Thirty - River
Do you ever feel like you’re falling down the deep, dark rabbit hole of déjà vu? One second, your life is going according to plan. Work. Kiddo in school. And a nameless band across the street eager to improve under your direction.
The next? There’s a stalker on your ass, and you’re being whisked away on a not-so-vacation with the four guys you’d rather bury in the sand than spend more quality time with.
Liar !
I frown at my thoughts. Shut it, brain. There’s no room for your intrusive thoughts right now. We have more important things to worry about. Like stalkers, security, and whether or not I can fucking sleep tonight.
Besides, if these men want to make up for what they did to me as boys, then bring it on. I’m all for their redemption if they’re eager to prove themselves to not only me but Lyric. They can fall to their knees, beg for mercy, crawl over glass shards, and scrape their knees. There’s so much they can do to make me truly believe they’re sorry for their actions.
Speaking of, they’ve already achieved step number one…
“Daddy! This is so cool.” Lyric’s voice echoes through the fucking mansion on a hill smack dab in the middle of a field on the outskirts of Central City near their old stomping grounds—Lakeview.
From my spot on the driveway, I can see nothing outside the tall fence protecting the property all the way around, with cameras sitting everywhere. Callum wasn’t kidding when he said this place was a fortress.
The only question that remains is why? Why Central City again? Didn’t they run away from this place with the intention of never returning?
It’s fitting, though, sitting here in the familiar early September heat, sweating my ass off and wishing for the AC. Only this time, I don’t have to walk a mile to work or worry about my computer taking a shit on me for class. My only obstacles are four men, a stalker, and a child to protect.
“Are you coming, Pretty Girl?” Rad’s hand slides to my lower back, fitting there as he waits patiently.
His brows dip when I nod, looking around the semi-familiar space.
“Yeah,” I say, clearing my throat through the mess of emotions bubbling to the surface.
“Okay, now that everyone is here,” Jordy says with a pleased grin, clapping his hands. “Let’s go over some rules and whatnot.”
I plop on the oversized couch in the spacious, modern living room, sinking into the fabric. Rad does the same, staying insanely close to me. Since this morning, he’s refused to leave my side, plastering himself to me. His fingers seek mine, and I let him grip my hand in his without protest. If he asked, I’d deny the immediate ease wrapping around my soul like a blanket on a cold winter’s night. Finally, I can breathe. If even for a moment.
“All righty. Callum, I’m impressed. A few of our Illinois agents looked this place over from top to bottom, and I gotta say, bro, it’s like you were expecting this. No one could trace this back to you, even if they tried. You don’t have any stalking tendencies to confess to, do you?” Jordy raises a playful brow, grinning at Callum, who stiffens on my other side.
“No.” He blanches.
“Glad we have that settled. There are cameras everywhere, which we’ve commandeered to our feeds. I’d highly suggest not strutting around naked outside because I’ll see what you’re packing. Speaking of the outdoors, do that as little as possible. Consider yourselves under house arrest. No sunlight. No midnight ice cream runs.”
“No ice cream?” Lyric pouts, climbing into Asher’s lap.
Jordy snorts. “That’s where I come in, Ly. You tell Mommy to text me, and Uncle Jordy will bring you all the ice cream you need. Only if you stay inside, capiche?”
“Okay,” she says, settling back onto Asher, who wraps an arm around her and whispers something in her ear, causing her to grin. My heart melts when she lays her head on his shoulder and sags with relief in his arms.
“A house phone has been placed in the kitchen, and you also have the flip phone in River’s possession. That’s your tool to the outside world. If you need anything, give me a ring. Food. Toilet paper. Hell, I’ll even buy you some micro condoms.” He snorts at his own joke, earning glares from the rest of the guys.
“Tool,” Rad mutters under his breath, bringing Jordy’s grin back in full force.
“Anywho, I’ll be here in ten seconds flat. You’re completely secure in this giant-ass house in the middle of nowhere.”
“You’ll keep me updated, right? If you catch him or whatever?” I question timidly, picking at my nails.
“Every step of the way, River. Liv is working hard at your property, trying to lure that asshole out. We checked and double-checked during extraction; whoever they are, they weren’t aware you left. Leave this to us. We’ve got you.” He seems so damn earnest when he breaks through his grinning exterior, leaving me feeling settled and secure. “Now, any questions?” he asks, studying each of us as we shake our heads. “Then I bid you good day. Take care of yourselves. Call if you need me. Yaddy…Yaddy…ya. Oh, and set the goddamn alarm!” He rolls his wrist as he exits, lightly shutting the front door and leaving the six of us in a chilling silence.
“So,” Kieran mutters, looking around as he stands from the couch. “When did you build this?”
“And why all the crazy ass security, man? This seems over the fucking top,” Rad adds.
My eyes snap to Callum, watching intently as he shrugs. “A few years ago. I wanted somewhere to go, and no one would bother me. Especially our fans. You-you know how they can get,” he whispers, rubbing his neck.
“This is where you used to disappear to, huh?” Rad asks.
A red tint envelops Callum’s cheeks. “Yeah. Whenever I needed to get away, it was like a paradise. No one knows about it. I like to come and see my parents and Jenny.”
Ah. That makes sense. He’s never really come to terms with the death of his entire family after that crazy plane crash. I don’t blame him. I’ve missed the hell out of my mom since I’ve been away. Once a week, I visited her grave before I left, leaving her flowers and mementos.
“We literally had the ocean in our backyard, bro. What happened to surfing? The sunshine?” Rad quips.
“Surfing wasn’t for me. No coordination on the board,” Callum mutters, rising to his feet and setting the alarm through the panel near the front door. When the alarm system rings out that we’re protected from danger, I lean back further, closing my eyes.
Sleep was not my friend last night. Not that I could have gotten a wink on the stuffy plane filled with all my ex-boyfriends and worry that my stalker was in the cargo hold, ready to murder me.
It baffles me that one person would follow me around for so long. I’m not that exciting of an individual. Hell, the first two years I lived in East Point, I did nothing but mom, work, and run all over the place. My schedule only settled down when I walked across CaliState’s stage with my diploma in hand, if you call my schedule slowing down. Ah, the simple days.
Now, here I am, smack dab in the middle of some shitty joke with no punchline. One girl walks into a house she can’t leave with four men who used to put their dicks in her… What could go wrong? Everything, that’s what. Fuck. What am I doing? Why did I decide to do this?
Because you sort of had to— yeah, that, I guess. For Lyric. For our safety. Besides, they weren’t too keen on walking away from us and letting us go at this alone, which shows how determined they are to earn my forgiveness and make amends.
It’s more than absolution, though. I see it in their movements and possessive gazes. Since we cleared the air and freed our sins, their motivations have been strictly pure. No malice or manipulation—they’re sincerely trying to prove themselves to Lyric and me.
“You’re tired,” Callum murmurs from my left, somehow getting there without me noticing. Trembling fingers shift the hair from my face, tucking it behind my ears.
God, his touch does something funny to my insides. All gentle and so full of care. It’s a stark difference from the man in the octagon, beating the shit out of his opponent. I shiver at the thought. Memories of his bloodbath come forward. I’d never tell him how much I enjoyed silently cheering him on as he bashed the other guy’s brains in.
“Mhmm,” I mutter, heaving a breath.
“I can show you to a room,” Callum whispers.
“I have a better idea,” I say, peeking open an eye. A loopy grin spreads across my face. “Got any wine?” Because God knows I need some wine to settle my nerves and get through this undetermined number of days stuck in this house with an eager four-year-old and four men who look at me like I’m the light of their life.
“Now you’re talking, Pretty Girl. How about some tequila shots off…”
“What’s tequila?” Rad stops dead, snapping his mouth shut when Lyric cocks her head with curiosity, awaiting his answer.
“Grown-up juice,” Asher says, hiding his smile when she pouts.
“But I want the tequilas. And shots! Shots! Shots!” she shouts, pumping her arm in the air.
“Be better,” Kieran rumbles protectively, narrowing his eyes at Rad. “You can’t say that shit around kids.”
“Shit. Shit. Shit,” Ly murmurs.
“Ly,” I grumble. “You know that’s a grown-up word. Save it until you’re eighteen.” She pouts more, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Sorry,” Rad mutters, putting his hands in the air in defeat, looking guilty as hell.
“Ly, where did you learn to say shots, shots, shots?” I groan, lazily looking her over as she pouts more.
She shrugs. “TV.”
“What kind of TV do you watch?” Lyric grins at Kieran when he asks the question that opens Pandora’s box of questions.
Lyric’s brows furrow. “I saw you on TV, Daddy,” she says with furrowed brows. “You won’t be a ho anymore, will you?”
“A… A ho?” Rad cackles, falling back into the couch and clutching his stomach.
“What the hell, River Blue?” Kieran hisses when I snort. “What have you been letting her watch?”
I wave a hand, sinking my teeth into my cheek. “Nope! Nu-huh! This is your bed; you lie in it.” A laugh bursts from my lips, unable to hold it back any longer.
“Daddy, I saw you with…” Lyric stops abruptly, counting on all ten of her fingers, muttering numbers to herself. “A hundred girls on TV. Did you kiss them? Maggie says that makes you a ho, cuz it was lots of girls.” She cocks her head again when Kieran’s eyes bug out of his head.
“I am not a ho! And for God’s sake, Little Blue. Stop saying ho!” he sputters, standing from his spot. “River! Tell our child I’m not a goddamn ho.”
“Your daddy is a ho,” Rad sputters, singsonging, unable to contain himself again. “God, Little Pretty Girl. I’m going to bottle you up and keep you forever!” he howls.
“You were in front of the camera a lot with the ladies,” I cackle, feeling the effects of my lack of sleep. “She just happened to see you in the aftermath.”
Kieran blinks several times at me and huffs, stomping toward me. Standing tall in front of my seated position, he hovers above me, bringing his face to mine. All the laughter leaves me breathless, staring into the intense eyes of the boy I once loved.
“You wanna know something, River Blue?” he whispers, getting in my face.
“Sure.” My breath hitches when he inches closer, brushing his cheek against mine.
I shudder when the tip of his tongue brushes against my ear, removing any trace of oxygen from my body. My eyes squeeze shut, and my long-forgotten vagina wets her lips in greeting. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to get dicked down. In better circumstances, of course. But fuck. I’m too muddled and exhausted to have any sort of rational thoughts. If I’m not careful, I’ll ride them like a cowboy screaming Yeehaw. Yeah, I need wine and a long nap resembling a coma.
“I couldn’t get it up.” Nothing more. Nothing less. Just a goddamn cocky look with redness spreading over his cheeks.
“What?” I squeak when he chuckles in my ear.
“Did you watch it with her as I walked outside the hotels with my arm around a woman?” I nod. “Mmmm. My dick doesn’t like to work for anyone but you. Even when I hated you, he knew the truth. I have over twenty NDAs signed and locked away with their signatures stating they’ll never talk about my lack of performance. Couldn’t get it up because it wasn’t the pussy I needed,” he whispers, brushing his lips against my cheek for longer than necessary. “Unlike now,” he growls against my flesh, fighting off a groan. “Thicker than steel in my jeans.”
“Jesus,” I croak, pushing at his chest until he stumbles away with lust dripping from his stare.
Don’t look. Don’t fucking look. Shit! My eyes dart to his dick straining in his jeans until he discreetly turns his back to Lyric and walks toward the kitchen. Not before sending me a smirk over his shoulder, knowing exactly what he fucking did to me.
“Oh, yeah. This will be the best damn vacation of our lives,” Rad whoops. “Now, how about that wine, Cally Boy? I know you have a basement in this monstrosity.”
Callum’s grin lights up the room. “Yeah. There’s, um, a wine cellar and a practice room.”
Rad lights up. “Tell me you didn’t. Tell meeeee!” he says, slapping his knees.
“It’s all downstairs,” Callum says through a breath. “Every piece we used to play on before we moved.”
“Yes! You saved it all!” Rad whoops. “Come on, Little Pretty Girl! It’s time Daddy Rad teaches you how to beat the drums!” Rad grins, holding out his hand. Lyric grins, jumping from Asher’s lap and taking it. “Let’s go have some fun,” he says with a manic grin, leading her to the stairs and disappearing to the basement.
“What kind of wine do you want, Little Star? White? Red?” Callum’s body heat pours through my side when he shifts closer.
“Bubbly?”
“Bubbly it is. Anything you want, it’s there. I’ve been collecting them for years. Pink Moscato?” I nod immediately, licking my lips.
“You’re the best.”
“I’ll keep proving it to you every day,” he whispers, eyeing my lips until he shakes his head. “I’ll be right back.”
“How about food?” Asher asks softly from the opposite sofa, staring at me hopefully. I nod in agreement, refusing to move from my spot as the sound of uneven drumbeats and soft laughter echoes up from the basement.
“It’s fully stocked,” Kieran says, rubbing his hand along his neck.
Asher nods, climbing to his feet. “I’ll see what we got, and then we can decide?” Nervously he stands before me, and I nod.
“I’ll—uh, help,” Kieran mutters, following Asher out of the room.
As everyone leaves the room, my eyes slowly fall shut, succumbing to the much-needed rest I’ve been craving. The last thing that goes through my mind when the noises around me cease to exist is…
This is what life would have been like if they had been there from the beginning. One to watch her. Two to cook. And one to gather the necessary wine.