Loving War (26 page)

“Kode, Dane asked me to marry him after dating me for a very short period of time. And I said yes. If we had gotten together when we were eighteen, we would have gotten married just as fast as we are now. We would have probably gotten divorced just as quickly and destroyed our futures before our lives even really began.”

My eyes come up to meet hers, and she smiles sadly at me.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that Dane and I ignored each other for six years because of one miscommunication. We were just too damn young for what we were feeling. As much as it pains me to admit this, you may have done us a favor.”

Guilt spikes my blood, and I shake my head. “Don’t do that. Don’t justify my actions.”

“Oh, I’m not. Believe me, it’s not that easy, Kode. I’m still royally pissed at you for what you did and for keeping it a secret. Doesn’t mean I had the right to dump the shit on you that I did.”

I move my eyes to meet hers, and I smile. I prefer it when people don’t sugar coat shit.

“Thanks for that. But I still feel like it’s my fault you didn’t have any kids.”

Another tear falls from her eyes, and she pulls out a picture that she holds with the back facing me. “Kode, if I had been able to have kids, then I might not have ever gotten this chance, because I would have been too busy to consider this.”

She hands me a picture of a small girl, and I study it with confusion. Sad blue eyes stare into mine with loneliness and longing. Her lips are turned down in a frown that looks too permanent on her face.

“Who is this?”

Rain sniffles and laughs while wiping her eyes as more tears fall. “This is Carrie. She’s five, and she’s currently in foster care. Her mother died of a drug overdose; her father died in a drive-by shooting; and she has no other relatives. Despite all that, no one will adopt her because she has a hole in her heart. In her case, it’s not a life-threatening thing, as long as she is cared for properly. Dane and your mother are in Louisiana right now, doing all they can to expedite the entire adoption process.”

My eyes go wide in shock. Hell, Dane didn’t even tell me he was leaving the state.

“Rain, that’s incredible.”

She hugs me, and I wince when I think of the Noles sister I want to be hugging. As she draws back, she wipes her eyes again.

“I know. Most people don’t want a child that has any medical condition. This was a sign, Kode. She was made for us. Elizabeth had a friend call her and tell her about Carrie’s situation. She told Dane, and from there, everything went into action quickly. Dane and I fell in love with her after meeting her on Tuesday. We had already decided we were adopting her, but I just had to meet her. I flew back that night, but Dane stayed in Louisiana with Elizabeth.”

I look over the picture again, sitting back and staring at my future niece. It’s amazing, really.

“Go to Tria, Kode. Don’t waste six years making stupid excuses.”

Her comment draws my eyes up, and I see her tight expression as I breathe out heavily.

“I’m fighting for her, Rain. I really am. I’m just trying not to push too hard too soon. My biggest fear is losing her forever.”

She stands and stares down at me. “The longer you wait, the more convinced she’s going to be that you’re not in love with her. So go. Before she builds a wall around herself that you won’t be able to penetrate a second time. She’s in a lot of pain right now. I’m fairly positive she’ll never allow herself to go through this again if you wait too long.”

Cursing, I close my eyes and search for answers inside my scrambled mind.

“And, Kode?” Rain says, her voice a little sadder again.

I open my eyes, staring expectantly, and Rain continues. “Give her back Edward’s letter. She needs the closure whether she realizes it or not. I know I didn’t demonstrate it very well, but I’m glad I read it. It’s done now. As long as that letter is out there, she won’t ever have the closure she needs.”

With that, she walks out, and I curse again while heading toward the bathroom. I don’t know what the hell I’m going to say. This had so better not backfire on me, because I don’t want her thinking I’m just like Pete.

The letter her father left is staring at me when I open the box I hid under the bathroom counter. Rain has never steered me wrong before, but I can’t force her to read it. Tria can decide on her own what to do.

After taking a deep breath, steeling myself with the resolve, I grab my razor and prepare to dull a few blades.

It takes me longer than it ever has to get ready, considering I can’t go to see her looking my absolute worst. And after getting showered, shaved, and dressed, I finally grab my keys and head over to her house.

My hands are practically shaking by the time I reach her home, and I give myself a minute or two to rehearse what I might say. Her garage is closed, so I can’t tell if she’s at home or not.

After finally digging up my balls, I make my way to the door. I knock, but hear nothing. So I knock harder. Finally, the door swings open, but it sure as fuck isn’t Tria looking back at me.

A fucking beast of a man is standing at the door in nothing but his boxers, looking as though he just woke him up from a nap. It’s the middle of the damn day.

His shoulders are broad enough to put him in a linebacker position. And the muscles are rippling all over like he lives in the gym. And he obviously doesn’t give a damn who sees him in nothing but his underwear.

“Can I help you?” he asks, seeming bored or tired. Not sure which. And I really don’t care. My blood is boiling.

“Who the fuck are you?” I growl.

The dude cocks his eyebrows at me, and he tilts his head, studying me as though he’s trying to place my face.

“You’re Kode, aren’t you?” he finally asks.

I nod slowly, still trying to figure out what this dick is doing in her house, wearing nothing but his damn boxers. And how does he know who I am?

“My name is Leo. I’m Tria’s business partner.”

Son of a motherfucking bitch. Hell no. This is sure as shit not how I pictured him. He’s supposed to be old, short, bald, ugly as fuck, and nerdy as hell. He is
not
supposed to look like
this
.

“You always answer the door in your boxers?” I snarl.

He snickers as though something is funny. There isn’t a damn thing funny right now.

“I’m staying with Tria for a while. Come on in. She’s in the shower. I need to head to town anyway, and you need to straighten this shit out between the two of you so that she doesn’t keep crying herself to sleep.”

She’s crying herself to sleep?

I visibly relax, and my angry snarl slowly starts to simmer down. He seems a little too amused as he walks down the hall, and I move to drop down on her sofa. My palms are sweating like I’m a kid going out on his first date. Christ. I hope this isn’t a bad idea.

Chapter 26

TRIA

“Hey,” Leo’s deep voice says into the bathroom.

I move my head out from under the water, and peek through the crack I make in the doors. “Yeah?”

He steps in, his body clad in his date-night attire instead of his couch-potato or work clothes.

“I’m going to go meet that guy you set me up with. He’d better be as hot as you say.”

I smile while nodding. “Jamie is definitely the catch of a lifetime, because he’s sexy and nice. Trust me. You look good. Don’t worry about coming in late. I sleep hard.”

He frowns as he leans a hip against the counter. “You don’t sleep at all. It’s starting to worry me.”

Leo and I have had a mostly professional relationship until he needed a place to stay. Now he has taken on a worried brother role. It’s not something I’m used to, and though I appreciate it, it’s not something I need right now.

“I’ll be fine. Just a bad breakup. Go on your date. Jamie is hot. Women and men all over will be pissed at you.”

He grins that full-teeth smile, and he nods. “You sure he wants to do this?”

“Positive,” I promise for the fifteenth time. Leo is more insecure than I am.

“Alright. Have fun. I’ll see you when I see you,” he says in that deep rumble of his.

He winks at me, and I return to rinsing my hair under the water, listening as the door clicks shut behind him. It’ll probably suck to see Leo wrapped around someone when I’m still pining after Kode, but he needs a good guy. He has dedicated his time to school and work, and now it’s time for him to have a life.

When I get out of the shower, I grab my towel and lift my eyebrow. Where did my clothes go? I wore clothes in here, and I hung up new clothes to put on when I was dry. But they’re all missing.

Leo. Why the hell would he do that?

Wrapping up in the towel, I head toward the living room, curious as to if he’s gone yet or not. But my feet tangle and I almost fall when I see the long body slowly lifting into a standing position from my sofa.

Kode Sterling is here. The man I’ve avoided all week is in my living room, looking like he just stepped out of a photo shoot for the world’s sexiest men, and he’s licking his lips as he takes long, slow strides toward me.

“Tria.” He says my name in a deep voice that sounds like it’s wrapped in velvet, and I shiver. Yes. I’m so damn weak, that just my name from his lips has me ready to drop into a puddle.

“What… When… Um…”

He smiles when I stammer and find myself unable to speak. His sexy blonde hair is in its usual messy style that has me wanting to put my fingers through it before pulling him against me.

“Your roommate let me in,” he says softly. “I didn’t come to scare you or to make you uneasy.” His eyes drop to the towel again, and he shifts as though he’s trying to hold himself back. “But I wanted to come talk to you since you won’t take my calls.”

My body sways to the music of his voice. It’s amazing how a week without it has made me even weaker instead of stronger.

“I can’t… I’m sorry. I’ve said all I could,” I murmur while dropping my eyes from his silver gaze. It’s just too damn hard to look at him.

A warm hand cups my chin, and my breaths stop as he tilts my face up so that our eyes meet again. That smirk on his face looks better than his sad eyes.

“I haven’t said all I could. I’m in love with you, Tria. I wish I had said that sooner, but there never seemed to be the perfect time.”

My heart breaks, and my tears start falling like he controls my body. I try to back up, but he goes with me, moving me until I’m backed against the wall with nothing but a few inches and my towel barring his hands from my body.

But he doesn’t touch me anywhere but on my chin that he’s still holding. Instead, he leans down and puts his face close with mine—so close his breath bathes my lips. Like a hungry fool, I soak in the closeness without letting him see it.

“And I’m going to prove it. You’ll come back to me, Tria. Or I’ll keep chasing you for the rest of my life.”

That has my eyes snapping wide, but before I can say anything, he’s kissing me. It takes a minute for my mind to decide if I’m dreaming or if it’s real, and when I realize this is definitely real, he’s pulling away.

“I’ll see you soon.”

He winks at me before turning and heading for the door, and I sink to the floor as the door shuts behind him. My fingers slide up to my lips, and then my tongue runs along my bottom lip that he had pulled into his mouth.

Thank God I brushed my teeth today. And showered.

Scrambling to get up, I grab my phone, and I send a quick text to Leo, cursing him for not giving me any warning and for stealing my clothes. He sends one back almost immediately.

Leo:
You should be fucking him instead of texting me. You sure he’s not gay? I can take a go at him to be sure.

I roll my eyes, but a text on my phone draws my attention. It’s Rain asking me to come to Maverick’s house tonight. A party.

Five minutes ago, I wouldn’t have been ready for a party, but now I want to risk running into Kode again.

Yeah. I’m pathetic.

My eyes trail over to the bar, and I see the familiar envelope setting there. With a trembling hand, I pick it up and hold it. Rain went crazy when she read the words our father spoke from the grave.

Why did Kode bring this? I’m not ready to read it yet. Then again, I did break up with him, so maybe he doesn’t feel comfortable holding it.

With a sigh, I shove it into the kitchen drawer—one I never use—and shake my head while staring at nothing. I don’t have the strength to be broken again right now, especially at the hands of my dead father.

***

TRIA

“I can’t believe you really came,” Rain says, beaming as she makes her way toward me.

The bomb she dropped on me earlier shocked me, but I’m so damn happy for her and Dane.

“I’m here. How’s Dane doing with Carrie?”

She grins bigger. “He and Elizabeth are a force. We’ll have Carrie living with us by next weekend. Elizabeth knows everyone who is anyone, and Dane has the money to get this rushed. He wants to be the savior for Carrie that Elizabeth was for him. It’s really so amazing.”

“I think so, too,” Britt—Dane’s sister—says as she joins us.

Her long red locks are a little wild tonight. I smile down at her Wonder Woman shirt and tilt my head.

“You look… different.”

She smiles and nods. “I found Comic Con. Dane took me. It’s so awesome, and he bought me a ton of comic books that have female superheroes.”

The delight in her voice is so new. Normally she’s so robotic. Now she’s standing here looking like the cutest, happiest girl she can be.

“And he bought her every article of clothing that had her favorite heroines on it,” a familiar voice says from close behind me, seconds before a hard body is flush against my back.

I go stiff immediately, and Rain bites back a grin. I came here because of Kode, but now that he’s so close, I’m freaking the hell out.

“Hey, Britt, Rain.” They both greet him as he leans down to my ear, and in an entirely different, deeper, and sexier tone, he gets against my ear and says, “Tria. You look incredible.”

Breathing… How do I breathe? The air goes where?

I don’t move—mostly because I can’t—and Kode continues talking to Britt who is animatedly recapping the Comic Con experience. His body stays pressed closely to mine until I don’t have the strength to endure it anymore.

“I need a drink,” I say while quickly walking away.

Rain jogs to catch up with me, and she loops her arm through mine. Her cheeky grin doesn’t go with the angry snarl she had a week ago.

“Kode is completely sober and all over you. I love it,” she sighs.

I love it and hate it. I suppose that statement is a testament to our entire relationship.

I don’t bother commenting, and I fight hard to not look in Kode’s direction. The last time we were at a party, he spent the night trying to make me jealous. If he resorts to those tactics, I’ll have to leave. I’m not ready to see something like that.

I should have stayed home.

After tossing back a few drinks, my eyes finally do the unthinkable and shift toward the man I love. To my surprise, his eyes are burning against mine, and he winks at me, causing my stupid heart to do painful things.

“Tria,” Raya says, drawing my attention.

Rain and I both turn to face her, and I look around to see if Kade is anywhere around.

“No Kade?” Rain asks, frowning.

Raya shrugs, trying not to express anything. “He’s still at the vineyard.”

“Is he okay?” I ask.

“He’s… Well, I hope he will be okay. This has been rough for him. He loved Thomas so much.”

She fidgets as though she feels uncomfortable with this topic, so Rain shifts it, telling Raya about Carrie. The way Rain’s face lights up when she talks… I’ve never been so happy for her. Maybe sometimes there’s something good at the end of a major fuck-up.

The party has grown, and now there are twice as many women as there are men.

“You can tell this is Maverick’s party,” Raya remarks dryly, taking in all the sexy, flashy women Sterling Shore has to offer.

The men here seem to be enjoying themselves. Considering the fact I have no control over my urges, I turn to look at Kode. He’s talking to Corbin, not paying any attention to the girl who is touching him.

I grimace when I see her press against him, but then he says something to her I can’t hear, and she gasps before stomping away angrily. Corbin doubles over in laughter, and a small smile graces my lips.

Ash Masters walks up, forcing me to peel my eyes away from Kode as Tag joins him. But before my eyes fully escape, he catches me looking, and he winks at me before giving me that smile that he only ever gives me.

Swallowing hard, I devote all my attention to Ash with strained focus.

“You seem to be the talk of the night,” she drawls, grinning like she has a secret.

I look at Rain and Raya, but they’re both looking at me, too.

“Me?” I squeak, quickly clearing my throat from the embarrassing sound.

Ash snickers while nodding. “Apparently Kode is telling every girl in here that he’s not on the market because he’s in love with you. You don’t even want to know what he’s telling the few girls that don’t take the hint.”

My heart leaps into my throat, and I might possibly stagger a little. Raya steadies me, her eyes brighter now that she has something else to focus on other than Kade’s dark period.

“Oh,” Ash adds, her grin only growing, “and he’s telling the guys here that if they like their faces where they’re at, then they’d better not even look at you.”

Ah, hell. I’m smiling. I’m smiling like a damn fool.

“Well I’ll be damned,” Raya says while crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re in love with him, too.”

That destroys my smile, and Rain’s eyes lose their momentary excitement.

“What’s wrong?” Ash asks, her eyes shifting from me to Rain. “Why do you look like someone just kicked you in the stomach?”

Forcing a smile that I don’t feel, I shrug. “Because I love him. Too much. Which is why I’m not willing to put my heart through a grinder again. He only thinks he loves me because he can’t have the girl he really wants.”

Rain curses while running a hand through her hair, and she begins arguing. She just doesn’t get it. She’d understand completely if Dane had been in love with me for eleven years before finally noticing she even existed.

***

KODE

“So you’ve talked to her?” Tag asks, still reeling over the fact that I’m confessing my love for Tria to anyone here that will listen.

Yeah, I’m making a bitch out of myself, but I’m determined to prove to Tria that she’s the one. The only one.

“Went to her house today,” I say, letting my eyes once again trail over to my girl. She’s frowning. Why does she look upset? Hell, why does everyone around her look so damn sad?

Resisting the overwhelming urge to go to her, I swallow back the disappointment. I was sure she’d be happier once she started hearing what was circulating tonight.

“And?” Tag prompts.

Reluctantly, I stop trying to read lips and return my attention to talk to Tag.

“And her fucking business partner opened the door in his boxers. She was in the shower, and he went in there. I had to get out of there before I punched a hole through the wall. I wanted to beat the fuck out of him, but I knew that would only piss Tria off, and I’m trying to get her back. So I played it cool, and left her in a way that would only inspire the right thoughts.”

Tag smirks. I hate that jackass smirk.

“You forgot to mention that part,” Corbin says, his eyebrow raising. “Were they—”