Ruthless Bastard (Dangerous Love 3)

Rhett snorted and rose, as Asher did the same, ignoring King’s remark. He’d come to make a point, and he’d made it. “Do yourself a favor,” Rhett warned.

“What’s that?” King practically purred.

“Forget her name.” And with that, Rhett turned and headed for the door. Just before he left, he glanced over his shoulder, finding King’s amused gaze on him. “If you don’t, I won’t forget yours.”

King just smiled.

* * *

Stoney Creek did a few things well. Quaint restaurants and shops. Delicious food and drinks. And Christmas.

In just a few short weeks, Christmas joy would take hold of the town until after New Year’s. Even now, as Kinsley entered the small market on Main Street, she spotted old Mrs. Russell, who’d owned the market for as long as Kinsley could remember, sitting behind the counter working on this year’s Christmas wreath.

“I really think we need to talk about this,” Remy said as she followed Kinsley down the produce aisle.

During the warmer seasons, the market was outside in the parking lot next door, offering fresh local produce. But for now, Kinsley stuck to the organic produce shipped in, thinking the oversized strawberries looked too genetically modified to be healthy for her growing baby. She reached for some romaine lettuce, placing it in the basket, and looked over her shoulder at Remy. “Okay, then talk.”

Remy looked like she’d eaten a sour lemon. “I’m really worried about you. I just don’t want you getting hurt here, and this entire situation with Rhett is setting itself up for a huge heartbreak.”

Any good best friend would be very worried. Rhett was all wrong for her. “Let me guess—you’re worried because I’m madly and hopelessly in love with him and you think I’m too emotional for this.” They both knew it was true. Loving Rhett had always been true.

“Yes, exactly,” Remy confirmed, crossing her arms, looking like a fierce, bright warrior. “You’re about to go play house with a guy who doesn’t play house with anyone. The same guy who has left a trail of women—okay, maybe satisfied women from what I hear—but still heartbroken women in his wake.”

Kinsley was definitely one of those satisfied women. She’d always known sex with Rhett would be explosive, but she’d had no idea how explosive. Her mind simply could not have dreamed up how incredible they were together. Even now, if she let herself think of his talented mouth and strong hands…

“Why are you flushing?” Remy gasped then shuddered. “Ew. God. Are you thinking about sex with him?”

“Of course I am.” Kinsley laughed, then whirled away to grab some bananas. “Stop worrying about me. I’m going to be smart about this.”

“Bullshit.” At Remy’s hard voice, Kinsley turned around. Blazing eyes met hers. “You’ve gotta start being honest about all this, or you’re going to get hurt, and as your soul sister, I can’t stand by and let that happen.” Remy barely dragged in a breath before she went on. “You’re going to sleep with him again. And you’re going to love every second you have with him because it’s what you’ve always wanted. At least be honest about that.”

Kinsley lips parted then shut. If given the chance to sl

eep with him again, she would in a heartbeat. If given the chance to be loved by him, she’d take it in the blink of an eye. “I know that I’m walking a dangerous line with him,” she admitted.

Remy sighed heavily, her shoulders lowering. “Good, at least you know that. Just don’t forget that line. You need to stay on top of this, and your heart, or he’s going to make a mess out of it. So, it’s not about being smart: it’s about what you want from him.”

Kinsley felt that wound in her heart reopen. The same wound that got bigger every time Rhett took a woman home from the bar. Every time she had to hear about him going on a date. Every time she had to watch some woman hang off him…despite not even really knowing him. “Okay, so maybe I don’t have this all completely figured out,” she said. “But I’m trying to figure it out. I know it’s complicated.”

“Complicated?” Remy snorted. “Dude, this is so far past complicated. And I’m really worried that when the dust settles, you’re going to be left more heartbroken over him than you already are.”

Kinsley stared into Remy’s unusually fiery eyes. She smiled and wrapped her arms around her friend’s strained frame. “Thank you for loving me so much in the way that you do. I’ll never know what I did to deserve a friend like you.” Everyone needed that one person who told them things straight. That was Remy, always had been.

Remy squeezed back. “You deserve me because you’re as good of a friend back.” She leaned away with honest concern in her expression. “Rhett will step up. He’ll do what he can. But let’s be honest here, it’s Rhett. He’s not going to love you like you need or deserve.”

“I know that.” Hell, did she know that well. Kinsley gave herself a couple seconds to rein in her thoughts, knowing she had to get this right. “I don’t know how to explain any of this to you. It doesn’t even make sense in my head. I know I should keep Rhett at a distance. I shouldn’t let him get so close. But everything inside of me is telling me to do the opposite. That if I do, this is all going to be okay and work out.”

“But what if that’s your heart getting in the way?” Remy asked behind her.

Kinsley continued on, turning down another aisle and grabbing a package of bacon from the fridge. “Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t, who knows. But I’m telling you, when he said he wanted me to stay with him, I wasn’t thinking that this might mean anything between us, I was only thinking that this was the right thing to do.” She walked farther down and reached for a jar of Caesar salad dressing before she faced Remy again. “I know my heart is currently in the danger zone, but I feel like”—she shrugged—“things are going to be okay as long as we’re moving forward. Eventually. Maybe not now. But I think, if anything, I need to follow my gut, and my gut tells me that staying with him is the right thing to do.”

Remy’s eyes lost some heat. “Well, I’ve already told Asher that I want him to punch Rhett if he makes you cry.”

Kinsley laughed. “Did Asher agree?”

“Of course.” Remy smiled, then peeked up through her thick lashes. “You’re really gonna be okay here?”

“I really am. This is a shock for everyone, not just me. This baby is totally changing my life, and it’ll change Rhett’s life too. I can’t think of what my heart wants right now. Or what it wanted. All I’m thinking is that I have to give him space to accept this news like I did. Then we’ll go from there. One step at a time.”