Kenzie
Watching the way Cole was with Jeremy when he arrived filled me with hope and dread. He seemed to be completely taken with the man who lived next door, and while it was wonderful, because there was no denying I was too, it scared the hell out of me. The last thing I needed was for Jeremy to back away, to realise it wasn’t what he wanted. Or that I didn’t live up to his expectations. It wasn’t my heart I was worried about. It was Cole’s.
Cole climbed off my lap and asked for a drink. “Sure. Let’s go.” I stood and grabbed his hand, and looking over at the deck, I smiled at Jack. He shot me a wink and waved at Cole. I didn’t know how long he’d been standing there, but it looked as though he was waiting for Indie to notice him.
As we approached, he crouched down on his knees and opened his arms for Cole, who ran straight into them and gave him a hug.
“You’ve grown, my man.” Jack gave Cole a high five then rose to his feet and pulled me in for a hug with a whistle. “You look smokin’.” He slapped my ass as he released me from his arms.
I didn’t miss the glare Jeremy was giving him behind his back and had to hide my smile.
“Good to see you.” I reached up, and my fingers combed through his hair. “I like the blond. It suits you.”
“That’s what all the boys say.” He laughed.
“Come on, Mumma. I’m thirsty.” Cole tugged on my hand, and I smiled apologetically at Jack before walking over to the cooler at Jeremy’s feet.
“What was that about?” He glared at Jack, who was still waiting for Indie to notice him, but she was too wrapped up in her conversation with Bailey and trying to make Audrey feel comfortable to notice.
“What?” I stared at him with wide eyes.
“Don’t play dumb. I saw him grab your ass.” He reached out and pulled me closer.
I smiled and placed a hand on his chest—his very firm chest. “Jealousy looks good on you,” I said then went and helped Cole get a drink.
“Hey, baby cakes!” Jack called across the back yard, obviously sick of waiting.
Indie immediately stopped talking and looked across the pool. She jumped to her feet. “Oh, my god.” She squealed and ran around the pool and in the direction of Jack.
And ever the theatre major, Jack ran toward her with his arms spread wide, in slow exaggerated steps, like in those romantic scenes in the movies when the hero saw the love of his life, and everything became slow motion as they ran across the beach and jumped into each other’s arms.
Yeah, just like that.
“Umm…” Jeremy rubbed a hand over his neck, his eyes bugging out of his head as Jack dipped Indie and kissed her.
“Dammit, Jack!” Linc growled and shouldered past me and Jeremy, taking long, purposeful strides toward Jack, who still had Indie wrapped in his arms. Nate and Harper tried to hide their smiles. Bailey giggled into her glass, and Ryder cursed and shook his head.
“Idiot,” he muttered from across the deck.
“That’s Jack?” Jeremy raised an eyebrow.
“The one and only.” I laughed as Linc pulled Jack away from Indie, who was trying not to laugh because she knew how harmless it was but how much it drove Linc crazy.
“And this is normal behaviour for him?”
“To kiss another guy’s fiancée after groping your best mate’s sister?”
Jeremy nodded with a frown.
“Pretty normal.”
Jeremy’s eyes widened, and he gulped down the rest of his beer before reaching into the cooler and grabbing another one. “What the hell?”
How did I explain Jack to someone? There just weren’t the right words for it. “He’s all kinds of inappropriate, but he’s harmless.”
“He just kissed another guy’s chick. If I was Linc, I’d be furious.”
“I saw the daggers you glared into his back when he grabbed my ass.”
“Yeah, and that wasn’t even a kiss. He’d be a dead man if he kissed you in front of me.”
“You never have to worry about that.”
“You sure? Linc seems to need to take it more seriously.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s a running joke, but it means nothing to Indie or Jack. They’re best friends, and Jack is gay,” I said.
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“It does. Seven months ago, we all flew to Fiji because the Kellermans wanted to renew their wedding vows. Indie had been hopelessly in love with Lincoln her entire life, and Jack, being the best friend he is, decided to have fun with it and help Indie get her man. Long story short, Jack kissed Indie every chance he got to make Linc jealous and step up.”
“Right? So, obviously, it worked. But he still kisses her now?”
“Because he’s an idiot and thinks it’s funny,” Ryder called out.
“There’s plenty to go around,” Jack called back.
“Besides, Bailey is the one who needs to watch out.”
“Why?”
“Because Jack is love with my brother,” I said, knowing Ryder was still listening.
“He is?” Jeremy smirked.
“He. Is. Not,” Ryder grounded out through clenched teeth.
“Nah, I don’t know. I just like annoying Ryder with it. And so does Jack.”
“That explains the nice ass comment earlier.”
“Oh, yeah, he loves Ryder’s ass.” I laughed.
Jeremy shook his head in shock. Jack was a lot to take in and took a while to get used to, but he was a great guy. He’d do anything for anyone.
We spent the rest of the night hanging around outside. Mr. K cooked a barbeque, and Ryder, being Ryder, took over the grill for him. Audrey was silent and kept to herself. Not even Jack was able to get her to smile. I felt terrible for the girl. She was incredibly shy, and there was absolutely no judgment from any of us.
Brody didn’t show up until much later because he had to work. The tension between him and Nate was as strong as ever. It was only when Brody sat at the other end of the yard with Audrey that I saw her smile and talk a little.
“What’s new, doll face?” Jack sidled up to me later in the evening.
“Like you don’t already know?”
“True. Now, tell me all about that.” He pointed at Jeremy, who was deep in conversation with Ryder.
“We’re just hanging out.” I shrugged, trying to play it cool. I wasn’t ready to admit that as crazy as it sounded, after just a couple of weeks, I was falling for the guy, and it seemed my son was too.
“Yeah,” Jack scoffed, “and Chace is just misunderstood.”
“Speaking of, I want to ask you something.”
“I know nothing.” Jack held his hands up in front of him.
“What happened that night Ryder got arrested?”
Jack paled and snapped his mouth shut. That was saying something. The dude never stopped talking.
“Please, Jack.”
He sighed, grabbed my hand, and pulled me inside. I glanced at Jeremy, whose eyes narrowed on Jack’s hand, and shook my head. Jack dragged me into the living room and instantly began pacing.
“Don’t make me talk about it.” He shook his head over and over.
“I don’t want details, I just need to know more. Chace won’t back off. He’s watching me. I need to know how much I should fear the guy.”
“Fear him. Sleep with a baseball bat. Or better yet, that Adonis out there. I bet he’d be a real weapon.” Jack fanned his face and swooned.
“Jack?”
“Sorry. Okay.” He took a deep breath and sat beside me. “Short story. Chace became obsessed with trying to get Bailey back. Practically stalked her too.”
My stomach dropped, and my heart thudded in my chest.
“Changed classes to be near her, hung around her work, outside her building. Anyway, Ryder was working one night, and I went to see if Bailey wanted to get some dinner. Knocked on her door but didn’t get an answer, but I heard a crash and something break, so I unlocked the door and let myself in.”
“How?”
“I had a key cut,” he said, like it was the most normal thing in the world to have a key cut to your roommate’s girlfriend’s room. I raised an eyebrow. “Indie gave it to me for when Ryder kicked me out of my room so he and Bailey could have sexy time without me interrupting.” Jack pouted. “And good thing I had a key. I opened the door and…and—” He paused, swallowing hard and taking a minute to gather his thoughts.
I reached my hand across and grabbed his.
“He had her pinned down, his hand trying to…to…she was thrashing around and trying to kick him off, couldn’t scream because he had a hand over her mouth. I saw red. I don’t really know what happened next. I pulled the pig away. Hit him a few times too. Scooped Bailey into my arms and carried her back to my and Ryder’s room. Called him and Indie and cried with Bailey until they showed up. And the rest, I guess you can figure out for yourself.”
Yeah, it didn’t take a scientist to work out what happened next. My brother took one look at Bailey, realised she was okay and safe with Jack and Indie, then he hunted Chace down and tried to beat him to death.
“Who stopped Ryder from killing Chace?”
“Me,” he whispered, his voice catching at the end. “It took me a while to track them down, and I got there in time. Got a pretty nasty black eye and busted lip from it too. Campus security showed up, police were called. And, yeah, that’s basically it.”
“Thank god you were there.” It was all I could say.
Jack nodded, and we sat there, holding hands, not saying a word as I let it all sink in. Jack was right. I needed to fear Chace. I needed to sleep with a baseball bat, or a knife under my pillow, and I couldn’t bring Cole home until it was safe.
“Right. I need a drink. And you could use one too, sweet cheeks.” Jack jumped up and pulled me with him.
As the night wore on and Cole got more tired, I took him back to Ryder’s place with Jeremy. I wanted to give it a couple more days until I knew uni had well and truly started back before I brought Cole home, just in case Chace showed up again. Though I was hopeful he got the picture and finally skipped town after Jeremy had threatened him. But after what Jack had told me, I was just kidding myself.
Cole fell asleep in the car on the way home, and Jeremy carried him inside for me and placed him in his bed before shutting the door quietly behind him and tiptoeing back down the hall.
“He likes you,” I said softly.
“Well, you can tell him the feeling’s mutual.”
We sat on the sofa in the living room and switched on the TV, putting it on low while we waited for Ryder and Bailey to get home. I didn’t want them to miss Indie’s birthday because they were looking after Cole for me, so I made them stay and told them to take their time. It was kind of nice to just relax there without worrying whether Chace would knock on the door and harass me again, or worse. Because now the fear had well and truly set in.
Jeremy put a movie on, and I kicked off my heels, flexing my toes after them being cramped into the narrow shoes. Jeremy lifted my feet into his lap, and I tried to pull them away, but he was stronger than I was and began kneading the balls of my feet. I moaned, and he pressed harder, relieving the tension and helping me relax further.
“You keep making those noises, we’re gonna have a problem.” He cursed, sliding his hand up my ankle and around my calf, massaging my tired muscles. I was tense all over. Whether that was from stress or a reaction to Jeremy’s hands on my body, I wasn’t sure, but I knew I didn’t want him to stop.
Headlights shone through the front windows, and I groaned as I heard two car doors shut and footsteps on the path outside. Kicking my legs off Jeremy, I had just straightened and made myself look presentable on the opposite side of the sofa when Bailey and Ryder walked through the door.
“Oh, look, Jones, they’re trying to pretend nothing is going on by leaving a ridiculous amount of space between them.” Bailey laughed.
“The space isn’t that big,” I argued.
“Nate and Brody sat closer together tonight, and they had an entire pool between them, Kenz.” Ryder kicked off his shoes and threw himself down on the sofa between me and Jeremy.
I shoved him in the shoulder and stood with a yawn. “Yeah, I bet you’re tired.”
“Tell Cole I love him, and I’ll see him tomorrow afternoon.” I picked up my shoes and spoke to Jeremy. “Ready?”
“Ah, yeah.” He said goodbye to Ryder and Bailey and followed me out.
“Don’t forget what I said, man,” Ryder called to Jeremy through the open door.
“Don’t worry about it.” Jeremy opened my door for me.
“What was that about?” I asked when Jeremy climbed in beside me and started the car.
“You.”
“Me? He gave you the talk, didn’t he?” I dropped my head into my hands in embarrassment. The fact Ryder tried to intimidate Jeremy, a guy who was not only four years older, but spent eight years in prison, was almost laughable.
“He did. I respect that. Should have heard what I said to Nate when I found out about him and Harper.”
“Ryder didn’t scare you off? We’ve only been hanging out a couple weeks.”
“I don’t scare easily. And we’ve hung out more than just a couple weeks. I’ve been in town for almost two months now, and you were always at the roadhouse.”
“True, but I guess I didn’t count that since that was always with Harper.”
“Ah, so, you mean dating?” He pulled the car to the curb in front of our apartment building.
“What? No. I, umm…”
“Do you want to go on a date with me, babe?” Jeremy turned in his seat. His eyes darkened, and he pinched his bottom lip between his fingers as he studied me in the glow of the streetlight.
“Depends.” I leaned in closer until we were almost face to face. His scent drove me crazy. I wanted to bathe in it.
“On what?”
“Where you’d take me, Casanova.”
“Anywhere you want.”
“Good answer.”
Jeremy opened the door and climbed out, and before I could pick up my bag, he was opening my door and holding his hand out to help me.
“And they say chivalry is dead.”
Jeremy scoffed. “They’re idiots. How else am I going to get you out of those pants?”
We walked inside and up the stairs in silence. It wasn’t even a date, and the butterflies in my stomach were going crazy. My palms were slick with sweat, and I discreetly tried to wipe them on my dress. Would he try to kiss me? Did I want him to?
I snorted.
Of course, I did.
“What’s so funny?”
“Umm…you don’t want to know,” I said, pausing at my door and picking at my midnight blue nail polish.
“Well, now I really do.” He grabbed my hands and brought them to his chest.
“Fine.” I licked my lips. “Just running through different scenarios in my head. Wondering whether you’d kiss me good night, or whether I’d want you to.”
Jeremy leaned in, his hips pressing into mine and his arms braced on the door beside my head. He was intoxicating. “And do you want me to?”
“A lady never divulges her secrets.” If I tilted my head just a fraction, we’d be kissing, but I didn’t. I wanted him to make the first move.
“I can play hard to get too.” He kissed my cheek and stepped back. My eyes widened in shock. That was not how I imagined that moment going, but Jeremy looked all too pleased with his restraint.
“Good night, babe.” He folded his arms behind his back and walked the few feet to his apartment.
“’Night,” I mumbled and shoved my key in the lock. Jeremy chuckled and blew me a kiss. I flipped him off. Him and his stupid handsome face.
Opening the door to my apartment, I fumbled for the light switch and flicked it on. A scream erupted, and I jumped back. My heart was in my throat, hands trembling.
“Kenzie!” Jeremy called and ran straight for me. His arms supported my weight as my legs gave way and I collapsed against his chest. It couldn’t be. How was it even possible? “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”
I couldn’t even get the words out.
“Hello, Kenzie.” Chace smiled from his position on my sofa. “Thought we could have a chat.”
“What the fuck?” Jeremy whipped around to see Chace, calm as could be, sitting cross-legged in my living room, his fingers steepled and his chin resting atop them. Jeremy pushed me gently into the wall across the hall, and then he charged into my apartment.
He grabbed Chace by the scruff of his shirt, lifted him out of his seat, and threw him over the back of the sofa. I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand, impressed at his sheer, masculine strength. He had Chace pinned to the ground and punched him in the face.
“How did you get in here?” he hissed, but Chace just smiled and laughed.
Jeremy punched him again and repeated the question. And again, Chace just laughed, spitting blood and taunting Jeremy even more.
I crept into the room and watched as Jeremy pounded Chace over and over until I couldn’t take it anymore. “How the hell did you get into my apartment, Chace?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know, babe?” He seethed. “You sure move fast, don’t you? Spread your legs for anyone who smiles in your direction. Don’t know why I’m wasting my time. The kid probably isn’t even mine, anyway.”
Jeremy punched him again, and the sound of a bone cracking echoed around the apartment. I sighed. Who’d have thought the sounds of bones breaking would be so satisfying? I approached them cautiously, watching Chace’s deranged smile. He was enjoying every moment. Lifting my foot, I brought it down over his neck.
The thing I usually hated about stilettos was the one thing I was grateful for right then. They got stuck in small spaces all the time. I pressed my heel down, the spike of the stiletto digging into the base of Chace’s throat, in the hollow spot between the collarbones.
He gasped and coughed. He tried to push my leg away, but Jeremy shifted and pinned his arms down as well. I wasn’t sure how much pressure I could put on his neck before I cut off the air, but I was willing to find out. Happily. With a smile.
“How did you get into my apartment?” I asked in a sickly-sweet voice.
Chace coughed and wheezed. I guessed I was beginning to cut off his oxygen. I smiled again. Good.
“You have no idea who owns this building, do you?” He laughed bitterly.
“What?”
Chace nodded as realisation dawned on me. “This is my parents’ building. They bought it years ago, before you and your brother had them run out of town.”
It wasn’t possible. The guy who looked after the building wasn’t Chace’s dad. He was old. Like, really old, and didn’t have a clue what he was doing.
“No.” I wouldn’t believe it.
“Yes. How else do you think I got a key? It really wasn’t that hard either.”
No. No. No. If he had access to the building whenever he wanted, Cole and I’d never be safe. But it all made sense. That was how he knew where I lived. How he found me so easily.
“You stole the key?”
“More like borrowed, but Jenkins wouldn’t have a clue what I was using it for. I told him I needed the master set to do some maintenance. The old fool thought I was here to fix the water heater.”
“What do you want?” I whispered.
“To talk about my son.”
“You think I’m going to let you see Cole after you’ve been stalking me and broke into my apartment?”
“Technically, it wasn’t a break-in.”
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“You didn’t leave me a choice,” he yelled and struggled against Jeremy’s hold until I lost my balance and stumbled into the back of the sofa.
“You’re absolutely insane. Why would I let my son anywhere near you when you’ve never once tried to reach out or contact him until now? You don’t want a kid. You never did, and you’re sure as hell not stable enough to be a father. Now, get out of my apartment before I call the cops.” I kicked him once for good measure and crossed the room, wanting as much distance between us as possible.
Jeremy stood and pulled Chace to his feet, twisting his arm behind his back and shoving him out the door.
“I’ll be back. You can’t get rid of me that easily. I see everything, Kenzie.”
“You pack a fucking bag. Now,” Jeremy said to me and then pushed Chace down the hallway.
I didn’t need to be told twice.