Ar

by Waily

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Chapter 1

ALLIE

Three months ago...

Hey, Wren, it's me—the girl you fucked in Cancun seven years ago. By the way, you have a six-year-old daughter because of that night. I couldn't tell you then because you left me with a fake name, you asshole. But now I'm telling you. Even though I hate the very sight of you, you still need to be a father because Angel deserves one.

Yeah... That's probably not the way I need to tell him about my... I mean, our daughter.

Calm, Allie. Calm.

I groan while tossing the lettuce into the shopping cart, wishing there was a manual to tell me what to do. Do they have brochures for this screwed-up situation? Doubtful. Only my luck can be this bad.

For months I've been stewing over what to do since I found him by fluke.

I never thought I'd find him, and now I'm living in his city. How can I speak to him? What should I do?

On one hand, I should be an adult. I know that night wasn't supposed to turn out like it did, and he didn't deliberately impregnate me.

On the other hand, I can't help but loathe the very sight of him. And the bastard did give me a fake name!

Abhorrent as his actions were, I'm even more disgusted with myself for just jumping into bed with a guy that I only knew for a few hours. What did I expect?

No. I won't shoulder this blame. I won't. I refuse. I might have made a poor decision, but he made a worse one by lying about his name.

I would have contacted him immediately if I could have. Stupid, jackass liar. When did my life get even more complicated than it already was?

And Angel is caught right in the middle of our bad decisions. It's not her fault, and I don't have the right to deprive her of a father just because of my own pride and hurt.

As I move down the canned food aisle, I start running through everything that could go wrong. What if he wants to try and take her away from me?

What if he breaks her heart? What if he doesn't want anything to do with her? What if...

Shit. I forgot to grab juice.

Abandoning my shopping cart in the aisle, I jog back to the end to grab the juice, but I slam into a hard body before I ever even get close.

"Holy shit!" I gasp when I start to fall, but strong arms wrap around me, tugging me toward that incredibly warm, strong body that I've just collided with.

"Easy now. Are you okay?" a soft, deep, almost familiar voice asks.

My body tingles against his touch, and I mentally count the days since I last enjoyed someone's touch this much... Shit. I can't count that far. Especially when I'm distracted by the strong chest in front of my eyes. Even though he's wearing a shirt, I can see lines of muscle, and I have to stop myself from running a hand up the stranger's body.

What the hell?

A strong, masculine scent mixed with some delicious cologne winds around me, and I get lost in two sensations—touch and smell.

I've lost my mind, and I apparently miss sex more than I realized.

"You okay?" the voice prompts again, and I finally peer up from his chest, looking at him from under my lashes.

A subtle hint of sexy stubble lines the strong jaw above me. I normally don't like facial hair, but that jaw has me seriously reconsidering my stance. The second I take in his face, my color drains, my body stiffens, and my breathing stops.

This world can't be that small. It's not possible.

"Should I get some help?" he asks, concerned, and my gaze lingers on his lips.

"I'm fine," I breathe, even though I'm not fine at all.

This can't be real. He'll remember me any second now, and I can't seem to put words together to explain things before he gets the wrong idea.

He continues holding me against him, tipping my chin up, and my breath catches in my throat when he gives me an easy grin. How can the snake look so tempting when I've felt the brutal sting of his venomous bite before?

"I'm Wren," he says, that smug look of his irritating me now.

"We've met," I say bitterly, stepping back. Okay... so stepping is not so easy. It's more of a wobble.

Internally, I curse my legs for turning to rubber.

"Is that so?" he asks, smiling bigger while propping up. "I doubt it. There's no way I would have forgotten you. What's your name?"

He's kidding, right?

"Allie," I say with a tense jaw, glaring at the bastard who continues to smile, seeming unaware of the fantasies running through my mind—fantasies of castration and throat punching, not dirty fantasies. Nothing dirty at all.

You hate him, Allie. Don't get fooled again by the skin.

"Hmm. I know a few girls with that name, but you're not one of them. Last name?"

Stupid, jackass, player! He knows a few girls by my name? He sleeps with so many people that he can't remember me? How many women named Allie has he been with?

"Allie Thrash. We met in Cancun seven years ago," I grind out, holding the fakest damn smile there has ever been.

He tilts his head, lazily eyeing me up and down. "And I guess I made an impression?" he asks, looking even cockier than he did five minutes ago.

"You left me with a daughter, so I'd say that's one hell of an impression, Wren Jacobs."

I'm not sure if I'm too pissed to be rational or if I have a case of verbal diarrhea, but the words fly out of my mouth all wrong. This was not supposed to happen in the supermarket next to canned peas, damn it. This was supposed to be mature and civil; I envisioned an office and a premeditated meeting. I was not going to lose my shit the way I am now. I'm not ready for this.

His face pales, but he shakes his head, taking a step back as though I've just slapped him.

I almost feel like I'm supposed to do some dramatic display of dropping a microphone and walking off right now.

"Prize. No. I'm not... You have me confused," he says, his words running together and turning almost incoherent. "My last name is Prize. Not Jacobs."

Now I really do want to slap him. Correction, that throat punch sounds more tempting than a mere slap.

"I know," I bite out. "I didn't know that seven years ago when I met you, though. You were with Tag Masters. Wish I could have remembered his last name, but considering he wasn't in my bed, his last name wasn't important. But, yeah, you're definitely the Wren. Obviously I made less of an

impression on you."

He stumbles and grasps onto the side of the aisle, knocking over several

cans of all sorts of things. If this wasn't a completely life-altering moment, it would be comical.

But it is life-altering, and he's actually handling it better than I expected. There's no rage. I expected to be called a liar or something. I had a big speech lined up to counter any lying accusations, and I'm weird for wishing he'd give me a reason to say that speech.

"No," he whispers again, seeming horrified, distant, and definitely in denial, but it's more to himself than to me. I've definitely lost him. Damn it.

I really hope he doesn't go into emotional shock or something.

Sighing, I turn back and grab my purse, then I pull out a paper and pen. While he stares out into space, I jot down my name, address, and phone number. I'm not standing here another minute. I can't. I just... I can't. Especially not here and not like this.

"Here," I say, offering him the paper, but he's so spaced out that he doesn't seem to see it. Instead, I lay it in his lap before continuing. "There's my information. Call me when you're ready, and we'll set up a paternity test. We'll talk. We need to talk. If you don't want to, then have the decency to let me know."

I turn around, walking away, barely able to hold the tears back as I abandon the shopping cart and its contents, taking only my purse with me.

The second I reach the fresh air, it all hits me at once, and I hiccup out a sob that can't be contained.

I just spent seven years of my life hating a man that doesn't even remember me.

Chapter 2

WREN

Present day...

When the hell did my mother start locking her front door on a Sunday afternoon? I'm already running late, and she promised me she'd have all the groceries bought that I would need to feed a child. I apparently suck at being a father, because I can't even manage to buy the food my kid likes.

My kid. That's... I still haven't wrapped my head around it.

"Mom?" I prompt when I walk in, but there's no answer. The massive house doesn't exactly carry sound very well, and I don't have time to track her down.

If I'm late, Allie might damn well cut my balls off before cutting me off from Angel. But if I bring Angel over here to get the groceries, my mother will never let us leave. I need to figure out a way to bond with my daughter if I'm ever going to be in her life. And my mother hogging her attention isn't the way to do it.

Jogging toward the kitchen, I make a mental note to get a new phone. Mine has been freezing up all the time, and I didn't even realize it had gotten so late until I was rushing around. My phone was still stuck on one even after it was past two. Stupid piece of shit.

Large canvas bags are still resting on the counter in the kitchen, and I sigh in relief. I grab the first two and... drop them both to the ground as my jaw falls unhinged.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I ask the man who is walking into the kitchen with my mother's robe on—her pink, far-too-short, satin robe.

"Oh, Wren. Sorry. Didn't know you were here," Ray Fucking Drivel says on his way to the fridge, acting as though I shouldn't be shocked out of my damn mind right now.

I watch, unable to form anymore words that can possibly relay how confused I am in this moment. After he opens the door on the fridge, he bends over way too far, revealing much more of his body than I've ever wanted to see, and I whirl around to fight back a gag.

"Why are you naked under my mother's robe?"

"Because my clothes are in the wash," he says as though it should be common knowledge.

"And your clothes are in the wash because?"

"I got them dirty when I was crawling under the house."

The more questions he answers, the more confused I become. But before

I can truly interrogate him, my mother walks in from the other side of the kitchen—the side I'm facing. Her eyes widen as she tightens the strings on her long, black satin robe.

Oh hell no.

"Wren," Mom says in surprise. Her hair is ruffled, her face is flushed, and her lips are swollen. I'm going to be sick. "I would have thought you'd be here sooner."

I gag silently when I think of what I might have heard had I gotten here earlier. Mom reads my horrified expression and shakes her head vigorously. "I meant much earlier. I thought you'd go shopping with me so you could do it on your own next time."

Ignoring the man who is pouring a glass of orange juice much closer to us than he was and making himself entirely too comfortable in my childhood kitchen, I take a steadying breath before trying to answer.

"My phone messed up again. Lost track of time," I say through clenched teeth, feeling my body tense all over when Ray slides his arm over Mom's waist and tugs her back against his front. When she giggles and leans against him before stroking his face, I gag out loud.

"Oh, Wren. Stop it. I'm a grown woman."

"And he's a fucking con artist! Last I checked, you're exactly the sort of woman he targets."

Ray cocks an eyebrow at me, but doesn't act offended, which only pisses me off all the more. But Mom... Shit. She looks like she's ready to beat my ass.

"Wren Prize, I love you, but you don't get to judge people for making mistakes in the past."

I glare at her when I hear her underlying meaning. "I fucked up one night. He fucked up for years. He's a—"

"A man who served his time and now works for the FBI. He's also a security designer for highly reputable businesses, and a very wealthy man on his own who doesn't need my money."

I wasn't going to say any of those things and she knows it.

"I should probably leave the two of you alone," Ray says with smile while leaning down to kiss her cheek. "I deserve what he's saying, dear. I'll see you upstairs."

Dear? He did not just call her dear!

Bile rises to my throat upon hearing that oversharing tidbit about seeing her upstairs. My eyes are already burning from the images my mind is imagining against my will.

Ray walks off, and I immediately start back in. "When the hell did you start... dating Ray Drivel?"

"Capperton. He prefers Capperton because of his daughter. And we're not dating... exactly. We're just two people who happen to enjoy the physical company of each other."

I'm going to be sick for days.

"I've got to go," I groan, darting out of the house even as my mother says something my ears can't hear. Apparently they're scarred as much as my eyes are and refusing to let in anymore traumatizing words.

It's not until I get almost to Allie's place that I realize I never did get the groceries I dropped in the kitchen floor when I saw the con in my mother's robe.

Not a good day.

Chapter 3

Cancun — Seven Years ago...

ALLIE

"Allie Thrash. I'll be damned. In Cancun and drinking," Chris says, assaulting me with his toxic breath when he stands too close.

Only in Mexico and under the influence of a lot of tequila would the captain of the football team suddenly recognize me. Small towns are terrible for having some stupid hierarchy, and I'm sure as hell on the bottom.

"Nice ass, nice tits, nice... share," he slurs. I think he meant to say hair.

"Thanks," I grumble, doing what I can to peel myself away from him. I never should have agreed to this stupid senior trip, but I know Bella wanted to come. She hasn't ever been any more popular than me, but she has sure as hell blossomed and turned into a girl the guys want. Too bad she no longer wants any of them.

"Hey, Allie. Over here," Bella calls, waving me over toward two guys who look a little older — early twenties, maybe— and I gratefully skip toward her and away from Chris Parks.

I stumble to a halt when I see the guys up close, because they're sure as hell not from here or back home.

"Hey, these guys are from Cali — like us. This is Tag Masters and his friend Wren... Um... Sorry, I don't know your last name."

"Jacobs," the guy with dark hair, soft lips, and a delicious smile says as he sticks his hand out for me. Wren Jacobs. I really like that name. I like it so much that I don't even remember the other guy's name at all—or how to speak, apparently, since everyone is staring at me expectantly.

"I'm Allie Thrash," I mumble shyly, prompting his grin to grow.

"How drunk are you?" Tag asks Wren, though I don't know why.

Wren grins at me before giving me a wink that makes my heart flutter

almost too painfully. No one has ever looked at me like that. I've always been the foster girl who lived with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. My identity has always been as lost as me, but right now, I feel like someone is looking at me for the first time without any judgment, pity, or discomfort. I feel... like a normal person.

"Tequila is my best friend," Wren tells Tag, prompting the guy to laugh. Tag seems thoroughly interested in Bella, fortunately. Which leaves all of Wren's attention focused on me.

"Want to grab a drink?" Wren asks me. This trip finally feels like it's worth it.

"You're drunk. We shouldn't do this," Wren says in protest, but his lips continue to stroke mine, just as his tongue returns to explore my mouth. I could kiss him all night, but I want more.

I refuse to leave here without doing this. For me. I need to feel wanted. Wren's hands feel like medicine on burned skin, and his lips taste like heaven, saving me from hell.

"Please," I whisper. "You're drunk too. I swear I'm sober enough." Never thought I'd have to beg.

He gives me a lopsided grin while leaning back, his fingers toying with

the strings on my bikini top until he pulls them free, exposing me to his hungry eyes. I've never felt so good about myself.

"Baby, if you really want this, I won't refuse, but you don't have to," he says again, nibbling my bottom lip while grabbing my hips a little rougher.

A whimper escapes me, and my heart grows heavy in my chest, pounding as though it might escape at any moment. This is more exciting, more passionate, and far more desired than my first time where I stupidly trusted the wrong idiot with my virginity.

I've only known Wren for one night, but I've never had anyone look at me the way he does. It's as though I've gotten a redo here. A fresh start. He doesn't know me or my baggage, and he just wants me.

"I really want to do this," I whisper against his lips.

His grin returns, and he stands with me strapped around his waist, staggering lightly and snickering when he catches his balance. When he drops me to my hotel room bed, my grin only grows. A drunken night in Mexico – just what the doctor ordered.

Wren doesn't waste time shedding his clothes, and I follow his lead. Instead of going with any foreplay, he pushes me up on the bed and settles between my legs.

"I've wanted to do this all night. Last chance to back out," he says as he produces a condom from the pocket of his shorts that are discarded beside us on the bed, his body swaying off balance when he tries to sit back on his

haunches.

I shake my head, licking my lips when I see his body fully naked and

poised to take mine. Unable to look away, I watch as the rubber rolls down the hard flesh that is making me flush from head to toe.

"I want to do this," I say in a rasp whisper.

He grins as he drops back down, putting a hand on either side of my head, and he pushes in, slowly sinking into me with a burning, stretching feel. This feels so much better than last time.

"Damn," he murmur softly. "So good."

I reach up to touch him just as he pulls back and thrusts forward a little harder, eliciting a moan or a whimper from me. Not sure which. I want to kiss him, but his head is back as he thrusts in harder and harder, building something inside of me like I wasn't expecting.

I've had orgasms—most self-induced. But this... Something heavy is building inside me, claiming me with a power that promises I'm going to be in pain when it explodes. It takes me a minute to realize those terrible sounds are coming from me, but I can't stop them any more than I can stop the powerful eruption that rolls through me, shocking me. My scalp tingles all the way down to my curled toes as my body grows heavy and tired.

Why the hell am I tired?

Wren grunts loudly before thrusting in once more, and I lie here panting as he slowly pulls out, smiling as he unsheathes himself from the rubber he's wearing and stands up. He tosses it in the trashcan without a backwards glance and moves to put on his shorts again.

"What are you doing?" I ask breathlessly, wondering if my legs are ever going to stop shaking. I feel... boneless. Incredible. I feel—

"I've got to go find Tag. I've been missing for a while. I'll catch up with you some time."

—like someone just slapped me.

My heart sinks like a sickening rock, and I move to sit up, sure that I heard him wrong.

"You're leaving?"

He staggers sideways, barely catching himself on the wall, proving he's much drunker than I am.

"Yeah. Bye, Allie."

The door shuts and a tear falls from my eyes without my consent. How could I seriously be this stupid? I knew better—fucking knew better—than to

expect more, but after spending all day together, I at least expected a damn kiss after the deed was done. Or during.

Feeling used and exposed, I stand, only to feel something that only makes me even sicker. My thighs are much too wet, and something is trickling down my leg. I rush to the trashcan to retrieve the discarded condom. To my horror, my fears are confirmed. The end is broken, meaning...

Shit. Shit. Shit.

It takes me ten minutes to calm the hell down, but I finally convince myself that there's no way I'm pregnant. No one gets pregnant after just one time. I'll be fine. No worries. It was just a mistake that will never happen again.

Wren Jacobs will forever be my cautionary tale when I want to trust a guy too soon or do something as spontaneous and stupid as this. He's a reminder why I keep my guard up. He won't be the son of bitch that ruins my life.

Chapter 4

Present

WREN

"When's Mommy coming?" Angel asks, looking up at me as though she's bored to death.

I officially suck at being a father, because she's always bored out of her mind when she's here. One hour. I can't entertain a kid for one hour?

"She'll be here in about twenty minutes or less."

She just stares at me while sitting on my black leather sofa, ignoring the TV where I lamely turned on cartoons. Her innocent face, soft blonde curls, and young age would deceive someone into thinking she might actually enjoy cartoons.

"Would you prefer the Discovery Channel?"

"That would be better than this," she says while pointing to the odd show of two kids building things far too elaborate, and a nagging sister that seems to be obsessed with getting their mother to see it.

"Can I ask you something?"

She shrugs as I change the channel, keeping my distance. I'm still not sure about what I'm doing. I've never spent time around kids very much. And considering she's rarely ever in my care, I'm not getting any more comfortable with her than she is with me.

"What sort of things do you like? Next time I can have stuff here for us to do. It'd have to be better than spending an hour staring at each other."

She barely smiles while nodding. She's so damn smart for her age, so I know she understands this fucked-up situation we're in.

"I like cooking. Mommy and I cook together a lot. Then we watch our shows. Or movies. Basketball is my favorite to play, but I don't have a goal at home, so we go to the park when the big kids aren't playing on it. Mommy holds me on her shoulders so I can throw the ball in."

Park, cooking, basketball, movies... I can do this. Well, not the cooking part.

"Basketball was the one sport I played in school. I could teach you a few things."

Her eyes light up at the suggestion and she nods. "That would be much better than this. This is so boring."

Brutal honesty. At least I don't have to worry about her holding back.

"If I can get everything ready, would you be okay with me asking your mom about you spending some more time with me? We can't get to know each other if we only spend an hour or two at a time with each other every few days. And I really want to get to know you, Angel," I tell the six-year- old.

She thinks about it. For almost five minutes. I start worrying that she's either ignoring my question or she has been distracted.

"Sure. As long as we do something less boring."

I smile at her, and then the doorbell rings. Sighing, I move to go answer the door, knowing the cold face that will be on the other side.

I swing the door open, ready to put on a mask of civility no matter what she says, but to my utter horror, it's the wrong frigid woman waiting on the other side.

"Erica," I groan, shocked that my ex-wife would show up at all. We haven't seen or spoken to each other in months outside of the divorce proceedings. Not since she threw a drink on me at one of Dane Sterling's functions and loudly told the world that we were over.

"You have a kid?" she asks, her voice vibrating with fury.

Shit. Who the hell told her?

"We have to do this some other time," I growl, knowing there's a small

little blonde who has turned to look over the back of the sofa to enjoy the wrong show.

At least she's not bored anymore.

"No, Wren. We can do this now."

"Erica, last I checked, we've signed papers saying I no longer have to tell

you shi... Anything," I say, amending the word I almost used in front of Angel.

"She's here? Isn't she? I want to meet her—the woman you had a kid with, when you wouldn't even consider such a thing with your wife."

I groan while running a hand through my hair. Erica doesn't have details, and I don't want to explain it. She has to go before Allie gets here. Knowing damn well the psycho on my porch will light into the woman who already hates me, I try to think of something to cede.

Unfortunately, there's no time to come up with a compromise, because a

blue Focus pulls up into my driveway, parking right beside Erica's BMW. When Allie steps out, her shoulder-length, blonde hair catches in the wind, making it whip around softly. She's in her nursing scrubs as she makes her way down my sidewalk, her eyes narrowing as she silently takes in the

scene.

Why can't I catch a fucking break?

It's been a few months since I learned about my child, and Allie still

hasn't warmed up to me. Not that I can blame her.

"Is that her?" Erica growls.

"Erica, I'm only saying this once more; get the hell out of here or I'm

calling the cops," I threaten in a key that is barely above a whisper.

"Call them. I deserve answers, Wren. You owe me that."

I don't owe her a motherfucking thing, but I'm desperate to make her

leave. "Fine. You want to know, then keep your mouth shut and I'll tell you everything after they leave. Go wait in your car."

She glares at me, but she doesn't argue. Her eyes burn against Allie the whole time she walks back to her car, but Allie barely offers her a passing glance, because her glare is centered on me. She reaches me just as Erica slams the door to her car, sulking in the driver's seat as she impatiently waits.

"Lover scorned?" Allie drawls, sounding deceptively calm.

"Ex-wife. She just showed up a second ago. I didn't invite her or let her in, so no rules have been broken. Our daughter has still not been introduced to any women, other than my friends."

Not that I'm dating anyone. Christ, I feel like I'm sixteen again with all this angst locked inside me.

She doesn't speak for a minute, but she finally glances over her shoulder to see Erica still glowering this way.

"Is she waiting on me to leave?"

"The only way I could get her out of here without causing a scene was to promise to talk to her after you left. The last thing I need is another mark against me, especially since you and I need to discuss something."

"What can we possibly have to discuss?" she asks idly, looking bored and disinterested.

Why do I even try? Oh yeah. Because I'm the dick that knocked her up almost seven years ago, and didn't even give her my real name.

"Angel. I want to start spending more time with her. I'm never going to get to know her on this schedule."

"I'd have introduced the two of you sooner, had I known your real name." Saw that one coming.

"I realize that. But I can't redeem myself with an hour every few days. I

need more time than that. You're working at the hospital, logging several extra hours a week—"

"To provide for my child," she interrupts.

"But you could be working less. Angel could be staying with me while you work, and I could be providing you with child support so you don't have to work over. I think I've proven I'm trustworthy, and the money is for Angel. Not for you. I understand you don't want a dime from me, but this is owed to her."

She glances over her shoulder again, then she moves to step inside the house. I step back, giving her plenty of space so I don't get frostbite in the case she accidentally touches me.

"Not a porch conversation," she murmurs while walking in, moving toward the sweet girl on the sofa who is generously feigning interest in the television and pretending as though she isn't listening to every word we're saying.

"Hey, sweetie," Allie says while bending down, leaning over the sofa.

Scrubs aren't supposed to look good on an ass, but I find myself biting back a groan.

My eyes dart up immediately. No way in hell should my mind be wandering there... again.

"Hey, Mommy. Do you know some penguins mate for life?"

I choke on air as Allie chuckles, and I shut the door, wondering if maybe the Discovery Channel was a bad idea. Are they showing how they mate? Christ. Nothing is safe anymore.

"I did. Mommy and Wren are going out back to discuss something. Will you be okay in here for a minute?"

She nods while moving her eyes toward me and smiling. I can't help but smile back. Allie motions for me to follow her, which I do. But then I quickly turn around and lock the door.

"Don't let anyone in," I whisper to Angel on the way by.

"Don't worry. I don't like your ex, so I won't answer the door."

I just snicker, until I see Allie glaring at me. I don't think we were talking

loud enough to be heard, but I swallow like a scolded child and follow her outside in silence.

We reach the gated, outdoor patio, and she takes a seat at one of the tables. The tiled top is warmed by the sun, despite the slight chill in the air, and I rest my elbows on top while keeping my silence.

Allie's light jacket makes me smile, because the less skin she shows, the better. The last thing I need is to let her know how she affects me, considering she'd probably slap the hell out of me for daring to think of her like that.

"So, you really want to keep her more, and you think you could manage that with your hectic schedule?"

Right to the point. No foreplay whatsoever. I also notice that the money issue is still being avoided as opposed to getting addressed. She's going to get my damn money whether she likes it or not—including back child support.

"Yes. I know I can. Most of the things I do are things I can do from home. I'm more of a silent partner in the majority of my businesses. I can do this, Allie. The companies I run for my mother are actually handled by others. I just make the big decisions, which I do through conference calls usually."

The mention of my mother makes the image of Ray Drivel in a pink robe flash into my mind, and I fight hard not to grimace and give Allie the impression that it's meant for her.

She sits quietly for a minute, but then she blows out a breath—defeated or defiant breath... not sure which. "I have no reason to try and stop you. You've done everything almost perfect since you met her. I'll send you a school schedule. She has to be picked up from school, or you have to fill out a form for the bus to drop her off here."

"I don't mind picking her up," I say quickly, uncaring about how eager I sound.

"Don't be late. I'll send you all the information. I'll email you a pickup schedule. If you really want to, you can start picking her up on Tuesdays and keep her until close to bedtime. You'll have to make sure she's showered, fed, and ready to go when I come to pick her up. You can also get her on the days that I have to work over. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen."

I want to jump up and down or fist pump the air, but I remain calm and collected. This is the first time she's had a conversation for longer than a few minutes since the day she ran over me in the market—the day I found out I had a child and had royally fucked over this woman so many years ago.

"What about nights? I know you have to go in early a lot of mornings, so I could keep her on those nights."

Her body tenses at the mention of that. Damn. Pushed too far.

"Let's slow this down. I ceded a huge chunk of time. You've been patient, and you've done as well as you said you would. But I'm not ready for her to spend the night. Bella and I live together, so she stays with her those mornings. We adjust our schedules so she can help out. But usually my schedule is pretty stable."

Bella hates me just as much as Allie hates me. Fortunately, I've only had to see her a couple of times.

"Okay. I'll take what I can get."

She stares at me for a long time, to the point I start to grow uncomfortable, but she finally looks away, moving her gaze to the door. When the doorbell starts ringing over and over, a small smile curls up on her lips.

"Should Angel and I sneak out the back?"

I groan while glaring at the door. "I might sneak out with you."

For the first time, I hear her laugh. And it's a beautiful, melodious sound

reserved for the special. It's so perfect that I almost hate her for having it. "Send Angel out here, and we'll wait until it's safe to sneak around the

edge," she says.

I smirk while nodding. "The code is Angel's birthday—month, day, year.

Just press it at the side exit. Otherwise you'll be trapped out here until Erica leaves. Unless you want to help me out?"

It's a lame joke, but I'm sincerely hoping to hear her laugh again. But when I look at her, her expression has changed.

"Angel's birthday is the code?" she asks in a hushed tone, probably worried about someone overhearing.

"Yeah. I changed it about three weeks ago. I had to give the inside a more complicated code, considering anyone could figure that out, but I should probably give it to you in case you need it. I'll give you all my codes and extra keys for all my places when I drop her off next time."

She swallows hard, but only acknowledges my words with a slight nod of her head. This is the longest we've spoken since we reunited. It's definitely the least angst I've ever felt after talking to her. I usually feel like I need a muscle relaxant once she leaves.

I head in, ignoring the annoying, relentless bell.

"Did Mom say yes?" Angel asks as she stands up.

Grinning, I nod. "Yep. She's waiting for you out back. And I'll hold up my end of the bargain to have better stuff here for you."

Seeming satisfied, she glances at the door, and then back at me. "I like pizza for dinner. Cheese only. Lasagna is okay. Spaghetti is good. No vegetables. No one ever makes me eat vegetables."

A small laugh slips out of me.

"Italian it is," I murmur, grinning. I'll let her think she's outsmarting me with the vegetables thing. Allie wouldn't dare let her not eat them.

Her smile actually steals my breath, because she never smiles like that for me. Then she runs outside to meet her mother.

Knowing I have to deal with Erica, I decide to text Ash—Tag's wife— instead of calling her. She'll help me get this place ready. Rain, Tria, Raya, and Brin would probably help me out, too. They'll know what girls need.

With a regretful breath, I open the door to let Erica in so that Angel and Allie can sneak out.

"It's about damn time," Erica growls as she shoulders by me.

"Come on in," I mutter dryly.

"Where are they?"

I just laugh while shaking my head. "You're not meeting my daughter,

Erica. Forget it. I don't want your crazy rubbing off on her."

She takes several furious breaths, and follows me to the kitchen. I sit down at the table and start sorting the work I abandoned to spend time with

Angel after breakfast this morning.

"You work in your study," she says randomly.

"You've never been here before, so you don't know where I work in this

home."

And I'm going to kick the ass of whoever gave her my address. I never

wanted her tainting this property, which is why I never brought her here. I moved here because she doesn't crowd this space with bad memories the way she does all of our other homes. Well, my other homes—it's not our anything anymore. She signed a prenuptial agreement.

"Who is she? How did you have a kid? When did you have a kid?"

And we're back to her reason for hating me even more.

"She is a woman I met seven years ago, and I treated her like shit. I had a

kid because I was reckless. And my daughter was born over six years ago." "So you met her seven years ago, and you have a kid six years later?

That's quick work."

"She got pregnant the first night we met." The only night we met. "Factor

in the nine months for pregnancy, and you have a six-year-old working on age seven. First grader. That's all you need to know. It's more than you deserve to know."

She snorts derisively, moving to where she thinks she's in my vision. "She got pregnant the first night you met? Sounds like a real keeper." Dropping my pen to the table, I finally give Erica the attention she wants.

"A woman who sleeps with her fiancé's brother the night before they're supposed to get married doesn't get to judge a woman who is working her ass off to selflessly provide for her own child."

She rolls her eyes, and I grind my teeth. She always brushes off what she did as nothing major. I was such a fucking idiot to marry her.

"As if you're not the one providing for the child. Have you had a paternity test done?"

Why am I doing this? I got divorced for a reason.

"She won't take money from me for anything. Not yet. I'm still working on convincing her to take it. Now, it's time for you to go."

"I'm not leaving," she says stubbornly, her chin lifting in defiance.

"Erica, you're leaving and not coming back. We're not married, and now it's called trespassing when you're not welcome. So get the fuck out of my house. I've been as nice as I can be."

She glares at me, and I stand up, ready to haul her ass out if that's what it takes. After calling me a few choice words, she storms out, and I take a deep breath. Never again will I do something as stupid as marry someone. It's not like she broke my heart, but she sure as hell broke my tolerance level.

It's funny how she used to accuse me of being too nice, and Allie hates me for being the biggest dick in her life.

Fucking irony. Got to love it.

Chapter 5

ALLIE

"I'm confused... You said yes? I thought you were already regretting ever telling him about Angel," Bella says from the sofa.

Wren is by far the most... I don't even know what to say about him. I keep waiting on him to mess up and show me that this is all a game, but he keeps surprising me, and Angel seems to genuinely want to get to know him.

"I didn't want to say yes, but then again, what choice do I really have? Legally, he could take me to court and get more than what he's asking for. Even though he has nothing child-friendly in his massive house, Angel still loves going over there. She always smiles when I pick her up, even if she isn't smiling in front of him. I think I'm holding her back more than anything, because she wipes her smile away the second she catches me looking at her."

"Afraid she's betraying her momma because she can tell how you really feel about him," Bella says in agreement. Great. That just makes me feel like a bitch.

"I feel like my right to hate Wren Prize is slowly being pulled away. Angel is more important, so I have to learn to get along with him. If he's making the effort, then I need to meet him halfway."

But damn, seven years of built-up resentment is hard to let go right away. I expected things to go totally different than they have. I've spent so long preparing for the worst, and I don't know how to handle things... the way they are, which are surprisingly... decent.

So confusing.

Bella nods slowly, digesting my words. She looks odd in a room so barren and devoid of her personality. The fresh white paint on the walls makes her beach tan pop.

All the boxes are neatly packed and ready for our move. I don't know what I'd do without my best friend. I sure as hell couldn't have raised Angel without her help.

"So, why are you so mad right now if that's how you feel?" she finally asks.

"Because he's doing everything right. He picks her up and drops her off

when he says he will. He's always where he tells me he'll be, and he's been amazingly patient. I have to look for reasons to be pissed, because he's so damn perfect."

Bella cocks an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You're right. I'd be furious," she mocks dryly.

I groan while dropping to the other sofa. "He put Angel's birthday as his gate code. He's bringing me a key to his houses—all of them. He's also giving me the alarm codes and keyless entry codes—just in case I ever need anything from there."

"Wow." She whistles low, seemingly impressed. "So cut the guy some slack. It's been three months, and he's still hanging in there. He wants a relationship with Angel. Isn't that why you moved out here?"

I laugh humorlessly. "I moved out here because this is where you wanted to go, didn't you know?"

She snorts while shoving my shoulder playfully. "Whatever. That girl has been asking questions you've avoided for years. I'm proud of you for facing this. For doing this for her. It proves you're a hell of a woman. Now prove you're even better and start letting her feel like it's okay to want to know her dad."

That strikes a nerve, only because I've been feeling the same way. The day I found that interview on the Internet with him and Tag Masters... I didn't think my heart was going to slow down. There he was. Wren Jacobs unmasked as Wren Prize—Sterling Shore royalty.

Bella had just moved out here from our small town three hours away. She'd been begging me to make the move with her because she couldn't pass up her job. Considering my best friend helped me raise Angel, I hated to split them up. Angel loves Bella like a second mother.

Then I found my daughter's father by accident while skimming web news. It was like some colossal sign.

At first I couldn't believe it. He looked almost the same, just older, and unfortunately, he also looked sexier. His body was stronger, his inky black hair was a little longer, shagging in just the right way, and his piercing blue eyes were just as mesmerizing as I remembered.

My blood boiled, and I felt like an idiot all over again. To this day, I don't know who I'm madder at—myself for being so stupid as to sleep with a guy I didn't know, or him for being the horrible jerk he was once he got what he came for.

Even after moving out here, it had taken me months of deliberating to decide whether or not I wanted to face the man who treated me worse than trash seconds after he was finished with my body. The same man who lied about his last name and didn't bother to check the condom he tossed in the trash with my pride. I'd never felt so humiliated and debased—so damn used. Even though I threw it out there on a platter for him, I really didn't expect him to deposit and go like he did.

Shuddering at the memories, I roll my shoulders back. Despite my own personal grievances, we do have a daughter. He's obviously grown up since I last knew him, and Angel deserves a father. Especially if he wants to be one.

"You're right. I'll try. He'd just better not fuck up."

Bella grins while standing, and she ruffles my hair. "Good. Start with asking him to help us move this weekend. We need the extra muscle."

My jaw pops open as she walks away, and I turn to follow her through the apartment.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Nope," she says idly, making the word pop. "All the men I know are the men I don't want to know. So ask your child's father to help his daughter's mother move your stuff this weekend. He'll do it, and he'll be happy you asked. We don't need to splurge on movers. Or you could ask Roger."

Oh crap. I forgot to call Roger today. It's really not a good sign if you can't remember to call the man you're dating.

"Roger and I have only been dating for a few weeks, and I don't know him well enough to introduce him to Angel. That shows a bigger commitment than I'm ready to make."

She shrugs and moves to the side to start microwaving leftover pizza in our small kitchen.

"Then call the one man you do let around your daughter. Trust me. If he's the real deal, he'll help us move."

Swallowing hard, I glance down at my phone. It would be a test to see how far he'd go for Angel. Up until now, he's only had to dedicate an hour at a time for her. It might make me feel better to see him interact with her after several hours of tedious, miserable moving. His patience will be frayed after a lot of labor, and he might reveal any hidden colors.

"Quit scheming and call him for the right reasons," Bella says, proving she knows me too well.

I scowl at her, but I keep my mouth shut while picking up my phone.

There's no need in me calling—that's what texting is for. The weekend is two days away. He doesn't start spending more time with her until next week. This is a perfect opportunity to see the real Wren. And I won't give him any warning. I'll wait until tomorrow, where he'll have to cancel plans to

help out.

Chapter 6

WREN

"So the girl is hot, but cold and bitchy. She's a good mom, but she's definitely one to hold a grudge. And she's smart but insanely hung up on one mistake defining a person. And Brin says I'm full of contradictions," Rye says while taking a sip of his beer and propping his feet up on my coffee table.

I join him, and let my eyes drift up to the ceiling. Never thought I'd be having a heart to heart with Rye Clanton, but if anyone can understand how to deal with someone who doesn't forgive easily, it's him. God knows he can hold a grudge better than anyone in the world after the hell he went through. Thank God for Brin Waters. It's possible she saved him.

"Well, considering I don't even remember having sex with her the night I got her pregnant, I think she has the right to be judgmental. It figures the one night I acted as callous as Maverick, Corbin, or Tag that I would screw up this monumentally. I still can't believe I did it.

"Hell, Tag doesn't remember it either. We were wasted out of our minds that whole week. I was about to take over one of my mom's smaller companies. Tag had taken the trust fund Mom set up for him, and he had invested every dime into a company he had taken over. We were both becoming real adults, so we wanted to party like fucking kids one last time."

Rye nods while taking another sip, and then he stands to grab another drink from the fridge. Allie ceded to me spending more time with Angel, but I can tell she did so under duress.

My phone chirps just before Rye says something, and he waits while I check the new message.

ALLIE: We're moving to a small house tomorrow. Will you help us? Sorry for the short notice.

I'm shocked that she even bothered to ask at all, considering she hates being around me for more time than necessary.

ME: I'll be there, and I'll bring help. Thanks for asking.

Christ. I'm thanking her for asking for my help. How quickly I have fallen from grace.

"What's up?" Rye asks, apparently seeing the look on my face.

"We're moving Allie, Bella, and Angel tomorrow. She just sent a text and asked for help."

His grin forms lazily, and I roll my eyes before his taunts begin. Yeah. I know how fucking pathetic I look.

"I thought you were going to Dane's country club party tomorrow."

"I'll cancel. If Allie's asking for my help, then she desperately needs help. If I hire movers, it'll make me look like a bitch. If I show up with my muscled-up friend, I'll look like a badass in front of my daughter who is still on the fence about liking me."

He laughs while plopping down beside me. "Why me? Brin and I never get a Saturday alone anymore. She's been busy as hell at work. It's the first Saturday she's had off in a while. What about Ethan? He's home for a few more weeks before he heads back to Chicago."

I shake my head, not pitying him one bit for losing two seconds with Brin, since they're always together. "Ethan will try sticking his dick in Allie's roommate, and I'll be in the doghouse if he succeeds. I don't even want him knowing Bella exists."

Rye frowns but then nods knowingly. "What about Tag? Ash has shopping plans tomorrow with her mom, so he'll be on his own."

It's sad that he knows their plans, but Ash and Brin are getting closer every day, and Rye absorbs anything out of his girlfriend's mouth, no matter how unimportant.

"Tag has already stuck his dick in her roommate, but he doesn't remember it. I haven't mentioned it, and I don't plan to. He doesn't remember me meeting Allie, so obviously Bella is just a blur. I'd rather not open that can of worms, because I'd be in a bigger doghouse. Again, you're it. Even if you do find me extra help, they will be extra help, because Allie has met you and sewed you up, so you owe her. And Brin is going, too. Tell her. She'll be happy to repay the favor. She can spill good things about me while I'm working my ass off."

He laughs harshly while holding his hands up in surrender. "Damn. Fine. I'll go and break even with the girl. And Brin will come, too. She's mentioned doing something for her a few times. What about Kade and Raya?

They're in town tomorrow. Raya sent a text to Brin asking her if we had any plans. You know Kade will help, and Raya is always game."

The more people there who like me, the better. "Sounds good. I'll give him a call. If Dane didn't have that country club thing, I'd ask him for help."

"Corbin and Maverick are out, I'm assuming," he says, grinning. "Considering they'd work harder than Ethan to get their dick in the roommate if she's hot."

Sighing, I lean back and mentally cross out all the names of the people who aren't allowed to help. After realizing what a task that is, I look back at Rye. "Only guys in a serious relationship. Only girls I've never dated and who aren't friends or friendly with Erica. Deal?"

He gives me his lazy grin once again while digging his phone out of his pocket. Then we get to work.

Chapter 7

ALLIE

"What time will our muscle be here?" Bella asks from the kitchen as the sound of box tape scratches my annoyed ears. I didn't realize how much we hadn't packed.

"Any minute now. He said he was bringing help."

I still can't believe how quick his response was. Or that he thanked me for asking for his help. And I really hate that it made me smile.

"Awesome."

Angel comes skipping in, swaying from side to side with her tiara on like she's a princess.

"When is Wren coming? I want him to see my doll collection before I finish packing. He's going to get me a new one for Christmas."

"You already asked him for one?" I ask, swallowing hard. I hadn't thought about Christmas. His is going to seem so elaborate next to what I can afford.

"Nope. I'm going to show him my dolls, and then tell him which ones I need. He told me to be thinking of what I want for Christmas because he's got a big family, and they all buy the kids presents. There are only three kids. That means a third of the presents will be mine."

He has a big family? I'll add it to the list of things I didn't know. I've done my best not to stalk his information online, because the web portrays him as this amazing guy. He's the wounded, recently divorced, rich, gorgeous guy, and women from everywhere are offering to kiss away his pain in ways that makes my head hurt to imagine.

"Well, he'll be here soon, but we have to get everything out today, so don't take long. We won't be able to—"

A knock at the door interrupts me, and I take a deep, steadying breath before wiping my nervous hands on my jeans and moving to answer it. But my overeager daughter beats me to the door and swings it open to reveal Wren Prize in all his glory leaning against the doorjamb.

With his sunglasses on, his inky black hair sweeping his brow, and his easy grin, he looks like every swoon-worthy dream I've ever had. His tight T- shirt, frayed jeans, and new tennis shoes make me work hard to breathe.

"Hey, beautiful," he says to Angel, and I might wobble. Just a little. Even his voice is unsettlingly perfect today.

"Hey, Wren. Come on. You need to see my dolls so you know which ones I need for Christmas. Mommy is making me pack them up soon."

His laughter wraps around me and teases all my senses, making me really regret doing this. I didn't want to enjoy how well they interact. What was I thinking?

"Can you give me just a minute to show the guys in and get them started? It might be rude to dump all that on your mom," he says, keeping his eyes on her and not focusing them on me.

That's what I wanted, but for some reason... I at least wish he'd acknowledge me.

"Yeah. Sure. Meet me in there. Mommy will show you which one it is."

He smiles and nods, and she runs off to her room without a backwards glance in my direction. That's when he pulls off his sunglasses, and those heart-stopping blue eyes find mine. "I brought an army. Hope you're ready," he says, grinning, and... yeah... This time I'm forced to wobble noticeably.

He moves quickly, bridging the small gap between us, and his hands move to my waist, steadying me. Oh damn. He shouldn't be touching me, because it sickens me to know how much I want him to touch me more.

"I'm... fine," I say hoarsely, making his eyes fill with concern.

"You sure? You should have asked me to come over sooner if you're already this weak, Allie. I could have gotten this all packed up for you."

I do feel weak. Just not the way he thinks.

Damn him and his words right now. Really don't need this confusion, and I hate the way my body is reacting to him. Anatomy and psychology seem to be at war within me.

"I'm fine," I say again, sounding stronger as I clear my throat.

"Holy hell. There's like... a bunch of people down there," Bella says while coming back into the apartment. She left? "And they're all—" She stops speaking when her eyes land on Wren's hands that are firmly placed on my hips. Then her grin slowly spreads across her face when her eyes meet mine. "—here, looking for our place. I told them the apartment number, and then I raced up the stairs while they waited on the elevator," she finishes.

Wren lets go of my hips, and he moves past Bella to the elevator across the hall just as it dings. Bella continues grinning, and I cut my eyes toward her in warning. That wasn't what it looked like. I don't think.

Wren laughs in the hallway as loud chatter arises, and I tilt my head curiously, moving closer to see... Holy shit! How did he get this many people to come help him on a Saturday at the last minute?

"Everyone," he says, motioning toward me, "this is Allie, and that's her roommate... Bella."

He points to Bella and then he jogs toward Angel's room, knocking first to gain her permission before entering. It's a small act of respect that only pisses me off more, because he keeps rewriting everything I thought I knew.

He sticks his head in the door, and Angel walks out, smiling when she sees all the faces around us.

"And most of you have met Angel a time or two. It's the only time she's not bored with me," he jokes, and Angel laughs loudly, only warming me more.

He's introduced her to his friends. Why does that make him seem even better?

"There she is," a strikingly gorgeous woman says on her way to hug my daughter. Um... who the hell is she?

Wren grins at the woman too affectionately, and my jaw works tensely when she picks Angel up and hugs her. Angel hugs her back, but it's stilted. Obviously this woman is more comfortable than she should be. Angel doesn't let people in easily.

"Oh," Wren says, laughing when he sees me. There's the asshole I know. "Sorry. This is my mother—Melanie Prize."

My jaw drops. Painfully so. In fact... there are no words. She's not old enough to be his mom.

"Don't look so shocked, dear," the woman says with a soft smile, but she seems uncertain about how to approach me. I'm sure Wren has told her I'm a bitch. In fact, now I'm a little self-conscious because he's probably told everyone I am, but I doubt he's told anyone about how he treated me. "A woman can look young for decades these days."

I force a smile, feeling uncomfortable in my own home with all his friends. Until I see a face I know.

"Hey," the familiar woman says, and I sigh in relief. I was really nice to her.

"Brin," I say, proud of myself for remembering the name Wren once gave me on the way to stitch up her boyfriend's hand.

Her smile brightens the mood, and she turns just as the tall, tattooed man

walks closer, stretching out his hand that has the faintest scar.

"You did good work. We came to repay the favor."

I smile while shaking his hand, and then I glance back and forth between

the two of them. "I guess you two are more than neighbors now?" I muse, needing someone to bond with out of this crowd.

Brin snickers while nodding. "You caught us on a bad night. Things are a lot different. Hope you're ready to get moved in within a few hours. Wren assembled an army."

I turn back to see the numerous other faces, and Wren starts introductions. Most wave and smile before asking us for instructions. Bella handles most of the delegating, since I'm still not fully in the moment. I can't believe he was able to get so much help so quickly.

While Bella is putting everyone to work, Wren and Melanie sneak off to join Angel in her room. Being nosy, I follow, making sure to look as though I'm packing up the rest of a box near the doorway of my daughter's room.

"I think we can fill in the gaps just fine. You know, we do have six Christmases to make up for, so we'll have a lot to do. Not to mention, let's just say... your father's house is rather... boring, I hear. Maybe we could speed Christmas up and put some things there for you to play with," Melanie says, and my heart sputters.

I never really thought of parenting as being competitive, but what if Angel realizes Wren can give her so much more than me? It's so frigging insecure, but I can't help it.

No. I won't do that. I can't. My daughter deserves all the things she's ever wanted, and if Wren can give them to her, I'm sure as hell not going to be petty and stand in her way.

"I'll write some things down," Angel says matter-of-factly, prompting me to hold back my laughter.

"You can write?" Melanie asks in surprise.

"Yep. And I can read, too. Not the big books like Mommy, but I can read the smaller books she buys me."

They continue to ask her questions, and I peek in to see Wren smiling at her while putting the last of her stuff in boxes, treating everything with care like it can't be replaced. I decide to give them privacy instead of hovering, so I move to the kitchen. Or try to.

Bella intercepts me half way and pulls me to the side by my elbow, intriguing me.

"What the hell?" she grumbles, releasing me to cross her arms over her chest.

"What the hell what?" I ask, rubbing my poor wounded elbow that did nothing to deserve her violent use for upheaval.

"Every guy in there is taken. The Dane guy owns half of Sterling Shore, and he's here despite some big party he's having, because he's a good friend to Wren. So obviously I'm intrigued, but no. He's married. To the hot blonde girl in our kitchen who happens to be a frigging bestselling author. And the hot guy with the tattoos all over his arms is with the short girl who is tripping him every time he walks back and mocking him with insincere apologies. And the other guy, Kode, is with the dark haired girl who happens to be sisters with the striking blonde. Kade, the youngest one of them, yeah... he's engaged to the chick who keeps griping about them leaving her out of their poker night. It's like mega-hot-but-don't-touch-city in there. Did he do that on purpose?"

I bite back a grin as she blows a hair out of her face, scowling at the door she closed on our way out.

"I don't know. But since when are you looking for a guy?"

She turns that vicious scowl on me, and my laughter leaks out just a little. "I'm not. But it wouldn't hurt to enjoy the view. I feel like I'm going to

get in trouble if I enjoy the eye candy in there. And for the record, those guys might as well be blind to all other women in the world. They haven't even noticed that I exist. They'd be sleaze if they did notice, considering they're taken, but still. I've never felt so teased."

My laughter starts pouring out, and she takes a step back as though I've lost my mind. Then again, I can't remember laughing this hard at something so small.

"Since when the hell do you laugh at something so mundane?" she asks, doing the thing where she makes me worry that she's in my head.

"I don't. I don't know what's wrong with me," I utter through the fits of laughter.

Wren managed to assemble a small army of help, yet he also made sure not to bring anyone single that might hit on Bella. Obviously he doesn't want to risk anything going wrong with our rocky start. He certainly didn't do it because of me, considering he knows I'm dating someone. Or... at least I think he does.

That makes me appreciate him even more. Just knowing he's giving this

all he's got is a good sign. It takes me at least five minutes to finally stop laughing, but Bella can't seem to stop smiling.

"Fine. I'll deal with all the hotties being taken if you keep laughing like that. It's nice to hear."

I just roll my eyes while she opens the door, and I trek back into the house as two of the said hotties use the open door to walk out our sofa. Bella checks out Rye's ass, but quickly looks away when the smiling Brin sweetly clears her throat.

"Torture," Bella whispers, prompting me to snicker softly while moving back toward the kitchen where the girls are all quick to swarm me with questions about Angel. This I can talk about easily. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.

ALLIE

This is hell. Pure and utter hell.

Wren Prize is freaking amazing. He's nothing like the Wren Jacobs I met in Cancun. In fact, this Wren would kick that Wren's ass for his behavior. How can one person change so much in such a short span of time?

Albeit, seven years is a long time, but not enough for someone to be this incredibly different. The girls all talk about him being the voice of reason amongst the group—the most mature. They keep acting as though it's impossible he was a jerk. Not that I mentioned it. He apparently told them he was an asshole to me, yet they still can't believe it.

I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't seen it for myself, because after spending a whole day with him, I can't even picture him as the same guy. In fact, I've questioned my memories of that night, which pisses me off.

"You know," Bella says as she sidles up next to me, climbing onto a stool so that she can properly hang a picture, "Wren Prize is definitely becoming my favorite person on a moving day. All of our stuff is almost unpacked, and it's just barely getting dark. And all of his friends have stayed. That's pretty amazing. Loyalty like that, well, it's rare. I thought only we had it, yet they all have it to him."

Yeah. As if I needed a flashing neon sign.

"I'm pretty sure the Wren I met in Cancun wouldn't have this many

friends."

She shrugs while leaning back, staying on her stool, and admiring Kade

Colton who is working tirelessly without his shirt, his hidden tattoos exposed. The fact he has a tongue ring has only driven Bella crazy with envy, and I've laughed about it all day.

She isn't actually looking for anyone to date—at all. I think she's only continued the torture spill because I keep laughing. I can't even remember the last time I've laughed so hard, but these people are all so laid back with a good sense of humor. It's easy to forget they're strangers.

"So, the Dane guy is apparently the world's sweetest fucking husband on top of everything else. Kode, his brother, is a bit of a jerk to everyone but his woman and his close circle of friends. That's cool, I guess. His friends seem to get him, but I wouldn't mind never knowing him. Raya is cool as hell, though. She and I are going out one night."

Crap. Now my best friend is going to be a part of his circle. What if she's around Wren more and starts liking him a little too much? No. No. No. I can't get jealous. That's stupid. Why am I acting so stupid?

"That's... nice," I say, trying not to frown and act like an immature brat. Besides, Bella would never get with Wren for the simple fact he's Angel's father.

"Get that look off your face. It's just to get to know her better," she says, misreading my thoughts. "She's not rich like the rest of them. She's like you and me. All the girls are cool, really, but Raya seems like my kind of girl."

"What about Brin?" I ask idly. Brin is the only one I've ever really met before.

Bella and I are still hanging the last of the pictures while some of the guys finish putting together some of the furniture pieces in the bedrooms. She shifts on her stool, trying to put the leveler on top of the frame she just hung, as she answers.

"I like her, but I'd never stop staring at her boyfriend if we hung out. Kade is younger, sort of. Not by a lot, but still younger, so I can overlook him easier. And he doesn't drive a motorcycle like Rye does. We both know he's exactly my type, which makes him all the harder to look away from, even though I'm done with my type. And Brin keeps looking at me like she might kick my ass if I keep staring at her man."

"Actually," a voice interjects, startling us both into a squeal. Brin is standing behind us, smiling, forcing us both to blush as she continues. "I'm

used to girls checking him out. I've just been giving you a hard time when you do because Wren worked really hard to assemble unavailable men only. I came because Allie was incredible and came to Rye's rescue one night, even though she didn't know us. And the other girls came because, well, they're as nosy as Wren's mom. They haven't gotten to really be around Angel a lot, and they also hope they can help Allie realize Wren is a good guy, even though he might not seem like it from memory."

She grins at Bella who looks like she has swallowed her foot, and I cackle at the pure horrified embarrassment on her face.

"What's so funny?" Rye asks, which in turn forces Bella to stumble off her stool and crash ever so indignantly to the floor, punctuating her humiliation, and forcing me to laugh that much harder.

"Girl talk," Brin says teasingly as the gentle giant wraps his arms around her waist, nuzzling her cheek with his face when he bends over.

"Ah. I see. Then I don't want to know. We're about to finish up here."

"Pizza and beer?" I ask spontaneously, not ready for this to end, especially when Bella shoots me a nasty glare.

Brin smiles at me before nodding. "Sounds good. We're free tonight. And I know I could use a beer after today."

Rye shrugs in agreement, apparently not one to argue. Simple. Must be nice to have a simple relationship that's just so easy. Even though it didn't look so easy the night I first met them.

"Everyone good with pizza, beer, and hanging out long enough to enjoy all our hard work?" Rye asks without moving away from the woman he is now leaning over and nuzzling.

A series of excited agreements ring out, and I sneak away to find Wren. I might should have asked him before inviting all his friends to stay.

"I'll order pizza," Bella says in an effort to escape Brin's teasing grin.

"We're making a beer run," Kode Sterling says, tugging insistently on Tria like they might do more than grab beer.

Kade rolls his eyes while moving to be beside Raya, and he wraps his arm around her waist.

"We'll grab beer. It'll be hot by the time they get back with any," he says, snickering when Raya nods in agreement and sighs in exasperation.

I just smile while walking out the back sliding glass doors to the patio. Wren is outside with Angel, helping her sort through the small storage shed that is in the corner of the backyard.

"What's going on?" I ask, nervously pocketing my hands as I step just inside the doorway.

He's spent most of the day with her, and the two of them have developed a little bubble. I think she has felt more comfortable with him in her space instead of her being in his space, and I've worked really hard to let them have their moment.

Wren turns that ensnaring smile on me, and my legs curse me for attempting to stand.

"We're mapping out bike room. It's a good neighborhood for a bike. You've got a nice, paved driveway, and the sidewalks are wide. She said you were going to buy two bikes to ride around together."

Trying not to melt like an idiot, I smile at him. "We are. We're going to look at some when I get paid next week."

Angel takes a step toward me, looking up at me with determined eyes. "Wren says he owes me a lot of birthday presents, too. So I asked him for a bike for both of us."

I don't know why I laugh, but I do. Wren shrugs, trying his best not to grin. "She's right. It's only fair I get her anything she wants. Two bikes okay for now? I can give you the money if you don't want me taking you shopping for them."

It'd be smarter to deny him both of those options. Buying things for her is one thing. But buying me things is not okay.

"You can buy her one. We can go look when you're free."

"I'm free tonight. And tomorrow. Whenever. And it's her request for two bikes. Don't make me let her down so soon."

Ah, hell. Why does he have to be so nice?

"Fine. Two bikes."

Angel squeals excitedly and rushes to hug me, surprising me with her

enthusiasm. I hug her back before picking her up and kissing her nose. Wren stands from his crouched position and just watches us with genuine interest.

"I need to go tell Aunt Bella." Angel wiggles free from my grip and rushes toward the house, abandoning me with Wren and leaving us alone for the first time all day.

"Um... I asked your friends to stay for beer and pizza. To say thanks for all the help."

He smiles while walking toward me, and I step out of the small shed to give us more breathing room. Once he's outside with me, he says, "You

didn't have to do that. We help each other out all the time. They call, I come. I call, they come. I promise they all owed me a favor or two."

He acts like those favors are extended to me, considering this was my move.

"I'd like to thank them. And you. Will you stay for beer and pizza, too?"

I sound like a nervous girl, but he doesn't seem to notice. "Love to. I'm starving, and it'll give me more time with Angel. She's different when you're close by. She's not so standoffish. I think she's more comfortable with her being on her own turf."

So he noticed it, too.

"Yeah. I saw that. What happened to your mother?"

Melanie Prize is... not easy to get to know. She seems as scared of me as

I am of Wren.

"She went to buy some things. I apologize in advance. Just remember that

Angel is the granddaughter she has always wanted. Right now I'm in deep shit for making her miss so much of Angel's life. I couldn't stop her, so don't get mad at me."

I start to question what that means, when three trucks roll up. One looks like a moving van, similar to the three Wren rented for today's move. Even though we only used two. I wondered what happened to the third. Two are just pickup trucks, both weighted down by things I can't make out under the freshly darkened sky.

"What's that?" I ask as Wren starts walking toward the new arrivals. "The things my mother bought you. Again, I'm sorry."

I stumble over my own feet. What the hell?

People hop out of the trucks, and the guys inside move to the outside,

carrying our sofas and chairs.

"What's going on?" I ask, catching back up with Wren.

"Your sofas and chairs were falling apart. Mom wanted to replace them.

And Angel told her she wanted a bunk bed for her new room so she could invite friends over. Allie, if you want her to stop, I can put an end to it. I'd rather have her pissed at me than you."

I have to remind myself not to melt when those words leave his mouth. But I can't accept so much stuff from a woman I don't—

"Okay..." Melanie's uncertain voice startles me as she appears from the shadows, her eyes warily gauging me. "I realize you probably like me about as much as you like my son, considering the dickhead move he pulled all

those years ago, but I didn't do anything wrong. I've been unsure and feeling like I couldn't cross a line all day, but I'll be damned if I treat you any differently than I do anyone I care about.

"Before you reject my gifts, you should know that I'm as stubborn as they get. I don't hear no, which is why I'm a very successful and extremely rich woman. What I spent today doesn't compare to what I wanted to spend, so I did show some restraint. Wren begged me not to do this, but I had to. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but Angel gave me your dream magazines, so I went to the local stores and matched everything up the best I could."

My jaw falls. My dream magazines? Angel and I play around with those. I've circled things we would buy if we ever won the lottery. Those things are just ridiculous ideas. There's no way she—

"And I hope you'll let her see me more. Maybe even consider letting me babysit some. You can have lunch, dinner, breakfast... as many meetings as you need to have with me until you feel comfortable enough for that. I just... She's my granddaughter, Allie. And I really want to know her."

Even in the moonlight, I can see her unshed tears. She's the most genuinely sweet person I think I've ever met. My own foster parents kicked me out when I came home pregnant. If not for the government grants, rooming with Bella, and small scholarships I had, I would have never gotten through college. They didn't want to be grandparents, so Bella and I have been all Angel has ever had.

"I'd really like for her to have a grandmother." It seems ridiculous to say that to a woman who doesn't look like a grandmother.

Her whole body visibly relaxes, and she surprises me with a strong embrace. Wren smiles before stepping off to the side, moving toward the house to help with the rearranging.

"We all make mistakes, Allie. If you can ever find a way to forgive him, I hope you do," she whispers against my ear.

Taking a deep breath, I steel myself for the road ahead. I'm starting to wonder if I didn't accidentally forgive him already.

Chapter 8

WREN

"The new furniture looks great, but tell your mom to do this before we move the crap in next time," Rye says while clapping me on the back.

Angel is at my side, nodding her approval. "Do you like your bed?" I ask her, smiling when she looks up at me with wide eyes.

"Yep. Your friend says he sucks at girly stuff." She tugs me down by my sleeve, and I lean over for her to loudly whisper, "He didn't say stuff, though."

My eyes turn toward Rye whose eyes widen. "Forgot about her being six," he says with a shrug.

I glare at him before heading into the bedroom, ignoring Rye as he playfully scolds Angel for selling him out. Dane Sterling is finishing up the last of it. This bed was a bitch that brought all three of us to our knees. The pizza is probably cold by now, but I wanted the moving done before everyone started leaving. No way was I staying and trying to do it by myself, because Allie makes me nervous as hell.

I've done good to avoid her for most of the day. Hearing her laugh made me smile. Angel said she never laughs like that, which is a little sad. I didn't want to ruin it by showing my face too much. Luckily, Angel spent most of the day with me, and it was so much better than the awkward time we've spent at my house.

She was relaxed and at ease with me. A huge leap from our usual encounters.

But Allie... I've been staring. It's impossible not to. When she smiles at me and talks to me like she doesn't want to see me burning at a stake, she's so amazing. She's beautiful on the surface, but when she gives me a peek at what's underneath... I can't believe I'd just walk out on her. I must have been too drunk to even know my damn name that night.

"So, just for the record," Dane says, moving away from the ladder he has just secured very tightly to the bed, "you're so helping me at every family function on yours and Rain's side from now on."

I laugh while nodding. "Deal. Consider me your bitch for a while. Thanks for coming."

He claps the side of my shoulder with his hand. "Come on, bitch boy. Let's start with beer and pizza for the slaves."

I chuckle while heading out, giving one last look at the princess room that has been thoroughly upgraded, thanks to my mother's inability to pass up anything with sparkly shit. The greatest thing about today was all the pictures Angel gave me of her growing up. She promised me her mother had doubles. She only gave me the pictures that were hers to keep.

I'm debating whether or not I should tell Allie. This is something Angel wanted me to have, and she might get pissed if Allie doesn't wholly agree. But then again, Allie has acted completely different with me all day. In fact, every time I've been brave enough to face her, she seems to be in a good mood and sincerely happy to talk to me. She's even acted like I wasn't the asshole who treated her like shit all those years ago.

I trip over my own feet when I see Ray Drivel sitting next to my mother on some of the new patio furniture Mom bought for Allie. How did that fucking conman sneak in without me knowing?

"Did you know about this?" Kade Colton drawls, amused as he leans against the side of the house and gestures toward the man who is kissing my mother's hand.

I turn my glare on him. "I found out when he walked out in my mother's robe the other morning."

"Oh no," Raya groans from behind me while coming to bury her head against my arm. "Her robe? Why didn't you tell me?"

The memory assaults me, and my nose turns up in disgust. "It was a pink robe. And it was short. Very short. And he neglected to put on underwear."

Kade bursts out laughing, and Raya groans again, burrowing her head further into my arm.

"Sorry. He's still adjusting to so much... freedom."

"He didn't tell you he was dating her?" I ask, curious as to why he'd withhold that information if he has good intentions with my mother.

Angel moves to sit with them, and in an instant, Ray has her spellbound with his charm. At least he's wearing a suit instead of a damn pink robe.

Brin and Rye also seem to gravitate toward them, sitting down within range of whatever story they all find so riveting.

"We have a don't ask, don't tell policy. I don't ask who he's sleeping with, and if he wants me to keep visiting him, he doesn't tell," Raya finally says.

I curse, prompting Kade's laughter to start up again, and Raya snickers as well.

"Sorry," she mutters insincerely. "You aren't worried he'd con her?" she asks more seriously, looking up at me with those please-don't-hurt-my- feelings eyes.

I hate it when Raya looks at me like that, because I don't want to say the wrong thing.

"You think he would?"

Raya tends to see the best in him, but she always admits his faults, too. Maybe she can help me at least try to deal with this.

"Hell no. Even if he were still conning—which he's not—he wouldn't mess with any of my friends or their families. You know how much he loves me. That alone should give you peace of mind."

Kade smacks my back, grinning like the asshole he is. "Don't worry, Wren. The only thing he's conning her out of is her underwear."

Raya groans, I curse him, and Kade laughs all the harder. Dane comes up, chuckling like he caught the tail end of that.

"That's priceless. Really. And as much as I'd love to stay, Rain and I have to get back. Eleanor is babysitting for us, but Rain is ready to go get our girl. We'll see you guys later."

Rain comes up, laughing as though she's enjoying my torture as well, and she hugs me before moving over to hug Kade. She and Raya talk for a moment longer, and Raya promises to fill her in on anything she misses, which earns a glare from me and elicits more obnoxious laughter from the guys before Rain and Dane make their exit.

Bella goes to sit closer to my mother and her attention-hog of a companion, apparently just as entranced by the charismatic man as everyone else.

"He can do about fifty different accents with effortless ease," Allie says, startling me from behind.

When did she go inside? And why didn't I hear the door when she walked out here with us?

She closes the door behind her, and Raya moves to Kade's side so that Allie can stand beside me. I try not to tense, but I feel like I'm constantly walking on eggshells.

"He can speak a lot of languages, too," Kade inserts, taunting me. "Women love a man who knows French."

I growl. Literally growl. And Kade's mocking laughter turns brutal.

"Did I miss something?" Allie asks, looking at me like I'm something other than the enemy.

Deciding I'd rather be friends than enemies, I keep the conversation going, including her and filling in the blanks. Raya quickly interjects all throughout the story, making sure everyone knows her father is a good man who made some mistakes, but that his past is far behind him.

"O...kay," Allie says in a long breath. "Wow. And you don't like them dating," she surmises, looking at me again.

I shrug, trying not to freak the hell out the way I want to. "I don't, but it's her life. Mostly, I really don't want Raya for a sister."

Raya slaps my arm, and I laugh lightly while Allie smiles.

"Josh wouldn't deal well with not being her only brother. Maybe he'll take you out shooting," Kade says, grinning when Raya shoots him a glare.

Rye moves from the table to make his way toward us, tilting his head. "Two parties? How about we consolidate the crowd?"

I shrug while ushering Allie out in front of me. She takes the lead, and I

let my eyes drop to her ass. Damn. Those jeans have been torturing me for most of the day. Her blonde hair is loosely bound on her head in a way that shouldn't be as sexy as it is.

"Saw that," Kade whispers, and I flip him off as Allie sits down.

Deciding to be bold, I take the chair next to her. Before I know it, we're in one big circle around a large outdoor, bronze colored table, while Ray spills on about his traveling days, omitting the cons along the way.

Rye Clanton curses, spitting beer from his mouth, and everyone looks at him.

"Sorry. Beer got hot," he grumbles, standing to go grab another. "Language," I remind him, pointing out there's a kid here.

"She hears worse from kids at school," Allie whispers. "Believe me, she

knows what words are off limits."

I think back to her saying, "He didn't say stuff." She really does know the

difference.

"He still should be cautious of what he says around our daughter," I

murmur absently, still looking in his direction.

Brin is biting back a grin, but I don't question it. Instead, I turn back in

time to see Allie's eyes darting away from me. Was she just checking me out?

When blush rises to her cheeks, I'm the one fighting back a grin. She was.

I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Having a daughter with someone sort of makes things... Hell, I have no idea. Being attracted to my daughter's mother is one hell of a conundrum.

Rye returns with a fresh beer, returning his attention back to Ray, but I'm lost in my own haze of confusion. Allie should be untouchable in my mind. Angel just came into my life, and I royally fucked up with Allie already. Thinking of her as anything other than Angel's mother is dangerous territory. But it's really hard when she's being like this. And checking me out.

My dick twitches in my pants, trying to offer me its opinion, which forces me to shift uncomfortably.

Rye sputters beer again, drawing our attention once more as he tries to censor his words in front of Angel.

"Stupid beer. How did it get hot so fast?"

He stands again, returning to the cooler once more, and Brin snickers softly. It's then I start to piece together the puzzle.

"Kode and Tria never returned," Raya says idly, not paying attention to the scene Rye is making.

I look over as Raya snuggles into Kade's side. "Figures," I say with a shrug.

Kode and Tria should become dual hermits and live their lives naked. I'm shocked they came out today and made it without attacking each other as long as they did.

Rye sits back down, sipping his cool beer, double checking it to be certain he's not wrong about the temperature, and then he turns his attention back to Ray. I watch as Brin leans over and pulls back a towel, finding a beer next to her feet.

The top is missing, and she sneakily replaces his cold beer with the hot one, putting the cold one under the towel in its place. Rye's head is turned, so he never sees the swap. Crafty girl. Apparently they'll prank each other until the day they die.

I look back at Allie's questioning green eyes, and I lean over to whisper in her ear, trying not to get distracted by how damn good she smells.

"Prank war. They never break even."

She's grinning when I lean back, and I feign interest in Ray's story until Rye starts spewing again, coughing and cursing, then censoring and apologizing for cursing.

Everyone snickers as he glares at his beer, but when his eyes cut toward Brin, she bursts out laughing hard enough to give herself away.

"I should have known. We called a truce for today!"

She can't stop laughing, and he fights back his own smile, proving just how perfect they are for each other. I didn't even know he knew how to smile like that until he met her.

"Fine. Game on."

He stands, and she squeals while leaping to her feet and attempting to run. She makes it maybe three steps before he has her scooped up and hauled over his shoulder. She yelps when he slaps her ass with one hand, and locks his arm around her legs to keep her in place.

"Save me! Don't just watch him! Wren! Please! Kade! Someone!"

I wave at her over my shoulder, and she starts to say something foul before remembering there's a six-year-old within earshot. She settles for a death glare that really can't intimidate anyone, and I grin while leaning back in my seat.

"Where are they going?" Bella asks when they head through the back gate.

"Probably to their house where he'll make her life hell for the rest of the night," I say dryly.

Allie laughs while getting more comfortable, but Bella tilts her head in confusion. "Is that normal?"

"To them, they're as normal as anything can be. Whatever works," I say while shrugging.

Allie has had a lot of insight into my life and my friends' lives today, but I've had very little into hers. Deciding to use what warmth I've felt to my advantage, I capitalize on our smaller crowd and try to ask some questions.

"What about your parents? Does Angel visit them often?"

She bristles beside me, and I hold my breath, wondering if I've already messed this up.

"Um... no. Not at all, really. They... They were my foster parents for the last eight years of my life, but... I think me getting pregnant gave them an excuse to cut ties with me, since I was old enough for the government to stop sending them checks. But I don't want her knowing that."

I wince just hearing that. And I'm shocked that she told me.

"I'm only telling you because it'd take very little to find it out on your own, and lying to you isn't a habit I want."

I almost wonder if she just read my mind or if I said that aloud.

"You don't have to lie, Allie. That's shitty of them. It makes me even more pissed for not being there when you had no one else."

We manage to keep our voices low as Ray continues to wow everyone else. Well, Kade seems to be more interested in doing something with his tongue on Raya's neck than listening to his soon-to-be father-in-law.

Allie sighs hard, her head angled in a slant as she studies me. "You mean that, don't you?"

Unsure what she means, I shrug. "Of course. And we need to talk about some other stuff, too. Like financial stuff. But not here."

She motions to the house, and I stand, offering my hand to help her up. She eyes it for a second before accepting it. It's amazing how perfectly her hand fits with mine, as though mine was meant to shield hers.

Wrong frame of mind.

She hesitates to release my hold, and I fight not to protest when she does. What the hell is wrong with me?

Get control, Wren.

The second we're tucked away inside, she turns to me, stopping too abruptly for me to react in kind. She laughs when I'm forced to stumble to a stop. Unfortunately, I stumble right into her, knocking her against the back of the sofa until I'm essentially straddling her. Her laughter fades quickly when I'm suddenly pushed up against her.

My breaths grow heavy, and everything on me tightens. Including my fucking pants when part of me that shouldn't be involved grows to be painfully hard, protesting the restriction it finds in my jeans. It wouldn't take but a few inches, and I could be licking, kissing, and exploring the mouth I wish I could remember.

Allie's hands slide up my arms, and our eyes lock for a dangerously intense moment where nothing else seems to exist. My grip tightens on her hips as I hold her in place, keeping her trapped between my body and the sofa.

My eyes fall to her lips just as they part, allowing her breaths to grow harsher, more labored. Her lips are naturally pink, tempting, and so damn perfect. For every second that ticks by, another piece of my control is chipped away. I'm not that irrational guy that just takes what he wants. I'm the guy who weighs consequences.

So why the hell can't I pull away?

It takes a lot of willpower, but I manage to finally push back before I do something stupid. Like kiss her until we're both panting for air. That's just one of the ludicrous thoughts in my mind right now. Turning her around and bending her over that sofa and... Hell no. I have to stop thinking.

Groaning inwardly when my cock strains against my pants more, I shift uncomfortably.

"Sorry," she says, grinning up at me. "I don't come with brake lights."

I smile and shrug, praying I don't break out into a sweat. "So, we can talk?" I ask lamely, feeling more uncomfortable by the second.

"Wren, I have to admit, this day has been... enlightening, but not everything has changed. I don't want your money. It'll feel like that's why I found you instead of the right reasons that I did. I did this because Angel was asking questions... and she deserved answers. I didn't do this to get money. So no—no financial help. I won't bend on that."

So fucking stubborn.

"Believe me, I realize you don't want my money, but Angel could use it. You could buy more things the two of you have circled in your magazines. Plan a day at an amusement park. Or a spa weekend; she mentioned a spa weekend. And there are nice private schools in the area that would help her get into a good college one day."

The smile that breaks across her face is enough to fuck up my footing, and I lean into the sofa to keep from displaying the effect she has on me.

"College? You really are thinking ahead. I hadn't thought of private school. Maybe you could pay for that, but that's your choice, and you give the school your check. Not me. The magazines are just for fun. Amusement parks are within my budget, and we go to one at least twice a year. Spa weekends aren't in the budget, but we can live without them."

I'm trying to hide the bulge in my pants while talking, and I know I look like an awkward prick instead of a confident multi-millionaire right now. She screws with my head even though she's not trying to. Maybe this was a really bad idea—coming in here alone.

"Allie, it's like taking away my rights by not taking my money. I'm not buying penance, if that's what you're worried about. There's not enough money in the world to make up for what I did, or what I've missed out on as a result, but I want to know I'm doing right by you and Angel now."

She tilts her head to the side, studying me once again.

"We'll figure out something that doesn't require money. I'm low

maintenance. Extra money isn't really necessary. And I've got a better job than I had back home, so our budget is better, which is why we've upgraded to a house. We might only rent it, but it's a good place. This isn't about our living arrangement, is it?"

Never simple. Why can't my life be simple like it used to be?

"No. It's not. This is a great neighborhood. The house is nice. I'd never question you there, because I'd have no right. This is solely about me making sure my daughter has everything she wants or needs without you having to do it on your own."

She seems to get wobbly again, like she did earlier, and I lean up to steady her. Confused by her cursing, I arch my eyebrows. Even her hips seem to fit my hands perfectly. And like gravity is against me, her body is suddenly pressed against mine again, finding everything on me that is reacting to her.

"You're tired, aren't you?" I force myself to ask, waiting on her to give me a reason to get out of here before I really fuck up.

She shakes her head before pinching the bridge of her nose, but she doesn't pull away. "Not even a little tired. I can't believe you and your friends got us moved and completely unpacked so quickly."

She doesn't have a ton of stuff. It's not like it was a big deal. But she's grateful, which makes me look a little better in her eyes, so I don't point out that it was an easy move. I also try not to push my cock right into her stomach.

"Sorry to interrupt," Ray says, drawing our attention. "But can I have a moment?"

I really don't need to let him see the shape I'm in, but I still turn to face the jackass and try to give him my attention, while carefully angling myself to somewhat hide my erection.

Ah, hell. There's no hiding it. Fortunately, he doesn't act like he notices.

"What's up?" Allie asks, then she frowns. "Sorry. You weren't talking to me, were you?"

He chuckles softly while coming the rest of the way into the house.

"Actually I was," he says with his most charming smile. "I didn't know about the move until it was too late. I was in the middle of a bank—"

"Heist?" I interrupt, smiling like a smartass.

He grins, but shakes his head, taking it in stride. Damn. No fight from him. But at least looking at him is making the painful erection slowly slink down.

"I was going to say bank security job. I was installing a new program. But I came when I found out. Since I didn't get to contribute with my very impressive brawn, I was hoping you'd settle for my brain and accept my housewarming gift. I make the best security systems, and obviously the service will be free. No one will break into your home when I'm done with it."

Ray Drivel makes laser security systems and bars shoot out of windows from hairpin pressure. No way in hell is that going in here.

"I think a simple alarm system would be better with a child in the house. You know, one that simply calls the cops if something is tampered with," I remind him, feeling Allie tense beside me.

"What other kinds are there?" she whispers, but Ray hears and laughs.

"Not one of those systems," he says to me, still laughing. "But one that will keep them safer. Trust me. You'll sleep better. I'll install it on a weekend while you're away."

Allie tilts her head. "We never go away for a weekend."

"Then let me give you two housewarming gifts; A weekend spa trip for the household as well as a security system."

That was going to be my gift. The manipulative son of a bit—

Allie looks up at me from under her lashes, stealing all my thoughts, and I brush her hair off her face before I realize what I'm doing. She quickly looks away, and I grimace. Why did I touch her like that?

"Um... I think that's too much, and I can't accept it."

"Then you'll go stay in one of Wren's numerous homes during that time. He has a few beach houses. I'm sure you could enjoy time away that way. It's important to have top notch security."

Allie bites her lip, looking up at me again. Opportunity lands in my lap, so I take it.

"I really do have some nice places in the area. I have a pent house that you'd probably love. There's a large pool with numerous waterslides on the premises. It's indoor. It's in a resort that happens to have a spa. And all the perks are free, so technically no money would be exchanging hands," I tell her hopefully, shrugging as though it's no big deal.

She rolls her eyes, but a grin graces her soft, inviting lips. "Fine. Deal. But on one condition."

Ray shrugs. "Name it."

She smiles while shaking her head. Then she turns her attention to me.

"Not him. You."

"Name it," I echo, still grinning at her. Please God don't let it be anything

that will have me taking a cold shower tomorrow.

"You have to stay and watch movies with Angel tonight. She's already

asked me numerous times to invite you, and we stay up late on Saturdays because there's no work for me and no school for her on Sundays. Deal?"

I breathe in the first easy breath I've had in more than a month. "Deal. But don't ask me to make popcorn. I always screw it up. You'll end up with half a bag of kernels because I panic when it actually starts popping."

She laughs softly while nodding, and then she bends over to grab one of throw pillows that has landed on the floor. One look at her ass has me biting my knuckle.

So much for no cold shower.

Chapter 9

ALLIE

"You're still looking at them?" Bella asks.

I can't help myself. I've already cried three times this morning. It's just so damn... It's what she wanted, and it's... well, hell. It's beautiful.

When I don't answer, Bella continues. "Should we wake them?"

I glare at her and whisper, "Don't you dare."

She smiles while winking at me, and I prop a hip against the wall while returning my gaze to the sofa. Wren is still asleep with Angel neatly tucked against him. She's half way on his chest, sleeping harder than I've ever seen her sleep. And his arms are very securely wrapped around her in a protective embrace.

Damn. I'm crying again.

Between last night and this morning, Wren has been inserted into my every thought. We were dangerously close to doing something I'd regret last night. He feels even better than I remember. Especially when he's pressed up against me with his much harder body than he had back then.

We kept our distance, sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, after the nearly disastrous moment we shared that got too intense. Thank God Ray Capperton... or Drivel... or whatever... Thank God he walked in when he did, because I was seconds away from just kissing Wren and possibly forcing him to the ground so I could straddle him.

Even after I regained composure, I couldn't stop looking at him, and he kept looking at me just as much.

I went to make another batch of popcorn last night, only to return and see that Angel was talking Wren's ears off about the movie. Instead of intruding on their moment, I backed away and gave up the rest of movie night to them —in her space where she's comfortable. It was also an excuse to put some distance between Wren and me.

Somehow I fell asleep and woke up this morning feeling freaked out because I never went to make sure Angel was tucked in, or that the doors were locked when he left. But instead, I found... this.

I move to the kitchen to start the coffee, and I let a few more tears escape. Shit. Why am I so emotional over something so simple?

Because I've waited six long years to see Angel have this. Seven years ago, I never would have thought Wren Prize would be in my living room. Well, I didn't think he'd be in my living room without being wrapped in plastic while I plotted an unseen path to an unmarked grave.

Too many mob movies.

After wiping my eyes once more, I head back to the living room to see Wren's eyes are open and he's smiling down at Angel. When his eyes meet mine, I fight hard not to smile.

"She's a hard sleeper," he says in a sexy morning voice that has my stomach flipping.

I don't bother telling him that she usually doesn't sleep hard at all.

"Are you late for anything?" I ask him, unsure how to really act right now.

I'm still in my pajamas. Sadly, they're the sexiest ones I own, even though they weren't meant for sex appeal. That's not the sad part. It's sad that I want to be as sexy as possible in front of him.

"Not today. I told you I was free for bike shopping."

I can't believe Angel is sleeping through our conversation. Usually, one word wakes her up.

"Coffee?" Bella chirps from the kitchen, astonishing me with the fact that Angel still manages to sleep peacefully.

"Please," Wren says while sitting up, gingerly resting our daughter in the crack between him and the back of the sofa.

Bella gives me a knowing grin before winking and turning to the coffee maker that I abandoned. The doorbell rings, and I struggle to peel myself away from looking at Wren and Angel together. It really is beautiful.

Dutifully, I go to the door, swinging it open, and my eyes go wide in shock when I see the man waiting on the other side. His expression is hopeful, his brown eyes are soft, and his lips are curved into a nervous grin.

"Roger," I say in surprise.

"Hi," he says nervously, his smile almost trembling.

Silence. I have no idea what to say or how to react. What is he doing

here?

His eyes dart over my shoulder, and that hopeful expression turns hard,

just like his lips when they flatten. "You have company," he murmurs, continuing to glare.

I turn around to see Wren now holding his coffee, looking at us from

across the living room. His hair is disheveled in a way that doesn't detract from his unnatural sexiness, his clothes are barely wrinkled despite his night's sleep, and his bright, hypnotic blue eyes are haunting me in the real world the way they usually do in my dreams. He turns his attention to the sofa, while I shuffle outside and shut the door behind me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, leading Roger away from the house.

He straightens his shirt that looks to have needed to be tackled by an iron. The dull, white button-down is missing a button near the top, displaying a patch of his dark chest hair very proudly.

"Who is that guy?" he asks angrily, ignoring my question.

"He's my daughter's father. Now what are you doing here?"

His glare could freeze me to my core if I cared enough to let it.

"So I have to scrape for scraps of time with you, but you let your ex

spend the night whenever he wants to see his daughter. Nice. Real nice. Where did he sleep? Your bed or hers, because it didn't look like he was staring at a kid just now."

My blood slowly starts to boil. Is he serious? We're barely dating. And we certainly never agreed to monogamy, even though I'm not actually doing anything with Wren.

"How did you get this address? And why are you here?"

"I work in records, remember? You told me you were moving this weekend. I offered to help, but you said you didn't bring men you dated in front of your daughter. When you cancelled last night, I assumed you were still unpacking. Guess the perks of being the deadbeat father outweigh the perks of being the boyfriend."

Boyfriend? I didn't realize until just now that I was dating someone delusional.

"Roger, Wren and I are trying to learn how to do this with our daughter. He's not a deadbeat, and we're not together. Even if we were, you and I have never agreed to an exclusive relationship, so this is completely unwarranted."

He narrows his eyes at me as though I've wronged him. "I don't date more than one woman at a time. It's not proper or gentlemanly."

I roll my eyes while turning around. "And I don't date jealous men who show up uninvited after obtaining my address in a really creepy way and cause a scene my daughter could overhear." I turn back around when I reach the door. "Sorry, Roger, but I don't see this going anywhere."

He starts to speak, but I push through the door and lock it behind me. The

sofa is empty when I see it, and for a sickening moment, I worry about what all Angel just heard.

"She's in her bedroom," Wren says, returning to the living room with two cups of coffee.

"Did she—"

"No," he says, closing the distance between us and handing me the second cup. A subtle tick forms in his jaw, but he turns and walks away before I can question it.

I follow him as he walks back toward the living room, blowing out a soft breath.

I need more than coffee for a morning like this.

When he turns back around, his face is a mask of impassivity, and he speaks calmly, acting so collected, when I feel a little wired.

"You two were mostly quiet, and Bella cut on the television. Angel went to her room to change. She was mad that she fell asleep in her normal clothes, because she wanted to show me her new pajamas. I told her to show me now."

"Thank you," I whisper as he sips his coffee.

He reaches for me, brushing his finger over my cheek, a chaste motion that shouldn't stir my heart the way it does.

"You okay? I can get her out of here for a little while if you need a moment. That didn't sound pretty. Sorry if he did this because of me."

He doesn't really seem sorry, even though he doesn't have anything to be sorry for.

He keeps touching me, and I keep falling just a little bit more near that jagged edge. "I'm fine. It wasn't serious. And it wasn't your fault."

"For the record, you're way too good for him. Guy couldn't even iron his shirt before stalking you."

My laughter bubbles out, and his lazy grin spreads, forcing me to smile until it hurts. He brushes his thumb over my cheek again, and I hold my breath when our eyes meet, locking on each other. Looks like these... They mess with my mind.

"See? I'm a princess," Angel announces, twirling around in her gown that has a tutu sewn into the middle, and forcing our attention to turn to her immediately.

Wren claps, then bows before her like a humble servant, and Angel giggles, trying to stand as tall as she can. Bella clears her throat while

grabbing a napkin and dabbing her eyes, proving she's just as emotionally tied to this as I am.

"Well, Angel, my princess, I need to go home and shower and change. Then I'll come back and pick you and your mom up for some extreme bike shopping. Sound like a deal?"

She nods rapidly, and rushes to start tugging on my hand.

"Let's get ready in a hurry."

I'm not sure when Wren Prize shed his skin, but I wish I had met this man

instead of the snake that bit me all those years ago. Life would have been so much better for Angel and me.

Chapter 10

WREN

"You look happy," Kade Colton says while taking the seat across from me.

My smile won't disappear. Allie is finally in a place where she doesn't hate me, and Angel is slowly warming up to me. I've picked her up twice this week, and it's been great. Today is the first Friday I get to pick her up, and I'm eager to take her out wherever she wants to go, since she doesn't have a strict curfew on Friday nights.

Quickly, I check my phone to make sure of the time, sighing in relief to see it's only one. I'm bad about losing track of time when I'm working. Until Angel, I never really had to keep track of time.

I always try to get to the school early to pick Angel up, because I refuse to be late. I'll leave around two—get there forty minutes early.

"Angel is pretty awesome. She was at Aunt Melanie's house with Allie yesterday. They were having dinner."

My stomach tightens. I wanted to go, but Allie didn't invite me.

"Mom is determined to spend as much time with Angel as possible. She's working hard to gain Allie's trust."

"So are you. Seems like Allie holds all the cards."

It feels like he's casting judgment, but it's easy to do when you know the real me. It's harder if you know the me that fucked a girl, threw out a condom, and left her alone in a hotel room with a fake name tossed out along the way.

"She's raised Angel without much help because I did something incredibly stupid a long time ago. She deserves to hold the cards. What's up? I know you didn't come here to talk about Allie and Angel."

"True," Kade says, leaning back. "I actually came to talk about my wedding. Raya has set a new date, one that she refuses to ever change again. It'll be a little longer than I want, but she wants to make sure everyone can be there. And she's hoping my mother will grow bored during that time and stop planning a thousand things to make our big day look like Cirque de Solei. And I came to ask you to be my best man."

I drop the pen I'm holding so that I can look up at him.

"Seriously?" I ask with a slow smile spreading.

"Seriously. I love Tag, but you're the man that will get me through this. So, say yes. I need to get Raya the details as soon as possible."

I nod and stand to hug him, keeping it as masculine of an embrace as possible.

"Good," Kade says while stepping out, still smiling. "I'll talk to you later. Mom is planning some massive and elaborate engagement party for us, so be prepared."

I laugh while nodding again, still shocked that he picked me. It feels good.

My eyes move to my phone once more, but it still says one. My smile falls as I think back to the last couple of times I checked it. They were at a glance, and I was distracted... but... Oh shit!

I dash through the house, finding the first clock I can, and I pale as horror washes over me.

It's after three. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

Grabbing my keys, I dive into the garage and pick the first car I stumble into. It seems to take forever for the garage door to open, but I'm barreling out the second I can clear it. The drive to their new house is much shorter, and I cut the corners without regards for my safety. Allie would have already picked her up since I screwed up.

I'm such a fucking idiot. All I had to do was replace the damn phone. I knew it was bad to freeze up. Why did I trust it?

After skidding to a halt, I leap out of the car and race toward the door. To my surprise, Allie steps out before I can even knock, and she looks like she could kill me. I can't blame her.

"Do you know how it feels to get a call about your child being forgotten at school?" she asks in a deceptively calm tone. "No," she continues, not giving me time to speak, "you don't, because you didn't answer your phone when Angel told them you were supposed to be picking her up. But I know how it feels, because that's the call I got today. Fortunately, I was near my phone at the time."

My stomach sinks to my toes, and I try to spit out an apology, but she walks in and slams the door in my face, making it clear she's done.

No. Not like this. I fucked up, obviously, but I can fix this. I know I can. Starting with replacing my motherfucking phone.

ALLIE

"Allie!" Bella hisses.

I jar awake, feeling for Angel beside me, but she's not there. Oh, that's right. She went to her bed, mad at me for being so hard on Wren. Figures she was eavesdropping. But I don't understand why she's mad at me.

"What?" I ask in a rasp tone, proving I've just been startled awake. "Wren's outside and he's building something. Very loudly."

What?

Confused, I stumble out of bed like I'm drunk instead of disoriented. I

follow her to the patio doors where Wren Prize is definitely outside and building something, cursing when whatever it is kicks his ass.

"Is that a basketball goal?" Bella muses.

Glancing at the clock, I see it's two in the morning. How long has he been out there?

The goal is laying in disassembled pieces on the ground, and Wren is sitting cross-legged in the middle, staring at the instructions under the faint glow of the streetlight. He has to squint and angle the paper to read the words, and I sigh.

"What's he doing?" I groan.

"He's trying to apologize," Bella says with a grin and a shrug.

"By buying his way out of the guilt?"

"By doing something for his daughter that he knows she loves," she

corrects. "If he wanted to buy his way out of it, he would have paid someone to come do this for him. Instead, he's doing it on his own—this late at night. Go put the guy out of his misery."

I scowl at her when I feel her loyalty shift.

"He really fucked up, Bella. This wasn't some little slip."

Why does she look so disappointed in me? Why am I always the bad

guy?

"Allie, he's still new to this, and he's going to make a lot of mistakes.

Just like any other person on the planet. Perfection doesn't make someone a good person. Someone who owns their mistakes and does all they can to make it right... well, that's a good person. Whether you like it or not, Wren Prize is in your life like a permanent fixture now. You're going to have to

learn to forgive."

Forgiveness has never been a strength of mine. In fact, I feel weak when I

forgive someone and absolve them of their sins. It feels like I'm telling them it's okay to screw me over.

She pats my shoulder before walking back toward her room, leaving the decision about what to do in my hands. She's right about Wren being a permanent fixture. I don't see him ever going anywhere, and this isn't just about me forgiving someone; Angel is involved.

Uncharted territory.

I contemplate leaving him out there for a while, let him stew in his guilt. But I cave and move outside with a begrudged motion. Stupid forgiveness bullshit. He's barely even groveled, damn it.

Wren looks up immediately, dropping some tool that smacks his knee and earns a wince from him. I try to keep my face impassive, but he looks so pitiful right now.

"Sorry if I woke you up," he says softly, returning his gaze to the task at hand. Ah, hell. Now I actually feel like the bad guy.

WREN

This fucking goal is the biggest pain in the ass, but Angel loves basketball. She's too small and not strong enough to hit the normal goals at the park, but this one is adjustable and can be lowered.

I should have already done this, but I'm constantly worried about crossing a line with Allie. Fuck the lines. I'm going to mess up no matter what I do, so I might as well mess up doing something that Angel will enjoy.

Allie might think she has some divine right to keep our child away from me, but she doesn't. I've done everything her way without any slack for over three months, and only one of those months has involved me actually seeing my child.

"Wren, it's late and—"

I cut her off before she says anything else. "Yeah. It is. Unless I'm disturbing Angel, I suggest you let me finish so I can get out of your hair."

She gasps as though she's shocked, and I shake my head while pushing to my feet quickly. I never get pissed. Ever. But I'm pissed right now.

I stalk over to her until she has no room and no choice but to look up into my eyes with her sleepy gaze when her back hits the glass door.

"You don't get to shut me out, Allie. Not ever. We have a daughter together, and yes, I fucked up, but I deserve the right to apologize and try to fix a mistake."

She starts to speak, but I cut her off again. "You slammed the door in my face. I realize I can't make up for six years of missing her life. I can't apologize enough for what I did to you seven years ago, but that doesn't get to affect Angel's future. Tonight my daughter went to bed without hearing the apology I came to give her. Not just you. She went to bed without hearing me tell her I'd make it up to her. You didn't just slam the door on my face, you slammed it in hers. At least I can own my fucking mistakes. You're too busy staying bitter and holding your nose at such a high angle that you can't even see that you're just as human as me."

Her eyes water, but I turn away, refusing to let them affect me. Erica always made me feel bad for defending myself by spewing tears. I was never allowed to be mad because she was madder. But this is not a relationship like that. And this time I have a daughter who deserves more than for me to just take it.

"You're right," she says as I sit back down. That definitely grabs my attention, forcing me to look up at her as she wipes away a tear.

She stands taller, clearing her throat of any emotion, before continuing. "I'm sorry for losing my temper. I'm used to isolating Angel from the rest of my life to keep anyone from hurting her. So I acted rash, and I did like I usually do. Good night. Don't forget you're picking her up Sunday for your time with her. Have her home by eight."

Breathing out heavily, I watch her walk back inside. My life is a ball of chaos these days, and I'm used to more control. With Allie, I lose that control more every damn day.

Chapter 11

WREN

"So everything is better?" Tag asks while lowering down to the chair next to me, watching the waves roll over the beach.

"It's not better," I grumble. "But my relationship with Angel is good. I bought her a cell phone after the whole fiasco so that I can at least call her if Allie cuts me off like she did the other day. And I bought myself a new one, too—finally. Should have done that the first day it messed up. I haven't seen Allie for more than a few minutes since the big blow up five days ago. She's cordial and smiles, but brisk in her interactions with me."

"Probably for the best," Tag says, not sounding entirely convinced.

"Why don't I believe you?"

He laughs lightly while running a hand through his hair.

"Because you know me as well as I know you. Everyone said you

couldn't seem to keep your eyes off her any time you were in a room together, and that you did all you could to stay out of the room with her."

Damn nosy bastards.

I start to speak, but then decide to let it pass. Tag knows me well enough to know when I'm lying.

My phone rings, and I juggle it free, swiping the screen and answering a little panicked when I see it's Angel's new number.

"What's wrong?" I ask, my breaths already labored.

Christ. Why am I panicking?

"Mommy was supposed to be here at one to check in for career day, but

she's late, and she's not answering her phone. I'll look bad if no one shows up for career day. Can you come?"

Grabbing Tag's wrist, I glance at his watch to see it's ten after one, and I rush inside his house, ignoring his panicked expression as he follows me. Everyone's panicking over a phone call.

I really need to get the hang of this fatherhood stuff.

I grab the first dark blazer out of his closet that matches my jeans and pale blue T-shirt, and I pull it on while walking out the door.

"Yeah, Angel. I'm five minutes away. I'll be right there."

"You go on at two. You only have to talk for twenty minutes. Please

hurry."

I smile while promising her I'm on my way, and I hang up while looking

back at Tag and Ash who have followed me outside.

"What's going on?" Ash asks.

"Career day at school. Allie must have gotten held up at work, so I'm

going in her place. Angel called."

Ash's smile breaks across her face. "She called you."

My chest swells with a little pride. When she needed someone, she called

me. "Yeah. She did."

"When do you go on?" she asks as I get in my car.

"Two," I call out before shutting the door and rolling down my window.

"Why?"

"I'll be there with something before then."

She rushes back in, and Tag shrugs while grinning and following behind

her.

Angel called me when she needed someone. That thought stays with me

the short drive to the school. I practically sprint to the office to check in. The secretary blushes when I introduce myself, and I make sure to charm her with my smile, just in case being late is a big deal.

After getting my pass and information packet, I realize I'm not exactly prepared to explain to a bunch of kids what I do. Especially not in twenty minutes. Shit.

I own several businesses, but I don't actually manage any of them. I invest in companies, but I work from home, only tending to the bigger issues.

No. No. No. I didn't think this through.

"Wren!" Angel squeals from the doorway, interrupting my reverie.

Her teacher holds her hand, releasing it once she sees my visitor's badge.

Angel throws herself into my arms when I kneel, and I pick her up, surprised by the unusual show of affection.

"Told you I'd be here."

"Mommy's never late. It must have been an emergency," she says defensively.

"I know. I'm sure it was."

Her whole body relaxes in my arms, as though she was prepared for a fight.

"Mr. Prize?" the teacher asks, clearly a little confused. "Wren Prize? You're here for Angel Thrash?"

Damn last name. That's another fight for another day.

"Yes," Angel says before I can respond. "He's my dad."

I'm pretty sure it'd be pathetic to cry right now, so I work hard, real damn

hard, not to do that. After clearing my throat, I manage to form an explanation.

"Sorry I'm late. Allie works at the hospital, so something big must have happened to keep her away. I'm the fill-in."

There are a few other parents here in the hallway, a mixture of men and women in nice suits and dresses. Here I am in a blazer, T-shirt and jeans, but most people know the Prize name.

A man stands quickly, jutting out his hand before introducing himself. "Mr. Prize. Honored to meet you. Hershel Marks. I work in management at the Prize Foundation."

I shake his hand, smiling. I wish I knew everyone that works for me, but I don't.

"Nice to meet you."

From there, several other parents introduce themselves. Numerous ones work for me, my mother, my brother, or Tag. Angel smiles proudly the whole time she's on my hip, and the teacher readjusts her dress and hair while fanning herself.

"If you're all ready, we'll get started again."

"You already started?" I whisper to Angel.

"Some of the parents went early this morning, the rest have been going on

at different points of the day. This was the last break. It's almost our turn. We're on last."

I grin while kissing her head, but suddenly I hear my name, prompting me to turn around as Ash and Tag make their way toward me with Trip cradled against Tag's side. Trip coos at the world, not bothering to use his limited vocabulary, while Tag gives him a kiss on the cheek.

He looks sharp in his little suit.

Great. Even the baby is dressed better than I am today.

"Surely you didn't come to hear my impromptu speech," I say, grinning. Tag snorts and rolls his eyes, but Ash laughs. "We did, but we also came

to bring you this." She thrusts two canvas totes that are full of candy assortments wrapped in decorative bags toward me.

"What's this?" I muse.

"Something I had on hand for a party. It'll make Angel the class

favorite," she whispers, winking at Angel who beams proudly from my hip. It's hard not to keep smiling, so I quit trying. Tag gets swarmed by numerous people who are just as eager to talk to him as they were to talk to

me.

Angel and I sneak in just as one of the moms starts speaking about her

work in the post office. We move to the back, and I take a seat in one of the designated chairs. Angel curls up on my lap, reminding me just how much my life has changed in the past three months.

ALLIE

"If I ever complain about being bored at work again, slap me," I groan to Tracy, one of the nurses who just endured hell with me over the past few hours.

I never work the ER—that's not my job—but today it was like they had to call in the troops when two tour busses collided and caused a pileup in town. Everyone injured was shipped here, and we've been running around, trying to aid each and every person we could.

"This isn't my specialty," Tracy yawns in agreement.

"Allie!" Bella yells while running toward me, her eyes wide. "What are you still doing here? You were supposed to be at the school already."

Panicking, I check my watch, but it's just barely ten after two. And why would I go to the school? She knows I meet Angel at the bus stop on my days to get her.

"Bella, calm down. What's going on?"

"Career day," she prompts. "You took a half day today."

"That's next week," I say dismissively.

"No. It's today. I wrote it down on the calendar myself."

My stomach lurches when I think of Angel sitting there and waiting for

me, only to have me not show up.

"Shit. I've got to go."

I rush out of the doors, and flip off the guy who blows the horn at me

when I run in front of him. It takes me too long to find my car and crank it, and I swear the red lights conspire against me, each one turning red just as I near it.

This day is slowly getting worse by the minute.

I almost squeal tires when I pull into the school parking lot, but just as abruptly, I jerk to the same halt my car does. The doors are opening, and kids with their parents are filtering out. It's already pickup time. Damn.

As the parents move off to the side, I notice a lot of them are wearing suits, mostly men. They're all walking away, leaving behind another crowd that is coming out. My heart sputters to a near stop when I see one man I wasn't expecting.

Wren is smiling at the flock of women and kids who are talking, and Angel is happily attached to his hip, her smile forcing me to grin against my will. She's been having a hard time trying to socialize. She's so standoffish that it makes it hard to be friends with new kids. But right now, it seems like she's the Belle of the Ball.

Another familiar face emerges, and much to my surprise, it's Tag Masters who is carrying a small boy that is less than a year old. He's cradling him with care, as a woman with long, dark hair comes up to his side and kisses the boy's head.

They pause to talk amongst the group that has flogged Wren, and Tag nods in his direction before they head off. I slowly get out of my car and wade through the after-school traffic to reach the assembly.

"Mommy! Here!" Angel calls, grinning when she sees me and waves from her high position on Wren's hip.

Taking a few extra breaths, I manage a smile, prepared for the worst. I'm sure Wren is going to let me have it after what I did to him the other day.

A few envious, and somewhat evil, glares are sent my way from the women he dismisses on his way to me. I ignore them, because they're seriously misreading the situation.

Angel shakes her head with a small smile playing on her lips. "Wren gets asked on a lot of dates," she declares, and Wren's throaty laughter tingles in places on me where I wish it didn't.

"Oh?" I muse.

She nods, sighing as though she's putout, and Wren laughs more before putting her down between us.

"I was going to give her a ride to the bus stop where she meets you. I figured you must have gotten waylaid at work."

Still waiting on his outburst, I try to sound calm and collected, even though I'm close to being in tears. I can't believe I let Angel down. Not me.

I'm supposed to be the one she can always count on.

"I got the dates for this mixed up. I... messed up."

His lips twitch, but other than that, he doesn't express any emotion. "It

happens. That's why there's two of us. One can be there when the other can't. Angel called me. I didn't have anything else going on at the time, and I was close by."

That's it? That can't be it. He owes me a severe lashing in retribution for the way I treated him.

"Can Wren come with us for dinner?"

Wren smiles down at her, and he kneels before pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek. She quickly wraps her arms around his neck, and he hugs her to him. Damn, that's sweet.

"It's fine, Angel. I should probably get home. Thanks for calling me today."

"Thank you for coming," she says sweetly. "And for giving everyone candy."

He laughs again before standing, and without looking at him, I find myself talking before I can stop. "Come to the house. It won't be a special dinner, but it's the least I can do."

Angel waits very impatiently for him to answer, and I chance a look at him to see he's studying me with a partial grin.

"Okay. Let's go to your house."

My heart pounds in my chest, and Wren picks Angel up to place her on his shoulders. She giggles with childish abandon, and I watch as they head to my car.

I came to this town worried about how I could be around Wren Prize without hating him. Now I'm terrified that I might fall in love.

Chapter 12

WREN

"That was great," I say to the two girls who are finishing up their cleaning routine. I've offered to help, but Angel insists I'm a guest.

Instead, I head to the sofa where I promised I'd sit and watch one of their favorite shows. Angel has yawned at least ten times, but Allie is letting her pretend as though she's not sleepy. It's already after seven now. I've been here for a few hours, and I'd hate to wear out my welcome.

"I'm going to get on my pajamas, and then I'll be right back," Angel announces before running to her room.

Allie laughs softly while coming to sit beside me on the sofa, turning her body so that she's facing me.

"You're better than me," she says guiltily.

I think she keeps waiting on me to lash out after the way she did me. But I'm not going to. Not my style.

"I'm not better than you, Allie. I have less to be pissed about. You're a good mom who made an understandable mistake. Things happen. Sit back. Relax. Let me pretend this girly show isn't going to ruin my manhood."

Her laughter warms me, and she eases in closer before pressing a small kiss on my cheek, startling the hell out of me, but I manage not to flinch. Her lips are so fucking soft.

"Thank you," she whispers, pulling back so that our eyes meet. When she looks at my lips, everything in me forgets why this would be a bad idea. I want to feel how soft those lips of hers really are.

Instincts take over, and I reach up and stroke her cheek, slowly pushing my hand into her hair. Every strand feels like it's made of silk, and she leans into my touch, making it easier for me to lean forward and... jerk the hell back like a scolded kid when Angel comes bouncing back into the room.

Allie scoots over, putting distance between us, and Angel quickly takes the seat in between us. "Both my parents. I like this," she says softly, and I suck in a sharp breath that matches the same one Allie takes before our eyes nervously find each other's.

Playing with fire... Never a good thing.

"I need a hand," Bella says as she comes through the door with armloads

of groceries.

I leap up, quickly going to her aid. After grabbing several of the bags, I

head to the kitchen, putting everything on the closest countertop. Bella is laughing when I pull back a sticky hand, my nose wrinkling in disgust.

"Sorry. I think my strawberry jam broke in there. It's all over me and the car."

I chuckle softly while moving toward the sink, and both women yell, "No!" But it's about two seconds after I turn the water on and get sprayed in the face by a vicious and unrelenting stream.

Laughter rips through the air as I blindly scramble to turn the water off. I groan when I feel my shirt is as soaked as my hair.

"Sink messed up?" I ask dryly, ignoring the sound of three feminine laughs as I keep my eyes shut, trying to keep the dripping mess out of them.

"Sorry," Allie says, trying to smother her laughter with what I assume is her hand on her way over to me. "We called a plumber, but he's running behind."

"I'll grab the towels," Bella says through her snickers.

"Can I borrow one?" I ask just before one is gently pressed against my face, and I take it, accidentally brushing the soft fingers still attached. I swear a jolt of electricity rips through my body from that one single touch. Christ.

After my eyes are dried, I open them to see Allie smiling softly up at me.

"I'll throw your shirt in the dryer, but you should probably keep your pants on."

She bites back a grin, and I try to pretend she's not flirting with me.

Fortunately, the water shot high, so it's just the top half of my shirt that took the brunt, and my jeans are dry.

"Thanks," I say, smiling while start tugging my shirt up.

I don't miss the gasp Allie releases, and I take my time working the wet shirt over my head, knowing exactly what her eyes are doing.

A loud, appreciative whistle fills the air—Bella's, not Allie's—and I laugh while getting rid of the shirt finally. Allie takes it, her lips parted just barely as she stares at my chest, and Bella claps slowly with a cocked eyebrow.

"Angel, your daddy has a great workout routine," Bella says, forcing Angel to laugh and Allie to blush crimson before glaring at her best friend.

Even though she tries not to, Allie lets her eyes rake over my body one last time before scurrying off to put my shirt in the dryer, and I begin helping

Bella clean up the floor from where the sink went rogue.

"Any chance you can only come over here shirtless from now on?" Bella

asks with shameless guile.

I burst out laughing while Allie groans from the back. At least the tension

seems to be broken. Bella takes the towels when we're done, and I head back toward the living room that is just across from the kitchen.

Settling in on the sofa shirtless makes me feel a little too cozy in their small home, but I don't have much of a choice. Allie resumes her seat beside Angel, and she works hard not to look over at me, just like I work hard not to look at her.

Angel snuggles up to me without hesitation, and I wrap my arms around her and hold her to me while enduring their show.

After a while, Angel's breaths become even, and she starts snoring adorably.

"Are those coming from her?" Bella whispers from the chair across from us.

Allie nods, grinning as she looks over at us. Her eyes lock with mine, showing me a new depth of something I wish I wasn't too scared to explore. But I don't want to lose this.

"She never sleeps hard enough to snore unless you're around, apparently," Bella says, her eyes landing on Angel as I slowly stand up with her cradled to me.

That means more to me than she realizes.

Very carefully, I tuck Angel into bed, and she grips my hand when I kiss her forehead. After gently withdrawing my hand, I back away from Sleeping Beauty.

Both women are standing in the doorway when I turn around, and I smirk while tucking my hands into my pockets, feeling a little on display.

They both clear their throats and flee the room, and I snicker to myself while following. Bella abandons us, heading back to her room, and Allie sits down on the sofa where I join her.

"Your shirt is taking a while to dry," Allie says nervously. "Sorry. The dryer is a little outdated."

I shrug, playing it cool. Honestly, I feel like a fucking teenager hanging out in the living room while the girl's parents listen from their room.

"Since my shirt isn't ready, let's kill the time with you telling me about you. I don't know a lot. You know a ton about me. I think it's only fair."

She grabs a bottle of wine that Bella deserted on the coffee table, and pours us two glasses before settling back on the sofa and propping her feet up.

"Long story short, my dad left when I was little, and my mom raised me until she couldn't take it anymore. I was ten when the Johnsons took me in. It was a loveless, cold house, but I was luckier than most kids my age. I didn't have to bounce around to several houses or endure physical abuse. There were others who came and went, but they would be too rowdy, and the Johnsons would have them extracted.

"I was always perfect because I was scared of what else was out there. The other kids always had horror stories. I never missed school. If I was sick, I suffered in silence, never letting myself be a burden. And if I was hungry, I kept my mouth shut until they were ready to serve food. It gave me the longest placement of any kid to ever travel through there."

Holy shit. I wasn't expecting that, and I can't believe she just told me. "Allie, I'm sorry. I had no idea."

She shrugs, not looking up from her glass of wine, as though she needs it

for strength to continue.

"Bella was my saving grace. We met sophomore year in high school, and

I started spending the night with her all the time. Her family was nice, for the most part—well, compared to what I knew. It showed me that there's more out there. That week in Cancun was the closest I ever got to being a normal teenager."

And I stole it from her by making her an instant mother. Fuck.

"Sorry. I guess meeting me was—"

"Don't," she interrupts, smiling over at me. "Angel was honestly the best

thing to ever happen to me. Why do you think I named her that? My life could have gone wrong in a lot of ways, because I was about to break free and go into the real world. I had spent a lifetime being perfect, and rebelling seemed so much easier.

"I quit drinking when I... um... well, when something was missing on the next month. And when it was confirmed that I was pregnant, I took better care of myself than anyone else ever had. Bella's parents rented a house for us that was near them, and we stayed there together through college. I had government grants and various scholarships, so I managed to escape without student loans. Her parents didn't feel comfortable helping with Angel, because they didn't condone my behavior. They thought I was a bad

influence on Bella.

"Unfortunately, that created a rift between her and them. I hate that. It's

one of my biggest regrets, but Bella says they'll come around one day. We're from a very religious community, so pregnancy before marriage is frowned upon no matter what the circumstances."

Sighing deeply, I lean my head back. "So I didn't just impact your life that night, but Bella's as well. Christ, Allie, I don't know what to say."

She puts her hand on my arm, drawing my eyes open as my gaze moves to her. "I'm not blaming that on you. I wouldn't lose Angel for anything. Bella was her own person by then, and they would have eventually disagreed with her own chosen lifestyle. Marrying a sweet boy and settling down isn't high on her priority list. She enjoys her freedom. She's said more than once that having Angel in her life keeps her from doing something too stupid. She gets to walk the line between wild and reserved. She loves her life."

She can put a good spin on anything.

"Mom loves her. You know? And she's never one to judge. In case you haven't noticed—not that she has a right to judge you. That's not what I'm saying. If anything, it's me she'd judge, never you. But she's a good person. She took in Tag when his father ended up being a piece of shit. She only dated him for a while because of Tag. Once she basically had him, she let his bastard father go. Tag was essentially living with us. She always fights for us. She's never going to let you down. Just want you to know that."

The way she looks at me always slays something within me. "I think she's great. Can I ask why she still uses Prize? She said your dad left when you were little. Just like mine did."

I grind my teeth discreetly. I never speak about that greedy bastard, but after all she's shared, I can't just drop it.

"She wanted to keep the same last name as her sons, and she's never remarried. She also didn't want to change our names, so she turned the Prize name into something admirable. My dad wasn't a skilled conman like Ray is, but he was a con who used her and her millions. He took as much as he could before he broke her heart. But Mom's so damn tough that she went on just fine. It made me stay tougher for her. That's why... It sickens me to know I did someone the way I did you—the way my dad would have done someone."

She leans into me as a new show starts, and I absorb her touch. "Then that makes you better than him, because he never apologized to you."

Taking a calming breath, I slip my arm over her shoulders and get comfortable. "Thanks for that."

She nods, trying to keep her attention on the TV, and I lean back, ignoring how heavy my eyelids feel as she continues to talk. We settle into comfortable, less heavy conversations. And I find myself riveted by every word out of her mouth.

Chapter 13

WREN

"I put a cover over them," Angel says, though it barely registers that anyone is speaking.

"Come on. I'll get you to the bus. Let your mom and dad sleep," Bella says, making me almost positive I'm not dreaming.

The door shuts, prompting me to open my eyes and register the light pressure on top of me. Strawberry blonde hair is smoothed back, and soft lips are lifted in a pretty smile despite her sleeping. Allie is going to kick my ass for this.

"Allie," I whisper, trying to wake her, but she moans and shifts on me, forcing me to turn my body when she moves on top of my early-morning arousal. She moans again, this time making it sound like she's in the middle of something heavenly, and I tilt my head, intrigued.

She moans again, and her body slowly starts grinding against mine, forcing my eyes to roll back in my head. Ho...ly... shit.

Torn between waking her up and enjoying the ride, I refrain from moving. I decide she'll hate me less for waking her up, even though other parts of my body will hate me for doing this.

"Allie," I whisper again, trying to coax her awake, but it only seems to fuel whatever dream she's having, and she's suddenly grinding harder, using my leg as her tool of pleasure.

Fuck. Me.

Her hand slowly slides over my bare stomach, and I groan when she uses her nails to lightly scrape down my skin. Her rhythm quickens, and saying her name only seems to inspire her to grind harder.

Before I know it, her lips are dragging across my chest, nipping and biting as she assaults me in her sleep. My name comes out in a rasp moan from her lips as she rocks against me harder, and I bite back a groan when my cock tries to explode.

ALLIE

Wren's body is greedy as he pushes into me over and over, and his mouth is hungry and demanding, owning everything I can give him. But he pulls out, teasing me as he backs away with his glorious body. I arch my hips in submission as he binds me and does whatever he wants while wearing his mask over his eyes.

He taunts me with dark promises, using my name to punctuate each dirty phrase, and pushes me up onto my knees. He pops the side of ass with a black leather riding crop. After he bends and runs his tongue over the stinging mark, he pounds into me once again, and my world explodes around him, shattering me into oblivion.

His name comes out in a prayer-like praise, and my whole body goes limp as pleasure racks through my every nerve.

I smile when my eyes flutter open, but then my eyes widen in horror when I see a blushing Wren under me, doing all he can not to laugh. I take in the fact I'm straddling his leg very firmly, and there's no doubt that I just had a very real and very loud orgasm.

"OhmyGod," I say in a rush, trying to dive off of him, but tumbling to the floor like an ungraceful idiot instead, landing on my hands and knees... just like my dream.

I. Could. Die.

He laughs while rising up, shifting when his very large bulge comes into view.

"You... I... Did I... on you?" I stammer, my voice a shrill and annoying pitch.

His laughter grows louder as he uses his hand to adjust himself in his jeans. Why did I have to see that?

"Yes you did—on my leg, actually. Must have been one hell of a dream," he teases, arching one eyebrow to accentuate his amusement.

I lurch toward the bathroom, scrambling there on my hands and knees, and slam the door. It takes me a while to stand when I start shaking with humiliation. I just... Oh damn. I just used real Wren's leg as a surrogate for dream Wren's big, glorious, hard—

"Allie, open up," real Wren says through his chuckles. "Please. Don't let this be weird. I was trying to wake you up before you... well, before you came, but I think saying your name only made it worse."

Oh no. No. No. No! This can't really be happening right now.

He's still laughing. That asshole. He's enjoying the fact that I'm never leaving my house again, let alone facing him.

My name. I groan when I realize real Wren was the voice of dream Wren. No wonder it was so frigging perfect. The best dream ever was just sullied by reality.

"You said my name, so I have to know what you were dreaming."

My face pales in horror as he laughs harder, and I get a little dizzy. I'm going to have to quit work, move towns, buy a fake identity—

"Allie, come on. Let's nip this in the ass."

I grow even paler. Did I tell him what I was dreaming while I was dreaming? Or is that just a coincidental use of words?

Oh fuck me! Please let it be a coincidence.

"Allie, please. I swear we'll never mention it again, but considering I was just a weapon of your pleasure, I'd at least like a few details."

"Stop enjoying this," I groan, only prompting him to laugh harder. "And stop being so loud. Our daughter... Oh shit. I've got to get Angel to school."

Oh, no. She might have heard me. Or worse... saw me. I swallow down the painful knot in my throat as my mind scurries to try to come up with some feasible lie to tell her, but Wren puts me out of my misery before I craft a very in-depth story.

"Bella already took her. It's just you, me and the bathroom door. Oh, and your dream, of course."

I glance around, curious if I could squeeze my ass out the tiny half window of the bathroom. I'd probably get stuck like some cartoon character, then Wren would have to rescue me, and all this would be worse.

"You suck," I grumble, glaring at the door once again.

"Is that what I was doing?" he asks, too damn amused.

Sucking, biting, licking... working me over with that riding crop... Shit! I

really need him to shut up. I'm never, ever, ever reading one of those damn books again.

"We're not talking about this if I come out," I tell him, sounding a little too hopeful.

He snickers softly while knocking again. "Come out. I'll try not to mention it."

He did not have to say come like that. Jerk.

"Trying isn't good enough."

"Fine," he says through a small laugh, not sounding convincing at all.

"Mum's the word."

Cautiously, I open the door to see the smiling asshole leaning against the

jamb. His arms are crossed over his impressive chest, and small scratches mar his otherwise flawless, tan skin.

"Shit. Did I do that?" I ask, horrified when I see they are indeed claw marks.

"Yep. Right before you started calling out my name."

"You dick! You said—"

"You brought it up," he interrupts, his laughter returning. "I was just

answering your question."

He looks too good in the morning. It's really not fair.

"You should go," I grumble, covering my face with my hands, not brave

enough to face him any longer.

"Not until this isn't awkward. Come on. Your calendar says you're off

today. Let's make some rounds for my mother's party this weekend. She said you're coming—no pun intended. I can drive you and Angel."

No pun intended my ass.

His mother's early December Christmas party. Shit. How did I forget about that?

And he checked my calendar? Why is he checking my calendar? I only have today off because they were overstaffed and asked for a volunteer to take off. I volunteered because I'm still recovering from the back-to-back surgeries that went on last week.

"I can drive us. You probably have a date," I say. Okay, so that makes me pathetic for fishing for information, but... I don't know what's wrong with me right now.

"No date. So you're stuck with me. Come on. I'm supposed to swing by Rye's house first and pick up some of the Christmas shit he picked up for Mom. Then I have to head over to the Colton Estate and pick up some more things. You get the idea. It'll be a distraction, and it'll help squash the awkwardness."

I laugh because I can't help it.

"Why are you running these errands? And why is Rye picking stuff up for her?" I ask in deflection. "Don't you rich people hire other people for that sort of thing?"

His eyebrow cocks up. "Us rich people?" He laughs lightly while rolling his eyes. "Mom has always made us get our hands dirty, for the record. Rye

is part of the family, since he and Ethan grew up like brothers. Rye has 'chores' just like I do. But he forgot to take the stuff to Mom's, so I'm swinging by on my way. Now stop stalling and get ready."

"I need a shower first."

He smirks, and my face heats when I see the promise of more mockery stirring in his mischievous blue eyes. "I bet. Sounded like it was an intense dream."

I try to slap at him, but he dives away, laughing as he avoids my sad attempts to strike. Growling, I lunge at him, but he catches me effortlessly and effectively pins my arms to my sides while walking me back into the bathroom.

This is seriously not a good position to be in right now. All I'd have to do is lean my head back, and he'd have access to bend down and kiss me for as long as he wanted. Then we could...

No! Stop it, Allie. Not going to happen. It can't happen.

"No taunting me about my dream," I say, pretending that my entire body isn't craving him to lose that damn control he always has over himself.

He snickers while pushing me toward the shower. "Fine. No more taunting. You shower; I'll go home and shower; and I'll come back to get you in a few."

I don't believe him one bit when he smiles again, but I'll be damned if that grin doesn't infect me and make me smile, too.

"Are these errands... what kind of errands? Besides picking up stuff from Rye."

"Mundane stuff. Nothing special. But, like I said, it'll kill the awkwardness."

I can handle a day of mundane stuff. Just as long as I don't have to touch Wren. Or see him shirtless. Or feel him pressed against me... Stop! I have to stop thinking.

"Mundane sounds perfect," I say, cursing the fact I still have images of him licking and biting my ass. That's seriously the last time I read one of those books. Lesson learned.

ALLIE

"Duck!" Rye yells just as we step into his yard, but I don't react on the blind faith Wren does. And... I'm punished for it.

I scream when something explodes against my face, and a cold, wet drizzle of liquid slides down my body, soaking me. What the hell?

Wren bursts out laughing from his crouched position, standing slowly as I rake water out of my eyes with my fingers. My hair is smattered against my face with a clingy feel, and my shirt is definitely drenched on one side.

"What was that?" I ask, gasping a little when the cool air strikes against the wetness all over me.

"Water balloon," Rye says as though it's obvious. "I told you to duck." "Why did you throw it at me?" I demand.

He shrugs, looking around me very warily. "You just happened to step in

front of her. Now I don't know where she went."

I look around, taking in the childlike structures of the yard that I didn't

notice before. In this ritzy subdivision, Rye's house has numerous things that have been pulled out to play as barricades, including a desk that is turned up on its side. A few car hoods have been stood up in the ground, along with things that look like stage props or something.

"Brin works in a museum," Wren says when he sees me eyeing a Cleopatra cutout that is proudly standing up in the yard. "She brings home some of the advertisement pieces she works on when a show is over because, well, I don't know why."

"So she can find ways to use them against me," Rye says absently.

Leaning away from me, Wren redirects his attention to a very distracted Rye.

"Do you have the Christmas supplies?" Wren asks, chuckling when I take a step behind him to prevent another water balloon mishap.

Rye's eyes are on a mission to find any movement behind the structures, and I really don't want to end up in the line of fire again.

"In the house. Good luck. She has the place rigged for failure. Why do you think I'm fighting for the right to go in?"

"Do they allow this in subdivisions this nice?" I ask curiously.

"They do when it's me and Brin," Rye says, shrugging. "The neighborhood enjoys the war."

A water balloon zips by me and Wren when I pull him back, and it narrowly misses Rye, who immediately crouches low and starts scouring the yard again. This is crazy.

"Too many targets. Which direction did that come from?" he asks... one of us. Not sure who.

Wren laughs while tugging me closer to his protective body, soaking himself with the contact. He doesn't seem to mind getting wet, and Rye starts belly crawling, entertaining us more.

"Is this a common thing?" I ask, a little worried about their sanity.

"They change things up most of the time. Tomorrow you'll find something totally different."

A balloon pelts Wren suddenly, splattering up on me just barely, and Wren sucks in a breath while stepping back.

"Brin! I know that was you!" he calls out, mocking an angry tone that is betrayed by his grin. I laugh without meaning to.

"She's vicious," Rye whispers as he wiggles in behind a car hood, holding a balloon in his hand like it's a gun.

"Where's your stash?" Wren asks, pulling his shirt over his head despite the cool air. It is frigging colder with a wet shirt on.

His body... I wish he'd stop making me look at it. He wasn't supposed to be shirtless again, damn it!

Rye motions toward his apparent stash. I look up just in time to see Brin on all fours, waving me over from behind another car hood. Eyeing both guys to make sure they're otherwise distracted, I discreetly making my way over to her.

She pulls me down with her, motioning to a crate packed full of balloons.

"How many does he have left?" she asks, her body and hair completely dry.

"I don't know," I say through my soft laughter.

"You here for the Christmas stuff?"

"Yeah. And now I think my heart is going to pound out of my chest."

It's sad that this is giving me an adrenaline rush.

She looks at me with a broad smile on her face. "Great, isn't it?"

I work hard not to laugh, and then I do something stupid; I grab a water

balloon.

She wiggles with excitement before peeking out from behind her shelter,

gauging the landscape. "Oh shit!" she screams just as we suddenly get hit with a massive attack, one balloon after another splattering against the hood and spraying onto us.

I throw the first balloon, giggling like an idiot the whole time. It hits the

ground nowhere near anyone, but a thrill still shoots through me. After grabbing another one, I look around the side to see Wren hammering us with balloons right beside Rye, who is just as intent on emptying the arsenal.

I throw two balloons as hard as I can. One hits Wren right in the face, and I squeal in excitement when he's forced to cough.

"Seriously? This is how you want to play?" he asks, a smile in his voice.

The adrenaline burns through me, setting me on fire as I laugh and help out Brin, who is a frigging water-balloon-launching machine. Before I know it, we're out of balloons, and the guys are, too.

Naively, I assume that means the war is over... Until Brin takes off running, screaming and leaving me behind. Wren suddenly grabs me, and I laugh while trying to wiggle free from his grip.

"Got her!" Rye exclaims proudly from beside the house.

"I've got Allie."

"Wren, stop. Please. I'm laughing so hard it hurts," I beg.

He just continues carrying me toward the back of the house, and I try not

to revel in the way it feels to be pressed up against him—again. This wasn't supposed to happen. Rye opens the back gate to a patio behind his house, and Wren walks us in.

"Password," Rye demands to a sulking Brin who has her arms crossed over her chest.

Wren stands me up on my feet, grinning at me while I playfully shove him.

"Fine. It's your birthday," Brin concedes on a long, dramatic breath.

Brin rolls her eyes, biting back a grin, and Rye goes to type in a password on the door lock. When the door opens, Wren shoves me to the front of the line.

"What's going on?" I ask, stumbling toward the door.

"You joined her, so you walk through the house first," Wren says unapologetically.

"No!" Brin squeals, leaping up.

"Ha! I knew you did more than change the password. Where are the traps?" Rye demands.

"I think we'll come back later for the stuff," Wren says through his chuckles, tugging my hand in his after just putting me on the frontline to be sacrificed.

Rye and Brin argue for a second, and then... silence.

"Are they dead?" I worry when we're outside of the gate.

"Nah. They're having sex by now. That's why I got us out of there."

I know my eyes have to be bugging out of my head. "Seriously?" "Foreplay," he explains—at least, he thinks he's explaining.

He laughs while guiding me back to the car, where he points to the two

shirts in the back seat. I climb into the passenger seat, and he gets in on the driver's side.

"You always bring extra clothes?" I muse as he pulls a shirt over his head.

Thank God I don't have to keep staring at his naked chest and abs.

"I was planning on fixing your sink today. Figured I'd need a spare or two. Grab one and change into it. It'll do until Raya can loan you something else. We're going there next."

He wants to fix my sink? Why does that make me smile?

"I can't just borrow a shirt from Raya. I've only met her once. And where am I going to change into your shirt?"

He pulls away from the curb after securing his shirt into place. "Change in here. And Raya won't care."

I roll my eyes before returning my gaze to the tempting, warm, dry shirt in the back seat.

"I can't change in front of you."

His easy grin kicks up, and he slants his eyes toward me. "After what you did to me this morning, I would think changing in front of me would be the least embarrassing."

My face burns red, and he chuckles, mocking me all the more. So much for not mentioning it. At least it's slowly getting less embarrassing. Well, sort of.

WREN

Blue balls are not an urban legend. I learned that today. They are very fucking real, and very fucking painful.

I still can't stop thinking about her calling out my name when that look spread across her face—pure ecstasy. She was biting her lip, moaning,

writhing, and shuddering against me, and I just about embarrassed myself by going off with her.

Fortunately, she woke up and freaked out, which took the edge off. Unfortunately, I've been left in the most pain of my life.

Thank God for cold showers. It's the only thing that made my dick go down. But it hurts. It hurts so damn bad.

"Don't look," she says, leaning over and grabbing my shirt out of the back seat.

Obviously the second her shirt comes off, I look. Damn. I can't believe I don't remember anything about that night with her. It's really pissing me off.

Her soft, very round, perky, large breasts are encased by a pink bra—one with a lacy trim. It makes me curious if she's the type to match her underwear.

Shit. I really don't need to be thinking about pink lacy underwear on her right now. My balls ache enough as it is, and my dick is growing just because I can see the top swells of her tits.

"You're looking," she hisses, slapping me on the arm while I laugh and turn my eyes back to the road.

She drops the shirt into place, and I grin, silently letting her know my peripheral works just fine.

"Ass," she mumbles, but she can't help but smile.

My shirt swallows her, but she looks comfortable and at ease in it. Not to mention, much too sexy.

"Your shirt smells good," she says when I catch her inhaling against the collar.

She can't say shit like that. It makes me want to push her down and pick up right where her dream left off. I'm dying to know what she was dreaming.

Before I know it, we've reached Uncle Paul's, and my fucking dick is hard again. I really don't need this to be happening right now.

Allie's jaw drops when we roll up to the massive gates that lead to the ungodly Colton Estate. If she's impressed with this place, then she's going to love the house we're going to tonight—even though I've soured the memories of it with my stupid fucking wedding. Maybe having Angel there will help me enjoy that home again.

"This is seriously where Kade and Raya live?" she asks in a rasp whisper.

"No," I say, chuckling. "This is where Kade's dad lives. Kade won't own anything this flashy, but Kade and Raya are staying with them while they're

in town because his mom is planning their wedding. Her mother is planning the food portion, because she's not really into the whole wedding scene."

"Ah. Okay. So... Wow."

Laughing, I pull through the gate once the man opens it, and we head toward the front, parking beside one of the elaborate fountains.

She sits still in her seat, acting as though she's too scared to get out, and I make my way to her door to open it.

"Uh-uh," she says while shaking her head. "I'm not going in there wearing your shirt while my hair is wet and destroyed."

She looks sexy as hell in my opinion.

"If you don't come in, they'll come out and get you. Come on. No one is going to care what you're wearing."

She glares at me, looking pretty damn cute, and climbs out of the car. Her eyes go up the tall home, taking in the intricate designs all over the structure. It's meant for royalty. Of course, in Sterling Shore, Paul Colton is royalty.

"He work from home, too?" she asks dryly, and I can't help but laugh.

I wait until we're inside, ushered in by Henry—the newest butler—before answering her.

"Nah. He owns Colton Fashion."

She tries to plant her feet in the ground, but I tug her hand in mine, forcing her to move or lose her arm.

"You can't seriously mean that Colton," she hisses while stumbling, following me against her will when I keep tugging. "I can't be here looking like this in front of a fashion god. It's—"

"Wren," Uncle Paul says, grinning when he sees the struggling girl at my side, "I thought you were here. And I take it you abducted someone?"

Allie stops struggling while her cheeks beam a glowing red. "This is Allie Thrash. Angel's mom."

Allie tries smoothing her wet hair into place, and Uncle Paul grins while closing the distance between them and extending his hand toward her.

"I take it you've been to see Rye and Brin already?" he muses, which earns a grin from Allie as she quickly shakes his hand and releases it.

"Yeah. Got sucked in."

He laughs while nodding. "We drove by earlier while they were filling up water balloons on either side of the house. Margaret decided we'd keep driving instead of stopping."

"Wise," Allie says under her breath.

"They're definitely entertaining. We were going over there to talk to Rye and thank him for getting his father out of the house more. I've always respected Rygan, but he got a bad hand. Rygan came over earlier to talk to me, which is good. He's coming to the Christmas party this weekend because Rye asked him to. It's really great to hear."

Allie looks a little out of the loop, so I make a mental note to explain what I can later.

"See?" I ask, smiling. "Everyone knows you went to see Rye and Brin if you show up looking like you just went to war."

She grins while blushing deeper, seeming shy now.

"Raya and Kade are in the middle of, well, a bit of drama right now," Uncle Paul says with that enigmatic grin just before we hear yelling.

Allie quickly gets closer to my side when the sounds get louder, and she wraps both of her arms around one of mine just as Kade walks in with Raya over his shoulder.

"Kade Colton, don't you dare! It's December! You cannot just toss me in the pool!" Raya yells, pounding on his back ineffectively while hanging upside down.

Her hair flops against him while he smiles like a smug bastard. He continues moving toward the pool that is just through the glass doors on our right, leaving the doors open as he stomps through.

"When you cool down, come and find me," he says as he starts to toss her, but the crafty girl grabs his shirt, forcing him forward when he loses his balance, and they both topple into the heated pool.

Water splashes high as a yelp and a squeal echo through the house. "Damn. What happened?" I ask while snickering.

"Raya wants to elope now, but Kade refuses to let her get married without

a wedding that she'll love for the rest of her life. Yep. Margaret has driven her so crazy that Raya wants to sneak away and elope."

My laughter rolls out, and Allie eyes me curiously, clearly amused. Shaking my head, I try to remember the task at hand. We have a lot to do.

"Mom said you had her Christmas cards."

He walks over to the side table, pulls back the drawer, and retrieves several stacks of cards.

"My secretary mixed them up with mine when she picked them up from the store. Apparently Melanie put ours and hers all under her name when she had them ordered without realizing that would cause confusion. You heading

over there now?"

"Tag's place first. He asked me to stop by and check out a new deal he's

signing. I'm a silent partner in the business with him, and he wants to make sure I'm good with all his notes before we sign on the dotted line. Then we're heading back to Rye's to reattempt our original mission, then to Mom's."

I thread my fingers through Allie's when Kade and Raya start splashing each other in the pool, their laughter replacing their anger. Allie leans against me, watching the couple as though she can't look away, and a small, thoughtful grin plays on her lips.

Kade pulls Raya flush against his body, sucking her bottom lip before pulling her into a kiss that has me turning away. The second things start getting heated in a new way, we back away from the patio doors.

"Bye," I tell my uncle through a laugh. He laughs and waves before shaking his head and heading back through the house.

Allie sighs happily, glancing back as though she's looking for Raya and Kade one last time, and I swallow hard while pulling her with me to the car. Why the hell am I holding her hand?

"I'm not sure I want to see Tag," she says under her breath when we get inside my car.

I grimace, but quickly try to recover. "He's as different as I am. More so. He has a wife and a kid he loves more than life. And he has another little one on the way."

Her eyes grow wide. "I saw them at the school, but I didn't realize he was married. Or that the child was his."

I fill her in on the reformed Tag, omitting the drama that got him there. She doesn't need the closet secrets to know about the happy ending.

It doesn't take us long to get there, but my eyes narrow when I see we're not alone. Corbin Fucking Sterling is here, too.

His tall, broad-shouldered body steps out of his car, and his shoulder- length hair gets tossed around by the wind, catching Allie's attention. This isn't good.

"Damn," he says in a loud breath as we get out. His eyes leisurely rake over Allie until she reaches my side.

Hell, I forgot to get her one of Raya's shirts.

"What's going on?" I ask, considering Corbin doesn't hang out with Tag very often unless Dane is here.

"Came over to drop off Dane's Christmas present for Rain." He holds up

a bag. "He has to hide shit well from her. She has no problem snooping through mine or the other guys' houses, but she won't snoop through Tag's."

Ah.

"You going to introduce me to the girl in your threads?" he drawls, letting his eyes fall on Allie again.

Trying not to grind my teeth, I motion between the two. "Allie, this is Corbin Sterling. Corbin, this is Allie Thrash."

I make sure to annunciate her name slowly, letting the jackass realize she's not just some random girl. Which is almost stupid, considering I don't have random girls hanging on me. Hell, I just got divorced a few months ago.

Corbin's smile grows. "Ah, Angel's mom. Makes sense now."

Allie tilts her head in confusion, and I groan inwardly before stupidly asking, "What does that mean?"

"She's wearing your shirt, very little makeup, and just-fucked hair, but still looks tempting to me. She's off-limits. Like I said, makes sense."

Allie gasps, and I curse myself for opening the door for that one. Between him and Maverick, I don't know who is worse. At least Corbin acts a little better around Rain, and she'll be there this weekend.

"Sorry," I mumble when Allie clutches my arm tighter.

"I have just-fucked hair?" she asks in a raspy voice. Now that it's been mentioned...

"No. It looks nothing like that," I lie, slipping my arm around her shoulders to keep her away from Corbin.

"You're lying," she hisses. "I do look just-fucked. You said everyone would know it was Rye's fault!"

I can't help myself; I burst out laughing just as Corbin does.

"Sorry," he says, catching on. "I just assumed... Yeah. I'm going to go stash this in the room Tag told me to. See you guys later."

He walks through the front door without knocking, still laughing, and I snicker to myself.

"Everyone is going to think we've had sex?" she asks, her voice quieter this time as she follows me into the house.

"Nah. Just Corbin. He's like that. Don't worry."

"Do they think we're... together?"

They would if they had seen her grinding on me this morning. "No. Most

everyone knows the deal, but things around here also change daily, so they don't put anything past anyone."

"Damn water balloons," she grumbles, kicking at an imaginary rock on the elegant stone-tiled floor.

I'm still laughing when we round the corner to Tag's office to see him struggling with a laughing Trip. Tag mutters a few censored words that sound so foreign coming out of his once filthy mouth. He peels his jacket off while Trip lays sprawled across the desk without a diaper on.

"What's going on?" I muse, prompting Tag to glare at me.

"I just got pissed on. Again. Third time today."

And this day just keeps getting funnier. My laughter soars free, and Tag's

eyes narrow.

"I thought they grew out of that within the first couple of months."

Tag grabs a fresh diaper from his bottom drawer before pointing a

commanding finger at Trip. "No more," he warns the little guy who laughs as though he finds Tag's agitation amusing. Then he answers me while trying to situate the new diaper under Trip.

"He only does it to me. I swear it's intentional."

Allie smiles as though she's enjoying his struggle, and I snicker while saying, "Definitely just like his father."

Tag covers Trip's eyes with one hand before flipping me off with the other, and I grin while sitting down.

"I hate these stupid snappy things on all these clothes," he grumbles.

"Here," Allie says while coming over to take Trip away. "I'll handle this while you two do your business."

"Thank you," he says in relief, sagging onto his massive chair.

He lets her take him, and I watch her while Tag assembles the paperwork. "Where's Ash?" I ask, curious.

"Sleeping. Trip was up half the night. I think he's teething or something.

She stayed up with him, so I'm taking over and making her get some sleep. Her parents are coming by to steal him for a few days. We're finally getting a few nights alone. They're staying at one of my homes while they're visiting."

Allie talks softly and sweetly to Trip as he gurgles and coos at her, smiling as though she's a familiar face, even though he still refuses to say the few words he knows. She's good at this—really good. Though that doesn't surprise me, because Angel is an amazing kid.

But seeing her finish dressing him and bouncing him while he makes sounds he believes are words... It makes something inside me falter. I missed all of this with my own daughter.

Tag starts going over the key points we've already discussed. Numerous meetings have been held on this matter, so I know everything already on the document. Which is fortunate, since my head isn't really here right now.

I sign the paperwork just as Marvin Walters, our joint lawyer, walks in to make it all official. We say quick goodbyes, and Allie hands a happy Trip back over to Tag who effortlessly shifts from powerful businessman to happy father within seconds, making it all seem easy.

Allie rejoins me at my side as we walk out, and I look at her the second we get in my car.

"Will you do me a favor?" I ask her quietly as I pull out of the driveway. "Sure. What?"

Taking a deep breath, I try to think of how to ask this without pissing her

off. I don't have a right to ask this of her. "I want to know."

That didn't make any sense.

"If this is about my dream—"

I grunt out a laugh while interrupting her. "Not about that. It's... I know I don't deserve to know anything about the years I missed, but I want to know. Every detail you can think of. One day, maybe you can come over and tell me everything I didn't get to see."

I look over to see her eyes watering, but she averts my gaze quickly while nodding. "I'd like that."

Relaxing in my seat, the feeling of control starts coming back to me for the first time in so long. But it's eclipsed by the weight of the guilt that will never subside. I'll always know I missed those years because of how I acted. Because of how I handled everything.

Allie is the exact opposite of Erica. Erica would be using this as a weapon against me right now, but Allie seems... Touched? Maybe that's the wrong word. But that's not the only thing different between the two.

Allie hates attention about as much as I do. She keeps herself next to Bella all the time because Bella tends to steal the spotlight, even though Bella doesn't mean to. Allie intentionally hides in her shadow.

It's the same thing I've subconsciously done over the years—surround myself with powerful, shiny people the world loves to see.

Allie's complicated personality draws me in, which is... confusing. The second Erica got complicated, I was done. She went from being a seamless part of my life to being a pile of wrinkles in my way at every turn. She went

from easy-to-appease to demanding and needy.

And I never forgave her for destroying what little bit of a relationship I

had with my brother. I doubt I ever will.

"Can I ask another question?"

Allie turns her head to me with a small smile on her face, looking content

and peaceful as we make our way into the heart of Sterling Shore traffic. "Sure."

The only thing easy about Allie is how effortless it seems to be in her presence now. What's difficult is how much I'm starting to want to be around her. It's not a feeling I'm used to, because it's not something I've ever had.

"Do you... Again, I have no right to ask this. I won't judge you no matter what you say." She waits patiently while I summon up my courage. "Do you think you can ever forgive me for what I did?"

The last person in the world who should ask for forgiveness is someone who wasn't able to give it when the roles were reversed.

She blows out a breath, but then she reaches over and squeezes my elbow, a motion that means something, though I'm not sure what.

"I already did, Wren. All I ever wanted was for Angel to have the love I never felt. I wanted to be enough for her, but I wasn't. She wanted a father and a mother. Just like most kids. A lot of children never get that. The day you made her dreams come true, I forgave you—even though I didn't realize it at first. Because she's my heart—she controls it. And she loves you."

Shivers run up and down me, because tears are pricking my eyes. She just gave me something of myself that I didn't know was even missing.

Her phone rings, which fortunately kills some of the heavy air, and she pulls it out of her pocket.

"Ms. Prize," she says by way of greeting my mother. Then she grins shyly. "Sorry, Melanie, I mean... Umm..." Her voice trails off as she looks at me, and then she looks back front. "I'm with him right now... No, it's my day... Oh. Well, sure. I think Angel would really like that... Okay... You, too."

She hangs up, and I tilt my head curiously. "Is my mother hassling you about anything I should talk to her about?" I ask, worried. Mom is nosy and meddling by nature, and I usually allow it, but I'll—

"No. She was asking if I had talked to you because she tried calling and you didn't answer."

I glance at my phone to see one missed call from her and roll my eyes. I

forgot I put the ringer on silent when I went in to speak to Tag.

"Silent," I say, shaking my phone.

"She wanted to know if she could pick Angel up from school and take her

dress shopping for the party. She also wants to pick her up early the day of the party. She said she'd love to get her ready if I was okay with that. She mentioned hairstylists, makeup artists, and something about princess treatment, so obviously I said yes. It'll make Angel's night."

Yeah, my stupid grin forms because she's right about Angel loving that. Girl is high maintenance, I've learned. I'm not sure where she gets it from, because it's certainly not Allie. Well, not in the material sense of the meaning. She's high maintenance under the surface.

Oh shit. I can't believe I didn't think about that sooner...

Going with my hunch, I turn left instead of right.

"Where are we going?" she asks the second I veer from the course of

Rye's house.

"To get you a dress for the party."

She smiles and blushes, but shakes her head. Just as I knew she would.

This time, I'm taking the decision out of her hands.

"I've got a dress. I've only worn it once to Bella's cousin's wedding. I'm

good."

It's really hard not to grin at how sweet and naïve she is in this moment.

Especially since moments like these are rare with her.

"You need a dress," I say again, heading toward my uncle's biggest store

in town. His couture line is what we need—not the standard line. She's going to be in a one of a kind, and he only keeps those sorts of dresses at his most prominent location. Fortunately for me, I don't need an appointment to get in like the general public.

"Wren, it's sweet, but I seriously have a dress. I wouldn't wear something that would embarrass you or your mother."

I can't help but grin this time. "You wouldn't embarrass me if you showed up as you are now, but I want you to enjoy your night. And I have a feeling you won't enjoy it if you're wearing what you're thinking of wearing because you'll be self-conscious all night."

She frowns, and I look back ahead.

"I don't need a fancy dress to feel good about myself, just so you know." I laugh while shaking my head. "Didn't say you did, but no one wants to

show up to something unprepared."

She rolls her eyes, but I hand her my phone. "Pull up Sterling Shore Christmas on the web. Parties are hosted all over this time of year, but the big one—the one my mother is holding this weekend—goes from house to house. Someone at the top hosts it every year, and it's her turn."

With a begrudged acceptance, she does so. I know the second she finds it because her eyes go wide in shock and her mouth falls open as a small breath escapes her.

"Oh shit. I need a dress."

Chapter 14

ALLIE

That's not a Christmas party in those pictures. It's freaking Gatsby's era all over again. He's right; I'd look like a sore thumb at a party like this wearing my cute little purple halter-top dress. These are gowns... extravagant gowns meant for royalty.

Who the hell is Wren Prize? And what have I gotten myself into?

"Wren, I think I've changed my mind about going to this party," I groan. No way can I splurge on a dress good enough for this thing.

Are those real diamonds? Oh shit. They are. That girl's dress is trimmed

with real diamonds.

"No. You're going. And I promise you'll fit right in after we leave Uncle

Paul's store."

Paul Colton? There's no way I can afford a Colton dress. Hell, I can't

afford a knockoff. But if I tell Wren that, he'll just insist on paying for it. And I can't take his money.

"Is there another store we could go to?" I ask, wondering if I could find a cheap dress that looks expensive. I've done that numerous times in the past.

"Not one good enough for this party or for you," he says absently, but for some reason, I freaking blush. What is wrong with me? I'm too old to be blushing like a teenager, but there's something about Wren.

I was supposed to hate him, dammit! Seven years—seven long years, I've hated him. How is it possible that just a few months has seemed to erase years of hurt?

Sighing, I lean back, trying to think of a way to get out of this. Maybe there are some huge sales in there. Like, ninety-nine percent off or something.

Dream on, Allie.

Wren pulls into the enormous, far-too-classy-for-me store parking lot, and I feel my stomach knot up.

"I can't go in there looking like this," I hiss, which has him laughing. I seriously think he loves laughing at me.

"They won't care about how you look, Allie. I swear. I'll be beside you. Come on," he says through a lingering laugh, and my stomach flips again.

I wish he'd put that damn smile away. It really should be illegal.

His dark hair brushes over his brow, hanging in that way that makes him look like a bad boy, but I know now that Wren Prize isn't the bad boy I hated him for being. And it's making me my head hurt.

My eyes flit over the large silver "C" that is proudly displayed on the front of the stone-gray stucco store. I'm torn between hyperventilating and taking pictures for Bella. She'd die if she knew I was coming here.

My door opens, and Wren puts his hand out for me to take. As if it's the most natural thing in the world, I slip my hand into his without hesitation, and he pulls me out of the car before locking it. When he doesn't let go of my hand, I'm thankful. I think it'll be best if these people honestly believe I'm with him, because I might get kicked out for the way I look, otherwise.

He threads our fingers together as we walk into the store, and I run through the confusing thoughts of how at ease I feel with him. I stare at our hands, looking at how perfectly his holds mine, guarding it with care almost. It's a simple gesture that could mean something so much more, or an innocent touch that means nothing at all.

I. Sound. Stupid. He's just holding my frigging hand, and I'm really overanalyzing it.

"Mr. Prize," a dark-haired girl says with dreamy eyes and a huge smile, snapping me out of my ridiculous reverie. "Were we expecting you?" she asks, her eyes unable to peel themselves away from him.

At least it's not just me he affects. Apparently we all get stupid around him. Good. Now I don't feel as bad.

"No. This was spur of the moment. I need something that is going to look stunning on her for the Sterling Shore Christmas party, and send me the bill."

My grip on his hand tightens, but he doesn't seem to notice. The girl looks me over, and her smile falters, but she works real damn hard not to let him see it. She studies me with a shrewd eye, looking me over from head to toe, then she returns her attention back to him, now wearing a fake smile instead of a real one.

"Of course. I'll go set up a fitting room. Any particular line?"

Wren shakes his head, pulling me closer when I try to back away. "Just make sure it's one-of-a-kind."

This time, her fake smile manages to falter noticeably, and I get a little nauseated. It's not like a normal store. Hell, there's a waiting area off to the side, and this is like a small foyer. Do you need an appointment to get in here

normally?

Wren starts tugging me through a doorway, and I ignore the girl who is

probably wondering what in the hell I'm doing in a place like this with a guy like Wren.

"I can't let you pay for a dress," I whisper harshly when I think she's out of earshot.

Wren's deep laughter catches me off guard, and I look up to see his hypnotic blue eyes staring down at me with flakes of humor.

"You really don't have a choice, Allie. Consider this a groveling gift. I owe you at least a dress. And I won't let you win this argument. Believe me when I say I can afford it, and trust me when I tell you that you'll walk out of here with a dress."

I don't know whether to be pissed or turned on. I'm a little bit of both in this moment. I'll add it to the list of confusing and conflicting emotions he always makes me feel.

There are several other people in here right now, and they're all staring. Just staring at me—the girl wearing a baggy shirt, messed-up makeup, and destroyed hair.

"Stupid water balloon fight," I mutter to myself.

"This way, Mr. Prize," the fake-smiling girl with cold eyes says, completely ignoring me.

Wren moves his hand down to my hip, tugging my body flush against his as he guides me toward the back. This is a fitting room? It looks like a damn... There aren't words.

Rows of luxurious rooms line each side of the walls, and there are sofas inside. Freaking sofas. Not cheap, tattered or even old sofas. White, beautiful, glamourous sofas rest in every room.

"She can take the first one," the girl says, just as another girl practically runs in with four dresses on her arm, holding them like they're priceless works of art.

I never even told them my size.

"Are you going in with her?" the fake-smiler asks while the nervous girl hangs the dresses inside.

"No. I'll wait to be astonished out here," Wren says, a smile in his voice.

He leans down to my ear, and my breath catches in my throat when his warm breath fans my neck, eliciting chills that I can't hide.

"Let them think you're with me. I'll kill myself if I have to put up with

too much flirting."

I smile to myself, and he wraps an arm around my shoulder as the

nervous girl runs out of the room. "I'll—I'll bring... back more," she stutters, her voice cracking.

"Are people always so nervous around you?" I ask him, looking up just as he looks down.

He winks as a cocky grin tugs at his lips. "I'm Wren Prize. It happens."

Cocky is a good look on him. So is sweet. Hell, even angry is a good look on him.

Trying not to melt, I walk into the fitting room, shutting the door behind me as Wren props up on the wall.

My fingers run over the fabric of the bright red dress that is hanging up, and I almost moan. What the hell is that? I think they figured out a way to spin heaven into fabric because I've never felt anything so smooth and soft in all my life.

"Mr. Prize, are you and your friend going to be needing more than a dress?"

Apparently the fake-smiler is making her move.

"Babe, you need anything else?" Wren asks, and my heart kicks my chest. Shit. Why does the sound of him calling me babe do anything to me?

Swallowing hard, I shake my head no. Ah, hell. He can't see me shaking my head.

"No," I squeak, immediately clearing my throat. Great. I'm an idiot. He knows it now.

"Shoes," he says randomly. "She'll need shoes to match whatever dress she gets."

Shoes? I have shoes.

I start to voice that, when the fake-smiler speaks first. "Also on your tab?" she asks, her voice husky and definitely flirty.

"Of course. Whatever Allie wants. My money is her money."

Even though he's just trying to make her leave him alone, I can't help but smile. I also can't help but wonder what an idiot his wife must have been.

While tugging my shirt over my head and tossing it aside, my mind starts wandering. My jeans drop to the floor, and I start thinking about what life would have been like if he hadn't been a snake that night.

Wife... I've never asked him about her, and now the thought is nagging me. Did she get the princess treatment? Did he love her the way he seems

like he would have? And why did he marry her after she cheated on him with his brother?

It's not a commonly known fact. But while we were moving, several of the girls clued me in on his history with Erica. I can't help but be curious. Yet no one knows Wren's personal life fully outside of his friends, and it's not like I can pry with them. Hell, I barely know them.

Staring in the mirror, I wince and do the one thing I always tell other women not to do—I compare myself to Erica Prize.

She's fit, and her waist is so small that I swear it's not possible for her to eat. My stomach is flat enough, but it's nowhere near firm. I'm a mom who works full time. It's not like I can spend all day in the gym.

Her hips are narrow, mine are curvy. Her breasts are small, mine... not so much. Maybe Wren is a boob guy.

Seriously... I have to stop this. I have to stop thinking about him in that way.

Silence falls outside until I hear a phone ringing, while I continue staring at my flaws versus Erica's perfection.

"Allie," Wren says, "I have to get this. I'll be back in a minute."

My eyes widen, and I jerk the door open. "Don't leave me alone with fake-smiling girl," I hiss quietly.

He looks up from his ringing phone, and his eyes widen on me until his gaze heats. The sweet look he normally carries is replaced by something... different. Raw, hungry, primal... I don't know, but it's hot as hell.

He walks forward, pushing through the door, and I stumble backwards. The mirror reflects me, and I gasp. I'm. So. Stupid. I'm in my damn underwear!

The door shuts, prompting me to look back just as Wren's jaw ticks.

"Sorry. Didn't want everyone out there seeing you," he says in a strained voice.

We're alone. In a fitting room. Just him and me. And I'm in pink lacy underwear.

His hand comes up to my chin, tilting my face up until our eyes are locked, and he stares down at me like he's about to do something crazy. I swallow hard, silently beckoning him to make the first move, even though we both know exactly how reckless and stupid it would be—not to mention selfish.

"We can't do this," he finally whispers, but I think he's talking more to

himself than me. He curses, but suddenly he shoves me against the wall roughly, and my hands fly to his shoulders to steady myself, while his hands move to my hair, tugging my head back as he stares into my eyes.

Yep. That's definitely hunger in his eyes. I know it, because that's the same way I feel right now. I've never wanted someone to kiss me as badly as I want him to kiss me right now.

The second my body presses against him, he groans, clearly struggling with some internal war—the same one I'm facing. An ache forms between my thighs, and since I'm apparently mute, all I can do is breathe hard, hoping, waiting, silently begging. I. Can't. Move. I'm frozen to this spot.

"Oh!" the nervous girl stammers, and Wren jumps back like he's just been burned. "I'm so sorry."

Wren curses while moving aside, and he clutches the door as the nervous girl scurries around to hang up the newest dresses she's brought in. And I just stand here in my underwear because my heart is barely staying encased by my chest right now.

"I need to make a call. I'll be right back," he says, and then he abandons me. This time, I don't try to stop him.

What the hell am I doing? I can't fuck Wren Prize in the fitting room of a regaled store.

He's Angel's father. He's Angel's father. He's Angel's father.

I keep repeating it in mantra, reminding myself why I can't touch Wren Prize. But touching Wren Prize... No. I can't. I can't dream about having him touch me, hold me, and take me in the ways I fantasize about, because it would ruin everything.

Turning around, I pick out a dress, completely ignoring the nervous girl as she runs out and leaves me alone. Staring in the mirror, I take in the blush on my cheeks, the hair that looks like it's been in a windstorm, and hunger in my eyes that matches the look he had.

I'm so screwed.

Chapter 15

WREN

I'm such an idiot. Why the hell did I practically attack Allie in the damn fitting room?

Fucking small space. Fucking tempting mouth. Fucking sweet smell. Fucking beautiful tits. Fucking mirrors giving me every angle of her sexy body. Fucking. Pink. Lace.

"Hey," Tag answers, picking up on the third ring.

"You called?" I ask, clearly annoyed, but I can't help it. Fucking hard-on. "You pissed or something?" he asks.

"No," I growl, cursing when I'm forced to adjust my cock against my

jeans.

Fucking jeans.

"Ah... Saw this coming," the dick says, sounding so damn smug for some reason.

"Saw what coming?" I ask absently, looking over my shoulder to make sure Allie isn't out here in her pink lace underwear.

She's not. Thankfully. Her lightly tanned skin looked so tempting. I wanted to taste every inch of her. Take her and push her against those damn mirrors while I—

"Allie has you frustrated. I saw it coming," Tag says, and I practically choke on my own tongue.

"What?" I ask, my voice off.

He laughs, mocking me with that laugh. "You know, all these years of knowing you, I've been waiting to watch someone—anyone—get under your skin. My dad got under mine. Billy got under mine. Then Ash fucking ruined me. But you... No one has ever really gotten a rise out of you, Mr. Control Freak. Now someone is. And this shit is getting more interesting by the second."

Rolling my eyes, I groan inwardly. Of course he'd notice. Jackass.

"I don't know why you sound so smug. You know this isn't a good thing. We have a daughter. Right now, things between us are good. What happens if they aren't good? Angel gets caught in the crosshairs—that's what happens."

He blows out a breath, but he knows better than anyone about what I'm

saying. Once upon a time, he was here. But his kid was too young to know what was going on.

"Wren, no offense, but you don't get to control everything. Some things just happen without your permission. What you feel for her is only going to get worse. Hate to break it to you, but you're sort of fucked. I just want to see Wren Prize finally crack. I've been waiting a long damn time to see you lose it, dude. Sorry. But it's true."

Groaning aloud this time, I lean against the side of the building. "I almost kissed her. Now... Fuck... I don't know what to do. And for the record, I hate you for enjoying my self-destruction, you dickwad."

He bursts out laughing while I try loosening the collar on my T-shirt. Did it shrink?

"You haven't called me a dickwad since we were kids," he says through his chuckles. "But yes, I am enjoying this. Might as well. Can't stop two trains without brakes, and you two are definitely on course for a collision. I could tell it by the way she was watching you at the house."

She was watching me? When? I was watching her.

Not the important part. I need to focus on damage control.

"I have to go. She's still trying on dresses. I have to manage to repair the

damage before this weekend. Mom will literally kill me."

He laughs again as I push off from the wall.

"You're right; she will kill you. Again, all the more reason for me to

watch the show, and I'm bringing popcorn to this party. I don't see you lasting much longer."

I adjust my aching cock once again, cursing it for refusing to go down. "I'm so glad my frustration amuses you," I mumble dryly.

His laughter continues for a moment longer, but he finally says, "No,

your frustration doesn't amuse me. I feel for you in that department, dude. Been there and fuck that. But the fact you finally found someone that might rock your world... Well, I'm eager to see the fireworks. And for what it's worth, I think it could work between you two."

I glance around the parking lot, wondering if I could just hide out here. No. No. I'm not a coward.

"It's too risky to find out. So stop being a dick and help me figure out a

way to deal with this problem. Surely you have an answer, considering your ungodly amount of experience."

"Liking a girl you know you shouldn't? You're right; I've had this

problem before," he says on a sigh. "What'd you do?"

"Married her."

Dickwad.

"Thanks a lot," I grumble, eliciting more laughter from him as I hang up and walk back in, not even bothering to find out why he called me to begin with.

Allie steps out just as I near the fitting room, and I stumble over my own feet as a blush creeps up her neck. But that beautiful pink color on her neck and cheeks isn't what has me stumbling. It's the white dress with a split all the way up the thigh, stopping on her damn hipbone. Oh shit. There are two splits that high, leaving the middle piece down like some seductive Egyptian styled man-torture dress.

"I think this is a little much," she says awkwardly. There's no way she has on her panties, because they would be showing through the slits. "But I can't get the zipper down, and I came out here to find one of those girls."

No panties. No fucking panties.

"Yeah... Um... I can help you," I say, clearing my throat as she turns and heads back into the fitting room, closing the door behind me and locking us in this confined space once again.

Yeah. I'm stupid.

My hands shake as she pulls her hair to the side, keeping her back to me, and I refuse to look in the mirrors that surround us to meet her eyes.

"We can talk about... earlier. If you want," she says in a quiet voice. "I don't want things to be weird between us."

She said nothing earlier. She just turned her body over to me, and she let me call all the shots. My restraint broke, and she wanted it as much as I did. Which means it's all on me to stop this.

Talking about this is a very bad idea, because I'm barely hanging on.

"You know why I stopped," I say in a rush, cursing my hands that are still shaking as I carefully try to tug the zipper down. It really is stuck.

"I know why. I'm sorry I didn't stop it myself. We... we have to stay friends, Wren. For Angel. And I want you to be able to be around me without feeling weird."

"I want that, too," I say softly, finally getting the zipper to budge without ripping the dress.

"So... how do we do that?" she asks hoarsely as I slowly pull the zipper

lower, letting my index finger follow its path, touching her spine all the way down to the end.

She tenses against my touch, and I contradict the words I'm saying when my body keeps doing whatever the hell it wants to.

Leaning down, I inhale her scent—strawberries and subtle vanilla—as her silky soft hair lightly tickles my face. She sucks in a breath as my hands slide down to the slits on her dress, and I groan as I feel the skin of her hips.

It takes all my strength not to slide my hands over, touch her the way I want to. I pull her against me, letting her feel my erection against her back, and she melts against my touch.

"You can start by wearing your fucking panties," I whisper against her ear, hating and loving the small shudder she has when my teeth graze her earlobe. "I'm only so strong, Allie."

She shivers once again, and very reluctantly, I walk back out of the fitting room. There's no pretending it didn't happen. All we can try to do is ignore this... thing between us until it's gone.

"I have some lingerie to add to the pile," the girl with red hair says as she walks back over, and she hands me several racks of lacy ensembles meant to unman stronger men than me.

Allie snickers softly on the other side, even though I can tell she's trying to smother it, and I groan as I curse this day.

I'm so fucked.

Chapter 16

ALLIE

Wren was quiet after we left the store. I was essentially catatonic. And the elephant in the room between us was pretty freaking massive.

He dropped me off without hardly speaking at all, and I haven't spoken to him since the fitting room incident the other day. He hasn't said if he's still coming to pick me up for the party, and if Melanie hadn't already picked Angel up to give her the royal treatment, I'd be cancelling.

Staring in the mirror, I find my hands on my hip bones, brushing over the covered flesh that still burns from his touch.

"I'm only so strong, Allie," he had said, and for some reason, I think I moaned. Or maybe I whimpered. Or maybe I didn't make a sound.

I was so confused.

Now, I'm even more confused. How are we going to go to a Christmas party at his mother's house? How are we going to pretend that we weren't both fighting the urge to strip bare and tear into each other in that... No. No. I won't go there... again.

I just have to talk to him about it. Talking is all we can do. We can't have this between us.

The door shuts, and I jump. Sheesh. Why am I so on edge?

"Allie?" Bella calls from the living room, prompting me to take a deep breath and leave the bedroom, prepared for her to—

She squeals when she sees me, then covers her mouth before saying, "Holy shit! You look... Wow!"

I was expecting her to laugh.

"You sure?" I ask, looking down at the silver dress that hugs me very tightly down to my hips, then flares just a little to let the fabric flow to the ground. A large, wide split rides up to my thigh, but it's sexy elegant.

At least I'm wearing panties—definitely wearing panties. I only took off my panties in the store to see how that particular dress would look, since it was showing the pink lace. It really was beautiful, but I didn't have the... Well, I didn't the balls to try to pull it off.

"Allie, I swear if I was a guy, I'd totally be hard right now."

I burst out laughing just as she does, and she walks over, circling me

slowly. "I have some earrings that would look great with this," she says, running toward her room.

I take a steadying breath, glancing in the mirror on the wall that shows me from the waist up. My hair is loose and flowing in large curls that took me over an hour to accomplish. My makeup is a little heavier than usual, but it still isn't more than a natural look.

The strapless dress fits perfectly around my chest, which still shocks me. How do those girls know what size you are without asking? It's as though they took one look at me and had my measurements pinned.

And these shoes... The silver beauties on my feet have a sling back heel, and they shimmer under the light. The tops crisscross, giving just a peek of my toes. Angel is going to love these.

"Here they are," Bella announces as she walks back into the living room, and I turn just as she holds out her hand.

Dangling, diamond earrings are put into my palm, and I shake my head rapidly while handing them back. "I can't wear these."

She laughs while taking one back, ignoring me as she moves to my ear to put it on me herself.

"Wren bought you a badass dress. You can wear my damn earrings."

Shame washes over me, and I blow out a breath. "I can't believe I let him buy it. But... he insisted. And then I got... distracted. He got me shoes and a coat, too."

She flashes a smile that is so genuine. "Lucky girl. Let him spoil you."

"It's not right. I don't like taking anything from him. I should have... I should have refused the dress. Shit. What was I thinking?"

She purses her lips as seriousness takes over. "Wren has seven years' worth of guilt, Allie. He missed over six years of his daughter's life. If the guy wants to buy you an outfit for some ritzy party his mom is throwing, let him. And don't feel bad about it."

Sighing, I take one last look at myself.

This thing between Wren and me... It's just this weird physical chemistry, right?

I wish. No. It's the way he treats our daughter—as though she's the most precious thing in the world. It's the way he looks at me, and it's the way he speaks... Screw this. I can't sit here and think about all the reasons I'm falling for Wren, when I need to stop falling for him.

"You look constipated," Bella says candidly, reminding me she's there.

"I'm thinking," I grumble, glaring at her as she laughs.

Then she gets that prying look on her face. Oh no. What's she going to ask now?

"Sooo... You never really talk about Tag, but if he's Wren's best friend, then you have to know him."

I shrug. I don't actually know him. "I assumed Tag was off limits for conversation, given your past with him."

Bella rolls her eyes while dropping and sprawling out on the sofa, still wearing her scrubs from the hospital, while her dark hair rests in a messy bun on her head.

"It's not like I was hung up on the guy. I couldn't even remember his last name when you needed to find Wren. I'm just... curious. Is he still hot?"

I nod, cautiously entering this territory against my will.

"Damn. Is he at least a little less hot?" she asks hopefully.

I laugh while shaking my head. "He's hotter, actually."

She mocks a pout, but then her eyes brighten. "It's too bad I'm taking a

break from bad boys. He'd be fun to play with."

I laugh harder this time while walking over to grab the new, incredibly

awesome, cream cashmere coat to pull on. It's not too cold, but it's still chilly outside. Especially at night time.

"That might be problematic, considering he's married with one child and one on the way."

She chokes on air before shooting upright and gawking at me. "Married with kids? Oh damn. Tell me the wife is hideous."

I smile while shaking my head. "Wish I could. But she's not. In fact, she's pretty damn hot."

She groans while dropping back down on the sofa. "Then tell me she's a major bitch."

"She brought candy assortments to Angel's class on career day to help Wren out."

Bella pouts again, but it's playful. "I knew this world was cold and unfair. She must have the fabled magic pussy."

I stumble so hard that I almost fall, and Bella shoots me a smirk. "Did you just say 'magic pussy'?" I ask incredulously.

"Yep. You know... Like in the romance books where the players screw a girl once and suddenly they're obsessively in love for the first time. That's magic pussy."

My laughter pours out as Bella leans forward, staring at her lap with a scowl. "Why can't you be magical?" she asks her crotch, which has me laughing all the harder. "We could be rich and fabulous if you could charm the wealthy and wicked serpents of the world."

My side hurts so much, and I end up clutching the back of the sofa for support as Bella continues to have the weirdest conversation in history with her non-magical... um... area.

"We get to watch the men walk away and forget to call. Or climb into bed with another woman. Maybe you need some pheromones or something to make you a magical beast. You could have a siren's song. Are you defective? Don't you want to..."

Her voice trails off, and I look up—I don't know why I was staring at her pant-covered crotch like it was going to answer. I'm still laughing so hard that I have tears, but I notice her eyes are wide and horror is etched on her face. I follow her gaze behind me, and see Wren biting back a grin that he ends up covering with his hand when he can't suppress it.

"OhmyGod!" Bella squeals, lunging and diving off the sofa before running to her room and slamming the door like an embarrassed kid.

Wren's laughter breaks free, and I start laughing just as hard.

"Don't you knock?!" Bella yells from the safety of her room.

Wren has trouble catching his breath, but he finally manages to answer

through his chuckles. "I did knock. But you two were apparently otherwise engaged, and the door was unlocked."

Bella groans, and Wren and I laugh all the harder, egging her on.

Somehow, the tension between Wren and me has been lifted after getting to witness Bella talking to her body parts. My eyes drift over to Wren as he taunts Bella.

"Don't let me interrupt. You can finish your conversation with your magical pussy."

My eyes drift down to the roses in his hand, and a warmness spreads over my chest as he laughs, his eyes not on me, fortunately. It gives me a second to really appreciate his profile, and damn... I've never seen a tux look so good on anyone.

"Mine isn't magical!" Bella barks, half laughing now as she walks back out of her room. "That's the problem."

Wren continues laughing as Bella huffs, but my eyes are still busy drinking him in.

"Damn," he says in a reverent breath, his laughter gone.

My gaze moves up from his chest to his face as he studies me, openly raking his eyes over me from head to toe. I'm glad I have on the coat.

Bella clears her throat while leaving the room, being way too obvious, and I take a deep, steadying breath.

"Hi," I say softly, which earns a smile.

"Hi," he says back, still smiling as he hands me the roses.

Yeah. It's stupid, but I grin like an idiot while taking them. This shouldn't

feel like a date, because it's not. Yet it's the best start to a date that I've ever had.

I shiver when our fingers graze each other's during the exchange, and I hear his sharp intake of air. But I ignore my reaction and his and move quickly to take the roses to the kitchen.

Bella is already filling a vase with water, a knowing smile on her lips. Actually, that smile is looking more and more like a smirk the closer I get to her.

"Don't," I whisper in warning, but she doesn't acknowledge me.

She takes the roses from me just as Wren joins us, making the kitchen suddenly seem very, very small when his scent engulfs me. I swear he smells like good sex.

"You can come to the party, too," Wren tells Bella as he props up much too close to me, his leg brushing against mine.

I tense, and heat floods me from the small, accidental touch. How am I going to endure an entire night with him after the fitting room?

"No thanks. I have a date," Bella says while arranging the roses nicely in the vase.

"With?" I ask, curious as to why I'm just finding out. "Dr. Pellino. He's cute."

My nose wrinkles. He's cute, but he's a pervert. "Okay... Sure. Call if you need me."

She winks over her shoulder at me as Wren starts moving toward the door.

"Have fun tonight," she whispers, and my eyes connect with the piercing blue ones that seem to trap me all the time.

Wren's dark hair is hanging over his brow in a way that has my fingers itching to run through it, and he's not looking at me with any less hunger than he had a few days ago. If anything, he looks even hungrier.

Not good.

"Yeah," I croak, my throat suddenly very dry, and Bella laughs behind me as Wren lowers his hand to the small of my back, guiding me out.

"I didn't know if you were still coming to get me," I tell him when we get outside.

He sighs hard while one corner of his mouth lifts in an uneasy smile.

"I'm not a coward, Allie."

My eyes move to his lips, spellbound and lost in fantasy, and he curses

while tilting my face up by my chin.

"I'm also not a saint, so you can't keep staring at my mouth like you want

a taste," he says in that deep, breathy, fuck-me-now tone that has the hairs on my body rising to attention.

That dull ache returns between my thighs, and I mentally slap myself. What am I doing?

"Right," I mumble, feeling my cheeks heat.

He leans down quickly, and I almost stumble backwards, but he grins as he catches me before moving his lips close to my ear. Goosebumps pebble my skin when he growl-whispers.

"And I really fucking hope you're wearing panties."

Chapter 17

WREN

I really wish I had bothered to pay attention to the dress before they zipped it up in the carry bag the other day. Then again, I still wouldn't have been prepared for how it looks on her, and that's just what I can see through the gap of the coat.

The swell of her breasts are taunting me right now, daring me to touch— and lick—when I shouldn't even be looking. But her chest is impossible to ignore in that dress.

The plan was to show up early, talk to her about what happened, and smooth things over before leaving. But then there was some insane thing going on between Bella, Allie, and Bella's pussy when I got there. After that, Allie's pumped up cleavage caught me off guard. And she smells so fucking good.

All I want to do is kiss those pink lips that are shining with some sort of gloss tonight. Well, that's a lie. That's not all I want to do.

Now the sexual tension is too thick to be cut through by even a chainsaw.

"I am," she says, breaking the deafening silence in the car as we reach a red light.

Confused, I turn to face her just as a small, somewhat daring smile tugs at her lips.

"You are what?" I ask.

She cocks her head, holding my gaze, before shocking the hell out of me. "Wearing panties."

A horn blares from behind me, causing me to jump as Allie snickers, and I glare in my rearview mirror until I realize the jerk is honking for me to go. I have no idea how long that light has been green. Right now, I'm doing good not to break the steering wheel.

"Are you trying to get us killed?" I ask, exasperated, eliciting more laughter from her.

I shift in my seat when my cock throbs and needs adjusting. Ah, fuck it. She knows what she does to me. There's no hiding it.

Reaching down, I adjust myself, and smirk when I hear her audible breath.

"We really have to stop flirting," I say through strain, cursing when I get even harder. How the hell does she do this to me? She's not even touching me.

She laughs nervously while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're the one who brought up panties," she points out, still flirting. "You were the one talking about magic pussy when I walked in."

She bursts out laughing, and I smile as I drink in the sound. She looks so

carefree right now, and that's a major difference from the bitter, angry woman I met months ago.

"I wasn't talking about it. Bella was. Actually, she was begging hers to become magical."

This time I laugh as Allie leans back, her eyes on me as I navigate the roads leading just out of Sterling Shore.

"What the hell is that?"

I feel her grin as she gets comfortable. "Something that makes a man crumble for a woman after one night."

I shift again, thinking about the night I wish I could remember. I've been inside Allie, buried deep enough to create a child, and not one fuzzy memory from that night will emerge.

"We really need to talk about something else," I grumble, which only provokes more amused laughter from her.

"Fine. Then what should we talk about? The fitting room incident? Because it's really not surprising that we're attracted to each other, Wren. We did make a child, and that isn't because we appalled each other. I doubt we'll be in such an intimate position again, so please stop freaking out." In a teasing lilt, she adds, "By intimate position, I mean we won't be alone in a fitting room with me in just my underwear or a dress that requires no panties."

Fucking hell. That's where I am right now—fucking hell.

Shifting again, I cut my eyes at her. She bites back a grin before looking away, and I groan as she crosses her legs. Her dress is split up the side, rising high on her thigh, and so much lightly tanned skin gets exposed with the movement.

"You should probably watch the road," she says, amused, and I curse while gripping the steering wheel tighter and jerking my gaze back where it belongs.

"Change the subject again, please," I say through clenched teeth.

She snickers softly, but then her laughter dies.

"Where are we going? Your mom's house isn't this way."

That has me smiling. "Her Sterling Shore house isn't big enough to host

an event this size. She has a much bigger home on the cliffs. It looks over the ocean. It's actually a badass view."

"Cliffs?" she asks meekly.

"Angel is safe. Mom keeps bodyguards with her at all times. Even if Angel managed to sneak out—which she wouldn't—one of them would have her scooped up. But I doubt Mom has paid attention to anything but our daughter."

She visibly relaxes beside me, and I settle down just a little now that the flirty air is gone.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asks.

I shrug before nodding my answer.

"It's about your ex. Or is that crossing a line? I know you're really

private, so I don't want to push a button."

That's one way to make my dick shrivel back up like a turtle seeking its

shell.

"Ask whatever you want to."

She pauses, seeming to have some internal war with herself. Finally, she

asks, "Will she be there tonight?"

That's not what she was wanting to ask. I can tell.

"Probably. She's part of the society crowd. Sorry in advance," I say,

mumbling the last part.

"She won't bother me."

I laugh bitterly while shaking my head. "You have my child, Allie. She's

going to be a bitch. But I'll kick her out if she says anything. Just let me know."

Her lips tighten, and I tense all over again.

"Can I ask you a question?" I ask, taking my turn.

"Sure."

She doesn't look satisfied, because whatever she really wants to know is

still nagging her. Well, something is nagging me too.

"I wish I could remember that night. I wish I could go back and handle

things differently, but I can't. So, I want to try and wipe it from your memory, even though I know that's not actually possible."

I sound like a rambling jackass.

"What's the question?" she asks, biting back a teasing grin.

Blowing out a harsh breath, I take another turn, slowly gliding us toward the cliff home. "I want a redo."

I don't want to ask for something as cliché as a second chance, especially since I don't remember my first chance. I want to start all over with a clean slate, because a mere second chance isn't good enough.

She studies me, and I stare straight ahead, pretending as though I can't see her from my peripheral.

"A redo?"

I nod, and she turns back to face the front. "That's doable, I guess. Though I'm not really sure what a redo entails or what purpose it serves. I've already moved past all the things that once hurt. But whatever you need to move past it, I'll do it."

Unbelievable.

I need to stop speaking to her, because I swear I'm seconds away from pulling the car over and saying to hell with the consequences.

Fuck. My dick is hard again.

"What did you really want to ask? I know you wanted to know something other than if Erica is going to be there."

She takes a hesitant breath before finally asking, "Why did you get divorced?"

Dick is no longer hard. At this rate, the poor thing is going to get whiplash.

That's not an easy question to answer.

"There wasn't any one particular thing that ended it. Hell, I tried getting rid of her before we even got married, but she kept clawing her way back into my life. Then things started changing. And finally, Tag happened."

She whips around in her seat, and I almost feel her anger. "He slept with your wife?" she asks incredulously.

I burst out laughing while shaking my head. "Hell no. No. No. Sorry, no. That's not what I meant. What I meant was that he fell hard for Ash. In the beginning, I was glad I wasn't as head-over-heels as he was. Hell, he was miserable. They didn't have a traditional or easy start. But then when they finally got together... Well, shit changed. And Erica got envious—I'm talking green with envy."

She relaxes lightly in her seat. "Not trying to sound annoying, but why was she envious?"

Shrugging, I answer, "Because she wanted what they have, and I didn't feel like that toward her. Tag is a passionate guy. I'm more reserved. I hate PDA, and she tried to maul me in front of people. She never did that before Tag got Ash. But she felt like if the world's biggest player could turn into a big romantic, then I was supposed to suddenly change as well. She started pressuring me to have a kid, went on and on about how that could really save our marriage—she's that crazy."

Allie stays quiet, as though she expects more. But I don't really know what else to say.

"You didn't want kids?" she asks, an edge of hurt in her tone.

Shit.

"Not with Erica. Erica is selfish—too selfish to reproduce. Even her

reasoning for having a child was selfish. Hell, I stopped touching her because she went off the Pill, swearing I'd have to give her a child if I ever wanted to get laid again. I didn't trust a single condom in the house. And to be honest, it wasn't worth the risk."

This just feels wrong to talk about.

Allie squirms uncomfortably, and for some reason she almost looks mad. But she shifts gears in the conversation again.

"So she left you because you wouldn't touch her, or because you wouldn't have a child?"

"Both, I guess. Not that either matters. We had a prenup."

She pinches the bridge of her nose, seeming to be lost in thought. "Would you still be with her if she hadn't left you?"

I laugh before I realize it, because it feels like so long ago that I was ever in that mess. Allie seems confused when she looks at me again.

"No. No, I wouldn't. Especially not with Angel in the picture."

Angel rocked my world and put everything into perspective. Someone like Erica wouldn't even make it through my doorway now.

"I don't see how she could expect you to be all over her after she slept with your brother."

I smirk, now realizing her anger isn't directed toward me; she's pissed at Erica. She's cute when she's being all protective. Rain told me they filled Allie in on the entire Erica debacle during moving day, but she said Allie never reacted. However, I see the anger blazing in her features right now, as though she's offended on my behalf.

My chest tightens, and I frown. Allie cares about me, and I'm not sure

what the hell to do with that.

I know what I want to do with it...

"I pointed that out during a party at the country club. I ended up with a

drink thrown in my face. But that was the final nail in the coffin, and I was finally rid of her. I'd wear champagne all day every day to keep those results intact."

I don't think she means to laugh, but she does, quickly smothering it with her hand while apologizing. I grin while returning all my attention on the road. Not too much farther.

Allie's laughter fades, and then she speaks softer. "Why did you marry her? Did you love her?"

I was afraid she was going to ask that.

"I'm scared to answer that one. I'm worried what you'll think of me if I tell you the truth."

She laughs lightly while scooting in closer, and I get a small whiff of strawberries. Damn, she smells good.

"No judgment. I swear. Relationships aren't my strong suit either, so I'm not even going to pretend I have a right to judge."

As much as I don't want to tell her, I almost feel obligated to.

"Come on, Wren. You asked for a redo. I'm giving you a chance to clear the air and start with a clean slate. So unload it all. Or tell me it's none of my business."

Shit. She's going to think I'm so fucking pathetic.

"Because, despite her betrayal and shortcomings, she wanted me. She was always there, and I didn't have to work for the relationship at all. It was easy and it was stable. Mom was always lonely, and she never really dated much because of us—because she wanted to make sure we knew that we came first."

After sighing, I drag in a deep breath before continuing.

"It didn't have to be Erica—I realize any girl could have supplied company—but Erica loved the spotlight my name gave, and it took the attention off me when she dove into all the glitz and glamour I try to avoid. She fit into my life the way I wanted her to. It wasn't complicated... until it was. I know that's confusing, but at the time, she was safe."

I expect her to balk at the explanation, but instead, she stays quiet, not seeming too disturbed by it. For some reason, I almost think she's pleased. Which is not at all what I was prepared for.

"Did your brother ever explain how he could do that to you?" she asks softly, her pleased expression dissipating into sympathy.

Billy. Fucking Billy.

"Apparently, if you're not close, it gives the other sibling the right to sleep with your fiancée without breaking some sort of unspoken rule most siblings have. Billy is... complicated. He never denied it happened, and he apologized, but I'm fairly sure you're not supposed to be gloating when apologizing to me for sleeping with my fiancée. I realized then I could never trust him again, and trust was all we had left at that time. People judged me for forgiving her but not him. Honestly, I never forgave either of them. I just went on as though it didn't happen. It seemed to be the best way to move forward, because resolving the issue took communication.

"Communication with Erica and Billy equals a migraine. And it's not worth it. They both wanted it to be my fault—their warped minds had different reasons for that. They acted like I stripped them naked and forced them to fuck—figuratively speaking, of course."

She grows quiet again, pensive. After several uncomfortable minutes, she breaks the silence.

"I think she was stupid. I think they both were," she says softly, and I smile at her as she gets lost in the sights around us, intentionally not meeting my eyes.

A few months ago, she would have probably enjoyed knowing my brother hurt me, and loved the fact that my ex-wife was a cheater. Now she's on my side. Things change quickly.

"What about you?" I ask, turning down the final road.

She smiles while looking at the ocean that is below us, and I resist the urge to take her hand that is resting between us.

"What about me?" she asks, distracted as the beauty of the ocean below continues to steal her attention.

"Any serious relationships?"

She laughs humorlessly while shaking her head. "Not really. Between school, work, and Angel, there hasn't been much time for dating. Not that I'm complaining. There are some serious creeps out there."

I'm torn between feeling guilty and laughing, especially when she winks at me. But we're suddenly pulling into the long driveway, and Allie's jaw drops, saving me from having to choose a reaction.

"This is a house?" she asks, easing up in her seat as she tries to take it all

in. "Are you sure it's not a hotel?"

The massive mansion stretches wide and tall. Mom loves this home, even

though it's way too big for her. She always loved the property and having something for "her future grandchildren" to come enjoy.

I'm not sure how many damn grandchildren she expects to have. I'm sure as hell not filling up all those rooms. At the rate Tag is going, he might help out, though. And to Mom, Tag's kids are definitely her grandchildren.

"I suddenly feel so small," Allie says, still in awe, and I can't help but laugh. She leans back and adds, "I bet Angel really does feel like a princess right now. There are even towers!"

She smiles over at me just as I pull up to the front, allowing the valet to take my keys as I get out. A second valet is opening the door for Allie as I walk around, and I take her hand in mine, guiding her in.

We bypass the line of guests who are showing their invitations at the door. I can't remember the last time I had to show proof of an invite.

Allie's grip on my hand tightens when we make it inside, and she stumbles to a stop, looking around, wide-eyed and fascinated. I glance up at the massive chandeliers and down at the marble that lines the floors, while she just stares in awe.

"It's beautiful," she says softly.

I grin while tugging her closer, wrapping my arm down and around her back until I'm holding her against me and helping her the rest of the way in.

"We're barely in the foyer," I whisper, trying so damn hard not to laugh and embarrass her.

"The foyer is bigger than my last three apartments."

That's sobering, and I can't help but frown while she looks around and marvels at all the sights I've taken for granted my entire life. I spot Tag, which is fortunately a distraction, and I guide us toward him.

But Mom intercepts us first, smiling like she just can't stop. "Angel is planning on making her grand entrance soon—if I can get her and Carrie downstairs."

"Carrie?" Allie asks, clearly a little uneasy.

"Yes. She's the same age as Allie. Didn't I mention her? She's Rain's daughter. Rain brought her over earlier to play with her cousin."

Allie relaxes immediately, and then a wide smile breaks across her face. "I imagine Angel will be hard to get down here if she's found a friend." Mom laughs and nods. "You're so right. I've tried numerous times, but

they both keep pushing me back out. I'm about to go back up there again. I have Greta with them right now—my housekeeper. She's been in the family for years, and helped raise both my boys."

Mom gets called to by a few other guests, and she sighs while hugging Allie one quick time and rushing around to play hostess.

"Should we go up and check on her?" I ask.

"And get yelled at for interrupting? No thank you. I'll peek in on her in about thirty minutes or so."

That has me laughing again as I move her toward Tag and Ash once more.

Allie smiles at Ash, but she's fidgeting nervously as though she would like to climb back into a shell. For some reason, I actually don't mind being here tonight. Usually I hate this damn party no matter where it's held.

"Need a drink?" Tag asks, motioning toward the server before I even answer. Ash sighs heavily, looking longingly at the almost-empty champagne flute in Tag's hand.

"Mad because you can't drink?" I ask, but only to annoy her.

When she turns her scowl on me, I bite back another laugh. Then Ash's look softens, and her eyes widen as she rakes her gaze over the beauty at my side. Oh, right. She hasn't officially met Allie.

"You're Angel's mom?" Ash asks, smiling big.

Ah, hell. I should have introduced her to everyone.

"Yes," Allie says, smiling softly. "You must be Ash."

They start speaking, talking about the ins and outs of motherhood—no

drinking while pregnant being one of them. And Tag smirks over at me as the champagne finally reaches us.

I grab a glass for myself and Allie, but she shakes her head in refusal. "Angel. We're driving back."

"I can get us a driver. Mom has them on staff for these events."

She purses her lips but finally takes one. "Fine. I'll have a glass or two. I

never have more than that."

Neither do I, unless I'm in Cancun, apparently.

"Let me take your coat," I say, already tugging her jacket off with my free

hand. She puts her drink on the table beside us while letting the material slide off her shoulders with effortless grace.

A tortured groan passes my lips when I see all the newly exposed skin of her back, along with how damn good that dress fits her. It might as well have

been made for her body. Fuck. Me.

One of the men working the party comes to take the coat from me, and he

retreats toward the front closet. I let my hand glide down Allie's bare back, unable to stop myself from touching her.

She doesn't seem to mind when my hand stays at her waist, resting on her hip like I'm more than just her child's father.

Most. Fucked up. Situation. Ever.

"So you work at the hospital?" Ash asks her.

"Yeah. I'm a scrub tech. It's a good job. My hours stay consistent. It's

rare that they change for any reason unless I request overtime."

As Ash and Allie stay immersed in idle chitchat, Tag grins over at me,

moving closer and lowering his voice.

"The countdown begins."

"What countdown?" I ask, confused.

His grin broadens as Maverick and the other Sterlings start piling in.

Unfortunately, the Sterlings aren't the only ones coming in.

Tag is grinning when I turn my attention away from the nightmare that

just crashed the party and return my glare to him.

"What countdown?" I ask again.

With a smirk I don't really like, he says, "Until you break."

Chapter 18

ALLIE

She's here. I knew she would be, but I don't know why I expected her to look anything less than stunning. But Wren never loved her, never really cared about her.

Though the wounds of the divorce should still be fresh, he didn't seem the slightest bit affected when he spoke about her. He actually seemed genuinely happy that she is out of his life.

Well, sort of out of his life.

"She came with Billy?" Ash asks on a gasp, her eyes finding the same thing I just did. "How stupid is he?"

From what I've gathered, Ash is trying to stay friends with Erica, but she's making it hard on Ash because she's changing and getting more cunning every day. And now she's here with Wren's brother... The same one she cheated on Wren with.

Yeah... That's not making a statement. The sarcasm in my mind is almost tangible, and a few more snide comments play with it, battling to come out of my zipped lips. I'm not one to start drama, but the urge is definitely there right now.

Wren barely glances behind him, but he seems more bored than interested. I almost want to kiss him just to shove a figurative dagger in Erica's cold heart. How could she do this? She's screwing with two brothers that are already on the outs.

"Just when I thought I was starting to like the little fucker," Tag says under his breath.

Ash shakes her head, rubbing her barely pudge of a belly through her very tight dress. "I can't handle them right now. I might kill one or both or try to knock some sense into them. I need chocolate since I can't have liquor," she grumbles, which causes Tag to laugh as she walks off.

"I'm going with her. I'll catch up with you two later. Ash might hurt someone in this state. She's feisty right now—amongst other things. The other things are my favorite. Who knew pregnancy could be so much fun?" He winks at Wren, and I roll my eyes.

Men.

But that confuses me when I think about it. Hasn't he already had one child?

I notice Wren flinches. He didn't flinch when his ex walked in with his brother, but the mention of a pregnancy has him flinching. Ohh... He missed my pregnancy. He missed everything.

I really have to stop enjoying all the little moments he shows me he cares. Wren looking vulnerable is a big weakness for me. But he and I cannot happen. He knows it; I know it. Yet here we are, with his hand wrapped around me, and my body leaned against his like we can't seem to stop touching.

I'm fairly sure this isn't what most people do in this situation.

"I thought they already had a kid," I say, ignoring all the confusing feelings that are festering inside me. "Why does Tag seem new to pregnancy issues?"

"Long story. Any idea what he's talking about?"

It takes me a second to follow his train of thought, but I finally catch on. He shifts gears within a breath.

"Yeah. Every emotion is fairly extreme when you're pregnant—at least it was for me. And your hormones are a serious pain in the ass. Something that would normally just irk you pisses you off. Something that would normally make you frown has you bursting into tears. I cried for two hours one day because I dropped the pickle jar."

Wren's eyebrows go up, and I swear he looks sexier when he's being adorable.

"And he's excited about that?"

I sputter the champagne sip I just took, and I laugh while shaking my head. "I doubt that's the part that has him excited. Things can be... Well, intense. You also tend to want something much, much more than you ever thought possible. Again, I can't speak for everyone, but judging by his wink, I'd say that's what he's referring to."

He looks so damn confused, and I almost want to touch the wrinkle he has on his brow right now.

"Want something? Like food or something?"

I smirk while shaking my head, and it takes him a second to process it. But realization lights in his eyes. "Oh... Ohh." Then in a flat, almost annoyed tone, he adds, "Oh."

When he frowns and gets lost in thought, I get a little worried.

"What's wrong?"

He looks up from his champagne, and I swear he looks a little pissed. What the hell?

"So you... I mean... Back when you were... Fuck! Sorry. It's none of my business."

A woman looks over with a disapproving frown when fuck leaves his mouth, and I cover my smile with my hand. He's pissed because he thinks I had sex while I was pregnant.

A few months ago, I'd be insulted by the audacity he'd have to even hint at asking that question. Because it's really none of his business. Now... I have no idea how to explain the satisfaction I'm getting from his obvious anger.

"Not while I was pregnant. At least not with a person," I say, relieving him of the burden, but I can't help but add a little fire into the conversation. "I handled things myself."

This time, he sputters his drink. Hard.

"Christ," he groans. "I really wish I didn't have that image in my head of you getting yourself—"

"Wren," a woman's voice interrupts, and I tense immediately.

Wren's arm returns to my waist when he finishes drying his mouth, and I turn around to see her and him. The guy I've seen pictures of is standing in front of me—Billy Prize. And he's carrying Erica around on his arm like she's a prize—no pun intended.

"Yeah?" Wren asks, sounding more annoyed than angry.

"I didn't expect you to bring your baby's momma," she says with a condescending smile and a fake southern twang, making it all sound so tacky. "Allie's my date. And our daughter is a guest of honor tonight. Tread

lightly, Erica," Wren says, a hard edge to his tone. "That's your only warning."

Billy's lips thin as though he wants to say something, but he doesn't.

"Last I checked, Billy is just as much a Prize as you are. Don't threaten to kick me out, Wren. It's not going to happen."

She laces her fingers with Billy's, causing a scene. I think she's already drunk because no sane, rational person acts like this when they're sober.

Wren smirks before coolly looking at his brother. "She's your problem, not mine. Keep her under control, or I will have her removed. This is a classy event, not a place for drama."

This time, the short brother does speak. "Last I fucking checked, it's also my home. Don't start this, Wren. I didn't bring her to piss you off or start anything. I even called to ask if it would be okay for me to date her."

He did? So weird.

"I don't care if you date her. I care how she speaks to Allie. And I care how she acts in front of my daughter. And I care how she behaves at our mother's party."

Erica throws her head back and laughs too dramatically to be sober. Yep. Definitely drunk. It becomes more apparent when she sways on her feet.

"Wren, Wren, Wren," she tsks. "Always so dull and mature."

Wren eyes Billy again, and the brother huffs before rolling his eyes. "I'm not letting you kick her out. I'll deal with her."

Wren grabs Billy's arm, tugging him back before he walks off, putting their faces closer together before he says, "Just because you're a Prize, it doesn't make us equals. I haven't screwed everyone over, so I carry more weight than you. Remember that. If she pisses me off, she's gone."

I've never heard Wren's voice take such a menacing edge to it. It's a glimpse into the man he could easily be if he chose. And it's amazing he chooses not to be this man. Well, not under normal, less stressful situations.

Wren takes my hand, and I watch as Billy shoots daggers at his brother's back, venom seeping from his glare.

"What was that about?" I whisper, turning away.

"Billy shows out. Always has. Does what he can to hurt everyone. He's trying to get a rise out of me, just like he always has. He's been jealous since we were little, even more so since Mom entrusted me with the larger businesses that I no longer run. Well, I run them, but I don't manage them. I still handle all the major decisions. Billy feels like it should have been him."

Wren's family isn't as perfect as I'd imagined before I knew him.

"She didn't think he was mature enough? I understand that. He's acting like a brat right now."

He laughs, much to my surprise, and he drops his arm around my shoulders before pulling me against him, as though he needs to feel me. So confusing.

"He is a brat. But she didn't give him the businesses because Billy works off numbers only. If he felt he could make more money by selling off pieces of the businesses, he would have. Mom wants everyone in her company to have stability in their jobs."

Business and family—I've always heard they don't mesh well together.

"He's also pissed because Tag and I just bought another business, even though Billy offered much more money. The prior owners knew Billy would just divide the business and sell it off in pieces. Tag isn't like that and neither am I. So we got what Billy wanted. It only adds fuel to the fire whenever I get something he wants. He always lashes out. This is him lashing out."

"That's seriously screwed up and wrong," I tell him, actually feeling pissed on his behalf.

"It's nothing. Billy had a good girl not too long ago—one that adored him and loved him. Her name was Shannon, and she's Ash's friend. But Billy is his own worst enemy and sabotaged the relationship by cheating on her the second Erica and I started talking about divorce. Erica went to him again in order to hurt me—which it didn't. He did it because he loves the chase, the conflict, and the exhausting drama. Shannon was in love and easy for him to be with. Billy doesn't do easy."

My stomach churns with disgust. I think I hate Billy Prize. Wren's much better than I would be. If Bella screwed me over like that, I'd... I don't know what I'd do. But I know I wouldn't be able to be in the same room as her.

My eyes fall on Tag and Ash as he spins her to him, dancing with her to the soft music of the stringed quartet—yes, there's a stringed quartet here. I'm almost surprised there's not an orchestra.

A small smile plays on her lips as she rests her head against his chest, and Tag holds her to him like nothing else in the world matters. Kode pulls Tria out to the middle of the floor, smirking like he has a secret, and she willingly lets him ease her against him, leaving no space between their bodies as he starts dancing with her.

But I almost laugh when I see Rye and Brin. They look so sweet right now, his arms are around her, her head is nestled in his chest as they dance like it's a junior-high dance. I keep waiting on her to do something wicked, but she seems to be too happy and content to make his life hell for the moment.

Rain and Dane are also dancing... He really is a sexy, smooth guy. I swear he looks like he was made to hold her that way. Slowly, my eyes drift to Raya and Kade, but I look away quickly, laughing lightly.

I really don't need to see Kade devouring her like no one else is around.

Wren's hands slide around my waist, and my breath catches in my throat. "Let's dance," he whispers close to my ear, his breath doing delicious things

as it slithers provocatively down my neck.

"Is that a good idea?" I ask carefully.

"Probably not, but I still want to dance with you."

Yeah. Like I can stop myself from melting.

He turns me around and moves us through the crowd, his eyes holding

mine, as a half-cocked grin plays on his lips. The space between us disappears when he starts moving me to the music, holding me tight and staring down into my eyes the entire time.

My entire body is on fire. I don't know how much more torture I can endure.

But hearing Erica calling for Wren is like ice water on the fire, and he groans before brushing his lips against my forehead.

Erica is staggering drunk now, and Billy is right on her heels, trying his best to get her under control. It's pointless though. A champagne flute shatters as she bitterly yells and causes a scene. Amongst the rustling and indignant gasps of shocked bystanders, I can't really understand her words.

Wren abandons me to go whisper in some guy's ear. The next thing I know, Erica is being hauled out of the room by three men, and Wren is pulling my hand in his, moving us toward a set of stairs.

"I think it's time to check on our daughter," he says calmly, as though he didn't just have to have his ex escorted—well, manhandled—out of here.

The man is made of stone, completely in control of his every emotion. I almost envy is impenetrable composure.

"Oh!" we hear Melanie say, stopping us before we can reach the stairs. Either she's oblivious to what just happened, or she simply doesn't want to give Erica the satisfaction of acknowledgement.

Wren turns to her with a cocked brow. "Oh what?"

I don't think I like his mother's smile right now. She looks like she just quilted a blanket of mischief.

"You're under the mistletoe."

My eyes widen as Wren's head falls back. I follow, looking up as well. Sure enough, there's a freaking huge bundle of mistletoe. Hell, that could be a chandelier. How did we miss it? And why is it in front of the stairs?

"It's bad luck to ignore mistletoe," Melanie points out, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Damn.

Wren shakes his head, looking a little confused and uncertain. Five seconds ago he had his ex dragged from the party, and he was the picture of

composure. But now he seems nervous.

For some reason, we seem to have gathered an audience. All of Wren's

friends are looking on with unmasked amusement, including the longer- haired, sexy guy from earlier—Corbin. He's standing with a dark-haired guy that is wearing a shit-eating grin.

"Come on, Wren," Tag taunts, winking at him. "Surely a little kiss isn't so bad."

I feel the blush creeping up my neck, but I'm also fighting back a smile. The look of pure torture on Wren's face is a little funny.

"You do have a kid already, so quit acting like kissing her is so terrible," the dark-haired guy beside Corbin says, grinning salaciously.

Terrible? I hadn't thought of him thinking it was terrible. I feel vain, because I thought it was because he was barely holding himself back. Shit. Terrible?

"Shut up, Maverick," Wren groans.

"You gotta kiss the girl," the dark-haired guy who is apparently named Maverick sings, doing a really good job of mimicking Sebastian from The Little Mermaid.

Everyone looks at him, and he shrugs, unaffected by the mocking grins. "What? I was with Carrie earlier and she was watching it."

Dane laughs while shaking his head, and Rain does the same thing. I turn to Wren as the others continue to heckle him.

"You can just give me a quick peck," I dare, even though we both know he won't. He's seconds away from... oh damn.

His lips come down on mine. Hard. He roughly pushes his fingers into my hair, angling my head to give him more access, and acting as though he was only waiting for my permission. This is so not a mistletoe kiss.

I think I moan—no, I know I moan—when his tongue slips between my lips and toys with my libido. My hands fly to his shoulders when he jerks me up against him. I can't remember ever being kissed like this before.

It's hungry, raw, carnal... and in front of everyone. But the thoughts of an audience flees when he nips at my lower lip between thrusting his tongue back in, and I sag against him, forcing him to hold me up.

A loud, obnoxious throat-clearing comes from... somewhere, and Wren finally pulls back reluctantly, leaving me breathless and wobbly. With my eyes still closed, I continue to lean into him like he has a gravitation pull on my body, and I can't seem to shake free from the trance I'm in.

"Sorry," he says on a rasp whisper as my eyes slowly open, blinking as I look up into his piercing blues.

Sorry?

That's when I look around to see the entire party is silent, and all eyes are on us. We've garnered more attention than Erica's tantrum.

My face flushes as Wren pulls me closer, tucking me against him as though he's trying to shield me from the numerous pairs of curious eyes.

"Now that's a helluva mistletoe kiss. What'd I miss?" a new dark-haired guy asks with an amused smile on his face. When did he get over here? How long was that kiss?

"Ethan, welcome to the fun. You just missed Wren cracking. But not breaking... Yet," Tag tells the guy, but his eyes are on Wren, who is rolling his eyes at him.

"What's he talking about?" I whisper, wishing my skin didn't look sunbaked right now. Sheesh. You'd think I'd never been kissed before. Though, I don't think I've ever been kissed quite like that.

"Nothing," Wren says, shaking his head as he pushes me toward the stairs.

I refuse to even look at Melanie. I can't. There's no way.

Rain is biting back a smile that she ends up hiding behind her glass of champagne. Rye's eyebrows are lifted to his hairline, and he doesn't even bother hiding his wide grin, while Brin keeps her mouth covered.

You'd think this group had never seen anyone get kissed before, which is utter bullshit. I think I've seen all of them making out. Hell, Tag's tongue is now inside Ash's mouth. That was quick.

But no one else is looking at anyone except for Wren and me.

Wren tugs me up the stairs. I stumble behind him until he turns to wrap his arm around my waist, lifting me like I'm weightless with just the one arm, and placing me in front of him. His hands go to my waist as he guides me, softly urging me to move fast and escape the whistles and catcalls that are breaking out behind us.

My body is almost vibrating with adrenaline. I'm fairly sure my heart is trying to beat out of my chest.

"Sorry," he says again when we top the stairs.

My heart is racing, my body is aching for more, that was the best kiss I've ever had, and he's sorry. Fantastic.

"I thought you weren't much of one for PDA," I mumble, resisting the

urge to shove him against the wall and resume the damn kiss that he's so sorry about.

I look over to see him frowning, his eyes trained on the massive hallway in front of us.

"I'm... not."

He clears his throat and tugs at his tie as though it's choking him. Then his hand slides back down to my waist as he continues guiding me. His grip is strong on my hip, and he keeps our sides touching, as though we're supposed to be pushed close together inside this wide hallway full of endless doors.

For someone who isn't big on public displays of affection, he never seems to stop touching me. And that kiss certainly wasn't meant for the public eye. Hell, we're not dating, and he's very hands-on. Erica must have expected him to screw her in front of everyone if she didn't think he was affectionate enough in front of people.

"She should be two doors down from my room here," he says, still seeming a little tense and possibly... angry?

"Are you mad?"

His look softens immediately, and that grin he has mastered slips into place. "Of course not. Just... I shouldn't have caved to peer pressure."

He laughs as though it's funny, and I force a smile. That didn't feel like a kiss to appease the crowd. That felt passionate, hot, and so damn real. I stupidly keep forgetting how dangerous Wren Prize is to me.

Two men in black suits stand guard in front of a door, and before I can ask, Wren motions to them. "They're just security. Mom never takes chances."

Wow. Talk about culture shock.

Both men grunt greetings to Wren and nod toward me as they step aside to let us by. Wren pushes through the door, and my breath catches in my throat. Diamonds and pink lace are everywhere, and right in the middle is my perfect girl and the other little girl that I assume is Carrie Sterling. An elderly lady smiles warmly at me from her spot on a rocking chair as she pauses something on the TV.

"Hey, Mommy," Angel says sweetly, but she's watching me like I've come to tear her away from the fun.

"We just came to see if you girls are ready to join the party."

Angel looks to Carrie, and she shakes her head to the silent question that

has been passed. Wren bites back a grin when Angel turns to shake her head as well.

"We want to play here some more."

I look down at the dolls and the magnificent dollhouse they're playing with. Holy shit. That thing looks so real.

"Are you sure? Your grandmother seemed to think you wanted to make a big debut."

Carrie looks down, clearly not one to talk to strangers, and Angel answers again.

"Carrie doesn't like being around crowds of people. I like it up here. And there aren't dollhouses down there. Can we please just stay up here?"

Wren smiles over at me, shrugging as though he has no input.

"Greta, if you're tired, I can stay up here with them," Wren tells the elderly lady who laughs loudly.

"Tired? I dealt with two rambunctious boys that were constantly at war when I cared for you. Then three boys when Tag came along. These girls are a godsend. I'm not tired in the least. Go on back to the party. You two have a good night. From what I hear, this one deserves a night off," the kind lady says while motioning to me.

"Mommy works too hard," Angel confirms, smiling over at me. "And Wren needs to learn what fun is. His house is so boring."

Wren chokes on a laugh as I stifle a smile.

"It's gotten better," he says, mocking offense.

"A little," she admits. "Can Carrie come over and play with us some?" Carrie's eyes immediately dart to Wren's, and he nods to the little girl

who smiles at him.

"Of course. Carrie's your second cousin, so she's family, and our family

is always hanging out. In fact, we'll all be..."

His voice trails off, and he doesn't finish that statement.

"We'll let you get back to having fun," Wren says instead of finishing

what he was going to say, his smile forced now.

We back out of the room, and Wren stares off into space before pointing

to another room. "That's the one I use when I stay here," he says, but he doesn't ask if I want to see it.

No way do I want to be in a bedroom with him right now. There's no doubt that I'd act like a complete fool who has lost control of her hormones. Just to punctuate the point, my lips throb as if on cue, still swollen from the

mouth-fucking. Yes. That's what I said. It sure as hell wasn't a typical kiss. "What were you going to say in there?" I ask, ignoring the room

comment.

"I... um... I almost told Angel that Carrie will be with us when we go to

Aspen, but then I remembered that Angel wouldn't be there."

My blood chills in my veins. Angel might really want to go to Aspen. I've had six Christmases with her. It kills me to think of giving one up with

her, but she deserves to have one Christmas with her father and new family. "We can talk about that later."

His head whips to me. "You'd go to Aspen?"

Me?

"I was thinking Angel could go. Most custodial agreements usually involve things like this—alternating holidays, I mean," I ramble, not really forming a very well structured statement.

His fists clench at his sides, and he tightens his lips. I'm not sure what is wrong.

"As much as I'd love that, I couldn't take Angel away from you on Christmas. I'll come home before Christmas. I won't stay the two weeks. And I'll swing by your house on Christmas day if that's alright."

Before I can answer, laughter fills the hallway, and everyone is shouting for Wren to return.

Chapter 19

WREN

"Angel is asleep on the bed with Carrie," Allie says with a smile as she, Rain, and Tria join us in the massive basement.

We've all hidden downstairs to escape the talk of politics, business, and real-world shit.

Raya lines up her next shot on the pool table, and I groan when she sinks it effortlessly.

"We can go if you want to," I tell Allie.

She comes to my side, and her hand grazes my back. I swear we touch each other like a couple. Well, like a normal couple. I've never really felt the need to touch someone so much. It's as disconcerting as it is fascinating. I want to explore it and ignore it at the same time, as logic and desire battle for dominance. I'm half afraid desire will win, just as I'm equally afraid logic will win, so I have no idea which one I'm actually cheering for.

"Your mother wants Angel to spend the night. I've never let her spend the night with anyone. But Melanie says we can stay, too. I wanted to see what you thought."

I think that's a fucking terrible idea. How am I supposed to keep myself from going into her room if I know she's in the same house as me?

"It's completely up to you," I tell her, gripping the pool cue a little too tightly.

"I think I'd like to stay. Angel loves it here, but I don't want her to spend the night with your mother before she spends the night with you. And if you're here with her, then I won't feel that way. Melanie already gave me something to sleep in."

Ah, hell. Looks like I'll be getting drunk tonight to keep myself from being able to walk to her room. Especially when she holds up a black lingerie bag. There's no telling what my mother has put in there, because I can tell she's fucking taunting me.

Does she not realize what a disaster that could be? Or is she just testing my limits? Or maybe this is some form of punishment. Because I know she'd kill me if I made a mess with Allie.

"I think that sounds like a plan," I finally say, shifting uncomfortably.

"We're staying, too," Tag announces, kissing up the back of Ash's neck. "As a matter of fact, I think most of us are."

Rain and Dane are in some heated kiss, and I have to look away, trying not to get envious of all the couples.

Kode starts dragging Tria out of the room. "We're heading up to our room now. We'll see you guys tomorrow."

I roll my eyes while Allie leans against me, yawning as though she's exhausted.

"Those security guys are at the entrance of the hallway now. They said they'd be blocking that wing for the family only. I was going to sleep in there with Angel, but there's no room. Plus, I think she really wants to have her own sleepover type of deal. She really likes Carrie."

Carrie doesn't speak often to anyone but a few of us. Well, she talks to Rain and Dane just fine, but the rest of us she's still wary of. But, I don't know the details of her life before she was adopted. Hell, she's probably terrified of the huge family she suddenly found herself in. It's a big adjustment for a six-year-old.

A pang of sickness hits me as I start leading Allie out of the basement. Carrie's the same age as Angel, yet she carries the scars of rejection and pain under the surface. Angel has a fire in her eyes, but Carrie has fear and worry.

It makes an image of a younger Allie pop up in my mind. She went through what Carrie has. I'm sure the details are definitely different, but the feeling of rejection, dread, and fear most likely interlope. The look in Carrie's eyes is often the same one I see in Allie's when she lets her guard down. It always tests my resolve, because I want to do everything possible to banish that look from her eyes.

Allie leans on me all the way up the stairs as I keep my arm draped around her shoulders. I contemplate putting her in a room close to me—close to Angel. But then I realize what a bad idea that is.

If she's close, I might not be able to resist the urge to go to her and finish that fucking kiss that I never wanted to end. And I'd be kissing her like that while taking her body without any restraint. I swear I've never wanted anything as much as I want her right now.

If she's on the west wing of the house, there will be plenty of time to talk myself out of bursting into her room, throwing her over the bed, and pounding into her like a savage animal.

"I think most of the east wing rooms are taken," I lie, shifting so that I

can turn us.

She follows me down the long hallways, talking about the beautiful

Christmas party and how nice everyone is. I barely left her side just to make sure no one took that chance to make a nasty remark. If she wasn't with me, I made sure Tria was with her.

Everyone is fucking terrified of Kode, after all. Kode doesn't think before he hits, and if someone upset Tria, they'd have a bloody mouth shortly after.

"Tria was telling me about some psycho ex that is in jail now. She told me that's how she originally ended up living with Kode after only dating him a little while. And I thought Bella had some bad boy stories."

I tense immediately. "Would anyone from Bella's past ever come after you? After the three of you?"

I hadn't even thought of this. My blood boils, but it simmers when she finally answers.

"No. No one like the Pete Mercer guy that Tria was talking about. Bella has dated some terrible losers, but not violent ones. Cheaters and thieves are her specialty. She keeps learning that the bad boy look isn't as hot when they turn out to be actual bad boys. That's why she keeps saying she's done with her type."

I relax, slowly getting my temper back down. Thinking of anyone like Pete Mercer around Allie... I don't know how Kode didn't kill the son of a bitch.

"Is Tria safe now?" Allie asks, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah. Pete's not getting out of prison this time. Not for a long, long time. He violated parole, violated a restraining order, trespassed on private property, assaulted a Sterling... The list of things Kode's lawyers added to the charges is unbelievable. You wouldn't believe how many laws are actually out there to be broken. Piss off a Sterling, and you seem to find out. He was back in prison quickly just for violating parole, not counting all the other things."

Silence envelops us as she processes that for a moment. So I'm surprised when she suddenly shifts the subject.

"So that Ethan guy is your cousin?" she asks curiously, and I tense again.

She'd better not be fucking asking about Ethan Noles because she's interested.

"Not technically, but we claim each other. Ethan's dad was Tria's late father's brother. Tria's adoptive mom is my real aunt. But when we were

little, my mother always referred to Tria as Ethan's little cousin. Since I was Tria's cousin, I assumed that meant Ethan and I were also cousins. He thought the same thing. So now we actually claim each other."

"I can see how that would be confusing," she laughs, which confuses me. But to clarify, she adds, "I've never really been around a big family. Bella's family is small. And the Johnsons didn't have any family outside of each other."

She pauses for a beat, as I think of which room to put her in. "How old is he?" she asks curiously. "Ethan, I mean."

Shit. "Twenty-seven. Same as me. Why so curious about Ethan?" Don't get pissed.

I wanted to strangle Roger that day he showed up at her house. And that was before... Shit. No. No. No.

"Just two years older than me and Bella," she says idly, and my jaw grinds.

She didn't answer the important question.

"Why so curious about Ethan?"

She shrugs. "Just seems like Bella's type. Tattoos, cocky, crude, direct,

and completely unobtainable. I was wondering if I should keep her away from him or introduce her."

Again, I relax. "Ethan has been a workaholic since the day he graduated. He's known his father's business backwards and forwards since he was a kid. When his dad got sick, Ethan was eighteen and barely graduated from high school, but he still took over because his dad wouldn't allow anyone else to do so.

"He can't dissect a frog, explain Einstein's theory of relativity, or quote Shakespeare, but he can handle a multi-million dollar merger like no one else. But he's a wildcard under a business suit. He's had to work hardcore since his dad got sick. He turned his dad's business into an empire. The Noles men aren't originally from money. Now it's a prominent name in Sterling Shore, especially since Tria's father married my aunt. Ethan is close to stepping down from his business which is based in Chicago. He'll start taking a role like what I have. But he's ready to finally party full time like he parties when he comes home."

She nods, taking it all in. "Then I won't introduce them. Sounds like he's ready to be wild."

I laugh at that. "Ethan has always been wild. He's just going to have more

time to do it when he moves back home for good."

I finally reach a room on the far west end. Kode and Tria will be in the

room on her right. Dane and Rain will be in the room on her left. And Rye and Brin will be in the room across from her.

At least all the talk about Ethan and Tria's psycho ex has calmed my need to take her like an animal.

Kode and Tria left before us, but I doubt they made it all the way to their room, since it's quiet in there.

"You'll be fine here. But you know where my room is if you need me."

She takes a shaky breath before pushing open the door, and she turns to lean against the jamb, facing me. She starts to say something, but she seems to decide against it.

"Will you check in on Angel before you go to bed?" she asks softly.

I smile while leaning just a little closer, putting my shoulder on the other side of the jamb while slanting my body, putting my face almost even with hers.

"Of course. Anything else you need?" I ask softly, enjoying the small shiver she doesn't mean for me to see.

She shakes her head, her lips not moving, and I stare at her mouth as the inner battle within me rages on. Finally, I sigh while pushing off from the wall, and I walk away before I say or do something stupid.

Allie Thrash is a problem for me, and I don't know what the hell to do about it.

The sound of Maverick's laughter hits me just as he and Corbin head through the east wing, moving down the hallway.

"Wren! Damn, dude. She's definitely hot and sweet," Maverick says, waggling his eyebrows, and my fists clench.

"Told you he'd get that look in his eye," Corbin drawls, grinning over at me. "He got all pissed at me when I joked around the other day."

I roll my eyes as both of them laugh, and Maverick follows me into my room, holding up a bottle of Jack.

"Looks like you could use one of these," he says.

Corbin sets down two glasses, and I walk over to my dry bar to grab one for myself.

"You know what?" I mumble, moving toward them. "I'll take more than one."

Maverick grins. "I don't envy you. Drink up."

Chapter 20

ALLIE

Thump.

Thump.

"Ahh..."

Thump. Thump.

"Right there!"

Thump. Thump.

"So fucking good," he growls.

Then the pace quickens, and the headboard slaps the wall harder. Thump.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

My eyes are wide in horror as I listen to the sounds coming from next door. I can't help but feel like I've read this book before.

"Kode!" Tria screams, and he releases something that's a mixture of a growl and a guttural noise.

I cringe, realizing I've just heard something much too intimate. It's two in the morning. Do they not sleep? Rye and Brin were doing the same thing just across the hall and woke me up over an hour ago. That's when Kode and Tria started.

But I think it's finally over. Maybe I can get a few hours of sleep—

Thump. Thump.

"Ahhh..."

Thump. Thump.

Growl.

I sit upright, glaring at the wall across from me. You have to be kidding

me. Who is over there?

Thump. Thump.

"Harder!" Rain says loudly, and I curse while throwing the covers off me. I feel like I'm stuck in a porno, and I'm twisted because I'm a little turned on and envious. I'm hella envious.

Then the sounds behind my bed stir up again when Kode apparently finds it in himself to start all over with Tria. That can't be normal. It sure as hell can't be healthy.

With a mumbled curse, I climb out of bed, feeling the bottom of the silk

gown slide down my legs to puddle at my feet. Melanie told me she bought it for me for Christmas, and I've honestly never slept in anything so soft and luxurious. Hell, it's a gown for sleeping, but it looks better than most dresses I've worn.

The pale pink material is smooth with soft edges—not lace. And the split to the thigh is purely for the purpose of walking. I think. It's actually sort of sexy, but I think it's meant for walking, since it'd be hard to do without the slit.

I make it to a split in the hallways which almost looks like a four-way stop. And I tilt my head at what's coming at me from the right.

"He drank the sleeping-pill soda over an hour ago. He should be down for the night," Brin giggles, holding a cowboy hat in her hand.

Ethan is laughing as he holds several tubes of something in both hands. Is that body paint?

Maverick is on the other side of her, also laughing, and he clutches a pair of fuzzy, pink handcuffs and tubes that match the ones Ethan has. I'm staring, tilting my head, doing all I can to add up the impossible math.

What... the... hell?

They all three stagger to a halt when they see me, and Brin squeals a little as though I just scared her. My eyebrow cocks, and Brin looks back and forth between the guys on either side of her before her gaze lands on the cowboy hat in her hand.

A horrified expression crosses her face before she quickly rambles, "It's not what it looks like!"

I have no idea what it looks like. Maybe my mind is in the wrong place due to the action and carnal sounds I was subjected to earlier. Because I feel like I left the middle of a porno and stumbled into the beginning of another.

"O...kay..." I just let the word trail off, and Maverick bursts out laughing as I walk on, pretending as though that wasn't one of the strangest things I've ever seen.

It takes a while to get to the other side of the house. I have a feeling Wren wanted me as far away as possible. Maybe going to his room is a bad idea.

When I finally reach the east wing, it takes me only a minute to remember which rooms are which. I peek into Angel's room, and smile when I see her still sleeping peacefully under the glow of the nightlight. Quietly, I shut the door, and I move to the door where I know Wren is.

I hope he doesn't get pissed about being woken up.

Just as I raise my hand to knock, I hear a voice that startles the hell out of me. "Allie?"

Twirling around, I release a breath as my eyes fall on Billy Prize. He runs a hand through his short, dark hair as his eyes rake over me from head to toe.

"I was... um... just coming to talk to Wren," I ramble, sounding guilty of something. "I think I need another room."

Without shame, he lets his eyes hover over my chest for an awkwardly long minute, before I finally cross my arms over my braless breasts. His eyes come up as a slow grin spreads across his lips.

"Sorry. Just wasn't expecting you to be in the hall and looking like that. Especially not in front of Wren's room. I was actually surprised to see you two come together, considering all he did to you."

I'm not sure what that means. Everyone knows Wren and I have been trying to build a bridge over the pit of our past. And I really don't like the drunken, leering look in Billy's eyes right now.

"Wren and I are friends. We have a daughter, after all. It makes sense to be friends."

I spin around, knocking on the door this time, but no answer comes.

"He's dead to the world, most likely. If you need another room, I'll find you one."

Billy isn't a threat at all. Just because he's bitter doesn't mean he'd ever do anything that would make me slap him, but I still don't even want to talk to him. After what I saw at the party, I've quite possibly decided I never want him around me.

"That's fine. I'll just keep trying."

I knock again, but there's still no answer.

Billy laughs softly from behind me. "I get it. You don't like talking to me.

Wren has that effect on people. Everyone thinks they see this great guy. But one day you'll see he's really the guy who screwed you over that night, and you'll need a friend that understands."

I turn as he offers me what he probably thinks is a charming smile, but I'd like to just slap him. I never had siblings, but I'd like to think we wouldn't hate each other.

"I'll keep that in mind," I say, biting back the words I'd really like to say right now.

"I hope you do. Wren is really good about playing innocent even when he's the devil in charge."

He continues to grin, and I twist the doorknob to Wren's room, deciding I'd rather not continue being in the hallway with Billy Prize. I'll end up telling him what I think, and I have to remember he's family to Wren and Melanie. Fortunately, it's not locked, and I shut the door behind me without a backward glance toward Billy.

To my surprise, the light is on, brightly illuminating the enormous room with the biggest bed I've ever seen. Large windows are all around the room, and there's a balcony across from me—way across from me.

Hell, I thought the room I had was big.

"Allie?" Wren's voice snaps me out of my trance, and I turn my head toward the bathroom where Wren is walking out... in a towel.

My eyes take in his broad shoulders, and I follow the trail of the water that is dripping down the hard lines of his chest and ungodly set of abs. How is it possible for one person to look so good?

I almost whimper when I see the sexy, pronounced V of his lower abdomen until it disappears behind the low-hanging towel that is tied around his hips.

Sex on legs—that's Wren Prize.

It takes a second to remember I'm drooling, gawking, and losing all dignity. I finally snap my eyes up to see his wet hair that looks blacker with the water in it, and my eyes take their time finding his blue ones that look all too amused.

"Enjoying the sight?" he asks, sounding even cockier than usual as he lifts an eyebrow.

I swallow hard around the instant knot in my throat. This static between us feels supercharged right now, and my entire body is tingling in response to his heated gaze as he shamelessly rakes his eyes down my body. He bites his lower lip as he studies me, and with slow, predatory prowess, he stalks toward me.

"Because I'm sure as hell enjoying what I see," he says softly, a growl in his voice.

Breathe, Allie. Before you pass out.

My eyes fall down his chest once again, gliding down the toned, tanned skin of a body that deserves to be worshipped. I always hated myself for being so weak and hormonal seven years ago.

I'm a twenty-five-year-old woman, and I'm a frigging puddle. No way did my eighteen-year-old self stand a chance if I'm falling apart right now.

Strong hands grip the smooth material of the gown against my waist, and my head slowly falls back as Wren's grin forms. His eyes look a little glassy up close, but they don't usually.

Shit. I still haven't spoken.

"I guess you missed me," he says, leaning down and surprising me when he picks me up by my waist, carrying me to the bed.

My breath catches in my throat, and my hands go to his shoulders. A thousand warnings go off in my brain that something isn't right, but every protest in me dies on my tongue when he lowers me to the bed and slides over me, pushing against me with nothing on but his towel.

A whimper is the only sound I make when his lips attach themselves to mine, and my fingers go to his damp hair, pulling him closer when his talented tongue sweeps in. Fingers run up my legs as he slides my gown up, and I don't bother fighting him off. I don't want to.

Every part of me is burning for more, and his hungry kiss kills my resolve to try and think rationally. Fabric tearing resonates in my ears after my gown is pushed up past my hips, and it takes a second to realize he just tore my lace panties away.

A growl comes from his throat as the towel around his waist is ripped away, and I suck in a sharp breath when I feel the heat from his bare skin between my legs. When something very hard nudges against my inner thigh, I whimper again.

"Tell me to stop, and I will," he says against my lips before he starts kissing down my neck, assaulting more of my nerves and stripping me of the right to think.

Still unable to utter a single word, my head falls to the side as I drink in the feel of his body on mine, and my eyes close to relish each touch. The second his tongue slides against the swells of my breasts, my eyes pop open and I arch into him.

But then I see something that douses me in ice cold water. There's a bottle of whiskey on the nightstand, and it's almost gone. Three glasses are next to it, all of them looking recently used, and I frown, going numb against his lips and tongue that are still thoroughly exploring the tops of my breasts.

When he starts pushing my gown up higher, that's when it all sinks in, and the passion dies, turning to ashes as reality steals the lust. The glassy eyes, the unusual aggression... It's just like Cancun all over again. Wren is drunk. Damn it!

"Stop," I whisper, cursing inwardly at how weak my demand is.

He doesn't stop, possibly because he couldn't hear the barely audible word that I managed to get out.

His lips and tongue find my side, and I contemplate saying to hell with it as he kisses a trail back up to my breasts, getting closer and closer to baring my body to him.

"Stop," I say louder, this time weakly pushing against his shoulders.

He rises, looking confused, and my eyes dart down to his mouth. Groaning, I push harder, and he rolls off me, revealing his sexy as hell naked body. Torture. Pure and utter torture.

His very impressive erection is still jutting out, tempting me to just straddle him and take what I want. But Angel crosses my thoughts. I don't have the option of being reckless. This is her father.

Then the sting of the rejection I felt seven years ago wanders close to the surface. Wren is a dick when he's drunk.

"I did something wrong?" he asks, still seeming confused and completely lacking modesty as he gives me the full, ungodly perfect view of his bare body.

"You're drunk," I grumble, standing up and moving toward the door. I don't say anything else as I walk out.

I guess I'll sleep in the room between the porno. It's better than losing another piece of myself to Wren Prize when he's too drunk to even give a damn. Apparently it takes a lot of alcohol for him to lose control of himself. I wish I was enough to make him do that.

It's just one more reason Wren and I have to be friends and nothing else. I want a guy who can't stay away when he's sober—not just want me when he's drunk. At least I can take solace in the fact that he won't remember this tomorrow.

Chapter 21

WREN

I hate Corbin. I hate Maverick. I hate my fucking headache.

Glaring at the bottle beside my bed, I decide I also hate whiskey. As I slowly shift up, I start massaging my temples, trying to dull the ache.

My bed is still made, since I passed out naked on top of the covers. Shit. I'm glad no one has walked in.

My blood goes cold in my veins as fuzzy memories assault me, and my head snaps up so quickly that it feels like a bowling ball rushes forward and slams into my forehead.

Cursing I grip my head, and then I look around. Allie. Maybe it was a dream. She's not here.

Glancing down at my painfully hard cock, I decide there's no way I've had sex. At least there's no proof of it.

Stop. Her voice echoes in my mind. Stop.

Oh shit. The color drains from my face as more memories surface. She made me stop. Shit. I was so drunk that I mauled her and tossed her down on my bed. But why else would she show up so late and let herself into my room?

No. No. It was just a dream. The muddled images are just incoherent parts of the dream masquerading as memories.

I stand, still feeling the painful erection that I swear hurts worse than anything I've felt in a while.

It takes me a second to grab some clothes from my drawers, and I mentally make a note to restock my stuff here. My supply is getting outdated.

As I start pulling on my boxers, I turn my head around, scanning the room. When my eyes land on a pair of shredded laced panties beside the bed, I lose my footing, and bust my ass with only one leg inside the boxers. I curse as a shot of pain shoots up my spine. But the thoughts of physical pain flee to make room for the real horror.

It was real.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. How in the hell am I going to fix this?

With jerky movements, I finish tugging on my boxers, and then I stand to

quickly dress. After I'm finished, I grab my phone and walk out the door,

running a hand through my hair as I head toward Allie's room.

It takes a while, but I finally reach her door, and push through it to find

the bed has been made and it looks untouched. Shit.

Is she already gone? Would she have called a taxi? Will she be so pissed

that she takes Angel away from me?

I practically sprint back toward the stairs, and I run toward the kitchen

where my keys are. But I stumble to a halt in the dining room when I see everyone at the table. Mom is sipping her coffee and talking to Allie, while others are eating breakfast and laughing. The only people missing are Ethan, Rye, Brin, and thankfully Billy. Hmm. No Maverick either.

Allie is here. She has on jeans and a shirt with sleeves that go to her elbows. I suppose Mom sent someone to pick her up some clothes. I'm so damn glad she's not in that silky gown I felt her wearing last night.

Wrong frame of mind, Wren. Don't think of that.

"Wren!" Angel says, smiling up from her plate.

Carrie is beside her, but she doesn't look up as she continues devouring her eggs.

Allie's eyes snap toward me, but she quickly looks away as blush rises to her cheeks. Or maybe she's turning red with fury. What a mess.

"Hey, princess," I say to Angel, forcing my feet to move.

"Mommy is letting me stay a while so that I can hang out with Carrie. We're going to watch movies in our pajamas, then I'm coming home."

Carrie finally beams up from her plate, flashing a toothy smile that matches Angel's.

"And I get to go to Asben!"

"Aspen," Allie corrects, smiling over at our daughter.

Angel nods, then looks back at me. I'm a little caught off guard.

"Oh?" I ask, my voice hoarse.

Allie doesn't bother glancing in my direction, but Mom fills me in.

"Allie has to work the first week Angel is out of school for Christmas

break. She's letting us take Angel with us. Then I've talked her into joining us the second week. Bella, too."

My heart stumbles. A week in Aspen with Allie? After the colossal cluster fuck I've created?

"That's great," I rasp. Then I clear my throat. "I hadn't planned on her going, so I scheduled a few meetings I have to go to. I'll be a few days late getting there," I finally manage to say.

Allie continues staring at her cup of coffee like it's the most fascinating thing in the world. Is she staying here with Angel and Carrie? Or is she riding back with me?

We'd be alone. I can already hear the deafening silence.

My phone chirps, and I gratefully use it for my distraction. Glancing down, I see Rye's number, and I answer it.

"What's up—"

"I need you to come get me!" Rye barks, interrupting me. The hell? "Okay... Where are—"

"In front of the Sterling pier. You won't be able to miss me. Get the hell

here now! Ethan isn't answering. And don't bring your daughter. But do bring me some fucking pants."

"Rye, what the hell—"

"Now, Wren! And hurry."

He hangs up on me, and I stare at my phone for a beat, still confused.

"I have to go. Rye needs help. Allie?" I prompt, looking over at her.

Her entire body tenses, but Tria answers before Allie can.

"She's riding back with me. Kode left with Ethan to take him to the

airport. He has to be back in Chicago, so Kode drove him in his car. I'm taking Ethan's car back. I thought Allie and I could hang out for a while and get to know each other."

I hadn't even noticed Kode missing.

Allie still doesn't bother looking up, so I don't push the matter. Mom gives me a curious look coupled with a disapproving frown. Somehow she knows I've fucked up.

Angel gets up and runs around the table, diving straight in to my arms when I bend and reach for her. She giggles when I pick her up, and I kiss her on the head when she hugs my neck.

"I'll see you soon."

Allie doesn't offer me another glance as I put Angel down and turn to leave.

WREN

I pull up to the curb next to the pier, and I swear my eyes try to fall out of

their sockets. I'm torn between laughing so hard it hurts and allowing my face to distort in fascinated horror.

An amused policeman stands next to a bench, barely able to keep from laughing. Rye looks like he could kill ten people with just his murderous look.

He stands from the bench, says something to the cop, and then he walks toward me. I'm still reeling from the sight in front of me as everyone walking by bursts out in laughter when they check him out.

Rye is blue from head to toe—I'll never look at Hefty Smurf the same. At least Hefty wore red pants. This fucker is naked. The only thing he has to shield his crotch is a cowboy hat, and he's holding it there very firmly.

For some reason, pink fuzzy handcuffs are dangling from both wrists. I'm not sure what's up with that. It looks like the chain that once connected them has been broken. He jerks my passenger door open, climbs in, and ignores the whistles and catcalls that emerge from all around.

"About fucking time you got here. Where're the pants I told you to bring?" he growls.

I grimace, but then I can't help it; my laughter pours out before I can stop it. He glares at me like he wants me dead.

"Sorry," I say, not meaning it one bit. This has to be the funniest shit I've ever seen in my life. "I forgot the pants."

He groans while leaning his head back, and I laugh harder while putting the car in gear and pulling away from the curb.

"What the hell happened?" I ask him, still laughing.

"I don't want to talk about it," he growls.

My side is aching, but I can't stop laughing. Every time he curses me, I

only laugh harder. Brin is the smallest girl I've ever met, but I swear she's the toughest. How did she pull this off?

"She had to have had help," he snarls, and I wonder if I've asked my question aloud. "There's no way she carried me to the beach herself. The flimsy chain on the cheap handcuffs fortunately broke, but I need a key to get them off my damn wrists. I woke up when that cop was shoving the blunt end of his baton against my chest—don't you dare say anything dirty."

His threatening glowers doesn't stop my laughter. I was two seconds away with a dirty retort to go with the blunt end of his baton.

"Anyway," he continues, his mouth still twisted in an angry scowl, "she left me with my phone."

I can't help but laugh harder. "She left you there naked? I can't believe someone didn't steal your phone."

"It was under the hat."

Again my laughter roars free, and I subtly start using the pad on my steering wheel to locate a song to go with the moment.

"That cop said I'd only been out there for a couple of hours—like that's no big fucking deal. He said he saw Maverick Sterling hanging out close by, like he was making sure no one messed with me. Since it was Maverick, the fucker didn't do anything. Damn Sterlings get away with murder. The cop said Maverick told him to wake me up, and he crept off once I did. So I know he helped her, but he couldn't have been the only one. Did you help her?"

He snarls as he turns toward me again, but I shake my head. I finally see the song I want, and I hit play. I crank up the volume on the stereo, letting the sound blare through the speakers at the perfect moment. It's on old Eiffel 65 song, but I'm glad I've got it on hand.

Yo listen up

Here is the story about a little guy that lives in a blue world And all day and all night

And everything he sees is just blue like him

Inside and outside

Blue his house with a blue little window and a blue Corvette And everything is blue for him and himself

And everybody around

Cause he ain't got nobody to listen...

I'm blue...

DA BA DEE DA BA DI... DA BA DEE DA BA DI...

Rye groans as I start singing along, antagonizing the hell out of him.

"Fuck you," he growls, eliciting more laughter from me, but even he can't stifle his own grin. When he laughs a little, I fucking lose it, finding it hard to breathe and sing at the same time.

It hurts. Damn, it hurts so bad. I feel like I've done a thousand crunches after laughing so much and so hard.

"How the hell did you forget to bring pants?"

"Sorry. I had some shit going on, and it distracted me."

He curses while adjusting the cowboy hat.

"Whoa, big boy. I don't want a peek at that... Is it blue, too?"

He grimaces, but then his scowl returns. "Yes. It had better have been

Brin that made it blue, too. And this shit better not be toxic. I think it's just

body paint. She went too far this time. Payback is going to be hell."

I almost feel sorry for Brin. Almost. One look at Rye has me laughing again, and he shifts the hat in his lap as he leans up to peer through the

window.

As we near his subdivision, Rye tenses, his eyes narrowing like he's

already plotting.

"What're you thinking?" I ask him. I can't help but be curious.

"Probably something I'll need help with. So you better be game."

I snicker while pulling up to the curb, but the gentle laughter turns into a

thundering roar when I see his front yard. Rye growls when his eyes land on the same thing.

There are lassos everywhere and there are stick ponies sticking up from the ground. Son of a bitch. He's going to kill her.

"I'm going to kill her," he growls, echoing my thoughts.

He stalks out of the car, giving his neighborhood a blue show. Blue Moon comes to mind.

Brin opens the door, wearing chaps over blue-jean shorts and a tied up flannel shirt. What has me bursting out laughing is the music pouring out of the house as loud as she could probably get it to go.

"You can leave your hat on... You can leave your hat on..."

Rye breaks into a sprint, still holding the cowboy hat firmly over his... blue balls—never thought it would be that literal. Brin squeals while dodging him and laughing as he rushes into the house.

I just shake my head as I pull away from the curb. Maggie—Brin's best friend—waves with a huge smile on her face, sitting on her porch across from Rye and Brin's home, and I wave back.

My window lowers, and she laughs while saying, "Even blue, his ass is nice."

My laughter has just stopped, but it starts up again as I talk to her for a few minutes about our unruly and weird friends. But I finally decide to head off, leaving her to keep Rye from committing murder on her own.

My distraction is over, and now my own drama is back. What do I do to fix the dam I broke with Allie?

Chapter 22

ALLIE

Pro

Sexual attraction is out of this world. He loves Angel.

He's so damn nice...

Thoughtful...

Sweet...

Sexy...

Funny...

If this worked out, Angel would have both parents full time.

If this worked out, Angel would have everything she ever dreamt of. If this worked out, I'd also have a family.

He'd give Angel the world if he could.

I'd get to have guilt-free sex with Wren all the time.

Con

He's too leashed to let me know how he feels.

He fights me harder than I fight him—unless he's drunk.

Wren drunk = traumatic memories, and I don't know if I can get past

that.

If it went bad, Angel would suffer.

If it went bad, we'd lose the friendship we've just started.

If it went bad, his friends might start talking poorly about me in front of

Angel.

If it went bad, I might lose that closeness I've just developed with

Melanie.

I keep studying my pro/con list with a shrewd eye, knowing I'm not listing anywhere close to everything. But it's hard to concentrate when I can't stop thinking about anything other than his lips on mine. Oh. Incredible kisser. I need to add that to the Pro column.

It's been over a week since the Christmas party, and I've barely spoken to him. The few conversations we've had have been stilted, as though he's intentionally being nothing more than cordial toward me. And he's gone out of his way to not touch me.

Which leads me to the conclusion that he does remember exactly what happened between us the night of the Christmas party. Either he regrets it, or he's under the impression that I turned him down for reasons other than he was drunk. Or maybe he's embarrassed.

I'm. So. Confused!

"Still studying that pro/con list?" Bella muses, sitting down at the bar while I scribble down another con—Wren is confusing.

"Yes. A lot of good it's doing me. I'm sure as hell not making the first move, and I think he'd rather ride piggyback naked on a glacier than to touch me again."

"You both feel the attraction, Allie. You've said he's confessed as much. But this is all very overwhelming. The guy just found out he has a daughter, and let's face it, you hated him. It has just gotten to where you can tolerate him."

I roll my eyes.

"I went straight from hate to lust to... I don't know what," I groan, eliciting a small chuckle for her.

"This is why I'm glad I'm no longer looking for that guy who can blow my mind. I want more control."

Control—stupid freaking control. Bella and Wren are perfect for each other because they both want complete control over their emotions.

That thought roils my stomach. I'd kick her ass. Then I'd beat the hell out of him.

"Well, my mind isn't blown; it's a freaking mess."

She pats my arm sympathetically while I continue to study my pointless list. It's dark outside, and I'm bored out of my mind. I don't know what to do with myself without Angel here.

"It feels weird being here without Angel, doesn't it?" Bella asks, doing that freaky thing where she seems to read my mind again.

I'm trying not to freak out. Thank God she has her own phone, even though I thought it was over the top when Wren initially got it for her. But it's come in handy, since I can at least call her whenever I want.

This is the longest I've ever gone without her, and it's a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. But she's having so much fun that it makes it worth it. It's only been three days, but it feels like weeks. I still have to make it three more before I can join her.

"Yeah," I say, frowning as I continue to add things to the list to distract

me from missing my baby girl. Pro—he watches movies with us without complaining. "Don't make me think about it. Especially since you're about to go on a date. I need to distract myself."

Con—he really does suck at making popcorn. A small smile curves up on my lips as I write that one down.

"I could ask Benjamin if he has a friend."

My head pops up, and I stare at her, confused. "I thought you were dating Doc Pervy."

She rolls her eyes. "Ha. He's a douche. I dumped him."

"Is Benjamin a prick, loser, or asshole?" I ask absently, adding frustrating to the Con column.

"Nope. Which means he's not at all my type. He's also not a douchebag." Sighing, I toss my pen down.

"I'll pass on the date offer. You need to get going if you're meeting him." She stands before grabbing her purse, and glances over at the clock.

"Alright. You sure you don't want to come?"

I give her a no-way-in-hell-am-I-tagging-along look, and she shrugs

before going to the door. As soon as she swings it open, a squeal bubbles out of her lips, and I whip my head over just as a guy laughs.

"Sorry. I was just about to knock. Is Allie home?"

I can't see him, but he sounds familiar.

"Yes," Bella hisses, still trying to catch her breath. She hates being scared

or surprised.

I walk over to see Billy Prize standing on my front porch, and he grins at

me. What the hell is he doing here? Why isn't he in Aspen?

"What's up, Billy?" I ask, trying not to sound as rude as I'd like to be.

I still don't like him, but he's Wren's brother—and Angel's uncle.

Bella's head whips toward me when she realizes who he is, and she eyes

me questioningly. I don't have any damn answers to those questions.

"I guess I'll see you later," she says to me very hesitantly, still giving me

a chance to scream for help.

Billy is a jerk, but he's a harmless jerk.

"Yeah. I'll see ya."

She lets Billy in, and then she mouths, "What the fuck?"

I shrug, and she glances at the back of Billy's head one last time before

leaving me alone with him.

"I hope you don't mind. I thought I'd drop by the plane ticket, since I

heard Ash talking about how you and Wren seem a little tense around each other lately."

I shift uncomfortably. I really don't want to discuss Wren with him.

"I was going to buy my own ticket. And for the record, Wren and I are fine. Ash shouldn't be discussing things like that if she doesn't know what's going on."

He barks out a laugh that startles me. "She'd kick my ass if she thought I was stirring shit. Let me rephrase that. Ash asked Wren if everything was okay between the two of you, and he told her to butt out. She just mentioned it to Mom in front of me, trying to find out if she needed to have Tag kick Wren's ass. Don't get mad at her. She's looking out for you. That's how she is."

Ash's maternal instincts are kicking in heavily. I remember being pregnant, and I swear I made Bella's life hell by constantly threatening every guy she came into contact with. It's almost embarrassing to look back at it now.

"Can I sit?" he asks when I get lost in thought.

"Why?" I say, sounding much more defensive than I mean to.

He grins like I'm amusing him. "Because I'd like to get to know the

mother of my niece. Angel is wary of new people, and I don't think she's too crazy about me."

I immediately feel more defensive. "She loves Wren. He's her father. If you want to have a relationship with Angel, you'll have to treat Wren like you love him. Angel is very loyal. She wouldn't give Wren a real chance until I did. Now he's solidly in her life, and she's just as dedicated to him as she is me or Bella."

His smile falters, and he blows out a breath while taking a seat on my sofa. "My relationship with my brother is... complicated. Saying that it's strained would be putting it too nicely. But we'll eventually work through all our issues. I'd really like to be a part of her life. Yours too. You're great, Allie. You deserve a hell of a lot better than Wren can ever offer."

Taking a deep breath, my fists clench until my nails dig into my palms. But he continues before I can let my mouth run wild.

"Wren will hurt you. He's loyal to Tag and Ethan. He's loyal to Mom. He's loyal to Kade and Rye. But that's about it. Everyone hates Erica for what she did, but she was just lonely and drunk, and I was just there. She needed attention, and even though it was stupid, I was the one willing to give

her that attention. Wren isn't the kind of guy to give a damn about what someone else needs, and he doesn't defend too many people from the verbal attacks that come. He's just... well, he's not really selfish, per se, but he's too self-involved. He genuinely doesn't care about anyone or anything other than who I've already listed. I'd hate to see you get hurt by him. Again."

To hell with niceties.

"You know what? You're an ass." His eyes widen, and I realize how pathetic my insult really sounds. Hell, I sound like a third-grader dishing out trash talk. But I pretend it's a badass retort instead of a lame one, and I continue. "Wren is great. He doesn't have to be a saint. He's loyal to Angel, so add her to that list. You need to go. I won't do this. I'm not arguing with you, and I'm not letting you bash my daughter's father in my home. It's not right."

He holds his hands up, surrendering. "I'm sorry. I realize I sound bitter. Can I have another shot?"

He gives me an innocent expression, grinning at me like he's a charmer. I don't care how pretty he is, I'm not one of those girls. Well, I'm usually not. Wren seems to turn me into one of those girls, but his brother sure as hell doesn't.

"I'd seriously like to know a little about my niece. As you're aware, Wren and I don't necessarily talk too much, and Mom is a little mad since I brought Erica to the Christmas party. I just want to know about Angel."

Inhaling a fresh breath, I try to calm down. I almost feel thankful now that I never had a sibling.

He's Angel's uncle. Even though Billy screwed Wren's fiancée, Wren still started talking to him again. I really don't want to be the one pushed out when fences are mended this time. No doubt Wren will choose his brother— family always sticks together no matter how deep the scars are between them. Bella's the only exception to that rule that I've ever known.

If I have tension with Billy, Wren will start excluding me from his life to keep peace. It wouldn't matter if the tension was caused because I was defending him.

Play nice, Allie. Even if you have to bite your tongue hard enough to draw blood.

"Fine. What do you want to know?"

His triumphant grin gets broader as he relaxes. "Pictures always bring about interesting stories. Got any?"

There's a very small photo album in my room. That'll be plenty to show him, and then I can kick him out in less than ten minutes.

I nod and grab the album. When I return, he's staring expectantly, and I consider not sitting anywhere close to him.

"Promise I won't bite," he jokes, nodding to the empty space on the sofa beside him.

Since we're going to be looking at pictures, I concede to sit by him, but I grab a throw pillow and subtly tuck it between us. No way am I letting him touch me.

Chapter 23

WREN

"I told you I'd be there later," I grumble to my very persistent mother.

Corbin is sitting in the passenger seat of my car, trying his best not to laugh at my exasperation. We're not too far from my house, and this day can be called done.

"When?" she demands. "Where are you right now?"

"I'll fly up with Allie so that she doesn't have to go alone. And not that it's any of your business, but I'm with Corbin. We went to help set something up for Rye."

"You mean you helped Rye set something up to prank Brin," Mom corrects, a small smile in her voice. "I thought they were calling a truce until after the New Year. Rye said things were getting too out of hand."

"Yes," I say, actually smiling. "Don't give it away. They have a truce not to prank each other. Rye says that leaves a loophole—he can get help from third parties. He better not rat me out. By the way, I heard Rygan Clanton is in Aspen, too."

"Yes. He is. And he seems to very taken with Eleanor. Kode is having a small panic attack, worrying to death that Tria and Rye might become stepbrother and stepsister. Dane isn't overly fond of the idea either."

I finally manage to laugh, but Mom isn't one to be deterred from her train of thought for long.

"So you and Allie will—"

"Will be coming together. Stop worrying."

"You never told me what happened between the two of you, and she

keeps assuring me that everything is fine. But I can tell it's not."

"It's not a big deal. We just have some... history, and with history comes

certain issues."

And I want to be inside Allie so bad that I can barely keep my head

straight around her.

Mom sighs heavily. "Fine. Whatever you've done to create this tension,

you need to fix it. Allie keeps swearing nothing's wrong, but I hear it in her voice."

I groan, wishing I could just hang up on her without hearing her nag me

about it later. This situation is more complicated than my mother realizes. I still don't know what to say or do, and Allie hasn't once mentioned that night. Like a creepy pervert, I still have her torn panties. They're not under my pillow or anything, but they are in a locked drawer instead of the trashcan.

I'm. Pathetic.

My phone beeps, signaling I'm getting another call.

"Gotta let you go. Getting another call. I'll call later to talk to Angel."

I hang up before she can say more and answer the incoming call without

checking to see who it is. "Wren Prize."

"Hey, Wren, it's Bella."

I immediately tense. "Is something wrong with Allie?"

She laughs lightly. "I don't think so. Look, I know what went down with

the two of you. In fact, I know a lot of shit, including how your brother screwed your ex just before your wedding. I also know he brought her to the Christmas party."

Confused, I purse my lips, glancing over at Corbin before I round another curve, closing the distance between us and my house.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I ask when she doesn't continue.

She groans just as my house comes into view.

"Do you think your brother would ever try to hit on Allie just to get at you?"

Immediately my grip on the steering wheel becomes painful. Corbin looks over at me as the leather whines under my death-grip, and he sits still even as I whirl into my driveway.

"Why do you ask, Bella?" I growl, not bothering to put my car in park.

Corbin warily gets out, carefully looking back at me as he walks to his car. Bella takes for-fucking-ever to finally speak.

"Look, I don't want to cause problems for you and your brother, but I also don't trust him or his intentions around Allie. She's trying so hard to make life easy on you by not causing waves in your family, but—"

"Bella, just tell me what the hell is going on!" I snap, my patience gone.

With one last hesitant breath, she finally says, "Billy just showed up over at the house. I left a few minutes ago, and he's alone with Allie. I don't think he'd touch her, but it's still weird. Says he came by to—"

I cut the call before squealing tires in reverse, and slam on my brakes before charging down the road. Corbin's lights follow me, but I punch the gas harder, pulling away because I'm going to fucking kill my brother before he can catch up and stop me.

Chapter 24

ALLIE

"Just one more album?" Billy asks, smiling over at me.

I keep scooting away, and he keeps scooting closer. What's sad is that he doesn't even really want to get to know me. He just wants to recruit me to piss off Wren, and he's really underestimating my intelligence if he thinks I haven't caught on.

I keep coming up with diplomatic responses, subtly extracting myself from his close proximity over and over. But I've finally shifted to the end of the sofa, and I'm out of room.

"I think two albums is plenty for tonight. But I'll send Melanie several for you to look over."

I stand, but he stays on the sofa.

"But Mom doesn't know the stories behind the photos. You're going to Aspen. I'm going to Aspen. I can get the tickets fixed so that we can ride together on the plane. You can fill me in then if you want to."

He hasn't done anything obvious that makes me uncomfortable. He's subtle, but a subtle snake still carries a strong bite.

Screaming tires outside cause me to jump, and my eyes dart over to the window. Billy hops up, looking around, confused. That sounded like it was right outside.

Billy jogs over to the door to investigate, but it swings open before he reaches it, and I gasp as Wren storms in with murder in his eyes.

Oh... shit.

Billy takes a step back, eyeing Wren as he stands there looking ready to cut him in half.

"The hell is your pro—"

Billy doesn't get to finish that statement. My breath leaves in a rush when Wren grabs his brother by the shirt, and my heartbeat thuds in my ears when he throws him outside.

Billy thuds and tumbles off the small wanna-be porch, and I run behind Wren as he stalks back outside.

"Wren! Stop!" I yell, stumbling over my own two feet in my haste, and barely stopping myself from falling.

My adrenaline pumps like fire through my veins, and my brain struggles to keep up with everything around me. Billy staggers to his feet, and a growl comes from his throat before he throws a punch.

Wren has no problem dodging it, and he retaliates by slamming his fist into Billy's face. I'm a nurse, and still the bone crunching noise and spray of blood churns my stomach as bile rises to my throat.

"Stop!" I yell again, too smart to step into the middle of a dogfight.

Wren hates the sight of blood. He couldn't even stand close when I sewed up Rye's hand a few months ago. He's told me more than once he might need help with putting a bandage on Angel's skinned knee if it happens.

Yet he stands in front of Billy, unaffected, and still furious before punching him in the stomach and sending Billy to the ground.

More tires squeal as a car jerks to a halt behind Wren's, and I watch as Corbin dives out, leaving his door wide open and his car still running as he runs toward the dogfight.

Wren is already pulling Billy up, and slamming his knee into his side, but Corbin rips him off Billy and struggles to hold him back, even though he's nothing but a body of muscle.

"Fucking stop!" Corbin yells, his longer hair falling and getting in his face. "He's your brother!"

Billy slowly crawls up to his knees, spitting out blood. Wren's lip is bleeding, so obviously I missed a shot to the face that he took. I never saw Billy get a hit in.

"We're done!" Wren growls, glaring at Billy. "Too far this time. Too fucking far."

Billy looks at Wren like he has lost his mind, and Corbin struggles to keep Wren in check.

"You need a hospital, dude," Corbin says to Billy before shoving Wren toward me. "Pretty sure that nose is broken."

I immediately get in front of Wren, hoping he won't just move me aside and attack again. But I'm surprised when he clutches my side and pulls me against him.

"I just came over to talk to her, you psycho fucker!" Billy yells in between spitting out mouthfuls of blood because his nose is gushing and running down.

Wren takes a menacing step forward, and I push back on him, my eyes darting panicky toward Corbin. There's no way in hell I'm big enough to

keep Wren from going after Billy again if he wants to. I swear he's solid rock and towers over me. At 5'5, I feel like a dainty little girl next to him.

"Come near her again, and I swear I'll break both of your legs."

Corbin turns to look at me, seeming more confused than anything else. I'm freaked out. Not confused. Confused is too mild of an emotion for this craziness.

"Get him inside," Corbin says to me. "I'll get Billy to a doctor."

I start shoving at Wren, but it's like trying to budge a brick wall.

"Wren, please. Move your feet. My neighbors are going to call the cops." He glances down at me, and his hands go to my hips before he lifts me up

from the ground like I'm weightless. His arms slide around my waist, and my feet dangle as he carries me toward the house, his body still vibrating with fury.

"Your lip is cut," I say softly, ignoring the way my body feels against his as he kicks the door shut behind him.

Surprisingly, his lip isn't still bleeding. I brush the small bit of blood away with my thumb, trying not to acknowledge how soft his lips feel.

He carries me to the kitchen, gently putting me down, and forces me to release his face when he goes to the sink. He barely turns it on, but breathes in relief when he sees that the plumber he sent did fix it.

I don't mention the fact he sent a plumber instead of attempting it himself because he was avoiding me—avoiding the tension with us.

The water runs over his hands, and I watch all the blood running from his hands and into the drain. Blood doesn't seem to bother him as much as he once insinuated, or maybe his adrenaline is still pumping so hard that he doesn't notice. Even though his hands look swollen, there aren't any cuts, so that blood isn't his.

My eyes move to his lip to see the blood is no longer there, and it seems to be a shallow cut that isn't bothering him.

"Did he touch you?" he asks, confusing me as he comes to lift me off the counter.

I tilt my head, moving my eyes from his soft lips to his angry gaze. "No. Of course not. I wouldn't have let him touch me."

My legs dangle down the length of his body, and I gingerly wrap my arms around his shoulders, wondering why he insists on putting me in this intimate position right now. He narrows his eyes, still holding me so that I'm eye-level with him.

"Why?"

He still sounds so damn pissed, and his jaw ticks with every word. I've only ever seen him angry once, and that's when we fought. Everyone talks about how Wren never gets angry. I just saw him obliterate his brother in my front yard.

I'm starting to think Wren just doesn't usually let people see the real him, because he's nothing more than a lit stick of dynamite that is due to explode at any moment. Yet for some reason, I feel completely safe in his arms.

"Why what?" I ask when he continues to stare expectantly.

"Why wouldn't you have let him?"

I'm torn between slapping him for asking that and kissing him to answer

his question. I hate being turned on and pissed at the same time, and Wren is the master at making me feel that way.

And how is he still holding me up without straining at all?

"I'd never do anything to cause more problems with you and your brother, even if I did like him—which I don't. I feel terrible about this. But mostly it's because Billy isn't the guy I want, and you're well aware of that."

My breath catches in my throat when he spins me, and my back thuds against the wall. His hands drop my waist once my weight is distributed between him and the wall, and he grabs my knees, pulling them up and forcing my legs to go around his waist as he leans down and nips my neck.

My entire body shivers, and I cling to his shoulders.

"Tell me to stop, Allie," he whispers against my skin.

Stop? Why the hell would I want him to stop?

"No," I whisper back, and something snaps inside of Wren.

His gaze heats. A pin is jerked from a grenade, a trigger is pulled on a

loaded gun, and fire is set to a gasoline trail... Wren Prize loses his control. He roughly pulls and spins me away from the wall, and when his lips find mine, there's nothing gentle about his touch. He's savage, hungry, and won't be denied. It's bruising and animalistic. It's wild and carnal. It's desperate

and so damn good.

Heat spreads all over me in a way it never has before, and shock hits

when I realize all those weird moaning sounds are coming from me. Wren swallows every sound, muting them mostly, greedily drinking me in like he doesn't want anything escaping us.

It doesn't even register that he's been carrying me around the house until a bed is suddenly against my back, and he's coming down on top of me. He

settles between my legs, ravaging my mouth like he can't get enough. No way in hell am I risking him backing out now. To hell with the pro/con list.

We're both adult enough to handle this if it goes bad. Angel won't get hurt. We'll figure it out.

He grinds against me, and my mind tunes out the inner turmoil stirring inside. All that matters are his hips rocking, and all that separates us are a few thin layers of clothing that I want gone.

"Are you drunk?" I whisper, suddenly realizing this is so out of character for him.

He laughs humorlessly while drawing back enough to look into my eyes. "I wish I was. Then I'd have a reason for acting like a lunatic. What the hell are you doing to me?"

He doesn't give me time to answer before he's kissing me again, grinding his hips into me almost painfully. But all I can focus on is the feel of his erection that is straining against his pants. Oh. Dear. God. I just whimpered.

With one hand, he pulls his shirt over his head, and then he tosses it aside as though he finds it offensive. My hands slide up his chest, feeling the bare, hard, unnaturally perfect flesh beneath my fingertips.

Ah, hell. I just whimpered again.

"Last chance to back out, Allie," he whispers across my lips, but it's hard to let the words find meaning, because his hand is sliding up my shirt, pushing it up higher and higher.

When I don't respond, he groans and leans over. His soft, inky black hair tickles my side seconds before his soft lips brush against the sensitive flesh under my breasts. Reflexively, my body jerks, and I feel like an idiot. It's been a while since someone has been in a bed with me. In fact, no one has been in my bed... ever.

My thoughts are abruptly yanked away by Wren's teasing tongue as he slides his mouth lower. It's not until then that I see he has my jeans undone and sliding them down.

My body arches against him as my eyes try to roll back in my head. His lips are dangerously close to my panties, and the heat of his breath warms the fabric, teasing me through the thin layer.

My jeans slide lower on my legs, and he moves so that he can tear them away completely. His lips trace back up, and a small breath of surprise escapes me when my panties slowly start sliding down.

The frantic pace of our earlier kiss doesn't match the methodical pace of

his hands now. It's torture. I hate slow forep—

"Oh damn," I say embarrassingly loud when his tongue attacks without

warning.

I look down the length of my body to see Wren between my wide-spread

legs, his hands on my hips, as his lips and tongue work together to do divine things. The visual stimulant along with the physical touch is too much, and my stomach clenches when my release threatens to emerge so damn soon.

My head falls back as my eyes close, and I try to shut my legs when the feeling becomes overwhelming, almost painfully good. His pace is relentless, as though he's pushing me over the finish line without remorse when he sucks that bundle of nerves, flicking his tongue against it as well, taking no prisoners.

Wren's strong hands clamp down on my legs, keeping me spread for him, and I let out an embarrassing, scream/cry as stars detonate behind my eyelids. My entire body tries to shoot off the bed as I grip his soft hair, hoping I'm not making him bald.

I'd probably be bucking off the bed and falling onto the floor if Wren's hands weren't holding me in my place, letting me ride out the orgasm that makes all other orgasms look ridiculous by comparison.

He starts kissing his way up, and my body shudders against every touch, feeling far too sensitive for any sort of physical contact right now. But it doesn't stop him from continuing to lick, nip, and kiss all the way up to my bra.

His hands slide under me, and I feel the bra loosen before he pulls it off me and tosses it aside. His wicked grin transforms his face, and I almost blush—but it takes more strength than I have.

"Am I going to fast?" he asks, but then his mouth latches onto my nipple, and the ability to speak gets harder.

"Not fast enough," I mutter, almost breathless, and he releases something that sounds like a growl before his lips find mine again.

Then I feel his bare body between my legs. When the hell did his pants come off? Not that I'm complaining, but seriously, when?

His tongue is demanding, possessive, and definitely savage inside my mouth, and all those foreign sounds keep spilling from my lips to his. I feel him nudging me, moving his hips until he's settled right where I want him.

There's no warning before he groans and thrusts in powerfully, and my lips break apart from his to cry out in pure pleasure. I freaking sound like a

porn girl that I would normally mock.

He doesn't move at first, and I take in a shaky breath, still trying to wrap

my head around the fact Wren is on top of me, in my bed, inside of me...

His eyes find mine before they close and his lips descend on mine again before his hips start rocking. Just the slightest friction has me arching into

him and making more of those sounds.

He continues to devour my mouth, leaning his body over as he grips my

hips, tugging my lower half higher, and finding an angle that makes it impossible for me to concentrate enough to kiss.

He leans up, and I watch without shame as he grips my hips harder, bashing his hips into the cradle of my thighs hard enough to leave bruises, but I don't give a damn. His muscles are flexed as I grip the sheets below me, taking in every movement connecting us.

It's all too much—sight, touch, taste, sound... Tingles turn into painfully pleasurable shocks, and I cry out his freaking name like some madwoman when my whole body stiffens before becoming completely boneless.

Wren's furious thrusts change rhythm. He moves harder but slower inside me as he groans and shudders. He drops to my body, kissing my neck while his body continues light movements. His rocking finally stops, and I gingerly wrap my arms around his neck while his face stays buried between my neck and the pillow.

Even though I'm still high from what just happened—he really knows what the hell he's doing—my body suddenly tenses. I just had sex with Wren. Again. And the last time this happened, he just stood up and walked out.

"Fucking perfect," he says against my neck, sounding a little out of breath.

I don't completely relax, but some of my anxiety dies as he continues trailing kisses across my neck. And then I completely lose all tension when his lips find mine again.

The hunger is gone, and now he's slowly exploring my mouth at a leisure pace, kissing, sucking, biting... But then he stops, pulling back ever so slightly.

"Hi," he says, grinning down at me like he's much too proud of himself.

I laugh lightly before cupping the back of his neck.

"Really? Hi?" I ask, hoping he doesn't hear the slight tremble in my

voice.

He smirks before cocking an eyebrow. "I said fucking perfect but you didn't respond. So I thought I'd go with a different approach."

He bends, brushing his lips against mine, and I grin bigger. He's not just walking out. But suddenly he pales, and his body goes rigid. That knot tightens in my stomach. He regrets it?

"Shit," he says, screwing his eyes shut. "I didn't even put on a damn condom. Shit. Shit. Shit."

This is what it means to have a guy make you stupid. I didn't even think about a condom, and I always think of condoms. Thank God it's Wren.

"I'm on birth control. I never miss a shot," I say quietly, feeling dumber for even considering it to be okay to do this again.

But. It's. Wren. And Wren makes me stupid, hot, wild, hungry—

"Thank fuck, because I didn't exactly think to bring condoms when I found out Billy was over here. And there's no way in hell I'm done with you yet."

How did he know?

That's the least important question to be asking right now.

"What happens now?" I ask, hating the timid tone of my voice.

I hate to ruin the mood, but the reality I ignored when we crashed in here

is now back. We're not two people with nothing to lose. We're parents, and our daughter has to be priority number one. She can't get hurt because of us.

"I'm only human, so I need a few minutes," he says, grinning bigger before nipping my bottom lip. "But I plan to make it hard for you to walk tomorrow."

I frigging shiver when he says that. He laughs, and it embarrasses me that he noticed the ill-timed reaction.

"That's not what I meant," I groan, and he snickers softly before pressing a kiss to my neck again.

He leans up, studying my eyes, and his smile slowly turns into a serious line. His hand goes to my hair, gently running his fingers through the loose curls.

"I'm not sure what else to say. I didn't plan for this to happen, but you've been driving me out of my fucking mind since the day you felt me up at the supermarket. So I'm done fighting it, Allie."

Another shiver. Another laugh from him. And I frigging blush. "I didn't feel you up," I lie—I was totally groping his chest, even though I hated myself for doing it when I saw who he was. "You know this can turn into a

mess, and we have Angel to think about."

He pulls back, looking down at me, and he slowly shakes his head. "I

gave you plenty of chances to change your mind. Too late now. We're doing this. I'm really persistent—"

"Allie!" I hear Bella yell, and I curse as Wren rolls off me.

"Allie, you in here?" Bella calls, getting closer to my room. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be right out!"

Wren openly stares at my naked body as he sprawls out on my bed, putting his hands behind his head as he takes me in. I don't miss the smug grin on his face as I grab my robe from the back of my door and rush into the bathroom. Thank God there's a door from my room to the bathroom—to do a quick, nowhere nearly good enough, clean up.

I walk back out, feeling the blush rise to my cheeks. Wren doesn't bother covering up, and I let my eyes linger far too long on his very naked, very tempting, very hard—

"Allie! Are you okay or not?" Bella demands from the other side of the door.

My eyes snap up, and Wren winks at me, grinning as though he knows exactly where my mind is. I take a deep breath, and quickly open the door enough to step out, shutting it before Bella can see him on my bed.

Her eyebrows go up in surprise, and she takes a step back, letting her gaze rake down my robe-covered body. Thank God I shaved my legs this morning. Sometimes I do get lucky after all—no pun intended.

"Um... What'd I miss?" she asks, a knowing grin suddenly blooming across her face as her eyes meet mine.

I grab her by the elbow, tugging her away from my bedroom, and lead her toward the kitchen. But I scream loudly when I see a guy suddenly right in front of me. He jumps, I jump, and Bella laughs.

The guy smiles awkwardly and uncomfortably, taking several steps back. He's short, pale, and why does he look disappointed in me?

"I think we interrupted something," the guy says, still frowning before looking at Bella and pushing the glasses up on his nose.

Bella rolls her eyes. "Can you wait on me outside?" she asks him.

This is Benjamin? She really is trying to change her type. But he could be a great guy, so I can't judge him... yet.

Wren is suddenly in the room, his shirt still off but his jeans are on, and I

squeal. Damn. People really need to stop scaring me.

"Sorry," he says, his grin slowly forming. "I heard you scream." "Benjamin scared me," I explain, but I grimace at how pathetic my voice

sounds. This is the mother of all awkward situations, and I have no frigging idea how to act right now.

Clutching my robe a little tighter at my chest, I swallow hard, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Benjamin frowns while looking over at Wren. What is with his judgmental eyes? Or am I just being paranoid because I lost control, screwed my daughter's father in a fit of passion, and now I'm worried I've just destroyed the relationship we did have.

Bella, however, doesn't look judgmental at all. She looks like she wants to do cartwheels or dance in celebration. I want to hide.

"I was worried after I called Wren," Bella says, not even bothering to hide her ridiculous, taunting, I-know-what-you-have-been-doing smile. "Obviously everything has worked itself out, though."

Wren chuckles softly before tugging my back to his front, wrapping his arms around my waist while resting his chin on my head. The effortless grace in which he tucks me against him, and the comfortable intimacy we have makes it seem as though we've done this hundreds of times.

Wren kisses my hair, and I relax against him, no longer caring that Judgmental Benjamin is still frowning at us.

"I'll explain later," I say when I realize Bella is still waiting on an explanation of some sort.

"Yes. You will. Details are expected," she says, smirking as Wren snickers more.

"Some details," I quickly add, subtly telling Wren that I don't share everything with Bella.

Well, at least he'll think I don't tell her everything. I can't wait to tell her everything, and then beg her to keep me from over analyzing it.

"We should get going," Bella says to Benjamin.

Wren's arms leave me as Benjamin walks out, and Bella pulls me to the side as Wren walks toward the living room, a paper in his hands that seems to have his attention.

"Please tell me it was done when I interrupted," Bella whispers, practically beaming and dying for info.

I glance over my shoulder, watching as Wren heads toward the living room, his focus completely trained on whatever he's reading. He's smiling.

What's he reading?

"Allie!" she whisper-yells.

I snap my head back, grinning because I can't help it, and she smiles

back.

"Good enough. If you're smiling like that, then he must have finished

dusting the cobwebs out of your... never mind. You can give me the details later."

I glare at her, but then nod, mostly because I'm afraid of what I'll sound like if I try to speak. She laughs lightly while rolling her eyes. But then seriousness returns.

"Was Billy still here when Wren arrived?"

My smile falls, and I sigh. "Yeah. That's definitely something we'll talk about later. I think... I'll just... Later."

She frowns but doesn't push the matter.

"Bella, you coming or what?" Benjamin says from the front door, even though we can't see him.

"I don't like him," I tell her honestly, just like I always do.

"Neither do I," she groans. "I keep telling myself that it's because I'm too shallow and stupid since I only want boys that are bad for my health, but I really think it's because he's an ass."

I laugh just as she does.

"I'm ending things tonight. The ass owes me dinner since I paid for our last one. Don't ask."

She rolls her eyes and walks off, tossing a goodbye to Wren on her way out. Wren reciprocates, but he's lying on my sofa, looking all too perfect there, and he's still grinning at whatever he's reading.

"Why are you smiling?" I ask once I hear the door shut.

He looks up, and I swear he's mocking me for some reason.

"I've never been the subject of a pro/con list before," he says, amusement

sparkling in his endless blue eyes.

He really is too sexy, and he needs to put a shirt—

Whoa. What? No!

"What?" I squeal, my face reddening and my entire body going stiff.

He glances back down, and seriousness takes over his face as he

continues reading the proof that I'm bat-shit crazy about him. So crazy that I'm making pro/con lists like the nerd stalker from hell.

"I'm not overly fond of the con list. But I think I can wipe some of these

away. Starting with confusing and frustrating. The rest we'll take in stride. I have confidence that I can prove myself to you."

He laughs when he sees how red I am from head to toe—yes, my entire body is blushing right now. I. Could. Die.

He tosses it aside before standing, and he walks to me with a sexy saunter, deliberately tempting me. My eyes run down his very sexy, very ripped body, and it reminds me why smart girls turn dumb for hot boys. Damn that V. Why does he have to look like that?

Words, Allie. Speak.

"You weren't supposed to see that," I lamely say, stating the obvious.

He smirks just as he reaches me, and he tugs me to him before tipping my head back.

"Tell me what I have to do to make you stop looking like you're ready to bolt. I swear you resemble a terrified kitten right now."

I start to speak, but the words die in my throat. Kitten? I don't want to be a kitten, damn it. Before my brain and mouth start working together to formulate coherent sentences, Wren speaks again.

"We'll keep it quiet for a while. Angel doesn't have to know. You and I are mature enough to separate our relationship from our relationship with her. But, Allie, I meant it when I said I was sick of fighting this. Since I met you, my life has been turned upside down. I don't know what it is you do to me, and sometimes I'm not sure if I love it or hate it. You strip me of my damn sanity sometimes. I'm not used to feeling so much, and with you and Angel... It's like I can't stop feeling."

I'm touched and confused at the same time, and he sighs while dropping his head back.

"I really suck at this, don't I?"

This time, I'm the one smiling in amusement.

"Suck at what?" I have no idea what he's talking about, but I love how

nervous he suddenly seems.

He looks back down, letting his eyes find mine to paralyze me. Damn. I

wish he'd study the ceiling a little more.

"I don't do anger, yet you can make me see red in a flash. I don't do

irrational things, yet with you, nothing ever makes sense. It's like I can't stop myself no matter what logic is against us. I don't do passionate, but with you, well, my blood boils, and I swear I can't stop thinking about you."

He takes a deep breath, and I lock my knees in place to stay vertical. He

seems reluctant to keep speaking, but he does.

"I don't show affection in public, nothing more than a simple hand-hold

or a light touch. Yet every time I'm with you, I want to kiss you, hold you, touch you... I want everyone to know you're with me. Which is crazy, since we weren't a couple while I was doing all of that. But in my head, somehow I've decided you're mine, and I can't seem to stop thinking that way."

I'm torn between smiling and groaning. "Wren, that's because I'm your daughter's mother. That's not... That last part... I don't want you getting your feelings confused because—"

He cuts me off by kissing me, stealing my breath and swallowing the small gasp I release. When his arms wrap around me to keep me from melting into a puddle on the floor, I slowly turn to mush in his embrace, kissing him back and forgetting the words I was trying to say.

See? He makes me stupid.

He pulls back, and I lean forward, as though gravity is once again shoving me against him. After a few seconds, my eyes finally open, and I see him staring at me with nothing short of determination in his eyes.

"Does that feel like I'm confused, Allie? You don't seem to understand. You drive me fucking crazy, and no one has ever done that before. Ask anyone who knows me. The fact that your Angel's mom... Well, it actually complicates things. It doesn't make it easier to fall for you at all. But I want you too much, and I'm not strong enough to pretend like I'm strong enough to deny it anymore. I'm just rambling now, huh?"

He's adorable when he's flustered, and I pull him down, kissing him, shutting him up the way he did me, and his arms tighten around me in response.

"I'd say we'd take it slow," I murmur against his lips, feeling my lips curl in a smile, "but you've already promised to make it hard for me to walk. I'm holding you to that."

He groans before picking me up, but then he smiles when my legs wrap around his waist.

"What time do you have to be into work?"

"Seven."

"Then I'd better get started so you can get some sleep."

I shiver in his arms, and the low, throaty chuckle he releases in response

has goosebumps breaking out over my skin. The man I hated is definitely making me question whether or not I've been falling in love.

"You're spending the night?" I ask, silently cursing the catch in my throat.

"I'll have to. I don't think I'll be able to walk either once I'm done."

I grin at him before his lips find mine, relishing how easily he carries me back to the bed. He turns and pulls me on top of him once we're nestled back on the soft mattress, and he slowly peels my robe away, baring my body to him once more.

I got pregnant at eighteen. I lived in a house where I wasn't allowed to spend the night with anyone but Bella. I wasn't allowed to have anyone over. And I never broke the rules very often.

Angel was always more important than men, so I kept my relationships distant. No one made anything worth the risk of getting her attached. And I never spent the night with the few men I've gotten physical with over the years.

Sadly, Wren Prize is about to be the first man I've ever actually slept with. He's not the only one who has lost control.

Chapter 25

WREN

Blonde hair is splayed across my chest, and I can't help but smile as I look down at Allie. She looks content, her body wrapped around me like she's never letting go, and my fingers start running through her hair.

For the past two days, I've woken up in Allie's bed. I'm not sure why she doesn't want to come to my house, but I could get used to this sleeping arrangement.

My smile dies. I can't get used to it yet. Not until she believes that I'm not going anywhere. Once Angel is home, things will change. I'm not sure how much they'll change either. Allie pushes men away, keeps them at arm's length. And that's my fault.

It's a dick thing to even think about, but I'm almost glad. I'd probably be a mess if she had a man in her life right now.

"You're the best pillow in the world," she says groggily, her words muffled against my chest.

I grin down at her just as she peers up with sleepy, green eyes. "Then maybe we should discuss future sleeping arrangements. I don't want us to lose this when Angel comes home."

The smile on her face vanishes, and I tense. Shit. I pushed too fast.

"We can't sleep in the same bed when she comes back. We can't share a bed in Aspen either—"

A loud knock at the door interrupts the rejection blow Allie is delivering, and I'm almost grateful. Allie covers up before telling Bella to come in, and I try to ignore the fact that she's no longer relaxed against me. She's tense, just like me.

Bella walks in, but she isn't smirking at us like she usually does. She looks pissed. Fuck. What now?

"Lisa just called," she says, but I have no idea who Lisa is.

"And?" Allie asks around a yawn.

It's five-thirty. Who is Lisa, and why is she calling at five-thirty in

morning?

"And Aspen is going to have to be cancelled."

"What? Why?" Allie demands as she bolts upright, and I hiss out a breath

when she almost takes the entire sheet with her. I'd rather Bella didn't see me completely naked.

After making sure I keep everything covered, I shift to glare at Bella, waiting on her to elaborate.

"Turns out some of those bitches didn't like us getting Christmas week off. It doesn't matter that we put in for it first. They got denied vacation after it filled up. Lisa warned me that it happens every year, and since we're two of the newer ones, we're the ones who have to fill in for the bitches who've called in sick with the 'flu' for a week. Unbelievable."

Allie curses while shaking her head, and I drop back.

"So there's no way around this? You two can't just call in sick?" I ask, only to be glared at by two ill-tempered women who hate mornings and haven't had their coffee yet.

We really need to start spending time at my homes. I don't like the duo they have going when they team up against me.

"We'd get looped into their category," Allie says, but it's then I realize that angry face isn't meant for me. "A lot of them were mad that I got the scrub tech job with the best hours. It's the only way I'd move out here, and they loved my résumé. The surgeons at Sterling Memorial are impossible to get along with, but I do exactly what they want when they want it, and I never complain. Surgeons aren't known for their people skills in the OR. But resentment festered because we were new, and I got that shift and that job."

Bella sighs, nodding in agreement. "Same here, well, I'm not a scrub tech, I'm a... Never mind. It's not important. The point is that I got a job with good, usually flexible hours, and the other women that had been there longer weren't happy. This is punishment and them essentially flipping us off. We're not the only ones they're screwing over."

Allie curses again, the words sounding odd coming out of her usually sweet mouth, and she buries her head in my chest as she snuggles up against me. But then I feel a wet spot against my side, and I move her hair back from her face to see a tear has rolled down her cheek.

"I need to make a few calls and cancel some things. I'll see you in a bit," Bella says while easing back out.

I shift to pull Allie up, but she avoids my eyes.

"Why are you crying?" I whisper softly.

Erica only ever cried when she was manipulating me. Allie's tears aren't

those of manipulation, but I didn't realize Aspen was so important to her.

"I can take you to Aspen anytime you want. Tag has a house. Uncle Paul has a place. I could always get a place. I've never really wanted my own place there, but if Angel likes it, and if you really want to—"

She laughs lightly, but it sounds sad. However, it does halt my rambling. I really suck at this.

"It's not about, Aspen. I've only had to work one Christmas since Angel was born. I was lucky Bella didn't have to work. But it was Angel's second Christmas. Now... I just hate it. I hated it then, and I hate it now."

Something inside me breaks, and guilt mercilessly stings me.

"Quit your job. Spend Christmas with Angel. I'll take care of it. I'll get you a gig in a private practice where you have regular hours and holidays and no hospital drama."

Her head snaps up, and much to my surprise, she bursts out laughing. She shakes her head while pulling me to her, and I don't hesitate to push my lips against hers. But she breaks the kiss, muttering something about her morning breath. Like I give a damn. She's crying over Christmas. Morning breath is the last thing on my mind.

"I can't do that, but thank you. I've applied to some private practices, but they're harder to get into. And don't volunteer to strong-arm someone. But it does feel good that you'd be willing to, even though I can't let you. I'll... deal with it. It's part of life."

I really hate feeling like a dick. If I had been there for her... If I had helped raise Angel... If I had been around to change things... So much could have been different.

"Your jaw is tense," Allie says, gently stroking my face and bringing my gaze down to her shimmering green eyes that are still wet with a few fresh tears. "Don't do that. I know what you're thinking. What's done is done. Don't start letting regret eat you up because it'll destroy us before we get started."

She's in my head. Not surprising. I swear she seems to know me better than most of my friends, except for Tag and Rye.

"I hate this. I don't like seeing you cry when I can fix the problem. Let me get you a job. Or quit completely and just stay home with Angel. With the back child support I owe you, you could easily—"

She surprises me by kissing me and climbing on top of me. I don't fight her when she moves the sheet out from between us, putting us skin to skin.

"Shut up," she whispers, smiling against my lips. "You're making me like

you too much too soon. I don't need your money. And I like paying my own way. Now kiss me, because tomorrow you're going to Aspen without me, and I won't see you for another week."

Her lip trembles, but I know it's because she realizes she'll have to spend another week without Angel. To hell with that. She won't let me fix her job situation, but I can fix Christmas, damn it.

She sinks down on me, trying to distract me before I can speak, and I swear my eyes cross as my cock slides all the way in until I'm fully seated inside her. When my hands go to her hips, words become replaced by pants and moans, and I help her set a rhythm that has us both forgetting reality even exists.

WREN

As I walk into the lodge, Kade greets me, clapping me on the shoulder and quickly filling me in on how much better Angel is at skiing than poor, hopeless Raya.

"Skiing is stupid," Raya grumbles, pouting.

Angel beams at me as she runs and throws her arms around my neck, and I scoop her up, hugging her tightly. "Where's Mommy?" she asks against my ear.

"She's at home. She has to work. But I'm ready to take you home tomorrow if you want to go see her. We'll surprise her for Christmas Eve tomorrow if you want. I know she doesn't want to miss Christmas with you."

She gawks at me like I'm an idiot, and I have no idea why.

"I have to spend Christmas with her. Can we leave now?"

Good. I thought she wanted to stay, and I had no idea what I was going to

do with that other than fly back and kidnap Allie.

"We can't leave now, but we can leave first thing in the morning. We're

going to take my private jet."

Her eyes get big, and her smile grows huge. "I like flying."

I laugh while nodding. "Well, I'm about to take you up to Uncle Paul's

cabin. You can get dressed, and I'll take you out to dinner. Just you and me. Then you can help me wrap your mom's and Aunt Bella's presents."

Again, her smile flashes, and seems perfectly happy. I think I'm getting

the hang of this. Finally.

"Like a daddy-daughter date?" she asks, and my chest tightens.

When I don't respond—because I can't—she adds, "Carrie says Dane

takes her on daddy-daughter dates."

I nod slowly. "Yeah," I say hoarsely. "A daddy-daughter date is what

we'll call it."

I put her down, and she immediately joins Carrie, who is sitting next to

Rain. Raya smiles, propping up on Kade as I look for Mom.

"Mom not here?" I ask, hoping they don't see how much Angel just affected me with something as simple as the word daddy. It's not like she

actually called me that.

"She's around here somewhere," Raya says, motioning to the hectic,

massive lodge that is teeming with even more people than usual this time of year. "Please ask me about Erica."

That's random, but my blood still chills at the mention of her name. How could I have forgotten she'd be here? "Shit. I forgot about her. She hasn't been up here and messing with Angel has she?"

Raya grins broader, acting as though she's dying to expose some exciting secret.

"Well, she rented a large chalet shortly after the divorce, but somehow her reservations were deleted a week ago, and that vacancy got snatched up by someone else. And, as you know, it's booked up this time of year, so she was unable to get anything in town. Then her rental car information got messed up, and she ended up in a Taurus instead of a BMW—poor spoiled girl. And her flight home was somehow messed up, which put her leaving the day after she arrived. So she was only in town for a day. I think she left raising hell and swearing death to the lodge when they said her credit cards had been denied as well."

Shocked, I take in Raya's proud smile, while Kade laughs.

"She planned on causing problems when Allie got here. Somehow she knew Allie and Angel were coming, but she never even saw Angel. She wasn't here long enough to cause drama."

I relax, then my laughter bubbles out before I can stop it.

"That's some crazy shit."

Raya stands taller like she's about to brag, but she quickly masks her

proud smile. "It sounds to me like a skilled hacker showed her what life is like when you mess with people they care about."

Realization dawns, and I look down at her smirking face. Ray Drivel—I mean, Ray Capperton. Damn.

"I need a drink," Kade says, tugging Raya's hand. "And you can't leave my side," he adds. "Lyle Hughes is here."

I barely acknowledge what else they say as I stare at the large crowd, searching for Mom. Finally, I find her, and I frown again. My Aunt Becks is here, and that means Keith is here somewhere. They never come. I'm really glad Allie isn't here now, because Keith is pro-Erica all the way.

A body is suddenly beside me, and I look over to see Ray Capperton. He looks a little confused, but I'm too busy swallowing down my pride. I don't particularly like him, but for some reason, he makes me feel as though Angel is safe when he's around. I feel as though I don't have to keep her safe by myself.

"Thank you." Yeah, the words taste all wrong.

"For what?" he asks absently, his eyes very studiously on Mom.

"I heard about what you did to keep away Erica. And thanks for getting

Allie's home secured."

I forgot he took care of it while I was avoiding Allie. Apparently, she was

never leaving her house, so he had his people work around her schedule. Bulletproof windows might have been over the top, but I definitely sleep better at night now that I know they're safe.

"My own personal security team has a very quick response to breaches. They show up, deal with the issue, and wait until police arrive. She'll be safe there," he says, but he's distracted.

I stand silently, going over everything that could go wrong that could cause Allie to need to use that. But then I remember she's in a safe neighborhood—very safe.

"You can help me out to repay me," he says, still pursing his lips. "Your mother keeps calling that Becks woman her sister. Tag also referred to her as Melanie's sister. Keith is your cousin, right? Her son? Yet Rain and Tria say he's not their cousin. I feel like I've misunderstood something here, and I never get confused."

I laugh as he continues studying my mother. He really does care about her.

"Mom has always called Becks—which is a nickname, by the way—her sister. Becks is my dad's sister. He ruined her when he swindled away all the money her late husband had left her in his insurance policy. She trusted Dad

with her bank stuff, and he took advantage of that before he disappeared. His own sister—he fucked her over like that. Mom reached out, took her in, helped her get back on her feet, and now Becks and Mom really are like sisters. She says that's one of the three things she got out of that relationship. Billy and I are the other two."

Fucking Billy. I hope he's not here. I don't want to get into a fight in front of Angel.

"Your mother said that's why you're wary of me—because of your Dad."

I snort, and he cocks an eyebrow, looking a little amused. "I'm wary of any man my mother is interested in. It's not her nature to have good taste. But Raya loves you, and I trust Raya."

He nods, and I take another breath. I rarely feel like I should apologize. Not that I'm trying to, but I feel like I need to.

"I figure everyone deserves a redo if Allie is giving me one," I say quietly, watching as Angel interrupts Mom's conversation with Becks.

Keith has fortunately disappeared from sight. I might be able to stay tonight without him going on a pro-Erica speech.

"You stare at Angel with love and regret," Ray says randomly, and I turn to face him. His eyes aren't on me, but they aren't really staring at anything else either. "I know that look. I lost about the same amount of time with Raya —for different reasons, obviously. But it was a huge piece of her life. If you spend all your time on regret, you waste your chance at happiness. That's what I remind myself anytime I start thinking of all I've missed."

I'm not into the deep-conversation stuff with people I'm not very well acquainted with. For some reason, though, Ray's sincerity slices through me a little. Maybe I'm still weak from Allie breaking me.

"Also, don't let Allie go. It's clear to me that you two finally got together. Congratulations."

He gives me a wink, and I suck in a confused breath. How the hell does he know?

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell Mom about that. She'd probably hammer my balls—literally."

He laughs while nodding. "Yes she would. Unless she knew how serious you are. Allie reminds me of my girl. Strong, forgiving, sweet, but also very fragile underneath all those layers. Be careful. And use heavy communication. She's been hurt, so she'll analyze everything you say."

He claps me on the shoulder, and then his eyes move back to my mother.

"I'm going to get back to her before she starts thinking Becks scared me off. She's really not very nice."

I laugh so hard that I actually lose my balance and stagger a little. "Sorry. Becks is definitely a bitch to anyone that Mom dates because she's used to her usual type. She hates seeing Mom get hurt."

He smiles just a little. "Then I guess I'll have to charm her. Your mother means a lot to me. Just thought you should know that."

That isn't hard to figure out, but I don't point out that fact. If it wasn't for Raya, I wouldn't trust him. But oddly enough, I'm actually glad my mother is with him.

"I should get Angel to the house." A slow smile curls up on my lips. "Apparently we have a daddy-daughter date."

Ray's smile forms and he sighs while looking over at Raya. I never realized how damn good it could feel to be a dad.

WREN

Angel runs through Tag's house the second we enter it. Apparently she has a dress here that she wants to wear. From what she's told me, she and Carrie have gotten to spend nights in both homes—Uncle Paul's and Tag's.

And she's enjoying having a big-ass family.

I smile when I see Rye sprawled out on the sofa, his eyes absently staring at the TV screen. Brin is lying on top of him, her head tucked into the crook of his neck, while his chin rests on her head—like it's the most natural position in the world. Rye's fingers are lazily strumming her back as she sleeps, her small body looking even smaller against his long frame.

A pang of envy strikes, and I really don't like it. I've never been envious —not like this. I hate the damn feeling.

But Allie is still skittish around me, even though she tries not to be. Rye owns Brin just as much as she owns him.

"Hey," he says, noticing me as I step in closer, and his eyes dart down to Brin who doesn't even flinch. "She's out cold. I've never seen her so exhausted, but she sucks at skiing almost as much as Raya."

I laugh while taking a seat, waiting on Angel to get changed. Sighing, I pull out my phone when it starts vibrating, then quickly hit ignore when I see

who is calling.

"You don't look happy," Rye points out.

"Damn reporters have been calling nonstop since Allie and Angel's debut

at the Christmas party. I'd managed to keep the entire situation quiet until then. Now they're hounding me for a comment."

His eyebrows cock up. "And you're hiding? Not smart. You need to get out in front of it before they start hounding Allie."

"They haven't got her cell number, and she doesn't have a landline. I should be covered there. And I will talk to them, but not yet. I need to figure out a way to talk without going into all the sordid details about why I've been absent for six years of my daughter's life. It's not like paparazzi are going to be camping in her yard. This isn't Hollywood and I'm not exactly a movie star. It's just the local gossip columnists, bloggers, and Sterling newspaper people. Don't ask me what they're really called besides annoying."

He shakes his head, obviously disagreeing. "Dude, they hounded me about Brin, and I'm nowhere nearly as popular as you. I got out in front of it and brought her up in that article they did on my garage. You remember how they tore into Ash? And how they ripped into Raya that one time. I still don't know why they let go of Raya so soon."

A secretive smile crosses my lips. I have a feeling Ray Capperton had something to do with that. I can imagine an entire newsroom shutting down and the monitors doing something crazy with veiled threats loaded.

Deciding to shift the subject, I look down at Brin.

"She looks sweet when she sleeps," I joke, pointing to the tiny devil in his arms.

He laughs lightly, his fingers never pausing as he continues to rub her back.

"Yeah. I'm about to carry her to bed, even though it's barely seven. You going to stick around for a while?"

"I'm taking Angel out."

He nods, and then he carefully stands, cradling Brin against him like she's the most precious thing in the world. I feel like a bitch smiling when he kisses her forehead and moves toward a bedroom.

"Crazy, huh?" Keith's voice close to my side almost makes me flinch. Where the hell did he come from? Fucking creeper.

"Rye in a relationship? Nah. It's a good fit for him," I say dismissively. He'd better not say a word about Erica in front of Angel.

Keith snorts as though he finds something funny. "I meant him with that girl. She's a six or a seven, tops. Rye is used to being with dimes."

My fists clench. "Brin is pretty damn great. Don't be a shallow dick. Besides, the way you see someone changes the better you get to know them. And in Rye's eyes, Brin's a fifteen on a scale of one to ten."

He looks at me like I'm talking crazy, but I ignore him as I wait a little more impatiently.

"You picking your daughter up or something?"

I nod. "Taking her out."

"Man, I saw pictures of her mom. She's hot, but Erica is way hotter. I

can't believe you divorced her."

My teeth grind, and I turn to narrow my eyes on him. "As I said, looks

change when you get to know someone. You honestly don't want to know how I view Erica. And you'd be really fucking stupid to say one more word about Allie."

His eyebrows go up in confusion, and he takes a wary step back. Christ, I'm losing my mind.

"Chill, dude. Just making conversation. Shit."

I swallow hard before looking back toward the door, just as Angel walks into view, looking stunning in a white dress. And wearing a tiara.

"I get to be a snow princess," she announces, and I can't help but smile. "Let's go, Snow Princess."

WREN

"Mom has a secret boyfriend," Angel announces, slurping a spaghetti noodle into her mouth.

That has me admittedly shifting uncomfortably in my chair. The hell? She can't possibly know.

"Oh?" I ask, trying not to sound as desperately intrigued as I am. "How do you know?"

She lifts her eyes to reveal her adorably serious gaze, looking all too royal in the tiara she insisted on wearing. "I heard her and Aunt Bella talking about it. They both have secret boyfriends."

Allie needs to remember that Angel loves to eavesdrop. I can't help but

wonder if Bella was teasing her about it while Allie and Angel were on the phone.

"And what's her secret boyfriend's name?" I pry, curious just how much she knows.

"Bob," she says, going back to her noodles.

My brow furrows in confusion. "Bob? You sure?"

She nods. "Yep. I heard her say his name. Aunt Bella is dating a Bob,

too."

Now that has me utterly confused. "What do they say about... Bob?"

I take a bite of my food, chewing slowly as she answers. "Usually one

just tells the other not to bother them because they have a date with their Bob."

Suddenly, I'm coughing on my bite because I realize what the hell is going on. It takes several strangled attempts to take a sip of water and dislodge the fish that is stuck in my throat. Several curious eyes glance over to our table to inspect the odd disruption, and I have to fight really damn hard not to laugh.

Bob. B.O.B.—battery operated boyfriend. Oh, I'm so going to give Allie hell for this one.

I gulp my water heavily, needing to try and rid myself completely of the strangling fit, when Angel adds, "I wonder if they're dating the same Bob."

My mouthful of water sputters and spews, and the more I try to hold it back, the louder and more obnoxious my hacking fit becomes. I know I'm as red as the marinara sauce on her plate, and I'm half coughing, half laughing without any control.

Definitely giving her immortal hell. Yep.

Angel eyes me, curious obviously, but I try to show some composure. "Why don't you date Mommy?"

This time, I shift uncomfortably for an entirely different reason.

"Can we talk about this when we're not in a crowded restaurant?" I ask her.

She thinks about it, looking around to see everyone still staring after my stupid display. "Sure." She shrugs, slurping another noodle into her mouth. That white dress will be ruined, and I can't help but smile.

"Since we're going on daddy-daughter dates," she says around a mouthful, "does that mean I can start calling you Daddy? Like Carrie does with Dane?"

My smile falls, and my chest almost collapses. She stares expectantly, and I barely manage to get the words to form.

"If you want to," I say, though the words are barely a whisper. A beautiful smile blooms and she returns to her noodles.

"I do," she says, still smiling.

Ah, fuck. I really hope I don't cry.

Chapter 26

ALLIE

Someone knocking at the door draws my attention, and I curse whoever it is very loudly, dragging my ass off the sofa grudgingly. The hospital has been hell this week since they pulled me out of my normal duties to cover for the bitches who called in and stole my vacation.

The knock sounds out again, and I jerk the door open, scowling, but my eyes widen when I see a smiling Wren. It's almost embarrassing when I feel the urge to throw myself in his arms, but then Angel pops out from behind him, smiling twice as big, and she launches herself at me.

"Mommy!"

Wren winks as tears fill my eyes, and I cling to my daughter like I can't let go. Never again will I attempt to go this long without her. I feel like I can finally breathe again.

"Mom is impatient, so Angel had already gotten all of her presents from her and the rest of my family because she couldn't wait to see Angel's face. So, I decided it only made sense for her to come home so she'd have something to open on Christmas morning," Wren says, acting as though he didn't just give me the biggest present there's ever been.

Angel continues squeezing me, and I continue holding her. Until she finally wiggles free.

"I need to put on my new pajamas," she says, taking a backpack from Wren and running toward her room. "And Daddy is staying for our Christmas Eve stuff. He promised."

My heart stumbles when I hear the new endearment roll off her tongue like it's the most natural thing in the world. She runs to her room, shutting the door. The loud pipes squeak in the bathroom as Bella shuts off the shower, and that's the only sound I can hear for a few, long seconds.

Finally, I turn to face Wren, who is smiling hugely. "She started calling me that after our daddy-daughter date."

He clears his throat, and I move closer. I swear he just ripped the rug out from under me and shoved me into a hole. This is Wonderland, and it does exist. Or maybe I'm just the Mad Hatter and this is all a delusion.

Before I can launch myself at him, Bella's cursing finds my ears, and my

eyes widen as she walks in with nothing but a towel on. Her hair is wet and dripping, and she's oblivious to Wren as she hobbles into the living room, dead on her feet and exhausted like me.

"My legs are not functioning worth a damn. I feel like a fucking cowboy has been riding me for nine hours straight. I hate work right now."

Her eyes snap to us when Wren clears his throat very loudly, and she squeals while jumping and awkwardly covering her towel-clad chest.

"I swear I'm buying a bell to put around your damn neck so that you can't keep sneaking up on me like that!"

"Angel is here, too," I say, cocking an eyebrow, and Bella's eyes widen before she slaps a hand over her mouth.

"Do you think she heard what I said?" she whispers, still keeping her hand in front of her mouth like she can hide her past words.

"Probably."

Bella groans while running back toward her room, and Wren laughs. But I'm not laughing. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the guy that has rocked my world. After a quick glance at Angel's door, I push Wren outside.

He looks down at me curiously, a frown marring his features, until I shove him against the wall. Then he just looks confused. Until I grab his neck and jerk him down, slamming my lips against his.

He smiles against my lips, but then it vanishes when I moan into his mouth. His tongue parts my lips, and he hungrily kisses me back, seeking, searching, possessing. He spins me until I'm the one that thuds against the wall, but the kiss never breaks.

We're a mess of savage hands, tongues, groans, moans and pleading words by the time he finally breaks the kiss. His forehead rests against mine as I pant, trying to suck air into my lungs.

His gaze is heated, flaring with as much need as I feel. But this is where it starts getting complicated.

"What was that about?" he asks, and I can't stop the stupid smile that spreads over my face.

Angel is home for Christmas. He brought her to me because he cares that much about me. About her. About us.

"I just needed that," I whisper, afraid of speaking too loudly for fear that it might break the spell.

He smiles again, then leans down to nip my lips just barely with the graze of his teeth—the bottom lip first, then the top.

"I'm glad you needed it."

My hand slides up his chest, and I start worrying about how wrong or right this could all go. But I'm ready to find out.

"What do we do?" he asks.

It takes me a second to realize he's talking about now instead of about us. "Cookie baking, reindeer food assembling, storytelling, and a few other

things. You up for a long night?"

He grins before winking. "You're perfectly aware that I can go all night." I can't help but laugh before tugging him back inside. Angel is sorting

through the DVDs. Bella is in the floor—fully clothed with her hair still wet —and she arches an eyebrow at me while pausing her toenail polish painting. Since Angel's head is turned, I flip off Bella, and she winks at Wren.

Christmas Eve with Wren. I could get used to this.

"Can I give you your present before we get started?" I ask him, smiling when he looks surprised.

"You got me a present?" His grin transforms his face, making him all too tempting.

"Yeah. It's this way. It's something from Angel and me."

"I agreed to it, too," Bella calls from the living room, prompting Wren to laugh.

Angel skips into the kitchen, her grin wide as Wren picks her up and places her on the counter. I hand him the wrapped file, and he opens it, looking a little confused.

"What's this?" he asks, but then his breath catches in his throat and his grip on the files gets tighter.

"It's the papers to get my name changed to Prize," Angel happily announces. "Mommy said she can't change her name, but that I'm supposed to have your name. I like Prize. Is it okay with you?" she asks innocently.

Wren's eyes water, and he clears his throat several times, attempting to speak, but he can't seem to manage to get any words out. Finally he gets a choked, "Yes," out, but he never moves his eyes away from the blank documents.

I guess he also sees the birth certificate information. Angel doesn't need to know that his name isn't on there. But that's part of the present—getting his name on there. I just don't know all the legal stuff, and he has a lawyer on hand who can probably supply all the answers.

Don't cry, Allie.

I've never wanted to be Thrash. Thrash is the name of the family that abandoned me. Angel deserves a name that is proud to accept her and show her love. One that has meaning.

"I thought you might want to have your lawyers look at it," I explain, letting him know why it's blank. "And some of the stuff needs your signature and definitely your lawyer," I say, referring to the birth certificate.

He nods, and then he clears his throat again before hugging Angel to him. "Thank you," he says, his voice hoarse and strained.

She beams up at him before hopping off the counter, and she goes to tell Bella the good news—as if she wasn't listening in. Wren stares at the documents for a minute longer, then he sets them down and grabs me, pulling me toward the door.

Bella's eyebrows hit her hairline as we pass through, and Wren doesn't say a word as he pulls me outside. My back slams the wall of the house, and Wren pins me there with one hand in my hair and one on my waist, before he pushes against me.

I start to speak just as his lips crush mine, and then I'm suddenly melting again, pulling him closer, and praying Bella keeps Angel inside. Wren's tongue is greedy, his hands are insistent, and his kiss is just shy of painful, almost desperate, as though he's using me as an outlet to curb his emotions. And I'm a willing and eager receptacle.

He finally breaks the kiss, and this time he's panting just as hard as I am. But I'm also throbbing, aching, and in need of more than a hot make-out session outside.

"What was that for?" I whisper softly, still trying to catch my breath. One side of his mouth tilts in a grin before he says, "I just needed that."

WREN

Angel wraps her arms around me, hugging me goodnight after hours of preparing for Santa's arrival. A short, pink Christmas tree is proudly displayed and awaiting the gifts... Yeah. I'm definitely surrounded by women—a freaking pink Christmas tree. But I've never even put up a tree. Next year I will.

I release Angel, then find that awkward moment where Allie is fidgeting

nervously, looking at me like she wants to kiss me but knows we can't. My lips tighten, and I tell her goodnight—grudgingly. We do hug very awkwardly, and it leads to uneasy laughter shared between us.

She nods, and I head to my car, already feeling my good mood drop. I'll be going home to a big, empty house with no Christmas tree. No Santa. No Allie. No Angel.

The files to get Angel's name changed are in my hand, and I stare at the manila envelope that holds them. Just a few months. That's how long it's been since the dynamic duo crash landed in my life, and that's when I finally started doing more than existing. That's when I finally started feeling.

I've had empathy. I've worried about my friends. I love and care about my friends and my mother. Fuck Billy—but I care about the rest of my family. Well, Keith can kiss my damn ass. He's a cocksucker.

But Allie and Angel... It's a whole other level of feeling.

Tossing my present gently into the passenger seat of my car, I stare at the house. Angel's light goes off, which means Allie just tucked her in. She's probably kissing her goodnight.

"Fuck this."

I get back out, quietly shut my door, and jog around to the side of the house where Allie's room is. I start to knock on the glass, but she's moving inside of her room, shutting the door, and her shirt comes off immediately.

Like a fucking pervert, I stand and watch. But why the hell am I watching? I want to be touching.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The quiet rapping draws her attention, and she jumps when she sees me. It takes her a second to realize it's me, and she slowly uncovers her bra- covered chest as she makes her way toward the window with questioning, confused, beautiful green eyes.

"Wren?" she prompts, opening the window.

I don't give her time to question me before I grip the edge and pull myself up. She moves back as I haul myself through the window and drop... and keep dropping. Fuck.

A grunt falls through my lips as I land on the bedroom floor, and it takes a second to breathe again. Son of a bitch, that shit hurts. It always looks so much cooler in the movies—and smoother.

Then I hear the light laughter, and my eyes move up to meet Allie's that are teeming with humor.

"Out of practice?" she asks, far too amused as I struggle to get up, ignoring the painful breaths as I try to regain badass points.

"I've never actually had to climb through a girl's bedroom window before."

As I walk toward her, she keeps a small smile playing on her lips while she cocks her head to the side.

"Why is that?" she asks in a flirty tone.

My cockiest grin kicks up as I pull her to me. She leans her head back so that her eyes meet mine.

"Because I'm Wren Prize."

Her smile grows as a hint of blush crawls up her cheeks, and she wraps her arms around my neck without protest.

"What are you doing in my bedroom, Wren Prize?"

I lean down, kissing just the corner of her mouth, before walking her backwards toward the bed. "Getting hard," I crassly answer, enjoying the way her eyes grow big and her mouth falls open.

I laugh while pushing her up on the bed, and she watches me with soft eyes, running the length of my body with her gaze.

"You know this is risky. Angel has nightmares sometimes. She could wake up and come in here. She's not even asleep yet."

Good thing I'm persistent.

"I'll sleep on the side near the window. If she comes in, I'll drop quietly to the floor and hide out until she's asleep. I'll sneak out before she wakes up. Or I'll make it look like I just got here. My bags are still in my car, so I have clothes. Don't make me spend tonight alone."

Yeah. I'm not above using the Christmas guilt here. I want Allie in my arms, under me, on top of me, beside me. I don't care where she is as long as she's near me. I'm fucking obsessed, and I love it as much as I hate it.

"You can really get out of sight if she comes in?" she asks, seeming hopeful.

"No doubt. I don't want to leave."

She almost looks relieved, and she pulls me to her, kissing me before I can react, and I grab her bare hips, pulling her to me, relishing the taste of her lips.

"Good. Because I slept like hell without you here. You had so better not have messed up sleep for me," she grumbles, and I can't help but smile.

I'm an asshole for hoping she can't sleep without me ever again.

ALLIE

Stupid? Yes. This is exactly what it means to be kissed stupid. Wren Prize makes me a true dumb blonde. And I've really always hated that damn cliché judgement.

But when he flicks that tongue inside my mouth, my brain automatically brings memories forth of him flicking that tongue somewhere else. That sets off a chain reaction, and heat pools between my thighs.

My body is on fire and chilled at the same time, and I push closer, feeling as though I can't get close enough. Now we're naked, on my bed, and he's taking his time, teasing the hell out of me with that tongue, moving it down my body.

His lips... there aren't enough words to describe the talent he possesses with those lips. The hungry kiss we had turns into something more drawn out, almost reverent, and complete torture.

He trails whisper soft kisses up and down my body, a worshipful touch that has me arching off the bed. He untangles my hands from his hair—even though I didn't realize they were there—and pulls them away, keeping me from rushing his slow, deliberate, and soft ministrations. I swear he's trying to touch everything on my body with that tongue.

He pushes my legs apart, and I shiver when he gets close, settling his body in the space he's created. I shiver when his hair tickles my lower stomach.

"You don't have to do that," I say in a shaky breath. "I'm more than ready."

I feel, rather than see, him smile just before his hot breath fans my sex. What do I do? I whimper, because apparently embarrassing, unintelligible sounds are my specialty with Wren Freaking Prize.

"I'm doing this because I want to, Allie. You've become... an addiction." "Wren, if you don't—oh shit."

My words end on the first flick of his tongue, and when he pulls that

bundle of nerves into his mouth and sucks, I damn near see stars that quickly. He's sucking and flicking his tongue in unison, and I grab a pillow to muffle my sounds as he holds my bucking hips against the bed.

I don't just fall off the edge; I explode, turning into nothing more than sensitive fragments of my normal self. It's almost painful when he doesn't stop immediately, and a soft cry escapes me. He finally peels himself away from the cradle of my thighs, and he crawls over me, moving up my body like a smooth predator.

When his lips find mine, he pushes inside me, and I shudder against his gentle, measured entry as he slides deeper. The second he's fully seated inside me, he kisses me harder, exploring my mouth thoroughly like he's trying to imprint himself on me forever.

Mission accomplished.

I'm his.

And Wren Prize can break me with very little effort at this point.

His hips rock, pulling out and pushing back in with that painstakingly

slow motion, and he continues with his tormenting pace. He holds my hips down when I try to make him move faster, and gradually, a sheen of sweat builds between our bodies.

Minutes, hours... I'm not sure how long he drags it out, but I'm ready to explode by the time he finally rolls over, keeping us connected as he brings me with him, and I slide down, almost holding my breath to keep from moaning too loudly.

Wren grabs my hips, trying to set the rhythm once again, but this time, he thrusts into me from underneath, and it's so hard that I can't help but cry out and quickly try to mute it by biting my lip. From there, the pace quickens, and he uses my hips as handles, driving me down, pushing me back, and I work with him, letting him control it.

My stomach muscles tighten, nerve endings fire, and my toes literally curl when an almost painful orgasm rips through me. Wren shoots up, clamping a hand over my mouth as he flips me to be on my back once again, and muffles the sounds I can't quiet any longer.

His hips keep rocking, and he buries his face in my neck when he suddenly thrusts in hard one last time, holding himself at the deepest point. His growling groan gets lost against my flesh, and his warm, delicious breath sends chills down my neck.

I. Can't. Move.

My body feels like it weighs a thousand pounds, and Wren chuckles when I don't bother covering any piece of myself or make any effort to move off the bed. I still have to set the clock for three so I can wake up and be Santa—

hide the presents just a few hours before Angel wakes up.

Wren is all-consuming, and I'm apparently very willing to be consumed. "What are you thinking right now?" Wren asks, his lips trailing down my

neck in a lazy motion.

So many things go through my mind, but to sum them all up, I go with

the shortest version of the truth.

"I'm addicted to you, too," I mutter in a barely audible tone.

He pauses, his kiss suddenly stopping against the curve of my shoulder,

and I feel his smile grow once again. "Good."

Chapter 27

WREN

Three and a half weeks of climbing in and out of Allie's window has been heaven and hell at the same time. Heaven because she lets me stay, lets me hold her, and the sex is fucking incredible. Hell because I can't touch her in public since someone might say something to Angel. And hell because I have to sit way away from her when I'm hanging out with her and Angel so that Angel doesn't catch on.

But I have no idea how to prove to her that I'm the real deal. It's hard to convince a woman you're not leaving, when she's had to raise your child on her own for over six years. Angel is my priority, and Allie is right up there with her.

"You drove us thirty minutes out of Sterling Shore to go to a bar?" Allie asks as we walk inside the bar/club establishment.

A small, square dancefloor is toward the front, and a band is playing for the cheering crowd. This is not an ideal date, but it'll have to do.

"I want to celebrate. Angel is now in private school and in class with Carrie. We still haven't technically had a first date. And since Bella wanted a girls' night with just Angel, I thought this would be good. No one here is going to know—"

"Well, I'll be damned. Allie and Wren in a bar," Maverick Sterling says from behind me.

I turn to see him grinning over my shoulder, and then I spot Corbin beside Allie, his mocking smile focused on me. Fuckers.

Allie cocks an eyebrow at me, silently saying, "No one, eh?"

"They don't count." I shrug, motioning between the two womanizing Sterlings.

"The hell?" Maverick asks, just as a girl wraps her arm around his, and bids for his attention.

He grins down at the black-haired girl and winks. "Not right now, pretty thing. Let me talk to my friends. I'll find you later."

Apparently she said something I couldn't hear over the music in order for him to say that. She winks at him, then casts a narrowed glare at Allie. Fortunately, Allie doesn't notice.

I pull her closer to me anyway, letting the woman know she's mine and not Maverick's, since the bastard is propping up on her. Maverick's arm falls off Allie's shoulder once I have her back resting against my front and my arms around her waist.

I think she's smiling. It's hard to tell from this angle.

"You two come to party?" Maverick asks, grinning salaciously between me and Allie.

I roll my eyes before kissing the top of Allie's head.

"We came to have fun away from Sterling Shore. But not to party. Angel will be waiting up. She's excited about seeing Carrie tomorrow."

Immediately, Maverick pouts. "Rain won't let me use Carrie to pick up women. Do you know how much easier life would be if I could show them what a great uncle I am?"

Carrie calls all the Sterlings uncles, even though Kode is technically her only uncle.

Allie laughs, surprising me, and I look down, amused as she shakes her head. "From what I've heard, you don't need help," she brazenly points out.

Maverick likes to pretend he has to chase ass. But we all know the truth. He only chases the ones that aren't chasing him.

"Yeah, but Carrie makes it so much easier," Maverick tells her matter-of- factly, and Allie laughs again while leaning back against me, acting like it has become natural for her.

I like it.

"Tag says you've been avoiding him since before Christmas. Including his calls. Rye says you've avoided him since after Christmas," Corbin chimes in, and I'd like to punch him.

Billy. That's why Tag and Rye are calling me. I've avoided them like I've avoided the reporters. They can't print that I have a child without risking slander suits if their information is incorrect.

Allie twists her head, trying to see me, and concern mars her features.

"I'm sure you know why," I tell Corbin, glaring at the ass who ran his mouth.

He shrugs. "I was worried about you. I mean, hell, the tool screwed your fiancée and you didn't go that crazy. You were surprisingly calm when all that went down. But over at Allie's house... If I hadn't shown up, there's no telling what you would have done."

I wouldn't have actually killed him. Christ. It was a fight. I'm sick of

everyone freaking out about it.

Allie tenses against me, and I mentally curse Corbin. He looks down at

her, and gets the picture, so he shuts up. Maverick looks confused, but he scowls at Corbin like he knows Corbin has left him out of the loop. However, he shifts the subject instead of digging for details.

"Holy hell. Redhead dancing," Maverick says, pointing to a girl on the dancefloor who is indeed dancing like she's ready for attention.

Her back is turned, her hands are in her silky red hair, and her short dress is barely covering her ass. I want to see Allie dance and let loose like that.

Leaning down, I get against her ear as Maverick continues trying to urge Corbin into action.

"Will you dance? I'll be happy to stand back here and watch."

She laughs before leaning her head all the way back and staring up at me. "I'll dance in private. Not in public. At least not like that," she says,

pointing to the redhead.

"You'll dance in private like that?" I ask, noticing the husky tone my

voice has taken and the achingly hard appendage that is pressing against the zipper of my jeans now. Boxers really should be thicker.

She grinds her hips against me, and I hiss out a breath when her ass rubs me in a torturing circle.

"You're right," I growl. "I'd probably end up in a fight if you danced like that in public."

She laughs, but it feels strained. I can almost feel her wanting to ask a question, but she doesn't.

"You two coming to Tag's tomorrow?" Allie asks Corbin and Maverick.

I might have been avoiding Tag and Rye since the shit with Billy, but tomorrow I'll have no choice but to face them.

"Yeah," Corbin answers, tearing his gaze away from the redhead who is still dancing with her back turned. "We'll be there all day. Super Bowl Sunday, baby," he adds, winking at her.

My jaw grinds, and I glare at him. Maverick notices. "Chill, Wren. Corbin has shut down. Ruby isn't even back yet, and his dick is in hibernation. He's all talk nowadays. Believe me. He's sucking as a wingman."

Corbin punches Maverick in the arm, telling him to shut the fuck up, but now Allie seems intrigued.

"Is Ruby your girlfriend?" she asks innocently.

Corbin chugs some of his beer as an excuse not to answer.

"No," Maverick answers, mischief in his eyes. Corbin walks to the bar to order another beer while Maverick continues. "Ruby was our best friend until she moved away when she was thirteen—a few weeks before Rain moved in. Corbin went to see her every summer, or she came back with her dad to see him. No clue what happened, but they dated a few times, and it ended every time—well, obviously. If you start asking him about it, he blushes. If you keep pushing, he tries to shift the subject. If you continue to pry, he finds a reason to walk away. Watch this."

The second Corbin returns, Maverick—being the taunting ass he is—sets out to prove his point.

"So no clue when Ruby is coming back?" Maverick asks.

Corbin tenses immediately, seeming to know Maverick is up to no good. "Nope. She keeps getting delayed because of one of her other shops. She

ended up having to train a new manager, and her stepmom is here, covering the Sterling Shore shop for her until she can return."

Allie looks confused, so I lean down. "Ruby owns a chain of tattoo parlors. Her dad and she are co-owners, actually."

Maverick starts in again, and Corbin glares at him. "If you're not dating her, then why not pick out one of the hotties here to take home? You've been acting like a loyal boyfriend lately."

"Fuck you," Corbin mutters.

"What happened when you two were dating?"

Corbin blushes, as if on cue, and it's pretty fucking funny to see a guy as

big and muscled up as Corbin blush like a girl. "Maverick..."

His tone is warning, but Maverick continues. "Seriously, dude. I'm dying to know. Was the sex bad or something?"

Corbin shifts awkwardly. "So, the redhead. You going after her or not?" he asks, trying to shift the subject.

"Not if you want her. Go on. Will Ruby get mad if you screw around? I mean, if you're not dating, what does it matter?"

"I need a beer," Corbin says, still holding his fresh beer.

Maverick laughs before grabbing his arm. "Just fucking with you. I'll stop."

Corbin relaxes, and even I admit I'm intrigued. What the hell is up with Ruby Kross and Corbin Sterling?

"The redhead has my full attention since you're not going to bag and tag her," Maverick crudely states, eyeing the redhead's ass like a steak.

Finally, the mystery woman turns, and both Sterling men spew beer across the room at the same time. My jaw pops open seconds before my painful outburst of laughter spills free, and Allie tilts her head while both Sterlings unleash a litany of surprised curses.

"Isn't that Britt Sterling? Dane's sister?" Allie asks, now clearly amused.

"Motherfucker," Maverick groans. "My eyes. My eyes are burning and my brain needs to be bleached. I'm never having sex again."

Corbin gags as though he's just a breath away from retching, and Allie scoots away to get out of the line of fire in case he does.

"Damn it, Britt!" Corbin yells, still trying to wipe his mouth free of the beer he just spat out.

Britt hears him, and her gaze finds us, her doe-eyed innocent expression only causing me to laugh harder. She walks toward us in the shortest, tightest dress known to man, and her cleavage is popping out of the top.

But the sexual appeal she held to the Sterlings seems to be lost now. They're both glaring at her like angry big brothers. I feel sorry for any guy who attempts to climb that mountain.

"What?" she asks when she reaches us.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Corbin growls.

She seems oblivious, which is typical for socially awkward Britt, who

doesn't really understand emotions. It's also one of everyone's favorite things about her.

"Dancing. I love dancing," she says honestly. "I come here since they allow eighteen-year-olds in. Silk doesn't let me in very often unless Dane allows it. And for some reason, he quit letting me come."

Dane has apparently seen his little sister dance. Fucking hilarious.

"For some reason?" Maverick asks incredulously in an usually higher octave. "Let's get you home. Where the hell did you get that dress? Do you know what guys think when you wear something like that? They want more than a conversation."

She beams at him. "I know. I'm trying to fit in, and most girls my age are engaging in sexual relations. Guys seem to lose interest when I speak, but they enjoy my dancing. With the copious amounts of alcoholic beverages they consume in an establishment such as this, I'm hoping they can overlook my lack of communication skills."

Corbin pales as Maverick chokes on air. "You're looking for a booty call?" Maverick squeaks, immediately clearing his throat afterwards. "You can't do that!"

"Why not? You two do it. I just want the virginal membrane to be torn so that I can honestly tell other girls my age that I'm no longer the 'Virginal Princess' they keep referring to me as. It's not an endearing term if their tones tell me anything. But for some reason, males seem to believe there's something wrong with me mentally, and they state they won't take advantage. Or they run away when I tell them I'm Britt Sterling. Perhaps other males are alluding to the fact I may have mental problems. I don't. I just don't understand social interaction, but I'm getting better. You know?"

I laugh harder, and poor Allie looks confused as hell.

Britt has no idea that changing her last name to Sterling might have severed the ties to her past, but it has basically made her off limits to any guy in Sterling Shore that is attached to keeping his balls.

"The few males who have approached me and were willing to have sexual relations with me didn't stimulate me enough to become aroused by their appearance, and I hear it can be painful without arousal," Britt adds, and Corbin groans again while I laugh even harder. "It's a rite of passage that I need to pass into adulthood. That's all it is, so stop acting as though it's a bigger deal."

Allie turns to me, her eyes wide in her head in disbelief, and Corbin tugs Britt's hand, glaring at every guy in here that is staring at her ass.

"Maybe some men would prefer a more aggressive female," Britt states, ignoring Corbin's insistent tug. She spaces out as though she's thinking it over in her head. She turns toward Allie. "Have you had a lot of sexual encounters?"

Allie chokes on air.

"How did you convince Wren to have sex with you? He's not the type to seduce women."

The hell? I seduced Allie, damn it. I just don't go after any woman.

"He... um... actually, he's the one who initiated it," Allie says uncomfortably. "And if a guy isn't willing to come after you, then you shouldn't have sex with them," she adds, trying to keep Corbin and Maverick from having an aneurism.

"We're taking you home," Maverick growls.

"But I still haven't found someone compatible to—"

"Now," Corbin growls, interrupting her. "I'll call our driver. Dane is going to blow a gasket."

They wave at us while Britt frowns.

Allie turns toward me again. "They wouldn't have sex with her, would they?" she asks, concerned.

My stomach roils. "Hell no. They're literally taking her home. They'll probably try locking her in her house. They consider her family, even though she's not blood related."

She calms down slightly, and I silently curse the way our first date has gone. Damn Sterlings.

"You want to dance?" Allie asks, looking up at me with a vixen's grin. "I wouldn't mind hearing your voice do that deep thing it did when I ground my hips on you earlier."

She's temptation by definition. "I'll end up dragging you to the bathroom and fucking you."

A slight blush creeps up her neck, and she bites down on her bottom lip before freeing it. "I'll let you."

Yeah. My cock is officially painfully hard now. "Then lead the way."

Chapter 28

ALLIE

Bella follows us inside Tag Master's ungodly huge home. Wren's house is the same massive size, but we don't go there. Bella keeps me from slipping up and forgetting that I can't let Angel know I'm dating her father.

Yes, I realize how screwed up that sounds.

If we were at Wren's home, Bella wouldn't be there, and I'd end up revealing to Angel that I'm very much head-over-heels in love way too soon. I keep telling myself it's just the honeymoon phase, but I've never done this before.

I've dated guys, but it was dinner or a movie. Then after a few weeks of dating, it was a trip to their house and quick sex. Then we'd date for a while, but nothing changed. I never felt a close enough bond to risk exposing Angel to a possible heartbreak.

I never spent the night with them, I barely got to see them because, well, I'm a mother, and the sex was just there to scratch an itch. Sex with Wren is consuming, addicting, intoxicating... And then there's so much more.

He spends every moment with me. His laptop is officially stationed at my house. He comes over as soon as I get home, then he leaves out the front door to sneak into my window at bedtime. And I swear there's no way I can ever sleep again without the feeling of his hard body pressed against mine.

"Holy crap," Bella says under her breath, taking in the high ceilings and lavish surroundings, bringing me back from my thoughts.

Angel is on Wren's back as he guides us through the house, and she's clinging to her father and laughing as he bounces her. Out of everything he's done, the time and love he devotes to Angel is what's making me fall the hardest.

Tag Masters suddenly appears in front of us, grinning broadly while walking around in a pair of board shorts and no shirt. It's too cold for that.

"Hey, Angel," he says, offering his hand for a high-five next to Wren's shoulder. She slaps it, laughing lightly. I guess they bonded in Aspen.

Bella stiffens next to me, and I know she's taking in Tag, who hasn't even noticed her. Tag, who doesn't really remember her, motions toward the back.

"Everyone's out on the patio eating brunch. Ash cooked. I'm about to throw on some clothes. I attempted to help cook, and got shit all over me, which is why I'm dressed like this."

"And she manages to get him to help her cook," Bella whispers. "She's definitely magical," she adds, her voice still in a whisper.

We follow Tag, who is talking to Wren at his side, and Bella stays at my side. Fortunately, she's relaxed now, even if she is ogling Tag's ass.

"Remember how hormonal I was when I was pregnant?" I whisper to her, "Ash is pregnant and jealous. Don't forget that."

Bella nods, laughing lightly. "I'm more into Wren, but thanks for the warning."

I playfully glare at her, and she shrugs innocently. "Tell him to start wearing a shirt when he's at the house if you don't want him starring in my fantasies. I've sworn off bad boys, and Wren is a mixture of bad and good that is really hot."

I laugh when she winks. She loves goading me.

"I'll get you guys something to eat," Tag says, but I intercept him.

"Bella and I will get it," I tell him, and he nods curtly toward Bella before

turning and walking away.

"I'll help you," Wren says, running his eyes down my body for the fifth

time. Maybe I wore the tightest pair of jeans I own on purpose.

"I'll get yours. Just take Angel out there so she can find Carrie. She's

been dying to see her."

He nods, his gaze shifting to my ass as I turn away, and I smile over my

shoulder like an idiot.

"You two almost make me sick. How long before you tell Angel?" Bella

asks.

That sobers me. "I... don't know. This is uncharted territory for me."

As soon as we walk into the kitchen, Ash greets us with her adorable

baby bump. I did not have an adorable baby bump. I looked like a swollen cow during my pregnancy, so obviously I pout.

"You must be Bella," Ash says, smiling.

Bella—being her usual comedic self—bows suddenly in front of Ash. "It's an honor to meet such a majestic force. Teach me the ways of magic, sensei."

I burst out laughing, while Ash stares at Bella like she's crazy. "Ignore her," I say, still laughing while grabbing two plates.

Bella chuckles while standing and helping me fix another plate for Angel. And we carry the French toast and poached eggs out onto the patio where everyone already is.

Reflexively, I take the space by Wren, and Melanie eyes him with suspicion. She's not supposed to know we're together, since Wren seems to think she'll kill him for some reason.

I'm surprised to see the setup—it looks like it's right out of a rich and famous magazine. The table is huge, accommodating all the Sterlings— including Britt—as well as Tag, Melanie, Ray, Rye, Brin, Tria, and Rain. Ethan, Kade, and Raya are the only three missing from their group. Tag has changed and is wearing a long-sleeved shirt and washed out jeans, looking casual instead of looking like a sex icon.

Orange juice is already poured into a glass in front of my place, but Wren tells me he poured it for me. There are several pitchers of it on the table, and several pitchers of other drinks as well. No coffee though.

"Where's Trip?" Wren asks Tag.

"Shopping with Ash's parents. He just learned to walk, so they're having a hard time keeping him in his stroller. But they showed up and kidnapped him anyway. They're jealous of Melanie since she gets to see him more."

I forget how much Melanie loves Tag. He's just like her third son, and since he doesn't have a mother, I'm glad she loves him that way. How did Billy come from her?

"He's getting harder to keep up with," Ash adds on a sigh. "At the rate my stomach is growing, I'm going to be in trouble. Tag keeps trying to get me to hire a nanny for the hours he's not home to help, but I don't want someone else raising my kid. At least I'm getting a workout."

Maverick and Corbin start arguing about something, drawing my attention away briefly. Kode gets in on the action, finally peeling his lips off Tria's neck for a second. They start laughing at Corbin when Dale says something. Even Rain laughs. Dane rolls his eyes, but a mocking smile is on his lips.

"I'm not going to be celibate!" I hear Corbin hiss. Apparently the conversation down there is about Ruby. I'm still curious.

"I stopped by your house the other night," Melanie says, prompting me to pay attention to our end of the table once again.

Angel is already making a huge dent in her French toast and ignoring the poached egg. She's sitting across from Bella and next to Carrie. Ray is on her

other side, and Melanie is beside him.

"Oh?" Wren muses, picking up a bite of his food.

"You weren't home. It was late. I thought you might need more clothes

for Angel at your house, and I brought over a bunch. Did you find them?" Wren nods. "Yeah. In her room. I saw them."

"I don't spend much time at Daddy's house," Angel announces. "He

comes to my house every day now."

Wren chokes on a bite, and Melanie glares at him while he chugs orange

juice to swallow down the lodged bite.

"Is that so?" Melanie pries.

"Yep," Angel says, smiling innocently. Shit. "We play a lot and he helps

me with my homework. He even comes over to take me to school in the mornings."

He sneaks out after showering and changing clothes, then comes in the front door to drive her to her new school on his way home. It helps, since I have to leave for work and Angel is spoiled to not riding the bus anymore. It also keeps her from having to use the before-school program she was using at her old school.

"And he picks me up to take me home," she adds, digging Wren's grave a little deeper when Melanie's eyes turn to slits.

Maverick Sterling laughs, but he turns it into a cough when Melanie jerks her gaze toward him. Ray Capperton is expressionless as he eats, not daring to interject, since Wren told me he knew.

Corbin is practically mocking Wren with his eyes, since Wren delighted in their meltdown last night at the bar. Dane is grinning broadly, but Rain discreetly elbows him in the ribs, trying to make him leave Wren alone.

Tag—who is smiling like the Cheshire Cat—leans over the table, propping his elbows up like he's dying for a show. And Ash seems to be enjoying Wren's discomfort as well. Rye acts bored, but I can tell he's fighting back a grin.

"What's up with that?" Corbin teases. "You two getting along?" he adds, taunting Wren all the more.

Wren glares at him before asking, "So what all did you two do last night? I heard rumors about a redhead you guys took home. Tag team?"

Maverick, who is leaning his chair back on two legs, suddenly tips backwards, and the chair falls with him in it until he thuds against the ground. I can't help but laugh, especially when Corbin spews orange juice at the same

time.

"That was me," Britt says, looking over at Wren. "Don't you remember?

Or has the alcohol disrupted your memories?" she asks earnestly.

Dane is the one to spew orange juice this time, and Rain's eyes widen in

her face.

"It's so not what it seems!" Corbin yells when Dane stands up, fury

etched in his features.

"They made me leave the bar before I could find—"

"There are kids here!" Maverick says quickly as he stands, motioning

toward Carrie and Angel. Then he faces Dane. "We took her home to keep her from completing a mission, if you know what I mean."

Dane turns his glare on Britt as he sits back down, but she resumes eating as though nothing is wrong.

"We're done," Angel says, breaking the tension. "Can we go on the beach?"

Melanie's interest in Wren has faded, and she stands. "I'll take them looking for seashells," Melanie announces. "I've been promising to take Angel and Carrie both out on the beach."

It's chilly, but it's nothing like a late January is back home. It's cool enough to wear a sweater, but warm enough to sit on the patio and eat brunch.

As they leave, Corbin throws a piece of egg at Wren who dodges it effortlessly.

"What the hell?" Corbin growls.

"You started it," Wren points out, smiling mockingly.

Ray grins as he stands. "I think I'll join Melanie and the girls." He grabs

all four plates and carries them inside like a true gentleman.

Ash settles in next to Tag when he puts his arm around her. Bella just

grins, loving the drama fest I've brought her to.

"Britt," Dane growls.

"I'm still a virgin," she says, eating her food like nothing is going on. Rain bursts out laughing, and Dane rolls his eyes at her. Tria and Kode

have no idea anything is going on, because Kode's lips are on her neck, and she's oblivious to the world around her as she curls against his side.

"Someone change the subject," Dane grumbles.

"This French toast is the most awesome thing I've ever eaten," Bella says, supplying the requested subject change. "What do you do different than

me?"

Ash grins over at her, and with a straight, honest face, she says, "Most

people use milk, eggs, and cinnamon. I use everything except for regular milk. I use breastmilk instead."

My stomach lurches, and Bella drops her fork back to clatter on her plate at the same time I do. Bile rises to my throat as Wren's fork pauses inches from his lips, but he waits a beat and then pops the bite into his mouth.

What the hell?

Every guy at the table, except for Wren and Tag, start gagging. Tag continues eating as though she hasn't just destroyed everyone's appetite.

Even Kode starts gagging, and he runs off the patio, heading for the beach to probably hurl. Rye follows, leaping over the last few steps that carry him down, and makes it five more feet before I have to turn away from the retching.

In seconds, the table has mostly been vacated except for the girls, Tag, and Wren.

"Why'd you that?" Tag asks Ash, pulling her onto his lap after she stands up and laughs.

"It wasn't my idea."

My stomach is still churning, but Wren seems to eat as though nothing is wrong. He's a sicko. I've finally found a flaw.

"Don't worry," Britt says, her eyes scanning my face. "If that's worry you're exhibiting, I mean. Ash doesn't lactate and never breastfed Trip due to a biological chemical imbalance that made her milk undrinkable. And she won't start lactating again until her child is born, unless my data is incorrect. I realize there are exceptions to almost every rule. But in this case, it was apparently a lie to leave the men in a state of disgust."

"What?" Bella croaks, spitting something into a napkin.

Ash bursts out laughing harder right along with Brin. "Sorry I couldn't warn you," Ash tells Bella and me. "There wasn't time."

We were alone with her in the kitchen. There was time, damn it!

My eyes flick to Bella, and realization dawns when I see Ash casually glance her way. Ahh. Ash is pregnant and not acting jealous of a woman who has slept with her husband. But this was sort of a genius way to be mean without actually being mean. I can't say I would have been able to pass up the opportunity if I had been in Ash's shoes.

Rain is grinning, apparently having been in on the joke. I wish I hadn't

been collateral damage.

This is the last time I bring Bella with me to Tag's house. At least until

Ash isn't pregnant anymore.

"I owed Rye big time," Brin announces. "The rest of the guys were just a

bonus."

"You knew that? How?" Bella asks Wren as he swallows down another

bite. I'll never eat French toast again, but I am interested in his answer.

"I stayed with them some when Trip was still a baby. There was... stuff going on, and they needed help. I made several bottles for Trip, and none of

them were made from breastmilk."

Wren smiles at me, but I can't seem to get my stomach to settle down. He

leans over and kisses the corner of my mouth, before pulling me out of my chair and tugging me into his lap. Everyone grows silent when they return, all eyes on us as I get comfortable.

Angel is too far away to see us, so I'm not worried.

"You lied?" Rye demands questioningly. "For her?"

He points to Brin, and Ash laughs harder as Brin beams up at him with

the fakest innocent smile I've ever seen.

"That's for turning my feet black," she says so casually.

Immediately, I bend over, looking under the table, and Wren grunts when

my ass digs into his very hard erection. I really wish I hadn't noticed that. Brin's wearing tennis shoes though, so my curiosity isn't sated when I lean back up. The guys all gulp down orange juice to rid their mouths of the

foul aftertaste they must be suffering.

"The doctor said it would fade within a week," Rye says with a shrug

when Brin scowls at him.

How do you turn someone's feet black for a week?

"Damn it, Ash," Kode groans, returning to Tria's side. "Now I need to

brush my teeth."

"You're just mad that you can't devour Tria in front of all of us with your

puke breath," Maverick says with a wicked tilt of his lips.

"Cut me some slack. I'm in a good mood. That dick Pete went crazy and

attacked a guard. After his psych evaluation is over, they're moving him to a maximum security prison in no more than three weeks, possibly as soon as one week. He'll be there with some of the most violent criminals. I doubt he'll ever make it out again to fuck with my girl."

Ah, Tria's crazy ex.

Tria rolls her eyes while moving back to her abandoned food. I can't eat.

"Sorry," Ash says sincerely to me, and I note with some amusement that she doesn't extend the same apology to Bella. "I didn't mean to ruin your appetite. I was planning to wait until everyone was done, but Bella sort of gave me the perfect opportunity."

Bella groans. "I'm never asking another question."

Ash quickly says, "For the record, the real secret is French vanilla coffee creamer instead of milk."

Bella mutters something about not needing the recipe anymore. I couldn't agree more.

ALLIE

"Run, you beautiful bastard! RUN!" Maverick yells, bouncing up and down as the dude in red runs down the field. I don't have a clue what's going on.

Wren shouts, getting just as excited, and I watch him. I can't help but be fascinated, considering he's sexy when he's intense. Melanie and Ray left with Carrie in tow. They were dropping her off at her grandmother's house— Rain's stepmother.

Bella took Angel home over an hour ago because football bores her. It usually bores me, too, but Wren is very fun to watch. We've been here all day, and the guys have been doing pre-game stuff they like to call tailgating. It's the ritziest version of tailgating that I've ever seen.

Tag tosses his hat down like he's pissed, since he's apparently cheering for the other team. And Wren tugs me to be on his lap before trailing a set of kisses from my ear to the bottom curve of my neck, moving the collar of my shirt away from my throat to give him more access.

The game has been on for what seems like forever, but every time Wren pulls me closer, I decide I might just start enjoying football. I relax against him as his arms come around my waist, and one of his hands slides down to my thigh.

"Damn, Wren. You're getting as bad as the rest of them," Maverick says just as Dane Sterling laughs.

Wren doesn't bother looking up. His lips continue to devour my neck,

kissing and nipping. I don't like how everyone is suddenly looking at us, and I shift uncomfortably on his lap before tugging my shirt back into place.

"Ignore them," Wren says, moving my collar back to the side.

"Yeah," Tag says, smiling salaciously with his pregnant wife in his lap, "ignore us. We're all just surprised to see Wren finally break."

I don't know what that means.

"Fuck off," Wren says to Tag, and everyone starts laughing.

"I need a drink. You?" I ask Wren, standing up to escape the scrutiny of

everyone's looks.

"I'll get one in a minute," he says, glaring at Tag for reasons

unbeknownst to me.

I head out, and run all over Dale Sterling when I reach the kitchen. I step

on his foot, and the shoe sinks, allowing my foot to dig into his.

"Sorry," I say quickly as he staggers backwards. He laughs while righting

himself.

"No problem."

"Your foot. I had to have hurt it."

His smile vanishes. "Not possible. Don't worry."

"It has to be possible. I felt the shoe push down hard. Let me look at it. I

could have broken your toe or something."

He studies me for a minute, hesitance clearly in his eyes.

"You're a nurse, so this probably won't freak you out like most chicks,"

he says with a shrug. He pulls up his jean leg, and my breath catches in my throat when I realize his left leg is prosthetic.

"Sorry. Did I freak you out?" he asks, wincing while dropping his pant leg back down.

"No," I say quickly, too quickly. "It just surprised me. You don't have a limp."

He pockets one hand. "I have a lot of money. It affords me the best. Prosthetics have come a long way from when I was a kid."

So it happened when he was younger?

"I didn't know."

He grins while laughing. "I don't tell many people, and no one in our

group thinks about it anymore. It's just part of me. Women have an issue with it usually."

He shifts, looking self-conscious all of the sudden, and I feel like shit.

"I have no problem with it. Usually when I see someone who has one,

they're still learning, and there's a noticeable limp. Or else they have one that doesn't fit properly."

He smiles, and then he tugs his black shirt over his head. STERLING is tattooed vertically down his chest to his hip on his side, and I snap my eyes away from his muscled up physique. Why the hell is he pulling his shirt off? Did I send the wrong signal?

"I spilled my beer. I wasn't trying to spook you," he says, laughing. I realize I've taken several steps back without even noticing it.

Oh. I ran over him and made him spill his beer. I was only focused on the foot I thought I had just thoroughly smashed.

I relax, as he moves to the fridge to grab a fresh beer and dries his chest off with a towel.

"Am I interrupting?" Wren asks, his body pushing against mine from behind.

Yeah. He's jealous. And I'm smiling.

"Spilled my beer," Dale says without turning around as he twists the cap off the new beer. He grins as he finally faces Wren—who has possessively wrapped his arms around my middle, pulling me tighter against him.

"No worries, Wren. Corbin told me what you did to Billy. I don't want to get on your bad side," Dale says, laughing. He winks at me as he walks out, and Wren mutters something like damn Sterlings.

I turn in Wren's arms, cocking an eyebrow as a small smile plays on my lips.

"Did you just get jealous?" I ask teasingly.

His lips twitch, but he restrains his smile before lifting me up and putting me on the counter. He pushes my legs apart so that he can step in between them, and he tugs me until my center hits his. A small gasp leaves my lips, and he lets his thumbs graze the undersides of my breasts, stroking me through the bra.

"Yes, I did," he says honestly, brushing his lips against mine as his hands slide down my waist. When those daring hands go under my shirt, my breath ceases.

He keeps inching his hands up until he reaches my bra, and his thumbs slip under the material, stroking the bare flesh the way he was doing over my shirt seconds ago. A moan slips out unbidden, and Wren's lips slide down my neck.

"I'm not used to being jealous, Allie," he says against my neck. "I've

never been jealous before."

My stomach tightens, and for a brief, twisted second, I can't help but feel

a little special upon hearing that admission. His voice is quiet and a little deeper than usual as he continues speaking in between kissing and sucking my neck, and my fingernails dig into his shoulders as my legs clasp around his waist.

"What was Tag talking about? I mean about you breaking?" I whisper, trying to distract him from doing things with that damn tongue and those tormenting lips I love so much.

"He knew you'd break me. But you didn't just break me. You brought me to my knees." He pulls back, letting me see the intensity of his full gaze before continuing. "I don't fight. I don't get jealous. I got pissed at Billy for betraying me when he slept with Erica—the first time—but I didn't get jealous. So make me understand why I get jealous with you," he says, but his lips return to my neck, and his hands inch higher, moving under my bra so that his thumbs can tease my nipples.

My head falls back and my grip on him tightens—with my hands and legs. He leans forward, keeping a firm hold on me as he continues to devour my neck slowly.

"Why do I get jealous with you, Allie?" he asks again, as if I happen to have the answer. "How do you drive me so crazy that all I want to do is bury myself inside you for hours at a time, and hide you from the rest of the world so they can't see how fucking incredible you are?"

He really needs to stop talking. Shit. I'm making sounds. It's like my body responds to him without my permission, and it's enough to drive me crazy in a good and bad way. I'm falling more and more for him every day.

"You guys are getting as bad as Kode and Tria," Rain says, laughing much too close, and Wren immediately pushes my shirt down before tugging me flush against his chest.

My face is probably every shade of red there is, so I bury it in Wren's neck while wrapping my arms around him. I just want to get him home.

"Want to go to my place?" he whispers against my ear as Rain walks through to head to the fridge.

Grinning, I lean back and nod.

"Good. Those tight pants have been messing with my head all day. Let's go."

He pulls me off the counter while Rain snickers, and he starts calling out

goodbyes to the group.

"You're leaving?" Maverick asks in shock. "It's not even halftime yet!" "I've got it recording. I'll watch it later."

I duck my head when catcalls emerge, and Wren flips them off even as he

smiles. His arm comes around my shoulders, and I lean against him. I doubt I'll ever get enough of him. But I really hope he doesn't get bored with me. He might not have gotten jealous over Erica, but he did spend years with her for a reason.

There's only one reason I can think of. Chapter 29

ALLIE

"Where's Wren?" Bella asks as I nervously meet her in the kitchen.

I've been trying to ask her a question for two days, but I can't seem to bring myself to do it. Ever since the Super Bowl, I've been working hard to summon up the courage.

"He and Dane took Carrie and Angel to the batting cages after school today. They won't be back for another hour."

Her eyes find mine as she puts down her smoothie, and she studies me. "Uh-oh," she says, eyeing me curiously. "What's wrong?"

Now or never.

"Wren spent years with Erica, right? I mean, this thing between us is still

really new. What if he gets bored?"

Maybe that's enough for her to take the hint. She waves me off as though

I'm overanalyzing things, though, clearly not picking up on my subtlety. "Wren's crazy about you. Stop worrying and enjoy it. Or send him to me. I swear that guy gets hotter every time he comes over. I almost hate him every time he takes off his shirt. I mean, seriously, can't you make him keep

his shirt on?"

That's to taunt me into telling Angel about us. He keeps trying to tempt

me into losing control and touching him. He wants us to be able to cuddle on the sofa with her in our laps, as opposed to me working hard—very hard—to stay far away.

"Bella," I groan, feeling my face turn red, "I mean... bored. You know?" She studies me, and finally recognition sparks. "Ohh. Oh. I get it. So you

want to spice things up already? Bondage or something?"

My eyes widen, and my dream pops into my head. Quickly, I shake my

head. "No. I just... there are things I don't really know how to do. Christ, I sound like a virgin on prom night. I'm talking about... Well, you know how my dating life is. I date a guy for a few weeks, and if I find a sexual spark, we eventually sleep together—well, we have sex. Wren is sadly the first guy I've actually slept with."

She nods, already knowing that, so I continue, choking the words out.

"The longest I've dated anyone was Ted. It was a seven month relationship. And... I never really wanted to do that thing for him. I'd see him when I could, and he'd travel a lot. We said we were monogamous, but I didn't know if he was really keeping it in his pants when he was out of town, so I couldn't do that. I worried where that thing had been, and I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to do it with a condom on. That sounds gross."

Her eyebrows go up, confusion on her face. But then a slow smile spreads. "That thing? You mean a blowjob? No, condoms aren't used in blowjobs. I agree it would taste gross."

I almost feel relieved that I don't have to say it aloud. No, that does not make me immature, dammit. Just... awkward. Very awkward.

"Yes. That. I only had sex when there was an itch to scratch with the few others I dated. It's not like there was a whole lot of scratching going on other than those seven months. And obviously I didn't want to do that with any of the rest if I wouldn't do it with Ted. So... I don't know what the hell to do, and I don't want to look like an idiot."

She laughs, and I glare at her. She smothers it quickly while apologizing insincerely. My gaze turns expectant, and she gulps a sip of her smoothie down harshly.

"What? You want me to teach you or something?" she asks incredulously.

"I can't ask anyone else, Bella. You're just like the sister I should have had. Of course I'm asking you to teach me. You have more experience than I do."

She laughs again while putting her smoothie down.

"I think that's the nicest way anyone has ever called me a slut."

A grin breaks across my face. "I didn't call you a slut. You know that." "There's nothing wrong with being a slut. No slut bashing in this house,"

she playfully adds.

She grabs two bananas from the bar, and tosses me one. My eyebrows go up when I realize this is going to be a visual demonstration instead of a verbal how-to.

"Alright, it's simple. Take his pants off," she says, peeling the banana, and I roll my eyes.

"Seriously," she says, laughing again. She goes on, talking about what all you can do to tease him, and I listen with rapt attention. I feel like I should be taking notes.

Then she starts the visual demonstration, and I immediately start laughing.

"Stop," she says, pulling her mouth off the banana. "You're the one that wanted to learn. You can't laugh or I'll laugh. And if I laugh, I'll gag. If I choke on a banana while teaching you how to do this, I swear I'll hate you forever."

I laugh, of course, but I quickly get myself in check as she starts over, sucking the banana deep into her mouth.

How does she do that with it curved that way?

That's when things go bad. Angel's voice is suddenly in the room. "Can I have a banana, too?" she asks.

Mortified, Bella and I both turn to see Wren has pulled his shirt up to cover his face, revealing his stomach, as his body shakes with silent laughter. He and Angel are standing just a few feet away—at the edge of the kitchen. I never heard them come in.

Bella chokes and gags, chomping the banana in half by accident, and then she starts strangling for air when it gets caught in her throat.

Immediately, the stool I'm on falls to the floor when I rush around to throw my arms around her waist and give her the Heimlich. It takes two pulls, but the banana shoots out of her mouth like a torpedo, splattering against the cabinets.

Bella doubles over, heaving for air as she coughs, and clings to the edge of the counter. My face and ears actually burn. I've never been so embarrassed in all my life, and I'm not even the one who was caught giving a banana a blowjob.

It takes a lot of effort, but I look back. Angel is peeling the banana I abandoned on the bar, and Wren's shirt has dropped back into place as he strains to keep his laughter suppressed. But his body is still shaking, showing proof of the internal riot going on inside him.

"Bells!" Bella says around a strangled cough. "He needs bells! This can't keep happening!"

She storms out of the kitchen and slams the door to her room, and Wren loses it, laughing so hard that he can't catch his breath. I laugh lightly, but I worry about how much he heard. I really don't want him knowing I asked her for a tutorial.

He clutches his side when it starts hurting.

"Aunt Bella needs to learn how to chew her food better," Angel says innocently around a mouthful of banana, and Wren's laughter comes out that much harder.

WREN

Allie is so red that I'm worried her skin is going to catch on fire. I've never seen anyone get so embarrassed. Blowjob lessons in the kitchen? I've never stumbled across anything like this before.

Why in the hell is she getting lessons? Unless... Nah. She's twenty-five. Surely she has done it before. Even though she hasn't on me. Yet.

"I hate you, Wren," Bella yells from her room, but I can't stop laughing.

I would stop if I could because it has gotten painful. My side is fucking killing me. Angel finishes up her banana as my laughter tapers off. Allie is still frozen to her spot, her eyes finding everything except me.

"I'm going to go play my new game," Angel announces, grabbing her new iPad from the counter.

I smile and ruffle her hair as she skips toward her room. As soon as her door closes, I get a little excited. Allie is all mine now.

Allie tosses the banana peel into the trashcan before starting the cleanup process on the cabinets, and I go to move in behind her, sliding my arms around her waist.

"I didn't mean to interrupt," I tease, and she stiffens against me. "Want to go show me what you learned?"

She groans, and my laughter comes out again as she scrubs the cabinet door much harder than necessary.

"You weren't supposed to be here for another hour."

"The cage got crowded with a bunch of high school boys. We didn't want

the girls to get hurt, so we packed up early. Best. Decision. Ever."

She laughs this time, and bows her head. I lean over and kiss her neck, but suddenly a sharp pain comes to my side just as I hear a smack. I turn around to see Bella has just slapped my side, but she's bouncing around and

clutching her hand.

"Damn it. What are you? Steel or something?" she gripes.

I arch an eyebrow as she shakes her wounded hand. "You realize you're

the one who hit me, right?" I ask the glaring girl.

"You realize that you need bells, right?"

"Mad because I know you're a spitter? That's not what I want you

teaching my girlfriend," I say, snickering lightly when they both groan. "Ass," Bella gripes while walking away, but she can't stop the chuckle

that slips free.

"It's always entertaining here," I say as Allie turns around in my arms.

"I'm just glad you weren't practicing on Bob. I was hoping he might be retired since I work really damn hard to keep you sated."

Her eyes widen, and I nod slowly, waiting on her to process.

"How do you—"

"Angel brought it up on our first daddy-daughter date. She said you had a

secret boyfriend named Bob. I thought I was going to need the Heimlich in the middle of the restaurant."

She covers her face before burying her head against my chest, and I laugh again while holding her to me. It's always so natural to touch her, and miserable when I can't.

"Balls," she grumbles.

"It has balls?" I joke, snickering when she pinches my chest.

"Not funny," she mutters.

"So? Where is Bob these days?" I prompt, grinning when she laughs in

defeat.

"Bob has been retired. You make Bob look pathetic."

I smile harder while pushing her back against the counter, tilting her head

up so that I can get at those lips. "Good to hear. I'd rather not have to be jealous of an inanimate object."

That's when her eyebrow goes up in challenge. "Oh, Bob is very animated."

I laugh as she rolls her eyes, and drag her to the living room just as Bella returns, a smoothie in her hand. Angel walks out, her face focused on her

screen, and she climbs up in my lap the second I sit down on the sofa.

Allie smiles over at us as she flips on the TV and starts talking about cooking dinner. I just relax and let Angel get comfortable on me, wishing

Allie would admit this thing between us isn't going to cool off.

We're at two very different places. I want her and Angel to move in with

me, and she's still wanting to hide us.

My phone rings, and I glance at the unknown number. Probably another

reporter. That's one more thing for me to take care of. Soon. *

WREN

All throughout dinner, Allie is massaging her temples, her food barely touched. Angel gets up and goes to her room to put on her pajamas, as Bella talks to me and goes to grab something from the cabinet.

"You okay?" I ask Allie, since Angel is finally out of earshot. I didn't want to ask with her in here and get her worried about her mom.

"Just a headache."

Bella snorts while bringing a bottle of pills to the table, handing them to Allie.

"That's a universal woman code for you're not getting any tonight. Serves you right after showing up early today."

I half smile, but I'm more worried about Allie. She looks like she's in a lot of pain.

"Take the pills," Bella sighs.

"You know what they do to me."

I perk up immediately. What do they do to her? Am I really so juvenile as

to hope they make her horn—

"I'll take care of Angel," Bella says, interrupting my thoughts. "Take

them before it gets worse."

Allie scowls at her, and her gaze flicks to me.

"What do they do to you?" I ask, now feeling like an ass for what I was

thinking.

"I crash and burn any time I take any sort of painkiller—no matter how

mild. Headache medicine knocks me out almost instantly. I'll be fine. I hate feeling that out of it."

"Take the damn pills before it gets worse. You have to be able to work tomorrow," Bella continues. "I'll get Angel showered and ready for bed. Wren and she already did her homework. Take them. It's not far from her bedtime anyhow."

She sighs while looking up at me. "Sorry. I really do need to take them." Why is she apologizing?

"Take them. I'll go lie down with you. It won't hurt me to turn in early." Her eyes soften, and a small grin tugs at the corners of her mouth. "If I

take these, you really won't be able to do anything with me but sleep."

I really feel like a dick.

"Take the pills, Allie. I can live without sex. I'd rather curl up with you

and go to sleep."

It sucks that she apparently thinks sex is all I want. I don't come over just

for sex, damn it.

She smiles while popping the pills, and Bella takes the bottle to go put it

back on the top shelf of the high cabinet—far out of reach from Angel. The second she swallows them and a sip of her water, I go to scoop her up, cradling her to me.

"I want one," Bella says, sighing and feigning a dreamy expression as Allie laughs lightly.

"Can't have mine," Allie says, and Bella chuckles at my back while I carry Allie to her bed. "Kiss Angel goodnight for me."

"I will."

I kick the door closed behind me, putting Allie down on her side of the bed. I'll go kiss Angel goodnight before I fall asleep, and I'll pretend to leave and sneak back in through the window—the usual routine.

Allie is wearing her T-shirt and a pair of pajama shorts already, so at least she doesn't have to change. I lie on the bed, and Allie snuggles up to me.

"Take your shirt off. I want to feel your skin," she says softly, already seeming to be a little sleepy.

I tug my shirt over my head, lifting up just enough to do so, and she immediately curls against me once more. She breathes me in as I kiss the top of her head, and I hold her just like that.

It's peaceful, and it's more natural than anything in my life. Allie Thrash is it for me. I finally understand why guys go so bat-shit crazy over the women they love.

Chapter 30

WREN

"Daddy, what are you doing here?" Angel asks as she climbs in bed beside me.

My eyes fling open wide, seeing the bright alarm clock next to the bed. Shit. I never even kissed her goodnight, and now it's two in the morning. And... fuuuuuck.

Angel's face is hovering above me, and she pokes a small finger into my chest, as though she's prompting me to answer.

"I...uh... um... I..."

My stammering tapers off as I look over to see Allie still curled against me, sleeping right through Angel's words. She said that shit would knock her out, and she was not kidding.

"Are you and Mommy sharing a bed now? Because it'd be easier if you just lived here instead of driving all the time. Aunt Bella says that sharing is caring."

I almost laugh, but I swallow down the urge.

"Why are you in here?" I ask instead of answering any questions.

"Aunt Bella said Mommy was sick and went to bed early. I had a

nightmare. I thought I'd come sleep with her and we'd make each other better. Did you stay to make her better?"

Sure. I can work with that.

"I stayed because I was worried about her. Here, curl up against me. I'll make you both feel better. I'll scare away your nightmares and help Mommy's headache go away."

She grins like I'm the greatest person in the world, and she tucks herself against me just like Allie. With Allie on one side and Angel on the other, I close my eyes and decide to deal with the fallout tomorrow.

Allie is going to be so pissed.

"I love you, Daddy," Angel whispers softly before yawning.

My heart clenches in my chest, and I try to slow down my breathing.

"I love you, too, Angel."

She grins against me, as her little hands grip me tighter, and I drift off

into the most peaceful sleep I've ever had.

WREN

I slowly crawl out of bed, squeezing out from between Allie and Angel. I've heard my phone vibrating like crazy for the last forty minutes. It's not even five in the morning yet. But Allie will be getting up soon.

Angel stirs just barely before sliding over next to Allie, but she does it in her sleep as though she's searching out a touch. I grin over at the two of them, and my chest tightens. Fucking perfect.

My eyes fall back down to my phone that is lying haphazardly on the floor. I must have knocked it off the nightstand at some point. It starts buzzing again, and I see Rye's name on the screen. What the hell is he doing calling this early?

Damn prank war.

I sneak out of the bedroom, closing the door behind me. Bella is wide awake in the living room, and she jumps when she sees me as though I just scared the shit out of her.

"What are you doing up so early?" she asks.

"Me? What are you doing up?"

She takes a bite of her cereal before saying, "I don't sleep much. What's

up?"

My phone buzzes again, and I answer. "What the hell are you calling me

so—"

"Big problem, Wren. Your shit has blown the fuck up, and Allie's name

is getting crushed right now. The paper came out this morning. And she didn't just make the gossip column, she's on the front page. It's bad, dude. Brin had to get up early, and she woke me up when she saw the newsfeed on her phone."

Shit. Shit. Shit. How bad can it be? I fucked her over, not the other way around.

"What's wrong?" Bella asks.

I pull on my shoes, not bothering to answer. My shirt is still in Allie's room, but I don't want to risk waking them up to retrieve it.

"Do me a favor," I tell Bella, balancing the phone between my ear and shoulder while continuing to pull on my shoes. "Tell Allie I'll see her later. I

have to take care of something urgent. And tell her not to worry."

Rye starts talking in my ear. "Tell her not to go to work."

That has me freezing. "What? It's that bad?"

"Wren, to paraphrase it, they're saying she's a gold-digging slut that

broke up your marriage. They're also saying that you never had a paternity test, and that Allie is playing you, letting you get close to Angel so that you don't want a test to be done. And that's the nicer stuff. They interviewed her foster parents. Those are some cold as fuck people."

"Fuck," I growl, grabbing my keys from the table beside the door. "I'm leaving now. I'll call the editor."

The door shuts on whatever Bella is saying, and I run to my car. My temper boils as I toss the car in reverse and rev out of the driveway.

"They can't print this shit and get away with it. It's slander. I'll fucking bury that paper," I tell Rye while driving toward my house to grab some clothes and make some calls. I'll have this sorted before Allie even gets ready. I'll demand they retract the story.

"They have two sources, Wren. They say one is from inside the family. With two trusted sources, they can and will publish it. But you can still fuck them up. You're a Prize, after all. A few phone calls will squash it. But they're going to need to print a new story to kill the buzz this has created already. People are hitting up social network boards like crazy, and Allie is essentially getting a scarlet letter tattoo in their eyes."

Damn it.

"I'll give them a fucking story. Billy and Erica—that's their two sources. They'll fucking regret this shit."

"Where are you going?" he asks, but I've already veered from the path I was on. Billy's will be my first stop.

"I'll call you back."

"Don't do it, Wren. You'll kill him. You're too pissed right now, and Billy can't fight a goldfish. He has no idea how to throw a punch."

I turn again, taking Billy's road that isn't too far from Rye's subdivision. "He'd better learn fast."

I hang up before he can argue, and I squeal to a halt in front of Billy's

house. I don't even bother knocking since I know all his codes to all his houses. I key in the entry number, and the door swings open, slamming hard against the wall. It takes even less time to disarm the alarm.

The door must have woken him up, because my brother staggers into the

room in nothing but his boxers.

"The fuck, Wren?"

His face appears to be healed. Good. It makes this a hell of a lot easier to

do, since he looks like he can take a punch.

I slam my fist into his face before he can process what's going on, and he

staggers backwards as blood spews from his already broken nose.

"You stupid son of a bitch! What the fuck?!"

He puts the sofa between us, and I leap over it, going after him again. "Damn it, Wren," he says while running through his house, trying to put

rooms between us, but none of them have doors. I bet he regrets that decision now. "Tell me what the fuck is going on! I haven't seen or spoken to Allie."

My fists clench as I stalk through the house, hunting him as he heads toward the back sunroom.

"No, you just send in the fucking vultures! What the hell were you thinking? Is it that important for you to lash out at me? Come after me, you stupid bastard. Not her!"

He looks genuinely confused, and that's the only thing that stops me from lunging at him when he finally runs out of room to run.

"I have no fucking idea what you're talking about, Wren. What vultures?"

Billy is a lot of things, but he's not a good liar. In fact, he sucks at it. He looks genuinely confused and frustrated right now, which makes me slow down and question things.

"The paper has two sources about Allie, and they made up a bunch of lies. One is from within the family. You're the only one who would lash out, Billy. It's always you trying to hurt me."

His eyes widen. "Yeah. I want to hurt you, fucker, not Allie. I wouldn't go after her. If I wanted to give them a story, I'd give them your story. I've ignored their phone calls because I didn't want your big jerk moment to get printed. Angel would have seen it, and people would have been hounding Allie for a comment. It would have hurt both of them. Believe or not, I really don't want my niece getting hurt. I'd actually like to get to know her, but I've been letting shit cool down between us since our last run-in. I didn't even go to Aspen because I didn't want her to see me with a busted up face and have to tell her why I looked like I did."

I take a step back, trying to digest his words. Billy does hate me. He does try to ruin me. The only reason I believe him right now is because this story was more focused toward Allie—not me, according to Rye.

"Who the fuck else would be in our family that would do this?" I ask, more to myself than him.

But it hits us both at the same exact time, and in unison we both growl, "Keith."

"He's pissed at you for divorcing Erica because he thinks she's perfect," Billy says, and I drop my head back.

"He made a snide remark about Allie in Aspen. I almost decked him. If Erica just flirted with him, he'd do this for her."

Billy nods, as though he agrees. Unbelievable. We finally agree on something.

"I'll go track down Keith," he says, his nose still pouring blood, and I wince. I actually feel bad about that now. I also feel very, very queasy now that my adrenaline is slowing down. Blood... so much blood.

I turn, unable to hold back, and I retch what little bit of food my stomach hasn't digested—right on Billy's hardwood floors.

"Damn it," he hisses, gagging as he runs away. I can't stand blood and he can't stand vomit.

Weak stomachs must be hereditary.

After I get myself and the floor cleaned up, I walk back toward the door. "Maybe I should track down Erica, and you take on Keith," Billy says,

tissues hanging out of his nose to stop the blood from coming out. He also has on clothes now.

He looks ridiculous, but at least I can't see blood anymore.

"I'm not going to hit her. What I plan to do might take a day or two to accomplish. Hopefully not that long. But when I'm finished, she's going to wish that I'd hit her. Find Keith. Shut him up. And don't let him warn her."

His eyebrows go up. "What am I supposed to do? Kidnap him?"

I weigh my options. Kidnapping would definitely be good. Especially if he was scared shitless and pissed himself... "No. Don't do that. Don't even let him know that he's been figured out. Just keep an eye on him. I need to contact the paper and get that shit down."

"Don't kill anyone," he says, half-laughing, but I swear there's a hint of concern in there.

"After the slander suit I slap them with, they'll be forced to shut down or sell out. I feel like going into the paper business."

He smirks, and I walk away. I've never been known to be ruthless, but right now I feel about as cutthroat as someone can get.

Chapter 31

ALLIE

"So he didn't say where he was going or what he was doing?" I ask Bella as we clock in at work.

She shakes her head. "No clue, but he was on the phone and he seemed pissed. What'd Angel say about him being in your bed? I didn't know she was in there when he left."

So much for keeping our relationship a secret from her. The cat is out of the bag now, and I had one seriously confused six-year-old this morning. I decided to break down and tell her the truth—that Wren and I are together, in a relationship, even said boyfriend and girlfriend, even though it sounds so innocent to use those terms.

I really hope this doesn't all blow up in my face, because I've never seen her so excited. She's ready to move us all into his big house because it has a swimming pool. And she's happy that he's going to be around all the time.

I knew she'd expect a lot if she found out. Her heart could end up in a blender if this goes wrong. I'll hate myself and him if she gets hurt.

"I don't want to talk about it right now. Let's just say he'd better not let her down. I won't forgive him if he does."

She nods in understanding. "Just remember that it takes two to make it work or fall apart. Don't be the one to ruin it because you're too scared. Stop holding back."

I snort, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. "I'm not holding back."

"Pretty sure you are. You always do. You give him more than I've ever seen you give someone else, but you keep your guards up at all time, as though you're waiting on a bomb to go off and this to suddenly end. Stop worrying."

She doesn't get it. "You're one to talk. You're currently dating guys that you have zero interest in just to try and change yourself. Who's fighting themselves here?"

She rolls her eyes. "I'm breaking bad habits. Wren isn't a bad habit for you. You have no idea how much I envy you right now. It's a damn good thing I love you so much, because I'd be all over him and trying to steal him

away otherwise."

I laugh, and she nudges me with her shoulder, grinning. She can tease all

she wants, but she'd never touch Wren even if he was single. He's Angel's father. That marks him off-limits, and no one is more loyal than she is.

"Allie!" Jillian calls, running toward me. She's a scrub tech like me, but we never really talk.

"Yeah?" I ask, confused as to why she's literally running and out of breath.

She stops in front of me, trying to catch her breath. "I didn't think you'd be here. Why didn't you say Wren Prize was your daughter's father? And what the hell are you doing? He's an amazing guy! How can you be so vindictive as to keep his child away?!"

What the—

"Back the fuck up!" Bella barks at her. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about."

Jillian scowls at her. "Wren Prize has donated money to this hospital, paying for surgeries for children whose parents couldn't afford it. He has been a part of so many charities that I can't even count. He's not someone you try and take advantage of." Her eyes cut back toward me. "Shame on you!"

Shame on me? What is this—fifth grade?

"I haven't ever taken advantage of Wren," I say, more confused than offended. I think I'm more shocked than anything at all.

"I hope he takes custody of your little girl, because you sure as hell don't deserve to be a moth—"

Her words are cut off, and my hand is falling down before I even realize what I've done. I just slapped her. Holy shit.

My hand burns from where my palm connected with her cheek, and her wide, furious eyes meet mine as she holds the affected area with her hand.

"Slut!"

Bella bursts out laughing. "That insult would be more suited for me than her. Damn, Jill, red's a good color on you. Need a matching hue for the other cheek? I'll help you out."

She stumbles backwards, probably afraid Bella really is about to slap her. Bella wouldn't slap—she'd punch. I'm wishing I'd punched her right now.

"What the hell was that about?" Bella asks as Jill storms off, spewing more immature insults over her shoulder. I've landed back in elementary

school.

"Hell if I know," I grumble, wincing when my hand throbs. I might not

have punched her, but I sure as hell slapped the fuck out of her. My hand looks blistered.

"Allie!"

I look up to see Lisa, my boss, has just called my name. My body tenses when I see the fury in her face. I'm pretty sure they don't allow employees to just go around hitting each other.

"Yes, Lisa?"

"Human Resources would like a word with you." Fuck.

ALLIE

WREN PRIZE CONNED By Hershel Monstrel

Everyone knows the golden boy we call Wren Prize. He's a pillar of the community, has a heart of gold, and always looks out for the little man. But who looks out for him? Apparently the answer to that is no one.

It's painful to write this story, to know how easy it is for someone as loving, kind, and gentle as Prize is to be conned. But according to various sources, it appears that the richer you are, the bigger target you become.

Seven years ago, Wren Prize was vacationing in Cancun, letting off steam like young men do, when he was approached by a woman who took advantage of him in his drunken state. Prize was seduced, led to a bed, and then allowed to leave. However, he never saw the girl again.

Most people would speculate that the girl just wanted a good time. Prize assumed the same thing—until she showed up seven years later with a daughter, claiming it was his.

She moved to Sterling Shore and stalked him for a while—months, actually, according to sources. She finally approached him in a supermarket where she told him that he had a daughter. That's when it all began—seven months ago.

He was married at the time, and everyone knew they had been together

for ages. Their wedding was a love story of its own, and everyone flocked to witness it. But Allie Thrash showed up and turned his life upside down.

Her claim was that she couldn't remember his last name, yet she happened to stumble upon a news article that held a picture of him. She happened to know someone in town to move in with. And she happened to bump into him at the supermarket that day. I've never heard such lunacy, and sadly, Thrash has actually managed to interject herself into Prize's life using this tale.

"Wren was always happy with me. We've always loved each other. Everyone knows how long we were together. It's heartbreaking to see him falling apart the way he is," Erica Prize stated in an interview. "I refuse to change my name. I love him, and I'm not done holding out hope that he'll find a way out of this mess. He'd be there for me if the tables were turned. I'm just hoping we can get it sorted out soon. He misses me so much, and if we could be together, we would. You're right to refer to our love as a fairytale, because that's how it's always felt."

In order for Prize to be a part of his daughter's life, he had to give up Erica. According to the family source, Thrash is very jealous and doesn't want other women around her daughter. She only offered him hours at a time to visit his alleged daughter, and Prize was afraid to spook her into running away with the little girl, so he complied.

No paternity tests were allowed. Prize had to take her word that the young child was his. And according to our source, everyone in his family has warned him that she's conning him. The child might not even be his. But Prize refuses to hear reason.

"To be fair, he always wanted to be a father. I just wasn't ready," Erica told us. "I wanted to wait until we'd been married for a few years. I think she waited for this moment, this opportunity, and now he's been targeted."

Like so many people today, Thrash was a ward of the state. Her foster parents informed us that they asked her to move out when they lost control of her. She was six months pregnant before she confessed it to them, and when asked what the father's name was, she claimed to not know. Yet she managed to find him all these years later.

Her foster mother—who wishes to keep her name private—said Thrash has always been quiet and calculating. They had hoped she would turn out better than some of the children who have crossed their threshold, but alas, they feel as though she has just resorted to conning wealthy men.

Afraid that this article might prompt Thrash to run and take off with Prize's alleged daughter, we posted a picture of Thrash. It was recently taken at the Prize home during the Sterling Shore Christmas party after an altercation with Wren's ex-wife.

Erica Prize assures us Wren Prize is handling the situation with the grace of a saint and the heart of a prince.

My tears continue to drip as I read the article for the hundredth time. I can't believe this. I never... How can anyone write these lies and get away with it?

"Fuck them all," Bella says while putting a cup of coffee in front of me. "Angel is with Melanie, isn't she?" I ask.

I had to pull my daughter out of school today to let her escape this, but I

was afraid of the scene that might ensue if I had showed up. Melanie was irate when she heard about the article. But I was too numb to process anything.

"Yes. She just called to check on you. Angel hasn't heard anything from the other kids or the teachers. That private school is used to dealing with bullshit rumors that explode like this in the media. Thank God Wren changed her school."

Wren. I can't even... I don't think... There are no words. He's called at least thirty times, but I can't answer my phone.

"How long did Tria say we could crash here?" Bella asks.

Tria's house is massive, and she doesn't use it since she lives with Kode. I don't know why she doesn't just sell it, but I'm thankful she called and told me to crash here until this dies down.

"She said indefinitely, and she's not telling anyone I'm here, not even Kode. But I don't think I can even stay in Sterling Shore. People are verbally attacking me around every corner. My heart is still in my throat like I'm waiting on a physical assault. I don't think Angel is safe with me right now, because they posted my picture, Bella. They might attack me if they see her in the car with me out of fear I'm running away with her."

She rubs my arm soothingly as she sits down next to me.

"It'll be okay, Allie. Wren was furious this morning; now we know why. He's going to handle this. I feel sorry for the dick who published this and even sorrier for the asshole who wrote it. Just let him handle it, and when it all dies down, we'll resume life."

I laugh bitterly. "In case you've forgotten, I got fired for hitting Jillian. Then you got fired for going crazy on the human resources department. We had security escorts to our cars. Life won't resume. I'm finished here. You still have a shot at finding a private practice, as long as you let Wren use his pull. Not me. I'm done. I can't stay in a town that will possibly ruin my daughter toward me. Wren and I will just have to work out a schedule so that he gets to see her as much as possible no matter where she and I go."

My tears leak a little harder, and I curse while roughly wiping them away. I really hate crying, but my heart and mind are both breaking right now.

"Allie, don't ruin this thing with you and Wren over Erica's fucked up mouth and Billy's eagerness to get at his brother. You know that's got to be the family informant. Everyone loves you."

I shake my head, curling my knees to my chest. Fired, flogged, and crushed all in one day. Normally I'm not into pity parties, but right now, I'm having one. I don't know anyone who wouldn't be.

"I can live with what people say about me, but I don't want Angel exposed to that, Bella. Wren and I can't work. People will always have something to say now. They'll provoke him. He'll end up in a fight, and it could ruin him the way it has ruined me. I won't be the reason for his destruction. I love him. And you always do what's best for the person you love, right?"

She groans while dropping her head. "This is so fucked up. But I think the right thing to do is give him a chance to fix this. He should have done an interview immediately to squash this possibility instead of trying to find a way to keep his image intact."

My skin prickles upon hearing that. "What?"

Her eyes widen fractionally, but she looks about as defeated as I feel.

"I talked to Brin earlier, and she said Wren was trying to find a way to

deal with the reporters without giving them all the sordid details because of how it might impact his business. He has an image to uphold, and he has a lot of people working for him that depend on that image. She believes that it wouldn't have affected his business, Rye seems to think otherwise. But in the end, he should have gotten off his ass and done something sooner. That said, it doesn't mean you need to give up what the two of you have. It's rare, Allie. Very rare. You know that."

He never told me they were hounding him that bad. He could have at least warned me this morning before running out and leaving me to fend for

myself against the wolves.

"He tried calling, you know? Me, I mean. Brin said he's called her a

hundred times to see if I've spoken to her or if you have. He's been to the house. He's been to the hospital—which he caused a major scene at, by the way. I don't have the details, but from what I hear, it was pretty bad. Corbin's father owns that place, and I heard he was calling him as he was leaving. It's bad, Allie. I think he needs to talk to you."

I groan while rubbing my hands over my face.

"He'll find out Angel's at his mom's soon enough," she goes on. "And he'll start stalking her house to find you if you don't call him. Would you rather that happen?"

I sniffle, wiping away my tears. Stupid damn tears.

"No," I admit. "Fine. I'll call him. I do want to be with him, but everything is chaos right now. But maybe we can figure it out... unless..."

My voice trails off, and Bella narrows her eyes at me. "Unless what?"

"Do you think he's really still in love with Erica? They do have a lot of history. I know he told me he never loved her, but that can't be true, can it?"

She rolls her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Allie. Wren doesn't love her. He's not staying with you out of fear of losing his daughter. That entire article was false. They were divorced before he knew about you. Seven months? It hasn't been seven damn months; you haven't even been in town that long. They were divorced before you even ran into him. It's utter and complete bullshit mixed with enough truth to make it believable."

Doubt nags me—doubt that wasn't there before. Wren and Erica had something in order for him to stay that long. Years—that's a long time. Marriage, that's a big deal. What if I'm keeping him from what he wants out of obligation?

And was his image more important than me? He really should have talked to the reporters if I was more important.

I knew it was too good to be true. I've never been one to hope for anything the way I hoped for Wren. I should have known better. The first thing you learn when you're put into the foster system—don't get attached to anything you don't know for sure that you can keep. People always come and go.

Chapter 32

WREN

"Calm the fuck down!" Tag barks, dodging the chair that breaks and scatters into pieces after I throw it.

"She's running! I can't fucking blame her. This is my fault. I thought I could have the shit taken down before she went into work. I had no idea how many social networks it had bled into. They fired her, Tag. She hit a woman. Allie doesn't do that. That means she was attacked no matter what those sons of bitches say. And they fired Bella. She has nothing keeping her here."

My chest heaves, and I'm standing in a room full of destruction made by my hands.

"She has you. And she has Angel. Angel won't want to leave."

My chest caves in on itself. What if I lose them both? Angel will hate me if her mother is hurt. She's probably already hating me.

"Give her a second, Wren. It's fresh. Let her digest it. We'll find her. I doubt she's driving around town, considering everyone is fucking crazy right now. That asshole needs to be shot."

I snort. "I wanted to kill him, but Rye held me back. Billy must have called him to tell him where I was going. Did you read that shit? I thought it was bad when Rye was summarizing it. When I actually read it... I swear I thought I was going to kill him. But he's gone. He's nothing and no one now. They fired him and the chief editor who ran the story without evidence. A scorned ex and a never-included cousin don't count as reliable sources.

"The entire paper is freaking out—and they should be. They're printing a retraction story, but it's not good enough. They've pulled it off the blogs, their website, and their social media sites, but that story has been shared so many times by individuals that it's out there for good."

I drop to the sofa, and he relaxes while sitting down beside me.

"We'll get this worked out. You're meeting Erica tomorrow, right? My assistant is going to be there with the camera. This shit will trump that story by far. Allie will be the victim instead of the villain. Just calm down."

I nod slowly, trying to catch my breath. Where is she? Not at a hotel. I've checked. Not at any of my friends' houses. I've checked. I drove door-to- door. Nothing.

My phone rings, and I almost drop it in my haste to answer. My heart thuds when I see Allie's name flash across the screen.

"Allie," I say softly, trying to calm down so I don't freak her out, "where are you? I've been looking—"

"I was afraid to be at the house. Bella doesn't think anyone knows where we live, but I know my address is in records. After all, that's how Roger found me. But I'm safe. And I'm still in Sterling Shore. Angel is with your mother if you want to go see her."

I clutch the phone, biting my knuckle on my other hand to keep myself from exploding.

"I want to see both of you. But right now, it's more important that I see you. Please. I can tell you've been crying. Let me come to you."

She sniffles, and my chest tightens harder.

"You can't. Wren, I... I was stupid to think this would be okay. I guess I wanted to live the fairytale while it lasted. But we... I think it's best if we let things cool down for a while. Maybe revisit this later and see how we feel."

Cold. Detached. She doesn't sound like herself at all.

"Allie, what are you doing? This is ridiculous. I know I should have stopped this before it started, but I never fucking thought they'd print that complete made-up garbage. Let me come to you. I'll fix this. I swear I've got something in the works. Tomorrow—"

"You kept taking Erica back," she says suddenly, confusing the shit out of me.

"And? I told you it was stupid and shallow of me."

She sighs long and hard, drawing in a breath as though she's steeling her resolve.

"You and I have a daughter. It was risky for us to jump into such a serious relationship so soon. I... I've never done this. And I don't trust many people, yet I trusted you."

"But you don't trust me now?"

She laughs under her breath. "I trust you, Wren. I really do. But I think you're as confused as I am about us. I know what I want, but I don't... I don't know. This is a mess, isn't it? I'm public enemy number one, and you're the golden boy of Sterling Shore."

The brokenness of her tone tears at me. Allie has felt dejected her entire life, and now the entire town is making her feel like the unwanted pest she's always felt like. I want to fucking punch someone.

"Allie, let me come to you. I'm seriously not above begging. I'm close to tearing the city apart to look for you. Save me some trouble."

She blows out a breath, and I hear Bella muttering something in the background. Please let her be on my side.

"I'll call you tomorrow. We'll talk about it then."

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

"Then stay on the phone with me until then," I say, not giving a damn

about how pathetic I sound.

I almost feel her smile, and that gives me a little hope.

"Tomorrow, Wren. We'll talk then, and there will be a lot of questions I

need answered. And then we'll figure out where we're going."

My entire body relaxes. "I'll answer anything you want to know. But, Allie, I never gave a fuck about Erica. I just didn't know how little I cared until I met you. It's easy to accept something and settle when you don't know

there's something better waiting."

She sucks in a sharp breath, and all I want to do is find her and hold her to

me.

"Tomorrow," she whispers, and the phone goes dead before I can say

another word.

Chapter 33

ALLIE

So, because I'm twisted and want to know why this woman is such a bitch to me, deliberately hurting my child in the process, I decide to look her up. Her Facebook, her twitter, and her Instagram. She doesn't have her Facebook set to private, which means anyone can take a look. Surprise. Surprise.

I almost wish I'd denied the temptation when I see it. A picture of her and Wren is her profile picture. His smile isn't the same one I see. The smile in the picture seems forced and posed. But no one smiles naturally for a camera.

Her background picture is from their wedding, and he's standing next to Tag, laughing at something, while Erica is holding his arm. He seems distant toward her even in the pictures. But then again, I might just be seeing what I want to see.

But her status has me cringing when I read it:

ERICA PRIZE

Wren and I are deeply warmed by the public outcry. However, we ask that you not target Allie Thrash because she could take his daughter away from us. The paternity test did indeed confirm she was his daughter. As her father, Wren has rights, and we will pursue them, but we need everyone to please calm down. That's Angel's home that was vandalized, and I'm thankful the windows weren't broken.

This doesn't give anyone the right to resort to violence. Please remember there is a small little girl involved, and she's terrified right now. She doesn't know what her mother has done.

You have to understand that Allie is slightly unstable and a little in love with the father of her daughter. I understand. It's hard not to love Wren. But right now he's trying to appease her so that she doesn't run off with his child, and the public reaction is strongly hurting his attempts to keep her in Sterling Shore until we can legally attain custody.

Wren and I are seeing each other today before going to a lawyer. I can assure that we'll handle this matter together. Like we've handled so many

other obstacles in the past. As much as I appreciate your support, I can't condone the violent actions some have taken. Thank you and I love you all for your prayers and concerns.

My gut twists at the mention of our home. Thank God Ray Capperton put in that security system. Five people were arrested, and no one was able to break through the windows. His security team stormed in and limited the damage.

More importantly, I'm glad Angel, Bella, and I weren't there.

"She's so full of shit," Bella says, her head over my shoulder as she reads the same crap I just read. "Like he's meeting up with her. Wren doesn't want to be in the same room with her right now. He'd kill her if he was. And look at her trying to seem all sweet and shit, making it out like they're in this together. She even had the audacity to tag him!"

I nod, but I'm confused as to why he didn't respond and call her out on her bullshit, since she did in fact tag him. Maybe he hasn't seen it yet.

"What time are you and Wren meeting up?"

"I sent a text to see if lunch at Melanie's would be good, but he said he has something to do then. So we're meeting around five instead."

"What's he got going on?" she asks, her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"I don't know. I didn't really think to ask. Besides, it's not my business. This slam job has probably left him crazy busy with phone calls. He keeps swearing he's going to make it right."

She sighs while leaning up. "Well, I hope he gets it sorted soon. Someone is going to pay for fucking with our house. And we'll need clothes, too."

I nod, agreeing. It's sad that our once incredibly safe home is now spray- painted with death threats and other malicious shit. And I just pray I don't fall apart on Wren when I see him later.

Strong, Allie. Stay strong.

Chapter 34

WREN

"You've got it all set up?" Tag asks on the phone.

I look around the semi-empty restaurant. This place is usually a little more crowded, but there's enough people to keep Tag's assistant from being noticed. Her purse is placed on the table not too far from us. The view is unobstructed, and will remain that way, thanks to a generous donation to the staff.

If you look close enough, you can see the camera lens just barely visible in the small circle near the bottom of her purse. And a powerful wireless microphone is in the small floral centerpiece.

"Yeah. Has Ray called?" I ask him.

"Oh yeah. Remind me to never piss off Ray Capperton or his brother— Joey Drivel. They were on the net all night, finding and destroying the article everywhere. I don't know how, but I seriously think they got them all. That's scary, right? That they can hack into that many accounts and delete whatever they want to? And that quickly?"

Right now it's more of a godsend than scary. "He said he had other family members he was enlisting to help out. Hacking is apparently a family trait. I really shouldn't be talking about this here," I whisper.

"Right. Sorry. You're meeting Allie at five, though, right?"

"Right. Erica should be here any moment. And the feed will be streaming live all over the web. Did you read that shit she posted?" I whisper, barely holding my voice down.

"Yeah. And she tagged you—no pun intended," Tag snorts. "But I think she's freaking out since things escalated the way they did. Erica is a bitch, but she's not psychotic. Ash said she called her, worrying about what to do because she's worried she may have actually put Angel at risk. That's why she posted that. But she's so worried about people turning on her; she made sure to make everyone think you two are together. Ash told her to fuck off, of course. She said Erica swore she regrets it, and Ash told her to never call our house again."

"She doesn't know regret yet," I mutter, glancing down at my phone and considering texting Allie.

"Does she know what you're doing?" Tag asks, apparently reading my mind.

"No. I don't want her to think I chose Erica over her. She asked to meet me at lunch, and I told her I had something to do. I was worried she'd hear Erica's name and that would be enough to get her to go cold on me. This is thin ice territory right now. I'll explain it all to her later."

Erica's BMW pulls up, parking next to my Audi, and I watch through the window as she approaches. I slide into the seat across from where I was, putting my back to the window. No way do I want anyone seeing my face, and now I don't have to watch for her.

"She's here. I'll call you later. Watch the feed and text if anything happens. I'll keep my phone on the table in case you text with any problems." I hang up, watching as Erica approaches with fearful eyes. "Wren, I swear

this went way out of control," she says as she sits down across from me.

This is going to be easier than I thought.

"What did you think would happen if you told that bullshit to the media?

You made Allie and my daughter a target."

Calm down. Don't get too angry. She'll run and you'll lose your proof.

"I thought they'd make fun of her, call her a few names, then it would blow over. I never expected this. This is crazy. They're acting like you're a prince that was just wronged. And I didn't say half the shit they printed. Keith made it sound worse than it actually was. Not me. I swear he went off script."

Way easier. This is almost anticlimactic.

"And that shit you wrote this morning?" I prod. "What the fuck was that supposed to be?"

A waitress comes over, but I send her away. I want answers, not food.

"I was trying to quiet the psychos out there that attacked her house. I know I messed up, but I'd never intentionally provoke that sort of craziness, Wren. You know that. I love you, and I want you back. I hate the way you are with her. Ash says you're in love. Is that true? Because you loved me, Wren. We have so much history between us."

Leaning up, I glare at her. "Keyword—history. That's what it is—the past. And I'm not sure what was there, but it wasn't love Erica. Never was. You and I were friends. And we could have stayed that way, but..."

I let my voice trail off. If I start telling her how much I feel for Allie, she's going to get jealous, and I could end up pushing her toward the door

before she spills all this bullshit.

"But what?" she demands, already defensive.

"But you hurt me," I lie. Billy hurt me. She didn't.

"I worked so hard to be with you, Wren. I just wanted you to love me as

much as I love you. I kept trying to provoke you into action, into proving you'd go to hell and back for me."

Maybe I should feel bad, but after what she's done to my daughter, Allie, and Bella, I can't bring myself to have an ounce of sympathy.

"Erica, I shouldn't have stayed with you. I didn't realize you were hurting. But I never went public with the fact you cheated on me before the wedding. I never went public with the fact you tried to bully me into having a child—as if I'm that weak to lay over and give in. I never went public with a thousand things that could have ruined you in the public eye. Yet you destroyed Allie out of jealousy."

I intentionally left Billy's name out of that. He's a stupid asshole, but he's also my brother. And he's helped me out with this crisis like a brother would. I'll save his ass by not bringing his name into this.

"The same thing happened to Ash," she says quickly. "And nothing of this magnitude happened. It blew over quickly. Then the same thing happened with Raya, and again, it blew over quickly. How was I supposed to know things would spiral out of control like this? It was just supposed to be a snarky article in the gossip section. It wasn't supposed to be front page news or go viral on the web, Wren."

Time to get her to spill everything.

"Tell me what all you told the reporter. Then tell me what my lying bastard of a cousin said."

"This is your fault," she says instead.

Apparently this won't be as easy as I thought.

"It's my fault you flew into a jealous rage and ruined my daughter's life

based on your selfish actions?"

She has the gall to look hurt.

"All you had to do was choose me. I never would have felt threatened if

you'd fought for me. I never wanted to get divorced. I just wanted you to worry about losing me when I threatened it. You acted like it was a present I gave you and you ran to your lawyer to get the papers drawn up."

I swallow down everything I'd love to say, and repeat, "Tell me what you said so I can try to save my daughter."

I leave Allie's name out, hoping it won't provoke Erica. She breathes out hard, and then she starts speaking, this time laying it out in detail in front of the camera. Allie's number flashes on my phone, but I swipe ignore. Erica sees it, and she smiles up at me like she's grateful.

Sometimes looks can be deceiving. She can think she's won some battle, but I can't wait to tell her the truth.

ALLIE

"I need to get out, maybe go for a drive," I say aloud as I stand and grab my keys.

Tria stands, her eyes darting outside. She stopped by an hour after Bella left. Bella called her to come babysit me like I'm in danger here. As if Tria can be a big muscle of help. She's my size. And Bella might can pack a punch, but she's no bigger. I don't need them to babysit me.

"I'll come with you."

"You don't have to," I tell her as I head toward the door.

"I want to. They transferred Pete this morning, and I have a really bad

feeling. I don't know why, but I swear I'm getting that creepy feeling I used to get when he was loose. I just need to clear my head, and a drive sounds good. We'll take my car."

I nod, since she knows more about Sterling Shore than me, and her windows have a really dark tint, whereas mine don't.

I follow her outside, and I relax in the passenger seat.

"Want to drive past the beach?" she asks.

"I want to drive beside the beach. Is there a road that just goes on for

miles beside it without having to deal with traffic?"

She smiles as she nods, and she cranks the car. As she pulls out and

drives through town, she turns on the music.

"Are you hungry? We can pick something up to eat while we tune out the

rest of the world."

"My stomach is not entertaining the thoughts of food right now. I'm a

little stressed and I tend to not be able to eat when I'm stressed."

"Care if I grab something?" she asks.

I shrug, and she drives on. But then I see Wren's car parked in front of a

restaurant as we're passing. My heart speeds up because I know it's his charcoal gray Audi. It's his favorite. But what has my heart breaking is the BMW next to it.

"Pull over," I say, and Tria does immediately, turning into the restaurant.

"Is that... You have to be kidding me," she says, apparently seeing what I see.

She parks on the other side of Erica's BMW, and we both look through the solid glass front of the almost empty restaurant. It's not hard to spot them. Even though his back is turned, I know it's him. I've memorized every feature on him from head to toe.

Erica is talking, he's listening intently, and her hand is on the table as she leans forward. Then I see him lean forward, saying something to her that he apparently doesn't want anyone else to hear. I can barely catch a glimpse of his profile from this angle.

"It can't be what you're thinking, Allie. I know my cousin. He hates Erica. Especially right now. Kode said Rye actually asked for his help because Wren went on a rampage. And Kode and Rye aren't friends. At all. By the time he got there, Tag had kicked Rye out so that he could try to calm Wren down. He told Rye and Kode that Wren was better after you called. So this can't be what it looks like."

It looks like Erica wasn't lying. But as Bella said, mixing truth with lies is the best way to tell a story. She was meeting him, but not for the reasons stated, surely. But Wren doesn't look pissed right now. His body is relaxed as though he's enjoying the conversation.

She looks contrite, not at all threatening or menacing the way I've pictured her. She demonized me, and he's having a civil lunch with her.

"Allie, just call him. Ask him what he's doing."

"Then I'll look like the stalker the paper said I was," I grumble.

"No you won't. Call him."

I make no move to do so, and I watch as Wren leans in again, saying

something to Erica that has her full attention. She's not acting like a crazy person. She looks a little lost, and Wren seems to be gently conversing with her.

I knew he'd talk to her eventually, but I had pictured things being thrown, voices being raised, both of them on their feet and red-faced with fury. Not this. This looks... like they're talking about the weather.

I want to run in and stab her in the heart with a fork. Now I sound like the

crazy one.

Tria grabs my phone before I can stop her, and she punches in Wren's

number from my contacts. I don't fight her. I just let her.

I watch, feeling as though I'm on a rollercoaster that is slowly climbing to

the top, the anticipation building up to the climatic moment. Then... I drop, and I drop hard.

Wren glances down, sees the name, and swipes a button. Tria immediately lowers the phone with her lips parted in disbelief. Erica smiles up at Wren, no doubt having seen what he just did.

"I'm not hungry anymore," Tria says, glaring at the back of Wren's head.

"Then how about that drive?" I ask mildly, even though I'm on the verge of tears.

She backs out and we drive away. She rolls both windows down, and we let the cool air drift through the car with the briny scent of the ocean. No words have to be spoken.

Tria's phone starts ringing, interrupting our peaceful moment. "Kode," she says softly, sounding as crestfallen as I feel. "No, I'm with Allie. We're taking a drive. I'll be home later... I don't know what time... I'll explain when I get home... Love you, too."

She hangs up, and her phone goes off again. She clicks the power button, shutting it off.

"Kode knows I'll be home later. Work calls can go to my assistant. No more phone calls from my end."

I nod while sending a quick text to Bella, letting her know Tria and I will be out for a while. Hopefully a long while. I could drive three states away right now. And if Angel was in here with me, we'd already be gone.

Then, just because I need my best friend to know, I send her a text telling her everything that I just saw. And I ask her to go pick up Angel sometime this afternoon, because I want to see her when I get back to Tria's house.

But I get worried that she'll call once she reads it, and I just can't talk about it right now. Whatever was going on, it hurt to see him ignore my call and focus on her, even if I wasn't technically the one calling.

I power my phone down, adding to the tranquility, and Tria just drives. "How far do you want to go?" she asks softly.

"You can take me to get my car if you want, because I want to ride until I

stop crying," I say as the first tear descends. "And that could be a while."

She sighs, looking so sympathetic, or possibly empathetic—as though she

feels my pain.

"I'm up for a road trip," she tells me, and I lean back, happy that I don't

have to drive when the tears start pouring harder.

Chapter 35

WREN

"She said five," I tell Mom, pacing back and forth through her house while glancing at the clock. It's after six. Something is wrong. Has to be.

"Calm down, Wren. I'm sure she's coming. She'd have called if something was wrong," Mom says, glancing around the corner to see Angel sitting at the bar, eating her pizza like all is fine in the world.

I almost hugged her too hard when I got here over two hours ago. After that, I filled Mom in on everything. Everyone is watching that video, and they have been all day. Erica is contesting it with her lawyer, but if she manages to get it taken down, it'll be too late. It's already too late.

I want to show Allie the new viral show going on, and this one is digital. Erica will hate me for the rest of her life, and I can make peace with that after what she did to Allie and Angel. When she called to berate me, I told her I loved Allie, and I told her to never call me again.

I doubt that will work, but as of right now, she's leaving Sterling Shore. She'd be snubbed by the rich world here that she loves so much if she tried to stay. Hell, she might even endure the insanity she unleashed on Allie. She'll be on a flight to Paris tonight to stay in her parents' vacation home. No more drama from her.

I see Toby walking through—my mother's newest butler—as though he's going to the door, and I run to beat him to it. Finally. Someone must have called to say a car was coming through the gate.

But when I swing open the door, my brow furrows, seeing a red Acura instead of a blue Focus driving toward me. Why is Bella here?

My stomach lurches as Bella comes to a stop near the stairs that lead to the porch, and she gets out. If looks could kill, Bella's glare would be digging my grave right now.

"Where's Allie?" I ask, dread coming over me.

Did something happen? I knew something was—

"As if you give a fuck," she growls, taking a wide berth path to steer far

away from me.

"The hell? Where is she? Of course I fucking care."

"Yeah, is that why you had lunch with your ex after you told her you had

important plans? Or why you ignored her phone call when she saw you sitting with Erica right in front of her?"

Venom seeps from her tone, but I feel frozen instead of poisoned. Fucking hell.

"What?" I ask hoarsely. "She was watching me with Erica?"

Then she has to know what I was—

"She was outside with Tria. She called. You blatantly ignored her call and

she got to see Erica smile at what a sweet gesture it was. I really feel like the dumbest person on the planet, because I swore you were so damn good. Turns out, you're worse than all the creeps I've dated... combined."

Fuuuuck. No wonder she's not here.

"Bella, it's not—"

"Please don't tell me it's not what it looked like. Do you know how many

times I've heard that?" Tears fill her eyes as she takes a menacing step forward. "Allie has had nothing, Wren. Nothing. Her entire life, she's had no one to depend on other than me. And I've had no one but her since I didn't do exactly what was planned for me. It hurts me knowing how easy it was for my parents to turn their backs on me. But at least I had more love than Allie had as a child. She dared to care about you—she let you into her life. And you... I can't even look at you."

Her tears fall harder, and a knife twists in my chest. If I'd known she was just outside and reading the situation completely wrong, I'd have abandoned the sabotage and left it at what I had.

"Bella, damn it! I didn't meet with Erica for any other reason than to crush her—not Allie."

She glares at me, clearly unconvinced, not that I can blame her, and I pull up my phone while I continue speaking. "I destroyed Erica today, and fixed this mess. Everyone knows the truth now—all of it. Including what I did to her seven years ago. She has all kinds of apologies flooding in from everywhere."

I find the YouTube link that already has millions of hits since it went live earlier, and I hand it to her.

She takes my phone, a wary guard up around her, and she hits play. Slowly, as Erica goes on and on, spilling all her jealous ramblings and voicing the lies she told, Bella's shoulders stiffen. Then it gets to the part I filmed after my meeting with Erica, and Bella's shoulders drop in defeat as her head falls back.

"Shit," she exhales.

"Please call Allie. She's sending my calls straight to voicemail." I really don't care if it sounds like I'm begging, because frankly, I am.

"She's not sending your calls to voicemail," she groans. "She turned her phone off."

I start to say something, but my phone rings, and I answer it quickly without looking.

"Allie?"

"No. It's Kode. I was hoping you'd get ahold of Allie for me, though," he says quickly, his breath rushed like he's upset or pissed.

"I can't get her to answer my calls. What's going on?"

"I can't reach Tria, and she's with Allie. Pete Mercer was in transit to the federal prison upstate, but he was riding with several other big name criminals. One of them is the leader of some sort of drug ring, and a crew of his men crashed the convoy, and sprung the prisoners so they could free their boss. Pete—the lucky fucker he is—just happened to be one of the many prisoners that escaped. It was hours ago, and I just found out thirty minutes ago."

I try to catch my breath, because Pete has come after Tria before, but surely he's more interested in escape than revenge.

"He could be heading to Canada or Mexico by now," I tell Kode, unsure of who I'm trying harder to convince—him or me.

"He blames Tria for everything, and he doesn't have any money to run. And he doesn't have any friends willing to help him. She's all he's thinking about and you know it. He has nothing left to lose since he had ten years added to his sentence for attacking that guard."

I dig in my pocket for my keys and point to Bella. "Stay here. Don't go anywhere. Keep Angel here."

She nods, not looking even a little bit defiant, and I run down to my car.

"Bella said they went for a drive. But that has to have been hours ago," I tell Kode.

"She'd want to be close to the beach," Bella calls out. "That's what she does. She finds somewhere peaceful to drive when she's really upset. Or walk."

I just nod, and Kode mutters a curse before hanging up. I'll drive all around the beaches near town. It's a long shot, but it's a shot.

Chapter 36

ALLIE

"You feeling any better?" Tria asks from beside me.

Taking in a clean breath of air, I nod. "A little. At least I'm not crying now."

It's dark and almost eight at night. Guilt nags at me.

"Sorry. I bet Kode is probably worried about you."

She shakes her head. "Don't worry about it. He's had to be there for the

guys numerous times. I can assure you that he understands. I've been where you are. Kode hurt me once. But... I really don't know what to say other than to talk to Wren. I've never seen him be the way he is with you. Maybe today was a misunderstanding."

We've driven in silence for miles and miles, and Sterling Shore is just now coming back into view. I'm still not ready to talk about it, though. I hate spilling my feelings out to anyone, which is why I'm glad Bella's not here. She would have dug it out of me against my will because that's what she does. But I just couldn't take it tonight.

"Call Kode. Let him know you're heading home," I say to Tria, handing her the phone she abandoned so many hours ago.

She frowns, but takes the hint that I don't want to talk about Wren.

As soon as her phone powers up, it starts going crazy with alerts and messages.

"Holy shit," she says on a breath. "My phone has apparently been blowing up."

She laughs while putting it back down, not calling Kode yet. "Do me a favor and check my texts, please. I can't drive and read."

I do grab her phone, and the first message is from Brin earlier today.

"You have one from Brin," I tell her, even though the list under it is endless. None of them are very big previews, and I feel like I'm doing something wrong by even glancing at them.

"Read it to me."

I click it, but it's actually a YouTube link. I start to tell her, but my thumb hits and suddenly I'm on a video uploaded by Wren Prize. Curious, I click play and watch.

It's Erica—inside that same restaurant where I saw him, and my heart clenches as bile rises to my throat. But just as quickly, the pang of hurt fades when I hear what she's saying. She's confessing everything—about how she lied and how she intentionally tried to ruin me, but she didn't know it would get blown out of proportion the way it did.

"Is that Erica?" Tria asks, glancing over at me.

"It's a video. From his lunch with her."

We both fall silent as Erica continues to dig herself a grave, and then I

watch Wren ignoring my call. But it wasn't the way I thought it was. He just didn't want her to stop telling the world what a bitch she is.

Tears fill my eyes for an entirely new reason, and I feel relieved and weighted at the same time. Why didn't he just tell me what he was doing?

"Wow," Tria says as Erica finishes up. Wren doesn't say anything besides bye to her after she finishes. All the times he leaned in to talk to her was just to essentially goad her into telling more.

I read it all wrong.

Then Wren comes on, and the video is in a new place.

"Allie Thrash didn't wreck my life, as you can see. In fact," he says with

a thoughtful smile, "she changed it in a way I never thought possible. I pursued her. I wanted her. And I love her. So, you understand why I don't want anyone attacking her. It's not just because she's the mother of my daughter; it's not just because she's really the victim of petty jealousy. It's because she's part of me—a really good part that I didn't know existed before her.

"Allie was the target of a vindictive ex and a cousin who allowed himself to be seduced by the same woman you sought justice for—Erica. The same woman most of you never knew cheated on me. The same woman who would do anything and everything to hurt my daughter and her mother."

With that, he ends the feed with his jaw ticking angrily, as though he was cutting himself off before he lost his cool. Oh no. Oh no. No. No.

"That's... so... I'm about to cry," Tria says, sniffling around a small laugh.

He just told the world he loves me, and I'm the idiot who thought he was playing me. More tears prick my eyes, and I sigh in content, ignoring the truck behind us that is now riding our ass and blinding us with their bright lights.

Her phone rings, and I look back down.

"Dominant Lover?" I ask, confused by the name flashing on the screen, and she bursts out laughing while taking the phone from my hands.

"Hey, Kode," she says, smiling, but her smile falls quickly, and even in the dark, I can tell she just paled. "When?" There's a long pause and she sucks in a breath while turning down my road. "Yeah. We're close to Allie's house, and since Wren just went viral with that epic video, I'm sure it'll be safe to stay there... Be careful. I'll see you when you get here."

She hangs up, and her hands are shaking.

"Tria, what's wrong?" I ask when my house comes into view.

The blinding lights behind us don't fade, and I scowl behind me at the

jerk. "Oh no," she whispers. "Please don't let that be Pete," she adds under her breath.

"Pete? As in your psycho ex—"

Air explodes from my chest, and my words end in a screech when the truck behind us suddenly slams into our rear. Tria jerks forward, crying out when her seatbelt catches, and she tries to speed up, ready to pass my house. But the truck revs loudly, ramming into us twice as hard this time, and it forces us to spin out of control.

The world around us spins violently, sending my stomach to my throat and my heart into my mouth. My body tenses as the seatbelt painfully catches again, keeping me from being thrown around in the car.

The car jolts again from a third attack, and metal whines and crunches. I hear the glass shattering as the world outside us blurs when the car is slung around harder, sliding into the grass of my small front yard. The smell of burning rubber assaults me, and my breath heaves out when the seatbelt holds me in place, bruising me with its forceful hold.

Seconds feel like hours, and my head pounds with my pulse. Actually, my pulse feels like it's all over my body, thudding heavily and in panic as the madness continues.

The car rocks once it finally stops sliding, fortunately still staying upright. Tria groans, blood dripping down the side of her face from her lip that looks to be cut. I feel a warm trickle and reach up, wincing when my fingers touch my forehead, feeling a burning pain. I pull my hand down to see the small touch has loaded my fingertips with blood, and it's dripping down my face, sliding onto my chest.

The front windshield is intact, but the back glass is shattered, and those damn lights are still blaring at us. I look over to see a spider-vein crack in the

window of my door, and my blood is smeared all over it.

Since I bleed easily, I try not to freak out. What the hell just—

Tria's door is ripped open, and she screams, "Run!"

Two large hands grab her out of the car after the seatbelt is cut away, and

she struggles uselessly, while I helplessly stay trapped, finally managing to get my seatbelt undone.

My heartbeat pounds in my ears when I hear the muffled voice of a man, and I shove my shoulder against my door when it refuses to budge. Fuck!

Tria yelps in pain after a loud smack resonates in my ears, and I look for anything at all, but only find an ink pen. I scramble across the car, shifting over the awkward space to climb through Tria's side just as the big, bald man throws her to the ground.

"Call the cops!" someone yells from down the street as Tria screams again, unable to stop him when he kicks her in the stomach.

My feet are moving before I realize it, and I suck in a breath just before I slam the ink pen into his side as hard as I can. I feel the flesh give, I hear the roar of pain, and I watch as blood coats the wound. I kick him as hard as I can right between the legs the second I get an angle, considering it's the only way I really know how to hurt a man.

I don't wait when I see him fall to the ground, because I know I don't have long. Reaching down, I start dragging Tria to the house, and she whimpers as she pulls herself up. I don't chance a glance back as I throw her arm over my shoulder, trying to support her weight as I force her to move faster.

"You bitch!" the crazy bastard yells, but we're already to the door, and I'm punching in the code with shaky fingers, tingling all over when it beeps and opens.

Tria falls in, and I go to slam the door, but the psycho shoves against the door before it latches. It takes all my strength to shove it back, keeping him outside, and it becomes a battle back and forth.

"Bat!" I yell to Tria, pointing, praying my adrenaline keeps pumping so I have the strength to hold him back.

Tria grabs Angel's bat from against the wall, and she finds it in her to run, even though she's in so much pain. She swings the bat through the narrow crack, connecting loudly with something that cracks.

Another roar of pain sounds out just as the door gives, slamming shut, and I lock it with both locks, praying Ray is right about it keeping out a

battering ram. The second the thump hits on the other side, I wonder if it's his shoulder or his foot.

Then it grows quiet, nothing but my alarm is sounding, but it's not exactly piercing eardrums.

I glance outside to see him in his truck, trying to crank it. I don't know if he's going to drive it through the house or drive away, but fortunately, the thing won't start. The front end is smashed after destroying the rear of Tria's car.

Silence outside descends again as he disappears into the shadows. I watch, searching for any movement, but there's nothing.

"Maybe he left," I say to Tria, and I go to help her up. She cries out in pain when I try to shift her, and I lift her shirt to see the dark bruises forming on her side where he kicked her.

"We need to get you to a hospital," I say, cursing when I realize my phone is still in the car and we don't have a landline.

The alarm is buzzing on the wall, though. That means help is coming.

"Watch out!" Tria screams, trying to tug me down just as the bald-headed menace slams a crowbar against my living room window. I scream reflexively, expecting a shatter.

Nothing. It doesn't even crack the glass. What the hell kind of glass did Ray Capperton put in here?

He slams the crowbar again, but this time I don't jump. I just watch him swing over and over, like a bird trying to fly through a sliding glass door, and I take an easy breath.

My heart is pounding, and my wounded head keeps the same rhythm with its throb. "You're dead!" the asshole yells, slamming the crowbar against the window again as he glares at Tria, murder definitely promised in his eyes.

Each strike has him breathing harder, his cheeks puffing out as he exchanges old air for new air. But the window holds. He moves to the door, slamming the metal against it in quick repetition, but again, nothing happens.

Right now, Ray Capperton is my favorite person in all the world.

Sirens wail in the distance just as several tires screech to a halt. I watch in awe as groups of men leap out of dark SUVs and rush toward Pete. They're all in tactical gear with Capperton written across their chests.

Pete tries to run, but they tackle him with little effort. More tires scream, and I catch a glimpse of blonde hair before Kode Sterling is suddenly charging across the yard.

"Let me go!" he roars when two of the men start fighting and holding him back. "Let me go! I'm going to fucking kill him. Let me the fuck go!"

Tria limps to the door, unlocking it and swinging it open, and her voice cracks when she chokes out, "Kode!"

The look in his eyes changes from fury to complete horror when his eyes fall on her. She stumbles outside, clutching her side. The men in black release him, and he runs to Tria, scooping her up as he soothes her.

Cops are suddenly everywhere, coming to take over, and paramedics are right behind them. I sit down, letting them do their jobs, and I don't argue when they tell me I need to go to the hospital.

I'm so numb right now that this time I don't flinch when my forehead is touched.

In no time, I'm loaded on the back of the ambulance, and my whole body chills as the adrenaline tries to finally leave me to face the trauma of the night on my own.

Chapter 37

WREN

Dane's number flashes across my phone as I wind around another road, still searching for Tria and Allie. I answer, hoping he's heard from Kode.

"Dane, have you—"

"Wren, how far are you from the hospital?" he asks calmly.

"About five minutes. Why? What's happened?" I ask, turning toward

Sterling Memorial.

"Don't freak out. Listen to everything I say without freaking out, okay?" My blood slowly chills as dread creeps in. "Dane, you're already freaking

me out. What the hell is going on? Did something happen?" I demand, pushing the gas harder and driving through the yellow light seconds before it turns red.

"Pete Mercer has been arrested. He was outside of Allie's house. They were close to there when Kode finally got ahold of her. Pete wrecked Tria's car. With them in it."

I gas the car harder, weaving in and out of traffic, and putting the phone on speaker so I can use both hands.

"How bad is it?" I bark.

"I'm getting to that. Listen, they won't answer any questions to us about Allie because we're not family. Bella is listed as her family, and she's on her way. Kode says she was bleeding from the head, but she seemed fine. He was preoccupied with Tria. Pete got a few licks in on her before they got away. The neighbors thought it was another vandalism gone wrong after the other night, or they would have come to help. They called the cops, not realizing Pete was intent on killing Tria."

I skid into a parking place in front of the hospital, grabbing my phone and running toward the entrance.

"What floor?"

"She's in the ER. Ground level. Tria has to stay a night for observation, so I'm sure Allie will, too. They just got here not long ago. I was trying to get more information before calling you."

"Damn it, Dane. You should have called me immediately!"

Fortunately, the entrance I'm at is actually for the ER. I round the corner

to see the waiting room full of everyone almost. All the Sterlings are here except for Kode. He's probably back there with Tria, being there for her the way I need to be there for Allie. Rain quickly finds me, holding me back when I make to charge toward the doors leading to the back.

"Don't," she cautions. "They'll kick you out if you cause a scene, and they can't let anyone back except for family. Allie's unconscious right now."

My heart sputters, and Rye stops me from falling. Where did he come from?

"How do you know that if they won't tell you anything?" Rye asks.

"Because we told them to tell her we're here and worried, but they said she's unable to communicate at the moment."

That could mean so much worse than unconscious.

"Hold him back, damn it," Rain says, and Dane comes to help Rye wrangle me back from charging the sturdy-looking doors. "They'll kick him out if he scares them!"

"Trying," Rye groans, cursing when I shove harder, trying to get free.

"I'm here!" Bella yells, running through the ER and toward a woman. "Where is she, Estelle?" she asks in panic, staring at the old woman behind the glass encased desk.

"She's in the back. She's unconscious. Do you want them hearing this?" she asks, motioning toward us. "He looks ready to kill someone." That's pointed toward me, and I slowly calm down, or at least fake being calm.

Bella glances my way, but turns back to her. "You always manage to miss the gossip. That's Angel's daddy. He can hear everything you have to say."

The woman's eyes widen, even though I don't know how she missed all that.

"You know the doctor is supposed to tell you. Not me."

Bella looks around at the packed waiting room. But we're the only ones close enough to the window to hear.

"It's me, Estelle. You were pissed when you heard I got fired. Get them back by breaking the rules for me. I need to know how Allie is, and Zimmerman will be the attending doctor tonight. You know how slow he is and how much I hate him."

Estelle snorts. "True. Well, Allie's fine. Her head took a good whacking, and she needed stitches. She amazingly didn't have a concussion, but her head was hurting something fierce. Like I said, it took a good whacking. And the wreck probably hurt her muscles like a mean son of a bitch, if you know

what I mean. After the adrenaline wore off, she was hurting. They finally gave her a small dosage of a mild painkiller, but that girl passed right out like it was the good stuff."

My heart is still thudding, and Bella turns around, looking relieved enough for me to relax just slightly.

"What does that mean?" I prompt.

"It means she's fine," Bella sighs, running a hand through her disheveled hair. "But if they won't release her until she wakes up. That'll be tomorrow. A Norco to Allie is like a double dose of morphine to normal people. It's probably what they gave her. You know how she is with pain meds. I'll go back and check on her."

My eyes dart to Corbin, and I mentally slap myself for not thinking of him sooner.

"Get me back there. Call your dad, or do whatever you have to do."

He grimaces, regret shining in his eyes. "I can't, Wren. Kode is already a handful back there, but because Tria is hurting, he won't leave her side. Pete is back there as well."

My blood boils, and Rye's grip tightens on me at the same time Dane's does, as though they're preparing to hold me back.

"But," Corbin goes on, "they're just patching him up and sending him to the hospital closer to the prison. He won't be here long."

"Allie stabbed him with an ink pen to get him away from Tria," Rain says, trying to talk me off the murderous ledge. "She aimed between the ribs and just barely missed puncturing his lung. I think that's what she was trying to do—puncture it, not miss. That's why he's getting patched up. She might have saved Tria's life. Now let Corbin keep you from getting arrested. Stay out here until they take her to a room."

I slink back, feeling all my muscles so tight that they're ready to snap. "How did this happen? Where the hell did he get that truck?" I ask, needing the distraction, needing some semblance of logic to go with the madness.

"He stole it," Dale says, walking up from behind Corbin. "They were just a mile from some town when the crew hit them and sprung the prisoners. The cops think they set the ones like Pete free so they could distract the police from the drug dealer king who escaped. Pete and some of the others ran into town. Pete stole a truck that a guy left the keys in, and he drove like hell to Sterling Shore."

Maverick chimes in, adding, "People saw him cruise by Tria's house in

that truck. They've been calling in with reports, and we've been getting updates from the police. Traffic cameras caught him running a red light once he spotted Tria's car. The pink breast cancer awareness sticker on the back gave her away. Not too many cars like Tria's have stickers that big on the bumpers. He followed and attacked when he was sure it was her."

Kode Sterling is suddenly bursting through the doors, all of his muscles flexing as he barely keeps it together.

"Tria is sleeping. They gave her some strong shit for the pain, and it made her loopy for a while, but it finally put her to sleep. I want him dead," he says, looking at Dane.

"You can't kill him. He's going away for good now. Attempted murder is a pretty serious charge that he'll be facing. He'll never see the outside of a prison again."

Kode cracks his neck to the side, and he bats Corbin's hand away when he tries to touch him. He looks like he's ready to kill or ready to cry. I know exactly how he feels.

"They're taking her up to a room. I was forced to leave so they could do it. I'm going to meet her up there. I was just coming to tell you guys."

I look around, noticing that Bella has disappeared. I pull out my phone, dialing Mom as a distraction. Thank God Angel wasn't with Allie tonight.

"Wren? Is she okay? Please tell me she's okay!" Mom demands, sounding just as panicked as I've felt.

"She's fine. They're keeping her here until she wakes up. The pain meds knocked her out. How is Angel? She doesn't know anything, does she?"

"No. You know me. I won't let her see me upset, and Bella said Allie wouldn't want Angel worrying either. Right now she seems to think something is going on, but I've promised her everything is fine and lied my ass off. You're sure Allie is okay?"

I nod, then realize she can't see me nodding. "Yeah. She's fine. She's—"

Bella walks out, her eyes trained on me. "They're taking her up to a room. Come on."

She waves me through a different set of doors, and I finish talking to Mom. "I'm on my way up to Allie's room. I'll keep you updated."

Mom sighs long and hard before saying, "Okay. By the way, I just received confirmation that Erica is officially gone. Billy says he's been dealing with Keith. I can't believe he'd do this. Becks is so pissed that she's kicked him out of her house."

"He's a grown man. He needs to be kicked out."

She laughs with exhaustion in her tone. "Call me if you need anything. Tell Allie the same. I don't care what time it is."

I promise to call her later and hang up as we ride the elevator to another floor. Kode and the others have already gone up to see Tria in another elevator. Bella and I are alone, and I look over to see her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

"Bella," I say softly, reaching out to her shoulder.

"Don't," she sniffles, knocking my hand away. "If you hug me or some shit, I'll start crying and I won't stop. And I can't do that right now. And don't ask me if I'm okay, either, because the floodgates are triggered by that question for some reason."

I nod, understanding—well, sort of.

As soon as we reach her floor, numerous pairs of eyes meet us, and Bella glares at someone. "If I see you anywhere near her room, I swear I'll choke you to death myself. Understand?" she asks, and the woman's eyes bug out as she backs up.

Her name tag says Jillian, but I've never heard her mentioned before. More pairs of eyes sweep over me, probably remembering the tantrum I threw just yesterday when I found out they'd verbally assaulted Allie and provoked her to the point she lashed out physically.

Hushed whispers erupt every time we pass someone else, and Bella leads me to another corridor just as Allie is wheeled out of a different elevator on a rolling bed. Her eyes are closed as though she's sleeping peacefully.

My knees fucking buckle, and I almost fall. I swear I've never been hit so forcefully by relief. I didn't know how badly I needed to see her until now. Swallowing down the emotional knot in my throat, I force my legs to start moving again.

Bella stays in front of me, keeping her distance, but her hands are clenched so tightly that her nails are cutting into her palms. They pause at the door, and Bella holds out a hand to stop me from going in as two nurses follow Allie's rolling bed.

"They're just going to transfer her to a stable bed. I told them that painkillers knock her on her ass, and since she can't leave until she wakes up, they're putting her in a room instead of leaving her downstairs. Pretty sure that has something to do with you showing up with Corbin Freaking Sterling. I'm fairly positive every nurse here will be apologizing to her by the time she

wakes up."

I don't have it in me to smile, even though I know that's what she's trying

to do. I want to hit something, break something... do something. I've never felt so helpless.

"Oh shit," Bella says under her breath, looking over my shoulder at something.

I turn to see Billy walking toward me with Keith—the fucker—behind him, and Tag is right behind Keith.

"What the fuck?" I ask Billy as my mind turns, trying to think of places I can hide my cousin's body.

"I thought you might need to punch something, and no offense, but I'm sick of it being me," Billy says, moving aside with a smirk.

My eyes dart over to Keith, and his eyes grow wide like he just heard what Billy said.

"You said you were bringing me here to make peace! I swear I didn't know that shit was going to blow up and go full-blown crazy like that!"

I take a step forward, and he returns his gaze to me. He turns to try and escape, but plows over Tag who shoves him back toward me with very little effort. Before he can speak, my fist is airborne, slamming into his face, and it almost hurts my hand because of how hard I hit him.

"How much blood is there?" I ask, my eyes closed. Now would not be a good time to vomit. The only time I've been able to handle blood is the first day I beat the hell out of Billy. That's because I was so furious that it never really registered what was going on until it was over.

"A lot," Tag says, a smile in his voice as Keith wails from the ground—or it sounds like he's on the ground.

"You broke his nose," Billy says, sounding amused. "Now I'm not the only one who needs plastic surgery in the family."

"You bastard!" Keith yells at me.

"I'm not the one who jeopardized a child, dickhead," Billy says, which means that bastard wasn't pointed at me after all.

Something wet finds my hand, and I jerk a little.

"It's just me washing the blood off your hand with baby wipes," Bella says. "I always have them on hand for a sticky-fingered six-year-old girl. No more blood."

I look down, seeing my clean hand, but I avoid looking at the bloody weasel who is sobbing on the ground.

"I'll get him to a doctor now," Billy says from somewhere behind me.

"Thanks," I mumble just as Tag comes up and grips my shoulder, a show of support.

Rye joins us, and Brin wipes her eyes as she leans into him. "Scariest night ever," Brin says. Rye looks like he's never letting her go. Dane is probably doing the same to Rain.

"Where's Ash?" I ask Tag.

"At home with Trip. As soon as I get home, I'm going to curl up and keep her against me for hours. A lot of bad memories came with this phone call. But I had to be here for you the way you were for me."

The circumstances are completely and totally different, but I get what he means.

"You can come in now," a nurse says.

I walk in first, and Bella is right beside me. Allie's face is bruised, and there's a large cut on her forehead that seems to travel into her blonde hairline. Her hands are spread out beside her body, and there's an IV.

"Why does she need that?" I worry, moving toward the line.

"It's standard procedure to hook a patient up to fluids. Especially if they don't know how long it's been since they last had something to drink. Sit down. Don't worry. Allie is fine."

Don't worry? She's fucking crazy.

I pull the chair up, seeing better that her arms have numerous bruises, too. I wonder how much of her body has been hurt. She looks fragile, broken, and precious at the same time. I'd love nothing more than to curl up beside her and hold her all night, but I'm afraid I'd hurt her.

So I settle for holding the hand that doesn't have a needle in it. She has some weird clip on her index finger that seems to be monitoring her heartbeat, but I work my fingers through hers like it isn't there, and I hold on tight.

"How long are you staying?" Bella asks me, pulling a chair up as everyone else stays quiet.

"I'm not leaving her side."

Chapter 38

ALLIE

Something soft tickles my arm, and my eyes jerk awake. My stiff body curses me for trying to move, and I groan inwardly at how sore I am. But I know where I am as I take in the surroundings.

I had to stay the night? Ohh... They gave me painkillers. I told them this would happen if they did that, but I couldn't resist escaping the migraine that was forming.

Glancing out the window, I see the sun trying to rise, but it's still dark, except for the small glimmer of light on the horizon. Then my eyes fall on Bella who has stuck two chairs together and made a very uncomfortable bed next to the window.

Why would she do that? She had to have read my chart. Just some stitches and a few mild bruises. She knew I'd be alright.

That same soft feeling tickles my arm again, and I jerk my eyes over to see the source. My heart melts, my eyes fill up with tears, and I smile down at the man who is clutching my hand, sleeping awkwardly with his head pressed just beside my arm and his body hunched over in a chair.

I lift my other hand, frowning when I see the IV line. Completely unnecessary.

Carefully, I shift so I can run my fingers through his hair, feeling the silky strands as I study the parts of his face that I can see. His trademark designer stubble is on his jawline; it makes him all the sexier.

His eyes are closed, but his dark eyebrows are puckered downward like he's not resting peacefully. His lips are slightly parted, and I fight to keep from running my fingers across them. His dark lashes frame his eyes, making him look even more perfect as the light from the small bathroom casts a glow in the room around us. He almost looks like a dark angel in this moment.

He's wearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans—not the blazer and tan slacks he had on when eating lunch with Erica. Has he been here all night?

"He wouldn't leave your side." At the sound of Tria's soft, almost whispered voice, I look up, seeing her peek her head through the door.

She's dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a hoodie. I glance down, seeing the horrible hospital gown I'm in, then back up to meet her eyes.

"Are you okay?" I whisper, still running my fingers through Wren's silky hair as he sleeps.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Really sore, but it looks like nothing was broken or cracked, according to the x-rays. My torso is bruised pretty badly, but nothing internal seems to be going on."

Her face is bruised as well where Pete struck her cheek, and it's swollen enough to look painful. Her lip is cut and bruised from the wreck, but we're both fortunate to have not sustained more injuries than that.

She limps in the rest of the way, and I assume Pete probably kicked her in the leg as well as the stomach when she brought her knees up to protect her middle.

"I woke up about an hour after I passed out," she says, smiling weakly. "The cops have taken my statement. Pete is now in an infirmary at the prison since his wounds weren't threatening enough to keep him in the hospital they took him to after he left here."

She points to a bag that is resting in a chair by the door. "Ash felt helpless since she couldn't bring Trip into the hospital and risk him catching something. He has a weak immune system. She knew Melanie already had Angel, and Melanie was stressed out enough without the addition of a toddler. So she went and got clothes for everyone, including Wren and Bella. She dropped them off at the hospital entrance. Brin met her outside and brought everything up here. Brin spent the night, alternating from your room to mine."

I smile down at Wren, wishing I could thank him. He inadvertently gave me a family.

"It was stupid for you to attack Pete," Tria says, prompting my eyes to come up as tears waver on her eyelids. "But thank you. If you hadn't gotten me away from him..."

Her voice trails off like she can't continue, and I nod in understanding. There was no way in hell I was just going to run inside while she was beaten to death.

Wren squeezes my hand and stirs, but he doesn't wake. The action draws my eyes down to his hand again, but with more light filtering through from the rising sun, I notice dark, purplish bruises on his knuckles.

"Did he get in a fight?" I ask, worried as I look up.

She smirks. "Apparently he hit Billy the day the paper went out because he thought it was him who was the 'family source.' But he found out it was

his cousin. Billy brought Keith here last night, and Wren broke his nose with one punch. Or so I'm told. I didn't get to witness it. Kode was mad because he wanted something or someone to hit. I feel bad for Jax—his trainer—when Kode goes to see him. I'm afraid he's going to be subjected to the pent up frustration."

I frown as I look back down at Wren's hand, wishing like hell I hadn't run off after seeing him with Erica.

"This is my fault," I say, blowing out a breath.

Tria snorts. "Are you kidding? If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. Pete came after me, not you. If I had been alone and if your house hadn't been proofed by Ray Capperton... I can't even think about it."

"It's not your fault either," I point out quickly, and she forces a smile.

Silence falls between us, and I resume staring down at Wren as I run lazy fingers through his dark strands.

"Does he know I saw the video?" I ask her, but my eyes stay down.

"No. I didn't even think to mention it with all the chaos."

His eyelids flutter like he's dreaming, and he frowns in his sleep. He

really isn't sleeping peacefully.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Kode's deep rumble of a sleepy voice

draws my eyes toward the door as he walks in.

Tria turns around, smiling up at him. He leans down and gently presses a

kiss to the side of her mouth that isn't hurt. Then he scoops her up, cradling her to his chest.

"Don't sneak out on me right now," he says, nuzzling his face against hers very carefully, while holding her without strain. "I would have freaked out if Rye hadn't been outside the room and told me where you went."

She kisses him chastely before gesturing toward me. "I needed to check on Allie."

He meets me with intense eyes, acting like he wants to say something, but he seems to decide against it since he looks like he's on the edge of breaking.

"You good?" he asks instead.

"Yeah. Fine. I can't believe Bella and Wren stayed. I was only out because of the meds, and she would have known that."

Kode snorts out a laugh. "She said she didn't trust some of the bitches in here anymore, so the security guard posted outside your door was only allowed to let certain ones in. She was awake until about an hour ago. Wren hasn't even been out that long, according to Rye."

I smile over at my best friend. Her head is drooping to her chest. She's going to be as sore as I am.

"I need to get you back to your room so they can get us out of here."

Tria nods, but she looks back at me. "Are you sure you're okay? Do you need anything?"

My daughter—I need to hold her and feel her safe in my arms.

"I'm fine," I say, knowing I don't want Angel to see me in the hospital, and they'd probably bring her if I said what I needed aloud. "When will—"

Wren jerks awake, blinking as he looks around, seeing Kode holding Tria, then his eyes dart to mine. A heavy breath falls between his lips as though he's expelling a year's worth of stress, and he releases my hand to caress my cheek.

Kode and Tria slip out, and Wren leans up to brush his lips over the uninjured side of my forehead, pressing a sweet kiss there. I have to look as bad as I feel, and I want to get out of this stupid gown. I've never liked these damn things.

"You okay?" he asks, and I nod, trying not to cry. Why am I suddenly emotional?

He frowns as he stares down at me, running his eyes down the length of my body. He studies the sheet that starts at my waist, and he pulls my hand up to his lips to kiss my knuckles.

"I'll go get the doctor, then I'll take you to see Angel."

It's as if he knows exactly what I need, and it just cements the truth of what I feel for him. I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to cry and worry him, and not wanting to blurt out I love him the first time in the middle of a hospital bed, looking my worst, and wearing this damn gown. It's supposed to be the right moment, even though I've wasted a lot of those "right moments" by worrying about the future.

Wren walks over to Bella, and he gently shakes her shoulder. She practically jumps out of the chair, and I bite back a laugh when she goes wide-eyed and wild.

"Easy," Wren says in his sexy sleep rasp, chuckling at her. "It's just me. Allie's awake, and I'm going to find a doctor."

She immediately rushes away from him and comes to me, checking the stitches at my head.

"Don't ask how I'm feeling," I tell her, smiling, and she grins down at me knowingly. Wren walks out, looking uncertain as he leaves.

"I take it you've already been asked how you feel hundreds of times?" she asks.

"Not that many, but I'm sure it will be soon enough. Angel okay?"

She nods. "She just thinks she was having a sleepover at her grandmother's for a couple of days. Your cell phone was cracked in the wreck, so Wren is having someone replace it. But Angel called worried because you weren't answering, so I told her you broke your phone and that you'd call when you got a new one. It worked."

I lean back, staring at the sterile white ceiling with drop tiles.

"And I got my job back," she says with a grin.

"What?"

She nods. "Corbin Freaking Sterling told them I was to be reinstated

immediately, and they could go fuck themselves if they had a problem with it. No one objected, obviously. His dad is pissed about what happened, because he's close with the Prize family. In case you haven't noticed, you're definitely in the family."

Her eyes widen, and she starts talking faster. "Speaking of which, I forgot to tell you the most important part. What you saw at the restaurant wasn't—"

"Well, Ms. Thrash, nice to see you awake," Dr. Luther says as he comes in. Thank God it's not Zimmerman again.

He pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, and he glances down at Bella's cleavage—twice—before finally looking over my chart. Wren stands behind him, cocking an eyebrow when the man checks out Bella's cleavage one more time.

"Well, I'll run a few quick checks, and try to get you out of here."

He starts running over the typical questions that I answer robotically, anticipating each one as it comes. Finally, he finishes up, and Wren walks out of the room with him, probably giving me privacy.

"Let's get you changed and back home."

I nod, as I stand, wincing at how tender my hand is now that the IV has been removed. After I dress hurriedly, Wren returns, and ignores the woman who has brought in a wheelchair as he scoops me into his arms and carries me bridal style through the door.

"Mr. Prize! You can't... Ah, hell. Never mind," the nurse I don't know says.

Wren smirks while carrying me onto the waiting elevator, but he doesn't say anything. I don't know what to say. He's not acting like himself. I don't

know if he's stressed out, pissed, or what.

"Will you go pick up Angel and bring her to my house?" Wren asks

Bella.

"Yeah," Bella says, curious. "Why?"

"Because that's where you'll all be staying until your house is fixed back

up."

Her eyes bug out, and she starts to speak, but the doors of the elevator

open. Wren carries me toward the exit. Bella looks questioningly at me. I just shrug as I lean against him. He tenses—which confuses me—so I lift my head back up to see his jaw straining.

"Are you okay?" I ask him softly.

He nods, but he still doesn't speak before he puts me in the front seat of his car that is definitely parked illegally. He jogs to his side, and his phone starts ringing as soon as he sits down.

With a harsh sigh and an apologetic glance toward me, he answers and starts talking fervently with the police, I assume.

ALLIE

Wren is walking around and talking on his phone, just as he's been doing since we left the hospital. I assume he's slacked off on work since he's been dealing with our drama.

A pang of guilt strikes, but it's eased by Angel's touch as she stays curled up at my side. She's doing her make-up work for school after missing a couple of days, letting the hell die down.

Melanie brought her over instead of Bella, and Bella is at our house with Corbin and Maverick Sterling—Oh boy. They've been packing up the things we'll need for a few days, but it's taking a surprisingly long amount of time. Which has me worried... I mean, I've met Maverick and Corbin, after all.

As if she knows I'm worried, she sends me a text on cue—to my brand new phone that I'm still learning to use. I need to find out how much he spent on this so I can pay him back—whenever he talks to me.

BELLA: Corbin and Maverick are brushing your things. I'm staying at Trial's house until the repairs are finished on ours. xoxo

My eyebrows lift, and I grin. Bella is the world's worst at texting.

ME: Who is Trial? And why are they brushing my things?

BELLA: Damn autocorrect. TRIA'S house. And they're BRINGING your things.

ME: You didn't... with one of them did you?

BELLA: Seriously? It's Corbin Freaking Sterling. No I did not touch him, besides, he didn't seem in crested. And Maverick might be hot, but I'm over the bad boys who love one-night stands. So... no.

I laugh when I read her text, but before I can send another, she beats me to it.

BELLA: INTERESTED not IN CRESTED!! I hate autocorrect.

Wren doesn't seem too interested in me right now, considering he's avoided me like the plague since we got here. He carried me in, but put me down and put distance between us. It has me worried.

ME: I may just come there with you.

BELLA: NO! Wren wants you there, and I think you should stay. Bow chica wow wow. ( ß No idea if that is spelled right, but it's code for get your freak on.)

"Yeah," Wren says over the phone, his voice drawing closer as Angel finishes her math work, "that sounds great. Just send me the bill... Thanks."

I put my new phone in my lap as he makes his way toward us. He hangs up, putting his phone away for the first time since we've been here—for over an hour—and drops down beside Angel who quickly goes to his lap.

"I'm done with all my homework," she says proudly, and he smiles down at her before kissing her head.

"Good. Want to go check out all the changes to your room? It's been a

while since you've been here, and Grandma has made some drastic improvements."

Her eyes widen, and she jumps off his lap, racing down the long hallway. Wren tenses the second we're alone. I've brushed my teeth, taken a shower, put on some stretchy pants and a sweatshirt, but I don't feel comfortable at all because of how tense he seems.

"If you're uncomfortable with me being here, I can go to Tria's. It's just for a few days, anyway."

He frowns while looking over at me, finally making eye contact.

"We need to talk," he says, confusing me.

"Yeah... I guess so. I mean, a lot has happened." I'm rambling. Great.

He starts to speak, but suddenly the door swings open, and Corbin and

Maverick come traipsing through the house, both of them carrying tons of bags. Why so much stuff?

"Got it all, I think," Maverick says through a labored breath. "Bella packed it, so I have no idea what is where. We were just the muscle. Any furniture needed over here?"

Wren shakes his head. "I'll let you know," he says, avoiding my gaze. "Your room?" Corbin asks.

"Yeah. Did you leave Angel's clothes there?" Wren asks them.

"Yeah. Bella said she'd need some because she's still getting Angel as

much as possible," Maverick answers, and my stomach tightens. What the... "Wren?" I prompt, watching his shoulders stiffen at the sound of his

name.

"I guess you haven't told her yet, judging by the look on her face,"

Corbin says with a taunting grin that is directed at Wren.

"I've been... busy. It's been hectic getting everything sorted out, and my

lawyers served the slander suit on the paper this morning. I'll fill you in later."

Maverick and Corbin disappear with my bags, and Wren turns to face me.

"Wren?" I prompt again. "Why did they bring that many bags? And what did any of that mean?"

He looks... worried. Ah, hell. What now?

"Good luck!" Maverick calls out, chuckling with Corbin as they escape through the door once again.

Wren doesn't acknowledge them as he stands up.

"I'm moving you in with me. Permanently. Angel, too. But she has more

clothes than she can wear, so her other stuff is staying there—per Bella's request."

He turns and walks away as though this conversation is finished, while I'm left reeling and feeling dizzy.

"Wren, I can't move in with you," I hiss while standing up, but he's suddenly spinning and lifting me, keeping me off my feet like I'm broken instead of bruised.

He cradles me to him, and I wrap my arms around his neck to help support my weight. His lips tilt on one side in a cocky sort of grin.

"It's too late. You're already moved in. I'll tie you to the bed if that's what I have to do to keep you here." His grin broadens. "In fact, that sounds like a damn good idea."

I fight hard not to smile, but it's impossible not to give in when he's grinning like that.

"You know what I mean."

His smile falls. "Did you see the video?"

I nod, unable to speak as the video replays in my mind. Wren told the

world he loves me, but he hasn't told me. Maybe... Maybe that was to shut everyone up and make them feel guilty for what they said.

"Then you know everything. You know that lunch with Erica was a ruse. You know why I didn't answer your call. And you know... how I feel. Now I'm kidnapping you until you feel the same way. It's that simple."

I laugh even though he's trying to look serious. But he doesn't crack a smile. Oh shit. He is serious.

"You can't seriously expect me to live here. We just started dating."

"We've spent weeks dating, and even longer wanting to date. I can't sleep without you anymore. If you're at home, I'm right beside you. This will just make it easier on me."

His grin spreads again. "Besides," he goes on, "Angel knows we're together, and she really loves it."

My stomach flutters when it sinks in that he's definitely serious. This isn't a joke, and I can't believe I'm actually considering it. It's too reckless with Angel—

"Before you start worrying about how this will affect Angel, also think of how this could be good for her," he says, reading my damn mind. "I'll help you make a pro/con list."

His lips twitch when my face turns red, and I roll my eyes as he carries

me through the house. I've only been here a couple of times, and that was just so we could be alone for a little while before joining Bella and Angel. Well, I'd been here to pick her up before, but I'm not counting those times.

"What are you thinking?" he asks, still holding me.

"Inner ramble," I grumble, which elicits a laugh from him.

"Are you adding up the pro list? Because I'm not listening to the con

list."

He grins down at me, and I can't stifle the stupid smile that comes across

my face. "You're serious about this? This is a big deal, Wren. I can't move Angel into your house, then turn around and move her out. We moved here to be closer to Bella and to give her a chance to get to know you. Then we moved into a house because it took a while to find something we liked. Now we'll be moving here. It's the least stability she's ever had, and I don't want to hurt her with this."

His expression sobers, and he bends his head to brush his lips against mine. He doesn't deepen the kiss the way I suddenly crave, but he lets his lips linger there for a moment.

"I spent years with Erica and never felt anything like this, Allie. I'm more than sure that I want you here—both of you. And I really will tie you to the bed until you say yes. So don't make me resort to a felony, please."

He smirks at me as my eyes water, and I lean up, pushing my lips against his as he carries me toward the bedroom.

"Angel will—"

"Will be fine. I'll take care of her today. You need to rest. And for the record, I had someone buy some bananas just for you."

My face turns red, and his laughter gently rumbles as he finally takes me into the massive bedroom that belongs in a palace. Everything matches as though an interior decorator came in and did everything for him.

When he puts me on the enormous bed, his lips brush mine again, and he sits on the edge, hovering over me as his eyes hold mine.

"Rest. We'll talk about this later. I'll take care of Angel, and we'll talk when you feel up to it."

I can't help myself when I finally break. He said that video was true, so that means he loves me. My lips move, and the words try to come out.

"Wren, this isn't the best time to say this, but I—"

"Don't," he says softly, brushing his lips over mine. "Think on it for a little while. Let me prove this is a good idea before you try to say no."

He grins down at me, and my chest tightens. That's not what I was going to say.

"But I—"

"Later," he interrupts, standing. He walks out, and I let my eyes search around the room. My bags are piled up at the side, and my mind runs wild.

He loves Angel. He loves me. Stupid as it is, I'm moving in with Wren Prize.

WREN

All of Allie's stuff is hanging in the closet or resting in the drawers. No way am I letting her leave no matter how hard she tries. If she tries packing anything back up, I'll just unpack it as she goes.

She stayed in the room for a couple of hours, but finally got up to hang out with Angel and me as we made everything she owns even more girly with some weird jewel thing my mother bought her. There's also a glitter and glue kit we should have never opened—lesson learned. I've got glitter all over me, I swear there are little jewels everywhere on my body—how? I don't know— and somehow I also managed to glue my fingers together... twice.

Allie had to help out with that. She got my fingers undone both times, and that's about as much as we've touched. Her eyes have been on me, though. Studying me, perhaps?

Allie was quiet, possibly pensive, at dinner. Our eyes met several times, but Angel monopolized the conversation. I was grateful for that. I don't get nervous very often, but I feel like a teenager that just got caught having sex with a General's daughter right now.

Night descends, and Angel yawns. I watch as Allie stands, ushering her to go to bed.

"Are you tucking me in or is Daddy?" Angel asks, looking over at me.

"Both," I say, a small smile playing on my lips when Allie stops breathing for a second. Her eyes close briefly, but she opens them and smiles down at Angel as I stand.

If nothing else, I'll just keep her here until I prove I can be good for the both of them. I'd never hurt either one.

Angel has become someone I can't live without, and I want her with me

as much as possible. Allie is an entirely different sort of love, but I'm equally lost without her. And I'm smart enough to realize that I don't want to fuck this up.

"Come on, then," Angel says around a yawn, and I smile over at Allie who is trying not to smile.

She leads the way, and Allie leans over after tucking her in, kissing her on the forehead. I don't wait for her to back up as I go to lean in, putting my arm around Allie as I lean down and kiss Angel's cheek.

She giggles for some reason, and I pull Allie to me as I straighten up, keeping my arm around her as I guide her to my room—our room.

"You've been quiet," I tell her once the door is shut.

She slowly walks toward the bed, eyeing it as though she's thinking. Shit. "You wouldn't let me talk earlier," she says with her back turned. Because you keep overthinking everything. Obviously I don't say that

aloud. I'm not stupid. Allie is cautious, but it's not necessary with me.

"Well, when you're ready to say what I want to hear, I'll gladly let you

talk," I say instead, shrugging when she looks over her shoulder at me.

She laughs, which surprises me. I pull off my shirt, deciding to distract her before she starts listing all the reasons this would be a bad idea, and I

smile when I hear her quiet intake of air.

I turn my back when I undo my jeans, and I say over my shoulder, "Your

stuff is in the closet and the dressers, if you want to find something to sleep in."

As I tug my jeans down, I take my time, mentally preparing myself for whatever she says. She surprises me again by not saying anything. I can't feel her eyes on me, but I'm sure she's watching since she's not saying—

The hell?

I turn around to see Allie crawling across the bed in nothing but a pair of lacy underwear and no bra. Her clothes are nowhere to be found, and I'm wondering how she stripped so quickly. However, my brain shuts off when she peers over her shoulder, still on all fours, and looks at me with an arched eyebrow.

Her round, perky ass is barely covered by the lace, and peeks of flesh show through the material. Did she put that shit on just to torture me? We can't have sex. She just got out of the hospital.

Her skin is lightly tanned, and her blonde hair falls over her shoulder, exposing more of her back. Her waist curves in, spreading at her hips, giving

her that hourglass figure that has me biting my knuckle to keep from... Shit —did I just growl?

"Are you going to stare all day or join me?" she asks as she pulls the covers back and slips in between the sheets, covering her breasts before I can go dumber.

I don't waste time before going to the bed, and she grins at me when I climb in on my side, which isn't usually my side. She's on my side, but I'll let her have it.

She scoots closer, and I go tense. "Allie, you just got out of the hospital," I remind her on a shaky breath when her soft fingers find my chest, sliding down in a slow exploration and tracing the lines of my muscles.

"Stitches on my head aren't going to be a problem in bed," she says, making it sound like a Dr. Seuss rhyme, and I can't help but laugh a little.

But my laughter dies when she pushes her skin against mine. I start to object again when her lips find mine, but I can't find the fucking balls to push her away. Christ, she tastes so good.

Her tongue sweeps in, stealing my sanity, and I wrap an arm around her to tug her on top of me, needing to feel her as close as possible. Both my arms latch around her waist, and I try to keep my hands from straying to her scantily clad ass.

But then she grinds herself against me, and my hands reflexively move to her ass, gripping her and pushing her against me harder. When I hear her moan, my cock starts to ache, feeling tortured and punished when I don't flip her under me and take her.

"What are you doing?" I ask on a rasp when her lips leave mine and start trailing down my body.

She grins against my abs as she continues sliding down, dragging her lips across my flesh in a way that has me fisting the sheet under me.

"You can't make fun of me if I do this wrong," she says, confusing me, but then she pulls my boxers down, freeing my aching cock, and I forget what the hell I was thinking.

When her fingers curl around me, pumping me once, my entire body jerks like there's a live wire she just set free.

"Allie," I hoarsely whisper, clearing my throat. "What are you—oh fuck me."

Her lips—her perfect, lush, soft, fucking incredible lips—go around the crown, and she flicks that teasing damn tongue against the tip, as though

she's testing my taste. I damn near come then and there.

"I'll fuck you later," she says, a smile in her voice, apparently teasing me

for what flew out of my mouth when she took me into her mouth.

She flicks her tongue again, swirling it around the tip, and then she sucks the crown into her mouth, and I fight really damn hard not to thrust. Her unpracticed motions are more exploratory, as though she's learning and testing things out. It's heavenly torture. My balls tighten as air hisses between

my teeth when she sucks a little harder.

It doesn't matter how unpracticed she is, just knowing her lips are on me

right now, tasting, sucking, hungrily taking me in deeper each time, is enough for me to lose it. I have to fight off the early release, trying not to embarrass myself.

Her hair falls down to my hips, feeling like silk against my skin, and her knees are tucked under her. It's honestly the sexiest fucking thing ever, and her hard nipples taunt me.

She sucks me in deeper, finding a rhythm as her hand fists at my base, and my eyes fucking cross when I try to watch. There's no way I can fight it off any longer, and my entire body goes rigid, warning me, as my stomach muscles ripple and tighten.

"Allie," I warn, but I barely get out the choked whisper. So I tug at her hair when words decide to fail me.

She doesn't stop. In fact, she fucking moans and quickens her rhythm, and black dots speckle my vision when my orgasm detonates—yes, detonates like a motherfucking bomb exploding. I pulse into her mouth, but she never stops, continuing her rhythm until every last drop is spilled out of me.

I don't see her expression, but I hear her swallow loudly, as if she's struggling to do so. I'd laugh or speak if I could get my lips to move. She finally peers up at me, a shy smile on her face, and I lazily gesture for her to come to me.

She slowly climbs up my body, and I pull her down to me, kissing her in appreciation as she runs her hands up my body.

"Fuck," I whisper, and she laughs against my lips.

"Now that I have you subdued and a little less defensive, I have something to say," she whispers.

My brain and mouth don't communicate, and I can't speak real sentences. She seizes that opportunity to continue.

"I love you, too, Wren Prize," she says, smiling as she takes my lips, and

my strength returns with vigor as I tighten my hold around her waist. My chest squeezes almost painfully, and something hot washes over my body.

I want to kiss her, fuck her, hug her, take her out, celebrate, announce it to the world—and I want to do them all at once. Which probably wouldn't be a good idea.

"Thank God," I finally manage to say, enjoying the way she laughs again. "So you'll stay?"

"I'll stay," she says, leaning up, and my eyes dart down to her bare breasts. "As long as you're serious about this."

It takes a concentrated amount of effort to look back up to her face instead of starting the celebration right now. She's not smiling anymore. Her eyes have lost the humor, and now those green beauties are studying me intently.

"I'm very serious. I love you. I love Angel. And I love the way it feels when we're all together. I also really love it when you and I get to have moments like this, just the two of us. I want it all, Allie. And I want it all the time."

A tear falls from her eye, and she sniffles and laughs at the same time before leaning down and kissing me again.

I'm careful when I flip her under me so I can devour her properly, slipping myself between her legs. The lace on her underwear tears easily enough, and I toss them aside. I'll put them with the pair I ripped at the Christmas party.

She grins against my lips as I settle myself closer, already hard as a fucking rock and ready to be inside her. I've never been sex-crazed, but I swear I could spend all day in bed with her—every day.

She spreads her legs, ready for me, but I turn her over, wanting her back on her hands and knees the way she was when she crawled across the bed and teased the fuck out of me. She chuckles softly, but the laughter fades quickly when I lean forward, kissing her shoulder and dusting her hair over to the other side so I can get at her neck.

The second she moans, I can't hold off any longer. I lean up, grab both of her hips as I line myself up with her, and thrust in, burying myself deep in one perfect stroke that I feel all the way down to my toes.

She cries out softly, pushing back on me as though she's as greedy as I am, and I grin as I start the rhythm, feeling her squeezing me like a fitted glove designed just for me.

Our bodies move together, grinding, fucking, loving... Each thrust gets harder, and Allie only seems to enjoy it more. Our skin is soon slapping, and my grip is tighter as I dig my fingers into her hipbones to keep from slamming her up against the headboard.

A sheen of sweat starts forming, and when her walls clamp around me, squeezing me tighter, my name tears through her lips. I hold her up when she goes limp, and my stomach muscles clench as I stare at our connection, watching myself slide in and out of her until it's too much. I explode inside her, almost biting my lip hard enough to bring blood in an effort to keep myself from getting loud.

I sink to the bed with Allie, too sated to try and pretend otherwise, and a lazy grin spreads over her lips when she comes to rest on top of me, her eyes seeming heavy as they continue to close for longer and longer intervals between blinks.

"Best. Redo. Ever," she says softly, and I laugh while tucking her against me.

Epilogue

2 weeks later...

WREN

Angel squeals as I throw her over my shoulder, and she tries to wriggle against my grip as I carry her.

"No fair! You're bigger and stronger!" she laughs.

"And I win," I announce, putting her down on the patio chair. Most everyone is here today, and they're all laughing and smiling enjoying the day. Ethan couldn't make it, since he's still in Chicago, but everyone else is here, including Bella. I never have cookouts at my house, but things are

changing more and more every day.

Angel finally starts eating, since I managed to get her in the chair, and

Allie smiles over at me from her corner seat next to Bella. Now I wish we hadn't done this here. I'm ready to carry her out and hold her to me.

"You two seem to be adjusting well to the new living arrangements," Mom muses while joining me at my side.

"It's effortless," I say honestly. "We found a rhythm on the first day, and we've stuck to it," I add, grinning at the innuendo she misses. Then I get serious. "I was worried you'd be pissed."

She snorts under her breath. "I was at first, because I was worried. I figured it out close to Christmas that you had feelings for each other, which is why I pointed out the mistletoe. I needed to see you react. Honestly, I wasn't prepared for you to react quite that fiercely. Then I was pissed because you were hiding it from me, not because you wanted to be with her."

She gives me a pointed look that makes me feel ten-years-old again— scolding me without words.

"Why were you worried?" I ask in deflection.

"You haven't been divorced too long. The only dates you have gone on since Erica were the horrible blind dates Ash set you up on. Well, Brin wasn't horrible, but you know what I mean. I was worried you were rushing in. But I guess some things are just... meant to be. I sound cheesy, don't I?"

I laugh while nodding, but I kiss her forehead, understanding her meaning.

"Speaking of cheesy, how are you and Ray?"

She swats my chest, and I feign pain. "Ray and I are... meant to be," she says wistfully, and I immaturely mock gagging with a finger in my mouth.

She grins before walking over to where Ray has taken the seat next to Angel. Is he seriously teaching my daughter how to cheat at cards right now?

My eyes travel over to where Billy is sitting down next to Bella, probably trying to hit on her, but she politely excuses herself and eyes me like she wants me dead. Yeah... I might have told the banana story to everyone here.

"Ass," she mumbles on her way by, and I laugh, moving my eyes toward Allie as she leaves Billy and moves to my side.

The second she's close enough, I pull her to me, and tilt her head back until I can kiss her. I don't care who sees or who groans, and I ignore the whistling going on.

She grins against my lips before wrapping her hands around my neck. "I love you," she says softly, and I step in closer, pulling her flush against my body. I'll never get tired of hearing those words out of her mouth.

"I love you."

"I'm going to be sick if you two don't stop," Maverick groans. "I see enough of this with Kode and Dane."

"Ignore them," I tell Allie when she blushes and pulls back. "I do."

She starts to say something, but then her brow furrows in confusion as she shifts her gaze to something behind me. "What is he doing?"

I turn around to see Rye belly crawling away from Brin's chair. Her feet are tucked under the chair as she talks animatedly to Tria about something, unaware of her boyfriend's movement.

He nods toward Kade who tosses him a lighter, and I watch as something sparks when he lights the end of a string—no, not a string; it's a fuse.

The hell?

He takes off running, and Brin looks behind her as his cackles break free. She starts to say something when suddenly a collection of rapid-fire pops ring out, one right after another.

She screams as tiny sparks fly from the ground—are those firecrackers?

She runs, but the things are tied to a string that is tied to her shoe, so the endless popping and sparks follow her, leaving a trail of smoke in our backyard as she continues screaming and tries uselessly to escape.

Angel and Carrie laugh loudly, turning around in their seats to watch as Brin falls and kicks off her shoe before crawling back up and running again.

Rye's eyes widen when she grabs the garden hose, and he gasps out an, "Oh shit!" But it's too late to run, because that thing sprays furiously, slamming him in the chest with a relentless stream that follows him as he tries to run away.

He finally runs toward her, and tackles her at the waist, gently bringing her to the ground on top of him before wrestling away the hose. It's not freezing or anything out here, but it's too cold for that shit.

Allie laughs as the two have a wet T-shirt wrestling match, and she turns toward me again. But just as quickly, Maverick's laughter interrupts our moment, and I see Corbin glaring at him.

"What?" Dale prods Corbin. "Why are you so pissed right now?"

"I'm not. Maverick's making a bigger deal out of it than necessary. Ruby can't stay mad at me for long. She never does."

"What'd you do?" I ask, moving us closer to their conversation.

Corbin glares at me like I've offended him, and Maverick laughs harder. "Ruby finally moves back to Sterling Shore, and she's here for two days

before Corbin pisses her off so bad that she's ignoring him now. Go figure." "How?" Allie asks, clearly intrigued.

He shrugs, not feeling inclined to answer, but Maverick answers for him. "He triple dared her to break up with her boyfriend. Can we say jealous?" Allie looks confused, and so does Bella. They don't know the history.

"If he was so important to her, she would have said no," Corbin says defensively.

"She can't!" Maverick says, laughing. "This triple dare war has been going on forever. She's not going to cave now, and you knew it. Jackass. Just admit you're in love with her, and I'll leave you alone."

Corbin scowls at him. "It was going to be a long-distance relationship. And you know those don't work out. The guy was a prick anyway. I was doing her a favor."

"Suurre," Maverick drawls, taunting him. "Admit it. She's back, and now you're going to make me handle the women all on my own while you turn into one of them."

Maverick lazily gestures to the couples, including Allie and me. Corbin stands and flips Maverick off before leaving, and Maverick continues to laugh at his back.

"I like your friends," Allie says with a grin, drawing my attention back down to her bright green eyes. "It never gets boring."

Tuning out everything else, I pull her to me, putting my lips close to her ear, and whisper, "I can think of a number of ways you wouldn't be bored, and we don't need my friends around for that."

She shivers against me, and I grin proudly. I love the effect I have on her.

"Are you getting married?" Carrie's voice startles me, and Allie tenses against me as we both turn to see her and Angel staring over the backs of their chairs at us.

I just got Allie to agree to move in a couple of weeks ago. I don't want to send her running with an early proposal. Which is why the ring I bought three days ago is hiding at Tag's house for safekeeping.

"We're just... together right now," Allie says uneasily, and I bite back a grin at the deep blush on her face.

Angel beams at us, but then a frown mars her beautiful face.

"So you're boyfriend and girlfriend all the time?" Angel asks curiously. "Yes. We discussed this," Allie says.

"And you're only dating each other?" Angel continues.

"Yes," Allie and I say in unison.

Angel smiles again. Her next words leave everyone in an uproar, and I

swear it proves my life is finally perfect. My laughter breaks free, and so does everyone else's—including Bella's—but Allie turns crimson when Angel adds, "I guess that means you broke up with your secret boyfriend— Bob."

Fucking perfect.

THE END

For a sneak peek at Corbin Sterling's story, continue reading. Triple Dare is next in the Sterling Shore series.

TRIPLE DARE CHAPTER 1 RUBY

The bell chimes over the entry, and reflexively, my eyes move up to see who has just walked in. I immediately regret having reflexes.

The second I see him, my body has all the usual reactions. My heart flutters, my body tenses, my mouth waters, and... oh yeah... I get a slight fever. It's like I revert back to feeling like an unsure teenage girl instead a confident woman. Sad, huh?

But it happens every time I see him.

Corbin Fucking Sterling.

His long, jean-clad legs slowly reduce the distance between us as he

saunters toward me with a walk that has everyone in the shop turning to take notice. Women immediately start drooling, forgetting there's a permanent stretch of ink getting tattooed on their bodies when they try to twist around to get a better view.

I pause the tattoo I'm working on, considering I'm hella distracted. The woman in my chair turns around, and a breath leaves her lips, making me envious since my breath is trapped in my throat.

Corbin smirks, reveling in the attention he always garners. His T-shirt is stretched across his broad shoulders and expansive chest. His tall body is sculpted like a work of sexy art, and he knows it.

He's the only guy with longer hair that I've ever been attracted to. The dark, soft, silk-like strands hang almost to his shoulders, and I try not to think back to the times my fingers have been tangled in that hair.

His amber eyes stay trained on me, determination pooling in their depths. Those lips that I know too well are still fixed in that cocky smirk, and a shaky breath finally expels from my lungs before I suffocate.

He has that much power over me even after all these years. Moving back to Sterling Shore might have been the stupidest thing I've ever done. I thought I could handle it, but now I'm not so sure.

Swallowing against the knot in my throat, I force my eyes away, returning them to the task at hand. I look down, and finish buzzing the final

touches on the woman's tattoo, making the small wings on her hip come to life.

"I'm Sarah," the woman in the chair tells Corbin, whose shadow has engulfed me. I refuse to look up, knowing he's hovering over me now.

"Corbin," he says absently, sounding amused as I continue to pretend as though he doesn't exist.

I glance up as the woman's mouth goes slack, her wheels turning as she places his face.

"Sterling?" she shrieks. "You're Corbin Sterling?"

In Sterling Shore, all Sterlings are royalty. As if they need anything else to make them more wanted.

Stupid Corbin. Stupid city. Stupid woman who won't sit still.

"I'm almost done," I tell her, trying not to let my irritation show. "Just a few more seconds."

She freezes, but I know she's completely unaware of what I'm doing. Without looking, I know she's gawking at Corbin, just like every other woman in here. And the men are probably looking, too.

"Are... um... you... um..." Sarah seems to be unable to form a full sentence. I know her pain. I've just trained my mouth to work around him— when I'm not ignoring the dickhead.

"I'm here to see Ruby," he tells her, a smile in his voice.

Asshole. He's standing too close, and I can smell his spicy mix of cologne that has me on the verge of moaning and wishing I could pull him close just to inhale him deeper.

"You?" Sarah asks, looking down at me as though she's horrified of such a thought.

Sure, I don't look like a Sterling Barbie doll. Never have. It's one of the reasons I was happy to leave this town. But this place has always been home despite its shallow ways.

"I'm Ruby," I tell her, rolling my eyes when her nose crinkles.

This is my shop, or doesn't she know that? I'll gladly kick her out if she tries to insult me.

She looks like the perfect girl for a model shoot, and I just added a dainty set of happy wings on her hip to add to her pretty features. Her platinum blonde hair is a stark contrast to my darker, almost black hair. Her perfect tan is much darker than my lighter one that is full of random tan lines.

She's built like a playboy centerfold with a bursting chest, and I don't

bother glancing down at my far less impressive bra size. Even though her eyes immediately go there, probably wondering if I fill out a C cup or if I'm still in a B. I make a C work, dammit.

"Are you two together?" Sarah asks, offending me with the disbelief in her tone.

Her eyes roam down my inked arms, taking in the colorful pops of various flowers, even though she doesn't ask about what they mean. Her eyes drift to the neckline of my tank top, moving over the vine that just touches the base of my neck from my shoulder.

Then she studies my piercings as though I'm on display for her amusement. My Monroe gets a narrowed eye, the stud in my nose gets an eyebrow arch, and my eyebrow ring gets a frown. I stick my tongue out, winking at her when she sees the piercing there, and she gasps.

She'd freak the hell out if she knew what all else I have pierced.

"We're not together," I say since Corbin has gone silent. "We're not even friends anymore," I add, finally glaring up at Corbin who just stares at me like I've challenged him.

"I triple dare you to forgive me," he says, ignoring Sarah as she tries to get his attention.

I roll my eyes while moving aside my cart. Sarah's wings are finished, but she's not in a hurry to leave now.

"You can't do that," I remind him. "You've already used that triple dare —no doubles. And it's not your turn anyway. In case you've forgotten, your last triple dare is what has me pissed."

Curious eyes find us from all around. This is the first time the guys at the shop have seen me really interact with Corbin since I got pissed at him. Which he managed to accomplish on my second freaking day back in town.

Jerk.

The women in here are glaring at me like they envy the attention I'm getting. They have no idea about the hell zone I've lived in next to Corbin. It hurts to be around him, but I can't seem to let him go either, even though I know it would be the smartest solution to put me out of my misery.

Corbin groans as I move away, letting Miles deal with Sarah when she seems to pout and try to follow us to the back. Can no one read the Employees Only sign?

"Read the sign," I tell Corbin, but of course he ignores me. Shocker. "You can't stay mad at me forever." I refuse to look at him. Looking at

him always gets me in trouble. Hearing his deep, smooth voice is bad enough.

"I can stay mad at you for longer than a few weeks. Now go away. I'm busy, in case you haven't noticed."

He snickers softly, and his arms slide around my waist as he hugs me to him. This is the part that's torture. He can touch me, he can hold me, he can be the sweetest, gentlest jerk in the world, but the asshole won't touch me in the bedroom.

Not that we haven't tried. We have. But... I can't think about it.

"You're my best friend, Ruby. And you're finally back home. Don't keep punishing me for getting rid of that tool for you."

I roll my eyes while disentangling myself from his tempting embrace.

"Blade wasn't a tool—and do not make another joke about his name," I say, quickly adding the last part when his lips part to do just that. He closes his mouth, grinning as I continue. "He was nice, loyal, and honest."

It's a lie. Blade was a total tool, but I won't give him the satisfaction of knowing that. I also won't tell him that I was only dating Blade to keep me from falling into old habits.

When Corbin's around, I tend to drop everything so I can spend every waking second with him. That was fine when we only saw each other a few days at a time in small intervals. Now I'm back in his city permanently, and it's hard to be his friend when he's the reason my heart will never again function properly. I doubt I'll ever find all the pieces that he left scattered when he broke it. Well, shattered it would be a more accurate depiction.

"I need you to do a triple dare so that I can use my next turn," he says hopefully, doing that sweet thing with his eyes that always gets to me. Damn him.

"No," I say firmly, moving toward the sink to wash my hands. "Was he that important to you?" he asks sincerely.

I turn around, taking a deep breath, and I glare at him.

"You know that's not the point."

He glares back now, his sweet expression gone.

"You could have said no."

"And let you win? Hell no. I've waited too long to see you lose. It'll be

your box that is handed over, not mine."

A small grin slides onto his lips, and I roll my eyes. Dirty minded ass— "Your box would be much more interesting," he says, letting his eyes

drop to my crotch to make the innuendo clear.

That has me snorting out a laugh. "Seems it wasn't interesting enough," I

point out.

Immediately his cheeks flush, and he turns and walks away. I should have

brought that up sooner. I could have avoided the full-fledged fever I have now after being around him for that long.

Good thing I don't actually have any more appointments. Not that he needs to know that.

I need a moment to breathe without inhaling Corbin Fucking Sterling. Now, what did I do with that tequila?

Release date coming soon.

For fun, teasers, and more, come hang out in the book club with other fans. This is a closed group, so no one sees your posts, comments or likes. And it's hella fun with some awesome women.

C.M. Owens Book Club

Or join me on Facebook for teasers. My Facebook

I'm still getting the hang of twitter, but you're always welcome to visit

me there, too. @CursetrilogyM

What else is coming up in the Sterling Shore Series?

Triple Dare is next. Ruby Kross is a good/bad girl with one major weakness—Corbin Sterling.

Identical Disaster will follow. Bolivia, or Bo for short, has done everything she can for her twin sister for as long as she can remember. But Jax Marshall, the sexy MMA fighter and personal trainer, isn't what she expects when her sister sends her on a breakup mission in her place.

Perfectly Toxic—Bella is done with bad boys, because she's learned they're not so much fun when they're cheating or stealing. But Ethan Noles isn't something she sees coming, until he's under her skin, in her head, and starring in her dirtiest fantasies. And the asshole loves every minute of torment he dishes out.

Make Me—Dale Sterling is the quiet one of his cousins. He's not looking for love, because women, as he's learned, are too much trouble. But Harley has her eyes set on him. But not because she's still a girl with a crush. No.

Harley is back for revenge, and Dale seems to have forgotten he ever did anything wrong.

Taming A Maverick—Maverick Sterling... Need I say more? Maverick is a wildcard and a complete and total manwhore. Everyone knows it. But what happens when he finally meets a girl who he can't seem to move on from? Salem isn't stupid enough to fall in love again, especially not with a guy like Maverick. But it doesn't stop Maverick from enjoying the chase.

A Taste Of Silk—Brittley, also known as Britt, is sick of being surrounded by overprotective Sterling men who all seem determined to keep her a little girl. Hell, they didn't even really know her when she was little. Yet the transition to adulthood seems to be impossible for them to accept. Not that she protests too much, since she's not as passionate about it as they are, at least not until she meets Base Masters.

Base is the lead singer, the coveted sex-on-legs Adonis for The Fallen. And he accidentally gets too close to Dane Sterling's little sister. But Base isn't the type to get tied down, and Britt is still learning how to interact with people without scaring them away.

Finally, The Wedding Game—This one is just for the fans of the series. It's the wedding you've been waiting for, along with numerous short stories from ALL of the previous couples POV. At the end, there will be an epilogue for the series, giving a big glimpse into everyone's futures.