CHAPTER 22
Sonnie
“Holy shit, lady, cut your bullshit!” I pulled away from Drake to move across the room so I could look the bully in her face. “I get it. You’re the perfect caricature of the bitter ex who never managed to extract herself from the man’s life. You’re playing up the asshole part a little strong, though. I realize this situation sucks. I can assure you I didn’t plan on the fucking country finding out about my night. So, I’m going to need you to keep your petty insults to yourself and try to remember any manners you might’ve picked up on your journey up from whatever level of hell you were spawned in. And that’s not your ice cream.”
She stared back at me in shocked silence as I grabbed the ice cream she’d been eating and put the lid back on before I shoved it back in the freezer. The bite she had on her spoon slid off and landed on her pristine white shirt, but she still didn’t move.
Drake stood next to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Sonnie isn’t going anywhere. You fought to stay on as our manager, Samantha. Do your job. You and the publicist can figure out how to take care of it.”
She gaped up at him. “What are you talking about, Drake? How am I supposed to just take care of this if you’re going to keep her around? The publicist told me you were going to publicly date one of the women on the preapproved list. You can’t be serious about this woman. Jesus, tell me you’re joking.”
Cole stood next to me and slid his hand possessively over my ass. “I won’t speak for Drake or Price, but I’m keeping Sonnie around for as long as she’ll let me.”
Price moved to our side of the counter. “Same. Although, after your shit, I’m afraid she won’t see the benefits of being with us outweighing the bad.”
I met his gaze and sent him a wobbly smile. I felt sick and wanted to lie down and cry, but I was stronger than that and I wasn’t going to crumble in front of Samantha. “I mean, there’s homemade ice cream. That outweighs a lot of things.”
Samantha let out a strangled sound. “Fine. Fine. If y’all are insisting on this being something you’re doing for the moment, I’ll figure something out. I’ll meet with your publicist and see if we can’t spin this for the brand.”
Drake nodded. “That’s all you need to do. Just your job. If you can’t keep it professional with the woman we date, you’ll need to find a different job. You’ve overstepped before but this was too much.”
“You can’t fire me, Drake. You know that.”
“No, I know that when we divorced eight years ago, I was too broke to figure out how to get away from you. You see the checks coming in. You know I make enough money now to find a way to rid myself of you. You need to have a reality check and ask yourself if you really want to chance that.” Drake took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “If you want to keep your job, you’ll remember that.”
Samantha leveled a hard stare at me. “I’m going to work my ass off to make sure you and your reputation doesn’t tarnish theirs. Make sure you do the same.”
She stomped out and took all my confidence with her. I suddenly felt every bit of sleep I’d missed over the last three years. I ran my hand through my tangled hair and blew out a shaky breath. I wasn’t sure what’d just happened, but the anxiety I felt creeping up told me it was massive. I sagged against the counter and ran my hand over my face. My body didn’t feel like my own. Things were just too out of control.
“Come on. Let’s sit down and talk about this.” Drake took my hand and pulled me towards the bedroom. “Obviously, this wasn’t exactly what we planned, but we’ll figure it out.”
I shook my head. “No, your ex-wife and your publicist will figure it out.”
He didn’t say anything for a second and before he could, my phone rang. I looked down and saw that it was Rosie. He gestured for me to answer it as he grabbed a pair of shorts from his dresser. He tossed a pair to Price and Cole, too. I hadn’t even realized they’d been naked the entire time they were talking to Samantha. Just how comfortable around her were they?
“Rosie?”
“I came home and there are a thousand people in front of our house, Sonnie. They’re all shouting and taking pictures and I didn’t know what to do. I needed to check on Monster so I just tried to walk through but they started grabbing at me and asking me questions. I ran inside and I’m hiding in my room with Monster, Sonnie. Please, come home. I don’t know what to do.”
“I’ll be right there, Ro. I’m so sorry. It’ll be okay.” I looked around the room and started grabbing my clothes from the night before. “Just make sure the door’s locked and stay in your room. Turn your music on if you need to.”
“Just hurry, Sonnie.”
“Of course. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I looked up and found the guys already dressed and pulling on their shoes. Tears filled my eyes but I blinked them away as quickly as I could. I didn’t have time to break down. “I need to go home. People surrounded the house and they grabbed at Rosie. She’s terrified.”
“We’ll take you.” Price had his keys in his hand already.
I shook my head. “No. This is already a mess because we were seen together. If I show up with y’all, it’s just going to get worse. I… I didn’t think it would be like this. There are pictures of my house online. There are pictures leading up to what we did last night. Those articles… I don’t know if I can do this.”
Cole frowned. “We can’t let you go alone. None of this was supposed to happen, but we won’t let you drown. We’ll take care of you, Sonnie. You and Rosie.”
I was shaking and I knew his words were meant well, but he was throwing rocks at a crumbling wall. “No one has ever taken care of me. As much as I would love to believe you and as much as I’d love to think this whole thing is going to end well for me, I just don’t believe it. You don’t even know me. You’ve barely known me for twenty-four hours.”
Drake cupped my face in his big hands and pressed his mouth over mine. It stopped my frantic speaking and slowed my mind. I felt Price and Cole press into me from either side and I managed to take a few deep breaths.
“I told you I’m decisive, Cupcake. I told you the guys are, too. We’re going to take care of you. You don’t have to believe it right now. You can just watch it happen.” Drake smoothed my hair away from my face and stroked his thumbs over my cheeks. “We’re going to go to your house and get Rosie and the asshole cat. It’s not safe to stay there with everyone wanting a piece of you right now. We’ll take you to Price’s. It’s out in the country and if we’re lucky, a mountain lion will eat Monster.”
I let out a watery laugh and slapped his chest. “That’s not funny.”
He gently kissed me again. “The publicist wanted attention for the brand to show we aren’t gay and he’s getting it. Instead of just letting Samantha and him figure it out, after we get you to Price’s, we’ll meet with them and help work out a plan. You’re right. It’s shitty of me to let my ex-wife figure out what’s going to happen with your reputation.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.” He sighed. “Let’s go save Rosie. I’m not exactly sure this is going to make her like us, but maybe we’ll grow on her.”
Cole grunted. “Speak for yourself. She’ll like me. I’m great.”
“You thought the same thing about the cat.” Price nodded to Cole’s bandaged hand. “I wouldn’t suggest putting your hand near her.”
I pulled away and stepped into my pants from the night before. Tying the t-shirt in a knot at my waist, I yanked my hair into a mess at the top of my head and rubbed my eyes after looking around. “I’m ready. I feel sick. I don’t think nerves and sperm mix well.”
Drake made a face. “Don’t talk about sperm right now, Cupcake. We’re in an emergency situation and I have a feeling you’d slap me if I tried to bend you over my bed right now. It’s best if you don’t say any words that could be perceived as sexual in any way.”
I rolled my eyes and moved towards the door. “You’re not helping me feel like I’m making the sane decision.”
“Who’s trying to convince you you’re making the sane decision?” Cole patted my ass and took my bag for me. “You’re going to love Price’s house. There’s a lake. And a pool.”
“Price hasn’t even said he wants us there.” I looked back at him. “And you don’t have to.”
“We’re sure as hell not staying here, where Samantha can come in and see my naked dick whenever she feels like it.” Price shuddered and cast a glare at Drake. “We should’ve gone to my house last night. Your ex is a mood killer.”