Hood River Rat (Hood River Hoodlums Book 1) Read online

  I squint against the lamplight and take my phone from him. “Hello?”

  “Roan, it’s Carol.”

  My blood turns to ice. “Where’s Roux?”

  “I have her with me. She’s safe,” she assures me. But her voice is off. Something is wrong. “Roan, your mom…”

  “What?”

  “She overdosed on heroin tonight.”

  The line grows quiet.

  “Hello? Roan, did we get disconnected?”

  “Is she in the hospital?”

  Carol sighs. “She passed away. I’m sorry.”

  I’m not.

  I don’t voice that. Barely.

  “I’m bringing Roux to you,” Carol says. “I’ll stay as long as you two need me to.”

  We hang up and Hollis frowns at me.

  “What happened?” he asks.

  “Mom’s dead. Roux’s coming home.”

  He pounces on me, kissing me hard. “Thank fuck.”

  “Thank fuck,” I murmur against his lips.

  Finally, a win.

  “Remember when Cal threw me in the pool fully clothed one summer?” Roux asks, a smile in her voice.

  I chuckle. “Jordy broke his nose.”

  “He deserved it,” she sasses.

  “He did. If Jordy didn’t punch his dumb ass, I would have.”

  “You were too busy rescuing me knowing full well I could swim,” Roux tells me.

  “Aww,” Hollis teases. “Roan’s a hero.”

  “I really did save your ass, brat,” I say to him with a smirk.

  We all laugh. Laughing feels good. It’s been a few days since Roux came home and we’re still in shock. With Mom. With Jordy. With all of it.

  “I’m going to get a Coke. Want anything?” Roux asks as she stands from the sofa.

  “I’m good,” Hollis says and I nod.

  She leaves to go into the kitchen. Hollis chooses the moment to crawl up my body and steal a kiss. Kelsey visits a lot lately because it’s the only way she gets to see her son. He and I have been glued to each other after all that’s gone on. It just feels good having someone to lean on.

  “How are you doing?” he asks, his lips hovering over mine.

  “Better now that Roux’s here.”

  “Good.”

  He kisses me deeply again and doesn’t pull away in time. Roux groans in exaggeration.

  “Gross, Hollis. Stop mauling my brother.”

  Hollis slides off me and shrugs. “I can’t help it he’s so hot.”

  I laugh and Roux makes a sour face.

  “Don’t tell him he’s hot. He’ll act like he’s the shit,” Roux tells him.

  “Hey now,” I chide. “Don’t say shit.”

  “Why not?” she demands.

  “Because shit’s a shitty word, you shithead.”

  She snorts. “I’m going to say shit only because you don’t want me to. It’s what you get for tonguing your boyfriend in front of me.”

  Hollis cracks up laughing. “Oh, man, you have your hands full, babe. This one is a major brat.” He ruffles her hair, messing it up. “You’ve been hanging out with Charlotte too much. She’s a bad influence.”

  Roux swats Hollis’s hand away. “Whatever.”

  Hollis curls up against me and continues to pick at Roux by poking at her with his toes. She tries to mean mug him but ends up giggling. I almost feel happy. But in the back of my mind, I think about the cost my happiness came at.

  Jordy.

  Hollis, sensing my somber mood, stops fucking with Roux and threads his fingers with mine. “It’s going to get better,” he assures me. “I promise.”

  My heart lightens a little.

  I believe him.

  It has to.

  Hollis

  Six months later…

  I yawn, checking my phone for the millionth time. He’s been gone for too long. The news is on, and I anxiously wait for some sort of coverage about tonight’s fire.

  Nothing.

  Nothing is good. Means there were no fatalities. It’s not breaking news, so they’ll just mention it on the news at ten.

  Still, I worry.

  One of the not-so-wonderful things about dating a volunteer firefighter.

  While I wait for my hot fireman to get his ass home so I’ll stop worrying, I flip through the cable channels. Now that Roan works at the tire factory during the week, he’s pulling in consistent paychecks and can afford things like cable and a car.

  A smile tugs at my lips when I think about his truck. This summer, we took it to Hood River more times than I can count just to fuck under the stars. Pretty romantic if you ask me. When we weren’t fucking, he taught me how to swim. I learned pretty damn quick considering the reward was him. Always him. Roux would die if she knew what sort of nefarious deeds we got up to when she was not around.

  I wish she were around tonight. She’s spending the night with Charlotte. It makes the garage apartment pretty damn lonely. Mom tells me if I ever came home, I wouldn’t go stir-crazy when Roan was gone. I’m not interested, though. I like being here when he finally does drag in after putting out fires. I give him a proper hero’s welcome.

  A car door slams outside and I jolt up in bed, craning my head to listen. Heavy footsteps thud up the stairs and then keys jangle. I fling the blanket off the bed and pad down the hall to greet my man. His exhausted amber eyes seek me out the moment he steps inside.

  “Thank God you’re home,” I grumble, rushing over to him.

  He hugs me tight, inhaling me. “Easy fire tonight. They think a copy machine overheated at the real estate office and caught fire.” He chuckles. “Mike used it as one of those finer teaching moments.”

  I pull away to kiss his mouth. “Did you learn lots?”

  “To keep my mouth shut when he’s on one of his tirades,” he says with a snort. “Otherwise, you earn toilet duty at the station.”

  “Ew.”

  “Hey, I know Mike better than anyone. My lips were sealed. Now Frank, on the other hand…”

  “Poor Frank.”

  “April didn’t feel sorry for him when we got back. She said most of the piss is his anyway because his aim sucks.”

  We both laugh.

  “You need a shower. Want me to make something to eat?”

  “You could shower with me,” he says with a sly grin. “Then I could eat you.”

  I grab his ass and squeeze. “You’re bad.”

  “Only sometimes.”

  “Mostly always.”

  “How was class tonight?”

  “Meh,” I grumble. “My professor is an idiot. I hate English.”

  “Man, sucks to be you. Your last name is English and you hate English.”

  I shrug as I pull away. “You could always fix that.”

  “You can’t con me into a proposal, rat. I’m on to your sneaky games.”

  “Dude, you literally asked me to check the drain last night in the shower so you could sneak attack me from behind. If anyone plays games, rat lover, it’s you.”

  He smirks at me and starts shedding clothes on the way to the bathroom. “You like my games.”

  “That’s debatable.”

  “Get naked, Hollis. I’m dying to fuck you in the shower.”

  I rip off my shirt and saunter into the bathroom after him. His eyes drag down to my scars on my stomach. I don’t disgust him, though. He seems relieved each time he sees them.

  “Maybe I’d rather suck your dick,” I say with a wicked grin.

  He turns on the water, bending his white ass over. I don’t miss the opportunity. Pouncing on him, I rub against him from behind.

  “Or, I could just fuck you instead.”

  He straightens and leans against my chest. My hands roam over his naked torso that’s all too ripped these days now that he’s volunteering at the fire station on nights and weekends and slinging tires at the factory during the day. All that physical labor has left him cut as fuck, and me reaping the benefits.

&nbs
p; “Mmm,” I murmur, nipping at his ear. “Someone likes that idea.” I grip his cock and stroke him in a teasing way that makes him groan.

  “You play dirty,” he complains.

  I laugh when he shakes me off and steps into the shower. I finish shedding the rest of my clothes before joining him. We focus on cleaning each other and then our mouths fuse together. I’m always so relieved when he gets back from a fire.

  “Did you take your medicine?” he asks, sensing my mood.

  “Yes.”

  “Good boy.”

  “Brat.”

  After my stomach healed, I began seeing a therapist. He’s helping me through the shit with my dad. We’re nowhere close to being friends, but we are talking. Dad has apologized to me, but it’s not enough. So, we talk on the phone and just try to regain our footing. I’ve learned since seeing my therapist, Daniel, that I’ve been suffering from anxiety. I take an anti-anxiety medication each day that helps me not obsess over things. It’s nice to feel in control of my feelings and my stomach not eat itself away anymore.

  “Touch your dick, Roan. I want you to jerk off, imagining you’re inside my tight ass,” I croon, kissing his shoulder.

  “Goddamn you and your dirty ass talk that turns me on every time.”

  I bite back a laugh as he starts stroking his dick. Reaching down to the bottle of lube we keep in here when Roux’s not around, I pop the cap and pour some onto my dick. I smear it all over my cock and then use the excess to finger his needy hole. When he’s good and prepped, I grip his hip and push into him from behind. We groan in unison.

  “Fuck,” he hisses. “You kill me.”

  I nip at his shoulder. “You like it.”

  “Nah, I love it, Hollis.”

  “And I love you, Roan.”

  He stiffens and grows quiet. I’d normally have a spike of anxiety, worrying over his response, but I don’t. Sure, it’s the first time either of us have spoken this sentiment, but I won’t regret it, even if he doesn’t feel that same way about me yet. I do love him. I have for probably as long as I can remember. His ass pushes against me, his silent tell for me to fuck him harder. I dig my fingers into his hip and thrust wildly into him.

  God, he feels so fucking amazing.

  I fuck him until I’m crying out his name. My cum bursts out of me, filling his tight ass up and marking him as mine. I’ll never get tired of the way that feels. Gently, I slide out and slap his hard ass.

  “Your turn.”

  “I want to go lie down,” he murmurs.

  My body grows cold at his words, but I talk myself through my worries like Daniel taught me. It’s usually in my head. My fears and stress. Just because someone is quiet or frustrated, doesn’t mean I’m always at the root of it. So rather than obsessing, I also clean myself off. We dry off and then I follow him into the bedroom. He sets the bottle of lube on the end table and then climbs onto the bed. His features are stony, his body tense.

  “Are we going to sleep?” I ask, needing him to offer me a branch so I know I’m not sinking alone over here. “Should I turn off all the lights and lock up?”

  His expression softens. “Not yet, babe. I haven’t been inside you yet.”

  “Okay,” I mutter, exhaling a relieved breath.

  “Grab the lube,” he orders. “I want you right here where I can kiss you.”

  All anxiety floods away and desire creeps back in. “Bossy.”

  “We all know who the bossy one in the bedroom is,” he says, rolling his eyes. “And it’s not me.”

  I smirk as I hand him the lube and climb onto the bed to straddle his thighs. “I can’t help it.”

  “When we started this, I thought I was in charge around here.”

  “We all make mistakes,” I tease. “That was your first one.”

  He laughs as he lubricates his beautiful dick. “Rub your asshole on my cock, porcelain boy. I’m ready to fuck you.”

  I rock my hips along his shaft, loving the way he hisses in pleasure. When I’m good and slick, I lean forward to seek out his mouth. He positions his dick against my hole and I slide down, taking every hard inch of him. His mouth is ravenous as he kisses me like I might disappear any moment. We kiss hard and frantic as he fucks me from below. He breathes heavily against my mouth, his strong hands squeezing my ass cheeks.

  “Fuck, Hollis,” he groans. “I love you too.”

  His words catch me off guard. All I can do is kiss him with everything I have. It doesn’t take much more thrusting and then he’s coming deep inside me. His energy is depleted and he relaxes, gazing up at me with a lazy, sated smile.

  He’s the sexiest man I’ve ever seen.

  Mine.

  He’s mine.

  “Move in with me, rat.”

  “Most people don’t invite rats in. You’re confused,” I tease.

  He smacks my ass. “I’m not confused. I’m in love. Say you’ll do it.”

  “Yeah, rat lover, I’ll do it. I’ll move in with you. But only because you’re obsessed with me.”

  “I’m not obsessed,” he grumbles.

  “You so are. Ask literally anyone.”

  “And what about you?”

  I grin and press a kiss to his lips. “I have been since the second I laid eyes on you.”

  He flashes me that arrogant smile of his that makes me want to flip him over and fuck it right off his face. This beautiful, mean, obnoxious boy consumes me. Owns my heart. Makes me crazy as hell.

  I love him so goddamn much.

  “No necking at the dinner table,” Mike bellows as he passes me the salad bowl.

  “Necking,” Roan says with a snort. “You’re showing your age there, old man.”

  Aunt Karen laughs. “Necking does date you.” Then, she turns her faux fierce scowl my way. “Seriously, don’t do that at my dinner table.”

  Charlotte pretends to gag herself. Roux giggles. Penny doesn’t look up from her iPad. Typical family dinner night. The table just keeps growing with people. Especially now that Mike has starting seeing Mom. I’m not so sure I’m in love with the idea, but he treats her a helluva lot better than Dad ever did, even on their best days. Mike treats her like a beautiful woman he wants to impress and spoil. Mom eats up every second of it.

  “How are Cal and Terrence doing?” Aunt Karen asks Roan. “I haven’t heard from them in a while. I know you guys were close.”

  Roan flinches slightly and I know it’s because she doesn’t ask about Jordy. There’s not much to learn. He’s in prison. Will be there for a long time. It hurts less not to talk about it, I guess.

  “They both went to OSU,” he tells her. “Corvallis never knew what hit ’em.”

  “I feel sorry for the dean,” Aunt Karen agrees. “They’re probably terrorizing that town.”

  “They’ve changed the name from Campfire Chaos to Corvallis Chaos,” Roan says with a laugh. “They’ve recruited a bunch of kids to party it up every Friday night like old times.”

  “Damn Hoodlums,” I joke, nudging Roan with my shoulder.

  He flashes me a hot smile that burns its way straight to my dick. “You love us.”

  “Just you.”

  “It’s not fair, Mom,” Charlotte whines. “I can’t have a boyfriend, but Hollis can make out with Roan every time we have a meal.”

  “This would be making out,” I taunt, pulling him to me for a sloppy kiss.

  “Hollis!” Mom scolds. She’s smiling, though. Always smiling these days. The real kind of smile.

  “Sorry,” I say, though I’m not.

  She winks at me.

  Dinner goes on with lots of laughter, arguments, and general silliness. Just another family dinner for the books. While the girls get stuck cleaning the kitchen while Mike and Mom “neck” their goodbyes outside on the porch, I take Roan up to my old room. It’s been converted back into Aunt Karen’s office. I’ve been officially moved out for less than a week, and she’s already put everything back in its place.

  It doesn�
�t matter, though.

  I just need a wall, some darkness, and Roan.

  As soon as I push him against said wall and flip the switch off, our mouths meet for a kiss. His smile can be felt against my lips and I love it. I’ll never tire of kissing him. Of teasing and taunting him. Of loving him.

  “Someone’s needy tonight,” he teases.

  I nip at his bottom lip. “Not needy. Just grateful.”

  “Grateful, huh? For what?”

  “You.”

  “Me in general or a specific part of me?” He punctuates his words with a thrust of his hips so I can feel his dick through his jeans.

  “All of it. Your dick. Your annoying cocky ass. Your big fucking heart.”

  “Wow, rat, you should put that shit on a Hallmark card. We could be rich.”

  “Nah, it’s all for you, rat lover. Pure poetry just for you.”

  “So romantic.”

  I grab at his belt buckle. “I can show you how else I can be romantic.”

  “With a blowjob in your aunt’s office? Oh, my heart.”

  “You’re a smartass,” I grumble.

  “Your smartass.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I guess I’ll keep you.”

  He kisses me and I feel that sexy smile again. “I guess I’ll keep you too.”

  Roux

  Seventeen Years Old

  What’s taking her so long?

  I check my phone for any missed calls or texts but come up empty. Char was supposed to get here early so she could help me with my makeup. Early and Charlotte don’t belong in the same sentence, though. She’s late for everything.

  Of all days for her to be late, this one is the worst.

  Kayden is coming over.

  I cringe knowing he’ll see regular me. Not the me when Char works her makeup and hair magic on me. Ughhhh.

  I’m especially nervous about today because it’ll be just the three of us. No parents. No overbearing brothers.

  Speaking of overbearing brothers, I can’t help but smile. They may drive me nuts, but Hollis and Roan are total couples’ goals. Who knew a gay wedding could be so freaking cute? I thought Roan would throw a fit and not let Hollis get his way, but something about Hollis has always gotten to my brother. He gives in to his happiness. After all the hell my brother has dealt with in his life, he deserves to be happy. He deserves Hollis. He deserves to be at the beach right now with his new husband on an adorable honeymoon.