Fight Song (Rocky River Fighters 3)

He followed, shaking his head. “No, the work was always fairly easy. What was hard was being here when you weren’t. There are a lot of memories tied into these two places.”

“I can understand that,” she replied with a nod, squeaking when he grabbed her by the waist, hoisting her up and planting her on the worktable.

He stepped between her legs, murmuring, “And now we’re here together, and we can make new memories.”

Before she could protest, his mouth was on hers, and he was kissing her senseless. Body instantly catching fire, she moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he kissed the breath right from her body. Opening her mouth, she let him in, dueling her tongue with his as she tightened her legs around his waist and pulled him in closer.

When she finally pulled back, his erection was pressing against her center, and they were both breathing heavily. Fighting to catch her breath, she said, “I’m supposed to be taking inventory. And I’m sure this isn’t sanitary.”

“No one is cooking in this kitchen right now. It’s fine,” he replied, voice gravelly.

He was just lowering his head for another kiss when the ding of the bell over the front door echoed through the building. They both froze, and she pulled back to stare at him.

“Didn’t you lock the door?”

Nodding, a grim look passing over his features, he whispered back, “Wait here.”

Tightening her arms and legs around him, she shook her head frantically. “No. That’s not a good idea. I don’t care if you’re a fighter. I’m not risking you getting hurt. We should call the sheriff.”

“And what, hide in the walk-in until he gets here?” he answered sarcastically, both of them still whispering.

Glaring at him, she eased her phone out of her pocket and dialed Frank’s number, the digits still remembered from her time growing up here. Pausing as a crash sounded from th

e lobby, she stiffened, fury burning away the initial fear she’d felt.

First they fucked with her house and her dog. Now they were fucking with her family’s business. She’d had enough.

“Dammit!” came a curse from the front. “Can I get any clumsier?”

Another crash sounded, but Piper frowned, confused. That was Kelly’s voice. Why was Kelly in here looking for something? Had she forgotten something from when she worked here, and used her key to come get it? But why wouldn’t she call Piper and give her a heads up?

“It’s Kelly,” she told Jax softly. “Let me up.”

“You’re out of your ever lovin’ mind, Piper McCoy. I don’t care who it is. You’re not going in there.”

Rolling her eyes, she shoved Jax back, and when he stumbled, not expecting it, she jumped off the table. Before she had a chance to move toward the swinging door, it pushed open, and Kelly walked in, still muttering under her breath. She looked up and noticed Piper and Jax, freezing where she stood.

“What are you doing here, Kelly? If you’d called, I would have come with you and helped you look for whatever it is you’re here for.”

“Um, well, I just—” closing her eyes, Kelly shook her head. “I didn’t know you guys were going to be here.” She looked off to the side, avoiding Piper’s gaze. “So… I have something I need to tell you. But first, I just want to say how excited I am to see you two together. Really, Piper. I’m so happy for you.”

Frowning in confusion, Piper studied her friend, looking at the blush on her cheeks and the guilty look in her eyes. “What are you talking about, Kelly?”

Kelly pursed her lips and finally looked up. “Well, I was just trying to give you guys a little push, you know? Stir things up so that you’d need each other …” She stopped mid-sentence, guilt all over her face.

Piper looked to Jax and then realization dawned. “That was you messing with me? The house, my grandmother’s flower pots, feeding my dog chicken, when he’s fucking allergic to chicken—it was all you, this whole time?”

Gasping, Kelly’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh, God, he’s allergic to chicken? I didn’t know, I swear! Is he okay? I didn’t hurt him, did I?”

Disbelief and hurt mixed with fury, making Piper’s gut tighten painfully. So it was Kelly. This whole fucking time. Her childhood best friend had been the one behind this all along. How had she fooled Piper so thoroughly? And why the fuck would she do this?

“How could you, Kelly? Why would you? We’re friends, and you’ve been sneaking around, messing with me?”

“No! I wasn’t doing it to hurt you!” Kelly exclaimed, eyes wide and pleading. “That’s not what I was trying to do. I wanted to help. I want you to stay.”

“You have a fucking funny way of showing it,” Piper bit out, taking a step forward as Jax wrapped a hand around her arm, holding her back.

Licking her lips nervously, Kelly’s eyes flitted behind Piper to Jax before she looked back at Piper. “I wanted you to stay. And I wanted to get you back with Jax. You two belong together, Piper. You always have. I don’t know what really happened eight years ago, but I knew you two could work it out. I haven’t seen much of him since he moved back, but what I did see confirmed that he’d turned from a good kid into a good man. You never got over him, and I didn’t think he ever got over you.”