Dare to Kiss (The Maxwell Series Book 1) (25 page)

“We’re here.” Kade pushed a button, hanging up on Kelton.

I flew out of the truck, not waiting for Kade to kill the engine. Once the cool air hit my face, I took a deep breath, trying to cleanse my system of the freaking nervous butterflies still in my stomach. As I breathed out, Kade’s arms closed around me.

“Don’t touch me.” I pushed him. Either he didn’t expect the force behind my strength or he let me push him. He shuffled backward. “Did you want to kill us or something?”

“I’m sorry.” He tried for me again.

I backed away.
Ha
! I was quicker than he was, this time.

“Lace, my brothers are my life.”

“Oh, so it’s okay to put mine in danger?” My voice edged with fury.
Calm down, girl. They’re his family. How would you react?

“I didn’t mean—”

“Look, I get that you love your brothers.” My tone was less frantic. “But you love me too, don’t you?” Doubt broke through my voice as I said the last two words.

In a blur he had me pinned against his truck. One hand in my hair, the other on my hip. “I do love you. I love the crap out of you.” He tugged on my hair as he lowered his head. “I had flashbacks to two years ago. Greg put Kody in the hospital then. I saw stars when Kelton called me tonight.” His eyes softened. His voice gentled. His hand skated up my waist to cup my cheek.

“I’m sorry. I’m a little freaked out and scared, Kade. I don’t want to see you get hurt or anyone else. I couldn’t handle it. Not after my mom and Julie.” I choked back tears. I didn’t want to imagine any images of him like the ones burned into my memory of my family.

He rested his forehead against mine. “I’m not going to do anything stupid. I promise, baby.”

I locked my arms around his neck and held on for dear life. I wanted to believe him. My intuition wouldn’t let me. Kade and Greg had a longtime hatred of one another.

He kissed my bottom lip, which was sticking out. “Let’s go see Kody.” Easing away, he held out his hand.

When my palm touched his, warm and strong, another notch in my heart opened.

We started our journey through the large, packed lot full of cars.

“Kade, what did Greg do to Kody two years ago?” I asked.

He glanced at me then out across the dimly lit parking lot. “Sullivan and a few of his buddies ganged up on Kody. They beat him until he couldn’t breathe.”

“Why? Aren’t you the one Greg hates?” I barely missed the side mirror of a white van we passed.

“Sullivan hates all of us. Our rivalry began when he and I were freshmen. We tried out for the same sports, same spots on the team. He never got selected. Things didn’t heat up until our sophomore year, when he didn’t get picked for football or baseball. My brothers did, though, as freshmen.” His voice was even, with a hint of anger leaking through.

We stopped to let a car back out of a spot, the taillights glowing red.

“Then there were four Maxwell brothers who had beat Sullivan out for spots on the team.” He looked down at me. “He went off the deep end. After school, I’d find my tires slashed or deep scratches in my truck.”

“Was it Greg?”

“Don’t know. The only thing we did know was that he beat Kody.”

We followed behind the car as the driver took off. “Did you report him or call the police?”

“We did. But his father’s a big-time lawyer in Boston. Got him off with a warning.”

The lights of the emergency room brightened the area as we approached. A car skidded to a stop in front of the portico leading into the ER. A man leapt out and slid over the hood as though he were in some action movie. Grabbing the door handle, he wrenched it open. “Come on, sweetie,” he said frantically, offering his hand to the passenger.

“Get your paw out of the way. I can walk, you moron,” the lady snarled. She pushed off the seat, and her pregnant belly lifted into view. She trembled as she clutched the doorframe.

Kade ran to her. “Here, ma’am.” He offered his hand. “Why don’t you park the car,” he said to her companion. “Lace, can you get a wheelchair?”

The man obeyed Kade, flying into the vehicle before peeling out.

“You’re so kind, young man,” the woman cooed.

Kade guided the pregnant lady under the portico toward the glass doors as she held her stomach. “Lace. Wheelchair,” Kade said again.

My feet wouldn’t move. Kade directed traffic like he had extensive experience in commanding an army. At this moment, I wanted to tackle him to the ground and kiss him until we both couldn’t breathe.

“Lace!” Kade’s voice stung me. His eyes were wide.

I ran in through automatic double doors. I found a wheelchair. “There’s a pregnant lady outside. I think she’s in labor,” I said to a male orderly in blue scrubs who was helping an old man to a chair in the waiting room.

The woman clutched Kade’s bicep as they shuffled in. Just as she moaned, the male orderly walked up and took the wheelchair from me.

“Her husband is parking the car,” Kade said to the man in blue scrubs.

Sitting, the lady blew out a few breaths. Then the orderly wheeled her away. “Thanks again, young man,” she said in between breaths.

“No problem,” he replied.

“You’re so sweet.” Now I was the one purring.

One side of his mouth curled.

“There you two are,” a familiar male voice boomed from behind me.

I turned to find Kelton coming our way, composed and self-assured.

Kade grabbed my hand. “Where is he?” Kade’s mood darkened suddenly.

“This way,” Kelton said, nodding to his right.

The three of us walked in silence down a hallway lined with empty stretchers. At an intersection we turned left. We passed the restrooms and a nurse’s station before reaching a wide wooden door with a number two painted in red on it. I didn’t recognize this part of the hospital from other day.

“Are we allowed to be here?” I asked. I didn’t know a whole lot about emergency rooms. The one I’d been in three years ago when Julie broke her ankle from cheering wouldn’t allow more than two family members to go in with her. Then again, I was just here two days ago, and they let Kade, Kelton and Kross in my room, although the nurse did tell them to leave.

“I cleared it with the nurse,” Kelton said. Then he looked at Kade. “Before you go in there,” Kelton warned, “I called Buster.” His gaze was fixed on Kade.

“Why?” Kade’s eyes narrowed.

“Did you want me to call Dad?” Kelton shoved his unruly hair from his forehead. “The cops showed up. I managed to talk Tanner out of taking any of us down to the station. The only way I could do that was to call Buster.”

“Buster? The bouncer at the Cave?” I asked incredulously. Was Buster family?

“Yeah.” Kelton grabbed Kade by the arm. “Look, man. We need to be careful this time. I’m not going back to the academy. I’m sure you don’t want to go to jail again, either.”

All of a sudden, my mind rioted with thoughts of Kade in jail.
Kade lying in a hospital bed. Kade covered in blood
. The images flashed like a screen saver sliding through picture after picture, over and over. I was definitely losing my mind. I shuffled over to lean against the wall next to the water fountain. I took in a breath, inhaling the sterility of the hospital. Maybe the scent of bleach would white out the images. I glanced at Kade. His eyes swirled with despair and anxiety. At this moment, I wanted to do whatever I could to protect him, to take away every ounce of his pain and conflict.
Maybe by helping him, I could help myself
.

He angled his head.
Did he know what I was thinking
?

“Kel, give Lacey and me a minute. We’ll be in in a sec,” Kade said, shifting back to Kelton.

Obeying his brother, Kelton pushed in the door to Kody’s room, leaving us in the hall.

A phone rang in the distance. A tall male orderly pushed a wheelchair with an old man in it toward us.

“Lace, you’re seeing that ghost again. Aren’t you?” he asked as he stood in front of me. “I see it in your eyes.”

Whatever he was seeing in my eyes, it wasn’t the pain of a flashback like he saw in the funhouse the other afternoon. This time, I was feeling his pain.

The orderly dipped his head, and the old man smiled as they strolled by.

“I’m good.” I touched his cheek with my fingers. “The word ‘jail’ kind of freaks me out, that’s all.”

“I’m not going to jail. If anyone is, it will be Sullivan this time.” His shoulders relaxed as though the weight of the world was lifted from him.

“Go see Kody. I’m just going to get a drink of water,” I said. I needed something to cool the sandpaper feeling coating my throat.

He brushed his hand along my stomach before ducking into the room.

Bending over the water fountain, I pushed in the bar and took a much-needed long drink of refreshingly cold water. I’d barely swallowed when Becca stormed out of the room.

“There you are. Kade said you were out here.” Her voice sounded hoarse.

“What are you doing here?” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

“I drove Tyler.”

“How are they?” I propped my hip against the wall.

“They’re overdosed on adrenaline. They’re talking like they won the war.” She shook her head, her ponytail wagging. “I don’t like fighting. I hate to see people get hurt.” Her eyes were downcast. “I can’t stand blood either. It makes me woozy.”

We had something in common. I knew why I hated the sight of blood.
But why did she
?

“Tyler and Kody are waiting to see you,” she said. Her delicate hand circled my wrist.

“Wait. Why is Tyler involved?”

She let go of me and rubbed a finger over her chapped lips. “He came out of the sports complex when Kody and Greg were about to go head to head. He tried to help Kross prevent a brawl. Greg had a couple of friends with him.”

Tyler reminded me so much of my brother. Rob always went out of his way to help people. He was the guy among his friends who had the level head. He thought with his mind and not his emotions.

“Come on. I’m sure you’ll hear all about it in there,” Becca said.

Voices inside ceased as Becca pushed open the massive door, leading the way in. Kody stretched out on the bed to my left with what looked to be tampons packed in his nose. To my right, Tyler sat restlessly on the edge of his bed, bouncing a knee, his arm in a sling. I hadn’t talked to him in a while. His blue eyes regarded me with pain and sorrow. He and I needed to clear the air about our friendship at some point.

Kross lounged in a chair near Kody’s bed. Kelton sat at the bottom of it with his feet planted firmly on the floor. Kade rested against the wall next to Kelton, grimacing. Even with a scowl, he took my breath away.

Becca went to sit with Tyler. I went to stand near Kade. “Is that what I think it is inside your nose?” I asked Kody with my brows slightly arched.

“Kind of gross,” Kelton piped in. “Who would’ve thought tampons could be used for something other than plugging vaginas?” His tone was serious, to match his expression.

The room fell silent until Becca and I burst out laughing.

“What? I’m only stating a fact. Don’t get all weird because I said the word.”

“Kel,” Kade warned.

“Manners, shithead,” Kross added.

Kody and Tyler shook their heads.

“So, can you guys leave?” I asked. They didn’t appear to have injuries that would keep them in the hospital overnight.

“We have to wait for the paperwork,” Tyler said.

“Does Greg look worse?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Kelton said, sure and strong.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I pinned my gaze on Kelton. “Is he in the hospital too?”

The door opened. A petite nurse with blond hair bounced in. She was the same one who was on duty the day I was in the hospital. I checked her nametag. Yep—Lisa.

She smiled and shook her head when she looked my way. “Can’t get enough of this place, Lacey,” she said.

I was surprised she remembered my name. “I guess not.” I hoped this was my last visit to the ER.

“Which one of you is Tyler?” she asked, her brown eyes assessing Kody then Tyler.

Tyler stood. “That’s me, ma’am.”

“Okay. Come with me. Your paperwork is ready.” She turned her attention to Kody. “Yours should be ready shortly.” She opened the door, waiting on Tyler.

Becca hopped up. “I’m his ride. Lacey, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

Tyler gave a slight nod of his head as he left the room with Becca in tow.

When the door closed, Kade started in. “What happened?” He focused all his attention on Kody.

“After the game, we were headed out to get something to eat,” Kelton said.

“I’m not asking you, Kel. I want to hear it from Kody.” His tone permitted no argument.

“The asshole deserves to be put in jail,” Kody piped up, a nasally sound to his voice. “I hit him. Okay? He said he hoped your girl didn’t end up like Mandy. I lost it, bro. I fucking lost it.” He clenched his hands around the sheets at his sides as his blue eyes narrowed to slits.

Up to this point, I knew very little about what happened to Mandy. A chill skittered up my spine.
Did Greg have something to do with her death
?

Kade pushed off the wall, scratching the back of his neck as he stalked over to sit on Tyler’s bed.

“Would someone like to tell me what Greg meant?” I pressed my hands into the wall to anchor myself.

Silence crawled through the room. Kade leaned forward, elbows on his knees. The triplets stared at their brother.

“Is anyone going to talk?” I understood about death and not wanting to talk about it. But if my name was mentioned in the same sentence as Mandy, I deserved to know.

“Lace.” Kade’s tone was more lethal than mine.

I crossed the shiny floor to sit with Kade. “I know I said I was scared. But I told you once before—don’t presume to know what’s good for me,” I said in a soft, firm tone. “Look, here’s what I know. Coach Dean said Mandy died in a motorcycle accident. He also mentioned how you guys protected her from a few of the ball players. But when I asked Kross, he says you guys protect those close to you, since Mandy and Kody were dating. Okay, I can buy that. But then the principal advises me not to try out for baseball. Aaron threatens me. Probably stole my gear, too, to make me look like I’m insane. Then Greg takes a shot at me for being your girl.” I took a breath. “I deserve to know. I’m not going to have an attack. I think if I was going to have one, it would’ve been when you almost killed us on the way here,” I said with a weak smile as I laid a hand on his back.

Something told me he thought I was too fragile.
I would think that, too, if the tables were turned.

“Lacey,” Kody said in a nasally tone.

“Kody, you don’t have to. It’s my responsibility,” Kade said, straightening.

“Shut up, Kade. Let us shoulder some of the big brother responsibilities,” Kody said. “We need to talk about this. Lacey is right. She needs to know.” He adjusted the tampons in his nose.

Kelton stood, shoved his hands in his jeans pockets, then rested against a small cabinet between the beds.

“So, you know, Aaron and Greg are cousins,” Kelton said. “Aaron wants attention. Greg has a vendetta with us. Aaron doesn’t want anyone to show him up on the ball field. Greg wants to make our lives a living hell. The one thing they have in common is that they’re good at getting into your head and messing with you.”

“Like what happened to my gear,” I added. “How would Aaron get into the girls’ locker room with girls coming and going?”

“Does Coach have evidence Aaron did it?” Kross chipped in, scrubbing his knuckles over the stubble along his jaw. “No one has ever been able to prove Aaron was responsible for all the pranks played on Mandy.”

Aaron was a concern, but right now I wanted to hear what Greg meant by his comment. “So what about Greg?”