Wilder (The Wild Ones 3)

Fish? Is that fish in a barrel?

Is that what that horrible smell was?

I’ll never be able to eat fish again without remembering this scent that is singed into my nose.

I can’t see what they do next, but it looks like they’re pulling something over the hole and layering it with snow.

In the next instant, they take off sprinting toward us, huge smiles on their faces. I watch, too confused to do anything else. Reese is practically hopping from foot to foot with excitement, her eyes bright and happy.

You can’t tell if our family’s latest drama is weighing on her or not.

Hale steps in, and grabs her at the waist. I look away from their smiling kiss as he essentially starts devouring her.

Kai comes up behind me, arms slipping around my waist, as he surrounds me with just his presence and touch. It’s really distracting, since the feel of his body against mine seems like a rare treat.

It’s nothing as showy and over-the-top as what Hale and Reese are doing without shame. I envy her for her go-get-em attitude. Sometimes I wonder if Kai is just a little more reserved. Sometimes I think it’s because he tries to let me lead…which is stupid, since I’m wishy washy and indecisive.

My brain and heart don’t have much in common, so they stay in a constant stalemate.

My distracted mind gets a reprieve when all my attention lands on the Nickels walking out of the house.

Tate and Porter are laughing, and Tate howls into the air…

Holy shit. That howl sounds so real that a tremor wracks my body with undeserved fear.

Kai’s low rumble of laughter sounds next to my ear as he bends to put his head next to mine. We both watch as they jog down the steps together and…

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

The scream echoes for miles as they both abruptly disappear from sight, snow spraying into the air.

“Fucking Wilders!” Tate shouts as a fish goes flying in the air.

It’s as though we’re in a perfect spot, because the sound carries directly to us.

I suppose this is a pretty normal thing, given the chuckles Hale and Kai are both badly suppressing.

I’m torn between feeling bad about this and laughing, so I simply settle for a stunned stare.

“This means war!” Porter shouts as loud as he can.

There’s also a lot of gagging going on between threats and exclamations.

Hale finally loses the battle, laughing like he can’t help himself, as Porter and Tate argue.

“I can’t lift you if I can’t even stand up, you dumbass!” Porter shouts. “It’s too slippery!”

“They’ll have to get rid of all the fish before they can even attempt to climb out,” Kai says with a large grin.

“How did you dig through the frozen ground so fast?” I ask in confusion.

“You learn tricks and tips over the years,” Kai answers in his non-answering way.

Fish start flying over the edge, one right after another.

“This is going to take for fucking ever! There’re too many fish!”

Another round of gags follow Porter’s gripe.

A smile finally breaks across my face as the fish continue to get chucked all around the yard.

“Wild animals are going to be sniffing after those gross fish if we don’t hurry. Damn it! Stay on your side! You stink!”

“No, you stink!”

“They both probably stink by now,” Reese states with a wry tone. “I could barely stomach the smell from inside the Jeep, even though the barrels were on the trailer we were pulling.”

“It’ll take weeks to get that smell off them,” Hale says as though he’s speaking from experience. “He marinates them in something first, because he’s secretly a sadist like that.”

He shoots a glare toward Kai, and Kai just grins without ever looking at him.

“Let’s get out of here before they manage to get out,” Kai says, grabbing my hand and pulling me with him.

I glance back, seeing more and more fish flying into the air.

“Stop throwing them like that! They keep coming back in and slapping me in the face, you fucker!” Porter shouts.

“Maybe it’s your stupid face that’s the problem!” Tate shouts back. “I told you not to make that stripping joke!”

“You’re the one who wanted to get them drunk!”

Kai’s fingers tighten on mine, and I smile to myself, shaking my head at the most interesting morning I think I’ve ever had. Shark pancakes and a show.

We load up and head into town, since by some miracle, Kai and Hale don’t smell like stinky fish.

I realize what it means to do drunken karaoke onstage in front of a small town before we even make it to the town square where everyone has gathered.

Every single person we pass is humming the Baby Shark song with a mocking grin on their lips.

Reese buries her head against Hale’s shoulder.

I groan and do the same against Kai, who laughs under his breath as though he’s enjoying this.