Fourteen - River
It all started this morning as I pulled out of the driveway with Lyric in the back seat, chatting away as we began our adventure to school. It was at that moment, as I exited the gate and waved to the guard, that Asher emerged on the side of the road. Sweat dripped from every inch of his body as he huffed and puffed, bending at the waist to catch his breath. The moment our eyes connected; a flush worked its way up my neck.
Memories of our night on the dining room table emerge from the darkness, taking hold. The ghost of his dirty mouth wrapping around my clit has my damn pussy throbbing. Having these sorts of thoughts about any of them is just bad for my health. Back then, I went into our relationship with sex on my mind. They were a good time, and then, it all got real for me. Way too real.
Then they vanished like the dickless pricks they are. If history has taught me anything, it’s that no matter what these boys say, I should stay the fuck away and keep my pussy, heart, and ass to myself. I groan, thinking back to when I was forced to halt our drive so my beautiful daughter could lure her daddy into the car with one simple smile.
“Mommy, stop!” Lyric screeches from the backseat, sending my heart into a damn frenzy.
Slamming on the brakes, I whip my head in her direction as she rolls down her window with a happy squeak. Fuck. I forgot about the damn window locks again. I grit my teeth when she grins in Asher’s direction, who falls for her trap. Peering into the car with a smirk, he leans his bulging forearms through the open window.
“Daddy! I’m going to school!” Lyric says with a toothy smile, peering up at Asher as he pokes his head in and places a quick kiss on her forehead. Lyric’s tiny hand immediately reaches for him, squeezing his arm with excitement. “Can you come with me? Please?” she asks with the biggest, roundest, and most pleading eyes I’ve ever seen. Puppy dog eyes, be damned. Lyric wins every damn time. It’s so hard to tell her no, but I’ve had some practice. Asher? Not so much.
“Ly, Daddy probably doesn’t have time,” I say softly. Immediately, her face falls, and her grin disappears, replaced by a pout.
“Please, Mommy? I want all my daddies to see my school,” she says in a little, pleading voice on the verge of begging.
Asher chuckles, turning his gaze to my narrowed eyes. “Well, Little One. That’s up to your momma.”
“Please, Mommy! Please! I want Daddy to see my school and meet my friends!” she insists again, folding her hands together until I’m huffing and unlocking the door.
“Sure,” I say, smiling at her while dying a little on the inside.
The door slams with a thud, and Asher’s half-naked body rests against my leather seat. His manly musk fills the air.
“Daddy, I can’t wait for you to meet my friends! There’s Maggie and Kaitlyn and Dorothy and Connor.”
“Connor?” Asher’s head whips toward her, and she freezes, pursing her lips.
“Yeah, my boyfriend, Connor. He says…” Asher cuts her off, putting a hand in the air.
“My daughter has a boyfriend?” he asks in a low voice, raising his eyebrows at me.
I huff, pushing the accelerator. “It seems to be that way,” I say with a shrug.
“He’s nice, Daddy. He got me a flower!” she says happily, blabbering on more about school and her friends.
As soon as Lyric jumps out of the car in the pickup line, Asher’s gaze turns to me in all his half-naked glory.
“Expect me tomorrow,” he says with a smirk. “I can even buy you some of your favorite coffee from your favorite barista.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” I grumble, pulling out of the line with one last wave to Lyric as she holds her teacher’s hand.
I glare in the direction of the house across the street as if it’s the cause of all my problems. Because, well—it is. They are, I should say. They’re sick, evil bastards who marched their way back into my life and give me so many damn emotions. I’m trying my hardest to be patient as they meet Lyric and bond with her. Lyric deserves to know who helped create her, even if they are jackasses.
Heaving a sigh, I grab the copies of the contract I promised them and make my way across the street, dragging my feet. Today’s the day the boys find out what exactly I have in store for them. Our time together won’t be fucking daisies. Happy Monday, boys. Your nightmare is about to walk through the door.
As I smooth out my form-fitting black lace tank top and pull my hip-hugging jeans up, I brace myself for the real test. For the last few days, we’ve danced around each other. They’ve tested the boundaries of the contract like I knew they would. Now the real work begins. Much like a sergeant, I’m about to tear them down to bare bones and build them back into the rock stars they were before. It’ll be hard and somewhat complicated, but I believe they can do it. If they put their heads down, get to work, and obey my commands, we won’t have a problem.
Like that’s going to fucking happen.
With one last look around the scenery, I let the ocean waves take me over and calm everything inside of me. Without knocking, I use my key and enter the silent band house. Nothing stirs around me as I walk on light feet through the abandoned living room filled with the sunlight beaming in from the tall windows. My eyes narrow when I walk down the stairs into the basement. There by his lonesome, Callum sits on the couch with his bass in hand, listening closely as he tunes it.
His gray eyes widen, taking all of me in as a familiar blush pinkens his cheeks.
“I take it everyone else is still sleeping,” I question, raising a brow.
Callum clears his throat giving me a stiff nod. “Yeah-yeah.” He swallows the lump in his throat, quickly averting his gaze toward the ground. “I haven’t heard a peep from them this morning,” he says softly, reminding me of the boy I knew before.
“And you didn’t wake them?” I ask, raising a brow.
“They-they’re adults,” he murmurs again, still refusing to look at me.
Pulling my phone out of my back pocket, I check the time, noting that it’s 8:45 a.m. on the damn dot. Late bastards wasting my time. It seems that they’re still trying to push my buttons and their boundaries. I guess it’s time to show them who the boss really is.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of them.” A small smile pulls at the edge of my lips when Callum’s gaze snaps to mine, and he stiffens with momentary fear.
“What are you going to do, Little Star?” he breathes, turning slightly.
Every so often, when their little nicknames break through, my heart cracks a little more than before. Like the duct tape and pins keeping me together are fraying at the edges. It knocks me back in step, transporting me to the past when I was on top of the world in their arms. I may not have been in the best financial state, and I may not have had the best home life, but I had them. I had those nicknames. I was alive and full of energy, ready to conquer the world. Now I don’t. I let the name slide this time because the way Callum looks at me now makes fire erupt under my flesh.
Clearing my throat, I straighten my posture and turn on my heel with determination. Looking over my shoulder, I gaze at him, sitting there fiddling with his bass guitar. The most mischievous grin spreads across my lips as my brain cooks up genius ideas for waking two sleeping idiots.
“They’re late. I’ll do what any good boss does,” I say without context and make my way up the stairs. Half of me expects Callum to follow me. And the other half of me is thankful that he didn’t because he’d try to talk me out of it.
Standing by the stairwell, I peer up where the bedrooms are, listening closely for any sounds of movement. When no one makes a move, I start the first action of my plan at the kitchen sink and fill a bucket with ice-cold water. As it fills to the brim, I grab a handful of ice cubes and toss them on top. For good measure, of course. With the bucket in hand, I make my way up the stairs just as Ash emerges from the steamy bathroom with a white towel wrapped around his toned waist.
Jesus fucking Christ in a hand-basket. Don’t look at the damn V near his waist. Fuck. I pretend I’m looking anywhere but his toned body as I stand before him. If he sees me checking him out, he doesn’t utter a word.
His jaw drops when he sees me carrying a heavy bucket, and he shakes his head. “River,” he says, drawing out my name with suspicion. “What are you doing?”
I shrug. “Last Friday, I told you guys my expectations. At 8:45 a.m. on Monday, you were all to report to the basement for your first band practice under my rule. And now three of you are late,” I say, holding up my phone and showing him the time that says 8:50 a.m. “Is that water? And ice?”
“Seems pretty self-explanatory to me,” I say with nonchalance, sidestepping him as he watches me closely.
A distinct chuckle greets my ears when I look back at him and his reddened face. “Let me get dressed, and I’ll be down there in a second,” he says, holding a fist over his mouth to cover the laughs. “I don’t want to be up here for this. Especially Kieran. He’s going to hate you.”
“That won’t change anything,” I mutter, hobbling with the bucket another step. “You’re safe then. This will make them think twice about sleeping when they should get to work like Callum.” I give him a pointed stare as he wanders toward his bedroom, watching my every move, and goes inside. As the door shuts, I stand, debating which door to choose. Rad or Kieran? Who deserves this more? Without a second thought, I veer to the right, opening the first closed door.
As I step through the door, I nearly screech.
“Jesus Christ,” I say, covering my eyes and blocking the view of Rad’s naked ass in the middle of the bed, sprawled out like a starfish.
He doesn’t stir at the sound of my voice or when I walk in further with the sloshing bucket of water and set it down. As he softly snores, I take the time to examine the man that once held my heart.
A deep, burning blush creeps up my neck, covering my cheeks when I walk around the bed and fold my arms over my chest, examining the naked man before me. New tattoos adorn his entire body, from head to toe, leaving little naked flesh. Even his bubble butt has ink covering it. Shit.
“Rad,” I whisper, shoving my foot into his butt cheek and rattling him around.
And nothing. He doesn’t respond when I do it again, shaking him even harder. Instead, a loud snore escapes him, along with several mumbles telling me to fuck off.
I roll my eyes toward the ceiling in agitation. Okay, I tried to be nice. If he won’t respond to his name, then I’ll give him something to respond to.
“Okay, you asked for it,” I say, heaving the bucket of water into my arms and dangling it above his naked body. With a grunt, I pour the frigid liquid right onto his bare ass, earning a startled yelp as his entire body soaks up the liquid.
“What the fuck!” he screeches, twisting and sitting in the middle of the sopping-wet bed.
With wide eyes, he looks around the room and finally settles his narrowed gaze on me.
“Pretty Girl, what the hell are you doing?” he asks through several heaving breaths. His long fingers search the sheets, scowling when they come back wet and dripping. “Did you pour water on me?” he asks incredulously.
I smother the snicker trying to escape from my lips when he stares up at me in utter disbelief. Regaining my control, I nod. “Yeah, I just poured a bucket of water and ice on you.”
“Not just on me, Pretty Girl. You poured it on my ass,” he says as his voice escalates around the room. “My precious bum! God, that shit was cold! I think little Rad went into hiding! Pretty Girl, that was not cool!” He squawks every word, growing louder and louder by the second.
“It’s Monday morning, Rad.” I raise a knowing brow when he shrugs and tosses his arms in the air with subdued anger.
“Yeah, happy Monday, Pretty Girl,” he says, narrowing his eyes at me with a mischievous glance bolting through his dark eyes.
Keeping my eyes locked on him and refusing to look down at his utterly nude body. I smother another laugh.
“Yes, happy Monday indeed. It’s now 8:55 a.m., Rad,” I say, holding up my phone so he can examine the time. “What is supposed to happen at 8:45 a.m.?” I purse my lips when he shrugs in response and suddenly stills.
Before I can even think, move, or protect myself, Rad wraps his arms around my waist at lightning speed and throws me in the middle of the bed. I screech when he throws his body over mine, and the wet blankets over us with a grin, soaking us both to the bone with cold as fuck water.
“Is it bed wrestling time?” he says, pushing his body onto mine and holding me down as I wiggle, trying to get away.
“Rad, get off of me,” I grunt, struggling beneath him as he laughs.
“No can do, Pretty Girl,” Rad says with a gigantic grin, mocking me as I struggle.
I try with all my might to remove my hands from between our bodies, only stopping my struggle when the stark realization hits me square in the chest. Oh god. Something hard and heavy rests against my thigh, jumping every time I fucking move. Swallow me up, world, and take me away! An unwanted blush heats my face when I lock eyes with Rad, who wiggles his brows.
“I swear to God, if that’s your dick on my leg, I’m going to slaughter you,” I growl through gritted teeth. Rad’s face lights up even more when he stares down at me with satisfaction.
“Now you’re speaking my language! He’s just trying to find his home, Pretty Girl. You hear that, boy? We’re almost to where we belong. It’s like somewhere over the rainbow, but my pot of gold is your pussy.” If I could cover his mouth, I’d slap my palm across his lips. But alas, I’m still stuck and forced to listen to him.
“No, I swear! If your dick gets any closer to me, I will chop it off. You asked me if I still carried my knife. Well, it’s still in my damn pocket. Ashton, if you don’t get off me, there will be blood,” I say, making him laugh. His nose nestles into the crook of my neck, with a happy sigh rocking through him. Every muscle in his body relaxes, and for a few golden seconds, he doesn’t utter a word.
“I’m sorry, Pretty Girl.” Rad doesn’t move when my body stiffens. Oxygen evacuates my lungs, leaving my head a muddled mess.
“You’re sorry for what? For dragging me into this wet bed or putting your dick on my leg?” I whisper, with my heart pounding against my chest. I swear it’s about to come through my ribs and fall out onto the floor when his glossy eyes find mine.
Rad swallows hard, gracefully moving my hair from my face. He examines me with concentration, taking in every aspect of my features. Silently, he shakes his head.
“For all of it, Pretty Girl. For years, I thought the worst about you. I thought you fucking broke my heart. I’ve been a different man since we left Central City. I’ve become someone I’d never wanted to become. But seeing you and Lyric, I see that I missed out. I missed out, Pretty Girl, because I didn’t talk to you before I left. So, you ask why I’m sorry? I’m sorry because I was a jackass. No matter what actually happened, even if you did…” He sucks in a breath, closes his eyes, and regains himself as a tear leaks down his cheek. “River, I believe you.”
I reel back as if I’ve been slapped. Just two days ago, he sang a different tune. And now…
“You believe me?” I ask through a shuddering breath, swallowing the emotions drifting up my constricted throat.
Rad slowly nods in confirmation, leaning closer and hovering his face above mine. If he moves another inch, his lips will press into mine, and I don’t know how well I’ll be able to stop him. Thankfully, he doesn’t. He lingers there, examining my eyes as they wildly take him in.
“Yes, I believe you. I just have to figure out what the hell actually happened. Something fucking stinks.” He shakes his head in aggravation but doesn’t make a move to get off me.
Raw emotions splinter inside of me, cracking open old wounds I thought had festered closed many years before. Seeing Rad and hearing all the feelings behind his words does something to my insides. I’ve erected walls for so long, trying to keep the pain of what they did to me at bay, that it feels strange to let the dam break. But it doesn’t mean anything that he is sorry now.
“You’re sorry now?” I whisper through trembling lips, trying to keep my emotions on the inside. I don’t have time or the energy to dissect our relationship or lack thereof.
Rad nods again, shakily running his fingers through my hair. If he doesn’t stop touching me, I will lose all of my composure. If there’s one person who can break down the walls I’ve put in place, it would be him.
“I’m so sorry that I ever doubted you. I was in love with you, River. I wanted so many things with you, and I fucking blew it because I took Asher’s word for it. Now I see that not only should I have talked to you first. That I shouldn’t have listened to him. But Callum, when he came back from your apartment, he looked so devastated and… I’m sorry, Pretty Girl.”
“I believe that you are, Rad.” I swallow my tongue when he looks at me again with raw emotions emanating from him. You can practically taste it in the air.
I don’t know what happened. Why the hell is he all of a sudden sorry? Was it our talk from last night that resonated with him, and he finally listened to me? Whatever the case, I feel in my soul that he truly is sorry for what happened back then. It just doesn’t make up for what they did. No matter if they didn’t sign the restraining orders or if they didn’t know about Lyric. They walked away. Endpoint.
“You never signed a restraining order?” I ask, swallowing hard.
“Fuck no. We were hurt, but not that hurt. We would never have done that. How can I make this up to you, Pretty Girl?” he asks with pleading eyes. “How can I show you or tell you that I’m sorry? That I believe every word you said.” Rad’s grip tightens on me as he lays his forehead against mine and closes his eyes with a deep, heavy sigh. “I lost you once because of my stupidity, but I will make up for it with every fiber of my soul.”
With a labored breath, I turn my head forcefully, trying to remove his grip from mine. The warmth of his body wraps me in a hug, and something screams in the back of my mind for me to stay there, stay under him and enjoy his presence. But the hurt I feel bubbling up and wanting to come out in tears has me retreating inside myself. As I stare at the plain white wall, with my ex-lover on top of me, begging me to forgive him for his indiscretions, I shake my head.
“It’s too late, Rad,” I say in a shaky voice, barely above a whisper. “There’s nothing you could do now to make up for what you did. The only reason you will ever stay in my life is because of Lyric. She needs her fathers, and that’s all you’ll ever be. I don’t forgive you,” I whisper, holding in the hurt I feel with every word I say. It’s not that I don’t believe them. I do. I believe every word I say. “You hurt me too badly.”
Our relationship isn’t fixable. Asher, Rad, Callum, and Kieran will only be her four fathers. We will co-parent, and we will coexist together for the next six months for the sake of their jobs, but I will never put my heart on the line ever again and have them eviscerate it by walking away. If they did it once, what’s stopping them from doing it again?
“I understand, Pretty Girl. But you think I’m going to give up because you said that it will never happen again? Seriously, you don’t remember who I am. At all. I am Ashton Radcliffe the Third. And I go after what I want. I will make this up to you. I will follow you to the ends of the earth on my hands and knees and bleed for you until you’re back in my arms just like this. Mark my words. One day soon, you, my Pretty Girl, will be mine again. Oh, and also scream my name. But we’ll get to the sexy stuff once I prove myself.” With reluctance, Rad peels himself off my body and sits back on his heels. With a grin, he lets his naked body hang out without shame.
I groan, covering my eyes and removing myself from the wet sheets. What a bad fucking idea water was. Next time, I’ll get more creative with cymbals or something loud and disruptive.
Somehow after our conversation, I feel a little lighter, knowing that Rad believes me. Something in my gut tells me that they were lied to. They had no knowledge of Lyric like that bitch had said. They seemed highly offended when I mentioned restraining orders. Rad is right, something does fucking stink about the situation. But until I know the whole truth, I can’t make any sort of judgment.
“Oh, come on, Pretty Girl. You act like you’ve never seen it before. Just wait. One day soon, when you forgive me, I will make up for everything; you’ll be down for the Rad ride.” He wiggles his brows with an adorable grin plastered on his face.
“Nope. Never going to happen, Rad,” I say, groaning when I stand up on jelly legs, feeling miserable in the wet clothes. “You might want to change your sheets and let your mattress air out.” I wave a hand in his direction, only earning myself a chuckle. I feel his eyes burning into me when I turn my back, and his fingers brush across my shoulders, removing the hair from my neck.
“Oh yeah, Pretty Girl. I’ll definitely have to air out this mattress. I need to get it ready for all the nasty stuff we’re going to do on it. Just you wait,” he says, placing a soft kiss on my shoulder and then slowly backing away.
“Oh God, get dressed,” I groan again.
“I meant what I said,” he says, rifling around in a drawer somewhere in the room. Grunting, the sound of elastic snapping against skin and clothes rustling offers me a reprieve from his naked flesh. Turning, I stare at him as he pulls his tight-fitting black band shirt over his head and grins. “I will fight for you every step of the way.” I raise a brow when he wraps his arms around me like he has the damn authority to do so. “Bring on the fight,” he whispers, slapping my ass, and then walks away.
“What the hell, Rad!” I yelp, rubbing a hand over my butt cheek. “I am your boss!” I hiss, smacking his shoulder when we exit the room.
“Yes, bossy lady. You sure are. And you’re my girlfriend. That ass is mine and…”
“I forgot how annoying you were. Now, go! All of you!” My voice carries through the room, finally getting another response as another door opens.
Kieran steps out with a scowl. “The fuck you wet for?” he grumbles, running a hand through his dark hair.
I blow out a breath, getting ready to open my mouth.
“She was in my bed, that’s why!” Rad shouts, quickly moving down the stairs and onto the main floor. Turning slowly from the bottom, he gives me a megawatt grin, seeming happier than he’s ever been in my presence since we reunited.
“Rad,” I growl in warning, earning a chuckle before he disappears, running downstairs.
“Why’re you here?” Kieran grunts. “And already in his bed?” He raises a stupid judgmental eyebrow, looking me up and down with a wrinkled nose. Prick .
“Did no one else remember that Monday, mandatory band practice begins? Was I talking to brick walls?” I ask, crossing my arms over my wet shirt.
“Right,” he grunts, shoving away and waltzing down the stairs. “You should know your shirt is see-through,” he quips, showing his humor for the first time in my presence.
“I swear by the time this six months is up, I’m going to murder them,” I mutter to myself just as their practice starts without me and I head home with the intention of changing out of my wet clothes.
As I re-enter the house with fresh clothes, my phone buzzes, lighting up with one of my other best friends’ names. Rocco.
Rocco
Sushi date? *Winky face*
Me
Sure, and stop winking at me.
Rocco
Haha. *Wink*
Me
Remind me to slap you when I see you.
Rocco
How about Cherry Blossoms? Saturday night?
Me
Sounds good.
Rocco
Wear something sexy…
Me
You are impossible…I swear.
Rocco
That I am, babe…but I can’t wait to hear about this mysterious band you’ve gotten yourself assigned to. *Winky face*
Me
I hate you. Goodbye…