Reckless Karma (Sinners & Saints #2) (10 page)

           
“I
like the pink.”

           
“Really?”
Poppy’s grin grows big.

           
“Yes.
Very. The color works perfectly with your soft porcelain skin.” His accent
makes that comment sound better than it’s supposed to be. “Would you like to
dance?”

           
“I
love to dance.” Poppy’s eyes are shining bright as he leads her off to the
dance floor.

           
“I
think our Poppy might be in love,” Jordana says. “Good, she can keep herself
busy through this inevitable doom we are going to be entering.”

           
“You
think things are gonna get worse from here?” I ask.

           
“Yep.
Hopefully things just get worse before they get immensely better. At least
that’s what happy people tell me.”

           
I
give her the side eye. “You know happy people?”

           
She
looks at me. “On TV.”

           
I
laugh. Jordana can be a real jerk sometimes, but she has her moments. Like now.

           
“Don’t
look now, but your sexy as hell one time chance at a sexual livelihood is
coming this way.”

           
“Shit,”
I say as I see Anika walking toward us.

           
“Damn
she looks good.”

           
I
could’ve sworn I responded, but I guess I didn’t because Jordana smacks me on
the cheek.

           
“Cody,
you’re drooling.”

           
I
ignore her and shake off the effect Anika has on me. “She looks okay.” I want
to smack my damn self in the face for saying that.

           
“Oh
please. I never knew how fucking stubborn you were, Cody. Are you seriously
going to hold off on forgiving the hottest girl dumb enough to sleep with you?”

           
Even
though it is an insult, I think about it as Anika gets near us.

           
“Hey
Jordana… Cody.”

           
“Anika.”
I look for too long, mentally screenshotting the way she looks now in this
silver glittery gown. Her hair is pinned up and she has on this diamond
necklace and earrings and she just shines – literally. My heart just
can’t stop beating for her and my stomach feels woozy. But she lied to me. She
used me. How can I forgive her?

           
“A
lot of these guys here want to dance with me. Being the little sister of the
richest woman in here I guess turns them on.”

           
“Yeah,
money plus good looks get them up to the core. Especially since marrying you
would be marrying your sister’s goldmine,” Jordana says before sipping on her
champagne.

           
“Exactly.”
Anika laughs a little, looking at me. “But… I don’t wanna dance with them.”

           
I
want to dance with her too. I keep my ground though, and the disappointment in
her face makes me believe she will give up until I see my parents. “Just
great.”

           
“Hi,
sweetie,” my mom says. “Jordana, good to see you, sweetie.”

           
“You
too Mr. and Mrs. Nichols.” Jordana smiles at my parents and then gets that
scary gleam on her face she always gets when she wants to mess with me. “Have
you met Cody’s friend? Anika Dale… also known as the little sister of Karlie
Fairchild.”

           
I’m
gonna kill her. My mom’s smile goes as far as I would love to throw Jordana.

           
“Well,
Cody, you didn’t tell us that.” My mom rubs my shoulder and my dad winks at me
in approval.

           
“You
are a beautiful sight,” my dad says.

           
“Thank
you.” Anika gladly accepts his compliment.

           
“You
guys don’t recognize her?” I ask them and they look lost. “She’s the waitress.
Every time we go to Le Amor, she serves us.”

           
“Oh
my God.” It registers to my mom. “You are.”

           
“Yes,
mam,” Anika nervously confirms.

           
“If
you don’t mind me asking, why work at the restaurant? Surely your sister helps
you?”

           
“Uh,
yes. She does. Pays for my schooling at Columbia, but I never wanted to depend
entirely on her. I grew up in Queens and my whole life hard work, dedication,
and independence was needed to shape your character, and I would like to keep
that to balance no matter how blessed my family has become.”

           
Shit.
She might as well throw herself a
parade because right now my parents are practically leading the marching band
in her honor.

           
“Actually,
I wanted to see if Cody wanted to dance?”

           
“Nah,
I’m good,” I quickly say.

           
“He’s
kidding. Cody would love to dance with you,” my mom says and Jordana snickers.

           
“Mom.”

           
“Cody
Edward Nichols.” My mother is still smiling through the stern tone as she leans
into me while my dad further compliments Anika. “Boy, you better dance.” Her
whisper is harsh and she smiles back at Anika. “Hope to see you very soon,
Anika.”

           
We
watch as my parents walk off but not too far. They’re making sure I make due on
their order.

           
“Well,
seems like you fit in nicely with our wonderful group,” Jordana says.

           
“Thank
you,” Anika smiles proudly and I reluctantly follow her to the dance floor.

ANIKA

           
“When
my sister came back, it was the day I thought things would change for the
better, but really it just added complications along with a few blessings,” I
say to him as we dance.

           
“That’s
nice.” He brushes it off and shakes his head. “I can’t believe my parents.” We
look at his parents who are smiling at us, probably planning our wedding or
seeing what our kids would look like. “I was so scared to tell them about you…
and to think if you would’ve been truthful to begin with we could’ve avoid them
meeting you now… because it’s a waste of time.”

           
“Did
you hear what I just said though? About my sister and whatnot?”

           
“Yes.
I heard and I don’t know what you want from me, Anika.”

           
My
patience is really starting to wear thin with this boy.

           
“I
want you.” I just say it. “I want you, Cody. I’ve always wanted you. You are
one of the few blessings that have come out of this. Can’t you see that?”

           
His
face softens. “I get that, but…
 
and
it’s hard for a guy to admit this, but… sex with you… it meant the world to me
and I really just thought after that night we were going to be something
special.”

           
“We
still can be. Cody… I’m sorry, but at some point you need to grow up. I’m not
gonna keep apologizing for doing what I thought was right. This wasn’t just
about you. This was about my family. This was even about me because what
happened to Karlie affected me too. Do you think this is easy being in the same
room as the people who destroyed my sister?” I make sure to lower my voice.
“It’s not. You judge Hugo and your friends, but if you ask me, you got it
better than them. At least your parents love you. No one’s perfect, Cody. No
one. Not even you. You’re stubborn, you whine too much and you’re insecure… but
I like you… a lot. Maybe even more than I should, and I really want to see
where this goes.” I break away from him stopping the dance. “I ‘m a damn good
person. I know I am and you are lucky to have me, and I am lucky to have you.
So if you want this… if you want to not go through being set up by your parents
with girls you have no interest in for the rest of your twenties, then I
suggest man up and just… just man up.”

           
I
walk away before he can respond out of fear of just more rejection. I’d rather
just give him time and hope for the best because I want this. I want this more
than anything.

JORDANA

“Hi,
Jordana.” That voice goes through my head every day. It’s like an echo that
won’t go away. Please let it be an echo this time. “You look beautiful.” It’s
not. I take my eyes away from a pitiful looking Cody, who probably just got
owned by Anika, and face my own demons in the form of Margaret Jacobs. My MJ.

           
“Jacobs.”
I keep my eyes on her face and not on that blue dress she’s wearing. Its
conservative but still she makes it look sexy.

           
“I’ve
texted you.”

           
“I
know.”

           
“You
haven’t texted me back.”

           
“Well,
you did end things. You wanted it to end, so there was no need.”

           
“Usually
you don’t listen when I end it.”

           
“Well,
MJ, when you pour your heart out and get rejected, it tends to put a damper on
things… or so I’m told.”

           
She
laughs a little. “I’ve always loved it when you called me MJ.”

           
“Even
during sex? When you were kissing me… on every inch of my body?” I glide my
tongue across my bottom lip as she holds her breath stunned at me fucking with
her.

           
“Yes.”
I’m surprised. I figured she would run away, but the yes is basically an
invitation to take her to the bathroom right now. I shouldn’t do it, but
temptation is a hell of a thing.

           
“Sweetheart,
there you are.” Steven Jacobs is like a puddle of rain you want to avoid
stepping in. The splash is too big.

           
“Dad.
Mom.” Margaret looks guilty now. “You know Jordana Abbott.”

           
“Yes.
The free spirit girl.” I arch my brow and smirk at Jacob’s term for me. His
wife is looking very stoic as usual.

           
“Oh
come on, Mr. Jacobs, let’s not be modest. You can go ahead and say lesbian. Or
maybe dyke. I think the term you really want to use is faggot, but that term is
only for gay young men, but I’m sure either way it’s the same to you.”

           
“My
dear, your sickness is only of your world, not mine. No need for me to point
out the truth in obscene terms.”

           
“We
might come from two different worlds… but it’s all in the same galaxy.” I
glance at Margaret who begins to choke on her glass of champagne.

           
“Mom.
Dad. Can we please just go?” she says back.

           
“Margaret,
no interrupting,” Steven quickly says and my blood boils.

           
“My,
Mr. Jacobs, what big chauvinist tendencies you have. I’ll go. Margaret and I
were just thinking back to old times in school.” I look at her… and I let her
see the pain in my eyes one more time. Wanting her to know she’s won. Wanting
her to feel guilty. Hoping she will stop my heart from breaking more. “Too bad
they are just a distant memory. Good luck with life.”

           
I
walk away and mentally tell myself,
Do
not fucking cry
. God do I hate women.

HUGO

“Are
you out of your damn mind?” my father tries not to yell too loudly at me.

           
“You
probably should’ve asked me that when I was fifteen.”

           
“You
think this is a game?” He’s trying to keep his voice down as party guests close
by turn their heads at us. “That girl is trouble.”

           
“Trouble
why? Oh yeah, trouble as in the girl Gabriel fell for whose rape you helped
cover up.”

           
My
comment sparks the urge for him to come closer to me. His fists tight and his
stare sharp. “I want you to think before you speak again.”

           
“How
long are we going to play this game… you knew what kind of woman Scarlett was
before I moved in with Ms. Eleanor.”

           
“I
didn’t help cover a rape. I just cleaned up the mess your brother made. That
girl threatened everything.”