"I swear to God, the only person he is nice to anymore is Tatum," Denise mumbled under her breath as Drew stomped his feet up the stairs."What's the problem?" Liam asked, coming in with Tyler and Rooster in tow. They had finished early at the shop, thanks to Rooster, and he'd invited them over for a beer."Your son is a jackass," she told him, rolling her eyes as Drew slammed his door."Welcome to life with a teenager," Rooster laughed, looking back and forth between them. He'd seen it many times on the force, parents who were at the end of their rope with their children."What he said, he's a teenager," Liam reminded his wife.She cut her eyes at him. "Yeah, I'm aware. Not only did I give birth to him, but I clean up his bathroom."The guys chuckled."Totally not sure I'm gonna survive this, and if he woke Tatum up, I will jerk a knot in his ass," Denise fumed, listening closely for the child. "She finally went down for a nap.""I think we're safe from diva waking up,
Roni sat down on her couch and breathed a sigh of relief. It had been Rooster's first day at the shop and she'd been on edge for most of it. Every time he walked towards the office, her body tensed up and her stomach rolled. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, she was afraid of herself. After he'd cornered her the night before, she'd not been able to do anything but think about him. How they'd been during the summer they'd spent together. It hadn't mattered to either one of them that she was older than him by a few years, all that mattered was the animal magnetism they had for one another."C'mon, Liam's asleep," Rooster whispered.Roni couldn't believe that he'd conned her brother into letting him sleep over, just so he could spend time with her. "What if we get caught?" she whispered back. It didn't really matter to her, she was of age, but he was a few months from it. If they got caught, she knew without a doubt his parents would punish her to the full extent of the law. That'
After her run-in with Rooster the night before, Roni woke up wanting to do something different, wanting to change something about her life. She wasn't sure what, but she knew that it had to be today. Glancing at her hair in the bathroom mirror, she curled her lip. It was limp and too long to have any kind of style. It had been years since she'd had highlights. This was the change she needed, and she knew exactly who could help her. Christine was working towards her cosmetologist's license at the Curly Q she hoped she could be fit in quickly.A quick couple of phone calls later, and Denise was meeting her downtown, along with B and Jessica who'd had the same idea thanks to the summer weather. An early evening haircut with her best friends was just what the doctor ordered. The only lady they hadn't heard from was Meredith, but Roni was pretty sure that she would make an appearance too, if the rest of them did. Grabbing her stuff, she was out the door and in her car.The drive downtow
Was this what first-date jitters felt like? Because Roni had never actually been on an official date. It was odd. Most men that came into her life came because of something to do with Liam, and then when their need for Liam left, their need for her left. Boyfriends weren't something she ever did after Rooster. If she didn't let someone get close to her, then there was no one for William to use against her. Life was easier that way, but that life was lonely.She glanced over, still surprised to find her hand encased in Rooster's. After he had gotten his haircut for his trip back to high school, the rest of the members of the club had gone their separate ways and Rooster had shyly asked her if she wanted to grab dinner at one of the places on the town square. She had been hesitant, but knew that this was the first step in what would be a new life for her. It was time to stop hanging on to the sins of her father and to do what she'd wanted to do all those years ago."It feels weird…do
Roni sat in the office at Walker's Wheels trying to decipher Liam's writing. Who the hell had taught him to write? It was chicken scratch, and she couldn't figure out if what he'd put down was an eight or a nine. The Roni of old would have just made the decision herself. The Roni that had emerged in the week since she'd had dinner with Rooster was going to check and verify, make sure that's what he meant. Because this Roni, she wasn't scared to ask questions. The guys were in the back, taking their afternoon break, so she decided to go out the backdoor of the office. It would be a bit of a walk, but after being cooped up all day, she needed it.When she walked out of the door, she was shocked to find Drew and Mandy there. Drew had Mandy pressed up against the wall. "You will not tell anybody what's going on," he told her.Mandy had tears streaming down her face. "You need help," she was whispering, her fingers tangling in her brother's shirt. "You can't do this on your own," she pl
"Do you miss it?" she asked a few hours later. They were lingering over a chocolate cake she'd made, and they were slowly dwindling away the alcohol she had in the fridge. It was nice, it had loosened both their tongues and taken the last little bit of hesitancy they had with each other away."I wouldn't say I miss it." He looked thoughtful. "The reason I joined the sheriff's office was stupid in the first place, but I miss the people. Believe it or not, as many people as I arrested, I helped too. It wasn't just about how many felons I could get in the back of a squad car. I will admit that I was probably harder on your brother than I had to be. That's my issue and his. We've worked on it and we'll probably never be the type of friends that we once were, but I'm happy with where we are right now.""So you miss helping, not arresting?""Yeah, there are always those things that stick with you. That wife who was beaten by her asshole husband. That kid who was in a bad car accident b
Rooster made his last round of the almost empty school. The first day of classes was tomorrow and most of the teachers had already headed home. Football practice had let out about an hour ago, and the cheerleaders had been dismissed around thirty minutes before. Usually he would have already been gone, but something told him to take one more lap, make sure it was empty before he told Stacey they could lock up for the night. He rounded the corner of a group of lockers that faced the cafeteria."Drew, I don't like it," he heard a female voice say.It was panicked, and that made him uneasy. He stood deep in the shadows, so he could see what was going on but they couldn't see him. Drew stood in front of a girl Rooster thought he recognized as Charity, the daughter of Jasmine, a stripper at Wet Wanda's. He had her backed up against the locker, and if Rooster was reading the situation right, they knew each other well."It's only for a couple more weeks, Charity. I need to make varsity.
"I'm glad I got you here by yourself," Rooster was saying, but Roni wasn't sure she was following any of it. All she could do was watch the way his mouth moved, the way his Adam's apple bobbed up and down while he talked."Are you listening to me?"She shook herself out of it. She had to get a grip; otherwise, she'd be crazy by the time he was done in this office. "Sorry, I'm listening now."He walked around the desk and stood in front of her, holding his hands out.There was no hesitation as she grabbed those hands and let him pull her up. Once she stood in front of him, he caressed her neck with his hand, paying special attention to the part that held his mark."It's cute that you can't pay attention to me, but I'd really like for you to."Nobody had called her cute in a very long time, and she didn't know how to respond to that. "You have my full attention," she told him, putting her hands at his hips to steady herself. Her gaze met his and she did her best not to sway.
The temperature in the cab of the truck was downright frigid as Remy drove to Tyler's house to drop off Addie first. Tatum refused to meet his gaze and that flat out pissed him off. If she was going to give herself to another man and then have the balls to sit in front of him like this, she should at least have the decency to meet his eyes when he looked at her."Am I going to have to explain to Tyler why I'm dropping you off at one in the fucking morning?" Remy glanced in the review mirror of the truck, looking back to where Addie sat in the extended cab."No," she shook her head, looking about as tired and unhappy as he felt. "He's at the clubhouse. He and Mom had planned to stay and they took Caelin with them."Well, thank God for small favors, because the one person besides Liam he didn't want to face off with tonight, was Tyler."You're lucky I don't call him and tell him where the hell you've been. How could you let her go up there with him?" he questioned her, the irrita
Tatum's heart beat through her chest as she followed Gavin upstairs to a much quieter part of the house. Her mouth was dry – the result of her nerves, or the alcohol she'd consumed – she wasn't sure which. Her hand gripped Gavin's tightly, but she knew it wasn't because she was excited, it was because she wanted to yank on it, and stop him from leading her into the empty bedroom. Part of her wanted to put a stop to it, the other part wanted to go through with this so she could throw it in Remy's face. Those stubborn traits she'd inherited from her dad were alive and well tonight.She glanced over her shoulder, spotting Addie pulling out her phone and making a call. The worried look on her friend's face told her all she needed to know. Addie was probably calling in reinforcements and her time had suddenly become very limited."You feelin' good?" his deep voice questioned in her ear, causing her hair to stand up and goosebumps to appear on her arms. This time it was different than wh
Remy was in a piss-poor mood, had been since the night of the Christmas party and everything that had gone down with Tatum. He bit off the head of anyone foolish enough to ask if he was okay. He'd been eating lunch by himself, and overall had been a miserable fucking loner. Even right now, while everyone else was partying their asses off, his big date was being in the gym and beating the ever-loving shit out of a heavy bag. It was the only thing that seemed to calm him the last few days.Hearing his fists connect with the bag felt good, even if it was muted by the gloves he wore. His arms burned, his shoulders and back ached, his chest heaved, and sweat poured down his forehead and into his eyes; making them sting. The sting felt good though, because it distracted him from the guilt he felt for the way he'd treated Tatum. And that guilt was pressing down on him like he was trapped under a thousand-pound boulder.He'd felt every emotion on the spectrum since she'd walked out on him
Tatum's blue eyes took in the party-goers around her. In different parts of the room, she could see members of her graduating class, some kids that were now seniors, and a few college kids. God, this had never been her thing, she'd never found high school or college parties worth anything to her. She could see everything that went on at them and more, at the club parties. Plus, this was a mob mentality – everyone here went along with everyone else, and it was so boring. Nobody had any individuality. Normally, she'd have tossed the invitation in the trash can and not even thought twice about it. She would have spent the night at the club's New Year's party and have an actual good time with her friends and family.Tonight though, she was on a mission."Do you see anybody?" Addie asked as they surveyed the room.Tatum took a drink from the bottle of Strawberry Boone's Farm she carried in her hand. It was the bottom shelf stuff, guaranteed to get you loaded in the least amount of tim
Tatum had never felt anything like the all-consuming lust that blasted through her as soon as Remy grabbed her hip and pulled her deep into his body. She'd thought she had but damn, she was wrong. Her fingers grasped at his shirt, trying to ground herself in the feelings, when she felt his bare palms slip up under the hem of her dress. The sharp intake of breath, and the way he nipped at her lip indicated he'd discovered she'd worn a thong."Fuck, Tate," he moaned as he pulled his lips from hers.She almost cried as he abandoned her lips and smeared his mouth down her neck. She felt the sharp nip of his teeth down to the core of her body. It caused her nipples to tighten further against the lace of strapless bra, and before she knew what she was doing, she was rubbing up against him."Please, Rem," she gasped out when she felt one of his hands on her ass venture back over her hip, and closer to the wetness and heat she felt between her thighs."Has anybody touched you?" he grow
He knew the second she walked in, just like he'd known when she'd entered the bakery. Even seven shots of Pappy in, he could feel her, he knew she was there by the way the hair on the back of his neck stood up, the goosebumps he got on his arms and the way his dick stirred to attention. He wasn't sure what kind of hold Tatum Walker held over him, but it was strong, maybe dangerously so, like some sort of Jedi Mind Trick he'd never be able to resist. And dammit if his hand didn't shake as he took his next shot."Too much for you?" Drew asked as he noticed the slight tremble of the other man's hand.How did he tell the man sitting beside him, he was hard up for his little sister? Easy. He didn't."Nah, I'm good, but I gotta hit the head. Be back."Plan number two when plan number one didn't work? Run and hope she wouldn't follow. As much alcohol as he had consumed, he wasn't sure he could push her away this time. After all, he was only a man and he wasn't immune to the way she lo
He should have brought a date. Those were the first words Remy thought when he walked through the door of the clubhouse. It hit him like a ton of bricks, and all he wanted to do was turn around and head back to Cash and Harper's. Normally, he lived at the clubhouse, but he'd had dinner at their place tonight. He could relieve the babysitter watching Maddy, and he wouldn't have to worry about keeping his guard up.Couples were paired off, which meant anyone without a plus one would be inevitably thrown together. Looking up, he saw mistletoe was hung randomly around the room. Shit. Since he was the youngest, he seemed to be one of the few without a woman on his arm. Sure as the world turned, he'd find himself thrown toward someone tonight.Gazing around the room, he didn't see Tatum and for that he was extremely thankful. He'd been able to avoid her since the day at Harper's bakery, but it'd hadn't been easy. Not that she'd gone out of her way to be around him but they were in the sa
Remy told himself to slow down as he grasped her neck, hauling Tatum closer to him. He cautioned his lust-drunk body not to make a fool of itself. He warned his libido not to let this go too far. They were in the middle of the bakery, in the middle of downtown. Anyone could walk through that door from some dumbass off the street, to her brother, to her dad. But he couldn't stop, couldn't force his hand not to trail down her body and grasp her tight ass in his fingers. He wanted desperately to pull her lower half into his, wanted to shove his thigh between her legs and feel the heat he knew would be there. His tongue was forceful as it made its way into her mouth, testing how far she'd let him go.Turned out she'd let him go as far as he wanted to.His brain tried to warn him that this was progressing too quickly. It was getting too out of control, too fast. If he didn't watch it, he'd be picking her up and putting her ass first against the nearest wall. He was losing his mind, losi
Son of a bitch. Something in the way Tatum's gaze met his made him think he'd said those words loud enough she could hear them. But fuck, she looked amazing. Even more than she usually did. Tatum had been gorgeous for a long time, but with her hair in this new cut, she looked sexy, and almost… sophisticated. But this was Tatum. She'd never fully be a lady, not really. She didn't do dresses unless she had to, she didn't do caked on makeup, and she could hang with the guys – no matter how raunchy it got."Do you like it?" She asked again, this time looking much more unsure than when she'd started out. Very slowly, she ran her fingers through her hair, giving it a tousle.Remy cleared his throat, not sure how honest he wanted to be, but at the same time knowing he couldn't help but be honest. If he lied to her, she would know, and it would do nothing to help the situation they seemed to always find themselves in. The two of them always seemed to be either pushing or pulling at each ot