Little Hoodlum (Hood River Hoodlums Book 2) Page 11

  “Look,” I say with a sigh. “You need a girlfriend who’ll be intimate with you. I’m just not ready for that.”

  Never mind the fact that I won’t ever be ready.

  With him.

  Now Jordy, on the other hand…

  I can wait for Jordy. He’ll be worth the wait.

  “I don’t need that,” he murmurs, dipping low so his face is near mine. “Just you, Roux-Roux. Kissing you is enough.”

  He starts to kiss me, but I pull away. I expect anger since he’s been acting like a twat lately. Instead, his features crumble.

  “I really fucked this up.” His voice is hoarse, like he might cry. “Roux, baby, let me make it up to you.”

  “Kayden,” I say in exasperation. “I need space.” I’ve barely made it to the bottom of the stairs, when he grabs my hand, pulling me to him. I jerk my hand free, but he’s undeterred, stepping closer.

  “Fine. I’ll give you space, but then I’m going to win you back. You’ll see. I can be romantic.” He flashes me a flirtatious grin that used to make me weak. “Prepare to fall back in love with me.”

  He walks backward down the now-empty hall, grinning at me. Eventually, he makes it to the outside doors and leaves. I let out a heavy sigh filled with frustration. It’s then I get the creepy sensation I’m being watched.

  I swivel around, looking down both hallways and back up the stairs. Nothing. No one. I’m about to head out the door when someone coughs. A man. I creep over to Mrs. Duffy’s classroom. It’s empty, with the lights out, and she’s no longer in it.

  “You’re not supposed to be in there,” I tell the man who’s standing near the whiteboard with his back to me.

  He’s definitely a teacher, I think, based on his dressy suit. The guy is probably Mike’s age. Older, but not too old. He checks his watch and turns toward me, smiling. “Pardon me.”

  “Are you a teacher?”

  His lips thin out. “No.”

  “A parent?”

  “No.”

  “You’re a cop,” I breathe out.

  He blinks hard at me. “I’m not a cop.”

  “What’s your name?”

  His jaw clenches. “Tom.”

  “You’re being creepy, Tom.”

  At this, he laughs. “Duly noted.” He cocks his head to the side. “I couldn’t help but notice you having a fight with your boyfriend.”

  “He’s not my boyfriend.”

  “Er, friend. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. He just thinks we’re something we’re not.”

  “I see. Take care, miss. Stay away from pushy assholes.” He smirks. “And creeps.”

  “I’m trying,” I grumble, “but you guys are so plentiful in this town.”

  “I’m not from this town,” he argues, a smile in his voice.

  “Maybe you should go back where you came from.”

  “You’re not as weak as I thought.” He takes a step toward me and I take a step back.

  “I don’t know who’s been telling you I’m weak or how you even think you know me, but that’s super creepy.”

  “I’ll work on my creepiness. I didn’t realize it was so obvious.”

  I’ve backed myself almost to the bank of lockers. Tom remains hidden inside the dark classroom.

  “Very obvious, but I think God made creeps be obvious, so people like me could stay away.”

  “Pretend you never saw me, Roux.”

  I cringe at him knowing my name.

  Weirded out by that fact, I take off running down the hall, bursting out the side door. No one chases after me, but try telling my racing heart that. I run my way over to a crowd of kids that have formed in the parking lot around two cars. Kayden’s and someone I don’t know.

  Kayden’s lost his T-shirt and stands there in a tank, his arms spread open in a taunting way. Hard to believe just a few minutes before, he was giving me the saddest eyes ever and trying his damnedest to romance me. Now he’s back to being a thug.

  No, thank you.

  I scan the parking lot for Hollis. He said he’d pick me up, but I don’t see his familiar purple Mustang. My eyes do, however, stop on a navy-blue Camaro.

  “Boo.”

  I nearly jump out of my skin. “Jordy!”

  He sidles up beside me, careful not to touch me. It’s been driving me crazy. Aside from a few hugs this week, he’s kept his distance.

  I can wait.

  I can wait.

  I brush my fingers against his. Apparently I can’t wait.

  “I missed you.” I peek up at him and smile. “How was work?”

  He gives me a lazy, half smile. “Missed you too, Little Hoodlum. Work was fine. Got a raise and a promotion.”

  “What?!” I squeal and throw myself into his arms, uncaring if anyone sees. “That’s amazing!”

  He tries to shrug it off. “It’s just from dishwasher to cook.”

  “But you love to cook.” I grin, inhaling him. “This is exciting.”

  His dark eyes roam down to my lips. “I guess it is.”

  “Tonight, we’re celebrating.”

  He pulls away and turns his attention on the crowd. It’s then I realize he wasn’t supposed to pick me up.

  “You’re here to give me a ride?” I ask, frowning. “Where’s Hollis?”

  “Nah, just a job.” He nods at Kayden. “Make sure his dumb ass doesn’t get shot.”

  He ended up telling me this week that Renaldo is making him keep tabs on Kayden. I don’t like it a bit, but it’s better than chopping cars, which he told me was the alternative.

  The guy Kayden was taunting seems to back down, nodding at him. They do the dumb guy thing where they sort of shake hands and sort of hug. Then, the guy leaves. Kayden then starts laughing with some of his friends.

  “I think he’s fine. Want to get snow cones? The stand will only be open a couple more weeks.” I’m already texting Hollis to let him know Jordy’s picking me up.

  His eyes dart to the dispersing group for a second before latching back on mine. “Yeah, let’s get snow cones. He can handle himself.”

  Jordy motions for me to walk with him. His hair is still wet from his shower after work and he smells strong like limes. I wonder if he tastes tangy too.

  I’m just about to climb into Jordy’s Camaro when I feel eyes on me. Not creepy ones. Angry ones. I turn in time to see the look of disgust on Kayden’s face when he sees who I’m getting in the car with.

  Screw him.

  Jordy is Roan’s best friend. I have nothing to feel guilty over.

  My mind can’t help but wonder, though. If Kayden gets super pissed about me being in the same vicinity as Jordy, I can only imagine what sort of meltdown he’ll have when I finally get Jordy to kiss me and claim me as his.

  I have seven months to worry about that.

  Maybe by then he’ll have a new girlfriend.

  If not, I’m in serious trouble.

  Jordy

  One of my favorite memories of Roux was when she was just a kid and we all went out for snow cones after swimming all day. Cal and Terrence were being dipshits, shoving each other, and Roan was brooding over his mom. Roux was happy as a lark with her grape snow cone.

  Until Cal shoved Terrence into Roux and the snow cone splattered all over the sidewalk.

  She’d tried so hard not to cry, though her bottom lip wobbled hard. Roan offered her his, but he’s the only one who likes the pineapple flavored one. Both Terrence’s and Cal’s were nearly gone. And mine was cherry.

  But that day, I handed her my snow cone and we kept on walking. She didn’t gripe about cherry, even though it wasn’t her favorite, and quietly ate it. When we made it to the bus stop, she hugged me and said cherry was her new favorite. I laughed it off, but it was the truth. From then on out, she never got grape again. Always cherry.

  Seeing her sit across from me at the picnic table in front of Slim’s Shady Cones, I can’t help but notice how much she’s evolved into the woman she is tod
ay. Sure, there’s an innocence in her big amber eyes, but I don’t think that’ll go away with age. It’s just a part of her. One of the reasons I’m so drawn to protecting her—to protecting that innocence. Aside from not being eighteen yet and somewhat sheltered by her brother, Roux is very much a woman. And I’m not just talking physical appearances, though when I saw her the first time after three years at OHP, I was absolutely drawn to her womanly body.

  Something about her calls to the male parts of me that crave to pull her to me and keep her there. She’s not a piece of ass to be used and tossed away. Roux owns so many bits of my heart that it may as well belong to her. What started as a bond between friends—albeit an age gap—has evolved into something deeper. Something physical. Romantic.

  I feel like shit for thinking it, but Roux and I have been tumbling toward an “us” since I saw her for the first time in the flesh after my release. An instant chemistry. A connection that, threaded with our already unique bond, has become something fiery and unstoppable. I want to pin her down, strip her, and claim her as mine. It takes everything in me to hold back from doing just that.

  “What?” Roux asks, one corner of her lips quirking up on one side. “Do I have something on my face?”

  She absently darts her cherry-stained tongue out to lick across her bottom lip. I track the movement as curls of desire wind their way straight to my cock.

  “Nope,” I grunt. “Everything looks perfect.”

  Her cheeks blush and she smiles.

  I’m craving to pull her over the table and into my lap when my phone rings, thwarting my nefarious agenda.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, sweetie,” Samantha purrs into the phone. “What are you doing?”

  I glance over at Roux and let out a sigh. “Nothing. What’s up?”

  “I need to see you.”

  “When?”

  “Right now.” She lets out a breathy laugh.

  “I can’t. I’m busy.” I zero in on the way Roux wraps her lips around the spoon. “Really busy.” Because I could watch this all damn day.

  “Doing what?” Samantha huffs. “Don’t worry, I’ll meet you at your place.”

  She hangs up and I pocket my phone, unease slicking over me like oil.

  “Is everything okay? Who was that?” Roux asks as she finishes up her snow cone.

  “My attorney, Samantha.”

  “What did she want?”

  “To see me.”

  “About what?”

  I shrug. “You ready to go?”

  She frowns at my blowing her off but nods. We toss our trash and climb back into the Camaro. In ten minutes, we’re back at her apartment. I can tell she’s pissed because she bolts from the car, storming up the steps. I climb out and stalk after her. She’s barely made it inside the apartment and dumped her bag when I grab her from behind, pulling her to my chest.

  “What’s wrong?” I demand, nuzzling my nose in her hair.

  She shrugs, giving me a taste of my own medicine.

  “Did it ever occur to you,” I murmur as I pull her hair off her shoulder and swoop it around to the other side so I can have access to her neck, “that I don’t tell you stuff because it’s better for you that way?”

  “Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don’t want to be left out of the loop when it comes to you?” she bites back.

  I press a kiss to her neck. My hands settle at her waist. “I just want to keep you safe.”

  She swivels in my arms so that her perky tits are pressed to my chest. Her palms skim over my shoulders, up my neck, and into my hair where she threads her fingers.

  “Maybe I don’t want to be safe. Maybe I just want to be with you and know all the dirty, ugly details.” She pulls my head down until we’re just inches apart. “I’m a big girl, Jordy. I can handle a helluva lot more than you think I can.”

  Fuck, I want to kiss her.

  So much.

  My gaze skims over her wet, red lips, wondering how she would taste if I devoured her right now. Like cherries. “Roux…”

  She stands on her toes, her lips brushing against mine for a ghost of a peck. I slide my fingers into her hair, angling her head to where I can finally claim her. It’s not smart. It’s really fucking stupid. But right now? I don’t care. Her lips part and I meet them with my own lips. I don’t have time to swipe my tongue across hers when someone bangs on the door.

  Roux squeaks out, nearly jumping out of her skin. I let out a groan as I pull away from my girl to answer the door.

  “Samantha,” I state, both annoyed and relieved she stopped what was quickly happening yet again between Roux and me.

  “Jordy, honey,” she greets, flashing me a wide grin. “We need to talk.”

  I run my fingers through my hair and sigh. “Sure. Come in.”

  Roux comes to stand beside me, making the hairs on my arms stand on end. It’s like she’s always charged with electricity and I can’t help but get shocked by her. Absently, I place my hand on the small of her back.

  “Would you like something to drink?” I ask Samantha.

  Samantha’s smile falters as her eyes dart back and forth between me and Roux. “I’m okay. Thank you.” She pins me with a firm stare. “We need to speak. In private.”

  I don’t want Roux to leave my side, but this is a necessary conversation with Samantha.

  “Roux…” I start, my voice gruff.

  “I get it,” Roux snips, shouldering past me. “For my own protection.”

  Roux storms out of the house, slamming the door hard behind her. Samantha’s sculpted brows fly up and her lips thin out.

  “What?” I grunt, hating her uncanny ability to tear apart what’s going on inside my mind.

  “I’ll take that drink now. Make it something hard.”

  I stalk into the kitchen and start flinging open cabinets looking for Roan’s liquor stash. When I come up empty, I settle for a couple of beers and pop the caps off. I exit the kitchen to find Samantha perched at the kitchen table, opening her laptop and already making herself at home.

  “What’s so important it couldn’t wait?” I demand, setting a beer down and pushing it toward her. I sit opposite of her and glower her way.

  “I thought it was just prison that made you grumpy. Turns out, it’s your personality.” She laughs, making her boobs, which are nearly spilling from her blouse, jiggle. “Oh, Jesus, Jordy. Take a joke already.”

  “I’m not in a joking mood.” I cross my arms over my chest, my eyes drifting to the window, searching for Roux. “Is this going to take long?”

  She sips her beer before setting it down and tapping her nails on the glass bottle. “Before we get to what I came here for, I want to know something.”

  “You know everything there is to know about me.” I take a long pull of my beer as I give her a one-shouldered shrug.

  “Are you fucking the teenager?”

  I choke on my beer, sending some of it running down my chin. I slam the bottle down on the table and wipe my face off with my palm. “What the fuck, Samantha?”

  Irritation flashes in her eyes. “If you are, that’s a problem. Really huge problem.”

  “I’m not.” But I want to be.

  “See,” she snips, “the way you say it, I don’t exactly believe it.”

  “It’s none of your business.”

  “It’s absolutely my business. You’re my client, Jordy.”

  “I’m not fucking her,” I growl.

  “If you were, you can’t ever do it again.” Her words are firm and commanding. “If you haven’t, don’t. And if you’re thinking about it, stop. You thought killing four men to defend that girl was bad? Try being an ex-convict who sleeps with an underage girl. You won’t be a hero, Jordy. You’ll be a villain. Any progress you made to get here”—she waves a hand in the air—“will be destroyed.”

  “I said I’m not fucking her.” My words are filled with venom. “Don’t mention it again.”

  She purses her lips a
nd shakes her head. “One more thing and I’ll let it go.”

  I narrow my eyes, my jaw clenching.

  “When it does happen, and for your sake, I really hope it’s after she turns eighteen, understand that she’s young. Girls like her are wishy-washy. They want what they can’t have. Right now, that’s you. And after she moves on, because she will, I implore you to not lose your shit over it.”

  “She’s my best friend’s little sister,” I say out loud, because I need to fucking hear it.

  “And, unfortunately, that won’t matter.”

  She’s right. It won’t.

  I was so close to devouring my sweet little Roux only moments ago. It will happen. My thread of self-control is too thin.

  “You don’t know me,” I utter.

  “I know your type,” Samantha says with a tired sigh. “You forget I’m a criminal attorney. I’ve seen and heard it all.”

  “I can’t mess up. I have to be here for them. I won’t touch Roux.”

  Lies.

  If Samantha hadn’t shown up, I would’ve already had Roux beneath me whimpering.

  “You’re going to have to try harder at convincing both of us. I’m not the only one who doesn’t believe you.” She shakes her head, a frown of disappointment on her face. “Moving on. Let’s get to this.”

  Roux

  His attorney is hot.

  Long, tanned legs. Silky blond hair. Big tits.

  And a bitch.

  I could see the way she looked at Jordy. As though he were a bone with some meat she wanted to suck off. After the soft kiss we’d shared, I was certain things would have gone down differently than they did.

  That I’d be a part of his world like I always wanted to be.

  Instead, he sent me away.

  Dismissed me so he could talk to his attorney. They’re probably getting naked as we speak. I let out a snort at my poutiness. Jordy is a lot of things—angry, fierce, vengeful—but he’s not cruel. He wouldn’t lead me on just to fuck his attorney when she showed up. I’m just pissed that he sent me away. It means he’s still protecting me, and we both know what happened the last time he tried to protect me.

  A car turns onto our street and heads toward our house. It’s unfamiliar—a black luxury vehicle. Maybe a BMW, though I can’t tell from this far away. It pulls into the driveway, stopping just a few feet from where I’m sitting on the bottom step outside our garage apartment.