by Reid, B. B.
Loren was quiet for a moment, staring at the wall ahead of him before muttering, “Maybe.”
Afraid I might be forcing him into something his soul couldn’t take, I continued. “I’m not telling you that it’s wrong to want Braxton for yourself. It doesn’t make you anything other than who you are. But if your only objection is what other people will think—”
“It’s not me I’m worried about,” he said, cutting me off.
It was probably for the best since I could feel my heart racing inside my chest. This was the closest I’d come to keeping us all together. It wasn’t just about Bound. Besides my grandmother, Rich and Loren were the only family I ever truly cared about. I had to seize the opportunity Brax had unwittingly given us. I never thought sharing my woman was something I’d ever do. It contradicted everything I thought I knew about myself as a man, and I had the feeling no other woman could have convinced me to take such a leap of faith. No one.
“The girl always gets the most shit during a scandal,” he pointed out. “Men will pat us on our backs while Braxton is belittled by the same women vying to take her spot. Guys will assume she’s easy game. It—” A frustrated look twisted Loren’s features. “I already want to commit murder, and nothing’s even happened. She won’t even hear us out.”
“She will.”
“How?” Loren returned skeptically. “We buy her diamonds and flowers? You know Braxton better than that. She’ll just find the highest window and throw them out.”
I scratched my chin because he had a point. Braxton could hold a grudge and had the temper to keep it going. It definitely made me think twice about crossing her in the future.
“We’ll figure something out.” I tipped my chin toward the closed door of the spare bedroom. “Go make up with Rich. He’s always been Braxton’s favorite, and three heads are better than two.”
Eavesdropping is only wrong when you’re not the topic of conversation, right? It hadn’t been my intention to listen.
Okay, so maybe it had.
Their muffled voices had drawn me to the door, and when I heard Loren vowing not to keep me a secret, I couldn’t walk away. Once again, my heart and mind were at war.
All night, I replayed their conversation.
When the clock read a quarter to five in the morning, and I still couldn’t sleep, I found myself slipping into another dress and tiptoeing from our hotel suite. Not even Houston was awake, and he was the early riser. I’m sure it crossed their minds that I’d sneak out, but they’d never count on it being this early.
The sun was still a couple of hours from rising, and since the streets would be mostly empty this early, I wasn’t worried about being recognized.
Just to be sure, I borrowed the ball cap Houston had left on the kitchen counter. I might have even sniffed it a little for a hint of his shampoo before throwing it on and keeping the bill low.
I emerged from the hotel without being accosted as Houston would have claimed and spotted a French café just across the street. Even though they weren’t open yet, I could still smell the coffee and pastries.
My stomach growled, reminding me that I’d been too stubborn to come out last night to eat. Rich, Houston, and Loren had even knocked on my door twice each to ask if I was hungry.
So nice of them to be concerned when they thought it was too late.
As I wandered down East Seventy-Sixth and cut across Fifth Ave toward Central Park, I set my mind on deciding what I’d do once the tour was over. My advance had been generous, with more to come once the tour’s profits were divvied and distributed. I knew I wouldn’t get nearly as much as the guys, but I hoped I’d at least bank enough to buy a crappy house in a questionable neighborhood.
What more could an average girl with no real ambition ask for?
I only needed to decide if Los Angeles was the endgame. Wherever I chose to go, I had to make sure it was somewhere my parents would never step foot in.
I hated that Portland was the only city that came to mind. My parents did say it was much too liberal, but they weren’t why I thought of it.
I had no clue if Portland is where Bound still lived or if that house in Beverley Hills belonged to them. I only knew that it was home. Calvin, who they never mentioned, was the only one who hadn’t grown up there.
I knew there was no correct way to grieve, but my gut told me they didn’t mourn him—only his guitar skills.
Under Bound’s tutelage, mine have certainly grown. Houston hadn’t corrected my methods or complained about my mistakes since our show in Denver. I just assumed he’d been too angry to deign even ripping me apart like usual.
I should have been accustomed to complicated, but the Powerpuff Girls were tossing out everything I thought I knew of the meaning.
It was still too early for joggers and dog-walkers, so I walked for five minutes, passing a small playground and seeing no one until I came across an amazing bronze statue of a little girl perched on top of a giant mushroom surrounded by woodland creatures. It was Alice in Wonderland with the Mad Hatter looking on, the White Rabbit checking his pocket watch, and a dormouse eating something at her feet.
Digging out my phone, I snapped a selfie with the Mad Hatter and then the White Rabbit. I wasn’t sure I wanted to risk slipping and falling if I climbed the mushroom for Alice.
Sorry, Alice.
I walked for another ten minutes passing a boathouse before I stumbled upon a miniature castle next to a pond that wouldn’t open for a few hours. If I hadn’t been too early, I would have dipped inside, but it wouldn’t have been for the panoramic views.
I had less chance of being found if I were undercover.
Even though I’d left Houston, Loren, and Jericho sound asleep in their beds, I felt like a kid skipping school and avoiding all the places my parents or someone who knows them might show up. A few more hours and the park would fill up since it was summer, and parents were looking to keep their kids entertained until they wore themselves out.
Smiling as an idea formed, I took a selfie and smiled into the camera while biting the tip of my finger. I made sure not to show too much of the stone and brick castle in the background. It was dark, so my flash still came in handy. Once I was satisfied nothing else gave my location away, I opened the texting app. After unblocking Loren, I started a new thread, and typed a message. I already knew they liked group chats.
I decided to take a walk. Find me before sunrise, and I’ll grant five minutes of my undivided attention.
Attaching the photos I’d taken, including my selfies with the Mad Hatter and White Rabbit, I hit send and pocketed my phone. I figured I had about a twenty-minute head start.
“Stop playing, girl. You know I like it when you do that.”
Smiling, I was just getting to the good part of my dream when my eyes drifted open for some reason.
I jumped and screamed like a bitch at the sight of Houston standing over me with no expression whatsoever.
“What the hell are you doing?” I shouted at him. I’d even startled Rich awake. Weirded the hell out, I clutched the covers to my chest. I couldn’t tell if Houston had been about to stab me or rape me. Rich creeped us both out plenty whenever he had trouble sleeping. Thankfully, it’s been a while since he had an episode.
I’d been a sphincter’s hair from having a wet dream, and strangely, I was okay with that—as long as Braxton was playing a starring role.
“You were talking in your sleep,” Houston announced.
“So you decided to stand over me like you’re Michael fucking Myers?”
“Fuck you. I was coming to wake you up.” Looking like he could barely restrain himself, he took a deep breath and exhaled. “Braxton’s gone.”
Glancing out the window with the curtains drawn since we were so high up, I saw that the sun wasn’t even up yet.
Sucking my teeth, I rolled onto my stomach. Braxton was like a frat boy, keeping late hours and sleeping until noon. No way she was awake yet. I don’t care how mad she wa
s.
It’s too early for this shit.
“She’s sleeping. I’m sleeping. Now leave us both the hell alone,” I mumbled with a face full of pillow.
“Check your phone.” It was all he said before he left the room.
Ignoring him, I concentrated on picking up where my dream had left off. A moment later, I rolled my eyes when I heard Rich grabbing his phone from the nightstand. I was starting to drift off again when I heard his sheets rustling as he got out of bed.
If she’s really gone, I’m going to wring her neck.
“Get up,” Jericho ordered, confirming my worst fears. “Houston wasn’t fucking kidding. Check your texts.”
Heart pounding, I frantically searched the sheets. The last time I recalled having it was before I fell asleep texting her. Not a single message had been delivered since she’d blocked my number. It only gave me the courage to pour my heart out and let loose my anger since I knew she’d never see them.
By the time I found my goddamn phone, Rich had already thrown on a white T-shirt and sneakers since he’d worn basketball shorts to bed. When I finally saw the texts, my reaction was different than Houston and Rich’s.
I smiled.
I loved the balls on this kid.
She wasn’t predictable or needy like Houston and Rich preferred in that order. She made us play the games we liked her way.
Sitting on the edge of my bed, I shook my head at the responses Houston and Rich had sent, telling her to bring her ass back. Underneath my excitement, I admit I was pissed too. It wasn’t even five in the morning yet, and she was out there in a strange city alone and in the dark. Not to mention she no longer had the luxury of obscurity. If someone recognized her, who knows what they would do.
The upside to overthinking everything is that you’re smarter than the people who don’t think at all. I knew nothing I said would make her obey. The only way to ensure no one got to her first was to find her as quickly as possible, so I’d play.
We could get our pound of flesh after we found her.
I’d never gotten dressed so quickly in my life. I’d also never stepped foot in public looking quite so disheveled. It was a first for me and yet another reason to return the favor to Brax when I got my hands on hers. I’d take my time unraveling her.
I had my shoes on and met my friends at the door just as they were storming through it.
Ten minutes later, we’d reached the park.
“What the hell is that supposed to be?” Rich griped as he stared at the last photo Braxton had sent. She’d been giving us “clues” for which direction to head once I assured her that we were up for the hunt.
I shook my head as I smiled to myself.
She’d really lured us into the city to chase her unruly ass at five in the goddamn morning.
“It’s clearly an arch,” I snapped back. “What else could it be?”
I really wasn’t a morning person.
“But where is it?” Rich questioned, unbothered by my crankiness. He only had his mind on finding Brax.
“How would I know?” I tossed my head toward Houston. “He’s the map.”
Currently, we were standing in front of the Alice in Wonderland statue as the smell of horse shit clung to the air.
I wasn’t an outdoors person either.
And we only had ten minutes tops left to find her.
“There’s something called a Ramble Arch half a mile from here, but she won’t be there. She’s already gone.”
“She hasn’t sent us another clue,” Rich pointed out.
Houston shook his head. “The clues are only meant to point us in her direction. She’s not going to wait around for us to catch up.”
“She had maybe a twenty-minute head start,” I surmised out loud. “How far could she walk in that amount of time?”
The three of us huddled around Houston’s phone as we stared at the map of Central Park. After only a few seconds of trying to guess, I felt more of my patience slipping. “This is pointless. We won’t know for sure which direction she’s gone until she sends another clue.”
Just then, Houston’s phone chimed with another text from Braxton. I hurriedly tapped the banner before it could disappear from the top of his phone.
It was a picture of her standing against the railing of what must have been a bridge. It was still dark, but I could just make out the still water in the lake behind her and the leaves from the trees reflecting on the surface.
“That has to be here,” Houston said, pointing at something called the Bow Bridge.
“There are two directions she could go once she crosses it. I say we haul ass and cut her off here,” I suggested, pointing at Bethesda Terrace.
She was probably expecting us to be off our game and actually retrace her steps. By the time we caught up, even though we were faster, it would be well after sunrise.
Who knows if or when Braxton would give us another shot. I shuddered to think of what other trial she’d feel the unneccssary need to put us through.
“And if she heads in the other direction?” Rich questioned.
“One, it’s why I said we should haul ass. Two, she won’t. She wants us to find her.”
Neither of them wasted time trying to argue. Pocketing his phone, Houston took off for Bethesda Terrace with Rich and I hot on his heels.
I didn’t realize I’d been cut off and cornered until I stepped off the paved path and onto the red brick at Bethesda Terrace. Purple had begun to give way to orange in the sky while just ahead, three brooding figures waited for my arrival. I’d been too busy admiring the fountain to notice them closing in from the other side.
Looking around as if nothing was amiss, I took in my surroundings, secretly plotting my escape. To my right loomed grand staircases leading to the upper terrace and an arcade offering access to the shadowed lower half. Both provided passage to the rest of the park.
To my left was the lake.
I never realized before how tall they were until now. Standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the fountain now, they were a reckoning force united in anger and blocking my only other escape.
It was Houston who broke the silence first. “You really should be careful who you toy with, Braxton Fawn.”
I knew better than to get too close, so I stayed where I was a few paces away. Centered in the fountain behind them was a bronze, eight-foot statue of a winged angel blessing the water cascading into the upper basin before spilling into the pool that surrounded it. Looking on underneath the angel’s feet were four cherubs—Temperance, Purity, Health, and Peace.
I had the feeling all of mine were about to be tested.
“How did you know I’d be here?” I asked to keep them talking and distracted. The last clue I sent them had been the bridge, so it really wouldn’t have been all that hard to figure out. It wasn’t their intelligence I’d underestimated, though. I hadn’t counted on their eagerness to get to me. Sunrise was only a few moments away. I thought I’d be long gone before they ever made it here.
Keeping my face unreadable, I quickly ran through my options. Obviously, the path behind me was the only viable one. Maybe they wouldn’t notice if I started inching away? I could run, but then what? They’d definitely catch me.
“You made it too easy,” Loren quipped as he pulled a stick of gum from his pocket and unwrapped it. “Lucky for you.” He slipped the gum between his lips.
“I—”
“Come here,” Rich commanded before I could utter another syllable. His gaze and his tone were so flat I didn’t know if it was caution or surprise that made me step back. He was supposed to be the sweetheart of the group—the even-tempered one. Right now, he had my heart racing more than the others.
“I believe we were promised five minutes of your undivided attention,” Loren reminded me.
“Yes,” I agreed, gulping as I folded my arms. If I couldn’t beat ’em, I’d bluff like hell. “It started two minutes ago.”
“Well, then,” he returned
with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I guess we better not waste any more time.” Tossing down his gum wrapper, Loren shot forward with a gleam in his eyes that said I’d bitten off more than I could chew.
Despite me knowing how useless it would be, I turned and ran anyway. I could hear Loren’s feet pounding the red and white brick as I rushed back the way I had come and under cover of trees. It wouldn’t make a difference. At least not for me.
The thick brush kept the rising sun from lighting the path, so I was led by instinct alone as Loren chased me. I was too afraid I’d trip over a rock if I looked behind me to see if he was alone, so I kept going. Loren toyed with my mind by letting me think I’d get away, and just when I was about to round the first bend, he deftly swooped me off my feet.
Laughing as I struggled, he carried me two steps before throwing me down into the grass that lined the path.
He was on me before I could think of what to do next, and then his soft lips crashed into mine. I could taste the mint on his tongue mingling with the cherries on mine and the scent of morning dew that I couldn’t tell was real or fake.
Yes, he had my emotions in a whirlwind, but he also had me pressed into the grass while he lay between my legs as if he belonged there.
“This is not how I imagined our first time would be,” he complained with a groan against my lips.
I was still panting from the run, and Loren kissing me so deeply. “Who said this would be our first time?”
Ignoring me, Loren rose to his knees before searching the pockets of the jeans he wore. When he came up empty for whatever he was looking for, he closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and swore.
