"Heading out now. I was helping with the cleanup."
"Oh my gosh, you're the best." She hooks her arm around mine. "He refuses to let me do anything." She rolls her eyes, and I genuinely laugh. Witnessing Lilly's eyes light up from being around herwholefamily causes a flutter in my chest that makes the dread of my reality disappear—for a little while.
She tugs on my arm. "Let's go outside while we wait."
My heels automatically dig in. Marcus is by the pool—with King.
Not that King would take his side; that's not who she is. After spending time with her, King has become one of my favorite non-bestfriends. I always look forward to hanging out with her. She is loyal to a fault, kind, a kick-ass mom, and she makes my best friend happier than I've ever seen him.
Four years ago,Wes and I arrived in Stonebriar after he had fled to New York. His life had been turned upside down once again, and he was drowning himself in the high percentages. He loved King, but was that enough? I was worried, after what he'd already been through. After spending several days talking, discussing all his options, and me giving him a piece of my mind, we flew back together. I would always have his back, no matter what his decision would've been in the end. But it only took one glance at King with Marcus, their friendship newly formed, and Wes went alpha male on theShadow. Besides my precisely aimed kick to his manhood, that was probably the only other time someone had surprised Marcus Baxter and got a hit in on him. Instinctively, I stepped between the two. Marcus could've eviscerated Wes in a matter of minutes. Wes could hold his own, but not against a trained soldier who had been working under George "The Ghost" Weiler for years. In my hasty decision, I made the mistake of touching Marcus. The brief connection jolted me to the core. I could see the hatred oozing out of his pores. He didn't hold back either when he put me in my place in front of the entire bar. King was the first to step in. The girl who crushed my friend's heart comforted me. Tears of hurt, humiliation, and guilt ran down my face. She probably assumed I hated her for what happened between her and Wes.For who she was. Yet, she still wrapped her arms around me like we'd been friends forever.
"You can't avoidhim for the rest of your life, D." Lilly's words are like a slap to the face.
What does she mean by that?
When I don't speak, she swivels me to face her head-on. "Listen, I…" She blows out a breath. "I know, okay?"
My heart stops. She knows? The thumping in my chest slowly picks back up. My mouth opens and closes several times. Heat spreads through every limb, and I sense the flush in my cheeks. "He told you?" My question is anything but steady. I can't help but peer toward the tall windows for a fraction of a second.
This time, she closes her eyes and imperceptibly shakes her head. He didn't tell her. That means… "You dug into my past?" my voice rises with my now thrashing heart.
"D, I'm sorry." Lilly is pleading with me. "I had no idea until… I was checking Marcus's background, and…"
She found out years ago.
"FUCK, babe!" I shriek. I dig the heels of my hands into the sockets of my eyes before being able to face her.
Lilly shrinks away, and I attempt to get my battling emotions under control. My arms drop. I'm rooted in place.
"Lilly? What's going on?" Her brother's calm voice coming from the archway to the kitchen interrupts the crackling silence.
Lilly whips around, and I take that as my chance to rush toward the patio doors.
Fuck. Shit. Fuck!
Does she know everything? Or just my part in the chain of events? What about beforethe accident?
My bare feet hit the heated marble patio, and I ignore the stinging pain. Instead, I welcome the hurt. It overshadows this new development.
I take two steps, and my eyes automatically find his. His gaze narrows, and a squeak of pain from King drifts over to me. Marcus jerks his head to the girl in his lap, and I follow the silent exchange between them. King's eyes briefly flicker to me, and she gives me a forced smile. I mimic her sentiment and set one foot in front of the other until I reach the lounge chairs where Elle and her sister are sunbathing.
They haven't noticed me, their lids most likely closed behind their dark shades, and I embrace the solitude. I lower my own glasses and settle into the chaise. Behind the security of my oversized Louis Vuitton's, I let myself find him again.
The day my life changed to what it is today begins to play out in front of me like a movie.
"We'll get your luggage,"Ethan announced as I unfolded myself with a groan from the seat Marcus had held me hostage in. Despite the age difference, I had considered him hot. Now, all I wanted was to kick him in the junk again. My best friend had been kidnapped, and her father and head of security forced Wes and me to fly back home. We were in the way of the rescue mission. Who wouldn't be freaking out at that?
If I so much as moved a muscle, he would tense, ready to pounce and restrain me again.
What did he think I would do? Skydive out of the jet and walk back to LA? Maybe his damn ponytail was too tight and had killed some of the blood flow to his brain.
I nodded at Ethan and ignored the asshole still glowering at me as I slowly trailed Wes to the exit.
Wes glanced over his shoulder and smirked. "That was kind of entertaining."
I smacked him against the back of his head. "Keep walking, Sheats."
He hooted, and for the first time in hours, the crushing weight constricting my airflow eased. To cope with our situation, Wes had put his headphones in and damaged his eardrums with Linkin Park to the point that I was sure Joel could hear it in the cockpit. The fact that he was listening to one of Lilly's favorite bands was not lost on me either. Wes blocked everyone out and left me alone with my thoughts, drowning in the unknown of whether or not I would see my best friend again.