by Heather Long
I shook my head. “I didn’t mean right now.”
He sat down abruptly. “No?”
“No.”
“So, you’re free to hang out with me?”
“Unless you have work you need to do.”
A grunt escaped him, and I wasn’t sure if that was agreement, disagreement, or just something noncommittal. He retrieved what was left of the blunt and lit it up, then picked up his phone and dialed a number. Once it was lit, he passed it to me, and I watched him as he exhaled. I swore the stress began to melt off of him.
“Asshole, we’re up on the roof. We need food and drinks and another blunt.”
A pause.
“You can fucking join us since I have to be fucking nice to everyone.”
I gaped at him, but Jasper just grinned.
“Yeah, fuck you too. Emersyn is thirsty and stoned, and she’s adorable…” He held the phone away from his head and laughed.
“Do I want to know?”
“Kellan,” he admitted. “I stole you away from him. Figure the least I can do is share you the rest of the afternoon or at least for another…” He checked his watch. “Fifty minutes until he has to work.” The smirk on his face bordered on way too damn arrogant.
“You’re proud of yourself, aren’t you?” I took a drag off the blunt and passed it back. Honestly, it was all kinds of funny as fuck. Spending the afternoon up here with food, drinks, and weed sounded like a great plan. Not Emersyn Sharpe’s scene at all.
Sign. Me. Up.
“Told you I was more than capable.”
I chuckled. “You passed the first test. Let’s see how you are when I go to Doc’s.”
His expression soured. “Don’t remind me.”
“Oh, I intend to remind you.”
This time when he grunted, I was pretty sure it was a polite way of telling me to fuck off.
You know what? I’d take it.
Let Me Fly
Emersyn
“Fifteen minutes.” The call came from the area leading toward the arena. The troupe had been preparing for this tour for four months. Not only had my audition gone well, I’d made it all the way up to the owners. I’d been torn between excitement at the callbacks and fear that it was due to my uncle’s influence.
However, he hadn’t been as enthusiastic when it came up at the family dinner we all attended on Sundays. It was a formal meal. My parents dressed up, as did my uncle. He always picked out my dress. Since most weekends I was required to stay at his home while my parents traveled—they were always traveling—Sunday dinner always took place there.
When my mother looked surprised by my announcement, my uncle had jumped in to say he’d given me permission. Then my father asked me more probing questions about it. Eventually, they took my side against my uncle. It was an opportunity, and my mother thought I had a future as a dancer.
She’d always said she wanted to be a prima ballerina but lacked the true talent. It was one of the only times they took my side against Uncle Bradley. He’d been noncommittal but arrived at my boarding school on Thursday and fetched me himself, rather than sending a driver, and accompanied me to that audition.
It meant an extra night and day with him since he didn’t bother to take me back to school, but I won my spot. Me. More, the troupe moved to Los Angeles to train, and that put hundreds of miles between me and my family.
A tutor was hired and a chaperone. I was to have my own driver at all times. I was also to have my own room or suite of rooms. Uncle Bradley made all the arrangements.
It was two heavenly months without seeing any of them. I trained every day. Did all my work. I was a little lonely, except when I was at the theater. There, even the oldest dancers were my allies and my friends. I learned more from them than I ever had from Madame B.
When Uncle Bradley flew in to spend a weekend with me, some of my joy diminished. But he left immediately the following Monday. After that, I was required to go home one weekend a month until the tour started.
It couldn’t start soon enough for me.
Four months of preparation had led to the twenty-five-city tour we were currently on, and I’d loved every minute. I’d only seen Uncle Bradley a handful of times.
I’d seen my parents less. Though my mother called me most days or at least texted.
Daddy was often at the office late or in meetings or whatever it was he did. But he sent presents. The night of my very first performance, he sent me six dozen roses, a huge box of chocolates, and a bear that was nearly as big as me. It was stupid, but I loved it.
Tonight was different though. Halfway through the tour, the troupe director got an idea, and I’d worked with the other performers for three cities. Tonight was my huge debut, and I couldn’t wait. Nervous excitement ticked away inside of me—a countdown clock that only I could hear.
“You ready, Emmie-Bug?” Marjorie asked as she flounced down in her sequined outfit and feathers. She looked ridiculous in the brash light of the dressing room. The colors were too bright and her plumage too full to look like anything else, until she was on the stage. I swore the woman floated as she danced.
She could fly, and I’d told her the first time I’d seen her dance I wanted to dance like her. I wanted to fly.
Tonight?
Tonight, I’d fly for my performance for the first time.
I glanced in the mirror. My costume was a full bodysuit, though it wouldn’t look like it on stage. There were glitter and shimmery pieces located like I had on dance shorts and a strapless top, but the rest was sheer stocking. My hair was pulled completely back into a single ponytail.
They’d used so much hairspray when they did it, I thought I would die of suffocation. Then there were bits of sparkle and glitter in my hair. Marjorie had done my makeup herself. There was so much of it, but every time the light caught me, I seemed to shimmer more.
I wanted wings, but they would get in the way and I’d learned to fly without them.
“Ready!”
I clasped her hand and let her lead me toward the stage. Outside, the music was already booming, and the crowd was applauding as the first show began. There were eighteen separate routines in the first act. I used to be in four of them. Now I would have a routine of my own mid-show, vanish, then again, every four routines after that until the finale, when I performed with them—only from above.
My heart raced as Marjorie and I followed the long narrow hall toward the ladders that went up. Christian was waiting for us, and he grinned at me. Christian and Jaime had been my trainers and they’d been super patient with me, but they were also very encouraging.
Since my chaperone preferred to watch movies during practice time, I’d managed all of this right under the radar. It was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. My mother’s favorite saying.
I started up the ladder with Christian right behind me.
Jaime was at the top, and her grin was wide. She held out a hand to me, and I let her pull me up the rest of the way. Normally, I practiced with a safety, but I couldn’t for the performance.
Jaime and Christian would be on ropes and ready to catch me. But I wouldn’t fall.
I’d worked too hard to get up here.
Too hard to learn to fly.
Below, the crowd went wild for the next series of dances that included Marjorie. The land-locked birds moved with so much grace and color, they were mesmerizing. I leaned against the railing as I watched them and the crowd.
Up here, the world was so far away. It was just me. The music. The dance.
Jaime and Christian murmured to each other, but they’d been on the verge of boyfriend and girlfriend so long, I’d actually asked why hadn’t they kissed yet. They’d both sputtered and turned red.
I probably shouldn’t have laughed, but it cracked me up. I bet they kissed before we left this city though. I hoped so. They were cute together.
“Two minutes, Emmie-bug,” Christian said as he gripped my waist and lifted me up. Jaime ha
d a hold of the hoop, and she kept it still while I settled into it. Man in the moon—or girl in the moon really. Feet braced against the sides, I leaned back and relaxed my arms out.
“You ready?” Christian asked.
“Of course she is,” Jaime murmured, and then she added, “Emmie, look.”
I glanced over as she let go of the hoop and wrapped her arms around Christian. He looked utterly stunned when she kissed him, and my smile was so big, it made my face hurt.
Then the music shifted and I settled back as the hoop lowered, then there were gasps and the lights came up.
The next four and a half minutes would be all me.
And I was going to fly.
Chapter 19
Emersyn
We ended up hanging out on the roof for hours. Kestrel joined us with food and a thermos of hot chocolate that he gave me then flipped off Jasper when Jasper looked like he wanted it. Rome arrived a little while later, Freddie in tow. He eyed all of us a little on the apprehensive side, but I patted the chair next to me and Freddie grinned as he took it. Before I could say another word, Rome plucked me out of my chair, sat, and then settled me in his lap.
I stared at him a beat. “So that’s how it is?”
“Yep,” he said, shifting me around so I could lean back against him and see the others. Kestrel and Jasper stared at him with equal parts irritation and amusement. But I had to give Jasper a lot of credit—he never yelled.
We finished another blunt, and though Freddie looked at it longingly, he never asked and no one offered it to him. Despite his pallor, he did look better, and I wanted him to stay that way. I made him promise to watch movies with me later, and that earned me a grin.
I half floated from the second one. Kestrel offered to get us more, but I kind of half-smiled and waved him off. “I’m floaty, and this is kind of nice.” Floaty and warm. Rome had me all tucked up against him, a blanket over me. Not sure when someone grabbed that. I did eat the tacos though.
They were amazing. The conversation seemed to flow around me. They talked about everything and nothing, but I couldn’t quite zoom in on everything. Instead, I stared up at the sky and watched the clouds floating by. The bunny rabbit. The Volkswagen Bug. The wizard hat.
Eventually, rain rolled in and we’d abandoned our perch. But now that I knew this was up here? I totally planned to come back. There were rats at work in the warehouse moving boxes when I dropped down, and Kestrel caught me around the waist rather than let me land on my own. Then he set me on my feet.
I flashed him a grin and then, because there were so many people about, I motioned to Kestrel to come closer so I could whisper in his ear. “Thank you.” I also pressed a kiss there, more to his neck than anything. It was hidden from the rats, and Jasper landed right after.
Kestrel gave me a studying look, flicked his gaze behind me to Jasper, then back to me again. “You’re welcome.” When he offered his arm, I looped mine through his.
“I think I’m pretty stoned,” I told him, and Kestrel chuckled.
“That you are,” he agreed. But there wasn’t an ounce of recrimination in any of their faces as we made it inside. If anything, there was indulgence. A couple of the rats called out to Jasper, and he let out a grunt.
“It’s okay,” I murmured. “I’ll save you a spot on the sofa next to me.”
“I got dibs on the other one,” Freddie said as he dashed forward to the door.
Rome snorted, but he and Kestrel shared a long look and Kestrel gave me a little nudge toward Rome. “Be with you soon, Sparrow, stay with Freddie and Rome.”
“Okay.” Then I stared after him and Jasper both as they headed over to the rats. But Rome tugged me to the door and then inside. He guided me to the little sitting area and the sofa. Freddie already had one side of it. Rome settled me in the center. He vanished on us long enough to fix more food. He came back with hot popcorn that made my stomach rumble and large sodas, then settled into the seat next to me and offered me a box of Whoppers with a near shy smile.
“Um, where’s mine, asshole?” Freddie asked, leaning around me. “I know I’m not as pretty as Boo-Boo, but the least you could do was make me some too.”
Rome just flipped him off, and Freddie threw his head back and laughed. Without a word, he pushed upward and pointed at the sofa. “My spot.”
I twisted and stuck my feet in it for him, then Rome lifted me up and scooted over so I was in his lap and I giggled.
“You like picking me up,” I informed him. Amusement softened his face.
“Hmm-hmm.” He popped open the box of Whoppers for me. “What movie do you want to watch?”
I was hopeless at movies. I barely watched television in all the hotels I’d stayed at over the years. Particularly because the bill always included what paid for movies you got. I didn’t feel like “apologizing” for not asking, so I just skipped them.
Popping a Whopper into my mouth, I sucked it into my cheek, then held up one for Rome. “You pick?”
I swore everything in me tingled when he wrapped his lips around my fingers to suck the Whopper from them. In fact, my ass clenched and my thighs went tight. Considering the fact I was pressed right up to him, there was no way Rome couldn’t notice.
Okay, now I was happy that I was stoned, because I might start drooling. Especially when he sucked my fingers into his mouth.
“Get a room,” Freddie grumbled as he came back with a bag of tacos. How many had they bought the night before? It might have been a lot, but I wasn’t clear on that. I went to move my feet, but Freddie tugged them back after he sat so they were propped in his lap.
It was weird, but fun. Rome picked a movie about samurai. I shared my Whoppers with Rome and munched on the popcorn. The warm, humming sensation on my insides spread out. Jasper joined us, and when I offered to restart the movie, he shook his head. He’d seen it before.
Though he sat in the empty spot next to me and Rome, he gave Rome a dirty look, but he didn’t say anything. I offered him a Whopper as a way of saying thank you. I also shared my popcorn and drink. Rome shook his head but didn’t say anything. My eyes were getting heavier, and I ended up stretched out over all three of them.
Maybe that should be a problem, but some distant part of my brain had already labeled these guys as ‘safe.’ I’d been around bad people. I’d been around some pretty awful people.
Even with all his yelling and threats, Jasper didn’t qualify. When he began stroking his fingers through my hair, I closed my eyes and just passed out. The next time I opened them, Vaughn muttered a curse.
“What the fuck are you doing in here?”
“Sleeping,” Rome said. “Get in bed and shut up or get out.”
I was wrapped up around Rome again, my head on his shoulder and my leg between his. Vaughn made another sound, but the next thing I knew, the bed depressed and the naked length of him pressed up against my back.
When I woke up the next time, I was alone.
Pity.
Still, I was cocooned warmly in the bed and the pillows smelled like Rome and Vaughn both. The day before was a kind of hazy memory, but it was also a comforting one. Jasper and I had talked. I’d hung out with all of them. Cuddling had been involved.
Oh, I fell asleep during the movie. I made a face as I got out of bed. I’d apologize to Rome later. After I showered and got dressed, I found a note with my old phone, my new phone, my purse, and my wallet. On the front, it only said, As promised.
Jasper and Kestrel both promised to give me my things back. Everything was there, but the phone was off and I left it off for now. I’d rather not have anyone tracking it. Even if it did have a lot of useful information in it. Surely I could transfer that and not the phone number?
I’d figure that out later.
The inside of the folded piece of paper was written in the most elegant script.
Dove,
I got you a phone for a reason. Hang on to it so you can get my messages and I can get yours.
Vaughn
Guilt assaulted me immediately. I’d forgotten all about the phone. The flowers were also sitting there in a vase, looking pretty and filling the air with sweetness. But it was less about the flowers than the reasoning behind the phone. I picked up the new one and turned on the screen.
There were a dozen messages from Vaughn, and my face heated. Well, clearly, I sucked at this.
After reading through them, I sent him a simple message.
Me: Good morning. Sorry I forgot my phone yesterday. I won’t today. Are you working?
His response hit my screen so swiftly, I jumped.
Vaughn: Sadly, yes. I’d much rather have woken you up, but there’s a street fair down by the docks and the shop has me out here doing cheap tattoos for a few hours. I’d invite you, Dove, but until we know…
He didn’t finish the thought, but he didn’t have to.
Me: It’s okay. I think I want to see Doc today if Freddie is all right.
Vaughn: Be careful. Doc’s smart, but stay with him if you go to the clinic. No wandering around by yourself.
I rolled my eyes but just sent him a kiss emoji back and shut off the screen. Kestrel’s room was quiet, in fact, the whole building seemed to be as I made my way down. Freddie was on the sofa in the sitting room, passed out cold. The debris of our movie watching still littered the table.
Clearing some of it away, I carried it into the kitchen to put in the trash. There was a note on the coffeemaker that read,
To turn me on, flick the switch.
I snorted. But one button hit, and it began brewing. There was another covered dish on the counter with a note that read,
Food. A little too much sugar, but we need to shop. I got you donuts.
The note was signed with a J, and under the lid was two boxes of donuts. There were all kinds, including pink frosted ones with sprinkles. The coconut dusted ones too.
I didn’t wait, I stuffed one of the pink ones into my mouth immediately before liberating a pair of the coconut dusted ones. You didn’t bring donuts into a theater full of dancers and expect any to survive. You were either fast or you starved. And here were two enormous boxes just for me and filled with all kinds of sugary goodness.
