Game Of Risk (Risqué #3) (9 page)

‘Yeah. I’m just not sure what that’s going to be yet.’

‘You’re going to need a base somewhere. My guess is that it’s here or Jersey, you’ll need to take your pick.’

‘Jersey?’

‘You know Drew, so you had to have met him in Jersey, that’s what I figure.’

‘We have a lot to talk about,’ he said, sliding his hands under her hair to hold the back of her head and tip it so he could sample her mouth again.

She didn’t like the way that he said that, like there were things he had to reveal. He said it in a release of breath like the confessions were no more than an inconvenience; a boring routine that they had to go through in order for him to make love with her under the guise of full disclosure. But he so often said things like that when Drew came up and it made her wonder what she didn’t know about her brother.

For now, his brothers were down the stairs and they were the ones that Ruger had to worry about. Resigning herself to reality, Layla slid off the foot bar of the bed and pushed him to the door, walking him backward all the way.

‘You’ve seen me, shouldn’t I get to see you?’ he asked when she opened the bedroom door and had to catch her towel to prevent it from falling.

‘I haven’t seen anything,’ she said, holding her towel together in her cleavage. ‘And when it’s time for you to appreciate the view, that’s when you’ll get to see it.’

‘I’ll appreciate it,’ he said, but she gave him another shove to send him backwards over the bedroom threshold before closing the door on his protestations.

Layla wasn’t shy about her body, though it wasn’t by any means flawless. But she wasn’t going to dress in front of Ruger when what they both really wanted was to stay naked and enjoy each other.

This was the part of relationships that she enjoyed the most, when it was fun and new and exciting. She could revel in this part because there was no pressure. This situation was a bit different because she was living in Ruger’s mother’s house, but that wasn’t a choice either of them were happy with. She would be out of here just as soon as Drew was finished with what he was doing.

Layla had spoken to her brother on Ruger’s phone three times this week, and each time he was as evasive as the last time. He was still chasing the story and Ashcroft was still having people watch him. But from what he’d heard the men who Ashcroft had sent to Miami were back empty handed. Layla hoped that meant she was off the hook and that there wouldn’t be any danger coming her way any time soon.

If danger did find her, she had faith that Ruger would keep her safe. He might not be a martial arts expert or a security guard, but he had a heart and guts that would see them both through safe. She was in no rush to have Drew call the all-clear.

Yes, she wanted her brother and Serendipity to be safe. But she was happy spending this time with Ruger and the generous Warners. There were worse places to be and she knew that she’d miss all of these new people when this was all over.

Layla was the last one to make it to the dinner table and she could tell that something was wrong as soon as she stepped into the dining room. Prudence was talking everyone through her process of cooking the meal as Layla had heard her do before. Pru and her husband seemed unaware of the tension humming around the brothers and their girlfriends, but it brought Layla up short when she entered.

Ruger was the only one who made eye contact when she came in. Lyssa was busy trying to maintain the conversation with Pru by making all of the right noises about how wonderful the food was. Colt was fixated on Blaser who was whispering to Bri.

If Layla was nervous, which she hadn’t been, there would have been no need for her to be self-conscious because no one noticed her arrival. Pru welcomed her in and Ruger rose to pull out her chair, but the rest of the table was preoccupied.

It was only after dinner, when everyone moved through into the living room for coffee, that Layla found an opportunity to question Ruger while he was in the kitchen stacking the dishwasher.

‘What’s going on?’ she asked.

‘Don’t ask,’ he mumbled.

Except she wanted to know and didn’t like feeling as though she was the only one out of the loop. Though Layla had to admit, she wasn’t actually a part of the family and so had no rights to be involved in any of the intrigue.

‘Are you ok?’

‘Mom will be wondering where you are,’ Ruger said. ‘You should go through and have coffee.’

‘I told them I was coming to help you.’ And since she was here anyway, she traversed to the sink and began to rinse off the rest of the dishes that were waiting to go into the huge dishwasher.

‘You don’t have to do this,’ he said. He’d seen her helping out all week and had given up trying to deter her a few days ago, so this new grumpy attempt concerned her.

‘I know that it’s none of my business, but I could tell as soon as I walked into the dining room that something was wrong. If I knew it then your mom knew it too, but she’s acting as if nothing is wrong. Did she give you news before I got downstairs? Is she…?’

She hesitated to ask about Ruger’s mother’s health, because Layla wasn’t sure that she was the best person to give advice on the matter if Pru was indeed sick. Her own heart seized at the notion of such a wonderful woman being torn from her family when she was still so loved and involved with all of their lives.

‘No, it’s nothing to do with Mom,’ he said. Putting a bowl in the dishwasher, he gave up on the chore and leaned back in the corner formed by perpendicular work surfaces. Sensing that he was about to say something, Layla laid the dish she’d been rinsing in the sink and waited. ‘It’s Bri.’

The young vibrant woman at the table, whom she hadn’t been formally introduced to, was a beauty, but a meek one and Layla hadn’t expected that. Maybe if Bri had just been given bad news, this wasn’t the best day to judge her personality.

‘What about her? Is she ill?’

‘She’s pregnant,’ Ruger said, locking his eyes on hers.

The seriousness didn’t elude Layla, having a child was a life-changing thing. But Bri was with a man who loved her and Layla doubted that Blaser would turn his back on her. ‘How is Lyssa taking it?’ Layla asked, because an accidental pregnancy could upset the couple who were trying in vain to achieve the goal.

‘Lyssa is great, I don’t know… Colt told me before we sat down. I haven’t had a chance to talk to them properly yet.’

Though her hands were damp, Layla moved over to loop her arms around him and offer some comfort. ‘This is good news,’ she whispered. ‘It might be a shock but they love each other, Ruger. Blaser and Bri, it’s obvious from the way he talks about her how he feels.’

‘I know that,’ he said, catching her hand before she could touch his face.

Movement made her turn around. Colt and Blaser were heading across the kitchen toward the back door. ‘Outside,’ Colt said to Ruger and didn’t miss a step in Blaser’s wake.

The two men went outside and the screen door swung shut. ‘Go on,’ Layla said. ‘I’ve got this.’

‘Thanks,’ he said. Brushing a kiss on her head, he passed her to follow his brothers into the back yard.

Carrying on with the task that Ruger had left was the only way that she could contribute and she was happy to have something to do. Colt was level-headed and Ruger was loyal. She knew they’d help Blaser process this and help him to do whatever was needed.

When Ruger got outside, Colt was on the edge of the slate patio watching Blaser stride around the vast yard in a tight circle. Leaving Blaser to his journey, Ruger stood beside Colt and joined him in watching their brother knowing that Blaser would talk in his own good time.

‘I guess he isn’t taking the news well,’ Ruger said. ‘How’s Lys?’

‘Lys?’ Colt asked, shifting his concentration away from Blaser. ‘Why are you asking about her?’

‘Layla did,’ Ruger said. ‘She thought Lys might be upset that Bri tripped and fell into what you guys have been trying for.’

‘Shit,’ Colt said, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, then holding on. ‘She’s fine, I think… I didn’t think about that.’

‘Women,’ Ruger said on a tut. ‘I guess you have to be a woman to think like one.’

‘I’ll take her home early and take her temperature.’ That was something that Ruger had heard his mother and Lyssa talking about with regards to fertility and the correct time for conceiving. Unsure about how Lyssa would feel about making an attempt at conception after receiving news like this, Colt must have read his confusion. ‘Not like that temperature, metaphorically. I’ll check she’s ok.’

‘How did you get out of there?’ Ruger asked. ‘Mom has been on overdrive all night, she knows something is going on.’

‘She never asks,’ Colt said. ‘She just assumes we’ll tell her when we’re ready.’

‘Are they going to tell her?’

Colt shrugged. ‘I don’t know, Lys and I went over there to pick them up and… they asked us to go inside. Bri did the talking, Blaser just kept staring at her.’

‘I guess it’s a shock. They’ve only been back together for a couple of months,’ Ruger said. ‘Is it definitely his?’

‘You watch your mouth,’ Blaser snapped and stopped his pacing.

‘I didn’t mean like she’d cheated on you,’ Ruger said. ‘I didn’t know if she was with anyone before you got together, you know.’

Ruger knew about Bri’s rape, but that had taken place more than a year ago and he wasn’t privy to all of her movements since then.

‘She hasn’t been with anyone,’ Blaser said, sliding his hands into his pockets then strolling to his brothers’ position. He kicked at the edge of the patio they stood on and breathed out. ‘She’s pregnant.’

‘I want to say congratulations,’ Ruger said. ‘You guys have been sort of coasting towards this since high school. I can’t imagine you having kids with anyone else to be honest.’

‘This isn’t about that,’ Blaser said, he spoke softly, his tone was shrewd, Blaser knew Bri better than anyone else and there was no doubt about their love for each other. ‘The woman I love is carrying my kid.’ He opened his hands to the heavens then let them swing up to link his fingers on the top of his head. ‘I’m thrilled, guys, really I am.’

Knowing this let them all relax a bit and after the shoulder slapping and brotherly hugs, they were all smiling. ‘If it’s a boy, you have to name it Ruger,’ Ruger said, then pointed at Colt. ‘I called it first, you lost out.’

Blaser’s happiness faded away and again his expression became serious. ‘I don’t know if she’s ready for this.’

‘Bri?’ Colt asked.

‘Yeah, with everything she’s gone through… us losing each other and last year. Plus, there’s all this stuff with Gary and we’ll both have to testify in court.’

‘So he’ll see that she’s pregnant,’ Ruger said. ‘Has she been to visit?’

‘A couple of times,’ Blaser said, bobbing his head. ‘Gary is still blaming her for everything that’s gone wrong in his life, but he keeps sending her visit requests. He wants to see her, yet every time she comes back from there, she’s a mess.’

‘She did the right thing,’ Colt said. ‘Gary murdered a man and he wasn’t done. You could’ve been next on that list.’

‘I know and I think she knows it too. But that doesn’t help ease the guilt she feels at shopping her own brother to the cops,’ Blaser said.

Ruger knew all about carrying guilt. It didn’t matter how many times you were told that a situation wasn’t your fault or that you’d done the right thing. You couldn’t rationalise your way out of guilt once it had you in its grip.

‘Have you had it confirmed?’ Colt asked. ‘The pregnancy test could’ve been wrong.’

‘She took three,’ Blaser said. ‘I hate that I wasn’t there with her. She told me at the club. She took them at her apartment. And that’s another thing, I mean the both of us are so busy all the time, how will we look after a baby?’

‘You’ve got a babysitter on call,’ Colt said, tipping his head back toward the house. ‘You know that Mom will look after the little guy all the time. Lys and I will have him too.’

Blaser became more solemn. ‘Dude, I’m sorry that—‘

‘Hey, don’t even worry about it,’ Colt said. ‘It’s not like you planned this.’

‘Yeah, but you guys did, and… you know…’

‘We’ll get there,’ Colt smiled. ‘The practising is a lot of fun. I didn’t even think about it until Ruger asked about Lys. Apparently his Layla is quicker than I am.’

‘My Layla? What the hell did you say that for?’ Ruger asked after a double-take.

Blaser and Colt jeered and Ruger got a punch on the shoulder. ‘You’re wound tight about that, aren’t you?’ Blaser asked then looked to Colt. ‘What did I tell you?’

‘Tell you what?’ Ruger asked. ‘What are you two talking about?’

‘Blaser told me on night one that you were hung up on the girl and I think he’s right,’ Colt said.

‘Not that it matters when a guy can’t follow through,’ Ruger muttered and his brothers began to heckle again.

‘That admission puts our problems in perspective,’ Blaser said to Colt.

‘Yeah, you should talk to Lyssa,’ Colt said. ‘She specialises in guys who can’t satisfy their women.’

‘Guess we know why she’s with you then, don’t we?’ Ruger teased and they all laughed. ‘The equipment isn’t the problem, the location is. I can’t exactly screw her under Mom’s roof, can I?’

‘Mom tell you that?’ Colt asked.

‘I didn’t ask Mom’s permission,’ Ruger said. ‘I don’t know how that would go. “Hey, Mom, you know the girl I moved into your house and told you repeatedly that I wasn’t in a relationship with? Well, how would you feel about me fucking her senseless in my childhood bedroom?” I don’t think that would go over too well.’

‘If mom thought it would get you hitched then she’d probably be ok with it,’ Colt said.

‘Hitched? Just ‘cause her legs go all the way to heaven, doesn’t mean I’m going to put a ring on her finger. Layla isn’t into that anyway.’

‘Isn’t into what?’ Colt asked.

‘Marriage,’ Ruger said, giving Colt a shove. ‘Anyway, fuck off talking about me, what about him? Blase, what are you going to do?’

The back door opened and they all turned to see Bri coming down the back stairs towards them.

‘What are you doing out here, Doll?’ Blaser asked, shoving between his brothers to meet Bri halfway. ‘Get back inside, it’s warmer in there.’

‘I’m not getting rid of it,’ Bri said, determined and sure.

‘What?’

‘If you guys are out here talking about how best to… I’m not getting rid of our child, Blase—‘

‘Baby, I would never ask you to do that,’ he said, cupping her face. ‘This is our kid and I love you, this is a home run for me.’

‘But you’ve been… I didn’t do it on purpose if that’s what you think.’

‘Would you stop talking,’ Blaser said. ‘I’m worried about you, that’s all that I’ve been thinking about. You don’t want to live together, you’ve just started spending the night and… this is a lot to deal with after what you’ve been through and—‘

‘This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,’ she said. ‘For all of the darkness that’s been in our lives, finally we have something to celebrate together, something happy. It’s going to be difficult and I don’t know how we’re going to figure this all out but… we have nine months to make all the big decisions. Can’t we just be happy that this happened to us at all?’

‘Yeah,’ Blaser said on an exhaled laugh. ‘Yeah, we can.’ He kissed her so thoroughly that out of respect both Ruger and Colt turned their backs on the spectacle.

‘I think they need a minute,’ Ruger whispered at Colt.

‘I think they need more than that,’ Colt said. ‘Hope all the neighbours are away from their windows.’

‘Yeah, or they might blind a couple of kids.’

‘We can’t tell your mom, not yet,’ Bri said. The couple were talking, so Ruger and Colt moved around to bring them into view again. ‘We’re not telling anyone until after twelve weeks.’ Nudging Blaser aside, Bri glared at both of them. ‘That goes for you two as well, don’t tell anyone until we’re sure everything is going to be ok.’