The Risks We Take Duet Box Set

12. Cooper

COOPER

C arys’s dorm didn’t seem as small the other night, when it was just the two of us in here, as it does now with Axe, Linc, Trick, and me all inside the door, waiting for instructions. The girls don’t seem to have that much to move.

Emerson circles her arms around Linc’s neck and whispers something in his ear before he smacks her ass and grabs three suitcases. “Come on, guys, let’s get this done and get out of here.”

“Oh yeah, Linc. What do you get when you get this done? Ya gonna share with the team?” Axe grabs a couple of bags and follows behind Linc.

“Fuck off, Axe.” Linc’s definitely not sharing this time. Pretty sure they’ve shared a few times before, but he’s possessive as hell around Emerson already. She means something to him. Something big... important. And Linc isn’t the kind of guy who gets attached. He’s had a shit life, and I count myself lucky to have him as one of my friends.

The door shuts behind them, and Emerson tosses two plastic totes at Trick. “We really appreciate your help, guys.” She adds one more on top of the pile, effectively covering his eyes, and opens the door for him. “Follow my voice to the elevator.”

Carys is bent over in the closet, wearing gray cotton booty shorts, the curve of her ass peeking out, and a black Kings T-shirt with Sinclair written across the back and Declan’s number displayed under it. The fucked-up caveman in me doesn’t like my brother’s number on her back, even if my name is above it. But the logical side of my brain knows this is my stepsister. Declan’s stepsister. And it shouldn’t matter that she’s wearing that shirt.

Fucking logic’s got nothing on how I feel since she invaded my every waking thought and half my damn dreams a week ago. If her brother knew the thoughts I’m having right now... Well, he’d kill me, and rightfully so.

Fuck . It’s like my damn heart is going to war with my brain.

And when did my heart get involved?

I clear my throat, and thankfully, she stands up. “What do you need me to carry?”

Carys points toward the box on her desk. “That’s my sewing machine. Could you please be extra careful with it?”

“Sure.”

She smiles at me. “Thanks for your help, Coop.”

And damn , that smile gets me every time. I run my hand over the back of her head and under her hair before squeezing the back of her neck. “Whatever you need.” Three simple words that I mean from the depths of my soul. I’m not sure when my feelings changed, when they went from awareness to attraction that’s now turned into pure need. But they have.

Something about this innocent exchange just did me in. I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and run my thumb over her fluttering pulse. Carys releases the prettiest sigh just before the door slams open, and I drop my hand back down to my side like I need to sever a connection before I get shocked.

Carys’s emerald-green eyes are wide and locked on me.

Questions linger behind them.

Yeah, baby. I’ve got them too.

But instead of answering any of them now, I pick up the box with her sewing machine in it and carry it down to my Jeep.

I t doesn’t take long to get the girls’ things moved over to the new house and for Carys and Emerson to direct us where their boxes need to go. Once everything is in and situated, Emerson grabs her keys. “Okay, CC and I are going to Target to get some new sheets and necessities. Buuuuut...” she drags the word out. “We’d love you guys to come back tonight for a thank-you dinner.”

Linc throws his arm around her waist. “You cook too?”

“Ha. That would be a big no.” Carys snorts and cracks up with laughter.

Seeing her so at ease in her own skin makes me smile.

Emerson sticks her tongue out toward Carys. “Nope. Not a cook, but... I order a really mean takeout. The booze is on you guys, if you want it though.” When Axe opens his mouth to speak, she silences him by pointing at herself. “Twenty,” then points at Carys, “And nineteen for a few more days.”

Shit. I forgot her birthday is coming up.

“You want pizza or sushi?” No sooner do the words leave Emerson’s mouth than all of us answer.

“Pizza.”

W hen the guys and I walk back into our house, Trick whistles for Wanda and takes her outside, Linc grabs beers from the fridge and tosses them to Axe and me, and I turn to Axe. “You do know you don’t live here, right?”

He flicks his bottle cap across the room and into the sink. “Course I do. But Trick pays someone to grocery shop and clean the damn house. If I go to my place, I have to do it myself.” He sits down on the sofa and grabs the Xbox remote. Axel hates being alone. We all know it, but he’ll never admit it.

“Gonna tell us what we interrupted earlier, Coop?” Linc moves around the living room, grabs one of the other gaming remotes, and drops down onto the recliner.

I fight the urge to tell him to fuck off, to give me time to figure shit out before it becomes the next thing the team focuses on for entertainment. I never cared before. But Carys is different. Everything about her—about this—is more. And it’s not up for discussion because I’m not sure I’d be able to control myself if one of them said the wrong fucking thing.

Axe stops mid-sip of his beer and stares. “What’d I miss?”

Linc cues up the game. “You were hitting on the hot blonde across the hall when Trick and I walked in on what looked like... I don’t know... a moment, I guess, between Coop and Carys.”

“What the fuck ever, man. A moment? Seriously? Do you need a tampon and some chocolate to go with the vagina you’ve magically grown?” Axe is a fucker, but he’s a funny fucker... until he turns his sharp eyes on me . “And what the fuck is up with you and Miss Goody Two-shoes? Cause you seem interested in a chick you introduced as your sister, man.”

“She’s my stepsister. And our parents didn’t get married until I had already moved out here. So it’s not like that.” I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince him or me.

Axel kicks his feet up on the coffee table, totally relaxed. “Still your stepsister, however you slice it, Sinclair. I’m thinking that’s a whole level of complicated you may not want to deal with.”

I wouldn’t want to deal with it if things were different.

But they’re not.

She’s not.

And I’m pretty sure this thing between us could be worth it.

Worth the risks. Worth the headache. Worth everything.

“Coop...?” When I don’t answer, Linc laughs... hard. “Oh shit. I want to see Murphy’s face when you tell him you’ve got the hots for his little sister. Fuck me, that’s gonna be funny.”

“How about you let Carys and me talk like adults before all you assholes laugh at the fallout?” I leave the two of them to play their video game and go into my room, frustration bubbling to the surface. I love my teammates like my own brothers. But we just lived on top of each other for six fucking months, and right now, I could use a little space to breathe.

Maybe it’s guilt that makes me send a text to the group chat I have with the guys back home.

They’re living the life I could have had.

The life I would have had if I’d have chosen differently.

But that was never the life I wanted.

Coop

Yo Bash. Did you graduate yet?

Bash

It’s official next week. But Coach already has me working out with the Kings.

Declan

Unofficially. Just wait until preseason starts. You still won’t know what hit ya, but you’ll be glad you got those extra workouts in.

Bash

Relax, Dec. I wasn’t complaining. Besides, Lenny’s been rubbing my sore muscles every night.

Declan

Belle used to rub my muscles.

Bash

What happened?

Declan

My sweet wife gave birth to a terrorist. He refuses to sleep, and he never gets off her damn boobs. I love him. He’s perfect and amazing. But I want my wife back.

Murphy

Stop knocking her up then.

Brady

Yeah. There’s these things called condoms. Want me to get you some?

Declan

Fuck you all.

Bash

At least you can’t get us pregnant.

Murphy

Hey Coop—have you seen my sister? How’s she doing?

Coop

Carys is good. She just moved into a house with her roommate. How are the girls?

Murphy

Sabrina leaves for Georgetown in two months. She’s excited.

Brady

Nattie just put the book she wrote up for preorder. She’s already halfway through the next one.

Bash

She let the girls read it, and it got Lenny all kinds of hot and bothered. I’ll have to thank her for that.

Murphy

Yup. Sabrina too. Wonder where she got the inspiration for that?

Coop

Fuck off, Murph.

He knows I hate when he talks about my twin sister and Brady fucking around.

Wonder how much he’d hate to know what I was thinking about lately?

Brady

We may have tried a scene or two. Nat wanted to make sure she described them right. LOL

Declan

Dude. That’s my little sister. I don’t need to know that.

Brady

Coop, man. You coming home for beach birthdays this summer?

Coop

I’m gonna try, but I’ll be in training. I don’t know if I can fly out for the weekend yet.

Declan

Try harder man. We miss you.

After a few minutes, Brady sends me a separate text, just between the two of us.

Brady

Hey, man. Can you talk?

Coop

Yeah

My phone rings with an incoming FaceTime from Brady.

“Hey, man.” Damn, I miss these assholes.

“Yo, Coop. Dude, you need to shave. Wait... or are you growing that just to look older?” Brady laughs and shuts the door behind him before sitting down on his bed. “Listen, I’ve only got a few minutes, and Nattie’s downstairs. But if there’s any way you can get to the beach for Fourth of July, you’ve got to do it.” Brady’s voice sounds almost hesitant, like he’s nervous.

“I won’t know until I’m at the training, but I’ll try. What’s going on?” It’s not like Brady to beat around the damn bush like this, and my curiosity is piqued.

He opens the drawer of his nightstand and removes a blue box.

Holy shit.

He cracks the box open and holds it in front of the screen. “I’m going to ask her to marry me, and I know it would mean so much to her if you were there, man. To both of us. I understand if you can’t make it. But try, if you can. Okay?”

“Damn.” I’m actually a little choked up. This guy, who’s been like a brother to me, is going to marry my sister. “You remember what I said when you told me you wanted to date her?”

“Yeah. You told me not to hurt her.” Brady closes the box and shoves it into the back of his drawer.

“I also told you, you were a good guy. You’re a good man, Brady. Take care of my sister.”

“Always, man. I’ll never be good enough. But no one will ever love her more.” He swallows. “Wow. I feel like I just asked your dad for permission.”

“What did he say when you did?” I can’t imagine Dad not being happy for Nat. Brady’s loved her for years.

“I wanted to tell you before I asked him. But if you ever tell him that, I’ll fucking kill you.”

Yeah. He could try.

“I won’t say a word.” Nattie’s voice calls out for Brady in the background.

“Gotta go, Coop.”

“Yeah. See ya, man.”

We end the call, and I stare at my phone.

My sister’s getting married. What’s that going to be like?

I lie back on my bed and close my eyes.

Soon, images of Carys invade my mind. Her at the end of an aisle, looking at me with glittering green eyes. Her pregnant, then holding our baby... Holy shit. Our baby.

I’m not sure how I didn’t realize it before.

Why I didn’t see it?

This woman is my endgame.

And fuck anyone else who tries to tell me I’m wrong.