Fast and Reckless: The Fraternity Brothers Series Book Two Read online

  I take a breath and hold it counting to five before I answer. Mimi’s clothing, or lack thereof, has always been a thing between us. I try to curb my judgmental expressions and comments when we’re together, and she tries to dress covering more than her nipples and crack.

  In her defense, we aren’t supposed to be together this afternoon, so she has caught me off guard with her emergency bathroom break.

  “I forgot. I don’t feel much like partying, Mimi. Can we hang out here and watch movies instead?”

  Her face explodes into a buffet of expressions—eyes wide, mouth open, eyebrows in her hairline. “Are you crazy? No, I am not. I get that you’re an introvert and all that, but I get like four times a year that I’m allowed to party hard with my girl, and this is one of those times.”

  We’re an odd pair of friends, and the only reason we are is because our mothers raised us side by side. Mimi is a party animal, and I’m a couch potato. We made an agreement when we became legal age to drink. Whenever I finish a book, we go out and get drunk as skunks and have a hangover for a month. Or at least my hangover lasts a month, she’s fine by the next afternoon.

  Problem is, I can’t drink, and I haven’t told anyone I’m pregnant yet. I’m not even sure I will. Maybe I’ll have an abortion and act like this never happened. Maybe I’ll move to the East Coast for nine months and give the baby up for adoption.

  No, that’s not me. I can’t carry a life inside of me and give it away when I’m perfectly capable of raising a child. I’ve always wanted kids. I just never planned on having them alone. And I don’t think an abortion is the answer for me either.

  So, that settles it. Standing here listening to my best friend whine about not being able to party, I’ve made the biggest life decision I’ll ever make.

  “I can’t, I’m pregnant,” I blurt out in the middle of her description of the hottest new night club she wants to take me to tonight.

  This time there’s no facial explosion, it’s more of an implosion. Her mouth snaps shut, she closes her eyes and shakes her head back and forth like she just tasted something sour.

  “What the fuck? Come on, Layna, I know you don’t like to go clubbing, but isn’t that taking it a bit far, even for you?”

  I sit down and move the tissue box from the couch holding it up for a second for her to see before setting it on the coffee table. “I’m not trying to get out of going. I’m really pregnant. Six weeks to be exact, and I’m having it alone.”

  “Wait, wait, wait, wait… Who, when, why, oh my God, you’re serious, aren’t you?” She plops down on the opposite end of my plush white couch in her dirty parade clothes and sweaty ass. I cringe and think about getting my mini upholstery cleaner out of the closet, pushing her on the floor, and cleaning the spot she’s probably leaving there.

  “Yes, I’m serious. Did you sit on the curb at the parade?”

  “What? Yeah, I guess. Wait, are you friggin’ worrying about my ass on your stupid couch?”

  I look away out the window at the beautiful California afternoon sun. “Yes, I guess I am.”

  “I think you have worse problems than a dirty butt stain on your couch right now.”

  “I know. That’s probably why it’s making me crazy. I need something else to focus on.”

  “Who’s the father?”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “It sure as hell does. It takes two people to make a baby, and it takes two to raise one. You don’t need to be doing this all alone.”

  “I won’t be alone, I’ll have you and my sisters and parents.”

  “Oh, don’t count on me… babies hate me. I think they see me as competition because I’m so small or something.”

  I laugh. Mimi’s the only person on earth who can make me laugh on a day like today. But, just as quickly, I want to smash her in the face with her next comment. “Or, do you not know who the father is? Layna, have you been sluttin’ around without me?”

  “Shut up, you know I’m not like that.” I watch the gears start moving in her mind as she thinks back six weeks to who I was dating. It shouldn’t be difficult, there’s only been Damian.

  “Holy shit, it’s that race car driver guy David, Darwin… Damian, that’s it! Layna, he’s gorgeous and sexy and cut and fine! Why in God’s name don’t you wanna try to snag that boy?”

  “First of all, I don’t want to snag anyone. This isn’t a game, it’s a child, and this is my life. Second, he’s a player. Damian is as far from daddy material as a man can be.”

  “Maybe so, but he deserves to know and to make that choice, don’t you think?”

  “I’m pretty sure I know how he would feel about it. I ran into him today coming out of the clinic, and he was focused on two things, both of which were on the chest of a sexy blonde bike- delivery girl.”

  “You ran into him today? Don’t you think that’s kind of weird? Like, the cosmos are trying to put you two together?”

  “The cosmos? Really, Mimi? It was a coincidence he was there taking his friend to have his cast removed.”

  “See? He’s a nice guy, taking his friend to the doctor. He’s not all bad.”

  “I never said he wasn’t a good friend. He has a bunch of fraternity brothers that he’s close with. I said I don’t think he’s father material.”

  “Do you think I’m good mother material?” she says leaning forward daring me to answer.

  “That’s not fair, you’re not pregnant.”

  “No, but if I were, would you tell me to have an abortion or give the baby up for adoption because you don’t think I’m cut out to be a mother?”

  She’s got me, and she knows it. Mimi isn’t the maternal type, but that’s not to say she couldn’t be if she were put in that position. “Okay, I get where you’re going with this.”

  “And where’s that?” She raises her eyebrows and cocks her head to the side.

  “That you can’t know what you’d do until you are in that position.”

  “And?”

  “And he deserves to know. I’ll think about it. I’ve only had hours to digest this myself.”

  “So, how did this happen anyway? I thought you were always so ultra-careful about birth control.”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t do anything different. I guess no birth control is one hundred percent effective.”

  “Didn’t you use a condom?”

  “Yes, Mimi, we used a condom, and I got my shot when I was supposed to. I have no idea what happened.”

  “You and that hottie, Damian, the race car driver, are meant to be, that’s what happened.”

  “I doubt that. So, are you going to shower or what?” I glance down at her ass on my couch, and she slaps both of her thighs.

  “If you’re going sit there giving me the stink eye for sitting on your precious couch, then yeah, I guess I will. But, remember this, when that baby pops out, it’s going to be puking and pooping all over everything including this couch. And when it’s older, little Layna or little Damian will spill Kool-Aid on it and grind dry cereal into the cushions. You’re going to need to rethink your furniture choices… hell, your lifestyle choices. No more fancy breakables.” She leans over to pick up a beautiful piece of blown glass I bought in Seattle and puts it back down. “No more locking yourself in your condo for weeks on end without showering to finish a book. No more expensive clothes ordered from Paris. Well, I guess you could keep those, but they’ll all be stained with baby gunk.”

  “Okay, stop. I don’t want to hear any more. I get it, I have a lot to think about. Thanks for pointing out the obvious. You do understand that I just found out this afternoon, right?”

  “Yeah, but I expect being preggers is something that you kind of know before you go to the doctor, right?” She’s right again, dammit. Why is she always so right?

  “Yeah, but it wasn’t really real until today.”

  “Okay, how about we do something to take your mind off of it for a little while, then?”

  “Mimi, I
told you I can’t drink, I’m…”

  “Pregnant, I know. That’s not what I meant. Maybe we just go out to dinner to celebrate instead?”

  “Well, I was invited to a barbeque on the beach tonight.”

  She jerks her head back in surprise. “Well, why didn’t you say so? That’s perfect. Whose party is it?”

  “Hunter invited me.” I look down at my hands clasped in my lap.

  “Hunter as in Damian’s frat-boy friend?”

  “Yes.”

  “Even better. It’ll give you a chance to tell Damian or at least look at him with different eyes now that you know you have a bean growing in your belly.”

  A bean. I imagine a little baby bean growing in my belly and place my hand on my lower abdomen. And then I imagine telling Damian about the bean, but he’s too busy checking out some hot chick in a bikini, and I’m hit with a wave of nausea. How am I ever going to do this?

  3

  Damian

  I dropped Hunter off at home after we went to Costco to pick up meat for the barbeque tonight. Now I’m headed to the liquor store to pick up the keg and a few bottles, so this night will be one to remember. Or maybe I should say one not to remember.

  As I stroll down the aisles, I think about Layna’s smile, Layna’s sexy legs in that skirt she had on this afternoon with her pink Converse, and Layna’s kind eyes and sweet disposition.

  She’s not like any woman I’ve ever dated before. She’s independent, smart, classy, and most of all, she’s an adult and not some racetrack groupie who’s only interested in sleeping with the latest winner. Layna is the real deal, that’s probably why she lost interest in me.

  When we were together, I liked myself better. She asked my opinion on things, she laughed at my stupid jokes, and she liked my friends. We fit together like two puzzle pieces from different puzzles—the wrong colors, wrong textures, but the perfect shapes.

  “Are you finding what you need?” a sultry voice says from behind me. I turn to find the cashier, a young, tattooed, sexy brunette standing with her hand on her hip giving me the once- over.

  “Yeah, just got distracted, I guess. I have a keg to pick up. It’s under the name Ricci.”

  “Cool, I’ll go grab your ticket. Do you need help finding anything else?” When she says anything else, I’m fully aware of what she’s offering, and it’s not a foreign beer. As attractive as she is, and she’s very attractive, I have no urge to ask her out.

  Maybe it’s the possibility that Layna will be at the beach tonight? I doubt it. She blew me off before, so I don’t expect her to change her mind now. I consider asking perky tattoo girl but decide against it. If there’s even the slightest possibility that Layna will be at the bonfire, I want a chance to talk to her alone.

  “Nope, I’m good, thanks.”

  Her face falls, and defeated, she turns on her heel to make her way back to the counter. I don’t feel bad. She didn’t even try. Not that it would’ve done any good, but if you want a man like me, you have to be more aggressive than that. Although, Layna never was.

  We met in a bookstore of all places, somewhere I never frequent. She was setting up for a book signing, and I was picking up a cookbook that my mom had on back order. I caught her eye across the store, and she blushed bright red before going back to stacking her books on a table with a banner that read, ‘The New York Times Bestselling Author Layna Love’s Latest Book Rock You Is Available NOW!’ The picture on the banner was of her. I couldn’t resist the chance to meet the sexy romance author with the dark pixie haircut and massive emerald eyes that stopped my heart with one glance. I waited for my mom’s book, and by the time it was in the bag, a line had formed at Layna’s table that stretched out the door. I strolled across the store, cut in line, much to the displeasure of about thirty horny women waiting for their signed copy of Rock You and asked her out on the spot.

  She was flustered, beautifully so, and with the encouragement of a few women who were now rooting for me instead of groaning that I had cut in line, she accepted my invitation for drinks that night. I didn’t know it then, but she was going to turn my world upside down.

  Outside, I load up the back seat with alcohol while the burly guy who works in the back of the store puts the keg in the SUV. I like to drive fast on and off the course, but since it’s illegal to go two hundred miles per hour on the streets of California, I sometimes drive a bulky SUV to help keep me in check. Other times, I drive my Porsche and live on the edge praying I don’t get a ticket.

  Racing is in my blood. I’ve been doing it since I was eight years old when my dad put me in a go-kart and made me race the neighborhood kids who were twice my age. I won, and I’ve been winning ever since.

  My only bump in the road was an accident I had during my second year in college. I was driving in NASCAR’s ‘minor league’ circuit—Xfinity Series—and spun out going one hundred and ninety miles per hour. After that, I hardly got behind the wheel for over a year. The desire to feel that rush came back when I was conned into a street race and won five thousand bucks. That’s all it took. I knew I had to get back at it, and I did.

  When I pull into Hunter’s driveway, he’s there to meet me. “Hey, that was fast. You must have skipped hitting on the cashier.”

  Hunter knows me too well. “Yeah, well, Layna might be at the beach tonight, and I figured three’s a crowd, ya know?”

  He rolls his eyes. “Smartest thing you’ve said all day.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “She’s the one, man. I know it, Edie knows it, the whole gang knows it except you.”

  That’s where he’s wrong. I’m not the clueless one, it’s Layna.

  “Yeah, well, I can’t make her fall for me. I know that’s difficult to believe since there’s never been a woman I wanted who could resist all this,” I say gesturing down at myself.

  He punches my bicep, and I take a step back. “You still got good power in your punch.”

  “Maybe, but that shit hurt.” He rubs his shoulder regretting putting it to the test so soon after having his cast removed.

  “You should take it easy for a while, make that gun a lover not a hater for a couple of weeks.”

  “My guns are always lovers. When’s the last time you saw me pick a fight?”

  “True. Pussy,” I tease, and he holds up his fist threatening to punch me again. I run around the car and open the door. “Are we putting all this in your fridge or a cooler?”

  “Cooler. We need to get going soon.”

  Edie steps out onto the porch with her dog, Cheeto, on her heels. “Hey, Damian, thanks for taking Hunter today. I couldn’t get the day off at the beach.”

  “No problem. Gotta spend time with my friends while I still can.”

  They both stop and stare at me like I just told them I’m dying. “What?”

  “What was that supposed to mean?” Edie asks.

  “When Craze’s driver retires, I’m going to replace him, you watch. I’m sure of it.”

  “Is that how it works?” Hunter asks.

  “If they think I’d be a good fit, it is. I won almost every race last season driving for Geo. It’s time to move up and drive with the big boys.” Geo is the ‘minor league’ NASCAR team that I’ve been driving for. They’ve been great, but the real money comes from driving for a NASCAR team like the one sponsored by the famous energy drink, Craze.

  “Isn’t that more dangerous?” Edie asks.

  “Maybe. They don’t mess around when there are millions to be won. It’s worth it to me, though. Driving for a major sponsor has been my dream forever.”

  “Well, I hope you get the job then. Just don’t get yourself killed. I’m getting used to having you around all the time.”

  “I’ll do my best.” I give her one of my million-dollar smiles, and she laughs.

  “Did anybody call Lennon? He was out of town until this morning, and I wasn’t sure if he knew we were getting together.”

  “Fiona called. He’s co
ming, and I guess he’s bringing an old girlfriend?” Edie says, and Hunter groans.

  “Shit, he’s not going to let Kelly weasel her way back into his life after the way she dumped him, is he? That’s pathetic pussy whipdom if I ever saw it.”

  “Did Fiona say it was Kelly?” Hunter asks Edie.

  “No, but she said you guys weren’t going to be happy, and from the sounds of it, you aren’t. What happened between them?”

  “Lennon and Kelly dated all through college, and when they graduated, she decided he was just a college thing, and it was time to branch out and explore their options. Except, Lennon wasn’t interested in other options… he loved Kelly,” Hunter explains.

  “That sounds suspicious. Who gives up a catch like Lennon just because? He’s handsome and kind and rich as hell. I don’t see it.”

  Edie opens the back door of my car and takes out a bottle of vodka and tequila making a disgusted face at the tequila before handing them to Hunter to put in the cooler.

  “Exactly what we thought. He’s a great guy, but she must’ve had a piece on the side that she wanted a bigger bite of for a while, and now that she’s finished, she thinks she can slide right back into his life,” I say.

  Edie leans against the car. “Sounds like she’s done just that.”

  “We’ll see about that tonight. Nobody messes with one of my brothers without answering to me.”

  “Go get ‘em, tiger,” Hunter says holding out his fist for me to bump.

  “You got this, man?” I ask Hunter when all of the booze has been transferred to his truck. “I’m going home to switch vehicles. I feel like driving the Porsche tonight.”

  “Yeah, everything’s loaded up. We’ll see you there.”

  Two hours later, we’re sitting on the beach with a bonfire and two grills full of food. All of our frat guys are here, and unfortunately, Lennon’s date is Kelly after all. I’ve been keeping my eye out for Layna, but so far, she’s a no-show. I haven’t given up hope, though. She always preferred to be fashionably late, something I always considered out of character for her. Layna is a professional in all aspects of her life, and she’s good and wholesome, unlike any other woman I’ve ever dated. I think that’s why I didn’t pursue her harder when she shut me out. She is, as much as I hate to admit it to myself, out of my league.