Page 7 of Indecent Ventures

She smiles. It’s not the mischievous smile I saw earlier. It’s sweet. She’s happy that I want another round.

As quickly as it came, it leaves. “I’m not sure I can. Let’s get back out there. I know Reagan is giving a speech. I shouldn’t miss it.”

“Okay.”

I take her hand in mine and we make our way back to the ballroom. As soon as we enter, she drops my hand like a hot potato.

I’m about to ask her about it when I hear Reagan on the microphone. “I don’t want to stop the fun for long, but I want to say a quick hello. Thank you to everyone for coming tonight to help us celebrate. This was supposed to be a wedding reception, but Carter insisted on it being a birthday party for me instead.” She looks at him with more love and need than I’ve ever seen in my life. “Let’s just call it both and skip to the part where you kiss the bride.”

She pulls him to her and kisses the living hell out of him. It’s over-the-top and totally inappropriate. Perfect for the two of them. I can’t help but smile and then let out a big whistle.

People join in and yell out. People even clap for the live porn show we’re watching.

When it eventually ends, Reagan just gives a big,I don’t give a fuck what you all think, smile. “Wow. I can’t wait for the honeymoon.”

We all laugh.

“While we’re celebrating, I want to mention that it was my cousin Jade’s birthday last week. Where are you, gorgeous?”

Jade, still next to me, raises her hand. Cousin? I thought Jade said she works for Reagan.

Reagan then waves Jade up to the front of the room and Jade walks up to her.

She pulls Jade close to her. “Happy birthday, beautiful. She’s eighteen now, gentleman, so take a number. The line is going to be long.”

I turn to the stranger next to me. “Did she just sayeighteen?”

He nods. “It’s hard to believe. Kids look older and older these days.”

Kids. My throat starts to close. I’m covered in sweat. She’s eighteen. Holy fuck. I just had sex with an eighteen-year-old. An eighteen-year-old who was seventeen last week.

I can’t breathe. I start coughing uncontrollably. I feel like there’s cotton lodged in my throat.

I run toward the bar. I croak out, “Water. Hurry.” Maybe a fucking defibrillator.

I wipe my sweat-filled face with a napkin while I wait. He brings the water quickly and I down the whole glass in one go.

The band starts playing again. Some people go toward the dance floor, but others begin making their way back to the bar.

I look around for cops. No, she’s an adult. Barely, but she’s an adult.

I rub my face. Oh god. No one can know about this. Ever. It’s Reagan’s cousin. Carter will kill me. He’ll hate me. Reagan will hate me too.

I need to get the fuck out of here before anyone finds out. I practically leave a trail of smoke behind me as I hightail it out of there.

CHAPTERONE

PRESENT ~ FOUR YEARS LATER

JADE

Ipunch the code in the front door of Aunt Darian and Jackson’s house and walk in. I look around at this spectacular house. I’ve been here a million times in the past four years since finding out I have an aunt and cousins, but I never get used to how incredibly nice it is here. This house oozes wealth, but also warmth and love. That’s exactly what this family is. Warm and loving.

I hear voices coming from the backyard. I look through the nearly all-glass back of the house and see my big, crazy, awesome family out by the pool.

I still find it hard to believe that I have a big family. I spent the first seven years of my life with my mother as my only family. She’s an only child, so I had no cousins, aunts, or uncles. My father wasn’t in the picture at all. He was an addict and my mother told him he wasn’t allowed around me until he got clean.

They were never married. They had a brief affair. Both were addicts at the time. My mother got clean the moment she learned she was pregnant with me. He didn’t care enough to do the same.

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