Max (A Carter Brother series Book 4)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  “Hold on, what about you, Kayla? You’re dating Myles, right?’’

  “Yeah,’’ Kayla smiles widely.

  “Do you fancy Max, too?’’

  My head snaps to Kayla, my interest piqued. Does she? But then I think about Myles and as good looking as he is, he’s not Max. I honestly think it’s the personality that makes a person who they are. After all, most incredibly good looking guys can be assholes.

  “God no! No offence, Lake,’’ she adds quickly.

  “Wait, you’re with Max?’’ Stace asks open mouthed.

  “Evan didn’t tell me that,’’ Kennedy adds looking surprised.

  “No, we’re just… Just friends, I guess,’’ I shrug, wanting the conversation to be over. When it comes to me and Max, it’s private. I know he hasn’t let anyone see the real him, the person I see, so revealing that would feel like I was betraying him.

  “I don’t get it. How can you not like Max when he looks exactly like Myles? They’re twins.’’

  “Easy. They’re two completely different people. I don’t just like Myles for what he looks like but for who he is. He’s nothing like Max. Yeah, they have some similar qualities, but that’s as far as it goes for me,’’ Kayla answers perfectly. It’s how I would describe them too.

  “Who’s next?’’ I ask, wanting to move on.

  “Kennedy, where is the weirdest place you’ve had sex?’’

  Kennedy blushes looking around the table. “I don’t think we have had a weird place. I guess if I had to say which was the scariest, because I thought we would get caught, is at the hotel we stayed at after we got married. We were in the pool late at night and things got heated,’’ she starts, her face heating. You can see it even with the dim lights.

  “My ears are bleeding,’’ Denny howls horrified and we all laugh.

  “Helloooooo, welcome to The Fire Inn. We have a special crowd with us tonight,’’ the DJ shouts, earning hoots and hollers from around the pub. “A hen night if I’m not mistaken,’’ he calls again and the lads in the pub start whistling. “I’m also told the first six songs will be sung by them, so give it up, guys, for Team Carter,’’ he shouts in the mic. We all cheer at the table, all of us banging our glasses on the table and stomping our feet on the floor.

  Harlow quickly scribbles the rest of the songs down on the slips before scrunching them up and throwing them in a pint glass. She gives them a quick shake, looking to Denny.

  “You’re first, bride-to-be,’’ she winks at Denny. “Pick a song.’’

  “Oh my God. I’ve got Celine Dion, Because You Love Me,’’ she giggles, standing up. We all cheer her onto the stage, all of us stomping our legs and whistling. Harlow grabs her phone and when she catches me looking she grins evilly.

  “Got to get the proof,’’ she winks and turns back to the stage.

  Denny hands the slip over to the DJ and he smiles, nodding his head. She then continues to walk over to the centre of the stage, where the mic is grinning ear to ear. Looking up at the huge TV screen up on the wall, she bites her lip before taking in a deep breath. She looks petrified but excited at the same time.

  “Come on, Denny,’’ Stace shouts, her hands cupping her mouth just as the music starts playing. We’re all smiling and laughing, shouting encouragement as she sings through the first verse.

  Some lads sitting at the far back start hollering, “Get ya tits out, get ya tits out, get ya tits out for the lads.’’

  Denny stops for a second, looking completely shocked, but then grins and shouts back and all of us join in with her.

  “Get ya peckers out, get ya peckers out, get ya peckers out for us gals.’’

  The DJ, grinning his head off, shakes his head but leans over to the mic as the song finishes. “Please don’t. I don’t need to see that shit.’’

  We all laugh like drunken idiots, hooting and hollering.

  “Your turn,’’ Nay shouts and Harlow grins, grabbing a folded piece of paper from the pint glass.

  “Oh shitting hell, I got Aerosmith, I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,’’ she pouts. “Don’t blame me when the cats start lining up outside to get in.’’ With that she steps up onto the stage, smacking Denny’s arse on the way. Denny comes and sits down, gulping down her drink at the same time as the song begins.

  Just like we did with Denny, we all cheer her on, ignoring the cat calls and whistles from the lads sitting at the back. I don’t know about the others but I don’t want to give them the ammunition to come over.

  We’re all laughing throughout the song. Harlow wasn’t kidding about the cat comment. If cats aren’t swarming the area outside wondering where their mother is, I’d be shocked as fuck. She’s basically screaming down the mic towards the end but it doesn’t stop us all from singing along right with her, all of us so out of tune and sounding worse than nails scraping down a chalkboard.

  “Thank you, and goodnight,’’ Harlow shouts, laughing and sounding so out of breath I begin to worry she’s going to pass out.

  “Who’s next?’’ Kennedy asks, grinning and shaking the pint glass. She’s gone from merry to being pissed in the space of two songs and I can’t actually blame her. We’ve been drinking shot after shot and that’s not including the drinks we’ve been sipping on.

  “Kayla, you’re up, babe,’’ Nay grins at her.

  “It’s so unfair that we’ll all most likely sound like strangled, tortured animals and you’ll sound like an angel,’’ Denny pouts, her words beginning to slur.

  “I’ve got Christina Perry’s, Thousand Years,’’ she grins looking pleased.

  And I find out why when she gets up on the stage and begins to sing, making the song her own. Her voice is husky, soft. It’s spectacular.

  “Fucking hell! She sounds freaking amazing,’’ I blurt out, making everyone laugh. I don’t care; it’s the first time I’ve heard her sing and it’s the most beautiful sound ever.

  “She’s really good,’’ Kennedy whispers in awe. “I’m actually pretty scared about going up next.’’

  “She is awesome. Look at her blushing. I don’t get why, she owns it. She’s got such a fantastic voice,’’ Harlow mentions and I agree, looking back to the stage to where Kayla is slowly finishing the song.

  A round of applause erupts from around the bar when she finishes and we all stand up hollering and shouting. She laughs, throwing her head back on the stage, before stepping forward and taking a dramatic bow.

  “Quick, Kennedy, you’re up next.’’

  Kennedy reluctantly shakes the glass before taking one of the slips out. “You were amazing, Kayla. I don’t think I’m gonna top that. No one could top that performance. You should have gone last.’’

  “Knock um dead,’’ Kayla laughs shaking off the compliment, and I move out the booth to let her sit back down.

  “I got Bruno Mars’, Marry you,’’ Kennedy giggles. “I freaking love this song.’’ We all laugh and cheer her on as she jumps out from the booth and up onto the stage: her earlier reluctance gone.

  We’re all clapping when she starts singing. Then Denny has a bright idea as the song really gets going, Kennedy enjoying herself up on the stage.

  “Let’s dance,’’ Denny grins and we all smile in agreement.

  We all jump down to the little area that has been cleared and start to dance, singing along with Kennedy who seems more relaxed and is working the stage, making us giggle.

  ‘I think I wanna marry you,’ is sung and we all point to Denny, singing the words to her and she throws her head back laughing.

  I grab Kayla’s hands and start swinging her around, jiggling my hips and body to the music. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had and I feel so free, so alive, and I’m having the best time of my life, finally feeling like I belong.

  The song finishes and we all take our seats, laughing. I soon lose mine when I find out it’s my turn next.

  “Damn it,’’ I mutter, then grab a slip and groan loudly throwing my head back. “You’v
e got to be kidding me.’’

  “What did you get?’’ Denny laughs.

  “Whitney Houston’s, I Will Always Love You,’’ I groan but move out of the booth and take the slip to the DJ. “Don’t suppose the mic broke before I got up here?’’

  He laughs, shaking his head. I flop my head back groaning and take the stage. I send Harlow a glare but she just laughs along with the rest of the girls. I feel like I’m in the spotlight, which I guess I am, but more so wearing a hooker outfit that shows more skin than a bikini.

  “Come on, Lake, work it, baby,’’ Nay shouts, making me laugh. Then I begin to sing. The song isn’t that bad at first and I don’t feel like I sound like a drowning cat. But then the song continues and the notes get higher and my voice begins to crack and get out of tune.

  Just when the highest note of the song begins, I burst out laughing. Denny, Harlow, Kennedy, Kayla, Nay and Stace are all standing up, swinging their arms from side to side and screaming out the song for me.

  I end up finishing the song in a fit of laughter but no one seems to care; they all seem to be having as much fun as the rest of us.

  When I jump down from the stage, Nay is already making her way up, her hips jiggling from side to side as she walks.

  I grin when she gives me a high five and a hip bump. “Knock um dead,’’ I laugh, carrying on to my seat.

  I flop down on the seat, feeling myself becoming hotter: sweat starting to bead my forehead and the back of my neck.

  “You were brilliant,’’ they all cheer when I finish downing my drink and wishing I didn’t when a sudden dizziness hits me.

  I wave them off with a grin. When I realise the song Nay has picked out, I sigh. Lucky cow!

  “Let’s dance,’’ Denny shouts again and we all hit the make shift dance floor and wiggle our hips to the music.

  Crazy in Love by Beyonce begins to play and we’re all shaking our hips to the beat. Nay, on stage, starts singing and she actually sounds okay. She works the stage walking back and forth like a real pop star, making us all giggle and sing along with her.

  She starts full on dancing at the chorus, copying the moves that Beyonce does in the video. When she starts twerking, her hips twisting all the way to the floor then snapping back up with her ass in the air, we all scream. Lads start hollering and I’m pretty sure they’re having the night of their lives. They’re basically getting a free show with the way Nay is working the stage in that outfit. She looks pretty fucking awesome up there.

  “Whooohoooo,’’ I shout, cheering her on, but the girl doesn’t need it. She’s got it going on.

  “This night is so awesome,’’ Kayla slurs in my ear and I giggle, swinging my hips up against hers in a sexy way. Both obviously not used to the nightlife, we end up giggling, tripping over our own shadows and falling to the floor.

  We both land with a loud umph but end up in a fit of laughter. It’s then I realise Nay isn’t singing anymore, the song now finished. She’s joined the other girls and is laughing down at me and Kayla.

  “You said knock um dead, not over,’’ Nay laughs which makes us laugh harder. It takes them a few attempts to help us up. Finally back in our seats we all look to Stace.

  “You’re next,’’ Kayla shouts, pointing a finger right in Stace’s face.

  Stace laughs, knocking her hand away before picking the last slip out of the pint glass.

  “Oh my God, I love this song,’’ Stace shouts squealing. She doesn’t give us chance to ask what it is, she’s out of the booth and running up on the stage, handing the DJ the slip.

  When the song begins we all look at each other and grin. Jumping out of the booth, we all head back to the dance floor.

  We listen, sing and dance as Stace sings Dirty Dancing’s, Time Of My Life. Just like Nay, she works the stage. We all laugh at her facial expressions. She’s proper getting into the song.

  “I wonder what the boys are up to?’’ Kayla shouts and I smile.

  “Let’s see,’’ I answer with mischief in my voice. I grab my phone and hold it up, trying to get a selfie to send to Max, but it doesn’t work. Every time I think I’ve got the picture I take a look and find the picture a complete disaster. On one, half of our faces are missing and on the other, neither of us end up in the shot at all. We both laugh at my failed attempts at photography.

  “Here, I’ll take it,’’ Nay laughs, grabbing my phone. Kayla and I wrap our arms around each other, posing for the picture. Nay snaps the picture, winking when she hands me my phone back.

  “We’re heading to the next club,’’ Harlow shouts, warning us to finish our drinks.

  I make quick work of uploading the photo. Writing a message out, though, turns out to be a little more difficult whilst intoxicated.

  Me: Having thee timeee of myyy wife. Wifi. Duck sake. Wife. No. I’m having the dime of my lifeeeeeeee.

  Laughing, I send the message. “Ha, I rocked that message,’ I tell Kayla, but when I turn to face her, she’s gone.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  MAX

  I’d be a millionaire by now if I had a pound for every time someone has mentioned how blue I’m looking. I’ve been able to forget about my skin deficiency, but then some little fucker would bring it up making me feel small. Like a gnome.

  Like now.

  “Aww, you look like Papa Smurf,’’ a drunk, giggling girl snickers with her mates.

  “Aww, you look like Joker from Batman,’’ I tell her dryly. Her friends all curse and call me names but I carry on walking, ignoring them. Okay, staggering, towards Bamboos.

  “I think we should have skipped that last bar,’’ Myles laughs as he steadies Adam who is two sheets to the wind.

  “It was Malik’s idea. Blame him,’’ I chuckle.

  Malik had suggested heading into another bar while we waited for Lee’s message to say that they’ve finished. That other bar ended up being another three. Poor Mason and Lee will have to catch the fuck up when we reach them.

  Rounding the corner, I see Bamboos up ahead of us. A large queue is lining up outside and I inwardly groan. Hopefully someone we know is working the door tonight because you can forget about me waiting in that line.

  “There’s Mason,’’ Maverick laughs and we all look up and follow his line of direction. And there he is. Mason. His body rigid, stiff as a board. He’s giving some stocky built girl a hug. His face is scrunched up in distaste, while Lee is laughing his ass off beside him, taking a picture for evidence.

  “How much are you charging tonight, bro?’’ I shout, laughing when his head snaps up and he glares over at us.

  When we’re closer we all notice his cardboard cut-out is looking a little bent out of shape. His wig has disappeared, along with his fake boobs. And if I’m not mistaken, his lipstick is looking a little smudged.

  “What the fuck happened to you?’’ Malik laughs, stepping closer for a better inspection.

  “I’m never, and I mean, never, going to forgive you for this. I feel violated. That last girl stunk like a sewer. I’m not even going to get into how many times I’ve been groped and touched in places I didn’t give them permission to touch,’’ he whines. Taking off his cardboard cut-out he shoves it at me.

  Laughing my head off, I grab the cardboard cut out and hand it over to the girl that he just accused of stinking like a sewer.

  “You look like you could use a hug,’’ I wink. I wince when she smiles, her teeth looking like they’ve been brushed with a mouldy banana.

  I dry heave and Mason gives me a sympathetic look like he knows what I just witnessed and how I’m feeling. Which I suppose he does. He did just get up close and personal with her.

  “What’s next? Please say it involves a lot of alcohol,’’ he pleads, turning his back on banana teeth girl.

  “It does,’’ Maverick laughs. “You’ve got a lot of catching up to do.’’ He gestures to Adam who looks like he’s about to pass out and we all laugh.

  “But first, the next part of tonight
,’’ Myles chuckles.

  Mason groans, throwing his head back. “Please don’t make me wear any more stupid shit.’’

  “You won’t be,’’ Myles laughs. “When I shout ‘ants’ you guys have to hit the deck, waving your arms and legs around in the air. Failure to follow through will earn you a punishment.’’

  “But I can drink?’’ Mason asks, double-checking.

  “You got a drinking problem, bro?’’ I ask chuckling.

  “Fuck off.’’

  “Elliot is on the door tonight. He’s got a new doorman working for him but he said we can go right on through,’’ Maverick adds as he holds a drunk Adam up. I follow behind for backup. There’s no guessing when Adam will lose his footing. I want to be ready with my phone to capture the epic moment.

  “What the fuck? Why you lookin’ so blue? Are you tryin’ to be an Avatar?’’ Elliot, the big, burly doorman, booms. His deep laughter rumbles through the air and I tip my head back to the tall fucker and smirk.

  “What the fuck? Why you looking so big? Are you trying to be The Rock?’’ I reply sarcastically. Taking my teasing in goodwill he just laughs me off, slapping me on the back.

  “Easy there, tiger. Some might call that assault,’’ I groan, twisting my shoulders. Shit that hurt.

  ‘Ants,’ is shouted and I groan. I’m standing in front of two massive doormen and have a queue of people behind me and he decides to shout ‘ants’ now.

  Yep. It’s official. This game sucks for me.

  Making quick work of dropping to the floor, I begin waving my legs and arms around. Myles didn’t mention for us to do anything else, or for how long. So once I’ve made a show of myself, I get up acting like nothing happened.

  Elliot is staring at me like I’ve lost the plot. People from the queue behind me are shouting and laughing. And when I look around Elliot I notice my brothers, Adam and Lee all laughing their heads off with their phones aimed in my direction.

  “You fuckers,’’ I rumble.

  “I’m the only one who can shout it,’’ Myles laughs.

  “Sorry,’’ Mason grins, looking smug, and I know then it was that fucker that shouted ants.