Play Fair (The Devil's Share Book 3) (8 page)

Luke shook his head, letting out a humorless laugh, but not stopping me. I didn’t call him on his vices tonight, and apparently he was returning the favor. Old habits die hard.

I held the door open, waiting for her to strut through before shutting and locking it behind me.

She smiled coyly, letting her finger trail down my chest. “Jackson Cole.”

“Always dreamed of fucking a rock star? Bachelorette party? Girls’ night out? Someone’s birthday?” These girls were a dime a dozen and there was always a reason they used to justify their behavior.

Her cheeks tinted red. “I’ve had a crush on you since I was sixteen.”

“How old are you now?” Usually Chase our security guy checked the IDs of the girls backstage.

“Old enough, I promise.” She put her hands on my hips, bringing her body against mine.

I dipped my mouth to her throat, sucking on her neck, leaving marks and not giving one shit about it. I ran my hands down her body to her thighs, grabbing the hem of her dress and lifting it above her waist. And wouldn’t you know? I was right about the no panties thing. I ground against her, my dick finally starting to stir to life. “Turn around, bend over, and grab the edge of the sink.”

She bit her bottom lip, doing exactly as I said. I took a condom out of my wallet, unbuttoning my pants and pulling them down just enough for me to take my dick out. I slid the condom down my shaft and then positioned myself at her pussy. I could feel her eyes on me, feel her watching me in the mirror. I kept my head down, focused on the task at hand. I didn’t want to see her, didn’t want to know her. I grabbed her hips in both hands and plowed into her body. She cried out, arching her back, but I didn’t stop. I closed my eyes, slamming into her over and over. “You like that, do—”

I stilled instantly. What the fuck was I doing? I was using this girl. And for what? To convince myself I didn’t have feeling for my best friend? To distract myself from all the changes in my life? This girl was someone’s daughter, someone’s friend. But she sure as fuck wasn’t my doll.
My
doll was at home, sleeping across the hall from
my
daughter. A relationship might not be in mine and B’s future, but a friendship was. And I shouldn’t have left the house. Not for this.

“Why did you stop? What’s wrong?” She looked over her shoulder, pushing back against me, trying to make me keep fucking her.

“I’ve gotta go.” I pulled out, threw the condom in the trash, and zipped up my pants on the way out the door.

***

When I got home I headed upstairs with the intention of checking on Landry and then heading to bed. I didn’t want to wake Bryan, and I didn’t want to look too closely at the way I’d booked it out of that club. As I reached the top of the stairs I heard Bryan’s voice and Landry’s giggles. I glanced down at my watch; it was after midnight at this point. I poked my head into her room. “Hello, my beautiful girls. What are y’all still doing up?”

They both smiled when they saw me, and I ignored the way my heart leapt. “You’re home.” Bryan said it like a statement. Not a question.

I grinned. “Yeah. Turns out I’d rather be here.”

She held up a large hardbound book. “Landry asked me to read to her and we both kind of lost track of time.” Bryan closed the book and put it on the nightstand. “It’s late, sweet girl, we’ll read more tomorrow.”

I walked across the room, leaning down to kiss Landry’s forehead. “Good night, Buttercup.”

“Night, Jacks.”

We both headed across the hall to my room and collapsed on my bed, staring at the ceiling.

Bryan lightly slapped my thigh. “You can go meet back up with Luke if you want. She’ll be asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow. No worries here, if that’s what you came home for.”

“Nah, I’m right where I want to be.” And that was the God’s honest truth.

She was quiet for a few minutes, the only sound in the room was us breathing, me because I was struggling for the right words. Finally she moved to face me, and I automatically did the same. “Good. I’m pretty happy where I am right now too.”

She was so damn pretty. I could get lost in those blue eyes of hers. I fought the urge to kiss her plump pink lips. Friends don’t kiss. And we were just friends. Maybe if I said
just friends
in my head enough times I’d start to believe it. “Want to watch a movie?” I didn’t want her to leave me.

She grinned, a wicked glint in her beautiful eyes. “I have a better idea.”

I shifted closer to her on the bed, playing along. “Oh yeah?”

She bit her bottom lip, nodding.

My dick strained against my zipper. He was still pissed that I’d denied him earlier, not turned on by Bryan’s flirty banter. “What did you have in mind, baby doll?”

She rolled over and grabbed a hot pink bag from the floor beside my bed. “I bought us a present today…”

I shifted onto my stomach, taking the bag from her hands and hiding my massive hard-on. I pulled out the tissue paper, tossing it over my shoulder. “What?! You got Zombies 5? I didn’t even know this was out yet!”

She giggled, putting her hand over my mouth. “Shhh…you’re going to wake up Landry, and this game is definitely not suitable for children.” She sat up. “I’ll go get ready for bed in Luke’s bathroom.” She paused on her way out the door. “Change clothes. You smell like sex and whiskey.”

“B…I couldn’t, I mean, I didn’t…uh, nothing happened.”

She shook her head. “Jacks, it’s none of my business. I’d just rather not, um, just shower, okay?”

I nodded. My heart was racing, the distress I felt at her thinking I’d been with someone else was unwelcome. And it was freaking me the fuck out. Why did it matter so much? Why did her thinking that bother me? Probably the same damn reason I’d run out of that club like it was on fucking fire.

Because I was falling for my best friend.

I paced the room the whole time she was gone, well, after I quickly rinsed off and changed my clothes. I stopped when Bryan came back in, her long wet hair braided to the side, her face fresh and clean. Her perky breasts were on display in her white t-shirt, and her ass looked fucking perfect in her cotton shorts. I thought I’d wanted to kiss her a few minutes ago? That was nothing compared to the way I felt right now. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Bryan was gorgeous, and I’d always known that. But like as an afterthought. Like hey, this is my best friend Bryan, and she’s super-hot. Now it was like, this hot-as-fuck chick is my best friend, Bryan.

“You ready to play?”

She smirked. “You ready to get your ass handed to you?”

I was pretty sure she was capable of doing just that. The beautiful sexy girl next door with commitment issues and a flighty nature. Yep. The universe was definitely handing me my ass.

She picked up a controller and climbed up on my bed while I loaded the game. We sat side by side, talking trash and laughing. One game turned into two, two turned into three, and three turned into me using all the willpower I possessed to not grab her by the face and stick my tongue down her throat.

I talked to her all the time; we gamed, we laughed, we joked around. And it was all fine. Having her here, sleeping next to her, watching her with Landry…it had fucked with my brain. You know that super sappy movie, the one where the girl dies? That quote that was on all those previews—
I fell in love like you fall asleep at night
—that was me. That’s what happened. It snuck up on me. I was perfectly fine last night; I slept next to her for hours without jumping her bones. From friends to falling in two-point-five seconds.

“Hey. You okay?” She cocked her head to the side, studying me.

“Yeah. I’m good. I’m great.” I sounded like a moron. “You want to play another round or you ready for bed?”

She put her hand over her mouth, yawning. “I think I’m ready for bed…” She stood. “Good night?”

Did that mean she was sleeping in her bed? “Uh, yeah, sure. Good night.” Holy shit, get it together, Jacks. My voice was squeaking like my balls were about to drop.

I didn’t want her to go. The thought of her sleeping a whole room away from me actually made my chest hurt. But I didn’t trust myself. I knew I would wind up making a move. And now wasn’t the time. I needed to sort all this out in my head. I needed to not be a spastic mess.

***

I woke a few hours later to the sound of Landry crying. I jolted out of bed and fumbled around trying to pull on some pants before making it across the hall to her room. I stopped short when I realized Bryan was already in there. She had Landry’s head in her lap and she was gently running her fingers through her hair, speaking quietly in a soothing tone. I leaned against the door frame, watching them, watching my girls. Landry’s tears stopped and slowly her eyes began to drift close. Bryan looked up and met my gaze, giving me a sad smile. Landry’s little arms were wrapped around her waist, and you could tell she was holding on tight. I raised an eyebrow at B, silently asking her if she wanted me to take over. She shook her head no, and lay down next to Landry.

Chapter Ten

Bryan

The next morning I was up before the sun, which meant I was up before Jacks and Landry too. I’d ended up falling asleep in Landry’s bed and staying there the rest of the night. I got out of bed carefully, so I wouldn’t wake her, and went across the hall to my room to get dressed. I peeked in on Jacks; he was sleeping at the foot of his bed, his head facing Landry’s room. I knew he was scared he didn’t have the ability to raise Landry, but he was already a good father. Or a good guardian.

I went downstairs and found my sister sitting at the bar, a steaming cup of tea in her hands. “Hey, you.” I kissed her on the cheek before going to the stove and putting hot water in a cup for me.

“Hey.” She took a sip. “I happened to notice you didn’t sleep in Jacks’s bed last night.”

I laughed. “Happened to notice? Or made it a point to check?” She just shrugged. “I actually spent most of the night in Landry’s bed, she had a nightmare.”

“About what?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know, she wouldn’t say. I don’t even want to begin to try to guess. Who knows what that little girl has seen.”

“She needs to talk to someone. Jacks needs to get her into counseling.”

I dropped a mint tea bag into my cup and brought it over to the bar. “I know. I was going to talk to him about it last night, but I didn’t get around to it.”

“You’re good with her, with Landry.”

I smiled. “So is Jacks.”

Dylan nodded thoughtfully. “I heard Jacks come home last night, it was early…”

He had come home early. I hadn’t expected him to come home at all. It was clear to everyone but Landry why he’d left the house with Luke last night. When he’d told me that with us was right where he wanted to be, my heart had done that little flutter thing again. But I was sure he didn’t mean it like I took it. He’d probably just felt guilty. Right? And I was probably just developing a heart condition or something.

“Yeah, he probably just felt bad about leaving Landry here.”

“You sure? Because I think he’s falling for you and it took him being in a bar surrounded by willing and able chicks to realize it.”

I made a face at her. Childish, I know. “I think you’re crazy.”

“Don’t hurt him, Bryan. Don’t do what you always do: flirt and play and make him love you… Don’t do that, not to him.”

I scoffed. “I don’t do that!”
On purpose.
I leaned my elbows on the cool granite, ready to change the subject. “You know what I really want to talk about? You and your super dreamy boyfriend.” I batted my eyelashes. “What’s it like to be loved and lusted after by one of the world’s hottest rock stars?”

“I don’t know, you tell me.” She cocked a perfectly shaped brow.

I rolled my eyes. “Come on, Dylan, just drop it, okay? Jacks and I are friends. I’m here to help him out with his
daughter.
He isn’t into me, not like that.”

“You’re blind. He’s so into you he can’t even think straight.” She held up her hand to stop my protest. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want Jacks to end up hurt because you get bored.”

She wasn’t wrong, even though I really wished she was. “Will you please drop it?”

She was quiet for a minute before she finally answered me the way I’d wanted her to in the first place. “Life with Smith is…perfect. He’s so kind and thoughtful. And it’s the best sex I’ve ever had. Ever.”

Lexi came down the hall, grinning. “What are we talking about? Sex? I want to talk about sex.” She perched her pregnant butt up on the stool next to Dylan and put her chin on her hand. “Dash is the best sex I’ve ever had too.”

I chuckled. “Is ‘great at sex’ a prerequisite to being a rock star?”

Lexi nodded. “Like I’ve told Dilly before, these guys fuck like it’s their job, because it kind of is.”

I liked Lexi, she was funny and easy to talk to. She reminded me a lot of Mikah. The youngest and the most carefree of the three of us. “From the stories I’ve heard, Jacks likes his
job
.” I grinned. “Although, from what I’ve seen of this area, there aren’t really any good bars to go to
work
at.”

Dylan looked at me. “Jacks hasn’t been going out at all.”

Lexi stole Dylan’s tea and took a sip. “You know, now that you mention it, he really hasn’t.”

She took it back. “There is caffeine in that. Make yourself a cup of the mint.” Lexi rolled her eyes, but got up to make herself a new cup.

Dylan looked toward me and held my gaze. “He hasn’t gone out once since before the music festival in New Orleans.”

“He went out with Luke last night.”

Dylan snorted. “He came home two hours later. That only proves my point.”

Oh, here we go again. “So that’s what you’re basing all this on? The fact that Jacks has gone a month without whoring it up? That’s insane, Dylan. Maybe he just needed a break. A detox.”

Lexi’s eyes shifted from me to Dylan and back again. “What’s happening? Why do you both have on angry faces?”

“Dylan thinks that Jacks is in love with me, and that’s why he hasn’t been partying and why we are friends, why he asked me to come here.”