Mr. Right Now: Vol. 4: The After Party That Never Ends (7 page)

“Cole, chill the fuck out,” Dax says.

“You’re a fucking idiot, Kam.”

“Fuck you, Cole, Mr. Perfect.”

Eli walks over to his brewing brothers. “Oh, he ain’t Mr. Perfect. He fucked Chloe’s doctor and her brother-in-law. Broke her goddamn heart.”

Cole’s face drops in horror. “How in the hell do you know that?”

“Chloe and Jax stay in contact.”

Dax slams his fist down on the table, causing a couple of items to tumble to the ground. “Back to Kam. We’re all fuck-ups. Get over it.”

“I’m going to set up a meeting with Jett’s dad and scare the fuck out of him.”

“Holy shit, you’re really an idiot. Have you ever heard of fucking brains over brawn, Kam?”

“Cole, you can either join or get the fuck out, because I’m sick of your shit right about now.”

“Tell us your plan, Kam.” Eli sits ready to listen.

“He thinks she’s staying at the hotel. I’m going to have Jett turn her phone back on and set up a meeting with him there, and when he and his goons walk in, the four of us will be there.”

“I’m in. I need to fucking punch someone. I’ve been around women and diapers way too long,” Eli says.

“The meeting will be set up for tomorrow morning at the hotel.”

“I’ll be there, brother.” Dax pats him on his back.

All eyes go to Cole as he’s still processing the whole plan. He finally steps up. “I’m in, but we are involving lawyers and detectives after you have your way with him. Sounds like he doesn’t deserve to be in business any longer.”

Kam slumps down into a dining room chair, exhausted from his restless night. A bit of the burden is lifted from the support of his brothers. He scrubs his eyes with his palms. “I’m also going to ask her to marry me.”

Silence surrounds him, making the room feel even smaller.

“Why?”

Kam recognizes Cole’s voice.

“Because I’m not going to let her live another day with her fucking last name. It was given to her by the monster who forced her to fuck strangers.” Kam raises his head and looks straight into Cole’s eyes. “And because I love her.”

He’s shocked when Cole doesn’t argue at all.

“One thing about us Sterlings, we keep shit interesting,” Dax adds.

“That we fucking do, boys.” Eli smirks.

Cole stands and makes his way to the window in the living room, pushing the curtains aside with his back to his brothers. “I don’t think there was ever a West Coast curse. I think it was Mom and Dad kicking our asses in gear. I mean, we are now uncles, and one of us is a father. Dax is in love, showing us miracles truly do happen, and Kam, you’re getting married. Mom and Dad really played their cards well.”

The room falls silent with a huge elephant sitting in the middle, but not one brother dares to bring up the doctor and Cole. A knock at the door breaks the silence when Steve arrives holding several boxes of pizza and pasta. “Wasn’t sure what everyone wanted.”

“Fucking food,” Dax growls as he takes the boxes from Steve. He doesn’t wait for anyone else before he digs into his favorite Hawaiian pizza.

“Guys, don’t speak a word of what was just shared,” Kam says before going to retrieve the girls.

His brothers nod back at him, and he knows they’ll keep up their end of the deal. When Kam pushes open the door to Jett’s room, he finds Chloe passed out on one end of the bed, while Birdy and Jett sit and coo to Martha. Neither of them sees him enter, and he can only stare at the picture before him.

He’s never seen Jett in a truly relaxed state without fear and worry lining her face.

“Girls.”

And in unison they hush him and point at Chloe.

“Really? Do you think I’m blind?” He walks over to the bed and takes Martha from Jett’s arms, cradling and kissing her. “Food is here.”

“Thank the good lord, I’m so hungry my little gut was beginning to eat my big gut. Or is it my big gut is eating my little gut?” Birdy bounces from the bed and makes her way down the hall.

“Jett.” Kam holds out his hand while holding Martha with his other arm. She places her hand in his. “Come with me to Denver, please.”

“Not now, Kam, with your family here.”

“Please come with me to Denver.”

“Kam.”

He places his hand on the small of her back and drags her into him. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. I pretty much told you yes last night.”

“I don’t want a pretty much. I want a yes.” He tilts his head and sticks out his bottom lip.

“You ass. This is serious, not a laughing matter,” she whispers, back to being conscious of the sleeping Chloe.

“Please.”

“Yes. Yes, I’ll go with you to Denver.”

Kam leans down, covering Jett’s lips with his, and when he slides his tongue into her mouth, Martha squeaks and scares the shit out of him. They begin laughing and leave the room.

“Where’s Chloe?” Eli asks.

“Dead to the world.” Jett grabs a slice of pizza and a bottle of beer before settling into Kam’s lap.

“You look like a natural there, brother.” Dax waves toward Kam, who has Martha tucked safely to one side of his body while Jett sits on the other side.

“Nah.” Kam smirks. “I need a lot more practice making these things.”

“Really?” Jett looks down at him.

“Really.” He reaches up and kisses her again.

Settled in on the couch with baby Martha, Kam can’t help himself. “But I do want this with you. I want it all, Jett.”

“Me too.” She places a gentle kiss on Kam’s cheek.

Dax and Birdy plop down on an ottoman, and of course Dax fills the seat with Birdy in his lap. The two begin a conversation, not being discreet about it, and Kam finds it impossible not to listen and watch them.

“I love that baby, Dax.”

He gently kisses her forehead between bites of pizza. “I know you do, baby.”

“I’ve never been angry or hateful toward Sue, but after being around Martha, I’m finding that I do hate her for taking that right away from me. I mean like really hate her.”

For the first time, Kam notices the carefree and happy Birdy turn angry with a glaze of bitterness covering her features.

“Look at me, Birdy.” He forces her gaze to meet his. “I’ll get you a baby, sweetie. There’s so many sweet babies who need a good home. My mother took all four of us in at different times in her life, and we ranged from infants to toddlers.”

Birdy raises up, pushing off from his chest. “You would really get me a baby?”

Dax chuckles, and Kam knows it’s from Birdy’s sweet innocence and the way she phrased her question.

“I’ll get you a baby, my sweet Birdy.”

She nestles back down into Dax, who hasn’t stopped eating. “I love you.”

“I’ve lived here four years and have probably only taken two baths, and now within a matter of twenty-four hours I’ve taken three.”

Kam smiles down at Jett soaking in the large tub of water.

“You’re going to be sore. You’re not used to such a beast.” He reaches down and gropes his junk.

“Little full of yourself?”

“Ain’t nothing little about it.”

“Hurry up.”

“Can’t rush perfection, baby.”

Jett laughs at Kam and watches him shave. He barely had a stubble, but it’s always been one of Kam’s deals. He washes the razor off and takes a second to rinse water around the sink to clear away his mess.

“Jett, I’ll be gone when you wake in the morning. I have an early business meeting.”

“Okay.” She swirls the water with her fingers.

“I don’t want you to leave this apartment until we leave for Denver.”

“Oh, joy.”

Kam drops his towel from his waist. “I’ll be around plenty to play, baby.”

Jett extends her arm out from the tub, tugging on the back of his thigh and pulling him closer.

“What are you doing?”

Jett doesn’t answer him. Instead she rises to her knees and leans over the edge of the tub. When her lips touch him, he’s unable to hold back a gasp.

“Jett.”

She moans around his dick, but doesn’t stop gliding up and down it with her mouth. He feels her hands in the mixture and can’t help but tug her hair. Pleasure sweeps over his entire body, and it’s a feeling he never wants to end. Kam reaches down and pulls Jett from the water. He loves the fact he can wheel her around so easily. Jett lets him move as she melts into his arms.

He faces her back toward the tub, forcing her to bend at the hips. His fingers dig deep in her flesh as he enters her, relishing the sensation of her inch by inch. Kam has no idea how he’ll gain any sort of self-control when it comes to Jett. She begins to moan and move back on his cock.

“Slow.” Kam throws his head back and closes his eyes. “Slow, baby.”

“I can’t.”

Jett moves quicker and moans louder when Kam leans forward, rolling her nipples between his fingers. He squeezes them as he nearly lets go.

“Jett, I’m going to…” He’s unable to finish his words before Jett begins screaming her pleasure. But before he knows what’s happening, Jett lunges forward and faces him again, dropping to her knees and taking him in her mouth.

“Fuck,” he growls. The sensation of going from her sweet pussy to her mouth and knowing she’s sucking her own juices off him forces his hand, and he’s spilling into her mouth within seconds.

“Fuck, Jett, you’re going to kill me.”

She chuckles as she rises to her feet, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Now will you join me?” Jett sinks back into the water.

Kam doesn’t answer her, but follows her movement and sinks in right behind her. He clasps his large hands together around her midsection as she lays her head back on his shoulder. Kam kisses her temple several times.

“Marry me.”

Jett’s head spins to face him. “What?”

“Marry me.”

“Are you telling me or asking me?”

“Marry me.”

“Why?” A little smirk forms on her face.

“I want to give you a new last name, and I love you. It’s that simple.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Marry me.”

“What’s it with you and bathtubs and serious questions?”

“Jett.”

“Kam.”

“Marry me.”

“Okay.”

A broad smile now covers his face. “You little shit.”

“I had to string you along for a bit.”

He places a light kiss on her lips.

“I’d love to become Jett Sterling, a.k.a. Mrs. Kam Sterling.”

“Tomorrow morning at the club.”

“Oh shit, I have to work tonight. I can’t stay home.”

“Baby, you’re fired. I’m not allowed to touch employees.”

“You are one bossy, demanding ass.”

“You know you love me.”

Jett whirls around in his arms. “I don’t think you’ll ever truly know how much I do love you. Thank you for saving me.”

Kam runs his hand down the side of her face. “Thank you for letting me.”

Her hips begin to move around in his lap, and Kam is instantly hard and ready again.

“You know what happens next, right?” he asks her with one eyebrow raised.

Jett lifts up again and lands right where she was aiming. She moans as she sinks down on him. “No, I don’t. Care to explain?”

“Jett Sterling, you’re going to be the death of me, woman.”

“They’re on their way up, and there’s only three not four. Jett’s father is confirmed.”

“Thanks, Steve.” Kam hangs up the phone and looks to his brothers sitting at the round table in the small hotel room.

“They are here. Only three of them. He must’ve left a goon behind, so play nice, boys, and let everyone have a piece. Take your places.”

Cole couldn’t help himself and called an old detective friend back home who owes him a favor, and pulled a few strings to have some cops at the hotel when everything goes down. Kam was pissed when he found out, but told everyone involved that as long as he can get a few good punches in, then they can move in and arrest the fucking sleazeball.

The four men walk into the bathroom and shut the door but don’t latch it, and wait.

“Kam, keep your temper in check,” Cole reminds him.

“Always.”

The sound of the key card gliding through the slot fills the tiny room. Dax smiles at his brothers and waggles his eyebrows. “Playtime, motherfuckers.”

The brothers wait for the other men to enter the room and shut the door behind them. Cole’s buddies will be waiting directly outside the room for Jett’s father after Kam is finished with him.

Kam’s blood races at an all-time high as his heart beats furiously against his chest. He flexes his fingers, balling up a fist and then unclenching it while he pops his neck, craning it from side to side.

“Jett, Daddy’s here.”

And those are the three words Kam needs to hear. He’s primed and ready to kill. With thirsty knuckles, he throws open the door, slowly walking out into the room. The fat asshole before him is shocked, and his two bodyguards take up a fighting stance. He watches Jett’s dad throw his arm up in the air, halting the other men.

“Is Jett here?”

“Who are you?”

“Her father, Gary, and who the fuck are you?”

“I’m her fiancé, motherfucker, and I’m here to tell you she’s done working for you for good.”

“Jett, get your ass out here.” Gary’s face boils to a deep red.

“She sent me to give you a message, and I hope to make it very fucking clear.”

“Listen, little boy, you don’t scare me. Where’s my daughter? She has work to do.”

“You should be scared, because life as you know it is over for you.” Kam steps up to the shorter man and grabs him by the collar. “You’ll never forget this face, fucker, or the three behind me.”

Eli, Dax, and Cole walk from the bathroom and stand right behind Kam. In a flash, Kam pulls his arm back and slams his fist into Gary’s face.

“I’m going to fucking kill you. You’ll never hurt Jett again.” He rains blows to his face with every single word. Kam barely hears his name being yelled before it happens.

One of the men behind him lunges forward with a knife, making direct contact along the right side of Kam’s ribs. His shirt slices open easily, as does his skin. The flesh wound doesn’t stop him from beating Jett’s father’s skull.

“You motherfucker.” Dax’s voice rings out in the room, and the three other brothers jump in on the fight. Dax throttles the man with the knife, sending it sailing toward the curtain. Now with the brawl equalized and the only weapons being fists, the Sterlings rain hell on the men.

Minutes pass and sweat drips from the brothers as they punish the men with blow after blow. Cole finally comes to his senses and drags himself away from the man he’s been beating and opens the door to the room. The detectives are quick to take control of the situation.

“Who’s bleeding?”

“Me.” Kam raises his hand.

“Get out of here, and never mention anything of this.”

Eli is on Kam’s side, guiding him out of the room, but before Kam leaves, he has one more warning for Gary. “If there’s ever a next time, I’ll kill you, old man.”

“C’mon.” Dax pulls him out into the hallway.

“Everyone okay?” Cole asks as he rushes toward the exit door at the end of the hall. Kam is thankful for his responsible brother. Cole had thought of everything, even picking a hotel room near the exit with a running vehicle waiting.

Eli and Dax lift Kam up into the SUV. “Well, that was fun.”

The brothers jump into the running vehicle quickly and begin talking softly, and Kam knows they’re hiding something.

“He’s fucking bleeding a lot.”

“We can’t go to the fucking hospital. They’ll snoop.”

“He needs help.”

“I can hear you, fucknuts. It’s not that bad.” Kam pulls away Dax’s shirt and cringes when he sees how deep the cut is.

“Have Chloe call Jax,” Cole says as he drives.

“I’m not fucking alerting her to this bullshit. She’s been through enough. You call Jax, Cole.”

“She won’t answer.”

“Just try. She can fix him.”

“Quit being a pussy, Cole, or your brother is going to bleed out.”

Cole refuses to call Jax and continues driving. They pull up to an apartment building. “She lives here. She’ll be here if she’s not working.”

Eli and Dax rush up to the apartment Cole tells them, and he stays behind in the car.

“Fuck, Kam, if you die over something this fucking stupid, I’ll be so pissed at you.”

“Chill the fuck out. It’s just a flesh wound.”

“There’s a lot of blood.” Kam watches Cole pace back and forth on the driver’s side, waiting on the other two.

“Text Jett for me. My phone is in my pocket.”

Cole reaches in and finds the phone.

“Text her I love her and can’t wait to marry her crazy ass.”

Kam’s heart breaks for Cole as he tries to steady his fingers to type out the message.

“I’m sorry I’ve put you in the mess, Cole.”

“Just don’t fucking die on me, asshole.”

“Over here.” Kam looks up to see Dax running toward the SUV, followed by Eli and a face he recognizes from the hospital.

“She’s the one.” He motions toward the woman.

Cole turns to look where his brother is pointing. “Yep, that would be her.”

“Have you tried asking for forgiveness?”

“On both knees, brother, but she refuses to accept it.”

Jax pushes Cole out of the way as she climbs into the back seat with Kam.

“Can you boys get him up to my apartment?” She turns to face them.

“Easy,” Dax replies.

He leans in and scoops up his brother and begins walking.

“There are not many people around, but hurry so no one sees you.”

Cole and Eli flank Dax, trying to conceal the fact he’s carrying an adult in his arms. Jax rushes ahead, holding open all the doors.

“Down this hall. Lay him in the tub.”

Dax follows her instructions, gently putting his brother in the tub.

“I don’t have any medication to help with the pain.” Jax rips Kam’s t-shirt the rest of the way and studies the wound. “Looks like I’ll be able to stitch you up pretty easily, but it’s going to fucking hurt.”

“I have some stuff. I’ll be right back.” Cole rushes from the room, not waiting for anyone’s approval.

Dax bends over the tub, grabs Kam’s hands, and nods to Jax. He really thought he knew pain before from his childhood broken bones or Dax terrorizing the fuck out him, but none of that compared to what he’s experiencing now.

After Jax poured a burning liquid in his wound, she started threading a needle and string through him. With each poke of the needle he squirms and fights the urge to scream. Dax’s punishing grip on his hand distracts him every so often.

“I need a break. Just thirty seconds.” Tears threaten to invade from the emotional and physical pain.

“Here.” Cole barges into the tiny room. “Take this.”

He hands Kam three white pills and a bottle of vodka.

“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. You can’t take that together.”

Kam has the pills down and is chugging on the bottle before she can stop him.

“Cole, are you fucking crazy?”

“It will help numb his pain.”

“Or kill him.”

“What did you just give him?”

“Vicodin and vodka.”

“Are you a fucking idiot?” Jax pushes hard on Cole’s chest.

“It will help him through the pain. Numb it.”

“That’s what you’re all about, huh, fucker? Numbing the pain and masking your problems.”

“Cole, go wait in the living room.” Dax waves him off, still holding Kam’s hand. “Call the girls and tell them the wedding is going to be postponed until tomorrow morning.”

“No,” Kam slurs.

“Well, looks like he’s feeling a bit better. Go ahead, Doc.”

Cole leaves the room and Kam fights to save his wedding date. “No, Dax, I have to get married.”

“Kam, you’re getting married, just not today with a fresh wound and fucking wasted out of your mind. You can wait until tomorrow.”

“Don’t tell her I’m hurt. She’ll worry.”

“Cole won’t. He’ll take care of the situation like he always does.”

Jax begins stitching again, and this time Kam doesn’t feel a thing as he watches her hands move back and forth.

He takes another swig from the bottle and lays his head back on the tub.

“Cole talked about you guys a lot and never mentioned that one of you was engaged.”

Kam tries to lift his head, but Dax forces him back down. “Well, numbnuts here just proposed last night.”

“I see.”

“Cole really loves you, Doc.” Dax flinches hard as Kam speaks. “You should forgive the bastard. He’s a good guy.”

Jax doesn’t let his words affect her as she continues to stitch. Dax joins in on the final stand for his brother.

“He really has been torn up over you.”

“I’m sure he’s fucked his way through an entire zip code since me.”

“Cole told us what he did.” Kam sits up and looks at Jax. “Told all three of us the other night. If he’s come back to you and apologized and you turned him down, just know you lost the best man you’ll ever meet.”

“I guess I lost out then.” Jax ties off the final stitch, clipping the extra suture off. “Keep it clean. I’ll put a bandage over the wound. It took thirty-two stiches to get you sealed up. Don’t shower for a day or two, and don’t fucking mix pills and alcohol again.”

Dax chuckles to himself.

“What’s so funny?”

“Mixing pills and alcohol is a staple in the Sterling family.”

Jax shakes her head as she washes up at the sink and begins disposing of the mess left behind.

“Can you sit up, buddy?” Dax grabs Kam’s shoulder.

“The pain’s gone.” Kam smiles.

“You’re going to make me fucking pack you back out, aren’t you, you lard ass?”

Jax leaves the bathroom.

“She’s really going to break Cole’s heart, isn’t she?” Kam looks up to Dax.

“She sure is,” he answers. “We’ll all need to be there for him in Denver.”

Dax pulls Kam from the tub, sets him up on the toilet, and pulls his bloody, cut up shirt the rest of the way off.

“Here.” Jax throws a t-shirt at them. “It’s one your brother left here the other night.”

Both men stare at her quizzically.

“We both agreed to part ways, and just so you know I told him I forgave him and wanted him back in my life, and it was Cole who turned me down after what he put me through. So, boys, I’m not the heartless bitch you think I am.” She turns her back. “He not only broke my heart once, but twice.”

“Jax, thank you for taking care of me and loving Cole.”

She doesn’t turn around. They both stand and follow her out of the bathroom, but she turns down the hall, goes into a room, and shuts the door. Kam can barely walk from the buzz he’s enjoying. He takes another swig from the bottle. Eli takes it from his hands as he heads into the living room.

The four men step out into the sunshine side by side.

“Cole, did Jett text back?”

“No.”

“Give me my phone.”

Kam dials her number and waits ring after ring until her voicemail picks up. He dials it again, wondering why in the fuck she wasn’t answering her text or phone calls.