Page 125 of Kyle

“She’s lucky—"

“No, brother, she is not. Anaya’s never seen luck, not a day in her life. Everything she’s become she’s worked her ass off to accomplish. Which makes me the luckiest son of bitch in the world because she wants to share all that she is with me.”

“I hear that.”

Anaya’s giggle drew my attention to her, Jessyka, and Piper.

I saw her smile, I heard her laughter, and when both of those hit me, I was filled with her happiness.

It was another hit straight to my heart and it felt damn good.

Chapter 38

“Thanks for doing this,” I told Kyle.

“No problem.”

“And thanks for lunch. Piper and Ace seem happy.”

“That’s because they are.”

I glanced at Kyle, and since he was driving, I had him in profile. Strong square jaw, covered with a day’s worth of stubble, and I shivered in my seat remembering his promise and what those whiskers felt like between my legs.

Funny how I’d gone from the thought of someone touching me being nearly revolting to craving Kyle’s and desperate for it. I’d gone from having nothing to having it all and I still wanted more. I wasn’t worried I’d screw this up between us, because Kyle wouldn’t let me. I trusted him to guide me where we needed to be. I knew he’d take care of me, I knew he’d protect me, I knew he’d continue to be patient as I worked out all the poison that churned in my stomach. That there wasn’t much left, he’d made sure of that, too. But whatever remained, we would work it out of me together.

He was proving it to me once again by parking in front of Evie’s apartment complex.

“Everything’s gonna be fine,” he told me as he pulled into a spot.

“I know.”

“You know?” He chuckled. “Then why do you look so nervous?”

I wasn’t nervous, not really. I knew what I needed to say to Evie and I wasn’t worried about that. I’d learned it wasn’t as hard as I thought it was to share my past, not with those who loved and cared about me. I was anxious about her response. Only because I was afraid when Evie found out all that I was holding back over the years, she’d be disappointed in me, or hurt.

“She’s gonna know what a shitty friend I’ve been.”

“Sweetheart, that is not true.”

“It is, honey. And she’ll be right. I knew every time I changed the subject or glossed over a question she asked, I was hurting her feelings, yet I still did it.”

“Anaya—”

“And you know how that feels,” I cut him off. “Every time Declan does it to you, I see the hurt on your face. I hate that for you. I hate that you’re hurting for a friend who refuses to open up and share his burdens. Even if there’s nothing you can do to ease the pain, you still want him to know he can unload his demons and you’ll have his back. So you know the hurt I’ve caused Evie.”

“You’re right about some of that, but not all. I also know the kind of pain that’s inside of Declan is so deep he cannot just unload. He gives us what he can when he can. So with that, we all know we have to give him time. Something I’m sure Evette understands she had to give you. That does not make you a shitty friend. And if she cares about you the way you know she does, then she’ll really understand that and be happy you’ve taken the time you needed, and now you’re ready to open up.”

God, I loved this man. I loved he knew what I needed to hear. I loved he was so patient with me and those around him. He was a good friend, something else I loved. He treated the people he cared about with understanding. He was honest and held nothing back, something that made you want to return the favor ten-fold. All around, he was a good man.

“You make me really happy,” I blurted out.

“Would suck if I didn’t.” He smiled. “Ready to go up?”

“Yeah.”

Before he opened the car door, he reached out, wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, and pulled me to him and laid a scorching hot kiss on me that made me forget all my worries. It also dampened my panties and made my girly parts tingle.

“You’re a really good kisser,” I told him when he broke the kiss.