Revved (Axle Alley Vipers)(55)

Ignoring the ache in her chest, she focused on what she had to do. She refused to let anything ruin tonight. She had to get through this with a smile on her face. Shove all the self-pity and other bullshit aside and just be happy for her brother and best friend.

It hurt now. A lot. But she’d get over Reid Parker, she would.

She glanced up at Piper hovering in the door. “You ready to roll?”

“Well, actually, I have a quick errand to run for Alex before I go. You go on ahead, and I’ll meet you there.”

Rusty stood and grabbed her purse. “I’ll just come with you.”

Piper waved a hand. “No, no. It’s better if you go on ahead. Alex might need your help. We can’t leave her to deal with all those snooty bitches on her own.”

This was Alex and Deacon’s second engagement party. The first had been a small group of close friends, a load of alcohol, good music, and a lot of laughing. This was the official one, to appease all Deke’s business associates, which were numerous. Being the entrepreneur he was, he had a lot going on, owned a lot of businesses, dealt with a lot of different people. Alex hadn’t loved the idea, but this was her world now, and she had to play the game. A few of the wives had given her a hard time when she’d first started seeing Deke. Alex had held her own, but Piper was right, she couldn’t leave her to those catty bitches on her own.

“I’ll see you there soon?”

Piper beamed at her. “Yup.”

Right, time to plaster on her happy face.



Reid was talking to Jackson, one of his boys, about a job they had coming in the next day, when Jackson’s gaze moved behind him, locking on something over his shoulder. The guy’s mouth dropped open. “Jesus.”

Reid turned to see what had the man distracted and cursed.

He didn’t blame the poor bastard for losing his train of thought. Rusty’s little sister was striding toward them, cheeks flushed, dressed to the nines. She was curvy as hell, short, cute as a button. The red dress she had on suited the hell out of her.

She didn’t stop until she was standing right in front of him, head tipped way back, gaze locked on his. “We need to talk,” she said. “Let’s go.”

The woman meant business, and he wanted no part of it. He crossed his arms. “I don’t think we have anything to discuss, Piper.”

“You can talk to me if you want, sweetheart,” Jackson said beside him, eyes still glued to her.

Her brows shot up. “Um…”

Reid turned to the guy and shook his head. “Give us a minute.” Jackson chuckled but didn’t push his luck, and with one last look, he left them on their own.

Reid did not want to be on his goddamn own with her. He certainly did not want to hear what she’d come to say. “I’m kind of busy here, Piper. It’s late, and we still have work to do before closing.”

They were all working overtime to get a job done, a job they couldn’t really fit in but one he’d taken on anyway because he’d rather be at work late into the night than home alone. Every room in the house made him think of Rusty, his sheets still smelled of her skin. He couldn’t bring himself to change the damn things.

“I think you’ll make time for this.” Then she spun on her heel and strode to his office.

He got the feeling she didn’t plan on leaving anytime soon, at least not until she said what she’d come to say. He cursed again and followed her, shutting the door behind him. “You need to make this quick.”

Hands fisted at her sides, Piper stared up at him, gaze sharp, pissed. She was sweet, had a soft heart. He knew that much from Rusty, had seen it himself. But right now she was not in a sweet mood. This was a woman on a mission. And he would bet everything he had, everything he’d worked for, that he did not want to hear what was about to come out of her mouth.

“You look like shit,” she said finally. She also looked fuckin’ ecstatic about it. “Any reason for that, Reid? Any reason why you look as though you haven’t slept in a week?”

“I told you. We’re busy.” Yeah, they were busy, but that wasn’t why he wasn’t sleeping, and she knew it as well as he did.

Hands on hips, she looked down at the floor and shook her head. “Rusty has looked after me all our lives, did you know that? Even before our mother left. She stuck up for me, hugged me when I was hurt, when my heart had been broken.” She lifted her chin, blond hair bouncing around her face. “She used to say ‘Pipe, they aren’t worth it. No man is worth that kind of pain.’”

Reid gritted his teeth, waited for her to let him have it, wanting her to get it over with. He was hanging on by a thread where Rusty was concerned. Twice he’d gotten into his car with the intention of going to her, begging her to take him back. Twice he’d just barely managed to fight it. He couldn’t take much more. “I get it, Piper, you’re pissed at me…”