Loving War (27 page)

“
Don’t
finish that if you want to keep your balls attached,” I growl, already on the edge of losing my damn mind. Doesn’t he know better than to push me?

Corbin holds his hands up, surrendering, but he’s grinning like he just won a prize. Fucker.

Maverick walks up, and he hands me a drink. “You need this, Pretty Boy. That ugly scowl is going to mess up your reconciliation scheme otherwise.”

It’s hard to plot murder and force a smile for Tria’s sake.

Tria glances down at her phone, and I watch as she types in a message. Whoever has just lit up her screen has also lit up her smile. It’d better not be that beast that was at her place.

“Dude, you’re still scowling. You’re going to freak her out if you look pissed,” Maverick says, grinning like the dick he is.

This is torture. I only came here because Rain sent a text saying that Tria was coming. For some stupid reason, I thought spreading the word that I loved her would do the trick. Should have known I’d done more damage than that could fix.

“Tria doesn’t freak out when I look pissed,” I mumble.

It’s one of the many things I love about her.

“She used to,” Dale says as he joins us, his smile also too fucking big.

“That was before she started trusting me.”

And I shredded that trust with one mistake after another.

Deciding I need to loosen up, I chug the drink in my hand, and Tag goes to grab me another. I think they’re all trying to keep me in place so that I don’t go drop to my knees in front of Tria and beg like a motherfucking baby for her to take me back.

As soon as Tag returns with a new glass full of amber relief, a sight catches my eyes that has me grinding my teeth. That beast is here, and he’s scanning the crowd. That’s who sent her a text. He probably wanted to know where she was.

“Might want to hold him back,” Tag says, laughing. “Before he kills the guy he’s eyeing.”

I start to move, but Corbin really does start holding me back. Then Jamie Burton walks out onto the patio, joining Leo at his side. A few spurts of mocking laughter come in from behind me as I watch the duo slowly make their way toward my girl.

“Dude, you just went postal over a guy who really isn’t looking at Tria in
that
way,” Tag jokes.

“Narrow-minded dumbass. They’re probably just friends.”

I refuse to hope that Leo is on a date with Jamie. It just seems too good to be true, and with the luck I’ve had lately, I don’t see that happening.

Tria hugs Leo in greeting, and Corbin tightens his hold on me when I try moving again. She backs away to shake Jamie’s hand, and he laughs as they talk. Then Jamie leans over to Leo to say something in his ear, and I almost do a fucking cartwheel when he bites Leo’s earlobe like a lover’s nip. When Leo smiles like a fool with a crush, my anger flees to make room for relief.

“Fuck yes,” I breathe, sagging back into a relaxed state.

Riotous laughter breaches the air when the guys around me watch in fascination. Yeah. I’m fucking crazy.

Leo tugs at Jamie’s arm, and he nods in my direction, apparently noticing the fact I’ve been burning a hole through them for the twenty minutes they’ve been here. His mouth tilts up on one side, as if he knew I hated him for a little while. I almost wonder if that’s why he showed up. At least I can take him off my people-to-kill list.

Tria looks over at me as Leo walks away, and I give her a real smile because I can’t help myself. My feet are moving before I can stop them, and Corbin sidles up to my side as I reduce the distance between myself and Tria.

Her eyes get wide in her head, but it’s as though she’s trapped and unable to look away. I don’t stop walking until I’m right beside her, angling my body so that her side is touching my front.

“Kode Sterling. We thought you had died. Haven’t seen you around in a while,” Courtney Hughes says.

I hadn’t even noticed her over here.

“I’ve been too busy trying to get my girl to talk to me,” I say, watching the blush rise up Tria’s neck. It’s a good color on her.

Corbin snickers while moving closer to Rain and dropping his arm around her shoulders.

Courtney’s voice is like nails on a chalkboard when she continues. “Oh. Really? You two? I had heard the rumors, but I thought that was impossible.”

I still haven’t looked at her, because my eyes are glued on the brunette who isn’t moving away from me. Old habits die hard, and my hand moves to her back, stroking it and almost feeling the static between our touch.

She stiffens at first, but almost as quickly, she relaxes as though she’s relishing the feel of my body so close to hers as much as I am. It feels so damn good to be touching her.

“Nope. Not impossible,” I finally say to Courtney, still keeping my eyes on Tria who is wearing the sexiest red dress I’ve ever seen.

It stops just below her ass, and the top part is strapless, giving me a view of the upper swells of her perfect tits.

Fuck. Seven days suddenly feels like ten years.

“You look beautiful,” I tell her, not giving a damn when several of the guys make heckling sounds.

Tria smiles up at me, and I brush my thumb across her cheek.

“Thank you. I should probably go.”

Shit. I pushed too fast. She was letting me touch her, and I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.

“Don’t,” Rain says, trying to help me out apparently.

Tria turns her attention to her sister, and her body starts to separate from mine. “I need to. I’ve got an early conference call to make. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Tomorrow?

Rain pouts, but sighs, “Fine. Tomorrow. At least you’re giving me that.”

Making a mental note to grill Rain in a minute, I put my hand back on Tria’s waist. “I’ll walk you out.”

Her breathing hitches, and she looks back up to meet my eyes.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she almost whispers, as though her voice is lost.

“Why?” My voice is low, the way she likes it to be when I seduce her.

I know exactly why she doesn’t want me to walk her out. She’s weak right now. I’ve weakened her with my touch, and she’s on the verge of giving in.

“I’ll walk with you,” Courtney says, glaring at us when I scowl at her. “I forgot my phone in my car.”

Bitch.

But the phone gives me an idea. I pull up my contacts as Tria bids everyone goodnight, and I hand Tria my phone as she turns back toward me.

“What’s this?” she asks, her eyes slowly taking in what I’m showing her. When she sucks in a sharp breath, I can’t help but smile.

On the screen, she sees the picture of her with her head resting in my lap, smiling happily as she watches TV. The name I had her under has been changed to
The Girl I Love.
Tears water up in her eyes, and she takes a deep breath.

Reaching over to her hands, I scroll to another contact, and show her a different name. It’s Rain, but now it says
Dane’s Girl
. And the picture is one of her with Tria.

She looks up to meet my eyes, and gives me a sad smile.

“That’s nice, Kode. But doing something after the fact usually implies that it’s not very sincere.”

She hands me my phone back, and her hand shakes as she does. Cursing internally, I take it back, but not without seizing the opportunity to wrap my other hand around hers, forcing skin-on-skin contact.

I smirk when she sways, acting as though that simple touch is enough to crack her reinforced barrier.

“Just because I’m slow about some things, it doesn’t mean they’re any less sincere, Tria.”

She jerks her hand away from mine like it’s on fire, and I frown as she takes another shaky breath.

“Bye, Kode,” she says hoarsely, and she starts to walk away, but not before turning around and forcing one last smile for me when she sees me watching.

Groaning, I turn away when she disappears through the gate with Courtney on her heels. Everyone is watching, no one is speaking, and the audience of our friends that was forgotten are now making me feel a little awkward.

Ash sniffles, Rain sighs, and Britt stands there with a dazed expression. All the guys are just wide-eyed as they gawk at me like I’m some exotic creature or an extremely fucked-up science experiment—not sure which.

“What?” I grumble, shrugging as if I don’t know what the hell they’re all staring at.

“Dude, you’re so far gone that it’s almost disgusting,” Maverick says, his face drawn up as though he has tasted something sour.

“That was heart-wrenching,” Ash says on a sigh.

Didn’t realize we were putting on a damn show.

“It is what it is,” I mumble, kicking at an imaginary stone on the patio while pocketing my hands in my jeans like a surly teen.

“If I was writing this story, I’d have you causing a major, dramatic scene at my wedding where you confessed your love for her on your knees,” Rain says thoughtfully, causing me to arch my eyebrow in amusement. “Then she’d run into your arms, you’d kiss, possibly carry her out. It’d be over-the-top romantic.”

Deciding I don’t have any dignity left, I answer, “Two problems with that. The first is the fact that it wouldn’t work. I’ve already confessed my damn love—”

“To everyone,” Maverick points out in exasperation. “Several times.”

I continue talking as though he didn’t just say something snide. “And interrupting a wedding, begging for her to take me back… All that’s a little too cliché for Tria.”

Rain nods, seeming lost in thought. “True. Both things.”

Courtney returns just as I glance down at my phone, trying to think of anything I can say to Tria.

“Well, now that she’s gone, how about I take a look at how you have me programmed in your phone,” she purrs, putting her hand on my arm.

I smirk as I quickly pull up my contacts, eager to oblige. She grins as she looks over, but her gasp of outrage makes me smile so damn hard that it hurts.
Do Not Answer
is the name with her number, and a picture of a pointy-nosed goblin is set for her.

“You’re an asshole,” she spews, furious as she turns away and stalks off in an angry huff.

Corbin looks over and bursts out laughing when he sees what pissed Courtney off, and I put my phone away while grinning triumphantly.

“Where are you taking Tria tomorrow?” I ask Rain, not even bothering to try to be subtle.

She grins as though she has been waiting on me to ask that question. “Silk. We’ll be there around eleven. She agreed to go out for my early bachelorette party.”

“We crashing a party?” Corbin asks, already smiling like my coconspirator.

Damn straight we’re crashing.

As Maverick and Corbin start scheming to help me in my quest, I send a text to Tria. I reprogrammed my name in her phone earlier when I was at her house. She had changed me to
Kode
. That’s better than a
Do Not Answer
or
Bastard I Hate.
I wanted to remind her of the good stuff. Now my name is
The Guy Who Loves You.

Me:
I miss you.

Since she hasn’t responded all week, I’m surprised when I get a text back.

The Girl I Love:
I miss you too.

I clutch the phone in my hand, worried I’m hallucinating. There’s no doubt I’ll be at Silk tomorrow. And I’ll be anywhere else she is as long as she misses me, too.

“Kode,” Rain says, smiling secretively.

“Yeah.”

“If you’re at Silk tomorrow, make sure you’re drunk when we get there.”

That’s an odd request. “I need to be sober. I act like an idiot when I’m drunk, and Tria will completely write me off if I push her too hard.”

Hell, she ran out of here after I touched her cheek and told her she was beautiful. If I drink, I’ll be all over her.

“Just get drunk. Trust me.”

Trust. Well, isn’t that word the very crux of this whole damn situation.

Chapter 27

TRIA

Tria,

I have a life full of regrets. None of them compare to the regrets I have for the sins against my family. I won’t ask you to forgive me. It’s not fair. All I want you to do is move on with your life in a way that brings you pride. I didn’t tell you about my health, because I knew what you’d do. You would have come. You would have tried to make things better, and I would have hated myself more for putting you in that position. You’re so incredible that you would have apologized to me for all my wrongs by somehow justifying them and making them your fault. I may be a bastard, but not even I could have allowed that.

Seeing that you’ve managed to build a relationship with Rain makes me so happy. If nothing else, the disdain you shared for me gives you common ground. I was thrilled to learn that boy finally wised up. He always did pay his attention to the wrong Noles girl for him. Rain was Dane’s from the moment he saw her. But Kode was a fool to overlook you for so long. The day he came over here, I wept with joy and with pain.

Joy for the fact that you would be taken care of the way you deserve. Pain for the fact I’d never get to see your wedding. I’ll be surprised if I manage to last until Rain’s wedding.

Just so you know, your mother was the love of my life. I was a fool that took her for granted, the greedy man who fell in love with himself and his job and lost sight of the things in life that matter at the end. You won’t be like that. I know you won’t. Your heart is bigger than I’ve ever known. I’m just glad others are finally seeing the woman you really are.

This is wrong of me, but I can’t help it right now. Consider this the last selfish thing I ever say. I love you, Tria. Always have. Always will.

Dad.

The words of that letter replay over and over in my head. Why I read it just before Rain picked me up in the limo for her bachelorette party, I don’t know. Curiosity perhaps? Or maybe my masochistic nature overrode my needs for self-preservation.

Regardless of the reason, the words are etched into my brain forever now—my father’s last words to me. Surprisingly, they’ve given me a sense of calm, whereas they drove Rain to the brink of self-destruction.

The part that is bugging me though, is when did Kode go over there? Did he go to talk to my father? Why did he tell him about us?

I expected my questions about my father to go unanswered—that letter wasn’t long enough for him to explain everything he should have. But I didn’t expect it to introduce new questions, especially about Kode.

Dusting off the lingering effect of the confusing letter, I follow Rain into the club, trying not to mention anything that might set her off. She doesn’t need to know.

Silk is packed tonight, and I already regret the short denim shorts with frayed hems that I’m wearing when a set of creepy eyes drop to my legs. Rain’s dress is way more revealing, so I’m hoping that she steals all the attention.

My shirt is a strappy, low-cut white shirt that glows under the black lights, and my wedge-heel sandals put me at least four inches taller than my sister. Should have worn something else.

I didn’t feel like dressing up too much, but Rain demanded I change out of my T-shirt. Hell, I was proud I put on makeup and bothered to fix my hair. After seeing Kode yesterday, I spent the night crying in my bed, wishing like hell I could believe everything he was trying to say.

But it’d be the end of me if I had to go through losing him a second time. I’m barely surviving this as it is.

When he sent a text and I realized he had hacked my phone to change his contact name again, I burst into a sobbing fit of tears. In a moment of weak abandon, I sent him back a message. It was stupid. All that did was invite him to continue this game, just like me leaning against him while he was touching me last night.

Why can’t I be strong? I couldn’t resist reading that letter just as I couldn’t resist texting Kode back, although I knew both were a bad idea. Even though the letter actually gave me a sense of peace, ending the suspense I didn’t know was there, I still ignored the voice in my head that told me to stay away.

“This is way too many people,” Ash says, cursing when a guy bumps into her and spills his drink on her feet.

“Can we go somewhere else?” I ask, yelling over the loud music.

Rain frowns, seeming distracted as she searches the crowd like she’s looking for something.

“No,” she calls back. “I want to be here. This is my future husband’s club. It seems perfect for the occasion.”

Perfectly chaotic if you ask me.

People writhe together in places not meant for dancing, blocking the paths for walking, and Rain leads us up to the booth no one else is allowed to sit in besides the Sterlings.

Speaking of Sterlings… Shit.

Kode is sitting at the booth with Maverick and Corbin, and he looks like he’s ready to pull me into his lap right now. My heart thuds in my ears as he appraises me with a slow, and steady, heated gaze, scrolling his eyes up and down my legs, and slowly raking his eyes over me like a predator sizing up his prey.

“Looks like we’ve got party crashers,” Rain says with a shrug, and I glare at her.

She did this shit on purpose.

“You can sit by me,” Kode says, grinning as he slides over to make room for me. Ash and Rain climb in on the other side, both of them grinning like they plotted this whole damn thing.

The spot beside Kode is the only spot available in the curved booth now. Maverick and Corbin are smiling like cats who ate canaries, and I roll my eyes while dropping in beside Kode.

The second his arm goes around my shoulders, I start fighting the urge to melt against him.

“Love those shorts, baby,” he says against my ear. It’s then I smell the alcohol on his breath. Too much liquor makes his hands glue themselves to me. Possibly any girl. I guess I’ll find out tonight.

“You’re drunk,” Rain notes, looking pleased for some bizarre reason. Kode’s hands have already started pawing at me, but I’m not fighting him.

He won’t stop, and everyone will get mad if I fight him and he doesn’t stop. I don’t want them pissed at him or saying anything negative toward him. It’ll only piss me off.

At least that’s what I’m telling myself to justify this.

“He’s been drunk all week. Last night was the first time he’s been sober,” Maverick says, sounding somewhat like he’s tattling.

“You’ve been drunk all week?” I ask, turning to meet his smile.

He tugs me to be flush against him, nuzzling my face with his as he leans over.

“I miss you too much when I’m sober,” he confesses, making my heart clench.

Drunk people tell the truth all the time, right? Isn’t alcohol like a truth serum? Or is that just some myth that I’m trying to convince myself to believe.

Kode’s arm slides around my waist, and one hand moves to my ass as he tries to tug me onto his lap. I resist, and he pouts before moving his lips to my neck and starting a trail of searing kisses that have me practically convulsing.

His touch… It’s my Achilles heel.

“Tria, if he’s too much, just ask for help,” Maverick says, though he’s grinning.

Rain’s smirk says it all. I remember him once being like this with her, but not nearly to this extent. She said the only time he ever kissed her was that time at Dane’s party—the night when all hell broke loose. But she said that Kode is like an animal around me when he’s been drinking. Right now, he’s proving that.

She’s right across from him, but even drunk off his ass, he’s completely focused on me. It’s a small victory, but one that still has me questioning my already fragile resolve.

“I love you,” he says against my neck, and another piece of that resolve breaks away.

The table makes conversation, and Corbin pulls Rain out of the booth as Maverick grabs Ash. They abandon us and make their way onto the dance floor as Kode continues his oral assault on my sensitized skin.

“You taste so damn good,” he says when he reaches the swells of my breasts. Dale walks toward us, but his grin crawls up when he sees Kode practically devouring me, and he turns and walks away.

“Why’d you go to see my father,” I ask, my voice cracking.

He leans back, tilting his head. “How’d you know I did?”

Frowning, I glance around to make sure no one can hear.

“I read the letter.”

He brushes his hand across my cheek, and those silver eyes stare softly into mine with more compassion than Kode ever shows anyone else.

“He mentioned that?” I nod to his question, and he continues as his hand slides down to my waist, unable to stop touching me. “He wanted your mom to drop stuff off, but she didn’t want to. Melanie asked Rain, but it upset her. Then Corbin asked me to ask you, and it pissed me off. I didn’t want you having to deal with that, so I went and took Dale with me so I didn’t do something stupid. Did I screw up?”

His question is so sincere, that I almost launch myself into his arms. But instead, I just lean into his touch a little more, which of course has his roaming hands taking full advantage.

“No. You didn’t screw up. Why did you tell him about us?” My voice is soft, barely maintaining an audible tone over the music.

“I got defensive when he said something that I took out of context. It took him five seconds to realize I was there to protect you and not Rain. He actually seemed pleased with that.”

Oh damn. He’s drunk and talking in a way that is almost hard to understand, but there’s no doubt that he’s telling the truth right now. It’s almost enough. Almost.

His mouth returns to trailing kisses down my neck as he says, “I’d do anything to protect you.”

In that moment, I completely believe him. His brazen lips make it back down to my shirt, and his tongue darts out to find the line of my cleavage. I’m so glad the music is drowning out the embarrassing sounds I’m making. Kode is the only one hearing them, and it’s only fueling him.

I can’t breathe, especially when his bold hand grabs my shirt, inching it down to uncover more flesh on my breast for him to attack.

“I have to go to the bar. I’ll be back,” I hoarsely tell Kode, trying to escape before I end up screwing him in the booth.

He stands when I do, and he grabs my hips, pulling my back to his front, as he moves us toward the bar. “Not without me,” he mumbles, stumbling a little. “Too many people.”

Again, my heart clenches, swelling with a touch of pride. His eyes are on me. No one else. His hands act as though they’ll never let me go.

After ordering my drink, I look over as Rain joins me at my side, ordering her one as well. Kode continues nibbling on my neck until Corbin hauls him off me. I almost beg Corbin to let him go, because it feels so good, but I know I shouldn’t.

“Give her just a little room,” Corbin says, laughing. “You told me not to let you scare her.”

Kode frowns, but he glances over at me for a fleeting second before sighing in defeat. Maverick walks around to hand him another drink, and they talk to each other while Ash squeezes in at the bar with us.

When I turn my attention back to Rain, she’s grumbling and knocking some guy’s hands away.

“Get the hell away.” Her disdain bleeds into her tone, but the creep doesn’t take a hint.

“Dude, back the hell up,” Maverick growls, glaring at the guy.

The guy just laughs while holding his hands up, staggering to the left a little in a drunken stupor. “Sorry. Didn’t know she was yours.”

He stumbles in behind me, but the second his hands touch my waist, he’s falling and yelping. When he lands on the ground, he starts clutching his nose as it spews blood. Kode’s fist drops back to his side as he looks down at the guy he just punched out, and my eyes go wide when I see the murderous glare in his eyes.

He didn’t hit the guy while he was all over Rain. This guy barely touched me.

“Kode, don’t!” I say, grabbing his arm when he moves toward the guy like he might do more.

“He shouldn’t have put his fucking hands on you,” he growls, too drunk to know when to stop.

That’s my breaking point. All the pieces fall together, and I lose the last ounce of my resolve.

No one is helping me hold Kode back. What the hell?

To keep him from pummeling the guy and going to jail, my hands go to his shoulders as I step in front of him, and I use them as leverage to haul myself up and wrap my legs around his waist. His hands immediately go to my ass, and his eyes lose their angry haze as lust and excitement fills them. His angry scowl turns into a slow, sexy grin that has me tightening my legs around him for an entirely different reason.

“What’re you doin’, baby?” he asks in a sexy drawl that has me reminding myself to breathe.

“Taking you home with me.”

His grin doubles, and he leans in and kisses me hard. My hands go to his hair, and my fingers tangle in the soft blonde strands as I kiss him back with the same need pouring out of me.

I kiss him like I can’t ever stop—like I can only breathe his air.