A flood of memories washed over me from the night before.
When Sebastian and I had been on the phone…
What did you say to him?
My heart sank.
I flirted with him on the phone. I said things to him. I talked about touching myself…
I debated on texting or calling.
This was a calling situation.
I shut my eyes and made the call.
“There she is,” Sebastian’s voice said.
My cheeks burned hot. “Good morning.”
“Good morning to you, Bree.”
“Sebastian…”
He laughed. “What?”
“I was drunk.”
“I know that, babe.”
“Anything I said…”
“I get it. No need to get all worried. It wasn’t like I stuck my hand down my jeans and asked you to keep talking, right?”
I sighed.
Butterflies danced in my stomach.
“Right,” I said.
“I do have one question though,” he said.
I swallowed hard. “What?”
“You were pretty adamant about coming down here.”
“That part was true.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I already talked to Mia. The shop will be covered.”
“Good,” he said. “We have a couple shows to play. So if you come, you can stay at my place or come to the shows. The one show we’re going to take a tour bus to. Just for fun. You should experience that with us.”
“Okay,” I said. “One thing at a time. As far as getting there…”
“I’ll fly out to get you in a couple hours. Pack up, babe, you’re coming to hang with a bunch of filthy rock stars.”
I smiled.
I let out a ha sound.
And my face burned hotter than ever.
Mia drove me to the little airport.
I had always wondered who exactly flew in and out of the airport. I assumed it was more for cargo planes or something. Or maybe it was for rich people like Sebastian to use at their leisure.
I hugged Mia, told her I loved her, got out of her car and grabbed my two bags from the backseat of the car.
I had stuffed those bags as much as I could, not really knowing when I was going to come back to town.
It was almost like I was Sebastian.
Leaving town with a couple bags, not knowing what was going to happen.
Except in his case, he believed he was going to become a rock star, and he made that dream happen.
I was just trying to escape reality for a minute.
A man met me outside the airport and I was then escorted right to the tarmac, where a private jet waited.
When I saw Sebastian exit the jet, he had a smile on his face that made me smile.
He walked up to me and took my bags.
“Long time no see,” he said.
“Yeah,” I said. “So this is real, huh?”
“This is the small one,” Sebastian said. “You should see the size of the one we get when we tour internationally.”
He led the way to the private jet and I just shook my head.
I realized getting into the jet, he was no longer Sebastian.
The guy who showed up to be there for me was Sebastian. He had stepped into my world.
But I was now stepping into his world.
In his world, he was Sab.
Sab.
He put my bags down on an empty seat.
“It’s just flying,” he said. “So have at it.”
The jet was really comfortable looking.
I took a seat next to the window and Sab sat down next to me.
“You can’t find a better seat?” I asked.
“What’s better than this, babe?” he asked.
I shook my head again. “I feel like I’m dreaming. And making a huge mistake.”
“Buckle up, Bree,” he said. “We’re going to take off in a few.”
My heart told me that had more than one meaning.
I buckled up and before I could come up with one decent thought, we were on the move.
From ground to air in seconds.
My hands slowly gripping the seat as that lose your stomach feeling teased me over and over.
Sebastian put his hand to mine. “You’re safe, babe.”
“I know.”
“You don’t fly much?”
“Never,” I said.
I looked at him and smiled.
“Once we get settled in the air, you can move around. Get a drink. Whatever you want.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
We sat in silence for a little bit until things felt smoother.
That’s when Sebastian nudged me. “You said this is a huge mistake.”
“I said it feels like it,” I said. “Just because I’m running from all my problems.”
“Like what? You’re taking care of yourself.”
“I haven’t decided what to do with my mother’s ashes,” I said. “And then that letter…”
“So that was true,” he said. “You’re adopted.”
“I guess. I mean, I should be home making calls. Or looking into it.”
“I can help with that,” Sebastian said. “If you want.”
“I’m good,” I said. “But… what would you do?”
“Make a call or two,” he said. “Have my lawyer call yours. Get the ball rolling.”
“Okay.”
“You want me to do that?”
“Maybe. Yeah. Sure. I mean… why not, right? I’m not obligated to do anything. So even if I just get some more information…”
“Right,” he said. “Then you’ll know. I’m sorry you’re going through all of this at once.”
“Me too. I want to be angry at my mother for this. But what’s the use?”
“My guess is she did it to protect you,” he said. “And maybe that secret was just too hard to tell but too hard to take with her.”
“Do you think she thought I would have left her?”
Sebastian took a deep breath. “I’m not sure. Maybe.”
“I wish people would just talk. Say what’s going on. What’s happening. What they’re feeling.”
“And you’re honest all of the time?” Sebastian asked.
“I’m not talking about me,” I said.
He laughed. “Damn, Bree, this is going to be fun.”
“You think so?”
“Of course.”
“I know everything about you, Sebastian. The guy before Sab.”
“You can tell anyone any story you want,” he said. “I’m not afraid of my past.”
“And you’re putting me in front of all those rock stars…”
“Who have women in their lives,” he said.
“Rock stars actually settle down?”
“I guess so.”
“When are you settling down?” I teased.
Sebastian leaned closer to me. “When I find the right woman.”
“I wonder what she’ll look like,” I said. “Tall. Fake hair. Fake eyelashes. Fake tits for sure. She’ll probably have one of those random piercings… like a little diamond sticking out of her ribcage…”
“Careful,” Sebastian said. “You’re going to turn me on.”
I laughed. “Go handle yourself then. You can join the solo mile high club.”
“Already did,” he said with a wink.
“And the… never mind.”
“What?”
“Nothing. I don’t want to know about your sex life.”
“Sex life,” he said. “Oh, you were going to ask if I’ve ever had sex in a plane. I don’t think I have to answer that. What about you?”
“Oh, yeah,” I said. “Big time. I’m a slut at thirty thousand feet. I can’t help myself. I just open my legs and say come in for a landing, guys!”
Sebastian put his arm around me and kissed the top of my head. “This is going to be fun, babe.”
&
nbsp; I put my head to his shoulder and sighed. “Thank you for this. I probably shouldn’t be running away like this…”
“Bree,” he said. “Is this what you want?”
“Yes.”
“Then shut up and enjoy it.”
“You got it… Sab…”
“Sab, huh?”
“I might as well get used to it before we land,” I said.
“Good. If you call me Sebastian while we’re in LA, I’m calling you Brianna.”
“I hate that name,” I said.
“I know,” he said.
“Would you mind if I closed my eyes? I’m still hungover.”
“Just as long as you don’t touch yourself in your sleep.”
I slapped his chest. “Don’t be gross.”
“Enjoy your nap, babe,” Sab said.
I shut my eyes.
My hand was still on his chest.
He had a lot more muscle than I remembered… and he smelled really good… and he…
Stop, Bree… just please stop.
11
SAB
The plane touched down and the weather was as perfect as when I left it hours ago.
I wasn’t really a fan of flying, but I wasn’t going to leave Bree to fly on her own.
I carried her bags off the plane to the waiting SUV that was going to take us to my place.
As I put the bags in the back of the SUV, from the side of my eye I caught Bree looking around.
LA was its own world at times, and that was hard to remember when you’d been there as long as I had been.
Where Bree lived, it was a small town. It was cloudy, cool, sometimes rainy.
Here it was… different.
The sun was brighter. There was a haze that blanketed a good part of the sky. There were parts you could go to and have some fun. There were parts you were advised to avoid at all costs.
We got into the SUV and the airport became a blur behind us.
“We’re going to my place first,” I said. “Then we have to go to the practice place.”
“With the band?” Bree asked.
“That’s right. Are you going to be starstruck and all that?”
“Not sure,” she said.
She took a deep breath.
“How does it feel?” I asked.
“What?”
“To be here.”
“Oh. It feels okay. I feel okay. This is just…”
“Take it one second at a time,” I said.
“Also, you don’t have to babysit me,” Bree said. “I can figure things out on my own. I know you’re busy with stuff. You mentioned some shows and whatnot. I don’t want to be in the way. Okay?”
“You already are,” I said.
Bree pushed me. “Come on, Sab.”
“I’m messing with you.”
“And even with… you know… women and stuff…”
“What?” I asked.
“You’re a rock star. I get it. You probably have a different woman each night. Right?”
I felt a little attacked by the comment.
But I smiled.
“You don’t want to hear it?” I asked. “It’ll give you something to use for your own good.”
“I am not doing that while you’re doing that,” she said.
I laughed. “Hey. You’re in the rock star world now, babe. Start acting like it.”
“Sorry, Sab, not going to happen.”
“You know, I like the way you say my name. It sounds good coming off your tongue.”
“Are you really trying to flirt with me right now?”
“No. Just talking. Friendly talking.”
“Friendly talking,” she said. She shook her head. “I can see you changing already. You’re going to be a cocky dickhead, aren’t you?”
“Probably,” I said. “Want to fly back yet?”
“Not yet,” she said. “Not until I’ve had my own fun.”
I wasn’t sure what that meant… or maybe I did.
Bree came here to get away from her life. To have fun. There was nothing wrong with it.
But I was still her best friend.
I wasn’t going to sit back and let her do something too crazy or stupid.
It was just me trying to protect her… that was all.
I carried Bree’s bags again. This time to my house.
She looked around - again - her neck moving left to right so fast, I thought she was going to end up with whiplash.
“This is your house?” she asked.
“This is my house.”
“This is… this is crazy.”
I wasn’t going to downplay the house. Or my lifestyle.
I wanted a house with a lot of windows and a view of the city.
I lived in a rich area that was flooded with celebrities.
It wasn’t like some neighborhoods, where they were gated and the houses were on top of each other.
I had plenty of space.
There was a little bit of an allure that I was alone.
But when you looked out back and saw the city, you realized you weren’t alone at all.
Once inside the house, I tossed Bree’s bags to one of the couches.
“Want a drink?” I asked.
Bree was looking up at the skylights. “Sure…” She looked at me. “Wait. What?”
“I was offering you a drink,” I said. “I can give you the tour of the house if you want. Or I can just tell you what’s in here.”
“Yeah, do that. I want to snoop on my own.”
“There’s only five bedrooms. Modest.” I winked. “The master is the doorway down the hallway upstairs. That’s the biggest room. Private bath and balcony. The other rooms are nice. Two and two share bathrooms, so there’s a total of three bathrooms upstairs. On the first floor here, if you go down to the end of the house, I have my own recording studio setup. That room is full of guitars, drums, equipment. There’s a little arcade in there too. Just for the fun of it. Out back is the pool and hot tub. I think that’s about it. I’m sure I’m missing a few rooms and bathrooms.”
“How much did this cost?” Bree asked. Then she covered her mouth. “I shouldn’t have asked that.”
I laughed. “Do you really want to know how much this place cost?”
“No,” she said. “It’ll make me hate you.”
“So the question now… where do you want your bags? My room? Or do you want a spare bedroom?”
“I’m not sleeping in a spare bedroom,” she said.
“My bed is really big,” I said. “Not that we haven’t cuddled before.”
“Or you can sleep in a spare bedroom,” she said and batted her eyes at me.
“Not a chance in hell, babe,” I said. “Just know if I bring home a stripper, we’re coming to bed. You’re okay with a threesome?”
Bree laughed. But her cheeks turned bright red.
She pointed to her bags.
“Carry those for me,” she said.
She snapped her fingers.
She was the only person in the world who could get away with talking to me like that.
I took her upstairs to the master bedroom.
I smiled the entire time.
The room oozed with rock star wildness.
Everything was dark and silky.
The bed could fit ten people, easily.
The windows were floor to ceiling, all with mechanical blinds that I controlled from the bed. The balcony overlooked the city. There was a corner nook with a light and a desk where I never did anything at all, but it looked pretty badass.
“This is amazing,” Bree said.
“Check out the shower, babe.”
I pointed to the bathroom door.
I waited for the yell.
When it happened, I strolled to the bathroom and stood in the doorway.
“What the hell is this?” Bree asked.
The shower was the length of the bathroom.
Glass doors, custom tile, and a grand total of six sh
ower heads.
Four above your head. One on each end of the wall that detached.
“There’s custom lighting in there too,” I said. “So you can set the mood. And built-in speakers. And each shower head has multiple settings.”
“Is it wrong to want to take a shower right now?” Bree asked.
“Not at all,” I said. “We have time. You smell like you're hungover anyway.”
Bree waved her middle fingers at me. Then she just waved her hands. “Get out of here.”
“Why?”
“You’re not getting a free show.”
“How much then?”
“Sab…”
“Bree…”
She shook her head. “So this is your thing? The playful, rock star flirting?”
“What do you think?” I asked. “You have to be honest… when you mix it with the house, the fame, the money, the attitude… it works, right?”
“Maybe a little,” she said. “Now leave. And don’t try peeking.”
I stepped back and smiled. “Have fun. If you play with one of the detachable shower heads, just rinse it off before you hang it back up.”
Bree’s cheeks turned red again.
I walked out of the bedroom and realized that for all the joking and harmless flirting Bree and I had done throughout the years, it never once turned sexual.
At least not until now.
That was just the rock star thing.
I looked down and took a deep breath.
Thinking about her naked in my shower…
I swallowed hard.
There was no way I could pitch a tent over that. Over her.
Right?
When Bree walked into the kitchen with her hair down and wet, in fresh clothes, I felt my throat tighten for a second.
“How was the shower?” I asked.
“I think I died and went to heaven in there,” she said.
“Did you ever think you’d meet the devil in heaven?” I asked.
“Seriously, Sab, this place is amazing. That shower is amazing. Your entire life is amazing. I’m proud of you.”
“Proud of me?” I asked. I opened the fridge and got out two beers. I wiggled them in my hand and Bree nodded. “For what?”
I twisted off the caps and handed her a beer.
“Of course I’m proud of you. This was all you talked about. Remember? There wasn’t a day that went by where you weren’t talking about becoming a rock star. All you wanted to do was play drums. Yet you were really good at guitar.”
A FILTHY Friend (Filthy Line Book 5) Page 9
