What the hell was happening to him? He’d only been back a few days and he’d experienced lust, jealousy, bonding with one of his siblings, and this serious pain in his chest when he’d looked at his dad. He needed to keep to himself from now on, and get through his visit. Things would settle down again when he got back to work.

Chapter 13

Two weeks after Dylan Howard had kissed every thought from her head, Piper listened to the phone ring in her ear, waiting for Joanie to pick up. She’d been feeling edgy since leaving Rummer, constant worry gnawing at her. Was Joanie still using? Was that asshole ex of hers still around? Was Grace safe?

“Come on, we’re short a player, so you’ll do.”

“What?” Jack was standing in the doorway to her bedroom. Hair not brushed, he’d thrown on a singlet and shorts.

“It’s freezing, put on a sweater,” Piper said. “And no to playing.” She cut the call and glared at the phone. Why was Joanie not answering?

“I’m warm-blooded, baby, unlike you. Now move it.”

They shared a house, him, Luke, Piper, and her mom. A big old farmhouse they’d spent many hours renovating—and plenty of heated debates. For the most they cohabited well, but sometimes she wanted to slap her cousins for their hygiene habits and other annoying little traits she’d thought cute once... a long time ago.

“We’re due to play ball in thirty minutes against the Pissants, and we had two pull out, so hustle it.”

“Peasants, Jack. They call themselves the Pilker Peasants.”

Jack was the middle Trainer. Tall, dark, and sexy according to the woman Piper had encountered... who wanted to talk to her simply because she was related to three of the most handsome men in Ryker, apparently.

Little did those women know that they left their rooms a mess and dirty dishes on the bench.

“I don’t have time for this, Jack.”

“Sure you do. You’re all bent out of shape at the moment; it’ll do you good to get up a sweat and spend some time with your cousins.”

“I live with two of you!”

“Like I said, bent out of shape.”

Piper inhaled as she let her eyes move around her room. Her space, as she termed it. Warm sun-kissed walls, woven burnt-orange floor rugs, and one huge picture of the sunset taken with Phil and Roxy in the background. She loved it in here because when she looked out the windows she saw that exact scene.

“All right, but I have two conditions.”

He looked wary. “Shoot.”

“You, Joe, and Luke come and look at that house with me after we’ve had food and showers.”

“Okay, although why you’d want to buy that heap I don’t know, when you have a perfectly good place to live here.”