by JA Low
“Finally, the balance has tipped.” We both giggle.
Four Months later
“One last push.” I give it everything I have. Finn holds my hand giving me his strength. “That’s it. You’ve done it, Isla, you’ve done it. And before I know it, this little bloodied thing is placed on my chest and I look down into her perfect little blue eyes and am instantly filled with an unbelievable amount of love for her.
“I’m so proud of you, Issy. So proud.” Finn kisses me. He looks down at his daughter and she wraps her fingers around his.
“You’re going to be daddy’s little girl. I can see it already.”
“Damn right she is,” Finn says confidently. “What should we call our little princess?”
“Mia.”
“Congratulations,” the Dirty Texas gang sing as they enter the hospital room with their entourage of kids. Sienna and Evan as well with their latest addition little Willow who was born four days earlier. The Dirty Texas brood keeps expanding. We’ll have our very own football team if we keep going. I wonder who is going to be next?
The End
236
Suddenly Broken
BOOK FIVE
Prologue
Stacey
“Babe, your phone’s ringing.” Oscar nudges me.
“It’s four in the morning.” Squinting, I look at the bedside clock that is glowing right in front of me. “Who the hell is calling?” I groggily ask Oscar
“It’s Amelia.”
That wakes me up quickly. I sit up in my bed trying to get my bearings. Why is my niece calling at this time?
“Amelia, is everything okay?” There’s silence on the other end of the phone. “Amelia,” I say her name again. Maybe she pocket dialed me. Then I hear sniffling. “Amelia. I’m here. Is everything okay?”
“They’re dead.”
237
Stacey
Three years earlier
“You’re engaged!” Sienna waves her glistening rock at me through the computer screen.
“Evan proposed atop of the Eiffel Tower,” Derrick yells in the background.
“That’s so romantic.” I stare at a radiant Sienna.
“I know. I wasn't expecting it.” She smiles. “I thought we were starting over again, slowly.” She chews her lip. “You know, for the sake of Bean.”
Evan and Sienna have been through a lot recently. After a huge misunderstanding with her ex-husband, and the media putting their spin on the story, it tore them apart. Sienna fled to Paris trying to put Evan behind her, but the universe had other plans. She was involved in a car crash which landed her in hospital. Of course Evan realized that he couldn’t spend another moment without the love of his life and rushed to her side. That’s when they found out she was expecting, which was a surprise to them both, especially when they weren’t in a good place with each other. But as they say, love conquers all.
“But Evan had other plans,” Derrick pipes in.
“Yes, he did, but don’t think he’s gotten off lightly for the way he treated me. I’m a woman. My mind does not forget.” This makes me smile. I’m so happy for Sienna; she’s finally getting her happily ever after. “But there’s more.” Sienna claps excitedly.
“You’re not having twins are you?”
“What the hell, Stacey!” Derrick hisses. “Don’t wish that on the poor woman’s vagina. One baby is going to ruin her vagina, imagine what two would do. It would be a Grand Canyon of vaginas.
“Derrick!” Sienna squeals. “Stop it. My vagina is not going to be ruined from pushing out a baby.” Derrick gives her the side eye.
“Don’t worry, you can always get you vagina tightened through plastic surgery. They can make it like you’re a virgin again. Oh my God, that would be the best birthday present for Evan. Virgin snatch.”
“Derrick!” Sienna and I yell at him. That man literally has no filter.
“Anyway…” Sienna moves the computer over to her, pushing Derrick out of the frame. “I wanted to talk to you about a job.” Since Sienna’s departure from Australia I’ve been looking after all of her affairs here and tying them up for her in preparation for her return. Although I’m guessing now that she’s pregnant and engaged, she’ll be living in Hollywood with Evan. “You’ve been working so hard for me back in Australia and I can’t express enough how much I appreciate everything you have done for me while I’ve been away.” I shrug because it’s what friends do for each other. “I know I’m pregnant and now is so not the right time to be starting a new business, but I also know that I can’t stay home and do nothing when I have this baby.” She lets out a sigh. “I’m so used to working that I…I can’t just stop.” Sienna gives me a smile. “This break has been great but I need to get back to what I love…fashion.”
“And you know the three of us make a great team,” Derrick adds, jumping back into frame.
“The best team,” Sienna agrees.
“I know. I’ve miss you guys.” For years I’ve spent every day with both of them. It’s like I’m missing a limb.
“Good. We miss you too.” Sienna smiles. “And that’s why I want to open another boutique. This time in LA.” Sounds like a good idea. It’s going to be her new home.
“What a great idea. Hollywood is full of fashionistas and all those celebrities that need styling. It makes sense.”
“Glad you think so. We want you to be a part of it,” Derrick squeals.
“Me?” I’m a little taken aback that they want me to be a part of it all.
“Yes, you!” Sienna laughs.
“In LA?” I ask, just to be sure I am hearing this right.
“Yes,” Derrick and Sienna answer.
“Doing what I’m doing now?”
“Yes and so much more,” Sienna tells me. “You’re the best at what you do, Stace. I can’t start this new business without the old gang being together. We were the best team…and I want that again.”
Wow. I’m not sure what to say. I’m flattered that Sienna and Derrick think so highly of me and that they want me to help them start over again in LA, but my life is here in Sydney. I love my friends, my family. Could I leave that all behind and move half way across the world? I do miss the camaraderie the three of us had together over the years.
“What do you say?” Sienna presses.
“Would I lose my job here if I say no?”
“What? No. God no, Stace. I would never do that to you,” Sienna quickly assures me. “We miss you and we know we are asking a lot of you to pack up and move half way across the world.”
“We can be roomies,” Derrick adds. “Let’s be honest, this one here is shacking up with a rock star, she’s not going to be a very good wing woman.” This makes me smile.
“That’s the real reason you want me there, isn’t it, D. To be your wing woman?”
“You know me so well, my little possum.” Derrick grins.
“There are a lot of hot single rock stars that I can introduce you to,” Sienna tries to sway me.
“And boy, are they hot. Smoking hot.” Derrick winks.
“And I bet they have big egos too.”
“Oh sweetie, their egos may be big but their dicks are bigger,” Derrick tells me.
“Well now, that sounds like an incentive.” I giggle.
“Will you think about it, Stacey?” Sienna asks me.
“You will get a fifty percent pay rise,” Derrick adds. Well now that kind of changes things. Sienna was always a very generous boss, but fifty percent more than what I’m on now is a real nice carrot to dangle in front of me.
“So you’re telling me I’ll get to hang out with rock stars with big dicks, and be Derrick’s ultimate wing woman? All while doing a job I love, with a huge pay rise, in Los Angeles?” Derrick and Sienna nod their heads furiously. “Where the hell do I sign up?” They both scream down the computer screen.
“Are you serious?” Sienna asks once we all settle down.
“Hell yeah, I am.”
“Next time, Sisi,
lead with the big dicks when trying to convince someone to move half way across the world. That’s a huge incentive,” Derrick teases her.
A month later
“You’re really here,” Derrick squeals as he pulls me into his arms, swinging me around at the airport. It’s so good to see him again. He places me back down and it takes a couple of moments for my head to stop spinning. “Sisi couldn’t make it. She feels really bad but the paparazzi have been hounding her since arriving back from Paris. Someone caught a glimpse of her engagement ring and boom, it’s everywhere.” I bet the paparazzi are more intense over here than back home. It seems like it would be more cutthroat over here. I’m sure she is holding herself with extreme grace like she did when she went through all that bullshit with Beau. I don’t think dating a celebrity is for me. All that attention, your every move being watched and scrutinized. No way.
“Come on, let’s get going. Sienna is dying to see you.”
We jump into Derrick’s car and make our way into Los Angeles, driving along the huge winding freeways, across the busy streets where palm trees stick up out of concrete suburbs. I can’t believe I’m actually here. Derrick points out the sights as we make our way to the apartment. Unfortunately, it’s the Derrick Jones tour of LA. This includes the glory hole he once used, where he swears he got the best blow job of his life. That is probably one bit of LA I didn’t need to know.
“You’re going to love the apartment. It’s right in the heart of everything here in West Hollywood or WeHo as the locals call it.”
“As long as it has a hot shower that’s all I’m worried about at the moment.”
“Lucky we have two of those.” He gives me a wink. “You’re going to love it here, Stace. I promise.”
Eventually, after what feels like hours, we arrive at a set of luxury apartments along a busy street. The electric parking gate opens for us and we drive into the basement to park. Derrick grabs my bags and we take the lift up to his floor.
“Now, it’s not very big,” he warns me as we make our way up. It can’t be as small as my studio apartment in Coogee Beach. I sacrificed space for ocean views. Growing up in the outback, I never got to go to the beach. So I promised myself that when I earnt enough money that I would live by the ocean. “You know I’m saving up for my own place, so this is only temporary.” The place looks pretty nice to me so far. “It’s only a short walk to the shop and Dirty Texas Records, so that’s a bonus.” We step out of the lift. “It has a gym and a pool too. Best bit, some of the residents are models, so you may get a glimpse of them working out or laying by the pool. It always brings a smile to my dial.” Derrick gives me a cheeky wink. He unlocks the front door, holding it open for me as I step across the threshold. The first thing I notice is the wall of glass that looks directly out over the city. The lights and buildings a stark difference to the turquoise ocean I’m used to seeing from apartment back home. You enter via a small hallway, which opens out into a bright white modern kitchen, equipped with all the designer modern conveniences, which I know haven’t been used because Derrick, the social butterfly that he is, is probably out most nights sampling the delights the city has to offer. There’s a living room with a navy sofa, and two navy and white striped arm chairs, a large TV that dominates the space and a coffee table with a large vase of fresh white roses.
“This is your room.” Derrick points to the left of the entry. “It’s a bigger bedroom, but that’s because I have the walk-in wardrobe in mine. We both have en suites so no fighting over the bathroom.” Thank goodness because I know I wouldn’t win against him. That man takes forever to get ready. He likes to say ‘all this beauty takes time’. Derrick heads toward my bedroom, rolling my bags into the room. There is a gorgeous dusty pink queen bed set up in the middle of the room, two white bedside tables on either side, one has a reading lamp. There’s a desk and chair that is set against the large window which looks out to the same view I saw when I entered the apartment.
“This is so perfect.” Tears begin too well in my eyes. Fatigue must be setting in.
“No. Don’t you dare start,” Derrick warns me. I can see his eyes are becoming glassy too. I rush toward him wrapping my arms around him giving him a hug. He hugs me tightly right back. “Bitch, I’m so happy you’re here.” After we have our moment we straighten ourselves up again. “We’re going to have the time of our lives here, Stacey.” Derrick looks at me seriously. “Sienna’s met her Prince Charming. Now it’s our turn.” He wiggles his brows at me.
“I’m not looking for Prince Charming. I’d be happy with Prince Fuck Me Good.” This makes us both burst out laughing.
“Oh, how I’ve missed you. Go. Get freshened up because you know Sienna is dying to see you. She keeps messaging me telling me to hurry up and bring you to the store.”
“Okay. Shower first. Coffee second. Sienna third.”
“It really is in walking distance.” I sip on one of the biggest coffees I’ve ever seen. I’m probably going to be bouncing off the walls later on tonight. We’ve walked maybe a block or two and we are here. Then I see the sign.
“Wyld Jones.” Derrick smiles, catching my reaction.
“Pretty catchy, isn’t it?” I nod. This is real. She’s doing it. She’s really starting all over again. I remember the day Sienna opened her first store all those years ago, and now here we are standing in West Hollywood, a million miles from where she began. I feel nothing but pride for my friend. “Come on, put her out of her misery.” Derrick pushes me through the front doors. I can hear people inside and then silence. Sienna turns around and realizes we have arrived.
“Oh my God.” She rushes over to me; tears are already falling down her cheeks. I notice a larger belly on her petite frame as she crashes into me. “I’ve missed you so much.” Tears hit my shoulder as she hugs me tight. “Thank you, thank you so much for coming.” We embrace each other for what feels like hours, until we eventually pull apart, both of us red eyed from tears.
“You must be Stacey,” a deep voice states behind Sienna, and I am struck by the gorgeous man behind her. Holy shit, it’s Evan Wyld. He’s holding out a tattooed hand to me and I’m just staring at him like some kind of star struck groupie. I quickly snap myself out of it and take his hand. “I’ve heard so much about you, feels like I know you already.” My cheeks begin to burn as a blush forms across my face. Get it together, Stacey.
“And same about you.” Evan steps away and places a tattooed arm across Sienna’s shoulders, her body molds against his, he kisses the top of her blonde hair and you can see her body sigh. She looks happy, so happy. Her hand reaches down and touches her stomach.
“Look at you.” My eyes land on her hand moving across her stomach.
“I know. He’s really kicking up a storm at the moment.” That’s when I notice the slight tiredness to her eyes, but she’s still glowing.
“Well, you look happy,” I tell her. Sienna looks up at Evan and their eyes meet. Love radiates between them; holy smokes it’s getting hot in here. Evan leans down and kisses her ever so gently.
“I’m the luckiest man in the world,” he declares turning back to myself and Derrick, looking as if he has just won the best prize in the world. I guess he has, he’s found his one. His forever.
“Yes. They are always this nauseatingly in love.” Derrick rolls his eyes at them both which makes them chuckle.
“We make Derrick sick with our love.” Sienna smiles.
“No, what makes me sick is walking in on them going like rabbits in Sienna’s office. If you could get pregnant more than once she’d be having a damn litter by the amount of banging they do.” Evan shrugs and Sienna’s cheeks flush with embarrassment.
“Anyway, enough about us. Let’s show you the space.” Sienna moves away from Evan and hooks her arm with mine and starts to tell me all about her plans for Wyld Jones.
238
Stacey
“Don’t be nervous.” Derrick elbows me as we travel back from the day spa. It’
s Sienna’s birthday. Thankfully this one won’t be a disaster like last year’s fiasco where she found out her husband was cheating on her. “The guys are all cool,” he reassures me. Tonight I’m meeting the rest of the Dirty Texas guys, plus the Sons of Brooklyn boys. Two of the biggest rock bands in the world in one house. It’s kind of intimidating.
We slowly weave our way back up to the Hills where Sienna lives with Evan. Eventually the limousine comes to a stop out the front of Sienna’s house and we all pile out of it. The first thing we hear when we walk through the front door is shouting. Everyone looks at each other with concern. The shouting gets louder the closer we get, and we rush ahead to see what’s going on.
“You can’t stand the fact that your hot fiancée’s lips were on mine. That her tongue was down my throat, her hot pussy grinding on my dick, that she wanted me before she ever wanted you.”
“You fucker,” someone roars. The sound of bone hitting bone echoes through the home.
“Fuck you!” a man yells.
“Evan!” Sienna screams at them. The two men look up from the ground, their tuxedos all tousled, their hair disheveled and they both look equally as guilty.
“Evan, what the hell are you doing? Charlotte looks like she is on the verge of tears. Evan and the other guy jump up at the sound of her voice.
“Are you okay?” Charlotte asks the guy with the amazing aqua eyes.
“Yeah, we’re all good,” he says through gritted teeth.
“What the hell were you doing, Evan?” Charlotte yells at her brother. I’m kind of confused at what’s going on. Are all LA parties like this?
