Page 54 of Tempting

You already have, Nixon.

You already have.

Nixon

Ilook over my cards and across the table, in the private waiting room the nurses set Kennedy and I up in hours ago, and study my opponent. It might be harder to read her if I hadn’t known her since she was five. “I think you’re bluffing, kid.”

“Care to make a bet?” She holds up a chocolate bar.

I pull out the contents of my pockets. I’ve got fifty bucks, a half a pack of gum, my phone, and my keys. I move the gum to the center of the table, and she eyes the money in my hand instead. “Not a chance, kid.”

“Can’t blame a girl for trying.” She yawns, and it reminds me of how young she still is. “How much longer do you think it’ll be?”

Cade St. James, Brynn’s dad, walks in and hands me a cup of coffee. “Could be a while, Kiki. Babies don’t like timelines.

“You want me to take you home? We could wait there,” I offer, and she shakes her head.

“I want to be here when he’s born. Dad said I could be the first person to see him.” She drops her cards and tugs her blanket around her, then closes her eyes. “He also made me promise not to tell Scarlet that.”

Cade chuckles. His wife, Scarlet, is a force to be reckoned with.

Nobody tells her what she can and can’t do.

“Yeah well, you’re the big sister. Scarlet understands that, kiddo,” he tells her as he drops down into the seat next to her. “Take a nap. We’ll wake you up when there’s news.”

We sit in a comfortable silence until a small snore leaves Kennedy’s lips. As if that was what was holding back the incoming interrogation, Cade’s eyes narrow on me. He might be a retired MMA champion, having passed on his title to his brother-in-law, and now years later, his son, but swear to God, I wouldn’t want to piss him off or hurt someone he loves. He’s definitely still capable of fucking a man up.

“So where’s Scarlet?” I ask, knowing she’s not far. My mom and she are good friends. I know Brynn’s family well.

Cade leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. “She’s in the hall, talking to Becket and Jules.”

Fuck.

“What’s wrong, Nix? You’re looking a little pale there. You feeling all right?” Cade pushes. Guess Mac was right, and word’s already getting around.

The door to the private waiting room opens again, and out of the corner of my eye, I catch Becket and Maddox’s dad, Sam, walking in, each with a coffee in their hand. I’ve heard stories over the years about how close these three are.

The former MMA champ, the US Senator, and the mob boss.

It’s like the start of a bad joke.

“Care to tell me why you were the one who drove Kenzie in this morning, Nixon?” Becket asks calmly, and I bite my tongue. He doesn’t scare me.

“She needed a ride,” I offer politely, even though he’s eyeing me up like I just defiled his little girl. Which I did. A whole fucking lot. In many, many ways. I also want to do it again. And again. I want to spend months buried inside Mackenzie Hayes.

“Should I make a joke about riding the way you cracked all the jokes when Deacon came home with Brynn, you asshat?” Cade asks with a glacial glare over the rim of his stale, tasteless hospital coffee.

“Please don’t,” Becket groans, and again, I keep my mouth shut.

I have no clue what the fuck I’m supposed to say.

I don’t have any clue what the fuck I’m even supposed to say to her, let alone to these three.

“You’re not going to add anything, Prince?” Becket asks Sam, who groans.

“Listen, you smug fuck. I still have a daughter who’s going to fall in love with some young asshole one day, and I’m not stupid enough to think you two won’t be there to make it worse. So I’ll save all my comments for this young asshole instead of throwing them at you.” He levels me with a stare that could make a man piss his pants. It would probably work too, if I hadn’t grown up spending the night at his house every few weekends. His wife saved my mom’s life when she was pregnant with the twins.

Fuck.

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