Okay. Solid point.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I let out a hard breath as I slipped the tire on its axle.

I looked at my phone, seeing Jared’s name, and rubbed my hand down my face.

Great.

“What?” I answered, knowing he was going to bug me about that damn restraining order again.

“Jesus Christ,” he swore. “What’s crawled up your ass this summer? Every time I call you you’re bitchy.”

“Nothing. I’m nice to everyone except you.”

“Lovely,” he shot back. “Sue me for caring about you.”

“Bullying me is more like it.” I walked out of the garage, away from the half dozen other guys and their girlfriends in my driveway.

“Funny,” he said. I could hear the fake humor in his voice. “So, what’s wrong with you?”

I tightened my lips. “Nothing,” I lied. “Just busy.”

“You’re always busy.” He hesitated. “And we need to talk.”

“It’s not a good time.”

“Dad’s getting out of jail soon,” he shot out. “We need to talk.”

I squeezed the phone in my hand and calmed my voice. “My answer about the restraining order hasn’t changed.”

My father still had three years left on his sentence for drug possession and child abuse, but his time had been whittled down for good behavior and ratting out two old contacts in the drug trade.

Jared was talking to his mom’s new husband—Madoc’s dad—about getting a restraining order in place for when our father was released from prison. He wanted Thomas Trent away from him, his mom, and Tate—and I, on the other hand, welcomed my father.

I wanted to face him, and I had a contact on the inside keeping me well-informed of everything that was going on with him. His friends, his visitors, and his enemies.

“I’ll be home Friday, and we’re taking care of business.” He was telling me, not asking.

The anger warmed my whole body, but I didn’t want to get into it with him again. He was away a lot, and I loved him.

But he had to fucking stop already.

Madoc’s GTO pulled up in front of Tate’s house, and I narrowed my gaze, seeing a red Nissan 370Z cruise to a sudden halt right behind it.

Jared rambled on in my ear, but I couldn’t hear him. Why was Madoc at Tate’s house? And whose Nissan was that?

Madoc and Fallon climbed out of his car, followed by the driver of the Nissan, a tall blond yuppie who dressed a lot like Madoc with navy blue cargo shorts, an expensive-looking T-shirt, and flip-flops.

Jesus. They were walking up Tate’s walkway. Why were they walking up Tate’s walkway?

I hung up on Jared as Madoc headed my way and Fallon and the yuppie continued to Tate’s door.

“What’s up?” I jerked my chin at Madoc and gave him the usual casual handshake.

“Nothing,” he chirped innocently.

“Cut the crap. What’s with One Direction over there?”

He laughed. “Oh, you mean my buddy from Northwestern?” Asshole’s enjoying this. “His name’s Adam Larson. He’s in town visiting. Fallon and I are taking K.C. to the carnival and thought …”

But I’d stopped listening.

Peering around Madoc, I saw Juliet emerge with Shane, and it looked as though Fallon was introducing them all.

Juliet reached out her hand, shaking his, and I saw her smile.

My phone cracked in my fist, and I blinked, bringing it up to see that I’d splintered the case.

Fuck.

“Oops,” Madoc said, jeering, laughing at my cracked phone. “Someone’s mad.”

I shook my head. “What are you up to?”

He held up his hands in defense. “Nothing. I saw what happened at the party last night, and I figured you weren’t interested anymore. Adam’s a good guy. I just didn’t want K.C. to feel like a third wheel with Fallon and me at the carnival.”

“She has her cousin,” I growled through clenched teeth. “How would she be the third wheel? And her name’s Juliet. And I don’t want him anywhere near her!” I got in his face.

“Hmm …” He regarded me for a few seconds and turned to look at everyone coming down the stairs. Juliet glanced at me, looking slightly uncomfortable before turning away and letting Adam open the door for her.

She looked hot as hell, and I wanted to see her eyes again. She wore frayed jean shorts with one of Fallon’s specialty T-shirts. Black Def Lepperd logo on the front, with her smooth, tanned back peeking out of twenty or so slits running horizontally across her back. I also made out long earrings—feathers, I think. Her hair was straightened, her makeup made her glow, and my hands wanted those legs.

And she was leaving with another guy.

Madoc turned back to look at me. “If she knew she was yours, she wouldn’t have gotten in that car.”

Motherfucker.

“Took Jared eight years to pounce on Tate,” he challenged. “Thought you had more game.”

He narrowed his eyes, his point made, and stuffed his hands into his pockets before walking away. Shane climbed into Madoc’s car with Fallon, and that meant Juliet was alone with that guy.

And I watched as all of them sped away.

I tightened my fists and reached in my pocket for my keys.

“Sam.” I grabbed my T-shirt off the worktable. “Can you lock up when everyone’s gone? I need to head out for a while.”

He nodded. “Sure. Where are you going?”

I ignored him, Madoc’s words still floating in the air.

“If she knew she was yours, she wouldn’t have gotten in that car.”

No, I thought. She knew she was mine, and she shouldn’t have gotten in that car.

CHAPTER 14

JULIET

When I get my hands on you …

I texted my threat to Shane and Fallon and stuffed my phone back into my purse.

“Sorry if you were ambushed.” Adam shot me an apologetic look as he drove. “It wasn’t my idea.”

“I’m sure.” I didn’t know Fallon extremely well, but I got the impression that this was probably more Madoc’s brainchild anyway.

“But I’m kind of glad.” He flashed me an honest grin. “As long as you don’t have a boyfriend that’s going to come and beat my ass.”

I sucked in a shaky breath, immediately thinking of Jax, which was strange, since I’d just broken up with Liam. Shouldn’t I have thought of Liam when Adam said “boyfriend?”

“Nope,” I rushed out. “No boyfriend.”

“Good.” He relaxed into his seat, doing the guy thing like Jax. But not doing it nearly as well.

Adam’s body wasn’t long, and it didn’t fill the space the same way. His car was more compact, and I didn’t feel the quivers in my thighs the way I did when Jax’s Mustang vibrated under my body.

Adam’s car was fun. Jax’s car was a threat.

Oh, my God. Why was I comparing them? Jax wasn’t making me any promises. And Adam was only here for a few days.

Both were unavailable, in my opinion, and I was a free agent.

Just have fun at the carnival, Juliet.

We pulled into the fairgrounds and parked on the grassy field, right next to Madoc’s car.

As soon as I stepped out of the car, I smiled.

County fairs were held at the town’s established fairgrounds, not far from the Loop, and today was probably the best day to come. Being that it was midafternoon, the temperature had to be pushing a hundred degrees already, and I was already sticky. While some hated that, I loved it.

The fuzzy lights in the distance cast a spectacular glow of reds, greens, yellows, and blues, and the sounds of carnival life filled the thick, hot air, making me want to smile.

Eighties music crackled over cheap speakers, riders screamed as their roller coasters whipped them through the air, and intercoms blared names of the latest winners of the ring toss and duck pond, while the sharp pop of the balloon-and-dart game cut through my ears.

I inhaled the hot scent of funnel cake, mixed with sickly sweet cotton candy, and clutched the hem of my shorts at my sides as we traipsed through the high grass to the entrance. With the sun beating down on my shoulders, and the sweat already dripping down my back, I licked my lips, tasting the dirt in the air.

Cheap carnivals grossed a lot of people out. They were grungy and dilapidated, and they attracted deviants.

At least, that was what my mother had told me.

The only reason she ever came was to work a stand, signing up people for the Garden Club, the Rotary Club, or whatever election candidate she was supporting that year.

I never wanted to be a part of that, though. I never wanted to be stuck inside the old banquet hall at the fairgounds with the air-conditioning. There was just something completely raw about the atmosphere outside. About the sweat, the heat, and the dirt.

I couldn’t explain it, and I was always ashamed of it, but I felt primal here. I loved the carnival. For all the reasons my mother hated it.

Walking in, we purchased bracelets that would allow us to ride as much as we wanted until closing, and then we went for food.

“Hot dog,” Fallon ordered, digging in her purse.

Madoc came up behind her, sucking on her neck. “Save your appetite. I’ve got a foot-long for later.”