Chapter three
If you want love, you gon’ have to go through the pain
If you want love, you gon’ have to learn how to change
If you want trust, you gon’ have to give some away
If you want love, if you want love
Mya
“What are you doing here?” Cal asks me. I roll my eyes, and swoop Rylie from his arms and make my way through their house.
“I need advice. I wanted to chat with Jen. She said she was on her way from work,” I say, and sit beside Axe, kissing his head and signing hello.
“Advice on what?” He asks me, and I look at him annoyed.
“Girl stuff, Mr. Nosey.” I am terrified of him ever finding out my feelings for Sully. He has a history of pissing my brother off. Most of it is Cal being a possessive jealous freak when he was trying to date Jen, but Sully made the mistake of letting Tayla use him forever ago to make Cal crazy with jealousy. It worked and backfired, because now they have this weird friendship that confuses me. Like, okay be loyal to each other, but don’t in the same thought, accuse them of being sketchy.
He stands and follows me to the kitchen, hot on my heels and curious. “Well, your call, brat. She will tell me if you don’t.”
“Ugh, the arrogance is so annoying, Cal,” I say, and open the fridge for a Diet Coke. “Besides,” I pop the top of the can and take a drink as he smirks at me all knowing. “She wouldn’t break a confidence regardless of your vows versus girl code.”
He walks over to take Rylie from me and sets her in the high chair with some Cheerios before looking at me with a cocky laugh. “Wanna bet?”
I roll my eyes. “There are a number of things you don’t know, so be as arrogant as you want.” I fold my arms and begin a stare off between us.
“Want me to elaborate?”
I feel my stomach tighten, hoping like hell Jen has kept my secrets from my big brother. “Go for it.” I call his bluff having faith in my sister-in-law.
“I know that six months ago, right before Rylie was born, you made out big time with Sam in DC when Raleigh won the humanitarian award.”
I slam my Diet Coke on the table in complete shock. Yes, technically it is a very watered-down version of what really happened, but how fucking dare she. “What the actual hell?” I feel betrayed, but above that is humiliation, knowing my brother knows I fooled around with his friend. A friend twelve years my senior.
He just laughs at me like the asshole he is. I have two big brothers, and both Jace and Cal, love nothing more than teasing and torturing me. “Don’t trip out, Mya. I wasn’t the happiest to learn he was trying to defile my kid sister.”
“Well, he could have done whatever he wanted to me, and there isn’t a damn thing you could have said or done about it. I am an adult and you should stay out of it.”
“Hold up. Are you actually thinking that you could date him?” He stands, shakes his head no, and leans against the counter in front of me. “He isn’t the guy for you, Mya. If that’s what you came to talk to Jen about, then I will be the one to shatter those dreams. Stay away from Sam.”
He didn’t sound mad, but he wasn’t happy either. He acted like he knew why I needed to stay away. The great thing about opinions is they are nothing but opinions. Not written in stone with warning labels.
“Look, I get that he let Tay use him and it affected whatever trust you had in him…”
“That has nothing to do with it. If I thought for two seconds he was a shit guy, no way would my wife work side by side with him.”
“So, why can’t I like him? I mean, if I liked him, which I don’t, why would it be so bad?”
“Cut the shit, Mya. I know you have a little crush on the scariest looking mother fucker in Gig Harbor, but he isn’t what you think. He isn’t a bad boy or some project you can fix. Sam has a hell of a business mind. He made a name for himself. He may look like the poster boy for bad boys, but he is one of the nicest guys I have ever met.” It bothered me hearing him lecture me like he thought my intentions were so flippant. He seemed almost protective of him and that only fueled me more.
“He’s so sweet? Really? Because he was rude as hell when he brushed me off. I got the warning from him. His pain could rival Noah’s’.”
The look of disappointment filled out his features and I wondered what he knew.
“And FYI, nobody’s pain rivals Noah and Carrie,” I say it with a finality I’m not sure I believe.
“Mya…” His voice becomes all sympathetic and sweet like he needs to baby me. Normally, I love being dotted on my brothers and their friends. I was sheltered and taken up for at every turn my whole life, but right now I want to be taken seriously, not coddled.
