Raging Heart On_ Friends to Lovers Romance(38)

“Why not? Are you ashamed of me?”

“What? Of course not! It’s just that they all still think I’m with Tommy, and—”

“Yeah, and I made sure that’s stopped. I don’t want other people thinking you belong to anyone but me.”

“White,” I whisper, butterflies in my stomach.

“And I prefer that none of them are thinking I’m fucking my sister, so if you could stop saying I’m your damn brother every time I turn around, I’d appreciate it.”

“I didn’t say that,” I deny, but we both know I just did.

“You did just now, and you inferred it with Tommy’s mother. I don’t like it.”

“Okay, White.”

“I think you understand this, but let me make it clear, Kayla: The things I want from you, the things I’m going to demand of you, have nothing to do with me thinking of you as my sister.”

“You’re right. I panicked. I wasn’t thinking.”

“The things we are going to have together, those things have everything to do with me thinking of you as a woman. My woman.”

“I won’t do it again,” I tell him. Right now I don’t give a damn what Gladys tells anyone where I work. White just called me his woman.

His.





CHAPTER 24


WHITE





"How in the bloody hell did I not know I was going to be a grandmother, White Hall?"

I wince as I hold the phone from my ear and check the time. It's six in the morning and my eyes aren't focusing. Shit, I don't even remember picking up the phone.

"I don't know, Mom. You have five grandkids counting the twins that CC and Gray are about to have. Maybe we should take you to the doctor."

"Don't get smart with me, White. You explain why I have to read about it in the checkout line at the Quickie Mart."

I pull myself up in bed with a wince when I move my bum arm the wrong way. The fucker is not healing back right. I don't care what they're saying. Every day the fear that I might not be able to play again digs a little deeper into my subconscious. I try to rub the sleep out of my eyes so I can deal with my mom. I have a feeling today is going to be one of those days.

"Mom?" I try and get her attention because she keeps mumbling in the background.

"It's bloody embarrassing, White Hall."

"Bloody? Did you move to England when I wasn't looking?"

"I heard it in a movie. It sounded cool and chic. Though, I think I may have to start using an accent for it to truly work. Anyway, quit trying to distract me! I want to know why the fuck I'm just hearing about my grandchild!"

"I have no Earthly idea what you're talking about. I don't think my brain can follow you this early."

"Fine. Put Kayla on the phone."

"Mom, the sun's barely shining outside. Kayla's not here."

"Why the hell not?" she asks, and I sigh.

"She had to go out of town for a teaching retreat her school organized. She'll be back tonight."

She's been gone for two nights and I'm not happy. We got our all-clear tests done, but I was pissed off because she told her nutty coworker I was her brother, so when we got back, I left. It was stupid and I was pouting. Son of a bitch if it isn't a blow to a man's ego when the woman he is fantasizing about keeps telling people he's like a brother to her. I mean, damn. Then the next day, she springs this "retreat" on me. So that's three days without Kayla. At first, I thought that might be good. It would give me time to clear my head, gain some perspective. Maybe I'm just having these thoughts and feelings about her because of the situation. Yeah, that's definitely not it. Three days and I'm slowly dying. She’s become my drug and withdrawals are definitely not pretty. I'm even missing sleeping with her and that shouldn't be possible. I only slept with her one night since all this started, but the feeling is there all the same.

"Are you listening to me, White Hall?"

That'd be a no…

"I'm sorry, Mom. The cat was wanting out," I mumble.

"You don't have a cat."

"What were you saying?" Sometimes it's not healthy to have a parent who knows your entire life.

"I was saying that I can't believe that you put a bun in my sweet Kayla's oven and didn't even tell me!"

Finally, she has my attention.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Mom?" I growl.

"White Hall! You do not talk to me like that! Would you kiss your mother with that mouth? Don't answer that. You barely come see me, let alone kiss me. I swear I don't know where I went wrong with you boys. If it wasn't for Cyan, I'd feel like a total failure."

"Oh, please." I all but roll my eyes at her claim. Of all of us, Cyan is probably the wildest. Somehow, however, he has managed to completely snow mom into thinking he's practically a virgin saint. If she ever found out the truth, it would probably kill her.