Chapter 17
RAIN
"I'm beyond exhausted," I groan into the phone while dropping to the sofa with two pieces of pizza that I'm too lazy to heat up. "I'll call you tomorrow, Viv."
"Fine. But you'd better get used to the producer being in charge. Stop making so many waves or no one will ever want to work with you again."
I hang up on that. She's been on my ass since James Holbrook went in search of his inner Dean. Dumbass. Where do they find these guys?
My twentieth floor condo is nice, but I miss Sterling Shore.
At least it's not the summer. It doesn't get too cold here, and I've heard the summers are brutal, even worse than back home. If Dean Easton doesn't get any better than he is now, they may have to film in the summer though.
A knock at the door disrupts my short evening. My cold pizza will just have to wait a few more minutes.
Sluggishly, I make my way to the door, ready to curse whoever it is, but when I swing the door open without checking the window, I'm filled with regret. Five Sterlings are staring at me, all of them looking a little pissed. But the one I can't look away from is the one standing in front of them all.
"W-what are you doing here?" I stammer, too shocked to really react any other way.
"I'm here because you owe me an explanation. Why these assholes followed me, I don't know," Dane says, forcing a smile as he pushes through the door, his hands going to my waist and guiding me backwards.
The simple touch of his hands on me is enough to pump the blood through my veins too fast. I almost get dizzy as I step backwards, letting him work me through the small kitchen and into the living room.
"We're here because we deserve an explanation, too," Maverick says, his pout evident in his tone.
"Sorry. I've been busy," I murmur absently, too lost in Dane's green eyes to concentrate on anything else.
I thought I'd be okay after a month, but I'm just as in love with him today as I was the day I left. It also still hurts to know that I can't be with him.
"You're an idiot," Dale scolds, shocking me.
"And you're selfish," Maverick adds, prompting me to turn my head toward him as he crosses his arms over his chest.
"If you had balls, I'd punch you in them," Corbin adds, his jaw clenching as he finishes his odd threat.
What the hell?
"You really deserve to have your ass kicked. You'd better be glad we don't hit girls the way we hit each other," Kode snarls.
Speaking of hitting each other... Did he get into a fight? His eye is swollen, his lip is busted, and his cheek has a bruise. I look back to Dane who has the slightest tear on his lip, and I almost want to kiss it to make it better. He should really put some distance between us before I do something as stupid as that.
"What happened?" I ask, involuntarily reaching up to touch the spot on Dane's lip.
He leans his face into my hand, and he kisses the tip of my finger as he closes his eyes. It feels like he's missed me as much as I've missed him, and that hurts more than he knows.
"What happened to both of you?" I ask, looking toward Kode when Dane doesn't answer, but I don't remove my hand from Dane's face.
"Long story," Corbin interjects. "What we want to know is why you didn't fucking tell us you had cancer? Do you still have it? Britt says she doesn't think you do, but we want to know for sure. You'd better not lie to us, either. I'm already close to throwing your ass in the ocean as it is."
My heartbeat stills, and Dane leans over, pressing a kiss to my neck as his fingers go into my hair. No. They can't possibly know about this. I only told...
"Tria," I growl.
I can't believe I trusted her to—
"Tria didn't tell us shit," Kode fumes. "She fucking should have, considering we're closer to you than she's ever been. But you should have told us, Rain. What the hell were you thinking to deal with that alone? You know we're here for you. Is it gone?"
"It's gone," I sigh, watching them all visibly relax. "I didn't want you guys to worry. You would have thought it was worse than it was," I murmur softly, looking down.