Chapter 9
DERRICK
It’s Sienna’s birthday today, and Evan and I wanted to do something special for her.
Last year, her thirtieth birthday sucked when she found Beau, her ex, with another woman.
Asshole. This year, we are determined to give her the best birthday ever and hopefully erase everything that happened last year.
I mean, Evan’s doing a pretty good job of that by the number of times the two of them are caught fucking a day.
Who knew you were this horny being knocked up?
There was this one time when I found the two of them fucking on a desk, and I walked in just as Evan came, and it was the best day ever hearing the groan Evan made as he unloaded into my bestie. Spank bank material for sure.
I’m tasked with keeping Sienna busy at the day spa with the girlies while Evan and Camryn Starr are getting her party ready.
Camryn is a gorgeous event planner, who I was worried about when I first met her because she looks like a literal goddess, but she’s one of Vanessa’s besties and she told me that I could trust her around Evan.
These bitches out here will try to take your man if you don’t watch them.
“I’ve had the best time today, guys. Thank you so much, I really needed this. I feel like a beached whale at the moment,” Sienna says, rubbing her growing belly.
“Would you stop it? You’re glowing and not because you just spent the last couple of hours being dipped in 24-carat gold flakes.” I grin. It was awesome. “You deserve it.”
“Especially after last year,” Stacey adds, which makes me groan as we have been able to go all day not talking about fucking Beau.
“I’ll never stop saying it, but what a difference a year makes. Last birthday my world was crumbling around me and this birthday I’m creating a new world,” Sienna explains, becoming teary-eyed.
“Imagine what your life would be like if you never busted your ex that night,” Isla says.
Sienna’s eyes widen. “In hindsight, I’m so grateful that the worst moment of my life happened, otherwise, I wouldn’t have found all this,” she says, rubbing her belly again. “I never knew someone could be loved so wholeheartedly as Evan loves me. Is it weird that I’m this happy?”
I shake my head. “Never feel bad about your happiness, you deserve it. We all do. And when it’s our time to get our ever afters, you will be there by our sides cheering us on.”
“I will,” Sienna says, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze.
The limousine arrived back at Sienna and Evan’s home and pulls up at the front door, where Camryn is waiting for us.
“Happy birthday, beautiful. Oh, my goodness, look at your little bump,” Camryn says, greeting Sienna with a hug.
“What are you doing here? Wait a minute …” Sienna grins as she looks around at us. “This whole spa day was a distraction, wasn’t it?”
“Maybe.” Camryn smirks. “This is all Evan and Derrick.”
“The stylish bits are me,” I add. Sienna smirks as we walk through her home and out toward the backyard, but instead of everyone yelling surprise or happy birthday, we are greeted with yelling.
What the hell is going on? This is not the spectacular event we had planned.
That’s when I notice Blake and Evan are squaring off at each other.
“You can’t stand the fact that your hot fiancée’s lips were on mine. That her tongue was down my throat and her hot pussy grinding on my dick. That she wanted me before she ever wanted you,” Blake spits at Evan.
Charlotte gasps and before we have a chance to react, Evan launches himself at Blake tackling him to the ground.
“You fucker,” he screams as he starts punching him.
“Fuck you!” Blake yells back.
“Evan!” Sienna screams.
They both stop punching each other and turn to see Sienna standing there looking upset.
What the hell do these two dumbasses think they are playing at?
This was supposed to be Sienna’s redo birthday and now they are ruining it with their fucking rock star egos.
I look over and see Chance, who gives me a shrug as if to say he tried to stop it, but they were determined to hash it out.
“Evan, what the hell are you doing?” Charlotte asks, looking confused.
Oh no, this isn’t good. Things have been happening between Charlotte and Blake ever since Paris, and I know Evan hasn’t been too happy about it, not only because Sienna made out with Blake last year but because he’s making out with his sister now too.
“Are you okay?” Charlotte asks Blake.
“Yeah, we’re all good,” Blake replies through gritted teeth.
“What the hell are you doing, Evan?” Charlotte yells at her brother.
“Seriously, what the hell happened here?” Sienna asks her fiancé.
The boys look at each other but don’t say a thing.
“Evan punched Blake because he brought up that you two had hooked up before,” Christian says.
“What did you say?” Charlotte questions Christian, who realizes what he’s just said.
“Evan, what is he talking about? Blake and Sienna?” Charlotte looks confused.
“Charlotte …” Sienna says, taking a step toward her, looking guilty when she shouldn’t, “… when I arrived in LA, Vanessa threw me a welcome party, and things got a little crazy. I had just seen Evan getting a blowjob in the bushes.”
Charlotte’s face screws up at that imagery. “What?”
“Seriously?” Christian turns, looking at Evan.
Sienna continues, “I was drunk, and we kissed, but that was all,” she quickly adds.
Charlotte looks shocked, her mouth is hanging open as her eyes bounce between us all. “I’m sorry. I need a moment.”
“Babe.” Blake reaches out for her arm.
“Don’t, Blake! I just … don’t,” Charlotte tells him. Snatching her arm away from him, she turns on her heel and walks back into the house.
“I’ll go after her.” Isla vanishes after Charlotte.
“Fuck,” Blake roars, raking his hands through his black hair, then Sienna slaps him across the face.
The entire group goes quiet. I didn’t know my girl had it in her. She hates conflict. It must be the pregnancy hormones.
“How fucking dare you bring that up in my home, to my fiancé, to your boss, to Charlotte.” Sienna is seething.
“I’m sorry, Sienna, I … I just …” Blake stammers.
“Bullshit! I know Evan was probably giving you a hard time about his sister, but he’s just a big brother looking out for her.
I’m sure you like Charlotte a lot, and I know she likes you, but how dare you throw something that was such a stupid, drunken mistake in both of their faces like that.
” Blake’s head drops down, and his shoulders slump.
He knows Sienna is right. “Now tell me this won’t happen again, and I will forget about it? ” Sienna asks Blake.
Blake’s aquamarine eyes look up at Sienna. “I promise. I’m so sorry to you and Evan.”
“Now, Evan, you promised me you were going to drop this overprotective brother bullshit. You realize that Blake and Charlotte are just friends, and she’s not sixteen anymore.”
Now it’s Evan’s turn to look like a kicked puppy.
“But, babe—” He starts to argue, and she cuts him short.
“No, but babe, anything. This. Ends. Now. You two have to work together.”
Evan holds out his hand to Blake, who looks at it questionably before he shakes it.
“Thank fuck. Now, can we start this party that I painstakingly put together? This was not part of the entertainment package I booked. I swear, I chose naked rock stars rolling around in jelly, not this fully clothed crap,” I say, waving my hand at these two morons.
“Hello, where are our drinks?” I clap to the waitstaff who have been standing around in stunned silence.
“And if I catch this little rough and tumble on TMZ, I’m going to hunt down every last one of you motherfuckers and make your lives hell,” I warn the staff, who all nod and scurry away to get us drinks.
“Derrick,” Chance calls out to me as he catches me taking a quiet moment in the gardens. A smile dances across my lips as I turn around and look at him. “There you are, I’ve been looking for you.”
“You have?” I question, surprised because he’s ignored me all night.
“Of course.” He smirks as he stops in front of me.
“You look delicious.” His eyes hungrily take me in.
I’m dressed in a black suit with a gold tie to match the theme.
I thought the gold suit I was originally going to wear would make it look like I was making it all about me when it’s Sienna’s birthday, so I ditched the Liberace suit, but you know me, I make everything look good.
Chance takes another step forward as his large hand wraps around my neck and pulls me to him.
Unfortunately, I go willingly even though my brain is telling me to stay strong, he’s my weakness.
His soft lips press against mine, and I’m unable to hide the moan that falls from them as he slowly pushes them open as we connect.
All night I have waited for this moment, and that’s the shit thing, me, Derrick Jones.
I’m the guy that doesn’t pine after a man, the guy that says, ‘Thank you, next,’ and moves on, and yet this damn rock star has me acting like someone I don’t recognize.
I’m a simp. Urgh. The sound of feet crunching against rocks pulls us from the moment, Chance pushing me away like he doesn’t want to catch what I have, which is probably true, he doesn’t want to catch my gayness, seeing as he’s very much in the closet.
Moments later, Blake and Charlotte turn the corner deep in conversation, and still, when they spot the two of us here.
“Sorry, didn’t realize anyone was here. We weren’t interrupting anything?” Blake asks, looking over at Chance and then to me.
“No. Ran into Chance taking a phone call,” I lie. Blake’s brows pull together as he looks between us. Does he know something? “I’m going to head back to the party, enjoy.” I give Charlotte a wave and head out of the safety of the garden.
“Um, I’ll leave you guys, too,” Chance says behind me. I keep walking internally hating myself for whatever this is. This is not me. “Derrick,” Chance calls out.
“Don’t,” I say as I whirl around and point my finger at him. “I’m done being your dirty little secret.” Chance’s face falls. “I can’t do this anymore.”
“Derrick, please,” he begs.
“I get it. You’re not ready to come out to the world. But I am happily out of the closet, and I don’t like being shoved back in there. We aren’t doing anything wrong. I’m not doing anything wrong. You don’t deserve me.”
“I know I don’t. Honestly, I don’t know how I got so lucky that you would want anything to do with me. You make my world better, Derrick,” Chance confesses.
Shit. Damn him. I feel my resolve start to crumble.
“I’m asking a lot, I know this. I’ve never felt this way about a guy before.”
Not those puppy dog eyes, they are a killer. “I like you, too, Chance,” Relief falls across his face, “but … watching you be with girls when I wish it was me hurts. I think maybe we need a break from whatever this is we are doing.”
“Derrick,” Chance says sadly.
I shake my head. Be strong. You’ve got this. “I need time to think about whether I can handle being your secret.”
“Wish things were different,” Chance states.
“I do too.” I sigh heavily. “Look after yourself, okay, and um, I’ll be in touch.” I walk away from him, feeling like my heart has been ripped out.