16. Steal My Man
16
Steal My Man
“No!” Haze drags Kendrick inside by his collar and shuts the door. “No way. You could’ve picked any fucking day to find us and you chose today?”
“Let go of him.” I tear them apart before Haze breaks my cousin’s nose, which I don’t doubt for a second he can and will do. He tries to come at him again. “Haze, don’t.” I push on his chest with my palms and stagger at his strength. “Look at me. Haze!”
He glares at Kendrick with tight fists, his chest rising and falling along to his heavy breathing.
“Haze,” I plea, and he finally answers my calls, gaping down at me as the rage in his gaze dissipates. Our eyes send each other signals only we understand. He inhales to calm himself down.
“Let me guess, you two are dating,” my cousin says just loud enough for us to hear. Still operating as a wall between the two experienced fighters, I turn around to look at our unexpected guest and nod. “Ugh, vomit ,” he adds.
Part of me wants to yell at Kendrick for ruining what could turn out to be one of the most important moments of Haze’s life, but then there’s also this tiny, annoying, and persistent voice telling me to give him a hug.
The biggest, embarrassing I haven’t seen you in forever hug.
I don’t bother asking him how he found us because, frankly, I don’t care. The important question is what he plans to do now that he did.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him.
“What do you think?” He grabs me by the wrist. “I’m taking you home. Where you belong.”
“She’s not going anywhere.” Haze yanks me back to him, the suddenness of his pull freeing my hand from Kendrick’s grasp. “Are you out of your mind? She’s not safe in Florida. Tanner’s still out there. It’s the last place she should be.”
“He’s been taken care of.” Kendrick’s voice grows angrier.
“What’s that supposed to mean? What did you do?” Haze growls.
“You didn’t kill him, did you?” I say what I know Haze is thinking out loud.
“I probably should’ve since he seemed to have no problem with killing Winter or my entire family, but no, I didn’t kill that waste of oxygen you call your brother. I made a deal with him.”
“What deal?” Haze asks.
“It wasn’t much of a deal, really. I just made him a promise. That Winter would go back to Canada in a few weeks where she’ll be safe and away from anyone who could want to harm her. But, especially, where she’ll be away from you. All she has to do is leave town as planned when school ends. He promised to leave her alone until then. He doesn’t care about her. It was never personal. He just wanted to get you back. Now, let’s go. We have a long ride ahead of us.” Kendrick motions to the door.
Haze grits his teeth and steps forward.
“You’re not her mother, asshole. She’s a big girl. She’ll go with you if she wants to,” Haze says an inch away from Kendrick’s face.
“A big girl? Please. She’s a child. She knows nothing. She’s so na?ve she actually thinks you’re in love with her,” Kendrick shouts.
“And it’s never occurred to you that maybe I am?” Haze shouts right back.
Silence ensues.
Kendrick opens and closes his mouth repeatedly in a desperate attempt to restore his composure. He’s speechless.
Is this a bad time to swoon like a thirteen-year-old girl?
Haze sidles to me and intertwines our fingers as if to support what he’s saying. My heart swells with happiness. Kendrick shoots me a suspicious look that’s dripping with expectations.
“It’s true, Kendrick. He loves me… and I love him. I’m not leaving.”
Kendrick draws a sigh, rolls his eyes, and curses.
“I was afraid you’d say that…” Kendrick says. “So I prepared for the worst.”
He walks back outside, bends down to get something he left on the porch, then drops it on the hardwood floor.
A suitcase.
“Hell no, you’re not staying here,” Haze immediately says.
“Yes, I am. We’re a family package, Adams. Sorry.” Kendrick closes the door.
Haze studies me. I know he wants me to tell him that it’s out of the question, but I end up smiling timidly instead. The truth is, I missed Kendrick. I wouldn’t mind having him around.
“Oh come on. Cheer up,” Kendrick scoffs. “It’s just until Winter goes back to Canada. Then, she’ll be safe and never see you again. Everyone wins.”
“How am I winning, asshat? I’ll never see my girlfriend again.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I said everyone. Which means you have to be an actual person and not a piece of shit to be included, Haze.”
Damn.
That’s the strike Haze won’t allow. He’s about to put Kendrick in his place when— because Life has a sense of humor —we’re interrupted by the sound we’ve heard too many times today.
The doorbell rings.
Haze grabs Kendrick by his collar again.
“Fine, you can stay. But if you make a single sound or ruin this moment for me, the next thing coming out of your mouth will be your teeth, got it?” he hisses.
Kendrick nods in confusion, and Haze sets him free with a push. Kendrick stumbles back a few steps as Haze opens the door. On his porch are the gorgeous Riley and the cutest little brown-haired boy I’ve ever laid eyes upon.
He has green eyes while Haze’s eyes are blue but the resemblance still hits me like a truck. He’s definitely an Adams, this one, no doubt. Jacob’s gaze roams the house curiously. Riley takes his hand and gets him inside.
“Hello,” Haze says and kneels down to his level.
Jacob smiles shyly, revealing the most adorable tooth gap.
“What’s going on? Why is there a kid and a model on Haze’s porch?” Kendrick asks, nudging me with his elbow.
So much for not making a sound.
His nonexistent subtlety skills cause Riley to glance our way. She frowns, probably wondering who Kendrick is.
“That’s…” I pause and prepare for his disapproving glare. “This is Riley, Haze’s ex. And that’s Jacob. Haze’s kid.”
“What?” Kendrick exclaims obnoxiously loud. They all jump. Even Jacob stares. I apologize and motion not to mind us while I drag Kendrick into the bathroom so he can tell me all about how I’m wasting my life away and dating the wrong guy. I twist the tap on and hope the water will obscure my cousin’s bad manners.
“Are you out of your mind?” he blurts the second I close the door. “You’re staying with him? You’re going to stay with a guy who has a kid? Winter, this is insane.”
“He just found out. What am I supposed to do?”
“I don’t know. Here’s an idea: get in my car and run away from this madness. Come on, have some self-respect.”
“I can’t just leave him, Kendrick. I… I love him. Just because he made a mistake when he was younger doesn’t mean I should give up on this entire relationship.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, look at them. Just look!”
He swings the bathroom door open, giving me a direct view of Haze, Riley, and Jacob sitting on the couch. Jacob is playing with the toys Haze and I bought for him yesterday. He’s radiant. They all are. Riley’s smile grows with every laugh her son emits. As for Haze, he seems amazed by even the simplest moves Jacob makes. Kendrick does have a point.
They look like the perfect little family.
Like a too good to be true picture with no room for me.
I clear my throat, refusing to let my emotions come out and play. I’m fine. I can do this. It’s no big deal , I tell myself.
“Can’t you see? Literally the only thing standing between that model chick and Haze is you. It’s only a matter of time before they reunite for the kid. What’s it going to take for you to take a hint? Are you going to have to find them in bed?”
“Okay, stop. I got it, jeez!” I put my hands up like I’m hoping they’ll shield me from his negativity and stomp out of the bathroom.
Kendrick follows me. “Where’s my room?”
“There are a hundred in this house. Go find one,” I grumble.
“If you want to sit with them and third-wheel like everything is fine, go ahead. But I’m not going to watch you.” He pokes at me again. I sigh and watch him run up the stairs to explore his new home.
I mute his voice inside my head and join the happy family in the living room. I think I see Riley roll her eyes when I sit down next to Haze. Did she just…
Stop, Winter. It’s probably nothing. You’re just imagining things.
“Hey, beautiful.” Haze quickly pecks my cheek and turns to the kid, who’s observing me intently. “Jacob, this is Winter. My girlfriend.” He introduces us in the cutest kid voice possible, and I giggle. Hearing Haze talk to a kid is so different, yet so hot. I don’t know why it makes him even more attractive. Jacob simply smiles in return. I come to find out that he’s a very quiet kid. Riley tells us that he only speaks around the people he’s comfortable with. And by speak, she means he says a few words and makes noises.
“So… how did you two meet?” Riley asks and takes a sip of the coffee Haze brought her a few minutes ago. Haze and I exchange sideways looks. There is no way we’re telling her the real story. Oh, it’s nothing interesting. I followed my street fighter cousin to a meeting and thought I was being super slick. Haze, who’s my cousin’s nemesis, decided to make a deal with me as the prize to destroy his enemies. More coffee?
“School,” Haze says, and I bite back a grin.
Technically, it’s not a lie.
“And how long have you two been together?”
“A few days at most,” I say and only realize how unserious our relationship sounds when a satisfied smile emerges on her lips. Is it me or… does she look strangely happy right now?
“We’ve known each other for a while but… yeah, let’s just say we weren’t expecting this.” Haze takes my hand.
“Just a few days? Really? I’m surprised. He used to be a keeper, that one.”
What’s that supposed to mean?
“In fact, we were together for, what, two years?” She takes another sip.
Okay?
“Remember the night of Vic’s birthday party? Oh my God, it was so awkward.” She notices my confusion. “Oh, that’s right, you wouldn’t know. Sorry. That’s when Haze and I first got together. Blame five minutes in heaven. Vic had gotten himself locked with Gloria and he…” She bursts out laughing, and Haze laughs along with her.
“I can still see the look on his face. He was completely freaked out,” he finishes.
“Who’s Gloria?” I ask.
“Some girl who used to crush on him. He wasn’t interested,” Haze explains.
“Oh.” I nod.
“Then, Oliver dared Haze and me to go together, and you know…” She takes a sip. “Anyway, this wasn’t as bad as what happened on the pier. Remember that one?”
Haze laughs harder. “How could I forget?”
They proceed to hop onto the memory lane train and leave me standing alone in an empty station. They keep reminiscing about days I never once heard of and laugh until I want to bash my head against the wall. Every joke Haze makes, Riley snorts so loud my ears bleed. She’s scooted over to him on the couch and keeps hitting his shoulder every chance she gets. After a few hours of Haze being a typical boy and dismissing all the red flags that make my eyes the size of golf balls, I have no other choice but to accept the truth. I always want to see the best in people, but I’m not stupid. I can’t deny it anymore.
She isn’t only here for her son.
She’s here to steal my man.