Reckless (Unlucky 13, #12)

by Becca Steele

The first time I met Theodore Lewin, aka Theo, aka fuckface twatwank, we were both thirteen years old, on the first day of youth academy training.

His light blue eyes scanned over me as he ran his hand through his sleek black hair, and for some reason, I lost my concentration and tripped over the cone I was about to run around.

It was an indisputable fact. The sun rose in the east. The moon orbited the earth. Jordan Emery and Theodore Lewin hated each other.

Jordan fucking Emery. That brown-haired, grey-eyed, golden-skinned bane of my existence ever since we were thirteen years old was going to be my teammate?

This close, I could see the brown and gold flecks in his light eyes. It might have been the lighting in the room, but his grey eyes looked green today. Of course he couldn’t be normal. No, he had to have ridiculous colour-changing eyes.

He lunged at me, getting his hand around my throat and pressing me into the wall. The smirk was finally wiped from his face as his eyes darkened with anger, now a stormy bluish grey.

“I was thirteen when I met you.” I rolled my eyes. “I suppose you want to blame me for that, too?” “That was the worst day of my life.”

found myself leaning against someone. Someone so fucking warm and solid and fuuuuck…they smelled so fucking good. Like salt and waterfalls and nature-y things. “Jordan. Fucking stop.” The voice penetrated the haze surrounding me, and I lifted my face from where I’d apparently buried it in his throat.

A backwards cap was shoved on top of his head. My heartbeat stuttered. I hated the way this man got under my skin so easily.

It was crowded and loud, which had the unfortunate side effect of Jordan stepping closer to me to be heard over the din. The bastard smelled delicious.

I misjudged the distance between us as I tilted my head, my lips brushing over his ear, and a tiny gasp fell from his throat. “You’re the bane of my fucking existence, Jordan Emery.”

His eyes were wide and dark, a question in them that I didn’t have the answer for.

“For once in your life, do what you’re told, and shut the fuck up.” “Okay,” he breathed. I kissed the word from his mouth.

“I kissed you for one reason only—to shut you up, you fucking brat,” he murmured, still smiling at me. “And it worked.” “Still feel like making me shut up?” What the fuck was I saying? “Do you want me to shut you up?”

“I don’t know. I—I…” I forgot how to form words. What in the actual fucking fuck was happening?

“How can I loathe you so much, and yet you have this effect on me? Why do you insist on fucking with me like this, Jordan?”

Why it had to be him, of all people, that made me appreciate a man’s body in a whole new way, I didn’t know. Fate had a twisted sense of humour.

Fuck. This was bad. Whatever. If he tried to play this game with me, he had to know he wouldn’t win.

Death by Theo. What a way to go.

“You called me ‘baby.’”

Fuck. This man had such an effect on me, and he didn’t even know it.

When he finally finished speaking, he batted his lashes at me, his eyes wide, and fuck him for being so gorgeous that I’d agree to anything, even breaking the strict curfew we were under.

“Staying away from you isn’t working.”

“I only managed to last three days. I’m not sure I like this effect you have on me, Lewin.”

You of all people being the one to affect me this way—it’s extremely inconvenient and quite irritating.”

I think I like him. I’m fucked.

I shrugged and then kissed the spot just below his ear. “Tell me more. I want to know everything.”

“I wish I’d never let you read that.” “I’m glad you did.” His expression became serious. “And just so you know. I think I like you, too, Jordan.”

“You smell so fucking good,” he murmured against my throat. His words vibrated across my skin. Raising his head, he met my gaze, his voice turning hard. “What are you doing here in the dark? What were you doing with that dancer?”

Every single one of my plans was forgotten as I followed him through the VIP section, raging with jealousy as I watched the gorgeous member of staff put his hands on what was mine.

I know it…it’s your birthday, and I have no right to say anything anyway. But if you’re gonna go home with someone tonight, please can you wait until I’ve left?”

“You know how I said we had willpower? Mine’s running out, so I’m gonna go back to my own room. Unless…unless you want me to stay.” “You know I want you to stay,” he said in a low voice. “But we can’t do this.”

Even though I knew that I shouldn’t, I came up behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Jordan.” He jumped but then sighed, melting into me. I pressed my lips to the side of his head. “What’s the matter, baby?” His hands flexed on the counter. “You can’t call me that when we’re not together.”

It had been months since we’d been together on the island, but in that moment, I knew that there was no getting over him. I wanted him. Only him.

A hard, heavy body held me in place as the hand covering my mouth lowered to curl around my throat. “Do you have any fucking idea?” That voice.

“So what do you want to do about it? Do you want us to be together? Because I want that, so fucking badly.” “Yes,” he said. “Yes. I want you to be mine.”

“Jordan? Are you ready to go?” Theo looked at me with a little smile on his face, and I felt so giddy and high and warm and full of all these emotions I couldn’t even contain— Oh. Oh. Love. I loved Theo. I loved him so much. He needed to know. Right now. Even if he didn’t say it back. I couldn’t not tell him.

I spotted an alleyway just past a kebab shop. That would do nicely. Also, we could get kebabs afterwards. Romantic as fuck.

“I love you, Theo. I think I’ve loved you for a long time.”