122. Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-One
Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-One
Riley
Scarlett’s question stays with me as the night wears on. It’s hard to picture what life is gonna be like for us once the vacation is over. We have plenty of money so we could buy a home no problem, but then we’d have to decide on a place, and security would have to be a priority.
I can’t see us living out in the burbs, but I can’t see us in the city, either.
It’s a weird one, for sure.
Xane’s gonna have his work cut out for him on that decision, when it eventually needs to be made.
“I’ve always wanted a house with a private recording studio,” Kian says, talking excitedly about his ideas now that the question has been raised. “How awesome would that be? Making our next album without leaving the house?”
“Uh, I don’t know,” Trick admits, fussing with his hair. “I don’t think it’s good for anyone to be stuck inside all the time.”
“You’re telling me you’ll ever want to leave the bedroom when we’re at home with our gorgeous mate?” Kian asks, like Scarlett’s not sitting right across from him.
She laughs. “We’re definitely not spending all our time in the bedroom.”
Kian starts to pout, and she adds, “Not while there are other rooms we could be having all kinds of fun in.”
That brings his excitement back out. “Oh! A pool. Heated. Yeah. That would be cool. We could have fun in a pool, too.”
He talks until he’s stifling a yawn every other sentence, and I nod at Trick.
“Seems like it’s time for bed,” I tell them.
“Xane is still up,” Kian complains.
“Not for long,” Scarlett says, getting up and moving over to the cockpit door.
We left him alone to get his work done, but he’s been gone for long enough that I’m not super surprised to see he’s asleep in the pilot’s seat.
Scarlett shakes his shoulder and he wakes up with a start.
“Sorry, but the bed will be much comfier,” she tells him, holding out a hand.
He gets up and she leads him out of the cockpit.
He looks wiped out. Since he didn’t sleep last night, he’ll probably crash out until noon tomorrow. That just leaves Trick and Kian as possible wrenches in my plan.
“I’m not tired,” Kian protests, yawning immediately after Scarlett walks Xane into the bedroom.
“You are,” Trick says, shaking his head. “Just admit it.”
“Fine,” Kian mutters. “Maybe I’m a little bit tired.”
Trick gets up. “Come on. We don’t want to wake Scarlett once she’s sleeping.”
“You can go use the bathroom first,” Kian tells him, practically shooing him away.
I raise an eyebrow once Trick’s in the bathroom.
Kian shrugs at me. “That guy can’t take a hint.”
So, he wanted to talk to me alone.
“What’s up?” I ask.
He gets to his feet and moves over to the backpacks.
I hear him rummaging and I realize he’s sneaking a snack of some kind.
“Seriously, Ki …” I shake my head, ready to play lead Alpha to get him to behave.
He puts an open bag of marshmallows, a box of matches and two barbeque skewers onto the table in front of me, before he slips back into his seat.
“I kept those for Scarlett,” he says. “I overheard you before. You know how to make a fire, right?”
“Uh … Yeah.”
“So, you can surprise her with those. She’ll appreciate it.”
I’m kinda shellshocked that Kian’s giving me something he wanted to use to surprise our mate.
“Thanks.”
“Have fun getting sand everywhere,” he says as he gets up.
The bathroom door opens and Trick steps out.
“What?” Trick asks.
“Nothing. I’m coming to bed. Don’t hog the mattress.”
“I not closing my eyes until you’re in the room,” Trick warns.
“Yeah, yeah,” Kian mutters, rolling his eyes before he heads for the bathroom.
“Night,” I tell Trick before he disappears into the bedroom cabin,
Kinda ironic that cabin was added for me, and I’m the only one who hasn’t used it.
I get up slowly and pull out my bag from under Trick’s seat.
We’ve used all the regular sized towels I brought, as well as my favorite beach towel, but I know I packed a bath sheet, and that’ll be perfect for Scarlett and I to sit on to watch the sunrise.
I move what Kian just gave me to the other side of the table before I put the bag down.
It’s only half-full now, and partially unzipped.
I open it, ready to look for the bath sheet.
It’s there. I can see that immediately.
And so are all the bottles of booze from the mini fridge.
I stare at them, frozen in shock.
I didn’t put these here.
I might have been wasted last night, but I didn’t forget moving my stash.
Xane said he emptied them. Clearly, he didn’t.
I pick one up, and I’m still holding it when Kian comes out of the bathroom.
He looks up, and I feel like I’ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar.
“I don’t know who put these in here.”
Kian blinks, and steps forward.
He looks inside the bag.
“Fuck,” he mutters. “I knew Xane was lying about emptying them.”
He frowns at me. “You’re not thinking about it, are you?”
I shake my head slowly. “No. I didn’t expect … Would you pour them down the sink?”
I don’t feel tempted right now, but who knows how I might feel later?
Considering how easy it was for me to use drinking as a crutch, I don’t want these bottles laying around where I could grab one if I suddenly decided it wouldn’t do any harm.
Kian takes the bottle out of my hand and picks the bag up by the handle.
“Yeah. I’ll empty them outside. Just give me a second.”
I move out of his way, feeling a little shaky.
It’s so weird. I was doing okay. I didn’t want to drink.
Kian sits down at the top of the steps, and I listen to him pouring it all away.
I don’t need to forget anymore. Everyone knows.
I’m done trying to hide away.
Scarlett doesn’t need a drunk for a mate.
“What did you need out of this bag?” Kian asks.
He’s getting to his feet already.
“Uh, the bath sheet. The biggest towel.”
He pulls it out and hands it to me.
“I’ll take the empties into the bedroom with me.”
“Great, thanks.”
It’s fucked that he has to think about that, but I get it.
I’ve been known to force drops out of empty looking bottles.
“You good?” Kian asks.
I’m still shaky, but it’s not that obvious, I don’t think.
“Yeah, thanks.”
He pauses and goes over to his backpack.
He takes out a water and a packet of chips.
“Here,” he says. “You need it.”
“We have to ration …”
“I’m good. It’s out of my supply. I won’t die with one less bag of chips.”
“Thanks.”
“Maybe go eat them outside. You could probably use the fresh air.”
He takes the bag into the bedroom and closes the door.
He’s probably right about the fresh air.
It would do me good to touch some grass.
So, I put my sliders on, and I gather everything I need for my sunrise plans.
Everything’s gonna be perfect by the time I wake Scarlett.