Doll Parts (The Game 4)

“By the way, who’s Greer?” he asked quietly.

I snorted and nodded toward Reese’s lineup. “The copperhead next to Ivy.”

“The guy with the kilt?” He whistled. “He’s hot.”

I chuckled. He wasn’t wrong. Greer was gorgeous. A gentle giant who wore a black utility kilt when he worked. So, whenever he came out here—or to a munch—straight from work, we were treated to Highlander porn. Only, Greer spoke with a New York accent, not a Scottish brogue.

As the crowd thinned out, some heading straight for the pool, some aiming for Reese and Colt, others going inside, maybe for playtime, maybe to prepare snacks, my focus landed on KC and Lucian.

“I wonder if he wears anything underneath the kilt…” Noa had different priorities, clearly. And I didn’t wanna disappoint him by letting him know Greer was definitely wearing boxer briefs.

He got that question often…

I narrowed my eyes at KC. He had his jaw clenched, and he was arguing quietly for only Lucian to hear.

I stiffened when I managed to decipher three little words coming from KC’s mouth. I can’t stay. He was gonna leave. Or he wanted to. Lucian was evidently against it.

KC shook his head and dropped his hands to the wheels of his chair, and he spat out something that made Lucian recoil. But he inched forward just as quickly and stabbed his finger against the table while he spoke.

When Noa squeezed my hand, I realized he was watching too. “He’s gonna leave, isn’t he?”

“Looks like it,” I murmured.

Something dark came over Noa’s expression, his features tightening.

Sure enough, KC made a move to leave. He made his way toward the patio doors, ignoring Lucian when he called after him.

Hadn’t they shown up together? How was KC gonna get home? I didn’t know the extent of his injury. For the most part, he used the wheelchair, but I’d seen him walking with a cane too.

Lucian sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose for a second. Then he shook his head to himself and walked over to Reese and Colt. I bet he was going to let them know he’d be taking off—at least to get KC home. Maybe Lucian would return later.

This couldn’t go on.

“Noa, go talk to him,” I urged. “Put your foot down.”

His jaw tensed. And considering how quickly he nodded, he must’ve been thinking along those lines already. He was done too. If they were going to coexist in the same community, they had to break the ice. The two-miles–thick ice where a joke wouldn’t suffice.

Noa left my side without another word and strode back into the house, and I chewed on my lip, debating whether to follow.

Oh, screw it—who was I kidding?

I grabbed our backpacks and darted after.

I was halfway through the club area when I heard him call out to KC.

“Lie to me. Say you’re not leaving because of me, KC.”

A rush of admiration nearly overwhelmed me. The command in Noa’s tone, the sincerity, the fuck-this-I’m-done—it was all there. I heard it. And it was about time.

I slowed down as I reached the lobby; the front door was about to close, right after I spotted them both on the porch. KC hadn’t gone down the ramp yet. Fuck, hurry, hurry. Sucking in a quick breath, I darted forward the last few steps and opened the door just a couple inches. I didn’t wanna miss KC’s response.

Then KC did speak, and I fucking missed it because a handful of chatty guys ran through the lobby in just their Speedos. What was even the point of dressing rooms in this kink mansion? Everyone got naked sooner rather than later anyway. Modesty didn’t exist in this place.

I released a breath, frustrated, and leaned closer to the door. The lobby was empty. I didn’t hear anyone in the kitchen or the club area either. Please, God, let it stay that way for a bit.

“That’s too honest,” Noa rasped. “You were my fucking family. You used to call my biological dad scum of the earth. You said you couldn’t understand how a parent could walk out on their own child. But you did it just fine, didn’t you?”

Get it all out, baby. Don’t hold back.

“I didn’t know the damage I’d already caused,” KC responded. His voice was different. A lot colder than normal. But there was a deep-seated sorrow too. “I don’t expect you to understand, freckles—”

“Don’t call me that,” Noa snapped. “And don’t assume what I may or may not understand. You could give me the benefit of the doubt and try to fucking explain.”

Whoa. I felt something on my back and instantly jumped to the side, and I whipped my head around to come face-to-face with Lucian. Fucking hell, he’d scared me! My heart pounded in my chest, and I couldn’t help but glare up at him.

He removed his hand from my back and lifted a brow, only to furrow them the next second. “You’re not the only one who wants to listen,” he said quietly, brusquely. “Make room, please.”