Page 21

Bradley

A mber kicks her legs adorably as I carry her to the edge of the pool table. She presses into me, begging for more friction, more grinding. My hips thrust forward on their own, pushing my cock against her center. My lips ghost the silky skin at her collarbone as she tips her head backward. With the first gasp that escapes her, Ronnie lifts her leg high enough to flip her backward onto the pool table with a wicked grin.

“Ronnie you’re such a little devil in disguise.” She laughs.

“You bet your delectable ass I am.” He pulls out a water bottle from the mini-fridge.

Her shirt hikes up, revealing the curve of her breasts. My eyes trace the light freckles dotting her soft skin. She purposely pulls it upward—two gorgeous swells begging to be sucked and bruised.

Heat flushes into every one of my extremities as Amber curves her back and pulls herself upward into a sitting position. Our lips brush when she latches her hands behind my neck and yanks me down. “My nipples are hard for you two,” amusement brightens the yellow in her eyes and my abdomen grows taut.

Ronnie growls somewhere behind me and I can feel his heated gaze set on us.

Air is slowly filtering in. My breathing is steady but heavy, filled with lust. I want to touch but can’t. Not when someone can walk in on us. I want to take my time. Taste every inch. Trace every curve. Memorize every sound.

“From the moment you injected yourself into our life, I knew you’d never leave because you were meant to be a part of it no matter how.” Ronnie spills as he inches closer, making us gulp. “You were never invisible to us, not even once.”

Her beaming eyes jump between us. Those demanding lips beg to be touched, and I press myself to the silky texture of them, sucking on each one slowly.

Fuck. My ability to restrain myself this far is beyond me. I must have the patience of a saint.

I slowly slip my tongue past the seam of her mouth until I taste hers, with a passionate flicking motion, dancing with me into this mutual bliss.

“Not here Little Bear, we will have our time when we get back.” Ronnie verbalizes my previous thoughts.

“He’s right.” I seal my lips to hers one last time. “We’ll be eating you up.”

“Okay.” She slowly grinds against me to get onto the floor. “I’m going to the bathroom then,” Amber says with a smile before she goes upstairs.

I look over my shoulder—Ronnie’s gaze stuck on his phone. “I’m going for a smoke outside,” I say as I climb upstairs and his steps follow.

“I’ll join you,” Ronnie comments and I turn halfway, raising my brow in question.

“You hate smoke.” I scan the silent house—no one is up. The lights are dim and as we pass the kitchen, my eyes lock on a note taped to the fridge.

Teddy is sleeping with Josh. Cole and Ryan are sleeping too, they won’t be awake until tomorrow. I went out with some friends to a tavern. Love endlessly, Mom. P.S. Thank you for bringing Amber and Ronnie, Dad would’ve loved them.

My shoulders instantly sag outward as a deep inhale filters through my lungs and a sigh of relief breaks free.

“I know.” Ronnie’s reply snaps me back.

“Then why are you coming?”

“Take the win and shut up,” he brushes past me, exiting the front door to the driveway. I follow.

Damn, that attitude he has sometimes drives me fucking insane. Pulling out the half-smashed pack of cigarettes from my pocket, an amused smile tugs at my lips as I take one and light it.

They both drive me insane.

I blow the smoke in the other direction, away from him. “What were you looking at on your phone?”

“Luka texted that he has something to tell me when we get back and that Nana sends him mountains of food every day.” He walks back and forth, raking his fingers through his hair.

“Is there something you didn’t tell me?” I arch my brows. “Something about your results?” My heart picks up its pace.

“What—no.” He peers up at me from the floor. “I would never do that to you.” He immediately eliminates my fear. “It’s not that—it’s…” He balls his hand into a fist, locking it tightly around his phone and dragging the other over his mouth. “Look.”

He flips the phone screen at me.

Unknown

Hi Ronnie, it’s Melanie.

I’m reaching out because I feel the need to protect my daughter.

Please don’t mislead and confuse her about what she thinks she wants. Let her go so she could find herself somewhere safe. She is lost and doesn’t know what she wants anymore. I may be the bad guy right now and I wasn’t the perfect parent but she had a good thing going with her ex Patrick.

Oh, fuck her. What does she know? Bringing up that Patrick again.

Unknown

Don’t play with her heart. She plays tough but she’s fragile.

I know I’m responsible for many things but she is still my daughter.

And you and your friend are not what she needs.

I take a long drag, fidgeting my leg restlessly. “We are exactly what she needs. Acceptance. Unconditional love. Openness. Vulnerability. Stability. Honesty. How could she be so blind to all of those things?” I spew and wave my hands all over.

“Because she judged us the first minute we walked into her house.”

“She is so set on getting her daughter back with her ex but wants her to find herself—something just doesn’t add up.”

“Lower your voice.” Ronnie swallows the gap between us in two strides and cups my face. “We will figure this out, together. But it annoyed me when I first read it.”

“I want to tackle someone,” I murmur.

“And press your boot against their throat?” He smirks.

I was very proud at that moment. “That was a nice touch.”

He hums in approval.

“She made it her mission to drive Amber away from us. Maybe she sent her a similar message.” I blurt out my thoughts. “What is her fucking motive if she even has one?”

He withdraws, rubbing his face. “Maybe in her eyes finding Amber someone like her Dad who tends to her needs and can give her a peaceful life is a way to make amends.”

“Yeah, and she thinks Patrick is her savior.“ I roll my jaw and blow another cloud of smoke in anger.

“No, she just fails to see Amber again because she is so focused on what she thinks is right for her instead of asking Amber what she needs.”

His words resonate with me and I halt in place. Each vein in my body screams how fucking right that statement is. “How did she even get your number? Amber wouldn’t give it to her.”

He shakes his head. “But I did give it to her dad when he said we should swap numbers in case of an emergency when we ate dinner at their place.”

I blink long and hard, quirking my brows. “Maybe she went through his phone?”

“Or he just gave it to her when she asked.”

Scowling, I grit my teeth. “Humph, why don’t you let me hate on her a little longer?” I smother a groan painfully.

“Because she is still the mother of the woman we’re falling in love with.”

I flick the cigarette at my side and take Ronnie’s hand when he holds it out for me. “I know she loves her dad and sister so much, it breaks me that Melanie tries to sabotage it whether she realizes it or not. Because when she drives Amber away, she drives her away from them too.”

“We will keep her safe,” he promises.