Page 25 of Wilde About You

"Uh, very nice?" I took hold of her arms and sat her up on top of me. "Very nice?"

She burst out laughing. "Ok, it was mind-blowing. Better?"

"Yes, better."

She dropped back down, and I wrapped my arms around her. "Why does it feel like my life just got even more complicated?" she asked.

"Yep, sprite, I know what you mean."

thirteen

. . .

Sadie

We'd finally pulled ourselves out of bed long enough to order a pizza for lunch. Starting something with Colin Wilde was the last thing I needed right now, and at the same time, I was glad to have someone at a time when I was feeling incredibly alone. At the moment it felt like the whole world was out to get me. Colin was my safe space. He was easygoing, kind and badass all wrapped up in a hot package. A combo that was not easy to find.

Colin answered the door for the pizza. The apartment instantly smelled like an Italian deli. I breathed deeply. "I'm so damn hungry. I forgot how many calories really good sex burns."

He paused and looked at me. "Really good?"

"Sorry, phenomenal. Will that do?"

"It works." He placed the pizza on the table. "I'll get plates."

"Sure thing, little Miss Etiquette. I'll take mine naked. No plate needed." I picked up a slice and instantly regretted it. I tossed it back and forth on my palms. "What kind of joint is this? Can't a girl get a plate?"

Colin chuckled as he strolled into the kitchen. He was shirtless, in jeans and bare feet. I noticed a few lines on his back that were old scars. He sat back down with the plates.

I stared at him. "Ace mentioned that your dad was quite the character and that your mom moved back to Ireland when you were young."

"That about sums up my sordid history and 'quite the character' are words you use for Mickey Mouse or a circus clown. My dad was a character but more like the sinister bad guy who never stops showing up in a scary movie. He's better now, in his old age, but he was a tough bastard and not a stellar dad. I have to say he's much better at being a granddad, though Rio, his granddaughter, makes that easy. She also has him wrapped around her finger."

"Those scars on your back?" I started and then regretted it when his face dropped and he became hyper interested in his pizza.

"Like I said—the sinister bad guy in the scary movie. We didn't make it easy either. My brothers and I weren't exactly angels, if you know what I mean. He let us run wild. Most of the time he didn't pay attention to what we were up to, but when something was off or going badly in his life, he'd take it out on us. It was chaotic and unstable, but somehow, we all grew up and managed to become functioning adults."

"Well done. My dad wasn't chaotic or abusive or sinister. He was and is controlling, and he was disappointed that I was born a girl. His first three were sons, and in his mind that was how it should be, all sons. Sometimes the only girl gets treated special like a princess, but I was supposed to mold my personality to be more like my brothers."

Colin's phone rang. He glanced at the screen. "Speaking of your brother."

"Shit, he's probably looking for me. I turned off my phone because, well you can probably figure that out."

"Your call. Do I answer it?" Colin asked.

"Go ahead. Makes no difference to me."

"Hey, Ace, what's up?"

"Have you seen Sadie? Her car is out on the road. Someone slashed her tires, and no one has heard from her." Ace was talking loudly enough through the phone for me to hear what he was saying.

Colin mouthed the words, "he's upset" to me. "Uh yeah, she's right here. I saw her walking down the road and⁠—"

"What the fuck is she doing with you? I thought I told you⁠—"

"You were worried, and I just told you she's here and she's fine." Colin shook his head and rolled his eyes.

I shoved the crust into my mouth to make myself a crust smile. He held back a laugh.