Broken Pieces (Riverdale #2) Read online

  He paused and turned around, ready to taunt Luke. His eyes did a double take when he saw Sam crouched over the backseat of her car, unbuckling Ava’s seat belt. He pushed his glasses to the top of his head and watched the two blondes holding hands walk towards him. They were a sight, one that made Nick’s heart throb to the same beat as his head.

  “Hi.” She said softly, stopping just a few feet in front of him.

  “Hey.” He said and took a sip of his coffee, in an attempt to stop himself from leaning in and pressing his mouth to hers. He didn’t give a damn that his mouth wasn’t welcome on hers or that there was a kid present. He looked down at the pint size version of Sam and winked. “Hey kiddo.”

  Ava grinned up at Nick; her toothless grin sucker punching him right in the gut. “Hi Nick.” She said cheerfully, swinging her hand that held her aunts.

  “Is Luke here by any chance?” Sam asked, forcing Nick to take his eyes off of Ava.

  Nick’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why is he supposed to meet you here?”

  Sam eyed Ava and sighed. She didn’t want to worry her niece, but she needed to talk to Nick to see if he had any insight as to where Luke had disappeared too. Nick must’ve read her mind or saw the concern for Ava in her eyes because he bent down so he was eye level with Ava.

  “Ava, in my office there is a huge jar with change in it. Why don’t you go see how much you can fill your pockets with and if it’s okay with your aunt, we’ll hit the arcade and see if we can win some prizes. How’s that sound?”

  Ava’s eyes lit up like the Vegas Strip and she peered up at Sam. “Can we?”

  Nick and Ava both looked at Sam to gauge her reaction. Her eyes met Nick’s first and he arched an eyebrow questioning her much as her niece had. Between the two of them and their puppy dog eyes, how could she ever say no? She was actually beginning to forget why she was even there in the first place. It was as if she came here to spend the afternoon with Nick and Ava instead of drop Ava off to Luke.

  “Sure.” Sam said and as soon as the word slipped from her mouth, Ava took off towards the office to invade the change jar. She watched her disappear into the office before she slowly turned her attention towards Nick. “I’ve been calling him all morning. Originally the plan had been for me to drop Ava off at his house by nine this morning. He wasn’t home and he hasn’t answered his phone.” She let out a deep breath, not realizing she was rambling.

  Nick put the cup of coffee, in his hand down on a portable tool chest. He placed his hands on her shoulders, softly. “Calm down.” His voice was soothing. “I’m sure he’s fine.” He saw the fear in her eyes, and on the heels of losing one brother, the emotions were coming to the surface.

  She closed her eyes briefly before she nodded in agreement. “Did he get drunk last night?”

  “After I spoke to you I went upstairs. He said he was staying since you had Ava and Leah was working.” He dropped his hands from her shoulders and stuffed them into his pockets because all wanted to do was bring her soft body against his. “Maybe he’s with Leah.”

  Sam ran her tongue over her lip absent-mindedly before she began to chew on it. His words rang in her head that after he spoke to her he went upstairs. She wanted to ask if he went upstairs alone or with his old friend that Phillip had called her about. She shook her head, what was wrong with her? She needed to be worried about Luke and his whereabouts not Nick and his bedmates. She eyed him suspiciously, to hell with what he thought, if she found out he had bedded the long lost friend she’d kill him.

  “What’s with the look?” He asked as she glared at him.

  “You left him alone in a bar to hook up with an old friend?” She crossed her arms at her chest, hating herself for being weak enough to care.

  Nick bit the inside of his cheek before his lips curved into a grin. He watched the anger in her eyes spear him and his grin only widened. “Watch out baby, you sound a little jealous.”

  Sam rolled her eyes. “Jealous? No. Surprised? Yes, that you would leave your friend drunk in a bar to go get off.” Nick’s brows arched as the grin stayed firmly planted. He closed the space between them.

  “First, your brother is a grown man who can take care of himself. If he had met someone do you think he would’ve asked me to come along for the ride?”

  Sam couldn’t look at him; he had all but confirmed that he had been with another woman. She looked at the cement floor and tried to come up with a response. He put his finger under her chin and tilted it upward so that her eyes peered up at him from under her eyelashes.

  “After I spoke to you, I went upstairs alone.” He said his voice barely audible as he leaned closer to her ear. His breath on her earlobe sent shivers down her spine. “And the only thing I got off to was picturing your sweet face when I make you come.”

  He dropped the finger that held her chin up and took a step back. Sam swallowed hard as his words resulted in a pool of lust between her legs. She pressed her thighs together tightly and was sure her entire body was red from the flames that were coursing through her.

  “Shit! Sam I’m sorry, where’s Ava?” Luke said as he ran into the garage. Neither Nick nor Sam had even heard his car pull into the lot, both more engrossed in each other to have heard him.

  Nick shifted the waistband of his jeans trying to alleviate some of the pressure in his groin. He turned around and peered at Luke, his eyes widening as he took in the mess that his friend was. He was dressed in the same clothes as he had been the night before. His hair was disheveled and he had a day’s worth of hair growth along his jaw. His eyes were bloodshot. Nick leaned closer and was shocked to find Luke’s neck loaded with hickeys. He grinned. “Well look at you, Lanza.”.” Nick laughed out loud at the sight of his friend.

  Luke stared daggers at Nick before turning towards his sister. “I’m really sorry.”

  Sam’s eyes were wide as she shook her head. “No need to be sorry.” She stammered. “Are you okay?” She cocked her head to the side and gave him a quick assessment. She had never seen her brother look like this before, this was so out of character for him.

  Luke swiped his hands over his face. “Yeah I’m fine.” He said, unsure of himself.

  “What the hell happened after I left you, man?” Nick asked as he scratched the stubble growing along his own jaw. Luke shot him a warning glance and Nick looked baffled. What happened to telling each other what crazy shit they had gotten themselves into? Usually it was Nick doing the half-witted disasters not Luke, and now he wasn’t even going to share?

  “Where’s Ava?” Luke turned towards Sam.

  “She’s in the office, Nick promised to take her to the arcade.” Sam crossed her arms and peered at Nick. “Didn’t you?”

  Nick smiled. “Yeah, so?” He turned back to Luke. “Johnny’s got everything under control in the shop. You look like you need, I don’t know, sleep, a shower, maybe a pot of coffee. We’ll take care of Ava.”

  “No.” Sam smiled sweetly. “You’ll take care of Ava, I have an appointment.”

  Nick’s grin fell slowly. What did he know about taking care of a kid? When he offered to take Ava to the arcade he thought Sam would come with them. Luke looked at Nick as if he was his savior.

  “Really? Thanks man. I appreciate it.” Luke said. “I’ll just go check in with her and then the two of you can take off.” He patted Nick’s shoulder. “I owe you one, man.”

  Before Nick could protest or kick and scream that he wasn’t fit to hang out with a child, Luke took off towards the office to seek out his daughter. Sam smiled sweetly at Nick, her blue eyes glinting with mischief. She puckered her full lips and blew him a kiss.

  “Have fun.” She whispered before she sashayed towards the lot. Nick’s eyes fell to her ass watching as her jean shorts fitted like a second skin over that tight ass. He shook his head. She wasn’t getting away with it. He took two strides and looped his finger into the belt loop of her shorts and tugged her against him tightly.

  He leaned over her should
er and took her earlobe between his lips. “You trying to play with me, Samantha?” He whispered huskily.

  “No.” She choked out. She felt all his hard ridges against her including his cock that was straining against her lower back. “I’m going to be late.”

  “Late?” He asked as he indulged in her scent. Her shampoo was like an aphrodisiac.

  His hand skimmed her side and she closed her eyes as her nipples hardened. She damned herself to hell for allowing her body to react to him this way. She had no control. “I have…” What did she have? Oh, right nothing she just wanted to see him squirm for a while. Yeah, that worked well, she was the only one doing the squirming.

  “Hmm…” He murmured as he splayed his palms against her thighs and pressed her back into his erection. “Come with me.” He said huskily.

  God, did she want to. She closed her eyes and chastised herself, he meant for her to come to the arcade with him. “I really can’t.” She found her voice and slowly turned, since he hadn’t let go of her she turned in his arms and faced him. “I can meet you there if anything.” She wasn’t about to tell him that her appointment consisted of getting whatever dirt she could about last night from Phillip and Mallory. “What’s the matter Nick? Are you scared of a seven year old?” She said playfully.

  His eyes were planted firmly on her mouth as he spoke. “Just meet us at the arcade.” He said slowly. He could handle Ava; there wasn’t a doubt in his mind. Okay, well, maybe that was a lie, but he wouldn’t let Sam know otherwise.

  She stared up at him and without allowing herself to second guess her actions she lifted her hand to caress his cheek. “Okay.” She agreed.

  Ava came running out of the office, with a brutally wounded Luke following close behind. “Okay guys, I’m ready!” She smiled boisterously and patted her pockets. “I’m locked and loaded!” She made an attempt to wink at Nick.

  He released Sam and laughed at Ava. He suddenly wasn’t nervous about spending the afternoon with her; she was his kind of kid. He held out his hand and she slapped hers into his palm.

  “Alright, let’s get going. We’ve got games to play and prizes to win.” He nodded over towards Luke and in their silent code they had their own understandable conversation.

  Sam shook her head, and resolved, she’d never get the whole guy code thing. She watched as Nick led Ava out of the garage. Ava turned and looked over her shoulder at her aunt.

  “Aren’t you coming Aunt Sam?”

  “She’s going to meet us there, kiddo.” Nick said and eyed Sam.

  Sam nodded. “I’ll see you in a little while.”

  “Okay.” Ava said happily and skipped off with Nick’s hand held tightly in hers. They were some pair Sam thought as she her heart pounded watching them.

  * * * * * *

  Sam walked into the small coffee shop on Main Street, the smell of the different brews kicked her senses into high gear and she craved a hazelnut coffee as if her life depended on it. She quickly found Mallory and Phillip sitting in a booth both wearing sunglasses and propping their heads up with the palm of their hands. They looked as if they could shake hands with Luke. Apparently, Sam missed a good night out.

  She sighed and made her way towards them. When she reached the booth, she chose to slide in beside Mallory. Her eyes went back and forth between the two of them and she shook her head, signaling for the barista.

  “Rough night, apparently.” She remarked.

  “Girlfriend, you have no idea.” Phillip answered miserably.

  The barista came over and Sam placed her order quickly before she looked over at Mallory. She appeared to be sleeping. Sam nudged her with her elbow.

  “I’m awake!” She blurted and sat straight up. She turned and looked at Sam. “When did you get here?”

  “Oh my God, is everyone in this town suffering a hangover, except me?” Sam asked.

  “You missed a good night.” Mallory said as she pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head.

  “Yeah, I got that much.” Sam said and looked across the table at Phillip. “So how about you start by telling me what that little phone call was last night?”

  Phillip shrugged his shoulders and pointed an accusing finger towards her. “Why don’t you start by telling us when you decided to drop the ball with hot stuff?”

  “I didn’t drop the ball. I ended any sexual relationship is all I did.” She said as the barista placed her coffee in front of her. She reached across the table and made a grab for the sugar, but Mallory decided to hold it hostage.

  “You ended sex with the man we call Sex on a Stick? Are you out of your mind?” She looked at Phillip. “I think the peroxide has gone to her head.”

  “I agree.”

  Sam glared at him, outraged. “You were the one who told me I was playing with fire!”

  “I take it back.” He said innocently and as if there was nothing wrong with retracting his previous statement.

  “You can’t take it back!” She said outraged.

  “Of course I can especially after seeing how bent out of shape he was that you ended it with him.”

  Sam raised her eyebrows as she took a sip of her coffee. “Explain.”

  “He grabbed my phone right out of my hand. He said if I had any questions about what was going on with the two of you to ask you because he had no idea.”

  “And then he left as if we ruined his good time.” Mallory added for good measure.

  Sam blushed as she remembered his words from earlier.

  “What’s with the look?” Mallory asked as she stared at Sam skeptically.

  Sam shook her head as if to shake Nick out of it. “I can’t go on playing between the sheets with Nick because I’m going to fall in love with him.” She left out the fact that she was teetering on the edge and had possibly already fallen in love with the son of a bitch.

  “Oh, she’s gone.” Mallory said as she studied her friend before turning to Phillip. “She’s so far gone she doesn’t even realize it. Pity.” She shook her head sadly.

  “What are you talking about?” Sam asked as she rolled her eyes.

  “You are in love with him already dimwit! Now grab your big girl panties and claim the man as your own. Enough of this pussy footing around already it’s getting tired!” Mallory exclaimed exasperatedly.

  Phillip pointed to Mallory. “She’s right, you know. You’re only spiting yourself at this point. It’s obvious you’re head over heels for the man. Might as well stake your claim, before you give him the wrong idea and some hussy sinks her nails into those delicious shoulders.” Phillip sighed dreamily as he envisioned Nick’s broad shoulders.

  “So what the two of you are saying is that I should tell him I love him and that I want to be with him?”

  “Yes!” Both friends said in unison.

  “You guys are still drunk.” Sam said as she looked at them disbelievingly.

  * * * * * *

  Nick sat across from Ava. They were surrounded by stuffed animals that they had won in the course of an hour. They decided to take a pizza break, and just as they had finished getting all the prizes situated around the table with them the waitress brought over their pie and a pitcher of soda. He leaned over and placed a slice on her plate before he poured her some of the soda. He wondered if he should cut it up or something for her, but then she folded the triangular slice of pizza and took a hefty bite. Phew, he made a mental note that a seven year old can feed herself pizza and helped himself to a slice.

  Ava’s mouth was half full when she opened it to speak. “Aunt Sam is missing out on all the fun.” Then she asked as she kicked her legs freely while she chewed. “Are you and Aunt Sam boyfriend and girlfriend?”

  Nick choked on his pizza. What did Luke’s daughter possibly know about boyfriends and girlfriends? Nick was thirty-one and had no clue about them. “What do you know about boyfriends and girlfriends?” He said as he reached for his soda. Hoping the big gulp would help the pizza go down.

  Ava went to take
another bite, but stopped to answer Nick. “Well, I don’t have one or anything.” Nick’s eyes widened as he gulped the soda. “But Cara was, Uncle Jake’s girlfriend and Leah is kind of my dad’s girlfriend.”

  “And you think I’m your aunt’s boyfriend?” Nick asked as Ava nodded and took another bite of her pizza. Nick didn’t know how to answer her and he knew he couldn’t tell her it was complicated.

  “You look like boyfriend and girlfriend. I bet you even tell each other you love each other. Uncle Jake and Cara would say it all the time. Do you tell Aunt Sam you love her?” She took another bite and Nick swallowed hard. He didn’t remember feeling like this when he was shackled in a holding cell all those years ago, right now he felt like the walls were closing in on him as he was being interrogated by a child.

  “You know what your right Aunt Sam and I do sometimes act as if we’re boyfriend and girlfriend.” He grabbed the back of his neck, trying to figure what else to say.

  Ava looked up at him and smiled. “If Uncle Jake didn’t have to go to heaven to take care of the angels, he and Cara would’ve been married and she would’ve been my aunt. Are you going to be my uncle?” Her eyes grew wide it seemed she liked the idea of Nick as her uncle.

  Sam walked into the arcade, her head reeling from her two best friends and their input on her love life. When she spotted Nick and Ava her heart flipped in her chest. They looked adorable sitting at a table with half a dozen stuffed animals, sharing a pizza. She was in trouble, Phillip and Mallory were right, she wasn’t going to fall in love with Nick. She was in love with him. She was head over heels in love with the man who had already broken her heart once before. She was doomed.

  She quietly made her way towards them. They were in deep conversation she mused and didn’t even notice her.

  “Anyone ever tell you that you ask a lot of questions?” He asked as he swiped his hand down his face. Ava shrugged her shoulders and grinned at him before taking another bite of her pizza. Nick blew out a breath. “They say kids say things adults are too chicken to say.” He said more to himself than to Ava. He didn’t remember where he had heard that saying, but it rang true. “I’m not Aunt Sam’s boyfriend, Ava.”