“Shit.” Luke staggers back and lowers his head laughing. “And, she’s fucking feisty, too. Just how I like ‘em!”
“Where did you find this guy?” Piper cringes. “He’s a pig.”
“He’s fucking harmless,” I answer.
“Hey, I’m a badass. You’re the pussy-whipped one over here,” he counters, nodding his head in my direction.
“I’m sure you charm all the ladies with your pick-up lines,” Piper mocks.
“Baby, I’ve got all the lines and all the moves. If you ever break up with your man, I can show you a couple. I’d definitely blow your mind. One hundred percent satisfaction guaranteed. Five star, baby. That’s what they tell me, and that’s why they always come back for seconds.”
“Hmm...” Piper says, tapping her chin in contemplation. “Let me get my man over here to see what he thinks about all of this.”
“Oh relax, baby. I get you. You’ve got a man, and I’m an asshole. I’ve heard that before, but not often. They usually just scream my name over and over again instead.” He laughs, extending his hand. “Friends?”
“You’re a fuck. You know that?” She laughs, taking his hand and shaking it aggressively. “If you weren’t friends with this guy over here,” she says as she nudges me in the ribs, “I would have my man kick your ass on the spot.”
“Yeah, I can fuck and kick ass, too. There is nothing I can’t do, babe. One stop shop right here,” he exclaims, kissing his bicep. “Last chance?” He grins like he is offering her the chance of a lifetime. I chuckle to myself, thinking Piper is not like the girls he’s had in the past. She’s a rare breed, just like Elle.
“Oh, shit. Can we pick this up later?” She smirks. “I’ve got some business to attend to with lover boy over here.” She winks up at me, clutching my forearm.
“Hey, no problem. Let me get out of your way.” He smiles, scoping out the crowd. “I need to go mingle. There are plenty of good-looking women in here. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Yeah, just don’t start any shit with anyone.”
“You know me, roomie.” He slaps me on the back. “I’m all about having a good time. I’ll be around.” He turns and heads toward the bar.
“Okay.” She laughs under her breath. “That dude is a major fucking accident waiting to happen,” Piper chuckles as she turns to me. “Let’s get back to business.”
“I’m ready for anything.”
“Good. Because I had a brilliant idea on the way over here.” She tilts her head up and smiles. “Promise me now that you’ll do it before I tell you what it is,” she declares as she glances toward the stage.
“Whaa...” I stammer, watching her frantically look around the room.
“Promise me.” She impishly punches me in my chest. “You’re gonna thank me for this.” She stares up at me and sticks out her bottom lip.
“Is this how you play your man to get what you want?” I laugh, glancing over at Link.
“Yep, works like a damn charm.” She takes a step back as she folds her arms across her chest. “Say it.” She smirks, tilting her head to the side.
“Fuck.” I lower my head and chuckle. “Fine.” I raise my eyes to her. “It’s the least I can do for you, whatever it is, since you are the mastermind behind this plan, and everything I’ve tried has gone straight to hell.”
“It’s not for me. It’s for you,” she bubbles. She turns around and yells for Link and waves him over. “Can I have your acoustic guitar?”
“Sure.” He swings it off his shoulder and hands it to her. “Be gentle with that. It cost me two months’ rent.” He hands it to Piper and kisses her hard on the lips. “You owe me later, baby,” he growls into her ear as she giggles and fists the back of his hair.
“I got choo.” She smiles over his mouth.
I get a fucking knot in my throat from watching them, so I look away to finish my beer.
“Take this,” she demands, handing me the guitar. “You’re going on stage tonight.” She deadpans without blinking an eyelash.
“Say what?” I throw my head back. “Oh. Fuck. No.” I moan, shaking my head and pushing back the guitar as I back away from her. “I’ve never sung or played in public, especially to a large crowd alone on stage. You know that,” I protest.
“You promised.” She pouts again, and I have to look away. That look on her face is my downfall.
“That was before you told me this fucking brilliant plan.” I peek at her.
“Too bad,” she says, grabbing my arm. “Listen. The song I heard you sing the other day was beautiful. It was for Elle, right? Wait.” She holds up her hand, catching my eyes. “It is for her. Don’t you want her to hear it?”
“Not like this.”
“Silly boy.” She laughs, shaking her head. “Don’t you know females love to be serenaded? Don’t you want to bare your soul to her? Tell her you’re sorry and how much you love her?”
Fuck. I rub my face with my hand, staring down at the guitar in my hand and back up at her. After the major fuck up with Sierra, I’m going to have to do this and go balls to the walls. I need to put myself out there and show Elle that I’d do anything to get her back. Who knows if this will work, but at least I made an attempt.
“All right.” I succumb and look around. The place is filling up fast. Great. I nervously run my hand through my hair, wondering if I can pull off this shit.
“Good.”
“Damn, bro.” Link chuckles. “She sucked you in, didn’t she?”
“Yeah, she did.”
“Making a love connection tonight, baby?” Links smiles, gently tapping her on the ass.
“Hey, I can’t deny that it’s a brilliant idea.” She wraps her arm around Link’s waist.
“I like you, Piper,” I say.
“Yeah, she kind of grows on ya,” Link says as he affectionately kisses the top of her head.
“Thanks, babe,” she replies.
I’m getting sick of watching these two together, or maybe I’m just jealous that I don’t have anyone in my life like that. I hope by the end of the night things change for me.
“By the way, big guy, I like you, too. That’s why I’m making you do this.” She smiles, punching my arm. “Come on, Reed. We’ve got to put this plan in motion.”
Anxiety begins to gradually creep inside me at the thoughts of being alone on stage with the lights off while the crowd murmurs and anticipates some big rock band, only to get me sitting on a stool with a guitar in my hand and a microphone in front of me. I shake away the images to try to lessen my apprehension. I have to remember who I’m doing this for. She’s all that matters to me right now.
“All right.”
“Hold on,” Piper exclaims, pulling her phone out of her back pocket and glancing at the screen. “It’s Elle. She’s here. Go somewhere so she doesn’t see you,” she says, pushing me toward the lounge. “If you want this to work, you’ve got to do what I say.”
“Fine...fine,” I say, raising my arms up in defeat as I back away. “But, I need to see her.”
“Fuck, you’ve got it bad. Now go!” She disappears through the crowd.
Yeah, the fuck I do.
I do exactly what Piper says. I order another beer and scan the crowd near the door. Five minutes later, I see Elle walk in with Piper at her side. She’s laughing and playing with her hair. It’s longer, and I instantly think about pulling it. She’s sexy as hell. I don’t see anyone else. Just her in red. Red. She’s wearing the same sexy top she wore the first time I laid my eyes on her. She’s fucking gorgeous, and I’m fucking hard at the sight of her and have to adjust myself. Fuck. She just cemented my decision for me. I’m going up on that damn stage.
“Are you ready?” Piper hisses from the side of the stage.
“No lights on me. Just my hands.”
“Hey, I’m the mastermind. Whatever I say goes.”
“Fuck...” I mumble, smiling at her. “You’re relentless.”
“Only way to be.�
� She winks. “You’re on,” she says as she vanishes into the darkness. It’s just me now.
“Oh, shit,” I mutter, pacing back and forth and swallowing back all my doubts. I wouldn’t be caught dead doing something like this for anyone, but it’s for her. Only her.
It’s pitch black when I approach the stage. The crowd starts murmuring and growing antsy as the DJ introduces me. Blood rushes to my head and pounds between my ears and my palms grow clammy with a sheath of sweat. I clutch the guitar in my hand and sit down on the stool, the only other item on the stage besides me. It’s now or never. I bring my leg up and place the guitar upon my knee. I drop my eyes to the floor and take a deep breath. I picture her face.
Breathe.
Raising my head, I open my eyes and bring my hand to the strings. I scan the faceless crowd, looking for her at the same moment the lights come on, temporarily blinding me.
Fuck, Piper! She wasn’t joking. It’s either her way or the highway.
I gaze out over the crowd one last time, wanting to find her and make eye contact with her, but she’s nowhere to be found. I lower my eyes to the guitar and strum the first chord, internally praying that if I don’t see her at least she hears me.
I have already claimed my spot on the floor, and I’m going to keep it that way. I’ve completely lost Mindy and Evelyn, which I don’t mind, since they would only steal the little bit of air I have available to me in my cramped space. I crane my neck trying to catch a glimpse of the performer walking on stage since I’m unable to hear the DJ announce his name over the boisterous, teeming crowd.
After about five minutes, the crowd finally begins to settle as the performer prepares to play. A few people hoot and holler as someone switches on the spotlight overhead and beams it toward the stage. I don’t bother trying to see because it’s literally impossible from where I’m situated behind a statuesque blonde and her brute boyfriend. Instead, I focus on listening to the music.
The sound of an acoustic guitar permeates the air with a beautiful melody, both sweet and deep as the musician taps his hand on the guitar to keep the beat. I wait, holding my breath to finally hear the voice and words behind the song. His voice sensually fills the room, traveling from my ears and down the length of my body like hot lava. I recognize the voice and for a moment I’m frozen, feeling it caress me so deeply and intimately. Reed. Slowly, my body awakens. As if in a trance, as I rise and blindly push through the haze of people. Everybody and everything around me becomes a blur, and all my focus is solely concentrated on the warm, soothing voice singing about what he’s lost. I feel his words and the ache in his voice as he releases the melancholy lyrics straight to my core.
“You are the air that I breathe. Your voice is all I hear. You’re all I need. Look ahead. Leave the past behind. Put our lives on hold and press rewind.”
Taking in a deep breath, he raises his head and looks into the crowd. In that instant as he sings those words, his eyes connect with mine. I see everything so clearly now. It’s written all over his face, profoundly carved into his intense blue eyes. He stares at me with a hopeful look in his eyes, fighting through the words. Each lyric he sings now is about us. It’s always been about us. His smooth, sultry voice drifts off as he strums the last of the chords and whispers the final words into the microphone without breaking our gaze. The large crowd erupts in applause. He rises from the stool and drops the guitar by his side. It’s like we are the only ones that exist in the entire world, and for some reason, I want to leave. I want to escape from these overwhelming feelings that seem to pour out of me from just looking at him. I spy Piper as she fights through the crowd toward me.
“Amazing,” she says excitedly. “Right?”
“Yes,” I whisper, turning back to the stage. I’m anxious to see where he’s going and unsure of what to say when I see him. I just know that I need to talk to him tonight. “How come I have a feeling that you knew about this?” I ask. I know Piper won’t lie to me. I’m not mad, but I did want to confront him on my own terms. “Did you?”
“Yes,” she responds hesitantly. For the first time since I’ve met her, Piper looks like she’s at a loss for words. I know her intentions were good. How did she know about Reed? I never told her anything about him. I’m going to kill Evelyn if she opened her big mouth.
“How did you know?” I smile wistfully, winding a stray lock of hair around my finger in nervous agitation.
Her smile radiates with a hint of satisfaction, and her gray eyes shine like gems. The confident and self-assured Piper reveals herself. “I happened to meet that remarkable talent on campus. He told me this amazing love story, and I wanted to be the one to give you guys the happy ending,” she exclaims as she looks over my shoulder. Grabbing my arm, she kisses me on the cheek and backs away. “I think this is my cue to leave,” she says as she slips into the crowd before I can say anything else.
“Doll.” I hear his voice echo from behind me.
It’s been so long since I’ve heard him call me that. I fist my hands under my chin and close my eyes. His presence is overpowering, and he hasn’t even touched me. Something in my chest aches when he speaks. The mere sound of his voice causes every piece of me to collapse. I do my best to keep it together as I turn around to face him. Every moment we’ve experienced together, every word, and every kiss, all my memories with him crash into me.
I realize right here how much I’ve missed him. He is like no other guy I have ever known. His sexy poise and commanding way are hard to resist, but also make me feel secure. I just want to walk into his arms and be completely enveloped by him, but I’d be giving in too quickly. Not right away, even though it takes everything in me to combat the urge. Words need to be spoken before I can allow it.
“I’ve missed you,” he says hoarsely as he nervously combs his fingers through his hair. By the way his alluring blue eyes slide over my face and soak me in, I can tell he wants the same thing that I do.
“You did?” I reply, more forceful than I intended. Maybe it had to be. No! He needs to hear how much he’s hurt me. This is too hard, much harder than what I experienced with Cane when he betrayed me. The hurt is tenfold with Reed. My gaze drifts back to his face, avoiding his eyes.
“It’s not even a question, doll.” He takes a step closer to me. I feel like a trapped animal, and my instinct tells me I need to escape. I need some space, but all I want is him. None of this is making sense. Love is not supposed to be this difficult. It takes me what seems like a thousand years to verbalize the words trapped inside my head and set them free like a butterfly.
“I loved you, and you’ve done nothing to prove that you missed me at all since you came back until now. What makes you think I can just forgive you after all this time?” I ask. Suddenly, I can’t breathe. “I can’t do this right now. Not here,” I whisper harshly as the music begins to play in the background. I don’t wait for his reply. I abruptly turn away and rush out the door, hearing him yell for me. This is not what I want, but I need him to know how much he hurt me. I don’t turn back to see if he’s going to fight for me, for us. I’m not sure if I want to know the answer.
I can’t stand watching her run away from me again. Rubbing my face in desperation, I immediately follow her outside. The moonlight kisses her face as she stands in the cool autumn night. I stand in the shadows for a few seconds, stunned by her beauty that I’ve been deprived of for far too long. She turns to me with her arms at her sides and the wind lifting her hair off her shoulders.
“You made a mess of us. You made this all worse than it had to be,” she chokes out, tearing her fiery eyes away from mine. I feel a complete loss of control, losing any and all connection with her and my reason to live.
“Listen to me, please,” I beg. She lifts her eyes back to mine. My heart is splintering into a million shards of glass, the fucking music is pummeling my brain and her tormented eyes are ripping my insides out.
“I’ve heard those words from you before, Reed.” Her voice and pres
ence make my brain melt. I close my eyes clenching my hands at my sides. Damn. It’s been so long since I’ve heard her say my name. I open my eyes as she turns away from me, fighting back the well of tears threatening to flow. “I gave you that chance because what I felt for you was unlike anything I’ve felt for anyone in a long time or ever. You stripped it all away. You crushed me…my heart…like it was nothing, like I meant nothing to you. You abandoned us and what we could have had.”
“I never meant for it to happen,” I say, attempting to keep it together, but failing miserably.
“You’re the piece of me I wish I didn’t need,” she declares in a small, barely audible voice.
“What are you saying, Elle?” I whisper as I stand behind her, mere inches from touching her again and kissing her lips. She turns to look at me. Her eyes burn into mine as she fights back unresolved emotions, the same damn haunting emotions that I’ve allowed to wreck me. It takes every ounce of willpower I have left not to pull her to me and kiss her right here and now.
“If you’re going to leave, just leave. I’ll bury you somehow and close the door on everything we shared, because the pain I feel right now from seeing you in front of me is too much to bear. You didn’t think enough of me to tell me everything I needed to know. To trust me.” She wants to be angry, but she’s wrestling internally with her feelings and another emotion is slowly claiming victory.
I gently back her against the brick wall, reaching for her arms and placing them over her head as I lean over her and lace my fingers with hers. She complies, relinquishing her contradicting feelings. Her body wilts under my grasp as she tilts her head back in defeat and shields her eyes from me. This is the first time I’ve touched her in over two months, and my body almost explodes from the jolt of energy that shoots through me. I fucking want to take her right now, feel her naked skin under my fingers, and trace every beautiful curve of her body that I’ve been craving since the day I left her in the airport.
Wanting Reed (Break Me) BOOK 2 Page 26
