Love Hurts: The Love Duet Read online

  What the hell happened to him? Mum and Dad told me about the ambush his commando team found themselves in the middle of over in Afghanistan. They told me about the Steel brothers and the injuries they sustained, Steel being the worst of the twins having lost a leg from the knee down. Mannix lost an eye amongst other things when he got back from some rest and relaxation.

  The whole team suffered horribly that day, Booth lost his younger brother in the shittiest way imaginable. But it was Creed I felt more empathy for, he had been slammed with a loss not many men could come back from easily, if ever. Seeing him over by the bar away from the rest of the members, his face passive and unsmiling. That hit me harder than I thought it would, Creed would always smile whenever he hung out at my childhood home. Seeing him half the man he used to be emotionally wasn’t fair.

  Giving Creed a chin lift and getting one back in return, I looked back at my brother.

  “Glad you made it home in one piece brother,” I told him honestly. It was good to see him again, after such a long time apart.

  “Me too Jason, me too,” Deck replied wearily, sounding older than our thirty-one years. All of a sudden, a sense of relief flowed over me that I didn’t follow him into the service, and chose instead to be a cop. My years making of my way up to detective a lot easier than Deck’s journey.

  “Mum send you?”

  I laughed as I held out my hand to him, which thankfully he took straight away without hesitation.

  “How’d you know.”

  “Because she has been ringing me and annoying the piss out of me for the last week. I swear her guilt trips have gained more momentum in ten years,” Deck said, pumping my hand a few times, then slapped me on the shoulder.

  “That they have, just you wait until she starts in with the ‘make me a grandma’ crap,” I said shuddering at the memory of last week’s lecture she gave me when I dropped in for lunch.

  “Well she is wasting her time mate, there ain’t no way my boys are hitting any targets. I keep him wrapped and wrapped tight.” Deck signalled for the bartender to bring two beers. A pretty girl with dark brown, almost chocolate hair and the same coloured eyes. She looked pretty young to be serving alcohol, the cop in me stood to attention as I watched her with a critical eye.

  “Put the badge away Jason, Mia is eighteen and very legal. We don’t do underage anything here at the compound, behind the bar or behind closed doors.” Deck told me firmly, and I believed him.

  I smiled at the pretty brunette when she placed the bottle of VB in front of me, she smiled back but it didn’t hit her eyes. Eyes that were busy looking over my shoulder, shifting on the barstool, I followed her gaze to Steel and a dolled up blonde woman. This being the first time I have seen Cooper Steel since he lost a leg. The man was tall, fucking tall, at least six-foot-five. He was what the ladies classed as pretty, Hollywood handsome and he was a playboy. The blonde that was currently dripping off him was more plastic than real, her fake laughter matched her fake nails and boobs.

  “But it seems you do drama here,” I stated tipping my bottle at the flirty couple then back to Mia, who was busy trying to look like she wasn’t affected by seeing Steel being clawed at and groped.

  Deck sighed as he took a pull of his beer, “Mia is barking up the wrong tree there. Callie has her claws so far into Steel he has no hope, and neither does she. Want me to introduce you to Mia? Though she is a little young for you.”

  I choked on the amber liquid, nearly spitting it over the worn bar top.

  “Hell no, I don’t. Thanks brother, but I don’t need any help meeting women.”

  And I didn’t because dating was not on the cards for me any time soon. Fuck the most action my cock had seen lately was with my right hand, and on special occasions, my left hand.

  It had practically been that way since that night in the hospital when my Nymph gave me a brief taste of heaven.

  “Good to know my little brother learned how to use his dick for something else other than wanking.”

  Glaring at Deck, I mulled over using my gun and shooting him. Not to kill him, just to maim the bastard.

  “Get fucked dickhead. You have no idea how debilitating it is to have the same face as you.” I threw back at him, our banter back in full swing.

  “You should be thanking me tick turd, looking like me is your ticket to pussy paradise.”

  “Aww isn’t it sweet to see the Johnston twins together again. It’s almost as if the last ten years never happened and we are in your lounge room,” a deep amused voice said from behind me.

  Without looking, I let out a chuckle, “Hey Booth, good to see you made it back, mate,” I said without thinking, cursing my stupid brother for putting me in a foul mood and saying something horribly inappropriate.

  Spinning around I faced the president of the Wounded Souls, up close and not on his bike I was reminded of how powerful he looked. Yeah, he was tall and built like the rest of them, but he had a quality about him. Noble, honourable which made him seem unreachable.

  “Fuck Booth, I didn’t mean it the way it came out. I heard about Carson and I am truly sorry mate.” I apologised and held out my hand which he shook immediately.

  “You said nothing wrong Jay, being here and whole with my team is a blessing. Just wish I could have brought them all back in one piece,” he said and I knew he was not only speaking of his blood brother who died over there, but of Steel and Mannix too. All of them had suffered in some way. Physically or mentally, or both.

  In my peripheral vision I saw the big man, Darth, walking with two women, a sexy blonde woman, she had on a pair of blood-red high heels and a pair of skin-tight jeans, her long blonde hair falling around her shoulders like a waterfall. The other woman was blonde also but her hair was curly and shorter kind of like—.

  “Holy fuck me, no way.” The words tumbled out of my mouth a prayer, every nerve cell in my body came to life, my heart beat a thunderous thump.

  “It can’t be her, ten fucking years and all of a sudden she is right in front of me.” I was talking out loud, I couldn’t stop myself. I felt the stare of eyes on me, but I couldn’t find it in myself to give a fuck.

  Ten fucking years!

  “Ah Jason? You good mate?” Booth asked me sounding a mixture of concerned and amused.

  “Fuck, you are fucking weird,” Deck said, sounding exactly like he always did when he threw his insults at me.

  Raising my hand, I pointed in the direction of the small area that looked like a makeshift dance floor. Darth was standing to the side of the small square leaning against a large black speaker box watching the two women, who were now dancing to a fast-paced rock song. Thankfully I also noticed the big man only had eyes for red heels, not my blonde Nymph. That was a very good thing, mainly because there was no need for me to knock Darth out. I had fought Darth once before back before they went into the army, he had been big back then, but now … the man was a behemoth.

  Pointing my focus back at the dancers, one of them in particular, I watched her curvy hips moved erotically, and her perfect tits swayed deliciously to the beat of the music. The whole time my mouth was dry, and my cock moved behind my zipper coming to life just the same way he did that night in the waiting room.

  “That woman you are panting over is Zoe, you want me to introduce you?” Booth asked me, breaking into my dirty thoughts.

  “Huh?”

  “He doesn’t need an introduction Pres, he met her years ago, I believe,” Deck said with amusement.

  The lust-filled fog my brain was just in, cleared enough to hear what my brother just said to me, heard it but not understanding it. Had Zoe told Deck about our encounter all those years ago?

  “What?”

  “Zoe told me that she kissed you that night when Mum was in the hospital,” he said shrugging.

  “She told you?” I asked, gaping at him. His body language and causal bored tone suggested he didn’t give a shit that the woman he was involved with had kissed me senseless while
grinding into my crotch like a cowgirl riding a saddle.

  “Sure, we are friends. She tells me everything.”

  I frowned at my brother, well a different version of my brother. Once upon a time this kind of conversation would have ended in a fist fight in the backyard, Mum standing on the porch yelling at us to stop giving the neighbours a show.

  “So, you are saying, that your girlfriend told you she kissed me, mistaking me for you and you don’t care?” I asked slowly.

  “Couldn’t give a shit actually. And for your information, Zoe is not and has never been my girlfriend,” Deck announced then pushed out of the stool and walked off towards the pool table.

  Pursing my lips, I gave him a ‘Yeah right’ look, not believing him for a second.

  “She ain’t. They hooked up until a month ago.” Booth told me, picking up his beer, “Since then he hasn’t been with her, not sure why. Deck said he isn’t interested anymore. Just friends,” he said, putting the bottle to his lips taking a long pull.

  “And she still comes here?”

  “Yeah, she is good friends with Vegas, that’s the woman she is dancing with in there.”

  I looked over at the girls again, both of them laughing and having a good time. Deck walked passed them and stopped long enough to drop a kiss on each of their cheeks, then continued to the men playing pool.

  My Nymph, or Zoe, a fucking beautiful name, just smiled at my brother then continued to dance as if seeing Deck didn’t worry her in any way.

  Fuck she is gorgeous, even more than ten years ago. I want her, I need her, my cock needs to sink so deep inside of her and stay there for the rest of my life.

  Setting my bottle back down, I too pushed up from the barstool.

  “Going for it,” Booth said, not phrasing it like a question.

  Was I? Deck had had her after all, for how long and how seriously I wasn’t sure. I always made it a rule never to go after any of Deck’s ex-girlfriends, it worried me that they were seeing Deck and not me. And yet here I was, thinking of doing that very thing with Zoe.

  “They were never serious Jay, he hooked up with her before we joined up and then later whenever he came back on R and R, that’s it,” Booth said to me but he wasn’t looking at me, his eyes were fixed on the plastic barbie doll hanging off Steel, a disgusted look on his face. “Fucking idiot,” he growled then stalked to the other end of the large room and through a dark hallway.

  Steel was dancing with the bimbo, his limp very noticeable, if his dance partner saw this she didn’t seem to care as she made him pick her up and spin her around, his leg nearly buckling under the extra weight.

  Shaking my head, I quickly forgot about the couple and ambled slowly towards Zoe, who was on the dance floor by herself swaying to the slower song now playing. Vegas, I think Booth called her was currently wrapped in Darth’s arms.

  Obviously, my mind made up to go after my brother’s ex.

  Getting closer, I could smell the scent of flowers, exactly the same that had once stayed on my shirt for three days.

  With her back still to me I took advantage, snaking my arms around her waist I pushed my face into her neck.

  “Remember me Nymph?” I whispered against her ear, loving the shiver and tremble from her.

  With a surprised gasp, Zoe turned in my arms, her pale green eyes wide with shock.

  “Jason?” she breathed. And that was all it took for my cock to get happy again.

  One breathy word.

  My name. She remembered my name!

  “Long time no see,” I said with a smirk, keeping her close against my chest. Her full breasts pressed flat on me.

  “Jason, I… oh my god… it’s good to see you.” She finally got out, her cheeks flushing an adorable shade of pink. I was happy to see she didn’t look guilty or embarrassed, and that she didn’t look over at Deck. My back was to the pool table, but surely, he was seeing this go down.

  Her smile lit up her stunning face, seemingly very genuine. My gaze fell immediately to her full pink-stained lips and fuck me if I didn’t need a taste. For years I fell asleep with the memory of her sweetness, drowning in the memory.

  “Good to see you too,” I told her, then took her mouth in a deep searing kiss. Three thousand six hundred and fifty nights of dreaming, and suddenly, I was kissing her again while standing in my brother’s compound.

  Spreading my legs slightly I pulled her closer until she was moulded in between my legs, her stomach pressed against my aching crotch. With my arms wrapped around her lower back, I had us impossibly and wonderfully close.

  For long minutes, I moved my lips over hers, nipping and sucking, my tongue battling erotically with hers. Her sexy as fuck moans driving me to grind myself into her, my control completely off the scale.

  Bending at the knees, I lifted her off the ground, her legs dangling against mine. Secretly, I wished she would replicate that night and wrap her legs around my waist bringing her core where I needed it the most. She didn’t but that was probably for the best, considering our audience.

  Reluctantly ending the kiss, I held my lips against hers panting heavily, Zoe just as out of breath as me.

  “Go out with me?” I asked her urgently, holding my breath. Why the fuck I am nervous I don’t know. Zoe seemed more than happy to see me again if that kiss was anything to go off. I still didn’t know how she felt about Deck or what kind of relationship they had or have now. I wasn’t one for my brother’s off-casts, but Zoe was more than that, at least she was to me.

  What I did know was Deck had a fight on his hands, because I was not backing down, not this time, not with this woman.

  I felt her fist the sides of my shirt, her lips smiling against mine.

  “When.”

  Thank the fucking Lord.

  Chapter 6

  The second punch was delivered to my gut while I was still recovering from the clip to my jaw. Somehow Darth didn’t get the memo that this was supposed to be a friendly sparing session, because the big bastard was kicking the shit out of me. I was definitely rethinking my decision to come to the club’s gym and ask Darth for help with my boxing.

  “Fucking hell Darth, I have a fucking date tonight,” I groaned holding one hand to my stomach and the other on my throbbing jaw. If he knocked a tooth loose he was getting his dick chopped off and shoved down his throat. Giving my jaw an experimental swivel from side to side, I decided that Darth could keep his cock for now.

  “Seeing Zoe, I know,” Darth said in his usual way, with as few words as possible and right to the point.

  Raising my brows at him I waited.

  “I sleep with her best friend, she keeps nothing from me,” he explained, then unlaced his boxing gloves with his teeth, ending the explanation.

  Okay then, lesson for the future, talk to Zoe about certain boundaries where our personal business is concerned.

  Was I getting ahead of myself? Probably. Here I was thinking about the future and we had yet to have our first date. Not only that, I was assuming the future was going to include Zoe and me as a couple. It was a lot of presuming I admit, but I couldn’t comprehend a future without her. For ten years I stopped myself from finding a future because as far as I had been concerned I found the one in a hospital hallway, all from mistaken identity.

  Three days ago, when she agreed to go out with me on a date and not at the compound, I had hardly slept since. A part of me wanted her away from his environment and more importantly, away from Deck until I saw her tonight. I was justified in my way of thinking, Deck’s and my history when it came to women warranted it. We had little trust in one another when it came to most aspects of our lives, and the fairer sex was no exception.

  Zoe was the key to my happiness, that much I knew, everything else was still up in the air until we talked tonight, in private.

  Getting my gloves off as fast as I could, I threw them to the floor of the boxing ring then walked to the corner ropes where my sweat pants were and dug my phone out of the poc
ket.

  Swiping the screen open, I pulled up Zoe’s number and hit the text command. Luckily, I’d had enough brain function after the surprise of seeing her again and that amazing kiss, to ask her for her number.

  Me You aren’t going to leave me sitting alone at the restaurant tonight are you?

  Hitting send, I watched for the message status to be announced read. It didn’t take too much watching the screen before it changed from delivered to read then the bubbles appeared telling me she was typing back.

  My Nymph Never!!!!

  Reading her exuberant response, I threw my head back and let out a loud relieved sigh.

  Me Thank fuck.

  Again, the bubbles appeared immediately.

  My Nymph Xoxo

  Remembering I was in a gym full of sweaty men, I stowed my excitement. Darth was likely to rib me for the rest of my life if he found out I was giddy over texting, or that my heart was going a million miles an hour seeing a xoxo message. The last thing Darth could be accused of was being a romantic. Vegas might say different, but the man I knew and had known since I was a young teen… nope, no way.

  Gathering up the clothes I threw on the floor forty minutes ago, I headed down from the ring and towards the locker rooms. My original plan was to head to my place and get ready for my date after working out with Darth, if getting pummelled by Darth could be classed as a workout. Now though, instead I had to drop by the station and question a suspect over a spate of home invasions in the area. As one of the senior detectives on the case, it was my job and responsibility to be there at the questioning.

  The case was starting to take a violent turn, at first it was just theft. Houses getting broken into and small items nicked such as jewellery, money jars on the kitchen counter and stuff like that. It was the MO of teens with nothing better to do.