Slide (Boosted Hearts Book 3) Read online

  Brian’s grin slipped and he looked between the two of them. Adam felt Lucy stiffen, then twist in his hold. He didn’t dare look down, but he knew for sure the feisty little hellcat was glaring up at him.

  You’re doing this for her own good. This asshole only wanted her working for him to piss Hugh and Joe off, and the way he was looking at Lucy? Yeah, he wanted her to do more than his motherfucking accounts.

  “So, you two, you’re an item?” Brian asked.

  “Yes,” Adam said before Lucy could open her sweet, currently pinched mouth.

  Christ. What the hell am I doing?

  Lucy went from stiff at his side to frozen solid. Shit.

  “I’m surprised you don’t have her working here, Grady, where you can keep an eye on her.”

  “I don’t need to keep an eye on her.”

  Brian smirked again and Adam wanted to smash in his face.

  “You’re a trusting guy.”

  Lucy burst out of his hold like a mini tornado. “What the hell?” She pointed at the dick in front of her. “What exactly are you insinuating here, Brian?”

  Adam had to force himself not to laugh at the way she snarled the guy’s name.

  “I didn’t—”

  “That I wouldn’t be able to resist you if we worked together?”

  “Well, now—”

  “I don’t accept,” she said over top of him. “Thanks for the job offer, but I’m declining.”

  Then the she-devil leaned back into Adam and slid a hand from his chest right down over his abs. It shouldn’t be possible, but in that moment he actually thought he could blow in his jeans purely from having her hand on him. Not since that day in the garage, when she’d curled her fingers around his arm, had she touched him on purpose. He realized then he’d been craving it for four years.

  One damn touch…

  “Ow!” He hissed and stared down at her. “What the fuck?”

  She smirked back and released his nipple that she’d just finished twisting the fuck out of. “And for future reference, sweetums, I can take care of myself.” Her gaze grew intense, those emerald orbs damn near hypnotizing him. “I’m not an idiot. I saw Brian for what he was the moment I walked into his office.”

  “Hey!”

  “Shut it, Brian,” they both said at the same time.

  Of course she did. Lucy was no fool. Now he felt like an asshole. “Lucy—”

  She shoved at his shoulder. “I’m not as naive as you think.” Then she stormed up to her apartment.

  Brian snorted and shrugged. “Whatever. Good luck with that one.” He climbed into his truck and drove back to his crappy garage.

  Adam stood there for the longest time, not sure if he should go after her and try to explain his messed-up behavior or leave her alone. He was about to head back into the garage when her door opened. She was in shorts, a T-shirt, and running shoes, and after popping earbuds in her ears, she came down the stairs.

  “Luce…hang on a minute. Can we talk?”

  She pointed to her ears and shook her head. “Sorry can’t hear you.”

  He grabbed her arm, stopping her from running past. “Lucy.”

  She yanked her earbuds out. “What?”

  “That stuff with Brian…”

  “Yes?” Her face was flushed with anger, eyes bright.

  He imagined her underneath him, looking at him just like that, and his dick got hard instantly.

  “I’d love to hear the excuse for what you just did. Go on, wow me.”

  “Excuse?” Not explanation. His gut tightened.

  “Yes, excuse, sweetums.” She moved in closer. “Why don’t you tell your girl exactly what was going through your head?” She poked him in the chest, fire exploding in her eyes. “I dare you.”

  His mouth went dry. He wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all Lucy. But he couldn’t tell her the truth, the real reason he’d stormed out there, pulling that macho shit. “I wasn’t going to let him use you to get to us.”

  “And you had to pretend to be my boyfriend for that?”

  Those eyes, full of challenge, never left his. He hated himself in that moment, more than he ever had, for what he was about to say. He let a smirk curl his lips. “I care about you, baby girl. You’re like the annoying little sister I never had.” Then he did what Brian had, and tweaked her nose.

  She jerked back, goddamn deflating before his eyes.

  Her lips parted and she glanced away. When they came back to him, the challenge and fire were gone and in their place was…fuck. Disappointment?

  “Right, well…” She shook her head. “I don’t need another big brother. And honestly, I’m kinda sick of men telling me what the hell I can and can’t do.”

  Now it was his turn to jerk back, because even though Hugh and Joe could be bossy assholes, he somehow knew she wasn’t talking about her brothers or him. “Luce—”

  “See you around, Adam.” She popped her earbuds back in and jogged away.

  The urge to go after her was nearly too damn hard to resist.

  He curled his fists. Thankfully, one of his leads had come through. At least now he knew where his cousin’s car was.

  Boosting the bitch back and getting the fuck out of this city couldn’t come at a better time.

  He was weakening, there was no point denying it. All it would take was dropping his guard, just for a moment—and he could destroy everything.

  ~ * ~

  “Just ignore Joe. He’ll get over it,” Darcey said, leaning over to get another piece of garlic bread.

  Lucy sipped her beer. “Yeah, I know he will. Hugh on the other hand…” She turned to Shay, who was sitting beside her. “Your fiancé is a giant pain in the butt.”

  Abella’s was crowded like it often was on a Saturday night, but she had no trouble hearing her sister-in-law-to-be over the chatter and music. “Oh, I know he can be a pain in the butt. But he’s also a big softy. Just give him a little time and he’ll stop being an overbearing ass.”

  Lucy snorted. “That’s a lie and you know it.” She giggled. Yep, the beer was going to her head. Awesome. She was all about drowning her sorrows tonight. So far so good. “How many times has he texted you already tonight?”

  Darcey laughed and Lucy spun on her. “And you can talk. Joe’s like a sad puppy when you leave him alone. When are you coming home? Bring me snacks. I need a belly rub…um…ew, not a mental image I want.”

  “No, you’re right, he loves a good belly rub.” Darcey smirked. “He gets all excited—”

  Shay’s mouthful of mocktail exploded back out of her mouth on a choked laugh, spraying over her bowl of pasta.

  They broke down after that, all laughing their asses off.

  Lucy wiped the tears from her eyes. “My brothers may be annoying, overbearing, and pigheaded, but they do have good taste in women.”

  “Now,” Darcey added.

  “Yes, now.” Lucy snorted. Yep, the beer was doing its job. “You should have seen some of the girls that came to our house.” Lucy leaned down, face close to Shay’s rounded belly. “Your daddy once wore MC Hammer pants to impress a girl.”

  “No!” Darcey shrieked.

  Shay nodded solemnly. “It’s true. I’ve seen a picture.”

  “I have to see this picture.”

  “I don’t know where it is anymore. Hugh hid it after I found it and nearly wet myself laughing.”

  God, Lucy loved this. These women had come to mean something to her in such a short time. Had become like sisters to her, best friends. The urge to open up to them, tell them everything that had happened with Daniel over these last few months—his now constant harassment, what she’d been going through—was so damn hard to resist. She hadn’t been able to talk to anyone about what happened. But they weren’t just her friends, they were her brothers’ partners. Telling them would put them in a difficult position. She’d never do that.

  They talked as they finished their meals, enjoying one or two—in Lucy’s case, three—more
drinks as well. Why the hell not, right?

  Lucy was perusing the dessert menu, not that she needed to since she knew it word for word, trying to decide if she wanted crème brulée or the death by chocolate mud cake, when her brother’s voice interrupted her contemplation.

  “Ladies.”

  Lucy lifted her head in time to see Joe plonk his butt beside Darcey, followed closely by Hugh, who dragged a chair around so he could sit by his fiancée. And trailing behind both of them, looking surly as usual, was Adam.

  Great. Just freaking wonderful.

  Lucy had purposely avoided him since the incident with Brian. What on earth had she been thinking? Like he said, he thought of her like an annoying little sister. God, she’d humiliated herself. Again. Pushing for him to admit something that simply wasn’t there. Luckily, she’d had five beers and—she lifted her hand, calling over the waitress—“A shot of tequila please.”

  Currently, she wasn’t feeling a damn thing. She needed to drink more often. Seriously.

  Hugh was frowning at her, and she ignored him completely. She didn’t even need to look at him to know he was doing it. Bah! She’d finished feeling bad about disappointing them. She was a disaster. So what? She’d get her life on track, she would. Once the right job came along and she could put the hell she’d been through in the past. At least Daniel couldn’t just show up at her place or wait for her outside her classes. The phone calls and texts would end soon. How long could he keep that up? His wife, on the other hand…

  Lucy’s belly rolled, nausea, guilt, one big ball of pain and regret making itself known, reminding her of what a shitty human being she was, of what she’d lost. She inwardly shook those thoughts right out of her head. Not here. Not now.

  Sucking down a fortifying breath, she glanced around the table. Adam was hovering close by and as soon as she looked at him, a scowl rearranged her facial features. God, she was pissed at him, freaking fuming, and the urge to push his buttons, to get him to spar with her couldn’t be denied. Honestly, she needed it. Needed things to go back to how they were, how they should be. Her brothers were ordering a “snack,” which meant a full three-course meal if she knew them, and paying her no mind. A nice change.

  “You eating?” Hugh asked Adam.

  He shook his head. “I’m good.”

  She’d bet he was. Not that she would ever find out. The guy gave it up for anything in a damn skirt…except her. Oh no, Lucy wasn’t good enough for Adam Grady. Jerk face.

  The music was turned up and she glanced over to the center of the room. Tonight was a special night at Abella’s. It was the owner’s wedding anniversary. The place was packed with family, at least the ones not working. They’d been drinking and celebrating for a while, and now they cheered and a bunch of them headed for the dance floor. She couldn’t help but grin.

  Hugh, Shay, Joe, and Darcey were talking and laughing with each other, still in their own little love bubbles.

  That left her and Adam. Screw it. She reached out and tugged on the bottom of his shirt.

  He looked down at her, brows raised.

  “Hey there, buddy.” She plastered a grin on her face and patted the seat beside her. “Why don’t you take a seat? Or are you just going to stand there making the place look untidy while my brothers single-handedly clean out the kitchen?”

  “Buddy, huh?” He sat his butt down and leaned back, heavy thighs spread, arms crossing over his wide chest.

  Do not check him out. “That’s what we are, right? Or can’t you be friends with women you consider annoying little sisters?” Crap. She probably shouldn’t have said that.

  He shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable. That was a first. She liked it.

  “Of course we’re friends.”

  “Awesome.” The waitress put her drink down in front of her and she lifted the shot glass. “Cheers.” She downed it and ordered another.

  Adam frowned at her, and that pissed her off as well. Looking down on her, judging her, like everyone else. She was so over it. So damn sick of it.

  “So what’re you doing here?” She turned in her chair and her knees slid along the outside of his thigh. That stubborn jaw got tight and he actually jerked away. Didn’t that just make her feel like the smelly girl with cooties? So she did what she always did when she felt hurt or embarrassed, she lashed out. “Why aren’t you out sowing your wild oats? I mean, that is if you have any oats left. You do dish them out pretty freely. Does it get exhausting, fucking a different woman every night?”

  Adam stared at her, jaw not only tight but ticking like he was grinding his teeth.

  “No?” She’d much rather fight with him and have him hate her than him learn the truth, that she was some sad, pathetic idiot who’d completely messed up her own life.

  There goes Lucy, fucking up again.

  Only this time was worse because she’d destroyed that family. She was the reason those kids didn’t have their father living with them anymore. She knew how that felt. How it felt to think you must have done something to send him away. That it was your fault.

  And as bad as all that was, it wasn’t even the worst of it.

  She jerked on the brakes, bringing those thoughts to a screeching halt.

  Perhaps the powers that be decided to take pity on her, because her next shot arrived. She downed that one as well. When she looked up, Adam was watching her.

  “Think you’ve had enough,” he muttered for her ears only.

  “You do?” She turned to the waitress. “I’ll have another, thanks.”

  “Lucy—”

  “That’s not really your call, buddy.”

  He gave her a dark look.

  Whatever.

  The music turned up again and a song she loved started playing. She’d changed her mind; she didn’t want to argue with Adam, she wanted to get the hell away from him.

  She bounded out of her seat. “I’m dancing!”

  Shay clapped her hands and Darcey wolf whistled as Lucy headed to the dance floor. Laughing, she did a little butt wiggle, ignoring the three scowling male faces at the table, and weaved her way into the center of the room.

  Abella’s was packed with sexy Italian dudes. Maybe she should take a page out of Adam’s book and make the most of it. What the hell. Everyone already thought she was irresponsible. She ignored the voice of reason yammering in her head, telling her it was the alcohol talking, that this was her trying to forget the pain of the last few months—a way to get Adam out of her goddamn head—and entered the thick of it.

  Soon she was singing and dancing with an extremely hot guy. His smile was bone-meltingly sexy and he smelled divine. This was exactly what she needed.

  Right. If that was the case, why wasn’t she the least bit into him? Instead she was on high alert, every part of her tuned to Adam sitting a short distance away. Occasionally she glanced over at their table, and every time those blue eyes were on her. What was he playing at? Was this some kind of game to him?

  Shay suddenly hopped up out of her seat and waddled over to join her, with Darcey instantly hot on her heels. Joe stayed where he was for all of thirty seconds before he came and grabbed Darcey to dance with her. Hugh, on the other hand, stayed where he was, looking like he was sucking a lemon. Her big brother did not dance. Ever. He was also possessive as hell and it was obvious watching Shay dance surrounded by guys, even though they weren’t touching her, was killing him.

  Lucy leaned into Shay. “Hugh looks like he’s about to blow a fuse.”

  She smirked. “He’s been refusing to practice for the wedding.”

  Lucy laughed. “You may look sweet and innocent, but you’re an evil mastermind, Shay Freestone.”

  And sure enough, Hugh dragged his butt out of his chair, and looking like he was about to be drawn and quartered, joined Shay on the dance floor. The poor bastard hated every minute, standing there barely moving while Shay twirled around him giggling like crazy, unlike Joe, who was swinging Darcey around the dance floor and g
rinning like lunatic while she laughed her ass off.

  Lucy suddenly felt alone.

  There were people all around her, her family, the people she loved most in the world, and she felt like the only person on the planet.

  The next song was slower, and the guy with her offered her a smile then opened his arms, asking permission without words to pull her closer. She let him. Right then, she needed the closeness, even if it was with a total stranger.

  They talked and danced for a few more songs, and it was during one of these conversations she learned all about his partner, Chris. The hottie was gay. So much for taking a page out of Adam’s book. But she was having a great time and he was a lot of fun, so she stayed and hung out with him. Ha! No wonder her brothers left without a backward glance. He’d been working at Abella’s for months and seemed to know Shay and Darcey fairly well. They obviously all knew she wasn’t in any danger of being seduced by the guy. Still, it wasn’t like her brothers to not insist on seeing her home safe.

  She leaned in and her new friend, Palo, did the same, his hand going to her shoulder so he could hear her. “I’m getting a drink. You want one?”

  He declined and she headed to the bar. She was just about to make her order when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, expecting it to be Palo.

  “Adam?”

  Okay, now she knew why Hugh and Joe had no problem leaving without her. Her good buddy was there to look out for her. Neat-o.

  “I don’t need you here. You can go,” Lucy said, dismissing him.

  His eyes were glittery, kind of wild. “You had enough of rubbing my face in it? Or are you planning on fucking that guy to see what happens?”

  “What?”

  He curled his fingers around her bicep. “Time to go, baby girl.”

  “I beg your pardon?” She knew her mouth was hanging open, but there was no disguising her reaction to his heavy-handed bullshit.

  “You either leave with me now…or you go back on that dance floor, that guy puts his fucking hands on you again, and you wait and see what happens.” He bared his teeth. “And here’s a heads-up. It won’t be pretty.”