Chapter 14
“T hat’s real nice.” I raise my eyebrows and smile politely at Kitty Benton when she shows me the tattoo of the cartoon kitten she's had put on her ass. I guess she thinks that’s cute.
I’ll bet half the guys in this room would think it’s cute too, but that’s only because they haven’t experienced pure fuckin’ perfection the way I have.
“So, you wanna head upstairs?” Her eyes wander toward the staircase and she tries acting all seductive on me.
“Not tonight.” She pouts her lips back at me when I decline and I leave her to it so I can head off to find Noah. I’m here to try and get some information, and although Noah and his boys wear the brand, I have no idea how willing he’s gonna be about it.
I find him in the games room, casually sitting back on one of the couches while getting his cock sucked by one of the Mullen sisters.
They keep changing the color of their hair so I can never be sure which one is which, and as he lifts back his head and blows a thick cloud of smoke at the ceiling, I move over and take a seat beside him.
“You're done.” His cock pops out of her mouth when he reaches forward and pulls the girl’s head back by her hair
“But you didn’t…”
“Ya gotta be somethin’ real special for that, darlin’, and you gotta lot to learn. Go practice on Zayne.” He taps his fingers against her cheek and sends her on her way before lifting his hips off the couch and zipping up his jeans.
“What can I do for ya, Carson?” He draws back on his blunt again before he hands it over.
“I need you to tell me everythin’ ya know about the deal between George Walker and Ronnie Mason.
” I get straight to my point before I take a hit.
Since Garrett reconnected us with our Uncle Jimmer, good shit hasn’t been in short supply, and the River Boys are as happy to play their part in shifting it, so long as they get a healthy cut of the product.
“I don’t know shit. I told ya before, things don’t work with Walker the way they do with you guys. There ain’t no meetin’s or voting. Walker gives us a job, we see it through. He don’t offer explanations and we don’t ask.”
“He ever asked ya to do anythin’ for the Masons?” I check, trying real hard to get to the bottom of this shit.
“Not a thing. We wouldn’t, even if he did. Man’s a cunt.”
“You remember that thing Garrett helped you with when ya first came to town?” I watch Noah sit up a little straighter and a warning trigger flashes in his eyes.
“Yeah, I remember.” He stares right back at me as he pulls down the collar of his tee, showing his brand as a reminder.
“That have anything to do with the mayor?” I ask.
“What exactly are ya diggin’ at here?” He narrows his eyes at me, proving he ain’t gonna be as freeing as I hoped.
“I’m gonna be straight with ya, because that Carson mark you got on ya chest binds us like brothers.”
The nod Noah hits me back with confirms he knows it.
“We all know for a fact that Ronnie Mason blackmailed Aubrey into marrying Joe. And now, I know that he’s doing the same thing with Leia Walker.” Noah surprises me when he shakes his head and laughs hysterically.
“What’s fuckin’ funny about that?” All my muscles tense.
“Brother, no one tells Leia Walker to do anythin’.”
“Well, turns out her daddy does, and that’s who Mason’s got the hold on. I wanna know what that hold is.”
Noah’s face suddenly turns serious, and when his eyes flit around the room like he’s checking for ears, I naturally lean in a little closer.
“Listen, I don’t know what the fuck Mason’s got on Walker, but I can tell ya this…
Walker’s protected. By somethin’ way bigger than us, bigger than this town and bigger than this whole Goddamn state.
If Mason was blackmailin’ him, that fucker would be six feet in the ground.
I know that because I would have been the one to put him there. ”
I nod my head when I get what he’s telling me, but it makes me no better off, and that agitates the fuck outta me.
“You ever thought that maybe you're looking too deep? I mean there ain’t that much to it. Rich folk act this way, they think because they have money and power that they can control people to keep it. Rich breed rich.” He shrugs simply.
“Nah, Leia’s convinced her dad’s in danger.” I shake my head.
“Or, he’s manipulating her into thinkin’ that, because it’s the only way to get his stubborn-assed daughter to do as she’s told.” He takes the blunt from between my fingers and sucks at it hard.
“Ya think he’s lying to her?”
“I’m just sayin’, if Mayor Walker was in any kinda danger, do ya think I’d be sittin’ here, smokin’ this fine Burlusconi shit with you? We all got our place in the fuckin’ Order, Wade.” He slaps my leg before he gets up and heads back toward the party.
I take that as my cue to leave, these parties ain’t my thing anymore.
When I was doing rodeo I’d be at a different one every night.
That shit gets boring pretty fast. I’m just about to get in my truck and head home when I hear a loud splutter come from round the back of the house.
I poke my head around to see what's happening and catch Karina Walker spewing her guts up against the wall.
“Get it all out, darlin’.” I head over and drag her hair back off her face. Shaking her head in shame, she closes her eyes.
“Don’t look at me like that, we’ve all been there. Hell, if I had a nickel for every time I’d chucked up my guts, I’d have—”
“A lot of fucking nickels,” she interrupts me, snuffling as she wipes the back of her hand over her mouth. “I lost Wren, I think she went upstairs with Sawyer.” She stumbles onto her legs like a newborn calf, and I shift into action and hold her steady.
“You know these River Boys are far too old for ya,” I remind her, guiding her toward my truck. It goes without saying that I’m giving her a ride home.
“You know I’m almost twenty-one, right?” She laughs, and I pause when I think about Bree. She was in the same grade as Karina, and it hurts to think that life can so easily move on without her.
“Yeah, well, they’re still too fuckin’ old for ya.” I open up my truck door and push her inside, slamming the door and walking round the hood to get behind the wheel.
“I know you got a huge thing for my sister.” Karina slurs as we drive along the main road toward her house.
“What makes ya think that?” I humor her.
“The way you look at her like she’s the only person that exists. You get a little sparkle in your eyes when she's around, that's not there when she isn’t.”
“That's observant of ya.” I laugh it off.
“Well, I’ve spent a lot of time watching. Wishing it was me you were looking at,” she confesses, and it makes me do a double-take.
“I never understand how Leia doesn’t see it, it’s right there in plain sight. You protect her like a… like a… what's a real kick-ass predator?” She clicks her fingers at the air while trying to come up with something.
“…A honey badger.” She eventually settles on one.
“A honey badger?” I snort another laugh at her.
“Yeah, you shouldn’t underestimate a honey badger, those bastards are hard as nails.”
“Right.” I shake my head and focus on the road.
“It’s sad she’s got to marry Caleb.” Karina takes the mood right down when her voice turns sad.
“She don’t have to marry him.” I see an opportunity and grab it right by the honey badger's balls.
“Oh, she does.” Karina laughs sadly. “You know Leia, do you really think Caleb’s the guy for her? She needs someone who’s gonna keep her on her toes. Worship her ass, but not let her get away with shit. Caleb ain’t that guy.”
“So why do you think he was the one chosen for her?” I ask, really hoping I can get some answers.
“Because this town is corrupt as fuck. It’s all one big power play. Not everyone wears a brand on their chest to show what team they play for.” She smiles at me cleverly.
“What ya sayin?” It appears I’ve overlooked how clever little Karina Walker is.
“I’m saying, Leia is marrying that good-for-fuck-all Mason, whether you like it or not. So, if you're looking on a second option…” Her head rests back against the seat and she throws her arms open dramatically.
“You know, as tempting as that is, I think me and you are better off as friends.” I let her down with a smile.
“You're just saying that ‘cause I got sick in my hair.” She smiles back lazily before closing her eyes and getting some rest.
I take out my cell and call Leia when I pull up outside the Walker mansion.
“I got something for ya,” I tell her when she answers.
“Wade, if this is a booty call, you better—”
“This ain’t a booty call, come open the front door.” I hang up, tossing my phone at the dash and getting out the truck so I can lift Karina out. I carry her to the front door and when I see Leia standing in the door frame, wearing just a tee and some fluffy socks, it turns my cock fuckin’ rigid.
“My god, what kinda state is she in?” Leia whisper-yells as I get closer.
“She’s chucked most of it up,” I tell her. Passing through the door as she holds it open, Karina stirs in my arms and looks up at me dreamily.
“Ya want me to carry her upstairs?”
“Thanks.” Leia leads the way up the grand staircase to her sister's room and when I carefully place her down on the mattress, Leia sets to work taking off her boots and getting her comfortable. I stand back and watch as she covers her with the blanket, and when she turns round and sets her eyes on me, the familiarness between us feels all kindsa fuckin’ awesome.
“Thanks for getting her home safe.” She smiles.
“Anytime.” I step closer, taking off my Stetson and holding it against my side.
There ain’t no way I’m leaving here without a reminder that me and her are more than just fuckin’ friends now.
Sliding my hand up past her ear, I draw her face closer to mine and take those pretty, pouty lips all for myself.
“Wade, what if someone walks in?” She grabs at my wrist and pulls me away from the door into the darkness. That adorable smile is back on her face, the one I’ve yet to see her give to anyone else but me.
“There's gonna come a day, real soon, when I kiss you in a room full of people,” I promise her, placing my hat on her head and lifting her off her feet.
She almost squeals when I carry her over to the corner of her sister's room and kiss her some more. I let her feel how hard she’s got me by rolling my hips into hers as I own her mouth.
“I like how that sounds, but…” She goes to push me away.
“No buts. Us Carson men got a sayin’.” I trace my finger across her forehead and tuck her hair behind her ear. “Whatever it takes,” I whisper. “And I’m tellin’ ya, I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure the only man in Fork River, or in this world, you're ever gonna be marryin’ is me.”
“Steady, you're almost sounding like you wanna settle down.” Leia makes a quiet, little laugh that makes my cock stretch even tighter against my jeans.
“Don’t you think you're going a little fast? Two days ago, we were just friends, now you want me to be your wife. I must have one hell of a magic pussy to have the ‘Wild Wade Carson’ wanting to put a ring on my finger.” She raises her eyebrows at me sarcastically, and when her hips start to roll in sequence with mine I pull back to stop things getting out of hand.
“I gotta go before I screw you against ya sister's wall.” I place her back on her feet and when I go to head out, she quickly drags me back.
“Wade, I don’t think I ever wanna go back to being just friends.” She confesses, and I feel the smile tug on my lips.
“Don’t ya worry, that ain’t ever gonna happen,” I assure her, kissing her one last time before sneaking back out to my truck and heading home.