Daisy takes a gentle bite of my lip. “You’re a far better brother than either Nelson or Jonas, but, at the end of the day, I still love them, and I still want them in my life.” She gives a little shrug, her golden hair bounces over her shoulders, and I want nothing more than to lose myself in this goddess I’ve been blessed with.
Lucky’s laughter pulls me out of the moment, and I find her tossing her hair, having fun with Owen’s little sister, Ava, each of them with a red fruity drink tucked in their hands.
“Let’s do this.” I take a breath as we head on over. “What’s up?” I pull Lucky into a quick hug and nod to Ava. Both girls quell their laughter, buttoning up as if a parent just walked into the room. And that’s the moment I know Daisy is, without a doubt, right. “Hey”—I give Lucky’s hand a quick tug and nod toward the exit—“can we talk for a minute?” That long black hair, those corn silk eyes glare up at me a moment for even suggesting it. She looks every bit like our mother each and every day. And now that I think about it, I see traces of my father in her features as well—her strong jawline, those heavy brows. I see them both, and for whatever reason, it warms me.
She scowls at me as if I’ve offended her. “If it’s about the money I’ll give it right back.”
Knew it. In an effort to make Daisy look bad, Lucky conducted the ridiculous “heist” herself. “It’s not about the money. Can we step outside?”
“I’m good with here.” She scoots close to Ava, rooting herself to the floor, letting me know she isn’t budging. “Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of Ava and Daisy.” She rolls her eyes just enough to get the point across that Daisy isn’t exactly her favorite person. It’s a little ironic because Ava adores Daisy. They’ve actually built a friendship, and as close as Ava is to her, that’s exactly howfarLucky is.
“Okay.” My chest expands with my next breath as I glance to the woman I love. It’s Daisy’s support that’s getting me through this. “Lucky”—I swallow hard, looking her dead in the eyes—“I just want you to know that I love you.” Her eyes widen as if it’s the last thing she expected to hear. “I do. You know that. It’s not something I say often, if ever, but that’s going to change.” She eyes the exit like it’s suddenly the best idea we hit it. “But something elseisgoing to change, too. I’m not going to breathe down your neck every moment. You’re a grown girl. You’re in college. I want you to enjoy this season of your life without feeling like you need to ditch me every chance you get.” I tighten my grip on her hand, and she offers a firm squeeze back. “How does that sound?”
She looks from me to Daisy with a stern expression I can’t quite read. Knowing Lucky, this could go either way.
“Sounds like someone’s been drinking the Kool-Aid,” she snarls at Daisy for no apparent reason, and then as quick as her anger ignites, her expression softens. “And I kind of like it.” Her shoulders hike to her ears. “Whatever voodoo magic this girl is doing on you, it’s not half-bad.” She makes a face as if somehow it still made her sick. “But, yeah, I like it. I want that freedom. But I still want you.” Her voice breaks, and I pull her in close to me. “I still need you around. I may not like it, but deep down, I want it. You’re all I have left in this whole world, Jet, and without you, life would be a lonely place.” She shoots a painful smile to Ava for a moment. “All I’d have is this crazy lunatic dragging me off into all kinds of twisted trouble.” They share a secretive giggle as if they’re already in all kinds of twisted trouble, and as much as my stomach grinds thinking about it, I’m leaving it at that.
“You know right from wrong. Yes, people make mistakes, and, yes, I’m going to love you through them, but I’m trusting you’ll use your better judgment. Fun is one thing. Hurting someone else or yourself is something entirely different. Go easy, okay?”
“Okay.” She wraps her thin arms around me, and just like that, I’m transported back ten years to when she was just a peanut. Even way back then, I knew I would die for her if needed.
A dark scar blossoms over her forearm, and my eye snags on it.
“What the hell is this?” I pull her arm away carefully and examine the raw inky scab with what looks like a dead bird etched into my sister’s flesh.
“You wouldn’t give me a freaking tattoo!” she whines before shrinking back. “Sorry. I kind of went behind your back and found some hole in the wall, and they chewed me up for breakfast.”
“Crap. Keep an eye on this. Cover it with antibiotic ointment, and make sure it doesn’t get infected.” Everything in me wants to roar with rage, to turn tables over, and to kick chairs to the ceiling. Nobody should be inking up my sister’s skin with the exception of me. “I’ll fix it if you want when the time comes.” Daisy rubs my back because she knows how much effort it took for me to say that in a reserved manner.
“Thank you.” Lucky sags as if dejected at the offer. “I’m not in a hurry, though. It was pretty brutal.”
“I’ll make it as easy as I can.”
A group of guys walk by, and the brooding dude in the middle looks all too familiar. Grant. Before the night is through, I need to at least say hello to the kid. I recognize that pained look on his face. Underneath that tough guy exterior, he just looks plain grieved.
I pull Lucky into another quick hug, drop a kiss onto her head, and whisper, “Have fun. You know where to find me.” I take a few steps away, pulling Daisy right along with me. “Stay out of trouble.”
Daisy hops a little while pointing at the dance floor where Scarlett, Piper, and Cassidy are busy tearing it up.
“Go for it, girl. I’ll watch from the stands.” My hand slips into the back of her jeans, and I can’t help but give a tiny squeeze. This girl has me going twenty-four seven, and I don’t ever want to stop.
As soon as Daisy bops away, I head over to the brooding dude who’s now hiding in the corner with his buddies. I know for a fact he’s trying to avoid being spotted because he has his back to the bar, head bent to the table.
I slap a hand over his shoulder, and he jumps as if I had just electrocuted the shit right out of him.
Grant stands with a smile that quickly goes from polite confusion to instant recognition.
“Dude.” He slaps me five and pulls me in close. “What’s going on? You tatting people up in the back?” He takes a few steps away from his buddies, and I follow.
“Nope. Just hanging out with friends. You?”
“Same.”
“You go to the game?”
“First one.” He shakes his head as if it were hard just to do that.
“She’d want you to.” Yeah, I went there. It’s pretty evident that his heart is still seated firmly over his sister’s grave. “She wants you to enjoy life. To live. Heck, live for her.” I keep my voice down in the event his friends pick up on our more than slightly morbid conversation.
