“LIGHTEN UP, LIV,” I heard a deep, gruff voice say.
She laughed. “That. Come on, you two. I want you to meet Lucas.”
I flipped my hair out of my face. “Well, we’ve already had a serious come-to-Jesus talk and I’m not even inside your condo, yet. This is gonna be a fun trip.”
She patted my cheek. “I hope you brought your big girl panties, Lex. Shit is about to get real.”
You could have knocked me over with a feather. “Mom! LANGUAGE!”
There was a rough bark of male laughter from inside. “Don’t leave ’em standing out there all damn day, babe. Bring ’em in. I been dyin’ to meet this one.”
“This one?” I echoed.
“Oh boy, here we go,” Mom breathed. “Lex, he’s set in his ways and means nothing insulting by the things he says, so please, please don’t start any drama with him. Please.”
“Okay, but this one? Like I’m—”
Inside, Mom’s condo was pretty much exactly what I’d expect from her—clean, open, hyperneat, lots of elegant lines, lots of white and black with pops of color here and there. In the kitchen, standing with a hip leaned against the island counter was a grizzly bear. Or, the human version, but with massive, bulging muscles and less fur—an older, burly, tattooed, goateed version of Jupiter. Similar height—around six-six—densely packed with mammoth muscles. Close cropped salt-and-pepper hair, warm brown eyes and a mouth twisted in a wry grin.
He was shirtless, clad in nothing but a pair of cutoff khaki shorts slung low on his hips—clearly commando underneath.
I blinked at him. “You’re Lucas?”
He nodded. “Sure as shit, sweetheart.”
Myles and Mom spoke in synch while looking from Lucas to me and back again: “Oh shit.”
“Do not call me sweetheart.” I set my bag down and crossed to face him across the island. “Let’s just get one thing straight right now, Lucas—I am not your sweetheart or your babe or your darlin’—” I gave the word a thick drawl. “I’m not your honey or your sugar. My name is Lex, or Lexie. That’s it. Got me, Mr. Muscles?”
He blinked at me, that same wry grin on his face. “Yeah, I got you.” He eyed Mom. “Your firecracker daughter lives up to the hype, Liv.”
“I did warn you, Lucas. So did Cass, and so has Charlie.”
“Hey, it’s an old habit and I’m an old dog. Hard to change some things.”
I frowned at Mom. “You guys warned him about me?”
Mom shrugged. “Sure. You’re…well, honey, you’re sometimes somewhat…I don’t want to say difficult. Just…sharp-tongued and highly opinionated. There’s nothing wrong with being opinionated, mind you.”
I was hurt. People had been warned about me? “Am I really that…caustic?”
Mom smiled, but it was a little sad. “I love you, and I accept you for exactly who you are, Alexandra. But yes, you can be a little caustic sometimes.”
That stung.
Aaaand…cue the irrational explosion of unreasoning anger.
“Cool.” I nodded. I felt the emotion bubbling, tried to restrain it, and lost… hopelessly. “Super cool. I’m a caustic bitch whom my mom and sisters have to warn people about. Cool.” I felt it pop—the cork on my anger. “Fuck you.” I pointed at Mom and at Lucas in turn. “Fuck you, fuck you…” I paused on Myles. “Fuck you, too. Not sure why, but I’ll find something. So fuck you, too.”
I left my purse and my duffel bag on the floor of Mom’s kitchen and stomped out of the condo—shaking with anger, gut churning, hands trembling, heart cracked and mind splintering.
I heard Mom— “Let her go, Myles. It’ll be a while before she cools off enough to be capable of rational conversation.”
That didn’t help. Mainly because it was the truth.
I shoved the door of the condo building open and walked out into a spattering of cold rain. “FUCK!” I shouted at the sky. “FUCK YOU for raining on me.”
Screw it.
I walked on, heedless of the cold and wet. Not caring that it was soaking my white shirt, turning it sheer, so my lace camisole was on show—an undergarment that provided little or no concealment or support. I also had no idea where I was going. I didn’t know Mom’s building or unit number. Also, my phone was back there in my purse and, I’d never been to Ketchikan before.
They don’t call it unreasoning rage for nothing—my reason was shot to hell.
I stomped through puddles, feeling my hair stick to my forehead, cheeks, and chin. Feeling my shirt stick to my skin. Feeling the cold and wet make my nipples stand out as hard as bullets.
Caustic?
Opinionated? Sharp-tongued?
Difficult?
A fresh burst of anger detonated inside me, and I snarled out loud. “I’m not fucking DIFFICULT!” I screamed at the heavy, dark gray sky and the silver screen of hazy, blowing rain. Which was not a spatter anymore, but a torrential downpour.
I felt him.
How, I couldn’t say, but I felt him.
I spun on my heel, saw Myles a few yards behind me, just walking, following. Keeping his distance. Soaked and sexier than ever for it—pale, ripped blue jeans, a tight black T-shirt now pasted to his body like a second skin over his shredded torso. Battered brown leather Doc Martens. His ball cap, with some football team logo on the front, had rain dripping from the brim.
“What?” I shouted. “What the fuck do you want?”
We were at the condo complex community center—empty, the parking lot without a single car. He closed the distance between us, and I stopped.
“What—the—fuck—do you want, Myles?” I snarled. “Didn’t you hear Mom? I’m too caustic to be around right now.”
He just smiled at me, a soft, dare I say…affectionate smile. “I ain’t afraid of you angry, Lex. Not a bit.”
“Yeah? Well, you should be.”
“I’m not.” He sidled closer, and I felt my gut react, felt my core react to his proximity. Damn my body. “I have a secret weapon.”
I now had to fight to keep my rage boiling so he couldn’t win. “And what’s that?”
I expected him to reference his dick, but he didn’t. Instead, he closed the space between us, and his
