Pierced Hearts (Southern Charmers Book 1) Read online

  “I’m still thinking about the offer, Steph. It’s a huge decision.”

  “No shit.”

  “Okay, we’re not going to go over this again until you get here.”

  She goes quiet, and I can image her lounging on her sofa with her own glass of wine, the thoughtful look she gets in her eyes when she’s got something to say.

  “Say it.”

  “I usually don’t condone spilling your guts to anyone because it always gets messy. But I’m proud of you, Darby. You gave it back as quick as he dished it out today. He’s obviously still harboring resentment of your disappearance, but instead of taking it like a doormat, you blasted that shit right back.”

  “Thanks. I wish I’d found a better way of expressing my feelings other than reciting his children’s birth statistics.”

  “Heat of the moment works for you. It always has.”

  “Can’t wait until you get here.”

  “See you Thursday night.”

  We hang up, and I scoot lower on the sofa, curling into Runner and rubbing lightly on his belly. Stephanie’s right. We have a ton to discuss, and all of it could mean enormous things for the expansion of DG Creations. The proposal on the table offers more than I could ever imagine, but it comes with sacrifices.

  Stephanie knows where my apprehensions stem from. The one time in my life I made a sacrifice to benefit myself, I ended up losing Pierce. And I barely recovered.

  But she’s right about a few things. Pierce is harboring resentment and deserves the truth. And he’s going to get it, on my terms. Then, hopefully, I’ll find closure.

  I force those thoughts out of my head and move to what happens tomorrow. I’m going to personally deliver the gifts to the hospital, taking my mom with me so she can be a part of it.

  DG Creations was born in Charlotte, even though I worked on the concept for years here. Not many know it was birthed from the kitchen of Annie Graham and how long it took me to perfect some of the specialty recipes.

  Tomorrow, everyone will know.

  Because, ready or not, it’s my homecoming debut.

  Chapter 5

  Pierce

  Someone’s going to fucking pay.

  Men scatter out of my way as I stalk to my truck and throw my hard hat to the ground with so much force it cracks. It doesn’t faze me as this is not the only casualty of the day. My coffee pot didn’t make it past the first pour, my bathroom mirror is splintered, and I’m pretty sure my administrative assistant is going to quit.

  None of it matters right now because my anger is raging to the point of violence. I rip the phone off my hip and call the project manager who answers on the first ring.

  “Did the brownstone project change their choices of marble last night?” I bark.

  “Not that I know of,” Joe answers cautiously.

  “Funny then, because six of the fourteen units have the wrong countertops, vanities, and wet bar tops already installed. Not to mention, the backsplashes have been started.”

  “You have got to be shitting me!” he roars through the phone, his anger somewhat satisfying.

  “I expect to see your ass here in the next fifteen minutes. Cancel your day until we find out what happened. That’s a fucking order.”

  It’s unlike me, but today, I want people to be raging. I want other’s blood to be searing through their veins to the point of burning a hole in their gut. Maybe I’m a sadistic asshole, but there’s no calming what is brewing inside.

  I jump in my truck and drive around to the back of the job site. This is the last stage of the brownstones, and the area is practically deserted.

  My mood has been crazed since walking out on Darby. My first instinct was to lay into Connie, but that wasn’t an option. So, I poured myself into work, avoiding as much human contact as possible. Even a two-hour round with a punching bag didn’t repress the anger inside. I stare out of my windshield and can’t stop my brain from replaying the scene yesterday.

  She was always beautiful, but the woman who swung that door open threatened to take me to my knees. Same amber eyes, same pouty lips, same gorgeous face—but that was the end to similarities.

  She’s bone-skinny, her dark hair was in a tight, tied ponytail, her skin pale, and her eyes were vacant. I know I took her off-guard, but for a minute, I thought she’d pass out.

  My Darby was curvy in all the right ways, quick with a response, and sun-kissed by the outdoors, taking every chance to soak in the sunshine.

  Still, she had the ability to make my pulse race and my dick hard with one glance. She’s stunning.

  The air in my truck begins to suffocate me, and I stagger out, pacing the abandoned area and kicking up every rock I find.

  Never in a million years did I expect what happened. Now, I’ve opened Pandora’s box and am so deep in questions it’s going to drive me insane.

  I love my kids and have done my best to give them a normal life. No matter what, it’s not going to change the fact that they’re never going to grow up in a traditional nuclear family. Darby was right; Connie was a tiger ready to pounce when word spread that Darby left town. She worked me hard, playing the role of the sympathetic friend. My mom warned me more than once to watch out for her, but I was stupid blind. Connie’s advances became more and more assertive. She was a master manipulator, and I was in no shape to see the signs. I had sex with her twice, both times when we were partying, and both times with a condom.

  That little barrier of latex didn’t work, and she got pregnant. Unlike Darby, she had no problem spreading the news far and wide as soon as the doctor confirmed. I was forced to tell my parents with her sitting across the table, shining bright. Of course, Connie didn’t know about what had happened with Darby, and the situation got ugly quick when my mom ran from the room in tears.

  Connie expected a ring and a commitment, but the haze in my head finally cleared, and I saw through her.

  That was the beginning of my life in hell. And I was such a fool I let her play me one more time. Cole was the result. No one on this earth, besides Connie and me, knows the circumstances leading to her pregnancy with Cole. We both lied our asses off to family and friends.

  My head pounds at the memory, and I feel the churning before it hits, leaning to the side and throwing up the coffee I was able to consume.

  “Shit, Pierce, get it together.”

  I didn’t know it still existed, but the protective and possessive side of me kicked in when Darby spouted what Connie did to her. It’s not a surprise she heard about the pregnancies. I suspected her family told her as soon as the news went viral. Darby may have slain me, but she didn’t deserve that.

  My thoughts are broken up when two trucks drive around the corner, and my brother and dad park next to me.

  “We need to talk!” Miller barks, stalking to me. “You’re admin is in tears at the office, causing drama.”

  “Fire her,” is my only response.

  Dad comes to my side, his hand going to my shoulder. “Son, you okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “We heard about the mishap with the countertops. You need to take a step back and let us handle it,” Miller orders.

  “Fine, but who’s going to be responsible for the rest of the problems inside?”

  “I got those,” Dad assures me.

  “I’m fine to handle things.”

  “No, you’re not, and things are about to get worse.” Miller spears me with a glacial glare and jumps back in his truck, driving off.

  “Pierce, you need to cool down.”

  “I guess you know she’s back?”

  “Miller mentioned you had suspicions.”

  “My suspicions were correct.”

  “You chased her down yet?”

  I sling my head to find him grinning.

  “Yeah, I found her. It didn’t go well. I was a dick, intentionally goading her.”

  “Your brother is still under a cloud of her fucking you over. He has no idea of everything that happened. Y
ou need to remember that.”

  “What did he mean, things are about to get worse?”

  Dad lets go of my shoulder and pulls up a text on his phone.

  Darby Graham just walked into the hospital with Annie. Get to Pierce, now.

  I read through the rest and see that the auxiliary group is helping hand out small gift boxes to the nurses. Mom is sending play by plays to him about Darby.

  “She made all the chocolates they’re handing out today.”

  “No shit? She took her baking to the next level?” He’s impressed.

  “More than the next level. She owns a business that does very well. Her stuff is being sold in stores all around town.”

  “Does this mean she’s back for good?”

  “I don’t know. We didn’t get that far before I stormed out on her.”

  “Want to tell me what happened?”

  “Not really because it’s only going to solidify your opinion that I can’t control my temper.”

  “I think I’ll give you a pass, seeing as this is an intense situation.”

  I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly, then launch into the story. When I’m done, his face is red, his jaw locked tight, and his eyes are scorching with fury.

  “She’s the mother of my grandchildren, but that woman is a heartless bitch.”

  “Among other things,” I agree.

  “What are you going to do?”

  “About Connie or Darby?”

  “Both.”

  “I was going to take a few days to calm down before I said anything. For reasons she didn’t explain, Darby was keeping her return quiet. But seeing as she’s made a very public appearance, word is out. It won’t take long for Connie to hear and come to me. What happens with that? Who knows, but she’s going to know what I think about her stunt. As for Darby, not sure there is anything to do.”

  “You’re wrong. There’s a lot to do.”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “The woman who holds all the answers to your nightmares is ten miles away. Why are you standing here with me?”

  His phone alerts with another text, and when he reads it, his lips twitch and his shoulders begin to shake. He flips it for me to see.

  Annie is trying to set her up with every eligible doctor in this place. And from what I can tell, it’s working. Where is Pierce?

  “I’m gone.” I shove his phone back in his chest and take off, hearing his laughter follow me.

  I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’ll start with an apology.

  •—•—•—•—•

  The heat beats down on my back as I check my watch for heart rate and time. My thighs and calves burn when I pick up the pace, trying to beat my own best record. Thirty-three… thirty-two… thirty-one… My feet cross over the sidewalk that ends my route right as the stopwatch hits thirty seconds.

  I slow to a jog, rounding the corner, and curse under my breath when I spot Miller on the front porch. He’s lounging on the swing, one foot on the floor, rocking back and forth. It crosses my mind to keep going, but my legs have other ideas and start to cramp.

  “Were you being chased?” he asks from underneath the bill of his hat.

  “Nope, beat my time.”

  “By?”

  “Thirty seconds.”

  “Overachiever.”

  “Lazy ass. Maybe tomorrow you can join me.”

  “It’s hot as balls out here. I’m not into self-torture.”

  “Why didn’t you let yourself in?”

  “Because when I turned the corner, Connie was beating on your door. I parked on the side street and waited until she left.”

  This doesn’t explain why he didn’t let himself in after she left, but my body is screaming at me for hydration, and I don’t care what the reason is. The news that Connie was here kills my runner’s high. I punch in the code on the lock and leave the door open for him to follow me to the kitchen.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Did you see her?”

  I arch my eyebrows, eying him as I gulp down a bottle of water.

  “I’m going to assume you did since you decided to run five miles in ninety-four-degree heat.”

  “I saw her. She was the center of attention. It didn’t seem appropriate to approach her and interrupt. Annie was busy telling everyone about DG Creations, and the one time I had my shot at getting her alone, Mom accosted me and yanked me into the volunteer lounge to give me the third degree.”

  What I don’t tell him is that I purposely stayed out of sight to watch how she handled herself. I got a glimpse of the businesswoman and the hometown success in action. She didn’t disappoint. Her smile radiated brightly, her words were laced with sincerity, and she accepted the compliments with grace. The shot I missed was when she went to the restroom, and I was fully prepared to chase her.

  “Dad gave me the rundown of what happened yesterday.”

  “It’s good I don’t have to repeat it.”

  “How are you?”

  I shrug, tossing the empty bottle in the trash and grabbing a new one to stall answering his question.

  “I don’t have a good feeling about this, man. It has disaster written all over it. You’ve got too much at stake to lose your mind again.”

  “I know that, Miller, but cut me some fucking slack.”

  “How about we head out of town this weekend? Blow off some steam and have a good time.”

  This is code for get drunk and get laid. Miller and I head out of town a few times a year for this sole purpose. It’s easier to be discreet and keep our business private if we don’t stand a chance of running into the women we fuck. In my case, there’s a less likely chance word would get back to Connie than if I hooked up with someone local.

  “Not this weekend. Cole has his end of the year baseball banquet.”

  He nods in understanding and moves to the fridge to get a beer, obviously planning to stay a while. Both our heads swing toward the front door when there’s a jiggling sound, followed by a series of loud knocks.

  “I’m going to sit this one out. Good luck.” He twists the top off his bottle and tips it my way.

  “Chicken shit.”

  “Connie’s a cunt, and I’m on the verge of telling her that. Don’t want to be the reason you have to go back to court.”

  “Appreciate it.” I chuckle and head toward the sound of her shrieking my name.

  The shrieking stops when she sees me approaching. Her eyes grow wide right before they narrow into slits.

  “Where are my kids?” I open the door, glancing at the driveway to her empty car.

  “Our kids are with my parents for dinner.”

  “Are they okay?”

  “Of course.”

  “Do you need money?”

  “No,” she snarls with a hiss.

  “Then there’s no reason for you to be here.” I make a move to close the door, and her arm darts out, stopping me. She makes a move to step inside, and I block the entrance. She was invited here when I bought the place, per the court order. She had every right to see where the kids would be spending their time. Otherwise, she doesn’t invade my space.

  “You want to talk, we’ll talk outside.” I sidestep her, giving her no choice but to back up.

  “You’re a piece of work. Is she in there? Is that why you’re half-dressed, prancing out here with a smile on your face?”

  “I’ve never pranced a day in my life.”

  “When the hell were you going to tell me she was back?”

  “Who?”

  “Don’t play with me, Pierce. You know good and well Darby Graham is back in town.”

  “I heard about it.”

  “Heard about it? The whole fucking town has heard about it. Blaire said she breezed into the hospital today like she was royalty. Floating around with her fancy clothes, expensive hair, and regal smile like she was the Queen of England.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Fuck yeah, handing ou
t her damn shitty ass chocolates and—” She stops, her face growing flush as realization clicks into place. “Those fucking chocolates. The assembly. You knew then!”

  I give her a half-shoulder shrug.

  “Is she in there?” Connie screeches, her control slipping.

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “I’m warning you not to screw with me, Pierce. Is she in there?”

  “That sounds very much like a threat. It’s none of your business who’s in my house.”

  “It’s my business if my children are here,” she throws back.

  “They aren’t. You just pointed out they are at dinner with your parents. So why are you on my porch giving me shit about things that are none of your concern?”

  The flush in her face grows to a flaming red, and as satisfying as it is, it’s time to shut it down. “Is there a reason you’re fired up about Darby’s return?”

  “I knew that bitch would come running right back to Charleston one day.”

  “I don’t know the specifics, but considering her family lives here, she’s probably been back plenty of times.”

  “Well, at least they had the decency to hide her from society and keep her away from you.”

  “We’re done here.” I take a step toward the door and freeze when her hand snakes around my bicep.

  “Don’t walk away from me.”

  “Get your fucking hands off me, Connie.” My gaze drops to her hand and then back to her, fire searing through my bloodstream. As much as I try, I can’t stop the words from spitting out. “Darby doesn’t have a problem with society. They fucking love her. It was your shitty ass stunt that kept her away. You have no idea of the damage you did, sending her those birth announcements. I already told you I wasn’t going to be a deadbeat dad, and we’d make our arrangement work for the best.”

  “Our arrangement? I was having your baby.”

  “I’ve taken responsibility for that since day one. I even owned up to the next colossal mistake of getting you pregnant twice.”

  She stumbles back, the ferocity of my words hitting her like a force of nature. “Did you just refer to Cole as a mistake?” she stutters.

  “No, I said getting you pregnant was a mistake. Cole is a miracle. And don’t act surprised. You didn’t want more children.”