I WALKED out of the doctor’s office with a prescription and a month’s supply of birth control pills and climbed back into the Mustang, letting it all sink in.
“Everything okay?”
I nodded and lifted the box that was already opened, with one of the pills gone. “Yep. She said we need to use protection for the first few weeks.”
“Good,” he nodded, then reached over and took the prescription from my hand before starting the engine. “We don’t want you getting pregnant, do we?”
You’re to take the pills she gives you regularly. Tobias’ warning echoed from earlier. Because if you don’t…I’m going to put a baby in that belly of yours.
The way Tobias had spoken, I wasn’t so sure about that. I glanced over at Nick as he pulled out into the traffic, making his way further into the city. The thought of being pregnant was terrifying, especially at my age. But the thought of my belly big and round, carrying their baby, made me a little giddy.
But I didn’t need to worry about that. Not now.
Nick drove me to some busy looking diner on the south side and pulled the car into the lot. “Ready to eat?”
My belly let out a savage snarl and that dull throb in the back of my head echoed in kind. “More than ready.”
He led me in, found us a booth in the back, and ordered pancakes and bacon, as well as juice and coffee. It was enough to feed a family, but the moment the waitress left, leaving us alone, he fixed those dark, molten eyes on me. “Do you want to ask me anything?”
I glanced around. “Here?”
He shrugged, barely caring. “Why not?”
He was testing me. That’s what this was…a damn test. Would I be stupid and blurt out something without thinking, or would I be careful? I smiled as the waitress neared, carrying the coffee and juice, then waited for her to leave, grabbing my coffee and lifting it almost to my lips. “Do you share everything with your brothers?”
Nick just grinned, grabbing his own. “It depends…”
“Have you shared everything before?” I was intrigued now. Was there no rivalry?
“No.” His eyes glinted, capturing mine as he spoke. “But then again, we hadn’t had something we all wanted badly enough…until now.”
“Oh,” I whispered. My blood felt warm, too warm as I remembered that first night Tobias cornered me in the bathroom. “I thought Tobias said you did.”
“If he did, then he was scaring you.” He narrowed that carnal gaze on me. “We decided in this instance we could all be winners, if that was on the table.”
Electricity hummed between my legs. I clamped my knees together as the waitress neared again, carrying two plates piled high. “Here you go, you two, out for a breakfast date?”
“She’s my sister,” Nick growled, meeting her nosy stare.
“Oh,” she winced, then covered it with, “How nice of you to take care of her like that. I don’t see much of sibling love like this.”
“I bet you don’t,” Nick answered, and my face burned.
He glared at her until she turned and awkwardly left.
“Nosy bitch,” he muttered, then grabbed his cutlery and attacked the food on his plate, stopping to look over at me, his fork halfway to his mouth. “Eat, Ryth.”
I grabbed my fork before I knew it. How easy it was to now follow his every command. Eat, Ryth…get dressed, Ryth…that’s the way, fuck him, Ryth. My hand trembled. I licked my lips and met his stare. It wasn’t food I wanted…now that I was sober and every much aware of every glance and every touch, I wanted to feel him in other ways.
He just grinned and clucked his tongue. “There’ll be plenty of time for that, princess. Right now, you need to eat to keep up your energy.”
When he said it like that…
I shoved a forkful in my mouth. Pride gleamed in his eyes as Nick watched me take every bite until I leaned back and moaned. “I’m done. I can’t eat another thing.”
His smile grew wider and God, if that small thing didn’t make me feel alive.
He leaned across, grabbed my plate still piled with bacon, and scraped it onto his own, then set to demolishing the whole thing. I sat back, watching him with amusement, wondering how someone could eat like a damn horse and still look like him. Memories came back to me, the club, the fight, the way he’d charged into that back room, lunging after the men who had Caleb…and the way he’d thrown that bouncer to the floor.
I’d never seen anything so aggressive. Sitting there watching him, knowing what we’d done last night, only made me want him more.
“You’re staring,” he muttered, carving into the last pancake before shoving it into his mouth.
“Sorry.”
He lifted his head and his movements stilled, the fork halfway to his lips. I caught the flicker of his eyes as he quickly scanned the diner around us, his voice deepening. “Told you before, princess. You can look all you want, all you have to do is say the words.”
I looked away, flushing. But inside, I was racing, breathless with his intense focus. Then he ate, consuming the rest of everything else. “You gonna drink the rest of your juice?” he asked, drawing my attention.
I shook my head and slid the glass toward him, watching him give me a cocky smile and grab it, draining the contents in three massive gulps. How many years had I spent wondering what it’d be like to have brothers? To have a house that was loud and boisterous, to have my food eaten for me, and to have someone to watch out for me, to protect me no matter what. To have something that wasn’t just born from blood, but carved out of soul. My soul. Now I knew.
Nick stilled, the back of his hand chasing the remnants of the juice on his lips. Stars sparkled in his eyes and inside me, I ignited. He saw me, the real me, and he wanted more. We might not be tied by blood or the impending marriage of both our parents, but this moment, right now, felt different…it felt more. It felt more real than anything else I’d ever had before.
More real than the love of my parents.
More than the love of myself.
And as that glint in his eyes grew deeper, I knew he felt it too. Whatever this was between us was growing, taking on a life of its own…and we were helpless to stop it.
“Everything okay over here?” The waitress neared the table, shattering the moment.
But Nick didn’t let her steal everything. “Go away,” he growled. “You can clear the table when we’re done.”
She stiffened and jerked her glare from me to Nick before turning on her heels, muttering something under her breath as she stormed away. I was speechless. The way he’d turned on her, the way he’d gone from that charge of excitement to pure unmistakable dominance left me giddy.
“Are you done, Ryth?” he asked carefully as he threw enough cash to cover our bill onto the table, and added a generous tip.
Unable to think properly, I just nodded. He slid out of the booth then, offering his hand. “Little sister.” I took it, catching my breath at the connection as his hand clasped around mine.
Then together we strode out of the diner and headed for the car.
I expected him to take me to the park, to make good on what his eyes had promised. God, if I wasn’t ready. But he didn’t. Instead, he drove home and pulled into the driveway.
The Jeep was back.
My pulse raced at the sight. Tobias and Caleb had left before us, and now they were back. My gaze went to Creed’s gunmetal gray Mercedes with the trunk open. Nick pulled up and killed the Mustang’s engine as Creed strode out of the house, looking very different from how he’d looked before.
He was freshly showered and dressed in his usual dark gray slacks and crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He carried an overnight bag and a suit in a garment bag.
“Going somewhere?” Nick asked as we neared.
It was easy to see where his sons got their looks from…and their dangerous magnetism. Creed scowled, looking pissed as hell as he placed his bags into the trunk. “Something’s come up.”
“How many times have I heard that?” Nick muttered.
“It’s a quick one. I should be home tomorrow, but in case I’m not,” he continued, glancing my way. “You might want to check on your mom later tonight. She was feeling pretty lousy, so she’s taken something that will help her sleep it off. Just don’t expect her to surface anytime soon, okay?”
I nodded, my pulse spiking as Nick turned his head, directing that hunger my way. A fierce flare of yearning slammed into me like a locomotive as Creed slammed the trunk closed and rounded the car, yanking open the driver’s door before climbing in without another word to his son.
Nick grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the way as Creed started the Mercedes, then backed down the driveway.
“That was…” I started, watching the Mercedes reverse through the open gate, then brake and accelerate away.
“Him,” Nick finished for me. “In his usual stay-out-of-my-way fashion.” His hand still gripped mine, but it shifted, warming, turning from a touch of necessity to one of wanting. “Come on.”
He pulled me toward the front door of the house. It’d be our house in less than a week, our family house. The thought lingered as Nick locked the door behind us. Silence waited, the thud of our steps echoing. The kitchen was clean and back to its usual pristine condition.
There was no cleaner today…and now, no Creed.
“I guess we better look in on your mom.” Nick tightened his grip around my hand and tugged me to the stairs.
I followed, climbing behind him until we stopped at the second floor, outside the bedroom my mom now shared with Creed, her soon-to-be new husband. Nick slipped his hand from mine and motioned his head to the door.
I stepped close, calling softly, “Mom?”
There was no answer, so I cracked open the door, listening. Deep snores came from the darkened room. I opened the door wider and stepped in. Nick followed, coming close behind me.
Through the murky gloom, I caught the outline of her body under the covers. “Mom?” I called again.
Her answer was a snore that resounded through the room. A bottle lay on her nightstand, the cap off…I crossed the space and picked it up.
“She’s out cold,” Nick murmured behind me.
I stepped closer, gripped her shoulder, and have her a shake. “Mom?”
But there was no answer, no fluttering of her eyelids, no indication she heard me at all.
“Come on.” Nick tugged on my hand. “She’s not surfacing anytime soon.”
I let him pull me away, taking a look over my shoulder as I neared the door. She snored as she slept, passed out and hung over. That woman who looked like my mom was a stranger to me. Maybe I was a stranger to her, too…
I stepped through the door, letting Nick close it behind me. He stopped, his gaze capturing mine before he stepped closer, grazed my jaw with his finger, and tilted my head. His kiss was insistent and warm, the faint taste of the juice still lingering in his mouth. I let out a moan before I realized where I was.
Panic filled me, booming in my chest, as I broke free from his mouth and glanced at mom’s bedroom door.
Nick just chuckled. “She’s not waking, Ryth. Those tablets she took? They’re the ones they gave my mom. You won’t see her for a solid twelve hours.”
Twelve hours? I looked away.
He smiled, those devilish eyes glinting as he gripped my chin, turning me back to him. “Wonder what we can do to fill the time?”
Oh God…
