The raps against the door has India jumping out of my arms, and looking over my shoulder, not that she can see through wood.
“I know you’re in there, Leo. The prospect saw you coming up here.”
Shit.
It’s my dad.
“He can’t see me in your room,” she whispers incredibly loud for someone not wanting to be heard.
“There ain’t no climbing out the window, babe.”
Another round knocking has her a jittery mess.
“Please.”
One word.
The plea in her eyes hits me hard and I take it seriously. I’ve never had to hide a girl in my room before.
“You’ll have to hide under the bed,” I say, already dropping to my knees and moving shit out of her way.
She doesn’t argue with me and slides under the wooden frame.
“I want you on the bed, not under it,” I grin, and she swats me away.
“Get rid of your dad fast.”
Chuckling, I make sure to wipe the smile off my face before I open the door.
“About fuckin’ time,” he grunts, walking in, uninvited I might add too.
“I was getting changed.”
He looks me up and down and I know that he knows I’m bullshitting, and he knows that I know he won’t ask me about it. We both know.
“What’s up?”
“I wanted to talk to you about your brother.”
“What about him?”
“Has he spoken to you about that girl? The one who stole my cash and broke his heart?”
If Luca heard dad right now, he’d argue his heart wasn’t broken because he and Sara were only friends.
“It’s been months, he hasn’t said a word about her.”
Dad nods and looks around the room. He huffs around a smile and picks up an unopened bottle of beer.
“Keep your eye on him, something is going on in his head and he’s not talking to me or your mom about it.”
“Sure.”
I’d do anything for my kid brother, not that he makes it easy and I’ll agree to anything if it means he’ll leave.
“And you shouldn’t let him win, your momma taught you better than to be a piss poor shot,” he chuckles darkly.
“He got lucky, that’s all.”
“Anyway, we’re having a cookout tonight. Your mom and Bonnie will be here soon with the food, Kris and Kyla are already here. Don’t take your time getting changed, you might miss the food.”
He walks out the room, leaving the door to swing closed after him and I exhale a loud breath. I make sure to lock up before turning to see Indie pulling herself out and relaxing on her back in the middle of the floor.
“You really shouldn’t lay there, I don’t have a clue what you’re lying on.”
“Help me up,” she smiles, holding her hands up in the air.
Stepping over her, I keep one foot on either side of her and hold her hands, but I don’t pull her up.
“You know, I like you in my room, but I prefer you at the cabin.”
“Embarrassed to be caught with me, huh?”
She smiles, but I can hear the edge in her voice daring me to say the wrong thing.
“Babe, you’re the one who wants to keep us a secret.”
I pull her up in one move and wrap my arm around her neck, pulling her so close there is no space between us.
“I’d have you all over me in front of everyone if it was my choice,” I growl into her ear.
She relaxes against me and I know she’s putty in my hands.
India
I am screwed. I know it. This is going to hurt, and Leo Jackson won’t only be the guy who took my virginity, he’ll be the guy who broke my heart the first time I fell in love.
The summer isn’t over and that’s the only thing stopping me from going crazy. I’ve still got a few weeks with him and when I’m not around him, I worry about the day that’s coming when he calls off our fling, or whatever we’re doing here.
There isn’t any point in going public, it would start a fight with my dad for no reason and I would be the only one left hurting when the shit settled.
“Come on, you’re wearing too much. Let me help you out of these shorts,” he says, tugging on the denim material.
I’m all for this until my phone vibrates in my back pocket and he pulls it out before I can get to it.
“Your mom wants to know where you are,” he tells me reading the text.
“I have to go, she’ll call if I don’t answer her.”
“I’ve only just got you to myself,” he groans, handing my phone back.
“I know, but my mom gets crazy when I don’t keep in contact.”
“Meet me at the cabin tonight, no one ever leaves after a cookout, your mom and dad will most likely stay here.”
Another message comes through, and I know she’ll start calling any minute.
“What time?”
“I’ll let you know,” he says, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, “Go on, you better go before I keep us locked in here.”
I don’t want to leave.
I want to stay here, locked in with Leo would be heavenly.
Only, if my mom and my dad came looking and found me here, their reactions wouldn’t be holy.
I slip out of his room and jog down the back stairs unnoticed and spot my mom by a huge table some of the brothers are putting together.
I tug my shorts up a little from where Leo tried pulling them down and hope no one notices how low they were sitting on my hips.
Thankfully, no one does and I’m soon joining mom. Kyla soon puts me to work, handing out orders like she’s the boss, and I smile when I realise that she isn’t annoying me, she is my family and I’m going to miss her, like everyone else when I leave for college.
“What has you smiling like this, little India?” Kyla asks, smiling warmly back at me.
“I’m happy?” I answer, sounding more like a question.
“Is it about a boy?” she asks, lowering her voice as mom arranges the plates and bowls.
“Why would I need a boy to make me happy, Aunt Ky?”
But, of course it is about a boy, or a man to be specific.
“You don’t, I assumed wrong.”
“It’s fine, I’m smiling because I’m happy. Simple.”
“Well, I like it. Keep it up.”
I shake my head as she moves on and averts her attention elsewhere. A door slams and I turn to see Leo walking over to the twins, now wearing a tee under his cut. How different would the cookout be if Leo and I were openly together, unfortunately I’ll never know. I’ll always be the girl on this side of the party and he’ll be on the side everyone wants to be on.
The stars are shining brightly tonight and as I lay back on the hood of my car, I marvel at how peaceful the sky is.
The sun set a couple of hours ago and no one is interested in wrapping up the cookout, not that there’s any food left, the brothers made that disappear faster than Harry Houdini at a magic show.
JJ’s deep but loud laugh floats through the night’s air, and I roll my head to the side to see their little group sat around one of the tables off to the edge of the lot. Leo sits at the bench, leaning his elbows back on the table, as he legs stretch out in front of him. I occasionally feel his eyes on me, but never for long. He’s good at keeping up our charade. I’m not. Hence why I’m keeping out of the way over here. I want to be sat with him, but as usual, I’m alone. Will it always be like this? I’m the one who wants to keep us secret, but only because I’m pretty sure we’re not going anywhere, and there is no way I’m going to ask him for a label on what we are.
He asked for the summer, so our label is, summer fling. It’s harder than I first thought it would be to deal with. Every minute I spend with him makes me fall that much harder and I’m petrified just as much as I am nervous, and excited to be around him. Jealously rips through me hearing female fake-ass giggling. Which ever one it was, they’l
l be giggling like that somewhere very close to Leo, and when I look over, it’s Zara and in my opinion, she’s way too close to him.
He isn’t showing any interest in her, but it doesn’t matter, it still depresses me. I have no right to act on my jealousy, so I slide of my car and walk over to my mom as she sits talking with the old ladies.
“Hey, you look tired,” she smiles up at me.
“I’m going to head home, I’ve had enough, too much sun,” I lie.
“I don’t know if we’ll make it back, we might stay here.”
“Don’t worry about it, I’ll be fine. I’ll lock up behind me and put the alarm on,” I assure her.
“Okay, hon, sleep well and call me in the morning.”
I say my goodbyes and walk over to my dad as he sits with Cas, Sparky and all the other men I’ve called uncle over the years.
“I’m going home, dad,” I lean on the back of his chair, aware from this angle, Leo will have a clear view of me bent over.
“On your own?” he grunts, opening another beer.
“I’ll be fine, I’ve already told mom I’ll lock up and put the alarm on.”
“Okay, see you in the morning, princess. Drive safe, put your belt on, no speeding, oh and don’t die.”
Okay, dad is a little drunk and after promising him not to speed or die, I stand, and notice Leo is nowhere in sight, nor is Zara.
He wouldn’t. He told me he wouldn’t. I believe him when he’s in front of me promising me all sorts, but when I’m alone and feeling like shit, it’s a little harder to believe.
I don’t make eye contact with anyone as I make my way through the lot and sigh with relief when I see my car.
I throw open my door and fall behind the wheel, slamming the door with more force than necessary.
“What’s got your panties in a bunch tonight? Missing me that much?”
I let out a scream and Leo is quick to shove his hand over my mouth to keep me quiet.
I swat away his hand and turn to face him in my seat.
“How did you get in my car?”
I know for a fact I locked it when I got here earlier, not that I think anyone will steal it from around here, but after JJ hooked up a bubble machine to it, I keep it locked when I’m at the club.
“Are you seriously asking me how I got into your car? It was one the first things my dad taught me as a kid, how to lift a car.”
I roll my eyes and shake my head, just for dramatic effect, of course Cas showed Leo how to steal cars as a kid. From what I’ve heard, Cas was really good at it when he was a teenager and before he was a Lost Soul.
“If you don’t drive, someone is going to catch us together,” he points out and I start the car.
“I told my mom and dad I was going home.”
“Why? We planned on going to the cabin.”
“How long do you think I was going to hang around waiting for you tonight?” I snap.
Does he think I’d just hang around all night to be with him?
“What is wrong? You’re not normally this…”
“This what?”
“Angry.”
I’m not angry, I’m confused and hot.
“I got sick of hanging around…”
“Yeah, I heard,” he grumbles.
“Do you want me to turn around, I can drop you back at the club and go home for real.”
His neck clicks as he turns his head to look at me so fast, and I already regret the words leaving my mouth.
“Keep driving,” he mutters, and I drive the rest of the way in silence.
I have no idea what’s going on tonight, perhaps it is the heat getting to me. When I stop outside the cabin, neither of us move to get out.
“Talk to me, Indie. I have no clue what’s happening right now, and I don’t want to ruin this with you because I didn’t know what was going on.”
Stop talking to all the women at the club.
Don’t go near them.
Act like they don’t exist.
And never let them touch you.
Instead, I say, “I’m just really hot, and tired, and I wanted to be with you hours ago.”
For the first time since I screamed, he smiles and leans over. He presses his lips to mine, and his beard tickles my chin.
“That I can fix,” he grins, pulling away and opens his door.
He rounds the car and opens my door, holding his hand out, I take it and he leads me into the cabin.
The place is a lot cleaner, less dusty, since we started coming here and I don’t feel the need to sneeze all the time.
I drop my car keys on the side unit as Leo locks up behind us and I don’t bother going anywhere but upstairs.
I hear his footsteps behind me and then I’m flying through the air when my foot hits the top step.
I end up having the perfect view of his ass until he walks us into the bedroom we’ve been using and throws me down on the bed.
“So you know, I was watching you all night. It doesn’t matter who is around me, all I see is you.”
And like that, I fall a lot fucking harder.
Leo
Tonight is for Oak. I don’t have any memories of the guy, he died when I was a year old or something. Well, he was taken and murdered. Every year on this night, the club comes together, drinks too much, talks about the old days and mom sheds tears she doesn’t normally show to anyone outside of our house when thinking of the guy. Luca’s middle name is after him, Luca John Jackson.
I wait outside as brothers start rolling in and wait for India. She had to work at the store again today, so I haven’t seen her since last night.
“Leoooooo,” Mason hollers as he and Myles head my way, both in prospects cuts. Pope must’ve got his way. They have their granddaddies size and muscle and together they are a force to be reckoned with. Tonight, their hair is spiked, and they have their lets-fuck-shit-up faces on. Being identical, it’s mind fucking when they play their tricks on you.
“What’s up boys?”
“We’ve been wondering where you’ve been lately?” Myles says, jumping on the bench and sits on the back.
“I’ve been around,” I say.
“You’re coming to our party tonight, right? After your dad’s speech, of course. We’re celebrating getting the patch, Grumps got us in with your dad,” Myles says. Grumps is what they call Pope instead of Grandpa.
When the twins throw a party, they throw a fucking party. They are young but there’s always trouble, there’s always something that ends up broken and there are always girls crying over the fuckers after they’ve used and abused them. Their parties are crazy just like them. It means Ricky and Kyla must be staying at Pope’s tonight otherwise the party wouldn’t be happening.
“Not tonight, boys. I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”
At that moment, Slade rides through the gates shortly followed by Zach. Kristen drives through in her car, but I don’t see India with her. She said she was coming with her mom, I was going to take her to the cabin on the back of my bike. It would’ve been the first time she’s been with me on my bike and I was looking forward to it.
Before I can pull out my phone to message her, she drives through in her own car. I want to go over and open her door for her, help her out and throw my arm around her and walk into the bar. But I can’t.
Tonight is not the night for Slade to find out I’m fucking his daughter. The old timers are crazy touchy about Oak and it wouldn’t be wise to provoke Slade, it would be like antagonising a wolf during a full moon, if that shit was real.
JJ is still the only one who knows about us, it’s been over a month since she agreed to give me the summer and I’m surprised JJ has actually kept his mouth shut.
She parks up and walks into the bar with her mom and her dad. Zach lingers near his bike alone.
Holding my fist out, the twins each bump their fists to mine and I disappear inside, expecting to see India with Slade and Kristen. She’s not, she’s up the bar. I edge up
beside her, thanking the lord it’s busy in here tonight and she shudders at my touch.
“Hey beautiful,” I whisper.
“Shhh, someone might hear you.”
Like I give a fuck.
“Can you still meet me the cabin later?”
It’s starting to become a problem being away from her. It’s been twenty-four hours and it feels like a year.
“My dad is getting suspicious, he keeps asking why my friends don’t come around anymore. I think he’s close to tracking my phone to see where I’m going.”
Fuck and fuck Slade.
“Tomorrow?”
“I’ll try,” she promises.
“Be sure you do,” I grunt, unable to hide my disappointment.
I lean over the bar and nab a bottle of beer, fuck waiting for a prospect and fuck tonight.
The twins are now sat with JJ and Zach arrives at the table at the same time as I do. I pull out a chair too roughly and slam it down in place and take a seat. JJ raises his eyebrow and I ignore him.
I smell her perfume before I see her strut by with her drink and sit beside Luca at the old timers table. My brother is still in the shit house with dad and it’s going to take many more months till he will forget. Jealousy hits me, and I drain my beer. I shouldn’t be jealous because she is next to my brother but I am.
“Hey, JJ, where’s Leo gotta be tonight that he has to miss our party?” Myles asks, the nosey fucker.
My pocket vibrates, and I pull it out to see I have a message from India.
‘Are you angry with me?’
“He’s probably meeting up with his girl,” JJ answers as I ignore them all and reply to India.
‘No. I don’t like not seeing you.’
I look up and watch her read my answer and she looks relieved.
“I’m thinking we should invite India, have you seen her lately?” Mason says, gaining my attention.
“Ever since her birthday, her tops are getting tighter and her skirts shorter. I’m surprised Slade hasn’t locked her away,” Myles pipes in.
My hands curl into fists and my heart beats too furiously to calm down.