Kaden Read online

  Zander fiddled with the radio for the first five minutes of the drive and if he didn’t settle on a station soon, I was gonna kill him.

  “So, how’s your love life or lack thereof?” he asked, laughing when I slapped his hand away from the dial. “That good, huh?”

  It was a shame, but I didn’t get to spend as much time with my baby brother as I used to, work taking up the majority of my time, and on his end, he was busy with college and working part-time. Zander never expressed any interest in becoming a part of the Knights Corruption which was fine with both of my parents. Instead, he wanted to pursue a business degree with hopes of starting his own business. What that business was he had yet to decide.

  “Don’t worry about me. How about you?”

  Zander and his high school girlfriend, Kim, broke up last year right after they graduated. She’d gotten a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania, and right before she left, she broke his heart in a text, telling him she didn’t want to do the long-distance thing.

  “There’s someone I’ve been talking to, but I’m not sure yet.” He tugged on his right earlobe, something he did when he was either nervous or flat-out lying. In this instance, I couldn’t tell.

  “Well, take it from me. Don’t waste your time if you’re not sure.” Even as I spewed my advice, I didn’t fully believe it. I’d been sure about Kaden years ago and look where that got me. I was the last person who should meddle in anyone’s love life.

  “You’re a catch, Zan. Play the field. You’re still too young to get serious with anyone.” My baby bro was attractive with his soulful hazel-colored eyes and his dirty blond hair. He’d had many different hairstyles in his short nineteen years, but the way he wore it now was the best, in my opinion. Short and close to his head, highlighting his handsome features. He had a strong resemblance to our dad but thankfully didn’t share his temper. Zander was naturally calm. Hardly anything rattled him, but the way he fidgeted in his seat drew my focus. “You okay?”

  He made some noise before answering, a mix between a loud sigh and a grumble.

  “Kim has been texting me.” That was all he said before turning his attention to the world outside. I drove for another mile before asking him to elaborate, realizing that telling me his ex had been contacting him was opening up a conversation maybe he wasn’t ready for.

  “You know how I feel about Kim. I liked her just fine when you two were together, and while I didn’t think you’d be together forever, the way she ended your relationship was fucked up. You were a couple for three years, and she tells you it’s over in a text?”

  “I know.”

  I reached over and squeezed his leg, his head still turned toward the window. “She hurt you and I don’t like her now on principle.” He finally looked my way and smiled. “But, and this is a big but, if you decide to start talking to her again, I won’t get in the way. You’re grown and can make your own decisions. Just make sure you want to be in her life because you want to and not just because it’s familiar.”

  “I know,” he repeated.

  Ten minutes later, we turned down the road to Ryder and Braylen’s house. “Enough about girls,” I said, laughing when Zander emphatically nodded. “Let’s have a good time.” After I pulled into their driveway and shut off the engine, I looked in the back seat. “Where’s Roman’s present?”

  I asked Braylen what her son wanted, and she told me some new Xbox basketball game. My brother exited the Jeep and opened the back door, crouching down and sticking his hand under his seat. Then he crawled in further and did the same under my seat.

  “Got it. It was under your side.” He handed me the gift before shutting the back door, striding toward the house without another word.

  My heart went out to him because I remembered what it felt like not to end up with the person you thought you would. Hell, I was his age when my relationship with Kaden withered and died. I still felt lost, angry, and saddened because of it. Although these days I could add confused and slightly hopeful, although the latter feeling twisted into the first most times.

  As I walked toward the front porch, I remembered the day we all helped Ryder and Braylen move into this house, even though the only thing I could do at the time was carry some lightweight boxes. Braylen had just found out she was pregnant with Roman, and while Ryder scolded her a few times, telling her not to lift a thing, I saw her arms full several times. After a half hour of helping, I spent the rest of the day playing in the yard with Kaden, Linc, Zander, and Luke, Tripp and Reece’s son. Evan and Harrison joined us later on, but they were too little to play with us for long, only being four and five at the time.

  The wraparound front porch was my favorite feature of their house. I spent many hours alone on the hanging swing, contemplating life. For as funny as that sounded for someone my age, and who was even younger at the time, I was able to think in peace, the wide-open space surrounding the house nurturing. They lived on four acres of land, so while they weren’t crazy far away from any of their neighbors, peace and quiet was in abundance.

  Looking around the side of the house, I saw the enormous oak tree we used to climb as kids, only today there were four bikes parked in front of it. One of them belonged to Kaden. While I realized I’d be seeing him here today, my heart still skipped a beat regardless.

  As I reached for the handle, the front door swung open, five kids I’d never seen before almost knocking me over in their excitement. They were followed by Roman, who stopped briefly to give me a side hug before chasing his friends toward the backyard.

  There were times I longed to be that young, to not have a care in the world but what game to play next or what area to explore with the people who meant the most to me.

  Once they disappeared, I reached for the handle once more, inhaled a deep breath, and took a step inside. The chatter became louder the further I walked into the house and once I entered the kitchen I saw why. Everyone gathered around the huge island, drinks in hand and smiles on their faces.

  “Riley,” Sully greeted first, moving away from her husband and walking the few feet toward me. She wore her shoulder-length black hair in big waves, her strands bouncing around her as she moved. The woman never aged, looking not that much older than me. Okay, maybe she looked to be in her early thirties but no older. In fact, all the women in my life looked amazing. My mom could pass for my older sister some days, Reece had a glow about her that made her appear young, and Braylen and Kena’s youthful appearance was due to their regimented skin care, or so they told me. And while the women looked amazing, the guys did as well, although they tended to have some gray hair sprinkled in, more so than their wives. But in all fairness, the ladies visited the salon for that very reason. Who wanted to walk around with gray roots? Thankfully, I’d only seen one gray hair on my head, plucking it out even though I heard many more would grow back in its place. So far… nothing.

  Sully engulfed me into a tight hug before pulling back and kissing my cheek. “I haven’t seen you in forever. Why don’t you come around anymore?” Her smile did nothing to ease the pang in my heart. I could never tell her the real reason I stopped coming to their house.

  So, I lied.

  “I work a lot, which doesn’t leave me much time for anything else.”

  “I don’t work you that hard,” Braylen said, cocking a manicured brow my way, but the curve of her lips told me she wouldn’t say much more and expose my lie to Sully.

  “Our goddaughter shouldn’t stay away so long, right, Cole?” She looked back at her husband. He took a swig of his beer before nodding. Kaden’s dad was a serious man, but I’d also witnessed the softer side of him, more so in his affection toward me growing up.

  One time when I was eight, I fell off my bike and skinned my knee. My mom and dad were away for their anniversary, so Lincoln, Zander, and I were staying with Marek and Sully, and of course Kaden. Anyway, I limped into the house before falling to the floor and clutching my leg. Marek had been in the kitchen and rushed ove
r to scoop me up before setting me on top of the counter. “I’m here, sweetheart. I’ll fix you up. Don’t worry.” He patched me up, kissed my bandaged knee, then tickled me until my tears dried up, laughing so hard I could barely breathe.

  I had a lot of memories like that of him, of all the men in my life. Because I was immersed in a sea of testosterone, I felt protected, sometimes too much.

  “Well, you’re here now.” Sully squeezed my hand before leading me toward the island, gesturing at the seat Jagger vacated as soon as I entered the kitchen.

  “Is Luke coming today?” I asked, accepting a glass of ice tea from Reece. Her and Tripp’s son moved to Seattle last year, following his girlfriend who had to move back there to help care for her grandmother.

  “He’s helping to man the grill, although I’m not sure he knows what he’s doing.” Jagger chuckled, leaning over to kiss Kena’s temple. “In fact, I better go check on things.”

  “I’ll join ’em,” Marek added, grabbing a couple beers from the fridge before hightailing it out of the kitchen, leaving us ladies alone.

  It wasn’t until that moment I realized I hadn’t seen my parents yet. “Where’s my mom and dad?”

  They’re out back, Kena signed. They seem to be in a good mood. Or should I say Stone seems to be in a good mood.

  “Miracles do happen.” Braylen shook her head. “I don’t know how she puts up with his moods lately.” She looked at me after speaking. “Sorry, Ry, but your dad is somethin’ else.”

  “Trust me. I know.” We all shared a laugh, stopping abruptly when the man in question waltzed into the room. He walked toward me and kissed the top of my head even though I’d just seen him back at the house.

  “Ladies.” His greeting was short but filled with warmth, the goofy grin on his face confusing me. He opened the fridge, snatched several beers, placed them on the counter, then rooted through the shelves before closing the door. I didn’t want to give the impression my dad was always in a somber mood, but as of late, he fit that bill to a tee. This was the first time in months I saw him smile, let alone look like he was having a good time. When he turned back around to face us, he seemed startled, his expression flattening for a moment. “What are you starin’ at? Do I have somethin’ in my beard?” He ran his hand over his facial hair as he continued to stare at us.

  “What’s with the smile, Stone?” Braylen leaned forward after asking her question, wiggling her brows, preparing for my dad to reveal some sort of secret.

  “Ask Addy.” He moved toward the edge of the kitchen.

  “Ask Addy what?” my mom said, sauntering into the space to join the rest of us.

  He kissed her lips. “They wanna know why I’m smilin’.” He left without another word.

  Our attention swung to my mom. “I told him on the ride over that Dr. Weber is moving to North Carolina at the end of the month.” When she moved one of the stools out so she could take a seat, the legs squeaked against the tile.

  Why would that make him happy? Kena signed, tilting her head in confusion.

  While I wanted to blurt out the answer, I let my mother tell them instead.

  “Because he hated that I worked with him.”

  Why?

  Before my mom could answer, I raised my pointer finger to the side of my head and twirled it around, rolling my eyes at the same time. Everyone laughed at the universal symbol for crazy.

  “Dr. Weber’s hot,” Braylen added, smiling bigger when my mom smirked. “That’s why Stone hated you two working together.”

  “What are you going to do now?” Reece asked, leaning over the island and resting her forearms in front of her. Her chestnut-colored hair swayed in front of her when she moved to adjust her seat, her blueish-gray eyes focusing on what her friend would say next.

  “I’m not sure yet. I’ll get another job because I want to work, even though Stone keeps reminding me I don’t have to. But I can’t sit at home all day long.”

  “Oh, the problems,” I teased, patting my mom’s shoulder in jest. While sometimes I thought it would be nice to be taken care of and not have to work for a living, I was also fiercely independent, my mom and I sharing that same trait. So I understood her need to contribute. Besides, she was a phenomenal nurse. I couldn’t remember how many times patients she treated would come up to her in the stores when we were together, telling me what a difference she made for them.

  “I think my doctor’s office is looking for someone. His nurse, Stacey, is going out on maternity leave soon. I could ask,” Braylen offered.

  “What does he look like?” my mom asked, and even though everyone laughed, a flash of seriousness floated over her face.

  Braylen drummed her fingers on the top of the island. “He’s not anyone I would look at twice.” She hurried her next words. “Dr. Lenny is super nice, but I don’t think Stone will have any issue with you working with him.”

  “Is he married?” I asked, already assuming that would be a question my dad would ask.

  “He and his wife, Gloria, just celebrated twenty-seven years. They have four kids and I believe two grandchildren.” Braylen leaned back in her seat, resting her hand over her belly once more, only that time she didn’t remove it when she caught me looking. “Speaking of kids.” She looked around the room at the five of us but remained silent. I looked over at Kena, and when she winked at me, I realized we were the only two who knew.

  “Yeah?” Sully prompted, furrowing her brows while she waited for Braylen to continue.

  “I’m pregnant.” I didn’t think I’d ever seen her smile so big, whatever reservations she had when she first told me completely gone.

  “What?” Reece, Sully, and my mom shouted simultaneously.

  “Shh!” Braylen waved her hands at them. “I don’t want to disrupt Roman’s birthday party.”

  “Did you tell him yet?” I asked.

  “A few days ago. He’s excited.”

  “Who’s excited?” Ryder asked, appearing out of nowhere and walking toward his wife. He leaned down to kiss her before looking at the rest of us. “What?” Several seconds passed and all we could do was grin at him like fools. Happy fools. “I guess she told you.” His laughter was nice to hear because Braylen had told me how worried he’d been, how worried they’d both been. So to see them like this, with nothing but joy on their faces was enough to make my heart melt.

  We offered our congratulations, the joyous occasion managing to take my mind off my own issues until the second my eyes landed on Kaden, who had passed by the kitchen but then turned around to join us at the island seconds later.

  I rose from my seat, intent on making my way outside to say hello to Luke when Kaden snatched my wrist. “Where are you goin?” I couldn’t tell if he was offended I was leaving or simply curious as to where I was off to.

  “Remember when you two used to be attached at the hip?” Sully asked. “I miss those days.”

  “Me too.” Kaden flexed his fingers, studying my face for any sort of reaction, but my expression was flat.

  He released me soon after.

  27

  Pure anger didn’t course through me whenever I saw Kaden these days, but I still had waves of doubt and reservation whenever I came into contact with him. And because I didn’t have the emotional energy right now, especially after everything that happened last night at Indulge, I chose to walk outside in search of Luke.

  Looking around, I saw Tripp, Jagger, Marek, Zander, and my dad sitting at the outside bar, while Brick, Ace, Uncle Trigger, and Lincoln hung out at the table located nearby. Kaden had just come outside and taken the empty seat next to Lincoln. Cutter was absent, but then again, he rarely made appearances at these types of events. He was a quiet man, a serious guy who didn’t say much and kept to himself. That was my impression of him, at least.

  All the men had their cuts on, and I didn’t understand how they weren’t burning up with all that leather on. While the weather was beautiful, it was also unseasonably warm.

&nb
sp; I spotted Luke manning the grill, just where Jagger said he’d be. The spatula slipped from his hand, but he caught it before it hit the pavement. The save didn’t stop him from cursing, however, and he immediately looked around to make sure Roman or his friends weren’t nearby. Once he deemed the coast was clear, his brown eyes landed on mine.

  “Hey, Riley,” he shouted louder than I think he meant to, shutting the lid of the grill before rushing toward me. Luke picked me up and swung me through the air as if I weighed nothing at all, his enthusiasm at our reunion rubbing off one me. He kissed my cheek twice before putting me back on my feet.

  “Happy to see me?”

  “Of course. It’s been forever.” Something passed over his face but was gone before I could read any further into it.

  “Eight months to be exact,” I said, giving him another hug before stepping back.

  “Where’s Aubrey?”

  Luke averted his eyes before shrugging. “I don’t know.”

  I stepped closer in case he didn’t want anyone else to hear. “What do you mean?”

  He opened the lid to the grill again. “Her grandmother died a few months ago and right afterward she took off. Left me a note, saying she needed time to herself.” It seemed like none of us younger generation seemed to have any luck in the relationship department, which led me to wonder if our parents had ever gone through the same shit at our age. “We stayed with her aunt while we were in Seattle, but when it was clear Aubrey wasn’t coming back anytime soon, I decided to leave.”

  “So, are you home for good now?”

  “Looks like it.” He flipped some of the burgers, jumping back when some of the grease hit his arm.

  “I’m sorry you’re going through this, Luke, but I’m happy you’re finally home. I missed you.” He and my brother were only two months apart, so he was like another brother to me as well as to Linc and Zander.

  “Missed you too.” He bumped my shoulder with his, a small indent showing on the apple of his cheek when he smiled.