Perfect Rage (Unyielding 3)

Connor stopped to catch his breath, his hand running through his ragged hair, and I saw his eyes land on Skye. Everything in his body relaxed and his eyes shone with love. Then his gaze found me and he smirked and mouthed, “Love you baby.”

I smiled and blew him a kiss.

Then my eyes caught the flash of white barreling onto the makeshift football field.

“Rocket. No,” I shouted. But it was too late. Rocket plowed into Connor from behind and knocked him off his feet.

“Oh, shit.” Chess tried to get up, but struggled with her stomach being so big. “Help here.” Georgie jumped to her feet, grasped her hand and pulled her up.

We all stood as Rocket, on his three legs, raced across the yard heading straight for Kai who currently had the ball and was all alone. And he was all alone because the guys had stopped playing.

But no one warned Kai. Not even London who watched with her hand over her mouth, stifling the laughter.

Rocket bleated.

Everyone saw it transpire before it happened. Kai turned to look over his shoulder at the same time that Rocket lowered his head and butted him in the ass, knocking him over backward onto the ground.

“Damn!” Georgie exclaimed. “He got his ass handed to him.”

London, Chess, and I burst out laughing, not even bothering to hide it from Kai who had to have heard us.

But Rocket wasn’t done yet. He picked up the ball beside Kai with his teeth, shook his head back and forth like a dog with its favorite toy and then released it. The ball flung through the air and all eyes followed its path as it landed, bounced once, then soared right into the goal.

“No!” Tyler shouted. “That doesn’t count.”

“Fuck yeah!” Connor yelled and fist-bumped with Ernie and Deaglan. Kai joined them and they slapped one another on the back. There were words, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying, and it didn’t matter, they were smiling.

“That’s bullshit,” Tyler said. “I’m calling goat interference.”

The guys ignored him as they headed for the yellow cooler sitting on the picnic table. Deaglan led the way with Connor and they had their heads together talking.

Deaglan was currently staying in the basement apartment while he was here, and for some reason, he and Connor hit it off. Deaglan often had dinner with us unless he was otherwise ‘occupied’, as the girls leaving in the morning was also an ‘often’ occurrence.

“Uh-oh,” I muttered.

All three girls looked at me, and Chess said, “What?”

I nodded to Connor and Deaglan who were bent over, blocking the cooler. Connor glanced over his shoulder and then said something to Deaglan who pushed the lid off the plastic container.

“They better not go for Kai,” London said.

“No,” Georgie said and all of us said at the same time, “Tyler.”

Connor and Deaglan picked up the cooler and ran for Tyler, the water and ice sloshing out the top.

‘Shit!’ was all Tyler managed before the contents of the ice-cold water dumped on his head. He stood shocked for a second, water dripping off him, ice at his feet. The kids playing near the barn screamed and laughed at Tyler, as did the guys, well, except Vic, but there was a lip twitch.

“Come and get it,” Frank called. He held a spatula in his hand and flipped burgers on the grill where smoke wafted into the air.

He insisted on manning the barbecue every year, but when the guys weren’t in the game, Deck and Connor helped, and that was incredibly special to watch because it was like brothers hanging with their dad.

Connor jogged over to the barn and picked up Skye. He carried her like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder with her laughing and squealing, her little legs kicking him in the chest. I smiled as I made my way over to the barbecue with the rest of the girls.

“Who can we set Deaglan up with? That cupcake needs a girl. When he calls you pet in that delicious accent…” Georgie sighed.

“He has plenty of girls,” I said, laughing. “A rotating door of girls.”

“Exactly my point.” Georgie squished her lips together as if thinking about who she knew would halt that rotating door. “A girl who won’t take his shit, but she has to be sweet, too.”

I eyed Deaglan who squirted ketchup on his burger bun. Then my attention turned to Vic who stood beside him and nodded to something Deaglan said. “What about Vic?”

The girls burst out laughing.

“I don’t think either guy goes that way,” London said, laughing.

“Oh, my God, I didn’t mean for each other.” I slapped her on the arm. “I meant Vic needs a girl, too. Actually, I’ve never seen him with any girl.”

“That’s because he scares them all away,” Georgie said. “I swear he has dead bodies in his closet.”