Tattooed on his chest right over his heart in a gigantic blue and lavender heart symbol with Wild Child in a rainbow of colors filling the center. The artwork is stunning, but it’s the message that’s rendered me nearly speechless.
“Say something,” Leo pleads.
“You call me Wild Child,” I mutter the obvious. I’m not sure what else to say because I feel like I’m in a daze. When I was a kid I always thought it would be cool for a guy to tattoo my name on himself. Now that one has actually done it it’s making my stomach churn.
“You’ve captured my heart,” he says.
My chest feels so tight I’m having trouble taking in a deep breath. The large room feels like it’s closing in on me.
I need to escape.
“I’ve got to go,” I mutter.
“Go?” He sounds confused.
My head is spinning as I climb out of bed. “I just need some space.”
He doesn’t take his eyes off of me as I try to reassemble the outfit I was wearing.
“I should go with you,” he suggests.
“That would be the opposite of me having space.”
“I knew I shouldn’t have shown you the tattoo.”
I want to state the obvious: that maybe he shouldn’t have gotten the tattoo in the first place, but I refrain.
As soon as I look put-together enough to be seen in public I head toward the door. When I turn back toward Leo I ask, “Are you just going to stay in my bed?”
“I like it.”
“You have your own bedroom.”
“This one smells like you.”
They were right, I mumble to myself. They were all right.
I really am going to break Leo’s big heart.
***
“I need to borrow your car,” I state when I catch up with Harper in the kitchen. She’s cooking some kind of bean stew in a gigantic pot that does not look in any way appetizing.
Not that I have much of an appetite. The only thing I’m actually craving is tequila.
“Where are you going?” She glances at her expensive watch. I’m not sure which I hate more—the watch itself—or what it symbolizes. That she’s a mature person who can handle a mature relationship. She’s not freaking out because a guy cares about her.
Or maybe even loves her.
“Is everything okay?” Harper’s brow furrows with concern.
I give my head a vigorous shake. “Everything is definitely not okay.”
“Are you sure you’re okay to drive?”
“I have to get out of here for a while. I’m starting to feel extremely claustrophobic.”
“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” She pulls out one of the counter stools for me to sit.
I plop down on it.
“Leo got a tattoo of a heart, with my name, over his heart.”
Harper swallows uncomfortably. “Oh, no…”
I narrow my gaze at her. “Did you know about this?”
She heaves a small sigh. “Not exactly. Leo was using my computer trying to look up something on the Internet and failing miserably. He was trying to figure out exactly where the heart was located in the human body. So I told him. I had no idea why he wanted to know.”
“He said I’ve captured his heart.”
When she places her hand on my arm I try my best not to flinch. “Is that really a bad thing? The two of you seem to like each other.”
“We like to fuck each other. Not exactly the building blocks of a healthy and stable relationship. Not to mention the fact that I’m an addict, just out of rehab, with so much baggage I need my own freight train to carry it all. Why does Leo even want someone like me? I’m damaged goods. I’m a slut. I’m not the girl-next-door like you, Harper. I’m not relationship material. I’m the one-night stand. Two at the most. That’s all it was ever supposed to be between us.”
“Please tell me you want to borrow the car to go to a meeting.”
“I want to borrow the car to go to a meeting,” I repeat, even though I have no idea where I want to go other than away from here.
Her purse is sitting on the end of the counter. She reaches into it and removes her car keys. She waves them in front of me for a few seconds. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you not to drink and drive.”
“I won’t drink and drive,” I promise. Although right now I could use a drink in the worst way.
She narrows her gaze at me. “Do you want me to come with you?”
“I don’t want to have to face the Wrath of Nic Rayne right now.”
“He’s really not that bad.”
“When’s the last time you went somewhere without Nic?”
She responds right away. “When I came to pick you up from rehab.”
“And before that?” I probe.
She scrunches up her little pixie nose as she thinks about it. “I don’t remember.”
“My point exactly. I just need some time alone. Okay?”
Raising an eyebrow she says, “You’ll call me if you need me?”
“Of course.”
***
I stand outside the small meeting hall trying to will myself to go inside. My mind knows that I need to go to a meeting. It’s the most healthy and rational thing to do. But when has any decision I’ve ever made been rational or healthy? I decided to have sex with Leo and he’s fallen for me harder than I ever thought he would. It doesn’t get any less healthy than that.
On the opposite side of the street and down a block I can see a trendy bar. Even for a weeknight the place is packed. It’s the kind of place I frequented when I was drinking. The kind of place where I could easily pick up a young businessman in town for a conference or meeting for a quick fling. A guy who wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, but I still knew he was married because I could see the faint outline of the band on his finger. Those were the guys I always knew were one-and-done. They wanted a little extra on the side while they were out of town, but still wanted to be with their wives when they got back home. It was a win-win for both of us.
And businessmen always come with an added bonus: a hotel room.
A businessman like that might be exactly what I need to get Leo out of my system and out of my life once and for all. I doubt he’ll still want to be with me after I screw someone else tonight instead of him.
So I turn my back on the AA meeting and head down to the trendy bar instead.
Eight
Leo
“You gave her your car?” I practically yell at Harper then immediately regret it. I’ve been on edge since Brooke walked out on me and now I’m taking it out on Rayne’s girl, not the smartest idea if I value my life.
“I didn’t give her my car,” Harper states calmly. “I loaned it to her.”
“What is that?” I stare down at the disgusting looking mixture cooking in a large pot on the stove.
“It’s bean stew.”
“It looks like someone has already eaten it once…”
When she glares at me I realize I’ve spoken without thinking again. The guys don’t mind when I give them shit, but this is Harper. She’s from a different world.
“Do you have any idea where Brooke went?” I try not to sound as desperate as I feel.
“She told me she was going to find an AA meeting.”
“And you believed her?”
Awareness seems to cross Harper’s face when she realizes Brooke may not have been truthful.
“I need to find her,” I declare. “I don’t want her to get in trouble again.”
“Find who?” Rayne asks as he strolls into the kitchen. He glances down at the pot of bean stew. “That looks good, Shakes.” He gives Harper a peck on the forehead.
“It does?” I mutter.
I get an icy glare from Rayne in return.
“I guess love really does make you blind,” I add.
Rayne crosses his arms over his chest. “Who are you looking for?”
“I loaned Brooke my car,” Harper says. “She told m
e she wanted to go to an AA meeting…”
“And you believed her?” Rayne asks.
“Why is that so hard to believe?” Harper sounds a bit flustered.
“Because it’s Brooke,” Rayne replies.
“Leo is worried about her,” Harper says. “And so am I.”
“There’s a tracking device on the car,” Rayne states matter-of-factly.
Harper’s eyes widen in response. “A what?”
Placing a hand on Harper’s shoulder he explains, “I have tracking devices on all of our cars. Just in case. It’s a safety precaution.”
“Let’s see where she’s at,” I suggest.
Harper and I follow Rayne into his massive library. I’ve never made it through a book in my life and Rayne’s read over ten thousand of them. Even though I was raised with the guy Rayne is definitely on another planet when it comes to books. Reading is something he and Harper have in common, but it’s not on my list of hobbies.
He flips on his computer monitor and takes a seat at his desk. Harper and I stand on either side of him so we can see the screen.
After typing for several seconds he pulls up a map and shows us where the car is currently located. “She’s parked downtown. There are quite a few clubs and bars in the vicinity. It would help if a few of us searched for her. We could each take a handful of places.”
“Okay,” Harper agrees.
“What about Xander and Raven?” Rayne asks.
I shrug. “You’ll have to ask.”
Rayne frowns.
“Dude, I’ve officially moved out. The two of them are on their own now.”
“Why don’t you take Harper with you? I’ll try to find the two of them and we’ll meet in the parking lot of the community hall, where she’s got Harper’s car parked.” He looks over at Harper. “Is that okay, Shakes?”
She nods. “Sure.”
As soon as Harper has the stove turned off and her creepy bean stew covered the two of us head out to the garage. I’ve still got the keys to Rayne’s BMW from my date night with Brooke so we hop into that vehicle. It’s just one of several high end luxury vehicles Rayne has stored in his garage.
“Buckle up,” I tell Harper as we climb into the car. “Rayne would never forgive me if anything happened to you.”
“I’m sure you’re a safe driver,” she replies as she straps herself in.
“That may be true, but it’s every other asshole on the road that I’m worried about.”
The drive into town is quiet. Harper and I don’t have much in common, except for Rayne and Brooke. Until Harper finally says, “You know this is about Brooke and not about you.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s never felt good about herself. Deep down I don’t think she believes that she deserves to be loved. That’s why she does the things she does. Why she’s pushing you away.”
“I’m not going to let her.”
“I just want you to be prepared. In case she’s—um—with someone else.”
“I can handle it,” I tell her. I already have a plan.
***
By the time I hit the third fucking trendy bar in a row I’m so sick of looking at button-down-shirt wearing assholes I could scream. They’ve all got on the same damn collar shirts and pretty-boy haircuts. They’ve even got the same stupid black shoes. It makes me wonder if there’s some kind of asshole factory close by where they’re just pumping these guys out by the hour.
And then I spot her. Sitting at the end of a long wooden bar hanging all over one of them.
Every hair on my body stands at attention when I realize the button-down-shirt wearing asshole has his stupid manicured hands all over my girl.
I’m ready to clobber the guy and I smile when I imagine staining his stupid collar shirt completely red with his own blood.
But I take in a deep breath instead. I try to calm myself down so I don’t kill the guy. I need to play this cool. I just need to get Brooke out of here—and home with me—without causing a scene or any trouble.
There are two drinks on the bar: one in front of Brooke and one in front of the asshole. The asshole’s drink is half gone, but thankfully Brooke’s looks like it hasn’t been touched.
As soon as Brooke notices me marching toward her, her eyes go wide. She’s no longer paying any attention to the asshole as he babbles on about God-only-knows-what. Her big, brown eyes are planted firmly on me.
Just where I like them.
It takes a few seconds for the asshole to catch on that he’s no longer the center of Brooke’s attention. There’s a new man in town.
As he turns toward me I make sure to give him my most intimidating cold stare. I stifle a laugh when he swallows hard and his face turns pale. He actually looks like he might puke.
“You’re in my seat,” I tell him as I stand right next to his barstool and stare down at him.
I’m not the tallest guy on the planet, but I can look like the meanest when I want to. This guy looks like he’s never been in a fight in his life, not even with his wife. I have no doubt he’ll fold like a house of cards within seconds.
“I—um…” Beads of sweat are starting to gather at his temples. He points to Brooke. “You told me you were single.”
“But you’re not.” I make a point of looking down at his wedding ring finger. Even though he’s taken his ring off, there’s still an indentation where it was on his finger no doubt right before he slid in into his pocket as he entered the bar.
What a jerkoff. I’ve fucked a lot of women, but I’ve never lied. And I sure as hell would never cheat on someone I’m supposed to love.
“Who is this guy?” The asshole asks Brooke.
She gulps, but doesn’t reply.
“I’m the guy you don’t want to fuck with,” I state. “Now get out of my chair.”
The guy looks me up and down as I glare at him. He’s trying to act tough to save some face, but he’ll leave when he figures out that if he doesn’t hightail it out on his own I’ll make him leave.
“You look familiar.” His eyes narrow as he searches my face. “Did you go to Scottsdale Prep?”
I laugh right in the guy’s face. “Do I look like I went to a prep school?”
He shakes his head. “Not really.” But he continues to gawk at me.
When I’m sick of his crap I ask, “Ever been to an Always Rayne concert?”
His eyes widen. “Oh, my God! You’re the guy! You’re the guitar player.”
“I am.”
This causes him to practically leap from the barstool. “I’m so sorry…I didn’t mean to…I didn’t know she was your girl, man.” His hand is now covering his stupid-looking asshole face as he shakes his even stupider-looking asshole head in disbelief. “Always Rayne is like the best band ever. I can’t believe this.”
I take the seat that he vacated.
“Can I get your autograph?” he asks as he grabs a pen from his shirt pocket.
I know I’m supposed to be nice to our fans because they’re the ones who buy our music and pay to see us in concert, but all I can think about are all the places I’d like him to stick the fucking autograph. But I play it cool. I take his pen, scribble on a drink coaster, and hand the coaster and pen back to him.
“Thanks.” The guy can’t take his eyes off the coaster, like it’s gold or something.
I wait for a few seconds, staring at him, before he takes the hint to get lost. Once the asshole is gone I turn my attention to my Wild Child.
She’s certainly fulfilled the title tonight.
“Thanks a lot.” She glares at me.
“No problem.”
“I was being sarcastic,” she clarifies.
“I know.”
I grab her drink and take a sip. It’s just soda, so I put it back down in front of her.
“I’m keeping the plug in the jug,” she tells me.
“That’s good. But you were going to fuck an asshole. That’s a problem.”
“For
you maybe,” she snaps.
“The jerkoff is married,” I tell her.
“That’s what I liked about him. No strings. Get laid and get out.”
When our eyes meet I can see so much turmoil in hers. She’s really hurting, but she doesn’t have to be. I wish I could convince her of that. “Is that what you really want? Just to get fucked by some random guy?”
“Maybe.” Her words don’t match her expression. I can always tell what’s going on with Brooke by looking deep into her eyes. Her eyes never lie, even if she does.
“Find another guy,” I tell her.
She narrows her gaze. “Why?”
“Because I’m on a roll and having fun.”
Shaking her head she asks, “You’re just going to do that to every guy, aren’t you?”
“Yup.”
She heaves a sigh then hops from her barstool. “Fine. Take me home.”
I didn’t think it would be that easy. I thought she’d make me go through a few more guys just to prove my point.
“Everyone was worried about you,” I tell her as we walk out of the bar.
“Harper, maybe,” she replies. “Nic because he loves Harper. But I seriously doubt that Xander or Raven care all that much about what happens to me.”
I step right in front of her and look directly into her sad eyes. “Xander and Raven know I care about you. So they care about you. They’re both out looking for you right now. So are Harper and Rayne.”
Gazing at the ground she says, “I wish you didn’t care so much.”
I gently lift her head so I can see into those beautiful eyes of hers. “Too late.”
“I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble.” She shakes her head. “I can’t believe everyone went looking for me.”
“I’d better let them know I found you.” I take a few moments to text the gang and let them know Brooke is with me and that she’s safe. “They’ll meet us in the parking lot.”
I’m a little surprised that she lets me take her hand. After the shit I pulled in the bar I figured there was a fifty-fifty shot that she’d either take my hand or punch me.
“I just want to go home.” She sounds tired.
“I want to go home too.”
It takes just a few minutes for Harper and Rayne to join us. Unfortunately they’re being followed by some asshole paparazzi. Another reason we don’t go out very much. Dirt bag photographers who make a living snapping shots of celebrities. Even though living in the desert provides some level of privacy there are still people who let the paparazzi know where to find us to make a fast buck.
Sometimes Brooke (The ALWAYS SOMETIMES NEVER Rock Star Romance Series Book 2) Page 10
