Chapter 39
“ O ut running again?” Carson asks when I reenter the tour bus.
“I was in the mood.” I step into the front lounge and remove my hoodie.
“Mood to escape your problems?” He arches a questioning brow.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I go to the fridge and grab a cold bottle of water.
“Why do you have to be such an unpleasant asshole with the chicks?” He trades me a question for a question. I twist the cap on the bottle and throw it in the trash before I turn around to face my nosey friend.
“I don’t see any reason to be anything other than what I am.” I serve him some of the attitude he’s giving me. “Playing Prince Charming with women nowadays is your gig.”
“Not asking because of the groupies.” He leans forward as I flop on the couch across the aisle from him. “Though it wouldn’t hurt you to be a little nicer to them since most of them follow us around. I just want to point out that you could have been nicer to your former friend.”
“Not talking about Peace.” Just saying her name puts me on edge. She’s everything she always was and now she’s grown and completely knockout gorgeous. All the elements for how beautiful she’d become were there when we were kids. Her silky blond hair, her perfect features, those irresistible brown-and-gold-flecked eyes. Then there’s her sweetness and the dash of vulnerability. She hides the latter better now. But I know her. I know what she needs and just like before, I want to be the one to give it to her. “Fucking hell.” Obviously ten miles of my feet slapping the pavement did shit-all to get my mind off her.
“You didn’t want to talk about her back then. You don’t want to right now. But not talking about her doesn’t make your feelings for her disappear.” Carson keeps chiseling away at me. Once he gets his mind on something, he’s tenacious. “I’ll tell you what I think.”
“Can I stop you?” I ask sarcastically.
“I think she’s the only chick you’ve ever given a shit about.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are? Doctor Phil?” I bring the water to my mouth and chug the bottle dry.
“I’m your friend, asshole,” he reminds me unnecessarily.
“Know you are.” I sigh. I’m aware that Stevie, Levi, and Carson are the only true friends I have.
“You were different back when she was in the picture. Nicer.” Studying me closely, he clasps his hands together, his elbows propped on his knees. “Happy almost. You should fix things with her.”
I’m tempted to. “But…” Trailing off, I rake back my sweat-drenched hair. “I’ll only mess it up again.” Mess her up. Which is unacceptable.
“If you do, then you apologize like a normal human. She’ll forgive you, and you move on.” He spreads his hands wide. “That’s what friends do.”
“But I’m not normal.” I’m a total fuckup.
“Neither am I.”
“That’s why we’re such good friends.” I shake my head. “Why are you pushing me about this?”
“’Cause I care about you even though you’re an asshole. ’Cause I saw the way you looked at her. And, dude, she looked at you the same way.”
“Like how?” I ask.
“Like you’re the living, breathing embodiment of the perfect song.” He smirks smugly. “And you need to tap that.”
“Not going to fuck Peace.” I shake my head.
“If you say so.” He looks completely skeptical.
“Not going anywhere near her.” I almost corrupted her before. She moved on. She should move on.
“Okay.” He rises. “I’ll go alone.”
“To see her?” I stand too.
He nods once.
“No way.” The thought of him with Peace makes me see red. I attempt to redirect him. “What’s wrong with the chicks you have here?”
“Boring.” He waves my suggestion away. “None are in Peace’s class level. Or the sister’s.”
I narrow my gaze. “Harmony is the one you’re interested in.” I guess and hope I’m right. I don’t want to have to beat up my best friend.
“Depends on how it plays out.” He shrugs. “Never done twins.”
“Okay. Fuck.” I give in. “I’ll go with you. Just let me get a shower first.”
Someone raps on the bus door.
“You expecting company?” I ask Carson.
“No.” His brow furrows. “And it’s not the brothers. They fucked a couple of groupies and are passed out in their bunks. Did you invite someone to come over?”
“Uh-uh,” I reply.
“Open up, asshole!” a feminine voice demands, and the rapping starts up again, only louder.
“That your girl?” Carson asks, heading to open the door.
“Not Peace.” I shake my head. Peace’s voice is similar, but there’s a husky rasp to it, and she’s finally old enough that it’s not creepy for me to be turned on by it or her.
“Where is he?” Harmony barges onto the bus. Pushing past Carson, she comes skidding toward me with her claws out.
“Whoa.” I grab her wrists just before her nails reach my eyes. “What the hell?”
“You made her cry. Again.” She yanks her arms free but only because I didn’t grip them tightly. “I lost her the last time you hurt her. Peace is the yin to my yang. An anchor in the center of my storm. A twin should never be separated from her other half. The way you treated her tonight was uncalled for.” She comes at me again, but Carson grabs her and pulls her back.
“Simmer down, wildcat.” He holds her back to his front and grins at me over her shoulder. “We were just discussing your sibling. Planning to pay Peace a visit tonight. Looks like now we can all go visit her together.”