Broken Pieces (Riverdale #2) (3 page)

He had carried her upstairs and the moment he set her down, she ran to the bathroom and threw up. She vomited all over his bathroom and all over her dress. He wasn’t even sure she had made it to the toilet bowl. It had taken every bit of self-control he could muster up, to peel her out of the dress she wore and cover her up in his shirt.

Just his luck, he mused, he waits seven years to see her body again and she’s unconscious. He blew out an exasperated sigh as he headed naked towards his bathroom. He needed a cold shower. The plus side of last night was that he had a nice picture of what she hid under those clothes. That should tide him over for a while. He glanced down at his hardened cock, who the fuck was he kidding?

* * * * * *

Was the universe playing a cruel joke on her? Samantha wondered as she pulled up to her apartment. Jake and Cara were sitting in front of her house. She shut the ignition off and looked around her car, sure she would find a hidden camera. Not able to find one in plain sight, she looked down at her lack of clothing. She would never live this down, never.

Jake walked over to her driver’s door and knocked on the window. Did he really think she didn’t see him? She sighed and opened the door.

“I’ve been calling you all morning.” Jake said as he pulled the door further open. Sam dropped her head onto the steering well, and sounded the horn of her car by accident.

“Holy crap!

You lost your clothes!”

Cara walked up beside Jake, and her eyes widened as she took in Sam’s attire.

“Guys, it’s been a really long day.” Sam struggled.

“It’s ten o'clock in the morning.” Jake said as the shock began to wear off of him and now he was beginning to look amused at Sam’s expense. Great she couldn’t wait to tell him who in fact robbed her clothing.

“Let’s get you inside.” Cara reached for her, concerned.

Sam sighed and looked up at her. “I may have had a little too much to drink.”

“We know all about it.” Jake said, stepping aside so Sam could step out of her car. She prayed her landlord wasn’t by her window. She looked like a hooker, and the old hag would probably think she was one and evict her.

With Cara behind her and Jake in front of her, they shielded Sam as they headed towards her apartment. Cara grabbed her keys and opened the door to her apartment. Once inside Sam stepped out of her heels and took in Jake and Cara’s amused faces.

“Did he call you?” She asked disgusted.

“Did who call us?” Jake inquired as he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

“Oh, forget it, by the look on your face I can see you already know what happened.” She threw herself on the couch. “I thought you would be on my side.”

Cara shook her head and sat beside her. “All we know is that you got a little too drunk last night, and that you…”

“Left with Nick.” Jake finished for her, and then eyed Sam. “So I guess you two were busy by the looks of things?”

“I don’t remember.” She mumbled and then looked at Jake. “He’s holding my clothes hostage!”

Jake burst out into laughter and Sam scowled at her brother. So much for family loyalty.

“Jake, she’s obviously upset!” Cara said as she eyed him warningly.

He sighed and kneeled in front of his sister. “Okay, I get it. But come on Sam, you know Nick wouldn’t do anything that crosses any lines, especially not with you.”

“Oh really? Then can you explain why I look like a five dollar hooker instead of a kindergarten teacher?” She asked him, watching as he tried to concoct a valid excuse to save Nick’s ass.

“I’m sure there is a reasonable explanation. I’ll ask him.” He said reassuringly.

“Right. Don’t bother.” She sighed and looked back and forth between them. “Did you guys come here to really witness my walk of shame?”

Jake smiled and shook his head. “I tried calling you this morning.”

“I have no idea where my phone is.” She said her shoulders slumping in yet another defeat. She raised an eyebrow at Jake. “Is everything okay?”

He nodded towards Cara, and she pulled out two envelopes from her pocketbook. She winked at Jake as he took them from her. Sam stared at the envelopes suspiciously before looking back up at Jake.

“Yours and Luke’s test results came in the mail yesterday.” He said and reached for her hand, squeezing it lightly.

Sam’s eyes widened as she looked into her brother’s hopeful eyes. She looked at the envelopes that he clutched in his other hand, and she felt the tears well in her eyes. The contents of those envelopes held the information that could potentially save Jake’s life. She could be the match and be the one who rid him of the cancer.

“Oh my God, Jake. Why didn’t you open them yet?” She asked hoarsely.

“Because, I wanted you and Luke to be there when I did.” He shrugged his shoulders, as if it having them both there made all the sense in the world to him. Sam shook her head. Jake never failed to amaze her. He held the answers to his future in his hand, yet he waited so they could all be together. Sam turned and looked at Cara, who was smiling.

“We told him we’d come pick you up when we couldn’t reach you. He’s expecting us to meet him over at the garage.” Cara explained.

Jake squeezed her hand again, and she turned back to him. He grinned at her.

“So go on and get dressed. I’m dying to know which one of you gets to save my life.”

Chapter Three

Nick pulled his truck into the parking lot of Lanza Automotive. He spotted Luke immediately at the front of the garage working on a classic car, they were restoring for an upcoming car show. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for the wrath of a grumpy Luke. Nick didn’t get why he was always so bent out of shape these days. He thought settling down with Leah would soften him up, and make Luke
less cranky.  Yeah, not so much. Luke hated when Nick was late, and as he
looked
at his watch Nick realized today he would be two hours late.  He didn’t think it would make matters any better telling him about his little ordeal with Sam this morning.

Speaking of the blonde firecracker, she had left her phone in his apartment that morning. The damn thing hadn’t stopped ringing. He grabbed it from the passenger seat and slid it into his pants pocket for safe keeping. He’d have to figure a way to get it to her. The thing was, he was fairly certain he’d pissed her off enough that, if she saw him, he feared his family jewels were at risk.

He climbed out of his truck and remembered Sam’s friend Mallory’s little declaration. Sam didn’t like her nickname
she preferred to be called Samantha. He had teased her last night about it, but for some reason now he wondered why he never realized it after knowing her all these years.  He always had paid close attention to Sam, even when she was a teenager and she thought he ignored her. As he made his way towards Luke, he realized something. Maybe more of Sam changed than he had thought. It had been seven
years, after all, she had done a lot of growing up in that time. He was playing off the Sam he left behind all those years ago, not taking a moment to learn about the Sam that he had missed out on getting to know. Maybe that was the problem, maybe that’s why she hated him so damn much.

“Hey hot shot, nice of you to grace us with your presence.”  Luke said sarcastically as he polished a new rim for the car he had been busy working on since early this morning.

Nick scratched at the stubble of hair along his jaw, making a mental note that he needed to shave badly. “Did you know your sister doesn’t like being called Sam?” Nick asked.

Luke shook his head. “I should’ve known this had to do with her.” He rubbed his face tiredly. “What’re you talking about? That’s her name.”

Nick looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. “No, her name is Samantha.” He waited for Luke to acknowledge the difference and when he didn’t Nick felt the need to explain. “She'd rather be called Samantha instead of Sam.”

“She’s twenty-five she decides this now?” Luke shook his head and continued with his work. After a few moments he lifted his eyebrows at Nick, who still stood pondering his revelation. “Look you and Sam, excuse me Samantha, can go over the name thing. She’ll be here any minute.”

“What is she coming here for?” He wondered if she had told Luke about last night. What could she truly tell her brother?  It wasn’t like she remembered much.
She must be coming for her phone he thought.

“The test results are in for the bone marrow match.” Luke said solemnly.

Nick raised an eyebrow. That was great news. He himself had been tested the same day Luke had. He wasn’t a match, but that was no surprise. The doctors had informed them that usually a sibling was the perfect donor. “That’s great. Are you the match?”

Luke shrugged his shoulders and took a deep breath. “I don’t know.” He ran his fingers through his hair roughly. “The results came in yesterday. He’s on his way with Sam and Cara now.” He shook his head. “He wants to open the results together. You know what I’m afraid of finding? That neither me nor Sam will be a match.” He looked over his friend. “I need to be a match for him.” He pointed to his head. “For my own piece of mind, I need to be able to help him.”

Nick folded his arms and studied Luke’s anguished face. They’d been friends for over two decades. He knew the severity of the situation. Luke was a fixer, he was the responsible one. If he couldn’t find the remedy for the problem, he tortured himself until he did. “The doctor said it would more than likely be one of you.”

Luke nodded. “I know, and I guess if I’m not the match and Sam is, then I’ll still be relieved.” He leaned against the car, and looked back at Nick. “I’ve never been more scared in my life. Not even when Marie, told me she was pregnant.” He laughed at himself mockingly. “I should say not even when she took off and left me to raise Ava by myself. Anything I’ve had to overcome would be nothing compared to the thought of losing my brother.”

“He’s going to make it through this Luke. One of you will be a match.” He walked over to Luke and squeezed his shoulder. Luke merely nodded and Nick fought to find the words that would ease his pain. He wasn’t good with words, he found himself better at being a man of actions. Lucky for him, Cara pulled up before he could figure out some outrageous gesture to prove Luke of Jake’s wellbeing.

* * * * * *

Of course he would manage to make it to work. At the rate this day was going, Sam started to wonder if she would be struck by lightning. It seemed like the perfect topper to her day, she just hoped Luke was the viable donor then. She climbed out of the car and followed Jake and Cara into the garage. Her sunglasses shielded her eyes so she could stare daggers at Nick all she wanted without having anyone notice.

Jake stood before Nick and Luke. He gave Nick a knowing stare before he leaned over and whispered. “You dirty dog you.” Someone had better inform Jake that whispering meant no one else heard.

Jake wrapped his arms around Cara’s waist and leaned his chin on her shoulder and gave Nick an expectant look.

“What?” Nick said innocently and then directed his gaze to Sam. “You and I need to talk.”

“Unless you plan on telling me why you held my clothes hostage, there isn’t anything I want to hear coming from that mouth of yours.” She said in a matter of fact tone before she crossed her arms at her chest and glared at him. Not that the glaring part mattered much, he couldn’t see her eyes.

Luke turned around abruptly. “You held my sister’s clothes hostage?” He looked at him incredulously.

Sam watched Jake chuckle as he looked back and forth between Nick and Luke. He cleared his throat and Luke’s eyes drifted towards him. “You should’ve seen her this morning.” Jake added and then smiled at Nick. “Way to go, man!”

“Jake, man you’re really not helping.” Nick said through gritted teeth as he kept his eyes firmly on Luke’s. Sam’s tongue snaked out and ran along her lower lip. The fact that her brother was looking at him like he was about to throttle him, didn’t faze him in the slightest. She shouldn’t have found it attractive, but then again, everything about her had been spiraling out of control today. “You’ve got something to say?” He asked Luke and Sam turned her head immediately to Luke.

“No, but something tells me you do.” Luke said as he eyed him patiently.

Nick nodded. “I do, but that’s kind of between me and your sister.” His eyes lingered on Luke for a minute before he turned back to Sam. “You think maybe we can be adults about this and not include your entire family?”

Jake frowned and managed to look hurt by Nick’s words. “Hey, where’s the fun in that?”

Sam pursed her lips as she contemplated whether or not she should even give Nick the time of the day. Curiosity won her inner battle and she pointed her finger towards him. “You have exactly three minutes.”

Sam watched from the corner of her eye as Luke nudged Jake. “This is all your fault!”
      

Jake looked at him outraged. “Mine? I didn’t take her clothes!”

Luke pointed an accusing finger at his brother. “Yeah, but you thought the two of them together was a good idea! You gave your damn blessing.”

“Hate to remind you big brother, but you did too.” Jake said as he cocked his head and gave him a so-there, look. Luke grunted, but had no words.