Chapter 2

TWO

Mmmmm. Bacon. Bacon. Bacon and sweet mapley syrup.

I crack open an eye as the tastiest of tasty aromas weave through the house. Not that it has far to travel with my bedroom on the first floor, close to the kitchen. Someone’s here, and they’re cooking, that much I know.

Stretching my arms over my head, I knock both hands into my black padded headboard as a tired smile breaks the surface, along with a groan. Today might be the day that shall not be named… but who am I to complain if it’s starting like this?

Knowing it can only be one of four people inviting themselves here without giving me a heads-up, I don’t bother getting dressed when I climb out of bed and fold the covers back down because I’m proper like that. I slip on my favorite black moccasin slippers and pad my way out of the bedroom and into the main part of the house, where the scent intensifies, and my tummy groans in hunger.

Water runs in the sink, and a ceramic bowl clinks as I enter the kitchen and get an eyeful of a bare tattooed back, gray hair, and dark jeans riding low on a tapered waist. Not wanting to disturb my visitor, I smile so damn big my cheeks hurt as I watch him work his magic on the stove, humming to himself.

I can’t believe he remembered.

Of course he did.

He remembers everything.

The man dances around the space as if it's second nature to him as I remove a plant from a small table in the corner and prop the edge of my butt on it to watch him work.

“Kali, you can say hello. I promise I don’t bite,” the sneaky man announces as he continues to cook whatever’s in the pan on the stove.

Busted.

“I didn’t want to disturb you.” More like I want to watch him cook me food because men don’t cook for me. Well, none of them except this one.

Wiping his hands on a towel, my visitor pats his hip as if I’m supposed to join him. Hopping down from my spot, I put the plant back where it belongs and do just that.

Dropping everything he’s doing to greet me, Sunshine swoops me into his arms. My stomach rolls in wild somersaults as he plops me on the kitchen island and inserts himself between my parted thighs. I gasp as the cold granite freezes my barely covered behind, and he laughs. Then he does what Sunshine always does—gives me a full once-over, checking to make sure I’m okay. I’m not sure why he does it, but he’s done it for as long as I’ve known him.

A pair of big hands rub up and down my bare arms as his concerned gaze delves into mine. “You whole?” A graying eyebrow hikes in question.

I nod. “Yes.” Of course, I’m whole. I’m breathing. Nothing is truly broken. My life, for all intents and purposes, is spectacular, barring the stalker issues and the anniversary of… ya know. You’ve just caught me at a bad time. I promise it’s not normally like this.

“Even today?” Those same hands pause at my waist and give it a squeeze.

“Yes. Is that why you’re here?” I ask. I told you he wouldn’t forget.

“Yes and no.” He hems and haws. “I have a couple’a gifts for you.”

“Gift gifts or gifts?” Either is fine. But gift gifts are extra special. They’re the best. They’re my favorite.

“Gift gifts.” He winks, oozing hot-man energy.

Mashing my lips together so I don’t let out a girlish squeal, my eyes round in delight.

Sunshine chuckles warmly, drawing circles at my hips.

“Where?” I ask, rubbing my heel along the backside of his thigh.

“At the store. I wanted to feed ya first.” He gestures toward the stove and the plates he already set out.

Of course, he did—this man. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve him.

I glance over my shoulder to see if the little lady’s up yet. “Where’s Lily?”

“I fed her a bowl of cereal after my shower, and then I sent her home.”

He sent her home… but…

Confused by the turn of events, wrinkles bunch on my forehead and nose. “You showered upstairs?”

“Yeah. Because I didn’t wanna wake you.”

Looking him in the eye, I drop my hands on his shoulders. His skin’s hot and smooth to the touch. “You know I don’t mind.” There’s an entire caddy of his bathroom essentials under my sink. My bathroom is perfection. An oasis. He loves relaxing there after long weeks on the road.

“But I do,” he replies. “Lily said you watched three movies last night and voo-doo-hoo-doo’d the house. You needed the sleep.”

I chuckle at his choice of words. There’s nothing voodoo about smudging. “I always cleanse the house.”

Sunshine smirks, and his head tilts to the side knowingly. “Yeah. When Dark’s over.” He cocks his brow in question, daring me to argue.

He’s right.

I do it to get rid of Dark’s bad juju. Who can blame me?

As if summoned by the Devil himself, my front door opens, the blinds rattle, and thunderous footfalls echo through my house. Sighing at what’s about to go down, I peek over my shoulder to find the bane of my existence standing right where he was yesterday, this time in a pair of gray sweats, a blue, long-sleeved shirt pushed up his forearms, and a glower—an ugly one.

Not wanting to see him today of all days, I pretend Dark’s not here and bury my face in the side of Sunshine’s neck. It smells of manly soap and all things safe and yummy. Knowing damn well this won’t go over well, the man between my legs wraps both of his arms around me in protection from the big bad biker coming to start shit. It takes one to know one, and Dark knows he’s no match for Sunshine. But that won’t stop what’s about to ensue. Two bulls in the same room never end well.

“What the fuck are you doing here?!” Dark roars at Sunshine when neither one of us addresses his existence. “My daughter comes home, and I look outside to not only find the stalker gone but also your fuckin’ van in Kali’s driveway. Aren’t you supposed to be out on assignment?”

“This is my assignment,” Sunshine replies, as smooth as butter.

“Bullshit.”

“It is. I got here at four this mornin’ and had time to spare, so I took care of the stalker. Why the hell do you care?”

Dark growls.

Sunshine snorts, not the least bit amused by Dark’s interruption. “That’s what I thought. Now go the fuck home and leave us to have a peaceful breakfast.”

Yes. What he said. That sounds perfect. You tell him, Sunshine.

“You know I’m not gonna do that.” A typical Dark response.

“Why not? Are you here to rub salt in wounds?” Firm palms run up and down my spine in reassurance as I squeeze my eyes shut in hopes Dark gets a clue and leaves of his own volition.

Another one of those angry growls surfaces. “What the hell are you yappin’ about?”

“Christ.” I can practically hear Sunshine’s eyes roll. “Look at a calendar, will ya? Do some soul-searching. Maybe stop being a selfish prick for once in your goddamn life.”

There’s shuffling, followed by a lovely paragraph or two of angry expletives courtesy of Dark. Suddenly, I’m no longer hungry, and I just want to go back to sleep for a year, maybe two—no more yummy bacon and syrup for this lady.

“Kali.” My name on Dark’s lips, soft and broken, aches in places I don’t wish to acknowledge.

Stiffening against me, Sunshine’s chest vibrates in a low, scary timbre. “Go. Home. Dark.”

“Fuck you, Pops. You know I can’t do that.”

Sunshine’s hand cuffs around the base of my neck. “Go. Home. Dark. I won’t tell you again.”

“Kali.” Dark’s voice cracks, forcing me to swallow hard. My shoulders slump forward. I will not feel sorry for him. I won’t absolve him of his fuckups. Year after year, he begs for forgiveness. The weight of his guilt he wants me to bear, and I don’t know why.

Knowing me better than anyone, Sunshine taps the side of my bare legs. I lock my ankles around his waist. Supportive hands scoop under my ass cheeks and lift me from the counter. Across the house, my favorite person in the entire world carries me away from my problems and into the solace of my room. He sets me on my side of the bed, props my back against the headboard, pecks my temple, and covers my legs with all the blankets. Without a word, Sunshine turns on music from his phone, sets it on the nightstand, and leaves to take care of his son. Because that’s how this always goes. Sunshine visits me and his grandbabies, and Dark loses his shit. They have an intense love-hate relationship. It wasn’t always this way. Sure, they used to butt heads like any father and son would. This started after Dark returned to find Sunshine helped me buy this house. He paid the down payment, co-signed for it, and made sure the deed was in my name and my name alone—so Dark had no way of touching it and ripping my life out from under me like he’d done once before.

Sunshine has always been a constant.

A pillar of strength.

Sure, he lives on the road—a nomad to the core.

But this home is his home. We’re his base—his family.

Even before Abby and Lily came along, when we lived in the rental, he stayed with us whenever he could.

Dark never minded then.

He minds now.

He minds a lot.

Closing my eyes, I release the world's longest sigh as their fighting ensues—the volume of Metallica be damned.

“You don’t get to swoop in and be her knight in shining fucking armor!” Dark roars beyond my closed bedroom door.

“Leave. Before you can’t take back whatever dumb shit you’re about to say,” Sunshine volleys in return.

“You aren’t supposed to be here.”

“This is my home.”

“No. It’s not. This is Kali’s home.”

“Then why do I have a house key and you don’t?” Sunshine growls, and I can’t help but smile at the truth of that. No matter how hard Dark has tried over the years, I’ve never given him a key. Each of my sons has one, as well as a few of my friends and, of course, Sunshine.

“She is my wife,” Dark argues lamely, like that somehow matters.

“Ex-wife, or did you forget you have an entire fuckin’ family two houses down, son? The name Abby ring any bells?”

“Fuck you.”

“No. Fuck you for comin’ over here, swingin’ your dick, thinkin’ it was gonna change things.”

Silence.

Sunshine doesn’t relent. “You spend a lot of time tryin’ to piss her off and meddle in our friendship. Time you should be spendin’ doin’ other shit, like, oh, I dunno, quit pushin’ her buttons and give her the space she’s asked for. Especially today. You went out last night with your woman, and she watched your kid, then you storm over here when you saw my van? You’re a whole-ass adult. Fuckin’ act like one.”

“I didn’t realize what today was,” Dark returns, sounding like a wounded toddler.

“And whose fault is that? Not mine and sure as hell not hers.”

Fact is, I don’t need Sunshine to fight my battles. I’m more than capable of doing it myself. But I’m tired. Too tired to deal with this today of all days. Him showing up to be here for me, to make me breakfast, and deal with another fallout with Dark, shouldn’t please me as much as it does, but I’m relieved.

“I was gonna handle the stalker,” Dark replies, and I snort.

“Kali doesn’t need your help, Dark.”

That’s my cue to zone out. No. It’s my cue to shower. I don’t need to hear any more after this. Tearing the blankets off my legs, I beeline to my bathroom and turn on the water to drown out their escalating fight. This is normal anytime Sunshine’s in town. They fight. They make up. Life moves on. Repeat.

Getting down to business, I toss my boy-short panties and tank into the hamper and go about washing up. The heat relaxes my muscles, and the lavender soap soothes my soul. Taking my time, I lather my brown hair and condition it twice to take my time. Shaving is the last hurrah. Not that I like to shave. Does any woman? I was raised by a mother who preferred to be au natural. Can’t say I picked that up. A smooth pussy, legs, and armpits does a lady good. At least, this lady. You do whatever works for you. No shame.

Sufficiently clean and smooth, I turn off the water and open my glass shower door coated in steam. The noises from before have disappeared. I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing Dark is likely gone, which means special time with Sunshine—also bacon. Because yum.

Out of a heated bin, I claim a fluffy black towel, wrap it around my wet self, and trail droplets of water across the tiled bathroom floor and into the bedroom. There, I find a shirtless, gray-haired, bearded man sitting on my bed with a wooden tray laden with juice and food. The same tray I used to serve my children breakfast in bed on their birthdays when they were little.

Sunshine pats the spot next to him—my side of the mattress.

Not caring if I look like a drowned rat, I tuck my towel tighter around my chest and don’t bother getting dressed before eating because that stack of French toast has my mouth watering.

“Sorry about that.” Sunshine squeezes my leg as I sit down, then covers me again with the blankets, careful not to topple the tray.

I snatch a slice of bacon, lean back against the headboard, close my eyes, and bite. The pleasured sigh that rises would be embarrassing if I were in any other company. With Sunshine, I don’t worry about a thing. Not once has this man ever judged me. For that, I’m grateful.

Taking my time, I chew and swallow through the entire slice, savoring the salty pork, savoring the moment, centering myself. Doing as my mother taught me, I fall into a state of peace, no longer bogged down by Dark’s presence. This is my home. My bed. I’m free. I’m happy. I’m me.

Giving me all the time in the world to adjust, Sunshine waits for my eyes to open, and when they do, he’s right there, my pillar, eating his bacon, wearing the kindest of eye-crinkling smiles. “Hey there, Sweets.”

A soft, relieved smile surfaces. “Hi, Colton. I know I didn’t have time to say it, but I missed you.”

Blowing out a breath as if he needed to hear those words after the fight with his son, Sunshine draws the tray up the bed, closer for us to reach. “I missed you, too. Now let’s get you fed, so I take you to your gifts. Yeah?” He sets my fork on my plate and drizzles syrup over the slices of French toast he made just for me.

On a nod, I grab my food and set it on my lap, not caring the slightest that I’m naked from the waist down under the covers or that my ex’s father is eating in bed with me. This isn’t a first, nor will it be a last.

“Do you remember the first time you made me French toast and bacon?” I ask as I cut a hardy piece with the side of my fork.

“It was the morning we had your mother’s celebration of life.”

It was.

“We’d only met, what? A few weeks before?” I draw from memory. It was so long ago.

“Yes, and you’ve been ours ever since.”

A calm, all-encompassing warmth flows through me from the top of my head down to the tips of my black-painted toes at Sunshine’s words. I have been theirs ever since.