him walk away. Every day, Pike the Punisher finds new ways to surprise me. Tobias is nowhere in sight, but I find Charlie nearby, chatting with a woman I’ve never seen before. As I draw near, he glances up at me and gestures me closer.

“Claire—”

“This is Claire?” the woman asks quickly, her eyes falling on me. I place her somewhere in her mid-forties, with thinning brown hair and vibrant matching eyes. She immediately extends her hand to me. “So you’re the latest one of Charlie’s angels?”

“I’m what?” I chuckle, shaking her enthusiastic hand.

Charlie laughs. “Of all the ways I can describe you, Miley, angelic isn’t exactly the first word that comes to mind.”

She slaps his arm with playful fingers. “Oh— stop it. It’s just what I like to call us — the ones Charlie brought back to life.”

I smile and look at him. “Really?”

Miley lowers her voice. “I got into a bit of trouble about ten years back… nothing major—”

“Oh, that’s not how I remember it—” he chuckles.

“The details are not important…” she urges with a sly grin. “But a mutual friend — may she rest in peace — sent me to Charlie and life has been… well, life ever since.”

“I had nothing to do with that,” he says. “You saved yourself. I was just there.”

Miley looks at me with a smirk. “There he goes again. He never gives himself enough credit, does he?”

I look at him with pride. “No, he doesn’t.”

He stays silent, refusing to admit it and I know he never will. Charlie has always been a big believer in that change comes from within. He’s told me plenty of times that he had nothing to do with me changing my life, but it’s quite the opposite. I don’t even want to imagine where I’d be if I were never dumped at his door — a strange thought considering the nightmare my life has become in recent days, but as I’ve learned, it can always get worse. Rock bottom is a myth.

“You did a great job with this today, Charlie,” I say, looking around.

He gives me the slightest of smiles but he keeps his eyes low. “Well, I guess I’ve gotten a little too good these things.”

I inhale sharply realizing the mistake I made. Luckily, Miley breaks the awkward silence with what I assume is her trademark cackle. “Oh, Charlie—” she says. “Do you remember…”

My eyes drift over Charlie’s shoulder as Tobias comes into view again. “Excuse me,” I say. “It was nice to meet you, Miley.”

“You, too, sweetie—”

Her high-pitched voice carries on behind me as I navigate through the small crowd, inching towards Tobias more with each step. He locks eyes with me before I reach him and I see him inhale a deep breath. “Hey…”

He opens his mouth to speak, but suddenly stops as his eyes drift above my head. His expression changes quickly from one of pensive sadness to immediate panic. “Claire,” he says, “get behind me.”

“What?” I ask, turning to look over my shoulder.

“Get behind me.”

I shift quickly, spinning around to conceal myself behind Tobias’ back, but it’s too late. He’s already caught me; the one man I never expected to show up here today.

Thomas Eastwood walks in through the club’s front door, wearing a jet black suit jacket and slacks — possibly the nicest outfit I’ve ever seen him in, and that includes what he wore the day he married my mother. He steps through the crowd at a determined pace, his eyes locked on mine as I peek out from behind Tobias.

“That’s far enough,” Tobias says, extending an arm.

“I ain’t here to fight with you, kid,” Thomas mutters, his eyes shifting quickly between the two of us. “Where’s my brother?”

“Thomas,” Charlie says, drawing his attention.

Without a second glance at us, Thomas moves away and walks over to Charlie. Tobias latches onto my arm and pulls me back around to face him. “This is bad…” he says.

“He’s surrounded by Alphas, Tobias,” I point out. “I don’t think he’ll start anything.”

“Still—” He keeps his grip on me. “I’d feel much better if he wasn’t in the same room with you.”

“I’m inclined to agree,” I say, recalling Thomas’ threats against me.

An eye for an eye, brother.

I follow close behind Tobias, shifting my hand down to his to entwine our fingers. We move towards the back hallway and Tobias flags Devlin down on the way towards the door. “Keep an eye on Thomas,” he orders. “If he leaves, you let me know.”

Devlin nods and pats Tobias’ shoulder to signal he understands before following the trail back to Charlie.

“Tobias, we shouldn’t leave him—”

“He’ll be all right,” he says, throwing open the hallway door.

I gasp, frozen solid in the doorway, blinking several times to ensure that it’s not some wicked mirage plaguing my vision. Rick stands in the hallway, leaning casually against Lillian’s office door with his hands in his pockets, sporting a shirt and tie. When he sees us, he pushes off the wall and grins. “Oh, is the party over?”

I feel the rage in Tobias’ grip. “Get out of here,” he growls.

“No,” Rick replies.

“Why are you even here?” I ask.

“I came to pay my respects to the dead, Claire,” he says. “It’s what civilized people do.”

“You don’t exactly qualify—”

“Claire,” Tobias interrupts me, along with Rick’s low, guttural laughter. “Go back inside.”

“I’m not leaving you two—”

“Oh, it’s fine, Claire,” Rick grins. “Go back inside like the man says. I wouldn’t want you to miss the big surprise.”

A chill rolls down my spine. “What big surprise?”

His lips curl.

Tobias turns towards me and lays his hands on my shoulders. “Go find Amy,” he whispers. “Have Ryan get you two out of here.”

“What about you?”

“Just do it, Claire.” He puts a bit of pressure against me to get me moving.

My instincts tell me to stand my ground beside him, but his eyes beg me to go. I turn around and rush back onto the main floor, leaving him and Rick alone. My heart screams, urging me to return to him, but I scan the crowd for Amy instead like he asked me to. I spot Ryan lingering by the entrance and bolt in his direction. “Where’s Amy?” I ask him with wide eyes.

He sighs. “I was hoping she was with you.”

The entrance flies open again and I jolt with fear as a line of at least a dozen men walk inside, some of them more familiar than I’d like. Several former Alphas stand with the Kings, Trevor the Terror himself among them, along with Owen, Ryan’s cousin.

Ryan shifts in front of me. “What the hell is this?” he asks Owen as he passes.

Owen pauses next to him, his posture stiff and perfect. “Boss has some business here.”

“Not today,” Ryan snaps. “Do you have any idea what’s happening right now? These people are mourning.”

“Not our problem.”

Ryan shakes his head. “What’s gotten into you, Owen? This isn’t what we signed up for—”

“There is no we anymore.”

I see the extreme disappointment in Ryan’s stunned eyes. “The Kings I knew would have never crashed a wake. Enemies or not, the Alphas deserve a day of peace.”

Owen looks forward like a soldier standing at attention. “Traitors deserve nothing from us,” he growls.

Ryan pushes in, refusing to back down. “You know I’m right. Turn around and go home.”

“You lost your chance at being our leader, Ryan,” Owen says, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. “These men would have followed you anywhere, but you made your choice.”

“Yes, I did,” Ryan nods, “and you just proved that it was the right one. I would never have been a part of something like this and you shouldn’t be either.” Owen’s expression shakes, his eyes falling to the floor as the other Kings pass around him and station themselves about the room. Ryan watches them go with worried eyes. “At least let the women leave, Owen. This isn’t their fight.”

“Look, we’re not here to hurt anyone,” Owen whispers out of earshot of the others.

“Then why are you here?” I ask. He flicks his eyes down at me, but he doesn’t answer.

Ryan scoffs with annoyance. “It’s intimidation. Plain and simple.” Owen walks away from us to join the other Kings. “Claire, do you have your phone?”

“Yes.”

“Call Amy — she may not answer me right now, but she’ll answer you.”

I reach into my purse and my fingers brush lightly against the handle of Rick’s switchblade as I grab my phone. My fingers slip on the screen as I struggle to find her in my contact book. “Tobias wants you to get us out of here.”

“He and I actually agree on something then,” he says. “You two are the last Dames for them to target.”

I hold the phone to my ear and listen to the dim ringing on the other side. “Come on, Amy…”

A second ringing calls out, this one close by. Ryan instantly recognizes the tone and rushes to the center of the room, following the repetitive sound. I trail behind him, until he finally bends over and grabs Amy’s phone off the floor. His face turns red with rage as he straightens up again. “Where’s Tobias?” he asks me.

“In the back with Rick,” I answer slowly. I scan the room for Amy, fantasizing about her rolling her eyes and laughing at us for worrying about her, but she’s nowhere to be found.

The crowd stares at the Kings, who have now blocked every exit available. Most of them seem confused, as they should be, while the others — the many generations of Alphas — look ready for a fight with their hands rolled into fists.

I lock eyes with Charlie near the bar and he stares back at me with a solemn, regretful expression. Thomas follows his sight and peeks over his shoulder at me. My chest shakes with fury, drawing me towards them. I ignore Charlie’s eyes, the ones telling me to stay away.

He holds out his hand to stop me. “Claire, no—”

I shove Thomas forward and he slams face-first into the bar. “Where is she?!”

Thomas stands up tall and chuckles back at me. “It’s a little ironic, isn’t it?” he asks me with a calm voice. “You demand to know where someone is and I refuse to tell you…”

“Where?!”

Charlie lays a hand on my arm. “Claire — it ain’t worth it.”

“It’s Amy,” I cry.

“And Tara is my wife,” Thomas seethes. “Seems like a fair trade.”

I shake my head. “You choose now to do this? You do this at your ex-girlfriend’s funeral?”

He chuckles. “You say that as if I cared about her.”

“You did once.”

“Maybe,” he says. “But now, she’s served her purpose and she’s dust.”

“You’re using an awful lot of energy to find a woman your own son already knows the location of—”

“Claire—” Charlie interrupts me, his fingers digging a little more into my skin.

Thomas glares over my shoulder for a moment and I turn to see Rick lingering back a few feet away from us. “That may have been true until this morning…” Thomas says, “but now, she seems to have been misplaced again.”

I spin around to face Rick. “So that’s what this is? You fucked up so you’re throwing a temper tantrum? Grow up, you pathetic piece of—”

Charlie reels me in closer. “Stop—” he urges.

I jerk my arm from his grasp and take wide strides towards Rick. “You tell me where Amy is right now or I promise you, I’ll—”

“She’s in the trunk of her car,” Rick interrupts. He reaches into his pocket and drops her car keys into my shaking palm.

Thomas steps forward. “What are you doing, Rick?”

“We’re done here,” Rick answers, barely look at his father. He keeps eye contact with me and smiles. “Tobias has taken care of it.” I furrow my brow in confusion. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Claire.”

He steps around me with a quick nod and the other Kings follow him towards the exit.

“Rick!” Thomas calls, his face red and angry.

“You heard him, Thomas,” Charlie says. “You’re done here.”

Thomas stands his ground. “You know, brother…” he pauses to swallow his spit, “you should really rethink who you spend your time with. Especially considering what they did to your baby girl.”

My breath catches in my throat. Charlie keeps still, but I notice his eyes twitch.

Thomas smiles. “That’s what I figured… You didn’t know. I’d stick around and tell you myself, but I’m sure your son will be more than happy to fill you in on what really happened to poor, little Mary.” He turns around and walks away from Charlie, his boots tapping against the floor as he goes.

My toes shake, trembling my balance, as I study Charlie’s face for any reaction, but he stays as stoic as ever — the most recognizable Eastwood trait if there ever was one.

“Claire…” Ryan reaches out to me and I pass Amy’s car keys to him. He rushes away to the exit, but I find myself frozen in my position, unable to follow him.

“Charlie?”

He looks at me slowly and clears his throat. “We saw an opportunity to move your mother and we took it,” he says. “She’s fine.”

I look towards the front doors, anxiously waiting for Ryan to reappear, hopefully with Amy at his side. “Good,” I say, expecting no further explanation from him about my mother. I’d rather not know where she is now, honestly. The less I know, the better.

I look upward, feeling a pair of eyes on me, to find Pike standing on the second floor balcony. He must have been there the whole time, watching from the side-lines. He holds my gaze for a moment more before turning around and moving out of sight.

“Tobias—” Charlie begins. I turn around to find Tobias standing behind me with downcast eyes. “I need to have a word with you.”

Tobias takes a deep, slow breath. “Okay,” he says. Charlie walks away, moving towards the back offices.

“Tobias, what did Rick mean?” I ask him.

His eyes shift back to me. “It’s not important,” he mutters. “Rick agreed to leave your mother alone.”

I pause, confusion gripping my gut. “Tobias… what did you do?”

“You should get Amy back to the hotel,” he says, ignoring my question.

I turn and breathe a sigh of relief as Amy walks inside in front of Ryan. She appears okay, with the obvious exception being the anger melting her wild, blue eyes. I turn back to Tobias, but he’s already wandered off to follow Charlie. I want to follow him and help him explain to Charlie what Thomas meant about Mary, but the clacking of Amy’s heels pulls my attentions away.

“Oh, my god…!” Amy seethes through her teeth. “Fucking pricks.”

“You okay?”

“No, I’m not okay. I’m pissed off.” She brushes her fingers down her arms as if to wipe away dirt or grime from her dress’ black sleeves. Ryan rests a hand on her shoulder and she twitches, but quickly calms when she realizes it’s just him.

“What happened?” I ask her.

“Trevor grabbed me outside the bathroom,” she explains. “Chucked me into my car and stole my phone.”

“He must have ditched in it here before we kicked him out,” Ryan guesses.

“We should get her back to the hotel,” I say, following Tobias’ advice.

“We should hunt those bastards down and—”

“Amy…” Ryan soothes. “Deep breath…”

She fills her lungs with air and exhales it slowly. “Fuckers…” she mutters.

Ryan takes her hand. “Let’s go back to the room,” he says to her. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“All right,” she says, nodding softly. “Fine.”

“You coming?” he asks me.

I look around again, my heart tugging me towards Tobias — towards my family — but fear holds me back. “Yeah,” I say. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 12

Everything

I lie on the edge of sleep, hanging on the outer rim of bad dreams, when a knock strikes my door. It’s enough to jump start my pulse and jerk me out of it. My eyes roll around to check the clock by the bed. It’s two in the morning.

Another pair of knocks hit. I sit up fast and I instantly regret the dizzy spell that rattles my brain.

“Claire, it’s me.”

Tobias’ voice, low and muffled, bleeds through to my ears. I throw my feet to the floor and walk across the room, enjoying the light, sleepy feeling as my toes sink into the carpet. I flick on the lights and take a moment to let my eyes readjust before sliding the deadbolt free and twisting the door knob.

He stands in the hall with his hands in his pockets. His face is pale and dark cloud rests above his expression. Honestly, I’ve never seen him so beaten down before. “Hey,” I whisper.

“Did I wake you?” he asks, studying my puffy eyes.

“No. Well, maybe,” I say. “You actually probably just saved me from a horrible nightmare, to be honest.”

“Sorry, I just…” He points behind him. “Ryan and Amy are…”

“Making up?” I grin.

“Yeah,” he chuckles softly.

“Nothing like getting kidnapped at a funeral to remind you how short life is.”

He pauses, his eyes flicking into the room. “Do you mind if I…?”

I step to the side to let him in. He walks passed me and paces along the carpet with a furrowed brow. His tie still hangs about his neck, slightly loose, and his jacket has a few wrinkles on it. Considering the day we’ve had, I would have expected him to be in worse shape, but Tobias usually manages to keep all that bottled up. I lean back against the closed door to watch him move, hoping for him to look up but he never does.

“Is Charlie okay?” I finally ask him.

“I’m not sure,” he answers slowly, pausing to lower himself onto the edge of my bed. “Won’t know until he starts speaking to me again.”

“What did you tell him?”

His eyes close. “Everything,” he whispers.

Everything. I don’t need a summary of what that means. It means Charlie knows that Pike was with Mary the night she died. It means he knows Lillian helped cover-up the details of what happened. It means he knows what Tobias and I have known all along.

“It’s a lot to process,” I say.

“I know.”

“He’ll come around, Tobias. He always does.”

“I’m not sure if I want him to…”

I step off the door. “What do you mean?”

“He’s right, Claire,” he whispers, staring at the floor. “I never should have let it get this far out of hand.”

“Tobias…” I drop to my knees in front of him. “None of this is your fault.”

“No, it’s their fault,” he nods, finally meeting my gaze. “Pike, Lillian, and yet… I still helped them. I still sided with them, but I was too stubborn to recognize the other options because…”

“Because of me,” I finish his thought.

He looks up with guilt in his eyes, full of regret and sadness. “Yeah,” he nods his head and lets out a deep sigh, “but if I’m to be completely honest with myself and everyone else, I’d do it again if it meant keeping you safe.” He pauses, looking right through me. “What kind of brother does that make me?”

“Tobias…” I reach for his hands. “There’s nothing I can do or say that will make up for any of this. Except, maybe, to constantly remind you how much I love you.”

His lips twitch. “Claire, I used to look into the future and I’d see you standing beside me. I dreamed that someday we’d wake up and all of this would be over and we could finally begin our lives together.”

I push myself up to stand. “We’re one day away from that now.”

He takes a deep breath, staring into my eyes the whole time. “We might be.”

“We are. Tomorrow night, this will all be finished and we can start over, just like we wanted.”

“If you really believe that, then I’ll trust you.”

“I really believe it,” I say, forcing a smile. “So you should trust me. Okay?” He nods and I point a stiff finger at him. “Get some rest. You’ll need it.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I raise an eyebrow before turning away and walking towards the bathroom. Of course I believe it. I have to, or else I’ll definitely go insane. I can’t think about the bad outcome here. No matter how hard Tobias trained this week, it’s not just his skill that will win or lose this for us. It’s Pike’s and Ryan’s and Owen’s and Rick’s. Even if Tobias wins his fight against Rick, the rest is out of our control. If Pike and Ryan lose their fights, he loses me, too.

Best two out of three. Winner take all. It’s what we agreed to.

It’s what Pike has been trying to prepare me for from the start.

I close the bathroom door behind me and bend over the sink to fill my palms with water from the faucet, ice cold to the touch. I splash it on my face to break the sweat gathering on my brow, embracing the frozen burn on my cheeks. Suddenly, the dark ceiling of the apartment in Kansas City doesn’t seem that bad. I grab a towel and wipe my face dry before opening the door again.

I pause in the doorway, blocked by Tobias’ wide shoulders in front of me. He says nothing, his eyes soft and warm, as he leans in closer to kiss me. His fingers rest on my cheeks, lulling me towards him while he sucks my bottom lip between his teeth.

“Tobias—” I lean back to catch my breath. “What did Rick mean when he said you took care of it?”

He sighs and rests his forehead against mine. “I will tell you everything, Claire, but… not now. Please.” He licks his lips and pulls me back in for another kiss.

Passions drive me towards him and I accept his embrace, dropping every word of dissent off my tongue. His hands glide down my body and he hoists me up off the floor. I cling to him as he carries me across the room and lays me down on the bed, his lips on mine the entire way. He balances on his hands, towering over me with desire on his warm breath.

I quiver beneath him and my nether catches fire in anticipation of his touch. His lips caress my neck, traveling downward as his hands feel every inch of my skin. I reach up and grip the headboard’s edge to ground myself. I feel the pulsating desire in me, fueled by a rush of electricity coursing between us.

Tobias pushes himself up onto his knees. He slides my slacks down to my ankles and tosses them away, along with my panties. I dig my nails into the wood, biting my lip as I watch the passion in his eyes. He looks me up and down, licks his lips like a ravenous animal, and reaches for his zipper.

I hold back a soft moan as his sizable manhood flops free from his briefs. My mouth waters, remembering his sweet taste, begging me to quench my thirst for him. He spreads my legs and falls back down to kiss me. I let go of the headboard and hold him against me, feeling his hardness press between us. He rocks his hips, driving both of our pleasures. I moan as he rubs my core in the most perfect way. His fishes his hands beneath my top and pulls it over my head before burying his face between my supple breasts and nibbling at my skin.

Tobias grabs me and rolls onto his back, tossing me around with him until I’m straddling him. I stare down at his perfect body. Bruises dash along his torso, but none of them seem to bother him at all as I press my fingers against him to hold myself up. His tip pushes against my throbbing mound and I rub myself on him to tease my desires even further. I sigh with great pleasure, quivering as my moisture rises. He sits up and wraps his arms around me to shift me wherever he wants. I clench my eyes closed, feeling his tip slide along my slit, awakening even more passion within me. His breath strikes my skin, warm and quick, as I lay kisses along his brow.

I open myself to him and he slides inside of me. We both go tense for a moment while we experience each other. I stare into his trembling green eyes and wrap my lips around his as he slowly impales himself deeper inside me. He groans against my mouth then lays his head against my breasts while his fingertips dig into my skin. I push myself upward and fall back down, riding him over and over again. He meets my grind with deep thrusts, hitting me in just the right spot to drive me wild on him.

I angle away from his kiss, arching my back as a primal urges take hold of me. My hands hold his knees for balance. I flex my abs and breathe deeper to ride him hard and fast. He lays down against the pillows and watches my body writhe on him, enjoying every moment of it until he feels me clench around his thick root.

Moans tumble off my lips and my entire body shakes from climax. I lose my balance, but Tobias rushes forward and reaches out to hold me steady. He takes me in his arms and I twitch rapidly, breathing against his firm lips as my body recovers from a most perfect ruin.

He shifts me off of him like a rag doll and positions himself behind me as I fall forward onto my hands and knees. I grab a pillow to rest against, but my break doesn’t last long. Tobias enters me again from behind, sliding in as deep as he can, stretching me out far enough to make me scream. He doesn’t hold back, growling and grunting as he pounds me hard. My body aches, pushed as far as it’ll go, but the beautiful pain doesn’t compare to the pleasure ripping through my body again.

“Tobias—!” I grit my teeth, feeling pleasant demise building inside once more. He doesn’t stop, fueled by his inner torment, nor do I want him to. His hips angle his thickness deep inside, pressing me in just the right spot. I moan for him and he leans over, guiding me down to lie flat on my stomach. He holds me there, pistoning in and out of me, as he grunts louder with each new thrust. A fresh climax overwhelms me and I scratch at the pillow, screaming his name as I ride the wave gushing through me.

Tobias grunts one more time and finishes himself off. His nails dig into my rear and I relish in the sweet pain he brings me while his thrusts slow to a smooth halt. He collapses against my back, his lips traveling along my neck, tasting the sweat on me. I feel him slide out of me and he lays to rest beside me with an arm draped around my hips.

I spin around to face him and he looks at me with exhaustion in his eyes. He flexes his arm and draws me closer to him, pressing my breasts against him. “Claire…” he growls, sucking on my bottom lip between kisses.

“Yes?” I breathe, unable to pull myself away from him.

He pauses, splitting his lips as if to speak, but he quickly changes his mind. His hand travels down my back, tickling my skin in ways only he knows how. He hooks his fingers beneath my knee and draws my leg around him, positioning himself between my thighs again.

I kiss him with even more lust, waiting for the moment I’ll feel him inside of me again.

Chapter 13

Our Legacy

Pike’s gym has been entirely overrun by fighters.

Alphas on one side, Kings on the other. I feel a bit of relief as I count them. The Kings are outnumbered, but not by much. My hand brushes across my back jeans pocket and I feel the stiff handle of Rick’s switchblade behind the denim lining. Of all the things to provide me with comfort, I never for a second thought that would be among them.

Amy stands beside me near the ring, dressed for success from head-to-toe. This is a Midwest Alpha fight, after all, and Amy is treating it like one, especially since it may be the last. She wears a short, red dress that clings perfectly to her body with golden jewelry in every spot imaginable. Her fingers wrap around the metal whistle hanging from her neck as she scans the crowd. “You okay?” she asks me.

I scoff. “And here I was worried about you.”

She looks at me with narrow eyes. “I can handle a room full of testosterone just fine, Claire. I’m more concerned about what you’re thinking in that pretty head of yours.”

“Why?”

“You know why…”

I follow her eyes across the crowd and they land on Rick. I saw him the moment he arrived tonight. Walking tall, completely calm. Not a care in the damn world, like a statistician walking into a casino to count cards. “He thinks he’s going to win,” I note.

“He won’t…” Amy mutters. I glance at her out of the corner of my eyes, but I’m too tired to argue with it. “There’s no way any of us will let that happen.”

I pull my eyes away from him. “We made a deal, Amy.”

“Right, but no one expects either of you to follow through. I mean, look around you right now.” She waves her hand in a circle. “They didn’t come out here just to watch a few fights.”

I blink and glance around once more, paying close attention to their faces. Everyone is on edge, like soldiers on a battlefield just waiting around for the order to come in. Attack. Leave no man alive. I shake my head. “I’m not worth all this, Amy…”

“We think otherwise.”

I stare into her icy blue eyes. “Amy…”

“This isn’t just about you, Claire,” she says, turning to face me. “It’s about them. This is their territory. Their sport. Their lives. They aren’t going to sit back and let some brat take over because he’s got a little crush on his stepsister and neither will I.” Her body shakes as she inhales a breath. “My mother created this. Tobias’ mother, too. This is our legacy. No one, especially not Rick or Thomas or anybody, has the right to take that from us.”

I pause, moved by her words. “I don’t want anyone else to get hurt…”

“We’re all here for difference reasons,” she says. “It’s up to them to decide whether their cause is worth fighting or dying for.”

The back hall opens and our men walk out into the main room. Tobias is first in line, wearing his tight, black shorts, with Ryan and Pike following close behind in blue and white. The Alphas catch sight of them as well and a cheer breaks out among them, each one honoring the two Alphas that stand before them. Ryan’s the outsider, but that doesn’t seem to silence them at all. I look at the Kings, their eyes full of hatred as they fall on Ryan. I bite my lip. Maybe Ryan was right before. When he goes into the ring, he may not come back out again.

They walk straight to us through the parting crowd. Tobias stands beside me and takes my hand, his tongue completely silent as he looks around. Pike lingers behind us and Ryan throws his arms around Amy. I see his lips moving near her ear, whispering quiet words meant only for her. Her eyes go wide for a brief second before she finally nods.

“It’s time,” she says.

My heart stops for a moment as I watch her walk away and pull herself into the ring. She moves with perfect grace, stepping up and across the ring in stiletto heels. Her lips curl and she holds her finger to her mouth to silence the roaring crowd. “Good evening, fighters,” she greets. “It is my great honor to welcome you all here tonight, even in such circumstances.” Her eyes fall on the Kings. They stare back at her with cold faces, but they do nothing to deter her grin. “It’s a historic moment for both our leagues. We all know what’s at stake here, but as tensions run high, I expect professionalism from both sides. We agreed to a certain set of rules and there will be consequences should that bond be broken.” Her eyes fall on Rick outside the ring and his eyebrows bounce. He offers her a kind nod before she looks away. “Without further delay, I want to welcome to the ring Ryan Weiss of the Alphas and Owen Weiss of the Kings.”

The room falls into a hard silence as the two of them make their way to the ring. Ryan keeps his head high, refusing to show weakness to his former league. I can see the rage in their faces; jaws and fists clenched tight beneath red, unblinking eyes. Tobias squeezes my hand a little harder. I look at him and he shows no worry on his face — only confidence for his new ally.

Ryan and Owen stand at opposite ends of the ring. Just like the Eastwood boys, I see the family traits standing out between them. Dirt brown hair, playful eyes, serious jaw lines. They differ in stature with Owen standing over Ryan by several inches, but Ryan’s muscles are way more impressive. I try not to get too excited, remembering Amy’s first rule in recruitment. Bigger does not always mean better.

Amy stands tall between them, but I can tell what she’s hiding behind her blue eyes. I know her well enough to see that she’s terrified. “There will be three fights,” she says, her voice thick and strong. “Whomever wins two out of three takes the tournament.” Her eyes fall on Ryan and she bites her quivering lip. “Good luck to both of you.” She takes a quick step back, slides out of the ring, and lingers to the side with her whistle clenched between her teeth.

Ryan and Owen stare at each other, balancing on the balls of their feet so they can pounce at any moment. My entire body goes tense. Ryan said the Kings don’t care about putting on a show. They care about one thing only, and that’s winning. They don’t waste time on theatrics.

Amy blows the whistle and I jolt in my shoes. Owen leaps forward like a mountain lion, fast and without mercy, even towards his cousin. I fear for Ryan as Owen’s fist connects with his jaw. He falls backward against the ropes and I see Amy’s eyes turn away. The Kings shout with excitement, the sound quickly overcome by the Alphas screaming above them.

Ryan bounces off the ropes, using the force of Owen’s punch to his advantage. With quick precision, he slides beneath Owen’s outstretched arm and slams his closed fist against Owen’s ribs. He kicks his leg around Owen’s knee and forces him to the ground, refusing to let him regain his balance. Owen grunts with fury, his cheeks turning red as he falls to the floor beneath them. He reaches out and pulls Ryan down with him.

I cringe, watching through half-closed eyes as Owen locks Ryan in a fierce headlock. Amy throws her hands to her mouth, but somehow manages to keep her eyes on them. Owen flexes hard, pushing his thick arm against Ryan’s throat. He smiles down at him, his tongue poking out the side of his lips in concentration. Ryan chokes on his air, kicking and throwing his arms up to regain control. His face turns a new color each passing second. My face falls, too frightened to watch the outcome.

Tobias squeezes my hand again, pulling my attentions towards him instead. The confidence in his eyes remains intact from before. He raises an eyebrow and silently gestures for me to look back at the ring.

As I do so, the crowd cries out in surprise.

Owen has lost his grip on Ryan. He throws his head back, shrieking in pain as Ryan scratches hard against his face, tearing downward with his nails to break skin. I watch in wonder as Ryan spins about and pulls Owen completely over his head and slams him down to the mat below. Blood sprinkles against the floor, dripping from Owen’s torn cheek.

The brutality shocks the Kings and they collectively wince. They nod in respect of Ryan’s former status among them, but defeat crosses none of their eyes.

Owen bounces back to his feet and steps away to regather himself, but Ryan doesn’t quit. He swings his closed fist to deliver a solid backhand against Owen’s sliced open face. Fresh blood sprays the air around them, soaking their skin and knuckles. Owen pushes Ryan away and strikes with a quick jump kick. It connects with Ryan’s chest, forcing him back. Owen takes the few seconds it provides him to catch his breath and wipe the blood from his eyelids before charging forward again.

I taste blood on my tongue. I release my bottom lip from my sharp teeth and try to relax my jaw. My entire body remains tense, the hold gripping me down to my bone marrow. By the time Tobias is up there, I’ll surely be completely numb. He senses it and takes a slow step behind me to rest his hands on my waist to hold me steady. My eyes fall to the other side of the ring, making contact with Rick’s. He stares back at us with a twitching brow, anger flowing through him as he covets what Tobias possesses.

Owen falls to the floor in front of us, breaking my line of sight. He pushes his hands beneath him, his eyes crossing from dizziness, but Ryan kicks him hard in the stomach to force him back down.

If this were an Alpha fight, I’d imagine Owen would be considering a tap out right about now, but the Kings don’t train that way. You either walk off a winner or you’re dragged off a loser. There’s no in-between. He closes his eyes and breathes in deep to soothe his pain. Ryan pulls back his foot to kick him again, aiming for his face. Owen throws his eyes open at the last second and blocks the move with both hands. He holds Ryan’s foot with a white-knuckle grip and twists sharply.

Ryan cries out in pain and falls to his knees. Owen lets him tumble down and grabs Ryan’s shoulders to pull him in to head butt his face. I hear the cracking above the crowd’s scream and blood gushes from Ryan’s nose and lips. Amy turns away, hiding the tears as they fall down her face.

Owen moves fast to trap Ryan in a headlock once more, but Ryan won’t make that mistake again. He throws himself backward and kicks up to land on his feet before jutting his knee into Owen’s face. Owen falls back, his hands rising to his nose, and settles against the hard mat.

Ryan prepares for the next attack, but his muscles loosen as he stares down at Owen’s lifeless form. His eyes turn soft and sweat drips down his face, slowly sliding towards his chest. Owen doesn’t move. I stare at his ribs, relieved to see them rising and falling with his breath — but it doesn’t look like he’ll get back up anytime soon.

Amy wipes her eyes before climbing back into the ring. She throws her game face back on and smiles wide as she reaches down to check Owen’s pulse and tap his face. “Owen!” she calls out, raising her voice several pitches. Still, he remains on the floor with his eyes closed. “Round one is over! One point for the Alphas!”

The Alphas cry out in victory and clap their hands together in celebration of Ryan. If there was ever a question of his loyalty among our ranks, it’s officially been settled. Ryan is one of us now.

He turns to face the Kings. I expect to see red eyes among them, perhaps several gusts of smoke as they breathe fire in his direction. While I see that among a few of their faces, I sense respect from others. If there’s one thing the Kings respond positively to, it’s male power and dominance. Ryan is a talented fighter. That’ll never change, no matter whose side he’s on.

He spins around and lowers himself to his knees in front of Owen. “Come on, buddy,” I hear him say as he grips Owen’s arm and pulls him up to sit. Owen’s eye flicker open and he glances up at Ryan. He accepts his cousin’s hand and Ryan helps him up to his feet.

Amy smiles at Ryan with loving eyes, a slight break in her character, but she clearly doesn’t care. She looks at him the same way I look at Tobias; She is his Dame and there’s no power on this Earth that can stand in the way of that.

“Next,” she announces, clearing her throat, “a former Alpha returns to the ring.” She points towards us, her eyes lingering behind Tobias’ head. “We call him Pike the Punisher.”

Pike steps around us and the Alphas part the crowd for him. The excitement is thick in the air. Most of them have not seen Pike throw a punch since the night he was banned for stabbing Tobias. My lips twitch. Life has changed so much since then.

“To challenge him,” she continues, “the Kings have brought Frankie Miles.”

I look across the ring, squinting to see where she’s pointing. A man howls with delight at the mention of his name and he scurries forward to climb into the ring. Ryan wasn’t kidding when he described him as a loose cannon. I crane my neck to look at Tobias and catch a phantom panic in his pupils before he manages to brush it aside for my benefit. The confidence returns to his expression before he directs me forward again. This time, he reaches around me and rests a hand on the front of my shoulder, holding me loose against him to comfort me. His heart thumbs hard behind my back and I feel his fear bleed through his skin onto mine.

Neither of us have to say of word; we know what the other is thinking. If Pike wins this, it’s all over. Tobias won’t even have to fight Rick again.

Two out of three. Winner take all.

Amy waits until Pike and Frankie settle into their corners before dismissing herself again. She reaches for her whistle and places it between her teeth, casting one final glance at both of them before blowing into it.

Pike flexes, preparing for the quick King-like charge, but Frankie stays back. He raises an eyebrow with amusement and I recall that Pike is the Alpha’s own loose cannon. His muscles lengthen and he shakes out his arms, bouncing to and fro on his toes to secure Frankie’s attentions. My eyes twitch back and forth between them, completely caught on edge, waiting for the inevitable moment when one of them strikes first.

Frankie grins and chuckles softly to himself as he mirrors Pike’s mannerisms, shifting up and down on his bare feet. He pushes forward, only to fall back into place, teasing Pike over and over again. Deja vu overwhelms me. Pike did the same to Tobias to rile him up at their own fight. Back then, Pike attacked first out of impatience, and now, I see the same look in his eyes. He’s not the type to wait around to be hit first and Frankie knows it.

Pike darts forward with clenched fists, flying through the air to strike Frankie’s nose. His knuckles connect with his face, but miss their intended mark by a few inches as Frankie slides to the side. They hit his ear instead, the blow knocking Frankie off balance enough for Pike to launch a frontal assault against his ribs.

Frankie grunts loudly, the pain calling through his voice, but the tone swiftly changes to something far more sinister. His laughter brings a chill down my spine as he lays back against the ropes and takes his beating with amusement dancing across his face. Even Pike leans backward, stunned by the sudden sound of it, and stares into Frankie’s evil eyes.

I twitch forward, my instincts driving me to call out to Pike, to tell him to keep his guard up, but Tobias holds me back. My eyes wander to the Kings and I notice the grins teasing all of their lips. “Pike!” I cry out, my voice lost in the sea of others.

Frankie’s grin plummets off his face. He throws his hand forward, barely a blur in the air, and chops his stiff fingers against Pike’s throat.

Pike bends forward, his hands gripping his neck, coughing and wheezing for air as Frankie drops downward and sweeps Pike’s legs out from under him.

Tobias embraces me tighter, his own body twitching as Pike’s lands to the floor with a deafening smack. He lays his lips against my hair and his warm breath rushes over my scalp. “It’ll be okay, Claire,” he whispers.

I say a silent prayer, but I see the pain rush through Pike’s eyes. Frankie dances around him, watching with hilarity as Pike turns onto his hands and knees. He swings out his legs and kicks Pike in the face. Pike tumbles downward and Frankie falls to his knees beside him to attack him with a series of firm and fast punches.

Pike borrows from Tobias’ style and takes the beating against his ribs, raising his arms to protect his face. Be patient. Wait for an opening. Dominate your opponent’s weakness until the end. Pike can take it; I know he can. I reach up to squeeze Tobias’ hand and feel the sweat gathering in his palm. He’s just as nervous as I am about this. I turn my neck to look at him and sadness strikes me cold. He makes eye contact with me and he doesn’t even try to hide that the confidence has melted from his eyes.

Pike may not win this.

Frankie hops up and straddles Pike’s waist, giving himself the perfect advantage. He’s lean, meaning that Pike could easily push him off given the chance, but Frankie refuses to let him do it. He attacks faster than before, slamming his fists against Pike, leaving bright red bruises behind with each jab.

The air shifts among the Alphas. All of their energy passes to the Kings, who cry out with victory before it’s even called.

“Get up, Pike…” I mutter, tears forming in my eyes. He can still turn this around. He can still win this. He can—

Pike’s arms drop limp to his sides and Frankie adjusts his aim. With shrieking laughter, he pummels Pike’s face, knocking it from side-to-side like a rubber doll. I spin around in Tobias’ arms and bury my face in his chest. He lays his hand on the back of my head and silently keeps his eyes forward.

“That’s enough!”

I glance back, hearing Amy’s voice calling over the rest. She enters the ring and stands above them. “Frankie, stand down!”

Frankie doesn’t change his speed. He ignores her, lashing out even faster against Pike’s numb body.

Amy looks at Rick, who merely shrugs at her. Fury fills her eyes as she steps back over to Frankie and hikes up her skirt a few inches.

“Amy!” Ryan gasps and limps towards the ring, but her heeled shoe connects with Frankie’s jaw before he can reach her.

Frankie falls back in surprise, his hand moving to rub his face. He slides off of Pike, transferring all of his violent energy towards Amy instead. She shows no fear and stands her ground with closed fists.

He rushes for her and readies his open palm. “You little bitch—”

Amy jabs forward and slams the heel of her hand against his nose. Pure shock brings him to a standstill and I catch a grin on her lips as she kicks forward, connecting with his groin.

“Ooof—!” It knocks the wind out of him and Frankie tumbles to his knees.

“This fight…” Amy heaves a thick breath, staring at him with daggers in her eyes, “is over.”

The Kings fall silent again, their faces full of curiosity. They whisper to each other with hushed tones, no doubt enthralled by this blonde woman that dares to stand up to one of their men.

Ryan finally reaches them and plants himself in front of Frankie’s seething face. “You heard her — back off,” he growls.

“I don’t take orders from women,” Frankie slurs.

“You’re in her domain.”

“For now.”

I jump in surprise as Ryan latches his fingers around Frankie’s throat. “Apologize or you’ll have to deal with me…”

“Ryan—” Amy steps forward. “Let him go.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Amy—”

“Do it,” she interrupts with her eyes locked on Frankie’s tortured face.

Ryan obeys and releases him. Amy takes another quick step up to stand in front of Frankie. “Get the hell out of my ring,” she says, her voice deep and strong.

Frankie’s lips curl. “I’ll have you on your knees for this…” he mutters.

“Try it,” she says, loudly biting her teeth together. “I dare you, you fucking savage.”

Rick’s laugh carries across the ring. “As entertaining as this is…” He leans forward to rest his hands against the bottom rope. “Can we please get on with it?”

Frankie’s eyes dart downward. “Sir—”

“Get off the damn mat, Frankie,” he spits. “You’ve already won.”

His body quivers with anger, but Frankie does as he’s told. He backs away from Amy, slowly licking his lips at her as he goes, and climbs out of the ring.

Ryan bends down and pulls Pike to his feet. I breathe a sigh of relief as Pike opens his eyes and stands on his own. More than half of his torso has turned purple, along with both of his eyes and cheeks. Several Alpha fighters climb up to assist him and Ryan back down.

“Claire,” Tobias says, his fingers slipping free of mine. I turn to face him. “Don’t leave their side, okay? The Alphas will protect you.”

I nod. “Okay.”

He lingers in front of me and cups my cheeks, pulling my eyes up to his. “I love you,” he whispers, his voice only for me.

“I love you, too.” I smile and he kisses me softly. As he pulls away, my eyes twitch across the gym, feeling a presence honing in on me. Rick stares at me and I sense the envy in his blue eyes again. Tobias and I have what he could never give me and he knows it.

Tobias follows my eyes to see what I’m looking at. “Claire,” he whispers, drawing me back, “don’t look at him. Look at me.” I obey, fixing my gaze on him. “I want you to promise me something.”

“What?” I ask.

His fingers shake against my cheeks. “Promise me that… no matter what happens up there, you’ll remember me as a man — not like this.”

“Tobias—” My voice cracks. “What are—”

“Promise me, Claire.”

I search his eyes, desperate to decipher what he means. “I promise.”

“Always and forever.”

“Always and forever,” I repeat. My lip trembles. “Tobias, what are y—”

He silences me with another kiss, pulling me in so tightly, it’s impossible for me to break free. I feel it all — every bit of love and affection he has for me. It warms my cheeks. The sensation travels through my entire body with a flowing current that wiggles my fingers and toes. Just as quickly as it began, Tobias pulls away from me, leaving me behind to hold myself up without him.

“Tobias…” I whisper his name, although it feels like I’m screaming. He doesn’t look back at me. I need him to look back at me and confirm that my darkest fear isn’t coming true right now, but that would be too easy.

I could feel it in his kiss. The feeling still lingers on my lips, that phantom tug of his teeth. It’s new, but not in a good way. It’s painful and nauseating and downright horrifying. I rest my fingers against my lips as he climbs up into the ring and tears fall down my cheeks.

That was our last kiss.

I step forward, drawn to race over to him, but Devlin plants himself in front of me. “Move.”

“I can’t, Claire,” he says, flexing his jaw. “Tobias told me not to let you near the ring—”

“Devlin, move,” I beg.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “No matter what happens, you’re to stay here. It’s what he wants.”

I grip my throat, feeling the thick rock settle in my neck. “Tobias…” I wheeze.

He stands in the far corner of the ring, stiff as a board, and watches as Rick climbs in after him. Rick wears his token smirk and I curse myself for ever falling for it. I see it for everything it is now. Hateful. Deceitful. Cowardly. Weak. He paces in his own corner in black shorts, ones that look just like Tobias’. It’s obvious just how much of himself he’s stolen from his superior cousin, and if that doesn’t prove who the better man is in all of this, nothing will.

Rick cranes his neck to find me staring at him. His lips curl, as they always do, but if he knew what I was thinking, I doubt he’d be so fucking happy about it. My fingers form fists and I feel the pain of my nails digging into my palms, reopening the wounds I’d long forgotten about.

This isn’t just any fight.

It’s a death match.

It’s the only thing that makes sense. Last night, Tobias was broken. His life has become unrecognizable to him. His father no longer trusts him. He was one mistake away from losing me all over again. What better way to end Rick’s threat to our lives than to end him completely? It’s the only way Rick would have ever agreed to give up Amy and let my mother go without a second thought.

A fight to the death. Winner takes everything, including the loser’s life.

Amy steps into the center of the ring with her fingers lightly holding on to the metal whistle around her neck. She looks back and forth between them with shimmering eyes. “One last fight, between our standing Alpha, Tobias the Untouchable, and Rick Eastwood of the Kings,” she says, dropping Rick’s former moniker. “The Alphas and the Kings each have one point. The winner of this match takes the tournament.”

I force my eyes to abandon Rick’s and I turn to look at Tobias. His gaze finds mine, those shining tunnels of green, and a smile climbs to my lips.

Tobias. My strength.

My lover. My friend. My family.

My Alpha, in every single way.

And above all, my future.

I lick my dry lips and nod at him. To my surprise, a smile strikes his mouth, curling ever so slightly on the edges of his lips. His stoic nature crumbles around him. It’s almost jarring to see Tobias the Untouchable grinning in his tight, black shorts, but I easily hold our gaze.

I cast a pitiful glance at Rick and I notice the anger in his squinting eyes. They dart back and forth between us. The image of Tobias and me — so obviously in love with each other — turns him to stone. It’s always made him angry, but now, in the final moments before their last fight, it makes him more furious than ever. He knows that even if he wins, he loses.

He cannot compete with the Alpha and his Dame.

Tobias winks at me and finally turns back to his opponent with a firm expression. He raises his fists to block his face, easing into that perfect stance, and waits for Amy to give him the go ahead to finish this.

Amy steps back and exits the ring, making sure she’s at a safe enough distance away before wrapping her red lips around the end of the whistle. I take a deep breath, allowing for the air to travel the entire length of me before slowly letting it out again.

Finally, Amy blows the whistle and the entire room falls into a deadly silence.

Rick throws himself forward with a grunt of rage as he lunges for Tobias with extended fists. Tobias slides to the right, easily dodging the sloppy, emotion-fueled, attack, and shoves Rick back into his corner. Rick rights himself fast and bounces up and down on his toes.

I study his moves, noticing a stark change from the fighter he was six months ago. Before, he was far more focused — not easily as rattled as he is now.

He darts forward again, this time pulling back to throw a fast punch at Tobias’ face, but Tobias catches it with his palm and slams his head forward to connect with Rick’s nose. Both sides wince as Rick stumbles back and blood pours from his nostrils. He lets out a deep bellow before throwing another punch at Tobias, missing him by several inches. Tobias swings around and hits Rick in the stomach, slamming multiple, hard punches against his ribs until Rick finally topples to his knees.

A darkness settles in my gut. Rick has never been this twitchy before. Either the last several months have pushed him so close to the edge that he’s lost all control of himself, or…

He’s faking it.

“Tobias…” I mutter nervously. He has to see it, too. I look around the room, watching the faces of the other Alphas, each one of them just as confused as the last. The Kings don’t hold the same expression. They stand at attention, breathing calmly as ever.

“Devlin,” I say, keeping my voice low. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

“I hope not,” he mutters back. “Because I see a King taking a beating and his men don’t seem to care.”

“Or they expected it.” I look back to the ring and watch as Rick fumbles on his knees, seemingly desperate to pull himself onto his toes, but he slips back to the floor. His moves are stiff, planned. Almost comical, like a slap-stick stage play.

Tobias steps back and watches Rick squirm.

“Looks like we aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed,” Devlin says.

“What the hell is he doing?” I whisper.

“Biding his time, maybe?”

“For what?”

“Claire—” I turn around to find Pike standing over my shoulder. His left eye has swollen closed and he holds a blood-soaked cloth against his nose. “I don’t mean to alarm you, but it seems—”

“That Rick is completely faking it up there right now?” I ask. “Way ahead of you.”

“That,” he says, “and Thomas just walked in.”

I spin back to find him standing near the ring. “What is he doing here?” I fall silent as Rick’s laughter reaches my ears. He stays on his hands and knees, obviously baiting Tobias to attack him, but Tobias stays back.

“Come on!” Rick shouts, chuckling even louder. “Don’t stop now!”

Tobias shakes his head and waits for him to stand up.

Rick growls and hops up onto his feet. “Stop pretending to be so righteous, Tobias.” He straightens up. “You’re not fooling anybody.”

“I’m not the one pretending,” Tobias replies.

Rick laughs even more and wipes the blood off his nose. “You caught that, huh? Well…” He shrugs. “I was planning on tiring you out to make this easier, but that trick just isn’t going to work on you today, is it?”

Fear strikes me cold as Rick stands up taller and raises his fists. Tobias mirrors it, settling back onto the balls of his feet, lying in wait for Rick to strike at him first.

Rick twitches his biceps with glee. “You know what I’ll do to her first, Tobias?” He lunges forward to deliver his first real punch. I bite my cheek, startled by his speed. His fist slams hard against Tobias’ face. The blow nearly sends him to his knees, but Tobias shakes it off and manages to block Rick’s second punch before it collides with his nose. “I’m going to make her confess what the three of us have known all along.”

Tears burn my eyes, blurring their forms as they trade several blows against each other’s ribs. I blink them away in time to see Rick sweep Tobias’ foot out from under him, tripping him down to his knees.

Rick stands behind him and wraps his arms around Tobias’ throat. He looks forward, his eyes easily zeroing in on mine. “She loves me,” he says, flexing hard enough to choke Tobias. “I’m gonna make her say it. It won’t take much convincing either, remember? Get her buzzed enough and I’ll have her purring my name. Isn’t that right, Claire?”

I shake my head in disgust, parting my lips to condemn him, but Pike wraps his fingers around my arm. “Don’t,” he says to me. “Let him talk.”

Tobias struggles in Rick’s grip, rage bleeding out of his eyes. He must know it’s all a lie, but that doesn’t stop the anger from growing inside of him.

I glance backward to meet Pike’s bloodshot eye. A heavy rock settles in my chest, fearing what will happen if Tobias loses all control. “I don’t want this…” I whisper, shaking my head.

“Neither did I,” he says, his dark past flashing behind his eyes.

Tobias peels one of Rick’s fingers away from his neck and he forces it to bend back until it snaps. Rick howls in pain and releases him to inspect his broken finger, giving Tobias ample time to twist away from him and charge forward to tackle Rick against the ropes. He takes back the upper hand and pounds away at Rick’s toned flesh.

Even through the pain of a broken bone, Rick’s laughter fills the space between us. “Have I made you angry?” he quips through his beating. He adjusts his arms and manages to block every other hit. “Does it piss you off — thinking of her riding me — screaming my name instead of yours?”

Tobias latches onto Rick’s skull and presses the tips of his thumbs into his eyes. I turn away fast, looking towards the floor before the crowd cries out in horror. Pike’s grip increases on me, but he doesn’t even wince.

The Kings roar, forcing me to look back. Rick has pushed Tobias away from him and he stumbles on his toes, wiping the blood off his face as he leans against the corner for balance. Tobias rushes him and holds Rick still as he bashes his knee against his ribs repeatedly. He spins him around and tosses Rick to the floor with a loud grunt.

Rick shifts on his wobbling feet but can’t manage to push himself up before Tobias descends on him again with mighty fists, straddling his waist to pin him against the mat.

“Tobias…” I whisper, knowing that he’ll never hear me. I push my thoughts away, remembering the promise I made. I promised not to see him his way. This isn’t him. This is just something he has to do to be the man he wants to be, but I can’t watch this and think for a moment that it won’t change him in the end.

I jerk my arm free of Pike’s grasp and step forward. Devlin blocks my path, but quickly backs down once he sees my eyes.

“Claire—”

I ignore Pike’s voice and push my way through the Alphas. They nudge each other’s shoulders and let me pass by without complaint towards the Kings’ side. I keep walking through them until I stand in front of my stepfather, Thomas.

“Is she really worth all this?” I ask him, drawing his eyes away from the ring. He stares down at me with a furrowed brow, his blue eyes reflecting hidden flashes of regret back at me. I grit my teeth, waiting for a response that never comes. “You’ll stand there and watch your son die? For what?! A woman that doesn’t love you?”

He blinks slowly with tight lips.

“She doesn’t want you,” I seethe. “Your Double Ex Kings are done, especially once the truth comes out about who really killed Lillian — and I promise you it will, unless you stop this war now.” His expression twitches. I look back at the ring as Tobias wraps his fingers about Rick’s throat. “Make your choice, Thomas! End it or I will let him die!”

Thomas turns away, his eyes falling on his son’s blood-covered face. He turns soft and he stares at Rick the same way I’ve seen Charlie stare at Tobias. If there’s one thing in this world that Thomas Eastwood actually loves, it’s his only son.

“Call him off,” he says.

I spin around and sprint towards the ring. “Amy!” I call, darting straight for her.

She turns to me and gasps as I yank the whistle off her neck, snapping the chain in two. I grab the ropes and lift myself up into the ring with the whistle between my lips. The crowd surrenders, falling quiet as the deafening whistle pierces the air, but Tobias does nothing to loosen his grip on Rick’s throat.

I drop the whistle to the floor and fall to my knees next to them. “Tobias, stop!” I reach out and grab Tobias’ face, pulling his face up to meet his eyes. “Stop!” I cry.

There’s a sudden shift in his soul as his dark pupils shrink, overwhelmed by green. “Claire…” he whispers.

“Let him go,” I urge. “It’s over.” I lay my hands on his to guide them off of Rick’s throat. His fingers quake in mine, his knuckles still locked in a fierce grip, but he lets me hold them against my lips. “It’s over…”

He looks down at Rick’s blue and red face and shakes his head. “I—”

“Shh,” I whisper. “It’s time to go home now, Tobias.”

His eyes shake, fueled by the adrenaline firing through his system. I give him a sweet smile to lure him back to me, my heart pounding with fear. Finally, he nods and I pull him off of Rick.

Ryan and Amy climb into the ring and they help us to our feet.

“Tobiasss…”

I look down to see Rick crawling on his hands and knees, far too weak to stand up. He spits teeth and blood onto the mat and raises his broken face to look at us. “We had a deal!”

Thomas pulls himself up and he pauses near me. “You’ll never see us again,” he says.

“You’ll have to convince him of that,” I warn, staring up at him for a long moment. I wait, hoping for my sense of dread to disappear, but it never does.

He walks away and bends down to tend to his son.

“No—!” Rick chokes. “Tobias — get back here!”

We ignore his calls and Ryan helps Tobias down to the floor. My eyes fall to his bruised skin. There was a time when I found his battered body exhilarating, but that time has officially passed us by. I want nothing more than to hold him now and soothe his wounds; something I plan on doing every day for the rest of my life.

I step down from the ring to find Pike lingering there with his arms crossed about his chest. “I guess that makes us square then,” he says.

I nod. “Thank you for your help.”

He shrugs. “Can’t say I did much, to be honest. You seem to have a knack for taking care of things yourself.”

“Still…” I mutter, my eyes falling on Tobias as he trudges away with Ryan holding him up. Amy appears from the locker room with their clothes clenched in her hands. “Thank you.”

“Get him home,” he says, gesturing towards the door with a head nod. “The Alphas will take it from here.”

I say nothing more and follow them towards the exit.

Chapter 14

The Red Snow

I step out of the car and into the driveway. My feet sink into the thick snow and I inhale deep, taking in the familiar scent of the farm.

“You going to be okay, Toby?” Amy asks as she pokes her head out of the driver’s side window. “We could swing by the hospital—”

“Don’t bother trying. He’s fine,” I mock, rolling my eyes at him.

Tobias shakes his head. “I’ll be all right, Amy,” he says to her. “Thanks though.”

She looks him up and down with a raised brow. “Okay…” she says, biting her lip. “You did well tonight. It was a good fight. I’d hate for it to be the last one I see out of you...”

“Sorry,” he says, holding his side as he steps closer to me. “But I think you know what I’ll say to that, Amy.”

She sighs. “I know… but that won’t stop me from trying.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

“Anyway… it’s freezing and I have some very dirty things in mind for Ryan tonight, so I’m going to get going.”

I laugh and the warmth of it spreads through my toes. “Goodnight, Amy.”

“Goodnight, you guys.” She rolls her window back up and wastes no time flooring it down the driveway.

Tobias looks at me with soft eyes, his battered limbs gently shaking in the cold. He steps forward and plants a soft kiss on my brow.

“Is that all you got for me?” I tease.

“Maybe tonight,” he says, pulling me into his arms. I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with him. It mixes with the farm’s perfect aroma and for the first time in so long, happiness swells inside. It relaxes me, calming every muscle until I’m sure I’m about to fall down.

“It’s over,” I say aloud.

His lips brush against my forehead. “Yeah,” he whispers.

“I’m not dreaming, right?”

“No, Claire. You’re not dreaming.”

I hold him tighter and he tenses up. “Oh—! Sorry…” I loosen my grip on him.

“It’s okay,” he says. “It doesn’t hurt much.”

I pull back to look up into his stunning green eyes, entirely visible in the dark. “What do we do now?”

Tobias licks his lip and brushes a hair off my cheek. “We figure it out tomorrow.” His finger pushes beneath my chin, holding my face up to his.

“Tomorrow sounds good,” I say before I feel his kiss on my lips.

“Come on,” he says, squeezing my hand. “Let’s get you warm.”

He leads me inside the house and up to his room. We keep it quiet on the stairs, recalling that special path to keep the old, wooden stairs from creaking too loudly and waking Charlie up.

It reminds me of the old days. Back when I had no idea who Tobias was. Back when I was just a messed-up city girl with no shortage of problems. I suppose that last part is still true, but after tonight, things should get a whole lot simpler.

We enter his room and silently kick off our shoes. I collapse onto his bed, feeling the entire weight of the last six months melt off me. He follows me down and lies behind, draping one arm across my body to hold me tight against him.

I breathe a thick sigh and exhale it completely, settling into place. “I love you, Tobias.”

He plants a sweet kiss on my neck. “I love you, Claire,” he whispers back.

I let my heavy eyelids overwhelm me and sleep takes us.

***

I try to run faster, but the snow is far too thick. My feet get trapped in it, sinking deeper with each step like quicksand. I scream and claw at the ground, refusing to give up and turn back. I can feel it behind me, inching closer and closer to me. That red and orange light.

“Tobias!” I scream, searching for his face in the darkness.

I take another breath to shout for him again, but silver smoke fills my lungs. The thick, deadly smell forces me down onto the frozen ground. I cough it out, hoping my next breath will be clearer, but I can’t get the stench out of my nose.

I feel it now. The light has found me.

I turn around and the fire burns my face.

***

“Claire!”

My eyes fly open and I feel the thick smoke in my chest. I cough, trying to force it out. It’s clinging to my lungs, refusing to let me go beneath its crushing weight.

“Tobias!” My eyes burn, completely watered-over, obscuring my vision.

I feel his hands on me as he pulls me off the bed. “We have to go!”

I see the bright light in the hallway; a red and orange flickering that can only mean one thing.

Tobias leads me out of his room and we rush down the hallway together, passing by the flames covering the walls. I look down the stairs, seeing the straight path from here to the front door, not yet engulfed by fire.

“Run, Claire!”

I pause and look up at him. “What—” My lungs force the tainted wind out of me. I can barely speak.

“Claire, go!” he shouts over the roaring flame behind him and pushes me towards the stairs.

I grab the railing to keep from tumbling down, turning back around just as he kicks Charlie’s door open. My body lurches, begging me for fresh air. I maneuver down the stairs, constantly checking over my shoulder for Tobias, hoping to see him come out with Charlie, but as I reach the bottom, he still has not returned.

“Tobias!” I scream as loud as I can, but the flame screams louder.

I rush across the living room to the front door, cracking it open to feel the cold, winter air on my cheeks. My lungs force me to take a breath and I fall to my knees in the doorway, too scared to venture outside alone.

“Tobi—”

The ceiling cracks above me, breaking in two as the flame eats away at it. I roll out of the way, dodging debris that crashes down into the living room. My instincts push me out onto the porch, but I turn back to keep watch on the front door. My toes squish into the frozen snow with each step back I take.

“Charlie!” I cry out, my voice getting lost in the roar of nature.

I fall to my knees, too confused to act, as I watch my whole world burn in front of me.

“Claire.”

Oh, god…

Please, no.

He grabs me by the hair before I even turn around. His nails dig into my scalp and he pulls me back with all his strength. I see him above me, his battered, red features taking shape behind my veil of tears.

“Rick, no—!”

He slaps a wet cloth against my face and holds it there, pressing it hard against my nose and mouth. I gasp against it, inhaling the smell and taste of chemicals. I jerk away, punching and kicking at him, and his fingers rip locks of hair from my scalp. He releases me and I claw through the snow towards the burning porch as the wet snow bleeds through my jeans.

“Tobias!” I cry his name, feeling the effect of Rick’s poison on me. My knees slip. My elbows buckle under my weight. Dizziness knocks me off balance, along with the boot of Rick’s heel slamming against my side to push me down.

I roll over onto my back and stare up into the billowing, black clouds above me until I lose consciousness again.

***

I feel it before I even open my eyes; the gentle rocking of a car. My fingers twitch on the leather seating. I stretch my toes, but I can’t feel them. It’s so cold.

A seatbelt digs into my neck to hold me up against the seat. I will my eyes open and I find myself sitting in a car I haven’t seen in years.

Rick’s car.

I turn my head and there he is. His bruised knuckles grip the steering wheel. Traces of red, crusted blood still sit under his broken nose. He forces his eyes open as far as he can to watch the road, but they’re so swollen shut, I can barely even see them.

He senses me move and looks over at me. “Hello, Claire,” he says, his voice soft and sure. I wince, noticing the holes in his smile. “Go back to sleep.”

My senses want to obey him so badly, but I force my eyes to stay open. I look out the window and watch the blanket of white snow rush by outside. “Where…” I mutter, dropping the words as my tongue weighs itself down.

“We just have a little errand to run…” he says, “and then we are going home.”

Home. Red and orange flame fills my faded memory and fresh tears flow down my cheeks. I reach for the door handle, but my arms feel twice as heavy as normal and I can’t get a grip on it.

Rick reaches across the seat and jerks my hands away from it. “Knock it off,” he barks at me. “Just go back to sleep, Claire. We’ll be back in Chicago before you know it and life will finally return to normal.”

“Tobias…” I mumble, my tongue thick and dry.

“Is gone,” he says. “Tobias is dead, Claire.”

I push my numb feet against the floor to move myself up the seat. “No—”

“Yes.”

“You’re lying…” My voice comes out a whimper. Instinct moves my hands to my pockets in search of my phone. I can feel it beneath me, protruding out of my back pocket. My fingers wrap tight around it, but it slips from my grasp, feeling so heavy in my weak hands.

Rick snatches it away from me and rolls down his window. “Claire…” He tosses it onto the street outside. “It’s all right now. There’s no one standing between us anymore. No Tobias. No Uncle Charlie. Even my father is gone. I killed him myself…”

I shake my head, feeling the warm tears spill out even more.

He scoffs. “Come on, don’t cry.” He nudges my numb face. “You know I always hated watching you cry. If it makes you feel any better… this is all your fault.”

I sit up taller in the seat, throwing all of my focus into my limbs to revive them with energy, and look out the window. “I know this street…” I fight my blurry memories to recognize it.

“As you should,” he says. “You were just here.”

East St. Louis. This is Pike’s neighborhood. I swallow to wet my burning, dry throat. “What are we doing here?”

“I told you,” he says with impatience. “We have an errand to run. Just one tiny loose end to take care of and then we’ll be on our way.”

“Pike… You’re going after Pike?”

“Beauty and brains, my love,” he smirks and throws his right around my shoulders to draw me in. I cringe as he plants a wet kiss on my forehead. “I knew I loved you for a reason.”

I push away from him with all my strength, tossing myself against the car door. As I roll over, I feel another object poking out of my back pocket. I search with my fingers, feeling the hard curve of the handle.

Rick’s switchblade.

I look at him, fearing he’s figured it out, but he’s staring at the road ahead with determined eyes. I tug against my seatbelt, making sure it’s tight and secure, before gripping the knife’s handle. My fingers are numb, as cold as ice, and I can’t keep a steady hold on it.

“You know, Claire…”

I jolt in my seat, adrenaline bringing me back to life.

He looks over at me and smiles. “I thought about it and I think I can finally forgive you.” I say nothing and rub my fingers together softly to warm them up. “It hurt when you betrayed me — a lot, actually. But—”

“Go to hell,” I breathe.

He reaches over and snatches my chin between his rough fingers. “That’s not very nice,” he growls, his broken teeth bared. “I’m trying to connect with you here. The more we communicate, the stronger we’ll be. Right?” I jerk my face out of his grasp. “Claire, I love you.”

I push the knife against the seat, forcing the button down, and the blade snaps free.

“Claire, say it back.”

“No.”

“Claire,” he warns. “Tell me you love me.”

“I’ve never loved you, Rick,” I mutter, staring straight ahead. “I never will. Tobias is—”

“Dead—”

“The better man.”

He punches the steering wheel and the car lurches to the side. “Claire, I will be whatever man you want me to be, but you have to love me first.”

I swallow the bile down my throat and pivot my hand to palm the knife handle.

“Claire—” he fumes. “Either you say it now and I’ll—”

I twist in the seat and swing my right arm around to attack him, aiming straight for his heart. The blade slides into his chest, slipping inside of him like butter. I push it inside until I can’t anymore and fall back into my seat, leaving the knife inside of him.

He shrieks in pain and his arm jerks the steering wheel, forcing the car into the curb. We roll over and I close my eyes tight to shield myself from the broken glass and sparks bursting at my face.

Metal crunches loudly in my ears, leaving a high-pitched ring wailing in my head. Time slows to a halt. Every moment feels a thousand times longer than the last. I scream out in pain, but I can’t make out what hurts.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the car settles against the thick snow.

Blood rushes to my head, as I’m held upside down by the tight seatbelt. I reach up to try and detach it as movement draws my eyes towards Rick.

He grunts and coughs, his red eyes searching around in confusion. His shirt is stained red with his fresh blood and even more spills out of his mouth. I see the blade still poking out of his chest.

“Claire—” He reaches out to me with weak hands, but I push them away and focus on freeing myself from confinement.

I push my seatbelt free and gravity slams me down against the hood. His knife falls from above, landing right next to my face. I jerk away and look up to find he’s pulled it out of him and now reaches to free himself from his own seatbelt.

I grab the bloody knife and crawl out of my broken window. My entire body aches, but the cold blinds my senses as I pull myself from the wreckage.

“Help!” I scream down the abandoned street and my voice echoes back at me. I push myself up to try and stand, but the agony bones cracking in my foot brings me back down. I whimper in pain, overwhelmed by the throbbing taking over my leg.

“Claire!”

I turn to find Rick crawling out of the window behind me. My body trembles against the extreme cold and snow, but I push myself to survive, crawling on my hands and knees across broken shards of glass. I look up, fighting my blurred vision, and see Pike’s gym on the corner.

“Get back here!” He chokes the words out of him, disjointed and cruel.

I keep moving, refusing to take my eyes off the red snow beneath my bleeding fingers. He’s moving fast; I can hear him shifting against the ground to pull himself up, but I don’t dare look back. “No, no, no,” I whisper, urging myself to move faster.

To stay alive.

Pike’s gym sits before me, just a few more feet away. I reach out for the door, stretching my arm as far as I can, but the handle slips from my blood-soaked fingers.

“Claire, wait!”

I don’t stop. I try again, this time twisting harder, but the door is locked tight. I push up onto my knees and pound against the window with open palms. “Pike!” I scream, praying that he’s inside.

Rick falls to the ground and I look back to find him lying face down on the sidewalk with a long, red trail behind him. I whimper with fear, dreading the moment when he’ll lash out at me, but he lies still against the snow as a deep red puddle crawls out from beneath him.

“Holy shit, Claire.”

I shriek and turn back to the door. Pike stands behind me, stunned and confused as he scans the scene on the street with his swollen, red eyes.

“Help me.” I drop the bloody knife. It clangs against the concrete stair and drips red droplets by his feet.

Pike lowers himself to his knees and reaches for me. “Come on…” He lifts me off the ground.

I wince in pain. “It hurts…”

“I know,” he soothes. “I got you.”

He carries me through the dark gym, fighting against his own fresh wounds to keep us upright, and climbs the stairs to his room. I shake in his arms, so much so he can barely keep his grip on me. I cling to him with the last ounce of strength I have left until he lays me down on his mattress.

“Where’s Tobias?”

A sob attacks me, drilling deep into my core. I try to answer him, but I can’t get the words out.

“Okay, okay—” He takes a quick step back. “Just stay here, Claire.”

“W-wait!” I reach out to him. “Rick’s still there—”

“Claire…” He grabs my shaking hands. “I’m pretty sure he’s dead.” I pause and let the words sink in as he grabs a thick blanket off the edge of the bed and lays it across my lap. “Stay here,” he says again.

“Where are you going?”

He sighs and throws his coat on over his shoulders. “I’m going to take care of it.”

I listen to his boots thump down the stairs, each one drifting farther away from me until there’s nothing but silence.

Chapter 15

The Unkillable

“Claire?”

Voices call out to me through a darkened haze. My arms and legs feel stiff, but warm. Every move I make leaves my body screaming in pain, even before I embrace consciousness.

“Claire, wake up.”

His voice. It can’t be real. It’s a cruel mirage, one whose sole purpose is to make a fool out of me.

“I heard the wreck outside. When I went to check it out, I wasn’t expecting to see her lying out there…”

“Open your eyes, Claire.”

I obey him, forcing my eyes to open despite knowing the disappointment I’ll feel when I do. It’s not him. It’s not possible. Bright lights burn my vision, piercing their sharp rays into my throbbing head.

A hand rests on my cheek, both soft and familiar. It nudges me, pulling me out of my dark dreamland.

I see his green eyes staring back at me, full of nervous relief. “Tobias?”

He smiles and runs his thumb across my bottom lip. “Yeah, it’s me, Claire.”

“Tobias!” I push myself off the bed and throw my arms around his neck, ignoring the strong pains holding me down. He latches on to me and buries his nose in my hair. “He told me you were dead—” I choke on my tears.

“No, I made it out,” he whispers in my ear. “When I did, you were gone.”

I pull back to look at him and notice the black ash staining his face and neck. “Charlie?” I ask, fear gripping my heart.

“He’s okay. A little burned, but… he’s okay.” I fall against him again and he holds me still.

“She’ll need a hospital,” Pike says from across the room. “And after that, a really stiff drink.”

I loosen my grip on Tobias. “And Rick?” I ask Pike. Tobias turns around, just as eager to hear that answer as I am.

Pike pauses and looks down. “He won’t be bothering you anymore.”

My insides twist with nausea. I killed him. I actually killed my stepbrother. I glance at my trembling fingers, still stained red with blood.

“The police won’t ignore a wreck like that for too long — even in this neighborhood,” Pike continues, looking at Tobias. “You should get her out of here.”

Tobias nods and looks at me. “Can you walk?”

I bend my toes and a hissing pain shoots up my leg. “I don’t think so…” He pushes forward to pick me up.

“They won’t find anything,” Pike says to Tobias. “But if they do, it’ll lead to me. Not her.”

“Thank you,” Tobias says to him, meaning every syllable of it.

I wrap an arm about his shoulder and look up at Pike. “What will happen to you?”

He takes a quick breath. “Well, it’s like you said, Claire… maybe I deserve to be locked up.” We stare at him for several moments before Tobias finally takes a step towards the stairs. “Take care of her, Tobias.”

Tobias pauses and I feel his grip tighten. “I will.”

Pike nods at me with a small smile. I notice the grime on his jeans and hands; evidence that will soon be destroyed or washed down the drain.

“Bye, Pike.”

He says nothing in return and watches us descend the stairs.

Tobias steps outside with me and I look down the street. Breaking glass and crunching metal echoes in my head, but I push the memory aside. A chemical smell invades my nose and I look down to find the path to the wreckage covered with something strong. I bury my face in Tobias’ shoulder to shield myself from it.

“Ammonia,” he says. “Pike said it’ll keep them from getting your blood out of the snow.”

“That was smart,” I say with a muffled voice. I glance around, thinking I’ll see Rick lying at our feet, but he’s gone. His car remains on the road, but it’s somehow been turned upright again. I’m actually curious to know how Pike managed that one. “Rick grabbed me as soon as I stepped outside,” I recall. “The next thing I remember is waking up in his car.”

Tobias carries me across the street. “I knew something had happened. You wouldn’t have just wandered off.”

“He told me you and Charlie were gone. Thomas, too. He came back here to kill Pike before he took me back to Chicago.”

Tobias shakes his head. “He must have snapped…”

“Obviously…”

“Once the ambulance arrived, I called Amy.” He looks at me and smiles. “You had an army of Alphas out looking for you.”

“I did?”

“For a little while,” he chuckles. “Then Pike called to let us know you showed up at his doorstep.”

We reach Charlie’s truck and he opens the passenger side door, taking extra caution not to bump my swollen foot. He lifts me up into the seat and steps up to look at me in the light. “Let me see you…” He cups my cheeks with both hands. His eyes wander my face and I see my reflection in them. Bruised and broken.

“Is it bad?”

He shakes his head and bends over to grab a first aid kit from under the seat. “No, you were lucky.” He searches my hands and arms and legs. “Doesn’t look like you’re still bleeding anywhere.”

“My foot hurts like a motherfucker…”

“We’ll get it checked out.” His lips curl at my choice of words. I wince as he takes an alcohol-soaked towel and cleans a gash above my eye. He stares back at me for a moment, his smile never leaving his face.

“What?” I ask.

“All the times you nursed my wounds,” he says. “Now I’m nursing yours.”

“First and last time, I hope.”

“Me, too.” He leans in to kiss me, but pauses as our ears tune to the call of sirens in the distance.

“Tobias, let’s go home—” I bite my tongue, quickly realizing that going home isn’t possible anymore.

He takes my hand and brings it to his lips. “You are my home,” he says. “Everything is going to be okay, Claire.”

I smile, believing every word.

***

“Oh, my god!” Amy’s heels clack against the floor as she rushes into my hospital room. She glides to the bed and pushes Tobias to the side, demanding the premium spot next to me. Her eyes lock on my face, stunned and mortified by what they see. “What the hell did he do to you?”

I roll my eyes at Tobias. “So much for, ‘Don’t worry, Claire. You look fine.’”

“I believe my exact words were I’ve seen worse,” he recalls. “In a mirror, actually.”

Amy rests a hand below my chin and adjusts my face to see me better in the light. “Well, I guess he’s not wrong about that…” She chews on her lip. “Still, you should have warned me or something…”

“Sorry,” I chuckle. “I’m a little buzzed out on painkillers right now.” I point down towards my foot and Amy winces once she sees the large, white cast surrounding my right ankle.

“Damn… I was hoping we’d go dancing this week to celebrate.”

Tobias walks around to the other side of the bed to get close to me again and takes my hand. “Little early to do any celebrating, Amy…”

Her lips curl to the side. “I wouldn’t say that…” She glances around. “Where’s Charlie?”

“At the hotel,” Tobias answers. “He should be here soon though.”

“Good. I have some news for you guys and he needs to be here for it.”

“What kind of news?” I ask.

Her knees twitch with excitement. “Well… the big one can wait, but…” she reaches into her purse, “I suppose I can tell you both about this.” She withdraws her hand and lays a pair of identical silver keys onto my open palm.

“What’s this?” I ask, holding them up so they jingle together.

“The keys to my apartment.”

My eyes flick towards Tobias and he flashes me a confused glance. “Okay…”

“It’s pretty short notice, but Ryan and I talked about it and we are moving to St. Louis.”

“You are?” I gasp.

“We think the Midwest Alphas can still be saved,” she says, glancing at Tobias. “Lillian left behind quite the legacy, plus a lot of great contacts and loyal followers and…” she pauses to shrug, “it feels like someone should step up to lead them and it’s gonna be me.”

“You’re going to do great, Amy,” Tobias says, smiling at her. “If anyone can keep them going, it’s you.”

“Wow…” I mutter. “I’m not sure I heard that right. Did he just compliment you?”

Amy chuckles while he winks at me. “I always appreciate his opinion, even his criticism. Thank you, Toby.”

“Whatever keeps you out of my hair, Amy.” He snatches the keys from my palm. “I’m assuming these are for us?”

She smiles wide. “Well, I know you two are looking to take the next step—”

“How does she know that?” He stares down at me with narrow eyes.

“Oh, please,” she says. “I knew before you did. My apartment has plenty of space for you two — it’s perfect.”

Tobias twirls the keys in his fingers. “We’ll think about it—”

“Or—” I take them from him and squeeze them in my hand. “We say yes.”

“Yeah?” he asks me.

I meet his sweet, green eyes. “Yeah.” He leans in close and kisses my forehead with smiling lips. “But we’ll talk about it again when I’m lucid — just to be sure.”

He chuckles. “Sounds reasonable.”

Amy crosses her arms, staring at me. “You know, I have half the mind to recruit you into the Alphas as a new fighter,” she jokes. “Claire the Unkillable has a nice ring to it.”

“No, thanks,” I say with a smile. “I think my luck has officially run out.”

“I agree…” Tobias says.

“On second thought,” she laughs, “you’re probably right.”

Charlie walks into the room carrying a small vase of flowers. “Oh, hello, Amy,” he greets.

She quickly looks him up and down, making note of his appearance. When Tobias told me Charlie was a little burned, he was downplaying the reality of it. White bandages hide second-degree burns down his entire right side, traveling up his neck and face. If Tobias hadn’t of gotten him outside and into the snow as fast as he did, it could have been much worse.

“Hi, Charlie,” she says, forcing a pleasant face. “How are you feeling?”

“A bit warm,” he jokes. He sets the flowers down on the table beside me and Amy laughs, breaking the tension in the room. “But I’ll be all right.”

“That’s good.”

“You said something about news?” I ask her, excited to shift the subject back to something less horrific.

“Oh!” she says, smiling wide again. She reaches into her bag again and pulls out a white envelope to hand to Charlie. “My father heard about what happened to the farmhouse and he got in touch with some old friends of yours. Apparently, there’s a lot of people out there that owe you a great kindness, Charlie.”

He slides the envelope open and peeks inside. Tobias and I stare at him in suspense, waiting for him to say something to clue us in. “They don’t owe me anything,” he says. “I can’t accept this.”

“Accept what?” I ask.

“I told him you’d say that, but they refuse to take it back.” She performs an outward gesture with her hands. “They’ve all pitched in to help you rebuild the farm. And that’s just the beginning — Dad says there’s a few more angels in the wings, whatever that means.”

I gasp and Tobias squeezes my hand. “Are you serious?”

“Your home was their home once. The world isn’t complete without it.” She grins. “Merry Christmas, Charlie.”

He blinks, his eyes shining with emotion. “I… don’t know what to say.”

Tobias steps towards him with a proud smile. “Dad… you’ve earned this.”

I hold back my own tears, overwhelmed with happiness. Charlie has saved countless lives, my own and my mother’s included, and he’s never asked for anything in return. “Take it, Charlie,” I say, my voice breaking.

He sighs with shaking hands. “All right.”

“The house could use a little upgrade anyway,” I add. “Maybe even a proper feminine touch.”

Charlie laughs. “I suppose so.”

Tobias lets go of my hand and throws his arms around his father. I wipe away the tear falling down my cheek and smile at them.

Charlie told me once that the good Lord hasn’t been kind of them over the years, and that’s never been truer than now. It’s their turn for a fresh start; a chance for their family to have the one thing he’s provided to so many others before.

A new beginning.

Epilogue

I wake up and shield my eyes as the morning sun bleeds in through the curtains. The rays keep my naked skin warm as I roll over and reach out to touch Tobias in the bed next to me. I pause, realizing that his side of the bed feels cold.

“Tobias?” I ask the empty room.

There’s no answer. I sit up, clutching the bed sheet loosely about my body and swing around to plant my bare feet on the floor.

“Tobias?” My voice echoes through our apartment. I glance at the clock. It’s just after ten in the morning.

I breathe a sigh of annoyance. Tobias was supposed to wake me up before he left for the farm, a fact that I made him repeat several times the previous night, but he has obviously chosen not to comply.

I climb out of bed, clean myself up, and sift through the closet for a fresh pair of clothes. While I slide a pair of jeans up my legs, I hear my phone buzzing on my bedside table. I walk over and read a new text message from my mother.

I can’t wait to see you at dinner tonight!

I smile and send a reply back to her before heading for the front door and grabbing my car keys.

Winter has finally broken. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen a single flake of snow and I can honestly say I’m not the least bit bothered by that. Spring came early to Missouri this year which means that Tobias and Charlie have a head start on rebuilding our home.

As I turn off the highway I immediately see the red barn down the long driveway. It brings a smile to my face and even bigger one crawls across my lips as I see the progress that has already been made on the house. Charlie has hired a team of builders to take over the project and their promise of a fast, efficient process is clearly paying off in spades.

I slow the car to stop in front of the barn next to Tobias’ motorbike and climb out to get a better view of the foundation. They’ve began the construction of the outer walls. I fill in the blanks in my head, imagining what it looked like before the fire destroyed it, but I force myself to stop. Looking ahead is far more productive and I can’t wait to see what’s to come.

Charlie’s voice travels to my ears and I turn to see him talking to the foreman near his truck, each one of them hunched over a set of blueprints. He looks up at me and smiles before waving a quick hello and turning his attentions back to the foreman. I step away, not wanting to bother him too much, as I catch sight of Tobias.

A smile creeps to my lips. I watch him move on the platform. He holds a hammer in one hand with several long nails clutched in his other palm, chatting back and forth with two other builders as they work on constructing a wall. I bite my lip, enjoying the sight of his tight jeans and sweat-covered shirt clinging to his body.

“You know,” I say, admiring his glistening skin. He notices me and pauses his words mid-sentence. “Carpenter is not a bad look for you…”

His lips curl. “Is that so?” he chuckles.

“Yeah, I could definitely get used to this.” I gesture with my hand, tracing up and down his form with my fingertips.

“Excuse me,” he says to the others. They wave him away as he jumps down off the platform to stand by me. He leans down for a kiss, but I take a quick step back to stop him.

“So, you ditched me this morning,” I say.

He shakes his head, smiling. “I didn’t ditch you…” He lowers his voice to soft volume. “I let you sleep in. The doctor says you need plenty of rest.”

I roll my eyes. “You weren’t all that concerned about me getting plenty of rest last night.”

He smirks with a raised brow. “Why do you think I let you sleep in?”

I glare back at him with amused eyes. “I told you I wanted to be here today.”

“You haven’t missed anything, believe me. Just Dad and the foreman arguing about who knows what— can I kiss you yet?”

I fight my smile. “I don’t think you’ve groveled enough for that.”

“Please?” he begs, licking his lips in anticipation. “I’m really sorry.”

“You gonna make it up to me?”

“Don’t I always?”

I grin. “I suppose you do…”

Tobias leans in slowly, inching towards me until his lips just barely graze my own. I push in the rest of the way, unable to resist his charms. “Feeling okay?”

“I feel fine,” I answer.

“Good.” He smiles and leans in for another kiss.

“Tobias…”

He pulls back and clears his throat. “Coming, Dad!” He shouts across the drive, only to lean in for another quick peck. “Duty calls.”

“Go.” I nod him away. “I’ll sit here and watch.”

Tobias winks at me and I turn back to lean against my car door. As I look down the driveway, a white cloud catches my eye, traveling quickly towards the house. The car comes into view and a rush of adrenaline strikes me.

Amy’s sports car rolls in and comes to a stop behind my sedan. I gasp in happiness and rush over to her as she steps out and slides her pink sunglasses onto her head.

“Amy!” I throw my arms around her and she returns my tight embrace. We laugh like hyenas, finally reunited after months of separation.

Ryan steps out of the passenger’s side, grinning widely, his eyes obscured by a pair of black sunglasses.

“Not that I’m not psyched to see you, but what are you doing here?” I ask, pulling away to take another look at her. “Dinner isn’t for another ten hours.”

“I know, I know,” she says, brushing a stray hair off her eyes. “But I didn’t want to risk missing out on your little announcement—”

“Shh!” I warn, peeking over my shoulder. “He doesn’t know I already told you.”

“Ohh, okay…” She nods. “I will act surprised.”

Ryan rounds the car to join us. “Act surprised about what?”

“Nothing, dear.”

“Hey, Ryan!” Charlie shouts. “Give us an extra pair of hands over here, will ya?”

Ryan waves across the driveway in his direction. “Be right there!” He looks down at me. “Good to see you, Claire.”

“Good to see you,” I say in return before he walks off.

“Also,” Amy begins, “I have something I need to run by you.”

“Ahh…” I nod. “The real reason you came early emerges…”

She loops her arm around mine. “Come on.” She tugs me towards the barn. I pull the door open and we walk inside together. “First of all… how are you feeling?”

I take a deep breath and push the door closed, barely blocking out the sound of hammering nails and drills. “Better,” I say. “Charlie’s been helping me through… well, everything that happened. I’ve actually started to feel normal again.”

“That’s nice— but I meant, how are you feeling?” she asks again, this time pointing down my body.

I chuckle with rolling eyes. “Fine.”

She scoffs. “You always say fine. Give me the gory details, woman.”

“It’s too early for gory details,” I argue. “But when they happen, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Excellent.” She taps her fingers together like a maniacal madman.

I reach for the ladder and climb up to the loft to get a better view of the build site. Amy follows behind me, moving slowly to keep her heels from slipping off the wooden rungs. I sit down on the hay bale near the window and she joins me.

“Ooo lala…” She grins, her eyes darting around the sweat-covered workers. “This is quite the view.”

“I know, right?” I scan the skyline, smiling as I catch sight of the horses — one black, the other brown and spotted white — running in the field behind the new foundation.

She tilts her head to the side. “I might just have to extend my stay this week… and volunteer Ryan as helper.”

“I wouldn’t complain. So—” I clear my throat, “what’s on your mind?”

Amy pulls her eyes away from the boys to look at me. “I have some news.”

“Good or bad news?”

“Cool news,” she answers. “Ryan and I are forming a new league.”

I blink. “A new league?”

“Yep.”

“What happened to saving the Alphas?”

“Well, we realized that the Kings — as misguided as they are — were in need of a little saving, too. Ryan doesn’t want to abandon them completely and honestly, neither do I. It’s not their fault Thomas and Rick were psychotic assholes. Most of them just want to compete and they deserve a fair shot at underground fame and glory with the rest of the fighters.”

“You rehearsed this, didn’t you?” I joke.

“Multiple times,” she says, smiling back at me. “What do you say? Good idea? Bad idea?”

“Cool idea.” I nudge her leg. “You two are natural leaders.”

“My Alphas and his Kings. Should make quite the league.”

“What are you going to call yourselves?” I ask. “Midwest Kings? Double Ex Alphas?”

She wrinkles her nose. “I think we can come up with something a little more creative than that. No offense…”

“None taken,” I chuckle. “Creativity has never been my strongest suite. I leave the name change in your capable hands.”

“Speaking of your capable hands…” She pivots around to face me head-on. “How would you like to take over my old district?”

My brow twitches. “Me? Really?”

“Of course!” She slaps my hands. “Who else? Ryan and I are setting up home base in St. Louis. I need trustworthy ladies to be my eyes, ears, and brains around the state and, naturally, I thought of my old protege.”

I bite my lip and turn back to the view outside. Tobias catches my attention, as easily as he always has, and I can’t hide my smile. He senses it and his eyes shift in my direction, warming me to the core. “I’m sorry, Amy… but I’m going to decline.”

“Are you sure?” she asks, leaning in with a raised brow.

“Yes,” I answer. “I appreciate the offer, but…” I look at the life around me. “I think I’m good.”

“I expected you to say that. I figured I’d give you first dibs though before I started sifting through resumes.”

“Thank you.”

“If you change your mind…” She reaches into her bra and pulls out a fresh, new business card. “You know where to find me.” I take the black card from her and scan the shiny, red lettering. “So… since you’re not going to be a Dame anymore, what do you plan on doing with yourself now?”

I stuff the card into my back pocket. “Well, it’s still very much in the idea phase, but Charlie and I are thinking of opening a shelter in town. Someplace safe for anyone that needs it where we can provide counseling and support and—”

Amy’s jaw drops. “Oh, that sounds perfect for you guys.”

“Like I said, it’s just an idea for now, but… I want to give something back. You know?”

“Totally,” she says. “You should call it Sanctuary.”

I nod. “Not bad.”

“Well, I’m great at naming things.”

“So I’ve heard.”

She nudges my ribs. “Have you and Toby talked names yet?”

I shake my head. “Oh, no. I don’t even want to hear about that. It’s way too early!”

“Well, most couples hear bells before they hear rattles,” she teases.

I smile, once again looking down at him. “Tobias and I have always done things a little backwards.”

“Whoops—” she says, following my gaze. “I think he heard us talking about him.” We watch Tobias cross the drive and we look down from the loft as he slides the door open.

“What are you two doing?” Tobias asks, eying the both of us with suspicion.

“Nothing,” Amy answers. “Just chatting about girl stuff.”

“Uh huh…”

Amy stands up and pushes her skirt down. “Well, I think I’ll go check on Ryan.” She slowly hops down the ladder and plants a quick kiss on Tobias’ cheek as she passes by him.

He pulls himself up into the loft to join me. “What was that about?”

“I’ll tell you later.” I scoot to the side to give him room to sit by me.

“You probably shouldn’t be climbing up here anymore.” He throws his arm around my shoulders and holds me against him.

I breathe a thick sigh. “I am not that fragile, Tob—” His grin catches my eyes, forcing me to pause. “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

“Kind of,” he chuckles. He leans down to rest his nose against my shoulder and inhales my scent. “But to be fair — I never stopped being your bodyguard.”

“That’s true.” I settle against him and he brushes his mouth along my neck. “You never stopped being my Alpha either.”

His lips curl on my skin. “And I never will.”

I crane back to face him and he kisses me, soft and slow. My heart thumps in my chest and for a moment, I fear that this is all a dream. I kiss him back with closed eyes, pausing to experience him and remember this feeling. Should I open my eyes to find him gone, at least I’ll have this memory inside of me.

My eyes flutter open and he stares back at me. His face shines in the late morning sun, perfect in every single way. “I love you, Tobias.”

He lays his head against mine and wraps an arm even tighter around me, his hand falling to rest upon my growing belly. “I love you, Claire.”

Always and forever.

The Alpha and his Dame.

THE END

UNTOUCHED

MIDWEST ALPHAS | BOOK 1

October 2015

**

UNBROKEN

MIDWEST ALPHAS | BOOK 2

November 2015

**

UNDYING

MIDWEST ALPHAS | BOOK 3

December 2015

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RUIN ME:

A Stepbrother Romance

Piper & Kai | Book 3

PIPER

Sex.

Isn’t there anything else people think about?!

It’s been three years since I’ve come back home and everything has changed. Except him.

Kai Casablancas. My oldest acquaintance. My idiot stepbrother. My perfect boyfriend. My greatest annoyance. My favorite lover. I’ve lost track of how many labels he’s earned. He loves me. I love him, too.

So why am I so terrified?

I have a secret. I have to tell him, but I don’t know if I can without us falling apart.

KAI

Sex.

There’s really nothing else worth thinking about.

It’s been three years since she came back home and everything has changed. Except her.

Piper Lynch. My beautiful princess. My wicked stepsister. My perfect girlfriend. My worst enemy. My greatest love. There’s nothing I can say about her that hasn’t already been said. She loves me. I love her, too.

So why am I so terrified?

I have a plan. I have to take her back to where this all began, but I don’t know if it’ll keep us from falling apart.

Chapter 1

Piper

I stare across the table at him and he stares back at me.

Kai Casablancas.

When my mother told me we were having the Casablancas family over for dinner tonight, I didn’t expect anything like this. We’ve had them over hundreds of times before. My mother and Ava Casablancas are best friends. My father and Hawthorne Casablancas were colleagues before my father got his dream job as Headmaster of Belle Academy. Kai and I have been in every class together since we were five years old, but we’ve never been friends. He’s an acquaintance. That’s all I ever want him to be. He’s an ass, to put it mildly.

The last thing I want is to be related to him.

“Piper?” I hear my father’s voice from the head of the table. “You’ve been quiet.”

“Yes, Piper,” Ava adds. I look over at her and bile tempts my throat. “I know this is a lot to take in all at once, but that’s why we’re all here — together. We want you to say what you need to say—”

“Don’t patronize my daughter, please,” my mother interrupts. She grabs the bottle of wine in front of her and starts to pour a healthy amount into her glass. “She’s not a toddler—”

“Penny…” my father warns.

“Oh—” my mother laughs. “I’m sorry, everybody. My bad, Philip.” She turns to me. “Yes, Piper, please tell us your opinion on your father dumping me for my best friend after sixteen years of marriage.”

“Penny—”

She lets out a cackle before downing a large sip. The table falls into an awkward silence. I lock eyes with Kai once again. He shrugs his shoulders and I want to slap him in the face. Now isn’t the time for his laid-back, give-no-fucks attitude.

Hawthorne slides his glass closer to my mother. “I’ll take some of that, Penny,” he says.

“Hawthorne,” Ava says his name with long, drawn-out syllables, “maybe you should slow down.”

“This is slow, Ava dear,” he mutters.

“Careful, Hawthorne,” my mother smirks. “You’re hitting on another man’s woman.”

He chuckles loudly and brings the full glass to his lips.

“I don’t think that’s funny, Penny,” my father says.

“Well, you’ve never had much of a sense of humor, Philip.”

I close my eyes, eager to disappear into thin air, as their voices continue tossing back and forth across the table. This is all a dream. It has to be. Some fever-fueled nightmare. Soon, I’ll wake up in my bedroom upstairs and life will return to normal. My father won’t be engaged to Ava Casablancas, my mother won’t be moving out, and Kai fucking Casablancas won’t be my goddamn stepbrother-to-be.

I open my eyes to find that he’s still staring at me.

Nope. This is no nightmare.

This is my life now.

***

“Harder.”

The change hits before the word even leaves my tongue. He thrusts me with even greater intensity as his fingers wrap a little tighter around my hair. His cock charges in and out of me, knowing exactly where to touch and how deep to go to get me off fast.

I whip my head around and moan his name.

“Kai…”

Kai Casablancas.

My oldest acquaintance. My idiot stepbrother. My perfect boyfriend. My greatest annoyance. My favorite lover. I’ve lost track of how many labels he’s earned.

He leans forward and smothers my lips with kisses as he sends his rod just a few inches deeper inside. I dig my nails into the wooden table that holds us up. Kai keeps his grip on my hair, tugging at just the right moments to mix the pleasure building inside of me with just a little bit of pain. We’ve barely been at it for two minutes and I’m already close to coming.

To say it’s been a stressful week would be an understatement. The threat of finals week is always enough to make me feel a little jittery, but this week is special. It’s not just finals week — it’s our final finals week at USC.

I started university a year later than my peers, but I was determined to catch up. Once again, I found myself with my face in a book — a rather familiar pose to anyone that’s ever met Piper Lynch, the princess of Belle Academy — and when I finally glanced up, I was a week away from being a college graduate. Oh, and not just any college graduate. I was Valedictorian. Again.

The irony is not lost on me.

I didn’t want this for myself. This was the life my father wanted for me and I hated it. I went to Europe three years ago, determined to reunite with my jilted mother and never come back. It was a good plan. It was working. Until Kai convinced me otherwise.

After taking six months to travel Europe with my mother, we came back home and decided to settle down. It was far from an easy decision. I spent years planning how to escape from home, after all. To come back here so quickly and succumb to the life I despised was… well…

Unexpected.

You know the story by now. Girl meets boy. Boy is a fucking idiot, but charming in various ways. Girl hates boy. Boy makes bet with best friend to fuck girl. Girl rejects boy outright, but boy manages to pull it off. Girl and boy fuck like bunnies until girl breaks boy’s heart. Boy and girl live in gloom for half a year. Girl returns home. Boy and girl fall back in love. And they lived happily ever after.

Sort of.

Kai nibbles against my shoulder and I shudder beneath his passionate thrusts. My body melts for him, along with the stress of the last three years.

It wasn’t easy to transition back into the student lifestyle, but I had a rather decent support system holding me up. My father found it in his heart to forgive me for running off and since then, we’ve actually managed to develop a rather normal father/daughter relationship. Of course, he couldn’t be prouder of me making Valedictorian again, even though I didn’t even fucking mean to.

My mother abandoned her nomadic lifestyle in favor of coming back to Los Angeles with me. I could tell it was a rough decision for her. She’d been traveling the world for years, going nowhere and everywhere at the same time, looking to find herself after my father destroyed her life. I wasn’t sure if coming home was the right choice for her. That is, until the day Kai and I walked in on her having sex with Hawthorne Casablancas.

Our family tree could not be more tangled. My father and his mother. My mother and his father. And us, Piper and Kai, the kids.

Really, it’s best not to think about it.

Moans spill off my lips as climax takes hold of me. Kai wraps his strong arms around my body and grips me still while I ride the wave back and forth on his thick cock. “Oh… fuck!” I shout.

“Shh…” he chuckles in my ear, nervous about our location. This is a library, after all. The private study rooms aren’t meant for quickie fucks, but that never stopped us once in the last three years. He lets out one final grunt before spending himself inside of me.

Thankfully, the library is more or less deserted. Classes are over. The only students left on campus are here for graduation and they’ve all started lining up to take that long walk across the stage to claim their degrees. I’ve been combating nervous shakes all morning and after the three-hundredth time I practiced my speech, Kai led me in here to take the edge off with a morning bang.

“Ohh, Kai…” I coo. I push my arms beneath me to hold myself up. “God, I needed that…”

He laughs in my ear and leaves kisses along my neck. “I know,” he says. I feel his cock slide out of me as he takes a step back to lean against the wall.

I stand up and turn around. “What time is it?” I ask.

“No idea,” he says as he zips his trousers up and starts tucking his once-ironed shirt back inside. Little creases leaves wrinkles around his abdomen now, but it won’t be noticeable behind the black graduation robe he has draped over a nearby chair.

I push my skirt down and reach for my purse to fetch my phone. “Ahh, shit,” I say. “It’s almost time.”

Kai steps forward and cups my face. “Do you feel better?” he asks.

I force a smile. “Yeah,” I lie.

He raises an eyebrow. “Something else on your mind?”

I inhale deep to let the cool air chill my throbbing insides. “No,” I answer. I lean in to give him a deep, reassuring kiss. “I’m going to swing by the ladies’ room,” I say as I reach for the doorknob.

“Okay,” he smiles. “I’ll see you in the auditorium. Hey—”

I feel his hand on my arm and I pause in the doorway. “Yeah?”

Kai steps closer and rests his forehead against mine. “You’ll be fine.”

“I just want to get it over with,” I say. I scoop my graduation robe off the table and hang it over my arm.

“Enjoy it,” he says. “You’ve earned it.”

I nod quickly. “Love you.”

“Love you.”

I pull away and step down the hallway, striding fast towards the restrooms. Kai thinks I’m freaking out about my speech, but it’s really the farthest thing from my mind at the moment. I’ve given a hundred different speeches to thousands of people. This one will be no different than the last.

I push open the bathroom door and breathe a light sigh of relief when I see it’s empty. I stare at my pale, white skin the mirror. Usually, taking a ride on Kai’s cock is more than enough to make my cheeks pink and perfect, but not today. I felt a moment of blissful euphoria when he made me orgasm, but it quickly dissipated and the nausea came back with full force.

I fill my palm with water and take slow sips from it. I told myself I wasn’t going to freak out about it until finals were over. Then I said I wouldn’t freak out about it until after graduation, but today, my body has other plans.

I get myself cleaned up and pull the graduation robe over my head. Unlike the shiny, maroon-colored robes of Belle Academy, these are black and plain. I don’t mind though. Black is more my color anyway. My long, raven-colored hair blends with it as I let it fall down over my shoulders.

My fingers grip the sink as another wave of nausea plows through me.

Fuck…

I coat my face with cold water and stand still a few more moments until it passes. Finally, the waves end and I quickly dry my face and rush out of the bathroom to make sure I make it to graduation on time.

One more day. I can wait one more day before I have to freak out about this.

Chapter 2

Kai

“Does Piper look different to you?”

I look to my left. My best friend, Shawn Monty, sits next to me with squinting eyes. “No,” I answer. “Why?”

“She looks off.”

“Off how?”

“I don’t know.” He tilts his head to look around the black cap in the row ahead of us. “Sick or something.”

“She’s fine,” I tell him. “Just nervous is all.”

Shawn shrugs and gazes around. “This is going to take forever.”

I nod and glance around the stuffed auditorium. Shawn and I sit lost amid the sea of black caps and gowns of our graduating class. As I look around, I realize that I don’t recognize a single fucking face. Not one. It’s a little culture shocking. At Belle Academy, I knew the face and bio of every single person that walked across that stage (mostly because I had been inside of half of them) but now… I don’t know any of them. Except for Mandy Black. She sits on my right with her arms crossed about her chest.

“Hey, Mandy—” Shawn whispers across my lap. “Does Piper look sick to you?”

“No.”

It’s brief and direct. I glance over at her. Her big, brown eyes point straight ahead, focused on the speaker yammering away on the stage. Shawn slinks back into his chair when he realizes that’s all he’s going to get out of her. I’d feel worse for my good friend, but he kind of had this one coming.

Shawn and Mandy have spent more time apart than dating over the last year. Honestly, I expected them to be back together by this point, but Mandy has stubbornly put her foot down this time. She’s ready for something more serious, she told me herself, and Shawn just isn’t the serious type. Even now that we’re college graduates — adults more or less — I still can’t see him settling down for any reason.

Then again, I’m not so sure about myself settling down anymore either.

I look at Piper sitting on the stage and a smile catches my lips. Piper fucking Lynch. My lover, in every sense of the word. Sure, I’ve tossed the word girlfriend around a lot, but I don’t think it quite covers what she is to me.

Or was…

Don’t get me wrong. I love Piper with every piece of me, but things between us have changed recently. At first, it was nothing but secret hook-ups, dirty text messages, and fiery bliss. Now, after three years… it’s more or less the same, but as time passes, expectations grow, too. I think Piper’s happy with how things are, but I know our family sure as hell isn’t.

There was some serious judgment in the beginning. Piper and I are step-siblings, after all. It took some getting used to, but after a while, it was like old news. I thought that was what we wanted all along, for everyone to just chill out and let us be, but then I was pulled into my stepfather’s study last Christmas and spent an hour getting grilled about my intentions. I guess a father gets nervous when his only daughter dates the same man for a few consecutive years.

It’s not just Philip either. My mother began asking questions last summer after my father got remarried. That’s when our relationship jumped from interesting happenstance to cosmic joke.

My father married Piper’s mother in a small, private ceremony at his house. There were only five people there: My father, Penny, Piper, myself, and a judge. Afterward, my mother obsessed over just how hilarious it would be if Piper and I got hitched as well. After the joke caught on, it was on everybody’s lips.

So, where’s the ring?

School is almost over. Settling down yet?

Better find a good job to afford a house and put down some roots.

It makes me cringe every time. Piper isn’t the issue. I plan on her being in my life for a long time, no problems there. But the idea of settling down is a death sentence to me now. I can’t imagine myself that way. Husband, wife, kids, dog, and picket fences. It may have been plausible when I was younger, but now… that’s crazy talk. That’s boring. That’s… ordinary. Some men can look into the eyes of the women they love and see that life peaking back at them. I look into Piper’s eyes and I see…

I see her head leaning against the window, sleeping lightly as the train car shakes gently down the tracks. I see the sun setting on the horizon of a passing vineyard behind her. I see a one-way ticket to anywhere we want to go.

“I’d like to introduce this year’s Valedictorian, Ms. Piper Lynch!”

My eyes jump back on the stage. Before I can clap for her, I hear the loud whoops and hollers from the seats far behind us. I follow the voices and chuckle when I see my father and stepmother on their feet, waving their hands and whistling for her. Even my mother and Piper’s father are standing next to them in celebration of her. It’s strange to see the four of them being so friendly together after so many years of battles and feuds. But I guess that’s family for you.

“Thank you, Dean Rogers.”

Piper’s voice brings my attention back to the stage. I look up at her and a wave of nostalgia washes over me. Years ago, this was all that Piper was. It was an act, mostly, but no one knew that at the time. Piper seemingly lived for the spotlight and all the attention it brought her. Nowadays, she’s much more private and quiet. I like her better now.

Her lips curl with a quick smile as she gazes out at the students sitting ahead of her. I smile back at her, knowing that she probably has no idea where I am in the sea of black robes, but that’s fine. It’s been a long time since the days when I used to watch her, when I could see her but she couldn’t see me. Somehow, watching her sleep every night doesn’t feel the same as this.

Piper takes a deep breath and pauses as her eyes suddenly spot me. She smiles again, but this time, it strikes her eyes, the way it always does when she smiles just for me. We share a silent moment in time, gazing at each other, ignoring the other thousands of eyes watching her as well.

She finally looks away and flawlessly transitions into her speech.

An oddness takes hold of me. There’s something strange in the way she moves, something I can’t quite pin down.

Maybe Shawn’s right. She does look a little different.

***

“You okay, buddy?”

I turn around as my dad walks into the room. “No,” I mutter. I look out the window again and watch as the movers carry boxes into the moving truck one-by-one. “I am objectively not okay.”

He throws on a sympathetic face. “Oh, come on, Kai. It won’t be that bad.” I feel his hand slap against my shoulder. “You’re gonna get to live in a big mansion with a pool and a maid. It’ll be great.”

I slowly look at him and he quickly loses the fake smile. “Why can’t I just stay here?”

“I wish you could, Kai,” he says, “but judge says no. I have to do a lot of traveling over the next year for work and I can’t leave a minor home alone for weeks at a time.”

“Still…” I glance around the empty room. “I grew up here. I don’t want to leave.”

Dad traces the same pattern around the room with his eyes. “I know, but…” he sighs. “Sometimes, things don’t go exactly as planned. Life is gonna throw some curve balls at you. Right now, you and I… are just going to have to make the best of a few bad pitches.”

“Just doesn’t seem right is all.”

“And it’s not,” he says. “Listen, buddy…” He steps closer and throws his arm around my shoulder. “One of these days, you and I are going to look back and we’re going to laugh at this. I promise.”

“I highly doubt that, Dad.”

“I’m serious. That day is not today, but someday, it will be today. Okay?”

I nod, but I don’t believe a word of it. “All right.”

“In the meantime, I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and you’re going to go live with your mother… and the man that’s fucking her.”

I cringe. “Jesus, Dad…”

“I’m sorry, Kai,” he says. “I’m a bit bitter. But hey — you’ll have Piper to hang out with. She’s… a nice girl.”

I chuckle and shake my head. “Yeah, right.”

“You’ve been friends forever. I’m sure you guys can bond over this.”

I stand up a little taller. Piper Lynch. Belle Academy Female #13.

Maybe there’s a silver lining to this after all.

Chapter 3

Piper

My father holds up his glass. “I’d like to propose a toast,” he says.

I roll my eyes and look around the table at everyone. A few years ago, if someone had told me that Kai and I would someday be sitting around the dinner table at my father’s house surrounded by the smiling faces of all of our happy parents, I would have told them to go fuck themselves. Nothing that’s come to pass so far has felt quite as surreal as this moment.

My mother sits to my right and directly next to her sits her husband, Kai’s father, Hawthorne Casablancas. My father sits next to Hawthorne and let me tell you, I still cringe every time I see the two of them within swinging distance of one another. And then there’s his wife, Ava, Kai’s mother. She and my mother have somehow let bygones be bygones and now, they’re even closer friends than they were before the affair began.

No, come to think of it, surreal doesn’t quite cover it.

Kai reaches for me underneath the table. We entwine our fingers together and when I glance at him, I can tell he’s thinking the same thought as I am.

What a fucked up family we have.

“To the happy graduates!” my father announces. “They have both worked so hard to get to where they are now and I can’t imagine there’s anyone in the world more proud of them than the folks at this table.”

“Damn right,” Hawthorne adds, raising his glass a little higher in his toast.

“To the happy graduates!” Everyone takes a sip from their glasses while I squeeze Kai’s fingers a little more.

“Thanks for doing all of this, by the way,” Kai says. “We really appreciate the work you guys put in to this.”

I nod. “Yes, this was great. Thank you.”

Ava gives a sweet smile. “It was our pleasure,” she says. “Although, I have to give credit to Penny. She brought back so many wonderful recipes from Europe. I wasn’t even sure where to begin.”

My mother chuckles. “If there’s one thing I miss the most, it’s the food. Right, Piper?”

“I salivate just thinking about it, honestly.” I give a quick scan of their faces. Every last one of them is smiling. It’s amazing how far we’ve come. Just a year ago, a mere mention of my six months in Europe brought the room to a stand-still. Not anymore. It’s just a part of our history. My father even jokes about it occasionally.

“I just can’t believe how much time has passed,” Hawthorne says. “Didn’t they just graduate from high school?”

“Oh, heaven’s no,” my mother says. “Philip and I just brought Piper home from the hospital.”

Ava shivers. “Don’t remind me. Poor little Kai spent five days in the NICU. Scariest days of my life.”

Kai sighs. “And here we go…” he whispers at me.

I chuckle softly, but stay silent to listen in.

Hawthorne waves a hand through the air. “He was fine,” he says. “A Casablancas man never gets sick.”

“That’s not true!” Ava laughs. “Kai was always sick, always crying.”

“Oh, that was all your genes then,” he jokes.

I glance at Kai as everyone laughs. He rolls his eyes.

“Well, at least he acted like a real baby,” my mother says. She points a quick finger at me. “This one never made a peep. Ever. Never cried. Never got sick. Didn’t speak a word until she was four years old. It was a constant battle to find out what the hell she wanted.”

My father laughs. “Her first words were, ‘Go away, Dad. I’m reading.’”

I hear Kai laugh next to me and I dig a nail into his palm. He glares back at me with smiling eyes.

“And now,” Ava says, “look at them.”

All eyes fall on us and my hand instinctively falls from Kai’s grip. “Yeah…” I mutter. “Look at us.”

Ava leans forward in her chair. “What’s next for the two of you, huh?” she asks. “Let us in on your secret plans.”

Kai slinks backward a little bit before letting out an awkward chuckle. “No plans, really…” he says.

I shake my head. “I was so focused on getting to today, I didn’t really think about what would come after…”

“I’d like to teach, so I guess grad school is maybe a thing…” Kai mutters.

My father nods. “A greatly encouraged thing,” he says. “You can never have too much education, especially in your field, Kai. And yours, Piper. I know you don’t care much about more school, but it’s something to think about.”

I nod. “I will — think about it, I mean.”

“Oh, I don’t care about that…” Ava says. “I want to know about the two of you.” I hear Kai inhale a quick breath. He doesn’t release it. My own muscles go tense with nervousness. “What’s next for you two? I mean, it’s been a few years now—”

“Mom…” Kai interrupts.

“I think they might be a little young for those questions, Ava,” Hawthorne says.

“Hogwash,” she says. “We weren’t much older than they are now when we got married.”

Married. The dreaded M-word. Of all the conversations Kai and I have had about each other, about sex, about everything in between, this topic has only surfaced once. Kai’s told me that he didn’t believe in marriage. I told him I didn’t either and we left it at that, but I’m not about to break Ava’s heart at one of her own dinner parties. I smile at her. “We haven’t really talked about it, but who knows?” I say, offering her a sliver of hope that should shut her up until the next family gathering.

“Yeah,” Kai says, playing off my careful words. “Like Dad said, we’re still pretty young. There’s no hurry.”

“Maybe not for you,” Ava says, “but I’m not getting any younger and I don’t want to die before I meet my grandchildren.”

I chill runs down my back. “Okay…” I chuckle. “Let’s not get too far ahead here…”

Kai shakes his head fast. “Yeah, I mean… we’ve been together a while, but that’s not… not even. No…” he says, his words laced with panic.

“Calm down, Kai,” my mother soothes. “You’re babbling like a brook.”

His head falls and he stares at the table while his cheeks turn bright red. I can’t imagine I look any calmer than he does. “We’re not ready for anything like that, Ava,” I answer her. I keep my words steady and direct, hoping to squash any uncertainty shaking my vocal chords.

“Neither am I,” my father adds.

“Philip, I believe we are in agreement,” Hawthorne says.

“Well, that’s a first,” my mother quips.

My father holds up his glass once more. “I’ll drink to that, if you will, Hawthorne.”

“Oh, you know me, Philip,” he replies and reaches for his glass. “I drink to anything.”

Glasses clink together around the table once more while Kai and I sit catatonic, each of us staring off into the dark spaces around us.

***

I step outside onto the front steps and pause until Kai is outside with me.

“Goodnight, everybody!” he calls out over his shoulder and we hear the semi-drunken goodbyes of our parents inside as he subtlety slams the door closed behind us. He immediately fills his lungs with fresh air with his eyes clenched shut. His hand lingers on the doorknob, holding himself up against the warm blowing wind.

I open my mouth to speak, but think better of it. I suspected those questions really rattled Kai at the time, and as I watch him now, I know my suspicions were correct. Extreme commitment terrifies Kai Casablancas. It always has. Being with me exclusively? That was easy for him. Talk of marriage and children? I’m surprised he’s still standing. Hell, I would have launched my own body out a window if I was within jumping distance of it, too.

“Sorry about that, Pipes…” he finally says.

“Sorry about what?”

“My mother…” He stands up a little taller. “She can be kind of…”

I smile at his worrisome brown eyes. “I know,” I shrug. “What else is new?” I take a step closer to him and inch my fingers around his waist.

“I don’t like feeling pressured into doing things…” he mutters. “Especially not life-changing things.”

“I know what you mean.” I pull myself in closer to plant a few soft kisses on his neck. His scent fills my nose, enticing me to forget all of the evening’s unpleasantness. Thankfully, it’s working, and I can already feel my sex warming with life.

“Of course — I’m talking to Piper Lynch,” he laughs. “The queen of avoiding things.”

I pull back slightly with narrow eyes. “The what now?” I ask.

He stutters over his words. “Well, I mean… you know what I mean. Your dad pushed you to do things and you — you know… ran away—” He stops suddenly. “I’m digging a very deep hole, aren’t I?”

“I’ll let it slide,” I grin. “You’ve been through a lot.” I lean back in and kiss his warm neck again.

His pulse increases against my lips. “Oh, goody,” he says as his hands slide up my back.

A smile teases my lips. “I have a surprise for you,” I whisper in his ear.

“Does it involve forgetting this dinner ever happened?” he asks. “Because I’d be down for forgetting this dinner ever happened.”

“It might,” I answer. I flick his left earlobe with the tip of my tongue and he shivers against me. “Come on.” I pull back quickly and step off the front stoop. Kai follows closely behind me until we split off to enter his car. I settle into the passenger seat of his bright blue corvette, chosen because the color matched my eyes — according to Kai, but that could just as easily have been a good line to get me into the backseat (either way, it worked). It’s the replacement ride of the red corvette he had in high school, but lost to Shawn when he lied about losing their bet.

“So, where are we going?” he asks.

“Just start driving,” I smile, “and I’ll direct the way.”

He stares at me through the corner of his eyes with suspicion, but does as he’s told.

***

I grip Kai’s hand a little tighter as I pull him off the elevator with me. The suspicion in his eyes has only grown since we drove away from my father’s house.

“Piper…”

“Yes, Kai?”

“What are we doing in a fancy hotel?”

I look back and grin, flashing my teeth at him. “I told you I had a surprise for you,” I say. I reach into my pocket to find the electronic room key stuffed inside.

He watches me closely, his eyes following the blank, white key card. “What kind of surprise?” he asks.

I stop in front of our door. “A graduation gift.”

Kai bites his lip. “Oh, was I supposed to get you a gift?” he asks.

“Maybe,” I answer. My heart skips as he pins me against the door and leaves a firm kiss on my lips. It knocks the wind out of me and I linger in his grasp with my head on air.

“I should probably be punished then,” he whispers. His lips graze mine as he speaks. I quiver with the gust of his warm breath against my chin.

“Probably,” I agree. I kiss him once more. “But not tonight.”

He raises an eyebrow. “The plot thickens…” His strong fingers release me, but he stays close to me as I pivot around to open the door.

I slide the key into the lock and twist the doorknob to force the door open an inch. “After you,” I tell him.

He hesitates a moment, but I see the excitement blurring his eyes as he places his palm on the white door. He pushes it open and steps inside.

As I follow him in, I grab the ‘do not disturb’ sign and hang it on the knob.

The room is set up just as I expected it to be.

The curtains are drawn, the lights are set down low, and Mandy Black lies on the king-sized bed wearing nothing but a silk, red robe.

Chapter 4

Kai

This plot just keeps getting thicker.

I stare at Mandy on the bed and wonder if a mistake has been made. Words form on my tongue, but I lose them just as quickly as they came. “Hey, Mandy—” I finally manage to say.

She smiles at me, her eyes locked on mine behind her dark brown bangs. “Hey, Kai,” she says back.

I look away, but I can’t stop myself from glancing down her body as I do. She lies back against her elbows in a straight line from her head to her toes. Her knees are crossed, but she quickly bends one as my eyes touch it and her bare toes slide up her calves to rest just below the opposite knee.

“Piper—”

“Shh…” I feel her hands spider up my back. She grabs my jacket and slowly pulls it down my arms. “Surprise,” she whispers in my ear.

No fucking way.

I step forward to put a few feet of distance between myself and Piper. “Whoa, whoa…” I say, spinning around to look at her. I hold a hand up to keep her at arm’s length. Blood pumps through my veins faster than ever. My fingers and toes turn numb as my cock hogs every drop of it. “What’s going on?” I breathe, fighting the urge to chuckle.

Piper closes the gap between us and my reflexes are powerless to stop her. “I wanted to give you the perfect gift for graduation,” she says. “A show of appreciation for how hard you’ve worked.” Her fingers tug at my belt.

I look over her shoulder to see Mandy biting her lip to hold back her token, high-pitched giggles. “And why is Mandy here?” I ask.

Piper grins. “For fun.”

“Right…” I swallow to keep myself from drolling. “Fun for whom?”

Mandy slides off the bed and steps lightly towards us. “And here I thought people with college degrees were supposed to be smart,” she jokes. She pauses behind Piper and leans down to rest her chin on her petite shoulder.

Their eyes drill deep into mine. I shift my gaze to lock on Piper’s beautiful blues. “Are you sure about this?” I ask her.

She bites her bottom lip. “Of course I am, Kai,” she says. “It was my idea.”

“I thought it was my idea,” Mandy says in her ear.

“Was it?” Piper furrows her brow at her.

“Ladies—” I hold up my hands and they both turn back to me. “I don’t think it matters.”

Mandy smiles. “So he is smart…”

“And assertive,” Piper adds.

“I think he’s stalling.”

“I think you’re right.”

I shake my head. “No…” I say. “I’m just a little… overwhelmed.”

Mandy slides off Piper’s shoulder and slinks back onto the bed while Piper moves in closer to me. “Kai…” she whispers. “If this freaks you out, we don’t have to do it. Just say the word and she’ll leave. We’ll spend the night alone, just you and me.”

I imagine the devil and angel floating above my shoulders playing a vicious game of tug of war. The devil tells me that if I don’t give in to this, I’m a fucking idiot. The angel even agrees with him somewhat, but he presents a compelling reason to hold myself back.

A perfect mental image of Piper and Mandy fooling around has danced in my mind ever since they admitted to it on that train to Munich four years ago. Of course a threesome together has crossed my mind once or twice, but I’d never in a million years suggest it. I’ve been with Piper more times than I can count and I remember enough of my one night with Mandy to fill in all the blanks I have on the subject. That fantasy was just that; A fantasy best left to the imagination for one reason and one reason only.

Shawn Monty would fucking kill me if I ever touched Mandy Black again.

However…

Shawn and Mandy have been broken up for a while now — far longer than they’ve been apart before. Mandy seems pretty sure about them never getting back together again. She’s told me that herself in her own words. I highly doubt she’d even go along with this if she thought for the slightest second she’d ever go back to him.

“Kai?”

I blink and force myself to focus on Piper’s face. “Hmm?” I ask.

Laughter teases her lips. “You okay?” she asks.

I answer her with a kiss, firm and true on her red lips. “All right,” I tell them. “Let’s have some fun.”

Piper kisses me back, masterfully drawing my bottom lip between her teeth. “Don’t worry, Kai,” she says as she takes a step back towards the bed. “We’ll be gentle with you.”

Mandy pushes herself back to lie against the pillows and Piper climbs on top of her. I stay back and watch from the foot of the bed as their lips lock together.

My fantasy meets reality and it nearly knocks me off my feet. My girlfriend and her best friend. There’s something so painfully erotic to me about watching two women kiss and this moment is no exception. Years ago, I found myself in a similar situation with two girls from Belle Academy, but their attentions were mostly focused on me instead of each other. I wasn’t complaining back then but I’m sure as hell not complaining now either.

Their hands glide over each other’s bodies. Piper slips in closer and pulls the tie of Mandy’s robe free. Her fingers push inside the silk robe and it falls off Mandy’s body to reveal her naked flesh beneath it. Piper massages her body and cups her breast with soft fingers.

“Whoa…” I whisper to myself. My voice makes them pause and their eyes flick up at me. I take an instinctive step back. “Oh, don’t mind me, ladies,” I joke. “I don’t mean to intrude.”

Piper pushes herself off of Mandy and crawls across the bed in my direction. Her eyes stay locked on mine as she reaches out and grabs my belt to pull me in closer. “I have never seen you so shy before,” she murmurs as she slips it free.

“Shy little Kai,” Mandy coos. She balances on her knees behind Piper and leans forward to grasp the bottom of her sweater.

My cock surges as she lifts the sweater over Piper’s head and tosses it to my feet. Her lips dance on Piper’s white neck, planting sweet kisses up to her ear. I step forward to slip my fingers beneath Piper’s bra straps and pull her in for another kiss. “I’m not shy,” I tell them. “I’m just enjoying the show.”

“You’re the star of the show,” Piper whispers. She shifts to the side and Mandy takes her place in front of me.

A twinge of guilt radiates my nerves as Mandy’s bare breasts press against my chest. I look into her brown eyes and she smiles back at me with lust and greed. She grips my shirt and pulls me in.

Her lips taste like fresh bubblegum. The nostalgia of her is overwhelming, almost as if it were only yesterday we fucked after that high school football game. I inhale her scent and our tongues fall into a steady rhythm together. I lose all track of time. When she pulls away, Piper instantly takes her place on my lips. Their flavors blend on my tongue. My head feels light, lost on the air around us. My knees turn to jelly.

I feel their hands on me and they guide me down onto the bed with them.

***

“You look really nice tonight, Mandy.”

She doesn’t even try to hide the fact that she’s bored. Her eyes roll back into her skull. I see it so clearly beneath the street lamp. We’re sitting on my car at the far end of the Belle Academy parking lot. It’s mostly deserted now, but just twenty minutes ago, it was full of cars and excited people, screaming over yet another victorious night for the Belle football team.

“Uh-huh,” she mutters with impatience.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I set my eyes on her quickly after Shawn and I first arrived. Mandy Black. Belle Academy Female #3. I’m halfway through the list, but I haven’t crossed her name off yet. I feel a bit shitty about trying, to be honest. Shawn’s in love with her and has been ever since the moment he saw her.

But tonight, he caught me staring at her in the bleachers. “Go for it,” he told me. “Find out how she likes it so I can get in there later.”

“Beautiful night tonight,” I say to her, glancing up at the stars.

“We going to do this or what?”

My tongue turns to stone in my mouth. “Uh…”

“The backseat is fine.” She slides off the red corvette and walks over to the back door.

“Umm… okay.” I follow her around and open the door for her. She lowers herself into the car and I take a deep breath to calm my nerves before sneaking inside.

“Let’s make this quick,” she says as she pulls her shirt over her head. My eyes fall to her breasts, locked tight behind a black bra. “I have to make curfew.”

She leans forward and locks lips with me. I taste her thick lip gloss on my tongue, robust and pink flavored. I kiss her back, my nerves on fire.

Without warning, she pulls away and sighs. “What?” she asks.

“Nothing. What — why?”

“I’m not…” she pauses to study my face in the dark. “I’m not coming between something here, am I?”

“Coming between what?”

“Piper.”

“Piper?” I stare back at her. “What about her?”

“You two aren’t a thing, right?”

“Ugh, no,” I answer. “Never.”

She holds up her hands. “I’m just checking, Kai. You two live together—”

“Not by choice.”

“Okay,” she says, leaning back in. “I just don’t want to invade a friend’s territory is all.”

“I’m nowhere near Piper’s territory.”

“Duly noted.” She kisses me again.

***

“Piper…”

I whisper her name softly into her ear. She stirs a little on my chest, reacting to the sound of my voice. I keep my hands on her to make sure she doesn’t make any sudden, jerking movements that might wake up Mandy.

“Kai?” Piper asks.

“Shh, shh…” I tell her with a quick glance over my shoulder at Mandy. She lies on her side next to us, silently unconscious.

Her eyes flutter open, glazed with exhaustion. “Everything okay?” she whispers.

I nod. “Yeah,” I answer. “I just wanted to talk to you.”

She smiles at me and adjust her position slowly to lie her head on the pillow with me. Her little blue eyes search the room around us. I see her memories of tonight’s events take hold of her mind and a smile slowly travels across her red lips. “Mmm…” she moans. “This was fun.”

I kiss her bare shoulder. “Yeah, it was…”

“It’s been so long since I’ve felt this naughty.”

I chuckle softly and give another quick glance over my shoulder. “I know what you mean.” Mandy’s chest rises and falls with the steadiness of her breath. “How long have you two been planning this?” I ask.

Her eyes twinkle. “Awhile,” she simply says.

“Ahh…”

“Did you like your surprise?”

“Yes.” I hold her close and trace a few fingertips down her sensitive back. Her warm, shivering breath touches my naked skin.

“Next time,” she says, smiling wide, “I’ll have to remember to punish you for not getting me a gift, too.”

I grin at her. “Oh, Piper, Piper…” I shake my head. “I got you a gift.”

She raises her head an inch. “You did?”

“Of course I did.”

“You fucking tease…” she mutters through her teeth. With a quick flick of her wrist, she twists my nipple between her sharp nails. I wince in delicious pain and hold back my laughter until she releases me and smothers my lips with a firm kiss. “What did you get me?” she asks.

“It’s a surprise.”

Piper’s eyes go soft.

“No,” I say. “Stop that.”

Her bottom lip pops out.

“Don’t do the pouty thing,” I warn her.

She ignores me and seconds later, her face has gone full-on puppy dog.

“Dammit…” I mutter, smiling from ear-to-ear. I lay a hard kiss on her forehead and point across the room. “My jacket.”

She looks over at the chair in the corner where my jacket lies draped across the back. “It’s here now?” she asks.

“Inner pocket.”

She pushes herself up. “What is it?”

“Go ahead,” I say, offering her nothing else. Hey, maybe I am a fucking tease, but it’s just so fun to watch her squirm.

Piper slowly slides off the bed, careful not to jerk Mandy awake. Once her feet touch the carpet, she bolts across the room towards my jacket. My eyes admire her naked body, petite and perfect in the dark room. Shadows dance on her white skin as she grabs the jacket and finds the papers hidden in the pocket inside.

She squints in the darkness to try and read the tickets, but ends up stepping towards the window to gain more light. “Kai…” she whispers, her voice sounding uneasy.

I lay my hands behind my head and enjoy the view of surprise washing over her face. “Yes, Piper?”

“You’re taking me back to Europe?”

“Yep.”

She sits down on the bed. “These are dated for—”

“Tomorrow night.” I sit up and slide closer to her.

“We’re going to Europe tomorrow night?”

I can barely see her face in the shadows, but her voice is laced with excitement. “Yes, we are.” I snatch the plane tickets from her grasp and lean in close to steal a kiss from her. “You and me,” I begin. “Relaxing on trains. Going to museums and restaurants and stage shows—”

“Or, you know, boning in fancy hotel rooms.”

“That’s what I meant, yes.”

She cups my face and pulls me in closer. “I can’t believe you did this, Kai.”

“Well…” I push her hair back behind her shoulder. “I know how much you miss it.”

She looks down. “Is it that obvious?”

“A little.” I kiss her nose. “But only because I miss it, too.”

“Yeah?”

“I want to get lost in the world with you again, Piper Lynch.”

She gives me her lips for a moment, then pulls away. “There’s just one problem…” she says.

“What?” I ask.

“I don’t think my father will be too happy about us getting lost in Europe again…”

I grin in the dark. “It’s been taken care of,” I say.

“It has?”

“Philip already knows all about it,” I admit. “I even printed out an itinerary just for him.”

“You made an itinerary?” she gasps.

“Yep,” I say. “Hours and hours of planning have already gone into this trip.”

“I refuse to believe that.”

“Refuse all you want, Pipes,” I chuckle. “It’s still true.”

“I want to read this itinerary.”

I shake my head. “Nope.”

“But you could have made a mistake,” she claims. “Having two sets of eyes on it won’t hurt.”

“If you read it,” I explain, “then you’ll ruin all the surprises I have planned for us.”

“There’s more surprises?!”

“Shh!” I turn around to see Mandy stirring in the dark. Luckily, she’s too deep into her sleep to wake up and quickly goes limp again. “Yes…” I whisper. “There’s more.”

Piper takes the tickets from me and sets them down on the nightstand. “Kai Casablancas…” she mutters as she leans down. Her lips graze my own as she speaks. “You are just too damn good at this.”

“Good at what?” I tease her lips with my warm breath.

“Me.” She takes a deep kiss from me. Her hands put pressure on my shoulders to lower me down to the bed. She straddles my waist and towers over me while my hands explore her skin. It feels like warm milk against my fingers. Her wet nether lips embrace my cock. I grow harder each second as she gently grinds herself against me.

“Piper…” I grunt.

She lowers herself down to kiss me into silence. “Shh… Don’t wake Mandy,” she whispers.

I can’t keep my hands off her perfect tits. I taste her skin, growing harder and harder until I’m completely stiff. She takes me into her palm and guides the tip inside of her wetness. We lock lips to contain our moans.

Piper hovers above, refusing to impale herself on me. I fight the desire to thrust her myself, knowing that the movement would wake our bedroom guest. Not that there would be any issue with that, but Piper and I love to play sexual games with each other. This is just another one for us to immerse ourselves into.

Finally, she lowers herself slowly, pushing me all the way inside of her. I bite my cheek to keep silent and I taste blood on my tongue. Her inner muscles squeeze me tight, clamping down around me with a vise-like grip. She stays steady, balanced perfectly on my hard cock, and massages me from the inside with masterful ease.

I sigh with pleasure and let her work me as I lay still on the bed. The power of Piper’s pussy takes hold of me and I know with absolute certainty that she’ll bring me to my fall without me having to perform a single thrust inside of her. My pulse races, pounding blood throughout my body, forcing me closer to my edge. She smiles down at me and digs her nails into my chest to toy with me. I delight in the pain she brings me, breathing through every second of it as if it were my last.

My body and muscles go stiff and I finish inside of her. The sensation rocks me to my core, but I hold it all inside, refusing to lose control of myself. A giggle escapes Piper’s lips, just barely audible on the air. She lets my spent cock slide out of her as she lowers herself down to lie on my chest again.

I hold her against me and we don’t say a word as sleep claims us both.

Chapter 5

Piper

“I haven’t felt this good in weeks,” Mandy says from my bed. She hangs her head off the side, letting her curly hair fall to the floor below.

I chuckle as I pull open my dresser drawer. “You certainly look better than I’ve seen you in weeks,” I agree.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Piper,” she says, “but can I borrow Kai next weekend?”

“Absolutely not.”

She laughs and rolls over to inspect my suitcase at the foot of the bed. “How long will you be gone?” she asks.

“A week, I think,” I say as I pull out a few clean pairs of socks.

“You think?”

I nod. “Kai won’t tell me how long we’re going or where we’re staying or what cities we’re going to visit.”

“Oh, man…” she laughs. “I bet that’s killing you.”

“You are correct.” I walk over and stuff a few pairs of panties into the suitcase. “He said to prepare for everything though, so that’s what I’m doing.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” she says.

“I’m not worried.”

“Really?” Mandy leans forward. “Because you look worried.”

“Not worried…” I turn back to the dresser, but pause slightly as a bought of dizziness strikes my brain. “I’m just a little distracted, is all.”

Mandy reaches into the suitcase and pushes the clothes down to make more room. “Distracted how?”

I take a deep, slow breath. “I have a lot on my mind right now.”

“Like what?” she pushes. “School is over.”

“Yes, school is over, but life never ends.” I say it with a little much force and I see Mandy’s head twitch in my direction.

“Okay…” she mutters. “What’s going on, Piper?”

I sigh and turn around. She looks back at me with expectant eyes. The words burn on my tongue, eager to touch the air, but as I open my mouth to speak, another wave of nausea hits my core. I grip the dresser to hold myself up.

Mandy stands up from the bed, her eyes full of worry. “Sit down,” she says. I let her pull on my arm and she leads me to sit down beside her.

“I feel sick,” I say.

“Yeah, you look sick.”

“And I’m late.”

“Late?” She stares at me with confusion until the light finally shines behind her eyes. “Late? Like late late?”

“Like late late,” I say.

“How late?”

“Four weeks.”

Her eyes go wide.”That’s really late.”

“I know.”

“Have you been using protection?”

“Of course. I haven’t missed a pill since I was fourteen.”

Mandy smirks. “It seems Kai’s sperm has just as much stamina as he does.”

“It would not surprise me.”

“I always imagined Kai’s sperm with big, rippling muscles wearing a vest with like… you know, shotgun shells strapped to it or whatever.” She flexes her arms. “Real manly sperm.”

“I’m sorry… you always imagined his sperm?” I ask. “Do you sit around and imagine what people’s sperm looks like?”

“What?” she grins. “You don’t?”

A laugh blows past my lips, but it refuses to stay. “As much as I’d love to laugh about this, I’m not quite ready yet, Mandy.”

“Sorry.” She drops the smile and takes on a more comforting tone. “Does Kai know?”

“I don’t know how to tell him,” I whisper. “Something like this will destroy us.”

“Your relationship is not that fragile, Piper.”

“Isn’t it?” I pause, searching for the correct words. “We used to have so much passion for each other.”

She scoffs. “And you still do. Believe me, I could see it last night.”

“Last night was the most fun we’ve had together in weeks, Mandy,” I admit. “Why do you think I suggested it in the first place? He’s getting bored of the same old Piper Lynch.”

“No, he’s not,” she laughs.

“Why else would he plan this trip?” I ask. “He wants to go back to how it used to be, back to when it was just about clean, simple fun. Now, we’ve been together too long and we’ve lost that fire. We rarely even fight or bicker anymore and that was our thing. Do you know what we did last Friday night while you were at home visiting your mom?”

“No, what?”

“We ate cereal and fell asleep on the couch together watching the news,” I say. “That literally happened. To us. A year ago, if one of our roommates was gone for the weekend, we would have had sex on every fucking surface of the damn apartment.”

“Well, I’ll ignore that last detail,” she says, clearing her throat, “and move on to the more obvious point of you’re comfortable with each other. That’s what intimacy is. Most normal people dream about finding someone to eat cereal with.”

“But Kai and I aren’t like normal people, remember?” I ask, shaking my head. “No, something like this will definitely tear us apart.”

“Or… it’ll bring you closer together,” she argues. “Babies aren’t exactly a death sentence, Piper.”

I pause, reacting to the word. “Oh, wow…” I breathe.

“What?”

A black rock settles in my stomach, weighing me down. “I’m the worst person in the world.”

“Why?”

“For four weeks, I’ve thought about this and at no point did I ever think of the word ‘baby.’ It’s just been me this and my body that and what about this…” I stare at the white wall ahead of me. “There’s a baby inside of me.”

“Well, you don’t know that for sure yet, right? Have you taken a test?”

“No,” I say. “I bought one a week ago. I just can’t bring myself to take it.”

“Why not?”

“Because then it’s real. Then it’s a real problem that needs a real solution.”

She settles her arm around my shoulders. “You know what’s easier than coming up with a solution on your own?”

“What?”

“Coming up with a solution… with your partner,” she says. “You have to tell him, Piper.”

“I was going to. Then this trip came up. I don’t want to ruin it for him.”

“You have to tell him, Piper,” she repeats.

“I will after I confirm whether or not its real.”

“You have to tell him, Piper.” She stares back at me with a raised brow.

I sigh. “And I will — when the moment is right.” I meet her eyes and she doesn’t budge from her piercing stare. “He doesn’t want this, Mandy.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he said so.”

“When?”

“At dinner, last night.” I remember the moment and a chill runs through my body. “His mother mentioned grandchildren, and Kai got the most terrified look in his eyes. He could barely even speak.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Or…” I sigh. “It means everything.”

“Well, Piper,” she begins, “either way, you’re going to have to toughen up. Take the test, figure out what you want, and then tell him.”

“You’re right.”

“Of course I am.” She straightens her posture. “This is what I do.”

Lightning strikes my brain as I stare back at her. “Come with us,” I say.

She furrows her brow. “What?”

“Yeah…” Excitement charges through me. “Come with us to Europe.”

“Umm…” She presses her lips together. “No.”

“Please.” I shift in her direction.

“I’m not crashing your romantic getaway adventure,” Mandy says. “Kai obviously planned this trip for two and only two.”

“You don’t have to be attached to our hips,” I say. “I just want you to be there in case this whole thing goes south.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not going to go south, Piper…”

“And don’t tell me that a week away from Shawn Monty doesn’t sound a little tempting,” I add. She takes a quick breath and I know she’s considering the idea. “He still calls you a few times a week, doesn’t he?”

“He stopped for a little bit,” she says. “But now that school is over, I think he’s realized that he won’t be able to accidentally run into me on campus anymore. I woke up with four texts from him this morning.”

“See?” I nudge her ribs. “‘Sorry, I’m on a train with no cell reception’ is a really great excuse for not calling someone back.”

She sighs. “You don’t think Kai will mind?”

“Of course not,” I say. “Kai loves you. And hey — you play your cards right and I might conveniently disappear and let you borrow him for an hour or two.”

Mandy laughs. “I wasn’t serious about that.”

“I know,” I smile back with a quick wink. “But stranger things have happened…”

Her eyes go narrow and she stares at me through her long eye lashes. “Fine,” she says. “I’ll go with you, but for moral support only.”

“And to get away from Shawn.”

“And to get away from Shawn,” she repeats, nodding her head.

I wrap my arms around her. “Thank you, lady.”

She embraces me and runs her fingers through my hair. “And as your official, elected, moral support counselor, I say there’s one thing that needs to happen first.”

“What?” I ask.

She pulls away and sets her hand on mine. “Take the test, Piper.”

I knew she’d say it before the words left her mouth.

Take the test, Piper.

School is over. I worked hard and earned my degree. I thought I already took the last test I’d ever take — but maybe I haven’t. Maybe pissing on a plastic stick isn’t a test at all. The real test will be what comes after.

I shouldn’t be this nervous anyway.

Tests are only difficult when you don’t know the answers to the questions.

I already know the answer to this question.

***

“Piper, answer me.”

I look up from my shoes, but I let my long hair shield the sides of my red face. Strangers pass by around us in the airport lobby. I avoid their eyes. I know, logically, that they all have their own thoughts in their heads and that they don’t have the time nor the desire to be preoccupied with me, but I still feel like I’m being watched. Phantom spiders crawl up my arms and legs. I can’t stand still. I can’t think straight.

I just can’t.

“Piper…”

“Don’t go, Mom.”

My mother sighs and lowers her bag to the floor. “I have to go,” she says. “You know that.”

I shake my head. “No, you don’t. You can stay here, you don’t have to leave. Don’t let him do this—”

She reaches out and grabs my shoulders. “You listen to me,” she says. “This isn’t about him. This is about me.”

“And what about me?” I whimper.

“Piper…” she smiles, “you’re going to be just fine.”

“I don’t feel fine.”

“But you will, someday.” She pauses to glance around the lobby, then leans in closer. “Piper, no one’s perfect.”

I scoff. “So I’ve heard.”

“Especially me. The choices I’ve made… Someday, you may have a daughter of your own and I’m hoping that you never have to make the same decisions as I have.”

I shake my head, fighting tears. “I hate this…”

“Piper.” She holds me still and stares into my eyes. “Don’t cry. Don’t let anyone see your weaknesses. Ever. Not even me.” I break down. She pulls me in and I bury my face in her sweater. “I love you, Piper. None of this is your fault.”

I take a deep breath. An angry heat rises in my chest. She’s right. This isn’t my fault. This isn’t her fault, either. There’s only one person responsible for all of this. He’s getting everything he wants while everyone else suffers.

I pull back and wipe the tears off my face. “I love you, too, Mom,” I say.

She smiles at me. “Here…” She pulls her necklace off her head and slips it over mine. “Take this.”

I grab the silver pendant on my chest and feel the raised printed words with my thumb.

Live to Dream.

“I’m coming back for it,” she says. “Keep it safe.”

I nod. “I will.”

She squeezes my shoulders one last time.

“I’m coming back for you, too.”

Chapter 6

Kai

“I haven’t felt this awful in weeks.”

Shawn’s voice fills my ears as I step into my room. My fingers grip the towel around my naked waist for extra security as I walk across the floor with wet toes. “Shawn…” I begin, “what have I told you about laying on my bed?”

He looks up at me from my pillow. “Oh, yeah…” He kicks his shoes off and they topple to the floor. “No shoes.”

“Thank you.” I pull the top drawer of my dresser open in search of new underwear. “Why do you feel awful?” I ask.

“Mandy.”

I flinch. “Oh?” I ask, keeping my eyes fixed on my sock drawer. “What about her?”

He sighs and sits up onto his elbows. “I texted her a bunch last night, but she never replied.”

“So?”

“So…” Shawn repeats. “Mandy always replies. Even when we used to fight, she never let a text go unanswered.”

I nod, thinking it over. “Oh, wow…” I turn around to look at him. “You’re right. I never realized that before.”

“See?” He stares at the phone in his hands. “She must have been with some other guy last night.”

Fuck.

“You don’t know that…” I mutter as Mandy’s moans of pleasure echo softly in my head. I perk my ears and listen very carefully to the tone of his reply, praying that I don’t hear some hidden meaning inside of it.

“Yes, I do.” He grabs a pillow and hugs it against his chest. “She’s moved on, man…”

Relief and guilt butt heads inside of me. Thankfully, I hear nothing in his voice that indicates he knows where she was or who she was with. “Well…” I grab a pair of shorts off the dresser and pull them on before letting the towel drop. “It’s been almost two months since you broke up. Maybe you should think of moving on, too.”

“You think I haven’t tried?”

“I think you think you’ve tried.”

“Easy for you to say,” he mutters. “You’re Kai fucking Casablancas. You could have any girl you wanted, whenever you wanted her. It doesn’t come that easy to scrubs like me.”

“You’re not a scrub, Shawn,” I chuckle.

“Would you fuck me?”

I sigh, ignoring the ridiculous question. “You’re going to be fine. With or without Mandy.” I scoop the wet towel off the floor and toss it into the hamper in the corner. “And think about it, do you really want to be in a relationship without someone that doesn’t want to be in one with you?”

He sits up. “Have you talked to her about this?” he asks.

“No,” I answer quickly, “but it’s pretty clear in her actions. She’s broken up with you a dozen times in the last few years.”

“But that was just… our thing, you know?” His hands ball into fists. “I thought we’d get to that place together where no matter how much we fought, we’d always love each other —” he points at me, “— just like you and Piper.”

I shake my head. “That’s nothing like me and Piper.”

“That’s exactly like you and Piper,” he argues. “You two fight and bicker constantly, but you always end the night in each other’s beds. It’s a given, like you don’t even question it.”

“Well…” I take a breath. “Not lately.”

“Yeah,” he scoffs, “because couples on the fritz always go on romantic vacations together.” He kicks his foot and taps it against the open suitcase lying at the end of my bed.

I turn away and pull out a few clean shirts from the next drawer down. “They do sometimes,” I mutter.

“Uh-oh…”

I glance back at him as he leans forward with expectant eyes. “I don’t want to get into it right now,” I say.

“Don’t you dare break up with her, man—”

“I’m not breaking up with—”

“You and Piper are my goal. If you two can’t make it, then I’m fucked—”

“You’re not fucked—”

He throws himself back to lie against the pillow with his hands over his eyes. “This is the worst news ever…”

“Shawn, chill out,” I say. “Like I said, I’m not breaking up with Piper. Why would I plan out this trip just to ditch her at the end of it?”

He stares up at the white ceiling. “Isn’t that what she did to you?”

I cringe. “Not exactly.” I push the memories aside. “I planned this trip to give us a break. We’ve been so busy lately with school and other things that we haven’t had time to just be, you know what I mean?”

“Nope.”

I sigh. “Spending time together has felt like work instead of play. It doesn’t feel natural anymore. We need a reset and what better way to get one than to go back to where it all began?”

He props himself up. “And you’re not scared of it reminding her why she ran off in the first place and her abandoning you again?” he asks.

I turn around, my thoughts on fire. “Well, I am now.”

Shawn pulls himself off the bed. “If anyone is in need of a vacation, it’s me.”

I grab the stack of shirts and carry them over to the suitcase. The sadness in his voice burns at me, even more than it usually does. I’ve never felt like such an asshole before in my life. Last night will surely haunt me for the rest of my days. “You’re going to be fine, Shawn. Just relax.” I turn back to the dresser to find him blocking my path.

“Take me with you,” he says.

“What?”

“I won’t bother you guys, I swear,” he begs. “I just need to get out of here for a little while.”

“Then go to Vegas for the weekend or something.”

“It’s not far away enough. I’ll still be able to sense her.”

I step back. “Sense her?”

He nods. “Mandy fogs everything up, man. I can even detect her scent in the air right now.”

I clear my throat and move around him, wondering if I should take a second shower. “Well, that’s not creepy or anything,” I joke.

“Please, Kai. I need this.”

“No, Shawn.”

He sighs and I feel even worse than before. “Fine,” he says. “I’ll just mope around here until you two get back all happy and shit.” He steps away, his feet dragging across the carpet.

Dammit…

“Wait,” I say. He turns around slowly. “You can come.”

His smile stretches wide across his lips. “Really?”

“Yes—” I hold up a hand. “But you can’t tag along everywhere. I have plans with Piper, plans that you can’t be around for.”

“Understood,” he says. “I’ll make myself busy and scarce. You’ll barely ever see me. And Piper won’t mind, she loves me.”

“Well…” I pause, quickly deciding against telling the truth about that. “Yeah, okay.”

Shawn does a little dance. “Fucking sweet — I’ve always wanted to go to Europe again!”

I look at his happy face and a little bit of my guilt melts away. “Get packed fast,” I tell him. “I’m meeting Piper at the airport in an hour.”

“Roger that.” He bolts and rushes across the hall to his room.

Piper’s gonna kill me…

***

Running a little late. Just made it through security!

I read the text message to myself and take a long breath. By my estimation, it should take her about five minutes to get through the airport. At least I have another few quiet moments to live on this planet before she finds out I invited Shawn to come with us on our romantic getaway. It’s not that Piper straight up hates Shawn, she just strongly dislikes him and I don’t blame her. Shawn can be very overwhelming if you’re not used to him, especially in enclosed spaces.

“Europe party town, episode two!” he shouts from his seat, drawing the annoyed eyes from those sitting around us near the gate.

I give them a few apologetic smiles. “You seem to be in a better mood already,” I say to him.

He nods. “I am seconds away from breaking into song right now.”

“Please don’t.”

He bounces his knees up and down as his feet pop with excitement. “Maybe I can score with some hot European girls this time,” he says. “They like American guys, right? Something about the accent?”

“No idea.” I stare straight ahead, rehearsing what to tell Piper over and over again.

I’m sorry, Pipes. He’s having a hard time right now.

You’ll never see him, I promise.

Piper… put the gun down.

Shawn slaps his hand on my shoulder. “So, where are we going on this trip?” he asks. “We land in London, then where to?”

“Umm…” I happily shift my thoughts to the itinerary. “After London is—”

“Kai?”

I twitch in my seat and turn in the direction of her voice. She stares down at me, her blue-eyed expression locked somewhere between confusion and surprise. “Piper—” I stand up, force a big fucking smile, and step over to her. “You made it—”

Oh, shit.

I look over her shoulder to find Mandy standing behind her.

“Kai, what is Shawn doing here?” Piper asks.

“Piper, what is Mandy doing here?” I turn back to look at Shawn and find him staring at Mandy with painful eyes. Mandy herself looks the same, only a bit more angry.

Piper reaches out and grips my elbow. “A word, please?” she mutters as she pulls me away, clearly giving me no option to refuse. “I thought this was supposed to be a romantic getaway, Kai. What is he doing here?” she repeats.

I try to remember the response I rehearsed, but of course, it’s gone. “It is. What is she doing here?”

“I asked you first.”

I sigh. “He’s… not handling their break-up well. He asked to come along—”

“And you said yes?” Her eyes get narrower the more I explain.

“Yes, I did,” I say. “He wanted to get away for a while and he promised to entertain himself. I didn’t see any issue with it.”

“And you didn’t think to run that by me first?” she seethes.

“Pipes…” I lean in closer. “I fucked his ex-girlfriend last night and I feel like an asshole.”

Her little blue eyes turn soft on me. “Kai…” she whispers. “You don’t have to feel—”

“Well, I do. I did it knowing full well that he’s still in love with her, so…” I look over her shoulder at him. “Yeah, I kind of feel like I need to make it up to him.”

She places a comforting hand on mine. “What about Mandy?” she asks.

“Why is she here?” I ask again.

A chuckle escapes her lips. “Ironically, to get away from Shawn for a while.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah…” she nods. “Fuck.”

“What do we do?” I ask.

“Flight 355 to London is now boarding.”

Piper bites her lip as the announcement blares over our heads. We turn back to Shawn and Mandy and she takes a quick step forward. “So…” she addresses them.

“My ticket is nonrefundable,” Mandy blurts out, staring daggers at Shawn.

“So is mine,” he replies.

“Well, I’m not going home.”

“Neither am I.”

“Fine.”

“Cool.”

I glance at Piper and she stares back at me with concern. “I guess we’re all going to Europe then,” I say to the group.

“Yep,” Mandy confirms, her eyes still locked on Shawn.

“It’ll be just like old times,” Shawn mutters.

“Even better, actually.”

“No doubt.”

“We should board—” I spit out.

“Oh, yeah—” Piper says, gripping her suitcase.

Shawn stands up and grabs his duffel bag before charging towards the gate. Mandy lingers behind him and takes a moment to shoot me a death stare before following him to the line.

“Well, this should be fun,” Piper says, her voice dripping with sarcastic bite.

I take her hand in mine and bring her fingers to my lips. “I won’t let it ruin our week. I promise.” She smiles at me, but I can see the doubt behind her eyes. “It’ll be okay,” I assure her.

“Yeah, it’ll be fine…” She nods, staring at the two of them. Her eyes slowly drift up towards me. “We should probably work on our communication though…”

I smile. “Definitely.” I lean down and kiss her forehead. She gives no reaction. “You okay?”

Her eyes snap up to mine. “Yeah. Why?”

“You just look a little pale — well, more so than usual,” I note.

She shakes her head and her black hair slips across her face. “No, I’m fine,” she says. “A little nervous, maybe.”

I take her hand and lead her through the line, not wanting to say anything else about it. I’ve known Piper Lynch for a long time, ever since we were children, but I’ve really known her for a few years. One of her many talents is getting away with a lie, but one of my talents is catching her in one. I’m not saying she’s lying, but one thing is certain.

Piper Lynch is hiding something.

Chapter 7

Piper

Oh, yeah. Remember how much you hate planes, Piper?

The cabin lurches slightly and I take a deep breath to hide my weakness from Kai. He’s already had his inquisitive eye on me ever since we met in the airport and I don’t want to give him more reason to wonder if there’s something wrong with me.

I smile over at him, but he’s got his face plastered to the window. He graciously offered me the coveted window seat, but I absolutely hate staring out the window while flying. It’s always made me dizzy and the last thing I want to do is get sick right now. I happily took the aisle seat.

Luckily, it’s the end of take-off and the plane should start to chill the fuck out right about now—

The seatbelt light flickers off above our heads and I instantly see Mandy pop out of her seat just a few rows ahead. She shoots into the aisle and rushes back to where Kai and I are sitting.

Mandy lowers herself to my eye line. “So, this is a total nightmare,” she says.

“It’ll be fine,” I tell her. “Just ignore him.”

“It’s hard to ignore someone that won’t stop staring at you.”

I peek about the cabin and make eye contact with Shawn. He’s sitting on the other side of the plane, his beady eyes poking out from behind his thick, blond lashes. “Yeah, he’s definitely got his Mandy-radar on.” I throw him a quick wave and he turns around to face forward.

“Hey, asshole,” Mandy shoots towards Kai. “Why’d you bring him?”

Kai smirks back at her. “Ironically enough, he wanted to get away from you for a while.”

“Oh, please.”

“I’m serious.”

Mandy discretely looks over her shoulder at Shawn. “He didn’t know I was coming?” Kai shakes his head in response. “He didn’t plan this?” she asks.

“Shawn’s not exactly a master of the mind, Mandy,” he replies. “He’s heartbroken and he wanted some much-needed time away to clear his head. There’s no way he could have known you were asking Piper to come along at the same time he was asking me.”

“I didn’t ask to come along—”

I shoot her a glare, but the damage has already been done.

“You didn’t?” Kai asks. My cheek burns red. I can feel his eyes on me, willing for me to answer for this.

“Whoops,” she mutters. “I guess I’ll go back to my seat now.”

“You do that,” I snap.

Mandy pulls herself up and steps away from us.

“So, if she didn’t ask to come along,” Kai begins, “then that means you asked her to come along.”

I avoid his gaze for as long as possible. “I… thought… it’d be fun,” I stutter.

“More fun than a week alone with me?”

I turn to face him. “No—” I say, shaking me head. “It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like, Piper?”

My tongue trembles in my mouth. There are quite a few answers to this question, but I’m not ready to say them out loud just yet. “I thought it’d be fun for her to get away, just like Shawn.”

He sighs, obviously not very satisfied with the response. “Piper, if there’s something on your mind, I’d prefer it if you’d just say it.”

“There’s nothing,” I say. “Please, Kai — really. She hasn’t taken their break-up that well either—”

“She seemed pretty okay with it last night.”

“She was just doing what I asked her to do, Kai.”

“I honestly thought I couldn’t feel worse about it, but here we are…”

I put my hand on his. “Kai, you don’t have to feel anything but your classic smug satisfaction, okay? Mandy was there because she wanted to be with us. There’s nothing to be ashamed about.”

“Are you sure this is it?” he asks. “There’s no other reason why you invited her along?”

“This is it,” I say quickly. “I felt like she needed a few days away from home, away from him, so I told her she could tag along. There’s no other reason.” I keep my eyes steady to hide the lie, but this is Kai Casablancas I’m talking to. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it would upset you this much.”

He flips his hand over to interlock our fingers. “It doesn’t,” he answers. “I just… can’t shake the feeling that there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“Well…” I lighten my voice. “To be fair… there are things about this week you’re not telling me either…”

“You’re not getting your hands on the itinerary,” he jokes.

“You have your secret surprises,” I say, “and I have my secret surprises.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Okay then. Why didn’t you just say so?”

“Because saying there’s a surprise kind of ruins the surprise, don’t you think?”

He raises my fingers to his lips. “You are such a tease.”

“I’ve been told that.”

Kai leans back in his seat. If he suspects anything else, it’s not showing in his face. A rock settles in my gut. I hate to lie to him, but it’s the only thing I can think to do right now.

The plane jolts and the seatbelt light clicks on.

“Relax, Piper,” he soothes and squeezes my sweaty hand. “Just a little turbulence.”

“Yeah,” I nod. “Just a little turbulence.”

***

“What are you doing?”

I look up from the textbook lying on my knees and roll my eyes. “Homework. Go away.”

Kai steps into my bedroom. “Tonight?” he asks.

I grip my pencil tighter as my fingers twitch with anger. “Yes.” I look back down at my notebook. The numbers blend together and I quickly lose track of what math problem I’m on.

“It’s Friday night,” he says.

“So?”

“So, you’re doing homework on a Friday night.”

I sigh and look up at him again. “So?” I ask again.

He crosses his arms over his chest and leans against the door frame. “Man, it’s true what they say about you, isn’t it?”

“I don’t care what people say about me.”

His eyebrows bounce. “Okay then.” He looks around the room, refusing to budge from his position.

I bite my tongue and eye him up and down. Kai regards me with expectation, as if I’m about ready to crack. “I really don’t,” I say.

“Uh-huh.”

I focus on my textbook, but I can still feel him lingering in the doorway. “Is there something else you needed, Kai?” I spit.

“I’m headed to the football game,” he begins, his voice stiff. “My mother wanted me to ask if you’d like to come along.”

I scoff. “She did, did she?”

“Yep.”

“Well, you can tell Ava thanks, but no thanks. I have other plans.”

He chuckles. “Oh, yeah. A late night in with Algebra 2.”

“How I spend my nights is none of your concern.”

“I don’t think anyone can muster up any concern for how you spend your nights, Pipes,” he cracks. “You’re not exactly a rebel.”

I tighten my lips, but I can’t stop myself. “I’m more than you think.”

“What?” he asks with a furrowed brow.

I toss the textbook away and hop off my bed. “Just go away, Kai.”

“Relax, Piper,” he smirks and pushes himself off the door frame. “Just a little joke.”

“Yeah,” I nod and grab the door. “Just a little joke.”

I slam it closed in his face.

***

I stare at myself in the cramped airplane bathroom. Kai was right. I do look more pale than usual, like a fucking petrified ghost. I turn on the faucet and let the dull, lukewarm water fill my palms before splashing it on my face. We’ve been in the air for almost ten hours now, but I haven’t been able to relax for a minute of it. Most of the other passengers are fast asleep, but I’m stuck inside my head with my thoughts.

I dry my wet skin and slowly slide the door open. I jump back when Kai’s face fills my vision. “Kai—” I gasp.

“Shh…” He slips into the bathroom with a smile on his face and quickly closes the door behind him.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh, there’s no way I’m missing an opportunity like this…” He reaches out to cup my face. His warm fingers send charges through my skin, awakening my senses, as he pulls me in for a deep kiss.

I can feel his desire for me already pressing against my thigh. My worries melt away more and more with each kiss he gives me. “You dirty son-of-a…” I moan quietly as my body revs with life. My pulse shoots sky high as he pins me against the wall.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never wanted to do this on a plane, Pipes…” he whispers as he unzip my jeans.

“No comment,” I joke as I slip my fingers inside his zipper. I feel his hardness in my hand and give him a light squeeze before pushing his jeans down just below his ass. I let my pants slide down with them.

Kai teases me with a flurry of kisses before reaching down to pull my knee up, giving him access to my everything. I take hold of his cock and guide it straight between my wet nether lips. His thick crown splits the sensitive tissue and I can’t help but moan his name. He presses his mouth against mine to silence me. Fear grips my insides as I count down the seconds before we get caught. My heart races, my nerves boil, my sex pulsates with intense desire. Kai pumps me against the wall with quick, silent thrusts, taking me in just the right way. I lose myself in him. I never want him to stop.

My climax tears through me. I can’t stay quiet. Moans tumble off my lips. Kai looks at me with wide eyes and clamps his hand over my mouth to dull the sound. I bite into the flesh of his palm. He winces with pain and it sends him over the edge. I feel his warm desire pumping away inside of me while he bites his lips to keep himself from groaning.

His hand slips out of my teeth and he holds me by the neck until he catches his breath again. “Holy shit, Pipes…” he whispers with a slight moan in his voice.

I chuckle. “And here I thought we’d done everything already…”

Kai laughs with me and kisses me again.

***

“Oh, my god…” I glance around the hotel suite and I can’t help but fall in love with London all over again. A king-sized bed. Absolutely gorgeous furniture. A jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. There’s even a bottle of champagne waiting for us near the bed. “I can’t believe you did this.”

Kai grins as he sets our suitcases down and kicks the door closed behind him. “Only the best for you, Pipes,” he says.

“This is way more than the best, Kai.” I open the curtain to check on the view. My jaw drops as I stare out at the beautiful London skyline.

He slips in behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. “And it’s just the beginning,” he whispers in my ear. His lips fall to my neck and I swoon to feel his kisses traveling down my skin.

Heat rushes to my cheeks. I feel like I’m eighteen years old again, staring out the window of a small inn on the outskirts of the city — the only thing I could afford with the small amount of cash I took with me. I didn’t want to use my credit card and leave a map of my whereabouts to anyone that wanted to track me down. It was just me and Kai, alone together, waiting for each other to make the first move. It was awkward, to say the least. We’d only been together once. That night on my mother’s couch was still so fresh in my mind. I could almost still feel him moving inside of me. We both knew it would happen again.

In the end, it was him that broke the tension first.

He cupped my face and kissed me. It felt just like our first kiss on the train to Rome, but so much more intense. We tore into each other that night, years of repressed passion for one another spilling out all over us.

Now, as his hands travel down my body, I feel myself getting just as lost as we did before.

“Kai…” I whisper his name as a warm sweat heats up my brow.

He reaches around to grip my chin. His lips envelope mine as he pulls me back to look at him. I crane my neck as far as possible, holding him against me as our tongues dance together.

“Anywhere in London you’d like to explore tonight?” he asks, his lips never leaving my own.

“Absolutely not.”

“Good answer.”

Kai spins me about and cups my rear to raise me up. I wrap my legs about his waist and embrace him as he walks us slowly across the room to the big bed. Happiness overwhelms my senses, pulling me back in time to that first moment he slipped inside of me. The old bed creaked beneath us with each thrust. I was sure someone would pound on the door and complain about the noise, not that either of us would care, but just like the airport bathroom, the thrill of getting caught was half of what turned us on. The other half was the delicious taboo. I don’t think about it much anymore, but back then, this was a dangerous affair. Kai wasn’t just an old friend. He was my stepbrother and if the wrong people found out about it, there would surely be hell to pay.

Kai lays me down and I see that smug smirk on his lips as he pulls his shirt up and over his head. It pushes his thick, brown hair to the side, giving him a fun, disheveled look. He’s always been one to look clean cut and while I’m thankful for it, I always feel a twinge down under when I see him a little roughed up. He towers above me, balanced on his strong arms. His thick muscles flex with ease as he lowers himself down to kiss me again.

Our tryst in the airplane bathroom left me with an eternally throbbing nether. I’ve been begging for another piece of him for hours ever since. He doesn’t hold back his moans as I reach inside his jeans to stroke him. His hands move quick to unzip me and he forces his fingers into my panties. I sigh as he starts the gentle rub against my clit, each one sending a powerful shock wave up my spine to my brain. I quake beneath him, moaning between his lips, as he pushes two fingers deep inside of me.

A knock strikes the door and we freeze in place.

“Ignore it,” Kai breathes, sending his tongue between my teeth again.

He pulls me back in. I grip his cock a little tighter and jerk him with quick, clean strokes while he plays with me.

The knocking continues, this time with a few loud pounds against the door. “Piper, come on!”

I sigh and look at the door. “It’s Mandy.”

“She’ll go away…” Kai grunts.

“Open up!” Mandy shouts again, slamming her palm against the door.

I let go of his hard rod and push myself out from beneath him. “I’ll get rid of her…” I mutter. I pull my jeans up and gesture for Kai to do the same. He adjusts himself, but keeps his shirt off.

“I’m coming,” I say to the door.

“I wish…” Kai mutters.

I shoot him a wink before pulling it open. Mandy stands in the hallway with her suitcase at her feet.

“There are no rooms left,” she says.

“Oh…” I say, peeking over my shoulder at Kai.

“There’s apparently some big tourist festival happening,” she continues. “There was only one room left and Shawn got to it before me.”

I take a step back into the room to find my phone. “I’ll do a quick search for another hotel nearby—”

“I already have,” she interrupts. “They’re all completely booked up.”

I exchange a glance with Kai. We know where this is going and we both want very badly to avoid it. I bite my lip and turn back to Mandy. “Well, I’m sure there’s a room somewhere...”

“Can I just stay in this one?” she asks, lingering in the doorway. “I’m super damn tired.”

“Umm…”

“There’s only one bed,” Kai adds, his voice full of desperation.

“You can stay with Shawn,” Mandy suggests. “He has two beds.”

“Or you can,” he fires back.

“Guys…” I sigh.

“This would never have happened if you didn’t bring him with you,” Mandy says.

Kai stares at her from the bed. “I never would have brought him with me if you had answered his damn text messages.”

Mandy’s eyes go a little more narrow. “Fine.” She presses her lips together and tilts her head. “I’ll stay with him. Maybe he and I will reconnect and start talking again. I’d just love to tell him all about the other guys I’ve been with since we broke up—”

“Mandy!” I say. “Come on…”

Kai stands up from the bed and throws his shirt back on. “Fine.” He bends over to grab his suitcase. “Ladies, the room is yours.”

I reach out to him. “Kai, wait—”

“It’s okay,” he whispers as he passes by me. He stops to land a kiss on my cheek. “It’s just one night. Right, Mandy?” His eyes flick in her direction.

“Just one night…” she repeats. She spins around and tosses her suitcase onto the bed. “Ooo, champagne!”

“I’m sorry,” I mouth the words at him. He winks once before turning around and walking out the door. I look at Mandy and I don’t even try to hide my disappointment.

“What?” she spits.

“You know what.”

“Oh, come on,” she says. “I wouldn’t have told Shawn and you know it.”

“You still shouldn’t hold it over him like that.” I reach for my suitcase on the floor. “Kai doesn’t exactly mark it as an accomplishment.”

“For now,” she says. “But you know that eventually, that night will become the ultimate feather in his cap.”

“Maybe someday,” I agree, “but right now, he feels pretty shitty about it and you should cut him some slack.”

“Fine. Consider the slack officially cut — but I’m still staying here tonight.”

I sigh. “One night only,” I say. “Tomorrow, you can sleep on the street.”

She lets out a high-pitched cackle. “Me-ow, lady.”

“I’m serious,” I say. “Kai put a lot of thought into this week. He wants it to be perfect and—”

“Jeez, I get it. Cool your jets. You’re the one that asked me to come along in the first place. Remember?”

I force myself to sit down on the sofa and take a few deep breaths. “Yes, I remember.”

“I have half the mind to suspect you and Kai did this on purpose to get Shawn and me back together.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Looks like,” she says. “You would have fought way harder to get me to stay with him tonight if you had.”

“Exactly.”

“Sorry I ruined your night,” she offers.

“Sorry for snapping,” I say. “Just feeling like crap. That plane ride was a little bumpier than necessary.”

“Haven’t told him yet, huh?”

“Nope.”

She sighs and grabs a glass off the drink cart. “Well, there’s always tomorrow.” She pours herself a glass of champagne. “Want one?”

“No, thanks.”

She shrugs. “More for me then.”

Chapter 8

Kai

“What’d you do this time?” Shawn asks.

I stare back at him from the open doorway of his hotel room. “I didn’t do anything,” I say. “Your ex-girlfriend, on the other hand…”

Shawn steps to the side and lets me in. “Sorry, man,” he says. “I probably should have stayed home.”

I shake my head and drop my suitcase to the floor. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just one night.” The room is far smaller than the one I reserved for Piper and me, but at least it has two beds.

“I won’t let it happen again, I swear,” he says. “Next time, I’ll bite the bullet and insist she stay with me. Staying out of your way was part of the deal.”

I cringe slightly. I’d never in my life describe Mandy as vindictive, but I can’t help but wonder how much of her threat was true and I fully intend on taking this secret to my grave. “We’ll just look into hotels tonight for the rest of the trip,” I say, “and make sure there’s enough room for everyone.”

“Sounds good.” He lies back on his bed and stares at the ceiling.

“Staying in?” I ask him. “There’s a whole city full of English-speaking ladies just waiting for you.”

“I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I got one,” he jokes. “I forgot how long that flight was.”

A smirk shoots across my lips as my loins recall that splendid quickie in the bathroom. I’ve been dying to get back inside of her since then.

Stupid Mandy Black…

Shawn shoots a thumbs up at me. “By the way—” he says, reading my face. “Good job on your Mile High Club entrance exam. Looks like you passed with flying colors.”

“You saw us?”

“Damn right I did.”

I sit down on the other bed across from him. “And here I thought I had been so stealthy.”

“You were,” he says. “I’m just creepy.”

I chuckle and lie down on the thick pillows. “It was certainly worth the exam fee.”

“Lucky prick.” He kicks off his shoes. “Everything is off to a good start then?”

“I think so.”

“Good,” he says. “I’m happy for you guys.”

“Thanks.”

A good start.

I don’t think Piper and I have ever had a good start. Not with anything. When we first met, she wanted nothing to do with me. Sure, we were five and all I had to offer her was half a cheese sandwich and a purple crayon, but it was definitely the start of a pattern that would last the better part of nearly two decades. Eighteen years of awkward encounters and vocal sparing matches. It’s a goddamn fucking miracle we made it this far in the first place.

Piper Lynch is a puzzle box. I have no idea what’s going on inside of it. It could bring heavenly bliss or hellish calamity to those that attempt to crack it open. There’s too much risk involved with solving it, but I still can’t stop tinkering with the clues. I could solve it and feel really fucking good about myself afterward, or I can let the mystery live on and not suffer the possible consequences involved.

But then again, where’s the fun in that?

***

“Have you seen her naked yet?”

I look up from my plate. “What?” I ask.

Shawn stares across the table at me with expectant eyes. “Have you seen her naked yet?” he repeats.

“I heard you the first time,” I say, my eyes shooting around the cafeteria. “Keep your voice down. And no — of course not. Why would I?”

“Oh, you know,” Shawn says. “Late at night. She accidentally leaves her door open a smidgen. You’re walking by while she’s changing—”

“No.”

He sighs. “You know, Kai. When you said you were moving in with Piper Lynch, I expected more out of you.”

“I didn’t move in with her. It’s not like we’re shacking up or anything.”

“Yeah, not yet,” he says. “You’re still in a very beneficial position, Kai. Better than anyone that’s come before.”

I shake my head. “Beneficial position or not, I’m still no closer to sealing the deal,” I say. “Piper’s just as terse at home as she is at school. Almost more so.”

“She’ll loosen up. Just use a bit of that Casablancas charm on her.”

I glance across the cafeteria and catch sight of Piper in the far corner. She’s once again got her face in a book. Her raven hair hangs to one side, exposing the delicate, doll-like skin of her neck. Mandy sits next to her, chatting into her cell phone. “I’ll get to her. It just might take a little time.”

“Like a week or what?”

I nod. “A few weeks.” I grab my drink and bring it to my lips. “A month, tops.”

***

I look at the clock and smile as it shows two in the morning. There’s too much excitement brewing in my chest, refusing to let my pulse rest long enough to get even the slightest bit of sleep.

I sit up on the bed and lean down to grab my shoes. While I’ve never been accused of being a romantic guy, I feel like I can sense an opportunity when one presents itself. Sure, some shitty circumstances have forced a drastic change of plans for tonight, but that doesn’t mean the night is ruined. There’s still plenty of time to improvise and I just to happen to be the master of that.

I rush through the quiet hotel and pause in front of Piper’s door. My hand shoots into my pocket to find the room’s key card still burning a hole in my jeans. I hear nothing on the other side, so I can safely assume the girls have fallen to sleep. With slow movements, I slide the key into the lock and push the door open.

“Piper?” I whisper her name into the darkness. Two body-shaped lumps lie on opposite sides of the big bed. Only the one on the left side stirs. “Piper?” I say again. This time, she shoots straight up in shock. Her thick, black hair covers her panicked, tired face. “It’s just me, Pipes!” I add, keeping my voice low.

She gasps for air and throws her feet around to the floor. “Jesus, Kai… You scared the crap out of me,” she says.

I lower myself to my knees in front of her. “Sorry,” I chuckle, pushing her long hair back behind her ears. “Didn’t think you’d be asleep.”

“Just barely,” she says.

“Good,” I say. “I couldn’t sleep either.”

“You don’t have to whisper.” She shoots a glance over her shoulder. “Mandy downed almost the entire bottle of champagne. She’ll be dead until tomorrow afternoon.”

I shake my head. “Well, it’s good someone enjoyed it.”

“Sorry things are screwed up already,” she says.

“They’re not,” I say as I stand up and take her hand. “Come with me.”

“Where?” she asks.

I don’t answer. I pull her up off the bed and plant a sweet kiss on her lips. “Get dressed,” I say.

***

She follows me through the hotel with excitement, all the way to the top floor. “Where are we going?” she asks.

Once again, I don’t answer. It’s the third time she’s asked since I pulled her out of bed and each time, I smile just a little wider. I continue pulling her down the hall with me until we reach a black door labeled ‘roof access.’ I catch sight of a hotel employee leaning against it and I greet her kindly. “Thanks again, Julie,” I tell her as I slip her a decent tip into her palm.

She nods as she pulls the door open for us. “Have a good night, Mr. Casablancas,” she smirks.

Piper’s eyes go wide as I lead her up the stairwell. “You didn’t sleep with her, did you?” she finally asks.

“Of course not,” I laugh. “There may have been some flirting though.” I push the roof entrance open and the black night sky above greets us.

“Well,” she says, “I guess it’s just one of the perks to having a stunningly handsome boyfriend.” She detaches from my hand and walks across the roof with wide open eyes. I can’t stop looking at her perfect face; that perfect look of bewilderment in her eyes that makes my knees weak.

I fill my lungs with the warm night air. Flashbacks attack my mind, taking me back in time again to that night four years ago. I finally made the definitive move on Piper Lynch and we spent the entire night in bed together. Just before dawn, we went on a walk through the near-abandoned city streets and watched the sun rise over Big Ben. That was the start of the best week of my life. An almost perfect sequence of memories that were heavily tainted by the days that followed, but I can still remember the bliss I felt during the first few days.

“Uh-oh…”

I look over at Piper to find her staring back at me with a smile. “What?” I ask.

“You have that look in your eyes,” she notes.

“What look?”

“That head-over-heels look.”

I step closer to her. “And what’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing.” She fits herself into my arms.

“You ever think about those days?” I ask her.

“Those infamous days?” she teases.

“Yeah. You and me against the world.”

“You and me against each other,” she smiles.

“Sometimes,” I chuckle, “Okay… mostly, but not all the time.”

“Yes,” she answers. “I think about them a lot, actually.”

We lock eyes and I once again get lost in the waves of blue in her irises. “Do you miss them?” I ask.

Her gaze falls away and she scans the skyline again. “Is that…” she pauses to take a quick step back. “Is that why you planned this trip, Kai?”

“Is what why?” I ask.

“I mean, is it some quest to recapture what we used to have?”

“Used to have?” My heart sinks a little in my chest. “As in… don’t have anymore?”

She shakes her head once. “You know what I mean.”

I cross my arms. “I really don’t.”

“Kai, can we please not—”

“No, say what’s on your mind, Pipes,” I interrupt. I pull back my tone, not wanting for things to escalate too far.

She spins around. “This just feels a little strange, that’s all. I’m sorry I said anything.”

“To answer your question, yes,” I say. “I planned a good part of this trip to relive the past.”

“Why?”

“Why not?” I ask. “They were the best days of my life, Piper.”

“But we can’t keep living in the past, Kai,” she says. “We have to start looking forward.”

“Wow…” I breathe. “My mother really got to you, didn’t she?”

“This has nothing to do with your mother,” she argues. “Believe me, Kai, I miss the glory days, too… but we were just kids. We had no idea what we were doing or feeling and we didn’t care.”

“Maybe you didn’t care, Piper,” I scoff. “I cared a whole lot.”

She sighs and looks down at her shoes. “How long are you going to keep throwing that in my face?”

I fall silent and bite my tongue to keep myself from saying something equally as stupid. She turns away from me and walks over to the other side of the roof. I almost expect her to pull the door to the stairs open and leave my ass up here. I honestly wouldn’t blame her at all. Instead, she strides to the edge of the building and sits down to dangle her feet off the ledge.

That’s my Piper. Always living dangerously.

I inch over to her and slowly sit down beside her. We watch the streets below us, gandering at the people passing by. Their voices echo up from the ground, but their words are lost in the wind by the time they reach us.

“I’m sorry,” I finally say. “You’re right. I focus on the past a little too much.” I look at her, hoping that she’ll say something, but she stays silent with wandering eyes. Her raven hair falls down in front of her face. I want to reach out and push it behind her ear, just like I’ve done a thousand times before, but I hold myself back. I know better than to invade Piper’s space after I’ve pissed her off.

“It’s just…” she mutters quietly. “There was a lot of good back then… but also a whole lot of bad.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “I remember.”

“I don’t like thinking about who I was back then. I’m not that girl anymore and I don’t want to be her again.” She glances at me. “So, you understand why reliving the past makes me feel a little uncomfortable.”

I put my hand on her knee. “Pipes…”

“You’ve always been Kai Casablancas,” she continues. “You’ve always been yourself. You know what you want, who you are, and you’ve never compromised.”

I nod along with her words. “I guess that’s true.”

“Four years ago, you wanted Piper Lynch.”

“I still do.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.” I shift closer to her, pivoting myself to face her. “I wanted the girl I knew back then and I want the girl sitting in front of me now. And you’re right. You’re not the same Piper Lynch that walked across the stage at Belle Academy graduation and I don’t want you to be. That girl was boring.” A laugh escapes her lips. “She was an ugly girl — well, on the inside. You’ve always been gorgeous.”

She bites her lip and her little blues finally peek up at me. “Okay…” she smirks. “Get the lines out.”

“These aren’t lines, Pipes. I’m being honest.” I hold out my hand and wait for her to take it. She quickly entwines our fingers. “I can’t guarantee that I’m always going to be the same Kai Casablancas you grew up with, nor can you promise that you’ll always be the Piper Lynch you are now — but so what? We’ll grow and change and we’ll do it together.”

“Sounds… ordinary,” she mutters.

I sit back, faking a stunned face. “Oh, wow…” I say. “You’re right. Maybe we should quit while we’re ahead—”

She reaches out and smacks my shoulder. “Dick,” she laughs.

I laugh and wrap my arms around her to pull her in closer to me. “I brought us back to Europe to try and recapture the wonder years,” I say, “but now, I’m thinking that maybe I should toss out the itinerary.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” she warns. “My father will go berserk.”

I plant a kiss on her alabaster cheek. “Let him.”

She smiles and her eyes search my face. “Kai…” she whispers.

“Yes, Piper?”

Her smile fades down her cheeks. “Never mind,” she says. She leans towards me and kisses me softly. I return her kiss with caution, careful not to tip forward and topple off the tall roof.

Piper fucking Lynch.

Of course I still adore you.

Of course you still annoy the crap out of me.

Of course you’re still beautiful, even more so than you were before (and if your mother is any indication, you’ll age very, very well).

Of course I still fight the urge to strangle you when we don’t see eye-to-eye.

But we’re perfect exactly like this. It’s you and me against the world. We don’t need marriage or babies or any of that crap my mother hopes and dreams for. I’d rather it just be us, free and alive to do whatever we want.

I kiss her again and I know she feels the same way.

Chapter 9

Piper

You know what would be fucking great? If I could go a single hour without hearing the name Kai Casablancas.

It’s bad enough I have to stare at him across the dinner table at home now. I can’t handle hearing from his fucking fan club every time I have to visit my locker at school.

“Oh, my god,” Delilah Monroe chirps from the locker next to mine. “You will never guess who I hooked up with last weekend.”

I take a subtle peak around to see she’s talking to Annie Prescott.

“Who?” Annie asks with wide eyes.

Delilah leans in. “Kai Casablancas.” I’m sure she thought she was whispering, but her voice carries far enough to easily hit my ear.

I roll my eyes and grab my Anatomy textbook.

“Oh, shut up!” Annie shouts. “I’m so jealous.”

“And you should be,” she smirks. “He was amazing.”

“Barbara has a date with him next week,” Annie says.

I move slowly, listening carefully. I’ve heard countless whispers of Kai’s various conquests in the last few months, each one from a different girl in my class. Before Delilah, there was Judy. And Rachel. And even Mandy.

My god.

He’s actually trying to do it.

I overheard him make a stupid bet with his friend, Shawn, last summer, just before he moved in. His mother was already living with us and they wanted to have his big birthday bash at our house. I was hiding away when I heard them talking all about it.

“Man, there’s not a single ugly girl in our class, Kai.”

“I know,” he said. “I’ve noticed.”

“Far too good looking, even for you.”

“Is that so?”

Shawn chuckled. “Yeah, I bet you couldn’t even get two.”

“Bullshit,” Kai said. “I could bang every last one of them if I wanted to.”

“I’d pay good money to see that.”

I slam my locker closed, too furious to think about it any more. Kai fucking Casablancas. Could you get any more disgusting?

***

I roll over in the bed and Kai’s arm slips around me. “Whoa, where do you think you’re going?”

I chuckle as his lips find their way to my neck. He scratches his teeth across my skin, tickling at me as I try to pull away. “I need to stretch my legs,” I say.

He moves his hand down my body. “I can take care of that for you…” I whispers. His fingertips push between my legs, spidering between them, inching towards my exhausted slit.

“I think you’ve taken care of me enough for one day…” I laugh.

“Once again, Piper…” He slides in closer. “We disagree.”

I place the heel of my hand against his forehead and playfully push him away. “Down, boy…”

He falls limp against the pillows and lets me climb out of the bed. My toes sink into the lush carpet as I stand up and grab the thick hotel robe of a nearby chair.

Kai winces. “No, don’t cover up,” he smiles. “Leave it off.” I smile down at him and smirk as I slowly push my arms into the sleeves one-by-one. “Evil bitch…” he mutters.

I shrug. “You’ve called me worse,” I joke. I pull the robe tight and tie it off. My knees and ankles pop as I glide across the room to look outside, stiff from lying in bed for most of the night (and morning). “What time it is?” I ask as I glare out the window. The afternoon sun explodes in my eyes, nearly blinding me.

“Just after noon,” Kai answers with his phone in his hands.

“When is our train?”

“I’m sorry,” he says, pushing his arms behind his head. “You’re only allowed one question between sex sessions.”

I look back at him and he winks at me. “I didn’t realize the question to thrust ratio was so low. Maybe if you shared the itinerary, I would have been better prepared.”

“There is no itinerary anymore.”

“Then I can change the rules whenever I want.”

He wrinkles his nose. “There is far too much talking happening right now.”

“I disagree.” I smile down at him and fight the urge to mount him.

“Come back to bed, Pipes.”

“In a minute.” I stretch my arms over my head and listen to my shoulders crack. As I bring them down, the motion rocks my stomach and I nearly tumble over in a dizzy spell. I lean against the wall. My knees rock beneath me.

“You okay, Pipes?”

I hear him sit up. “I’m fine,” I say with a casual tone. “Order us some food, will you? I need to refuel.”

I make a break for the bathroom and close the door before another wave knocks me to my knees. Saliva gathers on my tongue, tempting my insides to become outsides. I pull myself up to the sink and pour water down my throat to try and curb the urge to dry heave. I spit the sour taste from my mouth. A tear falls down my cheek. Strength abandons my muscles. I want to cry out to Kai, but I bite my tongue to keep quiet. I’m not ready to have this conversation with him yet. I’m not ready for his questions yet. I’m not ready to ruin this trip for him, for us. I want to stay in this bliss for as long as possible.

“Piper?”

His voice travels through the door. I stand up quickly as I feel the life return to my body. “Yeah?” I ask.

“How about we go out to eat?” he asks.

“Sounds good,” I reply. “I’ll be right out.”

“Your phone is ringing.”

I take another quick look at myself in the mirror. My eyes look a little red, but hopefully that won’t be obvious in the dim lighting of the room. “Who is it?”

“It’s Mandy.”

I pull the door open and walk back to the bed. Kai sits on the edge, naked and grinning. “Going out like that?” I ask with a chuckle.

“It’s my best suit,” he jokes.

I grab my phone and answer it quickly. “What’s up, Mandy?” I ask.

“Can you please explain to me why I woke up in Shawn’s bed?”

I laugh. “You don’t remember?”

“No, I don’t remember,” she says. “This isn’t funny.”

I sigh. “Kai and I wanted the fancy room. You agreed to go sleep off your hangover in Shawn’s room while he went out trolling for English girls all morning.”

“Why would you do that?”

“You agreed to it, Mandy.” Kai stares up at me with curious eyes.

“I obviously wasn’t in the best state of mind to agree to that, Piper. What were you thinking?”

I sit down next to Kai and he leans in closer. “Did something happen?”

“Well, Shawn wasn’t exactly out trolling for English girls all morning, that’s for sure.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Did you two…?”

“Ugh, no! Thank god…” she spits. “But he’s apparently been here all day watching me sleep.”

“I have not!” Shawn shouts, his voice obscured in the background.

“Shut up, pervert!” she fires back. “Piper, this is not okay.”

“Calm down, Mandy—”

“Tell me you didn’t do this on purpose.”

“Do what on purpose?”

“Whatever — just get me out of here. Now.”

I look at Kai. “When is the train?”

“Three,” he answers.

“To where?”

“Paris.”

My eyes go wide and I can’t stop my smile from spreading. “Really?” He grins back. “Mandy,” I say into the phone. “We have a train to Paris leaving at three. Hang tight until then, okay?”

“Fine.” She hangs up.

I toss the phone onto the bed. “It really wasn’t a good idea bringing them along, was it?” I ask.

“Nope,” Kai says.

“Oh, well,” I sigh.

He leans in and wraps his arms around me. “They’ll be fine,” he insists. “Let me worry about them. I don’t want you worrying about anything this week.”

I laugh. “Easier said than done.”

“Of course, you’re Piper Lynch,” he jokes. “But seriously.” He plants a kiss on my neck. “Get out of your head.”

“I’ll try,” I say.

“But first…” he whispers. “Get out of that robe.”

I laugh as he pulls me down with him.

Chapter 10

Kai

“It’s not that big of a deal…” Piper mutters.

Her eyes fall to her plate and she pushes the same lump of mashed potatoes back and forth with her fork. I stare at her across the table as her pale cheeks turn pink. It’s not the reaction I would have expected from Piper Lynch. I thought she’d be jumping up and down. I thought she’d be upstairs, packing her bags already. Dismissive? Quiet? Modest?

This isn’t the Piper I know.

“Not that big of a deal?!” Philip shouts. He waves the paper back and forth in his hand. “You’ve been accepted to Harvard University, Piper. This is a very big deal!”

“I’m so proud of you, honey,” my mother says. “You’ve worked so hard.”

Philip points a finger at her. “But don’t see this as a license to chill,” he says. “I don’t want to see you slacking off from now until graduation.”

I scoff quietly and Piper’s little blue eyes flick up to look at me across the table.

“I won’t,” she mutters. Her eyes drop back to her plate.

“Well…” I say. “She can probably slack off a little bit. It’s not like they can un-accept her or anything, right? She should take a breather. Enjoy it.”

Philip looks at me as if he just realized I’m here, even though I’ve been sitting at the table for the last thirty minutes. “That’s not how my daughter was raised, Kai,” he says, his voice sharp as rocks.

“She wasn’t raised to celebrate her accomplishments?” I laugh.

Piper blinks at me, but stays silent with tense shoulders.

“She wasn’t raised to be complacent,” Philip fires back. “The moment we start to feel satisfied with our lives is the moment we stop trying to better ourselves.”

I roll my eyes. “So, basically, you’re saying that you never want your daughter to be happy?”

“Kai…” my mother interrupts, forcing a big smile. “Let’s not point fingers.”

Philip sits back in his chair. “I’m sure your father patted you on the head after every point you scored, Kai, but maybe you would have won more games if he said you needed to train harder next time.”

I flex my jaw and my eyes fall on Piper again. She quickly tears her eyes away to look at her father. “It’s okay, Dad,” she smiles. “You know me, I wouldn’t slack off even if you told me to.”

“That’s my girl.” Philip sets his fork down a little too hard. It clatters against the glass plate and the sound echoes for a few moments throughout the silent room.

I keep my eyes on her and watch as her smile slowly fades off her face.

***

The train quietly rocks back and forth, speeding down the tracks of the underground tunnel towards France. I stare across the car at Piper and smile. She sits in her seat with her arms crossed about her chest. Her head lies against the dark window, her eyes closed by sleep. The occasional orange light passes by in the tunnel, briefly illuminating her alabaster face. Seeing her this way takes me back in time to the last time she and I were on this train. Has it really been four years since I stayed behind with her? It was just the beginning of the best week of my life. I can’t help but feel hopeful that this day is also the beginning of something more.

“How much longer is this train?” Mandy whines.

I look away from Piper and clear my throat. “Another hour or so,” I answer.

Mandy sits farther back in her seat beside Piper. Her eyes shoot forward to stare at Shawn next to me. She sighs.

“Chill out, Mandy,” Shawn mutters. “We’re on our way to Paris. You can’t be pissed off in Paris. It’s too awesome.”

She rolls her eyes and looks at Piper. “Wake up,” she says to her.

“Let her sleep…” I say, clinging to the moment.

Mandy ignores me and pokes Piper’s arm with her elbow. “I need conversation,” she says. “Piper, wake up.”

Piper’s eyes flutter open and she pulls herself off the window. “Are we there already?” she asks with a yawn.

“No,” I answer. “Mandy’s just needy.”

“I’m not needy,” she argues. “I’m just bored.”

“Read a book,” Piper suggests, wiping her tired eyes.

“I just spent four years reading books,” Mandy says. “I’m not reading another book for a very long time.”

“Sorry, Pipes,” I tell her. Her eyes are red, almost tortured from lack of sleep. I feel a little responsible for it. We’ve been up together since the early morning and the night before didn’t provide much sleep either. I’m honestly surprised I haven’t passed out by now, too.

Piper shakes her head. “It’s cool,” she says. She takes a breath and looks around the train car. A smile strikes her face and I know she’s remembering that day four years ago, too. She looks at me and I smile back. “It’s just like old times…” she says.

“Speaking of old times…” Shawn says. “How about a classic game of ‘Never Have I Ever’?”

“And here we go…” I say.

“I’m not feeling up to drinking games tonight, Shawn,” Piper says. “And we already know each other pretty well…”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Mandy adds.

I stare across the compartment at her before Piper and I exchange a quick glance. I’ve never backed out of a game with Shawn before and doing so might cause some suspicion, but there are too many secrets between us right now. The last thing I want is for them to get out, especially in an enclosed space with no escape route.

Shawn pushes his arm out and holds a little finger up into the air. “Come on, everybody,” he says. “It’ll be better than staring at walls for the next hour.”

Mandy immediately sticks out her hand and points her little finger. “Oh, I’m always in,” she says. Her tone is particularly devious and I can tell by the look in Piper’s eyes that it makes her uncomfortable.

“Me, too,” I say, forcing a laid back demeanor. I blink at Piper, hoping to send her a subconscious message that it’ll all be okay. In the end, I find it hard to believe that Mandy would let our secrets slip out, especially when doing so wouldn’t benefit her in the slightest. She has nothing to gain by telling Shawn about our night together.

“Okay, sure,” Piper says. I smile at her as we both meet little fingers with the others.

“As always,” Shawn begins his catch phrase, “when the words hit air, they stay there.” We all lower our hands and the air in the compartment feels a little bit thicker. “I’ll start…” He tilts his head back and stares at the ceiling while his mind wanders. “Never have I ever…”

We wait patiently, but nothing comes out of his mouth.

“Well, shit,” he finally says.

“Anybody bring a deck of cards?” I joke.

“Oh, I’m sure one of us can think of something to jump start this game…” Mandy says, leaning forward. “Oh yeah… Never have I ever run away from home.”

“Oh, ha-ha, Mandy,” Piper mutters.

“See?” she replies. “Still plenty of skeletons to be played with. Or how about this? Never have I ever concocted an elaborate scheme to get two of my friends back together again when one of them clearly wants nothing to do with the other anymore—”

“Mandy, cut it out,” Piper interrupts. “We already told you that we didn’t do that.”

“I’m not an idiot, Piper.”

“Yes, you are,” I add, “if you still think Piper and I would meddle in your relationship.”

“Wait,” Shawn finally says. “What are you guys talking about?”

“Oh, kind of like how you used to stick up for your golden boy every time we broke up?” Mandy asks me.

“If you didn’t want to get back together with him every time,” I say, “then you shouldn’t have gotten back together with him every time. I didn’t force you to do anything.”

“It sure as hell felt like it,” she says. “I wasted so much time, it’s not even funny.”

“Mandy…” Piper whispers her name as she glances at Shawn.

“So…” he says, “dating me was a waste of your time?”

Mandy opens her mouth to speak but hesitates a moment. “Yes,” she finally says. “I feel like the break-up should have happened sooner.”

“Damn…” Shawn mutters. “By all means, Mandy, don’t hold back or anything.”

“It’s the truth—”

“That’s really cold, Mandy,” I say, staring her down.

“That’s a bold response from someone like you, Kai,” she fires back. A smile suddenly crosses her lips. “Oh, I have one. Never have I ever fucked my best friend’s ex-girlfriend.”

“Mandy, stop,” Piper snaps.

I sit back, unable to say a single word that crosses my tongue.

“Oh, please,” Shawn says. “I know all about you and Kai hooking up in high school. That’s old news.”

“Right,” Piper says. Her blue eyes turn black as she stares Mandy down. “So we should just move on.”

Mandy ignores her. “You should probably bone up on your current events, Shawny,” she quips. “You’ve missed a few headlines. Hasn’t he, Kai?” She stares back at me with cold, lifeless eyes.

Shawn laughs. “I don’t know what you’re on, baby,” he says to her, “but it must be some serious shit.”

Mandy’s face bounces back and forth between mine and Piper’s. “No one has anything they’d like to say?” she asks. “Something you’d like to get off your chests?”

“Mandy, please…” Piper whispers.

“Fine, I’ll do it then.” She looks at Shawn and leans forward. “Shawn, three nights ago, Kai fucked me and Piper in a hotel room.”

I close my eyes and say a childish wish to myself to suddenly be somewhere else. It doesn’t matter where; The bottom of an erupting volcano, or at the end of a noose, or even in an underground pit surrounded by black widow spiders. Any of those would be preferable to being on this train right now.

“What’s she talking about?” Shawn asks the room. The hairs on my neck stand tall, magnetized by his eyes staring me down. “Kai? Is that true?”

I open my eyes and see Mandy’s amused face looking back at me. “Yeah…” I finally say. “It’s true.”

Shawn falls silent.

“Looks like we don’t all know each other that well, after all,” Mandy smirks.

“Knock it off,” Piper tells her. “What is wrong with you?”

“Me?” she asks. “I’m just being honest with the people that care about me. It seems like a decent change of pace for this group.”

Anger spikes in my blood. “You’re being a total bitch is what you’re doing—”

“Kai…” Piper warns.

“No, by all means, let the man speak his mind,” Mandy says.

Piper shakes her head. “We shouldn’t be having this conversation right now,” she says.

“On the contrary,” Mandy shrugs, “I think we should all just let everything out right now — bring us all a little closer together. Shawn can talk about how fucking clueless he is, Kai can talk about how he betrayed his best friend, I’ll talk about how much I enjoyed it, and you can talk about the little bundle of secrets you’ve been carrying around with you for weeks.”

I look at Piper, but she quickly turns away from me. All my fears about her rise again and I feel that aching tickle at the back of my mind. The one that tells me she’s hiding something. “That’s enough, Mandy,” I say, fighting the urge to give in.

She grins. “Oh, it’s a whopper, too. Let me get her started...” Her eyes graze the ceiling before falling back to me. “Never have I ever been pregnant.”

The words rush through my ears, but refuse to grab hold of me. They pass through my memory multiple times, echoing over and over again, before they finally settle into my brain and sink in.

I turn to Piper. She doesn’t move. Her mouth hangs open slightly with words caught on the tip of her tongue. She flicks her little blue eyes at me, but they quickly fall to the floor with silent gravity.

“What?” I ask her.

Chapter 11

Piper

I imagined this moment in quite a few ways. They mostly involved us sitting down together in a quiet room. I’d calmly explain the situation and then tailor the rest based on his reaction. The latter part in particular was a complete mystery to me, no matter how many times it went through my mind. It’s the only part I have no control over. Finding out you’re going to be a father must be a shock to any man, but Kai Casablancas?

Oh, boy.

“Piper…”

I force myself to look up from my feet. Kai stares back at me across the car with wide, confused eyes. I open my mouth to speak, but I can’t find the words. I let the rhythmic sounds of the train fill the blank space between us. I sense Mandy leaning back against her seat next to me. She no doubt feels very pleased with herself right now and probably wears the satisfaction in her eyes, but I can’t stand to even look at her right now to confirm it.

“Is that true?” Kai’s voice brings me back to him. He’s looking at me, expecting me to give him the answer I rightfully owe him.

“Yes,” I whisper. “It’s true.”

“Whoa…” Shawn says, frozen in his seat across from me.

Kai falls silent and it absolutely kills me. He always has something to say. He’s always said something, no matter what the situation brings. It’s only been a few seconds and I already miss his voice.

Please, Kai. Say something. Anything. Yell at me. Scream at me. I don’t care. Just say something.

His lips stay closed, as does everyone else’s for what feels like an eternity.

“Piper and I should have sex.”

My eyes shoot over to Shawn. “Excuse me?” I gasp as rage slowly starts to boil within me.

“Kai slept with Mandy,” he says. “It seems only fair that the two of us should copulate.”

“Shawn—” Kai snaps out of his trance. “She’s carrying my child.”

“You should have thought about that before you stuck your dick inside of my girlfriend, Kai.” Shawn shakes his head at him with shame. “One night with Piper and we’ll all be square.”

“Ex-girlfriend,” Kai corrects him.

“Can we please vote on the whole having sex with me issue?” I ask. “Actually, no— fuck that. We don’t vote on who gets to fuck me. I’m not having sex with you, Shawn.”

“I agree,” Kai says.

“Actually,” Mandy adds, “I think he makes an interesting point.”

I twist in her direction, hating her even more. “Mandy.”

Shawn gestures at her. “Thank you. The voice of reason chimes in.”

“Voice of reason, my ass,” Kai says. “It’s not happening.”

“You could have backed out at any time, Kai,” Mandy says to him. “In fact, I remember Piper telling you I would leave if you didn’t want to go through with the three-way. You hesitated, so obviously, Shawn’s feelings must have crossed your might, right?”

Shawn stares at Kai. “You fucking Brutus.”

“Oh, please—” Kai says back. “You wouldn’t have backed out either, Shawn.”

“Yes, I would have!”

“Okay then — hypothetical theater,” Kai begins. “Imagine Mandy and you are still together and she takes you to a fancy hotel room, whispering words of a super secret surprise for you. You get there and Piper lies on the bed, naked, wearing nothing but a silk robe. You think, ‘Well, shit. I can’t do this. Kai would kill me.’ But then, Mandy mounts Piper and they start kissing, putting on a sexy show for you—”

I lean forward in my seat. “Get to the point, Kai.”

He pulls his words back. “Do you leave?” he asks Shawn.

Shawn stares straight ahead at me, no doubt doing everything in his power to visualize my naked body beneath a silk robe. “Shit…” he finally mutters.

Kai nods and slaps a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you.”

Shawn bounces his arm to knock Kai’s fingers away. “I still don’t think that vindicates you,” he says, crossing his arms. “I am a far weaker man than you are, Kai. You knew better.”

“Maybe so,” Kai replies, “but we can find a better way of settling this that doesn’t involve you fucking my pregnant girlfriend.”

“Fine,” Shawn bites with disappointment.

“Can we please not say the P-word?” I interject. “It makes me feel uncomfortable.”

Kai shifts his attentions to me. “Are you sure you’re pregnant?” he asks.

“Kai!”

“How long have you known about this?”

I look back at him, pleading with him with my gaze. “Can we please not talk about this here?” I ask.

“At least four weeks,” Mandy answers for me.

“Mandy!” I shout at her.

Kai almost falls forward out of his seat. “Four weeks?!” he shouts with anger in his voice.

“Not four weeks—” I look at him and I lose my words.

“Then how long?”

“I was four weeks late,” I explain. “I didn’t know for sure until a few days ago.”

“Late is the missed period thing, right?” Shawn asks.

“Yes,” Kai answers without glancing at him. He keeps his eyes focused on me. “But she keeps careful track of that, which means, she has pretty much known about this for four weeks. Isn’t that right, Piper?”

“I didn’t want to worry about it until after school was over,” I say. “We were both already stressed enough with finals as it was, I didn’t want to make it worse.”

“Oh, I imagine you thought you were doing the right thing. But as usual, Piper Lynch gets empathy wrong.”

I sit back. “Kai… I—”

“You what?” he snaps. “You didn’t care? You didn’t think I’d notice that something was wrong with you for weeks? You didn’t consider anyone’s feelings other than your own?”

I shake my head. “That’s not fair…” My lips quiver. “You have no idea what this feels like.”

“Because you won’t tell me,” he replies. “Almost four years together and you still won’t open up to me, Pipes.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“Is it?” he asks. “You know everything about me. I tell you every little thought that crosses my brain, but you… Getting to know you is like wrestling with a shark. Always has been.”

“This isn’t exactly something I can just drop into any casual conversation, Kai,” I argue.

“Good morning, Kai,” he quotes. “Your hair looks nice. By the way, I’m knocked up.” His hands jerk into the air. “Boom. Done. I don’t see the problem.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” I say. “The world is just so damn simple to Kai Casablancas.”

“This is not nearly as complicated as you’re making it out to be, Piper. I had a right to know.”

“I was going to tell you—”

“When?”

“When the time was right.”

He scoffs and shakes his head. “This is unbelievable…”

“The only thing I find unbelievable about this is your reaction, Kai,” I say.

“Oh, really?” he asks. “Did you expect me to be happy about it? Jump up and down? Do a little dance?”

“No,” I answer, “but I expected you to keep your fucking cool about it.”

He rolls his eyes. “Well, I’m not.”

“I know that now. Whatever happened to growing and changing together, huh? Where’d that epic Casablancas romanticism go?”

“Out the fucking window, obviously.”

“Yeah, no shit. I knew this trip was too little too late.”

He pauses. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means, Kai, that we’ve been dead in the water for months now…” I inhale a quick breath. “We should have just bit the bullet a long time ago. It would have been better than waiting for us to drown.”

“Finally,” Kai sighs, “one of us says it out loud. But as fucking usual, the timing is a bit off. Should have said it four weeks ago.”

“Well, with any luck…” I mutter. “I won’t be knocked up for very much longer.” He stares back at me in stunned silence, unable to respond. I lose my words and find myself overwhelmed by nausea. Every bump and rock of the train car makes me even more dizzy. I look around to see Shawn and Mandy’s quiet, awkward expressions. Their eyes refuse to make contact with either of us.

“Excuse me…” I whisper. “I can’t be here right now.” I stand up and bolt away, quickly maneuvering through the aisle to the next train car.

Kai fucking Casablancas.

Finally, our truth comes out.

***

“I don’t mean to alarm you,” Mandy whispers in my ear, “but Kai is staring at you right now.”

I push my golden tassel to the side as a gust of wind sends it into my face. “Let me guess,” I say. “He’s leaning against his car, trying way too hard to look cool, while Shawn jumps around him, trying to decide which one of his legs to hump?”

She chuckles. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“I figured.” I look across the parking lot. He and I lock eyes for a long moment before I roll them back over to Mandy. “I guess we know what this means.”

“Kai Casablancas has officially made his way through each and every girl in our graduating class… except you.”

“How delightful,” I mutter. “This summer should be fabulous.”

“Just keep your knees together for a few more months until college begins,” Mandy says. “You’ve managed for two years, you can go a little longer.”

I blink. “You think I’m tempted?”

“Oh, please. Of course you are.”

“I am not!”

Mandy raises her brow. “Okay, fine. I take it back. You’re not the least bit tempted in fucking the most gorgeous man that’s ever graced the halls of Belle Academy.”

“I think you give him too much credit.”

“I think the lady doth protest too much.”

I glare at her before stealing another quick glance at Kai. “I have more important things to worry about than Kai Casablancas,” I say.

“Ahh…” Mandy smirks. “The big trip?”

“You still in?” I ask.

She scoffs. “Um… duh! A week in Europe with Piper Lynch? I can’t fucking wait.”

I hesitate for a moment. “There’s more to it than that.”

“Like what?”

“Can you keep a secret?”

Her eyes roll into the back of her head. “Are you kidding? It’s me, Piper.”

I smile and bite my lip, wondering where to begin. “Well…”

“Hey, Pipes.”

Kai’s voice invades my ears and I slam my lips shut. He sits in his stupid corvette, staring up at me from the driver’s seat. “What?” I ask, glaring at him.

“Let’s go. Mom’s waiting,” he says.

I look back at Mandy. “There’s something I should mention about the trip—”

“Hey, Kai,” she says, smiling at him.

“Howdy, Mandy.” He sends her a wink and Mandy’s cheeks turn pink.

Maybe I shouldn’t trust her with this after all.

***

“Jeez, you look like crap.”

I pull my eyes away from the busy Paris sidewalk to find Shawn standing over my park bench. He stares down at me with his duffel bag slumped over his shoulder and a shit-eating grin on his face.

“You certainly have a way with women, Shawn,” I mutter. I look at my phone to check the time, realizing that I’d completely lost track of it. Somehow, I’ve been sitting out here for nearly two hours.

Shawn plops down next to me and tosses his bag to the ground. “This place looks exactly the same…” he says, looking around. “I swear, I saw that exact same kid selling bread on the street four years ago.”

I chuckle slightly as I follow his pointed finger. “Well, at least some things never change.”

“I prefer change,” he says. “Keeps things interesting.”

“I think I’ve had a little too much interesting in my life so far.”

He turns to me. “So, are you and Kai like… over?”

I sigh. “I’m not sleeping with you, Shawn.”

“I ain’t asking you to,” he says. “I’m just confirming.”

“Did he send you over here to confirm it?” I ask.

“Nope.”

“Then why are you talking to me?”

“Because…” he says. “I’m still really pissed at him and Mandy’s a big ole’ jerk. Oddly enough, yours is the only company I can stomach right now.”

I look over at him and smile. “That’s kind of fucked up,” I joke.

“I can leave, if you want,” he says. “Just got tired of walking around aimlessly for hours, figured I’d stop to rest. That’s when I saw you here—”

“You can stay, Shawn,” I say. “I suppose your company is better than none.” I push my hair back out of my face, peeling it off my sweat-covered brow.

“Here…” He bends down and grabs a bottle of water from his bag. “I wasn’t kidding. You look like crap.”

I take the bottle and twist the cap off. “Thanks… kind of.” I take a sip of the lukewarm water.

“You know,” he begins, “when my mom was preggo with my little brother, she told me it was the worst thing she’s ever done.”

I furrow my brow. “She told you that?”

He nods. “It was horrible for me, too. She was always in a bad mood, crying and screaming at me and my dad. I thought she’d gone mental — but then…”

“Then what?” I ask.

“Then my brother was born and she changed overnight. No more scary mommy. Suddenly, she was calm and caring mommy. Cookies and milk for breakfast mommy.”

“What’s your point, Shawn?”

“My point, Piper Lynch…” he says, “is that shit might be all fucked up right now, but tomorrow is a new day. An interesting change may be on the horizon, one that will make things better — just when you think it can’t possibly get any worse.”

I roll my eyes. “As poignant as that sounds, I don’t think cookies and milk will solve my problems.”

“They won’t hurt.” He looks around. “Now I’m hungry.”

I take another drink of water and stare off into the dark trees ahead. Change and I have never had a great relationship. Change made my parents get divorced. Change brought the idiot jock from my school home and stuck him in the bedroom across the hall. Change made my mother abandon me.

Change is a fucking asshole.

Change made my parents happier than I’ve ever seen them before. Change brought my mother and I back together. Change made me fall in love with that idiot jock across the hall. Change…

Ugh.

“Come on,” Shawn says as he stands up from the bench. “Let’s go find something to eat.”

“Okay,” I say, welcoming the chance to stop thinking about this for a little while. I push myself off the bench and grip the handle on my suitcase. “Sounds good,” I say.

“Then, we can find a room to settle in for the night.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Shawn…”

“No funny business, I swear,” he says, holding up a hand. “I just figured we’d hang out — unless you actually want to see Mandy or Kai again right now. I sure as hell don’t.”

I cringe. “Yeah, not really.”

He gestures for me to give him my suitcase. “Let me carry that,” he says.

Usually, I’d stare him down, but I don’t bother arguing with him. My feet hurt and I feel more tired than I’ve ever been in my life. “Thanks,” I tell him as I pass it off.

“Don’t mention it,” he says. “They have chocolate chip cookies in France, right?”

I laugh. “I know a place nearby.”

Chapter 12

Kai

Piper fucking Lynch.

I always wondered when this day would come.

I wasn’t exactly planning on it, but I had a feeling something wasn’t right between us. I wanted to ignore it, and holy shit, I sure did try. Maybe it was the constant family pressure or even the expectations we put on each other. I don’t know. We tried the honesty thing and it didn’t work. We tried lying to each other and that sure as hell didn’t work either.

I blame the passion. That fucking desire I have to always and forever be inside of her. It’s gotten me into more trouble than I ever thought humanly possible. It even struck me the moment Mandy let it slip that she was pregnant. My first thought was to kiss her and celebrate. I’m not sure why — most likely an inherent, instinctual reaction.

I am man. I spread seed. Fire bad. Tree pretty.

But that didn’t last a second before the reality set in. My girlfriend is pregnant — sorry, ex-girlfriend. My stepsister is carrying my child. All the hopes and dreams I had for myself shot out the window like a loose bat in the house. Broken glass everywhere. Panic ensues. Everyone’s freaking out, hoping the flying rat doesn’t land in their hair and give them rabies. I can forget about grad school. Every penny I have is going straight into a savings account, because this bastard’s future is officially more important than mine.

Fucking hell. I’m a horrible person.

A knock strikes the door and I sit up on the hotel bed. The clock on the bedside table reads seven. I hear the voices of people passing by on the Parisian street below while the city lights illuminate the late-evening skyline. I pull myself off the bed and drag my feet to the door to pull it open.

“Well, that was interesting.”

I roll my eyes. “I really don’t want to talk to you right now, Mandy…”

She steps inside the room, easily sliding past me. “I figured as much,” she mutters.

I close the door and trudge back over to the bed to throw myself back down onto it.

“Wow, you really went all out on this trip, didn’t you?” she asks as she looks around the room.

“Yep.” The Paris hotel room is rather similar to the London one, but slightly bigger with a much better view of the city featuring an unobscured view of the Eiffel fucking Tower. I had planned on sitting out on the balcony with Piper later, naked and sweating. Oh, well. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather be alone right now.” I speak to the ceiling with a dead tone as she wanders around the bed.

“Well, I don’t.” I feel her plop down onto the bed next to me.

“How did you know I was here?” I ask.

She shrugs. “I followed you from the train station.”

“Any idea where Piper is?”

“Nope,” she says. “She took off like a bat out of hell as soon as the train stopped.”

Fuck.

Hello, feeling of utter helpless panic.

It’s been ages since you’ve made yourself known to me. It’s almost nostalgic, to be honest. For the last few years, I knew exactly where Piper Lynch was in the world, mostly because she was either right beside or would have been right beside me within the hour. Right now, she’s somewhere in Paris (I’m assuming) and I have no idea when I’ll see her again — if ever. She has a knack for disappearing as soon as the shit hits the fan.

And here I am, so fucking wrecked that I can’t even bring myself to get up and go look for her.

“How long have you known?” I ask, the words slipping through my teeth before I can stop them.

“Known what?”

“You know what.”

“Oh.” Mandy sighs. “I don’t know — like three days.”

I shake my head. “She tells you before she tells me…”

“Hate to break it to you, girlfriend,” she says, “but running shit by your best friend first is actually a really common practice. Don’t sit there and pretend like you never ran things by Shawn before bringing it up to Piper.”

“Nothing like this,” I argue. “She should have told me first. The second she found out, she should have come to me.”

“She didn’t want to tell you, Kai, because she thought it would tear you two apart.”

I look at her. “What?”

“I told her she was wrong. I told her you two were stronger than that and it would bring you closer together. Clearly, I was wrong.”

“Was that your master plan then?” I ask her. “Let the secret slip out to bring Piper and me closer together? A little hypocritical for someone that fucking flipped her shit at the idea of us tricking you and Shawn back together.”

“I guess I may have overreacted.”

“Yes, you did. And for the record, we didn’t fucking do that.”

“I know… I was just being a bitch, like you said.”

I sigh. “It doesn’t matter anyway… She was right. It did tear us apart.”

“Yeah, why exactly did it do that again?”

“I panicked.”

“Well, duh.”

“I don’t want to be a father.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t.”

She chuckles. “That’s not vague or anything.”

I sit up on my elbows. “Okay, then. Why don’t you want to be with Shawn?” I ask her.

“Because he’s an immature man-child that refuses to grow up and look after himself, forcing me to pick up his slack and I don’t want to be his mother for the next fifty years.”

“Wow.” I sit back. “That’s really specific.”

“I’ve had longer to digest it,” she says. “Kai, you just found out. Maybe you should wait twenty-four hours before you implode.”

“More time won’t change anything.”

“Time changes everything.”

“Not this.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I have it on pretty high authority that she probably feels the same way.” Mandy sits up and leans against the headboard. “You should go talk to her.”

“No, thanks,” I mutter. “I’d rather just find a flight and go home.”

“Remind me…” she bites. “Which one of you runs off when things don’t go their way? You or her? It’s getting more difficult every day to keep that straight.”

I glare at her out of the corner of my eye. “What was that about you being a bitch, again?”

“Once I start, it’s hard to stop,” she smirks at me for a moment before her smile slowly drops from her cheeks. “Sorry I told Shawn about… well, you know.”

“Oh, yeah…” I push myself up to rest against the headboard. “I’d almost forgotten.”

“Think you two will be okay?” she asks.

“Doubt it. He was right. I knew better.”

She giggles, her voice high and fun. “Like we would have taken no for an answer. You were doomed from the start. He knows that.”

“Still.” My phone vibrates in my pocket. I reach in and grab it. “Speak of the devil,” I mutter, reading Shawn’s name on the screen.

“Answer it,” Mandy says.

“I’d rather not…” I toss it to the bed.

She grabs it. “Communication is the first step to healing all wounds.”

“That’s not a real phrase.”

Her eyes narrow as she answers the phone. She immediately thrusts it forward and slaps it against my face.

“Kai?” I hear him say.

I take the phone from Mandy and hold it to my ear. “Hey.”

“Kai— you need to get down here now.” Shawn talks fast, his voice out of breath.

“Get down where?”

“I don’t know, some hospital. It’s Piper.”

I sit up straighter. “Piper’s in a hospital?” Mandy’s eyes go wide with fear and panic grips my chest. “Why? What happened?”

“I’m not sure. One minute we were talking, and the next, she was on her back — and not in the good way. I’ll find out the address and text it to you.”

“Okay…”

Shawn hangs up, but I sit still for several moments while my brain goes wild.

Piper’s in the hospital. She’s pregnant with my baby.

My baby is in the hospital.

“Kai!”

A fist connects with my shoulder and I wince in pain. “What?” I spit, jerking up to look at Mandy.

“Hello!” she shouts. “What the fuck happened? What’s wrong with Piper?”

“I don’t know, he wasn’t specific—”

“Did something happen to the—”

“I don’t know.”

She falls silent and slides off the bed. “Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s go,” she says.

The phone vibrates in my hand. It slips from my fingers onto the bed and I pick it up again to read the hospital’s address in Shawn’s text message.

Mandy snatches the phone away from me. “I’ll navigate. You try to get your shit together. Can you do that?” she asks.

I nod. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Good,” she says. “Now, take a deep breath and get your ass up. Piper needs you.”

Piper needs me.

But I need her more.

***

“Wait… you want to follow Piper to Europe?”

I nod across the table of the nearly deserted diner. “Yeah.”

“And you don’t see this backfiring at all?”

“It’s perfect, Shawn,” I say. I hold up the xeroxed pages of her itinerary. “We know exactly where she’s going to be and when. All we have to do is intercept her, you distract Mandy, and I’ll seal the deal.”

“I don’t think it’s going to be as simple as you think, Kai,” he says. “Piper’s not going to be happy with us crashing her trip. What makes you think she’ll sleep with you once she figures it out?”

“You let me worry about that,” I say, slapping the pages back down onto the table. “You worry about Mandy Black.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” he says, “I’m all for worrying about Mandy Black. I was born to worry about Mandy Black. I’m more worried about you.”

“What about me?”

He sighs and leans forward in the booth. “You’re a little… obsessed.”

“I’ve come this far, Shawn,” I say. “I can’t drop the bet now.”

“I’m not talking about the bet, man.”

I blink. “Then what are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Piper Lynch.”

“Piper Lynch?” I roll my eyes. “I’m not obsessed with Piper Lynch. I’m obsessed with what’s between her legs, but I’m not obsessed with her.”

“I honestly don’t see a difference at this point,” he says, shaking his head. “We should just drop the bet. I’ll even let you keep your car. Twenty-two out of twenty-three ain’t bad.”

“Shawn…” I rest my elbows on the table and interlock my fingers together in front of my face. “I need this.”

“No, what you need is therapy.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Are you sure this is just about the bet, Kai?” he asks. “Are you sure this has nothing to do with Piper Lynch?”

“Of course, Shawn. I have a legacy and a reputation to uphold.”

“I’m literally the only person that knows about this bet,” he chuckles. “Trust me, your reputation will be fine.”

I sigh. “Come on, man…”

“Okay. Admit that you have a thing for your stepsister and we’ll go.” Shawn grins and sits back in his seat.

I stare across the table at him with a flexed jaw. “No,” I say. “I do not have a thing for Piper.”

He raises an eyebrow at me. “Dude…”

“I don’t!”

“Fine.” He crosses his arms. “I hear Stewart Ryan is having an end of summer party this weekend. Wanna go?”

I exhale through my nose and bite into my lip. “Okay,” I say.

“Okay what?”

“Okay,” I say it again.

He smiles. “Was that so hard?”

***

“Excuse me—” I wave at the nurse behind the counter. “I’m looking for Piper Lynch. She was just brought here—”

“Je serai avec vous, monsieur.”

I growl with frustration. “Fuck.” I look at Mandy. “You don’t speak any French, do you?”

“Umm…” she thinks. “Voulez vous coucher avec moi—”

“That’s a no.”

My instincts scream at me, telling me to ask Piper, but I can’t because she’s already here. She’s not standing next to me like she should be. No, she’s lying in a bed somewhere in this fucking place, connected to machines for all I know. I’d give anything to hear her voice right now. Her deep, femme fatale voice sounds ridiculously sexy when she speaks French.

“Kai!”

I turn around and see Shawn at the end of the hall. Mandy and I bolt away from the counter and rush towards him, ignoring the foreign cries of the nurse behind the desk.

Shawn appears distraught and panicked, a look I’ve never in my life seen on him in the decade or so we’ve been friends. “She’s in there,” Shawn says, pointing to a doorway down the hall. “A doctor is with her now.”

I swallow hard, frozen in place. “Is she okay?” I ask him.

“Yeah, I think so. It happened so fast…” His voice tappers off and he takes a breath.

“You were with her?” Mandy asks him.

He nods. “We were on our way to a hotel when she suddenly just passed out.”

“A hotel?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, she wasn’t bunking up with either of you tonight,” he says, his eyes silently judging both of us.

Oddly, the blow up on the train seems so distant now in my memory, like it never even happened. “I’m happy you were with her, Shawn,” I say.

“Me, too,” he says.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah…” Mandy steps a little closer, her eyes soft on him. “Thank you, Shawn.”

His face turns red.

I glance over his shoulder to see a doctor exiting her room. I step around Shawn and stop in front of him. “Excuse me, doctor—”

He looks up from his chart. “Hello,” he answers, his voice thick with accent.

“Oh, good. You speak English…”

He nods. “One of the only physicians here today that does.” He pulls a pen from his coat and scribbles a few notes onto the chart.

I point to the doorway. “I’m with her — Piper Lynch.”

“Are you family?” he asks.

“Yes, she’s my sister. What happened? Is she okay?”

“Stress and exhaustion, mostly,” he explains. “Little bump on the head from when she fell, but she’s fine.”

I peak around him, but I can’t bring myself to look into the room. “Is the…” I hesitate. “She was…”

“Pregnant?” he asks.

I nod. “Yeah…” I understand now why the P-word made Piper feel so uncomfortable. It’s surreal to hear it so bluntly, especially from a total stranger.

“Fortunately, mother and baby are both fine,” he says, “but she should take it easy for a while.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. “Okay.”

Mother and baby.

“Is he the father?” he asks, gesturing behind me at Shawn.

“No, I am.” He raises an eyebrow at me and I stumble over my tongue. “She’s my stepsister,” I explain.

The doctor nods with an awkward smile. “All right, then.”

“Come on, dude,” I say. “You’re French.”

He stuffs his pen back inside his coat, his lips curling to the side. “You can go on in. She just signed her discharge form, so you can take her home whenever she’s ready.”

“Thanks, doc.” He walks away and I turn back around to the others. Shawn stands with his arm wrapped around Mandy’s shoulders and she clings to him with a nervous face. “He says she’s fine,” I say to them.

Mandy sighs. “Completely fine?” she hints.

“Completely fine. She can go home.”

“If she even wants to,” Shawn says. “I’m just saying, she wasn’t too happy.”

I run my fingers through my hair as a nervous dread plagues my guts.

“Do you want me to talk to her?” Mandy asks.

I shake my head. “No, I’ll go first.” My eyes fall back to the open doorway. “I just need a minute…”

No, I am, I told the doctor.

I’m the father.

I said it without a second thought. It felt like that same instinctual urge I felt before. Suddenly, my own shoes feel strange, like I just took them out of the box and haven’t worn them in yet. Or maybe I have it backwards. Maybe the shoes are the same, but it’s me that’s changed.

I step towards the doorway and look inside. Piper lies on the bed in a hospital gown, thin and white as her own skin. Her black hair sits bunched up on her right side, falling down along her shoulder while a small bandage rests on the left side of her forehead. She stares at her hands in her lap, oblivious to the world around her. For a blissful second, I’m happy she doesn’t see me watching her. I could stand in this moment forever if I could.

I reach out and knock on the open door.

Chapter 13

Piper

The old mattress quakes beneath us, squeaking with each thrust Kai gives me. The moonlight floods through the window and I fill my lungs with the sweet scent of the Spanish countryside. His rhythm is slow and smooth, unlike anything we’ve done before. It’s intense and wild. The bewitching pleasure radiates throughout my body, rolling me ever so close to that perfect edge. I look into his eyes, dark and brown, and he smiles before giving me a soft kiss.

Kai Casablancas isn’t fucking me right now.

He’s making love to me.

It’s a sudden thought, molded together by cosmic dust and maybe a little bit of dark matter. I embrace it at first, clinging to the eternal comfort of it all, but I can’t keep hold of it for very long.

I never should have let him follow me to London.

A cold shiver travels throughout my body until it finally settles in my brain. This isn’t right. This shouldn’t be happening right now. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was supposed to be alone, enjoying my freedom for the first time in my life. I was supposed to be hooking up with random strangers, having the time of my life, not caring about anything that I was forced to care about back home.

Instead, it’s Kai Casablancas in my bed.

What the fuck am I doing?

“Piper?”

I snap out of the trance. “Kai?”

“What’s wrong?” His lips curl into a delicious smile.

I want so much to ignore my thoughts and kiss his sweet lips, but I can’t do that anymore.

Kai, I’m so sorry.

***

My breath catches in my throat. “Hey…” I look up at Kai’s eyes across the small room. They’re so full of concern and worry, it throws me off guard a little. “You got here fast…” I chuckle.

He steps forward. “Of course I did,” he says. He grabs a chair and pulls it closer to the bed.

I run a few fingers through my hair, suddenly very nervous about my appearance. I’ve never felt quite as self-conscious before in my life. It’s embarrassing to wake up in the hospital and make everyone rush to your side. I can’t stop thinking about how ugly I must look.

“You feeling okay?” he asks as he sits down. He begins to reach out to me, but he quickly changes his mind and forces his hands into his lap.

“Yeah,” I nod. “Little nauseous though.”

“I guess it wasn’t the best idea to bring you here immediately after finals week,” he jokes. “Probably should have waited a little while…”

“Maybe,” I shrug. Silence falls between us, but his eyes speak volumes. He stares at me like a frail porcelain doll, as if I’m about to topple over at any moment and shatter the rest of my face.

“How’s your head?” he asks, pointing to his own left temple.

“Oh—” I reach for the bandage and touch the forgotten bruise a little too hard. I wince in fresh pain. “Ouch…” I say.

“Careful,” he says with a short smile.

“It’s fine — just stings a little.”

It’s frustrating to feel so weak. I’m Piper fucking Lynch, for god’s sake. I take care of myself. I lay down to no one. I’ve been called many things, but weak isn’t one of them. And yet, here I am, lying in a hospital bed after passing out on the street like a damned damsel in distress. Exhaustion? Stress? They’ve never given me any issue before, but all of a sudden—

“Piper,” he finally whispers. “I am so sorry.”

I look at my pale hands, my eyes locked on my chipped thumb nail. “Kai, you don’t have to do this right now—”

“I want to.” He leans forward in the chair. “If I don’t, it’ll eat me up inside.”

I nod. “Okay.”

“I’m an asshole,” he says. “I said some pretty shitty things to you.”

“You meant every word of it, Kai,” I say. “You were just being honest—”

“I did. I’ll admit, there was a whole lot of truth to it,” he says, “but that doesn’t give me the right to say it out loud. Especially when you’ve done nothing to deserve it.”

“But you weren’t wrong…” I say. “I should have come to you first, but… I was so worried about your reaction that I just didn’t think.”

“You were right to worry.” He pauses and sits back. “It was pretty obvious how I’d react.”

“I wasn’t reacting to it very well either,” I say. “I guess I’ve been in denial about it. I didn’t want it to be true.”

He nods. “I’m really sorry, Piper.”

“So am I,” I say. I look into his big brown eyes. I wish the old Kai would look back at me. I want that laid back, carefree kid that made me fall in love with him all those years ago, but I know he’s outgrown it. “But I think,” I continue, “maybe we really shouldn’t be together anymore.”

“Is that what you want?” he asks.

“No.” I shake my head. “I don’t think it’s what either of us want, but what we want and what we need have rarely ever been the same.”

“Yeah…” he breathes a short laugh. “I guess that’s true.” He glances down. “So, what do we do?”

I shrug. “We wait. Cool off. Give each other a few days to think it over, then go from there.”

“No, I mean…” He looks down again, his eyes lingering on my belly. “What do we do about…”

Our baby.

I honestly can’t even bring myself to say it either.

What do we do about our baby?

“I guess that depends on where we are in a few days,” I answer. “Either way though…” My voice breaks and tears attack my eyes. I swallow them down, willing my eyelashes to stay dry. “We probably shouldn’t keep it.” I force myself to look at him, to take in his reaction as it happens.

He closes his eyes, shielding the emotion from me. “Are you sure?” he asks.

“Yes,” I whisper. “Unless you have strong feelings about it…”

“I…” He shakes his head once, his open eyes bouncing around the room. “I don’t.”

“Okay,” I say. “But, you know… we’ll talk about it again. In a few days.”

Kai clears his throat and sits back again. “If you want.”

A knock strikes the door and I look up to see Shawn and Mandy lingering in the hall. “Hey,” I say, forcing a quick smile. “Come on in.” I wave them inside and the two of them quickly de-lock their fingers.

“Are you all right?” Mandy asks. She moves to the other side of the bed and stands over me. “Does it hurt?” She reaches out and taps the bandage with her fingertips.

“It’s not too bad…” I say.

“It looked pretty nasty when it happened,” Shawn says. He places the back of his hand against his head and does a quick spurting motion with his fingers. “Little children screaming. Blood gushing out all over the sidewalk—”

“No, that never happened,” I chuckle.

“I know,” he laughs, “but it’s worth it for the horrified look on Kai’s face right now.”

I look at Kai and notice his eyes change from full-on panic to annoyance. “Not cool, Shawn,” he mutters.

I can’t help but laugh with Shawn. Even Mandy cracks a smile, her eyes locked on his face. “Thanks for getting me here,” I tell Shawn.

He shrugs. “You’d do the same for me.”

I nod. “And as wonderful as the experience has been, I’d kind of like to go home now.”

Kai stands up from his chair. “I’ll go run a search,” he says. “See if I can find us the next flight back.”

I nod. “Sounds good.” I sit up taller on the bed and pivot to lay my feet over the side. “Now, does anyone see my clothes…?”

“Over here,” Mandy says. She grabs them off the counter behind her. “Men-folk, get out.”

Shawn and Kai step towards the door and she quickly closes it behind them. I let my feet hang down off the side, my bare toes dangling inches away from the cold, hard linoleum floor. Emotion charges through me, paralyzing my entire body. My hands lock against the bed near my knees and I dig my nails into the thick mattress. The tears I held back in front of Kai come in full force to tumble down my cheeks one-by-one.

“Whoa…” Mandy throws the clothes onto the bed and drops to her knees in front of me. “Piper, what’s wrong?” she asks.

I open my mouth to speak, but a sob comes out instead. She pushes herself up to sit next to me and holds me against her. “He didn’t fight it…” I say, my voice wrecked with sadness.

“Didn’t fight what?” she asks.

I don’t answer her. I can’t answer her.

I bury my face in her shoulder and let the tears fall down.

Chapter 14

Kai

“Ask Piper to dance with you.”

I look up at my mother and flash a quick smile as the photographer behind her brings his camera up to his eye to snap yet another darling candid of the two of us dancing together. “Please don’t make me do that, Mom,” I beg.

She slaps my shoulder. “Oh, come on, Kai…” she says with her own smile, only hers isn’t forced. She’s had a permanent grin on her face since she slipped into her wedding dress this morning. “She’s family now.”

I turn my head around to look at our table across the room. Little Piper Lynch sits in her chair, doing her very best not to look bored as fuck. It’s how she looks all day, every day, to be honest. Unless someone is singing her praises. Then, she’s all smiles and annoying narcissism. “I’d really rather not…” I say. “Can’t you get Garrett to dance with her?”

My mother sighs. “I don’t want photos of my nephew dancing with my new stepdaughter. I want photos of my son dancing with my new stepdaughter.”

“When exactly does the ‘I’m the bride, so you have to do as I say’ card expire?” I ask.

“About the same time the ‘I’m your mother, so you have to do as I say’ card renews.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought…” I look over my shoulder at Piper again. Even from all the way over here, I can see her blue eyes shining in the bright lights above her. “Okay, fine. I’ll ask Piper to dance.”

Mom smiles and plants a kiss on my cheek. She lingers far longer than necessary to make sure the photographer has enough time to capture the moment. “Go,” she says. She lowers her arms and releases me from our dance.

I step off the hard floor and walk across the room, taking my sweet time drifting between the tables. Piper sees me coming long before I get there. A painful look of dread washes over her features as I sit down beside her.

“Hey,” I say to her.

She looks up at me and nods instead of responding. Her eyes immediately fall from my face and she turns her head to make her long, black hair create a wall between us. She grabs her water glass and takes a sip, no doubt in a silly attempt at looking busy.

“Would you like to dance with me?” I ask.

She whips her head back around. “Did your mother ask you to do this?”

“Yep,” I answer.

Piper sighs and grabs the napkin off her lap. “Let’s get this over with then…” She tosses it to the table and stands up.

I nod. “Okay…”

I follow her out onto the dance floor, doing my best to keep my eyes from glancing at her ass. Her dress is tight, black, and honestly something you’d wear to a funeral rather than a wedding, but that’s Piper Lynch for you.

The old speakers play a quick, fun beat, but she rests her hands on my shoulders and refuses to let the tune move her. I pull her in by the waist and we sway slowly back and forth.

“Don’t step on my toes,” she mutters quietly.

“You know, you could try smiling today,” I tell her. “This is a wedding.”

“It isn’t mine,” she says.

“Obviously.”

She glares up at me for a moment before her little blue eyes pull away. “Don’t tell me you’re actually okay with all of this.”

“Not really,” I say. “But there’s not much I can do about it. Might as well give them what they want.”

“I think they’ve gotten enough of what they want.”

“Smile. Camera on your left.”

She flicks her sapphire eyes up at me and bares her teeth for a sweet candid photo. “That’s the only one she’s getting,” she mutters as her lips fall back to their neutral position.

I look into her eyes and pain stares back at me. “No one’s perfect, Pipes,” I say.

“Obviously.”

“Not even you.”

Her lips curl with devious delight. “Oh, but what about the great Kai Casablancas? I bet he’s plenty perfect.”

“I’m sure if they could go back and do things differently, they would.”

“I’m curious, Kai,” she says, “if you were them, how would you do things differently?”

I smile, accepting the challenge. “I wouldn’t get married in the first place.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah,” I answer. “It’s a waste of time.”

“And here I thought I was the pessimist.”

“It’s not pessimism,” I say. “It’s reality. Love doesn’t need a broken system to exist.”

“Love is a broken system.” Her eyes fall once again and she stares down at our feet.

“Maybe you’re right,” I offer. “How about you, Piper? How would you have done it differently?”

She hesitates with tight, red lips. “Same as you, I guess.” Her little blues dart about, looking at anything but my eyes. “Are we done here?” she asks.

I drop my hands from her waist. “Yeah.”

Piper lowers her arms and steps off the dance floor.

***

The airport moves with rhythmic life. Passengers arrive and depart, following the same patterns as everyone else around them. Just when I think there can’t possibly be any more of them, a dozen others take their place. I hear their voices buzzing past my ears, refusing to form real words. It’s just noise, fragments of tones that don’t mean a damn thing to me. Shawn’s voice occasionally blends in, along with Mandy’s high-pitched inflection cutting through the fray.

I sit still, staring out at the crowd of strangers, trapped in my own head, trying to make sense of a puzzle that was never meant to be solved.

Piper fucking Lynch.

She sits next to me in a silent haze. Sometimes, I think I feel her looking over at me, but when I finally give in and check, she’s staring out at the crowd just like I am. Maybe I just missed her.

Doubt it though.

She told me once that love was a broken system. I never really understood what she meant by that, but I think I do now. Love brings out the complete worst in people. That is a fact. Just look at our parents. Sure, things seemingly worked out in the end, but look how long it took to get there. I don’t believe for a second that happily ever afters exist. Any one of them can break down at any moment and I won’t be the least bit shocked about it.

Loving Piper Lynch has brought out the complete worst in me. I’m a selfish prick. She told me she was pregnant and my ultimate concern was me. I didn’t care about it. I didn’t care about her. Just me. I’m not a very nice guy. I’ve called her things during bouts of anger that I never thought I’d ever say to another person. I’m sure if I asked her, she’d tell me the same thing. Loving me has brought out the very worst in her.

Love shouldn’t be like that.

If I could go back and do it differently, I would. I would have admitted defeat way back when we were eighteen. I wouldn’t have followed her to Europe. I would have just stayed home. None of this would have happened if I had just stayed home.

Right?

Eventually, Piper would have come back home. Maybe not as quickly, but she would have come home at some point. Maybe it would have been years until I saw her again. She’d be older, wiser, and so would I — theoretically. How long would it have taken before our tension broke and we tumbled into a bed together? Would I still fall in love with her? Would I still want to lie awake at night and stare at her beautiful face? Would I still quiver at the sound of her voice?

Would she still fall in love with me, too?

Fucking hell. I hope so.

“It’s time to go.”

I look up at Shawn and Mandy. They stand above us with their hands held tightly together. “Right,” I breathe. I stand up and turn to offer Piper a hand, but she’s already on her feet.

“You all right, Piper?” Mandy asks.

Piper sighs. “That’s the last time any of you get to ask me that,” she says.

Mandy chuckles. “That’s a yes.”

“It’s a hell yes.”

It brings a smile to my face, but it fades just as quickly. Her cheeks still sit pink from the fluids the hospital pumped through her system. For anyone else, she really is fine. Almost peachy. But I know better. I watched Piper suffer through years of her father’s influence. He pushed her and pulled her through a life she didn’t want. She never let anyone see her weaknesses and reserved her real emotions for only the most private of moments. She’s wearing that mask again and it absolutely kills me.

She’s wearing it because of me.

We all gather our bags and step towards the gate.

“Wait…” I reach out and wrap my fingers around her wrist. I feel her go tense at my touch, but she stops and turns to look at me while Shawn and Mandy continue forward.

“What is it?” she asks.

“You know what?” I mutter, staring into her perfect blue eyes. “Fuck this.”

She raises an eyebrow in confusion. “What?”

“Marry me.”

“What?” she repeats, frozen in place.

“Marry me, Piper. Here. Now, in Paris.”

“Are you serious?”

“Completely.”

She shakes her head. “No. That is a horrible idea, Kai.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Yes, it is,” she says. “You don’t want marriage. You’ve said it before—”

I step closer to her. “There are a whole lot of things that I want and don’t want, Piper. That list changes every day, but there’s only one thing that I need and that’s you.”

“You don’t need me, Kai,” she says. “I actually think the last thing you need is me pissing you off all the time.”

“You are absolutely wrong about that.” I reach out to cup her cheek with one hand. She closes her eyes, reacting to my touch. “You are the most annoying, frustratingly stubborn, enraging, borderline psychotic wench I’ve ever met —” She shakes her head and breathes a laugh. “— but I can’t imagine my life without you in it. I refuse to even try.”

“Kai, our parents are married. I’m pretty sure we’re going to be in each other’s lives for a really long time.”

“That’s not good enough,” I say. “I want all of it — all of you. If this is what I have to do to get it, then I’ll do it.”

“Don’t do this because you think it’s what I want.”

“No, Piper.” I shake my head. “This is what I want. Believe me. I’ve never wanted anything this much before.” She stares back at me, still unconvinced. “If you don’t want this, too, then that’s fine. We’ll go home right now. But if you do, then I don’t want us to hesitate anymore. I don’t want to go another day without you being my wife.”

“Oh, jeez…” she chuckles. “The P-word and the W-word, all in one day.”

I pull her closer and wrap my arms around her. The familiar scent of her hair fills my nose and I inhale deep. Her hands rest on my lower back, warm and soft against me. “Pipes, we’re gonna fight,” I whisper to her. “We’re gonna argue. We’re probably going to spend a whole lot of time hating each other, but I love that. I love knowing that I can have the worst day of my life and you’ll still be lying next to me that night, no matter what happens.”

She chuckles and pulls her head back to face me. “Almost sounds too easy.”

“It won’t be.” I rest my forehead against hers. “But it’ll be worth it.”

She sighs and chews on her bottom lip. “This is insane,” she whispers.

I shrug. “It’s not the worst idea we’ve ever had.”

“Pretty damn close,” she smiles.

My steady hands hold her in place. “And…” I pause to feel the weight of the words before saying them out loud. “I want to meet this baby, Piper.”

She looks up at me with tears teasing her eyes. “Kai…”

“I didn’t realize it until I felt what it was like to almost lose it — to lose the both of you. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more scared in my life.”

She lets a short smile touch her lips. “I think I know what you mean…” she says. “When I woke up in that hospital… my first thought was about it, or her or him — whatever it is.”

“Marry me, Piper Lynch. I won’t let you wake up alone ever again.”

A tear finally tumbles down her cheek. I wipe it away and she slowly nods. “Okay,” she whispers.

“Yeah?”

She nods faster. “Yes.”

I bend down and raise her up. She laughs, clinging to my body as I kiss her hard on the lips. “Thank you,” I say to her. “Thank you, thank you—”

“Thank you,” she says.

I kiss her again and she holds me tighter.

“See, Mandy? I told you.”

We look away from each other, realizing that we’re not actually alone in the crowded airport lobby. Mandy and Shawn stare back at us with smiling faces.

“I’m not sure why I ever doubted you, Shawn,” Mandy says. He wraps his arm around her shoulders and she grips his hand in her own.

I lower Piper to the floor and use my jacket as a shield to block their view as I kiss her again. “I love you, Piper Lynch,” I tell her.

“I love you, Kai Casablancas.”

I take her hand. “Come on…”

We turn around and walk towards the airport entrance.

“Hey, guys!” Shawn shouts after us. “Where you going? Our flight is that way.”

I twist around. “We’re getting married,” I shout back.

“Like… now?” he asks.

“Yes. Now.”

Mandy’s mouth drops. “Are you serious?” Shawn throws his duffel bag over his shoulder and starts to follow us. “What are you doing?” she asks him.

“Oh, I’m not missing this,” he says. “Come on.” He grabs her hand and pulls her along with him.

“O… kay,” she stutters out.

I look at Piper.

Piper fucking Lynch. The ice princess of Belle Academy. The very bane of my existence. The worst thing that’s ever happened to me in my whole damn life.

And then, she smiles.

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Piper

“Are you ready?”

I hear Kai’s voice, but nothing in the world can tear me away from her face. It’s so small and delicate. White, like a porcelain doll, but so full of life. Even now, while she’s sleeping, it moves.

“Piper?”

I don’t look away. “Hmm?” I push my fingertips through the small tuft of jet black hair on her head.

Kai leans over the thick hospital mattress. I feel his fingers beneath my chin. “Piper…” he says my name again and pulls my face up, forcing me to look at him.

“What?” I ask.

He laughs. “They’re waiting.”

“Oh…” I look down again. “They can wait a little longer, can’t they?”

He winces. “I’m pretty sure I saw the grandmothers setting up a battering ram in the hallway, so no.”

I smile once more at her face. “Okay…” I sigh. “But not for very long.”

“I’ll tell them you’re tired.”

“Thank you. You won’t be lying…” I chuckle. He kisses my forehead and pauses to slide this thumbs across her head before standing up. “Wait—” I say. “Do I look okay?”

“You look great,” he says without hesitation.

“Liar.”

He smiles and walks to the door. I listen as he pulls it open and pokes his head out into the hall. “They’re ready for you,” he says. He can barely step out of the way before the door bursts open and our family charges inside.

My mother and Ava split off and claim their places on each side of the bed next to us, their eyes locked on the baby’s face.

“Oh, my god!” Ava gasps. She covers her mouth. “She’s perfect…”

“You looked exactly like this…” my mother whispers.

“Yeah?” I ask. She nods. I look up to see Kai on the receiving end of multiple handshakes from our fathers, each one welcoming him into fatherhood. He glances at me and I laugh at him. Just behind them, Mandy and Shawn linger in the doorway.

“Okay, move over, everyone,” Mandy announces as she charges in. “Let me see her—” She stops at the foot of the bed and her jaw drops. “Awww!” She spins around and pulls Shawn down for a kiss. “I want one.”

His face turns white. “Umm…” he mutters.

“Give her here…” My mother opens her arms.

“No fair!” Ava snaps. “I want to hold her.”

“Ladies…” Hawthorne steps in behind my mother. “I’m sure everyone will get a turn.”

My mother pushes her hands closer to me. “Yes, but I’m Piper’s mother. I get first dibs.”

“But I’m Kai’s mother,” Ava argues. “I have just as much right to first dibs as you do.”

“How about…” I say. I look at my father and slowly extend my arms. “Dad, you go first.”

He takes a quick step forward to stand next to Ava. “I’d be honored, Piper,” he says. The room falls silent as I pass her off to him. He carefully cradles my daughter in his arms and I see a vision of the past in front of me. I look at my mother and she sees it, too. “We need to find you a tiny Belle Academy sweater, don’t we?” he asks her.

“Ahh, jeez…” I mutter.

“It’s never too early to get a child interested in education,” he says.

Kai shakes his head. “I can’t even try to think that far ahead right now…”

“Don’t blink, buddy,” Hawthorne tells him. “It’ll be here before you know it.”

Ava stares at the baby over my father’s shoulder. “Now,” she says, quickly wiping her eyes, “can we please find out what you’ve named the darn thing?”

Everyone chuckles and their eyes fall on me. Kai moves in closer to stand by me. “Paris,” I say. “We’ve named her Paris.”

“Oh…” Ava coos. “That’s beautiful.”

“Another P. No surprise there,” Hawthorne jokes.

My mother lays her hand on mine. “It suits her,” she says. I catch her look up at Kai and she shoots him a quick, knowing wink.

“Yeah,” he says, clearing his throat. “We thought so.”

“Who gets to hold her next?” Ava asks with impatience.

I hold up my hands. “I’ll let you guys fight it out,” I laugh. My mother, Ava, and Hawthorne converge on my father, each one looking to get quality time with their grandchild. Shawn and Mandy step around them to stand next to Kai as he takes my hand.

“Jeez, you look like crap,” Shawn says to me, smirking with delight.

“Shawn—” Kai snaps.

I chuckle. “It’s fine. I know what he means.”

“Yeah she does,” Shawn quips.

“Just for the record,” Kai says, “I really dislike you two having inside jokes.”

“So…” Mandy leans in. “Did it hurt as much as they say it does? I’m asking for a friend.”

“Please tell her it’s awful,” Shawn begs. “Don’t encourage this.”

“It’s awful,” I answer, “but worth every second.”

Mandy beams. “Good to know.” She winks at Shawn and he glares at me.

I lay back against the thick pillow and stare across the room at the tiny bundle in my mother’s arms. “Every second…” I whisper.

“All right…” Kai announces. He steps away from the bed and holds out his hands. “Mommy and baby are exhausted and need some rest.”

My mother smiles as she lays the baby in his arms. She steps across the room to me and kisses my head. “I’ll be back in the morning,” she says. “I’m pretty sure we all will…”

“Damn right!” Ava shouts. “Oops— sorry. Don’t repeat that,” she tells the baby. She kisses her fingers as she passes by Kai towards the door.

“Goodnight, everybody,” I say as I wave to them.

They all pile outside and Kai closes the door behind them.

“Look at you,” I tell him.

“What?” he asks with a smile.

“All demanding and assertive,” I joke.

“Like a daddy?” he asks.

I nod. “Yeah, like a daddy.”

He looks at his daughter in his arms. “Who’s your daddy, Paris?”

I stare at him. “Never say that ever again.”

Kai laughs and leans in to lay her in my arms. “Yeah, that felt weird.” He sits on the bed and throws his arm around me as he lies down beside us.

I rest my head on his shoulder. “She really is perfect, isn’t she?”

“Yeah,” he whispers, “but I’m a little biased.”

“This kid has no chance of being normal, does she?” I ask, my smiling eyes locked on her sleeping face.

“Probably not,” Kai answers. “But what’s so great about normal?”

I look at him and he kisses me softly.

THE END

Whispers From Tabatha

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OJW Conversion -

Title Page

Mailing List

Chapter 1: A Senseless Act Of Violence

Chapter 2: This Is My Home

Chapter 3: Our Fearless Leader

Chapter 4: Goodbye To You

Chapter 5: An Eye For An Eye

Chapter 6: All Or Nothing

Chapter 7: Our Team Is Broken

Chapter 8: Justice For Mary

Chapter 9: Fall Back Into You

Chapter 10: Out Of Practice

Chapter 11: Rest In Peace

Chapter 12: Everything

Chapter 13: Our Legacy

Chapter 14: The Red Snow

Chapter 15: The Unkillable

Epilogue

Midwest Alphas

Mailing List

BONUS NOVELLA: RUIN ME

RUIN ME Chapter 1 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 2 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 3 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 4 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 5 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 6 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 7 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 8 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 9 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 10 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 11 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 12 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 13 - Piper

RUIN ME Chapter 14 - Kai

RUIN ME Chapter 15 - Piper

Whispers From Tabatha

Copyright