Kai takes a step toward her. “You forget who you’re speaking to. I could stick the business end of my Glock in your mouth and pull the trigger and wouldn’t feel the tiniest bit sorry. Might be the only way to stop the shit that’s currently pouring from it. I hear that you’ve even whispered about this to anyone else, I’ll do everything I just said.”
Color drains from Karlie’s cheeks as she realizes he isn’t fooling around.
“At lunch, you seemed happy for me,” I say. “You told me that you understood because you never lost who you were and I did. You told me to step away. You saw before I did that maybe I had a crush on Jackal.” His road name rolls off my tongue easily. “And so what if I have feelings for Shade too? You told me there was nothing wrong with fantasizing about what I want. And how…”
Shit, I remember now. Maybe this is simply what it’s always been like between club girls. Wanting to cheer on your friend in getting what they want, but then, hating them for having something you want too.
I look at Karlie and see beneath the glossy hair and thick lips and provocative outfit. “You wanted them both. You said they were hot, with steady jobs and roles. You told me you wouldn’t blame me if I tried. You told me if I was ever sandwiched between the two of them, I should call you. You didn’t mean it…you just thought it wouldn’t happen.”
Karlie’s mouth opens and then closes again, as hurt appears in her eyes. “That’s not fair.”
“Neither is what you just said to me,” I say quietly. “I didn’t plan this. I didn’t scheme this. I didn’t steal them from you. I just stopped…lying to myself. About who I am and what I want. The rest just happened.”
She looks past me to Kai, who is standing just behind me, but what Karlie probably can’t see is the steady warmth and strength that comes from having his palm on my lower back.
“Whatever,” she says finally. “Have fun.”
“Remember what I said about keeping our names out of your mouth,” Kai shouts as she stomps away before resting his chin on my shoulder, his lips next to my ear. “That’s why we never saw you. No man wants to spend the rest of his life with someonewho has a cold heart and bitter spirit. You looked just like her, back then.”
I let out a breath and turn to face him, his lips brushing mine. “Thank you for rescuing me twice today.”
He grins. “Only once, really. I think you had that handled. You okay, Sunshine?”
“Yeah,” I say, surprised after the day I had. “I think I am.”
“Good, because I’m taking you home. Garrett had a physio and massage appointment. Let’s go see if it’s mellowed him out at all.”
And with that, I get in my car and sneak peeks in my rearview mirror as he follows me home.
28
SHADE
I’m sitting on our new sofa, the one that was delivered earlier today, when I hear both a bike and a car engine. And those two sounds reassure me that the gut decision I made to insist Kai buy us an extra-large and extra-wide sofa was the right one.
Because this thing is big enough to fit all three of us in just about any combination of positions.
And lord knows I want to hold Isla and Kai. I worked like a dog in my physio session because I want to be back to fighting fitness so that I can look out for Isla, and so that Wild doesn’t have to do it all by himself. And, while I’ve used the time wisely to pull together the plans to upskill everyone with a view to starting on it as early as next week, it’s not the same as putting rubber to the road and conducting club business.
I also want to get fit again because I have other plans. Plans that interrupted me periodically throughout the day. Possibilities of sexual acts the three of us can try. Ninety percent of them aren’t currently possible with this busted body.
The door opens and slams, and I hear the shuffle of feet in the entrance hall as they remove jackets and coats. It’s followed by the heavy thud of Kai’s boots.
“Hey, honey, we’re home,” Kai shouts.
“I’m in the front room.”
I have my back against the arm of the sofa, a couple of pillows behind me, but I put my arm over the back and twist to see their faces when they walk in.
“Oh my gosh, what a great sofa,” Isla says. And it makes me wonder if we should include her in future furnishing decisions. Maybe I’ll leave it to the two of them to decide how our house looks together. I don’t really care what it looks like, as long as we’re all in it.
Wild knows my three rules: Big. Comfortable. Practical. I don’t want one of those show homes where you’re scared of leaving a footprint or sitting on a cushion.
I point to the windowpane that got replaced this afternoon. “And we have a view again instead of a sheet of plywood.”
“Looks good,” Kai says, stepping in behind her. “The window, the couch, and you.”
Isla kisses me softly. “How are you feeling?”
