Page 19 of Down & Dirty (Holden Cove #1)

CHAPTER 19

CORY

M y initial irritation at having to park in the second garage was washed away by sweet relief. I’d already had to adjust myself in my pants twice since stepping out to get Sky’s door, and the extra half block was giving me just enough time to get my shit together.

That kiss.

Fuck .

What was this woman doing to me?

First, she comes over to my place and we have the most relaxing, fun night watching a movie and eating the best pasta I’ve had in years. Then she gets hurt and I can’t handle the sight of her in pain, my rage almost getting the better of me. And now, one simple kiss has my blood pumping like a freight train.

From a single kiss.

Her hand nestled loosely in mine was the only thing keeping me from spiraling. Somehow out of the two of us, she seemed the most pulled together as we approached the noise and flashing lights. If we did this, there was no going back. The press would be all over us from now on, and the days of flying low were over. A strange sense of unease crept through me, like finally pulling this trigger was going to change this thing we had. Or I don’t know, put it at risk somehow? I’d done this dozens of times before, but this time it felt different, and I slowed my steps.

Sky looked up at me with a reassuring grin, only a hint of wariness in her eyes. “Come on, big motocross megastar, let’s get what we came for.”

The reality that tonight was about me getting what I wanted, and Sky making good on her end of our deal, sat like a stone in my gut. But she was right. We’d come here for a reason, and whatever the hell was going on with me, we might as well at least step in front of the cameras and answer some questions. As for the rest of it, I wasn’t sure that was the best idea anymore.

We wove our way through the crowd. This movie premier was for a buddy of mine, and he’d had gotten me tickets at the last minute. It was a hot new documentary on adrenaline junkies and extreme sports—a topic I used to know more about. It had been a while since I’d done any big jumps or tricks, but I’d known all the pros when I was coming up. This event was perfect for unveiling me and Skylar, a classic mashup of my riding world and the “Hollywood set”—as she called them.

“Cory! Cory Ellis!” a young blond reporter called from behind the press barricade. I had the vague sensation we’d met before, but I couldn’t place her. I scoped out her credential badge, but it was flipped the wrong way, so I was forced to walk over wearing my best fake smile. It had been a minute since I’d worn that mask and it felt especially uncomfortable with Sky by my side.

“Hey! How are you?” I asked, leaning in for a one-armed hug, refusing to drop Sky’s hand.

“So good to see you. It’s been a while since you’ve graced the streets of LA.”

“Well, you know, it’s been hard to trek up here while getting settled on the new team.”

She nodded enthusiastically, her eyes pinging between me and Sky. “Yes, you signed on with OTM recently. Big shake-ups in the motocross world with the start of this joined season. How are things going with your new crew? ”

“You know, it’s a great group. We’ve got a lot of talent, and I still have Billy Morlow with me as my wrench. So it’s sort of the best of both worlds.” I shifted on my feet, squinting into the bright lights behind her.

“You two have been together a long time.”

I laughed. “When you find a good fit, you hold on to it.” I glanced down at Sky, her face fixed in a supportive grin that she made look easy. But then the reporter adjusted, sliding the mic in front of Sky, and she went rock solid.

“And who do you have with you?”

I leaned into the mic, giving Sky’s hand a squeeze. “I’m lucky tonight, I’ve got Skylar Stone on my arm.”

The reporter’s eyes widened, and I could see her doing the quick math. “Stone? As in Ronnie Stone?”

“I’m his sister,” Sky answered confidently, before I got the chance. “I’m his manager.”

“Oh, wow. Okay.” She looked between us, her mouth open with shock and then amusement. “Got it. Keeping it all in the family then.” She laughed at her own joke. “The motocross family.”

Sky and I laughed along with her, exhaling in relief when the coordinator urged us on down the line. We posed for photos every few feet. When the photographers started calling out both our names, I knew word had spread. Everyone knew who she was now. And every time we moved down the carpet and I wrapped my hand possessively around her hip, they learned who she was to me, too.

It was all for the story. That’s what I told myself, over and over again.

The truth was, I just didn’t want to let her go. Sometimes I posed alone at these things, but not tonight. Sky was going to stay stitched to my side unless it was a trip to the ladies’ room. And even then, I would be right outside. I’d dragged her into my weird little world, the least I could do was make sure she didn’t feel alone in it .

The theater lobby was chaos. I managed a couple of quick hellos to some old friends, but everyone was getting pulled in different directions and the din of the crowd made it impossible to hear anything, anyway. It was the kind of frenetic event I’d loved when I first started. But getting caught in the current of bodies tonight was anything but a good time.

If I’d had to judge by Sky’s expression, I’d think she was doing fine. Her smiles came easily and she made gracious small talk when called upon. But the set of her shoulders was too straight, a line of tension down her spine. Her hand was still clasped in mine, and she let me lead her through the room, but I could feel the wariness in her movements. She was normally sleek like a panther, graceful and deadly. But tonight, she was reserved, almost stilted as she navigated the crowd.

Not that I could blame her.

She must have been asked fifty times what her name was. And every time their next question was about her brother. Sky was proud of Ronnie, but that trick would get old for anyone.

I’m sure the other women I’d dated had endured the same degree of intrusion over the years, but I’d never noticed it before. And that was a fact that made me feel even more like the self-centered asshole Sky had taken me for. I caught myself hoping she didn’t still see me like that.

When we’d been ushered into the theater and found our seats, a sigh of relief escaped me as the lights began to dim. “It’ll be less intense later.”

“Later?” she asked, pulling her clutch into her lap.

“At the after party. No flashing lights, just low-key people hanging out.”

Nodding, her eyes scanned the room. “Sure. Sounds delightful.”

I laughed at her sarcasm and poked her leg. “You did great out there.”

She eyed me sideways, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Lie better, Ellis. I was a mannequin with a voice recording on repeat. ”

“Hardly. I think the number of folks curious about you should tell you something.”

Her laugh was dry and short. “That these people need to get out more?”

Leaning across the armrest I whispered into her ear, “That I’m not the only one that finds you gorgeous and interesting.”

I sat back, watching her cheeks pink as she looked away with a shake of her head. “Then maybe you need to get out more too.”

The lights dimmed further and I finally started to relax, draping my arm across the back of her seat and trailing my fingers over the bare skin of her shoulder.

I knew she’d refuse to see it, but people had been drawn to her like a magnet. And it had nothing to do with me. She could think whatever she wanted, judge us all as lame by sheer association. But Skylar had been impressive tonight. And I was even more convinced there was nothing she couldn’t do.

Twenty minutes into the movie, Skylar jolted in her seat. She rummaged through her purse, yanking out her phone and hitting the button to silence it. I hadn’t heard the ringtone, but I knew she’d put it on do-not-disturb like I’d done mine when we sat down, so I leaned forward to see what was going on.

“I have to take this,” she whispered, her eyes wide with panic in the light of the screen.

“Okay.”

I stood up and led her down our row, excusing ourselves as we went. As soon we hit the aisle, she started to jog up the ramp and I followed, getting to the door before her and pushing it open.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, but she already had her phone up to her ear.

“Elle, slow down,” she said, walking in a tight circle, her heels clicking on the marble floor. “So you’re already there? You drove him?”

She paused, wrapping her free arm around her waist like she was holding herself together and my hands started to sweat. I’d never seen Sky look so worried .

“Yes, of course I’m coming. I’m,” she looked around the lobby helplessly. “Shit. I’m not close, but I’m coming.”

Her eyes landed on me, apology in them that made my stomach knot. I nodded and we started walking for the door before she’d even hung up the phone.

“I’ll get there as soon as I can. Call me if anything changes.”

As soon as she hung up, I grabbed her hand. “What happened?”

“Micah.”

I tensed, my grip on her tightening as a reflex. “Is he okay?”

She exhaled in a rush. “He has asthma. I guess he had an attack and Elle took him to the ER.”

“Is it bad?” I immediately wished I’d phrased that differently; the kid was in the hospital what the hell else would it be? “Sorry, I just mean...”

She gave me a dim smile. “It’s okay. He’s had them before, but sometimes he gets scared and that makes it worse.”

We dashed down the sidewalk, Sky walking double-time to keep up with my long strides. I wanted to ask her more or try to comfort her if she was panicking, but right now I had one job.

Yanking open her door, I helped her into her seat. She looked calm, but I could feel her racing pulse when my fingers closed around her wrist.

“I’ll get you there as fast as I can.”

She held my gaze, finally letting me see the fear in her eyes. The sight of it made my chest hurt. “I know you will.”

The highway was blessedly clear for once and we were making good time south, but when her phone went off again, we both jumped. The ringtone sounded like circus music and out of the corner of my eye I saw Sky pull her shoulders back before she took the call.

“Hello?” She closed her eyes, her expression falling like she was bracing herself. And then I heard his voice, so loud in her ear it was like she had it on speaker.

“Sky? Where are you? Did Elle call you? ”

“Yes, Tommy, she called me. I’m on my way.”

“Where the hell are you? I thought you had him tonight?”

I ground my teeth, guilt starting to push against my ribs. She should have been there. But she wasn’t because she was with me.

“Elle is more than capable of watching him, calm down.”

“Clearly, she’s not. Geena said it didn’t sound that bad, why did she bring him to the ER?”

Sky shifted in her seat, as if this conversation was making her physically uncomfortable. “She did what she thought was best, Tommy. You know Elle would never let anything happen to him.”

“I know that, but if Geena said it wasn’t that bad, I don’t know why she made such a big deal about it. He hates the doctor and that’s not cheap. Are you going to be paying this time?”

I heard him laugh sarcastically and a sickening awareness hit me. She’d told me their arrangement was changing, but I’d never asked for specifics. Was this why Sky needed the money?

“Geena wasn’t there, was she?” Sky asked, and when Tommy didn’t immediately respond, she repeated. “Was she?”

“No. But you know most of the time he’s fine.”

“Most of the time doesn’t matter Tommy. I’ll pay for the damn visit, but don’t make Elle feel bad for taking him. She did what she thought was right. Either of us might have made the same call, we don’t know. We weren’t there.”

The level of calm in her voice was incredible. But it told me just how often she must have to deal with him like this. Pieces of the Skylar puzzle started to slip into place and my gut twisted more with every one.

“I’m just saying. She can overreact.”

“Well, this time she just reacted. Normal amount. Are you still there?”

“We’re about to take off. Elle said you were coming, and I knew you’d want to take him home.”

“Yeah, we’re about,” she paused to look at me, and I silently mouthed ‘twenty minutes’ to her, “about half-hour away. ”

“We’ll be gone by then. Geena has a meeting first thing with the wedding coordinator, so I gotta go.”

Sky eased back in her seat, that news seemingly what she wanted to hear. “That’s okay, I’ll be there soon, and Elle is still with him. He’s good.”

“Yeah, he looked okay. Poor kid was just terrified of the doctor. I mean, you know he hates them.”

I couldn’t tell if her clearing her throat was intentional or not, but when I glanced over her expression looked annoyed.

“He’s okay. I’ll talk to you later,” she reassured him.

“Okay, bye.”

I gave her a second, sitting in silence as the miles zipped by. The urge to punch something was layered on top of an equally strong desire to pull her into my arms and never let go. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Is that why you need the money? Tommy stopped paying for Micah’s medical bills?”

When her loud sigh filled the cab of my truck, I knew she’d seen that coming. But what was I supposed to think? He gave her shit about the money before the kid was even discharged from the hospital.

“He’s not that bad,” she started. I half expected her to stop there, but she shifted to look at me and then went on. “Tommy hates hospitals and doctors. Hates them. Phobia-type fear. Micah thinks doctors wear funny clothes and put cold things on his body that tickle. But ever since he was a baby, any time Micah needed a doctor, Tommy would lose it a little.”

“That explains his freak out, not his giving you shit about the money.” I flexed my hand on the wheel, my grip so tight it was starting to hurt. When I looked over, Sky was watching. “Is that why you agreed to this?”

She held my gaze for a split second before I looked back at the road, and I knew the answer before she said it. “Yeah. He’s been picking up the health insurance for both of us for years. He’d wanted to do it in the beginning. Being the ‘bread winner’ and all, ” she said mockingly. “But he’s got a new fiancée now, so we needed to draw some clearer lines.”

“We?”

She laughed under her breath. “Geena did. She’s got a wedding to pay for, after all.”

It was a good thing Tommy wasn’t going to still be at the hospital when we got there. I didn’t have words for what I thought of that prick, so I’d let my fists do the talking for me.

“Sounds like a load of bullshit to me.”

Sky’s eyes were fixed out the windshield, the lights of the highway casting an orange glow across her face. “I wasn’t too pleased myself. But it was bound to happen eventually.”

“Eventually, fine. But you don’t just drop a shit-ton of expenses on someone without warning. Didn’t you guys have an agreement? Can he even do that?”

Her expression fell and I knew my turning into Mr. Fix-it wasn’t what she needed, but I couldn’t help it. This wasn’t right.

“We never had a formal agreement.”

Fuck me . “This is why you said that the night at the bar, isn’t it? In writing . He knew he could change things whenever he wanted because you didn’t have anything to hold him to.”

“Made my dad real proud with that one.” Her sarcasm was brittle and worn.

“And he hasn’t flipped out at Tommy about the change?”

Her eyes dropped to her hands in her lap.

“He doesn’t know,” I said, answering for her. “Ronnie either?”

A quick shake of her head was all she gave me. My chest started to pound even harder. She was trying to navigate this all on her own. And then I’d made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.

Well, I was about to make her another one.

“I think we should get married.”

Sky’s head whipped in my direction. “ What ?”

“You paying for your health insurance and whatever portion of Micah’s is a waste of money. Putting you two on my policy would be way cheaper.” It made perfect sense .

“Cory, you’re insane. I don’t need your help.”

I shook my head. “I know you don’t. But hear me out. We get married for one year, we cut down on your stupid insurance bills, ‘cause I know they’re probably higher with Micah’s condition. You get Tommy to shut the fuck up. You pocket the extra cash, and then you can finally figure out what the hell it is you actually want to do with your life. Cause being Ronnie’s manager isn’t going to cut it.”

Her eyes were boring a hole in the side of my face, staring at me like I’d lost it. And maybe I had? But this wasn’t the first time I’d been impulsive, and this also wasn’t entirely altruistic.

“The press ate us up, Sky. We started the ball rolling tonight in a big way. If we can keep it going, my entire image will be reset and I won’t just be able to keep my old endorsements, I’ll be able to land new ones.”

Even as I said the words, I knew they were a half-truth at best. I could find the upside for myself in this, sure. But that wasn’t why I wanted it. It was the thought of being able to help Sky, of keeping her closer for longer, that settled something that was rattling in my chest. Marriages were just another type of contract. A business deal with a fancy bow on top. And since I’d never planned on getting hitched anyway, this would be the closest I’d ever get to matrimonial bliss.

And if it helped her and Micah, that was worth it to me.

She just stared at me. Silently. As if unable to find words. Which was okay, she needed to think about it. I could wait.

We were almost at the hospital, and I could feel Sky’s nerves ratcheting up. I probably shouldn’t have sprung that on her until after she’d seen her son, but timing had never been my strong suit.

“Here,” I said, tugging my jacket off as we jogged toward the ER entrance. We paused long enough for me to hold it open and her to slip her arms inside.

“Thank you,” she whispered hastily, taking off again in her heels .

We found Elle standing outside Micah’s room, a look of exhaustion on her face that made it easy to imagine how rough the night had been. Micah was asleep, but Sky slipped in to check on him before coming back out to hug her friend and thank her. When she recounted the story of what had happened, Sky pulled her in for another hug. It sounded terrifying, and I’d been in more ambulances and ERs than I could count. It was just different when it was a kid.

When I insisted Sky let me take them back to her place, she sent Elle home and filled out the paperwork for Micah to be discharged. I was waiting, sitting silently in the corner of his room watching him sleep in his little frog pajamas, when she came back.

“You ready?” I whispered.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?”

I rose quietly out of the chair and came to stand behind her as she looked down at her son. “Of course I don’t mind, Sky.” I slipped my arms around her waist, hesitantly, pulling her back against my chest and setting my chin on her shoulder. It was like I had to touch her, for her and for me. I wanted to be someplace she could lean into. “Are you okay?”

A shot of something warm and heavy slipped through my veins when she eased back into me, letting me take her weight. Her arms overlapped mine and she cinched me tighter to her.

“I think so. Seeing him in this place is never easy, but I know he’s okay. I just.. .”

“Wish you’d been there?” My guilt washed through me again.

She shook her head. “No. Elle was with him, and he loves her. I just wish there was a way to help him understand how to not be so afraid when the attack starts. The doctors said that was what made this one so much worse than the others. He couldn’t calm down. He was lost to his fear.”

My grip on her tightened, a hot poker of recognition stabbing into me. I knew what that felt like, and Micah was only five. Rationalizing with him was probably impossible in the midst of all that fear .

I touched my lips to the curve of her shoulder, taking a deep breath of her scent.

“You’ll find a way. Some trick to reach him when he’s freaking out that helps him come back down. If anyone can, it’s you.”

She sighed, giving my hold on her another squeeze. “Let’s take him home.”

As she peeled the blanket back, I stepped beside her, my voice barely a whisper. “Can I?”

Her startled expression quickly eased into a grateful smile and she nodded, making my chest burn with some fresh sort of pride I’d never felt before. When I scooped him up in my arms he barely stirred. The kid was out.

Sky chuckled a little under her breath. “Just like his mom,” she said, brushing a curl from his forehead as I went for the door.

“Heavy sleeper huh?” I winked as she held it open.

“No. He’s just like me; getting you to carry him around.”

It was true. I’d carried Sky like this on two occasions. Neither time was under particularly pleasant circumstances, nor was this for Micah.

I had a deep, demanding urge to fix that trend.

“Twice so far for you. Third times a charm,” I whispered to her, and she rolled her eyes.