14. Chapter 13
Leo
Oh, fuck.
My stomach rolls as I turn over, stretching out to curl my pillow round my head.
It’s no good. The pounding in my head is getting louder. I need an aspirin and a gallon of water.
Slowly lifting off the pillow, I rub the sleep out of my eyes and check my phone for the time but it’s dead.
Fuck.
I quickly plug it in and pad to the bathroom.
I need a shower. Maybe if I freshen up, this thumping will slow down.
Last night is fuzzy after I followed Ria out of the club when I saw she looked a little lost and sad.
She had been dancing and knocking back shots with Lily and Grace, and I couldn’t help but keep an eye on her.
She was worrying me after Ezra showed up.
She looked confident when she was confronting him, but I could tell it shook her.
Kai also spotted my wandering eye and I think I managed to brush him off with, “I’m just looking out for her for Hunter. ”
Turning on the shower, I wait for it to heat up then strip out of my boxers and walk under the spray.
Leaning my palms against the cool tiles, I hang my head, trying and failing to recall what I did and how the hell I made it back here.
The last thing I remember is Ria’s bright eyes sparkling up at me with mischief.
I couldn’t stand the pain in them, so I knew I had to make her smile.
Groaning, I lather up my hair, trying to massage away the pain shooting through my head and my wrist.
My wrist?
Twisting my arm, I inspect where I feel the sharp sting.
Looks like I got a tattoo. How very cliché of me.
It’s a queen of hearts with tulips twisted around the card, but the hearts are blue, not red, and so are the tulips.
Actually, it’s done perfectly with the rest of my sleeve, like it should have always been there.
Relief floods me that I didn’t do something totally stupid I would regret.
I finish off my shower and wrap a towel around my waist, feeling a bit more human.
Running my hands through my damp hair, I walk back into my room, finally surveying the carnage.
Looks like I literally threw my clothes wherever I walked out of them along with a shit ton of chips falling out of the pockets, an “I heart Vegas” hat, some ridiculously large sunglasses with pink flamingos around the rim, and a pink feather boa thrown over the lamp.
I’m a walking cliché. Stumbling over to the bedside table, I check the time on my phone which has now come back to life and frown.
Hunter - We need to talk
Throwing on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, I then search for the aspirin I know I packed for this exact reason. Popping a few, I wash them down with a water from the minibar and head out to see what’s got my boy’s panties in a twist.
I can hear muttering as I enter the kitchen and spot everyone huddled around the island.
“Morning, family,” I say brightly, ruffling Deacon’s hair as I pass, making him growl.
Reaching for a mug, I pour myself a coffee and lean against the counter, confused when everyone has their eyes on me and they’re deathly silent.
“Umm, guys why do you all look like that?” No one says a thing; they’re all frozen staring right at me.
“What?” I chortle. “I know I’m fucking beautiful, guys, but you’re freaking me out. ”
“He’s got jokes?” Kai snaps out of his daze and giggles. “Wow, your balls really are the biggest out of all of us.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You look remarkably fresh for a man who danced in here only two hours ago singing ‘Grow Old With You’ from The Wedding Singer, fell over every piece of furniture, and then backflipped into his bedroom before giving us all what was quite frankly a striptease that means I need to bleach my eyeballs.” I think that is the most words Deacon has ever said to me in one go before.
“I’m always fresh no matter what or who I’ve done the night before.” I wink at him, sipping my coffee.
“Poor choice of words, my friend.” Kai sucks in a sharp breath as he opens the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water.
“Not getting where this is going.”
“You don’t remember anything about last night?” Deacon taps on his phone.
“It goes a bit hazy after that sixth glass of fireball.” I frown as I watch Deacon still tapping furiously on his phone. “And do you ever put that phone down?”
“Olive’s new nanny is updating me. So no, I will never put my phone down while I’m not with my daughter.” He raises his brow at me.
“Right, of course. Sorry, I forgot you’ve got the new nanny.
” Deacon is juggling so many balls I’m not sure how he does it.
The youngest ever secretary of defence and a single dad to the beautiful little Olive.
She’s got that man wrapped around her little finger.
If I’m being honest, she has us all wrapped tightly around her finger.
I’d do anything for that kid. I know he struggles when he’s not with her, just as Noah does being away from his girls.
He’s recently hired a new nanny, and from what I gather, they don’t exactly see eye to eye. “Things okay?” I question.
“Seem to be.” His brows scrunch together as he stares at his phone. “Look.” He sighs, putting his phone on the counter. “I just hope you’re ready for what’s about to happen.”
“Huh?”
“Yeah, you may need some protection,” Beck mumbles into his coffee.
“What are you rambling about?” Seriously, I am so fucking lost.
“Your balls.” He points at my crotch. “We all know how much you respect them.”
“Okay, you have to tell me what the fuck is going on.” My voice rises slightly, and I rake my fingers through my hair, agitation rushing through me.
“Leo,” Hunter says sharply, appearing in my line of sight, Thomas next to him. Both have expressions that I’ve never been on the receiving end of before.
Disappointment.
What the fuck did I do?