Episode 160
EPISODE 160
A THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE
Brett
"Do you know who could have sent the anonymous threats telling Ginger and Rachel not to return to the island?” I ask Evangeline. “Misty swears it wasn’t her.”
She sighs. “I have an idea, but I can’t prove it.”
“Tell me. Maybe I can prove it.”
She shakes her head. “I can’t. I can’t go around making accusations without being able to back them up. There are powerful people involved.”
“Listen to me,” I say. “You don’t need to worry about anyone else’s power. Tell me, Evangeline. Who do you think is responsible for Rachel and Ginger being gone?”
“I just told you, I can’t—” She jolts as her cell phone buzzes. “Oh!” she says, reading the text. “Good news. Sienna is on her way back. She should be here some time tonight.”
My heart thumps. Sienna’s coming back? My phone call did the trick!
Evangeline cocks her head. “You’re happy about this.”
“I am. ”
She narrows her eyes. “Are you sure about that?”
“Of course. I like Sienna, and I’m glad she’s returning. I wish Rachel and Ginger had decided to return too.”
“Don’t forget you have a date with Misty this evening.”
My stomach twists. That’s right. And as much as I wanted Misty to be the next best thing to Jake, she just...isn’t.
I feel for her, though. She hasn’t had the easiest time, despite being raised with incredible wealth. So much I don’t know. I wish I could help her find her mother, but Lisa disappeared after Jake...
God.
I don’t let myself think about that.
Not ever. I still can’t deal with what happened to Jake.
But Sienna is returning. Sienna, who made me feel the most I’ve felt in twenty years. I could fall in love with her so easily. Part of me already has, and I didn’t even realize it until she was gone.
“Should I go to the mainland to meet Sienna’s flight?” I ask.
Evangeline shakes her head. “I’ll arrange for the ferry. You have a date, remember?”
Right. She just reminded me.
That’s okay. I have a date. But later, once Sienna returns, I want to talk to her. Find out if she came back for me.
“I’ve got a million things to do,” Evangeline says. “Did you need anything else?”
“As long as we’re clear that Heather and June can stay,” I say.
“Yes, yes, yes. If you don’t care if the ladies are fucking each other, why should I?” She lets out a huff.
I don’t care about Heather and June screwing around. In fact, the idea is pretty hot. I don’t care that Rachel and Ginger were screwing around either. But if I hear that Sienna is screwing around...
That will bother me.
“If you’re done...” Evangeline taps her foot.
“Just one more thing,” I say. “Who do you think is responsible for the anonymous threats that Ginger and Rachel received?”
“I told you. I can’t make an accusation without?—”
I place two fingers over her lips. “Stop. Just tell me. I can buy and sell whoever you think it is. I won’t do anything without evidence. But if you have an idea, Evie, I can probably get the evidence we need.”
“I’m sorry.” She whisks past me. “I can’t.”
She disappears down the staircase.
I draw in a breath. Now what? I head downstairs as well. I’m getting hungry. Is it time for lunch? I told Evie that we needed a day off, which means nothing is planned. Not even lunch.
I head into the kitchen to find Sebastian walking in wearing nothing but shorts, his long hair wet and glued to his neck and shoulders.
“You okay?” I ask.
He sighs. “Is that a trick question?”
I nod. He’s not okay. None of us are, really. Being together like this, finding out about Misty... It just brings everything back.
We may as well all be fifteen again.
June walks into the kitchen, naked as the day she was born and holding two silver pieces of fabric.
Damn, the woman is fine. She looks better naked than she does in lingerie. She walks by, though, without so much as a hello, toward the stairway .
“What was that about?” I ask Seb once June is out of earshot.
“We had some hot monkey sex on the beach, and now she’s pissed because I walked off.”
“Why would you do that?” I ask. “Didn’t you enjoy it?”
“Of course I enjoyed it. It was sex. But June is...”
“June is what?”
“She’s gorgeous, but there’s something phony about her. As if everything she does is rehearsed.”
“Hmm...” I scratch my ear. “I haven’t spent any alone time with her. But she’s a runway lingerie model, so she’s kind of an actor. Maybe she thinks she’s auditioning for something here on the island. Which, in a way, she is. She’s auditioning to be with one of us.”
“Yeah, but something about her is off.” Seb brushes some sand off his forearm. “Though she was a tight little fuck.”
“Just how many of them have you fucked?” I ask.
“I don’t kiss and tell.” Seb shrugs. “But if you really want to know... Heather, June, and Ariel. Emily the first night, but we didn’t screw.”
“And have any of them stood out to you?”
“Heather. And Ariel. But honestly, Brett, I’m not sure I’m ready for this.”
“You mean to settle down?”
“Yeah. I know we aren’t getting any younger, but I’m a rocker, man. I get groupies throwing themselves at me after every concert. Do I really want to give that up?”
I let out a chuckle. “You’ve got a good point, Seb. A damned good point.”
“I think Riv is a goner,” he says. “And maybe Alex as well. You know he wears his heart on his sleeve. What about you?”
“I’ve got my eye on one of them,” I say .
“Which one?”
“I don’t want to say just yet.”
“You afraid I’ll turn on my rocker charm and seduce her away from you?” He smirks.
I’m about to give him shit when River walks in wearing jeans and a button-down...carrying a small bag.
“What the fuck, Riv?” I say.
“I’m leaving,” he says. “Going to Miami for some quick business.”
“The hell you are,” Seb says.
River holds up a hand. “Only for tonight. I’ll be back as soon as I can tomorrow. This is important, Brett. Really important.”
I look at my friend—my oldest friend in the world, the one who’s always had my back.
He’s troubled, and it’s not because of the women.
“You and Emily okay?” I ask.
“We’re fine. She understands. She has a date with Alex tonight anyway.”
I nod. “River...”
He clamps a hand on my shoulder and pulls me into a hug. “It’s okay. You’ll both hate me and love me for what I’m about to do.”
He exits then, leaving me with my jaw dropped.