Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Kash
For the third time in the last twenty minutes, I see Cora check her phone.
She’s our new receptionist at Exiled Ink, and as much as I love the hell out of her, I have no doubt my brother Atlas would likely flip his shit if I hit on his girl…
again. Well, she’s not officially his girl, but me and the others have a bet going.
Our other brothers, Rhett and Seth, both think it’s equally hilarious watching the grumpy bastard fall apart. God, I hope I win.
As I creep up behind her, I watch her smile and really hope it’s not another guy she’s texting. Atlas would seriously flip his shit. He’s already grumpier than usual.
“Psst, Cora. What are you smiling about?” I whisper next to her ear, causing her to jump.
Cora smacks me in the arm. “Shit. Fuck. Damn it, Kash. You can’t do that!”
Holding back a laugh, I give her my friendliest smile. “I was trying to talk to you, but you weren’t answering. What’s got you smiling, Care Bear?”
“Leave her be, you lunatic,” Seth cuts in.
“It’s fine, although you’re right. I think he is a lunatic,” Cora jokes.
Rude.
Sticking my tongue at her, she rolls her eyes. “I was messaging my friend. We’re having a girls’ night after I get off.”
It’s almost time to close up shop and I was going to head home, but girls’ night sounds like a great idea. Maybe I can finally meet the infamous twin sisters. “Say less, Care Bear. We’ll go with you on girls’ night. We’d be honored.”
“Um, I don’t recall inviting you, Kash. I was texting Mara, but—”
“Is she one-half of the twin friend?” Cora recently disclosed her best friends are twin sisters who own a local coffee shop, and I’ve been interested ever since.
She scowls at me, but I ignore it. I need to meet them. Twins are on my bucket list. “Please, Cora, I’ll do whatever you want. Let me go, please.” And because I’m not too proud, I drop to my knees in front of her.
“What the fuck are you doing, dumbass?” Rhett asks, as he and his client join our little group at the front.
Cora tries to ignore me, but I’m not letting up.
Care Bear is like a sister to me, and it just wouldn’t be very brotherly of me if I let her and her friends go out unchaperoned.
There are too many unsavory types of people out there.
I ignore the looks from Rhett and Seth, keeping my eyes trained on Cora.
I’m going with them, but it’ll be nice if she agrees so she doesn’t question us when we show up.
“No. Not happening. Girls’ night means girls only. None of you are girls.”
“I dunno,” Rhett cuts in, “Kash could maybe go for one. After all, he’s got the pecs and the bun.”
Seth starts laughing as Rhett tries to fuck with my hair when I stand up, which he knows I hate. It took me forever to grow it out on top. Plus, it gives the ladies something to hold onto.
“Do not touch my hair. Or my pecs, for that matter. I feel so objectified.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I pretend to pout.
I give it another two or three minutes until Atlas comes from the back and bursts her little ‘I’m not letting the guys come with us’ bubble.
I know he comes off as gruff, and grumpy, but there’s a heart of gold in his chest.
From what I do know of our collective pasts, I can honestly say that losing my dad and being abandoned by my mom, while world ending for me, pales in comparison to the way the rest of the guys suffered. Atlas deserves something good. They all do.
“Why would Atlas have an opinion?” Cora’s question cuts through my thoughts.
“Oh, that’s cute, Care Bear.” Looping my arm around her shoulder, I lean in close to whisper, “Let me tell you a secret. Atlas—”
“Do you want to explain what the fuck you’re doing, Kash?
” I turn to find my brother’s dark gaze locked on me and my proximity to his girl.
Out of respect, I quickly drop my arm and back away.
Atlas is territorial over Cora, and I pity any poor bastard who tries to get between them. That type of shit isn’t for me.
I love the ladies and they love me. After living through the aftermath of my dad’s death, I realized relationships aren’t worth it.
There is no point in allowing yourself to be open to someone.
Sure, they may say they love you, and a relationship might work for a while, but ultimately, when it gets tough, someone’s going to cut out.
Losing my dad wasn’t easy, and I can’t imagine how my mom felt considering how much it sucked for me, but watching her move on so quickly made me realize love isn’t real.
Lust is real. Lust is what men really fight wars for. Lust and attraction are two sides of the same coin. Love has no place with lust. Love makes you weak. Love allows people to hurt you. My dad loved my mom, and I loved her as well, but apparently neither of our loves were enough to make her stay.
I don’t do relationships. It’s hookups or nothing.
I’m a giver, just not of myself. The girls I’ve been with know that from the beginning; plus, it’s not like I sleep with everyone I meet.
I’m a flirt, but I’m still selective. I just don’t always make good choices.
Sleeping with our ex-receptionist Bri was a big fucking bad choice.
It was only once, but then she started being rude to female customers, and was practically picking out wedding china.
She got crazy and eventually quit in a rage fit, and honestly, I hope she’s moved on.
Judging by the way she came in here recently, screaming at Cora and causing a scene, I’m guessing maybe not. Yet another reason I’ll never have a relationship. I don’t need someone getting attached to me. I wouldn’t be able to give them what they need.
A musical chime sounds throughout the shop. Looking to the source of the arrival, I pray it’s not a walk-in. There isn’t time for much of anything outside of a piercing. I’m about to greet them but then stop.
Every thought evaporates from my brain except for: Mine. Wife. Mine.
“So… what’s going on in here?” the newcomer asks. Standing side by side are two women who I can only assume are the twins, but I no longer care about both of them. There’s only one I’m interested in. The one who won’t meet my gaze, and keeps her light brown eyes averted from mine.
The one who I know is going to be my wife. Don’t get me wrong, thirty-seven seconds ago I was adamantly against the whole relationship thing, but staring at the girl in front of me, well that rule flew out the window faster than someone driving away from a tornado with their windows down.
Her light brown hair cascades over her shoulders in loose wavy curls that I want to sink my hands into. I want to run my fingertips through her scalp. That’s not weird, right?
I can tell she has a sweetness to her, and I want to taste it.
Running my eyes down her body, I love that she’s smaller than me.
Honestly, it doesn’t take much because I’m six-four, but she’s got to be maybe five feet five.
She’s about as tall as Cora, but my girl has curves.
Her breasts are a perfect handful, and they lead down to her flared hips—hips I want to dig my fingers into while fucking her.
“I’m in love.” It comes out barely a whisper, but it feels right. If I’d known she existed sooner, I would have waited for her. Actually, no, scratch that. I would have hunted her down like a heat-seeking missile heading toward a volcano.
I know Cora said she was talking to Mara, but the girl standing in front of me doesn’t feel like she’s Mara.
That name has to belong to the tough-as-nails girl standing next to my future wife.
Twins or not, they aren’t much alike. I’m suddenly a million times more excited now.
I get to spend the evening with my girl, and once I get to talk to her a bit, maybe I can convince her to move in with me.
Atlas has Cora pulled off to the side, having their own little conversation, but I’m not leaving anything to chance. “It’s girls’ night!” I shout. “We’re all going out, bitches.”
Future Wife turns those light eyes my way and looks me up and down.
Do you like what you see, Sunshine?
“I don’t think you were invited. Pretty sure you have a penis, pretty boy. That automatically gets you uninvited.”
“But it’s such a nice penis,” I offer in a low voice. I’m ready to show her what I can do with it, too.
Taking in the way she rolls her eyes, I smirk. She’s feisty. I like that. I like that a lot.
Atlas and Cora seem to be done with their little pow wow and while she looks irritated, he looks content, so I have no doubt my boy got his way. Perfect.
“Whoop! Hear that, Rhett? You and Seth better have brought your dancing shoes because we’re heading out!”
I ignore the way the girls groan. We’ll make sure they have a good time. I cut into their bickering, “Let’s get this old girl closed up, boys. It’s Friday night, and we’ve got places to be and ladies to take out.” Wiggling my eyebrows, I notice the way her lips lift in a slight smile.
Got ya, Sunshine. You just don’t know it yet.
Locking up the shop doesn’t take long, and before I know it, the boys and I are heading across town to the Gravel Pit.
As far as hangouts go, it’s not my top pick, but the girls chose it, so here we are.
It’s known for fights and having some sketchy people, so I’m not letting my girl out of my sight.
Finding a parking space the furthest away from everyone, I pray no one hits my baby.
Ever since my dad was killed, I take safety seriously.
I didn’t choose a high-risk career path, and I research everything before I purchase it, especially cars.
I wanted to beat Rhett for messing with the seats on the drive over, but I know he does it just to annoy me. Jerk.
Walking into the Gravel Pit, the boys head over to grab a table, as I opt for the bar to grab a round. We don’t really drink a lot to begin with, so I pick up sodas to start, and a beer for myself. By the time I have our drinks, I see the girls have made it in.
God, she’s so fucking beautiful. She’s a ray of sunshine in this dark space.
The lighting is low, and the music is so loud I can feel it through the floorboards, but my eyes are drawn to her.
She’s laughing at something with Cora, and damn if I don’t want in on the joke. I want to be the reason she laughs.
She changed her clothes but still looks just as beautiful.
Dressed in dark wash jeans, and black heeled boots that trail up her legs, I have to bite back a groan.
The boots end right below her knee and a red shirt with the back cut out in a crisscrossed pattern lays across her chest. Fuck me sideways.
Stalking back toward the table, I juggle the drinks and kick myself for not getting her something as well.
That’s an easy fix. As I approach, I hear Atlas putting his foot in his mouth.
If he keeps this up, I’ll never win the bet.
He doesn’t look happy that Cora is all dressed up.
He should be appreciating this moment. Don’t get me wrong, Sunshine is all I see, but even I know Cora doesn’t look like her normal self.
“I think what Atlas means is that you look lovely,” I interject on his behalf.
Dude, shut up and compliment her, I silently demand.
Looking at my Sunshine, I apologize, “I wasn’t sure what you’d like, but I can happily get you anything.
Anything you want.” Meanie Mara makes a gagging sound, but I ignore her.
Mara shoves my girl out of the booth, and they walk off in search of drinks.
Swinging my gaze back to my brothers, I’m ready to lay into Atlas when Rhett beats me to it.
While they argue, I keep my gaze on the bar.
My girl looks too good to be left unattended, and much like my brother, I take notice of the wandering eyes around here. I need him to buck up.
Deciding I’ve had enough, I opt to egg Atlas on. “It’s not funny to say Cora looks as delicious as a hot fudge sundae on a summer day, but what do I know?”
I swear his eyeball twitches, and there might be a new vein on his neck. He’s so twisted up about her; I’d find it funny, if my gaze wasn’t locked across the room on my girl again. Turning back to the guys briefly, I freeze when I hear Seth’s voice.
“I know I’m going to regret this, but while you’re stewing over all the ways we’re calling your girl attractive, that guy over there is ready to do something about it.”
Oh hell no. Where Cora is, my girl is, and that just won’t do.
I’m already across the bar before Atlas can even make it out of the booth.
I easily cut through the crowd. Being a big guy comes in handy sometimes.
If either of the guys walking toward them lay a single finger on my Sunshine, I can’t be held responsible for what happens next.