Wrapped in Chains - Nicola Jane Page 0,17

and my heart aches for her. I shake my head. “I haven’t heard either,” she says. “I caved in and texted him to tell him the scan went well.” Eva groans and Anna jumps in quickly. “I know, okay. I’m weak. But I blame hormones. I cried on the trampoline last night for no other reason than it reminded me of the time we . . . ” She pauses and blushes.

I hold up my hands. “Oh my god, please do not finish that sentence. I don’t even want to know if you and my brother had sex on Malia’s trampoline!” I wail in distress and Anna laughs.

“What can I say, he likes to live dangerously.”

I pretend to dry heave and Anna laughs harder. “I’m calling Ryan and making plans. I am not listening to the advice from a woman who has sex on her child’s trampoline.”

Ryan answers on the first ring. I guess it’s sweet that he’s keen, but the masochist in me craves for him to be less desperate. “Hey, I was wondering if you’d like to go out for dinner one night?” I ask.

“As in a date?” I can hear his smile down the phone. “A real date?”

“I guess.” I shrug even though he can’t see me.

“I’m free tomorrow. Can I pick you up at seven?”

“That soon?” I ask.

“Why wait? I’ll book a place that’ll blow your mind. See you tomorrow at seven.” And then he’s gone. I stare at the phone in my hand and let out a long breath. I should feel excited, but I don’t.

“He said yes then?” asks Eva. I nod and fake a smile. “You know, if you want a badass, Gia said her brother asked about you the other day.”

“Riggs will kill you,” interjects Anna, and Eva shrugs.

“I think I'll steer clear of Vinn. Chains warned me off him for my own good.” I smile. I’m pissed at Chains, but that doesn’t mean I’ll break my promise to him.

CHAINS

I flip the beer mat over and over. I can’t stop thinking about Leia and it’s driving me to distraction. I must have almost knocked on her bedroom door twenty times to take back what I said last night. The thought of her and the nerd boy doing anything together makes me want to put my fist through something hard. I haven’t seen her all day—it’s like she’s avoiding me. “Chains, I got a kid at the gate, says he's here for Leia,” shouts Rock from the clubhouse doorway.

I follow him out and groan at the sight of that ass smiling at the gate. Dumbass nerd.

“Hey, I have a date with Leia,” he announces proudly, producing a bunch of flowers from behind his back. Rock smirks at me and I shake my head in irritation at this pussy’s show of romance.

“She didn’t tell me,” I growl.

“Are you her keeper?” he jokes and Rock laughs, patting me on the back.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” I snarl. “And she ain’t going nowhere with you!”

I smell her perfume and know she’s approaching from behind. “Ryan, hey,” she says sweetly, and I ball my fists as I turn to face her. Her step falters when our eyes meet. I know I look pissed and I ain’t gonna hide it.

“You have a date?” I hiss.

“Yes. You told me to make the arrangements, remember?” she asks, adding an innocent smile. I move into her space, blocking her view of her new lover.

“Don’t do it,” I mutter. “Not with him.”

“How do you know I haven’t already?” she asks patiently. “Besides, you said to go for him. You said he was hot for me, and I guess you were right. I mean, he did offer to help me out with the whole virgin thing so . . . ” She leaves the sentence hanging and gives me a bright smile. She thinks she’s so fuckin’ clever.

“Well, I changed my god damn mind and now I’m saying no. You ain’t going nowhere with him, so get back inside.”

“Mum,” she yells over her shoulder. Frankie appears and I wonder if they had this pre planned. Frankie places her hands on her hips and glares at me. “Can I go out with Ryan?” asks Leia sweetly.

“Of course, you can. Enjoy yourself,” says Frankie.

“Mama bear, don’t get involved in this,” I growl and Frankie arches her brow.

“Boy, don’t you speak to me like that. I’ll get the hell involved with my daughter any damn time I want to. Now, step aside. You said