Chapter Six
Roux
August 7 th
T he sun bakes down on me, heating my flesh and warming me to my soul. Lying out on the banks of Horn River with my best friend is my favorite place to be. It’s peaceful and quiet aside from Spotify playing “NFWMB” by Hozier. Penny is on the other side of me, chomping loudly on her gum.
“You sound pissed,” I say, shielding my eyes from the sun and craning my neck to look at her.
“Not pissed,” she clips out. “Hot.”
“The river’s over there,” I say with a laugh. “Go cool off.”
“Pass.”
“Penny’s just mad that Mom made her come with us,” Charlotte sasses from my other side. “Apparently we’re not cool enough for her.”
“Oh please,” Penny groans. “Like I give two shits about cool.”
Testy.
“You could be cool if you’d smile and stop being a bitch to everyone,” Charlotte grumbles. “I mean, I’ve practically handed popularity to you on a platter. You’re willingly starving yourself of it.”
“I don’t want minions,” Penny snipes, waving in my direction.
“Hey now,” I chime in. “I’m not a minion.”
“No, but everyone else worships the ground Charlotte walks on. It’s nauseating.”
“It’s better to be cool than to be a nobody.” Charlotte sits up and sprays more suntan lotion on.
These two can go on for hours like this.
“I miss Dad.” Penny clears her throat and then huffs. “I guess I’m the only one.” With those words, she stands up and stomps off toward the river.
Charlotte sighs. “Ugh. I guess I need to go console her and remind her that I miss Daddy too.”
“Big sister duties,” I agree. “Just don’t try to hug her. She might bite.”
We both giggle as Charlotte runs off after her sister. I close my eyes, singing along to “Trouble” by Halsey. A shadow blocks the sun over me.
“Did you survive?” I ask Charlotte.
“Barely,” a gruff, masculine voice mutters.
My entire body comes alive with a mixture of heat and emotion. A voice I’ve heard only once since he was locked away.
“Jordy?” I croak out.
I peek out from under my arm to see his tall, muscular form standing over me. He’s here. Oh my God. With a squeal, I scramble to my feet, throwing myself at him. His strong arms haul me to him, hugging me tight.
“Missed you, Little Hornet.” His warm breath tickles my neck where his mouth is only inches from. “So goddamn much.”
I burst into tears, overcome by the fact he’s out. Here with me. I don’t understand how, but I’m so happy. He kisses my neck. Just a soft, sweet peck that makes my nerve endings come alive. I note that he doesn’t remove his lips. And I don’t let him go.
“You smell like coconut,” he says with a chuckle.
“You smell like Jordy.”
“Yeah? What’s that smell like?”
“Home.”
He strokes his fingers through my ponytail. “Your pussy-ass brother cried when I saw him earlier.”
“So did I,” I toss back at him.
“But you’re little Roux, so it’s okay. I’m used to you crying.”
I pull away to give him a sour look. “I kind of grew up while you were gone. Not so little anymore.”
As though he’s just now realizing this fact, his dark brown eyes drop to my lips, then to my throat, and finally to my cleavage in my bikini top.
“I can see that,” he grumbles in irritation.
Flutters of excitement dance in my stomach as I wonder if he likes what he sees.
“Did you come to swim with us?” I ask, inhaling his masculine scent and memorizing every detail of his face all over again.
He’s broader than the last time I hugged him. Clearly been spending every waking minute of his life lifting weights. His hair that was once buzzed short has grown long on top and flops into his eyes, giving him a younger, softer look than I remember. I also never noticed how long his dark lashes were or how flecks of gold are hidden in his brown eyes.
“Hmm?” he asks, his eyes roaming over my face.
“I said…” I don’t remember what I said.
His lips.
They’re dark pink and full.
The scruff on his cheek is in dire need of shaving, but it gives him an edgy look that sets my nerves on fire.
“I missed you,” I murmur.
“You already said that.”
“I’ll say it a thousand times,” I tell him.
He smirks. It’s maddening. And hot.
“Where are your glasses?” he murmurs, his fingers once again stroking through my hair.
“Over there.”
“Do you need them?”
I just need you.
“Not right now,” I whisper.
His dark eyes drop to my lips again, making my heart stammer in my chest. I have a boyfriend. I have a boyfriend. I have a boyfriend. I can chant it all day long in my head, but my body forgot. All it knows is Jordy. My Jordy. Here in my arms. Handsome as ever. All man and incredibly hot. Alive and well and smiling.
He shifts one of his large hands to my hip. His fingers are so long, they curl around my backside, nearly touching my ass. A thrill races down my spine. His thumb brushes over my bare skin above my bikini bottoms.
“Kelsey told me you’d be here swimming,” Jordy says. “I wore trunks I borrowed from Roan.”
He starts to step back, but I can’t let him go.
“I could swim,” I mutter. “Take off your shirt.”
His eyes darken and his jaw tenses. “Let go, Roux.”
“I can’t.” My words come out as a painful whisper. “I’m afraid if I do, it’ll all be a stupid dream.”
His hand smacks my ass in a playful way that makes my pussy throb. “It’s not a dream. I’m here.” He grips my wrists and gently forces me to release his neck. When he brings our hands down between us, he doesn’t let go. “I’m not going anywhere ever again.”
I nod, fighting back tears. He releases me to kick off his shoes and peel off his shirt. I shamelessly ogle all of his tattoos and bigger muscles. Jordy Martin was always hot and I harbored a crush on him, but he’s reached new levels of gorgeous. It’s almost too much.
“Jordy?” Charlotte asks, her voice shaking. “You’re back?”
“Yep, little mouse. I’m back.”
“Little mouse?” she bites out, cocking her hip to one side, making her boobs jiggle. “What the hell?”
I’ve always been a little jealous of my best friend and how guys look at her. And even though I don’t see that Jordy is looking at her any other way than an annoying little sister, a flare of possessiveness ripples through me.
“You’re the rat’s kid sister. Little mouse is nicer than little rat.”
Penny snorts out a laugh. “I kinda like little rat.”
Charlotte swats at her. “Don’t be a bitch. We legit just made up three seconds ago.”
“We’re going swimming,” I state, interrupting their banter. “We have a lot to talk about.” I plead with my eyes for Charlotte to understand that I need time alone with Jordy.
Her blue eyes dart between me and Jordy, before landing back on mine. “Penny and I were going to go down to the snow cone stand at the park.”
“We were?” Penny asks in confusion.
“Yep. Want us to bring you guys something back?”
“Cherry,” both Jordy and I answer at once.
Charlotte’s eyes gleam with delight. “You got it. See you in about thirty minutes.”
They throw on their cover-ups and snag their shoes before walking off, leaving me alone with Jordy. Now that I have him all to myself, I want to spend the rest of our time hugging some more.
If only you were this into your boyfriend, things wouldn’t be so strained.
I cringe thinking about Kayden. Having Jordy here is going to be a huge complication. I shove those thoughts away and grab Jordy’s hand. He lets me tug him to the river. It’s cool, but it feels good when we step into it. When I get waist deep, I dunk myself under, needing to cool off completely. Eventually, I have to come up for air.
“I missed this place,” Jordy says, staring off down the river.
I drink in his beautiful form. The way the water droplets run down his shoulders. How his now-wet hair is slicked back. The sharp line of his jawbone. He’s just so lickable.
“This place missed you,” I reply, my voice breathy.
He turns to regard me, heat flashing in his dark eyes. My nipples are hard from the cold water but grow harder when he glances down at them.
“Jesus, Roux,” he grumbles before diving into the water.
I frown, crossing my arms over my chest. What was that all about? Irritated at his abrupt attitude, I glower at him as he swims farther into deeper water.
Asshole.
With a sigh, I start swimming after him. The currents are always strong, but we’re used to them. True river rats we are. When he realizes I’m following him, he starts swimming back.
A predator in the water.
Dark, hungry eyes.
Approaching like an alligator ready to take a bite.
Ravenous. Territorial. Fierce.
He swoops an arm around me, tugging me to him. “Don’t want you getting sucked into the Columbia River.” The nearby river that Horn River meets has much stronger currents and is far more dangerous to swim in.
I allow him to drag me flush against his hard body. He’s hard everywhere. Even his dick, which is pressed to my thigh. Every time Kayden rubs his erection on me through our clothes, a silent request for sex, I’m annoyed.
I’m anything but annoyed right now.
Slowly, I wrap my legs around him, my eyes locked on his.
“Roux,” he chokes out. “Fucking Roux.”
His palm rests possessively on my ass, squeezing gently. Is this how it’s supposed to feel? Like you’re going to spontaneously combust unless you can devour the one who makes you feel so alive?
“Jordy,” I murmur, shamelessly rubbing my body against the hardest part of him.
He curses, resting his forehead to mine, and closes his eyes. “I’ve been in prison for far too long. I haven’t… I haven’t fucked anyone in forever, Roux. Don’t do this to me. Please.”
His words cut me deep. Do what? Hold him? Hurt burrows its way inside me, carving out a place to hide and live. The rejection is colder than the river water, chilling me to the bone.
He is not your boyfriend, Roux.
You have one of those, dumbass.
“Sorry,” I croak out. “I just… Sorry.”
His nose rubs against mine. Our breath commingling, our mouths inches apart. I run my fingernails through his hair along his scalp, desperate to touch him anyway. He angles his head closer, inhaling my breath as it blows from my mouth. His lips nearly brush against mine, sending zings of desire straight to my core.
Overcome with the need to kiss him, I tilt my head so that our lips do touch. I press a kiss to his lips. And then another. It’s the third one I realize he’s making no moves to kiss me back. His body grows stiff as he shuts down. He turns his head to the side and carefully extricates me from his body.
“That…” He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “That was a mistake.”
I recoil at his words. “What?”
“You’re fuckin’ seventeen, Roux. My best friend’s sister. Just because I’m horny as hell, doesn’t mean I need to make out with you, Little Hornet. I’m sorry. You’re just the first thing I’ve come across.” His words are icy cold and cruel. “I need to get laid. And not by you.”
I suck in a sharp breath. “Fuck you.”
“Stop,” he orders. “Don’t be a child about this.”
I haul off and smack the shit out of him. “Don’t be an asshole about this.” My hand stings from the force I hit him with. I doubt it even registered to him. His dark eyes are fiery and intense as he pins me in place with one look.
“You caught me at a weak moment.” He shrugs. “After this weekend, I’ll get laid and then things can go back to normal. It’ll be like old times. Me, you, and Roan.”
I scoff at him. “Things aren’t like they once were. Now we have Hollis and Char and Kelsey.” I poke him in the chest. “And my boyfriend.”
He scowls, fury flashing in his eyes. “Boyfriend, huh? Roan didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend.”
“Probably because he’s been my secret boyfriend for a while now.” I smirk at him. “I think you know him.”
Poke the beast, Roux. Excellent idea.
“So help me,” Jordy growls, “if you’re referring to Kayden fucking Wheelhouse, I’m going to make your life a living hell.”
He wants to hurt me?
I can hurt him right back.
I’m no longer the innocent girl he remembers. I grew claws when he left me here to fend for myself.
“At least he actually wants to fuck me,” I spit out at him.
I don’t wait for his reply, swimming back to the shore as fast as I can.
Screw Jordy.
He can’t destroy my life by leaving me and then destroy it again by coming back.
“I’m going to kill him,” he calls out behind me.
His words chill me to the bone because I know them as truth. He’s killed for me four times before. What’s one more?