Chapter 8
Trystan
C am didn't think I was serious about her touring with me, and in some ways, I wasn't, but not for the reason she thought. Cam was still figuring herself out, and I thought asking her to follow my dreams instead of figuring out hers seemed selfish.
I was several years older than Cam, and there was a good possibility that we were in two very different places in our lives, but none of that changed the fact that I wanted her.
Considering neither of us brought it up before we said goodbye and headed home from Nashville the next morning, I figured we both knew she couldn't come with me.
It had been a few days since we'd gotten back, and I'd been avoiding Camryn.
Jerking open the fridge, I grabbed a bottle of water.
"Um, excuse me, sir," Syn teased. "Are you lost?"
"Funny." I smiled, turning to face her. Syn, short for Madisyn, was my only biological sister and the youngest of all the girls in the house, but you couldn't tell by looking at her. She'd dyed her long, dirty blonde hair black and was covered in tattoos and piercings. She was the shortest out of all of us, but her attitude made up for her size.
"Oh, Trystan." She laughed. "It's been so long, I didn't recognize you."
"I saw you the other night; what are you talking about?"
She shrugged. "Just messing with you." She leaned over the island between us. "So I heard you canceled your Atlanta gig to be with Camryn in Nashville."
There were a lot of great things about being part of a big family, but the rumors and gossip weren't one of them.
I rolled my eyes. "The gig in Atlanta was canceled, and I went to Nashville to hang with my brother and stepsister."
"And then threatened to kill someone for touching Cam." She raised her brows.
"She was drunk, and he was taking advantage of her. I would do the same thing for any of you."
"Fair enough, but for real, what's the deal with you two?"
"You're being nosey, little sis."
"It's kind of my thing, and you can't blame me. It's not like you to go all jealous boyfriend in public for just anyone."
"I would have done..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." She waved me off. "So, are you and Cam a thing?"
Another thing I disliked about a big family was that someone was always in your business. "You know I don't believe in monogamy." She dramatically rolled her eyes. "We are just hanging out."
"Oh." Nodding, she pursed her lips. "So you're cool with her dating someone else then?"
"What are you getting at Syn?" I didn't bother hiding the irritation in my tone. Syn was my little sister, and by little, I meant a lot younger than me, but she always had a way with words. Whether those words were telling you off or giving you advice, they usually got your attention.
She shrugged. "I'm just sayin' if you're not cool with it, you should lock that down before someone else does because there's a lot of men who would jump off a cliff to get the attention you're getting from her, and it's only a matter of time before she realizes that."
"Even if I wanted to lock it down, I can't." She raised her brows. "It's just not the right time." I twisted off the cap of my bottle of water. "Where is everyone?" I changed the subject.
"Jax is avoiding the house, which I assume has something to do with this thing between him and Kaia. Kaia is upstairs, and I'm leaving now to go meet up with Harlow."
"You know Jax." She nodded. "He runs when anything gets serious, and my guess is that he hasn't worked out his own feelings for her." My lips curved into a grin. "Actually, why don't you go find him and give him the speech you just gave me."
"Because he's too stubborn to listen to anyone." She cocked her head, and her lips twitched with a sarcastic grin. "I have to go." Syn flashed me a smile and turned to leave.
"Hey!" I stopped her. She glanced back. I opened my mouth but quickly changed my mind. "We should do dinner and catch up." I was curious about her dating life and whether or not she was still seeing that dick, Beau, but that was a conversation for another time.
"Yeah." A slow grin spread across her face, lighting up her features. "Let me know when you're free."
I nodded, and she disappeared out the door.
Standing alone in the silent kitchen, everything Syn said flooded my thoughts. I knew how right she was.
Over the last few years, I'd seen the amount of guys who'd fallen for her, and I couldn't blame them. Camryn was the total package. She was beautiful, smart, and fun, but locking it down wasn't fair to her, not yet, anyway.
My phone buzzed, and I shoved my hand into my pocket and pulled it out.
Creed: Party at Saylor's
Trystan: Come get me.
Creed: Be there in five.
Thank God. I shoved my phone in my pocket, snatched my keys off the counter, and headed for the back door. I needed to get out of my own head. Cam and I had spent two nights together in a hotel, and before that, the only time I'd ever spent the night with a woman was on Cam's 18th birthday.
I didn't spend the night with women, and I didn't spend the day doing couples things. I didn't believe in settling down or monogamy, but I'd also never been so obsessed or felt so jealous over a woman like that before, and a party was just what I needed. Where there was an endless supply of willing women and enough alcohol to make me forget about Cam. Because if I didn't forget about her, I wasn't going to be able to leave her.
Standing at the end of the driveway, I waited for Creed. My phone buzzed again, and I expected it to be Creed letting me know he was about to pull in, but it wasn't.
It was Cam.
I knew I shouldn't open it. I should shove the phone back in my pocket and get in Creed's car.
Camryn: How can you be so freaking perfect and yet still be such a dick?
My eyes widened as I reread the text. I was far from perfect, but I was definitely a dick. I just wasn't sure what I did this time to be called one.
Trystan: Where are you?
Camryn: Out.
I pursed my lips. She was mad, and for the first time in my life, I actually cared why.
Trystan: Tell me where you are, and I'll come get you.
Camryn: No
Rolling my eyes, I clicked on the call button, and after three rings, she picked up.
Bass thrummed through the phone line, so loud I could almost feel it. "What?" Her voice cut through the chaos, sharp as broken glass.
"Where are you?" Each word came out slower than I intended.
"I believe—" A burst of laughter in the background. Her words slurred at the edges, dangerous as black ice. "—I already answered that question."
Kaia's warning echoed in my head: When Cam hurts, she burns everything down. Including herself. It was how she coped. It was obvious she was hurt or mad or both, and it was directed at me.
"Camryn, we can do this one of two ways. You can tell me where you are and make this easier on me, or I will find you and drag you out of that party."
I waited for a response. Nothing.
"Hello?"
Nothing...
She hung up on me. Fuck!
Closing out of Cam's contact, I opened Kaia's.
Trystan: Where's Cam tonight?
I impatiently tapped my foot on the concrete driveway as I stared at my phone.
Kaia: She's at a pre-season hockey party.
Trystan: Are you with her?
That was a stupid question. I knew she wasn't. She was upstairs in her room.
Kaia: No. It's not really my scene.
Trystan: Where?
Kaia: Brayden's House.
I didn't know Brayden personally, but I knew where he lived because I'd fucked around with his sister in high school.
Trystan: Thanks
Creed eased his white Toyota Camry to a stop in front of me. "You ready?"
"Change of plans," I smirked. "Can you drop me off at Brayden Newsom's house?"
"What the fuck for?" He scowled.
"There's a party."
"Yeah." He frowned. "A fucking hockey party with a bunch of jocks."
"Cam's there."
"Ah." He smiled. "Get in." I ran around the car and slid in. "So, are you serious about this girl?"
I rolled my eyes. "About as serious as I can be about a girl."
"Fair enough." He shoved the car in drive and swerved into traffic.
Cam chose the hard way, and I was glad she did because I was going to drag her out of the party and show her what a dick I could be.