“Well, if it isn’t Jack Henderson. Long time no see, man,” Dad greets, offering his hand to the man around his age. “How’s Vivienne? Lacey?”
Wait…
Lacey?
As in Lacey Henderson? Moaning Lisa?
Rather than answering Dad or shaking his hand, Jack stalks off. I guess Dad must have pissed him off. It’s a Hutton trait. Sometimes we piss people off simply by existing.
“What a reunion,” I joke.
Dad shoots me an annoyed look. “I was being nice. You saw it. I never had beef with Henderson, personally, though he was always kind of a bitch being that he ran around with Jace Hirsch. I don’t know what his problem was.”
Henderson and Roan’s dad were friends? Interesting.
“Maybe it was me,” I say with a shrug. “Terrence and I used to call his daughter Moaning Lisa.”
“Step-daughter.” He shakes his head at me. “And I don’t want to even know why you two assholes called her that. You Hoodlums are douchebags.”
Dad is the king of the douchebags.
“It was more innocent than you’re thinking,” I tell him with a shrug. “Just a dumb nickname we gave Lacey in high school. They moved before the start of our senior year. Terrence was really broken up about it for a while there too. Maybe having Lacey back in town will give him some incentive to wake the hell up.”
It’s around six by the time everyone begins showing up. Roan and Hollis arrive first, little Sebban sitting on Roan’s shoulders as Hollis carries their bags. Like me, they’re already dressed in their swim trunks, ready to have one last good swim before the weather starts to turn cold. I saunter over to them and hold my fist up to Sebban.
“Hey, Baby Hoodlum. Fist bump.”
He laughs—and it’s fucking cute, even if it does sound like Sidney’s old laugh—as he bumps my fist, nearly launching himself off Roan’s shoulders in the process. Roan steadies him, only grimacing slightly as Sebban practically rips his hair out as he holds on.
“Hope you guys are hungry. Dad bought a shit ton of food.” I motion back to where my parents have set up a portable grill, some loungers, and an ice chest along the riverbank. “He’ll start the grill when everyone gets here and—what the fuck?”
Hollis shakes his head, walking past me, his face turning bright red like I didn’t just see his nipples pierced. It’s then I realize Roan’s are pierced too.
“You two dirty little freaks,” I hiss, trying to tweak Roan’s nipple.
He sidesteps me and pulls Sebban off his shoulders to use his own fucking kid as a shield. “Don’t touch,” he says through a laugh. When I try to pinch his nipple again, Roan sets Sebban to his feet. “Go see Dadda.”
Sebban darts over to Hollis while I smack at Roan’s abs.
“Dude,” I say, shaking my head. “You guys got your nipples pierced because you’re horndog sex freaks. Kinky as shit, too, I bet.”
Roan shrugs, his amber eyes lighting up wickedly. “I wanted to get them done. Hollis surprised the hell out of me when he said he’d get his done too. Best shit we ever did.” He winks at me, making me groan.
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that. Terrence is going to…” I trail off, all humor fading. Roan frowns. “What’s up with Sebban calling him Dadda?”
“He’s adopting him. We’ve already filed the paperwork.”
“No shit? Congrats.”
“We’re going to go house hunting soon, but we’ve already discussed adopting another one.”
“Two kids? Damn. But you both work. Who’ll watch them?”
He lets out an exasperated sigh. “Daycare. Just like every other married couple on the planet. We’re no different.” The defensive tone in his voice makes me feel like shit.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant you’re both finally in the careers you want to be in.”
“It’ll work out,” he assures me. Then, his features grow stormy. “Samantha called.”
“Was it a booty call?”
He shakes his head, blowing out a breath of air. “No. She wanted to let me know that it’s done.”
“What?”
“Dad, dumbass. I told you last night.”
“He’s actually getting out?”
His throat bobs as he swallows hard. “He is out. As in, they let that asshole free.”
“Where is he?”
“Who the hell knows. He hasn’t reached out yet.”
Yet.
“You think he’s going to give you shit? It’s not like you have to go live with him. You and Roux are adults now,” I remind him.
“What if he wants to see Sebban?” he asks, worry shining in his eyes. “He’s an ex-convict.”
“So is your best friend.”
Said best friend prowls along the riverbank toward us, loaded down with bags and chairs, walking at a slow pace alongside Roux like he’s seconds from scooping her pregnant ass up along with everything else he’s carrying.
“Yeah,” Roan agrees. “Guess that asshole turned out all right.”
They reach us and I can’t help but gape at Roux’s stomach. It’s so big. She still has a few months yet before she delivers, but since she’s a skinny little thing, she’s all belly. A pang of something settles in my gut. These Hoodlums are out finding their happiness and I’ll be the first to admit it looks good on them. Like something I’d really, really like to have.
It’s then I hear it.
One sound.
Her.
A laugh that travels past everything and curls itself around my soul. I both love and hate that she has this effect on me. I tear my gaze from these Hoodlums to the one I need to see.
Goddamn.
Why does she have to be so…everything?
Like a wolf salivating over a little lamb, I stalk her way, watching every bounce of her shoulder-length blond waves, each jiggle of her tits in her brown and gold bikini, all the curves on her athletic body.
I want to eat her alive.
“Hungry Hoodlum twelve o’clock,” Tierra says, pointing my way.
She and Penny continue walking past, but Charlotte stops inches in front of me. Her bag slides off her shoulder, hitting the sandy earth with a soft thud.
Taste. Suck. Bite.
My veins burn with the need to consume her.
I settle for touch.
